Ferret in our Future?

I want one of these little cuddlebugs really bad. I had one in the past and so I know they can be a handful but they are just so cute and fun to play with!

I called the local pet store and they have ONE ferret for sale right now, $139. I know they aren't that much all the time and I could probably find one cheaper, or possibly even find one up for adoption that is older and already trained.

Anyway, I told Paulie today that I would like to get a ferret and then told him how much they were.

And he said those magical words, "Well if you want one, just save up for one."

*beams* =D

So it will probably be a very long time from now until we get one, but it's something to look forward to.

Read Much?

I just discovered tonight that if you're ever in a Walmart in a redneck town, and it's really busy and hectic in there and you want to seek refuge and get out of everyone's way for a moment .. just go to the aisle that has books in it.

COMPLETELY EMPTY.

Crickets were chirping .. tumbleweeds blowing by ..

I'm not joking.

Creepy.

Ok, Paulie actually discovered this site first so he gets all the credit.

MyDeathSpace.com

It's a site that lists members of MySpace who have died, complete with pictures, news articles of their deaths, obituaries, etc.

Most are extremely tragic and horrific.

So ... yeah.

Spring break is over as of tomorrow.

Back to the grind.

At least this upcoming grind includes no math.

It was a good week though .. got a little better acquainted with my bed .. a little less acquainted with my alarm clock .. and made some good tips at work.

Not too bad. At least it's spring now. C'mon Summer!

Pics.

Looking inside my bottle of sparkling water.

Coffee Cup.

Shoes.

This lamp was throwing some interesting colors on the wall, only visible through the camera.

Interesting finds.

1) Stephen King blogs at Entertainment Weekly .. and accepts comments.

2) Etsy. Buy and sell handmade stuff. Pretty cool.

3) Listal.

4) 52 Projects.

5) Useful tutorials.

Netflix.

Ok, so maybe I'm behind times and like the last person in the world to join Netflix.

Nahhh.

In our new apartment we don't have cable but we do have a dvd player (thanks Mom!) and so I think Netflix is the answer having no choice but to watch PBS or the WB (the only two channels we get.) I don't like "Yes, Dear" and I will puke all over myself if I have to sit through another episode of "Gilmore Girls" out of boredom .. so .. we joined Netflix and I created a queue tonight.

This is my queue. Click on any to read a description, although I'm sure most need no introduction.

1) The Adventures of Milo and Otis
2) Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
3) Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
4) Brokeback Mountain
5) Finding Neverland
6) The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
7) James and the Giant Peach
8) Alice in Wonderland
9) Broken Flowers
10) The Blue Planet: Seas of Life: Coasts
11) Dark Days
12) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown

New things.

I was notified this week of being awarded a scholarship for the 2006-2007 school year. A nice amount too. I was very excited! =)

I also got a new position as the editor of the English & Humanities quarterly newsletter, which will be cool because I will have the chance to not only learn editing skills but to also design the newsletter in InDesign or QuarkXPress. More practice!

Grades will be in tomorrow at midnight.

We're supposed to have an ice storm tonight. I hope it goes on by. Ice scares me.

And yet another ..

Toothpaste for Dinner is funny. Not Funny Haha. Funny Hmmm.

I don't know why but either my computer or Blogger or the man behind the curtain or WHATEVER/WHOEVER is being fucking gay and won't let me post the cartoon I found today on Toothpaste for Dinner that I thought was funny.

So if you want to, go here and read the one titled Ah Love Mair Ca. And News from Apple. And Internet Fantasy. And Golden Brown French Fries. And Creanuts. Yeah, you'll have to scroll down a little to be able to read Creanuts. Hell, just read them all, they're short.

Or you can be really gay too and not read any.

Which would also make you v. boring. =)

Ta.

Fathoming out loud.

The quadratic formula is x = negative b plus or minus the square root of b squared minus 4(a)(c) all over 2a.

