Good night. Bought some new glasses, had dinner with Mom, and now I’m gonna read me a book.
It’s been a while since I’ve punked out on a blag post. So here it is: my punk post.
Later.
Archives for November 2013
Nov 14, 2013
Limoliner! What? Plus: Watership Down
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Something I wish I knew about sooner: there is a bus service called Limoliner that will take you from New York to Boston (and back again) for just $89 each way (some trips are $69 and some trips are $99). That’s less than a train ticket (most times). And it’s luxurious. And I bet the bathroom smells better than it does on the Megabus (which was so bad I opted to pay more and take the train on the way back when I went to NYC last June).
Of course, real luxury would be hiring an actual limo to drive you back and forth. Or taking a helicopter. Or a plane. This is affordable luxury. My favorite.
Been re-reading Watership Down. I loves it. Wikipedia calls it an adventure novel. That sounds about right.
I made the mistake of reading Watership Down right before bed last night. And then it was one am. I had to get up at quarter to five, and I was awake for a good portion of the night, so I got between three and four hours of sleep. Boy do I feel it. The book is totally worth it, tho. It tells the story of a group of rabbits (yes, rabbits) and how they end out starting a new warren, and all sorts of adventures therein.
[Did I use therein correctly? I don’t know. I am NOT going to google it, damn it. Just so tired.]
I guess it’s supposed to be a children’s book, but it is one of those things that is ageless. If you like a good ripping yarn with danger and adventure and hi-jinks, you would like this book.
I will finish Watership Down
Nov 13, 2013
Grumpy
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Kinda grumpy tonight. Should probably go to bed early. Should probably go to bed now. Before midnight, anyway.
Felt better after I ate some dinner.
Edmund already went to bed. Don’t think he’s sleeping yet. I should join him.
Grump.
Last night we watched the last Yellowstone documentary from BBC. In it, we were regaled with the mating rituals of the Yellowstone Elk. The male Elk goes all out. In order to be more sexy they call out loudly, urinate on themselves and they decorate their racks with mud and water weeds. They also fight other Elk, surrounding themselves with all the lady Elk they can attract.
Hotness.
Nov 12, 2013
Chillaxing With the Squigster
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Squiggy and I are watching Fringe. Well he’s bathing. Lick lick lick lick. He is a loud licker.
I slide my foot up the table in front of my chair and he pauses for a second. He finishes and takes a snooze.
Eddie starts washing some dishes. Squiggy snaps to attention. His ears fold back. He stretches out a paw, and looks annoyed at the same time.
Time to lick again.
Edmund walks through the living room, Squiggy perks up, and follows Eddie’s trajectory. Edmund does not pet him.
Ed and I converse, Squiggy looks interested, but he doesn’t move. Ed goes back into his office. Squiggy chills out for a few.
Suddenly, Squiggy leaps up from his chair onto the floor. Something is flying around. It’s a wasp, flying lazily around the living room. Squiggy chases it around, leaping up onto the back of the chair. He dissappears behind my chair. Lenny appears and joins in the chase.
I hear a purring meow.
The wasp is trapped in an empty footbath. Lenny and Squiggy stare into the footbath, waiting for an opening gambit.
Nov 11, 2013
Data Crunching
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Today I am crunching the data. Making and recoding variables in SPSS. Preparing everything for Wincross. My Datasets have 1908 variables (columns). And I LIKE IT!
My favorite thing is working a data challenge, and today brought that in spades.
Right now I am working on combining three datasets, each with 1908 variables, and it is taking a very. long. time. Ah. Finally done.
Now I can get in my car and drive home.
Wait. Let me just start this one thing before I leave.
Another holding pattern. I am making 1867 data tables with a click of a button. [Each table takes a few seconds to generate.] You don’t need to understand, just know that it is COOL! Data crunching is COOL!
Working late on a Monday – but that’s okay because I am crunching the DATA!
I’ve had to pull out all the stops today buy using Java (not Javascript, Java) and Excel and SPSS to create and label and rename and manipulate and caress and hug-
Okay. Maybe not hug. But you know what I mean!
Holding pattern over. Now time to go home.
Not sure what my plans are for tonight. Probably some reading or some Fringe. Edmund might watch the Fringe with me, if I’m lucky.
Nov 10, 2013
Uninspired
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I didn’t leave the house today. I played around with the idea, of course. Of going to Panera Breads and working on my blag. Of going to the grocery store. Instead I watched Fringe (my second time through it). I made some rice pilaf. And I Napped. I napped hard.
