I will therefore provide no more commentary on it in this space. It will hereafter return to its original intention: my SECOND life.
Myfi
2008-09-21
2008-08-30
One Twenty-five, Eleven, Eighten, Fifty, and Two Ninety Six
Sometimes it seems numbers are the most important things in our lives. For example, it has been about seven weeks since I last posted here. Much has happened in the intervening fifty-one days, but to those who might be reading this now, the passage of the months and days and weeks and minutes of my own life count for little. So it goes. My last post here was July 10. John officially retired from the Army as of August 1. He has applied for numerous jobs, but has so far not gone on a single interview. He's been concentrating first on organizing our finances in the light of drastically reduced income (and also apparently to make sure he has an =exact= figure to tell he me how much money I spent in the 18 months we were apart), and second working on the house. So far he has completely ripped off the back deck and is in the process or rebuilding it at about 1/3 its original size (rather like our finances, come to think of it). He had the house hydro-blasted in preparation for painting. (We've had the house just over a year now, and we've ALMOST agreed on a color scheme: white with ocean blue trim.) He and his father are going to install gutters on the house as well. I have some gardening to do in the area where the big deck used to be, and I'm thinking seriously of doing primarily an herb garden. I like the shape (half-moon) and the proximity to the kitchen door. Sheryl has offered to give me cuttings and plants from her own, quite healthy herb garden to get started. What I really need, though, is dirt. Lots of gravel and rocks, not much dirt there at present. I also need to pull up a bunch of weeds and a few day lilies to make room for more useful vegetation.
I started my job as an instructional aide, working with the kindergarten literacy program at the local elementary school. I like the people I am working with and the kids are a constant delight. The job pays minimum wage plus fifty cents extra per hour because I am a certified paraprofessional. WTF? I have tried to be pragmatic about the salary - $7.75 per hour is $7.75 per hour more than I have been earning for the past three years that I haven't had a job. I work with two other aides who are good people (the BOW is the second grade team - she was text-messaging at the seminar the principal sent us to on the first day of work, and didn't show up for the second day since the students were not there, but for some reason STILL has a job... but then, I am not an administrator, and for minimum wage, I don't give much of a shit what anyone else is doing as long as it doesn't impact what I have to do). The teaching time is fascinating - we tested the kindergarteners last week to see where they need to be placed in the reading program. Tremendous disparity shows up immediately - some know how to read independently, some can't even name the letters of the alphabet. It has been wonderful to get to know the children and to try to see how their busy minds work. That's the good part of the job.
The less good part of the job involves "duties" - the aides are responsible for the children in the mornings - getting them off the bus, lined up and ready for assembly, then into the classroom. Then the aides have recess and lunch duty. Recess and lunch have so far been the most problematic. The teachers bring them to the back door and let them go. Five classes of about 25 students in each class. That's a hundred twenty five four and five year olds running around on an aging wooden playset, with THREE aides to keep them safe. Then we have to get them to line up in alphabetical order for lunch (because the school secretary takes everyone's lunch money each morning and writes down who paid and then manually ticks off the names of the kids as they go through and get their hot lunch), separate the cold lunch from the hot lunch kids, take them into the cafeteria and monitor the getting of lunches, seating, eating, dumping of trash, and then lining up to go back to class. The ratio of 125:3 seems insane to me... especially when you consider that we're earning minimum wage.
Speaking of minimum wage, I got my first paycheck on Friday. I labored as aforedescribed, and took home Two Hundred Ninety-six Dollars. That will cover two weeks' of groceries, and very little else. So again, I must remind myself, that's $296 I didn't get when I was unemployed.
Since school started, I have been on my feet for nearly seven hours a day. This has served to illustrate very graphically and painfully that my current selection of footwear is inadequate for such a job. The first week I tried a different pair of shoes each day, and wound up with a different set of blisters, spots rubbed raw, and footaches each day. The worst was a pair of my old work shoes - flat closed shoes which were perfect for working at a law firm... considering that I sat at a desk most of the day and kicked off whatever shoes whenever possible. I realize I spend most of my time unshod. This is not an option at the school, because I am actually moving almost the entire day. By 2PM, I could barely walk, every nerve in my feet were shrieking. The closed shoes came off as soon as I was out of the building - I rode my bike home barefoot, even. Not the best idea, generally, but totally necessary in this instance. That pair of shoes did not make it back inside the house even, they detoured directly to the trash can. I had been using a pair of John's old running shoes as my own sneakers for at least two years - I got astonishing blisters from THEM even, when I had to wear them all day. Apparently John's feet are narrower than mine, and the insole cut into the outside edge of the ball of my feet and my pinky toe.
I finally resorted to a pair of white walking shoe/sneakers from the back of my closet, one of which Samwise had chewed up when he was still a puppy. I wore those most of last week. At least I wasn't hobbling by noon.
I ordered a new pair of shoes through Amazon.com, at the same time I ordered a book required for my lone college class this term. The shoes are Propet brand, Mary Jane style walking shoes. They're not remotely sexy, but my feet are happy. WHich brings me to the next numbers.... I used to wear a size 9.5, but started wearing size ten some years ago. Lately, size 10.5 has been so comfortable, I've started buying size elevens. I've won several other pairs of shoes on ebay over the last few days - Born, Dansko, and Ecco - all brands I know my feet like.
The next number is 18... I started off the school year barely able to squeeze into my size 18 pants, but between riding the bike everywhere I can and all the walking on my job, I wore a pair of size sixteen jeans on Friday. Happy dance!! I hope this particular downward trend continues.
I am tired of numbers now. I want a nap.
Myfi
I started my job as an instructional aide, working with the kindergarten literacy program at the local elementary school. I like the people I am working with and the kids are a constant delight. The job pays minimum wage plus fifty cents extra per hour because I am a certified paraprofessional. WTF? I have tried to be pragmatic about the salary - $7.75 per hour is $7.75 per hour more than I have been earning for the past three years that I haven't had a job. I work with two other aides who are good people (the BOW is the second grade team - she was text-messaging at the seminar the principal sent us to on the first day of work, and didn't show up for the second day since the students were not there, but for some reason STILL has a job... but then, I am not an administrator, and for minimum wage, I don't give much of a shit what anyone else is doing as long as it doesn't impact what I have to do). The teaching time is fascinating - we tested the kindergarteners last week to see where they need to be placed in the reading program. Tremendous disparity shows up immediately - some know how to read independently, some can't even name the letters of the alphabet. It has been wonderful to get to know the children and to try to see how their busy minds work. That's the good part of the job.
The less good part of the job involves "duties" - the aides are responsible for the children in the mornings - getting them off the bus, lined up and ready for assembly, then into the classroom. Then the aides have recess and lunch duty. Recess and lunch have so far been the most problematic. The teachers bring them to the back door and let them go. Five classes of about 25 students in each class. That's a hundred twenty five four and five year olds running around on an aging wooden playset, with THREE aides to keep them safe. Then we have to get them to line up in alphabetical order for lunch (because the school secretary takes everyone's lunch money each morning and writes down who paid and then manually ticks off the names of the kids as they go through and get their hot lunch), separate the cold lunch from the hot lunch kids, take them into the cafeteria and monitor the getting of lunches, seating, eating, dumping of trash, and then lining up to go back to class. The ratio of 125:3 seems insane to me... especially when you consider that we're earning minimum wage.
Speaking of minimum wage, I got my first paycheck on Friday. I labored as aforedescribed, and took home Two Hundred Ninety-six Dollars. That will cover two weeks' of groceries, and very little else. So again, I must remind myself, that's $296 I didn't get when I was unemployed.
Since school started, I have been on my feet for nearly seven hours a day. This has served to illustrate very graphically and painfully that my current selection of footwear is inadequate for such a job. The first week I tried a different pair of shoes each day, and wound up with a different set of blisters, spots rubbed raw, and footaches each day. The worst was a pair of my old work shoes - flat closed shoes which were perfect for working at a law firm... considering that I sat at a desk most of the day and kicked off whatever shoes whenever possible. I realize I spend most of my time unshod. This is not an option at the school, because I am actually moving almost the entire day. By 2PM, I could barely walk, every nerve in my feet were shrieking. The closed shoes came off as soon as I was out of the building - I rode my bike home barefoot, even. Not the best idea, generally, but totally necessary in this instance. That pair of shoes did not make it back inside the house even, they detoured directly to the trash can. I had been using a pair of John's old running shoes as my own sneakers for at least two years - I got astonishing blisters from THEM even, when I had to wear them all day. Apparently John's feet are narrower than mine, and the insole cut into the outside edge of the ball of my feet and my pinky toe.
I finally resorted to a pair of white walking shoe/sneakers from the back of my closet, one of which Samwise had chewed up when he was still a puppy. I wore those most of last week. At least I wasn't hobbling by noon.
I ordered a new pair of shoes through Amazon.com, at the same time I ordered a book required for my lone college class this term. The shoes are Propet brand, Mary Jane style walking shoes. They're not remotely sexy, but my feet are happy. WHich brings me to the next numbers.... I used to wear a size 9.5, but started wearing size ten some years ago. Lately, size 10.5 has been so comfortable, I've started buying size elevens. I've won several other pairs of shoes on ebay over the last few days - Born, Dansko, and Ecco - all brands I know my feet like.
The next number is 18... I started off the school year barely able to squeeze into my size 18 pants, but between riding the bike everywhere I can and all the walking on my job, I wore a pair of size sixteen jeans on Friday. Happy dance!! I hope this particular downward trend continues.
I am tired of numbers now. I want a nap.
Myfi
2008-07-10
In case you were wondering...
This is what I've been up to lately:
3. A patient suffering from hypertension may receive drugs that decrease the heart's output, dilate arterioles, or increase urine production. In each case, how would the drug treatment help relieve hypertension? Diane
Hypertension is elevated blood pressure, which can result from or is contributed to by many different factors. Essential or primary hypertension is commonly caused or exacerbated by poor dietary choices and/or a sedentary lifestyle which usually results in overweight. In its simplest terms, increase body mass means increased workload on the heart to get the blood where it needs to go. Secondary hypertension results from other health problems or medications, though lifestyle is still usually a contributing factor. Because high blood pressure contributes to stroke, heart attack or failure, and kidney failure among other problems (p177), doctors tend to try to get it under control as quickly as possible.
There are five basic types of medications for treating blood pressure: diuretics, beta blockers, ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists, and calcium channel blockers (www.healthsquare.com/hbp5.htm). Each medication acts differently within the body to help lower blood pressure, and some act than one way.
