Below are the most recent 16 friends' journal entries.

Sunday, December 27th, 2009
walks_far	2:19a	Relief! It was in the laundry at home. At least the bills are nice and clean. Current Mood: chipper (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, December 26th, 2009
cornwalldragon	8:43p	HAPPY BIRTHDAY moxxey!!! Wishing Moxxey a very happy birthday! Happy many returns! *Dougal cuddles* Current Mood: happy (Comment on this)
cornwalldragon	8:31p	The E Nightime Light Show What happens when you take a front of the Direct Energy Centre and turn it into a giant movie screen? You end up with something like this: (Comment on this)
walks_far	12:44a	Happens every time I am still in Everett at my brother's place. Last night I reached into my pocket to get my wallet, but . . . it was not there. Dunno where it went. This is not the first time, but I am annoyed at it anyway. It could have dropped out of my pocket last night at the restaurant. I tried calling them today, but like almost every other place in town, they were closed. I will try in the morning. I could have lost it when I got out of the car to see a friend at her coffee shop. She was not there, so I did not stay long. If it was lost there, it was on the street and I am not likely to see it again. Then again, when I dressed Thursday morning to come here, I could have left it at home because I never put it in the clean pants, or . . . when I used the restroom to leave a dump, it fell out of my pocket. It has done that before. If it did, it will on on the floor next to the bowl. On the way home tomorrow, I pray I don't attract attention of traffic officers. Dunno how to explain what happened. Losing one's wallet is not a happy moment in life. I really wish I could pinpoint where it went, then I would feel less at ease and go retrieve it as quick as possible. Current Mood: rankled (Comment on this)
Friday, December 25th, 2009
breimh	9:40p	o/~ Outside the snow is fallin'... Your fever's at 102... o/~ o/~ Come on it's lousy weather... For a flu ride together with you. o/~ Yep, walks_far is here enjoying the holiday with me, while purrzah has spent the better part of the day sleeping of getting sick to her stomach due to something going on with her. I'm just hoping Walksfar or I don't end up sick with anything that she might have picked up from work, and that it's something she ate yesterday at lunch, like she's thinking it was. The trouble is, the only thing it might have been would have had to be something giving her a case of salmonella poisoning to react on her so much later than a normal case of food poisoning. We did have a fairly fun and relaxing day, though. This morning we checked stockings, and then opened gifts. Purr and I both got a bunch of new DVDs to watch, which both of us have already seen one each, and I've watched another with Walks that showed various regions of Ireland's landscape accompanied by nice tranquil Celtic tunes. It's very serene footage that would have done even better as a screen saver than a DVD that one watches in their player. Walksfar got us each a cologne, too, which is funny since neither of us wears the stuff on a normal basis, but this was something of a collectors piece anyway, since they are Tiberius and Pon Farr. He also got one for DaalRakken which was a bottle of the Red Shirt cologne. Reading the boxes, I couldn't help but laugh. They don't smell all that bad, though the sandalwood in the one I have, and also in the one Purr has will make my nose a little stuffy, if we do decide to use them. Cute and clever gifts, for certain, though. I managed to get something he really appreciated though, which turned out to be a nice little anthro-rabbit statuette in a blue long-coat and spectacles. It turns out that he doesn't have many bunny pieces to display around his domicile like he wants to be able to do. Now I know of something that he'll enjoy that we can pick up as gifts for him from time to time. It was a nice day, and we had a wonderful dinner. Walksfar and I were just wishing Purr would have been able to enjoy it with us. Now, though, it's late after having gotten up at 5am to start some of the cooking and food prep. So, Happy Kwanzekahmas to all, and to all a good night! Current Mood: Good, but sleepy Current Music: Alkaemy - Enchantment (Comment on this)
Saturday, December 26th, 2009
cornwalldragon	12:05a	Merry Christmas I know it's a little bit late but I hope you all had a very merry Christmas. Current Mood: happy (9 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, December 25th, 2009
walks_far	1:33a	The Holidays are here . . . Ready or not! My dog is in the Kennel. As the crow flies I am about 40 miles from home at mhy brother's place for Christmas. Driving time, three hours and 90 miles. All I have to say is this: "Merry Christmas, everyone and a Happy New Year." In January I turn 65. My Medical Insurance the school district supplied after my retirement ends and Medicare begins. Oh, Joy! Current Mood: ambivalent (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Thursday, December 24th, 2009
