Bad Munchinstein

Munch, my first computer, sadly got taken apart for parts, and rebuilt. Munch 2, or Munchinstein, as I like to call him, has been doing his thing for a term or so now. Now, the Munch Monitor, which hadn't changed, is doing jigs while I type. The edges sway, the picture jiggles....it's like I'm in a constant state of "degauss". Not very comfy on the eyes, let me tell you! I think I'll need to find a monitor for "very cheap" that has good video capabilities. I have a good video card afterall, and I'd not like to waste it. I am wondering if a virus of some kind could make my comptuer do this. I may have to install the virus software again. (I can't keep it installed cause it has issues with my A drive. they don't play nicely together at all). Probably though, it's cause my monitor is (eek) 5 years old, and in computer years, that's like being Eleventy One (111) years old.

Oh well. Not something I'll worry about til I have a paper due the next day and suddenly the Munchinstein blows up. At least it's not a constant state of the jigglies yet. It's just getting worse.

Update on IT CAME!!!
I have the second letter. See the first one told me that a second letter would follow containing "information about matriculation from your major program". I now know who my advisor is. I think that's what they meant, cause not much else was in the letter.

IT CAME!!!!!!!

IT being the letter from the grad school I applied to. It's here, I was ACCEPTED! YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

A weekend of Rock!

Yes, a good weekend was had by me. Friday night I went to the Down and Above/Skywynd show at UW Stout. It was fun, but really lacked energy for dna. People didn't know them, or something, and so stood around like so many bumps on a log. Chris and I got our rock on, trying to provide an example...but it was all for naught. Then Skywynd came on, and there were these four, shirtless, incredibly funny headbanging fans right next to me. I guess they are regulars, but I've never seen them with their shirts off before. (eek!) They had markered S-K-Y-W-Y-N-D-! on themselves two letters each, and were having great fun. It's great to see people having that much fun at a show. The whole crowd got into it music, and the 4 compadres got to go up on stage and be recognized. There were sound issues, but they were more amusing that annoying (to me, I'm sure the band was pissed). I just wish that that much energy could have been given over to dna as well.

Yesterday I went rollerblading, and realized my blades are a bit small. I have really nice blades too (anyone want a pair or size seven Rollerblade Aero 9's for half price?!?) I have to get new ones before the marathon, and before I kill my feet training for said marathon. I only went nine miles, and my feet were killing me. Then I went to Ciatti's w/ Rachel for dinner, and showed her what her present of Birthing Day would be. we have to go do the shoping for it today.

Then last night was the Somerset/Quietdrive/Down and Above show at the Rock in Maplewood. Much better sound, much better energy! Since we stood over by Ian on Friday, we had to stand by Dave last night--gotta share the love, and all that. I got my rock on and definately enjoyed hearing all the old favs plus my new fav's from the as-yet-unrealeased new albumn, Anodyne. After chattin with peeps for a bit we left the Rock and hung out w/ some more peeps and I got some really nice scotch. This makes me happy! *sigh* now it's Sunday, and I have to do homework and get back to my boring life.

So Hard to Find

So many things...So hard to find. Today for instance. I was trying to find the place that the show I'm going to tomorrow night is located. U of WI, stout. Not hard to find. Then the building on campus, not hard, then the showtimes and cost, again...not hard. It was kinda like playing detective. But then, I finally had an idea where to start.

I also had to find a picture to put into my frame today. I wanted it to be a picture from the trip to Europe that Rachel and I took last may. (Oh, do I want to go back...more on that later...) Finding the right picture was so hard to find. I had about 8 choices, till I realized the frame looked silly vertical. It was fine horizontal. so my choices were down to about 4 or 5
Two just didn't fit, so I had three. Then there three that each had their benefits. The forest picture was vibrant green, but not much else. The castle across the lake was pretty, and brought out the silver in the frame, but it was kinda dark. The picture from Edinburgh of the hike we went on to Aurthur's Seat ? (Brain fart on names) was what I finally decided on. See it's a quote frame, with the quote saying, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." from Henry David Thoreau. So, the path up into the hills with the yellow flowers just fit. Specially cause, off to one side, so you almost don't notice it, is me walking on said path. Rachel helped with the decision.

