The Refuge from Reality

Churchyards. Candid photos. Chocolate. Crab (not really, but seafood). And "understated elegance".

(Reminder: photos here.)

( Continued... )

It's been a long day, filled with planes, trains, and even two automobiles. A day of cat herding, duck aligning, too many stairs, and an overwhelming sense of relief that we each only brought one checked bag. A day of knitting and technical glitches. A day of mad texting, surprise guests, and happy reunions.

A day that's gone on for at least 48 hours now.

( Continued... )

Received in my Spam folder:

"We have been waiting for you to contact us for your Package that has been registered with us for shipping to your residential location. The content of your parcel includes a Bank Draft worth of $688,000.00 (Two Hundred and Eighty Eight Thousand US Dollars). You are required to send your Complete Name, Country, Address and Phone Number to our Customer Care Officer: Mr. Anderson Cole. E-mail Address: XXXXX, Phone-Number: XXXXX."

Um, no. I especially like where the numerical dollar amount doesn't match the text.

Saturday night into Sunday morning, I watched the DVDs that are support material and required viewing for my current online course. Because I've been self-studying Mark and Roger's materials (articles, programs, Audio Insights, etc.) for two and a half years, none of the information presented was really entirely new, although a couple of points were addressed a bit differently or in more depth. Still, watching the DVDs was obviously beneficial to me.

See, despite my self-study and understanding of the material, I've still never gotten around to really trying to write my own inductions. I won't go into the several reasons for this. But with the DVD lectures and demonstrations freshly watched, it seems my unconscious mind started to integrate and utilize the last few bits of information I was lacking/neglecting.

( Continued... )

I've had Omegle open in a tab for a couple of days, meaning to try it out. So tonight, after a couple of hours in Toon Town with psychmaj , Captain Sparklepoof was tending her garden before logging out, and I decided to finally open an Omegle chat.

This is what happened:


Oh well.

ETA: Take 2:


Do I smell funny?

I just noticed that a particular LJ had fairly prominent tags reading "depression," "bullying," "loss." This person is an Internet friend of mine, and I immediately got wibbly: "Oh, poor honey..." and started wishing I could help somehow. (It should also be noted that I have a fierce protective streak: thou shalt not mess with a close friend or family member of mine, lest you face my wrath.)

Spontaneously, I found myself saying (aloud, even though I'm alone in the house tonight), "I think that's what I'm most worried about with this move into therapy/psychology: that I'm going to get involved, too emotional. I don't know if I'm going to be able to remain detached, objective." Which I found very odd, even as I was saying it; because in high school, when I rejected therapy as a possible career option, it was because I didn't want to "sit around listening to people whine about their problems" - I didn't care.

( Continued... )

A very happy birthday to bohemian_weasel, one of the most talented artistes I've ever known! (And she created the ButMadNNW icon used on this post for me a few years ago.)

My dearest weasel, I wish you the happiest of birthdays. For being a good friend, for being an attentive ear and a comfortable shoulder, for being you, you deserve every joy life can bring your way. I count myself lucky for knowing you.

And, on an amusing note, it's rather fitting that I got the notification about your birthday just now, because look what I just came across in my PhotoBucket:



Remember when I had one of my Sims paint your V painting? ;-D

Follow me on Twitter at your own peril. A (mild) spammer started doing so, and I actually clicked a link he tweeted, which resulted in this tweet going out from me:

Just read http://bit.ly/O9p21 - Okay points, but 3rd(?) grade writing, paragraph construction. Lack of flow, tedious repetition.

If you don't believe me, go read it. EVERY paragraph follows the structure:

• This is my point.
• This is my argument for my point.
• Now I'm going to restate my point in the exact same words.

I learned to write like that in elementary school, and I'm pretty sure I'm right that it was in the 3rd grade. And WHAT is with all the repeated use of "working from home"? SEO: you're overdoing it.

I started going back and forth about this with kristenmchugh22 (and, seriously, if you're on Twitter, follow her. She rocks. And she blogs slightly more frequently than I've done lately.), which eventually resulted in:

ButMadNNW: @kristenmchugh22 I'm tempted to rewrite/edit it and post my version to my LJ. ;-)

kristenmchugh22: @ButMadNNW I would totally do that. Just for the sake of actually getting the info out properly. ;)

I'm betting I can make it a more interesting read with, actually, just some fine-tune editing and very little rewriting. Let's see if I'm right.

