LOL.

Only a few more hours till people come over, and the carpet looks like crap...bits of whatever the hell project I worked on, thread, unnameable bits of grit...

And the vacuum has about as much sucking power as, say...running an unplugged vacuum over the floor. And I put down some carpet fresh powder, so, while the grit is now flat on the carpet, it also looks like we run a tropical smelling cocaine shop off of our floor. I've made due before with a broom, when I was living in my last apartment, guess I get to now.  

Cleaning. My house smells of pine sol.

My cat has been rubbing her face on this foamcore stand I made for taking pictures of stuff, just a bit of leftover board to make a stand so my lamp fits over the top. I took it down cause we plan on having people over...today I guess it the correct time. Seriously. Rubbing her face on the foamcore. That's some hardcore foamcore catface action there.

Hrm. Scott's lived here for 4 years at least, and he and I aren't very big on the whole meeting neighbors thing. I mean, there's the "Hi, how ya doing, I live over there." of the new neighbor thing that gets done every few months when we happen to be leaving or coming in while they are moving their crud in. But really, we have people that we name for them, and sometimes fantasize what these people's lives are like. Cause we see them all the time yet rarely interact.

First, we have "The Parkers," an old couple, lives right by one of the entrances of the complex. Scott named them cause they always park in a diagonal. These people are so old they don't give a fuck about no fucking parking spots. I kinda worry they probably shouldn't be driving.....but this is Florida, and well...it's Florida. Old people drive. Erractically.

Second, we have a kid we see all the time, "Adventure Kid!" He frequently is seen at the back pond, fishing, at totally random times. It boggles my mind that somebody thought to stock the little "really, we are protecting the wildlife and wetlands" half ass pond of manmadedness. I'd like to think that it isn't stocked full of fish, and the kids just really likes fishing THAT MUCH that he feels the need to practice. Shit, if I did that so much I'd be able to get the fucking red fish in twilight princess...fuckers..making you HAVE to fish to progress the storyline. But I regress...one day, Scott had gone out to do something in the car and Adventure Kid was...climbing the back of a car.
With the trunk open.
With his knee caught in between the trunk and car.
So we helped save Adventure  Kid to Adventure another day...I pushed his knee up while Scott hauled him offa the car. He was embarassed and thanked us. No problem, Adventure Kid.

Still rubbing her face.

So it looks like we are driving out to just beyond Orlando this July 4th for a BBQ at Miah and Ines' new place. But what should I bring to eat? Surprisingly I'm the one who cooks out of all of us, and I'd like something easy I can make, esp since the meat we are going to have to buy in their town. They don't eat pork, and that kinda leaves hotdogs and brats out, as well as ribs. BBQ chicken maybe? Anyone have any good recipes for anything?

So it's 1:50 in the AM, and I really should be using what productive juices I have to work on the Neverwinter Coronation website...so I made some desktop backgrounds. Amtgard related. Feel free to use, and feel free to request any.
( Clicky for images... )

Ok, so I have a pair of soles I cut out of a $6 pair of beach shoes, and insoles. Now design the shoe, and cut the leather. But what color should I make the shoes? I kinda plan on wearing them outside of amtgard too, if they are comfy enough.  Planning a small celtc knotwork design on them, tooled or pyrographed.

For you amtgard folks:
http://amtsocial.com/
It's like facebook and myspace for Amtgarders. Friend me!

and
http://laupre.wordpress.com/2008/06/29/easy-breezy-wrap-pants-tutorial/
a tutorial on how to make wrap pants, for real life.

This is pretty damn cool. A free (omg how?) online photo, raster, vector and color matching software. No program to download, it's all online. Sweet.

So I have this theory that I can stay awake tonight/this morning, long enough to be awake still when Scott gets up and goes to work, so I can be functional enough to go get some McDonalds breakfast (yeah, it's horrible for ya, but I love it) and then go take the car and go grocery shopping.

Cause, brain says "lets face it Kel, it's 5:47 am. And you ain't sleepy." And today I had slept so much that I woke up and thought I had brain damage from sleeping so much. So maybe I won't be doing a lot of sleeping anytime soon.

I just finished John Green's "Looking for Alaska" on my Kindle a few minutes ago. It's the first of his books I've read, and I just downloaded "An Abundance of Katherines" after finishing the other book. I love my Kindle. for under 4 bucks I can buy books, at 5:30 in the morning. From my bed. And I can download it in under a minute. Hell yeah. Now Amazon needs to start working on the same service for sandwiches.

So I read a lot. Since Scott got me the Kindle, I've been reading a lot more too. I used to read a book and then try to save up a little money and go to Goodwill and hope to hit the jackpot and score a bunch of new books (It worked a lot in Springfield, there's a Thrift store there that only sells appliances, furniture and books) or save up a bit and go buy something at Barnes and Noble. Now all I have to do is buy cheaply and try not to buy too much, for really cheap prices. For instance, "An Abundance of Katherines" was under 4 bucks. Score!

