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Part 7: Wyoming

(Finally got all the South Dakota pictures up, including the one of the rabbit with horns. Not kidding. Read part 6. Also, I ran out of disk space for pictures on LJ so I'll be crossposting from here. Yay! ETA: And now comments are enabled. WHEEEEEE!)

After Mt. Rushmore, I decided I was going to head for Devil's Tower. So I left South Dakota in my rearview:

( Bye=bye! )

So even though I removed this post from LJ, I'm still out of disk space on LJ, and I can't figure out how to post stuff here without putting things in Photobucket first, which is just a frickin' hassle. Also, I'm not paying for LJ right now- it's the principle of the DAMN SITE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, LIKE, WHENEVER I WANT IT TO, so... taking a break for a bit because the frustration is just... so much right now. Kisses!

Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/377273.html

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Happy Pi Day!

I made avocado ice cream. It's flippin' epic! I feel like I should make pie now, but I don't want to- because then I'll have to eat all of it and that way lies... ooh! GUESTS ON SUNDAY. THEY SHOULD HAVE CHERRY PIE. YES.

Okay, I admit it- I have a can of Oregon Bings in syrup in the pantry (not an 8-pack, though, I swear). But I make my crust by hand. Always.

Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/376493.html

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Monday funday!

Seminar was good. We had lunch at New York Beer Company before the show. The play was excellent, but I could "hear" Jeff Goldblum in my head too, which was weird (he's taking over for Rickman in April). Crowded in there. :)

We had mojitos post show and then the bus back from NYC was wikkid late and we got back around 1:30am. I popped in ear plugs and slept until 9:30 or so, but still today has been a wash in terms of getting stuff done. Tired. Headache until a hour or two ago. X0

Boxes. So many boxes. Kels (Boyfriend for a Day Guy) is coming out on Friday to help me sort through stuff and (hopefully) take some of these boxes away. I could be more excited, but it would be HAAAAAAAAARD.

Made avocado ice cream today. Strangely delicious. Fresh avocados, slightly soft, are so good I could eat them with a spoon. A SPOON. They almost didn't make it into the blender.

Alan Rickman WAS AMAZING. AMAZING. We had our picture taken with him. Sort of.( SNAAAAAAAAPE! )

Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/376186.html

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BRB: Soaking things in evil.

I. Making a batch of PDQ (ie 24hr) pickles. They are a quickie version of absolutely nomtastic bread'n'butter pickles. My fave. I'll definitely finish them before I leave. I say again: Noms.

II. Got an email yesterday about a new exhibit coming up at the Met's Costume Institute: Schiaparelli and Prada, Impossible Conversations. And the cousins I was going to visit in LA are going to be here in DC by the time I get to their neck of the woods. Which proves that life happens when you're busy making other plans and there is never a "good" or a "right" time to do anything. Truth. In the immortal words of Nike: Just do it.

III. Joined the San Diego Museum of Art mailing list. Balboa Park is one of my favorite places in SD. My only quibble is that museums charge fees out there, but that just means I'm going to pick my outings carefully. And the park is worth a visit any time. Can't wait!

IV. Here's a deep, dark sekrit: ( Shhhhh... )

V. Friend of mine from college is coming over next week to help me move some things back to my folks' house and tell me what boxes he can store for me. I've emptied out my linen closet, thrown away a lot of the paper I've been trucking around- program from college crew dinner? GONE. Things are getting done. Feels really good. :)

Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/375613.html

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Silly silly me!

HAHAHAHA! I have 17 (18?) followers on Tumblr and I get a few notes once in awhile, but I just posted about bacon chocolate chip cookies on my Tumblr and got 7 reblogs/likes in one day. Clearly, I need to include bacon in everything. CLEARLY.

Changed the plan for NYC- going up on Sunday morning with Patti and coming back that night. I hate up-and-backs when it comes to New York, but in terms of money and time it seemed more sensible to save my resources for the drive.

