tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51281822011-07-29T03:58:03.514-05:00Opinions you didn't ask for and advice that's all wrongLiarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.comBlogger2901100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-8962550640788974432010-10-26T08:39:00.001-05:002010-10-26T08:40:46.689-05:00

Join. It sounds interesting with intriguing selections.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-78385288822455800402010-10-09T22:13:00.003-05:002010-10-09T22:34:45.124-05:00

Finally finished the Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. It's 1000 pages. Let me state that this monstrous tome has received near universal praise was sources/critics/blogs that I highly regard. But it's 1000 pages, and really, it's 500 pages too long.The Way of Kings got off to such a slow start that I honestly wondered if I read the same book as the reviewers. Then I had to remind myself how

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-5133122074109551632010-07-01T20:16:00.002-05:002010-07-01T20:22:13.845-05:00

Oh, my sweet, neglected blog. It seems I've forsaken you for the flash of Facebook. I'm sorry.What prompted me to utilize my blog again was NaNoWriJuly...or MiniNaNo. Can't decide. Jenny motivated me to use my unemployment to do some awesome (like write 50k words in month) instead of sitting around the housing, stressing about getting a job.The job hunting is progressing. I read reports about

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-707054432747089352009-05-20T11:38:00.001-05:002009-05-20T11:38:16.003-05:00

I just had a strange conversation with a resident. Today is her birthday. She is now 66. I realized that she was my age when I was born. It was a little weird.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-8342203000585583432009-05-20T11:03:00.001-05:002009-05-20T11:03:33.633-05:00

Sometimes I can get the good stuff, meaning Cadbury chocolate actually made in England. Sometimes, just sometimes, my grocery store actually stocks real Cadbury from England, not the nasty stuff made by Hershey. Sunday I picked up a Dairy Milk bar. No, I did not read the label. I normally do. I was just lazy. Well, lesson learned. Today I took a bit of the chocolate, expecting rich, creamy dairy

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-51476170207192302492009-03-02T11:19:00.006-05:002009-03-02T11:24:09.552-05:00

Here you see me looking like a fashion plate with my Harry Potter scarf. And this is my car under six inches of snow.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-31577943560711797592009-02-20T11:13:00.001-05:002009-02-20T11:13:30.057-05:00

So, I'm at work, munching on an apple. I'm enjoying it. It's crisp and juicy and bacony. Wait, what? My apple has a bacon after taste. I kid you not. Either this is some sort of glorious mutation or genetic experiment that spits in the face of nature. I can't decide.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-2365096515449618142009-02-14T12:32:00.000-05:002009-02-14T12:34:37.076-05:00

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-56339046738711258912009-02-04T07:53:00.003-05:002009-02-04T08:01:09.226-05:00

This is the second snow day so far this year! And they're both on Wednesdays. Sadly, and maybe this is a sign of my growing maturity, but I kind of needed to go to work today and get some things done. As I was not there last Wednesday (due to the first snow day), I had a big pile of things and rescheduled meetings for today.Oh well, it will get done when it gets done.School was canceled last

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-55145760392954230442009-01-16T16:06:00.001-05:002009-01-16T16:07:31.606-05:00

I just realized that I can earn a Time Lord badge in City of Heroes.Words are not enough to express how much I long for that badge.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-26112994486665152832009-01-01T10:06:00.002-05:002009-01-01T10:16:16.836-05:00

Happy New Year! Jenny and I (and Andy) rang in the New Year at the They Might be Giants concert. It was fun. And loud. And crowded. And Standing Room only. (If I had known that, I might not have gone. The tickets has seat numbers! Numbers!) But mostly it was fun. And now my feet hurt.Pictures will follow.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-26635192911242964502008-12-29T16:10:00.001-05:002008-12-29T16:10:19.913-05:00

Philadelphia is in the middle of a nasty budget crunch. It's not pretty. Rec centers and a few libraries are closing. People are upset. Closing a library is always a bad idea. Always. But I am sick to death of listening to people on the radio pleading, "Don't close our lie-berries!"For the love of the baby jeebus, learn to fucking pronounce the word "library". It makes me think that Philadelphia

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-43803725435578237862008-12-25T09:36:00.003-05:002008-12-25T09:37:16.846-05:00

This warms my bitter, bitter heart.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-86238169239101647862008-12-22T18:44:00.002-05:002008-12-22T18:51:37.744-05:00