Medications that “decrease the heart’s output” generally fall into the classification of beta blockers (which block epinephrine and norepinephrine, and cause relaxation of smooth cardiac muscles), and some of the older calcium channel blockers (which block the entry of calcium into the heart muscles thereby slowing contractions). They actually decrease the force of heart’s contractions which in turn pumps less blood into the arteries. Lower volume of blood in the vessels reduces the pressure on them.
Medications that “dilate arterioles” are ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors, newer calcium channel blockers, ARBs (angiotensin-receptor blockers), direct-acting vasodilators. The kidneys secrete rennin which produces angiotensin I, which is then converted to angiotensin II which causes contraction of the muscles around the blood vessels and stimulates production of the hormone adrenal (which also raises blood pressure). The renin-angiotensin I-angiotensin II cycle is referred to as the RAA system. ACEs limits the body’s production of angiotensin II. ACE medications prevent angiotensin I from converting to angiotensin II; ARBs prevent the arterioles (small blood vessels) from receiving the angiotensin II) (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=18025 ). Calcium-channel blockers and the direct vasodilator hydralazine relax the smooth muscles in the arteries to prevent them from constricting (http://www.cvpharmacology.com/vasodilator/vasodilators.htm ). By preventing vascular constriction or by causing the blood vessels to expand, the blood can travel more freely through them which decreases blood pressure.
Diuretics “increase urine production” by increasing the kidney’s secretion of sodium and water which decreases the volume of fluid in the bloodstream and therefore pressure on the blood vessels. There is less for the heart to have to pump and the arteries to carry, which eases the blood pressure. The diuretic has been in use the longest of all the anti-hypertensive agents, and has the largest body of research behind it (www.cardiologychannel.com/hypertension/pharm.shtml ), including recent studies. “The latest findings stem from a landmark investigation based at the UT School of Public Health, which in 2002 established that diuretics were “as good or better” than three other classes of medications for high blood pressure during a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, clinical trial. The investigation is called ALLHAT - Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial” (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128165704.htm ).
Before prescribing any hypertension medication, doctors consider all contributing lifestyle factors and any other health issues to ensure best results with fewest side effects. The long-term effectiveness of any anti-hypertensive medication is limited by lifestyle issues. Medications will treat the symptoms (high blood pressure) but not the varied causes (obesity, lack of exercise, underlying heart problems, diabetes, etc.), so changes in diet and exercise levels are critical to controlling high blood pressure.
9. When Jason runs his marathon, what energy sources are going to be readily available for his muscle contraction? Where will the muscles of his legs get their steady energy supply? Would it make sense for him to take nutrients during the marathon? Diane
Lots to talk about on this one, since it covers pretty much the scope of cellular metabolism. But the short answer: the most readily available sources of energy will be ATP stored in the muscle cells. Unfortunately, that supplies energy for only about ten seconds, so the cells must begin to produce ATP from other sources including creatine phosphate (creatine-P), glycogen, glucose, and fatty acids (p130). Creatine-P provides less than a minute’s burst of high-energy, and then for the next 3-5 minutes, the cells draw on their store of glycogen which can be broken down anaerobically. The glucose can be drawn out without oxygen (which produces lactic acid). Since oxygen is not required, this is why you don’t usually start to breathe heavily until a few minutes after you start exercising.
Once the cell’s stored glycogen has been anaerobically processed into glucose, the steady, long-term energy supply will come from aerobically catabolized glucose, fatty acids, and other high-energy molecules (p.130).
Here I had to dig for answers, starting with Wikipedia. After 18-22 miles, many runners hit “the wall” – a feeling of overwhelming fatigue (a feeling many college students can relate to after two days of studying without sleep in preparation for exams!). Marathoners work hard at conditioning the muscles to work most efficiently for the longest period of time, but “hitting the wall” is nearly because the body can only store a certain amount of glycogen. Once that is used up, the cells start to draw on stored fat which is not as efficient an energy source as glycogen. (Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_(sport)#During_the_race )
My first guess is that intake of some nutrients help the body work more efficiently, depending on the type and amount of nutrients consumed. The Wikipedia page on marathon running indicates that replacing salt along with water helps avoid excessive dilution of sodium in the blood (hyponatremia, article in Science Daily here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080109195002.htm ). Consuming high-concentrate carbohydrates with some potassium and sodium (anybody remember the sodium-potassium pump??) and sometimes caffeine, periodically throughout the race provides a quick energy source and helps minimize the impact of “hitting the wall.”
I found a really great article on “the wall” at Marathon & Beyond. If you’re interested in, it is at http://www.marathonandbeyond.com/choices/latta.htm and has a LOT of information presented in a very accessible fashion.
3. A patient suffering from hypertension may receive drugs that decrease the heart's output, dilate arterioles, or increase urine production. In each case, how would the drug treatment help relieve hypertension? Diane
Hypertension is elevated blood pressure, which can result from or is contributed to by many different factors. Essential or primary hypertension is commonly caused or exacerbated by poor dietary choices and/or a sedentary lifestyle which usually results in overweight. In its simplest terms, increase body mass means increased workload on the heart to get the blood where it needs to go. Secondary hypertension results from other health problems or medications, though lifestyle is still usually a contributing factor. Because high blood pressure contributes to stroke, heart attack or failure, and kidney failure among other problems (p177), doctors tend to try to get it under control as quickly as possible.
There are five basic types of medications for treating blood pressure: diuretics, beta blockers, ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists, and calcium channel blockers (www.healthsquare.com/hbp5.htm). Each medication acts differently within the body to help lower blood pressure, and some act than one way.
Medications that “decrease the heart’s output” generally fall into the classification of beta blockers (which block epinephrine and norepinephrine, and cause relaxation of smooth cardiac muscles), and some of the older calcium channel blockers (which block the entry of calcium into the heart muscles thereby slowing contractions). They actually decrease the force of heart’s contractions which in turn pumps less blood into the arteries. Lower volume of blood in the vessels reduces the pressure on them.
Medications that “dilate arterioles” are ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors, newer calcium channel blockers, ARBs (angiotensin-receptor blockers), direct-acting vasodilators. The kidneys secrete rennin which produces angiotensin I, which is then converted to angiotensin II which causes contraction of the muscles around the blood vessels and stimulates production of the hormone adrenal (which also raises blood pressure). The renin-angiotensin I-angiotensin II cycle is referred to as the RAA system. ACEs limits the body’s production of angiotensin II. ACE medications prevent angiotensin I from converting to angiotensin II; ARBs prevent the arterioles (small blood vessels) from receiving the angiotensin II) (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=18025 ). Calcium-channel blockers and the direct vasodilator hydralazine relax the smooth muscles in the arteries to prevent them from constricting (http://www.cvpharmacology.com/vasodilator/vasodilators.htm ). By preventing vascular constriction or by causing the blood vessels to expand, the blood can travel more freely through them which decreases blood pressure.
Diuretics “increase urine production” by increasing the kidney’s secretion of sodium and water which decreases the volume of fluid in the bloodstream and therefore pressure on the blood vessels. There is less for the heart to have to pump and the arteries to carry, which eases the blood pressure. The diuretic has been in use the longest of all the anti-hypertensive agents, and has the largest body of research behind it (www.cardiologychannel.com/hypertension/pharm.shtml ), including recent studies. “The latest findings stem from a landmark investigation based at the UT School of Public Health, which in 2002 established that diuretics were “as good or better” than three other classes of medications for high blood pressure during a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, clinical trial. The investigation is called ALLHAT - Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial” (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128165704.htm ).
Before prescribing any hypertension medication, doctors consider all contributing lifestyle factors and any other health issues to ensure best results with fewest side effects. The long-term effectiveness of any anti-hypertensive medication is limited by lifestyle issues. Medications will treat the symptoms (high blood pressure) but not the varied causes (obesity, lack of exercise, underlying heart problems, diabetes, etc.), so changes in diet and exercise levels are critical to controlling high blood pressure.
9. When Jason runs his marathon, what energy sources are going to be readily available for his muscle contraction? Where will the muscles of his legs get their steady energy supply? Would it make sense for him to take nutrients during the marathon? Diane
Lots to talk about on this one, since it covers pretty much the scope of cellular metabolism. But the short answer: the most readily available sources of energy will be ATP stored in the muscle cells. Unfortunately, that supplies energy for only about ten seconds, so the cells must begin to produce ATP from other sources including creatine phosphate (creatine-P), glycogen, glucose, and fatty acids (p130). Creatine-P provides less than a minute’s burst of high-energy, and then for the next 3-5 minutes, the cells draw on their store of glycogen which can be broken down anaerobically. The glucose can be drawn out without oxygen (which produces lactic acid). Since oxygen is not required, this is why you don’t usually start to breathe heavily until a few minutes after you start exercising.
Once the cell’s stored glycogen has been anaerobically processed into glucose, the steady, long-term energy supply will come from aerobically catabolized glucose, fatty acids, and other high-energy molecules (p.130).
Here I had to dig for answers, starting with Wikipedia. After 18-22 miles, many runners hit “the wall” – a feeling of overwhelming fatigue (a feeling many college students can relate to after two days of studying without sleep in preparation for exams!). Marathoners work hard at conditioning the muscles to work most efficiently for the longest period of time, but “hitting the wall” is nearly because the body can only store a certain amount of glycogen. Once that is used up, the cells start to draw on stored fat which is not as efficient an energy source as glycogen. (Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_(sport)#During_the_race )
My first guess is that intake of some nutrients help the body work more efficiently, depending on the type and amount of nutrients consumed. The Wikipedia page on marathon running indicates that replacing salt along with water helps avoid excessive dilution of sodium in the blood (hyponatremia, article in Science Daily here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080109195002.htm ). Consuming high-concentrate carbohydrates with some potassium and sodium (anybody remember the sodium-potassium pump??) and sometimes caffeine, periodically throughout the race provides a quick energy source and helps minimize the impact of “hitting the wall.”
I found a really great article on “the wall” at Marathon & Beyond. If you’re interested in, it is at http://www.marathonandbeyond.com/choices/latta.htm and has a LOT of information presented in a very accessible fashion.
2008-05-14
2008-05-11
Ah, California
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-stein9-2008may09,0,5041988,print.column
2008-05-05
Busy Weekend!
Technically, it is already Monday where I am, but I shall proceed as though it were indeed still the week end. Though perhaps one's weekend should not be considered "over" until one arises and prepares for work. Since I am unemployed, that doesn't quite work... ah, well. My weekend never ends, it seems, so here I am at nearly 2 AM still at the computer. But I have apparently not downloaded the photos I took over the weekend, so you will have to wait for that, at least.
