My step-father's mother slipped into a coma today, and doctors are saying that she probably won't live much longer.  Between the Alzheimers and diabetes, she's been teetering on the edge of death for several months now.  As I said in the topic, it's not unexpected but still difficult.  He's gone off to Tacoma, with no idea as to when he'll be back, but I'm guessing not until after she passes on.  The timing couldn't be worse - his birthday was yesterday and my little sister's birthday is on Saturday.  I'm hoping that she doesn't pass on on my sister's birthday - it was hard enough when my great-grandmother died on Easter. 

I just needed to get that out.  I don't really care if people respond or not, but I can't just keep it bottled up inside.

First off, yesterday was Guy Fawkes Night, which leads me to share this:

Remember, remember, the fifth of November
Gunpowder treason and plot
I see no reason why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot

And I'll leave it at that (the rest is actually pretty politically incorrect in this day and age so it's not worth sharing but those who are interested can look up Guy Fawkes Night on Wikipedia and get the rest).

Second, I have some pictures that my brother and my dad took when they visited Cuba last summer (June 2005), just a few months before my abuela passed on.  These are things I'm pretty sure the government wouldn't want the rest of the world to see, but here they are.  You can draw your own conclusions about the state of the country based on what you see. 

Cuba Trip 2005

Something worth noting, is the wooden crossbeam cross with the marker that reads "Cruz de Parra."  That marks the site where Christopher Columbus landed in Cuba on the first of December, 1492, thus "discovering" the New World.

I have a fun new toy!  A Compaq Presario V5000 to be exact.  It's my new baby.  I finally got around to my other one which was stolen a few months back.  I still don't have internet access, which may be until I can either call my brother for tech support or when he comes up for Christmas.  Hey, what's another month, right?

Anyway, I didn't realize how much I was going into computer withdrawls until I finally got my new computer.  But now I'm doing much better.  I just hope that my wireless actually works in my room.  I had a USB wireless adapter for my other computer, and that I had to hang from the ceiling to get it work.  Now my new computer has the wireless built in, which means I might not get a great signal.  Here's hoping.

Mwah!

Happy Halloween one and all!  Tricks and treats tonight.  I'll be busy getting myself all gussied up for door duty (door, what door?  the door is open and nearly 500 of our closest strangers will be waltzing into my living room tonight).  I've complied some great soundeffects and music, including a few tracks from the Dead Man's Chest soundtrack, such as "Davy Jones" which I happen to have blasting at the moment. 

I'll post pictures for anyone who will care to take a peek.  If you're wondering about the backdrop, that's just my house.  Yup, just my house.

It's fun.

I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable All Hallow's Eve!

I just wanna say that I've met some really neat and interesting people here on TV.com. 

Don't panic!  I'm not leaving.  But I just got the letter that Bree sent around and it made me think: people here in the community are great.  They're the types who will help you sort out problems and lend you an ear when you need it.

So to you, my friends, I say thank you.  Thank you for touching my life.

You know, there are these random times where everything just seems to fit.  There's that perfect song that defines how you feel at a particular moment, and for me, this is that song.

Don't cry to me
if you loved me
you would be here with me
you want me
come find me
make up your mind

Should I let you fall
lose it all
So maybe you can remember yourself
can't keep believing, we're only
decieving ourselves and I'm sick of the lie
and you're too late

Don't cry to me
if you loved me
you would be here with me
you want me
come find me
make up your mind

Couldn't take the blame
sick with shame
Must be exhausting to lose your own game
selfishly hated, no wonder your jaded -
you can't play the victim this time
and you're too late

Don't cry to me
if you loved me
you would be here with me
you want me
come find me
make up your mind

You never called me when your sober
you only want it cause it's over

How could I have burned paradise?
how could I - you were never mine!

So don't cry to me
if you loved me
you would be here with me
don't lie to me
just get your things
I've made up your mind.

Yeah, so that's how I feel towards my boyfriend right now, except he doesn't call me - period - drunk or sober.  So after waiting two months for a phone call, I've decided that clearly things are over and I've had enough.  No more men for a while.  I just need to focus on school and what's important. 

