Thia's Digital Playground

Welcome, Jordan Victoria

2011-09-20T14:26:00.000-07:00

Mom and Baby Jordan - Day Two

It’s been about forty days since Jordan made her dramatic appearance into the world. Welcome, Baby Girl! She was born “in the bag,” which means as you might have guessed, that my water didn’t break until after the birth. The contractions themselves presented her without any pushes on my part in her liquid cocoon to a doctor who with a smirk, popped “the bag” and tugged. Done.

The doctor said this almost never happens. The nurse said it’s a sign she’s a special baby. Well, of course, we already knew that! At 36 weeks, she was 6 pounds 7 ounces. Gratefully, and I mean this so sincerely, also in perfect health.

Take Your Small Miracles

Jordan and Hayden are twenty two months apart. Caring for two children under two is a kind of acid endurance test for the anal parent. I admit it. I have been accused of such before, and now I know it to be true. I’m a hand-sanitizer toting, toy-safety researching, logging-of-every-feeding-and-diaper obnoxious kind of Mom. It turns out, even a nursing mom can know exactly how much her baby eats with the small purchase of a baby scale that measures in grams.

After Hayden was born, an annoyed anonymous family member assured me with a condescending giggle that I would relax all this with my second baby. Alas here we are, and I’m still pedaling out the sanitizer on unsuspecting visitors, asking: “Can I hold her?”

I’m not going to say I’m not exhausted. Who knew anything could be more amazing and more tiring than caring after a newborn, and exponentially so? But, I’m learning the wisdom of a little tenet my cousin, mother of three, told me: One is one and two is ten.

A little advice, for what it’s worth to the brave souls equally comforted by charts and sanitation who will inevitably come after me to join the Two Kids Under Two club. And really, if you’re reading this post because you’ve just learned you’re pregnant and you have a six month old slumbering in the next room, what choice do you have? Take your small miracles. Embrace them. Relish them.

Murphy’s Law Reprised

Murphy was a wise, single man with no children who observed the uncanny ability of the universe to go diabolically wrong. His mother however, was caring for a toddler and a newborn.

She looked around to all the horrifying and seeming unending chaos erupting around her. But, she saw that on occasion and randomly the stars will align and things will go fantastically... right! And this is always a time to celebrate.

Right now, for example, Hayden is having an unfortunate morning battling some jealousy. So, she’s sitting between me and Jordan in her Boppy Chair. Ironically, this means she’d rather me be on my laptop with her attending to Jordan’s binkies and rocking. So, I get fifteen minutes or so to recharge my batteries writing this and playing Greedy Spiders. Yay! Small Miracle.

Another example? Why, certainly! This morning, my new shampoo and conditioner I’ve been excited about arrived in the mail before I tried to take my shower. Yay! Small Miracle.

Get it? Now you try... for your sanity. Take a lesson from Murphy’s mother, and embrace the Small Miracles. Celebrate and don't blink! In five minutes, catastrophe will be on you once again. With that, I’ll need to leave you to go clean up some spit up.

Love,
T.

The Precious: "Bye-bye, Mama"

2010-12-18T10:28:00.000-08:00

Hayden with Friends
Hard Rock Cafe - South Lake Tahoe

I had things I wanted to get done this morning, but I found myself early with a puffy-eyed toddler while it was still dark and quiet in the house.

Last night was Parent’s Night, where we can take Hayden to daycare from 6-11pm for some adult time at the movies (Tron was the best!). During the day, we didn’t see her much dealing with our doggie’s health issues at the doggie neurologist.

So, this morning, it was little surprise that she awoke hungry and eager for some reassurance after her long day yesterday.

I gave her a pop-tart and milk in her sippy cup. I pulled out my laptop beside her and began opened a story I’ve been working on. When she finished, she rubbed her eyes and smiled at me as if she and I shared a special early morning secret before the world got up. Pulling her back out of the chair, I set her down. She would go back down to sleep easily now. She waved and said, “Bye-bye, Mama.”

As far as I’ve been witness, this is her first “sentence.” So, I did what I imagine anyone would do: I closed my laptop and picked up my baby girl. We cuddled together on the couch watching Nanny McPhee until she fell asleep in my lap. When she did, I didn’t carry her up to her bed. I kept her with me, gently kissing her soft face.

These babies just don’t keep...

Things Hayden Says

Before Thanksgiving, Hayden knew "Mama" and "Dada." Today, she says:

Sit! (and points her finger with authority)

Bye-bye

Uh-Oh

Thank you (sounds like Day-doo)

A-B-C-D

Touchdown! (and throws up her arms)

Milk (sounds like Mick)

Precious Hayden: It’s nice to meet you.

Love,
-T.

Dexter Season Five Finale Predictions

2010-12-12T10:42:00.000-08:00

So, we all know how stellar the writing is on this Showtime brainchild starring starring Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter and Julia Stiles (this season). Tonight is the Season Five Dexter Finale, so it’s about time to do another round of predictions. Let's skip the boring intro and get to the questions!

Will Deb find out about Dexter's dark passenger?

No. But, LaGuerta might? Let's start with Deb. We've watched her evolve this season from a foul-mouthed, awkward cadet to a full-fledged threat to Dexter's livelihood. Gone are the days of Dexter's insecure little sister: today, she is a seasoned Detective with razor sharp instincts. In fact, considering how long Dexter has been in the game, Deb seems to be closing the gap faster, though admittedly, Dexter hasn't exactly been on his A game this season. I would hope a collision like this would take place earlier in the season... in a different season. Showtime writers consistantly tell us they don't make plans for future seasons when writing the current one. I hope in this case, that's not true. In Dexter-land, where the scruntiny is perpetually increased in the office, sharpening Dexter's honing, I can think of nothing more rewarding than a Morgan on Morgan cat-and-mouse chase.

So, Showtime. If you're reading: *PLEASE* make good on this "promise" from this season's foreshadowing. We've only begun to see this new Deb... and we like. :)

Moving onto LaGuerta. What are they doing with this chick this season besides completely corrupting her? I ask myself if LaGuerta were to find out that Dexter was somehow involved in killing the Barrel Girl killers, what would she do?

My answer: absolutely nothing.

Afterall, it would make the department and most importantly herself look bad. I smell a coverup. I know (believe me, I know) it's a stretch... but we have to throw the risky predictions out there with the "sure things" or else making them is no fun! So, there it is. If I'm right about the Deb progression next season: Dexter -> Deb -> LaGuerta might make for an interesting triangle in Season Six.

Who dies?

Jordan Chase, of course. We won't be denied this payoff. Lumen is also a possible contender (more on that below).

What happens to Lumen?

Say goodbye. Lumen’s gotta go tonight.

For some, this will be delightful news and others (like myself) will be bummed. Julia Stiles had enormous shoes to fill after John Lithgow’s performance last season. Her role is completely different, and also completely satisfying. I love Dexter having a partner in crime in concept. And their celebratory kill after “encounter” got my blood pumping as much as anyone (what? I’m human!)

But, the unfortunate fact remains that she’s not an evolutionary character: she’s a device to evolve Dexter’s. She’s the same traumatized wreck we first encountered in the third episode of the season, albeit with a little more *culinary* technique.

Dexter, on the other hand, is nearly unrecognizable as a new sloppy, code-less (that's right - he can kill anyone this season), risk-taking romantic.

Astor summed up Lumen's character well earlier in the season when she accused Dexter of helping Lumen to make himself “feel better” about not saving Rita. For Dexter, Lumen in many ways symbolizes redemption.

Frankly, I wouldn’t be completely taken aback if the writers allowed Lumen to slip up and kill an innocent, so Dexter could take care of her himself and thus, bringing him full circle back to the code.

So, to sum up: Thia’s prediction is that Lumen definitely makes her finale tonight. She’ll fly back home, go into the arms of her ex or meet some other untimely demise. Besides, as Lumen gets better, she'll only make things easy on Dexter to accomplish his darkly deeds... and we can't have that in Season Six.

Will Dexter be touched by the Liddy aftermath?

No. So there's a body in a van. Small potatoes. Dexter has dealt with much worse. Quinn has a bloody shoe. This will be no problem for Dexter.

See you at 9pm!

This concludes my predictions. Feel free to poke holes or post some of your own. We'll see what pans out in a few hours!

Love,
-T.

I Got Published! :)

2010-12-05T19:43:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. You're dying for the next installment of Twisted Sunday Stories. If this is the case, then you're just going to have to WAIT until 12/7!

This is because my micro-fiction story called "The Stacks" will be appearing in the ezine Flashes in the Dark. In fact, the next two weeks of horror shorts will be hosted externally, since another of my works was also selected. (Yay!)

So, a hat tip: I love Flashes in the Dark. I highly reccommend you check them out if you're the type who giggles with delight watching Tales from the Crypt (man, do I miss that show) or equally creepy/morbid/innappropriate entertainment... like I do.

So, I know this is short, but I've gotta hop off to do my happy dance!

External Links (to be updated when available):

The Stacks - 12/7
Granny's Real Sick - 12/12

Love,
-T.

Twisted Sunday Stories: Chord of Three Strands

2010-11-28T14:13:00.000-08:00

498 words.

© 2010 T. Michelle on http://cometothia.blogspot.com/.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Harold, stop watching them,” she snipped with disgust.

He was peering out the attic window at the morbid twist on a neighborhood watch below. Take Sheila for instance. A month ago, he’d had her moaning on her kitchen countertop down the block. Now, she and her walking dead “friends” were devouring the paper boy in the middle of the street. Some were unrecognizable. They’d been eaten too much or had decayed too long. But, Sheila was in better shape. She looked as though she’d taken the chicken way out; the handmade linen noose still dangled from her neck behind her. Minutes after her death, she’d have awoken like all the others with a killer appetite.

Harold allowed himself to giggle at his joke before drawing the shades and turning to face his furious wife.

“I’m leaving you!” She pointed her butter knife accusingly at his chest. “Something I should have done years ago.”

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous, Lily.” He waved a dismissive hand, making his way to the food corner.

“Why should it be ridiculous? People used to get divorced every day before the world went to shit. Do you think the apocalypse made you any easier to live with?”

She explained she was going up to the roof. That’s right, the freaking roof. She was going to haul her old ass across the rope rescue lines some of the survivors had made to connect rooftops. When she found a home that was zombie free, she’d set up shop until the nightmare blew over.

“That’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard. Honestly, at your age,” he told her.

“I’m ten years younger than you. I go to the gym twice a week. The only thing to make me fall might be the rocks in my chest you paid for.”

“You won’t make it fifty feet. You’re killing yourself,” he argued.

“There are worse things,” she said, cramming another sweater into her bag. “Like being eaten alive, or spending ten minutes alone with you, for example.”

In the end, he’d convinced her she was being irrational and that sticking together was their best chance. If they were running out of food, it was the man’s job to provide.

So, he crept slowly down the rescue line to the house next door. He kept his eyes on the line, trying not to notice the accumulating crowd underneath. They congregated on the lawn like vultures, lifting their uncoordinated hands to a meal just out of reach. As their moans grew louder, his hands shook on the line. One hand after the other, he told himself. You’re more than halfway there.

It wasn’t until the pain hit him that he realized he’d fallen. They were already on him before he could assess his injuries. They tore at him quickly. Looking up, he saw Lily gazing on from the attic window. Waving a pair of utility scissors and smiling, she was as beautiful as the day they met.

... Next TSS installment: 12/7

Twisted Sunday Stories: Game for Mongry

2010-11-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

A rural family on a run-down farm protects a horrifying secret in the basement of their home. 2398 words.

© 2010 T. Michelle on http://cometothia.blogspot.com/.

By the time Mary awoke and went downstairs, they were already gone. She knew it before she read the note left for her on the kitchen counter. They had taken their coats and hunting gear with them. Mary slid into warm overalls from the dryer and poured some cereal. She chewed side to side the way a sheep might and waited for Analiese to get up.

Mary hated the very thought of the hunting expeditions. Someday, she would have to go along. After last weekend’s expedition, Uncle Terry had told her so. He had handed her a sparkling blue stone dangling from a golden cord and said: “We’re a farmer’s family. And farmers' families pull their weight. We stick together, defend each other.”

“Support one another,” Mary had finished.

Mary remembered that Uncle Terry had seemed pleased and given her a soft nod before carrying a man-sized carcass into Mongry’s shed.

Shoving the memory aside, she pulled the necklace from the utensil drawer. In front of her, the stone reflected blue and purple streams throughout the sun-warmed kitchen.

So glamorous. It was the kind of jewelry Mary imagined a movie star would wear.

If I wore this to school, Sammy Deekes would be sure to notice me. It wasn’t the first time Mary allowed herself to fantasize about the boy. His cool eyes and friendly smile. He was one of the few at school who was nice to her, always polite, always said hello. Mary bided her time, knowing one day she would muster the courage to make her feelings known.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Analiese bounded down the stairs like a leprechaun. Mary stuffed the necklace back into its drawer and reseated herself.

“Good morning,” she offered, shoveling another spoonful of cereal into her mouth.

“Hurmph,” Analiese rubbed her puffy eyes.

Mary was mesmerized as Analiese stumbled around the refrigerator. Everything about her seemed exotic, glamorous, even. All the boys at school talked about her when she arrived nearly a month ago from L.A., probably even the likes of Sammy Deekes, but Mary didn’t want to think about that now. Though fifteen, like Mary, Analiese carried the body of a woman in her mid-twenties: full breasts, shapely hips, and yet her youth kept her slender. She kept her long, brown hair out of her face with a headband most days, including today, and whipped around green piercing eyes that seemed to all but melt members of the opposite sex.

By comparison, Mary looked like an adolescent with her rail thin, boyish frame and stringy blond hair. Ma had bought her training bras a year back to secure Mary’s “little pricks,” she’d said. Uncle Terry had hackled and bawled into Mary’s bedroom when he saw them in the wash, until Mary had flown at him, biting and scratching. No one laughed at Mary Buckley and got away with it. In the end, it had cost her a good whooping with Ma’s belt, but Uncle Terry never laughed at her again.

Analiese snapped the refrigerator door shut, apparently defeated and began primping herself in the kitchen window reflection. Mary burned with jealousy.

“Didn’t you sleep well?” Mary asked.

“How could you with all that racket? Do you keep a dog in the basement or something?”

“I didn’t hear nothing.”

“Seriously?”

Mary lowered her gaze the empty bowl, allowing her straw-like hair to fall in front of her chin. “Can I try on some?”

Analiese eyed the lipstick in her hand and smirked back at Mary. “Sure.”

When Analiese finished, she drew a handheld mirror from her knapsack and allowed Mary to admire her handiwork.

“There, now isn’t that pretty?” Analiese sparkled.

Mary smiled sheepishly at her own reflection and nodded emphatically.

“I look,” Mary started.

“Like less of a…” Analiese trailed off.

“What?”

Analiese sighed. “Well, like less of dyke, I guess.”

Mary scoffed. When she glanced back at her reflection, the face staring back at her had somehow morphed. She saw her square jaw and crooked teeth jutting from a crimson open-mouthed expression. Ridiculous. She slapped the mirror out of Analiese’s hand onto the counter, and began furiously wiping her face with her sleeve.

“I ain’t no lesbian!”

Analiese shrugged. “I’m hungry. What do you have?”

“We got cereal and oatmeal,” Mary offered, still calming herself.

“Do you have pancakes?” Analiese lifted her perfect eyebrows hopefully. Her green eyes flickered in a manner Mary imagined was practiced to solicit her every desire, no matter how trite, from any warm-blooded creature in the vicinity.

“Pancakes? I guess so.”

“Make me some.”

While Mary cooked, Analiese typed vigorously on her phone, pausing only to run her fingers through dark tresses. Mary watched from the corner of her eye. It was nice to have someone over, a friend. That Analiese had asked at all to spend the night had surprised Mary. The other kids at school seemed to steer clear of the Buckleys. Mary knew they considered her family odd, but, Analiese was new, and maybe hadn’t yet been acquainted with the gossips.

“Quit looking at me,” Analiese said without looking up. “I mean it.”

“I ain’t.”

“Yeah. Are you sure you’re not… funny?”

“Funny?”

“You know.”

Mary didn’t.

“I don’t really care, my aunt has a girlfriend. It happens all the time in California.”

“I ain’t gay!” Mary growled.

“Yeah? Prove it,” Analiese seemed pleased to have gotten a rise.

Mary paused a moment, but ultimately played along. “How?”

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

Mary was silent.

“Have you ever had a boyfriend?”

Mary poked at the pancakes with her spatula.

“Never?!” Analiese giggled.

Mary’s face burned. “I have to!”

“Yeah? Who?”

Mary searched her mind. “A boy. At... at school.”

“Yes, but who?” Analiese demanded.

“Sammy Deekes,” Mary muttered under her breath.

“Sammy Deekes?! You’re such a liar.” Analiese returned to her cell phone.

Mary set the flapjacks on the table and fumbled in the utensil drawer over a loose wallet and bracelet before pulling out a fork. She hoped Analiese hadn’t noticed.

“Who you texting?” Mary asked.

“None of your beeswax.” Analiese set down her phone and started in on her food.

Mary bit her lip, unsure if she should press the issue. “Can I do one?”

“What?”

“On your phone.”

Analiese scrunched her face as if tasting something sour. “Don’t you have a cell phone?”
Mary wagged her head no, embarrassed.

“Tiffany earrings and no cell phone?” Analiese mused.

Mary brushed her hair self-consciously over her ears.

“Tsk,” Analiese started. “You should hit up your dad. That’s what I do. No offense, but I won’t be stuck in this country bumpkin town for long. I’m only here because of the divorce. My dad was trying to get me into acting, and I know I am going to make it. Yep! I’ll be back in LA and on TV before you know it.”

“I bet you will.” Mary was sincere.

“Darn straight I will!” Analiese took another bite.

Mary fidgeted in her socks. “My Pa run off when I was a baby. It’s just Ma and Uncle Terry raising us now.”

“Us?” Analiese drowned her remaining pancake in a pool of syrup.

“My younger...” Mary stopped. “I mean, just me.”

A scuffle, scuffle, thud wafted up from the basement.

Analiese snapped up, alert, and made her way to the basement door. “Okay. I know you heard that.”

“Don’t!” Mary cried out.

“Why? What’s down there?” Analiese stopped.

“Our dog,” Mary lied.

Analiese folded her arms in front of her. “You have a dog now?”

“Mongry is real rowdy. We keep him in the basement.” Mary nodded rapidly and motioned to the folded note on the counter.

Analiese took the bait. It was a short note. Three words.

FEED MONGRY. –MA

“You Buckleys are weird.”

“Listen, I got chores. You can come if you want.”

“Nah. I better shower and get home.”

“’Course.” Mary tried to hide her disappointment and turned to leave the house.

When Mary returned from tending the hogs, she could hear the water running in the upstairs shower. Analiese’s knapsack, purse and phone were gathered together on a pile on the kitchen counter. Mary started washing her hands. She couldn’t let Analiese see them this way.

The phone chirped and vibrated on the counter. Mary ignored it scrubbing her hands with a soapy towel.

On the third chirp, the temptation proved too much for her to bear. She dried her hands and nervously picked up the phone, now silent. When it vibrated and chirped again, Mary checked over her shoulder. Still hearing the shower water, she began trying buttons.

It didn’t take long for the keyboard to snap out and screen illuminated. Mary jumped. Giggling at her own naïvete, she held the device carefully as if it were a baby chick. She read the large black letters.

Are you back from the Buckleys yet? SAMMY D.

Her heart throbbed in her chest. She swallowed hard and wiped a sweaty palm against her shirt before typing back.

No.

She jammed the Enter key and waited. It took only a few moments for her new shrine to chirp to life again.

Bummer. I miss you already. SAMMY D.

She quickly scanned the room again.

Me too. Hit enter.

I couldn’t stop thinking about you last night. SAMMY D.

She smiled and tried to think of what to write next. There was so much she wanted to tell him. She typed ‘I want to kiss you’ but deleted it, then retyped it again. Minutes passed and the phone chirped again. She grunted in frustration and decided on a single sentence.

You are the most amazing person I have ever met.

The next message took an agonizing few minutes to come. Mary realized she was holding her breath.

You too, Babe. SAMMY D.

The next fifteen minutes passed like wonderful hours. Mary made herself comfortable on the living room couch with her feet up. She told Sammy all the things she wanted to do to a lover and hoped to receive in return. She allowed herself to be rapt in anticipation, hitting the Enter key and awaiting the next message. She imagined Sammy feeling the same way, reclined on his bed, giddy to receive another note, maybe even touching himself. The thought warmed her to her core.

She was surprised how little it mattered that Sammy believed he was talking to Analiese. The truth was that Sammy was talking to her, Mary. And he seemed enthralled by it. By her.

Mary’s euphoria was cut short when she heard a familiar clicking noise from the kitchen. She squinted to recall it.

The basement door lock.

Mary whipped herself off the couch and bulleted to the kitchen.

“What do you think you’re doing, Analiese?”

Analiese spun from the basement door to face Mary. She seemed surprised and dropped her knapsack, which fell at her feet spilling Uncle Terry’s blue-stone necklace, a wallet and a number of trinkets from around the house.

“I... I..” Analiese stammered.

“You’re stealing from us?”

Analiese pulled herself together. “Look. I want to know what’s down these stairs. You Buckley’s have money and I want it!”

“Money?”

“Don’t sass me,” Analiese pointed an accusatory finger. “I know this farm doesn’t make that much. I see you walking into school with your jewelry. I’ve got to get out of here and back to L.A.”

With that, Analiese burst into tears and sunk to the floor.

“I see.”

“I’m sorry, Mary.”

“You didn’t come over because…”

Analiese looked up through swollen eyes.

“I mean, you don’t like me,” Mary was defeated.

“Like you?” Analiese giggled.

Mary fumed, balling her fists. No one made a fool of Mary Buckley. She had Analiese in her sights.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that,” Analiese insisted, with laughter still on her voice.

“No. You’re right. We have money.”

“What?” Analiese sobered.

“We have money. We keep it locked up down there.”

Analiese eyed Mary suspiciously. “What about your dog?”

“It’s not a dog. My little brother is down there. He likes to play games in the basement. Mongry. I lied because I didn’t want you to go down there and find all our treasures.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I love you. I loved you since I first seen you, but I know now that we can’t be together.”

“I knew it!” Analiese stood up.

Mary nodded. “If you go down there, you can take what you want. I won’t tell anybody if...”

“If what? Tell me, tell me!”

“If I can have a kiss when you come back.”

“A kiss?”

“One little kiss, and then I’ll never bother you again,” Mary was focused. “Just go downstairs. You can take anything you want.”

Analiese eyed the door.

“Just open the door, and go downstairs,” Mary could feel her eyes growing wide.

After Analiese descended into the basement, Mary locked the door behind her. The deadbolt sounded like a hunter’s rifle. Mary’s small body flooded with adrenaline as she pressed it against the door. The added security wasn’t necessary, she knew. If the reinforced wood and locks kept Mongry in, the likes of Analiese surely didn’t have a chance against it.

It took a few minutes for the shrieks to begin, a roar, scuffling, rattling, then bangs on the door. Mary waited for the basement to grow quiet again before returning to Analiese’s phone on the living room couch. There were a number of messages from Sammy, but Mary didn’t know how to retrieve them all. She typed one slowly:

I love you Sammy D.

The phone chirped back at her, but she didn’t pay any attention. In the distance she heard the family truck coming up the road back from a hunting trip for Mongry.