Sunday morning (the same day as the ice storm) I awoke with a strong desire to drink fruity, pink wine on Christmas day. Not great wine, cheap wine. I'm not paying more than $5. And it should be strawberry. Yeah. Fantastic.I know, you're thinking that's disgusting. I know Jenny and Clare like wine. But I'm really not that great a drinker. I don't like strong alcohol. And I really like the booze

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-27192910353516048392008-12-22T18:37:00.002-05:002008-12-22T18:41:33.590-05:00

Sunday mornign we had a minor ice storm. Nothing terrible but just bad enough to make you glad it was Sunday morning and not Monday morning. Hrothgar, however, was determined to go outside on the back porch.He pleaded.He whined.He pawed at the back door.He made a pest of himself, generally.After hours of this, I was ready to relent. "Fine. You'll see its horrible out."Andy said no. If we let him

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-50821973769691592482008-12-18T11:00:00.001-05:002008-12-18T11:00:17.512-05:00

The other night I went to my favorite store, Lane Bryant, for undies and such. It was so sad! The mall, first off, was nearly empty. The store itself was empty. Physically as well as with shoppers. The clerk told me I was the first costumer since lunch. Sad. And there wasn't the same amount of merchandise on the floor, giving it an empty feeling.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-27108816876562989282008-12-18T10:57:00.001-05:002008-12-18T10:57:36.626-05:00

Hey. I'm stuck at this training this morning, listening to the presenter go on about various benefits, like food stamps, PACE, LIHEAP. Basically, things I already know. So they want me at work to use this software to determine is people are eligible for benefits. Hmm. I can read the instructions on an application form and use to a calculator to figure that out. If the software completes the

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-71962604397586760472008-11-27T08:17:00.001-05:002008-11-27T08:18:54.159-05:00

Today I will catch up on my reading of everyone's Nano stories. I've read the first two chapters of Clare's Kali. And I read the first five of Jenny's. ANd I like them both. :)

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-54033662916320657332008-11-27T08:16:00.000-05:002008-11-27T08:16:11.659-05:00

Turkey Day! Live it up.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-66953381714483275092008-11-18T17:34:00.001-05:002008-11-18T17:34:41.736-05:00

National Novel Writing Month 2008The Road Two – An extraordinary Sequel By Melissa Hensley and Jennifer Mathis (mostly by Jenny this year). The Great Space Ship Robbery It was a cunning plan. A plan so fraught with cunning it was beyond mere hyperbole and was literally the most cunning plan in the world. "I prefer to think of it as a cunning dog positively rabid with cunning," Turkish said. "

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-44891699568428823312008-11-18T17:32:00.002-05:002008-11-18T17:38:35.022-05:00

OK. I copied and pasted my story into blogger, same as always, and I keep getting an HTML error. What?! Class is about to start in five minutes. I figure out how to post this when i get home.Ammendment: Got it to publish to the blog, not the Lab, though. Oh well.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-32572394357678261132008-11-18T17:26:00.002-05:002008-11-18T17:29:26.380-05:00

So, my word count in around 250. Pathetic. And I finally posted it to the lab.I want to try to write some more on Thanksgiving day. I have designated it as a "goof off" day. After that, three more weeks of school, three more papers and a final and I'm done! Until January. Still. I'm so close to the end. My eyes hurt from lack of sleep and I'm tired all the time and constant stress has given me

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-60508803452570674862008-11-05T12:16:00.001-05:002008-11-05T12:19:36.664-05:00

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-21826020067246423712008-10-31T21:03:00.002-05:002008-10-31T21:09:02.754-05:00

It's Halloween, two hours before Nanowrimo officially starts and I've had half a beer.The gang watched the Incredible Hulk. Not a terrible movie. Not a good movie, either. Too much Ed Norton makin' googie eyes at Liv Tyler and not enough Hulk smashing.At the end of the evening, someone made a snarky comment about Ang Lee and Sense and Sensibility."Yeah, Jane Austen moviea needed more robots from

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-29669765005273835182008-10-28T19:22:00.002-05:002008-10-28T19:42:44.971-05:00

This morning was wet and rainy and windy and otherwise miserable. As I trudged into work, I pulled my backpack on wheels in one hand, my other hand was desperately trying to hold my pumpkin spice latte and hold my hood on top of my head to protect my delicate self from the rain. It was precarious. My coffee spilled and the wind picked it up, splashing it into my face and hair. On the down side,

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-59847200898397667312008-10-22T08:27:00.001-05:002008-10-22T08:27:51.553-05:00

After six years, I have my own business cards with my name printed on them! My very own cards! I can not begin to express how tickled I am. Now I want a fancy schmancy card case, something nicer than the tatty little vinyl case I've been carrying around. Mel

