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Winslet has come home
Dec. 20th, 2011 05:14 pmI have left her to settle quietly with a plate of greens,
My heart is full again.
My heart is full again.
Decision Time
Dec. 17th, 2011 06:15 pmI took a long look at my finances and did a lot of soul-searching this week. I really can't adopt the FraidyTwins. In addition, my allergies can handle one-bunny-worth of fluff but two seems to be too much - I trimmed their nails 3 days ago and am still sniffling. I have holiday money, but without the prospect of a job any time soon, I can really afford only 1 bun on unemployment.
So, Alice and Jasper will be going back to Red Door sometime this week. They are nice buns, but I never really connected with them. They have each other, and will be fine wherever they go. They leave me healthy, and a bit sleeker than they came to me. It looks like they'll be in long-term foster with the shelter's Rabbit Coordinator for the next while to see if she can get them out of their shells a bit more.
But in good news, I'll be welcoming Winslet back, this time for good. I fostered her for most of October, and cried when I had to send her back. I find that I miss her, and we made a great team. Since I'm used to outgoing bunny-girls, I think we're a good match. She's lovely, smart, and curious, and once we get to know each other again I can transition her to free range.
I will always miss Pepper, but I think that it's finally time to bring another smart sassy bunny-girl into my life.
So, Alice and Jasper will be going back to Red Door sometime this week. They are nice buns, but I never really connected with them. They have each other, and will be fine wherever they go. They leave me healthy, and a bit sleeker than they came to me. It looks like they'll be in long-term foster with the shelter's Rabbit Coordinator for the next while to see if she can get them out of their shells a bit more.
But in good news, I'll be welcoming Winslet back, this time for good. I fostered her for most of October, and cried when I had to send her back. I find that I miss her, and we made a great team. Since I'm used to outgoing bunny-girls, I think we're a good match. She's lovely, smart, and curious, and once we get to know each other again I can transition her to free range.
I will always miss Pepper, but I think that it's finally time to bring another smart sassy bunny-girl into my life.
One of those classic holiday stories...
Dec. 16th, 2011 12:18 pmTwas the year of the E-book.....
While I do love me some dead-tree books, I had put a Nook e-reader on my Amazon wishlist for the holidays this year. Figured it was more than anyone was likely to spend, but that's why they call it a "wish list".
Last night was my (former) company's holiday party. I was a little concerned about it being awkward, but it really was nice to see everyone on our team again. Well, when it came time to open the gifts from the Managing Partner, there were lots of O.O faces, because EVERYONE got a Kindle! Apparently she braved the Black Friday sales, and then talked the store into selling her all 6 of the ones they had in stock.
Once I got over my surprise, I though OMG I need to update my wishlist - what if someone already got me a Nook - I can't return this! So as soon as I got home I logged on to Amazon - and it showed up under "Purchased". Oops.
So I sent my mother and brother a note saying "Umm - this is a bit awkward. I just got a Kindle that I can't return, and then one of you got me a Nook. Umm - now what?".
It gets better.
This morning I get an e-mail from my mom. Apparently BOTH of them got me Nooks! Mom couldn't figure out how to use the Amazon Universal Wish List thingie, so she just called B&N and ordered one for me. She didn't think to go back and tell Amazon that it had been purchased. (I'm not sure she knows the difference between then, to be fair). So then my brother came along, and clicked the button to buy it directly online and then updated Amazon. I understand there was a bit of a lecture to mom on how to update this for next time)
So now I have THREE e-readers! Luckily, B&N sells lots of other things, and there is a brick-and-mortar location in the next town over, so I'll trot over there once they turn up.
Sigh - somehow this just seems par for the course with my family....
While I do love me some dead-tree books, I had put a Nook e-reader on my Amazon wishlist for the holidays this year. Figured it was more than anyone was likely to spend, but that's why they call it a "wish list".
Last night was my (former) company's holiday party. I was a little concerned about it being awkward, but it really was nice to see everyone on our team again. Well, when it came time to open the gifts from the Managing Partner, there were lots of O.O faces, because EVERYONE got a Kindle! Apparently she braved the Black Friday sales, and then talked the store into selling her all 6 of the ones they had in stock.
Once I got over my surprise, I though OMG I need to update my wishlist - what if someone already got me a Nook - I can't return this! So as soon as I got home I logged on to Amazon - and it showed up under "Purchased". Oops.
So I sent my mother and brother a note saying "Umm - this is a bit awkward. I just got a Kindle that I can't return, and then one of you got me a Nook. Umm - now what?".
It gets better.
This morning I get an e-mail from my mom. Apparently BOTH of them got me Nooks! Mom couldn't figure out how to use the Amazon Universal Wish List thingie, so she just called B&N and ordered one for me. She didn't think to go back and tell Amazon that it had been purchased. (I'm not sure she knows the difference between then, to be fair). So then my brother came along, and clicked the button to buy it directly online and then updated Amazon. I understand there was a bit of a lecture to mom on how to update this for next time)
So now I have THREE e-readers! Luckily, B&N sells lots of other things, and there is a brick-and-mortar location in the next town over, so I'll trot over there once they turn up.
Sigh - somehow this just seems par for the course with my family....
Like mah sexy new icon?
Nov. 29th, 2011 09:42 pmFull version here
Thanks to Ken Beach!
As most of you probably know, my standard way of dealing with terrible stress is to try and find something to DO about it.
So far I have:
Gah what a day....
Thanks to Ken Beach!
As most of you probably know, my standard way of dealing with terrible stress is to try and find something to DO about it.
So far I have:
- applied for unemployment
- applied for food stamps
- updated my resume
- updated my LinkedIn profile and requested a couple of recommendations
- looked up info on a job that someone on Facebook sent me - it's just down the street so I go to apply tomorrow
- made initial contact with a bankruptcy attorney (referred by the Chicago Bar Association)
- did the dishes
- polished my dress shoes
Gah what a day....
The devil is in the details
Nov. 29th, 2011 03:30 pmYes, I've been fired.
The short version - I suck at politics. We all know this - I think I even mentioned it in my interview.
The long version - Apparently I didn't bend over backwards enough for the friend of someone who booked a conference room at Tree. Said person gets a mad on for me, without so much as a word to me. Said person is the company president's sister.
My manager was in tears over it. She might be able to keep me on in some fashion through the end of the year (pres said yes, sister said no, she's stuck between them) and maybe on a 1099 basis for a while afterwards to do social media stuff - maybe enough to pay for insurance.
At this point, I'm looking for a good bankruptcy attorney, if anyone has any recommendations. Because with no job. no savings, and less than $200 to spare on the credit cards, it's either bankruptcy or I lose the condo. Also could be looking to convert the second bedroom back from an office space and take in a roomate (no cats, dogs, or smokers)
2 days short of a year at the job.
Merry Fucking Christmas.
Settling in
Nov. 22nd, 2011 03:16 pmFosterbuns Alice and Jasper (I am SOOO not a TwiFan so I have got to come up with better names for them) are sslloowwllyy settling in. They are no longer terrified of everything, but they are definitely much warier than any other foster I've had. I'm used to bossy bunny-girls, so it's quite a change for me.
I've been leaving the cage open for a few hours every evening, and they are occasionally venturing out for a bit of sniffing. The slightest sign of movement, though, causes them both to bolt for the safety of their cage.
