Proud moments in baking! avatar1983 and I made a loaf of challah today, and it has turned out pretty well! I took two pictures when it came out of the oven haha I probably should have let it proof longer so the braid wouldn't separate quite so much while baking. Oh, well - still a pretty good first try!

In other news, I managed not to go to the gym today. Argh! I really should have. But I'm resolved to go tomorrow, either to pilates with elyndys or on my own if she doesn't go.

Links for your time:
HR Geiger wedding cake
tangle-free earbuds on a zipper
cheetahs playing with an impala (super adorable!) (okay I just read the comments and it turns out it didn't end well, but those pics are still cute :( )

PS I've just noticed the trend of blue entry titles - I just must be listening to a lot of music with swearing recently O_o;

Today was a good day for spending money, it seems.

Despite the weather being mostly fine when I left the house, by the time I met up with elyndys in town it was obvious we should have gone to Meadowhall rather than just downtown. It got colder and rainier the longer we were out, and was snowing heavily by the time I got home. Hooray, English weather. Can I go now?

In happier news, I ordered the boots I wanted! I had planned to buy them outright, but of course they only had one of the two sizes I wanted to try, and they were in the wrong color. I was tempted to buy the blue anyway because they were so nice, but I don't really have enough blue things to wear them with, so it had to be black. I couldn't even go to the Meadowhall store to get them, either, because they only had the black in the OTHER size, which isn't any more helpful. So I walked around the shop for a while in them, and ultimately decided to order the black in the smaller size. So they should be along soon! Plus I got to use elyndys's student discount, which was exciting and slightly illicit XD

We dashed from store to store, avoiding the rain, and I also ended up with a gold pair of the ballet flats from Topshop that I already have in ballet pink and lacy black (because who doesn't want gold shoes? I can't improve on my silver ones, so why not go for gold?). I also bought some extremely boring, sensible bras that won't be visible under white work shirts because they were two for £15 at M&S, which is really quite the deal.

In all, it was a successful, if soggy day. MUST go to the gym tomorrow, because I missed Saturday and Monday, which is really unacceptable. Ugh ugh ugh why am I suddenly so bad about this...? No good. Must be more disciplined and diligent. I can do it! ::resolved::

So the good news is that I got my sewing machine back today. Even better news, it worked again! The bad news is that it worked whilst making a horrible banging noise and the needle encountering heavy resistance on its lower rotation. Which means it's basically unusable because it will almost certainly just break if it keeps doing that. So the worse news is that it's back in the shop. Again. I got 2½" of sewing done on the test sample the factory sent with it to prove it worked. Awesome. I guess it's good that I had mostly decided to buy my Belle dress, because at this rate, there's zero chance I'd be able to finish sewing it in time.

There go my afternoon plans ): Maybe I will go back to Paper Mario, because after 2 hours the other day I finally survived long enough to finish chapter 4 and get the 4th Crystal Star (after having had to investigate on the internet wtf I was doing, as I last played like 3 years ago, maybe 4). Or who knows what else. It seems unlikely now that I will go to the gym (I have failed), though I certainly could. I should. But I really don't want to and don't really feel up to the new workout today.

Ugh anyway, that's the name of that tune. The Sewing Machine Still Doesn't Work, that is. Bleh, time to figure out how to waste my Saturday.

Usually, I can at least extrapolate what Google saw in my emails to think I would appreciate the ads they put on my GMail. Today I am baffled:

"Need a Hip? Now only £186 www.MyHipHome.co.uk Fast Turnaround, Quick & Easy Track online Call xxxx xxx xxxx"

Seriously, Google? Do I need a hip? I don't seem THAT old, do I? ::whimper::

Double Stuf Oreos are saving my life right now. We ordered takeout for dinner today and my "korma" was the saltiest most horrible thing I've ever tasted. I fought to get through it, but I couldn't and in the end only ate the chicken and left the rest. NOT good. It took me 2½ pints of water to get even that far. So Oreos it is!

In other news, THE SEWING MACHINE IS FIXED! We're picking it up tomorrow. I'm so excited. I realize I am being a total grandma being excited about a sewing machine, but I have REALLY wanted to finish the projects I was working on. Plus it's something to do during the day! So yay!