So. This weekend began with the weekly Steelhead dance on Friday, this one a joyous celebration of the arrival of Steelhead Boomtown! Lunar and Tensai have set aside a block of land in the very center of Boomtown for a forested area. Since the trees are not in yet, the dance was held in the center of the sim. I love the outdoor dances! Much fun and silliness, as is the norm in Steelhead. My contribution to the silliness factor was that, in addition to my regular outfit, I also donned an invisible exploding barrel and fashioned myself a flip title that said "Touch me to Make me go BOOM." To me it seemed quite appropriate for the official opening of Boomtown. A few people set me off, and the barrel seemed to explode itself randomly. THis was not nearly enough bang for my buck so I had to announce very loudly a few times that since nobody else was going to make me go boom, I had to touch myself. Which, of course, I did! Nice little boom, good flames, lots of smoke. Fun for me, not so much for my occasional dance partners. Augustus had surprised me by arriving in Harborside as I was doing some landscaping on my spare lot, and we walked to the dance together, though we didn't even dance one dance together. I danced with Lunar, he danced with Searra and Tanarian. I wandered off while the dance was still going on, and flew around Boomtown to see what had been done in the hours since my last inspection. I can't remember what I've already reported on... Augustus was apparently called away before I could return to the dance, but return I did once the crowd thinned. Tensai started dragging out weapons... always a good time!
On Saturday morning, I got an IM from the lovely and multi-talented Soliel Snook, who was preparing her display for a Home and Garden show. She invited me to take a look at her area before the show opened, and am I ever glad I took her up on the offer! The first thing she showed me was a new item - texture-changing vases and planters. I played with those for a while (and bought the big planter, it's the first thing you see when you walk in the treehouse front door right now), then she showed me the vegetable garden - a PARTICLE garden!! Now, I suppose this is not new technology, but this is the first time I'd seen the particle thingies used for anything other than a poofer. But Soliel (and the brilliant scripter Jomander Trefoil) put together the entire vegetable garden package... I =so= need this! Wish I could plant it IRL, too, but that's a different subject.
In addition to the particle vegetable garden, Soliel also had particle fields of flowers. They cover about a 10' square area; I'm not sure of the specifics, except that the flowers themselves are GORGEOUS, the rezzer is an ingeniously unobtrusive plant stake, and the fields of flowers produced are simply remarkable. Of these, I got the field of tulips, and what she terms "Monet's Garden" with several different spring flowers. I was enchanted by the idea and awed by the execution.... I promptly planted them on Max's land in Boomtown. Anyone who wants to see them can stop by the his land, at the NE corner of Boomtown. They're not technically on HIS land, since the rezzer is not effective on extremely uneven terrain; they are in the public land between Ms Hauptmann and Max, at the very base of the mountain. These rezzers impressed the heck out of me, especially considering that they use up only five prims, I believe. I think we need them ALL over Boomtown! I suggested that in addition to her happy Monet's Garden, she should do a Van Gogh set -- all blue irises except for ONE white. And she actually DIDN'T tell me to shut up and leave her alone! Nice lady!
I need to go back and get that vegetable garden before I run myself out of lindens again.
Later in the day, Searra and I went to the anniversary celebration of SteamSky City. Eventually made it to the dance, but didn't stay too long. Long enough to hear Caledon Independent Broadcasters DJ Wormser to play "You Remind Me of The Babe" from th Labyringht Soundtrack. before being lured away to an event that Ms. Snook was DJing... I can't tell you where it was or what it was for at this point, though I think there was artwork and library involved somehow. I wore a new BareRose outfit called "Lilith" ... 'twas an interesting set. I don't know if I took photos or not. The crowd was fun, the music was awesome.
I did something in the evening, but I'm too tired right now to remember WHAT.
Today was spent mostly in outworld activities. I made it inworld around suppertime, and Searra called to say hi and invite me to see her latest build - another airship fine tuned using her experience from the previous two! There was apparently a mad science thing going on in SteamSky City but I was not in the mood for a dance and the Baron (who sent ME a TP but not to Searra - bad boy!) was not responding to my IMs. So I stayed in the skies above Harborside, rezzing then accidentally deleting my indigo tent. Honestly, I think I dleted it at least eight times. But I think it's finally situated, with clouds on the bottom to disguise it when viewing from the ground. I spent too much time decorating, and it snow a very comfortable hangout.
Now nearly 230... listening to Putumayo mysic streaming... dogs are already sacked out... life as usual.
Hope your weekend was fun and that you're preapred for another MONDAY. That's the best I can do right nose!
Myfi
So. This weekend began with the weekly Steelhead dance on Friday, this one a joyous celebration of the arrival of Steelhead Boomtown! Lunar and Tensai have set aside a block of land in the very center of Boomtown for a forested area. Since the trees are not in yet, the dance was held in the center of the sim. I love the outdoor dances! Much fun and silliness, as is the norm in Steelhead. My contribution to the silliness factor was that, in addition to my regular outfit, I also donned an invisible exploding barrel and fashioned myself a flip title that said "Touch me to Make me go BOOM." To me it seemed quite appropriate for the official opening of Boomtown. A few people set me off, and the barrel seemed to explode itself randomly. THis was not nearly enough bang for my buck so I had to announce very loudly a few times that since nobody else was going to make me go boom, I had to touch myself. Which, of course, I did! Nice little boom, good flames, lots of smoke. Fun for me, not so much for my occasional dance partners. Augustus had surprised me by arriving in Harborside as I was doing some landscaping on my spare lot, and we walked to the dance together, though we didn't even dance one dance together. I danced with Lunar, he danced with Searra and Tanarian. I wandered off while the dance was still going on, and flew around Boomtown to see what had been done in the hours since my last inspection. I can't remember what I've already reported on... Augustus was apparently called away before I could return to the dance, but return I did once the crowd thinned. Tensai started dragging out weapons... always a good time!
On Saturday morning, I got an IM from the lovely and multi-talented Soliel Snook, who was preparing her display for a Home and Garden show. She invited me to take a look at her area before the show opened, and am I ever glad I took her up on the offer! The first thing she showed me was a new item - texture-changing vases and planters. I played with those for a while (and bought the big planter, it's the first thing you see when you walk in the treehouse front door right now), then she showed me the vegetable garden - a PARTICLE garden!! Now, I suppose this is not new technology, but this is the first time I'd seen the particle thingies used for anything other than a poofer. But Soliel (and the brilliant scripter Jomander Trefoil) put together the entire vegetable garden package... I =so= need this! Wish I could plant it IRL, too, but that's a different subject.
In addition to the particle vegetable garden, Soliel also had particle fields of flowers. They cover about a 10' square area; I'm not sure of the specifics, except that the flowers themselves are GORGEOUS, the rezzer is an ingeniously unobtrusive plant stake, and the fields of flowers produced are simply remarkable. Of these, I got the field of tulips, and what she terms "Monet's Garden" with several different spring flowers. I was enchanted by the idea and awed by the execution.... I promptly planted them on Max's land in Boomtown. Anyone who wants to see them can stop by the his land, at the NE corner of Boomtown. They're not technically on HIS land, since the rezzer is not effective on extremely uneven terrain; they are in the public land between Ms Hauptmann and Max, at the very base of the mountain. These rezzers impressed the heck out of me, especially considering that they use up only five prims, I believe. I think we need them ALL over Boomtown! I suggested that in addition to her happy Monet's Garden, she should do a Van Gogh set -- all blue irises except for ONE white. And she actually DIDN'T tell me to shut up and leave her alone! Nice lady!
I need to go back and get that vegetable garden before I run myself out of lindens again.
Later in the day, Searra and I went to the anniversary celebration of SteamSky City. Eventually made it to the dance, but didn't stay too long. Long enough to hear Caledon Independent Broadcasters DJ Wormser to play "You Remind Me of The Babe" from th Labyringht Soundtrack. before being lured away to an event that Ms. Snook was DJing... I can't tell you where it was or what it was for at this point, though I think there was artwork and library involved somehow. I wore a new BareRose outfit called "Lilith" ... 'twas an interesting set. I don't know if I took photos or not. The crowd was fun, the music was awesome.
I did something in the evening, but I'm too tired right now to remember WHAT.
Today was spent mostly in outworld activities. I made it inworld around suppertime, and Searra called to say hi and invite me to see her latest build - another airship fine tuned using her experience from the previous two! There was apparently a mad science thing going on in SteamSky City but I was not in the mood for a dance and the Baron (who sent ME a TP but not to Searra - bad boy!) was not responding to my IMs. So I stayed in the skies above Harborside, rezzing then accidentally deleting my indigo tent. Honestly, I think I dleted it at least eight times. But I think it's finally situated, with clouds on the bottom to disguise it when viewing from the ground. I spent too much time decorating, and it snow a very comfortable hangout.
Now nearly 230... listening to Putumayo mysic streaming... dogs are already sacked out... life as usual.
Hope your weekend was fun and that you're preapred for another MONDAY. That's the best I can do right nose!
Myfi
2008-05-02
Photos
Here because the computer apparently at my link to flickr. Beltane and Walpurgisnacht snapshots.
See more at the bottom of this post.
http://picasaweb.google.com/GarlicMyfi/2008Beltane
2008-04-30
In case you didn't catch them all
BARENAKED LADIES LYRICS
"Who Needs Sleep?"
Now I lay me down not to sleep
I just get tangled in the sheets
I swim in sweat three inches deep
I just lay back and claim defeat
Chapter read and lesson learned
I turned the lights off while she burned
So while she's three hundred degrees
I throw the sheets off and I freeze
Lids down, I count sheep
I count heartbeats
The only thing that counts is
that I won't sleep
I countdown, I look around
Who needs sleep?
well you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep?
tell me what's that for
Who needs sleep?
be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake
since the Second World War
My hands are locked up tight in fists
My mind is racing, filled with lists
of things to do and things I've done
Another sleepless night's begun
Lids down, I count sheep
I count heartbeats
The only thing that counts is
that I won't sleep
I countdown, I look around
Who needs sleep?
well you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep?
tell me what's that for
Who needs sleep?
be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake
since the Second World War
Who needs sleep?
well you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep?
tell me what's that for
Who needs sleep?
be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake
since the Second World War
There's so much joy in life,
so many pleasures all around
But the pleasure of insomnia
is one I've never found
With all life has to offer,
there's so much to be enjoyed
But the pleasures of insomnia
are ones I can't avoid
Lids down, I count sheep
I count heartbeats
The only thing that counts is
that I won't sleep
I countdown, I look around
Hala Hala Hala
Who needs sleep?
well you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep?
tell me what's that for
Who needs sleep?
be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake
since the Second World War
[Repeat]
"Who Needs Sleep?"
