Happiness is Paper and Pencil

The Tester Pictures

2012-02-25T23:27:00.001-08:00

As requested.

Observation Writing

2012-02-18T00:14:00.000-08:00

This is mostly just a writing exercise, so don't expect too awesome of things.

Feb. 17th 9:03pm Barnes and Noble

- For the second time in as many weeks ____ and I have sat next to the same man with me in the same surprisingly squeaky chair. He seems to be of middle eastern descent, no accent, with thick black hair and wire framed glasses. He wears the same coat as last week, dark tan, hip length, and with large pockets. Isn't he hot wearing that inside? The store is by no means cold.

- Sitting near our little group but far enough away to not be a part of it is a bearded man of about forty or so. His brown beard has streaks of gray whilst his hair, under a yellow cap, dark gray and silver. Does he wear the cap to hide the discrepancy of colors on his head? He just now strode off, his bright blue windbreaker swishing. I do not think he is as friendly as his beard makes him out to be.

How to Knitting

2010-10-18T23:31:00.000-07:00

Want to learn how to do the basic knit and listen to some rock? Watch my video.

Turrible, Just Turrible

2010-10-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

As I said in my first post, I am terrible at keeping a blog. I had some ideas for posts but then I got sick and I can't remember any of those ideas.
Just turrible.
I went to the doctor on Friday, feeling really good about that. I was going to a doctor early instead of waiting until I was half dead and I was going to get medicine so I wouldn't progress to half dead state! Hurray!
Uh, no. It did not work out that way.
The doctors at the clinic (there were two working together for some reason) said they couldn't give me medicine yet b/c my upper respiratory was not infected yet. I tried telling them that even if it wasn't yet, it surely would be, I always get infected if I manage to catch the flu but they weren't really listening, lots of people to see after me.
So, I spent money to just hear that I can't have medicine yet.
Well guess what doctors?!
I am infected now but you can't bet your butt I won't be dragging myself in until I am minutes to death and you can cry and weep through apologies while I rasp out my last breath.
(this post was supposed to have very funny and cute pictures but I am too lightheaded to draw them)
Oh, you will be sorry then, you will be.
In the meantime I shall stay in bed, covered in blankets, surrounded by tissues, and being mournfully looked at by a dog that wants to go on a nice long walk. Only I won't be able to take him on that nice long walk, I will only be able to hobble down the stops and let him pee once before hobbling back up. I might not even change out of my penguin pajama pants.
One thing I have had time to reflect on though is that I don't get ill as often anymore as I used to as a child. I still get super car sick though, that is something I fear will never change.
I mean, I want to gag just thinking about how some people can read while sitting in the car. My partner can and when he told me I almost barfed. In fact, I almost barfed almost seventeen times just writing those last two sentences.
So, what does the rest of the day hold for me?
Well, my original plan was, if my throat didn't hurt too much and I didn't have the complexion of frozen mashed potatoes I was going to film a youtube video that was supposed to be up yesterday. And while my throat feels mostly okay (it is the coughing that is bothering me today) and my complexion is also okay-ish, at this time I feel like I would be unable to sit up long enough to say what I need to say, let alone edit it into my video.
Perhaps later I will feel peppier but I doubt it.
Perhaps I will manage to take a nice long nap but I doubt it. I already woke myself up twice last night from not being able to breathe.
Note to self: have partner pick up vicks on way home from work.
So back to watching youtube videos and trying to knit for a few seconds at a time until my arms get tired. Who knows, maybe I will shake things up a bit and plop on the couch and watch tv.
ADVENTURE.

Summer is Coming to an End

2010-09-05T16:56:00.000-07:00

Well, it is Labor Day weekend and for most that means the end of summer fun. Yup, this weekend is the last hurrah full of excessive drinking (every American holiday seems to involve some sort of alcohol), sun tans, and grilled dead animal flesh. Yum.

But for me on this Sunday it is just my animals and my lonesome self hanging out in the living room with the Poltergeist movie in the background.
Also in the background is my new hamster chewing on his cage, time to get him some of those hamster sticks and a mineral wheel, he already has a salt one. My partner and I adopted him last week from the same shelter where we adopted Max. Initially we set out to adopt a pair of bonded Siberians but once there, we saw big fat Hans and had to have him. Upon seeing the Siberians attack a shelter volunteer my partner promptly said "I don't want to go through that again." and moved on to look at other hamsters.

He was referring to our first pet together, a Siberian named Stalin. I miss that little guy. He was the smallest hamster in the cage at the pet store (this was before I realized that hamsters get dropped off at shelters/rescues) being picked on by other bigger hamsters.

Do not be fooled by his small size. I may or may not have given him a mustache.

Oh noes! Carol Ann was just sucked into the TV!
Anyway, back to Labor Day, this is the day most moms are double checking all of their children's school supplies, picking out their outfits, packing their lunches. This is the day when introverted kids get that horrible anxious feeling in their tummeh which will reach its peak Tuesday morning that will render them vomit y and weepy. Dads are...I'm not sure what Dads are doing.
I am happy that summer is ending. It is my least favorite season, my favorite being fall. It is the season of warm apple cider, jeans, jackets, rich colors, wonderful smells, and the perfect kind of temperature. Of course, living where I do, I won't be able to enjoy the cooler temps for another month or so. I guess I better go buy more razors.
Oh yeah, Poltergeist update, I stopped watching it, House Hunters all the way.

