Alexandria's Realm

Lists of Ladies

2009-11-18T05:45:40Z

I don't know why I felt like making a list, but I did. Here is The Fictitious Women I like Alphabet – it’s hard to pick just one for each letter, and one for some letters. try it yourself.

Alice – Twilight
Bellatrix – Harry Potter
Callisto - Xena
Demona – Gargoyles
Emma - Xmen
Faith - Buffy
Gabrielle - xena
Heather - CSI
Ivy – Dead Witch Walking
Janette – Forever Knight
Kathryn – “Janeway” Voyager
Lucy – D.E.B.S.
Morticia – Adams Family
Nellie Lovett – Sweeney Todd
Oracle - Batman
Pam – The Southern Vampire Mysteries
Q – the female “Q” on Voyager
Raven – “Mystique” Xmen
Seven - voyager
Tonks – Harry Potter
U
Victoria - Twilight
Willow – Buffy
Xena - Xena
Y
Z

alexandria24 @ 2009-11-16T22:51:00

2009-11-17T06:51:44Z

I have decided that I love the Legend of Zelda on the Wii more than I ever loved that game as a kid. It is a bit concerned though that the game keeps track of how much time you waste playing it.

Wii game questions

2009-11-02T15:27:43Z

Okay, I bought a Wii, played with the game that came with it a bit and immediately decided I needed new games. The first game I bought and unwrapped, took me to the end of the first level to not be able to figure out what I m supposed to do. I bought Marvel Superhero Squad, and I can't figure out how to open a door and release the prisoners. It's rather embarrassing, as kids probably have no trouble.

Where do we go for Wii game tips that answer the really simple questions?

alexandria24 @ 2009-10-25T10:35:00

2009-10-25T17:38:43Z

Well, with Yahoo closing Geocities I had to move my site. I really waited until the last minute, but Iâ€™d like to announce my new address is:

www.realmofimagination.co.uk

While my work is up, I still have to work on the look of it all. It is merely functional at this point. In doing a bit of thinking about the look I noticed that my graphics were designed for a resolution few use anymore. I dont plan for a graphics heavy site, aside from the Comics section that isnt up yet, but I do plan to have my ˜banner on every page.

It would be nice to have banners that have graphics of

- Xmen (characters used are Mystique, Emma, Sage, Ororo, Kitty, Jean, Dani, Rogue, and minor characters in my fics are also good to use.)

- Gargoyles (characters used are Demona, Elisa, Fox, Delilah, Angela, Hyena, Robyn)

- Buffy (Willow)

- Twlight (Alice)

These can be character specific banners or group shots, they could be fandom specific or cross fandom.

I was wondering if those good at Photoshop and might like a Banner Challenge. I would like to be able to trade off my banner regularly. The understanding is that once these jpgs are given to me I get to use them. I'll be honest, and not every banner will be used. Only the ones that fit my criteria, and the feel of my site will. No naked characters please, even though that might fit a few stories.

The Banners would:
- be 1000 x 80 pixels (exactly, they all need to be the same to be able to switch them out),

- have the words "The Realm" and "Alexandria presents" or "Alexandria's Realm" or "The Realm of Imagination"

- The main background color of the graphic will be black, as the page it will go on will be black.

- Have enough going on in the banner (pics and words) to be visually interesting, but the words do stand out enough to identify the site.

This banner will be placed in a frame on the top of the website, on a black page,

Please email me the banners. All banners will be displayed on a banner page starting today up until December 25th, when I will hopefully have all the banners I will be getting and will work out the overall look of my site.

Web Hosting Needed

2009-10-19T14:51:46Z

Well, I've waited until I can't wait anymore. I need to make a new website. I found this 'consumer report' type page and I want cheap as can be. Anyone have opinions on the web hosting here? I don't want so cheap it will look like crap.

http://webhostinggeeks.com/

If you know of other hosting please let me know, but I don't want to pay much, definitely not over $10, even $5 if I can get away with it. I also want control over how it looks, so no cut and paste websites.

Swine flu anyone?

2009-10-15T04:36:23Z

I have this week off of work and planned to do a lot of cleaning up in the garage. I got sick on my first day off, not horribly sick, but I will not be in a cold garage at all this week.

