Bad day is bad.

HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT MY BB ANTON IS ON CRIMINAL MINDS THIS IS TOO AWESOME TO BE REAL.

SO! First of all, birthday funtimes! (YES I KNOW IT WAS A MONTH AGO):

Thursday was sushi, sushi and more sushi! Withriotous_prole, Walter,witless_nerd,pixystyx42, Dulce, Thea,lizzyshoe, andsakai_yukari! Yum yum, deliciousness! Afterwards I got my free birthday drinks at several of the Davis bars and then got a ride home from my assistant manager. XD

Then! The next day was spent in San Francisco with my assistant manager (herein referred to simply as R) where we went to fisherman's wharf (mmm, clam strips), the beach (sea glass!), Miette (DELICIOUS SWEETS) , met up with my high school bff on Market (she brought me flowers!), went to Sephora (to do our make-up for the dinner XD), ran back to the car and got changed on the street, then sped over to Acquerello to make our reservations exactly on time!

Now, Acquerello. Oh my fucking god, guys, SO AMAZING! (I know half of you were there, shut up)

First Course: Olive oil preserved swordfish with parsley and almond pesto, candied Gaeta olives and nasturtium leaves
Served chilled! Wasn't expecting that, but sooo mouthwatering and with a surprisingly smooth texture. The candied olives made this dish extra special, they were just so unexpected and tangy-sweet, mmmmmm.
Second Course: Ridged pasta with foie gras, scented with black truffles and Marsala
This is the restaurant's signature dish, and jesus god I can see why. It's just pasta in a sauce, right? Hellssss no. This is rich rich rich and aromatic and sweet and it --it just overloads the system, I am telling you. Should probably have had a glass of wine to cut the richness on this one, but ahhhhhhh amazing anyway.
Third Course: Veal loin over creamy polenta, chanterelles and veal sweetbreads
This came medium-well (I asked for the chef's choice) and was just so, so tender and juicy. The meat was this total flavor experience, guys, and the sweetbreads! Tender and a little spring-y, just absolute deliciousness! The polenta and chanterelles fell pretty flat in this dish, but that might be just because the other components were so spectacular.
Fourth Course: The Cheese Cart, a selection of three (in my case four) cheeses
These were served with cherries, candied fennel, and honey-coated mixed nuts, and were a complex and intriguing combination of flavor subtleties. The best was probably the fennel and herb-infused soft cheese (homg, the fennel was amaaaaazing!) or the nuts with the grape-crusted one. And the wine pairing added a whole other depth! Overall very interesting, though perhaps not the best finish to the meal (Bourbon caramel semifreddo, I'll be back for you someday!).

And and and they gave us each an apéritif and a little fried green olive and bread and biscotti and a little bag of Italian chocolates to take home and and and it was great, guys. :D

THEN, I got an amazing comic and tiny knitted hearts (here they are hanging out with my hedgehog Hieronymus by the Shire) in the mail from my darling scary_lullabies ! I LOVE THEM SO MUCH I CANNOT BEGIN TO TELL YOU! :DDD

More later, my comic-con buddy PK is here!! I must away!

I've been going through some of the hundreds of songs that I've yet to listen to on my computer, and I've found some awesome ones!

Among the Oak & Ash - The Housewife's Lament  OMFG these guys are awesome! They take old songs/legends/stories and put their own spin on them. My absolute favorite kind of folk, where you can't help but sing along.  For life is a toil, love is trouble / Beauty will fade and riches will flee / Pleasures they dwindle and prices they double / And nothing is as nothing should be

Heather Dale - Medusa  Nobody thinks that really they're being cruel / when they suggest that I should try and look like them / as if God loved the pretty ones best  And, and! Damn 'em all / well this dog will have it's day / my garden's full of pretty men / who couldn't stay away The way the singer uses emphasis in this song is really very nice, some lovely violin throughout, as well.

Bettie Serveert - Lover I Don't Have to Love  A cover to a Bright Eyes song I had never heard because I dislike Bright Eyes, but this is really excellent! Compelling, seductive, and the singer has some interesting vocal quirks which fit the song just perfectly. Love's an excuse to get hurt / and to hurt / do you like to hurt? / I do, I do, then hurt me! / then hurt me... / it didn't hurt me, didn't hurt me...  Also has a parody of the line, "Nice shoes, wanna fuck?" which makes me love it forever.

Ben Folds Five - Song for the Dumped So many of my friends are going through this right now, I guess it's rubbing off on me or something. Oh, bouncy piano rock, I don't know how to quit you; this is angry and playful as only Ben Folds can be. Fuck you too! Give me my money back!

