Dark Angel Rising

Today has been either one major debacle, or a string of smaller ones. I woke up too late to go to the DMV. We think we have the tag situation sorted, through, so that may be out of the way. My throat felt worse, if anything else.

I now know what pepper spray is like, first hand. Someone's cannister of it went off at work. I could barely breathe from coughing so hard. And it only made my throat worse.

Work was busy as all hell, as a day after a holiday can only bring. Two people called out today, which had us short handed... then two dumbasses continued taking unscheduled breaks. Every 10 minutes, about, they'd wander off for half an hour or more. One guy got talked to about it, or something, and decided to up and quit. Go him. Good. Fucking. Riddance.

The house situation here isn't much better. The kitchen is a bit better, but the bathroom? My mom turned off the water to the toilet, so now I have to go upstairs and across the house to use a toilet. My brother left shit on the plunger, then set it on the floor, so the STENCH is seeping into the whole lower floor of the house.

So sick of this crap. Pun unfortunately intended.


... on the bright side, I got my new woot shirt and Chrome is amazing.

I was supposed to go to the DMV today to get the license plate sticker thing fixed. But I slept instead. I blame the fact that I went to sleep at nearly 4 AM and woke up at 7AM and didn't go back to sleep until about 8 AM. I feel rested, tho. Even if I now have no idea what I'm gonna do for food before work (I could be figuring it out, but I've already surveyed the choices and now it's up to my brain to figure it out).


Been asked to write an opinion piece for a blog. It'll be interesting, since it seems like I'll be at odds with the other opinions. Maybe that's the point? If so, it's very smart of them. I'll start today on seeing what I can get done.

Tattoo is healing nicely. It began to itch this morning, which may also be why I tried more sleepin'. Right now it's not so bad.
There are also fruit flies everywhere. Grr. Time to get food and flee this place for the next 9 hours.

This morning...

Brother got told to take care of the toilet.
Ensue the screaming that I always get my way and all I ever do is come home and boss them around, etc... My parents' clipped reply was that the toilet being plunged if you've clogged it is something he shouldn't have to be told to do. And then he began yelling at me and cussing me out for calling him a baby. Parents' reply? "You're acting like one."

He broke the toilet lid by slamming it around. And blames me for it.


My mom is in my camp now. What camp is this? The "let him move out and learn that the real world doesn't match his fantasy" camp.


I also think cleaning will get done today. I threatened to start coming home and cleaning a room a night by throwing everything in it that doesn't belong away. And my dad agreed.

On a different topic from the rant (nothing I can do about it anyway)...


Work has been going well. I've received nothing but praise. At this rate, I might start actually believing it.

I did miss work on Thursday. I'm very glad I was riding in with Jeep so he could hang out in town while I was at work... the front passenger tire on the Durango blew. Rather fantastically, too. For years I've had a worry about how I'd handle it if a tire went boom; so many stories of people losing control. Now it's happened twice (we caught it just in time the second time on the van) and I've kept control. Two tires on the van (first blew, second we caught shortly before it did), and one on the Durango. My luck is... deplorable, sometimes.

But I had Jeep with me. He knew a guy for the tire. So we waited for the tow truck (the tire was facing traffic and it happened on a bridge, so we couldn't put the spare on) and then at the shop. By the time all was said and done, I just had no desire to go to work for only a few hours. Thusly I went to Board Game Night at TCP and then to Perkins with everyone afterwards. It was pretty excellent, all things considered.

At FNM on Friday, I placed poorly. All because I went up against Swans in round two and it kicked my ass. Like it did to everyone that played it: just that by facing it in round two, it hurt. 6th out of 10 people. Not terribly done, all things considered, but not as good as I've been doing. Now the deck is tricked out some and should be viable. It still needs work, mind, but we just can't get the cards we need yet.

Saturday was the trip up to Asheville for my tattoo. YES. I GOT IT. For $50 less than I thought, too. Different guy helped us, he quoted $150 (instead of the previous $200)... He is amazing. Derrick, at Ace of Spades, in Asheville. I am more pleased than I had imagined I would be. I absolutely love my tattoo and I already know I'm going back as soon as I can to get more added to it. And to get quotes on / discuss my back piece. He also recommended an amazing vegetarian restaurant, Rosetta's Kitchen. The food was astounding. I really like Asheville.

