Eventful day

Viva La Revolución!

I am Renée, master of my own destiny! My nails can be whatever they darn well want to be and I don't need no stinking gel polish to tell me how to live my life!

Paula suggested that I just paint over the gel polish and I looked it up and apparently it might make this manicure last for longer than normal, too. So I went a little crazy,  and in celebration I put the whole galaxy on my nails.

Yeah, they look pretty sweet, don't they? Pinterest gave me the idea. And it's even better in person because they are so darn sparkly.

Oh, sparkles, I missed you!

Boy, it was a super eventful day- I have so much to say-- I may split this into two blogs and just talk about the mac and cheese tomorrow... so if you've read this far and haven't read anything about mac and cheese... well then you have something to look forward to tomorrow, don't cha??

Today I got on facebook and someone said they had extra tickets to Tent Theatre. Now this may come as a shock to you, but I'd never gone to Tent Theatre in all my years in Springfield. Nathan and I kept meaning to, but they sell out quickly and you just never know when the weather isn't going to be miserable. So I said I wanted to go and so I did. The weather was amazing for it, btw. (We saw 9 to 5 and it was good. I don't think I really cared for the *show* that much, but I really liked most of the actors' performances. Which probably sounds confusing to you but makes perfect sense to me.)

So in preparation for Tent Theatre, I just stayed at Starbucks all afternoon.... like from 2:30 to 7:45....ok that wasn't very eventful, I admit it. But at 7:30 it got really exciting.

Let's just say I learned a fun fact today: Electricity can run through wire that is ON FIRE.  Electricity = amazing.

What you don't want to leave it at that?? *sigh* Fine.

There was a fire across Glenstone, and there is suspicion that this caused some circuits/transformers to get overloaded. All I know is that at 7:30, the lights in Starbucks went off and everything shutting down at once sounded really cool. Then the lights came back up about 30 seconds later and then went down again about a minute later. Then came back up at half power with creepily flickering lights. Then someone said the "telephone pole" (Pretty sure it was an electric pole, not a telephone pole) outside was on fire.... I went outside, and sure enough it looked like a sparkler up there.... What was burning I have no idea, because pretty sure wire and metal aren't flammable and why do they have flammable things around electric currents anyway?

So the Starbucks people had to close the store down and go home, cause they kinda need electricity to do... well... everything. I'm concerned for their milk/cream supply tomorrow. I liked how the guy who is in the National Guard was all "We need to start shutting the store down now or else we are gonna lose the light." Yep, that dude's been trained in practicalities. Meanwhile one girl was texting her mom and her mother asked if her car was near the pole and she was like, "Oh yeah, guys, we should move our cars!"

Pretty sure she isn't in the military.

This was apparently a motherly concern because my mom was also concerned about the status of my car when I posted about this on facebook. I gave her a hard time about not understanding that just because a hybrid has an electric engine doesn't mean it breaks anytime it's near something else electric that breaks, but I'm pretty sure she was actually concerned about the pole falling on my car or something.

But don't worry, Mom. It was just the top of pole that was burning... you know, the metal part.

Hey, maybe someone put some napalm on the electric pole! That would explain a lot.

and also raise a lot of questions...

For instance: ""Blimey! 'Ow did you even get it up there? There's no' even a road there!" (My British GPS gets confused by elevations.)

Accents

I started watching Dr. Who on Netflix...

and seriously, my internal monologue has gone full on British. I kinda feel a little bad for people who talk to me cause I think I'm turning on the accent a lot more often than I normally do.

OK I don't feel that bad, cause a British accent is kinda awesome. (My British GPS agrees whole heartedly with me.... Well, actually what he said was, "Apologizin'?!? For speaking understandable-like? More like ya should be apologizin' for torturin' the spoken word till now!"

He's so opinionated, that one.

I am enjoying Dr. Who. (I started on the 9th doctor, or so the internet tells me... Netflix claims it's the "first season." Bollucks, I say! How could it be the first season if it's the 9th incarnation?!)... I think I might be sad when the 10th doctor shows up... I kinda like this one... It boggles my mind that they can change out the main character and everyone is ok with this. At least I'm prepared for it.

