Out of Hibernation

About six weeks of writer's/life block ended last week, and I am finally updating my life, both here and in the real world. I've had a series of annoying weeks where nothing seems to go right, interspersed with some random awesomeness. I'm going to try to topically cover everything.

Wizard Rock
Writer's block really screwed me here. I sat on articles far longer than I should have for the 'pedia, and it drove me constantly crazy that I couldn't accomplish anything but news bits for awhile. I missed writing interesting things, and I like to think that people missed reading them. I also had my first real foray into managing an all-volunteer staff. It's tough. There were weeks I spent 20 hours dealing with things for the site, and this is a LOT of my free time. At this point, I think we have managed to set everything up to be ok with less work. Big sigh of relief there. I think JP was getting to the point of resenting the time I was putting into it. I was getting there, too.

I found a roommate for and bought tickets to Wrockstock (a three day wizard rock festival in November). I get butterflies of excitement every time I think about it. Bands that I have never seen, awesome people to hang out with more (including my roommate!), new people to meet, three days in the woods of Missouri - it's going to be insanity, and I can't wait.

I have had some really cool things come out being the 'pedia editor lately. I got my first press copy of a CD to review, which included a personal note that had me all misty and going "Why did I ever doubt this was worth it?!" to JP. I spent time with wrockers that I had really only interacted with because of the site (and had an amazing time!). I've gotten random comments here and there, from people who appreciate what I do. And, most exciting of all, my proposal for a wizard rock panel at LeakyCon got accepted!

LeakyCon is the Harry Potter conference that I'm going to in Boston this May. My entire panel is full of people that I can't wait to hear answer the questions I have (erm, will have. WIP at the moment). I think everyone will walk away from it really impressed by our community and feel full of wrock love. At least, that's the goal. The other goal is for me to have my outfits picked out soon! I need one for traveling/arriving, one for Thursday night, one for Friday (that includes my panel), one for Saturday, one for the ball, and one (possibly two?) for Sunday. So far, I have two for sure, and three with a general plan. Well on my way.

I've been to three more shows. I don't think I will ever not enjoy jumping up and down to wizard rock. The shows that I have been to over the past six months have included some of the most raucous fun, insane adventures, and happy friend-making of my life. It's amazing.

Real Life
I've read a bunch of books, seen some good movies, and had some really great moments with the boys. It's been a generally happy time where friends and family are concerned.

I've also hit another peak of insomnia. I see 4 or 4:30 am pretty often. I'm torn about asking for more Ambien, after my last experience, but it did really help with the sleeping. We'll see.

I've spent what seems like hours trying to deal with the Parking Authority (PSA: Pay your parking tickets on time, kids!), doctor's offices, and admissions staff at La Roche. Just so you know, the Parking Authority will cash your check for a ticket, not tell you that it was late, and charge you late fees. (I only realized this when I went to pay a different ticket online. Fuckers.) Don't ever believe a doctor's office when they say they will call you back. I've never had one that did. They may also get snotty with you when you suggest that they are irresponsible assholes for not doing so, yet telling you specifically NOT to call them. Gah. And also, just because you have a bachelor's degree doesn't mean that you don't need to turn in high school transcripts. Uh huh. Makes sense to me.

I have failed to keep up with laundry or any sort of cleaning, but this is typical of this time of year. It seems that it is finally spring-ish, so I'm back in my spring cleaning mode. It really is amazing how much my productivity and what I do depends on the seasons. At least now I can mentally prepare for how gross the apartment gets in February and March (but not without the requisite guilt - I really should've been a Catholic).

And so it goes. I've noticed a lot of people seem to be trying to shrug off the mid-winter funk and get back into the swing of things. I'm glad to see we are all emerging.

Album Meme

It's 3 a.m., and I can't sleep. So I'm doing this.
It's my own version of the album meme. I've seen it both as just a list of 25 and as explanations for 15. I'm doing explanations for however many I come up with.
In chronological order as to when they were meaningful to me:

1. Carol King - Tapestry
Until I was 10, we always lived at least a two or three day's drive from my extended family. Nowadays, we're eight hours away, which I consider to be "close". Needless to say, I have spent a significant amount of time in a car with my mom, dad, and younger brother. Carol King was always a favorite of my mother's, and this tape got an immense amount of play on road trips. To this day, the four of us will sing it start to finish when embarking on a road trip. It's something that we can all agree to put on and actually enjoy, even though just about none of our musical tastes overlap very much.
Favorite song: Tapestry

2. They Might Be Giants - Flood
I was introduced to this album when I was 13, by my friend Rachel, at smart kids camp. For the first time in my life, I was almost completely independent (for three whole weeks!) and also fit in with just about everyone. It was the start of embracing my nerdom. Leaving that place was crushing to me, and this album reminded me of those three weeks, as I played it on repeat for the rest of the summer. It still makes me nostalgic in a very happy way.
Favorite song: Birdhouse in your Soul/Whistling in the Dark

3. Rancid - And Out Come the Wolves
Since I didn't have any older siblings, I did most of the music discovery when my brother and I were younger. I met a punk kid at smart kids camp that made me totally rethink my entire attitude about fitting in and social conformity that has influenced me to this day. He listened to much less mainstream punk than Rancid, but this was the first punk album I bought. My brother love it too, and took his love to another level entirely (liberty spikes, studded belt, and all), much to my father's delight. (/sarcasm)
Favorite song: Journey to the End of the East Bay

