I was all set to bitch at being at work at 7:00 (well, 8 now) on a *Saturday* morning, but that was before I touched almost 20 of my tickets in an hour. Woohoo for productivity. Besides, if I start whining and feeling sorry for myself, I'll never get out of here, and you know, it's not like they MADE me do this. I'm doing this to keep myself out of trouble, because I am just so fucking swamped. So, instead of feeling sorry for myself, I'm actually (and surprisingly) VERY glad I did this. Yay me.
ANYway.
My random comment for an early Saturday morning at work:
It is very disconcerting to take the first sip of a soda which has ice crystals in it...because it feels like you're drinking liquid with some sort of bugs in it.
Ew.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Make this week go away, please. Thirteen new tickets in two days, most of those between the hours of 5 and 7am. Can't I just be done now, please? :)
So, to distract me from work for a few minutes, so I don't go killing clients, here's a Thursday Threesome for May 29th.
Onesome: Ain't- There's a lot of slang floating around out there. Some of it has even found its way into the dictionary. Is there any one word that you find more annoying than others? That you just wish would fall off the face of the planet, never to be heard again?
Oh god. I can't pick just one word--the whole AOLer-speak drives me nuts. l8r, str8, U R ky00t, tonite...and the whole l33t sp33k thing just drives me fucking batshit. Strictly speaking, a lot of it isn't slang because they're real words (mostly), but most of my communication is done through a type-written medium, whether it be books, email, blogging, MUSHing, so I guess I still consider it slang. I think a lot of that goes hand in hand with the next question, too. I'm not an English major, I never was, but it bothers me to see the language butchered (as I see it) like that.
Twosome: It- It's/Its, they're/their/there. Just a few of the most commonly misspelled words in the English language. So the question is, when you blog, do you worry about grammar, punctuation and spelling? If you notice a typo do you go back and edit? Or do you shrug it off because everyone makes typos?
Yes, I do care about grammar, punctuation, and spelling. If I make a typo, I generally go back and edit--there's only one post I can think of where I haven't done that. In general, I'm careful about my typing *as* I make the post, so that I don't have to go back and edit later. Spell check is your friend. I don't ever shrug that stuff off, more because I feel a sense of pride in what I write, so to speak, and I can't if it's full of bad grammar and typos. Yeah, everyone makes them, and that's cool, but I don't like them in *my* work. Make sense?
Threesome: Purty?- Purty/pretty, crick/creek, warsh/wash. All common pronunciations, whether they sound pretty or not. And one is mispronounced. What's one commonly mispronounced word that just drives you nuts?
Ack, all of the above, that's a good start. I don't hear 'warsh' nearly as much now that I'm not in Utah. The one that really annoys me is the nukeyouler/nuclear thing, but I think that one tweaks everybody.
Ever have one of those days where you have just one negative thought, or you read something you shouldn't have (all the while having those 'why the fuck am I doing this' thoughts), or someone says something to you that you take the wrong way (and KNOW you're doing it), and that starts this long, downward spiral in which everything turns negative and you can't possibly think anything *but* negative thoughts, and can't find a way to break out of it, even if you purposefully talk to people who can usually get you out of moods like that?
Yeah, me too.
Like, say, today.
This or That, 5/27/03
1. Do you prefer silence or do you like background sound (music, TV, etc)? Background sound, most often music, but TV when Brett is off at NERO. I also need background sound and occasionally music to fall asleep.
2. Bathe/shower in morning or evening? Shower in the morning, most often, but I've also been showering in the late afternoon/early evening because it's starting to get warm again, and our apartment is just so freaking HOT.
3. Sleeping in complete darkness, or with a nightlight on? I'd like to be able to sleep in complete darkness--would rather do so. We're right off a parking lot, though, so we get streetlight glare...and there's nowhere to find complete darkness in this highly urban area unless you have no windows.
4. Lay out clothes the night before, or just grab what's closest in the morning? Grab what's closest in the morning. Laying out clothes is just too organized. :)
5. Hang up/fold clothes neatly, or just toss them wherever? Uh. Well. Considering the pile of unfolded laundry in the bedroom...?
6. Work out at a gym, or at home on your own (or do you not bother with exercise)? At home (sort of) on my own. The skating thing, you know.
7. Talk on the phone, or via IM/e-mail? Email, unless with my mom, then phone.
8. Are you usually on time, or late? I am obsessive about being on time, and usually get places early (thus I am at work at 4:40am when my shift does not start til 5). I think the only thing I hate more than being late is throwing up.
9. Spendthrift or frugal? I *try* to be frugal. Doesn't necessarily work.
10. Thought-Provoking Question of the Week: You work with someone who is not in the habit of bathing regularly. The smell seems to be getting worse and worse! Would you: 1. try to do something about it, or 2. try to grin and bear it? If you said 1, what would you do? Erg. Well. Funnily enough, something like this has happened to me...more than once. Since there are no windows to open here, though, I'd either say something about it, ask Nasser to say something about it, or start bringing in homemade soap--hinthint! :) (Want more? See under the cut.)
The remainder of the answer to question 10:
When I was working in Seattle, I worked swing shift for awhile, til some guy pulled a gun on a bus I was riding home one night, and a woman got mugged at the bus stop one up from mine downtown. Anyway, one of the women who worked on the swing shift with us was...well. Fragrant. A few people complained, but it was mostly all of us just grousing, because we never had the balls to do anything about it. One night, though, I had to sit at her desk, and by the time I left, I just felt totally unclean. The keyboard was brown, there was an oil spot on the back of the chair from her hair when she leaned back, and the whole cube just carried this aura of...ew. So, I went to my boss and asked her to bring it up--which she did, but it never worked. I guess Carol was one of those people who was just stinky. That or she never bothered to shower even after being asked to.
