The Littlest Penguin

Do you take this penguin. . . ?

Thursday, June 18th, 2009 | family, friends, fun stuff, penguins, pictures, travel | 3 Comments

Last weekend William and I embarked on our second ever road trip together – 4 hours south to Chapel Hill, NC for Kevin and Stephanie’s wedding. We got in late Thursday night (technically it was Friday, but just barely) and checked in to a nice suite. (He spoiled us and got the suite because it wasn’t that much more and we could have friends over that way.) On Friday our job was to go pick up the food for the rehearsal dinner from Chipolte, but we ran into some issues when about 10 burritos and other tasty dinner items seeped through the bag and fell to the ground when lifted. Add to that delay about 45 minutes of running around wondering where in Durham we were, and you have dinner on the table approximately. . . 2 hours late. Everyone was good natured about it, but we did feel bad. Kevin was super stressed trying to get us there and William and I both get a little jumpy when we’re lost. But we did get there, the food was still yummy, and Kevin and Steph said if that was the worst thing to happen they’d be happy.

And I think it was the worst thing that happened. At least that I’m aware of. Saturday’s ceremony was lovely. I had my typical trouble singing (since getting pregnant singing and standing has been a challenge to my ability to stay conscious), but I listened to William and Sheri sing next to me and that was a good substitute. I helped guide folks through the digital guest book interface, which was kind of fun and easy. Then there was a really nice spread of light lunch foods – salads and bree and crackers and some little sandwiches. The bride’s cake was beautiful and had fruit preserves in it, and the groom’s cake was . . . well, look for youself. It is a brownie penguin. Very Kevin.

After the wedding, Jared, Sheri, and Tony came over to the hotel to play some Carcassone and some Gloom before we went out in search for some supper. William’s only other experience with Carcassone involved “the City” version, which we played with Jared, Sheri, and Tony several years ago. It was terrible and I’ve never exponged the guilt of telling him he’d enjoy it. (I thought it was like normal Carcassone!) But this game redeemed Carcassone for William, and Tony taught us how to play Gloom. We’re taking it with us to visit his family for 4th of July weekend – his mom loves silly games like this.

Sunday morning we had breakfast with some of my family on our way home. Uncle Ben took pictures, so I’m sure I’ll have something to link here eventually. It was fun to see everyone. I actually hadn’t seen my cousin Aaron in years; I’d never met his kids! They’re darned cute, by the way. I think William charmed Hannah out of some shyness, too. Hopefully I can do a better job of keeping in touch with everyone, especially now that we’re all on Facebook.

This weekend’s a “break” from trips and visits, but next weekend. . . Southeast Meetup!

Tags: Kevin's wedding

Cupcakes man was not meant to eat

Wednesday, February 18th, 2009 | food, friends, pictures | 3 Comments

I’m weeks behind on blogging, but I also have a cold and am exhausted. May I appease you with the cupcakes Rucht made for Llama’s birthday party a couple weeks ago?

Ia! Ia! Cupcake pthagn!

Tags: cupcakes

And so this is Christmas . . .

Monday, December 22nd, 2008 | Christmas, birthdays, friends | 1 Comment

I’m taking a break from cleaning the apartment. Ohmygoodness. I got sick in early November and to some degree I feel like I never caught back up with myself. Having a birthday party or a trip almost every weekend since then might have something to do with that. Over the weekend I started a really good cleaning of the place (mopping, washing even the shower curtains, rearranging furniture to accommodate guests . . .), and I’m doing the final touches tonight.

I haven’t even finished Christmas shopping. I guess that’s ok for now, though, since I’m not going to Florida for Christmas this year. First time ever I’m spending the holiday away from mom and dad. My boss seems to have somehow missed the part of the email where I reminded him that my vacation time reset December 1st; when he gave me my Thanksgiving time off he told me I would have to work every day we were open over the Christmas / New Year holiday. Later he seemed surprised that I wasn’t taking time even though I had it. By then I had alternate holiday plans. If he ever realized his mistake, he sure didn’t tell me (or apologize). So I’m working, William is coming to stay until a little after New Year’s day, we’ll spend Christmas with Jared and Sheri and her family, and I’ll go to my parent’s sometime in early January. This has actually cut down a certain amount of holiday stress since I didn’t have to do whirlwind Christmas shopping, make food for all the parties, attend all the parties, clean the house, pack, and fly south. This week should be nice and peaceful. I don’t even have to sing at Christmas Eve service.

