the percy senility fund

I'm sorry to say that my faithful Dell Inspiron 600m laptop computer (aka Sir Percy, aka Ladislaw) has officially become senile.

I just had a new hard-drive installed last Christmas, which more than doubled my disk space. But ever since then, things have only been getting worse. The power cord has frayed right near where it plugs into the computer. Around May, near the end of the semester, I finally bit the bullet and bought a new cord, out of fear that I would lose all my data and have no way to retrieve it.

The universal power cord worked fine for a while, except for one thing: it couldn't charge my battery (which is, itself, a hand-me-down from my brother-in-law when he bought a new computer). That wasn't too awful, since I have become accustomed to not using my battery much. And I could still pull out the original power cord from Dell and plug it in for a while, just long enough to get the battery charged up. But it was still annoying.

Then the universal power cord started having trouble of its own. I'm not sure, but it seems that part of my laptop where the power cord plugs in has become loose, so that the cord doesn't fit it right. That was a very annoying problem all during the summer (mind, this started only about a month or two after I first bought the cord -- which was pretty pricey, too). Still, things worked all right.

In the meantime, besides all the power cord drama (which is by no means finished yet ... stay tuned), my computer has just plain been running slowly lately. Even when I clean up my files and de-frag the hard-drive, it doesn't help much. I've been thinking for a while now that I would like get more RAM, but that is both expensive and difficult. So I'm making due instead.

Now, to finish the power cord drama: It's recently been getting harder and harder to get either power cord (the original or the universal) to stay in the right position, so that they are actually providing power to the laptop. That means that, unless I either command the luck of the gods or decide to sit with my hand pressing the cord in just the right place, the battery runs down to critical levels. This has happened a number of times in the last few weeks, but today it's been worse than ever. I have sat all day long with my hand pushing the cord, and after leaving it for a mere hour and a half (while I ran Mom for an emergency chiropractic visit -- seriously), it had already run down the battery completley. As in, 0% battery remaining. Clearly the battery is getting old, too.

I'm not sure it's worth it at this point to upgrade everything. Actually, I've been thinking that for quite a while now, but I have been holding off on looking for a new computer because I didn't want to buy another until I could afford a MacBook Pro. And I was far from affording a MacBook Pro. Still am.

So, in hopes of raising awareness about Laptop Senility Dysfunction (LSD) -- and also some money -- I am establishing the Percy Senility Fund. Should you wish to contribute, please send me an email, and I will provide donation details. (If you don't know my email address, I don't know you well enough to trust an email from you, so ... I guess we'll have to figure out some other donation possibility. Maybe a PayPal account.)

Plain? It's as ugly as a parson's widow! (22 points)

good news

the good news first
The internet is working again! We finally got the phone service switched back, so that we are now able to use both the internet and the phones at the same time. Life is very, very happy again!

ramblin muse
I also recently took the plunge and registered at Muse.mu, so that I'm able to (a) post on the discussion board (assuming I ever want to) and (b) edit my own content. It's really a pretty cool site, and I'm not just saying that because I happen to adore Muse. There is a media player embedded in the bottom right-hand corner, where you can listen to music and watch videos -- and it's the whole song, not just a 30- or 60-second clip like most artists give you. When you register you can also edit your own playlist, so that it plays exactly what music and videos you want, and it allows you to use any and every song from all of their five main albums, as well as every official music video they've done and even a couple of live gigs.

Didn't mean to go on about that so much. I promise I'll find a new interest soon so that I have more to talk about than just Muse. In the meantime, thanks for your patience!

back to the good news
So, to reiterate: the internet at our house is working once again. That means that you are sure to see more regular posts on my blog. Yay! And more points for all! And I don't have to stay up late to use the internet anymore (so that I can disconnect the phones when we don't expect to need them). And I can listen to podcasts regularly. And ... the list of goodness goes on and on!

Man 1: Well, throw him out in the street.

Man 2: Wait, wait! [name] is my best friend. We can't just throw him out like Grandma's ashes!

(38 points, plus 5 for each character you can name in that exchange)

musical monday: the used

I promise that I will post a real update soon and tell you all what's going on in my life. The trouble, you see, is that there's not much going on right now. But as soon as there's something to tell, you can be sure I will do so.

This week's Musical Monday is about The Used. I love their song "The Bird and the Worm," even though I've only heard it a few times. It's one of those rare (for me) songs that grabbed me the first time I ever heard it. The lyrics are fascinating -- I especially love the first line: "He wears his heart safety-pinned to his backpack" -- and the layers and varieties of sounds on the track create a real depth.