* * *

m = y sub 2 minus y sub 1 over x sub 2 minus x sub 1 to find slope.

y minus y sub 1 = m(x-x sub 1)

Slope Intercept Form is y= mx + b

* * *

Residuals = actual Y minus predicted Y.

* * *

standard form = ax^2 + bx + c
vertex form - a (x-h)^2 + k

equation of a circle = (x-h)^2 + (y-k)^2 = r^2

distance formula is d= the square root of (x sub 2 minus x sub 1) squared plus (y sub 2 minus y sub 1) squared

* * *

To graph a parabola:

1) Find Vertex
2) Determine if graph opens up or down
3) Plot 2 more points

To solve for a variable in an equation having radicals:

1) Isolate radical
2) Raise both sides of equation to same powers
3) If radical still exists, repeat steps 1 & 2
4) Solve.
5) Check.

* * *

All of this will be over with on Thursday. Until then, I just gotta pound it into my brain. I know most of it .. but I thought it might be helpful to print out or stare at during work and make it soak in even more.

If I can memorize the words to Johnny Cash's "I've Been Everywhere" I can surely memorize a few formulas and procedures.

Ok, so I've never memorized the words to "I've Been Everywhere." I said IF.

Duh.

Tooting my Own Horn.

Note from professor when he handed back my journal today that I've been working on all quarter:

"Bravo Stephanie! I always learn from the class journals, but yours will
stand out - I was inspired, amused, AND your rainbow pass poem made me
cry! Thank you for sharing so much with me!"

=D

I'll post the poem. Maybe. Sometime.

Two entries in one day is a very rare occurrence. Don't get used to it. Very rare. VERY.

Umm, Yeahh.

CNN must've been hard up for something to fill their page today, because uhh .. *newsflash* .. but this isn't really news, is it? Ok, maybe his rating hit a *new* low .. maybe that's the news. But that's all.

And I find it kinda scary that there is just a "concern" over Iraq and not an all-out-what-the-fuck-is-going-on-here and why-are-they-still-there type of questioning.

I'm concerned about finals. I'm concerned about my winter heating bill. I'm concerned about gas prices.

I think they could've chosen a stronger word there.

I'll get back to you if I think of a better one. At least in the photo cutline they expressed that Americans are "increasingly pessimistic." Well, yeah. Duh.

What I'm Reading.

Christ the Lord by Anne Rice is actually very good so far. It is Rice's fictional depiction of what life was like for Jesus when he was a child. He has a hard time understanding why he has special powers, and why he does not call Joseph his father.

I'm 5 chapters into it. I'll let you know if it's a worthwhile read when I'm done. So far, so good.

Hahaha ..

This passage from "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" struck me as really hilarious the other night. Bridget is trying to buy condoms but having a hard time, going from store to store because she is embarrassed.

"7:30 p.m.: Lalala. Have done it. Was easy. Actually managed to grab two packets: One Variety Pack (spice of life) and Improved Ultra Lightweight Latex Teat Ended for Even Greater Sensitivity. Assistant looked startled at range and quality of condom choice yet strangely respectful: probably thought was a biology teacher or similar purchasing condoms to teach early developing school pupils.

7:40 p.m.: Startled by frank drawings on instruction leaflet.

7:50 p.m.: Bet they had a difficult time deciding on sizing of pictures not to make anyone feel crestfallen or over arrogant. Variety Pack is insane. 'Mates coloured condoms are vibrantly coloured for extra fun.' Extra fun? Suddenly get garish image of couples with vibrantly coloured rude bits wearing paper hats, hooting with gay sexy laughter and hitting each other with balloons. Think will throw mad Variety Pack away."

Sickie.

I'm sick. Sore throat, coughing, sneezing, achey, the whole 9.5 yards.

My computer is sick, but we can't figure out why.

Luckily Paulie is healthy.

First night in new home was great, I just wish I could have felt good enough to enjoy it.

