Becky's Babble

Ida's Dance

2011-11-09T17:57:00.002-06:00

Omg this is one of my top 10 favorite/funniest Malcolm In The Middle scenes.

Hal and Reese have been watching horror movies for days, and Hal isn't taking it so well... from Ida's Dance episode in Season 6!

Bellatrix Lestrange Costume

2011-11-07T19:52:00.006-06:00

The top, necklace, tattoo, wand and velvet skirt are from eBay. (This was my 'back-up' top... I had ordered one from the UK, via an online store. I received it on Halloween day at 4pm, due to a long shipping time; but it turned out that it wasn't as perfect as I thought it would be! So I used the back-up instead... which worked out very well.)

The corset with skirt attached was a wonderful find from Black Rose. So many other things I want to buy from them!

The wig was amazing... stylists at Hair Police were surprised that it was synthetic and not real hair. It was pricey, but for a decent wig in any style or color — totally worth it! Found it at Wigs.com. Who knew!?! ;D

The snake ring was from Eye Of Horus. It's a great Uptown store! I had a Tarot reading while I was there... woot!

And the boots are the prettier ones of the two I had to chose from via Pyramid Collection — another amazing store that I want to buy tons of things from!

Only two weeks and a pile of money to piece together, but totally worth it! Too bad Monday night was dead, as far as Halloween patrons... oh well.

Halloween Costume - Bellatrix!

2011-10-18T18:36:00.013-05:00

So in a snap decision, Ima be Bellatrix for Halloween this year! Normally I like to plan my costumes months in advance, to get the perfect items... but you gotta make do with the time you have. :P (And I seriously spent 3 hours digging online for them. :P)

Anyway, when I googled 'bellatrix costume', the first link that came up was WB's official Harry Potter merchandise page! I knew they had replica wands so I searched for that first. Here's all they had for her:

Umm... okay... so I understand that this is her wand she used AFTER Ron disarmed her at Malfoy Mansion, but really? No one cares about this boring wand... it's her real one that you need! More on this later...

So then I browsed costumes and saw they had 'authentic' ones of other characters... so I searched, and below is what popped up.

Omg are you serious, WB?!? LOL!!! This is your official Bellatrix costume? Christ. The only thing worthy of her is the separated sleeves... those MIGHT be usable, in what I now realized, was going to be a very pieced-together costume.

So putting the dress aside, I searched for her other accessories I knew I would be easy to find.

Her (good) wand is sold via eBay, from wonderful people who make gorgeous replicas! It was very decently priced, too.

Gorgeous detail!

Next was her necklace... a crow skull. eBay had a lot of options, but it was hard to find a local distributor that would ship it in time for Halloween at a decent price. I settled on this:

And the other super easy find, that no Death Eater can go without — Dark Mark tattoo's! :D

So that was it for eBay. I started googling 'goth tops, skirts, and dresses'... tons of sites came up... good and bad. The other bad part was that I found all these super gorgeous goth dresses that I want to buy just for fun! But I resisted. :P

During that search, I found the perfect boots... seriously, these could be replicas!

But then later that night, after ordering the above, I found another style that could also work... we'll see if I like the first ones, though.

Oh, the hair! Okay, so that was also super easy to find... and sadly, the most expensive part, but this wig is just SO perfect! I got it in black, of course.

Okay, so after digging and digging for a dress, and not finding anything, I ended up buying pieces that I think I can put together to make it look semi-authentic in the time that I have before it needs to be done...

So I know that she doesn't have see-through spider-web stuff, but the skirt connected to the corset... super sweet! I can just wear a skirt underneath it... either the WB costume or something else.

And since the WB top did have the stitched sleeves (which are impossible to find online, on a dress or top), I'll either use that (edited maybe) or the top below, which gives the general idea of open shoulders like her real dress...

Phew! So I hope the outfit is feasible... especially with only a week and a half left. I should get most of the items shipped end of this week and that will give me one more week of shipping time in case something doesn't work out... or shopping time, too. Oh, also, most of these online stores were located in Britain. Fingers crossed on the shipping time!!! :/

Everything was around $20-45, too, except the wig... :)

Road Trip — Chicago, IL

2011-09-24T19:06:00.018-05:00

Back in August, my friend and I drove down to Chicago for a long weekend! I've never been there, and my main comment about it is that it's a HUGE city! No wonder they film tons of movies there... it's also very pretty and historical.

25th—
After Sonia got home from work at 5, we pretty much left right away! To avoid 94 traffic, I took us a 'back' way... which also had traffic. :P The drive was great, though! I forget how beautiful the Wisconsin landscape is... I imagine it's even more gorgeous in the Fall. Anyway, it got dark around 9, and we only stopped once for gas and to put the convertible top down. All the road construction during the day, even though 90% had no workers at this time of night, still had 'one lane closed', which caused a bit of traffic on the way down and added an extra 45 minutes to our overall drive. Around 10:30-ish, I noticed the car ahead of me, along with the semi, swerve out of the way of something; luckily I was paying attention, cause I had to swerve onto the shoulder because there was this HUGE metal staircase or something in the middle of the road. Scared the shit out of us, especially sneaking up in the dark... thank god we didn't hit it... that would have been a sucky start to our vacation!

The rest of the drive went well, until we hit the tollway. I'm glad it's a good way to upkeep the roads, but it's SUPER annoying to have to slow down and stop, then speed back up again and lose your spot on the road. By the time we got near the airport, there was new pavement going in and they had the tollway down to ONE lane! It's Thursday night at midnight, you figure there wouldn't be many people around, but nope... it was like rush hour. Crazy!

26th—
So finally we check-in to the DoubleTree Hilton hotel (read my full hotel review here) around 12:45am. We're both crazy-loopy tired and Sonia was fighting off a cold, so we checked-in, got our free cookie (which was yum!) and went to bed. The hotel parking was pretty expensive, but I didn't care at that point... I didn't want to deal with the car at all that weekend.

So those who know me well, know I have trouble sleeping... especially in a different bed/location. I figured I'd be fine for three nights, using the hotel pillows and sheets... long-story-short, shoulda brought my pillow at the very least!!! I was up until 4am because I couldn't get comfortable and the a/c fan kept screeching every five minutes ALL night. In my Nyquil haze, I didn't even think to call the desk about it...

I finally shut it off at 8am and slept a couple more hours... so I ended up getting about 6 hours of sleep total, but not delicious REM sleep! :(

We both agreed on the sleeping-in that day since we knew we would arrive late. After I complained about my noisy a/c fan to the front desk, we ventured a block to Yolk for breakfast at noon. This place was AMAZING!!! Super cute interior/space and the most delicious smoked salmon eggs benedict I've ever had. After that, we decided to explore the pier and lake There was a cute little beach nearby and a park with a bunch of art all over. We got to the pier and decided to do the ferris wheel so we could get a look at the cityscape.

Again, HUGE city!!! I couldn't fit it all in one picture... lol. After the ferris wheel I got some Dippin' Dots (noms!) and we arrived just in time for our boat tour via the Anita Dee. It was HOT out, and I knew I was getting sunburned, but the boat provided a nice breeze and some shade. :)

Sonia made nice with the boat tour guide, Zach, and after we asked how the city view is at night from the boat, he promised us a free drink if we came back. After walking the pier a bit more we walked to the John Hancock building to get a nice view from the observation deck. Did I mention... HUGE city!!! And the view from the women's bathroom was epic. :D

[And this is only the south view of the city!]

After sightseeing from 98 floors up, went back to the hotel to shower/change/rest. At 7pm, right before I left my room, I noticed the a/c fan was STILL screechy! I complained to the front desk again and they had no idea if anyone had been up to fix it or not. They offered me to just switch rooms and I said yup. So after throwing my crap into the room right across the hall — and with a much better view! [below] — we walked back to the pier for dinner.

Again, VERY good food! Then we boarded the Anita Dee again, and reminded Zach of our free drinks... he laughed and complied. :) I had to sit in the middle of the boat, though, cause there were SPIDERS all over since the sun had gone down. They were icks! And some dumpy, goober MN family was bugging Zach about the kids needing to wear life-jackets while on the boat, because "it's the law in MN". He explained to them that if we did use life-jackets, the harbor patrol would prevent the boat from moving... yes, lady, you need life-jackets on this HUGE yacht... cripes.

Anyway, Sonia made more nice with Zach and he offered us to stay on the boat until they were all done working, and go out and party with them after! We said hell yes, and met some super nice, interesting people. Apparently all the pier workers go drink at this one bar every night after their shifts. But by now it's midnight and I'm barely standing after a whole day of walking and my shitty sleep. I try to stay lucid as long as possible, and with alcohol in my system, which makes me even more sleepy... so I give up around 1am and taxi back to the hotel.

27th—
I slept slightly better that night, with Nyquil, but not the best 8 hours I could have used. Since we stayed out late, we grabbed breakfast at the bagel place in the hotel and ate/sat/rested by the pool for awhile. I made the observation that only mid-westerners would sit by the pool on the cloudy, 70-degree day... :)

Once we were refreshed, we walked around the city and explored. I can see how Chicago would be a shoppers dream... TONS of stores all over, but also very touristy. We splurged on a horse carriage ride and then visited the Museum of Contemporary Art. Then we walked the Magnificent Mile and checked out the river. During our walk, we found our 'fancy' dinner place to come back to, which was one of the 'must do' on the agenda.

After resting for an hour, we both got dressed-up and taxi'ed to the restaurant. Sonia had her steak with wine and I had the 8 oz. lobster tail, and OH MY GAWD our food was INCREDIBLE!!! We shared calamari, mushrooms and twice-baked potato with cheese... ugh, I can still remember how amazing it all was and how full we were after! So about 9pm, we taxi'ed back to our hotel and went into food-coma's in our rooms. The plan was to go out again, but by 11, I was completely dead. Sonia went out for a chill evening with Zach, which I'm glad cause I felt bad for being so tired and not being able to go out and enjoy the night-life more! :P

So after packing and watching My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and The Rock, I passed out via Nyquil.