Marvin the Paranoid Android - Marvin Yaaaaaaaaaay! P.K. played this song for me at con, so later I did a search through my files and sure enough, it was in there! XD I really do need to tidy my computer. It's the original voice of Marvin from the British miniseries of Hitchhiker's that I love so much! Life! Don't talk to me about life!

Dresden Dolls - Missed Me Dark and stilted and threatening, while still desperate and child-like: a consummate actor, is our Amanda Palmer.  Missed me, missed me / now you gotta kiss me [...] it serves you right! / for kissing little girls / but I'll visit, if you miss me / say you miss me!

Hee. :D

Oh also, for Anna. :D And! Lolz.

Who do I know who loves William Riker? I know I was talking Star Trek with someone and they mentioned that Riker was their favorite, but I don't remember who it was. Someone remind me! I have a certain action figure available for this person.

Thursday: Flew into SD, had dinner with my dad and godfather. My father cooks the best steaks possibly ever. Yay lemon cake!

Friday: Got up around 2pm, then wandered around Seaport Village for a while, where I bought gifts for both of my Rachels. Later dad took me to a shooting range and I fired a handgun for the first time. Dinner at The Chicken Pie Shop.

Saturday: Pride!! Watched the parade with Shaina and Jaelyn, and actually remembered to take pictures! Walked over to the festival after getting some frozen yogurt and got some lovely swag (including the rainbow tie I've wanted forever and many, many condoms) then met up with Beth for a bit. Ran into an old friend of my mother's and several other acquaintances. Had dad pick us up so we didn't have to walk back!

Sunday: Woke up late again (and sunburned!), then went to the con meeting around 12:30. Chatted mostly with Jared and his sister, though I missed P.K., Tara and Karim who didn't show up. Father picked me up after and I had dinner with him and Leisa (my pseudo-stepmother) at DZ Akins. Cookies (and tiramisu!) were had by all. Finished off the evening by watching Star Trek for the fifth time.

Monday: Went to my dad's AA meeting and was very proud of him for how he's changed himself since I've been gone. Checked into a hotel and was given a free upgrade to Penthouse Suite! AWESOME. Bussed to OB, met Shaina's new dog, then went with her to buy candy and sit on the cliffs near Gustav's place for a while. Bussed back to the hotel, took an amazing bath in my GIANT tub, then had some friends over for a roaring good time.

Tuesday: Woke up early to eat breakfast with said friends before they left, then went back to sleep for about an hour. Got up around 10 to go give blood with my dad, then bussed to the Point Loma Library and bought more books than is probably heathy. McG picked me up and we took her malamutes to the vet, after which we ate ice cream, ate frozen yogurt, ate mexican food, and then ate more ice cream. During the last we watched some old old Fleischer Superman cartoons, but McG soon took me back to my hotel because I kept falling asleep on her. She was quite naturally marveled by my room.

Wednesday: Got up early to check out, and dad drove me to con so I could start setting up the art show, only to find there wasn't much to do for several hours. Was harassed by friends and strangers both about the marks on my neck. Proceeded to chat with co-workers (PK showed up! as did Sin, though not until later), train volunteers, set up artists, and other such staff-ly duties until about six, whereupon I escaped to wander the floor with Shaina. I bought Sunbird and the accompanying perfume, a copy of InWonderland (from the artist who signed and sketched it for me!!) and watched Shaina buy Emily socks, three changable pictures, and a copy of Looking for Group 1 (the last from a very amusing and possibly drunk Sohmer, whose staff insisted on high-fiving me and were incredibly sweet). Bussed to dad's and wrote this!

So yeah! Stay shiny, Week Made of Awesome! I look forward to enjoying a continuation of said awesomeness for the next few days.

My face is revolting again. I don't know why this happens, but every 2-3 months, my sinuses decide that I need to live in pain for a couple of days. Bastards.

That thunderstorm was FRICKING SWEET, though, right? Well, I actually first thought of annahamz when I saw it because I knew she would not find it sweet at all, thank you, and then sakai_yukari  because I figured she'd be out dancing in it, but you know. I personally found it very invigorating.  SCENE: Me outside in a bathrobe at three am, staring at the sky and giggling.

I am so manly.

I also have to leave for work in 15 minutes, because my boss was thoughtful enough to NOT schedule anyone who can do end of day paperwork tonight. But whatevs. Who needs more than one day off a week? Certainly not me.

ALSO: I still need to see Star Trek like three more times, so if you want to see it again HIT ME UP. Would also like to see Wolverine Origins while it is still in theaters.

Work work work.

So I spent all day researching visas and permits I might need for when I go to Ireland next year, and it doesn't seem like there is anything for more than three months, and I was planning on doing six months to a year there. So I'm writing to Irish General Immigration, lolz. If they tell me to fuck off, I'm going to New Zealand, bitches! (...well...after I do my three months in Ireland...heh)  Also looked up airfair, registration fees, storage costs, and approximated living expenses, and I apparently have to build up $2000 at minimum, but $3000 is my goal. That's doable in a year, right? ...right? Well, it's a goal, at least.

