Life, death, renewal. There are so many analogies to the cycle that I don't know where to begin. It's everywhere. It's why my religion makes sense to me.

The calendar of ancient Egypt was composed of twelve months with thirty days each. The five "additional" days were known as the "days upon the year", and it was on these days that the births of five important forms of Netjer were celebrated:

On July 31st, we'll celebrate the birthday of Wesir, known as Osiris by the Greeks. Wesir is the first born, the elder Who endures death so that we would have Him in the afterlife with us. So that the dark place we go to when we die would not be dark at all.

On August 1st is the birthday of Heru-wer, Horus the Elder. He is the ruler, the golden hawk who watches out for us all. He is the preserver, the hero. We owe justice to Him.

On August 2nd is the birthday of Set, the Red One. He is a king in His own right, the middle child who is able to roll up His sleeves and take on jobs that others would cringe over. If you understand that pain is part of the function that allows for self-preservation, then you understand Set.

On August 3rd is the birthday of Aset, called Isis by the Greeks. She is the throne, the wife of Wesir and mother of Heru-sa-Aset (Horus, son of Aset; Horus the Younger). She is the support that allows us to sit straight. She is cleverness, guile, and change. She sets and breaks limits. When She applies Her careful pressure to us, we are sure we will break. Her measuring ensures we do not.

On August 4th, the day the year is on its last dredges, death Herself is born. Nebet-het, called Nephthys by the Greeks, the Lady of the House and the first wife of Set. She is the silence, the dark purple of night. She welcomes us at the end of our years without words, only Her patience and Her care.

It is perhaps intentional that Wesir, the form of Netjer Who knows death, is the eldest of the five born, and Nebet-het, the guide of the dead, is the youngest. It is perhaps not fair to call Nebet-het death Herself; we equate Her with that because She is Who comes for us, but I am sometimes unsure that She Herself causes death. She is perhaps permeated with it by the act of being the caretaker who carries us away from here to Wesir's lands. But I do not think She swings the scythe; She is there to catch us, though, when we fall from it.

In the days upon the year, it is not unusual for unusual things to happen. Like frogs hopping out of my sink. Yes, you heard me -- this morning, a frog hopped out of my sink. It's just one of many things that I look forward to at the end of the year.

I'm packed, I'm ready to go. I'll be back August 7th, and don't expect an update until then. I love you all, and I'll see you when I see you.   >> 4:01:06 PM 
 
 

7.26.2001

Blog quote of the...well, the month since I don't do this that often. ;)

"Well, that's it, I'm getting nakkkkkked and rubbing butter all over myself, sit outside and proceed to cook a lamb loin or something like that on myself." (from Biayt's blog)

Every year I draw images of the Five (Wesir, Heru-wer, Set, Aset, Nebt-het) for New Year, and every year I tell myself to do them earlier, and every year I never do. ;) I think last year I even told myself I was going to do a contest instead of doing it all myself. Then I forgot that I told myself that.

On the bright side, this set looks a lot better than the ones I've done in the past years (which bear the flaws of me learning to use a scanner, me learning to use colors, me learning to use Photoshop or Paintshop), but I still don't think that Wacom tablet drawings are as good as ones done on paper with pencils. The detail work is just not there. There are tricks I can do with pencils that the fat tip of my electronic pen can't manage. But I can achieve better stroke and color effects with the pen. Ultimately, the merging of the two ways is probably what I need to be doing.

I walked into my bedroom last night and realized what I was going to give Ini for New Year, which I had also forgotten about. Drat. It's too big to take on the plane, and it still needs work anyway, so it'll have to wait for another time. I bought her something anyway. The only two gifts I'm still mulling over are Nakht's and Antybast's.

The peppermint-tea tree soap looked worrisome, but it lathers great and smells spiffy. Now I don't want to part with it! That makes the gift all the better. :)

It's hard to push out work a day before departure, but I'm trying...I'm trying....   >> 5:28:32 PM 
 
 

7.25.2001

In the Kemetic calendar, today is the day the statues of Netjer in An (Heliopolis) would have been packed up and put on a boat to go upriver to Uaset (Thebes) where the New Year festivities would take place.

Today is the day I begin the final preparations before I myself head "upriver" (or, I should say, upstate) to Chicago where the New Year festivities take place. And yes, I will be packing up the statue of Bast that is in my shrine -- the one that is "open", which I guess translates to "consecrated" or "holy" -- and taking Her with me.