I didn't hear back about jobs this week, but I'll give it till next Monday before I go "got me any jobs?" to them. This coming Wednesday if I start to feel antsy.

Once it was decided I would be Belle for the Disney party, I ordered myself a gorgeous petticoat to go under it (and probably other things) and it came today - I'm soooo pleased with it! It's so pretty and comfortable and has ruffle at the bottom and I kind of want to find more reasons to wear petticoats now that I have one XD It was £30, but for that I got custom measurements (the default is shorter than I wanted) and it's all cotton and it came really quickly, with a ribbon and everything haha Anyway, I'm more excited about granny undergarments than is really reasonable for someone my age, so I will talk about something else now XD (and I will probably order my dress middle of Feb, just in case I'll have lost any measurements by then (kind of unlikely, but hope springs eternal)).

The last two days, "Don't Rain on My Parade" has been stuck in my head basically on loop. This is especially exciting since there are battling recordings - Barbra Streisand of couse, but also Linda Eder and Lea Michele/Glee (in that order of authority). /random

Let's see...what else has been exciting recently? Not a lot - still under budget (hooray!), and still planning to celebrate by buying shoes next week. Which is, you know, a great way to stay under budget :/

OOOOOH Popstar to Operastar is on tonight! Let's see if I remember to watch it at 10! (I'm a little sad Vanessa left because she was good, but I think it was the right decision based on her lack of commitment. I wonder what they'll sing this week? You have no idea how much I wish I could be on this show (but I would have to be a popstar first - which is probably harder than getting on an opera-related reality show, let's be serious).

Lol okay even I (not a stan in any way, but I still liked it) have to admit that Avatar might have been better like this:
( Just in case this is still on your flist, giant picture is giant )

All right, I'm going to go play Paper Mario RPG because I am really bored. I am also extremely tempted to order the Zelda collector's edition thing from Amazon so that I can (whenever it actually gets to me via Indiana) finally play OoT and MM (no, I never did before; we didn't have an N64, and I didn't get a GameCube until 2006). I will decide later. Lol yes, this is my life at the moment.

Bleeeeh my siblings' godmother is one of those people who sends a lot of stupid email forwards, but this time it was like a meme, and since I have nothing exciting to talk about (I went to the gym and will come in under budget for the first time ever this month...but that's really it). So instead, I'm doing this fake meme about the proverbial "Bucket List."

( Meeeeeeeeeeeeme )

In other news, I spent this afternoon/evening catching up on Wondermark and watching the second episode of Popstar to Operastar which is just as terrible as it sounds but I love it anyway and you can't stop me watching it. On the ITV Player. Because we don't have actual TV. Also it has Katherine Jenkins and I want to be her. We have also been watching a lot of Arrested Development, and it's still amazing. I'm sad we're almost done, but also happy that I'll finally have seen every episode.

So. Yesterday I went job-hunting (well, agency-hunting) as planned...and it did not go as planned. First of all, I was wearing a SERIOUSLY unfortunate shoe-sock combination, because the shoes were just big enough that they pulled the socks down so I had to stop and pull them back on every 100 feet or so. Ugh. Anyway, the first place I tried to go had been completely ripped out and there was a sign in the window saying where they had moved. The second place I went, which was the closest one I knew about, refused to take my CV. After looking at it, the girl was like, "We're not going to be able to help you. We're looking for more recent experience. Keep checking our website." My experience is completely relevant, and was only 4 years ago - I mean, 4 years is, I admit, a long time, but in between I graduated from undergrad and did an entire masters, thanks. So It's not like I've been wasting my time (except this past year). Anyway, I was taken aback and pretty disheartened, but I went next door, which also happened to be a temp place I hadn't realized was there before. There, the lady was really friendly, took my CV, wrote some details on it, and gave me an appointment Monday afternoon to come register with them. Obviously, this doesn't guarantee they'll find me anything, but at least she seemed interested. She looked at my sheet (the same one the other girl saw) and said, "Okay, so you have good experience, it was just a while ago," which I appreciated. Finally, since I'd only been able to give one of my CV's in, I decided to hunt for the first place's new location. So I did. I wandered for a loooong time, pulling my socks up in an undignified manner every whipstitch. Finally, I found the right building, got the desk attendant to buzz me in, despite not having an appointment, rode up the crowded elevator, and pushed, pulled, and otherwise agitated the locked door that was where I needed to go. A nice young man came and opened it for me, explaining that the people I was there to see were all out of the office at a conference. Some of them would be back tomorrow (today), but I'd be better off coming back Monday. He took my CV and said he would leave it with the right person when they came back, which he didn't have to do, and I appreciated. But it was still disappointing.

