Omega19x

5:04pm: Life is a highway, I'm gonna drive it all night long.
In the past thirty six hours, I've been to San Antonio and back again, on my annual Alumni Weekend adventure. And this year, I dressed as Spock! Work prevented me from taking any more time than that, but it didn't prevent me from squeezing the most out of the time I did have.

The drive down to San Antonio can be summed up in one phrase - "Pie Makes Everything Better."

It really does. I got my yearly slice of pie from the Koffee Kup Restaurant in Hico. Apple, this time. And I enjoyed some of it when I got to Trinity, and the rest when I got back to the hotel yesterday night.

Alumni Weekend was packed full of fun, especially as my favorite Starfleet Vulcan.

The minute I walked up the stairs to the Communications lab, I was dumbfounded. My jaw hit the floor and I had to wipe drool off my boots. I think I muttered a string of at least seven profanities without repeating anything. It... was... incredible. Their master control room has been completely redone. Everything is digital, everything is high definition... Master Control looks like the bridge of the friggin' Enterprise, and I could barely resist the urge to put on a headset and say, 'Hailing frequencies open, Captain.'

Four years ago, we were still using VHS decks, a tiny switcher and no teleprompter. Now, it's more state of the art than anything I've ever seen in my life! Even in the professional world!!

Okay... now that I got THAT out of my system...

The rest of my afternoon and evening were filled with meeting old professors, old classmates and new students. I got to watch a taping of Newswave and give my critiques to the students. I got to have a long talk with the executive producer there, and sense in him the same passion for the station that I had. And I learned that they still refer to my years on Studio 21 as the show's 'Golden Age.'

I even got to attend a lecture on the molecular structure of Swine Flu, presented by the department head of biochemistry from the University of Otago in New Zealand. While I might have been dressed as a science officer, I didn't really have any background in the subject, but I still found it fascinating. (No pun intended.) I never realized that the name H1N1 comes from the type of proteins coating the outside of the cell, and that there are several kinds of H1N1 that aren't swine flu at all.

Most of the evening was spent catching up with old classmates, including an old friend who just happened to show up in costume. We swapped anime convention stories, plans for future conventions, and the like. And we both learned that after a few beers, a Star Trek phaser can be the most interesting thing on the planet. (Vicariously, of course. We weren't the ones drinking.)

My trip coming home was just as exciting. I stopped at Dinosaur World just outside Glen Rose, and walked a trail with hundreds of life-size dinosaur models. It was actually a really peaceful excursion with fascinating facts, and well worth the $15 admission. I loved it, and want to go back again sometime.

All in all, a great chance to get away for a while.

Current Lips: black with a white X

8:01pm: turn off the damn 24-hour news channel. I'm trying to de-stress in peace, dammit.
Someone, anyone, do me a favor.

Tell me the world isn't coming to an end. Stop the hype, stop the fear-mongering, stop the panic and the chaos for just five fucking minutes and take a big deep breath and a good long look around you. The apocalypse isn't here, and it isn't coming.

Everything is going to be just fine. Tomorrow is going to be just like today. We're still all going to be here, for better or for worse, but fine just the same.

Current Lips:yellow, orange and red gradient blend

6:52am: Eventually, I'm going to have more costumes than regular clothes
I have now officially blown every single bit of pumpkin carving contest money on fabric... and then a little bit more. And I still need to go back and get some more... damn lining. Always need it and never have it.

And sitting in the middle of my parents' living room is the start of costume that will make YuleCon the most awesome con in the world. - Santa Kaiba. Yes. I am making Santa Kaiba. And it's going to be great!!

I... just need to do nothing else... so I can actually get it done on time.

Current Lips: black, orange and white gradient blend

12:36pm: A blessed Samhain to all!
I was absolutely right about Samhain. Dressed as Priest Mahaado, I not only had a lot more fun, but I also followed up last year's God's prize by balancing myself out. This year, I took home the coveted Goddess Prize.

It was a gorgeous decorative wall plaque in the shape of the moon. And it even matched my costume - being all purple, black and gold. It was magical, and everyone agreed that it just seemed to fit. (Had they pegged my character as a guy, I might have had a chance at the God's prize again... which was a bottle of mead. Hilarious as that might have been... I think I'm happier with what actually happened.)