The parallels between the calendar and my real life are way cool in my religion. :)

I made killer corn chowder this evening. Bacon, celery, onion, potatoes, corn, chicken broth, evaporated milk, margarine, flour, salt, pepper, bay leaf. It was great, and the guys really liked it, too.   >> 10:42:32 PM 
 
 
From my grandmother, some minor facts about the restaurant she and my grandfather owned, "Mr. Wheelers":

It originated in 1935 as the Hi Ho restaurant in Warren, Ohio (12 miles from Youngstown).

It moved to Youngstown in 1936 and to the south side in 1937, which is when Papo went to work there.

We bought the one which was in uptown in 1949 or 1950, and the second one in 1958 or 1959. We sold them in 1979 when we moved to Palm Desert.

The person that bought them from us only kept them in business a couple of years. They went out of business by the mid-80s.

And we still have family who are carrying on the tradition.   >> 3:23:43 PM 
 
 
And now, happy birthday to Melissa, our very own Sushi Girl!

We had lunch with Peryt and Melissa got to order sushi, and I got to have an aloha roll. Mmmmm. I love Tachibana's. :)

And I got a cat!! Well, it's a little cat figurine, but they're all cats to me. Thank you, Peryt!! I'll set her up to watch my kitchen or something. :)

We played Jeff's campaign last night. I'm very proud of my Aasimar wizardette. She managed to negotiate safe passage (and a potion of alter self) from a kobold king and convince the party that squeezing information from the troglodyte was better than just killing it. We persuaded Mike N. to turn his male teefling into a drow chick with a change self scroll. It was quite amusing.   >> 3:07:06 PM 
 
 

7.24.2001

Man, I woke up with the worst fricking leg cramp...I swear I've been eating my nanners, but that right calf locked up on me like she was trying to run Dreamweaver on a 32-meg P-100. I walked it out, but the dull ache remains.

I am warily hoping to avoid the New Years Curse, by the way. Every year -- every year -- I wind up with blisters on my feet during retreat. All attempts to defeat the curse have been in vain. I am hoping my Easy Spirits will save me from that, but I'm bringing the Clarks along just in case.   >> 6:08:42 PM 
 
 
Webbies are passed. None of the people I'd have voted for won. And I know nothing I ever do will ever be nominated, but it's okay. My sites may not be masterworks, but they get the job done, bay-bee.   >> 6:03:04 PM 
 
 

7.23.2001

Happy birthday, Sioux. :)

I'm in "I hate Netscape" mode this evening. I also think that I'm starting to loathe Macs, too (no offense to Woz).

Tracy does some really incredible art. I can't wait for people to get a load of the Sorceror artwork she did for GS3. Wow.

I don't know if I've said it before, but I remain quite in admiration of her abilities. I'd say that I'm jealous, but I'm not, really. As much as I'd like to draw as well as her, I probably never will, and I'm comfortable with that.

I have natural talent in quite a few areas of the arts. I can draw, I can sing, I can write music, I can write, I can play guitar, I can cook, I have an eye for design...when I was younger, I was torn between these disciplines, and I still am today. The writing won out because I think it's my strongest point, but chances are if I'd gone to art school and gotten training, I could have been a professional illustrator...and the same can be said for all those other things: could have been a chef, could have been a singer, could have been a graphic designer....

Melissa says that she envies me for this stuff, but I have a slightly different perspective on it. I wish there were more hours in the day so that I could develop all that I've been given. I sometimes get frustrated because I know I could be a better whatever, but I'm not because I'm to busy trying to be a better something else.

If anyone ever wonders in the far future why it is I never chose to have kids, that's why. I have kids. They're my talents. They all want attention and affection, and they all want to be the favored child. They're a bunch of spoiled brats, I tell ya.   >> 10:06:33 PM 
 
 
In my email, from He Who Drives the Hovercraft in the Family:

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
So work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching

Location: Mooville, near the Bob Evans and two lights away from the I-70 onramp. In front of Edith, the Incredible A/C-less Saturn, is a huuuuuuge eight-wheel truck with Iowa plates that read BENSRIG

There are too many Shemsu! And no, I'm not bitching! ;) However, I was confusing Duat with Niti in IMs this evening. My poor brain....   >> 1:44:14 AM 
 
 

7.22.2001

I'm taking a day. Cleaning the house. Got a car full of boxes out of the basement and into the dumpster. Wiped off the kitchen counters. Tackling my room next.