My Trip Through New England

2010-08-23T15:22:00.000-07:00

Last week I drove through New England and saw many things.
I saw a woman with a "I brake for lighthouses." bumper sticker. Unfortunately I couldn't snap a pic but I will do a drawing of it. Actually, it is an improvement on it. The original was no where this awesome.

I also saw this:

It was fun to stare at while riding in the car. *sarcasm

This one was even better:

Because nothing makes me want to get on a long distance travel bus more than a weird driver cartoon.

It wasn't all driving though, I made some phone calls:

Potato phone gets great reception.

Looked at some art:

What does that pear look like? It is on the tip of my....

But I also saw breathtaking scenery. My camera didn't do any of the views justice.

Arcadia National Park, Maine

View from Olana: Estate of artist Frederic Edwin Church (New York)

All in all, a great trip. I just wish it was longer.

My Shadow My Dog

2010-08-09T00:39:00.000-07:00

I have a shadow. You have a shadow. The major difference between our shadows is that mine is a dog.

Let me explain.

My dog is a shih tzu. Shih tzus are insecure lil buggers. He is very brave and independent most of the time, when going to go eat/drink in the dark, going on walks (unless it is dark and there is a lot of shadows), and playing with other dogs. He even barks at the bad guys in horror movies.

His problem is that he seems to be afraid of missing something spectacular if he doesn't follow my partner or myself all the time. I don't know what he has in mind as he patiently waits outside the bathroom while I shower. Will I scream and die? Will I open the door with my arms full of dog treats? Will there be fireworks?

I have even tried to show him that I am boring by walking from my bedroom to office, back to kitchen, to bedroom, and back to office but it didn't work. There he was, at my feet, trotting along happily, making sure to let me go in a room first, lest he goes in first and I end up changing my mind.

He is my loyal, anxious, lil Civil War veteran.

Oh, I guess I forgot to mention his full name is Colonel Max Dickerson. It is even on his collar.

The Colonel gets mad at me sometimes for getting up and walking around when he would rather be napping. He has attempted to seriously injure me....by weaving in and out of my feet while I carry things or am walking in a dimmed hallway. (I hate to turn on lights unless it is absolutely necessary. With Max trying to trip me all the time, I think it has become necessary to turn on the light to walk five feet down my hall.)

He may be trying to paralyze me, perhaps to make it easier to follow me around, but I still love him even if he loves my partner more. (More on that another time but I can say right now that he has never tripped him.)

Wal-mart: How It Makes Me Feel

2010-08-03T20:54:00.000-07:00

If you live in good old Americuh and have ever gone outside of your home you have seen a Wal-mart. You may have even entered one. You may even gone shopping there. Myself? I hate Wal-mart. If I listed all of the reasons, it would... well, it would take a very long time.
No, this post is how Wal-mart makes me feel on those rare occasions when I am forced to enter one of those cinder-block structures of despair.
I feel like I am dying.
Let me illustrate.

Is it just one thing about Wal-mart that gives me a raging headache, a touch of nausea, and a very distinct sense that the world is doing the cha-cha through space.
I know for a fact that the flourescent lights play a factor. They cover the whole ceiling, spaced mere inches apart I am guessing but I can not confirm that as any attempts to look at the ceiling renders me blind from the bright, white glare. I am affected so strongly by the lights because of my sensitive eyes but I don't it is just that. The lights are just too bright. If you stay in a Wal-mart long enough your skin will dry and harden like the outside of a hotdog on one of those rolling thing a ma bobs at the gas station.
Now Target, Target is all different. At Target I am able to browse for upwards of twenty minutes before the icky feelings start. I like Target.
Back to Wal-mart.
So, I am in Wal-mart, eyes half closed, clinging onto whoever I am with(s) arm, being dragged around the store when part two of Wal-mart's Operation: Inua Death. The sheer amount of stuff my light blinded little eyes to take in is astounding. Product, product everywhere. Racks as far as the eye can see of poorly stitched together clothes under two dollars, cheap power tools, guns, and toys made of lead.
Bright lights + over-stimulation = tired aching, dizzy me.
Darn you Wal-mart, Darn you to a really smelly landfill.
But considering your customer base, you probably wouldn't even notice it.

Random Thoughts

2010-07-28T23:07:00.000-07:00

These are my previous random thoughts videos on youtube.
Yes, I know in the first one I look teh funny and jerk around like I am on some sort of medication but I assure you, that was me just getting used to being in front of a camera.

My second:

I am rubbing my leg out of nervousness...I assure you.

Third installment:

Go to my channel and sub! It motivates me. When I go long without a new subscription I get super sad and want to stare at my ceiling all day thinking about how unfunny I am. You don't want me staring at a popcorn ceiling all day do you? POPCORN CEILING.

Let's Try This Again...

2010-07-28T22:51:00.000-07:00

So, this is my third attempt in roughly five years to start and maintain a blog. I am pretty sure I will stay commited to this one and not get super bored/depressed with it and update it on a fairly regular basis.

I do have a youtube channel so posts will either be either text or video. Yea technology! (and everyone that types "yeah" for "yea", get it right! It really makes all the difference.)