I also brought my kuribo pumpkin to show off, and everyone thought he was the cutest thing they've ever seen. Most people didn't even realize it was a real pumpkin until they touched it. I roasted pumpkin seeds, which suddenly became more popular when I advertised them as kuribo guts and said 'the poor creature in the chair gave his innards for your snack.'

And after circle, I learned that I'd been invited to another Halloween party! I went, and had a very insightful tarot reading done.

I'm glad I followed my heart on this one.

Current Lips: black with a white stripe

3:48pm: Look into my meme-o-lantern
I still have a little time before I need to get ready for the Samhain ritual tonight, so I found a Halloween meme to do while the paint on my costume dries. Yes, after last night, I decided that I'd rather attend a ritual in a costume that surrounded me with positive energy, rather than my cursed Ryuk. So, to honor the individuals who introduced me to this spiritual side, even if it was originally through role play, I will don my Priest Mahaado costume, an go as an ancient Egyptian sorcerer.

The Halloween Meme:

1. Which urban legend ghost scared the bejeesuz out of you when you were a kid?
I don't remember ever being scared by an urban legend. There were a few real ghosts, though, over the years, that frightened me. And one very familiar poltergeist (corroborated by several eyewitnesses) during my freshman year of college.

2. Which horror movie has the best premise?
As embarrassing as this is, I'm going to say 'Queen of the Damned' because there's absolutely nothing wrong with a guilty pleasure flick involving very sexy vampire rock stars chained to the bed. Absolutely nothing wrong with it at all.

3. What is the most disappointing “treat” to receive in your bag on Halloween night?
Hands down, it was the ridiculous bible tracts that good "Christians" gave out instead of candy. Or worse, the kind that was rubber banded to the candy. I infiltrated a church Halloween party one year (Dark Jedi look a lot like Mary Magdalene if you squint) and I didn't find nearly as many bible tracts as I got in normal trick or treating.

4. What’s the best non-candy item to receive?
I was always a fan of spider rings and stickers. I especially liked them since a good 9/10 of my Halloween candy either went to decorating graham cracker houses for the birds at Christmas or bribing my teachers for bonus points.

5. Did a monster live in your closet when you were a child?
Nope.

6. Which supernatural creature sent chills up your spine when you were ten and still does?
Oddly enough, it's the creatures that actually exist that sent chills up my spine. Most notably the evil and wicked creature called 'Man.' And unfortunately, many examples of those still do.

7. Which supernatural creature makes you yawn?
Mummies, warewolves, zombies... blah.

8. What’s your favorite Halloween decoration?
When it comes to decorating for Halloween parties, I like hanging webbing. Otherwise, it's probably an artfully carved pumpkin.

9. If you could be anywhere on Halloween night, where would you be?
It doesn't matter, as long as I'm in costume and having fun.

10. What’s the scariest book you’ve read so far this year?
Well, it wasn't exactly a book... it was... around tax time... when I opened the letter about the current state of my 401(k). Trust me, it was scary.

11. Haunted houses or haunted hayrides?
Haunted hayrides. I've been to enough haunted houses to know that if I actually want to get scared, spooked, or even remotely surprised, I either need to be intoxicated or at least highly distracted. Here's to hoping itchy hay is enough of a distraction that I experience what everyone else apparently does.

12. Which Stephen King novel/movie would you least like to find yourself trapped in?
The dark half. Except, I think, given that poltergeist experience I mentioned earlier, I kind of was... It was the same premise, except it was a character instead of an author.

13. Which is creepiest: evil dolls, evil pets, evil children?
The creepiest thing that I can think of isn't any of those. It's a lady with rollers in her hair. Really. That spooks me. That honestly spooks me. I don't know if I was murdered in a beauty shop in a past life, but those people with their hair up and facial masks on... I can hardly look at them. Open heart surgery by mad scientists, okay. Live abortion video in hell houses, fine by me. Twisted clowns with dental instruments, not a problem. Housewife with rollers - creepy.

Current Lips: Jack-o-lantern

8:10pm: There's a lesson about karma in here somewhere
I should have just stayed in my Spock costume all day. Because, I swear, my Ryuk costume is cursed. No matter where I wear it, no matter what the audience, no matter who the judges are... it's an absolutely amazing costume, probably the best one I've ever concocted. And yet, it loses every contest I enter.

I made it strictly as a costume to compete in, and yet, it can never win. Oh, irony indeed.

