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With that said, I have to say I am greatly disappointed and saddened. While I won't urge you to rethink your choices, I think everyone should take a look at this: petakillsanimals.com.
What you do with the info there is up to you.
- Location:Home
- Mood:
annoyed
In a vague attempt to keep from losing it, I'm still writing, some in my Aurelia book, some for a website called StoryMash. You should check it out, and look for stuff that's by Annalia (that's-a me, Mario!). StoryMash.com.
I need this Thanksgiving weekend, really I do...
- Location:Merial
- Mood:
cold
Of course, as usual, it's been a crazy-hectic week. I've been balancing working at Merial, finishing up my contract for as many as hours as I can get while taking long lunches and stuff to go do interviews for my (hopeful) next job. Stupid bills, if only they'd learn to pay themselves. So far, though, everything looks alright. At least I haven't died yet. Or worse, gone bankrupt.
James and I shrugged and laughed and decided to go see an opening show of Twilight last night, though neither one of us has read any of the books. I'm still not entirely sure if I want to or not. I suppose I'll read the first one and see how it is, how it compares to the movie, and go from there. Not that the movie was horrible, but there were several VERRRRRRY cheesy parts, several parts the camera handling was reminiscent of an indie film, and half the soundtrack had that grainy VHS quality to it. Overall, I'd give it a B-. Kinda wish I hadn't spent money to go see it, especially thanks to the many twittering teeny-boppers everywhere, but eh. At least I got to shoot things on Area 51 and Time Crisis 3 with Herr Carneal. :) Sooooooo many quarters...
Also, I spent an hour and a half in Borders, resisting the urge to buy entirely too many books. Made me anxious for Christmas, when I know I'll get something I can use to buy me some more happy reading material. Sci-fi, fantasy, cookbooks, anime, and manga, here I come. In the spirit of that, I provide you here my Wishlist, courtesy of Barnes and Noble. Maybe I'll post the Borders one too, if it ever starts working again. Same list, but I know some people prefer one store over the other. Not that I'm trying to say you need to buy me these (though I'll thank you endlessly if you do). It's more just to prove how much I love reading, give my family an idea of what I'd like for the holidays, and also give you, fellow readers, my personal recommendations should you decide to spend an afternoon with a cup of cocoa (or personal beverage of choice) and a good book. Bon appetit!
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- Location:Work.
- Mood:bouncy
Monday-Sick. I had a migraine that makes it hard even to just wander to the bathroom, and a stomach ache that makes wandering further than that pointless.
Tuesday-Right after I voted, got rear-ended. Forgetting that not everyone has commen decency, I pulled out of the middle of the road, since it was just a fender bender. And watched the dickhead go the other direction. Yay for hit-and-run. NOT.
Thursday-Double whammy. The bank, for the second time this year, decides to process my rent check before my paycheck. Rent bounces. Granted, management's being understanding, but still. Grrr... Plus, I get the news that my contract position here at work is not being extended. I work here until the day before Thanksgiving, and then let's hope I've found something else by then, before I spend Thanksgiving sobbing my eyes out.
Saturday-Overcompensate turning while I'm backing out of a parking lot and, get this, not only hit the car next to me, but find out that said car belongs to the store's owner. Great. What a way to end the week. She's being nice about the whole thing, but it's still annoying.
How does this much crap happen to me inside of one week? How? What did I do for this to come back to me like this? Gah.
On the up-side of things, this week seems to be marginally better. Or at least nothing too horrible has happened. Yet.
*runs around to find a piece of wood to knock on*
- Location:Work
- Mood:
content
- Location:work
Can you tell I'm excited?
Stupid thing is, with the economy the way it is and the fact that I have too many bills (my own stupidity, I know), I don't have the money to buy the costume I want until I get a certain upcoming paycheck from work. Once I get that, I should be in the clear and be able to breath again. But until then... :'( Is it sad that one of the things I want to do first and foremost once that happens is take James out for some nice sushi? Mmm...suuuusshiiiiiiii......
Went to a Hallowe'en party this weekend and discovered the level at which I'm not flat-out drunk but just enough that if I close my eyes, the world spins and I feel sick. So I could even fall asleep like I wanted to. Instead, I took a hot shower and then sat out on my porch in nothing but a bathrobe for 15 minutes. And was I cold? Nope. Ahhh, the power of alcohol.
I made the joke to James yesterday morning that he just likes me because I'll sleep with him first thing in the morning, and then turn right around and make him breakfast. He said no, it's because I do that and also will sit and read all afternoon and watch anime with him. I couldn't help but swoon. The fact that I not only go out with him to the clubs and stuff but am also interested in other things outside of that that he is as well makes spending time with each other incrediby enjoyable. Thing is, I kinda giggled and blushed at the time and that was it. Now that I'm thinking about it, it's why I like him so much too. He's incredibly sexy, but he's also one of the few people I know that will do -all- of those things with me. Yeah, sure, there's guys that'll go out to the clubs, or play games, or watch anime, or go rock-climbing, but no one since Chris has done each and every one with me. Makes my life bearable right now, despite everything else.