Will also vacuum and probably make some lip balms. Still haven't come up with gift ideas for several people, but hopefully they'll come to me.

My inner Donna Reed wants out, I guess. Heh.

We spent the morning watching some clipped scenes from Dogma. There was a speech Jason Lee (as the demon/fallen muse Azrael) delivered that I really wish they hadn't chopped out; it was quite excellent. And a scene explaining how Linda Fiorentino's character wound up working at a Planned Parenthood clinic, that also, IMO, should not have been cut out.

And, of course, the now-famous (in terms of Internet Fame) Fat Albert scene. Heh.   >> 6:13:27 PM 
 
 

7.21.2001

Johnny, I'd say that only you could find humor in possible side-effects from medication, but someone already said that. ;)

Heh. One can't help but feel better after reading that. Thanks. :)   >> 9:35:28 PM 
 
 
Some days, it all gets to me.

I am human, after all.

I had intended to languish in bed and take a long shower, then go into work, but instead (because I'm on call) I had to rush in at 2 pm and kick the old webserver until it came back. This took -- uh -- two hours. And all the while, I'm working on it and knowing that in all likelihood we wouldn't be having these problems if we were on the new website. We'd be having different problems, but not this one.

I have two friends who I am annoyed at right now, because they're doing stupid things and I can't do anything to stop that. I even dreamt about them, which tells you how much of my mental CPU resource they're eating up.

I turned over the accounting stone on our website, and found the pale, wriggling bodies of a bunch of pages that I hadn't realized we'd need. And that annoys me, too.

It might be all the work, the lack of breaks, and it probably is. Things just seem a little less tidy, that's all.

Maybe meditation would help.   >> 9:25:03 PM 
 
 

7.20.2001

DevGuru is my friend today.

(mumble mumble arrays mumble mumble session variables)   >> 7:00:31 PM 
 
 
Back on Flonase. As I've mentioned before, I don't like the nosebleeds, but I also don't like not being able to breathe through my nose. So. Back on Flonase, and if it works I won't have to take the Claritin anymore.   >> 4:33:34 PM 
 
 
Experimental Limeade Mixture

Sugar Syrup Mixture:
1 part sugar
2 parts water
Squeeze of honey

Combine, and simmer over medium heat until you get some ugly stuff floating on the surface. Skim it off. When the syrup boils clear -- it'll still be runny -- take it off the stove. You should have reduced it by about a quarter of an inch or so.

Cut three limes (one less if you don't like your limeade to pucker, one more if you want to curl your toes) in half, and squeeze into a huge container (40 oz or more). Throw in two of the lime halves in the process. When you have all the juice and halves in the container, pour the sugar-syrup over it and mix it up a little.

Top with a tray of ice (about ten pieces) and stir up to cool the syrup and mix everything up. Add water to the top. Stir some more. Alternately, you can top with sparkling water instead of flat water, but make sure the syrup mixture has cooled before doing so.

Gloat to your roomates about your l33t cooking skillz, and enjoy.

But Seriously...

My Papo must have been with me. This is just the sort of concoction he'd make at midnight on a Thursday. This is just the sort of thing he'd bring to me and tell me to take a taste of, and then explain to me exactly what he did to get that taste.

God I miss him.   >> 2:39:02 AM 
 
 

7.19.2001

My new thing lately is to avoid meat at most of my meals. Not that I'm turning into a vegetarian, mind you. I just made the decision to have one meat dish a day. Makes it a bit of a challenge...and I love challenges.

We'll see how long I can keep it up.   >> 2:31:23 PM 
 
 
Lovely Margaret -- and her charming husband Kristof -- would have actually been the perfect artists for a Mists soundtrack. Ah well.   >> 1:31:06 AM 
 
 
Well. Watched Mists of Avalon. It was...it was...hm. How do I put this?

I could say that Marion probably would not have liked it, but since Marion generally didn't like TV or movies to begin with, that goes without saying.

There were nips and tucks to the story, and some dramatic changes to the fates of some of the characters. I was honestly surprised at some of the things they kept in, and I was also surprised at some of the things they cut out. And it dodged the fluffy bullet in many situations, but not completely.

