Cat Furniture.

I can't stop laughing at this Ask Metafilter response. We tried the Cat Furniture experiment last night, and it worked perfectly!

Enjoy!

posted by Space Kitty at 7:49 PM|| Comments (0)

Let's make a deal!

I'll pretend not to be annoyed at having to answer your phone call if you pretend not to be annoyed when I ask you* what you're calling my boss about.

DEAL?

*Trust me, I don't give a shit. Nothing could interest me less, but since it's my JOB and I get reamed if I don't ask, just play along. Thanks!

posted by Space Kitty at 11:00 AM|| Comments (0)

HEE!

I don't believe I've had a "This is why I love Metafilter" thread in some time. Enjoy!

posted by Space Kitty at 10:18 PM|| Comments (0)

So....

I missed posting yesterday because my home computer decided to join in solidarity with my malfunctioning phone and misbehave. Fortunately, Fishing Mike took care of it and all ended well. On an entirely different note:

posted by Space Kitty at 11:18 AM|| Comments (0)

Bah.

Technology continues to be spiteful, (phone broken, no text messaging, no phone email, no access to personal email at work, no access to work email at home) so if you want to reach me before my phone gets replaced, email me at work. Leave me a comment here if you don't have my work email and I'll send it to you.

*sigh*

posted by Space Kitty at 9:54 PM|| Comments (0)

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

My phone died last night. Project: Inexpensive Replacement currently underway.

posted by Space Kitty at 12:24 PM|| Comments (0)

*COUGH*

*WHEEZE* *CHOKE*

Damned cat fur.

Note to self: Time to dig out the roomba.

posted by Space Kitty at 4:10 PM|| Comments (0)

More nerd humor....

Space Kitty: (griping about crappy internet service at home)

Asimovian: Future important notices (i.e., Dodger info) to be sent to work. Got it.

Space Kitty: At least until I get that sorted out that would be great. Hell send EVERYTHING to work, I need the entertainment.

Asimovian: SYSTEM ERROR. ATTACHMENT "KITCHEN SINK" TOO LARGE.

posted by Space Kitty at 11:01 AM|| Comments (0)

Good lord.

Happy Friday! I think I'm due for a quiet night at home.

posted by Space Kitty at 10:30 AM|| Comments (0)

Why am I so sleepy today?

1. We had a work happy hour last night. The good thing about work happy hours is
   a) They're free!
   b) The people are nice.
   c) Somebody always brings some random snack that turns out to be really good. (String cheese!)
   d) I got to drink a glass of wine at my old workstation. I could totally get used to that....
   
2. After happy hour, I met some friends at the Flaming Margarita place by my house. We were celebrating my friend passing a huge exam on the way to her PhD. Because I had to drive, I sadly could not indulge my love for fiery margaritas but instead brought a bottle of my newest favorite wine. Tasty!
   
3. Following that, I went to the IMAX to see U2 3D. It was completely amazing! Anyone who knows me knows what a huge fan I am, and seeing all of my favorite songs with the people who accompanied me to the live shows - it was almost like being there all over again. Obviously, I totally recommend it.
   
4. On a completely different note, I wrapped up the evening with Fishing Mike and Mr. Woodcock.* Unfortunately, I conked out around 1:30 am - I can't wait to see how it ends!

*OK, that's so damn funny I'm going to let it stand.

Anybody got any red bull?

posted by Space Kitty at 11:48 AM|| Comments (1)

Another....

in a series of Things I Thought I'd Never Do!

Went to the LA Kings game last night! We got incredible seats (Fifth row!) so we couldn't just see the game, we could feel it when somebody slammed into the boards. We were a mixed crowd, with hard core King's fans (We even wore team jerseys! Thanks, Mike's roommate!) on one side and two friends who were rooting for That Other Team on the other.

I even got a public thank you/mash note to Fishing Mike put on the jumbotron. What fun!

While I still can't see myself sitting at home and watching hockey, the energy at a live game is awesome and I hope to go again.

Maybe the Kings will win next time. :D

EDITED TO ADD:

Gak! I just remembered! Poor circusfaerie was out on the town this past weekend and got hit on by the appalling Andy Dick. Send brain bleach!

posted by Space Kitty at 11:29 AM|| Comments (1)

Trip update!

Here's where we went. Here's what Fishing Mike did. Here's what I saw. Here's me, smiling in the cold (!) and here we are being ridiculous.

