Chaos, Panic Disorder . . .

Thanks to everyone who has given me their condolences (on LJ where no one on IJ/Dreamwidth would know). I'd thank everyone personally but you know who you are >hugs you all< At least he didn't suffer and went quickly, I guess that's all we can ask. However, past the grieving, half my monthly income was taking care of my stepdad so that means I now make half of what I did. And things were tight before they're very, VERY tight now. I had to skip PortCon and I have my room for Otakon up for grabs (I posted in the Otakon community on LJ).

Other than that, not much. Work still sucks, mum's going to have to go to work and hopefully make as much as I am now to help with bills/food/ect. I had on Friday resolved exactly what to do with half the money I make (meaning the Friday before my stepdad passed away) and things were feeling good and looking up (I should have known something would happen. Whenever things start feeling good and looking up, something bad happens) and I was all prepared for a three year plan to save money and by 2013 go back to Otakon in style. Now . . . I have no idea if I'll be doing more than just paying bills and never get a chance to go back down. PortCon, yeah, that's cheap and close, but it's not the same.

So yeah . . . just keep praying (or whatever you want to do, just no hexes, please) not only that I can get enough money to keep this house going but also for everyone here who's still grieving.

Rest in peace, Fuzzy, you will be missed.

Heisted from atrypical

You can learn a lot about someone by the music they listen to. So here is the game! Hit shuffle on your ipod or mp3 player and write down the first 25 songs. No cheating or skipping songs that are shameful. That is the fun! Then tag your friends. I tag whoever wants to do this. No obligation needed.

( Song List. )

First some translating help. I have the following line that stumps me. I think I have it fairly well figured out but I want a second opinion. てはのそみとおり What I need is to know what it means and how the words are broken up. The second one is いう . . の. . に . . . . . (yes, broken up like that as it was his last, dying words.)

Well, work called this morning. Turns out the opening manager heard two different stories about why I wasn't at work today. Once she learned the truth she was very upset and moved. I did tell her I would at least try to open (because we severely need openers) even if I couldn't work the whole day. She said to let the store manager know over the weekend if anything changed. Naturally, when I explained it all out I broke down again. I knew any thought today would set me off and, yep, I was right.

So, this is how the rest of the day went. RP'd, watched in amazement as X8 was played (considering I suck at that game) and finished my proof of X1 - and not in that order, either. Oh, and entertained the cat too. Mum called and, aside from Hospice deciding that the best course was to prep my stepdad for dying, he's doing ok. Mentally not so much considering how negative Hospice was and decided that my stepdad should accept death and not fear it instead of looking on the bright side and trying to live the rest of his life to its fullest. Mum did say a few other specialists (I think, I'm tired and not all that coherent right now - which also means please forgive any spelling errors) were trying to undo the damage Hospice has done. They didn't realize it would be Hospice coming in considering the last time we dealt with someone from there they basically told my grandmother she would never walk again and basically to accept the fact she was dying. She gave up after that and slipped into a coma . . .

Other than that, I haven't done much. Tomorrow's going to be a full day @.@ I probably will head to bed right after I post considering how tired I am.

Well, in a nutshell, the navy brat was just that and pissed several workers off. I managed to almost finish my proof of X1 finding more errors. And I ended up getting a call from mum basically saying that no matter what, my stepdad has about 4 months, if that, to live. Seems the meds he's taken all his life are destroying his kidneys but if they give him a blood transfusion to clean them out of his system his heart won't take it. So, it's either finish destroying his heart or finish destroying his kidneys. Either way you look at it, it's not good. Hence my earlier cry session and calling out of work tomorrow. It's not going to be easy but we're going to have to go see him. No doubt I'll break down again then considering I want to cry as I type this (and the call was at 4:30ish pm and here it is going on 11:30ish pm.) Surprisingly, even though it was the navy brat who answered, he did seem kinda concerned when I called out and told me to take as much time as I needed, probably because my voice broke and I started crying again.

So yeah, life sucks.

Basically works been the same. Good when certain managers aren't there, bad when they are (worse when both are there at the same time.) Ended up with a severe asthma attack about 15 minutes before work got out due to a worker (and now I know who and when I confronted her without directly saying it it went right over her head) drowning themselves in perfume (rose, very nice, but only in small doses). I managed to live, somehow. My lungs are still bothering me, though, even this late at night. Not good and not good for sleeping, no doubt.

Fuzzy's still in the hospital, this time a different one because they have the capability of running more scans. Maybe he'll have dialysis done, maybe not, they're not sure. They want to keep him there until his bronchitis is over. Smart move.

I'm going back over and self proofing my X1 script and lo' and behold, errors. Either I missed a kana, had a wrong one, or had the wrong romaji for the kana >.< So, as before HALP!!! ぶっつぶしてくれ just won't translate correctly. And (even though I know what it is I can't remember it or find which book I found it in) nda at the end of a word, exactly what context does it give said word (the example word is しかないんだ, and one I had left the shi off of the beginning >.< way to go me.)

