The Saga Continues

I've been sick since the twelfth. I ended up taking the entire last week off, and sat around at home almost the entire time being a bum and playing computer games. I loved it. It was like a mini vacation, except for the part about being super congested. I am still sick. By Thursday, whatever I had decided to migrate to the back of my throat also up into my eyes. My right eye got all pink and gross, so I would tell everyone that I had pink eye, and not to fuck with me because I wield the power of infection. Every time, Nick would tell me I didn't have pink eye, and I don't think I do, but it's fun to joke about. Now both of my eyes are all fucked up, though they look fine, but they ooze at night and crust shut so I have to wash my face before I can see. 'Ewwww', I know!

Being Sick is Love

Saturday night I went to see The Nutcracker. I'd seen snippets on TV, but I'd never seen it live. I'd been telling Nick since early November that I wanted to see it, so his parents gave us their tickets, since they see it every year. 4th row and center! Unfortunately, Nick didn't come along because he started getting really sick right after his last final on Friday. I asked his brother, Chris, to come with me instead, and afterwards we went to eat at magnolia, and I had roasted veggie tacos, and we drank tons and tons of coffee. I had fun, and I don't hang out with Chris like I used to.

As for today, I am taking the day off from work. Nick infected me with some sort of vile disease and now I'm sick... and I really don't mind. I have been wanting to get sick for awhile so that I can stay at home and mope in bed and pout and get pampered, and make Nick bring me soup, oranges, and hot chocolate with cheese. Since Nick is sick too, we are going to gripe in bed together, saying 'please pass the tissue,' and 'oh, my nose is so stuffed up,' and then sit on the sofa under a mound of blankets and watch movies.

Office-cial Christmas Party

Saturday I went to the office Christmas party. It was at the Moonshine Grill. One of the investors that was there owns the property the restaurant is on and he built, what wine connoisseurs have declared, by far the best wine cellar in Texas. He gave us all a tour of it, and it was gorgeous, with mahogany wood and a cast iron door. There was a bottle of wine down there valued at $9,700 whose label was designed by Andy Warhol. He personally selected all the wines that went with our meal, and I got smashingly smashed. Well, smashed is an exaggeration, but I was definitely in no state to drive, and it was great fun. I had Molasses & Chile Cured Pork Chop with Brandy Apple Sauce. So good! Going there isn't any more expensive than Outback Steakhouse, so I'd love to go back and try some of the other food.

I wore a fabulous dress, too. Unfortunately, this less than flattering vanity shot is the only picture I managed to take, since I left the camera in the car and valet drove it away. Trust me. It was fabulous.

After dinner there was a White Elephant gift exchange. There was theft, conspiracy, and betrayal, and with everyone plied up with alcohol lots of cheering and booing. Nick and I both ended up with some good stuff. He brought home a pancake maker, which turned out to be a disaster during breakfast the next day. I had pancake batter drenching the stove. Nick said it looked like a pancake had exploded. I should scour the kitchen for pancake shrapnel in the walls. I think I simply over filled the damn thing.

About Yarn Time

I'm in a rather loquacious mood, which is unfortunate because I'm at work and have no one to talk to. I'm still yo-yoing between hobbies. I'm still on a gaming kick (nerd core!), but now I want something to supplement it, and I haven't really felt like reading lately. Suddenly I decided I wanted to try out knitting, which is weird because I usually find the idea to be a turn off. I think it's because, in my mind, it goes hand in hand with giggly girly girls. Yech!

So... knitting. But, not just knitting, I want a sewing machine so I can hit some thrift stores and try my hand at deconstructing. In any case, I picked up Stitch 'N Bitch to teach myself to knit, and at the top of this post, you can see a lovely picture of my first effort. I am proud of my swatch.

Winging It (or, More Bad Poetry)

Whippoorwills
While away where they will;
Winging and and whirling they wind.

Flighty and fleet,
Full of frolicking feats,
Frisky and fancy, you'll find.

Thanksgiving pt. 2

A very belated update, on my part. I've taken the opportunity to use my break to be a bum and sit around an home eating take-out Chinese and playing computer games. I went with Nick to his parents house for Thanksgiving, since I had Thanksgiving with my parents the weekend before. We took our dog along because he gets cooped up alone at home allot. I met Nick's aunt Judy, who was visiting, and even though there were already four pies, Nick and I had planned on making some, so we made a pecan and a rhubarb pie. They turned out fantastic. I'd never had rhubarb pie before and I'd been wanting to try it because it's Nick's favorite. I'm not too keen on tart pies, but it wasn't bad. I think my big mistake was eating pecan pie first which made the rhubarb extra tart. I took my camera with me, but only managed to take one picture of Nick looking very tired, because he was sick.

Hello, I'm Still Alive

I don't know if I picked it up from Nick, or what, but lately I've been skipping between hobbies. For a while I would spend a chunk of time reading every night before I went to bed and browse Amazon endlessly in a mission to produce THE LARGEST WISH LIST THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN!!! Then I started having shopping sprees at Michael's, browsing works on devianart and dabbling with acrylics, water colors, and vector art.

