Not Much in the Mood

As the title says, I wasn't much in the mood for writing today. Call it fatigue, call it disinterest, call it what you will (another earworm perhaps?). I instead busied myself with finally uploading months old photos and getting them off the camera. It was long overdo, I've had an empty album on Facebook since July--the San Francisco Trip album. I had issues uploading to the album from my phone and then just kept forgetting about it. I contemplated reading earlier, but since I needed to clear off more space from the phone (still trying to download the latest update) it sparked me to get the pictures off of my camera as well. Next up, is getting all the pictures and stuff off the laptop and onto the external hard-drive. It's about time I did some cleanup, the laptop has been a bit laggy. I know, not a proper term, but I like it. My laggy laptop. Then, I made time for my Tuesday night TV fix and paused my computer cleanup project--it was time for Agents of SHIELD and Forever. I am loving Forever more and more. It's clever, funny, grips at your emotions and grasps at your attention. The second episode of AoS brought us a conclusion to the Creel hunt and a startling surprise in the preview for next week's episode. Part of me was shocked and the other part was kicking myself and saying "I knew it!". I'm really looking forward to that episode. Hmm..so much for not being in the mood to write.

Solid, Solid as...an Awesome Night of Television

If you recognize the song, you're welcome for the ear worm wiggling its way through your brain. If not, moving on. Another solid Monday night of television with the second episodes of Gotham and Sleepy Hollow. I'm really enjoying both and looking forward to seeing things unfold. My reaction is no surprise, for Sleepy Hollow because I've been invested for an entire season plus two episodes and have loved it since day one. While Gotham is still getting it's feet wet, it definitely has the makings of greatness. Like it's young hero to be perhaps? 

I happened to catch the full length teaser to American Horror Story Freak Show. A lot of returning actors, as is common with the AHS shows thus far. This theme in particular had me weary, and not just because there could be an appearance of creepy ass clowns. I don't have a phobia of clowns, I just really don't like them. Especially when they could be capable of strangling you with a rubber giraffe. I had heard about the new theme last year and I didn't quite see how they were going to pull it off. Without just being weird and predictable. I am willing to give the first episode a chance and I'll let you know how I feel about it then.

In the Next Couple...Again (Baby Lilyan Update)

Once again, my sister has been told that the baby will be coming home in the next couple days. Of course, something we have heard before only to have it not happen. This time, she was told this by one of the doctors, so whether that makes a difference we shall see. Baby Lilyan is at 6 pounds now, possibly over since that weight is a few days old. I'm not a doctor and I don't know (nothing about birthing no babies, sorry, couldn't help myself) much about what the normal weight is for a full term baby girl. But, I'm thinking that 6 pounds is not too shabby and there is really no reason to keep her in the hospital any longer. Now, would I rather her stay long enough to be 100% clear rather than have to go back, of course. But she is off all the supports and has been consistently gaining weight. I think, in my non-medical opinion, that enough is enough. You're probably thinking, careful what you wish for. You seem mighty quick to want to lose sleep from a crying infant in the house. I'm not too worried. Will there be times where I will not get sleep? Probably. I'm usually a pretty heavy sleeper though. But the point is: there will be a crying baby in the house. Not in the hospital with strangers (as wonderful as the nurses are), but here with family. Will I sacrifice my sleep for a chance to finally hold my niece, feed her a bottle, or watch her make adorable infant faces? The answer is a resounding YES! So, that's where we're at, more waiting. I'm hopeful though that in the next couple days, there will be a baby update about how little sleep I got from a crying baby next door and it will be great.

Soggy Hikes Not Recommended

While I highly recommend hiking to anyone--great form of exercise--however I must caution against trying to hike in a thunder storm. So as I mentioned yesterday, today being free entry into any National Park day, we decided to visit the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. It's located in Flagstaff (just outside of it) and includes several hiking trails as well as old pueblo ruins. We got a late start, as per usual for family outings, although this time it was due to the fact that I had to get the air in the tires filled before we could head out. My tire pressure light had come on the day before. So that took a little bit of time and then we took a bit more to eat some breakfast. But then it was road-trip time and it was great to just get out of the city again. We figured a bit of rain wouldn't hurt and if it turned out to be a lost cause we wouldn't be losing anything for going. We took umbrella and jackets just in case, it seemed a sound plan. Fast forward two hours later to our arrival in Flagstaff. I've been to Flagstaff, AZ on numerous occasions (as I have previously mentioned) but had never ventured to the park. I'm sure there are still many other hidden treasures of northern Arizona to explore as well. A few of my friends attended Northern Arizona University which is also located in Flagstaff, so that was mostly the reasoning behind my frequent visits. But, I'm getting off topic. Hiking...thunderstorm. So, rain was in the forecast for today, we left Phoenix outrunning what looked like quite a storm and by the time we arrived at the park, it seemed as though we had succeeded. We hiked a strenuous 1 mile trail at the top of which you can look down into the depression of one of the former volcanoes in the area. By the way, a little fun fact for you: The Sunset Volcano erupted in 1045 but trees did not start growing back in the area until 450 years ago. It was a good hike and we were only interrupted by rain once on the way up--a light rain--we thought we would be fine. Just as we make it back down to the parking lot to start on the more interesting lava flow trail, it happens. The heavens unleash a torrential downpour which we narrowly avoided by jumping into the car. Now we again convince ourselves that its just rain and it will pass--we decide to wait it out. 10 minutes later: Thunder bolts and lightning, very very frightening me! Ok, Queen may have over exaggerated a bit because it was really cool to look at. But that also meant that trail number two was cancelled. Slippery lava rocks in the rain holding an umbrella during a lightning storm--that would have gone over really well. We drive back to the visitors center to wait some more (by which I mean buy souvenirs). It lets up a bit and we decide to drive all the way through the park to check out the Pueblo ruins, you know in case we might be able to see something from the car as we drive by. We even braved getting out at the first one but then our old pals thunder and lightning decided to crash the party again. So I got a couple pictures and we hightailed it out of there as it started to rain...again. So we made due with slowing down as we past the other two ruins in order to sneak a quick look and eventually made it out the other side. Back to Flagstaff! We enjoyed a delicious dinner at the Galaxy Diner on historic Route 66. If you're ever in Flagstaff I recommend a stop there. Tonight they even had a guy playing live music on a keyboard, guitar, and harmonic. No, not all at the same time, he wasn't Dick van Dyke. The Galaxy Diner is a 50s themed restaurant famous for it's decor and good food. The last item on the agenda was a quick stop at the Route 66 Roadhouse (they have some really cool cars for sale there, specifically a 1966 Ford Mustang) for a beer and then it was back on the road homeward bound. No more rain, and made it back in time to still post this today. So, lesson for today: Don't go hiking when there's an 80% chance of rain in the forecast. Chances are, it turns into 100% by the time you get to where you're going. Cold, wet, wind--not so much fun. Still would give this little adventure two thumbs up though. The plan is to return some other time, when it's not raining.

