"keep lookin' on the bright side of life" --Eric Idol "Bright Side of Life"
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: "high above the mucky-muck, castle made of clouds..."--Tenacious D. "Wonderboy"
As you all know, I'm a college student with no money, I'm also someone's penniless mommy, and I live with my parents. I live with them because, well, between tuition, books, supplies, and my kidlet I can't afford to move out. My mom works at a company called Strattec, and they were scheduled to close the doors and move the entire plant to Mexico in June 2006, next year. I had it all worked out, I'd go to school and graduate with a BA in business admin in 8 to 16 months, I'd get a job that paid a decent & honest amount and continue going to school to pursue my real passion; archaeology. I had a plan, dammit! However, the union contracts at Strattec are to be renegotiated in June and it's looking like Strattec is just going to close and not renew any contracts. If this is the case, my mother said that I will be effectively "kicked out" and my parents will move up north. My dad said he won't be sticking around long afterward--he's going to leave my mom (can't say I blame him). Essentially, I will have no means to go to school, no place to live, and if I can't get a job by then, no job. I had a plan, dammit! It was a really good plan, too.
So, I stayed up half the night last and spent most of the day today checking possible colleges elsewhere that included family housing. I came up with close to nothing. The ones that had family housing didn't have the curriculum I need, and the ones that had the curriculum didn't have the housing. OY!
Not good, not good, not good...so very not good.
I'm calling Jenny tonight, we'll be brainstorming plans...mostly to make her feel better cuz she worries, but it could also be beneficial. ::sigh::

To make myself feel better, I've been singing Monty Python songs. As if you couldn't tell from the title. Among today's favorites are:
Bright Side of Life
Brave Sir Robin
(the ever wonderful) Penis Song
(and my personal fave) The Galaxy Song

I also did my own little rendition of "Wonderboy" by Tenacious D. On a side note, my bathroom has really good acoustics.

Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: Scent of a Woman, Maybe?
Spring is here, so sayeth my calender. I hope everyone had a lovely Ostara. I planted some herbs indoors last week, and they're already sprouting. The first ones up are the thyme, chives, and oregano. I'm still waiting on the basil and the dill.
To update you out-of-staters of the weather here, it snowed a few days ago and dumped us with about 8"...I've had dates that didn't get nearly as tall. But that's a blog for another day, and another audience. This is a family blog. LOL!

Anyway, this is the time of year when the deer hunters start planning the fall hunt. As you all should know, more and more women have been hunting over the past 10 years. Unfortunately, they are statistically worse than men at it. Being a woman myself, I will try to explain why. First off, it's not because women can't fire a gun, Bonnie Parker & Annie Oakly taught us that women can easily fire guns, and that we have pretty good aim, too. Personally, I think it isn't so much that we are the "weaker" sex, which we aren't, I think it is more what most women wear when they go hunting. Like all deer hunters, they wear the several layers of warm clothing, which makes them look about 50 pounds heavier. On top of that, they wear the usual blaze orange coat, pants, and hat, which kind of makes us look like giant citrus fruit from a distance.
However, it's not what can be seen that's the problem. It's what can be smelled. Early in the morning, they wake up and take their showers, thousands of women deer hunters. They wash their hair, rinse and repeat, then condition, then they wash the rest of their bodies, when they get out of the shower, the put on some lotion so their skin doesn't get dry, and then they get put on their deoderant because hours of wearing heavy clothing gets pretty sweaty. This is the problem. Peach and rose-hips shampoo, followed by melon-berry conditioner, add onto that some vanilla-strawberry body wash, slather on a touch of orange-cranberry body lotion, and top it all off with a bit of ocean breeze scented deoderant. Get dressed in a bright orange suit and go out to hunt some animals who live off a vegan diet. Yessir.
Let's take a deer's look at this for a moment. You're a deer, you sniff something on the wind. It smells like fruit. So, you walk towards it to investigate. Then you see it, a gigantic orange, and it's just sitting there in the middle of the woods...holding a gun...walking. It dawns on you, the food that love, has mutated into some horrible, dangerous creature that's trying to kill you! You run. Hell, I'd run away too if I thought my food was trying to kill me.

Okay...I just went off on a rampage there...and I ended up in a very weird place...so I'll stop there.

