kuiama tagged me (my first tag ever!) on the "10 things that make you happy" meme and I've finally got somewhat of a list:

( Happiness is... )

Tagging...debr26, snowjag, s1ncer1ty, ronelyn, and retsuko

Leaving to go up to Corporate this afternoon so I can spend the next two days co-leading a training course. Whee. Only part I'm looking forward to is getting to spend time with She Who Keeps Me Sane in person again. Well...that and not having to deal with the usual daily garbage...although it'll all be waiting for me when I get back, I'm sure. Hopefully they'll have at least renovated the hotel room I'll be in already 'cause the place they always put us is pretty much a dump...not that there's anything better in the area that the company would be willing to pay for...At least we've got a car this time so we're not tied to things within a five mile radius of the hotel in the evenings.

If you were helping someone with their fic, would you not want to make sure that your own grammar and spelling are correct? I'd think that an author would put less stock in the comments of someone who couldn't write coherent sentences.

Someone just posted to one of the fic lists I'm on asking for help with a line in a fic she's working on. Her beta said that one particular line made sense but that it had taken three or four readings before she figured out what it was saying. The author isn't a native English speaker and was asking for help rewriting that particular line. Someone else responded but her comments were less coherent than the original line in the fic that the author had problems with.

I just boggled at it.

And then deleted it.

In other news, my server behaved last night. I was still awake at 6am checking it because I'm paranoid, but it was behaving. *sigh of relief*

For the record, I am physically, mentally, and emotionally worn out. Being cut off in traffic should not first cause me to come damned close to screwing up my throat from screaming at the asshole (as it is, it still hurts more than half an hour later) and then bring me almost to tears. I'm hovering somewhere between tantrum and breakdown and have no desire to do either. I need downtime and "me" time so badly it's not funny. And the worst part about it is that I don't have a clue when I'm going to get either downtime or "me" time.

For the record, anyone else who takes my being halfway through getting a thought out -- especially right now since it's a major struggle for me to keep my thoughts together long enough to get them out of my mouth with as wiped out as I am -- as a sign that they can freely interrupt me as if I haven't been speaking at all is at an extremely high risk of never again communicating with me in a medium that allows for this kind of interruption. Interaction with such people will be limited to e-mail and LJ. When you sit through half an hour with your parents only to have your father interrupt with complete non-sequiturs every time you manage to get three words out of your mouth the entire time, and find out when you call him on it that he has not heard a word you've said in the last 15 minutes, it gets old. When your friends do the same, it gets even older. And I just can't deal with that right now.

For the record, if you're on the entrance ramp to the highway and there's no one in front of you and traffic is moving, 40 mph is not an appropriate speed to be moving.

For the record, if you're on the entrance ramp to the highway and the person in front of you is trying to get on to the highway as well, do not cut across the gore in to the only space they'd be able to get in to when there's space you could get in to if you'd waited until the gore ended. Especially if they're stuck behind an asshole who's only going 40 mph.

For the record, if you say something to me and I can't quite make it out, especially if I'm on my cellphone where it's likely that I've had signal problems, please don't say "never mind" and refuse to repeat it when requested to. It does nothing but piss me off. Also, if you say something to me and it doesn't make sense to me, please don't say "never mind" and refuse to explain when asked to because that's just as bad.

Had a lovely time with my sister in San Diego, got to see retsuko while I was there (first time in seven years and it was wonderful to see her again!), flew up with my sister and her boy to stay with boy's family in San Mateo for a few days, and they were all great, and got to hook up with littleowl while I was with them too (which was also incredible because we haven't seen each other in five years and it's like no time passed in there), and got put on BART this evening to make my way to Cal State Hayward. Just got in to my dorm room for the seminar and I'm about to go wander and see who I can find. But I wanted to let everyone know that I made it here safely.

Suitcase of Doom was 3" shorter and 5 lbs. lighter than the break between regular and oversized baggage. Made it to San Diego as planned. Flight leaving Atlanta was weather-delayed quite a bit but we made up for it in the air. Sister picked me up at the airport, took me back to her place, and we hung out 'til it was late enough to get me accustomed to Pacific time.

Yesterday we had a picnic lunch on Mission Bay, saw the cactus and rose gardens at Balboa Park (embarrassment is seeing two hot military -- in dress uniform -- boys of Japanese descent while wearing one's "got bishonen?" t-shirt), would've seen some of the other outdoor type places (the botanical building, the Japanese Tea Garden, the outdoor pipe organ) there but they were all closed for the night, wandered around a little in Newburgh (I think that's what they said the neighborhood is called...the gay neighborhood...Hamburger Mary's reminded me of the Big Gay Steakhouse in Midtown...), then had dinner at a Mexican place in Old Town that was excellent (first time I've had mole where I didn't feel like someone had just melted a Lindt 85% cocoa bar on top of my chicken and oh ghod I could've happily bathed in this it was so good!)...and then went to one of the coves out by the UCSD campus to see red tide. Which was actually green and blue and purple. It was sooooooo incredible...waves glowing as they crest, getting longer and brighter, then crashing on to themselves and fading away...absolutely gorgeous.

