Need a Layout
I really need a new journal layout and I am so not in the mood to futz around with it myself (as I typically do). Anyone know where I can get a DW friendly layout that kind of has a ‘seasonal’ feel to it? Or even just something simple and different enough from mine?

I get in these moods where I need to change my journal layout (because I have no control over my life, but by gosh darn it I can control my journal layout!!) and typically change it once a month.

On livejournal, I’d FINALLY learned how to code the component layout (only took me like 4 years to figure all the ins and outs), and I’d make my own layouts with that theme (it was my fave) – so I do kind of miss THAT aspect of livejournal and wish it were one of the useable themes here, but I would never go back to livejournal – I love it here way too much!

Shopping
Y’know, for someone who said she never goes shopping AFTER thanksgiving, I sure as -H E Double Hockey Sticks- have been going a lot these last two weeks *headdesk*.

So my goal yesterday was to head home and finally get some gift wrapping done. I half succeeded. I walk in the door and my mom is practically begging me on her hands/knees to go to the store with her because she hasn’t had a chance to do any shopping yet. I actually didn’t mind, only because she wanted to go to one store and I needed to get something small for my aunt and uncle, whom I spend a lot of time with (and live next door). So, I took her, which made her quite happy (:

Thankfully, the two stores we went to (Marshalls and Kohls) weren’t packed at all and it was a pleasant experience – except that my mother talked my EAR OFF the entire ride to the stores and then the ride home – was about to run us off into a ditch :D! I did end up finding something really cute/nice for my aunt and I got my uncle something cheesy, but it’s the THOUGHT that counts, RIGHT? Right!

Then I did get home around 8pm, and somehow the time managed to fly to midnight in the blink of an eye and I only got about half my gifts wrapped – guess that is better than nothing.

World of Warcraft
Yeah, I know, I am a HUGE dork… but I can’t help love the game. I finally got my character to level 80 (my Tauren Druid)! What an accomplishment. Now, I am leveling her in an area that gives amazing gear – I am talking 150+ on my current stats for each of my items in just one or two quests. I have no clue why the drastic jump, but still pretty sweet. I also am leveling a second character (Blood Elf Warlock) and she’s at level 30 at the moment—I only play her when I don’t want to be social with my guild on the druid LOL. The druid is my ‘main’ character and I do really enjoy playing her.

I am counting down the ‘work’ HOURS now until I am officially out of here. I work 35 hours a week (1 hour lunch a day=40), so 35 next week and then tomorrow and Friday = 12.5 hours – so 52.5 hours left! HAHAHAH!

Wow, I am such a dork … I can admit it!

Writing/Reading
Just a quick note here on reading and writing – I fail at both. Ever since I hit my ‘goal’ for the year as far as reading goes, I have been such a slacker. I’ve picked up 2 books since my last one (which I updated on Goodreads but forgot to put on my list here on DW *note to do that*), and haven’t had any motivation to get into either one. I think my brain is telling me it is ‘done’ until the new year, and I am happy enough to let that happen since I surpassed my goal and am even SHOCKED I read as much as I did (it’s been so long).

I am still VERY interested in writing the novel I started a few weeks ago, but I do a lot of my writing in-between work at work, and since it’s been so busy lately, I haven’t gotten back to it in over a week. I am hoping that next week it is very quiet/dead around here and that I can get in some creative writing. I do get a little bit done when I am home, but between WoW and “dealing” with my insane family, and the holidays fast approaching … it’s been difficult.

Thankful For
And it has been WAY too long since I’ve done a thankful for, and there is a lot for me to be thankful for!

• That I have a job; even if it frustrates me half the time (what job doesn’t).


• That due to having said job, tomorrow will be my FINAL car payment and that baby will be MINE – I will own something that’s worth more than $1000 (though it’s probably not worth much more than that :D)!


• My wonderful family, whom I am so thankful for having and even more thankful that we’re close.