Soooooo......Ottawa!
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: Yup.
Okay...so I've been a little under the weather as of late. I refuse to go to the doctor, because I already know what he's going to say. He'll tell me that I have a sinus infection and that there's nothing he can do. Or, he'll say that I've got a sinus infection and try to get me to take some antibiotics, which I won't do. My body doesn't seem to like antibiotics much. Women, I know you know what I mean. Men: just sit there blissfully in your ignorance and be happy that you're not a woman.
Also, I had a job interview today; not unlike our illustrious president, I bombed it. I just can't help myself. I get there, I look oh-sooo-professional in my little suit, I speak with impecable grammar, then I am escorted into an office where the interviewer asks me a plethora of questions-as they usually do, an I answer honestly. That's about the point where it all begins to go so horribly wrong. I just can't help it, I get into one of those high-pressure situations, and I have to be honest, especially since I already signed a document stating that I would be truthful. By the way, if anyone out there in the SE WI area is seeking an honest-to-a-fault employee who is a quick-learner, and willing to try almost anything once, send me an e-mail. I type over forty wpm with a 98% accuracy, I have experience in MS Office, Adobe, PowerPoint, speadsheets, and data entry. Please! I need work, dammit! And for the low, low, price of just 20K/year, I could be your employee! That's right, folks, get me while I'm available! This offer won't be on the table for long, so hurry!
Alright, I'm done with the shameless self-promotion for the time being.

Today, GoodFeathers Thoughts comes to an end. www.geocities.com/g00d_feathers/my page/Good_Feathers.html will be deleted, and I will be at tripod indefinitely. For those of you who did not click through via my page, the url is (::insert cheesy, yet still jazzy, theme music here::) http://good-feathers.tripod.com !

Oh, yes, and I made yet another terrible mistake today. I ate a Webb's. So, I am now feeling a bit queasy. (I wonder why they don't have an emote for "queasy".)

Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: why don't they have a "non-caffeinated" emote?
Every so often, one comes across something that they simply must share with their friends, family, and/or strangers, for whatever reason. I was looking around the mozilla site, checking out the themes, I figured I'd spice up my browsing experience. (Since I vowed to NOT dye my hair for six months--I'm on month three, btw, and I'm getting bored with whatever color my hair is. Currently, the color is indescribable, it was white-blonde, then I dyed over tht a lovely blue-black, the blue faded to purple, then black, then charcoal, then brown, then it kept fading to this brownish-greenish-bluish-grayish-blondish-thing-I've-got-happening-here. Not entirely certain what it is...but I digress.)
I came upon a theme that was no longer being offered, or doesn't exist anymore, something. Either way, it didn't offer a preview, so I couldn't see, and I couldn't download it, but the caption was cute.
This is what it said (vebatum):

It's overdone... It's tacky... It's PimpZilla !!!

This was the caption for the theme known as PimpZilla 2.0 2.0, dated February 18 of this year. The url if you think I'm lying: https://addons.update.mozilla.org/themes/?application=firefox/
Needless to say, that since I'm writing this at nearly eleven-thirty at night, I've become mildy obsessed with this unknown browser theme. I really, and I mean really, want to see what it looks like. I'm so far gone at this point that I might even download even if I don't like it. I'd download it as a testament to my irrationalities, my "mild obsessions" (and I have many, oh soooo many), my sanity. Yes, I said "sanity". You see, it is life's little insanities that keep us all so sane. This is why I don't trust the so called "normal people". (I'm getting off subject, but it's okay.)
Take Martha Stewart for example. Before the whole getting caught for being bad thing, I didn't like her at all, in fact, she scared me a bit. I couldn't bring myself to believe that she was as perfect as she came off. No one is that perfect.
No one can possibly look that fabulous at that age and not have a few skeletons in their closet. Let's face it, normal, truly normal people, do not have perfect hair all the time, they don't make a huge breakfast every morning, a decent lunch, and a galant dinner every night. (Hello? Pizza Hut? Dominoes? Little Ceasar's ??!!!) Normal people don't make their beds every morning, they don't use farm fresh eggs for everything they cook that involves eggs, they don't all have to have coordinating colors or saucy patterns, they don't all have impecable homes that look as though no one actually lives there. Normal people eat or have eaten, Nilla Wafers & Kool-Aid, spaghetti sandwiches, burnt meatloaf, dry mashed potatoes, lumpy gravy, rubbery green beans, tuna surprise, and skunky beer. Odds are they didn't like it, but they choked it down or spit it out trying. Their homes have clutter, old magazines, last week's newspaper, stacks of bills, laundry (clean & dirty), macaroni collages (if you've got kidlets) strewn about the house, taking up almost every bit of a available surface space, save the floor and ceiling. They have dust, dust bunnies, dust mites, dust collectors, dust mops, dust in places no one ever knew dust could possibly be!
However, now, I kind of like Martha Stewart. Not because she broke the law, but because now she seems more "human". Flawed, imperfect, and positively normal. And, in the words of Bart Simpson, "that ain't not bad." I'd take normallacy over the drone borg-collective of seemingly unattainable perfection any day of the week. (Yes, I've been visiting anomalie-unlimited.com again. Yes, I reread the hate mail. Yes, it's still funny.)