I've also mentioned this before, but wow, the first people I lived with when I moved out here. At first, it wasn't that big a deal, but then we gained another roommate. In the five months that I lived there while he was there, he only showered twice, and I have no idea whether he washed his clothes. Brian (mysticmoose over on LJ) might remember Joel from the Thanksgiving at Lynette and Bobby's--he mentioned later how the guy's jeans seemed sort of...crusty. I guess I should also mention the hair that was practically down to the guy's butt, plus the straggly beard, eh? The two times he showered, he did so because one of our other roommates reminded him to. I still can't fathom why someone would have to REMIND you to shower...I mean, basic hygiene? Ew. He slept on a couch I'd brought with me when I moved from Seattle...which I didn't take with me when I left. I never did anything about this one, though, because I felt like my position at the apartment was kind of tenuous, at best, and I really didn't want to lose what living space I had down here. When I had a chance to leave in February (after smelly boy's equally stinky and unwilling to shower girlfriend had arrived), I was out of there like a shot.
Funnily enough, when I moved in with other roommates in February, it was so I could work to get money to move back to Seattle. I met Brett about a year and a half later. Divine intervention?
I think the new photography techniques are sort of working...sort of. Lots of light is the key, I think, but I think it needs to be direct overhead light, from more than just a flashlight, and the sun only sort of filtering through the window.
Anyway, more jewelry picture links below the cut.
This will be Andrea's bridesmaid gift (to go into the jewelry box):
http://www.filidh.org/~nimiriel/pics/andreaset1.jpg
http://www.filidh.org/~nimiriel/pics/andreaset2.jpg
Something I made for myself, to go with a blouse I've got:
http://www.filidh.org/~nimiriel/pics/purplewhitebrac.jpg
http://www.filidh.org/~nimiriel/pics/purplewhitebrac2.jpg
A fun bracelet made with charms and jump rings:
http://www.filidh.org/~nimiriel/pics/irishbrac.jpg
A necklace I made from some of the beads that my friend Sarah sent me from Nepal:
http://www.filidh.org/~nimiriel/pics/grblprnklc.jpg
http://www.filidh.org/~nimiriel/pics/grblprnklc2.jpg
I like some of these surveys, because they make me think. I like some of them, like this one, because they make me take a trip down memory lane, sort of. Thanks to chamois_shimi at livejournal.
1. When did you first connect ("go online"), and how?
The summer I turned 15, which would've been 1987, via 1200 baud modem onto some various bulletin boards in North Carolina. I've actually written about this before, it's my stepmom's fault that I'm online, see this URL: http://www.filidh.org/~nimiriel/writing/online.html
2. What was your first communications program?
Telex.
3. When did you first chat over the Internet, and how?
On a BBS called Lower Lights, in 1991. That's where I met my ex-husband (boo), but also met the person who is the absolute dearest and closest friend I've ever had--and still have (yay).
4. What chat type program(s) do you use now?
Yahoo Messenger and MSN Messenger, both exclusively at work. Oh, and MUSH.
5. Who was your first service provider?
xmission.
6. Did you ever use AOL?
Nope, but they really REALLY want me to. What's that? Oh, you get that metric assload of CDs offering free hours too?
7. Do you admit using AOL in public?
Don't have to. :)
8. Who is your current ISP?
I have DSL, so it's with this company called Broadband Now, which is the ONLY DSL company that will serve this apartment complex. It sucks.
9. What was the first computer that you used to access the 'net?
Hrm. The 'Net specifically, and not the BBS system that I used to call. That'd be the computer I had for the job at the University of Utah. I have no idea what it was.
10. What computer do you use to access the 'net today?
My spiffy new Dell.
11. What was your first 'net handle?
Don't laugh: Sweet Savage. My stepmom got a good cackle out of that (Ellie (she called him that rather than Alex), do you know what your 14 year old daughter just chose as a handle?!), and I really chose it because I had this monstro crush on Rick Savage of Def Leppard.
12. Did you use any other handles for any length of time? If so, what were they?
I used destiny for awhile, also Poledra, Bregalad, and Anduril.
13. What 'net handle do you normally use now?
Nimiriel. God help me, I will never be rid of it. :)
14. Are you active on any Web sites other than LJ?
Active on websites? Not really...though I do a lot with theknot.com lately, because they're just so awesome. Yay, wedding planning stuff.
It's not quite like riding a bike, to be sure. But practice does make perfect...eventually.
We went out skating again today, and I had a MUCH better time of it today than last week. The wind was blowing pretty hard, so there was no real chance to get overheated, and it was late enough in the day that there was a lot of shade at the back of the parking lot.
My feet still hurt a bit, and I need to wear better socks, but...I had fun. And it'll be nice to go out tomorrow or Wednesday after work. Maybe one of these days I'll manage more than half an hour or so.
Grabbed this from khanyar over on livejournal--one of the questions asks whether you'll post the survey in your LJ, but since I'm not using LJ anymore... here it is. :) Yay, lemmings.
