The JackalCat Kid

OMG! squee

2008-10-13T00:09:03Z

Haven't been to Son of the Pharaoh in such a long time, so I decided to stop by while I was downtown today. They'd gotten a lot of new, interesting stuff in since the last time I had been there. If I'd brought more money, I'd have had a blast. But the one thing that drew me almost immediately was this (excuse the kinda poor quality, I only managed to get one shot before my camera crapped out on me):

In almost a year of going to that same shop, I have never seen a statue of Set there. EVER. Naturally, I had to get this one before someone else did (the guy at the shop told me that a couple other people had been looking for one). Could have done without the seriously OMG EVIL spiel the dude gave when explaining who Set was (seriously, shouldn't the girl who sees the statue and starts squeeing like a fangirl already KNOW who Set is?

But yeah. Good find.

Nostalgic Awesomeness

2008-10-10T05:50:18Z

On the way home from work, I stopped by the Chapters in Chinook Centre, because I'd spotted some laptop covers that were about the right size to hold my AlphaSmart Neo. I'm starting to worry about crushing it as I once again fall into the habit of carrying too much sh*t in my bag, and I'd been meaning to pick up a case for it.

While I was there, I noticed that there was a 20% off sale on Robert Munsch books. And amazingly, staring at me from the middle of the table, was a single copy of A Promise Is A Promise.

The very first book I ever read on my own, at least that I can remember. The very first book I ever fell in love with. I carried that thing around and read it so many times that it eventually just fell apart. I don't even know why I liked it so much, I just did. But somehow, over the years, I'd forgotten who wrote it, and I never did get around to looking for it again.

Until today.

What Do You Do When You Just Can't Stand Anyone Anymore?

2008-10-08T05:38:43Z

I've never really been a people person, but lately...that occasional antisocial-ness seems to have mutated into a full-blown aversion to humanity. I swear I've become a douchebag magnet. And in the rare times where I try to reach out to people I mistakenly believe to give a damn...it seems humanity has an aversion to me, as well. It's so...frustrating. Like I want to just stomp my feet, pull out my hair, and scream for someone to pay attention to me, to give me a reason to not hate my own species.

Bah.

So I Just Got Back From Cats...

2008-09-24T07:24:50Z

...and I could cry.

Massive letdown.

I could have stayed home and watched House. Or bought that pirate costume I found at Shoppers Drug Mart, the one I didn't have time to buy because I would have missed the train.

I am not a very happy person right now :(

...if anyone needs me, I'll be watching Speed Racer for the umpteenth time.

Jellicle Cats Come Out Tonight...

2008-09-23T06:23:55Z

...er, well, tomorrow night, anway.

Somehow, in the nightmare that's been the last couple of weeks inside my head, I completely lost track of time, and only just remembered that tomorrow night, I get to go see Cats, my favorite musical ever. Or at least, the only musical I've ever been able to sit all the way through without falling asleep or complaining of boredom. Unless the movie version of Chicago qualifies. Doubtful. Anywho...

*SQUEE!* Seriously, I'm going to be bouncing off the walls all day tomorrow.

Rounded out my obligatory just-got-paid shopping binge with a couple of books - Devil Bones, by Kathy Reichs, going along with a sudden fascination with forensic stuff (seriously, why'd my mom buy me that CSI game?), and The Blue Day Book, by Bradley Trevor Greive, an adorable little collection of animal photos and such that I just had to get, because I've been having too damn many of them blue days lately. Also, grabbed a few songs from iTunes (a few by a band called The Cliks, and the theme from Cloverfield, heh.) Currently debating whether to get the Speed Racer soundtrack, to complete its takeover of my brain.

I need to find a better place for Halloween costumes, though. I only found one pirate costume in the mall today, and it sucked.

And now, off to bed before I get too tired to make it through the day tomorrow.

Jumping on the Meme Bandwagon

2008-09-20T04:02:40Z

Take a picture of yourself right now.
Don't change your clothes, don't fix your hair...just take a picture.
Post that picture with NO editing.
Post these instructions with your picture.

(I live in a basement, hence the darkness. And yes, when I'm at home, those headphones are fused to my ears ;) )

Whee!

