" /> gigamatic: September 2006 Archives

« August 2006 | Main | October 2006 »

September 28, 2006

in case i'm quiet

1) BotCon.
2) My grandmother died Tuesday night. I just found out. This means eventual travel.
3) My dad's needing help around the house. Severe back pain. MRI on monday. I'm not prepped for what this could mean, but at best, it means a lot more helping at the farm, and at worst it means finding them another place to live.

Gotta run!

September 27, 2006

dogs

i dog-sat for our neighbors last night and this morning... 2 big german shepherd types, a male and female, both with barks worse than bites, and both big babies. i would gladly do it again --- they were so good! the only bad thing was they have neighbor dogs on both sides, and they dont like the neighbor dogs, so i had to go over an extra time or two to make certain they could go out in peace. but, no problems at all.

the neighbors are dog-sitting the hoont this weekend, and may they have the same luck with him.

pumpkin update

so, we went to see the great pumpkin.
and it was good.

last friday, we drove to c'bridge, checked into the motel, stopped at the bakery (mmm, devil dogs) and booked it to my parents', where i was supposed to mow grass, and then we were going to go walk around at the festival. instead, my dad literally grabbed me as I walked in the door, and we instead spent over 2 hours there... nala with my mom in the kitchen, and me, in front of the computer, with my dad. then, we went uptown for a while and ran into folks both known (Penny) and unknown (Krista, Lorissa, Nichole) to Nala, and i got pumpkin ice cream, and pumpkin burger, and it was yummy. we got to see a band play, whose members i all know. and we watched kids climb over the pumpkins.

and then, because i know he will say something, i decided to take the back way home. the super scenic route, if it had been daylight. but, it was dark. and, despite something like 15 forks in the road, and not having driven it regularly in 15 years or so, i only made one wrong turn. sure, it put us IN a strip mine. Unmarked, ungated mine that it was. But, I quickly recovered and made it back out (across the top of the high wall) to the highway, and back to our motel.

after a good night's sleep, we headed back to b'ville via another scenic route (past the lake), and ate breakfast at one of many local restaurants in my hometown. let me just say, after having NEVER EATEN THERE EVER IN MY LIFE, i am having regrets. $3.40 for eggs, toast, and hash browns is a good deal. Add coffee, and it's a meal. Add bacon and it's perfection, even with the 70s panelling and linoleum on the walls.

we spent the day browsing the craft shops, antique stores, all sorts of craft displays and tractor displays, and many vendor booths. and got more ice cream, and pumpkin bread. and sat through one of the longest parades ever, in which my first cousin once removed made an appearance (note: my family is NOT FROM ANYWHERE NEAR my hometown, so this was odd.) And, got to talk to my parents' neighbor and another old friend from high school, and my favorite bank teller from when i was a kid. she thought it had only been 3 years since i left town. "Fifteen," i said, "since i left for State." She was in shock.

On our way back to our home, we stopped one last time to see the parents. They loaded us up with squash and sent us on our way.

I probably forgot some details, but it ended up really being a great trip. I love my hometown, even with all its flaws.

September 22, 2006

blimpie

no, not my size, nor what I want to eat, but the goodyear blimp is flying overhead.

i can hear it. i just cant see it from my window.
i really want to get a photo.

instead, working. *sigh*

checklist

oil change
gas
clean truck out (15 mins)
clean litterbox (10 mins)
pack (10 mins.)
photos (0 mins.)
family hist (0 mins.)
charge electronic devices
KC's cell number in phone and email to parents (5 mins).

breakfast
dinner

September 21, 2006

plans

tentative plans for the weekend:

0) check into hotel.
1) drive to turkey ridge.
2) cut remaining grass (if not raining) for 1/2 hr.
3) head into town for gourd-fest.
4) see (briefly?) friend's band play and wander and be touristy a bit.
5) back to hotel for sleep.
6) back to turkey ridge for breakfast (tentative)
7) catch up with Ms. KC to hike to see the petroglyphs (tentative)
8) food
9) festival photos
10) parade
11) shopping
12) drive back home
13) spend a little quality time with the hoont.
14) make(?) something splendiferous to eat
15) go to friend's house for party
16) rest.
17) call Max Power for customizing night at the Power Plant.

you know... just another boring night at home.