But seriously, remember the Harry Potter movies when they considered changing out the kids, because their ages were getting so off? Remember the outcry?

Well, I do. I may have been a touch too interested in the movies, but that just means that you should trust me. They admitted to thinking about recasting the kids and everyone was like, "That's the bloomin' worst idea I've ever 'eard!"

And I was like, "Really, Everyone? The worst one? Worse than the Holocaust? Cause that was a really terrible idea.... I'd say worse than re-casting."

And then Everyone glared at me because I was being a smart alec and not letting them enjoy their hyperbole and also I wasn't talking in my British accent, even though we were discussing British things.

Ok, so that conversation only ever happened in my head. I didn't really speak to everyone... you'd probably remember it if I did.

Tomorrow I'm gonna try and find some Moroccan lanterns to hang from my ceiling above my fireplace. I've been puzzled by that space for a while now, so I'm excited to feel like I've finally had a decent idea.... though I have to admit, hanging them might be a challenge... the ceilings are really tall, and I am really not... though at least in a corner like that it shouldn't be too hard to find a stud...

There's about fifteen jokes I could make regarding that last phrase, but I won't make any of them. You can supply your favorite in your mind.

Productivity Scam

Well, I got five pages written today, as well as nailing down my application for the English Dept. (They require a bit more than the general Master's Application.) So, that's something.

Feeling productive is such a scam. It's a hard to feel like I'm productive, even when I really am, because I don't have that set schedule. I actually do rather well with someone else giving me deadlines.

I love procrastination. It makes me feel like I'm taking chances that I'm not really. It gives my life a sense of urgency and immediacy that isn't technically true. The problem is that you can't procrastinate if no one else is counting on you/ expecting you to do something.

You know, I miss being a part of a team. Not in the sports sense of the word, but just a group of people working towards something. It's one of the reasons why I loved theatre so much. Everyone working together for a common goal. Heck, I think that might be why I like working on the video game stuff so much, too. I'm using my small skills for a larger goal.

Now that my One-Act is going to be published, I'm really hoping that someone will want to use it... It's shorter than the typical 30 min that a One-Act for MSHSAA competition is supposed to be. But it could be a DI, or used as part of a One-Act showcase. I would just really love to see it performed... to be a (small) part of a theatre crew again, and see how someone else interprets it and brings my words to life. That's living the dream.

Eventually I'm gonna get that second bookshelf built in my upstairs closet and I'll hang art on the staircase wall and I'll figure out where in the heck my little bird hooks went to. I'll take the rest of my shoes that I don't wear out of the box and I'll hang up my mirror so that it doesn't need the shoes' box to hold it up. Maybe then I'll feel like I've made some progress, though it's hard to tell. It's such an easy trap to fall into. If I actually got all of these things done, *then* I will have made progress. *Then* I'll know my life is moving forward. *Then* I'll know that I'm getting it all together.

I don't have to have it all together, right? I keep thinking I do, but it's not true. I keep thinking I have to be perfect to be attractive. I keep trying to be the very very best person in all the land in hopes that someone will notice and love me for it. But I think that's probably a bad motivation. Probably I should try to be the very very best person I can be because that's what everyone one should do, not in hopes that someday some unknown will notice and propose to me right on the spot. I mean, if I don't know him I'd have to turn him down anyway, right?

Well, maybe not if it was Darren Criss.

Do you know what Darren Criss pointed to as the highlight of the past year of his career? Singing a duet with Kermit.

I think we are soulmates... or at the very least, kindred spirits.

My British GPS is muttering under his breath about how often I "blather on about that bloomin' fellow, when you've never even met the bloke."

Little does he know that my novel is going to be one of those break-out fads and they are going to make a movie of it and Darren Criss will be cast in it and then I will visit the set one day and be oh so chic and artist-y and he's gonna be completely flummoxed, and that's when he'll propose.

That will be a productive day.

British GPS says I'm "out of your bloomin' mind, you are!"

I beg to differ.

Anyway what does he know? You can't map the mysterious ways of the heart.