- Location:work
I spent a couple of weekends looking at houses and did some researching into buying one and renting a room in one with other people and just generally trying to find a way out of Doraville and over to Snellville. It's quieter, closer to Mon Ami (guess who that is! do it! do it noooowww!), about the same distance from work anyway, and has lots more to do around it. Plus, if I do things right, it'll be lots much cheaper. (Don't correct my grammar there. I'm not in a mood to handle that right now. Rawr.) However, due to the wonderful world of apartment rental, I have to wait 'til May to move over there. Ah well. Time will hopefully pass very quickly.
This is also, evidently, National Vet Tech week. So happy Vet Tech week to all you techs out there! Here at Merial, it also translates to National Make the Vet Techs Fat week. We're getting free food every day, along with some other goodies. And while I can't complain about any of that, my stomach is once again full and on the brink of inducing me into a sugar coma. Hallelujah!!! :)
Last weekend I discovered the joys of Buford Highway Farmer's Market. It is a food-lover's paradise, if you can refrain from getting lost in the massive place and put up with the slightly dirty floors and language barriers. Oh, how I love mah food.
- Location:WOOOORRRRRKK!
- Mood:
crazy - Music:Ali's humming
Granted, I was nervous, because it was a new place, and a new game with new rules and new people, but I was definitely excited. The other two LARPs I joined in IL had a decent game system, but the people in the groups were rude, unhelpful, and just plain jerks. I quit after only a couple weeks of playing. It wasn't fun and I didn't make friends even after several events.
But this time, I had the time of my life. The people were wonderful, very nice, helpful with any questions I had, and very understanding of my basically being a complete newb at the world of LARPing. With Carneal's help and their quick overview of everything involved in the game, I created a little character, a cat mongrel thief named Annalia (who's surprised at that, eh? heh).
While I'm still working on her background story, I've come up with the simple facts. She was orphaned at a young age, coming home to witness her family being slain. Having lived for a couple years out on the streets after that, she has developed a definite distaste and distrust of people, whether they're human or otherwise. She's also learned to fight a little with a dagger and other such small theiving tools, as well as defend herself with such. Still in her kitten years, she does have the "ADD/shiny!!!-complex" and is greatly amused by bugs, pretty lights, and the like, but is frightened by most things. As far as directly fighting monsters is concerned, she's content to watch and leap out of the way, letting others do the killing for her. Also, obviously, she's very much cat and not a whole lot human. She is capable of speech and walking upright, and things like that, but prefers more feline habits.
Due to this, I spent much of the weekend on all fours, perching, crawling all over things, climbing up trees, and jumping around. My knees and abs hurt so bad yesterday, it was ridiculous. Even my tailbone for some reason was sore. Ya know what though? Totally worth it. :)
In other news, I have a favor to ask. Remember Rhys, the stray I took in last week? I've been trying to help him out and get him a little healthier before I return him outside, and he's been doing fairly well. With the help of Frontline, we got the fleas under control, and with a daily meal, he's gained a little weight (though, mind, only a little). I'm not sure if he's just really old or what, but I got the added surprise of this morning waking up to puddles of diarrhea and bile. Now, I'd like to find him a forever-home anyway, but if anyone knows of any clinics around my area that offer free assistance for strays or people that would take him in and get him the care he needs, I'd be greatly appreciative. Or, if anyone could donate some money for me to take him somewhere and get him some help myself, that'd work too. Anything you guys can do, really. Like I said, I'd like to find him somewhere permanent to live regardless, since I really can't afford more than 2 cats, but I'm too much of a softie to abandon him until then. Help a kitty, please?
- Location:Work. Is there anywhere else?
I'm going to look at the details outlined in my lease. I'm going nuts and I'm going to talk to the manager of the apartments too. I'm thinking about trying to get out of my lease early and move somewhere else (we'll see what happens with the job thing to influence where), based on noise disturbance issues. Supposedly, my complex has night security, but I have yet to see it despite several instances and rules that are supposed to be in place.
Example 1: A couple weeks ago (Mom knows about this), some yahoo decided that it would be a swell idea to blare his car radio so that everyone could hear it. With the car doors all open. At 5:50am on a Monday morning. This went on for 20 minutes before he closed the doors.