I've been sicker before, even this year, which is why I think it is a little funny that I really think I have the swine flu. I looked up my symptoms, and know of someone whose kid is ill with it, and I think it is me, and sadly my mom. She's doing really well too. Not sure if my dad has it, he never complains.

So my plans for an uber productive clean house this week turned into a TIVO marathon, and some straightening up inside. I have a slight headache from the fever, and occassional nausea, but for the most part I feel okay. Still I hide away from the outside world, because it seems the right thing to do. But I really had wanted to do more than this with my time off. Lame.

I wanted to update where I've been as I try to pick my next vacation

2009-10-13T05:39:31Z

<img src="http://www.world66.com/myworld66/visitedStates/statemap?visited=CAFLIDILINLANENVNYORTXWAWY"><br/>

I hope the map works. I am currently playing with ideas for a trip next April, and thought it couldn't hurt to see where I've been. I feel like I've seen most of the states I might be interested in already, but this map is rather uncolored still.

On top of what I've selected here I've been to Canada - Vancouver and Montreal, and Mexico - Puerto Vallarta and Cancun.

I think my trip to Cancun, even during the time of the swine flu panic, was the best one. I never hung out on a beach like that, and it was great.

my tattoo, the day after it was done

2009-07-16T19:16:15Z

I had promised a few people I'd post a pic, and haven't done it yet. Here is my Mystique as a Mermaid tattoo, done on my left calf. It is my only tattoo, and is rather large for a beginner.

this is the first time I've posted a pic, hope it works.

Do you have tattoos? What of? Post a pic if it is appropriate, and we'll all share.

I lost my mind

2009-07-12T05:00:46Z

Years ago, like when I was twenty, I decided i wanted a tattoo, but never got one. Lately, I finally made an appointment, and decided to go with a Mystique inspired mermaid. Today I went in to have it done

Okay, I thought it would hurt more, but for the most part it felt like I was just being scratched pretty hard, that is unless it was near bone... then I gripped the arm of the chair and did my best not to move. I thought of my brother, who has two large tattoos and isn't a very tough guy. Funny when sibling rivalry works for you, I wasn't gonna be a bigger wimp than my brother about this, and I powered through.

My tattoo looks great, and it's on my leg. I was there for a long time, and watched grown men grit their teeth as well, so I feel pretty proud of myself. I didn't almost cry like one guy, but then he was getting his chest tattoo'd. He was crazy.

funny thing was one guy brought his parents, who looked like they were coming in from bible study for a tattoo support session. Now, nothing overly wrong with that, but it seemed an odd place to find them, and I loved the way the father's face pinched up listening to the tattoo artists talk like sailors. Still, when my tattoo was done the parents wanted to see it too, and I modeled my tattoo for them.

Frenzied Activity and a Question about Questions

2008-11-16T19:56:23Z

I've not updated my website in what looks to be over 2 years, and for no apparent reason I woke up at 5am yesterday with that on my mind. Instead of going back to bed I sat at the computer, hunting down all fics I've done in the past 6 years. I reorganized my files, and then proceeded to work on the website. I must have put in over 16 hours in the one day. It's really all I did Saturday, aside from 3 brief moving about breaks, and a couple go to the kitchen for a snack breaks. I'm never this focused, so I didn't fight it.

It is almost done aside from an update/intro page and my desire to know how people have rotating (changing) pictures on some websites. I found an older website with graphics I'd like to include on the update page, without having to manually switch them to make the look 'fresh'.

Finding ways to deal with pictures will take research, but I have questions about the page that shows up first. I was considering having a section for 'where these stories came from' if people care about my inspiration for ideas. It would be more interesting than "Hi, I'm Princess Alexandria and this is my work" What do people think would be interesting to include on that first page? Something people might actually want to read.

alexandria24 @ 2008-08-22T14:18:00

2008-08-22T21:23:20Z

Here is what is going on over here. I've been accepted into the Writers Group and it will start in October sometime. That means I'm gonna really push to finish up some of my ongoing stories before then, and I'll start thinking of new original fic ideas to determine what I want to work on first.

I've also been approved to attend a conference for work in October, a fun one, over the weekend of my birthday.

