Mellys World

Yes, with Halloween over, November has been my "I'm doing NOTHING" month. Don't wanna see people, don't wanna talk, wanna sit, be still, and internalize for awhile. I've been doing quite a bit of that actually, so it has been lovely. This past weekend is the first time all month I've actually felt like doing anything productive, beyond normal housework maintenance. I can't seem to let the laundry pile up, no matter how lazy I feel :)

I've been playing Resident Evil 4 on the Wii and keep going back and forth between having a lot of fun and DAMMIT how do I get past this level?!?!?! I think I will try drinking copious amounts of beer on Wednesday and playing to see if that improves my skill level any.

I have also started to collect Dr. Who comic books. They have been a never ending source of happiness for me. I found a comic book shop in Atlanta I really like (they had Boba Fett PLUSHIES!) so I've been going there once a month or so to update my comics, find new ones (they are making Enders Game into a comic), and generally just find a new place to chill.

I keep waiting for my fall time baking craziness to kick in, but so far I have had no desire to start baking cookies. Maybe that will start later this year, I usually get a strong desire to bake around fall. Right now, my desire is simply to hibernate.

We had a bit of work done around the house a few months ago so we have quite a bit of wood and lattice work left over which means ...... BONFIRE! So next weekend I will be in the yard, dragging wood and anything flammable to the bonfire pile :) Hopefully I won't light my hair on fire.

I attacked the yard with a vengeance today and slayed many blades of grass. I was triumphant even though I got grass shrapnel in my hair. I am severely allergic to fire ant bites so I took great pleasure in mowing those hills down. I would prefer a flamethrower to take care of them but you take what you can get.

SuperK is busy with the biker scout kits as it is Halloween season so I am looking forward to November so we can take a break. Well, he is the one who does the brunt of the work, so I should say I am looking forward to November so we can do some fun things again.

I really don't like holidays. I like the break from routine and work and all, but the expectations the come along with holidays are for the birds. I suppose I put many of those expectations on myself, but ugh. I so prefer spontaneous displays of affection, family, and love. It isn't that I am anti-tradition, I am just anti-tradition for tradition's sake only.

Mom came to visit this weekend which was good since I haven't seen her in a few months. We got to talk about a few things we hadn't in awhile so that was nice. Plus she brings me pastry treats from Annie's Bakery in Sylva which is always a nice surprise. I do so love eclairs. The weekend on the whole has been pretty mellow, which is good. I really wanted a whole day with no one here so I could play Resident Evil 4 on the Wii. I realized it is hard for me to truly relax while other people are up and around working. I remember that feeling when mom and I still lived together that I really appreciated the times I had a whole day to myself b/c I could wander around the house and let my brain breathe. There wasn't another person's thoughts or brain waves intruding on mine. Not that she was ever intrusive, it was just the simple fact of another person being there. I just find it interesting that I still have the same need for privacy and solitude today.

Upcoming week is gonna be a busy one, I have a few things I need to work on and settle that I am a bit stressed out about. I think I've been a bit too social lately and I need to chill out a bit. The feeling of wanting to be alone on top of a mountain somewhere :) Not for long, but just long enough so I can re-center.

Ohm.

Yep, that is what the past 2 months have been all about. Costumes for DragonCon. We are working on a Kaylee costume for me, a Jayne costume for SuperK, a Twiggers Holiday costume for me (don't ask), and I am trying to pull together one more costume from Dr. Horrible which is an awesome 3 part web series straight from the brain of Joss Whedon and company. So I work from 8 - 5, go run on the track until 6, come home, eat something, and work on costumes.

I LOVE wearing costumes and being IN costume ... however, I am not a costumer. I don't enjoy copying someone else's work just to be able to say I did it piece by piece, inch by inch like they did. I'd rather come up with something new. All that being said, I know once I get to DCon the vibe will take over, the alcohol will kick in, and I'll have a good time. It has just been a busy summer with no break. Well, relatively no break. Compared to some, I have the life of luxury. I just haven't had the break I wanted. Wah. Poor me. :)

I still can't believe that in a few weeks it will be September. I'm happy for it though. I love the fall. I love what it signifies and what it means to me. I love the leaves, I love the change in the air, and I love the color of the sky in the fall. Bonfire time.

Work has been going really well. I've finished up a lot of little things and feel ready to start some bigger projects. Mentally I am in a better headspace than I have been for awhile so that always makes me feel good. Fall semester starts Monday so we'll see what chaos that brings with it.

I have been thinking of calling a local martial arts dojo to see what kind of classes they offer. I've been reading about them online so I know a little about them already. I don't know ... part of me wants a one-on-one kind of master/student relationship, but I know that isn't practical ... nor is it probably financially feasible. I just don't want a strip mall dojo that is all about belts. I want something a little deeper than that and I'm just not sure if I can find that here in GA. Of course, I haven't truly been looking either. Mmrr.