( Pic of the tattoo here )

This is the most fucking disgusting house I have ever lived in. It's fucking terrible.

The toilet downstairs has been clogged for god knows how long: it was like that when I got home. When I left Wednesday afternoon, there was food sitting out on the counter. THE SAME FUCKING FOOD IS STILL THERE. The place itself is a complete and total mess.

Am I surprised? No. My mom is fucking lazy and doesn't give a shit about ANYTHING (I could tell her that I'm pregnant and she wouldn't flinch). My dad is gone most of the week working his ass off. My siblings just do whatever.
Am I disgusted? Yes. VERY MUCH SO.

Ugh.
Time to find someone willing to be roommates and get a place. Can't really afford to live anywhere on my own, but with a roommate I'd be fine...

Not doing too great today, but it makes sense as I'm back at my parents' place. I'm even getting along with Nathan these days. Alisha, however, still just goes into long fits of complaining as soon as she sees me. Isn't it great to feel loved? </sarcasm>
My dad's elbow is infected. They're starting him on antibiotics, but if they don't help, he needs to go the hospital. Mind, this is the worst health issue he's had since we found he had diabetes almost 10 years ago. He's always had the high blood pressure and high cholesterol... doesn't eat well (save avoiding sugar)... and this is the worst that's happened. Lucky, I say. ;)

Gonna be starting to read (and I dunno why I never have before), Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? today. Or another Chuck Palahniuk book. Haven't decided yet.


Leave you with this meme I ganked:

You Are an Eyebrow Piercing

You are unique, quirky, and more than a little eccentric. You cultivate the weirder sides of your personality, and you don't mind sharing them. Ever since you were a kid, you've had strong opinions. You've never been like everyone else, and you're okay with that. And you've always been able to tell people exactly what you think - even when they don't want to hear it. You love to create, dream, imagine, and communicate. You live in your own universe. And unlike most people who live in their own little world, you're happy to invite anyone in!

I've spent less time on the computer in the past couple months than... ever. As someone said today: I tripped and fell on a life.
And it's been pretty damn awesome.


Friday night, Jeep and I went to the shop (as usual) and played some Magic. The elf deck was actually kind to me and I got 2nd. The goats did pretty damn well and I am pleased... even if I never actually get to play them (funny for a deck that was originally gonna be mine, eh?). Did get myself an Eventide fatpack. Gonna do the same with, likely, Shadowmoor sometime soon. Fleshing out my card collection. Did, from the Eventide, pull a foil Figure of Destiny. Very, very, very pleased with that.

Saturday we got up early (10 AM is early for us!) and headed up to Asheville. The tattoo-get was bust, since apparently purple is a struggle (takes a lot more time) and my tattoo will be, for the most part, purple. I could've paid for it, but then been broke until the end of the month. However, I did find the shop I'll be getting it at and the guy I want to do it. So we'll be going Labor Day weekend.

Asheville itself is pretty damn awesome. So many cool shops. We wandered around a while and I drooled over stuff like the art store, the bead store, yarn store, etc etc. We had a late lunch at the Mellow Mushroom. And got lots of music (CDs for me, CDs and vinyl for Jeep). When we next go up, we'll explore further out than just downtown. Well, I say explore, but he seems to know where he's going. :D

I'm beginning to stretch (gauge) my ears a bit. Went from whatever the original piercing gauge was (either 18 or 20) to a 14 last night. *flail* It didn't actually hurt that much initially. It's just when I forget and go to play with 'em that I'm like 'OH GOD OW'... and then it's fine again. If this is how the whole process is, I don't see much problem pain-wise. Figure I'll get 'em up to where I want (which isn't that big, really) and then go to getting the rest of my ears done. Not sure if I'll get my tongue re-done or not, but I gotta decide soon. Last I got it done, I had 4 days to recover. I get it done again and I'll have like, 2 and a half.

It's kinda funny. I'm feeling just as, if not more, nervous about getting the tongue pierced again as I was the first time. Dunno why. I miss the piercing something fierce, so I may just go and do it one weekend soon. Shop here, the guy really seems to know his stuff (piercing-wise) and thinks he could do it and if I bring my own jewelry, it'll be about $5.

