tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58761692011-04-21T19:30:01.457-05:00bitter + sweetkaren bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comBlogger2221100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-88422556215305116362008-11-11T10:19:00.004-05:002008-11-11T10:27:05.342-05:00

OH MY GOODNESS LOOK AT ALL THESE FANCY NEW THINGS!So I logged into Blogger to leave a comment on How About Orange, and of course I HAD to fill out all these fancy new profile boxes etc.Looking good, Blogger! I like the tag system, that's been a long time coming.I'm still on eljay, by the way. I've gone mostly friends only, but if you're over there and you used to read here, pop into my f/o post

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1128357299834555002005-10-03T11:28:00.001-05:002005-10-03T11:37:48.120-05:00

Okay, I think we've seen two of the six stages of grief re: my letting go of this journal a little. Now it's time for another one: acceptance.I'm pretty much only updating Satellites, my livejournal, these days. I really like the format, the tags, the cuts. And even if you're not on LJ, you can still comment; I haven't disabled anonymous comments.I really HATE switching over, especially with all

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1127493708145131392005-09-23T11:35:00.000-05:002005-09-23T11:41:48.150-05:00

The entire catalog of Crafters Coast-to-Coast episodes is here. Do you know how many times I've looked for that and haven't been able to find it? You don't, but it's a ridiculously large amount.I effing LOVE that show, but I can never remember when it's on, so even when I'm home, I don't get to watch it. I wish they would rerun it in the evening instead of just showing it at noon. (This is why I

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1127248567958392182005-09-20T15:03:00.000-05:002005-09-20T15:36:07.996-05:00

I'm actually really digging all the tags and cuts and everything over at livejournal, so I'm using that for my little diary-like entries. I didn't think I'd like it this much, but the format is very clean. so yes, this means I have FOUR blogs: this one, the livejournal, my crafty blog, and good english. But they each serve a purpose, which is nice since I'm so borderline OCD, anyway. It's like a

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1127246544748208612005-09-20T14:56:00.000-05:002005-09-20T15:02:24.756-05:00

But even if it does, I think you'd agree this is important. This is from an e-mail I got from MoveOn.org. I still have to research this, find out how much (if any) of it is spin, but right now it's pissing me off an awful lot:The Pentagon announced just this summer it has been collecting and using data—including such sensitive personal information as Social Security numbers, ethnicity, GPA,

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1126750190186248162005-09-14T20:47:00.000-05:002005-09-14T21:09:50.193-05:00

Because I don't want to leave without dropping a fun link: check out Earthenwood Studios' fruit and veggie and sweets charms! Check out their other stuff too -- I got an Earthenwood star-shaped wooden button in a Sampler ages ago, and it's so charming and detailed. Love.And how about a link to the first website I ever obsessed over? Squirrel Hazing, y'all. Seriously. See? I am not ashamed. I was

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1126748707002169692005-09-14T20:27:00.000-05:002005-09-14T21:40:05.436-05:00

The VA Department of Emergency Management has a pretty thorough website. I'm a little . . . impressed, I guess, although I probably shouldn't be because that should be something that goes without saying.Granted, the top of their Ophelia page says "Hurricane Gaston, 2004," but it's still pretty good. It even lists the actions that have been taken to prepare for Ophelia, going into details like:

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1126747623019779182005-09-14T19:47:00.000-05:002005-09-14T20:27:05.206-05:00

(Or something to that effect.)We have to get an appraisal done in order to do the refinancing thing, because it's been over six months since we had the first one done. Luckily, the new bank we're dealing with does NOT make us pay $350 for an appraisal we never even get to see. No out-of-pocket charges. Take THAT, First Virginia Bank of Suck. (Note: that may not be their real name.)However, we are

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1126554210320357562005-09-12T14:07:00.000-05:002005-09-14T21:29:05.166-05:00

You (once again) know who you are,I wish you would read this, and maybe think about it for a little while. Especially the last bits.I thought you knew better and it's kind of disappointing that you don't. But I think it's fixable. Please just try.Love,Karen-------------Really, it's a very good piece. It puts a lot of things into perspective, even taken on its own merit and not re: the situation

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1126415308503460222005-09-11T00:47:00.000-05:002005-09-11T02:23:39.150-05:00

Oh god, I just saw Ashlee Simpson's little jig on SNL. I missed it the first time around. Why oh why didn't she just sing the song and be all, "oh, it's so good I had to sing it twice"? Fantastic. God, it was like that time in high school when I realized you could see the band of my (school-required) nylons through my crocheted sweater because they went higher than the waistband of my skirt. And

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1126419362979686112005-09-10T23:48:00.000-05:002005-09-11T01:16:02.986-05:00

I forgot to mention that I broke the bad-meal streak. Chicken and White Bean Chili. It was delicious. The recipe is at my livejournal, since I've decided to use that for stuff that I wouldn't normally put up here. Stream-of-consciousness fluff posts, recipes, and quizzes/memes. Here it is, if you're interested. Feel free to friend me, I'm too lj-shy to do any adding myself yet.I never thought I

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1126417311618431882005-09-10T23:22:00.000-05:002005-09-11T00:41:51.623-05:00

I still can't sleep. This has to end; last night's bedtime was four in the morning. Luckily this was a weekend I could sleep in. (Things Rabbit accomplished this time around: putting half of the box of wipes all over the floor, screwing up the little hand-painted-paper boards I was using for tops on the plastic crates we use for bedside tables. At least this time I was smart enough to move my box

