Stories I Tell

It's been over two years since I posted to this journal. But I feel pulled back here (vs. all FB posts) ... so more to come soon.

-sb

Before bidding November adieu, and moving further into 'the holiday season', I wanted to note an amusing give-and-take that took place, mostly on our front step, after Halloween.
 
You might say, as pookah did, that it was somewhat akin to leaving out 'food for squirrels'. But I saw it as relatively cheap fun, and an amusing example of (calculated) animal antics. :-)

	As part of our Halloween/autumnal decorations this year, we decorated three mini-pumpkins with metal piece sets to create an owl, a turkey, and a cat, respectively.
	Early on Halloween, we moved the mini-pumpkins and jack-o-lantern outside to sit near our medium pumpkins and outdoor decorations. The kids had fun leaning over and checking them out when we would head to or from the car.   Before Halloween, we'd noticed a few light chomp marks on two of the medium pumpkins. We wondered if it was done by squirrel, bunny, or other. It was the first year any of our front-step pumpkins had been 'messed' with, and this year, the next-door neighbor had had one of her early pumpkins chomped on as well.
	The answer came two days later, when the kids and I came home to catch a squirrel, with full cheeks, leaning over the 'cat'. Red-handed, indeed! It gave me the momentary 'oh crap!' look and then ran away. Then we noticed the cat's new look.   Then, sometime early the next morning, the cat vanished altogether, metal pieces and all! All that was left was some telltale pumpkin shavings on the step. I guess the squirrel(s), once discovered, decided to up the ante and take their food and run! ;-)
	Later that day, after coming home and sitting down for lunch, I looked out the back door and caught sight of a squirrel (and his partner in crime, who I now call 'buddy squirrel') in the grass nearby. He hopped along, stopping in plain sight near the base of our stairs -- with a familiar mini-pumpkin in tow. When I opened the door, he tried to grab it and run, then thought different of it, and they dashed up the hill, to the backyard fence, and up a tree.   I picked up the more-munched pumpkin, and saw the cat face a step or two over. But even before that part came off, they seemed quite nimble at moving and eating around the metal.
	Then, the next morning, I opened the front door and laughed. Now the turkey was gone! I was amused by the somewhat cloak-and-dagger maneuvers of the squirrel tag-team, since I know the turkey had been there as of at least 2am that morning (when I went outside to get something from my car).   I liked the metal sets, but they were inexpensive and (if need be) replaceable next year. As long as I didn't step on metal pieces in the yard, or have a mini-pumpkin dropped on my head from the trees, or have them going after our other flower bed plants, I was flexible. I was also surprised they went for the turkey next, as it had a lot more metal pieces to work around (vs. the owl).
	But in the end, it didn't matter. The squirrels, learning(?) from the loss of the cat pumpkin, found a 'better' spot for the turkey. And the next day, the owl was gone, also not to be seen again.   We have since raked the leaves across the yard, and there have been no mini-pumpkin or metal-piece sightings. I haven't looked under the deck, or investigated the squirrel twosome's favorite tree. The two squirrels do hang around the area, tho', and keep an eye on the house when in our yard looking for nuts or other food.

So, there you go. While I would have liked to have kept the metal parts, I wanted to see what the squirrels would do, and I was ok 'recycling' the pumpkins in a different way.

-sb

To ease my way back into some blogging, I present two situations, from the past few days, which I'll list under the heading of: 'I swear I'm not trying to catch the house on fire'. :-P

1.) I have periodically plugged my computer power cord into the small surge protector strip behind my nightstand. It is the same outlet strip where the N's video monitor is plugged in. The way the cords go, the two rubbed into each other but I figured, they're insulated, it should be fine. Well, I guess the computer cord finally bent more than it was comfortable with. I used a different outlet to recharge the computer one night, a few days ago. The next morning, I discovered that the computer had charged, but the cord had a funny brown mark on it, toward the base. Turns out, it was a partial break, with some exposed wire, and some toasting of the outside wrap. Yikes. An expensive 'lesson' in picking a different outlet all the time, even if not the most convenient, as 85W Mac power cords are not cheap. But they are far cheaper than fire/smoke damage to a house.

2.) I put a (less-used) decorative kiddie plate in the microwave, to quick-heat some (previously-cooked) peas to take the chill off before I gave them to N as part of dinner tonight. Two out of seven seconds later, I hear a sound that is *not* a pea popping or the like. I look in, to see a miniature flame in the center of the plate. Stopped, pulled out the plate (with black sides to a few peas), switched to regular plate, and retried. This time, no issues. Still, jeez. If it's outright bad for a microwave, I wish they'd joined the disclaimer generation and put a note on the bottom. :-P

-sb

In a recent photo, with my hair pulled back in a ponytail (my standard M.O.), I noticed that while I still have brown hair overall, there was a distinctive gray 'streak' along one side. I know I've had more 'salt' in with the 'pepper' in recent months/years, but it's the first time I noticed a distinctive swath of it.

