the oracle

the first year

December 2, 2004

Ctrl+S

Ha! I've got a solid 413 words, so I'm going to call it a day and hit save. I hate writing papers, hence the last-minute procrastination, although you would think that after being a student for a large portion of my life, I would have realized that it's better to just go ahead and get them the hell over with. Ah well. Maybe next semester. For now, I'm just happy that I have all my major assignments for the week done.

Posted by oracle at 12:45 PM | Comments (0)

getting there

139 words down, 161/361 to go.

Posted by oracle at 12:19 PM | Comments (0)

today is much better

Last night I didn't get any more sleep than I did the night before (partly because I stayed up late reading and partly because of some late-night lovin'), but for some reason I don't feel as exhausted. Maybe it was the sex or maybe I'm finally getting rid of this god-awful cold. Either way, I'm just glad to be back in the land of the living. Now if only I could stop procrastinating long enough to put together 300/500 words for my health class tonight...

Posted by oracle at 11:47 AM | Comments (0)

December 1, 2004

energy update

My sinus woes have been joined by stomach issues. I thought pudding would be a safe choice for breakfast this morning, but quickly discovered that I was wrong. Post-pudding-hurl, my stomach is empty but still not happy with me, my throat is burning, and I would give a lot of money to be able to go home and curl up in bed. And no, I still don't have any fucking energy.

Posted by oracle at 8:46 AM | Comments (0)

hibernation

As the lack of recent entries may give away, I haven't felt like writing much lately. I'll think of things I want to write about, but I just don't have the energy to log in and write them out. I've been hosting a sinus infection since Thursday, but usually lots of sleep helps get rid of that, and since I've done a lot of sleeping over the past couple of days, I don't understand where the energy drain is coming from. Maybe if I hibernate for a week or two that'll change and there will be daily entries again.

Posted by oracle at 6:20 AM | Comments (0)

November 28, 2004

trial by fire

Unable to withstand any more pressure, temper flares sharp, singeing the rope, severing the fragile strands that had so tentatively held us together.

Once lit, the fire can't be put out, and pride pours fuel on the blaze, making the chasm bigger as two hearts are forced apart.

The day, already so bad, sinks even lower as hearts grow heavy with the sad acknowledgement of what must be done.

Reluctant to speak the words that will end what both have held so dear, unwilling to give voice to the death of all we've fought so hard for, but eventually someone must break the silence.

Posted by oracle at 10:45 PM | Comments (0)

November 24, 2004

mirror, mirror

Ever had a wake-up call that wasn't particularly pleasant? One that showed you something about yourself that you were embarrassed to acknowledge? That was me this morning. Mike pointed out some things that I hadn't been aware of, and while I'm not very proud of them, he's right. I'd love to pretend that he's wrong and that I have nothing that I need to change because I'm perfect, but the fact of the matter is, I'm not. And just because I haven't realized or acknowledged something doesn't change the fact that it exists. It's a good thing it's going to be a quiet day at work because I've got a lot of things to think about today - my intentions, my actions, and the way I'm going to deal with things from now on.

Posted by oracle at 6:50 AM | Comments (0)

November 23, 2004

breathe

I lie cradled in your arms, my head on your shoulder, and breathe in your familiar scent.
The surge of memories it evokes make me smile.
A warm feeling floods my chest, filling my heart and overflowing into my throat, making it hard to breathe.
I snuggle closer as you continue to sleep, and savor this quiet moment with you.

Posted by oracle at 6:36 AM | Comments (0)

November 22, 2004

happy day!

My guilty tv pleasure this year is One Tree Hill. Sadly, I missed all of the first season, so I didn't understand a lot of the interactions and history with the characters. Today that changed. I discovered that TWOP isn't currently recapping it, but they used to, which means that all of season one is there for me to read about. When I first started watching the show I checked TWOP to see if it was recapped, but I made the mistake of checking only the current shows, not the ones on "permanent hiatus." Let this be a lesson to you.

Posted by oracle at 2:31 PM | Comments (0)

bad soup

Today I stumbled across the answer to a question I've been pondering off and on for the past couple of months - does canned soup go bad? If you too have thought about this question, then wonder no more because, yes, it does go bad. I've had a couple of cans of soup at work for a while, and decided that today would be a good day to make some. After mixing and heating it up, I took a sip and had to throw it away. It wasn't unbearably nasty, just extremely bland. Turns out that particular can expired in July of 2003, as did 2 of the other 3 cans in my little stash. Sadly, I hadn't even realized I'd had the cans here that long. What a disappointment.

Posted by oracle at 12:11 PM | Comments (0)

sports commentary

MVV just said that he can't wait for the football season to be over, and I have to agree with that since I've been saying that every Monday and Tuesday since the beginning of the season. I know that Snake's stupid comments won't stop - he'll just move on to the next sport on the lineup - but at least I won't have to listen to anything else about the fucking Steelers for another year.

Posted by oracle at 8:29 AM | Comments (0)

record time

I'm amazed. I called my doctor's office, spent all of 3 minutes on hold, and got an appointment for tomorrow. The appointment isn't with my regular doctor, but I'm okay with that because I've seen the other doctor a couple of times before. The best part is that it's in the evening so it won't interfere with our time with the kids or the errands we need to get done before Wednesday.

Posted by oracle at 8:26 AM | Comments (0)

November 21, 2004

belated spring cleaning

Since was moving into my house this past spring, we were too busy with that to do much spring cleaning. The resulting clutter accumulation was getting seriously overwhelming, so most of yesterday was spent overhauling the house. Mike rearranged the front room and part of our bedroom while I tackled the kitchen and dining room. Our house looks damn good. Yeah, I'm biased, but...it does. You can see the floor, the furniture is visible (even the dining room table, which hasn't been seen since we moved it in), and the trash can is overflowing.

Posted by oracle at 12:35 PM | Comments (0)

November 19, 2004

witches' tits

I don't know why they're supposed to be cold, but I guess that's just another one of those things that doesn't make sense. At any rate, right now this office is colder than any witch's tit could ever be. BofC is out today so I haven't been able to go outside, but I'm really hoping that it's 80+ degrees out there because that's the only way I can imagine the a/c being on. Either that or whoever's in charge of the thermostat is menopausal and in the middle of a hot flash. Whatever the reason, I'm wrapped up in my coat, huddling over my little heater, and it's still freezing in here. *shiver* If I start seeing penguins frolicking, I'm going home.

Posted by oracle at 2:43 PM | Comments (0)

meetings, classy lunches, and bridges

Yesterday was a pretty good day. I stayed home because I had a meeting with someone from the new job to go over some details of an application package I'd submitted. That was nice because I got to sleep in, but I missed riding in with Mike. Some mornings we talk, others I just curl up and sleep, but either way, it's nice to spend that time with him before our days begin. He called me before I left and it was really good to talk to him then, but it just wasn't the same.

I got to the new job office about 20 minutes early for my appointment, which only took 15 minutes or so; it was pretty painless all in all. I was on my way home by 10, and when I called to let Mike know, he suggested that I drive up and meet him for lunch. Surprisingly enough, I managed to get to his client's office with no problems. After a bit of confusion in the parking garage, I walked up and met him on his floor. One of his clients had recommended a place that had pretty good steaks, so we walked there for lunch. The food was excellent, although the atmosphere was a little too upscale for my preference. I like being able to feel comfortable in a restaurant no matter what I'm wearing, and this was definitely a place where jeans would've been out of place.

After a nice lunch and a brief stop at the Container Place (I am such a housewares junkie), we walked back to my car and Mike drew me a map to get me back to the highway. I followed the first few steps without difficulty, but then I mistook an exit for the "split in the road" he'd mentioned. This mistake ended up depositing me across a bridge and in the city my office is located in. Luckily, Mike called me while I was trying to figure out what I'd done wrong, and ended up directing me back to his office. Once I got there, he met me in the garage, and I followed him home. It's a good thing I did too, because I probably would've still made the same mistake and ended up back across that bridge. Sometimes I'm not so good with directions.

Posted by oracle at 7:26 AM | Comments (0)

gingerbread

I just found out that we're allowed to burn candles in the office, so I've got my new gingerbread candle on my desk right now. It smells good, but I'm not sure if it's good enough to buy more of. Recently I was introduced to a couple of new candle companies, so I've been trying to branch out and try some new scents. So far I haven't been really disappointed, but I have yet to find anything to replace my favorites. This weekend I'm going to give the pumpkin pie candle a try and see if that impresses me any more than the gingerbread. If not, I guess I'll just have to order some more and keep trying.

Posted by oracle at 7:06 AM | Comments (0)

November 18, 2004

packages

As I mentioned earlier, I love getting packages, and yesterday three of my online shipments arrived. One of them was my order from Corningware, one was the Christmas present N picked out for his mom, and the last was my first candle order from a new company I'm trying out. Opening boxes is so much fun. In fact, the styrofoam "peanuts" are the only thing I don't like about the whole process. The new Corningware bowls are in the dishwasher, the candles are strewn across the counter so I can decide which ones I want to keep and which will become Christmas presents, and N's present is safely hidden away until he can wrap it. If I didn't have class, this day would be perfect.

Posted by oracle at 6:14 PM | Comments (0)

November 17, 2004

more holiday fun

Exactly one month from today, our office will be having the Secret Santa gift exchange. This is second only to the branch-wide Holiday Party on the list of "office events I hate." It probably wouldn't be so bad if everyone stuck to the $20 max, but that hasn't happened since I've been here, and I don't anticipate that changing this year either. All I have to say is that if anyone here expects me to buy them an Xbox game or expensive perfume for this thing, they have another think coming. Pick something from the dollar store and then we'll talk.

Posted by oracle at 11:23 AM | Comments (0)

holiday shopping

The closer it gets to Christmas, the more I dislike interacting with the general public, so I'm doing as much of my Christmas shopping as possible on line this year. Sure, going to the store and buying whatever it is I'm ordering would save me $3-$8 on shipping costs, but I consider that money well spent if it saves me from having to stand in line with everyone else trying to get things crossed off their lists too. And by the time you factor in the extra gas that would be wasted sitting in traffic waiting to get in or out of parking lots, at traffic lights, etc., I'm still coming out ahead of the game. I love Amazon. Also? I love getting packages in the mail. Even if I don't get to keep them, it's still fun to open up the box and look at what's inside. The hard part is wrapping everything, but I'm determined to wrap all of my presents this year by myself. I'm pretty sure I'll end up caving and getting Mike to help me, but that's my goal.