Overall, I guess it was close to the feel of the book, but it should have been longer if they wished to capture the totality of the story; which they apparently couldn't do, because they kept things fairly tightly focused on the main storylines.

There were also some elements of cheese in it that probably steered it too far from the book, which is decidedly non-cheesy. Unfortunately, I don't think Xena-esque special effects really fit into a story of these proportions, and at times the music seemed out of sync with the events going on. Marion would have probably wanted operatic music -- not Loreena McKennitt -- for one of her books.

I'm starting to think I'm really the wrong person to criticize this film. The costuming was far from period, but it looked good. The sets were nice and dingy (a plus, actually). The actors seemed decent, and at least looked their parts. Ygraine took on new dimensions for me, as did Uther and Viviane.

But I don't think I'd cherish it or watch it again. The book, as they say, is better.

Six Flags...we got rained on. I really wanted to go floaty-floaty for quite a deal longer than an hour and a half, but the skies had other plans in mind. On one hand, I feel a little "cheated" at the loss of potential visceral fun and release, on the other -- the little annoyed inner Steph says I am entitled to nothing but what I make out of life. Feh. She's no fun. ;)

But what I did get out of it was an afternoon with Beth and Chris and Melissa, along with Jeff aka Silent Bob. It was really nice to talk to all of them and commiserate about the weather.

Now if only my feet would stop hurting....   >> 1:28:44 AM 
 
 

7.18.2001

Six Feet Under is surprisingly good, though I'd venture to guess that the shock value of death and the dead goes down when one is Kemetic. After all, my religion sort of started that whole tombstone thing.

(No really, it's true. Look at the shape of a funerary stelae from antiquity and compare it to the shape of modern gravestones. Where do you think it came from?)

Anyway, best reason to watch Six Feet Under? Peter Krause. Awww yeah. Weep not, women who watched him on Sports Night and feared losing him forever. He not only is one of the lead characters in this show, he also shows up mostly nekkid in many, many scenes.

Mwahahaahahahaahahahah.

Um, so, anyway -- I get to play tomorrow. I bought prezzies (wheee!) and chocolates and other sweets tonight for retreat-goers. Seems the gummint wants to give me $300 back, and though I'm leery -- just where is this money coming from? -- far be it from me to not turn around and give it back to my community and myself.

For now, though, I gotta sleep.   >> 1:14:56 AM 
 
 

7.17.2001

The iVillage Greek Goddess test seems to think I'm Persephone. I think it probably depends on what mood I was in when I took the test. I recall that the last time I took it, I turned up Hera or Hestea or something. Today I'm in a somewhat indifferent mood toward everything, which I guess is very Persephone-esque.

Not long till retreat. Whoo!   >> 1:20:19 PM 
 
 

7.16.2001

The Keenspace account still ain't working. I've written them three times and posted a note on the site to the effect of if it ain't working by mid-August, I'll just write the silly cron jobs and CGI needed myself. I could use the exercise. I just don't have the time for it. :P

Sometimes it sucks to have empathy. I'm not mad at them for my account being screwed up, because I understand. I'm annoyed at the error, not the staff, because it puts a crimp in me doing something creative. I suspect they share my annoyance.

It's nice and quiet here at work, and I'm going to complete a few things before I head home. I took a two hour nap today because I only got about 5 hours of sleep last night, and I obviously needed the rest. Weds. most of the company is going to Six Flags/Hurricane Harbor and Melissa, Jeff, and I have already declared our intent to sit in inner-tubes and drift on the snakey creek thing for a few hours. Ahhhhh. It'll be so, so nice.

No one worry about me being over-worked, please. I'm very solid. I spent time in shrine today shouting songs at my Mother, which was very therapeutic. I think we liked it.   >> 10:08:30 PM 
 
 
But Moooom, I Wanna Stay Longer!
Ah, rolls. When I get on them...watch out.

It's two thirty am. I'm supposed to be in at work at 11 am. My cat is scraping up change from under the couch to buy a spot on the back of a milk carton for my face, and my bedroom is a woeful disaster area. But I have this to-do list in front of me, and I know I could tackle two more things on it and get them done....

But it's two-thirty-a-em, and I'm supposed to go home and sleep.

