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Help, guys! I need to find a video/instruction guide online for Celtic or Irish dancing. I've been trying and trying, but all I find are videos to purchase! We need to choreograph our dance *today. (It's an Afro-Celtic song that my partner chose. Think lots of pipes and drums.) Help? Please?
Seal. Quiet, romantic, self-depreciating, hesitant.
What Is Your Animagus?
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I'm a seal. Okay. I can, um, deal withthat. LOL
Meanwhile, go me, still fully up to my goals!!! 6/9 DONE.
My parents are so funny - unable to keep a secret to save their *lives. Which is why I now know my graduation gift, 3 weeks early. LOL A new computer! Compaq Presario, 120 GB, 512 Ram, XP, DVD and rewritable CD. I am SO excited. 120GB! I'm at 9 now, man. I got this computer for my HS graduation, but, like, a year early. LOL So it's about 4.5 years old now. I can't wait to switch over all my stuff! People who have done this - can I just save my entire Sims folder onto a blank CD and install it that way so I don't lose my games? And does that go for other programs?
In yet another change of plans, I'm going home May 9, and daddy'll drive me back May 11. Joshy's next brace, the hinged one, won't go on until May 14, so it'd be hard to drive him down when his knee is still fully extended. So, keeping the theme of my entire college career going, I get to be in the car on my birthday. LOL At least I'm not 100% moving out on it again. That, my dears, sucks great big hairy donkey balls.
It should work out though. Last day of class is May 7, and my first final isn't until May 13. So, plenty of time. Better we decide this NOW than on, oh, May 8. <.g>
Now, I need to figure out what to get mom for Mother's Day. She informed me that actually, I already bought her something, Josh and I went in it together, and she loves it very much. And since I already know my birthday present (digital camera) and graduation gift (computer), my surprise can be what I got her. Lovely. <.g> Still want to get something else, though.
On page 6/9 now. One page left tonight! Go me!
Yes, damn it, this IS me writing my paper.
One day, we'll find out of that's true. LOL Meanwhile, anyone up for yelling/threatening/bribing me to write my paper? All such help appreciated.
Lady K found a neat name thing. Go check it out!
I was pretty amused that the characteristics for "Rina" fit me closer than the ones for my actual name do. For those who also use different names online, is it the same for you? Or am I just odd/cool that way? <.g> I guess I was just meant to be Rina.
I did it! I did it! I got my driver's license this afternoon!!!! I am so excited, I'm giddy. LOL This is so cool.
Also in exciting news, huge huge hugs to my sweet Lady K, who's turning 27 today. Everyone go wish her the happiest of birthdays, because no one deserves one more. : ) Love you, sweetie.
This is neat, man! You plug in your father's occupation, and find out what would likely happen with you.
You are a Box maker!
- A Snapshot of your life as it might have been in 1905
Education
You go to elementary school until you're 11 years old. You particularly enjoy learning cookery and needlework, although you find laundry work tedious as you do too much of it at home. Your parents don't want you to stay there as they need your help at home.
Career Prospects
At 15 you start work as a box maker, a job that you have seen advertised on the hoardings near your home. Hours are long, the work repetitive and you hate your boss – he never seems to reward your hard work. You need to stay in this job though to bring in enough money to bring up your children. You and your husband find it hard to make ends meet from both of your salaries.
Leisure Time
You save up and buy a bicycle and in fine weather you go on trips to the park on Sundays. You love a good sing-a-long at the music hall.
Living Conditions
When you start work you live on the premises in a crowded dormitory. When you marry you escape from the dormitory and move to your husband's lodgings – a room in a terraced house. You find it cheaper to do most of the shopping at the back door – fruit, vegetables and fish from carts but occasionally you splash out on luxuries from the grocer's shop. As a treat you sometimes buy fish and chips from the parade of shops near your home.
Marital Relations
You meet your husband at work and marry at 17. You have four children.
