I love my mother, I really do, but after seeing her in action when planning my grandmother's memorial service over the past four days, I've decided that when I get married (or any other event that requires copious planning) I shall not let my mother get anywhere near the plans for fear that we would not be speaking by the end. I know she's well-meaning, but there's just no way I would survive the mothering that goes along with the good intentions and the planning she does on your behalf. My father is a grown man but even he found himself at her mercy, commenting that "you just can't change the minds of [some] women". He, of course, said all women, but I'd like to think he was just being facetious.
On the other hand, I do like the fact that my mother organizes our trips for us, and all I have to do is show up. I guess you can't really have your cake and eat it too.
See you in a week! Hopefully Alaska isn't too cold (Yes, I know it's *Alaska* but it's still not suppose to be that cold there in May ...)
[ 9:09 AM | foresight ]I find it funny that planners build these beautiful winding paths but neglect the fact that people will inevitatbly choose the shortest distance between two points, creating less-than attractive dirt paths to link the paved paths.
[ 27.4.02 9:16 AM | happenings ]
When I went back to my old place pick up some mail earlier in the week, I was surprised to find that a rather sizable chunk of my ceiling had fallen, weakened by a leaking water pipe or something similar. It must have happened pretty suddenly since I saw no signs before I moved out and only a few days had passed. I guess it's a good thing the moving occurred last weekend instead of this or I'd have a pretty messy computer and stereo at this point.
The cats are adjusting to their temporary stay at my mother's place, although I think Bailey is having a little more trouble adjusting than Logan - she's already fallen through the stair railings once (that was a *huge* surprise for her - luckily she landed on her feet and was not hurt, only surprised) and I found her sleeping under the covers last night with me. I don't think she even sleeps above the covers with me at home so I guess having so many other cats around is a little intimidating for her.
[ 25.4.02 10:37 PM | whirlwind ]
I know, I know. I missed you too.
Life's been a little hectic the last few days, and it's not going to get any better over the next three. I haven't been online in over thirty-six hours, which for me is an awfully long time. It's different if you're in the middle of the ocean or the desert somewhere but if you're in your own home it just seems odd. Of course the last thirty-six hours have been anything less than normal so I guess it's all to be expected. Everything always seems to happen at once.
[ 19.4.02 10:44 PM | size does matter ]
"Oh my, it's so .. big!"
Yes, moving day finally came and went yesterday, although it continues tomorrow for those few final things that didn't quite make the trip between the two apartments. And after living in student housing where rooms are often barely big enough to fit a single bed and a desk, my apartment does look very big in comparison. What can I say, I like space. And I have a distinct lack of furniture so far, making the difference even more obvious.
The one side of my brain thought it would be smart (i.e. save money I don't have) of me to delay having my internet service connected until the first week in May since I'm on vacation until that time. Of course the other side of my brain was thinking that I could simply dial in to check email etcetera since I have money left on my school account. Aparently the two sides of my brain don't always co-ordinate their plans since, in addition to the later activation for the high-speed internet, my brain also decided to delay getting my new phone line connected until May 1st. Thus, no dialling in will be occuring.
On the upside, it is only a fifteen minute walk to the school to use those computers. And technically I guess my money is still paying for them so I feel justified in using them.
[ 17.4.02 11:37 PM | celebrations ]
There are drawbacks to going to the bar at 5pm with a few of your friends to mark the end of your university career with a pitcher or two (or seven) of beer ...
... you end up really really really tired really really really early.
[ 12:12 AM | take that CS! ]Dagnammit, it sucks to find out your final mark in a course you were worried about and have no-one to share your joy with because it's twelve in the morning.
Only one more exam to go (2pm today) and then I'm done all my courses. Ever. I'm excited. And a little apprehensive. I think it's going to feel weird walking out of that exam, knowing it's the last one I'll ever write. I don't think it's quite sunk in yet completely that I'm gradutating this term, although I guess the job and apartment really should have tipped me off ;)
Seventeen more hours.
[ 14.4.02 4:29 PM | impish ]
Libraries are interesting places to be. Sure there are those people who ruin the experience by leaving their cell phones on to ring strange little jingles, or who have no concept of the word 'whisper', but where else can you read such interesting writings from deranged minds? Case in point, from the first library cubicle I occupied today:
Dusty little imps
Are gatherin round your feet. They're joining hands
ha, ha, ha
Jumping up and down, going in circles
ha, ha, ha
Jump you little devils. (I hope you trip)
Sure, it's a little strange and makes little sense, but it made me laugh.
[ 13.4.02 8:09 PM | sibling rivalry ]
Every once in a while I'll walk into my room and find Logan just squatting there, looking at me, legs out to either side as if she is doing a belly-flop on the floor - which in itself is a funny enough sight. But what's truly funny is that soon after I enter the room, as she sits there staring at me, I'll see a little paw moving around, and then I'll see this tiny little arm come out from under her and then the whole kitten appears and runs off with Logan in chase soon after.
Logan sits on Bailey.
Yeah, they're siblings alright.
[ 2:08 PM | how many did she eat?? ]Some people are too lawsuit-happy: U.S. woman sues snack food for foiling her diet.
It's called "free will" lady.
[ 11.4.02 10:13 PM | it's a unisex name ]
Meet ... Bailey.
Thanks to everyone who submitted names. There were alot of good names so it was pretty tough to pick one but Bailey just seemed to stick out for some reason.
