weekend, oh, weekend

So nothing really came of my worries that I wrote about last time. No one’s even mentioned it to me, thank goodness. I hate awkward moments like that, especially when they result in me feeling disgusting.

As for everything else in my life, couldn’t be better, really.

I have had two workshops so far, and I’ve made enough sales to make my qualifying order, hooray!!! John and Laura’s wedding is this weekend, woo hoo! While I’m in the area, Mom’s hosting a workshop/class for me! yay! I’ve still got to finish my dress for the wedding, though. argh. I’ve started the skirt portion, but the top is another story all together. I’m working on it, but it’s slow going. I’ll just have to spend most of the day getting it ready, so I’m not waiting ’til the absolute last minute.

well, that wasn’t at all interesting, actually. Don’t know why I bothered to post. ah well.

this blue and pink business is nuts…

but I haven’t felt like changing it, even though I grew weary of it’s silliness ages ago. I like the color scheme on the main pages much better. sheesh.

I have to try and remember that rudimentary html that I learned earlier this year… but since I haven’t had to use it, I’ve forgotten it.

Spent a good chunk of the day re-doing my website and tweaking the community’s site as well. So, I took a break this evening and started re-reading HP5 (OOTP). JeT borrowed it from Kristen, but he hasn’t started reading it yet. He’s still re-reading HP4 (GOF) and wants to finish that before he begins the new one. He’s re-read all of them this summer. But he only gets to read a little at a time, so it’s actually taken him all summer to re-read them.

I’m going to search the net for weaving information. I want to try to learn to weave this fall… without having to pay for a class at the local art centers. I have no money, so hopefully I can find someone willing to barter.

ok, now that the summer is over…

I can finally BREATHE!!!

I’ve really got to get ahold of this whole “summer makes me feel like crap” thing, because summer is actually not that bad, but I just hate how I get in the summer, and that makes me hate summer.

argh.

Now that the air is finally chilly and the humidity is practically nil, I can breathe. One of the trees next to the house is actually changing colors and dropping a few leaves! I told Melissa a few weeks ago “I wish most of the year felt like autumn.” Her reply: “You mean in a permenent state of decay?” Well, I suppose if you want to put it in such gloomy terms, then fine, but to me it seems like there’s this crazy energy about… Fall is so energizing, and it is strange that this time of year is the time of decay. weird. I often confuse the mellow-ness of summer for lethargy, and lethargy turns to apathy, and apathy to depression… Hence, why I isolate myself in the summer. Autumn is a time for actually doing things and feeling good about myself.

Ok, ramble over.

I’ve spent the larger part of the past couple of weeks being quite productive. I’ve made several new garments (mostly skirts and aprons, I’m in this weird country mood of late) and I’ve organized my crafty area so I can actually find stuff. I’ve started the scrapbooking job, and had my first home class the other day… I think it went quite well. My sister is going crazy with all the new toys (she’s my best customer so far) and she’s getting my Mom all excited for the class that she’s hosting. woo hoo! I’ve also spent oodles of time organizing the Community’s website. I’m responsible for it, and this summer I let it stagnate (kinda like this site), so I’m going to have to put in a ton of work still over there, and at this site, too.

I’m back, take two

Ok, so it’s been an entire (well almost) month since I last said “I’m back”… I wonder if I mean it this time.

Probably.

I’ve been discouraged by my modem’s lack of reliability. It’s been almost completely stable today, though. I’ve only had to sign on twice to finally check my email. I’ve got loads of web-work to do, and hopefully I’ll be able to get the stuff done.

I’ve been discouraged in general lately. I think it might be the heat, becuase I’m usually in good spirits early in the morning and in the evening or on unusually cool days. I love summer because I can go out without my arms covered, but I think this whole heat thing gets just a wee bit carried away. Poor Chewie, he’s had heatstroke ( I think ) a couple times this summer. But we’ve been keeping him cool with fans and bricks of ice and such (you know those blue plastic freezie blocks, yeah those ones you put in the cooler to keep your beers freshy fresh).