She is definitely the brains of the outfit. She was the first to check out the 2nd floor balcony, the first to venture out, the first to go more than a body length from the cage door, the first to be willing to take a treat from my hand, etc. He's definitely a follower, though he's a bit braver as long as it involves anything edible.
This morning, when I set the small plate of pellets down for them, he was all like "YAY FUDZ!!!!" and came running so fast that he overshot the plate and actually kicked it behind him a bit. Then he stood there looking around in confusion "Oh FUDZ, WHERE DID YOU GO??". Meanwhile, as he actually came a little outside the cage in search of yummies, she was happily (and audibly) munching away a few inches behind his butt! He didn't track when I pointed, so I actually gently shoved his head around so that the plate came into his field of view. "OH YAY FUDZ!!" *munch munch*... Sigh.
Watching a pair eat is also hilarious. Apparently, the kale is always greener in the other bunny's mouf! At one point the otehr day she yoinked a bit of carrot away from him, and turned her back to better enjoy her ill-gotten gains undisturbed. That meant that her half-nibbled kale leaf was momentarily unattended so *NAB* he grabbed it...The cage ends up a bit of a mess afterwards, and neither one of them will touch cucumber.
I'm having to try a variety of options for their water bowl. They seem to like to tip it over. Right now I've got a heavy stoneware bowl that has been in place for a record 2 days so far, so let's hope that works.
I've been leaving the cage open for a few hours every evening, and they are occasionally venturing out for a bit of sniffing. The slightest sign of movement, though, causes them both to bolt for the safety of their cage.
She is definitely the brains of the outfit. She was the first to check out the 2nd floor balcony, the first to venture out, the first to go more than a body length from the cage door, the first to be willing to take a treat from my hand, etc. He's definitely a follower, though he's a bit braver as long as it involves anything edible.
This morning, when I set the small plate of pellets down for them, he was all like "YAY FUDZ!!!!" and came running so fast that he overshot the plate and actually kicked it behind him a bit. Then he stood there looking around in confusion "Oh FUDZ, WHERE DID YOU GO??". Meanwhile, as he actually came a little outside the cage in search of yummies, she was happily (and audibly) munching away a few inches behind his butt! He didn't track when I pointed, so I actually gently shoved his head around so that the plate came into his field of view. "OH YAY FUDZ!!" *munch munch*... Sigh.
Watching a pair eat is also hilarious. Apparently, the kale is always greener in the other bunny's mouf! At one point the otehr day she yoinked a bit of carrot away from him, and turned her back to better enjoy her ill-gotten gains undisturbed. That meant that her half-nibbled kale leaf was momentarily unattended so *NAB* he grabbed it...The cage ends up a bit of a mess afterwards, and neither one of them will touch cucumber.
I'm having to try a variety of options for their water bowl. They seem to like to tip it over. Right now I've got a heavy stoneware bowl that has been in place for a record 2 days so far, so let's hope that works.
New fosterbuns
Nov. 17th, 2011 03:25 pmMeet Alice and Jasper (Names are Not My Fault!)
Those of you who have put up with my squeeing jealousy for years on here know that I've always wanted a pair of buns. (We tried to find Pepper a husbun, but she beat up everybun she ever met)
So I was sooo happy when I learned that my newest foster from Red Door would be this adorable brother/sister team of Californians. They have the most amazing backstory as well - "They were found living outside and when Alice fell into a window well, Jasper stood beside the well waiting for someone to rescue her. We don't know how long they were there, but this devoted boy never left her side."
They are about 2-ish, and have been at the shelter for more than a year, because they have the 'three strikes' of adopt-ability against them.
1) They are BIG (this breed averages 8-10 lbs)
2) They have red/pink eyes, which people think are "creepy"
3) They are a bonded pair.
I've had my eye on their pictures since Pepper died, and though I've maintained all along that the earliest I can adopt would me January (due to finances) I have a feeling that these buns may be here to stay. I told the shelter that if someone expresses interest before I am ready then of course they should have that opportunity. But if not, then we may be talking paperwork in January or February.
I'm still getting used to the sheer size of them. Pepper was 6.5 lbs at her best, and as low as 5.75 when she was ill. These guys are almost half again that size! And yes, I am finding the pink eyes a little hard to get used to, but that's my problem not theirs. I expect I'll get used to it, just like I had to get used to uppy-eared buns after years with a lop - for the first few weeks they looked pointy and nervous to me.
I've left them alone to settle since last night. They have a big litterbox that they like to share and lounge in, so that at least smells familiar. They knocked their water bowl over at some point last night, and there are 3 nice big poops on the 2nd floor balcony so I know that at least one of them has been up there. They were also doing a bit of wicker-nibbling, so they are settling.
I am starting to be able to tell them apart. Alice is clearly Large and In Charge. She is the first out to explore, and tends to position herself in a way to shield her brother from you. Her nose-smudges go a little higher up than his, her markings are slightly lighter, she's slightly bigger, and her tail is grey with light on the bottom. Pretty sure that she is the brains of this outfit.
Jasper seems a laid-back boy who loves his food. His markings are closer to pure black and his tail is all black. I suspect that he is a bit of a doofus.
I'm leaving them for a few days to settle in without being bothered, then we start Floor-And-Ignore this weekend. Alice CLEARLY disapproves of the fact that I live near the Police and Fire stations - there was thumping. But mostly they seem to have a sort of sad, tired, resigned look to them - sort of like "Now what?" that just breaks my heart. Hopefully I can get that changed.
Video of them from the shelter website
Those of you who have put up with my squeeing jealousy for years on here know that I've always wanted a pair of buns. (We tried to find Pepper a husbun, but she beat up everybun she ever met)
So I was sooo happy when I learned that my newest foster from Red Door would be this adorable brother/sister team of Californians. They have the most amazing backstory as well - "They were found living outside and when Alice fell into a window well, Jasper stood beside the well waiting for someone to rescue her. We don't know how long they were there, but this devoted boy never left her side."
They are about 2-ish, and have been at the shelter for more than a year, because they have the 'three strikes' of adopt-ability against them.
1) They are BIG (this breed averages 8-10 lbs)
2) They have red/pink eyes, which people think are "creepy"
3) They are a bonded pair.
I've had my eye on their pictures since Pepper died, and though I've maintained all along that the earliest I can adopt would me January (due to finances) I have a feeling that these buns may be here to stay. I told the shelter that if someone expresses interest before I am ready then of course they should have that opportunity. But if not, then we may be talking paperwork in January or February.
I'm still getting used to the sheer size of them. Pepper was 6.5 lbs at her best, and as low as 5.75 when she was ill. These guys are almost half again that size! And yes, I am finding the pink eyes a little hard to get used to, but that's my problem not theirs. I expect I'll get used to it, just like I had to get used to uppy-eared buns after years with a lop - for the first few weeks they looked pointy and nervous to me.
I've left them alone to settle since last night. They have a big litterbox that they like to share and lounge in, so that at least smells familiar. They knocked their water bowl over at some point last night, and there are 3 nice big poops on the 2nd floor balcony so I know that at least one of them has been up there. They were also doing a bit of wicker-nibbling, so they are settling.
I am starting to be able to tell them apart. Alice is clearly Large and In Charge. She is the first out to explore, and tends to position herself in a way to shield her brother from you. Her nose-smudges go a little higher up than his, her markings are slightly lighter, she's slightly bigger, and her tail is grey with light on the bottom. Pretty sure that she is the brains of this outfit.