Now I lay me down not to sleep
I just get tangled in the sheets
I swim in sweat three inches deep
I just lay back and claim defeat
Chapter read and lesson learned
I turned the lights off while she burned
So while she's three hundred degrees
I throw the sheets off and I freeze
Lids down, I count sheep
I count heartbeats
The only thing that counts is
that I won't sleep
I countdown, I look around
Who needs sleep?
well you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep?
tell me what's that for
Who needs sleep?
be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake
since the Second World War
My hands are locked up tight in fists
My mind is racing, filled with lists
of things to do and things I've done
Another sleepless night's begun
Lids down, I count sheep
I count heartbeats
The only thing that counts is
that I won't sleep
I countdown, I look around
Who needs sleep?
well you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep?
tell me what's that for
Who needs sleep?
be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake
since the Second World War
Who needs sleep?
well you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep?
tell me what's that for
Who needs sleep?
be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake
since the Second World War
There's so much joy in life,
so many pleasures all around
But the pleasure of insomnia
is one I've never found
With all life has to offer,
there's so much to be enjoyed
But the pleasures of insomnia
are ones I can't avoid
Lids down, I count sheep
I count heartbeats
The only thing that counts is
that I won't sleep
I countdown, I look around
Hala Hala Hala
Who needs sleep?
well you're never gonna get it
Who needs sleep?
tell me what's that for
Who needs sleep?
be happy with what you're getting
There's a guy who's been awake
since the Second World War
[Repeat]
2008-04-29
Barenaked
I'm in a BNL kinda mood today, and surfing YouTube again, so this is what you get:
These guys are TOO funny:
And my SL theme "Who Needs Sleep?"
These guys are TOO funny:
And my SL theme "Who Needs Sleep?"
2008-04-28
It almost steams
Animusic. I've seen these back in the days when we had cable... it has a steampunk feeling, but without the steam. Perhaps just mad science, totally CGI with lots of mechanical parts. In any case, here's a video from YouTube with an Animusic "Drum Machine" sequence. We can imagine our instruments rocking themselves.
now I have to go find some Kodo... en route to other things, one I must show to Cefin, and remember to call his drum teacher to get his lessons started up again. Cefin is 11; this kid was 12 at the time:
And a video for one of my favorite Kodo songs, Irodori:
ANd Wadaiko Yamato: Drummers of Japan, who are like the punk rock version of Kodo:
Happy happy now! And already wondering how I can make taiko happen in Steelhead.
Myfi
now I have to go find some Kodo... en route to other things, one I must show to Cefin, and remember to call his drum teacher to get his lessons started up again. Cefin is 11; this kid was 12 at the time:
And a video for one of my favorite Kodo songs, Irodori:
ANd Wadaiko Yamato: Drummers of Japan, who are like the punk rock version of Kodo:
Happy happy now! And already wondering how I can make taiko happen in Steelhead.
Myfi
Hello from Max!
Myfi got tired of me sending her photos from fun events she could not herself attend, so she gave me access to her blog. I will periodically weigh in with commentary, but more likely will just dump photos here instead of on her. She is also getting tired of me leaving books and bookshelves all over the treehouse, but soon Boomtown will land and I can begin work on my own home in the hill. If you don't know about Boomtown, you should! It's Steelhead's newest sim: Steelhead IS its residents, and they are absolutely the best on the grid. Check us out, you'll see! (A few plots of land are still available but not for long. Contact Managers TotalLunar Eclipse or Tensai Hilra to learn more).
Allium Sativum Maximus
Allium or Al or Max, to you
Dreary Monday
At least it has stopped snowing. After nearly an hour of gaping at big fat wet snowflakes plopping down in earnest. This slowed, becoming mixed with rain until now outside I see mainly unrelieved grey, reflected from the sky throughout my rather limited view. Appropriate for a Monday morning, I think.
The weekend was certainly not without color. I was out and about at a number of events this weekend, most notably the "superheroes" and "jellicle cat" affairs on Saturday. Otherwise, I worked on inventory - organizing and reducing primarily but with a few choice acquisitions. Following the tail of a freebie, I wound up on a very silly train ride on Mackinack Island. 'Twould be nice to have company on these excursions, but I am growing accustomed to being more solitary. The only danger in accepting my life as a solitary person here is that I tend to become altogether eremitic. Even speaking becomes an unwelcome burden.
In any case, I have photos I took and Max sent me some from his weekend jaunts, which I will work on this morning and post here later. Must be off for now, though.
Myfi
The weekend was certainly not without color. I was out and about at a number of events this weekend, most notably the "superheroes" and "jellicle cat" affairs on Saturday. Otherwise, I worked on inventory - organizing and reducing primarily but with a few choice acquisitions. Following the tail of a freebie, I wound up on a very silly train ride on Mackinack Island. 'Twould be nice to have company on these excursions, but I am growing accustomed to being more solitary. The only danger in accepting my life as a solitary person here is that I tend to become altogether eremitic. Even speaking becomes an unwelcome burden.
In any case, I have photos I took and Max sent me some from his weekend jaunts, which I will work on this morning and post here later. Must be off for now, though.
Myfi
2008-04-27
2008-04-25
Post-Nerdiness Posting
Allium has been hogging up all the bandwidth lately, but he was kind enough to send me photos of his latest exploits in Second Life. Yesterday was June Wozniak's birthday (didn't ask if it was her agent's actual birthday or the av's rezday) and by sway of celebratin, she set up a "Nerd Dance" and invited all of Caledon through the ISC chat. The event was DJ-ed b the fantastic Mr. Zenmondo Wormser for the Caledon Independent Broadcasters. He served up a right tasty helping of quirky nerd-centric music, and from the looks of the photos, it was a great party. Since Al doesn't blog at all (I only blog sporadically but at least with sufficient poking and prodding and nagging, I DO get it done eventually) so I uploaded the photos he took to flickr. Here is the link to that particular set of images. You can probably poke around the others if you are so inclined, I don't think any of them are restricted.
http://flickr.com/photos/24096854@N08/sets/72157604729266729/
I hope that turns into a live link when I post it, cause I know if it doesn't that one extra step will make it impossible for some to see them. :)
Tonight is Steelhead's periodic formal dance. Thank all the gods that a Steelhead formal is NOTHING like a Caledon formal. WHich means that the term "formal" is loosely applied, and everyone has fun instead of standing around unable to move because of the lag so they bitch about the lag except that the chat is lagged too so they bitch about that as well.
Have I mentioned lately how much I love Steelhead? If not, let me state once again for the record that I LOVE STEELHEAD!!
I have already gotten my outfit for tonight ready to go. So, except in the entirely too likely event that I change my mind about what I feel like wearing, I'm all set for tonight.
Can't wait for Boomtown to land, that should happen within the next few weeks apparently. Allium will be very happy to have a place to change his clothes and dump his books (he hadn't planned to bring so many back into this plane but then again, he hadn't planned on spending as much time here himself as he has). I think he's planning to dig a hole and launch a skybox, and leave the surface of the mountainside mostly parklike.
I have been very lonely in Steelhead lately, though I love my neighbors, friends and family there. With Ioan out of the picture for the long term (perhaps permanently), I find myself at loose ends, and too often wanting male companionship when there is none to be had. I am not sure what to do about it but I feel like my shine is growing quite dull. Of the men in my life, two are just out of the question, one is very much preoccupied, and the third is just never there. Not that any of these are candidates for a relationship, but who else do I have? The problem is, as I have said before, that I want a lover but don't need sex. A perplexing concept to some, but what it boils down to is that I need someone who prefers me above others and spends time making me feel cherished and appreciated. It's not about getting naked and attaching weird talking body parts... it's all in the mind. Do other women have the same problem, I wonder? So what I do instead is go shopping.
Perhaps I speak too frankly and openly, but I have few outlets for dialog so anyone who has bothered to read this far is just getting the monolog. Seems to be the story of my lives.
On the other hand, I did some prize camping overnight and this morning. Spent enough time to work on my inventory some - got the total down below 28K! Tanarian will be very proud of me But for now, my outworld agent is demanding a catnap before Cefin gets home and any chance for quiet is gone. Au revoir, my invisible audience.
http://flickr.com/photos/24096854@N08/sets/72157604729266729/
I hope that turns into a live link when I post it, cause I know if it doesn't that one extra step will make it impossible for some to see them. :)
Tonight is Steelhead's periodic formal dance. Thank all the gods that a Steelhead formal is NOTHING like a Caledon formal. WHich means that the term "formal" is loosely applied, and everyone has fun instead of standing around unable to move because of the lag so they bitch about the lag except that the chat is lagged too so they bitch about that as well.
Have I mentioned lately how much I love Steelhead? If not, let me state once again for the record that I LOVE STEELHEAD!!
I have already gotten my outfit for tonight ready to go. So, except in the entirely too likely event that I change my mind about what I feel like wearing, I'm all set for tonight.
Can't wait for Boomtown to land, that should happen within the next few weeks apparently. Allium will be very happy to have a place to change his clothes and dump his books (he hadn't planned to bring so many back into this plane but then again, he hadn't planned on spending as much time here himself as he has). I think he's planning to dig a hole and launch a skybox, and leave the surface of the mountainside mostly parklike.
I have been very lonely in Steelhead lately, though I love my neighbors, friends and family there. With Ioan out of the picture for the long term (perhaps permanently), I find myself at loose ends, and too often wanting male companionship when there is none to be had. I am not sure what to do about it but I feel like my shine is growing quite dull. Of the men in my life, two are just out of the question, one is very much preoccupied, and the third is just never there. Not that any of these are candidates for a relationship, but who else do I have? The problem is, as I have said before, that I want a lover but don't need sex. A perplexing concept to some, but what it boils down to is that I need someone who prefers me above others and spends time making me feel cherished and appreciated. It's not about getting naked and attaching weird talking body parts... it's all in the mind. Do other women have the same problem, I wonder? So what I do instead is go shopping.
Perhaps I speak too frankly and openly, but I have few outlets for dialog so anyone who has bothered to read this far is just getting the monolog. Seems to be the story of my lives.
On the other hand, I did some prize camping overnight and this morning. Spent enough time to work on my inventory some - got the total down below 28K! Tanarian will be very proud of me But for now, my outworld agent is demanding a catnap before Cefin gets home and any chance for quiet is gone. Au revoir, my invisible audience.
