myOtaku.com: Mamma Vash

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Personal

Achievements
• knitted 5 blankets for homeless program in 8 mos!
Anime Fan Since
• 2003
Favorite Anime
• Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, Inuyasha,Paranoia Agent, Full Metal Alchemist, Patlabor movies
Goals
• I want to knit a blanket to keep the world warm
Hobbies
• knitting, sketching, and trying to maintain my sense of humour
Talents
• tripping over EVERYTHING

myOtaku.com: Mamma Vash

Welcome to my site archives. 10 posts are listed per page.

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Wednesday, February 8, 2006

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...
The evacuation is over for the canyon. The fire is still burning in the Cleveland National Forest, but there is a break between the flames and homes, so everyone is safe. Today I will let pictures tell you what I saw.. I do not look forward to cleaning the fine ash from everything.....

This was the smoky cloud over my house, and the way things looked at 2 PM!

Don't worry-- this is not the fire itself-- infact this was taken looking in the opposing direction. It's amazing what a lot of smoke does to sunsets.. and sunrises.

The canyons can be pretty deep-- eventhough flames are pretty tall, all that could be seen was the rising smoke until night fell.

I don't know why Photobucket isn't allowing the smaller size images on my site.. I have re-sized the image, but sometimes it transfers here as huge! Well , life is back to usual at least-- now to return to knitting my coat and the usual things. During lunch break, I'll go bring some crackers to the goose on the nest (she won't eat duck food). I await the appearance of ducklings and goslings.. that when I know spring has arrived.

And what has happened lately in your life? Hope that it is good!
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Tuesday, February 7, 2006

There'll be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonite
HOOOOO! The Devil Winds have come back--they blow hot, and everything dries out. Well, when I woke up Monday morning, I saw some black smoke curling into the air one canyon over-- I know what that means, a brush fire somewhere- They happen a lot in So. Cal, but add the Devil Winds, and they can spread. After I was at work for 5 h, my neighbor called and told me better get home, and if I couldn't make it for a while, she would put the parrots in their carriers, and take them to safety (birds get sick with smoke and stuff). She is a wonderful neighbor, and very brave because the Amazon has a huge nasty looking beak (she is a calm and shy bird), and Big Guy is playful, but bites! I got home and packed my tax papers , all important documents, the laptop, bills, bird seed to be ready to evacuate. Luckilly we were not in the mandatory evacuation zone-- but it was only 2 blocks away. The fire had started in the Cleveland National Forest which borders the freeway, and snakes in back of the town I live in . We saw flames in the distance, but the sky had an eerie orange glow.. I will post pictures later or tomorrow.. in the daytime, large black clouds drifted around-- it looked like early evening at 2 PM! The sun was an orange ball in the smoke-- I haven't seen it that thick in our canyon before. I got the birds off to a regional animal hospital that was boarding pets to get them out of the smoke. I am so tired now.. it was kind of bizarre. Big M is in the Netherlands-- as everyone is OK, I won't talk to him about that until he comes back to the US. There has been no fire damage, but the ash is everywhere, and the smoke makes one cough.. so the standby room will be "home" for a couple of days...My neighbor kept things light with her sense of humor-- she said "Let's get pizza-- but I don't think they will deliver here! (evacuation border). So we did get veggie pizza, left the porch light on, the radio one , and later played Jeopardy.

What's the strangest event you all have been through? Well, hoping that you all are having some nice events to smile about. And humor does make most things easier to get through, of that I have been convinced.....

?Delivery pizza anyone?
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Sunday, February 5, 2006

Are You Ready for Some Football
Well, its Super Bowl Sunday! It really is quite an event. I worked in downtown Detroit for 4 years, and seeing some pre game publicity and photos I smirk because I have a good idea of how the picture was shot, which is an odd feeling. I hope that the game is a close one, and exciting.. so many Super Bowls are a rout! One really cool thing about the Super Bowl is the efforts that go into the commercials..some have been incredibly creative.. I remember the commercial that launched the Macintosh where a hammer is hurled through the air. Any special parties or preparations? My other half, Big M flew off to the Netherlands, so it is me and the parrots. But they deserve some treats-- one of their favorites is pizza, so I have some little pizza rolls, and some rice crackers, and a little cookie shaped like a pinecone, dipped in chocolate I got from my last drive to Little Tokyo. The wrapper on the little package is so adorable! I wish I knew what it said!
People often quote songs or literature, but I am strange in that I often think of quotes from advertising. After I typed the sentence "I wish I knew what it said", the ad for dog treats came to mind where the dog says "I can't read" (for Snausages)... My mind definitely is on the weird side. Well , hoping you all have fun today, whether its football, movies, or just hanging out...Enjoy!

