I'm a sunrise kinda gal

Sunrise in Cape Town

Sunrise or sunset? Sunrise. Definitely.



I mean, I'm almost never awake enough early enough to enjoy them, but they always have a way of making me feel fresher and more alive when I am. A day when you've seen the sun rise, feels like a good, purposeful day, right from the start. It feels like a day for accomplishments and productivity.



Sunsets are very pretty, but there's also this sense of loss and sorrow that comes with the lengthening shadows of the evening. The day is drawing to a close; there's so little time left to get anything done. Never enough time.



Watch the sun rise.

Have a full day.

And then,

when you've finished your tasks,

watch it fade away.

Phonebooth to Nowhere

Craft a story with no 'E's it said. 100 words. I can do that! Tougher than it looks. No 'L's was not so difficult.

Phone Booth

I look at my watch. Almost two. Nonchalant, I walk to a booth on my right. It is claustrophobicly small.

Nobody's looking.

Quickly I dial an odd combination. My surroundings slip away.

Slowly blinking, my sight adjusts. Bright light glints off of glossy, hard floors and walls. This room looks blank, no furnishings, no company.

“Uh... anybody around?” I ask, cautiously sitting up. My own murmurings simply drift back as I strain to find a hint of an occupant lurking.

Swoosh. What was that?! “Who is it?” I shout at nothing.

A shadow grabs my arm. Cold, so cold!

“Oh God! It said that combo was for a candy shop! Don't hurt m-- Aaarrgh!!”

Wind in the Grass: A Haiku of S

Pompous Pampas

Soothing, sibilant

sounds. Swaying stalks so slender.

Soft susurrations.

Texas Burger might not be healthy, but it's tasty

Try their poutine. Seriously!



They make all their fries fresh, on the spot. I don't mean, they get some pre-cut frozen things and throw them in the deep-fryer when you order. I mean, they take the potatoes, wash them, cut them up, and fry them for you. Right there.



If you are going there though, at least if you plan on getting the poutine, bring you appetite; the serving sizes are... generous. Better yet, bring a friend! Best: bring me! I'm always willing to help polish off an order of Texas Burger poutine!



I remember having some tasty breakfasts and burgers and the like there when I was a kid too, but it's all kind of faded and vague now. I don't get in there very often anymore - I think I've been once in the last two or three years - so, when I do get to go, it's poutine all the way!



The only thing that could make this dish any better is if the restaurant were located in Quebec. I mean, it's fantastic as is, but imagine how good it would be if they could get proper, fresh, salty, delicious, Quebec cheese curd, rather than just grated cheddar. Mmmm...

Insomnia's a b-- uh, the pits

Sleeping cougar

What haven't I done yet? Slept. Kinda difficult when I'm sneezing every few minutes and every time I lie down my nose clogs (more) and my sinuses feel like they're going to explode. Add that to the dull ache in my back and the general restlessness that's been plaguing me for the last week and you have the perfect recipe for a sleepless night!

Something to save for: Honeymoon in the tropics

Money, money, money. It seems no matter how much we have we always need more of it. Not that I would know, I've been pretty much broke for over a year now. But hey! Anyway, I generally don't feel like I need much. I'm happy and can get by on very little when I have to, but there are definitely some pricey items I wouldn't mind splurging on if I had the opportunity.

Welcome to the Jungle

Item no. 1: A honeymoon in the tropics!

Getting married in a couple of months and it would be really nice to be able to take a week-long honeymoon in Costa Rica or something.



Item the 2nd: Gadgets for my sweetie.

Would love to get him a nice new motherboard and CPU and/or a cool dive watch and/or a nice pair of warm-water flippers/fins and/or a good bike to replace the one that was stolen from him.



5! ...er, 3: SCUBA lessons.

Seeing as he's already certified, I'd love to get mine so we could dive together.



Fantastic number 4: Piece of mind for my parents.

If I somehow manage to save up/come into a lot of money, I'd really want to give a considerable sum to my parents so that they could relax and retire.



There are other little things of course, but those are more incidental. I think that's most of the big ones.

"Get the He** out!": A short story with no "L"s.

It was a dreary day in November. The air had started out crisp and fresh, with sunshine and a sweet breeze. Now the wind was brisk and frigid, the warmth had crept out of the sun, and great icy drops began to pour from the sky.



Mark rushed into the shop, newspaper guarding his head from the sudden shower. The shopkeeper raised his head as the buzzer sounded, eying the sodden man with some suspicion. The expression of annoyance on his face grew as Mark dried his damp boots on the rough mat by the door.



"Nice weather we're having now, isn't it?" he chimed at the sour face behind the counter.

The dour expression didn't change. The comment was recognized by a minute grunt as his focus dropped back to the work in front of him.

"Hey, uh, you got any of those new energy boosters?" he continued undeterred by the absence of enthusiasm. "Might be good on a day such as this."

