buddies

atom_bunny

12:14 pm - Ugh...

Last week I bought a USB turntable and a Freeview Set Top Box from Aldi. Now usually stuff from Aldi is really good and I've never had a problem with their stuff before.

But both of these items? They are most likely going to have to be returned.

The set top box keeps crashing or resetting at inconvenient moments. Hubby tried doing a software update and it crashed at 80% every time. Talk on the internet is showing that a lot of people are having these problems and people have tried and failed to get through to support.

The USB turntable - well, it works, but the sound input level is way too high and the audio is clipping and distorting. I've been through all the settings on both my desktop computer and the laptop and have failed to turn up any way to bring the input level down, and there is no way to change it on the turntable itself. Once again, searching the internet brings up people who have had the same problems, so I've fired off an email to support this morning, but I'm not expecting any intelligible or relevant response.

So, we're going to give it a couple more days to see if any solutions present themselves, then we'll probably end up taking them back. Shame really. :/

Current Mood: annoyed

robynsummers

11:37 pm - Gratitudes - 1.2

Saturday
1. Bought several boxes of yummy Girl Scout cookies
2. Met a charming elderly Scot walking his beautiful black Scottish terrier! The terrier was so friendly.
3. Saw my college's production of Grease with two friends
4. Watched several Hulu episodes on my queue
5. Beautiful Papyrus cards in the bookstore
6. Reading scholastic articles for a paper

Current Mood: relaxed

hazumuchan

11:03 pm - Let me show you my Tweets!

• 15:37 is anxious about the concert, but is confident in her singing abilities. ^_^ Hope to see all my local IRL friends at the concert.
• 15:41 My inspiration: "Dad, keep tryin' tryin'/Mom, keep tryin' tryin'/Older brother, Mr. Conductor, Ms. Bride/Keep tryin' tryin'" #utadahikaru
• 17:03 is leaving for the choir concert in 1/2 hour. Wish me luck. First onstage solo in 14 years! O_O Wish you all were here! Seriously!!

hazumuchan

05:05 pm - Indeed!

Leaving in 1/2 hour for choir concert. First onstage solo in 14 years! Nanase captures my mood perfectly in this icon. ULP! indeed.

Wish me luck!

Current Mood: anxious

announcements

squeaky

02:30 pm - IJ Holiday Sale

We are starting this years InsaneJournal holiday sale. From now until the end of the day Friday, November 27 we are going to be holding a sale on Self-Committed[paid] accounts and Extra Userpics.

The prices are be as follows

Self-Committed[paid]
1 Month -> $5
6 Month -> $15 $10
12 Month -> $25 $18

Extra Userpicx
6 Month -> $10 $5
12 Month -> $20 $15

Then on Friday November 27th from 8am until 4pm (Eastern US time) we will be running a very special sale on Permanently Insane accounts.

hazumuchan

09:37 am - AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!! *runs and hides*

First of all, the choir concert is TONIGHT! *sigh* We managed to get through dress rehearsal okay, and even managed to hangout with some of the women in our choir at a small bar afterward, although I wasn't really much in the mood for it. But we survived it, and we can survive the concert as well. My first onstage solo in 14 years, although it's part of a small group. *swoons in fear* I should be okay. I belt the fucker out in "Give Me One Reason" (yes, the Tracy Chapman song!) and be done with it. I'm just worried about the other small group I'm in that's doing an interpretation of "Gloria In Excelsis Deo"; there's one part that we had finally gotten right, but the song is pretty complex and in Latin. Oy! The concert itself should go well, though.

Second of all, the trans study about how transsexual people experience sexism is a bust. *headdesk* ( More details if you REALLY want them. Cut for length. )

Between this and the choir concert, adding to the fun is that all 3 of us are hitting that fun-fun time of the month damn near simultaneously. I'm tired and anxious from the concert and frustrated with the trans study and my breasts hurt and I'm having bowel issues and I just want to stay in bed the rest of the weekend. But there's my group, the choir concert and another event we already said we'd be at tomorrow. *sigh* So I'm feeling half-insane right now.

In any case, hope y'all's weekend is less stressful than mine. Wish me luck during the concert! TTFN!

Current Mood: overwhelmed

ladyofshadow

07:21 am - Red Dragon...this explains much

Guess what surprised me in the middle of the night?

This explains why the sinus headache was so damnable (it's gone now, Thank Gods...I don't want to throw up anymore). Maybe the Dragon will behave until I get home from work.

For only getting 4 hours of sleep, I'm oddly awake.

It's creepy foggy out. 0__0

Current Mood: exhausted

robynsummers

11:58 pm - Gratitudes - 1.1

Friday
1. A classmate found a ring I lost a few days ago and returned it to me! :D
2. Finally watched Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail. Wasn't really my kind of movie, but at least now I can get the references made to it!
3. Ice Cream Friday in the cafeteria for dinner
4. A really nice nap after classes
5. Drinking lots of fluids
6. Blessed silence

Current Mood: chipper

hazumuchan

11:05 pm - Let me show you my Tweets!