On the other hand, my kuribo pumpkin took first place in the office Pumpkin Carving Contest! I guess everyone else thought it was absolutely adorable too.

Current Cotume: Spock

6:40am: The ultimate corporate inside joke
It's all part of my cunning evil master plan - Wear a Costume to Work Day can be any day, just so long as the costume looks like appropriate business attire.

Case in point:


I wonder how many compliments I'll get on my new suit... *cackle cackle cackle* Now where's my Death Note?

Current Costume: Light Yagami

9:46pm: I love pumpkins
There's something almost zen about carving a pumpkin. As long as you don't manage to sever any fingers with the paring knife, that is.

I must admit - at first, I wasn't looking forward to churning out an entry for the office pumpkin carving contest. Last year's results still haunt me. It's hard to win a contest when your pumpkin is hiding in the confiscation box. This year, I couldn't allow that to happen. So I came up with a full-proof plan - to make the absolute cutest pumpkin I can think of. And I really enjoyed doing it!! It was a lot of fun!

So what, pray tell, did I spend the entire evening carving??

...A kuribo!!

All I have left to do is wait for the paint to dry and then assemble the hands and feet. Gosh, it's just so gosh darn cute!!

Current Lips: black and white gradient blend

6:54am: Another profound philosophical moment interrupted by birds
I was having a conversation with my master after class last night.

"I think Kendo has been really good for me. When I fight, I tense up, and when that happens, I'm not fast enough. Because I have to relax first, before I can move. Before, it was difficult to notice, but now, I get a lovely little reminder in the form of a shinai upside the head."

He looked at me for a moment. A fresh breeze came through the dojo's three open doors.

"What you just said... that's the key to learning a martial art. That's the key to life... Relax first and..."

SQUAAAAK!!!

"... Did a bird just fly in here?!"

Long story short, he said I've known that fact for a long time. I just didn't know that I knew it. Knowing is one thing, understanding is another. Living it is another thing still.

"What frustrates you," he then told me. "is that you want to stand toe to toe with the big guys, and you can't. Physically, you can't. But you CAN beat them. If you let it flow, let it happen. Relax first, and it will happen."

Current Lips: black and white gradient blend

8:09pm: just add tentacles
House wasn't on tonight, so I decided to do something constructive with my time.

Unfortunately, then I saw new images from the upcoming Yugioh 10th anniversary movie.

I read a comment about resisting the urge to photoshop things in their mouths. And I just simply couldn't resist doing this...

I constructed something. That's constructive, right?

Current Lips:blue and purple gradient blend

9:38pm: you know you watch too much anime when...
You decide to create a Seto Kaiba for your Guitar Hero game.

It's not that hard, really. The game might not have his trenchcoat, but it does have his gauntlets and a stunning blue guitar with a dragon on it. I punked him out and he looks great. And as soon as I earn enough in-game money, I'm buying him the $8,000 dragon outfit. Oh yeah, baby.

But here's the kicker...

The first set I played with the character, the computer randomly generated the following bandmates.
Please note, that I did not create these. The Wii did.

1. A lead singer that was a dead ringer for Jack Atlas from Yugioh 5Ds. I swear, exact same hair, same build, and punk clothes that matched Kaiba's.
2. A bassist that looked like a female version of Matt from Death Note. Jeans. Black and white striped shirt, vest. Same hair. Same goggles. Unbelievable.
3. Sorry, the drummer wasn't interesting enough to warrant my attention after those two.

I started laughing so hard, I failed the song!!

Wow... I haven't felt this geeky since I made L and Light Miis and had them play against each other in a game of tennis.

9:17pm: making you laugh, one internet quote a time
I was randomly surfing the internet for a very long time this evening, and I saw this on 'The Customer is Not Always Right' blog. I had to post it, given how hilarious it was.

There are two local businesses with very similar phone numbers.

Support person: “Thank you for calling. How may I help you?”
Customer: “How much for my daughter?”
Support person: “Um…”
Customer: “She’s 16. It’s her first time. She needs training.”
Support person:“Sir, I think you want the driving school.”
Customer: “Oh, what do you guys do?”
Support person: “Adult websites.”
Customer: “Oh…OH! Oh my God!”

In completely, non-related news, a 1 gig download takes over an hour and thirty minutes to complete on a 5 MB/s connection.

