Atalanta Pendragonne

Doing what I can

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:10:58 GMT

Ok, so yesterday I called Advocacy, Inc and did an intake interview, called HAND and got an appointment for emergency cleaning help for tomorrow, and called my caseworker at MHMR and the Family Self-Sufficiency Specialist and never heard back.

This morning I called the Austin Tenants' Council's Fair Housing Program and gave my info to the woman there and should get a call back from their intake person, and called the FSS woman again and caught her this time, explained my situation, and she should be calling me back.

Of course, I'm fucking phone-phobic and need to take valium after all that... which means I can't get much actual cleaning done (really, that goes for the stress of the whole situation). Talk about counterproductive!

I don't need this shit

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:05:18 GMT

The frickin' apartment complex manager put me on probation for failing my housekeeping inspection; basically meaning she can evict me when she pleases. So I spent the past half hour talking to the intake guy at Advocacy, Inc, and leaving messages with my caseworker at MHMR and my contact at HAND. Also tried reaching the HACA Family Self-Sufficiency Specialist, but I don't have much faith in her.

I might wind up having to spend the money I've saved toward an Eee to get a maid service to go over my place, but I have the suspicion that even that wouldn't satisfy this bitch. She has the letter from my caseworker documenting my disability, she knows HAND is looking for an aide for me, and she doesn't give a shit.

It was a very good thing I was going in to touch up my cutting today. It helped keep me from doing some dumbass shit like cutting myself. Took some Valium, hopefully that'll put me out for a while.

I can has awake?

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:38:12 GMT

Going downtown to get my cutting touched up today, so I can't sleep until 7 pm again. Caffiene should happen soon. Go downtown, get protein-rich lunch (I'm thinkin' a gyro at Cozzoli's), go to the post office, walk down to Industrial Primitives and get sliced, and if I feel up to it, go to the grocery store for a few things after.

A few words on the book I just read, because I got it from simon_saysuk! First, I really suck at reviews of any sort. Really, really suck at it. But the matter at hand: Generation Dead, by Daniel Waters. It can be neatly summed up as an afterschool special with zombies. Basically, for no reason that is ever explained, American teenagers are coming back from the dead, and they're the newest oppressed minority. This comes off a little heavy-handed at times, thus the whole 'afterschool special' vibe. But it's an enjoyable book, with characters that ring true (both the alive and the 'differently biotic'). There's a dead boy who goes out for the football team, the gothy (living) girl who goes out with him, and the story kind of spirals outward from them. It's not life-changing and I don't expect it to have a fandom, but I was pleased to see that a sequel is due to be released in May. It's an engaging read, and Circe is currently informing me that it makes an excellent cat pillow.

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:06:39 GMT

Jesus. I can't seem to wake up. It's after 7 and I've been napping all damned day.

Gotta be awake tomorrow though, going to get my cutting touched up.

Falling prey to Cyber Monday

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:46:41 GMT

HolyClothing had an extremely limited sale of 100 items that were going for $9.99 each. I was able to score a pretty blouse in black. They're also offering free shipping (on any order, any size order) today so I bought a black skirt as well.

ThinkGeek has a one-day free shipping offer as well, for orders $25 and over with the code CYBERMONDAY. Great time to get those cases of Bawls, people! I'd already planned to get the Despair, Inc. calendar and they had the awesome cool steampunk skeleton on sale for $9.99 (in sizes from small to 3X! I'm sure some of you would like that!), so that worked out damn near perfectly.

So, set back a little on my Eee fund, but not too badly.

The demanded gossip

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 03:08:55 GMT

So this was a date-date, as opposed to a booty call. Coffee with a nice poly couple (M/F) I met on OKCupid. As stated earlier, I primped and preened and got myself all soft and sweet-smelling. Then I left bright and early, allowing plenty of time to get there. I stopped at the post office to drop off miss_sophia's BPAL, and it was still really early so instead of catching the bus I walked from 6th & Guadalupe to Congress & Riverside. This is not a grueling but not insignificant walk. I was surprised that it only took 20, 25 minutes tops. I was stupid early.

Dominican Joe is a great place to go with a laptop. Convenient outlets everywhere. This also means that it is very crowded on a weekend by people who are in no hurrly to leave.