So I'm excited to register with the one place Monday, but the appointment is at 3, so I kind of want to go back to the 1st/4th place first and try to get an appointment there, but am concerned that they might want to do it right then and make me late to my other appointment. What to do! I think I will go in and ask how long it takes if they offer, and if it will make me late, then I'll say I can't, could I please have a different appointment?

In other news, I made Thai curry (massaman, nothing death-spicy) today! I burnt part of it for foolish reasons, but it mostly turned out all right - definitely worth trying again. Very dense though - I felt WAY more full than I expected trying to get through a whole bowl of it. It's pretty delicious though. Potatoes, peanuts, lamb and onion in delicious curry paste and coconut milk. Overall, I call it a success.

Also I feel accomplished because I mailed out my thank-you cards from Christmas (shhhh I'm not quite a month late!), a DVD my mom asked for, and a couple of CD's - I am getting things done! Sort of. I also went to my gym appointment, during which we utterly failed to make a plan (though I am assured we can do that next time if I remind him at the start), but I also was made to go on the wave machine for 10 minutes which means I wished for sweet death for approximately 6 of those minutes. The last 6. I don't mind the elliptical so much anymore, or the treadmill, but the wave machine is my nemesis. My calves feel like they have been ratcheted too tight. Still. At least I went, and at least I plan to keep going. This weekend, I'll either go Sunday or just take 2 days off and go Tuesday (my next training thing is Thursday, so I need to be in at least once before then, and Monday is busy - see above). Was distressed by how much my membership cost went up when I switched from yearly to flexible (because I won't be here another year, probably)! It went from £39/month (it was £37 all last year and only changed this month) to £45! Ridiculous. And that's only off-peak - if I do get regular, office-time work, I'll need to switch to peak, which will cost even more. Mom has said they're happy to cover that though (I expect it has to do with her desperately hoping I will stop being fat sometime soon (which she has done since I was like 12) - I'm trying!), so I appreciate that.

So much to do, so much to organize. The sewing machine people haven't called us yet, even though it's been a week - still, I'm hopeful it will get to me soonish. Once it does I can finally finish my hideously belated last Christmas present (elyndys I still need to give you yours, even though I didn't have to make it or anything; I am just not on point. We should get together when you're back from holiday!). I like to be busy, though; I like juggling my time. It makes wasting my time actually enjoyable when I get to, and it motivates me to do more with the free time I have. So, hopefully this will all pan out in a favorable sort of way. Keeping my fingers crossed, and at the very least I'm glad to have things to think/worry about besides "where are we going in the summer?" It makes a nice change.

Ugh. Sore still/again from being diligent - I went back to the gym today. That's, you know, good, because otherwise the whole idea won't work. But it's also terrible, because it hurts. A lot. And it hurting means I can feel all the muscles I obviously have under the fat, and I just wish the fat would go away on its own :/ Alas, that is not the way of it. Thanks, biology.

In other news, I did all the dishes in the kitchen by myself. Again. Good thing I got that hand lotion at Body Shop yesterday, because my scaly stuff does not appreciate dishwater. Plus I somehow cut myself at the gym (???) and so that stings a lot.

Blarg I don't even have a lot else to talk about. At least I have a plan this week. (Lol halfway through, gj.) I'm a little sad I'll miss the Jasper Fforde appearance at Waterstone's tomorrow, but at least I'll have a signed book to pick up after the (almost inevitable) trauma of signing up as a temp (I have no idea what to expect, but I'm planning to dress well, put on my best smile, and hope for the best).