My motorcycle practice has been non-existent all summer, so hopefully with the weather FINALLY cooling off I can pick that up again. I decided a few months ago to leave my drums alone until November. I have so many things I have had to plan and prepare for this summer and up to November that something had to give. It was stressing me out so bad that I was getting really bent out of shape about it so I decided to give it a rest. I am not exactly happy about not playing, but I don't feel quite so stretched anymore either.

I've been re-reading the Hobbit for the past month and enjoying it immensely. I'm also reading Watchmen at the recommendation of more than one friend, which has been awesome so far. *smiles* I recently bought Batman The Animated Series Season 1 and watched the first 5 episodes or so a few weeks ago. I used to watch it regularly in the 90's after school and am thrilled to discover it is just as fun now as it was then. I love me some Batman. Robin ... meh not so much. It isn't that I don't understand Batman's need for a second in command, it is just that Robin always took away from the .... mmm .... perhaps the heroism of Batman? I don't know, I just never liked him much as a character. Maybe I'd like him better in the comics. I have been meaning to by the HUSH Batman series as well.

I am turning 27 on August 26th and it occurred to me that I have more things on my list still TO DO than things that I HAVE DONE. Time to stop adding things to the list and start finishing things on the list. I think I'm going to go paragliding/parasailing this year. I might sky dive, but I've always wanted to go para sailing ... maybe that can be a bit of an introduction to it :)

Time to fly ............

2 and 1/2 months later, I finally watch Chasing Amy for the first time. That flick hit a little more than I expected it too. It had a lot of heart, but most of it was broken. In any case, yes, it is a must see.

I've been doing a lot of writing lately, letting my costuming and drumming fall into non-existence much to the chagrin of my timetable and my drum instructor. I get to where I have to write or I will go nuts. When I get like that and try to express myself verbally with a trusted few, I end up sounding like a lunatic. *laughs*

Went to Illinois recently for a cousin's wedding. Wedding was fine, Illinois was just ... ugh. I cannot foresee a reason to ever go back. It is time for family to come visit me b/c I just can't handle going back. It isn't like traumatic or horrible things happened when I was there, I just simply have no use for it anymore. I have grown out of it, both in time and in space. It was just a lot to handle emotionally and then coming back and jumping right back into work. *laughs* Actually, it felt good to come back and focus on work instead of dealing with the other things that were on my mind.

Today, K and I are in NC vacuum-forming. Oh the joys of a side business. He has been collecting and buying the parts needed for a vacuum-form machine at the house and of course, when DHL delivered a crucial part, he opens it to find it broken. *rolls eyes* Wonderful. Ah well, other things seem to be falling into place. Things around the house are getting done, motorcycles are up for sale, the washing machine got fixed ... *grin*

I am throwing a baby shower for a friend at the end of July so I have a good set time to have any house projects done by that time. It isn't that the house is a wreck, but it could definitely use a few touches here and there. We'll see what I can come up with. Perhaps I won't cover the livingroom walls in Soyorama and Luis Royo, but I would like something interesting. Perhaps dragons.

Let's see ..... what is new and exciting ....

I finally watched Reservoir Dogs tonight which friends have been bugging me to watch for awhile now. I had read the screenplay years ago so I knew most of the scenes already, however watching it was well worth it for the soundtrack that accompanies the story. I won't be able to hear "Stuck in the Middle with You" for awhile without seeing Michael Madsen in my head.

I've been reading the Bhagavad Gita for the past couple months and I'll admit I'm enjoying it thoroughly. I don't read large sections of it at a time though, I'll read a few pages and think about it for awhile. It echoes a lot of what I've read in other books I call "Books of Wisdom" ... The Bible, for instance. There is a lot of similar wisdom which I find interesting. I need to read Siddhartha sometime as well .... I've got too many books to read and not enough time.

We bought MarioKart for the Wii a couple weeks back and it has been a blast. Mario Brothers was the first video game I ever played when I was a kid. I used to play it at a friends house. I wanted to save up money to buy a Nintendo, but my mom thought I didn't need it so I never did. Now I kinda wish I had. Not that it was a big deal, but you know, it would have sealed the deal on me being a geek *laughs*

Temperature has started to heat up so I know the humidity can't be far behind .... here is to Georgia Summer '08 ... maybe I'll actually get a tan this time ...

I've been watching the James Bond films backwards, from most recent back.

I haven't seen all of them yet, but dear lord, Moonraker has to be one of the worst, corniest Bond films ever made. The sound score was AWFUL, the story was lame, and the characters (except for Jaws) just SUCKED. *sigh* Ugh.

Oh well, most of the others make up for it.

Week has gone well, just busy. Working out a lot. Working on taxes this week. Working on Biker Scout Kits continously as well. Going up to NC to hang out with family on Sunday. Yeehaw.

