Saturday, October 10th, 2009
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11:54 pm
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Well I read Renegade's Magic after a week or two of taking a break from books and I liked it a lot more than the first two books in the trilogy. Of course the character that annoyed me a lot in the other two books was trapped inside his own body while his split personality was in control, so he couldn't do a lot of the annoying stuff. I really liked the god of death and balances. He was a brief character but was well done I think. You also finally get to see what the Speck people's community is like. Over all I think it was well worth it to read these books, even if the first two are a little boring.
I'm a little worried about Holly. She's been coughing a little and making some gurgle-ly noises sometimes while purring. She's still active and eating and will see the vet on Monday.
I have also rediscovered my love of Jack (pumpkin, spiced with nutmeg, glowing peach and murky clove.) It was my first bpal love, but I haven't worn it in a long time. It really is a good fall and winter scent. I've been wearing it like crazy lately.
current mood:  good
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Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
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8:51 pm
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Lydia had two seizures today. One at 2:50am and another at 7:50pm. She'd been doing so well too. When she went missing for two weeks she didn't have any when we found her. I know she might have had some while she was missing but I had expected at least one from her lack of medication when I got her back.
It does seem a pattern that she tends to have them in autumn and winter. Her last seizure was in March and all the ones before that were between October and December. I wonder if there could be something that's triggering them.
current mood:  worried
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(comment on this)
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Thursday, September 10th, 2009
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11:44 pm
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My mouse is pissing me off. It takes like 50 tries to highlight anything. I'll start highlighting text and then it'll randomly stop highlighting or it'll highlight something I don't want and when I do get what I want highlighted and go to copy it it'll just disappear. I guess it needs cleaning or something. It often double clicks when I didn't double click. >_< I'm in the mood that I want to rip it off the desk but that would end up pissing me off more because then I'd have no mouse. Stupid mouse....
Book update: I finished Forest Mage. I'm rather indifferent about it. I like the story and I want to know what happens but I don't really care for the main character or many of the other characters in the book. I want to read the third one because I want to know what happens but I might read something in between because I'm starting to feel really burned out. I don't know. Maybe I'll take a day off from reading tomorrow and take my DS to work or do some Sudoku.
I've gotten back on Facebook. I had been on it before but I hardly ever logged on and there were few people I knew on there at the time so I had deleted my account. Of course shortly after I did that the rest of my friends jumped on it.
Hmm... LJ's spell check doesn't know the word "Mage" interesting...
current mood:  grumpy
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Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
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11:57 pm - Writer's Block: My Fantasy “Geek” Accessory
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Tuesday, September 1st, 2009
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1:15 pm
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I finished Deepsix a while back. It was nice although the tension over whether or not the main character was going to get off the planet alive was missing since I know she lives to be in the next four books. I read the third book in this series first. Chindi was also the first of Jack McDevitt's books I read. It was almost a year ago, during the wind storm that knocked our power out for a week. Luckily you don't need to read them in order, although it might help with the over-all story. I've seen some disappointed reveiws of the last book. There are three more to go but I have to pace myself with him, his writing style is not something I can read several books in a row. It's a little too dry for that.
I also just finished Shaman's Crossing by Robin Hobb. I'm not sure I liked it really. I mean I didn't want to stop reading it but I felt a little bored at times. It's a lot slower than I expected, her other books are not like that. This book was mainly just a setting up of the world. It gives you some background on the culture of the main character, at least the aspect that he deals with, but doesn't give you much of an idea as what is going on exactly. I'm going to start on the second book, Forest Mage, and hopefully it'll suck me in a little more.
Also I washed my car today. Yay for a clean & shiny car!
current mood:  calm
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Thursday, August 20th, 2009
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10:17 pm - Pet update
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There must have been was one bored Vet tech at the clinic last Monday when I got Lydia's prescription refilled. See, Lydia gets a half a pill in the morning and a whole pill at night. Normally they either cut all her pills in half or don't cut them at all. I actually prefer it if they don't cut them because it helps me remember to give her the morning pill if I see there's a half a pill in the pill cutter or if it is empty so I need to cut a pill. This time someone took the time to figure out how many half pills I would need and cut that number of pills. I know it's not that hard of a calculation but it amuses me that they did it.