Ever since the release of Halo 2, I've spent all my my free time gaming. I don't know what it is about video games that sucks my attention to the point that I'm oblivious to everything else, but there you have it. I am a gaming zombie, and I need fresh pixels to feed to my insatiable undead eyeballs. The Nintendo DS (Dual Screen) was released yesterday, and I ran out and bought it because I've been set to pee myself from excitement every day of this month, straight, with a sprinkle of urinary impulses spread across the month before that. I love my DS, I just wish I had money to buy a game for it. At least it came with a demo.

Being a dork aside, I actually did something this weekend. I drove to San Antonio to visit my parents so I could spend Thanksgiving with my boyfriend. Bad timing. The stay itself was fine. In fact, my mom decided to have impromptu Thanksgiving Sunday instead. It was the drive down that was horrendous. I didn't bother checking the weather before I left, and I dealt with 15 minutes of rain so hard that I could literally not see the road. I even tried exiting the highway, but I couldn't see anything past the exit ramp and I was worried about accidentaly driving off the road and getting stuck in mud, so I got right back on, because at least that way I was guided by the lights of the car in front of me. The drive back had severe weather warnings, too, and I was so paranoid about dealing with a downpour again, I drove back way too fast for roads that wet and brakes as run down as mine are.

You Should Give it a Shot

Ladies and gentlemen, it's been a rough week. I've been sniped, grenaded, and betrayed. I've been blown up, beat down, and plowed aside. I've been shot at, run over, and tossed out of planes. I've guarded my flag against enemies, defended my home against invaders, and penetrated enemy defenses at the risk of my life. I've neglected my blog and have done nothing at all. Ladies and gentlemen, for the past week I have been playing Halo 2.

I Voted, and All I Got Was This Lousy President.

So the election isn't quite a done deal, but even with a tie, I'm not expecting much from the House of Representatives.

This Christmas, I'm asking Santa for a Philosopher King.

I Voted, and All I Got Was This Lousy Sticker.

Eventually I did head out to the polling place, boyfriend in tow.
I feel accomplished, somehow...like I've just passed some rite of passage. Yesterday I was a child, today I am a voter (and I will forever be a dork.)

p.s. It's getting cold out, and I don't like that at all.

I choose you, Pikachu!

I thought there was some law against reporting election results before all polling locations had closed so as not to influence voters on the west coast. Either I'm wrong, or the good people of the Associated Press are naughty, naughty lawbreakers.

Regardless, at this point I've not yet gone to vote; that will be my exciting after work activity. Aside from the presidential hopefuls, I know squat about the general election candidates. I hate the idea of making an uneducated decision, but going to the polls and not voting on everything on the ballot also galls me. I can't find anything more than a list of candidate names, and trying to look up stances for each one is enough to make me tear my hair out. Oh, comprehensive site, come to me!

Greek Aurant v.2

Saturday I went to a Greek restaurant with Nick's family for his dad's birthday. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood, so I had a fun time. I'm glad I went. The food was very similar to our favorite Greek place before it changed management (we called it the Greek Aurant due to burnt out lights on the sign.) We suspect the original owners may have started up this new restaurant.


Nick's mom is really pretty, and in this picture, she also really drunk.


With Nick. I like this one better than our posed picture because it's animated.

Who Ya Gonna Call?

I went out last Friday and didn't feel like spending money a mediocre costume, so I just threw on a tank and a short skirt with a mesh prom underskirt and dragonfly wings, and I was a pixie! I went to a big haunted house with Alisha and Walker, but I was pretty unimpressed. I think I just have high expectations because Alisha was constantly screaming. She told us after that whenever she goes into a haunted house, she starts to wonder if there's maybe this one real psycho hiding out there. I wish I'd thought of that, because I would've freaked out more, and it would have been more fun that way.

I had a crappy martini, and a watered down Long Island Ice Tea, but sometime along the night Alisha and I got some decent stuff and stumbled around downtown a little drunk while Walker laughed and told us we were dorks. What made my night more than anything was Walker's costume. He was a Ghostbuster, and the costume came with an inflatable photon pack, and every few minutes some drunk person would yell "Hey! Ghostbuster!" "Who ya gonna call?!" "Look! It's a fucking Ghostbuster!" Everyone was just so excited about it. It still didn't top his costume from last year, though. He'd bought some weird cloth zebra-head mask from Goodwill, but everyone kept calling him a giraffe. It was silly.

I Will Have My Revenge

Happy Halloween!

Crappy Poetry

I have no delusions about the quality of my poetry. It is really bad, but I have a lot of fun with it because I don't even try to make it good.

My Wandermonster has wandered away,
And bid of me that I should stay,
And partake of things that give me cheer,
So far away from he who's dear.

But bright Nintendo makes me glum,
And reading books is simply dumb,
So what remains can only be,
Writing Nick bad poetry.

This only goes to show what a poetical bad-ass Bava is.

Nerd, ho!

Guess who just got featured on the home page of a gaming community?

Stuck with your (Parking) Lot

'My car's not working.'

'Are you serious?'

'Yes.'

I was smiling. It really didn't do much for my credibility.

It was the like blind leading the blind. Here I was, picking Walker up from work because his car hasn't been starting, and my car won't start. I turned the key, and the car let out a smug 'RRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!'