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Thursday, February 2, 2006

Nirvana!
Ah.. I have not been able to find my IPC--- no annoying little beep-beep with a message trailing across the screen! Either the phone or E mail and those I can manage so if I am doing something, they will not interrupt. With the IPC (get this, Marvin the Martian fans-- IPC is an "inter-personal communicator!) Mine sometimes goes off when we get news briefs on the thing (basketball scores, stock market, etc). I have fantasied throwing the thing into the duck pond, but that would be cruel to the ducks. The ducks and geese are really chasing each other-- usually nesting time in So Cal is March, but these amorous critters have been chasing each other in January. I have some rice crackers, because the goose won't eat duck food.

ITS COMMEDY TONITE! This is a real treat to go see a show on a weeknight, but we got a good price on the tickets! It will be fun! Thursday nights are Market Night too-- some day I will bring the camera for Market Night because this camera can shoot in lower light that the other.

The coat still goes on , but now the bottom part is just about done. The shape is like a big T:
(sort of like the schematic below--

========|______|=========|
| o |
|====| o ========
|===========|
| o |
| o |
| 0 |
|===========|
I did find some walking shoes--I live in sandals so shoes feel so uncomfortable to me-- but sandals in Chicago in Feb won't do. Do you have a preference shoes, sandals or bare feet?
Well, catch you all a bit later!

Wishing you all a beautiful blooming day>>>
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Wednesday, February 1, 2006

Back on the Treadmill
Looking about, everyone seems to be very busy again. I guess everyone has returned to being "in the groove" of things, back to not much time to spare. Ah yes, back to the "salt mines," as they say in my family-- routines and things. Well, I haven't exactly got a lot to say today. Things are pretty much the usual, but I am happy to say, seem a little more tolerable. One of the loud honking swan geese (they are tan with a dark gray streak down the back of the neck) is sitting on a nest... its always a bit of excitement once the ducks lay eggs, to wait for the hatchings! Some employees have put little fences to discourage people from coming too close and bothering mamma duck. I have a small pair of binoculars, so I can watch without disturbing. The duckling are so cute-- I wonder what the geese will look like as this is the first year they flew in.

Well, our little group is going to have some fun Thursday. George Carlin is playing at the local little casino, and we were able to get tickets. That will be different.. seeing a show in during a weekday. Which comedians do you all enjoy?

Hoping you all have a good day! A little picture to help us all "march along" to the tunes of our busy-ness!

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Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Does Anyone Play Pinochle?
When I grew up, one of the rites of passage to becoming an adult member of the family , was to learn how to play pinochle. It's a card game that is a modification of bridge, but my family put a little twist on it:no partners, and play for pennies-- it could take a whole night to win a quarter, but the game has a little strategy, and my aunts, uncles, cousins, parents would behave like pirates-- laughing with glee when they triumphed in a hand of play. It was a lot of fun. As soon I as moved West of the Mississippi (and about as far West as you can get) I could find one other player, but never a third (the minimum)... guess I can see if they have an online version. Does anyone play pinochle? Do you have a favorite card game or old fashioned board game you like to play? I tried playing my first every on line game ::blush::-- it was Chinese checkers (wanted something easy), an I got creamed. But I was glad to find it-- something to help pass time when I have to pull a weekend on backup! Still going to sleep early and waking in the middle of the night-- well,as long as I get enough hours, even fractured, I still seem to function. I'm getting a couple of ideas for silly sketches, so maybe I'll get time to get one together. Still have many pictures to upload..I like the sharper focus of the new camera, and the fact I can use filters (they can do so many cool things!) Does any one like to do photography.. I wonder what is going to happen to use of film, and what do the newspaper photographers now use? Film can give such subtle effect-- and most of the arty effects with the digital is done on the computer (I used to love to do multiple exposures on the same pic in the camera-- can't do that with digital, but it used to flip out the developer!)

Hope that Tuesday sparkles for my friends-- because you all sparkle for me!

A little photo-- I think it is dried lotus.. not sure. If you all know what it is, please tell me!

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Monday, January 30, 2006

Monday!
Oh, I do not like Mondays, not one little bit.. it means another work week and right now , I want more time off. Have not been able to sleep worth beans, only a little worse than usual. No particular reason for this, so I guess I will have to just let it work itself out.

Kuroneko: Watch out folks, Mamma seems to be in a Napa Valley state of mind !(that's where California grows most of the "whine" grapes)

Mamma:Scat! (mumbles incoherently, looking for coffee and car keys)(groans loudly --)

Well, just to make Monday a complete ball , I got a jury summons in the mail-- I hope I don't get picked!( I'll find out in March... Ironically, I love to watch TV shows like Law and Order, but I don't think I would want to be in a position to pass judgement on someone. Has anyone ever served on a jury? If you were chosen to serve on a jury, how would you feel about it? My Daddy had a real streak going for many years-- every time he got a jury summons, he ended up as an alternate juror and would get stuck having to spend the whole week at the courthouse on "stand by".. Well, have to go right now.. see you later!
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Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Knit, knit
Well, I will be visiting in Chicago for 3 days in February, and I know that its windy and cold there. I have lived in California for 15 years, and well, don't really have a coat. I decided that I am going to try to knit a simple but long coat from heavy burgundy wool.. I am going to finish this-- seems when I have made clothes for myself (a poncho and a sleeveless shell), I get the strong urge to start another blanket or other project-- and somehow it takes more than a year to finish something small. So I decided maybe a time line will get me starting, then announcing the time line is a way of really pushing it to happen... How do you all urge yourself to get things done? The biggest project of all will be the home office.. that will happen. I am so happy the kitchen,den and living room are in a human state of affairs! It does seem to lessen some stress.