Jasper seems a laid-back boy who loves his food. His markings are closer to pure black and his tail is all black. I suspect that he is a bit of a doofus.
I'm leaving them for a few days to settle in without being bothered, then we start Floor-And-Ignore this weekend. Alice CLEARLY disapproves of the fact that I live near the Police and Fire stations - there was thumping. But mostly they seem to have a sort of sad, tired, resigned look to them - sort of like "Now what?" that just breaks my heart. Hopefully I can get that changed.
Video of them from the shelter website
A Map Of The Floating City
Oct. 13th, 2011 04:58 pmI posted a couple of times about A Map Of The Floating City, the online game I spent an inordinate amount of time on this past summer.
Once we passed EndGame, it was announced that Thomas Dolby would be doing a lecture/performance barnstorming tour across the US about the game and the music and that Chicago would be one of the cities chosen. We of the Poison River Delta Alliance began planning, and we ended up with rather a lot of folks coming in to town for the gig.
Did I mention we had a lot?
Most of these folks came in from out of town - many of them from the Detroit area. Most stayed with BlueCanary, but I had a couple of overflow folks at my place.
The concert was really interesting. While I do enjoy Thomas Dolby's work, I honestly got more out of the chance to meet the game's primary graphic designer, Paul. It was a blast hearing about how some of the game events looked from the other side of the screen - including a couple of moments when the game gods all looked at each others Skype images as the voice chat channel went silent with the implied "OH SHIT!!!" before they started to figure out what the hell they were going to do about whatever left-field idea we had just presented them with.
I did get a chance to shake TD's hand, and I thanked him for a most enjoyable time and for his years of great music. But the best part was really meeting all my fellow Tribesfolk in person and rehashing old times. Someone made us all nametags with our avatar pictures on them, many people wore clothing or accessories that were game items (I had my Dr. Martens), and people who bought more than enough merchandise to get a wristband for the Meet N Greet shared their wristbands with the less fortunate.
I was kind of sad that everyone ended up ordering dinner and hanging out at someone's house, but I couldn't go because she has long-haired cats, so I had a little pity-party for myself on Facebook. But the next morning when many of them got to have brunch with TD, I bowed out in favor of the more fanatical (TD was coming down with a wicked cold and wasn't up to lots of people). He had remarked on his Twitter Feed that he hoped he had a chance to go sailing while he was here, so BlueCanary arranged that as well. Looked like a blast.
The game is still live at www.floatingcity.com, and you can still join up and trade and get downloads for completed sets. A few of us are still hanging around the forums, and with the aid of a sock puppet I actually reset my score but still held on to most of my cargo. I'm setting Jenny Greeneyes up as a mysterious Captain who "was there when it all went down, on that hot August day when they turned the island into the storm and she rode the city into the sky, but then chose to return to earth. They say she once went drinking with Europa. They say she helped write the Book of History...", etc. As new players come on board, I've been couching some game stories into legendary italics, as well as helping new players get started. The Daring Sorties have been set on a rotating schedule, so you can do a couple per day, and some folks are still trading. So come on by, and if you see the Lizzie off your port bow, give a shout out. She might invite you aboard for a shot of Johnny Walker and some tales of the tribes that saved the world.
Once we passed EndGame, it was announced that Thomas Dolby would be doing a lecture/performance barnstorming tour across the US about the game and the music and that Chicago would be one of the cities chosen. We of the Poison River Delta Alliance began planning, and we ended up with rather a lot of folks coming in to town for the gig.
Did I mention we had a lot?
Most of these folks came in from out of town - many of them from the Detroit area. Most stayed with BlueCanary, but I had a couple of overflow folks at my place.
The concert was really interesting. While I do enjoy Thomas Dolby's work, I honestly got more out of the chance to meet the game's primary graphic designer, Paul. It was a blast hearing about how some of the game events looked from the other side of the screen - including a couple of moments when the game gods all looked at each others Skype images as the voice chat channel went silent with the implied "OH SHIT!!!" before they started to figure out what the hell they were going to do about whatever left-field idea we had just presented them with.
I did get a chance to shake TD's hand, and I thanked him for a most enjoyable time and for his years of great music. But the best part was really meeting all my fellow Tribesfolk in person and rehashing old times. Someone made us all nametags with our avatar pictures on them, many people wore clothing or accessories that were game items (I had my Dr. Martens), and people who bought more than enough merchandise to get a wristband for the Meet N Greet shared their wristbands with the less fortunate.
I was kind of sad that everyone ended up ordering dinner and hanging out at someone's house, but I couldn't go because she has long-haired cats, so I had a little pity-party for myself on Facebook. But the next morning when many of them got to have brunch with TD, I bowed out in favor of the more fanatical (TD was coming down with a wicked cold and wasn't up to lots of people). He had remarked on his Twitter Feed that he hoped he had a chance to go sailing while he was here, so BlueCanary arranged that as well. Looked like a blast.
The game is still live at www.floatingcity.com, and you can still join up and trade and get downloads for completed sets. A few of us are still hanging around the forums, and with the aid of a sock puppet I actually reset my score but still held on to most of my cargo. I'm setting Jenny Greeneyes up as a mysterious Captain who "was there when it all went down, on that hot August day when they turned the island into the storm and she rode the city into the sky, but then chose to return to earth. They say she once went drinking with Europa. They say she helped write the Book of History...", etc. As new players come on board, I've been couching some game stories into legendary italics, as well as helping new players get started. The Daring Sorties have been set on a rotating schedule, so you can do a couple per day, and some folks are still trading. So come on by, and if you see the Lizzie off your port bow, give a shout out. She might invite you aboard for a shot of Johnny Walker and some tales of the tribes that saved the world.
Winslet has a brave
Oct. 10th, 2011 09:36 pmI am seriously annoyed at the idiots who took and then returned Lady Winslet. Aggressive my ass! She spent most of the weekend lying in one of her favorite spots - her carpeted balcony or sprawled on the tile floor - while peering suspiciously at the open cage door. She came out for a few sniffing circuits, but bolted for the cage as soon as I came into the room.
I thought that maybe she might be cage-protective but even that isn't it. She didn't even blink when I emptied her litterbox (aside from staying as far away from me as possible).
Tonight was different though. With the assistance of some tiny bits of dried banana she came up to me, and even nosed my book looking for more. I snuck in a few pets, although she it still very dubious about those. She hopped up on the hay storage tub and stretched out on it to eye me suspiciously.
Her nails are very long and pointy - such that she clicks and slides on the tile floor. I'm going to have to do something about those pretty soon. Not looking forward to traumatizing her, but mommies have to be mean sometimes.
Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.
Stronghold performance schedule
Sep. 28th, 2011 08:48 pmAs of right now:
10:00 Celtic Glade
11:00 Queen's Bower - Court Dance
12:00 Queen's Bower - Country Dance
1:00 Circle of Pines
2:30 Circle of Pines
3:00 Queen's Bower - Country Dance
4:00 Courtyard - Court Dance
5:00 Celtic Glade
5:00 Queen's Bower - Country Dancing
You see our problem.....
