The Demon's Den - Blogs - Been Thinkin'. by Athena

She's Here!

Athena — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 00:51:55 GMT

Mina Isabella Harper was born at 8:33pm PST Saturday, August 7th at a weight of 7lbs 8.6oz and 20.5" long after a grueling 2 days of labor (but I avoided the c-section, so it was worth every painful second). I required 2 epidurals and lost a liter of blood in the process, but in return, I got the most precious creature I've ever had the privilege of being responsible for.

Thus far, parenthood has been an absolute dream. She's beautiful and peaceful. Mike has risen far above even the highest expectation, taking the absolute best care of both me and our child. The way he looks at her has caused me to fall in love with him all over again. I definitely lucked out in the daddy department.

The only shortcoming is that she hasn't taken to breastfeeding. We saw a lactation specialist yesterday and, apparently, little miss Mina is a biter, more content with jawing my poor nipples than accessing the milk (that's mah girl). That said, I'm philosophically committed to providing her with the benefit of breastmilk, so I've been pumping and bottle-feeding. Not ideal, but a fair compromise.

Thank you to everyone who offered well wishes and advice. Your input was invaluable, and helped make a potentially trying period in my life a little more hopeful.

Almost There...

Athena — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:16:33 GMT

So, this will probably be the last update prior to my giving birth. I'm about 3 weeks away - tops. They may induce me in two if I'm ready.

This part of the pregnancy is definitely the most exaggerated and bizarre. The good news is, I'm not miserable like most pregnant ladies I meet at this stage. I think my Amazonian frame (I am nearly 6') makes it so that pregnancy is less disabiling for me than it would be a woman of average height/size. My doctor was impressed with my ability to sit myself up after my last monitoring session. Here she was all ready to give me a hand, but I didn't need it. "Wow! Those are some abs!" she said. No, not really... I just like to be self sufficient.

But it's not all sunshine and lollipops... that's for sure. I've developed little stretch marks on my left boob. That's right - just the left one, although both have grown to an unmanagable size. Despite this, I'm finally quite obviously pregnant, as my baby belly sticks out past even these ridiculous knockers. I've also developed an occasional clicking in my right hip. My hips in general make me feel like a lame mare, but the clicking is a new and unwelcome addition. Lastly, the swelling has come back. I lost it for a few weeks, there, but it's back daily now. That doesn't bother me much as it's only aesthetic and doesn't impact function at all.

We recently toured our selected birthing center. Place is pretty swanky - nicer than half the hotel rooms I've stayed in. Ought to be - I'm paying enough for it. And they don't even move you after you've had the kid. You actually get to stay in the room with mahogeny trim and the jacuzzi tub. Mike will probably use that more than I will, though.

I'm still conflicted about going the epidural route, too. On one hand, why deal with unnecessary pain? On the other hand, I'm curious to test my unusually high pain tolerance. I suppose I'll feel it out. I'm going to ask if I can speak with the anesthesiologist. That reminds me - we also have to interview the pediatricians.

Due to a mold situation in our current residence, Mike and I are forced to move. We looked at a place last night that I think we're going to take - it's a 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment. Not ideal as it doesn't have a washer and dryer in unit (there's a laundry room downstairs), nor does it have a fireplace which I was really hoping for, but it is a spacious apartment otherwise and, most importantly, it's in the right neighborhood. Oh, and at $800/mo., the price really can't be beat. It's not a permanent residence anyway - maybe only a year until the rental options get better. Of course, this means we're going to try to move before the baby comes. THAT should be fun. :rolleyes:

Any last bits of advice? I'm all ears, ladies.

The Last Leg...

Athena — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:08:54 GMT

Saturday's baby shower was a success. Mina's got all the clothes she'll need in the first year and, although the party started at 2:00pm, it didn't clear out until about 10:00pm. No stupid games or tacky thanks-for-showing-up gifts and Jessica was even able to keep the decorations to a minimum. Now, THAT'S what I call a baby shower. The weather turned out beautifully and everyone had a pretty fantastic time.

Here's my cake:

Mina's Godfather, Casey, being a very good daddy (blowing up some bouncy toy for the chilluns)... cracks me up:

And me digging into the ample presents (I've gained weight AND I'm swollen - it's awesome). From L to R - Olivia, Bryan, Q, Vic holding Brooke and Moi:

So, okay, we're ready...

Is she here yet?

This last month or so is going to be excrutiating. I hate waiting, and I don't feel like I have enough to keep me busy and distracted. Because of the gestational diabetes, I have to be monitored weekly, now, and I get another ultrasound this week (that's exciting), but I'll still have plenty of downtime.

Only 5 full weeks to go, though! (Assuming they don't induce me early.)

The Adventures of Buck and Aiya.

Athena — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:35:31 GMT

So, little Miss Marley was over last night and, while she can pronounce some words quite expertly ("babies" and "candy" being among them), Mike's and my names are not among them. Mike is "Buck" and I am "Aiya". It works for me for now - a three syllible name with a "th" in the middle is not kid friendly, and at least I finally have an identity seperate from that of her mother (she called me "Alex" for awhile).

I can't wait until my girl is that age. Marley is absorbing things so quickly. In preparation for Halloween (I start early in this household), I taught Marley how to say "Braiiiins..." She's quite proficient with her growly little kid voice. I think that, at almost 2, she'll be old enough to wear some face makeup and some fake blood, right? I certainly hope so, because she'll look a little funny wandering around growling "Braiiiins..." if she's dressed as a princess or bumblebee or something. :lol:

Anyway, Sunday morning, I fly out for St. Louis. Not looking forward to it, either. How do you pack for 90 degrees AND thundershowers? I'm just going to pack for 90 degrees. As a Seattleite, I don't mind getting wet.

Of course, any discomfort the weather provides will be overshadowed by the gestational diabetes diet! Of course, I fly out for a week, my entire trip - food and entertainment - funded by the company... and I'm limited to fucking egg whites and wheat toast!

Talk about the angel and the devil on the shoulders. Mine are in real life. My sister is like, "What's one more week going to do? It's not like if you splurge a little, the kid's coming out with a third eye." Then there's my hyper-paranoid best friend, who's like, "OMG! What are you going to do?!? You're just going to have to switch to a room with a fridge and go grocery shopping..."

Right now, the devil is winning the argument (as has been the case for years)... :tongue2:

Then there's Mike. Mike's going camping for the entire time I'm gone. Other than the dog, he'll be alone for a lot of it, as friends can only come out a day or two at a time. I actually wonder if he prefers it that way. I'll miss not being able to call whenever I have a chance (I doubt his phone will have reception), but it's good to know he'll be happy and occupied while I'm gone.

So, I'll be in the STL from Sunday evening until Friday afternoon, and I'll be in training from 8:00am to 5:00pm, roughly. I'll still have plenty of time after training to get around and see some things... any of you ever been to St. Louis and have some suggestions?

Baby Shower!

Athena — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:49:05 GMT

So, while I don't expect anyone here to be interested, at least one person bet that I wouldn't, so I am hereby announcing plans for my baby shower type shindig. It is to be held Saturday, June 26th in Burien, WA (a suburb of Seattle). Anyone interested in attending is free to contact me in whatever method you know how and give me an address, as I'm a little late to the game and invites have yet to be sent.

As you might have expected, this will not be your standard baby shower... more like a farewell to childless days party. No pink balloons or retarded games, but there will be good food, good people and alcohol served. It will also be co-ed, and I anticipate pretty even numbers of guys and gals.

In related news, I had some bloodwork done a week or so ago that came back with evidence of high sugar levels and an iron deficiency. Whether or not the sugar levels mean gestational diabetes is TBD. The iron deficiency is crap, though. I expose myself to plenty of it, but must not be absorbing it well. I've done some research, though, and have developed a new game plan to tackle that (although I'm taking a suppliment in the mean time).