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1126201434597430282005-09-08T12:21:00.000-05:002005-09-08T12:43:54.620-05:00

I have made miserable dinners two nights in a row now. Tuesday night was pastitsio, which I usually cook from a recipe I found in Cooking Light. It's not a true pastitsio, but it's so good. As you can probly guess, my Cooking Lights are in storage, so I hunted down a recipe online.God, it was so gross. The bechamel congealed in this really nasty, eggy way. And some of the pasta that was on top

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1126160864826282722005-09-08T01:19:00.000-05:002005-09-08T01:27:44.833-05:00

I've got to stop doing this staying-up-late thing. I can't sleep in anymore. This morning, er, yesterday morning, Rabbit woke up before me and stole three self-frosting cupcakes from the counter, ate the tops, and threw the rest in the trashcan. Like I said, I can't sleep in anymore.I just can't stop thinking and it keeps me up. Finally gave in and made a LiveJournal so that I can put all of the

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1126120484496811942005-09-07T19:47:00.000-05:002005-09-07T15:30:28.830-05:00

(Remember Angel's obsession with Barry Manilow?)If you donate to the Red Cross through The Manilow Fund, they'll match your donation and Manilow himself will match it as well, so you're tripling your donation. Eeeexcellent. DO IT. I command you.They've already raised their initial goal of $150,000, and are extending the goal to $300,000.We haven't gotten that check I mentioned yet, but if we do,

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1126125576711502372005-09-07T15:31:00.000-05:002005-09-07T15:46:07.283-05:00

Have I mentioned my love for Aimee Mann? She's from Virginia! I had no idea. Although I should have known after reading that The Forgotten Arm, her latest album, tells the story of a couple who met at the VA State Fair:It is a concept album, detailing in a series of vignettes the story of John, a boxer, and his girlfriend Caroline, who meet at the Virginia state fair in the late 1970s. As the two

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1126120926486701452005-09-07T15:14:00.000-05:002005-09-07T14:22:06.486-05:00

This made me laugh and made me a little happy yesterday: on the way home, I saw a car with writing all over the back windshield. In huge letters: "4 SALE / 40-MPG!"At least people are starting to care about it. I hope this concern holds over after prices simmer back down.Also, I enjoyed driving past the 7-11 and seeing the "3" in "$3.19" and "$3.29," etc. written in skinny black marker on the

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1126123242040408042005-09-07T14:22:00.000-05:002005-09-07T15:00:42.086-05:00

So Rabbit's EEG results (from last Monday) were abnormal. She had four or five abnormal spikes. The pediatric neurologist couldn't decipher the relevance of those spikes, though, so she had a follow-up EEG yesterday. Exciting and wonderful.Actually, it went very, very well. The nurse Rabbit had for the first one was really good with her; she was nice to her and Rabbit liked her. However, Rabbit

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125894363962719892005-09-04T23:21:00.000-05:002005-09-07T15:17:30.390-05:00

"Here's a project we're working on to gather Katrina data. Donated money? Please donate a little time. Join the Katrina PeopleFinder Project. It's easy. All you need is an internet connection and the ability to copy data into a form. After Katrina, many friends and family members have been separated and left with no clear way to find each other. Hundreds of internet web sites are gathering

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125894052749078402005-09-04T23:12:00.000-05:002005-09-04T23:20:52.756-05:00

I hadn't heard of Drinking Liberally until about five minutes ago, when I was checking old entries and found a link in a comment on the Freedom Walk (gag) entry. How is this possible? Such a cool idea, and it seems really well organized. There are "90 chapters in 39 states plus DC."The Dupont Circle chapter in DC even has its own blog, with a Freedom Walk category and all.Verra nice. They've

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125682734152290862005-09-02T19:17:00.000-05:002005-09-02T12:38:54.156-05:00

I cannot do these things, but maybe you can:Okay, actually, you know what? I was going to make this huge list, but everyone knows all the obvious things that can be done already. Here's a big old list from NPR, if you don't. Give money to the Red Cross, volunteer with the Red Cross, donate to other relief efforts. Just don't send THINGS unless you live really close to the affected areas -- that

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125689183062294302005-09-02T14:19:00.000-05:002005-09-02T14:26:23.066-05:00

A glitter post reminded me about this: by law, we are able to obtain our credit reports from each of the three credit bureaus for FREE as of yesterday!The new law enables consumers to request their free credit reports through a central web site, toll-free telephone line, or by mail and gives them the option of making a single request to get copies of their report from all three major credit

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125684216173242052005-09-02T12:55:00.000-05:002005-09-02T13:03:36.176-05:00

The Times-Picayune "breaking news" blog.Now there are fires:State environmental officials confirmed that two fires were burning out of control Friday morning in the New Orleans area. Rodney Mallett, communications director for the Department of Environmental Quality, said a warehouse that is used to store discarded oil products was on fire in the 3500 block of Chartres Street.The second fire was

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125683657578491022005-09-02T12:39:00.000-05:002005-09-02T12:54:17.583-05:00

We made a tiny land deal and should be getting a check next week (hopefully); I will finally be able to give something then. For now, all I can do is the small stuff. Most of the stuff I'm doing has to do with making long-term changes, mostly prompted by the whole "global warming = more disasters like this" idea. For instance, we're (or I should say "I'm," since Ben isn't really too involved at

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125676866567388512005-09-02T10:32:00.000-05:002005-09-02T11:01:06.656-05:00