2008-04-22
Do you love your mutt
From Cait, alert about a Bad Law proposed in Texas that is setting up to affect animal owners across the nation:
http://www.ncraoa.com/TexasAlert.html
Includes a link that will eventually take to you to the text of the proposed law.
Myfi
http://www.ncraoa.com/TexasAlert.html
Includes a link that will eventually take to you to the text of the proposed law.
Myfi
TrekSims
By popular demand, Star Trek Meets the Sims, this is the ORIGINAL video for the Picard song by...DarkMedia, I think:
2008-04-21
The Hobbit Movie
A few links to sites and pages featuring news about the Hobbit movie... in 3D?!?!
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Peter_Jackson's_The_Hobbit
http://www.thehobbitblog.com/?p=41
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/category/hobbit/hobbit-movie/
http://derhobbit-film.de/indexengl.shtml
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Peter_Jackson's_The_Hobbit
http://www.thehobbitblog.com/?p=41
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/category/hobbit/hobbit-movie/
http://derhobbit-film.de/indexengl.shtml
The latest from Cefin
Well, he did finally get to hear the Jean-Luc Picard song and watch the video I posted earlier. Now, he is singing to Samwise:
Cap-tain Sam-Luc Picard of the Bone SS Poopentise
This, after I caught him earlier singing a refrain from a Godsmack song.
With a brain like his, it's no wonder they can't get him to sing in school. They haven't so fine an appreciation of his oddities as I have, unfortunately.
Cap-tain Sam-Luc Picard of the Bone SS Poopentise
This, after I caught him earlier singing a refrain from a Godsmack song.
With a brain like his, it's no wonder they can't get him to sing in school. They haven't so fine an appreciation of his oddities as I have, unfortunately.
A Maya Angelou poem
Did this PowerPoint presentation for a class, trying to insert it here for the enjoyment of my reader. :p Don't know if it will actually load up from my hard drive, since it is not precisely a photo nor a video.
Rats. Upload failed. Will have to try something else, somehow.
So, anyway. Cefin is home sick today, generalized "not feeling good"... no fever, no vomiting, but he has actually been lying very quietly in his bed all morning, even sleeping some. So I guess I made the right choice letting him stay home from school.
Meanwhile, I am still waiting for the Dell technician to come to work on the laptop. I am checking out some online radio stations, making a list and checking it twice. Will save as a Google document and probably a notecard to myself for the treehouse land. Mostly Asian/middle eastern stuff. WickedKarma.com has twelve distinct and very good streams - the Baron had that on the COnsulate land in ANtiquity so I nipped the site from there. He has that set to "Classica" which is orchestral soundtracks and themes for the most part. I wonder if they play the music from Firefly/Serenity?
Myfi
Rats. Upload failed. Will have to try something else, somehow.
So, anyway. Cefin is home sick today, generalized "not feeling good"... no fever, no vomiting, but he has actually been lying very quietly in his bed all morning, even sleeping some. So I guess I made the right choice letting him stay home from school.
Meanwhile, I am still waiting for the Dell technician to come to work on the laptop. I am checking out some online radio stations, making a list and checking it twice. Will save as a Google document and probably a notecard to myself for the treehouse land. Mostly Asian/middle eastern stuff. WickedKarma.com has twelve distinct and very good streams - the Baron had that on the COnsulate land in ANtiquity so I nipped the site from there. He has that set to "Classica" which is orchestral soundtracks and themes for the most part. I wonder if they play the music from Firefly/Serenity?
Myfi
Picard Song
I've been listening to the Picard Song at Steelhead events for months, and have asked a certain DJ repeatedly for the MP file since my own searches proved fruitless. Well, tonight I finally found it, downloaded it, AND found a couple of funny videos to go along with it. This one happens to be my favorite:
HOpe it works, hope someone other than ME is reading this blog... after SO MUCH kvetching from a few people (and you know who you are if you happen to READ this), I'm actually fairly certain nobody is reading it. At least nobody who bothers to post a response. Harrumph.
The question is WHY did it become imperative at 1AM on a Monday morning that I find the song IMMEDIATELY? Simple answer: EBAY. I found myself surfing ebay for garlic to grow in my garden (organically, of course) trying to figure out how I could finance a purchase. BAD MYFI!! Been on the wagon for six months now, can't fall off at this point. I had some grocery store garlic that sprouted, I planted a handful of cloves in a makeshift starter pot tonight while waiting for the naughty dogs to come back to the house (long and boring story).
Gaaarrrrrrrllliiiiiicccc..... to paraphrase Homer Simpson, is there anything garlic CAN'T do?? I'm looking forward to sauteed garlic greens on my baked potatoes. Mmmmmmmmmmmm.
See more funny videos at CollegeHumor
HOpe it works, hope someone other than ME is reading this blog... after SO MUCH kvetching from a few people (and you know who you are if you happen to READ this), I'm actually fairly certain nobody is reading it. At least nobody who bothers to post a response. Harrumph.
The question is WHY did it become imperative at 1AM on a Monday morning that I find the song IMMEDIATELY? Simple answer: EBAY. I found myself surfing ebay for garlic to grow in my garden (organically, of course) trying to figure out how I could finance a purchase. BAD MYFI!! Been on the wagon for six months now, can't fall off at this point. I had some grocery store garlic that sprouted, I planted a handful of cloves in a makeshift starter pot tonight while waiting for the naughty dogs to come back to the house (long and boring story).
Gaaarrrrrrrllliiiiiicccc..... to paraphrase Homer Simpson, is there anything garlic CAN'T do?? I'm looking forward to sauteed garlic greens on my baked potatoes. Mmmmmmmmmmmm.
2008-04-20
Well....
I stared at the accusingly blank screen of the blog for nearly an hour before starting. Many thoughts came and went, none of them stuck around long enough to be committed to the ether. I know there were some specific things I wanted to say, but... oh, well. Maybe next time.
It's been a long weekend, many negotiations. Set out a chart of jobs to be accomplished, assigned each a monetary value, with columns for checking when done and when paid. All this in an attempt to get Cefin to do his chores without having a nuclear-type explosion AND to get him to a basic understanding of the concept of gainful employment. I never liked the idea of giving him an allowance - Ioan would just empty his pockets and give him money at random and call it allowance. We'll see how this goes. Part of the deal is that he has to accomplish the job without a shouting match AND without me having to stand over him to make sure it is done right, or done repeatedly before it's done right. I had to break down laundry into two parts - the bringing down/sorting/washing and drying, and then the folding/hanging up/putting away. I set it out so that there are daily and weekly chores which he MUST accomplish before being eligible to earn extra "big bucks" - $2.50 each for such jobs as washing the windows downstairs or upstairs, washing walls, etc. I didn't even write down anything for the jobs outside, other than walking the dogs.
I hope I have the energy to follow through on this. I have a packet of 20 one-dollar bills and a stack of quarters. I'm trying to explain how much he =can= earn and get him to understand that it is HIS choice to have money or not to have money. Other incentives: hot lunches at school cost $10 per week; I am giving him the option of taking the ten dollars in to school to get the crappy food, or saving the money and making his own lunches in the mornings.
Another financial incentive is paying for good grades. My parents never did this for any of us kids, because we were good students if chronic underachievers. I never saw the value of paying kids for grades but Cefin has FINALLY gotten to the point where I am not all stressed out about his social and behavioral issues that I can actually look at his grades. This is actually a huge step forward for both of us. I told him I would give him five dollars for every A on his next report card. We did not negotiate for a B or C, but I guess we will deal with that later. I'm not sure it's really in him to be an A student, regardless of any financial reward. He's certainly smart enough but the system works against him and I haven't yet figured out the best way to kick the system's ass.
And speaking of the school system, I sent in my resume for two separate jobs at the local school system. The first is to be an instructional aide in the elementary school, the second is for a secretarial position at the high school. Fingers crossed. I need to have some income to support my Second Life habit.
That's all for now, I guess.
It's been a long weekend, many negotiations. Set out a chart of jobs to be accomplished, assigned each a monetary value, with columns for checking when done and when paid. All this in an attempt to get Cefin to do his chores without having a nuclear-type explosion AND to get him to a basic understanding of the concept of gainful employment. I never liked the idea of giving him an allowance - Ioan would just empty his pockets and give him money at random and call it allowance. We'll see how this goes. Part of the deal is that he has to accomplish the job without a shouting match AND without me having to stand over him to make sure it is done right, or done repeatedly before it's done right. I had to break down laundry into two parts - the bringing down/sorting/washing and drying, and then the folding/hanging up/putting away. I set it out so that there are daily and weekly chores which he MUST accomplish before being eligible to earn extra "big bucks" - $2.50 each for such jobs as washing the windows downstairs or upstairs, washing walls, etc. I didn't even write down anything for the jobs outside, other than walking the dogs.
I hope I have the energy to follow through on this. I have a packet of 20 one-dollar bills and a stack of quarters. I'm trying to explain how much he =can= earn and get him to understand that it is HIS choice to have money or not to have money. Other incentives: hot lunches at school cost $10 per week; I am giving him the option of taking the ten dollars in to school to get the crappy food, or saving the money and making his own lunches in the mornings.
Another financial incentive is paying for good grades. My parents never did this for any of us kids, because we were good students if chronic underachievers. I never saw the value of paying kids for grades but Cefin has FINALLY gotten to the point where I am not all stressed out about his social and behavioral issues that I can actually look at his grades. This is actually a huge step forward for both of us. I told him I would give him five dollars for every A on his next report card. We did not negotiate for a B or C, but I guess we will deal with that later. I'm not sure it's really in him to be an A student, regardless of any financial reward. He's certainly smart enough but the system works against him and I haven't yet figured out the best way to kick the system's ass.
And speaking of the school system, I sent in my resume for two separate jobs at the local school system. The first is to be an instructional aide in the elementary school, the second is for a secretarial position at the high school. Fingers crossed. I need to have some income to support my Second Life habit.
That's all for now, I guess.
2008-04-19
After the FUglies
Last night's Ugly Avatar Dance in Steelhead was quite amusing. despite computer problems which delayed my arrival at the dance and resulted in a precipitous departure not long afterwards. My good brother-in-law Allium, at least, was able to get some photographs which he kindly sent to me to post in my blog. I doubt I will be doing this in the most efficient manner, but I'll include some here.