I'm hoping for a better october this year than the past two. October is normally one of my favorite months, but the past two years have held some job woes that left me tense and twitchy. Here is to an October full of good things *please* because it looks so promising now.

PS. I am so stoked about the writers group I bought myself a little black book to keep plot ideas in, when I get some.

My Writers Autobiography

2008-08-14T00:28:17Z

I was asked for an autobiography and given no real criteria, so it was up for grabs what I focused on. I would like for people to read this as if it was a story and give me feedback on what works and what doesn't. I'm hoping it's amusing and interesting, if not warn me now.

My Inspiration – Melody Griggs
I was introduced to the world of science fiction and fantasy by Wonder Woman and the Bionic Woman while I was very young. These strong women drew my attention and I watched both shows avidly. Once my ability to read developed beyond picture books with a few sentences on each page I ventured into the library and spent my entire youth there. That was where I discovered books came in science fiction and fantasy. I tried the other flavors, but those were the ones I liked the best.

I tore through Piers Anthony, Robert Heinlein, and various other authors as I spent beautiful sunny days inside, listening to my mother tell me I should put the books down and go outside to play. I tried listening to her once, but I found that if I brought the books outside with me the sun glared too much off of the pages to read, so I went back inside.

Now, as I was working my way through the library book by book, I was also discovering that I loved all the writing assignments given in class. When creative writing became an option for me, I signed up. I spent my time before work, during breaks, and yes, even sitting outside in the sun, writing. I found that I could write even in the glare of sunlight, and I spent a lot of time in the Burger King playground, where I worked, writing short stories I was eager to share.

It was my senior year in high school. I was finally able to take the classes I wanted. I had a job, a car, I had it all. I started to collect books, because I could drop money on them easily now. I had time to write, because I only worked enough hours to pay for gas and books.

It was during that senior year that I found a book that changed the way I thought about books. Friday by Robert Heinlein came to me just as I was struggling with my own sexuality, and a few words, a small subplot, absorbed all my attention. I had read hundreds of novels by this time, but I’d never seen one with the main female character having any attraction to another female. I picked the book up because it had a strong female character, which was sadly more rare at the time than you’d think. I read that book more than once because it had a lesbian attraction. I recommended it to friends, I went and bought it with my hard earned money, and I started to get ready for graduation.

I left high school with the intention of reading more, doing more, and dreams of all the spare time I’d have. College pretty much disillusioned me quickly. It was college that stopped my rapid consumption of the written word. I found that if I had time to read, I really should read that chapter in my history book. If I had time to write, I really should write that essay on adolescent development. When the summer came I really should work more so I could afford to not work so much during school. Free time was officially dead.

It took me a while to go through college. I stumbled my way through my Associates degree while learning about balancing school, work and a relationship. I marched uphill through my Bachelor’s degree, dragging so many books behind me I also learned what a chiropractor was. By the time I was working on my Master’s degree, I felt like I was crawling through glass to get it, because the lack of free time had become a habit, rather than a temporary situation, and I didn’t even know how to relax anymore.

When graduation came I found myself with a full time job after a few months, and a fear of free time. I didn’t know what that strange creature was anymore. I panicked at the thought of sitting in a room alone with it. The one thing I’d anticipated while graduating from high school had become a monster of potential boredom to me after graduating with my Masters. It took me a while to even try and remember what my plans had been for this type of time.

I remembered I wanted to read. It seemed like a good idea, and I had money for books, more than ever, so I wandered into the biggest bookstore I could find. I expected for the books to embrace me, because I had been their lifelong friend. What I got instead was depressing, and rather upsetting. I wanted a quality science fiction or fantasy book like Friday. I wanted a book with at least some lesbian or bisexual characters, even if they were minor, because seeing them there made me feel validated and strong. I wanted books with strong female characters, and it had been years so surely someone wrote something to fit all these criteria.

I couldn’t find them. I tried reading other genres, which did have some rather strong women and occasionally the types of relationships I wanted to read more about, but they bored me. I found a rare shelf in the bookstore with what they called “lesbian fiction” but the stories were not anywhere near the quality I’d grown up expecting. I pushed myself through the shelves, until I finally just gave up. I decided that I just wasn’t a reader anymore.