Past that, not much else. Started working on Soul Eraser, crashed and burned twice, will restart on the weekend (or whenever I get X1, X2 AND Cyber Mission reproofed (or in the case of Cyber Mission translated and reproofed) I have the Japanese run through of X3 and part of X4 for both X and Zero. Now I just need the English run through and I'll be set for a complete script. Those to come later. I also beat the DVD player and VCR into submission. Both work without complicated cord changes. HOWEVER, I can no longer tape VHS tapes to comp unless the TV is on an off station (meaning on 3 instead of 4 where the sets are set, or vice versa, I forget which one I left it on) where I have old tapes from 1997/1998 that need saving (old camcorder stuffage). I did, however, get my PS2 to working and actually FINISHED Sigma Stage 1 on X2 WITHOUT dying (except once at Violen because I forgot his weakness weapon _-_;;)

Tomorrow, not much time for anything where I'll have about 2 hours when I get home to get ready for Friday. Friday on I'll have more time. Might tweak the sets a bit more, probably will just work on getting the scripts done and then up. I really want to finish the novelization of X1 and 2 (at least those two for now) considering I used those two games for my NaNo way back in '06 and it's about damned time I finished them >.<)

Guess that's about it for now. Will update . . . whenever (probably next time I need translation help >.<)

Well. I guess time for an update. Fuzzy went back to the hospital for reasons I won't go into detail here (sensitive issue, I guess you could say) but he's back now and little the worse for wear.

As for me, while he was gone I cranked up my music so I could hear my laptop from the bedroom (good thing we have only one floor) and hammered up a shelving system I've been meaning to do and finally took out of their clamshells what I had for seasons 5, 6 and the sole for 7 of my dragons collection from a couple years ago from McFarlaine. I also put in a bit of writing, yes, writing. I actually started to write. Go me. However, it didn't go that far as it keeps telling me to rewrite and rework the whole scenario to get up to what I've already gotten done >.< Oh well, at least it's a start. I do have some muses rumbling, both for the Rockman universe as well as, surprisingly enough, Zoids. Past that all I've been doing is haunting Youtube for complete playthroughs of Rockman X3 and 4 (script fodder.) I did find something interesting. Apparently Mark Gatha quit Ocean Group to become a doctor, so no more X voice from him (he also did Irvine's voice on Zoids as well.) I wonder, if they ever do make another X game, who will do the voice and will he do just as good. On a similar note, Lucas Gilbertson, apparently, has his own Youtube channel with his redub of the infamous X4 scene (that everyone reading this probably already knows) as well as his own website and Deviantart page. Kinda interesting.

Short of that, not much else. Work's normal. Had 40 paid hours and, with what I worked over minus what I was late from breaks makes me a hair over 40 hours. Apparently because of the Recovery Act they're by law required to take LESS out than they had last year, meaning a larger pay check. But, if one stops and thinks, yes, I will have more capital on hand now but come tax time next year I'll owe on everything they DIDN'T take out, hence a higher tax bracket without really earning any more. NOW you know how the government plans on repaying all the money they've sunk into the economy. Hitting the taxpayers harder next tax time while making them think they're getting more money.

Just means I need to save up more to pay it all back next April.

Lastly, Quill of Life on IJ had an overhaul so it looks more like my regular journal. Over the next week or so I'll be changing the background, color scheme (maybe) and other tweaks. I did add a future dated post as a sort of table of contents in case someone wanted to quickly see what I had and jump to that post. Eventually, once I get IJ tweaked to perfection, I'll do the same to Quill of Life on LJ.

Well, it started when I got up this morning. Decided to sacrifice a half hour sleeping in my chair to rest in the bed. Then spent the next half hour sleeping in my chair. That's what I get for a time change and sitting up later than I should of when I open the next morning. I'm doing good getting myself up and not being late. Fuzzy's back on the hospital. Turns out his potassium/sodium inbalance is from his meds. Turns out he's been on them for so long they're no longer effective. Hospital wanted to send him to Boston but where he can't travel they're working by remote with them to get new meds and doses so, until then he's stuck in the hospital and I'm home alone >.>

No, I haven't caused trouble yet. But it means I lose money while he's in the hospital.

So as for today. I got dressed, stood by the door, waiting to be picked up. Lo and behold I see a huge thing go loping up the road then back down (and they followed the rule of the road and went on the correct side for traffic oO) and go loping into the community center parking lot and around their main lot. I was like OO SKUNK!!! It was bigger than my cat !!! And here I had to go out, cross patches of ice (yes, melting runoff does freeze and with no sand it's kinda slippery at that time in the morning and muddy when I get home from work.) Well, quarter of 4 and nothing so I called work. Turns out the person who was going to bring me in called out. So after finally getting it through the opening manager's head that I needed a ride or I couldn't come to work until the first bus which would be 6, still dark and braving a skunk (had I gotten sprayed I would have been forced to call out anyway) she said she'd send the only other person who knows where I live and has a car. 4am arrived and nothing. I just gave up knowing I'd be late. So finally she comes and we get to work 10 minutes late so both of us are behind (she opened grill, I opened front) got most of it done, which was a miracle. I felt icky this morning and most of today, too. The opening manager was a bitch, the store manager was a bitch, customers were a bitch . . . I think you get the point. So, needless to say, by the time I left I was ready to quit (which I can't) and say to hell with it all.

The good news is, I cooked all the meat I'll be taking this week save the fish for Friday, cleaned the dishes and actually got the chicken marinating and the waxed beans in the dish they'll be going to work in, my fruit out and ready to be drained and fixed tomorrow morning ^^ I'm actually ahead of the game for once. Just got to feed the fish and tend to the rabbits and life will be good.

Past that I don't think too much. Where Fuzzy's not around for us to level our characters on WoW together I've been working on other Hunters (because druids, rogues and shammy's have a harder time taking on mobs their level without back up . . .either that or I just suck at low level toons). I guess I could work on the rogue, they're not too bad. And maybe my druid, but the shammy, not until I have help. So one troll has a dragonhawk, the other has a bat and the tauren has Mazzeranche (or however his name is spelled). Since the change to the pet talents those three have been working pretty good, though I don't like the 1 minute cool down on the sonic blast for the bats nor the fact that the stun lasts only 2 seconds and they have a 20 yard range so by the time they use it the stun has worn off before they can get a hit in >.< I hope spending points in the bat's talent tree does something or I'm dropping him for something else when I get higher (like Echeeyake (or however it's spelled) or Humar (I'm a sucker for rares.)