We called Nick. We watched a half-dead wasp struggle against a swarm of ants. We talk in the car, and Walker tells me my ex is glad I'm happy. I like to think the reason he can't keep a girlfriend is because I'm incomparable. At this point, I only resent him for never saying 'sorry,' but I still resent him. It's sweet of him to wish me well, but at the same time It galls me that he shows neither jealousy nor regret. I am a petty creature.

Nick arrived and jump started my car. (Yay Nick!) I was so relieved that it was just my battery. Then, he suggested we all get food but didn't tell me I was supposed to pay for everyone, and I had to use the money I was saving to buy a new pair of boots. Wait.... What?!

A Life in Subtitles

I was reading this interview with Gael Garcia Bernal when he made this response to one of the questions:

"...Every time I see a film [that takes place] in Mexico, with people speaking English, I just think, "Why?" If they can speak in Spanish, why do you have to compromise the culture and language? The fact of doing it in English just makes it very lame and naive."

'Yes!' I thought. Why do they do that? I watched Frida a few days ago, and I found it disconcerting to hear all these people speaking in accented English while supposedly living in Mexico. At one point they go to New York, and they are still speaking English, but I wonder, 'Is she actually speaking Spanish while everyone around her is speaking English, and no one actually understands each other?' Regardless of that annoyance, it seemed to miss something because it was in English. It lost credibility, it lost sincerity, it lacked something vital to a culture: language.

'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,' 'Hero,' 'Amilie,' and 'Y Tu Mamá Tambien' have proven that enough of the American population is willing to 'brave' a subtitled movie for it to do well, so I really hope more directors will direct films in different languages. I think I'm also pretty excited at the possibility of more foreign films making it to US theaters. They come with their own flavor and style, and I really love that diversity.

No Candy

I do the shopping for my office, and one of the one of the guys, JFK, told me I wasn't allowed to buy candy anymore (because almost everyone is trying to eat healthier, and I ruin it my buying miniature wrapped snickers. He walks into the kitchen right after I've put away a bunch of candy, and I'm standing there with a giant fist full of empty candy bags, so I jedi mind-trick him a la 'these are not the droids you're looking for' and tell him I didn't buy any candy.

'Ok, good' he says, and begins to turn to leave when he spots the big tub of candy on the counter. 'Hey, what's that?! he asks, looking surprised. Then, he points it finger at me and say 'You're going to hell. You know that don't you?' I thought it was pretty funny, especially since he was oblivious to the bounty of candy bags overflowing from the cornucopia that was my hand.

I don't think he caught the Star Wars reference. So sad.

Don Juan de Libros

As much as I lament over the tremendous quantities of books and games I own but have yet to read or play, I find I spend more time browsing books and scanning game reviews than actually reading and playing. I guess I just love the chase.

Yesterday I sat myself down and played five hours worth of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. I am a gaming force to be reckoned with.

Mass. Debater

The problem with watching all three presidential debates is that it becomes tiresome hearing the same points mentioned time and again as the candidates attempt to capture the votes of first time viewers by largely ignoring the actual questions. Regardless, I'm glad I watched them, particularly the first one, as it was especially amusing. Now I just have to hope that my registration card arrives, that I have been listed at my polling place, that nothing unforeseen happens to prevent me from getting there, that my vote isn't miscounted or thrown out... not that I think it'll will matter, as Bush is almost guaranteed to win Texas. Oh, to live in a swing state.

I made up that title just because I could. Oh, sweet power.

ps. Natural lighting is the best, even when you can see up my nose.

En recuerdo de Zoilo Ibañez

Someone posted in their blog about their grandfather dying this past week, and it made me sad. I always think wistfully about my abuelo Zoilo. He died when I was young, but I remember a few things about him.

I went to Colombia when I was about seven, and I remember sitting beside him in my pjs outside while he peeled coconuts with a machete. I remember how he would make me sing Yankee Doodle, and he'd sing along with me. He liked to speak to me in English, though his accent was strong and his vocabulary rough. I think it made him proud that I was an American, and that I was fluent in English.

He fled to the United States from Spain during the Franco Dictatorship, along with his brother and a friend. He settled in California, but his brother and friend decided to start a business that involved allot of travel to Colombia. The two grew sick there, and my grandfather followed them to bring them back, but he was too late. He grew sick instead, and suffered from a brief stint of amnesia. My grandmother, who was training to become a nun at the time, nursed him back to health. Needless to say, he never returned to America, though he always wanted to, but he sent all four of his children.

My mom tells me he was very stern, but also very sensitive, and easily touched. She says he wrote poetry, and that there are loose sheets of it about. A few years ago, I remembered this, and I thought it would be so nice if I could gather it all and get it bound in a book for my mom as a Christmas or birthday present. But, the more I think of it, the more I want it for myself. I just wish someone knew where it all was.

Cutest Kid, Ever

Me! That's right. That's me, and I'm just freakin' adorable here in my little flamenco dress. ¡Olé!

Campus Crawl

I drove down to San Antonio this weekend to visit my parents, and I stopped by Trinity University on a whim. I don't think I've ever felt so confused driving in such a familiar area. I guess it's because I didn't get my driver's license until after I graduated.

