I figured out the problem with my archive links, but while I was working on it Blogger replaced my template with an entirely different web site. It published my words over someone else's page. I've had to take the site down altogether until I rebuild the template and get caught up on updates.

I'm not happy about having to take happy-clicker down.

The man downtown who hovers around the 3rd & Union bus stop, trying to hand out his fliers and ranting about Jesus in a barely recognizable cross between English and Religious Fanaticism, was getting more extreme today. I think his yelling was starting to scare people.

I'm listening to Not a Pretty Girl by Ani Defranco thinking this song is why I always thought I was supposed to know her music.

Unlike Izzy, Walker remembered to pick up his girlfriend's girlfriend.

I paid a donut fee of two donuts plus a Shannon tax of two donuts for the ride home with my fundraiser Krispy Kremes that came in today.

This is such a low energy day. I feel like I'm trying to breathe extra thick air.

It's kind of freaky how no one has mentioned the fact that I was out Friday, not even Ted. The closest he came was asking how my weekend was, correcting to three-day weekend. It's as if they psychically know this isn't something that should be brought up, or else they all resent me for taking a Friday off when I'm not really "sick"

I have the most messed up skin, I think sometimes. It seems to be at the most clear right before my period.

I heard Jennifer on the phone saying she's planning to go to a pro-troops rally to balance out the number of anti-war protests. I'm' afraid this is another issue that's becoming polarized when it really isn't. Just as it's entirely possible to be both pro-choice and pro-life (only politics makes you choose one) I don't think there's anyone anti-troops anymore than there's someone pro-abortion.

Those of us who are anti-war support the troops by wanting them home safe and not fighting a war we don't believe in. No, 'they signed up for it' is not a legitimate justification to send people off to kill and be killed any more than my taking a data entry job justified my getting an RSI. Every death I hear about on either side, I think about the families who are hearing the news and mourning.

We also hope the war succeeds in the end, so these people won't have died pointlessly, even though we don't believe in the cause.

I showed my new pens to Tom and traded a blue one for a silver sharpie.

I think I'm going to dye my hair for Paul's birthday.

I get no rides to work this week. Andrew starts training at his new job in Issaquah, 8:00 am, so we left at the same time. He was going to drive me to the bus stop at least but it's actually faster on foot than by car.

Walking to the bus tunnel this morning a man tried to sell me a Real Change paper. Then as I was walking by he says in a near cartoon-like voice, "Your nose is red, just like mine!" Wha???

Andrew told me that Starbucks all have wireless connections now. I said that means I no longer have a need to go home, as long as I have my laptop.

This turned into a discussion of how easy it would be to live with a low paying job, no permanent residence, and a laptop as long as you have enough friends to couch/bed surf.

Expenses for food, car, cell phone, storage unit, net connection (drizzle shell account), PO Box—am I missing any?—would leave all kinds of spare cash even with my job. I think we've found our backup plan for the next major unemployment.

This is reminding me of a 7th grade math class project that was supposed to teach the difficulty of being a high school drop out but the results are coming out the wrong way.

Another shiny thing acquired—oil slick colored nail polish!

I escaped the office supply store without spending outrageous amounts of money but I did come out with the best pens ever. They have clear ink and write in color!

Andrew's birthday present finally came in, a couple days too late for the party. Unfortunately it looked bigger in the picture, and so while we both thought he was getting a vampire Badtz Maru messenger bag, it's more of a Badtz Maru purse.

Overheard quote of the night from the game: "Someone must have bred in the wrong place."

Last night must have gone later than I thought. I accidently used Andrew's toothbrush this morning.

The sixteen hour Advanced Civ game finally ended at 6:30 am this morning. Around 6 someone noticed that it was getting light out so I finally went to bed just because I hate trying to go to sleep when it's light out. I used to stay up all night in Maine and go to bed around five trying to beat the sunrise.

Andrew came to bed at 7 and I asked who won. I only remember that he came in somewhere in the middle, and ahead of the other Andrew because it's important that the proper Andrew wins.

Andrew's birthday at Gameworks:

They gave us Mardi Gras beads at the door. Shannon, Gwen and I picked out our colors. Some guy tried to get them later for a contest (whoever gets the most wins) but we wouldn't give them up.