I have 20 minutes to fill before I need to go back down and do the broccoli. Boo hiss. Oh, I have links to share with you:
May I Root Against the Saints? (Spoilers: No.)
Design for Autonomous Unicycle (Avoid if you are having trouble getting grants or are in any way frustrated by the academic machine)

Okay, so I guess that's only two, but they're both worth looking at for lulz. Sorry I couldn't be more cheerful today XD

Edit: I would like to point out that irish cream flavored lollipops are way better than I was afraid they'd be, and that Lollyphile is basically my favorite idea ever. I really like the mple syrup & bacon flavor (not everyone will), also real coffee flavor, chai tea flavor, and probably most of the others (except wasabi ginger and absinthe because I can't handle wasabi :( and I don't like licorice)

Ugh I am so sore. My first thought this morning was actually "Wizard needs ibuprofen badly." Which is pretty special, considering. So, yeah. I went to the gym yesterday, after about 8 weeks of not going to the gym. So that was kind of crappy. I could only do 20 minutes of cardio before I felt like I was going to lose my lunch, and both machines were on a lower intensity than they used to be. Same for all the resistance machines - WAY low weights, and I still struggled. Oh, well! I'll have to work back up to it :/ Plus I found myself working harder the more embarrassing my music was - like Ke$ha and the Saturdays embarrassing. But at least it helped, I guess? Going back tomorrow, and have an appointment Friday afternoon during which I hope to make a plan/schedule thing to try and meet my goals before moving. (Ideally I'd lose all 50lbs I'm looking to lose between now and the end of June (which is...doable, but hard), but I'd be happy with 30 at minimum, and I'll try to be better than that.)

I'm also looking to sign up at the temp agency a few people are with, so I went out today to buy dress pants, as I have one pair from high school and I'm afraid to try them on (they were tight then, and I weighed a lot less), and I don't want to have to wear a skirt in this weather. I of course couldn't limit myself to what I went out to buy, so I also went to Waterstone's, Body Shop, and TK MAxx...though I didn't get anything at TK Maxx because the two shirts I tried on were way too tight and way too huge despite being the same size? Because tomorrow's a gym day, I'm planning to go to the agency Thursday, so that will be interesting. I have no idea what they'll want from me, but we shall see! Wish me luck, I'll probably need it. :/

In other news, I'm still feeling irrationally angry a lot, but I'm trying to temper it as best I can. We'll see how it goes :/

I'm almost finished with Spirit Tracks, and it mostly makes me want to play Twilight Princess or WindWaker again. I'm still not sure how I feel about the train dynamic (it takes aaaaaages even in high gear to get anywhere), but I'm also not sure it's worse than effing sailing all over the place. Plus there are bunnies! I still love how adorable toon Link is, and how unimpressed his expressions are as every available adult completely abuses this little 10-year-old. He makes the best faces XD Well, besides Gus on Psych. Whose job it is to be offended, dubious, and put-upon in hilarious ways at all times XD Haha Gus ♥

All right, I've drifted among enough topics now, it's time for me to attack the monolithic task of cleaning the kitchen/bomb-testing site before dinner can be made :/

While voting is still open on my previous post (or on my Facebook status, if you prefer), the votes have so far come in overwhelmingly in favor of Belle (2/3 via LJ, 4 definite and 1 probable vote for Belle, none for Jane via Facebook), I will probably go with that. Both because I believe in the democratic process and because it'll be easier to sew if I sew it and I won't have to make a custom commission order if I buy it (the site I'd use already has the right kind listed).

In other news, I feel like there are a lot of things (mostly TV related) people have been having opinions about that I should (?) weigh in on. So I'm going to do it in abbreviated form. If you want more information, comment! I'm always happy to explain more/debate, I'm just condensing these for laziness's sake.

Dr Who: Excited for new-Who, but concerned they might try to make Matt Smith into Tennant 2.0, which would be a Bad Thing in my book, as all Doctors are different.

Late Night: NBC are being assholes, and while Jay Leno has not acted impeccably, this mess is not his fault. Conan deserves better, but will get the short end. Again.

Glee: It takes a lot out of me when I watch it, but I do love it. There's a lot I wish was done better/at all on it, but it's still fabulous.

Fringe: Why does no one talk about this show? It is amazing and I love it. Mostly Walter (like everyone else), but also Astrid. And I'm waiting for Broyles to admit he is secretly Baron Samedi because come on he totally looks like it. This has almost made me forgive JJ Abrams. Almost.