I forgot how ugly San Antonio is. Just about every part of town looks like the bad part of town. Of course there are exceptions. Trinity has the largest gardener to student ratio of an school in the nation.


I stopped by the campus Study Abroad office, where I used to work, too. They love love love me there. I think it's because I used to tease them.


Visiting my parents didn't turn out so bad. My dad only had a few beers, and he barely lost his temper. I helped him with a few projects around the house, which I think put him in a good mood. My mom and I had a pretty good talk. She kind of lectures allot, because she doesn't want me to make the same mistakes she has, and she hasn't really given my boyfriend a chance because she thinks I'm ignoring the lessons she's been trying to teach me.

I explained to her that the one most important thing that I think I've learnt from her relationship with my dad is to find someone who is a friend who shares common interests, and that you can talk to. My parents hardly do anything together, and have next to nothing in common. This was never something she talked to me about, but when I told her, I think she realized the importance, so hopefully she'll be more open to him, now. Plus, I told her how he's going back to school, and really trying his best, which is what she was most concerned about.

Nothing's Coming Up Roses

I finished my little project last night.

Bad Coffee

I had to get gas on my way to work, so I bought some coffee at the gas station. (It's a shame it wasn't actually in a mug, because that would have been funny. Come on...Mug shot?) I really don't know why I was suprised about it being so bad, because I've tried their hot chocolate. Congratulations, Gas Station, on beating even my lowest expectations!

I feel like I should put something else in here, but nothing's really been going on. I watched Elephant yesterday, and I thought they did a good job at conveying a surreal experience by not focusing on one event more than any other. I'd like to say more, but I'd hate to ruin it for anyone that hasn't seen this yet.

I've also decided to put an actual effort into doing art again. I set it aside about five years ago, and feels like I've forgotten everything I once knew. I picked up some acrylic paint and a canvas a few days ago and just set to it. It left me feeling really frustrated and lost. Hopefully I can pick up a book sometime soon to give me some direction.

Coffee, Coffee Everywhere, but Not a Drop to Drink.

I started out my morning with a fresh cup of coffee... all over the counter, seeping to the space below, and puddling on the carpet. The coffee maker was on, a combination of fresh coffee and grounds steadily dripping from the overflowing basket, and the carafe sat clean and pristine on the opposite counter. I fetched JFK and we had a good laugh at my boss, who looked pretty embarrassed.

Last night I went with Walker and Nick to his parents house to watch the presidential debate and then the Daily Show. I actually had a pretty good time, and am glad I went. Nick's mom cooked everyone chicken katsu, miso soup, and a few other things which were all really good.

Nick and Walker got into an 'argument' about the Brady Bill afterwards. It just wows me when Nick argues because I just can't think on my feet like he can. I don't know how anyone can spit out coherent and valid arguments on a moments notice like that. I think it's really impressive. I first met him in my dorm at college. Walker had brought him over to meet me, but I wasn't home yet. I walked in and there's this gorgeous guy in my room; He starts talking to me about philosophy, a little drunk and years from his last philosophy class, but so ontop of it all despite. I felt flushed. I don't think I'd ever been so instantly awed by anyone like that.

Hello, Scorpion

This morning I went to make coffee (and accidentally scared the crap out of a scorpion. He accidentally scared the crap out of me. Awesome!) I start pouring out the coffee left over from yesterday, and he goes spilling down the side of the sink, onto the drain. I'm finally starting to understand why people get freaked out when they run into scorpions. Where the hell did he come from, and what was he doing in the sink!?

There are so many good places to hang out, but some scorpions aren't bothering to find out what where they'd like to hang out, and are just sitting around where they want to be seen sitting. For those that genuinely like sitting in the sink, let me just warn you that I know a guy named Runar, and he will cut your tail off with a knife and then wash you down the sink with some lovely smelling dishwashing liquid. For everyone else: Stay away from the sink. In fact, just stay away.

Hello, Chuck

Friday I went to a book signing by Chuck Palahnuik (and accidentally took a picture of some people making out. Awesome!) There were so many scenesters that I finally understand why people who are really into music get pissy about everyone liking the one same band. I'm sure fully half of the people there only read his book because that's what's trendy.

There are so many good books out there, but some people aren't bothering to find out what they like, and are just reading what they want to be seen reading. For those that genuinely like Chuck Palahnuik, that's fantastic, and I'm glad they've found something they like. For everyone else: Why the hell does it matter?

I probably sound like a hypocrite for just being there, so let me explain. I've never read any of his stuff. It just so happens I like books...allot...in a very general all-encompassing sort of way. I like to read them, I like to admire their covers, I like the way they look on my bookshelves, and if they're signed, that's awfully nice, too. This gets set up, sitting pretty, with the rest of my collection. I'll probably pick up a reading copy and check him out, now.

Check out the picture I took with Chuck Palahnuik! I look horrible, but I like it anyway because I look like a monumental dork? Ok!

Austin Traffic Repot

Twenty minutes ago, a plane crashed about five miles away. Every now and then I hear sirens as another cop car, or emergency vehicle rushes by. My boyfriend's dad is closer yet, but he is ok and wasn't aware anything had happened. A split second of worry, then learning no one I know is hurt, it becomes just another thing that's happening to someone else.