I've never dyed my hair -- aside from going spray-on-black for a Halloween costume one year. It's kinda neat to see how my natural shade has tweaked itself over the years. Also, part of me expected to face graying (or outright gray) hair in my late teens (like my mom) or my early 20s. Having outlasted that is a pleasant surprise, and keeping my hair 'natural' up to this point, while not an active goal, is a minor point of pride.

But the gray swath did remind me of the occasional for-fun browsing I did back in high school, curious what my hair would look like in this shade or that. And now I wonder, do I just let the hair do its thing, and if I partially or fully gray, so be it? Or do I have a point where I decide it's time to color it?

For now, it's the former. But if it switches to the latter down the road ... what color would I pick? In high school, I wondered about red-browns. But the Halloween costume (and my Sango wig) taught me there are shades that are too dark for me and my frame/skin, long-term (like black). Maybe I'd go back to the dirty blonde of my high school/college days? Or find a lighter brown/red, if there's such a thing.

-sb

Of the top stories as of late, I've spent the most time with the royal wedding in England. I didn't get up early to watch it, but I enjoyed the related stories/photo galleries (before and after), and a few video clips. I'm not a 'royal watcher,' or a big dress-up or make-up person myself, but I enjoy flipping thru people.com (and occasionally other) celebrity photos as a 'people watching' kind of activity. I like seeing the dresses (colors, designs, concepts), some of the stories, etc. Cheap fun, as I have no desire to go out and buy any of it.

As for the wedding, I liked seeing the outfits (wedding party and guests), am intrigued by the stress on hats and fascinators, and read a number of abbreviated back-stories (e.g., British weddings not usually having a 'best man' or 'maid of honor', and the two boys in the wedding party being sons of Buckingham Palace staff instead of royals). For Catherine's dress, yes I see the comparison to Grace Kelly. Given her/their attention to other details (e.g., English/Irish/Welsh elements combined in the cake, flowers, music), I wonder if that is unintentional. It also reminded me a bit of my wedding dress, at least the see-thru sleeves/overlay concept. They live in a different 'world' than I, but I wish all the best for William and Catherine, including some ability to stay grounded and resume their life in Wales after this huge of a spotlight/event. (At least, until they need to step up as Prince/Princess and later King/Queen.) And for Catherine to forge her own path, vs. always being compared to Diana.

-sb

Tomorrow (and possibly tonight) is lining up to be stormy. I thought the severe t-storm/tornado outbreak last week stood out (much in the Midwest/South, but also VA, PA, and a tornado that hit Linganore Winery in Mt. Airy west of Baltimore).

But they are calling today's outbreak in the Midwest/South as possibly akin to the Super Outbreak of 1974. The photos and video from Alabama et al is both impressive and sad. We may get an early taste of the storms tonight, but so far, anything major has gone around us. Although a t-storm cell approaching Randallstown (west side of Baltimore) was enough to send my friend and her kids to the basement for 7 minutes after Channel 2 put out an alert and the radar showed a clear 'hook'.

I occasionally wonder if we actually have a 'safe room' in our house in the unlikely event of a tornado. Our lower level/'basement' is actually 1/2 above ground in the front of the house, and a walk-out in the backyard. The only room down there sans a window is the bathroom, which is on the walk-out side. There is a sliding door closet (with metal doors with full-length mirrors on one side) near the front, but I'm not sure if that's any better. Or the crawl space that ducks under the mid-floor of our house, but I can't see holding up with two small children unless all other options are bad.

Theoretically, we're headed to storytime at the library tomorrow morning, but I'll gauge that on the weather in the morning, and how the kids are feeling (N is generally chipper, but low-grade feverish and a bit extra-food-picky this week, as she has multiple teeth/molars coming up at once; and J had a bad dream last night that really chopped up her sleep). I generally opt against stir-crazy kiddos at home, but we'll stay put if needed -- not worth heading out in extra crappy weather if we don't have to.

-sb

pookah is headed back from the Capitals' playoff game win in DC. I've led more of a domestic existence tonight, with Mom joining us for a short walk and dinner. And now, with the kids asleep, it's been a time for moving laundry along, surfing da Internet, and nudging myself to catch up on LJ.

I don't get here as much as I used to, as Facebook often serves the 'quick check-in' purpose. A lot of LJ friends have gone relatively 'silent' as well, for the same or a different/unknown reason. But it is here that, when I wrap my thoughts around it, I get more detailed stuff down -- or approach topics I skip with the wider FB friends base.

FB does serve a purpose, and I've reconnected with some unexpected people. But I don't want to bail on LJ. I just need to muster the focus and energy some evenings to type at greater lengths. Actually, now and then, I should also compile some FB updates into a private LJ post, to keep record of them.

It's good to see some LJ friends still posting, tho'. Keep it up!

-sb

The first item checked off the 2011 Resolutions list was finishing the last season of Queer as Folk. I had watched up to the middle of Season 5 with ceri_blue and wmtrainguy pre-kids -- but finishing it got shelved (and was a lower priority) due to busy schedules, kid(s), and other priorities. We decided to watch the rest separately, and I picked it up late last year via Netflix. I'd forgotten some things in Season 5, so I ended up back a disc for a refresher.

