Adventures of a Bookworm

Expenditure Timeline

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:02:36 GMT

December - Jeep and Christmas presents
January - bookcases and BC pills (medical necessity)
February - Droid and new Renaissance fair costume
March - Renaissance fair and save college money
April - save birthday and college money
May - spend birthday and college money

I already got my new glasses, an early Christmas present from my parents, so that's one less thing I have to pay for.

Yay!

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:09:41 GMT

I'm buying a used Jeep Cherokee on December 19th. I've wanted a Cherokee since I was in high school, but back then they were expensive and all I could afford was a used Wrangler. Now, seventeen years later, I'm finally getting the Cherokee I wanted. It's white and it's gorgeous. I've already picked out the bumper stickers I'm going to slap on its ass. Today I transferred most of my last paycheck into my saving's account, which means I have a third of the money set aside. Over the next two weeks I'll set aside the other two-thirds. Whatever money's left over plus my Christmas bonus and the paycheck I get just before Christmas will all be for presents. Thankfully this month has five pay weeks, so that fifth paycheck will cover my rent and any gas to drive my Jeep into the new year. By the end of the month I'll be broke, but happy!

Dream Journal

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:40:33 GMT

I was with a group of travelling knights -- Hospitallers, perhaps; I remember the Order of St. John -- when we had to take shelter in a local temple of some kind. The order of that temple were clearly Eastern, though I couldn't say from where, and they obviously didn't like us much. They had a grudging respect for what we were doing and an understanding with our leader that we would provide shelter and protection if and whenever they needed it themselves. Apparently no one was safe at that time. They commented that I was a woman and started to balk, but allowed us to pass when he spoke up and said they needed me as much as any man. They lead us to a long, narrow spiral staircase we had to climb in absolute silence. At the top was a small room, barely large enough to house the men and their weapons, and I immediately started attending to what we needed by lighting a few candles and dispersing the fruit, bread and water I found there before searching them over for wounds. Apparently the trip to the temple wasn't the easiest; we were all dirty, exhausted and battered.

When it was my time to guard the top of the stairs I borrowed a dark cloak from one of the men, who all towered over me. I was small enough to hide in the shadows with the hood drawn up. One of the temple monks came up the stairs to bring us news and muttered to himself about us leaving ourselves unguarded until he came face to face with the tip of my sword nearly at the last minute. After that he had to admit that having me along wasn't the worst idea they ever had. I don't remember much else, but I do remember at one point they realized that if I stood on one of their shoulders I could reach a small window high overhead and maybe crawl through. I don't know, though, if it was because I could see what was happening outside without being seen myself or if they were making contingency plans for my escape if we were discovered and attacked. I just remember them hoisting me up there and having to squeeze through to lean out and see the ground beneath us because there was a roof blocking most of the view. I wish I could remember more detail than that, like their uniforms.

Blahness.

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:47:52 GMT

I really did nothing this vacation except sleep and watch movies. I visited my parents on Thursday and Saturday, and on Saturday I went and got my eye exam so I can finally get new glasses. I haven't had an exam in two years and I lost my last pair of glasses about six or seven months ago. I pick up my new pair, with a new prescription because I now need to wear my glasses for more than just astygmatism, Tuesday after work. They're a cute pair of tortoise shells. I'd originally picked a pair of Burberry silvers from LensCrafters that were 50% off, but their customer service ticked me off too much and I left for PearleVision and the tortoise shells. I'll make them even cute(r) by the end of the week, when I've had time to figure out what I want to do with them.

Strangely enough, despite the fact that I always forget to wear my glasses, leave them all over the place and lose them, I actually enjoy wearing glasses. They look cute on me and make my normally small almost-Asian eyes look a bit more substantial without gobs of make-up. Just the usual eyeliner and mascara will do as long as I have dark rims surrounding them. I'm going to have to work on wearing them all the time, though. I've always had problems with my distance vision, which I've learned to compensate for, but now my vision's actually blurred a bit and I get frequent headaches from working on the computer all day. My biological age, at least, is finally catching up with me. Even my grey hairs are becoming much more prominent. I love it.