Age:
Reason for lj username:
Do you enjoy reading my lj/blog:
Why:
Interesting fact about you:
Weird fact about you:
Quote:
Will you post this in your lj/blog:
If you saw me out in the streets would you say hi:
Suggest a community for me to add:
Why:
Suggest a friend for me to add or a new blog for me to read:
Why:
I've had issues with my weight for as long as I can remember, but it hasn't been my *whole* life. No, there was a year or two there as a toddler when I suppose it wasn't a problem. Suffice it to say that my weight has always been a sensitive issue with me.
It made me the subject of many jokes in elementary/junior high ("sorry bubblebutt, I mean, girl, I mean, bubblebutt girl"), and even in high school to some extent, even if, when I look back on those pictures taken during those years now I always think about how thin I look.
I haven't done anything about it, really--I always start thinking I should, and even start *planning* to do something, and I get all motivated to DO that something, but there is always something that stops me. It's always *me*, always something I think or react to, but the end result is the same--I never do shit. I start it, do stuff once or twice, and that's all. Some of it's laziness, some of it's external, but there's always something.
I keep hearing about all this size-positive stuff, and how we are more inclined to change our bodies if we first love and understand them as they are. I say: what the fuck ever. The things that always have me changing my mind or losing my motivation are usually throw-away comments by people, things they never think about after they've said, but always just seem to echo in *my* head.
Today, I had one such moment.
We were at REI, had only gone to get another set of knee pads for me (bigger, go figure), and another pair of gloves for him. I hate REI most of the time anyway--it's all these athletic, outdoorsy types who look at me, the fat woman, as if I'm some kind of alien trespassing on hallowed ground. You can almost see the thought as it goes through their minds: "oh my god, what is SHE doing in here?" They all look at me, and look away quickly, thinking that it doesn't show on their faces if they're quick to look aawy, but...it shows.
So, when this two-item trip turns into 'oh, I want to look at a few other things,' I can't help but cringe. We head over to the sleeping bags, where Brett is looking at a new mummy-type bag he wants. After he's done looking, as we start to move away, we see a conventional type of bag on the 'try before you buy' table. Brett mentions that he thinks he wants to get me something like this "because..........................you know." I look at him, and the silence stretches for a moment before I finally nod. "I know," I said, knowing ALL too well. "I just think," he continues, "that these will be better. I think you'll be uncomfortable in a mummy bag..........because of the way it tapers."
I say nothing, because to say what I'm really thinking and feeling would be to cause myself to burst into tears in the middle of the store. We leave, and hours later, that scene is still in my mind.
And so are the words I wanted to say. "Look, just SAY it, okay? Say I'm too fucking fat to want to be in a mummy bag and have done, jesus christ. The awkward pauses and the 'you knows' say what you really mean all too well, so why don't you just SAY IT. Maybe it'll make you feel better."
It's this sort of thing that makes me lose that motivation that I sometimes manage to get. It's a catch-22, you know. I look at myself in the mirror at work, or catch a glimpse of the shadow of my ass in the bathroom in the morning, and I always think that today, this week, this month, this YEAR will be different. Today I'll ignore the sugar cravings, and I'll get up off my ass and actually go to the gym and walk on the treadmill, or take a walk outside, or start lifting weights...or start skating. Something, anything to change this body image that I am so unhappy with.
Yes, I know the health issues. Yes, I know the self-esteem issues, because I've dealt with that shit all my life. But tell me something...how do you keep that motivation, when every time you look at yourself in the mirror, or every time someone makes what they think is going to be a throw-away comment, or every time something *else* like that happens...how do you keep that motivation when there are all these things going on around you that make you feel as if it's just not worth bothering anyway?
That's always what happens to me, and like I said, it's all on me. I know the comments are throwaway, I know that my reaction to other people's thoughts, or images on TV, or whatever, I know that those are my own problems to deal with.
I just wish I could get myself over that hump.
Another belated this or that entry.
1. Large or small family? Small, definitely. Two's okay, right? Just Brett and I? :)
2. Potato chips or pretzels? Potato chips. Mmm, salty potatoes.
3. House or apartment? Right now? Apartment. Eventually? House. Definitely.
4. Zebras or giraffes? Uh. Giraffes?
5. Candles or potpourri? Candles--home made, by me!
6. Flowers or trees? Yes.
7. Right or left-handed? Right.
8. Model trains or dolls/stuffed animals? Anyone who's been to my apartment and has seen the sheer volume of stuffed animals we have doesn't need me to answer this one.
9. Comedy or drama? Yes. Each has its place--sometimes, a good, tear-jerking drama that'll make me cry is a good thing, but I also love to laugh.
10. Thought-provoking question of the week: The city of Boston has recently banned smoking in all restaurants and bars. Would you want to see such a law passed in your city/town/country, or not? Sorry to all my smoking friends... :) Yes, I would. California's already done so, so the point is kind of moot, but I do like it. First off, I don't believe the study that says second-hand smoke doesn't cause cancer--smoking even filtered cigarettes can cause lung cancer, so how can it be that *unfiltered* smoke doesn't do the same? Second, having lived with a smoker for a long time (my mom), I know that smoke, especially at the dinner table, can really fuck up your sense of taste. I like food (shut up, you!), so I like to be able to taste what I'm eating. I also don't like smelling like a cigarette after I walk out of somewhere.
