Not that there really is much.

Let's see, the week in review...

Barb stayed home all week and I had to go to work. Phoenix drivers remain frustrating. I finally forced myself back into the gym, and because I have been such a slug for so long, an average workout left me feeling like someone has been hammering on all my muscles. Yet I have been trying to be really easy on my shoulder - not that this has helped, it hurts more now than it did back when I first hurt it. SO not fair. Barb can hardly hobble around (see rahirah's journal for details) and I can't lift anything with my right arm, leaving my usually weaker left arm trying to be dominant when it is not. This makes grocery shopping interesting.

So today. We went to CostCo, but Barb couldn't handle it after a while and we got away with mostly exactly what we came for (cool). I went over to Fry's on my own to check on the cherries, but it's still too early and they're way too pink.

Last Saturday I got my hair cut short. I'd been dithering between short and long for the cruise, but I like the way it's come out. It's sort of a different style for me, more of an all-one-length bob with bangs rather than the usual layered "cap o' curls" I'd done with short hair before. I think I'll keep it a while.

Moonlight was cancelled. Of course. Because I'd started liking it, of course. Why did I give it a second chance, anyway? Same reason I did Jericho. Well, one less show I have to keep track of next season, where almost everything I like is scheduled on Monday. At least Chuck, Dirty Sexy Money, and all the rest of the usual suspects are coming back. Boston Legal is scheduled for only 13 more episodes, one half-season more - I'm actually glad of that, because I don't think they could sustain it too much longer, and from what I read about Shatner during the strike (how he didn't miss the show at all), I am guessing that he agreed to 13 more, and then they're calling it quits. That show really isn't much beyond the Shatner-and-Spader Comedy Hour (with some much-appreciated - at least by me - left-wing radicalisms thrown in for good measure).

Have started watching Carnivale on DVD - fascinating and creepy show. Also the uncut Dexter, also somewhat creepy, both very good. Still not worth paying for Showtime or HBO, though, especially since I CAN rent the DVDs after the fact.

Donna Noble = Second Best Companion Ever. Am loving Season Four of Doctor Who so far. Only one even slightly weak link in the whole season so far, and it's not that it was BAD, it was just weak. Could have been better.

We haven't gone to see Prince Caspian yet - soon, although I'm rather worried about the apparent appearance of teenage infatuation between Susan and Caspian, which disturbs me. I guess since they went with the slightly older version of Caspian they felt they HAD to have a love interest, but it bothers me not only because it's not in the book, but also because if they go on to Dawn Treader, of course Caspian will meet his future wife; even more importantly, Susan never comes back to Narnia. It's doomed even before it's begun (and if nothing else, these days, viewers are unrepentant shippers).

Barb and I took May 22 off to go see the earliest showing of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as possible. Yes, we ARE that geeky. We just haven't decided if we want to go for the 12:01 showing or wait until the next day.

I got my entry done and sent to the Molly Contest, a regional (Denver) contest for Romance writers of every genre - and they turned out to be VERY nice folks, who let me re-submit when the conversion between WordPerfect and Word ONCE AGAIN ruined my formatting (even in .rtf format). I talk them up because they are nice folks, whether I win or lose.

So, back to today. Laundry done, then chocolate chip cookies made, wings fried and tossed in wing sauce, overall good stuff. Now watching the very silly and, yes, I'm laughing my ass off, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.

Another good weekend. So many things I still need to do...

I don't post every day because my life is not that exciting; however, because I DO put it off until the weekend, or something pressing comes up, I always forget what I wanted to commemorate in glorious print.

I went through a week where I also didn't post because I am trying to avoid posting when I'm feeling sorry for myself, and I was going through a period of feeling sorry for myself most of the past week. Since it had nothing to do with anything, I decided against recording it for posterity. On the other hand, I did have some good ideas and now I can't remember any of them.