We stayed up 'til almost 1 watching a movie that was rather disappointing, and I was awake at 6 and couldn't get back to sleep. I'm hooking up with retsuko in about 3 hours...so excited! First time we've seen each other since her graduation way-more-years-than-I-care-to-think-about (because I know I haven't been out that long!) ago. I just hope I can remember where I saw the coffee filters in my sister's kitchen so I can caffeinate before then.

Also been a bit bummed because of certain things that are happening with certain friends that have happened before and I'd thought were getting better but that don't seem to be, and the fact that they're not even though I've been told over and over that they are and they will...and that I always end up feeling that it's my fault and my limitations that cause these things to happen even though said limitations are known about ahead of time and no one ever seems to make the effort to accommodate them, and no matter how much they say they will it never happens...it's started to hurt again, more than it should, and that's just not something I need while I'm supposed to be enjoying myself and keeping from tying myself in to knots about things like the seminar.

Okay...1:45 'til my alarm. Gonna close up here and go try to get in at least another hour of sleep before the alarm. That might help things.

So, it turns out that Ed-sensei is also taking everyone's arrows, so I don't need to find room for them. I'm packing the monstrosity of a suitcase (more like a duffle with a frame on bottom) and hoping it's not too big for the plane's size restrictions because I'd rather carry one bag with wheels than try to juggle two smaller bags with wheels. I'm just about packed, just have to pack dressier shoes and toiletries and things like my camera and manuals and notebook and stuff. The little things. And most of the little things are with the luggage, just not in it yet.

Figured out that in order for me to do what I'm doing as far as getting to the airport, I need to leave the office at 2:45 at the latest. Hee! Guess that's making up for Monday's hellish 3:45-4:30, 5:00-12:45, 13:45-20:00 (that works out to...what...14.something hours? yeah...this'll make up for it. *giggle*)

I'm still a bit nervous but starting to get excited. Whee!

first...( mememememememe )

made it home last night. plane was running close to an hour late (which was good 'cause i got to the gate about 10 minutes after they were supposed to begin boarding...of course the damned thing was leaving from the farthest end of the airport from security) so i wasn't planning on actually practicing, just picking up my equipment. i ended up shooting 8 arrows, then giving it up because the shooting platform was slippery from the rain and i didn't want to fall on my ass (i'd already had two close calls by that point). talked with john-sempai who has moved back in to the house where the dojo is, which was cool because i haven't talked to him in ages and, while he intimidates me a bit on the kyudo side of things because he's soooooo very focused, he's a good guy. also grabbed all my stuff and as much repair type equipment as i could since i'll be on my own for doing my equipment maintenance. john-sempai did find me a backup string (i know i searched that box three times hoping to find one...can't believe i didn't see the stupid thing...) so i'm set there. my equipment wants now are mostly so i have my own of stuff that i'm borrowing from the dojo (hakama, bow wrap, don't want to get a bow just yet because we're still not sure what size/weight i need) or additional stuff that's in a bit better condition than mine (tabi, arrows)...nothing's a necessity this trip, just a want.

have my list of stuff i need to do and pack mostly done. just need to do it and pack it.

made it to the currency exchange place and have enough for my registration fee plus two kyu registrations if any of them didn't bring yen.

thoroughly exhausted because i didn't manage to sleep 'til my alarm again...running on an average of 5-5.5 hours a night since this week began, and have a feeling i'll be doing just as badly as i try to adjust to west coast time. ugh.

after work i need to run by target for a travel iron, a small bottle of elmer's glue for equipment repair, and some smaller bottles of my shampoo and conditioner, drop my bow off at ed-sensei's, and haul ass back here to treat and wash my tabi and undergloves -- really hoping some of the crud comes out and they look clean-white like they're supposed to, otherwise i will have equipment buying necessities -- and pack and pack and pack. getting nervous. very nervous.

and really want to sleep. right now. not gonna happen 'cause i want to do a 9-6 day instead of a 10-7 day 'cause the earlier i get out the more time i'll have to pack and stuff.

argh i'm way too freaked about all of this already...