Other than that, as of today, I have a mere two months to go. I knew they said time would fly by, but damn. I didn't realize just how fast. I've got a lot to pack into these last two months, too, so I'm sure they'll go by even faster. Still have to register for the baby shower, still have to sign up for the child-birth classes (and maybe the breastfeeding class, too), still have to tour the hospital and "pack the bag"... and I'll be in St. Louis for a week.

Anything else that might be helpful?

Why, A Survey!?!

Athena — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:30:58 GMT

Don't mind if I do. It's being one of those days.

1. What time did you get up this morning?
Alarm is set for 6:30, but I got up closer to 7:00.

2. How do you like your steak?
Medium-rare.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
The Crazies. Probably would have been good, too, if it weren't for the 13 year old fat little fuck sitting behind us sharing his "enlightened" commentary. I glared twice; Mike said something twice, and I still had to catch the little shit's mom on the way out to tell her to keep him home next time.

4. What is your favorite TV show?
Tosh.0... no contest.

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
Here... only a little closer to the water. Like, ON it.

6. What did you have for breakfast?
Total Blueberry and Pomegranate. It's actually pretty good, and it's like a goddamn prenatal pill in a bowl.

7. What is your favorite cuisine?
American. BBQ reigns supreme.

8. What foods do you dislike?
I don't like cottage chese.

9. Favorite Place to Eat?
Wow. Um... Probably Elliot Bay Brewery, these days.

10. Favorite dressing?
Balsamic vinaigrette or blue cheese

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive?
Still rockin' the G-Unit's ride until I settle with dude's insurance. And now that, thanks to my condition, I'll be shopping for a sedan rather than a sports car, I'm less motivated.

12. What are your favorite clothes?
Hoodies, jeans and skate shoes. Might never grow out of it.

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance?
Croatia.

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full?
I think my expectations are so low that, as a result, I'm a "half-full" kinda gal.

15. Where would you want to retire?
Depends on how decrepit I am. If I'm in pretty good shape, I'll retire locally with lots of traveling. If I'm all busted up, I'll probably go south.

16. Favorite time of day?
Dusk

17. Where were you born?
Seattle

18. What is your favorite sport to watch?
MMA with some football in between when available.

21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this?
This is a time-killer before my next meeting. I don't even care if people read this, much less do it themselves.

22. Bird watcher?
Was when I lived on the lake.

23. Are you a morning person or a night person?
Neither these days. Tired person.

24. Do you have any pets?
A roommate named Robyn, my big ol' scary butt dog, Elke, and... We've named a squirrel who eats our of our hands "Steve".

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share?
I got nothin'. I'm supposed to find out the gender of The Boss today, but I don't think it'll happen. I've got a really late appointment and I think the imaging place will be closed by the time I can get down there. So, tomorrow maybe.

26. What did you want to be when you were little?
All sorts of shit, but among the most notable, a corporate lawyer or a business owner that employed nothing but reformed prostitutes. We're talking elementary school.

27. What is your best childhood memory?
Listening to Thriller on a walkman half my size in the middle of the yard with my little sun dress on. Good times.

28. Are you a cat or dog person?
Dog. And even that has limitations. Although there are exceptions, I generally regard dogs < 40lbs to be worthless.

29. Are you married?
Newly-wed, technically, although it doesn't feel even a little different.

30. Always wear your seat belt?
Yep, and so will you if you're in my car.

31. Been in a car accident?
Yep. Still haven't settled the last one.

32. Any pet peeves?
Too many to count. But some of the most common would be mouth-breathers, people who swing wide to turn in normal cars and opinionated ignorance. If you're not educated about a topic, keep your opinion on it to yourself.

33. Favorite Pizza Toppings
Chicken and artichoke hearts. Can you tell I'm a west coaster?

34. Favorite Flower?
Stargazer lillies.

35. Favorite ice cream?
Chocolate Mouse Royale at Baskin & Robbins

36. Favorite fast food restaurant?
Jack in the Box

37. How many times did you fail your driver's test?
Pssshhhh... Never. Missed two points each on the written and the driving tests. The irony? The 2 points I lost on the driving test was for swinging too wide on a turn, supposedly.

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?
Ulta.

40. Do anything spontaneous lately?
Not really.

41. Like your job?
More or less.

42. Broccoli?
Word.

43. What was your favorite vacation?
Interestingly enough, going to Montana with Mike, my dad and my step-mom most recently.

44. Last person you went out to dinner with?
Mike.

45. What are you listening to right now?
Nothing.

46. What is your favorite color?
Green.

47. How many tattoos do you have?
None. The permanence dissuades me.

49. What time did you finish this quiz?
10:27 PST

50. Coffee Drinker?
Tea. Specifically, Tejava. Hand-picked and microbrewed. I highly recommend it (Trader Joe's carries it).

Yay!

I Feel Pregnant - Oh, So Pregnant...

Athena — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:25:00 GMT

Seriously. Today. Like, all of a sudden.

It started this morning when I pulled a pair of jeans out of the dryer to throw on. Now, jeans are always their most snug post-dryer, but this morning, they were, like, difficult-to-button snug. And I know from the doctors appointments that I've only gained 2.5lbs thus far. 2.5lbs on a nearly 6' frame ain't shit, so I knew that couldn't be it. So I threw on a diffent set of pants and off I went.

I had my first meeting of the day at 9:30. While sitting in this meeting, I felt a particularly odd sensation. Almost like butterflies fluttering, but it wasn't my stomach. It was decidedly below my stomach. So, when I got back to my desk, I decided to look it up.

They say that maternity clothes are "a must" for comfort at this stage. Really? have we gotten there already? I know I was bitching about how slow and uneventful things were going, and I knew I'd be taking that back soon, but already?

They also say I should be feeling my baby move. Incidentally, they suggest it feels like butterflies, or like a person lightly flicking a balloon with their fingertips. I don't care much for the second description, but now I know what the sensation in the meeting was about. Mike's going to be jealous. :tongue2:

Otherwise, things are smooth sailing. No nausea; fatigue is present but no longer overwhelming; I have to go get some blood tests sometime this week. Hopefully I get the same little Asian man as last time. He was remarkably efficient.

I did receive my first judgment recently, although it was mild and probably unintentional. A friend of mine suggested I was doing damage to my fetus by getting my nails done. Well, we know me... You can't say things like it's fact and expect me not to investigate. Sure enough, not only did I find that no studies have analyzed the safety of acrylic nails during pregnance, but I found that toxicologists say that, as a customer, exposure to potentially harmful agents is so minimal, it poses no significant risk to the fetus.

That's right, bitch - this baby has already taken my smoking and my bottle of wine after work... it can't have my nails, damnit. (Of course, it could and would if it were harmful, but it's not.)

Soooo, that's where I'm at right now. No news is good news.

My Doctor is a Voodoo Priestess

Athena — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:29:09 GMT

...Or so Mike prefers to believe, telling me that, by using terms like "he" or "the little guy" in regard to my fetus, she must *know* that it's a boy. "Or she just speaks proper English... the default being masculine and all." His response? "That's the first time I've seen a chick touch your boobs." "If you had programmed that broad's number into your phone properly On St. Patrick's Day those years ago, it wouldn't have been," I reminded him. Poor guy's never going to live that one down.

So, I had my first *official* appointment with my doctor yesterday. I'm 11 weeks in and, despite some mysterious bleeding that occurred Sunday morning, I'm still pregnant. We didn't get a heartbeat, but the doctor assured us this was common, with only about 60% of patients hearing the heartbeat at this junction. She gave me a slip for an ultrasound, but if she says things look good, I think I'll pass. I'll be seeing her again in a month - we can hear a heartbeat then.

In the meantime, we've been signing up for a lot of free shit. I've been filling out mail-back cards, most of which ask me if I intend to be on WIC or not. I wonder why that matters. I always answer no because, well, I don't intend to be on WIC, but I wonder how that affects these various memberships?

