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This Is What Your Government Does For You
Feb. 20th, 2008 05:49 pmThe Union of Concerned Scientists have published this "periodic table" of political / government interference in scientific study.
http://www.ucsusa.org/
This is what electing the Bush administration has done for us and the world...!! Can we please get rid of Republicans now? Or change their party name to "Corporate Lackey-ians?"
http://www.ucsusa.org/
This is what electing the Bush administration has done for us and the world...!! Can we please get rid of Republicans now? Or change their party name to "Corporate Lackey-ians?"
Latest Gau News
Feb. 13th, 2008 04:43 pmGau went back in to the vet this morning. He has not been peeing since the surgery - it's not a physical problem, so the vets believe he's too afraid to pee due to pain and burning sensations. He went under sedation today and was catheterized again.
Hopefully he will get over this within the next 40 hours or so, as I'm supposed to be going out of town this weekend starting very early Friday morning. I have a cat sitter coming, but I can't expect that she'll take him to the vet (on a weekend no less) to get his pee drained.
ARGH.
Hopefully he will get over this within the next 40 hours or so, as I'm supposed to be going out of town this weekend starting very early Friday morning. I have a cat sitter coming, but I can't expect that she'll take him to the vet (on a weekend no less) to get his pee drained.
ARGH.
Ms. Gau is home
Feb. 12th, 2008 05:45 pmGau has returned, and is in high spirits (perhaps due to his painkillers). He's got to go in tomorrow morning again to get an IV shunt removed, and possibly get another catheter if he doesn't pee here at home tonight.
His entire butt is shaved - like a reverse poodle. There's basically just a large bloody stitch going from his anus to his lower belly, and everything that was there is gone. He used to have a furry little sack, but all his junk has now been taken away. That bit was a little unexpected, I thought he'd at least get to keep that; now all his genetic material is gone. Cloning will be the only option for more Gaus!!
He was laying on me earlier, purring happily, so I guess my fears of him changing personality were unfounded. Now he just needs to recover, and all will be well.
Also, the bill came out to be half what I was expecting, so that's a little bit of good news too.
His entire butt is shaved - like a reverse poodle. There's basically just a large bloody stitch going from his anus to his lower belly, and everything that was there is gone. He used to have a furry little sack, but all his junk has now been taken away. That bit was a little unexpected, I thought he'd at least get to keep that; now all his genetic material is gone. Cloning will be the only option for more Gaus!!
He was laying on me earlier, purring happily, so I guess my fears of him changing personality were unfounded. Now he just needs to recover, and all will be well.
Also, the bill came out to be half what I was expecting, so that's a little bit of good news too.
Stayed home from work today for a day of rest. Nose is running like a river, but I feel almost human. I've already been through half a box of tissues; I drink water, and it just comes right out my nostrils.
I somehow have to work up the willpower to go outside and do a load of laundry, as I have no clean underwear or socks. bah.
I somehow have to work up the willpower to go outside and do a load of laundry, as I have no clean underwear or socks. bah.
I developed a really bad fever last night. Intermittent bouts of sleep, punctuated by fits of coughing up gunk, chills, massive sweats, and nasty congestion. I've been laying in bed all day, and I feel too weak to get up.
I left a message for the director saying I can't make it tonight, and can we possible reschedule for the end of the week.
*sigh*
I left a message for the director saying I can't make it tonight, and can we possible reschedule for the end of the week.
*sigh*
Flu Update
Jan. 4th, 2006 10:29 pmIt's totally the flu. I've been having bouts of light fever the last couple hours, my head is getting stuffed, and I'm developing a chest cough. I don't think I'm going to be well enough to go in tomorrow... and I wasn't smart enough to realize that I needed to place a Peapod order before 3:00p.m. today to get delivery for Thursday. I'm going to have to go out to get flu supplies myself, more juices and vitamins and broth and crackers and such. :( :(
(no subject)
Jan. 4th, 2006 10:19 amI woke up this morning with a wicked sore back. I'm really tired and kinda hungry... I feel a little bit better, but I'm definitely still under the weather.
In other news, dude, maybe we can use negative light to SEE THROUGH TIME.
In other news, dude, maybe we can use negative light to SEE THROUGH TIME.
