Run! It's a moose!

I thought I needed to have my slides in for my presentation this week--I started looking through my emails and discovered I have to have them in the 13th. But I need to get cracking! (My first real presentation here at work: 20-ish minutes of talking about prepping documents for translation. There will be LOLcats involved. And pictures from the "Blog" of Unnecessary" Quotation Marks.)

Since the last videos I posted caused some trauma, here is one that will make you laugh. My niece and I were talking about music on the drive back from San Antonio, and she mentioned that she really liked the new song "I Kissed a Girl". When I lauged and told her they stole the title from a much better song, she asked me to prove it. So here it is for you as well:

I've put in my applications for both the Blue Genie Art Bazaar and the Wheatsville Arts Festival this winter. So far, the only time I was accepted into Wheatsville was when I was sharing a booth, but I continue to hold out hope. Maybe I'll even apply to the Cherrywood Art Fair, even though they only had me in the first couple of years of the show, and every time I go there, I'm told "You should show here!". What the heck.

I really think my work has gotten better over the years. Hopefully I can get into some more Christmas-y type shows.

I went to Houston on Saturday, to a coin shop that I deal with at local coin shows. They weren't going to the coin show in Belton, so I drove down to Houston instead. I came back with a couple of pounds of interesting coinage to make bracelets and pendants with, and I took the opportunity to go to Penzey's Spices (man, we need one here in Austin), and hit one of the outlet malls on the way back. I was good and didn't stop in Elgin for sausage, but it was awfully tempting. Maybe next time!

I ran into a cloud of lovebugs on the way down and now my car (except for the windshield)  is covered in bug parts. Ick.

The dryer definitely needs a belt. I wonder if I can talk The Nephew into coming over and helping out with that?

 It's been raining steadily for at least 45 minutes now. The last time I remember it doing this was probably October of last year. I mean, it rained like crazy here last year....up until October, when the Chaos Weather Gods turned off the taps. I mean, completely. This has been one of the driest and hottest years on record for the Austin area (hottest June ever, possibly the hottest summer ever). I went out and collected some rainwater for the inside plants, and got soaked to the thighs. It was great.

Speaking of great, my Big Brother, the Navy Doc (Reserve), comes back from his 3 months of shipboard duty on Thursday! I volunteered to drive everybody to and from the airport, to spare his wife.  There will be a big welcome back shindig on Sunday at some community center at a park. No one has asked me to volunteer. (Thank goodness.)

The Nephew turns 18 this week. Oy. I got him a Spamalot t-shirt and some starter spices from Penzey's, since I'm trying to encourage his nascent cooking interest.

Man, I want a scooter. Anybody want to get me one for Christmas? I promise to be really good.

We're really short-handed here at work. We have one guy out for another week (wife had first baby), our support person on 2 weeks vacation (moving), and then one person got sick last Wednesday and still isn't back, plus V, my boss, was out sick on Monday and may not be here today. Luckily our workload isn't too insane, but I'm just waiting.... 

State of the butt:

Worked out at the gym 3x last week. It totally would have been more, but last Monday the blood bank called and asked me to come in and donate for surgery for a 7-year-old. Sure, I say. (I still have the protein in my blood that lets me donate for kids.) So there went Tuesday. Then Thursday I had the Very Last Birthday Celebration--my friend G and I went to a baseball game. (How much do I love local minor league baseball? You can spend $24 on tickets in the middle of the week and sit right behind the batter, near the scouts and the person who uses the radar gun to show how fast the pitches are. I got an enormous all-beef hot dog and iced tea and was content. Plus, we won, 16-1. Go Express!) 

I was kind of a slug this weekend--it's been damned hot here--but I got some jewelry made. I'll post pics soon (along with my last 3 glass pieces!). The hand is stil a bit stiff and the strength isn't quite there yet, but it's coming along. Saw Dark Knight.

Will be at ArmadilloCon August 15-17, selling my jewlery and some of Pegasus Publishing's shirts. If you are coming to the convention and want a particular shirt, email Mr. Pegasus and let him know so I can have it for you!

Going to see the new X-Files movie tomorrow with dremiel and J. It may suck, but we'll have a good time.

 I got moving early (for me)--balanced my checkbook and fed the animals I've been petsitting this week. Then I met up with 3 coworkers to drive to San Antonio to see Spamalot at the Majestic Theater.