2008-09-09T06:07:30Z

The Halloween stuff is on the shelves, and I am once again a kid in a candy shop. I freakin' love Halloween. It scares people, how much time I can spend in the Halloween section. Of course, I always somehow manage to forget to get my costume and stuff until, like, the week before. Either that, or I'm bogged down with a horrible case of indecisiveness. Last year was really bad, couldn't make up my mind, and eventually ended up recycling my costume from the year before. Saved me money, but I felt so uninspired, heh.

So, I'm getting an early start on the 'what-do-I-wanna-be' thing this year. I've narrowed it down to pirate or vampire (vampire pirate?), and now it's just a matter of searching out the costumes and finding one that I immediately fall in love with. I'm leaning towards pirate, though, because I've done the vampire thing too many times and it's time for a change. But then again, I like the vampire thing.

Yeah, only I could make something like choosing a Halloween costume this complex. Guess we'll see.

The Triumphant Return!

2008-09-08T05:18:55Z

Ah, technology. Gotta love it, eh? Especially when it takes the form of a massive computer crash that winds up eating everything you have stored on said computer, including eight months worth of writing, a rather impressive collection of LOLcat pics, and everything stored on iTunes.

Sounds awful, but the only thing I'm massively bummed about is the iTunes. And just after I was telling my mother that she really needed to get an iPod because they're just so much better than CD players. *grumble*

Anywho, I'm back, and trying to catch up with all the crap I've missed. Yay.

If Only I Had A Decent Attention Span...

2008-08-18T05:43:23Z

I took a little time tonight to update my writing files, namely the file in which I'm keeping record of all of the stories and word counts and such throughout 2008. And much to my surprise - and, let's be honest, astonishment - I've written over 200,000 words. That's equivalent to about two average paperback novels. Equivalent, because the file is little more than a potluck of abandoned plots and stories scrapped for little reason other than I just got bored.

I'm working on two main projects right one. The first, with the working title of Rise, is a story about a group of humans who are able to manipulate forces of nature; caught up in feuds amongst themselves, they pay no attention to the damage they're doing to the normal humans, until said humans get fed up with it all and launch their own offense.

The second, with the working title of Notebook, sorta inspired by the manga/anime series Death Note, is a story about a young woman living in a city that's pretty much been consumed by crime, until she discovers a cursed notebook that possesses the ability to kill those who go against the moral code of the person using it.

I like to think that I'll make some good progress this year, but I've said that every year since I started writing with the intent of making it my life's work as opposed to some hobby. And then I feel bad, which squelches the creative forces, which makes me feel worse...

Bah. No more of that. I have novels to write.

I Knew It Was Gonna Suck...

2008-08-13T05:56:10Z

...and yet, like an idiot, I went anyway.

I went to see The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.

And I hated it. So much so that the only thing I could do to console myself after wasting $12.50 (plus another $10 on the concession!) was to come home and watch the previous two movies and, in my own mind, disown the third from the franchise. The review in the local paper deemed it Terra Cotta Warriors I: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, and that is what I will refer to it from now on, as well. I'd say more, but I'm still kinda miffed about the whole thing, and I'd like to begin pretending it never happened.

At least they had the decency to put the teaser trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at the beginning. Eased the pain somewhat.

Writer's Block: A Posthumous Oscar for Joker?

2008-08-13T05:12:04Z

Do you think Heath Ledger deserves the Oscar for his role in the Dark Knight?

Submitted By quinnpuddin

View 501 Answers

A nomination, at the very least. I have no faith in the Oscars, what little I had in the first place being shattered last year when The Golden Compass beat out Transformers and Pirates 3 for the best visual effects Oscar - I mean, c'mon, WTF? Who in their right freakin' mind would hear that and think "oh, yeah, excellent choice!"?

But I digress. Anything I could say about Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker has already been said, many times, and much more eloquently than I could ever put it. I honestly didn't like the movie that much - it was good, but not the OMG EPIC movie that people were making it out to be - but the one thing that blew my mind was Ledger's performance. Even now, thinking back on it, shivers run down my spine. Wow.

So, yes, nomination at the very, very least.