10:00 Celtic Glade
11:00 Queen's Bower - Court Dance
12:00 Queen's Bower - Country Dance
1:00 Circle of Pines
2:30 Circle of Pines
3:00 Queen's Bower - Country Dance
4:00 Courtyard - Court Dance
5:00 Celtic Glade
5:00 Queen's Bower - Country Dancing
You see our problem.....
Age is just a number
Sep. 28th, 2011 04:42 pmAnd we all know that I suck at math..
Apparently, sometime in the last year, I forgot how old I was.
Yesterday was my birthday, and I told people I was 44.
When my mother called me at work, she asked me how it felt to be 45. I said "What?" Then I thought about the numbers, and sure enough, born in 1966 means I'm 45 now. My mom's comment was "I ought to know - I was there!" (I come by my snark honestly, at least)
I usually "read" younger than my actual age, at least until I open my mouth. My energy, the way I carry myself, and my tendency to play dress-up are all characteristic of someone no older than their mid 30s. My clear and low-pitched speaking voice can bounce those estimates back up, but not by that much * During one of my bouts of unemployment when I was working temp jobs, I actually took some grief from management and coworkers who thought I was making up experience and pretending to be more capable than I could possibly be at my age - only they thought "my age" was off by a good 13 years. Took me a couple of weeks to sort out THAT particular misconception - no honey, I really DO have 20 years reception experience....
It is a cliche that women lie about their age, but this was really an honest mistake. I do usually joke that 'It's not the years, it's the mileage".
I confess that I really enjoy the double-take I usually get when I tell people how old I am. (Or at least how old I THOUGHT I was..). Oily skin is good for someting at least. It really is grossly unfair that a person can get wrinkles and zits at the same time!
So now I'm trying to wrap my head around the idea that I'm a year older than I thought I was, and wondering if that actually means anything
*I recall one particular date evening when I discovered that I at 39 was going out for an evening with someone who was only 23! We each thought the other was in their 30s. Felt like a dirty old woman for a while about THAT one, I can tell you. We evenutally drifted apart - mostly because our life experiences were so very different that we eventually just ran out of things to talk about!
Apparently, sometime in the last year, I forgot how old I was.
Yesterday was my birthday, and I told people I was 44.
When my mother called me at work, she asked me how it felt to be 45. I said "What?" Then I thought about the numbers, and sure enough, born in 1966 means I'm 45 now. My mom's comment was "I ought to know - I was there!" (I come by my snark honestly, at least)
I usually "read" younger than my actual age, at least until I open my mouth. My energy, the way I carry myself, and my tendency to play dress-up are all characteristic of someone no older than their mid 30s. My clear and low-pitched speaking voice can bounce those estimates back up, but not by that much * During one of my bouts of unemployment when I was working temp jobs, I actually took some grief from management and coworkers who thought I was making up experience and pretending to be more capable than I could possibly be at my age - only they thought "my age" was off by a good 13 years. Took me a couple of weeks to sort out THAT particular misconception - no honey, I really DO have 20 years reception experience....
It is a cliche that women lie about their age, but this was really an honest mistake. I do usually joke that 'It's not the years, it's the mileage".
I confess that I really enjoy the double-take I usually get when I tell people how old I am. (Or at least how old I THOUGHT I was..). Oily skin is good for someting at least. It really is grossly unfair that a person can get wrinkles and zits at the same time!
So now I'm trying to wrap my head around the idea that I'm a year older than I thought I was, and wondering if that actually means anything
*I recall one particular date evening when I discovered that I at 39 was going out for an evening with someone who was only 23! We each thought the other was in their 30s. Felt like a dirty old woman for a while about THAT one, I can tell you. We evenutally drifted apart - mostly because our life experiences were so very different that we eventually just ran out of things to talk about!
Weekend update
Sep. 25th, 2011 08:45 pmSpent most of the weekend napping on the couch - it was time for my annual physical and blood draw + fluy shot + pertussis booster = one very cranky immunie system. I'm kind of glad that insurance won't cover the pneumovax until November, because I think that would have been too much to take. I usually end up feeling all ooky after a flu shot, so with the bonus stuff I was achy and chilled and really really tired.
I did finally get my new TV cabinet set up (with 'assistance' from foster-bunny Portia) and everything re-wired, plus I was able to set up my extra windows machine as a media server for it. I added a small external hard drive (happy birthday to me) and set things up to stream my downloads through my Roku to my TV - and was able to successfully stream last week's Dr. Who to my TV! I still have to fiddle with the filenames to get the directory to read properly, but I'm pretty proud of myself!
See, a week or so ago I went to the gdgt show in Chicago - because it was near my office and promised freebies. I scored a couple of t shirts, some free drinks, a bunch of coupons, and one hilarious story. The AT&T booth was having a raffle for their latest and greatest whatever, and there was a trivia question you had to answer as part of filling out the form. Now, this was at a tech show, packed with self-defined geeks, so everyone was standong around holding their smartphones etc. Except that I noticed that no one seemed to be actually using them to look up the answer. They were mostly standing around asking each other "I don't know man - what did you put?". When I approached the table, the woman said "You don't have to answer now, you can walk around for a while and think about it and then come back." I replied "Or I could just go stand over there for a minute and google it", and she laughed. I don't even HAVE a smartphone - just an iPod Touch - but they even had a free guest wifi network for the show! This amuses me to no end - everyone had the latest and greatest toys, but no one seemed to be actually USING THEM!!!
One of the tables was run by Roku (their facebook page was how I found out about the show) so I chatted with them for a bit. That was where I found out about the beta channel that I used to set up my server. Since I actually talked about the product, they gave me a T-shirt, which has certainly paid off for them. When I was at the doctor's office the front desk buy saw the Roku shirt and was raving about how much he likes his. I wrote down the beta channel info for him, and while I was doing that my doctor overheard us and said that it sounded interesting, so SHE made a copy of the info I'd written down for him. Spreading the gospel of Roku, that's me.
The Stronghold Olde English Faire is coming up this weekend, where we all go back to a time when there were apparently a lot more Es around. We're playing our own sets plus the sets for the court and the country dancers. Going to be busy busy busy! Since I'll be gone for 3 days, I'll be bringing fosterbun Portia back to Red Door on Friday. The volunteers seemd rather surprised when I referred to her as a 'good girl', but after more than 6 years with Pepper the BunnyBitch I suspect that my definition of 'good' may be slightly divergent from other peoples.... I think that it's her combination of being high-strung, short-attention-span, and very very smart. She gets bored very easily, and I suspect that's why she acts out. She gave me one good bite the first weekend, but most of the rest of the time I mostly let her be - sat on the floor where she could investigate me to her heart's content but didn't push her much. After 3 weeks she did her first real binkies, and today she actually came up to me for pettins. I'll be sad to see her go, but she deserves another chance at a real home. They still aren't sure what I'll get afterwards, but I think they are considering giving me another "problem" bun. Winslet's last foster described her as sweet but also incredibly smart, but she was just returned to the shelter for "aggression" - so they are thinking she needs a quiet but saavy home for a bit, with someone who won't be intimidated by her. I told them I could take 2 singles if they just needed peace and space, but if I was going to get a problem child I should make sure I can give her individual attention. So we'll see what happens - I'm content to care for whoever they think most needs me, as I won't be able to committ to a real adoption until at least after the 1st of the year and probably not until spring.