She smiled. Ma and Uncle Terry would be pleased.

... Next TSS installment: Chord of Three Strands 11/28

Twisted Sunday Stories: Chess with Skynet

2010-11-14T11:48:00.000-08:00

John Connor, leader of the human resistance undergoes some strategic training to prepare him for his future. Sci-Fi fan fiction: 980 words.

© 2010 T. Michelle on http://cometothia.blogspot.com/.

“Go to her, John,” She said.

“Bishop to E8,” he answered and lit a cigarette. It was a beautiful Tuesday morning. But, he wasn’t going to school. The sprinkler system dusted the lilies out the window with crystal clear droplets, their lifeblood. John thought about this as he dusted his lungs with ash, tar and soot and all the blessings mortality brought a heavy soul.

“Go downstairs. Game time has ended,” The Voice in the wall spoke again.

“It’s always games here,” he yawned.

"Big John says games are an effective teaching device for children your age facilitated through activities they enjoy."

"Not these games."

"Which games?"

"I don't know," John sighed. "Games. Skateboards. With people."

"I'll see if I can adjust your curriculum."

"I'll never understand why Big John would send you anyway."

"Skynet will use aspects of human nature against you to achieve victory. A human teacher would reinforce this."

"By Skynet, you mean you."

"Big John reprogrammed me. I'm no threat to you now."

Instead of responding, John blew out large Os with his cigarette smoke and watched as they grew wider, wider, and finally gone.

"Downstairs, John."

“Yeah. I know. I’m going now.” He slid into his sneakers and ball cap and made his way down. He used the back stairwell, which was the longer route. But, he avoided the front stairs that were decorated with family pictures for guests and extended family visits.

When he reached the kitchen, he slunk, head down into a table chair. He let his shoulder-length waves cover what lingering skin his cap exposed. The familiar smell of frying bacon attacked his nostrils, flooding his mind with childhood memories of Sunday mornings, newspapers, laughter and other unwelcome nostalgia.

“Good morning, John,” the brunette Figure at the stove called sweetly. To John, The Figure’s melodic voice sounded like honey. “Breakfast is almost ready.”

“You know my real mother would never let me smoke in the house,” he muttered so the neither The Voice, nor The Figure hear.

“Why don’t you pick up where we left off last time?” The Figure suggested.

John glanced to the old family Bible with the aged leather binding that sat near the edge of the counter. “I know what you’re doing. But, can we just get on with it?”

“What do you mean, John? We read a passage every morning.” The Figure turned around carrying a plate. By mistake, he caught The Figure’s eyes, as blue and warm as any fond memory he still possessed from his real mother. But, this was not his mother. And John tried his best to remind himself of that.

“You don’t believe any of this, so I don’t understand-”

“Cooperation please, John,” The Voice ordered.

John gulped back putrid dread and adrenaline. He was not looking forward to what would happen next. Angrily, he swept the book to his lap, violently turning to the bookmarked page. He read mechanically, as a machine might, and did not to let the words sink in.

When The Figure fell to the ground and began crying out, John allowed only a single hot tear to fall from his right eye and down his cheek. It dried and disappeared before reaching his chin.

“John!” The Figure gasped, tearing at her throat. Her beautiful brown locks thrashed. “It hurts, John!”

This was the way it worked, John knew. Soon she would be dead, and there was nothing he could do. If he tried, he would fail the lesson and would have to start from
scratch. So instead, John stood over her and pulled his cigarette to his lips with a quivering hand. By the third drag, it was over.

“What are you doing to me?” John regretted the question as soon as it left his mouth.

“You have passed. Big John has a message for you now,” The Voice answered.

“I don’t care what he said,” John whispered.

“Beginning of Message. John. I am putting you through the unimaginable, at the hands of an instructor you least expected. I know. I have been where you are now. But, I need you to trust me.”

“Please stop.”

“John, picture the leader that can rise from the nuclear ash, just as mankind is preparing for oblivion. Facing the dawn of our imminent extinction, he gathers the small scattered handfuls of humanity. With this small army, injured and starving, he rages against a more powerful, efficient adversary to secure the victory that the masses who came before could not accomplish.”

“Stop, stop, STOP!”

“Now, imagine what that leader would be like. What would this leader have to do? Ask yourself, John, if you met this person face to face, would you like a person that could be capable of this?”

“I said I don’t care about Big John or you.” John flew at the wall, pounding his juvenile fists against it. When he felt the bones in his left hand pop and give, he did not surrender to the pain. He continued, flailing with his feet until he was sweaty and out of breath. When his body was spent, he slid to the floor in a puddle of human flesh.

“Your task is to save humanity, not to be human. End of message.”

John eyed his mother’s motionless, twisted face on the kitchen tile. “How many more times do we have to do this one, this lesson?”

“29.”

John shook his head. “Let’s get on with it.”

“You’re injured, John.”

“I said I’m ready.”

After a short pause, The Voice responded. “The time has started again for chess. Bandage your hand and come to the game room please, John.”

John nodded. He made his way up the front stairwell to the nearest first aid kit, pausing only momentarily to straighten a picture frame that had become crooked against the yellow wall.

... Next TSS installment: Game for Mongry 11/21

Pre-New Year Resolution

2010-11-14T11:32:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, I think my daughter might be an alien.

Under the precious 14-month-old squishy face, making kissy sounds to Mama lives a small monster. The cuteness, in fact, is all a lie to suck away all productivity while I try to work at the home, talk to Jeremy or pen a story.

Lately, however, I've been given a reprieve. Hayden has reached her "cuddly" stage, so I've had more downtime available to me. The result of this reprieve is a small stack of stories. Jeremy encourages me (as always) to begin posting again here. How I've missed you! I hope to keep this up.

So, I wrote this story with her sitting in my lap, laptop only inches out of her reach. Though, she did occasionally hit the space bar.

It’s a fan-fiction piece to a beloved Sci Fi icon from my childhood. To fellow fans, I hope it’s received with the respect I intend because it brought me a lot of joy to pen it down.

I present for your approval "Chess with Skynet."

Webisode Series: The Howling - Part 2 of 5

2009-12-10T18:59:00.000-08:00

Part Two<-- Prev Next -->

It’s colder when I come to. How long have I slept? A shriek impales my ear drums as an elephant stampede might overwhelm a bridge of glued popsicle sticks.

This feels familiar.

I snap alert, but I’m not leaning on the horn this time. The wail silences for a moment and resounds again. I wince as my right ear pops and desperately swing my head around to the source of the noise.

I feel my blood turn to ice in my veins. It's a child. My God! I flip on the dome light, praying the illuminated interior will somehow make it disappear, revealing it a harmless mirage carried over from my subconscious. No such luck. The boy squirms like a worm on a hook in his blue snowsuit and rubs his eyes with fat fingers.

What kind of parent can’t remember having a baby? He hollers again and I fight the impulse to snap his small neck.

Liquid fire pulses through my side and abdomen as I tear through the car. Food! FOOD! Where is his fucking food? I paw over gift boxes enclosed in green wrapping paper. Worthless. I toss them outside. I can’t remember who they are for anyway.

Finally, I find powdered formula and a clean bottle and grin at the boy, thankful for the small measure of good fortune. No water, though. I step outside, scoop fistfuls of snow into the bottle, and warm it against my skin inside my shirt. He cries again. I slam the car door shut behind me. Why should both of us be miserable? That’s not logical.

The cold air bites at my face. Outside, the snow-covered wild earth looks peaceful. The crumpled Buick seems strange here. It doesn’t fit; it disrupts the serenity of the natural world. I know I should be evaluating my predicament. Yes, the art of deduction may not be beautiful or alluring, but in the end it will get me out of this nightmare so I must surrender myself completely to it.

The ride is in perfect condition aside from the flat front tire and engine-turned-accordion, I muse. But, my levity is short lived: something more concerning draws my attention.

Footprints.

I know they cannot not my own. They travel along the side and rear of the car, where they trample on top of each other, as if pacing back and forth. Then they turn the corner, and trail off into the dark woods, come back and trail off again. Come back and trail off.

It’s the man. And he’s not here to help me. Fear seizes hold and my irrational mind compels me to run away. I start to. I lean on my bad foot, but it crumples beneath me. I fall hard on the snow. The pain is too much and I cry out. Warm tears flow down the sides of my face and into my ears.

Idiot! Stupid, STUPID!

It feels as if it takes me forever to return to the car. If he wanted me dead, he would have done it already. I try to comfort myself, but I don’t believe my words.

The radio interrupts my thoughts.

“- for Sedgwick County. Be on the alert of a recent escapee from our local hospital. He is male, 6 foot 4 inches and Caucasian. His name is Robert Sands, also aliased as the Wolf Man.”

Rapt, I notice that I’m holding my breath.

“This person is considered extremely dangerous, known for his violent, random attacks on women and families in the area nearly fifteen years ago. Sands was last seen at 10:15 p.m. in his hospital room.”

I hear the wolf cry again in the night. It rattles me to the core. Tears follow and I let them. What could be the harm now? I know what I have to do. I must kill The Man.

I feed The Boy from the bottle now dirtied with my blood. His rhythmic sucking reminds me of a steady drumbeat. I watch him slide a pale hand over the bottle and through the wet, red ooze. Back and forth, back and forth, as steady as a heartbeat.

... Next installment 12/31 7 p.m.

Dexter Season 4 Episode 12: The Gateway Predictions

2009-12-09T15:26:00.001-08:00

Yep. We’re doing this again. In a few days the season finale of Dexter premieres and I’m strung tighter than a fiddle. The producers at Showtime have promised us the most explosive episode since the show’s inception. No easy task.

Once again, I thought it might be fun to stretch out the excitement, discussing a few final episode theories. Heaven knows the writers have thrown enough material at us to take it a number of directions. I feel like I could write a book. For both our sanity’s sake, I’ll limit the number of open questions to five.

#1 Will Dexter finally get the chance to kill Trinity?

This absolutely tops the list and I would say: Yes.

I don’t believe we’ll be surprised here. We’ve been strung along all season, watching Dexter thwarted time and again on bringing Trinity to erm “justice.” To be sure, he’s a worthy adversary. He’s the kind of epitome of evil that reminds us why we’re rooting for a killer like Dexter in the first place, but is oh so delicious to watch. Lithgow’s performance has truly been incredible in portraying this vulnerable psychopath, a character who recoils in disgust “I’m NOT a pedophile,” stopping short of correcting, “just a murderer,” but is savvy enough to (I believe) lure Dexter into a trap at the arcade in “Hello, Dexter Morgan!” Awesomeness.

It’s been fun to watch, but frankly, we’re ripe now for the payoff. And I think the writers recognize that. With the final shot of episode 11, ending with a face-to-face intimidation stare down reminiscent of a kind of morbid boxing match, we can be sure they are if anything only encouraging our anticipation. Trinity needs to go down. And not by the law. And it needs to be epic. Anything less will feel less like a witty stab at irony and more like some sick joke at the expense of the audience. From the episode 12 preview. we’re assured at least that he gets wrapped in plastic.

#2 Will Deb learn about Dexter’s Dark Passenger?

No.

I’ve heard Deb finds out about her brother’s homicidal nature in the books, but I’m struggling to see how it would work in the show. Part of what makes the series so satisfying is the constant peeling away of Dexter’s safety nets to see if he can continue to get away with what he is doing. We’ve watched him survive scrutiny in the workplace and at home. This season he’s lost his trophy hiding places (twice) and his ever sturdy foundation, his code, seems to be crumbling beneath him as he finds himself taking hurried short cuts and shuffling life priorities.

Now, back to Deb. Dexter is not going to prison; our hero must prevail for at least another season. I don’t believe he’ll kill his sister, either. Should she learn the truth, it leaves us with Deb as an accomplice, or at least willing to keep his secret. In my opinion, this would suck. It gives him more wiggle room instead of less, loosening the rope the writers have worked so hard to pull taut.

From the sneak peak, we’re assured Deb learns about Dexter’s biological mother. I think it ends here.

#3 Will Quinn and Deb rekindle a romance?

No.

I keep finding this lurking around in prediction circles, but we’ve already seen the Quinn and Deb thing happen in a previous season. Why would we visit it again, or want to? Seriously, I’m asking.

#4 What will happen to Batista and LaGuerta?

Who cares?

Season Four has been wonderful, but not perfect. This has to be the weakest plotline in the series so far. The episode that features LaGuerta staring misty-eyed into the sunset murmuring “I’m afraid… afraid to say [I love you],” in particular momentarily elicited my gag reflex. With all that is happening this season, it’s a gross misstep to assume our investment in a forbidden love affair between two relatively normal people and subsequent catharsis when they elope, escaping tragic “career-ending” consequences. Yawn. As stellar as the writing has otherwise been, I think the acting pair deserved better attention this season.

#5 Will Trinity kill Dexter’s family?

This is a tricky one. Let’s start with Rita and the kids. Probably not.

To build on the second point, we would lose Dexter’s scrutiny at home, and unfortunately for him, less drama for us in season five. But, it would also disrupt the building theme this season that I hope will be expanded upon next year: the detrimental effects living with a serial killer is having on Dexter’s family. Of course Arthur’s family is a mess, but Dexter’s has also been touched this season. His murderous impulses have arguably led to Rita’s “infidelity,” and Cody getting into fight at school. I’ve bought into it; I’m intrigued to see how Cody might be affected growing up, so clearly idolizing Dexter as his role model. Can I say that Rita has the worst taste in men?

And now Deb. Strong likelihood.

As much as I hate to admit it, I do see losing her as a real possibility. In a previous interview, Carpenter leaked that this season we will see a darker Dexter than we have grown accustomed to, that the audience has become too comfortable with our killer, and that is about to change. I can’t think of a better catalyst for his transformation than losing a member of the family, especially now as Dexter has learned how much it means to him.

Her long-held role in Dexter’s mind of moral and familial grounding is arguably now double-covered through Rita. And as a character, I think she may have been pushed about as far as the writers can take her, to the point of suffering the now-famous, gut-wrenching “I’m broken!” breakdown for which I hope earns Carpenter an award. She’s beyond likable, but writer Clyde Phillips maintains his steadfast willingness to kill off popular characters if good story-telling demands it. Adding more fuel to the fire, we’re promised in the episode preview a sinister Trinity visit to the address listing “D. Morgan,” which we might presume is Dexter’s old apartment where Deb now lives. Anyway, it seems an odd listing to have for Rita’s house (where Dexter moved). I’m inclined to vote Deb’s expendability a strong maybe.

So, what’s left?

Probably a lot.

Nothing above is the kind of earth shattering revelation the producers have promised. From the preview we know we get, another body, an emboldened Jonah squaring off with Daddy that potentially leads to a home invasion by the police. None of which I have addressed.

If anyone has pieced together more of the puzzle, I’d love to read about it below.

See you Sunday!

Webisode Series: The Howling - Part 1 of 5

2009-12-03T18:24:00.000-08:00

Part OneNext -->

It’s the sound that startles me awake. I squint through the black and my vision slowly focuses. I can see something: numbers and a word. They are luminescent and blue. The word is: Volume. The sound is maybe a siren… no. A car horn… yes. I’m in the driver’s seat collapsed on the steering wheel. I gasp, shoot myself into the seat and the horn silences. I find myself suddenly alert from an adrenaline surge as I gulp back metallic blood. Pain shoots through my head and abdomen. I’m afraid.

Think, think, THINK! I consciously breathe deeply. Slowly in and slowly out. In and out. In and out. It’s important to avoid panic in a situation like this. One must use the capacity of the mind and cool intellect. There are many questions; prioritize them and survive. Prioritize and survive.

Number one: Am I safe? This question can be divided into two parts. For the first part, how injured am I? Secondly, how safe is my environment?

I relax balmy fists. Every body part must be checked. Stop trembling. Now! OK. I have a broken ankle, a few cracked ribs and a forehead injury. I look up into the rear view mirror, but it’s too dark. I see nothing but the whites of my eyes peering back at me. I press the base of my palm against my head. Two streams of warm blood run down my wrist and pool inside my elbow before running off. It’s not good. I know that I need to address this immediately, but allow myself a moment. I must keep myself awake. I turn on the radio. It works and the sounds of Roxette fill the dark car. I find a knit scarf on the seat beside me and tie it around my head. That should slow the blood flow. I reason that I my injuries are sufficiently taken care of, for now.

Onto the second part. I look around me in the night air. I don’t recognize the area. It must be close to the middle of the night because it is near pitch black. A full moon illuminates the snow covered pine trees below. I’m far from the main road: I can’t even see it. The headlights are still on. They filter bright beams fifty feet in front of me. I can see that I’ve hit a tree. The hood is crumpled against it. I’d be surprised if the car was drivable. It appears I’m alone in the wilderness.

It’s cold outside, but the heater is still running. Where was I going? I can’t remember. What is the last thing I did? I try to backtrack in my mind, but draw a blank. I squeeze my eyes shut and try to recall it.

Who am I? Nothing.

I decide to shove panic aside. What matters at the moment is my need for help. My head injury may be serious and the pain in my side could be a bruised lung or worse. I need to find my way to help.

I’m becoming sleepy. I must fight it. The music fades to a message sputtering through the speakers. I sit still and try to concentrate. I’m hopeful it will give me a clue on my whereabouts.

The seat envelops me like a warm protective blanket. I surrender to it. In the distance I hear a wolf cry. I wonder to myself if man was ever once a creature of instinct. A wolf would fight its way out of this mess, not sit here to die in comfort.

My eyelids are growing so heavy, so I snap them open. Fight it! I dart them to and fro along the wide, icy landscape until I see a figure ahead. Could it be? Yes! A man propped against a tree. It's dark, but there is no doubt that he IS a man. The rhythmic motion of his breathing gives his silhouette away. He doesn't move, only stands at a distance. I think he's watching me. Maybe he'll save me. I know I should cry out to him, but succumb instead back to the Sandman.

Maybe it’s easier in the black.

Next -->

You can help me hone my craft by posting your feedback below. I hope you enjoyed part one. See you next week!

2009 in a Nutshell

2009-12-02T18:12:00.000-08:00

My Little Pumpkin Originally uploaded by Linux Chick.

Hello!

So, Jeremy encouraged me to start up posting to my blog again, basically to stop being “chicken,” and to finally post some of the stories I’ve been working on. So, we’ll see how this goes.

Gosh, I’ve been away a while. No excuses! First thing is first, though. A catch up on the past year is in order. It’s mostly family and friends that check back here, so many of you already know. In case you don’t: we had a baby. :) She’s two months old, born September 12th of this year. She was premature by three and a half weeks, but a solid 6 lbs 12 oz, 19 inches long and no health problems. I’m lucky in that I get to be home with her on leave for another month. She’s pretty much awesome and so I’ve been cherishing the time. Above is a picture of Hayden Elizabeth.

So, besides trying to squeeze back into my old jeans again, I’ve traded my occasional evenings at BJ’s relaxing with a beer for exchanging squishy faces with the little one, cleaning spit up, and singing “You Are My Sunshine” (Hayden’s favorite). Come to think of it, it's kind of nice to have the outlet for some adult conversation during the day.

Has Anyone Seen Vighpyr?

Vighpyr: you’re my reader of 2010, for donating the most to my site’s “penny” jar as you put it. If you’re still around, send me a message here or on YouTube. I have a little Christmas present for you. It's a silly reward that doesn't mean much in the real world, but I want to show my appreciation. Thank you and I hope you continue to drop in from time to time.

Thia’s Webisodes

So, I’m planning to post my first story in short installments each Thursday at 7 p.m. The first story is one I’ve titled “The Howling.” To peak your interest, here is a (very) short preview. If you like it, come back tomorrow and next week to read more. Please don’t forget to comment – I’d love to know what’s working and what’s not for you. I hope you enjoy:

Preview:

"The Howling"

It’s the sound that startles me awake. I squint through the black and my vision slowly focuses. I can see something: numbers and a word. They are luminescent and blue. The word is: Volume. The sound is maybe a siren… no. A car horn… yes. I’m in the driver’s seat collapsed on the steering wheel. I gasp, shoot myself into the seat and the horn silences. I find myself suddenly alert from an adrenaline surge as I gulp back metallic blood. Pain shoots through my head and abdomen. I’m afraid.

Think, think, THINK! I consciously breathe deeply. Slowly in and slowly out. In and out. In and out. It’s important to avoid panic in a situation like this. One must use the capacity of the mind and cool intellect. There are many questions; prioritize them and survive. Prioritize and survive...

... Next installment 12/3 7 p.m.

Season 4 Dexter Predictions

2009-12-02T13:57:00.000-08:00

I’m one of the many completely addicted to this show inspired by the novels of the same name and starring Michael C. Hall. For me, this fourth season in particular has been the most explosive and fun ride yet. As it comes to an end, it’s a bittersweet pleasure of sort to turn on my DVR each Sunday night and watch the next installment. With only two episodes left, I thought it might be fun to spice up the anticipation by discussing some predictions of our own.

Some of my assumptions:

Before we dig into some reasonable and far-fetched, let me lay out some ground work. Scouring the nets, it’s clear that many disagree with the following. Season ending prediction surprises range from Dexter getting caught, dying and the like. These are fun to read, but for simplicity, I’ll lean on the formula we’ve been engrained with from the first season. Let’s assume, that Dexter gets two more victims. He gets one victim maximum per episode, and the last being his prime antagonist, Trinity himself in some explosive manner during the finale. This leaves only one more unknown victim, and he or she will be served to us this week.

So, who dies in episode 11?

Theory #1: Elliot gets the axe

All season, Dexter has been peeling the onion of his own persona, albeit clumsily. The character we have been accustomed to see so stoic and calm, “without human emotions” as Dexter self-describes, slowly realizes how much he values members of his family. He even becomes emotional on several occasions at crimes of the family. This very human response is undoubtedly a weakness: he uncharacteristically overlooks evidence that excludes Trinity from the guilt of his sister’s shooting, and puts himself at risk for exposure on Thanksgiving when he learns his trophy shed is no longer secure, but decides to stay at Mitchell’s house to “protect” Jonah from physical abuse. The “new” Dexter works – very yummy stuff. If you watched last Sunday, as Trinity slips away and an enraged Dexter screams his name into the night, you’ll know what I mean. So, how far are the writers planning to take this new twist on a family man?

We know that Dexter cares for his sister and children. It’s Rita that Dexter has yet to demonstrate he has much of an attachment for. But, then, with Masuka teetering on the edge of spilling her kiss with Elliot over Thanksgiving, his spousal attachment is about to be tested. Joy! I’m eager to find out if we will see the unattached “monster” we’re used to, or if Dexter will be given a lesson from the green-eyed monster. And if he does, will it be enough to send him over the edge to murder Elliot?

Killing (or even attacking) Elliot will not be simple. Dexter’s all too important code will need to be modified. We’ve had murmurings in a previous episode this season that he’d be open to some kind of a change here (the new “revenge page” of the code). But, writers will need to tread carefully to avoid losing our sympathy for our murderous protagonist that dangles by a thread each episode as it is. It may be that they have already begun to gage how far our collective sympathy can be stretched. Remember the recent episode “Road Kill” where Dexter learns he has accidentally killed an innocent man for the first time. Still, it feels a little ambitious for writers even as talented as we’ve seen thus far to pen a scenario in which we can stomach a murder as penance for a kiss. We’ll just have to see.

So, I conclude this is a stretch, but not quite out of reach.

