Hot Off the Press!
Man, I just received the most amazing news from Mix Masta Mike... It seems that people are auctioning off their Gmail invites on Ebay! So far there are 85 out there...

Check it out: Gmail Invites on Ebay

Who Needs Enemies when I've got Myself?
The events of last night got me to thinking of my favorite movie Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow. I wondered, if my dork brother hadn't crapped out on me (we had plans to go to the OC after I got out of class), would I have been in the position I found myself in. The following is a tale of how I don't need enemies because I have to fend myself from myself :)
[Scene: The Kitchen]
Since I wasn't going to the OC w/my bro, I went home with ideas of being a good girl and working on my studies. I had taken all my materials to my room and had gone back to the kitchen to get a glass of water. My boy was hanging with me and we got playful. I would jump at him, he would run away and then run back for more. It was a blast - he was having fun, I was having fun... then it happened. I took a big jump at him then ended up on the floor... down for the count like a ton of bricks. During my jump, I had smacked my precious noggin' against the bottom of my beloved kitchen cupboards which left me in blinding pain. While on the floor (I didn't cry, but was definitely in a fetal position of sorts), I had to make sure Blue knew I wasn't playing. I also told him, he'd better not sniff my butt or try anything funky because I'd get him for it later. After a couple of minutes, I took my hand away from my head and saw bright red blood. Went to the bathroom to get a closer look and saw I had some red streaks in my hair, which had replaced some of my blond streaks. Time for the ol' Healthwise self-diagnosis book. Took the advice of the book and was fine. I'm really glad I didn't have to get stitches, because when the thought of getting stitches entered my mind, it was followed by the thought of, "I hope they don't want to shave part of my hair!" Funny how we can worry about looks when it comes to health matters :) I'll admit, the red streak did look kind of cool with my blond streaks and natural red/brown color. Maybe I'll think of adding red the next time I visit Miss G-Thang; but no, then it would seem like I'm copying A-Lo and that would be like wearing the same outfit to the same occasion. Hmmmm. (That's exactly how my mind wandered as I was doctoring myself.)
Damn! What a way to end the evening...
[End Scene]
So, today I take my lack of motivation and slow thinking to the fact that I smacked the shit out of my head last night. Guess no one can call me a "shithead" now ;) Hah!

One Down, Two More to Go...
Had my final exam in the Tuesday class last night and damn... I have very mixed feelings on the outcome. But I'm done, so hooray!!

Saw the flick Alamo, remembered the actual Alamo, realized Ron Howard could have done a better job with character development, etc. On the drive home, I saw the craziest thing - a small building was being moved down State street (a very busy street during the day). As soon as I got home, and after I received a small lecture from Blue, I grabbed my boy for an evening walk so we could see the small building being moved "close up". Yeah, it was late (12:30a), but I figured, "WTF - I'm up already, I wanna see the small building move, and my boy hasn't been walked today!" It's called killing a couple birds with one stone. Anywho, we got to see the small building and it was quite impressive to see the manuevering which had to take place. Don't know why the building was being moved; looks like it should've been torn down because it bore strong resemblence to the "crack house" genre that Eminem would rap about growing up in. The half-hour walk turned into an hour walk, with me hittin' the sack after 1:30a. Only problem with the sleepy time was the wakey time of 6:15a. Ah well - definitely a good evening :)

Tonight, plan to hit the trails w/Elle and the Blue. Blue is very excited to see his Auntie Elle, because she's sooo cool and envelops him in her love. Then I become the bad, disciplinary mommy. Whateva - you're going to thank me when you're older Blue! When your dog friends are all hopped up on cat crap, lookin' to score another litter box; you'll thank me because you won't be in that addictive cycle. You won't have to pimp bitches or turn tricks just to make ends meet because your mom was good to you. So you remember that Blue!!

Is he too short?
Read this article today and realized that I am a height snob and I don't care. Couple of segments w/comments below:

It's fine to want a guy that matches up well with you. In fact, when it comes to height requirements, we girls usually have one cardinal rule: When we wear heels, we shouldn't be taller than our man.
~ When I wear my 3-in. heels, I don't want my gaze to be grazing some dude's head.

And a few more plugs for shorter guys: They're easier to hug and you can look them in the eye.
~ I don't mind bending my neck a bit to look into some taller guy's eyes. The important moments of looking eye-to-eye occur during: meals, conversation and mack time (hmmmm, seems like all 3 occur in that order as well... hahahaha).

Gone are the days of women needing big burly men to protect them. So forget how you two match up when you wear heels. It's time to set new rules when it comes to height. Hey, I say, as long as he can ride the big rollercoaster, he's all right by me.
~ Um, yeah right. Those days may be gone, but I'm still not gonna go for the short guy. Finally, I set my standards higher than the measuring hand of the rollercoaster ride - he may be tall enough to get on that ride, but if he doesn't meet the height standards set by this height snob, he ain't gettin' on THIS ride... if ya know what I'm sayin' ;)

Spring into Yum Yum Land
Interesting... getting sudden urge to wash my clothes. Could it be the washboard stomach I'm being presented with? Or is it the fact that I drooled all over my work shirt. Guess it's something I'll have to deal with....

