Namaste, Bitches

I recently had to leave the wonderful world of Azeroth due to privacy concerns. Blizzard, in all its Activision-owned glory, decided that it was going to implement this interesting new social feature called 'RealID', which would link your real name to your online characters and battlenet account. It was supposed to make it easier to hook up with your 'real life' friends and family, organize guild functions, organize StarCraft/Diablo groups, all that & a bag o' chips.

I'm not a hard-core gamer girl, but I fell in love with WoW quickly and enjoyed playing it. As a matter of fact, I was a bit more dedicated to it than Rob. I was looking forward to Cataclysm reshaping the old stomping grounds and wanted a goblin rogue so hard. Then RealID came along & blew my pixelated universe to pieces. I'm pretty open about playing video games. I don't really care if my employers know I play them, and honestly using all those hot keys mapped to my keyboard improved my typing speed immensely. But I have a unique name. It's not like I'm Maria Garcia or something. If you know me & you Google me, there are only about 1300 results and I'm on the front page. Combined with my player realm and character names, you know exactly who corpse-camped you for 3 hours one early morning. With facebook, you now have enough information to track me or someone I know down. Hell's bells, thanks to a website that lists the salaries & job titles of public employees for Nevada, you can see exactly how broke I was in 2009. I don't want to become a target of IRL nerdrage, thanks. I dropped WoW like a hot potato (supposedly RealID is going to remain optional, but they've broken my trust in their motives - StarCraft is going to be linked to facebook, and I imagine the rest of battlenet will follow).

On livejournal, I've got posts where I'm trying to record my life story. Chances are, if you're one of the people I knew in the past, I don't remember your name or what you look like - unless I am related to you. I talk about my relatives frankly and without sugar-coating anything they did or said to me years ago. I bitch about my husband - most married women do, but my husband is fantastically thin-skinned, and he worries about my health enough as it is for me to not want to add the occasional bouts of insanity into which I plunge. After the WoW fiasco, when I heard that livejournal was breaking its own privacy options in order to let people cross-post not only their own, but other users', posts and comments to facebook, I didn't hesitate to leave them.

Now my only debate is... do I leave my livejournal as it stands, to slowly decay and lose coherence... or do I delete fucking everything?!?! 7 years is a long time, and that's a lot of blog to try and copy over to here. I suppose I could just copypasta it into a Word doc or something. I dunno. Have to see if I'm really that bored.

I'm trying this whole cross-posting thingy. Bear with me.

30th Day of the 30 Days of Books Memes: What am I reading now?

Currently, I've got Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Fall of Atlantis at work, and Terry Pratchett's The Color of Magic in the bathroom. The Fall of Atlantis is pretty standard MZB stock. Lots of secret black rites and incestuous goings-on. The Color of Magic travels between my bathroom & bedroom. TCoM is actually painful to read for me right now because I want to bust out laughing on every other page, and my throat hurts, and laughter starts me off on a coughing fit. I don't know why I've avoided Prachett's books all this time.

My favorite bit, so far involves a seedy wizard describing his traveling companion to an infamous pair of scoundrels: ..."Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos were lightning, then he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armor and shouting 'All gods are bastards'...". This is my style of reading. My inner Coyote is pleased.

In honor of my new journaling home, I'm going to make good on my 'free Tarot reading' promise. On Sept. 12, 13 & 14 I will perform short (meaning 3 - 7 cards) readings for my fans and friends. Formulate a question & either post a comment here, on the crosspost to LJ, or PM it to me. Let me know if you want me to share your reading w/the world or if you'd like a private response.

I have the following decks to choose from:

The New Orleans Voodoo Tarot

Classic Rider-Waite - and I do mean Classic - I found one published in 1971 on e-Bay to replace the deck that mysteriously disappeared.

The Medicine Cards - more of an oracle, less of a fortune-telling thing

The Tarot of the Dead - since Samhain/Hallowe'en/Dia de los Muertos is right around the corner, I have to admit I'm kind of looking forward to getting to know this deck better.

