Saturday, November 20, 2004
Another waste of money
I love rubber duckies. Maybe I should start a collection.
Current mood: Lethargic
Posted by Lynniechan @ 05:39 PM EST [Link] [No shoutouts]
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Weekend update
I had a lot to say about the weekend of Nov. 6-7 and the couple of days following, but I don't feel like typing much right now other than to put it down here for the record book.
The biggest event was that I got into another car accident. Yup. My third this year -- none of which I've received a ticket for -- and fifth bad car incident if you throw in the two flat (different) flat tires I had. This latest accident was with a rental. I'd flown to Atlanta that Friday and rented a car to drive to Gainesville, Ga., the location of my rowing club's biggest regatta of the year, the Hooch. Just north of downtown Atlanta on I-85, we were in bumper-to-bumper traffic, right before rush hour. About four or five carlengths ahead, a tractor-trailer braked suddenly, tires smoking. The cars behind it just stopped in time, including mine and the SUV behind me, but the Maxima behind him slammed into the SUV nearly at full speed, which lurched the SUV into my rental car. We all somehow managed to pull over, where I started to hyperventilate, then nearly burst into tears. It was a miracle the driver of the Maxima, a young college student, was not seriously hurt. The entire car was totaled, airbags deployed, hood crumpled and smoking, shattered glass. The driver was cut on the arm and had a sore wrist, but that's all. That incident obviously made a normally exciting weekend somber. After putting that day behind me, I managed to compete in two races, a fours race and an eights race. We came in fourth of 12 boats in the eight (the other ORC boat, our nemesis, won the race). This regatta's race is more than 3 miles, so including racing, warming up and rowing out to the starting line, I must have rowed a half-marathon that Saturday. Insane. But at least I left that weekend with a medal -- we came in third of 11 boats in the four. We couldn't believe it and couldn't have been happier -- we'd never practiced that lineup before and just entered the race hoping we wouldn't embarrass ourselves. We were proud of that race, and the finish seemed to cushion the blow of the events of the day before. I have an old new car. 1992 Toyota Camry, the whitest-bread car on the road. Seems as though every fifth car on the road is a Camry. Well, the important thing was that we paid cash so we wouldn't have a second car payment. And it's in great condition, except the CD player doesn't work -- which is fine, since it has a tape deck, too, and I can play CDs through it once they're loaded onto my iPod. Now, there are few things that irritate me more while driving than having someone jump in front of me (or force their way between me and the car in front of me) without signaling, then immediately slam on the brakes. That's about it for now.
Current mood: Sleepy
Current music: If It Wasn't For You | Handsome Boy Modeling SchoolPosted by Lynniechan @ 11:49 PM EST [Link] [No shoutouts]
Saturday, November 13, 2004
Throw me a bone, people
I've yet to be offered one item in Amazon.com's Gold Box in which I have even an atomic particle of interest. Tonight, I was offered a set of 6 martini glasses, $40. Has their marketing bot yet to completely pick apart my interests, preferences and buying habits?
That's a good 3 CDs' worth of music! (And yes, I do still buy some of my music.)
Current mood: Shoppy
Posted by Lynniechan @ 10:37 PM EST [Link] [2 shoutouts]
Dusting off the cobwebs
I've got to get back to music-buying before all the new releases get away from me and I spend $500 catching up, so I've updated the music category under "Want" on the left. Will delete CDs from the list as I purchase them. Also, I'll be more attentive to updating "Most Wanted," seeing as how it's getting closer to Christmas :).
Current mood: Industrious
Posted by Lynniechan @ 10:24 PM EST [Link] [1 shoutout]
Friday, November 12, 2004
Yes, I'm sick
In a twisted way, I enjoy checking my work e-mail from home. I guess it's because (1) I feel like I'm looking at work from the outside in, like gleefully studying all of the dangerous, caged animals at a zoo, pointing and gawking at all of the activity inside the enclosure. It's fun being a lurker. Plus, (2) I get a lot of LOL messages -- GIF animations and all -- from friends making fun of annoying people in the office.
(But I don't like responding to my work e-mail until I'm back in the office. It's for official business, you know. :) If you expect a response, send me e-mail to one of my personal addresses.)
Current mood: Amused
Posted by Lynniechan @ 12:32 PM EST [Link] [No shoutouts]
Thursday, November 11, 2004
Go figure
In the month I've been back at school -- which I decided to attend not only because I wanted to change careers but because I hadn't had any luck finding a reasonable-paying job doing what I've been doing for the past 10 years -- I've received no less than 3 job offers, doing what I'd been doing for the past 10 years.
Fortunately, I love studying what I'm studying so far and wouldn't give it up for anything.
