Photos not viewable with browsers!

I can't view any Facebook photos and pictures in ANY browser on here right now; Firefox, Chrome, and Opera all return empty boxes for those things! Good thing I finished my bestiary work hours beforehand, but I was planning to use Facebook photos tomorrow so Chinese Eric could see pictures of Ayler and Vegas / the wedding IF the hangout ends up happening! I guess I can still use it, but he'll have to be content with thumbnails. Yes, I deleted my cookies and cleared my cache... I somehow don't think that this problem will resolve itself overnight, but I'll be pleasantly surprised if so! Maybe this is Friday the 13th at work... spooky!


Edit 1: Some other people on Puckheads seem to be having the same problem.

Edit 2: HEY, PHOTOS SEEM TO WORK NOW!

70 TV Tropes tabs, Ryan, Chuck, Siobhan, Chinese Eric, and crushed feelings

Ryan said hi to me via FB message; good to hear from him! Chuck also sent me a FB message, thanking me for my "happy birthday" wishes. Then Siobhan sent me a FB message with her home and work addresses since I said that I'd picked up some Canucks lip balm for her; Billie LIKED that, hahaha! Later, I got to talk to Chinese Eric via MSN; I was patient and could wait three hours or so for him to respond to my initial message about Vegas. ;) Talked about the second-round playoff match-ups, my telling him about the trip later (of COURSE he will be told the INTERESTING things!), the racist Boston fans / teenage boys, a Blues-Flyers match being strange for the playoffs, the Senators being out (no Canadian team can win the Stanley Cup this year!), and our crushed feelings about the Canucks being out of the running.

I got rid of all my TV Tropes tabs (more than 70?!) because Firefox annoyingly refused to recognize them as valid ones upon restart, instead classifying them as "New Tabs." That's one way to do it before the weekly tradition tomorrow, but I'd rather not have them gone... (however, they did cause the browser / computer to freeze...)

Mao's dancers, clash of Kings, Shaw "service"

I'm back at the library, having borrowed Mao's Last Dancer (Li Cunxin) and A Clash of Kings (George R.R. Martin) before I even got to the computer room. Thank goodness for time extensions, otherwise I'd never be able to catch up on the last 24 hours around here! At least Randal DID email me back, and I got interesting stuff to read.

Due to this stupid Internet problem, I won't be able to fully participate in my beloved weekly tradition for the first time in MONTHS! UGH! The people at Shaw were not helping. I told them that I knew I was disconnected from the Internet (I have a thing on my taskbar that clearly shows the status), and they STILL wanted me to go to various browsers to see if that was the case! Hello, I am not DUMB. I called Eric later, who at least kinda helped.

How Outdated Are You?

Decided to go back to Firefox since I was beyond annoyed with the "plugin is unresponsive" error on Chrome, which makes me have to restart my computer!

You Are Years Behind the Times

You may not realize it yet, but you're stuck in the near past. You're not quite up to date. You probably feel like you're quite modern, but the years are moving quickly ahead of you. There's nothing wrong with being stuck in the past a little, but you may want to acquaint yourself with the present. You've got some catching up to do, and you might be surprised by what modernity has to offer!

How Outdated Are You?

Blogthings: Quizzes and Tests and Memes, Oh My!

Visual Boy Advance, ZSNES, web browsers

Okay, so Visual Boy Advance worked only as long as I didn't do anything requiring actual gameplay (because then it made grinding noises!), and it changed my Windows color scheme on me! I don't think it's for me, then! (and this is AFTER spending time inputting codes!) After venting to Corey via Skype messages, I decided to stick to ZSNES for now. Talked to Teunis for a bit on MSN this afternoon, too. (Corey told me about OBLIVION some time ago... and loves the CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE books!)

You Are Firefox

Many people have tried to tame you, but so far no one has succeeded. You can't be broken. You believe in originality and tolerance. You think the world needs more diversity, not less. You're the perfect combination of uniqueness and quality. You're able to relate to all sorts of people. You have no desire to lead or follow. Anyone is welcome to join you on your journey for a while.

What Web Browser Are You?

The First Rule of Blogthings Is: You Don't Talk About Blogthings

Shaw passwords are annoying! / Losing a pair of socks while sleeping in them / Adjectives

I was trying to pay my Shaw bill (for the Internet and TV) since I'd just received the email notification, but I couldn't remember my password - I tried EVERYTHING! Finally, I went to Firefox and hoped the passwords were still saved in cookies; thank goodness that they were! The next step would have been trying to remember my account number, which I don't. It turns out capitalization is very important. ;)

Also, only I would manage to lose a pair of socks while sleeping in them... *sigh* Luckily, new pairs of thick socks aren't THAT relatively expensive...

You Are Peaceful

Your friends would describe you as easygoing and laid-back. You don't like stress or conflict. You try to avoid arguments, and if forced, you'll take on the role of the peacemaker. You are very friendly and easy to get along with. Others admire your people skills. You are able to take almost anything in stride. You don't think getting stressed out is worth it.

What Adjective Describes You?

Blogthings: Waste Time at Work!

Crypto-enzymes, RPG on Skype, the illusion of company being around, seeds

High-scoring words of the night:

CRYPTO (180 points) - against Mary S. [4W]
QUERN (263 points) - against Cheryl P. [two 4W, hook off CON to make CONE]
ENZYMS (207 points) - against Amy B. [two 3W] {a good deficit-erasing word!}


Kenny and I talked about Hien / being emo, red bean ice cream, support, sarcasm, gaming, blood games, RPG stuff, video cards, nicknames, Google Chrome / Internet Explorer / Firefox being slow, eating, being surprised that I was still on after his typing away for a long time, loud squeaky noises NOT being a fart on my end (I have a witness!), doing the dishes, Hien ignoring us, David being a typical bratty younger brother, and more. Teunis says the power is out at his mom's place, and told me a story about how their myriad candles had assured his family the brightest house on the block even when the power WAS restored, hahaha! We also discussed pasta sauce without ground beef or tomatoes, allergies, garlic, how bottled water is bad for you anyway, cooking, oats and granola bars, lactose intolerance, rosemary, sage, spices, oil, onions, pennies, and more. I wouldn't mind more Skype chats with Kenny, even if his RPG stuff does get in the way. Makes me feel like there's company about - and now I sound like an old lady!