Current Lips: red, purple and black gradient blend

9:49pm: How to fix your internet speed in 71 easy steps
1. Realize that transferring large files is painfully slow.
2. Look at the ISP's web page.
3. The cheapest plan offers 15 MB/s bandwith. Surely, we have the cheapest plan. So my bandwith should be up to 15 MB/s.
4. go to dslreports.com
5. check bandwith
6. It's 4.6 MB/s
7. check it again.
8. Same result.
9. Check it once more for good measure.
10. So... I'm only getting about 1/3 of what I'm paying for?! That bites! That's highway robbery! Let's complain about it!
11. Complain about it.
12. Actually decide to do something about it.
13. Which involves customer service people... so put it off.
14. work on a video
15. Watch the Good Eats 10th anniversary spectacular.
16. eat a pancake.
17. go to sleep.
18. Get reminded about it at work.
19. Go to the ISP website. This is an internet problem, surely I can e-mail them about it or something.
20. Oh look, there is. Sweet.
21. Let's try the troubleshooting options first, though.
22. Look up the ISP preferred speed optimization software
23. for MAC, please. kthnx
24. Download broadband tuner.
25. unzip broadband tuner.
26. Install broadband tuner.
27. Make a joke about synchro-summoning something.
28. Run speed test again.
29. Must be a junk synchron, because the test comes back exactly the same. What a load of JUNK.
30. click to open a repair ticket.
31. fill out online forms.
32. check firewall settings.
33. Go outside to check the fiber optics box on the side of the house for green lights.
34. Realize the forms meant the box on the INside of the house.
35. Go back inside.
36. Oh shit, it's in the garage. Good thing I can see two lights from the doorway, because that's as close as I'm going to be getting to them.
37. Look up what the lights mean.
38. Oh good. it means it's on, and the battery has life.
39. Finish filling out the forms.
40. Type out a detailed description of my problem.
41. Click next.
42. A line test is initiated.
43. Line test fails.
44. Click to send repair ticket.
45. "We're sorry, but the request cannot be processed at this time. Please call a service representative. We apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused you."
46. Why that damn little piece of data. It didn't send it, and it didn't save it! Let's complain about it!!
47. Talk about the weather, oh wait, no. I complained about it.
48. Type everything out again.
49. Sit through another line test.
50. I mean, another failed line test.
51. Click to send repair ticket.
52. "We're sorry, but the request cannot be processed at this time. Please call a service representative. We apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused you."
53. Complain. Complain. Complain. Complain. hey, do you want to go to the zoo with me on Saturday? No, oh... okay. Complain. Complain. Complain.
54. Whine about having to call a customer service rep at 9:30 at night.
55. Call one anyway.
56. And get the automated line.
57. Which wants to try troubleshooting things first.
58. And it's hard to say no to a machine that keeps telling you how astronomically long the wait time will be if it has to connect you to a representative.
59. It's line test fails too, and it has no other choice.
60. The wait time was about 2 seconds.
61. Funny, the automated systems that tell you how short the time will be are usually the ones that have the 3 hour wait times...
62. Give account info.
63. Verify account info.
64. Tell the real human being (who sounds completely American, btw) what the problem is.
65. Learn that the account we have is not a 15 MB/s bandwith account. It's only a 5 MB/s bandwith account.
66. "Oh... so my connection is slow because... my connection is slow."
67. "Yeah. Pretty much..."
68. "Boy, do I feel dumb."
69. Hang up.
70. Let's complain about it!!
71. okay, no. Nevermind. Good Eats is on.

Current Lips: orange, brown and black gradient blend

6:29am: That dreamcatcher needs new batteries.
What a terrible nightmare!!! Even Darkrai couldn't dream this up!
(Yes, Usagi, I actually used a pokemon reference. You can praise me later.)

I dreamed that I was away from the office for a single day, to attend a funeral, no less. And when I got back, everything had changed.

It started out with meetings about little things, and then one of the other departments stole my cell phone and used up all the minutes I had left on my plan to conduct some kind of ridiculous test. And even printed out proof of what they did. When I went to complain to my manager, I learned that they'd completely redesigned that area of the floor, including my studio.

They'd taken away my studio, painted all the walls white, carved windows in them, hung up chalkboards... and of course, I flipped out. Saying I needed the studio in order to work. All my cameras were gone! My lights were gone! What was I supposed to do?!