*sigh*

I'm stuck in a lab installing software that takes much longer than I want it too. On the plus side, the instructor brought me the software TODAY that he needs installed by TONIGHT, so you know, that gives me a lot of time to get it done seeing as how there was a class in said lab until 3:30.

*sigh*

Otherwise, things are okay. I leave for a Microsoft Sharepoint Conference in Redneck Central ... I mean Nashville, TN next week. Looking forward to going to a conference at a hotel that has an Irish pub in it? Oh yeah! Looking forward to being away from my SuperK for 3 nights? Not so much. We'll see how it goes. I'm going to be at this conference during both the Superbowl and Mardi Gras. Seeing as how I usually throw a shindig for Superbowl, this has me bummed. I'll deal.

We recently got one of these for our house and play room, which is awesome. http://www.poofchairs.com/King-Foof-Chair.htm They are fun to sit in, flop in, and throw around the room. Woot.

In really fun and exciting news, my K (who bought this for me last August), his buddy Alan, and myself installed an Injen Cold Air Intake in my car on Sunday. VROOM! I have been wanting to do this ever since I bought my car in January '04, so I am really excited to finally have it installed. The first day was kinda rough, the engine bogged, my check engine light came on, etc. However, after researching it online, it appears that those are normal symptoms b/c the car's computer has to re-map the new part. Today the car has been great to drive and the CEL disappeared so hopefully performance will only continue to improve :) Note to self - change oil in car.

I have yet to make note of my yearly goals for '08 and its almost February. One goal I know will get met is that my Celica will finally be paid off! Of course, by now I am a bit bored with her (sssshhh, don't tell her that), so if I can do some simple modifications to improve her performance here and there, it should keep me from going out and buying something else I don't need. Rar. So there is at least one very attainable goal - Pay off Celica

The weekend before last, K&I went with our friends S&S to the motorcycle show in Atlanta. Freaking rocked. This time I was really able to tell what kind of bikes were most comfortable to me, what weight felt like too much, what seat height was just right, what suspension felt the best, etc... I was REALLY impressed with the BMW bikes, both the 800 and the 1200. K and I have pretty much agreed that my new bike will be the 2008 Kawasaki 250 Ninja. Of course, I need to get my license and get more comfortable with the bike I have now before we buy that one. *grin* Okay, there is goal number 2 - Get motorcycle license

I need some sort of goal marker for my drumming, but I can't figure out what that should be. I feel like I've reached a kind of impasse with it. My instructor says I pick up things really quickly, but I feel like I'm not going anywhere with it. A friend of mine plays guitar and has told me I should be playing drums while K plays guitar. Its a good suggestion. I'll try and come up with a good goal for my drumming. My instructor is leaving 106 West in May. 106 West is the shop where I get my lessons. He will probably continue to give private lessons. In one way I am happy for him b/c I think he could do better having his own business. In another way, I'm bummed because Monday nights have become this nice little world I visited, kind of a retreat from everything else. Now, there is unspoken tension on Monday nights which is the last thing I need. Meh, it'll sort out.

Things have a way of sorting out both with and without outside help.

The job market is competitive, but the following statements should help put things into perspective. These have been lifted from actual résumés submitted to prospective employers. Last I heard, unintentional self-deprecation isn't the best strategy for getting hired. And as for proofreading, it's not yet overrated . . .

*Thank you for your consideration. Hope to hear from you shorty!

*It’s best for employers that I not work with people.

*Here are my qualifications for you to overlook.

*Seek challenges that test my mind and body, since the two are usually inseparable.

*Graduated in the top 66% of my class.

*Reason for leaving last job: The owner gave new meaning to the word paranoia. I prefer to elaborate privately.

*I am a rabid typist.

*I have a bachelorette degree in computers.

*Excellent memory; strong math aptitude; excellent memory; effective management skills; and very good at math.

*I worked as a Corporate Lesion.

*Reason for leaving last job: Pushed aside so the vice president’s girlfriend could steal my job

*Married, eight children. Prefer frequent travel.

*Education: Graduated from predatory school with honors.

*Special skills: Thyping.

*Never been fired, although it could happen anytime now.

*Referees available upon request.

*Previous rank: Senior instigator.

Okay, if anyone finds the energy drink in a small red aluminum can called "Cocaine" BEWARE! It burns as you drink it. I don't mean like a good Coca Cola burn, this is more like a funky carbonated acid kind of burn. Its like Bawls (yes its another energy drink) but with a kick ... from a stiletto heel. Sheesh.

Tomorrow is my last day here at Panoz Racing School/Skip Barber Racing School. I'll miss some of the people but damn! Friday will be my first day off in 2 weeks. I'm tired! Blarg.