Enjoy the YouTube version I've embedded below -- and please don't forget to comment and let me know what you think, whether you hate it, love it, or don't think it's worth either of those extremes.


read the lyrics

some memes ...

... because I'm bored and not yet ready to go to sleep.

What American accent do you have? Your Result: Boston   You definitely have a Boston accent, even if you think you don't. Of course, that doesn't mean you are from the Boston area, you may also be from New Hampshire or Maine.
The West
The Midland
North Central
The Northeast
The Inland North
Philadelphia
The South
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Here's the trouble: I grew up in the West, but I've also lived overseas a few times and have always been very conscious of how I speak. By the time I was 16, strangers told me I sounded European. So I think this quiz is just plain messed up for me. I'll tell you one thing: I for sure don't have a Boston accent.

What mental disorder do you have? Your Result: OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) You have odd obsessions that you cannot seem to control. You may even perform rituals to make you feel better. Counting and continuously obsessing over things happens frequently.
Paranoia
ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)
GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)
Manic Depressive
What mental disorder do you have?

I've known this for a long time ... no big surprises.

How will I die? Your Result: You will die while saving someone's life.   The most noble of all deaths. Your rewards will be great in the next life. You are most definitely a humanitarian. If not currently, you will be. To give one's life is a precious moment that will be remembered by friends and family for many decades.
You will die in a car accident.
You will die while having sex.
You will die in your sleep.
You will die from a terminal illness.
You will die of boredom.
You will die in a nuclear holocaust.
You will be murdered.
How will I die? Create a Quiz

Cool! Sounds to me like a great way to go. Thing is, they don't have that classic method-of-death, "old age." I wonder how that would change the results.

Which God or Goddess are you like? Your Result: Budha   You are Budha. You are a very peaceful person, you love all who love you. You are a cheerful personality, and you have a great sense of humor. Congratulations!! You are Budha!!
Jesus
The Christian God
Goddess Bast
Goddess Sekhemet
God Zeus
You are your own God or Goddess
Satan
Which God or Goddess are you like? Make Your Own Quiz

Buddha? Have to say, I'm surprised by this one. And a bit disappointed that I'm not Bast. :)

musical monday: eve 6

One of the great things about the free exchange of digital music is that I'm constantly re-discovering music I'm familiar with but didn't know especially well. During one recent exchange, I got a song from NM that I've always liked, but until the exchange took place I didn't know what the song was called, or who it was by. I now know that it's "Inside Out" by Eve 6, and since I can now listen to it any time I want, I'm more familiar with the lyrics. I've always loved the line, "Wanna put my tender heart in a blender, watch it spin round to a beautiful oblivion." How utterly expressive! And who would think to rhyme 'tender' with 'blender'?

It turns out there's some debate over a few of the words (e.g., 'rhines' versus 'rinds' in the second line). Regardless of this debate, though, I very much enjoy the rhymes in the song, as well as the subtle plays on words: 'doubt' played against 'faith,' 'spin' against 'rendezvous,' the connection of 'time,' 'stale,' 'tick-tock,' and 'clock,' and the opposition of 'sane and logical' with 'tear it off the wall' -- and that's only the first verse!

Compare lyrics: LyricsFreak ~ Seek Lyrics ~ Lyrics Depot

Check out Eve 6: Official Site ~ Google Music ~ Wikipedia ~ AllMusicGuide

phd comics

Mega-thanks to Shallow Man for the link to PhD Comics. I find these really funny -- which I should, since I'm a grad student. This is my favorite so far -- it really hits home.

Also, thanks to both Shallow Man and Elliespen for letting me stay with for my Muse concert. :)

muse high

I'm in a weird place today -- I am still partly coming off my high from seeing Muse in concert on Wednesday, which makes me both elated and deeply depressed (something that sublimity always does to me), and in addition my body is dealing with the odd sleeping patterns of the last two nights, which makes me groggy, lethargic, and a tad grumpy.