Rain or Shine?

The title is worded as question because I'm literally asking if there is going to be rain or shine for tomorrow. I know, not as dramatic as let's say making it a statement. That's a lot more gripping. But the weather will have an outcome on my plans for tomorrow. You see, Saturday is National Park Day and all parks are free to enter. All parks in Arizona and I'm sure in the country. A friend posted a list of all the parks in the state and there was one in particular that I've never been too but been close many times. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. It's located in Flagstaff, AZ, which I have visited many times, the most recent visit in July. I think there was even talk of trying to fit in a trip there, but there wasn't enough time as we spent a majority of our time in Flagstaff itself, Belmont and Sedona. So what's my point? Something to do with rain perhaps? Indeed. Currently there is a flash flood warning for Flagstaff and they are currently being pelted with rain and in some places hail. The news has predicted that rain is likely for tomorrow and given that Flagstaff is two hours north of Phoenix, it is cooler there and the chances that it could rain again through out the day are higher. It's not often that you can get into parks for free, once a year that I know of for now, haven't looked into it further. It would be a shame to not be able to go because the weather doesn't cooperate, when most of the year it's sunny with not a cloud in the sky. So cross your fingers for me and hopefully the post for tomorrow will be a recap of how awesome hiking through the park was.

Re-evaluate My Complaints

Today was a very long day at work and there is no short supply of reasons to complain on any given day. Too many emails, too many spreadsheets, getting requests that don't follow the policy. But once I leave the office, that all ends, I put it out of my mind and I focus on other things, like what's going on with the rest of the world. By which I mean other family or friends. Today was also a reminder not to complain too much. Two friends are having worse days than I am and I'm not trying to make light of their troubles by comparing them to mine, quiet the opposite. One friend was having a hard time with her child and was feeling blue. I can't relate completely, I don't have children, but I've had fights with family members and the feeling afterwards is very similar. Another friend's grandmother passed away. Here I am complaining about work. I should be thankful to have a job (which I certainly am) because there are people out there who don't. I try to remind myself that my life isn't as bad as I sometimes think it is. But we all at some time and point have wished our lives could be better. If I only had more money, I could change this. If I only had more time, I could do this. If only...if only won't help, if only won't change things. Rather than complaining I have to take action. I have the power to change things. The things I don't like about my life are temporary and it's up to me to fix them and complaining doesn't help with that. Now, I'm not saying don't complain about anything ever, sometimes a complaint can be a way to release stress, especially if you can feel better afterwards. But again, I have good reason to re-evaluate what I complain about or if I do, keep in mind that things could always be worse. My energy could be better spent providing my friends with supportive words and condolences. I'm also going to start the positive thinking now and say, tomorrow will be a better day.

Intention to Write

I had every intention to write today. Honest. But I've spent the last few hours working on a small project, on MS Paint. As anyone who has ever doodled around on MS Paint will know, it's not the easiest program to work with, especially when minut detail is required. I really wish I already had the tablet that I am hoping to get myself for Christmas. I'm not an artist by any means, but I when I'm trying to color inside the lines, it's really annoying when I can't get close enough to the edge to fill in all the color without messing up the outline. A tablet with a stylus pen would help with that, at least better than the mouse on my laptop. So, that's why instead of something interesting today, you get me complaining about MS Paint taking up my writing time. I could probably stop and dig around in my brain for a topic, but my eyes feel like they are about to start bleeding from staring at the screen for so long. I think I would rather just call it a night.

Forever, I Hope Its Endurance Matches Its Name. But Wait, There's More!

To stay that I am interested in the new show Forever, would be an understatement. I think enthralled would be a better descriptive for it. It's Sherlock meets Highlander, sans swords and be-headings. Henry, our leading man, has a very unique existence. I am not giving away much by stating he can't die. Or rather he can die, but he does not stay dead. The commercials have given that away so it's not a spoiler. I'm trying hard not to spoil anything the night of, if I plan to write about it. But of course, when it is fresh in my brain, it's great fuel. So, if you want to know more and you really should, check out Forever. It's on ABC directly after Agents of SHIELD.

Speaking of which, moving on to the Season 2 premier of Marvel's Agent of SHIELD. It was fantastic! If you checked out during the first season, shame on you (just kidding), but do yourself a favor and jump back on the bandwagon. Find a way to catch up, I know some good links that will provide adequate summaries. But you are really missing out. Coulson and his team are back and things are crazy. I'm still recovering from one direct assault on my emotions concerning one of my favorite characters and I am refusing to accept that situation. I don't know how many more mis-directions I can take, after Sleepy Hollow yesterday and now Agents of SHIELD today. But, it's still early and anything can happen. This is SHIELD after all, whatever is left of it.

I also happened to catch the preview for the season premier of Once Upon A Time. They certainly did not waste anytime hacking off a piece of the Frozen cash cow. Watch out Storybrooke, Elsa's in town. Actually maybe you should all just chill out. Ha, get it? Chill...out...ahem, anyway. I'll say this, if we get an episode of Rumpel doing his own version of Let It Go, I might be persuaded to continue watching. I already started losing some interest with last season's Oz story tie-in. What does the modern ice queen have in store for Emma and the rest of the gang? Can you build a snowman if you have a hook for a hand? Will Charming pick up the Ukulele? Tune in Sunday! When none of these questions will be answer. But feel free to make up your own answers.