That's the truncated version, because I'm at work and FM hasn't downloaded all the pictures yet. All the good ones are up.

Back to it!

posted by Space Kitty at 1:42 PM|| Comments (1)

Home!

Happy! Exhausted! Pictures Forthcoming! on Flickr! I have no idea why I'm using so many exclamation marks! Wheee!!!

*faints*

Edited to add: Nosy was so excited to have me back home. He does this thing where he sits on my lap and leans into my chest as hard as he can to cuddle. There were head butts, nose kisses and he purred (mostly while lying on my head) for most of the night. He even laid on his side and made biscuits* ~OW CLAWS~ on me. It was adorable.

* Not responsible for any injuries caused by the amount of cute in this youtube post. Watch at your own risk.

posted by Space Kitty at 7:42 PM|| Comments (0)

Well that's ONE problem I didn't think we'd have...

We got back from dinner last night and we were both exhausted and freezing. We turned the heat on and settled in to relax. We cracked open a bottle of wine and I notice it's getting a little too warm. Every time one of us would get up, we'd pass the thermostat and give it a turn. I hesitated to turn it all the way off because I was afraid we'd wake up frozen to death in the morning. We kept getting warmer and warmer to the point where it was uncomfortable and finally we gave up and turned the heat all the way off. We were sleeping in nothing but a sheet in the coldest weather I've known but somehow we were still sweating buckets.

Fishing Mike finally got up around 1 am in total desperation to examine the thermostat and realized instead of turning it down, we had been turning it up all night and the heat was on full blast.

Now it's morning and I'm cold again...

posted by Space Kitty at 9:49 AM|| Comments (0)

We're here!

And HOLY FREAKING CRAP is it cold. It's not just Denver cold (the last time I visited snow) it's like... wilderness cold.

It is achingly beautiful here. There's *feet* of snow piled up outside the the hotel room door. The ride up was a six-hour trek (Thanks for driving, Mike!) and thanks to his Ipod of Doom we never had to listen to the same song twice. He left at six thirty this morning for his first ice climbing session and I'm not sure I've ever seen him so happy.

I slept until the sensible hour of 11 am and am slowly starting my day.

I realize that maybe the temperature isn't the problem for me. If I bundle up properly, I can deal with it.* It's more the logistics of cold: There's no running out the door with wet hair at the last minute, and no trivial issue if you don't have clean socks or can't find your hat.

Anyway, these are the things I think about when I'm trying to get to breakfast and realize I could use about seven more layers of warm.

*note to self: BUY WARMER CLOTHES

PS: No cell service here. If you need me post a comment here or email me.

posted by Space Kitty at 11:45 AM|| Comments (0)

Happy Bonus Vacation!

I'm off to enjoy my first-ever cold weather vacation! Fishing Mike enjoys ice climbing, and I enjoy Fishing Mike so off we go.

It's 22 degrees up there right now.

TWENTY-TWO.

Send thermals!

posted by Space Kitty at 6:02 PM|| Comments (0)

In preparation...

for the final (*sob*) season of Battlestar Galactica, I've been rewatching the entire series from the beginning. I was afraid after telling everyone I know how fantastic it was, it wouldn't live up to the hype.

In reality, looking back on the mini-series, it's even better than I remembered. The continuity folks are absolute geniuses and I'm enjoying it even more I did the first time.

Back to it!

posted by Space Kitty at 9:52 PM|| Comments (0)

Gak!

Who the hell declared it National Pee on the Toilet Seat day? Can we call it off now? Somebody in the damn office has been celebrating all day long, and it's enough already.

posted by Space Kitty at 3:48 PM|| Comments (0)

*deep yoga breath*

Well, I didn't get the raise and the tension is racheting up at work. Maybe it's time to go?

posted by Space Kitty at 12:08 PM|| Comments (0)

A thumbnail sketch of Los Angeles -

Commute times

5:00 pm - Century City to San Dimas (44.2 miles): 2 hours, 45 minutes

10:30 pm - San Dimas to West Hollywood (38.2 miles): 45 minutes

*forehead smack*

On the other hand, San Dimas has dear friends, Thai food, bacon salt and Rock Band. Good times.

posted by Space Kitty at 11:14 PM|| Comments (0)

Holy crap.