Mike went ahead and signed us up for a program called Becoming Parents, administered by Becoming Parents Program, Inc. I can't really tell what their schtick is, yet - they must get grants from the state because they provide a ton of perks. Gift cards, gas and parking vouchers and catered meals just for coming to the weekly classes, a nurse assigned to you, sponsored "date nights", etc. The program is designed to strengthen the relationships between expecting parents and also to help parents expect and head off some of the challenges that pregnancy/newborns create. Why the hell not, huh? Our friends Casey and Vic went through the program and raved about it.

I'm pretty excited that I'm nearing the end of the first trimester with no sign of morning sickness yet (knock on wood), and that the fatigue is wearing off a bit. I mean, I'm not running any marathon, but at least I'm not trying to go to bed at 7:30 anymore. I hated that.

So, that's where things stand, currently. More waiting, now.

Be Careful What You Wish For

Athena — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:34:57 GMT

So, some people around here like to discredit some of my opinions - primarily regarding child-rearing - because I don't have any children of my own, so I couldn't possibly understand. "Have a kid and then tell me what you think about it," they say.

Well, you've got approximately 8 months left to use that excuse. At that point, I will unleash my own brand of hellfire upon the world, I will STILL be using the word "retard" to describe, well, retards, but will my ideology change? Stay tuned.

Until then, you may be witnessing a particularly surly Athena. Don't take it personally. I've quit smoking, quit drinking, and my hormone levels are all over the place. Once, yesterday, I burst into tears and began laughing manically within a 2 minute period of time. It was particularly unsettling. And I've got 8 months of this left! SOOOO excited. :laugh:

I'm getting married.

Athena — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:28:09 GMT

Yeah... like, next week. Or maybe two weeks from now. I don't know. Whenever Mike and I can make it up to the place that hands out the licenses which, of course, is only open two days a week for a few hours. I suppose it'd be too easy any other way.

There will be no ceremony... We'll take care of that sometime down the road, when it's more viable. A big party two summers from now. His brother is getting married next summer, so I'd hate to steal their thunder. And I want an outdoor party, so, in Seattle, that eliminates the next, oh, 8 months or so.

I won't be changing my last name, and our finances will remain as separate as they are currently. Ultimately, it really won't change much. But not being able to legally advocate for him in the ER last week was pretty fucking frustrating.

It may just be one of the most nonchalant "weddings" ever. But that's kinda how I roll. We aren't religious and we have no kids, so the implications are purely legal, at this point. As it stands currently, we decided on it over the weekend, and only my roommate knows, and that's only because she happened to be standing there when I turned to Mike and said, "We should get married. What do you think?"

So, there it is. Any considerations I may not have encountered regarding the process or institution of marriage are welcome, should anyone who's been through it cares to share.

I'm yawning a lot this afternoon. I think I'll go get some coffee.

Ignorance IS Bliss.

Athena — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:09:05 GMT

Today is Philicia's 25 birthday. I'm no good at shopping for presents, so if people want something more personal than a gift card, it's going to be lunch, dinner or drinks somewhere. Of course, when I wished her a Happy Birthday on her FB page yesterday and mentioned that we should do something to commemorate, I didn't think that was going to be tonight.

I happen upon FB today to see this, "So tomorrow we are planning on going to the Chapel or something in the evening or maybe somewhere for dinner. You and Mike are obviously invited. I am horrible about making plans (considering its tomorrow, and I still dont know) or I would have invited you sooner. Ill text ya tomorrow around the time you get off work and see if you're available to join us for whatever the plan has become."

Awesome. There's nothing my OCD likes more than fluid plans. But it's cool - I'm kinda sorta flexible. What's NOT cool?

Chinese-fusion franchises.

Because I'm a pretty damn proficient cook, I don't eat out often. When I do, I'm pretty rigid about it. I tend to avoid franchises entirely. They can be inconsistent and, especially in regard to national chains, any flair they could have had is usually watered down for general consumption.

This might be okay for "American" food - restaurants like Friday's or Claim Jumpers are taking food that, in its original form, is pretty bland to begin with. They can do nothing BUT add flair in order to carve out their niche. Claim Jumpers use of garlic mayo and smoked gouda on their clubhouse is a good example.

But, when we're talking ethnic food, franchises are bad jujus. For example, here in the NW, we've got a chain of Mexican restaurants called Azteca. These places are staffed largely by white people or, for visual appeal, long-Americanized Hispanics. The cultural element of the fare has been diluted to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Corn tortillas are now flour; more traditional prema donnas like empanadas are pushed aside to feature American bastardizations of "Mexican" food such as the taco salad. It's pathetic, but lucrative.

The Ramos family who owns said chain also operates another restaurant, La Costa. La Costa is their traditional restaurant where the waiters barely speak English, you may find a hoof in your soup and the default tortillas are corn again. THIS is where I eat. If only my parents hadn't raised me by such high culinary standards; I'd be happy eating almost anywhere.

So here I am, presented with the cringe-worthy circumstance of dinner at PF Chang's, Phil's restaurant of choice. I am actually bougie enough to forego the dinner and meet them afterward, but Philicia and I work opposite shifts and I don't get much time with her anymore. Because I don't want to show up only to be that guy who doesn't order anything, I decided to do some research. They've got many of the standards that are featured on my preferred Chinese restaurant's menu, but I just know that nothing will taste the same. They're not even nice enough to put the dish in their own words so I can gauge what to expect. Their synopsis for Kung Pao Chicken? "Don�t eat the chili peppers!" Helpful.

I just have to suffer through PF Chang's to get to where I'm actually interested in being - The Chapel - a hip little joint known for its wide variety of infused vodkas, resulting in delicately-flavored martinis. For example, I think I'll try the Sonier, made with rosemary-infused vodka, campari, cardamom and grapefruit. Might it be awful? Yes. But just the chance to try something unique and daring makes up for what will undoubtedly be a disappointing dinner.

Thank you for listening to me whine.

What have I done! :P

Athena — Thu, 28 May 2009 22:14:56 GMT

So, when my sister said that her husband's employer was dicking him around a few weeks ago, I told her what I always do - "Come home. It'll be better, here." But for the last year, that statement was always met with, "Yeah, well, I'll think about it, but..." This time? "You're right. We'll leave Monday."

She wasn't kiddin', either. They packed up a U-Haul and came right over. They've been here since last Wednesday. So far, so good. Their cat and my dog have managed to co-exist peacefully; they're making an honest effort to pick up after themselves (which is ALL I ask - they're not paying rent, utilities or food, currently); of course, little Marley is a little bundle of unbridled sunshine.

I suppose I should have seen it coming, but I didn't. Monday, we went to see Star Trek (really enjoyed it, BTW). They were thinking about coming with us, but couldn't find an available sitter. That's when it happened.

"Athena, would you mind watching Marley for us for a couple of hours some time this week so we can go see it?"

I was like a deer in headlights. "Absolutely," I responded, like a good sister would, but I wasn't kidding anyone. Veenie knows the score. "I'll teach you how to change a diaper... and make a bottle," she said with a smirk.

That's right - I can't even do those things. The last baby I've been around was Veenie! I was 4! I wasn't changing diapers and making bottles. I happen to be part of a clique that has birth control pretty well figured out, so I haven't gotten any practice there, either. That said, with the little tiger staying with me for an undetermined period of time, I may as well get this out of the way.

Still, I'm going to be watching a 6 month old child for a few hours. Assuming I will have gotten diaper changing and bottle making down by then - are there any tips anyone would like to offer regarding keeping kids that age entertained? Marley and I sat down for some UFC, recently, and she liked that well enough, but I'd like something a little more interactive.

Is there anything I can be doing during our time together to help her with her development?

Damnit! That time of year, again.

