stasia

So we're going on a trip, Geordie and I. Originally we were planning on going to the Lost Coast, but now it looks like we're going to head up further north. He's thinking we might make Washington State, but I'm not sure. We might stop off on the way too much.

I still have packing to do (clothes are easy - projects to work on on the way? Much harder.), but really, all we'll need is ourselves, clothes and ID.

This is very exciting!

We'll be doing lots of geocaching and stopping into yarn stores. And stopping and staring at the ocean and taking pictures. Yes, Joesther, I'll post them. I did put up some pictures recently - I'll see about getting organized enough to post more, okay? I know I have lots.

*hugs you all*

We had a lovely Thanksgiving Day - there were around 40 or so people at Acromantular's house. We ended up on a couch, all of us, with Merrie and I on Geordie's lap, all of us chatting happily to Joesther and anyone who wandered by... and entertaining the three little under-5-year-olds, who were entranced by Merrie's Magic Origami Abilities! Yay for hours of making dragons and frogs and free-form baby birds. Good food, good friends. Good life.

Time to go pack snacks, then go to sleep. G'night.

Stasia

Okay, I have mindlessness for you all, on this American Holiday.

First of all, everyone should make their own Disaster Diorama. Really.

(I so want to get back into making dioramae. Maybe sometime soon I can get started on something small.)

Folding Trees seems to have a good set of crafty tutorials and interesting things to look at.

I like this idea for re-using... or rather, using junk mail: Junk Mail Art.

I'm off to dinner - I'm sure I'll have more to say later.

I hope everyone out there has a wonderful day, holiday or not.

*hugs you all*

Stasia

So, I have one class today still (Chem, this evening, I wonder if we'll have a lab... ugh), and then all my classes BUT ONE on Wednesday are cancelled. I can't wait - I want to have time off.

Which is whiny, considering I don't do much except school and Home Making. Eh.

I think I've figured out next semester's classes. I'm thinking of taking two of the classes online - which would be interesting, don't you think?

Anyway, here's what I'm thinking of doing:

Physiology (required for the nursing transfer)
PoliSci (required for the Gen Ed transfer, and possibly online)
Anthropology (possibly required for the Gen Ed at CSU-East Bay, and possibly online)

And, in order to get an AA degree, I'll need to take a basic Computer Literacy course. Which I can't take, because really? Basic Computer literacy? I'll gnaw my way out of the room before the first class is even halfway over... so I'm going to challenge the class. I can't imagine I'll fail the test. Really...

Sooo... I'm thinking of taking a C Programming course. *grin* What do you think? There's also a Diesel Mechanic's course I could take, or maybe drawing or ... but programming! And mechanic! Useful courses!

*grin*

Anyway, I'll let you know. I think this all sounds like fun, though.

Stasia

Photos are here. It's too late in the evening for me to try to link to each picture individually.

Have fun, guys. I'll talk to you about the pictures tomorrow, okay?

G'night.

*sleepy*

Stasia

All in all, life is funny. We've gotten up early (early-ish; we got out of bed at 6:20 this morning, rather than the 6am we'd intended) and drove to Treasure Island to see the sunrise - and to take pictures. I have to upload some of the other pictures I've taken; I have so many things to show you. Maybe I should do a big upload today, so that you can all be ready for the swarm of Thanksgiving Related Photographs...

Anyway, Merrie's off to play with her boyfriend. She's wearing an outfit that implies that she's not going to the Capture the Flag game she says she's going to, but I don't know. Maybe she's just ... creatively dressed. Eh.

We stayed on Treasure Island until the sun rose, giving us brilliant reflections from the windows of downtown SF and then drove to the top of Twin Peaks and took more (windy) pictures. From there we tumbled down to the coast again, and stopped off at Seal Rock Inn for breakfast (which I can wholly endorse, as they make their own hollandaise sauce. The coffee's not spectacular, but it's not awful.). The best part, from an amused-parent sort of way is that Merrie, who's been known to be spectacularly late for things that don't interest her tons... texted me to make sure we were going to be home in time to get her to her boyfriend's house on time. She even ended up calling, even, anxiously asking how close we were to home.

The funniest part? We told her what time we'd be home, and she said she'd be outside waiting. We got there, even a bit early... and then waited for at least 8 minutes for her to come outside. So, even anxious about time, she's late. *grin* Teenagers!

Now Geordie's playing a computer game (Call of Duty 4, I think) and working his way through the levels. *boggle* He achieved the Mission Object for that level, but then it all ended in nuclear fire!

