I also got a new tire today in my car. The tire went completely flat Sunday morning and did not help my weekend feel any better.
Of course, when I found out about my ferret breeders the next day, I felt very happily resurrected.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Black Footed Ferret
I received my plush black-footed ferret in the mail after donating $50 to the Prairie Wildlife Research facility. I'm very excited about the whole thing.
I also got a new tire today in my car. The tire went completely flat Sunday morning and did not help my weekend feel any better.
Of course, when I found out about my ferret breeders the next day, I felt very happily resurrected.
I also got a new tire today in my car. The tire went completely flat Sunday morning and did not help my weekend feel any better.
Of course, when I found out about my ferret breeders the next day, I felt very happily resurrected.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Beaver Hunt!
Sam and I went to the Watson Mill Bridge State Park yesterday. It was a very sudden decision. He and I stepped outside of our apartment and breathed in the air. God, it was beautiful!
So we packed some water and some sandwiches and we left.
Other families and couples were taking advantage of the good weather too. When we got to the falls, I went about looking for frogs. I had the idea in my head that I should fulfill some old childhood stereotype that Southern children walk around barefoot and go frog huntin.' Well, I didn't find any frogs. There wouldn't be any in the rapids part anyway; I think I just wanted to hop around from flat rock to flat rock.
You see, I've been awfully depressed lately. I've been trying hard to keep my mind off of things; mostly financial. It's what really gets me down. Maybe pretending to be twelve again helps, maybe not.
Sam and I did an about-face and went to the other side of the Bridge; the part where it was just endless calm and murk.
Ah yes. Good place for frogs.
Ribbit.
Ribbit.
I quickly forgot about frogs when Sam pointed out in the middle of the swampy and murky and muddy area before us that there might be a beaver dam up ahead. We saw a little mound made of sticks and mud and knick-knacks.
Onward! Towards the beaver house!
Sam said, "If we get close enough and worry it, it will come out and start smacking its tail on the ground, warning the other beavers that something is coming and its time to hide."
Ooo! How exciting!
Onward! Towards the beaver house!
On the way, Sam and I sank ankle deep in goop and slime. I found a beaver staff; a large stick stripped of its bark with the beaver's trademark teeth marks all over. It became my walking stick, and yes, I brought it home with me.
Well, turns out our little beaver dam that we thought was actually not a beaver dam. Just a large pile of mud and sticks. But that did not deter us; we found beaver evidence--my beaver staff!
We waded through some more mud until we got to dryer ground. From there, I spotted a tree that had been interesting shaved of bark in some parts; all parts low to the ground.
"Look," Sam said, "a beaver has been here recently. The bark is still green; there are ants crawling all over it." There were teeth marks all over it and shavings of bark littered at the trees roots.
We kept on hiking. Sam found his on long and thin beaver stick; we called it a beaver spear. The further we went along the river, we found more and more beaver evidence.
But at some point, the land wouldn't really let us follow the river. Everything got really muddy and mucky again. We had to turn around; I wanted to rent a canoe but we weren't sure where to rent from.
No beaver this time.
But next time... oh, beavers, just you wait!!!
So we packed some water and some sandwiches and we left.
Other families and couples were taking advantage of the good weather too. When we got to the falls, I went about looking for frogs. I had the idea in my head that I should fulfill some old childhood stereotype that Southern children walk around barefoot and go frog huntin.' Well, I didn't find any frogs. There wouldn't be any in the rapids part anyway; I think I just wanted to hop around from flat rock to flat rock.
You see, I've been awfully depressed lately. I've been trying hard to keep my mind off of things; mostly financial. It's what really gets me down. Maybe pretending to be twelve again helps, maybe not.
Sam and I did an about-face and went to the other side of the Bridge; the part where it was just endless calm and murk.
Ah yes. Good place for frogs.
Ribbit.
Ribbit.
I quickly forgot about frogs when Sam pointed out in the middle of the swampy and murky and muddy area before us that there might be a beaver dam up ahead. We saw a little mound made of sticks and mud and knick-knacks.
Onward! Towards the beaver house!