28th—
By now I had gotten used to the bed/sheets/pillows and slept pretty well. We had our brunch place picked out, so I called ahead to make sure we didn't need a reservation. After checking out at noon, we drove about 15 minutes north to this cute little cafe. The timing/food on our entire trip had worked out SO well (minus my hotel experience), except at this last place. Our waitress had forgotten to put our order in so we didn't end up getting back on the freeway until 2pm. Also, my eggs weren't fully cooked and had three huge pieces of shell in them, one of which I ate accidentally, so that made for a blah tummy on the ride home.

Traffic was MUCH better once we got out of the city. We stopped only once and made it home at 7pm. Minneapolis looked so tiny compared to Chicago! But it made me smile cause I love our city and am glad it's not huge, cause there'd be tourists all over. :P

Overall, great trip! We definitely needed more time to explore... we were only in the north part of downtown the whole time. We never saw any L stops, either, even though it felt like we walked forever! :)

Raspberry Iced Tea

2011-09-24T19:03:00.000-05:00

Thanks to being addicted to this stuff, I've lost weight! I usually crave something sweet after I eat... with iced tea, it's cold and has a hint of sweetness to it, thus satisfying my sweet-tooth. I've managed to avoid junk food for weeks! I seriously drink a gallon of this stuff every day... lol. I just wish I could buy it in bulk, cause now I have tons of those plastic cases all over my house... feel like I could use them for something...

Bettie Page

2011-09-06T14:59:00.004-05:00

I've walked by this store at MOA many times, but never went in... and if I had the money, I would SO buy all these dresses!!! 50s/60s-style women's clothing is SO figure-flattering... and surprisingly comfortable. I don't understand why everything has to be tall and lanky these days, when our curvy figures haven't changed. :P

Anyway, I bought two dresses! The green one below is for a 50s-themed birthday party (which will look epic with my red hair), and the black one for a wedding (minus that ugly pink flower thing). Can't wait to wear them! :D

Skydiving!

2011-09-05T15:14:00.017-05:00

Marg and I went skydiving back on August 3... it was SO phenomenal and surreal! We did it at Skydive Twin Cities in Baldwin, WI. Very good place... safe and professional!

Marg paid for a video — it was expensive so I decided against it — but they were kind enough to snap pics of me. :)

Here's us before the dive...

...and here's after! The adrenaline spike was SO big, I could barely stand up once we landed.

We already bought our discount tickets for another jump! :D

Here we are, getting ready to board the plane. They made us watch a 5 minute video about the risks, then sign/initial a bazillion forms saying we won't sue the place if we get hurt or die. But after that, you basically wait for your turn, put on your gear, and go up! It's like an assembly-line... which is why I felt very safe; they have tons of staff making sure these jumps turn out perfect.

They can cram up to 16 people in this tiny plane, I think... you really gotta be comfortable touching everyone on the way up, too! And sitting in your instructors lap when they click your harnesses together... LOL. ;)

Any last words? :D

You don't really 'jump' out of the plane... you sit at the edge of it and hang off, then flop out...

You basically have to turn your brain off to the fact that you just flopped out of a plane at 13,000 feet... and once the cold air hits you, it's pretty easy just to enjoy all the sensations of the free-fall! Then they pull the chute and you're gliding over the land, seeing all the details without having 3-inch thick airplane window blocking your view... it was so amazing! And once you hit the warm atmosphere and get closer to the ground, it's just so relaxing and peaceful. :D

Here's Marg free-falling!

And here's me coming in for the landing, which was much smoother and coordinated than I thought it would be, having someone attached to your back.

Yayyy we did it!!! Again, so much adrenaline pumping... was hard to stand, cause the legs were Jell-O!

Harry Potter!

2011-09-02T16:09:00.010-05:00

Third viewing today... noticed more details, of course. I love Block E's AMC theater cause it's close and only $2 for parking. They also turn the lights completely off! Epic. However, usually there's a scratch on the film and this time, the sound kept cutting in and out towards the end.

Anyway, very excited for this to come out on DVD in November. Digital download, woo!

Favorite scenes:

• McGonagall casts her 'protect our boundaries' spell, and then with the others, casts Protego Maxima and everyone's spells meet in the atmosphere. (The music is especially appropriate.)

• The diadem is destroyed and the scene cuts back-and-forth between Harry and Voldemort, showing them both in anguish.

• Neville draws out the Sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat. EPIC!!! 8D

Least favorite scene:

• Harry and Voldemort are fighting/apparating around the castle, and their faces meet. (I just thought this few seconds wasn't needed... seemed cheesy to me, and it's like, we get it... they're similar...) But I did like when they both tumbled to the ground after... so it was remedied.

Deleted scenes:

So I'm curious why they took out two huge scenes that were clearly part of the trailer, but not in the final movie... sad they were removed, but oh well.

• Overview of the castle protection 'globe' disintegrating. (They showed close-up details of the debris, but not the wide-angle shot below... sadness.)

• Voldemort has Harry wrapped up in his robe, holding onto his face, and asking "Why do you live?" Harry responds, "Because I have something worth living for." (Clearly there's a space for this in the film, but it's like they cut it out to keep it moving... they do show Voldemort wrapping him up, but not the full bondage and dialogue shown below.)

DoubleTree Hotel, Chicago - Review

2011-08-30T12:57:00.004-05:00

2 / 5 stars

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
300 E. Ohio Street, Chicago

Pros—
• easy to book via their website
• AAA discount
• good location
• quick check-in (middle of the night)
• free cookie!
• upgraded rooms (style/beds)
• accommodating staff
• nice, free shampoo
• soft mattress sheet

Cons—
• preferred room gone within two days
• received smoking rooms, even though we booked non (then given an excuse as to the reason for ashtray presence)
• dirty/stained ceilings and comforters
• un-vacuumed carpet/bathroom floors
• screechy A/C fan (unfixed even after requested)
• soap instead of body wash gel
• dirty hair dryer filter, which died after one use
• missing 'do not disturb' sign
• over-bleached towels (typical...)
• non-working key

Details—
Reservations were easy to make, via the hotel's website, but in a matter of two days, I could no longer book a lake-view/ queen-bed room. I can't imagine they all booked-up that quickly. However, I got a small discount because I'm a AAA member, which reduced the price to match third-party sites (Priceline, Expedia, etc.). Rates were pretty decent, considering the location, too (north part of the city, two blocks from the pier).

Checking in was very quick, due to it being midnight on a Thursday evening. And you get a free, warm chocolate chip cookie, which was VERY good, even one day later.

The rooms were upgraded in style and beds since it became a DoubleTree on top of the Hilton brand, but unfortunately, that doesn't ameliorate the negatives I experienced all weekend.

Firstly, we had requested the highest level, non-smoking rooms... nothing fancy, but they stuck us on the 13th floor (about a third of the way up, street-view of some office building). Once I got in the room, I noticed a huge air filter, which seemed nice at first, but after seeing the ashtray with a book of matches on the nightstand AND bathroom counter, the air filter made sense. My travel buddy noticed the same thing in her room as well. We asked the front desk about it the next day and she said 'come back in two hours to talk to her supervisor; she's pretty sure that entire floor was converted to non-smoking' and asked us if it smelled like smoke. We said no, but what does that matter to someone who IS a smoker, lighting-up at any time of day or night, and it drafting through the hallways under our doors...

We never came back to ask about it, because that was inconvenient to our vacation plans. Anyway, I was beyond caring about the smoking issue, as I only got about 6 hours of restless sleep that first night, due to the A/C fan screeching every 10 minutes (so loudly that even my 1ft-away White Noise Maker couldn't drown it out). If I pushed on it, the noise stopped, so the three hours I was awake, I piled a pillow, my suitcase, and a chair on top of it to try and reduce the noise level. Also, the Nyquil I downed at 1am eventually took-over, so I slept from 4am to 8am. I finally turned off the A/C at 8am and got a couple more hours of warm, uncomfortable 'sleep'.

After we complained about the ashtrays that morning, I asked them to fix the fan as well. The desk chick nodded her head right away and said she'd put in a maintenance order— as if she had heard this problem multiple times. We came back to change/shower before dinner and got ready to leave at 7pm. I had the fan on for over an hour and heard no noise! I was so happy it was fixed. But... yup, right when I was leaving, it started squeaking again... no one had come to fix it, of course. I told the desk guy about it, and he said he'd check into it, and kindly offered me to switch rooms. I agreed, got a new key, and was told I had to switch my crap right away. So I run upstairs, prop open my old door, and go to open the new one (conveniently right across the hall)— the key didn't work. I had to run downstairs again and ask him to fix it. He did, and I ran back upstairs, and quickly threw all my shit (which was spread all over the room/bathroom) into my new room, which had a much better view!

I ended up forgetting my shitty/travel shower-cap, but that was it... at least I could sleep peacefully the second night. But like my old room, the carpet hadn't been vacuumed properly (I stepped on many hard things, bare-footed, ewws!) and there was hair all over the bathroom floor. I even found a pube attached to one of the towels, too... ya, gross!

I will say though, that the sheets were quite soft... though I don't like sheets so I tore them off the down comforter that was clearly not washed, but covered up by two sheets on both sides. The comforter in the first room was stained in many places, and the second one had a big cigarette burn on it. They clearly upgraded the hotel but not the beds... Anyway, I hate down-pillows cause they suction your ear to it and don't provide any neck support, but I didn't bring my pillow. Lesson learned that I can't survive 'just three nights' with crappy hotel stuff.

The second room also had a hair-dryer, as stated on the website, but it was so disgustingly caked with dust in the filters, that I wasn't surprised when it quit working after a few minutes of use. I had to borrow my travel buddy's instead. And this same room also didn't have a 'do not disturb' door sign, so I had to tear off a scrap of paper (of my own, because there was only a pen on the desk) and make my own sign.

