Run! It's a moose!

I now possess a license plate frame that says "Plays with FIRE."

Leverage Season 2 comes out this week. :-) :-) :-)

Had a pretty productive weekend, mostly of the cleaning and sleeping variety. Did not make it into the workshop, which means I have to get the wedding jewelry started as soon as I get back from San Jose. Good thing I work well under pressure.

Ripley the Wonder Cat reeeeally needs a roommate. Mr Pegasus has many kittens, which would entail a trip to Dallas. Hmmm.

There was a minor kerfuffle about needing a carry-on large enough to accommodate the CPAP machine + 4 days of clothes until I discovered that medical equipment, including CPAP machines, does not count against your carry-on allowance. Score!

Now I must procure TAA-sized things for my dop kit. Target, here I come.

I got up way too early (6:30) in order to get to the Gem & Mineral Society Swap Meet. One of the organizers very kindly offered me the use of 2 tables under her tent so I didn't have to spend all day out in the sun.

I did a massive cleanout of my stone beads and the remaining teeny weeny seed beads that I used to use in cross stitch, as well as assorted stuff that I either don't use any more, or I bought and discovered I had no use for. I sold about 2/3 of the bead strands, all my old colored copper wire, all my extra trays, and a good chunk of my extra geodes. I even sold one of the pieces I made today to keep my hands busy!

Then at the end of the show, one of the members (who sells these really amazing cabochons), asked me what I wanted for all my remaining bead strands, plus some other stuff. His wife had just had their 4th baby, and he knew she needed something to mess with for a couple of weeks. So I told him, giving him a decent deal, and he wound up trading me this crazy amount of credit (which I promptly used to get some really nice stones).

I also scored a complete copper/enameling beadmaking kit (making enameled copper beads with a torch sounds like fun), and a couple of amazing freeform cabochons from another seller, who now wants to talk to me about coming over to the Lab and having me give him some soldering pointers. Which would be cool. And several people have asked if I want to teach wire wrapping at the clubhouse, which I think I can swing late this summer/early in the fall. Which would also be cool. And I got rid of the broken rock tumbler that had been residing on my living room floor for far too long.

So I came back with less than I left with (score!) and more money than I started with (double word score!). Then I went and killed a lot of monsters in D&D.

All in all, a good Saturday was had.

...are idiots.

Case in point:

This morning , on Facebook, a friend posted a link to a really cool Cthuhlu-themed ski mask. I re-posted it, and mentioned in passing that I would love one.

Sent the link to dremiel via YIM, with the note that it would be perfect for her son. She agreed. Loudly. :-)

I mention on FB that I really want it for dremiel 's son. Another friend posts that she kinda-sorta knows dremiel  through LJ and she'd love to make the mask and did I want to go looking at yarn on Saturday?

Meanwhile, I'm copying and pasting between YIM and FB. Yes, they do know each other from LJ.

Once again, the theory that I know everyone on the planet is vindicated.

And a really cool 13-year-old will be getting a Cthulhu ski mask. :-)

Argh. Tired.

Let's see. I started my stonesetting class this week, and it looks like we'll be able to get a lot of things done, since half the class is signed up for Stonesetting and the other half is doing Special Topics.

We had our Talent Day at work, and I set up my jewelry, got a lot of nice compliments, and was told to set aside several things to be picked up and paid for tomorrow (since we aren't allowed to sell at the show). Didn't win Best Booth--got beaten out by the woman who brought her loom and was demonstrating weaving--but at least I didn't lose to the gal giving away cupcakes!

I set aside the three pendants that were won on help_haiti. I'm sending one off this weekend but I have yet to hear from the other 2 winners.

I need to make a cake tonight for a coworker's birthday, and this weekend I really need to do taxes. I like to do them early to get them done with and out of the way. I still need to buy my hideously overpriced tax software, though, so it may be next weekend.

I hope you and yours have an excellent 2010.

*hugs flist*

For the last week I've been going straight to the workshop to finish up Christmas commissions. Literally, I would leave work (detour to friend's house to feed/pill cat), grab sandwich, go to workshop, work until 9:30 or 10:00 every night. No shopping, no nothing. And that unheated workshop is quite chilly when it's only been 40F that day. (whine, whine) I mailed off one commission (which I won't post pics of until I get permission), and handed off the other on Saturday. Mailed off the BFF and his family's presents and bought all the stocking stuffers.  Did some self-indulgent shopping at Central Market (at this time of the year is there any other kind at a high-end supermarket?), and went and killed lots and lots of monsters in D&D. Now I'm cleaning my workroom pigsty of an apartment, so I can get the tree up and the lights on the balcony before I eat dinner withdremiel . Oh, and laundry, gotta do laundry.

I have no idea what it was that was attacking me, but I have a memory of calling in sick to work this morning, and not waking up until 2. As in PM. *facepalm* I must have been fighting off something I picked up at the Austin Gem & Mineral Society Show, where I was face-to-face with hundreds of little kids. Yay immune system!

I feel much, much better now, and have managed to watch 2 episodes of Jeopardy and dye a shirt pink for the office Halloween celebration on Thursday.

I did get quite a bit done jewelry-wise this weekend. I plan on going back in this week to make enamel earrings and maybe another nautilus pendant! I'll get pictures up tomorrow. Now I need to get some wire work done.

I remember the Apollo landing. I guess in LJ years, that makes me an official Old Fart. :-)

I was 5, and I had just gotten back from Houston where I was visiting my dad, sister, and the younger of my two brothers. (My parents divorced when I was 2.) My 5th birthday party had been memorable--one of the kids in the apartment complex managed to fall through our sliding glass patio door. He wasn't hurt, but we all still vividly remember my 5th birthday!

It was late for me to be up (after 9!) but Mama told me I should, and she sat on the sofa with Grandma, and I lay on the floor in front of our big old console black and white TV, and watched. To me, it was neat, and I liked listening to Walter Cronkite (I miss you Uncle Walter). For me, it's a fond memory, one I can bring up with a little bit of pride.

It was much more important to Mama--she was in her early 40's, not much younger than I am now, and she'd been reading science fiction for most of her life. For her, this was it. We were on the way to the stars! I remember her being so excited, and my Grandma being utterly thrilled--she remembered the Wright Brothers, you see...

But for Mama...I wish I'd had the chance to talk to her about it as an adult. She's been gone almost 18 years now, and I still miss her. I miss the conversations we never had, and now we never will.

Wow, this wandered off track. :-)

Happy 40th Moon Landing Anniversary!

I'm in a quandary.

My lease is up at the end of June, which means I need to decide if I'm moving out pretty quickly.

I mainly want to move to have a real workspace. As I've said before, the management gets nervous when I say "propane tank" and "open flame soldering". But duplex rents haven't really come down much here in Austin--our economy and house prices have been relatively stable. (So far, anyway.) At least apartment rents are on the way down. Maybe I can find one I don't hate with a garage. I've been informed that my rent won't go up this time (there's a first), and maybe I can talk them into a slight decrease...

I've applied for space at a couple of artist's spaces, namely the Pump Project. They do charge for space, but a shared space is only about $90/month...which is just barely affordable. If anyone can think of another place, I'll be glad of the referral.

I can always get another 9 month lease and move next spring if I have to. Hmmm. Anybody have any opinions on this?

And does anyone have a FAQ on crossposting to DW?

All due to pentapus, I have a Dreamwidth account. I'm lillian13 there as well.

Avenue Q was a blast last night. I now have a "The Internet is for Porn" t-shirt. :-)

Now I'm hoping for rain.