I've done more cleaning in my room today than I have in ages. Clothes have been put away as they've come out of the washer, winter clothes have found their way in to underbed boxes and the last underbed box found its way *gasp* under the bed, dishes are done with the exception of the coffee press, I'm packed with the exception of Nagi (laptop, which I need for tomorrow), the alarm is set for 4:30am, I'm showered and have my hair washed, and I don't think I've gone to bed this early without being sick since I was in elementary school. Learned that the post office in the airport is open at 6:30 and the money changing place is open at 7, so I can get to the airport, drop the bad cellphone in the box at the airport, get the ¥3000 that I will hopefully need for after the testing next week (rank registration fee), get coffee and breakfast type stuff, and hop the plane. I'm really hoping this isn't too ambitious. If so, the phone will go in with my stuff and I'll send it from the office and the money changing will happen later.

Now, hopefully I can fall asleep this early...

just figured out with kuiama that, in order to make sure i have enough time to navigate traffic to the airport for an 8am flight, i'll need to leave the house no later than 5:30. that means waking up at 4:30. that's...i never see 4:30 unless i'm still awake! owwwwwwwwwwww!

i will be going to sleep early today. very early.

Ended up not going to the Pride parade because there were thunderstorms predicted most of the afternoon. Have spent the time doing laundry and cleaning house instead. The festival is fun, but as insanely stressed about everything as I am right now, I'm not heartbroken that I didn't go this year. At least my neck/shoulders are feeling significantly better. Not 100% but I think I can handle lane changes on the highway better now.

I'm annoyed. I'm getting out of the house to run errands because I'm annoyed. Books Japan called yesterday to say that my semi-monthly dose of smut has finally made it to their store. I'm also out of soap to wash my clothes with (which kind of puts a damper on the whole finishing-up-laundry thing) and need to run by MediaPlay to see if I actually pre-ordered the thing that I thought I'd ordered because it's triple points weekend and having it to watch on the plane tomorrow (provided I'm not sleeping on the flight up instead) will be good. I might see if I can swing by the parentals' while I'm out.

In the meantime, I have mostly packed for tomorrow already. There are a couple more things that are still in various stages of washing (my stocking things) and I need new things of toothpaste and deodorant for my travel kit 'cause they're both almost out. But other than that and cramming things in to the laptop case, I'm almost done. And everything will be carry-on, which is a happy thing. No presents for She Who Keeps Me Sane this time though. Unless I swing by Fresh Market for some more coffee on the way back from North Point...

Gonna jump in the shower and get the hell out before I get more annoyed at things.

BTW, anyone familiar with Atlanta traffic...my flight leaves at 8am. Does anyone have any clue what time I'd need to leave to drive to the airport from just south of North Point? I've only driven down there once before and haven't been on southbound highway traffic in the mornings since I was in elementary school. I'd be going either 400 south to 85/75 or cutting across to PIB and down to 285 to 85. Would 6:30 be enough time or do I need to plan for more than that?

FYI, those of you who are going to Anime Weekend Atlanta, it's official. Peelander-Z will be there. WHEEEEE! No definite time yet, but it'll be on Friday night.

If you don't know them, they do kick-ass rock music, are a total trip on stage, and put on a hell of a great show. (They've got mp3s and vids on their website. Yay for S.T.E.A.K.!!! *GRIN*) They usually do 21+ shows, so the con will be a great chance to see them if you can't drink yet.

Pass it around!

Also, for those of you not coming to AWA, they've posted dates for their end-of-summer tour.

WHEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

I am skeeter-munched.

I hope those things had a good meal off me. First time a mosquito has ever bitten me on the neck. Amusing, if it didn't itch so much.

Wow. Usually my Mondays suck eggs, but this one? Actually not too bad.

The server behaved itself quite well today. I got another database migrated (one of the more complex ones, although there are several others that are equally complex in the same way, so now that I've got that one done the others should be easier...16 to go plus some reports to update to point at revised databases). I managed to deal with The Genius in LA without killing anyone. I grabbed lunch at Zaxby's but was pretty good about it (got a zalad instead of the buffalo chicken stuffs that I was really craving...okay, granted, the salad I got was probably not the best for me, but it was good!), and ended up full for the rest of the day oddly enough. I stopped to make another bathing suit buying attempt on the way home and scored two (a one piece and a tank top and skirt bottom) that I'm relatively pleased with and spent about $80 total instead of the $80+ for the one piece that I was looking at at Macy's yesterday. I did dishes. I started another load of laundry (and hopefully the stuff Mom recommended will get the curry stain out of my Pi shirt 'cause it was the first time I'd worn it and the curry stain looked like someone was blotting their lipstick halfway between my breast and my neck...if it doesn't come out, I'll be annoyed that the sweet potato chunk didn't find a slightly more sensitive place to make a lipstick stain...*pout*). I'm eating pineapple and blueberries and drinking the Jolly Rancher drink. And I'm just in a pretty good mood all around.

