she said, i ran with it...

1. Lover:: warmth, passionate in both a tender and voracious way
2. Ridiculous:: the heat outside - damn!
3. Oscar:: award; i never watch them, never interested me.
4. Tennis:: i want to get better at my game; need new shoes, too.
5. Account Balance:: not exactly what i would like it to be. i'm sure they should be more random numbers at the end, but i'll gladly compromise with zeros anytime
6. Hickey:: i love them and i hate them. they tell a tale to the world -even when you don't want them to.
7. License:: what's the use of having one, i mean besides serving as a legal driving permit, of course? i mean, i never get pulled over (anymore...) and no one ever asks for it to compare with my credit card signature,
8. Breathmints:: i love the cinnamon flavored ones from Altoids. have you heard the one about chewing Altoids before a blowjob?
9. TexMex:: what's that all about? i KNOW Tex in no match to Mex. who would want to mix them anyway?? honestly, i don't get the the whole TexMex mix. yuck. wanna enjoy yummy mexican food in town? go to Don Pablos. want authentic 'texan' food, visit Austin.
10. Stepmother:: Stepmom - loved the movie, liked the actress' better.

Unconscious Mutterings | Week 69

Thanks to CrankyDragon, and GeekGrrl, I've created my own custom avatar. You can make yours here

Ain't I cute? The likeness is uncanny...

I use MT Blacklist for killing comment spam. Thanks Jay! I couldn't be online without it. But once in a while, my comments get nailed by jerks; when that happens it's usually because I haven't updated my list.

So I wake up this morning, and found one particular jerk spammed me 69 times last night. Not what i was hoping to wake up to. Karmically, he'll get what he deserves; fittingly, this spammer has a static IP. *grin*

:hanged

Also, and some as&h%!# has been using my email addy to send spam, most of them containing viruses. Anyone know how to battle that?

:pissed_off

you are THE DRAGON! you're often misunderstood, but
are actually quite flirtatious and romantic


what shrek character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

WTF? Me, a flirt? Says who? I mean, c'mon, really...

And romantic?? What's that all about? I did like the first quiz I posted, but this? This is just downright wrong.

Masked Blogger, you'd think I'd quit while I was ahead, right?

My inner child is sixteen years old!

Life's not fair! It's never been fair, but while
adults might just accept that, I know
something's gotta change. And it's gonna
change, just as soon as I become an adult and
get some power of my own.


How Old is Your Inner Child?
brought to you by Quizilla

HA! And here I thought I was all grown up...

Figures.

Ok.... so I had nothing better to do while waiting for something else.
Turned out to be quite fun, tho.

You have a mysterious kiss. Your partner never
knows what you're going to come up with next;
this creates great excitement and arousal never
knowing what to expect. And it's sure to end
in a kiss as great as your mystery.


What kind of kiss are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

she said... i muttered

1. Finale:: one lest show out of my short list :o(
2. Martial arts:: discipline
3. Flirt:: daily!
4. Energy:: balance; meridians - blockages; i need a massage
5. Flavor:: rich and bold
6. Guess?:: get new jeans
7. Accomplishment:: the feeling i'm looking for when i'm done with what i'm working on
8. Prom:: was ok... turning point in my life, but not what everyone might think ;o)
9. Diploma:: where the hell are mine???
10. Bloody:: William - can't get over the finale, see?

geez, i've missed a few of these.

I'm running out of TV shows to watch. I'm wondering how I'm going to be spending that time now.

Ended

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer
  
• Angel
  
• The X-Files
  
• The Pretender
  
• Friends
  

Current

• Charmed
  
• Stargate: SG1 [is now Stargate: Atlantis in this upcoming season; gripping season finale this past one - and I'm left wondering if Richard Dean Anderson will ever come back- the soul of SG1 is definitely lost if he doesn't.]
  
• Star Trek (all of them, yeah, I'm a Trekkie; so many of them ended...)
  

Upcoming

• Joey
  

So far, I figure I'll be filling up some of those nights with some classes at the gym that I've wanted to take. Hey, a girl must take care of her priorities, right? *grin*

Others I'll fill up with reading and drawing. Studying and research I usually take care of in the morning. :smart

As far as I've learned, there will be a series of Angel TeleMovies, 6 at a bi-monthly rhythm. This I'll definitely look forward to.

Read more on the Angel Series Finale at SciFi.

Loved it. Sad that it had to end. Why? Why?

Yup, I laughed, cried, hated that they killed Wesley, but loved that the last thing he saw was Fred. Loved to see Angel [*drool*] with Connor at his side, cried when Spike's 'Effulgent' poem was awesomely received (Spike rocks)... yeah, those where my high points.

You know, I'm definitely getting the Series on DVD. I want to see it all over again.

What? Didn't know I loved Angel? hehehee
There are many things you don't know about me.......

So, did you like it? Did you hate it?
Slap it on below, I'd like to know what you think...
And if you have a nice Angel theme page, send me the link, I'd love to take a look.

