sofiaviolet: MS Paint person sadfacing while holding broom, with text: "clean *all* the things?" (clean all the things?)
My weekend has come to a satisfactory conclusion, with all work completed on time, even with social media sanity breaks. \o/

Ellie has decided to Clean All The Things. The apartment totally needed it, but it was a little stressful to come in from Special Work Event after lunchtime and find Even MOAR Stuff in my bedroom.

Also, today I talked to my mom about getting a new computer. My Macbook is five years old!* It's still a perfectly adequate computer for my needs, except for two problems:
  1. The fan makes loud angry noises whenever the computer is sleeped/hibernated/shut down, carried in my bag, and woken up again.
  2. The plastic case around the screen and keyboard/trackpad has begun to chip off. Including right under where my right wrists rests when I'm mousing.
But, as my mother needs a new computer (hers is so old she can't update past Firefox 2, and she's understandably worried about Bad Shit From The Internet), we have decided she can have the Macbook, since she won't be moving it around or using the trackpad.

So now my goal is to locate the best Macbook for the least money. We have determined that it is a worthwhile investment to get a better computer than I need Right Now, because said computer will serve me for more years.

* I have been pretty impressed with the longevity of the Macs I've owned. 6 years, 4 years (would have been longer but Evil Ex stepped on it and refused to admit it was his fault the screen died), over 6 years (since AFAIK the iBook I gave to Cameryn is still kicking), and 5 years. Mom's iMac is 7.
sofiaviolet: the word "doom" chiseled into a headstone (doom)
I am now the proud owner of these boots. I got them for about 94% off. (When we play D&D at Loraine's apartment, I stop at Buffalo Exchange on my way, to see whether they've got anything I simply must have.)

The two biggest assignments of the semester are both due early next week, so there goes my weekend. (Except for a brief respite on Sunday, when I'm doing a Special Thing for work.)

(I maybe should have stayed home from Shadowrun last night, since without our GM we weren't going to be advancing any plot or earning any karma and nuyen. But I like my friends, so I went. We watched Buffy and played Cards Against Humanity.)
sofiaviolet: a drawing of a d20 (d20)
I got my hair cut today. Still not sure what it'll look like after I wash it and don't volumize it with five different products, a round brush, and a hair dryer. (I lack the brush, the products, the skills, and the time and give-a-fuck to actually do it myself.) But right now it looks awesome, even after I went shopping all after noon and tried on a bunch of tops and dresses that went on over my head. (Still don't know what I'm wearing to the wedding this summer. Still don't know what I'm supposed to be wearing to the wedding this summer.)

My D&D group hasn't played in a couple of weeks. :( But Shadowrun is meeting regularly. We've switched to playing mostly at MIT instead of in JP. This past Thursday, we were wrapping up the run from the previous week, and we finished pretty early. Instead of starting something new or going home early, we played Cards Against Humanity. My Shadowrun group is the perfect group of people to play that with; we're all on the same wavelength so it's consistently funny-terrible and not awkward-terrible or rage-inducing-terrible.
sofiaviolet: road signs in Boston: Storrow Dr., Callahan Tunnel, surface artery, detour (Boston)
I had a wonderful time in New Orleans. The post-Katrina buses are quite nice (although they're apparently the "push rear doors to open" type and not the "driver opens rear doors" type I'm used to) and I got to see the really really old work car near Lee Circle on the St. Charles line. The conference was excellent. And I am now the proud owner of this tank top and some water meter coasters.

Since my return, I've been busy with work, my internship, and my D&D and Shadowrun groups. (No class until Monday because spring break.)

I also got a new phone. It has internet! Mostly this is so I can check whether it's faster to walk from Simmons to Ruggles or if there'll be a bus along soonish, and so I stop having to call my parents and say, "I'm lost, please read me turn-by-turn directions over the phone." It's already demonstrating how very convenient it shall be.
sofiaviolet: some violets (violets)
It's cool, though. I did manage to dig the suitcase out and I have a list of everything I should need.