I did finally get my new TV cabinet set up (with 'assistance' from foster-bunny Portia) and everything re-wired, plus I was able to set up my extra windows machine as a media server for it. I added a small external hard drive (happy birthday to me) and set things up to stream my downloads through my Roku to my TV - and was able to successfully stream last week's Dr. Who to my TV! I still have to fiddle with the filenames to get the directory to read properly, but I'm pretty proud of myself!
See, a week or so ago I went to the gdgt show in Chicago - because it was near my office and promised freebies. I scored a couple of t shirts, some free drinks, a bunch of coupons, and one hilarious story. The AT&T booth was having a raffle for their latest and greatest whatever, and there was a trivia question you had to answer as part of filling out the form. Now, this was at a tech show, packed with self-defined geeks, so everyone was standong around holding their smartphones etc. Except that I noticed that no one seemed to be actually using them to look up the answer. They were mostly standing around asking each other "I don't know man - what did you put?". When I approached the table, the woman said "You don't have to answer now, you can walk around for a while and think about it and then come back." I replied "Or I could just go stand over there for a minute and google it", and she laughed. I don't even HAVE a smartphone - just an iPod Touch - but they even had a free guest wifi network for the show! This amuses me to no end - everyone had the latest and greatest toys, but no one seemed to be actually USING THEM!!!
One of the tables was run by Roku (their facebook page was how I found out about the show) so I chatted with them for a bit. That was where I found out about the beta channel that I used to set up my server. Since I actually talked about the product, they gave me a T-shirt, which has certainly paid off for them. When I was at the doctor's office the front desk buy saw the Roku shirt and was raving about how much he likes his. I wrote down the beta channel info for him, and while I was doing that my doctor overheard us and said that it sounded interesting, so SHE made a copy of the info I'd written down for him. Spreading the gospel of Roku, that's me.
The Stronghold Olde English Faire is coming up this weekend, where we all go back to a time when there were apparently a lot more Es around. We're playing our own sets plus the sets for the court and the country dancers. Going to be busy busy busy! Since I'll be gone for 3 days, I'll be bringing fosterbun Portia back to Red Door on Friday. The volunteers seemd rather surprised when I referred to her as a 'good girl', but after more than 6 years with Pepper the BunnyBitch I suspect that my definition of 'good' may be slightly divergent from other peoples.... I think that it's her combination of being high-strung, short-attention-span, and very very smart. She gets bored very easily, and I suspect that's why she acts out. She gave me one good bite the first weekend, but most of the rest of the time I mostly let her be - sat on the floor where she could investigate me to her heart's content but didn't push her much. After 3 weeks she did her first real binkies, and today she actually came up to me for pettins. I'll be sad to see her go, but she deserves another chance at a real home. They still aren't sure what I'll get afterwards, but I think they are considering giving me another "problem" bun. Winslet's last foster described her as sweet but also incredibly smart, but she was just returned to the shelter for "aggression" - so they are thinking she needs a quiet but saavy home for a bit, with someone who won't be intimidated by her. I told them I could take 2 singles if they just needed peace and space, but if I was going to get a problem child I should make sure I can give her individual attention. So we'll see what happens - I'm content to care for whoever they think most needs me, as I won't be able to committ to a real adoption until at least after the 1st of the year and probably not until spring.
OK - just sent my schedule off to Pubs, so here is what we're going to have....
The Costumers Lab will be run much like last year. Deb Kosiba is also doing an Art track which will have some fiber-art workshops and demos as well.
I have the Masquerade entry packets done, and have no idea why they haven't been uploaded to the website yet. If anyone wants one, drop me a line and I'll e-mail it to you. Hall Costume folks can again show off in the Opening Act (and those who sign up in advance will again get reserved seating). We will again have a photographer on Saturday evening for both competitors and hall costumes.
MASQUERADE STAFF
Director – Wendy Zdrodowski
Second – Lisa Hunter
MC – Bob Hollister
Judges – Leman Yuen, Bill Dunbar, Robyn Tisch-Hollister
Friday 6:00 PM FrankenPattern Wendy Zdrodowski
Can’t find the perfect pattern for your planned project? No worries – just find a couple of patterns that are “kind of” what you want, and ‘FrankenPattern” them together! We will touch on some basic methods for adapting commercial patterns, including moving/adjusting seamlines, slash/spread, and combining garments. Try it yourself with scaled-down examples, or just watch full-sized pieces.
Friday 8:00 Painting on Fabric and Leather Allesandra Kelly
Artist Allesandra fuses fine art and fashion with this demo and workshop. Learn some of the techniques and materials you can use to create one-on-a-kind wearables. Hands-on opportunities are available, so stop by to sign up.
Friday 9:00 Basic Stage MakeUp Techniques Lisa Hunter, Wendy Zdrodowski
Learn the basic techniques of theatrical make-up in this hands-on workshop. Participants will work on themselves or on a partner to produce a basic “haunt” face in black and white while learning the basics of highlight and shadow. Participation is limited by supplies available, so be sure to sign up early. We will be using standard commercially-available formulations, and product ingredient listings will be available, but instructors assume no responsibility for any allergies or other reactions. Donations to offset materials costs are welcomed.
Saturday 10:00AM Duct-Tape Doubles Katherine Finegan, Wendy Zdrodowski
PARTICIPANTS SHOULD BRING ONE (1) OLD T-SHIRT AND TWO (2) ROLLS DUCT TAPE .
WE *MAY* HAVE SOME AVAILABLE BUT DON’T COUNT ON IT
Want to make a pattern that is shaped exactly like you are? Or what about making yourself a dress-form that matches your precise shape? Participants will be guided to work in pairs to create a body-form using an ordinary T-shirt and duct tape, and handouts will be available on how to turn these forms into either a custom-fit pattern or a dressmaker’s dummy. Pee *before* you show up.
Saturday 11:00 Finders Keepers Bill Dunbar, Robyn Tisch Hollister, Gail Barber
Sure, you can construct a costume piece with fabric, needle, and thread. But what about bathtub caulk, aluminum mesh, or good old cardboard? Our panelists will discuss materials you may not have thought of as well as unexpected sources for those you have.
Saturday 12:00 Noon My Least-Favorite Fabrics Katherine Finegan, Gail Barber
There are some fabrics that just will not behave, even when you hit them with a rolled-up newspaper. Our panelists will share tips and tricks on how to get stubborn, slippery, or otherwise unmanageable fabrics to sit up and roll over. Don’t sabotage your first project by choosing a difficult fabric.
Saturday 1:00 Bridesmaid Redux Lisa Marie Ogle
Have a bridesmaid or prom dress hanging in your closet that you just want to wear again (or destroy)? It is easy and rewarding to transform these dresses into haute sci-fi couture. Whether it is dismantling a dress to get the optimum use of bodice and skirt panels, making simple alterations to the current gown using only safety pins and the limits of your imagination, to taking your bridal gown out for a 'trash the dress' photoshoot, this panel will show you how to get the most use out of those one-use-only gowns. This is a hands-on panel, with dresses available for your use during the discussion.
Saturday 2:00 Intro to Knitting Bamm Hartmann
All the cool kids are doing it and you’re feeling left out! Learn the basics of knitting so you can be cool too! Limited to 8 people – sign up in advance
Saturday 3:00 Stiff Upper Something Robyn Tisch Hollister, Katherine Finegan, Bill Dunbar
A great costume stands on its own. Or at least parts of it might need to. Learn some ways to get collars, hats, and accessories to take and hold the shape you want.