Drum lessons have been a continual blast for me. Monday I introduced K to my instructor who ... I'll call him 'Guff'. We found out the three of us have a common bond of not only Star Wars and music, but guns as well. That was cool. Guff practices Hop Ki Do so he and I have martial arts in common as well. I have been wanting to take a martial arts class for years at this point, but have not done it yet. Hopefully I can put that on my Fall list of things to do. I still want to get my motorcycle license by the end of summer and I've been slack on that. Plus I am still in the midst of trying to get my can-can costume done in time for Dragon Con. I have never sewed an entire outfit before, but my hubby and his clan are all-out into costuming so they have a plethora of information for me to use. Its been fun so far, plus the tights and other accoutrements I ordered online arrived yesterday so it was a good reminder for me to get my tush back into gear and start my petticoat. Note to self :)

L and I have been having to take turns playing receptionist on top of our normal jobs since SBRS fired our existing receptionist. That has been a bit chaotic trying to get things done but we manage. Yesterday after 4:00 while I was on phone duty, I started to write a story on a past story I started to write over 18 months ago. I'm starting to feel like I'd like to write screenplays instead of novels, but that is just a twinkle in my eye at this point. I'd like to take a class on how screenplays are written. Maybe in the winter.

That's pretty much what is going on for now, other things are still in flux but will hopefully get sorted out someday soon.

In other news, my SuperK is the best. He surprised me by bring me breakfast at work today :)

Whoooo.....

Lots has been going on. I'm not sure if the grameric structure of that sentence is correct nor if 'grameric' is even a word ... but so be it.

I have been keeping an eye out for opportunities job wise and late in May I found out about an opening at Gainesville State College in their Computer Center. Hells yeah. So I applied May 30th. 3 weeks later it was announced to us at work that Skip Barber Racing School was "merging" with Panoz Racing School - CHAOS ensued at work. The merger was to take place July 1st. Work suddenly became intensified. I kept an eye out for other things but never heard anything back from GSC. This was also in the middle of getting ready for Star Wars Weekends so things were kinda tense for yours truly. Then randomly on a Thursday night, someone from GSC calls me to schedule an interview for the following week. Wow. Rock on. I have the interview and afterwards they tell me they will know something next week. They call me the next day to ask me to come work for them. Hells yeah :) It took awhile for the background check to get done and the contract to make its way to me. However, it finally did and all was well in the land. Unfortunately by that time my boss was already in Connecticut meeting the new owners so I had to tell him about my new position over the phone which I don't like to do. He understood so no harm, no foul. I start my new job on July 25th :)

Now I just have to make it through the next 2 weeks including Track Days this weekend - oyish.

In other news, I watched Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow for the first time last night - Creeeeepy, but I loved the characters. Well done.

Oh dear lord ...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070111/od_nm/germany_moles_dc_1

I work here now ....

www.panozracingschool.com.

YeeHaw people :) I'll blog more when I get into this office's swing of things. New routines again *grin*

Hope everyone is doing well!!!

I found this on a link off of www.fark.com. Enjoy!

The Worst Analogies Ever Written in a High School Essay

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They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth.

He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.

She caught your eye like one of those pointy hook latches that used to dangle from screen doors and would fly up whenever you banged the door open again.

The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't.

McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty Bag filled with vegetable soup.

From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and "Jeopardy" comes on at 7 p.m. instead of 7:30.

Her hair glistened in the rain like nose hair after a sneeze.

Her eyes were like two brown circles with big black dots in the center.

Bob was as perplexed as a hacker who means to access T:flw.quid55328.com\aaakk/ch@ung but gets T:\flw.quidaaakk/ch@ung by mistake.

He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree.

The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease.

Her date was pleasant enough, but she knew that if her life was a movie this guy would be buried in the credits as something like "Second Tall Man."

Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.

The politician was gone but unnoticed, like the period after the Dr. on a Dr Pepper can.

John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.

The thunder was ominous-sounding, much like the sound of a thin sheet of metal being shaken backstage during the storm scene in a play.

His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_distortion_field

This is really wild. If you know anything about Apple or Steve Jobs, give the above few paragraphs a read, its great :)

So ...

why do men have nipples?

"Don't decorate your sister's car with condoms, its tacky!!!"

"You know what they have now? Devil's Night Greeting Cards. Isn't that precious?"

All Star Wars fans with 3 minutes to spare, WATCH THIS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO9zwhersfk

Freaking hysterical!

So if you could choose to be a superhero/mutant/ and/or choose to have their powers, what would it be? A while back I decided I wanted to be LadyGreyMyst, which combines the powers of Lady Deathstrike, Jean Grey, and Mystique. Don't know if you could beat that combination, but I'm sure a way would be figured out.

And what about you all? And don't just say X-Ray vision *grin*

Star Wars Celebration is in LA next year.....

http://www.starwars.com/community/event/celebration/news20060526.html