Note to throat: you're on notice. This better just be post-nasal drip irritation.
sofiaviolet: dotted lines forming squares and rectangles (dotted line)
ILU-486
HELLO THERE. WE HEARD U NEED THIS.
DON’T WORRY, WE LOVE YOU.
EVERY PART OF YOU BELONGS TO YOU.


***

I'm going to give you some breathing room after that short story.

[personal profile] epershand: Feminism, sex-positivity, and sexual prescriptivism
Normative people are not the problem. The systems that describe the norm, coerce people into it, and punish those who don't comply, are the problem. People (and companies, cough legos reference cough) are a problem to the extent that they engage in enforcement and punishment. But compliance with a rule doesn't necessarily imply being duped by it. And enforcement and punishment can come just as often and just as vindictively in defense of counter-cultural norms.

What is cultural appropriation
What’s being appropriated in *cultural appropriation* isn’t the things themselves — the images, stories, artefacts, themes, etc. — it’s the capacity of people of oppressed groups to determine the meaning, scope, usage, and future of those things. Cultural appropriation involves taking over peoples’ control over representations of themselves. Cultural appropriation is an attack on cultural autonomy and self-determination, backed up by historically constructed domination.
sofiaviolet: Seriously, how did you get to be this age without dying of stupid? (how are you not dead of stupid?)
Went to Loraine's birthday party Friday and had a blast. I'm also joining her 3.5 campaign on Wednesday nights (Nathaniel had to drop out due to an attack of real life, although he's staying in the Shadowrun group).

Speaking of Shadowrun, the Yakuza blew up my character's kitchen. Apparently this is what happens when you run against Mitsuhama and aren't super-careful about covering your tracks. (Daly is moving the big picture plot along.) The kitchen was the Thursday before the Flea, figuring out what to do about it was this past Thursday, and I'm not sure whether we'll need more than one session to resolve the mission that'll hopefully get us a bit more safety/protection.
sofiaviolet: stone steps with moss (stone steps)
Have talked to professor and workplace, and filled out Louisiana Historical Association annual meeting reg form - will mail tomorrow. Wheeeee! Now to stalk JetBlue's site for the best possible deal.

(And then this weekend is the Flea - totally different kind of gathering, lol. *has awesome roomies, needs to figure out when to get to the train station*)
sofiaviolet: im in ur history, emphasizin ur poc (emphasizin ur poc)
It's been a very uneven start of the semester for me - everything usually just feels kind of off (although I do have stretches of time where everything is going well and making sense, too).

So I've been doing so much ordinary stuff and feeling so weird so much of the time that I haven't been posting.

I'm going to try and attend the Louisiana Historical Association annual meeting, because there's a lot of things that mesh really well with my interests. I'll have to miss at least one class session (conference begins on Thursday, I have class on Thursday, sigh) - I'll talk to my professor tomorrow and see how to work it out.

my semester )

I have decided that from now on I should only take 9-12 classes. Any other time of day interferes with my work schedule and/or my ability to have a few empty blocks of time in my week.
sofiaviolet: a cracked egg with bandaids holding it together (for the papercuts)
I had a great time in New Orleans. :)

Ellen and Greg arrived shortly after Christmas (they're moving in with my parents for part of the year). Cory was also around for a few days (he is actually planning to use the Hello Kitty dice bag). We went to the French Quarter twice (once with Ellen and Greg and Cory, once without), ate at our favorite restaurants, etc.

I did manage to get lunch with [personal profile] pinesandmaples, [personal profile] rooibos, and their roommate Sid right before leaving for the airport. Ellie and I had a very nice, very empty flight that got in early and good luck with everything once we landed except for the Orange Line, for which we had to wait because we'd just missed a train.

Since getting back last night, I haven't done much of anything, but Ellie has been on a "clean all the things!" binge today, mainly focusing on the kitchen and bathroom. We also got groceries and she's making chicken noodle soup for us and the one or more of her friends who are coming over for dinner.