Holy Fall TV Shows Batman! (Slight spoilers for Gotham)

Ok, not quite Batman, but young Bruce Wayne is well on his way to letting that revenge fuel him. I am of course referring to the season premier of Gotham on Fox. I'm going to try to limit the spoilers, but everyone knows how Bruce Wayne came to become Batman, so I don't think I'm spoiling too much by referencing the death of his parents. The scene which we opened up to after a brief intro to a young Selina Kyle. The show proved to be awesome, as I knew it would be. I'm crazy about anything Batman. He's my favorite comic character and I've grown up watching all his movies and animated TV shows. The only one I haven't had too much exposure to is the 1966 Adam West series. I'm sure I'll watch that eventually, especially with Batman fever being at a peak yet again. Comics are flying off the shelf and the internet is a buzz with Batman chatter. Who will appear in the show? What other classic villains and heroes are slated to grace the screen once more? This episode of course gave us everyone who had already been mentioned previously. So if you have not been following Gotham prior to the premier and are waiting until tomorrow to watch the episode, stop reading now. Have you stopped reading? Proceed at your own peril. Anyway, our boy Jim Gordon--fresh-faced newbie with GCPD--makes his entrance inside the precinct, taking down a perp. We are also introduced to his partner, GCPD vet Harvey Bullock. Our duo are of course sent out to investigate the double homicide of Mr. Thomas & Mrs. Martha Wayne. Jim seeks to comfort a distraught and shock-suffering Bruce Wayne, he vows to solve his parents murder, before Alfred shows up to usher Bruce away. Now for our villains/soon-to-bes. We have a brand new (created for this series) villain by the name of Fish Mooney, the young pointy-nosed penguin Oswald Cobblepot, a father-less Ivy Pepper (Poison Ivy waiting for her time to bloom), mob boss Carmine Falcone, and currently working for the GCPD Edward Nygma. None of these listed should be new to anyone, if you've even been marginally following the show news. But if they are, apologies, if it's any consolation I'll stop here. I'll summarize by saying, the show did not disappoint and I would definitely recommend it.

Immediately following Gotham was Fox's returning hit show, Sleep Hollow, which premiered it's second season. Everyone's favorite witnesses are back to fight the good fight against the forces of evil. I will definitely not give anything away. except that a familiar face will show up, even if it's just briefly. A face that I hope we see again, because I like his character. I will also say this, Sleepy Hollow is never dull and the beginning portion of the episode threw me for a loop. It nearly had me fooled, my gut was telling me otherwise and I nearly disregarded it. It was clever and tricky and I really enjoyed it. Well done, Alex Kurtzman, well done.

I give both shows two thumbs up and can not wait to see both progress. Despite knowing enough information about the back story of most of the characters, I feel Gotham will hand us many surprises and will continue to keep us at the edge of our seats. I'm glad I could contribute to the opening ratings of both shows this evening and have a feeling that Tuesday will only barely be second place to Monday nights. Tomorrow of course brings us the season 2 premier of Marvel's Agent's of Shield. Oh, Agent Coulson, how I have missed you. Yeah, ok, the team too but let's be honest, I watch it for you. Fall TV this year is going to be all sorts of awesome-sauce.

Comic Confusion

I've been spending most of my weekend, when I haven't been cleaning, reading comics. I've come to three conclusions from doing so: 1. I should really try getting comics more frequently, rather than just on Free Comic Book Day. 2. I'm confused by everything currently going on in both the Marvel and DC worlds. 3. I now know why some of these were given away for free. I have a feeling realization number 2 has a lot to do with number 1, considering they're all single issues, but what can I say...FREE. I'm aware comics are not exactly expensive, especially if you're only buying the single issues and not a graphic novel or something similar. But still, if I were to get everything I wanted, it would cost a pretty penny and I'm a responsible adult. Heh. Anyway. I'm glad I finally decided to try and get caught up on this particular stack of reading material--I'm not through all of them yet. But it's a start and it's rekindled the excitement to want more. It was recommended to check out the New 52 Aquaman, so I'll start there, probably some Batman as well--he is my favorite after all. Yup, sounds like a good plan.

The 1980s

You don't have to have been born in the '80s (or prior) to know of the time period, but it does help. The music, the movies, the fashion-- all iconic things that have come and gone, or returned again in the case of certain fashion styles. Of course there are many defining features to the '80s besides those, but they are what everyone remembers most and what we can still experience today. Much of what was popular back then holds over to today's time and while only being simply interesting to some, it harbors a sense of nostalgia in others.

I myself, too young to have enjoyed the majority of the '80s, learned about the time period through my mother. I knew the music because she loved to listen to it, I knew the movies because she loved to watch them, and I knew about the fashion and hairstyles because she wore them. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve movies and music from the '80s. I was born in '87 so by the time I was old enough to understand everything it was already the beginning of a new decade. It's for that reason that I associate myself as a child of the '90s, with heavy '80s influences. Many other people my age would probably agree.

At that time in my life, we were living in Berlin, Germany--my father was stationed there with the US Army. So any American TV show was aired much later than it did in the US. Shows that had found their end in the '80s were still brand new overseas. I spent the first five years of my live watching just about every '80s cartoon you could think of: Hem-man & She-ra, Care Bears, Gummi Bears, Bravestar, Ghostbusters, GI Joe, Transformers. My father would record some of them for me along with movies (cartoon and regular). I would be with a babysitter during the day, usually a neighbor while my mom worked and dad was off doing Army stuff. Since it was usually a neighborhood stay-at-home mom who would watch me, there was often TV watching--in between playing outside and failing at being a ballerina (I just wanted to color, it's a long story). There was also a tricycle, a black and yellow Batman tricycle which belonged to a boy I knew. I really liked that tricycle, but I digress. The point I'm making is: there was regular exposure to what I still consider to be the best cartoons ever (aside from the classic Looney Toons and Hanna Barbera). They just don't make TV like that anymore.

The same is true for the movies of the '80s. The romantic comedies, regular comedies, scary movies that are still fun to watch now, with their unmistakable soundtracks: Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Sleepless in Seattle, City Slickers, Princess Bride, Romancing the Stone, St. Elmo's Fire, Top Gun, Ghostbusters, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Gremlins--the list goes on and on. I've lost count how many movies I have re-watched over and over and they still hold up to being just as good and entertaining as they were 30 or more years ago. To stand the test of time truly shows a quality that is often unmatched by movies of today.

Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Bryan Adams, Police, Genesis--all made fantastic music in the '80s. Tina Turner's power house voice singing: Private Dancer, What's Love Got To Do With It?, Let's Stay Together, We Don't Need Another Hero. Rod Stewart's Vagabond Heart Album: Rhythm of My Heart, The Motown Song, Broken Arrow--specifically The Motown Song. I used to listen to that song with my mom, along with the rest, in the CD player and cranked up. We would put it on repeat and sing along until we got tired of it. It was great. My mom had excellent taste in music, she still does. The fantastic thing, all this music can still be heard today. Either on an oldies radio station, CD,  or online and I can relive those happy memories whenever I like.

