"Mum and I will be signing along with the Writers of the Future at Mysterious Galaxy, August 19th at 2 p.m.
Mysterious Galaxy San Diego
2 PM August 19th, 2006 (San Diego, CA)
In addition, I asked Mum if she would be willing to sign at my local bookstores and she very kindly agreed. Here are the dates and locations:
Barnes&Noble Encino
7:30 PM August 21, 2006 (Encino, CA)
Borders, Northridge
7:00 PM August 22, 2006 (Northridge, CA)
As usual, Mum will only be able to sign two books per person."
Jul 31, 2006
San Diego & the McCaffrey's
one of these days ...
"Anne is sad to let everyone know that she won't be able to attend Dragon*Con in August, but she's still planning to be at WorldCon. There's also plenty going on behind the scenes here on the website, and there will be interesting changes soon!"
Travels with Blood:Water Mission
Unpacking Africa (Charlie)
Hello again friends,
As the freshness of my recent Africa trip rubs off a little (sadly), certain things stand out in my mind. One thing I never blogged about was a meeting we had with a new friend in Nairobi. We met an American named Brad, who started an organization called the Persecution Project. Brad works in the Sudan, and lives in Nairobi with his wife and 4 or 5 children. He's just a guy that grew up really caring about Africa, and has decided to relocate his family temporarily, in order to serve those suffering in Sudan. We had JUST flown back to Kenya from 3 days in Rwanda, and the Genocide was on our minds. We actually bought these purple bracelets at the Genocide
Memorial that say: Genocide- Never Again! And Brad reminded us that, well, quite frankly, there is currently a genocide in Sudan, and it's been happening since the 1970's. Over 2 million people have died at the hands of rebels, and the situation is extremely bleak. There was a peace-treaty signed recently (you may have heard this in the news, and been relieved, like myself), but no one is abiding by it, and the killing goes on and on. I wear my purple bracelet slightly more sobered now, and it reminds me that it is happening again. Blood:Water Mission has funded two wells in Sudan (through Brad and Persecution Project) at a couple internally displaced persons camps (IDP camps). We are hoping to provide more wells in the Sudan region.
There is, of course, more, and it's not updated often, but it's there :)
If you want to know more about Blood:Water Mission, check out their site.
Jul 29, 2006
Proof that I am getting old
Maybe next time he and the kids can have the hotel room and I'll get the house to myself :) (Oh yeah, he got kudos from my girlfriends for that.)
There is kinda the sense of adventure and getting away, but damn, I need more sleep. I couldn't fall asleep till 3 and woke up around 7. Forced myself to go back to sleep till my alarm went off at 9. Called the front desk, checkout is at 11 (yay!) rather than at 10 (like the website said). So, I have the choice of sleeping for another hour, or throwing on some pants and getting a few tea packets and taking my leisurely time waking up. The bed calleth ... but it's not nearly as warm and comfortable as it could be. And I am craving a cuppa.
Let's see, how I spent my night: Video chat with hunny using Skype, then, I thought I was tired, but couldn't sleep, so channel surfed. Watched about 10 minutes of Anne Hathaway in I think a Showtime movie, couldn't be sure, surfed some more, watched CNN Headline news, saw cool story about a sister who saved her 2-yr-old brother from a burning car, an anti-Semitic hate crime in Seattle, surfed some more and settled on The District on USA (there's a reason to get cable, The District at 1 or 2 am) ...
Now I am watching CNN Headline news again because every other channel is either a movie I am not interested in (hotels really need to get TVs with built-in VCR's and DVD players. They aren't that expensive anymore...) or cartoons. And kinda miffed cuz I went to the front office to get tea (they advertise complimentary coffee, tea, and hot chocolate DAILY in the front office!!!) and I could have sworn I saw a basket there yesterday with Stash Tea, and there isn't any!!!!! So I am forced to drink coffee. Just because this is the freaking Northwest does NOT mean that EVERYONE likes coffee to wake up in the morning (my other options are Chardonnay or Wyder's Raspberry cider, so I think coffee is the better choice). Sigh, I am slow in the morning. I only hit snooze twice on my alarm and here it is already 9:50. I should consider showering and packing soon. I think I am going to go to Orbitz and actually leave a dissatisfied review for this hotel:
- Internet access was hard to get started (though that might have been user error, I switched plugs around so I could charge my phone. Once I changed them back to the original configuration, the access point worked, but that means that one of the outlets is blown)
- No tea! There should be tea in the room
- No channel guide - half the time I didn't know what I was watching
- hard mattress and pillows, though on the plus side there were plenty
- lack of silverware
- no complimentary breakfast items
- Good point, the company they use for tech support is actually quite good :)
Ok, 9:57, time to shower. The in-room coffee isn't half bad ....
posted at 10:15 am ... sigh. Need to add spell-check to PFF
Jul 28, 2006
WNBA Greatest Moments - AOL Sports
I need to remind myself to watch Sunday's game against the Seattle Storm. Check out these videos. Vote for Lisa Leslie's dunk!!!!!!