... cause they're already bad, right? Yup, I've seen it happen. Geez...

It started following this post, as one cool, calm, and collected guy extended a kind word and a fresh perspective to those of us who may have mixed feelings with 6A's news and update regarding MT. He didn't have to, but it was nice of him. It was like a breath of fresh air for me, amidst all the thoughts and opinions out there. Thanks to that post and a few others, I have a better understanding now, and that is very appreciated.

At first, it was kind of amusing, different points of view by so many different people from all over the world, gathering in lil' bunches here and there to amicably discuss the one thing they all had in common: MovableType users and their thoughts on the new developments and how/if it would affect them. Most interesting indeed.

But the amusement of it all quickly dissipated as this troll went on a romp, stomping around, hissing and dissing without really making a fair point at all. And how disrespectful! What a sad, sad soul -and the lengths he'll go to in order to get some attention. Tsk, tsk, tsk...

You can read Jay's update on what the hell went on in such few hours -hopefully it's all behind him, and us as well.

Moving on, as all things should, IT Conversations' producer Doug Kaye interviewed Ben and Mena; I believe that, as users, we should all read or listen to this interview.

I'm glad I listened to it. When you're done, I'd like to know what you think. Post a comment here or trackback this post so I can follow your thoughts. :o)

So I followed Monique's lead, and this is what I got.

You're Dune!
by Frank Herbert
You have control over a great wealth of resources, but no one wants to let you have them. You've decided to try to defend yourself, but it may take eons before you really get back what you feel you deserve. Meanwhile you have a cult-like following of minions waiting for your life to progress. This would all be even more exciting if you could just get the sand out of your eyes.
Take the Book Quiz at the Blue Pyramid.

Via Monique, yeah, i stated that...

How very interesting. Following are a few links that I think anyone with any concerns or questions regarding MT changes should read. I'm still reading.

Mena: Six Log -Movable Type 3.0 Developer Edition

Jay: The Collective Deep Breath

More from Jay: Six Apart quells the fury

[update, again]

I just wanted to say "Thanks, Jay" for taking time to post commentary that actually helps me and provide with a refreshing perspective in regards to MT.

And, Jay, I believe some people need to get a life and stop following you around the blogosphere, making a fool out of himself... ;o)

Gary brings an interesting point to the table: "What's wrong with your current 2.661 version of Movable Type that would make you migrate to another piece of software?"

My answer is absolutely nothing. The version I'm running, 2.64, is working perfectly, no dings nor scratches, all fine and dandy. And yes, I have 2.661. So, obviously, I'm in no need to be upgrading, not until I see a need for any of the "new features" -which honestly don't quite do it for me- and that's OK. All the plugins I've installed are running fine, and I'm quite content with my CMS.

Why does it bug me? Well, it's the support factor that gets to me. I actually share Rob's thoughts on this issue when he wrote: "If everyone in the MT forums is talking about MT3 issues then an MT2.6 user is not going to get much attention."

I love MT. I love MT's extensibility, it's a great system that becomes even greater thanks to all the plugins created by a wonderful community, a community that is sadly being torn apart, the way I see it. Instead of a community I see an exodus, and those who aren't leaving, are certainly being alienated from each other. And it didn't start now... it began at the beta testing launch. Heck, event before that. When I started searching for a CMS that would suit my needs, I remember wondering why a wonderful system such as this one was free. Still, it's kinda funny (not in a ha-ha way) how many beta testers say they didn't see this coming. Will any of them go back to a previous version? I'm glad I thought twice about beta testing.

"The next version of Movable Type will be version 3.0, a significant and free upgrade." This is why many are peeved. Understandable.

I'm very willing to pay for the new version once it becomes the version that suits my needs, but not everyone can put forth the monies right away, or are willing to, and I respect that. Those who can't, are they to downgrade [their sites] and/or stay with their current version in order not to violate the honor system that Six Apart extends with their free version's license?

With my current version of MT, I run this blog, a freewriting journal, my child's blog, a photo blog/gallery. I've also been working on 3 other blogs that are currently under development. So, I stand at 2 authors, and a total of 7 blogs. Come Fall, one of those would hopefully become commercial, might have an added 2 authors. This fit perfectly within the planned budget. We are talking additional domains and space -- but now I have to recalculate, because commercial license isn't $150 anymore.

I wouldn't be able to run all of the above with MT3 upgrade without violating the new licensing. I wouldn't even be able to legally maintain the setup I currently have. For that I'd need Personal Edition Volume License, which is $119.95, Introductory Price; yup, nice price if I act now.

I shouldn't forget the $199.95 for the Commercial License, 5 authors, 5 blogs max, Introductory Price as well.

Seems I have more than redesign work to worry about in my future.

Yipee.

"New versions, and upgrades are supposed to bring more features, not less", true, and in my opinion, certainly not the kind of restrictions they've put forth with a price tag to top it all off. MT is worth paying for, and yes, this was going to happen. I agree with Kotte's thinking [note last 3 paragraphs]. Perhaps the pricing / restrictions structure for personal users could use rethinking.