So long-story-short, I will NEVER stay in a Hilton or DoubleTree hotel again.

WoW: Cataclysm — Review

2011-08-07T22:54:00.021-05:00

^Rrraawwwrrr Deathwing! :)

Since the Cata upgrade came out, my opinion has gone from meh to fun! At first I didn't like that all the towns and areas were so different, and all the quest chains I had memorized in 4+ years of playing became useless... cause change is hard! But once I kept playing, I found my rhythm and got used to all the updates (and even grew to love a lot of them!).

Below are some of my thoughts. Note: there won't be much raiding or dungeon comments, because I'm a quester!

Pros—

Questing:
This was probably the area that got the biggest revamp in all upgrades/patches since Burning Crusade. At first, my OCD was pissed because you couldn't go into any random town and collect piles of quests, then be all efficient while in the field. But once I got used to it — and worked on the Quest Achieves — I came to love it!

• Linear Questing- now when you visit a town, you might only have two to pick up. Once you complete those, you continue the chain or visit another NPC who needs your help. This allows you to be efficient in the field without so much back and forth to specific areas. I also think this upgrade will make noobs happy because it's easy to follow the storyline. Once you complete the quests in a town, you can move onto the next one without feeling like you're missing a few in the previous area. I assume they did this upgrade so people would actually pay attention to the story of a quest chain, instead of running into town, grabbing everything, and finishing as fast as possible (though I still do this, so sorry Blizzard!). The linear aspect also makes it easy to get the Quest Achieves, as there are less 'drop quests' to worry about missing.

• Field Questing- you now turn in quests while in the field, instead of having to run back and forth to your NPC. It's quite nice! Once you complete the first part of the chain, the info box pops up and you can complete/accept a quest right there. [Note: this isn't for every quest... just a handful that require a lot of field travel.]

• Enemy Targeting- after accepting a quest, any enemies you have to kill for said quest, will have their 'names' show up in red above their heads, which makes them extremely easy to find in the field, with many forms of distraction. (This is probably one of my top three improvements to the game overall.)

• Pop-Up Window- sometimes when you have to kill a boss, the quest info box will pop up with an image of the boss, so you know what it looks like; other times it's your NPC, which is also pleasant in regards to the storyline.

• Quest Assist- I think this was part of the Lich patches, but I actually use the built-in quest helper that comes with the game now, instead of having to download the Addon and worry about upgrading it every time a new patch comes out. (However, even Blizzard's quest helper can be as buggy as the Addon version.)

• Dungeon Quests- are now (mostly) gathered right inside the front door, so you don't have to visit multiple towns and have them clogging up your quest list if you can't get to the dungeons right away. And on a side note, normally the dungeon quest-giver will either follow you in the field when you complete the first part of a chain, or they'll meet you at the end of the dungeon after the last boss is down. (However, this doesn't happen all the time... I think it's mostly with low level dungeons, to help the noobs.)

• Drop Quest Items- now generally drop with your first kill of a specific enemy group. This helps you when you're a high level doing the quest achieves, so you don't have to take the time to loot every single enemy for a new quest chain.

• Flying Vehicles- when you receive a quest that you have to use a flying vehicle for, instead of having to kill/bomb as many enemies as you can in the small amount of time given, you can now hit a 'return to camp' button once you're all done.

• Short Cinemas- occasionally when you accept or complete a quest, a short 'film' will take over and give you more perspective of the quest story or boss you have to kill. (It's not amazing, but it's nice to take a short breather and forces you to understand why you're helping the NPC.)

• Environment Changes- sometimes after you do a certain quest — like saving a village from faction attackers — once completed, the environment will change to reflect the storyline you helped out with. For me, this gives the game an even bigger interactive component and makes me feel like my questing is actually affecting the WoW world.

NPCs/Bosses/Enemies:
• Killing Elites- now instead of having to find other (usually rude) players to group up with, the NPCs who gave you the quest to kill a boss at the end of a chain will actually meet you in the field and help you defeat said boss. Or they'll give you some potion or weapon to dispel the elite power the boss has, allowing you to complete the quest chain without saving it for when you're higher in level. Or occasionally the elite's health won't be very high at all, or their damage will be minimal, so you are able to solo the quest with ease.

• Enemies- I feel like they are more spread out now, instead of clustered so close together that you can barely survive a gang-rape episode while just trying to complete a quest. They also seem to rez faster so multiple players can be in one area at a time and not have to sit and wait for everything to rez, or go somewhere else.

• Bosses- a skull icon on your mini-map will be where the boss is, or will spawn/rez, so you don't have to fly through the entire field to find your target.

Hunters:
• Pet Assit- now instead of having a pet 'auto kill' button (along with 'defensive' and 'passive'), it changed to 'assist' so you don't have to command your pet to attack on your first enemy hit. When you change a target, your pet will also change with you.

• Cliff Jumps- an 'about damn time' upgrade, now when you jump off a ledge or cliff, your pet will shift/jump with you, instead of running all the way back to the ramp/stairs and aggro'ing piles of enemies in the process. Tanks will appreciate this very much. :)

• Bugs- are now trackable as Beasts!

• Aspects- your Hawk aspect will remain on when you mount/dismount, so you don't have to push that damn button each time. Also, all your aspects available to you appear at the bottom left corner, above your action keys, like your pets action keys. This saves a lot of action bar space!

• Auto Shot- you can now run/move and shoot arrows! No more standing in one place and disrupting your auto shot build-up time if you bump the movement keys.

• Call Pet- there's a new feature that allows you to summon any pet in your stable, without having to visit the Stable Master. You can also tame new pets while just dismissing your current one, instead of stabling. The more slots open up as you level.

Miscellaneous:
A lot of these bullet points are huge time-savers. I feel like Blizzard wanted to make questing easier and leveling much faster, so you could hit the level cap and get to explore the dungeons for gear, thus being able to defeat the upgrades' boss without consuming hours upon days of your time.

• Authenticator Key- you don't have to enter your key code every single time you log. Your account recognizes the place you normally log, and therefore, decides against unneeded security.

• Bags- they auto-open/close when you visit a vendor now! (Also one of my favorite upgrades. It took me forever to get out of the habit of hitting 'shift-b' after clicking on the Repair NPC...)

• Flying Mounts- another favorite upgrade that saves loads of time, you can now mount up in water and fly out!

• Pop-Up Text- either in the field or in a dungeon, often you'll get pop-up text to help you defeat a boss or use a quest item when it's more confusing. This used to be an AddOn, so it's nice to have built-in now.

• Towns/FPs- I feel like there are more towns/flight paths scattered throughout all areas, so you don't have to do so much running. And flight paths are now pre-labeled on area maps and colored to which faction they belong to. This helps you find the village you need to visit, without using WowHead or memory.

Lastly, you often receive 'free passage' to the next FP destination via a quest giver or FP master (if you don't already 'know' it). This saves loads of time running via roads and dodging enemies.

• Worgen- = woot! :D

• Inside Jokes- if you played long enough with the previous three patches, you'll notice some pretty humorous updates they took with old NPCs or towns... gotta love Blizzard's sense of humor. :)

Raceway flag-girl, Daisy, is now a bartender/innkeeper. :P

• Mounting View- as long as you don't hit your right mouse button, the camera view will adjust to be above you and your flying mount, but not affect your direction in any way.

• Dungeon Maps- are now automatic when you enter a dungeon! The quest helper even aids you while inside, too.

• Toon List- you can now move your character names up or down in the list, which makes my organized brain very happy. :)

• Underwater Aids- if you're in an area that's mostly water-based, generally you'll receive a buff from quest NPCs that allow water-breathing, or you'll receive items to help you travel in it, or every time you jump into the water, you'll automatically get breathing/speed 'items', so there's no panic of losing breath or needing potions to survive while questing.

---

Cons—

Questing:
• Item Equip- quest items you need to equip will still replace your helm/weapon. I think they need to fix this, cause if you don't remember to place your helm/weapon in a special bag slot, you might sell it by accident. (Yep, did this with my 85... it sucked. Bye-bye good helm!)

• Forced Chain Questing- 95% of the time, you can't skip into a different town and gather piles of quests; you have to do the chain from the previous towns in order to move on, especially if you want to ensure access to ALL the quests available.

• Quest Items- extra ones you loot stay in your bag long after you've completed it and handed-in the quest amount required. This isn't a new thing, but I think it's something REALLY annoying that they could have fixed by now.

Dungeons:
• Quest Turn-In- unlike the Pro section where I mentioned the NPC that follows you so you can turn in your dungeon quest at the end, well sometimes you have to run all the way back to the entrance to the same NPC, who sits and waits for you to finish. This is a big waste of time, especially in large dungeons, and can often be detrimental if you were in a group and you come across Pats on the way back.

Hunters:
• Aspect Dismount- I used to hit one of my aspects when I wanted to dismount, instead of shooting or hitting the mount key, but now either the aspect will activate while you're mounted (kind of a Pro), or it won't allow you to change it until you dismount.

• Pet Presence- another annoying mount patch is that your pet doesn't disappear anymore when you mount up (land and flying). So once you run/fly super fast ahead of your pet, it lags behind and eventually disappears, forcing you to Call it again when you encounter an enemy instead of relying on it appearing after a dismount.

Miscellaneous:
• Change Sucks- my favorite dungeons/areas are all different now... (Example: SFK is now riddled with undead or whatever, not worgen, and the sweet-ass music that used to play while in there is gone.) :(

• NPC Voices- seems like there's a lot more voice-over talk done by NPCs/bosses... it's not needed, and sadly, most of the voices are ill-casted! It just makes me uncomfortable.