Thank you, Penicillin, for fucking up my immune system. Right before finals even. See if I ever buy YOUR pills again.

Fluent Sap, Now New & Improved with 31 Teeth!

<---- This was me .. yesterday.

I don't even want to talk about how much it hurts to have shots of Novocaine injected half-a-needle-deep into the roof of your mouth WHILE it's infected.

Don't even wanna talk about how the infection tastes when they draw the needle out.

Don't want to talk about how the drill sounded, or how it feels and sounds to be awake while having a first-year molar cut out of your badly infected gums, or how it felt to have all of this done while Confederate Railroad crooned "I like my Women a Little on the Trashy Side" on the blaring sound system. As if going to the dentist isn't traumatic enough, why do they have to blast country music too? Country music + the sound of breaking teeth is NOT cool. Not cool at all.

Don't want to talk about my stitches. Don't want to talk about how I have to go back next week to have them removed.

If there is a hell, it would be all of the above.

Our house, in the middle of Our street.

Paulie and I now have a home located in AnonymousSafeTown, Somewhere, USA.

It's a 2 bedroom townhouse apartment within a complex. We got an awesome deal because the landlord just happens to be my cousin on my Grandpa's side of the family.

More pics later. Maybe.

Spring Quarter Schedule

Classes for spring filled up really fast, and I didn't get into one that I wanted (Civilization and Literature) but I think I can take it this summer instead. Anyway, I'll be taking:

Art History 101 Typography for the Graphic Designer
Natural Science 110
Public Speaking Math 110 Art History Survey 3
and Yoga.

Believe it or not, all are required, except for the yoga but still will count as a general elective.

I'm happy with the schedule. I'll take my last math over the summer.

I decided to scrap public speaking and maybe drop my minor in communications. Since I work in the office of communications at school, I figure that's experience enough and it will save me a whole quarter (or semester, in 2007) of classes. It'll be nice to get my math over and done with.

This is not for you.

It's for me, because my memory sometimes sucks.

1) Finish FAFSA.

2) Register for classes 2/15 at midnight.

3) Call registrar's office about deferment paperwork.

4) Ask co-worker about that scholarship thingy she was talking about a few weeks ago.

5) Apply for summer aid sometime after May 1st. (better write that one down somewhere)

I think that's all. For now.

Happy Overly Commercialized Hallmark Holiday!

Ok, so .. since I'm busier than a starving one-eyed cat watching two mice (or, a one-armed paperhanger with crabs .. OR, a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest) .. I don't even have time to write an original diss for my least favorite holiday of the year. Yep, even less than Easter. I am not and will never be a fan of Valentine's Day.

So here, you may read a blast from the past ... I wrote this last year on a blog that I have since trashed. Enjoy until I have time to write something else sometime. Someday. In the future. Some other time. Later. Like, not right now.

* * *

Happy Commercialized Hallmark Holiday!
posted Mon, 14 Feb 2005 03:52:05 -0800

When it comes down to people being so busy and so apathetic to their partners that they can only pick ONE day out of the year to celebrate their love for one another, it makes me sad.

Call us crazy, but Paul and I made a pact to never celebrate Valentine's Day.

I remember when I was little, say 3rd or 4th grade in elementary school. We would be given 2 sheets of red and pink construction paper. From there, we would staple the sheets together to make a pocket so we could collect our little Valentine's Day cards. Remember those tiny, oddly shaped cards, usually decorated with the most popular cartoon characters of the moment? Normally saying something simple like, "Would you Be Mine?" .. or, "Valentine, You're the best!" They fit into tiny white envelopes and an entire box was under $5. There was enough cards inside to give one to each and every classmate. And .. it was enough to put a smile on someone's face.

Just tonight I picked up a copy of InStyle magazine. Across the top reads "Gifts to Give and Get for Valentine's Day". I cringe, but I read on nonetheless. I want to see how people can become so crazy over this one day out of the year.