Example 2: This has happened off and on throughout the summer but has picked up in frequency in the past 2 weeks. Several taxi companies AND residents feel that instead of calling my fellow residents to let them know they've arrived, or going up and knocking on the door, it's perfectly appropriate to honk their horns for 15 minutes until the person comes down. At 5 in the evening, I can understand this. At 8am, I can understand this. But when it's constantly happening at 3 and 4 in the morning on the weekdays, like it has been, this is just ridiculous.
Example 3: Two African American guys were yelling at each other for about a half hour out in my parking lot two nights ago, from 12:30a-1a. I could see at least one had an open bottle of alcohol. I got annoyed after the first fifteen minutes that I actually called Doraville Police Station, but the girl there informed me since I don't technically live in Doraville, I had to dial the Dekalb County Precinct. By the time I found their number, the guys finally decided to go inside. Never once did I see our security drive by or anything.
Example 4:I plan on calling my office today and clarifying what happened, because I'm completely lost exactly what went on, but ALSO two nights ago from about 3:30a-4:15, it seemed like some SUV was stuck in our entrance ramp and kept spinning its wheels every 3 minutes. I couldn't see that well, because of the trees, but I could see white smoke coming out behind the vehicle. This morning, as I left for work, I saw two parts of that entrance gating were broken and lying akimbo as if someone had pulled them out or something. If this was an emergency, I could understand, but I never saw any lights to indicate emergency services, so this only made me further annoyed and awake when I should have been sleeping. Two rude awakenings in one night! I'm tired now!
These things have woken me up and caused me to lose a decent amount of sleep. I can only imagine it's been doing to same to others. Yet, as far as I know, our complex security and/or management have done nothing to stop it. I hate feeling like the Scotts and demanding that our noise laws be enforced, but I feel like this is getting out of hand. Once in a while is okay. It wasn't that bad during the summer. Now, it's happening too often and making me upset.
Am I overreacting and just need to buy fluffier pillows to throw over my head? :p I think not.
- Location:work
- Mood: amused
Step Two of Operation:Red to commence in...a week? Two weeks? Whenever I think my hair can handle another round of lightening, in order to remove the black and make my whole head ready for the red dye, without falling off and creeping away like . Hopefully Operation: Red can be declared a complete success by Hallowe'en.
- Location:work, of course!
- Mood: chipper
Ahhhhhhh, how I love Fall! :) The smells, the slight crisp chill in the breeze. Even here in Georgia, it's the best time of the year. Now if only I weren't stuck inside at a computer. Rawr.
- Location:work
- Mood:bouncy
We still haven't heard back from my boss on who got offered the permanent position, so I've been applying to clinics around the area. I needs job and I needs pay that's good for job. Stupid bloody bills, why do they hate me so?
The stray I took in seems to be doing a little better. Talking to a certain someone in Minnesota, it seems maybe he's got herpes? That third eyelid is staying up, but he seems pretty healthy otherwise. I moved him out of the bathroom yesterday, since it's just too small for a full grown cat, all associated accoutrements, and myself in it all at one time, even for a simple shower. So now his stuff is in my bedroom and it smells a little bit like catpee in there. Granted, that's probably due to the litterbox's presence (which is soooo getting a thorough cleaning tonight), but meh. He cuddled me all through the night last night, even through my tossing and turning. I've decided to name him Rhys, after a character in Laurell K. Hamilton's Merry Gentry series. Read it. It's awesome, and if you see this cat, you'll understand.
I've also been sleeping not very well for the past couple of weeks. I have nightmares every friggidy night, and it's really start to get on my nerves. Someone get me a dreamcatcher or, if you're a dream dampener-type, come sleep with me. I'm warm and I snuggle well. Well...when I'm not having nightmares, I guess.
- Location:Work
- Mood:
blah
Also added some pages to my book, so that's still going well. Today's been a bit busy at work, and now I'm going to put in some overtime hours, and do some kitty-care when I get home, so I don't think there'll be much added on today, but it's always a possibility, right?
People seem to be panicking about gas these past few days and it's ridiculous. I gave in and joined a little bit, only because I didn't have enough gas to get home tonight. Between driving in this morning and getting some in my tank at lunch, it went up 20 cents. And evidently, in between my filling up and my cubemate's going to the same station to put gas in her tank too, they completely ran out. Which, I hear, is happening all over the place. C'mon. This is not the Apocalypse, guys. Chill. And share the damn gas already.
- Location:Work
- Mood:
contemplative
I've had people screaming at me already today, but I also got money first thing in the morning. I don't know what to expect from the rest of the day now.
- Location:Work. Of course.
- Music:Typing Keyboards! Lots of them!
- Location:Work
- Mood: cranky
Sometimes, I love my job. Sometimes, I hate it. And sometimes it just makes me worry for the fate of humanity.
As many of you know, I work at a call center for a certain product for cats and dogs. Some of the calls we get are just ridiculous...
"Thank you for calling. This is Me. Can I get your name, state, and zipcode?"