4. Blink 182 - Dude Ranch
At the age of 15, I was kinda angsty. (WEIRD, right?!) There is nothing like some emo-poppy-punk to help you wallow in that. And not to get all hipster on you, but I did own this album BEFORE everyone else did, yet I still like 'Dammit'. Sadly, I can no longer stand to listen to it. It brings back far too many memories best left repressed.
Favorite song: Untitled

5. Goo Goo Dolls - A Boy Named Goo
I will still defend this album heatedly to anyone. My first real boyfriend introduced me to it, and I scoffed at him, but it actually rocks a whole lot. There are some incredibly insightful lyrics. For the longest time, it was my go-to CD when I didn't know what to listen to.
Favorite song: Flat Top/Ain't That Unusual

6. Fear Factory - Obsolete
Ahhh, metal. At first, I only listened because it was all my boys would play. Then 'Obsolete' came out. Nowadays, it's not my metal of choice (waaaay too growly), but I love this album still. I can sing it start to finish, which people find surprising since it's not very singable or remotely in my range.
Favorite song: Shock

7. The Cure - Galore
Oh, The Cure. The late-teen angst soundtrack for, well, just about everyone. I picked up 'Galore' not realizing it was a greatest hits album. I've found over the years that just about no one objects to this when it's put on.
Favorite song: Just Like Heaven/Never Enough

8. Dr. Dre - 2001
When this album came out, every single person that I hung out with owned it. It was all we listened to for about a month. This was at the height of Eminem's popularity, and his albums got plenty of play as well, but this one I still come back to. If you know me well, I'm sure you understand that as an 18 year old, some of the "themes" were fairly relevant to me.
Favorite song: Still D.R.E./What's the Difference/Forgot About Dre/The Next Episode/Murder Ink

9. Tom Petty - Greatest Hits
As a college student, I think it's an unofficial gen ed requirement that you know this CD from start to finish. I've seen Tom Petty in concert many times, and every time is some sort of crazy debacle. These are my best concert memories. Even though I like 'Wildflowers' better, this album had much more play time in my life. Interestingly enough, JP can't stand it and winces anytime it comes on.
Favorite song: I Won't Back Down

10. Megadeth - Countdown to Extinction
Mmmm...Dave Mustaine. Megadeth is by far the most singable metal that I have come across, and I don't hesitate to scream-sing this in my car. It's an easy pick when Will or Silent Bob or Zac are in the car, and I don't really know anyone that doesn't enjoy it to some extent.
Favorite song: Symphony of Destruction

11. Tom Waits - Rain Dogs
'Rain Dogs' was the first Tom Waits album I was introduced to, and I remember telling JP that I was surprised Tom Waits sang a cover of a Rod Stewart song. If our relationship could withstand that, I know that we're always going to be ok. Tom Waits now comprises some ridiculous portion of my 10 gigs of music, and I wouldn't have it any other way. One of my missions in life is to make sure people have heard Tom Waits.
Favorite song: Hang Down Your Head

12. Nellie McKay - Get Away From Me
My in-laws are notorious for finding music from NPR and foisting it upon us. So when they told us about this chick that got kicked out of Julliard because she wouldn't "focus" her music, I was slightly dismissive. Then we heard the album. The songs go from classic lounge crooning to spoken word/hip hop to smart poppy numbers, and I can never decide what I like best. Her second album is equally good. She also plays almost every instrument on the album, and inserts political commentary wherever she can. Talk about raw talent. Go listen to this if you don't know her. Everyone becomes a Nellie McKay convert.
Favorite song: All I can say is that Manhattan Avenue and I Wanna Get Married are my less-liked.

13. Shakira - Laundry Service
There is nothing like shaking your ass and singing while doing the dishes. 'Laundry Service' has enough Spanish on it to please me without frustrating me for not knowing the lyrics.
Favorite song: Eyes Like Yours

14. Tori Amos - From the Choirgirl Hotel
LeeAnn sent me to Barcelona with this CD and I would walk around the most amazing city in the world, listening to it, and staring in wonder. I am instantly transported by it still, and I can actually only listen to it when I'm in the right mood. Otherwise, it just depresses me that I'm not still there.
Favorite song: I don't like Liquid Diamonds as much as the rest of it. I can't choose otherwise.

15. Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass
I had heard Aesop and El P and other Def Jux guys before this album came out, and I did like hip-hop, but, just, wow. This blew me out of the fucking water from the moment I heard it. JP and I listened to it for the first time in my car and about 30 seconds in, I turned to him and said, "I think this really fucking rocks." He agreed. It's two years later, and I still have this in constant rotation. I have burned more copies of this CD than any other and I hand it out whenever I get the chance. For awhile, I would have a few copies in the house ready for anyone who hadn't heard it. My friend Brian, who I would have never expected to like hip-hop, was completely transfixed by this album.
Favorite song: Catacomb Kids

16. The Whomping Willows - Welcome to the House of Awesome
My wizard rock obsession had to start somewhere. As soon as I discovered it, this was one of the first albums I bought, and I couldn't stop listening to it. Since then, I've come to appreciate Matt's other albums (perhaps more), but this was first and will always have a special place in my heart. I knew that we would be friends before we met because of some of these songs. Self-deprecating, hilarious, unable to take himself seriously - it's all so much fun to listen to. No matter how many times I see him play (I think I'm up to 9...), I will always get excited to hear these songs.
Favorite song: House of Awesome Theme Song

It's now 4ish, so I'm going to try and sleep again. Much music love to all of you.