A pleated silk baby doll nightgown .. $125. Crocodile-embossed leather jewelry box in pink .. $325. Hoop earrings of 18kt gold and diamonds .. $650. Bouquet of roses, calla lilies, hypericum berries and hydrangeas .. $225 .. coral-colored cotton pajamas .. $138?! I slammed the magazine shut to keep from gagging.

Nicole Kidman peered up at me from the cover page with a smirk, as if to say, "This is how WE do it!"

This is not how I would EVER do it, even if I had money to burn.

Valentine's Day is no longer a day of asking someone if they will be yours. It's not a day of sharing love, it's not a day to do something special for your sweetheart.

It's a day for florists to cash-in and Hallmark to generate a sickening amount of revenue in a very small amount of time .. and for what? Purely crap, in my opinion. Let's not forget the chocolate and candy companies either.

I am all for surprises. I love to give gifts. I tell Paul daily how great he is, and how much he means in my life. To only share those things on ONE day out of the year, how horrid would that be? How loved would *YOU* feel if that was the only day your life partner chose to do something special for you?

I'll forever take a hug and kiss over a box of chocolates. A hug and kiss make you warm inside and it's something you can give over and over. A box of chocolates will only give me bad skin and thicker thighs.

I'll always choose an evening of sitting down to watch a good movie and have a few drinks, rather than munching on those sugary candy conversation hearts. Evenings together is a time to laugh, to make memories .. candy conversation hearts will only rot my teeth, or break them. Those things are hard to chew.

I'll always prefer hearing 'I love you' to receiving a heart shaped diamond pendant necklace on sale for $299.99 at the nearest jewelry store (who also does pretty well at Valentine's Day, I'm certain). Hearing those words means so much more than something dangling and sparkling on a chain. I can't lose 'I love you's' when the silver chain decides to break and fall off while I'm walking down a busy street, never to be seen again.

Skip the dozen roses .. the smell reminds me of funerals. Roses will wilt in a few days time, no matter how well you care for them. What's so beautiful about that? I'd rather sit down to a comfy dinner at home, light some candles and talk. Not to mention it's cheaper than a dozen roses, anyday.

It's not about being frugal, because frugal is one thing I am not. I love to spoil when I can. I try to make Christmas and birthdays full of surprises.

It's not about being single or bitter. Some people scream "Fuck Valentine's Day!" .. simply because they have no partner to share it with. I'm taken and I'm happier than ever. It's not a day where I ever felt unloved, rejected, or downright inadequate as a person, even when I was single. So what if every female co-worker in my office had a dozen roses catered in from their boyfriends and husbands? I sat and sneezed all day from the pollen and was proud to not have those thorny plants taking up their fair share of my cubicle.

I'm not anti-love. I'm not anti-romance. I have nothing against the color red. Satin-covered pillows embroidered with the words "You are so Loved!" don't even irk me that much. And yes, I even kinda thought those magnetic kissing Hallmark bears were cute that one year when I saw the commercial played over and OVER until V-Day.

I just don't need those things to show the one I love how much they mean to me on February 14th of every single year.

If we don't show our significant others how much we love them every single day of our lives, then what's the point really?

Draining my wallet won't prove it.

Giving gifts wrapped in red ribbons won't prove it.

Remembering February 14th every year and acting as if it's some gigantic act of kindness won't prove it.

Keep it simple and just LOVE ..

with all of your heart ..

EVERY day of your life.

Yes, THAT will prove it.

*****

Upon posting this, Gmail notified me I had spam. What was it? None other than an email from my friendly neighborhood Hallmark Gold Crown Store letting me know that if I was ready, I could buy Valentine's Day cards, TODAY .. (um, it's like 10pm on the Sunday night before V-day!), or receive special Member's Only V-day offers, OR I could "Give the Gift of Flowers Straight from the Heart!"

*SIGH*