Big Bang Theory: Can we get Leonard off the show? Without him, it would be perfect. I love Sheldon, I like how Penny isn't afraid of him (though do not understand her relationship with Leonard), and I like Raj and Howard being married (despite the overplay it's gotten recently). Love love love, though. Mostly Sheldon, you got me.

Dollhouse: Hrm. Not that impressed by it, to be perfectly fair. There have been a couple of stellar, super-amazing episodes (Sierra's being one), but I'm not convinced this sudden fast-plot action isn't heading toward a Joss Whedon's Big Fuck You-type ending. Plus every time Eliza Dushku is on the screen I wish she was dead. I dislike her acting, and I HATE her character(s). Everyone else is AMAZING and the show deserved to go on for them, but because of Dushku, I'm a little glad it won't. Ben we can still be friends, right? ♥

Avatar: I really enjoyed it. People who bitch about the plot would have bitched about the plot no matter what it was, and no, it's not amazingly deep or original, but neither is Star Wars and I dare you to say a word against that and not get lynched. I saw a .gif today from behind the scenes and I watched it loop for like 2 minutes because it was so amazing how they caught the performances in real time. I want to learn to speak Na'vi, and I really appreciated that the human Na'vi avatars looked different than real Na'vi because of the splicing (5 fingers/toes vs 4, different ears, different teeth, etc). I thought it was really excellent. If you're worried the story's too Pocahontas for you, then see it anyway - it's less trite than it could have been, and still well worth it.

Sherlock Holmes: Frankly I'm glad there are reports RDJ has already signed on for a sequel. It's hilarious, Holmes and Watson are adorable, the story is engaging, though not overwhelming, and it's extremely well-executed, especially considering it's Guy Ritchie. There are only two voiced-over fight scenes, and slow-mo is used sparingly (it's not Zack Snyder after all).

I can't think of other things people have opinions about at the moment, but if you want to know mine on something just ask! XD

Unrelatedly, we brought the sewing machine in to be looked at today, and they said it would have to go in for repairs, and we'll have it back when they call us. The ladies didn't give us an estimate on when that might be, but hopefully it won't be too long? Obviously, finishing vanillafire's present and other sewing is delayed until then, which kind of sucks because I've really been in the mood for it the last few days, with no way to satisfy that. Oh, well. Also the police turned up on yet another spurious noise complaint from our (possibly insane?) neighbor...we'll see what happens, I guess.


There are a lot of other things I could talk/rant about now, but I don't feel that would be very productive, so I won't XD Instead, surprised kitty!

So. I have this party to go to in March, and it's Disney Princess/Heroine themed. I therefore need a costume, and will either need to order or sew said costume in time (the sewing assumes that the machine will not be b0rked anymore in relatively short order, and either way I want to scout prices and see what it would cost me (including time)). For this to happen, I will first need to decide which costume to wear. This is where you, the viewers, come in!

( Help me choose! )

Please let me know what you think! It's cut for image purposes only, incidentally. I will probably have some memes for you soon, in continued efforts to distract myself XD Let's see if I can make myself go to the gym tomorrow, too!

So I was doing my sewing, and I got 2/3rds of the way done (there's seriously not that much to do) when suddenly, the machine breaks. Are you kidding me? No reason at all, just suddenly when I start the next seam it goes insane because the entire lower assemblage has stopped moving. The feed dogs don't move, and when I tried to re-engage them by dropping then raising them, they dropped and refused to rise again. The bobbin assembly doesn't do anything. I have taken it apart and cleaned out the zero lint that has accumulated in the like 8 hours total that it has been used. This is ridiculous. AND because of where the shop is/I can't drive, we can't go until Saturday because avatar1983 really needs to be working during business hours. So, sorry vanillafire, it'll be at least next week before you get your Christmas presents :/

In other news, everything is making me angry. I have been in a seriously foul mood (partly justified by the sewing machine just giving up for literally no discernable reason) all afternoon. I don't want to talk to anybody, and people talking to me, or even the idea of people makes me hate them (temporarily). I can't deal with minor inconveniences, and they make me think (not seriously) about burning the house down etc etc - this is getting ridiculous. It's completely asinine, and it didn't just start today. Though it's definitely worse than it has been previously today because of the added frustration. I don't know what I should do.