Theory #2: Christine pays the price

It doesn’t take much dot connecting to come to the conclusion that this character has to go sooner or later. With the revelation that she shot Dexter’s sister, she doesn’t violate Dexter’s code and will easily be a major focal point for our hero. Getting to her will be difficult with the assumption at the end of episode 10 that she is now in police custody.

Christine is a huge problem for both Trinity and Dexter, since she has enough evidence to pin them both. It would be a nice and tight ending to see her somehow set loose before she spills the beans, brought to ahem Dexter’s justice, and somehow pinned for the Trinity murders. Unfortunately, the DNA evidence Deb already has on Trinity makes this ending impossible. If the police associate the name Arthur Mitchell with Trinity, Dexter will be linked through Mitchell’s family and his own cell phone records. As his own daughter, Christine is such a problem for Trinity, I could certainly him perform the deed himself.

At any rate, Dexter in jail for Season 5 sounds like a major drag of a show. If we assume Dexter will somehow brilliantly weasel his way out of suspicion this season, Trinity has to go away before the police discover Arthur Mitchell. Christine has to disappear.

Any others?

Before I close: can I say for the record that I *love* John Lithgow in this role? Who doesn’t? He’s the kind of villain you’d hope for: evil to the core, yet hopelessly vulnerable, even socially naïve with his own strict code of ethics that leave both Dexter and us audience members captivated by every word. I can’t wait to see him face off with Dexter this week as he learns “Kyle’s” true identity.

See you all on Sunday!

***********************

12/9 Update

Rest in peace, Bobimus.

2009-07-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

On Saturday morning, I held our dear rat in my hands while Jeremy busily cleaned out his cage. I didn’t know then it would be for the last time. He ate a peanut, his favorite snack, and then nestled down into my Orange Bowl sweatshirt. A short time later, he fell asleep against my palms while we waited together for Jeremy to finish.

For Bob, the rest of the day was spent arranging his fresh rags around his cage in just the way he wanted. He covered his food-bowl with one, in the way we lovingly remark as his “lazy-stashing” technique. The other two, he pulled into his purple house and fluffed, pulled and fluffed again and again, until the entire house floor was covered with comfortable, clean bedding. He left a small opening at the top of his house door, to peer out on us as we unpacked the living room whenever his curiosity arose. This was his routine.

At one point last night, Bob grew tired and slowly made his way back to his house for the last time. He curled up in a ball as he liked to do, shut his eyes and laid down for rest.

Bob was three and a half.

I'm sorry it's a little depressing for a welcome back post. I've missed you guys and there will be more (uplifting news) to come.

Nyquil and Christmas Lists

2008-12-03T23:00:00.000-08:00

Sniffle, Sniffle

I’m sick today. Just with generic sore throat, sniffle crud, and overall being miserable. I've gotten nothing accomplished, trying to sleep and accumulating a pile of Kleenex balls on the end table near my couch. Eeew... You’ll have to forgive me for a sloppy post: I’m on serious drugs.

But I did knock out my Christmas wish list, so Sheri: you’ve been asking and it’s here. Yay! Please don’t feel the need to clear the sucker out all on your own; if my Christmas is solely comprised of the new Batman on BluRay, I’ll be ecstatic. :)

No more Ads :)

I’ve also permanently ditched Google Adsense from this blog that earned me a whopping $13 in two years. Not even enough to receive a first check. I’m replacing it with just Paypal. That way, if I get a generous-feeling reader every now and then browsing Blogger, at least I can get myself a cup of coffee at Starbucks. No minimum payout there.

Mmmm. I love coffee.

Check out my nifty new buttons on the side-bar ----------------------->

New Series Coming Thursdays on Thia Loves the Summer

I'm tired of whining about how much I miss writing. So, I'm jumping back on the horse. Here's my plan: I’m tabulating a small collection of stories I’ve written over the past 18 months or so. As an experiment, I’m going to post them here kind of like a regular series, called: Unnatural Tales, I think.

I’ve picked Thursdays as a regular posting time. I’ll do this for eight weeks and we’ll see how popular it is with ya’ll. If you like it: I’ll keep it up. If not, I’ll likely scrap it in lieu of a Sci Fi soap opera idea I’ve been tossing around for a few weeks.

I’m pretty excited about picking up writing again. I hope I’m not over-committing the amount of time I’ll need to dedicate to do it well. I’m pretty soaked up with work and studying these days.

Anyway, look for a first installment tomorrow night.

Zero progress today on MS certification exam studying today. Ugh, I hate being sick. I'm going back to bed. See you guys tomorrow.

Love ya,
-T.

Gambling Anyone? Say it ain't so!

2008-12-01T06:59:00.001-08:00

Hmmm... Gambling is too stressful...

I'm the kind of girl that can't bring myself to drop a dollar in a slot machine. Nope, can't do it. Even though I've been to Reno and Vegas a handful of times. Something about losing my hard-earned money in a few seconds of lunacy elicits my gag reflex.

And then I found CentSports (thanks, Jeremy!). A site that lets me spend other people's money... for free. Say it ain't so! That would be a dream come true to oh so stingy but wildly competitive individuals like myself. But it's true!

So if you want to play me, I hope to see you there!

http://www.centsports.com/?opcode=300548

This is how it works. CentSports funds itself through a network of advertisers, not you. So, every person starts with 10 cents to bet on any college or professional sports outcome (I lost 4 cents on Louisville today, dang it!). If you're good, and make it to $10, you're a rock star and are eligible to cash out your earnings, for yep... real money.

If you lose everything... you get to start over at 10 cents (with again no cost to you).

So, I'm not so hot yet. But I believe I can get there with some risk-free practice! And I'm also completely addicted to messaging my friends to mercilessly mock their losses (just kidding!).

Let the games begin. YAAAYYY!!

Love,
T.

P.S. Thanks Nikki, for sending me and J more pics from the wedding. Otherwise I wouldn't have this gem from the Bachelorette Party. Ah, memories :)

Bachelorette Party Originally uploaded by Linux Chick.

YouTube Impersonation #2

2008-11-30T21:07:00.000-08:00

Hopefully, this is a last post about this issue. I've been asked how it's going.

Unfortunately, not well. BeautyIsMe911 hasn't responded to requests to remove my images from her site. And, she continues to receive death threats for her trolling, even though she knows her user base still largely believes she is me.

Here's a message I sent to her inbox this evening. Additionally, I am looking for volunteers who can be added to a witness list on my behalf. If you have witnessed this user's impersonation attempts first hand or have been otherwise victimized by this user, please consider providing me with your contact information (just an E-mail address for now) and a short description of what you have seen.

You can send this information to me privately at my YT account: http://www.youtube.com/user/thiamichelle. I *will not* share this information with anyone beyond my legal counsel, if I choose to take action.

Thanks so much!
-T.

The following is an actual letter sent to BeautyIsMe911 today

Hello,

This is a courtesy mail to alert you that you are illegally using my digital property without permission and failure to respond may result in legal action against the user in possession of the YouTube account: BeautyIsMe911.

I realize that this is the third time you have been contacted by me requesting the removal of my digital property from your site, but I have recently received legal advice that it would be advantageous to my claim if I can produce as evidence that you have been clearly notified that I have not consented to your use of my property. You have deleted my messages to this effect, so I will retain a copy of this message having been sent to your user account November 30, 2008 and will post a copy of it to my personal blog.

Copyright of photographic digital property constitutes the following:

Copyright is secured automatically when the work is created, and a work is “created” when it is fixed in a copy or phonorecord for the first time. No publication or registration or other action in the Copyright Office is required to secure copyright.

Section 106 of the 1976 Copyright Act generally gives the owner of copyright the exclusive right to do and to authorize others to do the following:

• To reproduce the work

More information about this crime can be read at: www.copyright.gov

The property in question is my image I am showing as evidence originally posted to my personal Flickr account in July 14, 2005:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/linux_chick/26043311/in/set-72157594174429869/

This image was illegally used by your YouTube account BeautyIsMe911 from October 2008 and is still in use today.

Further more, if you are using this account to attempt to gain revenue by intentionally leading others to believe you are the individual advertised in your site images, it is fraudulent act. I am citing the following textual examples as evidence that you are knowingly leading users to believe you are the woman captured in the stolen digital property in question.

Screenshots from your website and messages:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/linux_chick/3072716785/in/set-72157609184983826/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/linux_chick/3032863915/in/set-72157609184983826/

Also as evidence that you are intentionally leading user to believe you are the individual as advertised in your website, you have deleted all textual comments that have attempted to correctly alert your users that you are not the person in any of the images on your YouTube website.

I’ve received counsel that advised me to do the following immediately:
1) Clearly request removal of my digital property from your site in a manner that can be produced as evidence, and
2) To begin tabulating a list of witnesses on my behalf

I will begin over the upcoming weeks tabulating this list. To date, I have two volunteers that I have added to my complaint.

This letter can be considered an official notice, that unless this matter is rectified promptly, legal action may be taken against you.

Thank you for your time.

YouTube Impersonation

2008-11-15T18:27:00.000-08:00

YouTube Impersonation Originally uploaded by Linux Chick.

Recognize that girl? Yep, that's because it's me. Only it isn't.

A good samaritan recognized me on Flickr and tracked me down to Facebook to let me know that a woman(?) claiming to be "Amaya" had stolen my images in hopes to bump her own traffic and was harassing other YouTubers, making racist comments and overall sucking at life (Thanks, Diana for your diligence in finding me!).

Is your head spinning, yet? Mine was.

Apparently, the user claims to be somewhat of a hair expert and enjoys calling out other users for "fashion faux pas." One of her primary victims, Ateyaa, sent me a sweet note to let me know that she hopes I sort this out, since people now know who I am and believe me to be a "mean person."

I can see that I've also received some messages on my Flicker account. So now, I'm irritated that I feel I need to write this post to defend myself. In case it isn't obvious by this point, here it is:

I am not BeautyIsMe911, and I don't know who is. The profile pic is indeed my image, but it was stolen and used without my knowledge or permission. I'm not a part of the hurtful and ignorant nonsense spewed by this user and am doing everything in my power to wrap up the matter quickly.

I've reported the user to YT, posted on her videos and even J has demanded her removal of my stolen images. Fortunately for me, from what I've read today, it looks like YT takes copyright issues fairly seriously. We'll have to wait and see.

And as much as I hate to send my traffic her way, I'm eager that together we can pressure her to do the right thing before YT takes action.

Lame!

http://www.youtube.com/user/BeautyIsMe911

Amaya, if you're reading this: do the right thing. It's time to own up.

The End of Our Pregnancy

2008-09-12T16:55:00.000-07:00

LC
Originally uploaded by Linux Chick.

Warning:

First thing’s first. I’m sorry for spending so long away, only to return with this downer of a post. I regret that it will be anything but uplifting, so I apologize and invite you to NOT read any further.

After I wrote this, I debated about whether I should even post it. But, I found other women’s stories so comforting, even if they were just venting that I decided to throw it on here for the world to judge. Who knows? Maybe someone will come across it Googling and hopefully walk away feeling a little less alone.

So, here’s what I wrote. It’s unedited, so be warned…

Yesterday

Yesterday, I wondered if I should be writing all this down. That if things did not work out like we hoped things would, if I would look back on yesterday’s moment and somehow be envious.

The thought was ridiculous at the time, I was so rapt with worry about the future of our unborn that any news (yes, even the most terrible of news) would have been a relief. Anything else I may have felt, I can’t remember now.

Today, I wish I could write all the things that yesterday I couldn’t bear to. But, I’m unable to grasp anymore the optimism that I used to cling onto: that everything might work out okay and the baby might somehow make it through this pregnancy.

The Miscarriage

I knew it was all ending, and soon. I sat on the toilet with the balls of my feet and palms of my hands against the tile floor. I was sweating and I wondered if I was going to throw up. There was pain. And with the pinching, everything in my body betrayed me and worked to expel our precious little one.

When it was over, I gripped the shower curtain beside me and sobbed.

Suspecting this would happen for nearly two weeks, didn’t really help. Knowing that 20% of all pregnancies end this way didn’t help. I was devastated.

I couldn’t speak. Crumpled on the floor, it took me almost an hour to tell J what happened.

Today

Aside from the bleeding, nothing in particular is different about today. An hour ago, I washed my face and looking in the mirror, I started to put on my make up. The routine should’ve felt more familiar than it did. It's after all just another day, but I was surprised that with all that had happened, I appeared totally unchanged.

But everything had changed. I looked down at my flat tummy, knowing it would never grow and grew angry. I wanted to yell at it: 'What's so wrong with you that you couldn't keep the baby!? You look fine! You're not sick!'

It’s utterly impossible not to feel that you’ve failed in some terrible and very fundamental way.

I must’ve aged a thousand years today.

-T.

Do Democrats Have Too Much Pride?

2008-05-13T19:22:00.000-07:00

Obama vs. Hillary
Originally uploaded by Manuel Valencia.

See how happy they look? Why can't we learn the value of good comradeship like these two? *sigh*

Democrats are... Defectors?

Now, I'm a Democrat and am probably going to catch all kinds of crap for this.

Let me begin with saying that I'm a Hillary supporter. Yep, I felt the sting last Tuesday when I watched her campaign chances all but dwindle down to zero. I'm still donating on my recurring campaign automated schedule and I'm behind her as long as she's in it (and today, it sounds like she is definitely in it to stay). But, I'm not in complete denial that pending a miracle, she's about done.

Okay, fine. So, it sucks... but we don't always get what we want. When/if she’s counted out, I'll give myself a couple weeks to sulk, then I'll start buying Obama buttons.

A significant number of us seem to disagree. I felt a wave of genuine nausea last Tuesday at a polling statistic touted by MSNBC. Only 48% of Indiana and North Carolina Hillary supporters would support Obama in the election should she lose. Less than half?!

If Obama wins, nationally, 28% of Hillary supporters will vote... McCain?! Obama supporters are a little better at 19%.

Today, that number is up to almost 50%, with only 34% of West Virginian Hillary supporters willing to support Obama in the national election should he win the nomination.

What’s the deal? This is beyond Obama's image getting muddied over Hillary throwing a little dirt.

And it’s bigger than a demographic.

I am so tired of hearing that Hillary supporters are uneducated racists. I’m a college graduate, twenty-something minority female engineer. I’m sure that Hillary has a few bigots in her clan, probably as many sexists that have flocked to Obama. But I digress.

It's a Simple Question of Policy, Right?

When it comes down to policy, it’s a struggle to find any two serious candidate contenders more aligned than Hillary and Barack.

We’re saying (and by we, I mean Democrats), that after our self-professed general political alignment with the Democratic ideals, if we lose Hillary, we’d opt to prolong/send more the war and make Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy permanent?!

Either, we haven’t been paying close attention to what Hillary plans to do in the White House, or something else is going on.

I’m going with door #2… and I think it’s pride.

We Need to Swallow It Down

We can all take a lesson from Alanis on this one. Why? Because we absolutely can lose this Presidential election if we don't get it together.

Some of us have been very invested in the campaigns and have listened to all the speeches. We think Obama is just great, (really, we think he's a nice guy). But we just aren’t convinced he would make as strong of a President compared with Hillary. Over time, that perception of him as “motivational,” “great” and all-round nice guy has become tainted. It’s probably not even Obama’s fault.

It’s the same reaction that happens when we see an evangelist on the street corner holding up a sign reading: “Jesus loves you.” Even fellow Christians cringe and cross the street.

See, no one likes to be preached to (in fact, by now, you're probably already growing sick of my rant), and there are a lot of Obama (and yes, I know, Hillary) zealots out there touting their candidate as the holy messiah to save us from all things unhappy.

I've felt it, too.

But, at the end of the day, I hope I can take a deep breath and realize that it’s the reason this dang nomination is dragging out so long: it’s hard for us to choose between two strong candidates.

And, our country needs a Democrat to clean up our current mess/disaster that Republicans seem to be in denial about. If Hillary doesn’t make it, Obama can and will be an excellent choice. The nominee is going to need our support.

So, if it’s pride (and I think it is), how do we fix it by November?

Comments? Leave them below.

On to other stuff...

I Was Dugg, Yay!

It's not a significant accomplishment compared with any serious blogger (I got a whopping 10 and 4 for two articles here). And it'll probably never happen again, but I was excited enough to add the Digg widgets to my blog.

So, now, I can be more easily mocked when I all my subsequent post diggs sit at zero :)

Donate, today to HillaryClinton.com

How to Survive a Zombie Invasion: A Practical Guide

2008-05-11T15:40:00.000-07:00

In case of zombies....
Originally uploaded by Drunken Monkey.

It's a Zombie Invasion! What do I do?!

Have no fear. If the undead begin to rise and reak havok on civilization as you know it, this trusty guide will safely navigate your survival.

I watch a lot of zombie movies. It's my dad's fault. He used to sit down with me from the age of six to view any run of the mill slasher I wanted. I loved it. I saw all the Nightmare on Elm Streets (multiple times in fact – these were my favorites). I grew up on Jason, Halloween, Night of the Living Dead, you name it. So, over time, I've come to consider myself somewhat of a horror amateur connoisseur.

In my experience, there are some practical actions we can take to avoid death should a zombie invasion occur that typically go unexamined on film. It's no accident – employing these rules will allow humans to win... and that's simply not as entertaining.

What is a zombie?

In order to successfully survive a zombie invasion, we have to be sure we've correctly identified what a zombie is. Not to be confused with vampires, zombies are an undead threat to us in daylight and nighttime. These reanimated corpses were previously living humans (or animal, see Resident Evil Zombie Dogs), that have died, and though dead, are now walking among and attacking the living.

Note that this definition excludes “zombies” in films like 28 Days/Weeks Later. Apologies to all the fans (I like the franchise, too), but although they contain a virus/cannibalistic component, they are not technically zombie films since the infected are not undead and are subject to starvation, death and other natural elements as normal individuals are. My survival “rules” only work given the standard characteristics of true zombies.

Survival in 3 Steps

Surviving a zombie invasion requires careful mastering of three items in order of priority: 1) Environment, 2) Body armor, and 3) Weaponry.

Environment

You cannot run forever, and zombies never sleep. They are forever walking around in hopes of stumbling across a member of the living to devour. So, it is vitally important to quickly identify a secure location to live and sleep.

Go upstairs and destroy the stairwell. Zombies cannot climb or swim. Apparently, this requires higher brain function than zombies have. Luckily, we can do both. So unless you can quickly identify a castle with a mote, I'd pick a second plus story apartment. Then, either destroy the stairwell, or you have to permanently block the door. From here on out, you will be scaling the building to climb in or out of your residence of choice. No zombie will be able to follow you.

Apartments are more desirable to houses, because they usually have crawl spaces that connect to other apartments. So, not only do you have to jump up to get in them, but they can give you a quick way out that the undead cannot follow if you need it.

Climb your way to safety.

Body Armor

I have yet to see this discussed in a zombie film, and to me the is the most surprising omission. One constant across all films: it will be very bad for you if you are bitten by a zombie.

The details tend to vary, but you are infected with zombie blood and one of two things will happen: 1) your wound will get infected because zombies have very poor hygiene and you will eventually die (and become a zombie), or 2) the zombie blood is lethal and so you will quickly die and, well... become a zombie.

You will eventually have to venture outside for supplies/human companionship/sheer boredom, and any exposed flesh will be ripe for a surprise zombie attack. For this, you will need to find the nearest military base or abandoned soldier's home and steal an army combat uniform plus boots.

Lucky for you, zombies really only have one weapon – their teeth. They will never pick up a gun, rock or other weapon. In fact, in most films, zombies are not intelligent enough to operate door turn handles. They are deadly when they surprise you, and when they swarm you in large numbers. The ACU protects you from both. It's not penetrable by human teeth (but you must protect your neck and face!), and is light enough to allow you to get up and run to avoid a potential attacking clan.

If you can't find an ACU, use what you have. Wear jeans, even bubblewrap is better than nothing! Why some individuals venture outside in a zombie situation in shorts and a tank top is beyond me. Sounds like a candidate for Darwin Awards.

Cover up exposed flesh.

Weaponry

Eventually, you will need to kill a zombie. Zombies can only “die” through blunt trauma to the head or decapitation. You cannot break their necks, burn them alive, or otherwise injure them. Zombies do not feel pain.

Guns are great, but you will eventually run out of bullets. Murphy's law instructs you this will happen at precisely the wrong moment. The key lies in being prepared with a variety of weapons.

Guns will help you for paving a way through a mob. You only need to shoot a clear path – then run for cover. Fresh meat and zombie mobs tend to attract more zombies.

Baseball bats are a fantastic choice. They are quick and pretty clean, minimal risk of zombie infection.

Knives and stabbing weapons are usually a mistake. They allow the undead too close, within biting range. But if you must, I would recommend attaching the stabbing weapon to a plastic broom or some other durable stick. The key here is to keep the zombie face as far away from the body as possible.

Remember that face offs with zombies always end up bad for the human. If all the above fails and your zombie has come within arms reach, don't panic. You simply have to maneuver yourself behind the zombie. Then, grab your foe by the back of the neck (you know, like the snake handlers on Animal Planet). Now you have control of your zombie and are free to bash his(/her?) head against the nearest wall or suitable solid object of choice.

With any luck, you are entangled with the pre-2001 flavor of zombie, which are extremely slow. In this case, out-maneuvering your opponent should be a snap.

And remember – aim for the head. :)

I hope you have enjoyed this little survival manual. I'm open to critique and further thoughts. Leave them below.

We're so Class-y-cal

2008-05-11T12:03:00.000-07:00

A Night with Mozart

Last night, Jeremy and I got all pretty and went to the Sacramento Choral Society's Requiem by Mozart. He was required to go for a Music Appreciation course he has, but I decided to come along for fun. See how pretty we are?

I always seem to appreciate art more when there is a local focus. Reading the program, I learned that all of the members of this orchestra and choir were professional musicians currently living in the Sacramento area. The pieces performed after the intermission weren't even Mozart, but requiems from grammy-nominated USC professor Morten Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna, written in 1997. I'm not sure if this local composer theme is a regular thing with this group, but for me, it worked.

After the concert, I overheard an elderly couple remark that, "The first half was wonderful, but the second was absolutely magnificent," apparently none the wiser that a second composer had been slipped into the program at all. What a compliment for Lauridsen.

The choir received a deserved standing ovation.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Mother's Day!

It's the Anniversary!

2008-05-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

Alicia Keys in a Red Dress
Originally uploaded by bigdmia

It's our two-year anniversary and Jeremy did freaking awesome. Well, okay our anniversary is in a few weeks. But there's a reason we're doing it early.

I was greeted Thursday afternoon by a dozen roses, an appropriately mushy card, and two tickets to Alicia Keys this Sunday night. What a surprise -- I'm pretty much on Cloud 9, but I'll stop here.

Don't want to make the ladies jealous :)

Other Stuff

I love this apartment complex, community, and blah blah - but the management could use some work.

Yesterday, I received a bright green "Illegally Parked" notice stuck on my car window. And when I say "stuck," I mean the break-out-your-paint-scrapers, peel away in millimeter-diameter strip fragments for twenty minutes while hurling explicatives kind of stuck. The guy (or girl) had to have broken out a blow dryer to make that sucker bake against the glass in the few hours the notice had been there. That, or paper adhesive backing is now secured with super glue.

I was pretty hot.

Apparently, I'm "illegally parked," for leaving my complex registered vehicle in my one parking spot allotted to me in my lease. Reason? My car "hasn't moved" -- the only comment on the notice. Wow.

So, sue me. Lately, I carpool.