I have decided on a naming scheme for the crabs! I'm going to name them after the chemical elements. So thus far we have Helium and Hydrogen (the smallest two and both in very similar grey shells), Lithium (currently in a orange and black striped shell), Beryllium (currently in a black and white shell), and Boron (the largest and currently in a off white shell). If I run out of elements to name the crabs then I have way too many crabs...
All crabs are still alive. I was getting worried about Lithium, I hadn't seen him in several weeks but spotted him this morning fresh from molting and with a shiny new leg. I don't remember mentioning it but he was missing a walking leg when I bought him. I saw Boron the other night and Beryllium has made a few appearances in the last few days. Lithium, Beryllium, and Boron all like to stay buried most of the time. Helium and Hydrogen tend to stay topside and near each other.
current mood:  relaxed
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Wednesday, August 19th, 2009
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10:34 pm - Last night on the Dream Network:
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Last night as I was going to sleep I had the Hanukkah Song stuck in my head, which was odd because I haven't listened to it for a long time. Anyway this apparently influenced my subconscious into dreaming a sci-fi Adam Sandler movie. There was some slapstick stuff and aliens and monsters running around. He was the main character and was being chased by the FBI or something and was trying to escape into Canada. I don't remember why. Right before the crossing he took refuge in a large tent full of Jews. I don't remember what they were doing but that they were Jewish. Then while running in the forest there was this really creepy part where the point of view shifted to an alien's eyes (it was hovering above and everything was glowly and green. Maybe it was a sniper wearing night goggles or something) and I saw a large guy disguised as a leafy or plant version of bigfoot running ahead of Adam, who was being chased by other people. There was more but it's faded now. Just so weird...
Also the night before I had a dream that must have been influenced by Penny Arcade's recent Automata short, and also a bit of Bicentennial Man. There was an android detective and his female partner (romantic lead!) who were investigating something near a waterfront on an alien planet. It started off at a fancy party or theater or something, then shifted to a wharf. The harbor must have been really deep because there was a really cool alien whale in it. Also the android liked hats. For some reason that detail sticks in my mind.
current mood:  curious
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Sunday, August 16th, 2009
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10:00 am - Catching up on the books...
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Let's see. I finished Daemons are Forever a while back, it was pretty good although I wasn't quite in the mood for his style of writing. I thought I was which is why I picked that book to read but I found myself getting irritated at it after a while. :p I kept on and read it all and it got better towards the end.
Then I read Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik which was nice. I don't really have much to say about this one. The next Temeraire novel will be in Australia which will be interesting.
Next was The Madness Season by C.S. Friedman in which Earth has been taken over by a hive-mind alien species. The main character is a vampire, although they never actually call him that, and he is joined by a shape-shifting alien and they fight to free everyone from the hive-mind. It was very interesting. At first I thought she might have had the main character be one of the shape-shifting aliens because she mentioned that they define themselves by what form they take and if they spend too long in any form they forget what they were before but he was just a human who could shape-shift and needed to drink blood.
Then I read Moonfall by Jack McDevitt. Mankind has just opened a base on the moon when a comet is spotted during a solar eclipse and it's going to hit the moon in a few days! The President of the U.S. tries not to set everyone off in a panic while they try to get everyone off the moon. They get most of the people off but cut it close with 6 people on a moonbus that will have to be picked up after the moon has blown. Other countries try to evacuate their coastlines but the Americas are hit the hardest as that part of the world was facing the moon at the time of the hit. Of course in the aftermath of the hit there is chaos and people trying to seize power.
Jack McDevitt has no problem killing people off. Several people die in the panic caused by the comet's appearance and millions die when parts of the moon fall to Earth and many named and seemingly important characters bite the dust as well. Set in 2024 the world hasn't changed much. Sure there are electric cars and space planes but other than that it seems a lot like today. The only problem I have with his writing is that he introduces so many characters to give points of view from many different locations that I get lost with who is who.
Currently I'm reading Deepsix by Jack McDevitt, this is one of his Priscilla Hutchins books. I've just started and in the first 10 pages six people have died. Granted they're on a alien planet and apparently thought the wildlife wouldn't try to eat them...