Sam said, "If we get close enough and worry it, it will come out and start smacking its tail on the ground, warning the other beavers that something is coming and its time to hide."
Ooo! How exciting!
Onward! Towards the beaver house!
On the way, Sam and I sank ankle deep in goop and slime. I found a beaver staff; a large stick stripped of its bark with the beaver's trademark teeth marks all over. It became my walking stick, and yes, I brought it home with me.
Well, turns out our little beaver dam that we thought was actually not a beaver dam. Just a large pile of mud and sticks. But that did not deter us; we found beaver evidence--my beaver staff!
We waded through some more mud until we got to dryer ground. From there, I spotted a tree that had been interesting shaved of bark in some parts; all parts low to the ground.
"Look," Sam said, "a beaver has been here recently. The bark is still green; there are ants crawling all over it." There were teeth marks all over it and shavings of bark littered at the trees roots.
We kept on hiking. Sam found his on long and thin beaver stick; we called it a beaver spear. The further we went along the river, we found more and more beaver evidence.
But at some point, the land wouldn't really let us follow the river. Everything got really muddy and mucky again. We had to turn around; I wanted to rent a canoe but we weren't sure where to rent from.
No beaver this time.
But next time... oh, beavers, just you wait!!!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Aftershock
I've never enjoyed masses of people. They frighten me. Not terribly--not to the point of anxiety attacks or nervous breakdowns. They are simply unnerving.
Every month at the Library we have an Afterhours program, where teens 11 - 18 (because that is the age the Young Adult department caters to) have a chance to do open mic in front of a small group of people. It's usually nice and quiet and intimate.
Our program collided with a program of a nearby Middle School's dance, and instead of having NO ONE show up, EVERYBODY showed up.
All in all, at the end of the night, we had 45 children, barely enough chairs, and a couple of parents that decided to hang out.
The police cop, Robin, and I kept saying "Okay, this is it. No more, no more." The group was large enough to be a fire hazard. It was tightly congested, we didn't have enough snacks for the crowd, and children kept wandering about.
The more kids that came, the more we all realized we couldn't leave them outside. Parents had dropped some off; some had walked from their respective school program to us. We just kept on letting them come in.
Folks were arriving 45 minutes well after we had started! I have never seen such a high turnout of kids for Afterhours. Mary Jean informed me that she had not either.
I think it is great when kids show up to our programs; it means that we have the support of the public to continue our programs and that means the Library will continue to support our programs. But if there is such a consistently high turnout every time, I might have a heart attack. My nerves can't afford to deal with the masses.
Every month at the Library we have an Afterhours program, where teens 11 - 18 (because that is the age the Young Adult department caters to) have a chance to do open mic in front of a small group of people. It's usually nice and quiet and intimate.
Our program collided with a program of a nearby Middle School's dance, and instead of having NO ONE show up, EVERYBODY showed up.
All in all, at the end of the night, we had 45 children, barely enough chairs, and a couple of parents that decided to hang out.
The police cop, Robin, and I kept saying "Okay, this is it. No more, no more." The group was large enough to be a fire hazard. It was tightly congested, we didn't have enough snacks for the crowd, and children kept wandering about.
The more kids that came, the more we all realized we couldn't leave them outside. Parents had dropped some off; some had walked from their respective school program to us. We just kept on letting them come in.
Folks were arriving 45 minutes well after we had started! I have never seen such a high turnout of kids for Afterhours. Mary Jean informed me that she had not either.
I think it is great when kids show up to our programs; it means that we have the support of the public to continue our programs and that means the Library will continue to support our programs. But if there is such a consistently high turnout every time, I might have a heart attack. My nerves can't afford to deal with the masses.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
The Princess and the Frog
I adored the new Disney Movie, The Princess and the Frog. The main character reminded me of Belle, and the bad guy reminded me of Jafar, and the Prince was like an Alladin mixed in with a playboy....
It was just great.
It was just great.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Oh God; the Noise, the Noise!!!!
When someone says, "Don't!!!" why would you respond, "Do?"
While at work, an individual comes to the back; behind the library.