• My great friends – though few – are the best I could ever ask for. Thanks Trisha, Lorraine, Diane, Kam, Dazey, BL* and many others for being there for me through thick and thin, and not just thin. ♥


• Holiday lights and decorations – they’re so beautiful and often very creative. Yesterday on the way to the store we drove by a home that had Santa’s ass coming out of the chimney and he had a big sack of presents on his back – my mom died laughing when she saw it and I admit, it was pretty creative/funny.


• How giving some people really can be, and how much it means to those they are giving to.


• The efforts of humanitarians all over the world, who sometimes go into very unsafe regions of the world to help the peoples of that world. You are inspirational!


• To all of those who have given, and continue to give their lives for the freedoms that so many of us Americans take for granted—thank you for serving; you are never forgotten.


• To laughter – it heals, brings joy and is one of the best things in the world (next to coffee :D).


• That I am able to read and write, and have a decent education at my back; so many children out there don’t even half access to an education. I may not be a genius, but I’m not shlup either, so THANK YOU teachers of West Hartford and New Britain for your education.


• Twitter – It both educates and amuses me – a good mix.


• Dreamwidth – Where I can come and explore my thoughts, feelings and feel safe and happy doing so.


• Happiness – It’s not something to seek but comes naturally, and is the best ‘high’ in the world.


• That Crimmus is a week and a half away, YAY!

I am in the Dark black Area (and ironically, HARTFORD only has 10-20% outages, but West Hartford is at 97% outages!).

LOL Moments Yesterday
First one was just too cute, that those I have on FB probably saw the status. Around 12:15pm my mom calls me on her lunch break and is all upset. What is she upset about? The movie Titanic! This woman never watches TV.

When she was laid off last year for almost a year, she’d watch a bit here and there but it was always her Spanish novellas. Apparently though, she was hanging out with my dad for a bit when Titanic came on, and when he left to go to bed, she stayed up to watch it.

So, she calls me all upset that Leo did so much “to save her life and he still died.” Her words: “now that’s true love.” And how “Cal” was such a “jerk” and he didn’t deserve her, that he only cared about the diamond, and he was a jerk for pretending the child was his to save his own butt….”Hahaha. She was so damn cute. Ten years later, she realizes that Titanic is one sad and eff’d up movie (: BUT, it’s realistic (as realistic as a movie can be :D). Anyway, yeah … I so giggled after I hung up with her for a good twenty minutes.

The other LOL moment I had was with myself (and also posted it to FB). I was reading back over the blurb I posted yesterday, and came across this line: “Looking back out over the forest, she played with the hem of her shit a bit.” I actually laughed at loud when I came across that line; then edited it before anyone else could see it hahaha.

I am sure all of my writings have wonderful mistakes like that.

LinkedIn
Anyone have this? I get a lot of invites from students who come through the school, and then they go off to live their lives, but a lot of them send me an invitation to this. I never really thought about getting on a ‘professional’ social site—it doesn’t really appeal to me.

What are the benefits of it, other than connecting with people like these students (not all I want to connect with :D) and maybe connecting with others in my “field” (which isn’t all that glamorous). Just curious.

I received an invite today from a student I actually really liked; she was totally awesome. My FB is way too personal for me to ever add anyone from my ‘professional’ life to it (unless they were well aware of my quirkiness ‘outside’ the office—and that I swear occasionally online hahaha). So… thoughts? (:

Answer
I forgot to give you guys the answer to the Two Truths, One Lie. You guys are freakin’ AWESOME! Most of you got it right, and it is number #3—I am not left handed.

#1 is true—I can’t even watch people on TV in really tight spots, I start to hyperventilate. Sometimes I’ll be watching the history channel and they will be going into these very tight tunnels/crevices and I have to change the channel because I start to freak out and imagine all kinds of things (like it’s me in that tunnel).