I guess I'll end there. Maybe an update tomorrow, maybe not. I'll update/check my journals as I feel like it.

Not much to report. Work is still hell. Good workers quitting over three managers. The higher ups (not corporate but still higher than the owner) won't do a thing which is sad.

Major news is that on New Year's Eve I found out my battery had died and thus had to scramble to get to work. Since then the problem has, with neighborly and friendly help, been narrowed down to the computer chip (that has a glitch anyways in it that'll trigger the ABS light for no reason, but Ford knows about it because they're the only ones with a system to scan the chip and reset it) or it's in the wiring. If it's the chip and it can be reset, fine, I have a van back. If it's the wiring and it's a minor fix, fine, I have the van back. If the chip needs to be replaced completely or it's going to be major surgery then I might not have the van back. Drained batteries because the lights refuse to go out or flicker and fry isn't a good thing.

Been playing WoW for the most part (as usual). My DK is now 70 and on hold. I've been working on new ones on Borean Tundra. So far I have 6 Hordies with all but one profession so I can switch items between toons without having to find someone else to do it (save enchanting if I get a BoP I want enchanted.) So all of my toons are sending my tailor cloth at the expense of leveling their first aid (at one point, and mostly from the first one, he ended up with 120 pieces of linen to make bolts. I just set him up making it and went to get supper >.>) I joke about the current one I'm using because of his name. I just call him my Aztec (because that's the root of his name.) He's a male Tauren Hunter with Mazzeranche (and I know I'm misspelling it) who recently joined a guild (I usually don't join guilds.) They want active players so probably he'll get booted. No loss on my end. Though they do plan on raiding (if they're thinking PvP raiding maybe not but if it's instance raiding I'll need a group) and end game content (though right now the highest is a new joined person at 27 (I think) and the owner at 22. My guy is only 14. I planned on leveling each one up at the same rate (as in one area before moving to the next.) I still need my shaman to be brought into the world and stop with my Aztec who's already covered Mulgore and almost all of Durotar by now. I need to work on the druid, rogue and other hunter. I keep forgetting that Borean is still so new that you can't create a DK unless you have a 55 ON that realm. I wondered why it wouldn't let me create one (I wanted a female troll where I already have a male tauren DK) Going to take a while to get one up to 55 if I keep on the scheduled plan (playing as much as I have I realize you need all the professions (inscription aside) to play. You need better armor (unless you raid for gear), weapons, parts, ect that you can't get but from another player (like the mithril casing for a quest in Un'Goro that only engineers can make, or another quest my DK is stuck at because of a lack of an engineer to make the unstable triggers and hi-explosive bombs (and me with no mats).) That and I think the tranquil mechanical yetis are too overpriced >.>

Well, enough WoW ranting. I really should get to bed. Don't want to sleep tomorrow away. Got lots of things to do (like get a book shelf moved, my black shelving out, and my spare 10 gallon tank and two 2.5 gallon tanks cleaned and cycling so I can get a new home for two bettas I picked up plus move the herd of fancy guppies and mollies (plus one neon) so I can reset the old tank into its new spot and then separate the herd (there are three fancy guppies who need to learn birth control. Trust me.)

Decided to finally finish (around switching things around, WoW and work) tweaking the X1 script and the X1 fic (that's been sitting there since 2006 . . . ) Since I don't see much of my script beta to know how work's coming on critiquing my translating skills I probably will just toss up what I have and if anyone else wants to cut it to shreds they can. I'll do that when I put up the fic (which should be done, oh, sometime XP) and then off to the beta . . . maybe . . . I hope . . . (Beta anyone?)

Guess that's about it. Long post for nothing going on.

Let's see. Not much has gone on. Work still sucks. At least this past week the opening manager was on vacation and the store manager was mostly absent. Had a visit by the area and regional manager because of the cafe. Was an easy visit even though some wanted to make it stressful. Been ball busting cold recently. Supposed to be that way over the weekend. They're saying a Nor'Easter Sunday/Monday. I hope not (in a way) where I open. Was called this morning by the store manager wanting me to stay until 1 on Monday. I said yes. Can use the other 3 hours (I was out originally at 10 and if the weather's as bad as they predict I'll be out before 10 (FIFO - First In First Out.) We're closed Thurs (only two days we close, Thanksgiving and Christmas.) I work 7-4 on Friday so it means a fairly early lunch on Christmas. Still don't have the tree up. Hopefully will get it up over the weekend. Let's see. Craft show was pretty good on Saturday. Sunday was pretty dead. Everyone commented on how poor sales were. Have the schedule for next year. The double shows in Nov and Dec are going to be 8 instead of 9 to start which is a change. Not sure if it's because of the mall changing hours or because he wants to make sure everyone's set up before the show opens >shrugs< Anyway, it'll be a longer day (8-9 instead of 9-9 AM to PM, that is, on Saturday, Sunday'll be 8-5 instead of 9-5.) Gotta start working on Valentine, St. Patrick's and Easter candy start of January. I figure take the rest of this month off. Was going to do NaNoFiMo but with the return of a few plotbunnies and muses that's shot out of the water. But, even if I don't get my BMFM fic finished before the end of the year, I should get it finished by mid next year. Even though I had a lot plotted out chapter wise, a lot more will be added thanks to a plotbunny and a muse agreeing (I was surprised when Mari-muse agreed to something) to the changes. Gotta be a first with my muses. Usually they run screaming when I think of something. Now if I can get the two plotbunnies to agree and let me run with a third and not try to gum up the works I might be able to work a bit of magic ^^ I hope.