Take back what is yours!
Dec. 16th, 2002 10:23 amI spent the weekend visiting friends in another state. It was a long drive up and down the Eastern seaboard, and the caravan I was part of covered a lot of roads between here and there. When we got to Virginia, the surrounding town that our friends lived in was wholly unremarkable - and this was mainly because it looked like everywhere else I'd ever been in New England. The same chain restaurants, the same retail stores. To be sure, there were a couple of new names that you don't see often north of the Mason-Dixon: Shoney's, Waffle House, and the like...
For convenience's sake, we ended up eating at McDonald's and Pizza Hut. And I realized yet again why I don't eat at those "restaurants". I cooked breakfast on Sunday, and made two pounds of bacon, a pound of maple sausages, eggs and toast... and it was all orders of magnitude better than the meals we had the rest of the trip.
It really, truly upsets me that we as a people are surrendering the joy of food to the forces of mass produced darkness. McDonald's burgers are flavorless wads of chewy gristle, and pizza from Pizza Hut is just a salty slice of bread with specks of generic salty meats. And the supermarkets are full of convenience meals that move from your freezer to your oven or microwave... only a few minutes to gratification! It disgusts me.
I refuse to accept "I have no time to cook" or "I don't know how to cook" as excuses. Cooking is not some arcane ritual - it just takes a small amount of patience and a little know-how that you can get from this book. What cooking is is one of the few great pleasures that life affords us. It's cheaper to cook your own food. It's healthier to cook your own food. Food that you cook yourself tastes better because your ingredients are fresh and are not the lowest possible quality that a business can serve you for their maximum profit. And you can make food that you can't get anywhere else - no restaurant serves foccacia toast with a slice of horseradish cheddar the way I like to make it. You can't walk into a restaurant and ask for something that's not on the menu and expect them to just make it; try that next time you walk into a lousy Outback.
And I'm not knocking all restaurants either. There are many examples of fine cuisine out there, and there are even one or two fast food places that are worthy to consume from. But I will still prefer the hearty and infinitely tastier sandwich I can make from Widoff's italian bread and delectable meats and cheeses from my favorite deli to anything I can get at Subway.
The sad truth is that it comes down to this - people just don't want to cook. And that is the most sorrowful part of the tale, because it means that the people that feel that way have never actually experienced the satisfaction and wholehearted joy of preparing a meal. Every time I make a meal, I treat it as others would a religious experience. I know that runs counter to what I said earlier about food preparation not being an arcane ritual - it truly isn't. But I like to imagine myself in that role, totally putting myself into a meal that I prepare for the people I care most about. You can't get that kind of love from a restaurant chef, and you certainly won't ever get it from a minimum wage fast food worker...
For convenience's sake, we ended up eating at McDonald's and Pizza Hut. And I realized yet again why I don't eat at those "restaurants". I cooked breakfast on Sunday, and made two pounds of bacon, a pound of maple sausages, eggs and toast... and it was all orders of magnitude better than the meals we had the rest of the trip.
It really, truly upsets me that we as a people are surrendering the joy of food to the forces of mass produced darkness. McDonald's burgers are flavorless wads of chewy gristle, and pizza from Pizza Hut is just a salty slice of bread with specks of generic salty meats. And the supermarkets are full of convenience meals that move from your freezer to your oven or microwave... only a few minutes to gratification! It disgusts me.
I refuse to accept "I have no time to cook" or "I don't know how to cook" as excuses. Cooking is not some arcane ritual - it just takes a small amount of patience and a little know-how that you can get from this book. What cooking is is one of the few great pleasures that life affords us. It's cheaper to cook your own food. It's healthier to cook your own food. Food that you cook yourself tastes better because your ingredients are fresh and are not the lowest possible quality that a business can serve you for their maximum profit. And you can make food that you can't get anywhere else - no restaurant serves foccacia toast with a slice of horseradish cheddar the way I like to make it. You can't walk into a restaurant and ask for something that's not on the menu and expect them to just make it; try that next time you walk into a lousy Outback.
And I'm not knocking all restaurants either. There are many examples of fine cuisine out there, and there are even one or two fast food places that are worthy to consume from. But I will still prefer the hearty and infinitely tastier sandwich I can make from Widoff's italian bread and delectable meats and cheeses from my favorite deli to anything I can get at Subway.
