Open thread while I'm in Michigan.

"Secretly" a medieval warlord? I didn't know it was a secret.

Yeah, the new toys are a bit... strange-looking. Although I will totally buy myself any and all of them that I find. Nominally because I collect model horses, but really because I love My Little Pony and don't care who knows it.

I found the Conclave schedule and now am plotting and planning. Hooray for cons that are close by.

I love how the Siamese beanie baby in the background is in a pose quite similar to hers.

Re: Lilly: "I am your malevolent overlord. Bow before me, human, and tremble in fear."

ladyaraia and I introduced a selkie girl to the Toby Daye books last night, and she says she's going to check them out.

Lilly is really Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All, isn't she?

Our late, great cat Stella was, perhaps, the purest form of evil. I miss her.

Such a pretty cat!

Liiiiiillllly! she's gorgeous!

A quick story just for you: Last week, some of my classmates and I attended a Student Nurses Association meeting at which there was a guest speaker, a Dr. Bob England, who just so happens to be the state epidemiologist! That in itself was very cool. However that is not the fun part of this story... He was talking about how as a public health doctor his primary target is keeping healthy people from getting sick, prevention and all that, and how to build walls against disease, and he goes, "Name one of your favorite diseases," and of course, being college students, no one offers up anything, but under my breath, I say to myself, "bubonic plague." and he must have heard at least something come out of my mouth because he came over and asked me to repeat it. And I was like, "oh I was just joking," since I was sure he was looking for something more commonplace, "but I said the Black Death."

Everyone laughed and he was like, "Oh, well, bubonic plague, well let's work with that... How would you build a wall against bubonic plague?" and I said "quarantine" because I was caught off guard, and he said "yup, they did try that, but it didn't work, did it? Why?" And I said "Because it's transmitted by rat fleas." and then he said, "So how could we build a wall around rat fleas?" and I said "pest control," and he told me i'd done a very good job and moved on.

After class my friends were like "OMG Jovanie that was too funny, we can't believe you did that," and I told them, "well I was just joking and didn't at all think he would hear me." Then they said, "Yeah but then you actually knew your stuff about it, if that had been me I would have been totally lost and looked like an idiot." and I said, "Well that's because my friend wrote a song about it." :)

That actually took a lot longer to tell than I thought it would but hey, it was a fun moment. :)

PS- when are you and vixyish going to Walt Disney World? So jealous!

I'm fundraising for Extra Life. Extra Life is an annual charity fundraiser to raise money for pediatric cancer research and treatment. It was founded four years ago by the gaming site Sarcastic Gamer. The first year gamers all over the world raised over $120,000, and the event has only grown since.

It works like a walk-a-thon, except that (being an event designed by gamers) it's a game-a-thon instead. I sign up sponsors to support my marathon, and on October 15 I'll be playing video games for twenty-four hours. Every year so far I've managed to last the entire duration of the event, while wimpy college kids pass out around me. It's fun, it's grueling, it's for a great cause, and I'd like to keep up my streak!

I'm playing for Beaumont Children's Hospital in Royal Oak, MI. All donations made on my fundraising page go directly to the hospital. There are no middlemen or processing fees. Donations made in the US are tax deductible, but anyone can donate!

For for information on Extra Life, here's a link to their home page: http://www.extra-life.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.eventDetails&eventID=501

And here's my donation page: http://www.extra-life.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&eventID=501&participantID=5630

The site suggests a donation of $24 (a buck an hour) but you can donate any amount. I believe this is also the first year that you can donate via PayPal, so making a secure donation is even easier.

THANK YOU!

Lily's glowing, canted eyes in this picture remind me of an Ood. I MUST OBEY LILY'S GLOWING OOD EYES.

That is one beautiful kitty! Imperious, haughty . . . but pretty! :-)

Herc, the cat who gives high fives, has been anxious lately because of our upcoming move. He's taken to smacking my elbows with his paws when I'm getting dressed. After all, high fives get him attention, and an elbow is sort of like a hand, right?

Risu, meanwhile, continues to be cute. Yesterday, she claimed Josh's lap, and I could hear her purring across the room.

I dreamed last night that I bought my mother a very expensive grill she didn't need instead of the laptop she wants. I really don't know where my subconscious was going with that one.

In other news, I'm applying for an editorial work-study position in which I would be working on Music Theory Online doing things like copy-editing, uploading, and proof-reading. This is right up my ally (Music/English double major) and I have some solid prior experience that should translate well for the application. It starts in January. *crossing fingers* Did I mention one of my dream jobs is editing?

I just read a paper for my intro to lit class on "Wicked Girls."

Um, did I mention I was teaching "Wicked Girls" in my Intro to Lit class? I am. Did. Anyway, it was a very good paper, a reader response, and the student was one of several who found personal meaning in the song. This is a community college class, so many of the women are in the process of rediscovering their personal dreams. I'm not surprised the song went over well.

I kind of flipped out. I don't know ANYONE else who has Fashion Star Fillies anymore. *__* ZOMG.

(also, Gingerbread is one of my favorite twinkle-eyes. <3)

Scritch scritch!

am enjoying writing YA a lot more than i thought i would. it's different. :)

Please to give Lily scritches from me, because all beautiful girl cats deserve scritches.

I just went looking. You don't have ursulav friended, and I think that needs to change. I don't know why, but you both give me a sense of comfortably odd darkness.

This all came up because the post about the Black Death below reminded me of this http://www.redwombatstudio.com/wpg2?g2_itemId=220

I kind of already tweeted at you about it but Bandit is apparently a she rather than a he and my poor vet (who is flipping amazing and never has problems determining cat gender) is absolutely baffled about how he's having such a hard time confirming this. If we have hermaphrodite kitty, it will be very loved indeed but would be huge pity because we are over 4 pounds at 15 weeks old and are beautifully formed and otherwise perfectly demonically great for the show hall.

My Maine Coons keep me guessing. The Siamese has taken to smacking us when we get home and then flopping over and stretching, like she's saying 'you are worst meatbag ever, now adore me.'

Ooh, isn't she elegant! Perfect posture with the paws together. Does she pose or is she like that any time?

Siamese just know how to be beautiful. Friends of mine have two and they pose for all the people walking in front of their screened in porch/palace. All the better to be worshiped.

Maine Coons just don't quite get in right, even though they try.