It's the ability that these things of the '80s have, of gripping tight to our hearts and minds that make them so special. They shaped an entire generation and continue to influence younger ones.

The True Meaning of GISHWHES

This is dedicated to my GISHWHES teammates: past and present, good friends and new friends.

Quick intro for anyone reading this who may not know what it is. In a nutshell: The Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen or GISHWHES (all pronunciations welcome) was created by actor and all around awesome human being, Misha Collins. You may know him as the Over Lord of Twitter, genius behind TSA America, or Castiel the Angel (in a trench coat) from CW's Supernatural, the TV show. Four years ago, Misha realized the power he had over his twitter followers and combined it with his love of scavenger hunts--he was an avid participant in his college days. The week long annual (5 time Guinness record breaking) scavenger hunt has spread across the globe bringing people together from all over to form (a copious amount of) 15 person teams.

The goal: win a trip to a location of Misha's choosing--usually some place he has really wanted to visit--with Misha and your entire team for a fun filled adventure of a life time. The challenge: complete as many items on the extensive list as possible in order to be awarded a predetermined amount of points. The catch: The items are not just things you have to find, but often things you have to create that are unique and artistic or performed. For example: Offering free hugs on a street corner while covered in jam, power washing an item that shouldn't be power washed, getting CPR certified, donating blood, getting dressed in nothing but items found in your garage, creating the movie poster for the upcoming sci-fi blockbuster starring Misha Collins and the Queen of England, ordering fast food in Shakespearean dialog or for your adult baby in the backseat, singing to a bar full of people or in a dust storm...I could go on.

Let me summarize by saying the list is far from ordinary and completing items from it can be fun, crazy, stressful, and extremely gratifying (often at the same time).

So why do we do it? Why do we deprive ourselves of sleep, stress ourselves out to get as much done as possible and stare at computer screens until our eyes bleed? You might think I would say it's for the prize, a chance at hanging out with Misha and claiming the title of GISHWHES champions. You would be wrong. While winning would certainly be very cool, that's not why we do it. It's not why I do it. This year marked my second year of participating in the hunt and nothing on this earth could keep me from participating again next year. I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into in 2013 when I agreed to create a team with my friend Erin and a large part of her family and friends. None of us knew anything beyond our love of the idea and of the show, Supernatural. We survived and came out on the other side exhausted but with no regrets. This year, due to personal circumstances, a large portion of our team was unable to participate and Erin and I found ourselves actively recruiting for a new team. This was in no way a hurdle for us. We were excited for the opportunity to be paired up with people from around the world. If you are unable to gather 15 people prior to the deadline, two teams are absorbed into each other or you receive new teammates at random to fill a couple spots. It's this randomness that has yielded connections beyond a person's hometown and even country. A community has formed around this hunt made up of international members--newbies and veterans of the hunt alike. It was through this community and specifically the GISHWHES Network Facebook group, that we recruited three amazing ladies from Canada to round out our team. Where most of us already knew each other, we knew hardly anything about them, except for where they were from and that this would be their third year participating. That was in July and by the time the whole thing kicked off in August, they were as much our friends as they were teammates. We still have not met in person but there is so much that we know about each other. So many things we have in common, beyond the hunt. Because that...is what GISHWHES is about.

GISHWHES forces you out of your shell, it changes you and I can honestly say it has been for best. You have no idea the self confidence you obtain by putting yourself out there. By being unashamed of making a fool out of yourself because you're not doing it alone. No one is an outsider because anyone can be included (active participant or not) no matter their race, gender or background. The support and camaraderie is undeniable and it's the best feeling in the world. I've even formed friendships with people on other teams because that feeling is shared throughout the GISHWHES community. It's the unbridled kindness and passion to want to make a difference not only for yourself but for others--the true meaning of GISHWHES. You don't have to be a returning participant to be able to share a heartfelt story about how it has changed your life. Social media and the GISHWHES website itself are flooded with stories before and after the hunt from not only Gishers (the nickname given to a participant) but friends, family, complete strangers, and first timers who were effected in one way or another by this amazing event. I must admit I'm getting a bit choked up right now, just thinking about the great things this hunt has accomplished and the countless lives it has touched through random acts of kindness. It's a mother's tears of joy after being reunited with a child once given up, children's laughter brightening a hospital ward, helping to build a new life for a family in need, sending a care package to a member of the military, getting to know a homeless person enough to bring them their favorite food and spending time with the elderly in a care home. You step outside of yourself, your problems, and you commit your time, blood (literally in some cases), sweat, and tears to something abnosome (to coin a GISHWHES phrase meaning abnormally awesome).

So here's my request: visit the website, www.gishwhes.com. Invest a little bit of time exploring all the information on this wonderful hunt. I hope this explanation does it justice. Although, I can't imagine how it could not, when this is my own admission of how much this scavenger hunt means to me--how much its personally changed me. Regardless of whether it's this post or the website, I hope it sparks an interest in you to join up next year. Honestly, you will not regret it and when you make it through to the other side of your first hunt, let me know. I'd love to hear all about it.

Looking for a Haven for My Feelings

Week two, the second episode of Haven watched. I must admit I am not sure how I feel about the way the show is going. I'm not going to spoil anything, or at least I'm going to try to not spoil anything. It is unclear if it's due to the events that I was expecting or due to what I wasn't expecting. But whatever the culprit is, I don't like it. Now let me be clear, this is not dislike for the show, I still plan to watch it and I am still invested in finding out what happens with the characters. But...I just don't know. Then there is the slight annoyance I feel with a certain male lead character (hint: it's not Duke, Dwight, Dave, or Vince). I understand why he's doing what he's doing (or maybe I don't and the inability to relate affects my judgement) but I feel like he's letting it blind him to the point of stupidity. Not only do his actions put him in danger but others as well. I found myself talking back to the TV, "Don't do it, don't do it". He did it. Why don't they ever listen to me? So, that's currently where I'm at with the show and based on the preview for next week, I'm in for more annoyance. Hopefully not too much. I'll keep an open mind and hope that Dwight knocks some sense into that pretty skull of his.