With special guest appearance by my British GPS

Today, I saw a build of the game I've been working on. Twas quite thrilling to see the characters say things that I wrote, and do things I came up with. It's gonna be a fun game... even if it is for the childrens. You should all buy it... you know, once I tell you what it is and it's actually released.

On to important news:

Today is a momentous occasion. Today marks the birth of two very special ladies in my life.

The first is my mother, who was born on this day more than 30 years ago... but not that many more...

The second is my bff Kara, who was born on this day less than 30 years ago... much much less.

I love them both muchly, and I'll see my mom on Sunday when she rolls into town... Kara, I shall see tomorrow when I roll out of bed, because we are going to go on birthday errands. It will be very exciting I'm sure. :)

Also, today someone commented on my blog and said she felt like a stalker, because she found my blog through a friend of a friend and has been reading it since then. Here is the thing. Her comment made my day. I love that there are people out there who are reading my blog who I don't know personally. It validates me, gives me warm fuzzies, and makes me convinced that if the Taliban got to know me they really would like me. So, if you read my blog and we are like the hummingbirds who had also never met, (once again, if you haven't seen it before, go read this) don't be scared or shy! Keep reading! Throw a comment out there every once in a while! I promise not to judge you, except to think that you are cool cause you are taking the time to read and comment on my blog. Unless you don't want to be thought of as cool, because you are a hipster and too many people want to be cool for cool to be cool anymore. (Didja follow that one?) If that is the case then I just won't judge you at all.. it's not really my style anyway. I like you too much to judge you.

Fo shizzle, yo diggity.

My British GPS is shaking his head in disgust and muttering about "lady drivers and people who insist on speaking absolute bullocks."

Well, then, until next time, mates! Cheerio!

GPS Life Lessons

I have learned some very important lessons today regarding my GPS.

1) It takes a really long time to download map upgrades.... a REALLY long time... I was planning on leaving at 4 or so-- earlier if I could. So I started the map download all unawares. You see I was going to update the maps last night but there was a problem with the security certificate (the problem remained this afternoon but I took a chance... I'm such a rebel!). So I started the map download/update at 3:15 thinking I was giving it plenty of time... or not. I left as soon as the maps were updated... at 6:15.

2) Even though I got the latest update, the poor little GPS is still confused by the awesome new bypasses that have sprung up since the last time I came homeward... He just kept trying to re-ca-alculate over and over.. I'm surprised he didn't just throw his imaginary hands in the air and say, "Blimey! 'Ow did you get over there? There's no' even a road there!" (I have my GPS set to the male British dude.) He calls exit ramps "slip roads" and I think it's just adorable.

3) Never trust a GPS in the country. I know how to get to my sister's house from Kirksville, but my GPS told me to go a different way... I did, thinking maybe it was a better way. It's was NOT a better way! It was a series of 4 or 5 crazy curvy back roads with a posted speed limit of 55 but it's absolutely impossible to actually go 55 on them because of all the hills and curves and road signs with a suggested speed of 35 on the next mile... and those signs show up every mile.  So while the GPS told me I would get here at 11:13 suddenly it turned into 11:26, because it was judging me for listening to MoDot and not careening into the dark at a breakneck pace. (And yes, on these unfamiliar snake roads at 11:00 at night, 55 would have been a pace to break your neck at.) I saw one other car the whole time.  I'm really glad my life isn't a horror movie cause I would be murdered about 45 different ways right now. I think Navi was mad at me for driving on the bypasses... but no Camdenton or Lake of the Ozarks traffic? Heck, yeah!

Yes, I call my GPS, "Navi" ... Yes, it is named after the fairy in Ocarina of Time. It only seems appropriate. I mean it's pretty well constantly saying, "Hey! Listen!"

Well, I think I'm going to try and go to bed now... it's really early for me but I'm tired from driving and belting out songs for 5.5 hours, and apparently my sister is a crazy person who tells my parents that she wakes up at 9 or 9:30. Of course, since Jeriah was asleep when I got here I actually expect to be awoken by pouncing or head butting earlier than 9:00. He's all boy, that one.