tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52324063765569388372024-03-05T01:41:04.987-08:00Musing, Chocolate, and TeaShips and shoes and sealing wax, cabbages and kingsThe Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-75624058843052719262009-06-04T23:50:00.000-07:002009-06-05T00:02:14.998-07:00Goodbye WorldIt seems that this might be the term when finals, midterms, papers, and professors who are firmly convinced that they are the only ones expecting anything from me at the moment finally gets me, so I wanted to come on here and say my goodbyes. <br /><br />To the world: It's been fun; sorry it's been so short.<br /><br />To my friends: Thank you, I wouldn't have made it this far without you.<br /><br />To my family: I love you guys dearly and apologize for the expenses about to be inflicted on you. <br /><br />To my university professors: When I come into your class and fall asleep with my pen in my hand, it is not because I'm uninterested in the material, lazy, or just generally don't care. It is because I haven't had more that five hours of sleep a night in about as long as I can remember (so that is only last Tuesday - <span style="font-style:italic;">details</span>) and have averaged about 3. Assigning more work to keep me on my toes will not help. I will admit that some of you were alright though. <br /><br />Now I need to go try to finish one more paper before my mind snaps. Goodbye<br /><br />Quote<br /><blockquote>Am I what-nizant?<br />-Dean Martin</blockquote>The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-55430921078790470952009-05-19T23:54:00.001-07:002009-05-20T00:00:46.165-07:00As anyone reading this may have noticed, the reviving is not going well. School tends to be all consuming. And since I've also been working two jobs, trying to get a house ready to move into, and spending about 9 hours a week at church, well, it just adds up. I need a daystrecher. Yes, need, we're talking desperate here. <br /><br />Well, I have some work to finish before I can go to bed, and since the alarm goes off in six and a half hours, I probably ought to get to it.<br /><blockquote><br />Quote: <br />Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.<br />- Dr. Seuss</blockquote><br /><br />FarewellThe Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-76843590731787205232009-01-07T22:47:00.000-08:002009-01-07T22:58:43.386-08:00Hello worldI think it's time to revive this thing. <br /><br />I'd wanted to set up a schedule, have some backup posts ready in case I was too busy to write, and generally do it up right. But I've missed it. I was going over my posts today and decided, "Who am I kidding? That's not what my blog is." I don't really even want an overly organized blog. <br /><br />So, this is me. Off the cuff. Writing what I want, when I get a chance. <br /><br />I really need to work on the layout though, it's awfulThe Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-19027207894692266322008-10-13T14:33:00.000-07:002008-10-13T14:35:58.264-07:00Hi guys,<br /><br />I've lost my internet access; thus the long hiatus. Eventually I'll find a better place to live and make sure it has internet, but until then, blogging has gotten a smidge difficult. I miss you guys.<br /><br />MuseThe Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-55651687162486023102008-08-28T16:45:00.000-07:002008-08-28T17:06:16.283-07:00That's customer serviceIn my <a href="http://atrandommusing.blogspot.com/2008/08/soapnuts.html">last post</a> I described my first experience with Soap Nuts. In it I mentioned off hand that the bottle had leaked. <br /><br />When I got home today I found a package from <a href="http://www.laundrytree.com/">Laundry Tree</a> in which I found a note that read, <blockquote>[Muse]-<br />Sorry about the leaky Citrus Mist bottle! Hope it wasn't a huge mess in your mailbox?<br />Here's another sample bag to replace the messy one. If you try the shampoo trick, let me know what you think! -Lisa</blockquote><br /><br />Well Lisa, it wasn't a big deal at all, the bubble wrap lining of the padded envelope contained the small leak nicely, it just smelled really strong when I opened it. I do appreciate your concern. Also, the small bottle of Energy essential oil blend arrived perfectly intact and unleaked. Thank you.<br /><br />I will now overcome my nervousness and act as a shampoo guinea pig. It certainly can't make my hair any worse (I hope). I'll get back to y'all in a few weeks on that.<br /><br />The back of the bottle reads<br /><blockquote>Energy Blend: our fave smell ever.<br />Do with it what you will: add scent to your laundry (washed with soapnuts, natch), make your own cleaning solutions, or even stash it in your purse and sniff it when you need a boost. </blockquote><br />Hmmmm, smelling salts.<br /><br />Off to boil me some soap nuts ...The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-42948135232413530232008-08-25T22:51:00.001-07:002008-08-25T22:51:37.730-07:00SoapNutsBlogger updated their dashboard a few days ago - I think I like it this time.<br /><br />A couple of weeks ago I participated the the bloggy giveaway carnival at 5minutes4mom and let slip that I had won something. Well, I've finally had time to try it out, take pictures of it, and get the pictures uploaded. Just call me speedy. <br /><br />And here it is:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.laundrytree.com/buy-soapnuts"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/general%20blog%20pictures/DSCN0560.