This is normal. Many people go to the back of the library with their car to drop of books they are donating. Usually they do it when they have boxes upon boxes and they can't simply bring it up to the front desk.
(Ughhh.... my God. This noise!!!!)
They bang on the fire exit door because they are too impatient to wait for the doorbell we have provided for our patrons. By banging loudly through the glass, they attract the attention of another patron. I'm heading towards the door, to wave the patrons behind the glass away, telling them to try the doorbell once more or go to the front.
(It's still ringing!!)
I say, "Don't open the door; the alarm will go off!"
So naturally they open the door.
It's still ringing; this atrocious noise!!! ARRRGH!!!
We don't have the key--apparently its gone missing. You need a key to turn the damn thing off. Where the hell did it go? I don't know.
I had to tell the patron over the infernal ringing to try the doorbell again or go to the front. They eventually got helped.
This ringing is going to make my ears bleed. Dear God, make it stop....
While at work, an individual comes to the back; behind the library.
This is normal. Many people go to the back of the library with their car to drop of books they are donating. Usually they do it when they have boxes upon boxes and they can't simply bring it up to the front desk.
(Ughhh.... my God. This noise!!!!)
They bang on the fire exit door because they are too impatient to wait for the doorbell we have provided for our patrons. By banging loudly through the glass, they attract the attention of another patron. I'm heading towards the door, to wave the patrons behind the glass away, telling them to try the doorbell once more or go to the front.
(It's still ringing!!)
I say, "Don't open the door; the alarm will go off!"
So naturally they open the door.
It's still ringing; this atrocious noise!!! ARRRGH!!!
We don't have the key--apparently its gone missing. You need a key to turn the damn thing off. Where the hell did it go? I don't know.
I had to tell the patron over the infernal ringing to try the doorbell again or go to the front. They eventually got helped.
This ringing is going to make my ears bleed. Dear God, make it stop....
Burning Polymer
Yes.
I'm an idiot.
I toiled, what? Two and a half hours on a tiny piece of sculpy, just to have it catch flame and sizzle. I did (what I like to call) the Leonardo: I built it from inside out... although not quite as detailed as creating the skeletal system and then the muscular system and etc. But I did take the innards into great consideration.
As for the outside, I constructed a shell and decorated it with different colored scales, then drew baby-tiny designs around them. I articulated and accentuated.
And then I burned.
I'm an idiot.
I toiled, what? Two and a half hours on a tiny piece of sculpy, just to have it catch flame and sizzle. I did (what I like to call) the Leonardo: I built it from inside out... although not quite as detailed as creating the skeletal system and then the muscular system and etc. But I did take the innards into great consideration.
As for the outside, I constructed a shell and decorated it with different colored scales, then drew baby-tiny designs around them. I articulated and accentuated.
And then I burned.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Cuttlefish and Bioshock 2
Woot!
I made Sam the best thing ever-- a plush cuttlefish! It's cute; all green and Cthulhu-like. You see, ever since we saw cuttlefish at the aquarium, Sam has been in love. He is thinking of getting a cuttlefish tattoo and maybe one day have his own cuttlefish aquarium.
We learned that cuttlefish don't ship very well, though; there aren't any naturally in the oceans surrounding the US. So, we shall see. I think it would be interesting. This trip to the aquarium has made me less frightened of sea-critters. I still think they look weird, like aliens, but I find them more and more intriguing as I learn about them.
Also, I've gotten to play with Sam's fancy camera. It's really cool. I took pictures of Vincent and Liam. Vincent was being quite the booger in front of the lens. He didn't want to cooperate. I was pretty surprised. He's usually very mellow; perhaps he didn't care for the flash.
Liam on the other hand was a rock star. I gave him a yogurt raisin and he just munched and munched and munched. He sat still and let me crawl around the bed, looking at him with different angles.
BTW: That reminds me of Bioshock 2.
I'm not sure why it reminds me of Bischock 2, but it does, and so now I must share with you the amazing: Yowza.
It's beautiful, just so you know.
And at one point, you get to look at the world in the eyes of a Little Sister. I like they way they see things. When they say "Look, Daddy, an angel," they actually see an angel instead of a dead body! Trails of blood are trails of rose petals. Everything glows pretty and yellow.