I'll be working on papers for Merrie's school and Chemistry homework.

I had to go to the Palace of the Legion of Honor for Art History class, so we went there yesterday. On the way, we stopped off at a pet store that Geordie knows about to get Buttercat a cat-tree. She has a new 4-level tree, with carpeting and a nice semi-enclosed top. She's up there now, staring directly into the bird-feeder. I'll take pictures, so you can all be amused. She was so excited by it (and by the catnip I rubbed into it for her) that she fell off the top while rolling around. She's silly.

Anyway, the museum is quite nice. I didn't know that they had The Broken Pitcher or The Bath. I chose to use Rest on the Flight to Egypt as the subject of my paper for Art History. It's small, approachable and intimate. Plus, it's one of the few religious paintings I saw that showed them as a family, rather than Holy Objects.

I want to do some pre-trip planning - maybe find some yarn stores on the way, and make sure I have enough knitting. (Right. Like I'll ever have not-enough knitting.) Also, I'm going to acromantular's for Thanksgiving dinner itself, and I'm making Cippolines, only I'm using shallots. I'll make that on Wednesday night, I think.

Okay. Back to work. I'll see you all again soon, with pictures.

*hugs*

Stasia

So, on today's list was cleaning out the fridge. I've been putting it off - I'm lazy.

Anyway, it's much cleaner now. I am reminded that, no matter how much I think I'm going to use them, leftovers won't get used.

Unless I have clear ideas about using something in a lunch, I have to be sure to only make enough for one day's meals. We just don't seem to "do" leftovers.

*sigh*

Okay, on to the next thing. Laundry is laundering itself in the robot-thingy for laundry. I have a TON of clothes upstairs to put away. I'm thinking that I'll make a quesadilla for lunch, then go tackle the Pile 'O Doom. This would be much easier if I had someone to talk to. Wanna come over and chat?

After that, maybe I'll wash the dishes that aren't dishwasher-style, and see about some Chemistry. Hmmm...

Stasia

I've posted in the Holiday Wishes comm for as many years as there's been a comm... I think that's four years now? Anyway, here's my list.

*sigh*

It's mostly things for other people, really.

Holiday Wishes ‘08

Hmmm. Well, I guess that there isn’t too much I really want. I mean, it’s more stuff to dust, break, use…

However, here’s what I’ve come up with. Next, I’ll go and see if I can’t find ten (10) (or more) things to give. Yay Holidays!


1. This one can’t really be *given to me* as it’s not really for me, but… I’d like for all my friends to be healthy and happy and well. This year has been stressful and unhappy for many people, and I’d like that to stop – I wish for their lives to be easier and happier.


2. Go find someone who is in need, you know, homeless, hopeless, and help them. If that means donating some small change, do that. If you have time to donate time, please do. What goes around comes around. Let’s all try to make the thing going around a good thing.


3. I’ve seen this in a couple of lists, and it sounds like fun. A care package – a small box with interesting things that you think would be fun/nice/delightful/useful/engaging/pretty.


4. Interesting scrapbooking/cardmaking supplies. Odd papers you have, but don’t want. Texturizing sheets you don’t use. Oddments of rub-ons or stickers or chipboard shapes you don’t like, but don’t want to throw out. I make miniature books and everything gets used…


5. Cards or postcards or candy from all around the world. I’ll happily send out return cards and postcards and candy from where I am. I’m in California, in the US.


6. I’d like a chance to get my children’s stories published; a *real* publisher to look at them and like them enough to give me a contract for them.

Most important, though, is this:

7. World Peace. Just stop hating each other, everyone. Sheesh. So we’re all different. That’s supposed to be the NEAT part, not the part that tears us all apart.

Really, upon thought, I have most things I want. These are just bits and pieces that would be fun to get in the mail – the important things are those for others.

*hugs you all*

Stasia

(I'm home, doing homework that needs printing out, so I'm not really online. No, really. I'm not.)

However, I saw this post on Copperbadge's journal, and as it's something I believe in, I want to pass it on.

No matter how one feels about our involvement in other countries, those are OUR people out there, being shot at. They deserve our support. Many of them ... um, most of them would rather be anywhere else.

Don't Send Glitter

I think I'll be sending some cards.

Stasia

ETA: Huh. I just re-read this and that "OUR people" thing struck me. There are people from all over who are dying in these war zones. My comment was not intended to minimise at all the horror, pain and destruction the fighting is causing. The organizations are US based, and I believe the troops who get these cards are US troops. I'm not sure if there are non-US groups doing something similar, but I'd bet there are. If you know of one, send me the information and I'll post it here. And send a card for them as well.