See, I didn't end up going to bed on Wednesday until 3:00 am, since I decided to wait around in the cold after the show and see if I could catch the band. Happily, I did, and the three-hour wait was actually worth it. If anything, I am only the more besotted by the experience. I was really worried for a while that they weren't going to come out or come talk to us or anything, but they did, and they were extremely gracious about the whole thing. I, personally, act like a complete idiot in these situations -- what exactly do you say to people you've never met before but have such profound respect for because of their work (I fully believe that Matt, Chris, and Dom are musical geniuses, in the most literal sense of the word)? Anyway, I mostly stood there like an idiot, listening to them talk to the other fans. I was really impressed with Matt -- when my "friend," Julie (whom I met that night while waiting for the band) told him she had seen them perform in Tokyo, he asked, "Which venue? We played four there." She told him the venue, and he replied, "Oh yeah, that was a good show -- that's where we played the longest set out there." Honestly, I'm amazed that he would remember details like that, considering how many gigs they play in one year (let alone the 14 that they've been together as Muse). All three of them were wonderfully gracious, as I said, and they even signed my "Absolution" CD -- even though I was a complete dork and had to tell them, "I don't have a pen, but I was hoping I could get an autograph." I had to tell this to all three of them separately, as they moved among us, which only made me feel that much more dorky about it. I've learned my lesson, though: always take a Sharpie with you to a concert, just in case you decide to ask for autographs and the "talents" don't have any.

So, to sum up the whole evening: It was a great concert, my niece and her friend were great fun to hang out with, Juliette and the Licks (supporting band) were just plain goofy but did a great cover of "Hot Stuff", I was greatly upset that Cold War Kids didn't come as support, I just about lost my voice (from singing with Muse) and my hearing (from listening to Muse), I now have an autographed CD from the band -- and I even got to touch Matt Bellamy. (Marriage Plan A is SO still in play!)

P.S. Apologies to LS and K about where I got my autographs -- none for you, guys! :)

MuseWiki's page on the Orem concert -- complete with set list, but not much else at the moment.

Your dark shines, bringing me down -- making my heart feel sore, 'cause it's good. (12 points -- today's quote is fairly easy, but it's the best one for describing how I feel after seeing Muse)

The last quote (in the post runner's high) was from a Muse song, "Bliss." Shocker.

*sqee!*

I'm off to Muse! See you on the other side.

musical monday: muse

In anticipation of my first ever Muse concert (have I mentioned how excited I am?), today's Musical Monday is a list of my top ten favorite lines from Muse songs, with occasional comments.

Back in May I created a post about things I love about Muse. That post was mostly about their attitude -- not totally out-of-bounds, but more than willing to toe the line and even take a few steps over it. I want to just add that one of my favorite things about Muse is their lyrics. While I realize that they don't quite rank with the likes of Kit Marlowe, George Herbert, or T. S. Eliot, I do think Matt Bellamy has a real genius for lyrics. They are sometimes surprisingly profound, sometimes goofy, and sometimes just so durned ambiguous -- it makes for great interpretation possibilities.

10. It's happening soon, it's happening soon -- its scent has been blowing in my directioon. ("Fillip" from Showbiz)

This makes the bottom of the list, because I don't care that much about the actual line -- mostly I just love how Matt alters the final vowel in "direction" so that it quasi-rhymes with "soon." Makes me smile every time.

9. You needed it when I was away, and no matter what I say, you'll never forget when I wasn't there -- so why should I care? ("Overdue" from Absolution)
8. I'm not breaking down, I'm breaking out. ("Hysteria" from Absolution)
7. You would do anything and you would say anything to escape your meaningless and your insignificance. ... Why can't you just love her? Why be such a monster? ("Escape" from Showbiz)

I love the use of "meaningless" as a noun in #7.

6. For one moment I wish you'd hold your stage with no feelings at all. ("Citizen Erased" from Origin of Symmetry)

I have no idea what this is supposed to mean, but I still think it's great.

5. I don't want you to adore me, don't want you to ignore me when it pleases you. ... I have played in every toilet, but you just want to spoil it to prove I've made a big mistake. ("Muscle Museum" from Showbiz)

I've felt this way so many times, and I always love finding my own feelings expressed in someone else's words -- makes me feel not so alone, I suppose.