I've been working heavily on Book Two (which still doesn't have a title), although there's still no interest in Book One. No, I don't think I can make a living at this - I read the blog of an author whom I think is one of the best writers living and I see the trouble HE has - but like I said, I just want readers who like my work. That's all. (One of the things, of course, causing the aforementioned "I hate myself" phase.) ANYWAY, the work continues apace. I've been getting some pretty good feedback, at least.

( This week in television )

The Diamondbacks won, 10-4, today, making up for yesterday's loss. Go D-backs! We have the best record in the league, 21-9 for the season.

I blame fenchurche for sitting here eating dates filled with cheese and pecans. Yum yum yum! (They also go REALLY well with little chocolate wafer cookies...)

We went to Trader Joe's this morning for our main shopping, then went to run errands and take care of things for Barb's mom. Got most of the laundry done. Don't really know where the day went to - was woken up fairly early, yet somehow suddenly it was past three. In trying to fix the vacuum cleaner (clogged hose, nothing seriously), I pinched my fingertips and now there's a slight bruise under my fingernail and it hurts. I had a hard time sleeping last night, not really sure why.

I made spicy pulled pork for Tres de Mayo, which we ate on tortillas with cheeses and the usual, Barb made guacamole, there's nice Trader Joe's salsa, and we're watching uncut Dexter. It's a good evening.

JOY!

Our new supervisor got together with our old supervisor and played a gag on us all. We fell for it, even (told us our new guy was being transferred out and we'd have to break in another new one - considering the general bungee-boss thing, it was plausible!). It was a pretty fun day.

I feel a little crappy, though. Don't know if it's allergies or if I have something; and I strained my back, at the gym yesterday, I think, so it just hurts enough to be annoying when I move (not bad, mind you, just annoying). But on the whole, a pretty good day. A woman at the gym stopped to tell me how good I'm looking (she's a regular, I see her almost every day). That felt good.

There is a chicken roasting in the oven with numerous root veggies.

( Well, crap. )

Yesterday I was nearly sideswiped by a woman who decided she wanted to go straight through the intersection from the right-turn-only lane (I was in the straight-through OR right-turn lane, and figure she was damned lucky I wasn't turning right, because I would have crushed her); she almost shoved me into the oncoming lane (fortunately empty), and I honked at her. She rolled down her window and gave me a wave. I was most irritated. Do people think because I drive a beat-up old Suburban that I'm a) slow or b) invisible? What my truck should imply to people is that I don't really worry about the paint job anymore, and it's made of old-fashioned Detroit steel. I WILL CRUSH.

I don't know why I don't seem to have my cookies on this computer, despite having posted from here before, and is it something new with LJ that you have to correct the date and time every time you post?

Okay, why does LiveJournal not know what time it is in my zone?

Today coming home I got stuck in the fast lane behind a woman in a huge truck driving 45 MPH and talking on her cell phone. Grrrrr. Once I got past her I ended up driving a lot faster than I would have normally.

Remind me, why is it we have cats again?

I still love Eli Stone. The 3/6 episode is making me all weepy (I'm a little behind on my Tivo). I guess it's like Arrested Development, I'm all alone in my adoration of this show. (Of course, it ends with a "the preceding was fictional" disclaimer, which was weird...)

I managed to get some stuff burned to DVD, but I can't play it on my laptop until I get the drivers fixed on it. I'm lazy and I procrastinate, and thus never get anything really done.

Tonight we watch Voyage of the Damned and sit around playing on the computer(s), and I meme. Not that I have anything else to do (seriously, I really don't).

Anyway, memes behind ( here )

Well, that was fun.

Geez, my iPod is hardly holding a charge at all anymore. Just flipping through those few songs drained it nearly halfway. Now, I know shuffle uses more battery than a straight playlist, but really.

I was checking prices on new iPods; I may have to eventually break down and get one. This one lasted, what, four years? Not too bad, really. And then I can send this one to get a new battery put in, since rahirah assures me there's someplace better than Apple to send it (as in, I'll get my own iPod back instead of some random refurbished one).

Random TV thoughts:

Jericho: SQUEEE!!! Can this show GET any better?