I also finally got the picture of me and my family from my graduation into the frame I had for it. I did a sucky job of cutting the picture though. I was doing ok, and then I screwed up. Oh well, it's not terrible.

So now all I need is a picture book for the rest of my England trip pictures, and a plane ticket back there. Wow. I can't believe how much wanderlust I have right now. I'm not sure it's even wanderlust. I just have a profound NEED to be there right now. In Wales, hiking on Snowdon, or in Ireland in one of the many parks...or a trip to the Scottish Highlands. I need to be away from here. I don't even think that Colorado's mountains would do it for me right now. To bad it's spring over there too. *sigh* I shouldn't have looked at my pictures, and having that picture in that frame only drives home what I'm not doing right now. I'm not living the life I have imagined right now. I am living part of it...but. I don't know! I don't know how to describe what I'm feeling right now. A deep longing, and a wish I would have made more of the time I had there. I had a lot on my mind, and though I don't have any regrets, there was some time when I was there that I was wishing I was elsewhere--mostly when on the train, and mostly I was wishing I was doing something rather than sitting. GRRR! I'm having issues with describing what I want to right now. I spose I will just say I need another vacation, and I wouldn't mind going back to last year's choice of locations and seeing what I couldn't then.

Anyone up for coming with me? This summer? I can probably raise the money for a trip later in the summer. I think I just need spring to finally get here.

Oiled in Bed

Or rather Boiled in Lead. Their name seems to morph every time I see them. Once they were Boiled in Led Zepplin. Another time, the guy just couldn't get "Boiled in Lead" past his lips and through his tongue. Oh well. Whoever they think they are, I think their great. Too bad they only play twice a year (that I know of) in town...

Last night was the Annual St. Patties Day show at 1st Ave. The opening act was ok, but I wouldn't buy their cd any time soon. The Tim Malloys were as good as ever, and the Minnesota Pipes and Drums were at their peak...we just couldn't see the dancers because there were too many bodies and heads in the way. Someone still has to explain to me what kilts, bagpipes and St. Patty's Day have to do with each other. So, Boiled in Lead came out and played a very rockin set. I have never seen them 'electrical' rather than 'acoustic'. It was interesting, and different, and much higher energy and good. I had a good time jumping around and dancing. All in all it was a good show!

Still flying through the Mists of Insanity

The Mists of Insanity, sounds like something out of the Princess Bride, except those were Cliffs of insanity. The Mist of Insanity live just outside of REM sleep. The have taken my dreaming seige and refuse to release it. We're on to reality dreams. Unlike reality shows, they are not horridly over acted, or produced, over zealous ideas about idealistic romances and winning lots of money. Nope, my dreams live in that curious everywhere'sville of normality that make me wonder if what I dreampt actually happened or not. So far I've dreampt about finding a missing sock, about the end of a bus strike, and going shopping for groceries. Last night I actually lived today. I woke up, got dressed, came to work, saw myself doing various of my work tasks, and then leaving work. I woke up before anything else happened. Not everthing at work went the same as in the dream, but only because I didn't want them too. I didn't, for example, want to wear my nametag around my neck like I sometimes do, and did in my dream. Instead, I clipped it ot my pants, even though it was more uncomfy. Hey, you have to fight doing what you are supposed to, right? I don't like being told what to do, not even by my dreams :P

Ugh! Why me?