In other news, I'm blah for other reasons. I've become acutely aware of Arjay's absence, if that's somehow possible. It's not like he was here to begin with, but the fact that he's not here now has become sort of an uncomfortable spot, a tiny splinter under my skin that I only really feel when it's rubbed the wrong way. This weekend was one of those times. D and R were off on a cruise the entire time and A either spent the time working or sleeping over at her friend's house, which left me alone. After sixteen years of practice this normally wouldn't bother me. Lazing about in bed, reading about chaos theory, occasionally walking the dogs, tidying up the apartment and watching movies should have been fun and relaxing. Instead it was furstrating and boring.

C'est la vie. Life goes on and I'll once more acquire an immunity to such drivel.

Sigh.

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:58:09 GMT

It occurs to me that I’ve never even described Arjay or why I have such a crush on him. To start, he’s actually quite a bit shorter than I would normally like. He’s 5’9” or 5’10”, which means my head rests perfectly on his shoulder when we hug. He’s a little pudgy, which I do like, with rough hands from working with crustaceans all day. He has short gingery brown hair, but his scruff is gingery red with a few blonde patches. As handsome as I think he is normally, the face fuzz just does it for me for some reason. Maybe because it makes him look like a werewolf. His hands are always warm and he has a strong, solid build to him that makes him very cuddly. Very.

That’s a little disconcerting for me.

He’s working on his doctorate in marine biology and his ultimate goal is to haul his ass down into the blackness to study deep sea creatures. His thesis focuses on crinoids, specifically a misclassification by a pair of scientists in turn-of-the-century Hamburg. Apparently the collection was destroyed during the bombings and only a few documents are left, but it’s enough for him to go on. He lives near the beach because that’s where the lab he works with is. I get the feeling he doesn’t spend much time there recreationally, though. He doesn’t have much time with his studies, a full-time job and his thesis.

He’s a complete and utter nerd of the genius level. I’m sure other people find his conversations strangely academic and overly intellectual, but I positively adore it. I’ve never heard him say something unintelligent and he even says adorable things like, “Balderdash!” He grew up fencing and boating and he’s an avid reader, when he has a little time. According to him he hasn’t had a date in two or three years, probably because he’s too busy to notice when he has someone’s attention, but he no doubt intimidates quite a few people. He certainly found a niche with my family. He loves MST3K and couldn’t hide his smile when he caught me absently singing the themesong during the dinner party.

He’s an incredibly sweet and generous person, which is part of the problem. Is he just so nice and sweet he does things like buy expensive groceries for his friends or does he have an ulterior motive he’s just too shy to share? In some respects he wears his heart on his sleeve; he can be very passionate about some topics. In others… I have no clue what’s going on in his head. He clearly knows I exist, but in what regard? He’s a strange, strange man. An absent-minded scientist that loves to cook, watches crappy B movies and quotes Keats. What’s not to be smitten with? I have a feeling this is completely unrequited.

I reiterate, boys are dumb.

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:04:24 GMT

I texted Arjay last night and asked him if he wanted to come over for a "normal dinner with abnormal people." He said he would normally say yes, but he has a half million things to do before he leaves for Buffalo on Wednesday. Jerk. One day he's going to complain (again) that he hasn't had a date in two years and I'm going to tell him, "Really? Because I've been trying to get a date with you since D's wedding."

The couples only dinner party Saturday night was a smashing success, in a dinner party sort of way. Not in the hook the single kids up sort of way. There was so much delicious food and we watched two MST3K movies back-to-back, complete with a singing and dancing movie theater food intermission. The menu included beef kabobs, shrimp piccata, mushrooms in white wine and garlic sauce, spinach and artichoke dip, olive tapanade, hummus, and chocolate fondue with fresh fruit, pound cake and mini cheesecakes. My soon to be cousin-in-law made the chocolate fondue with two jars of Nutella, a bar of Ghirardelli dark chocolate, a drizzle of coffee and a little red wine. I'm amazing my heart didn't explode.