I'm well on my way to being officially sick of email. Who'd have thought?! Send me some good ones! We can't have this!

posted by Space Kitty at 12:35 PM|| Comments (0)

Reasons to be Cheerful:

1. BONUS VACATION!
2. Bills got paid.
3. Nosy woke me up with head-butts and purring.
   
4. Circusfaerie did the dishes.
5. Indian food for dinner last night.
6. Thai food with Asimovian & Jakeline tonight!
7. My favorite dress actually fits better now that I've put on a little winter weight. (Yes, that's what I'm calling it. Nyaaa.)
8. I actually did laundry and went to the market last night instead of procrastinating.
9. I get to find out if I got that raised I asked for. (I still don't want that damn job but at least I feel like I can deal.)
   
10. It feels better than being cranky.

posted by Space Kitty at 6:47 AM|| Comments (0)

*Hmmm*

So my job keeps transferring me all over the company. Not the most surprising thing in the world, because my job is mostly overflow - cover for people who are out sick, on maternity leave, vacation - whatever. For about a month I was stationed in a job where people keep quitting because the pay is totally not equivalent to the workload. Then - lo and behold - they found someone to take over the job and I was back in the position I was originally hired to do.

For three days.

Now that person quit, and I'm back to the job I Do Not Want.

So far this New Year has been all about new perspective - the things I've been doing haven't been working for me, so it's time to try other things. I can't refuse the job and expect to stay employed here, and being miserable about it will serve no one. So I decided to take the job, do my best, and ask for a raise so I'll be getting paid what I'm worth. I've been trying to figure out a way out of debt - who knows, maybe this is it? The learning experience of standing up and saying "I'm worth a good salary" has already been enriching. But more money would be just the thing. Keep your fingers crossed...

posted by Space Kitty at 6:29 PM|| Comments (0)

BONUS DAY!

Woo-hoo! We get the 21st off work! I had no idea! *does the three-day weekend dance*

posted by Space Kitty at 12:05 PM|| Comments (0)

Yay, dinner!

Thank you random website for this awesome recipe!

Quick and Delicious DHAL
from Beverly Brush

• 1/2 lb. lentils (red, yellow, green or brown), washed
• 2 cups water, add more as needed
• 1 large onion, chopped (*I used leftover raw chopped onions & carrots.)
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced (*I added more garlic. As always.)
  
• 4 T. butter or ghee
• 1 T. ground coriander (*I substituted 1/2 T ground ginger.)
  
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. American chili powder (like used in Chili con Carne)
• 2 T. curry powder
• apple cider vinegar (don't skip this ingredient - makes ALL the difference!)
• salt, to taste

Cook lentils in water until soft (about 1/2hr). (*More like 1 hour) Fry onion and garlic in butter or ghee until soft & golden. Mix all the spices together in a small bowl, add vinegar to make a thick paste (add a bit at a time....will take more than you expect). Add spice-vinegar paste to onions & garlic and fry all together, until aromas are fully developed (don't burn). Add the cooked drained lentils*, salt to taste and simmer gently for a few minutes, until warmed through. Serve hot over rice or with pita bread.

posted by Space Kitty at 4:50 PM|| Comments (0)

Always the last to know

So, I was diagnosed with ADD this week. I told Fishing Mike about it, and he totally knew this about me. We have a running joke about it ('Oh, shiny!') but I just thought it was a personality quirk, not a cluster of symptoms that can actually be explained and dealt with.

Am I the only one surprised? Is this really only news to me? As I look at the symptoms it seems pretty obvious in retrospect:

1. A sense of underachievement, of not meeting one's goals (regardless of how much one has actually accomplished).
2. Difficulty getting organized.
   
3. Chronic procrastination or trouble getting started.
4. Many projects going simultaneously; trouble with follow through.
5. A tendency to say what comes to mind without necessarily considering the timing or appropriateness of the remark.
6. A frequent search for high stimulation.
7. An intolerance of boredom.
8. Easy distractibility; trouble focusing attention, tendency to tune out or drift away in the middle of a page or conversation, often coupled with an inability to focus at times.
9. Trouble in going through established channels and following "proper" procedure.
   
10. Impatient; low tolerance of frustration.
11. Impulsive, either verbally or in action, as an impulsive spending of money.
12. Changing plans, enacting new schemes or career plans and the like; hot-tempered
13. Physical or cognitive restlessness.
14. A tendency toward addictive behaviour.
15. Chronic problems with self-esteem.
16. Inaccurate self-observation.

posted by Space Kitty at 10:11 AM|| Comments (1)

I admit it.