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-66010706229612000952008-10-18T06:33:00.002-05:002008-10-18T06:36:55.215-05:00

I have sad news. The Jolly Roger is no more. He has ceased to be. He has gone to Davy Jones' Locker.His mother board finally went. The poor guy.I can't complain. We had four years of pretty intense work from him without so much as a hiccup or crash or virus until recently.I'm working on a new machine. The amazing Miss Verve will be helping. I'll take suggestions on a new name, though. I kind of

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-59158234183062019742008-10-10T14:44:00.002-05:002008-10-10T15:10:05.201-05:00

Tomorrow Barack Obama will hold a rally in Vernon Park, which is basically the backyard to my office. It's been an exciting day. The Secret Service has the park barricaded off. No one is allowed into the park. Which is kind of funny, because the residents of my building cut through the park rather than walk around the block. I actually saw Mrs. X (name protected) arguing to get into the park

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-77128721386246953972008-10-05T11:56:00.000-05:002008-10-05T11:58:51.060-05:00

The leaves are turning. There's a nip in the air. A warm, golden light bathes the trees and hilltops in the morning. It can only mean that Nanowrimo is just around the corner!I will enter this year. But I will do an abbreviated version. Maybe a short story. I think writing anything non-academic this year will be a victory.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-26512482809370129602008-10-05T11:52:00.002-05:002008-10-05T11:56:42.875-05:00

I had a lot of updates to post but somehow never actually managed to open up the blog.Last Sunday the power went out. It was kind of nice, sitting on the porch, watching the sun set. It was tranquil. Of course, after the sun went down, it was dark and we ended up going to bed and hour and a half early.Monday I had a quiz in Research Methods. I'm pretty positive I got all the answer correct but

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-41382181764120051852008-09-15T16:48:00.001-05:002008-09-15T16:49:47.856-05:00

I have almost full mobility and functioning in my right wrist. I can flex but still not rotate it.Yesterday I mowed the lawn (because it was a jungle back there) and that aggravated my wrist. It was mistake.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-71821763624883360832008-09-15T16:39:00.002-05:002008-09-15T16:48:18.938-05:00

September 8 was my first full week of classes. In short it was:Monday - class in the basement of Tuttleman. It's like a dungeon.Tuesday - Rain and thundered all morning. The New Covenant (a gigantic 150 year old building that use to house a school for the deaf) was SPOOKY. It didn't help that there is no way to control the lights in the hall and auditorium. They are are timers. No matter how dark

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-61652738587774937102008-08-30T07:37:00.001-05:002008-08-30T07:40:04.282-05:00

Well, this morning my pain is down and I have more movement in my arms. Heck, typing is practically easy. However, the fingers on my right hand are swollen like little sausages and flexing them is difficult. The angry purple bruising on the palm of my hand is almost vanished but I still have this cheetah-spot pattern from the asphalt that will likely linger for a while.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-39717758589263410892008-08-29T14:18:00.002-05:002008-08-29T14:34:07.530-05:00

This is a little embarrassing. Yesterday, at the car wash, whilst carrying the empty soda cans out of my car, I tripped and fell. Hard. On my wrist. There was that half second that seemed to hand on forever when I could feel myself about to fall over. And then I fell onto the asphalt. My knee and my my right hand stung immediately and then I realized that I could not actually get up. I just could

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-42852270215119817482008-08-07T18:54:00.004-05:002008-08-07T18:58:01.300-05:00

I've been scanning old photos from Center in the Park for a 40th anniversary project. Yesterday I found a treasure trove in the file room. My favorite photo so far is mysteriously labeled: Joe Brown, First Driver.I assume Mr. Brown was the first bus driver for Center in the Park. Still, the photo is funky. People just do not wear leisure suits enough nowadays.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1975493322269006232008-07-21T12:31:00.001-05:002008-07-21T12:31:59.246-05:00

http://mine.icanhascheezburger.com/view.aspx?ciid=1590791

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-55236100686031733112008-07-10T08:26:00.002-05:002008-07-10T08:37:10.922-05:00

Home at last!The best part of a long trip is coming home. Tuesday night in London I was way cranky and fed up with, "this tiny little island and its tiny little furniture and tiny little showers." Yeah, it was time to go home. Mostly I was tired to rank smelling clothes, damp towels and wearing the same funky smelling shoes for two weeks.The plane landed 9 p.m. last night, two hours late. I

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-8274138980271513682008-05-18T07:34:00.002-05:002008-05-18T07:40:46.464-05:00

