a mind is a beautiful thing to taste

I could watch this over and over and over and over...

nobody@vox.com(arbed) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:09:41 -0500

To add to my kitty video collection. Thanks, CO.

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I made it - with my own hands

nobody@vox.com(arbed) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:03:53 -0500

I should have done more animal posts. Oh well, there's always next year. It was a bit weird to be posting every day. I used to do it all the time, even several posts a day. I guess I've just been in the low part of the posting cycle for an extended period of time this time until NaBlo came around again.

Anyway, congrats to all who made it through. Go us!

Now I'm off to study. And get something to eat. And study. Tick tock, tick tock.

I leave you with today's superpoop. Go ahead and click on it - it's the funneh.

Obama-facebook

Nablo.sat.1109.120x200

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the eve of the end

nobody@vox.com(arbed) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:24:36 -0500

Today's post is brought to you by Nut and Bee. Now I'm off to get a few pieces of Havarti cheese.

Snacktopus

Nablo1109

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baby did a bad bad thing

nobody@vox.com(arbed) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:35:38 -0500

But first I did a good thing. I went to the drug store, later than planned, but that doesn't surprise me. I am not, and never will be, a morning person. I used 40,000 points and left with about $91 worth of stuff (a little over $10 out of pocket for taxes and a lotto ticket). About $50 of that is for the food bank and spca. I had planned to spend some on stocking stuffers, but there wasn't much there I was looking for, and you couldn't use the points on gift cards (they have a big display of cards for lots of stores and restaurants - I got a bunch of different ones for mom and aunt last year and they liked it so I think I'll get more this year). They had food and cleaning stuff on sale, so I figure it's as good a use as any, right? I'm quite pleased with what I got.

The bad thing? FUCK. As I was leaving our parking lot to head out, I scratched the car. I'm very very angry with myself, so that's all I'm going to say about it. FUCK. I have never done anything like that and can't believe I did it today. Okay, okay, so I'm not counting the mirror I ripped off the UHaul truck when I moved up here, but hey, that wasn't my vehicle, and I had full insurance to cover it. FUCK. I'm going to talk to someone about what's involved in fixing it up. FUCK.

Nablo1109

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in the home stretch

nobody@vox.com(arbed) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:39:44 -0500

Today was a vacation day, ostensibly to be used to study. I had a bank appointment in the morning and figured I'd run errands after that, then use Saturday and Sunday for studying. Well it's a good thing I didn't plan for studying today because it was shot all to hell. The bank appointment was really just to appease them. I hadn't been in for over two years, so I caved and said I'd make an appointment. They were in some kind of mortgage-pushing mode. I laughed at that. I haven't even figured out how to make my money work every month with a car payment, let alone a mortgage. There's no way in hell I can afford a house. I did, however, find out that my credit is "excellent", and that it seems that someone not known to me ran a credit check on me this summer. I have the info now and will have to call to get that straightened out.

Anyway, the meeting did turn into something. No, not a mortgage, but I was still unprepared because I needed some documents that I didn't even think to bring. So I told her I'd run a few errands, go home and get the paperwork, and come back in the afternoon. I puttered around that mall for a bit, then headed to another one. The second mall had a drug store I was wanting to go to because they were having a points special - your amount of points were worth more for the day, so I figured it was a great opportunity to pick up some stocking stuffers, and other stuff, on the cheap (I help fill the stockings for my mother and aunt, but this year with the joint gift, I've spent more than I normally would, so ~~cheap~~ free stuffers are more than welcome). I think I'll be able to buy about $100 worth of stuff!

I drove around two parts of the parking lot for fifteen minutes and the only spot I found was taken by some bitch who was clearly not used to playing well with others. I gave up and came home. I found the papers plus a cheque I had forgotten to bring for deposit, puttered a bit, then headed back to the mall with the bank. I picked up a few things around there, then went to the meeting. Well, turns out she figured some stuff wrong and now we have to wait a couple of days to finish everything up. This means I will have to go back on Thursday afternoon, which luckily I have off due to the exam. I hope I can see to drive through the exam tears.

So today was basically a bust. The only good thing is that I found out that the drug store points special is actually tomorrow, so I'll go over first thing in the morning (it's not far from me, whereas the bank mall is a not really that close) and get that out of the way. I seriously can't believe I've left so much studying until the last minute. Then again, there's lots I can't believe about me lately - ha!

Okay, /blab.

Nablo1109

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mmmmmmm hamburger (it's not turkey, but it was still good)

nobody@vox.com(arbed) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:49:08 -0500

Well, there's a whole lot of nothing going on here at vox since most of my 'hoodies are no doubt passed out from overstuffed bellies. The bonus of this is that I can write another lame NaBloPoMo and no one will notice - yay me!

I have tomorrow off. Technically it's a vacation day, but I'll hopefully be getting some studying done. It's now less than a week until I write and I am still nowhere near done the material. It's completely my fault but I can't seem to do anything about it. I actually have a feeling I won't get much done tomorrow because I have an appointment in the morning, and since I'll be out already, I'll probably try to get some shopping done. It's always easier to do on a weekday when, hopefully, most people are still working. Then that means Saturday and Sunday will HAVE to be full-day studying. I also have Wednesday off as a study day, then by noon on Thursday, it will all be over with. I'll be the one curled up in a ball in the corner, crying in my sleep. Nonono, more shopping to get done! Then, I can come home and collapse.

I got more money for my food and pet drives today, plus now that I've put some stuff in the boxes, hopefully people will get their asses in gear and add to it. The people in my office are so odd and unpredictable.