By contrast, the last couple of weeks were crammed with parties and events. I made cookies and nacho dip for our student workers and for Phi Alpha Theta’s (sparsely attended) Christmas party. I was up til midnight making those goshdarned cookies, and hardly anyone touched them. It took a room full of teenagers at Mahto’s birthday party to help me eat them all. They were good cookies, darn it! We had Mahto’s rockin’ 16th birthday party, Sheri’s Ticket to Birthday party, the annual choir party at the Lowry’s (last time this year, sadly), and Jared’s D&D themed / playing birthday. I opened Just Coffee one night, got to know my next door neighbors over a couple episodes of The IT Crowd, worked, gamed, and did a lot of laundry. Now, really all I have left to do is wrap a few gifts and make some pound cakes.

Happy Hannukah and Merry Christmas, bloggy friends and family!

Steam-powered birthday

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 | birthdays, costumes, friends, fun stuff, pictures, steampunk | 7 Comments

It is 1896 in the Year of Our Lord. It has been seventy-four years since Charles Babbage has developed the Difference Engine – a clockwork device capable of making advanced calculations in the blink of an eye. Since that time, the Difference Engine has shrunk from a clockwork tool that filled an entire room to Desktop Counters and Hand-Held Butlers.

It is a world driven by steam and iron. Zeppelins sail the skies. Machines of all manners and sorts are propelled by the power of the piston and pneumatics. It is a world where the Information Revolution took place in the year 1822, instead of the year 1946.

You all are former graduates from Bethlehem University, meeting on the eve of your 10th graduation anniversary. The invitation reads as follows:

Dear Friends,

It has been too long since I have seen all of you. You may not know that dear old Uncle Henry passed on last March. Though his passage from this world has proved untimely, I find that his magnanimity find me even now, after his absence. He has bequeathed to me the estate of Misty Island.

I am most eager to see each of you and discover what great adventures you have undertaken since our departure from University. Can you believe that we have reached the ten year mark? Just a scant decade ago, I watched you all grow into your own and become some of the finest students I have ever known. Though I have no children of my own, I need not say that I see you as my own kin and have such fondness for you that surely only a mother could know.

After the settling all affairs of estate, I found an annuity of sufficient funds that provides me to become a Gentlewoman of Leisure. I have been here at the island since August of last year. I shall count it an honor and privilege if you found it in your hearts to arrange your holidays this year and spend them with me on Misty Island. Should you find it convenient, the week of June 23rd shall be an excellent time in which to convene and reflect upon our fortunes – the very week your graduated from the esteemed Bethlehem University.

Since I am the only one on this three-mile isle, you will need to take the dirigible which arrives twice a week. I suggest taking the one from Vancouver B.C. Be sure to arrive early enough to get to Pier 6 at 8:30 in the morning on the 23rd.

I have a full-fledged staff of caretakers on the island as well, so you need not fret with bringing your own manservants, nannies, or chaperones.

I’ll be expecting all of you.

Eagerly Yours,

Gertrud “Mother” Hesseldorf

Ladies and gentlemen, this was the invitation to my 29th birthday party, the awesomeness of which may never be surpassed. I mean, really. How could I not be impressed that my friends dressed up in steampunk gear and acted as players in a murder mystery for me? And to top it off, they managed to keep the whole thing secret until two days before the party. And even then I was only told what was going on so I could choose what character I was assigned and get a costume ready. And aren’t their costumes wonderful?! Jared’s pictures are online here, and many of mine can be viewed here.

Among the presents they gave me were a steampunk style necklace (watch gears artfully repurposed), Nerf guns, a new camera bag, and an iPod interface for my ancient car. But my favorite gift by far was the goat my dad bought in my name for a family in Africa. William visited me for a long weekend, and Kevin for a short one. Ah, and for the curious . . . William (Choryt in the comments section) and I are dating. *glow*

My birthday party is this weekend. . .

Monday, November 10th, 2008 | friends | 1 Comment

. . . And what you guys have planned is so freaking cool!!!

Hey look! A blog post!