Well, that was one mashed up post. Oh, and I has a new icon. I made it (was wanting one but finally found a good scene to cap it) for a post specifically. I deleted a LOT of the icons I had on LJ (for those reading this on IJ I still have all the icons there) due to the 6 limit for free accounts.



Bonus points if you guess who that is or what show it's from.

And lastly a meme from digi.

( Behind teh cut. )

Well, they always say better late than never so here goes. Heisted from many, no names because I'd probably leave someone out and I'm not about to snub anyone so just a generic heist this time.

( Christmas list thingy )

So that's it. I guess if those are out of your reach, just a good fic (*coughyaoicough*) will do. You know my fandoms. Or anything else will do ^^

If you want a card, let me know. Hopefully I'll make it to the post office (depending) by the Monday before Christmas. Yeah, late but that's me. Better late than never >.<

Other than that, not much. Work is hell, though not too bad. Tolerable. It was funny today, it was 12* with a windchill of 6 when I left for work. When I got home it was 13* (never did check the windchill but the wind was still blowing quite hard from the WNW.) We lost the cafe screen, had to reboot DT several times, and other fun stuffage. Finally found the problem. A loose cable down on DT. Oh well. Cash was cold, as those of us who had to work it can attest. I started and ended my shift down there. Only good thing was, they finally got the heater fixed so we have heat on cash. I was surprised they'd actually spend money to do that. I feel somewhat crappy so I think I might be coming down with a cold >.<

Went to GameStop Saturday to order through them the collectors edition of WotLK. They told me (one of the two managers) that it's no longer available online and the only place I can get it now was to pay $200 and get it from Ebay. Well. I didn't fight with them, went home and logged onto GameStop.com and ordered it. Got word today it's shipped. So, by the start of the Feast of Winter's Veil, I should have WotLK in hand. It'll be good because that Monday I took off from work considering I have a Sat/Sun craft show and I'll be too wasted to work Monday. It'll give me time Monday (if it arrives, that is) to install it in the morning and then have fun the rest of the day.

Going back a bit further. On Thursday we had our work party. I was told to be there or else by the opening manager. I did go (they actually let me go a half hour early so I could get there. I was one of the first few, except for the other morning people who had already gotten out of work, to be there. I even stayed and was one of the last to leave, helping clean up, take leftovers to other people's cars and making sure the lights were off, no one was locked inside and the outer doors were locked. For my Xmas gift I ended up selecting a sugar cookie kit with a cute cardboard gingerbread house it's in with (it said) three cookie cutters, the works as well as a rubber spatula on the outside. Not bad. Everyone who knows I craft said it was perfect for me. I didn't win any other prizes, but that's ok. I didn't even get the attitude award I figured I'd get. I did get my 12 year pin. It's a nice emerald green. I was surprised (and this was why the opening manager, after the party, said she'd kill me if I didn't show up) was because I was selected as crew person of the year. I figured with my being late getting to work and coming back from break, my minor skirmishes with the managers and everything else I'd never get it. But I did. I was surprised, to say the least.

So, that's the biggest thing. Still making candy, still playing WoW to break up the monotony of making so much candy (can we say burn out?) and just trying to survive everything else. I decided to do NaNoFiMo, an unofficial offshoot of NaNoWriMo where you write 30k in a month and finish your fic. I figured I'd start around the time WotLK comes in and divide my time between WoW and finishing my BMFM fic before the year is out. I've already decided to cut out the current Ch 10 and completely rewrite it. Other pieces fell into place today and Mari-muse is gnashing her teeth wanting blood. Better humor her before she really gets rowdy on me . . .

Work's been blah. Long, hard hours. Cold, too. I ended up doing another freezer pull. A half hour in the freezer. I came out like an ice cube. Every part of me was cold, even my mouth was ice cold >.< Oh well. It's almost the weekend. Most news so far is I heard about the Otakon prize. Seems it was actually the picture ON the shirt, so the prize was one, not two as they had thought. Well, being who I am I wrote back and told them that technically where my number was drawn last the shirt should go to the other one (forget what gender they were) and that I'd take whatever (since they were determined to give both of us prizes.) So, if the other person decides not to take the shirt, I get it. If they do, then I get a wall scroll and maybe two arranged CD's (that I don't have and never had heard of.) So, we'll see on that. For me it was the fact that I actually won something at the first panel I had gone to the first year I had attended a con as large as Otakon. Even though the shirt would be nice I really have no place for it (same for the wall scroll depending on size.) I had to take down my X7 poster where it was starting to get wear and tear being on the wall where my bed is and it has yet to go up anywhere else. I was thinking beside the EXE poster I have but I'm not sure.

Only other news is, candy, candy and more candy. Still working, though not as much as I had the past two weeks. I'm kinda burned out making candy (so I procrastinate more than making it. Really need to curb that so I can get stuff done. I mean, I was packing out 128ish pieces a day, now I'm lucky if I get 12 done >.<) I know that after the show I'm going to live on WoW. Well, that and writing. Muses have been dropping by to say hi and give me pointers for future BMFM chapters. I just wish they'd help me through the chapter I'm on so I can GET to the other chapters. But, meh, right now I can't really afford to write. But, it is good the muses have returned, especially at work.

Other than that, not too much (probably forgetting something but it must not have been too important. Or, it was and I'll remember it later, when I least expect it. Like the random story idea that hits you when you're in the shower and leaves before you can get to something to jot it down.) Probably should get back to candy making. I have some penpens sitting here waiting for their chests and bodies to be filled in. That'll make 12 pieces done in a bit over an hour . . . not a good rate for me >shakes head< Not at all.