Who knows if I'll change, everything changes. Perhaps I outgrow what MT offers, or maybe I find another CMS that better suits my needs. Other blogging friends of mine have. Good for them. What drives me to their sites is content, not what CMS they use.

In the end, I agree with Dave and Adam:

Dave said: "6A has every right to charge and make money. They also need to accept the criticism and exodus of those who don’t wish to be tossed aside after years of being the only reason that 6A was even able to get to a point where they COULD charge."

Adam said: "they're free to charge what they want, and we're free to look at other platforms ..."

So many MovableType users are peeved, and honestly, so am I.

I'm not going to dive into this today, given the way I'm feeling, but whoa... WTF? I run 4 blogs with 2 authors, and now I have to pay how much?! [minus donations, wheeee.....] Honestly, I don't mind paying for MT, it's been wonderful software, met most of my needs, but this out of the blue pricing scheme -and so high- bites.

For now, I'll continue reading, and looking at other alternatives, just in case.

I read it first via Dave, and have been researching ever since.

:disappointed

This happened on the 7th, last Friday. It's also one of the reasons why I haven't been posting here - the other was my mom was visiting. She went back home yesterday; it was a weird Mother's Day for me.

My baby was tired of swimming, and I helped her out of the pool. I asked her to sit down, either next to grandma (my mom) or myself. Of course, she didn't. She's got this limitless energy about her, day in and day out.

It happened in an instant, just a second. Isn't that usually how tragedies happen, taking no more than a second, a mere blink of the eye? I remember taking a picture of my husband, who was hosing down some dirt from around the lanai, then there was screaming, and my husband wasn't standing anymore. Bryan shouted hysterically that Kiki was in the pool. She was within arms reach of me, but I didn't see her fall in. And she was swimming, the best she could, but she was under. Then, so was my husband. Instantly, I'm holding my son, who is shaking and screaming and had the most terrified look in his eyes. Mom was with me, helping calm down my boy. My sister was in total shock. At the age of nine, he son got a taste of what the loss of a loved one could feel like.

All this happened within a shutter release and the time it takes to set down the camera.

I didn't panic. No, not then. It all hit me later, a lot later. Yesterday.

I almost lost my baby girl.

1. Vagina:: appointment to be made...
2. Racism:: vicious
3. Mother's Day:: my mom is leaving today... :o( *sob*
4. Fire alarm:: lights that go blip in the night
5. Elvis:: puh-leese...
6. Pregnant:: Lori is :o)
7. Vacation:: I need one
8. Waffles:: breakfast later today
9. Perpendicular:: cuts made by my husband during previous DIY projects
10. Hospital:: I'm sick of them

weeping party to follow...
:sob

If you're wondering what I've been doing with myself lately, this will probably give you a good idea.

Today, my daughter and I discovered that fish like Keebler Crackers, just like the little girl that fed it to the.

That's just one of many pics I took. I'm headed out to try to get a better shot of the moon tonight. I've had no luck so far.

If you want to see more pics (the good shots anyway), stop by my gallery, Beyond Focus.

Took a quick break, got online to do some one stop browsing: 28mm.org

Here are my faves and my thoughts about them:

• Organics - Revisited, by Hannah Foerster -- awesome and inspiring
• The Fremont Solstice Celebration, by Ron Hammond -- fun!
• Botanicals & Butterflies, by Gordon McGregor -- breathtaking beauties
• A Holga Adventure at Bent's Fort, by Riley Toorn -- very artistic

The others featured great work; Ourspace- meh... didn't really care for that one.

Go take a look, and enjoy!

Photoblogs.org now has a blog!

A very nice concept, particularly when there is such a large and growing community of photobloggers, photographers, and those who aspiring ones... like myself! Granted, I'm new to the photoblogging world, but I believe we all have something to contribute. I began photoblogging on April 12, and I must say, this is addictive! What's best is the warm weave of people that have made me feel very welcome to the group.

What do I hope to find at the Blog @ Photoblog.org? I look forward to honing my skills, share techniques, inspiration, and keep on top of new events in the photography world. Hopefully, I'll be meeting a few others in my area and when I travel who also share the passion of capturing fleeting moments and making them somewhat eternal. To me, Photoblogs.org’ Blog will be a wonderful vehicle for this and many other exciting things to come. Perhaps I'll even contribute an article or two. :o)

Haven't seen my gallery yet? Hop on by! Beyond Focus

Thanks Brandon!

I'm so tired... I went to the gym this morning, worked hard at some asanas, had some Chai, came home to work.

Today we finished this project, but my aches are hardly any reason for jubilation. However, Monique is following the updates, enjoying the mishaps we share in our projects, so I'm putting these up. Monique, sorry you guys went one inch over on your door! Keep me updated! :o)

So I'll post what pics I have right now, and perhaps tomorrow after work I'll put up some of the set family room.

I hope you enjoy them!