The story is pretty great too. You feel like its kinda short, though; except at one point you think that it's over and then it's not. Not in a bad way, though.
Anyway, really really fun. Me likey.
I made Sam the best thing ever-- a plush cuttlefish! It's cute; all green and Cthulhu-like. You see, ever since we saw cuttlefish at the aquarium, Sam has been in love. He is thinking of getting a cuttlefish tattoo and maybe one day have his own cuttlefish aquarium.
First Picture: Cuttlefish hanging out on his own.
Second Picture: Cuttlefish hanging out with Wormulon,
another sea-critter plush that I made for Samuel
We learned that cuttlefish don't ship very well, though; there aren't any naturally in the oceans surrounding the US. So, we shall see. I think it would be interesting. This trip to the aquarium has made me less frightened of sea-critters. I still think they look weird, like aliens, but I find them more and more intriguing as I learn about them.
Also, I've gotten to play with Sam's fancy camera. It's really cool. I took pictures of Vincent and Liam. Vincent was being quite the booger in front of the lens. He didn't want to cooperate. I was pretty surprised. He's usually very mellow; perhaps he didn't care for the flash.
Liam on the other hand was a rock star. I gave him a yogurt raisin and he just munched and munched and munched. He sat still and let me crawl around the bed, looking at him with different angles.
BTW: That reminds me of Bioshock 2.
I'm not sure why it reminds me of Bischock 2, but it does, and so now I must share with you the amazing: Yowza.
It's beautiful, just so you know.
And at one point, you get to look at the world in the eyes of a Little Sister. I like they way they see things. When they say "Look, Daddy, an angel," they actually see an angel instead of a dead body! Trails of blood are trails of rose petals. Everything glows pretty and yellow.
The story is pretty great too. You feel like its kinda short, though; except at one point you think that it's over and then it's not. Not in a bad way, though.
Anyway, really really fun. Me likey.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
"Arg!" to Hollywood Video
Wow, I'm pissed. Not as bad right now as yesterday, but whatever. Here's the scoop:
Yesterday I went to Hollywood Video to pick up my preorder of Bioshock 2. Guess who didn't have it?
Yeah. and furthermore, the employees didn't know anything about it. They asked me when it's release date was. And when I said, "I'd like a refund so I can go buy it somewhere else," they told me they didn't know how to give refunds.
I try really hard to by sympathetic.
Everything concerning Bioshock 2 went wrong with them yesterday and I just felt like I was dealing with incompetent people.
On top of that, I used to work at Hollywood Video. All shift leaders were required to know how to give a refund. It was one of their important jobs. WHY did this shift leader not know how to give a refund? WHY GOD WHY?!?!
So I was told, "Come back tomorrow. The manager will be back. You can talk with her about things."
Which means I have to come back today. I'm going to request a refund then I'm never going to Hollywood Video again. This new manager hires incompetent people and is probably equally as incompetent. I've spoken with her before and her largest complaint was that the staff didn't like her and she had to teach them all about how the system works.
I feel like that should have clued me in.
I miss Eric; he was a great manager.
Yesterday I went to Hollywood Video to pick up my preorder of Bioshock 2. Guess who didn't have it?
Yeah. and furthermore, the employees didn't know anything about it. They asked me when it's release date was. And when I said, "I'd like a refund so I can go buy it somewhere else," they told me they didn't know how to give refunds.
I try really hard to by sympathetic.
Everything concerning Bioshock 2 went wrong with them yesterday and I just felt like I was dealing with incompetent people.
On top of that, I used to work at Hollywood Video. All shift leaders were required to know how to give a refund. It was one of their important jobs. WHY did this shift leader not know how to give a refund? WHY GOD WHY?!?!
So I was told, "Come back tomorrow. The manager will be back. You can talk with her about things."
Which means I have to come back today. I'm going to request a refund then I'm never going to Hollywood Video again. This new manager hires incompetent people and is probably equally as incompetent. I've spoken with her before and her largest complaint was that the staff didn't like her and she had to teach them all about how the system works.
I feel like that should have clued me in.