- so a Japanese-American, born of Japanese parents - grows up to be a Japanese, not an American." From an article in the LA Times, beginning of February 1942. I couldn't help but think when I read that line, from the book I just finished, Manzanar, by John Armor and Peter Wright how easily in this day and age we've taken the word 'Japanese' and replaced it with 'Muslim.' . . . Kinda makes you think, eh?

Right now I'm on a sort of companion book: And Justice For All by John Tateishi, written from oral histories of people from places like Manzanar, one of America's concentration camps (conveniently called 'relocation centers' so people of that time wouldn't think of them of the kind of concentration camps run by the Germans or Soviets and, thankfully, the American's didn't go to such extremes.) I found the books when I was killing time before Fuzzy's last NASA talk at the library. Very interesting, to say the least. Especially when you read first hand accounts of how America treated its citizens in a time of unchecked racism and governmental blunders that basically said that, in war, the Constitution is null and void. Looking at what's going on now its little different, except the government learned from one mistake. If you want to intern people during a 'war' make sure you do it on land not owned by the US. That way the Constitution really can't apply and anything can happen without recourse. Not sure what I'm talking about, either check out those books or this link to an article about the Yellow Peril.

But, that's a different rant. Now time for a report on the craft shows.

Friday was fairly busy. We almost made the space. We didn't realize we would have so much space so we had to improvise and let the person that adjoined us on one edge use part of one space to fill the gap. Even with the dolly up there one of the older crafters, with a cane, still moved the dolly which was keeping people from going between our space and the one next to us (especially where the person, I found out Saturday was from MA, didn't show, leaving four spaces behind us open) and tripping over the extension cord. Even when I put a DO NOT MOVE sign on both sides, it didn't work. When I put a chair behind the dolly he finally got the message and stopped (this was on Saturday just before the show closed.) Oh well. Saturday we sold even more and made up for the space and a bit over. I was surprised. All my Xmas candy (except a few penpens and one or two of the pretzel rods) sold out completely. So now it's back to candy making. Considering I thought we had four weeks and found out we had only two it means basically nothing but candy making. Which also means I'll probably burn out by the time the other show comes along. I will, at least, have about a month and a half to get the Valentine candy done and, if I can, the St. Patrick's candy too. Easter if I'm REALLY enterprising.

Where I open, and made one batch (6 pieces) of gingerbread men, after getting a VERY late start, it's time for bed >.< Of course, it didn't help that I started watching propaganda films from the US about the Japanese and the idiots who tried to voice their opinions on it (some were really sane and rational, others . . .well, it's obvious why racism is alive and well today.)

I decided to log in my NaNo word count. The site has me at 76842. A miracle considering the torture the poor fic has gone though let alone all the other stuffage I've been doing.

Oh, and Happy Turkey Day for those who celebrate it. Don't eat too much >.>

Van is packed except for the candy (of which there are more candy tubs than non candy tubs so that means extra early wake up time so we can leave as close to 7-7:30 as we can get.) I tried making more but, meh, decided not to. Instead I played WoW and, where there was a server restart while I was working with old, low quests and Lianna I hopped onto Uazuri before the restart, switched the scorpid for the thunderhawk, went to find Humar and, with 45 seconds until server restart, I now have a nice black lion to go with my white lion (which means I no longer have the thunderhawk I had tamed a couple days ago.) But, I still have two more spaces (when I get the gold) so I can still get it back if I want.

Other than that, not much. Had a good dinner, ish semi watching Incredibles (that everyone else is watching) and getting last minute stuffage done before heading to bed so I can be up and awake for tomorrow.

No posts (far as I know) until Saturday at the earliest, Sunday more likely, if any time soon.

I really need a ded icon.

But anyway. Work's been the same. Same old stress. Same old problems. I did learn Monday that the store manager has had at least 35 written complaints from the customers (I assume the regulars) and the area overseer (a former store manager who will not take no for an answer and won't back down from anything (well, there are exceptions but in this case he won't back down) has been there almost 24/7 while the store manager is there. Why? Because of her. Because FINALLY someone's gotten a brain that she's destroyed our store like she did her last one and that no one likes her, workers or customers and that she is the root of all of our problems (yes, the corporation does cause a lot of unneeded stress thanks to their stupid 'oh, this looks good on paper, we'll put it into action, not taking into consideration human variables'.) So maybe, just maybe, she'll be going. Not soon. Definitely not before the end of the year (unless a REAL miracle happens.) But soon. He's really sticking it to her about that and every little thing she does wrong. I can't help but smile at the fact he's now on her case and things will finally get done.

However, in the meantime, she's gotten it into her head that we need to lock the walk in and that a manager needs to be there at all times when a worker gets stock from it. Padlock went on today (or yesterday, not sure since it's been a while since I had to get into either the walk in or freezer) and it was a real inconvenience. I suppose the original reason was because the closers were being too obvious about heisting product (trust me, it happened when I closed and I know it's only gotten worse) but they've got the lock/supervision on 24/7 which, as the maintenance person said, is really a slap in the face for the honest day workers (not that all the closers are bad, just they've ruined the reputation of all of us.) They had a manager's meeting today and the opening manager had me take and do a complete freezer pull but keep it in the freezer, without supervision. Took me an hour (give or take) with a few exceptions of where they had to keep getting me (and good thing because I was frozen to the bone by the time I got done) for manager stuff because the other two with manager privileges had no idea what to do >.< Ah well. I never bothered to lock the walk in until I was done. I didn't care. I trust the day workers.

