Devil with a Blue Dress

I had this totally awesome costume my sister made me. :)

Who were you today?


Today's earrings: diamonds, rabbits

Bedtime reading: Carpe Jugulum, Terry Pratchett

Back to work

Nothing much happened while I was gone, but they seemed to miss me anyway.


Today's earrings: pigs, citrine drops

Bedtime reading: Carpe Jugulum, Terry Pratchett

and I'm back

Travel highlight: homemade pesto for lunch on the plane.


no earrings

Bedtime reading: Carpe Jugulum, Terry Pratchett

Missing Macy's

So, yesterday I was kinda halfway going to go down to Macy's Herald Square and shop. But time got away from me, and what with one thing and another, I didn't go.
"I'll go tomorrow," I told myself. "Definitely."

Today dawned dark and rainy, and stayed that way into the afternoon.
"Huh," I said to myself, "this is an excellent day to stay in and drink coffee." So I did. First I played with K's coffee grinder. It was most entertaining. Then I surfed the web, ate leftover Chinese food, and read a little Twain.

Then everyone came home and we ate pesto.


Today's earrings: pineapples, rocks

Bedtime reading: Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain

Because, allegedly, S & Tiger sometimes build the Tri-Borough Bridge,

K has re-created the Yolo Causeway in the living room. It's really quite scenic.

No earrings today

Bedtime reading: Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain

Motion toward

K & Tiger had a brunch date, and so left early for the city. S and I followed in the afternoon. Going to the station was like driving through a painting. In the evening we picnicked in the park on the hill. We spotted Tiger's friend C on his way home with his mother, and inveigled them into an impromptu play date. There was much running and kicking of the soccer ball. Then the sun set behind the trees, and we came home.


Today's earrings: turtles, shells

Bedtime reading: Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain

Volunteers only

Today, we
- went to the farm to admire the John Deere tractors and their flock of fluffy chickens, and incidentally acquired a lot of vegetables
- went to the post office
- went to the library and got a bunch of books, mostly concerning things with wheels
- got a muffin for Tiger and a cheese danish for me
- napped
- melted frozen chili
- tried to do some crosswording (I'm way out of practice)
- made pumpkin muffins
- went to the farm's Gala End-of-Season Potluck. We brought chili and pumpkin muffins. The greenhouse was all done up with fairy lights and candles and was very festive. I got my first taste of parsnip; I think it'd go well in casserole with yams, K's not so sure. By the time they got to the speeches, Tiger was doing laps of the table with Farmer Dave's boys. The first round of applause startled them into momentary immobility. Then they got back to business. After the second course, we packed up and took off.

And now, it's time for me to stop monopolizing the kitchen computer so K can place her Fresh Direct order already.


Today's earrings: moose, theobromine molecules

Bedtime reading: One on One, Tabitha King

Busy like bees

Tiger and S went to school, and K and I went shopping in NJ. There was a Target and an Ikea, then K decided we'd had enough & we headed back to the city. (Tiger has a new hat! Most cute.) K and I had a very nice late lunch at the local branch of Cafe Pretentious. I took a nap and she did workish things. Then it was time to collect Tiger and head for the lake. Tiger and I passed the time making pictures for each other. Once at the lake, K turned on the heat, ordered pizza, and we hit a grocery store on the way to meet S. On the way back we collected the pizza and Tiger fell asleep. (So cute!) They tucked Tiger in, we ate yummy pizza, and now, my friends, it is bedtime. Sleep well.


Today's earrings: squirrels, basketweave

Bedtime reading: One on One, Tabitha King

Rest this afternoon

I took a nap. This "vacation" thing is working out nicely.


Today's earrings: flowers, triangles

Bedtime reading: The Little Sailboat; Trucks

What I forgot

My raincoat. Oops!

Pretty standard cross-country travel. This time, the cab driver from the airport was speculating whether an obviously stolen election would lead to armed insurrection. Which made me wonder about the possibility of a military coup. I mean, if there's rioting in the streets but no lawfully elected Commander in Chief, what do the Joint Chiefs do? Hmmmm.


No earrings today d/t travel.

Bedtime reading: SmashCrash, Jon Sciekzma; Mr Frumble, Richard Scarry

Packing

It's an early flight tomorrow, so I'm packing tonight. I'm sure I've forgotten something...