• Outlands/Northrend- so amongst all these awesome Pro's listed above, Blizzard seemed to completely ignore Outlands and Northrend in the process. Questing is still the same and the dungeons don't have all the helpful tips or NPC quest-givers at the beginning. It's quite a shift when you get used to the nice upgrades from level 1 – 58, then go to Outlands and be jolted back into the past way of doing things.

---

So, clearly a lot more positive's than negative's, but still lots of room for detailed improvement, IMO. :)

White Tulip

2011-08-01T17:22:00.003-05:00

Fringe S2 Ep18 has to be one of my top three favorite episodes of the series so far. It's well-written, even-paced, and focuses on two characters' similar struggles with a decision they made in the past. Discussions of time-travel and the ever-popular science/god debate are coherent, and the two final scenes at the end are the most amazing gestures of humanity I have ever seen in science fiction!

Such Fun!

2011-06-28T23:59:00.002-05:00

Had my second panic attack last night... ya, much fun. Started around 8pm, when I realized I couldn't focus on what I was watching. I managed to stave it off for a few hours, with relaxed breathing and positive thought, but it eventually took over. All I remember around 10pm, is pacing around my living room, thinking of how much money an ambulance and ER visit will cost me, and before I could ponder it much longer, I was dressed and downstairs, waiting for paramedics.

Everything in what was left of my sane mind kept saying, you will get past this... you will be normal again. But it wasn't loud enough, and I knew it was stupid calling 911, but two years ago when I had a panic attack at 1:30am, I spent the whole night in the ER with an undiagnosed affliction, eventually leaving at 6am and going home to sleep.

This time, since I knew what it was, they sent me to the Psych area. So I waited over an hour in an empty waiting room with nasty chairs, a tiny cup of water, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon boring me to death. I finally told the desk nurse I felt okay to leave, but she had the therapist come out to discharge me anyway. This woman completely resembled Tara's alter-ego Buck, but with her hair down; she was helpful... basically telling me that two panic attacks in 2 years is nothing to be worried about, regarding long-term treatment, etc. So next time it happens, I have a Crisis Center number to call, or the ER's nurse line so someone can talk me down and help the attack pass without having to get insurance involved.

Finally I left at 12:45am, driven home by a completely stoned-out-of-reality cab driver, who made me pre-pay for the ride because 'it was faster' (so my anxiety kicked back in a little and I thought this was a ploy to abduct me... pre-paying so it looks like he dropped me off at the house). The anxiety passed once I noticed he was baked, but I kinda snapped at him when he was taking a wrong turn... :/

I know I shouldn't feel embarrassed or stupid for bothering people with something I knew would pass, but when you live alone and it's a work night, it's tough to reassure your sane mind when 90% of your thought capacity is taken up by 'omg I'm going to die!'.

So anyway... finally feeling normal again after a 150 heart rate, adrenaline-spiked evening. Phew!

Why Kerning Exists

2011-06-17T13:50:00.003-05:00

At the size this online banner was built at, all I read is "the world's best horror fucks". LOL... yup. I had to squint to see that it actually says 'flicks', but because of poor kerning between the 'L' and the 'I', you get mixed messages! :P

Passion

2011-06-01T23:36:00.004-05:00

A friend once told me, 'you don't get very passionate about things...'. And it made me think, yeah, I don't really have one or two huge/strong passions, like most people seem to. But I get passionate about MANY things! I guess I just spread it out evenly amongst them... with a little extra put with a couple of my favorites. Or maybe he didn't know me as well as he should have, to observe this trait of mine... :/

Dunno why I thought of this just now, but it both irks and upsets me when I do remember it.

Friday Adventure

2011-05-31T16:59:00.003-05:00

Last Friday I drove up to Rogers to dog-sit my cousin's pup all weekend. Of course, even though I left work early and was on the road by 3:30, 94W was still backed up! It was fine until I hit the 494/94 split, then it was dead stopped. This map illustrates the routes I took (and tried to take):

Oh, and thank you phone for the GPS!

5-Year Plan

2011-05-24T23:04:00.003-05:00

You know how your personality changes throughout your life...? Well mine, I've noticed, is on a five-year timeline. About every five years, I change... I evolve... transform slowly into someone better, but I'm still essentially me... just with a different outlook on things.

I dunno if it's the end of my Saturn's Return or if I'm at the 5-year mark or what, but in these past few weeks, I've felt different... felt a change happening... and have been thinking differently about life. I've been more motivated and happy... and I even purchased a 'mid-life crisis' scooter to play with.

This change is gonna be a good one... and I will embrace it!

Scooter

2011-05-23T21:35:00.003-05:00

Two days ago, I bought a scooter!!! :D I just felt inspired one day to get one, so I did some research, got my motorcycle permit, and basically learned how to drive it right off the lot.

I was going to get the 125cc engine model, but the colors are really limited... this International one caught my eye and I had to have it! It's more maroon than the photo shows, but in my excitement of driving it whenever I can, I forget to take a decent pic. :P

It's a Genuine Buddy 150 International and I'm lovin' it tons!!!

I drove it to work today... locked it up with the bikes in the loading dock. It makes me nervous to do that because it's a semi-public area, but I suppose that paranoia will decrease over time. I figured out how to lock the wheel, so you can't roll it without the key, and I used my epic bike lock to secure it. Safe and sound!

Now I have to practice driving so I can take my license test in a few months and be all officially motorcycle-awesome chick! Weee!

Health Insurance

2011-05-22T23:10:00.004-05:00

Finally applied for some online, via eHealthInsurance, before my awesome Sunday migraine hit.

I clicked on the 'Emergency Room' link to find out more, and here's what I read:

Um... wha? Could you repeat any more of the same words in the first few sentences? This reads like a fucking tax document... Why don't they just say: 'Emergency room visits include severe trauma/pain that require you to need more than Urgent Care.' Done. Cripes.

Reusable Produce Bags

2011-05-17T21:52:00.004-05:00

Look what I just ordered! :D

$10 for 5 bags via Amazon, and I won't have to waste those horrible, earth-raping plastic bags provided by the grocery store anymore. Woot! This might make me buy veggies more often, too... I think. :)

Personal Touch

2011-05-13T22:59:00.003-05:00

I recently purchased more crack from eBay, and I received my package today with a little extra gift inside!

This small, hand-written note attached to some mints completely brightened my day. :D What a nice, personal gesture that she didn't have to do at all!

Waste

2011-05-13T22:56:00.003-05:00

Way to go, Cub, for forcing me to throw away a plastic bag, that I received in my mailbox, without a choice... yup... thanks. >:(

Dr. Bishop

2011-05-10T23:56:00.008-05:00

No matter how crappy my mood is, Dr. Bishop from Fringe always makes me smile/laugh. :)

I think he's probably one of my all-time favorite TV characters. His innocence and eagerness to help in any situation evokes a gentle, childlike sympathy. His convictions and constant desire for wisdom beyond scientific gain, inspires me!

So kudos to John Noble for portraying such a delightful persona! It's fun to see him go from angry Denethor in LotR, to excitable Walter. :D

I was gonna put a bunch of great Walter quotes here, but out of context, they're not that funny and there's usually a prior conversation involved or another character. But I do have to post this one... one of my favorite moments of Fringe, when Bishop and Bell (played by the enigmatic Leonard Nimoy) have just seen each other after 30 years apart:

Dr. Bishop— [angrily] Hello, William.
William Bell— [unemotional] Walter.
Dr. Bishop— I see you've aged.
William Bell— It appears I'm not the only one!

Okay this one is pretty decent, too:

Dr. Bishop: [on the phone] Hello Peter, this is me, your father, Walter Bishop.
Peter Bishop: [annoyed] Thank you, Walter. I know who you are.
Dr. Bishop: Excellent!

One more, without someone else... :)

Dr. Bishop: To understand what happened at the diner, we use Mr. Papaya. [places the papaya in the container and steps back to avoid an inevitable explosion]
Dr. Bishop: [happily] This is upsetting because he is the friendliest of fruits.

Things I Saw Today

2011-05-08T19:08:00.008-05:00

• A little girls' tricycle on the shoulder of a freeway ramp, undamaged, on its side. Not very interesting but a bit disturbing for some reason...

• Dexter eating a strawberries! Aww puppeh!

• An older woman, mowing her lawn, with a leopard coat and hat on (in 65° weather).
This was just too weird so I had to find images to show you what she looked like:

Again, weird!!!

Kiss my ass, Spammers!

2011-05-02T15:59:00.008-05:00

The e-mail address I've had for about a decade (the 'professional' one I created once I left high-school), has been hacked... whatever you take that to mean.

My friends/family received some lovely 'omg you have to see this! [evil link]' e-mails, with their first names in the Subject line. Haha, stupid Spammers, jokes on you... I would never call my dad 'Mark' (he is 'Pa!'), nor would I put that in the subject line of an e-mail... idiots.

Soak in all the horrible, mind-stabbing FAILS! I would never compose an e-mail of such grammar atrocity! Luckily my peeps know this... and who knows where that double-http link goes. :/ Some sort of scary, itchy, black-hole of the internet...

I also love the spam I get from 'Blizzard':

So long-story-short, I changed one letter in my e-mail address and started fresh. It's like losing your wallet or moving, and having to update piles of forms in your life, but digital. :P

***

Here's a nice, proper e-mail from the real Blizzard people. :)

Culture Of Fear

2011-04-06T20:36:00.001-05:00

"When I told my mother I was planning to ride my Vespa from San Francisco to New York, she gasped. She was not alone in her horror — I soon learned the common reaction was one of shock and fear. Many people expressed concern over every horrible thing that might happen to me on the road. One way of looking at my decision to go is that our freedom can be taken, in various ways, without warning — so why allow one's fear to take it? And everything "bad" that could have happened to me on the trip could happen to me anywhere, anytime, in the most seemingly benign environment ... bad things happen to give us the opportunity to realize there are no bad things. To not have gone would have been to turn my back on faith..."