Walk through in a day or two. Need to start collecting boxes. Getting rid of things. I'm at the point where my stuff is comprised of Books, Gifts, Cooking Stuff, Clothes. Bike Stuff, Furniture. Everything else is Garbage.

Things I would love to get rid of before I go- the giant box of film negatives and prints, and the giant box of CDs. I'm seeing a day at the farm just loading up iTunes. Yick. I'm going to find out how much it would be to transfer all the photo stuff and whether it would be worth it to buy a photo scanner instead.

Next up- new DSLR. Yeah, still haven't gotten it yet and it's ANNOYING. Leaning toward the Nikon D5100, but want to try the Canon T3i before I slap down a wad of cash. Just to see how the camera feels in my hands.

Making peppermint brownies and something with coconut milk in it today. Haven't even opened a single can of the stuff and I'm already sick of it. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/375053.html

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I had a beer with lunch and not feeling the whole title thing.

My router kicked out on Saturday so I called Netgear to see what was up and OH SORRY YOUR WARRANTY RAN OUT. GIVE US $$$ AND WE WILL FIX IT FOR YOU. Me: "..." The guy from Comcast just left a few mins ago. He managed to coax the router back to life. :)

Told the aunt and uncle and they were supportive and happy for me. They only said "expensive" once, maybe twice, but aside from that it was a great talk. The pitcher of St. Germaine cocktail with sparkling wine and club soda helped, I think. My aunt is pure gold- I know that part of her being who she is to me is that she's not my mother, but I still feel like she gets me liek whoah and that means so so much.

I really want to leave now and get started. I might fly out in a week or so with some stuff and just chill for a bit- introduce myself around town and put out some feelers. Better than sitting around, trying to plot ways to use up the baking stuff (I have 5 cans of coconut milk. FIVE. When did I become a crazy coconut milk hoarding person?) and frittering away my savings.

Last two movies: Scre4m and Paul. If you can figure out the linky, let me know so I can tell you how awesome you are. (Also, in the case of Scre4m- do not watch the making of before the movie. SPOILERS.)

Next up: 30 Minutes or Less and Beginners. CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER. CHRISTOPHER. PLUMMER.

Weekend in NYC ahead! Bussing up on Friday morning and staying somewhere for two nights and then the play (THE PLAY. ALAN RICKMAN.) is on Sunday afternoon. Anyone have a spare couch or warm patch of floor I can use for two nights? Anyone?

Today I'm throwing out more stuff (ie going to the Goodwill), recycling a very old Vaio with a fried motherboard, picking up the Shuttle, and dropping off some yarn with

sparkfrost at her place o' business. Can't wait. :)

FIVE CANS OF COCONUT MILK. Really?

Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/374974.html

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Hindsight and all.

Ugh. Suddenly feeling lousy as hell. It's the bad sleep and the stress, I think. Next two movies are going to be broad, stinking comedies. Or The Help and something else uplifting. So emotionally done right now. Luckily, going to a friend's birthday happy hour, so there's that to look forward to. And there are recipes I want to try. And stuff. A poem:

Post Hoc

by Jennifer Maier

It happened because he looked a gift horse in the mouth.
It happened because he couldn't get that monkey off his back.
It happened because she didn't chew 22 times before swallowing.
What was she thinking, letting him walk home alone from the bus stop?
What was he thinking, standing up in the boat like that?
Once she signed those papers the die was cast.
She should have waited an hour before going in; everyone knows
salami and seawater don't mix.
He should have checked his parachute a seventh time;
you can never be too careful.
Why didn't she declare her true feelings?
Why didn't she play hard to get? She could be out at some
nice restaurant right now instead of in church, praying
for the strength to let him go.
It all started with that tattoo.
It all started with her decision to order the chicken salad.
Why was he so picky?
Why wasn't she more discriminating?
He should have read the writing on the wall; listened
to the still small voice, had a lick of sense. But how could he when he
was blinded by passion? Deaf to warnings? Really dumb?
Why, why, in God's name, did he run with scissors?
If only they'd asked Jesus for help.
If only they'd asked their friends for help.
If only they'd ignored the advice of others and held fast
to their own convictions, they might all be here, now,
with us, instead of six feet under; instead of trying to adopt
that foreign baby, instead of warming that barstool
at the Road Not Taken Eatery and Lounge, wondering how it might all
have been different, if only they had done
the right thing.