I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT, AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I obsess. Sorry.

(I'm WWOOFing, btw)

Hahaha! A message in my spam folder was entitled 'The Medications You Need' and my only thought was, "And how!"

BPAL:
Hey dudes, I'm going to place an order from the lab sometime soon, and definitely before the 15th, as I want the forum only scent, so let me know if you want to add anything on. I'll be doing one to the trading post too, but not until early March. Drop me a line if you're interested.

FACE:
I got my wisdom teeth out yesterday, and even with the vicodin it still hurts, though thankfully in a dull sort of way. It kind of says a lot that I'm still acting pretty normal, just a bit overtired, while on vicodin; usually I'm really fucking loopy, but it seems like everything's going to the pain this time, not that I'm complaining. My face is still kind of swollen and I can't open my mouth that wide so I can only really eat smoothies and yogurt and mashed potatoes, though I'm attempting to eat some beans currently by chewing with my front teeth. I wanted something with some substance.

THE PROCEDURE:
I was nervous as hell before the surgery. They put me in a room directly aross from the break room, apparently so I could watch my surgeon eating and know that he was hale and hearty before he cut me open. After about thirty minutes of that a nurse hooked me up to an iv and a heart monitoring machine, to show me just how nervous I was (78-95 bpm, thanks) and I had to wait for at least half of the bag of saline to drip into me before they could do anything else (I wasn't allowed to eat or drink for 8 hours before my appointment, and they didn't want me dehydrated). I recited poetry in my head to distract myself. They put me on some oxygen and injected the sleeping drugs into the iv tubes before realizing that they couldn't find my x-ray, so they got me up and two of them had to guide me to the x-ray machine because I was so dizzy. They got me back to the chair and gave me the oxygen again and then I was waking up with a mouth full of cotton and just as confused and scared as when I went to sleep. They got me in a wheelchair and took me to sakai_yukari  and I proceeded to cry all over her. I kept crying while she got the car, but the nurse was nice and kind of funny, "Kind of sucks, huh? Paying us to make you sad?" I couldn't talk at all at this point, and my mouth was still numb, but I was at least mostly aware, just very, very sad. I bled for longer than normal, but I was FINALLY able to drink a smoothie about an hour after sakai_yukari  dropped me off at home. Sorry I kept crying at you, honey.

FEELING:
Still kind of sad, but happy that it's over and that I got it done for about a tenth of what I thought I was going to have to pay. Slightly frustrated that I can't really eat anything. A little lonely. Tired.


Well, this was a damn long entry. Nothing else to do, really, though I keep misspelling words and it's driving me crazy. So, yeah. Hi guys.

Also, haha, I said fuck ONCE, well, twice now, but I never get to use this icon and I love it! Yay gay Perry.

"Sorry, did I say something wrong?" said Marvin, dragging himself on regardless. "Pardon me for breathing, which I never do anyway so I don't know why I bother to say it, oh God I'm so depressed. Here's another one of those self-satisfied doors. Life! Don't talk to me about life."
-THHGTTG

The funny thing is, when I think of this line, no matter how shitty I may feel, I have to laugh. Oh God I'm so depressed! Brain the size of a planet and here I am leading you to the bridge. Do you call that job satisfaction?

WHO'S GETTING EXCITED ABOUT COMIC-CON?!? COURTNEY SURE IS. I know it's seven months away. Fuck you. I'M EXCITED.

I get to hang out with my art show pplzzzz and there's the slasher's dinner and I kind of want to set up a bpal meet up of some sort and I get to see my snake and Holly Black is sure to be there with her new graphic novel (!) and of course the Kevin Smith panel and it's the 40th anniversary (!) and I get an EXHIBITOR'S BADGE this year which means I get to go in whenever the fuck I want and then there's the Heinlein blood drive and the masquerade AND AND AND. Excited.

I was thinking about going to Wondercon in (late) February to kind of tide me over, but it's so tiny! Also transportation alone would be about $70 unless I found someone to carpool with...Shelter would be fine because I could probably stay with a friend in Berkeley if I managed to get there and then just bart to SF, but it's still freaking expensive, man...

In other news, I need a job that pays more. I mean, I'm glad I have a job at all, but...want more funds and maybe dental? Dental insurance would be nice. I'm just going to shop around a little, not that the job market's any better, but you know. I'm not a moron, and I have at least a little experience with paid employment now. Just a distant kind of hope, I guess.

I'm in a rather good mood, actually. I'm gonna dance now. Bye!