LOST: I have really been freakin' enjoying this show. And I always love a Desmond episode. I can live without the Kate episodes, but no one bats 1000 every time.

Torchwood: When did this turn into one of my favorite shows EVER? Everyone has a personality this season, people are thinking instead of acting first, and wow, what an awesome character arc (no spoilers for those who haven't seen it yet).

Eli Stone: I haven't seen anyone else enjoying this, but I have to put in a word or two for it. It's quirky and good and I'm just plain liking it lots.

Happy Valentine's Day, everybody!

On the one hand, JERICHO! So awesome it got to come back, 'cause we'd left off on a killer cliffhanger. Sad that in addition to Johnston (Gerald McRaney) being gone, so, too, apparently is Gail (Pamela Reed). Now Johnston was killed at the end of last season, but why would Gail be gone, too? She should be there supporting/chastising her sons. (Unless they simply couldn't get the actress back after the cancellation fiasco. I saw she was on the first episode of Eli Stone playing HIS mother.)

On the second hand, Torchwood! My God, when did this show get so good? It stands as a perfect monument to "let the show find its feet!" The first season was okay, full of "meh" episodes, while this season has been, flat out, AWESOME. Knock wood. No spoilers, but the end of last night's second episode... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

On the third hand... Why, why, why won't my cats let me sleep in the mornings?

At least they seem to be content with their food this morning and aren't here begging for more, please.

We have 5:30 reservations at Barb's favorite sushi place this evening.

Oh, and while I'm talking about television, if you've never seen Craig Ferguson's talk show (because, well, it's on in the freakin' middle of the night), then Tivo it or something. His monologues alone are worth it. We laugh so hard sometimes I have to back up to listen again because we miss stuff. I need that DVD-R now so I can save some of them (before I fill up my Tivo with saved eps).

I never seem to post good news. I'm always feeling melancholy when I have a chance to post anything. It's not like I expected anything to come of the Amazon novel contest, but still, getting the "sorry, you're not a semi-finalist" has made me all "kick the can, what's the point, why am I kidding myself with this writing thing anyway?" *sigh*

It's not like I don't have good things happening, after all. Things are going well at work (I'm expecting a nice raise), we're all nicely in the black when it comes to money (or will be, when I pay off the Christmas stuff, not counting the new mortgage, which is counted as "good debt"), we has great kitchen, I have the best partner in the world, I just installed my brand-new surround-sound DVD/CD theatre system (my tenth anniversary giftee from my office), it should all be good.

Yet I'm all weepy. No wonder Vulcans eschewed emotions.

It may also be the whole writer's strike thing. I want my shows back. All I'm watching are talk shows (Craig Ferguson and Ellen). Of course, there were new shows last night, but I TIVO'd them since sillymagpie couldn't be here, so I'll probably watch 'em on Friday.

And one of my favorite independent singers, quite possibly the greatest country singer alive today (because I have no problems at all with putting him in the same category with Hank Sr., Johnny Cash, and Lefty Frizzell), is FINALLY getting some mainstream acknowledgement, with his newest video going into rotation on CMT (and believe me, he puts the country back in that station identification): Dale Watson's Hollywood Hillbilly. I don't know if it's worth sitting through any CMT for, but the video is at YouTube. (I've been able to embed a You Tube video once successfully, but I'm too tired to figure it out again right now...)

And speaking of indie singers, Dave Insley's new album will be coming out in March, featuring some of his best stuff from his live shows.

So I should be happy. I will be. Dang it. I have a Torchwood to watch, after all (probably tomorrow).

Someone on rahirah's F-list sent us some Mighty Fine cookies. I'm not sure of your LJ name, but if you read my journal, as well, then thanks! They're YUMMY!


ETA:
( I meant to save these articles... )

Fortunately, a Monday without anything really new on TV, so I don't have to worry about recording anything, just vegging out in front of the reruns and catching up on all the stupid Monday comedies I don't watch because I watch Chuck and Heroes instead. (I do normally record How I Met Your Mother, but that was new.) I finally caught up with last week's Chuck, and OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH, now I can't wait for January. I need Chuck icons. I don't have Photoshop on this computer.

