solipsism at its best

Oh god, oh god, this photo freaks me out.

ok

Ok, I don't know how much coverage this is getting outside of our local area, but Santa Barbara is on fire. And it's pretty bad.

It started up in the foothills, and well, that's close. A lot of the north end of SB has been evacuated, and more is on evac warning.

N and I had a restless night last night because the evac warning zone (i.e. have everything packed up and ready to go at a moments notice) is literally one block away from us, and the mandatory evac zone (i.e. OMG get out now!) is only three blocks away. Our important belongings are by the door (while there is much I would be sad to leave behind, I am shocked by how little of what we have is irreplaceable. For me, it's some financial records, my computer, the doll I've had since I was born, and the contents of my purse.)

The cat is more distressed by the extreme heat than he is by the smell of burning, and he mostly lays down as flat as he can on the hardwood floor under the fan. (Hey, cat-owning friends, other than making sure he has plenty of water, etc. is there anything I can do to keep him cooler? I should shave him, y/y?) We brought his crate out "just in case" last night, which freaked him out, but as we didn't try to stuff him into it (yet) he seems to have resumed his under-the-fan-floor-laying, rather than cower under the bed.

Exciting times, these.

Why is it not quite stone-fruit season yet?

I am majorly craving peaches, nectarines, plums... *drool*

I have a question, dear LJ friends.

My friend is a good hairdresser, and she has (very sweetly) offered to cut my hair for free. This, therefore, is going to require a very nice tip on my part.

A haircut by her runs about... 40 dollars? Maybe 45? And (according to Google) a standard tip is about 20% (so, $8ish) but I want to know how much to tip on a free haircut! I was thinking maybe 20-25 dollars?

Thoughts?

Today is a friend's birthday party and we're going on the Land Shark which is going to be awesome.

Also, I'm ashamed to admit it, but I'm on the last of the Twilight series... anyone on my FL read them? If so, what did you think?

I am seriously craving a funfetti cupcake. Damn.

I've been having a bad itch to get some more ink... and now my sister just got another tatt, so it's only been made worse.

Yeah. Expensive and addicting habit.

The Gay Penguins are Daddies!

HUGE fire in the Santa Barbara Foothills/Montecito... Westmont (the college I attended for those who don't know) has been affected -- a dorm (probably Clark as it was on fire last night) has been destroyed, as well as possibly some other buildings. All of the students had been herded into the gym, and I assume they are all fine, as I've not heard otherwise... and that is something they'd report. ("Innocent Christian Youths Cooked in Own Gym Like Christmas Hams.")

Over 100 homes in the area are gone as well, and I haven't heard any reports on containment.

It's just so CLOSE! N and I are far enough away that we won't be directly affected unless something VERY strange happens -- but we could easily see huge flames from our porch. Friends have been evacuated from their homes. It's been raining ash since around 6 last night, and doesn't seem to be letting up.

If you are interested, updates can be found at http://www.independent.com

updated:
On the plus side, my office is closing at noon because there is NO ONE HERE so I get a half-day off, with pay!

Who has had experience with the GRE and/or CBEST-CSET test(s)?

I have to take ALL 3 of them by February... I'm generally quite good at standardized testing, but have never taken these particular exams and am worried I have bitten off more than I can chew.

Reassurances? Anecdotes? Help!

All of a sudden I'm really craving Greek food. Particularly tyropita/spanakopita and halloumi (the cheese that grills!)

Or some authentic aushak (which is not Greek, but Afghani) which N and I have tried to make, with limited success. Hard to make ravioli/dumpling like things when one of us can't eat gluten... and spring roll wrappers, while they did the trick, was not the same. More experimenting will be necessary.

Additionally, anyone have any experience with making gulyas? I ate lots of it at a restaurant when I was younger, but have no idea what made it so savory and delicious... and now that I want to try to make it Google has so many variations that I'm a bit overwhelmed.

If you are on my friends list, I want to know 36 things about you.
I don't care if we never talk, or if we already know everything about each other.
Short and sweet is fine... you're on my list, so I want to know you better!