Today's my birthday and oddly, turning 32 is OK.30 was horrible. Absolutely horrible. I just could not wrap my mind about being "that old". WHen anyone would mention my age, I quickly responded in a cry, "Shut up!"31 was not any better. I'd watch the news and listen to reports about some creepy middle aged dude and then realize with horror that he was my age. (Shut up!)32 is OK. Maybe it's

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-68341090208618849592008-05-15T16:42:00.002-05:002008-05-15T17:10:10.597-05:00

I've always had a secret desire to do pithy reviews of books I hate and dissect the reasons those books failed. Alas, Liarbyrd's Pithy Book Reviews (as I referred to it in my head) has never gotten off the ground. I would like, however, to write a quick word about a book I truly enjoyed.As my semester is over, I have free time on my hands. And my laptop went into the shop (bad mother board) I had

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-27409335073641513462008-04-19T21:06:00.001-05:002008-04-19T21:06:49.864-05:00

Grendel's Dog: A Fragment from Beocat by the Old English Epic's Unknown Author's Cat (Modern English verse translation by the Editor's Cat) from Henry Beard's Poetry for Cats Brave Beocat, brood kit of Ecgthmeow, Hearth-pet of Hrothgar, in whose high halls He mauled without mercy many fat mice, Night did not find napping nor snack-feasting. The wary

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-67054669240888647762008-03-31T17:46:00.002-05:002008-03-31T17:48:58.210-05:00

Today I spent an hour trying to convince a client that his doctor did not give him Congestive Heart Failure when his blood pressure medication was changed.He kept saying, "Even doctors make mistakes."True. But he just couldn't understand that the blood pressure pills only manage CHF, not cure it.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-52047537100884824572008-03-28T12:07:00.002-05:002008-03-28T12:09:43.993-05:00

This is why social workers rock.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-2253979327794730492008-03-14T07:30:00.000-05:002008-03-14T07:31:02.552-05:00

Happy Pi Day!

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1132438967394974982008-02-13T13:57:00.002-05:002008-02-13T14:18:48.122-05:00

Ok, this is convoluted. I was a case manager for the FCSP program. My senior center has a contract with PCA (hereafter referred to as the devil) to deliver this program. For five years, I served two masters, the senior center and the devil.Just before Christmas, we got wind of a rumor that the Devil was pulling the contract. It wasn't official, but a muckety-muck told my boss to "expect a letter"

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-78693555059981432432008-01-20T09:25:00.001-05:002008-01-20T09:28:38.211-05:00

I know it's crazy, but next year is Poe's 200th birthday and I'd like to go to Baltimore to see the Poe Toaster in action. Sure, I'd have to be in a Baltimore cemetery early in the morning in January, but how awesome would it be? Pretty awesome.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-21072516667351865002008-01-13T15:06:00.000-05:002008-01-13T15:13:29.179-05:00

This morning, around 6 a.m., Andy and I woke to a horrible, acrid smell.I can't really describe the smell. It was as if a skunk was burning in the furnace. Nasty. Very pungent.Andy's first thought was that something caught fire and plastic was burning. Burning plastic, that's a good description.We unplugged all the thingies with plugs. Nothing was melted. Nothing was warm. But the smell did seem

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-73524946715753742692007-12-24T09:04:00.000-05:002008-12-12T00:28:49.088-05:00

One of the disadvantages of having short hair is that every morning I wake up looking like I had a fight with the bed and the bed won.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-90951705196400402112007-12-08T10:39:00.000-05:002007-12-08T10:41:31.192-05:00

Here's a nifty little website that tests your vocabulary. Every correct answer donated 20 grains of rice to the United Nations.Not to brag, but I got to level 46, out of a possible 50. My vocabulary rocks.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-32462880476026404312007-11-20T09:52:00.000-05:002007-11-20T09:53:41.803-05:00

I want the new Kindle from Amazon. It's shiny. However, at $400, I'll wait for the price to drop and some actual users to write reviews. Right now, there's 200 negative reviews by people who have never even used the device.Still, it is awful shiny.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-78171743464999374062007-11-04T19:49:00.000-05:002007-11-04T20:02:34.893-05:00

SO, I had this little blog all planned and written about how I was going to do a "mini NaNoWriMo" this year because I just missed NaNo so darn much. Then I was in a car accident Thursday night. I was on my way to campus and some guy in a black car ran a stop side and just plowed into the passenger side of my car. I'm fine. Bruised and stiff, but fine. Actually, my boob is bruised from the seat

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-10627532210672157702007-10-20T21:29:00.000-05:002007-10-20T21:37:07.209-05:00