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a> SoapNuts from <a href="http://www.laundrytree.com/">LaundryTree</a><br /><br />And when I opened the bag I found this:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/general%20blog%20pictures/DSCN0561.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/general%20blog%20pictures/DSCN0561.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />The small fruits are the soap nuts, also known as soap berries. They contain saponin, a soap chemical, which is released when they are run through the wash cycle. You can read more about it at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapindus">wikipedia</a>. That bag should do six to eight loads of laundry. Since they are odorless, a small bottle of essential oil is also included, that one is citrus mist.<br /><br />So I counted out four of the berries (they are technically not nuts) and tied them up in the muslin bag. The essential oil is put on the bag itself; I skipped this step since the bottle had leaked in transit. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/general%20blog%20pictures/DSCN0566.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/general%20blog%20pictures/DSCN0566.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I then dropped the whole thing on top of my laundry and chucked the whole pile in the washing machine. <br /><br />I have no way of knowing how clean it got my clothes, but they were much softer. There was one shirt that had to hang dry, and even it lacked the stiffness that usually results in. <br /><br />Another claim made about these is that they are good for people with sensitive skin. It doesn't seem to have helped me much in that area, but then I really can't say for sure since I had a major breakout a couple of days before I used them, and it still hasn't cleared up entirely. <br /><br />I found a few places that suggested boiling them down to create a liquid soap which could be then be used for everything from dishes to bath soap. I'm somewhat curious to try it as a shampoo, I wonder if it would do for my hair what it did for the shirt. <br /><br /><br />Quote:<br /><blockquote>Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.<br />-JFK<br /></blockquote><br />GoodnightThe Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-22248957758371335912008-08-15T07:25:00.000-07:002008-08-15T07:28:25.302-07:00I'm famous<a href="http://afrugalhousewife.com/saving-money-your-health-at-lunch/">My first post</a> is up over at <a href="http://afrugalhousewife.com/">A Frugal Housewife</a>. <br /><br />Head over there and read it.<br /><br />I'll be contributing semi-regularly in the coming months.The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-77939526981162848512008-08-13T13:57:00.000-07:002008-08-13T14:12:20.746-07:00Brown SpaghettiI entered this recipe in Pioneer Woman's recipe contest. It is one of my favorite dishes, but there is some contention about the name. I’ve called it Brown Spaghetti all my life along with my sisters, but a few years ago Mom decided Mushroom Spaghetti sounded better and has been attempting to correct me ever since. Whatever you call though, it is good.<br /><br />1 lb Italian Sausage<br />Olive oil<br />½ lb mushrooms<br />Medium onion<br />Medium bell pepper<br />2 cloves garlic<br />2 10 oz cans cream of mushroom soup<br />Milk<br />Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and cayenne<br /><br />Brown and drain sausage.<br />Chop up the mushrooms, onion, pepper, and garlic.<br />Dump a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in the skillet, add the mushrooms, onion, pepper, and garlic, and sauté until the onions are transparent.<br />Add the sausage and dump in the mushroom soup. Fill each of the cans about 2/3 full of milk, cover with your hand and shake to dislodge the rest of the soup, then add that in too.<br />Mix well then add about 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne, a few shakes of pepper, and a couple dashes of salt adjusting all to taste.<br />Mix well and allow to simmer over low heat for at least 30 minutes.<br />Serve over spaghetti noodles and top with parmesan cheese if desired.The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-36849168381660843592008-08-04T20:37:00.000-07:002008-08-04T22:34:39.830-07:00PhotoshoperyAlternate title: Why do I always get myself into these situations.<br /><br />They decided at work that we need pictures of our former Directors/Commanders. This is great; I think they should have been there all along. The only problem was that it is sometimes hard to find pictures of someone who came and went nigh on thirty years ago.<br /><br />Enter my direct supervisor, M, who was executive secretary for twenty some-odd years before being promoted to her current position about 2 years ago. As executive secretary, she kept a small snapshot of each of her "boys," as she calls them. They are all taped onto a paper with their names and hang right above her desk. For four of the Colonels, those were the only pictures available. Three of those came out pretty good: a little grainy and blurred, but what do you expect when you blow a 3 inch snapshot up to an 8x10 portrait? And they are between 15 and 30 years old anyway.