No disrespect meant at all to my smoking friends--I totally respect your right to do whatever you want. I won't harp on you to quit, I will try to go to smoker-friendly places, I won't tell you NOT to smoke when we're at your house, but I will also reserve the right to ask you not to smoke in my home, and ask for the sacrifice of going to a smoker-friendly place to be traded off, if that makes sense. :) Again, not that it's much of an issue in CA anymore, but still.
I borrowed this survey-type thing from lonespiritwolf2 over at livejournal. He says that this one's gone around before, but I've never seen it.
I don't typically do quizzes, but I like some of these surveys because they make me *think*...and that, in turn, makes me write, a lot of times.
01. My name is -- Liz
02. I may seem -- Distant, withdrawn, cool, and hard to get to know
03. But I'm really -- Sensitive, slow to trust, and fiercely protective of myself
04. People who know me think I'm -- Kind of crazy, sometimes funny, sometimes annoying
05. If you knew me you'd probably -- find me annoying a lot of the time
06. Sometimes I feel -- scared, and regretful about feeling scared
07. In the morning I -- hug my teddy bear before I get out of bed
08. I like to sleep -- late in the mornings
09. If I could be doing anything right now I would be -- on the beach
10. Money is -- a necessary evil that there's never enough of
11. One thing I wish I had is -- a house of my own
12. One thing I have that I wish I didn't -- my current job (I'd like a different one)
13. All I need -- is love
14. What I don't need -- is having to deal with people who should know better on a daily basis
15. If I had one wish it would be -- that all my friends are as blessed as I am
16. Love -- makes life worth living
17. My body -- is something I need to take better care of
18. If an angel flew into my window at night I would -- ask her to hold my hand while I slept
19. If a demon crashed into my window I would -- wonder whether it was coming for me
20. If I could see one person right now it would be -- my grandma
21. Something I want but I don't really need is -- my own business
22. Something I need but I don't really want is -- a trip to the dentist
23. I live for -- myself and my loved ones
24. I dare you to -- to live each day to the fullest, and tell those closest to you how much you mean to them
25. I am afraid of -- too many things
26. It makes me angry when -- people hurt my friends and family
27. I dream about -- everything
28. I daydream about -- owning my own house
29. My ideal mate would -- be exactly the way that Brett is
30. My ideal life would be -- not much different than this one
31. One thing I know that I will never be able to do -- live life without the fears I've gained since childhood
32. Things I wish I could do -- change the lives of children and make them believe in themselves
33. If I could change one thing about myself physically, it would be -- do you have to ask?
34. I am disappointed with -- the way I worry about things I have no control over
35. I am elated with -- the person I have become, and the life I have made for myself
This essay on the Sharks site mentions so many of the things I thought about hockey, before I started watching it.
Excerpt:
Hockey uses a puck. A puck? It's not even a ball! What's up with that? You can't bounce a puck against the side of the house. You can't roll a puck...not really. A puck is not a ball and that's just not right! How do you expect me to understand a game that doesn't have a ball? Puck just sounds funny.
When I was a kid, I could do anything. *Anything*.
Jump off the high dive and land feet-first in the 12 foot water? Yep, did it, got the tingling feet to prove it.
Flip myself over in a swing? Yep, did it, ate gravel and scraped up my chin.
Push myself backwards off the see-saw when it was at its highest? Yep, did that, too, and spent four weeks in the height of summer in a cast.
Spin myself silly on the high bar? Yeah, all the time, even kept on doing it after I fell off and landed on my head.
Swim in 150+ foot deep water about 500 yards away from a dam, where the water's at its deepest and god knows what's under you? Did that, too.
I've fallen off horses, skied black diamond runs (before there was the double black), had bumps, bruises, scrapes, bug bites, and just about everything else you can imagine. If I felt that twinge of fear in my stomach, if there were butterflies, I ignored them and plowed on anyway.
In other words, I was a typical kid, and there was only one thing in the world I was afraid of...my stepdad. But that's a subject for a different writing.
So when was it, then, that I stopped approaching my life with that 'fear nothing' attitude? Somewhere along the line, instead of being a place of infinite wonder and possibility, the world got big, and it got *scary*. There are all kinds of limits now, all kinds of barriers, and whenever I feel that twinge, instead of plowing on without question, I hesitate, and question.
"Wait, what am I doing?"
"Why am I doing this?"
"Am I going to fuck something up?"
"Is this going to hurt?"
"Am I going to regret this?"
"Will I look stupid?"
I never cared about those things before, or if I did, I didn't let it stop me. Now, they all do, particularly the 'will I look stupid' question.
Take yesterday, for example. While it was great to get out and *do* something for a change, and while I had a lot of fun and can't wait to do it again, I was petrified the entire time. I was scared that I'd fall and hurt myself, but most of all, I was scared of looking stupid. Brett was there with me, and a long time ago, I started caring what other people thought of me. His opinion, naturally, means more than just about anyone else.
I didn't give it much thought until today, when I was talking to some friends about yesterday's whole experience, and that's the question that came up: when did the fear start to mean more than the experience? When did I start to let that fear have a larger impact on the things I chose to do?
Some would say that this is simply part of the 'growing up process,' but I call bullshit on that. Where does it say that grown-ups have to be afraid? Where does it say that grown-ups have to lose their sense of wonder, have to change the way they approach the world? True, approaching things with such reckless, childlike abandon may not be the *smartest* thing to do...or is that just the ingrained 'you are so many years old, you must act like an adult' thing talking?
And, like so many other pieces of writing I've done recently, I don't think I have a good way to end this. I suppose I'll simply say that it's food for thought, and leave it at that.