Myfi
2008-04-18
Poem by Francesca Lia Block
Some of you know that I like Francesca Lia Block's work; in addition to her prose she does poetry. This one was posted today in her MySpace blog http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=235036127&blogID=381337615
Friday, April 18, 2008
the red shoes part ii
lydia gave me the pink satin la boutin's with the shiny red soles
but i only got to wear them once
hobbling up the drive lined with candles and christmas lights
in my tight pearl-covered wedding dress
that i hadn't worn in nine years
but donned in spite of stains and memories for the winter ball
i could barely stand but i danced anyway
in a room full of teenage swans and their boys
and older couples in tuxedos and cocktail dresses
there did not seem to be any of the single men i expected
graying screenwriters who'd been punk rockers
by the end of the night i could not walk
i took off the shoes and held sera's hand
with each step down the drive
pain shot up through my body like an injection of red satin poison
i went to the doctor who told me i would need new plastic toe joints
and that if i wore heels again i'd be hospitalized
and every time i left his office
the pain only got worse
as if i stepped on shards of glass
as if he'd cut off my feet
and left me stumps
i thought i could never hike or dance again
let alone wear anything besides sneakers
i thought i'd have to burn the shoes
along with my wedding dress
and what would i wear to present that award
in front of a thousand people?
shoes matter especially for a woman
who has always relied on them to distract people from her face
in my despair we spoke again
i met you in the softly carpeted hotel lobby
and you told me i looked good in sneakers
and you told me i could go barefoot to present that award
"like a fairy," you said, "that's how they see you anyway"
and i remembered how when we used to spend time together
you had rubbed my feet and made me swoon from it
and once you had revealed a secret
about a woman with a toe ring in a café in new york
when you got the room you undressed me slowly
and you took the time to notice that the color on my toes
was darker than before
but you didn't look too long into my eyes
or kiss my mouth that much
or touch
my feet or tell me secrets
still i ran down the stairs with you afterwards
light as air into the night
and for a few days all the pain was gone
"i'm not ready yet," you said
"it's too soon, i didn't expect…"
and though i understand
i had wanted you to take away the pain again
to paint me like you promised
like my father always said he would
and never did
once before we fucked
you seduced me with a nude by lucien freud
her legs spread wide in hard light
i wonder if you'd make me look like that
if you'd show the pain in my feet
and the judgments made upon my body
or if you'd only show
the love and uncertainty
in my eyes
and also your desire
i've found a different doctor now
a kind one who told me i would be all right
and told me it would hurt
when he put the needle in
it did, so much i screamed
but afterwards i walked painlessly again
as if you and i had just made love
and who knows?
maybe the pain won't come back
and i won't need you desperately
but want you still
i will
i want to knock on your door
barefoot in a fairy dress
i want to lie on your bed and put the red shoes on
and dance on my back with you all night
and never stop
we're both artists born
the imagination never scares us
and neither does a nice little fetish once in awhile
i think they can be healing actually
like that poet i knew with the rare and painful disease
who married a dominatrix and before he died
she saved his life
7:22 AM
Friday, April 18, 2008
the red shoes part ii
lydia gave me the pink satin la boutin's with the shiny red soles
but i only got to wear them once
hobbling up the drive lined with candles and christmas lights
in my tight pearl-covered wedding dress
that i hadn't worn in nine years
but donned in spite of stains and memories for the winter ball
i could barely stand but i danced anyway
in a room full of teenage swans and their boys
and older couples in tuxedos and cocktail dresses
there did not seem to be any of the single men i expected
graying screenwriters who'd been punk rockers
by the end of the night i could not walk
i took off the shoes and held sera's hand
with each step down the drive
pain shot up through my body like an injection of red satin poison
i went to the doctor who told me i would need new plastic toe joints
and that if i wore heels again i'd be hospitalized
and every time i left his office
the pain only got worse
as if i stepped on shards of glass
as if he'd cut off my feet
and left me stumps
i thought i could never hike or dance again
let alone wear anything besides sneakers
i thought i'd have to burn the shoes
along with my wedding dress
and what would i wear to present that award
in front of a thousand people?
shoes matter especially for a woman
who has always relied on them to distract people from her face
in my despair we spoke again
i met you in the softly carpeted hotel lobby
and you told me i looked good in sneakers
and you told me i could go barefoot to present that award
"like a fairy," you said, "that's how they see you anyway"
and i remembered how when we used to spend time together
you had rubbed my feet and made me swoon from it
and once you had revealed a secret
about a woman with a toe ring in a café in new york
when you got the room you undressed me slowly
and you took the time to notice that the color on my toes
was darker than before
but you didn't look too long into my eyes
or kiss my mouth that much
or touch
my feet or tell me secrets
still i ran down the stairs with you afterwards
light as air into the night
and for a few days all the pain was gone
"i'm not ready yet," you said
"it's too soon, i didn't expect…"
and though i understand
i had wanted you to take away the pain again
to paint me like you promised
like my father always said he would
and never did
once before we fucked
you seduced me with a nude by lucien freud
her legs spread wide in hard light
i wonder if you'd make me look like that
if you'd show the pain in my feet
and the judgments made upon my body
or if you'd only show
the love and uncertainty
in my eyes
and also your desire
i've found a different doctor now
a kind one who told me i would be all right
and told me it would hurt
when he put the needle in
it did, so much i screamed
but afterwards i walked painlessly again
as if you and i had just made love
and who knows?
maybe the pain won't come back
and i won't need you desperately
but want you still
i will
i want to knock on your door
barefoot in a fairy dress
i want to lie on your bed and put the red shoes on
and dance on my back with you all night
and never stop
we're both artists born
the imagination never scares us
and neither does a nice little fetish once in awhile
i think they can be healing actually
like that poet i knew with the rare and painful disease
who married a dominatrix and before he died
she saved his life
7:22 AM
2008-04-16
More Computer FU
OK, that was supposed to be "fun" but the typo is really closer to the mark, so I am leaving it as is. THe desktop is still ailing but not yet dead nor even comatose, so I continue on with it. Once I get the laptop all squared away, I will turn my attention to the the CPU at the desk. Today's fun with helpdesk involves many hours on the phone waiting for tests to run, updates to download and install... at least the Indian national puppy I talked to today was pleasant. All of the Dell people I've had contact with have been extremely pleasant and good at what had to be done. Today, Arvind was the lucky representative. Started on the phone with him at around 10:30 this morning...and here it is nearly 5PM and JUST finished with the last more-than-an-hour-long call. And guess what? STILL no sound! Replacing the hard drive did not solve that particlar problem, which is what we addressed today. At length. At present, the latest Microsoft update is 23% complete... 23% after over an hour in progress. OH! Just went up to 24%, how exciting.
So, the upshot of TODAY's remote diagnostics is that I need a new MOTHERBOARD. That is being sent, and a technician will be at the house either Friday or Monday to install it and check the physical speaker connections. Arvind updated my graphics card while we were waiting for other things, too, so I am now re-installing Second Life for like the sixth time this week.
I'm just TIRED.
Myfi
So, the upshot of TODAY's remote diagnostics is that I need a new MOTHERBOARD. That is being sent, and a technician will be at the house either Friday or Monday to install it and check the physical speaker connections. Arvind updated my graphics card while we were waiting for other things, too, so I am now re-installing Second Life for like the sixth time this week.
I'm just TIRED.
Myfi
2008-04-07
The Day After.. on learning and Libraries
Here I am again, finally, live and totally unmedicated. Spent most of the last three months getting OFF medically prescribed prescriptions and guess what, folks? I feel 100% better than I did before. Not 100% sane but I don't think I've ever been that. We shall see how it all turns out in the end, but for now I feel more like ME than I have in YEARS. No more Pink Floyd songs floating around inside my head while I lie on the couch and stare at the ceiling.
So.
Last night, instead of attending what was certain to be a most excellent celebration of Second Life's Justice League's 2nd anniversary, I completed the application for admission to Northern Illinois University. Since I am a transfer student, I am not required to submit a personal statement with the application but I think I may include one anyway since I have missed the deadline for the particular colleges I am most interested in (early childhood studies and early childhood education), but there is still English, and anthropology which don't have earlier deadlines. I marked my major as undecided which is completely true. I don't know if Ioan, patient though he is with me, would understand my desire to be a perpetual student. He is rather more practical than that, and would like for me to contribute to the household financially again at some point and sees my education as a way to secure a better financial future for all of us. As for me, I see a =real= university as a candy shop of knowledge and I have a terrible sweet tooth.
Bottom line for university is that I have to sit and talk to an advisor and see how many of my 48 Indiana credits will transfer here, and which will be most applicable to ANY major and go for that first. I don't believe any of the education classes I took there will transfer at all, so my net total for transferable credits may be substantially lowered. Not that I regret any of the classes I have taken. See aforementioned sweet tooth.
Yesterday was also my very first attempt at leading a discussion group. Riven Homewood and CeAire DeCosta allowed me to introduce a discussion series at the Steelhead library. I had helped with the children's section at the library's grand opening, and I seem to have fallen quite happily into the role of children's librarian for Steelhead. It amuses me that I am librarian for a nonexistent segment of the SL community but that is a whole different subject. Truth is, doing this is PERFECT for me. Yesterday's discussion was about the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Since this was our first session, I tried a number of different venues for delivery... the single notecard giver was probably the least effective since there were four different versions given out that way. The Thinc book Tanarian set up was undoubtedly the best - especially since everyone could take a copy for themselves. That one was a 1869 version of the tale, selected for that format because is one of the likeliest versions the good citizens of Steelhead might have actually had access to during our time period of play.
I didn't get any photos of the discussion - Riven did, so I will post at least one here when I get those. CeAire came as a gorgeous black wolf and her husband Hawc came as a Robin Hood sort of hunter/woodsman. We actually had another wolf in attendance - Nonesuch Ra. I was delighted! A number of Consulate employees and extensions thereof attended (the Baron as well as his sister Melanippe, Annechen, Searra, and my own sister Tanarian), and our sturdy Steelhead citizens (Riven, CeAire, Hawc, Lumina Elvehjem, Kara Timtam. There were also some people I had never met before, which is an extra bonus! Bill Friis, Nonesuch Ra, Codex Kamenev, and Magdalena Kamenev stayed until the end; I know there were some other who had to leave earlier whose names I did not write down, so please forgive me! I would like to personally thank everyone who attended. The conversation was animated, and quite well spiced with great information and differing points of view - everything a good discussion should be!
