Diachronic Devolution

This is good news.  I can post at IJ again.

(I have no idea actually how long the bug has been fixed, because I got sucked into a political black hole the past couple months, and stopped trying to get IJ to work.  I'm back to the real world and IJ now ... hopefully.  ::tries to avoid the lure of RSS feeds::)

Haven't been able to post at IJ as for awhile there seemed to be Firefox issues everytime I checked (I couldn't get a post window to even open).  It's been awhile since I last checked, and I'm hoping that bug is fixed ... posting this using IE at work ... will try with Firefox when I get home ... am behind on everything of course.

Teacher forgot to tell me we have upcoming performances on the 20th and 21st OMG!  This is what happens when you're deaf but seem to have a clue what you're doing in class - she forgets I don't know what she is saying.  So I was chatting with R, one of the other students, before class, and she mentioned "our" upcoming street fair performance, and I said "I know NOTHING about this!" and teacher sort of giggled sheepishly ... "Oops, I forgot."

::headdesk::

Um, so at least I already know the routine pretty well, we've been going over it in the course of class a fair bit, and we have rehearsal time, and tonight it was all rehearsal because only R and myself showed ... but we're going to break in the new costumes, and R's worn hers but I haven't worn mine, and R says it's very hot to dance in because it's 100% polyester.  Plus, it's not "complete," we need to jazz it up and she's going to wear a coin bra and I'm going to wear ... the equivalent of a scuba suit.  (Because I am a prudish poop-head, that's why.)  Also, I didn't know a performance was upcoming, so I didn't do any dance-related shopping.

(These outfits are semi-sheer chiffon, harem pants, an overskirt, a little bell sleeve halter tie-front blouse that you can wear with a fancy bellydance bra of your choice.  Also a veil, but we don't do veil yet.  Mine is a nice dark burgundy - R's is forest green.  We're both planning to wear black hip scarves with silver coins.)

Another class & more rehearsing tomorrow night.  I do feel much more confident about this performing thing now, but not about the costume.  Also, I really should find some big cheap blingy earrings, all of mine are too dainty and refined for dancing ...

Phil Plait, the Bad Astronomer, on Obama's science policy:

Science runs your life. Have no doubts about this at all. It is in everything you do, everything you are. How we deal with science, engineering, and innovation affects the air you breathe, the water you drink, the food you eat, the medicine you take, the lifespan you statistically enjoy, the computer you are sitting at, and the prosperity — or lack thereof — of the country you call home.

Right now, science in the US is under the heaviest attack it’s suffered since Galileo’s time, and for too long the citizens of this country have acquiesced. In November, we can do something about it.

Both Senators Obama and McCain have made cursory statements about various aspects of science, but that’s not enough. Science is critical, absolutely critical, to the health of the US, so we need better and more in-depth answers. To get them, a group of six citizens created Science Debate 2008 to "… restore science and innovation to America’s political dialogue."

They asked each candidate a series of science questions. As of this moment, Obama is the only one who has answered, though McCain says he will.

Obama’s answers to these questions are, to me, very heartening. He has been accused of giving no specifics when answering questions, but that is misleading at best (the noise machine is very good at making noise). In these answers he does indeed give many specifics, and to my eye is taking the right road to scientific progress and innovation in this country.  (Read the rest.)

[... ]  Senator McCain? The ball is in your court.

Check out Science Debate 2008.

Week 3, Day 1.  Goal: 15/12/12/10/15+.  Managed: 15/12/12/10/15 with helluva long breaks.

I need to find a Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) icon.  The first ep of S2 was awesome.  I can only hope the rest of the season lives up to it!

Week 2.5, Day 3.  Goal: 12/10/10/8/10+.  Managed: 12/10/10/8/18.  (Took very long breaks in between sets, that's how I managed to finish with 18.)

Week 2.5, Day 2.  Goal: 11/9/8/8/10+.  Managed: 11/9/8/8/10.

So it seems to me the 100 pushups designer was on crack or something when he decided weak n00bs like me could blithely skip from a maximum of 6 pushups on the last set to two days later cranking out MORE THAN TWICE THAT!!  My eyes bugged out when I saw Week 3: Day 1 called for 15/12/12/10/15+.  When just two days ago it was 5/5/4/4/6+.  Where is this miraculous, more-than-double increase in strength supposed to spring from?!

