Something Squirrelly this Way Comes

As several of the peeps who read my blog know, I'm not fond of spiders. That's putting it lightly, of course. The words/phrases terrified, horrified, creeped out, scared sh!tless would also describe my feelings most eloquently. To say that I'm an arachnophobiac would be quite true. Having said that, I am much better at dealing with them. However, I'm not at the point where I can squish them on my shirt with my fingers whilst driving *coughElimscough*.

Last night, after finishing a book, I looked up at the ceiling (was lying on my bed) and saw this spot where the wall meets the ceiling by my window. My first thought was "Oh crap! Mutant crickets are back!" but then I studied it a bit more (while my heart rate slowed down from the MC scare) and realized it was jut a little spider (I can't believe I wrote "just a little spider" and meant it!). I grabbed my Marvin the Martian shaped plastic sippy cup (acquired at an amusement park some years ago), stood on my bed and attempted to squish it. Unfortunately, Marvin's oh so sexy curves *wink* prevented the squishing. I had to resort to using a Hard Rock Cafe box (used to have a souvenir glass in it - not sure where the glass went) and smooshed the bugger. The whole time I wasn't freaking out, hyperventilating or swearing under my breath. Shoot I didn't even have a speedy heartbeat. Go me!

Obviously, I still have some unpacking and a lot of organizing left to do *grin*

and I don't mean a party at Rennie Pooh's! :) Anyway, I went to the Maryland Renaissance Festival on Sunday with a friend and her four year old son. We had a lot of fun despite the heat and humidity. My brain has just started functioning, which is amusing as it's nearly time for me to skeedaddle. I'll try and remember to post more (brain function aside) tomorrrow.

A coworker told me about the Hasidic Jew reggae "superstar", Matisyahu today. All I have to say is watch the video and tell me you're not surprised. It wasn't what I was expecting. May have to go to the October 29 concert. It's in a synagogue, by the way :)

Some coworkers told me about Find Your Spot and I thought I'd share the fun. Not really sure how accurate it is but it's still amusing to do. My top five spots are

Nantucket, Mass
Essex, Conn
Astoria, Oregon
Eagle River, Wisc
Lake Tahoe, Nev

Which I find amusing since I'm a major ocean beach person who loves snow.. The only beachs in Eagle River, Wisconsin and Lake Tahoe, Nevada are from lakes. I guess, to them, water is water as there's only one ocean beach question. C'est la vie.

Whilst home this past weekend I had a rather unsettling dream. It wasn't a nightmare and I wouldn't classify it as a night terror either (tho, by mere definition it would be a night terror as the dream woke me up). I wasn't particularly scared more excited with a touch of concern. The fact that I remember as much of it as I do, shows just how much it's stayed with me. Especially since I haven't told anyone about it and I haven't written it down, until now. However, I can safely lay the 'blame' for the dream at my brother's feet as the first part of the dream actually happened (up until I say "yeah, they kinda do").

My brother and I were outside on my parent's deck (the one at their current house), looking up at the sky as a storm blew in. It was very windy and the sky was dark. Toph pointed out some clouds saying that they looked like they were rotating in opposite directions. I looked up at the clouds and said "yeah, they kinda do" and then I noticed that sky was turning a slight green color as well as getting darker. The wind picked up even more and we were no longer on my parent's deck in Ohio. We were in Lawrence, KS by the dorms. Yet the dorms looked more like an apartment/condo complex in VA as they were much too tall to be any buildings in Lawrence. However, in my dream it was Lawrence.

I went from being on the ground looking up at the storm in awe to being in a dorm room, about fifteen or twenty stories up, hanging out the window into the storm and watching the funnel cloud drop down. I'm not sure where Toph was. When I turned to look for him in the room, the building shuddered as the tornado hit and I was spun out the window into the tornado, spiraling away with it, my heart pounding in confusion and excitement with only a touch of fear. I remember it being black and the air thick with dust and debris. I was spinning through the air, towards the ground. I crashed into an office chair with wheels (on the ground) and the force of my landing set the chair rolling down the highway. I crashed into a car and a piece of drywall landed on top of me, covering me from sight. Everything was very definite, almost violent in the force. I was dizzy, and giddy with it, while in the air and the breath whooshed out of me when I hit the chair.

The tornado moved on or fell apart, not really sure which as I couldn't see it. Other survivors helped uncover me and I stood up looking at all the damage around me. Then I became extremely worried and looking wildly about as I didn't see Toph anywhere. The fact that I was unhurt, aside from some minor scratches and bruises, never crossed my mind. People helping me weren't shocked or amazed either. Nobody was really hurt despite the level of destruction surrounding us. It was eerily quiet, I could hear folks in the distance shouting for friends and family, the snapping and popping of downed power lines, the thunks of debris falling off of buildings, crackling of leaves and limbs in the air on the ground.