Jul 26, 2006
Semi-new design
Tim's been working on that expandable comment hack I wanted and it's not working on his template either. I'm so glad it's not just me :) Though now, in between cleaning house and job-hunting, I think I will be learning JavaScript and CSS2.
Back to square one
Myspace takeover
But this started out as a lament about how all the intelligent people I know are moving over to MySpace and posting there while their blogspots languish. How am I supposed to keep up with you all??? This brings me deep sadness. I guess blogging software is about the only thing I am brand loyal to these days :)
AH CRAP!!!
Definitely need to hit the temp agencies now. Doug was right, not worth it to apply for UI.
Unemployment Insurance
CNN.com - California is cooking - Jul 26, 2006
"SACRAMENTO, California (AP) -- The high-pressure system over California that has brought 100-degree weather wasn't budging Wednesday, promising an 11th straight day of sweltering heat, the potential of more deaths and another strain on utilities.
The National Weather Service predicted temperatures around the state to fall several degrees, but the misery index would remain high as the mercury hovers well over 100 in many parts. The gradual cooling trend was expected to continue through the week.
Stephanie McCorkle, spokeswoman for the California Independent System Operator, which manages the power grid, said the ISO did not anticipate declaring another power emergency Wednesday.
State and local authorities reported at least 56 possible heat-related deaths since the mercury first spiked upward, most in the smoldering Central Valley and deserts east of Los Angeles. "
Ack! My poor mom, sis, and neice just went back to this. Though they did get a taste of our heat wave on Thursday-Saturday. They live in the mentioned desert, but at least my mom's office has AC. Hope my sis and her kidlet are keeping cool. What a summer we're having!!!! Can you imagine 11+ days of 100+ degree weather? Maybe OR isn't so bad. Woke up this morning and it was actually cold enough to turn off the fans and put on a pair of pants.
Jul 25, 2006
CNN.com - Girl found slain in neighbor's basement - Jul 25, 2006
"SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (AP) -- The body of a 5-year-old girl missing for more than a week has been found in the basement of a neighbor's home, and the neighbor was arrested, authorities said.
Craig R. Gregerson, 20, was jailed early Tuesday on suspicion of kidnapping and homicide. It was not immediately known whether he had an attorney.
A probable cause statement filed in Gregerson's arrest says he saw Destiny Norton in her backyard the night of July 16 and opened a gate to lure her into his house.
When she screamed, he squeezed his hand over her mouth to silence her, authorities said."
Jul 24, 2006
my flowers
Well, on a totally unrelated note, I'm glad that I took a couple of pictures of my anniversary roses. This heat has been very bad for them, they are all wilted now :( I'm actually sad about that.
Monday - part 3
Warning: this is a rant, in the classic sense. Complete with a little cussing and completely uncharitable attitude.
So, the owner of that van that parked in front of our house turns out to be a bi@tch realtor named Monika ... and that's all I can say without getting sued. Let me know if you want to know what company she works for. Can I mail bomb her? Add her name and address to a [snail] mailing list?
She comes back to my house to accuse me of hitting her POS van (see Monday part 2). (OK, so it wasn't POS, but must have something wrong with it if she's trying to tell me that I hit it). I was napping and when I got up Tim asked me if I had hit that van. I practically exploded. The tone of her note was condescending, and that pisses him off, and me being accused of something that I didn't do pisses me off. She claims she has a witness, probably the grandmotherly type and little girl that she was showing the neighborhood this afternoon. Ok, so, isn't the usual, normal protocol at the scene of an accident (and what REALLY pisses me off is that she came from the house she was showing, looked at her van and then went back, all while I was still outside unloading my van. Word ZERO about allegedly hitting her van) to exchange information? Not drive off and then come back HOURS later to leave a snippy note and business card? I was still outside for Christ's sake. I don't care if you were showing a house. If you had a valid claim there's nothing to stop you from getting the pertinent info. ESPECIALLY with a witness.
Suppose I didn't live here and was just house-sitting, nannying, or dropping something off? What would she have done then? Left a note for the owner's of the house leaving them guessing? WTF????? How UNprofessional is that? Though for her luck I never did get around to moving my van (lazy afternoon spent chatting and browsing) and so that was not the scenario presented to her this evening. BTW, I just woke up a bit ago and that was the first thing I was confronted with.