I seem to have gained some weight, for once. )
sofiaviolet: parody of WWII British propaganda: crown and text: keep buggering on (keep buggering on)
Ellie kinda sorta taught me to ride a bike today (I never actually learned, as a kid). I can stay upright and I don't fall over when making turns, but I can't yet choose the angle of the turn or which direction I go - the bike still controls those. I'll keep practicing on Mom's bike while I'm here, and when we get back to Boston, I'll have to learn hills and shifting on Ellie's bike (assuming it's not too icy). Once I'm at least competent to ride up and down Green Street, I'll get my own.
sofiaviolet: be the trouble you want to see in the world (trouble)
[personal profile] rydra_wong is hosting another Giant Community Rec-O-Matic!

Dreamwidth account creation is open through the end of 2011 - no code or payment required.

I've been in New Orleans since Sunday. We arrived an hour late because our plane took its sweet time showing up at Logan. Not sure why. But we had a reasonably nice flight and arrived in time for dinner.

Apparently when I'm in New Orleans I wake up by 8:00. IDEK. Probably has to do with going to bed fairly early, since my parents (especially Mom) tend to go to bed (or doze off on the couch) by 22:00.

On Monday, Mom took Ellie and I to Magazine Street and bought me some new clothes, including a nice cardigan and some black jeans. Yesterday, we got groceries. Today is Mom's last day of work before Christmas (so it's my last day of having to kill time in the mornings by watching HGTV); I've re-purpled my hair yet again and am now waiting for her to get home so we can figure out our afternoon plans.
sofiaviolet: girl in purple dress carrying suitcase and walking down railroad tracks (travel)
Anybody want to advise me on how much clothes I should bring to New Orleans? I'll be there for three weeks but I'll be staying with my parents and my mother does laundry pretty much continuously. (I could probably get away with two pairs of pants and four shirts, but I'd get bored.)

things I need to do before I leave:
  • PACK!

  • clean out the pantry

  • clean off the countertops as much as possible

  • clean the stove

  • check in for my flight

  • take out the trash and recycling

  • load and run the dishwasher


  • EDIT: Okay, I have figured out the lower half of my body, mostly. Very flouncy trumpet-shaped skirt in aubergine or tiered olive green skirt?
    sofiaviolet: drawing of Cthulhu saying "what the fhtagn" (what the fhtagn)
    Note to annual sinus infection: you happen in January. You're a month early.
    sofiaviolet: I got this icon at a thrift store (thrift store)
    Yesterday, I went to a Wyrding Studios jewelry party hosted by [livejournal.com profile] shadesong. Getting there was an adventure - I didn't take a close enough look at the map before leaving (so I didn't know how to get from the bus stop to her house) and then I got on the wrong bus. Fortunately, my parents bailed me out with Google-Maps-over-Voice-Protocol, also known as "I called them and asked them to read directions to me over the phone." *facepalm* But I was right on time and the party was great.

    It turned into crazy necklace day. I got a necklace with a small silver leaf, some dark peacock and purple beads and pearls, and a hammered-and-folded copper leaf. One of the other guests got a fantastic necklace she named Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Stuff. I don't think Kythryne has put any of the photos up on her flickr yet, but she said they'd be up there eventually.

    Lunch with [personal profile] stultiloquentia today. We're planning on being airplane buddies for Con.txt (at least for the return trip - I may be couchsurfing with relatives in the area for a couple of weeks beforehand).

    Before lunch, I went to CVS for assorted necessities; the self-checkout stations were all behaving badly. After lunch, I dropped off a bag of donations and went thrifting. I have acquired a cardigan! It is burgundy.

    I had to go to campus to work on an assignment that's due tomorrow, and then I wound up going grocery shopping to pick up a couple of things that'll get me through this week. Which apparently includes flowers. (For the latter half of my high school career, particularly while I was living in Atlanta, I always had a vase of small roses in my room. They're pretty much the only cut flowers I buy, because they're inexpensive but lovely and understated.)

    Once I hand in this assignment in class tomorrow, I only have to write a fairly short final paper for my history class to complete my school stuff for this semester. Wheeee.

    *badass*

    Dec. 7th, 2011 10:29 pm
    sofiaviolet: xkcd: stick figure and text: ...well played. (well played)
    I punched two helicopters to death Monday night.

    (In Shadowrun. Apparently no one else knew my character had melee combat abilities, and I didn't really know how to use them. Daly recently figured this out and I guess he thought a pair of medium-size helicopter drones were good first targets. Drones with machine guns.