The sad truth is that it comes down to this - people just don't want to cook. And that is the most sorrowful part of the tale, because it means that the people that feel that way have never actually experienced the satisfaction and wholehearted joy of preparing a meal. Every time I make a meal, I treat it as others would a religious experience. I know that runs counter to what I said earlier about food preparation not being an arcane ritual - it truly isn't. But I like to imagine myself in that role, totally putting myself into a meal that I prepare for the people I care most about. You can't get that kind of love from a restaurant chef, and you certainly won't ever get it from a minimum wage fast food worker...
Three Thanksgiving update
Dec. 2nd, 2002 12:34 pmI lost three pounds after eating three Thanksgiving meals! Woo hoo!
My new meme
Nov. 25th, 2002 09:55 pmI've been losing weight since June, and I've been doing it by eating less. I exercise on and off, but primarily the weight loss is just from fewer calories.
So, I want to start a campaign, make stickers and stuff; white text on black background: EAT HALF.
That's the meme. Just eat half. Save the other half for another meal. Don't clean your plate, forget the starving children in China... eat half and leave the rest.
If a person can do this - if he or she can just eat half of what he or she normally heaps onto a plate - he or she will consume half the calories they normally would. That is a significant way to lose weight, and it will help people get their caloric needs back into focus.
I think a lot of people just don't realize how many calories they're putting into their bodies these days. Serving sizes at convenience stores, movie theatres, and fast food chains are getting totally ridiculous. "Eat half" could be a simple way to inject a little thought into people's eating habits...
So, I want to start a campaign, make stickers and stuff; white text on black background: EAT HALF.
That's the meme. Just eat half. Save the other half for another meal. Don't clean your plate, forget the starving children in China... eat half and leave the rest.
If a person can do this - if he or she can just eat half of what he or she normally heaps onto a plate - he or she will consume half the calories they normally would. That is a significant way to lose weight, and it will help people get their caloric needs back into focus.
I think a lot of people just don't realize how many calories they're putting into their bodies these days. Serving sizes at convenience stores, movie theatres, and fast food chains are getting totally ridiculous. "Eat half" could be a simple way to inject a little thought into people's eating habits...
Dental Excitement
Nov. 20th, 2002 11:01 pmI have been super duper swamped with work and life stuff. On top of it all, I had a bout of panic where I thought I would have to have a wisdom tooth out... a quick trip to the dentist today however uncovered that I do not, in fact, have a wisdom tooth on the lower left side of my jaw. I am apparently just irritating the gum and tooth by eating with too much gusto or something. Very odd, but the x-ray shows nothing wrong with me.
Stress maybe? I hope I'm not clenching my jaw in my sleep or anything.
Apologies to all for dropping off the face of the planet. I hope to return soon.
Stress maybe? I hope I'm not clenching my jaw in my sleep or anything.
Apologies to all for dropping off the face of the planet. I hope to return soon.
Pity party?
Nov. 4th, 2002 10:33 pmI found myself lacking in motivation today, the first day of officially being laid off.
I have this continual feeling of being in limbo with my life. I'm taking steps, and I am without a doubt moving forward in most things... but it seems like everything, every aspect of my person, is in transition. It is a very peculiar way to feel. I'm standing at the crossroads again, waiting to bury my old self beneath it and move on; but even though it seems like forces conspire to clear the path for me, there are still many things blocking my way.
I've been moving things into the new apartment, but it is slow going, and the landlord is taking his time clearing items out of the building. Specifically, he has to get all of the furniture out of the front bedroom, and I need to seriously clean the living room, dining room, and that front bedroom in order to live in that apartment. We're talking "cleansing with purifying flame" here. Or at least scrubbing all the walls, ceilings, and floors with bleach. I really want to be moved in before Thanksgiving, but I'm having doubts now on whether that will be possible.
Career-wise, things seem to be happening a little faster, but they are much more precarious. My consulting business is getting more customers, but we are still shy of being one hundred percent self-supporting (paying all the bills and every bit of our salaries). Running your own business means you're much less certain about your paychecks, and that uncertainty gives me pause sometimes. I think I've been getting a little rusty in my skillsets as well, so I'm feeling motivation to learn about new tools and technologies, but finding the time and funding to pursue that education is going to be tricky over the next year.