I also hate crowded elevators and would rather wait until one comes that only has a person or two. I hate huge crowds (like when we went to NYC around Christmas last year and we had to plow through a “body roadblock” for 10 minutes—I was dying with each step). If I am in really tight spots, I refuse to go or do whatever is involved with said tight spot (like in Portugal everyone wanted to go on this ‘walk through’ a tunnel, and I refused to go because the entrance was way too small and I was already freaking out before even entering it).

#2 is true—I think that may have been the easiest one to guess because I’ve mentioned the languages a few times. I speak English, Spanish and my native tongue, Portuguese. I also took 3 years of Latin, and can write it when I put my mind to it (and read most of it and ‘understand’). It’s been 10 years though … so it’s getting rustier because I rarely use it.

Anyway – I’ve been rambling a lot lately, don’t know what is wrong with me. I mean, my entries are usually long, but I feel like they’re even longer these days – maybe? I dunno. (: Going to go read up. Have a great Tuesday!

I rarely do meme’s but I liked this and it so happen two friends on my list were doing it at the same time :D

Comment to this entry and I'll give you a letter. List ten things that you love that begin with that letter and then post that list on your journal.

kehleyr gave me the letter K, which is quite possibly the HARDEST! Hahaha :D

Kittens
Kindle App
Knowledge
Kites
Kaleidoscopes
Karma
Key chains
Koalas
Kayaks
Kabobs

And feline_scribe gave me the letter R. Okay, I lied, this one was harder.

Rain
Rainbows
Rabbits
Roses
Roaming
Rainforests
Reading
Recess (adults need this just as much as kids do)
Rings
Rambling

I was just asked if I wanted to go get my nails done after work today. My response?

“Hell no, I’d rather buy 4 books with that money…but thank you for the invitation.”

I never said I wasn’t a nerd. Plus, fake nails last 2 weeks—4 books last a lifetime. Choice isn’t difficult for me.

Priorities people!

I just posted up the poll for voting over at my photograghpy community--if you have a free moment and could stop by to vote, I'd greatly appreciate it (as well as the contestants) Here's the direct link. Huge thanks in advance! :D

So I thought I would do a poll today. (:

Got myself this necklace this past weekend at the Casino--I love it! :D

It has been a while since I went to Elizabeth Park to snap photos, but the park doesn’t change much (as they try to preserve the way it is). But, here are pictures I took a couple of years ago (and below the cut is a slideshow). It’s a really pretty park when everything is in bloom, especially the roses. :D

( Slideshow )

I don’t know why but I don’t have the passion for taking photos these days. I remember I used to always have my camera in hand, ready to shoot photos, but lately … meh. I think I just got tired of people being tired of me always carrying the camera around. Folks don’t like the hobby, so they’re always making comments and it’s just like, okay? It’s something I enjoy but go ahead and comment …but after a while it does get tiring so I just get ‘turned off’ I guess. Maybe one of these weekends I’ll feel up to it.

Plus, I just don’t like to take pictures of the same thing over and over. It’s why I like to go to new places, but then no one wants to go (even though they always complain they don’t go anywhere).

Anyway, I leave you with the prompt for today!

July 6th – The definition of insanity is repeating the same actions and expecting different results. What situations cause you to do this?

1 – Friendships: this is one is kind of given…but I always want to ‘assume’ the best of people, and they constantly let me down, but I keep hoping and keep approaching the friendship –but in the end, when I finally realize it’s a lost cause and this person is clearly not worth the friendship, I slap myself upside the head wondering why I wasted so much time on them (and I know the signs, but I just ignore them).

2 – The way that I approach being ‘healthier’. I would love to be able to keep a journal and track what I eat and try to eat healthier, but I keep approaching this the same way –if it’s in the fridge, great … if it’s not, eat whatever is. I do this over and over and then wonder why I don’t ‘feel’ healthier all the time … HMMMMM!