<br /><br />Then there was Col. Wilson:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/general%20blog%20pictures/before.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/general%20blog%20pictures/before.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The original 1.5 inch photograph was given a rough chop, then stuck to a sticky note which bore a large logo across it's center. This was scanned in exactly as it was, blown up to 8x10, matted, framed, and sent to us to hang on our wall-of-fame.<br />Oh, there was one more touch in that version which is lacking in my scan above. The photo was left on the main paper, which is crowded, so above the Colonel's left shoulder was a vertical bar of dark blue with large, sharply focused white stars - the edge of the next photo.<br /><br />M and I looked at that and said something along the lines of "they can't possibly expect us to hang that on a wall of USMC former base directors." And then I said, "I have <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">photoshop</span> at home, if you'll give me your original there, I'll take it home and see if I can fix it." Maybe one day I'll learn to keep my mouth shut.<br /><br />Four hours later I had this<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/general%20blog%20pictures/after.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/general%20blog%20pictures/after.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />A digital image, it took another whole afternoon of fighting the computer tooth and nail to make it print a nice glossy photograph.<br /><br />It's an improvement though. Not the best I've ever seen, but good enough that it won't jump out and horrify me ever time I walk past that wall (which is fairly often).<br /><br />I spent most of this morning affixing little brass plates with their names and dates of service to the bottom of the matting for each Colonel, and sticking more little brass plates to a nice black sheet of metal for the ones who are so old that there are no photos.<br /><br />I am eager to see the final results when they get the rails hung and the whole shebang on display. I think it is going to look quite nice overall, and I'll be able to walk past it without having the horror above jumping out at me. Even if people walk past it and shudder at the awfulness, I'll know how much worse it could have been and that I did my best, and I'll be content.<br /><br />I suppose that is why I always get myself into these situations.<br /><br /><br />P.S. I won one of the bloggy giveaways. I'll post more when I have it in my hot little hands.The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-10196778282107847722008-07-23T06:00:00.000-07:002008-07-23T06:47:10.011-07:00Waking up made easy(er)<div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both;"><a href="http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/" imageanchor="1" style="border: 0pt none ; background-color: transparent; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/05/25/wfmwbanner.jpg" style="border: 0pt none ;" height="153" width="200" /></a></div><br />Everyone who knows me will testify that I am a night owl. I will happily stay up until 2 or 3am but HATE getting up in the morning with every fiber of my being. I realize that's strong language, but I have strong feelings here. <o:p></o:p><br />Unfortunately, the summer job I got requires me to report at 0 six thirty hours in the morning. I knew I was going to need help if I was going to be civil, much less functional. <o:p></o:p><br />Since my egg and toast are ready at about 5:30 (my mother is very sweet), I need to be moving by 5:15. Rather then having a single alarm that goes off, then dragging myself out of bed and growling at everyone within reach; I have set up a three step system.<o:p></o:p><br />1. My clock radio comes on at around four thirty. It's tuned to a music station, and the volume is turned way down. I've never woken up to it, but it's enough to start pulling me out of really deep sleep.<o:p></o:p><br />2. At 5:01 my cell phone alarm goes off. Since the music has been on, I usually hear it pretty quickly, but I don't even attempt to get up or even open my eyes. I smack it to make it shut up, then reach up and turn on my reading lamp. The light further penetrates the fog, and I start to actually wake up.<o:p></o:p><br />3. Seven minutes later my cell phone goes off again. Sometimes I smack it one more time, but I'll usually get up then.<o:p></o:p><br />By the time my feet hit the floor, I've got nearly a 45 minute head start on full consciousness (it can take an hour and a half to get there), this means it doesn't take as long for me to get dressed, my outfit is less likely to look like it was assembled by a blind person, and most importantly, I don't end up growling at my family. <o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal"></div>The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-7208834081348879912008-07-18T21:25:00.000-07:002008-07-18T22:19:07.493-07:00Local wildlifeI confess that I sort of cheated on that last post. Alright, maybe more than sort of. Actually, I had the code saved already so that all I had to do was paste and post. I really cheated. Tonight, I'm making a real post. Note that I did not say a good post, or a thoughtful post, or even a post with a point, just a real one.
