obliviousally_lj

Shirts I snagged from Threadless during thier $10 sale. Except for the Plaid-apus, I bought that one from jisuk and it showed up on the same day! Huzzah!

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Haha. So my desktop is up and running again (power was out upstairs for a bit because of a finicky breaker) and I've been using my laptop for SO LONG now that my desktop monitor is some strange beast. I love it, don't get be wrong. It's FUCKALL HUEG and was only $8, which Angie and I went halfsies on back when we lived in the trailer, so it's like it was only $4. But, seriously, it's a massive beast of a CRT. Much bigger and bulkier than a standard CRT monitor.

But I took screencaps to give an idea of the difference in size, kind of. My laptop is 15" and runs 1366x768. My desktop is like, 18" (probably?) and runs 1280x1204. It's great for doing art on though, because I don't have to zoom in a lot.

Downside is I had to spend a bunch of time tweaking the color settings and all that on the CRT because nothing quite matched my laptop and things were either too contrast-y or too dark. Seems better now, though~ Now to try and get everything on the desktop sync'd up with my laptop...

Why do I have to have a Macintosh?
This platform is the industry standard, and our classroom instruction is based on Mac versions of the software.

How much do class supplies cost?
Required class supplies and equipment vary widely with areas of concentration.

Computer
First-year design students are required to buy a Macintosh laptop as well as specific software programs for spring semester. Software manufacturers update their products every 18–24 months, so students will probably need to buy an upgrade before they graduate. Most students find it helpful to have their own printer. A typical price for a Macintosh laptop is $1800. The three primary graphic software packages are bundled and sell for a total of $350. These prices are for products purchased via the KSUAppleStore.

Camera
First-year Photo Illustration students will need a single lens reflex (D-SLR) camera ranging in price from $1100 to $2000.
Second-year design students will need a basic digital camera ranging in price from $1100 to $2000.

FFS, college, you're going to be the goddamn death of me.

I want to do VCD. There's a lot of classes I want to take under the VCD umbrella.

I do not, in any way, want to buy a Macbook. Anything I'd need to do on a Macbook, I can do perfectly well on a laptop/PC. The "industry standard" label can suck my ass because as long as you have the industry standard applications, it doesn't matter what platform you're working on. The mere fact that I'd be REQUIRED to blow $2000 on a system I don't want to use is absurd.

Maybe if I could get a Macbook for $700 or UNDER, I'd consider it. but educational discounts are only $100 on Macbooks. Which is, like, nothing in comparison.

Yes, I know they have (pretty cheap) monthly payments. And, if I had to, I could pay half and half each semester. BUT IT'S A THOUSAND FUCKING DOLLARS FOR SOMETHING THAT ISN'T ANY MORE SPECIAL THAN A LAPTOP. I'm not paying for your BRAND, thankyouverymuch.

Plus, if I'm going to blow $1000 on something, it's going to be a Cintiq.

You know what else I could do with $1800?
- buy a car
- pay my rent for 3 months

At least, with the camera requirements, it's easier to get those sort of things secondhand that are still in amazing condition. Most photographers take excellent care of their equipment. I am, however, boggling at a $1000-$2000 digital camera. What are you doing with it? Contacting astronauts? Fuck.

♫ Neko Case - Furnace Room Lullaby
( Lyrics )

♫ Laura Marling - Ghosts (ANGIE FOR YOU!)
( Lyrics )

♫ Elsinore - Cannonballs (a Poe/Ryan song)
( Lyrics )

♫ Johnny Flynn - The Wrote & The Writ
( Lyrics )

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FFS

Going back 375 entries on fanmix under the Supernatural tag (because after that it defaults to day view)...out of those 375 entries there are:

- 95 solo fanmixes
- 67 general fanmixes (either the show in general, a theme or a specific episode)
- 25 heterosexual mixes (not counting crossover mixes)

Everything else? Sam/Dean, Sam/Castiel, Sam or Dean slash some other random male character or threesomes with Sam and Dean. And this tiny, tiny handful of femslash mixes (Anna/Ruby, Ruby/Bela, Jo/Jess). And, weirdly enough, a few Dean/Ruby (SOMEONE EXPLAIN THAT LOGIC TO ME) mixes. HEY WHERE'S THE MIXES FOR BOBBY? HUH? IS BOBBY NOT COOL ENOUGH FOR YOU GUYS? OR PAMELA?? There was a Trickster mix as well as an Azrael mix. So go figure.