Why do I always get on a roll when I'm supposed to be going to bed? :P

Feh.   >> 2:25:16 AM 
 
 
I will never quite understand the Modus Operandi community's fascination for Schnucks, but I can respect it.   >> 1:44:25 AM 
 
 

7.15.2001

One of my favorite romantic films is one that I never thought I'd like until I watched it.

So I Married an Axe Murderer.

Ya'all can love Mike Myers for Wayne or Austin, but I love him for playing the role of beat poet Charlie. I wish he'd do more roles like this, to be honest. I like quirky Mike better than over-the-top zany Mike.

Anyway. I'd mention what happened this weekend, but I'm waiting for the person who did the happening to post it in his webjournal so I don't steal his thunder. It's a good thing, and I'll leave it at that. :)

Back to work I go....   >> 4:57:49 PM 
 
 

7.14.2001

I want...a cigar.

It must be all the work I've been doing lately. My inner biq is peaking out.

The game...uh, well, I'm super critical of everything I do, and there were a few things I didn't like that I did. But I know from experience that the stuff that I notice and nitpick at are not always the things others notice; you pick this up quickly if you spend time in any entertainment field. Other professional or would-be entertainers may go out of their way to look for the threads of inconsistency. But most of the time, people are just happy to be entertained, and much more forgiving than I think we give them credit.

Overhead on the TV this evening:

"I can't believe you let yourself be offended by an idiot."

Except they're the ones I'm running!

(flail)

Oh well ;) I'll get to write about it after this evening. It'll be fun!   >> 5:46:04 PM 
 
 
The chasm is as wide as you fear it to be.   >> 12:21:44 AM 
 
 

7.12.2001

My company got me a bookshelf today.

I love my bookshelf.

Come to think of it, I love my company, too.   >> 11:28:17 PM 
 
 
Some of my best friends are weeds.

This is the part where I try to describe to you the beautiful flowers that line the median of my drive into work. Splashes of purple, tall stalks with yellow throats, light blue-lavender buds. White lace and green, green grass.

On one hand, I implied yesterday that weeds should be kept in check. On the other -- I'm a sucker for a proliferation of ornamental flowers, even if they come from a plant that the local gardners probably hate.

Plants like mint and strawberry grow like weeds and need my attention to keep them from taking over, but I love them anyway. Plants like lavender and my struggling oregano need to be babied, and I love them too. The old rose bush flies out in all directions, begging for me to prune her, and I do. There's my jasmine and my wizards -- growing with only minimal needs -- and the wildflowers on the side of the freeway, growing whether I notice them or not. I love them as well.

Sitting in from of me here at work is a chocolate-mint scented geranium. I haven't had to lift a finger to keep him alive. I love the life he gives my otherwise plastic, plush, and wood workspace.

I'm not going anywhere with this. I just saw the flowers on my way to work today, and thought I ought to mention them, because I love them nearly as much as I love the ones I've planted with my own hands.   >> 11:52:23 AM 
 
 

7.11.2001

I sometimes liken my life to the mildew that grows under the rim of my toilet.

Stay with me, here.

You see, where I currently live is semi-rural. Our water is hard, our vegetation is phat, and our critters are many. It's a feast for all kinds of lifeforms, be they animal, vegetable, or mineral. The mildew in my toilet grows astoundingly fast, and with astonishing belligerence. Were it not for my efforts, it would probably overtake the entire house within the matter of a week.

So I scrub it with a vengeance when I do get time to take the hand of my inner Donna Reed. It's usually a thirty minute job, because it's the most stubborn stuff you ever did see. But once it's gone, it's gone for a while.

Recently, it occured to me that I could probably make it go away for even longer if I got one of those blue tablet thingies that washes the toilet every time you flush. This, I think, was a Good Idea.

So how does this apply to my life?

Well, see, I was asking myself and my God last night what the point was. I can go out and fix stuff, but there's always more stuff to be fixing. And the response I got back -- from my wiser self, or from my God, or from both; take your pick -- was that my life was like the mildew on my toilet. The mildew will always be there. I can't stop it. If I scrub it, it may be assured to always come back, but it comes back weaker. But without my efforts, it will not only come back, it'll get stronger.

In essence, though I struggle against things that seem without end, though you may ask "What's the point if they keep coming back?", there are good results from your actions. They do have effect. You may not be able to completely pull the weed, but you can keep it in check.