Everything falls apart just when you need it to stay in one piece, huh?Rabbit's EEG was abnormal, which on the one hand is good because it means whatever's messed up will be dealt with instead of pshawed. My mom had to deal with the pshawing when I was younger, and apparently it's extremely frustrating. However, this means more medical bills and more tests. And possibly having to give Rabbit

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125587878115572192005-09-01T22:05:00.000-05:002005-09-01T10:17:58.130-05:00

Crafters United is an Etsy shop with a goal of raising $5,000 for the American Red Cross's hurricane relief fund. All the items are donated by caring crafters and the idea behind it is so nice it makes me want to make out with the crafty world.The original goal, $1,000, was surpassed the first day, and it's not even the end of the second day and they've already raised over $2,000. And again: all

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125507320309679382005-08-31T11:24:00.000-05:002005-08-31T11:56:15.760-05:00

Rabbit has developed a fondness for cooking shows, which is kind of fun. Unfortunately, her favorite is RACHAEL RAY. Whom I can only take in small doses. Ms. Ray, saying "extra-virgin olive oil" every time you say "e-v-o-o!" kind of takes away the whole point of making up an abbreviation. But usually her recipes make up for the cutesiness, and her enthusiasm can be catchy. And she certainly

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125504565874558962005-08-31T10:36:00.000-05:002005-08-31T11:23:18.430-05:00

Welcome back, Mr. President. It's so nice of you to cut your absurdly long vacation short now, after the damage has been done. Hope you're not too tired from all the bike-riding and clearing brush!(By the way, almost a year's worth of vacation days in less than five years' time? That's AWESOME! Rock on. Ignore all those haters -- they're just jealous because they don't get paid for vacationing

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125501514283493252005-08-31T10:12:00.000-05:002005-08-31T10:35:55.110-05:00

(like sunshine on a cloudy day.)

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125501129601337782005-08-31T09:27:00.000-05:002005-08-31T10:12:09.710-05:00

Oh, y'all, I'm so sorry. Flooding, looting, blackouts, busted levees, water that you can't drink, evacuation, and although this: "Officials reported that a 3-foot shark had been spotted cruising the flooded streets."is probly the least of your problems, it still creeps me out mightily. And martial law, that's just scary.Normally I would go on a rant about the looters who are making the situation

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125083827698549862005-08-26T13:49:00.000-05:002005-08-26T14:17:07.746-05:00

Okay, I haven't really been a Wallflowers fan since high school and my giant crush on Jakob Dylan. It was one of those crushes that sort of faded away without drawing any attention to itself.But that cover, for some reason, has seduced me. Is it its birdiness? The color scheme? Who knows. I submitted because . . . I'm not sure why. Oh, I got the new Ben Folds free when I bought it, that's a

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125081603949820702005-08-26T13:36:00.000-05:002005-08-26T13:40:03.950-05:00

Turn your blog into a bound book. This is actually a pretty cool service, and not too expensive. You could do it yourself, yes, but I would really only consider doing that if my blog were some sort of intensely personal project; then I would print it out on nice paper and hand-bind it. I think this is a good idea for general blogs, or progress-oriented blogs.If I knew someone in RL who had a blog

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125080626332635402005-08-26T12:50:00.000-05:002005-08-26T13:27:56.390-05:00

Oh, Festa Stuff, you had such potential. I'm always on the lookout for Virginia-specific tees because I have yet to find the perfect one, although the not-ironic one from the Cat and Girl shop was pretty dang close.But nooo, you have no Virginia tee! And even worse, the Southern Girl tee, which would be my fallback, is dreck! Shall I quote?Southern Girls! Here's your chance to tell the world

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125078596734164692005-08-26T12:32:00.000-05:002005-08-26T12:49:56.740-05:00

Because I hadn't heard of this thing until today, and I'm not sure if that's because I'm living under a rock or if it just hasn't been hyped a lot, here's the info on Operation Ceasefire. The basics: free concert, September 24, on the Mall, anti-war.I've heard Mom talk about stuff like this, and I know she and people like her will think this means that those involved aren't supporting the troops

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125077483496792372005-08-26T11:54:00.000-05:002005-08-26T12:31:23.506-05:00

Really, Rummy? A DoD-organized parade and concert (I'm sorry, "musical salute") to commemorate September 11th? Of all the crap. Tying in remembering that day with supporting our troops? More crap. How about throwing your "America Supports You" parade on, say, Memorial Day, or Independence Day, or even a random day, since the troop-supporting should really take place throughout the year? Please

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1125071823543045882005-08-26T10:53:00.000-05:002005-08-26T11:50:24.083-05:00

Man, I had a great TV night last night. First I watched the fourth disc of the "Joan of Arcadia" season one set, which was great in and of itself, but the commentary (Tamblyn, Steenburgen, Welch, Ritter and Mantegna -- but really, mostly Ritter) for "Recreation" put it over the top. Fantastic. That set is going on my xmas list -- actually, I might try to get it before then, I have to buy one more

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1124988179952718312005-08-25T10:50:00.001-05:002005-08-26T10:59:58.566-05:00

. . . is the first movie in a three-picture Firefly contract with Universal," according to the IMDb. Holy flying monkeys of a lesser god! How do these things go over my head like that? I had no idea. But now, now I am going to explode. Joss Whedon + big screen x three = me imploding with happiness. Talk on Whedonesque is that it's an "if you make $x, we'll give you another shot" thing, and if

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1124979081611183482005-08-25T08:33:00.000-05:002005-08-25T09:11:21.696-05:00