"Post Hoc" by Jennifer Maier, from Dark Alphabet. © Southern Illinois University Press, 2006. Reprinted with permission. (buy now)

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Ugh. That's two late nights in a row. Ugh ugh ugh.

Cued up London Boulevard with There Be Dragons after. Redbox is my new cinematic religion. Let us watch. :p

Last night was not a ton of fun. The upshot is that my mother wants me to do something that will be my career (um, DUR. SO DO I.), my dad is just worried about me in general, and the two of them are doing a crap job at dogsitting because Duchess is definitely backsliding a bit. *lol*

After good dinner and some arguing, copious red wine, and ice cream, I crawled into an uncomfy guest bed to stay the night. This morning at an ungawdly hour, Duchess kicked up a fuss- she'd really messed her kennel. I cleaned her up, cleaned it up, and settled on the couch and let her chew on my fingers for a bit. Truth is, she's to young to be trained and the aunt and uncle aren't doing it right- her kennel is too big, and there's too much space in it for her to be grossed out by her own... output.

Dad came down and made coffee and amends. Mom can down and proffered olive branches.

Stepped on the dog- something you always think is going to happen with a dog that size. She's okay. Let her lick my face to make up for it. I call her "D" or "Leddy D" (like in Amelie).

We've reached an understanding, the three of us, so I think things will be fine. Just want to get things going because the sitting around is going to drive me mad. The good thing is that they are taking back the bed and the dresser and the chair- all furniture from my grands and great grands that I don't want to tote around with me and don't want to junk or sell.

At one point, Dad said, "I've always sort of felt like you were a California person." Which was nice. I hope I am, I really do.

FYT- puppy pics:

( PUPPEH. )

Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/374211.html

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Cagematch: Stephenie Meyer v. Woody Allen. Let's get ready to RUMBULLLLLLL!

1.) It's so weird- after years of trying to keep levels of stuff UP in my apartment, I'm now trying to get then DOWN. I use paper towels like they're going out of style, paper napkins, disposable cups, toilet paper. The expensive chocolate chips I've been hoarding since they went on sale, etc.

2.) Today's films are Midnight in Paris and Breaking Dawn. See what I did thur? :p

3.) Last night's happy hour went on a bit longer than planned. I wasn't hydrated and so my first drink turned into the only drink- an alcoholic slushy from Little Miss Whiskey's Gold Dollar on H St.- that I slurped down like there was no tomorrow. After, we went to Granville Moore's, which is known for mussels. Kinda expensive mussels, so instead we had some appetizers and fries. Then I crashed at a friend's place. We went to bed around 10pm, but I still didn't sleep well. Maybe it was the sleeping in a strange place or the couch in particular, but when my friend woke me up this morning I was already up. Got lost trying to get out of Northeast, but snapped some shots of DC in the morning, so it was a good tradeoff.

4.) One of the reasons I got lost, aside from my inability to perceive the cardinal directions using the sun overhead, is that I haven't updated the maps on the Garmin and, I suspect, the UK English setting didn't help either. I've noticed that the British English directions lack, well, directions. And they mispronounce the street names- JefFAIRson, PatTEARson, etc. It's deliberate, I tell you. DELIBERATE.

5.) PEEKCHURES! In order as I saw them:

( GOOOOOOOOOODMORNIN'VIET... whoops. )

Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/373886.html

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Being Human 4.01. and other stuff

Today I used some things up, watched Drive, got rid of some stuff, researched health plans and found something cheap I can afford until I get one through a job (*fingers crossed*), and now I'm going out for happy hour.