Arjay fussed over his contribution to the dinner party and hardly sat down, but he laughed and joked with me the entire time. He also brought me about $45 in groceries from Whole Foods ontop of what he brought to the party, which was terribly sweet and confusing. But when we sat down to watch the movies he sat as far away from me as he could get, with the exception of a few glances in my direction. Like I wouldn't notice. Everyone's stumped as to what's really going on, if he's interested or just a really nice guy. I suppose it's going to remain an unrequited crush for a fairly long time. The next big event we have planned to invite him to is the Renaissance festival we do every year. I plan on having a new costume because I'll need a much smaller corset than last year. Maybe that'll get his attention.

You know, I ought to change the subtitle on my journal, since it's clearly not romance-free any longer. I'm not sure when or why that changed, and I'm definitely not sure if I like it, but there you go. I blame it on Sarah's bad influences.

Ha.

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:17:40 GMT

I saw a BBC article that said "Saracens humble Wembley" and I immediately thought, "Wow, that's straight out of the Holy Wars."

Random Tidbits

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:53:07 GMT

- I woke up with a sore throat this morning. Nothing horrible or cough inducing, but it's annoying. I got honey-based lozenges for myself.

- I fully intend to have a Droid by Valentine's Day at the latest. I will name it Alice after the computer system in Resident Evil.

- I'm already planning my 35th birthday party, which is still six and a half months away. Actually, it's more like I'm scheming. Arjay's going to be my date, he just doesn't know it.

- I still have a total nerd crush on Arjay. Thankfully I'm not so emo or self-conscious about it anymore. That was screwing with my head.

- Today I got scolded for not eating enough protein. I found out I'm allergic to wheat a little more than a month ago and I've had to make radical dietary changes. Apparently quinoa doesn't count as a good source of protein when you're anemic. Now I have to have to give myself B12 shots. Bastards.

- I moved again for the second time in less than four months. I like my new place, but now I need a bed. I left my old one with my parents.

- I'm buying myself my dream car: a old Jeep Cherokee, preferably a late 80's or early 90's model, something I wanted back in high school. A white one that I can put anarchy stickers on.

- I want a window mount for my Droid so I can talk to the ancestor of the T-1000 while driving an old Jeep. That idea makes my sci-fi geek heart happy.

Ever-Changing Me

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:54:02 GMT

Two and a half months ago I got a new job. Two weeks ago I got a raise. On Saturday I moved to a new apartment. Next month I'm buying a new (to me) car. My dream car since I was in high school, in fact -- a Jeep Cherokee. What else am I going to change?

Edit: Oh, and I'm saving up for a Droid. Zomg.

This just sucks.

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:31:39 GMT

I'm so out of sorts today. I'm more productive than I was yesterday, but I really don't want to be here physically or mentally. I'd rather be staring at sea creatures while a marine biologist tells me about them. How fucking weird is that? I have got to banish this from my mind.

I'm turning into a miniature drama llama.

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:06:34 GMT

The wedding was absolutely amazing. The groom is always handsome and the bride looked stunning. And eating at a family-style Italian restaurant was perfect because it was the right mix of quasi-formal and celebratory. Of course, the highlight for me was being book-ended by two attractive nerds -- Sean and Arjay.

Things with Sean went well, though not as well as I'd hoped. He came straight to me and stayed next to me the entire night. More importantly he actually talked to me. Major improvement. His body language, his attention and some of his words, or lack thereof, said it all, but nothing happened. He hung out with R, DJ and I at their apartment for a few hours, but still nothing happened, just a brief touch to my hair and a few "accidentally" touches. Of course, none of this rivals the few sparks of jealousy I saw flying when Arjay joined our table.

We had one of those huge curving booths that can seat eight. I sat tucked into a corner with Sean scooted in close-ish next to me. Next thing I know Arjay, who I know through the groom, came around the other side and slid in next to me. Sean immediately eyed him like he was an intruder. It didn't help that Arjay and I were trying to figure out when D and his bride met and our point of reference was the last time Arjay cooked dinner for us. Except he said, "I think they met the week after I went over to your place and cooked for you." Yeah, that earned another look from Sean. So did the fact that I obviously find Arjay to be exceedingly intelligent and funny, so I laugh at all his geeky jokes.