Posted by oracle at 7:05 AM | Comments (0)

November 16, 2004

cranberry sauce update

Well, I did end up venturing into the hood, but it wasn't on foot as originally planned. Chicken Wing (another of the few nice COs I work with) needed to run out and get some stuff for the luncheon too, so she took me and MVV to the store with her. I found the cranberry sauce at the wholesale store we stopped at first, but they didn't have any pies, so we had to go to the store MVV and I were originally going to walk to. There was a brief moment of concern as we pulled into the parking lot because it looked like Chicken Wing's car was overheating. Closer inspection revealed that we weren't going to be stranded in the ghetto; her car wasn't actually overheating, it just appeared that way because some water was leaking from the radiator and getting onto the engine. After that dilemma was resolved, we went into the store only to discover that they didn't have any pies either. After some debate about whether or not to just go back to work, we ended up going to Giant since it was only a couple of blocks away. They did indeed have pies, but our saga wasn't over yet because we'd been sent specifically to find a pumpkin pie. The pumpkin pies all started at $6.99 and they'd only sent $5 along with us, which led to another debate about abandoning the pie search, but we decided to get an apple pie so the extra stops weren't a total waste. 45 minutes later, we got back to the office and were griped at about the lack of a pumpkin pie, as well as the amount of time we were gone. Apparently, we should've been able to track down supplies, cranberry sauce, and a pumpkin pie in 10 minutes. These people are just not sane, y'all.

Posted by oracle at 11:39 AM | Comments (0)

hiss

It saddens me to report that Snake has returned to the office after his two-week absence. I enjoyed each day I didn't have to listen to his ignorant rants during the first week, but was almost afraid that it was too good to be true - I half expected him to come back each day. By the second week, though, I was comfortably settled into my Snake-free existence. I stopped thinking "Damn, it's nice to have him gone," during quiet moments and actually forgot that he even existed. Unfortunately, it couldn't last. The blissful atmosphere caused by his absence was shattered yesterday when someone asked if he was going to be in this week, and sure enough, around 8:30 he came strolling in. It didn't take him any time to settle back into his ignorant, griping ways either. Five minutes after he sat down he was bitching about football again. As much as he gripes about this section, he has no plans to leave it, so I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that the job prospect hovering on the horizon pans out. It would be good for several reasons (location, salary, job opportunities, etc.) but never having to see Snake again would be a very nice plus.

Posted by oracle at 10:21 AM | Comments (0)

senile

My office is having our annual Thanksgiving luncheon today and I was signed up to bring cranberry sauce, which normally wouldn't have been a problem. However, since I'm in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's, the cranberry sauce isn't here at work with me where it should be. Nope, it's still sitting in our pantry. So instead of sitting at my desk playing on the internet all morning, I have to walk to a store a couple blocks away to pick up some more cranberry sauce. To top it all off, that's the only store within walking distance that carries it, and according to MVV (one of the few COs here that is actually nice) I'll "need someone to go with [me] cause it's in the hood." This is what I get for not setting it out last night. One of these days I'm going to learn that lesson.

Posted by oracle at 7:26 AM | Comments (0)

November 15, 2004

finally

After months of looking, I've finally found the perfect jeans. It's taken me so long because I expect certain things from a pair of jeans. Leg cut, color, pocket style...these are all negotiable, but there are two things I will not compromise on. The first is length, because jeans that are too long make me look like a smurf. I've been settling for jeans that are a bit too long for years, and I'm not doing it anymore. The second is the way they fit my waist. I absolutely despise jeans that gape in the back, so they have to fit me perfectly there or I won't buy them. These jeans meet both of those criteria, and as an added bonus, I like the color and cut too. Yesterday's shopping trip expanded my wardrobe quite a bit, but those jeans are my favorite purchase of the day. I love them.

Posted by oracle at 2:43 PM | Comments (0)

apparently, ASAP doesn't mean what I thought it did

I don't understand people who make a huge deal about wanting something, like yesterday, but then when you set things in motion to make that happen, they could not care less. "You want this contract ready to sign ASAP? Okay, no problem - here you go. All you have to do is read over it and, if it's okay with you, sign at the bottom. If it's not, make the necessary changes, and we'll go from there. What do you mean you'll look at it if you 'get around to it'? I thought you really, really wanted this done so you could close this project out and go on to the next contract. What gives?" Maybe it's just me, but if I claim to want/need something, but there's serious procrastination, it's because I'm not 100% sure that's what I want, so I drag my feet and hope that something happens to make my decision for me. Not so when I really, really want something. If that's the case then I'm relentless until I get what it is I'm set on. I understand that everyone is different; I just find it hard to believe that someone would make such a big deal over wanting something when they really don't. Craziness. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some work to do on a contract. ASAP.

Posted by oracle at 6:57 AM | Comments (0)

November 12, 2004

accomplishments

work stuff:
faxed archive forms for approval
updated status report
entered and distributed invoices

non-work related:
made vet appointment for the the puppykins
kept my temper (not just once, but twice!)
updated nutrition log
began working on trip entertainment for H
made a list of what I need to buy on Sunday
started a meal plan for next week
completed a voucher form for Mike from EB Games
worked on plans for my brother's birthday
called 2 classmates with an update on our group project
got dallas update
looked at recipe ideas for the dinner Mike requested this weekend
ordered my sister's Christmas present
picked out part of H's present
ordered one thing off my healthy list for work
ordered one thing off my "to buy for the kitchen" list

Posted by oracle at 12:36 PM | Comments (0)

Veteran's Day

As a government employee, I love each and every paid holiday. Some of them are undisputed holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the fourth of July; others, however, are a bit questionable. I just don't think we need a day off to celebrate Columbus or MLK, Jr.'s birthday. Veteran's Day is a different story, though - it's a "holiday" that actually means something. Since the beginning of American history, men and women have been putting their lives on the line to defend the freedom and rights that this country stands for, and they deserve far more than just one day to honor them, but if that's all the country can do, then so be it. I want to say "thank you" to all of the current and former members of the Armed Forces. Thank you for your sacrifices - losing time with your loved ones, risking your life, and, sadly, in some cases, even losing your life. Thank you for your dedication, and thank you for everything you do and have done to keep this country safe.

Posted by oracle at 7:32 AM | Comments (0)

November 11, 2004

it's been a good year

One year ago today you and I were sitting in Buffalo Wild Wings when I finally stopped trying to pretend that I wasn't falling for you. Before then we were friends, but since then we've become so much more. It's been a year of funny moments and great memories. There have been some not-so-great moments, but we've worked through them and as a result have built the foundation for a great relationship with the potential to become even more wonderful than either of us previously thought possible. I love you with all my heart and can't put into words how much you mean to me. I love going to sleep next to you each night, listening to you breathe while I'm drifting off, and I love waking up next to you every morning. I love your silly moods and your cranky moods. I love the way you bring me down when I'm about to explode. I love the way you care enough about me to help me become a better person. I love everything about you, both good and bad. I wouldn't trade one second of my time with you for anything, and I can't wait to experience the rest of life with you there to share it with me. What we have is special, and I love the fact that we both know this and treasure it. Happy anniversary, babe.

Posted by oracle at 1:03 PM | Comments (0)

November 10, 2004

sick sucks

It appears that I've caught whatever Mike's been suffering from since Monday and, while I'm not quite to the point where I'm wishing for death, I'm getting there. Yesterday wasn't too bad - I had a headache and a slightly upset stomach, among various other minor symptoms, but it was all pretty bearable. The nausea came back today though and brought its big brother along to make things even more interesting. Seriously, I'm at the point where just breathing is enough to leave me gritting my teeth, willing my stomach back down where it belongs because I hate throwing up at work. As for the headache, well, I tried very hard to appease it both yesterday and this morning, but my attempts seem to have failed, leaving me with the headache equivalent of Riverdance. Goody.

Posted by oracle at 8:41 AM | Comments (0)

November 8, 2004

aaaaand

They're all back now, but it's less than an hour till the next bit of quiet time.

Posted by oracle at 1:02 PM | Comments (0)

solitude

It's a very rare moment here - I'm all alone in the office enjoying the quiet that only happens when everyone is out. One of our contracting officers is leaving tomorrow for a new job, so everyone is at her luncheon. I happily volunteered to stay here because 1) I'm trying to eat healthier and going out to lunch would not do anything to help that and 2) I really like having the office all to myself. They've been gone for an hour and a half, and as far as I'm concerned, they can stay at lunch for as long as they like. The best part is that once they get back, there's a cake and punch celebration on another floor, so everybody will be going to that too which = even more quiet time for me. Yay!

Posted by oracle at 12:49 PM | Comments (0)

stupidity - part 2

Say you borrow someone's car for a day or two. If you notice that it's a bit low on gas, the nice thing to do would be to fill it up, right? Now, when you return the car, would you expect to get yelled at for going out of your way and paying money to do something nice that needed to be done? No? That's what I thought. Strangely enough though, some people do just that. "You filled up my gas tank? And washed the windows too? What the fuck were you thinking? I can't believe you didn't talk to me about it first." Sometimes the people here at work just flat out amaze me.

Posted by oracle at 11:20 AM | Comments (0)

stupidity - part 1

I've got the phones since BofC isn't coming in, and it seems like people are being exceptionally stupid today. At least half of the calls today have been being ridiculous at best. Take this one, for example:

Me: "Good morning, Section Name, this is Kate, may I help you?
Caller: "Yeah, is Snake in?"
Me: "Actually, he's out of the office this week. Would you like to leave him a voicemail or speak with the lady who's acting for him?"
Caller: "Oh, so he's not in today?"
Me: "No, sir, he's out of the office this week. Would you like to leave him a
voicemail or speak with the lady who's acting for him?"
Caller: "Did he get a new job?"
Me (gritting my teeth): "No. He did not get a new job. He's just out of the office for the week. Would you like to leave a voicemail for him, or speak with the lady who's acting for him?"
Caller: "Oh, he's got someone acting for him?"
Me: "Yes. Would you like to speak with her?"
Caller: "So what's Snake's job title now?"
Me: "He's a contract specialist."
Caller: "Hmm. Okay, is Sarge there?"
Me (with a mental sigh of relief): "Yes, please hold on while I transfer you."

Posted by oracle at 9:43 AM | Comments (0)

November 5, 2004

migraines...