( Continued )

(And just to be clear: I am not taking credit for the original writing, only for the editing I performed. Please don't sue me for plagiarism. You have full rights to the original writing. I totally agree. In fact, do you want to post my edited version? Go ahead. First one's free: if you want me to tweak any of your future writings, I'll need to see a contract. ;-) Hell, I copy edit like this for UncommonHelp.me, but Mark Tyrrell [who doesn't need such extensive changes!] still retains copyright; I'm just the editor.)

So, um, hi.

*shuffles some papers, neatening and straightening*

*stands in middle of room, one arm akimbo, the other hand scratching distractedly at the back of her head as she glances around*

*realizes she should say something, now she's here*

Okay, okay, I know! It's been over a month since I last posted anything. I'm behind on the run logs, etc. By way of explanation:

• I've been working literally 7 days a week: M-F at the temp gig (yup, that's still going *relieved*), weekends at the bead shop.
• I started grad school - decided to bite the bullet and do something about this fascination with psychology that's been "plaguing" me. ;-)
• LSA, the furboys, and I are moving to Minnesota in a couple of weeks (so packing, etc.).

And the last bit of explanation is an exciting bit of news! (Not that grad school, employment, and moving aren't exciting... Well, maybe not the actual process of moving. :-P) I didn't want to jinx it, so didn't want to say anything here until details were finalized. And then I plumb forgot to say anything due to busyness.

( Okay, I went long (quelle surprise), so let's do a cut... )

Being a runner means...

• Combining errands - "Crap. I forgot I need more sandwich bags. But if I go back, I won't have time to run tonight. ...! Y'know, the grocery store is about a mile from the house..."
• Running to the store - in the literal sense!
• Not caring that you're wearing slightly ratty clothes in public - running is sweat. If you're wearing haute couture, you're either not running right, or you have really screwy priorities.
• Loading the MP3 player based on one simple criterion - does it have a steady beat that will help me keep pace?
• Having a sweaty smell to one's person - and not caring who in the supermarket queue has noticed. "Hey, I exercised tonight. I did something good for my physical and mental health. What'd you do?"
• Wishing you'd thought to bring a backpack - because running with a grocery bag in your hand is really awkward!
• Stripping in the garage and scooting naked* through the house to a hot shower - hey, my clothes needed washing and LSA is out-of-state! ;-)
• Savoring chocolate milk as an edible gold medal awarded for your efforts

Struggled again on the last running 1/2 mile. But different terrain (uphill, sidewalk), and.... I'll get there. I just will. Hell, if you'd told me a year ago that I'd be able to run 1/2 mile without stopping (and do it again a few minutes later), I'd have laughed.

*(Okay, okay, I wasn't naked. I had a bathrobe.)

( Charts )

Yesterday was 18 weeks to the 5K!

LSA is in Minnesota. *sob* But that won't stop me running! (And yes, this was the first time I've run since my fall last Monday.)

Since I was running solo, I loaded some tunes on the little MP3 player I won ...gosh, over a year ago? longer?... when Uncommon Knowledge used my idea for a program. :-D A split ring and ball chain later, I had tunes around my neck, meaning music with no hip pack!

To cut down on gadgetry, I ditched the stopwatch and had BiM track my distance instead, for the first time. I attempted this:

• Jog 1/2 mile
• Walk 1/4 mile
• Jog 1/2 mile
• Walk 1/4 mile
• Jog 1/2 mile

Got through the first 1/2 mile handily ("Heyo Captain Jack" retains its title as World's Greatest Running Song - so long as you've reached that pace!), walked, repeated. Started struggling mightily on the last jogging 1/2 mile - stopped to walk a couple of times. So made myself keep running past the distance alert. Then, after some walking, I decided to see if I could manage another 1/2 mile. Made it 1/4.

But hey, I can definitely say that I ran 1.75+ miles!!

( Charts )

Yesterday was 19 weeks to the 5K!

And what did we learn tonight, ButMad?

Well, dear readers, we learned that Dusk + Running + Uneven Dirt Trails = Phenomenal FAIL!

LSA got held up by errands with her mom and the sun was setting by the time she got home. We went out running, anyway.

Upping our intervals, we attempted the schedule:

• Jog 5 min.
• Walk 3 min.
• Jog 8 min.(!)
• Walk 4.5 min.
• Jog 5 min.

Unbelievably, we managed.

But doesn't it just figure? With one minute to go in the final interval, just as I was about to say, "You know, I think this is too dangerous. It's too dark; we should probably stop running," I tripped and fell down flat.

OW!!!