Trivia fact for Friday, July 30: In the world of professional tennis, what is the significance of the word "seeded"? At tournaments, the top players are ranked based on past performance and then "seeded" - or spread - throughout the field of competition to reduce chances that the best players will face one another in the early matches.

After a splurge, I feel very annoyed at my browsers!

High-scoring words of the early afternoon:

AFTER (203 points) - against Lise M. [5W, 4W, hook off WEST to make TA]
SPLURGY (118 points) - against Helga S. [5W] {a good deficit-erasing word which allowed me to win the game handily!}

I was about to go to the library to rename a tag (Firefox is SLOW here, and it seemingly won't work in Opera because the tags are all jumbled in "alphabetical order" and won't load properly) when I remembered that they now block LJ. Of course, I'd have to remember this renaming stuff AFTER leaving the townhouse - UGH! Searching through text fields does NOT work in Opera either, much to my chagrin. Renaming the tag took more than an HOUR here because Firefox refused to respond and was slow in general... on anyone else's computer, it would have taken less than a minute! Then I noticed a typo in the new tag name because it wouldn't "take" on my entry here... luckily, the typo correction took "only" half an hour. *sigh* I should also remember that the Milestones near London Drugs is GONE now!

Why is my ex still getting mail here?!

I'm finally home! Auntie Teresa gave me a ride, and Grandma insisted on giving me $30 right then. Called Barry to make an appointment for food shopping - tomorrow at 12:30 it is! Also paid some bills, so I took care of responsibilities. Time to get used to Opera again after using Firefox for ten days or so! Sorted through the mail - had some for people I've never heard of, and even a couple for my ex. AIYA!

Don't you DARE use my backscratcher! No concept of personal space! / Muppets

High-scoring words of the night:

ZARFS (136 points) - against Jenny H. [2W, 5L on Z]
HOPE (148 points) - against Angela V. [3W, hook off LOOP to make HO / OP]
REDROOTS (110 points) - against Nancy C. [5W] {a good deficit-erasing word!}
PONDERS (117 points) - against Leah B. [two 3W]
SORRELS (126 points) - against Jo E. [2W, two 3W]
PEON (112 points) - against Ellen L. [two 4W]
DECALOG (4846 points) - against Jimmy S. [two 4W, two 5W, hook off AN to make CAN]
JERBOAS (236 points) - against Susan V. [4W, 5L on J] {a good deficit-erasing word!}


I sent Corey a message about my whereabouts:

me: no, I have not fallen off the face of the earth - I'm at my parents' place since they're away
Corey: well, I had something big to tell you yesterday.. I got to try one of your favorite things in the world yesterday
Corey: oh, you're online again finally?!?!?! :P
me: hey, I had to spend time with my Grandma!
me: so what's the big food item?
Corey: how do you know it's food? :P
it is, but I didn't say that! :P
it smells very bad
me: ... and she JUST used my backscratcher! UGH. It's so personal!
knowing you, it would be food :P and no, I don't really like durian or stinky tofu :P
Corey: no, no... it's your FAVORITE
you love it
sorry, I had to go watch a kids' school, and the room also got taken over by construction people
me: you also remind me of my mom - goodness knows Auntie Teresa does, too much. she cannot sit still
Corey: I can't sit still?
I'm planning on sitting still now... it's hot out, and I had to walk to that school... and the school is hot as hell, too... and apparently, they don't turn on the AC until July
me: no... my mom will also do the "it's your FAVORITE - you LOVE it!" thing
Corey: well, I'm being sarcastic about it. I don't know if she is :P
and it IS stinky tofu or durian...... which one might it be? :P
it's the stinkiest of the two, I think
me: she probably thinks that if she says it enough times, I'll start to believe it - NO WAY IN HELL
don't you know the difference?
Corey: of course I do... I'm giving you a clue, ya bozo
me: okay
me: bedtime now - just for the hell of it, I'm guessing durian


Contrary to what Auntie Teresa seems to believe, I actually DO know exactly how to take the garbage out, even if it necessitates an extra plastic bag. Unfortunately for her, I'm faster at grabbing a bag / dumping the wet plastic bag into it / tying a knot / taking it out the door than she is at trying to stop me. Luckily, she told me where the downstairs thermostat is... turning the heat up just a bit will be thoroughly enjoyed. I'm actually counting down the hours until she leaves! Then, I can leave Firefox tabs open ALL DAY LONG without worrying that she'll read what's on them. Not that it'll be anything bad, but I like my privacy. Oh, and then I'll call Henry too. No more incessant questions! She also told me to get Jon or Steph to take Grandma to the doctor if she continues coughing - we'll see. And she just used my backscratcher without knowing it was mine and not Grandma's - she says she can wash it with hot water and soap, but I dunno. Good thing that they're only $2 at Daiso! It's a PERSONAL thing! At least she apologized... but it's still disturbing that she'll use other people's personal things without asking. At least I have an excuse, in that it's my parents' house...

On a lighter note, Grandma seems to like the talking dogs in a commercial on Chinese TV. Then she had this to say: "Oh, those white people. They like having dogs more than children!" Hahahaha! Grandma, on dinner: "Do people inside the computer ever need to eat dinner?" HAHAHAHA! I also met a girl via Wordscraper who spells her name Jinger - she says that it's the way her grandmother spelled it, but of course I think of the Duggar family first, hahaha.


Trivia fact for Thursday, May 13: What opera great appeared on The Muppet Show in a performance of Pigaletto accompanied by members of the Muppetopolitan Opera Company? Beverly Sills, who had a high-note duel with Miss Piggy.

