charts, facts, figures

Despite the rain--which reminds me that gosh, I love thunderstorms--I went for a 2-mile walk around my neighborhood and it was really fun to see the different architecture styles and the overall cuteness of San Francisco. Especially Kite Hill, which is an "open space" park that has really pretty plants and greenery. My camera's battery had run out, but next time I will bring it and take pictures. I did a very similar-ish walk as shown here in Stairway Walks in San Francisco by Adah Bakalinsky, which I might need to borrow from the library and perhaps even buy. It's nice to feel healthy by wandering around outdoors. Added benefit is feeling like a badass for marching up hills in the middle of the rain *grin* In my Googles, I found a cool book - Keeping a nature journal: discover a whole new way of seeing the world around you. 'Cause who doesn't want a nature journal?

Mystery writer Robert B. Parker passed away on Monday. I love his books--my parents were big readers of his Spenser series (where he kicked butt with his BFF Hawk on the streets of Boston) and so was I. His others series' (Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall) are also quite fun. Not the most brain-busting of books, as they're pretty predictable and heavy on the snappy dialogue and short chapters, but comfortable in a familiar and fun universe with funny good-meaning people. I'm in love with the fact that he wrote every morning, even the morning that he passed away. *sniffle*

I'll have to go to the library and get some more. Also, I am fascinated that Parker wrote his dissertation on Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and Ross Macdonald. To read is also this article, Thoreau and the Hard Boiled Dick, about Spenser (and Parker's) referencing of Thoreau.

I feel like every time I get on here I apologize for being scarce, so let's skip that part, shall we? I've been very stressed and le tired (which really means I've been le procrastinating and stuck with my head in le metaphorical sand, but whatevs), though it's been great to get back to frisbee and play some now that I'm not out of town. Fortunately, while it's not CLOSE to the new apartment (did I say we got the new apartment? We get keys on Saturday! I have a Room with a View *smirk* and it's cute and beautiful and I will have to post a picture) it's not too far away especially on a Sunday. Wednesday's game will be tougher, but the truth is that now that summer is over the sun is setting earlier, which makes that game less of a necessity.

Today, I got to visit the DMV, because I needed to change my car registration's address AND it was overdue, so I was still so unclear about how much money I owed them. Turns out it was only 15 dollars more. Nice. So now (maybe tomorrow?) I can go into the city and get my parking permit. Which would be great, as otherwise I'd need to move my car every two hours. That doesn't seem like fun :o)

I am highly conflicted about going to frisbee... because I need to pack, and I need to work on my papers... although even as I say that I KNOW that I'm a procrastinator, and that I probably won't do any of the things I promise I will even as I type them. Which is kind of frustrating, though obviously something I can change. (My inner smart ass says "maybe tomorrow...")

Okay, so I wandered off and forgot that I was doing this, but I went to frisbee, and it was okay. Not as fun as Wednesday, but pretty much worth the drive. I made macaroni and cheese with stewed tomatoes (YUM) an now have most of a frozen yogurt in the freezer (vanilla and wild blueberry swirl, also YUM). I did all the dishes, which makes the kitchen look more put together, at least. And I plan on doing some extensive work in my room before I go to bed.

In amusing culinary news, I attempted to make cold brew coffee as recommended by Smitten Kitten. It was good, although I made such a mess trying to strain it. Clearly, I should place the coffee filters in a smaller strainer (clearly, I need a smaller strainer), otherwise it's just coffee grounds all over the place. So refinement, but qualified success. Her other recipes look lots of fun, especially in my NEW KITCHEN WHICH IS BIG AND NOT GROSS*.

So off to check some email and take a shower. Though of course first I have to watch the plating and critique of meals on Iron Chef



*As example of the current grossness, I'm pretty sure we have two mice. One? Under the stove (miraculously). The other is in a high cupboard and is, by the sounds of it, working its way through a pack of Top Ramen. *sigh*

The high point (one of the high points, anyway) of subbing in the morning is that, if they left their computer, I can check my email during recess AND (most likely) they are not part of the school content-filter, so I can update this without having to go through the hoops of email (which still leaves the entry with mildly screwed up formatting either way). So woohoo!

