sundries
guess it's time to write a real entry. i have a lot to cover, and i've been slacking off. alright....
when last i wrote, i was anticipating skorzy's arrival at my parents' place. he managed to find us without getting lost...despite the fact that my parents' address doesn't actually show up in any mapping software or tool that i know of. anyway, he made it not long after dark, and we then introduced him to both the talking / babbling tendencies of my family as well as our tendency to play board games. we played Boggle. not sure if he'll do that with me again. *l* on Saturday, we loaded into my Mom's car and headed off to the Grand Canyon. i had a good walking around showing him stuff, and Dad had a fabulous time giving impromptu geology lectures. see what happens when you ask questions, skorzy? had dinner at the El Tovar, which was fantastic as usual. i didn't take that many pictures this year, but i think i got some good ones. haven't uploaded them to Maia yet, though, so i'm not sure.
on Sunday, skorzy and i went down to Sedona. we took a nice walk on the Bell Rock Trail (south end), but didn't go very far 'cuz the sun went down and it started to get cold. well, and i needed to pee. *l* got some good pictures there, too, and it was just a nice little walk / hike. i really don't do that enough. especially not in company. it's way more fun with other people.
we and the 'rents also took a nice walk / hike up to Sawmill Springs on Monday. usually it's just a walk, but the snow and mud made it a little more strenuous. we were hoping to see some birds and other wildlife, but the woods were strangely empty. most we saw was a jack rabbit before we even got off the Lillie J. oh well. contrary creature, wild animals. after that walk, skorzy and i (eventually) went in to town to meet up with invisiblewolf and Beedoo! for some New Year's Eve fun. had sushi and sake for dinner. maybe a little too much of both, but it was a good time. we bummed around some, ran out for some errands (B! had to go dog walk, so we came along to freeze in sympathy) and champagne, then went back to the hotel room that the boys got for the night. bummed around a lot more, and did a massive amount of channel flipping. back rubs and channel flipping. it was good. watched the ball drop. drank some champagne. did a bunch more channel flipping. B! and i went back to her house around two but talked until four. it was a good New Year's Eve. met back up for breakfast at Mike & Rhonda's (ahem, The Place) on the west side (east side was closed), after which we parted ways. skorzy dropped me back at home where i proceeded to do laundry and other fun getting-ready-to-leave things.
on Wednesday, Mom and Dad took me back down the hill to the airport. first, though, we met up with shade_scribbler and yu_gi_oh_freak. yay! got to talk and catch up, and they gave me presents! including my first "graduation" present! wheee! that was really nice. after that, Mom and Dad dropped off their stuff at the hotel in which they had a room for the night, we had dinner, and then they came with me to the airport. all the lines were short and stuff, so they hung out with me for a little while. also gave me a chance to finish off a book of theirs that i'd started. anyway, security was easy, but the wait in the terminal kinda sucked. it was around ten in the evening, and everything was closed. i couldn't even find a vending machine so i could find something to drink. grr. anyway, lucked out on the flight. the middle seat in my row wasn't taken, so i got to be a little more comfortable for the red-eye flight. i also finally got something to drink. landed in Newark with plenty of time to spare. lost the lantern charm that Gwen got me in Japan, though. it was still on my bag when i pulled the bag out from under the seat, but a few minutes later it was gone. i was sad...but not sad enough to try and go back on the airplane for it (i think it got pulled off when i swung my bag around behind me, and it hit the seats). sorry, Gwen. anyway, got breakfast and then headed for my other flight. we were late leaving, but i don't remember why. probably 'cuz i fell asleep pretty soon after boarding. i had a row (two seat) all to myself, so that was nice. i don't even remember when we finally took off. so we were late coming in to Montreal, but i really didn't care. it's not like i had a meeting or anything. my customs guy was really nice, too, and curious about my degree and research and stuff.
totally slept for most of the day on Thursday. oops. that does not help me get my sleeping schedule straight. on Friday, i went to downtown campus and picked up / deposited my student loan check for the semester. the direct deposit from my student account to my regular checking account won't go through until late this week, though, so i'm living on ramen and fast food until then. and i'm going to have to pay my phone bill a few days late. oops. oh well, what can i do? anyway, it's only a few days, so no big. did a little shopping while i was downtown. bad me. there was a book i've been waiting for that was only available downtown. i had to buy it on credit, though, and i hate doing that. bleh. i also bought season 3 of Profiler to give me something to make up for the current lack of good TV. but that's all i'm all i'm allowed to buy for while. yes. honest.
did a whole hell of a lot of nothing this weekend. i've unpacked but not actually put anything away. weird, i know. i haven't done laundry yet. well, i the clean clothes that i brought home with me, but pretty much everything else i own is dirty. *l* haven't done the dishes. have slept in far too much. wow, i'm a totaly slacker. i did go to the gym both on Friday and tonight, though, so i have some redeeming energy. right? even though i didn't even make it in to school today?
anyway, going to go see RK about my thesis tomorrow. i don't really want to go, though. he wants to discuss, and i'm going to get defensive or offended or both. so, yeah, not looking forward to it. as far as i'm concerned, editing need never be done face to face. bleh.
oh! i've also finished compiling my 2007 Book List. the list contains all the books that i read last year that i'd never read before, not including manga. it started as part of keeping track for 50bookchallenge, but i lazed out on that after a few months. mostly because i didn't want to post without descriptions, but i got tired of writing reviews after a while. which is why there's a big section in the middle with only title and author. once i got out of the habit of posting, though, i just never started again. anyway, i've already started a 2008 Book List, but i don't think i'm going to bother with 50bookchallenge this year. however, i totally recommend the community to anyone who is looking for ideas of what to read, wants reviews on books, or wants a little extra encouragement to read more (i, obviously, don't need that).