Fuggedaboudit.  I split the difference, created my own goalsheet, and I'm calling this week 2.5.

Goal: 9/8/7/7/9+.  Managed: 9/8/7/7/10.  

I'm a rebel.

Got a box full of BPAL 'weenie goodies Saturday.  I've only tried Fearful Pleasure so far, and it's lovely ... Dried orange peels floating in simmering cider, roasted apples, smoldering firewood, chimney smoke, sassafras beer, warm hawthorn wood, and oakmoss.

Reading David Sedaris' latest, When You Are Engulfed in Flames.  It's very good.  They're not all comedic, but some of the stories have me laughing so much I have to stop reading till I recover.

Goal: 5/5/4/4/6+.  Managed: 5/5/4/4/4.5 ... then 2 more.  Bah.  I do not feel that I'm getting any stronger.  But then again, I forgot about the pushups until I started thinking about going to bed.  So not at my most energetic.

Goal: 6/5/3/3/6+.  Done: 6/5/3/3/6.

Only two of us showed at bellydance class tonight (besides teacher).  What's up with that?  Normally there are about 10 students in this class!

Anyway - since myself and the other lady are "intermediates" she didn't give us the usual beginner drills - instead, we practiced routines with the cane.

When it was over, my left foot, ankle, and knee hurt, and my right wrist, from swinging the cane around. 

Y'all need to check out Stoney321's hilarious snark on the Twilight series, especially her latest entry with the awesome drinking game scorecard - she counted how many times SMeyers used her (apparently) favorite words in each novel.  (Example: "rainbow sparkles" shows up 4 times just in Eclipse, and "perfect/ly" 113 times in Breaking Dawn alone!)

Another cool thing: John Scalzi on why Tim Burton's film The Nightmare Before Christmas remains so popular.

A very sad story and a serious warning to avoid a particular, popular dog toy:  http://www.thechaistory.blogspot.com/

The company has (finally) responded to concerns - but without mentioning the particular problems with the product.  This link includes a specific product listing:  http://www.fourpaws.com/news/press-room/four-paws-rough-rugged-pimple-ball-with-bell.htm

The blog link explains exactly what is wrong with the ball that has led to maiming and death of several dogs - so you will know what to look for in any type of dog ball toy.  " ... While chewing on the toy, a vacuum was created and it effectively sucked his tongue into the hole in the ball. From speaking with my vet, this likely occurred because there is not a second hole in the ball preventing the vacuum effect from happening."

Please spread this information to other dog owners and let the Four Paws company know of your concerns.

Ah!  I forgot all about my pushups yesterday, so Week 2 is going to be Tues - Thurs - Sat, back to the usual M - W - F next week.

And again I forgot exactly what the day's goal was and didn't have the chart handy, but that is all right ...

Goal: 4/4/3/3/5+.  Achieved: 5/4/3/3/6.  I changed arm/hand position a few times to hit more muscle areas.

Onward ...

The opinions of two erstwhile lifelong Republicans.

Orac, at Respectful Insolence:  Only he could change a lifelong political orientation.

It turns out that my friend, who had been more conservative than I for longer than I, had come to the same conclusion as I: That George W. Bush is the worst, the most incompetent President that either of us could remember and that the invasion of Iraq was the biggest foreign policy fiasco in either of our lifetimes, and arguably in the last century. [...]

We also both lamented how budget surpluses had almost overnight turned to record deficits, thanks to the Republican Congress spending like drunken sailors, spurred on by Bush himself. We both lamented the cronyism, the unrelenting attack on civil liberties in the wake of 9/11, and the general incompetence of the whole operation. When I asked him, "Did you ever think that we'd hear our government arguing about the definition of 'torture' and whether what our nation was doing to prisoners constituted 'torture'?" he just shook his head. [...]

We simply could not believe what had happened to both of us or how. We had both been so sure for so long in our political orientation. [...]

But, then, neither of us had ever encountered a Republican President as bad as our current President. It turns out that only one man was capable of changing us. Only one man was incompetent enough in office. Only one man could screw things up so badly that we had no choice but to change our deepest political tendencies.