World War One
Your husband is reluctant to leave you to go to war, but in 1916 he is obliged to as it's illegal not to sign up. Your husband dies in the trenches as a private soldier in 1917 at the Battle of Passchendaele.
Interestingly, this is what I get if I go up socially.
You are a Lodging house keeper!
- A Snapshot of your life as it might have been in 1905
Education
You go to school until the age of 14 and then go into apprenticeship.
Career Prospects
You stay in the job all your life, you don't enjoy it. There's little prospect of promotion, but it's the only trade you know.
Leisure Time
You look forward to going away for a week once a year – you only get 10 days' holiday per year. Usually you take the train and stay in a boarding house by the sea. One day you go to church where you hear sermons about the importance of improving the conditions of the working poor. You get fired up by discussions in your dormitory about how campaigners are trying to improve women's rights and you join a march in London in 1907 to show your support.
Living Conditions
You board on your work premises in a dirty, cramped dormitory. This is a condition of the job. A severe system of "fines" for every minor offence at work takes money from your small salary and you have little left to spend on luxuries. You eat in the basement dining rooms, usually bread with cheese, jam or lard dripping. You don't usually have time to go outside in the day.
Marital Relations
You don't get married but are involved with various men throughout your life. When you get pregnant by a man you work with you have the baby aborted in secret.
After all these years, it still must be said.
Happy birthday, Ingo!
It's all I could think of when writing down dates in my notebooks today. And I think only Lady K gets it. <.g>
Hello, hello, my pretties! Back from home. Been back since last night, actually, but didn't have time to write then. <.g>
Weekend was good! Mostly. (Long live the berry-tini.) But we got through it. LOL highlights include:
Going out with Lissa to Oakbrook and Borders and driving us myself. Went great. We won't mention the, uh, incident in the Starbucks' parking lot. No person or vehicle was harmed during the day.
Getting two soap mags and sitting down with mom to call out spoilers. <.g>
Becoming addicted to jolly rancher jellybeans.
Getting graduation announcements mailed out. (Now I just need to *graduate.)
All in all, a fun weekend. Easter was stressy, with two grandmas and a great-grandmother over and not wanting to leave, but like I said, long live the berry-tini. It went a long way to keeping everyone's sanity. (Raspberry vodka and blackberry brandy, if you're curious, with a raspberry and blackberry on top. I added ginger ale to mine.)
It's so weird coming back here after all the noise and stuff of home. So quiet.
Found Buffy and Dawson series finale spoilers if anyone is curious. : )
Tomorrow, must research Queen Hepshutsit (or whatever her name is)'s reign. Wheeeeeee. LOL
Today has been such a bah day. It started out promising (finished report, got a B on an exam, got measured for cap and gown) and went downhill (fuckheads at Columbia said no). Now I'm down to one school I haven't heard from, here, and while I could call (and probably will tomorrow), I don't think I could handle the 50% chance of rejection today.
On the plus side, it's nice weather. For the moment, anyway. (Hey, I tried! LOL)
And the waiting game for grad school continues. Some days, I could just cry and cry.
But not today. Today it was a warm 85 degrees outside, and it was quite lovely. I plan to enjoy tomorrow'a foray into the 80s as well.
Well, Ihad considered posting more. About something, I'm sure. But right now? I'm gonna go eat dinner. Hot dogs and chili is sounding quite good to be now.
Krissy upgraded my MT! And now I attempt to figure out what exactly pings and trackbacks are, and how to do them. <.g> Let's give this a shot.
My parents are just too cute. <.g> Seriously. So, for my dad's 50th birthday earlier this month, one of his presents was that he could go pick out a new grill. He deliberated long and hard, and finally ordered one.
Mom: (calls dad on cell) The new family member has been delivered. He's in the backyard, and as far as I can see, seems to be playing nice with everyone.
Dad: Does he look more like me or you?
Mom: Oh, definitely takes after you.