When we went to Toronto back in July of 2001, I bought myself a pair of inline skates--a really nice pair, for relatively cheap, especially considering the US to Canada conversion rate. Incentive, I figured to learn how to actually use the things, all that good stuff.
Except that, when we got home, I never used them, and they sat in the closet collecting dust. And each time I thought about bringing them out again, I remembered my other experience with inline skates, and I just never did.
So, I thought, why not get a pair of quad skates? I got a lot of exercise that way when I was in jr. high/high school, and I can still remember how I got my *first* pair of skates...it's just like riding a bike, right? Put the skates on, and away you go? There's a great quad/inline store online, by the way--Skatemall.com is who I dealt with, and they were great.
I got the skates on Friday the 9th, and have been pondering when and where to use them ever since.
Well, this weekend....
Originally, we had thought about and planned on going out on Saturday, so we were going to hit REI, then head out...except that, by the time we finally got going, it would've been too late to get out. We did get to REI, though, and Brett got himself a pair of inline skates, as well as a knee-elbow-wrist pad set. I bought myself a new pair of gloves, and will end up going back for a new pair of knee pads, too.
Out we went on Sunday, first for lunch, then to Baylands Park, which is up Lawrence from where we're at, and very close by where I work--instead of turning left at the light past 237, turn right, and poof, there you are.
It's a pretty nice park, two big parking lots, as well as some other, smaller ones. A bike trail that leads further in, lots of picnic areas with grills, and...a recycled water test garden, which seemed rather weird to me, but hey, have to test that somewhere, I guess.
I brought both the inline skates and the quad skates with me, and...well. Let me just say that it is *not* like riding a bike, not at all. I ended up on the quad skates, and still felt pretty awkward. I forgot, too, how many muscles you use while skating, as opposed to walking.
By the time all was said and done, we were out for maybe an hour, and I'd made a couple of laps around one of the parking spots. I got up good speed a few times there, too...nothing quite like the skating I did when I was a kid, it'll be awhile before I get up to that level, and pavement...well. Pavement's not quite the same as the smooth skating surfaces in a roller rink, but still. Not a bad way to start moving.
I felt really good once we were done--tired and achy, but a *good* kind of tired and achy, and I feel really good again this morning. Looking forward to going back out again, and glad that I bought myself a season pass to the park. I'm sure I'll get a lot of use out of it between now and the end of October, when the park closes.
Yay, exercise! :)
The first time I saw Journey in concert was in December '98, with my friend Steve, the guitarist-bus driver-singer turned guitarist-singer-merch roadie. He's the one that went on tour with Aerosmith last summer to sell merchandise, and the one who may go out on tour with Aerosmith/Kiss this summer.
ANYway. It was their first tour with Steve Augeri and Deen Castronovo, the singer who took Steve Perry's place and the drummer who took Steve Smith's place respectively. If there's anyone who thought Journey wouldn't be Journey without Steve Perry at the helm, well...they started making people into believers after that night. It was, and still is, absolutely *uncanny* how much Augeri sounds like him. I mean, close your eyes and it sounds JUST LIKE HIM. Freaky.
After that, it became sort of an obsession--must see Journey whenever they're in town. I've had other ones like that, but most have faded over the years...or I haven't had money or time to go see them when they're here. Journey's still a must not miss, though, so when we got the announcement from the arena that they'd be here (with Styx and REO Speedwagon) and we had early buying rights as season ticket holders...well, the rest should be obvious. :)
The show was last night...Styx opened for REO, who opened for Journey--the order seemed weird to me, and wow, Styx was a really tough act for REO to follow, but it worked well. Want more..?
Styx
The show was last night, and after some technical difficulties, we got there right at about 7:30. Styx had just come on stage when we got there, and launched right into Grand Illusion. I, for one, am really impressed--I know they've got at least one new member (one of the singers), but I honestly can't tell which one of them it was, because they sounded just amazing. At first, we thought that Deen (the Journey drummer) was playing for them--looked just like him, and *sounded* a lot like him, too. Drummers in general just tend to awe me, especially if they're like these guys who hit these incredibly complex fills and make it look and sound as easy as breathing.
At one point, Tommy Shaw, one of the singers, said, "Have you noticed that, about ten years ago, people stopped referring to Styx as a rock band? Have you noticed that now we're a *classic* rock band? Well, how 'bout we play one of those *classic* rock tunes for ya?"
They played a collection of the hits (Lady, Fooling Yourself, Sailing Away, Blue Collar Man, Miss America, Renegade, etc), and three from their new CD--yep, they've got a new one, and I ended up buying it last night. It's got a great big carrot on the cover...which I didn't get, until Brett told me: the carrot and the sticks, duh. Duh, indeed. :)
For one of the new songs, the bassist (who looks rather...*normal* in the photo on the CD, but had his hair all bleach blond and was wearing weird plaid pants that didn't quite reach his ankles--made him look like he would fit in better with someone like Green Day than with Styx, it was amusing) played and sang out in the audience. He had a platform out on one side of the floor, then went running up into the stands in the section across the arena from ours, and THEN came running up into the stands in our section. We were the third and fourth seat from the aisle, so we had a really good view of him, and could even hear his un-amplified voice (if we listened closely). I'm still just in awe of the energy he had, and it was really cool that he came out into the audience and played.