And really, the mildew does have a place in my life. As nasty and ugly as it is, it serves to get me the hell off my computer once in a while.

On another note, the gifts just keep on comin'. Annie did a really cool thing and got me a "mini tea garden", and my father got me some really awesome books (one of which is the Simple Art of Japanese Cooking...ooooh, konnyaku stew). The herb book, though a little on the fluffy side, is also fascinating. And today my William backpack showed up, a gift from my two beloved roomies. It's a little small, but it'll be perfect for retreat when I need something to put my wallet and phone in.

I wish I could find words to thank people for gifts. My simple thank yous never seem like enough.

Oh, and my finances are back in order. Much relief at that. My plants are wilting in this too-hot weather, and my dreams continue to heat up as New Year comes upon us. Much to do! At least the soap is done (and the buttermilk lavender looks heavenly).   >> 4:14:45 PM 
 
 

7.10.2001

Tee hee!   >> 4:29:26 PM 
 
 
Well, I've finally gone and done it.

After four years of struggling to avoid it, I've...started using Outlook Express at home.

I know, I know. I've valiantly tried to just use Eudora, but -- but -- but -- it's just not working anymore.

And since we're switching servers with Kemet.org, it seemed like a good time to do it, so....

Yeah.

The Evil Empire just 0wn3d me.   >> 3:01:07 AM 
 
 

7.9.2001

Someday, I'm sure all this will come back to haunt me.

You're freaking surrounded by stuffed and molded dolls.

Let's take inventory, shall we? I have the Kiwi Bird of Doom, Magenta, a magnetic Blue, Death, a raggedy mouse, Mr. Cluckers, a teenie beanie man-eating calico, Usagi-chan, the discombobulated Tick head, Vash, Obi-Wan, Tutancowman, angel-bear, Link (from Zelda), Neko-sama (from Vash), my inflatable Scream guy, fairy-Steph, and the now-infamous Marmelade Sneakypuss.

At least I can take some comfort in that none of them are typical. Or, at least, I don't name them in any typical fashion.   >> 2:18:04 AM 
 
 
When you're trying to devise user-friendly interfaces, having access to a Graphical User Interface Gallery is surprisingly useful.

I spoke to my aunt Sarah for the first time in several months, and it was great to hear from her. We've both acknowledged that I'm just too damn busy to keep working on her website, but I agreed to give her advice any time she needs it. I feel a little bad that I never finished the last two pages I promised her, but on the other hand -- I'm not doing anyone any good by pretending I will someday get around to it. "Someday" at this point is shaping up to "middle of September". And no, I'm not kidding.   >> 12:20:30 AM 
 
 

7.8.2001

Er, let me revise that: Apparently, attempting to upload that many files convinces the system that I'm performing a denial of service attack and shuts out my IP address from accessing the server.

Eh heh heh heh...

But I could get to it from Dave's machine, so most of the Kemet.org transfer has now been accomplished. Just gotta tweak some stuff and make sure the mailing lists are working...then all systems are go.   >> 4:44:11 AM 
 
 
Heh.

Kemet.org has over a 1000 files on it.

Apparently, uploading that many files to a server tends to, ah, kill it.

Heh.   >> 1:15:36 AM 
 
 

7.7.2001

Back-in-the-day (shakes her cane), it was an accomplishment to find a Vern-bug. Vern was a scripting legend to me. He still fills mighty big boots in my head. His kids are lucky to have him for a dad....

But I digress!

This evening, I accomplished a first.

I FIXED AN ANDY BUG.

You can all widen your eyes and look impressed, now. Yes. Like that.   >> 2:06:45 AM 
 
 

7.6.2001

I'm a little nervous. We're doing the first preview of the site to our staff...it's been months and months and months since we began work on Web 2.0, so there is a small amount of thrill to know that people are going through it as I type this. And a small amount of dread, as well, at the emails and work it will surely generate :)

Long weekend ahead of me. Lots to do. Andy is putting me to shame with all the work he's been doing. Me and my chocolate-mint geranium, though, we'll get tons accomplished. You just watch.   >> 7:30:15 PM 
 
 
Heh. The cubes around me and the office across from me are alive with chattering future players. I've offered to run a D&D game on alternating Fridays, and so now I have six excited coworkers talking about their characters, their stats, what's going to happen to them...blah blah blah.