Wow - I'd love to see this in person, wouldn't you?



And how they did it:




*sigh* That would be a fun job, wouldn't it?

Stasia

OMG, it's done. It's so much shorter than I wanted to make it, and it ends earlier in the relationship, but it's done, it's decent and I didn't have to drop out.

I was so close to having to drop and I felt so bad about that; I've never dropped out of a fest, ever.

*falls over*

I'm going to go have a celebratory cup of tea, now. Bye!

Stasia

So, on the 20th, we're going to see Ludovico Einaudi, which delights me tons and tons. I heard his music for the first time a few years ago and was just enchanted. Here's an example of his music, Divenire.

I have to be writing - my Snusa is due right now... and it's not done. *sigh*

One of my friends was hit by a bus, Monday last week, and her girlfriend called me to tell me ... yesterday. She said that my friend was embarrassed to call me. *blinks, sadly* We'll be visiting, with fruit. She's asked for fruit. She's got a giant metal pole in her leg, now, and her acetabulum has been re-created... and the broken femur that stuck right through her skin has been put back, but... but my poor friend.

Anyway, we got up this morning at 6:20 and went out to take pictures of the morning and to have breakfast. There's a restaurant, Louis', at the End Of The World, up above the Sutro Baths. The food is ... basic diner, but the views are lovely.

I have found a few amusing posts: Princess Bride Classes, Why the Obamas shouldn't adopt a goldendoodle, which links to The Incident With The Sweet Potato, and the Elk make a a nice doghouse. And a story detailing why time travel often doesn't work, an apparently seminal (*giggle*) story by Heinlein called All You Zombies.

Okay. Writing. Really. Must write.

We saw Quantum of Solace last night - it's fun, light (well, Bond leaves an impressive trail of death behind him, doesn't he?), and and and why the oil on the girl and exactly how does that timeline work? Right.

*dives into words*

Stasia

So. I don't know anyone on my father's side. Really. Not even him. It's a looong story, and ... well, not exactly relevent right now.

However.

I got an email from a woman who says she's my cousin on his side, the daughter of his brother. One of his brothers. He apparently also had a sister. I checked with my mother's brother, Uncle Morrie, and yes, this brother does, in fact, exist.

The woman's email is very polite, not pushy, and open for more communication...

What do I do? Do I respond? Do I say I'm interested in knowing her? I am interested in the medical history on that side, for myself and for Merrie, but...

But...

And here the difference between my family and other familes becomes stark.

I have heard stories about people finding each other on the 'net, and they fall together like... well, like long-lost-relatives. And I'm thrilled that they feel this way. A woman was researching family members with my mother's maiden name (and hers as well) (long and Russian), and she told my uncle that everywhere she'd found people with the name, Brazil, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, she'd gone to visit and had been met at the airports by crowds of people delighted to meet her and welcome her into the family. I can't imagine that - I'd feel like I was being greeted by a crowd of perfect strangers who were hugging me and welcoming me... but they have no idea who I am. They don't know what I'm like - I could be awful.

So, I'm torn about this email. She's a stranger - everyone on that side of the family is. My mother's stories about my father were never complimentary... on the other hand, my mother was a past, present and future master of re-writing history so that things weren't her fault and so that everyone was against her. She'd been known to change entire events, remove events, remove people... so I can't really, as an adult, trust her judgement on these people.

But I'm not feeling the upsurge of joy - this new woman isn't 'part of my family'.

So, I put it to you. What would you do? How? How much information would you give - she gave her phone numbers and her address, and her whole name. But she'd want to, to prove that she's really who she says she is, right?

I don't know.

Stasia

I have a Chemistry mid-term today. I've been studying, but I did for the previous one and I didn't do so well. I can't take less than an A in the class, or my chances for getting into nursing school are lowered... dramatically. Some schools have cut-off points at 3.74 GPA. That's one B in all of your classes. I took a B in Micro, last semester.

I have emailed the teacher to see what my grade is, and if I'm doing okay, but he hasn't responded yet.

*sigh*

I passed my Art History mid-term, without much trying, and my grade in all of my other classes, the 'fluffy' ones is an A. It's just this one class.

And in a way, it's not really that hard, but there's a lot to remember and the different bits and pieces are all very similar (an acid has one ending, but take away an O... and you have something else. Um, an aldehyde. Ketones have that same ending, only not at the end. If you oxidise an aldehyde you get an acid, but if you oxidise a ketone you get a ... a... dammit, see? You CAN'T, because that would break the C=O double bond. You get ketones from oxidation, but you can't oxidise them further.)