I miss Eric; he was a great manager.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Good Day and Why.
Today is a good day.
Reason 1) Today, Rudyard and I went to meet his new vet for the first time. I let him run around for an hour at home before we hopped in the car and drove to the Vet. When we got there, he was showered with so much love he fell asleep in one of the nurse's arms. It was all kinds of cute.
Also, his new doc, Dr. Stortz, is pretty cool. Rudyard and I decided we like him quite a bit. Dr. Stortz may even be able to spay his sister that I'm going to be getting sometime in late spring/early summer. If he could, that would be so totally cool. If he's not comfortable with it (he's never spayed a ferret before) then he was going to recommend one of his professors from the exotic animals vet school at UGA.
Reason 2) Bioshock 2 is out and I pre-ordered it as a gift for Sam, but also because I like Bioshock a lot too. FUCK YEAH.
Reason 1) Today, Rudyard and I went to meet his new vet for the first time. I let him run around for an hour at home before we hopped in the car and drove to the Vet. When we got there, he was showered with so much love he fell asleep in one of the nurse's arms. It was all kinds of cute.
Also, his new doc, Dr. Stortz, is pretty cool. Rudyard and I decided we like him quite a bit. Dr. Stortz may even be able to spay his sister that I'm going to be getting sometime in late spring/early summer. If he could, that would be so totally cool. If he's not comfortable with it (he's never spayed a ferret before) then he was going to recommend one of his professors from the exotic animals vet school at UGA.
Reason 2) Bioshock 2 is out and I pre-ordered it as a gift for Sam, but also because I like Bioshock a lot too. FUCK YEAH.
Monday, February 8, 2010
GA Aquarium and the Stingrays
Yesterday was phenomenal.
I went to the GA Aquarium. I've never been to an aquarium before, let alone the largest one in the world.
Like I said, phenomenal. The otters were my favorite. I bought an otter plush at the gift shop to set alongside my large ferret puppet (Pepopowitz), my small ermine ferret plush (Orville), and my plush rat (Theodore). This one I named Maggie, named after one of the original otters themselves. All five were girls, which I found a great convenience sine I decided my plush otter would be female. (I tend to oddly lean towards boy-names. All my critters are boys too-- Rudyard my ferret, and Vincent and Liam my rat babies).
Also, I got to touch a stingray!
I've always thought of myself as a very brave person. The biggest phobia (maybe my only one...)I have is vomiting. I've never hesitated to touch other critters, especially when they've been deemed safe.
But my heart pitter-pattered in a way I never realized it could. I was actually afraid to touch the stingray. I kept telling myself, "Look, everyone else is doing it. This is the petting zoo of the museum. It's okay."
But did my brain and nerves connect?!?!
Well, in a literal sense, sure, but not in the way I mean.
Sam said, "Put your hand in the water and just leave it there. They'll just slide under you. They don't care."
I did as he told me, but as a stingray approached I retracted my hand before I could think. I didn't even realize that I had done so. It was an instinct; it was my 'fight or flight' reaction and I had fled.
"We're not going anywhere until you touch one," Sam told me, his fancy Canon poised, ready to shoot me as living proof.
I don't know how long we spent there. I really don't. But finally I said to myself, "Fuck you palpitations and nerves! Here I go!"
With one very deep breath, I submerged my hand in the water. It circled my wrist, and I held my breath as a stingray glided towards me, making his rounds about the little pool as if it were a normal day.
I saw his little "wings" as they glided through the water. A slow and silent flap rippling and pushing him along. His small thread-bare tail followed him harmlessly. His filters flapping back and forth, following their own rhythm.
He settled beneath my fingers. He knew the drill. I touch his back. "My God," I thought, "You are so slimy!"
Just as quickly as he graced his presence for me and me alone, he glided off prepping himself for the next little hand to dip in the water for him.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
2-06-10
So, on top of trying to sell artwork on Etsy and in our local library store, I am also trying to publish a book. It's called Year of the Rat and is about one of best beloved pets, Mark, a fat hooded rat with more of a personality than several people put together.