In other news, I really need to go to the gym, and depending on the weather, it will be either tomorrow or Friday. I told myself it would be yesterday, then today, but yesterday I was applying for jobs and today I decided sewing for someone else was more important than getting back to the gym. So it's just been pre-empted. Which is not to say I don't need to get my ass in gear and just go, because I do. So I will - or at least I'll try. elyndys, wanna come with me? Let me know when's good for you :D

Today was going to be for sewing (because honestly by this date I should really have Christmas stuff finished ): ), but I thought it was slightly more important to actually apply for the jobs I had tabs open for before their closing dates (which isn't until Monday, but still). So I was going to do that first. Little did I anticipate that the process would take so long D: Gross. Oh, well - I've applied for two and decided the third one required some knowledge I just don't have, and would make me unlikely to be hired as pretty much every British person would probably already know (about the disability legislation here etc). Oh, well - two applications isn't terrible? We shall see.

I NEED to go to the gym tomorrow (since I obviously didn't do that either today, and haven't since we got back - Jesus I'm so lazy DDD:). And do some sewing. Maybe it'll break up into two days again - we shall see.

Also I have found myself spontaneously on the verge of tears a few times this week, so I think a ranty filter entry may be in order. We'll see about that, too.

ON A BRIGHTER NOTE _kyri tagged me in a meme! Read more about me below XD
( 7 things )

Sooooooo I have been doing exactly zero of the things I'm supposed to be doing. I'm not sewing (REALLY should do that - only 4ish hours!), I'm not going to the gym, I'm not even applying to jobs ): Though I have found 3 that I'm going to apply to as soon as I've made a resumé that isn't from 2004. So hopefully one of those will go through? If not I'll just have to keep looking. And go back to the gym (which is now nearly £2/month more expensive because of VAT increase >:[ ). AND finish my last Christmas present (well, last to do anything besides "give") - it will be good to have that finished (lol a little late XD).

What I have been doing is playing Spirit Tracks, which is super adorable. Though, as ever with Zelda, nothing is ever simple. Unlocked part of the quest? Great! Oh. You can't go there. How about going to the farthest part of the map to get some dude you have to bring back to fix it! Great. Also, he's super-particular about trains, so you'd better be a super-amazing engineer or he will bitch you out and leave. AWESOME THANKS SO MUCH.

Over our vacation (which I very nearly called "break" just now O_o;), we had lots of fun! We saw the Princess and the Frog, which I thoroughly enjoyed because it was pretty excellent (though I will be surprised if it ends up in anybody's Top 5 Disney Movies), we saw Sherlock Holmes which is amazing and I really want to see again because it was hysterical, and we saw Invictus, which was really well done, though I was disappointed in how confusingly-shot the rugby scenes were. That's my only real complaint, though XD I still haven't finished Playing the Enemy like I meant to before seeing Invictus, but oh, well.

Christmas was excellent - I got lots of books I wanted, an awesome hat from my dad (that I've been wearing pretty much every time I go out), a GIANT CUPCAKE DOUBLE CAKEPAN (well, in two parts in silicone rather than metal, and technically for my belated birthday, BUT STILL), two really pretty scarves (one of which sheds like a cat on chemotherapy :/ ), and some other excellent things XD Must find my thank-you notes and send them to key persons O_o;

Uh, what else...I've been on the internet a lot? As usual. So...links!
I saw this on Facebook and thought it explained a lot (and must also be "with special dispensation" because otherwise I know it's false in some cases): States with Gay Marriage vs States with Marriage between First Cousins

Brigitte sent me this one and I deeply appreciate it (and most of the other stuff I read on that site XD): 10 Words You Need to Stop Misspelling

Mogs linked this one (or did Erik and credited Mogs? I forget). Anyway, it's gorgeous steampunky illustrations for old stories: Artwork in Old Stories

And finally I bring you the greatest LOLCat of all time:

Even though I haven't lived in NOLA since 2007, and I'm not really into football (either kind, thanks), I saw this on Facebook and it made me smile:

Do your beads hang low, are your Saints 13 and 0? Does your team win with ease, is your quarterback Drew Brees? Do your fans bring the noise when they're yelling "Bless You Boys"? Do your beads hang low? WHO DAT!

