Added a link under Remote Sensing to my City of Heroes blog for those interested.

Super Sad

Well, I'm pretty bummed out today over the passing of a childhood idol. I got up prepared to do my running around and checked my AOHell mail and there it was on the splash page. He was only 52. That's just too young to be gone. I loved him in Somewhere In Time. I adored him in Deathtrap and, of course, worshipped him as Superman. I always wanted to be flying right next to him. I'd like to at least think wherever he is, he's still flying.

You'll be missed Christopher

9.25.1952 - 10.10.2004

I always like to join in on the fun and games of quizzes, lists and various other horse puckey on friend's blogs, so here's this one from Joshy's. Be warned, it's long, but all-in-all not a very slow read.

01. Bought everyone in the pub a drink. (No)
02. Swam with wild dolphins. (No)
03. Climbed a mountain. (Yes)
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive (No)
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid (No, but it is a goal before I die)
06. Held a tarantula (Held? Hell, I owned one and played with her. Her name was Babette)
07. Taken a candlelit bath (Yes)
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it (Every day I talk to John)
09. Hugged a tree-several times.. (Yes)
10. Done a striptease (Yes)
11. Bungee jumped (No)
12. Visited Paris (Will be in the next couple of years)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (Yes)
14. Stayed up all night long, and watch the sun rise (Yes)
15. Seen the Northern Lights (No)
16. Gone to a huge sports game (Yes)
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa (Will be doing this around the Paris timetable)
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables (Yes)
19. Touched an iceberg (No)
20. Slept under the stars (Yes)
21. Changed a baby's diaper (No. And I won't be)
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon (No)
23. Watched a meteor shower (Yes)
24. Gotten drunk on champagne (Yes)
25. Given more than you can afford to charity (Yes)
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope (Yes)
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment (Yes)
28. Had a food fight (Yes)
29. Bet on a winning horse (Yes)
30. Taken a sick day when you're not ill (Yes)
31. Asked out a stranger (Yes)
32. Had a snowball fight (Yes)
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier (No)
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can (Yes)
35. Held a lamb (Yes)
36. Enacted a favourite fantasy (Yes)
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip (Yes)
38. Taken an ice cold bath (Yes)
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar (Actually yes, when I lived in Atlanta)
40. Seen a total eclipse (Yes)
41. Ridden a roller coaster (Yes)
42. Hit a home run (Yes)
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days (Yes)
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking (Oh most definitely.)
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day (Yes)
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (Not yet, two years..two years)
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment (Yes, in brief spurts)
48. Had two hard drives for your computer (Yes)
49. Visited all 50 states (No)
50. Loved your job for all accounts (Not yet)
51. Taken care of someone who was shit faced (Yes)
52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (Yes. There are moments. Fleeting, but moments.)
53. Had amazing friends (Amazing isn't strong enough to describe the people I call friends)
54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country (Yes. Strret festival in Puerto Rico. Also the night little Phreddy switched his and his mothers Pina Coladas. That's probably why I was dancing with a stranger and Mother was wondering why her Colada was so weak.)
55. Watched wild whales (...with waffles wafting westwardly in the wind?)
56. Stolen a sign (Yep! A "Dean Str." sign and a "P" off Paradise Bay for my wall. Just you wait..I'll be having an Alphabet St. sign if I ever find one.)
57. Backpacked in Europe (Two years)
58. Taken a road-trip (Yes)
59. Rock climbing (yes)
60. Lied to foreign government's official in that country to avoid notice (No)
61. Midnight walk on the beach (Yes)
62. Sky diving (want to want to!)
63. Visited Ireland (No)
64. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love (Yes)
65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them (I think so)
66. Visited Japan (No)
67. Bench pressed your own weight (Yes)
68. Milked a cow (Yes)
69. Alphabetized your records (Yes)
70. Pretended to be a superhero (Yes)
71. Sung karaoke (Yes)
72. Lounged around in bed all day (Yes)
73. Posed nude in front of strangers (No)
74. Scuba diving (No)
75. Got it on to "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye (Yes)
76. Kissed in the rain (Did more then that in the rain)
77. Played in the mud (Yes)
78. Played in the rain (Yes)
79. Gone to a drive-in theatre (Yes)
80. Done something you should regret, but don't regret it (Yes)
81. Visited the Great Wall of China (No)
82. Discovered that someone who's not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog (No)
83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better (No)
84. Started a business (No)
85. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken (Yes)
86. Toured ancient sites (Yes)
87. Taken a martial arts class (Yes. I was actually a brown or yellow belt. I want to say brown in Yoshukai)
88. Sword fought for the honour of a woman (No)
89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight (Can you actually get anything done in less than that?)