All in all, they played for about an hour, and really did a great job warming the place up. I don't get all the women throwing panties, but whatever. :) Great set, the new CD sounds like it'll be cool (haven't listened yet, but I'll probably write something up when I do), and the sound...wow. Excellent mix, all that. I'd go see them again, if they were in concert.
REO
REO holds a special place in my heart, always has. I spent a large part of this set missing my mom rather acutely, because (here I had to break to call her, even) we had this old Corolla once that they installed an after-market tape player in, and at one point, the eject button stopped working, and the tape that was stuck inside was REO Speedwagon, The Hits, so. :)
They opened with Ridin The Storm Out, which was always one of her favorites--and Brett's.
And, you know, I've known all along that REO's got some stuff that really does qualify as *rock*, but I never really thought of them that way, even though some of those rock songs are on The Hits, and on Hi Infidelity, which is their most popular album ever. Seriously, though, they played hard, and it was just awesome.
Some of the stuff they played: Keep Pushin (which took on a WHOOOOLE new meaning after last night), Roll With The Changes, the whole first side of Hi Infidelity, Can't Fight This Feeling, Time For Me To Fly, and an amazing acoustic rendition of In My Dreams.
There were a few songs they didn't play that I wish I had, like Here With Me, but I got to sing along with just about everything, and really enjoyed the whole experience.
Between sets
After REO's set, we dashed up to take a pee break, then stopped by the merch booth--ostensibly just to look. Journey has a fucking cool hockey jersey type shirt that's got the traditional scarab logo on the front, with 'Journey 03 The Main Event' on the back that we were both sort of lusting after. :) I'd intended to walk away and not buy anything, but then I saw the autographed REO CD...had originally intended to *keep* walking, but Brett said, "You could get that for your mom!" So, of course, what did I do? I bought the autographed CD for Mom, and the new Styx CD for myself. That was the point at which we got the Ducks score (referenced in the previous post). Go Ducks!
Journey
Journey's set started a bit later than everyone was hoping, I think. I was pretty stunned in the first place that it was 10:30 when we walked back in after buying our stuff. The lights finaly went down about 15 minutes later...
They started off the set with a track from the newest release, the Red XIII EP called State of Grace. I'd only heard it a few times, but wow. It sounds just incredible live...like, kick your ass and take names incredible.
Separate Ways was next, which is always one of my favorites, and...my god. Throughout the whole show, I was just in awe of Steve Augeri, as I always am. The guy gives me chills when he sings, it's just amazing how much power and passion is in his voice. He's just so...so *there* and into what he's doing, and *loves* what he's doing...wow. So, yeah. I love that song, especially live.
Next was Stone in Love, which was a total surprise, and a really pleasant one. That opening riff is so distinctive (but then, what about Neal Schon's guitar work *isn't* distinctive), and wow. I'd been hoping to hear that one live for awhile, got my wish, woohoo!
Wheel in the Sky is always fucking amazing when it's played live. It's much quicker than the album version, and again, Augeri's vocals just soar.
After that was a blazing, scorch your ass, balls to the wall guitar solo from Neal Schon--Star Spangled Banner. All I have to say about this is...oh...my god. Oh my god. Wow.
Got to hear Line of Fire, which Steve's band plays, which was a nice change of pace. And, of course, there was Lights, which is ALWAYS a favorite around here--go figure. :)
Jonathan Cain, the keyboardist, played a solo, then there was one of the all time great ballads, Open Arms. More of the hits: Don't Stop Believin', Ask The Lonely, Be Good To Yourself, and Any Way You Want It ended the set. For the encore, we got Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin', which...holy shit, talk about an amazing song live.. :) They closed with Faithfully, of course, and Steve, the singer, had the audience sing them off the stage with the end of the song (woah-oh-oh-oh looks so silly in type), and that was just fucking cool.
The set was a lot shorter than in the previous two concerts I'd seen, but then, since they had two openers, I guess that stands to reason. At first, I thought they'd had to cut it short because they started late, but after reading some of the reviews of the first couple of shows on their chat board...that's just the way it is.
I have to admit to being a little disappointed that they didn't play *anything* from Arrival, which is their last full length CD. The last time we saw them, they played a couple, and I was hoping for at least Higher Place, which STILL gives me chills every time I hear it.
They sounded amazingly good, though. Steve Augeri...I just can't say enough about him, he's just fucking amazing. Neal Schon was his normal god-like self, the things that man can do with a guitar just awe me. Jonathan Cain played harmonica one of the songs, something I'd never seen, but was really cool! Ross Valory was his normal, weird self, but that big grin he's always got on his face is cool, and wow, what a talented bassist. And, of course, Deen Castronovo, the drummer. I always spend a song or two just watching him, because drummers amaze me, always have. He's another one who plays with just an incredible amount of energy...like, shaking the drum kit with each hit, you know? Never missed a beat, and the fills he can do...holy crap.
Great show, though. I wish we were able to catch them at the end, rather than at the beginning--all those shows at the end of tours are usually the best, because they've got months of feedback from fans and stuff...but wow. Definitely not one I'd have missed. A great night.
If this sort of music is your thing, and they've got a date scheduled nearby, I definitely recommend that you check it out. I hope they come back this way at the end of the tour, so I can go see them again! :)
Once again, I say, Go Ducks! A 12-2 record in the playoffs is pretty damn impressive. I'm still in awe of Giguere--217+ minutes without a goal scored against him, and even after Minnesota finally managed the first one, they couldn't get another.
