Friday, July 22, 2005

   Just do me a favor and check your baggage at the door...

Thursday night....w00t!

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Well, I think I feel lots better tonight than I did last night. I'm not kidding, I had a nasty headache. I think it was from two days without caffeine. I actually laid in bed and read Kenshin until I couldn't see straight... which was at 10:30! I don't usually go to bed before midnight!

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Well, my day was uneventful. I spent the morning reading more Kenshin. B&N called and #14 is there waiting for us to go pick it up. Tomorrow probably. The afternoon was supposed to be spent working on Java, but my brain cell just wouldn't get a grip on it, so I ended up online chatting with a couple people and trying to read my email while the computer decided to freak out. Lots of fun. Then around 4:30 I went back downstairs where it's a little cooler than up here in the office and finished off the last of my Kenshin books. I'm ready for that new one now!

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I've been such a slacker lately. I haven't written anything on the story for over a week! I haven't even drawn anything for that long, too. The last thing I drew was the picture of Hikaru. And if I ever get the story down on paper to the point that things are in my head, it's gonna be amazing.... and one ginormously long story!!! In my head, I've got things going on during Meiji with him and also about 150 years later! Yow!

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Well, that seems to be enough for now.

Laters!

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Additional: There's another picture up. Whee.

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Thursday, July 21, 2005

   Rare afternoon appearance with apology

Sorry I wasn't around at all last night. I had a headache again and went to bed early. Lack of caffeine, I think. I'll be back later tonight with the official Thursday post.

Laters!

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Wednesday, July 20, 2005

   Are You a Hypnotist?

Tuesday.... bored?

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Actually, I'm a little distracted tonight. I don't know why... I've been chatting with a couple peoples and playing solitaire more than anything. Weird...

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Well... the other day I mentioned the DBZ cards. Here's the cool foil one that came out of that pack:


I saw this on the back of another card. Just what the heck is this thing? It's creepin' me out!!!

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Well, I think I may just go to bed and read Kenshin for a while. I'm getting ready for when #14 arrives!

Laters!

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Tuesday, July 19, 2005

   But I'm feeling much better now. *wild-eyed grin*

Monday night and a new record has been set!

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Well, thank you all for the well-wishing after last night's post. I really didn't feel that great. My sinuses were acting up again. Blah. I did still have somewhat of a headache when I got out of bed this morning, but aspirin actually put an end to it.

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All right... I'll sum up yesterday's activities quick. Around 11:30, my brother decided we needed to go to another movie. So we went to the 12:30 showing of Batman Begins. Still a good movie the second time around! Then we went to Target and ran around there for a while. I got another pack of DBZ cards. Got a really cute foil one. I should try scanning it in. Then my brother decided he wanted to go to Wal-mart... in LeMars. So, off to LeMars from Sioux City! Ran around there for a while. We wandered into the toy section and the Star Wars section... there were sets of M&M figures where they were dressed up as Star Wars characters! As there was only one set left with Red dressed up as Darth Maul, my brother sighed and said, "Grab it." I have Red as Darth Maul!!!! Yay!!! He got the DVD of Appleseed. We haven't watched it yet. Then we went to Dairy Queen for supper and then home. After that was when the headache and thunderstorms started up.

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Today can be summarized thusly: I did two loads of towels and read my Harry Potter book. I started reading a little after 11:00 this morning and read pretty much straight through until 5:00. I did have to take little breaks during that time to take care of the laundry and get something to eat. Then I took a break of about four hours while we had supper down at Pizza Hut and then took a walk and did a little RPGing. Then at 9:00 my brother got ready for work and I picked up the book again. Had it done a little after 10:00... and during that hour, I also read my email and restarted the computer twice! I told you I can multitask at a cosmic level! So...that's my record for reading a Harry Potter book: a little over six hours.

I won't tell you anything about it here, but I will say this: I cried a little bit. Hey... the fifth one made me cry a lot! I'm such a softie.

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Well, I think I babbled enough here....

Laters!

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Additional: I broke 3200 hits last night while I was writing that brief post. w00t!

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Monday, July 18, 2005

   Ugh...

Sunday night....THUD!

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• Headache


• Thunderstorms


• Lack of sleep

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Wow. Short post.

Laters!

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Sunday, July 17, 2005

   Everything here is eatable. I'm eatable, but that my children is called cannibalism and it is frowned upon in most societies.

Saturday night and time for a movie review!

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We went to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory today. It rocks!!! I definitely need to add this movie to my DVD want list! It's better than the original. I must admit that the Oompa-Loompas weren't as freaky as what I had expected. I know the guy that played them from other stuff, and he usually plays slightly creepy, evil toys and stuff. Johnny Depp... well, what can I say? It's JOHNNY DEPP!!!! All right... when I first heard that there was going to be a new version of the story, I was a little apprehensive. But then, when I heard that Tim Burton was in charge and Johnny Depp was starring, I couldn't wait. Man-oh-man! That movie kicked arse! Go see it!!!

