Penny Arcade has been grating on me more and more lately, and this kind of makes me want to stop reading there altogether. They are not PC gamers. Which is fine--if you want to play console games, play console games. But stop having idiotic opinions about PCs, okay?

You know what's wrong with Windows 7? It has to follow up on Vista. And you know what's wrong with Vista? NOTHING, GODDAMMIT. If you use it on a computer that doesn't struggle even to run XP, or a computer with decent components in general, Vista is a perfect freaking system. I upgraded to Windows 7 because we got a good deal on it and really, why not, because 7 is a perfect freaking system. So, after using Vista, what did I expect from Windows 7? Well, let's see. Functionality, security, smooth interface, fast response time... funny how I get exactly that!

While I'm ranting on the subject... let's watch Mac ads!

How do I not vomit while watching this? "I feel like I've heard this before, PC." Oh, so Macs never released OS X, then? OS 9 wasn't an improvement on system 8? System 8 didn't improve on 7? 7 was in no way an improvement on 6? You find fault with a company releasing new operating systems? Stop doing it, then. By the way, what about charging for point releases? That's a nice trick.

At least this one isn't an outright lie! Although it is just plain misleading. Customer satisfaction? You're not directly competing. Compare customer satisfaction of people buying a Mac from Apple to customer satisfaction of people buying a PC from Microsoft. What? You can't? Awwww. That's like saying a car is #1 in its class when its class is one car big. Oh, and backing up your stuff so that you can format your computer and install a fresh OS? You mean you wouldn't have to somehow get all your files from your old PC to your new Mac if you bought one? You... you would? But she just hands the guy her box! That's totally easier than installing a system that keeps all your old files for you and getting a fresh start with a system that's familiar to you! I especially like this user comment: "If you keep buying PC then your retarded."

And then for some reason they did they exact same ad again, with different people. Lazy, I guess. I understand that one of their points is, "as long as you have to make a fresh start, why not make it with Mac?" However, again, your files can be backed up for you. That's as easy as it gets.

Same old conclusion: If you like Macs, use Macs. If you like PCs, use PCs. But oh for the love of god, I wish Apple would stop making commercials based on lies and misdirection. Extol your virtues--don't make up shit about the other guy. But hey. I guess I'm overly idealistic. That's how I'd like politics to be run, too.

Sigh. I've been delaying posting because my update is "there's nothing to update, boo-urns."

I talked to the apartment manager (she and her husband have lived here for over a decade, in another building), who told me several things.

First, hearing that much detail from the bedroom is normal. She regaled me with many stories of the things she can hear from her bed, which included "old woman farting in her sleep." Thrilling.

Second, she said that she is a bit wary of making noise in her own bedroom, too, because she knows how clearly sounds transmit. She is often shushing her husband, apparently.

Third, she said I shouldn't be paranoid of making noise in my own home and not to worry in the slightest.

After I headdesked a while, I gave up and am trying to get used to it. But late at night, the guy next door coughs and it still wakes me up. I'm still too self-conscious to do anything in the bed besides fall asleep, and that includes innocent things like reading. I don't know how, exactly, to get used to the fact that strangers could hear me fart.

I went to Pismo Beach recently for a cousin's wedding, and I saw my family, and it was a pretty fun trip. I also got to play our Articulate for the first time since we bought it. Woo!

True to form, I failed spectacularly at taking any photos of the wedding or reception--helped by me leaving my camera in my room, of course. I figured other people would take better photos anyway. And half the people I was with hate having their photo taken. I'm counting me in that list.

But we went to Morro Bay the next day, and I did take pictures of that, because it was so pretty and full of wildlife. If "wildlife" can include seagulls, anyway. There were a ton.

( Photos! )

Look, I can't help myself.

( Two images )

...my "silly" bunny scares me now. What was I thinking?