As one can tell from the icon, however, I did manage to get my other one up long enough to get my Christmas icons uploaded. At least. I also managed to YAY, reload my iPod with Christmas music. Then I shut down so it wouldn't just shut off on me again. I've been playing quite the games with it. Sooner or later (hopefully sooner, now that the house is pretty well done) we'll get the new one up and loaded with MY STUFF, so I can access all that is still trapped.

Commentary from writers-group friends tells me that likely the reason I've never heard back from the most recent agent is THIS VERSION OF THE MANUSCRIPT MAKES ME LOOK LIKE A TOTAL AMATEUR. I totally screwed up and repeated text as well as missing a number of serious flaws that I thought I'd fixed already and all manner of stupid things. *sigh* Well, I guess I'd better go through the damned thing again and make sure it looks freakin' professional before I send it out again. I'm starting to run out of agents. *very sad face* Why didn't I go into something less artistical and more certain? (Because I'm so easily distracted? Oh, look, COWS!)

Weekend accomplishments: We got our tree on Saturday, probably the biggest one we've ever gotten, because I said to rahirah, "every time we get a tree this size we get it home and say, 'dang, we could have gotten a bigger one.'" So this time, we got the bigger one. It just misses brushing the ceiling. And... wait for it... the living room is not crowded with it. Sure, the dog cage is awkwardly blocking part of the hallway, but the room isn't reduced to a tiny walkway to accommodate the tree. We has space!

We did a little shopping, and I almost burned the house down by leaving a pan boiling on the stove and forgetting about it when we left -- the smoke alarms carefully installed by our contractors go off when we let a cloud of steam out of the shower, but when the entire house is filled with smoke from burning giblets? Not a peep. Fortunately, nothing lost but said giblets, and the house still has a bit of a smoky smell. At least it smells like chicken. Plus, the temperatures finally dropped around here and Sunday was actually pretty chilly (for us, don't laugh), so having all the windows and doors open wasn't all that thrilling. Even the cats, once bored with the thrill of walking in and out at will, decided to stay inside.

The high tomorrow is supposed to be 58. Now come on, that's got to be cold for more than just us down here in the deserts.

I was a very good doobie and donated almost all my hoarded Coca Cola points to Toys for Tots. (Of course, I have a lot of endcaps and bottle caps sitting around here waiting to be entered, but still.)

This week I must cobble together my Top Ten of 2007. Unfortunately, I think I missed a few really good ones; two of my favorites for the year are tribute albums to Buck Owens (Dwight and the Derailers each did a Buck album).

I really, really, REALLY need something good to put my CDs into/on/whatever; something with some shelves to hold our dragons and my cars, too, if possible...

I cannot believe a full week has gone by already. I don't know how I'm going to manage work, but I'll figure it out eventually. It's not that I'm in pain, really, but I'm in discomfort when the foot is down - I have to see about the best way to keep it elevated at work while at work (it's plenty hard just here at home at this computer). I wish I had a cord long enough to get the Internet on my laptop, out in the living room (no, it does not have wireless, it's an ancient hand-me-down used computer I got for $75 - it's basically a high-powered word processor, but it DOES mean I've written three chapters of Book Two, filling it out and giving it what it's desperately needed, i.e., its own plot - yay me!).

Speaking of writing, I was considering actually entering NANOWRIMO this year (or if I've missed the deadline through my usual procrastination, next year)... I'm not sure, though, if I have to start fresh, or if I can count ongoing manuscripts. Especially since everyone else seems to be starting up on the "Ficathon" season.

Otherwise, it's been mostly sleep, eat, take pain medication, sleep some more, hobble around, and then sleep some more. I can't really weigh myself because I don't really know how much this boot weighs - I can't really exercise, although I've done some minor stretching and seated yoga, just to try and keep in shape.