God, that's so, so, SO sad.

WHY SO MUCH GAY, SPN FANDOM?

BUT I FOUND DEAN/ANNA MIXES. AND DEAN/JO MIXES. AND ANNA/CASTIEL MIXES. SO THAT'S PRETTY COOL.

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We went out to Angie's this weekend because he computer pretty much crashed and burned and she needed my HALP.

I spent, no shit, at least twenty hours fixing it. It was giving a blue screen on bootup and I couldn't even boot into safe mode. So I had to spend time burning stuff onto disc from TJ's laptop to try on her computer. Everything from drivers to, what eventually made progress, booting up past Windows with Puppy Linux (which, oh my god, was a lifesaver). Eventually, I got her stuff backed up and I reformatted the OS partition and did a fresh install of XP.

Three times.

I accidentally did a parallel install and then things weren't working quite right on the newer install, so I just did a proper (not quick) format and everything is dandy now!

I felt pretty accomplished.

We had taken the 360 so we could watch Supernatural with Angie, but I forgot the TV cable. DURP. But we ended up watching gag reels for Supernatural (because they're pretty much spoiler-less) and FRUITHAT. Also, the Top 100 Song of the 90s which just made me feel OLD and NOSTALGIC.

We also did retarded headpeople stuff because we're fuckin' awesome.

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Now, TJ and I are fighting. Pfft. Go figure. It's been awhile though, was probably coming anyhow.

I acquired a new computer this evening.

Vista is a bit of the Devil's creation. It really, truly is. I do not need my operating system dumbed down for me. I do not need everything moved around and changed. Why fix what's not broken? I'll be going back to XP as soon as I re-aquire the disc from Friend Rob. Because, really, this should be running faster. While, yes, it runs faster than my old computer, it does not run as fast as I believe it should. Plus, I know EVERYTHING works with XP and I know how to run it properly.

So I'll suffer through Vista, as pretty as it is, until I can go back to XP.

However, the new computer is named Archimedes and will be decorated with OWL STICKERS when I find some cute ones. I also need to reorganized my entire desk and shit so that I can put Archie somewhere that isn't on the floor where he is now. And put Candyland (my old comp) somewhere where I can still access it if I need to.

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Got a bunch of stuff to pick up today. Textbooks, house stuff, critter things.

I think we're going to trek up to Cleveland area to hit up the asian markets for some food and tastybits. Thinking about buying a new rice cooker, since I pretty much destroyed the metal bowl for the last one.

I wanted to pick up some clothes when we had gone to Walmart, but I couldn't find anything I wanted to buy. I need more jeans, as most of mine are on their last leg. I wear them until they wear thin in the inner thigh region and then they end up tearing. But that's what I get for not rotating them out often enough. I just get comfortable in a pair and I'll wear them until they're destroyed. I'd also like to find a decent bag for school, especially if I need to walk or bike (gotta get tires for the bikes, as well!). I have a messenger bag, but it's been through a lot, so I should probably get something new and not as broken in.

And, despite TJ trying to mock me into them, I'm NOT buying skinny jeans. I HATE them.

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE

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After spending most of the afternoon at the mall, I couldn't find SHIT in the way of jeans or clothes. Despite having some money, I'm still cheap because if I can find cheap clothes I can buy MORE of them. But nothing jumped out at me and they only things I ended up buying were a new Halloween owl shirt from Target, a cupcake Hello kitty bag on clearance at Toys R Us, a big whiteboard and a few clearance things from Michael's. But I guess it's not too bad. I also got owl stickers for my computer because I'm a NEEEEEEEEEEEERD.