I really need to try to do these updates as I read the books because I tend to forget my impressions beyond "I liked it" after reading another book or two.
current mood:  lethargic
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(comment on this)
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Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009
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12:31 am
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Back when I first started keeping hermit crabs a couple years ago I had one disappear. It was a small crab in a distinctive black and white shell that I had called Negative. At first I figured it was just molting or had been eaten by the other crabs but when I did a deep cleaning of the tank I never found that shell.
I found it today. In the basement just behind and under the stairs I just happened to look down and see it. Just sitting there, a little dusty, with no crabby mummy anywhere near it. I bet a kitty had a crabby snack one night.
current mood:  thoughtful
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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Thursday, July 9th, 2009
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12:45 am
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Well we have had two shell swaps in the crab tank already. The guy in the too little shell is now wearing a larger shell and one of the tiny ones who was in a huge shell for its size has a smaller more fitting shell. On the hermit crab forum I used to visit everyone said that Es (Equadorian or C. compressus) never want to change, that the crabs will stick with the same tiny old shell when they have so many others to choose from. I've never seemed to have that problem. My old Es changed shells a lot. Prime especially liked to change shells. Maybe I'm just lucky in that way. I've also been lucky in that I've never had a crab go naked. That's usually a sign of bad stress and they tend to die quickly when naked. Anyway still trying to decide on a new naming theme. I'd like something gender neutral.
I'll have to print out the sizing chart again but just looking at them I think I have two micros and a teeny or possibly two small teenies and an almost small.
( Book stuff...Collapse )
Also in pet news. I have a new male cat named Rune. Really we've had him for about three weeks now. The very day the Lydia went missing, although we didn't know she was missing yet, I had met with a friend of mine. She was moving that week. She had been trying to find a new home for one of her cats (she had two) and hadn't been able to. So she was just going to leave him at the apartment she was leaving. A one year old intact male who had never been outside in his life. I just couldn't let her do that. I really didn't need another cat... but I figured we'd give it a go and at the very least if I couldn't keep him we'd find him a home. Then Lydia went missing and that whole time I've been stressing about her and trying to integrate a new male in the home. We have gotten him neutered and now he is less smelly (Yay!). Things are going fairly well. The girls all growl and hiss at him but, except for Holly, will sometimes let him get close enough to sniff. He's a gorgeous dark grey color, with medium length hair, his tail is just so fuzzy. He has very large paws with lots of fur tufting out especially in back. He's been really friendly so far, wanting lots of attention. I've only seen him scratch at the scratching posts and pads, unlike Lydia naughty little girl she is. The only problem we've had is that he peed on the love-seat a couple times but I think that was due to stress as he hasn't done it anymore (he did it once when we brought him home and then again when Lydia came back).
So... we'll see... He's supposed to be mom's cat and will stay when I finally move out. She hasn't really tried to bond with him much that I've seen... but as long as he doesn't get clingy like Holly is with me I think it'll be okay. He seems very easy going.
Anyway! That's more than enough for now. I need to go to sleep.
current mood:  sleepy
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
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10:48 pm
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I have hermit crabs again! I finally got around to redoing the tank and made some new water dishes for them. They are Kroger-brand GladWare type tubs with glass beads glued on the bottoms and sides with aquarium sealant (which smells something terrible) to allow little hermies to climb out of them. They now have water bowls that they can fully submerge in if they want. :)
I'm trying to decide if I want to continue with the math related names or not. Maybe I need a new theme since this is a fresh start.
Right now there are three smallish hermit crabs wandering around their new home. One badly needs to change shells, its current one is way too small, and it would have done so already if I hadn't spooked it. I got up to do something and it skittered away from the shell it was checking out. Hopefully it'll change tonight. I think with this group I'm going to try to figure out the sex of the crabs. We'll see if they will cooperate as you have to look for the gonopores on the first segment of the back pair of walking legs. You don't want to force your crab to come out of its shell far enough to see this so the trick is to get them relaxed enough to do it or if you can spot during a shell change. If I can't, oh well, I'll just assign them a gender for referencing reasons and go with it until shown otherwise. :p
I'll try to get some pictures soon.