While I was napping, my micro SD card stopped being recognized by my phone. So now I have a 32 gb card that I cannot access. Good times. Since my card was in warranty, I’ve contacted the company to see what they can do for me. And I’ve found my old 8 gb card, which should tide me over just fine. Since I didn’t currently have a card reader, I just bought one on Amazon – that way I might be able to get my stuff off the old card. MIGHT. All the pictures were backed up anyway. I probably shouldn’t worry about it. I will just have to download all my music again. Which will be a colossal pain in the ass.
On a side note, the new card reader cost $7.95. No reason I shouldn’t have already had one.
Uninspired to write anything, really. So a list of what happened today. And, since I am not an international spy, my day happenings are not too exciting. Not that I want international-spy-exciting in my life. I am content with my current amounts of excitement, where I can pump up the excitement myself by leaving the house. I will bring my own excitement, thank you very much.
Now to try inserting my 8 gb micro sd card in my phone. Wish me luck!
And then maybe a shower.
You can’t stop me.
Nov 9, 2013
Sharknado beans!
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Ed went to his first Bean Suppah tonight (I went too, but it wasn’t my first time.)
We ate beans (natch), coleslaw, red hot dogs, chop suey, and pie. Delicious pie.
A good Saturday.
Afterward, we watched Sharknado. Yup, Sharknado.
**Sharknado spoiler ahead**
Sharks in tornados. I don’t think they consulted one scientist while filming. I mean, can you stop a tornado by throwing a bomb in it? I really don’t think so.
**end spoilage**
At the Bean Suppah, the dude next to me said he took some Beano before dinner, so he was all set. I told him that Edmund and I like to live on the edge. No Beano for us!
We know how to party.
Nov 8, 2013
Playing the I haven’t gone to sleep yet defense
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Out to dinner with friends & to see Thor. When I came home I watched the last few episodes of Fringe. Now it’s after midnight and I haven’t posted yet.
But: because it’s still Friday somewhere AND I haven’t been to sleep yet, I’m just going cheat a little bit.
Don’t tell anyone.
Other things of note: Thor is awesone. I’d welcome a Thor and Loki sandwich at anytime.
That is all.
Nov 7, 2013
Started a Post. Hated it.
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So I punt.
Again.
Of course I’m watching another Fringe.
On the fifth season now.
It’s hard to type and think and watch Fringe at the same time.
Maybe I’ll not hate my post for tomorrow. And it will be much awesomer. And I’ll post it.
Until then.
Nov 6, 2013
Realistic Portrayal of Women in Television and Film
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As you know, I am obsessed with Fringe lately. And, for the most part, it does a fantastic job at portraying women. I appreciate that the main female character, even though she is often in perilous situations, kicks butt and does not rely on some dude to save her (she’s the one doing the saving.)
But.
Last night I was watching an episode where a creepy science guy was lying in wait to grab a woman in her own home, and her first reaction was to say, plaintively, “don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me.”
I call shenanigans.
Although I don’t know exactly how I would react in a situation like that, I have been some similar situations, and I would never allow the assailant to see me as that vulnerable. And I can’t believe that would be the reaction of most women. Whether they try to run or whatever, lamely pleading would not be on the agenda.
(I double-checked, the episode was written by dudes.)
Because, the thing is, a situation like that would cause one to switch to survival mode. Like most women, I’ve thought about what I’d do if a strange man was in my house without my permission. I would go with my strengths – my loud-ass voice, and profanity (it has worked before) – acting a little bit crazy works too, but you’ve got to mean it. Like – he might kill me if I do that, but at least I’ll go out fighting. I would make a stand, and I would fight. And the first thing out of my mouth would be, “What in the @#%$%@ are you doing in my house? Who in the @#%$%@ are you. Get the @#%$%@ out.” With escalating volumes and whatnot.
Yes. This is what women think about.
Of course, in my day-to-day life I am not always in alert mode. But in a moment, I can snap right into it. If I walk down a lonely street, day or night, I constantly survey the area and assess threats. If I get into my car in a dark parking lot, the first thing I do is to lock my doors, just in case.
Guys, keep this in mind.
When I was living in Boston, I saw a guy in the train station, and he said hi. I didn’t recognize him at first, and I was curt to him. Come to find out, I worked with him, and he was pissed I was not “nice”. It was after 11 p.m. Look, dude I was just being careful. And frankly, I don’t owe you “nice.” I owe myself “safety” and for that, I will not engage with strange men on the train.
There is a whole thing about patriarchy and stuff I could talk about here, where women are expected to be “nice” and be “pretty” because that’s the way the mens like it. No, that’s wrong, it’s the way the mens EXPECT it. Whatevs.