I can't believe I have to go back to work tomorrow. I also have my first post-op doctor's appointment, so I'll also be doing more driving than I've done since the surgery - should be all right, I tested driving; it just means not taking any pain medication in the morning so I can drive all right. I've been very careful with the meds, I haven't had a drink in a week (get to sit around all week and can't have any of the nice wine I have in the fridge, boo).

Today I spent most of the day watching the Dead Like Me marathon on SciFi; I now want to own the show, it's fun.

I completely forgot that WorldCon takes place over Labor Day until they announced on the Doctor Who list that The Girl In The Fireplace won the Hugo - cool, that makes two Steven Moffat scripts in a row to take it for short form drama, and one of my favorite episodes, ever.

A meme for luck:




I finished reading The Subtle Knife and have started The Amber Spyglass.

Almost fell behind on reading my Flist, but did have to mostly skim, since, as I said, sitting up sucks, with all the blood rushing to my foot and making it, well, uncomfortable. I will be SO happy when the boot comes off.

Only one more week until my soap moves to DirectTV. *sigh* I know I'll be better off without it, but, really, WAH. I think I may give that new show, Chuck, a try. It looks like it could be funny. Also Moonlight. Not sure about other new shows. I'm pissed they moved Bones to yet ANOTHER timeslot where it conflicts with something else - now it's on opposite NCIS. It looks like everything will be starting up the week of September 24. The only day that hasn't changed at all looks like Tuesday - NCIS, House, and Boston Legal; I'm not sure when Jericho comes back, and Lost doesn't start until February.

In the meantime... I think they're going to break concrete this week. I have to remember to take pictures at every step so we can do a "before" and "after." Barb already got lots of shots of the "before."

I'm so excited!

I still don't want to go back to work. And worse still, it's STILL freakin' hot out there.

Whoo hoo!!!

It's the very first time EVER a show I loved that got the axe was given a reprieve - and it's the only time I didn't write a single letter of protest. Maybe silent wishing is the way to go... *g*

In true synchronicity, my iPod played Bowling for Soup's I'm Gay followed by Weird Al's Dare To Be Stupid on the way home. I'm chipper. I'm off early, and I'm not even all that tired.

Last night I went to see the Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash at the Rhythm Room - they do a great show. I made myself leave at midnight. Then this morning the power in our entire industrial park was knocked out for about an hour, which was fun. We still managed to have pretty much everything done by the time I left.

( Humorous Dr. Who things )

Now it's home and I have a few things to do, but not as much as I had thought (and planned for), since I ended up doing a lot of it on Monday. Whoot!

Somewhat expensive purchases I need to make:

Laser printer (not really too bad, but not such a necessity I've been making an effort)
Armchair
Elective surgery (probably going to be scheduled in late August)

Some other things I can't remember...

( LOST was worth the wait )

We popped up this morning and I started a pot of beans (kidney and pinto) with salt pork, which are now simmering merrily away and smelling tasty. I'll make some corn bread to go with them and we'll probably eat just before we head out to see Pirates. Then we went over to CostCo to compare prices and see about an armchair - they sent out CostCo coupons yesterday which seem to indicate the chair we've been looking at (microfibre faux-suede, recliner/rocker, warm beige) will be on sale next month - in checking, it's a different chair, which is similar in color and fabric, but a little more expensive normally - however, cheaper with the coupon. SO, we'll wait for next month. So we bought a few other things, a little splurging but not TOO bad (I got Scrubs season five), and I spent less money on that than I would have on the chair, so I came out pretty well.

Then home to get some laundry done, I rearranged my shoes (it's really a sickness, shoes), and watch Lost.

I'm feeling blah. No real reason for it, just blah.