( More inner thought, than outer.. )

You wouldn't know it, likely, but I love to hike. I love to explore the woods. The more difficult the terrain, the better. One of my dreams is to someday be able to go freehand rock climbing. Has been for a long time. I remember sitting in a van with a bunch of people, when I was about 12, defending this desire despite the claims of how stupid/crazy I was. In fact, I would likely still defend it today.

Not long after that, my knees began to fail me and I began my descent into leg troubles. These days, they're a lot better. Especially since I began regularly taking the potassium supplement. I haven't woken up in almost a year with those leg cramps. Most mornings it doesn't take long before my legs respond and I can move. I don't stumble and trip anymore, as muscles fail to respond. I can make it through abusy day with limited pain.

But I still can't go hiking. Maybe I could. But I can't guarantee it. Not enough to go hiking with anyone. Not enough to go along with my boyfriend on a trip. And I know it's rough on him, that I can't. Which in turn is rough on me. I feel so terrible tonight for it. I want to go so, so badly, but I know how very irresponsible it would be to do so. What if we're a few miles out and my legs give out?

I guess all I can do is keep up and hope they strengthen more, but that's not stopping me from feeling on the verge of tears tonight.

I've barely been around LJ lately. For that, I apologize. I try to, at least once a week, get some idea of what's been going on with everyone. It's a bit of a struggle, I will admit. Lately I've been at my parents' place from Monday afternoon to Thursday afternoon. The rest of the time I'm at Jeep's. And we tend to be doing a lot of stuff. Even if it's just sitting around watching a movie.


Friday was bowling. I think I've found the right weight ball (11 lb). Now it's just a matter of getting my shoulder to where I can throw the ball properly. After bowling, we ended up at someone's house participating in a Power Hour. I almost made it through: found out just how much my stomach has shrunk in that towards the end, I just couldn't drink anymore. My stomach didn't have the room. Next time I won't eat 3 pieces of pizza right before, either. Those took up a lot of room.

Things got kinda rough for a bit between me and Jeep, but we worked it out while lying on the lawn. >.>

Saturday we went up to the monthly art market. Very very cool. May have found a place to submit some of my writing. Guess I'll have to go through said writing and find something to submit. Or write something new. It's not like I don't have the time at work. Jeep and I are also planning on having a table there next month. For him to sell some of his tables and such and me to sell my various things. Going to, probably tonight, go through and figure out what to make between now and then.

Sunday was a lazy day. Mostly because partway through, I began feeling like crap. The CMW is really kicking my ass. Most of my glands are swollen. The ones in my armpits hurt especially bad, but it's the ones in my neck that are the worst. Some days I've been struggling to breathe because they've been so swollen. Ended up just kind of ... not quite napping, but not conscious either yesterday. Took a bit to recover. Hoping that nothing comes up during work.

This is my first week on my own proper. I've been receiving nothing but praise from my team lead and management, but I'm still nervous as hell. I've set the bar pretty damn high for myself, but I've already been told that if I keep this up, I've been marked for a spot as a trainer or team lead when they expand the department later this year.



That's all for now. Uh, other snippets:
- Jeep and I have decided against D*C. It's just not smart money-wise and neither of us would be capable of getting up as early as we'd need to for it.
- Saturday, we're trekking up to Asheville so I can get a tattoo.

----------------
Now playing: Modest Mouse - 3rd Planet
http://foxytunes.com/artist/modest+mouse/track/3rd+planet

New job good.
Pay OK.
Hours this week suck.
CMW is back.
Feverish, nauseaus, etc.

Overall good.
Bowling Friday.

Might go to D*C for a day.

Getting a tattoo soon.

Or lightning. I guess the wind was easier to type. But then I still said lightning... The pain!



Things this week have been pretty fucking awesome. Jeep is wonderful, as always. I've got a job (even if I have to report for my first day by 7:45 AM on Monday). Not overly thrilled about the job other than the fact that... well, it's a job. I'm really sick of call-center work.

The cyst is back. In full-force. Not too happy about that. Sharp pains yesterday evening. Then I struggled to sleep because I ended up fairly feverish. Gonna look into alternative thyroid medication options. The new job will have health insurance, but not until I've been there for 6 months.