I had my phone set up to page me with the score, since we were at the concert (which I'll post about after this), and we got it between REO's set and Journey's. Sometimes, I love my cell phone. :)
It'll be interesting to see how the Cup playoffs turn out, and given all the upsets so far, I don't think I'm even going to bother making a prediction. I do hope the Ducks are able to bring it home, though...but it'll be awhile before we find out!
And on the flip side...
This is a very interesting article about gender reversal in schools, which is contributing to a new sort of gender gap in the US.
Just a link this time: Indian bride says 'I don't' to dowry demand.
It's Friday, woo hoo! Only two more weeks til payday. Here are some random Friday morning thoughts:
1. Go Ducks! No, seriously. :) I mean, they swept the Red Wings, and they kicked the crap out of the Sharks' arch-rival Stars, and now...holy crap. I'm just completely in awe of Jean-Sebastian Giguere. I was hoping Minnesota'd get past Colorado and Vancouver, because, if my own teams aren't there, I love to see the underdog do well, but I'm really hoping the Ducks take it--and it looks like they will.
2. Go Spurs! Woohoo, the Lakers are out of the playoffs! That's all I have to say about that.
3. Looking forward to the concert tonight, though as I commented to a friend this morning, I can feel my hair getting bigger already! Styx, REO, and Journey--woo, 80s. :) I should have a full report sometime after I recover from the squidgy concert goodness.
Yes, I am a freak, why do you ask?
Still more follow-up on Microsoft's iLoo...
Microsoft comes clean in iLoo from the Seattle Times (blame them for the pun!).
It really *was* a legit idea submitted by the UK group. What was so hard about admitting that in the first place, eh?
To follow up...
Microsoft: Internet-ready toilet a hoax
Apparently, it was all a big joke by the UK office. Nice. :)
We work in a fishbowl--my co-workers can confirm this, and people who've seen it can also confirm. We're in the middle of the building, and three of our four walls are basically windows. The front wall, that faces the long end of the building, is floor-to-ceiling windows. Outside the wall, on the left side (if you're looking *in*) is Nasser's (my boss) cube. On the right side are two empty cubes.
Well. Empty of people. It's full of various 'stuff' that doesn't have a home because it's extra.
Lately, there've been a lot of monitors left in the cubes--left over, or moved from somewhere else, or not working, we're really not sure, they just end up there.
So, this morning when I came in, I noticed... there are bunny ears taped to the top of each monitor.
Some things must be seen to be believed. I wish I had my camera.
Late last year, we got a visit from our grand-boss. For only the second time since taking responsibility for our group, he actually made it out for a visit, and this time, made himself available for questions, as well as for private one-on-ones, which a lot of people declined, but I took, so that I could correct some huge misconceptions that he had about our group.
One of the things that was decided upon during this visit was that we would do away with our UK support answering the phones from 5 to 7am pacific time, and that the Sunnyvale support center would take care of it. We'd been getting huge numbers of complaints from our clients about the support folks out there, along with budget reasons, and all that other fun stuff.
Anyway, the long and short of that was, as of December 26th (yes, the day after Christmas), the Sunnyvale team would start at 5am. I volunteered for this at first--I had plans that I thought would be better suited by working the early schedule, and I liked the idea of getting off at 2pm, so I dealt with the schedule adjustment and plowed on.
When it started, we never really talked about replacement, or rotating the schedule, or anything else like that. After awhile, the getting up early becomes a little easier to get used to, though it seriously cuts into other things...like time with loved ones, for instance.
There are other issues, too, though, and ultimately, I went to my boss yesterday to request that I be taken off the 5am shift. I don't see very much of Brett anymore, which bothers me. I like getting off early, but the sacrifices are rapidly getting to the point where it's just not worth it. I'll stick with it til the end of the month, I said, but after that, I don't want to be back on the early shift until at least after September. I realize that puts my boss between a rock and a hard place, as there are only five other people on the team, and one of them has been on the 5am shift with me, but the plan and simple fact is...five months. Five whole months. Talk to me again when everyone else has done that, too.
As of June 1, I am moving off the 5am shift, yay. This means I am less likely to be in the phone queue (save for busy days or after 2pm), and though it'll get me home later, I think I'll ultimately end up happier about it. No more getting home and going straight to bed, not seeing Brett until the next evening (which, ugh, may happen tonight because I am just freaking exhausted), no more fucked up sleep schedule over the weekends...
Bliss.
Had my first wedding dream last night. I can't say that it was a nightmare, because it really wasn't (though certain aspects of it were), if only because it was just so...surreal. My dress wasn't ready, my hair was in dread locks, Brett was in bare feet and kept having problems with fish biting his toes. The officiant was late, the chairs weren't set up, and all kinds of people who weren't supposed to be there were there anyway. No one could figure out how the receiving line was supposed to go at the end, so no one came by to say hi to us, even though it was our wedding. It started to rain, causing people to shriek and flee, leaving us standing there, looking at one another, and just smiling. I think it's that last image that makes it seem more dream than nightmare.
Some of this rings with a measure of truth, I suppose. My dress still isn't here, though I think (I hope!) she's still working on it. After last night's dream, I'll probably send her a sheepish email to check, just for my own sanity. Brett *has* said he needs new boots, and I haven't talked to anyone about renting chairs yet, so some of it is rooted in reality, but still. Freaky stuff, and can we just not have anymore of that? Thank you.
Right now, I just have one thing to say.
Neal Schon (Journey, Bad English, Hardline) is a guitar GOD.