Okay. *whimper*

I have class all day today, all of my fluffy classes... and then no real break and then the mid term and ... tears. I'll be stopping off for coffee before hand. Salty coffee is always good.

It turns out that my Snusa is late. I thought I had until the 15th - I had until the 10th. So I've requested an extension, and I'll be turning it in on the 15th. *write write write*

I also owe: one continuation of Never More (plotted, but not written) and one cookbook (worked on but not formatted).

And I have a hat to felt and at least one lace shawl to finish (by early December, I think), and maybe a felted bunny to make. Eeep.

I can has extra time, nao?

I have to go back to making lunches for me and Merrie. Parsley rice, with shrimps on top and soy sauce in tiny little squeezy fishes. She gets carrot and peas as a side dish. I'm getting carrot and peas and some cheese, I think. Nom.

Stasia

Well, I need handwriting fonts for my Snusa... and while trolling about I found this. It's NSFW, by the way.

Cocksure

*giggles*

I think I'll have to download that, don't you?

Stasia

What happened to my writing? I read over my older stuff and it's fluid and clear and evocative. Visual. I'm struggling so much now, to produce such thin images.

Where did that go, that ability to translate the vibrant, lush worlds in my head onto word-pictures?

*sigh*

Back to work.

Stasia

How many calories are in a pomegranate? Only I think I'm going to eat this entire one mostly by myself. Yummmm... *nomnomnom*

I should be writing, really, but my fingers want to be eating pomegranate seeds. *sigh* And I have Chemistry work to do also, but I'm actually studying with someone this evening! I'm very excited - I hope it helps.

Okay. Back to writing.

Stasia

I have to get my Snusa story finished... I'm working on it, but somehow it's flowing better on actual paper rather than in pixels. *sigh* I'll need a fast beta for this, I think.

Stasia

Weekends are too short.

Saturday I went to a baby shower for two people who are friends of Geordie's; they've been trying to get pregnant for a long time and they finally are. Well, she is. He's spectating for this part. (We went out to dinner with this couple several months ago, and I was amused to hear that the father to be (Geordie's friend) is a neat freak, who only really is comfortable with his wife (who's sweet-but-dim) having mess in one room. He's about to have a baby - one of the most mess-inducing creatures in the world. And he thinks that it's possible to keep the house neat. Riiiiight.)

Anyway, I made a knitted baby set - jacket, hat and baby socks. The other guests were all suburban mothers, all ... erm, right of me politically. I managed to keep my mouth shut while they discussed politics and Prop 8 and immigrant aliens and what pregnant women shouldn't be allowed to eat or not eat... *argh*

Anyway, we went to dinner, then picked Merrie up from her school, where she was ushering the school play. Got to bed late, but all in all it was a good day.

Today we dropped Merrie off at a friend's to spend the day with a pile of people... and we went off to have lunch with Bellacrow. We talked yarn over the table at the restaurant - the nice waiter wasn't even phased. Then back to pick the kid up and home for dinner.

Geordie's going in crazy early again tomorrow, so I've made lunches already. I have his tea set up and all we need to do in the morning is boil water.

I'm not ready for the weekend to be over. There's still so much I want to get done.

*whine*

Stasia

If you have a burr grinder, don't forget to clean it. Gently scrape out any built up grounds inside, then run several handsful of plain, dry rice through it. You'll notice a lovely return to quick, fast, well-ground coffee.

I'm still cleaning things around here.

Stasia

*sigh*

I'll be bringing knitting for my Wait In The Voting Lines. Hmmm, I should bring something fun, huh? Or no, maybe something boring. Eh. Knitting, at any rate.

Given the shenanigans that have been swirling around this election, I didn't change my address from the apartment, so my polling place is my old one, at the school. It just seemed unnecessary to change, and potentially risky. How awful that I have to think that in this day and age and in this country. Anyway, I've filled out my reminder of how to vote form and I'll be voting as soon as I drop Merrie off.

Then I'm NOT going to look at the news again until tomorrow. I can't stand it. This type of anticipation is agony for me.

In other news, Merrie got the futon folded for me, so I'll be working up there today. I'll set it up so Butter can sit on the back of the futon and look out the window - that'll be nice for her. She can stare directly into the tree branches that way: birdies galore.

I have another Chem midterm in a week or so. Eeep. I'll be studying for that, as well.

Time to go make Merrie's lunch. Up and at 'em.

Stasia