OMG, it was sooo funny, and excellently staged. I can appreciate how much work goes into a good show, having done the backstage bit myself. If you get a chance to see it (it's part of Broadway Across America), DO IT!

I hear it's coming to Austin early next year after Bass Concert Hall reopens. I'm buying tickets. 

I got this shirt for the Nephew's birthday.

Got home to discover I'd missed the first thunderstorm we'd had in ages.

Comment heard behind me at Landry's Seafood House: "I'll have a Bud...draft." (as if this was the most outre thing ever)

Glass class tomorrow!

State of the hand: Have lost another stitch. At this rate he won't have any to take out on Tuesday morning.

For the last week or so, I haven't gotten any of my messages or replies from LJ, so my apologies for not answering them. I created a filter on my SBC account, so hopefully that will flag them? Any suggestions? All my settings seem to be fine....

I'm heading out to San Jose Thursday morning. It's Fanime! If you're coming, drop by the Pegasus Publishing table.

And since I'm leaving, I've been putting in 10- and 11-hour days at work, trying to get everything done that needs to be done before I leave.

Carpal tunnel surgery is set for Saturday the 7th. High noon. :-) (I'll have to get up before 6 to take my meds, since I can have nothing for 6 hours before the surgery. ew.) World's Best Niece will be my chauffeur. She rocks.

 Whew. Busy weekend. Wasn't expecting that.

Went to see Iron  Man with dremiel, her son, JW, and JW's son*. My Not-So-Inner Outer Fangirl was Very Pleased. And yes, STAY THROUGH THE ENTIRE CREDITS. (Especially if you are an Old Skool Fan and got all the in-jokes.) I was also able to distribute some free books left over from the Nebula Awards. As my note to my sister in her box of books says, "When I get free books, everybody gets free books."

I have been to several bookstores and have even more books to read, along with the Free Books.

I finished both of my Sweet Charity lanyards, and I will get them out this week, as they both go to the UK. 

I went to the Pecan Street Festival with the World's Best Niece, bought some excellent pasta, a dragon, a shirt for the World's Best Nephew (graduation is coming!), cool metal magnets, donated money to the Friends of the Austin Planetarium, had tea&lemonade and chicken on a stick. I felt very virtuous about not buying kettle corn or anything fried. Then we went to Central Market, bought veggies and gelato, and I handed her More Free Books. Made plans to get the new pictures for my website done next weekend--really for sure this time!

I'm now doing laundry after finally vacuuming the apartment. I am a bit pink from being out in the sun for 3 hours. I  may cook later. (feels very accomplished)

I gakked this link from killerweasel: Why your Friends are not Watching the Same Show You Are.

* I am especially amused with myself, as I looked up at 11:40, yelled "Holy crap!", dove into the shower, dressed, stopped for cash, and still made it to the theatre 10 minutes before the show started. Nice to know I can still accelerate if needed.

 shusu tagged me! I must obey. 

a) List seven habits/quirks/facts about yourself
b) Tag seven people to do the same
c) Do not tag the person who tagged you or say that you tag "whoever wants to do it" 

I tag: dremiel, wolfshark, kymmz, karenmtx, vickita, sandy_s, tassosss, blueraccoon

In other news, I just spent too much money on my car (there goes my painfully acquired "cushion"), I have to deal with drunks for 2 1/2 days at North Texas Irish Festival this weekend. But I get paid for it, and I have a buyer for my Wii, so I won't be broke, just annoyed. Because I think the work I just had done on my car was caused by the last place I got my car worked on. I'm making calls next week. And possibly writing letters.

Next week: Two concerts! Voting!
 

Home early again.

Went to the doctor; it's neither strep nor the flu. Just something that makes me feel crappy. So far I haven't gone into the gym this week and I'm not even going into my jewelry class tonight. :-(

To add insult to injury, it's "Teen Jeopardy" week. Questions so easy my cat could answer them.

I want to move things around in the apartment, but all I'm good for is lying on the couch and muttering at the TV.

Last Day!


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I get the unmitigated joy of picking up my new bifocals this afternoon.

Turning 40? Did not make me feel old. Being in my 40's has not made me feel old. This? Makes me feel old.

*sigh*

But, I have gotten two "There is NO WAY you're in your forties"-type compliments/comments in the past week. Which is nice, but may be due to the fact that have neither Mom-hair nor Mom-clothes.

I have last night's Supernatural and tonight's Atlantis to look forward to.

...but I'll be wearing bifocals. Feh.


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