Saturday 4:00 Masquerade Contestants Meeting/Q&A
Thinking about entering the Masquerade? Or at least showing off a bit on our catwalk? Wonder how those “classes” work, or what ‘pre-judging’ means? Drop by Cypress A with any questions or for some help with your paperwork or discuss any technical issues with the staff. It’s totally optional, but very handy. All competitors must have their paperwork turned in by 5:00 PM. No exceptions.
Sunday 11:00 Sticky Stuff Lisa Hunter, Wendy Zdrodowski, Gail Barber
A bewildering array of adhesives are out there – which one is right for your project? Come learn from our mistakes in this panel. We will have some examples for you to try and help you sort out your options.
The Costumers Lab will be run much like last year. Deb Kosiba is also doing an Art track which will have some fiber-art workshops and demos as well.
I have the Masquerade entry packets done, and have no idea why they haven't been uploaded to the website yet. If anyone wants one, drop me a line and I'll e-mail it to you. Hall Costume folks can again show off in the Opening Act (and those who sign up in advance will again get reserved seating). We will again have a photographer on Saturday evening for both competitors and hall costumes.
MASQUERADE STAFF
Director – Wendy Zdrodowski
Second – Lisa Hunter
MC – Bob Hollister
Judges – Leman Yuen, Bill Dunbar, Robyn Tisch-Hollister
Friday 6:00 PM FrankenPattern Wendy Zdrodowski
Can’t find the perfect pattern for your planned project? No worries – just find a couple of patterns that are “kind of” what you want, and ‘FrankenPattern” them together! We will touch on some basic methods for adapting commercial patterns, including moving/adjusting seamlines, slash/spread, and combining garments. Try it yourself with scaled-down examples, or just watch full-sized pieces.
Friday 8:00 Painting on Fabric and Leather Allesandra Kelly
Artist Allesandra fuses fine art and fashion with this demo and workshop. Learn some of the techniques and materials you can use to create one-on-a-kind wearables. Hands-on opportunities are available, so stop by to sign up.
Friday 9:00 Basic Stage MakeUp Techniques Lisa Hunter, Wendy Zdrodowski
Learn the basic techniques of theatrical make-up in this hands-on workshop. Participants will work on themselves or on a partner to produce a basic “haunt” face in black and white while learning the basics of highlight and shadow. Participation is limited by supplies available, so be sure to sign up early. We will be using standard commercially-available formulations, and product ingredient listings will be available, but instructors assume no responsibility for any allergies or other reactions. Donations to offset materials costs are welcomed.
Saturday 10:00AM Duct-Tape Doubles Katherine Finegan, Wendy Zdrodowski
PARTICIPANTS SHOULD BRING ONE (1) OLD T-SHIRT AND TWO (2) ROLLS DUCT TAPE .
WE *MAY* HAVE SOME AVAILABLE BUT DON’T COUNT ON IT
Want to make a pattern that is shaped exactly like you are? Or what about making yourself a dress-form that matches your precise shape? Participants will be guided to work in pairs to create a body-form using an ordinary T-shirt and duct tape, and handouts will be available on how to turn these forms into either a custom-fit pattern or a dressmaker’s dummy. Pee *before* you show up.
Saturday 11:00 Finders Keepers Bill Dunbar, Robyn Tisch Hollister, Gail Barber
Sure, you can construct a costume piece with fabric, needle, and thread. But what about bathtub caulk, aluminum mesh, or good old cardboard? Our panelists will discuss materials you may not have thought of as well as unexpected sources for those you have.
Saturday 12:00 Noon My Least-Favorite Fabrics Katherine Finegan, Gail Barber
There are some fabrics that just will not behave, even when you hit them with a rolled-up newspaper. Our panelists will share tips and tricks on how to get stubborn, slippery, or otherwise unmanageable fabrics to sit up and roll over. Don’t sabotage your first project by choosing a difficult fabric.
Saturday 1:00 Bridesmaid Redux Lisa Marie Ogle
Have a bridesmaid or prom dress hanging in your closet that you just want to wear again (or destroy)? It is easy and rewarding to transform these dresses into haute sci-fi couture. Whether it is dismantling a dress to get the optimum use of bodice and skirt panels, making simple alterations to the current gown using only safety pins and the limits of your imagination, to taking your bridal gown out for a 'trash the dress' photoshoot, this panel will show you how to get the most use out of those one-use-only gowns. This is a hands-on panel, with dresses available for your use during the discussion.
Saturday 2:00 Intro to Knitting Bamm Hartmann
All the cool kids are doing it and you’re feeling left out! Learn the basics of knitting so you can be cool too! Limited to 8 people – sign up in advance
Saturday 3:00 Stiff Upper Something Robyn Tisch Hollister, Katherine Finegan, Bill Dunbar
A great costume stands on its own. Or at least parts of it might need to. Learn some ways to get collars, hats, and accessories to take and hold the shape you want.
Saturday 4:00 Masquerade Contestants Meeting/Q&A
Thinking about entering the Masquerade? Or at least showing off a bit on our catwalk? Wonder how those “classes” work, or what ‘pre-judging’ means? Drop by Cypress A with any questions or for some help with your paperwork or discuss any technical issues with the staff. It’s totally optional, but very handy. All competitors must have their paperwork turned in by 5:00 PM. No exceptions.
Sunday 11:00 Sticky Stuff Lisa Hunter, Wendy Zdrodowski, Gail Barber
A bewildering array of adhesives are out there – which one is right for your project? Come learn from our mistakes in this panel. We will have some examples for you to try and help you sort out your options.
Lab Rats Wanted
Sep. 8th, 2011 11:59 amI'm finally getting my ducks in a row for the Windycon costume track, and am looking for people who would like to be panelists. ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
lisagems, who let the Hair Falls panel last year, will be my Second.The theme of the convention is The Periodic Table of the Elements, and so I have decided to focus on The Elements of Costume - workshops, demos and panels about basic techniques and how to work with various materials.
Windycon offers membership rebates if you do 3 panels, but you have to buy your membership up front. We will have the Costumers Lab again this year, and can always use donations of random stuff for people to play with. I would also like to borrow a full-length mirror or two to use for a make-up workshop. And as always, I could also use a hand in transporting some things to the convention, since I go on Metra. If you're willing to let me stick a rubbermaid tub or a sewing machine in the back of your car, let me know.
I am looking for people for the following panel/workshop slots:
1) Duct Tape Yourself - need 1-2 more people to oversee with me. We're going to pair people up and have them duct-tape each other and then give a handout on how to turn that into either a dressform or a patter. Guests will be asked to bring a T-shirt and 2 rolls of duct tape to participate, and there is the Target next door to the hotel.
2) Sticky Stuff - glues and adhesives for various uses and materials. 1 more person
3) Stiffeners - wireframe, boning, and others, focusing on how to make things like standing collars, props, hats, etc. I'd like 2-3 people for this, and would LOVE someone who has a familiarity with Friendly Plastic and can show people what it is and how to use it.
4) It Looked Good On Paper - always a good one, I need a couple of people to tell their most embarrassing costume fails.