4. Paradise comes at a price that I am not prepared to pay. ("Megalomania" from Showbiz)
3. Everything about you resonates happiness, now I won't settle for less. ("Bliss" from Origin of Symmetry)
2. This is the last time I'll abandon you, and this is the last time I'll forget you -- I wish I could. ("Stockholm Syndrome" from Absolution)
1. I've had recurring nightmares that I was loved for who I am and missed the opportunity to be a better man. ("Hoodoo" from Black Holes and Revelations)

I've honestly never cared much for the song "Hoodoo," so I didn't pay much attention to the words until I was getting this list ready. When I found this line, it immediately gained first place in my list of favorite Muse lines.

runner's high

I have recently taken up running. By "recently" I mean, about three weeks ago. I've never liked running before, but I rather suddenly decided I wanted to start it and keep on with it. It helped a lot that I found some great online resources (like The Complete Running Network), which have helped me learn how to choose the right shoes, how to push myself through the hard parts, how to improve my breathing, avoid injuries, and increase my endurance -- among other things. So, for once in my life, I'm actually enjoying running.

Tonight, though, was the best run I've had since I've been back in Idaho. I usually just run in the neighborhood so that I can get going straight out of my parents' door. But tonight I drove down to the greenbelt by the Snake River to run. Mom came with me and sat in the car reading and watching my things, which helped a lot. It was the first time since I've been here that I felt like running further or longer than I was strictly supposed to -- which, in my book, is a good sign.

Everything about you resonates happiness, now I won't settle for less. (12 points)

updated, plus my top twenty favorite lyrics (part two)

I have to explain what's been going first. My parents recently purchased and installed a new VoIP phone system, but once we got the phones working, then the internet wouldn't work. We've been trying for the last week to get the problem fixed so that both the phones and the internet work, which is partially obstructed by the fact that my mom can't seem to decide whether she wants to just cancel the service or not. In the meantime, I've been mostly living offline ... except for really big tasks (such as applying for jobs), for which I go over to my brother's house.

But for the evening, I have the phone line knocked out and the internet hooked up again while Mom and Dad are at the temple, so I'm taking advantage of the time to update my blog and write some emails.

I've decided I want to start doing a weekly music moment, where I can share my favorite lyrics, musicians, and songs. I plan to normally do this on Mondays (musical Mondays -- gotta love the alliteration!), but this week I'm pretty behind-hand, owing to the above-mentioned internet problems.

So, with apologies for its late-ness, here is the second half of my favorite lyrics list:

10. Do you have the time to listen to me whine about nothing and everything all at once? I am one of those melodramatic fools, neurotic to the bone, no doubt about it. (Green Day, "Basket Case")
9. Delilah, I can promise you that by the time that we get through, the world will never, ever be the same, and you're to blame. (Plain White T's, "Hey There Delilah")
8. Feels like lightning running through my veins, every time I look at you. (David Gray, "Please Forgive Me")
7. Couldn't take the blame, sick with shame; must be exhausting to lose your own game. Selfishly hated, no wonder you're jaded; you can't play the victim this time. (Evanescence, "Call Me When You're Sober")
6. I won't be seeing you for a long while, I hope it's not as long as these country miles. (Camera Obscura, "Country Mile")
5. Don't believe that the weather is perfect the day that you die. (Armor for Sleep, "The Truth About Heaven")
4. I should, I wish I could, maybe if you were I would -- a list of standard-issue regrets. (Ok Go, "A Million Ways")
3. I need your grace to remind me to find my own. (Snow Patrol, "Chasing Cars")
2. The beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair. (Relient k, "Be My Escape")
1. I am a writer, writer of fictions. I am the heart that you call home. And I've written pages upon pages trying to rid you from my bones. (The Decemberists, "Engine Driver")

So there you have it -- my favorite lyrics. As mentioned, this list is by no means complete, and you can be certain you'll be getting lots more of this in future weeks. And thanks, NM, for sharing some of yours!

my top twenty favorite lyrics ... part one

Driving through Wyoming and Idaho, believe it or not, does have its plus side: it's a perfect time for listening to all kinds of music. It was during one such drive that I "discovered" Camera Obscura and Arcade Fire (thanks, Erin and NM!).

This time as I drove, I got thinking about how much I love certain lyrics. And I thought to myself, "Self, why not share those lyrics with your handful of faithful readers? Maybe some of them will discover some new music that they love as well."

This list is not entirely complete. For one thing, I'm not putting any Muse lyrics in here -- there are just too many of them that I love too much, so I've decided to make a separate post for them later on. For another, I'm focusing right now on the alternative and indie music I've grown to love during the last year or so (thanks again, Erin and NM ... and Stephenie Meyer), so there are no lyrics from Gershwin or Berlin or ... whoever wrote all those Bing Crosby/Frank Sinatra/Rosemary Clooney lyrics. Another time, perhaps.