Money vs. Happiness - An Endless Quandary
Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy - Isaiah 55:2

Of late, I've been questioning which is more important: job satisfaction and enjoying the people I work with OR career advancement and the salary factor. In the past, I would say happiness over money any day, but then I start to think (uh-oh)... When I see upper management fire people who add quality to the company (i.e. they think outside the box and create/maintain awesome employee morale) just to cut costs, I wonder what makes me different. How come they can look at the bottom-line without concern of the quality provided by the working individual? I enjoy what I do, I enjoy the people I work with, but when someone lets me know that in order to advance (career-wise/salary-wise), you gotta jump ship - I'm faced with indecision. My girl Elle seems to be in the opposite capacity. Either way, seems like we all gotta jump ship from unhappiness to happiness or for advancement. Then I wonder, what makes people take that final leap? Seems like in most all cases, something dramatic has to happen in a person's life for them to take action. An extreme example would be Sept. 11. How many babies were born 9 mos. after the incident compared to annual averages? My point exactly. I remember contemplating my choice to wait. Then there's the final extreme... I believe I would be truly happy if I just sold everything, told everyone I loved them, and joined the Peace Corps. The thought of helping others seems like it would be the ultimate form of job satisfaction. Until that day, I'll think of myself as helping people by supporting and creating web sites :) Then I think, whateva - just thong it ;)

I'm Runnin' on Sunshine... Woah-Oh
I don't know what it is - the spring air, the sight of light at the end of my school career - but I am so in a good mood today! Oh wait, I know... I went running through the foothills yesterday!! I realized that my foot wasn't what ailed me at all. In fact, it was really my mind that was holding me back. I had lost my passion for running and it was affecting other areas of my life. After a week of walking/hiking through the trails with my boy, I revived my passion! I started out with the intent of walking/hiking, then thought, "Who cares about shoes... I don't run because I have shoes - I have shoes because I run!" So, in the words of Forrest Gump, "I Ran." I wore the crap out of Blue, but it was worth it :) Even though I'm reaching the peak of a stress wave, running allows me to face the work/school/personal crap with a smile and the attitude of, "So what... Is that the best you've got?" Blissful Zen...

9 romantic gestures that'll knock her socks off
(Yeah right... Wouldn't it be better to just knock her pants off? Who cares about socks!)

1. Read to her
~ No thanks, I prefer to read to myself, by myself

2. Make breakfast in bed
~ Sounds good. Just ensure the eggs aren't runny

3. Plan a surprise trip to a nearby destination
~ Okey dokey. A destination to an unchartered microbrewery would be especially appreciated ;)

4. Send her a handwritten note
~ Another good one

5. Design a sexy scavenger hunt
~ Uh, no.

6. Make her life easier
~ How about picking an ATTAINABLE task

7. Set it to music
~ Can never go wrong with music... as long as it's not that country schizzle. But then there's the old time country (i.e. Willie Nelson, Oakridge Boys, Johny Cash) and that's alright w/me :)

8. Open a spa just for her
~ Pamper me and praise me... Puh-lease?!?

9. Go public with your love
~ Unless you wanna mack on me gangsta style in public, keep the lovey dovey crap in private - Hah!

GMail - Simplicity is Best
I'd like to take this moment to give my review of Google's new email client: GMail. A friend of mine said, "Not impressed. Pretty much like every other http based email program I've ever used." But I beg to differ. Although I've yet to delve deep into GMail's functionality, I've enjoyed my experience so far. Yes, the interface is simple, but I believe the underlying technology is far more advanced than the other free email clients out there (i.e. Hotmail, Yahoo). GMail hails from the creative minds who were behind Google, the most efficient seach engine available on the Internet. The one thing I love about Google is its simple interface and its efficient search methods. I believe that when clutter is added, refer to MSN and Yahoo, it takes away from the user's experience and proves to be distracting (BTW - until recently, Yahoo was using Google's search algorithm and MSN is currently trying to switch from Google's to its own). In today's society, we are getting accustomed to how much pizzazz can be added to our gadgets - the more the better. But I say, "No" let's keep it simple. I believe it's much harder to keep an interface simple when the background technology is so advanced, but Google has done an excellent job with GMail. I think we're on the brink of seeing something spectacular happen. GMail will become a common term which I believe could replace the term email ;)
[Future Conversation Excerpt]
Person 1: "Have you had a chance to read the gmail I sent?"
Person 2: "No, I haven't had the time. I'll gmail you when I get home."
[End]

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
- Leonardo DaVinci

Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage - to move in the opposite direction.
- E.F. Schumacker

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.
- Albert Einstein

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
- Confucius

Endless Diatribes
This week, like recent ones, has gone by fast but has also been filled with interesting events. During this past week, I've been given the advice that I should "Go for it", meaning go for a certain guy because people think we would be perfect together. Here's actual content from an email: "BTW, you and *** would make a killer couple..." I've also been told we'd be good together because we're both driven and genuinely nice people. My response to all of this has been, "Thanks". I'll use an analogy to illustrate my thought process:
[Illustrative Analogy]
Let's say I'm in the market for buying a house. I will only look at houses which have FOR SALE signs posted out front. I'm not going to look at houses which: are not for sale, have a "Sale Pending Sign", have (or is currently) going through foreclosure, or is "broken down".
[Exit Analogy]

Funny Outtake
Today I had lunch with my wonderful grandma. Side Note: My grandma is a very stubborn, outspoken, intelligent, strong woman and I admire her very much. Anywho, during the meal, she made a very hilarious comment: "My, I've noticed there sure are a lot of big-butted women lately." Much-o love to you grandma :)

Invitation Accepted
As I signed-in today, to partake in some blogging, I received a lovely invitation from GMail. Needless to say... I gladly accepted :) I can't wait to explore the wonderful gifts GMail has to offer; especially the loads of extra space. A definite plus in my book.