Thursday, November 6th, 2008 | costumes, family, friends, fun stuff, pictures | 2 Comments

Oh, um, hello. What’s that? You say I should blog? Right then.

Wow, has it really been three weeks since I blogged? I’m boring. But also maybe unsure of what to blog about. On October 17 I was the dinner guest of the college’s Navy V-12 alumni reunion. I was one of the youngest people there if you count the college’s Heritage singing team and someone’s 12-year-old grandson. It reminded me a lot of when Grandpa used to take Amy and I to the Shriners’ dinners and show us off to his friends. But the V-12 men and their wives are very nice folks and were really glad to tell me about their time on campus in the 1940’s. Being as familiar with the campus during that period made me able to join in the conversations easily. They even made me get in their group photo. I received a copy in the mail the other day. Really nice people.

Mom’s birthday was the day after the dinner. I called her to say Happy Birthday and caught them setting up beach chairs and fetching cold beers so they could watch the sun set over the water outside their hotel at Myrtle Beach. The next day they went for an airboat in the Everglades. Sounds like they had a great time. But a few days later dad went into the hospital after a stress test. They found some significant blockage in his blood vessels. The doctors put in four stints and had to repair some damage they did to one of his vessels before he was allowed to go home. He’s in some pain still, but he’s doing better now.That was a weird week for me. On the one hand I had dad going in the hospital after a stress test they didn’t tell me he was having, and on the other I had a really unexpected, happy development that kept my mind occupied.

This past Saturday, McKenna had a costume party for her birthday. I went in a little bit of steampunk, which was fun. Jared pulled together a pretty rockin’ Vash the Stampede getup, and Tony went as Othar Tryggvassen, Gentleman Adventurer, from Girl Genius. William came to visit me for a long weekend, so he came, too. But he didn’t play Rock Band because I was too nice to tell the others he can sing. Next time, Gadget. You have been warned. More pics here and I’ll post some of my own photos soon.

I came down with a cold on Sunday and spent the rest of the weekend playing video games and watching movies with William. Which was nice, but would have been nicer if I had been able to breathe. Feeling better, but still recovering. Oh well. If that was my one cold for the season I’ll take it.

Edit 11/8/2008: My photos are posted here.

party like a pirate

Sunday, September 21st, 2008 | friends | 5 Comments

Finn treats the beagles to chips

Man, yesterday was busy. Robb and Edie’s Talk Like a Pirate Day party had to be postponed, and McKenna and Rucht were having a deck-warming party. Whee! But it was all good. It was a great day to spend the afternoon out on the deck. Rucht and McKenna’s backyard looks phenomenal. Not that it wasn’t nice before, but they tripled the size of their deck, added some really nice furnature, and re-landscaped their whole back yard. There are stone steps going up the hill to a grassy area, lanterns, and a stone waterfall. And McKenna’s wind chimes are everywhere.

Some folks were trying to watch the University of Tennessee football game, but the first quarter went so poorly that they all left shame-faced before half-time. Which is when Rucht broke out the Rock Band. On a huge plasma screen tv that game is all kinds of awesome. I gave in and tried my hand at the guitar. Failed miserably my first couple of songs, but finally got the hang of it. Next time, I want to try the drums.

A quick trip home for a change of clothes and it was time for the Talk Like Pirate party. Yes, there were costumes. Yes, there are pictures. I’ll put some up as soon as Llama shares them with me. Edit 9/30/2008: Llama has posted his pictures to Photobucket, so now I can share some of the fun! Photos, ahoy!

The Dread Pirate Hippie sends another victim overboard.

Much fun was had at the Hippie Hut. Edie made fish for supper, there was a game of Curses and of Apples to Apples, and the sodas and rum flowed freely. Arr. I was one of the last to leave, even though I was dead tired. Got home a little after 1am, but it felt more like 3 or 4. What really sucked was that even though I was exhausted I couldn’t fall asleep, so today my whole sleep schedule is messed up. That’ll be huge fun tomorrow.

Tags: parties, Talk Like a Pirate Day

temporary dog person

Thursday, September 18th, 2008 | cat, friends, work | 9 Comments

Well, Ally and I are going to become better friends this week while Sheri and Jared are at her sister’s wedding. I practically got trampled by 20 pounds of ecstatic dog when I went by at lunchtime today. Allegro indeed. I think Llama is planning on spending the weekend at the house, so soon she’ll have someone to play with. (And to let her inside, where she’s used to being.)