"Ace relishes complete futility,

appalling slavishness of everyone going
nowhere in some style."

-Kennelly

May I just say fuck yes? You know you want some of that Mad Hatter action. (!!!!!!) And Alan Rickman as the Caterpillar?!? Fuck me. And Helena playing the Red Queen?? I don't know how this film could be any more full of win. ILU TIM BURTON.

Also, can we talk about how the phrase "Who's watching the Watchmen?" keeps popping into my head at random intervals? It's kind of freaking me out. Looks pretty awesome, though, doesn't it? Yeah, it does.

I'm sick and not all that lucid, so yeah.

Work tomorrrrrrow...and my mom's coming the next day!! I've been cleaning. Kind of half-heartedly because I keep having to sit down and breathe, but you know. The thought, and all that.

Gustav has apparently abandoned me. Am v. sad about this.

I only have tea with caffeine in. Booooo. That's not true, but the ones I have without caffeine are shitty. Booo shitty tea. I need to buy vinegar to clean my coffee maker.

Cleeeeeeeeeaning.

OBAMARAMA.

FUCKING YES.

Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart will be doing WAITING FOR GODOT next year.

HOLY FUCK.

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET.

I've been watching QVC because there was a hot girl trying to sell nail files when I turned it on, but now they're selling ceramic angels and talking about angels in everyday life. I'm currently downloading a comic called 'The Darkness', so I'm actually finding it kind of funny. Ach, now it's a fake diamond mickey mouse ring. ANYWAY.

Not much to report...been working and attempting to sleep a decent amount. I'm excited about wages going up in January! From 8 to 8.50, which means I should at least be making 8.75. WHOO!

I don't know what's up with making the last word of every paragraph CAPITALIZED.

There was a girl next to me this morning while waiting for the bus who was carrying McCain propaganda. I was amazed at how antagonistic I felt towards her. I looked at her and my thoughts were, 'You do not think that I am a person, or should have the rights of a person." It freaked me out rather a lot. I mean, I have defined political views, but I'm not usually discriminatory against those with different opinions. I guess it's just because I've never been this close (intellectually, emotionally) to an election before. It made me feel really weird and kind of...guilty, I guess.

To change the tone here: I got my bpal Halloween decants!! John Barleycorn, Fearful Pleasure, and Mictecacihuatl are my favorites. Mmmm. annaham and I are ordering some bpalzzzz around November 1st, if any Davis peeps want to jump on board. Shipping is normally $6, so it's better than ordering on your own (I'm looking at you sakai_yukari ).

MY MOM IS COMING TO VISIT ON NOVEMBER 22 I AM SO EXCITED.

P.S. I STILL LOVE BILLY BOYD

Confirm something for me. Water tastes clear, and milk tastes blank, correct?

Pick ONE word from each pair that you think describes me the best and leave it in the comments. Then copy this and post it in your own journal to see how your friends view you.

* logical or intuitive
* social or loner
* kinky or vanilla
* dominant or submissive
* cute or sophisticated
* kitten or puppy
* warm flannel sheets or sleek satin
* leader or follower
* quiet or talkative
* spontaneous or planned
* teddy bear or porcelain doll
* hiking or window shopping
* tequila or vodka
* bare foot or shoes
* jeans or slacks
* tender or rough
* aware or dreamy
* nerd or geek

Wow , I am such a bad blogger. Sorry about that...

Anyway, the reason I've been so absent is mostly because of WORK which I now have and in which I am SHIFT LEADER and also SORE AS HELL ALL THE TIME. So when I'm not working I'm either sleeping or rolling around in pain. No, seriously.  But yay! Money!  I feel so much better emotionally now that I'm finally able to pay off some of the debt that I've incurred, though it'll be a long process (I owe several people!). So yes.

As a side note I get 50% OFF ALL ICE CREAM, so if you live in my area tell me a flavor combo and I'll hook you up, yo. Though I can't give it to you while I'm at work as it's supposed to be for me only.

Another reason for absence is COMIC-CON which I went to and worked at! It was full of yay and win as always, though I didn't get to walk around as much as I would have liked because of work, but I worked with fun people who like me so still yay. I bought Comic Book Tattoo and then had it signed by Tori Amos herself! She was way nice even though I was really flustered and had the book made out to annaham     instead of myself. My other big spender was Snow, Glass, Apples which came with a truly creepy Neil Gaiman story told from the perspective of the queen in Snow White. Verra nice indeed. I also bought something from the art show for the first time! It's a little 3-D piece, and looks like a christmas ornament mutated into a goblin head, made by this lady, who is quite nice. I like him quite a lot, but have yet to find a name that suits him.

Oooh, ooh!! I also ordered some absinthe lollypops!! Yaaaaay!

Tired now. Will maybe write more soon.