Anna gets cuddlier as the temperature drops

I'm so glad I don't have to drive anywhere today. Donald just successfully made it down the driveway without sliding anywhere, but I have serious doubts that he'll be able to get back up. For any of you that haven't seen it, our driveway is both steep and narrow. It's best avoided altogether when icy.

In time-wasting news, I'm almost done with Paper Mario. The other night I played it until almost 3, which is waaay too late. Almost... there...

I got a myspace friend request from a guy that I don't know. We went to the same high school, and graduated at the same time, but I don't remember him at all. So I don't want to click "accept," but "reject" seems so mean. There should be a nicer button. Perhaps "no thanks" or "I don't know you! That's my purse!"

Today I covered 2 windows in plastic. In order to do one of them, I spent about 20 minutes with a razor scraper trying to get some of the paint build up off. Since some genius several coats ago put the world's thickest coat of paint on, it's practically impossible to get some of the windows all the way shut and latched. Stupid windows, but at least they have storms.

I had to go out for a production meeting around 3. I almost didn't go, but it wasn't far, and it wasn't very icy yet. When I got home Donald was there, having been sent home early due to weather. I just spent much of the evening dozing on the couch, and all was well.

I wonder if I can find a way to just stay indoors until the ice goes away.

mission complete

I finished the worlds's longest RCT2 scenario yesterday. It goes by the name of Extreme Heights, and your goal is to get 4500 guests (without letting your rating go below 700!) You have unlimited money, but no control over research or marketing, and the land is all mountain-y. I did a LOT of terrain flattening. Keeping the guests happy was no problem. They wanted many bathrooms, and roller coasters with excitement ratings of 9. The problem is that after 10+ in game years, the rides break down all the damn time. Even though I would simply demolish and rebuild- Even though I would assign a mechanic a path only big enough to cover one ride- it was a pain. The other problem was keeping up with traffic. By the end, I literally had 4 of the same ride, they still loved it, and I had to draw paths like a fiend to stave off cries of "it's too crowded here!" The worst part is that I kinda want to do it again to see if I could do it better. :(

Donald helped me put up x-mas lights yesterday evening. The LED lights are fantastic. The colors are much more intense than regular lights. Now I'm compelled to get more of them, and have colorful glowing stuff all over. :D They look kind of like these <----- but they have purple!

I made a pie

I made a cherry pie for thanksgiving. It was verra tasty.

Happy november holiday

Hope you're all having tasty foodz today. Have a laff:
(click to read)

Today I love

Bron-Y-Aur Stomp by Led Zeppelin. It's been stuck in my head for a couple of days. I opened up iTunes to play it, and discovered that I didn't have it. So I dug out my CD wallet, and ripped it. Listen to a clip here: scroll down to disc 2, track 5. What a great thing, that every couple of years I can discover a song I love on an album I've had for 10 years.

I discovered another great thing in iTunes. You can put a volume setting on each song. Why would you do that? Well, if your CD is 10 years old and you have to turn up the volume every time it comes on, you can set it to 130% volume to balance with your other tracks. Just right click on the song, Get Info, Options. So handy.

I just cracked myself the hell up

I don't know the origin of the internet phrase "I'm in ur base, killin ur dudes," but it still makes me laugh. Naturally, the internet took the joke, added pictures, and ran with it. On this page I found many variants, some great, some crap. http://www.knitemare.org/cats/

I decided to make my own:
(Click for big)

It cracks me up. :D :D Photoshop, I lurve you.

(Note: Donald thinks the phrase is from Quake)

Something in the air this year seems to be causing Early Onset Holiday Feelings. For over a week now, I've been in the mood to put up x-mas lights. It's still way too early. I'll decorate after Thanksgiving. Not that I decorate, really. I'll put up lights, and the little fiber optic tree. I'll have a string across an arch with snowflakes hanging on it, and a stocking on the front door. That's about it. But it just feels like the right time to curl up with a blanket and put on a sweater and eat baked things. Like cookies, and bread.

2 reasons Mike sucks

1. He must have sneezed on me yesterday, because I woke up sick today.

2. He put disc 3 of Battlestar Galactica season 2.5 in the box for disc 2, but Donald and I didn't notice it until we got to the end of the disc and watched the season finale. Man were we confused. Now we understand why we hadn't seen the scenes mentioned in the "previously on Battlestar Galactica" part. Argh! It's okay though, that evil Admiral chick got what she deserved, and the show is good; even out of order.