90. Gotten married (Working on it. Waiting for Bush to go away frist.)
91. Been in a movie (Almost. Had a part in The Truman Show. Gave it up for holiday with family.)
92. Crashed a party (Yes)
93. Loved someone you shouldn't have (Yes!)
94. Kissed someone so passionately it made you dizzy (Yes)
95. Gotten divorced (No)
96. Had sex at the office (Yes)
97. Gone without food for 5 days (No)
98. Made cookies from scratch (Yes)
99. Won first prize in a costume contest (Yes)
100. Ridden a gondola in Venice (two years)
101. Gotten a tattoo (No)
102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on (Yes)
103. Rafted the Snake River (No)
104. Been on television news programs as an "expert" (No)
105. Got flowers for no reason (Yes)
106. Masturbated in a public place (Yes)
107. Got so drunk you don't remember anything (No)
108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug (Chai should be illegal. Curse you Sarah!)
109. Performed on stage (Yes)
110. Been to Las Vegas (Yes)
111. Recorded music (Yes)
112. Eaten shark (Yes and I love it!)
113. Had a one-night-stand (Yes)
114. Gone to Thailand (No)
115. Seen Siouxsie live (I did I did! Houston! Saw her with Skinny Puppy and some others)
116. Bought a house (Yes)
117. Been in a combat zone (No)
118. Buried one/both of your parents (No)
119. Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off (Yes)
120. Been on a cruise ship (No)
121. Spoken more than one language fluently (Yes)
122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone (Yes)
123. Bounced a check (Yes)
124. Performed in Rocky Horror (used to every weekend for 2 years)
125. Read - and understood - your credit report (Yes)
126. Raised children (No)
127. Recently bought and played with a favourite childhood toy (I'm trying)
128. Followed your favourite band/singer on tour (Sort of)
129. Created and named your own constellation of stars (I do it all the time)
130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country (No)
131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did (If it's true, yes)
132. Called or written your Congress person (Yes)
133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over (Yes)
134. ...more than once? (Yes)
135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge (No. Drove it though)
136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking (Yes)
137. Had an abortion, or your female partner did (No)
138. Had plastic surgery (No)
139. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived (No )
140. Wrote articles for a publication (Yes)
141. Lost over 100 pounds (Yes)
142. Held someone while they were having a flashback (No)
143. Piloted an airplane (No)
144. Pet a stingray (Yes)
145. Broken someone's heart (Yes)
146. Helped an animal give birth (Yes)
147. Been fired or laid off from a job (Yes)
148. Won money on a T.V. game show (No)
149. Broken a bone (No)
150. Killed a human being (There are times... )
151. Gone on an African photo safari (No)
152. Ridden a motorcycle (Yes)
153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of 100mph or faster (Yes)
154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced (No)
155. Fired a rifle, shotgun or pistol (Yes to all)
156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild (Yes)
157. Ridden a horse (Yes)
158. Had major surgery (No)
159. Had sex on a moving train (Two years)
160. Had a snake as a pet (Yes and I miss him)
161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon (No)
162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing (Yes)
163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours (No)
164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states (No)
165. Visited all 7 continents (No)
166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days (Yes)
67. Eaten kangaroo meat (No)
168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground (Okay, who makes these crack-ass questions up?)
169. Been a sperm or egg donor (No)
170. Eaten sushi (I eat sushi almost weekly)
171. Had your picture in the newspaper (Yes, a few times)
172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime (Yes)
173. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about (Yes)
174. Gotten someone fired for their actions (Yes)
175. Gone back to school (January)
176. Parasailed (Yes)
177. Changed your name (Sort of)
178. Pet a cockroach (Yes. A Large Hissing one)
179. Eaten fried green tomatoes (Yes and they are gooood)
180. Read The Iliad (Yes)
181. Selected one "important" author whom you missed in school, and read him/her: (Yes)
182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them (well, not because we needed them)
183. ...and gotten 86'ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you (No)
184. Taught yourself an art from scratch (Yes)
185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (Yes)
186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt (No)
187. Skipped all your school reunions (Yes)
188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language (No)
189. Been elected to public office (No)
190. Written your own computer language (No)
191. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream (Whatever)
192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care (No)
193. Built your own PC from parts (Yes)
194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you (Yes)
195. Had a booth at a street fair (Yes)
196: Dyed your hair (Lord yes)
197: Been a DJ (Yes)
198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal (No)
199: Written your own role playing game (And still am)
200: Been arrested (No)

