Flaming Daisy

Birthday Parties Suck

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 18:29:35 -0400

Before I begin, thank you Peter for pointing out my mistake in the last post - I evidently posted it on 'March 16', which was supposed to be 'March 26'. LOL @ me.
So I fixed that, and now it's time to blog!

My cousin Dave turned 24 on Saturday, and of course he'd be having a birthday party, so my dad and I drove up to New York to attend it.
Now, Dave is not a party person. I could only imagine what the party would be like: either wildly out of proportion for his tastes or just a small gathering.
It was the first one.

Wild, yes. Filled with people, yes. 80s themed... yes!

Which just made it worse.

What 24 year old has an 80s themed birthday party? Too much neon blinds eyes, you know! Not that I was dressed appropriately - of course I wouldn't know what the theme was until I got there.
His poor dog was howling in the basement while we jumped up and down to Michael Jackson's music. Notice I didn't say dancing. There wasn't really enough room for that.

And then I found out that Dave himself was not actually present at this part of the party.
He was downstairs with his dog.

Because, yes, his own mother organized the party somehow.

Which just made it worse. Again.

It was horrible. I spent the last half of the party in the basement petting the lovely dog and poking Dave's sides.
At least he got some nice presents.

*steals Eric Clapton vinyl record*

A Thousand Pardons

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:19:30 -0400

'kay, so... I'm failing calculus. Not a big surprise, nor a big deal - after all, it's senior year. What can the administrators do? Trap me in a cell until the left side of my brain decides to work?
I love the right side of my brain. <3

Ehh, putting that aside, I'm dreadfully sorry I haven't blogged in a while. I've been focusing on my writing a lot, and juggling that with reading for fun and reading for English class is awfully hard. Plus, American Idol and Smallville take up Tuesday to Thursday nights.
The site just isn't my highest priority, you know?

But despite that, I'm sorry.

Moving onto a somewhat more interesting topic: kitten names! I had to give two of my new kittens to Paws (sob sob), and now I'm stuck with a genderless kitty who needs a name.
Seeing as how none of my preferred names are suitable for both sexes, although a cat probably doesn't care what gender its name is generally for, I need ideas!
I was thinking Doodles, but Dad said no.
Even though it's not his cat.

If it helps any, it's a dark grey tiger cat. And please don't suggest the name Tiger. I've one named that already, though it really doesn't suit him. All he does is sleep. As a matter of fact, he's curled up on my toes right now.

Also, does anyone know how weird it is to have the gigantic 75-foot-tall tree in your backyard be cut down? There goes my summer reading shade.

New Layout... and Stuff

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:44:53 -0400

So, my 'brilliant' new layout is up. It doesn't look quite as brilliant as I intended it to, but at least it's different. Very, very different. I like the way it's stuck at the left side.
I miss the dividers under the headers, but A) they were getting old, and B) this way looks much neater. I also got rid of the all-caps headers, which I don't miss, as it seems everyone does that these days.

If you like the new layout style, please let me know - as well as if you don't like it - so I can plan future layouts accordingly. :)

There's really not much else to say. The past few weeks (or months?) have been pretty uneventful. Sure, I've got new kittens and I know I'm heading to the community college this fall, but that's nothing worth noting.
It seems like this year is going to be a dud.

Leap years usually are.

I'm still working on my novel, though not actively; I transferred it from my work computer to my recreational computer, which really wasn't my best idea seeing as how I don't work on it everyday anymore.
This computer really does not handle my writing well. Maybe I ought to get a laptop or something for it... and hope I can regain my interesting in that novel.

Well, my attempt at blogging today is pretty pitiful, so I'll leave you with this parting note: It doesn't matter if you choose Coke or Pepsi. They both taste like malted battery acid and the companies are run by fizz-heads.

Oopsy Daisy?

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:48:23 -0400

I am so incredibly sorry for the prolonged 'downtime' during the past... two weeks, I think it was? I forgot to upload my files to the FTP system. *hangs head in shame*
So during that downtime, I didn't do any work for the site. When I felt like it, I ran into assorted problems: spyware/malware, an uncooperative Paint Shop Pro, hordes of IMs from people I didn't want to talk to, etc.
But I do have a brilliant idea for a new layout. PSP apparently works fine at the moment, so I'll get started on that once I'm finished blogging.

In other news, I am now the proud owner of three baby kittens! My cat Twinky gave birth on Monday afternoon (on my dad's wing chair, I might add), and she and the kittens are all doing well. Twinky is a very patient mother. I'm not sure I could stand being in a box all day with three blind beings crawling all over me.
I don't have any pictures, but I hope to have a few soon - maybe after we find out their genders, can tell them apart, and name them.

Or just one of them, actually. I can't keep all three, seeing as how this house already had three cats and two dogs before the kittens came along. I'm actually alright with that, but it does pose a problem on which kitten I'm going to keep. I have my sights on the littlest one, even though he (she?) cries a lot. Like the other two.
Which isn't really nice, because they cry so loudly I can hear them from two rooms over. When I'm sleeping.

I think I'll name him Cosmo or Merlin. Or, if it's a girl, perhaps Mewy or Doodles will do.

A Novel Idea!

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:31:14 -0500

I'm writing a novel right now. It's a pathetic excuse for not blogging, but it's true.
What's also true is that I have a crush on my own creation. Of course, a mythical creature with such a name as Darius is hardly meant to remain inconspicuous, but still.

I'm a sad, sad person.

Excuse me while I go back to my work in progress (that will always be a work in progress :P) whilst singing Vanessa Carlton songs at the top of my lungs.

P.S. - I've lost my blogging 'touch'. I need topic ideas!
P.P.S. - Isn't it silly to not have anything to blog about, but to have a million things to put into the form of a story?

Twilight

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:31:58 -0500

I have concluded that there is nothing, nothing better than sitting in bed reading a good book with a mug of hot chocolate ready for you. What's even better than that is reading Twilight while sitting in bed with a mug of hot chocolate ready for you.

After I finished my schoolwork yesterday morning, I reached into the tote bag I carry my library books in and pulled Twilight, the story of a vampire, a human girl and love, out, and sat there rooted on my spot on the bed until I finished it.
I then re-read it, taking a break only to watch 'American Idol' and occasionally to use the restroom, and went to bed at midnight after the book survived two readings.
I can safely say that I love that book.

Twilight fascinated me, so I looked it up online. I eventually found myself looking at the FAQs on the author's website, and screamed when I found out there was a sequel, New Moon. I proceeded to look that book up, and found out that there are four books, the fourth of which is to be out later this year.

Just a few moments ago I was squealing and hugging the library-owned copy of Twilight.

My point is not that you have to go out and read the series (well, what's out right now, anyway) as soon as you're finished reading this post (although you really should :P), but that...

Okay, there is no real point to my rant. Shoot me.

I just really love vampires that don't prey upon people.

So before I sign off and head to the library to find the other two books, I just want to let you know that I added a simple new tutorial on making diagonal stripes patterns. I actually wrote it last week, but never got around to putting it up yet. Hopefully it'll be of some use.

Also, new layout on the way! :)

P.S. - Happy Valentine's Day! I wish I could give my box of chocolates to said vampire.