Eight grams of sugar is NOT eight cups of the stuff / White Kid and I are NOT dating, Grandma!

Eric picked me up shortly before 9, and we were off. He hummed the DARKWING DUCK theme song, so of course I had to get him back for that. I said that I might go to the townhouse tomorrow evening, and he offered to drive me after the meeting - that works! Says I will probably have to bus tomorrow, which is fine by me. He told me about some WORLD OF WARCRAFT things involving assaults and orphans... hey, as long as he did those things to advance in the game or whatever, then it's good! When we got to the church, I told him that he could jaywalk - I ended up beating him to the front door by a few seconds, haha.

I found Jordan and Thomas talking to Chris, Sabrina, and Martin about breakups with girlfriends - we reassured them that there were plenty of other girls, and told them that Martin was NOT married! After we went into the sanctuary, Jessica and I talked to the boys about Vacation Bible School (two weeks long this year - no idea offhand of the cost), eight grams of sugar in a Rice Krispie Square NOT equalling eight cups, Bibles, and not eating things in the sanctuary. A few minutes later, Jordan told me to go sit down! Hahaha! I accordingly did, and then talked to Nathan a bit - it's sparse inside at 9:30 AM, that is for sure! Jon and Harmony came in a bit after Phil and Grace - after discussions of Jane's bridal shower, sickness, going to the Whip for Jen, sounding like a man, and other things (I do not NEVER get sick!), I decided to move anyway, despite what I'd told Nathan. I saw Richie back in town, so of course I had to say hi!

Dave didn't mind if I sat by him, so of course he noticed my dragon shirt and dragon cap: "Yo, that's totally GANGSTER! You could be like Ed Hardy!" he told me - sure, whatever you say! He asked how my week was, and then wondered if I was doing Sunday School - you know it, man! I asked if he were doing lunch with his mom, and of course he was. I'd wondered what our program was for this Friday, but the announcements answered that one for me: another talk by Uncle Stephen... SWEET! After service, I went to the fellowship hall - I wasn't sacrificing my dignity for coffee, so I went without. Saw Joshua and Keenan, so I asked if they'd had fun at Whistler last week - they did! Hien said that I should stop with the Minute Rice and cream of mushroom soup base - hey, it works even if it's not the most nutritious thing in the world! Also talked to Chrystal about crackers, then spied Helen K. and her two sons. Talked to Helen about Grandma and such while eighteen-month-old Cory found a new seat in someone's guitar case... he seemed to enjoy his cheese and crackers, too! Nicholas wanted to be a superhero like Joshua was with Stanford, haha.

I saw Andrea outside, so talked to her about the Evite and Elaine... not sure I can go to the bridal shower because I need to look after Grandma, but we'll see. Then she went to look for Chuck, of course... that's the problem with coupled people, really. Attempted to give away some caramel cookies to Priscilla, Gladys, Hannah, Zoe, and Natalie - I just threw them out when I got home! Said hi to Andrew and Adam while they were talking to Lawrence about hockey, then milled around a bit (greeting Karen Chan / Wesley) before going upstairs to Toddler Sunday School. (Lesley was talking to Maisie, who was standing up before service... very odd!) Conor, Ramen, Shira, Amos, Amanda, two new kids named Annika and Ellie, a new boy, Harrison, Mattias, David (sporting a large bandage on his head from an injury he sustained yesterday after Awana), Evelyn, and Esther were there.

The twins and Esther seem to understand more English now, because they answered reasonably to my questions, and said more than a couple words. I helped Conor with some spelling on his construction paper card, and gave stickers to most of them. Mattias is a bit too young to understand sticker goodness, though! He seemed more interested in the toys that his parents wanted him to put away after class, haha! Amanda loves drawing, and showed me her card - very nice!

After the class, I went downstairs to find Grandma waiting for Jon - they weren't around, so I called to see where they were. They came back in a few minutes, during which time I talked to Jordan and Thomas some more. Jordan asked how old I was, so I told him to guess... "twenty-something" is no longer an accurate description! When he DID get it, he said that I was only two years older than Roberto Luongo. Thomas didn't pay attention to the conversation since he was busy drawing fire on his worksheet of Elijah's house. I told Jordan about my grandma's age - he seemed to think that I should be standing with her, but she has friends! Then he asked me "How is your grandma still alive?!" to which I said that some people lived to over 100 years old!

Jon and Harmony decided where to go for lunch, after joking to Grandma that we'd have hamburgers / fried chicken / salad / pizza for Mother's Day. Steph joined us, and beat us inside the Chinese restaurant since parking was atrocious! We had to wait a long time for a table, in large part due to a communication flub-up... we should get the table first, not a party of eight! But we were repaid by watching some great Asian service in action: a waitress went up to someone who was dining alone at a huge table, and told him that he had to move! That would NEVER fly in a white restaurant, hahaha! Talked about my supposedly holding grudges, Mr. Creep (I refuse to acknowledge him when his name is spoken), Jeremy now knowing what went on with Raymond and Randal (I should do damage control via a phone call), Talked about my supposedly holding grudges, Mr. Creep (I refuse to acknowledge him when his name is spoken), Jeremy now knowing what went on with Raymond and Randal (I should do damage control via a phone call), and HO being a great last name for jokes.

We also discussed red flags (THEY started it - and I'm not going to end it! THEY PISSED ME OFF, AND YOU WILL PAY!), beer, Vernon and Sarah, Jon and Harmony needing to move again (their landlord's selling the house), the hick wedding in Agassiz, the week's plans, Pastor Fulton and Inner Mongolia, frozen soup, the epic Alaskan cruise, Nate staying up for the hockey game tonight, Christon and Eric being visibly pained by the hockey results even if they don't verbalize it, making conversation (but my life is NOT that interesting!), Fish Café (better to have my sanity!), the lards' anniversary, yin-yang, spicy food, and more. Steph made a comment about how I didn't even reach for my wallet when it came time to pay the bill, so I had the perfect retort: "That's because the $10 bill is IN MY POCKET!" Apparently, that impressed Grandma a LOT, who was noticeably less cranky than she was at the start of the meal!