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Well, I wrote a few connected haiku last night while running the anti-spyware stuff. Here you go...

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Just beyond the edge
Of the woods, the fields of green
Stretch endlessly on.

The trees feel like home,
But the green fields welcome me
Like a long lost child.

The sun shines warmly
On those lush, verdant fields and
I take that first step

Beyond the dark safety
Of the forest--my quiet home.
I step into light.

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My brother is scaring me by being nice to me.... I told you yesterday that he ordered Kenshin #14 for me. Today he bought the 6th Harry Potter book for me!!!! I haven't started to read it yet. I'll probably spend a good part of Monday reading it. I must remember to stop and eat this time...

Laters!

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Saturday, July 16, 2005

   Inu wa kuruma no shita ni imasu.

Friday night and my eyes are drying out.

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Well, I didn't do much today. Watched "History's Mysteries" on the History Channel for a good chunk of the afternoon. Learned stuff about William Wallace, Rob Roy McGregor and Jack the Ripper. I also learned that in 1713, New York City prohibited children from sledding. I just want to know why they couldn't go sledding.

Then my brother got up and we went to Sioux City as usual for a Friday late afternoon/evening. Ate at the mall & wandered around there for a while. At B&N he asked me what Kenshin book I needed. I told him which one, but they didn't have it in stock. But he ordered it for me! Wheee! I was so surprised. He got Dr. Slump #2. I can't wait to read that one, too.

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I think I may be offline before midnight again tonight. Sorry I didn't get to sites again tonight... computer is still acting up and I want to run Ad-aware and Spybot before I go to bed. So, happy weekend, everyone! We're probably going to go see Charlie & the Chocolate Factory tomorrow. Yay!

Laters!

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Friday, July 15, 2005

   Grrrr...

Another Thursday night.

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Well, I'm a frustrated Kitsune tonight. The computer was acting weird when I started it up tonight. I have no idea what the problem was... it was running incredibly slow and all sorts of things were "Not Responding" according to the task manager. Sometimes I wonder why I don't take a hammer to this thing.

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So, in light of that, I didn't get to very many sites tonight. It took forever just to read my email because of the stupid computer. Therefore, I am going to give you another installment of my story. Enjoy!

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“The last time I saw your grandfather, he was furious,” Takeda said. He and Hikaru were walking to the temple for the funeral. “And now I have the feeling that I will see a different side of the man.”

“Oh?” Hikaru asked.

“Yes, I have spoken with one of his men – a small, pushy man. He came to the temple after the wake yesterday.” Takeda tried to disguise the anger in his voice.

Hikaru looked up at his teacher.

“It was after you left. The man called Ashida approached me. Your grandfather is here, Hikaru-kun. He will be at the funeral, but if Ashida-san has relayed my request, he will not approach you.”

“Thank you, sensei,” Hikaru said. “I wouldn’t know what to say to him. Not now.”

“I know. I also told the man that if you wish to talk to your grandfather, you’d be the one to make first contact. Is that good?”

Hikaru smiled sadly. “Yes, Takeda-sensei, it’s good.” He sighed. They had arrived at the temple. “We’re here.”

“Yes, we are.” Takeda looked around at the people gathered outside the temple. Several people from the village were in attendance, as were many of the students of the dojo. “Let us go in.”

In a short time, everyone had entered the temple. Takeda spotted Nakamura and his men in the crowd. They respected his wishes and kept their distance. The funeral began with the priest reading the sutra.

At the proper time, Hikaru was the first to offer incense at the altar. He silently paid his respects and then returned to his seat. Takeda was next to offer incense and was followed by the people of the village. Nakamura was last to pay respects.

After everyone had offered incense and prayers, the priest finished the reading and prepared to leave the temple. Hikaru rose to take his place to thank everyone for coming. As the priest passed, Hikaru heard words he hoped never to hear and collapsed as he suddenly felt as if he was being pulled from his body. The priest had uttered words to keep demons away and allow the soul of the deceased to depart peacefully.

Takeda was first to reach Hikaru. A warning glance at Nakamura kept him from rushing over. Takeda picked Hikaru up and took him from the temple as a murmur of concern rippled through the gathered crowd.

The priest knew nothing of what had happened within and was surprised to see Takeda carrying Hikaru from the temple. “Takeda-san, what has happened?”

“Hikaru…” Takeda stammered. “I think it was too soon. He seemed to be better…”

“Here, bring him in here,” the priest directed Takeda to a room where Hikaru would be comfortable. “I will send for the doctor.”

“Thank you. Could you wait here with Hikaru-kun? I need to let everyone know what happened.”

“Of course. I will stay with the boy.” The priest sent one of the acolytes to fetch the doctor and then sat by Hikaru’s side and started to pray.

Takeda went back to the temple. “Thank you all for waiting. Hikaru is resting now. I am afraid this was too much for him to bear so soon after his illness. On his behalf, I thank you all for coming today.” He bowed and waited as everyone left, thanking each of them for being there and for their concern.