Athena — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:03:41 GMT

The last two days have been 70 degrees and sunny here in Seattle. I'd have no complaints with the change of weather except... It reminds me that, once again, I'm forced to go clothes shopping.

I'm opposed to clothes shopping for nearly every conceivable reason short of a mannequin phobia.

1.) I'm nearly 6' and well-endowed, with an abnormally long reach. Great for fighting - absolutely shitty for shopping. Finding, say, a blouse that's not only long enough, but buttons around my rack AND reaches my wrists is a practical fucking miracle.

2.) I hate the general public, and retail workers are quite often the condensed version of everything I hate about the general public - ignorant, clingy and insincere. Combined with my frustration with the aforementioned condition of mine, I'm perpetually one fitting room moment away from assaulting one of them.

3.) I'm still relatively young, but I work a corporate job. This means I suffer from an excrutiating internal conflict whenever I shop. Do I buy clothes for work, or do I buy the hoodlum-esque clothing that makes me happy? If I buy the clothes for work, I'm pouty because I've just spent hundreds on bland, uncomfortable shit. If I buy the comfortable clothing that actually suits my social circle, I feel guilty about setting myself up for the impending glares from my HR lady.

4.) (Yes, there's more...) They just remodeled the fucking mall. It's now nearly twice the size that it was AND it's all jumbled around. Every time I hear about the place, someone's bitching about how they spent 5 hours finding the shop they needed only to lose their car when they were done. Totally not looking forward to that.

I think that's about it, but I'm sure I'll have more to bitch about once it's over with. Wish me luck, people... I'm gonna need it.

The boss is out... Survey time. :)

Athena — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:09:15 GMT

What type of day are you having? So far, so good. It�s sunny and going to be 72, today.

Was there anyone who "made your day"? Not yet, but it�s still early.

Are you liking how you look today? Actually, yeah. I�m lookin� pretty fierce with my straightened hair, Columbian drug lord sunglasses and black ensemble.

Do you have anyone crushing on you? Thought you knew, dawg. That�s how I roll.

Have you ever eaten a bug? Not purposefully. Mike totally grossed everyone out Friday and ate a worm. No, not the tequila kind.

Are you vegetarian? LMAO. I won�t even dignify that with a response.

When was the last time you kissed someone? Last night.

Have you ever had something stuck between your teeth, but no one decided to tell you? How would I know?

Are you a mother or a father? Neither.

When was your last paycheck? WTF kinda question is this? April 10th.

How many pets do you have? Two � Elke the Dog and Fabrizzio the Frog..

What kind of toothpaste do you use? Colgate Total. It�s what my orthodontist recommends. Yeah, it's like that. What. What.

Are you closer to being rich or poor? What�s �rich�, exactly? Closer to being poor, I guess, but you wouldn�t know it unless I told you.

Do you sleep with a stuffed animal? You could call Mike a stuffed animal after dinner most nights, I suppose.

What was the last gift someone gave you? In the same night, I got an easter basket from Mike and burned CDs from Rob and Jessica.

Do you appreciate that person? All of them. Intensely.

Are you on any type of drugs? Antibiotics, currently. The shitty kind that don�t allow me to drink for a whole 10 days.

Are you in love? Absolutely.

Have you ever been in love? See above.

Do you even believe in love? And again.

How many things are you really thinking about right now? Multiple.

Did you talk to anyone you didn't like today? Nope. I�m pretty good at avoiding that.

Do you like picnics? Yep.

Have you finished school yet? Nope.

What is/was your worst subject? In high school? Photography. It was a bullshit filler class, anyway.

What's your father's middle name? Gregory.

What kind of mood are you in? Stoic� like usual.

Are you waiting for anything? All sorts of things, the afternoon to come being the soonest.

Are you going to bed after this? Nope.

Have you ever watched Fahrenheit 9/11? Yep� It was very questionable.

Where were you September 11, 2001? At work. They let everyone go home, though.

What book are you currently reading? I'm in between books right now.

What song did you last listen to? Cosecha de Mujeres - Tribu Band

What movie is in your DVD player? None. I take them out when I�m done watching them. I did watch Zombie Strippers on Spike last night, though. Always cheesy awesomeness.

How many windows are open in your computer? 4

Are you a very stressed out person? Not particularly.

How old is your mom? She would have been 54 this year.

Has your mom ever been on television or in the paper? I�m not sure. I assume so.

Are you single? Nope.

Do you have a beach house? If the lake counts, I live in one. I don't own it, though.

Where do you live? A Seattle suburb.

Did you honestly miss Melrose Place? Um� no.

Do you ever watch Bold and the Beautiful? Nope.

Do you sometimes watch the news? Constantly.

Have you ever seen a UFO? Nope.

Do you believe in aliens? Yeah, but it�s just a matter of odds.

Do you like Jerry Springer? I�m not white trash, nor do I have any strange fascination with it.

Have you ever been to World Trade Center? Nope.

What is your favorite magazine? Um� geez. I have a subscription to Fitness, but I like Maxim better, to be honest. Oh, and Sunset. And Seattle Metropolitan. I guess I have a few.

How many times have you gone to a foreign country? Twice.

When will you next go on a plane? Probably pretty soon. Jessica�s talking about a Cali or D.C. trip in the next couple of months.

When did you last go on a plane? Alaska, May of last year.

Do you watch football Sundays? Most of the time.

Do you read Perez Hilton? Nope.

What are your thoughts on Disney Channel? I have none.

Do you like Techno? Some, but I�m picky about it.

Do you like Dr. Phil? Occasionally.

Do you like Oprah? Not particularly.

Do you ever want to get married? I�m wishy-washy about that. On one hand, it seems like the natural progression. On the other hand, why ruin a good thing? :tongue2:

What is your favorite country? What, you think I�m some self-loathing liberal? America! Fuck yeah! (I couldn't help but notice that El Supremo is a self-loathing liberal. Ireland? Dude... what kind of answer is that? Ingrate. :wink: )

Do you like animals? Sure do.

Do you have an Ipod? Nope.

Do you watch TV alot? More than I should.

Are you afraid of the dark? Not generally, but I can get creeped out on occasion. Last night was a perfect example. I wake up at 3 AM to the sound of stereotypical horror movie music. I sleepily saunter into the living room where, sure enough, Veenie left the TV on Spike and it's playing some old horror movie I didn't recognize at the time. I hit the off button, but I must've hit it twice, because just after I turned to return the bed, the fuckin' thing came back on all creepy-like. I hurried back to bed after turning it off a second time.

Goodbye, Dear Friend...

Athena — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:55:33 GMT

Saturday's festivities for Mike's birthday started early, around 2:00pm, when our good friends Casey and Vic(toria) showed up. "Sorry we're so early," Casey said unnecessarily as they came into the house, "We needed to get out of the house," Vic said, finishing her new husband's sentence. Mike and I, who had been up early to prepare for the BBQ and had now gotten bored, were preparing to embark on a game of Monopoly to pass the time before guests showed up. "Yo, let us get in on that!" Casey exclaimed with a smirk.

So, there the four of us sat, our fake money spread out in front of us. Vic, who had gotten all the lucky rolls, had bought up half the damn property on the board. Casey, who had landed on not one but TWO "Free Parking"s was trying to buy what little property Mike and I had off of us, since his wife wouldn't negotiate.

After not too long, Mike received a call from his brother in Montana and left the game to talk to him for a minute. During this time, Casey also received a call. I assumed it was our good friend Eric, which was confirmed when Casey held his phone out and said, "He wants to holla at a nigga." Always thrilled to hear from Eric, I eagerly grabbed the phone and offered a spirited, "Whaddup, G?" "Whadduuuuup! Whatchu doin'?" We went on like this for a moment; I asked him about the house he and his new wife, Jack(ie), moved into, assuring him that, although it was deep (Olympia), we'd be down to visit him soon. Mike was still on the phone, so Eric told me he'd call back soon to wish him a happy birthday. "A'ight, homie, holla atchu lata," I said. For some strange reason, ebonics is the preferred form of both greeting and departing salutations between us.