So anyway, if a creepy scientist breaks into my house and wants to use me for one of his nefarious experiments, rest assured, he will feel the sharp side of my tongue. And it is laden with f-bombs.
Nov 5, 2013
Quick Post
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Too busy watching Fringe to write a longer post.
I am so obsessed.
Now it’s time for bed and dreams of alternate universes and wormholes.
Nov 4, 2013
Svelte Corneas
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Went to an eye specialist today to get my peepers checked out. I have a family history of glaucoma, and I’m all old and shit, so I figured it was time.
I found out that I have thin corneas, which they said was kinda like having thin hair. According to the terrifying glaucoma video they showed me, thin corneas can also be a factor for getting glaucoma.
That said, my eye pressure was fine, and my (corrected eyesight) is 20/20.
I wish I had something funny to say. But that’s it.
Nov 3, 2013
On the Wagon
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Writing again. On the blag. Using my computer this time.
I consciously took some time off from blagging, that’s after writing every day since November 2011. And now I am back “On the Wagon” – so to speak, just in time for NaBloPoMo. Yay!
For the past few weeks I’ve been avoiding the computer at home. This means that I haven’t been working on my podcast like I used to. I need to do some stuff, but can’t drum up the energy to do so. It is time, however, to kick myself in the butt. I guess.
I picture an advertisement with my smiling face. Underneath would be the caption: This is what depression looks like. Because I’m still depressed. Some things seem very overwhelming. It’s like I’m treading water.
This advertisement with my smiling face and the depression caption: it amuses me. From the sardonic portion of my brain, perhaps. The same portion of the brain that imagines me creating Vine videos of my reactions to pictures of hot dudes in kilts, gasping out “Saucy lil biscuit!” while leering salaciously. Or is that leering salaciously whilst gasping “Saucy lil biscuit!” Either way, they are in jokes that only would be understood by me, which makes them pointless to execute. Or am I wrong?
I am better. Better than I was just two weeks ago. I’ve stopped taking my anti-anxiety med, and have been (mostly) sleeping through the night.
Because I’ve been avoiding working on my computer at home, I took the plunge and came to hang out at Panera Breads today, just like I did when I was going to school. With the thoughts that a change of venue would spark some action. So far so good. If I stayed home, I would be watching more Fringe. I know this because I watched two episodes when I woke up this morning. I have doubts I would be able to stream video here at Panera, so I am not tempted to try. Really I’m not. Really.
But here I am at Panera. Later today my plans include Grocery shopping and cooking. Just like I said on my blag post yesterday. In the meantime, I will get some lunch and try to write some more. Like a boss.
Or something like it.
Nov 2, 2013
Fringe Laundry, Nature-Documentary Naps
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Spent the day watching Fringe, helping Edmund with Laundry, watching more Fringe, and sleeping through two nature documentaries.
Also on the agenda: fresh spring rolls from Saigon and lots of Chai Tea.
Right now I am writing this on my phone and planning my day tomorrow, which is shaping up to look like Panera, groceries, and cooking. And maybe a nap. And probably more Fringe (I just started season three).
Good times.
Tonight I will be watching more Fringe (do you sense a theme? ) in bed. Thanks to my Kindle Fire.
About Fringe, in case you have no clue what it is, it’s a Sci-Fi television show with alternate universes, worm holes, shape shifters, and SCIENCE! Lots of science. I never got into it when it first came out, but we have it for free on Amazon Prime, so I can watch the whole series if I want to. And I do. This is my favorite thing about our modern times: on demand streaming video.
I also like living in the future.
Nov 2, 2013
Fringe Laundry, Nature-Documentary Naps
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Spent the day watching Fringe, helping Edmund with Laundry, watching more Fringe, and sleeping through two nature documentaries.
Also on the agenda: fresh spring rolls from Saigon and lots of Chai Tea.
Right now I am writing this on my phone and planning my day tomorrow, which is shaping up to look like Panera, groceries, and cooking. And maybe a nap. And probably more Fringe (I just started season three).
Good times.
Tonight I will be watching more Fringe (do you sense a theme? ) in bed. Thanks to my Kindle Fire.
About Fringe, in case you have no clue what it is, it’s a Sci-Fi television show with alternate universes, worm holes, shape shifters, and SCIENCE! Lots of science. I never got into it when it first came out, but we have it for free on Amazon Prime, so I can watch the whole series if I want to. And I do. This is my favorite thing about our modern times: on demand streaming video.
I also like living in the future.
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