I started making the elven brooch last night. For such a simple-looking thing, it's pretty difficult to get right. Add to that it's been some years since I've done any clay work, and you might gather it's been an interesting experience. And I had green thumbs because the clay is super-saturated with color. We'll see if it looks anything like the real one. And I suppose it doesn't matter anyway as it's significantly cheaper. Now if I can only figure out how to make the quiver...and how on earth am I supposed to get the not-knives to California?

Go visit Sara. She's got a great Matrix layout.

Yes, Virginia, there is a St. Louis Renaissance Festival and I want to go! Should I dress up?

Posted by Jen at 1:06 PM | Permalink |

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Bonnie is back! Whoohoo! Go visit my sib. Sara is on hiatus but you can see her spiffy Coldplay layout at her blog. And it's not so new, but Moll is a genius.

what do you think, Matrix layout next? Take a break from the monotony of Orli? or perhaps John Mayer. Probably John Mayer. With lyrics from "3x5" and "Why Georgia." We'll see.

Egad but I hope we fix the computer. Else we're gonna have to lug up the old iMac and attempt to hook that up to the internet...

Posted by Jen at 4:04 PM | Permalink |

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so last weekend was Memorial Day weekend, right? Nice long weekend, yeah? Well. I was busy working on my costume muslin on friday and saturday nights, so I didn't turn on the computer until late late saturday night (it was probably sunday by that time) and what do I see instead of the nice "Welcome to Mac OS" screen? A little floppy disc with a flashing question mark. Self, I says, this is not a good sign. So I left it until morning, cause it was late, and lo and behold the same thing shows up the next day. And the next. So I was without a computer (not to mention the internet) for the entire weekend! Aaaahhhhh! Being the holiday, there was no one we could call...the upside was that I finished the muslin and now have laid out all the pattern pieces. All that's left is to cut *gasp* the fabric and sew it together...like that's going to be easy or something *g* I've got to find some fabric for the trousers as well. And then it's onto the props, which could be fun or scary. I've got some metal that I can cut into knife shapes, but then how would I get it out to Cali? Would they let me mail it, do you think? Don't I wish I lived in Cali. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, I suppose. Gotta make the quiver and such, and I'll try to make a few arrows, and we've gotta make the elven brooch. Just so you know, "we" refers to my mother and I, as she'll probably make the pin and maybe the knife handles.

So, good weekend stuff was the pattern getting done. Bad bad bad computer! Sigh. Hopefully we either a) get it fixed soon or b) get a new comp, which is not likely to happen as we're buying a new car. Too bad we're not rich. Soon, grasshopper...

so if you don't see me online, that's why. also why your emails might have bounced, lol.

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Work's going pretty well. I'm really leaning in the direction of an apartment. Course, the apartment means I have to buy the Saturn and pay all the insurance for it, and then a monthly rent check...and actually buying food every week! Eh. Money goes too fast. Esp. when you go to bookstores on whims and buy $60 more than you spent on clothes. Yes. I know. book freak. I often wonder how many books I have...perhaps it's reached a thousand. I certainly have hundreds of cds. I actually made a list of some of them the other night. Over 150 and that's not all of them. Borders was made for me. I could live there if they had better food.

It's funny, cause I can't see myself doing the technician thing forever, but I've got to (sort of) resign myself with doing this for at least a year so I can get maximum benefit. Maybe longer, who knows? And maybe then the super-upper-level education. Who knows? At least I get Memorial day off

When I get home I'm gonna start working on the costume again. I've got a fair looking muslin made up, if you ignore the fact that it's too short and the sleeves don't work with it yet...and somehow I have to make up props. A girl emailed me about making a skit for Comic-Con...so I've really got to get cracking!

and now I must be going...time for home!

Posted by Jen at 5:30 PM | Permalink |

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So I saw the Matrix Reloaded on saturday...yay! What a cool movie. Now you might have heard how it's somewhat lacking in plot and other things of that nature. EW gave it a B, but the local paper only gave it 2 1/2 stars. Personally, I don't pay too much attention to reviews. If I want to see a movie I see it, reviews be damned. And I definitely wanted to see this one. It sort of popped up on me unexpectedly; I was a little more interested in Pirates and of course Return of the King, which as you can see in the sidebar are quite a ways away. But then I finally saw the trailer for Matrix in front of X-Men 2 and I just got all hyped up. So. I was peeved that I couldn't see it opening night, but at least I got to see it I think it definitely rates a second viewing. If I can get my parents to the theater, I think we'll see it...

So. My impression. Seemed a little long-winded at times. I couldn't understand the french guy all the time when he spoke (tut tut, there goes my six years of french classes). The pep-talk/rave/sex scene was indeed sexy, if a bit drawn out. Arm plugs, ew. Too much vinyl on Trinity. I want a coat like Neo's (as well as his sunglasses). Missed some of the computer/programming logic conversations. Liked the tv screens when he's talking to the Architect. Like the Twins. I wonder if they come back? There is no spoon.