A New Project

Since I've spent 23 of the last 26 days laid up (because of my spinal headache or this nasty sinus infection I've had), I haven't been doing much of anything. Fortunately enough, the 3 days I was feeling ok were the three days I spent in NYC with JP and Zac, seeing a wizard rock show, buying new jeans, and hanging out with Six and Celso.

I recently saw a video where my friend Matt talked about his favorite jeans dying. He had worn them for 50some days straight after he bought them without washing them. After a relationship like that, I can definitely see how losing them would be painful. So, I've decided to embark on a similar journey with my new pair of jeans that I bought in New York. I'm not wearing them straight, but I am going to resist washing them for as long as I can stand it. I figure this way they will truly know they are mine before I reshape them with the dryer. When I bought them two weeks ago, they were pretty tight and trendy-looking. Since then, they have become much more comfortable and yet, they aren't really hanging off me. We'll see how it goes.

Just thought I'd let you know.

Less Nerdy than I Imagined

Underline the one that applies to you. I added in "Nope" for things that I have had zero involvement in.


BATMAN

Not Nerdy: Going to see The Dark Knight in theatres

Slightly Nerdy: Dressing up as the Joker for Halloween (Heath Ledger version)

Fairly Nerdy: Buying Batman comics other than Year One or The Dark Knight Returns

Nerdy: Dressing up as the Joker for Halloween (Cesar Romero version)

Really Nerdy: Writing Batman fan fiction

Dangerously Nerdy: Writing Batman fan fiction where he has sex with Alfred



STAR WARS

Not Nerdy: Seeing the movies

Slightly Nerdy: Owning a toy lightsaber

Fairly Nerdy: Learning to play the Cantina Song on your musical instrument of choice

Nerdy: Knowing in which "expanded universe" novel Admiral Ackbar dies

Really Nerdy: Membership in a Stormtrooper fan brigade

Dangerously Nerdy: Defending the idea of Jar Jar Binks



HARRY POTTER

Not Nerdy: You read the books

Slightly Nerdy: You liked all of the books

Fairly Nerdy: You own a wand

Nerdy: You read fanfic that "fixes Rowling's mistakes"

Really Nerdy: You are a fan of "wizard rock"

Dangerously Nerdy: You have an alternate "Hogwarts persona"



MAGIC: THE GATHERING

Nope

Not Nerdy: "They still make that? I played it when I was in high school for a bit, but never got into it"

Slightly Nerdy: "Yeah, it was fun, but I couldn't keep up with all the expansions so I sold my cards"

Fairly Nerdy: "Do you mind if I use a proxy for Nicol Bolas? I mean, he's forty bucks"

Nerdy: "You haven't really played this game until you play draft; it's how the game is meant to be played"

Really Nerdy: "Okay, if we're all supposed to be planeswalkers, how come there are planeswalker cards? Am I Ajani? I don't feel like a lion-man" (In fact, I think just last week a scarily similar thought popped into my head.)

Dangerously Nerdy: "I've tested this deck against all comers and now all I need is to win free airfare and I'm on my way to the World Championships in Tokyo"



H.P. LOVECRAFT

Not Nerdy: Recognizing the name "Cthulhu"

Slightly Nerdy: Knowing the proper pronunciation of "Cthulhu" (EDIT: k'too-loo, for those wondering)

Fairly Nerdy: Owning a Cthulhu plushie

Nerdy: Running a Call of Cthulhu campaign

Really Nerdy: Organizing a chapter of the Campus Crusade For Cthulhu

Dangerously Nerdy: Actually reading any of Lovecraft's stories



NERD TELEVISION

Not Nerdy: Lost

Slightly Nerdy: Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Fairly Nerdy: Battlestar Galactica

Nerdy: Stargate: Atlantis

Really Nerdy: Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

Dangerously Nerdy: The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.



STAR TREK

Nope

Standard Nerd: The Original Series

Not Nerdy: The Next Generation

Slightly Nerdy: Deep Space Nine

Fairly Nerdy: the one where Picard rides a dune buggy

Nerdy: any of the novels

Really Nerdy: owning a phaser

Dangerously Nerdy: speaking fluent Klingon



COMPUTER USE

Not Nerdy: Macs

Slightly Nerdy: Knowing how to use Windows rather than just knowing "how to do emails"

Fairly Nerdy: Knowing the actual reasons Windows sucks

Nerdy: Anything to do with Linux

Really Nerdy: Getting all of the coding jokes in XKCD

Dangerously Nerdy: "I'm bringing BeOS back!"

An Open Letter to 17 year old Freya

This is in response to a YouTube meme that is going around. Since I'm sick, I'm not looking my best right now, and I thought I'd just type it up.
The following is a letter to me, 10 years ago. I advise myself through my 19th birthday.

Start reading Harry Potter. You've never heard of it and won't for several years, but find it and read it. You can't fathom what it will come to mean to you, but do it anyway.