My arm is sore from air hockey. There is no good air hockey left in Seattle since Hi-Score closed. Gameworks has a team game that starts throwing three pucks out at you. You didn't even get to serve yourself. I'm used to playing air hockey very aggressively so the hardest part of teams is trying not to run over the person next to me.

I ended up with a bad blood sugar crash at the end followed by a panic attack. From there it was decided that I wouldn't be going into work, and convinced Andrew to call in for me, and that I would be staying at his apartment where I wouldn't have to be alone. I was planning to go after work and watch the game anyway.

I thought I've been doing so much better since it's been noticeably post-solstice. Andrew says I can't put off calling a doctor until next winter as I had planned.

I had to run home to get the power cord for my laptop, offered to play errand girl. Protests started downtown at 3 so I had to avoid downtown getting back since bus service would be disrupted. I feel like I should be joining the protests myself, but ever since New Years when a nonsensical protest march led to pepper spraying the fairies, I've been wary of the real thing.

All day board games draw a lot of female spectators. I've used the day to catch up on updates. I've farther behind than I thought, still typing.

Gwen: I'm a bad boyfriend. I keep forgetting I have a girlfriend.
Brett: No, that's about standard.

According to NARAL this is also Back Up Your Birth Control Day.

As part of this national day of action, Washington NARAL volunteers and staff will be demonstrating to increase awareness about emergency contraception on Capitol Hill at the corner of Broadway and Pine from 3 - 6 pm. Please come out and join us or stop by to show your support, sign a petition supporting increased access to emergency contraception and get informational cards you can distribute yourself.

The idea sounds good but the timing seems really off.

Izzy was supposed to pick me up from work to help transport the no-longer-secret cake I made for Andrew's birthday. Shannon was helping me decide how late I should expect Izzy to show up on Izzy-time—we decided 6:00. I gave up realistically at nearly 5:30 and called Andrew to see if Izzy had come home yet. Turns out he forgot about me after all.

I have to correct what I said about ending up on Tom's mailing list. He told me that the things he sends are entirely intentional because he thought I'd find them funny.

Paul told me he thought about me last night because Judi is making him do laundry and asked him to do a load of darks. he said that must be all I do. I told him about goth Woolite.

The big debate seems to be if the first day of spring is today or tomorrow. Even the calendars don't agree.

Happy birthday Andrew, as well as happy Can't-be-drafted-if-the-war-gets-that-far-cause-I'm-too-old day.

Well speaking of political discussions with co-workers, I seem to have ended up on Tom's mailing list. Last time I got "Fwd: FW: Barbies that didn't make the cut". Now I just got the "lesson of the day" which advocates punching peace activists in the nose to prove a point.

Shannon helped me make a black forest cake from scratch for Andrew's birthday tomorrow. I made it four layers high and then it wouldn't fit in the cake dome!

I'm getting confused. Are we at war now?

I avoid political discussions at work but that doesn't stop me from listening. I overheard today someone agreeing with boycotting France because of (paraphrased) "everything we've done for them."

For the record, I'm against the war. Most of the country, most of the world, and the Pope are against the war. I believe its real purpose is for Bush Jr. to finish what Daddy started. Even Bush Sr. has told Junior to calm down at this point.

This renaming of anything "French" is ridiculous, not to mention inaccurate. (French fries, french toast are not French!) The U.S. is once again throwing a temper tantrum because we don't get our way. How does it make someone no longer your friend when they're only trying to talk some sense into you?

Homeland security? I'm starting to feel a lot less secure every day as we anger the world with our pompous attitude. Expecting a country to disarm and not fight back when we attack them is ridiculous too. When we go to war with Iraq and they attack back, it's not terrorism, it's war.

Paul told me that they don't like to move people in my company when they're doing a good job where they're at. "I guess I should start doing badly then." I guess this supports my idea that I have no hope of ever moving anywhere at my job and should find even another office job elsewhere.

I wondered what would happen if I applied to every (warehouse) job posted at work to make a point.

Andrew and I were wearing the same shirt this morning.

I'm going to post today's updates and fill in the last week(s) soon, as I get them typed. I didn't want today's commentary to become out of date by the time I get caught up.