Off to... do stuff now. Jeep and I are gonna be cooking dinner for my family this evening.

Been with Jeep nearly a week now. Like, physically with. We've been dating over a month at this point... Which still confuses me. Doesn't seem that long at all. And everything is still quite awesome.

Friday we began playing Magic at around 5 PM for the Eventide release. Around 7 AM (and a second store) we stopped, went home, passed out... and went back to the second store around 7 PM Saturday. Mostly to partake in an amazing concept called "box drafting". It's pretty much all old cards and rares/uncommons. They're laid out on a table and everyone takes turns picking up to about (we had 6 people) 45 cards. Build your deck from there.

Oddly, even tho I suck at drafting, both times we did the "box draft", I did fairly well. Especially on Sunday. That deck won more than it lost (5-2, I think?), which was really awesome. It was black/red, tho. Lots of fast damage, with a lot of unmake-style stuff (Like the awesome 'Snuff Out').

Sunday and Monday were pretty lazy. Tuesday I found out that I GOT THE JOB at LevelOne. The one I wanted, too! I start on the 4th (next Monday). So very excited to be working again, after 10 months out of work. Totally, totally awesome.

Yesterday evening, we went out to Coffee Underground for the book club. There was a little discussion of the book (Briar Rose), but mostly just hanging out. We had ice cream at Marble Slab afterwards. On the way home, Jeep and I stopped at Blockbuster to pick up a couple movies... which we didn't get to watch 'cause the power went out for a while last night.


Today is a new day and after I get off of here; there will be food, chores (I'll try to help out, if he lets me! ;)), and movies later on. It's been a really awesome week and I love my Jeep much. <3

After asking (I'm drunk, see, these are the things I think about when drunk) how the song "99 bottles of beer" ends and Jeep answering and me having to check online...

Me: "Wikipedia says you're wrong."
Jeep: "Fuck Wikipedia!"


... the end.

I played Last Night On Earth the other evening with some folk. Very fun zombie game. I played the nurse (who teams up VERY well with the priest, I must say!)... Well, I kept ending up with all kinds of weapons and such. A lighter, welding torch, dynamite (twice!), two revolvers, a shotgun, a baseball bat, and a signal flare gun. So we all had this image of a heavily armed nurse: bandoleers of ammo and antibiotics, holsters everywhere, etc.


... I've decided the next time I have excuse to wear some kind of costume (Halloween, probably?), I'm going to dress as said nurse. :D

Finally heard back from LevelOne. They've still got a couple references to check on, but aiming for a start date of August 4th. What time on August 4th? I DON'T KNOW! Isn't this all so grand? I'm really glad that their hiring manager is... only that. He doesn't seem to have everything figured out. The reason I didn't hear back yesterday? A career fair or something. Why did he tell me to call that day, then? Oi!

Either way. Sounds like I've got a job. And someplace with better prospects, etc, than Teletech. This is the good. Pay won't be great, but maybe I can work a day or two each week somewhere to supplement it. We'll see how things go.

Got some laundry going. Going to go out in a while and take care of the trees (water and maybe spray the fruit trees, and then I need to prune one of the trees out front). Also gotta pack for next week. I see Jeep tomorrow! So so excited. Missed him much the past couple days. How dorky is that? We're so used to talking off and on throughout the day. *flail*

Also need to really get my brain in gear and write up a couple descs for PW. I've just always struggled with descing eggs. Anything else and I'm fine. Eggs? Nope. ;.;


Now! To eat some breakfast, watch another episode (or two) of Spaced and then... prolly the trees.
Oh! I gotta go to the library, too. Maybe do that before the trees, so I can be sure to get there before they close and maybe it'll cool off a bit more (tho it's already cooler today than it has been the past few days).

Adamrocks_Clone: how do you play pandemic 2
Tadiera: You just sit around and complain about Madagascar, Adam.



Tadiera: Winning with Dimentia/Diahrrea should be a badge called 'Infect People With Old Age'.
Saint_Jimmy: xD
AlisonClaire: rofl
CheechWizard: oh you're bad...
F1nr0d: lol

If there are one or more people on your friends list who make your world a better place just because they exist, and who you would not have met (in real life or not) without the Internet, then post this same sentence in your journal.