What really gets me is, every day I pass all kinds of cars illegally parked in the driving areas of my complex. Occasionally, they are blocking other residents in. Occasionally, they are blocking me in. But management here is very proactive. Yay! For this, we all get generic nasty-grams from management telling us that if residents don't begin using designated parking, management reserves the right to hold garage inspections.

Garage inspections? Why not tow them?

I think I understand, the idea here is that some residents are packing their garages full of their crap and use two outdoor parking spaces, instead of their lease allotted one.

Nothing ever comes of the threats. And anyway, how are residents supposed to use their garages when we're always worrying about being blocked in?

Apparently, this is okay, so long as we routinely move our cars from one illegal spot to another.

Yep. Tow the legally-parked residents and we'll free up the space for the folks parking in the middle of the driving areas. Then, everybody wins!

Meh, I think I may be jaded that there are still tiny bits of that notice maybe forever stuck to my poor Neon window.

Battlestar Galactica Predictions

2008-05-10T15:38:00.000-07:00

The Last Supper
Originally uploaded by kidddrunkadelic14.

I'm venting today a little about a topic that I'm frankly sick of thinking about. Apologies in advance for pulling you into my deluded psyche. Here we go.

So, who is the fifth and final cylon?

For going on three weeks now, I've been convinced that it's Anastasia Dualla. (That's right, Dee. I said it!)

So, why Dee...

My rationale was three-fold:

Point One: Gender
The fifth is probably female. This keeps what I like to call our “5-7-12” theme consistent. Thematic numbers seem to be extremely important to the BSG series writers. We have the concept of twelve colonies, twelve humanoid cylon models, twelve human archetypes and further designation of the “Significant Seven” and the “Final Five.” If the fifth cylon is female, we have a cylon group of seven males and five females.

Not exactly iron-clad proof, but a fair point, I think nonetheless.

Point Two: Gasp. “You... forgive me, I had no idea.”
D'Anna Briers is surprised and apologetic towards one of the Five that are revealed to her in the Opera House. It's clearly a clue for us, but the last time Briers had significant contact with humans was back in season two; we really need to think back. Honestly, myself, I'm split between this being a clue for Sam Anders (whom she tried to kill before a Six shot her) or for Anastasia Dualla, whom she consistently dismissed condescendingly during the Galactica tour in “Final Cut.”

Point Three: “Adama is a cylon.”
Here's the clincher for me. These are the famous last words of Leoben before Roslin throws him out the airlock. We also have significant indication that Leoben's entire objective aboard Galactica was to relay that very message to Roslin, even stalling stalling his own execution through lies, voluntarily enduring torture the face of for the chance to tell her. He leaves it up to her to deduce which Adama he means, though I don't think she could even be sure at this point.

She (and I admittedly, at first) assumes Leoben is referring to Admiral Adama (hereafter referred to as William). After he passes his cylon test, she rejects the theory as a divisive lie and begins the even more intimate partnership/relationship with the man that continues today. We have no indication she thinks of his revelation again... but I'm not so sure I agree with her assessment.

So, let's look at our "Adama" options: William, his children, and don't forget Dualla (since Lee and Dualla have since married).

The Admiral: William being a cylon is a long-shot without taking into account the “Last Supper” photo-argument, given Boomer's programming to shoot the man. We know that the Significant Seven do not program themselves, nor do they know who programmed them. But since we're aware of at least eleven of the twelve cylon models are programmable, and if the raiders even refuse to engage one of the Final Five, I have a hard time buying Boomer being programmed to shoot one.

Zac & Lee: I don't even want to discuss any of William's kids. Lee is excluded in the "Last Supper" photo. But, if Zac Adama is a cylon member of the Final Five... I'll quit watching the show. It's beyond reasonable plausibility to me that one of the main characters on the show can have a child, raise him and have no idea he's a planted cylon. I have no idea what kind of complicated-conspiracy/hospital-room-switched-at-birth scenerio would have to ensue to make this work... and I don't want to. It sucks.

Dee: So, if Leoben is being truthful: we get more early development of Leoben's character as uniquely prophetic, foretelling Dualla and Lee Adama's marriage, and yet another hit for Dualla. Nice.

So, I went along my merry way under this assumption until I saw Razor.

And Why I'm Unsure Now

Now, I generally don't buy into the over-analysis that seems to take part on some of these topics. I know what you're thinking - and yes, some analyses are much much worse :) Remember, the meticulous examination “Last Supper” promo picture. Clearly, the show producers are trying to relay a fair amount of symbolism through the image, but like the cylon model to astrological sign mapping, we viewers can occasionally read more into these symbols than what was intended by the writers.

Ronald Moore admitted over a year ago, for example, that the numbering of the cylons, with the exception of Six, was entirely random. But you'll still find cyberspace littered with charts and diagrams matching the various models by job function or personality types to their perceived astrological match.

That said, something the old hybrid imparted in Razor reminded me of an obvious omission in the now famous BSG promo image. I'll only highlight one point; I think you'll find it not too much of a stretch.

The old hybrid elaborates about the fifth:

“At last, they’ve come for me. I feel their lives, their destinies spilling out before me. The denial of the one true path, played out on a world not their own, will end soon enough. Soon there will be four, glorious in awakening, struggling with the knowledge of their true selves. The pain of revelation bringing new clarity and in the midst of confusion, he will find her. Enemies brought together by impossible longing. Enemies now joined as one. The way forward at once unthinkable, yet inevitable. And the fifth, still in shadow, will claw toward the light, hungering for redemption that will only come in the howl of terrible suffering. I can see them all. The seven, now six, self-described machines who believe themselves without sin. But in time, it is sin that will consume them. They will know enmity, bitterness, the wrenching agony of one splintering into many. And then, they will join the promised land, gathered on the wings of an angel. Not an end, but a beginning.
Kara Thrace will lead the human race to its end. She is the herald of the apocalypse, the harbinger of death. They must not follow her. “

Remember Moore's admission/media slip that the “missing” individual at the table is the fifth cylon. Given the placement of the twelve present in the photo, we can infer that the missing individual would correspond to Judas in DaVinci's original piece. I mention it, because the characterization of a regretful Judas-like character being the fifth seems consistent with the hybrid's revelation.

So, Dualla? Hungering for redemption? Now I'm confused. Besides Baltar, who is excluded by the photo, I'm drawing a blank on who would harbor this amount of regret and guilt. Shrug. Maybe Dualla's heated argument with her father affected her more than I gave her credit for.

Or... maybe it's not Dee at all and I'm back to square one. Grrr...

To be sure, I guess I'll have to wait until Kara and her new crew reactivate the Three. In the meantime, feel free to leave your own hypothesis/thoughts.

Open Questions after the “Faith” Episode Last Night:

1.Why did Boomer's blood “activate” the hybrid for Kara Thrace? What's the significance here?

2. What happens to Baltar's Virtual Six now that the NC Six is really dead?

Hello from California

2008-04-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

Hair cut - Side view
Originally uploaded by linux_chick.

The hiatus is over

My mother-in-law brought to my attention this morning that if Jeremy and I are not going to call family in Kansas often, I better at least be posting updates to my blog before she "sends out the calvary."

My apologies for not staying in better touch. I promise I'll do better, and this is my first stab at it :)

Haircut!

Yesterday, I cut my hair shorter than it's been since I was six years old. Above, you'll see some pics I took this morning of it. My hairdresser, Mackenzie, even remarked how much hair was on the floor, and continued cutting away. I wanted the back to be pretty short, and then angle longer by the face. I brought in a picture of Rhona Mitra in Doomsday. Mackenzie opted to go more conservative, and I can't say I'm sad. It seems to fit pretty well.

I'm sure Dad will hate it. Your thoughts?

I can has a cheezburger?

Jeremy bought a standing mixer yesterday. Yet another piece of evidence, that his newest cooking hobby/fixation/obsession isn't going away any time soon. And that's pretty much awesome. Over the past several months, I've been "forced" to try out his kitchen experiments, including: chicken teriyaki, lamb vindaloo, beer burgers, and grilled shrimp. Today, he'll add baking goods and pastries to the list. Life is sure rough, out here :) I'll need to keep an eye on my waistline!

Writing Update...

I've been writing on Chromosome Black, but haven't pushed anything up here yet. I've also started a new story I'd like to write in tandem. It's inspired by a creepy dream I had a few months back that involved a distant future Earth that is nearly completely aquatic. Civilizations of people had been built along the ocean floor in large plastic domes that mimicked the old surface ecosystems of the past and people rely on these structures for their safety. I don't want to give away too much, now. I hope you enjoy reading when I push it up.

I'm off to do some homework. I'd love to read about life in Ks. Leave a comment.

--Thia

A Lil Clip from Today's Campaign and Taking Part in Hillary's Gaining Momentum

2008-02-09T09:04:00.000-08:00

Hillary is a fighter

Hillary is a fighter. It's why we like her; she has gained our trust in her as our dedicated advocate. She has done this through a lifetime of diligently fighting for causes she has committed herself to with the kind of unrelenting passion that makes many of us wonder where she draws her inspiration and caffeine pills.

Now it's our turn

In the same way we count on her to consistently fight for our us in the Oval Office, we now have the unique and welcomed opportunity to return the favor. ( Yay! :) We won't let you down, Hillary!)

Hillary's campaign fund-raising goals have been met and greatly exceeded since Super-Tuesday. She's received from 90K+ donors for a total of > $9 million, but still needs our help to take back the edge over Obama's ever-rising popularity and funding.

Join with me in submitting a monthly contribution to Hillary's campaign.

Here's a li'l random clip I liked from a speech Hillary made today...

Why Thia is for Hillary

2008-02-08T08:14:00.000-08:00

I'm convinced in my mind that Hillary is the right candidate for the Presidency of the United States.

It's time for change on women's issues.

That picture up there is of me. From a person from African-American heritage *and* a woman, I will put before you my opinion from experience that our country has progressed much (*much*) further in our battles with racism than discrimination based on gender. I'm not saying racism is gone; that there is admittedly some work that needs to be done here. I can say that I believe we have much more pressing battle to fight.

Let's not mistake the urgency of the moment. Hillary makes our country face our own sexism. Oh, it's there; and it's very unpopular to mention. We live in a time when women who argue for equal pay are seen as radicals and sexist rhetoric is accepted as mainstream.

My husband put it well yesterday when he commented on his experience reading political blogs and comments. He observed not a single person called Barack Obama the infamous n-* word. No, how could they? They would be censored off respectable message boards in an instant and labeled a racist.

On the other hand, it's difficult to find a forum absent of the b-* word referring to Hillary.

... And we're used to it. It's almost a subconscious acceptance that ambitious, aggressive women will be hated among their peers and counterparts. I wish I could have the piece of mind to believe that the criticism Hillary draws is even 50% due to her perceived political unworthiness, rather than our overall discomfort with seeing a woman pursuing a role of public leadership.

I can think of nothing better to address this than to elect not only the best candidate, but an intelligent, capable and effective woman to the White House office.

I did my research

Almost top to bottom, I agree with Hillary's political stances. From the environment, to the war, to education and health care she is absolutely spot on. In fact, for all that Hillary stands superior to Obama, he has only one worthy of her rebuttal: he has admitedly more charisma. This quality is an admirable one, and admitedly has value. But it's not enough for me to overlook the qualifications in which he doesn't measure up. Obama can put together a very inspirational speech, but I'm underwhelmed with my confidence he can do the kind of hard-lifting it will take in the next administration to get things done.

In a nutshell

It's time for change. America doesn't need just any woman President. In fact, I think it's reasonable to assert that the first one will need to be exceptional. No, I believe instead that it's time for the *right* woman President - and that nominee is here. It's time for Hillary.

Please donate to Hillary's campaign by clicking here.

Jayhawk Status Update

2007-11-04T11:12:00.000-08:00

Top 5 in the Nation

It's official: we're #4 in BCS and #5 in AP.

New fans

Here's an article on why Mangino should run up the score on Nebraska, given the opportunity.

And, this guy has to be the coolest hippie ever. I thought I saw him in the Baylor game briefly on TV and wondered who he was. Leave it to Emily Jones to find out for me. He calls himself White Owl.

New foes :)

Dan Cornhusker-fan on Kansas before the game
Andy Cornhusker burns his jersey after beating "lowly" Kansas.

This is why I love Kansas Football

2007-11-04T09:04:00.001-08:00

I never thought I'd see it. A blued-out, sold-out Memorial Stadium with blood-thirsty eyes anxious for the next notch in our undefeated belt secured against long-time thorn in our side Nebraska. And our boys delivered with a 76-39 massacre.

Do you think if Nebraska fans were aware it would be Kansas breaking their record for most-allowed points in a game, they would have bothered to come out at all? It somehow feels like oh-so-sweet justice.

If you've been a fan of Mangino for long, or since 2002, like many of us, the atmosphere feels almost cathartic. You've suffered along the incessant, unending f/phat coach jokes, overrated chants ("Hey, Bennett! We're not impressed either!"), and frankly local media over-shadowing each Fall on account our wonderful basketball program. We've exchanged all this for talk of coach of the year, national double-takes at Reesing and outraged K-State and Mizzou fans appealing together to Nebraska for a win because they can't stand to watch us be undefeated anymore. If we're acting like we haven't been here before... well, it's because we haven't.

So, what's our new rank?

In a few hours we'll know for sure, but with Boston College dropping down, and Arizona St at least a spot, it seems #6 at least. But, I digress...

Post-Game Chatter

Back to business. Aside from a couple of strange decisions by Reesing, offense looked near flawless. We scored on nearly every drive and enjoyed great success on the passing with 0 turnovers.

A quick question for the O: why aren't we playing Quigley more? He looked the first-stringer part to me when we brought him in at the end of the Baylor game to earn us a touchdown and a solid drive just yards short of it right off the bench. If anyone has some info on this guy, I'd be interested.

And on the Defense: OK - what happened? Even if we attribute the early 14 points scored in the first minutes of the first quarter to feeling out the mysterious Ganz on QB, our ineffectiveness on D seemed uncharacteristic. Don't get me wrong, I'm a *fan* of our defensive coordinator, but something was out-of-sync. This was the same team who was critical in earning us the win against A&M. Yesterday, Talib was beaten for 2 touchdowns? We blew covering Purify without explanation.. twice?

I'm optimistic we'll take this week as a learning experience: our D is great, but not invincible. And really, I'm grateful we have a well-balanced team capable of covering for each other when asked and dangerous when we're not asked. It was an incredible effort and I hope the team is proud! We can't wait for Oklahoma State.

Rock Chalk!
-T.

So, What Happens to Callahan if We Win Again This Saturday?

2006-09-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

I promise I'll get back to my story shortly (this week!), but I just want to get some things off my chest.

Jayhawks vs. Cornhuskers

OK, the inescapable truth is that we're taking on Nebraska again on Saturday in Lincoln. I say inescapable, not because I'm dreading it. More so, because our college message boards are S-A-T-U-R-A-T-E-D with posts about the upcoming game. You'd think this is because our loyal Jayhawks are just as excited as a little teddy bear about the upcoming rematch. Well... wrong again.

Our KU ATHLETIC BOARDS are seething with... Cornhuskers? Check it out for yourself. I'm not kidding. And they've been there in noticable numbers since Monday.

Jeremy has been roaring up a storm from our computer room every evening before bed reading Nebraska commenters on our boards. It kind of makes you want to mention: you guys are all aware that we're not playing until the weekend, right?

Note to the Cornhuskers: Maybe it's time to accept this. Last year, we beat you. I mean, we CRUSHED you. And this doesn't make you bad people... it's really going to be OK. And you're going to get a chance to redeem yourselves.

OK, but seriously: I think this may be a bitter pill for the Cornhuskers. Because our northern neighbors will have to come to terms with one of two things ->

1. Nebraska will have to admit that KU has a decent and improving football program these days, and they lost, fair and square to the better team.

- OR -

2. KU still sucks... and thus, Nebraska has devolved into a program that sucks worse than we do.

And before you recant me, I already know:
Chelsea Cornhusker says to linux_chick(me):

"But, but... we were rebuilding last year. B-because the West Coast offense. And-and we beat Troy last week. So, we're almost back to winning National Championships like in the '90s... because we beat TROY!

DA*@#$*@@!! WE BEAT TROY!!"

Linux_chick to Chelsea Cornhusker:

I know this is killing you. It's going to be OK, Chelsea.

Now I'll sign off on a more serious note: Good luck to you, Nebraska. I know I'm looking forward to Saturday :)

Love,
-T.

Chapter Four: Darkers

2006-09-10T17:37:00.000-07:00

“Mother, where do the Darkers come from?” Marta asked as she assisted Veppa setting out dinnerware.

“Sweetheart, you learn all about where the Darkers come from in Nurturement.” Sweetheart had been a term from the ancient times her mother had passed down to her. Veppa had promised to pass it on.

“No, Ma,” Sardin retorted, flipping on the media switch. “Nurturement teaches us where the Darkers are. They're up in the atmosphere, just out of reach. Marta wants to know where they came from, their history.”

Marta, seeming to understand that she had been mocked, stuck out her tongue in protest.

“Little one, what causes this curiosity?” Veppa asked.

“They want us to kill them, right?” Marta asked.

Veppa paused, turning from the cooking food. “By Highness! No.”

“If I go to the Academy, I would study how to kill them,” Marta pushed.

“Why do you think that?”

“The questions, on the pre-aptitude,” Sardin cut in. As if reading each other's thoughts, Sardin and Marta made eye contact before Sardin continued. “It's the patterns in the questions: given a small piece, how can we solve a large problem, or finding weaknesses in unbalanced situations to ensure victory when you're at a disadvantage.”

Veppa wasn't sure why she was surprised anymore at either of the twins's responses. Their eight-year-old analytical minds were growing at an astonishing rate. And now, they were interpreting the methods of tests as training. They had turned the questions themselves back against the interrogators in hopes of understanding what the Institution was searching for. Veppa had little doubt either of her daughters would pass Delta examinations.

“Well, remember that there is a military mirror of the our class system."

Sardin, losing interest, returned to images of war flowing from the media. “We know, we know. There's Legislation Alpha, Beta, Delta, Bedouin, Taper, Common and there's Military Alpha, Beta, Delta, Bedouin, Taper, Common.”

“I'm saying that they may be testing you for military leadership. Bit I believe that if our legislative leadership is good, there won't be a need for war.”

Marta glanced to her sister, but didn't follow. “Go ahead, Mother. I'm listening. Tell me about the Darkers.”

Veppa began setting the drinks. “Well, they were just like us.”

“Human?” Marta's eyes grew wide.

By Highness, what were these children being taught in Nurturement?

“Yes, human. They are human... kind of.”

“That's amazing.”

“Before the era of Genetic Identification we live in today, there was the era of Breeding. We had just interpreted our DNA and society as a whole decided to identify genetic traits preferable for specific societal roles. These roles were identified and then eventually bred for.”

“Mother, that's aweful,” Marta protested.

“No! It's boring!” Sardin eavesdropped.

“Remember, this was before the Institution,” Veppa continued. “At that time, it was believed that the framers of a global Government needed to be highly intelligent if our planet could ever realize world peace. So, the world's most intelligent individuals were bred, genetically altered and over time, developed into a new people.”

“We bred the Darkers?” Marta was fascinated.

“Well, Sweetheart, they were all volunteers. The breeders and the bred together believed they were doing a public service.”

Sardin re-entered the conversation. “So, what happened?”

Veppa shrugged. “It failed.”

“The Darkers failed?” Marta asked.

“Yes. No, well yes and no.” Veppa faltered. “The Darkers emerged as the intellectual elite. That worked. They continued the breeding work on their own and applied genetic alterations to themselves. Future generations became astronomically intelligent, telepathic, telekinetic, increasing in abilities at an exponential rate.”

“So, how did it fail?” Marta pressed on.

“They didn't act as the rest of the governed initially expected. One day, the Darkers left. They just vanished into the sky. They didn't govern, they didn't say why. Every few years they attack us.”

“Why?” Marta asked, puzzled.

Veppa was out of information. “No one knows. That is quite the mystery.”

“So, the Institution rose out of the governed,” Marta resolved.

“Yes. Genetic breeding halted, at least on the surface and below—who knows what the Darkers are doing? The governed began searching the naturally born for advanced capacities of ethical reasoning. The pursuit of highly evolved Morality replaced the pursuit of intelligence for the framers of the Institution.”

“Why do we call them Darkers?” Sardin asked.

Veppa applied the final touches to dinner. “The genetic alterations modified their appearances. They were human-like, but grew taller, elongated features. They stopped growing body hair of any kind and skin pigmentation was almost always near pitch black in color.”

Sardin shrugged. “I don't mind if we're supposed to kill them. I hope we do. I hate them.”

Veppa accepted defeat. “Many people do.”

Marta finished the last of the dinner placements and after some thought, returned to Veppa's side. She placed a small hand on Veppa's wrist. “Mother,” she spoke softly. “If you want me to perform badly on my Delta examinations, I will.”

Veppa pulled back, a little afraid. Could it be that Marta was capable, and at such a young age? Even so, how could she know Veppa was doing the same? It wasn't possible.

“I love you, Mother,” Marta whispered. “And if you ask me to do anything, I will do it for you.”

Chapter Three: A Briefing with On High

2006-09-10T17:29:00.000-07:00

Max could see Hardton was riddled with anger as Veppa closed the door behind her and returned to the conveyor.

“What is the meaning of this? It's outrageous!” Hardton fired.

Max could tell Hardton was an easy pick for his position. His stature alone proved highly intimidating. He displayed above-average intelligence, even for a Taper and clearly was quickly brought to remedial action under circumstances of concern. Unfortunately, he was also obviously in love with Veppa Wallers. This fact, Max guessed, had caused Hardton to overlook growing morale issues erupting within his shipping department.

“Let me remind you that I was invited here by you-” Max started.

“To investigate substance trafficking Not to eat alive one of my best employees who is not even a suspect here.” Hardton cut in.

Max was growing more impressed with the Taper. “My apologies,” Max bowed. “It's important that I understand how your department is managing to catch nearly all smuggling before they reach port.”

“Are you quite finished?” Hardton pressed.

“Of course. I'll deliver my assessment to you in the morning.” It wasn't a lie. Max had, in fact, finished his assessment.

An automated alert bong filtered through the room. “Emergency transmission from the Transport bay.”

“Continue,” Hardton seated himself.

“Hardy? It's Markus.”

“Go ahead.”

“We've got a problem with transport four,” Markus
reported.

Obviously frustrated, Hardton massaged a temple. “Highness! Again?”

“One of the tanks is saturated with Substance Q.”

“You caught it before shipment?”

“Just barely,” Markus added.

“That, at least is a relief. Ready the tank for the Authorities. I will be down directly.” Hardton ended the transmission and directed and agitated glare to Max.

“I can see you have a day. I'll leave you to it,” Max bowed and exited.

“I'll look forward to your report,” Hardton called out sarcastically.

Max smirked as he was leaving. A Taper, growing precocious with a Bedouoin he himself had contracted. Under different circumstances, Max believed he and Hardton would have been friends. It was regrettable that this was near impossible now. Especially given the man's apparent love for Veppa, the Common. No, Max resolved that it was far more likely that Hardton would need neutralization before any advance was made to Veppa... if it came to that. And Max believed it would.

As Max exited the compound, he activated his headset and took a few deep breaths before speaking. It's one thing to interrogate a Common, a Taper, even. But his findings this time were to be directly reported to On High, not an Alpha or Beta, but the leader of the Institution and the Global Government himself. Most would never learn his name, let alone hear his voice or speak to him.