<br />
<br />On the day that I finally remembered to carry my camera to school, I was walking down an outside staircase with a retaining wall to my right. It had hundreds of flowers cascading over it thus:
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0385.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0385.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />I was walking down that staircase minding my own business when I heard a noise right by my ear. I turned my head a saw this:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0384.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0384.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />Let's look a little closer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0384-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0384-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />A bee. Of course at that point, I did the only natural thing - pulled out my camera and started taking pictures like a good blogger.
<br />Unfortunately, the bee was much faster than my camera, so I only got one more picture of her (Useless trivia: All worker bees are infertile females.).
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0383-2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0383-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>
<br />And with more of the flowers left in the frame:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0383.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0383.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>
<br />Unfortunately, I have nothing insightful to say, so enjoy the pictures and try not to think about it too much.The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-31168438432974721392008-07-16T23:14:00.000-07:002008-07-16T23:26:39.851-07:00This is a post<table width=450 style='font-family:Arial; font-size:12px; background-color:#fff; border: solid 1px #000000; color:#000000' align=center cellpadding=0><tbody><tr><td><center>Your home is a <h1>Magic Magnate's Villa</h1></center> <table width=440 cellpadding=5 cellspacing=0 style='font-family:Arial; font-size:12px; background-color:#fff; color:#000000'><tbody><tr><td> Your kitchen is someplace you never go, because you "have people for that." There's a Chocolatessen, which is rapidly becoming your favorite room of the house. Having one is also becoming a trend among your wealthy neighbors. Your master bedroom is the size of a small barn, with carpet thick enough to reach your ankles. Your study has hardback editions of every classic ever written, plus a special edition of <i>Rich Dad, Poor Dad</i> with the parts you ghost-authored highlighted. One of your garages holds your collection of ferraris, and is measured in acreage. <br /><br />Your home also includes a guest wing and private quarters for your servants. Your guests enjoy your home theater with hi-def plasma screen TV, and the thrones you watch it from. Outside is your hedge maze and gardens, meticulously tended by a team of world-class botanists.<br /><br />And, you have a pet -- a doberman pincer named "Warren".<br /><br />Below is a snippet of the blueprints: </td></tr></table><img src='http://www.directhomefind.com/dream-home/images/image.php?topleft=ballroom&topright=trophy_room&middleright=lan_room&bottomright=library_fantasy&bottomleft=garage_xwing'></td></tr><tr><td align=center><br /><br /><a href='http://www.directhomefind.com/dream-home' target=_new>Build YOUR Dream Home!</a><br /> </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />and for variety from the Ferraries <br /><h2>I'm a Porsche 911!</h2><p><br /><img src="http://www.tomorrowland.us/sportscar/images/911.jpg"><br /><p><b>You have a classic style, but you're up-to-date with the latest technology. You're ambitious, competitive, and you love to win. Performance, precision, and prestige - you're one of the elite,and you know it.</b><p><br /><p> Take the <a href="http://www.tomorrowland.us/sportscar">Which Sports Car Are You?</a> quiz.<p><br /><br />Useless geeky thing I discovered:<br /><a href="http://www.kleinbottle.com/">Acme Klein Bottles</a> - where yesterday's future is here today!The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-42086137060163905732008-07-11T10:41:00.000-07:002008-07-11T10:49:55.167-07:0015 years<a href="http://crazydogslife.blogspot.com">Blessed</a> tagged me to do this meme.<br /><br />Think back on the last 15 years of your life. What would you tell someone that you hadn’t seen or talked to for 15 years? How would you sum up your life? You get 10 bullet points. A list of 10 things to summarize about you. At the end of your list, tag 5 more people and send on the love…<br /><br />15 years ago I was 8. I probably wouldn’t recognize anyone that I knew then and haven’t seen since.<br />1. I’ve gained close to 100 pounds and gotten a little bit taller.<br />2. My parents pulled me from the public school system and put me in a private school before beginning homeschooling from which I graduated.<br />3. We bought a house a few streets down from where we lived.<br />4. My dad got a promotion a few states away.<br />5. We sold the house, moved across the few states, and bought another one.<br />6. My older sister got married, and we still haven’t convinced her husband that he needs to move this way. I miss her.