All Woes...No Wows :(

2008-07-28T00:38:21Z

Heh. Haven't updated this LJ in four weeks, at least according to that thingie on my home page. I wonder why I even have this thing. I signed up months ago, then forgot about it, then brought it back to "keep in touch" with the other LJ-using folks with HoN. Of course, I forgot a couple of things that would make the idea slightly more problematic. Those things being that I'm a lousy conversationalist, and I don't think people like and/or care about me that much at all. I never know what to say to people, and part of me's still afraid of looking like a total freakin' n00b. In all honesty, I could have made it to Wep Ronpet this year; but this same fear kept me from doing it. All too often, I've been stuck hanging out with the furniture while everyone forgets about my very presence.

Can't say that things have been going all that great in terms of religiousness, either. Still haven't done Senut in ages. My mother came up for a visit a couple of weeks ago and proceeded to dismantle my Parent shrine and my Akhu shrine because I couldn't find the chutzpah to tell her that they were important to me and no touchie. I only just got around to fixing up my Parent shrine, because Bast was starting to get irked about it. At least, that's what I think. I got this really uncomfortable feeling, almost like I was being reprimanded, every time I looked at the shrine.

I should totally get my arse over there and at least spend some prayer time, if not Senut itself, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I feel like I've disappointed both of my Parents, I don't even want to get into how bad I've neglected Djehuty, and just...blah.

And my Akhu shrine...I'm still downright pissed that my mother tossed out a picture of my maternal grandfather, the only one I had. I mean, bad feelings aside, WTF? I know she didn't know what the shrine was, but you don't just go randomly chucking out photos in other peoples' homes!

Anyway, miserable ranting over. Just needed to vent it out a bit.

Wait...What?

2008-06-29T02:44:27Z

It's been an entire year since I first got involved with Kemetic Orthodoxy.

This thought occured to me today, when I was browsing the HoN forums. One year, to go from complete newbie to Shemsu. One year to learn that my connections to Yinepu, Bast, and Djehuty were way more than just personal projection. One year to finally find a place where I feel like I belong...even if I am too gosh darned shy to post on the boards all that much and hardly anyone knows who I am.

Hopefully, in another year, I'll get over said shyness and become more active on the boards. Make some friends. Stuff like that. And the biggie: make it to a Tawy House event. I'm thinking Wep Ronpet 2009.

Just a bright spot in a seemingly endless sea of blah in my life.

Feeling Off-Kilter

2008-06-21T05:18:22Z

I've been so unbelievably depressed this week. And I mean danger-to-self level depressed. I'm lonely and homesick and pessimistic about everything. I feel alienated and unwanted by almost everyone around me. I'm constantly tired and apathetic. I just feel empty, lost. People say I'm being selfish, but it's hard to compromise when I feel like I'm drowning in my own soul.

Not a very good feeling at all.

Writer's Block: The Eternal Nocturnal Struggle

2008-06-14T04:02:58Z

Vampires or werewolves?

View 502 Answers

Werewolves.

Jeremy Danvers FTW.

Kudos to anyone who knows who that is.

Writer's Block: Irksome Films

2008-06-12T04:57:50Z

The American-made Yu-Gi-Oh movie that came out a few years ago, in a clear attempt to emulate the mass popularity of the Pokemon movies. I despise it on many different levels, and I love to despise it.

For one, it was a ridiculously blatant offense against the Yu-Gi-Oh series. I mean, the English version of the series was horrible enough, with its butchered storylines and edited dialogue and general dumbing-down, but this movie...gawd. I don't know if 4Kids Entertainment ever planned on trying to bullshit fans into thinking it the Japanese were responsible for the atrocity, but every frame of animation, every line of dialogue, every inkling of plot, every voice actor who suddenly forgot their own characters, screamed "stupid Americans".

Second, I wasted money on this! Seriously, I paid to see it in the theatre. I was so depressed, I had to go see Shrek 2 just to ease the pain. First time I'd gone to see two movies in a row.

Third...why the hell does the name 'Anubis' automatically equate to "BAD GUY, OMG, BAD GUY!!"?

Yeah.

Woes and Wows

2008-06-02T04:41:53Z

^ What I've decided to title my random update posts :D I'm going to try to keep it all in balance, because I really do tend to focus on the bad stuff, and too much bad stuff left uncontested by good stuff really sucks. So, without further ado:

Woes
Work is still pretty bad. Just when I decide that I've had enough and want out, there seems to be a sudden job shortage. I'd transfer to another restaurant, but they're all pretty much the same. Not to mention that I keep getting inexplicably gipped on my paycheques, rendering me unable to save up enough money in case I don't find another job right away.