Comment here and repost a blank one on your own journal.

01) Are you currently in a serious relationship?
02) What was your dream growing up?
03) What talent do you wish you had?
04) If I bought you a drink what would it be?
05) Favorite vegetable?
06) What was the last book you read?
07) What zodiac sign are you?
08) Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? Explain where.
09) Worst Habit?
10) If you saw me walking down the street would you offer me a ride?
11) What is your favorite sport?
12) Do you have a Pessimistic or Optimistic attitude?
13) What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?
14) Worst thing to ever happen to you?
15) Tell me one weird fact about you.
16) Do you have any pets?
17) What if I showed up at your house unexpectedly?
18) What was your first impression of me?
19) Do you think clowns are cute or scary?
20) If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?
21) Would you be my crime partner or my conscience?
22) What color eyes do you have?
23) Ever been arrested?
24) Bottle or can soda?
25) If you won $10,000 today, what would you do with it?
26) Favorite band to listen to when you're mad?
27) What's your favorite place to hang out at?
28) Do you believe in ghosts?
29) Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
30) Do you swear a lot?
31) Biggest pet peeve?
32) In one word, how would you describe yourself?
33) Do you believe/appreciate romance?
34) Favourite and least favourite food?
35) Do you believe in God?
36) Will you repost this so I can fill it out and do the same for you?

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Marilyn!

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

Yep. That pretty well sums up how I feel at this point in my life...

This inspired me today...

( read it )

Saw an excellent documentary last night -- Super Amigos. It's about some men in Mexico City who use masked Lucha Libre/superhero personas to be activists for causes they are passionate about. It was really inspiring and heartwarming.

Netflix doesn't have it yet, but they will. I recommend that everyone see it.

Apparently N ate loads of dairy yesterday, and his stomach is fine...

I can't keep up with his dietary restrictions! (Or lack thereof.)

On the plus side, cheese is apparently allowed back in our diets. YAY!

Cramps suck. That is all.

Yesterday was N's last day as a dog-walker! Huzzah! We went out and got cheap sushi and drinks... am a bit hungover today as a result. Oh well, it was a celebration.

So... now what?

Truth be told, I'm not exactly sure. But that's ok. The selling of the business was our main obstacle to the next step, and that part's taken care of. Now we have the freedom to explore our options, which is exciting.

So yesterday N dislocated his baby toe. He was rock-hopping on the beach, slipped, and out it came... which was, apparently, excruciating. N being N, though, he popped it back into place, got the dog he was walking (Moose) and hobbled back to the car. Once at the car, though, Moose (a big Doberman) stepped on N's foot and he screamed aloud, startling the other people around.

He's been icing it, keeping it taped up so that it doesn't move, etc. and it seems to be doing a bit better this morning -- though half of his foot is now streaked with purple. It's very special.

There's a couple of funny things about this, though:
1. It's a pinkie toe. You wouldn't really think that it would affect him that much, but it's very painful to walk on at the moment. Smallest little body part = huge impact

2. Huge impact, partially because he WALKS for a living right now. Which is now very difficult. This is funny because in exactly 6 days, he will no longer be a dog-walker. In 6 days he could dislocate all his damn toes and it wouldn't make a difference. Right now? Just at the END of his dog-walking career? Hobbling around. Irony or just Murphy's Law?

http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/article750838.ece

A story about a girl who was so severely neglected that she is "feral." They called it environmental autism... she can't speak, couldn't walk, is just beginning to learn to use a electronic voice machine... she was in diapers up until recently (she's about 9 now?) and before she was taken away from her mother they were often filthy diapers.

Kind of like Charlotte (my favorite of the SpEd kids I worked with) really, except that Char can eat solid food and use the bathroom by herself. Oh, and that Char was born the way she is -- not MADE that way.

I just can't believe anyone could be as deluded as this poor girl's biological mother is. Calls to CPS to report her leaving her daughter with her developmentally disabled son being used as proof that she wasn't neglectful, because she left her son in charge? Fuck that.