Please stop sending me a &*^$%^!! notification every time someone on my friends list receives a virtual gift. I have taken appropriate measures and changed my settings and yet, you do not listen. As a paid account holder, I would like to think that you care what I think.

Sincerely,
trustme1013

Brother #2 says tonight, as we're watching 'The Wizard of Oz' (I was over there for dinner):
"Ah... The Wicked Witch of the West! I wonder what her husband said when she was cast in this movie:
'Oh, you got the Witch part, eh? No surprise there!'"

Yeah, he's a real funny guy, isn't he?

The Twin calls me tonight and tells me if he texts me, I need to call our mother (who has pretty much a 99.999999% chance of being in bed at this hour) and tell her to bring bail money to St. Charles / O'Fallon.

Because he thinks he's going to get arrested.

...

...

Sometimes I swear I was switched at birth.

He lives on my porch.  He is an orb-weaver spider.



He's been squatting here for the past few days.  Being a little bigger than my palm, I was thinking, since he pretty much is blocking my path down my stairs and scaring the everliving shit out of me that it's time for him to relocate.  He's a very neat sort of fellow -- rebuilds his web every night and everything (notice the Halloween-looking fuzz -- that's his 'orb') but even the neatest sort of spider can be a nuisance.

I'm also afraid he's going to get into my apartment and eat my heart while I sleep.  Just look at this picture.  That is an orb-weaving spider that is eating a SMALL BIRD.  A FReAKING BIRD.  IT COULD EAT MY HEART!

So, in a moment of weakness, I have called Brother #2 to come and kindly ask Carmine to either A, move to the other side of my porch (by the chair, so I don't have to step over him each morning, or B, move him forcibly.  When an arachnid is larger than my palm, I lose all ability to handle such things rationally.  I managed for 3 days, but no more.

Some interesting things happened to me today (in no particular order):

• I got hit on by a man in my own socio-economic group, as well as my own ethnicity.  This rarely happens, and while he was a few years younger than I, I did take the compliment just the same.
• I enjoyed the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Dunkin' Donuts.  Who knew it would've been better than Five!Bucks?
• I definitely had fun at my friend's son's 2nd birthday party.  He thought the tool set I got him was TEH SHIZNIT.  Yes, I am awesome.
• I did not get hit on by my friend's husband, who, at his son's 1st birthday last year, decided to throw me over his shoulder and make veiled advances on me in front of his wife (my friend) and his mother-in-law.
• I watched both Revenge of the Nerds AND Animal House.  Double WIN!
• I got to experience "dinosaur wings."  I guess Dr. Alan Grant was right -- dinosaurs did turn into birds!  (What do you think, kiwifruitbat ?)
• I had Patrón.
• I also had 2 pints of Sam Adams winterwheat and 1 pint of Yuengling.  (HOORAY!)

So ... that's it, but today was a good day!

Yes.  It's true.  I've started listening to...

Christmas music.

In fact, ten days earlier than I started last year.  I just love it so much!!!

I'm calling these "Devil Muffins" for two reasons.  1:  They're made with Devils Food cake mix.  2:  They're like the DEVIL!



You need Devil's Food cake mix, a can of pumpkin, and an oven. 

Mix cake mix and pumpkin together. Put in 12 muffin cups (go ahead and fill more than 2/3 of the way)  Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.

Try to share them with your friends.  Just try.
Makes 12.  184 calories each.

ETA:  Next time I make these, I'm going to add chocolate chips!

While reading on my local Yahoo news feed, I came across this story:

New Zealand follows city's anti-meth lead

and found it personally timely because I had to 'identify' myself at Walgreen's to buy Advil Cold & Sinus.  Apparently, federal law mandates that they track the sales of pseudoephedrine.  My low-tolerance for government in my daily biznez got all Irished up there for a bit, especially when the pharm girl behind the counter said, "How do you say your last name?"

"Nunya, " I said.

"What?"

"Nunyabiznez."

Actually, no.  I asked her, when she asked me that inane question, how she said hers, and she says, are you ready for it?  Nelson.

She felt sheepish after that.  How rude!

Anyway, this is interesting to me on two points.  #1, New Zealand, like God's chef d'oeuvre on Earth, has a serious meth problem.  Had no idea.

#2, like five years ago, I was home during the summer visiting my parents during my school summer vacay, and I turned it on A&E.  This kid, whose younger brother I went through grades K-12 with, was on, talking about his meth problem.  I went to church with this family.  This guy's little brother was my twin's best friend in grade school!  (I called my twin, who was in Maryland, and told him to turn it on A&E.  He had a COW.)  A&E had done a documentary about Franklin County's meth problem, and how Missouri is the meth capital of the country, and how FRANKLIN COUNTY is the biggest perp!  Like, the lady who did my softball pictures, yeah?  She had a meth lab in her developping studio!  Right next to the ICE CREAM SHOPPE!  What!?  

And my parents wonder why I won't move home.

