* Work at VS continues to go well, although I didn't get as many hours as I hoped to get these past couple weeks. Trouble is, when business at a store is slow, they have to adjust their staffing accordingly. I really enjoy it, and will be going in this morning from 9:30-3 PM. I have worked in almost every room now! I really love helping with bras, and the room with the push-up bras is my fave! It's a small enough room that I am able to keep it totally neat and clean on my own without help. It is also fun to help customers find the bra they are looking for.
* Working for Pamela is also going well! I am helping her both with organizing her artwork and with some personal projects. I am making her an address book and organizing her contacts into a new email address, so that is something I can do from home. It is great! We also have had the greatest intentions of going swimming after I work with her at her house. So far we have only gone once (Pamela loves near a city pool -- which is BEAUTIFUL and FREE!). Every time I bring my swimsuit since that day, it has RAINED! Bummer.
* I have to ask at VS today, but my dad has asked me to come into the hardware store for a 5-day stretch in August! I think it would be super fun, and I hope VS allows me to do that. Plus, it would definitely be good pay because it would be full time hours for those 5 days. Crossed fingers that it works out!!
* SUSAN AND BOB GOT KITTENS!!! They are two little girls named Waffles and Edith, and I love them!!! I have decided to be their godmother. They are so cute!!
* Susan and Bob also got a Wii as a wedding present. (Seriously: Best wedding present ever!) Susan and I are addicted to the game "Trauma Center: New Blood." So addicted, in fact, that I got "Trauma Center" for Nintendo DS. :)
* Went with Aly to an event sponsored by PlayStation. It was their 2009 holiday launch, and we got to see the games that will be coming out this fall in time for Christmas. Let me just express my EXTREME EXCITEMENT over The Beatles: Rock Band!!!! I got to try it out and it is SO much fun! It makes me want to get a PlayStation 3. (Or an XBox 360. Or a Wii.) Seriously. At the event, they had mic stands, and I even attempted my goal of both singing AND playing guitar at the same time! This makes me think Doris and I have to rig someting up so that we can sing and play at the same time! If each of us can be 2 Beatles, we could be a whole band!
* My friend Jaime got me addicted to the Facebook game, "Farm Town." It's basically a farming Sim. It sounds lame, I know. I was skeptical at first, too. But now I love Farm Town!
* I am on a really weird sleep schedule. I need to get normalized! I am staying up really late and not even sleeping all that well. I don't know what my deal is, except when I work late at VS, I feel the need to stay up and chill before going directly to bed. And sometimes that's super late to begin with!
* In art news, my cousin Katie comissioned me to do a drawing for her sister-in-law, Kelly. She sent me some photographs to choose from. I did a pencil drawing of her with her baby son, Anson. It came out really nice! I was pleased with it. Katie will be giving it to Kelly this weekend, so I am eager to see how the gift goes over! I saw a picture of it now that Katie had it matted and framed, and it looks great!
* I finalls saw "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." I really enjoyed it! Because of my VS schedule I was not able to see it in Long Island with Megan and Scott, like I usually do. But I saw it with my friend Sam, and it was really fun! I thinkt he move was very fast paced, and it might be difficult for someone to understand who hasn't read the books. I think at this point, it is an assumption that you've done your required reading! ;) Those actors have really grown up with the movies, and I am so impressed with their acting, especially since they were so young to begin with!
* I have decided to keep my female pufferfish's name "Gilligan." Thanks to all who voted -- I think it was unanimous. I agree; I have been calling her "Gilligan" for too long now, it would be confusing to change her name. She is WAAAY cute. I just noticed the other day that one of the spots (right on the top of her head) resembles a heart!!! I changed her water yesterday, and the tank is just sparkling! My bettas are also doing swimmingly (pun intended). I have three: Otto, Owen, and Olaf. Owen is my oldest little guy and he is just doing GREAT!
* Working at VS has inspired me to do a special cleaning/organizing project. I have been going through my dresser drawers one at a time. I went through panties and bras and threw away old or ill-fitting ones, then tidied the drawer and stacked the bras in the way VS does (which does not crush the cups like my previous storage method did). I also sorted my sock drawer, my pajama drawer, and my sweatpant/exercise clothes drawer. T-shirt drawer: you're next!