[ 8:28 AM | drat! ]I spoke too soon last night. Not five minutes after my last post I was mysteriously disconnected by the server and not allowed to reconnect. This time I can't even blame my camera software since I hadn't reinstalled it yet.
Computers are very weird.
[ 10.4.02 8:21 PM | very inneresting ]
I knew that my camera software somehow interferred with my internet connection, since every time I upload images I'm kicked off the internet, forcing me to restart my computer before I can log on again. Last night, however, uploading images somehow turfed the connection entirely. I restarted (several times), shut down entirely for the night, uninstalled and reinstalled the internet software several times today and did everything I possibly could to get my connection back but every time I clicked on Connect it came back with the same answer: No.
I finally uninstalled my camera software now and lo-and-behold, my internet connection started with no problem. So at least I'm back on the web, but at the expense of uploading images to my computer right now. And of course, every time I try to load a site it tells me I'm not connected to the internet, but it's been telling me that same lie since January-ish so I consider that fairly normal.
Computers are weird.
[ 9:18 AM | not flanders after all ]Time for the second annual "Help Name the Kitty" contest. She looks just like Logan (they are half-siblings after all) just a little more beige-y and about one-fifth the size.
Again, the kitten may be bestowed with the name you suggest. And, as was last time, I reserve the right to make the final decision. So the cat will not be named Flanders.
[ 9.4.02 3:51 PM | i warned you about those biting beaks ]
From the UW Daily Bulletin:
A female student was taken to the health services clinic yesterday afternoon after she was attacked by a Canada goose. [ more ]
One person is quoted as saying, "It's pretty funny at times when unsuspecting people all of a sudden find a Canada Goose charging at them ... It stopped being funny when an actual attack happened, though."
Well, duh.
Thanks to Matty for the heads up
[ 3:38 PM | three degress of separation ]Who could have suspected that a simple search for U-Haul would lead a co-worker to Natalie's letter, beside which is a list of Matt's favourite blogs, which would lead my co-worker to ponder "Rafi, Brad and Tracy? How often do those three names go together?" which would lead to her clicking on my name and finding my site, thus shrinking my circle of anonymity just that little bit more.
Hello co-workers!!
[ 3:20 PM | baby keetin ]Time to pick-up of new kitten: five hours forty minutes.
And although I don't have it yet, nor do I even know its sex, names are already being bounced about, including Flanders (since it was vetoed last time) and Ralph. And Satchella.
[ 8.4.02 5:27 PM | Anniversaries ]
Today marks two years of blogging.
I also realized last night that I had passed another anniversary of sorts over at caughtinalie last week - Animal Magnetism was the 100th story to be posted.
[ 6.4.02 12:17 PM | keetin ]
This is my new desktop:
Of course in the blown-up version of it you can see the individual cat hairs that cover my bed.
[ 4.4.02 7:02 PM | BRAD Corp ]
Yet another in the long list of things BRAD Corp will do once it exists anyplace but in our minds: glow-in-the-dark tattoo ink and/or tattoo ink that glows under a blacklight. This shall be my pet project.
Think about it - not everyone in society condones tattoos. But if the tattoo ink was virtually undetectable in daylight, this wouldn't be a problem. You could walk around with your tattoo in plain sight and no-one would be the wiser. But when you went out at night for a little fun, it could be seen. The possibilities are endless. If, of course, you wanted your tattoo to be visible in daylight you may have a problem, but that's what the traditional inks are for.
[ 1:49 PM | clarity ]Gotta love a school that tells you to do something "soon", but when you do it, they tell you you did it too soon. :)
[ 3.4.02 5:22 PM | gooey goodness ]
One of the drawbacks of not controlling our own heat is that my room gets unbeareably hot, since our landlord has essentially disrupted the airflow by blocking off my room from the rest of the house. Hot air comes in, but doesn't go out. Even with both vents closed, I left my patio door open at *least* an inch or two all winter. With spring coming I thought it might get better but the snow doesn't seem to want to go away, so the heat remains pumping at full strength.
And now all my easter chocolate is all melty.
[ 2.4.02 11:31 PM | Heads ]
Heads or tails? I actually half-considered using a coin to take care of my own indecision a while ago. I got two tails. I phoned anyway :)
Guess I knew what I wanted after all ...
[ 10:36 PM | Animal Magnetism ]It's Tuesday. Tuesday is writing day. Did you think I forgot?
The idea for Animal Magnetism came from our cats at home fighting and was helped along tonight by some easter chocolate sugar.
[ 1.4.02 6:30 PM | weird ]
So at twenty-four years of age, I have to get my mother to co-sign my lease for me since - surprise! I don't have a credit history!! Even though I have had a credit card for four years now and the only reason I got the card in the first place was to build a credit history!
Grrr. There's nothing like starting off your "adult" life by needing to have your mother sign your lease for you. It was bad enough that I had to borrow the money for first/last from her. I guess at least I can safely say I have an apartment now, pending the property management company recieving my mother's info.
I'm trying to look on the bright side of the situation :)
[ 2:48 PM | can't say i didn't try ]On the off-off-off chance that people with sites in the UW web ring read this:
If you did not get an email about the UW blog meet this Thursday at Weavers, then please email me. It means you either don't have a userid for the webring, or something else is going funky over there and I'd like to know which it is.
p.s. friends/gf/bf/etc are of course welcome so if you are in the Waterloo area, come join us.
Thank you.