My Journal Became Friends Only on September 30, 2003

EDIT: (2/15/06) If you'd like to be added, add me and chances are quite high that I'll add you back in the next week or so. If you'd like me to notice faster, or want to introduce yourself, please do it here.

For anyone wondering why I added you, we have some mutual interests or I saw a brilliant comment of yours someplace. I've looked at your journal and am interested in your posts. I may appear to be a serial adder but I personally know at least 100 people on my friends list, and do generally keep up with those on my list.

This is my last public entry (unless it's something very casual or political).

Thanks.

****EDIT: (8/25/2008) I cleaned up my friends list a bit. It does NOT mean I don't like you if I took you off the list. I just deleted dead looking accounts and some people that I don't talk to in person or online to anymore (if you still want to be on my list for some odd reason (and I took you off)), just comment or email (lostvirtue 76@ yahoo. com) and I'll add you back).****

(clearing all comments 05/2007)

January

Golem in the Gears - Pierce Anthony

February

Haunted Ground - Erin Hart

March

Wordy Shipmates - Sarah Vowell
Breakfast of Champions - Kurt Vonnegut
Dishwasher - Pete Jordan

April

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
Musicophila - Oliver Sacks

May

Fellowship of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
Star Wars on Trial  - Edited by David Briin & Matthew Woodring Stover
My 'Dam Life - Sean Condon

June

Blink - Malcolm Gladwell
Alexandria - Lindsey Davis
Fearless Fourteen - Janet Evanovich

July

People of the Book - Geraldine Brooks
Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

August

Shopgirl - Steve Martin
Finger Lickin Fifteen - Janet Evanovich
Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston

September

Confessions of a Memory Eater - Pagan Kennedy
Planet Google - Randall Stross

October

Mysteries of the Middle Ages - Thomas Cahill

Not been reading as much this year as I usually do, mostly because I'm attempting to learn Spanish, have been listening to lots and lots of podcasts, and cause I'm friggin busy all the damn time... I guess that's good.  Mostly.  


( Final List For 2008 )

Took a lot of photos the past few days, click on the photos if you want to see the rest, there's quite a few of archery, horses, pretty things around Amber's father's house, and a few from our trip to the lakefront.

To not completely overwhelm the friends list I'll just post a "few" here.

I initially made this private cause it was notes for me, but I thought a few of you might be interested. I own several of these, but have read only a couple.

Essential Reading - Books About Books

* If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
* Reading in Bed by Steven Gilbar
* Library at Night by Alberto Manguel
* The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
* Women Who Read Are Dangerous by Stefan Bollmann and Karen Joy Fowler
* A Reading Life by Alberto Manguel
* Living with Books by Alan Powers
* On the Bookshelf by Henry Petroski
* 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
* People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
* The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
* The Dante Club (and others) by Matthew Pearl
* The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
* On Reading by André Kertész
* Possession by A.S. Byatt
* Ex Libris by Ann Fadiman
* A Gentle Madness by Nicholas A. Basbanes
* Sixpence House by Paul Collins
* Patience and Fortitude by Nicholas A. Basbanes
* A Book of Books by Abelardo Morell and Nicholson Baker
* The King's English by Betsy Burton
* So Many Books by Gabriel Zaid
* Booked to Die by John Dunning
* Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
* The Company They Kept by Robert B. Silvers and Barbara Epstein
* Time Was Soft There by Jeremy Mercer
* The Whole Five Feet by Christopher Beha
* Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón and Lucia Graves

Well, you are probably sick of looking at it and I promise not to post anymore until it's actually done, but I finished one side of the book tonight (the other side is about a third outlined in gold, so I probably have another 10 hours, min). I misplaced the boards too... if I can't find them I can always cut new ones, but ... ack! That's what happens when you work on a project for over 6 months.



I glued over the back threads now to help hold the metal thread in place, I'm not too worried about the glue leaking through onto the satin now because I tested it on the back side with a portion of the design.

I highly recommend NEVER using Japanese thread for this type of sewing (I know you were planning on it), it's turned out better than my expectations but it is extremely time intensive and the thread is just not made to go through fabric, especially fabric this fine.

I'm fairly certain I can finish it in the next 2 weeks so I have it to show off at Silks, Needles and More.

Today is Jason and my three year anniversary.  I'm quite pleased about that. 