I carefully set the tape to record LOST last night and forgot that since Boston Legal wasn't on Tuesday, the cable box was not set to channel 15 (ABC). D'oh, and dang it! Thank goodness for downloads, although it's becoming more and more obvious there is a dire NEED for TiVo. It boils down to we haven't seen it yet, and my PLAN had been to come straight home and watch it right away. *sigh*

I've had odd miscellaneous and sundry ideas for posts come into my head a lot in the last several days, but never got around to posting any of them, so therefore I've forgotten most of them. Occasionally I get into a "why bother writing when no one's reading" sort of mood, which is really, when you think about it, patently ridiculous for a journal, which is supposed to be largely for one's own self - these online blogs have tilted that notion a bit, and like all writers I feel more validated when people read me. My friends list is small, but then, I don't have a wildly interesting blog.

But in the same category, the book is off to the next agent on the list.

And I have to write a review for a disc I just got yesterday, and it's a two-disc set.

I also really, really want (and need) to clean out this office. Preferably with a bulldozer. I can't find anything.

( I felt the need to preserve this article )

I feel a vague sense of ennui.

First, a delightful online waste of time, courtesy of canarynoir:



Second, one non-spoilery comment about the season finale of Jericho: AAAAIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! *cough*

Third, I have had a low-grade sinus headache all freakin' day long. It's been just bad enough that it's there annoying me, a little pressure and tension, but NOT bad enough to justify going home sick. So I putter around and do nothing useful. I was trying to read while waiting for rahirah to get her hair cut, but it made my head hurt, so I just waited. That's very boring. How do the non-readers of the world cope?

I haven't posted much lately because I haven't had anything to talk about, really. I've actually been reading and kept caught up with everyone else's journals, though, which is pretty good - I'm behind on many other things, though.

I haven't finished up the package to send out to the next agent on the list (bad); I have started to break down the novel into chapters (good). I haven't worked on anything or entered any new contests (bad); I have spent more money than I should have (bad); I have managed to clean up a little of this office and clear out SOME clutter (good); no further weight loss, but good maintaining (bad and good)... but that's about all I've been doing for the last week or so.

( Other items of interest, hidden for the benefit of those who aren't interested )

Oy, I skip LJ for just one night and everyone I read posts at least once, if not twice or multiple times! I didn't log on anything last night because I made beef stew for dinner (which came out well), then baked a cake for today's B-day party at work (French vanilla cake with coconut-cream ganache filling) - there are TWO, count them, TWO females in my unit who don't like chocolate!!! Are they mutants? What is wrong with this world?

One fellow who claims he "doesn't care for sweets" usually brings bagels which amount to all sweet ones (cinnamon, blueberry, etc.) with all sweet blend cream cheeses (honey almond, maple sugar, etc.). So I, who like savory bagels, arrived this morning with a nice combination of sweet & savory, with at least one savory cream cheese. Unfortunately, he'd gotten there earlier with the sweet stuff again, so most people had already had their bagels. At least I got my seeded bagel with chive-and-herb cheese on it... (Plus, he usually brings Einstein Bros. round bread, while I trucked out to Bruegger's for the Real Thing - and got an extra dozen for us at home, too.)

Until today, I hadn't heard they cancelled Drive. Dang it. Tim Minnear is cursed, I suppose. Why can't quirky little shows gain an audience fast enough to please TV execs? Oh, well.

And in keeping with the current trends, I present my Daemon:



I need to read the books, now. I keep MEANING to...

Currently I'm reading The Laughing Jesus, which, while a little over-the-top ranty in some places (which I can acknowledge even if I agree with the authors), is, so far, a fairly interesting tear-down of the historical inaccuracies in the Old Testament, working up to the New.

Has been a quick week. Once again I'm wasting time on LJ when I should be finishing up a review - fortunately, it's mostly written, just needs a little extra, some polish, and spellcheck, then it will be off. Dale Watson is one of my personal favorites, so reviewing his new work is quite easy. I have been having the feeling that the person who runs the About.com page for country music (or the country music page for About.com, is more accurate) is also starting to lose interest - she's not been riding roughshod on us like usual lately, and she's been forgetting assignments (which has been fine with me, really, although one of them I promised the artist I'd do - and it's pretty good, just... you know, meh). Anyway, work has been decent, things are moving along swimmingly.