In a few months, you will start to really hang out with the people that will be your friends in high school. Even though you won't be friends with most of them in 10 years, make sure to live it up while you can. This will be the first time that you truly feel like you are part of a group, and you will enjoy the hell out of it.

This summer, you will meet people that will change your life, and you will change theirs as well. Try to think of their feelings, no matter how much you think your own life sucks at that moment.
You will make an important life decision during this time. Stick with it! Go to Pitt.
Also, it's probably best not to do a shot of Scope. Vomiting in public is never the way to go.
However...you will also be given another opportunity this summer. As well as things turned out, consider working at the theater arts camp rather than going to Governor's School. I've always wondered about that.

Your 18th birthday will suck. LEARN FROM THIS. You are doing yourself no favors by clinging to the past! You're just going to be miserable. For awhile.

You know deep down if someone is right for you. It's better to deal with the initial awkwardness than to deal with hurt feelings later on.

You will have a silly fight with Abi. She's your best friend. She knows you were hurt. Call her even though you think she should call you. You could still be friends now if you did that.

You might want to care a little bit more about Calculus. No regrets on skipping school, though - those will be some fun times.

Even though you really won't want to do it, save your money from graduation. You will appreciate that later on.

Spend as much time at the Mt. Washington house as possible. Who needs a senior trip when your friends have a house free of parents?

This is perhaps the most important message of them all: your first full day at Pitt, wear your ripped jeans. They will be the ticket to your husband and 99% of the best friends you will ever have. Everything will fall into place after that.

Don't take your mom's car for that ride. You know the one I'm talking about. It's a good story later, but probably not worth the hassle in the short-term.

Go to class. Again, it all works out in the end, but failing that first semester really sucked more than the story it is now.

If only, huh?

Medical Science

I am constantly amazed by medical science. As far as I'm concerned, it's magic.

Yesterday, my doctor's office finally called back (after 3 hours!) and told me to go to the ER. JP took me, and after I registered, I waited for about 15 minutes until the triage nurse saw me. She took my blood pressure and temperature and asked me what was wrong. When I told her I had a spinal headache, she jumped up and told me to follow her. We went into an office where I repeated this to a doctor. He told me they would get an anesthesiologist to do a blood patch and that, in the meantime, they'd give me something for the pain. We grabbed JP, went into an exam room, and a nurse came in with a vicodin. I liked him immediately.

He proceeded to take me upstairs where I was put in a little room off of the surgical recovery room. Every other patient was unconscious, and the nurses and anesthesiologist seemed quite pleased to be able to interact with someone who wasn't. They apologized profusely because I needed to wait another 20 minutes before he could do the blood patch.

So, the blood patch. I had done my internet research, and I knew what they were going to do. In fact, on Saturday, I asked Tim and JP if they would do it for me. They both refused. You get a spinal headache because the hole where the needle for the spinal tap went in hasn't closed, and your spinal fluid is literally leaking into your body. Ick, huh? By taking some blood out of your arm and injecting it into the same site, the blood will clot and seal the hole.

I'm glad that JP and Tim didn't do it on Saturday for one reason - I never would have had the nerve to let them inject 20cc of blood. That is a LOT of blood. A whole lot more than I would have expected to fit in my spinal cavity. There were two anesthesiologists to do it - one to take the blood and pass it to the one that would inject it. I understand that maybe an anesthesiologist does not often take blood from someone, but I have huge veins and it is quite easy to get it. This guy stuck me 3 times before he got it, while I'm sitting there with a needle poking out of my spine. I was ready to do it myself at that point.

But after the blood patch and lying down for an hour, I had no headache. Success! The only problem is that my back really, really hurts now, from the pressure of having all that extra fluid. It's a fair trade, I think.

Just glad that it's over. Thanks to everyone that wished me well and offered help; I really appreciated it.

Laid Up

I know that I owe 3 more entries about my crazy weekend in Ohio, and I do have them outlined. Unfortunately, health issues have taken center stage for the moment. Last week, I had two tests related to my MS diagnosis - an evoked potentials test and a spinal tap. The evoked potentials test was boring at worst and might have been quite entertaining if I had been hallucinating. I was allowed to sleep for the auditory part, so that almost made up for the fact that I had to wake up at 6am to be there on time. All in all, not that horrible.

The spinal tap, on the other hand, has been nothing but horrible.

Ok, that's a lie. The actual moment when there was a needle in my spinal cord was fine. I didn't feel a damn thing, and it only lasted about 4 minutes. However, I had to spend the entire day in the hospital, where the incompetent staff proceeded to:

1) Lose my chart and force me to wait for 2 hours before anyone came to see us.
2) Place my IV in the crook of my elbow so that no matter how I held my arm, it hurt like a bitch.
3) Tell me that I could have nothing by mouth after midnight the night before, so I was dehydrated and in caffeine withdrawal for most of the day. (Which, interestingly enough, brings us to the next item...)
4) Do a crappy enough job that I have been stuck with a spinal headache since Friday (usually alleviated by drinking lots of fluids PRIOR to getting a spinal tap).
5) Forget about me and discharge me an hour late.