The H. P. Lovecraft Tarot - I cannot be held responsible for anything these cards tell you. Io! Io! Cthulhu F'taghn!

I write bestiality porn better than anything else... my human-on-human porn rated me Nabokov.

But for fucking dogs, I get Chuck Palahniuk.

So to my writer friends out there...

When you are faced with the blank screen or blank paper, how do you start the writing process?

I created a new filter, mainly to protect someone. If you don't want to hear me ranting about my or my husband's health issues, general medical meanderings, surgery, etc. just let me know & I'll bump you off the filter.

Rob's anxiety seems to be largely medical-related, so I can relate. I'm probably never going to be a mortician, so I'm going to sell off all my anatomy & medical books the next time I go through my bookshelves - it's as much to keep him from feeding his paranoias as to stop reminding me of yet another broken dream.

I went through all of my journal entries (I started back in Feb when I found out Jimit had found my lj) and marked the relevant entries 'friends only'. I also tagged every single entry I've made, deleted some photo links to deleted photos, deleted some links that no longer worked... I've been using this journal just shy of 5 years. I've posted about it raining 35 times.

I only talk about a few things:

Health - 159 tags
Work - Excalibur - 191 tags
Quiz - 174 tags

This is pathetic. All I talk about (bitch about is more like it) is working at the Excalibur and my or Rob's health. The Excalibur bitching has tapered off at least. I take a lot of quizzes.

I can't believe how much mental space the Ex took up. Since I quit, not one of those motherfuckers has called me to say, "Hi, how ya doin?" either.

And a weird thing I learned about Rob today: he feels bad that Heath Ledger died so young. Rob thought the kid was a good actor and was looking forward to seeing more of his work. We are both hoping the next Batman will be released because Ledger looks insanely creepy in the runny Joker makeup.

I have a belated New Years resolution, since I've been reading through my blogs... I am going to try to stop or reduce my use of 'really' and 'like'. I mean, really. It's like, right up there with using like, like five times in a sentence. Right? I like, really sound like a freakin' Valley Girl when I write, right?

Me-me-me-me

1. Were you named after anyone?
Yes. Unfortunately.

2. When was the last time you cried?
It's been awhile. I don't remember. I think I was drunk. I almost cried the other night at work because I wrenched my knee - I had an insanely hard time suppressing the surprised, shocked gaspy sobs that wanted to fly out of my mouth.

3. Do you like your handwriting?
I am a handwriting snob. I love my own handwriting and I actually practice to keep it elaborate yet legible. I still practice calligraphy, too. I know where typefaces come from.

4. What is your favorite lunch meat?
Really good, spicy salami.

5. Do you have kids?
Oh Hel no!

6. If you were another person, would you be friends with you?
Probably not. I'm not very outgoing - other people have to approach me, and honestly I think I'm too much work to get to know. Unless you read my blog. I'd never verbally tell anyone things about myself like this, and having a conversation with me is one-sided - the other person does all the talking and has to pull information from me with a chainfall. If I do talk, I ask the other person questions about themselves, and evade questions about myself or change the subject.

7. Do you use sarcasm a lot?
Yes, it is just one more service that I offer.

8. Do you still have your tonsils?
Yes, and they still work. Weird fact - many people's tonsils grow back, as do their appendices.

9. Would you bungee jump?
I have and would gladly do it again if it wasn't for the torn cartilage in my knees.

10. What is your favorite cereal?
Yucky Charms!

11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
Only when I wear shoes with laces. Which is rare.

12. Do you think you are strong?
I know I'm strong. The Universe does not have to prove it to me anymore, either, thank you very much.

13. What is your favorite ice cream?
Baskin Robbins German Chocolate Cake ice cream, and Green Tea ice cream

14. What is the first thing you notice about people?
How they carry themselves - are they slumped over, shuffling, is their head up & are their shoulders back?