–Shreve, Vespa Vagabond

New Job

2011-03-15T19:02:00.002-05:00

Day 2 of my new job today! After six years at Target, I've finally escaped... er, I mean, resigned. :P

I definitely miss some things from the old post... my standing desk, my workload, my India peeps... and my co-workers, of course (sup!). But no dress code, a mid-shift, no politics and being able to drink at work... yup... :)

So, new job = new life outlook! This year will be epic...!!!

Handwriting

2011-03-08T14:22:00.002-06:00

Yup... 'bout sums it up!

The Oatmeal - Handwriting

Meds

2011-03-01T19:42:00.002-06:00

Education Reform

2011-02-24T17:31:00.000-06:00

Watch this!!!

Target Credit Services

2011-02-20T12:20:00.004-06:00

Automated voice: "Because you're such a great Target guest, we want to do something special for you... we will connect you with a representative immediately!"

Next automated voice: "Please hold, a representative will be with you shortly."
- insert hold music and 5 minute wait here -

Awesome, thanks. :/

Eggs - Post-Extraction - Day 10

2011-02-17T21:30:00.002-06:00

Finally, nature is right on schedule... :)

Like clockwork, the nurse said in about 10 days I'd start my cycle. So woot! But ugh... lol. At least I can get back on the pill this Sunday. Weee!

So I think I'm going to donate at least once more before the cut-off age... definitely not within this year, though. I get to call on Monday to see if there was a pregnancy!

Eggs - Post-Extraction - Day 4

2011-02-11T18:52:00.003-06:00

Ugh! So imagine what it feels like after you eat gut-bomb foods, multiply that by 5, times 3 days, plus bloating = how I feel. :/
And the best part, is that this'll last another week at least! Blarg.

Eggs - Post-Extraction - Day 2

2011-02-09T22:21:00.002-06:00

Well, finally feeling great mentally, and I definitely notice a huge difference in my energy. I'm waking up naturally with the sunlight and standing up again at work (not to mention smiling more, too!). But the body is still slowly getting back to normal... bloated again and there's some slight pressure down in my biz-nass... nothing painful though — just annoying.

Looking forward to more improvement over the next week! The Center called to check-up on me and asked if I wanted to donate again. I said probably, but not in the near future... I will call when I'm ready again. I verified the cut-off age being 32, and she said since I'm already a donor, they could push it to 34; however, most recipients choose 'young' eggs over the older ones, so there's less of a chance that I'll be picked. But if it's meant to be, it'll happen, I guess! :)

Eggs - Day 21 - Extraction!

2011-02-07T18:34:00.004-06:00

Woke around 7:30am... couldn't sleep anymore! I laid in bed about 45 minutes, starting to feel hunger pains, but knowing full well that I can't eat or drink anything because of the anesthesia I'm about to receive.

At 9 I called the Minneapolis taxi company... ABC Taxi or something. I sat on hold for a good five minutes, starting to panic that I'd be late to my appointment all due to incompetent taxi service. Finally someone picked up and said they'd send a taxi right out. Luckily he showed up right on time, but this dude... omg... he had to have been at least 85, and he drove like it, too! It took him 10 minutes to drive 1 mile and he put the car in park every time we came to a red light. :| A thought crossed my mind that he was totally milking the ride, racking up my fee on purpose, but on second glance, it was just his age, I think...

Anyway, of course we get there and the fee is just over $6. I have that exact amount in my wallet, and a 10 dollar bill. I say fuck it, and give him the 10, because he seemed like he needed it, and I'm about to get a check for 4 grand... plus he did get me there on time, so whatever. I just wanted to be done with it.

I check-in and sit in the lobby until 9:30; a nurse I hadn't met yet called me back to a different area of the facility that I haven't been to before. We sit in a small prep room, with two chairs and a creepy hospital bed.

Sooo creepy... probably all those hospital horror films I've watched. :)

Anyway, the nurse asks me a few questions and says since I'm a pro to this, she won't give me the full interrogation. :) I sign a release form and she hands me my compensation check (4 grand, bitches!); then she leaves and the anesthesiologist visits me. Same chick I had last time! We chat a bit and she asks me questions, then leaves so I can change into my adorable hospital gown/robe, with a hat and booties to match!

Woot!

Then the doctor comes in (female this time!) and she's also asking me questions... and acting weird like she's high and hasn't slept in days... :/ She says in about 10 minutes, they'll be ready for me, but in the meantime, I can enjoy some digital pictures via a photo frame on the counter, because "she read in my profile that I liked photography". Ohhh, excuse me, I should have mentioned... I like GOOD photography! Snaps! Yeah, some pretty crappy photos on there, so I play with my Droid until it's time.

Around 9:10?, my anesthesiologist brought me down the hall to the procedure room. It's small with no windows and a bed that's clearly attached to the floor and a bunch of other monitors/equipment. I lay down and she pokes me with my last needles of the cycle, to numb up my arm for the IV. She gives me something to 'relax' first, as we're making small talk. Being put-out is the greatest thing ever, so I'm highly enjoying myself at this point. :D

Once I hear the doctor and nurse enter the room, I start to feel the drugs kicking in... I help them prop my legs up into these large stirrups that support the back of my knee (for comfort). Then I feel someone wrapping a medical sheet around my thighs... it's all foggy after that, and I'm hearing myself telling the story of when I threw-up strawberries as a child, and my parents thought it was blood, and even though I did that, to this day strawberries are my FAVORITE fruit. I told this story to the nurses/doctor because I recall hearing one of the women say something about vomiting out her nose one time... and now I can't be sure if this conversation took place before or after the procedure... lol.

So, after story-telling time, I slowly wake up and realize I'm in recovery already! The anesthesiologist is there asking if I'm awake. She props me up and gives me liquid Tylenol and some water. By now I'm feeling the IV in my arm still, and some slight pressure in my pubic area, but no pain. Then the nurse visits and I ask her how many eggs they got. Twelve, she says! Woot! It's the perfect amount they want during a cycle. (Once they remove them from me, they have 4 hours to clean and fertilize each one, then they can store/freeze them so the couple can use them anytime they want!)

Anyway, after a few minutes of rest, they go get Manda and bring her back to get me. Dawn, one of the donor coordinators I chatted with my very first time, comes in and thanks me for doing such an honorable thing. I tell her Manda is thinking about donating, too! And then Dawn and I comment that we didn't see each other this time around... oh well.

After the anesthesiologist removes my IV (and that horrible, sticky, unyielding tape!), everyone leaves and I get dressed. Manda wheels me out in a wheelchair to the elevator. She puts me in the very back corner and takes a photo with her cell... bwahahaha! :) Once we're downstairs, she runs to get her car, plops me in, and we're off!

---

I got into bed after getting home around noon... had some trouble falling asleep, but before I knew it, it was 3pm. I woke, ate some cereal, took my antibiotic, then laid down on the couch for another 2 hours. Finally around 5 I felt awake enough to eat real food.

Now it's nearly 10 and I'm feeling some pressure in my abdomen... nothing bad, but annoying if I'm up and walking around. They say no exercise for 3 – 5 days, which will be no problem for me this winter. :P

Two weeks from now I can call and find out if there was a pregnancy. I asked the nurse if most women put two eggs in, because that gives an 80% chance of pregnancy, and she said yup, usually they do... getting their monies worth, I suppose. Since they basically paid me for my DNA, they can keep the rest of the eggs for later use, or they can donate them to another woman, donate them for research, or destroy them.

---

So now in ten days I'll menstruate and get rid of the left-over eggs they didn't harvest. Tomorrow I'm going to feel amazing! I'll be completely un-bloated and back to normal... until Wednesday, when I'll fill-up with fluid again. :| But, no more needles!!! And I get to sleep-in... and drink if I want... ahhh.

I might do this one more time, before the cut-off age (32)... but we'll see. It went much faster this second time around, and I don't feel like I was as uncomfortable. Probably because I knew what was coming and when I'd be done.

So, fingers crossed for the couple to successfully get some mini-Becky's!!! :D

Follicles

2011-02-05T23:15:00.004-06:00

So here's an example of what I see on the ultrasound monitor... except towards the end of the injections, I have at least triple this amount and they're much darker, bigger and closer together.

The nurse measures the size of the follicles during the ultrasound, by millimeters; 15x18mm is a decent example of a follicle pocket that has an egg that is ready for harvesting! So they basically quadruple in size in 7 days, which accounts for how bloated and sore you get. :P

Eggs - Day 19

2011-02-05T18:25:00.003-06:00

Had my appointment this morning at 7:40am. Getting up early on the weekend is much worse than during the week... it's like, everyone else is peacefully sleeping after a hard work-week — and I'm not. Arg.

Anyway, the ultrasound went well! The nurse said I might be able to do my HCG shot tonight, which surprised me... last time it seems like they wanted that one extra day, even though I had about the same amount of 'ready' follicles. So right after the blood draw, I went home and did my usual morning injections, then treated myself to some donuts! Noms.

---

Around 12:30, Dawn called me and said it's HCG time!!! Super excited about that, especially since it means that I don't have to do any more little shots. :D However, I have to do the HCG shot at 10:30pm... had a real hard time finding someone to do it, and then I also realized that Monday would be worse for me to take off than Tuesday, but I have no choice. So after many texts and phone calls and Facebook messages, things seem to be coming into place...

My appointment on Monday is at 9:30am, with the extraction at 10:30am. Oh, also, since I don't have to shoot up tomorrow, I get to sleep-in!!!!! Omg I am SO glad I don't have to be at the Center at 7am tomorrow... I haven't slept-in since 3 weeks ago. Ahhh... it's gonna be so good! Unless the injection site is sore and my ovaries complain... :/

---

Alex did great!!! Felt a poke, but nothing horrible... I stay surprisingly relaxed during those big injections... blood draws, on the other hand — not so much. :P

So fingers crossed that the HCG is swimming through my blood right now, and I'll be Fertile Myrtle on Monday morning!