Maybe Bush is good at something after all.

***

Susan Eisenhower:  Reflections on Leaving the Party.

I have decided I can no longer be a registered Republican. [...]

My decision came at the end of last week when it was demonstrated to the nation that McCain and this Bush White House have learned little in the last five years. They mishandled what became a crisis in the Caucusus, and this has undermined U.S. national security. At the same time, the McCain camp appears to be comfortable with running an unworthy Karl Rove–style political campaign. Will the McCain operation, and its sponsors, do anything to win? [...]

It was not easy taking this step, since politics, like religion, is something learned on the knee of one’s parents and grandparents. And like anything else inherited, it is imbedded in one’s own identity. This makes leaving even harder.

But there will be some joy for me in my new status since I will be able to speak for myself, and not as a member of a party that has, sadly, lost its way.

***

The proposed HHS regulation could still block your access to contraception - at the whim of any health care worker involved in the process.

I've posted about this situation before.  We now have less than 30 days to do something about it.

Ebonypearl has a post on Choice and what's missing here - the choice of the patient.

Naamah Darling has a post with links to the actual rule, petitions to sign and ways to contact the HHS:  Urgent Action Needed.  From her post:

Planned Parenthood is fighting this as hard as they can. Make a donation here.

Write to your legislator, telling them you oppose the rule, and asking them to fight it.

The public is encouraged to comment on this. You can send your comments to consciencecomment@hhs.gov. Make sure to use “provider conscience regulation" as the subject line. All comments will be published for public viewing. So, maybe don't swear or include personal information you don't want available to the public. There are other ways to contact them as well. They are listed
on page two of this document.

RH Reality Check has a roundup of informative links on the proposal.

Rules, if you wish to play:
Comment and I'll give you a letter; then you list ten things you love that begin with that letter.  Post in your journal and give out some letters of your own.

My letter from 1159pmoctober30:  "B"

In no particular order:

BPAL
books
bunnies
bellydance
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
bats
Boston Legal
banking online
ballet
bourbon

Yup, I did my Day 3 pushups on Friday even though I almost forgot to!  I recently snagged free movie tickets in a blind drawing at work, so Sister and I took some time off Friday afternoon to go see Dark Knight.  We got home after 8PM, chatted with brother, SIL & kidlets for several hours, then watched some Olympics before I remembered.  Unfortunately I didn't have the schedule handy and forgot exactly how many I was supposed to be doing.  Goal: 5/4/4/3/5+.  Actual: 5/4/3/3/5.  I'm still pleased - it's actually hard work for me (always have been crappy at pushups, no matter how well I could manage planks or barbell chest presses).  I'm thinking I should attempt one or two toe pushups and do the rest on my knees, each time.

One thing about having arthritis, dancing, and all this other activity:  I'm aching all over, all the time.  Seems to be a fact of life.  Either one aches from arthritis, or from physical activity to offset the advances of arthritic old age.

I've decided to invest in these to protect my wrists.  Tallian said they were highly recommended by an ex-bodybuilder friend of hers.

Swiped from Tallian.

1. You have 10 dollars and need to buy snacks at a gas station:
I've never bought snacks at a gas station, but I assume they have bottled water, pretzels, and sugar-free gum.

2. If you were reincarnated as a sea creature, what would you want to be?
A female version of Poseidon/Neptune.

3. Who's your favorite redhead?
X-Files' Dana Scully - as portrayed by Gillian Anderson.

4. What do you order when you're at IHOP?
Eggs, bacon, and pancakes.

5. Last book you read?
I'm on Attack of the Theater People by Marc Acito.  It's a hoot. 

6. Describe your favorite pair of underwear:
Hanky Panky lace thongs.  Comfy, invisible under clothes, and very attractive.

7. Describe the last time you were injured:
I ... seriously can't remember.

8. Of all your friends, who would you want to be stuck in a well with?
Tallian or MrsVeteran.  I'd have a lot of fun, or figure out an escape posthaste (and then have a lot of fun), with either one of them.  Or both at the same time.