The Seattle Times had a sidebar headlined, "Web logs offer 2 views of war." It looks like someone was trying to get new words to fit their spellchecker.

I didn't eat at Taco Del Mar today.

Andrew called me at work to say he can't find any mention of the existence of this job fair. I wasn't expecting much but this is even less!

I finally talked to Pete last night so he's not dead and I'm not forgotten. He wasn't able to find his way over and I'm busy for the rest of the week so I get no Pete-love.

Andrew and I are going to a job fair after work. I no longer have any faith in job fairs to do anything for me so this is probably more for his benefit. I'm just going for the toys.

Jason: Have you ever measured one of your thighs to see if it's bigger than your head?

I told him (besides 'no') that he lacks tact (though I love him anyway) and to stop looking at my thighs. He said he just thinks I have a small had. "Stop looking at my head?"

At least I can trust his opinion when I ask, "Does this skirt make me look lumpy?" Every girl needs someone who won't run from that question.

I ate at Taco Del Mar today, first time since Thursday. Oscar smiled at me a lot while I was ordering but didn't say anything.

Since Friday I've: cut up the roof of my mouth with on Subway bread, ate a salad with vinaigrette dressing (acid) within hours of the damage, burned the roof of my mouth on instant mashed potatoes and bit my lip. I'm trying to figure out if I have a sore throat or if I've just hurt myself to much over the weekend.

I forgot that St. Patrick's day was coming until last night at the Vogue. I had to paint my nails green and pick out my outfit to go with my clover leaf tights last night about midnight. Both of those are a yearly tradition.

I ate lunch at Subway where the girl working told me she admires my coat every time I go in and wanted to know where I got it. She said, "I didn't know you could live in Seattle this long without a long black coat. I thought they just hand them to you when you get off the plane, 'Here's your coat, here's your Doc's.'"

Everyone supposedly has dreams where you find yourself in your underwear or naked, in front of people at school. I�I've never had one of these but I�I've had ones where I go to school/work without shoes

My real life moments tend to be when I can�can't remember if I�I've brushed my hair before going out, and today I had a moment of panic when I remembered someone's little girl complimenting my Hello Kitty shirt and couldn't�t remember if I�I've already worn it this week.

Paul gave mean order from Georgia Pacific with an item that sounded awful. It was listed as 150 pound ground joint screwed female pipe. Combined with the brass nipples we have metal industry porn.

Our health insurance co-payments are being raised another $5 to $35, pretty much guaranteeing I can't afford to go to the doctor for anything short of E-bola. Taking care of Rosacea is put on hold indefinitely.

Ted said he'd give me whatever shiny things I want. Taken out of context (completely out of context—no weird coworker stuff here) it's one of the most romantic things I've been told.

This morning I found out that I can wake up at 7:05 and make the 7:17 bus. It wasn't until I was walking in that I realized I had no breakfast.

Pentagon pushing for exemption from environmental laws

Looks like that CD settlement is going to pay out—$12.60

I got hit on by the Taco Del Mar guy! I ended up with his cell phone number because it's usually easiest to just take it and never call.

Misheard quote of the day: "I turned 21 when I was 16."

Today�s chapter in my life will be known as, �The day my co-worker went psycho.�

I know I�m confusing metaphors but movies don�t have chapters to name.

I witnessed a near accident on Eastlake. The sound of a car skidding to a stop startled me to a stop in the middle of crossing the side street. (I know, not the best place to stop.) I turned in time to see a second car do the same trying not to hit the first which I think didn't think to stop for the bus in time in the rain.

I had a sudden craving for maraschino cherries right before leaving work. I stopped at the deli convenience store on my way home and picked up the last jar of cherries and a slice of pumpkin pie. I like to look around the grocery isle and take note of what random items they stock. It won't stick but for the next few days I'll know they have flavored hot chocolate and Spanish olives if I have a sudden at-any-cost craving.

The maraschino cherries were a brand I don't know, kind of waxy. I ate them skewered with a chop stick.

Many med schools halt no-consent pelvic exams

The article also says, "Most medical students today learn the basics of the pelvic exam by practicing on paid volunteers but eventually need to move on to real patients." Professional pelvic exam volunteers! Can you imagine?