I think Edgar has forgiven me for not having chicken or turkey today. What a relief. It was close this morning, though. I saw him sniff around at his litter box and then walk away. I was all set to leave for work but decided that was a definite sign so I took a few minutes to clean it out and add some new litter. Hopefully that avoided an accident. If it didn't, I've yet to find it, so that's okay I guess.

So are you all lamed up now? I'll spare you more. Nighty-night kids. I hope you all enjoyed your day, and that it continues into tomorrow for you. Eat leftovers!

Nablo1109

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where did the evening go?

nobody@vox.com(arbed) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:35:42 -0500

Well crap. Look at the time. No research again tonight then.

I sent out a reminder email at work today about the SPCA and Food Bank drives. I must have hit a few guilt buttons because some people brought money over to me. I went out tonight and picked up a few things, mostly for the food bank. I forgot to copy the wish lists so I didn't go crazy with the buying. Besides, last year I must have shopped at least three different times for the drives, so I know I'll be going again, and I'll remember the lists.

A week from tomorrow morning is my exam. I'm not even done my first read-through of the material. Crap x 2. I am taking Friday off to study some more, then I'll also be off on Wednesday. The only good thing about all of this is that my exam will be done by late morning and then I'll have the rest of the day to goof around and maybe do some Christmas shopping. Oh, and I'll be missing the client cocktail again this year since it's the night before the exam (although Boss seems to think I should pop over for it since it's only two hours long - ummm, no). I'll wave to the bottomless shrimp as I weep over my textbook.

Edgar's meows tonight are quite clear and loud, especially when he's sitting up in my lap and looking me in the face when he does it. I'm sure it means something. Maybe he's trying to tell me that even though our Thanksgiving is over and done with, I should be making him turkey to celebrate with his US kitty friends tomorrow.

Okay, I have to go to bed. I still have a few days left to finish up NaBloPoMo with a blast, right?

Nablo1109

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zzzzz.....snnnkszz... huh? wha?

nobody@vox.com(arbed) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:15:07 -0500

Tired. Falling asleep, but I'm in the middle of a Scrabble game on Pogo. (update - I won!)

My car was supposed to come with Bluetooth (one of those clip-on jobbies for your visor) but he forgot it. It came in the mail today. Too bad I don't have a Bluetooth phone, eh?

I've been cheating and bringing my car to work. It's so nice. But, at $14 a day to park, that'll be stopping any day now. Plus, I've still got a few days to make the most of my November bus pass.

Seriously, you have no idea what having a car means to me. I want to cry every time I drive it.

Finished a marketing report and sent it off today. It's a good accomplishment, but there is still work to do on that project.

Seriously, I'm falling asleep. I'm gonna go make a sandwich for lunch tomorrow and hit the hay. If the couple next door has another screaming match for an hour and a half (not starting until after eleven), I'm going to lose my mind.

Feel free to suggest something for tomorrow's less lame NaBloPoMo.

Nablo1109

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short and sweet

nobody@vox.com(arbed) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:29:17 -0500

Today's post is a tribute to that bastion of all knowledge that is true and good (or at leasts contain enough believable information to get you through a NaBloPoMo post about animals), Wikipedia. I advise you to click on the link and find out ever so much more than you thought you would ever possibly need to know about the site that knows everything that you don't or thought you did. Or didn't. I also advise that you check out, or at least hover over, the many links in the article. Knowledge, I bow before thee!

Nablo1109

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not a wingless bird with hairy feathers

nobody@vox.com(arbed) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:02:42 -0500

Archaeopteryx, sometimes referred to by its German name Urvogel ("original bird" or "first bird"), is the earliest and most primitive bird known. The name is from the Ancient Greek archaios, meaning "ancient", and pteryx, meaning "feather" or "wing".

Archaeopteryx lived in the late Jurassic Period around 150–145 million years ago, in what is now southern Germany during a time when Europe was an archipelago of islands in a shallow warm tropical sea, much closer to the equator than it is now.

Similar in size and shape to a European Magpie, Archaeopteryx could grow to about 0.5 metres (1.6 ft) in length. Despite its small size, broad wings, and inferred ability to fly or glide, Archaeopteryx has more in common with small theropod dinosaurs than it does with modern birds. In particular, it shares the following features with the deinonychosaurs (dromaeosaurs and troodontids): jaws with sharp teeth, three fingers with claws, a long bony tail, hyperextensible second toes ("killing claw"), feathers (which also suggest homeothermy), and various skeletal features.

The features above make Archaeopteryx the first clear candidate for a transitional fossil between dinosaurs and birds.Thus, Archaeopteryx plays an important role not only in the study of the origin of birds but in the study of dinosaurs.

The first complete specimen of Archaeopteryx was announced in 1861, only two years after Charles Darwin published On the Origin of the Species, and it became a key piece of evidence in the debate over evolution. Over the years, nine more fossils of Archaeopteryx have surfaced. Despite variation among these fossils, most experts regard all the remains that have been discovered as belonging to a single species, though this is still debated.

Many of these eleven fossils include impressions of feathers—among the oldest (if not the oldest) direct evidence of feathers. Moreover, because these feathers are an advanced form (flight feathers), these fossils are evidence that feathers had been evolving for quite some time.

Archaeopteryx

Nablo1109

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a mind is a beautiful thing to taste

I could watch this over and over and over and over...

I made it - with my own hands

the eve of the end

baby did a bad bad thing

in the home stretch

mmmmmmm hamburger (it's not turkey, but it was still good)

where did the evening go?

zzzzz.....snnnkszz... huh? wha?

short and sweet

*not* a wingless bird with hairy feathers

not a wingless bird with hairy feathers