She hit a button and a green screen, which was about the size of an overhead projector screen, came down from the ceiling. That was my answer.

I kept yelling, saying how it was too small. I could never do wide shots, and my talent wouldn't have room to gesture... and that I needed a room with black walls, so light wouldn't reflect, and without windows, so people couldn't look inside and make my talent nervous.

Then she said that I just had to adjust, and asked when the last time I took vacation was. I didn't need a vacation, I said, I needed my studio!

Eventually, in the dream, my manager apologized for being insensitive. She kept saying how this was the CEO's way to better utilize the space, but that she shouldn't totally dismiss my opinion. I was willing to compromise, saying that they could build me a studio anywhere else in the building, and I'd move to it. I didn't really care where I sat. I even gave her the specs for a better studio, with extra green space on the walls and a green floor!!

But the conversation ended with me crying, saying how I just needed it to do my job. And without it, I didn't have a job. I even started crying to the CEO, realizing that this was their way of firing me... I just kept repeating, 'I need it to do my job! I need it to do my job!'

It was at that point where I woke up.

I was literally crying. Tears were streaming down my face. And it took me quite some time to go back to sleep.

All I have to say is... when I get to work, there'd better be a studio, and it better be exactly how I left it on Friday.

Current Lips: orange, brown and black gradient blend

9:04pm: well, the soup wasn't completely ruined. Unless you're a vampire.
Note to self:

Garlic powder =/= onion flakes, even though the bottles are the exact same shape, size and are sitting next to each other in the spice rack. And when you shake it, a hell of a lot more comes out than you think it does.

It tasted pretty bad at first, but we managed to pull it back to the edible stage eventually. All it needed was some sugar, more time... and the stuffed up nose of allergy season didn't hurt either.

2:29pm: And the mystery of Emo!Mahaado is solved
I was reading some Yugioh manga the other day, and the following plot point suddenly hit me:

It is obvious that Mahaado feels a tremendous amount of guilt and grief over Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen's death. After his tomb is robbed, he takes full blame for what would mean a second death to the former pharaoh, and asks Atem for punishment. He then leaves to face Bakura, knowing that he will likely die.

But what could cause this terrible grief?

As stated in vol 4, after Mahaado became a priest and sealed the evil of the millennium ring, he discovered the secrets of the millennium items. He then told Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen about them, and he fell ill and died.

As stated in vol 2, we also know that Mahaado is a spirit sorcerer, and that means he has powers that go beyond what the millennium items can do. Other than his apprentice, who's still a student, there aren't any other spirit sorcerers mentioned.

As stated in vol 6, Hasan tells Atem that Akhenamkhanen gave his soul to seal a spirit (him) into the stone tablet. I can think of only two ways to accomplish this. One is with the millennium items. Granted that the pharaoh was utterly sick with grief over how the items were created, it's unlikely he used any item to achieve that goal. The second would be to enlist the powers of a spirit sorcerer, who would be able to cast such a spell without using the items.

And there is likely only one spirit sorcerer the pharaoh would be able to call upon.

Do you realize what that means??

Mahaado did not just indirectly cause the pharaoh's death. He outright killed him. He performed the ritual that created Hasan, thus taking the life and soul of the pharaoh. And he likely had to do it in complete secrecy. It is no wonder he behaved the way he did. What an incredible weight to bear on your shoulders... and for all eternity.

Yes... I know... I'm a geek.

8:11pm: Really, people. Shut up. Just shut up.
Ah, I finally get my annual Phonathon call from my alma mater... and I can't even enjoy the moment because I have my mother yelling in my other ear about what I'm doing, who I'm talking to, what I'm donating, and angrily protesting my decision to donate via credit card this year instead of check.

And then, she has the audacity to tell me to be quiet because Dad's talking on the phone.

Funny, it didn't seem to stop her a minute ago, when I was on the phone. Hell, I didn't even get to send a faculty-gram.

Current Lips: purple gradient blend

8:03pm: wouldn't surprise me
Apparently, a long, intense, video shoot with a hand-held camera + a somewhat healing shoulder injury that's less than two weeks old = pain down my entire left arm.

That fact is a little disconcerting, but perhaps that's only because I just spent the last hour watching House. Watching House tends to do that. Which leaves me wondering if I pulled a muscle, pinched a nerve, or if I've developed a degenerative disease that will lead to an eventual amputation of the affected arm. Okay, I'm not really wondering the latter. I'm just being sarcastic. Watching House tends to do that too.