I laid down for 3 1/2 hours, flat on my back after the spinal tap. I went home, laid down, and slept for 4 hours. Then I laid down for the rest of the night. I woke up the next morning, went to breakfast, and had to leave because my head hurt so much. Then I spent all day and night Saturday on my back (missing Fred's going away dinner and bar excursion). Sunday, repeat Saturday (missing my PAW meeting). I am so friggin' sick of tv and movies, and reading is difficult (holding the book above my head). Typing this hurts (laptop propped up on my stomach). I called my neurologist, but he is out of town. His receptionist told me to go to the ER, and then told me that I *have* to go to the one where I had the spinal tap done and pay the $12 for parking there. No, thank you. So, I called my regular doctor, and I'm waiting to hear what he has to say. I'm hoping it's something like, "I'm sorry for all your troubles. Here is some amazing pain medication."
Did I mention I'm supposed to spend this weekend in New York?

Here's what I have to say: Spinal tap - turning the pain in the ass-ness up to 11.

7 Things

In vlog form, per the request of Fred:





Don't forget to practice safe sex, kids!

Adventures in the Snow, or How Freya Cried at the Crystal Ball (part 2 of 5)

Friday was hp-ohio's Crystal Ball, so Kathleen, Rose, and I piled into the car with suitcases, pillows, sleeping bags, blankets, air mattresses, and ball gowns. The car was beyond stuffed.

Our trip to Loudonville was supposed to take 3 hours, according to the GPS and Google Maps. We were warned that there was supposed to be eight inches of snow that night, but we didn't expect it to affect our trip out there. About two hours into driving, the roads started to get bad. We were on fairly major roads, so it was mostly slushy and a little slippery. Not ideal, but hardly anxiety-attack inducing. Once we turned off the "main" road (a county highway) onto Township Road something something, things got bad. There were about six inches of freshly fallen snow, with only a few car tracks that had gone through and more snow falling all the time. At this point, we were about an hour behind schedule.

After Kathleen explained to me how to drive on freshly fallen snow (easier than any slush or ice in Pittsburgh, for sure!), I was feeling pretty good. There was decent traction, and I was driving about 15 mph on the straight parts, and slower on the curves. Things weren't great, but we were making it.

Until we reached a blind curve.

As we started to round the curve, I thought we might be going a bit too fast. I knew that hitting the brakes would only make us slide, so I just hoped things would be ok. Except that around the curve was a fire truck, stuck in a small ditch on the side of the road. We slid to a stop, narrowly avoiding the ditch, and the firemen walked over to talk to us. He said they were trying to get their truck out and he would help us turn around. Turn around?! Yep. There was also an overturned car in addition to the truck in the ditch and they expected it to be an hour or more before the road opened. While I'm creating plans of us getting to a gas station bathroom somewhere to change and put on makeup, he tells us there is an alternate route. Well, at least it's something.

After about 14 reverses on the narrow road, we go back and loop around to another similar road. Still crappy, still snow-covered, and later than ever. After about 20 minutes of so on this road, we see a car ahead of us that is trying to come up a hill and just failing. The guy in the truck behind us gets out along with Kathleen, and they manage to get the car some traction to get going. We get to the bottom of the hill, which is a T, and realize we need to turn right and go up a smallish hill. We fail, so I back down the hill and try again. Fail. The third time, I started from about a quarter mile back and got enough momentum to get up. We cheered, because right at the top of the hill was the place to check in to our "hotel". I got into this little cottage, pay the guy, and he gives me an honest to goodness key and points up the big hill that we had just come down and tells me the rooms are up there.

At this point, it's about 6:30-6:45ish, and we are getting nervous about making it to the ball to check in. Kathleen comes up with the brilliant idea of just going to the castle and changing in their lobby bathroom. We can just figure out how to get to the room later.

After another harrowing ten minutes, we're at the castle, and it's magical.


(photo by Rose)

We stumble out of the car and decide to check in and then get ready so as not to be rushed. When we get into the lobby, we realize they have moved check in to the events center across the grounds. I am blinking back tears at this point because things have just not worked out at all. We have no cell signal, and there is no payphone, but the receptionist kindly lets me use her phone to call JP, which makes me burst into tears. I reassure him we are fine, calm myself down, and we wander down the path to check in. While we're checking in, Matt comes over and says "Did you guys get here ok?" I shook my head no, burst into tears, and turned around to go outside where I tried to calm down again. All I could think was, "How the hell are we going to get back to our room tonight?"

Rose, Kathleen, Matt, and Justin appeared a moment later. I got big hugs and was told that there was no way that 1) we were changing in a hotel lobby bathroom, and 2) we were trying to drive back to that hotel that night. Matt, Justin, and Sam had a suite with a pullout couch and a giant bathroom, and we were invited to get pretty there and then sleep on whatever surface we could find. I almost started crying again with relief and gratitude. I know that this is what friends do for each other, and of course I would've done the same. Nonetheless, we had been rescued, and sometimes a girl just needs to be rescued, ya know?

A Wizard Rock Birthday, or How I Now Have an Entry for Cake Wrecks (part 1 of 5)

Thursday through Sunday I spent with Rose, Kathleen, various wizard rockers, and lots of new friends. Overall, the good parts were awesome and amazing and the bad parts were awful beyond belief. By the end, though, it definitely ended up well in the plus column.