...suck ass. Especially when you take something for them and it starts to work, giving you the hope that said migraine might actually go away, but then the pain relief plateaus and there you are, right back at square one, with a pillow over your eyes and ears so it'll hurt just a little bit less. Damn genetics.

Posted by oracle at 6:54 AM | Comments (0)

November 4, 2004

drowned rat

I sure picked a less-than ideal day to go out and get lunch. I don't mind walking a bit to get food, but it's not very pleasant when it's cold and rainy outside. Luckily I was wearing my new pumps, so I didn't have to deal with the always fun water-in-sandals sensation too. And I remembered to wear my jacket, so my shirt wasn't embarrassingly soaked either. My hair, however, is another story entirely. I have little droplets puddling on the floor thanks to Mother Nature and my complete lack of an umbrella. But I'm back at my desk with my heater on so it's all okay now.

Posted by oracle at 11:43 AM | Comments (0)

time flies

For some reason, I find it hard to believe that it's Thursday already. Not complaining, because I prefer it when the week goes by quickly, just surprised since I normally start counting down to Friday on Sunday evening.

Posted by oracle at 9:15 AM | Comments (0)

November 3, 2004

cut the line already

God, I'm tired of answering the phones today. Supervisor isn't in today, and BofC came in two hours late, so I had the phones non-stop from 6:30 to 11. Now BofC has decided that she needs to go to lunch, which means I get the phones again. Yay. 2.5 hours till I get to see Mike and go home.

Posted by oracle at 12:30 PM | Comments (0)

so much for the afterglow

And it looks like I will not get to find out if Kerry would've been a good leader because the majority of the nation disagreed with me. Time to start planning for 2008.

Posted by oracle at 11:40 AM | Comments (0)

lemony fresh

Mike took me and A to dinner at BW3 yesterday, and when we got home, my package from Lush was sitting on the doorstep. It got here just in time too since I ran out of bodywash yesterday morning. Back for Breakfast smells clean and citrusy and is just strong enough that I can smell it faintly throughout the day without being overwhelmed. Love it.

Posted by oracle at 7:32 AM | Comments (0)

aftermath

Mike hadn't changed his voter registration in time, so we had to go to two different polling places to vote yesterday, but that still didn't take as long as I thought it would. One of the volunteers at his polling place commented that Mike and I must not have been married long since we were still holding hands and then proceeded to tell us the joke that went along with that comment. It was corny, but fun at the same time; it's pretty cool that people see us together and assume we're married. Guess that says something for our relationship, huh?

In other news, I'm happy that we went and voted. I'm happy that I knew enough about the candidates to have a clear idea of who I wanted to vote for. I'm happy that I have a boyfriend that is interested in politics, and acts on that interest. I wouldn't have been aware about 3/4 of the issues if it hadn't been for him mentioning and discussing them with me. Because of him, I'm more interested in politics than I ever have been, and actually have a drive to do something about what I don't like. I'm not exactly sure how I'll go about trying to have an impact, but I do know what I would like to see changed, and that's more than I knew or cared about four years ago. I'm not a Democrat. I'm not a Republican. I don't have any party affiliations whatsoever, and I won't ever vote straight party. I plan to look at the candidates for each position and determine my opinion on them based on their platforms, voting history (if they have one), and other relevant information. What party supports which candidate will never, ever be a factor in my decision.

I'm conservative in some of my opinions but liberal in others, and I really hate it when people make a decision about my affiliation based on one or two issues. I don't have a problem with same-sex marriages/civil unions, and I don't think all abortions should be illegal, yet I don't support either late-term or partial-birth abortions. I think that the "No child left behind" bit was a good idea, but I think it could and should have been implemented more effectively. While I really don't like gun control laws, I understand the need for some regulations there. The bottom line to all of this is, I make up my own mind on issues instead of following whatever opinion "my party" supports, and I'm pretty proud of that.

Posted by oracle at 7:23 AM | Comments (0)

November 2, 2004

red, white, and blue

It's Election Day and I'm writing a political entry - something I didn't think I'd write on here. If you're tired of the election/campaign hoopla, consider yourself warned, and skip this one.

I voted in the 2000 presidential election, but I did so halfheartedly since I didn't care about voting or the outcome. In fact, the only reason I voted was because my mom talked me into it. This year, however, I'm anxious to vote, not because I'm convinced that my individual vote matters so much, but because I think Bush has used the office of the President for his own personal means, and I don't want any responsibility for keeping him in the White House. I don't like the direction he's taken the country, and I'm afraid that if he gets another 4 years, America will no longer be the strong nation she used to be. How can America continue to be the "land of the free" when she has a leader who is determined to abolish several of the freedoms that we as citizens have?

Bush has a history of making decisions based on his personal and religious agendas, without considering whether or not those decisions are the right ones for the entire country. One example of this is his plan to ban same-gender unions on a national level. Would that benefit America as a whole or is it a decision he's made based on his narrow-minded religious views? I don't believe that a legal union between two people (heterosexual OR homosexual) has the power to hurt or help the country as a whole, but I do believe that making same-sex unions illegal sets a dangerous precedent of restricting rights and privileges based on sexual preference, which, IMO, is discrimination and goes against what this country has historically stood for.

Some people base their rejection of same-sex marriages on a claim that allowing homosexual unions would have a detrimental effect on the nation. I don't really understand that, because, based on that logic, why should homosexual people be allowed to vote? I mean, if a legal union between two gay people would be bad, then wouldn't letting them help pick the leader of the country be even worse? Bush subscribes to similarly narrow-minded views without even bothering to acknowledge that there might be more than one solution to a problem, but Kerry at least seems willing to compromise. I'm voting this afternoon because I think that willingness to consider a compromise is a quality our nation needs in a leader, and I hope I get the chance to find out whether or not I'm right.

Posted by oracle at 12:00 PM | Comments (0)

November 1, 2004

clock-watching

only 49 more minutes and I can leave. Not that I'm counting or anything...

Posted by oracle at 2:11 PM | Comments (0)

good times

Another weekend is gone, and I don't know why two days at work seems to last forever, while two days at home goes by almost instantly. On to the recap: Friday we had the kids a bit later than normal, which was extra nice since we hadn't seen them on Thursday. H had a slight fever, which made dropping them off at home alone a bit worrisome, but everything turned out okay and Mike and I decided to change the way we handle things in future situations like that, so that's a plus.

Saturday I had to go run some errands, which included a trip to *shudder* Wal-Mart. It was remarkably painless, but that doesn't change the fact that I hate that store more than I hate any other store. After that there was time for playing with the puppykins and some quality time with Mike, then we had a Halloween party to go to. He has Muslim clothes from his time in the first Gulf War and was going as a terrorist, and I was going to be 1/3 of the Power Puff Girls (Gayle was Bubbles, Krystal was Buttercup, and I was Blossom). I was planning on just changing into my costume at Gayle and Wil's house, but since Mike had also picked up a burqa and the rest of an outfit (I'm woefully ignorant as to what the names for all the pieces are) for a woman, I went ahead and wore that to the party over my jeans. There are a couple of layers to the outfit, but the fabric's pretty light, so I figured it wouldn't be too hot. Boy was I wrong. I don't know how those women wear that all the time, because after the first 5 minutes, I was dying. But I digress. As usual, Mike looked awesome, even when everything but his eyes was covered, and the PPG costumes turned out great courtesy of Gayle and her skill with a sewing machine.

Sunday was a very lazy day. Neither of us even got dressed until we left to go to my parents' to drop off my mom's birthday present. After a brief visit with them, we went to paint the kids' faces at their mom's house before they went trick-or-treating since Z was going as death, and N was going as a skeleton. I painted most of Z's face while Mike painted N, then we switched so Mike could put the finishing touches on Z while I put glow-in-the-dark makeup on N. H looked too cute dressed up as a cheerleader and posed every time I took a picture, even if she wasn't actually in the picture. After we left there, we went home and chilled. I worked on my site a little bit, but was too tired to do much of anything, so the puppykins and I went upstairs to watch Mike game a bit before going to bed.

I got some stuff done, but not as much as I'd liked, which means this week won't be as relaxing as I'd hoped either. The highlight of the upcoming week - me vs. laundry, round 57.

Posted by oracle at 7:54 AM | Comments (0)

October 29, 2004

guilt-free

Caffeine free Coke and light popcorn - the perfect snack for a slow, dreary Friday.

Posted by oracle at 1:47 PM | Comments (0)

October 27, 2004

apathy

The past couple of days I've wanted to write something, but haven't had the motivation to sit down and do it. Sadly, this lack of motivation carried over to work too. Yesterday I had to keep getting up and walking around so I wouldn't fall asleep at my desk. Today seems to be much better though. I'm actively making plans to improve things here, which should make work better, and there are some opportunities coming up that might even make the job enjoyable, depending on how things work out. It would be nice to actually like my job for a change.

Posted by oracle at 10:24 AM | Comments (0)

October 22, 2004

copycat

Overheard outside my cube: "It's goddamn hot in here. These muthafuckas don't know how to keep things. One day it be freezing, next day it be hot. Tell Supervisor to call and tell 'em to turn that shit down." Followed by, "When they gonna turn down this goddamn sauna in here? BofC, call again, now!"

Not content with his own personal rantings, Snake has apparently decided he needs to steal mine too. This is not quite what I had in mind when I offered my advice from earlier.

Also, when did he break his fingers, rendering him unable to pick up the damn phone and call building maintenance himself? I must've missed the drawn-out bitchfest that elicited from him. Asking someone to call for him is one thing, but demanding that someone else ask another person to call? It's amazing how some people seem to think that certain things are beneath them, therefore others should handle that stuff for them. If you're hot to the point where you want to do something about it, don't tell other people to fix the problem for you; use your phone book and let the nice maintenance guys know you think it's too hot. Until then? Shut the fuck up.

Posted by oracle at 2:14 PM | Comments (0)

pot, meet kettle

I don't think it is physically possible for me to roll my eyes any harder. Seriously. The office is celebrating Boss's Day (only a week late, which might be a record for this section) and the sound of cackling is loudly echoing from the conference room up front. Now, this cackling isn't in the least bit unusual since it always is present when my co-workers congregate, (coincidentally, it's also the reason I opt to stay at my desk and answer the phones whenever possible) but for some reason Snake decided he absolutely needed to comment on it today. It wasn't a brief, "Damn, they're loud" comment made in passing though. No, this was a full-on 10+ minute monologue on people being loud and distracting other people while they're trying to work, and blah, blah, blah. This kind of complaint coming from the guy who spends an absolute max of 30 minutes of his workday doing actual work is a little ridiculous. In fact, given that he tends to stand around and talk about, well, everything, for hours on end, it's downright laughable. Just a wee bit of advice, Snake - if you want to complain about something, make sure it's not something you're guilty of on a daily basis. Also, it would help if you were actually working when you made that complaint, thus lending credence to your claim that the noise is keeping you from completing your work. Jackass.