Quite the Opposite of Blue Balls
Yesterday, I faced the ultimate humiliation bomb. Blue and I set out on an evening's jaunt through our beloved foothills when IT happened. We were walking along the canal with the archery range on one side and the dog park on the other side; Blue was still on-leash. I hear some dude calling his dog, but of course the dog wasn't listening. I thought, "Ah shit." Then I heard the other dog's tags as he got closer. Great, here I am with my boy on his leash and here's a dog off-leash. I'm pulling Blue along, trying to ignore the other dog, and hoping it will go away. But, no... I wasn't that lucky. The Boxer approaches and immediately tries to show his dominance over my dear, sweet Blue. Yes, I had to stand and bear witness to my boy being repeatedly mounted by another male dog. I was pulling him, yelling at the other dog to go away, and also yelling, "No, No, No" as my boy had to bear the weight of this male. I then yelled at the owner to come and get his dog because I had had enough. When Blue finally broke free from the Boxer's clutches, we went on our merry way. I was shaken and humiliated. I can't believe my boy was MOUNTED by another boy! Crazy thing was, when I looked down at him, he seemed like nothing happened. I guess the gender lines become greatly skewed once a male becomes neutered. I thought the orange/red hawaiian flowered collar was cute and fashionable, but maybe it's sending the wrong message to the other dogs... hmmmm

Funny for my Honey
When everybody on earth dies and goes to heaven God comes and says, "I want the men to make two lines. One line for the men that dominated their women on earth and the other line for the men that were dominated by their women. Also, I want all the women to go with St. Peter."

With that said and done, the next time God looked, the women are gone and there are two lines. The line of the men that were dominated by their women was 100 miles long and in the line of men that dominated their women there was only one man.

God said, "You men should be ashamed of yourselves. I created you in my image and you were all whipped by your mates. Look at the only one of my sons that stood up and made me proud. Learn from him! Tell them my son, how did you manage to be the only one in this line?"

And the man replied, "I don't know, my wife told me to stand here."

EVE TALKS WITH GOD
"God, I have a problem."
"What's the problem, Eve?"
"I know that you created me and provided this beautiful garden and all of these wonderful animals, as well as that hilarious comedic snake, but I'm just not happy."
"And why is that Eve?"
"God, I am lonely, and I'm sick to death of apples."
"Well, Eve, in that case, I have a solution. I shall create a man for you."
"Man? What is that God?"
"A flawed creature, with many bad traits. He'll lie, cheat and be vain. All in all, he'll give you a hard time. But he'll be bigger, faster and like to hunt and kill things. I'll create him in such a way that he will satisfy your physical needs. He will be witless and will revel in childish things like fighting and kicking a ball about. He won't be as smart as you, so he will also need your advice to think properly."
"Sounds great," says Eve, with ironically raised eyebrows, "but is there a catch?"
" Well.....you can have him on one condition."
"What is that God?"
"As I said, he'll be proud, arrogant and self admiring..... so you'll have to let him believe that I made him first. And it will have to be our little secret........ you know, woman to woman."

A Blue Tribute
This past weekend was pretty laid back and mellow. Spent a lot of time with Blue and I'll have to say he is a most excellent companion! Friday, I just wanted to go home after work, crawl into bed and sleep until the next day. But no, Blue needed to get out and hit the hills, so I grudgingly complied. A long, meandering walk through the foothills was just what the doctor ordered. I let Blue off-leash for the first time and he was sooo awesome! We played hide-and-seek around the trails, I'd run from him, then he'd run from me - we must've looked like a couple of fools, but he made me laugh and my troubles melted away. My boy is the biggest geek/freak combo I've yet to meet :)

Blue Outtakes
[Blue Outtake 1: Friday Night in the Foothills]
As we were winding our way through the trails, I noticed my boy was walking in a staunch manner; so I figured he was packin' heat. My suspicions were confirmed when he began sniffing the tall desert grass patches wildly. He found the "lucky" patch then did the funniest thing ever - he backed up into the tall grass, lifted his back legs, and nested himself over the tall grass. After he was comfortable, he proceeded with "business." I thought this was very thoughtful of him! My boy Blue didn't want to litter the trail or short grasses with his poo, so he did the honorable thing and hid his gifts.

[Blue Outtake 2: Saturday Morning Robie Creek Waterstation]
I volunteered Saturday morning at the Striders waterstation, which was located at the race's start. I took Blue along so he could cheer and be an honorary helper. There was a Cajun theme to the race, so I decked Blue out in some traditional green and purple beads. He looked tres sexy for all the chickees :) So I'm standing there, blabbing with Pat and Blue is walking in front of the water station's table. Located underneath the table are the water jugs with their innocent spigots. Well, my dear, sweet Blue lifts his leg and proceeds to relieve himself on one of the water jugs. He was very precise in his aim because he hit the spigot right on. Needless to say, much to Blue's disappointment, that water jug was not used. I think he was trying to help the runners. He figured plain ol' water wasn't enough, it needed to be infused with a little Vitamin B, courtesy of the Bluemeister ;)

[Blue Miscellaneous Outtakes]
Bought Blue his 3rd leash yesterday. I don't think he realizes that each time he chews up a leash, it takes time away from going out and having fun.