Today's earrings: amethysts

Bedtime reading: Bimbos of the Death Sun, Sharyn McCrumb

Dangerous and Fluffy

http://www.webcomicsnation.com/adamcuerden/daftsod/series.php?view=archive&chapter=15733


Today's earrings: llamas, bunnies

Bedtime reading: Bimbos of the Death Sun, Sharyn McCrumb

Blue Dress

I spent the afternoon supervising M as she made my Halloween costume (it's gorgeous), and then we went to see Bottle Shock. I strongly recommend the theater - they bring you pizza & beer while you're watching the movie from a comfy armchair. The movie was pretty good. Turns out it's but loosely based on actual events (shocking!).


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Last Day in Limbo, Peter O'Donnell

Bechdel Test

Ive been thinking about the Bechdel Test this week. What passes, what doesn't, why I keep watching the stuff that doesn't pass, all that. Tonight channel 54 had on a couple British mysteries, followed by a last season episode of Dr Who, all of which passed the Test. And I wondered, is it that British television just produces more stuff that passes, or is it that only stuff that will tend to pass gets picked up by PBS? Does it matter?


Today's earrings: lobsters, rocks

Bedtime reading: The Fifth Elephant, Terry Pratchett

"I don't think this is safe."

Tonight the cast of Survivor spotted an elephant near camp, and Matty and Ace paddled out across the lake so they could get a better look at the way the elephant was uprooting trees at them. Later, on Ace of Cakes, Duff attempted to climb into the driver's seat of the delivery van while wearing an elephant mascot costume.

Guess who had the wit to realize he wasn't behaving in a manner consistent with health and safety?


Today's earrings: elephants, ebony drops

Bedtime reading: The Fifth Elephant, Terry Pratchett

Oracles

So... Oracle sells Crystal Ball, and that's nice and all... but what about Haruspexes or Stercomancy? What's up with only doing the sorts of divination that don't make work for the janitors? The modern world has gotten so sterile...


Today's earrings: diamonds, anchors

Bedtime reading: Jingo, Terry Pratchett

Thank you, Angry Lemming!

I talked to Josh about the Caribbean today, and there was much rejoicing.


Today's earrings: sapphires, citrines

Bedtime reading: Jingo, Terry Pratchett

Gloss

At the bus stop this morning, I found myself wondering where "to gloss over" came from. Is it to hide something behind a shiny surface, or to explain it away? And how did those two meanings grow out of each other?

Turns out they didn't:

gloss (1) "luster," 1538, from Scand. (cf. Icelandic glossi "flame," related to glossa "to flame"), or obsolete Du. gloos "a glowing," from M.H.G. glos.

gloss (2) "word inserted as an explanation," 1548, gloze, from L. glossa "obsolete or foreign word," from Gk. glossa (Ionic), glotta (Attic) "obscure word, language," lit. "tongue." Extended sense of "explain away" is 1638, from idea of a note inserted in the margin of a text to explain a difficult word.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=gloss

Still not clear on which was the source for "gloss over," but at least I can stop wondering how 'explanatory note' = 'shiny surface.'


Today's earrings: coffee cups, teapots

Bedtime reading: Jingo, Terry Pratchett

Ebisu w/ b2

It's her birthday Sunday, so tonight we ate the best sushi in town.

mmmm, sushi.


Today's earrings: turtles, alligators

Bedtime reading: Jingo, Terry Pratchett

N.B.

Next week, someone remind me to talk to Josh about the Caribbean.


Today's earrings: tree frogs, leaves

Bedtime reading: Jingo, Terry Pratchett

I hear there's a gap in the yard at the Dancing Square

Maybe I could fill it with one of these?


Today's earrings: roses, dopamine molecules

Bedtime reading: Jingo, Terry Pratchett

The Second Coming

Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;

Surely the Second Coming is at hand.

The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out

When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi

Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert

A shape with lion body and the head of a man,

A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,

Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it

Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.

The darkness drops again; but now I know

That twenty centuries of stony sleep

Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,

And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,

Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

- - William Butler Yeats


Today's earrings: mice, crows

Bedtime reading: Feet of Clay, Terry Pratchett

Plus, it's good for my karma

Hoping to get to see another video of Sarah Bunting dancing around in a tomato costume, today I threw some money at the Tomato Nation fund-raising drive for Donors Choose. It's, like, totally an excellent cause, and if they make their fundraising goal, she'll go Tomato the White House. Who could resist a pitch like that?


Today's earrings: owls, rabbits

Bedtime reading: Feet of Clay, Terry Pratchett

Decisions

Went to see some more apartments with NRL. This one place... it's a well-laid-out workable size, the price is right, and it's too far from work to walk but there is a direct bus line. It's really close to the freeway and the CalTrain tracks; the noise wasn't too bad on a Sunday afternoon, but I bet you hear it all late at night. It's also hot in there. Lots of windows in the common hallways.