Uterize You Creativity

I'm in a weird mood today, and ended up making this thing. I don't know where it came from, but I think it's funny so I'm keeping it.

You can see the whole thing here.

Wasting Time

Aside from photo-editing, I schlepped around on Tokyoplastic for a bit. The flash is engrossing. Be sure to check out drummachine. This site will touch you in obscene ways, and you will love it.

When it Rains, it Pours

I had to run a few errands for work, and it's beautiful out today (though decidedly humid.) It's one of those days where the birds are chirping, the sun is shining, the sky is a saturated blue, and fluffy little white clouds graze like sheep in the heavens. Beautiful... except for one very large and very angry thundercloud that storms in (ha ha) and envelopes the entire area with a grey landscape of pounding rain.

Driving out of the torrent, the bleak roads became iced purple as the sky reflected off the wet pavement, grass and trees seemed a more vibrant green, and in the distance, a quartet of SUVs crossed the intersection on a hill, looking very much like a caravan of camels on the dunes at sunrise.

And me without my camera.

Speaking of torrential down-pours, the second time I drove myself to work after getting my driver's license, it started pouring. I'd never driven in the rain before, and it came down so hard and quickly that I couldn't see a thing. I had no idea how to turn on my windshield wipers; I did know how to use turn on the wiper fluid. As I slugged along the highway at 30mph I would periodically squirt my sopping windshield with washer fluid so my wipers would kick in for two seconds.

Austin Traffic Report

I'm in the car with my friend, Walker, and...Disaster strikes!
thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump.
There's a bolt in my tire. A big. Fat. Quarter-inch bolt.

We get his car and he begins to follow me in his car to get my tire repaired; Walker calls me on my cell phone, and...Disaster strikes!
ring-ring-ring-groan-groan-ache-moan.
There is a mysterious pain in my friend's stomach. A sharp. Mysterious. Unpleasant pain.

We drop his car off into a random parking lot and I take my groan-groan-groaning friend in my thump-thump-thumping car to a clinic to have it checked out.

Fifty dollars later, we're on our way again, and...Disaster strikes!
thump-thump-thump-hisssssssssss-rumble-rumble-rumble.
I roll over to the side of the road. My tire is flat. There's a hole the size of a pencil in it left by the 'Big. Fat. Quarter-inch bolt.'

Walker, one perscription drug strong, changes my tire for me. I'm too weak to even turn the bolts, so I wobble about on the uneven ground in my strappy high heels and take pictures. (This was an after work adventure.)

Note to self: Keep a change of shoes in the car, along with a flashlight, and hand wipes.

100 Things About Me

1. I have no middle name.
2. I was an air force brat
3. I like moving.
4. I grew up primarily in Europe.
5. I've always wanted dark hair.
6. I don't like the texture of mushrooms.
7. I hate tomatoes, but I love ketchup and V8.
8. When I was young, I was very proud of having been born in England.
9. When I discovered being born on base meant I wasn't English, I considered dual-citizenship.
10. I no longer care.
11. I get girl crushes.
12. For the most part, girls annoy me.
13. I have quite an ego, but I can't handle criticism.
14. I like telling people I'm half-Colombian, because it gets a reaction.
15. I like telling them I put American cheese in my hot chocolate for the same reason.
16. I'm bilingual.
17. I'm scared of Spiders.
18. My favorite color is blue.
19. I was almost named Adriana.
20. I have issues about not having control.
21. I'm impatient and despise being late.
22. I'm addicted to chapstick and coffee.
23. I can't stand living with other people's messes.
24. I don't like saying 'no,' and often end up doing things I don't want to do. This has gotten me into trouble.
25. I love puns.
26. I'm really good at them.
27. I love doing art and creative things.
28. I gave it up when I went to college in exchange for a 'sensible' major.
29. My favorite subject is Economics, followed by Philosophy.
30. I ran track in high school and liked it.
31. I like to sprint when I'm drunk.
32. I've built playgrounds in Romania.
33. I've run from the police in Venice.
34. I once took part in a foreign language festival and won first place in every event I entered, including drama.
35. I don't like being touched or crowded.
36. I refuse to talk when I'm upset.
37. I cry easily.
38. I take things the wrong way.
39. I take things personally when they're not meant to be.
40. I'm hard on myself.
41. I like rough drunk kisses that leave my lips bruised.
42. I miss smoking.
43. I get allot of compliments about the way I move.
44. I randomly lose my balance and have to catch myself.
45. I get cold easily.
46. I've crisscrossed the US so many times, I've hit just about every state.
47. I fidget allot before I go to sleep.
48. I love to read.
49. I'm a morning person.
50. I'm an Aries/Pisces cusp.
51. My ears were pierced when I was still a baby.
52. I don't like soda.
53. If I do drink something fizzy, I try and shake out most of the carbonation.
54. My favorite ice cream is chocolate chip cookie dough.
55. I love spinach and asparagus.
56. I didn't get my driver's licence until I was 23.
57. I want to live in a city with a subway so I can take a train everywhere I go.
58. My mom calls me Tita.
59. I have no allergies.
60. I don't hold my pencil 'properly.'
61. I'm an atheist and always have been.
62. I like spirituality but not religion.
63. When I was younger I was teased for believing in evolution.
64. I'm near-sighted.
65. I've had a sewing needle go through my palm, and another break off in my finger.
66. I've never broken a bone, but I got stitches when locker fell on my head.
67. I've burned my mouth with a weak acid.
68. I used to have seizures when I was young, but they stopped on their own.
69. I've had a pet cat, dog, hamster, fish, mouse, chick, and a tortoise. When it was older, my uncle ate my chicken.
70. Sometimes I sleep face down.
71. Occasionaly, I'll go to sleep and I'll be conscious of being unable to move of breath. The doctor said it's Night Terrors. It makes me scared to go back to sleep because it seems so real it's difficult to believe I'm just dreaming.
72. I give good massages.
73. I have Hepatitis-A.
75. I like to play video games.
76. I throw like a girl.
77. I don't like it when guys are to blunt when they hit on me. It makes me feel trapped, and awkward.
78. I love airports and flying.
79. I've been buying the same kind of pen for ten years: Pilot Precise V5 Extra-Fine, in blue. I think it makes my writing look pretty.
80. I hate gardening or outdoor work.
81. I almost never paint my nails, and when I do, I paint them a metallic burnt orange.
82. I've never lived by myself. I think I'd be lonely.
83. I had my first cavity when I was 17. The dentist said it was unavoidable.
84. Only once in my life have I truely been depressed.
85. I'm not easily jealous.
86. When I was young, I would refuse to take naps. This drove my mom crazy.
87. I voluntarily took my first nap sophomore year of college, and liked it.
88. I don't own much aside from books and clothes because I throw everything away.
89. I only hold hands with people I'm willing to sleep with. This frustrates guys on first dates.
90. Porn would be more enjoyable if it wasn't so fake.
91. However, bad porn imitating serious movies or literature is really fun to watch with friends. MacBeth, anyone?
92. I don't mind shots, or having my blood taken.
93. I don't drink enough liquids. I have a glass of coffee in the morning, and that's about it.
94. I always wear my seat-belt.
95. I lived at the base of the Italian Alps for four years, and I've never been skiing.
96. I hate the words 'hubby' and 'asshole.'
97. I've always liked pale boys with dark hair.
98. I was very proud of my freckles as a kid. Almost all have faded, except one on my nose, which my dad repeatedly mistakes as a piece of dirt. That one is fading, too.
99. I think my name (Jennifer) is over used and boring, but I couldn't imagine changing it.
100. I think more girls should give video games an honest try.