It's very exciting. :)

Dave's done a write-up of Few over on his site. Yeah, a sand horse. I know. I'm odd.   >> 12:44:37 PM 
 
 

7.5.2001

And this truly is a sign that I'm engrossed in something.

It's 4 am, and I thought it was, uh, 2 am.

Feh :P   >> 4:01:41 AM 
 
 
Query?
I don't ease my way into things. I crash headlong into them.

PHP for example.

We've acquired a new server for Kemet.org. One of the things I promised, should we get the new server, is a better way of handling the private stuff. From my experience working at The Company and the able help of Andy-Andy, I have some idea of how to deal with this, but up until this evening, I never actually tried it.

I wish I could show you the stuff I've been working on -- I can't, but I wish I could. Some of you will, eventually, see it. The rest of you -- well, I suppose it's irony that right now my Web 2.0 assignment is writing the pages for the signup stuff, because that's what I'm building for Kemet.org right now. Signup stuff.

ATR coincidences indeed, Peryt.

If we're all lucky, I'll initiate having Kemet.org moved to its new digs this weekend. And then everyone can throw bricks at me when I announce they have to re-register themselves. :)

We've been watching a metric ton of Monty Python lately, btw. I'm in danger of excercising the use of the word "pooftah" any minute now.

And yeah, I know what it means.   >> 3:48:20 AM 
 
 

7.3.2001

Hot damn! Gas is back to $1.16/gallon here. I am once again feeding Edith for less than $10. What happen?

I was in such a work groove last night that I came in early today to finish stuff up before the weekly webmeeting. I am a busy little drone, oh yes I am.   >> 10:33:16 AM 
 
 

7.2.2001

RETREAT IS COMING! RETREAT IS COMING! RETREAT IS COMING!

Sorry, had to get that out of my system. ^_^

(Retreat is coming!)

Hee hee.   >> 8:08:53 PM 
 
 
Keenspace still doesn't think I exist. This is quite annoying, but that's what you get with free service. (shrug)

We've initiated the Kemet.org transfer, which is going to take up most of my evenings for the next week, inbetween soaping and overtime. The soap I made over the weekend was Silver Three Flowers: magnolia, jasmine, and rose fragrance oils with silver mica and red oxide coloring. I'm going to make a plain lavender bar and a lapis-themed bar...I haven't decided on scent yet. I want to do a fragrance that won't turn off the guys, so maybe a citrus (ugh, hard to make those last) or vanilla and oakmoss (I don't even know if those two would go together)?

Today is Aset Luminous. Another one of my favorite festivals of Shomu. I'll be at work late tonight, but I usually am during Aset Luminous. I'll find a way to honor Her anyway. :)

The eerie thing about my hibiscus obsession...I found out we have another one in our yard. Before you think me daft, remember that we moved into Blue-on-Green back in September, when the blooms had all but died. I am taking this all as a sign that either the hibiscus bush is a really good idea, or my subconscious is working overtime.

And I got the mint, oregano, and lavender planted this weekend. Scrubbed the bathroom. Cleaned up the living room a little. Then I decreed the coming up weekend as Cleaning Up Weekend. The Brain Hath Spoken.   >> 1:01:03 PM 
 
 

7.1.2001

Continuing the "today's amusing image" thread....

It's one a.m. I've finally gotten done with the other stuff, and I'm ready to make the soap. I decide to do a full batch to save time, pull on my caustic materials gear, put my hair in a ponytail, and start to measure out the lye when --

Rats. I only have about half of what I need. But hey! The guys might be coming home soon from the D&D game Mike's running at work. I can't call into the conference room, but I know that Russ is there and has a cell phone. I set aside the bottle of lye, grab the portable, and slowly dial with my latex-clad fingertips.

"Hello?" I hear Russ say.

"It's Steph," I say. "You guys almost done?"

"Almost," he says. "Why?"

"I need a bottle of Red Devil Lye," I say.

A long pause.

"You what?"

This is me, standing in the middle of my upstairs hallway, portable held to my ear with hands that are bright yellow and blue from the elbow-length latex gloves, goggles on top of my head, hair sticking up all over the place, asking my friend to ask my roommates to buy me a bottle of lye on their way home from the store.

And I think: If only mom could see me now....   >> 7:27:28 PM