Tomorrow I make pickles! And get rid of old clothes. And then have dinner with the parents and tell them I'm running away from home. Hah. :p

( Being human is haaaaaaaaard. )

Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/373498.html

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Here's to taking a leap!

1.) Raining today. Feeling sort of calm and content. Heading out for a burger and a shake in a bit. Maybe hit up Redbox tonight for Drive and 50/50. Or getting a swimsuit- Old Navy is stocking swimwear now and it's CUTE. All retro 'n' stuff.

2.) Sent my landlady a more "me" thank you because my initial email was all SRS BSNS and she reiterated that she'll miss me. :)

3.) A younger cousin of mine is getting married in late summer. He and his fiance are fun- might go down there one more time before I go. I hope they still invite me to the wedding, because I'll HAPPILY fly, or drive, back for it. Don't want to miss out, but I definitely won't stay another *counts on fingers* 3-4 months just for that. Seems like there is always something, yes?

4.) Made red velvet cupcakes for the blog I'm doing with

roh_wyn and I think folks were a little turned off by the frosting- boiled frosting rather than cream cheese. And I didn't boil the milk and flour long enough, so I had to add some things and in the end I had some leftovers. Ah well. They'll make good cakepops with chocolate frosting and chocolate couverture.

5.) Sun is starting to come out, so it feels more like this:

Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/373213.html

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Bring on Leap Day!

1.) Got a super-nice response from my landlady- she emailed that I was a "pleasure" to have as a tenant and she wishes me luck. And that she thinks the walk-thru and damage inspection shouldn't be a problem. Yay. I was braced for crankiness because that's what I usually get so it was nice to get a warm fuzzy. More of that I say. :)

2.) So the next thing on my list is to get my camera. Getting a Nikon D5100, just have to decide on glass ('lenses' to everyone not Kev or Beth or Hema or me). (Henh.)

3.) Talked to my sister tonight and told her what was up. She was super-supportive. We hung out in Baltimore with two friends of hers, had beers at this great lil' pub and then dinner at a Poe-themed place called the Annabel Lee (I got the COOLEST pint glass- one more thing to drag to Cali. *lol*). James told me that for beer I'm going to MECCA, and Anne gave me a recipe for Hot Milk cake from a Maryland-themed cookbook. Making it tomorrow, probably! I still have a lot to learn about the state I've called home for so many years, but that's what happens. Right before you leave a place, things just open up and get interesting. *lol* Definitely going back before I leave.

4.) Saw this on Pinterest. Off to write fanfic. Or rather "sleep". Yes. That.

Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/372877.html

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Upward and onward! A change is as good as a rest! Movin' on up to the East Side!

Okay folks, full disclosure time: I've bitched long and hard, but now I'm doing something about it. I'm leaving D.C.

Trufax! Just now emailed my landlady and building manager giving a month's notice. Telling family tonight and Friday, and local friends Saturday.

So, if you want to see me in my natural habitat or just see a friendly face while visiting our Nation's Capitol, there's an expiration date. Moving out on the 31st of March, leaving the area by the 15th of April at the latest.

Where am I going? GLAD YOU ASKED!

I will be driving across our great country, ending up at the doorstep of one

zomgjess , who has kindly agreed to let me stay on her couch for a bit while I get myself acclimated to the great state of California.

On my drive I plan to visit large houses made of faux cheese, giant balls of string, eateries that serve things like deep fried tater tots, and (hopefully) you!

If you are around the first two weeks of April, let me know. My plans are still up in the air, but I have a high school friend in Minnesota, a buddy in Texas, a friend in Utah, and cousins in Seattle I need to see.

Nervous? Scared? YOU BET! But I'm also excited- something I haven't felt in a very long time. So... YAY! :D

Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/372702.html

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movie madness

I have laundry that skates better than this guy.