6th is about a day behind (the review worksheet took longer than we'd thought) but we can do all the decimal stuff--comparing decimals, dividing decimals, making equivalent fractions--tomorrow. Today in fifth grade, we will be talking about illustrated fraction problems, which are at least prettier than regular fraction problems ;o)

I have Great Plans for an art project with my campers this afternoon, but I should probably run it by one of the teachers, to see if he thinks that making tesselations is an Idea from Hell or actually sounds like fun. I can always make the "random shapes" before hand, and hell, even trace them for them first. I should go do that now... brb! (wow, AIM much?)

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Awesome, lesson idea cleared and he's going to leave his laptop on so I can Google M.C. Escher and show the kids exactly what a tesselation is, if they don't remember. Coolness.

Today we have a "Happy Birds Show", so there will be birds that do tricks. And then PE, and the my art awesomeness. Also, I get to go play Frisbee tonight with the lower key game, which is fun. Last night was pretty good, although I had to sit out for a bit with a weird leg cramp. But then I ran a lot and caught a goal, so that was awesome.

Sorry for those who I owe emails to (and phone calls: rhymester, call me this weekend! capedcrusader92, you too! XD). At least you get the sort of rambly version of my day(s). Which is, unfortunately, not too different from my emails... haha.

OOOh, and mcshep_match unveiled their author names! I wrote for the "sea change" prompt an awesome thing called 'Til Human Voices Wake Us, and We Drown. But they're allllll good, so go see! I need to update my list with names and reccy reasons (and go back and comment on fics, because I didn't want to let the ficcish cat out of the bag before :o) ) soon.

Okay, kids will be coming back soon. Laters!

Seeing as the most recent updates on here have been to keep up with the postings of mcshep_match fics (they're so awesome! All of them!) and other things under friends lock, I should probably post here now. I got to dogsit the cuuuuuutest dog this weekend, and it was lots of fun though sadly due to an overactive brain, I didn't get much sleep. I hate when you're still buzzing with unimportant (or highly important) things at like 2am. Which then means that you get thrown off your sleeping, so that you can no longer get up early and it's a vicious cycle. Fortunately, I have the rest of the week before "productivity" sets in, as summer camp starts next week. I'm really looking forward to having something to do during the day, though looking back at my calendar, I have not really been lacking for social things. And, looking foward (as I noticed when M and I were making plans this week), I am highly busy still. Tonight, I am watching a movie with M (maybe L.A. Confidential, maybe... a million other things), tomorrow I am playing frisbee, Thursday I have orientation for camp, and Friday a whole bunch of 'frisbee kids' are going to see a play that our "fearless leader"'s wife is in, with an after-party. And this weekend WALL-E comes out, I'm so excited!

Of course, my room is still a mess, but we have hot water (again, I got to relight the pilot light last night) and Roto Rooter came and fixed our sink, so we can both wash dishes and use the washing machine. Still, will be happy to get out of this house before it falls down about our ears, a la the house of Usher.

Watched Into the Wild (finally, the last of my DVDS from Netflix that I have had FOREVER are sent back, and I will be getting Blood Diamond, and discs of season one of Bones and Eureka woohoo!) and it was an interesting movie, very atmospheric and artistically shot. Emile Hirsch, who plays Chris McCandless, did a fine job of seeming both wise and naive beyond his years, and while the whole "ethereal voice over" mode of storytelling is a bit pretentious, it worked. The realist in me is still a little irritated at the real life events: how much of the tragedy could have been prevented (if he'd had/used a MAP, for God's sake) but I enjoy the romanticism of it (in the idealist way of romanticism, such as Thoreau). Makes me want to read The Journey is the Destination again. That and go have an adventure.

Think I'll have to settle for folding laundry and taking some decongestant (the headache from yesterday now has accompanying itchy eyes and sneezing. Something must have bloomed), at least for now XD

If I remember today, I have notes to make up a new Rec Triad, because I am woefully overdue again. Also, more fic inside my head. Though I spent a long time last night reading lots of lovely J2 fic recced by setissma here (though it was J2 AU fic, so I'm not quite sure how real that makes the RPF, haha) and then jezrana's involved awesomeness for bandombigbang: The Fall and Rise of the Black Parade

Thing that are Made of Win:

* A Firefly vid set to Buffy's "Walk Through the Fire". BRILLIANT.

* Second City Torchwood by copperbadge, where there is AU meta-referential bizzare universe-switching type coolness. With fandom!

* The catch I made today at my ultimate frisbee game. We played on the beach, and I totally body-planted getting the frisbee. And caught it!