Running Shoes: $125
Trail Shoes: free (won from BackCountry Race)
Couch & Loveseat Combo: $750
Favorite Fleece Running Shirt: $25
Favorite Gap Wool Sweater: $3
Black Shoes by Simple: $20
3 Leashes: $36
Life with Blue: Priceless :)

Side Notes:
Had fun at Earth Day's celebration Saturday afternoon. Katy Kat introduced me to Merritt's scones. Talk about a party in my mouth ;) (I'm not going to finish that one...) Anywho, we ate, jammed to some tuneage, hit the beer garden, jammed some more, then hit the beer garden again. While I was jammin' someone approaches and says, "Do you always grab your ass in front of people?" I was groovin' with my hands in my back pockets... Anywho, it was the J-man... a guy I used to go to h.s. with - he was the guy's cross-country captain and I was the girl's captain. I hadn't seen him in a while and found out he got his scarlett D a couple of weeks ago. He tried to do the counseling thing for a year, but still didn't work out. Ah well. The evening with A-Lo, Elle, and G-Thang was mellow and fun. A-Lo and I looked like female mobsters - in a classy chick sort of way. One comment I received was if I had seen some guy's friend named Al... Al Capone. Pretty funny :) Sunday was a good study session then fun times with PlayStation 2. I hadn't played in a while, but I think I held my own... no comment from the Senor. Ended the evening with a brew and Katy Kat chat at the ol' Dutch Goose. Never been there, but I totally dug the atmosphere out back. Reminded me of being in the backyard of a cabin.

I time every journey... to bump into you, accidentally
~ Franz Ferdinand (reminds me of my wbf)

Running Fast Mentally, Physically Slow
Last night was truly a sad time. I went to pick up my race number for Robie and had to sell it to another individual since I'm on the injured list. There was excitement in the air as everyone was talking of the upcoming race, strategies, training, etc. and I felt saddened that I couldn't join in. While standing in line, a man from The Statesman came up to me to conduct a mini-interview concerning what I felt was the hardest part of the course. I told him I had only run the race once before, but my friend, who would be joining me shortly in line, had run the race many times (13x to be exact). We chatted a bit, then Miss J showed up. This woman is AMAZING, deserving of major props and all CAPS.
[Timeout to Praise Miss J]
I truly admire Miss J! She is an awesome runner, teaches spin class, teaches aerobics, works, rides a Harley, is well-maintained, has been through the same relationship crappola I have, and has the biggest, most kindest heart in the world! On top of all that, she's modest and humble of her achievements.
[Timeout Over]
Miss J ended up getting interviewed and had her picture taken for The Statesman. Before he takes the picture, she says, "I don't want to break your camera!" The lady is very attractive and says that. Ah well, just goes to show how modest she is. Sold my race number then went home. I plan to start getting back into the running groove as soon as I figure out what's wrong with my damn foot and after I buy a new pair of running shoes (Thanks a lot Blue... you little Focker). Instead of running in the race, I'll be volunteering at my running club's water station. Maybe I'll pick up a little race/endorphin buzz from the racers :)

Climbing to the Top
Found out some interesting bit of news yesterday that pissed me off. It seems that some women, who I know of, have risen to their positions by using the power of their coochies instead of their minds. This REALLY pisses me off! I believe in hard work and striving to do one's best to achieve goals; not using the putang to influence the XY-chromes. Definite tsk tsk... Women like that, along with the many D.A.B's, make it hard for women like me to be taken seriously. Not gonna let it get me down though ;)

The Roomie - A Continuing Saga
Last night was pretty relaxing and low-key. Took a long walk with Blue over to Elle Boogie's new pad. She's in the neighborhood... hooray! Glad she's going to be out and away from her deranged roomie. That's definitely a sad tale to be told.

On the subject of roomies... found out my roomie is beginning to spill the beans to others about my personal life. She's definitely a sad case when it comes to gaining the acceptance of others. She's a good person, a real giver, but she has low self-esteem and needs others to make her feel good about herself. For example, we used to have a mutual set of friends (they're still her "friends" but definitely not mine). These "friends" are the type who are really nice to your face, then talk loads of smack behind your back. They do it with everyone because their own lives are pointless and unfulfilling. "You'll understand when you have a child." Well, for some reason the roomie wants to be accepted by these "friends" so what does she do - at a birthday party this past Saturday, she dishes the goods on my personal life to these so-called friends and they eat it up. I'm sure everyone got off on hearing these things. Whateva, I know many things about her and I don't plan to spill the beans. That's not my bag - I'm a "turn the other cheek" kind of girl, even if I run out of cheeks ;) One lesson learned from my roomie, as well as other individuals, is this: age is just a number, it is not indicative of a person's maturity.

The Franz
I cannot get enough of Franz Ferdinand! These guys rock both musically and lyrically - muchos gracias boys :)

Long Story, But Good
Received this story from a co-worker today. I haven't heard it before, but felt it was worth sharing...

THERMODYNAMICS OF HELL
The following is an actual question given on a University of Washington chemistry mid-term. The answer by one student was so "profound" that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet, which is of course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well.

Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?

Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law (gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant.

One student, however, wrote the following:

First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving.

As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Most of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell.

With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added

This gives two possibilities:

1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.

2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.

So which is it? If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa during my Freshman year that, "It will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you," and take into account the fact that I still have not succeeded in having an affair with her, then number 2 above cannot be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is endothermic and will not freeze over.

THIS STUDENT RECEIVED THE ONLY "A"

Notes to Self:
Avoid hockey players with accents. Nothing good can come from them.

Do not make prolonged eye-contact with XY-chromes unless interested.

Whatever Happened to Alvin & the Chipmunks?
I got the lowdown on my fave childhood cartoon characters. It's a hard, cruel world out there when you're an eighties cartoon character.

Chicks with Class
Ah, at last... another theme night. It has been a long time since I've had a girl's theme night out. This evening the theme will be: Chicks with Class. I plan to meet my esteemed, classy cohort this evening for drinks and then who knows what. I plan to wear a dress that's been long-awaited to be worn, my heels (which should hopefully restrain me from entering the dance floor), and an upswept 'do. I know my girl Elle Boogie will be looking pretty classy as well, but sorry boys, she already has a man.
[The Dress]
I've had this dress since New Year's Eve, when I purchased it with another dress which I've already worn. I'd always wanted a dress of this style, but had never found one. Originally, I was thinking I would wear this dress for a date; but considering I haven't been asked out on a date since the purchase (4 months ago) and it doesn't look like I'll be asked out anytime soon, I figured "WTF, I want to wear this dress, so I'm going to wear it for me!" 'Nuff said. I've decided I shouldn't enter the dance floor because I tend to get "carried away", to say the least ;) To remedy a possible situation, I plan to get my dancin' demons out at home to some awesome music. We'll see how sucessful that ends up being.

Shockey Hockey Baby... Bring It
Tomorrow night will be an evening of "Shockey Hockey." Vegas is in town to play the Steelies & Elle Boogie and I will have the laboring task of watching the game and maintaining our droolage. I wonder if he's still seeing the she-male... The girl we've seen him with cannot "technically" be considered a girl because her jawline seems to be a bit too strong. I'm sure there's a male bone somewhere in her body - probably nicely tucked in a safe place ;) Boo-Ya! No, I'm not being spiteful, just truthfully musing aloud :) Heh, heh

The Ultimate Career Woman
Today I had the privilege of attending a local college's career fair with my project manager, not as a student, but as a "vendor." Guess my company figured it would be a good way to "scare" off the student from entering the IT industry ;) Anywho, I had a great time talking with the students - the ones who have a couple more years to go and the others who will be graduating this Spring. It was really cool to see their outlooks and interests in the IT field; kind of took me back to when I was "wet behind the ears." Good Times. Good Times. Ran into Jay-C, our intern from last year. He is such a cool cat with a great heart! I don't understand why he's with his current girlfriend though... Class, can you say, "Pussy Whipped?" What's the deal with awesome guys staying with girls who are no good for them, string them along, & treat them like crap!?! I don't get it!! Then there's girls like me who are attracted to guys, then find out the guy is "damaged goods." Try explaining that one to me. Better get off this subject before I rant, rave, and pull my hair out :)

A truly hilarious moment occurred when I scared off a total geek. I see a guy who is wearing a black t-shirt that says, "I want to CTRL+ALT+DELETE you." To me, that signals major geek who must be a CS major - the company's target market. So I point at him and enthusiastically say, "Ah, you must be a CS major!" The dude does not look me in the eye, but mutters "Yeah" under his breath. I try to strike up a conversation with him, asking him where his interests lie and which areas he'd like to get into. The dude mutters a bit, then turns and walks away. When he came back around the table again, he did not look our direction at all. Totally freakin' hilarious!! All-in-all... a good day :)

Feet Don't Fail Me Now
Guess my right foot did not get the memo on this one. For a couple of weeks now (2), the top of my right foot has been hurting when I walk, run, or hike. I'm both pissed and frustrated by this situation! There are only 2 weeks left until the Robie Creek race & I don't think I'll be able to do it this year. I wouldn't want to run this race, then take myself out of the rest of the year! Damn!! Why does my body have to fail me like this... it's so frustrating because it's the top of the foot. How the fuck am I supposed to take care of that one? I don't even know what I did to injure it in the first place... AAaarrgh!! Plus, on top of the whole foot thing, my "dear" Mista Blue chewed up my new pair of $100+ running shoes. Thanks a lot Focker! Whatever happened to the circle of trust?

Mr. Blue, Who?
Speaking of my dear, sweet, darling Blue... Yesterday, I almost had to change his name to Mr. Black & Blue because the little shit got it into his wonderful brain that my loveseat cushion and pillows weren't good enough for him. He thought they needed a little more "pizzazz". I was all excited to arrive home from work and take my precious dog for a walk on the trails. Then I see the creation he had been working on in the three hours since I'd last seen him. Rather than go for a walk, I cleaned out the area in the backyard for my boy to chill in during the day, then we went for a verrry long hike in the trails. I hope he's still in the yard when I get home today. We'll see...