September 20, 2006

go east, young men...

so, this weekend, even with the oncoming rain and cold, we're supposed to head to my hometown to the giant orange squash festival. yes, seriously.

i just got email from my mom asking me to confirm. i still havent been using that email account on my laptop (just on my handheld) so i can't reply easily. my dad is having major back problems and hasnt been able to do everything that needs done around the house. he mowed grass one day, and the next he could barely move. according to her email, the chiro thinks it's a pinched disc or a "slipped pelvis" (i have no idea what that means or even if that's a direct quote from the chiro, so don't quote me.) apparently, at some point, my dad got xrayed, so he's on the track to full diagnosis. it's been so bad, though, that my mom had to drive to see my grandmother alone the last couple times. she can't mow grass because of her own back problems, and he can't now, because of his. he finished half the yard, but the rest still needs done. and apparently the apples need picked, as well.

i had intended to email tonight to make sure we could at least get breakfast together, but it seems if we want to hang out with them at all, it will have to be at their house, and not at the Barrel or Bob E's. I hope the rain holds off at least some, so that we can enjoy(see?) part of the festival.

So, I gotta talk to Nala tonight, and the neighbors, and then catch up with Gigamom via phone. I should get ahold of Ms KC as well, to see what she's up to this weekend.

It's not badgers...

Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin
A-corn, A-corn,
Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin
a Gourd, it's a Gourrrrrrrrd
Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin

discoveries, yarrr

yeah, so it's not talk like a pirate day anymore. sue me.

i just discovered the blogs (is a livejournal a blog? really? maybe.) of two of the guys i knew in the dorms in college. ok, three, really, but two of which i spoke to often (when i was sober), and one of whom always seemed more annoyed at me than anything.

this makes 4 folks from my old dorm who i read about or talk to regularly. 5 if you count Zan, but she doesnt have a blog, and I suck at letter writing.

I lost track of Darc, Dru, Tammy, and the rest, for the most part. Even when we do exchange digits, we never manage to stay in touch. The things I miss most are the conversations, often over coffee or ice cream, at all hours of the day. And, the lack of responsibility, which unfortunately for me, was a bad thing at the time.

And now to the piraty goodness:

My pirate name is:
Calico Sam Kidd
Often indecisive, you can't even choose a favorite color. You're apt to follow wherever the wind blows you, just like Calico Jack Rackham, your namesake. Even though you're not always the traditional swaggering gallant, your steadiness and planning make you a fine, reliable pirate. Arr!
Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

September 19, 2006

yarr, genius.

it be talk like a pirate day, matey!

firing/hiring

last week, i fired the third assistant in the 6 years I've been here. I lost one to better pay, one to graduation, and one thru disinterest, and three from lack of attendance once they turned 21.

today i start interviewing for the next one. ack. in 5 minutes. ack.

September 18, 2006

just a quickie

it's monday.

the weekend of toy show madness is over, but our living and dining rooms are still full of crap. i started trying to find out if i even broke even on my non-pokemon, but had to go to bed before i finished. i shouldnt care, though, since space is more important than money. i'm still trying to figure out where i made my most money, too, to try to concentrate more for the spring show.

fast sellers (non-pokemon):
4 DC Direct First Appearances figures. ($40)
5 Microman (shoulda brought more. holy crap) ($20)
5 discount JLU 10" figures. ($16, I think - at least one was loose)
Batman Animated Vehicles (B.A.T.V., Hoverbat, HydroBat, BatCycles (with Nightwing), etc) $25ish.
BTR Transformers - $3, but the guy also bought all Nala had, which added up to about $20 worth.

If I knew the toy was for a kid, automatic discount to my lowest "will-take" price. Sometimes lower if the parent was buying other stuff.

Nala's got video up, and photos.

September 15, 2006

there is little justice, but...

I just got this in my Inbox:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, pleaded guilty today to making false statements and conspiracy to commit fraud and violating post-employment restrictions for former congressional aides.
Ney could face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of $500,000 and supervised released following his incarceration, according to the justice department.

So, if he goes to prison, do we get to call them Folsom Fries and Folsom Toast?

September 13, 2006

pooping, Barbie style

I wish I were joking here, but while watching some television last night, I caught a Barbie commercial with her dog, Tanner. That, on it's own, is not odd. Every doll needs a pet, right?