But it's time to leave, so maybe I'll get back to you after I go do my Superman thing.

Posted by Jen at 5:25 PM | Permalink |

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Ok. So I've officially survived week one of my new job and am moving on with the second. Thank the Lord God Almighty that I at least have a job. I need to remember to sign my health insurance forms, find my chemistry book, and bring in an ethernet cord. Who says you never use stuff you had in college?

So...this job is also at Wash U Sch of Med, much to the chagrin of the unemployment office, but a different lab. Totally different department. No more stem cells...well, maybe. We'll see. I might work with them here. I know I still want to work in tissue engineering, but this job could be a means to an end. My boss, Dr Fontana (Luigi) nicely hinted to me that if his boss likes me there's the possibility of an MD/PhD program down the road. Hmm. Dr Shew, eh? lol. The timesheets say Applied Physiology department, but my id says Geriatrics, Div of Medicine. Go fig. I'm actually doing something with the blood serum of calorie-restricted human volunteers, trying to help Luigi find out what it is about these people's sera that makes them less prone to cancer and perhaps live longer. Could be cool, no? One of these days I'll actually learn this fancy ELISA procedure (enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay) to determine what antibodies are in the serum...I think...don't ask me to explain yet cause I'm not so sure about it anyway!

I've been isolating PBMCs and aliquoting sera, learning some ins and outs of the lab...I don't think I have everybody's name down yet, but at least they all smile at me...

The family is thinking of getting a new car. A Toyota Sienna, to be more precise. Ok, so it's not really a car. But it is silver, which, after green, blue, and maroon, is my favorite color! ha. Too bad we can't get the superduper deluxe version which has a rearseat dvd player. Ah well. I'll just have to get a new computer, with dvd drive...pet peeve: why don't dvd makers make the extras viewable on macs? I don't understand why that would be so hard. Silly people. You don't like the artists! ah well.

hold your horses, there's more coming soon!

Oh, and thanks to no one for rescuing me from Shelob's Lair...nobody loves me enough to get me out of the den of the mama of all scary spiders??? sigh. That's ok. I don't care all that much. But there was that pretty graphic up there all last week, and no one clicked? meh.

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I start a new job tomorrow. I have to get up so much earlier than I've been getting up lately...it's almost like getting up for those track meets in college! haha. at least it's not 4:30 am. We went car shopping today, as we as a family are in need of a new car...otherwise we'd have three working people and two cars. As Jess pointed out, that doesn't add up. Found some nice new cars, but no purchase! lol. I might have to start taking the bus. Maybe even biking to the bus stop. Erm.

Dear God be nice to me with this new job. I'm nervous about going in and learning the new stuff...hopefully I'll be confident enough in my abilities that I can get through this. Who knows. I could have an effect on the world.

For the people who asked me anything: As far as I know, Samantha is Orlando Bloom's sister. Read Dreams to find out for sure. And I've been doing html since sophomore year of college, when I pressed the 'convert to html' button on one of those fill-in-the-blanks site makers. By accident or design, I'm not sure, but I did it, and realized I'd have to learn this newfangled html thing, and never looked back since. It lets me be creative and technical at the same time. I love it.

thanks for your prayers about the job sitch, guys. I know it helped. Keep your fingers crossed that it all goes ok!

Happy Mother's day to all to whom it applies

Posted by Jen at 9:29 PM | Permalink |

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It's been raining oh so much. And hail! Hail in May! Sigh. I'm surprised all the flowers in our garden aren't just so many petals on the patio. Apparently irises love lots of rain, they've exploded into these huge purple and white and yellow blooms all over. Pretty, but if nigh-monsoon weather is what's needed to get them like this, I'll pass...

I've been spring cleaning. My mom and I went to an antiques shop called the White Rabbit. We didn't know where it was, and we'd watched the Matrix the night before so my mom said, Neo, can you find the white rabbit? lol. The funny thing was, we were driving and on the lookout for the store, but we didn't see it. Finally my mom pulled into a parking lot, saying, 'I don't see it.' and I said, 'but it's right there! I thought that's why you turned into this lot!' She honestly hadn't seen the sign but turned into the right lot anyway. Follow the white rabbit indeed. I would adore seeing the Matrix on opening night...