3 – I am sure there are lots of other things that I approach the same exact way every time, expecting something new to result and am let down. I just can’t think of them right now …

Happy Friday, everyone! It’s one of 2 remaining where I get out at 12:30 *cries* ahahah :D

The weather here has been quite glum for the last two days and today doesn’t look like it will be much better; which considering how tired I feel today, is bad. Ha! I love this weather when I am home and can cuddle in bed with my blankie (yes, I’m two) and a good book.

My friend mentioned that now I can get the Kindle without feeling too guilty and it’s true! So, I am probably going to get that baby with my first paycheck in July (with my new salary). I am trying to decide on what to do with books though … As I said, I have 80+ books ‘to read’ on my bookcase. So, I don’t know if I’ll buy books right away for the Kindle or wait until I cut through a bit of the books I have.

This morning, Mary brought in “healthy” donuts. They’re made with less sugar, soy milk, and some other ‘healthier’ ingredients than regular donuts … and they are a little bigger than the Dunkin Donut’s donut holes. They’re also pretty good for being “healthier” (though I am sure they still have their share of fat). I didn’t think of taking a photo of the box when it was full, and by the time I got one for myself, this is the one that was left …but it was pretty darn good. I put it next to my computer mouse at work so you could get an idea of how small they are.



Well, I am going to bizounce back to work. It’s a slow day today, which is nice … Hope everyone is having a great TGIF! :D

I love chicken quesadillas!

OMFG .. It is so good to have my home computer back (and it was only 3 days!). I have no clue where to even start, now that it's working again ... *lost* I want to do so much! The monitor is SHINY!



( Shinyyyy )

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the gym wasn't overly crowded once I got there. There were a handful of folks signing up at tables, but otherwise, it wasn't nuts. Signed up, and got right to my workout. It felt so great when I was done ... like I hadn't been gone at all.

On the way out, I got my usual shake for dinner and I just finished gobbling that all up.

The good, is that Trisha signed up with me, so I have a partner in crime. She can join me when I do the spinning classes since I hate doing those alone.

So, I am very happy that I signed back up ... I feel really good right now, and I actually missed going (it's only been 2 months, I'm such a dork).

Anyway ... Got home, took a quick shower, finished off my shake and now I am going to do a little gaming. I was going to make some icons, but I am not sure what to make, so I'll leave it for another day. I should finish my book today too, so w00ts!

I feel so productive ... ROFL! I am dork, I know. (:

This was yesterday’s journal prompt, but I had already posted and figured I could use it for today.

May 23rd – What do you fear?

Losing those I love the most to death. I know it is inevitable, but it’s a huge fear of mine … just writing the words sends my heart beating like crazy in my chest with anxiety about it. I lost someone very important to me a few years ago, and I still feel his loss. I feel horrible for saying this, but I try not to think of him so I don’t have to deal with the pain—I know, I’m going to hell. I am pretty good at ‘ignoring’ things…

Death pretty much is just an overall fear. Having no idea what happens after this life, other than what I learned in Sunday school (and there’s no proof, so well, it’s all up in the air for me). I’d love to believe there’s a place we go after this. I like to believe that it’s not necessarily heaven or hell, but an extension of this life, on another ‘plane’ of existence. That is what I would LIKE to believe, but without concrete proof of what is out there—it scares the absolute crap out of me.

I seriously have nervous breakdowns when I think about it too much … so again, I try not really think about it; that whole ‘good at ignoring’ things. :D

May 24th – What goals have you set for the coming three months?

– Sign back up at the gym; which is happening tomorrow (they are offering a ‘deal’ between 3pm-8pm).
– Then go to said gym at least 3x a week.
– Enjoy my summer as much as possible, within the limits of gas pricing (which will hopefully go down at some point). Speaking of gas; I love (sarcasm) when the barrel price goes up, they are out there every day raising the gas prices … the barrel price has been down for over 3 weeks now and the price is still as it was 3 weeks ago. Fucking BULLSHIT. /rant
– Spend as much time as possible with those who are my real friends and my family.
– Read at least 15 books.
– Maybe get myself a Kindle … and some e-books to read. I was actually looking at it last night and I noticed that many of the books I wanted to get were the SAME price as the paperback version. So, I stopped myself from getting the kindle; must think some more. Biggest reason for me getting it was thinking I’d save money on the e-version versus the ‘in my hands’ version.
– Just be content with my life and embrace every moment of it (which is my lifetime goal).