Posted by oracle at 12:21 PM | Comments (0)

sweat, baby, sweat

God, it's hot in here. I don't know what the deal is with the thermostat in this place, but it is very rarely, if ever, set on a comfortable temperature. Monday and Wednesday we were treated to the "sub-zero" atmosphere, whereas it seems to be stuck on "sauna" for yesterday and today. Is there no happy medium? No "pleasantly mild" setting? I'm getting tired of wearing 7 layers in to work each day so I'll be prepared for the climate, no matter what the actual weather is like outside.

Posted by oracle at 11:35 AM | Comments (0)

whew

I can rest easy this weekend, because Snake just announced that his team doesn't play, so he "don't have to bite [his] nails over them on Sunday." I feel a lot better knowing that, don't you? Jesus, the man's obnoxious. He was out yesterday, and let me tell you, that was a very welcome break.

Posted by oracle at 9:26 AM | Comments (0)

October 21, 2004

superior gummi bears

I love gummi bears, but not just any brand. Haribo Gold-Bears are the best. Other brands aren't bad, but they're just not the same, which is where they lose me. Some look like they'll be comparable, but once you pop them in your mouth, the difference is obvious. Sometimes it's the taste that's at fault, sometimes it's the texture, but either way, I haven't found any gummi bears that I like better than, or as much as, Haribo.

Posted by oracle at 12:52 PM | Comments (0)

well, I could have frost on my nose

Bad: That means it's not Friday
Good: It's Thursday, not Monday.

Bad: BofC isn't coming in today, so I'm on phone duty all day
Good: Supervisor is here, so I'm not stuck with the phones all by myself

Bad: I'm fucking starving.
Good: It's almost lunchtime.

Bad: I have class tonight.
Good: I usually feel good afterwards, so at least I can look forward to that.

Y'know, it's killing me to not be completely negative right now. This Pollyana gig sucks. But realistically, today isn't that bad, it's just my mindset that's making it seem like it's the Worst Day Ever. Hence the attempt to focus on the ways it's not as bad as it could be.

Posted by oracle at 10:39 AM | Comments (0)

crankypants

I'm cranky today. Shocking, isn't? I'm sure it has nothing whatsoever to do with a lack of sleep. Nooo, that couldn't be it. The crappy part is that I went to bed early last night specifically to get some extra sleep. So much for that brilliant plan. And it appears that I'm not the only one who woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Right now I have an incredibly short temper, so I'm just hoping that the rest of the day goes smoothly, because I'm in no kind of mood to deal with stupid, petty people. I also have a headache that is stubbornly fighting off all my attempts to medicate it into oblivion, which is doing absolutely nothing to help the cranky attitude either. The only thing that's helping at this point is pressing a warm mug of tea to my forehead. Thank god for hot water.

Posted by oracle at 9:29 AM | Comments (0)

October 20, 2004

and again with the erf

Still playing hostess to the bleh feeling from earlier, and not only has it not gotten any better, it appears that cranky has been added to the list now too. I'm not having a bad day, just a plain, boring unremarkable day. It feels like something is draining my energy and motivation, and that's not good, especially since I didn't start the day out with a lot of either to begin with. I'm hoping that something happens on the way home to make the day less lethargic.

Posted by oracle at 2:35 PM | Comments (0)

erf

For some reason, I'm not feeling too swell today. It's nothing major, just a bunch of minor annoyances that add up to a "bleh" feeling. Once again, we're barely halfway through the week and I'm already looking forward to the weekend. *sigh*

Posted by oracle at 8:30 AM | Comments (0)

October 19, 2004

unforseen impact

During a conversation with Mike yesterday, I realized that he's had a huge impact on my life. This is partially because he introduces me to new ideas and perspectives and asks my opinion on a wide variety of things, which means I give thought to some topics that it never would've occurred to me to consider otherwise. None of this happens because of a conscious effort on his part; he's just being himself, and that's part of what I think is so great about him and our relationship.

Posted by oracle at 10:34 AM | Comments (0)

October 18, 2004

velvet revolver

Yeah, I know, it's not a very creative title. That doesn't really bother me too much though, so I think you shouldn't let it get to you either. Now that that's out of the way, I'm really digging Velvet Revolver's song "Fall to Pieces" in spite of my determination to hatehatehate them. To be quite honest, I'm not sure where said determination came from, because I have nothing against Scott Weiland or Slash and Co., don't hate STP, and actually like some GNR. For some irrational reason though, I made the decision that I would not like VR at all. (I think that may have been partly due to all the hype surrounding them, and partly because SW looks so damn scary. Seriously, he should be required to put some sort of protective covering on his hipbones so he doesn't accidentally bump into someone and stab them with The Hipbones of Doom. But I digress.) Because of this sadly narrow-minded decision, I still haven't listened to the entire album, and thus don't have an opinion on it yet. So far the few songs I have heard haven't really reached out and grabbed my attention, with the exception of "Fall to Pieces." Mike pointed out that it sounds very similar to "Sweet Child of Mine" in some spots, and although I hadn't noticed it until he mentioned it, I can definitely hear it now. That doesn't change anything about the song for me though; I still think it's got a nice overall sound, and like the way SW's voice blends with the music. All of this means that I'm probably not going to be holding on to that irrational dislike of VR for too much longer. And if you hear me humming something off-key at some point in the next couple of weeks, you can probably guess which song it will be.

Posted by oracle at 11:56 AM | Comments (0)

ahhhh

I've been unbelievably emotional all weekend, and it appears that trend is going to carry over into part, if not all, of this week as well. Saturday I enjoyed the solo pre-and-post-game day time with Mike. Sunday was the same, except magnified by 15. We spent a nice chunk of time cuddling, and that always gives me such a warm, comfy feeling. What prompted this mini-commentary, you ask? A phone call. I love it when he calls just to say hi, see how I'm doing, and let me know how his current project/idea (whatever it may happen to be) is coming along. It makes me realize how special I am to him and he is to me, which just sets me off down that mushy mental road again. *sigh* I'm such a girl.

Posted by oracle at 11:54 AM | Comments (0)

damn Pittsburgh

I have absolutely nothing against the city itself, but I really wish the Steelers would be annihilated this season. Not because I personally dislike the team, but because Snake is a hard-core Steelers fan. It's only week 5, y'all, but I'm already looking for small, pointy objects to keep on hand just for Monday mornings. Seriously, the way he talks about the team is enough to make even their own coach hate them.

Posted by oracle at 8:39 AM | Comments (2)

October 17, 2004

makeover

I was thinking about things over the weekend, and decided that it's way past time for this site to get a makeover. The original layout was fine to get me started so I could get the site up and running, but it just wasn't what I had in mind, hence the overhaul. I took off some pages, added a couple others, and changed the overall look around a bit in general. This still isn't exactly what I had in mind, but it's a lot closer than where I was, so I'm content for now. I doubt I'll wait so long before changing the look up again though. Consider yourself warned.

On a somewhat related note, I will also be updating the pictures page soon; I have plenty of new material to add, I just have to get off my ass and upload it all. Procrastination is a very sad thing.

Posted by oracle at 9:04 PM | Comments (0)

October 16, 2004

game day

Another successful and fun, albeit somewhat small, game day was held at our house today, and everybody seemed to have a pretty good time. Mike's friends Fantm and Swampy were there, as well as my brother. I didn't actually participate in the games this time, but I did hang out in the game room, keeping an eye on the games and the puppykins. The puppykins got most of my attention since they're very determined chewers. Maddy is better about it than Max, but both of them are hard to discourage once they've got their minds made up on demolishing something, and I really didn't want the controller cords to become the object of their attention. That just would not have made Mike happy. The gameage was winding down when I left to take my brother back home, but didn't actually end until shortly after I got back. It was nice to see having such a good time, kicking back and chilling with a couple friends. Hopefully this will become a regular event.

Posted by oracle at 9:35 PM | Comments (0)

October 15, 2004

needles

If all goes as planned this evening, I'll have a new tattoo after work. I'm not 100% sure of our plans though, so that may have to wait till tomorrow. Either way, by Sunday morning, I'll have more ink on me.

Posted by oracle at 2:51 PM | Comments (0)

it didn't feel like 4.5 hours

Every Thursday the kids stay with us till around 8:30-9ish and Mike's friend Cuz comes over to jam, so Thursdays are usually hectic for us, even when it's a normal day. Yesterday, however, was definitely not normal. When Mike and I left work, we went straight to A's school to pick him up, then went to pick up Z and N before going to meet their mom at H's school for a parent-teacher conference, after which Mike wanted to stop by Wendy's. While we were waiting at Wendy's (thanks to the two tour buses in the parking lot), Cuz called asking if the jam session was still on for that evening, because he was already at our house, and, well, we weren't.

When we finally made it home, I let the puppykins out of their kennel and we headed straight into the yard, where Maddy refused to do anything outside (which usually means she wants to come inside and leave us a present of some sort on the carpet), so I had to leave her outside and keep checking back on her. The kids' mom came by a little bit later to drop off H and the kids' dinner, and, unfortunately, her car died in the parking lot. Cuz and Mike went out to take a look at it and I gave her a ride while they were still trying to puzzle things out. An hour and a half later, Maddy finally decided that crapping outside was preferable to staying out there for extended periods of time, so she got to come back inside and play with her sister. When their mom came back to pick up the kids they were pretty wound up and didn't want to leave, but it was a school night so staying over wasn't an option. Since Mike had some stuff he needed to take care of, I took the kids and their mom back to her house, then came home and was finally able to relax. The puppykins, kids, company, and car problems all add up to a loooong afternoon. It's a damn good thing today's Friday.

Posted by oracle at 8:28 AM | Comments (0)

October 14, 2004

change of pace

Wow. I had plans to write a long entry today, but various things throughout the day kept that from happening. Supervisor was out today so this morning I had to sit up front till BofC got in. Immediately after that, I had a teleconference, followed by several issues with the forms I've been working on collecting (they were due Tuesday) from the contracting officers, then I was in an extremely blah mood. It wasn't a bad one, just one of those that leave me feeling blank, which isn't exactly conducive to writing. I logged in to write my entry after my mood started picking up, but around the same time, my workload picked up as well and that's kept me busy until now. I like days where I'm busy enough to stay occupied and keep my mind in gear, and it was nice that today ended up being one of those, even if that did change my blogging plans.

