Life in the Outside World

It's been a long time since I found myself thinking about blogging or anything of the sort. Frankly, I'd had enough and had to disconnect. When you find yourself getting home from work after sitting at the computer for eight hours just to sit down at your computer again for another god knows how many hours, it's time to rethink your priorities.

Do you know what I found?

I have friends!

There's this weird place called outside I'd forgotten existed!

When you go outside and visit your friends, you get involved in life again!

That's not to say that I've given up on my internet life. I still check Facebook and Twitter once or twice a day (or five times if I'm bored), but I'm not checking them every possible minute just to make sure I don't miss out on something important.

It begs the question what I've been doing with my life if I'm not spending every waking moment sitting at a computer or checking my phone for the latest happenings.

Well, I went back to Weight Watchers a few months ago. Initially, I found myself going to Wednesday night meetings in Almaden despite them being ridiculously out of the way and far too late at night for me to concentrate on anything but being hungry. But I went because I had friends there, and if there's one thing I've learned over the past who knows how many years, it's that WW is a helluva lot easier to do with friends. I gave up the ghost on that meeting however, and am in the process of checking out a million and one other, more convenient locations and times to find one I won't dread going to. After a few false starts, I've finally lost more than five of those pounds I gained from quitting smoking. Just need to keep chugging along.

I'm going back to school to get my Accounting certificate, and possibly an MBA. I know, sounds BORING, right? But the reality is I really like accounting. Who knew? What with taking two online classes (which means a whole lot of self-starting), maintaining a full-time job, and working out, I've barely had time to think, let alone game or do much of any geeky sort of thing.

Most importantly, I'm back out experiencing life. Instead of sitting around like a lump at work when I'm on my breaks and at lunch, I've been exploring Downtown San Jose, and walking like mad crazy. My daily average for walking? More than five miles.

And the other news? We bought bicycles. Well, Dave bought me a bicycle as an early birthday/Christmas present. Yeah, that sexy Electra Hawaii is my new precious. And whenever there's enough daylight left outside after we both get back from the grind, we'll hop on our bikes and get a little bit of a ride in. All I have to say is damn, not for one second did I remember bike riding being as much of a workout when I was a child.

Well, that's about it for now. Hopefully, I'll be back really soon.

Test

This is a test to see if the update to my old blogging app fixed it. :/

Star Wars: The Old Republic Collector's Edition: The Unboxing

First, allow me to preface, I am NOT playing TOR. This is the hubby's Collector's edition. Perhaps in the future, if people convince me, I MIGHT play.

First off, this is what Dave lugs home yesterday:


Seriously, this thing is HUGE (that's what she said!):

(yeah, quite some look on my face, huh?) It's bigger than my head!!
The unmolested open box:

The soundtrack:

Actually, the music is incredibly awesome. Guess that's one of the pluses of Lucas not letting go of crap.

Map of the known galaxy:

My only comment: Where the hell are we putting this?
The game, which incidentally is already installed on Dave's computer. Guess this is gonna sit on a shelf gathering dust (lol):

The authenticator thingamajig:

Yeah, I'm a bad geek, I can't remember what it's called. Bad Zan, no cookie.
Umm, something else:

Finally, the sculpture which was the reason for the massive box of epicness:

No clue where it's going, but it'll likely wind up in the family room along with all the Star Trek models. Although, there was some talk of placing it in windows where people least expect to see it.

In closing, a Star Wars geek's dream, but I have a tiny confession: we're more Star Trek geeks. Go fig.

Also, pay no attention to my disaster of a dining room table. I need to clean.
Cheers!

Geeky Ways to Celebrate Christmas

Most years, by the Sunday after Thanksgiving, I'm happily humming away Christmas Songs, basking in the glow of a festively decorated house, stocking hung by the chimney with care, and all that jazz. This year, grinch time. Dave and I haven't even discussed bringing in the decorations. *Sigh* But I won't talk about that now, no matter how much I want to kvetch.