What I thought was funny was, he POOPS. Barbie, the Martha Stewart of dolls, has a dog who POOPS.

Her accessory is a damn POOPER SCOOPER.

I swear I'm not making it up.

a leaner JLU

Yesterday, I posted to Walky's blog re: the state of the Mattel JLU figures, after he posted a group photo. (We all like em, but if they'd just STAND UP, fans would love em).

This was my attempt at a group photo:
rocket red broke wind.

Today, he did a webcomic on this very topic.

Phear my sphere of influence!

Just kidding! But you know, a framed colored and rough pair of Walky's latest comic masterpiece would look great next to this one:

September 12, 2006

this is what it feels like

at work.

(i'd put one of those nifty embedded youtubes here but i'm too lazy right now to figure it out.)

September 11, 2006

catwoman, sdcc exclusive, 2005

she's kind of dark, but hey. she's catwoman.

welcome to hell (week 1)

every time a new site is due to launch, there are huge amounts of detail work to be done. friday, i made a list of everything i could find that still needed to get done by Tuesday morning. and then the big boss came back from 6+ weeks of knee replacement recovery. you cant add a third column to the website the week it's going live. no. no no no no no.

add all that to a weather-change induced migraine-style headache, and i'm ready to just go lie down under a bus. i'd only have to walk across the parking lot, and i'm sure some student driver would be willing to help me out for what little cash i have in my pocket.

remember that day i was gonna walk up and down the hallway with the metal garbage can on my head, just banging the sides of it like a drum and calling out the crazies? yeah, it's almost that insane around here again.

i will be glad when it's monday again, and the silliness of this week (and the toy show) are over.

September 10, 2006

my collection

last night, i let friends actually see my action figure collection. i had gathered all of the various boxes and bins to be able to sort and inventory, so i could decide what stays and what goes during the Toy Show.

oh. my. god.

even i had no idea how big it had gotten. seriously.

the illustrious mr. and prof. b came over last night to "watch the game," drink a few, and help sort. and, i think, they just might've enjoyed themselves. but, i was cringing in horror typing in all of the figures and multi-packs and playsets.

i will be downsizing.

seriously, folks, four 18-gal bins of Pokemon. roughly 33 bins of superheroes. one bin of gatchaman. i wish i were lying. if i can rid myself of 16 bins during this, i'll be thrilled.

i just realized there's more upstairs that remains uncounted. 2 batcave playsets, a watchtower playset, a javelin 7, and several Batman Animated 4-packs -- all too big to fit in a bin.

crazy.

and now starts the loose figure cataloging. almost everything else i just counted was MOC or MISB. expect photos.

September 7, 2006

a name is a name...

found a great link via Cara, that lets you find out how common your surname (last name) is.

Pretty cool.

Think you know what the top 5 are? I guessed a few.

1) Smith
2) Johnson
3) Williams
4) Jones
5) Brown

Davis, MIller, Wilson, Moore, and Taylor make up the rest of the top 10.

NalaName doesnt appear in the top 55000.
Most of my family's names appear in the 100-200 range, but a couple are in the top 20.
GigaLastName is in the mid 1200s.

family stuff

my dad decided to take my grandmother to their house to celebrate her birthday tomorrow (she's 89), and unfortunately, i have too much to do at work to be able to take off.

i've been doing lots of research. LOTS. trying to piece together the puzzle that is my family. i've gotten notes from my dad, but i really need a better way to organize it all -- pieces of paper? sticky notes? things change so often, visio would be a great option for digital management, but i also have a mac, and am not willing to spend the cash on something like OmniGraffle. Sticky notes may be the way to go, for now.

dead ends here and there, but for the most part, i feel like i'm making some progress. hopefully, next time I talk to Gram, she'll remember some, too.

another pie update

available next week:

5 frozen/unbaked blueberry pies
4 frozen/unbaked peach pies

$7 each. I've got orders for one of each so far. They come highly recommended by my coworkers, too. Not just me!

September 1, 2006

pie update

for sale:
2 homemade 9" home-grown blueberry pies,
2 homemade 9" home-grown peach pies

$7 each. can be fresh (baked), frozen unbaked, or frozen baked. they travel better frozen, of course.
delivery on Sunday at the cookout.