Josh!!!!!! I have to know your 106! I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours.

The panhandle continues to slowly lift its head from the aftermath and life goes on. Still no adjuster. I'm sure it will take some time considering the amount of damage done to all the businesses and homes. C'est la vie. When one chooses to live on the coast, one must accept nature's tantrums. The saddest part of "our" damage is the loss of my tree. The one I'd look at out our sliding glass doors and just drift. I'd looked forward to staring at it before school in jan uary when I start. I'm pondering planting another. I just don't know what it was.

Onto other subjects...

I'm more than a little irritated over John's birthday. I took into consideration that it took place only a few days after Ivan, but by now calls, cards or whatnot should have already made it to him expressing birthday joy and congratulations. He received absolutely nothing. We had a candlelight cake-munching/present-opening event on the actual day here in the slightly warm house and when businesses were open again we went for sushi and so John could get his birthday hashi. I'm a strong believer in celebrating the ones you care about on the day they were born. Frankly, birthdays are the most important holiday to me and it offends me when someone can't even pick up the damn phone or shoot off a lazy e-card. It just tells me that people are self-centered even moreso than expected and while it's fine to receive, giving is way too much of a hassle.

*topic switch*

The Sims 2 rocks. Beyond playing other characters, I'm engrossed in a "Save the Aliens" project. I'll let you know how it goes. Hmm maybe I should follow the example of a former friend and set up a separate blog for City of Heroes and Sims 2. I know Sims has its own blog so that would be easy. We'll see.

"Frank Herbert doesn't know the meaning of Dune, but at least Pensacola doesn't have giant worms" - A Post Ivan Blog

Music At The Moment and VERY loud: Kierra Sheard - "You Don't Know"

Okay, quick summary as I'm in no mood to blog and have too many other things to do. We're back obviously. We were without power for about a week. Cable came up a couple days later. Water is now drinkable.

Damage:
Fence pretty much gone.
Part siding/insulation on tallest eave of roof gone; tarped and awaiting repair.
Punctures in siding of house rear.
Exterior pane of storm window shattered. Interior intact. Thank you!
Trees, trees and more trees down.
Piles of debris prepared for the eternal cleaning.

We got away very lucky. Scenic highway is a once beautiful route along the bay reduced to something from a stage production in a local theatre...Houses look fine from the front for the most part, but lack insides or backs like prop scenery or painted scrims. It's rather surreal.