<br />7. I went to our local community college and earned two degrees. <br />8. I graduated at the top of my class, so they made me give a speech.<br />9. I’m now attending a state university and trying not to let it kill me.<br />10. I have a niece, Lil Sugar. She is the cutest child in the whole world, and lives way too far away. We still haven’t convinced her father that he needs to move this way.<br /><br />I tag:<br /><a href="http://daramis.blogspot.com">Daramis</a> – Have fun with it.<br /><a href="http://exclusivelybyjessie.blogspot.com/">Jessie</a> – This one will require words.<br /><a href="http://exclusivelybyjessie.blogspot.com/">Chris</a> – Because I can<br />Lawrence – You haven’t posted in ages.<br />Anyone else who wants to do it.The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-74209399676668547272008-07-09T20:19:00.000-07:002008-07-09T20:20:17.959-07:00I got tired of looking at white on black. I don't particularly like this, so I'll be changing it more soon.The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-60216711886210819382008-07-08T22:34:00.000-07:002008-07-08T22:40:30.144-07:00NewsGood:<br /><blockquote>The <a href="http://atrandommusing.blogspot.com/2008/07/im-easily-distracted.html">images</a> are fixed. Now you can see the pretty flowers in all of their glory rather than just the left two-thirds. Sorry about the weird linking in the post; I need to come up with a new strategy. <br /><br />I finally have access and can therefore perform my duties at work rather than just being a desk ornament.<br /></blockquote><br />Bad:<br /><blockquote>My watch died at precisely 2:49 this afternoon. <br /><br />I'm not going to get enough enough sleep tonight.</blockquote>The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-53606806584525472102008-07-07T23:18:00.000-07:002008-07-07T23:21:08.740-07:00AaargghhThe images in the previous post should have fit. I'll fix them as soon as I can, but I will be already at work in 8 hours, so I don't want to get started messing with it right now. Goodnight allThe Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-68437215747296070032008-07-07T22:44:00.000-07:002008-07-08T22:44:46.916-07:00I'm easily distractedIf you don't believe it ask <a href="http://crazydogslife.blogspot.com">my sister</a>, or check my posting frequency - I intend to post once or twice a week. <br /><br />I took my camera to school several weeks ago intending to take pictures of the campus, some of the architecture, a couple of truly enormous lecture halls, and maybe capture the sheer size of the place in general.<br /><br />But then I met this<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0335.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0335.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />A whole row of them in fact. And I found myself compelled to take pictures of them from every angle.<br /><br /><br /><br />Straight down<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0335.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;"src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0330.jpg " border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />How about a different angle<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0335.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0328.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />...and a close up...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0335.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0329.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />Great! Great! Now let's get that bud into the picture<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0335.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0331.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />Alright, now from the side<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0335.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0332.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Hmmm, got a metal rail there; I think I can do a better job of framing that<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0335.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/ibcmr/school%20pictures%20-%20used/DSCN0334.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Yeah, that's better.<br /><br /><br />Alright folks, we'll give you a call when you're proofs are ready.<br /><br /><br />And then I had to go to class. I did get some of the building though - see the bricks in the last couple.<br />Further installments will be posted when I get around to it.The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-74875051354367015722008-06-28T21:04:00.000-07:002008-06-28T21:11:20.039-07:00A small rantDear neighbors,<br /><br />Even though I don't particularly care for your music, I can handle listening to it during the day, or I can drown it out. However, I would appreciate it if you turned it off at night. At least turn it down sometime before one am. If you can't do that, even turning the bass down so that my trailer isn't vibrating would be appreciated. <br /><br />Thank you,<br />Muse<br /><br />Told you it was small.The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-46188047224455883512008-06-19T23:14:00.000-07:002008-06-19T23:15:28.811-07:00I'm still waiting for the pictures. As soon as I can get them from my little sister, I'll show you what we did.The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-31463751192762377502008-06-18T13:55:00.000-07:002008-06-18T13:58:35.807-07:00I love plotting against my parents. It's so much fun :). <br />Details tomorrow...