I'm grouchy. Call me Oscar.(Yes, I'm aware that Sesame Street references mean I've either developed a strange fixation or have been watching too much kiddie TV with Rabbit. You choose.)So you really don't want me to be chatting away on this here bloggy journal thing. I will let you know what's going on, though, since that's the main point of it all.Okay. I'm broke. It's mostly our own fault, bad

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1124741334817541322005-08-22T14:27:00.000-05:002005-08-22T15:08:54.866-05:00

What? No updates? Such a shock.Please stop reeling.The good:+ honey, herbs, fruits, and veggies from the farmers' market+ the 'rents coming over (for the first time!) and proclaiming my cooking good+ salmon, dill, zucchini, and lemons all broiled together+ fingerling potatoes!+ cheap fabric finds for holiday crafting+ pretty pretty glass beads from Fire Mountain+ fruit for preserves+ Tahitian

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1124288853917788482005-08-17T08:06:00.000-05:002005-08-17T09:31:32.646-05:00

Texas, home of jackassery:On Sunday, as about 60 in Sheehan's group held a religious service, neighbor Larry Mattlage fired his shotgun twice into the air. Sheriff's deputies and Secret Service agents rushed to his house but did not arrest him. "I ain't threatening nobody, and I ain't pointing a gun at nobody," Mattlage said. "This is Texas."Mattlage said he was initially sympathetic toward the

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1123520003272895682005-08-08T10:36:00.000-05:002005-08-08T11:53:23.323-05:00

I am planning way ahead of time this year. I learned my lesson last year with the great banana pudding extinction incident. I'm getting half a dozen boxes of banana pudding at the grocery store today for the obligatory Thanksgiving hostess-gift banana bread.We'll have the usual Thanksgiving spread, turkey, mashers, cranberry dressing, veggies, biscuits. And I might try out a few new things, like

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1123510893726744172005-08-08T08:01:00.000-05:002005-08-08T09:21:36.520-05:00

All my plans for growing veggies and herbs to make preserve-y stuff for Christmas this year fell through, thanks to my heavy watering hand that killed all of the poor seedlings. But luckily we have a pretty great farmers' market twenty minutes away, so I'm at least getting to experiment with recipes.We were supposed to go to the beach this weekend, but there was the threat of storminess, so we

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1123262532049238482005-08-05T12:07:00.000-05:002005-08-05T12:27:43.863-05:00

Now, anyone who knows me knows I'm trying to get a library together, both for myself and for Rabbit when she's old enough to sneak into my bookshelves and steal all my books. We never had a really extensive library when I was a kid, and I want Rabbit to have so many books to choose from that it makes her dizzy. So I'm stocking up on the classics; sadly, I haven't read many of them yet, but

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1123254887991985522005-08-05T10:13:00.000-05:002005-08-05T10:23:45.363-05:00

I put the best of the Cities Swap 05 pics over in the crafty blog. Here's a random sample:

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1123085393409134272005-08-03T11:01:00.000-05:002005-08-03T11:13:24.680-05:00

Man, Etsy is pretty cool, huh? I'm tempted to put some some stuff up there, but then I remind myself that I haven't MADE ANYTHING in the past three months. Maybe when I start making holiday stuff (which will be soon, hopefully -- I don't want last-minute stress this year) I can make some things to put up.If I do, it will be under the shop name "good english" because I am horribly nerdy and really

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1123077198968835072005-08-03T08:50:00.000-05:002005-08-03T08:53:18.970-05:00

Okay kids, we have links now! Not as extensive as my crowded "favorites" folder, but the basics are all there. Feel free to comment if there are any broken links.

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1122922477766242742005-08-01T13:42:00.000-05:002005-08-01T13:54:37.770-05:00

I think I will be busy avoiding reviews of Corpse Bride while I'm busy avoiding Narnia reviews.These are two movies that I'd rather just anticipate happily; I'm sure the Narnia movie won't live up to the books and that Nightmare Before Christmas will still be my favorite animated movie ever, but I just want to look forward to the films, you know?Ben started laughing when I said I wanted to see a

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1122906879205140232005-08-01T08:14:00.000-05:002005-08-01T12:50:28.886-05:00

A few things I'm lusting after:* The "Let's Get It On" garland/card from Knock Knock. I am also a fan of the "All Out Of" pad, but that's something I'd rather personalize and print myself. Because I'm a dork like that. I would try making the garland, but grommets + me = disaster.* I have a difficult time deciding which of the shirts at the Cat and Girl shop I would order first, if I weren't

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1122900559006854832005-08-01T07:41:00.000-05:002005-08-03T10:16:51.680-05:00

I love online quizzes, probably because I am Narcissus reborn, but I don't think about that too much. I don't post many of the results here because, well, I know this sort of thing is boring to everyone else on Earth, the same reason I don't post my OMGWTF ISN'T THAT SO DEEP!!1!!! dreams. But I want to keep a record of this one because it's spot on, and because Ben took it and ended up the direct

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1122657768143868712005-07-29T12:10:00.000-05:002005-07-29T12:22:48.150-05:00

I just posted a few reviews over at good english. In case you were wondering when I was ever going to read again.One of my favorite parts of vacation was being able to read without feeling like I was neglecting housework. It's right up there with the beach on my "Greatest Vacation Things Ever" list.