Besides feeling like the biggest grinch ever, my initial foray into the world of Christmas wasn't exactly what I hoped it would be.

I got a really great deal on tickets to Dicken's Fair through LivingSocial (Family four pack - two adults, two children - for less than the cost of two adults tickets), which means I was locked in to going at some point this year. Our initial plan was to go last weekend when I came down with the deathly death flu, and wound up stuck at home with a 102 degree fever. Yuck. Okay, new plan, go closing weekend.

Closing Weekend. Yuck.

Woke up Saturday morning still fighting the remnants of the deathly death flu crud, and not sure if I'd actually be interested in dressing up. Cut to an hour later, my geeky soul is begging to dress up in corset and Victoriana, so I caved and my inner geek did a little jig.

Our initial plans to get there between 11 a.m. and noon were offset by my perpetual inability to stick to a schedule on any given weekend that requires me to not look like I just rolled out of bed. Come 12:15, we're just tossing the last few things in the car, heading off to get gas and get on the road, finally pulling into the Cow Palace at 1:15 p.m., and hastily corseting up and heading in.


Immediately, I was reminded why I loathe closing weekend of any event. LOATHE IT. Crowds like you wouldn't believe. Lines half an hour long for the freaking ATM. And I won't even start on the lines for food. The topper of the day? We meet up with friends only to discover one of them just had her purse stolen. Happy effing Christmas. Have I ever mentioned I hate people?

Only one thing to do if the food lines are too long, you want to strangle the jerkface that stole your friend's purse, and claustrophobia is threatening to turn you into a giant, seething ball of hate: DRINK. Same way I dealt with Mardi Gras and my desire to punch people in the face. Also, Dave discovered his new second favorite drink: Absinthe. I tried it, but - eh - take it or leave it. The Raspberry Hard Cider on the other hand? Yum. I had many over the course of several hours.

At some point after waiting in a half an hour long line for the ATM and me drinking another cider, my friends decided to leave. The purse stealing had really ruined their day. Stupid, jerkface, purse thief!

Finally, filled with liquid courage, Dave, Shelly and I decided to brave the food lines, only to discover almost no line!!! Wewt, drinking time and show watching time apparently well spent.

The rest of the day was basically a blur. Watched shows over at Mad Sal's (the Adult stage), since the "family variety" of fun really wasn't our speed. Then some window shopping, a few more treks around the fair, one more show, and I was kaput.

For the most part we stayed out of the shops, but a few pieces were simply calling our names (and our pocketbooks):

Dave picked up a new vest, a couple of lovely cravats, and a new pocket watch to complete his Victorian outfit. Hubba hubba:


Then, being the sweetheart he totally is, picked me up this incredible fascinator/headpiece which I will now build an outfit entirely around:


Sadly, there's no picture of me wearing it day of; I was sorely lacking in the picture taking department, likely cause I was picking up the slack in the drinking department. And the oh-my-god-how-many-people-can-they-cram-into-this-place department.

Yep, that was my start of the holiday season. About three weeks after everyone else. I'm trying.

Impulse Control or My Lack Thereof

This morning, I nearly chopped off my bangs. Call it a fit of pique or what will you, still most people consider this a pretty normal impulse, experienced in the moment and quickly forgotten.

Not so much with me.

Add in a touch of OCD and Anxiety Disorder, and you have me googling videos on trimming bangs every free moment I have.

I have to face it; because of this morning's passing impulse, I'm about 99% sure my desire to grow out my bangs is a thing of the past. Just like the desire to grow my bangs out came from a passing comment one night when I decided to wear them curled and off my forehead.

Fortunately, in terms of hair growth, bangs are relatively minor in the greater scale of time required to fix. I guess I have to accept that I'm crazy, omg, gonna want my hair different every day girl.

Still, when push comes to shove, I really enjoyed the Bettie Bangs.

And happy Friday to me, hope I can control this urge long enough to not screw it up on the spur of the moment.