I took suggestions (and solicited notecards with ideas, comments and suggestions) for future discussion topics. My hope is to have ongoing discussion series on children's literature, covering the different literary traditions. I chose the fairy tale for the first series and Little Red Riding Hood as the first of the series... Beauty and the Beast and Snow White were suggested in the discussion. Probably the most discussed suggestion was Robin Hood, which is actually considered a "Legend" rather than a fair tale... I don't want to kill the fairy tale topic by lecturing on them incessantly ... and honestly, Robin Hood sounds like just TOO much fun to wait on. So perhaps two more fairy tale discussions then Robin Hood. After that I want to move on to strictly American tales... I have more thoughts on Rip Van Winkle than you can even imagine.
Thanks for your patience in waiting for me to get my head back into a place where I could even thing about blogging again, and thanks to Tanarian and Corgi who have learned that unrelenting nagging about something actually works with me. :D
Until next time, when I hope to discuss some of my recent shopping ventures, to all readers I bid au revoir and remind you to PIMP STEELHEAD BOOMTOWN!!
Myfi
P.S. Have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE Steelhead??
So.
Last night, instead of attending what was certain to be a most excellent celebration of Second Life's Justice League's 2nd anniversary, I completed the application for admission to Northern Illinois University. Since I am a transfer student, I am not required to submit a personal statement with the application but I think I may include one anyway since I have missed the deadline for the particular colleges I am most interested in (early childhood studies and early childhood education), but there is still English, and anthropology which don't have earlier deadlines. I marked my major as undecided which is completely true. I don't know if Ioan, patient though he is with me, would understand my desire to be a perpetual student. He is rather more practical than that, and would like for me to contribute to the household financially again at some point and sees my education as a way to secure a better financial future for all of us. As for me, I see a =real= university as a candy shop of knowledge and I have a terrible sweet tooth.
Bottom line for university is that I have to sit and talk to an advisor and see how many of my 48 Indiana credits will transfer here, and which will be most applicable to ANY major and go for that first. I don't believe any of the education classes I took there will transfer at all, so my net total for transferable credits may be substantially lowered. Not that I regret any of the classes I have taken. See aforementioned sweet tooth.
Yesterday was also my very first attempt at leading a discussion group. Riven Homewood and CeAire DeCosta allowed me to introduce a discussion series at the Steelhead library. I had helped with the children's section at the library's grand opening, and I seem to have fallen quite happily into the role of children's librarian for Steelhead. It amuses me that I am librarian for a nonexistent segment of the SL community but that is a whole different subject. Truth is, doing this is PERFECT for me. Yesterday's discussion was about the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Since this was our first session, I tried a number of different venues for delivery... the single notecard giver was probably the least effective since there were four different versions given out that way. The Thinc book Tanarian set up was undoubtedly the best - especially since everyone could take a copy for themselves. That one was a 1869 version of the tale, selected for that format because is one of the likeliest versions the good citizens of Steelhead might have actually had access to during our time period of play.
I didn't get any photos of the discussion - Riven did, so I will post at least one here when I get those. CeAire came as a gorgeous black wolf and her husband Hawc came as a Robin Hood sort of hunter/woodsman. We actually had another wolf in attendance - Nonesuch Ra. I was delighted! A number of Consulate employees and extensions thereof attended (the Baron as well as his sister Melanippe, Annechen, Searra, and my own sister Tanarian), and our sturdy Steelhead citizens (Riven, CeAire, Hawc, Lumina Elvehjem, Kara Timtam. There were also some people I had never met before, which is an extra bonus! Bill Friis, Nonesuch Ra, Codex Kamenev, and Magdalena Kamenev stayed until the end; I know there were some other who had to leave earlier whose names I did not write down, so please forgive me! I would like to personally thank everyone who attended. The conversation was animated, and quite well spiced with great information and differing points of view - everything a good discussion should be!
I took suggestions (and solicited notecards with ideas, comments and suggestions) for future discussion topics. My hope is to have ongoing discussion series on children's literature, covering the different literary traditions. I chose the fairy tale for the first series and Little Red Riding Hood as the first of the series... Beauty and the Beast and Snow White were suggested in the discussion. Probably the most discussed suggestion was Robin Hood, which is actually considered a "Legend" rather than a fair tale... I don't want to kill the fairy tale topic by lecturing on them incessantly ... and honestly, Robin Hood sounds like just TOO much fun to wait on. So perhaps two more fairy tale discussions then Robin Hood. After that I want to move on to strictly American tales... I have more thoughts on Rip Van Winkle than you can even imagine.
Thanks for your patience in waiting for me to get my head back into a place where I could even thing about blogging again, and thanks to Tanarian and Corgi who have learned that unrelenting nagging about something actually works with me. :D
Until next time, when I hope to discuss some of my recent shopping ventures, to all readers I bid au revoir and remind you to PIMP STEELHEAD BOOMTOWN!!
Myfi
P.S. Have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE Steelhead??
2008-02-21
It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time
That mug I got for my sister, that we laughed about so much, that reads "I feel so good today, I think I'll skip my meds!" ... not laughing so much right at the moment. Wrangling with doctors and insurance company left me with a bad taste in my mouth and out of meds, so decided to just quit taking them anyway. After spending ten minutes screaming at Cefin this evening, basically for being a normal preteen kid (i.e., crappy attitude, mean backtalk, etc.), I suddenly remembered why I went on medication in the first place. Homicide prevention.
Taking my prescriptions again now, thank you very much.
Taking my prescriptions again now, thank you very much.
2008-02-19
... and more than a month later ...
The look of he evening - Myfi flambe.
In a very hot spot, and loving it. Guess I'm someone else's anti-Valentine trash to be burnt.
This one just turned out gorgeous!Well, I'm finally getting around to blogging again. Quite a lot has been going on in first as well as in second lives, but here I am. Valentine's Day was interesting - Cefin's gift was to get kicked out of school again; Ioan didn't bother to contact me. Good thing I'm not overly sentimental. I got some lovely flowers from Veles, and from Soliel, and I shopped with Lumi - she gave me a fluffy kitty! I did not go Steelhead's Anti-Valentine's Day dance, but I visited the Bonfire of Contempt (I firmly believe that contempt is the opposite of romance) while it was still burning in Ms. Burton's yard. Photos of that should show up here sometime, somewhere. Oh! There they are, up on top. One of these years, I'll figure out how to jazz things up a bit. For right now I'm lucky if I get WORDS on the page for you, my beloved reader.
I've been shopping like mad, trying to get everything ready for the treehouse warming party, which ALL readers of this blog should by now know is happening on SATURDAY, the 30th of February. Or March 1, if you insist. Or if you have the Steelhead 2008 calendar, it is on the 30th of Darien Mason, or the first of Hawc DeCosta. Such a yummy way to keep track of the days. But somewhat distracting.
As noted in previous blog entries, the treehouse is amazingly beautiful. Lunar did a phenomenal job (as he always does). There are still some items I have been working on, with substantial help from several friends: innumerable thanks to Annechen Lowey, Kara Timtam, sister Tanarian, and that tiny but amazingly well-armed gummy bear (that would be the Empress of All Things, Tensai Hilra). Kara fiddled with the waterfalls and pools while I was messing around with the alluvial edges, preparing to make a salon for the Merfolk as well as for my own use when I am in my mermaid frame of mind. Annechen arrived and plowed a delightfully cavernous basement, which is still a work in progress. Annechen and I sent shopping and I bought a little volcano.... my thought for the MerSalon is to have one side of it molten, the other side gelid, with the entry way a happy medium. I'm also contemplating digging a hole all the way across the street to my other property. I don't know how much will be done in time for the party, but the dancesets have been ready for weeks and weeks. They've even had an occasional trial.
RadioRiel will be providing DJ service for both sessions of the housewarming party. I believe that the delightful Diamanda Gustafson will be spinning discs for one or both sessions. I sent a list of music I'd like to hear at the party; no idea as yet how much of it they will be able to find and fit in, but expect some unusual tunes from a wide variety of genres. And if I hear ANY Stevie Nicks, someone will die. Soliel Snook and Jomander Trefoil will be co-hosting. Speaking of Soliel, I have also retained her services for landscaping around the treehouse. She has free rein with my only comment that I like vivid colors and productive plants (like fruits). I've been waiting for the weather to warm sufficiently for the fucshia to flourish. I met Ms. Snook at her grand opening party in Stormhold, at which time I asked about fuschia. That was last year in winter, and I have been waiting somewhat impatiently for the proper time for fucshia ever since. I have made a number of purchases from her shop - my favorite being an arch covered with intermixed red and white roses. No idea where to put it; perhaps I should drop it in the yard and let Soliel have her way.
I have been shopping quite a lot, too. I joined the FashCon group, and have since then spent a part of every day chasing freebies and spending tons of lindens throughout the known world. Sorting inventory is also on my list of things to get to sometime. Presently hovering near the 24K mark. AFTER the party, I'll find out about boxing things up and getting them out of my inventory altogether. It's not like I really NEED to drag that human-sized hamster wheel around with me everywhere I go.
One of the best spots I found in my shopping expeditions has been Bare Rose. Nifty stuff, much unisex, great prices and TRANSFERRABLE. I know that Al has been out in one outfit I found for him, but I haven't seen or heard from Gotke about the items I got for him. Gotke had gotten me some shoes from there, already. I'll find another spot for LMs and other reviews in another blog entry, if I can. Right now, it's time to chivvy Cefin up for bathtime, which means my evening chores are just beginning.
Myfi
2008-01-15
Strangers in Steelhead
Probably no stranger than the residents, but unknown to this one. The other night I was clearing out my property for the installation of my amazing new Lunar-built treehouse (it is in situ, more on that later), and was joined by Mr. Silverspur Hotshot (a friend of the lovely Ms. Riven Homewood), whom I have met and conversed with during several previous of my late-nigth perambulations. Although he is a panther wearing bluejeans, this is not the stranger of whom I speak at present. While I was moving my rugs and cushions around, a young lady flew in and plopped herself down on one of the mats, started complaining about the positioning of the seat-sets, and barely acknowledged my presence. I was taken aback by this lack of common courtesy, and took myself to the inlet to fiddle about with things there for a while. She left eventually and I continued my night's work.
I suppose I should have just ignored her presence as she was ignoring mine, and moved the carpet with her on it and stuck it where I wanted it to go... perhaps next time I will be less surprised by someone's rudeness. It is a testament to the overall courtesy of the residents with whom I associate that such a casual action by someone would be a surprise. For that I continue to be grateful, and ever more certain that I have settled myself in the right place in Steelhead.