Posted by oracle at 2:53 PM | Comments (0)

fuck this

I'm cold, cranky and tired. This all adds up to, I don't want to be here right now. Actually, fuck right now, I don't want to be here at all. Ever. Today's cold enough that it would be nice to stay in bed with a book and the puppykins, and if I'd known how things would play out, I just might have done that. Except, no. I wouldn't have. Supervisor isn't in today, and the SF-294/295s are a current issue, so I still would've come in. But I would've brought my mp3 player, cause it sure would be nice to have with me right about now. Bah.

Posted by oracle at 9:53 AM | Comments (0)

October 13, 2004

useful tidbits

As I was reading the assigned chapter for my speech class, I came across this interesting bit of wisdom under the heading "We teach others how to treat us." The book says "Often we wonder why people treat us as they do. In many instances it is because when they treat us in a particular way, we don't object; therefore, it becomes the pattern." Interesting, and true. If someone does something to you that you don't like, the way to stop that is simple - let them know.

The next point I thought was worth mentioning is this, "We communicate what and who we are...Our selection of words, the tone of our voice, and the gestures we use combine to give a picture of our values, likes and dislikes, and self-perceptions." Also interesting, also true. I've noticed that I'm very aware of people's choice of words, but not as aware of the other aspects mentioned.

The last bit I want to comment on is an eye-opener. "Much of our interpersonal communication centers on our wanting others to act or think or feel as we do; in other words, much of it is an attempt at persuasion. In our interpersonal relations with parents, children, and friends, we often attempt to alter or reinforce behavior, gain compliance, give advice, or elicit some type of action." Now, I don't know about you, but I don't find this to be a very pleasant idea. I don't like to think that I'm trying to persuade people to change how they think, act, or feel, to be more like me, but if I take an honest look back at my communication style, I do. Consciously, I don't want people to be indentical to me, but subconsciously I feel that it would be much easier if everyone did things the way I do. Since that's something I don't really like acknowledging that to myself, much less to anyone else, I want to change that, so my goal this week is to be aware of when I try to persuade people and make an effort to stop when I catch myself doing that.

Posted by oracle at 1:56 PM | Comments (0)

sign here, please

As part of the Admin Team for this office, Supervisor and I have to go to another building and sign people in for some forum that they're holding today. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? I'm the lucky one because she's staying over there all day, whereas I get to come back to the office after everyone's signed in. Reason #57 why she's cool: She never asks us ("us" in this case being myself, BofC, and 007) to do something she won't and hasn't done herself. Seriously, working for her is the only good thing about working in this office.

Posted by oracle at 8:20 AM | Comments (0)

October 12, 2004

squeak

Don't worry, it's a happy squeak. On the way home today, Mike asked me to open up his bag and pull out a blue piece of paper that was stuck to a book. Once I was holding the paper, he told me that it was for me. He wrote me a poem. This isn't the first one he's written me, but every time he writes one, it's special. I can't even begin to describe how good it makes me feel to know that he cares that much about me. To make it even better - it's handwritten. Call me sentimental if you must, but to me, having a handwritten poem makes it that much more special. Yeah, I know, it doesn't make any sense. He's still put in the same amount of thought, time, and effort, and I would still appreciate it if it were typed, but handwritten just gives it an extra edge of warm fuzzy. I doubt I'm going to share it on here; it's one of those things that's just between the two of us, and I think I'm going to leave it that way. He's such an amazing man.

Posted by oracle at 5:36 PM | Comments (0)

new toys, one for every room

Last week had an acquisition theme, although it wasn't intentional. It all started on Thursday, when Mike bought me a book about Wicca. Now, I have to digress a little at this point, because the fact that he saw this book and thought of me shows how well he knows me. This isn't something I've been dropping hints about for the past 7 1/2 months or just got through telling him how much I wanted it. This is a book that, until he handed it to me, I'd never even heard of before, but as soon as I saw it, I was giddily happy. Not only was I happy that he'd bought me a book that fight right in with who I am and what I like, he'd thought of me period. I don't expect him to think about me 24/7, so it's nice to know that at random moments, like in a bookstore on his lunch break, I'm on his mind. That gave me a nice warm fuzzy then and it still does now as I'm remembering it.

Acquisition #2 was something we'd talked about a bit earlier in the week and had decided we wanted to go ahead and get it now. What was this item? A TiVo. Yes, we are now the proud owners of a shiny new TiVo of our very own. I don't know about t, but I've been coveting one of these for a long, loooong time, and at long last it has been added to the tower of electronic devices on our dresser.

The third and final acquisition was a new washer. Ours went out on Thursday night, and since we're housebreaking the puppykins, going without one was just not a workable option. On Saturday we ventured out to purchase a new one, and that was surprisingly harder than I thought it would be. Our first stop was Best Buy, since we already had to go there for something else, and we thought we might as well make as few trips as possible. After a 45+ minute wait to check on the availability of the washer we'd selected, a salesman finally informed me that they didn't have what we wanted in stock, and the soonest they could get that washer to us would be Wednesday. Luckily, the next place we went to look at washers was Lowes, and they had 6 in stock. We even got a nicer washer for the same price as the other one, which made me feel a bit better.

Posted by oracle at 8:04 AM | Comments (0)

October 8, 2004

three days!

I love three-day weekends, especially when we have the kids for them. H's going to be on a camping trip so I'm going to miss her, but it'll be fun to hang out with the boys. For a change, we don't have anything really planned for this weekend, so it should be pretty relaxing. It's been a long time since we've had a weekend with nowhere to go, and I'm really looking forward to it.

Posted by oracle at 7:47 AM | Comments (0)

October 7, 2004

low-class

People are crazy these days, y'all, and the Jerry Springer show just confirms my belief on that. Seriously, who in their right mind would voluntarily spill highly embarrassing details of their private lives on national tv? Especially things like what Springer's show tends to deal with. If, for example, my sister, my cousin, my aunt, and I were all sleeping with the same man, I sure as hell wouldn't go in front of 9/10 of the free world and tell them about it, much less start brawling. That's just tacky.

The only reason I can think of for doing something like that would be for the attention, and being an attention whore is one thing, but that's taking it to ridiculous extremes. If you're really that desperate for attention, there are other ways to get it. You could stand on an overpass or rooftop and threaten to jump. Or you could take out a full-page color ad in the newspaper and put your picture there. You could call in a bomb threat, you could rob a bank, or you could audition for American Idol...the possibilities are endless. And amazingly enough, not all of them involve airing dirty laundry in an extremely public manner. Yes, I understand it makes for good entertainment for some folks, and that most, if not all, of it is staged, but still. Have some pride, people.

Posted by oracle at 8:19 AM | Comments (0)

October 6, 2004

black balloon

It's 6:35, and I wish I were at home in bed. It was cold and dark this morning - the perfect kind of morning for staying home and reading in bed, especially with a couple of sweet puppykins to cuddle with. On the plus side, it's Wednesday, which means the weekend is closer than it was on Monday, and since I'm through with the Saturday class, I can sleep in a little bit this weekend. Hooray for the small things.

Posted by oracle at 6:38 AM | Comments (0)

October 5, 2004

awww

The puppykins are adorable. They were so happy to see us when we got home, which is a wonderful feeling. That's all.

Posted by oracle at 6:58 PM | Comments (0)

intermission

Wow...it's absolutely beautiful outside today. Sunny, but not hot - in fact, it's even a bit cool, but not cold. If I had to describe my idea of perfect fall weather, today is a perfect example. I bought lunch today, and was pleasantly surprised by the weather. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the reality was much better. Instead of scampering to the deli so I could get into the air conditioning, I walked leisurely and enjoyed being outside. Hopefully, the rest of this fall is going to be just like today.

Posted by oracle at 11:20 AM | Comments (0)

the last few days

I am so tired. We got the puppykins on Friday, and this weekend was just not long enough even though we stayed home yesterday. I don't know what the deal is, but the current amount of hours in a day is just not enough for me to get everything done that I need to, or think I need to. Since I have yet to figure out how to add on an extra 10 hours (Why fuck around with an extra hour or so? If I go for 10 then I have time to get things done and sleep too.), I need to take a look at everything I've got going on and see what I can eliminate. It's not going to be easy, but it's a necessity at this point, especially with the puppykins. Which reminds me - I made the previously mentioned water change and it was surprisingly painless. I'm still adding lime juice to it for now, but I plan to start phasing that out at the beginning of next week.

Mike's computer had some serious issues over the weekend, so most of Sunday and yesterday was devoted to finding out and fixing whatever was wrong with it. Not fun. As a result, I didn't spend much time on the computer myself, which turned out to be a pretty good thing since that gave me time to catch up on the laundry. Now all I have to do now is hang everything up and pair up the socks, which is a Herculean task in and of itself.

Posted by oracle at 7:17 AM | Comments (0)

September 30, 2004

meep

Relpax is a wonderful, wonderful thing, and whoever created it is my idol. For today, at least.

In other news, I'm pretty fed up with people handing me documents to distribute and adding "This needs to be distributed today." Really? Today? Well, damn. There goes my plan to hang on to it for a week or so before giving it to the accounting people. It doesn't just happen once either. No, they say this each time they hand me a document. Now, I don't mind an occasional "Would you mind making sure Accounting gets this today please?" but repeat offenders who're rude about it grate on my last nerve. Take Snake, for example, since he's the main culprit this year. He did the rude reminder routine three times this morning alone. Yes, I know it's the end of the Fiscal Year, and yes, I know Accounting needs to obligate all funds by the end of the day. Believe it or not, I even know that I need to distribute each document as soon as I get it. Since this is such a major part of my job, why is it that they feel the need to tell me about it each time? Seriously, if it's that important to them and they have that little faith in my ability to do what I'm paid for, by all means, they can keep a copy in their grubby little paws and hoof it across the hall to Accounting themselves. I wonder how he would feel if I was telling him how to do his job.

Posted by oracle at 1:50 PM | Comments (0)

you're getting sleeeepy

What's that? You're not? Oh. It must just be me then. I don't know what the deal is, but I've been deadass tired all week. If tomorrow weren't Friday, I'm not sure what I'd do, because this is getting bad. On the plus side, my mutant cold is in full retreat. The only traces of its presence are occasional sniffles and a somewhat nagging cough. Mike seems to be doing better too, so I'm happy.

