Written earlier:

I'm dadgummed hot in this apartment and I haven't set one foot outside. I've been "cleaning" which has suspiciously come to look like messing up the place even more. *sigh* most of the mess has just been reorganized into other boxes, but now I have keepsakes in one definate place and "just in case" items (which includes tools, batteries and campting gear) in another box.

Beautifying products are scattered across three containers. Feh. I should go through it. I barely use any of it. Do wish I had something more decorative than a Tupperware box, a shoe box and a night kit to keep these things in. But then where the hell would I put it? Between cleaning and moving I often end up giving serious thought to burning all my shit. I rarely use/look at/interact with it - and then when I do it's usually stressful.

I've found all kinds of old papers from work - mainly relating to contracts they had me sign and investment stuff. Ah it was good to chuck most of that. found many almost completely empty notebooks and many more old photographs, some going back to my 8th grade trip to the East Coast. They were all taken with them old film cameras tourists use. They're... pretty bad. But I'll go through them for any that are decent and/or meaningful. There are some from my freshman-year roommate's wedding and a few from my trip with the USC Band to the UK.

Any cheap old digital camera makes taking pictures much easier this day and so (IMHO) I take better pictures these days. It's like reading stuff I wrote ten years ago - or more. Makes me cringe. But, well, some of it I know I want to hold on to.

There's still a ton of stuff I don't know what to do with. It's all balanced precariously on top of the mess that was already carefully resting on my computer desk. If my monitor were any smaller I wouldn't be able to see it.

I think along with my t-shirt moratorium I should put a moratorium on random tchotchkes. I really, really don't need any more *stuff*. It takes up space, most of it I don't want but sort of snagged in the course of life, and I feel bad about tossing it out.

So I'm not remotely finished, but I just can't take any more for today. Plus I need to clean up and find some food before rehearsal. But I still need to get to my literary corner and the corner in front of the closet. I doubt I'll ever bother straightening out the closet. It's the only storage space I really have.

Once everything is as put away as it can get I'll vacuum. but I think I'll probably need a steam cleaner. And, since I shed like a yeti, I'll probably need a few passes before it's truly clean.

And then... the kitchen and bathroom. *sigh*
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In other news, I watched Mr & Mrs Smith the other day. I was right when it originally came out, I should have watched it on the big screen. The demolitions and the shoot-outs/car chases are the only good reasons to watch the movie. I persist in thinking that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are mediocre actors and overrated in their looks (they look fine, but I disagree about their "hawtness"). By the end I was begging the popcorn movie gods that it would end the way it should have but didn't - they die together, heroically, tragically in the final shootout. Which of course would trigger a deadman switch and blow up their respective higher ups' offices.

But oh well. I can't really remember how it ends exactly... how did they extricate themselves again? It's completely gone from my brain. Feh. Fortunately also gone are the many plot holes I know I was grumbling over when I happily tossed in the DVD in the mail to return to Netflix.

Tomorrow I'm supposed to receive Constantine. Won't have time until Sunday to watch it. Like Mr & Mrs Smith, I requested it so I can catch up to where everyone else is - which is really the whole point of joining Netflix for me. So when it comes time to pop it in I'll order a pizza, pull out some wine and grit my teeth for Mr Reeves' mediocrity.

Tomorrow I'll be busy with my first burlesque class with Bonnie! After that (of all things) I'm going to try some shopping at the Gap. I pretty much never like anything they have but my sister works there now and got me a pass for 30% off. That should take the edge off their exorbitant prices. Also, they've switched into fall gear which I find is often better suited for officewear, not to mention I like the colors better. And then I'm going to wrap up the evening again at Write Act. This time I'll be sweating it out up in the booth, listening to Lysistrata's SM call cues. We may or may not stay after for a lesson on the light and sound board.

Ok. enough dawdling.
*****************

And now, a quiz! From Firewolf!

1. What is your occupation? putter-arounder. I'm occupied by all the loose ends of my life that I had neglected due to being employed. The former loose ends are now the center of my life and I'm working on making that a good and productive thing.

2. What color are your socks right now? wow I'm actually wearing socks! they're white.

3. What are you listening to right now? Mozart's Requiem

4. Last thing you ate? terriyaki chicken bowl.

5. Can you drive a stick shift? Nope. I'm hoping the opportunity to learn will turn up soonish.

6. If you were a crayon what color would you be? indigo }:>

7. Last person you spoke with on the phone? feh. I can't recall... Ah. From checking my phone it appears it was some customer help person from Computershare. I don't really talk with people anymore. *sigh* No one calls me. Anyone I'd like to talk to claims to hate talking on the phone. feh.