• 06:07 Can the world just stop sucking now? Having the concert this week is hard enough w/o finding that the trans study seems to have epicfailed!
• 08:26 @Londababe123 Maybe I shouldn't have said "epicfail". Some strong criticism from some about cisprivilege and all. :-S Makes me wanna hide.
• 10:24 is going to hide under a blanket for the day. Dress rehearsal tonight! O_O
• 12:17 is going to step away from the computer until Sunday, folks! TTYL!
• 13:00 College research study debacle + dress rehearsal = energy-sapped. I still have dishes & dinner to do. Calgon take me the frick awaaaaay!!!
• 13:02 How about Team Satan? I'm already sick of hearing about "New Moon" GAH! I wish I could get away from it. #TwilightHaters
• 17:28 Trans study may be tabled. *sigh* I just don't care right now. Getting ready for dress rehearsal for choir concert tomorrow night. Ciao!

robynsummers

10:57 pm - Reebok's Easy Tone advertisements

really bug me for its very shallow and explicit sexual targeting.

ARGH.

Current Mood: aggravated

ladyofshadow

08:07 pm - Approaching burn out

...I hate the shifting weather. My sinuses are not happy and I'm feeling nauseous. I thought maybe I could combat it with tea, but my grandparents have nasty tea and I nearly threw it up after a sip.

I'm exhausted. Today at work I was doing 'roaming reference' meaning I was walking everywhere, including up and down stairs. *falls over*

Also, my throat is really dry and I'm really hoping I'm not catching my boss' 'sick' or that I didn't catch something from the patrons. Considering I'm now in contact with hundreds, if not thousands of people on a daily basis it seems that all the hand sanitizer I use is a futile effort at best.

Ugh...I have to work at 8am on Saturday. Here's to hoping I don't feel like death.

Current Mood: crappy

atom_bunny

09:12 pm - 65k!

I have now made it to 65,272 words. I'm not quite done yet. The main plot is done, it's just... tidying up the loose ends and a bit of an epilogue type thing.

I'm hoping to make it to 70,000 words before I'm truly done, but I'm not sure I have enough left in it for another 5000 words. We'll see anyway.

Then one day I might tidy it up properly and stick it on ff.net or something. Maybe.

This is the longest thing I have ever written though. My previous longest was a Naruto fanfic that came to just under 32,500 words, so I've more than doubled that now. ^_^

Edit: I do have enough for 70k - easy. I still haven't explained what happened to Ryou cos he wasn't in the story at all - and I have notes for that. Yeah!

(Yes, my story is still lame. :P)

Current Mood: embarrassed

jlsigman

11:56 am - Can the season be over now?

Because... man. We suck.

Current Mood: crushed

hazumuchan

11:04 pm - Let me show you my Tweets!

• 05:27 @1capplegate Personally, I still plan on doing self-exams; I don't care what they say! Better safe than sorry, yanno?
• 05:29 @caisa RE: Turduken? "The lucky table cloth"? Wow, languages are interesting things, aren't they?
• 05:32 @neilhimself YAY for mind-poisoning! :-P If you count Stephen King into the equation, I've poisoned my brain since the age of 5! LOL
• 05:39 What IS this world coming to? Crazy!! 15-year old "wanted to know what [killing someone] felt like." bit.ly/3kjS90
• 13:05 is relishing the love that is InSoc Recombinant by #informationsociety. Such a neat lil' album!

robynsummers

10:26 pm - Gratitudes - DAY 365 - ONE YEAR!!!

It's been a year! Some days were harder than others, when I couldn't think of 5 good things. In times of stress, I could only think of 3 or less, or the list sometimes got repetitive. Sometimes the list became a way of keeping track of events during the day, and perhaps that wasn't in the spirit of the 5 gratitudes. I tend to be more focused on events, I have to admit, or something physical as opposed to feelings or emotions. I can feel good or calm, but I tend to focus more on what caused the good feeling, if there's usually a reason. Sometimes I do feel calm without a discernible explanation or cause. :-D I should probably focus on these feelings more, when they do occur (rarely, but still important).

So, things I'm grateful for!

1. You, my awesome friends! Thanks for being willing to open your lives to me, and trusting me. I've enjoyed reading your entries, and living vicariously through you. Thanks, also, for the support you've given me. Not just during the past few days, but whenever I've been distressed since we've befriended each other.