* We have a fruit fly infestation again! I mean, it's not the worst infestaton one could get. It's certainly better than bed bugs, fleas, cockroaches, and KATYDIDS! The fruit flies are just ANNOYING and there are SO MANY of them. I have implemented my wine traps, which worked last time I had fruit flies. Crossed fingers that this does the trick.
* While my "relationship" with M officially terminated in January, I have attempted to do the "just friends" thing for the first time. I think it is going well. I have had time away from him to think and I feel like I understand things a bit better just recently. And, I can't help but be so excited for him in regards to how well his career in music is going! He is going some really really great things, and will be playing LOLLAPALOOZA in a couple weeks! Wow!
* Speaking of M, I will likely be doing an incredible costume project for him. He is being recruited as "George Harrison" for a Beatles tribute band, and he needs a Sargent Pepper suit (George wears the reddish one). I am so psyched! Nothing gets me going like a good costume project! It will be my first experience making PANTS. Crazy, right? Something about costume design will NEVER leave my soul! This suit will be CHALLENGING, and it has to fit well. It also has a lot of details. (A LOT.) Plus, since it is for M's tenure with the band, it has to be made well for multiple wearings. The band will wear assorted outfits throughout one show, so it should be easy to change in and out of. My brain is racing with ideas!
* I am feeling the need to really get serious about weight loss and exercise again. I don't know why I've gotten lazy about it. I keep putting it off, and it's the worst thing to put off!
* Just got word that my diploma is available to be picked up from Brooklyn College!!! Yeah, it's official! I'm a master! :)
* Aly and I are going to a Sephora event today. Fun!
Okay; time to shower and get ready for my day! Tally-ho!
- Location:my apartment
- Mood:
awake
I cannot believe I made this error! I thought I had seen a stripe on the fish's belly, but it must have been a shadow! The question remains... what do I do about her name?
Poll #1432863 Name that fish
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 9
What do I do about my fish's name?
View Answers
Keep it Gilligan (even though she's a girl)
9 (100.0%)
Re-name the fish a feminine name (likely new name: "Mary Ann") 0 (0.0%)
- Mood:
shocked
Tomorrow, from 12-6, is my first "real" shift at VS. Looking forward to it!
The only reason I am still awake is because I just fed Gilligan, and he is just so cute when he eats. When he gets live blackworms, he sucks them up as if they are spaghetti! Just now, I gave him his first frozen food, a small piece of frozen bloodworms. He is digging them, big time. They are supposed to float at the top, but the filter has seized the chunk of them, holding them in one place. Gilligan is rushing up and pecking at them until he frees a single worm. When it is released from the suction of the filter, he high-speed-chases it down. I guess he is a natural hunter!
OK, despite his cuteness, I think my bed is calling my name!
- Location:my apartment
- Mood:
sleepy
My dear little pufferfish is named! I have gone with "Gilligan." :)
It came down to McMuffin vs. Giligan, and my pal Aly had a very good suggestion that helped me make a decision. She asked, "If you had a child, and God forbid he/she passed away, would you name the next child after him/her?" I replied, "No!"
And then I had my answer.
You see, McMuffin would have been a direct homage to McNugget, but do I really want this fish to be a "second" McNugget? While I miss McNugget terribly, I do not want my current fish to have to live up to the legendary McNugget. He is special and awesome in his own right!
And so, I give you Gilligan! He is a darling little fish. :)
- Location:my apartment
- Mood:
pleased
A new dwarf pufferfish has joined my family!!! Meet him!!
Would you like to help name him? I have some ideas, but also could use some additional suggestions. I believe it is a boy. Ideas I have so far:
*Gilligan
*McMuffin
*Peanut
*Kilgore Trout
He is delightful already! Very alert and interested in his surroundings. He has been interacting with lots of his decorations, as you can see here. He is super-curious, which I think means he is liking his tank!!!
I have learned from my last experience with McNugget (my puffer that passed away). I began immediately treating his tank for internal parasites. Most puffers have them, and that's what eventually took McNugget. I hope to banish them before they impact this new fish's life.
Love him already!
- Mood:
chipper
"But you're going to DC for a week!"
She was right. Doris and I will be going to DC to visit her sister and her girlfriend for one week! We're leaving tomorrow. This would NOT be a good time to get a new fish acclimated. I never mind asking my roomies to feed my bettas because they are easy to take care of and their food is pretty normal, but dwarf puffers eat live and frozen foods - which can be gross to deal with. If I just go away for a couple days I don't mind that my puffer eats special flakes, but this is a long stretch. Plus he would have JUST COME HOME, then I'd leave him and go off for a week.
I think it was smart to wait.
However, as I was cleaning last week, I got my tank all cleaned and set up. It has been running for a week now, and it is all ready for a new fishy. I will likely get one soon after my return from DC!
It is going to be difficult to find a name as cute as McNugget. Perhaps I will call him Kilgore Trout if he's a boy.
- Location:my apartment
- Mood: awake
- 14:20 @TheDoifter: What you need now is a cough drop... in a blanket. #
- 14:21 @quasihip: Well, I finished it, so I think that's a pretty good measure of success! When I am back in Brooklyn, we will plan a Stitch&Bitch! #
- 14:22 Getting ready to watch a movie featuring Little Elvis. If you don't know about Little Elvis, then you're probably missing out. #
- 21:33 It was a delightful romp on the treadmill, indeed! #
- 10:26 McNugget: The Lost Film - tinyurl.com/cqxz5f #
A three-second film of my beloved McNugget, about a month before he died.
- 14:56 Cleaning + Elvis movies = Awesome!!!!! #
- 17:08 Between cleaning and Elvis, I've been at work on my Pocket Shrine devoted to McNugget. It's coming out extremely cute (much like McNugget). #
- 19:10 Wishing I had a Mexican corn cob right about now. #
- 22:03 I have been burning candles in my room all day, and now I've come to realize a thin layer of soot is coating EVERYTHING. Weird! #
- 00:35 Just finished watching my 4th Elvis movie of the day. :) :) #
Today is one such day - I have been cleaning and to an outside person I think my room probably looks like I just shifted the mess from my floor to my bed (where there is now a big pile). HOWEVER, I have actually organized a great deal, but to the naked eye, this organization is not visible.
I have a journal/altered book I've been working on, and I save little things to put in it later on. I contained all the little things into a bag, and stopped to put some of the things into the actual book.
I made my General Piles of Mayhem into Organized Piles (craft supplies, stationery items, schoolwork stuff). The giant pile of schoolwork is now hidden in my bookshelf where it does not look unsightly any more.
I moved stuff off the floor so that I could Swiffer and vacuum.
I paused to work on my Pocket Shrine in honor of McNugget. It is coming out sooo cute. So far, I have replicated McNugget's environment in miniature. It's a baby Altoid tin covered in very fine blue glitter (water). At the bottom is some actual gravel from McNugget's tank, and a sprig of his favorite plastic plant (also a relic from his tank). McNugget himself will be represented by a fish magnet I have, I just have to repaint it in his color. The back of the tin shrine is covered in a collage of doodles I did of him during my grad classes. The front will be a photo of him, and the inside will have a saint.
Also while cleaning, I watched three Elvis movies ("Spinout," "Live a Little, Love a Little," and "Fun in Acapulco."), and I listened to two Mix CDs Doris made me. They are great!!
My goal for the day is to have the place actually look clean to an observer who is not me. I've been pretty embarrassed about the state of my bedroom to the point where I have not been letting people really look into it (and certainly have not invited anyone over).
I also need to pack for my Georgia trip! I will be leaving on Tuesday, and will be gone for one week! We'll spend a few days at my family's cabin, then we'll head to St. Simons Island for my grandma's birthday party!
I would love to accomplish more of Marty's blanket. I don't know -- I am kind of running out of hours in the day!
Tomorrow is Susan's birthday, so we are having brunch to celebrate her (and my) birthday! Then I am doing something with Marty later in the day, so it would be nice to not have to worry about packing for my trip tomorrow.
- 13:02 @ianschwartz: You could get a squid on Etsy. That's what I always do. www.cleodee.etsy.com #
- 13:13 Am planning on making a tiny pocket shrine devoted to McNugget. Am also planning on making a purse-sized first-aid kit. I need Altoid tins! #
- 20:27 Home and ready to clean! I've been looking forward to cleaning all day. Sad? You decide. #
- 20:27 Home and ready to clean! #
- 22:56 Celebrating Elvis' birthday!!! :D #
- Mood:
content
I miss you, McNugget!!! :(
I am planning on making a tiny pocket shrine devoted to McNugget. I'm thinking it could be inside one of those mini Altoid tins (to reflect the smallness of McNugget). In the shrine I will include some of his actual gravel and possibly a clipping from one of his artificial plants. I think I should probably find an appropriate saint to represent a fish or a lost loved one. Hm...
- Mood:
sad
- 12:43 LUNCH TIME! :) #
- 14:01 It's becoming difficult for me to continue lugging my blue crocheted afghan around to work on it during lunch hour. It's kind of enormous! #
- 15:21 Wondering if the Brooklyn Wood-Heel Corp. is still in operation. I have a thing or two to ask them about Parts of Shoes (Heel). #
- 18:21 The flag in my heart is half-mast. My little McNugget has passed away. :( #
- 21:56 Cleaning my apartment is the only thing I can do now that McNugget is gone. #
- 22:35 McNugget's funeral was a lovely one. I waited for Alexandra to come home and we said a few words over the toilet before flushing. :( #
- 08:47 Birthdaying it up!!!! #
- 11:22 This birthday is dedicated to the memory of McNugget. He would have wanted me to forge on and celebrate. #
- 11:23 From here on out, I want you all to imagine me with a tiny 1-inch-long fish-angel hovering over my shoulder. #
- 11:26 @lisa212 @TheDoifter @ianschwartz @shellytucker Thanks for the birthday wishes!!! #
I was really hoping I could cure him. He has been through a lot with the temperature problems and such. I finally got that fixed. Then I knew he had internal parasites. I got him medicine for that over the weekend, but I never got to administer it, because he passed away.
He was a special little fish and I will never forget him!
So this has definitely cast a shadow over my birthday, but I am kind of glad it is my birthday because it is distracting me from being too sad.
Later on I will post a pic of McNugget in memory of him... :(
- Mood: sad
On Saturday, I went with my mom to go on a traditional birthday shopping trip. In lieu of gifts we hit the mall and get some new clothes! This year I had a couple missions:
- Super-warm winter coat (like a "sleeping bag coat")
- Shirts and tops for this weather that are cute and not ugly (so tired of sweaters)
- An umbrella
- Replacement black sneakers for my Nike sneakers that died
- Anti-parasite meds for McNugget (he has internal parasites)
We had extreme success, getting the coat first-thing. It is a charcoal gray knee-length down jacket but it actually has a shape to it so I do not look like a garbage bag has been put over my head. Also got a few cute tops to wear. I went into some higher-end shoe and sneaker stores and did not have success, but then in JC Penney's, they had the Sneakers of my Dreams (a perfect replacement for the dead ones!).
Also got my umbrella and McNugget's meds (had to go to TWO STORES to get what he needed). He is my spoiled baby. I am here in Brooklyn but have not been to my apartment yet, so I hope he is all right so that I can begin treating him for his parasites.
After shopping we enjoyed some of m dad's chili then I went to Doris' house where we watched Tropic Thunder and I crocheted! I was there till after 1 AM! We were just having fun, watching TV, and later, looking people from high school up on Facebook. (It happens.)
The following day I went on numerous family outings with my parents including to Costco and Border's. Later I went to Doris' and we played Rock Band and Wii with Daphne who was also in town! (I enjoy Wii Boxing, even though Daphne knocked me out.)
- Mood:
cheerful
- 09:44 Back in Brooklyn. Greetings from Elm Street. It's My-Birthday-Eve! #
- 10:03 Eating circus peanuts. #
- 11:58 I got all of this anti-internal parasite medication for McNugget. I hope I can bring him back to be the picture of health! #
- 14:25 I'm thinking McNugget deserves to ring in the New Year with some tasty, tasty blackworms. #
- 15:39 It's almost time for our 3:45 popcorn and Prosecco New Year's toast. :) Happy New Year! #
- 15:39 Looking forward to seeing my fishes tonight. I hope they were okay without me. I hope my roommates remembered to feed them. #
- 17:07 Quick stop at Macy's before heading home. I'm on a Joe's Jeans mission! #
- 21:15 My fish, Monty, has died. Rest in peace, little friend. :( #
- 23:11 Watching a creepy documentary, "Jesus Camp." #
- 09:54 Concerned all of my fish are going to FREEZE. Get well soon, McNugget. #
1.) It was Donut Friday at work!!! A colleague brought Munchkins and a box of coffee!
2.) Then, at 4:30, it was time to make crafts at work (NO JOKE!). We all met in the kitchenette and made paper snowflakes and other crafts out of old business cards and scrap paper! AND we had popcorn and champagne!
3.) I GOT TO CLEAN MY PLACE. My room has been a big huge mess, and I cleaned a lot!
4.) McNugget is now totally back to his old self, swimming freely, energetic, happy, and hungry! SOOO HAPPY about that!!!!! Seriously -- I am SO SO SO glad he is making a full recovery!
5.) A visit from Marty, hooray! We watched most of "Gremlins," which I had not seen in AGES!
- Mood:
happy
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
sallycandance , so here we go!!! Also, I think I am going to post my happy things about the previous day, since I will definitely forget to post at the end of the day after all the good things have happened. Today's post is a little long because I haven't updated in a while...</lj>* * * * *
The rules are that for 8 days you have to post something that made you happy that day. Tag 8 people to do the same.
DAY ONE (yesterday, December 11, 2008):
1.) I thought my beloved dwarf pufferfish McNugget was going to die. I've been putting McNugget's heater on for a few hours while I am monitoring him and in the room with him, to regulate the temperature. However, because the tank is small (only 5 gallons), it could easily overheat. Well, yesterday morning before going in to teach, I saw that I had accidentally left McNugget's heater on ALL NIGHT and had completely overheated the aquarium. McNugget was looking very lifeless. I immediately took him out of the tank, put him in cooler water, and tried to revive him. I could see his gills were moving, and his tail was sometimes moving, but that was all. I was SO UPSET. I did a 50% water change and added cool water to even out the temperature, and then put McNugget back in the tank. Then I had to go to school to teach. I worried about McNugget all day. He really looked dead (except for his gills moving). On Thursdays, I usually go straight from teaching to my new temp job at the Museum, but I decided to go home first to check on McNugget. Lo and behold, he had swam up to his plant and was chilling there. I shook the plant and he began to swim agound. I think he is going to make it! I was so happy, I was almost crying! I am hoping he will make a full recovery. He seems to be a little exhausted and less self-motivated to swim around (he does a lot of hanging out in his plant since it happened). But, that was a pretty traumatic experience, so I hope he will come around soon.
2.) Linda, my professor, came to observe me teaching in my classroom. The lesson went really well, and Linda had great things to say about my teaching. She said I was very intuitive, and had great instincts to go over to the students that needed help the most. She thought that some of the explanations I made to the kids were really good (demonstrating on the fly what is meant by a 3/4 profile, for example; not assuming the students know what that is). She said I am going to be a "wonderful art teacher," and when my mentor teacher Desiree was there, she added how I am going to build an amazing program wherever I go! It was awesome to get all of those great and supportive compliments! ALSO exciting is the fact that Linda has a school in mind for me that needs a really strong art teacher. It's an elementary school near Brooklyn College. Something to think about!! Linda comments, "They will hire whoever I send them." Linda is one of my best advocates at finding a job, so I am extremely excited that she is already thinking of places that would be a good fit for me. She has a lot of contacts and is such a great resource, and it is awesome how supportive she is of me!
3.) I got a manicure and pedicure which was long overdue and I think I just needed to do something relaxing and pampering for myself (especially after the stress of worrying over McNugget)! I got a festive purple color!
4.) I went to see Marty play at a Toys for Tots benefit in Bayonne last night! It was really fun, despite the nasty weather! I brought four toys I'd gotten at Target -- a Barbie, a baby doll, a Transformer (Robots in Disguise!), and a Mr. Potato Head! So, while I am sad I will not be able to afford Operation Santa Claus this year, I definitely feel better that I was able to contribute some toys to needy children! Marty did a great job and it was fun seeing him play solo since he hasn't really done that in a while! We got a little drenched, but it was cool. It made me feel very festive, and I am looking forward to Marty's BIG holiday event, Glen Burtnik's Xmas Xtravaganza. Marty will be playing with Spiraling, and also in the house band!
OK, I am tagging....
zama60 cleodee v_mina_harker igraine120 un_sedentary lea724 whitetigergeek and pgwfolc ...but, don't feel obligated, and also: if I didn't tag you, feel free to participate!
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- Mood:
calm