The catch is, the place is only affordable for me if I can get one of the remaining units reserved for the below market rate program. There's no lottery on this place. All I have to do is be one of the next three people to put in an ap and get financing. But if I go through the BMR program, NRL gets no commission on the sale. We didn't know that when we walked in, and the selling agent waited until we were just about out the door before he mentioned it. (I don't think that he was trying to be a jerk about it, but he succeeded anyway.) If I don't go through the BMR program, the price doubles.


Today's earrings: flowers, rocks

Bedtime reading: Feet of Clay, Terry Pratchett

Motion towards

Spent the morning tidying the place up in preparation for the Nice Realtor Lady's arrival. I even vacuumed. Finally got around to putting the pretty rug down in my bedroom, too.

She turned up and I showed her around, and she was most impressed by the books. I was trying to convey just how much stuff I'm looking to house so she knows what she's up against. Not sure she got it.

Off we went to see a building full of studios south of Market. On the way we got held up by what looked like a circus parade coming down Market St. It all looked very festive, but my, was it in the way. Finally got to see the apartments. The prices were almost within my budget, the location was close to where I'd want to be, but damn, they were small. 300 square feet really isn't much. Plus, lots of polished concrete. She expanded on the theme of, "Location, size, price: pick two." Haven't quite decided yet... We headed back, and it took us over an hour to get to my place. Turns out the obstacle was "Lovefest." (supply your own joke here.)

Then I headed off to the east bay where I met the Confused Cricket and the Angry Lemming. We drove to Palo Alto's Gunn HS, where Neil Gaiman was to speak later. "Yep, that's a high school," we said, "but where's the food?" We found a Hobies and dined in style. Back to the high school. Mr Gaiman read a chapter and an interlude from his latest novel, then treated us to the trailer & selected clips from Coraline (his last book, due out in movie format next year) and then answered questions, finally wrapping up past 10pm. During the interval, we met some friends of CC&AL's, and the friends' highly cute child Eleanor, who waved back at me. Small children love jazz hands.

Got home to find a message from the Wandering Albatross; called back. He was having a foot massage and sounded very relaxed.


Today's earrings: elephants, turtles

Bedtime reading: Feet of Clay, Terry Pratchett

Utensia

- - W.W. Denslow

Today's earrings: cups, spoons

Bedtime reading: Nation, Terry Pratchett

More review

My boss took me for a smoothie. She told me I'm doing great and we talked about the future of the company. It was most warm & fuzzy.

Later, she handed around SP debate bingo cards. Turns out everyone in the office except me was planning to watch.


Today's earrings: bees, typewriter keys

Bedtime reading: Nation, Terry Pratchett

Busy day

This morning, I
- got back my copy of Serenity from a coworker. He finished Firefly last week, and is a convert to the Browncoat Cause. I have urged him to watch Dr Horrible, and plan to start feeding him Buffy this winter.*
- sent the last of yesterday's updates to publish.
- got an errata slip for the book I've been working on off & on all summer; fixed it.
- got as an offer of source materials (for another update I made yesterday) from D. Said I'd already done the update.
- printed up & handed off a different (1757 page) book to be proofed in depth and at length. 1757 pages take quite a while to download, in case you were wondering.
- finished proofing the book I've been working on all summer.
- got an email from D explaining that what she meant was that yesterday's update hadn't posted correctly. Checked & found that the update had not posted externally. Sent note to IT about the publish delay.
- went and talked to the lead programmer about whether he could re-write the logic for this one thing, or if I'd have to spend the rest of the week doing it by hand. He came up with a third alternative, which won't solve the problem permanently, but can be done by tomorrow without further effort from me. Love that dude.
- answered a customer question about sugar quotas. Verily, they are most weird.
- got another email from D explaining that what she really meant was an errata slip for the update I'd done yesterday, which had posted internally. Fixed it. That woman loves to waste my time.
- checked the primary sources for the the book I've been working on all summer and found the announcement of more changes, but the details are TBA. I could hold off and wait for all the details to be published... decided to finally get this @%$!*#% thing off my desk instead.
- got the written part of my performance review, which said I'm all competent-like and make the office a shinier place just by showing up.
- went to have lunch with b2 in an excellent mood.


Today's earrings: scarabs

Bedtime reading: Nation, Terry Pratchett


________________
*Mua ha ha ha ha! Ha ha!