labryinth v.2

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 00:01:56 GMT

Stuff wot I needs to do before I leave at asscrack o'clock tomorrow morning (and remind me just exactly why I chose an 8:20 flight?):

Dishes (I hate coming home to a dirty kitchen)
Laundry (I hate wearing dirty clothes on a trip)
Vacuum
Get more face soap and mouth wash
Load some new stories on my PDA for the plane ride
Fully charge PDA and laptop for plane ride
Pack

Hmmm, is there anything I'm forgetting?

Woot!

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 00:59:42 GMT

Guess what I just did!

I wrote the check to pay off my car loan!

Yay! I thought it ran till like Jan or Feb of 08, so last month I just automatically sent them the standard amount. Then this month, I looked at the statement, and it said "$14.97"! Yay! All paid off! All mine!

naturally, it'll probably get totaled tomorrow, now that I've celebrated it

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 23:43:01 GMT

Oh wow, has it really been that long since I posted? I guess so. It's not like I'm not on LJ all the time anyway - reading your posts, finding fic, just surfing around - and I've thought of plenty of things I wanted to post about, I just keep getting side-tracked. By fic, by email, by playing with my kitties and reading comic books. So umm, hi, yeah, still here. In fact, I'm gonna be on the East Coast breifly in a couple of weeks - October 6th through 11th - I'd love to get to see a many of you as I can. I'll be in Baltimore, visitiing my mom - drop me a line, let's see what we can work out.

Speaking of vacations, my boss is out this week on hers. I went upstairs today for some papers, and found one of my co-workers actually asleep under his desk. I'm definitly getting some milage out of that. [snerk]

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 05:29:45 GMT

Why I love NEENER(1):

This morning, in passing as we each get our breakfast:

ME: Do you want this bell pepper?
NEENER: Nope, hate them.
Me: So do I.
Neener: So why'd you buy it?
Me: Because my art teacher told me to.
Neener: You mean that art class you dropped, you dropout?
Me & Neener (in unison): Beauty-school dropout....

Why I hate NEENER:

He brought home a cold. And gave it to me. Brat.

____

1) Not Entirely Evil New Roomie

The Governator

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 03:18:08 GMT

In case you didn't know, the California Legislature has once again passed AB 43, the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, which would give same-sex couples the right to marry. Last time they did, the Governator vetoed it, because he's a big poopyhead. He'll probably do the same this time, because he's still a big poopyhead (and I can't believe my buddy R actually voted for him...blech), but EQCA is trying to get 10,000 signatures in 10 days to pass on to him in the hopes that he'll actually take his own religious whackjobbery out of the equation for a moment and pass the bill.

So if you live in California, and you haven't already, go sign their petition:

www.eqca.org/10000formarriage

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 21:38:08 GMT

I'm not big on the song itself (dance really isn't my genre), but dayum those Isreali boys know how to make hot videos...

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 04:49:08 GMT

So I've dropped the art class. I started out really excited about it - the first class we were drawing lines, wide, narrow, heavy, light, curves, angles, and I thought "Yeah, this is what I need, begin at the beginning". The second day, she was all "Now, let's draw hands!", and I thought, "umm, oh-kay... I can do this, it sort of looks like a hand, sort of...". Third day, she's all "Trees!". That's when I realized I was out of my depth.

Really, I need something even more basic, with lots of practice on the little stuff before we get to the "create your own standard scheme for countour lines"...

R.I.P Astroland 1962 - 2007

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 06:58:15 GMT

When I lived in Manhattan, I'd go out to Coney Island at least once each summer. Ride the N/Q subway all the way to the end of the line, get a Nathan's hotdog, ride the Cyclone and Willard's Whizzer (my favorite ride, ever), cruise down the Boardwalk. There was a timelessness to the place, it could have been 1965, 1985 or 2005 and there would have been the same people - elderly Jewish couples, young New Yoricans pushing strollers, brash kids screaming for more candy - the freakish and the mundane rubbing shoulders in the fierce sun. Dirty, noisy, bursting with life and quintessentially, elementally New York. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/10/nyregion/10coney.html?ref=nyregion>I can't imagine it not being there.</a>

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 03:58:06 GMT

Well, I certainly did my part to keep the economy moving today.... I'm posting from my brand-spanky new laptop! Vista will take some getting used to, and I'm having no joy trying to share files with my desktop, but otherwise - yay! They actually had a package deal - the laptop, Office 2007, and an HP printer for $580. I was going to buy Office 2007 anyway, so now I've got a fancy printer I can sell on Ebay to make the discount even better. Anyone want an HP4180, cheap? Printer, scanner, copier, new and unopened.