I think I'm psychic, I have the 'foresight' ability. It comes and goes, and it usually only tells me when I'm gonna do something stupid or painful. Sometimes it's specific enough to tell me what is going to happen. Like today. Today I spilled chili on my khaki skirt. Now, one would think, "you wore khaki and ate chili, Murphy's Law states that you must spill chili on yourself." I also know about Murphy's Law, so I took pains to not spill chili. But, I kept getting little flashes on insight that the chili would spill. I was being extra careful, and then it happened. My spoon jumped out of my bowl and onto my pants. You see, I was taking care of the chili and the chili bowl, but I forgot to also take care with my spoon. So the premonition comes true, and I had to spend 15 minutes in the bathroom washing chili off my skirt so I didn't look so obvious walking around. I'm sure I'll still get stared at though, along with the obligatory "that girl can't eat right" looks. *sigh*

I had two dreams this morning that were perhaps also premonitions. We'll have to see. One involved the current bus strike, and it's end date, and the other had to do with the location of my missing sock. Only time will tell...

A change...

For the better? I don't know. WD is still very blue...but at least it's a different style. I guess this will have to do until I have time to make a new and improved blog somewhere that can host pictures...

For Nae

See Renae, I can update, and it wasn't even JUST O-chem that was keeping me from it...It was a busy week and weekend. All last week I chilled with people, played games, climbed, and did as little homework as possible. You would like the book I have to read for rhet. Well, you would like making fun of it. It's called Cyborg Babies, and man, does it suck! It's all about how everyone is a cyborg and how in 10 years, or maybe even just 1, we'll all be in the market for technosemen and making technobabies, and the world will end. This gets me to wondering...just how important are the males in this race anyway? I mean, if this book were to be believed, we are to take the "prime" specimens of maleness, lock them in cages with porn, and have them produce semen to order for women. The semen is then given many tests, including how well it can swim, puncture a hamster egg, and its effectiveness while on caffeine, and then it's frozen for six months before getting to play with a real egg. Then the fetus is made cyborg by ultrasound, and amniosenticis (pardon my spelling, I don't want to look it up). The mother becomes a machine to be serviced with epidurals and procedues like IVF... You see why we think this book is rather...oh, just fill in the blank. I think it's insane. Am I a cyborg then, just because I go to the doctor, or use a computer, or have contacts, or have to use an inhaler once in a while? Or...because I had my tonsils out and was hooked up to a machine? Look out world, the 'new and improved' Tricia is coming to get you! I think the writers and editors of this book have a bit of a reality crisis on their hands. *sigh*

So, back to my week, and my not updating. I kept meaning to update, but then at work, when I have the most time to say, stop working for 5 minutes and post, I was busy. I was making a powerpoint...ALL WEEK LONG. If you have had the...pleasure of me talking to you about this in person or on IM, you know how frustrated with it. But, I'm making what I hope to be the final edits on that presentation today, so I'm in a considerably better mood. What's more...It's SUNNY outside!!!!!! I'm so excited, I love sun. I want to get a laptop from downstairs, check one out, so I can go work outside on the picnic table.

This weekend I went to see Hidalgo with Katie and Jenny and Karin and Chris. It was a good time. I liked the movie. We had Uno's Pizza after and then went to the bar to play darts. I really have to play more darts...I'm losing my edge! So, yeah, that's where things are. This week I have an O-chem test, and work to do at work...and next week is Spring Break. Don't know what I'm doing for that yet, probably working, but I'll figure it out.

Hack and Slash

A great concept. Mad at the world? BAM! kick its virtual butt in Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2 for PS2 and XBOX. I started playing this game a few weeks/month ago with Jenni at her place. Played a human cleric, and had a great time! She was a necromancer, and together, we kicked the bottoms of the things.

Then this past weekend, whilst at home, Katie and I again kicked some butt. Again, I had my human cleric. There is just something about raining down fire from the sky at my enemies that is sooooo apealing. "and, your enemies, being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it". Helm is my cleric's chosen god. She goes around slaying things yelling "FOR HELM" it's really quite amusing.

So, I wonder when I'm going to actually bring together enough moneys to purchase a gaming system and the games...