5) Finders Keepers- people willing to share their favorite off-beat or unknown sources for fabrics and materials. I'd love handouts for this as well- we may assume that people know about them, but our guests probably don't
6) My least-favorite fabrics - how to work with those fabrics we all hate - slippery stuff, lame, chiffon, wandering velvets, leather, etc. Emphasis on practical tips
7) FrankenPattern. Re-styling commercial patterns to get the look you want. I'd LOVE to have a workshoppy aspect to this - maybe some scaled down pattern shapes like doll clothes patterns or something, so that you can SHOW people how to move seam lines, necklines, slash-and-spread, stuff like that.
The other 3 slots will be solo or duo-led workshops.
I will also need 2-3 people for Masquerade Judges. (Might already have one from a solo demo)
We will have a photographer set up outside the Masquerade hall for photos, and there will also be another PreShow where people who don't want to compete but want to show off their costumes - those will again get preferred seating for the Masquerade.
I let this go later than I'd planned, so if you are interested please contact me as soon as possible to indicate what you'd be interested in doing. In order to make the program deadline I need to have this sorted no later than the end of the day on Monday 9/19.
Online interaction - some recent musings
Aug. 31st, 2011 04:56 pmI just spent large parts of the last few months playing in the ARG/experience A Map Of The Floating City. It was the lead-in to Thomas Dolby's new CD coming out this fall. It was a trading game, a competition, a collaboration, a community - all kinds of things. It had aspects that could appeal to codebreakers and obsessive photoshop fiends as well as history nuts, hardcore strategy gamers, RPGers, writers and artists, and in general a whole bunch of people from around the world. The endgame was Sunday, and our alliance came in 3rd. While we're dissapointed that we didn't win and I have some issues with how some of the scoring and tasks played out, in the end most of the folks in our tribe and in out alliance had a good time. We met interesting people with whom we worked, played, raced to solve puzzles, bounced increasingly paranoid theories off of, cracked jokes about, and generally interacted with in a positive manner. Within 12 hours of endgame there were Facebook groups set up for both our individual tribe (the folks we were with for the long haul) and the alliance (some of whom we shared the most intense pressure-filled events with).
I've been idly peeking back at the game forums as they wind down, partly because I was curious as to what the 'Best moment of the game" posts talked about, how some of the loose ends were originally intended to run, and how the scoring and gameplay changed along the way we traveled. But there was one tribe (who also did not win) that consistently played really hardcore. There were a few nice people in there but in general they are focused on winning and scoring at all costs. Now that some of the game metrics have been revealed, there are quite a few of them who are "hanging on like a pissed-off badger" - demanding to know the names of the team who designed a particular task for example, or continually explaining wht what they did shoudl have worked. While I certainly appreciate some of their criticisms, THE GAME IS OVER FOLKS - and you (and we) lost. We can take what happened and give it a positive spin - I would totally invite the core members of the Poison River Delta Brain Trust over for a weekend - or we can whine anf ight amone ourselves. Some of them are even using phrases like "The tribe I used to consider myself a part of" ...really?
I guess I got spoiled by the generally high caliber of people I was interacting with. Maybe it's because many of us were in our 40s and on the whole were smart and polite. I'd forgotten that it's a general rule that most of the people on the internet are assholes.
Then today I opened up a post by Seanan McGuire. In addition to being a gifted musician and lyricist as well as a Campbell-winning NYT Best-Seller-list appearing Hugo-nominated author, she also has 3 cats whom she dearly loves. Two of them are purebred Maine Coons and both are from the same breeder. While I'm an advocate of shelter adoption, she spent quite some time explaining why she made the choices she did, and I can't argue with her logic. Not that she needs my permission, of course - but she's not the "run to a breeder because I want a fancy cat" kind of person. She wants healthy cats with known pedigrees that have been bred for specific traits and temperment, and she sought them out.
But because the Internet is full of assholes, she now has to deal with the fact that someone is sending her e-mails from dummy accounts through her website berating her for not adopting a shelter pet and threatening to kill her cats. WTF? I agree with most of the people who commented that this probably isn't at heart about the shelter-breeder issue. It's about trying to hurt her, by threatening the things she loves most.
John Scalzi made a post that she linked to in her entry - about 'The Sort Of Crap I Don't Get' - in short, the things that women bloggers (or those who are thought to be women) have to deal with that men or those perceived as men don't. It points out some pretty seriously messed up ways about how we interact on the net.
I don't really have a point where I'm going with all of this. I'm not enough of a public figure to have to deal with this sort of thing, and the fact that I have a reputation of Not Putting Up With Bullshit probably helps as well. It's been years since I have had to deal with a Creepy Faire Stalker (and even then I was just being sent really awful poetry most of the time) and I wield the Hammer of Bannination on my Facebook Page pretty freely. Thou canst disagree all thou wantsts but Thou Whalt Not Be An Asshole About It. But having just had a generally positive experience with some really cool people entirely online, it makes me kind of queasy.
I've been idly peeking back at the game forums as they wind down, partly because I was curious as to what the 'Best moment of the game" posts talked about, how some of the loose ends were originally intended to run, and how the scoring and gameplay changed along the way we traveled. But there was one tribe (who also did not win) that consistently played really hardcore. There were a few nice people in there but in general they are focused on winning and scoring at all costs. Now that some of the game metrics have been revealed, there are quite a few of them who are "hanging on like a pissed-off badger" - demanding to know the names of the team who designed a particular task for example, or continually explaining wht what they did shoudl have worked. While I certainly appreciate some of their criticisms, THE GAME IS OVER FOLKS - and you (and we) lost. We can take what happened and give it a positive spin - I would totally invite the core members of the Poison River Delta Brain Trust over for a weekend - or we can whine anf ight amone ourselves. Some of them are even using phrases like "The tribe I used to consider myself a part of" ...really?
I guess I got spoiled by the generally high caliber of people I was interacting with. Maybe it's because many of us were in our 40s and on the whole were smart and polite. I'd forgotten that it's a general rule that most of the people on the internet are assholes.
Then today I opened up a post by Seanan McGuire. In addition to being a gifted musician and lyricist as well as a Campbell-winning NYT Best-Seller-list appearing Hugo-nominated author, she also has 3 cats whom she dearly loves. Two of them are purebred Maine Coons and both are from the same breeder. While I'm an advocate of shelter adoption, she spent quite some time explaining why she made the choices she did, and I can't argue with her logic. Not that she needs my permission, of course - but she's not the "run to a breeder because I want a fancy cat" kind of person. She wants healthy cats with known pedigrees that have been bred for specific traits and temperment, and she sought them out.
But because the Internet is full of assholes, she now has to deal with the fact that someone is sending her e-mails from dummy accounts through her website berating her for not adopting a shelter pet and threatening to kill her cats. WTF? I agree with most of the people who commented that this probably isn't at heart about the shelter-breeder issue. It's about trying to hurt her, by threatening the things she loves most.
John Scalzi made a post that she linked to in her entry - about 'The Sort Of Crap I Don't Get' - in short, the things that women bloggers (or those who are thought to be women) have to deal with that men or those perceived as men don't. It points out some pretty seriously messed up ways about how we interact on the net.
I don't really have a point where I'm going with all of this. I'm not enough of a public figure to have to deal with this sort of thing, and the fact that I have a reputation of Not Putting Up With Bullshit probably helps as well. It's been years since I have had to deal with a Creepy Faire Stalker (and even then I was just being sent really awful poetry most of the time) and I wield the Hammer of Bannination on my Facebook Page pretty freely. Thou canst disagree all thou wantsts but Thou Whalt Not Be An Asshole About It. But having just had a generally positive experience with some really cool people entirely online, it makes me kind of queasy.