< ? 100 Things # >

I Love my Bowl

For my birthday in March, I dragged my boyfriend and a friend of ours to a ceramics studio for a little painting project. I love this bowl more than any other bowl I've ever had in my life. Not only was I very pleased with the way it turned out, but it's the only large eating bowl in the house. It's perfect for pasta, and if I make ramen, all the soup fits in at once. I want to go again so I'll have something to eat out of when my other bowl is dirty. I think I'll do the next one a dark, bold blue, with pastel greens, and a light creamy yellow.

Oh, the Craftiness of Me

I just remembered I wrote this a while ago and never posted it. Retro powers activate!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was an arts-and-craftsy type of kid. My favorite book when I was seven was an arts and crafts book that was included in some sort of educational book set. I wouldn't have phrased it like this when I was a kid but... I didn't give a shit about the rest of the set. Eleven other themed volumes, and the only thing I can remember about them, is that one had an article about how to care for a baby bird, if you found one. I loved that arts and crafts book. Coincidentally, it was blue. (My favorite color.)

I made paper mache tortoises, pipe-cleaner horses, origami cranes, and homemade play-dough elephants. I carved whales out of soap, and furniture out of crayons. I pressed flowers, made plaster of paris footprints, and sewed clothes for my Mini Mouse. I made her some sexy tangas before they ever came into fashion in the States. (She still wears them.)

Before I went to high school, my parents sold the book set at a yard sale because I never used them. They sold my Arts & Crafts book, too, just because it was part of the set. I can't tell you how much I miss that book.

I slowly gave up arts and crafts when I got older. Occasionally I'd make a collage, or I'd dye some tissue paper and make a bouquet of flowers with straw stems in a painted Snapple bottle vase, but I used to do that kind of stuff every day.

I made a stencil yesterday. It was the first time I'd done anything in months. You wouldn't believe how happy it made me.

I want an arts and crafts book, sewing machine, and a closet full of scissors, construction paper, paste, acrylic paint, brushes, water colors, empty bottles, magazines, markers, cloth scraps, felt, pipe-cleaners, clay, plaster of paris, tissue, rubber cement, ink, stencils...

I would love that.

Yo, que pone los stencils.

I just finished this stencil two days ago, and I love it! It's a pun in Spanish. 'Al capone los discos' translates to 'Disk Jockey' so I made Al Capone as a DJ. BADA-BOOM!

Thank you, I'll be here all week.

That's One Tastey Muffin

It really was that good.

On another note, I wore street clothes to work again yesterday. I was setting up part of the 9k art project I designed a few months ago for a convention.

It's awesome to have someone spend 9k on one of your art projects, even if that art project is not of your choosing, and is very closely monitored and directed, and not an art project at all, but a booth. Still. I designed it, and someone payed 9k to make it reality. Next stop, Koozies!