I've had permission from my supervisor at work to construct a hand-made copy of Year of the Rat for our catalogue. Right now, I'm building a book cover and am thinking of creating a stencil of a rattie for the front and as some decorative interior art. I'll take pictures when I'm done and share my results.
I'm excited about it. I got the idea one day after I left a session with my therapist, Sally. Mark had just passed away and I was telling her all these wonderful little stories about him. We laughed and cried together. She shared a sentimental story of a pet in her life that she never forgot. Then she said something along the lines of, "Mark would make a great story."
Yes. A story. He was quite the character, for sure. I've never met a pet with such a personality. Mark the Rat made me always think of him as Mark the Person. I loved talking about him when he was alive, all the fun and weird things he did. It got to the point where some of my staff would ask after him, like he was my child.
"How is Mark today?" they would ask. "Is he treating Vincent nicely?"
"Oh," I would say, "Vincent is getting into this business of trying to prove that he can be an alpha rat too."
"What does Mark say to that?"
"My goodness, Mark just bonks him on the head and tells him to can-it."
Why not share it on a bigger scale?
I can tell you and everyone else about how Mark had a girlfriend; about how Mark sired TWO litters in his day. I can tell you how protective he was, how caring he was; how he was the perfect gentleman.
And then we can all laugh and cry together.
I've had permission from my supervisor at work to construct a hand-made copy of Year of the Rat for our catalogue. Right now, I'm building a book cover and am thinking of creating a stencil of a rattie for the front and as some decorative interior art. I'll take pictures when I'm done and share my results.
I'm excited about it. I got the idea one day after I left a session with my therapist, Sally. Mark had just passed away and I was telling her all these wonderful little stories about him. We laughed and cried together. She shared a sentimental story of a pet in her life that she never forgot. Then she said something along the lines of, "Mark would make a great story."
Yes. A story. He was quite the character, for sure. I've never met a pet with such a personality. Mark the Rat made me always think of him as Mark the Person. I loved talking about him when he was alive, all the fun and weird things he did. It got to the point where some of my staff would ask after him, like he was my child.
"How is Mark today?" they would ask. "Is he treating Vincent nicely?"
"Oh," I would say, "Vincent is getting into this business of trying to prove that he can be an alpha rat too."
"What does Mark say to that?"
"My goodness, Mark just bonks him on the head and tells him to can-it."
Why not share it on a bigger scale?
I can tell you and everyone else about how Mark had a girlfriend; about how Mark sired TWO litters in his day. I can tell you how protective he was, how caring he was; how he was the perfect gentleman.
And then we can all laugh and cry together.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Modeling Audition
I had a modeling audition today. It went very well, and I'm scheduled to do some in-studio modeling for a small group of artists next Thursday.
Modeling isn't my passion, but it is pretty fun. During the audition I had to strip down and strike some poses. After wards, I checked out the images. In some shots, my butt looks absent. Oh well.
My breasts are also starting to look tired. That was a bummer to see. They aren't as full as they were a couple years ago.
Ah, the realization of aging. What a weird thing! I'm not insecure about it, it's just strange to recognize it.
Modeling isn't my passion, but it is pretty fun. During the audition I had to strip down and strike some poses. After wards, I checked out the images. In some shots, my butt looks absent. Oh well.
My breasts are also starting to look tired. That was a bummer to see. They aren't as full as they were a couple years ago.
Ah, the realization of aging. What a weird thing! I'm not insecure about it, it's just strange to recognize it.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
To the Etsy Cave!
Today I started an Etsy account.
I'm trying to do things with the artwork I create. Not necessarily because I think other people will like it, but also because my house can't take anymore piles of things. I don't know what to do with all this stuff! I don't like to hang my things up because if I look to long at the things I'll make, I start critiquing them. On top of that, it just feels like a vain thing to do.
Here's my shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/csmith87
I'm trying to do things with the artwork I create. Not necessarily because I think other people will like it, but also because my house can't take anymore piles of things. I don't know what to do with all this stuff! I don't like to hang my things up because if I look to long at the things I'll make, I start critiquing them. On top of that, it just feels like a vain thing to do.
Here's my shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/csmith87
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