2. I'm also grateful for my friends in person, who are also awesome. They're good people.


3. Using multiple swipes during lunch to get extra chips, a boiled egg and extra juice.


4. Eating some Girl Scouts cookies -- Caramel cookies and Peanut Butter cookies!


5. A good, involved discussion about Tuesdays with Morrie in psych class.


6. Feeling calmer today.


7. Being trusted enough by someone they confided in me about feelings of dissatisfaction and some values they held dear.


8. Yeah, Hulu... >_>

Current Mood: calm

robynsummers

01:49 pm - Gratitudes - Days 362-364

Monday
1. Professors being understanding
2. Good writing class
3. A professor accepting an emailed paper
4. Kindness from others
5. Chicken noodle soup
6. Hanging with a new friend in her room, looking at her art

Tuesday
1. Made an appointment to see my therapist
2. Cleaned out my room of garbage and trash
3. Finished a good anthology of short fantasy stories
4. Canceled a pre-order
5. Nice hot shower

Wednesday
1. The 2 symposiums I saw were good
2. Got a new library book and donated a book to the lib
3. Folded and put away clean laundry
4. Good debate about French and American secularism with someone
5. Bought earrings off Etsy
6. Finished computer science project #4 due Friday
7. Bought 2 pints of ice cream!! 1 Cookies 'n' Cream, the other Rocky Road

Current Mood: full

jlsigman

12:54 pm - Daily Buddhist Wisdom

By charity, goodness, restraint, and self-control men and woman alike can store up a well-hidden treasure -- a treasure which cannot be given to others and which robbers cannot steal. A wise person should do good -- that is the treasure which will not leave one.

- "Khuddhaka Patha"

Current Mood: contemplative

hazumuchan

11:04 pm - Let me show you my Tweets!

• 10:31 @renni_e HA! Sweet! I found a vid of the Swedish Chef, Beaker and Animal singing "Danny Boy"! SO golden!!
• 10:37 This case in my area is is so sad! 9 year old girl goes missing; 15 year old girl charged as an adult for her murder. bit.ly/30P853
• 14:51 103 NAMED transpeople murdered since this time last year! WTF, world? Going to TDoR tonight since I have dress rehearsal Friday night. :-(
• 14:52 @todayyouareyou Seconding your sentiment, although I'm neither a writer nor a mom. I keep myself busy even IF I don't have a job. *sigh*
• 15:52 making a casserole: ground turkey, stewed tomatoes, chicken-flavored rice w/ colby/m. jack cheese. Hope it tastes as good as it sounds!
• 15:54 is arguing w/ an old HS chum of hers about heterosexual cisgender privilege. *sigh* I swear, you have to make a neon sign nor something!!
• 15:56 @katie_berger RE: Soap dispenser. ... O_O You're KIDDING!?! Oh. My. GAWD but that's funny as hell!!! RT: twitpic.com/q0v2g
• 15:57 @katie_berger RE: 103... I should have clarified that it's 103 people listed at bit.ly/VeFEA with or without names. :-(
• 16:17 Crucifix? $3 Gas to church? $8 Stupid Pat Robertson quotes? Priceless - bit.ly/3mIQWF
• 16:46 @todayyouareyou Oy! Been there, done that. Rest up!
• 18:24 RT: @Bootsy_Collins "And don't always follow sum1 else's footsteps...make ur own path bcuz who knows where the funk they're headed!"
• 18:35 is attending a somber Transgender Day of Remembrance service tonight. I'm not sure whether to smile or cry at this point.

playswithknives

07:11 pm - i'm a busy bee this week

makin' booze
http://www.flickr.com/photos/playswithknives/sets/72157622832917172/

robynsummers

03:30 pm - International Symposium Day

Today's Int'l Symposium Day on campus, where people give symposiums mostly based on their experiences abroad. This entire week is Int'l Education Week. Monday night was the Iron Chef competition.

I had several marked as potentials, but either their times clashed or I got back too late from public library errands to view all of them. I did go to see one, though. It was by someone I have class with. Her symposium title was "Inside the Mind of Someone with an Eating Disorder: Psychological, Theoretical and Practical Perspective." Her blurb was

( Her blurb )

( Presentation and thoughts of it )

There's another I'm interested in and might go to at 3:50. It's "Headscarves and Homework: Defining Religious Freedom in France and the United States." This blurb is

In 2003, three Muslim girls were barred from attending public schools in France when they refused to removed their headscarves. The following year, the French government banned all conspicious religious symbols from public schools, including headscarves, skullcaps, and crosses. This presentation will address how historically divergent traditions of French and Americans secularism present competing conceptions of religious equality, with a focus on the headscarf controversy.

In both France and the United States, free exercise and separation of church and state constitute the most basic principles of religious freedom. However, while French headscarf ban clearly violates American tenets of religious freedom, it is consistent with French secularism known was laicite.[ I don't know how to do accents here, so it's not properly spelled.]

Originating during the revolution, laicite has become a central pillar of the contemporary French Republic. Generalized as freedom from religion (as opposed to the Americanized freedom of religion), laicite limits the interaction of church and state in order to assure equal treatment of all groups. Be separating private life from the public sphere, laicite emphasizes freedom of conscience and offers a competing vision of equality relative to American secularism.

As anxiety mounts over Muslim presence in Europe, the headscarf controversy crystallizes the tensions between assimilation, French identity, laicite, and the Republic. Both a response to mounting pressures and support for the status quo, the headscarf ban remains one of the most controversial issues in French politics.

Current Mood: contemplative