And that was it. It ended with my standing on a highway, surrounded by cars and debris with a dark threatening sky and a heavy, pulsing, electric air that was omnipotent. It was breathing. You know that feeling you get when there's something coming, something not so good. In the movies it's always accompanied by swelling, threatening music and you see the hero/heroine turn around and look over their shoulder in fear? That kind of feeling, though I had the satisfaction of looking at the 'something' head on.

This past weekend was spent at a family reunion up in Ohio. I saw a lot of family that I hadn't seen in years and some cousins that I had never met before (all were four years old or younger). I would've seen more family had the festivities not been moved to an aunt's house where several dogs and a cat or two reside. My allergies weren't up to handling that and my newphew (JT) hasn't been exposed to dog dander as yet as allergies run rampant in my family. Brother and sis-in-law are trying to keep him away from excessive dust, dirt, pet dander, fur, etc so as not to tempt the allergy genes from expressing themselves.

My trip started with my getting to the airport four hours early. See, my boss okayed my coming into work late on Monday (yesterday) and by doing so, enabled me to not have to park at the airport. My apartment complex provides a shuttle from the complex to a metro stop, which I utilize most every work day. I went from work to the airport via the Metro and shivered my way through the 4.5 hour wait until I could board my plane. I promptly shivered my way on the flight from VA to OH.

My sis-in-law was waiting for me inside the airport as my brother was in the truck entertaining JT. I got in the back so that Toph (bro) and Frulequet (sis in law) could talk without having to yell from front to back and so I could spend some time with JT. JT had other ideas. Apparently he was fine until I got in and shut the door as he started crying then and didn't really stop until about five minutes from my parent's house. It's a twenty to thirty minute drive, not really sure, just know that it felt long because of JT crying. Man I felt bad. Poor guy was tired and then there's this stranger next to him when he can hear his mom and dad but can't see them. Tho he did have an iron grip on my finger for about half the trip, so I guess I wasn't too overly repulsive. *grin*

JT easily pulls himself up to a standing position and can walk around holding onto things (couch, coffee table, someone's fingers, etc.) and is a crawling master. He's toothless but has been showing all the signs of teething for awhile now so his pearly whites should be popping out anytime now. I tried several times to upload some images but they all come out distorted. :( This was the best I could do.

I'm sure most of yall have heard about the Zotob Worm hitting a variety of corporations here on the east coast. My office was one of them. Before nine on Wednesday morning we got the call from the tech guys to shut off our computers. Despite our knowing that at least three folks in my office were infected on Tuesday. (Officially our DC office was hit on Tuesday and we were hit on Wednesday but in actuality we were both hit on Tuesday. Our tech guys are just slower.)

It wasn't until around noon that we were told to turn our computers back on, but not to login to our workstations or the LAN. We were finally given the "all clear" to login to our machines about 1.30. As you can imagine, it was a very productive day at work.

Funny thing is, Zotob is only going after Windows 2000 and I have XP at work.

Let me just ask yall this, when given the choice of putting fresh, vine ripened, organic tomatoes into a bag containing only a bag of tortilla chips in it and a bag with five cartons of yogurt, a carton of sour cream, a glass jar of salsa, box of honey battered chicken tenders and a package of lunchmeat, which bag would you choose? Myself, I'd put the tomatoes in the bag with the chips cause the chips are less likely to bruise and smush the tomatoes. But no, the ever so helpful and oh so pleasant cashier put the tomatoes in the other bag.

I didn't notice until I got home and found the tomatoes on the bottom of the bag, underneath the yogurt, sour cream, salsa, et al. Ugh!! My poor tomatoes. Guess I'll have my taco salad tonight instead of tomorrow. Use the 'maters up before they start molding from the brusies and dents and little nicks.

Nothing else, just felt like saying that.

I'm one of the thousands (mayhap millions) of folks who filed an extension on their taxes. The extension deadline is August 15 (that'd be Monday). I got my bottom in gear and did them last night (weird to do your taxes with the AC blowing on you and not the heat) so that I could mail them today (which, if you think about it in the proper way, I had mine done Early). I had to go to the post office to mail them as I didn't have any stamps and I wasn't sure if the state taxes would require extra postage or not. I weigh my stuff and everything is under an ounce (more than ounce requires an extra $0.23 in postage) and since there were several folks in line and only one clerk, I opted for the stamp machine.