Tonight, discussing oue normal Saturday night topics, I announced that if I had a $120 billion dollars I'd build a space elevator. It would be the 3rd thing I would do with my money.As little bit later I said that the 4th thing I would do with my $120 billion dollars would be to hire Natalie as my full time chef.Del said, "Out of curiosity, what would be the first and second thing?"Without

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-41352133035209085242007-10-17T16:22:00.000-05:002007-10-17T16:30:05.024-05:00

Last night I got back my second paper from my Tuesday night class (Social Welfare and Policy) and the teacher wrote "Excellent. Sorry I can't think of a more critical comment."Excellent! My work is excellent!I'm so pleased. Really. Last night, despite having a cold and being exhausted, I could not stop smiling.Even better, the professor used my paper as an example of "what to do." Well, he didn't

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-58250758074351419922007-10-15T17:27:00.000-05:002007-10-15T17:28:15.988-05:00

Check out the interview Jule did on the run during the Baltimore Marathon. Du bist awesome!

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1291672773445174702007-09-25T09:00:00.001-05:002008-12-12T00:28:49.302-05:00

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-43830746050533582042007-09-22T10:36:00.001-05:002007-09-22T10:37:56.238-05:00

OK, I've got this half a line of poetry rattling around in my head and I can not think of where I read it. Help me identify it, please. "It is the meanest working, making one dollar do the work of five." Or something like that.I'd like to use it in this paper I'm writing, but a Google search on those terms came up with nothing. I'm thinking it is Elliot, but what do I know?

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-60013346487747007162007-09-18T20:21:00.000-05:002007-09-18T20:23:27.617-05:00

Jule found this cat-cam site and now she and Natalie are determined to have a cat-cam for spying on Aethel. Or, as Jule called it, "Aethelcat-monkey-is-watching-you-cam." So we'll have photographic evidence of Aethel's badness.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-77952028201792773002007-09-17T19:48:00.000-05:002007-09-17T19:49:35.609-05:00

Suddenly my irrational fear of my feet being caught in an escalator does not seem so crazy.I'm never wearing my Crocs again.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-43246062148903649552007-09-16T09:58:00.001-05:002007-09-16T09:59:45.469-05:00

Andy is downstairs right now watching Bedknobs and Broomsticks, questioning me about it's influence on the Harry Potter universe.First, I said, "You're awfully fixated on a book you've never read. And she's obviously a squib who learned magic late in life. Duh."

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-31971648269753263612007-09-07T05:52:00.000-05:002007-09-07T05:56:59.910-05:00

So, here I am at the end of my second week of school and I just got back my first assignment. I saw the email from the professor but was a little frightened to open it. I was afraid the comments would say my analysis of the texts was amateur or something equally horrific.The professor said it was "very good" and wanted to share my opinions with the class if there was time. Hooray! I don't suck!As

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-54146656123895570902007-08-29T16:50:00.000-05:002007-08-29T17:06:50.392-05:00

Today the spoils of a meeting appeared in the conference room. Muffins and bagels. Nice. I picked up a harmless looking one from a tray labeled blueberry corn muffin.Let me explain that corn muffins are delicious. Blueberry muffins are delicious. Together...not so much. It was regrettable.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-37054403716693575502007-08-11T11:13:00.000-05:002007-08-11T11:19:30.720-05:00

Something happens after the start of August and my internal clocks chimes and I know school is about to start. School is already in session back home and I woke up this morning from a panicky dream about showing up to class completely unprepared.This morning Andy said, "What do you want to do today?""I think I'd like to go to the uni bookstore and get my books but I don't want to drive to Center

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-33956661202699687342007-07-27T18:34:00.001-05:002008-12-12T00:28:49.500-05:00

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-87641480123580896012007-07-09T11:46:00.000-05:002007-07-09T11:55:10.588-05:00

Oh, it's a red letter day. I locked myself out of the bedroom.It took a few moments for it to sink in, as I jiggled the handle and then eventually kicked the door. It was locked. What the? The door don't have locks, I thought.I inspected the other bedroom door, conveniently unlocked. Yup, there was a button on the other side. It would just take a simple push to lock the door.Then I got a sinking

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-39680037136328357232007-07-09T09:31:00.000-05:002007-07-09T09:34:15.763-05:00

Oh, this makes me laugh every time.And here's a Lost version. I also enjoyed the Kill Bill remix.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-66634440398215173952007-06-27T14:18:00.001-05:002007-06-27T14:24:15.564-05:00