Mysteries of being Human

1. Why do we sneeze?
2. Where do 'the chills' come from?
3. Since when do little microorganisms think they can invade the well oiled machine that is my body?!?
3a. How do microorganisms make me sneeze?
3b. Where is the internal Lysol?

and one last one: Do microorganisms get 'the chills'?

The first test of the Semester

They are a given you know, those first tests. They happen every semester, and they always suck. Not because you don't know the material, because in general you do. It's because you haven't figured out the teacher's testing style yet. I have the practice tests, so I have a general idea. But until I take the test, I will be still sorta in unknown territory. Good thing I get to take it tomorrow morning, right?!?

Tonight I'm not going to work out because I'm feeling a bit ill, and I have this test to actually spend some time studying for. I'll probably go to bed early as well. I don't know though, I hardly ever get into bed before 11, no matter HOW hard I try. It's kinda odd.

Well, enough on that. I think I'm done talking about the test I have tomorrow. It's O-chem, and I'm fairly confident. That's saying enough, I think!

Going a Viking

NO, I do NOT mean the Minnesota Vikings. I would never turn Viking?!? What were you thinking! I mean, I went raiding, that type of a viking. And, next time, I'm gonna bring better raiding tools. Yep. I did my raid of clearance valentines chocolate and plants, and there was not much to be found! I went to target AND to cub foods. No such luck. So, we bought a bag of regular Dove Dark Chocolates, as a consolation prize, and promosed to return with a vengence just after Easter to raid the Easter chocolate. IT was already out on the shelves!!! EEK There are Two whole months before it will even be put into little baskets for the children. The poor chocolate. Maybe I should go eat some now. Or at least buy some Peeps.

Again with the strange dreams

I wonder if it's something I ate. Or maybe it's because I make a concentrated effort to remember my dreams every day, that I just am getting better at it. Anyway last night's dream was a bit shorter than the last two. It consisted of being in the back of a party place, the place being the town hall we rent for large gatherings. The back room doesn't actually exist, but it was there just the same. The back room reminded me of Sams Club-floor to ceiling food. I was trying to climb up and meet a girl from gradeschool on the top by the chips. It reminds me a bit of that doritos commerical with the climber going for the chips. There was just a lot of talking to people from grade school and trying to find this or that food, to make this or that dish, like we were preparing for a party. I think I was hungry.

I woke up feeling vaguely like there was some other detail, something important, that I had just forgotten. But then, I woke up and my arm was asleep from the elbow down, like it has been for the last while. So maybe I just was wondering if my arm was, in fact, still attached.

A Chocolate Valentine for...ME!

I've decided the best thing about Valentine's Day, is really a couple days after...when all the chocolates go on sale. Clearance chocolate. Who could ask for anything more? I think I'll go on a chocolate raid on sunday, or maybe even monday. Chocolate keeps for a very long time in the freezer. Yup, I love chocolate.

Maybe I'll even rescue a few plants from the clearance bins. Unless plants aren't on sale. I don't know, do you buy your sweetheart a plant? They don't die right away like flowers do, but I think flowers are supposed to be more romantic. Funny, something that dies in a week is more romantic than something that lives for a few years, or longer if you remember to give it light and water. Must be Romeo and Juliet Syndrome.

A basketball will take over the world

Or at least, she will try. Yes, it was a she. A face, though with features not that discernable, a feminine face protruding from the side of a basketball. The baskeball/globe flew. It had powers. There were planes in the sky, above the tall buildings I stood between. The basketball, which had now turned white, all white, even the face, flew above me. It called the planes down upon the buildings the way some mystic mage might call down the lightenings. The planes, mostly of military persuasion, would just stop working, and then come crashing down upon the buildings. There are people running now, for their lives and for their sanity. They are tying to get away from the planes falling from the sky like some mechanical destructive rain. I had the power to stop them though. I stood on a hill, looking over one tall building and up into the sky. I could use my mind to keep the planes from hitting anything close by. They would fall, but they wouldn't fall into my tall buildings. I looked around at my city. It reminded me a bit of one of the cities used in Rogue Squadron -the origional for PC. Maybe from level 4, the rememberence is fleeting and I can't place it now. I looked back up into the sky, and bent my will on the planes. The white basketballed face is glowering at me, no longer laughing. Had I mentioned it was laughing at me before, at my futility to stop it? It laughed no longer. I had the trick of it now, and I was stronger.