We found some neat already-put-together platforms and railings of wood in the junk pile in the woods. (For several years, all the people, well most of them anyway, who have lived in this house have put their strange junk in the woods… there are blue tarpaulins, old tires, weird metal barrels, snowmobiles, old tile bits, garden tools, etc, etc) We’re thinking of using them to build a platform in the tree that stands next to the deck and shades the southeastern side of the house. I think it would be way fun to have a little flet in the tree.

I’ve been reading and watching a little too much Lord of the Rings lately (just like every summer) and I’ve become obsessed with being an elf. No, not REALLY being an elf with pointy ears and stuff, but I’d like to know how to do the things they did, like build and float around in canoes, or make rope, or do archery, or know about the woods and plants and stuff. yeah. So, of course I’m plotting out how we’re eventually going to live in a tree. Jesse’s game. Of course two summers ago, when I was obsessed with being a Hobbit, he went along with my plans to live in a hobbit hole. So, when my next whim strikes me, I’m sure he’ll go along with that, too. Of course, I don’t think he’d like it very much if I decided that it would be a great idea to live in an obsidian tower in the middle of a mile diameter walled in valley.

Posted by Babs @ 08/29/2003 11:00 PM EST

whew! I’m back!

Ok, so if anyone has been around these parts and wondering where the hell I’ve been, here’s the story:

my modem crapped out.

There. That’s it. No tales of trials and tribulations. No epic story with which to charm your ears… just a modem that decided it would rather not work properly. Let me tell you, Jesse has discovered the wide world of “what the hell is that error message supposed to mean?” So, how did he fix the problem?

By changing the settings so that they would conflict with eachother. Normally this would make any modem go “ACK!” but ours said “hey, that’s more like it” and decided to work finally. I’ve got loads of email to catch up on, and lots of porn to delete.

A personal update: We’re all settled in the new house. We had our housewarming party last weekend, but because of my not being in contact with people via email, I didn’t get around to inviting all those that I would have like to have been there. My apologies to all. And my thanks to those who did make it in spite of my horrendous invitation procedure. I’ll be starting Creative Memories officially in August, hooray. I think I’ll like it alot.

Hope you all are having a wonderful summer (or winter depending on your hemisphere). Take care.

Posted by Babs @ 07/29/2003 10:43 PM EST

Lune et Soleil

We went to a party last night… The theme was “Come as your favorite Mythological Entity!” So Jesse and I were the Sun and Moon, respectively. Pictures coming soon. It was loads of fun, and Sandra crashed at our place. We’re going to see the B-52’s in a couple of weeks!! YAY!!!! And it’s at Hampton Beach… sigh. I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard how awesome it is. And perhaps I’ll check out the surf shop while I’m there.

There’s another surf shop in Newport, RI (near the cliff walk) and they do lessons and rentals and the like, so when Evan gets out of work (he’ll be done by the 18th, I think) then we can go together. I’m not sure I want to take a lesson by myself, but I’m sure it would be ok. There’s one teacher per every two students, so even if I got partnered up with a stranger, that might actually be better, you know. And then when I go down to Npt with E I’ll have a tiny bit of practice. sigh. surfing. ah. I can’t wait.

Speaking of not being able to wait, my accordion should have gotten looked at over the last couple of days, and I should have had a phone call by now telling me what’s wrong with it. I hope they didn’t do any repairs that I can’t afford right now. I want it fixed, but seeing as how I don’t have a job at the mo’ I can’t really go spending any more than I’ve allotted for this project. Ah well.

going away present

Judy and Pat got me a card and a little bear with the UMD logo on the shirt… so cute! I didn’t cry, though. I always get all dumb and sappy with stuff like that. I know I’ll be around and stuff, so it’s not like I’m leaving the country forever or anything. yeah. The bear is black with a little blue and yellow shirt (gosh our school colors are ugly). “You can put it in your office someday…” sweet. Judy said she’ll be happy to write a rec. letter for Simmons, word. (and I say “word” not “werd” no matter what EvillMonkey has to say). That’s all for now. Oh, by the by, Mr. Monkey, sir, if you’re reading this, we have more in common than you may realize. Just read bits of your journal today. I, unlike you, are not usually quiet, but there are things (quite similar to your own ramblings) that I think about often, and write about incessantly. cheers.