Speaking of Mike, he's been on my mind a lot this morning. That isn't unusual, but for some reason, I decided to share my thoughts about him here, and that is. He's not the only facet of my life, but he is the most important. I really believe that I can get through anything with him next to me. I've had other boyfriends, but he's the only person I've ever felt this strongly about. Just being with him is enough to make me happy. I love curling up next to him in bed, holding his hand while we're in a store, feeling his hand on my back as we're talking to other people...all these things give me a warm melty feeling inside, and I like that. He's a special man, and I'm lucky he's in my life. I'm happy that I can recognize how special he is and how lucky I am. I'd have a good life without him, but having him in it makes everything better and brighter. Sappy? Yeah, but it is my blog so I'm entitled.

Posted by oracle at 8:02 AM | Comments (0)

September 29, 2004

doxie update

We get our puppykins in a week and 2 days, and I'm beyond excited. (Not that it's obvious or anything.) We took the kids to see them on Friday, and since A and H were in San Diego when we bought them, this was the first time they'd seen the pups. They're doxies, so I wasn't expecting them to be giants or anything, but I was surprised at how little they are. Maddy is Mike's puppy, and she seems to have the personality type that he was looking for - friendly and chill. Max, on the other hand, seems like she's going to be a handful. She spent the entire visit chewing (on my toes, my fingers, my sandal...whatever she could get her little teeth around), burrowing, and exploring. It's so funny to watch her because she runs a couple of steps then has to take a break. She's definitely a wanderer though, so baby gates are going to be a necessity from now on.

Posted by oracle at 7:39 AM | Comments (0)

something's gotta give

After two glorious days of being at home (yeah, I said glorious), I've come to a realization: I need a new job. Now. I hate getting up so early to spend so much time on the road, only to repeat the same process after work to get home. Before I get any further into this rant, I want to clarify a few things:

1. Thanks to Mike, I don't drive to or from work so my complaints about the commute are from the "it's a waste of time" outlook. Please keep that in mind when reading.
2. I really enjoy riding in with Mike. Absolutely love it. That's the only thing that makes the whole commute worthwhile.

Having said that, my job has its issues, but the main problem is the location; I hate the freaking commute. Seriously, 60 or so miles one way = 1.5 hours (with traffic), minimum. That sucks. By the end of the week, Mike's driven at least 15+ hours, and that takes a toll on him. Ideally, I'd love for us both to be able to work from home, and that's what I'm going to start keeping in mind as I try to figure out my career. If that's not a possibility, then something closer to home would be the next best option. 30 minutes or so one way wouldn't be so bad if the hours were right. I know that hating going to work is not a good thing, and I'm not asking to leap out of bed and rush to work, but I would like to have a Sunday night where I don't think, "Fuck. I have to go to work tomorrow."

Posted by oracle at 7:26 AM | Comments (0)

September 25, 2004

visitors

My grandparents came over to see my house today, so a large part of the day was spent cleaning to make it presentable. It wasn't dirty, but we've had the kids all week and I've learned that six people can do a number on a tidy house in no time. A and N both offered to help several times, which was very much appreciated. Mike's gotten my mutant cold now, so he's feeling pretty rough and hibernated upstairs for most of the day. Poor guy. He really is miserable, and I don't like seeing him feeling that bad.

The visit went really well. My grandparents loved the house and H helped me play hostess. My grandma gave her a doll that she'd made some clothes for, and H thought that was great. She originally named the doll after me, then decided she'd change it to "Goldilocks" since the doll has two blond braids just like Goldilocks in the Three Bears.

After that, N wanted to learn how to make enchiladas, so he watched me put those together for dinner. A has a friend over, so there weren't any leftovers, surprise, surprise. H had her bath and is in bed, so I'm taking a break in my quest to get rid of this mountain of laundry.

Posted by oracle at 8:55 PM | Comments (0)

September 24, 2004

mmm...fruit

For someone who has spent a good portion of her life avoiding healthy food, I'm actually pretty fond of some of it. I'm not a big fan of vegetables as a category, but I do like carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. I like almost every type of fruit except canteloupe, and for the most part, I actually prefer whole grains over the processed ones. Water is now my drink of choice, and I can't figure out why I spent so many years hating it. Which reminds me, there's a new water change in my future, so expect to see an adjustment post or two about that soon.

In other news, I'm so glad it's Friday. This has been a great week, but a long one, and I'm glad I don't have to get up at 3:45 tomorrow. One or two extra-long days are okay, but a whole week of them has really taken a toll on me.

Only two more Saturday classes, then I'm through with that one. As the semester progresses I'm still enjoying my classes, and I'm getting more out of them than I initially thought I would, which is a lot since I already thought that they'd be pretty useful. Went to class last night, and again H told me that she'd miss me and wanted me to stay home from class. They're such great kids.

Posted by oracle at 6:05 AM | Comments (0)

September 23, 2004

1985 was a good year

"A good year for what?" you ask. That's a good question. Sadly, I don't have a clue. I'm just saying that in an attempt to exorcise the song from my head. Not because I don't like Bowling For Soup, because I've been singing it all day and I would like to change songs at some point please.

Still suffering not-so-quietly from the mutant cold, and I'm trying to figure out who the hell I got it from. My primary suspect is my brother, but I'm not sure how to continue the investigation. I think I'll just call it a dead end and go back to being miserable. And it really doesn't matter anyways because blaming either him wouldn't do any good. I mean, it's not like he created this germ in a secret lab, deep under the surface of the earth, tenderly cultivating it until it had grown to it's full mutant cold germy potential and was thus ready to be released. If that were the case, then I'd be tracking him down for some well-deserved retribution, but I'll have to settle for cold meds and some peppermint tea. So much for justice, eh?

Posted by oracle at 2:35 PM | Comments (0)

the next episode

In spite of yesterday's bleakish start, it turned out to be a pretty good day. Mike and I picked up the kids after work, hit the grocery store, and went home. Since everybody likes enchiladas, I made them before going to class. The second warm fuzzy of the day? H ran to the door to give me a hug and a kiss before I left, told me that she didn't want me to go to class because she was going to miss me, then asked me to come in and give her a hug and kiss when I got back, even if she was asleep.

Posted by oracle at 7:29 AM | Comments (0)

September 22, 2004

wake up and smell the...jello?

I don't know if it's a byproduct of this mutant cold I've got right now or what, but for some reason I've been smelling grape jello all day. And on the few occasions it hasn't been a grape scent, I've been smelling a lime one. I don't understand it. It's not even like I'm imagining the smells because I'm hungry. If that were the case I'd be smelling either cherry or that blue jello. Whatever the cause is, it's definitely weird.

Posted by oracle at 1:26 PM | Comments (0)

warm fuzzy

I need to make an addition to the highlights for this week. H called me this morning before she left for the bus, and it makes me feel really good to know that she wanted to talk to me. Mike didn't even suggest it; she just asked if she could call me. The best part is that she's called me every day this week, and that's a really nice way to start each day.

Posted by oracle at 8:26 AM | Comments (0)

here comes another one, just like the other one

If this week doesn't end soon, I may not make it out alive. I just want it to be Friday, people. Is that too much to ask? If it is, then I'd like to hibernate for a couple of days, because this left bad three exits back.

Highlights:

we've had the kids since last Friday
Happy and Henry have been with us since then too
we're seeing the puppykins this afternoon
I've had some good, quality time with my dad every day this week
I got my yoga and pilates books yesterday

I'm sure there have been more highlights, but so far those are all I can think of. Only 60-ish hours till the weekend...

Posted by oracle at 6:26 AM | Comments (0)

September 21, 2004

here comes the rain

As crazy as yesterday morning was, I didn't think today could top it, and I was right. But it hasn't been a great day either, that's for sure. I either have a fever or just a really cold hands + warmish forehead combo going on, and my nose is whistling. That's all I really feel like sharing for right now, so if you don't mind, I'm going to go back to huddling over my heater.

Posted by oracle at 2:30 PM | Comments (0)

September 17, 2004

we are family...

And all of mine is coming into town today. Well, maybe not all of them, but almost everyone on my dad's side, so that's close enough. Nobody's staying for a really long time (most of them are leaving on Sunday) so it should be a good time, and this gives Mikea chance to meet my relatives and vice versa. If it weren't for my sister's wedding, it would probably be a very long time before another opportunity to introduce him, so I'm happy that things worked out like they have. It's going to be a stressful weekend though, so I'm looking forward to chilling and seeing the puppykins on Sunday.

We had the kids till late last night, which was definitely a change of pace for everyone. Everyone did really good with it though, and H and I had a good time running some errands. The only low point was her encounter with the edge of the shopping cart, but she took that pretty much in stride. I couldn't help but laugh when she answered my "Are you okay, sweetie?" with "Yeah. I think I'll live." That cracks me up because I say that all the time, and she's picked it up now too. When the kids' mom picked them up last night, H wanted to give me a hug before leaving, and as they were walking out the door, she told me that she'd miss me. She was supposed to stay with her mom tonight and have a friend over, but the friend cancelled so we get all of the kids tonight.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to try to find some motivation so I can get some shit done here. I would so rather be at home.

Posted by oracle at 8:06 AM | Comments (0)

September 16, 2004

hot water

Hot water is such a wonderful thing, yet it's something I take for granted. Most mornings I work out at the office gym before actually going to work, and this means I have to shower afterwards. These showers are what have helped me realize just how much I love hot water. Why, you ask? Because they don't have any. Not for the first 15 minutes at least, and since I don't even have that much time to spend in the gym shower, that's all that matters. I turn the shower on as soon as I get in the locker room so the water will have time to heat up, but even that doesn't help much, although it does take the arctic edge of the water, moving it from 'subzero' to 'very fucking cold'. I should be grateful for that small miracle, but it's hard to be appreciative when I'm standing under the cold water, shivering my way through the shower.

Only once before have I encountered showers with a similarly lacking hot water supply, and that was during my brief stint as a Mary Washington student. Karinne and I took a weight training class and showered after that so we wouldn't reek for the rest of the day. Those showers were excruciating, and that is not an exaggeration. Unlike the showers at work, the water there never warmed up at all. Not even a little bit. You could turn the shower on, pee, brush your teeth, floss, get undressed, hold a leisurely discussion on the condition of college locker room floors, then hop in the shower, and it would still be just as cold as it was when you first turned the water on. Needless to say, we were thrilled when the semester was over and we no longer had to subject ourselves to those showers.