After that, Auntie Teresa said that she had to go back home to take care of some stuff. While she was doing that, Grandma and I sat around and waited for her. Grandma then asked me whether White Kid (Eric) and I were dating since she's under the impression that he goes to my house quite often! I guess he goes there more often now JUST TO PICK ME UP / DROP ME OFF because of my safety concerns, but we ARE NOT DATING! Nor are we getting married (to each other) because we both need someone to cook for the other! Crazy thinking, man! The next stop was Pine House Bakery / a supermarket where Grandma bought me butter cookies, and Auntie Teresa bought vegetables. I told Auntie Teresa that I'd be crashing the townhouse tomorrow night since she's not sleeping in my parents' room - she wondered why my friend didn't drive me home after the meeting. Well, he DID offer... I guess he knows I dislike asking a lot of favors from him, especially after a certain discussion! Now I'm home and (thanks to Opera being faster than Firefox) have caught up on a lot. Whee! I also noticed that someone stuffed my $10 bill BACK into my pocket without my noticing - SNEAKY NINJA!

Opera and being adventurous statewide!

Bingo of the afternoon:

STATEWIDE (130 points) - against Joan C.

High-scoring words of the afternoon:

BARIC (109 points) - against Julie F. [two 3W, hook off AW to make CAW]
STATEWIDE (130 points) - against Joan C. [bingo, 5W]


I'm trying out Opera for real this afternoon. Firefox has crashed at least four times, and it's not even 1:30 yet!

You Are Adventurous

You are quite adventurous and brave, but you are also reasonable about it. You don't have to be on an adventure 24/7. You have good judgment and balance. You like to try new and exciting things, but you also pay attention to risk. You're not the type of person who would throw your life away just to go on a new trip or have a new romantic partner. You like your thrills in small, safe doses. You are gutsy in all aspects of your life from career to relationships.

Are You Adventurous?

Blogthings: Quizzes and Tests and Memes, Oh My!

Flippy angina jaws, stupid obligations, slow computer, and nudges

High-scoring words of the night so far:

FLIPPY (104 points) - against Judi C. [4W, 2L on F] {a good deficit-erasing word!}
ANGINA (104 points) - against Millie F. [two 4W]
JAWS (130 points) - against Linda L. [5W used twice, hook off BENNE for a plural]


I figured that if I *had* to call my mother, I'd do it during a commercial break while JACK BAUER was on. Since I know she watches it rabidly, I also know she wouldn't want to talk past the break, which was only a couple minutes long in any event. Apparently, there IS dinner at the townhouse - I gave my excuse, saying that I had to leave early. She tried telling me that there were no dishes - THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE! I'd still rather do it over email, but there are times when I have to suck it up. *sigh* At least dinner is early? (apparently, Auntie Teresa is going to the airport or the community centre, and there are keys involved... I dunno, I wasn't listening!) Then Firefox decided to get really slow, so I installed Opera - no real improvement. Maybe it is the actual computer! Time to see who knows about hand-me-down computers!


Trivia fact for Tuesday, Apr. 27: Who originated the phrase "nudge, nudge, wink, wink"? Comedian Eric Idle, in a 1969 skit he wrote for the side-splitting British TV show Monty Python's Flying Circus.

Timezones, Firefox annoyances, two good leads, and Formosa

Decided to talk to Corey tonight:

[19:19:20] Flami: I assume you're not really on, since you should be in bed or whatever :P
[19:22:12] Corey: it's 10 AM here :P
[19:22:20] Corey: you're the one that should be in bed, soon
[19:22:38] Corey: well, I guess it's only 7 for you. 8 at home for me
[19:23:51] Flami: haha, oops. I fail at timezones
[19:24:06] Flami: almost 7:30 PM
[19:24:16] Corey: for you, it's 3 hours ahead, then flip the AM to PM, or whatever
[19:24:33] Corey: and I'm in the future
[19:24:55] Corey: and Firefox is pissing me off
[19:25:34] Corey: it constantly uses 100% of my CPU now, and I can't do anything unless I close it with Task Manager, which is annoying since 90% of the time I'm trying to do something WITH Firefox
[19:26:42] Corey: Chrome works, but I have all my tabs and stuff all nice in Firefox, not Chrome
[19:34:11] Flami: well, I know enough to realize that you're in the future :P
[19:34:52] Flami: what are you doing that's different?


Then we switched to AIM:

[19:59:56] mrptptpt: are you there? MSN isn't working, and I sent a ton of messages explaining everything that's going on!!! stop making it quit working while I'm typing lots of stuff :P
[20:01:36] AlenaBrolxFlami: I just now got a whole bunch of windows which tell me that the connection to MSN has been lost, or something :P
[20:01:39] AlenaBrolxFlami: so what's going on?
[20:11:10] mrptptpt: Flami says (8:34 PM): what are you doing that's different?
Corey says (8:44 PM): looking for work :P
[20:11:16] mrptptpt: Corey says (8:45 PM): we're dealing directly with the owner of another school, though... so that one is promising. it's a little less money, but only half the working time (plus they can give me more classes too, which would make it pay more than the other crappy place)
[20:11:36] mrptptpt: Corey says (8:46 PM): Jane's neighbor was told about my situation, and called up her friend, who owns this other school... she heard about what happened to me at Well (the place I thought I was working at), and said "they sound crazy... send him over here, and we'll take care of him"
[20:11:46] mrptptpt: Corey says (8:47 PM): then this weekend, that same neighbor's daughter is going to set something up with the owner of another school.. she's teaching piano lessons to the owner's son this weekend, and thinks it shouldn't be a problem to at least get an interview through him
[20:11:54] mrptptpt: Corey says (8:48 PM): so without even looking myself yet really, I have a couple pretty good leads
[20:12:06] mrptptpt: Corey says (8:49 PM): there's also a school called Hess that apparently kind of sucks, but is a well-known place that hires newbies and won't cheat you or anything... they just kind of have some lousy policies (not paying you for any lesson planning / grading / etc. - teaching time only), so that'll be the next place to try
[20:12:31] mrptptpt: now properly receive those, please! :P
[20:24:58] AlenaBrolxFlami: well, that definitely sounds pretty good
[20:35:57] mrptptpt: the hours at this new place kind of suck, though... I have to teach until 9 PM, meaning I'll probably really be there until 10 PM or something, which means I'll never really see Jane other than weekends
[20:36:08] mrptptpt: but, it doesn't start until 4 PM, so that's easy enough
[20:36:48] mrptptpt: the other place wanted me until 6:30 PM, but it started at 8:30 AM
[20:37:04] mrptptpt: and this is barely less money, and I can probably add more hours to make it more money
[20:37:55] mrptptpt: apparently, this place pays in cash daily too... which is kind of weird, but sounds convenient, since I won't have a bank account until my ARC is done in a month or so (work visa)
[20:49:00] AlenaBrolxFlami: just stash the money away where nobody can get at it, I suppose :P
[20:55:33] mrptptpt: like a treasure box buried at a secret location in the middle of the mountains? marked by my GPS, so only I and someone foolish enough to follow me can get there?
[21:08:50] AlenaBrolxFlami: hahahaha.... I don't know
[21:12:26] mrptptpt: or I could like put it in a drawer here until I have a bank account, and then use that
[21:21:33] AlenaBrolxFlami: that would be more sensible, yes ;P
[21:22:29] mrptptpt: but not quite as exciting
[21:28:13] AlenaBrolxFlami: well, no...
[21:31:20] mrptptpt: I don't really know how to get to the remote mountains, though... so I guess I'll stick to the drawer thing or my wallet
[21:33:06] AlenaBrolxFlami: good plan... ARE there remote mountains there?
[21:33:33] mrptptpt: the whole island is mountains
[21:33:52] mrptptpt: it's kind of like Japan... everything is hills and mountains, and people live wherever there's actually flat enough land to build on
[21:34:26] AlenaBrolxFlami: NICE
[21:34:43] mrptptpt: and it's extra like Japan since until World War II, Japan ran this place, so it kind of was Japan, for a while :P
[21:35:04] AlenaBrolxFlami: :P
[21:36:37] mrptptpt: after messing with the US in WWII, while trying to kill everyone in China and generally the rest of Asia, they didn't have enough resources to keep control of Taiwan, and not too long after, Chang Kai Shek and others decided China was a bunch of mean commies and came here to make China: The Non-Communist Sequel!
[21:37:04] mrptptpt: so it's only really been Taiwan since like 1950-ish
[21:37:47] mrptptpt: and before the Japanese had the island, the Dutch had it. maybe you've heard of Formosa? This is Formosa :P they changed it to Taiwan, though
[21:43:29] AlenaBrolxFlami: I've heard of it
[21:50:00] mrptptpt: I've heard of it better than you, so ha!
[21:50:12] AlenaBrolxFlami: STOP.
[21:50:21] mrptptpt: stop what? :P
[21:50:31] AlenaBrolxFlami: stop being nuts
[21:50:43] mrptptpt: negatory
[21:52:32] AlenaBrolxFlami: FINE
[21:54:48] mrptptpt: I'm not crazy though, you're crazy
[21:55:57] AlenaBrolxFlami: says who?
[21:56:37] mrptptpt: says me, you wacko :P
[22:02:30] AlenaBrolxFlami: crazy man

You watched him on hidden cameras to say he doesn't smile enough?!

High-scoring words of the late night:

ATOMICS (1120 points) - against Marlene K. [5W, two 4W]
MUSIC (200 points) - against Jan A. [two 4W]


After I got back from my walk, Corey told me some CRAZY news:

[01:35:05] mrptptpt: I just went to 7-11 all by myself, like a big boy
[01:35:22] AlenaBrolxFlami: good timing - I just got back from a walk myself (1:35 AM here)
[01:35:41] mrptptpt: you're out walking at 1:30?
[01:36:15] AlenaBrolxFlami: I got this idea at 12:15 after I ate something, so yes...
[01:37:26] mrptptpt: well, I went out walking in a scary foreign land with no translator or map (well, I'm sort of creating a map as I go on my handy dandy walking GPS)
[01:37:35] mrptptpt: Jane's at work
[01:38:53] mrptptpt: she forced me to go pay for a parking ticket for her at 7-11 today. she wants me to be less shy, so she's trying to get me to talk to people, despite not speaking the same language as them.......
[01:40:32] AlenaBrolxFlami: you got a walking GPS? that sounds like it could be handy
[01:42:17] mrptptpt: yes. this way, I have a little arrow that tells me which direction Jane's house is wherever we are. it tells me where my house is, too... but to walk there, it's over 7000 miles!
[01:43:15] AlenaBrolxFlami: haha!
[01:43:18] mrptptpt: it's not a normal GPS with maps and stuff. it's like for hiking. you mark your campsite and go wander off wherever all day, and then you tell it you want to go back, and it shows you which direction to go. it also draws a line where you've been walking, if you want to retrace your path
[01:43:32] AlenaBrolxFlami: sounds practical
[01:44:02] mrptptpt: not really. it was $100, and I kinda thought I had a job to pay for that. apparently, this is not the case
[01:45:10] AlenaBrolxFlami: what?! I thought you had stuff lined up last time you went!
[01:47:02] mrptptpt: I DID....... but the school I had a job at is apparently full of a bunch of assholes or crazy people or something. they told me to leave at like 4 PM on the first day because I "don't smile enough," and my personality doesn't fit with the school.. oh, and we didn't REALLY hire you (despite giving me a job offer with the salary and benefits laid out, and them calling me repeatedly to make sure I was coming back) ... we just gave you a chance to see if we like you (oh, you mean the teaching demo I did, which you liked?)
[01:48:47] mrptptpt: maybe I shouldn't say "a bunch of assholes" ... the teachers all seemed fine, but apparently, the principal lady had it out for me for some unknown reason. she tried to get a teacher to get rid of me, but I made her come out and talk to me. she was a broken record, though... and wouldn't give me a straight answer about anything. then she just kind of left, and nobody came back to talk to me or whatever, so I had to call Jane (luckily, I brought her mom's cell phone, as mine doesn't get service over here) and get her to leave work to come get me
[01:49:52] AlenaBrolxFlami: what the hell? that's CRAZY! principal lady sounds like a bitch
[01:49:58] mrptptpt: while I was waiting for Jane, the principal lady came back to tell me to leave, since they don't want any parents or students to come and see me waiting in the lobby... I told her I was just waiting for my ride, and I'd be gone soon. then I think she went off to go get security or something, but Jane walked in right about then... and in Chinese, she didn't get much farther than me trying to get an answer out of her
[01:51:00] mrptptpt: so... I've spent like $2000 to come back here and work there for a year, and now I don't have an income here. I definitely didn't do anything wrong, because my whole day was watching other foreign teachers teach their classes
[01:51:08] mrptptpt: I didn't even have a chance to do anything wrong or right
[01:51:51] AlenaBrolxFlami: when did this happen?! and do your parents know?
[01:52:06] mrptptpt: Monday, the first day of work
[01:52:43] mrptptpt: everything seemed fine... but apparently, they were watching me on hidden cameras (seriously, one of the foreign teachers pointed it out to me when she had her back turned to it) ... and decided I don't smile enough
[01:54:02] mrptptpt: I actually made a point of smiling at everyone all day, and the few interactions I had with the kids had them all laughing and happy.. and after I was informed about the cameras, I did my best to look bright and alert while watching classes.. I'm still a bit jet-lagged and fall asleep pretty early, so I did plenty of yawning in some of the first classes.. still, I wasn't teaching anyone... I was just watching to see how things work
[01:54:23] mrptptpt: my parents said they're glad I'm not working for people like that, and to stick with it and find something else
[01:56:48] AlenaBrolxFlami: yeah, that's what I'd say too - you're there already... these people sound like they have some kind of issue
[01:57:28] AlenaBrolxFlami: what you did seems fine to me... smiling all day, and making the kids laugh and be happy? that would score points in my book if I were the evaluators
[02:13:04] mrptptpt: Firefox restarted, so I probably missed things
[02:13:31] mrptptpt: I have you open in Chrome now to hopefully avoid that.. Firefox barely works on my laptop these days
[02:21:59] AlenaBrolxFlami: *pastes last two messages*
[02:26:05] mrptptpt: well, I can start looking for other places. there's another one that apparently hires almost anyone, and is a chain school known to not screw people over... though people have a lot of complaints about the rules, and how they run things and stuff
[02:30:49] AlenaBrolxFlami: what sort of complaints do they have?
[02:34:58] mrptptpt: they try to not pay you for any office time preparing your lessons and grading and that kind of stuff, I think. it looks like all businesses here are kind of like that, though... they want to get you to work as many hours as humanly possible, and pay you for as few of those as they can get away with
[02:35:48] mrptptpt: and it's quantity over quality. if you do a job in one hour, perfectly, you won't be praised for your efficiency over the idiot that takes 5 hours... you'll be yelled at for being lazy for 4 hours
[02:36:48] mrptptpt: they warned me when I had a free period for lesson planning at Well (the evil school) to always look busy, because even though I didn't have to work for that time, they'd put me to work if I didn't look busy enough
[02:39:50] AlenaBrolxFlami: yikes... doesn't sound good, but also does sound kinda Asian
[02:41:15] mrptptpt: I think it's probably fairly Asian here, yes :P
[02:42:27] mrptptpt: oh, there was a foreign teacher from Vancouver there who almost immediately asked if I like hockey :P
[02:43:06] AlenaBrolxFlami: hahaha... so what did you say?
[02:48:32] mrptptpt: not really? :P then he asked if I follow the Avalanche, even though I just said I don't pay attention to hockey. I also hate typing "hockey" because I almost always type "hocket" and have to go back and fix it. I don't normally mix up t's and y's, so I don't know why that happens so much with "hockey" (did it AGAIN right there)
[02:52:42] AlenaBrolxFlami: I hate when that happens to me... usually happens when I'm really tired, or typing fast, like on Sunday afternoon after lunch (had 5 hours' sleep)
[02:56:06] mrptptpt: potato
[03:03:03] mrptptpt: dinner time here... Jane was SUPPOSED to be back about now, but she's not
[03:03:29] mrptptpt: so now I have to beat her up or something today
[03:07:33] AlenaBrolxFlami: that's terrible
[03:08:01] AlenaBrolxFlami: anyway... I need to go to bed, and the computer is bugging me about automatic updates, which it'll do in about 14 minutes anyway... so bye!

Crazy rain, guilt caused by yelling at a favorite kid (Conor), fire / earth / air

The keyboard works again in Firefox - YAY! From what I've read, it could be temporary, so I should beware! The rain out there is CRAZY, since I can actually see the puddle that the road has become... good thing I'm staying home! Edit an hour later: It seems to have cleared up, at least for now.

I also still feel guilty for yelling at little Conor yesterday; that was only because Auntie Ying was trying to cut the stickers in the workbooks when they could just be peeled off. I'm going to explain that to him on Sunday when I apologize, for sure! (he was also asking a lot of questions, even for him - I'm trying to get things DONE, my little friend!)

You Are Air

You are a quirky, flighty, and zany person. You change with the wind. You are highly creative and often inspired. You love to be spontaneous and hate restrictions. You have a yearning for travel and adventure. You want to have a wild and crazy life. You actually feel a bit more balanced when there is structure and stability in your life, but you avoid it.

Are You Earth, Fire, or Air?

Work is Hard. Time for Blogthings!