I've Made the Choice Not to Choose
Over this past spring break, I read The Princessa : Machiavelli for Women by Harriet Rubin. Before lending me this book, Elle Boogie basically said, "Now don't get all feminist, female power hungry after reading this." I must say, this was a grade A, excellent book. I would recommend it to both the male and female audiences. I took notes on this book and have read over them frequently. Basically, women need to realize they can't compete or think, in a man's world, as a man. We must realize that we are women and different rules apply to us. We also need to help each other out in order to attain goals. In the corporate world, I've ran in to a couple of instances where the women have been snubby and catty. I want to say to them, "Hey, we're on the same team! Get over yourself!!" Side note: what's with punk chicks dressing and acting like guys... You're a woman, act like it!! Some, of the many, quotes I have taken from this book are listed below:

- Control freaks though we are, we consistently get involved in relationships where we relinquish control and end up playing the game our lovers' way. Strong though we are, we ask for so little, and then are surprised when we get it. (I still get surprised)

- ...a lover will refuse a request in order to teach you to appreciate all the things he has already done for you. (Been there)

- When people don't believe in what they do or say, their actions become intensely stagey. (Can you say "two-faced?" Seen that)

- Female idiocy is the counterpart of male lunacy.

- Women see into the details, which is indicative of their nature, but they get swallowed up by them & don't act.

- Practicing men's power only makes you more subject to them, because you can never get as good at is as those born to it.

- Power is not what you use, it's what you have.

- When your absence has the authority of your presence, that is power.

- People fight with you when they care about the battle.

- Women who think that merely discussing a problem will solve it are wrong.

- What we do in work, we do in love.

- The truth of words and ideas is in their action. (my favorite)

- Be ready to get hurt and yet not inflict hurt - In a confrontation in which you show openness, a hurt is less painful than when you are self-protected. (So true...)

- Tell people what you think they want to hear and you ultimately convey that you are a coward at heart. (Another good one)

- Truth is the most powerful weapon because people are too weak to resist it.

- Invite any suffering, even loss or humiliation, rather than show that your ego is more important than your goal. (Damn she's good)

- The last power is the power of good-bye. There is no greater power than the freedom to walk away.

- If you treat yourself as special, others will match your desire and sense of self by their own actions.

In terms my thinking of guys ...

- Learn the distinction between the things in your power and the things not in your power.

- Want the things you care about, desire them, strategize to get them - but never take them seriously.

- To treat precious things indifferently, understand the nature of all games, even war games.

- If you try to control that which is not your own, you lose that which is your own.


Fashion Faux Pas
I talk about fashion faux pas' that people make all the time. Well today, I made the biggest one of all and I'll be the first one to admit it. I realized, as I was walking in to work today, that I had worn a brown belt with black shoes! I can't believe it!! I'm so glad I work with a bunch of guys because they didn't have a clue. Excellent...

Geeks R Us
I found the ultimate male guide to girls like me. Boys, take note: as I am writing this blog, I am sitting at my computer, wearing jeans, eyeglasses, and my long hair is pushed back from my face. Now read the guide... Guide to Geek Girls. As you read the guide, note the cartoons... they're the best :)

The companion to this site is the Guide To Geek Boys. I read this guide and I am ready to go. Look out geek boys, here I come :) Although, I do plan to avoid the short, greasy, long-haired geeky boys with beady eyes who walk by my cube. Leave me alone freakoid!! Or the geek boy with curly hair, who wears shorts and has major pasty-colored legs... Outta my face, outta my face!

My Spirits have been Uplifted by a Feminazi
After posting my previous blog, I saw a link to this Feminazi blog. Very interesting stuff... to see how "the enemy" thinks ;) Wanted to check out the links, but another time perhaps. I sat back and got a little grin on my face when I read through this male's perspective on women. How little men know... poor bastards :) Although, when I read his list of 19 ways to be a woman, I had to laugh because it hit the nail on the head! I know and have run into many girls exhibiting the behavior he lists - myself excluded, because I am an innocent angel who is totally without flaws ;)
Read on crouton...

19 WAYS TO BE A WOMAN
1. Bitch

2. When asked "Is something bothering you?" reply "no"
then get pissed off when you are believed.

3. Become attracted to someone because he is outgoing
and loves parties, start dating him, and immediately expect
him to stop this behavior.

4. Always take an hour longer than promised to prepare
for the evening.

5. Always hide very important events in very unimportant
terms so you can have something to be pissed about when
your boyfriend declines because he has pressing business, ie You
say "It's no big deal, but I was wondering if you would like to visit
my parents with me if you are not busy this weekend." when you mean
"It means a great deal to me for you to see my family with me this
weekend whether or not it is possible!"

6. Whine

7. If you are trying to sleep, it's because you're exhausted from
your almost super-human level of daily achievement; if he is
trying to sleep it's because he is lazy.

8. No matter what the activity, he doesn't do it as well
as a past boyfriend.

9. If he pays attention to you, he is smothering you.

10. If he gives you space, he is ignoring you.

11. Complain

12. Hate any bar he likes.

13. Demand to be treated as an equal in everything - except when
paying for meals, airplane tickets, concerts, beers, clothes, etc.
these are required gifts proving his love.

14. Declare PMS at any given time. If he is knowledgeable about
your cycle, tell him you're irregular from all the stress of your
life (also, see number 7).

15. Remember that ANY woman who so much as stares at
your boyfriend must be labeled a WHORE and your network of
friends must be informed immediately to spread this as quick as
possible.