Eric and Jack had been invited, but weren't going to show. Eric told Casey he was "counting quarters," suggesting he was broke. No wonder, either - I'm sure the recent move tapped their finances. Eric, an Army "lifer" was a proud kid; he wouldn't have wanted to show up to Mike's birthday party empty-handed. Last year, he happened by on Mike's birthday, not realizing what day it was. Refusing to observe the day without some offering, he rifled through his car to find Mike a present, a brand new... nose hair trimmer. It was awesome - not just because it was the most hilarious present ever, but because it illustrated just how loving this kid was. Eric... Fun-loving, social, outgoing, respectful, intensely loyal... It's hard to find something to not like about the guy.

I try to think back about exactly how we all became friends, and it's one of those absolutely beautiful collisions of circumstance that bring people together randomly and harmoniously. It all started when Mike and I lived in the hood. Eric had moved in next door with his older sister, Romy; Mike and Casey worked together; Romy's good friends Vic and Jack moved over here from Montana and, like usual, Mike's and my place was ground zero for kickin' it. Before we knew it, Eric was dating Jack and Casey was dating Vic. Eric enjoyed little brother status with us, and we had all become very, very close. When his sister moved to Kansas to be close to their parents, Eric leaned on us pretty heavily.

A stellar soldier in the military, Eric was clueless beyond the barracks. Mike taught him how to grocery shop; I cooked for him constantly. He always kept in touch, calling us frequently whenever he was overseas. He was the only friend EVER who I've exchanged "I love yous" with at the end of phone calls. I've got friends I've known longer and I've got friends I see more often, but I can't think of one who actively proves he cares like Eric does.

Over the years, our friendships remained static. Eric went to Iraq then came back; Casey and Vic had moved to Wyoming and came back, but we maintained communication all the while. Eric and Jack had just gotten married; Vic and Casey had also just gotten married and have a baby girl, little Brook, on the way. After I hung up with Eric, Casey, Vic and I discussed plans to drive down to Olympia to spend the weekend. This year, for the first time in several years, we were all in the same state at the same time and were very, VERY excited for what this summer was going to bring.

But that was Saturday. Since then, things took an unimaginable turn for the worse.

Eric never called back. We thought nothing of it; our house was filled with people now and we knew we'd be talking to Eric soon. If only I had been more insistant. "Eric, dude, you KNOW we don't care about the present... if you've got the gas to make it up here, we'll give you the money to make it home. You and Jack can have a good time, see all our friends you haven't seen in awhile, get wasted and stay the night." But I wasn't, and now, I'm wishing like I've never wished before that I had.

Yesterday, Mike and I got up for a day of recovery. We were sitting on the couch, at least two episodes into the Deadliest Catch marathon when we got a phone call from Casey. Mike answered the phone with a smile, but that immediately dropped from his face. "Oh my god... No," he said, not looking over at me as if to shield me from the news for as long as possible. "What happened?" After a few moments of listening to what Casey had to say, he confirmed what I was dreading. "Well, let us know about the services as soon as you hear. Thanks for calling us." When he hung up, he took a deep breath, turned to face me and simply said, "Eric's dead." "What?!?" I exclaimed in disbelief and horror, "What do you mean?" I hoped desperately that he had misspoke. "No details, yet, but he shot himself while cleaning or playing with a gun of his. Casey and Vic want to get together this week to reflect."

We sat, tears streaming silently down our faces, for at least an hour, unable to speak. I don't know how this could have happened; the guy was as proficient with guns as anyone I've ever known. It was Eric who taught me how to clear, dismantle and clean a gun. His guns had been in my house on numerous occasions, and I was never even the slightest bit uncomfortable with it. He was never unsafe.

The last person this close to me that died was my mother and, my god, I haven't missed feeling this way. Not one bit. I've been performing my daily functions like a zombie, desperately trying to keep myself busy and my mind off it, but I'm prone frequent episodes of crying. I came into work today because I have some deadlines to attend to, but I've been crying intermittently for the last hour and a half and, honestly, I just can't pull myself together. I'm going to miss that guy so much, I can't even begin to fathom. I've been through this before, though, and I know it's going to get worse before it gets better. And, of course, Mike's birthday, April 11th, will be forever marred by the untimely passing of a very beloved individual.

Eric, darlin', we love you very, very much, and you'll be missed far more than you could have ever imagined.

Casey on the left and Eric on the right, being their usual, hammy selves.

Edit: It makes more sense, now. According to the news, Eric and Jack had gone out with friends and, when they returned home, he decided to teach her how to handle a handgun. I can't believe he didn't make absolutely sure it was unloaded, first. Jack shot Eric in the head.

I don't even know what to say about that. That is, quite possibly, one of the most tragic things I've ever heard. I can only hope, at this point, that Jack doesn't commit suicide as a result of all this.

Damn You, Mr. Boyle.

Athena — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:52:19 GMT

I don't have nightmares very often. My dreams are typically quite random and nonsensical, but pleasant enough, I suppose. I dream about thieving jewelry fairly often, for example. On the very rare occasion that I do have a nightmare, it always involves Freddy Krueger. Much like in the movies, Freddy is the shape that my anxiety takes. It's been that way since I was a kid...

Until now.

This is significant because I watch a shit ton of horror. We're talking about 80/20, here - 80% of my movie watching being horror. There's really not much that frightens me anymore, either. I've become so desensitized that I've come to attend opening night shows at the theater just so I can feed off the reactions of the packed theatre. Kind of sad, I know, but I'll chase the dragon until there are no other options. I absolutely LOVE to be scared.

Of the exceedingly rare movies that have given me a good fright, 28 Days Later was certainly one of them. The creepy mood set by the apocalyptic nature of the film combined with a good dose of suspense and some downright emotionally disturbing scenes seems to have facilitated what no other horror movie besides A Nightmare On Elm Street has done by sinking into my subconscious. (And, for the record, ANOES definitely had a head start, having introduced itself to me at the ripe old age of 3).

Have you ever woken up from a bad dream only to have it tint your entire day? Well, that's the kind of Monday I've been having; split-second glimpses flash across my brain's movie screen, causing my stomach to occasionally roll. It's a pretty odd sensation, actually.

It started off pleasantly enough, with Mike and I enjoying what seemed to be a vacation with some friends. We were seated on an outdoor patio of some posh restaurant, with a lovely view of the ocean in front of us. These friends weren't real life friends, so, if you're reading this, Jessica, I didn't let you get eaten.

When we realized what was going on, seeing a man get attacked by a quick-moving human being who proceeded to eat him, Mike and I, who have often discussed what we would do if zombies attacked, developed a simple enough gameplan. Because I was already armed with what appeared to be some variation of a MAC-10 (I watched some DEA TV program where the raiding officers popped a dealer with a MAC-10, so, not as random as it sounds), I was to secure transportation out of there and, until Mike got back, gather supplies and barricade the hotel room we were staying in, all the while protecting the women folk who were going to be sticking with me. Meanwhile, Mike was going to take the men and get more weaponry.

It wasn't difficult at first, as it was daylight and the town wasn't yet saturated with the zombies. We successfully obtained the keys to a shuttle van that would transport us and any other live people we might encounter along the way. Light was fading fast, though, and we were encountering more and more zombies.

The sun finally went down as we were on our way back to the hotel room. Then, as we entered the floor our room was on, the electricity went out. It was chaotic massacre all around me. I couldn't see it, because the hotel was pitch dark inside, but I could hear it and feel it. Just as the lights went out, I grabbed the two women closest to me, slung them behind me and walked them backward into a doorway. The women I couldn't grab were getting devoured alive and were screaming like banshees, so I sprayed the crowd with bullets to both put them out of their misery and to hit as many zombies as possible.