Nakamura was the last to leave. “Takeda-san, my condolences,” he said with a bow. Concern was written across his face. “Is there anything I can do? I can send for my personal physician if you wish.”

“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary. I have already sent for the town doctor. Thank you for coming, Nakamura-san.” Takeda turned to leave.

Ashida moved as if to confront Takeda, but Nakamura’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. “Now is not the time, Ashida-san,” Nakamura said. “Leave them alone.”

“Thank you again, Nakamura-san,” Takeda said and returned to Hikaru.
Nakamura and his men returned to the inn. No one spoke. Each was lost in his own thoughts. Nakamura reflected on how things had broken down between him and his son and on how he would try to get to know his grandson. Yonaha thought of Hikaru. He had thought the boy looked rather small and sickly, so the collapse was not too surprising to him. Ashida was concerned with getting around Takeda and close to the boy.
***
Samantha was walking down along the beach looking for shells as events were unfolding at the temple. Her uncle and Midori were nearby watching. They were happy to see her acting like a curious girl instead of obsessing over the boy she was trying to find. She had been so upset about things and needed to relax.

Sam had taken off her shoes and was wading in the surf. A particularly pretty shell caught her eye and she bent to pick it up. As she reached for the shell, she hesitated. Someone was standing there. She looked up into the startled face of a ghostly silver boy.

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Well, there you have it. A convergence....

And now I believe I am going to get offline before midnight! *insert shocked face here*

Laters!

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Thursday, July 14, 2005

   You've got that rainbow feel....

...but the rainbow has a beard.

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Wednesday night and I'm getting in touch with my Inner Hippy again.

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Well...it was hot & sticky here again. I'm really getting tired of the weather.

I did get the list of stuff done finally this afternoon. I also applied for a few jobs online. I need a job.

To answer metal-inuyasha's question about what a Certified Internet Webmaster does: it depends. The CIW certifications cover so much stuff. They can be the ones running the servers to keep websites up. They can be the ones doing the pure programming for database access. They can be the ones that actually design what a site looks like. The last one is what I'm after.

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And now answers from my brother.

metal-inuyasha asked: What is the name of the man that made the world's biggest ball of twine?
Mongo answers: Francis A. Johnson

Aaryanna asked: do you write cool stories like your sister does?
Mongo answers: Not really, don't have the patience to sit and write. Most of the stories I create are stuck somewhere in my head.

Caprice asked: You have a rock-hard physique. Do you work out? But seriously, do you watch anime? If so, what is your favorite anime?
Mongo answers: Yeah, rock hard like pumice or fresh lava. Favorite anime? Hands down, the first I ever watched, Ranma 1/2. I have the first series on video tape.

Nikorasu asked: That's your brother? Why does he speak in word bubbles?
Mongo answers: Because sometimes I feel like I am living in a strange cartoon world.

Mongo also says "Thank you" to all who asked questions. I think we may have to do something like this again.

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Well, after filling this thing out on several other people's sites, I'm finally putting it up here.

01. Who are you?
02. Are we friends?
03. When and how did we meet?
04. Give me a nickname and explain why you picked it.
05. Describe me in one word.
06. What was your first impression of me?
07. Do you still think that way about me now?
08. What reminds you of me?
09. If you could give me anything what would it be?
10. How well do you know me?
11. When's the last time you saw me?
12. Ever wanted to tell me something but couldn't?
13. Are you going to put this on your journal and see what I say about you?
14. What song are you listening to right now?

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I almost filled it out for myself... I need to get some sleep...

Laters!

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Wednesday, July 13, 2005

   Careful with that axe, Eugene!

Tuesday night and my mind has become one long Pink Floyd song!

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As you may have guessed, I've been listening to Pink Floyd tonight. I hadn't listened to one of the albums in a while... and after over an hour of it, I could tell why. It's a really bizarre album! I gotta be in a certain mood for that one again.

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I've given the questions that I received for my brother to him. Hopefully I'll have answers for you guys tomorrow. Thanks for the questions!

I did get a couple questions asked of me in comments as well. So I will answer them now.

Nikorasu asked: "Where are you in RuroKen?" I'm only to volume 13. I keep reading them over & over & over, hoping that suddenly volume 14 will appear before me magically. It hasn't yet.

Mamma Vash asked: "What do those letters mean on that logo?" Well, according to jt down in San Antonio, they stand for "Certified International Witch." I threatened to put a hex on him if he wasn't careful. Originally, they stood for "Certified Internet Webmaster," but with the expansion of the Internet and the technologies involved, it's now "Certified Internet Web Professional." So, I guess that makes me a "Certified Internet Web Professional Professional."

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Well... other than that, not much is going on as usual. I did the laundry that should've been done yesterday today. Big whoop. I played the original Pokemon Pinball on my GBA while doing that. It's the one with the rumble pack. Lots of fun. I did discover that it's even more rumbley if I lean against the washer during the spin cycle! Our washer goes out of balance very easily, so I usually end up spending the spin cycle watching it closely.

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Anyhoo... I won't bore you any longer. Still need to run that anti-virus software!!!

Laters!

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