For another thing, I have left out several of my very favoritest lyrics, having decided that the lyrics for these whole songs were too good to be able to just pick one or two lines. So, I will post another list sometime (probably quite soon) with these.

The list is also rather flexible -- a lot depends on my particular mood, and I know I'm missing some that I have thought about in the last week as favorite lyrics. I was originally planning, in fact, to make this a top ten list, but I couldn't narrow it down quite that far. But, at the same time, twenty things is a lot to take at once. So I'm giving you the first (or last) ten today, and the rest I will save for another day.

Anyway, with no further ado (since we've had ado a-plenty at this point), here is part one of my top twenty favorite lyrics.

20. Face down in the dirt, she said, "This doesn't hurt." (Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, "Face Down")
19. I am not afraid to keep on living, I am not afraid to walk this world alone. (My Chemical Romance, "Famous Last Words")
18. If I threw my guitar out the window, so far down, would I start to regret it, or would I smile and watch it slowly fall? (Cake, "Guitar")
17. She left me roses by the stairs -- surprises let me know she cares. (blink-182, "All the Small Things")
16. And as for now, I'm gonna hear the saddest songs and sit alone and wonder how you're making out. And as for me, I wish that I was anywhere, with anyone, making out. (Dashboard Confessional, "Screaming Infidelities")
15. With a name I'd never chosen, I can make my first steps as a child of twenty-five. ... Just because I'm sorry doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it at the time. (Snow Patrol, "Chocolate")
14. So never look behind you, spooky people make you cry. The world is ending, there's a party by the bay. (Blue October, "Sound of Pulling Heaven Down")
13. In a car, underwater, with time to kill. Thinking back, I forgot to tell you this: I didn't care that you left and abandoned me; what hurts more is, I would still die for you. (Armor for Sleep, "Car Underwater")
12. My heart is playing like a violin. (The Clientele, "Here Comes the Phantom")
11. But that's how it's gotta be, it's coming down to nothing more than apathy -- I'd rather run the other way than stay and see the smoke and who's still standing when it clears. ... I wish you were a stranger, I could disengage. ... I'm losing you and it's effortless. (The Fray, "Over My Head (Cable Car)")

So, now it's your turn -- tell me about some of your favorite lyrics. Are any of them the same as mine (so far)? Do you love some songs or artists that I don't know yet?

heads-up

Just wanted to let everyone know that I am safely back in Idaho Falls now, with Mom and Dad. I'm staying upstairs, which is sad because it means my room is smaller, but good because it means I get better cell phone reception.

Last Saturday we had a family reunion, and it was great to see all of my siblings and nieces and nephews. We played laser tag (my dad even played!) and glow-in-the-dark mini-golf, and Dance Dance Revolution (except it wasn't really), and I got a real kick out of watching my sister play Whac-A-Mole. She's got some unreleased agression, she does. :)

This week I have been out job searching. I've applied at two temp agencies (with an interview tomorrow for one of them), hoping to get some clerical work for the month of September, before Lancaster University's school year begins. I've also applied at Barnes and Noble, though it's low on my preferences list, and I'm going to apply for substitute teaching in the local school district.

Most importantly, though, I have a phone interview tomorrow morning with a college in Seattle, who are considering me for an online course in the fall. I'm hoping that will work out. It would be great to have a steady income like that, not to mention the teaching experience, and the online teaching experience, and the "foot in the door" in Seattle. Wish me luck!

Things are looking up -- it's a great little world we live in! (23 points)

The last two quotes, which Erin (naturally) got right, were from Muse's "Falling Away With You," and School of Rock.

WWED

I've lately been working a temp job in the credit department of a local flour company. That's right. I process paperwork all day. In case you were unsure, it's as boring as all get-out. Not to mention repetitive. Highly repetitive.

I do quite well with repetitive work, really. I enjoy not having to think too hard and being able to concentrate on other things (like audiobooks, or -- this week -- the glory of Muse). But I do have a tendency, when performing repetitive tasks, to work a little too quickly, overlooking things and letting errors slip in. To combat this weakness of mine, I have been double- and triple-checking my work at the flour mill, trying to slow myself down. I checked things that no one cared about (i.e., Are these invoices all in the same order that they were listed in on the DOS print-out I used when compiling them?), just to make sure I didn't let my desire for speed overtake my desire for quality work.

Even so, the other day, one of my co-workers genially suggested, "You don't have to work so fast." I didn't have a response to that -- anything I could think of to say would probably have sounded like bragging.