I realized there was little chance that we would make it to the hotel room alive. As I began to calculate our next move, I felt that horrible sinking feeling that I wouldn't see Mike again before I died. Debilitating anxiety swept me as I heard a new wave of zombies trampling up the stairway.

Then I woke up. With a start, no less. Shit was way scarier than any Freddy dream I've had as an adult. I really hope this isn't signaling a new trend. @_@

Me and IT.

Athena — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:22:58 GMT

So, I thought I'd post this because, well, anyone who has to deal with IT, or any technical support for that matter, might get a kick out of it.

From: Athena Z.
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 1:56 PM
To: Drew S.; Brian L.
Subject: Visio

Hello,

I�m trying to apply the company logo to the org chart, which is in Visio. It�s not responding well. I don�t have a ton of experience with Visio. Might one of you be able to tell me how to accomplish this (assuming it�s possible)?

Thanks!

------------------------------

From: Brian L.
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 3:23 PM
To: Athena Z.; Drew S.
Subject: RE: Visio

Hi Athena,

You should be able to apply the company logo into the org chart by going to Insert -> Picture -> From File and browse to the location of the logo.

This should work basically the same in most if not all MS office apps.

Once the picture is on the screen you can resize, crop, etc�

Let me know if you still have any questions!

Thanks,
Brian

---------------------------

From: Athena Z.
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 3:36 PM
To: Drew S.; Brian L.
Subject: Visio

Think I rolled off the back of the turnip truck yesterday, do you? I should have been more specific. When I go to Insert > From File, the jpg makes it onto the chart, it�s just not intact. Instead of the color AllpakTrojan logo, it comes out looking like this:

I thought that the color might be the issue, so I tried inserting the black and white version, and got an error message:

See? I�m usually pretty good at getting images into documents. :)

Thank you!

------------------------------

From: Brian L.
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 3:40 PM
To: Athena Z.; Drew S.
Subject: RE: Visio

Well this makes a little more sense! Where is the logo located?

-------------------------------

From: Athena Z.
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 3:44 PM
To: Brian L.
Subject: RE: Visio

Your initial response made me laugh pretty hard. The stereotypical IT response: �Did you plug it in?� It was golden. Just don�t tell me to reboot and we�ll be fine.

The image is located in the Forms-Trojan/Logos folder on the P: drive.

Thanks!

------------------------------

From: Brian L.
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 3:50 PM
To: Athena Z.; Drew S.
Subject: RE: Visio

I know, my friends always joke with me about that.

Sad part is you would be surprised at how many times things are not �plugged in�. I have had to show people how to turn on the monitor because there was �nothing� on it.

I know you are pretty good with the various applications so I was a little surprised at the initial email.

I have a feeling it will be how the image was created but I�ll look into that tomorrow and let you know.

Or you can reboot and let me know how it goes. ;)

Brian

---------------------------------

Maybe it's just me; maybe I've been at work for too long, but that shit is hilarious, to me. It's THE stereotypical IT communication.

God bless those gentlemen - my hat is off to them. (Besides, Brian is kinda cute.)

Now here's hoping they don't monitor my internet usage. (Who am I kidding? If they did, I have been fired a long time ago.) :tongue2:

Down With The Sickness

Athena — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:08:00 GMT

Here I sit, bottle of water to my left, box of anti-viral tissues to my right. Did you know Kleenex makes Vicks tissues, now? Don't be fooled - they're just scented like Vicks, not medicated. I was kind of disappointed when I read that in the small print, but now that I think about it, I wouldn't want to shove Vicks up my nose, right?

I contracted the illness from my boyfriend. That's the only way I get sick anymore... I'm an avid hand washer - lather for 20 seconds, rinse thoroughly with hot water, at least 10 times daily. If you're just rinsing your hands briefly, that doesn't count, and if we meet in a public restroom, I might be forced to say something.

That said, this is a pretty mild cold. In fact, it's given me a weird kind of energy, an almost delusional energy. You know, when you just go and go and go because you feel funny and aren't quite sure what's going on? Yeah, I'm there.

It's created strange circumstances for me. My makeup is especially well-done, today, in an effort to convince people that there is life behind this unusually pale, translucent skin of mine. I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to look better than normal sick, but I do. I drove to work this morning in bright spirits; I took a brief departure from my mellow Common Market, instead belting out some Fall Out Boy at the top of my cracking lungs while the stereo played at near ear-splitting volume. Here at work, I've been unusually friendly, saluting people before they get the chance (not like me at all, generally) and going out of my way to run errands.

In short, being sick isn't being too bad at all. I won't go so far as to say I prefer it, but it seems to have presented a net-positive, this time around. Strange, right?

Out and About in Seattle

Athena — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:39:42 GMT

I've said it before and I'll say it again - my dad is hipper than I am. So when he sent me an e-mail with an attachment last week that simply read, "Let's go on a safari", I was pretty excited. Saturday night, Dad and Tammy picked me up and we embarked on an evening of bar hopping... and I had a BLAST.

Now, even though I'm the only one actually located IN Seattle, I know there are a few people in the general area, and a few more who would like to come out this way, so I thought I'd share because, not everyone wants to hit up the standard touristy stuff, you know? And, the area we were in, Georgetown (industrial neighborhood in south Seattle), is up-and-coming - not exactly famous, yet.

The first place we stopped and the place that enticed us in that direction that evening was Mix, an art gallery/bar with live music. The block was striking - Mix appeared to be projecting some sort of anime into the brick facade of the building across the street. Upon entering, we were greeted by a rather granola-looking crowd of tragically-hip Suburu drivers (I'm willing to bet, anyway). It was smaller than I would have imagined and, rather than contributing to an "intimate" environment like some small joints do, the floor plan simply left certain parties feeling isolated. The art, while striking, looked more like a personal collection rather than a *gallery*. Two vodka-tonics and a chardonney, all poured into the cheesy, short, clear plastic party cups totalled $21 dollars. The musician was pleasant and folk-like, but frankly, we weren't going to pay $21/round to spend our evening there, so we departed once we were done with our drinks.

We then stumbled on to a neat little place called The Stables, thanks to a modest wooden sign saying simply, "Art", out near the alley it was located in. Upon entering, we noticed that The Stables was joined with an establishment (that's name escapes me) that specializes in specialty beer and wine for sale. The beauty is that you could purchase your beer or wine there and go enjoy it in the gallery, which is exactly what we did. Enjoying a couple of dry pear ciders, we perused the art that not only featured a number of antique jukeboxes, but also the designs of a guest artist. The environment there was chill and friendly, although we again opted to leave after the first round.

We then made our way over to theJules Maes Saloon, a bar that featured a diverse crowd (from 50-somethings socialites to 20-somethings punks) and an awesome, saloon-style bar, complete with the bar-length mirror behind the bartender and impressively decorative wood. It featured a bar kitchen directly to the right of the bar, when you could watch standard pub food being prepared. The tater-tots were seductive, but I decided to wait. The bartender, an attractive eurasian sporting dueling ponytails, an engineer-style hat and multiple tattoos, poured efficiently and well. The drinks were substantially cheaper, as well, but we were on a roll so we only stayed for one.

9lb Hammer

We ventured in the Seattle rain down a block to a place called 9lb Hammer. The name was appropriate given the gritty brick facade, a common theme among the shops and clubs in this district. It was clear that, although these businesses sought to bring life to this neck of the woods, they took a legitimate interest in keepin' it real. Once inside, it was standing room only. The door man, with his rockabilly hair and Misfits jacket didn't bother checking our IDs. I guess people assume that parents aren't going to take an underaged daughter out with them. Either that, or I'm getting old. This place, more dimly lit than the rest, also offered an impressive, saloon-like bar in the center of the space. In front of it, seating; behind it, sports bar toys (pool, shuffleboard, darts, etc.). The drinks were also affordable, here, but standing huddled by a wall straining to hear each other speak gets old pretty quick, so it was off to our final Georgetown destination...