Thursday, Rose had a show at her house where Matt (The Whomping Willows) and Justin (Justin Finch-Fletchley and the Sugar Quills) played. Sam Friedman is their merch girl for the tour, and so after seeing her various cameos in the Five Awesome Girls videos, I finally got to meet her. She alternates between vivacious energy and low-key snarky remarks, and she can take it as well as dish it out. A good combination, for sure.

Matt has a new album coming out in May that is mostly about the wizard rock community and touring. One of his songs, titled 'A Brief Repose', features a stanza about Pittsburgh. It even mentions Edgewood in particular. Even though JP wasn't there, Matt dedicated the song to the two of us. Aside from the fact that we're included in there, I really, really dig the song. All of the new songs, actually. Justin wrote an EP with songs inspired from Beedle the Bard that were all new and completely enjoyable, too. I especially love 'Hairy Heart'. It's very quintessentially Justin. The first time I heard them, I wasn't that into JFF, but after a bit, it just grabbed me. Meeting Justin helped as well. His music is exactly what I would expect from him, and that makes me like it even more. Justin in song form! Such a good idea.

Since the next day was Matt's birthday, I had planned for our house afterward to be a small birthday party of sorts, replete with a Hannah Montana birthday banner and a cake that I had ordered. The cake probably could've been much worse, but to quote Tim, "The guitar was clearly drawn by someone who's never seen a guitar before but has only had it described to them, in a language they had a shakey understanding of. Or [they] thought you wanted like a science fiction guitar from the future."



So, we sang happy birthday and drank cocktails until the wee hours.

Ow.

So, I think that my nostril piercing is infected. At the moment, I am writing this with my head turned sideways because I have a cotton ball soaked in warm, salty water on it. It is throbbing, which it has been doing whenever it is touched for the past two days. I've had a fairly chronic sinus infection/allergies/whatever for almost two months now, so I'm wondering if all the nose blowing has finally aggravated it. I wash it daily, even when it feels fine. I have to admit that this piercing has given me far more trouble than my belly button, eyebrow, or tongue ring ever has, but I really love it! Anyone out there have some advice? Am I doing something wrong? Am I supposed to go to a doctor/piercer? Just wait it out? Help!

It's a piece of cake to bake a pretty cake

My friend Matt the wizard rocker is turning 30 this Friday. His band is The Whomping Willows. Since he will be at my house Thursday night, I thought I would get a cake for him. I called Giant Eagle to order it, and I believe that the woman there thinks I am insane.

me: I'd like to order a cake to pick up on Thursday.
her: Ok, and what would you like? (goes through cake/frosting options)
me: (I dislike cake usually, so I just pick random things.) Yeah, that sounds good.
her: And what do you want written on that?
me: "Happy Birthday Matt"
her: Ok, and do you want roses on that?
me: Um, well, can you put a guitar on there?
her: Well, we can certainly try to airbrush one on there, but I can't promise anything.
me: (imagining an entry for Cake Wrecks) No, that's fine. It might be funny if it's awful. I'm ok with that.
her: (laughter)
me: Um, is there any way you could also put a tree on there? Is there room?
her: We can put a tree on there, sure.
me: Awesome.
her: (slightly incredulous) Ok, so you want it to say "Happy Birthday Matt" and have a guitar and a tree on it?
me: Yes, that's perfect. Thank you so much!
her: No problem, ma'am. We'll see you on Thursday.

I resolve to...

Last year was the first year that I made a New Year's resolution that I completed. I don't think I read many books in 2007. I replaced them with teh interwebs. My resolution was to read 20 books that I had never read before. I actually read these 25, in this order:

• Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson
• The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
• Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1) by Jim Butcher
• Fool Moon (The Dresden Files, Book 2) by Jim Butcher
• Grave Peril (The Dresden Files, Book 3) by Jim Butcher
• Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, Book 4) by Jim Butcher
• Death Masks (The Dresden Files, Book 5) by Jim Butcher
• Blood Rites (The Dresden Files, Book 6) by Jim Butcher
• Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, Book 7) by Jim Butcher
• Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files, Book 8) by Jim Butcher
• White Night (The Dresden Files, Book 9) by Jim Butcher
• Small Favor (The Dresden Files, Book 10) by Jim Butcher
• The Host by Stephenie Meyer
• Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
• New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
• Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
• Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
• Paper Towns by John Green
• The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
• Looking for Alaska by John Green
• The Christmas Countess by Adrienne Basso
• Blood and Chocolate by Anette Curtis Klause
• Let it Snow by John Green, Lauren Myracle, Maureen Johnson

This year, I would like to also complete my resolutions. I know my limits. I know that I can't always eat healthy 100% of the time. I know that no matter how much I bully myself, I won't exercise more than occasionally. At the moment, I don't particularly want to quit smoking, so I know that I won't be able to. (It's hard enough when you really, really want to. I've tried plenty of times.)
So, here are my resolutions for the year:

• I only saw 18 new movies last year. I own DVDs that I have never seen. So, this one is in 2 parts. I want to watch at least 30 movies that I have never seen before, and I want to watch every DVD that I own but have not seen. For the 30 movies, other than in my collection, I would like to finally see some "classics" that I have never seen, including, but not limited to (please don't mock me): The Godfather, Goonies, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Royal Tennenbaums, Labyrinth, Old School, Anchorman, The Blues Brothers, Caddyshack, and almost any of the James Bonds (new or old).
• I want to read 25 books again.
• I want to post on my personal blog at least 104 times this year (twice a week, on average).
• I want to complete another photography project as amazing as the photobooth party.
• I want to finally watch all of The West Wing. I think I have only seen seasons 1-3 in their entirety, parts of season 4, and nothing much after that.