Once Arjay asked to borrow my pen and I said it'd cost him. "I'll cook you dinner." Then he forgot his glasses when we were about to leave and I took them to him. "When do I owe you dinner?" I said I'd FB him and we'd talk. I woke up Saturday morning, checked my e-mail and found a friend request from him already. That made me smile and I'm pretty sure I turned red. This morning I checked my e-mail and found a message through FB from him about the upcoming movie Avatar as well as his number.

Truth be told, I'm trying not to read too much into it. I like Arjay a lot and his very cuddly -- a fact I know because he hugged me after the wedding. As many issues as I have with human contact, I can actually envision resting against him while watching movies. That's pretty damn big for me. Oh, random fact: he's Polish, which I'm sure might amuse jefF. He works at Nove Southeastern University where he's also working on his doctorate in marine biology. He's one of those super-geeks, the sort that ask you bizarre questions and rattle off random facts at the drop of a hat. You either love him or hate him, and my cousins and I love him.

Anyway, I'd like to see what happens with either one of them. DJ asked me to be honest and tell her which one I'd rather see right now and I actually had to say Arjay. I love Sean and I've loved him for years, but he really has to get his shit together and actually do something. Arjay's already made a few steps to at least be friends outside of our mutual associations. And, like I said, he's cuddly and he makes me laugh. And he's a little crazy. One of my favourite pictures of him is making ice cream with liquid nitrogen. Who wouldn't love to have dinner with someone like that?

I'm melting! I'm melting!

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:41:48 GMT

The AC in the clinic stopped working sometime around 3:30 pm yesterday. I had to send my staff home early today. Unfortunately, I have to stay to keep answering the phones and deal with any patients that come in. I don't want to run a clinic anymore!

Random Thoughts

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:01:10 GMT

Tomorrow's the wedding and tomorrow I'm going to see Sean for the first time in a year. I've actually changed a lot, physically and otherwise, in that mere year. I wonder what he'll think. I don't worry or fret about it, but I do wonder. I'm calm after my initial freak-out, though the drama does continue. Apparently my cousin R isn't as oblivious as we thought. When DJ told him Sean's going to the wedding he just got this huge grin on his face. According to DJ he wants Sean and I together. Everyone wants Sean and I together -- except probably Sean.

Anyone who reads this journal knows I don't date. I don't even interact well with humans. I haven't been able to sustain a relationship since high school, mostly because I haven't really tried. For a variety of reasons. First and foremost, I have commitment issues stemming from losing half my family and my fiance years ago. Plus I just have general relationship issues because I can't reconcile with the idea of spending more than a day, much less the rest of my life, with one person. And I'm just a plain admitted coward when it comes to dealing with personal issues.

I love Sean and I want him in my life, but I don't think I'll be heartbroken if he just wants to stay life-long friends that grew up together. I'd probably be more freaked out if he doesn't want to just stay friends. I often marvel at people who can date and risk their hearts, but I don't envy them.

Omgwtfbbq?!

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:49:47 GMT

My next book will be titled Delete the Message: How to ignore your inner voice and outer signs. FB kept prompting me to "reconnect" with Sean, so I did. I sent him a very simple e-mail. "It's been nearly a year since any of us have heard from you and we miss you. I miss you. I love you, E.R." I figured it'd be weeks, even months before he saw it and he could take it any way he wanted to.

He read it this morning. He's going to D's wedding, which is this Friday. I shouldn't have sent that note. I should have ignored FB and my inner voice. Now I'm hyperventilating for no damn good reason. This will probably turn out to be the same as every other time we've been in the same room together -- he'll hover in my field of vision but won't come near me, he'll keep glancing over and maintain eye contact but he won't talk to me.

Wtf, mate? I'm supposed to be the shrew!

Hee!