(Esp. my amazing, wonderful Jeep. <3!)


EDIT... ( Some memes I ganked. )

Interview went well. Two positions I could get. One sounds better than the other.
Pay would be.... not so good. as in 'can't move out of parents' house' not-so-good, but a job is a job. I should know by the end of the week. Prolly to start on August 4th. Fingers crossed.

Keyboard is acting up. Hopefully it just needs new batteries and my brother didn't pitch a fit while playing games on my computer and pound on it in anger or something. I am not convinced that this wasn't the case, as he has a proven history of such things.


Might go to the Command Post tonight to play some board games. A bit undecided thus far: I'll probably only go if I can take the blue van. The one that, y'know, has decent A/C. Unlike my van, which has dying A/C and one window with a dead motor.


But first? Groceries.

Got an interview setup with LevelOne tomorrow. 2 PM. Waugh. I hope I get more sleep tonight. I should. I think I'm frustrated enough (finally) with GemCraft to pause for a few days.


Been doing a lot more reading lately. Gone through some books on vegetarianism and Buddhism. Also reading a lot of Chuck Palahniuk, since I'd kept forgetting. Figured since I had remembered, I ought to see to it that I actually read 'em. I've finished Choke and I'm a good way into Rant. Got at least one more (Fight Club... curses, there were two, but I guess I took too long to get it!) to pick up and one more queue'd (Haunted).


I've started getting what appear to be cluster headches. Over the past week, I've had at least 3 episodes where, for a short while, I get a very intense pain behind my eye. Pain so bad that it's all I can do to keep upright. It, thankfully, doesn't last too long, but is absolute misery while it does. Figures I get out of the environment that triggers my migraines so that they're more rare (a couple a month, versus a couple a week) and I get these now. Guess seeing a neurologist has been moved closer to the top of the 'Things to Do When I Have Insurance' list.

The switch to being vegetarian (as best I can- sometimes can't with my family right now, but meat one or maybe two days a week isn't terrible) is helping. I can already tell. I had spaghetti one evening last week and it was the first meat I'd had in over a week and I could tell a major difference shortly after I was done. I knew that it wouldn't hurt, with my health issues, but now I have proof that it's a lot better for me. Makes me look forward, even more than I already did, to having my own place and my own kitchen again.


ETA:
Had something a bit triggery on my mind to talk about for the past couple of days. It's just not a topic one can approach with just anybody, nevermind the fact that I don't know how I'll handle it. No need for me to try having a mature discussion with someone and break down crying... or start ranting angrily. Gotta figure out the best way to get it out. I'd just write it in my paper journal, but I need some feedback on it.

Might end up posting it here, just to get it off my chest. Might not. Will see.

Spent the weekend, as per usual lately, with Jeep.

Thursday night was Dark Knight, which was freaking incredible. Oh man. Really gotta go see it again... which is high praise for me. I rarely see a movie more than once in a year. Usually wait for it to fade a little... but this one? This one I gotta see again.

The trailers, too. New Terminator movie that looks awesome. And Watchmen. *flail* So excited. So, so excited.
Did find out that the Star Trek movie was pushed back to May. Curse you Abrams! You're so awesome, but so infuriating!

Went bowling on Friday. My shoulder isn't fully up to it yet, but we may make it a regular thing. The beer made the embarassment at bowling so poorly easier to bear. ;)

Saturday I was dragged (ok, I went willingly :D) along to meet the rest of Jeep's family. They, apparently, approve of me. This is very pleasing. He says there's one more "test", as it were. ;) So far I'm doing good.

Today we went over to a fellow Browncoat's house and watched the pilot of Firefly. Jeep had never seen it and he liked it. HURRAH. I gotta get my hands on the DVDs so he can watch the full of it. I really miss my copies of 'em.


Came home to find my brother had been using my computer over the weekend. VERY DISPLEASED over this.


Been getting some really intense pain behind my eyes over the past week, though. Tension headaches, they're called? Never gotten it before and they've been pretty terrible. Not too happy with that.
I do have another job lead. We'll see where it goes. And today I did get mention of another possible lead. Hopefully something comes up soon.
Got one or two websites to get working on this week.

Friday I head back down to Grey Court. Gonna go with Jeep to the Eventide release event and then spending the week there.