Like I say, even though I don't watch much football, the Saints fandom(?) always makes me happy, and I'm really glad to know they're doing so well recently. I'm also both happy and jealous that so many people on my Facebook feed are still in NOLA to keep me up to speed (though it also makes me happy to know there are a few people who keep me up to speed who aren't still in NOLA XD) I miss it. I wish I knew where my black-and-gold New Orleans shirt was :/ I have no idea if they've already played each other or what, but with my sister as a rabid Colts fan, things could (potentially) get interesting haha

In other news, I am sick. Naturally right before I need to be on a plane for 8½ hours, and up and doing things. Fortunately, it's not too bad (knock on wood) - just a nasty throat, congestion, general fatigue and intermittent low fever (which avatar1983 may contest, but it definitely feels like it to me). Keeping hydrating, pumping vitamins and alternating Sudafed with Lemsip. We shall see. :/

Busy busy busy. Just finished writing a packing list (because otherwise I'll forget loads of stuff, and this way I'll only forget a few things XD) I also cut out some pattern pieces I'll need while away, and wrapped/labelled presents to get sent out tomorrow and wrote their cards as well. Still need to cut out other pattern pieces, clean up, do some laundry, and actually pack.

To Whom It May Interest:
As a paid member, I have 10 $10 coupons toward LJ time to give out. They're good until 15 January, so if you don't have a paid account, let me know if you want one :D Unfortunately, all it does is reduce the cost of a year's LJ time by $10. I can't send them to other paid members to extend time, I can't use one myself, and I can't send any account more than one. Those are all the caveats I know about (restrictive as they are), so, once again, let me know if you're interested. All info here.

And because I'm a secret narcissist, another meme! ( 2009 Year in Review )

ARGH how is it 3 already? I was supposed to go to the gym today but I'm still in my pajamas which means even if I started going RIGHT NOW I wouldn't get there till at least 3:30 which would make it tough to get out before 5 when I can't be there anymore because of off-peak membership UGH LAME. Why do I suck so much at going to the gym suddenly? I was so good for so long! Oh, well. I guess Friday and Sunday are my last chances (tomorrow's out because we're seeing Avatar then going to the mall for the last bits of Christmas shopping). Then I'll have to make a renewed effort in the new year, just like all the crush of people who will be in the gym then. At least they'll peter out after a few weeks (probably). Gross. Why am I incapable of keeping track of time anymore? Oh, well.

At least my hair looks nice? I got it "did" yesterday because it desperately needed a trim. The trim took off more than I expected, but it's not like it's short or anything, so I'll live with it XD It'll grow back, after all. And I'm relishing its tidy straightness while I can, since I'm never going to spend the 45-mins to and hour that it takes me to straighten/dry it myself. Well I have done like 3 times. But it takes forever and my arms hurt after. So it's for special occasions only XD

It makes me sad how many people have dropped off of LJ - mostly because I'm a holdout, so it means that my only mode of regular communication (in most cases) has been shut off. My friends' page has become thinner and thinner between ONTD posts, and it's a little lonely. Which is not to say I don't appreciate all the posts that ARE there, because I do (even if I'm terrible about commenting - sorry!), but I wish it were as active as it was a few years ago. Alas!

And now, a meme. ( Because I was tagged and I don't post enough anyway )

Random icon because the entry didn't seem Christmassy enough for candy canes XD

Blarg - was going to go to the gym today, since I haven't all week (or last week due to travel), but felt ridiculously ill last night and only a little better today so I didn't. This is annoying, and I have no idea what it might be, since I didn't eat anything suspect (plus it didn't show up until much later than I would have expected for food problems) and I don't know of a bug like this going around. Whatever, let's just hope it goes away soon >:/

In other news, yesterday was excellent! Hui Wei was delicious and surprisingly not expensive as always, cupcakes were enjoyed by all, and there was SingStar in three flavors! Disney, 80's, and ABBA. It was definitely good times XD (PS vanillafire, I'm not sure you heard me, but I meant to tell you you'll have a card and gift from me (combo birthday and Christmas, sorry! But still good I hope), only it'll be after New Year's because I need to pick stuff up at home for it.)

I wish I didn't feel so gross so I had to miss XFactor. I will NOT miss the final show tomorrow, though! It should be epic.

I might have another corn muffin to make myself feel better XD There may not be any left tomorrow. I have that much self-restraint.