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:16:50 GMT

Me: So, guess what!
Mel: hm?
Me: I'm officially the only single person over the age of thirteen in my entire family!
Mel: That's um...ok...uh...grats?
Me: ::Smug.::
Me: Not only that, I'm the only person in my generation that's never been married and/or had kids. Dude, I'm rocking the spinsterhood!
Mel: *facepalm*
Me: I'm a shrew. Hee!
Mel: *pat*
Me: In other news, I wrote that guy I keep telling you about. Nothing will come of it, but I did it. I figure if I can do what the billboards tell me to, I can do what Facebook tells me to.
Mel: ...Facebook tells you to.
Me: Yes. It kept prompting me to "reconnect" with him and write on his wall, so I did.
Mel: That's right up there with listening to a fortune cookie.
Me: Listening to a fortune cookie's how I got my job.
Mel: *terrified*
Me: I'm all about the messages, baybee!
Mel: LMAO

Life's Lessons

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:45:06 GMT

Today my doctor is seeing his own doctor, so the office is effectively shut down. I sat down with my youngest staffmember, K, and watched The Moses Code with her. Then we had a long talk about the multiverse and how action can be achieved without taking action. Philosphy is fun.

Messages from Heaven

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:58:48 GMT

Every morning, on my forty-five minute commute to work, I pass a digital billboard that gives me the strangest message. Every morning for the past ten days, just as I pass it, it turns completely grey and a single word appears in enormous black font: you. The font changes every day, but the background and the message remain the same. Yesterday I decided that whatever advert followed is what I would do. I wound up writing a letter to the President during my lunch hour. Hey, if you were me you'd do what the billboards tell you to do, too. If you don't know why, ask me.

Save America's Space Program

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"I'm alive and so are you!"

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:04:53 GMT

It's obviously been a little while since I posted anything. Not that I haven't had anything to post, just no motivation to do so. I started my new job on September 1st. Tomorrow the girl who's been training me to take over as the office manager is leaving and I'll assume complete control, as well as a $6k a year raise. I've already proven myself well worth the expense. Not only am I the office manager for a pain management clinic, I'm also now an addiction care coordinator, which means doing intakes on junkies going into withdrawal from a variety of substances and getting them into the right recovery programs.

I work a steady nine-to-five job Monday through Friday, coming in at eight in the morning if I really have work I need to catch up on. No more crazy hours, forced overtime or six-day weeks. Actually, I am encouraging the doctor to consider adding one or two Saturdays a week, but we'll see how that goes. I have paid holidays, including the Jewish holidays because my doctor's Orthodox, instead of being forced to take the day off and then having it docked from my vacation time. I only get seven paid vacation days, eight if you count my birthday, but I have unlimited sick days. I have my own office, my own desk, my own laptop, my own extension, and my own fax machine. I have free reign.

I love my staff, and they love me. I've learned from both my good and bad supervisors. I send them home with half a day's pay if they're sick and try to work through it, I make sure they go to lunch on time and take their full hours, I take the shitty patients and I make sure they get their paychecks in the morning so they can deposit them during their lunch breaks. I let them wear crazy shoes and play music and made sure each of them had their own work space. One of them asked me if we could please have recycling bins; the next day I brought the bins in and a little plant for her desk for being so earth-conscious. I love my doctor, who treats us all like we're his granddaughters and frets over us constantly. He's a crazy, old-fashioned doctor that still sees house patients and has privileges as four local hospitals.

When I finally leave this place for Chicago I'm going to have a brilliant resume, an awesome savings account and a lot of fond memories.

Ahaha!

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:23:36 GMT

This conspiracy theory is being posted to all my pagan and paranormal communities. It's diabolical!

Two pagans walk into a bar...

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:19:57 GMT

Me: I got the worst tarot spread evar.
Melissa: Get off the planet, eh?
Me: Worse.
Melissa: Get off someone else's planet?
Me: Queen of Swords (which is actually my significator, ironically) crossed by Judgement and followed by the Two of Cups and Two of Wands.
Melissa: ...who did you piss off?
Me: I wish I knew.
Melissa: Geesh.
Me: So, I'm going to hole up in my room for a three-day weekend...
Melissa: *snicker*
Me: I hope it wasn't Bast. I said very nice things about her recently. This is not the appropriate way to reward me.
Melissa: Do you hear purring?
Me: I think that's the motorboat from Jaws 4, but I'm not sure.
Melissa: Then large furry paws of doom shouldn't be forthcoming.
Melissa: Unlike Sekhmet, in which case I'd be hitting the deck.
Me: I was thinking the same thing.
Melissa: I'm just not allowed to mention her and being allergic to cats at the same time anymore.
Me: lol What happened?
Melissa: Every cat in the house decided to floss my sinuses with their tails, my eyes swelled shut for 18 hours, and I think I tied the world's record for consecutive sneezes.
Me: Ahahaha!