“Oh High, I've completed my analysis,” Max reported.

“Nice work. What's your status, Sir?”

The humility of On High surprised Max. “I believe competitive Commons have regrettably been employed in the same sector, leading to discontent.”

“Please, continue.”

“My findings are that Commons possessing similar competitive genetic traits have become adverse to one another for limited duty praises. The strife has lead to pursuits in illegal activity in disillusioned hope of attaining a skill superior to others in the sector.”

“And this continues, even when illegal efforts are frustrated,” asked On High.

“Yes. Given the genetic analysis of the guilty Commons, I believe the frustrated attempts may have only intensified the determination of future efforts, On High.”

“Interesting analysis, Sir.”

Max waved his embedded ID chip in the base of his forearm over his transport sensor until the doors unlocked. Max buckled his lap belt before entering the destination and giving the order to drive. “With all due respect, On High, they are only Commons.”

“Did you find anything else of interest?”

“As you suspected, Veppa Wallers may be a problem,” Max admitted.

“How smart is she?”

Max was surprised. He could not answer how On High might have assumed Max was concerned with her intelligence. Of all the attributes of concern in the aptitudes: Integrity, Physical Endurance, Intuition, Management... Intelligence is not even primary. The governed had long since given up defeating the Darkers through intelligence. Max answered, “Intelligent enough to fake the aptitude tests.”

“You're certain she's faked low scores?”

“My intuition leads me to believe that she can not only pass intelligence problems, but can infer how many to solve correctly so that her scores repeatedly result in Common – Average,” Max responded.

“How much of the intelligence aptitude can she pass?”

“I would say, On High,” Max cleared his throat. “All of them.”

“Incredible.”

“On High, if I may ask a question of you,” Max knew
this was highly inappropriate, but resolved that the success of his investigation rested on his resolving of a simple dilemma.

“You may, Sir.”

“I had believed, as all of us are trained, that the
Methods are unbeatable. My findings, then seem incorrect?”

“Do you believe your findings to be incorrect?”

“No,” Max responded honestly.

“Then, what do you need from me?”

Max continued, “If I knew of a flaw, it may help.”

“I know of none.”

“Then my findings are impossible. I only mean, how can I hold that the Methods are sound, and my hypothesis is accurate?”

“But you do this everyday.”

“No, On High. I admonish logic in my investigations and honesty, int-”

“Why do you, a Bedouin, established in knowledge and integrity, secure yourself when traveling by transport?” On High responded with a question of his own.

“Because it feels safer,” Max conceded.

“Even though,” Oh High continued. “Now that all transportation devices are automated, there have been no traffic accidents for centuries.”

“Yes,” Max understood the train of thought and already regretted asking his question.

”It could be pointed out, that it is even impractical to elect security belts, as they cost you some time when traveling from place to place.”

“Of course.”

“Although, you are perfectly free to use them if you wish.”

“I apologize, On High.”

“It could be argued, then, that you yourself hold some mistrust for our present day systems, the Methods, Sir,” On High accused.

Max recognized this had quickly become a disaster. Max had a choice to make: blaspheme the Institution or disobey On High by refusal to answer. For a member of the Authorities, this was no choice at all. Max incriminated himself, “That would be a fair assessment, On High.”

On High paused a moment and laughed. “This mistrust is precisely why you were selected for this mission. Good work, Sir.”

On High was gone.

Chapter Two: Veppa

2006-09-05T19:23:00.000-07:00

Veppa Wallers eyed her terminal carefully before activating her headset. She hated giving bad news.

“Greetings. Transport and Shipping, thank you.”

“Make it quick,” the voice engaged.

“Greetings, Markus. It's Veppa.”

“I'm en-route, hurry up.”

“Apologies, Markus. I think we're going to have a problem with this shipment,” Veppa waited until the termination of terminal-tapping on the other end indicated that Markus was finished pulling up his report.

“V. I'm staring at the details right now. It's all cleared.”

“I know,” Veppa admitted. “I looked at it too, but you really should check all the tanks in transport four.”

Markus was annoyed, “We'll miss deadline.”

“I understand. It's your call, but I'm certain,” Veppa asserted. She knew it was the third stop this cycle. The regular persistence of shipment schedule issues would start to weigh on vendors soon.

“How do you know this?” Markus asked.

Veppa always blushed when she had to explain herself. “It's the weight. Transport four looks light to me, maybe .5% lighter than the others. Check the hoses for a leak, or else one of the tanks may be sabotaged again.”

Markus yelled over the transport bay, “You heard her, transport four. Mark them all again and check the weight this time!”

“Thanks, Markus.”

“Well, you're never wrong,” Markus sighed and ended transmission.

Veppa lowered her headset and caught the sight of Elsa Clark making her way to Veppa's desk. Elsa was Veppa's long-time best friend. Elsa had in fact, gotten Veppa her job as Quality Assurance managerial specialist at Neutronic Atmospheric Transport, even though Veppa was only a Common. They had grown up together on one of the old-fashioned surface rurals and when Veppa's mother died, she had moved in with Elsa's family. Veppa ultimately received tutoring at Elsa's class level, Taper-minor. Now, Elsa was making her way with a purpose to Veppa's desk, carrying a myriad of food and drinks.

“My Highness!” Elsa cursed. “Did you see the media today?”

“Uh, no,” Veppa admitted.

“Here, take this,” Elsa dropped the pieces of nourishment on Veppa's desk and began furiously tapping at Veppa's terminal.

“Greetings, Elsa. Please help yourself,” Veppa offered sarcastically.

“Oh, stuff your face, I got you a rice muffin: your favorite.”

“Actually, I hate the muffins, it's the rice scones I like,” Veppa corrected, examining Elsa's drink options.

“Pss. You know, I can never remember what you like best. You're always changing your mind.”

It wasn't true. Veppa hadn't changed her mind since Nurturement, but then Elsa did have trouble remembering. Veppa gave up the argument when Elsa succeeded setting the terminal to media mode.

Veppa offered Elsa one of the earpieces from her headset as sounds and images of tragedy bombarded through the feed. 5,000 were dead. An entire Quadrant destroyed overnight.

“Isn't it awful?” Elsa spoke over the broadcast. “It's another Darker attack. The second this cycle, must be some kind of record.”

Veppa pulled the earpiece from her ear. “Why do they always assume it's the Darkers?”

“Veppa!” Elsa hushed, quickly eying if anyone had heard. “Who else would it be? Who else could do something like this?”

Veppa shrugged.

“These are dangerous times, you know, Veppa. It's not like when you and I were kids,” With that, Elsa took a bite of her scone.

“Elsa,” Veppa spoke cautiously. “I've noticed your nail-polish lately.”

“Oh?” Elsa was playing dumb, Veppa knew. The Authorities were really starting to crack down on Substance Q abuses and it was conventionally known that consumers hoping to hide their habits had begun injecting at the fingertips and coloring their nails dark in concealing efforts.

Fine, Veppa thought, I'll come right out and ask. But she instead opted the safer approach. “Is everything alright?”

“Everything is perfect. Speaking of kids,” Elsa changed the subject. “Are you, Seevan and yours still coming out to watch Raffball tonight?”

To be fair, Veppa wasn't sure. “You know, I reminded Seevan this morning, but he had to work.”

“You know I hate going alone,” Elsa complained.

Veppa conceded that she would do her best to make it.

An automated lockdown alert chimed on. Veppa startled, as always. The friendly feminine voice did little to calm her. “V. Wallers. Please discontinue all productivity and report to managerial services directly.”

“For the love of Highness!” Veppa cursed. “Can't I go just one cycle without getting on level?”

Elsa laughed. “You're just lucky Hardton likes you.”

“Yes, it's obviously doing me so much good,” Veppa responded sarcastically. “Well, my conveyor is here.”

Hardton was unusually sensitive, kind, for a high-ranking Taper. Appointed managing Chair of Neutronic Atmospheric Transport for innate genetic ability and high aptitude scores managing large projects with high attention to detail, he found himself both respected and coveted by even fellow Tapers. Veppa knew a softer side to Hardton. She had always been a source of fogginess in his world of order. He'd taken a chance, hiring a Common, and he never took chances. And then there was the affair.

No. Veppa waved Elsa away as she stepped on the conveyor and resolved to push all memories of her past with Hardton out of her mind. This was about business. He hadn't called for her in that way for over a year and all parties involved would do well to forget the event. Veppa decided to do her best to do just that.

Within moments, Veppa had arrived at Hardton'
s office. He was standing in his usual dignified manner, but with his back to the door. Veppa cleared her throat as she entered the office.

“Wallers,” Hardton's greeting was uncharacteristically distant. Veppa understood when she cleared the door.

They weren't alone. In the opposite corner sat a man clothed in red. Veppa had never seen a member from the Authorities in person, but assumed the mysterious figure fit the description.

“Is something wrong?” Veppa asked, alarmed.

“No, no,” the man stood and bowed. “Veppa, my name is Max. I'm from the Authorities. I've been asked to observe this question and answer session today for several members of the Q&A staff.”

Veppa shot Hardton a confusing look, “I'm not sure I-”

“Please, Veppa,” Max continued. “You're not in any trouble. I'm only here to observe.”

Veppa swallowed hard. His response sounded unlikely, but she knew members of the Authorities were bound to truth. Such members were genetically tested for traits of integrity and honesty, perseverance, specifically. Any testimony against individuals of the governed, like herself, help up by members of the Authorities were regarded as evidential truth and convictable. In fact, convictions and criminal investigations were the only mechanisms under which Veppa had ever heard of the Authorities's involvement.

She nodded politely and Max sat.

“Wallers, your department is experiencing high levels of efficiency,” Hardton's voice trailed.

“Sir?” Veppa didn't understand. Hardton invited a member of the Authorities to give her professional praise?

“Your immediate supervisor thinks highly of you, Wallers. She seems to attribute a large portion of your department's success to you.”

“Sir, I'm glad my management is pleased with my performance,” Veppa grew agitated. Was there going to be a criminal accusation or not?

“Your aptitude tests, Veppa,” Max stood and cut in. “Seem to contradict your level of success with your duties. Please excuse the frankness.”

“Am I completely lost to something? Since when is scoring badly on aptitude tests a crime? Isn't that kind of the point: for the Methods to place people where they belong?”

“You wouldn't be,” Max paused, but spoke pointedly. “... performing under your abilities, would you?”

“Of course not. That's impossible anyway. The Methods are proven,” Veppa regurgitated.

“Veppa, please don't fight,” Hardton pleaded.

Max smiled invitingly and paced to the opposite wall. “Veppa, I'd like for you to submit to a full-genetic scan.”

“Out of the question,” Veppa snorted.

“It is, of course, voluntary—for now,” Max conceded.

“And if I refuse?” Veppa challenged.

“Nothing. Your cooperation is only... appreciated,” Max smiled again.

“I refuse. May I return to my duties now?”

Hardton directed a grunt of annoyance to Veppa.

“Of course,” Max bowed. “By the way, my congratulations to your children.”

“Congratulations?” Veppa softened.

“To Marta and Sardin,” Max explained. “They are both staged for Delta testing at the Philosophical Academy. I apologize. I thought both parents were informed this afternoon.”

Veppa's heart sank. Her only children, her two twins would soon be tested for Delta admission. She should have been elated. It was the highest honor handed down from the Institution to the governed. Ethical training was reserved for individuals of the highest genetic quality, the highest aptitude scores; the Philosophical Academy was training for future leaders of the governed. Occasionally a Delta may retain a high-ranking political office. But no one really heard from the Alphas or Betas after examinations. These lucky individuals were dispatched to a life of rigorous training, study and ultimately became the decision makers, responsible for legislative endeavors that promote global peace. They seemed frozen in time, regarded as Saints by the governed. It seemed no way to live, in Veppa's opinion.

“I'm sure I was alerted. Thank you. My terminal is on lockdown,” Veppa responded respectfully.

“Of course it is. If I could ask one final question of you, Veppa,” Max started.

“I'm bound by law to answer anything you ask,” Veppa answered.

“Let me assure you that your cooperation is appreciated. My question is this,” Max cleared his throat. “Why do your daughters and yourself still retain your birth name when Seevan Noble is genetically proven to be their father.”

Veppa coughed beaten and lowered her head. “It's perfectly legal in this modern era of Genetic Information to retain one's birth name.”

“Of course,” Max returned to Veppa's side and placed a palm warmly against her shoulder. “I reiterate. You've done nothing wrong. Still, the break from tradition is notable to my investigation.”

Veppa inhaled deeply. “Marta and Sardin were born when I was 16. I was not yet engaged to Seevan Noble, though it is true that they were born to him. I had also promised my mother I would retain her name after marriage.”

Max raised his eyebrows as if to express genuine interest. Veppa knew her answer sounded Common, getting pregnant so young, demonstrating loyalty to family over Institutional tradition. She didn't care. She was disgusted that members of the Authorities would demand such personal information from here while not attributing any accusation of misconduct against her.

“I think that will be all today, Wallers,” Hardton cut in. “Please return to your duties.”

Veppa fought back tears, turning her face hot. She nodded in submission and allowed the conveyor to deliver her back to her station. Her headset was already buzzing when she arrived.

“Veppa? It's Elsa. Were you just interrogated by the Authorities?!”

Veppa expelled bottled up stress to her friend. “I don't know what that was.”

“What did they say?” Elsa flabbergasted.

“Nothing! Absolutely nothing.” Veppa punched in her conveyor release code.

The feminine voice chimed: “Thank you, V. Wallers. Please resume productivity.”

Veppa mocked the voice as her terminal transitioned from lockdown. She noticed that she had no waiting messages.

“Nothing? They must've said something,” Elsa pressed.

“They asked me about my aptitude scores and some bits about Marta and Sardin.”

“You weren't accused?”

“No, I'm back at work, aren't I?” Veppa seethed.

“Thank Highness for that.” Elsa's voice sobered. “Things are changing around here. Nothing is the same anymore.”

Veppa thumbed her rice muffin before taking a bite. She knew Elsa was right.

Chapter One: Prep. Work

2006-09-04T18:50:00.000-07:00

Sensing she may be staying a while, Lexicon signaled the bartender for another round. She had to admit, the poor drab beside her had taste. It was a nice bar: good atmosphere for a business making it on the surface, where even the Authorities are unlikely to show up these days. Sure, Lexicon had heard that businesses still existed above ground, but given the recent frequency of Darker attacks, most sane individuals went below. Lexicon herself hadn't ventured above ground since 2805... maybe '06? Nearly ten years ago. Glancing at the blubbering mess beside her, Lexicon crinkled her nose in disgust. This was taking far too long.

Montrose was moaning, holding his head in his hands. “I'm a Taper,” he said. “Ta-per. I have in-innate managerial skills. It's simple genetics.”

In-innate? Fabulous. Lexicon determined the man was well past the point of embarrassment, but forced a smile. “Now, your duties can't be so bad, no?”

Lexicon was speaking to Montrose, but her attention was diverted out the window. A small transport was whizzing past, navigating some fearless inhabitant to this bar, that restaurant or home. The side of the transport read popular Institution propaganda: Prosperity, Faith, the Methods.

“I'm in Nurture and Development,” Montrose hissed.

“Running one of the N&D Centers seems like a very important job to me. Properly shaping today's young minds are essential for the success of the Institution,” Lexicon was still focused out the window. She found herself admiring the moon. She had remembered gazing up from her bed at it for hours as a child. Now, it seemed larger than she remembered. Big, perfect and white.

Montrose jerked alert. “Now you juss- wait! I don't mean to sound ungrateful to the Institution.”

Lexicon inhaled and took a sip of her steaming drink. That didn't go well, and now he's defending accusations of blasphemy against the Institution. Lexicon checked the time: 23:00. It was getting very late.

Montrose continued, “You've got me wrong. I have faith in the Methods. They're proven. I make all my kids submit to the Methods, and they all lead saddis-satisfying lives.”

“Look, Monty,” Lexicon cut in. “It sounds like you've had a day. What do you say we hop a transport to your dwelling?” Lexicon leaned in to seductively caress the collar of Montrose's business shirt.

Montrose smiled. “You're pretty. What's your class?”

He had to be joking. Lexicon was beyond irritation now, still realizing she had to tread carefully. She was a Bedouin. All Bedouins were proven by the Methods to be genetically superior to Montrose, by his own admission, a Taper. He might feel taken advantage of, if she told him the truth, though even in her line of work, she generally preferred to speak truthfulness to the alternative. She hoped to On High he didn't ask her occupation.

“I'm a Common,” she lied.

The bartender had made his way back to Lexicon and Montrose. He laid two drinks in front of them before retreating back to the other end of the bar.

“A Common. That's wonderful. I bet someone as pretty as you never questions her class. I bet you're happy and satisfied, prossss-perous.”

Lexicon took a sip of her drink. He was right. The combination of genetic analysis and aptitude tests that make up the Methods had never let her down. Her physical ability had landed her in the military track. She had never given a whip about politics, so between legislative and military tracks, she was right on target. Further, she had been detected as a middle-of-the-road Bedouin. Achieving the Bedouin class was somewhat prestigious, true. Bedouins are genetically regarded as superior than both Tapers and Commons, but with less responsibility than the Alphas, Betas and Deltas studying at Philosophical Academy. For Lexicon though, it was the position itself that seemed to fit her to a tee. The simple fact was that most military Bedouins were like her: assassins. A position she usually found extraordinarily rewarding, excluding of course, present company.

Montrose stumbled off to the facilities, calling back to Lexicon, “You juss- wait right there, pretty thing. I'll be right back.”

Lexicon gulped down her drink and reflected back to the time: 23:10. If she was lucky, she could wrap things up here, accompany Montrose to his dwelling, end him, implant herself with his Identification chip and be in bed by 00:00. She really needed the sleep. The next day at Quadrant 1542 Nurturement and Development was a big deal, even for her.

She glanced around before taking a sip of Montrose's abandoned drink. “Marta Wallers,” she muttered under her breath. “Should be interesting. Never killed a kid before.”

A new sci-fi story

2006-09-04T18:46:00.000-07:00

So this is totally random, but I've decided to start a science fiction story for fun. I'll post a chapter a day as I have it completed (so not as to overwhelm anyone) I've only finished through five.

Here goes, it's been a lot of fun and I hope you enjoy :)
-T.

Menstrual and Working...

2006-07-07T21:08:00.000-07:00

Wading in a sesspool of hormones and getting my behind kicked on the new job does not seem to go quite like mashed potatoes and gravy.

7:30 a.m.
First, I don't want to go in at all. I'm tempted to stay home, and Jeremy is looking at me like puppy who doesn't know why his owner was mad. He doesn't move: "Baby, do you want me to leave you alone? What can I do?" Absolutely nothing. Worse, I don't deserve you being so sweet to me when I know later I'm going to curl up in a ball, won't let you touch me and make you feel totally rejected. But, I sludge into my backpack and say: "I'm ready to go."

8:10 a.m.
I go to work. I've left my security badge at home, which burns up another couple of minutes of fruitless searching and results in ultimately signing up for a temporary at the main desk.

8:20 a.m.
At my desk, I dock my laptop and log in to find literally thousands of error messages from the database I've been recently made responsible for (last week). I check my cluster: both cpus are maxed at 100% utilization. Also, my data-loading drives are close to 90% capacity, expanding quickly. It's a grim choice: save the data, or keep the server from crashing. And I'm not sure I can pull off either one. I actually elect to save the data, devoting my efforts to developing a script to migrate the largest files elsewhere, anywhere for later loading.

My manager comes in. He's understandably stressed. He promises to identify the cpu spike if I continue working on saving-the-world-I-mean-data scripts. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, and he knows it. But he doesn't care, because *anything* would help at this point.

Blurr-O'Clock - bedtime
The rest of the day is spent ignoring my disaster of an inbox, and writing scripts. I solve one problem that causes another and then fix that problem... which of course breaks another process essential to our database that I never knew existed. Fantastic.

8 hours later, Jeremy and I go home. He says he likes my new brown shirt, but I feel fat.

... At least it's the weekend. Woot. I'm officially devoting the next two days to reading the news and mindless trivia until I pass out. Fun :)

Update

2006-06-22T22:16:00.000-07:00

Mawwaige
Originally uploaded by linux_chick.

Lots of changes in the past month or so. Here's an update:

Marriage

Jeremy and I got married June 2, 2006 in a lovely informal ceremony in Reno. See our pics here. The big ceremony is still set for next year (June 2, '07) in Kansas.

Internship Status

I've accepted a full-time position with the Database and Information Services Team in Intel's Folsom branch. I will be working in software development and database administration. I officially start this position Monday (June 26th).

This changes several plans for me, namely that instead of returning to KU in August, I am permanently moving to California now. 9 months from now, I will have successfully completed my probationary period and can look into transferring to another university such as UC Davis to wrap up my B.S. in Computer Science.

Jeremy is packing up all our stuff and will be joining me on an internship with Intel next week. He'll return to KU (unfortunately, without me) to wrap up his degree in January.

Summer Project Ideas: Gnome's Women Summer of Code

Apparently, the F/OSS community is hurting for female developers. In an effort to encourage women, Gnome is offering a Summer of Code Project for women here. After reading extensive Gnome-directed criticism, I am convinced that a great need exists for a spark in feminine technical interest if a level playing field across genders in these areas can ever be achieved. So, I applaud Gnome and would like to show my support. I have been seriously considering applying for a project this summer.

If you're a female student interested in a project like this for the summer, review some gnome-suggested projects here, then apply here. Applications are due July 1. The project pays $3,000 for two months of work.

Misc.

You've hung with me so far, so you might as well check out this dell laptop that caught on fire at a Japanese Technical conference. :)

Craig and Travis and the Egg

2006-04-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

Craig and Travis and the Egg
Originally uploaded by linux_chick.

I know I've slacked on posting, but this picture is probably the best ever from Cali and I think we should start an Intel-Intern facebook group with it "Intel Interns Leap Ahead" or probably something wittier.

Yay, conjunctive clauses.

Well, I'm up surprisingly early on a Friday morning and should probably call dibs on the shower before work.

Happy Friday,
-T.

Brackets are In!!

2006-03-12T15:03:00.000-08:00

It could be said that I'm having a pretty good day. I just got to watch KU topple a very confused Texas team to win the Big 12 Tournament. And when I say won, I mean a solid 12 point victory: 80-68. Travis has promised to blast Queen's We Are the Champions for the rest of the evening.

My boss is a KU alumnus w/ TiVo and a fifty-something-inch HD system. How many times do you think we watched Wright's single-axel dunk? Freeze-frame. Slow-motion. Real-time. Freeze-frame. Hmmm, can't answer that one. 360 degrees... unbelievable. The whole team was on.

So, we're #4 seed now. Apparently the tourny win wasn't enough to compensate for early season losses to K-State, etc. It doesn't really matter. Not today.

So maybe Jeremy's brother had to dislodge a life-size hunk of wood from the exterior of his room and most of my home town is still without power. No biggie. By now, I'm sure the bars with functioning roofs and electricity in Lawrence are packed with drunken citizens who've aready forgotten about the property and structural damage to their homes and businesses.

It's probably the best day ever.

In the True Spirit of Dorothy

2006-03-12T07:56:00.000-08:00

Lawrence Tornado - Mar. 12
Originally uploaded by linux_chick.

A tornado brushed through my home town a couple of hours ago and left this 4X4 in Jeremy's little brother's room as a present. Apparently, God has been pained by my prayers unloading *exactly* how much I miss my fiance back at home and debated on transporting the man my way Himself.