She's Back, She's Back!!!!
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: pc troubles
As you all now know: She's back! She's Back! Jenny is back! Yay!!!
Lately, I've been having troubles with my pc. Especially when I start playing games. It freezes up, and it won't let me play! I've done everything I can possibly think of to fix the problem, and I keep coming up empty. So experating. I don't know what to do. Perhaps a different browser might help? Grrr. ::Sigh:: I'll think of something...eventually.

Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: spring term
Spring term starts on monday, and still, I have no books. I don't know if they're at Barnes & Noble yet, but I know I need at least one of them by monday. I am also lacking in the following school supplies: pencils, pens, calculator, notebook, car (for transport to and from school), money (to pay for gas in said car), soda, and an ample supply of cigarettes. These, along with coffee and music are essential to my academic success in college. They have aided well so far (when I had them), but now that I no longer have most of them, I fear my grades will suffer. Goodbye half-decent-chance at Harvard. Yes, I said H-A-R-V-A-R-D, despite my inane ramblings, I'm actually quite brilliant. However, I tend to be wanting in the fields of ambition, drive, motivation, and a love of paperwork. Just ask Jen when she gets back from Japan. Oh, yeah, and I'm a little dyslexic, so I don't read very fast, or well. I hear that one must read quickly to have any kind of success at those big schools like Harvard. It's okay though, no worries, I've got a plan. 2 of them actually. One plan, one back-up plan, and one possible idea (though, I don't how good a "possible" idea is, I think an "actual" idea would be best).

Moving on.

Weather update. Wisconsin has hit a balmy 43 degrees, but then went back down to 3 the next day. It's currently 37, so we're doing alright. It's been snow, kinda warm-but still pretty damn cold, rain, snow, just cold, snow, snow, rain, rain, snow, snow, just cold, cold, and now they're calling for more snow. My Daddy, however, says it's been, "Just mostly cold". He's right. We have german shorthair pointer (that's a dog with short hair and no fur for those of you don't know), anyway, my dad let him out the other day, forgot about him, he ran off, he was outside for about an hour, the temp was 5 degrees, and I honestly thought his balls would freeze right the f*** off! They didn't, the dog is fine, but I think the cat was laughing at him, I know I was.

Ah, yes, tragedy strikes. By the time I signed up for class, the only days left were monday (which you know about) and saturday morning. I have to go to class saturday morning! I'm gonna miss Yu-Gi-Oh! The series is just starting to get good. Grrrr. It's okay though, at least I'm not missing Shaman King--that comes on on Sunday, and they don't hold classes on sundays. Hahahahaha!

Oh, Jenny, where art thou?
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: Yet another credit card offer...
In the mail, I recieved yet another credit card offer. Visa (R). I think I'll keep a tally of the credit card offers I recieve, you readers can do the same, then we'll compare notes & find out what region of the country is most under attack by credit card companies.
As a side note: I used to have a Visa(R) Platinum, but they never, not once sent me a bill, unless I called and requested one. Then it would take three weeks for it to arrive. Visa(R) would then charge me late fees because, according to them, it was my fault for not paying the bill on time. When I would explain that they never sent a bill, they would say, "Ma'am, that is not our fault. If you choose to not recieve your bill on time, we cannot be held responsible." I almost started to feel bad for them...I mean, really, how dense can you be?!