9. Rock concert or symphony?
I'd prefer symphony, even though I couldn't hear either.

10. What is the wallpaper of your cell phone?
I have no cell phone.

11. Soda
If I have to, Diet Coke.

12. What type of shirt are you wearing?
Taupe/olive big men's linen shirt .

13. If you could only use one form of transportation for the rest of your life what would it be?
Teleportation!  It'd be awesome!

14. Most recent movie you've watched in theatres?
The Dark Knight.  I just saw this today!  And before that: I have no idea.  It's been years.  I rent or buy everything on DVD.

15.Name an actor/actress you've had the hots for:
Actor:  James Spader.  In anything, ever, and always, world without end, amen.  Also, Gary Oldman.  Actress:  Diane Lane.  ::deep breath::  And Diana Rigg.  ::faints::

16. What's your favorite kind of cake?
I don't know; I don't believe I've had it yet.

17. What did you have for dinner last night?
Last night?  El Monterey bean & cheese burritos and Sapporo beer.

18. Look to your left, what do you see?
Eddie Bauer Fall collection catalog, Scotch packaging tape, an expired coupon for an online lingerie store (dammit, I could have used that).

19. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
My shoes don't have ties except once in a blue moon.

20. Favorite toy as a child?
Robinson Rabbit - my precious ragdoll bunny that my mom knitted and stuffed with old pantyhose.

21. Do you buy your own groceries?
Yes, unless I ask my dad to get me something when he makes a trip.

22. Do you think people talk about you behind your back?
Not very often, and when they do, it probably goes like this: "Can you believe nothing ever happens that's interesting to talk about in Dio's life?  No?  Me neither.  Well let's get back to watching paint dry." Er ... or something like that.

23. When's the last time you had a sour gummy worm?
I think something like five years ago at a friends' bridal shower where they had (of course) sour gummy penises. 

24. What's your favorite fruit?
Peaches. 

25. Do you have a picture of yourself doing a cartwheel?
Not that I know of.

27. Have you ever eaten snow?
I don't think so.

28. What color are your bedsheets?
I don't use bedsheets.  I do the European thing - sleep under a duvet.

29. What's your favorite flower?
Orchids, irises ... Georgia O'Keeffe flowers.

30. Were you or are you in ballet?
I was - took it for about 7 years in a row ... a long, long time ago.

31. Do you listen to classical music?
Nope, but I would if I could hear.

32. Do you have a "wacky noodle"?
What is a "wacky noodle"?

33. Do you watch Spongebob?
Only when I'm visiting someone who has cable and kids and the only other thing on is Law & Order reruns - in which case I switch channels back & forth.

34. Last food you ate?
El Monterey bean & cheese burritos.

35. Do people consider you smart?
Some of them, sometimes.

36. What time is it?
1:33AM Pacific time.  Jeebus ... (And now it's 2:00AM.)

37. Is your away message on?
No, because I'm not logged in to chat.

38. Have you ever tried gluing your fingers together?
I have a vague idea this did happen back when I used to use hairspray and blow dryers.  But never on purpose.

39. What curse word do you use the most?
Frickity frick - courtesy of Elliott on Scrubs.

40. Do you own an iPod?
No.  (I wanted to say "What is an iPod?" but couldn't quite bring myself to ...)

41. What time is your alarm clock set for?
Light goes on at 4:30AM, and sound alarm, which is switched off, is set for 6AM in case it gets accidentally switched on, since that's when we are all supposed to be up and out of bed.  It does in fact get switched on accidentally with surprising frequency.

42. What CD is currently in your CD player?
What CD player??

43. What movie do you know every line to?
I do not know every line to any movie, but the one that comes closest is Eating Raoul.

44. What is your favorite salad dressing?
No contest - Annie's Goddess Dressing.  I turned my sister-in-law and both of my nieces into diehard addicts.

45. Would you ever date someone covered in tattoos?
Tattoos per se are no problem - but the *type* of tattoo could be an issue.

46. How old will you be on your next birthday?
::Busts out the calculator::  Uh ... 45.

47. Do you enjoy giving hugs?
Yes.

48. Last time you had butterflies in your stomach?
Friends had bad news and I worried for them.

49. What's the way people most often mispronounce any part of your name?
My last name (which is German) is often mispronounced as a completely unrelated adjective.  It's a vowel thing.