Now where's that damn ice pack?

Current Lips: white, light green and black gradient blend

4:30pm: Forget the victor. To the cosplayer goes the spoils!
I just got back from the Yugioh Mall Tour. From what I heard, it was supposed to be an event with tournaments, dueling simulators, lots of space to play, etc. In reality, there were no real tournaments, no dueling simulators, they only had six tables, and the wait for open dueling space could reach about an hour at a time.

But they did have one thing - a special appearance by Ryou Bakura... aka. me!

And there was a lot of trading. Including the cards I got from my friends for cosplay purposes, I came home with a whole handful of Kuribohs, 3 blue eyes white dragons, a blue eyes ultimate dragon, a blue eyes shining dragon, and the ultimate combo... 3 blue eyes white dragons... IN SPANISH! Not fake Spanish Yugioh cards, real official cards, with Spanish text. How awesome is THAT?!

Other than trading, the main highlight of the event was a chance to duel official Konami judges. There were four of them, and you could only duel each one once. If you beat one, you got one of the new Yusei booster packs.

I dueled all four.
So how many booster packs did Bakura walk away with?? Let's count!!

Match 1: I played against a plant themed deck, and I lost.

Match 2: This was my Bakura deck versus what the judge called, 'a deck a cosplayer can truly appreciate.' As soon as the first Blue Eyes White Dragon was put on the field, I immediately started appreciating it.
I appreciated it even more when my Dark Necrofear committed suicide against his Blue Eyes, so I could gain control of the monster. I used it to eat up his life points a little, and then sacrificed it on my last turn for a monster that took its attack strength from twice that of the sacrificed monster. That's 6000 points of damage.
He went from 5800 to 0 in one attack, and I snatched my first booster pack!!

Match 3: I played against a fish deck, and actually managed to hold my own for a very long time. In the end, I held off long enough for the win! So second booster pack for me!!

Match 4: This was truly epic. This deck was a crystal beast deck. We were actually neck and neck for the longest time, until he managed to lock me down with a 4000/4000 monster in defense mode, that all monsters had to attack, regardless of what they attacked. And he had a card that could attack my life points directly. All his card spaces were filled except for one, and they all had crystal monsters in them. I could survive one more attack if his field stayed the way it was.
One of my friends on the sidelines says, 'There's one card that can save you. You have to draw Zorc!' He was right. I had everything I needed to summon Zorc in my hand except for the ritual monster card itself.
My opponent, though, drew 'United we Stand' a spell card that adds 800 attack points for every monster on that side of the field. Everyone in the vicinity just cringed as he totally obliterated me.
But the most epic moment was still yet to come... I pulled the next card off the top of my deck. It was Zorc.
The duel was so hilarious, and it was so much fun, that the judge gave me TWO booster packs, even though I lost!

He justified it like this -

'Everyone who's come to play against me today has come to try and beat me and get free cards. You're the first person here that came to play for fun. And this duel was a lot of fun. So even though you lost, you win.'

It was definitely an uplifting ending to a really fun day.

Current COSTUME: Ryou Bakura

9:19am: Thrillvania!!
Apparently, east Texas is not the place you want to be at night. It's downright creepy out there. Nothing's well lit, nothing's easy to find, and the people that live out there are so Christian and white, it's scary. The perfect local for one of the most spectacular haunted attractions in the country, right? Right.

Last night, an old co-worker and I headed out to Thrillvania Thrill Park, to jump start our Halloween season and get our spook on. It had eight haunted attractions, and we were able to go through almost all of them. There was a neat, and cute, magic show, and plenty of other activities too.

Here's what I thought of the attractions:

Haunted Verdun Manor:
This was a huge haunted mansion, probably the biggest I've ever been in. And it was pretty neat. The graveyard out front was extremely well done, and the laboratory room inside was fantastic!! I want one.
Like all haunted houses, my biggest regret is that you have to go so fast that you can't enjoy the amazing surroundings. Apparently you're not supposed to enjoy them, you're supposed to run through them screaming like an idiotic teenager. I guess I just don't get it.

VooDoo Bayou:
This was cool. It's basically the path leading up to the big mansion. The fog was creepy, and there was plenty to see. A dark, cloudy night made it all that much better.