Portia's progress
Aug. 16th, 2011 06:46 pmWhen Portia came home with me, I noticed that her nails were pretty overgrown. Part of the reason they are so desperate for fosters is that they have more bunnies than they can give actual attention to, so I wasn't surprised. I thought I'd let her settle in a bit before tackling them.
Except the very next morning she got a back nail caught in the rug, and was so panicked that she pretty much ripped the nail out entirely in an effort to free herself! Now, I've read about people who have had this happen so I know it's no big deal - you just stop the bleeding and then check it regularly to make sure it doesn't get infected. And I've nicked the quick during nail trims a couple of times so I know that they seem to bleed FOREVER! So here I am, in the midst of a little bunny-bloodbath, trying to calm a terrified bunny and get a paper towel on her foot. Yeah - not exactly my favorite way to get ready in the morning.
So when I got home that night, like it or not she was getting a full bun-icure. She has the oddest nails - her splotchy coloring extends down to her feet, so she has some clear/white nails and some black nails. And she is a very squiggly bunbun! Next time I either start with the front feets or wrap her in a bunny-burrito, because she wriggled loose at one point and tried to scrabble up my chest with her untrimmed claws (ow ow ow).
So between the injury and the indignities, she went back to being pretty skittish. I have let her be for the most part since then. She gets out time in the evenings, and I alternate between leaving her alone to explore and "floor-and-ignore" (where you sit or lie on the floor in the same room and read or otherwise do something besides pay attention to them - which usually makes them terribly curious and they will usually come over to you and investigate). Mostly I wanted to get an idea on what she was likely to do - would she pee where she wasn't supposed to, or chew the carpet, or bite? She did a bit of territorial pooping on one corner the first day, but other than that has been very good - so tonight she get access to the long hallway for runnings. Right now she's attempting to dig a tunnel under the china/books cabinet. Good luck with that - it's a hardwood floor!
Except the very next morning she got a back nail caught in the rug, and was so panicked that she pretty much ripped the nail out entirely in an effort to free herself! Now, I've read about people who have had this happen so I know it's no big deal - you just stop the bleeding and then check it regularly to make sure it doesn't get infected. And I've nicked the quick during nail trims a couple of times so I know that they seem to bleed FOREVER! So here I am, in the midst of a little bunny-bloodbath, trying to calm a terrified bunny and get a paper towel on her foot. Yeah - not exactly my favorite way to get ready in the morning.
So when I got home that night, like it or not she was getting a full bun-icure. She has the oddest nails - her splotchy coloring extends down to her feet, so she has some clear/white nails and some black nails. And she is a very squiggly bunbun! Next time I either start with the front feets or wrap her in a bunny-burrito, because she wriggled loose at one point and tried to scrabble up my chest with her untrimmed claws (ow ow ow).
So between the injury and the indignities, she went back to being pretty skittish. I have let her be for the most part since then. She gets out time in the evenings, and I alternate between leaving her alone to explore and "floor-and-ignore" (where you sit or lie on the floor in the same room and read or otherwise do something besides pay attention to them - which usually makes them terribly curious and they will usually come over to you and investigate). Mostly I wanted to get an idea on what she was likely to do - would she pee where she wasn't supposed to, or chew the carpet, or bite? She did a bit of territorial pooping on one corner the first day, but other than that has been very good - so tonight she get access to the long hallway for runnings. Right now she's attempting to dig a tunnel under the china/books cabinet. Good luck with that - it's a hardwood floor!
She is a very curious bunny. She 'periscopes' (stands up on her hind legs to look around) a LOT, but doesn't seem inclined to jump up on things. She likes to dig on me, which is apparently a bid for attention. Portia, dear - my back isn't the part that pets you! She is a definite ADD bunny, never spending more than a few minutes on any given activity. She likes to hang out in the little cardboard-box house I made for her inside her condo. She's still pretty shy, but she got her first face-rubbins last night and I think she might like them. She is MUCH less food-driven than Pepper. Sometimes it takes 3 sessions before she eats all her pellets because she keeps getting distracted by other things.
They said that she had an attitude, but either she's still too skittish to show it, or possibly I have a very different idea of what constitutes "attitude" after having Pepper :) She doesn't even try to rattle or chew the bars of the condo when she's inside. Aside from digging on me, she's not nipped or otherwise pushed things. We'll see how that works out down the line.
Introducing Portia
Aug. 13th, 2011 03:50 pm
This is Portia. She's staying with me for a little while.
She's about a year and a half old, and was abandoned at a vet's office. She's really active, and has been going stir-crazy in the confines of the shelter environment. They do what they can - everybunny gets exercise time in a pen very day. But she needs room to run.
She's busily exploring the vacation condo, and I'm letting her settle in for a bit. She'll get to run loose in the kitchen when I'm home, and once I'm sure she's up to it she can run as many laps in my loooonnnggg hallway as her fuzzy little heart can stand.
Once she's settled, I'm mostly supposed to observe her - take the time to see what her personality is like, what kinds of toys she likes, etc - with an eye towards getting her adopted.
Red Door is full, and has twice that many buns in foster care right now - and calls are coming in every day from shelters that have buns to be placed. Adoptions have REALLY slowed down this summer too. So I'm really needed, especially now.
Vacation Condo Available
Aug. 11th, 2011 09:33 amConveniently located, this cozy retro-industrial unit features high ceilings, tile floors, a second-floor lounging loft and
customizable crawl-space. Close to exercize facilities (limited hours). Catering and maid service included.
Single or double occupancy. Short-term or extended-stay.
The only catch? You must be a bunny.
Yes, I’m taking in a shelter bunny this weekend. It’s a bit too soon, but the local shelter is more than full and even sent out their most recent message begging for foster-ers while Pepper was still in hospital. I set up the condo in the kitchen, under the metal shelves where Pepper’s hay rack and litterbox were. That made me cry a little – I miss my sassy little bunny-bitch SOOO much. But there are other buns who need a place – even if it’s just a couple of weeks break from the shelter environment. I miss having somebunny to come home to. I still have LOTS of hay, pellets, and litter and the garden is sprouting again…
So I scrubbed out the kitchen and disinfected everything – it’s unlikely there would be any remaining germs but I wasn’t going to take the chance. Got out the grid-panels and the zip-ties and cobbled together a space about 5-6 ft long, 2-3 ft wide, and about 2 ft tall for most of it with an extension off the end that has a second level. Picked up a new litterbox at the dollar store. Cut some doors into a smallish cardboard box, and attached a basket for chewing and a bell-and-block hanging toy that I had made for Pepper but she ignored. Tossed in a small stuffed bunny in case they want something to groom or push around, and one of the last remaining apple twigs. I still have to bring the supplies back up from the storage locker and make a temporary hay-rack to hang on the side of the cage.
I pick up the bun(s) on Saturday afternoon. They’ve promised to find one that doesn’t look at all like Pepper. I can’t really take on the responsibility for a bun of my own yet – I need to get Pepper’s final vet bills paid first, and save up a bit of extra. But at least for now, I can help somebunny else adjust to proper care and diet, and maybe they can help me heal.