I haven't been doing Senut at all lately. It just feels like so much effort, and it's so much easier to just slack off and tell myself I'll do it tomorrow...which, of course, I don't. And that makes me feel guilty as *bleep*.

I'm homesick as hell. If I had my choice and was guaranteed that I could get a job/apartment/etc, back home, I'd go back tomorrow. I never thought I'd miss that dorky little town, but I do.

Wows
I bought Walking With Strangers by The Birthday Massacre last night off iTunes. It's been a long time since I've loved a CD this much.

I saw Speed Racer again the other night, but this time, I got this really strong sense that Dad was there watching it with me. I think he liked it. I wish I'd have remembered to get some candy at the concession, though :/

Found out that one of my mother and I's favorite country music bands (well, duo) while I was growing up is not only doing a reunion tour, but they're going to be playing in my city during the Stampede. If I can find a way to get her to agree to come up here for a vacation, I want to try and spring surprise tickets on her. It's been too damn long since I've done anything nice.

I'm participating in a 30-day writing marathon similar to NaNoWriMo this month, and my first-day word count is actually pretty decent. Could be that prayer to Djehuty I wrote on the inside of my idea notebook. Or maybe the Djehuty mini-shrine I've built next to the computer. Heh.

That does it for now.

Writer's Block: Nicknames

2008-05-24T03:12:44Z

What's your nickname, and how did you get it?

View 501 Answers

Oh, this ought to be fun.

CJ: What my aunt used to call both me and my brother in order to rile up my mother, who used to be positively militant in her anti-nickname views.

Crissy: Nickname in school until it became apparent that I was no girly girl.

Chameleon: Two reasons. One, I used to change my hair colour like nobody's business. Still do, sometimes. And two, I have this strange ability to seemingly blend and disappear into my surroundings when in a group environment.

Shelby: Came up with this one myself. Pretty sure I've mentioned it before, but it comes from an admiration for Shelby cars, especially the '67 Shelby GT500. Pretty much the only one I still use (save for the one below)

Katawy: Short form of Katawysenu, my Shemsu name.

Can Someone Make the Room Stop Spinning, Please?

2008-05-21T05:22:25Z

Heh. I just got back from seeing Speed Racer. Good movie, though perhaps seeing it in IMAX wasn't the best idea I've had all day. Kinda made me queasy, but I expected that. It had a very surreal sort of visual style, at some points it was hard to tell whether it was a live action movie or an animated one. Overall, I thought it was worth the money.

...and the theatre brought back the laser show they used to play at the beginning of all IMAX movies. I was so stoked. I'm a total IMAX fangirl, I love it to death.

Heehee

2008-05-19T18:25:28Z

So I stopped by Son of the Pharaoh yesterday to see if they'd gotten any more stuff in. The shopkeeper has nicknamed me "miss Anubis" because I automatically gravitate towards the shelf with all the Yinepu stuff every time I go in. It's a habit. Anywho, this time around, I found what could possibly be the cutest thing I've found so far:

They're little finger puppets, as you could probably tell. If only they had a Bast one...my RPD lineup, finger puppet style. Heh.

I also bought a little statue of Wesir for my Akhu shrine, which was a cool find, because previously, I'd only been able to find a large one that was way out of my price range. Now I'm off to find more cool stuff.

OMG, an actual weekend off!

2008-05-18T02:48:55Z

...well, okay, it's Sunday and Monday, but techically, Monday's a holiday, so it counts this weekend.

It's almost like I don't know what to do with myself. Almost.

I'm thinking, if the weather's nice, I'm going to pack up a good, old-fashioned picnic, my writing and reading stuffs, sunblock (dear gods, let me never forget the sunblock again), get up early, and spend the day at Prince's Island Park. Sit by the water, watch the Canada geese, forget that the rest of the world with its chaos and douchebags and just plain not-nice-ness even exists. Yeah. That sounds cool.

Certainly better than staying inside and immersing myself in that not-nice-ness via the message boards I frequent. It seems every one is bogged down - or threatening to be bogged down - in some sort of drama, even HoN. I take it as a sign that I need to get away.

Sigh of relief...

2008-05-17T03:53:35Z

Most of my last paycheque went to my rent. I thought I could survive on the amount of money I had left. I was dreadfully wrong, and I've spent the last week or so scavenging for money (as in coin rolls, bottle depots, and the kindness of co-workers). Then, without warning, the head office at my job decided they wanted to switch our paydays from Friday to Monday. So that left me basically screwed, and I was getting ready to survive a positively dismal weekend...

...but it seems that no one told one of the managers about the payday change, and she handed over my cheque today. I nearly cried.

Weird dream...

2008-05-13T04:38:03Z

I had a weird dream last night. Weird not only in content, but in the fact that I can remember it even now as I write this. I don't remember my dreams much at all, and I can almost never recall a dream this late in the day. But it's bugging me, and I want to get it written down, so here goes.

The first part I remember is riding on a city transit bus, looking out of the window at the sky. The sky outside is absolutely black, these dark, angry clouds swirling all over the place. As I watch, these clouds bump and collide and spectacular lightning flashes light up the sky. This goes on for a while...

...and suddenly, I seem to find myself in the original 80's Transformers cartoon, watching an argument between Megatron and Starscream. They carry on for a while, until I start to get bored...

...and then, oddly, I'm standing in Tawy House with Hemet. That's when I wake up.

Weird as heck.

I Quit

2008-05-11T21:23:14Z

So it's pretty much come down to the final straw. I'm quitting my job tomorrow. I'm going in early and talking to the boss, and depending on what she says I have to do, I'm either giving notice or just making a clean break.

I just can't stand it anymore. I know this is going to sound racist, and believe me, I feel guilty as hell about it. But it has to be said.

Most of my coworkers are Filipino. And yet, despite it being firmly stated in the employee policy thing that EVERYONE is expected to speak English while on the floor to avoid confusion and not piss off the customers...they DON'T! And there's zero respect. The Operations Consultant for our restaurant - one step down from the head honcho - has repeatedly requested that they speak only in English, because that's the restaurant policy. And yet, they just laugh at him and go on babbling. I'd like to say they insult him behind his back, but I can't, because I'm only fluent in English and semi-fluent in French.

It's insulting. I can't count the number of times I've heard my name pop up in their little conversations, and the other non-Filipino staff have noticed the same thing. I mean, I'm sorry, but that's RUDE. If you're going to talk about me behind my back, then at least do it in a language that I can understand.

And it interferes with the running of the restaurant, too. I wish I had a dime for every time I've had to wait for change or a manager's code on the tills because they're too busy talking or decide to ignore anything that's not spoken in their language. It's gotten to the point where I don't even ask the managers directly, I ask someone to ask them for me, because it seems like they think anyone speaking in English doesn't deserve to get whatever they ask for.

And the head boss? Yeah, talking to her is like talking to an insanely pissed off brick wall. As soon as you say something she doesn't like, she starts screaming her face off and refuses to discuss anything.

It's really at the point where I'm hoping the restaurant crashes and burns during the Standard Operations Review or whatever it's called tomorrow, because Head Office really needs to know how shitty that place has become.

Preparing To Make An Ass Of Myself In Public...

2008-05-10T19:20:29Z

So a few weeks ago, I was reading the Calgary Sun, waiting for my agonizingly long shift to come to an end. And I came across this Page Six article about something called a "silent rave". It sounded interesting, so I looked it up on Facebook.

It seems to be the newest fad or trend or whatever the less dorky term for it is, similar to a "flash-mob" sort of thing, where a whole lot of people get together seemingly without prior arrangement to do something weird. In the case of the silent rave, that weird thing is dancing...to the music of your own personal music device. So basically, it looks like an entire crowd of people dancing to silence.

Silent Rave Calgary starts at 5:23 today. Theoretically, we're supposed to gather at the predetermined location at 5:20, wait for the countdown, dance until either our batteries or feet wear out, and then disperse into the dreary Calgary landscape, leaving no trace of our presence.

Should be fun. Until the party-crashing a-holes with nothing better to do but eff things up for the decent people show up.