Cassandra's Labyrinth of Terror:
We went in this one first. So it was probably my least favorite. Being a normally alert person, especially one who had just been driving in frightening, barely visible conditions in East Texas... I saw all the spooky things coming. Maybe it's the martial artist in me, but I saw each and every one of them coming. It took me a good two attractions to zone out enough to be even remotely surprised.

Dr. Lycan's Trail of Torment:
This trail was through the woods, which would have been my absolutely favorite part, had it not rained so hard yesterday. Everything was muddy, much muddier than we'd anticipated. Most of the people who were supposed to jump out and scare us were pointing flashlights at the mud puddles that would go up to our knees. And it was hard to stop and admire the creepy woods, or the toilet with the guy crawling out of it, etc... when you had to watch your step so closely.

Granny Lupus's Séance Theatre:
This was a sit-down show. It was all animatronics, and to be honest, it sucked. Nothing spooky about it. And the seats vibrated, but not in a good way.

Maze of Chaos:
We couldn't do this one. It was too muddy. I do love mazes, though. And I wish we could have done it, even if it was just a lot of chicken wire.

Six Feet Blunder:
You know... we missed this one. And I have no idea how we missed this one. But if it was anything like the other sit-down show, that was probably a good thing.

Thorn Hall:
This was their new attraction this year, and I think it was probably my favorite. It did the one thing you wouldn't expect from a haunted house - it took away all the lights and made you wander through in the dark. Since you couldn't see anything, you had to feel your way through, even through billowing plastic sheets with giant fans behind them. Those were so hard to squeeze through, especially if you're a small person. I kept getting stuck!

Current Lips: black, orange and white stripes

6:37am: Sometimes I wonder if I'm being tested more than the students are.
Well, last night was interesting.

I had quite a small class after the threat of rain and massive flooding... which didn't happen... Only three students came, all eligible for testing. So it turned into an advanced belt cram night. And my autistic student had quite a meltdown. I've never seen him act like that.

It was a lesson in patience, in teaching methods... I finally did get him to calm down and work on at least part of his form, by breaking it into smaller pieces. And I finally did get his father, who I can imagine was extremely embarrassed, working on other things and not caught up in the situation. I think the night was harder on him than it was on me.

Everyone has good days and everyone has bad days. I know I do.

Oh great... NOW it's raining...

Current Lips: black, orange and white gradient blend

8:12pm: Screw the sanity, I'm posting mpreg.
Okay, maybe I've been on the Yugioh Kink Meme one too many times... but I'm finally posting a fanfiction involving mpreg. And not just any mpreg. Dragon mpreg. Because if there's one thing more entertaining than men having babies, it's got to be men having babies of a completely different species. Yes, she says with shifty eyes... That makes complete and total sense.

Screw the Uterus! I have Money!

Enjoy.

Current Lips: green and black gradient blend

8:57pm: Rather feel pain than nothing at all
Last night in kendo, I tweaked my shoulder again. It didn't pull it out of place, but it aggravated what injury was already there. And I'm feeling it now. So much so, that I'm actually icing it while I'm typing.

You know, I'd almost forgotten how many things I actually use my left arm for - picking up the telephone, opening the door, manhandling giant pieces of poster board, steering the car... I suppose that's one thing pain is good for - reminding you not to take various parts of the body for granted.

I hope it heals up fast. I won't be able to spar very well until I can get some more range of motion back. It's pretty bad right now, actually. I'll be forced to fight with my sword on the outside, strike low and block with my right hand up. A potential deathtrap for two reasons - namely death and trap. Which, of course, I'll probably throw myself into the middle of, just because I can.

Current Lips: black and gold gradient blend

6:32am: It's official. I have the alcohol tolerance of a kuribo.
I felt pretty bad yesterday morning, and all through the morning staff meeting. In fact, it wasn't until lunch when I started feeling better. It also wasn't until lunch that I finally realized what was wrong with me. Granted, part of it was likely allergies. I had spent all day outside yesterday. But a big part of it was something else...

Me: I'm not sick. I swear. I just... feel like crap...
Her: You had something to drink yesterday. And now you feel all icky?
Me: Yeah.
(so sue me, but a the time, I had no idea where she was going with this...)
Her: And a headache?
Me: Yeah.
Her: And your head hurts like wooooooh... *she gestures wavelike motions with her hands*
Me: Yeah!!
Her: You're hungover.
Me: Wait, what?!