Current mood: Sleepy
Posted by Lynniechan @ 05:17 PM EST [Link] [1 shoutout]
Tuesday, November 9, 2004
Whew
I had a very eventful weekend. Details to come.
Current mood: Sleepy
Posted by Lynniechan @ 12:37 PM EST [Link] [3 shoutouts]
Wednesday, November 3, 2004
Not to mention...
... I was rear-ended a week ago today on the way to school.
The 20-something frat boy in a white ford Bronco was ticketed for careless driving and was at fault; his insurance is paying. (That's the second time this year I've been hit by a wreckless driver, if you're counting.) "Sorry. I just looked down for a second..." Sig Ep said to me as we stood on the side of the busy intersection, waiting for the cops.
Today, my car was officially declared totaled. The whole back end is wrecked.
I'm not hurt. I had a slightly sore neck -- basically a neck crick -- for one day, but I'm perfectly fine.
The only thing truly hurt is my pocketbook. One of the reasons the BF and I decided now was a good time for me to attend school was because we only have/had one car payment between the both of us. My car had been paid off for nearly two years.
Sig Ep's insurance company is giving me $6,500 for my car. (Goodbye, beloved Altima -- ye were a great car.) I'm hoping to throw another couple grand in and pay cash for a used car. But that's still two grand we weren't expecting to have to shell out right now, considering we recently dropped a few tax brackets and had hoped to invest that money in home improvements.
Current mood: Tired
Posted by Lynniechan @ 10:43 PM EST [Link] [No shoutouts]
Dark day in America
Well that settles it. The Bush administration has successfully brainwashed more than half the country. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised that many Americans walk around with blinders on. Our country is lazy, spoon-fed, spoiled and brain-dead, and that's just the way President Rove and VP Cheney like it. Scare tactics work: Do not question authority, or the terrorists will win. Do not question this administration, or you and your family will be in grave danger. A vote for Kerry is a vote for bin Laden. Kerry. Bin Laden. Kerry. Bin Laden. Obey. Here's a flag and your $300 back. God Bless this great country. 'Nuff said. Now watch this drive.
As I watched the election results online last night, I was nervous. I'd never in my life cared so much about the future of our country. I'd voted for the first time, and I was damn proud of it. I'd been looking forward to voting all week, and I was determined to squeeze that one civic task into my busy schedule. Then, Tuesday night, when I saw Florida turn red, I thought I was going to cry. That was the twist of the knife in Kerry's back, the point of no return. I think I'm just now getting over my depression.
How could we? How could one in good conscience support an administration of lies, subterfuge, deceit and denial? An administration that has sent more than 1,000 Americans to their deaths? One in bed with Big Pharma, laughing all the way to the bank as the cost of health care and medications go practically unregulated? An isolationist administration so full of hubris it not only doesn't want to play in the sandbox with the other industrialized nations, it kicks sand in their faces?
These are the questions I can't reconcile. Note to Pinky: You're one of the smartest, most likeable people I know, and we have a lot in common. So what is it about the GOP that clicks with you? Is it that you find the other party's values more disagreeable -- the lesser of two evils -- or is it family tradition? If there's anyone whose well-thought-out answers on the subject of conservatism I would take to heart, it's you. (You don't have to take the stage and start a thread here; e-mail's fine.) It's fascinating to me that we come from very similar backgrounds and family histories, yet our paths have diverged on this one subject.
I'm not bitter over the outcome -- really. Upset at the result, yeah. But not sore. I did my part, and so did a record number of Americans. That's something to be proud of. And although four years is plenty of time for Bush and his puppeteers to further restrict Americans' privacy rights, stuff their pocketbooks with more no-bid contracts and bankrupt the country, it's also four years for the liberals to take action on many lessons learned.
Current mood: Reflective
Posted by Lynniechan @ 10:29 PM EST [Link] [No shoutouts]
Tuesday, November 2, 2004
That sinking feeling
Kerry is losing. At best, he might deny Bush the required 270 electoral votes for an outright victory. But a victory for Kerry is looking very dim.
I feel terrible.
Current mood: Desperate
Posted by Lynniechan @ 11:25 PM EST [Link]
I (early) voted! ...
... for the first time ever. I guess I can thank Bush for something.
I did my part; did you?
Current mood: Anxious
Posted by Lynniechan @ 07:53 PM EST [Link]
Monday, November 1, 2004
Coming around
Finally, a fast-food/coffee chain has wisened up. Two Panera Bread's near school both have free wireless Internet. I'd been feeling cut off from the world for half my day lately, since there is no computer access at school.
My fix is back in.
Current mood: Satisfied
Posted by Lynniechan @ 03:59 PM EST [Link]