There's also the new DVD player - a pretty Philips one that plays DIVX, and PAL and multi-region. OK, it's not for me - I already have one - it's for a friend who doesn't get the whole "technology" thing so asked me to pick one out for him, but I think it still counts. Yay for retail therapy!

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 20:52:06 GMT

So, a laptop would come in handy, though it's not like I really need one... but this looks like such a good deal I don't know if I can pass it up....

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 21:45:43 GMT

Is it just me, or is google down? I haven't been able to get to the search engine all day.

Ginormous Post of Postyness

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 20:49:29 GMT

Or, all the things I've been meaning to post about for the last week or so.

Lifey stuff - somebody pointed out a cool online tool for daily goal keeping/tracking the other day, but what about long term stuff? I've managed to tick several things off my Giant List of Things To Do (get financial act together, find not-entirely-evil roommate, take art class), but have also added a couple more. These aren't stuff I need to do today, or this weekend, but over the next year or two. Anyone got any handy tools for these kinds of things? Or suggestions for how to track progress and/or ensure I actually make some progress to track?

I signed up for a beginning drawing class at city college. The course description said it was for anyone, even people who've never drawn before, so it's perfect for me. I've always wanted to be able to paint, but lamented the fact that I have zero talent at it, so I thought maybe this will give me a few of the skills at least. We're working in charcoal so far, and I'm doing... not so well. I'm already better than I was, but it's clear that everyone else in the class has at least some experience. The very first thing we're drawing is our own hands! Hands are hard, even for professionals - why does the prof thing we're anywhere near ready for hands? I'm lucky if mine look even vaguely hand-like, and this whole "contour lines" stuff I'm having a really hard time with. I think I'll do better when we get to shading - at least I hope so. Don't expect to see anything here though, at least not for a loooooong time.

In Kitten News Eddie (the new cat) has become Destructo the Wonder Kitten, at least when she's not being The Insanomatic Kitten of Skittishness. Really, most of the time when I reach for her, she runs away. I try to move slowly, and make sure she sees me, but she just skitters away from me. And she thinks the not-entirely-evil new roomie is both entirely-evil and a font of good-things-to-chew. Any suggestions for how I can help her calm down? Does St. John's Wort work on cats? Or do I need the kitty-equivalent of Xanax?

Fannish stuff - thanks to the aforementioned not-entirely-evil new roomie (for whom I really do need to come up with an amusing acronym) I recently got addicted to The 4400. Wow - what a great show! I love how things change over time - people come and go, switch sides, forget who they are, learn new things. Sure, there are logic holes you could drive several extra large Mack trucks through, but the character arcs are really well done.

Then there's the slash potential... I'm normally very happy going through life wearing my slash-colored glasses, seeing the slashy goodness inherent in just about any guy/guy interaction, but sometimes.... sometimes, even when I want to, I can't take them off. Ever have that problem?

Sadly, the slashiest relationship on the show is Kyle Baldwin (Chad Faust)/Tom Baldwin (Joel Gretsch - who's William Shatner's son-in-law, btw). OK, Kyle (and Chad, for that matter) just pings my gaydar like a huge neon sign, and he's slashy with everyone - his cousin Shawn, Jordan Collier, his cousin Eric - but it's absolutely blinding with Tom. His dad. Yeah. Dirtybadwrong, and not in the fun way like Sam/Dean. If you thought the first season of Dawson's Creek[1] was bad, when James Vanderwhoosis couldn't take his eyes off John Wesley Shipp (playing his dad)... that was nothing compared to the longing looks, inappropriate touches and lingering, no, clinging hugs between Tom and Kyle. Even the other characters notice it - several people refer to their relationship as "intense" or "intricate", with long, pregnant pauses before they find the right word. It was kind of amusing at first, but by the middle of season 3, it's just, yeah, no. Chad and Joel, you're both hot, and I'd pay good money to watch you go at it, but OMG please stop cruising each other in front of the cameras now!