Champions Online was released a few weeks ago, and I loooooove it. It's all the good parts of City of Heroes without the bad parts (death penalty, anyone?). Extreme flexibility in all areas--character creator, power choices, power appearance, name choice (you can have *any* name, as long as it doesn't break their rules; the unique part of your name is the semi-hidden account handle).

So, since that's been taking up a nice chunk of my time, and because I'm addicted to screenshots...

( Many pictures, some large! )

Also, I'm trying out the google-pays-me ads. Since I also want to develop my own site and host google ads on that, I figured it was a good test for me.

How much will it bug people if I just post about my games? Because that's mostly what's filling my days with joy lately. ;)

I have a poll for you to take to help me decide which dog to get in Free Realms.

( Pictures and poll beneath )

And I also have some pictures from Free Realms! I'm still playing that game and you all should too dammit. They have a prize wheel that you can spin at least once a day. It's super awesome. Someone said they won an octopus hat (like what this guy is wearing), so that's my goal.

( Pictures of my cat... I mean, my lion )

I finished knitting my first octopus today. (Complete info is up on my ravelry, mostly progress shots and you have to be a member; it's free, but I think they still have a sign-up queue. Absolutely recommend it for people who knit or crochet.)

( Two shots of the octopus plus someone else for sizing )

I need sock yarn and heavy laceweight yarn and lots of buttons. Buttons! Sigh. I have so many ideas and not nearly enough material to get through them. I'm pretty sure I could do socks--magic loop, not DPNs, still can't do DPNs--but I don't actually have sock yarn. Mostly because I've never thought I could do socks. It's a dilemma.

I wonder if I could knit hammocks with some of the nasty acrylic yarn I have. Or would rat feet get caught in the stitches?

Corvus died today. He was very, very old and he looked it, and today he fell asleep and didn't wake up. I'm very glad that he had such a long life, and I'm very glad we got to know him. He was so sweet to us, and loved us, and we loved him.

I found my Denise interchangeable needle set! That was lost to me for so long! It had fallen behind something in my yarn cabinet. I only found it because I was taking out my beading supplies--I haven't even looked at those in aaaaages.

I want to make an abacus row counter bracelet if I can. At the least, I get to look at all my pretty beads. ^_^ And I might take apart some of the earrings and whatnot I had previously made, to get at the beads on them. Pity that I have so many great beads hanging out somewhere else... probably my old closet in Washington! Ah well. Yay pretties that I haven't seen in years. It's like looking at old friends. In tiny bead form.

I also found a Gryffindor scarf, which I made, years ago. I have noooooooo idea what to do with it. I'm not into Harry Potter. I guess I can post it to Ravelry sometime. Boring new content is still new content?

My neighbors mooooooooooved.

Perhaps it would be more accurate to say they are gone. They left. They have moved on to a better place. Better for them, anyway. I understand that their "better place" is also known as "rehab."

Hahahahahahaha. I would pity the woman, who supposedly was perfectly nice until her older boyfriend corrupted her, but I'm too busy laughing loudly and dancing and generally being thrilled.

Okay, body, stop being sick. It's tiresome.

My rats are good. I'm a bit worried about Corny; he's sneezing some lately. Might try a new vet and get some Baytril for him.

I had Panda Express today, and it was heavenly. Their orange chicken is so remarkable. I think they might make it with ambrosia. I have leftovers--gonna go eat them soon, yay.

Ahhh, I suck at this "whatever, just update" thing.

But on the plus side, I can ask--does anyone have the Smashing Pumpkins song "The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning"? It's a B-side... it's not "The End is the Beginning is the End," which I don't like at all, actually. It's more popularly known as "that song from the Watchmen trailer."

I saw Watchmen recently. Oh mannnnn, I wish I'd seen it in theaters! I want a Dr. Manhattan.

I don't really update that much, and yet I'm here every day. I should really post random things more often, just to post, to get use out of this thing.