( A picture of Lydia to tide you overCollapse )
Also my allergies have hit me like a brick. My sinuses are all cloggy and icky.
current mood:  ugh
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(4 comments | comment on this)
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Monday, June 29th, 2009
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8:00 pm
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Well looking closer at her ear it looks too clean to be an animal bite. I wonder if she got picked up by one of those trap and release groups that traps strays, neuters or spays them, and then releases them back near where they found them. They tend to mark the fixed cats by notching their ears. She was already spayed to begin with so no harm or anything and in the end it really doesn't matter. What matters is that she's home.
She has now been bathed. ^_^
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(comment on this)
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9:09 am - Lydia has been found!!
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Two weeks after she went missing, Lydia has come home!
I managed to catch her in a humane trap in the backyard. One of my neighbors saw her a couple nights ago coming into his backyard but she ran when she saw him. I spent a while sliding around on the wooded hill behind our house trying to find her but only earned a nasty scrape and bruise on my arm and sore legs.
I set the trap up again last night and success! I caught the right cat this time! I had set the trap before but kept catching the calico or nothing at all.
She looks a little thin and the tip of one of her ears is gone but she's alert and went straight for her food bowl. Also she needs a bath, very badly. Very stinky, dirty kitty!
I am going to isolate her in the bathroom while I go to work, just in case.
Now I have to call the vet and take all those fliers down.
YEEEHEEHEEE!
current mood:  ecstatic
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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Thursday, June 25th, 2009
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12:53 am
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It both amuses and annoys me the number of items on ebay I find while searching for "snail" that are not snails. Mainly the vast amount of ammonite fossils that are listed as snail fossils. Granted yes they look a bit like snail shells and yes they are molluscs but they are closer related to squids and cuttlefish, they are not snails. More amusing is the occasional turtle or hermit crab that I see listed as a snail.
current mood: sleepy
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
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7:51 pm
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Well I went and talked to her in person. I'm pretty sure that it wasn't Lydia she saw but she said she'll get the cat inside if she sees it again and I can go over and confirm. Spent a while looking around the alleys over there but didn't see anything.
Come on Lydia... come home...
current mood:  hot
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(comment on this)
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3:39 pm
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We have a possible Lydia sighting! I got a call a few hours ago from a woman who lives down a side street a few blocks away from me. She has seen a new cat hanging around her porch a couple nights in the past week. Her neighbor feeds the local strays so she's used to cats hanging around. She says this one obviously was someones pet because it's well groomed, friendly, and kept trying to get in her house. She didn't really take a good look at it but later saw one of my fliers and called me. She says if she sees the cat again she'll get a better look and take her inside. I'm going to wait for mom to get home and then we'll go down and look around that area and see if we can find her.
*crosses fingers*
current mood:  hopeful
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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Sunday, June 21st, 2009
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8:55 pm
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Lydia is still missing. I know it might take time to find her and that we may never find her. I hate not knowing what happened to her. Wherever she is I hope she's safe. We've checked, and will check again, both the Humane Society and Metro Animal Services. I've posted flyers around the neighborhood. Hopefully if someone sees her they will call.
current mood:  sad
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(comment on this)
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Monday, June 15th, 2009
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11:10 pm
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No sign of Lydia. I put some food on the porch. Mom thinks she got out when she went to put something in the trash last night.
My neighbor has been trying to trap a pesky opossum but he keeps catching a dilute calico cat that's been hanging around... maybe he'll catch Lydia...
current mood: sad
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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7:47 am
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Lydia is missing. I last saw her around 5:30pm last night. I don't remember if I saw her when I got home around 10pm or not. I couldn't find her to give her medicine before I went to bed but thought she was just hiding. I woke up this morning and feed them and still no Lydia. I've searched all over the house and around outside.
I'm not sure what to do now.
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Friday, June 12th, 2009
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12:35 am
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Well... come this Sunday our backyard will be missing two trees. Thanks to recent storms one of our maples is rather damaged and has many broken limbs. Mom is worried that it will fall on the house. So we're having it removed, the other maple removed, and a large branch off a hackberry tree that is hanging over the roof. They're going to bring a crane in to cut them down... it should be interesting and noisy.
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geeky