8. How old are you today? 30

9. Favorite drink? chai latte!

10. Favorite movie? at this second it's Nightmare Before Christmas

11. Have you ever dyed your hair? oh my yes. I'm thinking it may be time to go again. Though I can't decide on a color or style yet.

12. Pets? N/A

13. Favorite food? hm. rocky road ice cream. or a good dragon roll. or my mom's spaghetti. Oh, I don't know.

14. What was the last movie you watched and did you like it? Mr & Mrs Smith. My review is above, but in short I sort of shrug at it.

15. What do you do to vent anger? I rarely, RARELY vent. I usually supress and become deeply depressed and alienate everyone. But I can work on exorcising it by indulging *many* unwise activities including, but not limited to, dancing my butt off at all hours, drinking like a fish and smoking up a storm. And getting laid if I can. Not that this really works...

16. What was your favorite toy as a child? *my* toys were my books. But my *favorite* toys were my brother's. He got the toy cars and tranformers and Legos. I got stupid dolls that I had no interest in.

17. What is your favorite, fall or spring? both have a lot of attractiveness. I usually like spring a lot but right now I'm yearning for fall. the smell of a wood fire, pumpkins and maybe some rain.

18. Hugs or kisses? both, please

19. Cherries or Blueberries? cherries

20. Living arrangements? currently I live in a single by myself.

21. When was the last time you cried? A week ago

22. What is on the floor of your closet? besides the carpet... um. Everything. World peace, quite possibly.

23. Who is the friend you have known the longest? That I currently have? I think Mme Black wins by just a hair. I've been looking around realizing just about all the people that I know today that I give a shit about (and I'm not related to) I met in 1997, thanks to the Camarilla. I think it should mean something, but I'm not sure what. Semi-spooked that it means I should skip town before some sort of Twilight Zone inversion of my life occurs....

24. What did you do last night? rehearsal. good times.

25. What is your favorite smell? in no particular order: gardenias in bloom, musty ancient books, fresh coffee grounds, leather, the first rain

26. What inspires you? The time I've wasted not permitting myself to dream.

27. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? Cheesey is good.

28. Favorite breed of dog? fluffy happy dogs that don't yap all the damned time.

29. How many years at your current job? muahahaha! I don't have a current job!

30. Favorite day of the week? right now... I dunno. Maybe Thursday...

31. What states have you lived in? California, pain and confusion, depression, self-neglect and determination.

32. Favorite holiday? Halloween.

***************

Now another quiz, from my former co-worker, Haste Wastes Paste:

(These are suppose to stimulate the mind... but then they are mostly yes/no questions. Lame. So I'm elaborating when ever I care to.)

1. Are you taller than your mom?
Since I was about 13

2. What color is your shower curtain?
it has an ocean scene with fishes and dolphins and things. You can see through it if you work at it. Anyway the dominant color is blue.

3. What is the closest thing to you right now that is red?
There's red on my t-shirt. Next closest is a gift bag I received at Valentine's (it contained cupcakes then).

4. What is your ring tone?
a phone ring. sheesh.

5. Does anything hurt on your body right now?
on my body... um. never mind. the grammar there is awful. anyway. My back hurts. Like always.

6. What color is your favorite pillow?
off-white give or take. Though it's either got a red or green pillowcase over it.

7. What is your favorite video game?
I don't really play video games. But my OB gave me And then There Were None based on Agatha Christie's mystery novel of the same name. I should play that some time. He'll be after me to know how I liked it.

8. Had a nap today?
nope, I rarely nap

9. Gold or Silver?
*shrug* Gold or silver what?

10. Is there an animal that creeps you out?
most critters with too many legs make me anxious to be away from them. spiders fill me with fear and loathing. urgh. phobias...

11. Who was the last person you rode an elevator with? I can't even remember the last time I was in an elevator.

12. Did you go ice skating as a kid?
nope. The Brea mall had an ice rink when I was wee. I used to like going by it but it went away before I was old enough to pester my mom for lessons. And somehow Mexican parents don't really think much of ice skating as...well...something you do.