I saw there's new Minimates!! With Cap, Iron Man and Venom. I'll have to scour eBay for the singles. Because we obviously need more Minimates in our collection.

We stopped at the Mediterranean store today and got all sorts of goodies. The owner had just mixed up some spicy red pepper hummus she had us try. It's super, super tasty and a really good sort of spciy, so we bought a small container of it. Plus tabouli, spicy feta, grape leaves and tahini. <3<3<3

I should really be napping. I only got two hours of sleep in the last 24-ish hours and I really am dragging. But I'm trying to finish installing some things and transferring some stuff, so I don't want to lay down just yet.

Tomorrow we're trekking up Angie's way to get an aquarium and stopping a few other places. Also, textbooks.

Kidnapped Angie Friday, thanks to Rob. TJ didn't trust her eyes driving through Ravenna after dark, so I called up Rob and asked if he'd run me out to pick up Angie.

Came back home and transferred files from Angie's old computer to TJ's and then spend three or four hours fighting to figure our which tower was going to work for me. Eventually, it was Angie's old tower and the video card seems to be nicer because CITY OF HEROES WORKS FOR ME.

I am shocked, as well.

I also now have two 20gig HDDs laying about that I can't put in this tower because the power source isn't large enough. But I have leftover RAM and the other tower, I wonder if there isn't a way to set up the second computer as a storage space. Because I could use 40gigs extra to use.

So I'll have to play around with it.

Saturday, we spent drinking a bit and playing COX. Lots of lazy and watching Stephen Lynch and Zoolander and general awesome all around. Took Angie home yesteday after playing through House of the Dead: Overkill. Which is AWESOME, by the way. And oh so very, very, very wrong on so many levels.

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I got a notice about my benefits from Target the other day. Because my AVERAGED hours for the last TWELVE MONTHS were LESS THAN TWENTY HOURS, I'm not eligible for anything more than I've been getting for the last year.

Now, let's break this down.

I worked AT LEAST thirty hour weeks in Seattle. Sometimes a little less, but I averaged decent hours. I come HERE and I get BARELY twenty hours a week. I've never seen the number '30' on my schedule.

Because the hours are averaged, I get FUCKED because Niles gives shit hours and me awesome Seattle hours are hosed because of that. And I'm ineligible for the good benefits. Which is such bullshit I cannot even put it in to words.

And these two day/eight hour work weeks are PRETTY FUCKING STELLAR, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT.

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Today I ran errands with my mom. She bought us some drinks and took me up to one of the churches that were giving away food so I could get a food basket.

Upon returning home, I feel like I've done something wrong? But I don't know. :/

Sometimes I take pictures of myself without a jacket in the snow. Admittedly, it WAS 30F or so, which was quite balmy. No wind, either. Just sun, sun, sun. Which is a welcome change from the SNOW we've been getting since the beginning of the year. And I walk, like, a mile up to the grocery store and it gets really hot. So, no hoodie. I had it with my at first, yes, but it was quickly shed and shoved in my bag by the time I got to the tracks.

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Reformatted, reinstalled XP, reinstalled CS4 and.....IT'S STILL FUCKING CRASHING WHAT THE HOLY FUCKING HELL FUCK YOU, ADOBE, DIE IN A FIRE.

In other news, I've been playing Lego Batman and it's immensely fun. :D

Cute story.

We picked up WOTLK this evening, suprisingly.

Came home, popped it in the DVD drive and...nothing. The drive is up-to-date on everything and it'll read CDs, so it's not shot. But it absolutely REFUSES to read any DVDs. It'll work like it's trying to, but it doesn't. The PS2 has the same issue, but we have it modded so we can swap out game CDs for DVDs and watch them. I don't have that luxury with the computer, sadly. And the fact that there's a mysterous SECOND DVD/CD drive that's showing up is even more boggling.

I've popped open the case and unplugged the drive, uninstalled/reinstalled the drive, DELETED REGISTRY KEYS and IT KEEPS SHOWING UP no matter what I do and I STILL get no headway on the fucking issue.