It was rather strange to me, to not be a reader, and part of me rebelled against that idea. I had very specific tastes, and the internet, while not young, was starting to show promise. I found fanfiction. At first I thought it was a bit odd, but looking through the list of shows, comics, and cartoons that people had written stories about I recognized some. Boredom meant I had nothing better to do so I starting looking at what was out there and I found stories with characters I knew, and even better, some had lesbian relationships. Some were even written better than the few books I’d purchased filled with hope, only to be disappointed.

I read like I hadn’t read since high school. My computer screen illuminated my room well into the night, and occasionally I’d see the sun rising while I read. I was tired, but happy. I wasn’t bored. I read every story based on characters I knew, I read stories based on characters I’d never heard of. I read in all my spare time.

Reading like this, I should have known that eventually, I would run out of things to read. This happened a week before I had a weeklong vacation from work coming. I had unimaginable amounts of free time approaching and my panic at the thought of that when I had nothing to read inspired another old idea. In high school I’d told myself that I would write. That had been a long time ago at that point, and as I sat there staring at my computer, silently begging any of those people out there who wrote to get to work, I realized I’d become a leech. I sucked up the stories of other people, and they inspired thoughts in me, but I shared nothing.

Thinking about my lack of contributions, knowing that I could write, I had been able to in the past, and that I wasn’t writing actually inspired some guilt in me. I complained that there weren’t enough stories out there that fit my criteria, but I didn’t do anything about it. That was the moment that brought me back to a dream I had since the second grade, and one I just never pursued. I could be a writer.

I started my first story since high school over a spring break. It was well received, but looking back at it now, it was also convoluted and the characters were a bit too immature. I learned a lot from that never ending story that I spent years on and wrote over a half million words for. I learned a lot about what not to do.

In supporting my new thrilling pastime, I found a new thing to do during lunch. I took creative writing classes. My main goal when I started that was to develop the habit of writing. That was all too successful. I now write more than I ever read before, and I have written several short stories and several novel length stories, but all of them are fanfiction.

I started writing fanfiction to add to what was out there and to develop my skills a bit more so I’d feel confident writing something original. Some of the benefits of writing fanfiction are that you are able to get chapter by chapter feedback as you post them. You can write and post as you go, which is how I write. I start at the beginning and write to the end, having the story develop subconsciously so that I am even surprised at what happens. I start with a character and that character develops the plot. I learned a lot about myself with this, including I like having fans.

Having fans was a double edged sword. I loved them, they had wonderful things to say about what I spent my free time doing. Their words inspired me to write more so they’d have more to say. This is the trap of fanfiction, and I now know several good writers, who like me, are trapped like this. We aren’t writing original pieces, because our fanfiction is doing so well.

I have always wanted to have my name on a book. For a while I told myself that my particular type stories just didn’t get published and while that wasn’t comforting, it was a way to maintain course. I kept that up and continued to write fanfiction, thinking there just weren’t publishers who would fit me if I tried, until someone told me to read Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison. That was when I realized how times had changed, and that I was just lying to myself out of laziness. Kim Harrison wrote a book with strong women, fantasy, and some lesbian attraction and it wasn’t just one book. It was a whole series. And it wasn’t some poorly done backwoods publisher who was willing to risk publishing it. She had what I wanted.

I discovered Kim Harrison just this last December. Her success has haunted me since, and inspired me as well. My excuses just don’t hold up to the proof that what I write is publishable now. I have a strongly developed habit of writing, I’ve built up my skills and just by practice learned what some of my pitfalls are so I can watch for them. It’s time for me to write my own characters in my own worlds.

vacations

2008-05-10T02:42:33Z

Well, my plans for the Gathering of the Gargoyles fell through. I tend to say that a lot I guess, but while I like the cartoon I just don't see the point of going if my roommates aren't there.

I did console myself with a vacation, to San Antonio and then, guess what? Chicago. I will be in chicago, but i am just a week too early to make the gathering. It is when I could make everything work. I was a bit disappointed in that, but I do get to see Wicked now.