16. Make his life miserable by making him feel guilty about doing
anything other than catering to your needs.

17. Break into tears for no apparent reason, then use number 2.

18. Ask for help in some endeavor then become livid when it is
given.

19. Insinuate yourself into your boyfriend's group of
friends, break up with him, then make sure you are present at
every gathering for the next month just to rub it in.

Transitions... Again
James Bond had Pussy Galore and I, on the other hand, have transition galore. Work is changing... again. School is going to end in graduation... again. And the boys... not even going to touch that one. Feeling kind of overwelmed and drained with all that's happened and what will happen. It's okay, I know I'll get by - always do. Need to realize I can't do it all, take a step back, and examine what needs to be done & what I want. The next couple of weeks are going to be tough, but all will end well and then new beginnings will spring forth. That's how it always happens. It's an endless cycle.

Where We've Been is Where We Are
The other night, I was reading poetry I had written about 10 years ago. I looked at the dates of when I had written the poems and gasped aloud. I was dealing with issues similar and had the same thoughts regarding those issues, as I am now! Unfuckinbelievable! Began writing poetry again. Maybe I can examine it years from now to see if I've broken free.

Reflective Quotes
If I were two-faced, why would I be wearing this one?
- Abraham Lincoln

Life is too deep for words, so don't try to describe it, just live it.
- C.S. Lewis

When life hands you a lemon, say "Oh yeah, I like lemons. What else you got?"
- Henry Rollins

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of anybody else.
- Judy Garland

We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.
- Kurt Vonnegut

When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability... To be alive is to be vulnerable.
- Madeleine L'Engle

Remember: Matter: how tiny your share of it. Time: how brief and fleeting your allotment of it. Fate: how small a role you play in it.
- Marcus Aurelius

Wink at a homely girl, it costs you so little & does her so much good.
- Menken

Until a man is twenty-five, he still thinks, every so often, that under the right circumstances he could be the baddest motherfucker in the world.
- Neal Stephenson, "Snowcrash"

Nowdays people know the price of everything, and the value of nothing.
- Oscar Wilde

We do not necessarily improve with age: for better or worse, we become more like ourselves.
- Peter Hall

Oh how I miss the previous years in my childhood. Everything was so beautiful and whimsical. It all seems as it was just a big apparition, forever continuing until you grow out of your child-like years into a teenager, and further on. If only life was that forbearing, maybe we all would have more applicable attitudes towards the constant ups and downs of life. Back when you were young, you could fly. Every deedfull task was easily conquered without great exertion. There were no common day worries. No need to torment oneself of unfortunate capabilities of the mediocre man. But as life progresses, you realize that these gay feelings can not forever reign your mortality. When you accept that, you shall become more secure of the future, and what it holds.
- Quinton Terintino

Perfection means not perfect actions in a perfect world, but appropriate actions in an imperfect one.
- R. H. Blyth

Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could; Some blunders and absurdities crept in; Forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; You shall begin it serenely and With too high a spirit to be encumbered With your old nonsense
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.
- Sophia Loren

Be glad you had the moment
- Steve Shagen

To know you have enough is to be rich.
- Tao

Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious, and immature.
- Tom Robbins

Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.
- Unknown

Truth and love are my law and worship; Form and conscience my manifestation and guide; Nature and peace are my shelter and companion; Order is my attitude; Beauty and perfection are my attack.
- Wayne Kramer

You never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough.
- William Blake

Onto a Lighter Note...
I was gathering the "presents" Blue leaves me in the backyard last night and noticed something sad & funny at the same time. There was a piece from the back of my Salomon trail running shoes in one of the "gifts". I was saddened because I really liked those shoes and I laughed because I can't believe the dork actually eats the damn shoes! Can't he just nibble on them? After that moment, I added a new nickname to his repertoire: Mr. Poo.

Je ne sais pas - tout le temps
If someone would have told me how this past weekend was going to turn out, I would've laughed in their face and said, "You've got to be kidding me! There's no way any of that is going to happen this weekend, I already have plans for what I'm going to be doing." But no, sometimes things don't go as planned & sometimes things happen which are unplanned.

Black Eyed Peas and N.E.R.D. were quite spectacular. Katy Kat & I had an enjoyable time @ prefunc and then the concert. Two words: Franz Ferdinand. Great cd Katy Kat & I were listening to at her place pre-concert. Picked it up yesterday at the Record Exchange & haven't stopped listening to it. Every song is very poetic & musically just. It only takes a few words to make a profound statement.

Then other times, actions speak louder than words... Such was so on Friday. Had a run-in with the ex, but it was a good thing. He saw me as the person I've become, not the person he thought I was. Guess he had me up on a pedestal I was undeserving of. Actually ended up hanging out with him yesterday on the trails, then sat & talked in the park. It was a really good thing & I'm grateful that we're both at a place in our lives where we can be friends. He listened to my issues and had some very good insights and advice. I listened to him as well, gave him advice/encouragement and was actually right when I told him this girl he was interested in was going to call, even though he said he thought she wouldn't. It was pretty good to see him light up like that. One profound thing he told me was this: It seems so much easier to make a commitment to someone else when we are younger because we haven't tasted the freedom single life offers; also, we haven't been hurt or had our hearts seriously broken which can inhibit our move to a relationship.