I love TED. They often have some truly great videos and this, I thought, was one of them. It's great how he presented his thoughts on the big picture of Global growth/development with possible hopes for the future; very creative.

So, what does one do when they cannot sleep? They watch X-Files! Okay, Okay ... I watch X-Files.

I just finished Season 1 Episode 9: Space.

The episode starts with a news broadcast of the first images coming in from Mars; and one in particular the "face" of Mars. The news reporter claims there's already speculation of alien activity, but a spokesperson for NASA, Colonel Belt, denies any alien activity on Mars.

Later, in bed, Colonel Belt is visited by the "face" of Mars in some type of delusional moment.

We then cut to Mulder and Scully being contacted by a different Nasa Staff person, Michelle (played by Susanna Thompson--Who played one of Gibb's girlfriends in NCIS. I knew I recognized her!).

Michelle feels that someone is trying to sabotage the space shuttle and was sent some type of proof in the mail; she pleads that Scully and Mulder look into it since it has 'unknown' and 'suspicious' activity written all over it.

Yet, when the shuttle takes off without a hitch, and questioning the employees around Nasa leads them to believe it was just a fluke, they prepare to leave. At least Mulder got to meet his astronaut hero, Colonel Belt.

Michelle tracks them down again, to inform them something has gone wrong and they have lost contact with the shuttle; it seems someone is preventing them from communicating.

While Mulder is being asked to question his faith in Colonel Belt (by Scully's scientific approach), more things go wrong with the shuttle mission. The Mars "face" keeps popping up unexpectedly and more 'weirdness' is going on than can be fully explained, and what the hell is obviously wrong with Colonel Belt?

Mulder and Scully must figure out the mystery behind all that is happening with the shuttle mission, but will they have time to save the crew?

---

This episode was interesting to say the least. There was one moment where I questioned Mulder's acting skill and I had to slap myself silly--must have been my exhaustion. Otherwise, it was intense and somehow, I don't remember the episode, so it had me on the 'edge' of my seat.

I suppose the episode could be believable also... What better way to control humanity's exploration of space, than to take over the head of the space program? Yet, in all of the episodes, I don't know if 'possession' was another quality they let the aliens have. Would be kind of creepy, if aliens could take over humans, huh? (: [Wait I lied, I remember a few more 'possession' type episodes.]

Best line of the episode was when Mulder said: "Can't believe how much faith we put into machines." I often think this myself, and it's so true.

In a thought, not related to x-files, but related to the episode ... I would love it if we could figure out light-speed travel. I'd be one of the first people to sign up to go out into space and see what's out there, even with all the risks. It would be the damn trip of a lifetime (even if we didn't get far). It won't happen in my lifetime, but I can keep hoping (:

Thanks to the_lighthouse, who shared this link with me, I got myself a new sexy layout (found over at Kill Brainz on Livejournal), and some others lined up for when I get bored of the current one.

My only problem right now, is figuring out why my subject line isn't showing up in the entries and why user names aren't showing up on the friend's page next to entries (both issues, not that big of a deal). Other than that, I am loving the layout.

This did make me realize one thing though; as much as I'd love to completely get rid of my livejournal account and not have to deal with it at all, it's not that easy. Hopefully, as dreamwidth grows a little more, and we get some more creative folks over on the dark side, I'll be able to get rid of lj for good.