6:45 am - No Warning

Dad called this morning to let me know that he was OK, just in case I saw anything in the news. He had woken up to some "strange wind" and upon investigating the source saw a tornado across the street making its way inside the curb. I promised to call him back after checking on Mom and Jeremy.

Mom answered the phone. She told me a gust of wind walked across Iowa St. By the time she noticed rotation, it was too late. The suction from the wind prevented her from getting downstairs. She waited it out in a second-story bathroom.

Jeremy said Jason was looking out his bedroom window (the 2nd window) when this piece of the fence came through the wall. He urged me to check out his pics of the damage.

I decided to call Mom back first. Was there no siren? She said they did blow after everything was all over.

She closed with: At least *we* don't get earthquakes.

Weather in California No Picnic

It's amazing how a person can leave an area looking forward to great weather and end up bringing a little piece of home along with. Such has been my experience, anyway. It's annoying at best to hear this part of the state is receiving abnormally bad weather for the season the winter I decide to make the trip. It's been cold and raining for > a week and last week we even got some hail.

Yup, small < dime-sized chunks of ice fell from the sky on our way home from work. On our bolt to the car, we worked past a huddle of stunned employees murmuring to each other: what is it? and our kids are gonna get sick.

But, I suppose all this pales in comparison with today's events back home. There's a lot to be thankful for. I hope that like me, everyone finds their loved ones safe. And I'm grateful God changed His mind at the last minute and decided to leave my Jeremy right where he is.

Coding Goes Better to Kelly Clarkson

2006-02-04T12:58:00.000-08:00

Nose Ring #1
Originally uploaded by linux_chick.

Take four engineering students from various parts of Kansas and stick them in a house together and you have our pad. That's Adam, Travis, Craig and me.

Everyone is really great, but we do spend a lot of time together. When we're not home together, we're carpooling *together* to the job where we all work...
in the same double-cubicle, together. We go home together and watch either KU Basketball or BattleStar Galactica on the television set downstairs. Together. Together. Together.

So, practically speaking, what gets accomplished with so much concentrated intellectual ability? We're the creme of the crop, right? I mean *Intel* picked us up, for crying out loud, and gave us a bunch of $ to relocate more than 1700 miles. I'll try to paint as clear depiction of a typical day at the office as I can:

Pick Headphones over Food, Given the Choice

I pull off my headphones to Kelly wailing away about a loser boyfriend to Travis and Craig debating fried seafood.

Travis: I like fishsticks.
Craig: Fishsticks aren't real seafood.
Travis: Why not?
Craig: Because they're just not. I like fried shrimp, but I can't do coconut shrimp. I don't really like coconut.
Adam: I coconut-ted your mom last night.
(Pause)
Travis: ... So?
Me: Nice comeback, Travis.
Travis: Shut up. You don't know.

At this point, I grab a buck and head to the vending machines. I notice another girl walking my way and silently hope she's headed the same place: it's just so rare to see another girl in the building. But, she turns at the restrooms instead.

Oh well. She was kind of dressed up, an indication that she might work in Business/Marketing a couple of buildings away and is just passing through. I'll probably never see her again.

Back to the vending machines, where water is an unnacceptable $1.25. I know that my self-respect will suffer if I spend that much on water. But if I don't get something, it's a wasted trip. Some obsessive-compulsive tendency surfaces and I decide I must get *something.* I opt for beef jerky, which is salty... and I'm thirsty. It's $.65, though, so I get it and return to my desk.

By the time I get back, Adam and Travis are apparently engaged in warfare:

Travis: Ha! I stuck it to you.
(Craig, anticipating Adam's next remark, is already snickering)
Adam: I stuck it to your mom last night.
(Travis, red, flips back around to his computer screen)
Travis: You don't know.
Me: Travis, your comebacks suck.
Travis: Ha!

I sit back down and pull back on the headphones. Adam, Travis and Craig fade to the background of Track 6:
It's like I can't breathe, without you inside of me. Nothing but you, I'm addicted...

I am really grateful for headphones. With action like this diverting my attention, I'd never get anything done.

Piercing

I got the nose ring Tuesday evening. Craig came along, too, so I wouldn't have to make the trip to Sacramento by myself. Here's the promised pic. It's really subtle, so it's kind of difficult to get a shot of the thing.

*Note* I know that I posted a pic of the wrong nostril last post. I had a last minute change of thought and pierced the right instead. I thought about reversing the image, but that's just too much work for a lazy Saturday...

Cali Pics

I'm about to throw up an insane amount of pictures from this California experience, so far... from the road trip to eating out in Folsom, California. When I do, I'll post the link here. (Seriously, by *insane* I mean hundreds. Before you click, be warned).

Long post, whew... I'm going to close here and make some soup.
Later!
-T.

Pale Ale, Jewelry and Spicy Food

2006-01-29T15:02:00.000-08:00

Before the Needle
Originally uploaded by linux_chick.

Intel sucks for getting our checks out to us late this week... but I had to resist the impulse to take a photo of the thing when it did finally come in. It's the most beautiful check I've ever seen: lots of 0s, which is not too shabby for an intern. What to do with an extra several-thousand-dollar relocation check. Oh, I know!

Fun Dollars
*Mom, Don't read this section!*

So, I'm posting a pic I took last night because it has my left nostril in it. (Mom, if you're reading this, I'm sorry!). Piercing next weekend is most definitely on. Since I have to head up to Sacramento to get it done, the roommies suposedly are even coming for moral support. What else is there to do in California, right?

I suppose I shouldn't make it sound too boring, right? It's really not. This last week has been pretty eventful.

Activity Breakdown

Monday: Church Group
Travis went to Community Bible Church last Sunday and having a good impression, took me along to the college group. A healthy group of about 10 were just starting a study on Ecclesiastes; the discussion was so lively though, that we only made it to 1:2 by 9pm. Good times.

Friday: Recent College Graduate Dinner & House Party
This is a semi-official group at Intel that meets from time to time and promotes a sense of community among a younger crowd, obviously with similar interests. We (Travis, Craig and I) went along to the India House, which is kind of an upscale mall-restaurant serving Indian food. I had Curry Chicken and Flan(sp?): great but pretty spicy. Over dinner, the RCG group unofficially agreed plan a weekend getaway to San Fransisco in the next few weeks.

Later that night, Travis and Craig elected to watch Battlestar Galactica, while Adam and I went to a house party an RCG intern had invited us to. Everyone exchanged phone numbers for planning a trip to downtown Sacramento Saturday.

Saturday: Vegging & KU Basketball
We had to wake up at 9am to catch the KU vs. Iowa State game. But, it was well worth it to watch us pull off that win in Aimes. Fantastic.

Matt (an RCG from the house party Friday night) called with finalized plans on heading up to Sacramento, but pooped, I declined.

Later that night, Adam, Travis and I blew a combined $50 on dinner at BJs Pub. For some drama, we actually had to wait an hour before being seated, and decided to drive around looking for something else. But, since we took their table buzzer with us when we left he had to endure the thing beeping every 30 seconds-ish once it was out of range from the restaurant. We were so aggrivated, we ultimately just went back; it was totally worth it, though. Black Olive & Pepperoni Pizza + Pirhanna Pale Ale + an unpronouncable dessert = *Yum!* Can't do it every night, though.

Sunday: Church
Travis and I went to the 9:30 service at Community Bible Church. They taught a sermon from a video tape, which is different, but I'm totally hooked on the people and looking forward to the Ecclesiastes study tomorrow evening.

Conclusion

So, I have kept pretty busy I suppose. It helps ease the sting from missing home and especially, Jeremy. Ouch.

Before I go, a link hat's tip to Travis 's blog, where he posts more pictures and experience tidbits of our endeavors here in California.

I'll close this book here. Peace, -LC

Looking for Toto...

2006-01-07T17:41:00.000-08:00

Intel
Originally uploaded by linux_chick.

It seems somehow fitting that I would be watching the original Terminator, starring Gov. Schwarzenegger himself, my first week here in California. But, here I am.

And things don't seem altogether too different from Kansas when I'm sipping coffee at my desk, browsing OSNews, and half-paying attention to nostalgia on television. Take away some snow, add a home pool and equate Safeway with Dillons and I'm right at home.

I've finished 4 days of my 7 month internship at Intel in their Design Validation department. So far, working full-time in a tech position minus class and homework is everything I thought it could be: I'm intellectually challenged at work, then I go home and do... whatever I want (wohoo!)... I've even had the chance to catch up on where I left off last semester in Card's The Worthing Saga when I'm not listening to the shrieks of my roommates jumping in our 60-degree pool.

It's safe to say that things are dangerously close to perfection; if I could have my fiance back here with me, things just might be...

Well, I'm going to go do something constructive, so I'll close here, for now: Hasta la Vista, Baby ;)

Getting Married...

2005-12-25T08:44:00.000-08:00

Engagement Photo
Originally uploaded by linux_chick.

My dad took this picture of us yesterday with my new camera while we were celebrating Christmas. It instantaneously became our official engagement picture.

We've been dating since May 2003, but as of November 19th, Jeremy and I are officially engaged.

Moving...
In unrelated news, I scored a super-sweet internship with Intel in California. So, I'm taking next semester off from school on Internship credit.

January 3rd is my first day and I'll post as many pictures here as I can of my pad.

To all my KU buds, see you guys in August! To everybody reading, Merry Christmas!
-T.

I Knew We Could Do It...

2005-12-23T21:04:00.000-08:00

Congrats to our Seniors
Final Score: 42-13.

What a fantastic season! Merry Christmas everybody :)

Quote of the Day: This One Makes Me Smile

2005-11-06T07:35:00.000-08:00

"Hey, if I am [suspended], I am. That would be a discredit to the team and obviously it would hurt the team. It would be a sad situation."

-Terrell Owens on his suspension w/ Phili

Brief Kansas Update: Multimedia
The photogallery from the Nebraska game is up here. Thanks to Jeremy for taking all the great pics!

Video of the second goal post coming down can be viewed here.

Happy viewing!
-T.

1 in 51,000

2005-11-05T14:40:00.000-08:00

Final Score
Originally uploaded by linux_chick.

One girl in the very top nosebleed row on the fifty yard line saw it all. I'm not sure if I can stop my fingers from trembling...

Record Attendance
It's true (and fantastic) that 51,750 fans showed up to watch us snap this 36 year losing streak to Nebraska. But what excites me more than packing Memorial Stadium tighter than it's ever been in history are the *real* fans in both sides of the stadium. I actually sat next to a group of KU alumni who graduated 21 to 23 years ago reminiscing about puking in the stadium and celebrating wins by carrying students up and down the rows until officials broke it up. It was so great.

There were so many fans. All screaming loud enough that I struggled to hear the band.

The Events as I Remember...
I watched KU students alongside 40 and 50-somethings rush the field to tear both goalposts down.

My favorite team dominated in the most amazing football game I've ever witnessed.

A kindergartener in a Jayhawk cheerleading uniform squeeled at the top of her lungs, "We got 'em, Daddy. We got Nebwaska!!"

It's a good day to be in Lawrence
I seriously can't stay... I'm going to post this photogallery within the hour so you can catch a glimpse of what we saw today.

I'm not going to talk about stats either, because I don't know them, or care. I was there to watch the event that turned my hometown upside-down in three hours time. I'm going to leave now and go lose my voice with my neighbors. There will be booze and dancing and screaming. Today is *great*.

KU Quarterbacks Wilt Under Pressure

2005-10-08T18:55:00.000-07:00

I'm so upset right now, I'm not even sure what to say about game day in Manhattan.

Dominating Rushing with over three times the yardage of K-State, we *still* lose 12-3. In response to our outstanding defensive effort, our offense lost 3 of 4 fumbles and had a collective <20% completion of passes.

Freshman Marcus Hereford was the one Quarterback whose explosive 34-yard trick pass to Gordon and back that got our offensive momentum back... and then we pull him from the game.

Rushing. Rushing worked. Cornish gets it done, but then, we'd have to get him the ball.

How many games are we going to have to lose before our Offensive Coordinator calls the plays that our team is actually good at?

Unrelated...
Just to leave this on a somewhat happy note so I'm not suicidal:

The beta 2 of Firefox is released. Aside from breaking my Adblock extension, it's looking nice. Hurray for dragging text into search bars and links into the tab-toolbar for instant execution!

Man, open-sourced is getting good. ;)

Stay techie,
-T.

KU Starts 0-1 for Conference Play

2005-10-01T20:07:00.000-07:00

There's no shame in losing to number 16 ranked Texas Tech in our first game away, but having a passionate comeback putting up 10 points in 90 seconds in the beginning of the second half deflated by a disjointed offensive effort is disheartening to say the least. Final score: 30-17 Texas Tech.

Hats off to the Defense
Absolutely incredible stops that kept us in the game while our QB choked throwing down the field. I can't blame Luke too harshly; as much as I appreciate what Mangino is doing for our program, our play calls are truly a mystery to me. Throwing on a first down when Luke started out 8 of 18 passes in the first quarter and 1 interception. Umm... something isn't working.

Offense that Works
It seemed the only thing that *did* work offensively was the combined running efforts of Cornish and Simmons. We show great potential. If we can get over our clumsy passing game, who knows how this program will grow over the next few weeks? I'm truly at a loss.

See you next week in Manhattan :)

I Want to Be a Coach

2005-08-28T02:00:00.000-07:00

North Stadium View

How's Mangino's $600k salary as an incentive to pick up sport coaching? Nice...

Anyway, here are some pics of our new football scoreboard.

It doesn't appear to be completely finished, but still is looking pretty nice. So fans willing to spend the $225/game for season tickets (non-students) will be able to decide which direction they want to crook their heads to see by exactly how much we're slaughtering Nebraska... North or South.

Game 1 is less than a week away... do you have your tickets yet? :)

-T.

KU Gets Kicked While They're Down

2005-08-25T21:38:00.000-07:00

Football Media Attention

So, I got my wish (sort of).

KU Football is certainly making headlines these days with the Ringwood arrest and allegations that he attacked a forty-something man and his wife outside a concert. This attention isn't exactly what I had in mind in my previous post.

With the onset of this incident, exciting developments of our outstanding freshmen recruits and speculated atheletic growth in players such as Clark Green and our powerhouse Charles Gordon seem to fade to the background. KU's disciplinary actions have instead, receives the limelight... Great.

I haven't decided who I'm angrier with, the 20-year-old athelete casting a shameful light on the institution (and program) I think so highly of under already tense circumstances... or the local media for beating the incident to death and allowing it to overshadow our positive steps forward.

Are Our Freshmen Stupid?

While I'm venting about individuals making KU look bad, it seems to me that this wave of incoming freshmen are lacking in the common sense department.

For a little background, I'm working a couple on campus of jobs in the computer/internet trouble-shooting arena at ResNet and EGARC.

In this era of widespread computer accessibility where everyone and his dog owns a laptop, Ipod and PDA, each successive year of new-comers would be growing more and more computer savvy. At least that's what *I* thought.

Favorite Computer Questions at EGARC

Can you help me open Word?
OK, now how do you save this?
So you guys are the computer people. Can you give me my Blackboard assignment?
My class isn't in the room it's supposed to be in. Can you tell me where they went?
Can you give me the video my instructor asked us to watch? She's the short one with brown hair.

Favorite Internet "Trouble-Shooting" Solutions from ResNet
Student Question: I can't get to the internet, what am I doing wrong?
Answer: Pick any of the following...

You need an ethernet cord.
(Related to 1) You need an ethernet cord that isn't broken, ie. the plastic terminating end is actually attached.
When the window pops up asking if you want to continue, click "OK."
You actually need to *run* the security program you downloaded from our site.
Try the web-browser.

These guys aren't the *norm,* but are more frequent than one would hope. Am I being too harsh?

-T.

Big 12 Stadiums on Google Maps

2005-08-10T21:38:00.000-07:00

Gearing up for Football Season

Like a good little Jayhawk, I spent a sickening amount of the day complaining about the rise in tuition and book costs while simulatneously opting to foot another $120 for the Sports Combo Ticket in Enroll and Pay.

The Big 12:

Jeremy actually compiled this list during the Google Maps craze. So, if you have a few minutes to waste and want to check out our stadiums:

Baylor Bears
Colorado Buffaloes
Iowa State Cyclones
KANSAS JAYHAWKS (MSN Virtual Earth)
Kansas State Wildcats
Missouri Tigers
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma State Cowboys (MSN Virtual Earth)
Texas Longhorns
Texas A&M Aggies
Texas Tech Red Raiders

Support Our Team

No doubt, Lawrence is all about basketball. And with good reason... but with football season less than a month away our local paper is still talking about nothing but freshmen B-ball recruits. Their excuse is pure economics: basketball stories gross triple the hits online vs. football... even in football season.

So visit KUSports and click on some football links to promote more writing. We got the cover story today... Hopefully, this can help get Lawrence excited to see what Mangino and the team can do.

Tailgating, Tailgating, Tailgating

I couldn't be more pumped up. With the last season defeat of K-State thanks to our uber-stud coach, all football-fan eyes are set on one thing...

Nebraska ;)

See you at the stadium September 3rd. This should be fun,
-T :)

Hating Bill Gates on a New Level

2005-08-09T20:36:00.000-07:00

As much as I complain about Internet Explorer and Microsoft business practices, these guys are psycho.

Andy Martin and the Obliteration of Common Sense

The Committee to Fight Microsoft (CTFM) as far as I can tell "protects our rights" as consumers by refusing to accept "bad code" Microsoft forces onto innocent consumers like you and I. Andy Martin, CTFM President says this of Microsoft:

"Bill Gates sells the public defective products, and then expects us to spend years being his guinea pigs, while he corrects the myriad of defects and vulnerabilities in his defective code. This is mass consumer fraud. It is unacceptable corporate behavior."
--Beta News

The solution, you ask?

This is Martin's answer: He hopes to force Microsoft into ensuring that Windows Vista will either be free of "bad code" or removed from the shelves. That's right. Martin is asking for Microsoft's guarantee that Vista is bug-free or withheld from the market until it's perfect.

Let's Use an Analogy

Martin's logic holds some intrinsic flaws:

First, he assumes Microsoft is releasing defective software warranting fraudulent advertising simply because the system can be compromised.

So, if I build a house, and some jerk is successful in burning it down, can I be sued for construction flaws?

This is exactly what virus developers do. They maliciously research ways of compromising software. A successful virus script-kiddie managing to hijack our systems into performing actions never intended is a far cry from Microsoft designing Vista that way.

Second, *no* software is bug-free.

Developing is a process; especially when dealing with the amount of code Windows would require. It's a game of programmers against programmers back and forth. We should be happy Microsoft releases years worth of updates when vulnerabilities rise to the surface. Exactly, which OS would Martin like to switch to? Linux? *There's* a bug-free option.

Lastly, if you're unhappy with Windows, don't use it.

Hopefully, this doesn't require any further explanation. We live in a capitalist society. XP and Vista are two of many different operating systems and we're free to choose any one (of varying quality) we want. I thought this was a no-brainer.

And my coworkers think *I* hate Gates. Hopefully Martin takes a chill pill.
-T.

KU Construction Hazards and Dashed Techie Hopes

2005-07-29T10:20:00.000-07:00

A Dilemma

I actually watched a guy fall up the stairs on the way to Bailey Hall. Yep, it was ugly. The kind of fall that sends notebooks flying in the bushes and scrapes knees against the concrete.

I was walking far enough behind that by the time I reached him, he was standing again, braced against the hand-support. That's when I saw blood. And he was no longer making an effort to get up the stairs.

What does a person do in this situation? Do I offer to help him the rest of the way? Or walk past under the pretense that I hadn't seen the incident?

The question is this: Which hurts more: trying to limp up the stairs on an injured knee or the scathed pride at having fallen *badly* in front of a person of the opposite sex?

Internet Explorer with Tabs?

That's a nice feature, but I would *much* rather have a browser that is standards compliant like just about EVERY OTHER browser on the market.

Here's a review of IE 7.0 I pulled from Slashdot.

A Subtle Note to Gates:

CSS-Support! Just *do* it! The most-used browser on the planet is stuck in the Ice Age. I'm going to bomb Microsoft if I have to include *one* more hack specific to fixing YOUR STUPID BROWSER in my code again...

Ubuntu is so Cool, It's too Bad their Colors Suck

2005-07-27T21:51:00.000-07:00

Jeremy and I found a deal at Best Buy we couldn't pass up: 80G Hardrive, Sempron 3000 E-Machine. So we whipped out the credit card and did the "college thing," making purchases we can't afford.

The Service Rep

Fending this guy off proved a feat. He was going through his top-sellers-list, "offering" us: a firewall, anti-virus (which all KU students can get for *free*), etc.

When my polite attempts to quickly get out of the store failed, Jeremy stepped in, "Dude, we're gonna put linux on this thing as soon as we get it back."

The rep paled and silenced. Best Buy should maybe train their reps better, so they know a little about competitor products and not just the memorized, stock answers Best Buy wants them to shove down people's throats.

Installing Ubuntu

This is my favorite linux distro. that I've tried so far. The Ubuntu community offers a plethera of solid faqs for *every* question you could ever want answered unlike any distribution I've seen. The GUI is intuitive and friendly... but well, unfortunately kind of ugly.

What's with the diarrhea-brown everywhere? C'mon, you guys are *this* close to perfect.

Anyway, we don't have to look at it since we're running it console only.

A $300 toy

So, using it as a secure shell/web server sounded like a great idea for us in the store... Fast-foward to today: the thing is set up (on the floor since neither of us have an extra desk), ready to go and we don't have any files we want to put on the thing. Maybe we didn't plan this through very responsibly.

...At least it's fun to play with. :)

Kansas Freshmen

2005-07-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

I was following a girl today who had a $10 bill falling out of her right back pocket.

When I finally caught up to her, she was venting to a boy by the Chick-Fil-A stand. She told him she was furious; she had just come downstairs after having to pay an outrageous $3 overdue fee to avoid getting in trouble with the Bursar's Office.

I cut in, "Sorry. I don't mean to eavesdrop."

I made them aware, in case they didn't already know, that I was pretty sure students could renew their videos upstairs as many times as they wanted for free. I told them that although checking out videos are free, the libraries on campus tend to use steep late fees since instructors often need the videos for classes.

I said that I hoped what I said may help for next time.

Both stared blankly at me for a moment and I felt really stupid.

It was the girl who finally spoke.

"Thanks anyway," she said. "Next time, I think I'll just go to Blockbuster and avoid getting screwed by KU's bull***."

So, does Blockbuster not charge late fees?

Bowling Blows

2005-07-25T22:27:00.000-07:00

I hate this stupid this game and don't want to play anymore.

Why Impatient People Should Pick Another Sport

How much more counterproductive can a game get than launching a urethane projectile at set of plastic rods flipping you the birdie from 60 feet away?

Best case scenerio: you nail 'em all. But don't get too excited because 15 seconds after hearing the satisfactory crack of exploding pins richocheting off the backboard, your crowning achievement is cleared away by a heartless mechanization replacing your conquered pins with a fresh set, white and new and flipping you the birdie.

No one wins... *ever:* The purpose of this spectacle is to raise your average. It's not as simple as slaughtering more headpins than your neighbor. This is intended to facilitate the opportunity for newcomers to compete with the advanced. What it actually *does* is create an extremely frustrating game-setting, where the only way to win is to kick your own butt.

Doesn't sound like a night out of fun to me. Hmm, a game where the harder I practice, the harder it will be for me to beat *myself.* Maybe, I'll stay home and clip my toenails instead. At least then I'd have some kind of notion of accomplishment.

