Fri May 16, 2008

My last day cramming for my last final ever, and of course it's sunny and supposed to be 80 degrees for the first time this spring. That's just plain mean.

I'll by sprawled out in the grass/dandelions in the middle of my yard (with books!) if anyone needs me.

School

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Thu May 15, 2008

Dear Comcrap,

You are blocking one of my favorite websites. Please stop. It's just a blog. You are not protecting anyone, except perhaps the children being blogged about because their mother writes embarrassing things about them.

When I tried to "chat" with you online about this problem, you told me "Comcrap does not block websites." I assured you that indeed, you do, and you are. I also told you to go ahead and google the words "comcrap blocks website" to see the seven billion hits from other people complaining about the same issue, including some who have filed lawsuits. But again, you repeated that I was mistaken. You told me I should contact the manufacturer of my computer. Comcrap, is this your version of The Dog Ate My Homework? Because really, it's very immature. You really need to learn how to take responsibility for your actions.

You then decided to painstakingly walk me through the steps of turning off any potential software filters that I must have inadvertently installed myself. I told you all filters were off and security settings were were low, but still you insisted on wasting 20 more minutes of my life. Finally you agreed to write some sort of "ticket" so someone else could look into this matter.

Comcrap, I appreciate the phone call today from Steve. Steve told me that yes indeed Comcrap "filters" some websites and all I had to do to get one unfiltered was to fill out some online form and submit it. The form asks me for the IP address of the website but guess what? I don't know it. So I put the URL in the information box, and meticulously described the problem, and not five minutes later I got an auto-response back telling me you can do nothing without the IP address. How am I supposed to know the IP address of a website which you are blocking me from connecting to?

On another-but-even-more-irritating note, when I left my house this morning, I saw one of your service vans parked in front of my neighbor's house. The neighbor has moved, so I presume you were disconnecting their service. Comcrap, do you see where this is going? Yes indeed, I arrived home a couple of hours later to find I had no phone, no cable TV, and no internet service. I called and you assured me it was something on my end.

You had me checking modems and reporting on blinking lights and seemed truly surprised when you sent some sort of reboot signal and nothing happened. You then set up a technician to come out TOMORROW but assured me it would most likely magically resolve itself and come back on by then. No matter how many times I told you that
YOU HAVE SHUT OFF MY SERVICE and asked you oh so politely through my clenched teeth to turn it back on, you assured me that was not the problem.

When my service was not restored at 4:00 and I was faced with having a child at home alone with no phone service that evening, (and don't think said child didn't take the opportunity to badger me for a cell phone because clearly she now NEEDED one -- thanks a lot for that, and now I think it's only fair that YOU buy one for her) I called you back and while I apologize for my hysterical rantings, I told you in no uncertain terms that I expected a technician out to my house IMMEDIATELY if not sooner. Interestingly enough, Stewart called me an hour later and just happened to be in the neighborhood and stopped by. After tinkering with the box in my yard for about a minute and a half, my service was restored.

Stewart was a very nice guy who told me that what often happens is that the technician either has an incorrect address or the work order is illegible, so instead of trying to confirm it, they just sort of--you know--guess.

Don't even get me started on the fact that you installed my modem out in my garage, assuring me that was a great place to put it, and for approximately four months of the year my wireless router freezes up and becomes unusable. Sure, I haven't yet complained about it because I can still connect from all the other wireless signals floating around my neighborhood from people with room temperature routers, but still, that was not very smart on your part. And now when I ask you about moving it indoors where it should be, you want to charge me a lot of money. That's not very nice.

Comcrap, you suck.

XOXO,
Angie

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Pre-game warm-up, hitting "soft-toss" balls against the fence.
Sat May 10, 2008

First tournament started last night. It was also the first game the team has played. Wound up with a 3-3 tie, as the game was called for darkness after six innings.

Two more games today, then potentially two more tomorrow if they win the pool.

I would be studying in the bleachers, but there's a chance of rain and I don't want my books to get wet.

Offspring

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Tue May 6, 2008

Our local friend the three-legged deer stopped by again today. She's been around since we moved here almost two years ago, so I have no idea how long her leg has been that way or how it happened. I'm actually surprised one of the coyotes hasn't gotten her by now, but then again she sure seems to get around just fine.

She does appear to be having a bad hair day though. Most likely a combination of the long soaking rain that just stopped minutes before I took this shot, and the fact that she's probably blowing out her winter coat. Definitely looks a bit bedraggled (and I say that mostly because I like the word bedraggled).

Photography

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Maybe not technically wild, as these were shot at the arboretum.
Mon May 5, 2008

Since it will likely be July before anything blooms in this godforsaken state, I've dug up a nice, peaceful, uplifting image from the desert to start off the LAST WEEK OF CLASSES I WILL EVER TAKE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

That is all I have to say. Have a nice day.