<.giggle> So cute, man. So, yes, we have a new grill. Wheee!
What I just posted for Poli Sci:
Was anyone else watching CNN from about 1:20-2am this morning? I think it extended earlier and later, but that was the portion I caught, and I think it was the climax of it all.
CNN was following their non-embedded reporter, Brent Sadler, and his convoy of 7 cars into Tikrit. They had been informed by a schoolteacher that US coaltion forces were negotiating for a peaceful turnover of Tikrit, and it was absolutely safe for them to go in and see for themselves. So they did.
Unfortunately, as Brent said, "Tikrit is still very much in control by Hussein." They were stopped, told to see the governer for permission to film (which Brent scoffed at) and hightailed it out of town. They barreled through a checkpoint, amid automatic gunfire, filming and reporting the entire way. They got a few miles out, and then a car pulled along side them and started firing again. Their guard returned fire both times. No one in their car was injured, but another in the convoy had the rear windows shot out and someone in there had a head wound.
It was one of the most fascinating and scary things to watch. Amazing and scary that we can actually see all of this in real time. It's something I hadn't yet seen in this war, real warfare, and it was oddly real and still movie-like. It was absolutely riveting, a real nail biter, and I have to wonder if the CNN PTB weren't disappointed it didn't happen in a more accessible time of day. It would have been perfect for prime time on WarTV.
It sounds a jaded at the end, and I do wonder that. But I was also blown away by Brent and his bravery, and by the situation as a whole, and yes. It was amazing to see. I'm glad he came out of it okay.
Okay, probably time to step *away from the computer when webdesigning makes you cry. <.sigh> Ugh. I just have no creativity when it comes to putting things together. And when I do get an idea, I have no clue how to go about making it. I feel like such a loser right now. I'd say fuck it all, I'll just keep this same damn template and change the colors and pictures again, but I can't even make a header today. It all looks like crap. And I wanted to make little daisies for the sidebar, but I don't even want to attempt that right now, because Lord knows what they would end up looking like.
Ugh.
Hey, guys. Check out Kymberlie's Spring CD Swap. I think it's going to be so much fun. I signed up, and already chose most of the songs that'll go on mine. <.g> So, c'mon, join up too! It's gonna be a blast.
This is pretty cool. This is probably common knowledge, but I learned today that changes in barometric pressure can cause changes in your body. Like, every so often, I'll get these days where I feel anxious for no reason. I'll just wake up feeling weird. That could be a result of falling barometric pressure. It's also related to headaches. And Krissy, it can also affect fibromyalgia. I think I might start tracking mine and see if it relates.
Back to researching Queen Hatshepsut. She's SO cool.
1. What was the first band you saw in concert?
Technically, Kurth and Taylor in June of 1997, but that was a tiny little thing. First big concert was Backstreet Boys that August.
2. Who is your favorite artist/band now?
Ugh. I hate choosing favorites. I suppose nsync would have to be my answer. LOL I certainly focus the most on them, download most songs from them.
3. What's your favorite song?
I have so many, I don't know where to start. Becuase, Dave Clark Five. Just Like Romeo and Juliet, The Reflections. I'm trying to think of the ones that I NEED to stop and listen to. LOL Eleanor Rigby, the Beatles. Fire and Rain, James Tayor.
4. If you could play any instrument, what would it be?
The saxophone.
5. If you could meet any musical icon (past or present), who would it be and why?
Elvis, I think. He seemed like such a complex, talented man. I'd certainly love for him to sing for me.
There's just nothing like taking an exam while dizzy, nauseous, and shaking. So much fun! Despite that, I think it went great. My only objective was getting it finished (70 questions in 15 minutes, thank you very much), so imagine my surprise when I actually knew most of them. Only a handful I guessed on, even. My only worry is that I was shaking so much I didn't get all of the bubble filled in, but we did this experiment in Astronomy a few years back - as long as you get the middle of the circle, you're good. And I'm certain I managed that, so, yes. Good feeling about this exam I barely remember!