Hoping For the Best

Driving home from work there was a weird rattling sound coming from the back of the car. The very same car that hit the sink hole last week. I could maybe understand if the sound was coming from the front of the car, but the back? My theory: the spare tire on the underside of the car was not tightened back in to place well enough at the tire shop when we got the new tire. But, to be on the safe side, we stopped at the dealership to have them check it out. Of course, by the time we got there (due to an accident backing up traffic) the technicians were getting ready to leave so we had to leave the car there over night. My sister picked us up in the other car to take us home. Luckily, she was already out and about--shopping at Babies R Us for some final items before the baby comes home. Now we wait. They will check the back and the front right under-carriage. I'm convinced they will not find anything in the front and that all the damage was absorbed by the tire and wheel. Also, that as I predicted, the rattling is the lose spare tire. But just in case, cross your fingers.

Any Day Now

I felt another baby update was in order, especially since my niece should be home soon. I know, I've said that before, how about an exact date finally, you're probably thinking. All I can say to that is an exact date is hard to give, but seriously, the release date is really soon. They removed the feeding tube last night, the final tube, she's free! Lilyan reached another goal: 48 hours straight where she woke up on her own to bottle feed. I think that's possibly the final benchmark for her and now it's just observing to make sure it stays that way and she could be home in the next day or so. My sister was going to be watching the required videos this evening when she went to go see her. The hospital requires that prior to release, the parents (or parent in this case) watch a video on how to strap in the child seat and a few other things. I have to admit, the amount of preparation that the hospital provides is impressive, the nurses have all been very supportive. So, that's it for now. Very exciting, but of course it will be even more exciting when we know for sure.

Drawing A Blank

Seriously. I just literally drew a blank on a piece of paper beside the words blog ideas. I was having writer's block and couldn't come up with a topic for today's entry. I physically drew a representation of my writer's block, if you can call it drawing--there's a wall, it's amusing. But, it worked. Now, I'm writing about...you guessed it, writer's block. If you've ever written something: school paper, resume, review, grocery list. You've most likely experienced writer's block in one varying degree or another. I've done a lot of writing over the years (a lot of which hasn't seen the light of day, because I'm my own worst critic) and I've had my fair share of experience with writer's block. It's my go to excuse for not finishing a story. Some of the time it's true, most of the time it's just laziness. It's so much easier to quit then to finish something. I'm working on it though. That's partly why I decided to start this blog. Get in the habit of writing every day, even if it's not much. Every little bit counts in the big scheme of things: a short story, novella, novel. Write to finish, finish what I write. My new mantra. I will admit, I am also influenced by one of my favorite authors. A lot of his advice is about writing as much as possible and finishing your work, even if it's bad. It's what rough drafts are for. His words are nothing new and common sense, but sometimes you just need to be reminded. But, (as you can plainly see) there really isn't such a thing as writer's block.

Pumping Iron...Well Sort Of

Today was my first day back at the gym in, what I can imagine has been, months. To say that it felt good would be an understatement--it's been long overdo. I kept telling myself, I'll go back next week, then next week the week after and next week the week after that. I had fallen prey to my laziness with a list of excuses at the ready: too tired from work, too busy, to far, didn't want to go by myself. You name it and it probably crossed my mind. I'd been noticing that I'd let myself go, much to my dismay and quickly sought to remedy that by eating healthier. It helped enough but not good enough. It wasn't a drastic enough diet change to be successful on its own. Nor should that be my only device at getting back into shape. You don't have to starve yourself, far from it, eating regularly but healthier is very important. Less french fries more salads and also less of the liquid bread, yes beer. If you could see me right now, you would see how much that last one has me in anguish. It's no secret that I love my beer, even more so after being introduced to some really great breweries and some local joints by good friends. Being a Germex (Half German Half Mexican hybrid of awesomeness, wink wink single fellas) enjoying beer is pretty much hard wired into my DNA. How unfortunate that beer is anti-weight losing. Now, I'm not saying I drink an enormous amount of beer, very far from it. But has it helped with the flabby tummy? Yes. As have the fatty, greasy foods that sometimes go with the beer when I'm out at a restaurant or bar. Honestly, how can you resist a delicious burger with a tasty beer? Not easily. It's why pub burgers are a thing. So what is a girl to do? Drag her lazy ass to the gym and work out, consistently. While dialing back on the burgers n' beer. It's doable and I plan to keep it up. I almost had abs once, I'd like to almost have them again. So I raise my water glass, here's to living healthier.

If I Had A Million Dollars

What would you do with a million dollars? Would you blow it on fancy cars and a mansion in the Hollywood hills? Would you start your own business or donate to charities? Or would you help your loved ones out of debt? Everyone has plans for what they would do if blessed with that winning lottery tickets or raffle win, random inheritance from a rich great uncle you never knew about--the last one probably less likely, sounds like something out of a movie. Most people, myself included, have debt in one form or another: school loans, credit cards, etc. Debt would be the first thing to go, the logical first step. The next step would be different for each person. For example: I would go back to school. Its a goal of mine to get my bachelors and I'm halfway there with an Associates. I would pay off the current house, buy another on the East Coast where I would love to live, or even buy my Grandparent's home in Germany. Pay off the car, and buy a car I've always wanted (yeah I know, a bit impulsive). I would keep working, of course, a million isn't enough to stop working. But it would make life easier, less stressful. It's nice to dream about, would be an even nicer realty, but one not easily obtained. But I'll keep dreaming and keeping working hard and eventually I'll make at least some of my dreams come true. Even without a million dollars.

Feeling Lucky...Does That Make Me A Punk?