And it's weird. Cause I have been watching on youtube, the Vlogbrothers (John Green and his brother Hank Green) for quite a long time now. Over a year at least, maybe two? When their Brotherhood 2.0 experiment (for one year they can only talk via video blog) was on.
And so, it's like...if feels like I met John Green. Even though I totally haven't in any way. (Ok so I think he lives in Indianapolis, and I've been there a few times, and I had a brief fleeting thought that I probably shared with Gina *NERDFIGHTERS!* that it would be cool if we ran into him there, cause there's such a big chance that he would be at the park where we were visiting or he was eating at that super shitty chinese buffet that has like three food items, dirty silverware and keeps playing that same song over again.) So that's weird.

Video blogging is such a different media. The more I get bored and watch YouTube the more I want to make some sort of Video Blog. Not that my life is interesting, but maybe that I might have something to say. I could do "Making weird stuff Tuesdays" and..uhm..."Annoy the cat Thursdays" "Pretend Kelly has a life outside this apartment, grocery shopping at Publix and Amtgard" or maybe even "Review the 17 books Kelly read this week Mondays." Sure.

Uhm, in other news, I'm continuing my journey thru Star Trek. When I moved here Scott and I began first buying all the Star Trek episodes (starting at The Next Generation) and going from there, including the movies. And then I lost my job, and we don't have the extra 50 bucks to buy another season of Voyager. So after I saw the movie when it came out, I decided to start netflicking (look, I made a verb) the original series movies and the original series itself, including, showing my nerd colors, the animated series. Just so I could have said I watched everything, a complete collection. Just might take me a few more years.

Today I watched the first movie and Wrath of Khan. Both were pretty meh. Though Wrath of Khan reminded me of a kid I used to work with..whose last name was Khan. But he totally didn't get it when I screamed KHAAAAAAANNNN! At him every so often. But then again, through no work on my own he was convinced that I was related to Jet Li. Because my last name is Lee. Obviously related.

Inspired by stuff I had seen at
craftgrrl 

I made this today. It totally didn't work out right. It's too lumpy and doesn't really look like a tree.

Next time I'll use thicker gauge wire for everything but the stringing of the beads. And instead of using the thick rings I bought at Tandy, I'll make much thinner ones.

Ok, so I don't have a lot of time to write this.

My Dad is ok. He had a stroke two weeks ago and was released the day after. It was super mild. After two hours of walking around walmart he felt kinda dizzy. Dad, after 2 hours of walking around walmart I feel kinda dizzy. Long story short, we drove to IL for two days, spent two days including easter there and then drove back two days. I hate driving. Parents are insane, but that's nothing new. My mom made my dad clean up the upstairs for Scott and I to sleep the day after his stroke.

Really Mom, really?

Also, the fight was started cause she was trying to pawn off my dad's canoe to my uncle without asking my dad first. Sigh. Luckily now both of them are seeking counseling, even if for my mom it's so she has happy pills.  I'm somewhat worried that both of my parents are now on happy pills. Does this mean that I will probably get them in the future? Ugh, i hope not.

Amtgardwise, just autocratted my first kingdomwide event.
I'm exhausted and thrilled yet dissapointed. I didn't get to run everything that needed to be run, but we had a turnout of 86 people vs last year's 40 some odd.

Also, there are some peopel who want to start a park here in Sarasota. I will be visiting there on Sunday and hopefully bringing a few up to Falling Fire later in teh afternoon.  And yes, Linden, I will keep you updated :-D

Oh, and tonight I'm hopfully going to Billison's to video a how to make a sword demo to put online. For realz yo.

Jobwise I applied to Addecco.

A few afternoons ago I sat down and made this belt for a guy at my park, he supplied the blank and dye and hardware, and I think it turned out pretty well.

( Seriously, I hate these lj cuts... )

And photographed it.
Would you pay 50 bucks for a belt? 2in by 70in, two color, and with specialty chicago screws and concho?

Also I finally have pictures of me with my hair cut and hair dye job that looks just like my natural color. Woo! At least I don't have that inexplicable brown cap for no reason any more. And yes, I couldn't get any better pics, Scott is passed out on the couch, and I don't think taping the camera to the cat will work.
 </div>( Cutty cut cut )

I just cleaned my sewing machine for the first time (yeah yeah, been what, 5 years of it not being cleaned?) but it's now nice and smooth action. Its also surprisingly easy to clean it. Here's what I used as my guide-
http://craftnectar.com/2009/03/09/spring-cleaning-for-your-sewing-machine/


Jobwise, I found a great job as a teacher working with brain damaged peoples....in Clearwater. 45 minutes away. And we have one car. Sigh.

I finished Kevin's belt, burnished it to a shine, and in a few minutes I'm going to use another tutorial I found online drawingsinmotion.blogspot.com/2009/01/making-of-light-box.html and make the world's cheapest lightbox to photograph it, using some foamcore and posterboard. Cause I'm thinking of making belts to sell. Simple ones, no tooling or very little tooling, (cause I'm not confident in my skills yet) but a simple one or two color belt I could make in an afternoon. And selling them on etsy and foamsmiths.

BTW I hate ecoflow. It took 5 coats and it still doesn't look perfect.