1.) Watched the Oscars and tweeted/Facebook'd along. Emma Stone was awesome, of course. I have mixed feelings about the Oscars- I love movies, but I can't help the slightly worrying feeling that I am spending time watching other people be awesome when I should be spending more time being awesome. Really must start doing something about that.

A friend of Rusty's agrees. We're going to try and make a movie. Will be starting to send him story treatments in the next day or so, based on the short stories I've written for pulped_fictions, so I've been poking around a bit looking for goodies. And I'm just amazed that I've been a member for so long, because as social as I am, I'm not really into joining clubs and yet this special group of folks welcomed me and wow. How awesome! How lucky. :)

2.) The Cutting Edge turns 20 this year and it's still one of my favorite movies. Aside from the slightly misty light you see in the film (which I guess is down to age) and the sad looking titles (this was pre-funky CGI-effects and weird fonts) it's still wonderful. And it reminds me of how much I used to to love skating, and how much I still love sports movies (esp. ones that happen during the winter Olympics) and nice bad boys and bitchy good girls falling in love. :)

3.) Tomorrow (or rather "later") I'm making cupcakes and going for drinks in Baltimore with my sister and two of her friends, IF all goes well. I am optimism. Time for sleep.

But first, a few more minutes of Cutting Edge (because it's apparently a MARATHON of awesomeness). Wanna skate! :D

TOOOOOOEPIIIIIIICK! ♥

Current Mood: amused

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Off I go! And now. And there I go. Annnnnd...

For the first time in longer than I can remember, I got a full night's sleep. And woke up at a reasonable hour. Now if I could just tear myself away from my laptop and get some more RL shit done. Hah.

I really think they should have called the movie based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' book "John Carter of Mars", and not just "John Carter", which sounds like a story of a white man with a briefcase. :p

Watching the "It Gets Better" documentary on MTV. They showed some wonderful and inspiring stories, but the best quote is "It doesn't get better, YOU get stronger." Amen to that.

Current Mood: content
Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/372219.html

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G'night, LJ land. waves from DW land

1.) Thinking of changing my tumblr from Dish Meets Spoon to The Partly Cloudy Kitchen because the light in there is so bad it's like it's always partly cloudy. In mah kitchen. Thinkies? Srsly, would love your opinion.

2.) Went to happy hour with some folks I haven't seen in ages. Some folks mentioned doing stuff in the next few weeks, so here's hoping because I've been a lil' too hermity lately. :p

3.) Blood oranges are in stores now. And Meyer lemons. MEYER. LEMONS. Bought a bag today that had a recipe for a tart on it I have to try! :D

4.) Tomorrow I'm taking the Shuttle in for a tuneup (computer, not car), then hanging out with Patti and planning our trip to Broadway. Sunday is knitting with

sparkfrost ! Turns out I need a TUNISIAN CROCHET HOOK for the afghan. And that nobody has one. But mama needs a new pair of socks, so might go ahead and start a pair. :)

5.) Made mango avocado salsa and sauteed tilapia for lunch today. Highly recommend if you like fish and fruitses.

6.) Watching Hugh Bonneville (Lord "Daddy" Grantham) in "Mansfield Park". THE HAIR.

Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/371768.html

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Chilllin'.

1.) Yesterday I just totally rearranged my apartment (my dining room is now a small living room, the big living room is... empty). And I got rid of an old TV that's been sitting in my bedroom for the past (almost) three years. Yes. Fully aware of how sad that sounds.

I put the TV by my door with a plate of homemade cookies on top and a note in the lobby asking if some kind soul could take it down to the dumpster for me. TV=GONE, BB, GONE. EX-cellent.

2.) I'm taking a crocheting lesson this afternoon! I'm taking the wool for my cousin's daughter's afghan and getting it started. I've tried a few times, and the book is good and all, but finally I just decided the $35 was worth it for an hour of instruction to start me off. w00t!