If Dirty Harry were to ask me, my answer would be yes. I do feel lucky. I've won things (I never used to win anything) and had the opportunity to go on a couple fantastic road trips with some awesome people. So despite being stressed out at work quite often lately, I can appreciate the little things. It started with winning a contest from a podcast I listen to, All Us Geeks. The guys were celebrating their second year of podcasting together--the second birthday of All Us Geeks. So in honor of this they decided to hold a contest. They would give away a set of table top games to a random listener. All that needed to be done to enter was wish the podcast a happy birthday. You could enter multiple ways: leaving them a review, sending a tweet, emailing, calling in. I tweeted and sent an email with a voice recording and left a review. They numbered every entry received, picked a number (out of hat I believe) and then matched the number to the entry. My review entry coincided with the winning number. I almost didn't believe it when I received a tweet from one of the hosts (Jeff) letting me know I had won. I was out of the country on vacation so I got to hear the announcement on the podcast when I returned. I was really excited. I received four Grey Gnome Games table top games (three card games and one board game) then three additional card games on top of that, from other creators. I've played most of them and they're a lot of fun. Next, I won a newsletter contest that I didn't even remember entering, belonging to an online group of writers that have banded together to become The Holy Taco Church. I signed up for updates from the website and this must have entered me in the drawing. One day out of the blue, I get a small package in the mail. When I opened it, I saw it contained a book, The book was signed by the author. I found the author on Twitter and asked her about the book, thinking it was a different prize I had won. The author confirmed it was for signing up for the email newsletter and hoped I would enjoy the book. The final prize in question was from another Birthday celebration. An internet radio station name Supernatural Radio, that I listen to was going to give a prize out to someone at random who tweeted them using a specific birthday hashtag for the show. I received that prize today. So all in all, I consider myself quite fortunate. Whether it's luck or not, I don't know for sure, but I'm willing to think so.

It Has Begun

No, I'm not talking about a martial arts fight to the death. I am of course referencing instead the start of Fall TV. But it's not fall yet, you say. Of this I am aware, however, I think it's safe to say we're close enough--it's after labor day after all. I mean all you have to do is go to a grocery store to see the candy aisle being prepped already for Halloween. I actually stepped out of the garage this morning and it felt really nice outside, probably in the mid-80s, instead of in the 90s. I can hardly wait for the cooler weather. But I'm getting away from my point. The new TVs shows premiering in the next week or so. There are quite a few of them and I am already having to try to coordinate which DVR to record them all on. Some will be recording on the DVR upstairs and some will be recording downstairs. The few being recorded downstairs were chosen based on what I thought everyone would want to watch--sharing is caring and that goes for the DVR as well. So I am currently trying to go through everything saved to my DVR (the upstairs one) and it's going well. But it is not helping when certain channels decide to hold marathons of an old show and I feel obligated to watch them (Destination Truth & Ghost Hunters). Oh well, I will make do. Bring it on Fall TV, bring it on.

It's Like A Fluffy Cloud of Happiness for Your Back

During my recent visit to IKEA, after an always delicious plate of Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes, I did some shopping. Not much, I was on a not-enough-money-in-my-account-to-go-overboard budget. One of the items I bought was a pillow which is large, square shaped and a blue case to go with it (try to guess what my favorite color is). Because of it's large size, the pillow is meant to provide complete coverage of your back and support it while sitting in bed--as any of us might do when reading or watching TV. This is supposed to ease the strain and uncomfortable feeling of using a smaller pillow or several small pillows. They were not kidding. I've been leaning against it all night and I'm pretty sure I will never use another pillow ever again. It's like a fluffy cloud of happiness for your back. I used to use my normal pillow and a body pillow (also from IKEA, I love IKEA) and stack them up behind me. This method worked, for a little while, until one pillow would smoosh and I would wind up slouching--slouching is not comfortable. After four hours, I was still in the same position, wasn't slouching and my back wasn't in pain as it sometimes is. I can't recall exactly how much it was, but it wasn't too expensive. I want to say $10-$12 for the pillow + case, possibly. I would certainly recommend this pillow to anyone. A fantastic investment!

Five Pounds!

That's right, five pounds. Five wonderful pounds. No it's not how much weight I've lost, although I definitely could do with losing some. My niece Lilyan has hit the five pound mark (5 lbs 1 oz to be exact). It's one of the criteria the hospital uses to determine if she can go home. She also has to be bottle feeding normally, which she is. So chances are looking good that possibly in the next week or so, the baby gets to be in her very own crib in her very own portion of my sister's room. My sister couldn't be happier about how much weight the baby has gained and how quickly, as are we of course. So that's why five pounds is such a big deal.

Watery Misadventure

During your commute to work is not time that you want to have a misadventure, especially one that causes a five hour delay to your day. My morning decided to turn out that way. I was woken up sometime during the night to pouring rain but did manage to fall asleep again. It rained all night and most of the morning. This caused major flooding on streets and freeways throughout the valley. I didn't think much on, we've had flooding before. But not like this, as I was soon to find out. A sink hole in the street hidden by water choose to decimate the front passenger side tire with complete intolerance. It was instantly flat, requiring not only a new tire but a new wheel as well since it was bent out of shape from the impact. It's hard to believe that the car hit that hard when it wasn't even going that fast, under the speed limit because of the rain and water on the road. The entire ordeal caused me to be very late to work, but luckily I have an understanding boss. She was more concerned about the fact that I was safe and unharmed rather than admonish me for tardiness. I made up for it once I arrived in the office by quickly laying waste to the many emails awaiting in my inbox--I also checked on the email of another co-worker who was out. I managed to leave fairly on time--the morning's events had left me less than willing to work hours longer than everyone. Besides, tomorrow is another day--hopefully a much dryer one.

Binge Watching Weekend

I spent today, much like yesterday, catching up on another show. So far, I finished one show, caught up on another and watched several movies. A very lazy weekend for me, aside from grocery shopping on Saturday. It's not a bad way to spend a weekend, relaxing in front of the TV. It doesn't require much effort and is a good way to recuperate from a hard week at work. Tomorrow after work, I plan to get caught up on Doctor Who and possibly start the first episode of The Intruders. It's odd that I'm not more keen on watching Doctor Who. I can remember a time that I absolutely had to watch the episode the day it aired--if not live. Then sat waiting impatiently for the next week. My exuberance waned at some point during the Steven Moffat/Matt Smith years, for a number of reasons. I liked Matt's Doctor but just not enough to feel the same as I once did during the first four seasons. It's not that I've completely lost interest. I'm very interesting in the progression of the new Doctor--the process of him finding his feet both as a character and an actor new to the role. Capaldi is of course not new to the show, as an actor or a fan. But each new actor to play the Doctor always requires at least a few episodes to get into it and catch the attention and hearts of the fans. Maybe I just wanted to let it build up a bit, two shows back to back is nicer than just one. But whatever my reasoning for holding off, I will be continuing with the show and many other shows. I've become concerned again about the space on my DVR; the list of fall shows I want to watch keeps growing. So many shows, so little time.