50. If you were to become famous, would you drop your last name?
I'd drop it or change it, to keep my and my family's privacy.

Day two.  Goal: 4/3/2/2/max (4+).  Managed: 4/3/2/2/3.5 - paused - tried again - .5 again - paused - tried again - .5 again - collapsed.  Realized oriental-pattern carpet has many, many shed hairs on it that are not visible from standing height.  Plus lint.

Got up.  Had coughing fit.

Must Sweepa that carpet and vacuum.  Later.  (Where the heck is the vacuum?)

I'm still doing toes down, knees up, but next time I believe I'll attempt the entire 5 sets on my knees and see how I do.  Apparently, being good at planks is not helping my arms get better at pushing me *up*.  I lower myself to a certain point, and then they simply won't budge.

I also won't be surprised if it takes me twelve weeks rather than six to achieve 100 pushups at a go - but I don't mind that at all, actually.  I want to improve steadily, but it doesn't have to be quickly.

As for bellydance - teacher is planning to start back-to-back beginner and intermediate classes on Thursdays this fall.  When I found out I promptly told her I'd want to take both of them and have a 2-hour class that night, because I'm a little crazy like that, and she said "That's why I like ya!"  Then she told me I was a big reason she had decided to offer the intermediate class as well as the beginner.  Yay!

The all-level Wednesday classes are continuing.  Tonight I could tell I'm improving on the belly rolls.  Teacher seemed pleased too.

I don't seem to have an icon that fits this sort of thing.  Anyway, Day One accomplished.  My arms will *not* budge for the upward portion unless I do it on my knees, but I can lever myself down on my toes, so I do it that way - toes down, knees up.  So they're half full-body pushups, at least.

For the 5th set you're supposed to do "as many as you can comfortably manage, at least 3."  I managed 3 and a half.  I would not call it comfortable.

I'm gripping barbells to protect my wrists (and to keep my knuckles from getting rug burn) as I do these.

Wednesday will be Day Two ...

As for yoga I won't be going this week, and instead plan to do a DVD tomorrow.  I'm leaning towards not buying the month of studio visits I'd been planning on - if I pay I'll feel obligated to go 3-4 times a week to get my money's worth, but I am not enjoying it, and if only I can motivate myself to get it done at home, I know I'll enjoy it much more ... we'll see.

I am all about starting up a personal NaBloPoMo-style challenge in order to get meself posting regularly again.  I've been commenting here and there and that's about it.  Not that nothing has been going on in my life, but my memory is a rustbucket filled with holes (ONOES!!11!! THEY BE TAKIN' MAH RUSTBUCKIT) and without some sort of flame under my tuchis encouraging me to post, I tend to forget everything.

Well ...

Some weeks ago my dance teacher was performing at a bridal shower, went into the splits, an area rug gave way under her and she landed with a CRUNCH on one knee.  Woe and devastation followed, and while the bone is all right, she is still under the weather and doing therapy, and classes have been verbally coached with myself and another student demonstrating in the front row.  I am glad to say she's been improving, though she's had to give up the 6 hours of ballet she was taking along with regular teaching and performing - she isn't back to performance shape yet, and for awhile was afraid that when she graduated college next month she'd have to take an office job ... augh!  She cannot put much weight on the damaged knee, but she's doing therapy exercises and hopefully will be back in bellydance-shape before too long.

She's recently ordered costumes for the troupe, and I requested maroon - I hope it's genuinely maroon, and not a misnamed magenta.  (Yikes.)

I've taken 5 classes at the yoga studio so far and my feelings are very mixed.  On the one hand, I can tell already that it's improving my dance performance.  On the other hand, I have not felt the "yoga buzz" in class at all, and I always get there when I do yoga on my own at home.  In fact, during each class I've thought "Why am I wasting my time here when I enjoy it so much more at home?" ... only to end the class with the acknowledgement "because I don't *do* it at home, that's why - I want to do this several times a week, not twice a year!"