Everyone's an Expert: Nevermind that their averages are only 20 pins or so above yours. With stale-beer breath, freinds of friends of your father's bowling teammate from '72 that remember you from when you were "this big" will happily volunteer their successful (and often conflicting) bowling tips, leaving you dangerously tempted to test the structural sanctity of the plastic bowling pins against your thrashing foot.

Bowling is Monotonous: This game's idea of variety is switching to another lane three feet away that is identical to the one you just played on. Then you get to switch back. And switch again.

In Short

Without divulging too many details, I think it's fair to say bowling could have gone better this week.

An upside is that Jaybowl lets KU students bowl for $1/game all summer long in the basement of the Kansas Union. Hurray for gluttons for punishment.

-T.

Mind of Monotony with Carlos Mencia

2005-07-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

Last night I tried out the new Comedy Central show, Mind of Mencia... again. Since it's debut July 6th, I've subjected myself three times to the same watered-down laughs reminiscent of a hispanic Chappelle's Show without the wit. I think it's fair to say I've given the guy a shot.

Not for the Easily Offended

This title of his comedy DVD released a couple of years ago is also the gimmick of the show. You'll know this because he will tell you *every five minutes* just before he moves on to broadcasting another tired stereotype to the audience they've long-since grown sick of hearing.

Feigning Indifference

Adding insult to injury, Mencia's in-your-face flavor comes across as a desperate attempt to convince his audience that he doesn't care who he offends. Maybe he's trying too hard...

His politically-correct style of alotting nearly equal time to bashing each cultural identity appears to suspiciously reminiscent of a ploy of an entertainer afraid of losing his fan base. The action screams, "You can't get mad at me because I make fun of everyone, so you can't be mad because at least I'm being fair!" This has two problems:

It doesn't work.
Some stereotypes are funnier than others. Why sacrifice the quality of his show for a strained montage of tag team culture-ribbing?

If it comes down to offensiveness, Dave Chappelle's "The Niggars" skit of a 1950s white suburban family with the commons surname, "Niggar" is far more eyebrow-raising as Chappelle tests the limits of how often his audience can hear the word "Niggar" in casual conversation without cringing. It's gutsy, and hilarious.

But then, Chappelle doesn't feel the need to p the Hindus, Arabs, Blacks, Mexicans, Jews and Homosexuals in every show.

It leaves no time to develop a joke.
Mencia's show is 23 minutes long (taking comercials into account). With as many topics as Mencia hopes to cover, he's successful in getting across punchlines suggesting that Arabs are racially profiled as terrorists and Mexicans stigmatized as illegal aliens. Gee, thanks.

On a (Somewhat) Positive Note

I'm being too harsh. It's not as if I never laughed. Mencia has a great deal of charisma that is extremely entertaining to watch. Hopefully, he explores his material a bit to find something fresh to present to his audience. As is, Dave did it first, Dave did it better.

-T.

So Long-horn...

2005-07-22T14:16:00.000-07:00

Microsoft officially anounced the new name of the Longhorn operating system superceding XP today as Window's Vista. Reported additional features give us home users much to be excited about.

For the Developers and Home Users

"Click Once" application technology is purported to beef up Visual Studio and ease application installation securely.

Also, the new addition of "Aero," a dynamic side-bar holding relevant applications to add power to the standard Windows Task Bar. Possibly borrowing from the Apple dock?

For the Gamers

Vista implements the new Avalon (API) graphical subsystem for better rendering of 3D graphics based on Direct3D technologies.

If anyone has tried the beta version of this OS and has any feedback, feel free to post your impressions. I'd be interested to know.

Tangent Links

Here's some additional readings I found interesting today. If you have a few extra minutes to kill, you may be mildly amused...

Technology: A friend at work was drooling today over gaming possibilities with the Nvidia GeForce 7 Series. Admitedly, the new video cards look impressive.

Mindless Entertainment: This is really old, but entertained me for a while today: I thought I'd give a shout out Burger King's Subservient Chicken. Enjoy watching your free video slave "dance like John Travolta."

In the News: Whoopdie-do for 10 more years of the Patriot Act, signed into Congress today. The justification being, since there were no "atual record(s) of abuse," it *makes sense* to extend legislation.

Stay Cool Today

At the risk of sounding completely random, make sure you stay cool today. In Lawrence, the heat index is remarked to peak at 115 today. Absolutely dreadful.

Stay techie ;)
-T.

New Banners on this Site?

2005-07-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

So, advertisments can be annoying, I know. But, I've decided to syndicate out a piece of this blog to Google's Adsense program to hopefully help me earn a little extra cash and help support my Flickr account. So, if you want to support me and see something of interest in my side-bar, go ahead and follow my advertiser links and make a purchase. I'll be rewarded for it.

How to Block my Banners

It may be slightly counter-productive to instruct you on how to make my means of revenue disappear from the screen, but if they're as annoying to you as they are to me, it won't hurt my feelings in the slightest to browse free of them. Follow these steps and you won't see them anymore.

Get Firefox

Install Adblock. Read more.

Restart Firefox.

Tools -> Adblock -> Preferences

Type: *show_ads.js*

Hit Enter and you're done. No more ads on this blog.

For those holding out on Adblock for this page, I want to say thanks for your support.

-T.

On Bowling

2005-07-18T17:11:00.000-07:00

It's one of my goals this summer to become a better bowler. So, I joined a league with Jeremy, my Dad and his girlfriend, Peggy.

Setting Expectations High

Week 1: it proved a feat to convince my father, a veteran bowler of 25+ years that I was a *terrible* bowler... Not just kind of bad. As if my task wasn't difficult enough, I ended my debut by nailing a 110 average by some outlandish string of luck. Looking into the eyes of my father swelling with pride at having donated genes to a potential "natural" bowler, I cringed. Nothing good can come from this.

Leaving the alley, I gulped down rising stomach-acid overhearing Dad's murmuring in Peggy's ear his delight at their new "secret weapon" on the team... me.

A Steady Decline

Luckily, any misconceptions of my bowling aptitude were shattered the following week when midway-ish through the first game of the series I landed my 7th gutter-ball. For those that may not know how league bowling works, the steady increase of one's average does volumes to a team's chances. Conversely, it's *really* bad to lower your average... and mine had a ways to fall.

Fast-Forward to Week 8

I've been kicking my butt, pulling extra practices and Jeremy, holding a steadily rising 193 average, has been helping me on my approach. My average is a more reasonable 97. This Sunday, I nailed *confidently* a 97, 104, and 115.

*Plus* The last tie-breaking game was won by 7 pins, which Dad says my strong 10th frame won for the team. It's nice to help the team for a change. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

Hurray for Oatmeal Cookies! That's our team name; sounds fiesty, huh?

-T.

Ubuntu-izing Fedora Core 4

2005-07-17T22:27:00.000-07:00

I'm on week two of Fedora Core 4, switching from an install of Ubuntu (Hoary) after I completely botched my Ubuntu install... nevermind the details ;). So, I gave Red Hat a go... and so far, I'm impressed. A *huge* reason for Red Hat's success with me is the Unofficial Fedora Guide.

The Guide

Let me start off by saying that I found Ubuntu to be very nice, by far the easiest install and user-friendly distribution I've tried so far. It makes *perfect* sense then, for other distros pursuing more shallow learning curves for your average home-user to borrow what's working from the Ubuntu knowledge base.

Hats off to Seb Payne, an Evolution Colt developer that did just that, borrowing from the intuitive style of the Ubuntu Starter Guide to create an easy to navigate, user-friendly FAQ for linux/Red Hat beginners.

Enter The Resistance

Sounds like a happy ending, right? I thought so, too. But this solution makes too much sense for Fedora developers who refuse to collaborate with Payne's guide, donate content or even establish a link for users to decide which FAQ suits them the best.

Can't We All Get Along?

If we discuss waging an Operating System war, undoubtedly Microsoft wins. With a powerhouse like Windows XP dominating easily 80% of the market, it would seem that Linux distributions would be working together and sharing ideas to have a better chance of carving out a slice of Gate's monster pie. Unfortunately, this is not the case, at least with Fedora developers seem intent on shooting themselves in the foot, letting ideas that show a good deal of promise go to waste.

Thanks Seb

So, Payne, this post is for you. Hopefully, a frustrated Fedora user or two will stumble onto this post and give your guide a shot before starting anew with Mandrake or switching back to XP. It's unfortunate you have to coallate a renegade FAQ on your own, but many of us are grateful for the work you're doing; I want to do my part, sending a few more visitors in your direction to show my support.

-T.

Visit the Fedora Guide

Burton's Chocolate Factory a Treat

2005-07-16T13:02:00.000-07:00

Could we expect anything less? The director that brought us The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach has outdone himself again with an extremely creative rendition of the 1971 classic. Though, he didn't accomplish this feat alone.

Inside the Movie...

For better or worse, you *will* see the following in this movie:

Deep Roy in yellow spandex involved in a display of 70s-style interpretive dance
Remember this vertically-challenged actor from The Neverending Story?

Disneyesque-Dancing-Figurine pyrotechics
This is the only way I could think of to describe it... you'll know exactly what I'm talking about if you've seen the movie.

A young boy *attempting* to eat chocolate wearing orthodonic braces that resemble a small-scale torture device.
Maybe I'm morbid, but I was laughing my socks off.

What Works

Director, Tim Burton, stimulates intellectually, creatively and aesthetically in this comic production that is so visually involved, the audience can almost taste the toothache from the screen. Not only should this film be advertised as color-stimulant gluttony, but Burton puts forward additional sensory overloads such as shiny objects and juicy candy dripping from a woman's open-mouthed grin that work delightfully.

Johnny Depp demonstrates his artistic versatility through his portrayal of the eccentric, hopelessly naive, reclusive and quirky Willa Wonka himself. Having high expectations going into the movie, I was pleasantly surprised with how tangibly Depp could present this completely unrealistic, fairytale-like character.

What Doesn't

Listening to accent discrepancies proved annoying. While evident that Burton cast actors that undoubtedly fit the bill, its difficult to avoid feeling insulted at buying into a family of three generations living in the same house as a cohesive unit speaking English in dialects native to three different countries.

Yes, talents such as Freddie Highmore, Noah Taylor and David Kelly carry out the magnetic performances of little Charlie, father and grandfather Bucket. The unfortunate breakdown from this conglomeration is that these actors are collectively from: Great Britain, Australia and Ireland. In my opinion, Burton unnecessarily reminds us that these talents are just that: good actors and have no feasible means of existing in the Bucket family as Burton presents it... blech.

I'm not going to reveal anymore... Hopefully you're adequately enticed to see the film and judge for yourself.

-T.

Firefox Woes

2005-07-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

1.0.5 Under Fire

Since its release July 12th, the open-sourced browser has come under fire and received some undue flack. I thought I would address a couple of concerns to hopefully help make Firefox more satisfying.

Massive Processor Usage:
Tabbed-browsing, for its speed and organizational aesthetic benefits can have a downfall if used to excess. Having 20 tabs open in firefox, while not the only cause of inefficient processor use, can easily bring your computer productivity to a crawl.

Solution #1: Try Adblock.
This solution has many benefits. This free extension blocks pesky advertiser banners from appearing while you browse, whose attention-nabbing images act like leeches on your memory. Also, adblock *will* prevent Spyware from being downloaded to your machine. Read more.

Solution #2: Buy more memory
It's that simple. If you must have 100 webpages open at a time, your computer is going to need some help.

No Update Feature:
At this point, Firefox is pushing out updates seemingly left and right. To stay up to date, a home user has to be conscientious enough to keep up on software news and download the newer version from Mozilla's website. Admitedly, this is a valid gripe.

Solution: Suck it up.
I don't mean to be quite so harsh, but we are talking about a *free* browser that is safer, faster and far more powerful than its Microsoft equivalent. At least the program is "smart" enough to save all preferences, bookmarks, extensions, etc.

So, yes. It is somewhat annoying to have to visit a website to download a newer version of Firefox, but for all the benefits they provide, I can cut Mozilla a little slack and invest 30 seconds of my day.

Spread-Firefox Trouble

Unfortunately, Spread Firefox has been breached. If you have an account, you should have already received an E-mail about this. Check your mail and follow instruction. The Mozilla Foundation has issued a statement that this security issue is isolated to the Spread Firefox website and does not affect any part of Mozilla.org. Read more on John Hoke's Blog.

Happy Browsing!
-T.

Rehnquist Stays...

2005-07-14T22:45:00.000-07:00

He's 80 and suffering from thyroid cancer... and more importantly arguably the most conservative Justice on the bench. Now with a chance to retire under a Republican administration, William Rehnquist is turning the opportunity down says CNN.

Is this for real?

I'm laughing my socks off at the thought that Bush may be so Conservative Right that even our conservative Justices are weary of entrusting the future of the bench to his discretion. I mean, the man is 80, I don't think anyone can demand any more tenure from him.

Politics Rehnquist Style

Though he's most well-known (infamous) for his possible involvement in the Nixon Watergate scandal, his stances against the desegregation of public schools during Brown vs. the Board of Education, support of school vouchers, and favor pardoned to the dampening of the division between church and state should probably be equally discussed... if not discussed more. Shouldn't retiring under Bush be this guy's wet dream? *sigh* Politics are sure getting interesting.

If you're Christian...

And sick of the Conservative Right, this website might be of interest to you. An affiliated blog was featured on The Daily Show.
The Christian Alliance for Progress

Well, I'm off my rant for the day.

Love,
-T.

Painting

2005-07-13T18:47:00.000-07:00

Guest Bathroom During Painting

So the photo galleries demonstrating the progress to the apartment are up!

All pics come compliments of Flickr

So what do you guys think of the blue?

Love,
-T.

I Made Some Science...

2005-07-06T23:34:00.000-07:00

I helped MIT today by taking this online survey. If you have a blog, you can, too.

We're painting the Apartment
Jeremy's brother, Jason came into town and is helping with the effort. The white walls are through. Here are the decided colors for the apt:

Living Room: Autumn Arrival (Orange)

Computer Room: Coral Expression (Red-Pink)

Master Bedroom: Dublin (Green)

Guest Bedroom: Seven Seas (Blue)

Guest Bathroom: Ocean View (Lighter Blue)

Master Bathroom: Saffron Thread (Yellow-Orange)

I'll post a gallery of before/after pics soon, so you can check on our progress. Cool, huh?
-T.

Thank you, Sebelius

2005-07-05T22:42:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how morons like Doug Mays ever attain the position of power and responsibility they do, but leave it to Kansas (the state I've been raised in and love) to always surprise me. So Mays, House Speaker, is under high fire in Kansas over trying to defend why Kansas Legislature has not met their deadline to increase state funding of public schools to the tune of $143 million as promised months ago. Instead of intelligently responding to the arguments at hand, or even better, putting pens to paper and fixing the problem, Mays resorts to immature hissy throwing.

Mays *refused* to convene early with Legislature to come up with an economic plan for school finance before Sebelius' special session on June 22. Why? Anyone's guess.

Worse, he compared the Kansas Supreme Court to Saddam Hussein and is apparently tired of being "puppetted" by the judicial branch. I wish I were joking. Read more

So, we can expect him to be advocating more legislative admendments to the State Constitution to sidestep the jurisdiction of the Kansas Supreme Court. Who cares about the system of checks and balances. We don't need them in Kansas, because we have Doug Mays. And Doug Mays is always always right. Because... well, he's a republican. And he doesn't like Hussein.

Meanwhile, the House is deadlocked in an extended *two-week* session without any plan to show for it. The Court is threatening to close public schools in Kansas, calling school finance unconstitutionally low.

On a Serious Note
Thank you, Sebelius, for working so hard for the best interest of a state that kicks and screams against your every move. Thank you for standing firm in your belief that the education of our children is top priority and necessary. Your humanitarian efforts are probably sinking your career as a politician in Kansas, but some people here are *very* grateful for your incredible service.

Regardless of Your Agreement with this Post...
I realize the issues are too complicated to discuss adequately in this short post. Please get informed and involved:
E-mail Doug Mays
Contact Governor Sebelius

Respectfully,
-T.

Adblock for Spyware

2005-06-29T21:04:00.000-07:00

Spyware is bad. At best, they slow down your computer with comercial-interest programs to monitor the websites you visit or occasionally provide you with a popup or two. Worst case, they install keyloggers to your system without your informed consent tracking sensitive passwords, credit card information, you name it.

Fortunately, There are Some Things We Can Do
You could buy a Mac or install and use a lesser targeted operating system, sure... This will work great, but is unrealistic for your average home user who is happy with XP.

May I recommend Adblock?

It's a free extension to Mozilla Firefox's web-browser, that I can't believe I survived without. This will cause you to download almost no spyware, eliminate most banner ads on websites and browse the web faster accessing the information you were interested in reading about in the first place. You are only a few easy steps away.

If you haven't already, download and install the Firefox browser here.

Using your new browser, go to the extensions page and install Adblock at https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?id=10

Close Firefox and reopen it.

Click: Tools -> Adblock -> Preferences

Now you may edit your blockable elements. By default, Adblock blocks nothing.
You can use the sample settings provided by mozdev (the Adblock developers) to get you started here. Keep in mind, that this is a very *basic* list to get you started and is a little out of date. You will want to add to this over time.

You're done! You've installed Adblock and configured your Filter List. Happy browsing with Firefox...

-T :)

Bale-man Steals the Show

2005-06-23T19:46:00.000-07:00

To say that Batman Begins is fantastic solely because of one man's performance hardly does this motion-picture gem justice, but to walk out of the theatre and discuss the movie's success without mentioning his name in the opening sentence defies all reason. So here it is: Christian Bale is bowling over audiences world-wide.

Who?

It's tough to fill the shoes that Michael Keaton left behind. Many have tried... Need I mention the abominations to the screen that big-time names like Val Kilmer and George Clooney left behind in their sordid attempts. It seemed gutsy at best, if not suicidal, to cast a has-been teen-heartthrob from the early 90s that has been where for the past 10 years to take a stab at the role.

Maybe not... When I first saw Bale tackling the role in a trailer, I was initially surprised, but then thought "this should be good." This 30-something actor from Wales has got to be one of the most under-rated/cast actors today. I was disappointed in '92 when the musical, Newsies, failed to leave much of an impression on audiences. It was 10 years later that I saw him again in Reign of Fire and Equilibrium.

Unfortunately, McConaughey stole most of the little attention paid to Reign of Fire while I don't remember Equilibrium even coming out in the theatres. It seemed Bale would never catch a break... until now.

Batman Begins is taking the world by storm. It's blown the box office away in the UK and US alike. With a reception like this, I don't think this Bale is going anywhere soon... much to our delight.

More Contributions

Christopher Nolan is the young director that took this project on. Some may remember him from the artsy-thriller Memento in 2000. I can't say enough about his effort in this seamless production. Nolan develops an incredible amount of back-story in a believable and entertaining way, respectful of the comic and somehow makes the effort feel fresh and original.

The sole criticism I would offer is a puzzling scene where Bale seductively coaches a sexy Wayne Enterprise secretary on her putt-putt technique that may have fared better on the editing floor. The scene sticks out like a sore thumb... if anyone can guess its purpose, I'd be interested to hear about it.

Other than that, rising star Katie Holmes adds a believably intelligent, do-gooder love interest holding her own alongside spectacular notables like Liam Neeson and Gary Oldman.

According to the hails at the box-office, odds are you've seen it already; if not, hopefully I've convinced you to run and find out for yourself what all the buzz is about.

-Thia

I feel sick...

2005-06-16T23:25:00.000-07:00

That's really the only way to describe how I feel. After coming home from the store, I find my Dell laptop shutdown on its own and unresponsive to the power switch.

Even worse, the entire machine will not pull power when plugged into the wall for AC power.

Browsing Dell's support forums, I see that this is a common problem among Dell laptops and that some people have had to pay $800 to fix it. But their server is getting hammered and tell me to attempt to logging in at a later time. The support telephone lines are just as busy; I have been on hold for 30 minutes.

This is absolutely gut-wrenching. On that note, I think I am going to bed.
-T. :(

Psychological E-mail Profiling

2005-06-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

I shouldn't do this, but this is one of the dumbest things I ever read and I don't think I we should pay professors anymore.

Apparently, a Queen's University Professor is working with law enforcement to come up with an E-mail analyzing program that uses keyword/phrases to catch criminals.

"Dr. David Skillicorn’s work is based on the idea that when people are trying to hide something, they write differently than people who have nothing to hide."

--"The Evil in E-mail"

Supposedly, even the lack of certain words is enough to flag potential criminal activity, the idea being that guilty parties may avoid using certain words like "bomb" that is used in common innocent conversation--ie *I just bombed that test.*

The Criteria
So, engaging in the following "suspicious" E-mail activity will get you caught.

"[The program] examine[s] patterns in who e-mails whom. As an example, in criminal networks it is common to find several people communicating regularly with the same person, but never with each other. This is meant to ensure that if one lawbreaker is caught, he or she is unlikely to lead authorities to too many others. But it can also be a clue to suspicious activity."

I can imagine another scenerio this pattern could be indicative of... like a *popular college student.* But that scenerio is probably rare, right?

Wrong...

Sorry, Lieke... you're going down. It's a good thing you're in Germany right now. I, personally, don't know a fifth of the people on your xanga-subscribers list and our floods of E-mails to you are a smoking gun broadcasting your guilt.

Don't ask questions... It's *Magic*
My personal favorite quote is the Professor's absolvement of all responsibility. He's a mere man who designed a magical program that works in mysterious ways that even he doesn't completely understand.

I wish I were kidding.

"Skillicorn doesn’t know all the ways suspicious e-mails might read differently from innocent ones. The beauty of his approach is that he doesn’t need to know. His software is designed simply to look for messages that are different, based on word frequencies, from the mass of e-mails. It needn’t understand the reasons for the differences."

What? Are you sure he doesn't need to know? It could just be me; if we're sending people to prison, maybe someone should know why.

Later,
-T.

I LOVE the Summer

2005-06-11T17:49:00.000-07:00

My Grades Breakdown
It is so amazingly cool that summer is finally here and that last summer is but a glimmer of a memory that will hopefully fast fade away. Here's the breakdown of my teachers last semester and what I thought of them on a four star system.

Instructor	Class	My Grade	Teaching	Difficulty
Prof. Donovan	SOC 160	A	****	***
Prof. Klayder	ENGL 314	A	***	**
Prof. Schimek	COMS 130	A?	Worthless	An Abomination
Prof. Warren	HIST 128	A	***	**
Mr. Ohle	ENGL 353	B	**	*
Prof. Kong	EECS 210	B	****	****+

I'm not sure why I felt the need, but I gave each of these teachers a full review you can click on to read. Also, I posted my notes for anyone taking these courses to download here. Enjoy ;)

The question mark is for the teacher that still hasn't posted my grade, so I'm not sure what I got, but I expect an A. By far, my favorite teachers were Prof. Kong and Prof. Donovan.

Summer Projects...
This should be great fun! I'm working a bit and taking 3 hrs this summer... Jeremy and I are working on a site together. I will post a link to that soon. In the meantime, check out the new Church Site I'm building here.

Other than that, here's to relaxing and swimming my days away!

Love,
-T.

Shh!! Don't offend the Homophobes

2005-05-02T14:40:00.000-07:00

At the Risk of Incriminating Myself as a Big Fat Nerd...
I really hope I'm not the only one that makes use of Wikipedia's "Random Page Search," but many a bored nights, I've found myself surfing them with nothing else to do and not wanting to subject myself to what my boyfriend probably too-acurately calls the "fear-mongering" of the news and mass-media in general.