The planes have stopped falling from the sky, so now we're going to go skiing. Why not? I like to ski. I'm at the ski hill with my brother, and my cousins, and some friends. We are sitting in the snow at the top of the hill. I can still persuade things to happen, Planes aren't falling, but snow is. The sun is out too. Funny how things happen that way. The runs are groomed well, my skis are gone though, I'm skiing on my feet. I'm going down a really steep run too, and the snow is gone. It's like I've past the snowline. I know I don't have to worry about the almost vertical drop down boulders and over a little stream. I'll make it down to my cousin's minivan alive. I land, and everyone is happy. I've shown my power subtlely. We are driving to a new ski hill now. Just my brother and my cousin and I. There is a driver, he/she is not important but only our way to the new place. We get there, and the runs are impossibly steep, the terrain is impossibly difficult, it's like a mountain-a real mountain- just appeared in the middle of the midwest. Odd? Nope, the answer is we are no longer in the midwest, just somewhere like it. The ski hill is an experimental hill, where they try out new runs and new grooming equipment and styles. We get out of the van and go up the ski lift. We sit at the top, admiring the view, the city in the distance, the very blue sky with no planes falling. Somewhere out there, the white faced basketball is hiding. She has been defeated. I'm going back to the lodge, where I can meet people for dinner. I think we're having peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Dreams Are Silly Things

So, I go to bed last night, and my eyes hurt. I have a cloth over them, you know one that is cold to take out the swelling. The power goes out, then back on. I sit up, take the cloth off my eyes, and reset my clock. Too bad I set the alarm clock as the time. But, I don't use it as an alarm anyway. That's what my cell phone is for. I didn't realize this during the night however. So. I wake up and look at said clock,and it says 6:00. Not so much, that was abotu and hour and a half off. I remember thinking I didn't have all that much sleep time left. I was wrong. Strange night, huh. The dreams were even stranger.....

Setting one, kitchen...vaguely my apartment, but with a seperate dining room. I'm in the dining room at the table, eating something. Talking to people. I notice my grittle (do I own one???) is still on. I go to see what is up. I see chicken being cooked. Brett Favre (what is he doing here?!?) is there, with a cute apron on, cooking chicken and other things on the grittle in the kitchen. The chicken is herb covered, or something. He finishes cooking, turns off the grittle, and sets two chicken breasts beside the grittle for me. "I'm done here, you can eat those" He says. "Don't you want any?" I reply. No answer, he walks out the door, which wasn't there before, and leaves.

New setting, I'm at home in green bay, talking to Katie. Asking for directions to her place in Eau Claire. (She lives in EC now...no she doesn't. Ok, so maybe she just has a Cottage there...COTTAGE!?!) So, She gives me some directions, I think about them, but don't write them down. I'm back in Minneapolis, and I'll meet her in EC.

So I'm in Minneapolis, and Brett Favre is back (why is he still here?) It's my house, I know this (and I'm not thinking this is a dream...yet), yet it has two beds in the bedroom, like you would find in a hotel. He's sitting on one, actually, kinda laying on his stomach. I'm sitting on the other. We are facing eachother. He has a portfolio in his hand. You know, the kind you can flip open that has the pad of paper inside. He has it open. There is a bunch of stuff written on the paper, but not line per line. There are doodles, words underlined, a sentence diagonally. He's talking to me. Hesitant about something. He stops and starts, occasionally writing something down left handed (why is he writing left handed, I've seen him throw a ball right handed. I think something is wrong. ((I'm beginning to think I'm dreaming)) Still, I can tell he has issues, so I let him talk.) I listen to what he says, offer him advice. He looks young, like the pictures of when he first came to the packers, like he's a rookie, like we went to school together. (I don't remember what he said, but we talked for a while, and then the scene suddenly switches...I remember the taste of the chicken he made me, it was really good.)