breimh	6:27a	o/~ Sweet silver bells... All seem to say, "Throw cares away." o/~ One of my favored songs of the holidays has to be this one particular song. There hasn't been a version of it I've heard that I don't appreciate, even when it's off-key or done with that back-woods country twang. I can even handle the rap version that was done of it in the early 90's. Here is the one version, and light display that I love best of all. The details of lyrics and information about the song can be seen below that. Carol of the Bells - 2008 Holdman Christmas Display from Richard Holdman on Vimeo. Carol Of The Bells Hark! how the bells Sweet silver bells All seem to say, "Throw cares away." Christmas is here Bringing good cheer To young and old Meek and the bold Ding, dong, ding, dong That is their song With joyful ring All caroling One seems to hear Words of good cheer From ev'rywhere Filling the air Oh how they pound, Raising the sound, O'er hill and dale, Telling their tale, Gaily they ring While people sing Songs of good cheer Christmas is here Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas On, on they send On without end Their joyful tone To ev'ry home Ding, dong, ding, dong. Composed by Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych (1877-1921) in 1916. Originally titled Shchedryk, this Ukranian folk song is about a sparrow and the bountiful year that awaits a family. It was first performed in the Ukraine on the night of January 13, 1916, on the Julian calendar this is considered New Year's Eve. In the United States the song was first performed on October 5, 1921 at Carnegie Hall. Carol of the Bells, also known as the Ukrainian Carol, was adapted from Shchedryk by Mykola Leontovych (1877-1921), which was first performed in December 1916 by students at Kiev University. The original Ukrainian song is based on an old Slavic legend that every bell in the world rang in honour of Jesus on the night of his birth. Current Mood: Inspired Current Music: Monique Danielle - Carol of the Bells (Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
breimh	6:09a	o/~ I didn't know that it was so cold, and you needed someone to show you the way. o/~ Yesterday, I was out running around, tending to getting last-minute gift items and last minute drop-offs and chores. I started at 10am, I came home for a bite of lunch, and was then out again. I dropped things off and took a 10 minute breather, and then was right back out there. It was chilly, but I find that is when I'm most active as I keep myself moving so I stay warm. I now have everything needed for while walks_far here for his visit over the holiday. purrzah will be picking up the pre-made dinner for our Yule feast tomorrow after work. Tonight, she and I need to do a little bit of grocery shopping for larger/bulkier items that I just can't walk with or ride a bus with. I found myself meeting up with Purr at one of the stores, on my last run out in the cold, and going with her along the rest of the route back toward home (with a few stops along the way for her to finish up the last of her shopping). She was very disappointed, looking at the glass as half-empty with not being able to get some people gifts they said they'd like or that she had in mind for them because the stores were sold out or had already removed things off the shelves to get ready for Valentine's Day. I hate advanced marketing ploys like that, and the retailers who continue to do it have lost a lot of business for it. (I'm not sorry to say that in most cases, I'm one of the customers they've lost, except for a couple of specialty stores where they are the only ones who have particular things I need for my art or cooking projects.) Today, I need to get things a little straightened up around here, making sure it's comfortable for us and walks_far to relax and enjoy ourselves. It's funny, when I was a small boy, I always loved when particular relatives would come to visit. I knew that we were bound to have a lot of fun, interesting conversations and just generally share in good companionship. I would actually get excited to the point of being unable to sleep when I knew they would be expected. In some ways, a hint of that excitement is there when getting together with Walks, too. There are few people who can still manage to do that in my life, but those who hold that special relationship are the ones I think - as a child - I would associate the most strongly with magical attributes akin to Santa Claus,and believe - today - are the type of people that help a soul understand what being alive, whole, and healthy (not in a physical, but a spiritual/emotional sense) is really like. Current Mood: Achy, but grand! Current Music: Michelle Branch - Drop In the Ocean (Comment on this)
Monday, December 21st, 2009