I lost another few pounds! I was 155 at the doctor's office this morning (just getting a renewal of my allergy prescription). Dance the dance of joy! Then I ate bagels for breakfast and pizza and cake for lunch, but what the hey.

rahirah and I entered the last half of the 20th Century at last - we caved and got cell phones. Now I have to figure out all its nifty little functions, like how in the world do you put real songs on there for ringtones? (Not that anyone ever calls me, but hey, the girl who sits in the cubicle across from me has "White and Nerdy" playing on hers, and our Team Leader's phone plays "It's a Small World.")

Tomorrow I hit the spa first thing and then yoga. What a relaxed, somewhat enlightened soul I'm turning into!

Oh, today the nurse practitioner who checked me in said, "Age?" and I replied, "42," and she said, "32?" Cool, huh?

I have a sinus headache. The sort that hurts more when you're in bed but you can't get up kind, and makes your stomach queasy for no real reason so the thought of "breakfast" is icky. But I did get up, I took medicine, and I laid back down for a while. Medicine did nothing. Head still hurt. I managed to get a little more sleep and it was still there when I woke up and it's still here now, even sitting up.

Blah.

So I putter around on LJ and meme:




I thought this one was pretty cool.

I hope I feel better; I want to go over to the Asian festival at Heritage Square, and there's other things I want to do today, although I have a week's worth of my silly soap to catch up on (I didn't have time to watch it this week much), and right now they're showing an episode of Planet Earth - it's one I've seen, but it's probably my favorite thus far: the high mountains, snow leopards, eagles... these are a few of my favorite things. I definitely have to buy the DVDs of these.

nutmeg3 pointed out that The Lost Room will be shown again in its entirety on SF this week - for those who miss the re-broadcast, it's out on DVD as well, and is less than $20 at Amazon. For well-written television, I highly recommend it.

I saw a meme that made me feel a brief stab of guilt, in that it asked whether I buy more books at a real store or at Amazon. Lately... Amazon. I know, I know, it's a soulless corporation and it's starting to be vilified almost as much as Wal-Mart, but I've been shopping there since they were the little guy, it's quick, it's convenient, they ALWAYS have the books I'm looking for, and really, my only alternatives anymore seem to be just as corporate choices - Borders and Barnes & Noble. There is exactly one small store-front bookstore around here, and they specialize in antique, first-edition, and rare books. At least I never shop at Wal-Mart.

We bought more shoes yesterday. Seriously. It has become my biggest vice. We need a special closet just for shoes.

( This is what they had to say about me in regard to the marketing position: )

ANYWAY...

Today I went to a Toastmasters meeting and will probably join. Public speaking is one of my weaknesses. Can't hurt, anyway. And it was fun. However, one of my workmates looked at me and asked if I was feeling all right, that I didn't look right (she has a very pronounced Indian accent, and sometimes it's hard to understand her). I said I was fine. About an hour later I started feeling all scratchy-throated and lightheaded. I'm hoping it's just lack of sleep from last night, when Cuervo decided he HAD to sing outside the bedroom door all night. I try to explain to him and Silhouette that if they'd just make sure Cairo didn't get on the bureaus all night and knock things off, then all of them could stay in the bedroom with us at night, but they never do it.

Now I'm making Macaroni & Cheese, although there's so much meat in it it's hardly really just Mac & Cheese. I ground up a leftover pork chop and the last of the leftover roast to mix in with it. Unfortunately the mozzarella had gone off, so it's all just cheddar and Irish cheese rather than a cheddar/mozzarella blend. I came all over with the desire for Mac & Cheese at lunch today, when one of my co-workers was eating some.

{break for dinner, NCIS, and LOST}

Mac & Cheese came out well, indeed. NCIS, good as always, and I have to say this season of LOST has been pretty awesome. Sometimes you just gotta look death in the face and say, 'Whatever, dude.' On television, I was earlier today pondering the great horror of having to wait until April 23 to find out what happens on Heroes - but it's only three weeks until Season 3 of Doctor Who starts! Squeee!