Viva la independencia!  I do not need a man to feel complete!  I am a strong and independent woman!

Yup, yup.  Still no computer, but my dad and I struck a deal that it was time for a new one because I'll be starting graduate school in the summer.  That, and a Pentium 3 processor and a 20 GB harddrive just wasn't doing it any more.

In other news I'm plugging away at school.  A pretty light load, and my Political Science 101 is more like my high school U.S. Government class.  As in, probably just as lame but without the Monty Python jokes.

Yes, my government teacher made Monty Python jokes in class.  Most of the MP loyal know from the Holy Grail the lines:

Sir Bedevere: "What makes you think that she's a witch?"
Pesant 3: "Well . . .She turned me into a newt!"
Sir Bedevere: "A newt?"
Pesant 3: [long, uncomfortable pause] "...I got better."

Well, of course we were talking about the former speaker of the house Newt Gingrich (do I even care if I spell his name correctly? not really).  This is what my teacher said"

"If you look at that picture in your book, you'll see that it's Newt Gingrich.  He used to be the speaker of the house, but as we like to say, 'Newt got better.'"

Now, in four periods of government with about 25 students each (so that's roughly 100 students total, give or take), I was the ONLY student who laughed.

Yup, I'm a dork.

Well, things in my family have been escalated from bad to worse now.  How bad?  I was nearly kicked out of the house on Wednesday night.  Yuppers, real fun times around here.

Also, to make matters worse was that my computer was stolen.  I was at school and working on homework in the student lounge when my cell phone rang.  I had to take the call outside because the wireless network interferes with recption but I figured my stuff was fine because I had left it unattended before.  There's usually a group of people in there and they watch out for other people's stuff.  When I came back to finish up my work, I found that someone had taken my computer.  Left the wireless internet adaptor and the power cords, just took the computer.  It's kind of funny really, becuase my computer wasn't that great.  It's a Pentium III with only a 20 GB hard drive, and a mediocre video card.  The main reason I use it is to do homework.  It's pretty worthless to someone other than me. 

So, expect less of me around here, folks.  I no longer have constant internet access and from here on out I'll be working on homework if I'm online.

I was shocked and saddened when I picked up my newspaper yesterday morning. Along with the usual headlines regarding the recent wildfires that are plaguing my fair state, the news that Steve Irwin, the great Aussie ambassador of nature, was dead graced the front page.

Struck down by a sting ray while filiming on the Great Barrier Reef. Well, I suppose it was a fitting way for him to depart. Doing what he loved to do so much. But it hurts to think what he'll miss. Bindi Sue and Bob growing up, graduating from high school, then college, getting married, having kids of their own. Anyone who met him said he was just as big in life as he was on TV.

I baby sit my younger siblings a lot, and some days it was hard to find something that we could watch on TV. The Crocodile Hunter was always there though, in some form or another.  I knew that I was getting interesting, educationly TV that wouldn't shock or offend my younger siblings.  They learned stuff.  Heck, I learned stuff.

My breath caught in my throat this afternoon, when I turned on my TV and started channel surfing.  On Animal Planet, a familiar gap-toothed grin peered out at me, and I realized, there would be no more.  I suppose Terry could try and carry on, I'm sure she's still running the zoo.  I don't know, though, she may take a little time and return to the Pacific Northwest for a while, and be with her parents to recoup.  All speculation though, I haven't heard anything about how she or the kids are doing.  I just hope that they're carrying on like I'm sure he wanted them to.

We are but mortals.  He was put on this earth to raise awareness for animal conservation.  And he did a helluva job while he was here.

Well, school started last week, but in talking to my advisor I found that I'm only two classes away from graduation.  That's right, only two more classes and then I have my B.A. in History.  Wow, it's kind of freaky, now that I think about it, but still way cool.

Other things I need to do is take my WEST-B and I think the WEST-E as well, and then start in on my application to graduate school, then work some in a class room.  I only have twenty more hours until the 80 hours are complete.  Time is flying.  Before too long I'll be writing to say that I have my teaching certificate and that I'm looking for a job, and won't *that* be weird!

Well, wish me luck.