when last i wrote, i was anticipating skorzy's arrival at my parents' place. he managed to find us without getting lost...despite the fact that my parents' address doesn't actually show up in any mapping software or tool that i know of. anyway, he made it not long after dark, and we then introduced him to both the talking / babbling tendencies of my family as well as our tendency to play board games. we played Boggle. not sure if he'll do that with me again. *l* on Saturday, we loaded into my Mom's car and headed off to the Grand Canyon. i had a good walking around showing him stuff, and Dad had a fabulous time giving impromptu geology lectures. see what happens when you ask questions, skorzy? had dinner at the El Tovar, which was fantastic as usual. i didn't take that many pictures this year, but i think i got some good ones. haven't uploaded them to Maia yet, though, so i'm not sure.
on Sunday, skorzy and i went down to Sedona. we took a nice walk on the Bell Rock Trail (south end), but didn't go very far 'cuz the sun went down and it started to get cold. well, and i needed to pee. *l* got some good pictures there, too, and it was just a nice little walk / hike. i really don't do that enough. especially not in company. it's way more fun with other people.
we and the 'rents also took a nice walk / hike up to Sawmill Springs on Monday. usually it's just a walk, but the snow and mud made it a little more strenuous. we were hoping to see some birds and other wildlife, but the woods were strangely empty. most we saw was a jack rabbit before we even got off the Lillie J. oh well. contrary creature, wild animals. after that walk, skorzy and i (eventually) went in to town to meet up with invisiblewolf and Beedoo! for some New Year's Eve fun. had sushi and sake for dinner. maybe a little too much of both, but it was a good time. we bummed around some, ran out for some errands (B! had to go dog walk, so we came along to freeze in sympathy) and champagne, then went back to the hotel room that the boys got for the night. bummed around a lot more, and did a massive amount of channel flipping. back rubs and channel flipping. it was good. watched the ball drop. drank some champagne. did a bunch more channel flipping. B! and i went back to her house around two but talked until four. it was a good New Year's Eve. met back up for breakfast at Mike & Rhonda's (ahem, The Place) on the west side (east side was closed), after which we parted ways. skorzy dropped me back at home where i proceeded to do laundry and other fun getting-ready-to-leave things.
on Wednesday, Mom and Dad took me back down the hill to the airport. first, though, we met up with shade_scribbler and yu_gi_oh_freak. yay! got to talk and catch up, and they gave me presents! including my first "graduation" present! wheee! that was really nice. after that, Mom and Dad dropped off their stuff at the hotel in which they had a room for the night, we had dinner, and then they came with me to the airport. all the lines were short and stuff, so they hung out with me for a little while. also gave me a chance to finish off a book of theirs that i'd started. anyway, security was easy, but the wait in the terminal kinda sucked. it was around ten in the evening, and everything was closed. i couldn't even find a vending machine so i could find something to drink. grr. anyway, lucked out on the flight. the middle seat in my row wasn't taken, so i got to be a little more comfortable for the red-eye flight. i also finally got something to drink. landed in Newark with plenty of time to spare. lost the lantern charm that Gwen got me in Japan, though. it was still on my bag when i pulled the bag out from under the seat, but a few minutes later it was gone. i was sad...but not sad enough to try and go back on the airplane for it (i think it got pulled off when i swung my bag around behind me, and it hit the seats). sorry, Gwen. anyway, got breakfast and then headed for my other flight. we were late leaving, but i don't remember why. probably 'cuz i fell asleep pretty soon after boarding. i had a row (two seat) all to myself, so that was nice. i don't even remember when we finally took off. so we were late coming in to Montreal, but i really didn't care. it's not like i had a meeting or anything. my customs guy was really nice, too, and curious about my degree and research and stuff.
totally slept for most of the day on Thursday. oops. that does not help me get my sleeping schedule straight. on Friday, i went to downtown campus and picked up / deposited my student loan check for the semester. the direct deposit from my student account to my regular checking account won't go through until late this week, though, so i'm living on ramen and fast food until then. and i'm going to have to pay my phone bill a few days late. oops. oh well, what can i do? anyway, it's only a few days, so no big. did a little shopping while i was downtown. bad me. there was a book i've been waiting for that was only available downtown. i had to buy it on credit, though, and i hate doing that. bleh. i also bought season 3 of Profiler to give me something to make up for the current lack of good TV. but that's all i'm all i'm allowed to buy for while. yes. honest.
did a whole hell of a lot of nothing this weekend. i've unpacked but not actually put anything away. weird, i know. i haven't done laundry yet. well, i the clean clothes that i brought home with me, but pretty much everything else i own is dirty. *l* haven't done the dishes. have slept in far too much. wow, i'm a totaly slacker. i did go to the gym both on Friday and tonight, though, so i have some redeeming energy. right? even though i didn't even make it in to school today?
anyway, going to go see RK about my thesis tomorrow. i don't really want to go, though. he wants to discuss, and i'm going to get defensive or offended or both. so, yeah, not looking forward to it. as far as i'm concerned, editing need never be done face to face. bleh.
oh! i've also finished compiling my 2007 Book List. the list contains all the books that i read last year that i'd never read before, not including manga. it started as part of keeping track for 50bookchallenge, but i lazed out on that after a few months. mostly because i didn't want to post without descriptions, but i got tired of writing reviews after a while. which is why there's a big section in the middle with only title and author. once i got out of the habit of posting, though, i just never started again. anyway, i've already started a 2008 Book List, but i don't think i'm going to bother with 50bookchallenge this year. however, i totally recommend the community to anyone who is looking for ideas of what to read, wants reviews on books, or wants a little extra encouragement to read more (i, obviously, don't need that).