Stellar Pizza. Stellar is a pizza joint with a full bar... My kind of place. The wait staff is friendly and attractive in that hip, alternative, tattooed sort of way. The beer menu is extensive; I tried The Legunitas IPA, which was bold and delightful. We also ordered a hummus plate which featured fresh, warm pita, top-notch hummus, kalamatas, fresh red onion, tomatoes, cucumber and feta. We drank our beers, ate our hummus and had revealing conversation about our histories. You know, those, "Well, dad, when you thought I was doing this, I was actually (enter illegal activity here)..." conversations. Always a hoot.

And so ended our family trip to Georgetown. I can't wait to go back, myself, as I feel we saw only the tip of the iceburg as it relates to south Seattle culture. If you do end up visiting the city and want to get a taste of Seattle history that doesn't involve flying fish or the waterfront (although those are cool, too), I highly recommend Georgetown.

Snow Poisoning

Athena — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:26:32 GMT

Although snow poisoning is, like frostbite and hypothermia, characterized by cold extremities, it is a primarily psychological affliction, inducing symptoms that, when left untreated, include anxiety, rage and, eventually, severe Cabin Fever. The onset of snow poisoning is marked by a sudden and significant drop in maturity level and, borrowing a bit from Stockholm Syndrome, leads the sufferer to believe they actually want to be near the snow. But as this phase of the illness wears away, it is absolutely impervious to move the sufferer to a warmer climate.

I should know. I've just gotten over a pretty severe case of snow poisoning. There are still chunks of it in yards and on roofs, the very sight of which turns my stomach. I was stuck at home for 11 days, unable to get my car up the private road. And here I thought global warming was doing quite nicely by Seattle. Boy, was I wrong.

The white crap completely shut the city down. Trash pick up is as many as three weeks behind, in some locations. The airport became a shelter for travelers whose flights were delayed for days on end. I managed to do the X-Mas exchanged with my father, since he lives 3 blocks away. I haven't even had the chance to go shopping for anyone else.

In conclusion, you people who live in traditionally snowy climates are fucking nuts. I've never been so happy to see 40 degrees and rain in my entire life. It's down right balmy!

Ahhhhhh!

Athena — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:16:08 GMT

I just checked my voicemail and my sister said they might be inducing her! I'm stuck here without my cell phone and I can't call her back so I called my dad who doesn't know any more than I do and I'm in another state and it started snowing in the passes and Jessica's in Tokyo so I might have difficulty getting a flight especially since I don't even know when I have to fly and I'm excited but nervous because her fiance is questionable and I really wish someone from our family could be there when she gives birth because Idaho sucks and, and, and...

I'm freakin' out.

A Random Piece of Hilarity...

Athena — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:34:56 GMT

So, while at the club (think F.O.E., not Tha Club) on Saturday night with some friends, the hall was rented out for a young people birthday party. By "young", I mean barely legal drinking age. Hell, it could have been a 21st birthday, come to think of it. The crowd was a foreign one to the Eagles, as the party-goers were primarily Samoan, Asian and black while the regulars are primarily 40-something, white and blue collar. Still, the kids had hired a great DJ and everyone seemed to be having a great time. That is, until a fight broke out between two chicks.

Well, because I happen to be of rather intimidating stature for a female, the much smaller female bartender implored me to try and break it up or at least get it outside. I've done this a million times with no issue. This time? I got punched in the jaw...

...by a gay guy.

You know those gay guys - the ones who like to act like an exaggerated parody of gayness itself. Yeah, this guy was a flamer, complete with lisp, flamboyant clothing and that awkward swagger they tend to exhibit.

I had made my way toward the center of the mob that surrounded these two girls and put my hand on the shoulder on the one closest to me in an attempt to hoist myself between the two, who were slapping and clawing at each other like dumb, ghetto broads do. As soon as I did this, however, the gay guy, located on the other side of this girl, delivered a right hook to the left side of my jaw. The placement was perfect, really. The only problem is, he punched like a girl (surprise, surprise).

Shocked and amused all at once, my attention was now focused on the gay guy. He looked at me nervously as I tilted my head to the side like a puzzled dog and said, "Dude...Seriously?" Disheartened by my reaction, his eyes got wide for a brief second and then he backed out of the mob, keeping his eyes on me until he could no longer see me. I didn't see him again that night.

At this point, I was annoyed by my inability to break up the fight, so I executed plan B - a sure fire solution with a crowd like this - and yelled at the top of my lungs, "The cops have been called - I repeat - the cops HAVE been called. Everyone proceed outside." Luckily, the cops actually had been called, and showed up just in time to catch the mob's grand exodus.

All's well that ends well, and my friends and I spent the rest of the evening laughing about the insanity that was me getting punched by the especially fruity gay dude. :happy:

Halloween Pictures Are Back!

Athena — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:04:38 GMT

Well, some of them, anyway. I apologize, guys, as I was a super-douche on Halloween. I didn�t think to start taking pictures until everyone was drunk, so only Jessica looks all that great in any of them, because she was in a sorority, and they train people to have camera ESP and be able to pose perfectly for every shot. Fucking bitch. I�m not bitter. Also, these are just the pictures from my (sister's) camera. That being the case, I don�t have many pics of myself. When I get a hold of Jessica, I should be able to get more. So, let�s begin, shall we?

This is a picture of the girls and me. Olivia is on the left�not sure what she was. The hotness in the middle is Jessica (see? Perfect pose.), and I�m on the right, being a goober. Note: I don�t actually smile in any picture ever, if I can help it. I�m insanely self-conscious about my braces.

This is the awesomeness that is my father. Note the demon contacts, the bad-ass fangs and the pointy ears. Latex work done by yours truly.

This is my step mom, Tammy, with an awful look on her face. In fact, she�d hate me for posting this picture. She was Medusa. I wish I had known. I would have been myself for Halloween. To the left of her is Bryan, Jessica�s boyfriend and my longtime buddy. He was a �Cholo� for Halloween, or Mexican gangster. He did a great job with that.

Lastly, in what appears to be a drunken stupor, I attempted to get a better shot of my makeup, to very little avail. I look bloated and like I have dirty teeth (those are the braces), but fuck it. There I am in rare form.

We had a fantastic time on Halloween. About 20 people showed up in costume, and we all looked so good, most of us headed to the bar to �be seen�, where we got even drunker. I got accosted by this really attractive chick who was from NOLA, and thought my costume was the greatest thing ever. She kept repeating, �I�m from New Orleans! You�re beautiful! I love you!� �always awesome. Jessica got hit on relentlessly because she looked like a stripper by dirty old drunk men. We all got a big kick out of her discomfort. My sister, who was pregnant and, thus, sober, was kind enough to ferry us home at the end of the evening, and we all lived happily-ever-after.

I started a Halloween album, for those who may be interested, and will add pics when Jessica forwards them to me.

I actually have to go to the polls today!

Athena — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:21:11 GMT

I'm a permanent absentee voter. Have been since I registered. It's the in-thing here in Washington, you know - we even plan to go to 100% main-in voting. So I've waited and waited and waited, but no ballot ever came. I was sad, because absentee ballots are convenient. I get to leisurely check my notes and take my time. But not this year. This year, I actually have to go to the polls, something I've never done before.

As in most states, we're expecting a record turnout this year with some 80+% of registered voters voting. I've already heard that some voting stations are like the DMV, requiring hours of your time. I really hope that's not the case in my neighborhood.

I get to vote at the Catholic school by my house. It's kind of weird that a private school would be open to public polling, especially since I've got two more elementary schools in a 6 block radius that I'm sure will be open, but whatever.

I'm pretty excited, actually. Nervous, too. Both the presidential race and the race for governor are expected to be quite close. I'm looking forward to being a part of it, out there with the other people being a part of it. Being a part of it is pretty fuckin' cool, actually, and I won't get the chance for another 4 years. Well, not at this level, anyway.