So, I have a cat bed on my computer desk.  It's basically to prevent my cats from just laying on my keyboard... only rarely do I get two at once.  I look over to see this the other day:


So, Jason made me this... which I think is hilarious... being that we call Sirius our litte (big) gray Hippo.


Is it sad that my cats contribute to a large percentage of my daily joy?

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?

Applied to grad school, um bought a house, tried to flood said house, took an amtrak train all 'roud

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Somewhat, and yes, I actually have a bit more specific goals this year, though difficult to measure.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes, Diane & Xtal

4. Did anyone close to you die?

My Aunt Carol

5. What countries did you visit?

None beside where I reside. 

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

Admission to grad school, a paying Historical Society job ;) OR another library job

7. What date(s) from 2008 will remain etched your memory, and why?

US Presidential Results, the day we signed the paperwork for the house, the day I went and talked to the grad school people cause it took so much effort, the house warming party, W&W, my first since I got involved again, the train trip and camping in Oregon

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Trying to achieve my goals instead of just talking about it, getting involved with UU

9. What was your biggest failure?

Um, procrastination... wasting time, but I think some "wasted" time is alright, need to visit my Milwaukee friends more

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

No, except the bizarre dizziness illness when traveling

( Rest of Answers Under Here )

So, Jason got home from vacation last night ... and he bought me a present, which I just got. He couldn't resist telling me that he got me something but he didn't tell me what it was til I found it.

So, I am now the proud owner of 2.74 paintings by Angela. (Besides for the actual paintings, I have up the wrapping paper she made for the first one, as well as my combat boots which although dwindling still have some paint remnants)



I'm only really jealous that he got to see Tanya & Angela and I didn't.  Hopefully they will come visit soon.

I LOVE THIS PAINTING!  Yey, for wonderful art and double yey for tiny goats. 

Edited for close up of goat: 

So under this cut here is a bunch of photos I've grabbed off the ole' Internet there... a few you may have seen before, but they almost all make me happy for whatever reason. I would like to get a few of these printed at some point, and I have a few other folders, but I thought I'd share since a few cheer me up.  I had an lj friend that used to do this periodically and I really liked it. 

( Photos Here )

Our library will be also open to the general public but it's not completely finished. 

I have to go to the dentist after work today, blargh.  BUT I get rewarded afterward by going to my first "bone folders" meeting afterwards (a bone folder is a small hand tool used primarily for paper folding).  It's the local book artists group.  And we're making something....

We had a very calm, quick, and relaxed voting experience.... now to send out O vibes for the rest of the day.   I bet the library is gonna be crazy today, it's a polling place.

Dear American:

I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.

I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you.

I am working with Mr. Phil Gram, lobbyist for UBS, who will be my replacement as Ministry of the Treasury in January. As a Senator, you may know him as the leader of the American banking deregulation movement in the 1990s. This transaction is 100% safe.

This is a matter of great urgency. We need a blank check. We need the funds as quickly as possible. We cannot directly transfer these funds in the names of our close friends because we are constantly under surveillance. My family lawyer advised me that I should look for a reliable and trustworthy person who will act as a next of kin so the funds can be transferred.

Please reply with all of your bank account, IRA and college fund account numbers and those of your children and grandchildren to wallstreetbailout@treasury.gov so that we may transfer your commission for this transaction. After I receive that information, I will respond with detailed information about safeguards that will be used to protect the funds.

Yours Faithfully Minister of Treasury Paulson

Thanks to lsanderson  and supergee 

note:  I did actually NEARLY finish my assignments due (next) Monday yesterday, they just need a bit of tweaking.  Will be starting next paper (due the Monday after)  tonight most likely.  Why am I all paranoid about getting my work done so far in advance?  Besides for there being a lot of time that needs to be directed into reading for the rest of the papers, my research project is going to take many many hours of work and I'm try to start on that now. 

I'm making croissant veg sandwiches for lunch with fruit on the side (cantelope, watermelon, raspberries),  fresh basil pesto with pasta for dinner (mmmmm pine nuts) with sides of corn and bread....   I'm gonna try to make an eggplant tomato and bowtie pasta dish in my slow cooker tomorrow....

And my mustard avacado/cucumber/cherry tomato salad... and the yummy asian salad with brocolli, walnuts, and ramen.....

This is pretty funny. (Learning a new language is fun!)

Thanks to supergee

Oh and if you somehow have missed it (Jason originally told me about it, but several of my friends have referred to it), this website made me cry - in the good way.  (Cake Wrecks)