I'm a grown-ass woman, and I am about to spend the afternoon playing Four Square. (Affectionately known in some circles as beersquare) Let the mayhem begin!

posted by Space Kitty at 3:39 PM|| Comments (0)

Quote of the Day

It's Leap Year!

KEEP DRINKING!!

posted by Space Kitty at 4:58 PM|| Comments (0)

It is....

11:11 on 1/11!

(Yes, I am bored, why do you ask?)

posted by Space Kitty at 11:11 AM|| Comments (1)

Yes, I am a Los Angeles cliche'

It's 52 degrees, and I'm freezing.

posted by Space Kitty at 10:00 AM|| Comments (0)

MmMmMmMmm

Evidently, the antidote to a full day of doctor's appointments is biscuits. Thanks, circusfaerie!

posted by Space Kitty at 6:42 PM|| Comments (0)

Quote of the Day

From Circusfaerie: Life is worth more than the sum of its farts.

posted by Space Kitty at 6:48 PM|| Comments (0)

*sigh*

And home.

Best.
Vacation.
Ever.

posted by Space Kitty at 7:02 AM|| Comments (0)

And while I'm at it...

May I recommend The Blue Man Group, Crazy Horse Paris, The Rainforest Cafe (no, really) and Barefoot Bubbly mimosas for all your Las Vegas party needs?

(Need I say, WHEE?!)

posted by Space Kitty at 10:20 AM|| Comments (0)

ok, seriously -

If you ever have occasion to be in the Las Vegas area, STAY AT THE SIGNATURE MGM GRAND.

It is that good. Oh, yes it is.

posted by Space Kitty at 10:56 AM|| Comments (0)

Vegas, baby VEGAS!!

Back Sunday night. Wheeeee!

posted by Space Kitty at 10:42 PM|| Comments (0)

Quote of the evening:

Me: (Sits down at the computer, bumps blistered toe) OWWWWWWWWWWW!

Circusfaerie: (baffled) ... You're on the internet!!

Flip: Somebody could have said something really mean on myspace!

posted by Space Kitty at 7:03 AM|| Comments (0)

How to make awesome chicken soup

Roast a chicken. (I recommend Roasted Chicken with Herbs and Garlic, Joy of Cooking, Page 580. Email me if you want me to type up the recipe. I will if you ask nicely.)

Eat like hell.

Take the chicken carcass and whatever remaining bits and pieces of leftover chicken remain. Stick it in a stock pot, and almost cover with water and a can of chicken broth. Let the whole thing simmer on the stove until the chicken starts falling off the bone.

Strain the broth into another pot and let the chicken skeleton cool. When the temperature allows, pick off all the remaining meat and put it into the strained broth.

Meanwhile, fry some onions and carrots (NO CELERY. CELERY IS BAD AND WRONG. JUST ASK KIMBERLY.) in olive oil at low temperature for about 10 minutes or until the veggies are soft. Put the veggies into the strained broth and chicken mixture. Season with a bay leaf, fresh thyme and salt & pepper to taste.

Cook egg noodles separately and when you combine them with the veggies, strained seasoned broth and chicken mixture you have the best chicken soup ever.

So simple. So good. And I'm so full. Now if only I hadn't used every damn dish in the house and gotten some laundry done my evening would be complete...

posted by Space Kitty at 9:27 PM|| Comments (1)

So, yeah.

There's nothing like a solid week of going into work in jeans and leaving at 2 pm to put the normal dress up/8:30 am - 5 pm schedule in perspective. It was damn fun while it lasted. But I have my tasty coffee from home and it's already Wednesday (and I have blogger access at work! ... dangerous) so I better get the day underway.

Send motivation!

posted by Space Kitty at 8:55 AM|| Comments (0)

Happy 2008 everyone!

I've really got a lot on my mind, so I'm going to take hike to clear my head. After that I'm going to visit the Dali' exhibit (VIP!) to fill it back up again.

I hope everyone rang in the new year doing what they enjoy most. Wish me well in my search for clarity.

Edited to add: Metamorphosis of Narcissus is astonishing in person. And impromptu tea parties rock.

posted by Space Kitty at 12:17 PM|| Comments (0)