Count Max Visits San Antonio

As a favor to my boyfriend's father, my boyfriend and I took a visiting French scholar to San Antonio to go sightseeing on the Riverwalk, and the Alamo. I later learned that he's a genuine French Count.

I can now cross out "explain 'sour cream' to a French Count" from my list of things to do before I die.

Sushi from Saturday

Two years ago I went to Tokyo with Nick during New Years, and we took the Shinkansen to Omagari, or Kakumagawa (I can't remember which... Somewhere in the Akita region) to visit his grandparents. They took us out to a very nice hotel for a traditional New Years meal. There were tons and tons of mini courses, and they were all gorgeous. His grandparents kept taking pictures of the food, because it was so nice, as well as us. (They say I hold my chopsticks very well). There were so many courses that towards the end, when they started to serve desserts, we would all stand up to leave, thinking we were done, and the waitress would rush come out with more.

Nick's Japanese was pretty rusty, and his grandparents didn't speak English, so it was kind of hard to communicate, but they told us about their very very old and senile cat, whose name is Mustache in Japanese, and they showed us wedding pictures of Nick's parents, with Nick's mom wearing a kimono. His grandmother cried when we left, and she hugged me and kissed me on the cheek. I was really glad we went up there for the night, even though we couldn't talk to each other very well, because his grandparents were so sweet, and happy to see us.

Austin Traffic Report

This is my alternate route home. While it may not have the 360 Bridge, that I so adore, a winding tree-covered road over creeks and hills located surprisingly in the middle of suburban Austin is a nice break from the usual highways.

PS: The side mirrors are not to be directed so as that the car behind you is visible; this is what the rearview mirror is for. Note the name. If you insist on positioning the side mirrors incorrectly, please refrain from leering at young girls who are stuck behind you in traffic as you sit in your shiny red convertible with the sun glinting off your bald pate.

PPS: Also, when driving below 40mph with a safety exceeding three car lengths, it is not necessary to continually pump your breaks. There is little or no chance of your careening into the car ahead of you at such a speed and distance.

Chop Chop

I've been too broke to get my hair cut, so I bought a razor and some dye and tried to do it myself. I got carried away and made it too short, but it'll be better in a few weeks. (I look funny with a mullet.)

The Village

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Shyamalan,

Thank you for having sex. If you believe that continued intercourse might produce another director, than I encourage you in your pursuits. As I expected, watching the Village resulted in a banging good time. I hope your banging good times result in your expecting.

Shag on, Shymalans. (Ramma lamma lamma ka dingity ding da dong)





ok, so it wasn't THAT great, but I still like you, Shymy.

I Made Pasta

It was beautiful.

Most Important News Ever!

I couldn't help but feel a little disgusted when I saw this. Don't get me wrong. I think it's absolutely fantastic that Lance Armstrong got his 6th consecutive win. And I understand why he was given the full front page. He's an Austin boy, and the city is proud. People in Austin everywhere have been running around with their yellow rubber wrist bands in support of him and his charity. (Full front page is actually a little misleading. Not only does his picture cover the front page, it wraps all the way to the back of the paper too. I could hang this thing in my room as a poster, it's so big.)

At the same time, it doesn't seem right he gets such a wide spread when the war didn't when it broke out. I guess it's because it's a cause for celebration?

Vector Drawing

This is my first attempt at a vector drawing. I made it for my boyfriend's sister, because she's been pretty unhappy lately. I can't say I completely love it, but I don't think it's too bad for a first try.

Austin Traffic Report

The flower place with all of the flamingos out front... this is their van. I love it.

I laughed when I saw this

Someone once told me that having soy milk in your coffee instead of regular milk gives it a little hint of vanilla... So I was really excited, and when I went to Starbucks I ordered a grande hazelnut soy latte, instead of a small hazelnut latte like I usually do, because I was so convinced it would be orgasm coffee that I would treasure always and become my one true love forever and eternity. Instead, it tasted like a hazelnut latte with a splash of mocha that had been blessed by the god of putrescence. Never again.

Street Sighting

I was driving down the street after picking up a cup of coffee, and I saw these two little kids, around ten and twelve, walking on the sidewalk holding poles out in front of them. At first I thought that were doing the silly little trick where you put a dogleash on a stiff pole or wire and pretend to walk an invisible dog, but then I realized they were blind.

Austin Traffic Report

I really don't know what was going on with this SUV. I would've guessed it had something to do with a sports team, but it had some sort of carved wooden mask on the grill with a wide round mouth filled with pointy jagged teeth. Any speculations?

I spy

I strolled out of the movie theater, chatting to friends about Napoleon Dynamite, to see; clad in a velvet purple ruffled mini skirt, a beige tank top, matching newsboy cap, and a crocheted purse, tall, thin, sandy blonde with nicely shaped legs covered with hair, and a beard peppered with grey... Leslie.

Closeup

Because I liked the way it came out.

Flamingos

Hooray flamingos! For Valentines, they had a slew of red plastic hearts out front, and I think they had penguins last winter, but I can't remember.

