Random post.
Dennis was in an unusually good mood yesterday. Why? He bought a bunch of kitchen implements the other day, for one thing. The orange smoothies might have given him an extra boost, too. Seriously, the man was bubbly. No yelling at traffic or anything.
Just need to keep him from doing something that'll mess up the good mood. There's the tricky part.
And did anyone else hear what Zach and Sarah named their cat? Pookie! Funfun. :)
Monday, January 30, 2006
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Sorry, I'm delirious.
I survived rural Alabama.
The first night, after looking at ritzy outdoor toilets, a bird watching tower, and a church, we arrived at this bar and grill in Faunsdale. Faunsdale is not politically correct. Rebel flags hanging everywhere in this place, and a parking sign that was "Confederate Only." Finas had a few things to say about that...
It amazes me sometimes that the cheapest thing on a menu is $8 and it takes - I kid you not - over an hour to get the thing to your table. Cheeseburger, man. Cheeseburger.
We were so hungry we stole crackers from another table and divided them up. Savored the crackers, even. And all of the conversation centered around food, which helped not at all. Amanda was nice enough to let us have her leftover fries. They disappeared in less than 15 seconds.
By the time we finally got our food and ate, it was something like 10:30 and most of us were ready to crash. So we did.
The first night, after looking at ritzy outdoor toilets, a bird watching tower, and a church, we arrived at this bar and grill in Faunsdale. Faunsdale is not politically correct. Rebel flags hanging everywhere in this place, and a parking sign that was "Confederate Only." Finas had a few things to say about that...
It amazes me sometimes that the cheapest thing on a menu is $8 and it takes - I kid you not - over an hour to get the thing to your table. Cheeseburger, man. Cheeseburger.
We were so hungry we stole crackers from another table and divided them up. Savored the crackers, even. And all of the conversation centered around food, which helped not at all. Amanda was nice enough to let us have her leftover fries. They disappeared in less than 15 seconds.
By the time we finally got our food and ate, it was something like 10:30 and most of us were ready to crash. So we did.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Applause for karma.
Follow-up on my mini-rant in Miki's blog the other day.
Punishment has been dealt by myself (I made Dennis push the shopping cart while I looked for spiffy cooking implements and foodstuffs) and by a reigning force in the nerd universe - the tech guys who run maintenance on online video game servers. No World of Warcraft yesterday. Mwahahaha!
Yeah, I guess I wasn't hard enough on him. But thanks to the uber-nerds, I think he kinda got the point. What am I saying? He's male. He's gonna screw up. Hopefully he'll get really good at making up for his mistakes.
Punishment has been dealt by myself (I made Dennis push the shopping cart while I looked for spiffy cooking implements and foodstuffs) and by a reigning force in the nerd universe - the tech guys who run maintenance on online video game servers. No World of Warcraft yesterday. Mwahahaha!
Yeah, I guess I wasn't hard enough on him. But thanks to the uber-nerds, I think he kinda got the point. What am I saying? He's male. He's gonna screw up. Hopefully he'll get really good at making up for his mistakes.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Salivation ensued.
Okay, well. I'm no longer freaking out. Got some important tasks finished already, and I'm looking forward to dinner at Old Venice with Dennis and the Blasphemous Bible Gang (and guests).
Let me brag on Chef Man's skills. I've had the pleasure of eating TWO dishes a la Dennis this week. Italian chicken breast with potatoes neopolitan one night, and diced chicken, andouille sausage, red and yellow peppers, and moro oranges in a combination of sauces. The yellow peppers picked up a lot of the sweet flavor from the oranges. My tongue was having an orgasm, I believe. Add a little goat cheese for a creamy texture. *drool*
So yeah, if anyone hasn't read the really really long Bay St. Louis post, it's below the jaguar thing.
I think it is now time to read or check out something for English.
Let me brag on Chef Man's skills. I've had the pleasure of eating TWO dishes a la Dennis this week. Italian chicken breast with potatoes neopolitan one night, and diced chicken, andouille sausage, red and yellow peppers, and moro oranges in a combination of sauces. The yellow peppers picked up a lot of the sweet flavor from the oranges. My tongue was having an orgasm, I believe. Add a little goat cheese for a creamy texture. *drool*
So yeah, if anyone hasn't read the really really long Bay St. Louis post, it's below the jaguar thing.
