Well, this year's January Thaw has been quite interesting.

My family living in the Midwest are all safe.

If you have 60-70 degree highs in the Midwest in January, trench to drain the water from the melting snow, and make sure your basement is accessible.

When the warmth breaks things tend to go like this:

Rain Flood Lightning Tornado Freeze Snow

and then if you aren't ready you're stuck in half a house without power and frozen in a flood.

Prepare, folks. Don't let that be you!

Date:	2008-01-04 17:14
Subject:	Happy New Year
Security:	Public
Mood:	ecstatic and accomplished

Happy New Year!

I'm not making any resolutions.

Here are some projects I'm working on:

On reaching a size 18-20: I am finally fitting into my Size 24 work slacks!
I was in a size 30 a year and a half ago, and wondering if I would need to go higher,
so this is great progress for me!

On repairing my car: By the end of 2008 I want to have a couple of ramps and the tools necessary to
change my own oil. I'd like to be changing my oil and changing out the rear brakes.
So far I have the Haynes Manual for the car.

On getting rid of clutter: I've made a lot of progress, but I need to go through the bins by my desk this weekend
and clean the garage before the summer heat hits.

So far, so good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQQOeT6ld3A

Date:	2007-11-12 18:05
Subject:	can't seem to get away...
Security:	Public
Mood:	depressed

I have to sign off on my dad's funeral arrangements.

Joy.

I really don't want to have to deal with that whole ball of wax for another twenty years or so, so he's not allowed to die until

I hit 54.

meh.

Date:	2007-11-06 17:18
Subject:	Spike is home.
Security:	Public
Mood:	accomplished

Well, his ashes are, anyway.

In a nice little cedar box, with his name on it, and locked.

Also a cast of his hind paw (he was polydactyl on his front paw).

In other news, We have a couch, so people can visit and sit,

and I'm getting the house cleaned up.

Yay.

Date:	2007-11-05 17:24
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	tired

I went to see a psychiatrist on the 31st and she started me on a medication for depression and anxiety.

I go to see a therapist on the 29th and see the psychiatrist on the 12th of next month.

The medication seems to be helping, a lot.

*fingers crossed*

Date:	2007-10-24 19:51
Subject:	In Memoriam
Security:	Public
Mood:	devastated
Music:	something dark and funereal as soon as I can find it.

Spike died peacefully at the vet's office tonight after being unable to keep anything down, not eating, and not drinking.




http://www.zooomr.com/photos/awahili3/3581390/

Date:	2007-10-18 19:20
Subject:	Shameless Plug
Security:	Public
Mood:	exhausted

Now that Spike is EATING AGAIN, I need to get rid of stuff to pay the vet bills.

My ebay account is shadowscoutjewelry. If you see anything there, please help me get rid of it.

Thanks!

Date:	2007-10-09 18:43
Subject:	RIAA Membership list
Security:	Public
Mood:	annoyed

Boycott these labels:

http://riaa.com/aboutus.php?content_selector=aboutus_members

Date:	2007-10-09 17:07
Subject:	What in THE HELL????????????
Security:	Public
Mood:	enraged
Music:	None yet

Two stories, lots of bullshit, grab your hip waders!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/09/michigan.primary/index.html --Obviously the Democratic National Committee is overstepping its bounds and needs to be disbanded for infringing on the People's right to vote.

http://www.dailytech.com/RIAA+Eyes+Next+Possible+Targets+CD+Burners+Radio+Listeners/article9218.htm --DOWN WITH THE RIAA


http://www.riaaradar.com Find out if your favorite band is kosher or rotten.

I feel like downloading some MP3's......

from Maureenlycaon

http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/Articles/000,015.htm

Please read the article all the way through before you flame me.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/opinion/a-fundamental-wrong-in-letting-some-marry/2007/03/30/1174761750887.html

Date:	2007-10-04 13:35
Subject:	quick update and note to customer
Security:	Public
Mood:	anxious

Spike is better, he goes to the vet after work today.

Hubby's review is tommorrow. *crosses fingers*

Note to Customer:

(angry male voice) "You guys should pay someone to answer the phones. This is costing you business." (hang up)

Calling in at 7:45 am, before we open, and complaining about the fact that there is not a
human to answer the phone, without leaving a name and phone number, is stupid.

Since you left the message after listening to the whole after hours message,
including the part that states that our hours as from 8 am to 4 pm, you are
truly an idiot.

Please by all means go elsewhere.

Asshat.

Whew! Now I feel better.

1. Go to Career Cruising, www.careercruising.com
2. Put in Username: nycareers and Password: landmark.
3. Take their "Career Matchmaker" questions.
4. Post the top twenty results
5. Put the careers you have seriously considered in bold.

1. GIS Specialist
2. Mining Engineer
3. Meteorologist
4. Cartographer
5. Survey Tech
6. Paleontologist
7. Geologist
8. Land Surveyor
9. Oceanographer
10. Environmental Engineer
11. Industrial Engineering Tech
12. Civil Engineer
13. Chemical Engineering Tech
14. Agronomist
15. Chemist
16. Scientist
17. Chemical Engineer
18. Astronomer
19. Hydrologist / Hydrogeologist
20. Real Estate Appraiser

I will take my cat immediately to the vet when he throws up blue crap.
I will take my cat immediately to the vet when he throws up blue crap.
I will take my cat immediately to the vet when he throws up blue crap.
I will take my cat immediately to the vet when he throws up blue crap.
I will take my cat immediately to the vet when he throws up blue crap.
I will take my cat immediately to the vet when he throws up blue crap.
I will take my cat immediately to the vet when he throws up blue crap.