I feed in my $20 bill and buy a book of stamps. It wasn't until I hear the cacophony of coins that I see the little sign that says "All change in coins" my heart drops, I think I have $12.60 in quarters (except for the dime, of course). Then I think, well, at least I'll have plenty of money for laundry.

I kneel down to get my change (why is the change slot always at the bottom of machines? Usually only a foot or two off the ground. Is it for gravity to help dispense the change or do the desingers of vending machines not realize that most folks are taller than four feet??) and realize that the quarters are funny looking. This is when I notice a sign saying "All change in one dollar coins". I got twelve dollars in one dollar coins - some with Sacagawea some with Susan B. Anthony. Most are first issues of each coin (1979 and 2000, respectively). The US Mint has a nifty webpage on comparing the two coins.

I've already spent four of them when I stopped off at the drug store to grab some food for lunch. I got up late and didn't have time to pack a lunch and since I was spending my lunch break running to the post office, I had to get food then or wait until after 4:00 pm. (I'm sure I could've worked the word lunch' into my previous two sentences a few more times! *grin*)

Do NOT tell me one thing - make a point of telling me this multiple times, tell me to write it down so I won't forget - and then act all iritated and put out when I'm confused as to why the way you told me to do it is now wrong.

Yesterday, after work, I decided to do some running around (errands mostly). Gathered up my laptop, headphones and headed out to my car. I pushed the unlock button my key lobe and nothing happened. No double chirp, no flash of lights, no doors unlocking. Hmm I say to myself. This has happened before so I just stick my key in the driver's door and turn twice (to unlock all four doors so I could put my laptop on the back seat). I open the driver door and my alarm starts screeching. Crap!! I frantically hit the unlock button over and over.. I hit the lock button, I hit lock and unlock at the same time. Nothin. Nada. Zip. Well, other than the *loud* siren going off, that is. I get in in and try to start the car - No go. I shut the door, thinking I need to shut the door to start the car. Doesn't work. I get out (leaving my laptop and purse inside the car) and shut the door. The alarm ends after the cycle it was on. Blessed silence.

I get my cell phone out of my pocket and procede to call my dad - not at his desk and his cell is off. I call my brother - not at his desk, I don't even bother with his cell phone. I don't have numbers to either lab (they're both chemists and are usually not at their desks so you'd think I'd have their lab numbers, but no). I try my dad again. Still not there. Then I try my folks' house, thinking maybe he went home early. I get my mom, she doesn't know what to do to override the alarm and my dad isn't there. She tells me that she'll call dad as it doesn't cost her any minutes and is a local call.

I then notice an 800 number on the back of my key lobe. I ponder calling it for about ten seconds and then start punching in the numbers when my cell rings. It's my dad. So of course I gave him grief..

"Sure!! You answer the phone for mom, but not for me!!!"
"I recognized her ring" and then he laughs. "Actually I just walked into my office."

I explain the alarm situation and he asks if I've flipped the alarm switch that turns the alarm off. I said no, didn't know if that would make it worse or not - unending siren as opposed to pauses and a finite amount of sounding time. He said that's prolly good and then suggests just getting my stuff out and locking up manually, buying a battery tomorrow (today - aug 9) for my key lobe. I mention the 800 number and he said "couldn't hurt to call" which was my thinking.

I call the 800 number and wade through over five minutes of 'Thank you for calling blah blah blah press 1 for this and 2 for that blah blah blah' until I got an "Alarm Technician" on the phone. He asks how many buttons on my key lobe - doesn't matter how many are functional - I tell him and then he tells me how to override my alarm. And it worked!! Yay!! So I zoom over to the mall and get a battery and the alarm appears to be working fine.

Moral of the story: Make sure you have a backup key lobe or an extra battery. Unless you like the sound of your alarm going off.

Side note: Whilst standing next to my car with the alarm wailing, sitting in the car with the door open groping around on the floor looking for the alarm toggle switch with the alarm wailing and more standing around outside (alarm still shrieking), numerous people walked by and drove by and Not One even looked at me twice. No alarm, no offer of help, no concern that I might be trying to steal this car. So, basically, the only benefit of the alarm is the insurance discount for having one.

How about a lovely game of Tag? I'm it because I was tagged by Elims. I’m to list the top 10 [non-sexual] things/items/doohickeys/etc that I consider to be turn on’s & off’s. I'm interpretting this the same way Elims did - as the top 10 things I really like and don’t like.