I'm bringing my mom, so as I was shelling out serious money for this trip I had to keep reminding myself that was for 2 people. It wasn't too expensive for just me, but I don't vacation alone. Now I feel broke. I hope that emotional pain from giving up my money is gone before we leave, because I know I'll shell out more money then.

why oh why don't my plans with friends ever work? I miss them. And I miss half the money this vacation is costing me.

Selfish sounding aren't I?

witchcraft

2008-02-10T19:12:26Z

Okay, first let me tell you a little about my office before I share some encounters I've had with parents because of my decorating. I have a corner of a large room as my office, and it is cut off as separate by a cabinet and a file cabinet that act as "walls". I've put up a small picture of Mystique on one wall. I also put up a poster of Wicked, the musical, and two pictures by Tim Wistrom.

One day I was talking with a parent and student about the fact that they'd need to join our sister program on the main campus. they were asking about specific information, and I told them that the other program had "mutated" so I couldn't tell them much because they were no longer just like my program. The mother made a crack about the Xmen, and I thought that was rather cool and I Pointed to Mystique and she seemed to get it. One positive encounter.

The other day I was talking with another parent and child and the mother glanced at my wall. I wasn't fully looking at her at the time, but I did notice a moment of alarm on her face, before she actually asked me in a harsh tone "Do you practice Witchcraft!". Oh my god, I was impressed I didn't stare at her in disbelief too long. Instead I explained it was a poster for a play I wanted to see and I'd heard the music was terrific. I also told her it was a story based on the Wizard of Oz. What I didn't say was that I didn't see how that would matter if I did, even though I didn't. I didn't talk about the freedom of religion we all have, and didn't make a big deal of it. I just don't get why it matters. Magic isn't real, so I wouldn't be putting "spells" on her darling children.

Can you believe it? I was actually asked if I was a Witch.

New Orleans

2008-02-06T03:46:31Z

Okay, I have a vacation scheduled in New Orleans in March. The flight and hotel are booked. Does anyone have suggestions on what is good to DO in New Orleans? I'll be there from March 20th to the 24th, and I only drink a little. There has to be more to the place right?

snow dance

2008-01-29T05:02:37Z

I want a bonus day off work so bad I wonder if the children doing a snow dance in Gig Harbor want help. Does anyone know the snow dance? Do you remember it? The anticipation the night before of so much snow you could sleep in the next day, but when it does snow you are too excited to sleep in? The bonus day to do whatever you like, as long as it's in your own yard or inside, because you can't go anywhere.

As children we all learn the chants, and the prayers, for our bonus day off. I'm here to tell you that as an adult in education, it is still never far from my heart. Few can wake up in the morning and listen to the radio to hear if work has been cancelled that day. I love it.

Snow days are guiltless days off, because you know that even if you'd braved the elements and went to work, no one would need you. You can relax, because there are no stacks being added to the inbox on your desk because no one else is there to do that to you. They do it mercilessly when you are on vacation or out sick, but on a snow day... no on a snow day work just stops. It's magical.

But the mornings where you expect a snow day and you wake up to green grass and trees, those are truly depressing. I'm hoping that for once someone has predicted the snow properly here in the Northwest and I'll get a day (hopefully with electricity) to read, watch movies, and just relax. All guilt free.

What's up with me?

2008-01-22T00:32:40Z

Okay I haven't posted in forever, mostly because things aren't really happening here, but here is a run down.

I'm still working at my job, and it's getting to the point we better hire me some help soon or I'll just become buried under my to do list and won't be able to crawl out from under it.

I've taken a Spanish class, but still feel like I would be lost if I actually had to communicate in Spanish. I may take more Spanish in teh spring just so I can go to the relatively english speaking parts of tourist mexico and still survive. I'd never make it away from tourist town though, and I accept that.

I've started taking Tai Chi twice a week. It has helped my lower back already and now I can stand on one foot and take off my shoe. Okay, so that isn't impressive, but I did used to fall over and I don't now.

I went consumer crazy in the past few months and now have a 42" plasma tv, a new 17" toshiba laptop, and a drawer full of new DVD's to watch. I should have known my plan to not spend like crazy over the holiday would result in my spending like never ever before. I became a crazy consumer, and while I feel bad about it, if i start feeling too bad I put in a DVD and watch my TV. It makes me feel better.

