3 Random Prompts - Sounds, Drunken Episode, Adventures in Space

For fun, I bought a book entitled, 642 Things to Write About. I asked my Facebook friends to choose 3 numbers, promising to write about whatever prompts followed their numbers. These are the results:

 

576 - Sitting in a single location for 20 minutes, take notes focusing exclusively on the sounds you can hear.

It sounds like a rustling leaf. Ticking dryly across the tile floor, edge over edge at sporadic intervals. Every now and then, it pauses, the sound replaced by tiny padded feet tapping lightly along the tile. When the soft pattering stops, the sound kicks up once again, beginning with the sound of the dry leaf hitting the tile from a fair height.

In the background, cicadas buzz their summery, evening hymn, rising and falling with the breeze. The only breeze audible near me is that produced by the ceiling fan. The light pull-chain clinks gently against the fan motor, which hums softly, in even, drawn out intervals.

The rustling has stopped, replaced by incessant licking, a rough brushing through soft fur, hitting the sticker the cat had been knocking around like a leaf. Moira desperately licks, her tongue scraping across the edge of the paper, slowly tearing off the sticker. With a slow suction noise, the sticker peels off her fur and hits the tile once again with a thin ticking. The padding of her steps grow quieter as she walks away.

 

289 - Another drunken episode.

"What? No. We are not doing that." Wearing leggings and boots to the bar had been the first bad decision of the evening. Responding to the arse at the bar who asked if I thought I was a super hero or something was likely the second. I was on my way to my third.

Ignoring the ever wise words of my friend Cate, I continued to make my way out of the bar. "It's okay, dude, I still have Halloween stuff in my trunk. I'm pretty sure I've got a mask and a cape. Trust me."

Cate sighed loudly, obviously not as inebriated as I, and stomped after me to the car. "Why do I have to be the bad guy?" She leaned against the green Honda Civic as I dug through the trunk.

"Duh, because both of us can't be superheroes. Someone needs to kidnap the girl and tie her to the railroad tracks." I grabbed the black Zorro mask my buddy Jack had returned and tied it on quickly as Cate stood staring, her mouth slightly agape in shock.

"We are not tying anyone to the railroad tracks." She crossed her arms, not bothering to catch either the orange Ninja Turtle eye mask or the black, floor length cape I'd tossed at her.

Frowning, I turned my attention from the trunk to her. Slowly, I grinned. "What if we tied Greg to the tracks?" It would take some convincing, but I was sure I could get Greg to play along. Cate has had a thing for Greg ever since her second year of college.

Cate barely considered before grabbing the cape and mask. "Now, you're talking," she grinned as she suited up.

"Great! Now help me find the cowboy lasso so we have some rope." What could possibly go wrong?

 

5 - You are an astronaut. Describe your perfect day.

Captain's log, 7/13/2178, 20:56. Won at Risk against the Martians again. It's really not fair. They don't quite understand the concept of divide and conquering. That and they just can't keep control of Europe. I'm worried they might start to take it personally and decide to take over Earth for real. Must figure out how to read Martian emotions.

I'm not entirely sure what it was that I had for lunch while gaming with the Martians. All I know is that it moved before, during and after being cooked. I keep trying to tell myself it tasted like chicken. Went back to the space station and promptly ate all of the freeze dried strawberries to get the "chicken" taste out of my mouth.

It's video night at the space station tonight and my turn to choose what to watch. I'm thinking something archaic, like Galaxy Quest. I'm sure the Martians would get a kick out of that. Maybe follow up with some Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes for good measure. I'm curious what their take on the Borg will be. I'm more curious about whether or not they'll like popcorn.

 

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Back to School

Well, it's time.  I guess I've somewhat already been back at work since I've had training for the past week and a half.  However, now it's officially time to go back to school for the teachers in my district.  WHOO! (Right?)

I may be an odd duck out for this, but I'm excited for the new school year.  I've picked up a handful of really good tools in the past week and a half of training which I can't wait to use.  That, and I've been really bored.  It's not that I haven't had things to do this summer - I have.  Maybe I'm a workaholic.  I prefer to think of it as I prefer to have a greater purpose to dedicate myself to on a daily basis.

Anyway, my future father-in-law sent me this teacher joke today and I figured I'd share it in honor of going back to school.  Good luck everyone going back!

A former Sergeant with the Marine Corps, having served his time, took a new job as a school teacher; but just before the school year started he injured his back.

He was required to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. Fortunately, the cast fit under his shirt and wasn't noticeable. On the first day of class, he found himself assigned to the toughest students in the school.

The smart-alecky punks, having already heard the new teacher was a former Marine, were leery of him and decided to see how tough he really was, before trying any pranks. Walking confidently into the rowdy classroom, the new teacher opened the window wide and sat down at his desk.