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1122404816369417432005-07-26T13:17:00.000-05:002005-07-27T07:53:15.943-05:00

(taking a break from self-imposed computer exile for a moment . . . )Day 1: drive 12 hours (VA to AL). rest for 5 hours at a Days Inn and pay for a full night (bastards). pick up Clara, Ben's daughter. drive for 11 hours (AL to FL). thus Day 1 turns into . . . Day 2: get settled into the in-laws' very lovely house where they graciously let us stay. watch two young kids while Ben sleeps for a

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1120051466945022932005-07-05T14:10:00.000-05:002005-07-05T14:12:49.836-05:00

I'm on a computer vacation until the beginning of August (at least).Here's a link to keep you company until then: The 11th Hour. It's a webzine that's a fun mixture of feminism and sci-fi nerdiness. It went kaput in early 2001 but there are nineteen past issues still archived. Enjoy!I'm still updating good english, though.

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1119026683609461732005-06-17T11:05:00.000-05:002005-06-17T11:44:43.650-05:00

Take one child who likes to jump on beds, one small shower pouf thingie, one safety pin, and one set of pajamas, add them all together, and you have one happy Rabbit.She now has a rabbit tail in the evenings. Like a werewolf only less fangy (most of the time).So, Amy, am I a good mother NOW? Hee.

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1119024165815337542005-06-17T10:45:00.000-05:002005-06-17T11:02:45.833-05:00

The verdict: a pinched nerve. Good because it's not, like, a heart attack. Bad because now that I know what it is, it hurts more. Hahaha, that's so sad, but it's true. I have muscle relaxers to take at night, but they don't do anything. Which -- why would muscle relaxers help a pinched nerve, anyway?I asked the doctor that, but phrased it the wrong way: I asked, "what do the muscle relaxers do?"

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1118682009188774322005-06-13T11:57:00.000-05:002005-06-13T12:01:06.233-05:00

If you are, let's say, my mom, and I ask you, "have you ever had a weird pins-and-needles thing go on in your arms before?"Please do not answer all nonchalantly, "YES! when I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, that was my main symptom. You could have borderline hypertension . . . " You could at least add a note of worry or something in there instead of being cheerful about it so that I feel

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1118680584457319202005-06-13T11:24:00.000-05:002005-06-13T11:46:58.180-05:00

I have a lot of stuff I want to talk about but we just went through this big shake-up at work (equipment, not personnel), and my week is going to be spent adjusting to all these new things, so I don't think I'll be able to post much.You know I'd do it at home normally, but my arms have been doing this weird thing were they tingle and ache, especially my left one, and it's making me paranoid. So

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1118680885294029492005-06-13T11:15:00.001-05:002005-06-13T11:42:02.016-05:00

Rabbit has a bunch of those little Wiggles finger puppets. We keep them in a travel box that's meant for soap, you know what I mean? Last night we put some tissue paper in there so they could sleep because otherwise they would have stayed on her fingers all night.This morning after waking up the Wiggles, Rabbit decided to use them as toe puppets. And it worked quite well, I might add.I am on the

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1118679863737214672005-06-13T11:15:00.000-05:002005-06-13T11:24:23.740-05:00

I LOVE PLANNING VACATIONS.There, now you know. I love getting all the details together, making it run smoothly. Putting little packages together for the kids' road trip bags. I am such a nerd.So I've been hit with The New-Book Fever, which is much like scarlet fever, except instead of germs there is a drive to acquire new books. I think I've gotten all the ones I wanted now, though, and very

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1118677972847074662005-06-13T11:05:00.000-05:002005-06-13T11:43:51.480-05:00

I am extra crispy right now because I forgot sunscreen Saturday. My face feels like I accidentally tripped and hit a stovetop. I probly have not had a sunburn this bad since ninth grade, actually, which is my own fault for staying in the sun for seven hours without sunscreen. Which is ironic, since I am the Sunscreen Queen. (That is the correct use of irony, right? I'm not trying to channel

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1118678249819581202005-06-13T10:53:00.000-05:002005-06-13T10:57:29.820-05:00

If you're selling fruit at a fruit stand in a flea market, generally it's stuff you grew yourself, right? Hahahahaha.I bought a bag of apples from a vendor at the flea market, got them home, and discovered freaking PRODUCE STICKERS all over the little suckers.So I'm thinking this older guy with the three creepy non-speaking women sitting around him probly bought the produce at a grocery store and

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1118678955076247852005-06-13T10:20:00.000-05:002005-06-13T11:13:07.450-05:00

By the way, flea market vendors, and for that matter, yard salers, I'm making a new policy -- I will not buy your stuff if there is not a price on it. It's not that hard. It took me all of five minutes to put prices on two tables' worth of crap. You can do eeet!Ooh, the best part of the FME (that's Flea Market Experience, you know) was that until September, all tables are only $8 each. So cheap.