Dream of Vicky, Jeremy, and plastic shell clothing / Browser issues / Statehood

I heard INXS' Never Tear Us Apart on the radio just now... considering the circumstances under which I last heard the song, I'm surprised that I still like it! (Greyhound depot, waiting for Korey) Had to take a nap earlier, in part because I was making SO MANY typos since I was really tired! I had a dream that my dad, sister, and I were going around a cruise ship... they had stuff for sale, and the ship was connected to other ships in a network via a tunnel. There were plastic shells meant to be clothing... we saw Dawn, and invited her to join us. Her mom was on the phone to my dad, so they talked for a bit. I got the idea in my head that I simply had to meet Jeremy on another ship, so enlisted Vicky to go with me - we were about to find him when I woke up. Weird!

I know I talked to Jeremy today, and briefly saw Vicky... but those are about all the triggers I can think of. Would make more sense if the dream involved Dave or Eric in some way, haha. But the tunnel network WAS silver, much like what Eric tells me is the ventilation system in the parkade, which we were discussing on Friday. So maybe my subconscious is processing Friday night, where I talked to Vicky and Jeremy way more than I did today... but I still have no idea where Dawn, Dad, Auntie Betty, or the plastic shell clothing came from! (some of it was PINK - HORROR!)

When I got up, I discovered that my keyboard wouldn't work in Firefox for some reason. Being too lazy to research a billion Google answers, I instead switched to Google Chrome temporarily, even if typing in text fields is VERY slow. Although now Firefox won't even load, or takes a long time to do so ... I guess I have to research the problem!


Trivia fact for Monday, Mar. 29: How many years were there between the admission of the first and fiftieth states into the United States? Almost 172. Delaware achieved statehood on December 7, 1787; Hawaii, on August 21, 1959.

I'm not leaving Chrystal by herself, man! / Content Valentine

HA! My dad just emailed me to say that if I get my ride to drop me off at Chinese New Year Eve dinner (Timmy's Kitchen) tomorrow, it may be too late as Jon and Harmony have to do something at 9. He estimates I'll get there at 7; I don't even remember what time I got home last week, although we did leave early because of the kids... and they do have a dinner, too. Hmm. At least then I can also get out of dinner, because I'm not leaving Chrystal to do everything by herself at Awana if my parents leave at 4:30! And tonight, I go out - my dad seems to forget that, maybe. We'll see what happens...

I finally got around to researching a solution for that annoying "Warning: unresponsive script" error message in Firefox, too. YAY!

I just heard about the death of Georgian luge athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili on the radio. Phil supplied the name, and Martin said he was in shock after seeing that footage. :(
Picture 1
Picture 2
Graphic video... saw it on the news, too.

Edit three hours later: Eric called while I was in the shower; later, he termed it "a likely story." WHATEVER! He'd left me a Facebook wall post, asking if I'd done anything foolish like deciding to take the Canada Line today. OF COURSE NOT, BECAUSE I AM NOT THAT INSANE! He wondered whether I'd like to be at the potluck tonight - you bet! (Amy's Chewy Chips Ahoy have waited for more than a week now...) Says he'll be here at around 6:30 or 6:40, since he assumes I don't want to take public transportation now... not today, at any rate! Also decided not to go to dinner tomorrow, and there is no way I'm going to church hours early when I'd still be sleeping, just for a lunch. I can probably make the free concert tomorrow, depending!

You Are a Content Valentine

While you don't put all your hope in Valentine's Day, you do think of it as a holiday to spark some romance. You prefer a holiday that's romantic, cozy, and very intimate. You don't need your partner to pull out all the stops... just a few stops. The most important thing about Valentine's Day is who you spend it with. You could make a fast food dinner special. That's not to say you don't want to be wined and dined a little by your Valentine. You just aren't looking for a whirlwind trip or an expensive gift.

What Type of Valentine Are You?

Work is Hard. Time for Blogthings!

Magic Bra printout on Jeremy's wall...

Pastor John wondered whether there was a Committee meeting tonight - upon Eric calling him, Dylan thought it was NEXT WEEK! Hahaha... I don't think being married has improved his memory any! Vivian says she's sick... that's too bad! Eric just called and said that maybe I should be at Cambie / Jacombs by 6:15 or so... I guess two hours is long enough to look for a durable replacement for my Crabtree & Evelyn bag! Although I want to stay home, I can't... oh well. Told him that unless he wanted me to teleport to the church, I certainly would need a ride since his assumption of my going to tonight's meeting is correct. (told him that he sounded like he was sick on the phone, too...) Also have put this weekend's candy into jars - oh good, now maybe I can eat!

Jeremy emailed us about the Magic Bra collage:

I've attached a photo of the printed-out email. This is now up on the wall above where the bra used to be.

Cheers everyone,
Jeremy


Nathan's reaction came in less than an hour later:

WWWAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Bloody brilliant, Jer!!! (though also, somewhat obsessive... but hey, I am too, and Brilliant Artists are like that. Take that as a compliment. ;-) ) Dude, I think your true calling is in the Arts. You should totally come join me at Goldsmiths. You'd fit right in. :-)

Cheers to Jer and the Ghost of the Magic Bra.....
Nathan

So I tried to view the picture, and it was flipped around! Corey advised me to save it first, and then manipulate it with the Windows Photo Viewer... that seemed to work well. Uploading photos to Facebook doesn't work in Firefox, AGAIN... guess I have to use IE for this once more!

Uncapped pens, Gr. 10 at the mall, Eric H. agreeing with me, Halloween Blogthings

I stupidly left a pen UNCAPPED overnight - guess I'll throw it away since it will become DRY, then! Had a weird dream where Harmony and I went through Grade 10 at a local mall; homeroom was held in the food court, of all places! That's practically all I remember, but dreams do NOT reflect reality! I'm a few years older than she is, for one. Oh well. U2 is town, also! Talked to Chinese Eric, who apparently doesn't mind that I told his dating news to Jon / Christon / Isabel (who thought I meant Eric T. instead) on Sunday - sweet! Told him about Mr. Creep, recent events, and other things too. He agrees with me about the warning signs / vibes / concerns, even when balanced with the "be fair to the new guy" stuff. Besides, he thinks that Mr. Creep could very well be a predator - that's what my instinct tells me!