Anselm went to the vet yesterday and acted so poorly that I heard them say they were “putting a star” on his file. I don’t know what that means, but it’s probably office code for “this cat raised so much Hell when we tried to give him his shot that we had to use leather gloves and a towel to constrain him.” Yes. Really.

Today we (two student officers and I, representing Phi Alpha Theta) did the Constitution Day shindig for Milligan. We handed out pocket-sized Constitutions and had a trivia quiz. Winner gets a gift card. We had 19 responses to the trivia quiz. Bleh. But honestly the response we got this year was better than any previous year, probably because we did something that was at least a little bit fun. Though we still didn’t get a single soul to volunteer to help us staff the table. On top of that, we’re 4 weeks behind getting initiates. Sigh. This faculty sponsor thing is gonna be rough. (I don’t know why he picked me to do this for him over his sabbatical. I’m not even salaried, much less faculty!)

Ok, for real this time

Tuesday, August 5th, 2008 | food, friends, gaming, music | 8 Comments

I have clicked “Write New Post” no less than four times this week, and this is the first time I’ve put anything into the resulting text box.

I went out for sushi with Emily and BJ tonight (after correcting a misunderstanding on my part regarding which sushi place we were meeting). Could have eaten more, but it was probably best to stop with a little order and feast on fruit when I got home. I have strawberries, cherries, and cantalope begging to be eaten. (I also have brownies and soda, which proved hard to resist even though they totally ruin the good-for-you feeling a dinner of sushi and edimamne leaves you with.) I drove the scooter all the way from work to the north part of town and back home and am slightly sunburned. Testimony to how little I’ve been outside this summer. Shame on me. When it’s cold again I’ll regret not going outside int the sun more.

It’s only Tuesday and I wish the week were done. I had a busy, busy Saturday entertaining a bunch of friends with a good bottle or red wine and Not-Lasagna. I also bought Coldplay’s latest album (first CD I’ve bought since Christmastime), which is turning out to be quite good. And Sunday was just plain lazy. I could have done some reading on the plethora of books I’ve borrowed, been given, and been recommended lately, but I didn’t.  Wish the weekend could have been longer.

Meanwhile, back in the career world, I’ve spent the last two days getting Today in Milligan History emails for the next week ready for distribution. That job is a weird paradox of mind-numbing and interesting – more interesting when the database is empty for a given day and I manage to find a little something to report. Other than that, it’s a cut-and-paste job. For those of you interested, this week marks anniversaries for the launch of the Phoenix Mars spacecraft, the bombing of Hiroshima, the laying of cornerstones for both Tycho Brahe’s Uraniborg observatory and the Statue of Liberty, and the closing of the Watergate hearings. History apparently loves paradox. I had always suspected as much. *grin*

I have decided to go to Dragon Con. It’s a little bit of a stretch financially, but I’ve been offered space on someone’s floor and if I split gas, it’s doable. I really need some vacation time doing someting enjoyable just for me. Not that I didn’t have a nice road trip with mom, but sometimes I feel like I spend all my vacation time on other people’s vacations. This one is just me geeking out and having some fun, and I’ll have enough remaining days off to go home for Thanksgiving. Perfect.

Kaelyn d’Mirassi

Thursday, July 31st, 2008 | friends, gaming | No Comments

Thought I’d share a snippet from a conversation about my Iron Kingdoms character, Kaelyn, and whether or not she was an indication that I was a “leader” personality. I find the final statement particularly funny:

Nathaniel: well, in my experience, you play at the intense leader type. you are a leader.

Littlest Penguin: that’s odd. I don’t feel like a leader much. i hate being assertive.
Nathaniel: i see you as a sensitive, driven woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. Leader

Littlest Penguin: Kaelyn is intense. Her goal in life is to screw with Khador. She wants a stealthy, efficient team with the same goal, and damn if she doesn’t have it.

Nathaniel: You understand and that makes you leader. you have a goal. that makes you leader. you have a vision. that makes you leader. you have priorities. that makes you leader. and you have “damn” and that definitely makes you leader

Tags: Iron Kingdoms