So, with that said, I hope each and every one of you decide to be a part of it, too. Not everyone gets this privilege, you know...

Lawless and Lulu!

Athena — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:00:12 GMT

So, I'm sitting in my car this dark morning and I'm feeling pretty good. After all, it's my Friday, tomorrow's Halloween, my new bra came in the mail yesterday...Life is generally good. The CD that I had popped in after work yesterday comes on. It's Buckcherry's self-titled album - perhaps the best example of some good ol' solid rock in recent years - and crank it to nearly ear-splitting volume. "But wait," I think to myself..."it's not all that recent, is it." No, no it's not. In fact, come to think of it, this very album was the soundtrack to the roadtrip Olivia, Philicia and I took when we were 16 (well, Philicia was 14). That was 10 years ago. Yikes.

This gets me thinking about the soundtrack of my life. I must say, I was awful lucky to have eclectic parents. My musical fortune started from GO, the day my mother brought me home from the hospital and danced me around to Bob Marley. Marley's so entrenched in our upbringing, my sister's daughter is being named after him. "Marley", not "Bob". But it didn't stop with reggae. Thanks to my parents' pretty awesome vinyl collection, I was exposed to all sorts of things, from The Pointer Sisters to Willie Nelson. In no time, I developed clear preferences, according to my peeps. The Specials, The Cars, Bowie, Elvis Costello, Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan were infanthood favorites. My parents had trained me to recognize these artists on the radio. Yet another neat party trick. I could also sing Bille Jean and Purple Rain before my ABCs. Priorities, man!

When I was two, I accidentally stole MJ's Thriller album. Guess I had grabbed it off a shelf and no one noticed I was holding it. Hard to believe, but whatever. I think my dad thought I was a convenient excuse for him owning it. MJ was a big one, for me. When I was three, my parents gave me my first walkman. You remember the mid-80s...That thing was half my size. The walkman came with a tape of Thriller. I think it was an investment in my mom's sanity. I can remember like it was yesterday - rockin' my little red sundress with the white ties in bows on my shoulders, I would struggle to drag a lawnchair out into the very center of the yard. I'd glance around at all the bushes, making sure I had a good view, then I would settle into the chair an pop on the headphones. I would sit there, sometimes silently, sometimes trying to sing along, listening to the entire tape. Once I got to Thriller, my eyes would dart back and forth, constantly affirming that no monsters were coming out of the bushes. Yeah, I was a strange little kid.

It was my 8th birthday when I got my first CD player. It was, quite possibly, the best present of my young life. My first two CDs? Heh...Bobby Brown and the Batman soundtrack, which was mostly Prince, if I recall correctly. This opened me up to a whole new world...R&B and Hip Hop. Spending the night at friend's houses, listening to the likes of All 4 One, Jodeci or Salt 'n Pepa while taking breaks to play Bloody Mary in a dark bathroom or watch Candyman...Good times. This phase was not at all discouraged at all by my father, either. In '93, he took me to KUBE 93's Summer Jam where we saw, among others, 2 Pac, Run DMC, The Pharcyde, Nas, Shai and Zapp & Roger. It was awesome.

It wasn't long, though, before my dad decided it was time to steer me in a different direction. I was almost in 8th grade, now, and, as I was allowed to wear makeup, the music I was listening to was influencing my look in a way my dad didn't care for. Instead of telling me not to wear makeup or change the way I wore it, my dad took this less direct route. If only he knew...

I was 12 when he asked me - no, BEGGED me to let him take me to a Rage Against The Machine concert for my 13th birthday. He was so fuckin' excited, I wasn't about to say no. It was a calculated move on dad's part - RATM had a solid enough hip-hop influence to draw me in. Half way through their first set, I was hooked. He thought he didn't like my look before...My new journey into "alternative" led me directly to this:

That's my friend Olivia. She's holding a skull candle, and we're obviously being silly. The beenie is RATM and the clothes are ALL from Zumies. I was a freshman or so in that picture. Ahhh...high school. But, as the music evolved, the look did too. Soon, I found myself emerged in the world of punk. I listened to a fair amount as a child - my dad had Sex Pistols and Dead Kennedys albums - so I fell into it quite naturally. At the time, Green Day, The Offspring and Bad Religion were quite popular. My parents encouraged this pretty heavily. The result? I still looked like someone you would cross the street to avoid.

It was this period that I first met Mike. It's a great story, actually. Olivia, Philicia and some other friends of mine and I were rolling around in the back of Bubba's van. Bubba was a stereotypical Bubba - way too old to be hanging out with, short and stout, always rockin' a leather jacket with spikes and the van, a work van with no seats in the back, had the biohazard symbol spray painted on the side. I was wearing a Dead Kennedys t-shirt a size too small, a black miniskirt with ripped fishnets underneath and a pair of chin-high Doc Martins. Mike, painfully unfamiliar with the music/fashion correlation, thought I was goth. I would have been insulted if I thought he knew a thing or two.This picture is cleaned up for school, but usually the makeup and clothing was much darker.

Toward the end of my high school career, I had fallen into the rave scene. Blame my location and my old friend, Aaron Simpson. Aaron and I were pretty tight in high school. He played bass for a punk band and we had a lot of classes together. He went to a rave, took ecstasy, had a great time...then sold his bass and ALL his punk CDs (he had a fantastic collection) to buy turntables. I was horrified at the time, but he's managed to do pretty well for himself. I was a big fan of jungle and drum and bass, two "harder" versions of techno. I was listening to a lot of Atari Teenage Riot, Rebel MC and Aphrodite. I liked the studio DJs as well, like Fat Boy Slim and the Crystal Method, since that's really all you heard on the radio. As a result, I looked like this:

Yeah, that's right - I probably had glowsticks in my back pocket and white gloves in my purse. LMAO. It was fun, though. Well, most of it. I remember standing in the wind and rain at a bus stop with Philicia at 7am for what seemed like eternity, after my first and last experience with acid. I stood there, absolutely miserable, apologizing to my brain and promising that I would never to that to it ever again. And I didn't. Fuck that shit, man.

There are some smaller phases that went unmentioned. Living in Seattle, I was into grunge. Pearl Jam and Soundgarden more than Nirvana or Alice in Chains. When that passed, I had a rock phase - enter Buckcherry, STP, Fuel, Sevendust and the like. After that, I had a brief and fairly superficial "industrialish/metalish" phase that included Marilyn Manson, NIN, Ministry, Rammstein, Pantara, and Slayer.

The rave thing extended past high school into my first job, but faded out quickly. And what was it replaced by? Well, nothing, really. The old bands I liked put out a good new album on occasion, but other than that, I haven't been particularly wowed by a genre. I've actually branched out into "world music" to stimulate myself. I'm not fundamentally opposed to indie rock, but a lot of it is influenced a little too heavily by bands like The Cure and Depeche Mode. For example, I like The White Stipes and The Stokes more than I like The Killers or Franz-Ferdinand. Still, since "indie" refers to a pretty broad genre of music (The Bravery is nothing like LSD Soundsystem), I'm thinkin' that's where a lot of the good new shit I find will come from.

Once upon a time, the radio was ruled by the "moral majority", so you'd have to surf college radio and independent record stores to find anything of real value. I believe that time is upon us, again, but instead of the moral majority, it's corporate greed that is restricting radio. I strongly believe good music still exists, it's just having a tough time breaching that corporate barrier. So, like my father did at my age a generation ago, I surf college stations. I'm way too young to get jaded about music, but I was spoiled by a 20 year period of time brimming with creativity and innovation.

If you've actually waded through my history of music and gotten to this point, and you know of a song or band that isn't getting play but is worth checking out - post it here. I've found networking to be a particularly lucrative endeavor when it comes to new music. Thanks!