In other news, sadly it looks like I'm not going to Tennessee this weekend, but I'll do something else instead probably.

Sooo...it's noon. And I've already done all the cleaning up and looking for a job today. Place is clean and windows are open. Cat is happily napping in a sunbeam. Laundry is done, dishes...well I could do a load of dishes again. Emails are checked. Interwebs surfed. Lack of job ads noted.

And I'm bored as all hell. 

Should I work on the garb for Kai? i have a already sewn three years ago aside from one sleeve white shirt, and wonderful silky dark green fabric and black to make...something for him. But I don't have his measurments. And I think he wears a medium, and haha no one in this household has seen a medium in a long long time, so I couldn't eyeball it very well.

Or I could work on the gypsy book I've been doing the layout on.
Or I could do work on the battlebook.
Or I could do work on the cellphone friendly html version of the rulebook.

Sigh. I hate being bored. I hate the next step above this where I have to get out of the house. Ugh.

So, we are broke. Like eating raman noodle broke. It appears my being laid off finally hit us, and my lack of paycheck means...well, no money.
I was planning on going to Gainesville again this weekend for the work weekend, cleaning up stuff at the campground (I'm happy to do that as long as there are no huge spiders). But now I don't think we have enough money for me to even go to Tampa on Sunday like usual, much less Gainesville, 3 or so hours away. Blah.

In other news, Robin cut my hair. It's super duper short for me, at my chin. And I have two 10 inch long ponytails of hair drying in a bag in my bathroom so I can donate it to locks for love. Though some perverse part of me wants to do something else with them, like annoy the cat, mulch a garden, or something. I dunno.

Ok, originally, four.
Now it looks like I'm going to hit Jacksonville on Saturday, then Gainsville on Sunday, then on the way back home, Falling Fire. I was going to hit the other Jacksonville park on Sunday as well, but they are just too far apart.

And now I just have to wait for Scott to get off of work before I drive to Gainsville to crash with da Queen.
waiting....

Our cat is sick. In the last few months she's lost a lot of weight, 5 pounds to be exact. Last Friday she was extremely pukey (as opposed to just generally pukey) so we took her to the vet that afternoon, had some bloodwork done.

And apparently she has hyperthroid-thing-a-ma bobber. (technical term). Essentially, most cat's thryroid level is somewhere around 1 to 4. Sweetie Pie (I didn't name her, don't look at Scott or I on it) has a thyroid level of 31.8.

Holy crap! So our fat cat has gone to a skinny skinny kitty. We gave her some meds that friday, and after a night of being sore and pissed and sick, she was back to normal. Picked up some meds for the omg-i-wish-i-could-lose-nearly-half-my-body-weight-too-but-not-be-sick-like-my-cat meds, and she seems to be doing much better.

In the meantime I looked that shit right up. I suppose doctors and vets aren't real happy with having people tell them what to do based offa some random website, but I wanted to know. There are 3 methods of dealing with this, it seems to be. One, medication. Which is what we are  doing. Not always effective, but it's a start. Two, surgery. But you never know how much to take out, or what to leave in, so it could really hurt the cat in the long run. And three, which I believe is awesome, radioactive therapy. They shoot an isotope right into the thyroid and let it destroy all the bad shit. And it works, like 95% of the time. But you have to not be around the cat and her raidioactive poop for a few weeks. And as a bonus, if it's done with gamma radiation we get a incredible hulk cat! Don't make her angry! It's like we get a guard dog in it too. Except Sweetie would probably be all happy and meow for food from anyone breaking into our house. 

And I accidentially stepping on her tail would be an apartment crushingly bad idea.

KITTY SMASH! ooo! Is that a treat?


Oh and she's just as needy as ever.  And feeling a lot better.

For when I hear people say the words " You know, someone should..."


And just slap one on. I do have sticker paper.

No kitty! You can't has my tator tots!

So for having nothing to do I've been pretty busy. I'm slowly working on a new NW website, here's what I have so far:
http://www.alonatwotrees.com/neverwinterweb/
And yes, before you ask, it is in latin, and it's just filler text. It's the text equivalent to a wireframe box.
What else would you add to a kingdom website? I'm hoping that the little flash movie in the corner is random as per page refresh like I think it is (and yeah, that's not done yet either)

I also have 50 some odd copies of the rulebook (thanks Scott!) in half size (thanks Noc!) sitting on my couch. Any cheap (read: tools and materials I already have, or can purchase cheaply) ideas on how to bind them? I don't feel like spending $$$ to get them saddle stapled if it's a lot at kinkos.

Midreign. I works on it.
A&S Ideas. I get frustrated cause our local group's and our kingdom group's schedules are either the exact opposite of or randomly opposed to each other. That doesn't make a very easy reign for anyone in office actually trying to do anything at the other parks. Anyone else with me? Require parks to have their own coronations and midreigns a month on either side of kingdoms? If only I could actually POST to the Corpora list...that would be nice.

I did find a suitable fix, btw, as moderator. Simply turn off the spam filter. It's crazy that every post becomes moderated spam.

I am so bored. Please someone rescue me from sitting at home all day.