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1118255465674317002005-06-08T13:24:00.000-05:002005-06-08T13:31:05.690-05:00

I know how it goes . . . you have $100 sitting around and are pondering, "hmmm, what can I get Karen? She appears to have everything but I KNOW there has to be a 12-inch plastic figurine that will surely be a better thing to buy, selflessly, for her, instead of buying, say, groceries, just because she is THAT fantastic and I would like to bribe her into making me many batches of cookies and

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1118244692734448082005-06-08T10:02:00.000-05:002005-06-08T10:31:32.776-05:00

First the correction: 80˚F at 7:00 a.m., not 70˚F. And the humidity is so bad that it looks like you're driving down a street in a horror movie.Then the confession: I'm spending way too much time these days thinking about Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, and Scientology. There's something about summer that just turns me into a gossip hound. This whole thing, with the mysterious religion and the nutso

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1118163726229892332005-06-07T11:20:00.000-05:002005-06-07T12:02:06.283-05:00

Okay, y'all, it's time for another freaking list, because I am apparently too lazy to make timely posts. Timely posts are for antelopes.As a side note, I deeply regret ever reading Pink is the New Blog because every time I say "y'all" now I feel like a Britney Spears imitator. KHAAAAAN!So here for your non-pleasure and my blog-fulfillment-satisfactionism is another list, only to make it more fun

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1117333611673078452005-05-28T20:22:00.000-05:002005-05-28T21:26:51.676-05:00

Proof I am a girl: I just dropped $20 (my half of the $40 total) on the "LEGO Star Wars" game. BECAUSE IT'S CUTE, DAMN IT. And it's not a bad game play-wise, either. Here's a glowing review (plus screenshots) to prove it. Adorableness!Come on, you know it's cute. And even Ben likes it because you can play all three episodes of the newest trilogy. Plus there's a Player Two drop in/drop out option,

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1117329724596209682005-05-28T20:06:00.001-05:002005-05-28T20:22:04.600-05:00

While I'm on the topic of geekdom, I will admit freely that I adore the classic "Star Trek" eps and used to watch them daily in the summer. When I was a kid, I mean. They'd come on in the middle of the day and I would use my hour of tv watching then, they were that good.Yes, I also read the paperbacks and even got a hardcover from my ST-lovin' uncle for xmas one year. It was great, he had this

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1117328804781719612005-05-28T20:06:00.000-05:002005-05-28T20:06:44.783-05:00

psst . . . there's an "Angel" soundtrack out now! I had no clue! And it's got a Christophe Beck track on it, squee. Aww, and some Christian Kane and Andy Hallett singin', too. How did I not know about this? I guess it's time to start reading WHEDONesque weekly again.

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1117328690226740512005-05-28T19:31:00.000-05:002005-05-28T20:05:28.456-05:00

You know what I love best about the Star Wars universe? The potential that it holds. It's the same reason I loved "Buffy" and it's the reason I stuck with it through all the seasons, even the crappy ones. The effing POTENTIAL was so heavy it almost took my breath away sometimes. It was disappointing when the potential wasn't reached, when the show went for the easy way out or did something that

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1117326670464683072005-05-28T18:59:00.000-05:002005-05-28T19:31:10.470-05:00

I said I loved Episode III already, right? However, I am still willing to admit that it was not the most perfect movie in the universe. It's telling that our conversation exiting the theater was mostly about one of the most deliciously cheesy lines ever. Which I will not talk about because I don't want to be like that boy at the restaurant where we ate right before seeing the movie. That asscat.

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1117289948525420412005-05-28T09:12:00.000-05:002005-05-28T09:19:08.530-05:00

I'm going to be updating later tonight with even more nonsubstantial stuff, but until then, I would like to assure the person who came here asking the burning question "Will ABC bring back cancelled "Blind Justice"?" that if there is true justice in the world, the answer is HELL NO.I mean . . .uh, I am sorry for your loss. Maybe we can meet up and I can cry about "Joan of Arcadia" while you weep

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1116708789577320342005-05-21T15:38:00.000-05:002005-05-21T15:53:09.583-05:00

Yes, we saw Episode III last night. It was excellent, more than made up for the wasted ticket from Episode I, which was the only other one of the six I've seen in a theater. (I didn't like it, by the way.)I loved it. I'm not fangirly about Star Wars, but I do appreciate the films and the universe they take place in, and I loved loved loved it as a Star Wars movie, and loved (x1) it as just a

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1116354226531668702005-05-17T13:20:00.000-05:002005-05-17T13:23:46.536-05:00

for making your bathtub crayons so erasable. Rabbit apparently had a few minutes alone after her nap, before I noticed she was up, and our TV was colored an enchanting and cheery apple red.Luckily the wet towel seemed to work. Of course I took pictures of this masterpiece for the album before rudely erasing it.

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1116350509453176082005-05-17T11:56:00.001-05:002005-05-28T09:10:48.713-05:00

If I may be shallow for one minute (ha, only one!), I would like to do some TV talkin'.First, I just heard that ABC is moving "Alias" to Thursdays at 8. What the hell? Why, ABC, why? Unless FOX is moving "The OC," this makes no sense. I mean, for me. Maybe the "Alias" fanbase and the "OC" fanbase don't cross over a lot, so good for them, but aargh. They should have moved it to 9 instead. I'd much

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1115995413181681052005-05-13T09:43:00.000-05:002005-05-13T09:43:33.186-05:00

I love Pixelgirl Presents like ice cream.Also, check out the needle felting kits at Sticky Wicket Crafts. The kits have EVERYTHING, even a nifty needle-y tool. And you can pick your own colors AND you can get enough wool fiber for another kit for under six bucks! I got my package yesterday and I think I'm in love. I have to finish that cross-stitch kit first, though.Count me in one the One Good

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1115994478604372292005-05-13T09:25:00.000-05:002005-06-08T13:32:53.673-05:00

You know that SNL skit with the guy who says "OH NOOOO!" when he answers the phone, and pretty much the rest of the time, too? That is Rabbit. She's started saying it every time I turn around now, like "oooh noooo! toothbrush! ooooh noooo! ravioli!" It really doesn't make sense.Her other favorite exclamatory word is "wow!" so I guess it all balances out. (She got extra bonus points for saying, "