Things that are NOT Made of Win:

* Work tomorrow. Eeeeeeearly. Ish. *sticks out tongue at life*

But made new friends today! Wooohooo. *dances*

So today was the first time I really played Ultimate Frisbee since high school. So... *thinks* 7 years? About? And yeah, I'm not exactly in (if I ever was) Ultimate shape (no pun intended) but it was lots of fun. There was a moment near the beginning when I drank too much water and it was too hot and gross and ew, but that passed. Nice people, and I'll be happy to go back after I get back from BMC. Because, yes, it is true! As soon as I buy plane tickets, I am heading to the East coast for a week (from the morning of the 3rd to probably some time on Friday) because it is May Day and then I can spend time with all of my NYC friends, especially those from grad school.

So yes, good day. Now I just need to put away some clean dishes (woot, clean dishes!) and get to bed. Because I can wallow a bit in the morning, as I do not need to be at Labyrinth to teach PE until 10. Glorious.

So I went for a 2 mile walk today (no school to teach, lots of fiddly errandy things) and had this grand plan of watching either Boondock Saints (because... duh) or The Five Red Herrings because at least the accents would be close-ish (I do not mean this to mean that Irish accents are really similar to Scottish/English, but it's at least the right part of the globe) but instead played Guitar Hero with sister and her boyfriend.

Maybe I'll watch a little bit of Wimsey and Bunter while I get ready for bed. Because I'm curious to see how terrible or not it is.

Treadmill: 40 mins yesterday, 35 today
Rowing machine: 5 mins yesterday, 6 today. Booyah. *pumps fist*


Alsoalso, it's officially been my birthday for 2 hours and 47 minutes, which is exciting. I kept meaning to post to sheafrotherdon's picspam of Joe Flanigan's hotness in honor of his birthday today (er, yesterday, the 5th) but instead was bitten with a fic bug involving pictures. And maybe birthdays. Also involving the amusingness of Elementary!verse AU of our boys, so we'll see how that goes. Seriously, it's fun to construct a universe where John teaches 2nd grade, Rodney torments college students... and I think Keller might be the school nurse. Also, Lorne might have to make a cameo as one of John's drinking buddies from college or something. Oooh, and Beckett? Totally teaches upper grade science. *hugs imaginary school where I can smush all my favorite characters (regardless of actual canon) together* Still have to figure out where Ford figures in all of this XD

But truly, this is a sign that I should go to bed and start fresh tomorrow. When it is officially my birthday. Oh goodness.

*collapses on bed, grinning*

FINALLY went for a walk again. Even went to Color Me Mine to pick up the adorable lion mug that my friend made... and the amazingly awful coffee cup I painted. Next time I decide to free form paint STRIPES on a mug? Remind me it's a bad idea. *sigh*

Still, it's a warm, lovely Monday after last week's cloudiness, I got to meet my landlady's adorably flirtatious father (who brought us lots of BBQ meat from his restaurant, OMG so excited! And thus my icon is so apt!). AND. I might be going back down to Souther CA this weekend, because my parents are going home. I could get my bike!

My excitement today knows no bounds. Even though it's Monday! *scampers about*

Alsoalso. FRIDAY IS SEASON PREMIER OF STARGATE: ATLANTIS. Cannot wait. Except have to *sulks*

If I am highly productive the rest of today, I might go allll the way to Target to get the second season of SPN, like I meant to this weekend. Maybe.

Also (alsoalsoalso?) I will tryyyyy to call capedcrusader92 tonight, if you are around. And I still remember. Will try very hard. *nods furiously*

Have discovered that there is a Peets coffee about a mile from my house. If you do not like in California (or, I suppose, drink coffee) you won't know that Peets is basically the best coffee. Ever. Better than Starbucks (*gasp!*) So today I finally hauled my lazy, lazy ass out of bed and walked the 2ish miles roundtrip and rewarded myself with a cup of iced coffee.

I have been terrible with exercise and (unfortunately) quite excellent with the eating of chocolate, cookies and crackers. This is something I need to work on

But for now! I exercised! Huzzah! Off to take a shower, eat something and... do the sinkful of dishes left over from last night*.


*In a perfect world, every time I didn't feel like doing the dishes would be the time that my sister magically did. While this works out every once in a while, it's not very perfect as a system yet. Hence, the sink full of dishes. *sigh*