P.S. Today really sucked... lots of stress and jerky mood swings... yeah, awesome. Glad I'm done.

Taco Bell

2011-02-03T22:00:00.001-06:00

Eggs - Day 16

2011-02-02T21:44:00.002-06:00

Ohhh boy... feelin' the pressure today! Getting more bloated and tired each day... every once in awhile, there's this tight pressure in my stomach/ovaries area... probably the eggs babies trying to break their way through my organs! Bwahaha!

Had my first stimulation ultrasound this morning, plus the usual blood draw. The follicles looked good! Medium-sized... hopefully progressing fast! Ready to be done... or just able to sleep-in. :| No word on the blood results, which means keep doing the same levels.

Eggs - Day 15

2011-02-01T18:23:00.003-06:00

/yawn

Starting to feel pressure down there... pinching... some tightness. The pooch is a bit sore/tender and I'm also getting very bloated! Weeee! :/

Blood work was great on Monday and tomorrow I have Labs plus an Ultrasound. Menopur still = gross. I counted 14 little dots on my tummy, from the injections... running out of real estate! :P

Eggs - Day 13

2011-01-30T21:46:00.002-06:00

Blahhh! Feeling great this afternoon (probably cause of Harry Potter 3rd-viewing with girly girl!), but now I'm tired and apathetic again. I am NOT looking forward to this week... gonna be a hard one.

I figured a way around the air-bubble Menopur problem... I didn't tamper too much with the needle and I still got one, so I just flicked it to the top (the plunger part), and injected what I could and stopped before reaching the bubble. Done and done! It's still not the full .75 mL, but per my journal it seems like this is what I dealt with last time, and shouldn't effect any follicle production.

But seriously, this weekend was gross... couldn't sleep-in... also having random night sweats, hot flashes and fever dreams. But I only have one week left of shots and I'm giving a couple some babies, so I can make it!!! Rawarrrararrr!

Eggs - Day 12

2011-01-29T16:58:00.007-06:00

Okay, I do NOT like the Menopur shot... I always get air bubbles in the syringe, which happened last time (according to the journal I kept). And when I try to fix it, I end up wasting the chemicals and had to start over. :| Going to try and NOT play with the syringe tomorrow morning, and see if that fixes the air problem.

Also feeling VERY down today... depressed and exhausted... couldn't get back to sleep, but didn't feel like getting up. Around noon I perked-up though, but now my tummy is sore where I shot-up this a.m. I remember the evening shot being worse last time, but it's totally the opposite. :S

I hope I don't have fever dreams again tonight! Cripes.

---

Ugh... so tired... too tired to sit at my computer and play WoW even.

So I just re-read most of the journal I kept during my first donation cycle. I kept VERY detailed notes! And it was fun to read how my first few days of stimulation shots went, as it seems to be the EXACT same process this second time around. So if all goes well, at least I know what to expect, which would have helped me get over my depression this morning a lot faster. I'm experiencing dizzy spells, too, which also happened last time. It's not severe though. I feel like it was a longer, more exhaustive process last time, and this time seems to be going very quick. But perhaps it's because time seems to be flying by as I get older, or that the Lupron shots were no biggie compared to the Menopur/Follistim.

Eggs - Day 11

2011-01-28T23:24:00.003-06:00

Ugh, lots of problems today.

Menopur shot sucked! I thought I was supposed to displace the air, but that put a big air bubble in the syringe, which I managed to squeeze out, but then I lost .15 mL of stuff, so I tried to replenish it, but grabbed the wrong vile and ended up diluting it even more. :|

When I left work, I was so worried about forgetting the Lupron vile, that I completely forgot to grab Menopur needles for this weekend! So I ate dinner and drove back up to work, parking in the Block E ramp. I ran to get a few syringes and left, thinking I'd only have to pay for an hour parking fee, but no, they're weird, so it cost me $6 for 10 minutes!!! Super lame. And you would not believe the drivers out there... psycho's!

But the Follistim went fine... so here's hoping for an easier tomorrow morning dose. :P

Eggs - Day 10

2011-01-27T21:02:00.001-06:00

Jumped down to 5 units of Lupron today... stimulations tomorrow! And so it begins. :P

BFFs

2011-01-26T21:50:00.002-06:00

Eggs - Day 9

2011-01-26T21:48:00.002-06:00

So I had it wrong... I don't start the stimulation shots tomorrow — it's on Friday! So woot! One less day of 3 shots per day!

But tomorrow I reduce the Lupron to 5 units, instead of 20... must... remember... :P

Still menstruating, but feeling more energized today! Stupid work is adding lots of stress this week, though... can't wait for the week to be over.

Eggs - Day 8

2011-01-25T21:56:00.002-06:00

So... exhausted... :P

I haven't even started the stimulation shots yet, and my body is already run-down. Yesterday I went to bed early and practically fell asleep as my head hit my pillow (which NEVER happens). However, I think most of the problem is that I started bleeding today, which the Center said might happen after I stopped taking the pill. I can already feel my hormone levels bouncing around... :|

Last night was rough, but tonight my energy is returning. One more day until the stimulation shots! I'm nervous about mixing the Menopur, but hopefully it'll come back to me... I remember the Follistim burning a bit during the injection, too, so we'll see how that goes. Oh, and today I realized I haven't been wiping the bottle tops with the sterile cloth before inserting the needle... oops! :S

I have labs and an ultrasound tomorrow. Almost half-way there!

Eggs - Day 5

2011-01-22T13:48:00.002-06:00

Got up at 8:45am to do my shot... I think my least favorite thing about this whole process is having to set my alarm and get up early on the weekends. :P And yes, 8:45am is early for me!!! Shu'up!!! But luckily, I was able to get back to sleep after... :)

Oh, it's also tough stabbing yourself in the morning, when your body is extra sensitive from being asleep... but I'm pretty good at it, so I only felt a tiny poke (that's what she said). I'll probably need to just get up and be awake a bit before doing the Menopur shot, since I need to mix chemicals and use my brain to do that. :|

The Lupron has no clear side effects for me, aside from the site being itchy right after the injection... but that goes away pretty quickly. I'm feeling tired lately, but that's probably from lack of exercise and it being disgustingly cold this past week.

Only four more days before I start the stimulation shots! Wow this is going fast...

Eggs - Day 4

2011-01-21T23:20:00.003-06:00

Injections are going well! Gotta make sure I get into work on time, so I don't miss it... :/

Tonight I took my last birth control pill! Going to be odd seeing 9:30pm on the clock, and not getting up to deal with that situation... must keep my brain on that pattern, though! :P

Eggs - Day 2

2011-01-19T19:17:00.002-06:00

Had an 'STD Screen' appointment this morning, where they did a blood draw (3 tubes) and a UA. Also did my second shot... poked a bit more than yesterday, but I think I hesitated. :P

Anyway, peeing into a cup, for girls, when you don't really have to go, sucks big time! Eww and LOL... Ima stop right there. :)

Eggs - Day 1

2011-01-18T11:01:00.004-06:00

Started my Lupron shots today! This one is basically birth control, to suppress my egg production. One week of these, and then I start the 'stimulation' injections.

The shot itself went well! Didn't feel a thing... luckily (and sadly) I have lots of extra pooch this year to prevent any needle pain. :P

Playa Mujeres, Cancun

2011-01-17T18:00:00.049-06:00

Had an amazing time with Margaret this past week! We went to Playa Mujeres, Cancun for five days, and stayed at the wonderfully luxurious Excellence Resort. How I miss the weather already... ahhh...

Wednesday—
Got up at 4am to catch our 6am flight! :| Surprisingly, it was the first time I hadn't had any anxiety 'miss-my-flight' dreams... the Nyquil helped. Thanks for driving us Manda!

Airport security and check-in went very quick, so we stopped at a bookstore so Marg could get her coveted 'cheesy dirty romance novel'. :)

I was unable to change our seats the day before (stupid travel agent sat us apart), because to my amazement, the plane was PACKED FULL! Lots of MN peeps escaping to Cancun in the middle of the week, right after the holidays... odd. Everything was on time, though, and we landed in Cancun 3.5 hours later!

[Here we are at the airport, waiting for our private transportation to the resort. So happy!]

The twenty minute ride was quick, but odd... completely ghetto the whole way, passing stray dogs and graffiti and homeless travelers. Then we arrived at the resort, going through three security gates with guards verifying that we were on the list.

Once we entered the lobby, they gave us damp towels to freshen-up, handed us glasses of champagne and brought us up to the front desk for check-in. Already with the luxury! :D

[The lobby, with one of their bars downstairs.]

So long-story-short, crappy travel agent booked us their 'worst' room, because it was the only one with two beds, instead of one big king-sized. But when we checked-in, the receptionist said we had a Swim Up room, which is what I wanted in the first place. These particular rooms allow you to literally walk out your patio door and jump in the pool! I mentioned to her that this was a mistake, that we needed a room with two beds, and she said that housekeeping could actually rig-up the couches with a mattress and extra sheets. Super cool option!!! So we ended up getting the Swim Up room, even though I had paid for the 'crappy' room... woot! :D Love those happy mistakes... I think I saved a couple hundred bucks at least.

[Swim Up patio view!]

So this place is definitely a big honeymoon destination, but I didn't care... it was too beautiful to pass up! The room was nice and spacious, but the bathroom was super odd — no doors or walls or privacy whatsoever! The shower had two separate water-heads and a window to the living room... for dirty things, no doubt... eehehehe!

[Jacuzzi with wonderful massage jets!]

[Free mini-bar, restocked daily!!!]

[Shower window! Marg is demonstrating... :)]

[Cozy!]

So unfortunately, the weather was less than perfect... it was rainy, cloudy and only about 70°F. But, because that was an epic 60-degree difference from Minnesota, we didn't care!!! We changed, ordered room service for lunch, then went down to the peacefully windy beach, and filled our lungs with FRESH humid air.