Besides all the tedious work, though, there is also the issue of my supervisor. I like her just fine ... except that I'm not sure she always really knows what she's doing. The other day she assured me that the invoice notes -- written in French, for a Canadian-based company -- indicated that samples had been given to the company (therefore, our department would credit their account for the goods they had incorrectly been billed for). I couldn't figure out how she got that from looking at the invoice, so I asked. "I speak French," she responded -- as though this made the whole thing obvious. I looked at her blankly for a moment. "So do I," I finally said. "But I still don't see how you're getting that." "It's written at the top of the page," she told me. I looked again and then held it up for her, pointing to the word frais written in all-caps at the top of the page. "You mean this?" I asked. "Yep. It says 'free.' That means samples." Now, my French is not the best, I will readily admit. But I happen to know that the word frais means 'fresh.' I looked it up today and learned that it can also mean 'fees.' But 'free' it does not mean. That would be gratis. Unless there's some weird French-Canadian thing going on here that I'm unaware of -- which is entirely possible. But my point here is that my supervisor has a tendency to pretend that she knows what's going on, even when doesn't really (which I suspect is most of the time). [NB: Remind me to tell you all someday about the phony math formula she gave us.]

So, between being assured of various "facts" that I happen to know are false, and constantly surprising people with my super-speedy skills, and having recently stayed up all night (literally -- went to bed at 6:30 am) to read Eclipse, I found myself this week sitting at work and wondering, "What would Edward do?"

Clearly, others in cyber-space have beat me to the punch here, but I still found myself amused by my own thought.

You know, I'm not so sure I'd want to be a vampire -- at least not the way that the Cullens do it. Can you imagine the eternal torture of sitting around at high school year after year after year, listening to lectures on things you already know -- because you already have a plethora of undergraduate, graduate, and professional university degrees -- ignoring information that is blatantly incorrect, and pretending not to mind any of it? Or constantly moving at a significantly slower speed than you are naturally inclined to, just so that people won't get suspicious? I actually tried slowing myself down this week -- not just the double-checking stuff, but actually working slowly, making myself take more time than necessary to lift my pen and make a check-mark -- just to see what it was like. Torturous, that's the word.

I hope Bella knows what she's getting herself into.

If I were a creative writer, I would give you a snap-shot of some of things I thought about this week -- imagining Edward or Bella working in my job, and their reactions to the things I find so frustrating. But I'll leave that kind of thing up to the scritcher.

I can't remember when it was good; moments of happiness elude. (68 points)

My future plans

Well, folks, here it is. The decision of the moment. After much debate and summer's worth of attempting to be decisive about my future, it comes down to this: I'm moving home. As in, with my parents.

I hate the thought of it, I really do. I can't stand the idea that I'm 28 and have multiple college degrees, and yet I will be living with my parents. Again. But the fact is that I just can't afford to move anywhere else right now, financially speaking. And, even though I've had many, many kind offers to live with various friends (thanks, guys!), this is actually the decision that feels the most right to me for the time being. I'm worried that I'm going to start acting like a bratty teenager. Oh well -- at least I'll relate better to my nieces and nephews. :)

And, on the bright side, I will still get to see Muse in concert in Orem on September 12th! Can't wait. About once a day, as I'm listening to them, I briefly hyperventilate in anticipation of said event.

So don't waste your time trying to make anything cool or pure or awesome, 'cause The Man's just gonna call you a fat, washed-up loser and crush your soul. So just do yourselves a favor, and just give up!! (31 points)

some memes

Your Personality Profile

You are elegant, withdrawn, and brilliant.Your mind is a weapon, able to solve any puzzle.You are also great at poking holes in arguments and common beliefs. For you, comfort and calm are very important.You tend to thrive on your own and shrug off most affection.You prefer to protect your emotions and stay strong.

The World's Shortest Personality Test

You Are a Smart American

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed. Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Are You a Dumb American?

You Belong in the UK

Blimey! A little proper, a little saucy. You're so witty and charming... No one notices your curry breath

What English Speaking Country Are You?

GREEN

You are a very calm and contemplative person. Others are drawn to your peaceful, nurturing nature.

Find out your color at QuizMeme.com!

You Are an Emo Rocker!

Expressive and deep, lyrics are really your thing. That doesn't mean you don't rock out... You just rock out with meaning. For you, rock is more about connecting than grandstanding.