last day of work

As I expected, I’m feeling both sad and relieved at the same time. I wish I could stay and work on the projects that I have going, but unfortunately that’s going to be someone else’s job. I feel really protective about my projects… not so much the dull stuff like photocopying things for patrons (even if it’s RFK stuff) but more like the Swain or Eisteddfod stuff… those are my babies (especially the Eisteddfod). I started that project. I got Prof. Glasser to talk to Judy. I began it. And I can’t finish it. It’s a really long and involved thing that is going to take years. I’ve never had a job that I actually liked what I do. All my other jobs have been things to just make money, and it was bearable only if I liked my co-workers. My co-workers here are great, but I actually like the work I do, too.

I feel relieved though, since I’ll move on away from UMD… I still feel like a student here. Judy said she’s considered keeping me as an O3, but since four of those employees classified as 03 (no benefits or union) just got sacked (or rather, laid off, but it’s the same thing, really), there’s no hope for that. The cataloging department is down to Pearl. Just Pearl, and no one else! ILL has lost another, and Photographics lost Justin… everyone is so bogged down with work, and things are going to move slower than ever. The people that are essential are getting laid off, while non-essentials (but those with seniority) are allowed to stay. It’s crazy, man. “Everything is wrong.”

I’ll be starting CM, probably in September, but I’d like to swing it sooner, ’cause we’ll need the monies. I’m joining the Y, ’cause it has air conditioning, and it’s cheap. I’ll be going with Colleen in the mornings before she goes to work. She’s about to get laid off as well, so she’s looking for a job as Manager at that awful Ham place… ew. But it’s a job, I guess. This wasn’t intended as a “the world sucks” kind of post, but it has sort of devolved into that….

moving on… I listened to “NO!” again today. Jesse finally burned “Mink Car” and “They Got Lost” from Evan, so I can give those back. I know Evan’s been having withdrawls from “Mink Car” so he’ll want it back. I still haven’t told him about that surf place in NH that has lessons. I hope he’ll be able to come. And if he can’t come that weekend, then perhaps another. They’re leaving on the twenty-somethingth, though… argh. I can’t believe they’ll be gone for that long. Crazy, I tell you.

Posted by Babs @ 06/27/2003 11:22 AM EST

This is the Summer I learn to surf… for real

Every summer since the age of thirteen, I’ve said that to myself. This year I’m going to do it. Evan and I have a pact that we will at least get out to take one lesson before he and Heather leave (for like 5 years) to go to the midwest. They’ll be landlocked, and we need to do this before they leave.

I’m going to be in North Hampton for the B-52’s concert in July, and I found this surf shop that has rentals and lessons and stuff…. so perhaps we can co-ordinate for that.

My surf obsession is really going to materialize this year. No more just watching “Endless Summer” a thousand times… I bought Surf Culture: an Art History of Surfing to get me motivated, and I found this photo frame decorated with a surf board motif to put my first surf photo in. sigh.

this time, I’ll really do it. I promise.

whew!

I finally got the upstairs looking like someone actually lives there. It no longer looks like a storage unit, but actual rooms! whee!

Of course, I did wait until the last possible time on my four day weekend to actually get stuff done, but it did get done. And if I do say so myself, it looks pretty nice.

I borrowed HP5 from Heather. She reads lightning fast, and was done in 8 hours. I, however, am taking longer than I expected. I read for about 3.5 hours yesterday and am only on page 200 and something. I keep having to re-read parts of it, because I keep reading too fast and skip lines. My eyes are pretty excited about the story, and I suppose they just can’t stop looking ahead a few lines. The battle in my head looks a little like this:

“Skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead!”

“Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”

“Skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead!”

“Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”

“Skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead!”

“Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”

“Skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead, skip ahead!”

“Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”

you get the idea. It’s gotten to the point where I have to cover up the bottom of the page so my eyes don’t get ahead of themselves. I’m absolutely loving the story so far. I’m wicked pissed at a couple of characters, but I won’t say more here just in case some of my friends haven’t read it yet. Melissa is coming over today, and I hope I can read enough of the book to be caught up with her, although she’s probably finished by now. Ok, get to work!