(that was for maureenlycaon)

Spike, one of my cats, decided to drink out of the toilet.
He turned yellow. (Jaundice, liver damage)
I found a vet who takes payments and got him in Thursday afternoon.
He came home Friday.
Spike is doing better. We will be taking him in to have his liver checked in three weeks.
He has 10 days of subcutaneous fluids, a 1x day pill, a 2x day pill, and a liquid medicine.

He has started eating again and says that he wants out of the bathroom.

In other news, the ex-landlady used normal wear and tear on the house and issues that we let her and her manager know about
as an excuse for not refunding our security deposit.

We are tabling taking action (asking dieties to smite, consulting a lawyer, rating her on rate a landlord websites, writing her a pointed rebuttal) until after Spike gets better.

Date:	2007-09-04 20:07
Subject:	the whole senator craig thing and other stuff
Security:	Public
Mood:	tired

With the media feeding frenzy surrounding this case, and having listened to the police report, I've come to the following conclusions:

1) Senator Craig is very heterosexual. He didn't hit on the officer. He totally does not ping gaydar.

2) Said officer is very probrably guilty of entrapment.

3) Senator Craig, while not guilty, is very STUPID for not hiring a lawyer in the first place, and for believing the police when they told him that he could plea and make it go away.

That's about all for that.


I hear that Felix the Cat... 5 made landfall in Nicaragua today. Head for high ground, folks. A lot of rain's in his bag of tricks.

Hurricane Henrietta is looking to slide up Baja California. Yes, I know that the "forecast" has it making a right into the Mexican coast, but they haven't been that accurate lately. I'm hoping for landfall in Yuma or the head of the Gulf by Mexicali as a strong tropical storm. We really, really really need the rain.

ANy bets on when the Bush Administration's going to make up an incident forcing us into Iran? I've heard that the targets are already selected (per the UK press and the Daily Kos) and that the ammo is allocated. What was YOUR soldier doing this weekend?

The heat's sapping everything of strength out here. Bleh. Where's fall?

Date:	2007-09-02 13:40
Subject:	@#(*& earthquake
Security:	Public
Mood:	angry

OK, so a 4.7 hits many miles away, and it seems that a couple of things fell of the shelf and broke.

GRR.

goddamn love-rayleigh waves.

Date:	2007-08-30 21:06
Subject:	Sci-Fi movie: Megasnake
Security:	Public
Mood:	amused

(aired on Sci-Fi channel in my area at 7 PDT tonight)

Aside from the lame title, the movie was interesting.

It looks like the screenwriters took the snake tales from Mooney's Myths of the Cherokee and put them in a blender for the storyline.

They get points for source rarity and originality.

It was rather predictable and easy to follow but that's expected with made for cable stuff.

(no spoilers)

Date:	2007-08-27 17:08
Subject:	Porcine Air Force and shameless plugs
Security:	Public
Mood:	chipper

My husband sent me an email at work a couple of weeks ago about Van Halen getting back together with David Lee Roth entitled "Pigs have Flown".

With Gonzales's resignation, in addition to the resignations of Rove and (iirc) Snow, I think that the pigs have formed the Porcine Air Force.


In other news:

I'm getting back into selling Mary Kay and Avon.

I now accept credit cards at my Mary Kay website, so go shop!

It's at http://www.marykay.com/mantonelli1 .

I use Mary Kay's Timewise 3-in-one Cleanser for normal to Oily skin, and the Miracle Set. It works really well for me.

If you are going to be or are in the Coachella Valley of California and want to host a skincare class shoot me an email through the website and

I will call to set one up. Hostesses get discounts on product and neat free gifts!



For Avon, if you decide to order online and want me to receive credit, simply email me at

marykantonelli at gmail dot com for the phone number that you can put in for your representative.

Avon has nifty dry nail polish called Instant Manicure. I highly recommend it. It's a lot easier for me

to use than wet nail polish, and it's dry when it goes on.


Both companies have great color, but I cannot recommend any Avon skincare products since they've managed to discontinue everything that I used.

Exceptions: The Anew Eye lift works as advertised.


That's all for now.

Date:	2007-08-12 20:08
Subject:	Moved at last.
Security:	Public
Mood:	cheerful

Our search for a new home started in March.

We looked and watched, waiting for the rents to come down to something reasonable.

Finally, in July, we started looking at actual apartments and found one a mile from work for 70 dollars a month more than our rental home.

We moved in on Aug 4, the day after my birthday. The move shot to hell plans for a dinner out and such, but it's worth it- the new place has

400 square feet more space (think a 40 x 10 foot addition) and is laid out much better.

My husband and I have room to breathe and a real living area and space for ritual. We have figurines (which need to be quake-puttied to their furniture) that haven't been seen out of their boxes in two years.

I am happy, despite the drama surrounding my daewoo blowing a gasket.

I am very happy to see things coming together.

(That, folks, is the reason for my absence)