It's almost 7am, and I am still awake. Please do not ask me why or how, I do not know myself. I am going to try and stay awake the whole day, but that most likely will not happen. My sleeping issues are obviously still around (it's either too much sleep or not enough--FML).

Long Live The Machine.

(I have decided to re-watch x-files from beginning to end, and thanks to Netflix I can. I have been 'slowly' making my way through season 1. I just watched this episode and figured I'd write a blurb about it).

Season 1 Episode 7 - The Ghost in the Machine.

In this episode, Mulder and Scully are called onto a case by an old partner of Mulder's. He needs Mulder's keen eye and investigative skill, to get himself out of a hole he seems to have found himself in from a previous case.

Mulder agrees to help out an old friend/partner, and even when this said friend steals his profile of the 'killer', Mulder and Scully stay on.

A CEO is murdered in his office building, by what seems to be sabotage of the main computer/security system of the building. They can't figure out how someone overrode the controls manually, and when the 'officer' on duty says it would be a short list, he means it.

The only one who could hack into the system to cause the malfunction, also happens to have the biggest motive against the murdered man; the designer of the system.

Mulder and Scully question him, but something doesn't quite fit. When Mulder proposes to Scully that his 'computer/security system' is "Alive", she scoffs and thinks it's a sad attempt by the designer to get out of murder charges; and that Mulder is distraught by his recent loss.

Yet, that very night her own computer gets hacked into, and it's traced back to the building where the murder took place. Mulder and Scully venture into the building, with the assistance of the designer, in the hopes of putting whatever is going on, to an end.

Brandon and I were talking about it, and it amuses us how these really old episodes used to have us on the edge of our seats when we were younger. This episode was entertaining enough, and perhaps not as 'edge of the seat' because I have seen it a million times in the past.

I think that the episode had an interesting premise, and if you have an open enough mind (kind of the purpose of the show, no?), it can be believable. As always with the show, there seems to be some kind of underlining conspiracy with the plot, and the conspiracy in this one was also believable.

As usual, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson have excellent chemistry, even this early on in the show. It's no wonder it went on for as long as it did (wish it had been longer!). Dana's scientific mind, matched with Fox's imaginative one, add an interesting balance to the show, and it's seen in this episode as with the others.

I am such a huge dork. We have wifi at my job (of course, it’s a school). But it never dawned on me to connect to it on my iPhone (yeah, me ‘tupid). Well today I was like, what the hell… I can be connected to the wifi instead of using my bandwith on my plan, rofl. So I finally became a smart cookie and connected to it (which will automatically happen when I get to work now). Gosh, sometimes I am SO SLOW!

Speaking of absolutely SLOW … work has been so slow today. I had very little to do, and almost no one is here today. So (as you will see from my tweets later), I’ve been busy surfing the informational wave. I have come across some shocking news, interesting news, ‘fun’ news … so much out there to learn.

Like, did you know that our male species (think far offffff ancestor) had spines on their penis? But then lost them via evolution…BUT, chimps still have them? Those of you on my FB got the pleasure of seeing that article (here’s the link to it). Can you imagine your male partner with spines on their penis? (Small enough to cause pleasure, BUT could also cause damage during ‘rough’ sex). The things I learn! Ha.

And contrary to Brandon’s belief, I did not go seeking out this type of article; it was on the front page of discovery.com! Okay! The other articles I came across will be on my tweet feed later, rofl. No point in sharing TWICE.

So yes, this morning has been spent surfing websites like cnn.com, discovery.com, history.com, bbc.com, life.com … etc. Sometimes I do like slow days, I learn so much (: -- Or get really pissed off from certain articles (mostly those on cnn or bbc).

Today, since I was driving relatively slow ... I took some photos on my ride into work. It doesn't look too bad, but there were some slick spots due to them not salting the night before, and all the snow fell atop iced areas. This first photo though (x-posted to my photo community), was taken last...but I like it, so it's first. :D


1. Deathcicles



2. Having just left my driveway - my street



3.



( four through seven )