Being Defiant Against the Sequence of Events in Defiance (spoilers)

I finally settled down to watch Defiance (the show on SyFy), I had missed a few. Or so I thought. I pulled up the DVR list and was surprised to find five shows waiting for me, including the finale. It's not like I was avoiding watching it, I just had other things to watch and catch up on. So my entire day has been spent marathoning episodes of Defiance. It was fine until I got to the second to last episode. My heart took a direct hit in the form of a Tommy shaped bullet. I wasn't expecting his death to effect me so much but I found myself yelling at the TV--demanding it to make it not so. My warnings of refusing to continue watching if Tommy was not spared were of course unheeded and I think it was Nolan's reaction to his former deputy's demise. Losing Tommy, losing a friend who he had mentored and...I think loved like a son or little brother--anyone would react the same. The show did a great (while tormenting) job stringing along the hope that he might make it. Nolan would struggle to drag him through the woods and cold and arrive in Defiance in the nick of time. I thought that all the way up to the point when he finally did pull Tommy's body up to the wall, Berlin confirms he is dead, and Nolan storms off. It was at that point that I lost all hope of anything lifting me from my despair. Even the ending left me wary of what is to come, a cliffhanger, two unresolved story lines setting up another season (I hope). One thing I did enjoy, Linda Hamilton's appearance as Pilar (Rafe's presumably dead wife, who was actually just away in the futuristic equivalent of a mental ward). I hadn't seen her in anything recently. I also loved her hairstyle. I still remember the first thing I saw her in as a child, the TV show Beauty and the Beast with Ron Pearlman as the Beast. It was a great show, I didn't understand it much as a child, but I appreciated it later watching it again as an adult. Terminator was possibly her most famous role, but that I didn't watch until much later. I liked the character of Pilar and her attempt to re-integrate with her family while also seeming to have ulterior motives. This theory proving true within the final episode. I'll be interested to see what happens with her and the children (Christy and Alac) when the next season premiers.

Digested By Cthulhu VS the Volcano

I feel as though my day was run through the digestive track of Cthulhu, the tentacled Great Old One himself. I know what you’re thinking. That sounds like a hugely crappy day and it was. Maybe not quite as bad as having been swallowed by a giant monster deity created by HP Lovecraft. But it gets the point across, doesn’t it? Plus the old standbys just weren’t jiving with me. My day hit a wall. Nope. My day was craptastic. Boring. My day swan dived into a molten volcano like a virgin being sacrificed by a tribe of cannibals. That was my runner up. I don’t want to get into details because I just want to put it behind me. Let’s just say, it was a combination of work things that had me feeling low. In the end, there was a silver lining to an otherwise upsetting day and I clung to that silver lining like a pre-teen to a One Direction ticket. It’s the little things. That’s the saying—while not always true, it proved so this time. But a large margarita doesn’t hurt either.            

My Poor Car

So yesterday, I had to drop $140 to replace the battery in my car. No big deal, it was a two year old battery—bound to happen eventually. The odd thing though, it happened on my sister’s watch. The car was fine the day before when I was driving it and it didn’t seem to show signs that the battery was running low. She goes to start the car the next morning to go to an appointment and nada. Funnier still is the theory I’ve come up with. My car hates my sister. This isn’t something I just made up, I’m fairly certain it’s got it out for her. Why would my car dislike her you ask? Oh, it might have to do with the brand new scratches on the rear bumper. Yup, now I have a scratched up front bumper (long story, explanation to follow) and a scratched up rear bumper, again. So far, every time my car has been damaged, it’s been while my sister has been at the wheel. She must have the worst luck with vehicles. 

The first time, the entire back bumper had to be replaced, had to go through insurance for that one. Some old lady at the mall didn’t see my sister pulling out of the parking spot and scraped her car along the entire back end of my car. Then they had the nerve to play my sister, who was a nervous wreck, and not give her their insurance information banking on her being so distressed that she wouldn’t notice. They convinced her not to call the cops either. They being the old woman and her daughter. The daughter should have been beaten with a stick to have let her mother drive. The old woman had cotton swabs in her ears for crying out loud. My sister learned her lesson to not let that happen again, hopefully. But it was her first time getting in an accident, I get it, it can happen. One $250 deductible later, my baby was back to 100%. Cue second instance of damage, the front bumper. My (at the time) pregnant sister takes the car up north with her husband. While driving on the freeway, the car in front of them drives over a huge piece of a horse trailer tire and throws it backwards into my car. This scuffs a portion of the right front bumper and knocks out a piece of the plastic grill. My sister comes back home, has her baby and due to the ensuing craziness, the repair to the front bumper gets put on the back burner.

So how did the new damage happen? My sister took the car to the mall to meet a friend, while I was still out of town. She returns home at night and is none the wiser to the scratches and paint transfer on the back. The next day, we decide to take my car to IKEA and she notices the bumper is a bit uneven on the right side. I take a closer look and see the scratches and red paint. Some drunken idiot decided it was a good idea to climb into his car and drive. He scraped the bumper pulling out of the parking space beside my car. That’s the theory anyway. No proof, because no one owned up and left their insurance info behind, like a decent human being. But then they were not decent, since they were drunk driving. My sister has agreed to pay to fix the front and the back—I would really like to avoid submitting another insurance claim. So that’s that, fingers crossed all works out with minimal cost to either of us.

Wait...That Was How Long Ago Now?

One is often reminded of their age in everyday life. Some times in a way that boosts the ego and sometimes in a way that just makes you feel old. It was during one such moment of age-reminding weakness that I made myself a strawberry milk with Nesquik and settled in front of my laptop. Fueled by pink liquid-y goodness, I ponder what it means to feel old. Now, still being under 30 I don’t have much to complain about yet. But that doesn’t mean I can’t feel as though the ever constant time has left an impact on my life since childhood. Because it has. Things I once loved as a child have gone out of style or out of fashion—forgotten by a world advanced by and dependent on technology. Gone are the days of giant brick-sized Gameboys, walk-mans, and dial-up internet. Kids nowadays come out of the womb with an iPad and a Blu Ray player. They have no memory of corded landline phones, cassette tapes, VCRs and walking to school uphill both ways in the snow—just kidding on the last one. It’s not just the last 20 years that have made a significant difference, even in the last 10 years I have noticed how far we have come. Songs from around the time I was born are being played on the oldies station. TV shows and movies from the early 90s are celebrating 20 year anniversaries. It’s enough to make you think, wow, it’s been 20 years since Little Rascals, Dumb and Dumber, and Wyatt Earp (the movie with Kevin Costner in honor of my recent visit to Tombstone). As much as I am in awe of today’s culture in comparison with days long past, I can also appreciate a lot of what we have today. The child I once was would marvel at the computer that can fit in your hand and be used as a phone at the same time. Or, the ability to record live TV and watch it later. The existence of WiFi internet that is making it possible for me to be typing this from my bedroom instead of restricted to a computer desk by an Ethernet cable. Things today’s generation takes for granted and what my generation values. So next chance you get, hand a kid a pen and a cassette tape and ask them how those two items are related. If we’re going to be old, we should at least have fun with it.