Since I stumbled on some pictures online... Austin also has Leslie. Roughly the equivalent of New York's Naked Cowboy, I'd heard of him before I ever moved to Austin. He's been running for Mayor for the past few years. Three years ago I had the dubious pleasure of seeing him in a bikini at Eeyore's Birthday. Far more startling was an overweight guy I saw painted silver wearing nothing but a thong.

Simply Smashing

I was leaving for Kinko's, and looked to the left just in time to see a big pidgeon fly into one of our office windows. This happens all the time, but he left a smear that reminds me of the outline cartoon characters leave when they run through walls.

Starballz

I really can't claim to have seen much hentai, but even if I owned a collection stretching into the hundreds, I'm sure Starballz would still rank as one of the worst. The amount of stock footage was amazing.

Every city should have something like the Alamo Drafthouse. I'm seriously considering going to the Twin Peaks 29 episode (with unlimited black coffee refills!) marathon next month.

Terminally Ill

at the airport
waiting at the airport
sick of waiting at the airport
sick of waiting at the airport in my button-down shirt and heels for four hours with bad coffee and no book and no cigarettes, because I quit, for a flight that is late, which is also a flight that was missed, for a second flight that comes much later than I'd like, making origami cranes from Starburst wrappers.

I made up a joke yesterday.

Q: Why did the trailer trash fall in love with the janitor?

A: 'Cause he swept her away.


Ha! I'm awesome.

Nerd is the Word

I finally finished painting Vlad for my boyfriend. I'm really happy with the way it turned out.

San Antonio, TX

I looked around a bit on the internet and confirmed that these are, in fact, the world's largest cowboy boots.

Texas is weird.

Lakeside Safari

At Lake Calaveras I learned that trolling isn't just something ass hats do on forums, 35mph isn't that slow, after all, and backing up too far on a boat ramp isn't the best idea. I discovered that my foundation has SPF 15, decided that knowing how to drive a Warthog in Halo makes it easier to maneuver a boat, and after being taught how to clean a fish, made the resolution never to try it myself.

Austin Bad Traffic Report

Dear Austin,

I spoke too soon. Thanks for being a bitch. At least it wasn't raining. On the bright side (haha,) I made a new friend. I spent a good 15 minutes with this particular spot of grass, and have grown strangely attached to it.

Maria-palitos, donde estabas tu?

See the bug?

Austin Traffic Report

Little House on the Road Trip

Dear Austin,

This weekend I took a trip to Houston. I would like to appologize for any bad thoughts I ever might have had about your traffic. I would like to confess that upon starting my little car/driving series I like to call the "Austin Traffic Report," I had briefly considered calling it the "Austin Bad Traffic Report." I thought it had a nice ring to it. This was petty and spiteful of me. You have very nice traffic. I'm sorry.

The only token I managed to collect of my trip was a slightly blurry picture of an inexplicably small house along the way. Perhaps it's a shed? Now that I think of it, I still have the card pass to the hotel room at the Doubletree. I suppose I can keep it along with my train pass from Japan. They can sit around and be cards together. It'll be great.

Austin Traffic Report

$20 gets me half a tank. Ugh!

"He can call me Flower if he wants to."

I'd never seen a moth so new. Its wings hadn't even dried yet.
It looked alot like a flower bud at first.

Final Fantasy Flaming

I'm constantly amazed by the degree of bitching that goes on in the Final Fantasy XI forums on Allakhazam. I understand people griping about things like stupid players not knowing how to do their jobs, not willing to skill chain or learn how, and not having the most (realistically) up to date armor. (The standard armor for your level, not necessarily the suped-up expensive +1 stuff.) Anger about kill steals, botting, and people scamming parties for rare drops is understandable, too.

What baffles me are when the bad players who don't know how to do their job, never skill chain, don't wear reasonably up to date armor, and don't level their sub-job flame about people who won't invite them because of these issues, with the stipulation that since they're paying for the game, they should be able to do what they want, and get invites from people who ALSO pay for the game.

People who refuse to party with races that aren't optimal in that class are just as justified to gripe as people who create them, if they make no effort to compensate for the weaknesses by eating food and buying equipment with the appropriate modifiers.

I have read posts where people justify cheating, hacking, botting, power leveling, and buying gil with cash with the argument that they don't have the time to do these things, but should still have all the benefits as the people who invest a lot of time crafting, farming, and legitimately investing in their character. That someone does not have as much time to invest in their character does not make it ok to undermine someone else's accomplishments with cheats, or break the TOA.

Reading posts where cheaters bitch about getting caught and banned makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Business, (casual) as Usual

I'm back to my button down shirts and heels.

Casual, for a Change (of clothes)

For the past two days, I've been allowed to wear casual clothes to work since I've been unpacking, packing, and doing inventory on a booth display we ordered for conventions. It's such a small thing, but I was pretty pscyhed about wearing my regular clothes. When I go places dressed up in my button down shirt and heels, and I kind of feel like I should walk up to people and tell them 'Really, I'm not like this.' Today, I sported a soccer jersey I picked up from Goodwill. (I really need to cut down on the puns.) I love that shirt and its three dollars worth of uber pimpness. The colors are so fun.

I went to see Mean Girls after work with Nick and Walker. I didn't even need to change first! How exciting. It really was a good movie, too.