Cruising Slashdot, I found a posting that world's first ATM, installed in Enflield, London, forty years ago this month.I was a little astounded, because I've seen that ATM. There's a little plaque. I remember Clare pointing it out when she gave us a tour of her hometown. Cool.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-238262711813913802007-06-23T20:41:00.000-05:002007-06-23T20:53:51.803-05:00

Andy,who has not read a single Harry Potter book, yesterday morning told me he knew the location of the last horcrux.Really?"It's Nevil Longbottom Rememberall.""That the dumbest thing I ever heard," I said.However, at the end of the day, I changed my mind.One, we know that Nevil's Rememberall doesn't particulary help him, suggsting it's not really a Rememberall, much like Scabbers wasn't really a

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-49930544280020227322007-06-23T20:37:00.001-05:002007-06-23T20:41:02.080-05:00

Well, my sister has informed me that blogs are so 2006 and all the cool kids have My Space pages. I should get one. I won't. I like my passe blog. My Space strikes me as style over substance, but that's just me being snotty. But one nice thing is my sister has pictures of the kids posted, which is sweet. I know I'm rotten to the core, but the photo of Brandon with his pirate-like eye patch after

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-30207002780212431392007-05-21T20:00:00.000-05:002007-05-21T20:01:43.540-05:00

Once again, six months behind on the greatest new thing. Check out the cats. The cheezebuger cat reminds me of Hrothgar.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-68554380935474125802007-05-12T12:05:00.000-05:002007-05-12T13:02:08.569-05:00

I'm going to grad school!I got word yesterday from Temple that was admitted to the School of Social Administration for the degree of Master of Social Work.I'm still giddy.Of course, the admissions process has left a lot to be desired. Last fall I scrambled and submitted my application (3 letters of references, a "goals" essay, transcripts and a $50 application fee.) As of November 6, the

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-27284685874591569902007-05-01T17:12:00.000-05:002007-05-01T17:23:12.681-05:00

Despite my carefully thought out plan for coping with allergies this year, after the slaughter last year, I devised a defensive scheme I lovely thought of as "Operation Allergen Avoidance." Not the snazziest title, but what you going do?So my plan was a two prong defensive maneuver: allergy medication and constant dusting/vacuuming.I had some drippy nose issues, but it was working.As it turned

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-49482552543140762762007-05-01T17:09:00.000-05:002007-05-01T17:12:01.114-05:00

Whoo! Happy Birthday, Athene.And I just learned from Omouse's blog that Athene's getting married! Double Whoo! Oh hell, let's make it a full-on Woot!Woot!

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-30016420759567256232007-04-27T17:22:00.000-05:002007-04-27T17:24:02.053-05:00

Before you write that grand, sweeping fantasy sage, you have to take the test.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-63289582100550273942007-04-22T18:18:00.000-05:002007-04-22T18:23:05.769-05:00

Now that the weather is starting to get a bit warm, the cats have begun to shed. I brush Hrothgar and Aethel every day, to minimize fur, just like all those pet-care website suggests. I still find myself having to run the vacuum nearly every day. I don't know where or how the cats produce so much fur.Last night I brushed Hrothgar, and the pile of fur on the floor was nearly as big as him. I could

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-32255376219123201662007-04-21T16:15:00.000-05:002007-04-21T16:18:43.087-05:00

So Andy's been watching all the Harry Potter DVDs this week and now he thinks he's an expert. In anticipation of the final book, I'm re-reading the series, but that's something else.So this morning Andy announces, "Neville Longbottom will kill Harry Potter.""Um, no.""Yes. Voldemort will take over Harry and Neville will kill them.""No! You're wrong!""But we already know that Neville can stand up

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-34669204555336413152007-04-12T17:54:00.000-05:002007-04-12T18:14:47.272-05:00

I couldn't believe it when I heard it.Vonnegut it one of my favorite authors. Especially Slaughterhouse Five. And Cat's Cradle.When I was in high school, Vonnegut gave a lecture at KU entitled, "How to Have My Job." My English teacher arranged a field trip for the top English students. It was awesome.I was only 17 at the time and hadn't read any of his works. I've read most of them now.Here's

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-13054103627212051892007-03-29T16:33:00.000-05:002007-03-29T16:42:37.552-05:00

It's been a while since my last post but it took something amazing to break my silence. What could it be? Flame decal for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer, affectionally known as the "Kitchen Ninja."Buy posting it in my bog, I get a 10% coupon. Sweet.And my Kitchen Ninja is one step closer to the diviness of Alton Brown. (Who has flames on his stand mixer. There. I added that as a post script because

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-66081339993640042932007-03-07T20:28:00.000-05:002007-03-07T20:50:40.054-05:00