Cornelius is back in with his brothers. He's healed up really nicely. And I have a possible new vet lined up. It's a more expensive vet, but given how many we've tried, maybe the cost is worth it.

And now, photos!

( Cornelius demonstrating just how happy he is )

( My new glasses and new haircut )

Rat owners please help me =(

http://community.livejournal.com/ratties/7317277.html

I feel like I should know all this stuff, the obvious solution, but I am so so so stressed about this and I think I don't know how to... think.

Goddammit, I am so sick and tired of my neighbors. The walls have always let through some sound--microwaves, phones, Rock Band, but in small ways. Never bothered me until a few weeks ago, when I was jolted awake by screaming. Shrieking, really. Rhythmic shrieking. Once I got over the initial "is someone killing a woman?" thing, I was aghast. I didn't know people could have sex so loud outside of movies. And they argue. So. Much. I guess tv is right, passion is passion, because even though they obviously hate each other (seriously: so much arguing, daily arguing, generally twice a day at least, which I can often hear clearly), they have so much sex. And the woman is porn loud. Even when she's just talking, she's loud. Her voice pierces, but mostly, she's just one of those people who obviously lacks a volume control. The people who sound like they're on cell phones all the time.

What's weird is they didn't just move in. They've been here a while. They used to argue sometimes, but now it and the sex are a daily thing. I considered that maybe she just started having an affair, but given the hours they have sex at, I somehow doubt it.

It's past 1 AM now and I've been driven out of my room. I'm in the other room with the door shut and I can hear them! Well, HER. I just want to sleep, for the love of god. I was sick today (which I somewhat suspect is due to me having no good sleep last night, only a few hours of waking up abruptly to them laughing and fighting and talking--from 2-5 AM). I'm not saying my life is entirely soundless, no, but at least I don't shriek and bang against the damn wall, or argue so loudly that anyone can make out the details. And as funny as it is to hear "I'm calling the cops! GOD! You're so CHILDISH!" I would really rather skip it!

I'm going to check on the bedroom--I had to put on music to block out the sex sound even out here--and if they're still at it, I guess I'll spend the rest of the time looking up how to soundproof my fucking wall.

Ha. Ha. Isn't that a FUN PUN.

edit--yeah, they weren't done. So I googled, and holy hell, we cannot afford that. I haven't even gone out to buy a new computer chair when mine is killing my back because we just spent money upgrading my computer and maybe that was stupid but they weren't having loud sex then!

Corvus is still living alone. I'm worried about him. He's so obviously grieving. Sometimes I think he's looking for Arcturus. But he seldom leaves his hammock. I actually had to trick him into leaving the hammock on the lower level so I could trap him on the upper level, where the water bottle is. He didn't eat or drink for days, except when I held baby food up to his hammock to entice him. He's taking water now, and he doesn't seem dehydrated at all. He is too skinny, but he's such an old man; he's been getting skinnier for months. But he's bony! He does eat his food, but not that much of it. I've been giving him baby food, but just having baby food isn't enough--I want him to have more food than just that.

I haven't tried intros at all--maybe I should, just to get him to be more active. But he's so scared so often! His eyes get so big if we "kidnap" him away from his safe area. And yet he really wants to be with us; he'll leap onto me sometimes... but then leap back into his cage because it's so scary to be out. Poor old boy. And since he eats so rarely, I want him to have food available at all times, and if I put all four rats together... he won't have food. They basically eat it all straight away; they never save any for later. I can't have them eating his food when he already eats so rarely. He needs food present in his cage at all times, just in case he gets hungry.

So maybe I should try intros, despite his obvious fear of different things, because maybe it'll shock him into... new habits... I don't know, though. I'm too worried. I try to talk to him often and pet him and feed him treats (he'll *always* take yogies!) but I think he's lonely. But he's scared and so delicate and doesn't eat enough! Maybe the blue boys would surprise me and act tender and sweet toward him, but... I doubt it, based on what I've seen with them before. (I adore them and think they're 100% perfect, but they haven't been very positive about the idea of my other rats!)