Really... I mean, really?!

All I had to drink was a couple ounces of wine. A small $1, sample-sized cup. And it was a blush, a white whine, so it had less congers, less tannins, less histamines, etc., than a red wine, which I know can affect me. I drank other, non-alcoholic beverages at the time. And I drank this minuscule amount of wine early in the afternoon, assuming any physical feelings of withdrawl would take care of themselves long before the next day.

I didn't drink irresponsibly, and I didn't drink very much. I honestly thought I was drinking well within my limits. I certainly didn't expect this much of an effect, or to be called out on it at work. Hell, this is only the second hangover I've had in my entire life.

Important lesson learned. Stay away from grape-based wines. Period.

Current Lips: gold and black gradient blend

8:30pm: Our state fair is a great state fair
Howdy folks. I took a much-needed vacation day to go enjoy the biggest state fair in the country. And what a fun day it was. There was just so much to do! (And I would have stayed later and done even more, except 1) I have to go to work tomorrow. and 2) If I waited until that soccer game let out, it would probably be tomorrow by the time I got out of the parking lot. At which point, I might as well just drive to work.)

But here are the highlights of what I did do:

Let's have a looksee. A little look. And a little see.

I took in a lovely IMAX feature called Dinosaurs of Patagonia. It was a riveting documentary about the discovery of some of the world's largest dinosaurs in Argentina. And I toured the science museum afterward. It's probably the best IMAX feature I've seen at the fair in the past few years. It even featured a comic relief raptor. Yes... I swear, that dinosaur just seemed to be funny wherever it went.

There was the Pirates of the Caribbean Dive Show, which featured Olympic style dives from as high as eighty feet in the air. That was pretty neat.

I got a chance to see an exhibit on rock n' roll photojournalists. There were so many awesome pictures of rock stars, both on stage and candid shots. It was totally awesome.

The Birds of the World show was amazing as always. And this year, they had a bald eagle on display, in addition to Groucho, the singing parrot.

And of course, at the end of the day, we all gathered to watch the Starlight Parade.

No, I didn't try the fried butter.
Hell, you couldn't pay me to try the fried butter.

Most of what I ate was Greek food. I had a gyro for lunch, with a side of Jack's famous french fries. And I had spanikopita (spinach puff) for dinner. And even though, just like last year, I swore I was going to try alligator on a stick... I ended up not getting it. But I did get a funnel cake, complete with delicious baked apple topping... so I suppose that makes up for it.

I think the coolest thing I did get to try was Texas wine. I went to the wine tasting event, and sampled a wonderful cup of a blush wine from the Llano Winery. I asked for the sweetest thing they had, and they gave it to me. It was actually really good! And I'm not just saying that because they gave me enough to make me a little tipsy...

I won a turtle. His name is Karma.

The only ride I went on this year was the Tilt-a-whirl.
Well, unless you count the massage chair as a ride. Maybe I should. It lasted longer than most of the rides, and cost about the same amount as a ride...

Instead, I bought a game card for the midway, and played about $10 worth of games.

The first thing I did was a 'Guess your Age' booth. And I almost lost. Granted, I don't look my age. But there were several things I was doing/wearing that made it seem like I was older than I look. First, I decided to wear one of my old Trinity University t-shirts today. That dates me. Second, I had my own wallet and my own cell phone. Third, I was at the fair, by myself, on a week day, when, if I were a student, I should have been in class. At the same time, though, I wasn't at work either, which probably led him to think I had just graduated... Analysis aside, he said I was 23. He wasn't off by too much, but he was off by enough for me to win a prize! And I picked a cute stuffed tiger!

Unfortunately, unbeknownst to me, the guy at the 'Guess your Age' booth charged me for two guesses instead of one, so I only had enough credits on my card for one more game (which I found out... at the next game...) And I chose a game of skill - darts.

Karma, though, was working on my side. Because I paid for three darts, but I ended up getting four. And you had to pop four balloons to win a large prize. I didn't get the fourth dart because of my sad story of getting ovvercharged at the 'Guess your Age' booth. I got it because I threw the dart, it hit the balloon, and then it bounced back. And it didn't just bounce off the balloon, either. It actually deflated it! The person running the game said he's NEVER seen THAT happen before. So I walked away with a stuffed turtle!!

I think that was the best part of the entire day.

Current Lips: black and white stripes