Besides work still draining me I've been, in the past two weeks, working madly on candy for the craft shows. I haven't made a full count but I'd say, judging by the packs of wrappers I've gone through, I've made at least 500 pieces of chocolate/vanilla (and some pure vanilla) candies (the kind on popsicle sticks) candy @.@ Oh, and two 'candy houses' that are a whopping 4oz of pure chocolate (with vanilla (aka white chocolate) 'decorations'). It's a good thing I really don't like eating candy like that or I'd eat me right out of any profit.

I did take a break today and played WoW. Worked on a few lowbie quests Lianna still had. Cheated and bought two expert cookbooks and sent them to Uazuri and Nyokamchomo so they can go up. Didn't bother with a book for Mchangaumeme considering he's still at 13. I had done some work with Uazuri and stabled both Sifuri (the white lion Eccheyake (I think is how it's spelled)) and Nyeusikifo (the scorpid Sarkoth) to tame a generic thunderhawk (named Hewakutembea.) I was looking for the red serpent down around Camp T (I forget the name now) but since I didn't see him I figured I'd go for a generic one. I haven't tamed a thunderhawk before. I figure I might trade it in when she gets higher for the red serpent that's part of the quest out of Thousand Needles (I want to say his name is Aarakoka, but don't hold me to it.) They say try different combinations and I figure I'll try different pets, considering I have two more slots open. Not sure what I'll have for her other two or if I'll drop the scorpid or windserpent. I know when she gets high enough with enough points I want to tame one of the dino's down in Un'Goro. Though, by the time she gets that high I might change my mind >shrugs<

Right now it's late. I'm tired. Brain has shut off and I'm going to go in and go crash. Don't expect much of an update until sometime next week. I won't be online Friday or Saturday (at least until late Saturday) where Friday we have the first of two craft shows, from when we get there (hopefully close to 7am) until the mall closes at 9pm and then we go right back Saturday around 8ish and do it all over again, except this time at 5 we get to pack up and head home. I'll probably be brain dead Saturday night and Sunday so don't expect me to be too coherent if you see me online.

There's probably more I want to add but, meh, I think the bed is calling me more . . .

Well, I think it's time for an update. Work sucks, as usual. Especially now that it's getting cold. This morning the temp was a balmy 17 with a windchill of 10 . . . It was windy and bitter cold all day. So what do they decide? I was going to work cash. I'm still cold >.<

Yesterday, while working on candy, we managed to blow the micro (nice sparks, I heard) so today I went out and bought a replacement. So it's back to candy making again.

Work was slow and I got cut an hour, which was ok. If it hadn't been for some mix ups with Tiki and Fuzzy. So I lost some time but managed to get other stuff done during the wait so all was ok.

Then I came to this in the NaNo Comm on LJ that, as was said was enough to bring tears to your eyes. If you don't want to read the LJ post you can go (if you're part of NaNo and maybe you can access it if you're not, not sure on that) to the direct linkage (it's on the Kansas City, MO forums.) Because it was spread to the ML forums as well as to LJ, people from around the globe, literally, have commented. Link to the KC, MO forums. I just realized, the NaNo LJ post is locked >.< If you're curious, comment and I'll fill you in on it.

So yeah. The micro's ready and it's time to make candy ^^

I hope. If not then I expect to hear a big boom from the kitchen . . .

First a ( meme )

Besides a long and somewhat stressful work day I managed to get a few more chocolate lobsters done. I also managed to get rearranged and uploaded the following collections on Flickr from ImageShack. Crafts, Weather, Misc. Which includes all my cosplay construction pics. And the long overdue 2007 American Folk Festival pics. This time when I uploaded the pics for the candyman I blotted out the faces of the people who were watching. I never really thought about it until I saw some cosplay pics from Japan and they had blurred the faces. I got to thinking that it might be wise to do that, especially for the kids, you know, just in case someone came back because I had put their pic innocently online. Most hasn't been tagged and, when it comes to most of the pics, details are lost and I'm too lazy to look the info up (except the festival where I lacked facts and even had to look up the monastery the monks came from.) Past that, not much. Getting ready for the big wind and rain event tomorrow and hoping I can get in at least a few hours of the write-in before the weather gets too bad. I'll post tomorrow but right now I should be candymaking and not procrastinating on the comp.

Heisted from virago



A 56 human pally, with buffs galore, found out that no matter how many judgments, consecrations, and holy spells you toss around, you will get your ass handed to you on a glorious silver platter by a 63 feral Tauren druid in cat form with her own buffs and mangling like crazy. Shoulda used feral fire on him just for insult. He spit on me as he hearthed, putting up a shield so I couldn't kill him again. I did get +4 honor for him ^^ A pair of nelf druids found out they're no match for even a lower Tauren hunter. They both ran when they realized I was hot on their heels ^^ Gotta love it. One tried to outrun me on his saber, switched to cat form and tried to use dash and failed to outrun my Great White Kodo. I mean, even his cheetah form has only 40% speed and my kodo has 100% speed. I had to keep stopping so I wouldn't pass him. Eventually his flag wore off so I headed back to where they seemed to be attacking again. Crossroads (as usual.) Now to see if anyone else tries to pull something funny in Crossroads before I head out to spam more Winterfall to get exalted with Timbermaw.

In other news. Today I found out a half hour after eating lunch that apparently my rice cakes (made in China, by the way, the package written all in Chinese with a label in English slapped on the back) had buckwheat in them (at least the one I had today) because I broke out in a rash like you wouldn't believe and by body became so hot I thought I was going to combust. Even the workers asked if I was ok because my face was so red. I told them I was fine and didn't need to go home so not to worry, I'd just itch and burn up on them.