"Well, I don't want to. I don't you to send anything to me."
Yes, ma'am. Because by your first name, state and zipcode alone, I will track you down and stuff your mailbox with evil and doom. Bwaha ha ha.
"Thank you for calling...(insert my whole intro spiel here). How can I help you today?
"Well, umm...see..."
I can already tell this is going to be an interesting call. I wait patiently for her to actually speak more than a couple words of the English language.
"I...umm...well, I don't remember when I got this...and....see...well, I can't find an expiration date. I'm going to give you the expiration date...and I want you to tell me when it expires."
And I want you to spontaneously combust, I think. But I keep the chipper tone in my voice despite her refusal to comply with my mental wishes.
"Ma'am, I can take down the lot number for you, but I cannot look up any information about it. I can tell you that with the expiration date, though, that as long as it's kept sealed, it doesn't expire."
"Oh...hrmm...well...I still want you to look it up for me and tell me."
"Unfortunately, ma'am, I cannot do that. I can record the lot number for you, but it won't give me any information about that number."
"Well..umm...hrmmm... who can?!"
Oh man. I can hear her starting to boil over the line. As in so many cases, I want desperately to retort with some sophisticatedly immature smartass remark. Too bad I'd get fired...
"No one, ma'am. Our system simply doesn't allow us to look up any information about lot numbers. I can record it in the system for you, but it won't give me information about that lot back."
"Oh. Well...hrmm...fine. Well.....fine."
And she hangs up, spewing hexes at me as the ringer goes down.
And yet this isn't the worst. I adored the woman who spent 20 minutes trying to convince myself ~and~ my manager that everything expires, everything has to expire, and this had to have an expiration date, which we would -by jeebus- find for her this instant!
I have this compelling desire to tell all these people that if they really need an expiration date that bad, get a sharpie and write their next birthday date on the box. What a gift that would be, neh?
- Location:Work
- Mood: calm
I recently wrote this letter to Chevrolet, after visiting my dealership for some simple help with replacing a headlight.
"Sir Or Madam:
While I understand the concept of “in the business of making money,” I find it amusing that when I then headed inside to inquire about a battery replacement for my lock remote, the serviceman there told me that, as he was out of stock for my particular battery, I could head down the road to a Batteries Plus and get one there. Had the man who helped with my headlight given me such a similar experience, I would have asked if he could change my oil as well. As it is, I will be heading elsewhere for any such future services. So, I hope he’s glad that his business made a whopping $6 for the company and is aware that he lost my future money-making needs for oil changes, routine checkups, and any other parts-related services.
I realize I may be only one person who, even with these services tallied together over the long run, may not have made much of a difference to their establishment and much less you, but this is not the level of customer service one would expect from such a large company. I work in customer service myself and understand there are certain policies in place that can cause a consumer to get less than what they would like. However, for something so small as a $6 replacement, I believe this incident was absolutely ridiculous. Again, I may be only one person, but repeated service like this is bound to convince others like myself to look elsewhere for their needs."
As I stated in the letter, I know I'm only one person and won't make much of a difference. Still, it is this type of action we as the public should demand from all sorts of companies. The coporate world needs to hear our comments, else how can we hope to improve our world, our country, our cities? Don't be afraid to voice your opinions to anyone (assuming they're well-founded opinions, mind you), because your voice will join others and be heard.
- Location:work
Okay, so obviously from my earlier posts, I've been getting into my creative groove a bit again. So here's something else I scribbled down at work. It needs work, but it's on a piece of paper that I'd like to throw away, but don't want to completely didpose of the poem itself. Criticism welcome, but believe me, I already know I'm going to change it later. At the time, I had been extremely bored and was playing with rhyming.
Through the window of your nightmares
Flew the dust of your disease
Now you must endure the stares
Though no one will hear your pleas
For clemency, for sympathy
Against reality
Looking through your unknown dreams
Perched yourself precarious
Against the rise of this regime
Living your own life vicarious
Avoiding enemies to us
Our problems serious
Wake up the world, my dear
Wake up,
Face your fear
Wake up,
Try to live, my dear
Also, a question to all you out there. I belong to a message board, where we are now talking about music, trying to suggest to one of the members some new bands for her to listen to. As a result, I've been firmly introduced to the concept of a music elitist. What is the whole point of being someone like this? Why do you have to be so closed-mind that you have to stick to one specific genre and look down on anything that isn't exactly within that genre? I understand the uber-eco-friendly people, the vegetarians, the vegans, and, sometimes, even PETA. But I simply don't understand this. Those people serve a purpose, sticking their noses up at practices because they believe it's for the greater good. What 'greater good' is there by insulting a band and it's fans because they don't do "your" type of music?
- Location:work
- Mood:
confused