I think it is now time to read or check out something for English.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Mental glitches at the beginning of the semester are bad. Very bad.
Hey people.
So, it's the third day of class and I'm (hopefully) getting over a meltdown. Basically, my computer isn't working properly in some areas, and I've been trying every method known to the technologically deficient to fix it.
Even iTunes crapped out on me. That was the final straw.
But I have that back now. However, Word probably isn't working now, so I'll have to reinstall it. Bleh. If that doesn't solve most of my problems, I'm going to curl up in a tiny ball in the corner and rock back and forth for a few days.
The computer problems seemed to spill over into other areas. First, I couldn't find my keys (they were in my black bag), then I went shopping for some ingredients to this insane but tasty meal Dennis cooked last night. There was only one bottle of soy sauce in the entire store, as far as I can tell. And he also asked for Andouille sausage. I could find the peppers, thankfully. That freaking sausage was well above my eye level, and there were maybe three packages of them amid the Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage.
So yeah, stressful day. Spending an hour looking for three things at Kroger is probably not the best way to end it. Grr.
I'm gonna make some hot chocolate now. Then go to physics. And then maybe go find a tranquilizer.
So, it's the third day of class and I'm (hopefully) getting over a meltdown. Basically, my computer isn't working properly in some areas, and I've been trying every method known to the technologically deficient to fix it.
Even iTunes crapped out on me. That was the final straw.
But I have that back now. However, Word probably isn't working now, so I'll have to reinstall it. Bleh. If that doesn't solve most of my problems, I'm going to curl up in a tiny ball in the corner and rock back and forth for a few days.
The computer problems seemed to spill over into other areas. First, I couldn't find my keys (they were in my black bag), then I went shopping for some ingredients to this insane but tasty meal Dennis cooked last night. There was only one bottle of soy sauce in the entire store, as far as I can tell. And he also asked for Andouille sausage. I could find the peppers, thankfully. That freaking sausage was well above my eye level, and there were maybe three packages of them amid the Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage.
So yeah, stressful day. Spending an hour looking for three things at Kroger is probably not the best way to end it. Grr.
I'm gonna make some hot chocolate now. Then go to physics. And then maybe go find a tranquilizer.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
I saw this, and it made me think of you, Jenn.
Post-Bay St. Louis update below. :)
| The Jaguar Spirit You scored 65% Creativity, 49% Compassion, 55% Strength, and 58% Intelligence! |
| You are a Jaguar Spirit. You move like a predator, and enjoy the night. You are agile and graceful, and have amazing night vision. You tend to be solitary, but sometimes get along with one or two others. Jaguars are very wild spirits with strong wills. Don't forget my two other spiritual tests: Sitakaliism Test Paganism Test, my political test: The Liberal Test, and my Biology Test |
 |
My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
|
| Link: The Spirit Animal Test written by sitakali on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test |
...And then we were able to get the fifteen-foot-long boat out of the tree.
Hello to everyone in civilized places.
I'm back in Starkville after a week of picking through rubble and hauling timbers that date back to the 1860s. It's nice to be clean again and not have to worry about gnats, broken glass, and rusty hardware. Or the possibility of encountering leaking sewage or rotting flesh.
The first couple of days we went back to the tents sore, tired, and eaten by insects that are usually only active in the spring. Unfortunately, Meaghan and I hadn't brought flip flops for the showers, and none were available at what was left of the closest Wal-Mart. So we got in my car, met Dennis and one of his cousins at the Diamondhead exit, and drove to Gulfport.
How random is this? In the deli section, somebody asks "Is your name Meredith?" I'm tired and a little paranoid, because I don't know who this woman is who's speaking. Turns out it was my sister's friend's mom. How she knew who I am, I have no idea. Then we turn down the beer aisle (I'm pushing the cart, just so I can lean against it whenever we stop) and run into her again. Thanks, Dennis, now my sister's friend's mom thinks we were going to get drunk or something.
But anyway, we drove back in Zombie mode (and almost took out some nut who was standing in the middle of the road), got our showers and crashed out.
The second day we were joined by an arborist named Kyle. She had been staying with some friends in the area, but decided after getting stuck in a traffic jam that it would be easier to pitch a tent in a clearing on the site than to drive back and forth every day.
Wednesday. More work, less fatigue and soreness. Good thing, because Dennis took me to dinner in Gulfport. Tasty, tasty. We got a piece of cheesecake to share and took it back to his house. Watched some Scrubs, met the dogs, said hi to the parents.