Anywho, I came across this article: If you don't want to read... that's alright. I'll highlight what I found to be important ;)

So apparently, it's not PC to say "homophobic" anymore. This term has been deemed misleading and lacking in truly portraying the characteristic of a person that doesn't like gay people. The less offensive term is "SEXUALIST."

Definition: A sexualist is a person who believes his/her sexual behaviors are intrinsically superior to another set of sexual behaviors and thus discriminates against people that practice sets of sexual behaviors that he/she deems different from his/her own.

So please, do your part to make the world a better place and when you come across a person fitting this definition, make sure to refer to them under the proper term sexualist so as not to offend them.

Love ya!
-T.

On Kansas Marriage

2005-04-07T16:04:00.000-07:00

A White Piece of Paper
I saw a bumper sticker today that read "Kansas: As Bigoted as You Think," and feel an overall resentment from my community, in the only county in the State that struck down the Ban, that Kansas has proven itself backwards and against the times... that the Nation is looking down on us ignorant country bumpkins. Admittedly, many gay-rights activists vocally are.

I thought I would write a bit on my thoughts about the amendment to the State Constitution that banned same-sex marriages. This single-side piece of paper that has received national attention from my home state

I Think We Should Keep Some Perspective:
Thinking about what the amendment actually did for Kansas legal process, I came to the conclusion that:

Honestly, almost nothing. The original legislature reads that legal marriage in Kansas necessitates two consenting "persons of opposing sex."
So, the amendment reworded this phrase to constituting marriage as the union of "one man and one woman only."

Whatever, it's the same thing. Same-sex marriage was illegal in Kansas on Monday and its illegal today, days after the amendment passed.

The Big Picture...
We should keep in mind also, that Kansas is not quite so "backwards:"

1. We are *not* alone. As far as I know, Massachussetts is the only state that recognizes same-sex marriage. As progressive of a city as Lawrence is, does anyone honestly expect that *Kansas* would be next?

2. For some further perspective... overwhelmingly, the global public is somewhat uncomfortable with institutionalizing same-sex marriage. Even areas we typically think of as liberal *cough* Europe *cough* only three countries recognize same-sex "marriage": Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain.

Although most European countries offer same-sex couples some legal rights, even though their unions cannot legally be defined as a marriage.

For example, Germany, same-sex couples have the opportunity to apply for an Eingetragene Lebenspartnerschaft or Registered Life Partnership. This way, couples are offered legal protection similar to that of our common-law marriages. But even in Germany, this is the best a same-sex couple can do. They are not allowed to marry.

Take a look at the map below to view your country of interest. Thanks to wikipedia for releasing this image for public use.

My conclusion...
I understand that its a big deal. This issue is hugely important to me as well. Equal-Rights opponents call our ban "immoral." At the same time, over 100 Kansas Christian ministers openly admitted their opposition to the ban, in spite of the media's portrayal of this issue as a centrally religious debate.

The topic warrants discussion for sure. The word: marriage represents a lot of equally important and emotionally charged ideas personally.

But in my opinion, politically it's a contract. I think it's important for us all to think about the terms under which people can enter. I feel the sentiment that an attempt to "protect it" has become somewhat of a dirty word. I think this is not fair. We *should* protect it, both sides. If we don't set some standards, then the contract becomes meaningless. (ie-should we allow group marriages? polygamy? etc)

With that in mind, my hope is that both sides can chill out and understand that history hasn't been made here. This is an important issue that warrants discussion and maybe then we'll come together to discuss under what terms we *should* protect the legal definition of marriage... of course after all the fuss settles a bit.

-T.

10 reasons why Spring Break Rocks...

2005-03-22T19:27:00.000-08:00

Top 10 List of why Spring Break Rocks My World

10. Dillons marks down their low-grade hair color half-off.

9. The Greeks are gone and can't raise tuition anymore this week.

8. I don't have to read Jane Eyre for at least 7 seven days and can devote my efforts to intellectually unstimulating time-wasters like Dean Koontz and Arthur Machen guilt-free.

7. My next-door neighbors took their adorable dog to the boarders during their alcohol-fest in Cancun, so I can open my window and inhale fresh air without the pungent reminder of sweet little Zoe's presents.

6. I can actually get a treadmill at the Student Rec. Center (for those of you at KU, you know what I'm talking about).

5. I can spend hours each day researching new (at least new to me) web-dev tricks... Hurray for HTML template tags!

4. 5 days straight of guaranteed Dr.Phil/Oprah watching... wohoo!

3. Episode III comes out in less than 60 days... Seriously, this movie is going to be scarily good.

2. Finally, the time to delve into my Linux partition and understand better why mplayer is broken by default or research a better browser-imbedded multimedia player... I miss watching my mtv-vids :(

1. My hair is red!! That's so cool.

Something about Kansas B-Ball
Everyone is really bummed about our devastating loss to Bucknell... Who's Bucknell? Exactly. I will miss the seniors. They deserved better...

But in spite of present circumstance, I hope this post was somewhat uplifting. Have fun this Break :)

See y'all on the flipside.

Love,
-T.

Cincy plays dirty ball

2005-03-17T22:04:00.000-08:00

So, I am a little peeved that my bracket is messed up for a round because Iowa lost today, but honestly... I thought hacking as a practiced strategy of basketball was reserved for bad free-throw shooters (cough... Shaq... cough), but I stand corrected. The battered and bruised Iowa team was sent home packing in the NCAAs this afternoon while Cincinatti's bullying-tactics earned them the right to progress into round two.

How are your brackets doing? See mine here.

On a plus! Spring Break is finally here, so more time for web-development and cyber-growth overall. Wohoo! My time is mine... muah ha ha ha ha... More soon :)

Love,
-T.

Pleading for Intolerance in a Liberal City

2005-02-22T18:05:00.000-08:00

Fear
"Thia? It's Peggy."
"Oh, hey. How are you?"
"Well, not so good..."
"What's wrong?"
"... it's your father..."

I received this phonecall Sunday morning at 10am. My father was in the hospital with a gunshot wound to the head.

In a college town...
Even in neighborhood-friendly Lawrence, Ks there are murders committed, hundreds of aggrivated assaults, and dozens of forceable rapes each year in addition to thousands of petty thefts. Is this surprising to you? It was to me.
[More Stats]

What can we do?
I am becoming more and more an advocate of harsher sentencing. Maybe this won't solve all crime, but at the very least, I think we can stand together as a community as a voice of intolerance against crimes committed with the intent of inflicting bodily harm.

It's humbling to me that I could be fatherless today and the world robbed of such an amazing individual with the flick of a wrist because someone was mad at him.

I think that we have the power to impose some change on this: Last year, one of our local judges, Paula Martin, received an intense ammount of heat for light sentencing (9 months probation) passed on three men who raped at 13 year old girl. Just last month, she passed a 21-year sentence for a local man sleeping with his 13-year-old his babysitter. Quite a positive turnaround.
[Judge Martin's Turnaround]

Sobering Conclusion
My father is so, so very lucky. The bullet intended for his face missed and struck his ear. I am so grateful for the opportunity to hug him again. I think I have a responsibility to do what I can to make this world a safer place for all of us and hopefully help spare someone else this phone call.
[My Father's Story]

What do you think?

-T.

Web-Explosion

2005-02-06T15:02:00.000-08:00

Facebook

I hopped on the bandwagon and joined Facebook. I was surprised to find a whole new cyber-network of friends I hadn't seen since high school or even grade school bustling under my nose. If you are nostalgic at all and attend a major university, Facebook might be just the thing for you. If you already know about it... facebook me, I guess :)

Take a Break from Superbowl Festivities to Meet Some Awesome Folks
I've been amiss in sending my friends a cool shout out for all the work they've been doing dabbling in the digital realm lately. (You guys are so cool!) So, everybody should check them out:

Mark

This is a pic of my boyfriend's best friend, Mark, from Florida. Mark, shown demonstrating his masterpiece culinary skills, has completely shown me up in the photo gallery department. We miss you... Move to Kansas.

Paul

Above is Paul, another digi-buddy of mine, from Ireland. He's taken up blogging again after a two year break or so (wohoo!). This super-techie makes for some interesting conversations at insane hours of the day and night over the likes of Machiavelli, radical feminists and all things computer-related in general. He's also posted some very nice pics from his homeland, so click the pic to visit him.

Zachary

OK, so this guy is Zack. I'm not sure what to say about him except that I work with him and he's listed in facebook that this blog (my blog!) is his homepage.... ummm it's not. So, if you're confused about the lack of Zack-rantings, the joke's on you. Don't get mad at me... Kill him ;)

Later Peoples! Thanks for visiting. Catch you later,
-T.

The "Granny Awards" Mystery

2005-01-29T09:47:00.000-08:00

Incident Report
The date: January 27, 2004 ~ 6:15 p.m. ~ A school in Lansing, Ks

The Incident: It was the setting of the annual "Granny Awards" where 3rd and 4th graders flocked in their Gap Kids designer outfits to sit and be entertained by live music and dance performances while awaiting disclosure of awards for "Best Musical Giant" and the like.

All was going according to plan until the Fairy-Godmother screamed. Cinderella's slipper had gone missing and Prince Charming had no shoe with which he could find his bride. It was a case of whodunit. Enter the suspects:

The Suspects
Suspect #1:

Name: Elizabeth ~ Age: 10 ~ Performer at the "Granny Awards"

Bio: The singing starlett herself playing an evil step-sister and whose audience-moving solo can be viewed in part here.

Motive: Noted for her sometimes uncontrolled temper, was seen hours before the performance holding the shoe in question in a threatening manner to Jack, the latter cowering behind his beanstock. Apparently, he had made an unflattering remark about the starlett's height, that she would be difficult to see in the balcony without first standing on a box and thus would never make it in show-business. It's suspected that the Elizabeth may have thrown the shoe at Jack in a rage and lost it down Alice's rabbit hole, where it would be completely unrecoverable.

Suspect #2:

Name: Gabriela ~ Age: 2 ~ Attendee

Bio: Quick-witted sister to the Starlett above and attends each performance.

Motive: Recently rejected for the role of Cinderella due to stage age-minimum requirements, this youth may be jealous of the time each of the performers are able to spend with her older sister and thus be sabotaging Elizabeth's career. Mysteriously, this toddler went missing with her diaper bag in tow backstage before the performance.

Suspect #3:

Name: Josh ~ Age: 22 ~ Attendee

Bio: This journalist for the University Daily Kansan was seen peeling out of the Lansing School parking lot at 5:15 p.m.

Motive: Esteemed writer for the Kansan whose article made the cover last week has since come under fire due to an anonymously released photograph of the journalist holding a cup of questionable contents at a party. It may be possible that this upcoming-talent reporter is attempting to divert public attention from this scandal by "creating" news...

The Show Must Go On

Fortunately, minutes before the performance, the drama instructor donated one of her own shoes for the sake of the awards and was forced to hop between sets backstage. The above picture was taken after the show.

The awards proved a huge success. Elizabeth was viewed by all and earned herself a standing ovation by even those in the balcony, Gabriela spent quality time in Elizabeth's arms after the show and played dress up in the latter's costume at home, and Josh wrote an exciting expose on theft at KU in Thursday's edition of the Kansan.

Not so fortunate for the residents in Kansas, a criminal is still on the streets in your midst as this mystery remains yet unsolved...

-T.

Most Definitely Missing the Summer

2005-01-23T12:45:00.000-08:00

My Required-Texts Total Tops 30

It's back to school. That means there's *a lot* less time for web-fiddling . And, our fantastic basketball team got our butts handed to us in Philly yesterday with an embarrassing 83-62 loss and shattering our undefeated record. *ouch* Our loss actually made the cover page on the ESPN website today. wohoo!

To make matters even worse, I still haven't aquired 15 of my books, 14 of which because I couldn't physically carry all of the texts out of the book store (as it was I already had two sacks filled). I am missing 1 additional book because my instructors sent out a mass E-mail today that there is another book he forgot to request out to the bookstores that we have to buy online.

Whine, whine... moan, moan. Hopefully the ranting is out now of my system.

On a good note, Chrystal Kemp and Aquanita Burras are studs and helped our women's team pull down our first conference victory against Mizzou yesterday. What a game to win!

A little lop-sided to the negative today (sorry y'all), I'll close here.

Stay warm. Stay positive. Summer is coming soon, I know it!

Love,
-T.

Biracial

2005-01-18T03:16:00.000-08:00

Not white, not exactly...

One of my readers (thanks for visiting, btw) caught me out and about in cyberspace, commented on my "unique features" and questioned my ethnicity. I can understand the confusion about my heritage and don't mind answering questions like these in the least.

I am biracial; my mother is white and father, black. Purportedly, I may be slightly more white given my father's heritage may have included a slave-owner, but I can't be certain.

All of my siblings are half-siblings on my mother's side and have no black heritage in their lineage. So, my niece Elizabeth for example, pictured in the "Elizabeth" post is completely white, although she's half-German, so maybe she's "mixed" as well, depending on where each individual draws ethnic lines. ;)

It should be noted as well that I additionally color and straighten my hair just to keep y'all on your toes. To see a picture of me somewhat more natural, click here.

In closing, I feel I'm in good company. Such celebrities as Halle Berry and Eagle Eye Cherry are mixed this way as well.

Thanks for reading!
-T.

Countdown to Mid.Night

2005-01-11T20:01:00.000-08:00

Thia vs. mark

The reason I'm so anxious in this pic is because I am trying to take Mark down at midnight. He's accepted a challenge of sorts and I can't think of a single thing I've beat him in yet (the stubborn jerk). This one, I can't lose.

I want to apologize to those of you who read my blog regularly... this post is sort of personal...

So, I have a challenge For mark... and just to be nice, I've posted a nice pic that's a dead give-away of the object in question somewhere on my website. My midnight, Mark, you're gonna have to supply me an answer. But you're gonna have to look very closely and pay attention to my clues to find the link to it. Thia Michelle wants you to find the htm-page devoted just to you and your futile mission... get out the magnifying glass and look behind the laughter. Hmmmm, this is a toughie.

I know that link is somewhere... where did I put it? oh yeah... it's there.

You've still got one hour and 45 mins. Go, Mark, Go!

Later,
-T.

Welcome Thia's Digital Playpen

2005-01-06T21:55:00.000-08:00

My homepage is up!... Again
Well... Technically I have had a homepage for almost a year that I was too embarrassed to show anyone. Now, it's a whopping single page with no links and a paragraph of content. Woohoo! But, my skeleton is out there and i will be loading it with useful info over the next few days.

Just wanted to let you guys know that you can *visit me* officially. I had a lot of fun with CSS and GIMP (an open-sourced Photoshop-like program) building it. And yes... that's my neck featured on the page so I'm not snagging anyone else's copyrighted stuff ;). Let me know what you think!

Browsers, blah blah
Oh and to give you the heads up... If you're running Internet Explorer of *any* version, my site won't render properly because Bill Gates is an evil man who is too busy making money to worry about making a quality browser.

OK, so the man isn't satan, but you should run out and install Mozilla Firefox right away. It's free, small, aesthetically *very* pleasing and the tabbed browsing is very addicting. If you already have firefox, you're a genius and beautiful and need no help from me. If you're not, run to it... don't think. Trust me, you'll thank me later.

Jeremy
Also, Jeremy has updated his site with all kinds of useful information about computer-related problems. He has a very nice *and* functional site and was very sweet giving me comments to help me make my homepage more aesthetically pleasing. You can visit him here. Very nice, baby :).

Goodnight!
Everyone stay warm because the weather here sucks still thanks to Mark.

-T.

The Curse of Mark

2005-01-05T13:17:00.000-08:00

Blame Mark for All the Ice:

Oh sure, he looks like a nice enough guy, but when Mark came up from Florida, one of the loaded pieces of doodoo he told my mother was that in her words :"he was going to bring up the Florida warm weather, so watch out when he gets back on the plane to go home!"

Sure enough, it was in the 60s here for his five-day stay... a record-breaking winter. Day two without him and this is the cover story for our city paper.

You Guys Rock!

I've gotten several IM's from you guys and even a voice-mail or two about my photo galleries, since I decided not to make the galleries post-able (is that a word?) for commenting, that is probably the only way anyone figured they could let me know.

I just wanted to say *thanks* for checking them out and feel free to comment here on the main blog about them as an additional option.

After posting another small gallery, I am reminded at how seriously time-consuming it is the way I do it, so let me know if anyone can think of a way to make my life easier.

Love You Guys!

Stay safe if you're out on the roads today. See ya later on at the game :)

-T.

Usher in the New Year with Photo Galleries

2005-01-04T02:53:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everybody!
It's about 5 in the morning, so I hope this all makes sense...

I just wanted to wish everyone Happy New Year and let ya'll know that I've posted a couple of photo galleries with pictures of you guys from Jordan's New Year's party and the Geogia Tech game so far in my sidebar. It took a loooooooooong time to manage all of it, so I'm not sure how many more of these I will post if I ever do again. But here they are and it has to be said that my friends sure are beautiful people. :)

(No! There are no thumbs... Nobody better ask me for any thumbs, grrr. But feel free to download at your leisure/surf.)

*Sniff, sniff* We miss you already, Mark. Make sure you keep in touch with us hicks still stuck out here in Kansas!

Alright, goodnite.

Love you guys!
-T.

Elizabeth

2004-12-30T18:28:00.000-08:00

Say 'Hi' to Jeremy:
So, one of my commenters has maliciously incinuated that I have an 'imaginary boyfriend' to make myself sound cooler. (Sean is really really mean... lol) Anyway, this picture of my niece and him is proof. Everybody wave!

Visiting Friends
Jeremy's friend, Mark, is over here and goofing off, so I'm gonna close here for now and go watch. Hopefully in an hour or so, I'll return with a pic or two of him in a dress ;).

Camera Gluttony
Elizabeth is my niece who is in town for the New Year's weekend. She and I had a little fun with the camera, so if you're bored, you can cruise through some of our pictures; I will link you to a gallery soon below. Happy viewing y'all!

Love ya!
-T.

Summing up 2004

2004-12-27T11:01:00.000-08:00

Whew... it has been a little while since my last post and so much has happened... I thought I'd catch you guys up before this becomes last year's news. :)

Party!
So, I got to celebrate with by boyfriend's family earlier this month for his grandparent's 60th anniversary. (Wow! Congrats to them...) Below is a picture of me with his family: Travis (Jenny's husband), Erin (Jeremy's cousin), Kenny (Erin's Dad) and Me, Thia.

The trip was a lot of fun and I've posted some cool thumbs of the awesome cake and some of us hanging out. Ironically enough, I don't have any pics up yet of Jeremy's grandparents... which is dumb :) so I will have to update this page soon.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk!
KU Basketball is in full swing. Here are a couple of pics from the South Carolina game we almost lost... (yikes!) you know, the game when the clean ball-stripping off Simien broke his thumb and landed him on the bench for 4-6 weeks. And you did hear me right: no foul called.

Friends are still a whole lot of fun :) Kelly and Josh above are some of mine. They're major band nerds (hehe) and also super cool, so if you see 'em on campus make sure to say hi. Oh, and that's me and Big Jay just to show I've got major connections. *sigh* I know you're jealous. ;)

Love y'all...
My fingers are tired now and that's all I have today. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and I will see ya next year!

Love,
-T.

Just a Shorts update...

2004-12-07T19:44:00.000-08:00

OK, tell all your friends Thia's Collected Shorts is up and running. I've posted a couple stories already and will continue to do so regularly. I won't be updating on this page about progress to that site anymore. So if you want to read my stuff, go there. :)

Recent News: I went to my boyfriend's g-parents anniversary and got some awesome pics coming soon (cute kids!).

KU Sports are going great, too! Mangino, don't leave! Next year is going to be awesome and this year's was a HUGE success, regardless of our record. We love you at KU.

Well, I'm busy, busy so make sure you guys keep in touch!

Love ya!
-T.

Thia's Collected Shorts

2004-12-05T23:16:00.000-08:00

As promised, I've created a new blog: Thia's Collected Shorts. There's a link to it in the side-bar and also right here. Right now, the blog is empty; within the next couple of days I plan to have several short stories posted for your enjoyment. :) I'll keep you posted on the progress here.

I'm pretty excited about this endeavor. I'll be putting a lot of works on it and am anxious to see what you guys think. I plan to keep it updated at least bi-weekly, but there will be a lot of changes over the next few days/week.

Love you guys and thanks for all your support.

-T.

Wonder Dogs and Smelly Trash

2004-12-03T11:20:00.000-08:00

Not to be completely random in my news interests, but wow! I can't believe a woman actually performed a c-section on her own dog! That's amazing and the puppies are really cute, too. (Warning: This article is bittersweet, but if you still want to read about it, go here.)

So Wednesday was the day the release candidate for Thunderbird 1.0 came out. All you bloggers out there should be particularly happy about the added RSS Feeds features and support. Exciting news!

--I'm taking for granted that everyone out there is running Firefox right now and has dumped IE, right? --Better, safer and much more aesthetically pleasing web browser that's completely free. Yea Mozilla!

Due to popular demand (aka Dena thinks its a good idea), I want to let you know that I will be starting a new blog soon and will be posting some stories and poetry regularly. I'll put a link to it on my sidebar, so if anyone has any comments I am definitely open to critique. I'm hoping someday to be published, so honesty is valued.

Oh, one more thing. Dena, I know you're reading this: take out the trash, ok? It's really starting to stink like your cooking! ;)

-T.

KU Basketball and the art of Procrastination

2004-12-01T18:09:00.000-08:00

I'd like to take a moment to give a shout out to my wonderful and incredibly hot roomie, Dena who's now has a blog of her own. You go girl!

Visit Dena.

Hmmm... to say that our girls won last night really doesn't do the game that was played any justice. Woodward will be dearly missed, but hurrah for Bonnie!

So I've come to realize how much it absolutely sucks to be stressed out and how much fun my boyfriend looks like he's having reading Ender's Shadow. Well... three more weeks until break. And I know he's stressed, too. He reads books and I write to you wonderful people :)

Having the internet is such a terrible thing to do to an inquisitive college girl. Too many exciting things going on in the world. The fall of Colin and rise of Rice... Ukraine (enough said) and Bridges TV-I am a Christian, but I have to say it's about time...

You and I both have had enough of this random nonsense and it's almost 9. Thus: It's time for me to get back to work. Oh, hey... would anyone be interested if I started posting links my stories and poetry? Let me know. Got some stuff 4 ya!

So Friends: Post a comment. I miss you and won't see you until I graduate so keep in touch!

Love,
-T.

An Abuse of Links on Food and Love

2004-11-29T17:50:00.000-08:00

OK. So it's officially winter --says the weather channel--so let the blogging begin.

I'm completely frustrated with the amount of homework needed to graduate with any kind of useful degree. Who really cares about implementing a couple sorting algorithms using a Stack class instead of recursion anyway? Probably not you.

Oh well... at least Bambino's is still open and I'm dating the most wonderful man in the world (Hi, Jeremy!) who will pick me up some toasted ravioli just because...

*Sigh* Ahh to be in love.

Quick check: No ring, no date, so it's back to homework. :)

Make sure you catch the game and support our team. This year is it!

4.0! 4.0! 4.0!

Talk to you soon!
-T.

Hello World...

2004-11-29T11:23:00.000-08:00

Hi, this is Thia! This is my shout out to the world to let you know I'm here. More soon!