The show is known for its sexual nature, but the plot holds it own. They threw in some definite flash/turning points late in Season 5, and Season 6 ('The Final Season') sorts through the ripple effects while adding personal and political drama of its own. It was very heavy at times.

I was more interested in some plotlines than others (Emmett, Lindsay/Mel, Hunter, and usually Brian/Justin). And after chewing on the 'ending' for a few days, I got more comfortable with it. Hunter's wrap-up, in particular, was simple but well done. I think they tried a little too hard with Emmett and Ted, but A for effort. I'd hoped for better with Lindsay/Mel (and maybe Brian/Justin), but I get it -- something too settled may have felt odd on its own right.

I also liked watching Brian at work at Kinnetik (his ad agency). How mannerisms we saw play out in his personal life form a very cool but calculating work strategy, and his ability to see thru people's fronts.

I'm not trying to dis Michael, Ben, Debbie, and Carl. They were interesting, Michael was a key part of Season 6's plot, and Debbie always wears her emotions on her sleeves. Just not my favorites plotlines.

The bonus features on the last disc were neat to watch. I particularly liked the spotlight on the show's lead costume designer, and how he evolved characters' looks (but still matched the personalities) over six seasons. The mini-blooper reel was a peek at the actors themselves (and how they react to fudging/forgetting lines ;-) ). And I learned about The Trevor Project, which Debbie/Ben/Lindsay talked about.

So I feel accomplished in getting thru the series, but I guess it's time to move on. My next mini-series (a la Netflix) is Helen Mirren's 'Elizabeth I'.

-sb

pookah and I attended Otakon this year (along with our friend JF, and thousands of other con-goers). It was my first time back since 2006.

The grandparents chipped in and babysat the kiddos, so that we could go solo Fri. and Sat., including attending longer workshops/episodes/signings as desired. Sometimes we stuck together; sometimes we split up to do different things in the same time slot, then met-up afterward. I opted for no costuming this year; I preferred low-key prep after we got the kiddos fed and settled. (And Fri. I was coming off an early-morning stop at TotSwap with J, and bringing back one big and a few small finds from there.)

( Collapse )

And a favorite part of any anime convention (for me) is looking at all the costumes, both well-done and not-so-much. I don't know as many newer anime titles/references as pookah and JF, but regardless, I love costuming detail when done well. (And sometimes, pointing out the 'holy crap' when it's done badly.) One of my favorites this year was a 'simpler'-looking costume that looks like it took a lot of time/TLC -- a Final Fantasy tonberry! Also in the FF vein, I encountered a very well done FFX Lulu (with whom I chatted about the logistics of hanging the belts in the skirt, etc., as it's a favorite FF character of mine), and later Auron. Also two good two-person costume combos -- Jin and Fuu (from 'Samurai Champloo') spotted in the merch room, and Kurogane and Fay (from 'Tsubasa') randomly spotted outside. The latter was Sat., after everyone had to vacate the convention center after someone pulled a fire alarm (boo for stupid people, but yea for lucky costume find!) Here's the photos I took at Otakon.

Food-wise, we did runs to Harborplace -- an Irish place for Fri. dinner (eh, not that impressed, places closer to home are better), Hooters for lunch following the fire alarm (actually, my offering, as I like their food, and don't mind the atmosphere), and Noodles and Co. for Sat. dinner.

-sb

P.S. We'd originally thought of bringing the kiddos Sun. to walk around and people-watch, but I opted to stay home that day, and pookah went for 1-2 things and then came home. So they got a pass on the masses and busy hallways of Otakon. We'll try bringing them to a smaller convention in the coming year.

Shopping for glasses is interesting but not super-fun when it's reactive, not proactive.

After the side of my glasses snapped 7/25, I've been on a slow but increasingly deliberate search for a new pair. pookah and Mom/MIL have helped watch the kids so I can scout solo -- little here, little there -- which helps. It's been a little under 2 years since my last eye exam, but I found out yesterday that I qualify for a new one, maybe because we changed insurance plans this year.

I've perused JCP, LensCrafters, Pearl, and a local shop. Some of the pairs that look best (and are not super-expensive) also tend to be simpler. As much as I try to rock something more creative or artsy, it really doesn't work well on me. The closest seems to be a pair that's metallic dark green, or a set with a white/blue swirl pattern on the sides, and they're still slight streches.

TBD whether it's worth going past spring hinges to get 'memory metal' glasses that, theoretically, can bounce back from twists (akin to the one these got a few weeks ago from J, which probably led toward the snap). But I do think I'll skip the transitional lenses this time. With two small pairs of hands vying for them, I want something that's relatively inexpensive to get me thru the major 'grabbing' phase.

As it stands, tho', unless I pay rush or LensCrafter fees, I may not have the new glasses for a few weeks. May see if FIL can solder the side back onto these for the interim. But in the meantime, the 2/3rd glasses stay in place and help me see. It just looks weird from the side. My existing 'backup pair' is pretty beat to hell, and more for emergencies. So this 2/3rds pair may become the 'back-up' and the new pair the main set.

-sb