I'm sitting in a house this afternoon and the lady has seven (7!) animals: 3 dogs, 4 cats. One the cats jumps up on a table near me and I notice it has a deformed little stump of a table and large back haunches. I say, "Is your cat a Manx? I have a Manx."The woman then proceeds to tell me that her cat is actually a cat-rabbit hybrid. According to her, back in the 60s, scientists combined rabbit

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-33536713406804892612007-02-02T16:39:00.000-05:002007-02-02T17:08:12.420-05:00

Time for another Liarbyrd's Pithy Book Review. Today's subject: Newton's Wake: A Space Opera by Ken Macloed.The title had a lot of promise. (Space opera!) And the premise is cool (singularity, post-human technology, a lost "colony" on a distant planet.) But add all these elements together and the whole thing falls flat.It's bad. Simply a terrible book. First problem: too many characters. As a

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-40003077736599055392007-01-31T18:11:00.000-05:002007-01-31T18:12:40.857-05:00

So here's a site where you can make a French presidential canidate dance. It's awesome.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1152758977046404252007-01-25T19:53:00.000-05:002007-01-25T20:04:08.649-05:00

Last night I'm reading Alfred Bester's Demolished Man in bed. Andy says, "What are you reading?""Only one of the greatest sci-fi writers in the 20th century.""Oh yea? If he's so great, did he write Batman?"I flip to the biogrpahy blurb at the front of the book and I read, "He then embarked on a career as a scripter for comic, radio, and television, where he worked on such classics characters

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1169402118348255932007-01-21T12:48:00.000-05:002007-01-21T12:55:18.363-05:00

Andy woke me up this morning. "Mel, you got to see this."I climb out of bed, groggy and cold.In the living room Aethel is wrestling with one of my pink slippers. She hisses and pounces and they tumble. Then, triumphant, she bites down on the slipper and carries it away. The slipper is as big as her. Her little cat legs are straddling the slipper as she draggs it under her body and she waddles

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1169305626158459092007-01-20T10:00:00.000-05:002007-01-20T10:08:00.823-05:00

Great News, everyone! Defense Secretary Robert Gates submitted to Congress a manual for trials for detainees at Guantanamo Bay. The manual allows for heresay evidence and coerced testimony. However, it does provide a prohibition for evidence obtain by torture after December 30, 2005.Fantastic. My government just admitted in a back handed way that it tortures. Not just "intense questing"...

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1166563101500948222006-12-19T16:17:00.000-05:002006-12-19T16:18:21.520-05:00

And now a carol to celebrate the most joyous of holidays.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1166314212914826702006-12-16T19:09:00.000-05:002006-12-16T19:10:12.930-05:00

Get Your Cyborg Name

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1166313259556169282006-12-16T18:51:00.000-05:002006-12-16T18:54:19.576-05:00

So the new laptop is nearing a month old and I haven't decided on a name yet. I really wanted just to keep the name of the old laptop, Ian, but was informed last night is was major major bad mojo to keep the same name for computers. Fine. But I need a name.I'm bouncing between a sci-fi name (Khan is a front runner) or a traveler/explorer name, which is where Ian came from. (Ian Wright, host of

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1165805522744065312006-12-10T21:48:00.000-05:002006-12-10T21:52:02.760-05:00

Alton Brown (one of my heroes) was on NPR this morning, making eggnog with liquid nitrogen. You know, if you want to freeze the nog for ice cream. Yummy. I am almost inspired to make my own eggnog this Xmas. Almost.As a side note, received mystery present from Clare. Yeah! And I totally ignored the label that said "chocolates." Totally ignored it.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1165348430960930582006-12-05T14:51:00.000-05:002006-12-05T14:53:50.980-05:00

Today is the most glorious of holidays, it is International Ninja Day...when non-ninjas (nonjas) such as myself can pretend to be a ninja without fear of punishment from real ninjas. Don't believe me? Go ask a ninja yourself.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1164933108974058462006-11-30T19:29:00.000-05:002006-11-30T19:31:49.016-05:00

50,437!!!On a side note, Kansas City has nearly 12 inches of snow on the ground. Big storm. Kind of glad I missed it.And yes, I will update the lab with the rest of the novel. But not tonight. My plans tonight are to watch television like a zombie. Mel likes comedies...and brains...