So, we'll see how I do. What are your resolutions?

A Year in Review

Ganked this from my friend, Ember.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
I drove through Utah, Idaho, and Oregon.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
My new year's resolution was to read 20 new books and I managed to read 25, plus reread Deathly Hallows and listen to an audiobook. Next year I'm shooting for 25, and I'm also going to try to blog at least 10 times/month.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Kelley and John had this cute lil' bundle. She's the only kid that I insist on holding every time I see her.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Fortunately, no.

5. What countries did you visit?
Ach, I was stuck here! I am definitely leaving in 2009, though.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Sleep. I would like to cure my insomnia.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 22 and May 10. Jen&Doug's and Will&Shan's weddings.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting into my interior design program, I suppose.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not cleaning my carpets.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I am almost constantly suffering illness or injury. Right now, I actually have a vicious cut on my thumb from the Brita pitcher. No lie.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
It was a gift, but I love love love my Flip camera.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I thought that McCain's concession of the presidency was quite humble and dignified. Good on him.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Anyone who is publicly hateful about same-sex marriage.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Wizard rock and happy hour.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Wizard rock, LeakyCon, writing for the Wizrocklopedia, getting into LaRoche, Jen&Doug's and Will&Shan's weddings.

16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2008?
Any Whomping Willows or JFF songs.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier, definitely.
ii. thinner or fatter? I was at my lowest adult weight about a year ago, so at least I'm back to reasonable.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer, I guess. We have less credit card debt, at least.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Watching movies

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Obsessing over Seth Rogen, daydreaming, sitting on my ass.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas Eve with the extended immediate family, Christmas morning at my parents' and Christmas dinner at the Fridy's.

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I'm constantly falling in love with one thing or another. And also constantly in love with my kittens and JP.

23. How many one-night stands?
Being married has really hindered this.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
I don't think I discovered anything new. Probably Top Chef and Project Runway - they're always good fun.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Sarah Palin, perhaps?

26. What was the best book you read?
Paper Towns by John Green

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Wizard rock, of course!

28. What did you want and get?
A much happier existence.

29. What did you want and not get?
Um, an HD TV, I guess. Not terribly disappointed, though.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Dark Knight, Sweeney Todd, Burn After Reading, and Enchanted were all awesome.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
On the actual day, I went to happy hour at Joe Mama's and dinner at Fuel&Fuddle with bunches of friends. I turned 27.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If any of my far-away friends had moved here.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Cold weather: Jeans, long sleeve tee, boots. Warm weather: Jeans, tank top, flip flops.

34. What kept you sane?
JP and Tim, though they do also drive me crazy at times.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Seth Rogen.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Anything that involves limiting science, whether in school (evolution vs. creationism, abstinence-only sex ed) or research (stem cell research, medical professionals not having to provide services they don't agree with, medical marijuana).

37. Who did you miss?
Steph (especially when she was in Iraq), Tim Scott, Kathleen, Laura, Jen&Doug, Jess&Goat.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Rose, Caity, and the other PAW-ters and the Germans.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
I can do absolutely anything that I decide to do.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
This is never gonna end/It really can't end/Cuz we've made too damn many friends.

Merry Wishes!

In whatever you may do today, I hope it's lovely and just what you want.

I outed myself on YouTube

I made this for the Project for Awesome, a day where we took over YouTube with videos just like this, promoting good causes and trying to decrease world suck. You can read more about it here.

The last 2 minutes are just the logo.



I know Jed Bartlett is fictional, but the information about MS on the West Wing was not.
Here are the links in case you watch it here and not on YouTube:

The Accelerated Cure Project

Accelerated Cure Project's Charity Navigator page

Information on MS

Drama-riffic Internets

I know I haven't updated about the gazillion things I have done since the last vlog entry, and I apologize. I've had a lot both on my mind and my plate recently, and I am epically failing at balancing it all. I am currently working on some sort of system to file my life into the important categories and devote the requisite amount of time to each. But I've kinda failed at that, too. You see, I have a problem. I can't stop dealing with drama on the internet.

I feel like the word "drama" definitely gets a bad rap. I don't mean to say that I am wasting my time or that any argument/disagreement is petty and/or not worthwhile. No one is forcing me to read and write these things. It's just so easy to read about it and think about it and write about it and then read the responses and think about them and then write some more. Sometimes I just wish the internet was like one giant Skype call and I could quick say what I wanted and move on. Since I also refuse to be ripped apart on anything factually related to opinions of mine, I do extensive research to try and justify what I have to say. Today, I reached the breaking point when I read this:

"The Freedom from Religion Foundation wanted in on the action, so there will be a billboard posted that reads 'Religion is but a myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.'"

Actually, what the sign says is this: (from Pharyngula)

"At this season of the Winter Solstice may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

First of all, it's not a billboard. It's a sign. It's also next to a nativity scene and what they are calling a "Holiday Tree". Apparently, no one has yet requested to have a menorah there, so there isn't one.
I'm sure you can imagine what happened in the comment thread, but just in case, I'll clue you in. Here was the majority opinion:

"i have a big problem with those who try and take away my being able to celebrate [Christmas], i/e Christmas trees in stores and such, just because they dont believe in it. Dont take away what i believe in just because your views are different from mine!!"