So, I nursed a mojito limeade and finished Generation Dead while I waited for them. We wound up going to Freebird's (in the same shopping center) and D. bought me a burrito (I got the half-sized steak burrito and a drink, and the offer to pay was made after I'd gotten it all). We sat out on the patio and chatted in the wind. I gave N. a BPAL imp and a Conjure Oils pip (nothing for D. cuz I'm out of guyish imps to gift), and they had heard of BPAL. Major points. Pagan networking and festivals were discussed. Then we went in search of a place to play boardgames.

Summermoon was closed. Ruta Maya was hosting very loud dance lessons. I'd have suggested checking out Flightpath or Epoch but I didn't know how to get there, and I didn't think to suggest Clementine. But that was fine, we wound up at an Amy's that was very quiet. We got ice cream to share (a mix of cajeta ice cream and triple Mexican vanilla ice cream with cinnamon mixed in... swooningly good) and played a little Taboo, which I had never played before but did pretty well at. So I got to show off my smarts, which is a good thing; my having dropped out of high school hasn't come up yet and I'd like to have demonstrated my intelligence before letting them know that.

So nice chatting happened, and on the way home D. asked what scent I was wearing and complimented me on it. Told him it was Gelt, and that it was cocoa and amber. He said he really likes the amber. Yay! Found out that N. has allergy issues with vanilla, so I know not to wear vanilla scents. I suppose it's just as well I sold the Monsterbait: Underpants, because that would likely have been a date scent.

Got a hug from D. when they dropped me off; N. was driving so she got a warm handclasp. Note to self, it is her turn to get a hug next.

And it seems there will be a next; I've already gotten an email asking if I'd like to come to their place for dinner and DVD-watching some evening soon. Of course I'm all for it, because I had a nice time. I was invited to bring stuff to watch; I asked if they liked anime and was told they haven't seen much of it but bring it anyway.

I'll bring the Bakeneko arc of Ayakashi and the Death Note live action movie, and see which appeals to them more. And wear Chanukkiyah, because it is delicious amber, and also Chanukah-themed (D.'s Jewish, so it's bound to make him smile; Gelt cracked him & N. up).

So, that's the date report. I like them both; we've got far more in common than I ever would with W., and when/if it comes to that, I'm sure they'll be more interesting in bed as well. D. and I have touched cautiously on the subject of kinks and preferences in email; he gets major points with me for having mentioned the late lamented ON OUR BACKS. I have the sneaking suspicion it was N. who introduced him to it, which bodes well for her. He's a touch on the wiry side, geek-who-works-out sort of thing, and she's soft and curvy with lovely skin. They're both smart and educated (he works at UT, and she metioned working on a paper so she's probably pursuing a postgraduate degree) and good to laugh with.

On my way downtown I figured out what had made me leery of trying any sort of dating for so long. Breaking up with Keith, with Jay... they were assholes. They treated me like shit. With Dan... he was a good guy, a decent guy. He didn't dump me because he was a jerk, he broke up with me because he couldn't handle my illness. A weakness in his character, perhaps, but not toxic or abusive, and he didn't act like I was in the wrong for being sick. He even let me stay with him until I got my apartment. He was a good guy and he couldn't deal with me. And that hurt in a way a bad relationship with a human dirtball couldn't.

Maybe a different situation, like this, could work out better. If I'm dating a couple, I won't have to worry that no one can meet their emotional needs when I'm deep in a depressive fit. If I live in my own place, they won't have to see me when I'm at my worst. And when we are together, that's two people to reassure me that I don't suck as a human being. Before, I was always in the couple, getting involved with a third. This time, I'm the free agent. Let's see what happens.

Eeeeeeeeeeee (not the netbook)

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 13:59:31 GMT

I've got a coffee date this afternoon. Eek! For a not-terribly girly person, I do seem to use a lot of girly stuff to get ready. Bath & Body Works bubble bath in last night's relaxing bath, Woobie fluffy butter wash to shave my pits, Arcana sugar scrub on my sandpapery elbows, Body Perfumery shampoo and Villainess soap in the shower, Body Perfumery deodorant and Woobie body powder after. And before I leave there will be Villainess Whipped! and judicious application of BPAL (Gelt). And I even dug out the hairdryer I haven't used in years! Clothes will be: my cute purple HolyClothing minidress and black leggings. I think I'll wear my rutilated quartz pendant as well. And of course I'll be rockin' my awesome spiked backpack.