"No."

"Oh," he frowned and examined his surroundings with more care. The interior was neither dim nor dirty, yet somehow gave a definite impression of being dingy. The shopkeeper had an array of strange objects spread out in front of him and seemed to be picking at something with a pair of tweezers.



Mark moved over to examine an intricate, carved figurine to his right and jumped as the tiny object became warm to the touch. "Aagrhh!" the item seemed to spring from his fingers as it grew red-hot. It bounced off the edge of the stand, skittered across the hard ground, making a surprising amount of noise, and crashed into the corner of the door frame before coming to rest - much diminished - as bits of the pretty thing had chipped off with every bounce and knock.



The shopkeeper started at the unexpected noise, jamming his tweezers into his precise work.

"You buffoon!" He roared. "You staggering, dirty idiot! Do you have ANY idea how hard it is to import those?! How much they cost?!"

"I--"

"Of course you don't! Ignorant man! Stupid, ignorant man! You come into my shop, disturb my work, track footprints in, and then... THEN! You destroy my merchandise! Get out!"

"I'm sorry. I can--"

"You've done enough! Get. Out!"

"You--" He stopped mid-sentence, "Fine, okay, I'm gone." He turned and put his hand on the door.

The shopkeeper grunted, "...take me weeks to get another... Just because of one incompetent man! I need to put a sign out front: 'No humans!'" He eased the tweezers from where they'd stuck with a bright, fuscia pincer and returned three eyes to his work as the fourth tracked a shaken and yet-damp Mark out into the street.

KITTENS!!!

So, I didn't mention before, but it turns out that Mouse was pregnant when we adopted her.
She finally had her kittens this morning! Three adorable little balls of fur. :)

Of course, she'd have to choose the shoe closet as her "nest". We were sure she was going to have them either behind the couch or under the bed. She'd been spending A LOT of time there. We put down towels and a little box behind the couch and she seemed to take to it (after a while). She spent the first couple of hours after her contractions started moving between my lap and the box behind the couch. And then, just before we went to bed, she decides that the shoe closet is where she really wants to be.
When we got up this morning she was still there, nursing three tiny kittens. :) They're so adorable!
I'll try to keep you posted as they develop and grow. I can't wait 'til they open their eyes for the first time!

Meet Mouse!

Well, I haven't been blogging in quite a while. I feel bad for falling behind. I just haven't been writing much of anything lately, online or off. I guess a lot has happened in the last few months. Let's see... I've moved in with my awesomely wonderful boyfriend. I can't believe how fast the months have flown by! As he pointed out to me the other day, we've been living together for just over six months now. Wow!

We've also found ourselves with another roomie: Mouse. My mom found a little abandoned cat looking very thin and forlorn. She had a collar so Mom assumed that she belonged to someone in the area and would find her way home by the end of the day. She didn't. We couldn't find her owners anywhere in the area. There were no tags on the collar, just a bell. And with no one claiming her and the worrying weight loss she was exhibiting, Mom finally took her in. My parents already have a cat though, and the bf and I had been talking about getting one so...

Now we have Mouse. Isn't she so cute! :)

Changes

Well, I just spent an hour fiddling around with templates and backgrounds and I'm still not really happy with what I've got. There's just so many choices and combinations. I think I'll go back and look at it again later, but I just had to pick something and be done with it for now.

I could really use some cash right now!

What would I be excited to find on the ground right now? Money! I am completely and totally broke right now. I have a small amount of money in my bank account which almost exactly equals the balance on my credit card. I have NO money!

I wasn't so much with the finding of a job this summer and I was already pretty low on cash before that so...

I'm just hoping and praying that people start buying some of my jewellery. You like jewellery, right? You want a lovely amethyst necklace or a nice new pair of earrings! I know you do! I have a shop on Etsy that sells all sorts of wonderful gems! You should really check it out! *nudge, nudge* http://www.etsy.com/shop/HelenBesoe



Or, you know, if you're also broke and can't afford to buy food, let alone jewellery right now... suggestions are always welcome too!

A year out of the rat-race? Yes, please!

Stuck on a remote island with plenty of food, water, and a companion... Stress-free life... at first I was temped to say that I'd tell the rescue ship to get lost! Or maybe just run a letter to my family telling them to come visit me sometime. That seems reasonable, right?

BUT... as much as I daydream about getting away from it all... as much as I'd like to just make the whole world disappear sometimes... I don't think I'd want to stay there permanently. It sounds mad, I know.

Here's the thing though.

1) I think cabin fever would set in after a while.

2) I think I would start to miss all the people I'd left behind after a while. I'm not really the type to get homesick, but I would wonder how everyone was doing and whatnot and it'd be nice to be able to get in touch with and visit them.

3) A year on a remote island... Wouldn't you want to share your experiences? I think there might be a book in that!