Well, I guess I'll pick up the knitting needles and see how much I can do tonite... at least the parrots won't be hollering at the winds because they have died down. The little bird hollers at the wind and rain, figuring he will chase it away... It's hilarious in the day, but a little loud at midnight! He's such a hoot anyway!

Wishing you tranquil days!

Love and peace!

another orchid:

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Monday, January 23, 2006

Tumbling Tumbleweeds nothing, its a Typhoon!
If you can imagine a typhoon without water, thats what the Santa Ana Winds do-- They make us sit up and truly believe what we learned in physics years ago--- accellerate air through narrow channels, it gets faster and hotter! The winds come from the desert, through the narrower canyons and ZOUNDS! Gusts up to 60 mph-- makes driving a real challenge on the big open freeways (little cars have to decide to hide in the slipstream of a truck and pray it doesn't get blown over... or drive fast and straight and pray for no traffic slowdowns!) Or-- if you have extra vacation time, take the day off. One year our iron gate blew off and into the neighbors tree! A load of clay tile shingles went bye-bye too! Didn't sleep much-- the shingles bounced and clanged like a demented xylophone, the windows were sucked in and out-- the house seemed to breathe, like some unspeakable beast! And the next day was a work day! Once the wind paused, I got in the car, and stopped for coffee-- the key got stuck in the ignition, and due to the winds having blown over many big 18 wheelers, it took a half hour to get in touch with the auto club. I made it to work about 1 hour late. I empathize with Vash, I know what it is for silly things to follow you and made trouble (LOL)

Spent the whole weekend knitting because I will go to Chicago for a visit (and really don't have a coat).. IFor the past 4 days I had a lot trouble getting to sites or trying to post. Maybe the Santa Anas got the servers!

Well....candles in the window to send warm thoughts to good friends, just hold on to your hats!...

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Friday, January 20, 2006

Friday!
Gotta say it, the civil engineers of Cal Trans who are trying to entangle to 91 interchange proble (3 freeways twangle around) must have been smoking wacky tobaccky to come up with their solution. Hardly any land is left, so they are building a 4 lane elevated highway parallel to the 91. on the westbound side-- so far nothing is in place on the eastbound side to handle increased traffic-- no road widening, no new service roads or side streets....but, here's the proposed solution to handle the return eastbound traffic-- build an 11 mile underground tunnel! Hello, this is earthquake country? Not terribly practical in my thoughts (which is why someone will try it) anyway, when the traffic gets that bad-- I would seriously consider learning to fly an ultralite. (hang glider with an engine and seat of sorts) Daddy's blanket is finished so I have to upload that to post a picture. Went to bed so early this week.. gotta get some chores done this weekend. May be I will get brave enough to photograph the home office-(oherwise belovedly known as The Crap Room!- last night was a bad sign.. my little Merryl doll fell of her stand and was lost in the paperwork! ::blush::.Kitsune Tsuki-- I need you to hold my hand before I dare to fully step into The Room... Kitsune-sama-- why is Kenshin running?

Kenshin:"Oro?"
Vash:(trembling) "Stop-- dont go in there..."
Kenshin:"This one wonders why?"
Vash:"Things go in, and never come out, there is creaking noises, somethings things go bump.. ITS TERRIBLE !"
Kuroneko:"What Vash is trying to say is it is the messiest alledged home office there ever was..."
Yup, its that bad~! Someday (maybe 2 or 3 years) it will be cleaned and re-organized. I still use old milk crates for chelves, but these are way past their prime -- they sag and the stack appears to have demented grins!

I found the directions to Little Tokyo in Los Angeles-- sometime during the weekend I would like to go and take the new camera with me. CosmicSailor, was thinking about your comments on photography, so this camera is a digital SLR--I was having problems with the autofocus, and the digital is light enough so that I won't injure my tendons (chronic De Quervain's) If no rain on Sunday, I think I will try to get there, if I get lost, its back to the zoo! I am also knitting a coat--burgundy color. I will post it when I finish.

Any suggestions for novels to read or new manga? Finished The Last Juror by Grisham-- not big on courtroom thrills, but a nice story about the lives of people in a sleepy Southern town in the 1970's. If anyone likes historical fiction, Londinium told the history of Britain through generations of 4 families.

Well, today I will seize the day (Thanks for reminding me of that phrase, CosmicSailor!)This is an old sketch , but hope it brings a smile!

Love , peace, and biscotti!
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