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1115922836017185812005-05-12T13:11:00.001-05:002005-05-12T13:35:57.523-05:00

My mom's neighbor just called and said she found the mailbox-killer note: "I guess one of my kids must have found it on the door" which means kids are not reliable messengers, I guess. Or else they gave it to their dad and he forgot about it, which sounds a lot like my dad, so I guess it's feasible. I would think the kids would have mentioned it, though, because after I gave the boy the note, he

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1115870617565356982005-05-11T22:26:00.000-05:002005-05-28T09:12:22.370-05:00

Not much of interest to talk about. It's too hot in here for me to even think these days. Or clean. Or cook, which is good since the element in the stove still isn't fixed. Stovetop cooking isn't that bad, just a little boring. Some stuff can go in the toaster oven, but our toaster oven is so small that it's a limited option. Anyway it's too hot to use an oven. BUT! We just got good news -- we'll

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1115332328063206592005-05-05T17:12:00.000-05:002005-05-05T17:32:08.173-05:00

I really should have just waited and put this all in one post, eh? I'm just so excited, and this makes me feel kind of like an adult. Here's the end of it, I promise: this week also brought my cards and postcard by Susie and my notecards by Nikki McClure (from Stella Marrs). Eeeexcellent.And here's a dark and blurry pic of all the pretty artwork (including some yarn by misshawklet):Now I just

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1115321685343881542005-05-05T14:16:00.000-05:002005-05-05T17:35:05.813-05:00

I almost forgot (almost, but not quite) that I said I would list the prints I bought as they came in. It took a little while but they're all here, and they're all so pretty.Yesterday, I received my prints from Tiny Showcase. They were packaged very nicely and the prints are great quality-wise (and of course, prettiness-wise as well), PLUS there was a cute little note and sketch about my town's

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1114989717732554882005-05-01T18:14:00.000-05:002005-05-01T18:24:27.233-05:00

Finished the mobile, it's over in the crafty blog. Here's a sneeeeeaky peek:That's the birdie that's the centerpiece. The pic I have up in the blog of the finished mobile doesn't really do it justice, I couldn't get a good angle without losing all my daylight.I also made a little dino, that pic's in the crafty blog too. But here it is again because I love it so much:And Rabbit loves it too,

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1114707912144397652005-04-28T11:53:00.000-05:002005-04-28T12:05:12.146-05:00

First, yes, I know there are actually twelve pyramids now. Well, NOW I know that. That's what I get for taking an AOL-linked article at face value. Anyway, I've been doing this Self challenge thing, and I wanted to keep track of my nutrient intake. Self's challenge log has a food diary, but it doesn't tell you calories, vitamin C, whatever, you just write down what you ate and that's that. So I

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1114439262180393122005-04-25T09:06:00.000-05:002005-04-25T09:28:58.483-05:00

Last night was the first night in ages that I've spent staying up late CRAFTING. It was so much fun; I've almost gotten all the leaves for the mobile finished and will probly finish them off tonight. It actually seems to be coming together quite nicely, much better than I thought it would, considering I've never done this before. All the craftiness I've done has involved either very small-scale

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1114006631930630252005-04-20T09:01:00.000-05:002005-04-20T09:17:25.933-05:00

Normally when I get a shiny and new crafting tool, I put off working with it because I don't want to know how miserably I'll fail at whatever it is that the tool does. But I decided to jump right in with the sewing machine because I've been waiting to get it for so many months. (Good thing I did, too, because I ended up paying $20 for it instead of $30.) Also, I learn best by blindly heading into

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1114005364754860092005-04-20T08:42:00.000-05:002005-04-20T08:56:04.756-05:00

We have an effing ant invasion going on right now. I don't know how to get rid of the little monsters without setting off a hand grenade under the house. They were in the kitchen; we got rid of them with ant traps. They showed up in the living room; we used the ant-killing gel/food stuff. They migrated to the back door; we used the gel again. Now they're in the master bedroom and bathroom and,

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1114024690879647672005-04-20T07:14:00.000-05:002005-04-20T14:18:10.880-05:00

Crafters for Critters is open again! Buy cute stuff and support a worthwhile cause while doing so! Like Girl Scout Cookies without the calories -- unless you buy the vegan chocolates, I guess.

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1113881121844897862005-04-18T22:17:00.000-05:002005-04-18T22:25:21.843-05:00

How good was my weekend? So good I wrote a giant entry about it on my crafty blog. With pictures!I could get used to this internet-at-home thing, man.This week is moderate spring cleaning week. I have a few swaps to work on (zine swap, a little person-to-person swap, the city swap, mail-art/magnet swap), and the house needs a good cleaning SO BADLY. It's hard to buckle down and clean when there

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1113542661265529412005-04-14T23:53:00.000-05:002005-04-15T07:11:54.713-05:00

My crafty blog has been updated with pics from the spring swap.Scenes from an unbelievably long week:a) I finally got the internets installed at home (hence, a post on a Thursday . . . wait, it's actually Friday morning now. God, I'm tired). HOWEVER, instead of using Verizon's dial-up, I'm having to use AOL, which is actually really embarrassing. But Verizon's dial-up setup kept crashing on me,

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1112973860481181162005-04-08T10:10:00.000-05:002005-04-08T15:01:24.050-05:00

Yeah, no fun posts because work is crazy PLUS I've had the baby to myself all week because Ben has been working on a new/old truck at night. And this weekend is my brother-in-law's wedding. No rest for the wicked.I think because my life is usually so slow, these weeks where everything is all crammed together hit harder than they should. This week I've had to deal with finding something to wear to