So, I am listening to CeCe in hopes of improving my mood. Tim needs some attention and so do I dammit. I am so ready to get Black on her. Pissing off a normally calm woman is not a good thing ... as my brother's can attest to :) Ok, getting better. I think I will work off excess anger and frustration on the housework.
Hrm, could this be a case of discrimination? I swear, I am the only black woman left in this neighborhood. The other two have already moved out. Yes, I am paranoid. I miss Cali so freaking much!!!!!
Music: CeCe Winans - Heavenly father, Anybody Wanna Pray, Say a Prayer
Monday - part 2
So anyways, after running errands and getting some lunch, Joy and I come home and find another minivan parked in our spot! Some freaking realtor parked in front of my house, smack dab in the middle (there's room enough for two cars if you do it right) and so, annoyingly, I had to park in front of our neighbors. At first, I thought it was my friend, the van was the right color but the wrong make. Sigh. Eventually I will go out in the heat and move my van. Despite the housework practically screaming my name, I think it's time for a nap.
P.S. Today I really mind having a job in an air conditioned office. Really, I wouldn't. I think I would quite enjoy it. Man ... I used to love weather like this. Methinks Oregon has turned me into a wimp
Technorati Tags: eye care, Strawberry Shortcake, housework, nap
Monday
I want my music!!!
I should have kept my Comcast installation. The Verizon one only allows free stuff. So even though my personalized radio stations appear, I can't get to them. WAHH!!!!!!!! I have to pay!!!! (and frankly, $15/month for music that I listen to only occasionally is not worth it).
Sigh .....
Technorati Tags: internet music, Verizon, Rhapsody
Ok, Rhapsody is back
Launchcast
Jul 23, 2006
Jul 22, 2006
WOOT!
Technorati Tags: blogging, software, housework
powered by performancing firefox
nebs66: Comic-Con: Star Wars Day
Man!!! How I wish I was SD right now!
Technorati tags: comics, San Diego, Star Wars
Jul 21, 2006
and we're back!!!
At the moment I have a headache, probably from watching too much TV, Joy is still awake as I type this 12:05 AM on Saturday morning. Maybe I will just stay up for the next 4 hours and get all my sleep in the cool of morning.
*snort* We got a heavy cloud cover just at the hottest part of the day (and for you who don't live in OR, that's actually around 5 PM) that's kept all the heat in, there's no breeze and the 11:00 weatherman said that it probably wouldn't get cooler than 75 tonight, and that around 4 AM! Cuz the sun rises at 5 or so and will start the whole cycle over again. I am so up for flaking on housework and hanging out at the movie theater or the pool, or getting a hotel room .... heat waves BAD!
My kindom for central air!!!!!
Jul 19, 2006
Westport Church Forums
"Quote: If two people get on a plane but one has great faith in aerodynamics and the other has little faith, who is more likely to get to their destination?
They will both reach the same destination regardless of their faith in aerodynamics. Sorry, I'm not seeing the point of this one..
Yeah, you did! Eternal salvation has nothing to do with the relative amount of our faith, it has to do with the 'object' of our faith. I imagine you will find a number of 'doubting Thomas's in heaven, but no confident atheists."
Westport Church - Hillsboro, Oregon
"Westport Church. Simply Different.
A relevant church near Orenco Station in Hillsboro.
We are focused on the communities in the western region of Portland.
Hillsboro, OR 97124"
So ... I'm thinking of trying it. And soon. They're open. For goodness sake they offer coffee AND childcare AND Bibles at informational meetings. I don't need the Bible, have a few of my own, but I will take the coffee and childcare! Now that's meeting the needs of the community :) Check out the site ... who wants to come with me? Shall we mutiny? =)
Hacked Ad Seen on MySpace Served Spyware to a Million
An online banner advertisement that ran on MySpace.com and other sites over the past week used a Windows security flaw to infect more than a million users with spyware when people merely browsed the sites with unpatched versions of Windows, according to data collected by iDefense, a Verisign company."[snip]
Technorati tags: MySpace
Jul 16, 2006
Pilot Killed When Jet Crashes At Air Show
By WILLIAM MCCALL
Associated Press Writer
HILLSBORO, Ore. (AP) - A 1951 British fighter jet crashed into a densely populated neighborhood near the Hillsboro Airport during an air show Sunday afternoon, exploding, destroying a home and killing the pilot.
Fire officials said no residents or others on the ground were hurt."
I have family visiting, so I now return you to your regularly scheduled Sunday evening entertainment.