Top 10 Likes
U2
Edge (Happy Birthday Mr. The Edge!!)
Bono
Larry
Adam
Dr. Seuss
The Lorax
Wocket
Yertle the Turtle
Sneetches

okay okay okay.. I'll start over, U2 and Dr. Seuss excluded *grin*

Top 10 Turn On's
1. Smell of coffee. Anytime, anywhere, anyplace... Yummm
2. Music (classical, rock, hip hop, folk, opera, pop, etc)
3. Random emails/phone calls and cards from friends/family.
4. Seeing my loved ones smile.
5. Kahlua Cocoa Coffee Cheesecake
6. Birdsong in the early morning.
7. Being outside
8. Cold, crisp air
9. Winter (okay and autumn too)
10. And of course, JT!!!


Top 10 Turn Off's***
1. Rude, inconsiderate, stupid, close minded people.
2. People clipping their nails (fingers & toes) at work, on the metro - basically anywhere other than their homes or a salon.
3. Smoking
4. People forgetting my birthday
5. Not being with my family for major holidays
6. Pet Rent
7. Debt
8. Not being able to do the things I want to do because my back/head/neck hurt too much.
9. Not being able to breathe
10. Mutant Crickets!

***Top 10 with the understanding that environmental issues weren't taken into consideration. I'd have a top 10 with just those alone.

Okay, since everyone I know who has a blog has already done this (Except Mr. Meterologist) I'll just tag Malora's Journal. You're it! ;)

So I've decided to go with Sir Alfred Gluttony for my new fishie roommate. He also seems to respond to Little Beggar, Fat Boy, Tubbo and Bottomless Pit. However, this might be because I'm usually near the opening where I drop in food when talking to him. I believe he thinks that anytime I come near his tank, I should give him more food. Regardless if I have just fed him or not. Darn good thing he doesn't have expensive taste buds! ;)

Today is my half day at work, meaning I get to leave at 10.30. While this is great, wonderful, fantastic! It also means that I have to drive to the metro instead of taking the free shuttle my apartment complex provides. Fine, not a problem. I drive in, park and get to the platform about two minutes before the metro arrives, Yay me! However, I get to my stop at 6.03. I don't have to be at work until 6.30. So, despite knowing better, I caved in and bought an iced vanilla coffee from Dunkin Donuts. Yeah, the one that has served me more crappy coffee than good. They upheld their tradition this morning. *sigh*

I've just been having bad drink karma this week. Monday night I managed to spill a glass of diet Canada Dry Cranberry Ginger Ale on my 'coffee table' and carpet. Beige carpet bright reddish pink drink, yeah that doesn't stand out or anything. Tuesday afternoon, I knocked a pillow off the couch whilst reading and it somehow managed to bounce up off the floor and topple over my can of Caffiene Free Diet Pepsi which was sitting on my 'coffee table'. So now my 'coffee table' has Canada Dry and Pepsi stains on it.

Maybe the bad drink karma is because both drinks were caffieneless? I save my high test (Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper and Diet Mountain Dew) for work to combat the flourescent lights and slow time passage. And the DD coffee is just stupidity on my part, I know their coffee blows at this location but I bought it anyway. All to save two bucks. I should've just hoofed it on down to Starbucks and gotten an espresso frappacino. After all, I had plenty of time. Signed in at the guard's desk at 6.17 this morning.

FYI my coffee table consists of a piece of well-worn particle board lying on top of my Christmas tree box. It works great as a table and enables me to store my tree without using up any closet space.

A friend of mine has teamed up with some of her friends to start an Internet radio on www.Live365.com I haven't been able to listen to Woo Hoo Radio as my firewall at work won't allow it. Just seeing the songs they play tho, makes me rather iritated that I cna't listen to it at work. Would seriously help the work day go by faster. This month they're featuring Weezer and next month they'll feature U2. Take a listen and tell me what you think.

I had an odd dream early this morning. It's a tad hazy now but I still remember more of it than I usually do of my dreams. I was dreaming of the Fantastic Four. I have no idea why, I haven't seen the movie, read the comic books or seen the cartoon (am assuming that there is a cartoon). Thing and Invisible Woman (IW) were having a fight. Thing wanted more out of his relationship with IW than she was willing to give him. He was in love with her and she was just using him. They ended up fighting and were falling off of a building - Thing sort of rushed IW and knocked them off the building - IW was pissed and went invisible which some how allowed Thing to slide through her and also slowed her down.. So IW was sorta floating down towards the ground and Thing was rocketing towards it and then IW realizes that she loved him and wanted to save him.

Then the dream segued into something else but I can't remember what at the moment. There were three or four different aspects of the dream but it all flowed together, in the way that dreams do. I woke up all tense, my shoulders and neck muscles tight and my back aching something fierce. I had an intense headache and was shivering. Apparently I was upset about two "super heros" taking a dive off a building? Still have no desire to see the movie though...