Just joined ohnotheydidnt, and now it's taken over my friends page. Oh well, at least now I can comment on the various articles in there - it won't be like that crazy polyamory community. (and speaking of, theferrett has an essay up about that just today... maybe certain people I know of should read it, hahaha) Now I gotta see what the Firefox extension is for expanding collapsed LJ comment threads... I have a feeling I'll need it. =/

Nathan emailed us about the Magic Bra again: "Hahahahaha. If you guys miss me that much, you guys can join me. Especially theology students and / or potentially aspiring ones (Christon???? I'm going to randomly start a rumour now, and say that I heard Christon is joining a monastery to grow closer to God. Co-ed monastery, though. He couldn't handle it. Or maybe a "Shemal'e' monastery) Anyway, for REAL, here's an interesting scholarship opportunity to learn more overseas, and eventually return. Jono Mofo (and Harmony), interesting. Think about it :-) /"

You Are Modern on Halloween

When it comes to Halloween, you're not much for tradition or doing things the old-school way. You tend to be much more interested in trying the newest Halloween-flavored treat or the latest horror movie. You are the type of person who dresses in the latest hot costume - whether you're going as a funny celebrity or popular movie character. There's so much new stuff to love at Halloween, and you're excited to see it all!

Who Are You On Halloween?

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

You Are a Treat

As a kid, you didn't cause too much trouble, and the adults adored you. Now that you've grown up, not much has changed. You know that a little sugar is the way to get what you want in life, and you are as sweet as they come. You like to make things better in the world, and you don't mind following rules... no matter how silly they may seem. You are a truly good person, and there's very few of you in the world. Anyone who knows you is blessed!

Are You a Trick or a Treat?

Blogthings: 100's of Fun, Free Quizzes and 3 Stupid Ones

You Are The Silence of the Lambs

You think the scariest thing in the world is the human mind. What serial killers are capable of frightens you to the core. You aren't big on gore or action when it comes to horror movies. You'd rather delve deeper than that... and get completely disturbed. In fact, you can hardly ever find a horror movie that compares to the nastiness of a true crime story. You couldn't think up the brutal crimes that occur in real life. In your opinion, no monster can be as scary as a human. You don't have to look far to find someone that totally terrifies you.

What Scary Movie Are You?

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

You Are a Witch

Like a witch, you are often misunderstood and unfairly judged. You are not as sinister as you seem. You are intelligent and spiritual. You feel very connected to the world - both the dark and light sides of things. You tend to keep to yourself, and because of this, people tend to think things about you that aren't true. You would just like to be left alone to do your own thing. You have no intention of harming anyone, even though you could if you wanted to!

Are You A Vampire, Witch, Or Zombie?

Blogthings: We're Not Shrinks, But We Play Them On the Internet

You Are a Blue Pumpkin

You are unique, fascinating, and even a bit mysterious. There's not a lot of people like you around. You believe life's too short to not seize the moment. You embrace every opportunity and live each day like it's your last. You are playful and energetic. After a hard day of work, the last thing you want to do is lay around. You love to get your heart racing, and it's hard for you to say no to an exciting or interesting invitation.

What Color Pumpkin Are You?

Blogthings: Waste Time at Work!

Your Home Might Be Haunted

There's definitely something weird going on in your home, and you have the right to be uncomfortable. A lot of your home's creepiness could be psychological. Do you have some bad memories associated with where you live? Try to freshen things up a bit. Maybe some flowers or a new happy painting would make your home seem less dead. Plus maybe if you change things enough, you'll scare some of the "ghosts" away!

Is Your Home Haunted?

Blogthings: We're Not Shrinks, But We Play Them On the Internet

You Should Carve a Funny Pumpkin Face

You are extroverted, brilliant, and witty. You are a natural comedian. You never pass up an opportunity to entertain people, and Halloween is one of your biggest days for making people laugh. You have a hilarious, unexpected costume that keeps people cracking up all night. And only you can pull it off. You're the type to have the goofiest jack-o-lanterns and most colorful candy. You like your Halloween to be bright and bold.

What Pumpkin Face Should You Carve?

The First Rule of Blogthings Is: You Don't Talk About Blogthings

You Are a Gorilla Mask

You are outrageous and loud. You love to live it up, and all eyes are often on you. You are a natural entertainer, and you enjoy putting on a show. You will do almost anything to be the center of attention. You tend to be emotionally intense and you react strongly to how you feel. You don't hide your mood from anyone. You are extremely impulsive. You tend to follow your heart and ignore what your head is saying.

What Halloween Mask Are You?

Blogthings: Cheaper Than a Therapist

Your Pet Should Be a Pirate for Halloween

Your pet is a smart, sneaky, and cunning creature. Your pet knows what he or she wants, and will figure out a way to get it. You keep thinking that you have your pet figured out, but the next thing you know, your pet is creeping out the door. Your pet doesn't battle you. Your pet just figures out a way to get to that big bag of treats. Like a pirate, your pet feels entitled to whatever his or her heart desires. Luckily, not much harm is done with this evil plot!

What Should Your Pet Be for Halloween?

Blogthings: We'll Tell You The Truth... Someone Has To!

You Should Dress Up As a Cat

You are a shy, reserved person who takes a long time to warm up to others. You are close to those you've known the longest. You are crafty and smart. You may seem like you're lost in your own little world, but you're really paying attention to everything going on around you. You are not easily influenced by the other people in your life. If anything, you counterbalance their emotions well. You are intuitive and have a lot of wisdom to impart. Most people don't pay close enough attention to the lessons you teach them.

What Animal Should You Dress Up As?

Blogthings: A Fine Line Between Insight and Stupidity

THIS IS SO RIGHT! People should pay more attention to me because of what I have to teach them, dammit! :P