Ever seen a leaky gel pen? There�s real gel in there!

I heard there was a warehouse fire about a block from SafeCo field. I could see the smoke from work when I went to lunch. I�m amazed that a fire could survive in all this rain though. I was soaked by the time I got back from lunch.

I saw the best stick person ever on the �Bloodborne Pathogens� first aid kid. The stick guy had a rather angular head and looks like his mouth is open screaming at the shock of being exposed to some awful disease.

By the time I get home from work he should know, and then I should know, and then from there we know if we�re going to Convergence this year.

Andrew ate breakfast with me this morning, unusual before work, but he had an interview right after dropping me off. I promised not to send any good thoughts since that backfired so badly last time but he doesn�t necessarily want the job so I will if that�s better. If you try to second guess fate it does what it wants anyway.

Contradictory statement of the day: "It�s raining like hell."

Ted is out for a second day. Since he didn�t mention anything about vacation, I think he�s protesting the bad origami for the last two days.

Lou offered us some thin mints and I warned him that thin mints are my weakness—that if I eat one I�ll eat the whole bag. I said that my roommate and I have gone through three boxes already.

"So she helped you buy them and you ate two of the boxes, right?"

I know I�ve already told Lou that my roommate is a �he� so I just let it go this time.

I think I�ve fixed the mini-blog. It looks like the permissions got messed up somehow. I noticed that no one was posting but no one told me it was broken until this morning.

Kadie sent me an email this morning,

I've wrote about books on stari.org, the first update this year.

Andrew won't let me dress like a goth lumberjack.

Luckily Andrew�s car problem turned out not to be the clutch and something much less expensive to fix.

I think it's time to update my soundtrack. Tears by the Cruxshadows is being added even though I wasn't sure if the song "counted" for it. All the songs on my soundtrack have intense memories attached to them that bring back the feeling of being in a movie. Tears has that feeling but what it reminds me of is the last show hearing the song live.

I'm getting overwhelmed with writing. The problem is once you start writing, you have to write more, and more until every part of your life is being documented in some place or another, juggling subjects in the proper forums and they all demand your time. It's an addiction.

First one web site would do, then you need ten, each with their own domain, publishing script, and purpose.

Should this long post go on stari.org to give that site content or here to give the weblog depth? Should I do something with all the stuff I've been writing about work? I think I've finally found a use for a livejournal.

It's hard to tell when people are actually going to find interesting. There must be a term for this, the opposite of writer's block.

A sign on Aurora: "OK cars". Not good cars, just ok.

Andrew, Andie and I went ice skating yesterday with plans to dance afterwards.

Andrew's clutch died suddenly, starting on the way back from he skating rink and ending on my street. I always hear that new drivers are supposed to ruin the clutch but I only asked to drive. I got my chance in the driver's seat while they tried to push the car into a parking spot.

We took the most twisted way to the Vogue with Jason driving us to Andie's to get her car, Andie driving us to Andrew's then to the Vogue, then back to the Vogue, and then Andrew to get in bed with me sometime very late.

I left Andrew in the morning to take the bus to work.

I played my first Hacker game with my new set with Andrew, Jeremy and Mary. Andrew won (yay Andrew!) so it has no effect on the competition with Jeremy. It's been decided that with Jeremy the games are between us and everyone else are just accessories.

Jeremy promised that interesting things would happen if Andrew and I went over to his place last night. Interesting things did happen when Andrew clipped the door of a truck in the middle of the street. Andrew stopped the car, ran back to the truck, and encountered two police officers who told him to step back on the sidewalk while they searched the truck with flashlights, and a man in handcuffs on the ground.

When they were done they turned friendly to Andrew and didn't even notice that anything had happened. Luckily no damage was done.

Andrew to Izzy: "So which girl is your reputation sleeping with tonight?"

Andrew and I stayed up late playing Earth & Beyond but unfortunately doing that after working day meant I woke up in a lot of pain.

I didn't see the snow but it was cold and icky out so I called Andrew and asked for a ride. I wanted to deal with the weather much less than I wanted to get my paycheck in the bank.

On Capital Hill we saw rain, hail, and light melty snow switching off in one minute intervals.