I will post more later today, with photos of the treehouse being set by Lunar with an audience of myself, Frau Lowey, and Madame Quetzal. Would that the entirety of Steelhead and the Wulfenbach Consulate could have been there. 'Twould have been a party, no matter the house. The ever-resourceful Frau Lowey could barely await the final settling of the house on it's foundation (and a gorgeous tree that is) before rushing inside and setting up dance-sets. It is an incredible place for a party, so please look forward to it being Myfi's Fun House, and available for others who need ample room to share with friends.
With that, I retire for a bit before Cefin comes home from school and the fight begins anew. Though my head is threatening to explode, I am hoping that my temper does not.
Myfi (I'm thinking I should go to Fanwy, so we'll be Tanwy and Fanwy, and especially since there is another Myfi in town and as everyone knows, There Can Be Only One)
I suppose I should have just ignored her presence as she was ignoring mine, and moved the carpet with her on it and stuck it where I wanted it to go... perhaps next time I will be less surprised by someone's rudeness. It is a testament to the overall courtesy of the residents with whom I associate that such a casual action by someone would be a surprise. For that I continue to be grateful, and ever more certain that I have settled myself in the right place in Steelhead.
I will post more later today, with photos of the treehouse being set by Lunar with an audience of myself, Frau Lowey, and Madame Quetzal. Would that the entirety of Steelhead and the Wulfenbach Consulate could have been there. 'Twould have been a party, no matter the house. The ever-resourceful Frau Lowey could barely await the final settling of the house on it's foundation (and a gorgeous tree that is) before rushing inside and setting up dance-sets. It is an incredible place for a party, so please look forward to it being Myfi's Fun House, and available for others who need ample room to share with friends.
With that, I retire for a bit before Cefin comes home from school and the fight begins anew. Though my head is threatening to explode, I am hoping that my temper does not.
Myfi (I'm thinking I should go to Fanwy, so we'll be Tanwy and Fanwy, and especially since there is another Myfi in town and as everyone knows, There Can Be Only One)
2008-01-12
Another Saturday Night
.... and I ain't got nobody .... as usual. But at least my calendar is not completely barren for the evening, even though the event includes "Caledon" and "ball" in conjuction which is a daunting prospect. It won't be as much fun as last night, for sure: the Egypt-themed dance in Steelhead was quite well attended by locals, plus a few Casledonians tossed in for variety and good measure. Alas, due to difference engine issues, I was unable to remain through the entire event, and was unable to return to this world until the following morning. I am left wondering if Sheriff Ortega ever did notice he got a $500 tip for playing Pink. One positive side effect of my inability to stay inworld, however, was that I did manage to sleep more than usual, so perhaps it was not a bad trade. Cefin continues coughing which is worrisome, though he has not had fever all day today. So perhaps I will be able to attend the ball and sociliaze without the triple distraction of sick boy, sick computer, and spoiled rotten dogs.No time for a longer post now, as the aforementioned spoiled canines are demanding attention, and the boy is not yet asleep, so with this very small update, I shall leave with the promise to return later with more.
Myfi
2008-01-09
Finally back...
What are we proteswting again???
Your comments welcome!
Myfi
After subtle hints, small encouragement, gentle remonstrations, and finally a hearty kick in the backside from Tanarian (sisters ARE allowed such, after all), I have returned to the blogging world. You would think after all these years that she would have learned that subtlety rarely works on me. But then again, you woul also think that I would have learned to listen to her the first time she makes a gentle suggestion. Too many times have I failed to do so, to my own loss. Ah, well, such is the way of things. At least I do learn lessons, from time to time.
The holiday season has comeand gone with much activity and very little fanfare. I should like to attribute my absence from this venue to that activity, but truthfully it is due rather more to overall laziness. Plus, Cefin and I were both sick for about a week of his school holiay, which served merely to provide focus to our laziness.
Things in general - I have been fooling around on the lot at Harborside, trying out different things here and there. I finally have the inside of my tent settled to my satisfaction, it is colorful and cosy. I have had some friends come to visit there, most recently the ever delightful Ms. Elvehjem and Empress, I mean lovely Ms. Burton. We chatted for much longer than any of us intended, but it was time well spent. Making friends is always a good thing, and when those friends happen to be neighbors, so much the better.
Have I mentioned lately that I LOVE Harborside? I love Steelhead in general, and its denizens.
I did not complete my perambuation of the breadth of This Land I Call This Land because of perpetual distractions. I finally did get back to Image Nation and cleaned up on Ms. Agatha Sungsoo's marvelous eyes, though. I got at least eight sets, and passed them along to friends for Christmas, New Year and 12th Night, so that they might be equally impressed and go back to visit the shop themselves. We have so many great merchants here, I feel disloyal going anywhere else for my needs. It seems every time I look up, there is a new shop - this makes me happy! With luck, soon I will NEVER have to step outside the borders of Steelhead.
I suppose I am too much of a shopping fiend for that to truly happen... I =do= still venture into Caledon and sometimes to places where There Be Dragons on a search result. And I have even been known to dabble in other time periods and other species! Most recently there, I have acquired a number of gorgeous mermaid outfits, and have had fun playing in my little bit of inlet behind my property, and a very few other places. I have made friends with some wonderful mermaids, and have several sub-folders with ladmarks and other items for this new venture. Anyone interested in joining me in underwater excursions is welcome, though I find that I enjoy underwater explorations in solitary mode far more than those on dry land.
Consulate staff have recently taken a few impromptu shopping "field trips" which have yielded wonderful items added to my already incredibly bloated and disastrously disorganized inventory. MAU's & MEJ's has unique and well-crafted hair styles, and I picked up 5 or 6. Prices there varied from $60 to $250, but even the more expensive ones were well worth the investment. I got "Undine" for my mermaid explorations; the long hairstyles are irresistible. And for the unsuspecting, what they call "pink" would pass for "purple" most places. Adjacent to MAU's & MEJ's are a variety of other interesting shops, mostly of Asian orientation. I got a cool Japanese garden altar, plus some nice freebies or nearly-freebies.
The worst news in SL is that Shenlei Flasheart is closing out her Prim & Proper business. While this decision on her part has led her to slash prices on her merchandise which is a large part of the reason my inventory has swollen to well over 17K items, I am very disappointed to see P&P leaving SL. I have had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Flasheart on occasion, and found her to be a delightful person in addition to an extremely talented artist and artisan. I heard the rumor about her shop and IMed her so that I could hear it straight from her fingers, and alas, it is all too true. I do not know the circumstances which led to her decision, but I do hope that she is not abandoning SL altogether. I wish her every blessing and success however she jumps, and hope that the rest of us will be once again blessed by Ms. Flasheart in the future. Even if she abandons the Victorian thing (which I admit can be somewhat stifling in its conventions), most of us =do= engage in other activities. When we find an artist we love, we will follow....
Speaking of artists we love, after our P&P blitz, the field trip moved on to Skye Qi's Vintage Reproductions. We were fortunate enough to have Ms. Qi herself drop in on us - when her hat was admired, she gave us each one, and custom altered them to suit each of us! I am always amazed by the kindness of people in SL (and always determined to pay it forward). I spent several thousand lindens between those two shops, and miss the lindens not a whit.
Another fantastic place I have been to is the garden shop of Ms. Soleil Snook. She also had some difficulties in her shop caused by other people and by the vagaries of the grid, but I think has everything back to normal in all of her locations. I am beginning my serious landscaping purchases for the property, and anyone who is looking to do the same should definitely visit Snook's. I have already purchased the most incredible arch covered with red and white roses - it is astonishing in detail and very dramatic from any perspective or distance. Clearly the product of a talented artist with no fear of hard work, and I am VERY fortunateto reap the very reasonably priced rewards of Ms. Snook's labors. I also bought a beautiful bench with poseballs already set in it, and a treerose. But the most exciting thing I found was STRAWBERRIES! Absolutely perfet bushes covered with mouthwateringly beautiful ripe berries. The asset server and I were having some ongoing discussions about what was and was not going to work (when the asset server is down, it only relates to what goes INTO your inventory, not what goes OUT of your linden balance), so I was unable to spend nearly as much time or money as Ms. Snook's shop deserves, but I will be back. Repeatedly, and I highly recommend it to everyone. I believe she also does cut flower arrangements, but I did not get that far. And Valentine's Day is coming up.... I always find that a living thing is some much a better gift than cut flowers, personally.
I have also been shopping AOs and dances - I think I have a sufficient supply of dances I like that I will be able to invite Frau Lowey to a party at which she will be required to do naught more than enjoy herself. I know it will be a novel experience, but I am optimistic that she will adjust to it quickly enough and just have fun instead of worrying about details. She deserves it!
Had an impromptu New Year's Eve party, which went quite well. My brother-in-law Allium showed up to help balance the male-female ratio, and served as host in my absence due to RL commitments. Ms. Weatherwax and I were discouraged by the lagtastic events already scheduled, and decided to what-the-heck just set up a dance floor, set out food, get some music going and invite our friends and Steelhead at large. Once we got the basics in, we called on the ever-efficient Frau Lowey to assist, and between the three of us, I think we set up a heck of a bash. The turnout was sporadic, but very happy. The core who were with us at midnight SLT was a gift for the new year - good friends and family.
I have tons of photos which I am in the process of uploading to Picasa on the web so I can link them. I don't have names to assign to the people; anyone who wants to chime in and say THAT'S ME! is welcome to do so. Taking names is on my To-Do list, but it's not very high on that list, regrettably.
I missed last night's Steelhead Town Meeting, and haven't been able to get all the way through the minutes yet. I was aving some computer issues that took me....three hours to comletely resolve, including changing to a new mouse (which even with the software my computer couldnt find), updating Windows, downloading other stuff, and much crawling around picking up dog hairs from the floor with my clothing in efforts to fix and not kill the CPU. It's still a bit wonky (think there's a registry issue, it won't shut down properly) but at least I can do what I need to in my usual slapdash fashion.
One of the reasons I haven't finished the meeting minutes is because there was discusion in the ISC chat about a banking protest taking place... so naturally I had to go check it out, which meant that I had to dress appropriately. It really takes a long time to get a saloon girl outfit just right. The protest was probably one of the most boring things I've ever been to, but it was interesting ina bizarre way. Ms. moo Money was there carrying a sign - she passed me a sign which was promptly eaten by my inventory. While trying to find the sign, I ran across Paderthorn's women's suffrage set.... which I couldn't set down on the floor so I attached it to myself.
I am sure I am missing all kinds of other things I wanted to tell everyone about, but suffice it to say that I shall make every effort to be more diligent in posting my pithy comments, absurd observations, and silly photos here, in the future. (I say that so often...)
Your comments welcome!
Myfi
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