#1, I love Rhett Butler.
#2, I love Mr. Darcy
#3. Also, Col. Fitzwilliam.  I love how he is jovially candid about his mercenary self.
#4.  I am awesome and a fantabulous cook.
#5.  I am not often sick, but it seems that when I am, I clean and do lots of stuff.  I expect to crash at any moment.

( Southwest Chicken Goodness recipe )
----
Poor Mr. Darcy just got rejected!  Hear the tremor in his voice!  No one rejects the great and powerful DARCY!  Heeeeee!
---

( Ghetto Chicken Cacciatore )

okay... disk one is done now ... it's just 2 pm.  What do I do now?  My cold meds have me really wired!

and Cotton Fields called the Old South.
Here in this pretty world, gallantry took its last bow ...
Here was the last ever to be seen of Knights and their Ladies Fair, of Master and of Slave...
Look for it only in books, for it is only a dream remembered.
A civilization Gone with the Wind...

Okay -- so I'm sick today, home with a cold.  This means I have all day to watch my some of my favorite movies ever.  Among these are:

Gone with the Wind
Pride and Prejudice
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Northanger Abbey
Dear Frankie
Shaun of the Dead

And, hey -- maybe I'll throw in Australia for fun.

Right now, it's Gone with the Wind -- my favorite book in the whole world.  janetlin , you know I love it!
 

So, the Cardinals are in the Post-Season!  Hooray!

Right now, they're tailing the LA Dodgers.  Not hooray.

All the people that were supposed to showed up for the cohort I recruited.  Unfortunately, my boss said I had to fill all 3 of my cohorts this fall or face probation.  Guess I f*cked that up.  Who cares, though?  I'm turning in my two weeks after this recruiting season anyway.

I'm reading the Insulin-Resistance Diet and learning that I am probably insulin-resistant, which would explain why my belly looks like it's wearing a fat suit.  Once I finish it, I'm supposed to call my doc and get a blood-sugar test.  Joy.  Otoh, this means I might get skinnier!  woot!

UPDATE:  AS I AM WRITING THIS, THE CARDS STEPPED UP THEIR GAME!  2-3!  KEEP GOING!

Apparently, David Gray just released a new album in September.  WTF was I????, which I bought yesterday and have listened to 30 times already.  Seriously.  I love him so much.  Not a fan of "Full Steam" but every other track on "Draw the Line" is exceptional.  This makes me realllllly happy!  I have every single one of his albums.  If he weren't married, I'd be married to him.  Five times. And have all his Mancunian babies.  I think I've said this before, that David Gray writes the soundtrack to my life.  I really really love him.

I realized today that my part-time job (working in paint-your-own-pottery studio) can be likened to a mullet.

Yes.  A mullet.

As in, you enter the store, the cash register and main studio is all before you, and through the main studio is the party room. Or...

wait for it...

wait for it...

wait for it...

Business in the front, party in the back.

Just thought I would share.  I was reading an article linked off the Drudge Report, and it took me to this picture:



From this article

And while what is happening in this article doesn't sound so awesome, perhaps he should have used the muffliato charm, hmmm?

In France, a difference is made between hiboux, eared owls, which are considered symbols of wisdom, and chouettes, earless owls, which are considered birds of ill omen. source

I can't remember which friend on the flist I had this conversation with, but I learned chouette for owl from them.  I read chouette and see 'little cabbage' like mon petit chou, but this is a further distinction.  I had always used hibou for owl.  In fact, I painted some salt & pepper shakers like owls and put hibou on the bellies.  I couldn't remember chouette, and now I'm glad I didn't! 

I'll have to share pictures of the salt & pepper shakers when they're done.  =)

I now have the internet!  (I'm at home right now -- it was just installed.  I guess I should go back to work soon.  *whistles*)

The bad news is, they took away my free cable.  No more Bones marathons for me!  Woe!  Woe!  Woe!

I guess the nice thing is, I'll watch my Netflix more quickly, and I will get more job searching done, which is the point of getting the internet at my house, period.

Also, now I can play MafiaWars, which is what I'm going to do ... right now.

Tschus!

eta:  I can watch Bones online (duh!  Thanks, Fox!) and I can watch instant netflix now!!  I am SO getting my $30 worth!!

Curly-haired girls, if you're tired of the normal rigmarole and less-than-satisfying results of your normal hair care routine, you might want to try:

( Shamless plug continues! )

Happy belated birthday, kiwifruitbat ! 



Cottey BIL love!

trustme1013

Happy birthday, avidbeader !

Love,

trustme1013,
and


Well, they look a little busy.  But they'd wish you one, too!

I got this in the mail today from one of my prospective students:

Well, just one thing:  I called a prospective student of mine (whom I've not met) and he called me 'Steph' instead of 'Stephanie.'  I love my full name, sure, but there's just something about that shortened name that makes me feel more familiar and at-ease with folks. 

I guess it's because so few people call me Steph instead of Stephanie that it always catches my ear.

In other news: 

I don't have the internet at home, and I can't read my LJ without possible dire consequences, so ... I've not been around for a month.  I'm working on getting a hook-up at home.  I have the modem.  I just need the deposit!

I miss you guys!