I'm SO peeved it's not even funny.

And it's almost a laugh to even think about downloading the client from the website because it's, what, 10+ gigs?

GOD.

And the other DVD drive I have is over at the other apartment.

Just...lameness all around. Fuck.

EDIT: Discovered the mystery drive was a phantom drive. Fixed that and....still won't read DVDs. CDs, fine. DVD, no go. The general consensus is that the drive is probably shot.

AWESOME!

EDIT 2: Dropped the drive into my computer and still no go. Pretty sure it's dead. Lame, lame, lame. Especially because it was rarely used AND a Lightscribe that we never got to use for that actual purpose.

Ah, the days just keep getting better and better.

I am going to scream.

I reformatted TJ's computer last night and reinstalled Windows on it. Prior to this, our network was working fine. Everything connected well, she could connect to the internet no problem. I didn't change anything during the Windows setup. At all.

While setting up Windows it told me it couldn't find a connection. This wasn't a big deal at the time, as I assumed it was because my computer didn't recognize her computer.

I ran the network setup wizard, as usual, but it STILL won't connect. The only thing it's showing in her connections is the 1394 adapter. Mine shows both the internet connection and the LAN connection. I tried connecting her computer straight to the modem. Still nothing. I tried resetting everything (unplugging the modem, router, shutting down the computers, etc., etc.), still nothing.

I can't install the Windows service packs (if that's the issue) on her computer because there's no internet connection. And I can't updated any drivers.

Any ideas anyone? This is really beginning to piss me off and it's likely something REALLY simple but I can't figure it out for the life of me.

Like I said, everything worked perfect before I reformatted her computer. I can't imagine what could've gone wrong. D:

Our phones are off.

You have NO IDEA how much this enrages me. Really. They've been off since Monday. Because I talked to my mom on Sunday, on the way back from Seattle. Monday? I'm getting the local Sprint bullshit saying that my phone is not in the network.

I have fucking JOBS that could be calling me. I can't check my voicemail. I can't send texts. I'm pretty much fucking screwed.

See, the thing here is that our phones are on Al's phone plan. Me, TJ and her mother's phone are on one bill. We can't get new ones, or even our own account, because there's still almost a year left on the contract. Which pretty much leaves us with relying on them to do all the phone stuff (as we don't have the money for it currently anyhow and that's why the situation is set up like this).

So we are fucked over by people who can't pay their fucking bill on time because they had to buy $600 kevlar-lined tires for TJ's car and now they're having 'money troubles'.

I am /very/ aggravated.

I need to reformat my fucking computer because it keeps fucking up and I'm sick of it. Unfortunately, I'm lacking an XP disc and, well, the patience for that at the moment. I'm also so fucking sick of SimpleMU crashing for stupid reasons and then refusing to load back up so I have to REBOOT MY FUCKING COMPUTER in order to use it again. And no, I don't want to use a different client. I already have BeipMU and MUSHclient and I hate fighting with them to get them to do what I want. And I loathe MUSHclient's start up/'you're not registered' window.

I should go back to bed and hope everything has fixed itself by the time I awaken.

Oh. And now, because my phone is fucking dead and I can't get any calls. I was almost late to my World Market interview only to discover that they moved it to TOMORROW AT 11AM. I'm actually not /that/ angry about this. But if I can bitch about something else and blame it on the lack of a phone, I'll fucking do it.

If I would have been approved for the credit card at Best Buy, I would have a new computer right now. Yes, it's a bit impulsive, but it's nothing I couldn't have paid off within 90 days. The one I wanted was only $500. I'm unable to save up the money for one, because I end up buying other things. I just wish I could make regular payments on one. And not one of those shitty Rent-a-Center computers. D:

I really need a new computer. It's hard to do full CGs anymore, it's hard to work on anything because things take SO DAMN LONG TO LOAD.

But, whatever.

I'm tired and slightly cranky. Today was a REALLY LONG DAY.

D: