"Baby, I see this world has made you sad
Some people can be bad
The things they do, the things they say
But baby, I'll wipe away those bitter tears
I'll chase away those restless fears
That turn your blue skies into grey

Why worry
There should be laughter after the pain
There should be sunshine after rain
These things have always been the same
So why worry now
Why worry now

Baby, when I get down I turn to you
And you make sense of what I do
I know it isn't hard to say
But baby, just when this world seems mean and cold
Our love comes shining red and gold
And all the rest is by the way

Why worry
There should be laughter after pain
There should be sunshine after rain
These things have always been the same
So why worry now
Why worry now "

-Dire Straits, "Why Worry"

I never know what to say here. I hate it when we have to be apart. I wear his shirts, snuggle my stuffed goat, get sniffly a lot, and sit up until stupid hours of the night to avoid having to go to bed by myself for as long as I can. I don't sleep much without him anyway.

The problem is, although I hate being apart from him, I know we have it far better than many other people. So I feel like I can't blog about how badly I feel without worrying that I'm whining about what is essentially a small problem in the great scheme of things. It's only five more weeks until I see him again.

It still sucks, though.

Jessie Jane is awesome

That is all.

Geeks Make the Best Lovers

It's the Wise Ones' honest truth. I'm glad someone's finally noticed other than myself and my packsisters...

So since I got two pairs of boot-cut jeans for Christmas, I now have an excuse to get a really nice pair of boots.

Best. Christmas. Ever.

It was, too. I'll get around to putting up some pictures. I hope everybody out there had a fantastic winter holiday of their preference!

So it's midnight, and I'm still awake. Is anyone surprised?

As a postscript, I'd like to reiterate that TechSquire's hugs rock. #grins#

It was great seeing a (happy!) TechSquire today at lunch, and I think he was also quite pleased to see us all happy as well. It's funny to think about, really; if you'd told me five years ago that this is what my life would be like I'd have suspected you of hitting the eggnog a bit too hard. But despite all the changes in my life, which people who only knew the face value of things would probably term "negative, " I'm happier overall than I've been in...a couple of years, thinking about it. Sure, it has't been easy, and we've all been working our asses off to do the right thing by everyone and get things to where they are today. But it's all been worth it, just to be happy again. Just to be able to look forward to things again. I'm very very grateful.

Current Project: Owlvark

Owlvark, pre-baking; made from professional (i.e. non-tinted) Sculpey over a wadded tinfoil base. The wings are built over two inch wood screws set into the foil, and the lower wing feathers are held with copper wire. Eventually he'll be typing on a computer, hence his "Braaaains!" stance.



Owlvark, post-baking; the feathers all survived without drooping or burning, which I was worried about. Next phase- painting.

"Don't let us get sick
Don't let us get old
Don't let us get stupid, all right?
Just make us be brave
And make us play nice
And let us be together tonight

The sky was on fire
When I walked to the mill
To take up the slack in the line
I thought of my friends
And the troubles they've had
To keep me from thinking of mine

Don't let us get sick
Don't let us get old
Don't let us get stupid, all right?
Just make us be brave
And make us play nice
And let us be together tonight

The moon has a face
And it smiles on the lake
And causes the ripples in Time
I'm lucky to be here
With someone I like
Who maketh my spirit to shine

Don't let us get sick
Don't let us get old
Don't let us get stupid, all right?
Just make us be brave
And make us play nice
And let us be together tonight"

-Warren Zevon, "Don't Let Us Get Sick"

Late Night/Early Morning Oddness

So the Kid and I were on our nightly walk when we heard the roar of an amplified sound system. Curious, because it was past one in the morning, we followed the sound to its source- the Edinboro Mall parking lot. There several people stood around two cars, one blaring a Meatloaf album of all things (we know it was the album because we listened to two consecutive songs) at enough decibels for us to feel the vibration from two hundred yards away. One member of the group was singing, too, very loudly and out of tune. The Kid and I stood and listened for ages, because it was just so surreal.

...Since Suz appears to have started the "Post your significant other's results" trend, here's Austin's. He's all mine, peoples.

NSFW, but still...

You know, I can't help but feel that if someone had mailed a crate of these to the executive branch about six years ago, we wouldn't be in the mess we're currently in.

"The journey's long
And it feels so bad
I'm thinking back to the last day we had.
Old moon fades into the new
Soon I know I'll be back with you
I'm nearly with you
I'm nearly with you

When I'm weak I draw strength from you
And when you're lost I know how to change your mood
And when I'm down you breathe life over me
Even though we're miles apart we are each other's destiny

On a clear day
I'll fly home to you
I'm bending time getting back to you
Old moon fades into the new
Soon I know I'll be back with you
I'm nearly with you
I'm nearly with you

When I'm weak I draw strength from you
And when you're lost I know how to change your mood
And when I'm down you breathe life over me
Even though we're miles apart we are each other's destiny

When I'm weak I draw strength from you
And when you're lost I know how to change your mood
And when I'm down you breathe life over me
Even though we're miles apart we are each other's destiny

I'll fly, I'll fly home
I'll fly home and I'll fly home"

- Zero 7, "Destiny"

Woo, Christmas in a week!

[Sniped from the Kid's blog; he can comment who did it and what the title is if he likes...]

And you ask me what I want this year
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
Cuz I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
And desire and love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words
And sing out loud
Cuz everyone is forgiven now
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

And it's someplace simple where we could live
And something only you can give
And thats faith and trust and peace while we're alive
And the one poor child that saved this world
And there's 10 million more who probably could
If we all just stopped and said a prayer for them

So take these words
And sing out loud
Cuz everyone is forgiven now
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

I wish everyone was loved tonight
And somehow stop this endless fight
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words
And sing out loud
Cuz everyone is forgiven now
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

The immediate family of one of my packsisters is absolutely the most horrible group of people that I have ever had the misfortune of having to meet personally. Daily life for them is rife with brainwashing, abuse (physical, mental, and emotional), rationalizing, sniping, backstabbing, spying, and lying, and they have the unmitigated gall to tell her that she was wrong for telling the truth and trying to put a stop to the endless cycle of fear and anger. They told her that she doesn't understand what family means.
I'd like to say right now publically that family does not mean condoning abuse and lying to cover it up. It does not mean that everyone outside the immediate circle is perceived as a threat, because they might show the younger members that what they're being put through isn't normal or right. And it sure as hell doesn't mean that you demand unquestioning obedience and beat down any member who expresses a dissenting opinion. None of those things have anything to do with family, unless you extend the definition to include Jim Jones and the Mansons.

This is all being done to one of the most wonderful human beings I know. They haven't invented words for how angry this makes me.

The Life and Times of the Luckiest Half-Life Junkie, or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Freeman

I've been meaning to do this for *ages*. #grins#

It's surprising how much a little change like different lightbulbs helps my mood. I inherited that seasonal affective thing (though not as bad as Roast Beef) and when winter arrives and the days get shorter I lose all sense of purpose and most of my energy as soon as the sun sets. The only time I can remember not having it was when I was working up North, as I was outside in all the daylight there was every day, something that's not intensely practical here. At any rate, when evening hit it takes some willpower not to just go to sleep, or lay around and mope. But I changed the bulbs over in the kitchen to some GE "enhanced spectrum" lights about half an hour ago, and I feel a hundred percent better. It's pretty cool.

The Rifftrax of Phantom Menace is hilarious. The movie is utter, utter crap and deserves every single scathing comment Mike and Kevin can direct at it.

But Ewan MacGregor is still incredibly hot. I'm just saying.

Professer Xavier is the most powerful telepath in the world, has access to all the world's most brilliant minds (and those of the Shi'iar, if you want to get geeky) and he can't figure out the secret of hair growth formula? Maybe his telepathy is so powerful that it burns the hair off his head.

The Rifftrax of X-Men is making me laugh so hard I've developed a headache. Go Mike and Bill!

Since the Kid did one...

Whoa, seriously?

Hehehehe

Today's lesson in gratitude