breimh	5:29a	o/~ If you can face your future, it sets you free from the past. o/~ This weekend was a busy one. Cali did get over and managed to get my computer up and running again. IE is hosed, but that's not important in any way, since I use Firefox on a regular basis. And I also have Chrome, if something won't work with FF. He also managed to get a really good working anti-viral software installed and a detection program that he pointed out many businesses use to alert them to any potential problems. I learned a lot from what he was saying, I can only hope I'll be able to retain it over the course of this next year. We also went to share in services for the passing of a good friend, mentor and the minister who married purrzah and I. His son is one of our dear friends, and while he seems to be holding up alright through the loss, he does have a very strong network of support to help him cope, and knowing that - he said - helps immensely. There were some great memories shared of this wonderful human being, and I even shared a couple of my own fond memories of what a spectacular person he was, which surprised those who know me and realize how hard it is for me to get up and speak in front of a large group of strangers, particularly with my vocalization troubles. (A naturally deep voice, coupled with breathing problems from a very early age, means that audibility and projection aren't something that normally goes hand in hand for me.) Still, we spent a lot of time socializing through the weekend. My computer is working properly, and Purr's car is now running without the interior fogging up or her freezing herself on the way to and from work. It's been a productive time, though there's a lot to do and deal with through this week, before we get to enjoy walks_far's company over the holiday. And, if things work out right, we might even be able to visit with baphnedia who's in the region, too. Current Mood: mellow Current Music: Conjure One - Face the Music (Comment on this)
Saturday, December 19th, 2009
cornwalldragon	6:35a	HAPPY BIRTHDAY codexrau!!! Wishing a very friendly gator a very happy birthday! Happy many returns Codex! *Dougal cuddles* Current Mood: happy (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Thursday, December 17th, 2009
walks_far	6:53p	Holiday Observation D'ya ever feel the whole world is a Spielberg Production and you are a Alan Smithy release? The Holidays do that to me. All the glitz, lights, excitement are all around. For me . . . I think I am infected by several diseases of the time . . . they all contribute to those feelings. 1. "Lackofmoneyitis" I think all of us end up with this from time to time, but can be aggravated by having another malaise with it. 2. "Practicalitis" Along with Lackofmoneyitis it can really affect holidays. Being practical can really kill things and it provides wonderful excuses for not doing things everyone would consider Holiday behavior. 3. Laziness. That speaks for itself. . . . I used to celebrate holidays in a big way . . . lotsa lights, tree, trips, shopping, presents . . . then I moved out of my parents' house. That's when the infections got serious . . . Bleah! Current Mood: Bleah! (4 Comments |Comment on this)
breimh	7:33a	*sigh* Until Cali can get over here to help with the problem of a smartvirus taking over my computer (starting with the anti-virus and security software) I'm stuck using Purrzah's system. This means less use of the keyboard, as I really don't like how hers is arranged or the fact that you have to press so hard on some keys and others type out a letter with the barest graze of a finger. Today, walks_far will be sharing in a nice experience with me, as we bring in a little business for a friend who has just opened a new coffee shop here in Everett. I'm looking forward to his company, and to see how this cool building has been remodeled for the business that occupies it now. purrzah is going to be dealing with her car today, as well. It simply means we have no funds for buying any more gifts for one another, this holiday season. But that's alright, because we have been able to get some things that we know the other will appreciate. And, at least we'll have money to get some groceries, still. I just wish things didn't always end up so tight around this time of year, due to some new problem cropping up on us like is becoming habit for the start of the winter season. And the back is still giving me some problems. At least today I'm not crawling or staggering from one room to another, like I was a couple of days ago, though. Current Mood: sore Current Music: None, atm. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
purrzah	9:59a	I Am Grateful... I am grateful that when the Gremlin-who-shouldn't-be-named-who's-name-starts-with-M-and-is-usually-called-a-leprechaun decided to attack my car again, it was while we had a second, if small, income coming in. On a different note, yesterday marked the 2nd year that breimh and I have been in our apartment. Current Mood: frustrated (Comment on this)