I love hot showers; there's something relaxing about standing under the hot water and being able to take your time with the showering process. And when I say hot, I don't mean 'warm' or 'slightly hot.' No, I like my showers hot to the point of almost being unbearable. I try to remember to turn the water a bit cooler when Mike gets in the shower, but sometimes I forget, which leads to yelping and comments about how he doesn't know why I like water that hot. Thankfully, he hasn't gotten scalded yet, although I'm afraid it's just a matter of time. Yes, hot water is one of my favorite things, and not just in the form of a shower. I also like it for baths, tea or hot chocolate, couscous, soup, oatmeal...there are lots of ways that hot water makes my life better, and I'm grateful for all of them. No longer will I take an almost-scalding shower for granted. Taking that shower in my own home is just an added bonus.

Posted by oracle at 8:29 AM | Comments (0)

September 15, 2004

yawn. streeeetch

I'm bored. It's been a regular day, but I feel like it's dragging on endlessly. One would think that would allow me to get some work done, but sadly, this is not the case. Not because I have no work to be done, but because I'm not motivated to work on any of it. Sad, isn't it? I have, however, looked at a scarily large number of clothing websites, patterns for a Sleeping Beauty Halloween costume, flossed (not once, but twice because it feels like there's something stuck in between my teeth and it's driving me crazy), created a tentative menu for next week's dinners, and eaten a turkey sandwich. So far, the turkey sandwich has been the highlight of the day, but I'll go into more detail about that in a little bit. The reason I'm tentatively planning dinner menus for next week is because...we get the kids from this Friday all the way through next Sunday. This means a bit of a schedule shift for us, but it's worth it because we're all looking forward to next week ("all" in this case being Mike, me, and the kids). As an added bonus, we're dogsitting Happy and Henry, so we'll get to see them too. To continue on the good plans trend, my sister's wedding is this weekend, and at some point, we're going to stop by to see the puppykins. How could it get any better than that?

Now for the promised turkey sandwich description. There is a restaurant/cafe a couple blocks from my office that has the best sandwiches ever. The wheat bread there is awesome, and they cook the turkey right there, so it's fresh (and still hot!) when they make your sandwich. I have yet to see any limp, pathetic lettuce on a sandwich from there, and the tomatoes are always good too. In fact, this place is the reason I now like cucumbers on sandwiches, and honeydew in a fruit salad. Which reminds me - not only do they make the best sandwiches, they have some kick-ass salads too. Those of you who know me also know that I hate salad. Period. Full stop. The end. Not anymore. While I'm not, and probably never will be, comparable to a rabbit in my consumption of salad materials, I do like the ones this restaurant makes. There's a yummy Cobb salad, a Greek one...there are a lot of them, so I could go on for a while. My favorite is the fruit salad though. Grapes, apples, kiwi, oranges, strawberries, pineapple, bananas, honeydew...I love it! Sadly, it, like their sandwiches, is a little expensive to buy every day so I content myself with them as an occasional treat.

Sadly, the desserts there are a serious let-down. I got a piece of chocolate cake there once and was sorely disappointed. I haven't tried all of their desserts, but the ones I have tried have left me with a very mediocre impression, so I don't think I'll be trying too many more there. In the meantime, I'll just have to content myself with some chocolate cake from Hooters.

Posted by oracle at 1:30 PM | Comments (0)

September 14, 2004

yay!

Looks like we're going to start getting the kids in the afternoons again, which is great. It's great to see them each day, and I know they love having the extra time with Mike. This also gives me more time to work with H on her reading. It's going to be a good week!

Posted by oracle at 2:51 PM | Comments (0)

all eyes on me

Again it's been a while since my last real update, but I'm not going to go back and fix that.

Today is the beginning of changes. I won't go into detail about what those changes involve since I know some of the people reading this blog aren't exactly friends of mine and that's way more information than I want to offer them. Just be aware that changes are on the way.

In other news...actually, nothing. That's all I've got. Stay tuned for the new version.

Posted by oracle at 8:55 AM | Comments (0)

September 10, 2004

positive? not so much

So here I am at work, and all I want to do is go home and crawl back into bed. I know this isn't a very positive, Anthony Robbins-sanctioned mindframe, but that's where I am, folks.

Posted by oracle at 6:53 AM | Comments (0)

September 9, 2004

bottom of a bottle

While I've only heard a couple of songs from Smile Empty Soul, I think they're pretty good based on the few songs I've heard. But I haven't listened to anything by them recently, so I can't figure out why one of their songs is stuck in my head. I don't know if I want to buy the whole album, but I definitely want that song.

Posted by oracle at 10:01 AM | Comments (0)

September 7, 2004

miscellaneous rainy day thoughts

Today's one of those in-between days; it's not good, but it's not bad either. It would've been a great day to spend curled up at home with Mike, but sadly, we both had to go to work. We just came off a three-day weekend, and I still want more time off - how sad is that?

Pate' is on vacation this week, so I'll be doing some solo gym work tonight (or this afternoon, if we end up leaving early), and to be perfectly honest, I'm kinda looking forward to it. My PE class is going to be good for getting me back on a regular workout schedule instead of this "go when I feel like it" thing I've been doing lately. The only other thing I have to do tonight is finish up my speech. I've been slipping back into my procrastinating ways on that particular assignment and I'm not happy about that so I want to finish that tonight.

I just finished up a time & attendance audit a co-worker and I have been working on for the past couple of weeks, and I'm hoping this is the last time we get that back. It's a pretty extensive audit, going back 4 years, and every time we've gotten through with it, Personnel finds something else they need us to go back and audit, fix, double-check, etc. It's a pretty tedious process, so I'd rather have them look through, figure out what they need done, and then tell us all at once, instead of this piecemeal crap.

Still loving the new piercing. In fact, it's my favorite one so far, followed closely by my eyebrow ring. The belly button is in third, then the rest of my piercings. I spent some time working on ideas for my next tattoo Sunday night, and I'm liking the way that's coming together. Mike's been helping me with everything from Photoshop pointers to giving me his input, and I really appreciate all his help. He truly is awesome, y'all. My goal is to get that tattoo done sometime late this month or early October. At this rate I may end up getting it done sooner, but we'll see how that plays out.

Posted by oracle at 11:08 AM | Comments (0)

September 4, 2004

purr

I went through with my piercing plan, and I'm glad I did. Neither the actual piercing nor the aftermath hurt anywhere near as much as I expected them to, and it's still not bad, all things considered. Realistically, the experience was on par with getting all my other piercings. It was great to have Mike there with me when I got it done. He's really something special, and I'm glad he's with me. I had a good life before I met him, but it's just gotten better with him in it. The changes have been good ones, and he's opened my eyes to many things. Everyone should be so lucky as to have a guy like him.

I had class again this morning, came home for some time with Mike, then went to Hooter's for lunch with a couple of friends. I got home just in time to help Mike finish cleaning up a little bit (and I do mean a little bit. He did a LOT of work while I was gone) before he had some friends over for some Xbox gameage. Only a couple of people showed up, but they all had a good time, and I enjoyed watching the competitions.

After the company was all gone, we watched Kill Bill Vol 2, and I'm still letting it all sink in. As a whole I like the concept and the movies, but I think Tarantino drew the second movie out just a bit too much. It wasn't a waste of time to watch though, so I'm happy. And now I'm going to go crawl in bed and do some snuggling.

Posted by oracle at 9:23 PM | Comments (0)

September 3, 2004

365

I can't believe it's been a year already. I guess time has wings when it wants to because it feels like just a couple of months have gone by. So many new experiences, feelings, ideas, and perspectives...all of them because of you. So many changes, all of them for the better; you're a much-needed a catalyst in my life. You're my best friend and confidant, the only person I love. You stayed through the trials and helped forge good memories, ones I will always treasure. You mean everything to me. You've enriched my life in countless ways, and I'm looking forward to growing with you, both in our relationship and as a person.

Posted by oracle at 10:44 AM | Comments (0)

d-day

Except, not quite, since "piercing" doesn't begin with a 'd', but that's a minor technicality. I'm getting my next piercing today (assuming the shop is open when we stop by), and I'm pretty excited. I don't know why, but I like getting pierced and tattooed. I'm nervous as all hell right before it starts, but I'm fine before and after that point. This has gotten me motivated to figure out which tattoo I want to get next as well. I think I'm going to go with another one on my back, but I'm not 100% certain about that yet. Realistically, I'll probably get the runes done before that because 1) they're smaller, 2) I know exactly what I want, and 3) they have a very important meaning to me, and I want them as a reminder of something I need to keep very fresh in my mind. Because of that I'm leaning towards the thought that they're more important than the design on my back, but again, I haven't completely decided yet.

Posted by oracle at 9:16 AM | Comments (0)

September 2, 2004

heresy

Snake has just sealed his fate as an insufferable ass. How did he manage to accomplish this, you ask? He likes John Madden. Not only does he like him, he thinks that the man adds something to the game. I've been gritting my teeth for the past 25 minutes listening to him pontificate about the NFL, their drug testing policy, players doing drugs, Dallas, Dennis Miller, Ricky Williams, the Ravens and their future as a team this year (absolutely nil, according to him, although it took him more words to say that), and every other football-related thing that crossed his mind, but when he commented about Madden, that was the last straw.

You see, I hate John Madden. The man's an ass, and on my personal football annoyances scale, he ranks right up there with Terry Bradshaw, who I would love to see move to Peru and become a hermit on a mountaintop high in the Andes. Although any mountain will do, I suppose, as long as it keeps him far away from any technology that would allow him to inflict his image, voice, opinions or anything else on hapless football fans.

But I digress. Snake spews ignorance on a regular basis, and part of the reason he grates on my nerves so much is the way he talks. From someone who makes such a big deal out of being a professional, he certainly doesn't talk like one. (Basic grammar is always a plus when you're trying to convince people that you know what you're talking about. When you can't pronounce a simple word like 'ask' properly, I tend to take what you say with a grain of salt, so keep that in mind if you ever plan on trying to convince me of anything.) Regardless of how he speaks though, hearing him say with absolute conviction that John Madden is one of the best things about football floors me. I know that not everyone hates the man. Some people tolerate, or even like him. But to say he's one of the best things about football? I just don't understand that. And it's not due to a lack of trying, because I can promise you that I had plenty of time to think that over while Snake kept on preaching about the greatness that is Madden. In fact, I'm still pondering it, and all I can come up with is...heresy.