Then it turned out to be nearly 60 today and I slept right through it. <.g> Dance class was fun, though - I actually like this routine! (Student teachers make all the difference.) And then I came back here to back up some files on my harddrive. 190MB of nsync pictures, sounds, and other paraphanalia. Yikes. <.g>
When I rebooted my computer, AIM started to sign on, but then said I had the wrong password. It's a saved pw, it shouldn't ever change. So then I tried to type it in (I *think I know was it was), and that didn't work. So I asked it to remind me. Then I realized I don't remember what address I have set for this, and it might be one I deleted. ::whimper:: I love my HermOwnNinny. I don't want to get rid of it. <.sigh> Hope for the best, people.
edit: AUGHHHHH!!!!! I want my name! I want my buddy list! I am so sad right now. What could my pw be??? Krissy, did I ever tell you what it was? I've had this name for so long, I don't even remember what I used. This is so upsetting. <.sigh> I want my Hermione. NOW. I have two recoverable screennames on AOL, and neither is the one that would be associated with this name. Damn it all.
edit #2: It came back! And now I change my e-mail with this so I can find out my password. LOL
My boy is so cool! Mom called me today, put me on speaker phone. Josh had something he wanted to say. A knock-knock joke! It was so cool. He did it *perfectly. No cues from mom, just within the joke! Mom said he had this grin on his face as he said the punchline. I'm so proud of him! He's doing fantastically.
He also told mom he wanted to find egg surprises and have a video in his Easter Basket this year. It's SO cool, because he remembers the routine and everything. Yay for meaning!
He's also starting to put two words together. Blows me AWAY, man. Seriously. I heard him say, "Go," over break, and just, like, melted. He's so proud of himself. And he's getting better every day! His SLP is just awesome these days. Started rough, but so worth it. He's grown leaps and bounds with his vocal speech.
It's just all so exciting!
So I crawled into bed around 7:30 last night. Was warm and comfy and studying but tired at about 8. Ready to close my eyes, when....ring ring! And because I'd already gotten one call from a prospective subletter earlier, didn't want to ignore another. So answered the phone - it was my friend Lissa! Who I haven't talked to in months, but still has the knack for calling at the exact wrong time. <.g>
So we chatted for about half an hour, 45 minutes, I went back to bed, and was asleep by 9. Tried to wake up before 7. Crawled out of bed at 8. So, about 11 hours of sleep.
And now 2 hours to study for my Atmos exam! I think I know more than I think I do. I did okay on the practice test, I did well on the homework, I've read the book and my notes. There's really nothing more I can do, and after all this time it had to have sunk in. So I'm not too worried about it. Just want it over. LOL
I'm sure a smapping fool today. <.g>
So I decided to splurge ($21! It almost killed me to give the guy the money. I am SO cheap) and buy a pizza tonight. I ordered online, got green pepper and onion on all of it, with sausage on half. They delivered it, I opened it up, and thought, "Hmm. Are they cutting the green pepper in new ways?" Nope. This is what they gave me:
I hate green olives. Blech. So I have half onion and half onion and sausage. <.giggle>
My ninth *nsync story, man. Honestly, I don't think I've ever written this many in one fandom before. It's fun. The tenth will hopefully be done later this month.
But meanwhile, I present to you:
A Story No Longer About Lili Marlene (Remix). A remix of Betty Plotnick's story Lili Marlene in which Briahna is in love with Justin, Justin is in love right back, and Chris is a grouch. Timbertrick, PG.
Lili Marlene is one of my favorite stories, so if you only read one, *definitely that one. Love it.
(Alicia! Nydia! Stop lollygagging and give me stories to post for you guys!)
Now this is interesting. Remember Gary Hart? He was a senator in the 70s/80s, ran for president, and is considering another shot now.