13. Ever have stitches?
the last time was probably when I had surgery - 14 years ago

14. Favorite non-alcoholic drink?
you should know the answer by now! Chai latte!

15. How long ago did you hug someone?
I think last Sunday was the last real hug. I can't seem to recall if Greg did his usual sling-an-arm-around-me by way of saying hello last night or not. never sure if those should count or not.

16. What's something you want to do before you die?
edgads, so many things. Are you saying I can only do one? fuck you!

17. Have you ever caught something on fire?
erm... yes. Why?

18. Have you ever seen a ghost?
I don't think so.

19. Have you ever seen northern lights?
The Northern Lights? With my own peepers and not a recording? no. sadly. I want to. A lot.

20. Do you know how to use chop sticks?
yeah. Heh. I forgot how hard it used to be.

21. Name something good that happened today.
meh. Got some noticeable work done on the apartment. But it really won't be a total good until I finish the job. Half-way stuff like this is not an improvement. got some movement on converting some Overture stock to the new stuff and finally wrote to HWP. Oh and I may (I hope) be under 160lbs. I've probably screwed that up with all that I've eaten today - and no exercise. But if I did then I'm actually below my high school weight. Woo. Not that I'm not still all flabby, but I'm less so than I once was.

22. What room are you in?
*my* room

23. Are you worried about something you can't control?
of course... jeez. My brothers are still in Iraq, I still have pangs for the lack of agape, and I don't have health insurance. But I try to balance this by working on things I *can* affect.

24. Do you take daily medications?
yep. BC and a multivitamin

25. Ever been in a fight?
like an argument? Like a power struggle? like fisticuffs? Yes, to varying degrees. Hard to really describe the first two other than to say these things come up and they're kind of unavoidable. but (to my mind) not a thing to be feared, really. the third... Hm. oh wait... I was going to write about this school fight - the only one I was ever in - that happened back in middle school. But you might, instead, count the mugging last August. The second guy chased me, knocked me down hard and kicked me in the arm. I grabbed his crotch and he backed off.

26. Are you wearing nailpolish?
no. I should file my nails and dig up something funky.

27. What time is it?
jeez. nearly two am. And here I was hoping to get some writing done.

28. Innie or Outie?
belly button, yeah? innie

29. Ever used a Ouija board?
nope. organizing a seance?

30. Sweet or Sour?
both, please. especially with pineapples

31. Sun or Moon?
Hey there, Luna
I'd like to tell ya
how sad am I,
so lovesick, I could die

32. What shoes did you wear today?
my ratty old tennies (I know it's "tennis" but that doesn't scan right.)

33. Favorite eye color of the opposite sex?
*shrug* not red

36. Time of day you were born?
12:15pm, give or take

37. Do you know your blood type?
O+

38. Do you know how to kill a zombie?
If You Kill The Brain
Then You Kill The Ghoul
And It's Motor Functions
--"Aim For The Head"
--Creature Feature

(Hey, Firewolf you may like these guys!)

39. Do you smoke?
yep. to the extent it's starting to bother me. I know I smoke far less than most smokers, but I'm smoking more now, I think, than I ever have in the past.

40. What would you spend 5,000 dollars on right now if you were handed it?
My savings account! That's two more months I don't have to find a job! Ok, ok, or I'd kill my credit card debt and maybe open some investments for my niece

41. Who is your favorite musical artist?
Tori Amos, for the nonce

42. Which animal(s) remind you of yourself?
hm. wolves, ravens, dragons

43. Whats your background on your pc?
I've never put one up so it's the basic Windows blue. I should fix that...

44. Did you grow up in the city or country?
city. oh yeah. I used to think it was a small city too, but it turns out it's just surrounded by a huge metropolitan area. but it's busier and louder what I've come to take is average for a home town. That is, you could call it a suburb but it's not remotely quite and still like a suburb.

45. Would you ever consider going on a reality tv show if offered a large sum of money?
depends on how large and if the money is guaranteed. And if my parents will see me.

46. Have you flown in your dreams?
no. sadly. I really wonder what it would be like. I've had the sensation of floating, weightlessness. I day dream about flying (without help from a contraption) a lot.

47. Whats one thing you're really good at cooking?
i have no idea. I'm good at marinading and spicing things up so you wouldn't notice if I cock up the actual cooking part.

48. Kisses or hugs?
as above, both.

49. You have 10 dollars to spend in the dollar store..what do you get?
hm. I don't really need anything, I think. maybe a lottery ticket, a pen or two and maybe some tealights.

50. Slurpee flavor?
cherry