I'm driving, and talking to Katie on the phone. I'm getting directions to her place in EC again, because apparently I don't remember what I didn't write down. She tells me to turn on this street, go one block go left. Go right down another street ((I can't remember the names right now, but she was giving me specific street names)). I turn down the street she tells me too, and keep driving. I ask her when I am going to meet her. She pauses, and then says " I haven't left Green Bay yet." I stop to think about that (but keep driving, I'm using my headset). So, you won't be here for at least four hours?" I reply. "Yup" she says. I change my mind on where I want to go. "Tell me how to get to the library and the mall." I respond. She tells me. I have faith in my memory this time (after all, I'm not going to be interupted by Mr. Favre) so I hang up and drive. I have my window down (do I have a convertable? My car isn't the saturn, it's some sporty thing, and it's a manual) I drive past Lake Michigan, practically on the beach on this street. It's cold, I don't know why my window is down, but I leave it down. I can smell the water. (Why is Lake Michigan in EC now?) I drove to the library, and turned off the car.

I am in front of the library, a white building, with old fashioned siding. Looks kinda like an old fashioned church put to a different use. I imagine inside will be floor to ceiling books on the old fashioned style bookshelves. Problem...the library is closed. I put something (what is it?) into one of those storage lockers with the little removable keys you see at places like a ski lodge. I took the key, and went to the mall.

I'm in the mall. I go to Victoria's secret, and look at things that I saw on a website. I find things I like. Satin robes and the like, and try them on. I get the opinion of people. I make a purchase. Brett Favre is back. (why does he keep showing up?) We go back outside. I get in my car, he pulls away in his little green coupe with a sunroof. It's kermit green. That is the color we decide on.

I call Katie, and get the directions to her place again. I meet her there. I hear my alarm...(why is there an alarm, where am I supposed to be now) I fade into wakefullness.


So there you have it, all the bits of my dream. It mkaes no sense to me, just a bunch of randomness. But, the chicken was good. I woke up thinking mostely of the chicken, and could still taste it. Yum. (I had chicken for dinner, but it just wasn't the same)

Ouch...um...ouch.

I did it again today! No, I didn't fall down rollerblading, or ice skating, or slide down a wall climbing. Today, I ran. Yup. I ran/walked over 3.5 miles. First I warmed up on the eliptical runner for 1.5 + miles. Then I walked .25 miles, then ran 1.5 then walked .25 for a total of 2 miles on the treadmill. This is the second week in a row of Tuesday Cario, and of going 3.5 miles. I also bench press, and do sit-ups.

So, I'm not sore today, but you can bet tomorrow will bring a whole different tale. Last week I climbed Wed. night and then went dancing at GZ on Thursday to ease the pain. I'm climbing tomorrow, but I think I'll have to throw in more cardio on Thursday to keep it up.

If I keep it up, I might even allow myself in public in a bikini. That would be something new and different :P

*eh, hem*

To: Old Man Winter
From: Twin Cities Residents
Re: The bloody cold weather


Excuse me, but could you take five? Really! below zero (F) temperatures to 6-8 inches of snow back to Below Zero Temps, do not make for a happy cycle. The residents in these fair cities would like some weather closer to freezing to enjoy the winter wonderland. Sledding, Skiing, Ice skating, we can't enjoy these sports without nice weather.

So how about laying off the sub-zero temps for a few days, and letting the sun shine through? It would be much nicer than the -20C to -30C temps (without windchill) you've planned for the next week!