I'm also sore as all hell from the gym yesterday. That's what I get for a) not going for about three weeks and b) doing several new exercises (recommended by a physical therapist who is practicing kyudo for strengthening the right muscles in the ways they need to be strengthened). If I'd had the energy, I'd have made a detour on the way home, gone to the gym, slipped on one of the new bathing suits and jumped in to the hot tub for as long as I could stand it.

[Washer finished, and the stuff Mom recommended got the stain out. Yay! Mom rocks!]

A while back I got a package of Japanese brown rice. I hadn't had a chance to open it 'til today.

I bought stuff to make curry. I had it all planned out...start the veggies cooking, it says it takes 20 minutes to cook after you add the sauce mix, start the rice then and all is well.

Then I started cutting the veggies...and cut more than my piddly little pot could handle and had to switch to one of my gi-normous pots because I have nothing in between.

Then I discovered that I'd misread the directions and it was supposed to cook for 20 minutes before you add the sauce mix too, although I'd already started the rice at that point.

The rice finished and I assumed all was well.

Everything was all done, I'd thought. Then I opened the rice cooker.

And the brown rice was pretty close to raw consistency. Oh, yeah. Crunchy rice. Thank you, but no. So I tried adding more water and putting it on cook cycle again...and it was almost edible when it was done, but not quite.

The curry's been done for at least half an hour at this point. And the white rice that I ended up starting from scratch about 10 minutes after the curry was done just finished.

I hope this came out good because I was working for the entire two hours of Nippon Music Champ (which, by the way, just celebrated its third anniversary...Congrats, b-chan!!!! We love you!). It's a good thing the radio is right by the kitchen so I could hear while I worked.

Now I just need to figure out what the hell I needed to do with the brown rice that I didn't, because that was beyond "mess" and edging perilously close to "disaster".

(In good news...I went to the gym today for the first time in weeks, did 20 minutes of the "cardio" program on the treadmill -- I usually do "fat burn" which keeps things going so that my heart rate is at 134 where "cardio" is 151...meep! -- and didn't pass out from it or end up needing to suck on my inhaler for hours afterwards. I was most pleased.

And I got my hair cut. Yay!

And then I re-discovered that buying a bathingsuit is the single most miserable experience ever. All I want is either a one-piece with a racing back or some of those cute shorts-bottoms and a tank-length top, and that it shouldn't be butt-ugly or cost close to $90 since I don't spend that much on most of my business clothes...shouldn't be that hard, right? *snort*)

I just discovered that you can use the mouse in links. I've been arrowing around and stuff because, well, it's a text browser, and text browsers in shell accounts don't usually like mouseclicks. I still haven't figured out how to select and copy text to paste elsewhere, but it's nice not to have to arrow around to get to a link halfway down a link-intensive page like my gmail inbox.

Ganked from cosmorific (although purklesuu has it on hers too):

Bold what you've seen all the way through; italicize what you've seen part of; underline what you own; add three of your own.

( Look behind the pretty little cut )

And now, off to work. *shudder*

No phone. Called Detroit, called Memphis (where they said the plane was overnighting and would be thoroughly cleaned, may need to call tomorrow night to check again to make sure it's after they cleaned it), called Lansing. No phone.

I can get another one of the Hakkai phone strap and Watari charm. I don't know if I'll ever be able to get all the numbers back. I don't know if I even remember whose numbers I had in the thing.

Went to Waffle House with Elli for dinner. Am nicely full and my tummy feels a hell of a lot better than it was last night and this morning (thank ghod!). I love my bed and my room. Sleep now.

Made it home safely. Lost my cellphone on the trip home so I may be asking around for phone numbers once I get a replacement (unless the airline has found it...on hold with them now). Very very sleepy. Tonight will be an early night, yes.

And the Northwest luggage service has boring hold music. Just saying.

So I poked in while I was waiting for the bathroom and saw this little quizzy all over my flist. Given the boys it's from, you know I had to take it.


Cho Hakkai--He may have a lot of secrets, but give
him time and his heart will open to you. Not
only a great lover, he will also be your
greatest friend.


Who is your Saiyuki boyfriend?
brought to you by Quizilla

And can I just say "OH, YES!!!!!"

And now, I am moooooost tipsy. Whee. Drunk posts are getting to be a little on the too-regular side, I think. And slash vids are fun. And I can't see Lance 'cause cmshaw is in the way. *giggle* *pets the pretty Spike on screen*

Made it to MediaWest. Much glomping. And now 'tis time to sleep because tomorrow there is CON!!!! *SQUEE*