Are you joking? That sign is in the capital building. Freedom of religion means that the government cannot favor any particular religion. Since it is a government building, all religions must be allowed to express themselves.
On a further note, I was unaware that Christians spent Christmas at the capital building. How is it even possible that this sign or calling the tree there a "holiday tree" is taking away anything that you believe in? Especially since I'm fairly certain that the tradition of decorating an evergreen was not commonplace during the time of Christ.

Perhaps I have a unique view since I have always celebrated Christmas but have never had any religious association with it. I really could care less if someone says "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" or "Happy Hanukkah" or "Happy Kwanzaa" or "Happy Festivus" or just "Have a good fucking day". That person took the time to be polite and give you a greeting of some sort. In a week where I am spending most of my free time reading people's shitty-ass comments berating each other, I appreciate the fact that someone in real life might be friendly to me and others. So, please, however you are greeted in Walmart or Whole Foods or some sort of center for secular humanists, just smile back and say thanks. I know it may have stemmed from Christianity, but the whole "goodwill towards men" should be on everyone's mind. And not just in December, either.

15 days in 7 minutes

Where I sum up my life lately. Recorded on Thursday.



Nerdfighter: a term used to describe fans of John and Hank Green's Brotherhood 2.0 project.
My Nerdfighter videos can be found here and here.
Buy Paper Towns and Stargirl on Amazon or at your local bookstore.

Various marijuana proposition information can be found here.

And finally, a small, spoiler-free review of Twlight.
I kinda thought the movie was better than the book.

Up until the Port Angeles scene, the movie was awkward and uncomfortable. I laughed hysterically when Carlisle came onto screen for the first time (and got dirty looks from the woman next to me) because he looked like a freaking circus clown. His makeup was just so overdone. After Port Angeles, the movie was very true to the book. I thought they captured the mood incredibly well, and the Cullens were everything I was hoping for. The few changes that were made actually helped with the flow of things rather than detracting from my enjoyment. That being said...
If you haven't read the book and teeny-bopper vampires are not your thing, you're not going to enjoy the movie. Just a warning. Personally, I thought it was great, and I plan on seeing it again in the theatres.

Optimism, Obama, Socialism, and Disappointment, part 1

To anyone who is truly upset about what happened on Tuesday, I'm sorry you feel that way. Believe me, I've been there. And I did have the opportunity to move to somewhere more liberal - Canada, western Europe, etc.. I don't know where to recommend you go if you would like to leave. To those of you that think moving to Canada is the option - learn what socialism means and read about Canadian government before you go. But I would really love it if you just waited for a moment before you decide what you think is going to happen in the next four years.

There have been a lot of catch phrases bandied about during this past campaigning period, but none more infuriating to me than 'socialist'. JP wrote a lovely response to what has been an overload of comments about how America will now be going by the wayside as Obama and his "socialist" ways take over:

"Nationalizing banks is a canonical socialist policy, yet Bush, Paulson and countless republican legislators support doing this. Even our current tax regime fulfills numerous redistributive functions that you likely have no problem with. If progressive tax structures are how you define socialism, then we've been a socialist nation for a very long time.
If you begin to look at socialism for what it is, a broad collection of economic theories, instead of some value-laden epithet, you may realize it is not a concept that should inspire fear in any rational person. America gave up on unfettered capitalism a long time ago, once confronted with the dehumanizing exploitation it wrought on the industrial workforce. To categorically refuse to consider the merits of any economic theory unnecessarily and dangerously limits us in our search for solutions to very complex and pressing problems."

Rather than leave it so vaguely defined as "a broad collection of economic theories", let's list some socialist programs that exist here in the U.S. already.

• Social Security
• Medicare/Medicaid
• CHIP program
• Cash Assistance
• Food Stamps
• LIHEAP
• Progressive income tax
  

If you are against all of these, ok. Then yes, you hate socialism. I happen to disagree (especially about a flat income tax!), but we can leave it at that.
If you are all right with these programs (or at least some of them), then I am incredibly curious to hear about why you are "terrified of this country's future".

Take a look at this table of Obama and McCain's tax plans from CNN:


Now let's take a look at the income breakdown in the U.S.:


According to Obama's tax plan, 1.85% of Americans will have higher taxes. Are you part of that 1.85%?

So, let's move on to where the money will be spent. The biggest cry of socialism comes from Obama's health care plan. Some of these extra taxes will go towards helping people who don't have health care get some. If you have been fortunate enough to always have health care, bully for you. You're very lucky. If not, you understand what it's like to be sick or hurt and faced with the decision of whether or not to go to the doctor or emergency room. Here's the thing - if you go to the emergency room, they have to treat you. They will bill you later, but if you can't afford the $500 (or $5,000), there's not much they can do about it. If you go to a doctor's office, they will expect payment at the time of service. Uninsured people cost the health care system. If you have insurance, you are paying for those people already. What is the problem with your taxes not going up (most likely) and some government funding for these uninsured people (which may make your insurance cheaper)?

Stay tuned for part 2, where we can talk more about the various propositions passed and not passed and what that might mean for America.

I wrocked the vote!