Jul 14, 2006
the cat is out of the ...
house! Tigerlily decided to take a piss right where Tim could see her. The amazing thing is that he caught her (she's damn fast). I was getting Joy breakfast when he yells "Open the back door!" She's out, with food and water, she might figure out how to get under the fence, but for the most part she's been on the couch crying and trying to get in through the screen. Right now she's doing her rabbit thing ... up on hind legs and trying to look into the playroom. Well, 20 minutes to clean the back room a little and then off to my chiropractor (first time in almost a year!) My back will thank me, I hope.
Jul 13, 2006
27B Stroke 6
"Senator Stevens Internet Forensics
I got a copy of the internet that Senator Ted Stevens's staff sent to him, and which, as he told the full Commerce Committee as proof that net neutrality was bad, took almost five days to get to him because the internet's pipes were so full of traffic.
I admit to a little skepticism, so I asked the Senator's office to send me a copy of the internet via Fed-Ex (to avoid internet rush hour). After signing for it this morning, I unwrapped it and set out to test it forensically to make sure the senator was telling the truth (turns out it was just an internet letter, not an entire internet). ..."

I doubt if I will get it that clean, but I can try.
today's task ...
A Army of (Cl)one
"When a Captain Holo at You.
I am working the night shift on guard duty. Much of the garrison is off on maneuvers, so the base is quite. As my duties take me by the communication center, my com link beeps.
The image of a Republic Navel Officer appears on the Holo. It is Captain Susan Lern.
“I am soooo bored here to night. I wish I could see you. The base is almost deserted and I keep thinking of all the things I would love to do to you. If you were here right now I would push you back on my desk …”"
Technorati tags: Star Wars
Jul 12, 2006
wasting time ....
The Sweetest Thing
Music: Stacie Orrico - Security
Jul 11, 2006
HULK SMASH! HULK BASH!
| You Are The Hulk |
![]() Super strong and super scary, you were never meant to be a superhero. You're not really into saving the world. And the world better get out of your way. |
the agony!
"uh oh" thinks I. Going for a walk other than to her car to get supplies is never a good thing. That was a bummer and a half. I was thinking "Oh great, I've been on time, now what?" We didn't go to the usual coffee place. We went upstairs to an empty Jury Room. My boss started with "I really hate to do this" ... that's about when I got a clue.
So I have been home since a little after 10 mostly puttering around and trying not to break down in tears. I actually liked this job. Not terribly challenging, not always busy, but fun, enjoyable, and easy. Taking care of kids, getting paid for it, liking my co-workers and NO PAPERWORK!
Now ... Urgh, I like earning a paycheck. I guess I have plenty of time now to clean house and work on my brother's wedding DVD. Any body got any job openings? I'm a jane-of-all-trades and real quick learner...
Jul 10, 2006
It's all about the home improvements, baby
Jul 9, 2006
Jul 7, 2006
Big Feet PJs

We spend one-third of our lifetime in bed and another third of our lifetime performing activities around the home.
Why not be as comfortable as possible? The Big Feet Pajama Co. offers those same footed pajamas that you loved as a kid, to juniors, as well as adult men and women of nearly every shape and size. Made from the finest shirting flannel, cotton knit, micro-polar fleece and wool cashmere fabrics available, you’re sure to love Big Feet Pajamas. They’re unique, whimsical, practical, but most importantly, they’re the most comfortable sleepwear you’ll ever wear!
Hrm ... should I get a pair of footsies for an upcoming slumber party?
Semper Bug!

Semper Bug! It's a Marine (supporter?) in a silver Beetle. If you look closely you can see the bumper stickers.
I'm Working!

I'm working!
We were at Fry's and Joy found the Barbie laptop. Ummm, yeah, I think Tim and I model certain behaviors all too well.
exercise?
Got in my morning run today... To the MAX =) boy I hate running, though in all honesty it was more of a trot. It's hard to jog properly when you are lugging a laptop around.
Jul 6, 2006
Best Comeback
ROFLMAO!!!!
Annette
===========
Don't know how factual this is or is not, but it was damn funny.
The title of the article was "Best Comeback Line Ever."
In summary, the police arrested Patrick Lawrence, a 22-year-old white male, resident of
The suspect explained that as he was passing a pumpkin patch he decided to stop. "You know, a pumpkin is soft and squishy inside, and there was no one around here for miles. At least I thought there wasn't," he stated in a phone interview. Lawrence went on to say that he pulled over to the side of the road, picked out a pumpkin that he felt was appropriate to his purposes, cut a hole in it, and proceeded to satisfy his need. "I guess I was just really into it, you know?"
he commented with evident embarrassment.
In the process,
approached
"He froze and was clearly very surprised that I was there, and then looked me straight in the face and said," A pumpkin? Damn...is it midnight already?
Jul 5, 2006
Jul 3, 2006
new skype username
go ahead and add me please.