My dog, for some unknown reason, has finally decided she loves me after living here for 5 years. I don't get it, but now she wants to sleep in my room, and with my allergies I end up racing her to my door at night and slamming it in her face. Sure I feel bad, but I like to breath and I can't handle 8 hours in her presence. My allergies are the only reason I race here though, because for a dog she is very quiet and I like her in the room. I really wish my allergy shots were working better so I could let her stay.

I just booked a trip to New Orleans in March for my mom and I. I had flyer miles and I am thrilled that all I have to pay for is the room. I would have used my vacation club, but New Orleans is crazy popular with the tourists and they didn't have a place for us. I'm now gonna have to take another vacation to use up my vacation club points... awww... I'll all for that. I just have to decide where to go and I'll head out again in May or June. Not too late in June, because I plan to attend this years Gathering of the Gargoyles. I just hope my regular roomies can go too, because I don't see the point without them. Here me Moonie? Summer? Allaine?

I've also been reading actual books lately. I haven't done that in a long time, but that's because I couldn't find decent books with femslash. I found a writer that has it though and I'm eagerly waiting for the next book in the series coming out next month. Sure I prefer to buy paperback books, but I'll splurge on a hardback just to know what is gonna happen next.

So that's a little of what I'm up to.

Xmas Haul - Need Help spending gift certificates.

2007-12-26T06:14:53Z

Okay, like normal my family went way overboard with gifts for me this year. I've received several books, movies, a few tv seasons, socks, etc. I also ended up with a slew of Itunes dollars. I have no idea what is worth buying on Itunes now. I tend to stick to singers I like, and rarely hear the names of the songs or singers on the radio of new people, so I have all the Inigo Girls, Melissa Etheridge, and Scissor Sisters that is out there, along with others, but I don't know where to start now.

Please respond to this message with what music you like, singers, songs, and what you like about it. Maybe I'll like it and want to spend some of this overload of cash on that.

Dumbledore?

2007-10-21T00:55:09Z

Okay of all the Harry Potters I would have liked to find out was actually gay, he was far far down in the list. He was behind Minerva, Bellatrix, Tonks, Hermoine, and for the men, Snape, Sirius, and Harry on my list of it would have been nice if they were.

That being said, the author herself declared him gay. It is nice she has a gay character, but damn... Dumbledore?

Spanish

2007-09-26T04:26:08Z

Okay, I took spanish in high school and I took it again in college. That was years ago, and I signed up to take it yet again because i want to vacation in mexico again, but the first day of spanish 101 was sad. I forgot so much I couldn't glide on even the first day, even after taking a year of it when I first started college. Sad. I really need to work on this too, because some of my students are in the class with me, so my ego can't stand to struggle with them watching.

....

Work is crazy busy too. I feel like I spend all day rushing for something that needs to be done right now, and other right now or die items are falling to the sidelines. I can't wait for the calm down after this storm.
....

The start of time off

2007-08-26T05:51:08Z

Okay, so I've had three days off so far and I've seen three movies.

On Thursday I went to see Death at a Funeral, and it was very good. I loved it, it had important family issues and lots of comedy. It also had one attractive man's bare ass, so if you like that sort of thing go see.

On Friday I went to see The Nanny Diaries, and it was just okay. I was amused at parts of it, and I liked how they didn't completely villianize certain characters that could have been made satan. I'd never pay full price for it, but I don't regret seeing it. It was just a so so movie.

Today I decided to not leave the house, but I have a collection of DVD's I haven't cracked open. I had seen Austin Powers The spy who shagged me before, but I love Scott Evil and I bought it. I watched it again, and I still love the scenes where a bunch of names for a penis are used to describe the rocket. I really don't know where these nicknames came from, because really many of them don't make sense.

So tomorrow is Sunday and I don't know if I'll crack open my V for Vendetta dvd my brother bought me or if I'll go to the latest Bourne movie. Since I have so few goals for this time off I think a movie a day, be it DVD or at the theater is a good idea.

time off

2007-08-22T22:49:17Z

Okay, I could call what I just started a vacation. I am using vacation time for it. But when you take time off but just stay at home does that count? I tried to think of a short 3 day trip I'd like that was affordable, and guess what? I couldn't come up with a one. So now I have time off to stay at home. Perhaps I'll clean out closets, or I'll organize my bookshelf. Perhaps I'll go mad with boredome. Still I'm not giving up my scheduled time off even if it might very well bore me to death.