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1164839639202385422006-11-29T17:33:00.000-05:002006-11-29T17:33:59.220-05:00

Ack! I'm so close it makes my head hurt.Maybe if I realyl buckle down tonight, I can cross 50k. But one thing is clear, I am no where near finished with the story line of this thing.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1164769859661982482006-11-28T22:09:00.000-05:002006-11-28T22:10:59.676-05:00

Just crossed the 43k mark. I had a three thousand word day!And hanks to Omouse, who leaves encouraging messages on my answering machien and Verve who leaves encouraging messages in my email.I can do this!!! Yar!

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1164667150726722282006-11-27T17:34:00.000-05:002006-11-27T17:39:10.743-05:00

I just finished installing my spanking new wireless network.I tried to do it yesterday but Earthlink has a tricky trick they use to get you to pay an extra $7 a month. Del spent nearly four hours last night trying to hook up the network. He's awesome for trying.So today I called Comcast to see what they would charge for a modem and networking...As it turns out, even with the Earthlink tricky

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1164587981513242412006-11-26T19:31:00.000-05:002006-11-26T19:39:41.526-05:00

Santa Chewbacca came early this year. I got my spanking new laptop today, a HP dv2000. It rocks. Right now we're fighting to get the wireless network installed. Apparently, Earthlink has made it very difficult. Del is helping. Actually, to be fair, Del is doing all the work and I'm "helping". I feel like a monkey with a stick compared to him. Thank you, Del! You're great!We've no internet access

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1164294336565681922006-11-23T09:57:00.000-05:002006-11-23T10:05:36.580-05:00

Mom made a batch of refrigerator roll dough last night. You know, the fantastic roll recipe. This morning, I get u at 7 to make the rolls (as was the task assigned to me.) Only one problem, the dough did not rise. It was rock hard.Damn. Mom had a moment of panic. "We don't have time to make a new batch!""We do." So I mix together a new batch and stick it in the frig. Of course, I though Mom did

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1164258753579870852006-11-23T00:00:00.000-05:002006-11-23T00:12:33.593-05:00

Just a quick word. I'm currently at my mom's, stealing a cuople minutes on the computer.Word count is 32,500 approx. I haven't been doing as much writing as I would like. Oh, I'm staying that night at Mom's new house. It's very nice. Very blue. And for some reason, I'm staying in what i refer to as the "Jesus Room." There's a freaking picture of Jesus on the wall and the Lord's prayer. It's

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1163843975019720642006-11-18T04:53:00.000-05:002006-11-18T04:59:35.056-05:00

It's 4:45 AM and I'm leaving in thirty minutes to catch a plane home. I got that quesy stomach feeling I get every time I fly.I'm taking a laptop to do some writing. I've already let the family and friends know that I will be writing two hours a day. Nothing shall disturb me. I will not fall behind on word count. But, I will be sans internet. No updates. I'm still at 28k. I haven' t been able

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1163458616622689482006-11-13T17:51:00.000-05:002006-11-13T17:56:56.636-05:00

This made me laught so much I literally cried. I think my favorite is "im in ur couch, stealing ur change." And I enjoyed the sammich one, also.23k, by the way.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1163300168138807982006-11-11T21:48:00.000-05:002006-11-11T21:56:08.140-05:00

Wednesday, the start of Week Two, I had a minor melt down. With work, not getting home until 5:30, the phone ringing, cooking dinner, taking Andy's car to the mechanic, and the phone ringing again...All my writing time evaporated. I was left with a paltry 60 minutes. And I'm leaving in a week to go home. I have to pack. I have to clean the fucking apartment. I have to buy all those crappy little

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1163299708776868162006-11-11T21:47:00.000-05:002006-11-11T21:48:28.793-05:00

Lots of updates in the lab. So stop bugging me about not posting.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1163250854580116552006-11-11T08:03:00.000-05:002006-11-11T08:22:24.070-05:00

Today is Armistice Day (which you know) and NPR had a really interesting interview with a guy who'sbeen recording the last living World War One vets. There's only 14 left in the US. The youngest is 106. The oldest is amazingly 115. And there was a mention of Kansas City's Liberty Memorial.The Liberty Memorial is a beautiful piece of art deco. It is also the largest WWI memorial in the country.

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5128182.post-1163160304926388492006-11-10T07:02:00.000-05:002006-11-10T07:05:04.940-05:00

I can't believe it...I've almost caught up to Omouse. Of course, she didn't write last night.Andyway, I had a Week Two Melt-Down. I'll write about that little misadventure when I get home this evening. Right now it's 7:55 (a.m.) and I need to eat breakie and go to work. I was just so excited about catching up, I had to post immediately.Oh, and I have a legal question posted on the forums. Help

Liarbyrdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131537740807958804noreply@blogger.com0