3.) Plans are being made to see Seminar in NYC next month. Oh. Yes. Alan. Rickman. ON. STAGE. *sigh*

4.) Watched an episode of Man v. Food on the Travel Channel and... I need to try bacon-wrapped tater tots in Des Moines, IA. Like, now. It's a tater tot and a slice of pickled jalapeno wrapped in a strip of thick cut bacon and then deep-fried and topped with melted cheddar.

Yes, I am fully aware of how disgusting that sounds. Truth? Some days I can't believe I even think about food for more than five seconds because WTF?! and others I just want to get all mangia up in there.

Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/371696.html

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THIS.

Thank you to

lupislune for bringing this to my attention. Want one? They're on eBay: http://bit.ly/ytnTfC

Current Mood: calm
Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/371169.html

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Show crush!

1.) Opened a Hotmail account to use it for selling things on craigslist. First to go (I hope) a pair of black leather stiletto boots I haven't worn in ages. They're in good enough shape, I guess, I just don't wear them. If no takers, amma make someone at the Goodwill REAL happeh. Want them? They're size 6.5, I'm charging $75 for them, and they'd be the finishing touch to a killer Halloween costume, or be the perfect footwear for your next date night with a wrap dress or pretty much anything.

2.) New season of Being Human starts this weekend. "New" for the slack ass fangirl who hasn't already seen it online. :P

3.) Just had a really lovely chat on FB with a very supportive friend. Love that. Sadly, we chatted right through the golden hour between 10am and noon when they (ie Jess) say is the best time to apply for jobs. Dang. DANG THE TORPEDOES. Doing it anyway, before another week goes by.

4.) Loving "Smash"- it's like "Glee" for grownups with lots of Broadway star power (Christian Borle! Megan Hilty!) and pretty boys. And Jack Davenport talking in his regular accent. WHICH IS ACCENT OSOM.

5.) Got tired of wearing sneakers all the time, so I went to DSW and bought some flats: 2 pairs of sparkly Steve Maddens, 1 pair of Taryn Roses with flowers, and 1 pair of metallic Kenneth Cole Reactions with bows. Used a coupon on the KCs, which I can wear to work, but not sure about the other three. Don't need two pairs of shoes that are the same color AND basic style. Also? Can't really be buying $100 ballet flats. Will come to grips with this. Eventually...

Current Mood: content
Crossposts: http://lillbet.livejournal.com/370689.html

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We're having fun over here. Big fun!

LJ has been spastic lately, so I've bought a month on DW. And DW doesn't want to do an import. YAY. Fail ALL THE THINGS!

Speaking of fail-

1.) Totally exhausted. On federal hols they have free parking in Bethesda so I went into town to see a movie (more fail.) and putter around. Lotsa walking. It was good. I haven't been sleeping well and I've been a total potato de couche lately, so I think all the fresh air and exercise (hah.) did me in. The burger I had for lunch probably didn't help- tummy not thrilled with lunch choice.

2.) Puppeh's name is *drumroll* THE DUCHESS OF GREENTREE. Greentree being the street my aunt and unc live on. And it's seriously "The Duchess" or "Duchess" for short. *facepalm* C'mon, people, really? The rule is two syllables ending with a vowel and not something you'd feel stupid yelling at the top of your lungs. REALLY?

3.) Two of my fave coworkers have found other jobs and I'm still looking. Fuck. I want to be happy for them, but at the same time FUCK. Because now I'm stuck without them. Time to look harder. Or just give the hell up and start over somewhere else. FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK. Srsly, one of the gals has SUCH DRAMZ in her life (clingy, younger bf she moved in with after knowing him only 3 months and everything out her mouth has been a litany of his sins FOR FUCK'S SAKE WHY IS SHE STILL WITH HIM?) I'm surprised she even had time to find this job of osom she now has. Anyway, happy for them but a teensy bit [selfishly] sad for me. :(

4.) Watching a rebroadcast of Downton S2S1 and looking for icons. I have 100 of them now. Check that out- a paid account with 100 icons for one month for $3. Aces! And so is this rapidly cooling green tea. YUMMERS.