I am, yes, very very nervous. Didn't sleep well, so I'm knocking back the tea.

Wish me luck!

Found via Lifehacker

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 04:15:42 GMT

For the craftier lovers of smellies on my flist: How to make bath bombs.

Get pretty artses!

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:10:10 GMT

rehd_fawx, who did the gorgeous artwork in my current icon, is currently taking commisions. Her prices are quite reasonable (ranging from $2 to $25, depending on size and complexity) and as you can see from my icon, she's totally awesome.

ETA: Here's her DeviantArt gallery!

At least my Black Friday is quiet

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:58:07 GMT

Reading about that WalMart employee getting trampled sends chills through me. You know the company only cares about the press involved. And the woman who miscarried, too. Someone on Consumerist suggested that the manager at the WalMart should be charged with inciting a riot. Sounds good to me.

I was responsible and mailed out the BPAL I sold on eBay. Tucked into the book Generation Dead on the way. I'm enjoying it even though the plot's been sort of predictable so far; it's a bit like an afterschool special written by Kelly Link or Cory Doctorow. Thankfully, I avoided getting rained on, although I now have a rainy-weather headache. I think I napped away the worst of it, though.

Found one of my hermit crabs had succumbed to PPS. So long, Dib :( The others have been staying buried so I don't know if they're OK or not, although I saw Delirium trundling about the other day.

BPAL of the day is Priala. Cinnamon-smoky yum.

Conjure Oils pwns my Eee fund!

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:25:33 GMT

Well, only minor pwnage. $20 worth of pwnage. I could not resist Naughty. But I did not, somehow, succumb to Candy Caning.

apocalypso23, you fantastically wicked temptress! I wasn't going to buy any more smellies until after I got my Eee.

Just this one, just this one, I swear, I can stop anytime...

*snerk*

This'll be all over the internet in 3, 2, 1...

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:05:23 GMT

Ganked from cleolinda, the most epic Macy's Parade event ever.

Something unexpected to be thankful for

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 18:37:42 GMT

The bottle of Enraged Groundhog Musk I had up on eBay sold... for the Buy It Now price! I'd pretty much expected it to go for the minimum bid, so that is a very pleasant surprise. I'd still rather sell my stuff on sinandsalvation or evil_enablers, but I must admit I've done ok on eBay.

Found on YouTube

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 11:29:40 GMT

A link, since embedding was disabled.

Alice's Restaurant, 2005.

Oh, jeez.

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 01:53:37 GMT

It is twenty years to the day since I saw Arlo Guthrie in concert.

He did an awesome 45ish-minute version of Alice's Restaurant then.

I wonder what sort of version he'd do now.

flop

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 21:43:02 GMT

Well, that was a productive trip.

First, hyel, your BPAL is on its way, yay!

Second, I got up the nerve to go down to Industrial Primitives to talk to Rick about how my cutting is healing. I'm going in a week from tomorrow to touch up a few bits that came out too faint.

Third, I tried the pastrami melt at Jason's. YUM.

Fourth, I checked out the new big Twin Liquors location. It is wonderfully airy and has a good selection, even some Monin syrups! Including lavender flavor, which is awesome. And I found a fifth of Voyant Chai Cream Liqueur for only $6!

Fifth, hit HEB. Got a pumpkin pie that came with a coupon for free whipped cream, a bunch of sausage, and some other stuff, including a sixpack of Samuel Adams Winter Lager. Cinnamon, orange, and ginger, I couldn't resist! But my back was screaming at me on the trip home and now I am tired out and my shoulders are sore. But I have food in the house and booze I shouldn't be drinking anyway (but hey, it's more socially acceptable than cutting).

Ohhhhhhhhhhh I am worn out.

Moment of techno-joy

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:51:53 GMT

I am now halfway saved up for an Eee 1000HA. And the holidays (and attendant giftmonies from family) are coming up.

Well, that was less than thrilling.

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 03:55:13 GMT

Talked to the woman from HAND as scheduled. I had to show her how to read a bank statement! And explain the inspection form from the complex management. You'd think someone who does paperwork for a living would have a basic understanding of figuring out forms. Andway, if they can find someone for me, it'll be $1 an hour for 3 months. After that it would be $17 an hour, which is just out of my league. "Helping the Aged, Needy, and Disabled", right... at $17 an hour! And that's without emptying litterboxes. Or doing a lot of things. But help is help, right? I suppose I am just easy to annoy.