Oh, yeah, Jen is still in Japan, lucky girl. Yes, I'm jealous, just little. Seriously, I don't think she even likes miso soup. But it's okay, cuz I'll get to go in a two years myself, then I won't be bitching about it. Btw, Jen, you never called. I literally sat by the phone (cordless) and waited, and waited, and fell asleep waiting. Missing you bunches.

Question to Bobbo: If clone A has an affair with clone C, the clone of clone B, and clone D has an affair with clone B, will the resulting children be clones? Moreover, how would they be named, clone E & F? OOOOH! What if clone A has an affair with the original and they have a child, would that child, having the exact same dna as the parents, also be a clone? Oh, my head is starting to hurt...

Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: The bipartisans are coming, the bipartisans are coming!
Two weeks ago, I was flipping through my mail, as I usually do. I stood over the garbage bag and flicked in all the junk mail, envelope by ever-lovin' envelope, when I spot a rather patriotic parcel. It was red, white, and blue, and in bold caps lettering it said, "HELP SUPPORT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY," below this in slightly smaller letters it said, "WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY VISA(R) PLATINUM CARD!" Is nothing sacred, I thought. Then, today, I recieve in the mail yet another red, white, and blue envelope. Strewn across the front in bold caps it reads, "HELP SUPPORT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY," and below in smaller bold caps, "WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY VISA(R) PLATINUM CARD!" Those of you who know me, know that I do not now, nor have I ever supported the bipartisan factions. Nor will I in the future. I don't like politicians, never have. I like people who, like me, get tired, fed up, and annoyed with politicians and broken promises and decide to do something about it. These brave souls, ordinary people, who know they haven't got a joint's chance in a rehab clinic, get off their ass, get out there, run for office, and do their best to make a difference--such is the American way! But I digress. Even when I vote, I vote for people, not parties. The party does not speak for the people. When deciding who to vote for, I want to know exactly what the person running thinks, feels, believes, and will do concerning a given situation. I do not want puppet-like, scripted answers that came from a party whom I don't neccessarily (<--sp?)agree with.

What I am trying to say is: Hey Visa(R), do your research and save a few trees! The registered members of both the democratic and republican parties are easy to find. Send them these credit card offers, not me. They are the ones most likely to buy into the offer, especially shortly before any major national election- not six months later.

Seriously, I wonder how many trees are cut down to fill my mailbox with crap I don't want from large companies who don't do their friggen research.

Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: she's gone...and I'm lost
So, my bestest best friend in the whole world has left for Japan, as you all know. She's only going to be there for a few days, but I'm lost without her. Seriously, she helps keep my head out of the clouds and down on the ground, where it belongs. To porve this point, yesterday, I was thining about something- I don't remember what- and pouring a cup of coffee at the same time. The coffee pot is on the counter, next to some the baking supplies my daddy had out. Then, the unthinkable happened! I very nearly plopped a big pad of butter into my coffee! That never happens when Jen is here. (By here, I mean on the same continent.) I was doing crap like that all damn day. Then, today, I was wondering why she didn't call me when she got there (not realizing that she probably doesn't have cell-service there) when I dropped three unopened packets of sweet n low into my coffee. Later, I lit the filter end of my cigarette. Yessir. It's gonna be one of those weeks. I can see it now.

Jenny! I hope you read this when you get back, if nothing else, it'll tell you how much I value your friendship and guidance. Love ya, and have fun in Japan. Don't forget my copy of ZBoys!

::sigh:: Wednesday. Yup.
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: IE, Japan, cigarettes. (Johnny hold the envelope to his head) "Things happening today"
Today, my best friend is flying to Japan. On an airplane. Over the big blue ocean. With nothing to protect her except the seat cushion that doubles as a floatation device. She's currently being hurled through the air in a giant steel balloon, going twice the speed of death. I'm not worried. I freakin' out! I really hope it doesn't end in flaming death. I actually like her.
I had to use internet explorer today as well. Fun, fun, joy, joy. If you want my true opinion on the IE issue, please visit my webpage @ https://good-feathers.tripod.com/ Then click the link in the navigation bar that says: Good Hate
Lastly, as you can tell, my mood has switched back to "caffeinated". This means that I am no longer overdrawn. All is well with my bank and me. I will be getting my new card in the mail in a few days, because my current one was deactivated due to my negative balance. It's all good.
OOOH! Coffee's done!! Gotta go!