Its sad that I have the money to do things and no inspiration, that is so different from the time offs I took years ago, where I couldn't afford to do anything at all but what I'm planning to do now.

If you see my writing becoming more and more insane, now you know why.

Non-fiction: Travelin' part 1 of ?

2007-03-29T05:57:35Z

Okay, I am back from my vacation with stories to tell. I had a great time, but also random weird things happened.
.........

Priceline.com, never used it before but it had seemed like a good idea at the time. How many times do things seem like a good idea only to later reveal a darker side? Well I'd always assumed that when you purchased two airline tickets at the same time that the two tickets would actually be next to each other on the plane. Instead what I got was one ticket with an assigned seat and my ticket had no seat, no seat on any of the six flights I took on my week off.

I was able to log in and check in online and play tetris with the seats to get the seat next to my mom on five out of six. That was lucky. My choice of seats wasn't always so lucky.
............

Flight one: We were in the very back row and when we got there the flight attendant said something we couldn't quiet hear, leaned over the seats before we could take them and pulled a cushion off of one. He then left to do other jobs and we stared at one cushioned seat and one bare metal seat while people lined up behind us eager to use the bathroom (and why would you rush onto a plane and use the bathroom right away? was the airport bathroom too roomy?). My mom finally just sat down on the metal as we waited for him to return. Before takeoff he did and he put an actual seat back down for her.

They gave my mom a free drink (alcohol) for her trouble and the man in the window seat took a hot coffee that made me a little nervous as they passed it over me. I have a hot coffee burning my lap phobia. They haven't named it yet, but I'm sure it will have several syllabals, like STarbuckaphobia. The flight attendant and the quiet older man managed an uneventful pass over me and I was able to relax.

As they reversed the order of the pass later for trash I was startled to find he hadn't finished his drink and he couldn't pass as well as recieve. He spilled it on my new black jeans.
........
FLASHBACK
........

"Mom, I packed my two jeans and two shorts, but I don't know if I need a nicer pair of pants." I said.

"You don't need a lot. I'm only bringing two pants." Mom said. I grinned and finished packing, glad to not have to carry more clothes.
........

I tensed up as the coffee came at me, my mind unwilling to believe it wouldn't be hot and burning until after it hit. It stank, I hate the smell of coffee. It was wet and uncomfortable. He apologized, but clearly didn't understand that I now had one pair of pants for my week long vacation. I smiled and waved it off, but inside I was irritated.

Mom, grinning "You wet yourself."

I looked at her, "No, he wet me." I glanced at the guilty man and noticed the flight attendant grinning at us. Did he have a naughty mind?
.........

Flight two was the second half of the ride to Orlando and that wasn't too bad, It even had "Happy Feet" showing, so I happily watched it again. It was when we landed that things got weird again.
........

TUNE IN FOR THE NEXT EPISODE OF TRAVELIN' WHERE A PAIR OF UNSUSPECTING TOURISTS GET ON THE SHUTTLE FROM HELL.

chapters:
2 - Shuttle Story Time
3 - How many times can they wake us up?
4 - Where is the Bus to Disney?
5 - Mad Rush to the Shuttle to Universal
6 - Walk or not Walk
7 - Live Music, Unconscious Audience
8 - Taxi is what in French?
9 - I Need My Fans
10 - I'll take an Amusement Park for Two Hours
11 - Shuttle, Taxi, Dinner
12 - The Search for Air Conditioning
13 - We don't leave until when?
14 - Stepford or Disney?
15 - Interrogation at the Gate, or You Already Checked Out
16 - Unsleep in the Skies to LA
17 - Freemont Street is NoWhere Near Here
18 - Dinner, Check in, and the only way to spend less time in a hotel room is to hire a hooker
19 - Spray Paint Artist
20 - Yes they do have Sex in Taxis
21 - Bastards even drive Cabs, or the great big "No"
22 - Checking In
23 - Male Strippers
24 - Male Strippers Part 2
25 - Where the Wind Almost Ruined Xmas, or the Bellagio Fountains
26 - The Search for Dinner in the Town that Lied about never sleeping
27 - Flight Confusion
28 - Race for the Connection
29 - One Last Shuttle Story

Instead of writing all of these I'll take suggestions on what chapters people want to hear. You can only pick two at a time.