And the maintenance guy never showed. So I didn't get to ask about the sounds the heater was making, and I stayed home instead of doing the grocery shopping I need to do. ARGH. I'm sure the store will be just lovely.

Oh well. Tomorrow I'll bus up to the good HEB. Maybe I'll even pick up a little bottle of rum at Twin Liquors.

Meh.

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:57:03 GMT

Not sleeping well. I deeply crave a nice big buttery cheesy baked potato. On the plus side, it's cooled off enough that it won't be unpleasant to have the oven fired up to bake some potatoes at home. Mmmm. Hopefully I'll drag myself to the store today.

OME!

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 06:46:36 GMT

cleolinda delivers! Twilight in 15 Minutes. I seldom go to the movies and don't usually miss it, but I really want to go to a near-empty showing of this with someone so heckling can happen. THE LULZ WOULD BE EPIC.

nothing but bleah

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 03:59:53 GMT

Not that there's anything huge and bad going on for me right now, but I feel decidedly out-of-sorts. Gotta talk with the woman from HAND (the agency that will possibly find someone to help me with cleaning) tomorrow and I'm not looking forward to it one bit.

On the plus side, I snagged some awesome Mononoke icons made by kaigou from mononoke_anime. Usually I make my own icons, but the subtle animation on these was too good to resist.

The maintenance guy is also supposed to come by tomorrow to see how the heater is doing. I'm a little unsure; it does this weird thing where it clicks for a while, tries to start and fails, clicks for a while, tries to start and fails, and does that four or five times before starting properly. So I don't know if it needs more work or what.

And after that's all done I need to go to the store for some groceries. If nothing else I need to have something in the house for the dreaded Thanksgiving. something protein-y that is not turkey (meatloaf?), maybe creamed spinach, perhaps some pumpkin pie... and of course milk to mix with my lime liqueur, because it is a day which demands a bit of numbing. And of course, listening to "Alice's Restaurant". Movies would be good too. Any suggestions?

On Metafilter

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 17:18:45 GMT

Saw this, and thought it might interest some of you.

Blindspots is a continually-updated collection of movie reviews based around one very interesting concept -- how accessible they are to the visually impaired.
Movies that score high in accessibility include "The American President" (10/10) and "Ghosts of Mississippi" (9/10). At the other end of the scale are "101 Dalmatians", "Buddy", and "Spawn", each receiving 2/10.

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 09:33:12 GMT

Doctor Pepper fans: today only, get a coupon for free Dr. Pepper!

My PayPal balance is growing

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:38:46 GMT

I'm mercifully unhungover, despite my Amarula-and-Valium adventure last night. Yay!

Sold the Monsterbait: Underpants on eBay last night. Sad to see it go, but money is money, and right now, if I do get $150 from my mom's side of the family and $100 Amazon gift certificate from my dad (which is my usual holiday loot) I can get an Eee 1000HA outright! Also put the spare bottle of Chanukkiyah on eBay and added Te Po to my sales post, if any of you are interested.

I need to go to the post office to mail the Underpants, but I'm waiting on Maintenance to come fix my heater so I can't leave yet :(

why why why

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:59:44 GMT

I crawled off to bed around 1 am with 40mg of Valium and a few drinks under my belt and I woke up before 5 am WHAT THE FUCK.

Put my Monsterbait: Underpants up on eBay. Wondering if I should put the Chanukkiyah spare bottle up there as well.

Thankfully nothing from the BPTP update is tempting me. I am still wibbling over Candy Phoenix, though.

I have butterscotch/vanilla shots I got at Spec's... maybe I should have one... I'm in no mood to be clearheaded.

But I'm doing not so bad. Maintenance is supposed to come today to fix my lack of hot water in the kitchen (totally his fault), broken heater, and stiff backdoor lock (get your mind out of the gutter). My wrenched knee still hurts but it's not swollen or anything. I am looking grotesquely forward to getting an Eee. Falernum is tasty and makes me want to mix Tiki drinks. Cream of coconut, falernum, and a little spiced rum, what could go wrong?

Not having a blender, cream of coconut, or rum puts a cramp in that.

God, this entry makes me sound like a lush.