Photography

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Sat May 3, 2008

Aaron had three things on the calendar this morning, all with overlapping times: a baseball scrimmage, a training session for summer caddies at a nearby ritzy golf club, and a four-hour optional practice test for the AP Calc exam he is taking later this week.

Last night before bed he asked me to drive him to school in the morning so he could take the practice test.

I swear I didn't pressure him, or even make any suggestions. I just told him to let me know what he decided so I could haul my butt out of bed in time to get him where he needed to be.

He would later be rewarded for making the hard choice. The scrimmage wound up being postponed due to the seven feet of rain we got last night, and he found out he can make-up the caddy training by shadowing another caddy for a round.

I'd like to take credit, but clearly his decision-making skills are in spite of me, not because of me.

Offspring

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Fri May 2, 2008

There really is no other polite way to say this, so I'll just say it. My neighborhood has turned into a duck brothel. Duck's having sex, everywhere, all the time. I suppose that's one of the hazards of living next to a pond and wetland.

The most recent episode happened last night. The kids and I sat and watched three mallards circling over my house, one hen being chased by a very persistent drake (PD), with a smaller, not-quite-sure-he-knew-what-he-was-doing drake (SD) following along hoping to get lucky. PD actually collided with the hen mid-air a few times, causing her to drop in altitude and make sharp evasive maneuvers. SD kind of held back 20 - 30 feet, and just kept following along. Even though he seemed a bit timid, PD was very concerned about his presence, and squawked (yes, ducks can squawk) loudly every time he got a little too close.

At one point the poor exhausted hen landed in my neighbor's front yard, and both drakes crash-landed and bounced off the grass right behind her. PD immediately hopped on top of the hen, wings flapping and feathers flying, while SD hung out just far enough away so as not to get pummeled in the ruckus. My cats took the opportunity to act like dorks, stalking the frenzied ducks and getting to within about ten feet before stopping and looking at each other, apparently not sure what to do next. Finally the ducks noticed the cats and took to the air again, and the whole thing started all over.

The next time the hen came down it was in the wetland behind my house, and it sounded like all three did cannonballs off the side of a pool.

Later after dinner, Aaron and I went out for a jog, and within minutes we had the same three ducks circling over our heads, with PD harassing the hen, and SD tagging along. I told Aaron those were the same ducks. He asked how I knew. I said I could just tell. He asked how. I said, "They're just giving off a certain ducky vibe so I can tell they're the same ones."

He said, "Ducks don't have vibes."

I said, "Yes they do."

He said, "No they don't, especially not when they're having sex."

I"m not entirely sure what he meant, and I was too afraid to ask. I decided to let the conversation end right there before it degraded any further.

Silliness

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Wed Apr 30, 2008

According to my site stats, the primary reason new readers have clicked through to my blog in recent weeks is the phrase "need to get my shit together." All you people who have accidentally stumbled upon this blog because of those very words may as well leave right now, because despite having written them with the best of intentions, I can tell you right now that I have, in fact, NOT yet gotten my shit together.

I miss the days when the only search that brought new readers here was "penis-shaped mushrooms."

Silliness

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Mon Apr 28, 2008

For anyone who has recently had the misfortune of seeing me or having a conversation with me, I apologize for looking and sounding like crap. I am going through my usual end-of-semester crisis, whereby I fear I'll never get everything done on time and will probably fail my finals. Only this time it seems worse because the consequences of failing mean I don't graduate. I know, I always seem to pull it all off at the end, but that is no comfort to me right now so don't bother saying it.

Anyway... the countdown goes like this: five actual class lecture days left, two final exams, one quiz and one presentation/project to present. This is all spread out over the next three weeks, and compared to most students and most semesters, it's really not that bad. I keep telling myself that, but it's not helping. My last official day is May 17th (yes, I have a final on a Saturday -- bleh).

Until then, I will be sitting here, riddled with anxiety, trying not to have a nervous breakdown. Remind me to schedule one for sometime in June.

School

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Fri Apr 25, 2008

I forgot to report that we stumbled upon another geocache during our annual hike up Poston's Butte in Arizona. We actually intended to try to find the same one we found last year while lichen hunting, and instead came across this one first. After much searching and arguing and pointing to various boulders that all looked alike, we finally found the original one again.

For you sports fans out there waiting on the edges of your seats, Aaron got the call tonight that he's been waiting for: he made the B-traveling team, same coach as last year, and 7 out of 12 players from last year are on the same team. Needless to say, he's very excited. It's going to be challenging over the next few weeks, as the practices and games will overlap some with golf. I'm not sure how he plans to prioritize.

Of course right now the forecast is for SNOW overnight, so their won't be much golf or baseball happening until things dry out.

Offspring

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