However, there is another down side to living on the coast besides hurricanes. Fog. Freakishly thick fog. I wound up sleeping in his sister's room. Too dangerous to drive down the partially nonexistant roads in Bay and Waveland in that stuff, plus I'd feel bad sending him home in that mess.
And then the President came into town Thursday. Took up nearly two hours of our work time, made us late for lunch, and held us up again as we were trying to get back to the site.
The Secret Service guys were waaaaaaaay more amusing than they should be. We watched them search under an uprooted tree and in every one of the porta-potties. Right after they went further down the road, a FedEx truck drives up and drops of a delivery (presumably for the construction company working nearby. One cardboard box, one metal cube. The metal cube sat there. Whenever a worker was coming across the road, one of his buddies would say "Hey! Bring that over here, would ya?" Every one just looked at it and gave the "Heck no, I'm not that dumb" face. Had it been a bomb, I would've been screwed.
But yeah, the motorcade rolled through, and I got all the hooplah on video.
Almost got run over by one of the big black SUVs.
Then came the middle-aged people from North Carolina. How they had so much energy at 10 p.m. after a 13 hour drive, I don't know. Started making more noise than I've ever heard. And the tents amplify everything. Hair dryers. Bad.
Who would've thought a college kid would be trying to shut up a bunch of old people?
The kicker was the guy who decided to be a rooster the next morning.
Quiet hours were 8 p.m. to 7 a.m., by the way.
Got to the site (rain, eww) and we were greeted with the unmistakable smell of decomposition. Option one: exposed sewage. Option two: dead animal. Option three: dead person. And it was concentrated in the corner where we needed to work that day. Of course Ellis (a local who helped coordinate with Heritage Conservation Network) had to tell us a story of a friend who found a human leg when she was allowed to enter her home.
The locals were really nice to us, too. One guy was baking bread that day, and he brought us a loaf. :) Nobody was nearly as thrilled with the presidential tour. Ahh, and we had some press exposure, too. I'm stock footage for a New Orleans news station, and a potential story picture for the Atlanta Journal Constitution. One other news crew, too, but I don't remember which one ...
So yeah, we got a lot accomplished, but the amount of material still untouched could take another month to sort. Between the lumber, furniture, photographs, Nazi paraphanalia, roofing materials, hardware, glass, and whatever was making the decomposition smell, the next few salvage groups have their work cut out for them.
But now it is time for sleep. Good night.
I'm back in Starkville after a week of picking through rubble and hauling timbers that date back to the 1860s. It's nice to be clean again and not have to worry about gnats, broken glass, and rusty hardware. Or the possibility of encountering leaking sewage or rotting flesh.
The first couple of days we went back to the tents sore, tired, and eaten by insects that are usually only active in the spring. Unfortunately, Meaghan and I hadn't brought flip flops for the showers, and none were available at what was left of the closest Wal-Mart. So we got in my car, met Dennis and one of his cousins at the Diamondhead exit, and drove to Gulfport.
How random is this? In the deli section, somebody asks "Is your name Meredith?" I'm tired and a little paranoid, because I don't know who this woman is who's speaking. Turns out it was my sister's friend's mom. How she knew who I am, I have no idea. Then we turn down the beer aisle (I'm pushing the cart, just so I can lean against it whenever we stop) and run into her again. Thanks, Dennis, now my sister's friend's mom thinks we were going to get drunk or something.
But anyway, we drove back in Zombie mode (and almost took out some nut who was standing in the middle of the road), got our showers and crashed out.
The second day we were joined by an arborist named Kyle. She had been staying with some friends in the area, but decided after getting stuck in a traffic jam that it would be easier to pitch a tent in a clearing on the site than to drive back and forth every day.
Wednesday. More work, less fatigue and soreness. Good thing, because Dennis took me to dinner in Gulfport. Tasty, tasty. We got a piece of cheesecake to share and took it back to his house. Watched some Scrubs, met the dogs, said hi to the parents.
However, there is another down side to living on the coast besides hurricanes. Fog. Freakishly thick fog. I wound up sleeping in his sister's room. Too dangerous to drive down the partially nonexistant roads in Bay and Waveland in that stuff, plus I'd feel bad sending him home in that mess.
And then the President came into town Thursday. Took up nearly two hours of our work time, made us late for lunch, and held us up again as we were trying to get back to the site.