15. Red or pink?
I like Pink ;)

16. What is your least favorite thing about yourself?
My skin. My icky, icky skin.

17. Who do you miss the most?
Ann and Eric. I miss Ann's letters and Eric's garage. Ok, I'll admit it. I do miss my dad, too.

18i (accepted editing from another lj'er) Do you have a problem with anyone on your LiveJournal friendslist, but they don't know about it?
Yes. I think they may actually know I have issues regarding them, but if they know they don't let on that they know they know, which is fine, because I'm embarrassed since my issues are definitely a reflection on me & have very little to do with what they do, only my perception of them. And no, it's not you, you or you either, so don't get all self-conscious or paranoid. You know who you are, so don't even act like you don't know who you are. See, there you go - geez, why do you always get like this?

19. What color pants and shoes are you wearing?
Um, I'm not wearing anything even resembling pants or shoes.

20. What was the last thing you ate?
A 4oz. Tree Top brand Cinnamon Apple Sauce

21. What are you listening to right now?
Funny, but That 70s Show is also on in my background.

22. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Burnt Sienna. Just because I know no one else in their right mind would pick Burnt Sienna, and I think the color is lonely and needs attention.

23. Favorite smells?
Diesel exhaust and pavement in the rain. Desert sage after a rain. The ocean at dawn. Call me weird, but skunk spray smells kind of lemony-musky to me (and I think I could probably pull it off as an incredibly sexy musky perfume, maybe mixed with some Ylang Ylang or Vetiver).

24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
Gods, don't get me started on Brenda. I don't know if she's deaf, dyslexic or some hideous combination of both, but why they let her answer the phone is beyond me.

25 (my own lj-friendly editing) Do you like the person whose blog you stole this from?
I sho do. She's the shiz-net.

25i. (I left this in because it's cheesy) What's your favourite kind of cheese? Or do you think it's the devil?
Mozarella. Mozarella made from buffalo milk is definitely the best, but honestly any kind of decent mozarella (not the stuff they use at Chuck E Cheese or Pistol Pete's) is my friend. Including string cheese. I've also developed an affinity for Albertsons & Smith's brands of Provolone. They're both mild & have a smokiness to them that I appreciate. And cream cheese and ricotta. I do not like Kraft American Singles, and I have a restraining order against Velveeta. "Processed Cheese Food Product". I kind of miss gov'ment cheese. It made the absolute best grilled-cheese sandwiches in the world. It melted evenly, had a good flavor, and was not overly oily. Gods, I am turning into such a foodie.

26. Favorite sports to watch?
Horse racing. And futbol, like Australian football where the only rule seems to be that you cannot obviously murder anyone or introduce sharp objects within sight of a referee. I also like hockey, because blood bounces when it hits the ice.

27. Hair color?
Clairol Nice 'N Easy Grey Coverage 'Natural Blue Black'.

28. Eye color?
Hazel, and mine do change color randomly. Right now, since I took two codeine pills, one is a grey-blue and the other is hawk-yellow. I have no pupils.

29. Do you wear contacts?
Nope

30. Favorite food?
Pomegranates, sunflower seeds, crab legs, sushi, artichokes. I enjoy (god, that shark from Strange Wilderness kills me every time I see it... Haw har har har....RoFl!!!) any food I can eat with my fingers, food that must be picked apart and takes a long time to eat.

31. Scary movies or happy endings?
Scary movies with happy endings, like Shaun of the Dead.

32. Last movie you watched?
All the way through - Resident Evil: Apocalypse. Over the past couple of days, I've seen bits & pieces of The Fifth Element, Face Off and Open Range.

33. What color shirt are you wearing?
Ok, since this poll is so darned interested in what I'm wearing (it sounds like phone sex or a prank call), I am wearing a spaghetti-strapped long polyester night gown. It is pink, white and various shades of green. It has stylized strawberries and flowers and viney leaves on it, with pink trim. It's torn on the right strap, so that side will not stay up. I am also wearing a burgundy headband and my wedding ring. I have no panties on. Tomorrow I am going clothes shopping because after 7 years of wearing a uniform, I now only have two types of clothes in my closet - full suits or t-shirts and broomstick skirts or jeans. I get the feeling the suits are too formal for the IT department, and the t-shirts/skirts/jeans combos are too informal. I need some slacks and decent blouses. I am not normally a 'slacks' person, but if I'm going to be working on computers, I need something to wear that I can be comfortable crawling around under desks.