Now he has his own blog.
It's certainly a great forum for getting ideas out there, while still seeming casual and hip and all that stuff they aim for. But it also seems like it could be kind of dangerous, too. LOL I don't know, I think I'm going to keep reading it, see where it goes.
Okay, yesterday? Not a good weather day. LOL
We start out bright and early in the morning. Severe storms brewing. I'm walking back to the apartment after my meeting, on the phone with mom. It's raining lightly. I get 3/4 of the way back, it rains a little harder. I say something to that effect to my mother. Then? Lightning, thunder, torrential downpour. I run, still on the phone, into a campus building - has a bunch of auditoriums and a little cafeteria. Mom's like, "Oh, I see the radar - a dot yellow just popped right over Urbana!" <.g> Yes, yes it did, and my drowned rat appearance backed me up on that. LOL It was so wild, though, mom hearing it just *start and then seeing it pop on the radar. I was laughing. <.g>
Then it got less fun, with the tornado warnings and severe storms that followed that afternoon/evening. I think we all know how much I hate severe weather, and it's a billion times worse when alone. Mom put up with me beautifully, I think. I kept calling, "They keep saying my town's name on the weather channel! With not good things!" Ultimately, we got very little of the storms, thanks in part, I think, to my bitching. The very wide column of storms broke just before it hit us, and the tails literally moved to clear a path around the town. <.g> So mommy-thoughts and bitching - a can't beat combination.
Now back to studying. At least yesterday's radars and stuff gave me lots of hands on practice studying for two of the chapters - on t'storms and tornadoes. <.g>
I think I need to make a photoblog. <.g> I want a good archive for my pretty things. LOL Here's my latest batch.
My white gardenia plant, Lucy Carolina.
The magnolia tree outside my living room window last night.
The magnolia tree today, bloomed.
Aren't they pretty? <.g>
Now this will be fun!
David Duchovny is going from Téa to Nia. According to the Hollywood Reporter, he'll play the love interest of Nia Vardalos in ''Connie and Carla,'' the ''My Big Fat Greek Wedding'' star's next film comedy, which she wrote and is producing. The movie starts shooting the first week of May under director Michael Lembeck (''The Santa Clause 2,'' TV's ''Friends'').
(from eonline)
Like Kymberlie, I tend to flock to any meme that's in sight. <.g>
1. What does your first name mean?
Who is like God?
2. What does your middle name mean?
Lily.
3. What does your last name mean?
Keeper of the State - Son of Harry
4. So what does your name mean when put together?
Lily, the son of Harry, is like God and is the Keeper of the State. <.g>
5. What would you have been named if you were the opposite gender?
I'm not sure, actually. Josh would have been Kimberly. <.g> 'Cause of Kimber, you know, from Jem.
6. Any other name oddities?
Mom wanted to name me Shelby, and Jim wanted to name me Mickey, and my name was ultimately a compromise.
1) Do you like your name?
I do, actually. It wasn't until college that I liked my full first name, even though it's what I had been called in school until 5th grade. (That's when I went to my nickname full time.) But I think my name is pretty now. Which doesn't stop me from going by my nickname or Rina fulltime, but I don't get growly when people use my full name. <.g>
2) What do you like best about it?
I like that there's a song attached to my first name. <.g> And my last name is totally unique. I don't like the Stewarts at all, but their last name is pretty nifty. That's the only reason I've kept it all these years.
3) What do you like least about it?
My last name does not fit in ANYTHING. Nothing. When I sign something, the line isn't long enough. When filling in scantrons for exams, the last 1-4 letters get cut off. It's SO annoying.
4) If you HAD to change your name (witness protection program, whatever), what would you want it to be?
I've always loved Aimee. My mom wanted to name me that, too.
eating strawberry ice cream with rainbow sprinkles mixed in, outside under a cloudless blue sky in springtime, and only dripping a little spoonful on your jeans. : )