Poor Corvus. I'm not sure what to do.

It was an awful day for all of us. We took Arcturus to be put to sleep. I can't handle into details right now, because I'm already on the verge of crying again, but basically everything went wrong all within the space of hours and we had to find someplace that would do euthanasia on a rat the right way. The right way is anesthesia, then intraperitoneal injection, so the injection doesn't hurt. His usual vet just does an injection, and apparently it costs $110-130 more to get anesthesia. This is a ridiculous price so we had to abruptly try to find an alternate vet, preferably one that already uses that method without having to be prompted. I mean good god, the whole point is to be kind, and on a rat, that injection is like a rapier to the stomach. We finally found an emergency vet, and they don't normally see rats there, but euthanasia is a pretty simple process. They didn't give him a high enough dose at first, though, so it took too long. I wish I had a time sense. I honestly couldn't tell you if it was five minutes or thirty-five, but we asked for a second dose and that was it. Arcturus did eat three yogies after the first injection, which makes me feel both good and horrible. He never turned down food. He even woke up to finish off the third when we thought he was already asleep. He was so strong, but there was just too much wrong, so fast, and even though I knew it was coming and I hope he's better off, I still can't sleep right. I miss him and I'm so worried about Corvus. His brother has always been with him. And I don't know what to do if the others die sometime, because we live in an apartment and it turns out the regular vet charges $20 just for disposal, god. The e-vet didn't charge for that. They were really nice and it was very clean and the woman who took Arcturus from me was very sweet. I told her "I know he's gross but he's been so good" and she said "oh, no, he's a good boy," and cradled him and petted his fur. I feel awful and I have to plan ahead better and maybe get a new vet but it's a bit too much to handle right now.

I woke up today, rested, and realized that I practically sleepwalked through yesterday. Also, I lost time--I ate dinner pretty early and then four hours passed without me realizing it. Maybe I dozed off. Or got kidnapped by aliens. Hmm, I don't feel probed....

I didn't get much sleep on Friday or Saturday; we got up really early to go to breakfast in Redondo, then stayed up late to catch a 12:45 IMAX of Star Trek, then slept on a friend's couch. So I didn't sleep enough this weekend. Fun being a zombie, though.

( Thoughts on Star Trek, not really spoilers, but I'm cutting to be polite )

( And Wolverine, with a rant about how they ruined a character, so, spoilers )

The Office is on and I love this show but I can't take it anymore, man, I'm being smothered in awkward!

--

One of the chicks in Charmed* said something the other day that's been bugging me. She had been pregnant for about a week, and she said that you never really know how much your mother loves you until you become a mother yourself.

That is just a load of tripe. My mom is awesome. I know how much my parents love me because of things like a) them telling me, and b) them showing me. So what the hell, Piper. Stop saying things about my mom. ;P


* Everyone is allowed one amazingly crappy show to watch.

--

I've been reading to Derek in the car sometimes, on longer journeys. Hee. We've gone through several books. I'm reading one of Diane Duane's wizard books now (number 3) because it's a cute modern fantasy series. We also went through C. S. Friedman's Coldfire trilogy, and Peeps, and... I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting something.

I think that I enjoy reading aloud so much because my parents used to read to me before bedtime. Well, it's probably why I enjoy reading, period. One of the main reasons, anyway. I associate reading with love, or something. My mom was fantastic at reading to me. When I got older and we moved into Real Books (ones with more than twenty pages), I used to leap in at the pauses between sentences and ask, "What does this word mean?" I usually knew the definitions just fine. But I loved hearing her explain the words to me. I'd even scan ahead a little to look for a word long enough that it'd be believable for me not to know what it meant.

I haven't read Where the Red Fern Grows in years, but I need to buy it. My mom was the person who read it to me and I think if I read it now, I might be able to hear her voice in my head.