------
[1] I'd just like to make it perfectly clear that I've never actually watched Dawson's Creek (except a couple of the Jack-being-gay episodes), but even so, I heard about the James/John "connection".
------

Meanwhile, on a different bat-channel, at a different bat-time, Who Wants To Be A Superhero! - again, entirely the fault of the aforementioned not-entirely-evil new roomie. Campy fun!

Loved it right up to the ending. Picking The Defuser really was just too obvious. Sure, he's almost picture perfect for a Marvel super-hero - white, middle-class guy who's so heroic he becomes a cop, then goes further to become a super-hero, blah blah blah boringcakes. Not only boring, but it's been done before. There's nothing new here, nothing different about this guy - just another bossy Republican father-figure plugging right into the Establishment to protect the status-quo. Hygena - did she even have a superpower? Or was she just there to say "see, ladies, even if you're a superhero, you're supposed to cook and clean for your menfolk..."? Shudder. Hyperstrike was at least something of an outsider - as circusfolk, he wasn't mainstream - he didn't follow the prescribed path. Plus he had a really nice ass. And much as I liked Parthenon, and would loved to have seen him win, what kind of super-hero slogan is "Bling is my thing!"? Really, I think that did kind of reflect a kind of self-centered outlook on his part, not something you want in a superhero. Whipsnap needed some therapy, but if she could have gotten over her issues, I think she and Defuser would have made a really great team. They would have balanced each other out.

Oh well, I guess that's why I'm not Stan Lee.

So, umm, I guess that's it? For now, at least.

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 18:24:09 GMT

Hmmmm - someone in my building is frying bacon, and it smells So. Fucking. Good..... [drools]

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 18:38:43 GMT

Happy Birthday to darkscyde and lugonn!

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 18:06:40 GMT

I've been having just really amazing dreams the last couple weeks. Well-structured plots, interesting characters, good roles. Sometimes even in French (or once, Dutch) - though I'm never sure if I'm actually dreaming in French, or just dreaming that I'm speaking French. Anyway, I keep asking myself why I can't be this coherently imaginative when I'm awake - some of these would make really good movies. Sadly, they fade so quickly.

I also had a really great idea for a Supernatural/Dr. Who crossover, where Dean spends some time as 9's Companion while Sam was at Stanford. Though I can't decide if it would be better before 9 met up with Rose - so he and Dean could wordlessly share their woobie man-pain of abandonment and lonliness - or after, during the 9/Rose/Jack era, so there could be uber-hot Dean/Jack (because we know Jack has a thing for blonds. And brunettes. And redheads. And blue scales. And green chitin.) I suppose it depends if you wanted to write emo or fun. Now, if only I could actually write.

Raven Davies

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 17:24:29 GMT

Does anyone know Raven Davies - used to have Slash Haven/quotetheraven.com? Wrote Mag7? I used to host her site, before she let it lapse, and I just got an email from her yahoo account that I'm 99.9% sure is faked (a poorly spelled plea to send her money in Nigeria.... yeah, that <b>totally</b> doesn't raise any suspicions). If you know her, and have an email for her that's <b>not</b> a yahoo account, please drop me a note. I'd like to make sure she knows someone is messing with her mail.

Irish President:

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 20:53:44 GMT

I think this is possibly the best way of putting it that I've ever read:

(Irish) President (Mary McAleese) said: "Homosexuality is a discovery, not a decision..."

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 20:26:57 GMT

Resolved: I'm done with San Diego. There comes a time when that switch just flips over in my head, and that's it, I'm done. I haven't been able to build the life I wanted to here - neither professionally nor personally - so it's time to try someplace new. I'm pretty sure I've decided where I want to go next, what I want to do when I get there, and that it will take me about 9-10 months to get ready for the move financially and work-wise.

Given: I'm *way* over my current job. I was actually over this job 2 years ago - but there was a project on the horizon that kept me interested. It's been put off time and time again, and now looks like it will finally start in 2-3 months. Sadly, I no longer care. Yes, it would be an interesting project, and a cool new program to learn. Installing, learning and training others on that software would look good on a resume... though not necessarily helpful to my next planned career move.

Therefor, the question is: Do I stick it out here at this job I no longer give a crap about, to do this project that no longer excites me? Or should I look around for a different job that pays a bit more (thus making my financial goal earlier, or higher) but which I'd leave in less than a year? Is it fair to my current employers to stay around when I'm no longer motivated, or should I find new employers to abandon in 9 months?