And what can I say about the other portions of my life? Food and shelter have been foremost, but they seem to be mostly taken care of, at least until the end of this year...
One of my closest friends announced his engagement to his girlfriend of two-ish years. I keep reminding myself that life is not a race, and I'm not competing with anyone, but it is hard to sweep the ever present biological and evolutionary instincts out of my head. And it's very hard to not want to have some kind of steady relationship after having been without one for the last two and a half years. I also want very badly to really accomplish something significant; I think that's why I've been working so hard with Big Blue on the business plan we've been formulating for the pc arcade, because we both know that idea could be a very big thing.
But the good news is that lionlady made me feel much better about life tonight when I stopped by for a visit. I'm honored to know such a kind person... she goes out of her way to help me with even the tiniest things, and I appreciate it greatly. And her cats make me very happy.
In other good news, I've gotten down to 284 pounds. That's 36 pounds lost since the end of June. That's a good thing... I'll be close to my starting college weight by the end of this year if I continue this trend. I'm starting to think that maybe I should even get as far down as 225, another sixty pounds less. I think that'll depend on how I look and feel when I hit 250, so I guess we'll see when I get there.
I have this continual feeling of being in limbo with my life. I'm taking steps, and I am without a doubt moving forward in most things... but it seems like everything, every aspect of my person, is in transition. It is a very peculiar way to feel. I'm standing at the crossroads again, waiting to bury my old self beneath it and move on; but even though it seems like forces conspire to clear the path for me, there are still many things blocking my way.
I've been moving things into the new apartment, but it is slow going, and the landlord is taking his time clearing items out of the building. Specifically, he has to get all of the furniture out of the front bedroom, and I need to seriously clean the living room, dining room, and that front bedroom in order to live in that apartment. We're talking "cleansing with purifying flame" here. Or at least scrubbing all the walls, ceilings, and floors with bleach. I really want to be moved in before Thanksgiving, but I'm having doubts now on whether that will be possible.
Career-wise, things seem to be happening a little faster, but they are much more precarious. My consulting business is getting more customers, but we are still shy of being one hundred percent self-supporting (paying all the bills and every bit of our salaries). Running your own business means you're much less certain about your paychecks, and that uncertainty gives me pause sometimes. I think I've been getting a little rusty in my skillsets as well, so I'm feeling motivation to learn about new tools and technologies, but finding the time and funding to pursue that education is going to be tricky over the next year.
And what can I say about the other portions of my life? Food and shelter have been foremost, but they seem to be mostly taken care of, at least until the end of this year...
One of my closest friends announced his engagement to his girlfriend of two-ish years. I keep reminding myself that life is not a race, and I'm not competing with anyone, but it is hard to sweep the ever present biological and evolutionary instincts out of my head. And it's very hard to not want to have some kind of steady relationship after having been without one for the last two and a half years. I also want very badly to really accomplish something significant; I think that's why I've been working so hard with Big Blue on the business plan we've been formulating for the pc arcade, because we both know that idea could be a very big thing.
But the good news is that lionlady made me feel much better about life tonight when I stopped by for a visit. I'm honored to know such a kind person... she goes out of her way to help me with even the tiniest things, and I appreciate it greatly. And her cats make me very happy.
In other good news, I've gotten down to 284 pounds. That's 36 pounds lost since the end of June. That's a good thing... I'll be close to my starting college weight by the end of this year if I continue this trend. I'm starting to think that maybe I should even get as far down as 225, another sixty pounds less. I think that'll depend on how I look and feel when I hit 250, so I guess we'll see when I get there.
Basic training
Sep. 29th, 2002 01:15 pmLast night Annika threw a send-off party for Harrison - next Wednesday he's going to be flying off to Fort Knox for nine or so weeks of army basic training as part of his National Guard requirements.
They've really done a great job fixing up their house. It's got a very lived in feel now, even though some bits still need to be cleaned up here and there. They don't have a stove, but their kitchen is practically together and they make do with a toaster oven and a couple of individual plug-in burners. And their kitties (Mia and Pia) are adorable. Nutty, but adorable.