Orlando Florida

2007-02-12T04:59:34Z

Well, my mom and I are gonna take our yearly vacation to Orlando florida this year. I've never been there, but it looks like there is plenty to do, too much even. If anyone has been there please help me out by telling me what is good to do there.

I know we'll see one or two theme parks, but have to pick which ones are worth the time. We only have four days. I also was thinking about a spa visit, because with all the walking we might want to relax too. Also if there are other things that are good to do other than Disney or Universal Studios I want to know. I'll do my research, but knowing what other people liked or didn't is more helpful than the book I'll buy.

We're getting there March 20th, right after I've graded the finals for my students, and getting back home on the 24th. It's a short stay, so we'll want to make everything we do count.

Okay, I'm borrowing from Alex_Garg now

2007-02-10T22:56:16Z

Rules:
Each player of this game starts off with 10 weird things/habits/little-known facts about yourself. People who get tagged to write a blog of their own 10 weird habits/things/little-known facts as well as state this rule clearly. At the end you need to choose 10 people to be tagged and list their names

I liked this idea so I thought I'd see if I could come up with ten.

1. I once got fed up in the fifth grade, just tired of the day, and walked off school and walked over a mile home just because I didn't want to be there anymore. My mom called the teacher once I got there so the woman wouldn't worry, but she hadn't noticed I was missing yet. Yep, awfully forgettable I was.

2. I took Kung Fu for a year when I was in the fourth grade, because I was picked on and my mom wanted me to feel like I could fight back if I needed to. She even told my teacher, so when I ended up in a fight she'd know what happened. I did, and the girls were surprised to see me fight back, I didn't really kick any ass, but it stopped that, and later I noticed on my teachers desk a note telling her I'd been caught fighting, but the woman never said a word to me.

3. In a dark time during high school, the nineth grade, my family lived in a shelter for a month because we were homeless. Not a cheery fact, but little known. On the nicer side at the school I was going to I was TA'ing in the Library and the Library assistant was very nice to me, she was an older woman and she said she wanted to get me an Xmas present. She said we'd go out to the mall for lunch and she'd buy me something, I felt a little special and I thought I was gonna get a book or something small, but she bought me an entire outfit, the shirt alone worth more than any shirt I'd ever had because we weren't a well off family. Those clothes were my favorite for a long time, until I wore them out, because that was the nicest an almost stranger had ever been to me and I still remember her fondly.

4. My first crush on a TV character was on Wonder Woman, I know I wrote a story where a character said that, but it's really me. I was in grade school. In fact I used to play with the neighbor girl and pretend we were in that world, but I always made her play Wonder Woman so I could play the villian.

5. My first real crush on a girl at school, one that I obsessed about, was to a girl I never talked to but once to say hi. I still remember her name.

6. I was normally a great student, respectful, but once I actually answered a teacher asking what I'd learned that quarter, as she was asking everyone in the class during class, with a brief and bitter NOTHING. I now teach a class just like that one. Karma.

7. As a child, and yes some of this will make sense and others wont. I wanted to be a : superhero, supervillian, or a prostitute when I grew up. I don't even know why I knew what a prostitute was. Ambitious wasn't I?

8. My first job was as a paper girl when I was nine. I hated it, but I was very good at saving money for christmas. I think I made ten bucks a month.

9. I have a very hard time paying attention to people talking to me, classes, or anything really ever since I started writing. My mind wanders into fiction and when I realize what I've done I sometimes have to work really hard to make sure people don't know I didn't hear them. I really don't mean to do it, but once I became a writer my attention span died.

10. I talk to and apologize to animals that have to move because I'm walking down a path. It isn't odd to find me saying sorry to a squirrel that wasn't comfortable with getting closer, or finding me making a wide bearth around some geese so that they aren't disturbed, while explaining to them that it's okay and I'd rather they just stay and relax.

And now I probably seem even stranger to people, but it was fun to write this.