    I boosted my strength, declared my improved reflexes and my two unarmed combat powers, rolled nine dice, and dealt one-blow KOs to both helicopters inside a single combat turn. Although the second one had already been slammed by some lightning, courtesy of Dave's mage.)

    I love playing an adept. :D
    sofiaviolet: photo of a bird (birds for brains)
    my wishlist )

    I think I have managed to note the wishlists that have come across my reading page, but just in case I missed yours, feel free to link me to it in the comments or send me an email/private message. I'll also be sending holiday cards for another week or so, if you want one.

    Would anyone like a voucher for WEBS or Liquid Hair Studios? )
    sofiaviolet: art nouveau rose (rose nouveau)
    Had to go to school early today to wrap up an assignment, because there was a piece of it that could only be done using resources on campus. But at least I wasn't the only one; I ran into loads of classmates all doing the same thing.

    I should probably start packing for New Orleans soon, just so I can be sure I have everything together. I won't actually need that much clothing because Mom does laundry pretty much constantly - just enough variety that I don't get bored by the third week of vacation. And probably a variety of clothing weights/warmnesses, since my parents say the weather's been weird and they can't predict how warm/cold I might feel.

    Shadowrun later today. Kind of sad it's the second-to-last session until I'm back in Boston (maybe even the last, depending on what kind of end-of-term stuff everyone else is up to next week). On the other hand, I can use that time off to copy my character sheet onto some fresh paper not yet stained with tikka masala and pepper steak.
    sofiaviolet: small jars of some kind of pigment and brushes (pigments)
    I have decided I like red lipstick:

  • Its texture helps remind me not to bite my lips all the time (much like the slickness of nail polish helps remind me not to bite my nails).

  • Red lipstick + pale skin + dark hair = seems not inappropriate when my clothes required any degree of effort above "jeans and t-shirt." Not necessarily always the "right" choice, but probably not egregiously "wrong."

  • On the other hand, I'm not sure how well it goes with purple. (I am always purple, thanks to the hair. But so is a lot of my clothes, and most of the eye makeup I own.)

    At any rate, the possibility that my mouth clashes with my hair shall not stop me from testing ALL THE RED LIPSTICKS at Sephora tomorrow before the munch.

    My eye makeup skills are still subpar. I can kindasorta apply eyeliner now (I never thought I'd learn that skill! *excited*), but I still can't get it nice enough to wear in public. More practice needed. Eyeshadow... I can apply one color to my entire eyelid, that's about it.
    sofiaviolet: stone steps with moss (stone steps)
    Made my first improvement to my Shadowrun character on Monday: acquired the Longarms skill at rating 2, so she can use a sniper rifle. Further away from the NPCs you're trying to kill means less chance they can lodge bullets in you. (This Monday, I need to actually buy the sniper rifle, and talk to Daly about initiation and Adept powers.)

    Did my first survivor speech on Wednesday night. I drafted the full length of what I wanted to say in my paper journal a couple of times on Tuesday and Wednesday. When I went to actually give the speech, it just kind of happened (and I don't think I talked too fast or went over my allotted time). *sigh* Now that that's done, I am no longer wound up so tightly my spine's range of motion is obstructed, which I very much appreciate.

    After work yesterday, I got lunch at Ghazal (where they now remember I like plain naan with my lunch buffet, I am there so frequently) and then went to the thrift stores on Centre Street. I got sweaters and glassware. Sweaters because I need warm things that are more professional than hoodies (which is a really low bar to set); one of them is argyle but none of them are cardigans because pullovers seem much more common and I an super-picky about my cardigans. Glassware is for terrariums and aquariums: Ellie's potted herb garden died a while back, so I am going to replace the rosemary, basil, and thyme with live moss terrariums (since they need less sun and there's no window in our apartment that gets much of that, particularly in winter). And I want some marimo balls to keep in my bedroom.

    (Ellie mocks my desire for pet protists. I figure they're just the right amount of maintenance and attention for me to keep them alive.)

    Any advice on super-low-maintenance, low-light houseplants welcome.

    April 2012

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