I've decided I could get enough content from work alone to have it's own blog. The problem is I'm sure I could get myself in a lot of trouble if the wrong people saw it, not to mention would anyone be interested?

It's the yearly "SNOW!" post. I haven't seen any myself yet, but I keep hearing...

Blogger works in Mozilla. I'm using it to post right now.

The Saddam and George show

I just found out that Danielle has a weblog. I checked my archives and saw that I've written about Danielle twice, mostly in reference to naked Jell-O wrestling. I'm surprised that I didn't write about when I first met her in person and we were both wearing kitty ears, and found out why I thought I was supposed to know her.

She left to travel after her big fundraising party where Andrew and I (and everyone else) got pencils that say, "Danielle misses you". Sometime later Andrew said to me, "Danielle misses me. My pencil says so."

Shannon: That works out really well except her Andrew sucks.

(Note: not my Andrew)

So I let Izzy shave me last night. (No Michael, not my head.) He did a star pattern, but when I looked in the mirror we both agreed it looks more like a maple leaf. I can't wait to show Andrew!

He was online last night but I at least kept myself from telling him then. I know there's a line between telling all and minute by minute updates.

It's becoming common for people to refer to temporary dyslexia, not as an actual condition but as an excuse for accidently switching something around. I'm wondering if in a few years people will call not being able to concentrate as an ADD moment.

Paul is fixated on Izzy's name for some reason. Every time he gets an order form an Izzi, usually with the 'i', he has to show it to me. Today he wrote one, 'Izzy (the girl). I typed it that way and gave him a copy.

Random thought of the day: Why can't these be in order when you give them to me to be put in order?

There was an article in the paper about the number of female inmates rising. There's a smug feeling of 'you wanted equality, now you've got it' to the article and then it outright said:

"To the dismay of feminists, some criminal justice researchers have linked the liberation of women to their increasing incarceration. If the little lady had just stayed home and minded the kids, some old-guard keepers of the peace argue, she wouldn't be in all this trouble."

Next pointing out, "The argument's a shallow one, studies suggest. Women who offend may be far from 'liberated.'" doesn't do nearly enough to overcome that 'told you so' feeling I got from the rest of the article.

If Raven's not going to answer my email, he at least needs to stop showing up in my dreams.

On top of that, I was this close to lucid dreaming. It started out too normal—getting ready for work, phone rings, see Raven's name on the caller ID and decide to answer. Standing next to my bookshelf playing with old job fair toys I think, 'I'm on the phone with Raven. I must be dreaming.' Somehow I then convinced myself that no, I'm awake. Jason and the three people in my living room when he should already have been at work didn't give it away. Raven showing up while I was still on the phone didn't give it away.

From now on, if I see Raven anywhere but at the Vogue, about midnight, as I'm leaving, I'm asleep.

My daily origami for today was an inflatable goldfish. At least it's not an inflatable sheep, but you're supposed to blow it up under the tail. It still seems dirty.

There's a nice cake set up with plates and napkins for Kermit's birthday. I'm wondering if there's a party later or if this is one of those office etiquette things where no one will be the first to take a piece.

Jennifer has a candy jar on her desk for everyone which she keeps filled at her whim. For the last couple of days it's had grandma mints with people reaching their hands to grab a handful all day. This morning I remembered a study on how restaurant mint dishes are basically bacteria breeding grounds. Best not to think about what that jar looks like on the microscopic level right now.

Of course that hasn't actually stopped me from eating them myself. I know that a sanitized world is making us unhealthy and our bodies expect a certain germ content to keep the immune system going. With mints and echinacea, I'm doing my part to help.

But the second I see Carol, with her death flu, go near them, I'm done.

I want to know why the neighbors steal our recycling bin.

One Tuesday, recycling pick-up day, I came home and our recycling bin was put away in front of the neighbor's side of the duplex. Theirs was sitting in front of mine, looking like a hint. They're essentially the same, only different enough to notice and find the whole experience strange. Our address numbers are written on the front.

Ever since, when I come home on a Tuesday they've already taken our and put it away so I can't switch them back without outright stealing it back. They seem like nice people, not the recycling bin stealing type.