breimh	6:04a	o/~ I ask for nothing, I can get by; yet I know so many less lucky than I... o/~ Sunday, when purrzah and I were out getting gifts, she was mentioning what she would do this coming weekend with what was left over of the store credit on our cards, was to go back and get a nice winter coat for someone less fortunate than we were, as part of the donation to the Union Gospel Mission we've been doing collection for with the crew of the ussaurora. It was just such an unexpected thing to hear her say that (not that she's selfish, or self-centered, but normally she plans for a special "treat" for one - or both - of us when there's a little extra) that I leaned over in the check out line and kissed her cheek. It will be nice to see something done like that, even though she was looking hard at a new coat for herself with Tinkerbell on it that I didn't have quite enough to get for her on my card, along with the other things that I got for her. Now, however, it seems that though she's wanting to be selfless, she's running into more car trouble. It never ends, and never fails, with her and problems with cars. They always end up needing some pretty simple yet costly maintenance. This time, the car is steaming up like the Jetta did when it's heater core was bad. It's tires are also starting to lose traction on the roadways. I'm at the point with these cars that I really wish we could just dump the whole concept of owning one and have her start taking mass transit. The problem there is that with the cities and counties continually changing the routes from season to season (its not even year to year, any more) they're an unreliable mode of transportation for either of us - hence why I have been disqualified for several jobs I've applied for within the last couple of years. Not to mention that with the latest seasonal changes on the local bus routes, it's now a seven block walk from our home to the nearest stop, instead of two. Besides that, with her hours at work as they are, she would be gone a total of 18 hours a day, unless she had her hours cut to part-time, which we just cannot realistically afford. I'm at a genuine loss of what to do to deal with this whole messy situation, but I'm also very worried about her driving with poor visibility from the car's interior steaming up or the car stalling out during this particular time of year when it's so much darker for more of the work-day, and colder too. I had been thinking it would be nice to at least get her something new and different to read that was still within her preferred genre, and since I read it before moving to the Pacific Northwest, and thought it was one of those really good ones this book came to mind. Now, though, it's going to have to be delayed until we can manage to get the car operating safely again. It looks like yet another car, with all it's troubles, is sucking our funds away from being able to do nice things for one another (and others) as we would like to be able to do. Current Mood: crushed Current Music: God Help the Outcasts - Hunchback of Notre Dame ST (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
breimh	8:30a	o/~ Follow your heart.. your intuition... it will lead you in the right direction. o/~ It's just another cold winter's day. I don't want to go out, because of the wind more than the icy rain. But I'm at a loss of what to do here in the home aside from sorting through papers (ugh!) or doing more prep work on various game ideas that will likely never be played. I got a note telling me how I needed to re-structure my resume, which just ticked me off more than anything else... my temper has been closer to bubbling over lately, and I know it's because of the pain I'm dealing with thanks to the cold affecting my lower back... but I've taken the time to go over the document and try to rebuild it to some modicum of "acceptable standards". It just seems ridiculous to me that I should have to restructure my resume instead of go with a format that had worked all through the late 1900's. Because some people are bored with looking at the same type of pages day in and day out merely means they aren't really suited for that particular job, and need to give it up to someone else who is more suited to it! I had wanted to do baking today, but with the cold affecting me so strongly (I'm having trouble walking and standing because my back keeps seizing up) I can't. Getting e-mails that point out wonderful little things like this don't help, either. I wanted to do peanut butter cookies, especially after eredien's last post about peanut butter cupcakes with fondant Chinese Zodiac animals as toppers. I love doing neat little artistic touches to foods like that, when I cook. As it stands, this is giving me more time to relax in bed, working on story and game ideas; though I would really rather be up and doing something active. For now, it's time to pull out the heating pad and start using it again. Current Mood: indescribable Current Music: Jewel - Intuition (Comment on this)