When a strong breeze made his tie flap, he picked up a stapler and promptly stapled the tie to his chest. 

.....Dead silence... He had no trouble with discipline that year.

Wrapped Up (Part 3)

My original intention was to go old style pilot - which translates in my head to black leggings, knee high boots (I have some amazing boots), some kind of shirt I didn't give any thought to, and a white scarf tied around my neck.  I was most excited about the boots and leggings.  Pairing the two make me want to climb things  and crouch around like Catwoman.

Alas, I was too tired this morning to figure out a solution to the problem of not knowing what shirt to wear, so the whole idea was scrapped in favor of tennies, jeans, a navy shirt and a white scarf.  The V neck of my shirt went well with the style of the scarf.  I don't know what the actual name of the style is, so I'm going to call it the lazy ascot.  I'm not sure I'd wear this style again, though I think it looked good.

I'm getting bored with these bathroom pictures, so expect more odd poses.  I have no idea why I am contemplating the ceiling.

 

Wrapped Up (Part 2)

My good friend, Arianne, sent me a whole slew of ways to wear a scarf.  I liked the way this one was tied.  You pretty much fold it in half, put it around your neck, thread one end of the scarf through the end loop, twist the loop once and thread the other end of the scarf through.  Viola.  

I was concerned the scarf would be too heavy - it's a silk scarf by Anne Klein.  However, it was the only thing keeping me mildly warm today.  I forgot how thin the leggings and shirts from Victoria's Secret are and how cold the trainings for school are typically.  

Since the whole outfit looked nicely put together, I'll probably wear the whole ensemble again.  

Yes, that was taken in the bathroom.  Enjoy the peek at my shower curtain and rug.

In other news, my Sebring was posted for sale at a dealership in El Paso, TX.  It was pretty much my first car.  I exclude my Porsche 944, though it truly was my first car, because I never really learned how to drive it.  I'm really going to miss the Sebring.  Here's hoping somebody buys the car and loves it as much as I did.

Sebring LXi Listing

Diet Trial #1

While shopping at Big Lots, I noticed they had Special K Red Berries on sale for $2 a box.  I love the freeze dried strawberries in the cereal.  That was reason enough for me to buy 2 boxes.

On the box it says that it is possible to lose 6 lbs in 2 weeks on the "Special K" diet.  I've nothing better to do with myself than to try it this summer.  Hell, it'll save me money to eat Special K for lunch and breakfast (it's been an extremely expensive month at my house).

So, today is day 1 on the Special K diet.  Instead of putting milk in the 1 cup of cereal I'm allotted, I opted for a half cup of French Vanilla Greek yogurt, instead - it was actually less calories than the 2% milk would have been.

Let me just say - this may be my new favorite way to eat cereal.  I don't miss the milk.  The yogurt was already a treat for me.

I'll keep you all updated on how fast I get sick of eating Special K and whether or not I lose 6 lbs in two weeks.

I Cooked, and Other Summer Projects

When asked, I typically say I don't cook.  For the most part, it's true.  Dan does all of the cooking or we go out.  The truth of the matter is that I can cook, I just don't like to cook.  Every now and then, I get bored enough to really cook.  I meant to take pictures of the "garbage" I cooked that turned into amazing Thai chicken and noodles in awesome sauce, but, alas, I used my energy on cooking the stuff.  Anyway, I did manage to get a picture of the Thai chicken and coconut-red curry soup I made today.  It was accompanied by Thai iced tea.  

When I went to go upload the picture, I remembered another picture I had taken and not shared.  My curiosity, sweet tooth, and self-hating love of wine (damned allergies), were all killing me.  I don't know where I got the willpower, but I didn't end up buying either one of these. 

While sitting around the house this summer, bored out of my mind, watching garbage such as "Toddlers in Tiaras" and endless cake shows, I've been trying to expand my craft repetiore.  (A side note - anyone who can sit at home, awake from 8 am until 4 pm, without children to take care of during those hours, I don't know how you do it.  My brain would be soup.)

I started to knit.  I failed to check to see how much yarn was needed for a scarf.  Thus, I ran out of yarn and have a "scarf" about 10 inches wide by 18 inches long.  

After finding the idea on the net, I made that book page-flower wreath.  That went well (I posted pictures in my last blog post).  However, I don't believe I'll be making paper flowers out of streamers and gluing them to styrofoam balls any time soon.  It takes WAY to long to make those flower things and I'd need WAY too many.

So, I went back to making jewelry.  I found some neat glass animal beads to make rings out of and fried some marbles to make into pendants.  

I've since made more of the pendants.  However, you'll have to go check them out in my Etsy shop (or via my shop's Facebook page - since you're there anyway, you may as well "Like" the page, too) later this evening when I post those pictures.