I need to send out a general announcement: I have seen the interactive black cat flash animation. It's very cute. Thank you for thinking of me when you see a black cat, but I have seen it now! You can all stop sending me the link.

Here we go again... Supreme Court clears way for abortion restrictions Now Indiana has the most strict abortion restrictions in the country, including requirements that a woman be "offered pictures of what her fetus might look like". What is that supposed to mean? They take a guess?

Someone's daughter was at work today watching TV in the break room so Reading Rainbow as on. I remember watching that show but now LeVar has a moustache. I think I'm traumatized.

The best compliments come from small children and drag queens.

Tomorrow is the National Moratorium to Stop the War in Iraq. The want people to call in sick to work, close businesses, etc. to make a point. I've been thinking about this:

I'd certainly appreciate a day off, and using a sick day seems a worthy sacrifice to protest war—at least until later in the year when I realize I might need that day for actually being sick and can't afford an unpaid day off.

If I didn't go to work tomorrow, there would only be one typist. That could actually be a good thing since they don't really need two of us, but it wouldn't make any kind of point. To do that we would both have to take the day off. I've never seen that happen but I would guess that Tina and Charon would have to take over our work, and probably Va'a who tends to type his own orders anyway, possibly RD who's been busy enough taking over for Carol who's been out sick. All this would be doing is burdening our co-workers.

To really make a statement the entire company would have to close down for the day. This would: 1. Annoy our customers who would take their business elsewhere 2. Lose a day's sales and profit 3. Make another small dent in the state of the economy. None of this however would have any more impact in Washington DC than a group of protesters deciding to shut down the 520 bridge.

The new patriotism—religious intolerance. 2 lawmakers spurn Muslim's prayer, Republicans step off House floor; one says, 'It's an issue of patriotism'

I have to agree with someone's right to leave because you don't follow that religion, you don't follow any religion, because you're just plain bored. I'd have trouble arguing for our supposed right to be ignorant, and to be ignorant in the name of patriotism is appalling. Wouldn't patriotism be supporting someone's right to think differently than you? Patriotism would be any number of things but what they're calling it now.

The one who called it a matter of patriotism also said, "My god is not Mohammed." I didn't think I knew any more about the Islamic religion than the average American. What I do know comes primarily from reading books about women in Middle Eastern countries. I know that bad things are done in the name of Islam just as Christianity, that aren't a part of the religion itself. Someone who uses this as an excuse for hate needs a side by side comparison. I remember how Fauziya in Do They Hear You When You Cry? held on so closely to her faith while seeking asylum. I know that Mohammed isn't anyone's god—he was a prophet.

It's getting scary the way things are being labeled patriotic vs. unamerican. I'm seeing a 1984-like situation where definitions are changed and the past is denied. Patriotic is a flag sticker on your car and following whatever your government says. If you don't agree, you're supporting terrorism. Security is more important than privacy, than human rights. Our enemy today will have always been our enemy.

There were two articles in the paper this morning that I have to comment on.

My own copy of Hacker came today. It's like an art project. I have to cut out all the pieces with an exacto knife.

Two of my friends have just found new jobs. This is a good sign.

Neither Shannon or Walker are online tonight so I'll post my story here.

Paul asked what else exciting I did this weekend. After telling him about the cuddle party, and explaining what that is, he said I should've invited him to that instead. He said it sounded more fun than anything he did—he spent the day looking for a walker. I told him, "We had a Walker."

I had the first meeting of my book club Saturday. The bad news is I made a typo giving out my address and Paul was never able to find it. This is made all the more embarrassing by the fact that I'm the typist at work. (I always claim I use up my accuracy at work.) But we're supposed to forget that incident happened.

Otherwise it went wonderfully. I had exactly what I wanted when I first had the idea to have a book club—a group of women (and token boy(s)) discussing our lives as women. I don't know if it was because it's my group, or that I know everyone, but I wasn't shy at all.

Halfway through the Fed-Ex guy came to the door with my laptop and we got somewhat distracted. Andrew was supposed to stick around until Paul showed up to show him what real combat boots look like (not the boots I wear.) He was playing Civ and didn't realize two hours passed.

Afterwards we played Hacker and I reclaimed my title from Jeremy.