I still plan to buy an unlimited-month-of-classes for Sept. - I can come in at least 3 and probably 4 times a week, and it will be much cheaper than paying for single classes - and after that I'll reconsider whether I want to keep it up.  Physically, it's a boon - but psychologically, not so much yet.  I definitely need the work on balance, which is my biggest weak spot, so I'm inclined to continue.

I'm also starting the One Hundred Pushups six-week program tomorrow.

Of interest - via Stumptuous are two personal accounts of weight training and MS (multiple sclerosis).

In non-fitness natter ...

There was a rumor I read somewhere that Hulu had put subtitles on the Dr. Horrible episodes ... if so, I'll have to attempt watching them at work on my lunch break.  I did find transcripts on LJ, provided by the estimable bean , after the initial showing, which was very much appreciated.  But I still haven't watched the episodes myself and my sister's only seen the first two.

I won a blind drawing at work - got 2 free tickets to the movies, so Sister and I are planning to go see Dark Knight.  We wanted to go last Friday, but would have had to take off work early to make the showing, and she was involved in a project, so it's been put off another week.  I have thoroughly spoiled myself already by reading everything my flist has put behind cuts with dire warnings "DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE ALREADY SEEN THIS MOVIE!!" because I'm a rebel and all that.  ;-)

The BPAL update arrived and I bought, and bought, and bought.  Which I always do when the 'weenies come out.  It's a good thing I've sat on my smellie-buying hands all year as I can rationalize all the insanity.  Oh, and I never miss an Arcana update, but I've been extra thrilled this time that Julia came out with a fragrance called Quim.  YESSSS.  ::twitches::

The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world. Lao Tzu
Lush French cognac, deepest chocolate, banana creme, and succulent orange entwine over a base of sensual ambrette musk.

Meanwhile, yesterday a BPAL order arrived, and I'm thrilled to finally have a bottle of Hexennacht, which is divine.  Pickled Imp isn't bad either.  Mmmm, cinnamon and clove ...

This is in no way a complete update, as other things have happened recently that I haven't had the time or energy to post about, but oh well.  I need to log off now as I'm wilting and there is work tomorrow.


scent of the day: bpal's hand of glory

I just learned that one of my all-time favorite artists/book illustrators, Pauline Diana Baynes, passed away August 1, 2008 at the age of 85.

From Brian Sibley, Pauline Baynes: Queen of Narnia and Middle-Earth

Other writeups by Calimac and Patrick Nielsen Hayden.

ETA: Obituary in The Independent by Brian Sibley.

I've recommended this one before, but it was in the writing stages at the time. It was finished earlier this year, so those of you who don't read WiPs can enjoy the complete epic at your leisure!

Ezagaaikwe began writing her long, plotty, involving Spike/Tara fic back in October of 2004, and posted the last installment at the beginning of February of this year. It's a wonderful epic time-travel romance/adventure novel - 53 chapters in all - over three years in the making and a fabulous read that has been nominated for, and won, many awards. I strongly recommend this fic to those of you who haven't already discovered it and who enjoy well-written, non-canonical pairings. You are in for a treat!


The Long and Winding Road

Tallian is doing a "30 drabbles in 30 days" challenge for August, and I am in love with her BtVS drabble!

A Day Off - comic fun with the Scoobies, no spoilers. It made me laugh out loud.

(On the angsty side, check out her drabbles for Torchwood and House!)

And I'm thrilled to announce that Tallian won in her category! Congratulations, babe!

If you haven't yet read her deliciously dark little Torchwood fic, The Dark Between Lamp Posts, you should. Hard R, Tosh/Mary.

Go check out the awards and find good things to read - if you are into Doctor Who and Torchwood slash (both m/m and f/f).

The DW/TW Slash Awards - Results (at LJ)

Tuesday's yoga was actually much more recognizable as a "beginner level" class than Monday's. No side planks! It was a good routine to follow the more vigorous one, but I'm still nearly down-dogged out. It'll be interesting to see how the body handles dance class tonight.

I can barely lift my arms over my head and every muscle hurts.

::checks::

Nope, I can still lift my arms. I just keep thinking I won't be able to!

But everything hurts. My entire sides. My lower back and obliques and ribs and lower abs and middle abs and hips and thighs and armpits and and and ... SO SORE. Ow!

I think I'll be going again Saturday.