Music At The Moment: The Killers - "Somebody Told Me"

Thank You:
Bless you power workers from various states and Canada. You deserve that 1,000 dollars a day. Hell, I'd give you 5K a day if I were running it.
Neighbors for coming together for the most part. At least our immediate next doors and a couple others like the marine God two doors down with the big blue eyes, incredible smile and body by greek deities.
The Military for the comfort stations, ice, water, and yummy MREs. Those things are really good.
My dad and Uncle randy for bringing us food and water when we were running low. They'd been working non-stop on the beachevery day since they're the law, but they came to make sure we were good.
For our family and friends that helped us or checked on us: Heather for a place to stay during evac. Lisa and Sam for worrying about us. We miss you two so much! My northern italian blood for trying to constantly keep in touch with me to make sure we were all safe. I love yous guys! My Mom and Grandmother for weathering the storm and making despite deciding to stay. Grrr. Pete, Josh, Rita, Ron - You guys are real friends and I cherish you deeply. Thank you for having one face.
Kittums for being so wonderful on the evacuation trip. You really impressed me you behemoth.
The Bill/Credit Card companies for being understanding and bending over backward to help everyone in this area out.
My hubby for staying safe and loving me.


Fuck You:
Generator Mongers and their price-gouging asses.
Firestone on Davis Highway in front of the mall. Return day from evac - 175 dollars for a "car battery that was hard to get because even walmart was out of them." Went to walmart right after, they had 8 batteries for our car. I've already spoken to Firestone corporate and they'll be investigating for potential gouging and we might just sue.
Rude white trash that cuts in front of people in the very long comfort station lines.
Rude Rougenecks® (Those are the local vermin that are simply white trash with money) that feel they deserve power before other people or quicker service because their manure business took off and they swim in that green paper with those alien number things printed on the corners.
Julio for being such a little penis head on the evacuation trip. Why do you emulate everything else Kitty does except behave???
Ivan for ruining our trip to Seattle in which we could have: Visited Rita, gone to neat places, seen Scissor Sisters live and attended a Clive Barker book signing. Bitch storm.

Music At The Moment: Toby Lightman - "Devils & Angels"

Wow. I guess I did have some desire to blog. Maybe it's more of as trance-like state and just spills from my fingertips like those channelers spouting woes and demands from beyond the grave. Later.

We're a' movin' on up...

But not to the east side. Actually, we're running from the east side...of the eye, that is. Being the worst part of the storm to be in, it's advisable we head out before it makes landfall. Animals, Art and Photos are coming with. The rest is left to fend for itself. Let's hope we have a home when we come back. The worst part of it all is John still being on the boat. It's currently heading to Texas to wait out the storm which means he and I won't see each other until after all of this is over. This makes my heart ache.

So to all our friends that have to leave too, be careful and we'll see you when all is said and done. To those friends that are safe, we'll let you know how everything turns out after the fact. To those "friends" that are giddy over Ivan's path, you'd best be careful. Karma is a good friend of mine and she's a fucking bitch when crossed. We have so much in common.

Иван сосет.

She's on fiyah!

Almost forgot to welcome Fuego to my set of blog links! Oopsie on me. Yay for Miss Red and her beau, the priest-like one! Long distance hugs from Phlorida!

Blog Shui

Music At The Moment: Reactor - "Feeling The Love"

Yay! New blog setup complete. At least I hope so. Redesigning the whole site wasn't as time-consuming as I'd expected but I did actually discover broken links to sites, missing links to other blogs and various other errors that probably happened during regular updating and the like. With any luck I've caught everything and fixed it all. If not, it will eventually make itself known.

Begin Quick Rant Here I appreciate the concerns. I really do. But Frances is not here. She is not on our doorstep. We are not wading up to our knees in flood water. It is currently 88 degrees here and it feels like 90. The sun looms down oppressively above us, not some eager tsunami. I'm sure we'll get some weather eventually, but not that much. There is always the chance she will make it over here and if so we'll deal with it then and you will all receive yawn-filled phone calls letting you know we've left for the hills of Tennessee. Those of you worried about us, it's okay. We're on the other side of the peninsula and not in the projected path. For those of you worried she will miss us, get a real hobby. End Quick Rant

Song switch: Sarah Brightman - "Harem"

Picked up much fun and childhood glee yesterday at Best Buy! The Season One DVD set of Challenge of the Super Friends. Now I get to watch all the terribly written, cheese-filled episodes completely devoid or truly evil villains or the least bit of continuity. I'm so excited!!! On the subject of DVD viewing, I'll be sitting down this weekend to make sure Bryan watches "Kalifornia" which he still hasn't seen. I mean come on! One is not complete without watching Brad Pitt and Juliette Lewis play some of the most sublime white trash ever placed on screen. (Juliette really deserved an Oscar for this). And, of course, his archive of quotes is most incomplete without such great hits as "Put your titty up, Adele"

Song Switch: Rick James - "You and I"

Did I blog about our camping trip? I don't recall doing so and I'm too lazy to go back and look in the archives. I'll talk about it soon and maybe post some pics. It was pretty groovy.