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1112634564290001752005-04-04T11:55:00.000-05:002005-04-04T12:09:24.440-05:00

In all my nattering on about "A Current Affair," I forgot to mention my favorite segment, a "story" about Prince Charles and his sons.Have you ever played that game where you put your TV on mute and say stuff for the characters? Stuff that's really out-of-character or nonsensical or 'shippy if you're into that thing. Yes, take that and put it on a news show and you have the segment. And the stuff

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1112633709745927932005-04-04T11:26:00.000-05:002005-04-04T11:55:09.746-05:00

Our weekend:1) Rabbit has learned to say "dammit!" Your life is not quite complete until you hear your two-year-old daughter mutter "Dammit. Puzzle. Dammit." I think it's kind of funny, but of course not funny enough to let her know I think it's funny or to be an enabler, etc. etc. Mom is appalled but hides it pretty well, considering the lectures I got growing up for saying "oh, my gosh." And

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1112377484970755342005-04-01T12:35:00.000-05:002005-04-01T12:44:44.973-05:00

My weekend is looking great: we got a bonus this month so tonight I'm paying overdue bills and maybe even getting groceries; tomorrow I'm coming in to catch up on work (good because I like a clean desktop), and then tomorrow night we're going to go see Sin City while Rabbit's with my sister J; Sunday is R&R and probly starting seeds (a little late, but better late than never). (Apropos of nothing

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1112376841254728922005-04-01T12:09:00.001-05:002005-04-01T12:46:35.360-05:00

I waited. I waited two weeks before judging it. But I can wait no more.Have you seen the new, revamped "A Current Affair"? I was too young when it first came on way back when to remember anything but the logo, the theme cha-chung, and the overblown promos.Oh my god, I've missed out on so much. This is the most hilarious show in the entire world. It's like a live-action "Space Ghost," with even

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1112032383439356862005-03-28T12:20:00.000-05:002005-03-28T12:53:03.443-05:00

I finished my package for the Spring Swap! I feel so in control. A whole four days early, too. I'm actually pretty happy with the whole kit and caboodle -- I'll post the crafty things on my crafty blog after my swap-person receives The Box.Of course, I can't mail it til Thursday, 'cause I'm broke and have two doctor appointments in the next two days (for me and Rabbit), but still. It's done. On

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1111766117950956672005-03-25T10:45:00.000-05:002005-03-25T10:55:17.950-05:00

Why do I always hear about this stuff half a year after everyone else? Maybe it's a sign. I'm not sure what it would be a sign of . . . small-town time warp, perhaps?Nap Pods. The rip-off of the future. Now you get to pay to sleep. I have a weird complex about sleeping in front of other people, so it would never work for me, although I am a firm believer in midafternoon naps. The pods look kind

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1111765068461670002005-03-25T10:21:00.000-05:002005-03-25T10:37:48.463-05:00

This week's discovery: finding out that the stuff I love to look at and sometimes buy in that overpriced import store is called kawaii. I heart it, especially when it involves deer. That is all. As far as that item goes, anyway.And via Dioramarama, I found some new tote-ish things to fill my blossoming need for bags for library books, groceries, lunch, etc. I love a couple of totes right now, but

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1111424331829369832005-03-21T11:17:00.000-05:002005-03-21T11:58:51.833-05:00

Let's get into the list I like to call "things I (unfortunately) accomplished this weekend":1) I mailed a swap package to Utah instead of Arizona, where it was supposed to go (transposed some numbers in the zip code somehow)2) I blew up the element in our stove (it was just twenty years old, really, I didn't break it. for once.) I turned it on to bake the salmon, and five minutes later, POP! I

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1111421762457464932005-03-21T11:07:00.000-05:002005-03-21T11:16:02.456-05:00

That stupid lump in my jaw is still there and I think it's getting bigger. It's like having the top half of a gumdrop floating around under my skin. (Is that too gross?) I have a follow-up ENT appointment next Monday, but I wish it were today. WHY DON'T I HAVE A GP?This thing's freaking me right the fuck out. See, this is where I need some friend or relative to say, "oh, Karen, you're worried

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1111161514147456052005-03-18T10:41:00.000-05:002005-03-18T10:59:37.863-05:00

So they cancelled "Good Day Live," huh? There goes my go-to show for when I'm home sick and have no brain left, or when I'm working at home and need background voices. What will we do without the inanity?In honor of this momentous occasion, the top five things I will miss most:5) the constant pimping of various goods and services. and the cooing over said goods and services.4) the trashiness of

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1110820646409501002005-03-14T12:05:00.000-05:002005-03-14T12:17:26.410-05:00

(there was a leap year in there)Two years ago I was going through one of the most insane experiences I've ever had. Yesterday I sat down to write out the first entry in a journal I'm planning on keeping for Rabbit, and I realized I can remember almost everything from that day; I thought I'd forgotten it all, but it's all there. Everything except the first time I was able to see her. I keep

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5876169.post-1110559337643316882005-03-11T11:21:00.000-05:002005-03-11T11:42:17.653-05:00

Dear CSI writers,Portraying one of your main characters as seemingly puzzled/disturbed re: the incorrect association of rape with sex IS POINTLESS when your own show sexualizes violence against women. I hope you weren't trying to make a point or anything, 'cause you screwed it up pretty badly if you were.And if you weren't trying to make a point, and were just working on that whole

karen bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771190533791639011noreply@blogger.com