Work was ok, so that was good. Yesterday it was stressful even before I got there. The lifer was ready to kill the navy brat we hired off the street to be a manager because of his military attitude. Another long time worker accidentally flushed her keys down the toilet on break. Everyone kept making key jokes all day, even today they were. The area coordinator has been there just about every lunch, especially when the store manager is there, to find out why we're all of a sudden at the bottom of our owner's stores when we were #1. That's why the lifer was ready to kill the navy brat was because he was defending the store manager as a sort of god and we all know the reason why our store has gone to Hell is because of her. She ruined the store she was at before and our old store manager brought it to #1 while she brought us from the top down to the bottom. No matter who made a comment that she's ruined the store, never orders enough stock and has made life miserable for us is always considered wrong. But, whatever, life goes on. And speaking of life, yesterday and today people are really getting hostile when you ask them for donations (for the hands for the Ronald McDonald house charities). The one who lost her keys said she wasn't going to ask anyone she recognized the voices nor between certain times where she knows they're the regulars and she doesn't want to anger them even more. I agreed. The store manager is pissed that we're not selling hands left and right but too bad, the economy sucks, no one has any spare money (at least not that they want to donate.) She wants 1600 hands in 10 days. All I can say is good luck.

Taken from kittykat on IJ and damn if this isn't true (though the religious nutjobs will never, and I mean never see the true light and stand up and do what they've been preaching all along . . . Do I hear the part 'do unto others as you would have others do unto you?' But, then again, these are the people who think we're giving out special rights without remembering history. More on that below the vid. LJ users will get a vid, IJ users will get a link.) Just had to get this off my chest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HpTBF6EfxY

( Now a mini rant. )

Ah, feels good to rant (considering I'm typing this before work and will finish updating the rest of my journal when I get home.) Now for breakfast ^^

Heisted from both atrypical and digi148 on LJ. ( Color test. )

Not really sure what to say about that.

In other news, it snowed today. Not much but enough to make me really want to say I hate cold, cold sucks >.< I also managed to get at least 3/4 of my coins sorted and put away in the holders. I have just about 1/4 left to sort and put in the holders (and find my third volume of pennies that I just had and set aside so I could put away the coins I had for the first two and now vol 3's gone awol . . .

I read that our GameStop is going to be open midnight for the release of Wrath. I still haven't preordered it and I probably will (unless I see it instore) but not before it comes out. I won't have a 70 by then (especially if they're offline like they are right now) so it won't hurt to wait. Gas is down to almost $2.30 so $40 gave me just about a half of a tank's worth. Not too shabby considering I was down to just under 1/8th of a tank and it's supposed to get down into the upper 20's the next few nights. I had them put a dry gas in as well so now I have just about 3/4 of a tank. I'll take after I get my money in this Friday and finish topping the van off. Then I'll try to remember and keep her topped off every Friday where it'll only get colder from here on out . . . last I checked the temp was 35 and felt like 30 >shudders<

In random and generic news I was doing some random scanning of the net for random things and decided to look up some Rockman cosplay. I found a link to a site that sells costumes and under the Miscellaneous section they, lo and behold, have a costume for Zero. So, for a mere $310 you too can look like this Not too bad. Helmet could use a bit of work but overall, not too shabby. And they even go mens small to 5XL. Not that I'd buy it. I'm the kind that would rather make it than buy it. And speaking of my costumes no work until after Nov, at the earliest, not until after the Dec craft show mid month at the planned time, not until after the new year until the latest. Considering other factors I either won't bother with Armor Armarge or I'll have to rethink everything (and buy other mats for it.) I might not have the room in the van to take down such a big and complicated costume as I have it mentally designed now. So we'll have to see about that. But not now. Right now I'm starting to get a bit tired. Semi long day tomorrow, 8-3:30. Hopefully now that things have calmed down I can get to candy making. I wanted to fill a 27/28 quart tub full of candy pizza by weeks end as well as fill the shoebox sized tubs I have with candy roses considering my other ones have sold out now and those are my best sellers. As for NaNo, that's on hold until this Sat/Sun and the write ins. I can bang out 12k a day if I sit there for about 8 hours and do nothing but type, so I can conceivably get 24k in both days and get caught up. Whether or not I can remains to be seen. If so then I'm in shape to make 50k without worrying with craft shows and the like.

Starting from today and working backwards to the best of my ability.

Today - Work was semi slow but still stressful. Mostly due to managers putting undue stress, as usual, on the workers. That and I was dead tired on my feet for a glorious open and 9 hour shift. I actually opened better than when I'm awake, which was a bonus. I was earlier and punched in early, which was a bonus. Lunch was faster, which was a bonus. So when I got home I was so tired (and no, I didn't lay down because I knew if I did I'd throw my sleeping pattern off for the rest of the week)I fell asleep while trying to play WoW (after eating lunch.) I decided to surf LJ and post, considering I was too tired to actually write for NaNo so I closed out WoW. At work we started the hands for the RMHC (Ronald McDonald House Charities) which means asking people if they want to donate a dollar. I predicted when I learned a while back this was going to happen that people would not be receptive and, probably, hostile. And guess what, they were. But, that's the way the world's going, especially America. I had someone argue they gave me a quarter even though I held up the nickle they had given me and though they acknowledged it was a nickle they still demanded that they had given me a quarter. I just told them to forget about it and gave them the change they wanted. I took a quarter someone had left behind in place of their nickle. I heard the lady (if you could call her that) say as she drove off that she wanted to shove the quarter she was trying to give me up my ass. Just gotta love retards like that . . .