4) We always wanna get away from the rat-race when we're stuck in the middle of it, but once you're away, I think you might get bored after a while. I think a year of that life would definitely not be a problem, but once it got to five years... ten? Nothing changes, no excitement... always the same old routine... wouldn't you start to go mad eventually? I mean, I suppose the companion would help with that, but that only works for so long before the cabin fever sets in.



I think my ideal situation would be to have my food, water, and companion as well as a few books, some empty journals/notebooks, and plenty of writing implements. When the rescue ship arrived... I'd tell them to check back in on me in TWO years. I think two years is a good amount of time.



Now, if there were other people on the island... some native tribe or something... people I didn't know, people from another culture... well, then I think I could quite happily stay there for five or ten years! (It would be nice to have some sort of communication with the outside world though. I don't need telephones or Internet, as long as I can get a letter out, then I'd stay.)

Holding out for the 36-hour day

Only three? I could do with about an extra 10 - 12 hours per day! In that case, I'd probably spend an extra hour or two sleeping. I'd definitely dedicate a good chunk of it to reading. I'd spend at least a couple hours on my chainmaille projects. And then rest I'd try to spend either cleaning or coding. There's just never enough time!

Wishlist: Power drill

I make chainmaille. (*shameless plug* check out my store at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/HelenBesoe *shameless plug*) At the moment I make all my rings by hand. It'd be really nice if I could set up a power-winding rig. All I'd really need is a power drill and a few mandrels.

power drill madness

A high torque, low speed power drill would be really nice. Or even a variable speed drill.

All sorts of foods soothe me when I'm stressed

I don't really have one "comfort food" that I always reach for when I'm stressed or depressed. It varies from day to day, week to week. The last time I got really stressed out, I sent the boyfriend out for Wonderbread and croissants. (I almost NEVER eat white bread!) Other times I get completely different cravings.

Croissant - French Fantasies

Sometimes it's sweets and I want chocolate or ice cream or sour gummy candies.

Sometimes it's starch and I want white bread or croissants or something.

Sometimes I'll get more peculiar cravings... Dill pickles and vanilla pudding... Blue cheese and tuna... sauerkraut and hot dogs... (And, no, I'm not pregnant, just weird. :P )

Physical activity? Swimming and Biking, I guess...

Am I a regular? Sure amn't!

I do enjoy swimming, but I don't go as often as I should. If I happen to know I'm gonna be on campus during the free swim hours, I'll bring my bathing suit and swim a couple dozen lengths of the pool, but it's by no means a regular thing.

Same with biking. If I have to get somewhere, I'll grab my bike and go, but it's dependent on many things. If the weather's bad or I'm in a hurry or I'm feeling tired/lazy and I have a bus pass, I might just hop on the bus instead. If I don't have to go very far, I'd just as soon walk. (I'm not very good on a bike. I never really learned to ride one as a kid and I'm finding it a little awkward as an adult.)

Would I even notice a day without my cellphone?

I think the biggest inconvenience for me would be not know what time it is. My cellphone is also my watch as I don't particularly like wearing wrist watches.

Other than that, my phone doesn't really see that much use.

I call my parents on weekends. Occasionally I'll get a call from them, or my friends or boyfriend. But there aren't really that many people who I need to call or who need to call me.

I really wouldn't mind not having a cell phone for a day (or a week or more) as long as I had a pocket watch or something.

On a sidenote... I LOVE pocket watches!

Open-minded, not empty-headed

Charles Bell: Anatomy of the Brain, c. 1802

"Don't be so open-minded that your brains fall out!"

I can't remember where I heard this, but I really like it. I hate it when people are closed-minded, but I also think it's silly to just accept everything without any consideration or common sense. I think this quote captures that spirit.



"Never trust a man who says 'trust me'."

My mother told me this years ago. She said it was something that her father told her when she was young. I like it.

Puppy Love Can Be a Great Motivator...

Well, I don't think I could really call myself an "early adopter". I started using the Internet in the mid 90s, but I didn't really start using it REGULARLY 'til about 2001 or so.

I got my first boyfriend that year and he was always on IRC. THAT'S when I started using the Internet every day. Before that it was an hour here or there, once or twice a week. I'd check my e-mail and do research for projects, but it wasn't regular and consistent. But, being able to talk to my boyfriend every night? That's what got me on the Internet.

It seems a bit silly now, I guess. But hey!

I hung out with the math nerds

I spent most of high school hanging out with the math nerds and computer science geeks and I wouldn't've had it any other way. A few extra years hasn't changed that. I could care less about the popular crowd and the jocks! I'm glad that I didn't fall in with the stoners. I don't have anything in particular against the band geeks or the drama crowd, but I can't really see myself fitting in too well. No, my people were, and always will be the math nerds and the CS geeks. (Although... is there a choice for grammar geeks? or language nuts? or maybe literature fans? I could see myself possibly getting on well with that/those crowds.)