Posted by oracle at 2:41 PM | Comments (0)

August 31, 2004

have a little faith

Why is it people will ask you to let them know about something if they plan on checking with you 15 times in the next 24 hours anyway? A lady I work with asked me to let her know if I got something from a certain project yesterday or today. That's not a big deal, so I said I would. I was a bit irritated when she asked me a couple other times yesterday if anything had come in yet, but gritted my teeth and smiled. Today, however, she asked again, and for some reason that really rubbed me the wrong way this time. If you want to check back with me about something, great. Go ahead and check. But don't ask me to let you know when I get something if you have no intention of waiting to hear back from me. I'm not senile, and I'm not stupid. Since I'm also not perfect, I don't mind the occasional, "Hey, just making sure nothing from 'Specific Project' has come in yet." comment, but checking in several times isn't necessary, thanks.

Posted by oracle at 3:51 PM | Comments (0)

puppykins!

As of yesterday, we have puppies. I know that's telling the end of the story before it even begins, but I'm excited. We've been talking about getting puppies for the past few months, but the timing hadn't been right, so we waited. Even now, the timing still isn't exactly right, but since the puppies are only a week old, it'll be mid-October before we can bring them home, and that is perfect.

We knew we wanted two dachshunds; Mike wanted a dark red girl, and initially I wanted a boy, but I didn't care what his coloring was. After giving it more thought, I decided that the gender didn't really matter to me as long as I had my doxie, so with that in mind, we went to take a look at a newborn litter after work yesterday. There were two girls and two boys in that litter, and one of them was almost exactly what Mike was looking for. They were keeping one of the boys because he's a silver dapple, and the other one was cute, but I really didn't like his markings. The second girl was a pretty reddish color with some dappling but not a lot. It's mostly on her ears and tail, with a little bit on her back.

We talked to the breeder, saw the parents, and handled the puppies for a bit, then decided that those were the ones we wanted. Their mother is really sweet. She's protective, but not aggressive; friendly, but not an attention whore; lively, but not hyper - all qualities I like in a dog. We didn't spend as much time around their dad, but he seems pretty good natured too. Right now the puppies don't even have their eyes open, and they won't be old enough to come home with us until the middle of October, but we can go visit them whenever we want, and we plan to. Mine is named Max, and Mike is calling his Maddy.

I'm really excited, but I also feel like I'm being disloyal to Bubba. I would like to have him with me, but he's got a better life with my parents. He's bonded with Daisy now too, and there's no way my dad's going to let Daisy leave their house. She's his little girl. He and my brother are her favorite people; she's lovey to everyone else too, but you can definitely tell who she prefers. Anways, I'm sure the disloyal feeling will go away eventually, but for right now it keeps giving me a twinge now and then. It usually doesn't last too long because I quickly remember Max. She's such a cutie.

Posted by oracle at 9:10 AM | Comments (0)

August 30, 2004

.5 down, 4.5 to go

I do not want to be at work today. In fact, I'm only here because we're getting close to the end of the fiscal year and I need to make sure invoices and such get distributed on time instead of sitting in my inbox while I sleep in at home. Well, that and I'm trying to build my leave back up. I tried doing some reading for school, but that's not helping anything, so here I sit, trying not to fall asleep, wishing that cutting back on caffeine weren't necessary for my health, cause I could sure use a Coke right about now.

Posted by oracle at 1:36 PM | Comments (0)

books, beagles, boobs, and the ever-present chocolate cake

Wow. That was a really short weekend. I know that it was the required two days, but for some reason, it didn't feel like it. Friday night was...hectic. After getting home and fixing dinner, I was wiped out. Saturday was much better though. Got up and was on time for the Student Development class, which continues this semester's trend of interesting classes. It's a 6 week course, so now I've only got 5 weeks left of it. The instructor is really good. He's obviously trying to make us feel like the class wasn't a waste of time, and I think that fact combined with my current outlook on things will help me get a lot out of it.

The rest of Saturday was spent at my parents' house, then doing errands. My dad unpacked some of the books that belonged to my sister and me so I could read them to H and those were a huge hit. H wanted to play with him and my mom, the boys were content with their Game Boys, and Mike was busy talking to my brother, so while they were all occupied, I spent some quality time with the hellbeasts. Since that involved some nail clipping and baths, I'm not sure they would agree that it was quality time. Poor Daisy was scared to come near me after the bath. I'm sure she thought I would try to do something equally horrible (such as brushing her teeth) if she ventured too close.

The errands involved getting some school supplies, new computer desks, and a chair for Mike, which all took some time. When we finally got home, it was time for dinner, so while I got that together, Mike started the assembly process on the desks. He devoted the rest of the night to putting the office back together, and when I got up the next morning, everything was connected, assembled, and set up. He's so awesome. And now the dining room table is actually back in the dining room again. It's nice knowing that there's room for all of us to sit down at the same time if we want to.

Sunday was a nice, lazy day. I did a lot of reading with H, did some housework, and got some of my homework done periodically throughout the day, while Mike spent time with the kids. After we dropped them off at their mom's, we had dinner at Hooters. Mike completely surprised me; we had discussed going out to dinner, but we hadn't come to any agreement, so I figured we were just going to eat at home, but he waited till the last minute then turned into Hooter's. We had a nice, relaxing dinner - appreciating the scenery, talking about the movie we'd watched earlier (Ginger Snaps: Unleashed) and just enjoying each other's company. Well, I know I enjoyed his company. I'm fairly certain he enjoyed mine, but you'd have to ask him to find out the truth.

When we got home, we were on the computers for a bit, then Mike played some football on the Xbox while I read till we called it a night. By the time we went to bed, it still didn't feel like the weekend should be over, but I was worn out. Hopefully this week will go by as quickly as the weekend did.

Posted by oracle at 9:51 AM | Comments (0)

August 27, 2004

hot and sweaty

But not for any fun reasons, so I'm kinda disappointed. Productivity is not glamorous work, y'all. I've been getting some files archived today, which is good because they'll be out of the office and not taking up space here anymore, but bad because now I'm a mess. Bleh. I just want a shower and a nice cold lemonade. Is that too much to ask?

Posted by oracle at 2:52 PM | Comments (0)

feel the burn

This is going to be a kick-ass semester. Last night's class was awesome, and for the second night in a row I left campus feeling extremely positive and jazzed. The class is going to be more physical than I anticipated, but that's a plus because it's going to reinforce the overall health goals I set for this semester, as well as the changes Mike and I want to make starting next week. I'm still dissatisfied with some things, but I think that the combination of this semester's classes and Mike's support will help that. Once I start making changes in some areas, I'll be able to use that momentum to change other areas as well.

Posted by oracle at 8:53 AM | Comments (0)

August 26, 2004

sleep is important

It is also something I haven't been getting enough of apparently, because I'm dragging ass today. It was extremely difficult to get out of bed this morning, and the "I want a nap" feeling hasn't gone away as the day's gone on. Quite the contrary in fact - it's been getting stronger and stronger. I even contemplated crashing for about an hour before tonight's class, but I don't think that's a good idea. Even if by some miracle I managed to not oversleep, it'd probably take me at least half the class time to wake back up, and by then it's just not worth it. I'll just have to hope it's a short intro class so I can come home and get to bed.

Last night's class was very interesting. It's not going to be an easy one, that's for sure, but it is going to be good. The teacher reminds me a lot of my trainer, which is awesome, and she works with my mom. (Not closely, granted, but she's in the same building, so it counts.) The class is going to focus on communication in all its forms instead of just public speaking, so that's a plus. The projects are going to be very time-consuming, but this is a class I'm going to learn a lot from, so it's going to be an interesting semester. Another plus is that I've gotten off to a good start with my good classwork/study habit plan. Instead of waiting till the last minute to start working on things, I'm planning ahead and brainstorming, trying to come up with ideas. I've even started the homework already. Quite a change from last year's "wait till right before class" method, huh? It's a good thing I decided to get serious about this beforehand, otherwise that class would've thrown me for a loop. Since I did make that decision, I'm more excited than I am apprehensive. Sure, there's nervousness combined with the occasional lazy "Aw, crap. I'm going to have to work in this class" thought, but for the most part, I'm jazzed. When the not-so-jazzed thoughts creep in, I change them and get back to the plan I made. This is a challenge I'm ready for, and I'm excited about that.

Posted by oracle at 2:24 PM | Comments (0)

August 25, 2004

books? check. schedule? check. yep, looks like I'm set.

Yep, it looks like I'm all ready to go back to class tonight. This is a speech/communication class, so it should be pretty interesting. As those who've met me can testify, I tend to talk a lot, so the speech part won't be anything new. But the communication bit? That might present a bit of a challenge. Seriously though, I don't really like speaking in front of anything more than an extremely small crowd, and I'm not always good at actually communicating, so I'm looking forward to this class in particular. I think I can learn a lot from it. Okay, I'm a bit nervous too, but that'll go away. Before I know it, it'll be the end of the semester again and I'll have a new set of skills to use.

Posted by oracle at 5:40 PM | Comments (0)

August 22, 2004

sleep

As you lay sleeping
I watch you and think about our time together,
the changes the past year has seen,
the ways you've enriched my life.
Your face is relaxed - a half smile on your lips,
I enjoy seeing you this serene;
the toll the recent stress has taken on you fades away,
and you're at peace for a few moments at least.

Posted by oracle at 7:23 PM | Comments (0)

August 19, 2004

goals are good

And while I'm not making too much progress on some of them, I am kicking ass on others. I don't want to go into too much detail, so I'm just going to make a short list of what my goal topics are, that way I have a reminder that I can't loose. I might elaborate on them later, but for now all you get is the cryptic version.

working on:
money
school
job
procrasatinating
cleaning
work clothes
hair
house
yard
TR, et al
books
magazines
exercise
cooking
pierces
tattoos
H&M
site
album
projects
kit
experimenting

I'm sure there'll be additions and subtractions as time goes on, but that's it for the moment.

Posted by oracle at 8:02 AM | Comments (0)

August 18, 2004

flash flood

I've been drinking a lot of water lately, which has led to several trips to the bathroom, of which the latest one was, by far, the most interesting. I'd just finished up and was about to stand up when the toilet flushed. That wasn't terribly unusual since it's one of those with the sensors that flushes automatically, however, the geyser of water that came out of the toilet is d