I scraped up my left knee pretty badly. When my hands landed, they were likely saved from injury by my mobile phone (in my left hand) and the stopwatch (in my right). The phone's okay, but the stopwatch has battle scars. :-(

Nothing's broken (not even the electronics). I walked home - we stopped by the store to pick up a few groceries, antiseptic spray, and bandages. I'll live.

I said to LSA, "Well, I guess I really am a runner, now. Can't really call yourself a runner until you've injured yourself while running, huh?" ;-)

( Charts )

So I'm working this temp job at this company that makes automatic pool cleaners. I'm doing data entry, but the next row of desks over from me starts the call center for customer service/tech support. I'm allowed to listen to my MP3 player, so I usually set it on "All Tracks, Random" and let it go. Which means that everything has a chance to play, even podcasts and Audio Insights from Uncommon Knowledge. Also, I only put in one earphone, so I'm not taken completely by surprise if someone comes up behind me or so I can hear if my name is called.

I could not have planned what happened today:

Technician in the next row, to a customer on the phone: "What's your name?"

Roger, in my earphone, right on cue: "My name's Roger Elliott..."

*ButMad texts everyone she can think of who'd possibly be amused by this*

( I may be the only one amused by this next bit... )

I'd like to get through this wall now, kthxbai.

(Too much to do, and I must go to bed at a reasonable hour tonight. So that's all you get.)

( Charts" )

If there is one person or more on your friends list who makes your world a better place just because they exist and who you would not have met (in real life or not) without the internet, then post this same sentence in your journal.

(Got this from starrynights24 , who is one of those people.)

Well, sort of.

Did I ever say in here that I had registered at a staffing agency? Well, I did. And they FINALLY called me Friday.

So, as of Monday, I have a full-time temp gig, for at least a month! Data entry. Decent(ish) money.

*much relief*

I'm not a celiac, but I do suffer at least one food intolerance (monosodium glutamate [MSG] is the mortal enemy of all women in our family). So I know how important a weapon knowledge is, and how difficult it can be to get restaurant servers to understand the needs of the intolerant.

To that end, I thought I'd pass along this website created by someone I know, via a quote from the website itself:

"If you have Celiac (coeliac) disease or need gluten free food for any reason, use CeliacTravel.com to get essential facts, tips and tales to help maintain your special diet anywhere in the world - plus our super-popular (free) gluten free restaurant cards in 43 languages. Not only that, but you can enjoy a gluten free recipe every day with our Gluten Free Recipes Blog."

There's even a link to a mail-order blood test you can buy to get tested for what food intolerance(s) you suffer, if any.

If you can spare some shrapnel, please consider supporting the site with a donation. Failing that, at least pass on word of the site to your LJ/FB/MySpace/Twitter/whatever circle. Someone may know someone who would find this useful.

(If nothing else, at least read the story of Roger & Lyndsay's wedding day. Poor Roger! :-( )

I've got nothing.

( Charts )

Yesterday was 21 weeks to the 5K!

Had trouble with my calves cramping again. :-( They seized up at the halfway mark. I was determined to at least run the second 3-minute interval, and interestingly, this seemed to make the cramps subside somewhat. So I tried the second 5-minute interval. It hurt, but I did it.

And on the stumble home, I called dibs on the first shower. Hot water was very welcome. I think some BioFreeze before bed.

Hmm... Last run, I was fine. Last time I cramped up, it was after a day at the shop (as today was). I wonder if standing most of the day has something to do with this.

( Charts )

It's official: LSA and I are insane. I was up too late struggling with graduate school application paperwork, so I bowed out of running this morning and asked if we could go when LSA got home from the shop. Then went back to bed.

So soon after she got home, we went out and ran for the 3-minute, 5-minute, 3-minute intervals. Then, instead of the last 5-minute run interval, we walked up the OMG!hill - now, that was interesting! The first time we went up that hill, I had to stop and huff no fewer than three times. This time, I got all the way up it without stopping. I wouldn't call it "easy," but it's no longer insurmountable!

From the top of the OMG!hill, we walked down to the store, bought three gallons of chocolate milk (one gallon of cow juice, two of soy, in a total of six 1/2-gallon containers), bananas, and a couple other items. We then proceeded to carry all this the mile+ back to our house, up the only slightly less insane hill.

But boy! did that chocolate milk taste GOOD!

As an aside, I swear my metabolism has sped up, because I'm eating about the same amount as I have been, but have been getting hungry faster/more frequently than usual. And not "I could go for a snack" hungry, but "someone make me a sandwich!" hungry.

Oh, and I broke the 180 barrier for the first time in months! :-D So weight loss is finally happening!!

( Charts )