<br /><br />For now I'm making <a href="http://crazydogslife.blogspot.com/2008/04/no-bake-cookies.html">No Bakes</a>. Yum.The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-28644884554634416872008-06-15T01:03:00.000-07:002008-06-15T01:50:42.949-07:00HomeI survived the finals. The jury is still out on whether or not my GPA did. I am so relieved that it's finally over that I don't really care any more though. Really I don't even have the energy left to be properly excited. <br /><br />It's not Wednesday evening, but I will now fulfill my promise to post about the beach.<br />A friend had her birthday party there, so we drove out for the afternoon. I didn't intend to go out past about knee deep, but I was about that far out when a big wave brought a huge seaweed monster that was determined to take it back out with it. I had to drop onto my hands to kick it off. After that I was soaked and cold, so I waded out with a friend rib-deep when the waves weren't coming in. It was such great fun. She taught me how to jump when they hit so that I stayed at right angles to the sand, and we hung out there for about half an hour. Some of the waves went over my head, and I fell over a few times to the great amusement of my friends. The looks on people's faces later when I told them that I can't swim were priceless (I can do the dog paddle and a fairly shoddy backstroke; also, I can only float face down; not much use in breakers). I figured I was safe enough though because I am fairly good at not panicking (It's the panic that usually kills people), and there were enough people from our group out farther than I was that someone would have saved me if I ended up out of my depth. Being out that far makes one all the more aware of how powerful those waves really are. I have watched them crash against the rocks in awe, but those were little (comparatively speaking) waves that were already mostly spent that knocked me clean over and washed me halfway back to the beach. <br /><br />Since I'm out of school for the summer, I'll hopefully be able to blog a whole lot more consistently. I'm still thinking about the OBS Challenge too. <br /><br />Quote<br /><blockquote>polysyllabic expressions are marvelously entertaining to employ<br />-Bethany</blockquote><br /><br />G'nightThe Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-35033689206635624762008-06-10T18:01:00.000-07:002008-06-10T18:07:12.778-07:00Finals weekMy finals start today. I can't decide whether to panic or be relieved. I am not ready for the finals, but I am certainly more than ready for the school year to be over. Maybe tomorrow evening when the worst two are over I'll tell you about my day at the beach. I'll have to check the blogs of other people who where there for suitable pictures. Meanwhile, my brain is brimming over with all sorts of -isms, the Nerst equation, paradigms, complexes, and so on. <br /><br />ByeThe Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-55100015863433685542008-05-28T23:55:00.000-07:002008-05-28T23:57:57.399-07:00My brain cells are abandoning ship. They are simply bailing out on me in droves. This must be a breach of contract or something. <br /><br />Anyrate, the promised post is not coming together yet, sorry. I'll keep working on it.The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-54616017573399538092008-05-27T14:22:00.000-07:002008-05-27T14:48:55.858-07:00This is a post<a href="http://www.beliefnet.com/section/quiz/index.asp?sectionID=5020006&surveyID=454">Which Narnia Character Are You?</a><br /><em>You are Lucy, who became Queen Lucy the Valiant of Narnia. You have a strong sense of responsibility and you show great kindness to others. You are innocent, a quality which often leads people not to regard you seriously, but you are also wise beyond your years. Anyone who befriends you is lucky to have you as a true and loyal ally.</em><br />I wish I could get the banner to work.<br /><br /><br><b><a href="http://www.greatestjournal.com/quiz.bml?Q=16354"><font size=+1>You Are Pocahantas!</font></a></b><br><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/newbandi/Pocahantas.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com"><p><b>Free-spirited and wise. You have a strong passionate spirit that touches and changes all who know you. The wisdom and common sense that you have is really what guides you through life. Even so, you also have a very playful side that loves adventure and excitement.</b></center><br><b><a href="http://www.greatestjournal.com/quiz.bml?Q=16354">Which Disney Princess Are You?</a></b><br /><br />They accused me of having common sense. I doubt the accuracy of this quiz.<br /><br />I have thoughts for another post which I hope to have up some time in the next 36 hours so check back.The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232406376556938837.post-81330121134490256042008-05-10T00:10:00.000-07:002008-05-10T00:11:54.457-07:00Home Againfor two whole days. <br /><br />It's wonderful.<br /><br />I think that about covers it.The Random Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06967336748677115767noreply@blogger.com3