Just..stuff...

Music at the moment: Scissor Sisters - [Self Titled] Current track - "Better Luck"

I'm on "parade of demons" overload at the moment. I couldn't be sicker of politicians, political supporters, political agendas, political back-stabbing and the like. I feel like I'm in an EQ guild again. I'm certainly ready for it to all be over and for the media to go back to spotlighting Michael Jackson and that Peterson guy. Those were easier to escape.

The next couple of week’s schedules are sort of hectic. (Contrary to what some people think, my days are sometimes filled with work and frenzy. There is validity to the housewife/husband life being a fulltime job and let no one tell you any different. If they do they're probably just bitter because they don't get to stay home.) The ongoing project of organizing all my art and writing is still in full swing while Saturday and Myshe's brother's engagement party approaches.

Song switch - "Laura" (This is one of the best songs on this CD.)

Family arrives on the 7th for 5 days of family antics. It's looking more and more like I will be spared any involvement as the schedule is rigidly packed with stuff to do with other family members every day. Mixed feelings on this, ones of relief and resentment. Oh well. I'll certainly move past it. It's become steadily more apparent over the years that the word family has evolved to include very few of the actual blood members and more of the people I love around me.

Song switch - "Lovers in the Backseat"

And speaking of those I love, John will arrive on the 16th (I hope) and we'll frantically make sure we haven't missed anything before we leave to New Orleans the next day. Off on the 17th from the NO Airport to Seattle to visit our dear friend Ritahead. Lots planned there while we visit. The Science Fiction and Music Museums, The tourist-mandatory Space Needle, Trader Joe's, some restaurants that Rita swears by and John's birthday on the 20th! Robert (Rita's youngest gay son) will be taking us out for fun on the town and we'll see what Seattle has to offer in the way of "gayness". I doubt it will beat our trip to San Fran on a sheer scale of homonicity. (Come on...you stay with 2 lesbians, you walk the Castro, you eat fruit at a lesbian outdoor café and get hooked on Chai lattes? You CAN'T get a higher homonicity rating than that. Well...maybe if everyone was wearing tutus.)

Song switch - "Take your Mama" (This track is hardcore oldschool Elton)

On school...

The closer it comes to the spring term the more excited I get. I'm sure that will change once I'm in the swing of actual school, but for now I'm jazzed. Unfortunately though, it looks like I'll have to take Spanish as my first language course. At the moment it's the only beginning language class offered in the spring. The rest all begin fall. Now, if I was feeling brave I could always do as the college suggests and skip the straight to French II since I've had 2 years of previous French. That would allow me to start Fr4ench in the spring like I wanted. I think I'd rather start fresh though since, without an outlet for practice, my French has all but completely atrophied. Of course, I still remember all the swearing, but that's only because I use them frequently.

Music at the moment: Basement Jaxx ft. Michelle Ndgdgggegdegggggdgdgegdgegd'ocello
"Right Here's the Spot"

I'm excited about Halloween this year. John will actually be home! We're trying (we being John, me, Myshe, Bryan, and the Georgiffer) to take a trip to Atlanta to meet Pete and Frank for a rip-roaring good time. I hope it works out.

Oh and on a more serious update note...John came out to one of his co-workers. Jim is the guy he rides with back and forth from Pensacola each crew change. He’s a nice guy and I think he's John's only real friend out there. John downplays their friendship but I can see he really enjoys the things they talk about and do. I just worry about loose lips. I can't bear to think that he may have troubles on the boat resulting from this. I guess we'll see.