[The red flag means 'no swimming'... or it's not recommended because of weather conditions.]

[Feets!]

[Happy Margaret with her cool jacket and sunglasses!]

Thursday—
So I've realized that no matter how luxurious the resort is, hotel sheets are still hotel sheets... stiff as hell, and the pillows were super lumpy! Didn't sleep well until the third night... :P

After breakfast (and Marg's yoga class), we went to the beach to enjoy another windy/cloudy/rainy day. But again, way warmer than MN, so who cares! :D Then we mostly relaxed on the patio and in our room, watching TV.

[Sunset!]

Friday—
Slept a bit better with a pill... still cloudy this morning, so we checked out the daily activities schedule and saw they had Rifle Shooting!!! It was so much fun!!! Just pellets in there, but I was able to hit one small Ram target, and Marg got two hits during our contest.

[So bad-ass!!! :D]

[Cutey-patooty Edwin photo bomb! He was our instructor and a good marksman. He also taught the Latin Dance class, which Marg took on Saturday.]

[My reaction after hitting a target! :D It's the one that's down behind me, on the right. Metal Rams – beware!!!]

Oh, but before rifle shooting, we decided to be smart and get some FREE DRINKS! ;)

After rifle shooting, we explored the beach again, with cameras this time!

[Marg was much braver than me! I kept my sweater on. :)]

Since it was still chilly that night, we ordered room service and watched HBO movies in English (and sometimes Spanish!).

Saturday—
The sun came out finally!!!!! First warm day of vacation... we ate breakfast then jumped into our swimsuits, and went down to the beach for a good three hours.

[My view from the beach chair, looking up... ahhhhh!]

Marg decided to soak up the sun and got a little burnt. It was so peaceful to be listening to music, on the beach, in the warmth, with island 'boys' coming by to take our drink order. He asked us if it was time for Tequila shots and we said sure! A handful of drinks later, we spent the afternoon drunk. :D

[This is Bob... I fed him french fries. I lovded you Bob!!!]

More of the gorgeous view from our patio, with sunlight this time!

We finally hit the Lobster House restaurant that night, and had some extremely good lobster tails! It was a warm evening and we sat at the end of the deck, right next to the ocean, with the pool glowing blue below us... it was absolute HEAVEN!

Sunday—
Well, vacation was over already... :( Five days never seemed shorter! Since our flight didn't leave until 3:30pm, we slept in (soundly!), then had breakfast at one of the restaurants. Once we came back to the room, we packed-up and ordered Second Breakfast! :D So good, but a bad idea in the long run... lol.

At noon, we checked-out and waited for our private airport shuttle in the lobby...

Sunday was a LONG day... our plane was 2 hours late. :| We finally landed at 9pm and quickly got the hell out of the airport!

It was quite a shock at how cold the 10° air was... with wind... /sigh. I miss the beach!!! It was an amazing vacation... I will definitely go back to that resort in the future. And also, all-inclusive adults-only is THE way to travel!!!

Eggs - Physical

2011-01-09T14:14:00.003-06:00

Had my physical last Wednesday and got all my supplies for fertile-readiness!!!

It's interesting the differences between male and female doctors, during said physical... females are polite and gentle, making sure you're comfortable and warning you before they 'swab'. The two male doctors I have experienced could care less! They're rough and completely unaware of you... like you're a barn animal or something. Ya.

But I enjoyed seeing the Center For Reproductive Medicine's new facility! Nice parking garage, too... woot!

Anyway, I start my injections on Jan. 18th, right after vacay... gonna be a busy January. :|

Yup...

2010-12-07T21:50:00.001-06:00

...bout sums it up!

The Wagon of Healthy

2010-11-28T11:15:00.001-06:00

I fell off of it!!! Bah. Going to start up again tomorrow... exercise, good foods, etc. :P

Get Healthy (Again) – Day 15

2010-11-15T21:38:00.002-06:00

Hrmph!

Last week sucked. Didn't work out, but I didn't eat any junk food, either... kinda carb overload, though...

But I made chili yesterday and ate well today, and exercised tonight. Feeling unmotivated and gross... blah.

Choppy McAwesome!

2010-11-14T18:56:00.005-06:00

Every once in awhile, I buy as-seen-on-tv things... sometimes they're great! Sometimes they're pointless.
But the below object is one of those GREAT things!

Ta-da!!! Perfectly chopped peppers... :)

The Universe...

2010-11-11T08:51:00.002-06:00

...is really kind to me sometimes. :)

Been awake since 6am, on my day off, wallowing in self-pity, contemplating my life path, blah blah... trying to read a book because I can't seem to pull myself out of bed, when I get a phone call from a strange number — it's the Center for Reproductive Medicine, and a couple has chosen me for their egg donor! :D It literally put a smile on my face and kicked me out of bed. :)

Nothing is official yet, because we have to see if they can wait until I'm back from my Cancun vacation this January, but if they are okay with waiting, I'll pretty much start the day I get back.

Woots!

Get Healthy (Again) – Day 8

2010-11-08T21:16:00.002-06:00

Well, things are pretty good... the first few days were rough, but I kept up my exercise. The fourth day I was too exhausted to do anything but yoga (and I barely managed that!).

Eating is the hardest part... I bought Eddy's no-added-sugar popsicles, 25 calories each, which help the post-dinner palate-cleanser craving. And last Friday was the first Friday in a LONG time that I haven't allowed myself an after-dinner treat... was pretty tough. But Saturday I cooked taco's — my favorite that I haven't made in a long time! Then I had a mini Skinny Cow ice cream treat, which compared to Ben & Jerry's, was blah, but at least it was something.

Last night I had a brownie for my sister's birthday dinner. I didn't even really taste it, or the Chinese dinner; I just shoveled... :| I read somewhere that your body craves the amount of sugar you regularly have, so if you eat a ton of junk the day(s) before, your body will crave sugar (junk food, in my case) to level it out, which is what makes starting a diet so difficult. Oh, and I totally forgot how much I LOVE fruit!!! Yummm!!!

So onward I go! I don't see any differences yet, but I feel a bit better... slightly more energy and I feel like the cravings are dwindling. Mentally it has been a ride! I'm confident one hour, then the next I think, 'fuck it, why bother'? Bah!

Workout—

elliptical: 40 minutes, 325 calories, 2.5 miles [not a drastic difference than last week, but I pushed harder this time, earlier]

muscle building:
- RED Fitness
- 4M* Push-Ups (9 first rep [didn't do them fully correct last week... and I haven't been doing this as often as I should!])
- Calve-Ups (25 first rep [not so keen on doing these anymore, as they perk up your butt, and I really don't need any more of that :P And my calves aren't the issue...])

Get Healthy (Again) - Day 1

2010-11-01T19:29:00.004-05:00

I never log this shit, but maybe I should... might keep me on track.

Girly-girl and I are going to Playa Mujeres in January! 10.5 weeks, to be exact. So I think I'll do a weekly update to see my progress... and there WILL be progress!!! Arrarrraggg!

So aside from exercise, I'm also not eating any junk-food... meaning cookies, cake, etc. Seriously! Of course I'll indulge a bit on the two holiday's I have to survive, food-wise, but no taking junk home and eating it the next day.

Workout—
elliptical: 40 minutes, 315 calories, 2.5 miles
muscle building: RED Fitness; 4M* Push-Ups (13 first rep); Calve-Ups (25 first rep)

*4M Push-Ups = this new push-up style my Chiro taught me, that works 4 muscle groups at once!!! Tri's, Bi's, Abs, and Pecs... I'm feelin' it already. :|

Sunrise

2010-10-29T23:00:00.003-05:00

It's great facing East sometimes. :)

Sunset

2010-10-23T20:17:00.004-05:00

Super-cool window reflection during most of the sunsets this summer! I love facing East. :)

Makes the building look like it's on fire!!!

The Itchies

2010-10-23T19:38:00.004-05:00

So apparently I'm allergic to something... :|

Woke up last night around 4am with, what I thought was, terribly dry skin. I set up my humidifier and fell back asleep an uncomfortable hour later.

I noticed a few red spots on my thigh before bed last night, but when I woke, my legs were covered in these strange red bumps! The rest of my body was sprinkled with them, but not nearly has nasty as my legs had gotten. So I researched a bit online and hoped they weren't bed bugs, as I'm really not in the mood to buy all new sheets, or an entirely new bed...

So I got dressed and went to my nearby Target Clinic (since I had to shop anyway). The doctor basically looked at me two seconds and said 'go to an Urgent Care!' Ugh... so I shop, drop off my things at home, then drive down to the newly-built HCMC facility on 28th and Nicollet. I pull into the lot and before I barely get out of my car, a nurse comes out and says everyone has gone home — for you see, they close at noon, and it's 12:07 according to my phone. Arg... should have gone there first!!! Target Clinic FAIL. :P

I hop back in my car (with the top down, at least, enjoying the beautiful weather!) and drive past my house, contemplating whether or not I want to just eff the whole thing and use the 'wait and see' approach that everyone in this country is so accustomed to. ;) But alas, The Itchies won, and I navigate downtown's cluster-pile of one-way streets, to finally find a parking lot for the main HCMC facility.

After paying my $1 parking fee, I find the information desk near the ER department. He instructs me to go to Triage in order to use their version of Urgent Care. The triage nurse takes my information and I sit down in their horrible chairs in the waiting area (while memories of my visit last summer to this place, via a 2am panic attack, flood through my head). Luckily, I didn't have to wait long for the nurse to call me back, take some vitals, then send me to the Admit desks. There I talk to another woman about my insurance, and she instructs me to go to the door with a big 'E' on it (can't remember what it stands for... something equivalent to Urgent Care).