The Secret Service guys were waaaaaaaay more amusing than they should be. We watched them search under an uprooted tree and in every one of the porta-potties. Right after they went further down the road, a FedEx truck drives up and drops of a delivery (presumably for the construction company working nearby. One cardboard box, one metal cube. The metal cube sat there. Whenever a worker was coming across the road, one of his buddies would say "Hey! Bring that over here, would ya?" Every one just looked at it and gave the "Heck no, I'm not that dumb" face. Had it been a bomb, I would've been screwed.
But yeah, the motorcade rolled through, and I got all the hooplah on video.
Almost got run over by one of the big black SUVs.
Then came the middle-aged people from North Carolina. How they had so much energy at 10 p.m. after a 13 hour drive, I don't know. Started making more noise than I've ever heard. And the tents amplify everything. Hair dryers. Bad.
Who would've thought a college kid would be trying to shut up a bunch of old people?
The kicker was the guy who decided to be a rooster the next morning.
Quiet hours were 8 p.m. to 7 a.m., by the way.
Got to the site (rain, eww) and we were greeted with the unmistakable smell of decomposition. Option one: exposed sewage. Option two: dead animal. Option three: dead person. And it was concentrated in the corner where we needed to work that day. Of course Ellis (a local who helped coordinate with Heritage Conservation Network) had to tell us a story of a friend who found a human leg when she was allowed to enter her home.
The locals were really nice to us, too. One guy was baking bread that day, and he brought us a loaf. :) Nobody was nearly as thrilled with the presidential tour. Ahh, and we had some press exposure, too. I'm stock footage for a New Orleans news station, and a potential story picture for the Atlanta Journal Constitution. One other news crew, too, but I don't remember which one ...
So yeah, we got a lot accomplished, but the amount of material still untouched could take another month to sort. Between the lumber, furniture, photographs, Nazi paraphanalia, roofing materials, hardware, glass, and whatever was making the decomposition smell, the next few salvage groups have their work cut out for them.
But now it is time for sleep. Good night.
Monday, January 09, 2006
It's a rocket ship!
Good morning, all you lovely people who are back at school. I made it to the coast (yay). Saw Dennis for a few minutes yesterday. Anyway, I'm right on the beach, which only means that there is nothing standing for a few miles except a few very old, twisted trees. There are several volunteer groups lodging here at the I Care Village. Pictures forthcoming. Sometime. Most likely when I get back to State because I'm on one of the Foundation's computers.
Yep, woke up this morning to what I'm assuming was a helicoptor or a plane. But now it's off to breakfast. Work starts at 8:30.
Yep, woke up this morning to what I'm assuming was a helicoptor or a plane. But now it's off to breakfast. Work starts at 8:30.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Toothpaste, underwear, comb, work boots ... yeah, I think I'm ready to go!
Still packing. I've gotta pick up some puncture-resistant boots tonight or tomorrow and make sure to grab my hammer from my room Saturday. Plus I think I'm getting a tool belt. Ooooooooooooooh. It's been a very butchy holiday season for me. If I didn't like guys so much, I'd swear I'm turning into a lesbian.
Anyhoo, I'll try to take some pictures while I'm down there. I'll also try not to die or get maimed or abducted. All that fun stuff.
And it seems I'll be staying in a big tent with all the other volunteers at the entrance of Buccaneer State Park. Pretty close to the beach. Fortunately the temperature isn't supposed to go lower than the mid-forties.
Toodles.
Anyhoo, I'll try to take some pictures while I'm down there. I'll also try not to die or get maimed or abducted. All that fun stuff.
And it seems I'll be staying in a big tent with all the other volunteers at the entrance of Buccaneer State Park. Pretty close to the beach. Fortunately the temperature isn't supposed to go lower than the mid-forties.
Toodles.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Doesn't everybody want Cinderella on a stick?
Recovering from this weekend. I got a definite "yes" from my parents about Bay St. Louis. :D Just need to fax my registration form tomorrow and get confirmation. I'll be gone Friday night if everything goes smoothly there.
So anyway ...
I'll post some pics on Facebook eventually. Too lazy to do it now.
Yeah ... I think I'm gonna go put something in a box.
So anyway ...
I'll post some pics on Facebook eventually. Too lazy to do it now.
Yeah ... I think I'm gonna go put something in a box.
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