For Mike

I've had a busy and profitable week. I managed to work on 3 shows this week. Monday- Thursday was hanging and focusing Christmas Carol, Monday and Tuesday were hanging at the Unicorn, and Friday was focus for a UMKC show. I'm helping on the UMKC show because they're very short handed, and they're paying me. I'm glad to see the weekend.

Anna is the best greeter when I come home. She runs over to me and follows me around as I take off my coat and put my stuff down. Then she purrs mightly when I pick her up, and she tries to climb onto my shoulders. When I stretch out on the floor she sits behind my head, and tries to groom my hair. It's awful cute.

Today is the last performance and strike of Hamlet: the Opera. I anticipate sorting and putting away gel. And rounding up rental stuff. I think that's about it, but I'm sure they'll spring some random crap on me that I've never heard of.

I got a new toy. It's so nifty! It's a very portable speaker system for my iPod. Now I can take the music with me. I plan to use it in the kitchen, and out of the house at light hangs and whatnot. It's the Altec Lansing inMotion IM9. I'm very fond of it already, and I got it yesterday. It's got good sound for the size, which is about a foot long and 3" thick. It also has its own carrying bag, which is nifty.

An "Oh snap" moment

I dreamed last night that Jon and Jen wanted to have a LAN party at their house. So we were going to have to bring all our stuff over- server , computers, etc. In the dream I kept thinking, wouldn't it be easier to do it at OUR house, where all the stuff already is??

I also dreamed that we went to Witchita to help out for my cousin's wedding (which happened last month.) We went around to the back door because the front door was locked, and I distinctly remember that I was in a play during that part. My aunt was there, and we eventually went inside. My cousin had five or more big dogs running around who wanted to be petted. One of them kept trying to hump my leg, so I decided I was done with dogs. There were two big roly poly gray kittens running around. I picked up a kitten to cuddle, and felt that he had burrs in his fur. I thought that I should brush him before the tangles get too bad- and that's all I remember.

In terms of politics, I have this picture:

Hee hee!

Domo = no go

We will not be trying out the new Japanese place in Brookside, for the prices are ridiculous. Unfortunately, this means we won't get to try the Yoshi Bowl (10.50) for it has the lowest price on the dinner menu. Other prices include: $17.50 for tonkatsu, $25 for Domo BBQ, $28 for Prime Rib, and $32 for Seafood Domo Style Shabu Shabu.

Should have stayed a bagel shop dammit.

It is good, in the sun

A study of drunken Mario Kart, with Bagel Bites

Another opera opened: check

I was ever so busy last week, and it was all my own fault. I had to drive back and forth from the Lyric to tech a dance piece at UMKC. I managed it, and I didn't spend a fortune on parking. That's a major consideration in downtown parking. I'm glad I did it though. I really liked the dance piece, and it was nice to be able to see the others.

Hamlet the opera opened Saturday. I did my dimmer check thing, then watched American Beauty on my laptop.

We went to the zoo yesterday. It was just warm enough, and we had a nice time. There weren't a lot of other people there, so we got to spend some nice time walking quietly. Then we went to the new Discovery Barn, where there were many screaming children, and I understood completely why the animals in those displays were mostly behind nice quiet glass. I hate screaming kids, but at least they were nicely contained in there, and not screaming outside. At this time of year, it takes more work to find animals to look at, because they aren't all out. So we walked and walked, and didn't get to ride the train. :( But we saw some neat animals, and there were TWO meerkat displays, so that's twice the cute. By the time we got to the Africa section, it was close to 4. Four is closing time, so a lot of the animals were patiently waiting next to the gates that lead to wherever they get to go indoors for the night. It's kind of funny to see a bunch of zebras and antelope waiting patiently next to a gate.

This week I plan to make something to eat. This may or may not involve the 72oz bag of chocolate chips I bought at Costco.

Halloween: offloading food you don't want

We missed a golden opportunity last night. Donald said trick- or-treaters kept ringing the doorbell, even though the lights were off and he put tape over the doorbell. I suggested he give them the banana nut granola bars we don't like. He didn't seem to like the idea. I thought it would be good punishment. :D