I go through the door to a much more comfortable waiting area, with only one other person around, and have a seat. A few minutes later I'm called back by another nurse, and she takes my history. I change into one of those elegant 'about to get poked and prodded' gowns, and the nurse practitioner comes in. She takes one look at my leg and says 'oh, hang on... I need to go get the doctor'. Oh, great! Awesome... I'll wait here. :S

The doctor enters and all three of us discuss The Itchies and she decides that it's either some form of psoriasis (unlikely) or an allergic reaction to something (hence my red, swollen ears). In a blink, she calls in two prescriptions for me, and I leave.

So, yet again, it's back to the downtown Target, not 2 hours later, to pick up my prescriptions. I barely make it in before the pharmacy team was going on their break, and I pick up my super-cheap Prednisone and Hydrocortisone. Because the latter has a side effect of drowsiness, I've been watching shitty movies, half conscious, for 4 hours on this gorgeous Saturday... /big sigh. I'd rather stand a few Itchies than waste another weekend day lying on the couch!!!

But, I'm happy to report that 6 hours since taking the steroid, The Itchies have disappeared by 80%! My ear swelling is also minimal and the cortisone is wearing off, so I'm finally able to sit up without fatigue. What a day... :|

Now to track down what caused the reaction... it was either something in my dinner last night or that Up&Up community lotion in the bathroom I used yesterday afternoon for the first time ever... I think... psh.

Good times...

2010-10-08T19:23:00.001-05:00

Classics! Watched all but a couple of these shows...

[thanks for the image find, benito!]

HP7

2010-09-27T19:08:00.004-05:00

The last book is dark... full of torture, blood and violence. I'm curious how much they're going to change or edit out... even more so that I read recently about a Death Eater torture scene that was cut, because it 'was like watching Saw'. :|

Though I trust Yates to make these last two films as amazing as he possibly can, I hope he doesn't censor too much of JK's vision, just for a PG rating... because the last two books are not PG.

For example, in the book, the statue behind these ministry officials (and nasty Umbridge!) is supposed to be a throne, upheld by Muggles, (men, women and children) — who are completely naked. I see they're fully clothed and mostly men here...

For your viewing pleasure:
http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/harrypotterandthedeathlyhallows/

Droid

2010-09-17T17:46:00.001-05:00

Gots me a new cell phone!!! :D

It's like going from a tricycle to a sports car... eehehehe!

Sons of Anarchy

2010-09-04T15:10:00.002-05:00

Just saw this in the finale of S2! I don't think I've ever seen Up&Up (Target-brand) in a TV show before... got quite a kick out of it. :D

:P*

2010-09-04T12:12:00.000-05:00

I need to post more shit on here! Yeah? Whuh!

LMFAO

2010-08-03T21:06:00.001-05:00

Coincidence

2010-07-29T21:38:00.002-05:00

So this past weekend, I watched an ep from ER S13, which had Leland Orser starring (Dr. Dubenko). Once I was done with that, I jumped into X-Files S2 where I had left off ('bout half way), and to my amusement, Leland Orser was in that episode as well! Though he was about 10 years younger and not a famous actor yet...

So odd coincidence there, except it has been happening to me A LOT lately! Kinda creepin' me out... :P Or maybe a lot of actors are just so recycled in their careers, that mathematically, it's bound to happen every other weekend. Sneat.

Legal

2010-07-23T19:04:00.000-05:00

He's got a point...

WASD

2010-07-23T19:01:00.003-05:00

Damn straight!

I will admit that when I started playing WoW, I was completely perplexed about using the WASD keys to move around — especially since I was so used to using the (logical) arrow keys in Tomb Raider, and the mouse in Diablo... but one gets used to WASD very quickly when properly motivated. ;)

Really?

2010-07-14T12:48:00.003-05:00

C'mon, really? We're still talking about this? YOU LOST. GET OVER IT! Gawd.

I love this game!

2010-07-13T21:28:00.001-05:00

And all of its little nuggets of joy... four years later and I'm still finding them! :D

Snaps!

2010-07-01T21:22:00.002-05:00

Conundrum

2010-06-22T22:00:00.002-05:00

I don't want to exercise because I'm tired, but I'm tired because I don't exercise. Pbbbtthhhh! :P*

Neighbors From Hell...

2010-06-21T21:12:00.001-05:00

...sucks!!!

The pilot had a few moments... today's ep, not so much. Perhaps it'll get better with time, like Family Guy did... not holding my breath. :P

Hmm...

2010-06-12T15:33:00.003-05:00

Can't handle this world sometimes... makes me sick. It's exhausting and I don't feel like I'm making any sort of difference. Not like my predecessors before me, anyway... who went through hell and back just so I could exist in this century with a few more conveniences that most people take for granted.

I probably wasn't meant for this time period... I feel like I should have been on this earth long ago or in the near future. Perhaps then I could contribute something more to humanity than peddling cheap merch and playing high school.

It comes in pints?

2010-06-01T21:21:00.002-05:00

Yup... just downed a pint of B&J's Cookie Dough ice cream... /big sigh! Seemed like a great idea at the time... great way to start the week. :S

Lost

2010-05-24T21:56:00.003-05:00

Is over. The finale was good... not as epic as a lot of the episodes prior, but sufficient. But it's all about the ride, as JJ would say! And ohhhh what a delicious ride it has been.

Special thanks to my buddy Heather for 'making' me watch the show! :)

And here's a creepy fortune cookie #'s I got that evening: 5 9 15 17 29 42

Funnies

2010-05-08T23:25:00.004-05:00

Noms!

2010-05-06T20:16:00.003-05:00

Good news... third Riddick script is in development! Eeeee!

WoW Chart

2010-04-22T18:05:00.000-05:00

Eee!

Thanks for the link, Benito.

Epic Fail WIN!

2010-04-20T17:53:00.002-05:00

/drool!

http://www.cafepress.com/shirthappens.430431481

Lost Hatch in WoW

2010-04-18T00:35:00.003-05:00

Epic is too pale a word to describe the awesomeness!!! :D

Kudos, Blizzard... kudos.

Get Back In Shape This Summer...

2010-04-18T00:06:00.002-05:00

... part two!

Last year didn't go so well with the jogging... shin splints, sore knees, etc. But this year, I've researched and started an 8-week 'running for beginners' trial. It already feels slow... my heart can handle jogging, but my legs, not so much.

So basically week 1 is a power-walk warm up: walk for 6 minutes, jog for 1, x3. Per week, 3x...
Week 2 is an increase — walk for 5, jog for 2, x3...

I started today! Walked around the neighborhood... forgot my sunglasses, but other than that, I felt fine physically. And I'm sure my winter elliptical workouts helped.

On the off days I plan to do light muscle building. My doctor recommended I build my shin muscle to avoid the tendons pulling away from the bone, causing the splints... ewws.

So yeah... hooray for being physically fit!

Wow...

2010-04-08T21:21:00.002-05:00

So many fails! I was searching for ant poison...

Target Practice

2010-03-26T20:26:00.003-05:00

Um, yeah!

Never settle...

2010-03-06T23:19:00.000-06:00

...for anything less than what you truly deserve.

Eeee!!!

2010-02-28T11:50:00.002-06:00

The best fucking chocolate/candy/heaven EVER made! Seriously. And they always start selling around my birthday. :)

You Decide!

2010-02-21T12:21:00.001-06:00

Black car FAIL or silver car parallel parking WIN?

Ninja Win!

2010-02-14T18:14:00.001-06:00

Epic doesn't even begin to describe it...

Nitrous Oxide

2010-02-09T19:50:00.002-06:00

Is the most amazing stuff ever! Needed it for gum surgery I had yesterday... couldn't stop shaking/crying from my lovely first wisdom teeth extraction experience – done by a regular dentist who lied to me to not go to a surgeon!

So yeah, the pocket-filling bone-graft went well... stitches and all... at least I got some vicodin out of the deal. :)

Save It

2010-01-31T16:45:00.002-06:00

Just heard a great line from Six Feet Under!

"Well you know, love isn't something you feel, it's something you do. And if the person you're with doesn't want it, you know, do yourself a favor and save it for someone who does."

NPC's

2010-01-30T15:17:00.003-06:00

I love this!!!

Hope I can go to BlizzCon someday... /dreamy sigh
Better start working on my costume, huh!

Good To Know!

2010-01-27T09:37:00.004-06:00

Oh, okay then...
(via failblog.org)

Clarity

2010-01-23T22:48:00.002-06:00

I've been meaning to write about this for weeks — it was awhile back one day, at work, when all of a sudden, I felt this overwhelming moment of clarity... life was just so clear and open... that's the only way I know how to describe it. It only lasted a few seconds, much like deja vu, but I had never experienced anything like it before. It wasn't even a particularly good or bad day, or moment in time... it was just... there. And in that instant, I felt compelled to tell a select few people how much I care about them, and to express how happy I was.

But the moment passed... and everything became hazy again.

I fully agree!

2010-01-20T16:59:00.003-06:00

Saturn's Return...

2010-01-13T16:47:00.003-06:00

...is kicking my ass!!! >:|
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_return

So, that being said, here's a list of things I wanted to do last year, but never did:
• play tennis
• get back in shape
• cook new recipes
• take a dance class

I did try a Modern dance class... once. It wasn't for me... although I heard the teacher we had isn't that great overall... oops.

Here are things I did do:
• biked a ton!
• bought an elliptical machine (in place of the treadmill)
• jogged a little bit (until I got shin splints and knee pain)
• hired a personal chef for two weeks a month
• played WoW

So the goal for Spring is to use the elliptical and do yoga until the weather is nice, then SLOWLY introduce my body to jogging, while continuing to do yoga most nights. Oh, and also play WoW!

Very Demotivational

2009-12-28T14:15:00.002-06:00

This is my new favorite blog. :) Wity writing with hilarious pictures!

http://verydemotivational.com/

A couple favs so far—

Courage

2009-12-22T10:36:00.003-06:00

Done!