..even though it probably won't happen, given that it's my first week of a new job. Hopefully I can do this one better and I won't be expected to formulate my own experiements for some time yet. I just don't feel like I know enough. One day, grasshopper...Dr Fontana seems pretty nice, pray that he doesn't get fed up with slow-at-math me. He said I look smart. lol. At least I can pull that off. Wouldn't you know the day after I accepted the job at the lab this guy from Kforce (who I'd talked to somewhere around a month ago and decided what he'd called me about needed more experience than I had) calls again, sort of out of the blue, and tells me he'd found something in the tissue engineering industry. Sigh. I know it's still what I want to work in, someday, but not now, I suppose.

and last but not least:

Rescue me, mellon (hint: look at the 'who's lost' link) Thanks

Posted by Jen at 10:26 PM | Permalink |

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or just news of my life. Here's a roundup of the last week or so.

Saw X2 on opening night with Alex. Great movie. Bang-up beginning and a pretty good ending. I've decided that all these comic-to-movie translations are just going to be open-ended enough to allow for sequels so I can't let it bug me. Nice special effects and a decent plot. Cyclops, man, suck it up. She ain't dead. Wolverine. What can you say about the guy who doesn't die even with a bullet almost in his brain? Storm is cool. Let me just hold up my arms and lightning will come from the stars. lol. Didn't like Jean Grey's haircut. Dunno. Too seventies for me. Liked her part in the end. I like Nightcrawler, even if you couldn't understand him sometimes. I like how they did the transporting effect. Have to say the Matrix Reloaded trailer made more of an effect on me. lol. Can't wait for next thursday. Anyone up for a premiere screening? It just looks cool. The music for the trailer is good too. Remember how I like soundtracks? Spent a few hours at the library today just watching various trailers. I miss broadband so much. Maybe when I get my own apartment I can get cable/dsl. God willing and an actual job. After the car, of course. Oh, and the new computer.

Last weekend sometime I finally got the Da Vinci Code from the library after being on hold for a month or more...it was really good, and really fast, reading. I got it about 3 in the afternoon and had it finished by 3 in the morning. Nice mystery, and I even felt like I might have figured things out before the characters did. Of course, it was probably written that way, but it made me feel good. On the other hand, there were definitely things I did not get, which nearly made me slap myself on the forehead and say "D'oh!" sigh. Go read the book if you're at all interested in art, mystery, the Knights Templar, Goddess theory, or cryptography. Yeah.

It's a week of season finales. I hate and love this period. Usually the ending eps are pretty good, and I suppose the two I've seen have been...Alias season two is over, and we're gonna be wondering about that one for the entire summer. It was nearly as bad as the smallville finale last year. There are so many things that were left hanging. Ah well. There's always reruns, which is good, cause I think I missed a couple of eps.

Angel made its last run tonight, hopefully not for the *very* last time. A pretty good one, with the previous ep actually tying up the loose ends. This one introduced something new to Angel Inc which could be good or bad. Not sure which yet. An ending that pulls on the heartstrings, of course. lol. At least Connor is smart in the end. Went from a oh-my-God-he-did-it to awwww. Watch it and you'll see what I mean. If you must know I'll tell you privately.

Two eps of Buffy left. Forever. And at last, Angel will return to Sunnydale. I don't know what they're gonna do together, since the last time they were "together" only happened in Angel's memories. I think. I have to say I'm a Buffy/Angel shipper, which I only relate to you because...eh. Doesn't really matter, does it? I've always been a conventional shipper. Max/Liz, Buffy/Angel, Rhapsody/Ashe, the way they're supposed to be. Anyway. Intrigued to see how they'll end a show that has had its ups and very downs after seven years. Glad I got to see all of them last year, so I've seen the whole seven seasons. Too bad I'm not a slayer-in-training.

Tuesday I finally had a meeting with the guy from Hanger Prosthetics. Been a busy time. I really like him and the people I met, seems like it could be a great job. But that day before I went to the meeting I got a call from a lab I'd visited a while before and they said they'd like to offer me the job...I find it extremely ironic that once again I have two jobs at the same time. I'll probably end up with the lab job, unless what I learn about it tomorrow proves it's completely wrong for me. And I'll usually try anything once. I'm still interested in the prosthetics lab, which maybe I can work partime or volunteer. We'll see. Wish me luck. I hate making decisions like this.

I've been writing bits and pieces here and there of Moonstone and Decadence. I'm trying. I just haven't been in the writing mood, or if I have, I've been too lazy to fire up the laptop. It's just such a pain to have to transfer from the one to the other. Eh. If only we had a network. Alas. Not to be. I'll try to write as I can. I'll try to sew as I can...made a pretty decent muslin for the silver frock. We'll see what comes of that...and perhaps one day I'll get to the guitar. ah.

Are you bored yet? Be sure to vote for me

Posted by Jen at 9:32 PM | Permalink |

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X-Men 2 comes out today...

Sad when your highlight is a movie premiere.

I still don't have a job. How pathetic is that? And I've really grown to hate it when jobs you apply for never get back to you. Sigh. Pet Peeve #4798.

Posted by Jen at 12:11 PM | Permalink |

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