I am so going to see this!

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:05:09 GMT

Ahahaha.

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 03:52:18 GMT

A few years ago I was standing in a grocery store when I heard the ringtone from JP III coming from the next aisle over. I immediately ducked and used those big mirrors suspended from the ceiling to see if there was anything large and scaly in that direction. Today I heard the piano notes from Nightmare on Elm Street and froze before daring a peek around to make sure the store hadn't changed. Movie ringtones should be outlawed.

In other news, my cousin G is one giant leap closer to getting married. He brought her up to meet my parents, which is the equivalent of meeting his parents since my aunt is dead and only talking to me and his father is an asshole. At forty-four, this will be his first marriage. I've always told the family that I'd get married when he did. Ha, fat chance of that. Commitment issues aside, I don't know any single man and not any man crazy enough to marry me.

Writer's Block: As the Cookie Crumbles

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:18:36 GMT

If you ran the fortune cookie factory, what message would you make sure gets put in a cookie?

Submitted By 123ekaterina

View 668 Answers

I think the one that predicted my next interview would result in a job was pretty damn sweet.

Speaking of, I rocked on my first day today. I'm definitely going to like it here. I'd forgotten what working at a private doctor's office was like. He stops working at 12:30 to go attend to patients at the hospital, so the rest of the day is dedicated to paperwork. A rep is coming to provide us with lunch tomorrow. I have Monday off as a paid holiday. I haven't had a paid holiday in four years. Jackson closed the clinics down, then docked our personal leave for it as if we chose not to work those holidays.

The staff is great, the doctor is terribly sweet, and I have my own desk, since I'll be assuming the roll of office manager in about two weeks. Maybe less if I keep up the pace at which I've learned everything. By the end of the day I was fairly proficient at their programs and had already fielded several calls on my own. The doctor loves my smile, the accountant loves that I can fix the fax, and the girls love my adorable little bento box lunches and my selection of teas and honey sticks. I loved everything, especially my lack of hospital teal scrubs and the fact that I didn't have to run to the lounge every time I needed a drink of water.

Oh, to be treated like an employee that actually matters!

Edit: And one more thing -- Chiller's having a Forever Knight marathon on my paid holiday!

A copy of the e-mail I just sent to jefF...

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 23:56:42 GMT

Subject: Cheers to me, mate!

I got me a job. Hee! I'm going to get paid and finally save up real money for Chicago! FEAR ME!

<3p&c

I am now the office manager for a small private doctor's office. Funnily enough, it's right down the street from the first doctor's office I ever worked for. It's not a huge job, there's no overtime, and I won't be making tons of money, but I will be making money. My personal financial depression is finally over!

I make lists. Not compulsively, or anything, but when I need to achieve goals I find lists are very helpful to me. I have a list of things I need to do/buy with my first paycheck. I have a list of things I need to do/buy with a steady income. A haircut, new glasses (I lost my old ones) and a new laptop are at the top of thoses lists.

But first I must go buy new scrubs. Yay!

Edit: The last time I went out to dinner at a Chinese restaurant with DJ & Co. my fortune cookie read, "Your next interview will result in a job." That was back in June. This past Tuesday was, indeed, the next interview I received.

Really, Picard? I guess it's the book thing. Hee!

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:15:22 GMT

Your results:
You are Jean-Luc Picard

Jean-Luc Picard		95%
Data		71%
Leonard McCoy (Bones)		70%
Geordi LaForge		65%
Deanna Troi		65%
Uhura		60%
Will Riker		60%
An Expendable Character (Redshirt)		60%
Spock		57%
Beverly Crusher		55%
Chekov		40%
Worf		40%
Mr. Sulu		35%
James T. Kirk (Captain)		30%
Mr. Scott		25%

A lover of Shakespeare and other
fine literature. You have a decisive mind
and a firm hand in dealing with others.

Click here to take the "Which Star Trek character am I?" quiz...