34. Summer or winter?
Autumn.

35. Hugs or kisses?
Honestly neither, but I have found that I can hug people openly without just that stiff-shouldered back-pat and I can also touch strangers' hands with honest good-will.

36. Favorite dessert?
I have only had it once, but creme brulee is something I can see myself trying more often. It was the most elegant dessert I've ever eaten.

37 (edited for lj-ness) Who on your Friends List will be most likely to steal this meme?
Maybe GreenForest_Elf? Not many of my lj-friends are meme-junkies except who I stoled it from :)

37i. Do you wear any jewellery regularly?
Only my wedding ring.

38. Who on your FList will be least likely to steal this meme?
Probably Akiima.

38i. If you could steal an animal from the zoo to make it into a pet, which animal would you steal, and why?
When I was a kid I used to thoroughly enjoy zoos and circuses and aquariums, but now... well, I've gotten moral high-ground on this and decided that I will no longer support circuses, zoos or aquariums. Rescues are slightly different, in that many animals in places like Wolf Haven and the Coyote Rescue Foundation are former pets that cannot be returned to the wild for one reason or another. Now, if I was into eco-terrorism and wanted to infiltrate a zoo and steal something... I would break into the San Diego Zoo & steal a pack of dholes.

39. What book are you reading now?
Well, let's see... All-in-One Network Certification Exam Guide, 3rd Ed. by Mike Meyers; The Professional Approach Series: Microsoft Office 2007 by Hinkle, et al; and Internet & World Wide Web How to Program, 4th Ed. by P.J. & H.M. Deitel. There are about 5000 pages combined. I have 14 weeks to read them. That's only 357 pages per week...

40. What's on your mouse pad?
I have a trackball - no mouse pad required.

41. What did you watch on TV last night?
Gods, I have no idea honestly. I was at work, so whatever else was on in the breakroom

42. Favorite sound?
Rain on a tin roof. Or our aluminum-siding porch roof, which is the next best thing.

43. Rolling Stones or Beatles?
The Stones. They have voodoo.

44. Where's the farthest you've been from home?
I dunno if south of Acapulco or the Alaskan coast is farther away. And I don't really have a 'home', so was the Alaskan coast farther from mid-state Washington, or was south of Acapulco farther from Sierra Madre, CA?

45. Do you have a special talent?
Fixing other people's mistakes, proofreading, catching errors. All my talents are based on the work of others.

46. Where were you born?
Fontana, California.

47. (edited for lj-ness again) Whose answers would you like to read most?
Hmmm, hard to say. Anyone who steals it I guess.

47i. What is your mobile phone ring-tone?
It's loud and obnoxious & came pre-loaded into the phone.

Dude, I'm going to bed.

So I'm pondering deleting this journal since it's been invaded by Work People. But I've invested a lot of time in it. I decided to just change the name & tried to find & delete posts where I've got my full real-life name & all that. If it keeps generating little digs at work during times when I cannot properly defend myself, more drastic measures may be taken. I accept that I do have a public internet life, but this was relatively hidden. I like the new name better anyway.

News of the semi-good: Rob's doc gave him a glucose tester & a prescription for refill strips & lancets. Our insurance covers the lancets, but the strips are $1 each. A 1-month prescription is $100.00. Big-big ouch. So I called the insurance & they gave me a number for the Diabetes Care Network, & if the insurance company & Rob's doc okays everything, all his future supplies will be free. Which is really cool. This company is out of Florida or New York or something, but if anyone knows a diabetic in need, they might be able to help: The Diabetes Care Network 800-881-1845

I hab a code. Yesterday id was id by dose, but dow id has seddled ib by chest ad I ab dot habby.