More later.
As mentioned in an earlier post, we've turned the now-spare room into an office. This afternoon, I was finally able to move my own stuff in--after fighting with the stupid bookcase last night, as well as running around all weekend long, I just did not have the energy. I'll have to take pictures once everything's all squared away, since I'm sure no one really wants to see our messy bookshelves... :) It's nice, though, both in the bedroom and in the office. There's lots of space for both of us, plus there's all kinds of floor space still. In the bedroom, there's a big long strip up against the windows that's now open--we're going to shift everything that way a little bit, and buy another shelf to put in there. The TV stand is still on the list, as is a new coffee table for the living room, since the one we have is a little bit wobbly.
There are a few annoyances--this room has a LOT of light, which is great, unless it's midafternoon and you're trying to type, while still keeping the window open to let the breeze in.
I put my PC beneath the spare glass-top end table (from the same coffee table set mentioned above), closer to the UPS, but the end tableis configured in such a way that I have to reach up and under to get at the CD rom drive. No big deal, just a minor annoyance that I may want to change at some point or another.
All in all, I'm glad that we're starting to get settled again. The nesting impulse hit pretty strongly, and it's still there enough for me to want to give stuff another thorough cleaning (like, say, the kitchen), but it's nice to have this squared away. It's just...really nice, *pleasant*, when the home-space is situated.
(Take three, grumble. Browser windows and ctrl-w do not mix.)
I am now a licensed California driver, I even have a little piece of paper that says so! Passed my test and only missed one, took a crappy mug shot, and don't get the actual *license* license for 60-90 days. I'm amazed, though, at the stupidity of some of the people in the office. I actually had all my paperwork there and ready when it was my turn. There was one guy in front of me in the test grading line who could barely comprehend basic English commands like 'read line A1 out loud.' It took the guy behind the counter six different repeats and the Chinese guy about three minutes of shuffling before he managed to read the line. Repeat this four times, and you can understand the frustration of the guy behind the counter. BUT. I am licensed, finally. No more having to go to WA to get my renewal (which, admittedly, I only had to do once), it's all set. Go me.
This weekend saw us converting the now-spare bedroom into an office, and dealing with the second bathroom. We also did some carpet cleaning, and oh my god, I am impressed by the Rug Doctor, but also kind of nauseated by having to empty out the tank. It's amazing how dirty carpet can get. But there are a few spots that look MUCH better, yay.
Got a new desk for Brett, two new shelves (one display-type shelf and one bookshelf), both for the office. One of the sets of shelves is glass, matches the desk, and we've got some display-type stuff on it, as well as the hub, firewall, and phone. The other shelf is more a bookshelf type, and I got to bitch at it yesterday while putting it together. I swear to god, people who make ready-to-assemble furniture are sick, sadistic fucks. :)
Also bought a TV/DVD combo for the bedroom. We're planning on getting DirecTV, so it'll be nice to have another TV around to watch, plus it's nice to have some background noise sometimes.
We also got some stuff for the second bathroom--our bathroom is green tones, this one is now blue tones. Dark blue rug and shower curtain liner, smoky marbled blue shower curtain, frosted glass soap dish and wastebasket, and a plant in the windowsill.
In other words, it was a *very* productive weekend, and that should be followed by a pretty productive week, since we're still not done yet. :)
1. Name one song you hate to admit you like.
Don't Worry, Be Happy, Bobby McFerrin. Yeah, shut up. :) No lyrics here, but all the rest have them.
2. Name two songs that always make you cry.
The Baby, Blake Shelton.
Baby Mine, from Dumbo (yeah, the Disney movie, you got a problem with that? :), doesn't matter who sings it. I blame my mother.
3. Name three songs that turn you on.
Shed Your Skin, Indigo Girls. Can't explain why, it just does. Probably Amy's voice during part of it.
One Slip, Pink Floyd (scroll down to see the lyrics). I don't really have to explain this one, do I?
Deep, Moody Blues. This is another one that should make complete sense after if you read the lyrics.
4. Name four songs that always make you feel good.
This Is The Moment, Moody Blues.
Closer To Fine, Indigo Girls
One, Creed (and if you give me shit for liking Creed, I'll hurt you! :)
Stone In Love, Journey.
5. Name five songs you couldn't ever do without. (I lied, no lyrics for this section, either.)
With Your Love, Journey.
Now, Def Leppard.
Silent Lucidity, Queensryche.
Boat Drinks, Jimmy Buffett.
Remember, Greg Kihn Band.
...for something completely different.
It's a sad, sad day for the world of NBA basketball--for me, at least.
John Stockton: 'I think it's time to move on.'
Today's the day that the greatest point guard who ever lived retires from the game he loved, after nineteen seasons playing for a single team, at the age of 41. The man who leads the all time assist leaders by such a margin that they'd have to clone him in order to find someone who had a prayer of beating it. One of the classiest people to ever play a professional sport, one of the most unassuming, and the most deserving of a championship that he could never quite reach. His retirement will be overshadowed by the fact that Michael Jordan called it quits in the same year, which is rather disappointing. Not even MJ was quite the machine that Stockton is...or was.
I'm kicking myself now, you know, for not seeing him play at Golden State this year, but I should've known it was going to be my last opportunity. I learned a lot of basketball from my grandma and my stepdad, but there are some things that are only learned by watching, and for those, he was definitely my teacher. I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd say something like that.
Have a great retirement, Basketball John, you will be missed.