The events of this weekend have taught me that it is not good to leave things undefined, especially when it comes to friendships/relationships. If you like someone, let them know. No one is at fault when actions take place. I understand the male ego takes precedence over friendships, but... I don't have all the answers so je ne sais pas. Communication est très facile, mais n'utilisée pas; pourquoi? One final thing I will take from this past weekend is Sail Away by David Gray.

"As women we are living in a male power structure, and our roles become necessarily a function of men. The services we supply are services to the male ego. We are rewarded according to how well we perform these services. Our skill - our profession - is our ability to be feminine - that is dainty, sweet, passive, helpless, ever-giving and sexy. In other words, everything to help reassure man that he is primary."
- New York Radical Feminists: "Politics of the Ego" 1970

I will choose what enters me, what becomes flesh of my flesh. Without choice, no politics, no ethics lives. I am not your cornfield, not your uranium mine, not your calf for fattening, not your cow for milking. You may not use me as your factory. Priests and legislators do not hold shares in my womb or my mind. If I give it to you, I want it back. My life is a non-negotiable demand.
- Marge Piercy

Funny for a Monday - Much Needed
Here's a funny moment brought to you by Milk and Cookies. Enjoy your milk and cereal. Don't forget to use sound :)

Thank you sir, may I have another!
All you had to do was ask, here ya go... Extreme Biking

25 Questions Women are "Dying" to Ask Men
A word of thanks for my girls Elle Boogie & A-Lo for contributing to my list of questions for men. The list... in no particular order... Drum Roll Puh-lease!

1. Why do you wish we had the looks of Brittney Spears, the intelligence of Hillary Clinton, and the laid-back spirit of Brittney Murphy?
2. Why do you look/glance at my chest during a conversation no matter what I'm wearing?
3. Why do you need "just one more drink" before you can get on the dance floor? Do you think it will make you a better dancer?
4. Why do you hit on me when you're drunk, then treat me politely when you're sober? Am I that intimidating that you need alcohol to approach me & tell me how you really feel?
5. Why can't you be honest about how I look?
6. Why do you go out and do fun things with me in the beginning of the relationship, then want to stay at home and "watch movies" after we've been going out for a couple of months?
7. Why do you have an independent spirit when we meet, then become clingy & insecure after the relationship has progressed?
8. Why are you so unpredictable?
9. Why do you think wearing tennis shoes with jeans looks good?
10. Body hair - good or bad?
11. Why do you choose not to wash your hands after using the bathroom?
12. Why is it when you tell me a story that involves another woman you have to describe the way she looks? Do you think I care about the size of some woman's breasts you talked to in a bookstore 5 years ago?
13. What do you think, does size really matter to us?
14. Why do you attempt to understand my relationship with my mother when I don't even understand it?
15. Why do you care about how many guys I have slept with?
16. Did you think telling me I was a good "woman" driver in that surprised tone was really going to make me happy?
17. Where did you get the idea that canceling plans less than half an hour before we are to do something was being considerate? You should know it takes me at least an hour to get ready...
18. Thongs, briefs, or boy-shorts?
19. Why do you look so sexy with a slightly, unshaven face?
20. What'll it be - tits, ass, or legs?
21. Why do you have a special relationship with your car? Does it really need a name?
22. Do you really forget to call when you say you will, or is intentional?
23. Are you a momma's boy?
24. Are you really too "tired" for sex?
25. How do you manage to be so cute, charming, silly, frustrating, confusing, boyish, complicated, simple and unbelievably interesting?

Mortality - A Dark Reality
On the way in to work today, I saw something that really caused the emotions to spring forth - a fire in a trailer park. I'm not sure if anyone was hurt and I hope to God that everyone made it out safe. It's very hard for me to face mortality and its idea. I try to contain my emotions, but my eyes always well up with tears as I'm filled with great sadness. Aside from attending the funerals of loved ones, I have a hard time seeing funeral processions. Whenever I run into them on the road, waves of emotion overcome and I realize how precious life is and I shouldn't take it, or the people involved in it, for granted.

So my dear friends, always remember:
You've got to dance like nobody's watching, and love like it's never going to hurt....

It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth -- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up -- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had.
~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Artificial Intelligence - A Chance at Immortality?
The concept of artificial intelligence fascinates me. The idea of man creating programs which can perform tasks exhibiting human intelligence totally astounds me! I think of Descartes' quote: "I think, therefore I am." Which I interpret as: our existence depends on our ability to think freely. By "giving" computers the ability to think, are we creating a new category of existence separate from man? Can anyone say, "Matrix?"

~~~
AI Definition -
The capability of a device to perform functions that are normally associated with human intelligence, such as reasoning and optimization through experience. Note: AI is the branch of computer science that attempts to approximate the results of human reasoning by organizing and manipulating factual and heuristic knowledge. Areas of AI activity include expert systems, natural language understanding, speech recognition, vision, and robotics.
~~~

AI In Action
A co-worker sent me this link to Jabberwacky: an artificial intelligence - a chat robot, often known as a 'chatbot' or 'chatterbot'. It aims to simulate natural human chat in an interesting, entertaining and humorous manner.
Jabberwacky is different. It learns. In some ways it models the way humans learn language, facts, context and rules.

I figured out Jabberwacky was male. Pretty fun to "talk" to :) When I asked what he looked like, he responded with, "Are you trying to stalk me?" Technology can be frighteningly humorous.