Pro staying: I don't have to job hunt. I know I'll make my goals/timeline.

Con staying: If the project gets put back again, I would either have to abandon them in the middle of it, or extend my stay in SD.

Pro leaving: Possibly more money, no longer have to deal with this place.

Con leaving: Job hopping doesn't look good on a resume. Also, the devil you know...

Hmm, decisions, decisions.

Yay Productivity!

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 20:49:53 GMT

Things wot I has done today:

1. Shopped at farmer's market.
2. Swept & mopped kitchen floor.
3. Vacuumed entire apartment (except for roomie's room)
4. Recycling

Things wot I still have to do today

1. Catbox
2. Laundry
3. Drink beer.

Care to guess with of those three I'll *actually* get done?

WTF

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 20:13:46 GMT

I love reading the posts in the various storyfinders comms - occasionally you can stumble across something great that way, but mostly it's for the WTF?! factor. I'm sure these stories have been written, but why, oh why? would anyone want to read them?

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 14:53:35 GMT

Jackhammers. At 7:30. On a Saturday morning.

Will.Power.

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 21:00:39 GMT

As an exercise in self-control (and an attempt to finally get rid of the 10 pounds I gained last holiday season) I'm trying to quit eating chocolate for a while. I'm starting out slow - taking it one day at a time. So far.. well, yesterday I only had one small square of Dove, which is about 2% of my normal intake. Today... if my boss doesn't quit hovering over my shoulder, I'm not going to even make that far.

So, ladies and g'men, step right up, place your bets - can he do it?

View Poll: #229

Noises Off!

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 19:10:06 GMT

The Funny: Last week my car started making this funny noise - KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. It wasn't there when I left for work, and by the time I got off the freeway, it had started - KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. Sort of a rattley-knocky thing - just the type of noise to scare a non-mechanic type person like me - KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. I open the hood, and check the oil and look for anything obviously out of place, but don't see anything - just hear KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. So I ask around for recs to a decent auto mechanic, and get referred to a place fairly near my house. I call them up, ask them if they have time to take a look that afternoon - cause I'm afraid my engine's going to just drop out the bottom any moment. The guy I talk to tells me that if it's something minor, they can fix it, but if it's the crackshaft, or I need a new engine, they'll have to send me to somebody else... So I'm getting all freaked out, and looking at the state of my savings, and thinking I'll have to put Lovely Roommate out on the corner to raise some cash.

So I get to the auto shop, and the engine is just knocking away like mad, and I find the guy I talked to on the phone, and he's really nice - but still with the "If it's a new engine...." stuff. And we get out to my car, and he's got test equipment and a stethoscope with him, and I pop the hood and start it up - KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

So mechanic guy (who's kind of hot in a rugged, axel-grease-under-your-fingernails, overalls-are-easy-access kind of way) takes one look at the engine, and says "Oh, one of your spark plugs is loose". He pulls out a socket wrench, zip zip zip, and YAY, no more KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Trouble customizing

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 05:42:28 GMT

Nothing spectacular, I just want my font to be Verdana - I've tried editing styles, but no joy. Help? Plz?

For I contain multitudes...

minotaurs@insanejournal.com — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 01:18:16 GMT

I understand that LJ (and IJ, GJ, JF and everybody else based in the US) has to comply with federal laws, and even moreso, has to appear to comply willingly. It's just part of doing business in this country. But what's ticking me off is the high-handed way they're doing it. They're not the New York Times, for crying out loud, they're a community based journaling service - with emphasis on the service. Deleting people with no warning and no recourse is sucky customer service, and super-destructive to the community that's supposed to make up their structure.

Thing is, I don't want to leave LJ. Not that I've got anything against IJ or JF, it's jut that LJ is where most people are, and most fic gets posted and most of the action happens. None of the others has reached critical mass yet - and if we all take off for different services, none of them ever will.

Some people have suggested a "Journal service for fans" - which is what JournalFen is already - or some other central location for fannish journalling. But I think the solution might lie elsewhere.

Instead of just one journal service for everyone, how about a site that concatenates *all* journal services?

This way it wouldn't matter if your friends stuck with LJ, or jumped to IJ, or thought JF was the way to go. If there was one place that could let you read and post to all the LJ-software based services from one interface - kind of like Semagic, only web-based and able to read as well as post. I know enough about programming to see how it might be made to work, but not enough to actually do it.

Any takers?