What Kind of Rocker Are You?

some good news

I've been pretty down lately, feeling like I don't have real plans for the fall and that nothing is going to come through. Today, especially, it was a real struggle to keep myself afloat.

I have to admit -- though it will make me sound a tad foolish -- that this is partly due to a mild depression over the end of the Harry Potter series. I always get slightly depressed from reading a really good book -- it's my test for what makes a book "great" -- and this one was a little worse because it's the end of a whole series. No more Harry. Well, not new Harry, anyway.

Also, I've had a hard time sleeping lately. I'm not sure how much of that is from staying up late at night to read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, how much is due to the stress of filling out applications, and how much is just plain insomnia. But it doesn't help my mood during the day, I'll just say that.

I really hate all of my viable options for the fall. Every one of them involves living with someone -- sponging off them, basically -- and I really hate that. I've had a good time in Kansas with Margo, but it stresses me, too, to know that I'm mooching off her and her family. But the plain fact is that I'm going to have to live with someone else for a while. I'm in no financial position to be finding my own place right off the bat. So I'm coming to terms with that.

But there are glimmers of light among all this darkness.

First, I got my hair cut today. Margo's cousin has a cosmetology license, and she cut it for a very reasonable price. I'd heard rave reviews about her work -- although admittedly all from her family -- so I was looking forward to having it done well. And so far, I'm very happy with it. Margo tried to convince me to chop it off, but I just got it trimmed, so it's still pretty long.

Second, I finished two of my applications today. Well, mostly at least -- I still have to get letters of reference and transcripts in for one place. But the other application (which only required a cover letter and CV) is completely done. I'm planning to mail it tomorrow. On Monday I'm going to call up to ... the first place ... and ask whether it's OK with them to have references and transcripts sent directly to the department.

So, all is not lost. I will go on, and I will enjoy life, and somehow things will work out. And tomorrow I'm going on a temple trip with the local branch, and I plan to have a good, long talk with Heavenly Father about all my options and frustrations -- and that will make things better, whether in one way or another.

Optimism is always harder than pessimism. (Not a direct quote, but it's a philosophy espoused by ... 25 points)

just finished ...

I have now finished reading the account of Harry Potter's epic life.










And that's all I have to say about that. For now.

my how time flies!

So here we all are ... in JULY!

And not just July, but nearly the end of July. Crazy!

I have to apologize for not updating much this summer. I have no decent excuse. I'm just a bum.

For a few weeks I was working at a temp job in Wichita. I've had the last week and a half off, and I've been busy, busy working on applications for part-time teaching positions for the fall. I'll be sure and let you all know when I get a job and where it is. Meanwhile, I've been set apart as a Gospel Doctrine Sunday School teacher in the local YSA branch here. That's been fun.

More importantly, however -- the final Harry Potter book comes out this weekend! The closer it gets, the more excited I find myself. There are several businesses and libraries out here counting down the days -- some on their outdoor marquees -- and whenever I go past one and realize how little time is left, it gives me a little thrill. (I know ... it's the small things.) I'm taking quite a chance with this one, not having reserved a copy anywhere. I find I don't appreciate all the hoop-la at places like Barnes & Noble, and when Half-Blood Prince came out in 2005, I learned that virtually no one gets their Harry Potter books at Wal-Mart in the middle of the night, so that's what I've been banking on.

Last night I actually dreamt about getting my copy of Deathly Hallows. Margo and I went to Wal-Mart -- only after welcoming her friend to the area, who's visiting for the weekend -- and as we drove home from her aunt's house, I made her stop at the closest possible Wal-Mart so that I could start reading in the car. When we got into Wal-Mart, I easily picked up my copy (I was careful to get one that hadn't been too badly damaged in the rush to get it out at exactly 12:01 am), but there was a vague sense of foreboding afterward. I woke up right after that, so I'm not sure what kind of foreboding it was, or what it might have betokened. I hope it's nothing too harmful.

so here's the deal, part 2

I didn't sleep too well at C & B's house the other night. More importantly, when I came back home the next day, I discovered that there is no dead-bolt on the house door. Apparently, it just got stuck a little, and I panicked and assumed that it was still locked. I guess the joke's on me.

I'm at a complete loss for an appropriate quote right now, so we're going to do something different this time: You send me your best quote, and I'll choose my favorite one and award 100 points to the winner. (Also, for my own entertainment, I'll do my best to guess where each one originated.) The last quote was from The Lake House, which I watched on Sunday with C.