Yesterday - And the reason why I was so dead tired today. We had the craft show at the Elks lodge which didn't end until 5. Knowing I had to eat before a certain time to let it settle I decided to have six hotdogs (yes, 6) and after eating 5 I decided enough was enough. People because of the weather and lack of customers (it is kinda out of the way, even though they advertised it) bailed so I ended up packing up the crafts and van (with help from Tiki) right after eating. Needless to say I had massive indigestion and so sat up to compensate for it. I woke about every hour and felt rotten. So yeah, I didn't get much sleep. Yesterday was interesting as the sky turned dark, one lady said that the night before she had heard thunder and seen lightning. I was like oO and everyone was like OO when all of a sudden it started to crack thunder, pour like crazy and all Hell broke loose. It didn't last long, which was a relief. Once I could I headed home because Fuzzy called to let me know he was awake so I could go get him dressed and out of bed and checked the Weather Channel online to see the storm had formed on the edge of town, blossomed into a monster over town and faded out once it left town. Talk about unusual November weather for here . . . And we sold less than our space.

Saturday - Which was kinda made up at the regular craft show at the mall where we made just over our space. We made it easier on ourselves by just packing the van up and leaving it for Sunday and Sunday packing it up and leaving it for today. The show went good. Not as busy as it should have been but busier than last month. I predict the double day show right after Thanksgiving on Black Friday/Saturday will be slower than normal (and I've signed up for four spaces, which means a total of just about one work check for that show . . .) The one in December which is a Sat/Sun show probably will be slower than normal (gee, look at the economy, I wonder why /sarcasm) and I plan on taking the same four spaces again. The guy who runs the craft show said he didn't know with the economy and the way crafters except the dedicated ones had bailed on him already if he could keep it going next year or not. I'm still planning on it which is why as long as the weather stays good enough I plan on, once I have my molds, casting plaster and making up tons of candy.

As for work last week it was the typical stress, stress and more stress followed by bitchy people, ect, ect, ect., Basically life as usual.

Other than that, not much. Just plugging along. Tomorrow I should be more rested and have more energy and can get to candy making or, at the least, get some more writing in. I'm falling further and further behind (at least I'll have this Sat and Sun for the Write-In so I should get a lot of good writing in.

Well, considering I had some time before the craft show set up I decided to tweak my LJ layout (namely to remove Gaia and Neopets considering I rarely go there now and to put WoW as my current (and basically only obsession) as well as to update this years SF and NaNo icons) and copy it over to IJ (which still gives me a 404.) So I guess that'll have to wait. I had one heck of a fight with ImageShack to get the icons to display, but I did. I decided to move all pics out of ImageShack but the singular pics (like Folk Festival foodage, random single shots from parades I was in, hate note, ect) I'd leave there, including icons where such stuffage (icons, web badges, banners, ect) aren't allowed on Flickr. So, while moving over the 2007 AFF pics . . . about half way through . . . ImageShack decided I had pics left for the Folk Festival, the tags even said I had pics. But it refused to display any saying I had none. So I've lost about half of my pics (at least so far. Refreshing doesn't clear it up so I'll try later.)

Bigger post later considering it's about time to get dressed and head out to get set up for the craft show. Going to be interesting. Tiki gets to stay at the show alone while taking care of an 11-year-old with ADHD and autism while I go back home to get Fuzzy dressed so he can be at the Star Trek meeting (all three of us belong to the local club . . .for as long as it exists) which, incidentally, will be held at my place. Then, about 1ish I get to run back to the craft show to spell Tiki, even if the meeting's going on, so I can take the kid to get food and then take him back to Tiki to watch over before going BACK home to wait until about 4ish when I'll head back over to help her with pack up at 5 @.@

Gonna be a long and confusing day. Considering I have no real interest in the meeting I plan on either going back to mapping on WoW (I did a lot of achievement mapping last night) or trying to get ImageShack to give me my pics. Once I have them all resaved (I have the original huge pics on disk . . . only Fuzzy, I think, has the disk and who knows where he put it so these will be shrunk to ImageShack's size) and some edited (I never really thought about blanking out faces at the Festival until this year) I'll reupload them. I'll hop on the entry I had for the 2007 AFF and get notes, names, ect back in, Flickr organized and will relink the new set. This includes betta pics (fish in general now that I have more than bettas,) cats/bunnies and misc animals, ect as well as nature/weather pics and probably one for crafts, both pics from the different shows showing what we had/layout/ect as well as my in progress pics of candy waiting to warm up or bowls of half mixed flavors to show the nice, swirly patterns.

Well, time to head out. Wish me luck. I'll either post tonight or at some date in the future considering I want to unwind before tomorrow's craft show that's not a normal craft show (meaning where we always go because that's today and the double day show isn't until Black Friday) but to benefit kids with cancer and held at the Elks Lodge where we have our work Christmas Party. Tomorrow will be basically get up, go to the show, maybe come back here after set up to get Fuzzy and bring him over once he's up, pack up at the craft show and head home, let Tiki unpack what little we're taking and jump right in bed where I open on Monday . . .

Somehow I feel this is going to be a long, long weekend . . .

Oh, and work is the same. Stressful only because they make the stress and still long and hard. My foot and hips still ache, my knee hurts on and off (the one a full grown buck goat hit years ago) and my sciatics/lower back like going out at times. Falling apart, I am. Not something I like. Oh, that and my neuroalgia's been acting up bad, especially at work. Yesterday I was ready to either throw something or break down and cry it hurt so much. And doing cash while having neuroalgia that bad isn't easy. Nope. Not at all.