The party actually ended up being two parties; the early part of the evening was a cookout and pot luck type dinner. A lot of folks brought yummy desserts: julz's infamous cookies, and Kim brought a great tart and some delectable pumpkin bread. The first party was all adult and wine-and-cheese... but after about 9pm, most folks left to go back East - and Harrison's sister Becca came out from Boston. This is when party number two started, because Becca's mission was to get Harrison wasted. Anni's friends are all totally party people, so we played a bunch of drinking games (organized by Becca - she's so awesome) and had an incredible time. I got pretty darn tipsy, almost enough to get the room spinning. Becca completely accomplished her mission, getting herself totally wasted in the process. A good time had by all. Woo!
Anni and I got to chat a little in the morning today... which was nice because I don't get to see her often enough to do that. She said I got the award for being "super mingler" by hanging out with all her friends from her previous job for most of the night. They're a really fun and open bunch though, so it was just a pretty natural thing to hang out and laugh with them. She and I also had a discussion about how "adult" some of our friends are getting, and how it's completely a mental thing - people just get comfortable in their routines and don't want to get wild and crazy any more.
I have to say, for myself... I hope I never get like that. I mean - barring physical reasons like having a bad stomach or otherwise not being able to handle getting a little crazy once in a while... why the hell shouldn't one enjoy life to the fullest? Why not throw it all to the wind once in a while, especially on a special occasion? In my mind, the minute you stop living is the minute you start dying.
When I thought about it, I wondered aloud if maybe the reason why I feel like that is because I find myself comfortable in chaos. I'd almost say that I need chaos in my life because I also feel like I need to be constantly making order out of it. I find myself compelled to finish puzzles and sort things; writing and coding are anal retentive activities for me. I fidget. I tinker. I can't help it!
I also find myself wishing Harrison the best of luck on this venture. I love him like a brother, and I feel quite a bit of trepidation about the whole thing. But I also know this is something he really needs to do. Please be good man. I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to you.
They've really done a great job fixing up their house. It's got a very lived in feel now, even though some bits still need to be cleaned up here and there. They don't have a stove, but their kitchen is practically together and they make do with a toaster oven and a couple of individual plug-in burners. And their kitties (Mia and Pia) are adorable. Nutty, but adorable.
The party actually ended up being two parties; the early part of the evening was a cookout and pot luck type dinner. A lot of folks brought yummy desserts: julz's infamous cookies, and Kim brought a great tart and some delectable pumpkin bread. The first party was all adult and wine-and-cheese... but after about 9pm, most folks left to go back East - and Harrison's sister Becca came out from Boston. This is when party number two started, because Becca's mission was to get Harrison wasted. Anni's friends are all totally party people, so we played a bunch of drinking games (organized by Becca - she's so awesome) and had an incredible time. I got pretty darn tipsy, almost enough to get the room spinning. Becca completely accomplished her mission, getting herself totally wasted in the process. A good time had by all. Woo!
Anni and I got to chat a little in the morning today... which was nice because I don't get to see her often enough to do that. She said I got the award for being "super mingler" by hanging out with all her friends from her previous job for most of the night. They're a really fun and open bunch though, so it was just a pretty natural thing to hang out and laugh with them. She and I also had a discussion about how "adult" some of our friends are getting, and how it's completely a mental thing - people just get comfortable in their routines and don't want to get wild and crazy any more.
I have to say, for myself... I hope I never get like that. I mean - barring physical reasons like having a bad stomach or otherwise not being able to handle getting a little crazy once in a while... why the hell shouldn't one enjoy life to the fullest? Why not throw it all to the wind once in a while, especially on a special occasion? In my mind, the minute you stop living is the minute you start dying.
When I thought about it, I wondered aloud if maybe the reason why I feel like that is because I find myself comfortable in chaos. I'd almost say that I need chaos in my life because I also feel like I need to be constantly making order out of it. I find myself compelled to finish puzzles and sort things; writing and coding are anal retentive activities for me. I fidget. I tinker. I can't help it!
I also find myself wishing Harrison the best of luck on this venture. I love him like a brother, and I feel quite a bit of trepidation about the whole thing. But I also know this is something he really needs to do. Please be good man. I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to you.