Wine Tasting, Gun Fights, and Karaoke...Oh My!

High noon, the sun bright in the sky as the heat ripples just above the dusty ground. Cowboys and saloon girls stroll along the street while horse-drawn stagecoaches roll through town. Gunfire and shouting disturbs the peace. The scene plays out: gun-toting marshals apprehend a couple of wanted outlaws. All ends well with minimal injuries and…the crowd of onlookers behind their cameras applaud. It’s just another day in Tombstone, AZ as the actors who work in this historic Arizona town put on shows for hundreds of tourists throughout the day.

Tombstone was not what I was expecting, having in mind an area the size of Rawhide or some other Wild West tributes I have been to. It’s a single strip of buildings on either side of a street with one crossroad (possibly two, can’t exactly remember). But despite it’s small size, Tombstone is interesting and very fun. Part of the reason for it’s size is the fact that all of Tombstone burned down and had to be rebuilt after not one but two fires ran rampant in 1881 and 1882. The only original building remaining from the time of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday is the Bird Cage Theater—for a small fee you can tour the inside of the building. Tombstone also offers: Mine tours, stage coach rides, a shooting range, food, and old time photos. It’s a great time for the entire family or group of friends.

We arrived just after 11:30 AM and spent a good 15 minutes looking for parking, for to vehicles. Tip: arrive as early as possible if you want good parking. Our parking spots weren’t too bad, we were parked at the far end of the strip and slightly down the street. We walked into town and met up with our cohort from New Mexico at the OK Corral. After finding her, we headed back up the strip to check the place out. We took photos in front of various things: The Birdcage Theater, Fallen Angel Sweet Sin Parlor, and a jail cart. On the way back down the strip we were all hung for our crimes. For a small donation, you could take a picture with either two cowboys if you were female, or a saloon girl if you were male, noose around your neck and a sign that spelled out what your offense was. I was hung for being a floozy. The photos were hilarious and then we all received death certificates. Good time. But getting hung takes a lot out of you so we wandered down to the local wine tasting place. We sampled five different wines each and then stumbled back into the dusty street. Even better time. By that time, we followed our growling stomachs up to one of the many restaurants that Tombstone has to offer. Not all of them are that great food-wise. Based on the recommendation from the wine server, we settled for a barbeque joint which was delicious. The Crystal Palace Saloon. They were understaffed so we were warned to be patient with them and they would produce some great food. It was not a lie. I had an open faced pork barbeque sandwich and a sarsaparilla. It really hit the spot. We enjoyed a game of pool with our meal as we just so happened to be sitting next to the pool table. Then with our appetites sated we headed back out into the wonderfully sunny but not unbearably warm afternoon.

Last on our agenda was the old time photo. We stepped back in time and dressed up as outlaws and saloon girls, with one angel in a trench coat. It was fun and the photo turned out great but man was it hot in those changing rooms. There are several old time photo shops in Tombstone but the one we chose had the most realistic back grounds. It was located on the far end in the direction of the Bird Cage Theater; the others are in the direction of the OK Corral. We split ways after that and heading to our separate cars for part two of our trip. Bisbee, Arizona.

Bisbee, Arizona is a historic mining town built up a mountain side. Bisbee was founded in 1880 for those seeking fortune in the mines which produced: gold, copper, silver, lead and zinc. By the early 1900s, Bisbee was the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco. It too suffered a major fire in 1908 which wiped out it’s entire main district, but was completely rebuilt by 1910. It is still most famously known for the supposedly haunted hotel The Copper Queen. The hotel built in 1902 boasts original furniture from the by-gone era and three, yes three, reported ghosts. The ghosts are claimed to be that of an elderly gentleman, a young boy, and a lady of the night. We did not stay there and only walked by it to and from the car, so we can’t personally make any comments on the subject.

I have to say, I am completely in love with the city of Bisbee. The Victorian and European styles so clearly visible had me enthralled from the moment the car came out of the tunnel. You go from semi-dark tunnel and out into the light; your eyes are immediately drawn to the colorful buildings creeping up the hillsides as you wind your way down to it. If I could move there, I would do so in a heartbeat. I wasn’t alone in this sentiment. We found an adorable 2 bedroom 2 bath house for sale. If only.

We wandered the streets of Bisbee marveling at the artistic shops, quaint streets and interesting architecture. We hit a local restaurant for some food, The Screaming Banshee. Technically, we stopped to look at their bathroom, because it was supposed to be really neat. But we felt bad going in for nothing, so we decided on drinks. Two pizzas, two servings of garlic knots, and one spinach artichoke dip, plus beers and one round of mini beer shots later, we left the pizza joint satisfied. We headed to our last stop for the evening, which we had scoped out earlier, the Bisbee Grand Hotel for a karaoke night. We were there from 8:30pm until sometime after 1:00am singing our hearts out. It was a great time and we even got some fans. At the end of the night, we bid Bisbee farewell and headed back to Sierra Vista for the night.

We finished out our road trip by eating a delicious breakfast at the Bisbee Breakfast Club (yes, we drove back the next morning), it was a highly recommended place to go eat. We all had different dishes and they were all to die for. Plus it was a uniquely decorated place in a 100 year old building that used to be a garage. That was followed later by an early dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings to say goodbye. The Phoenix portion of our group (myself included) then drove home, passing through border patrol before hitting the main freeway. I think I can confidently say this was a successfully awesome roadtrip. One I hope to repeat again in the not too distant future.

Filler Post

 I spent most of the day sleeping. While the weekend was a lot of fun, it definitely wore me out a bit. I started typing up a recap of our trip. But can't finish it all tonight. I have work in the morning, and think I should still get some more sleep--rather than staying up late to finish. I will definitely finish it tomorrow and post then. So hang in there and stay tune.