Happy Birthday to some very special people.

Instead of writing several posts for everyone, I'm just going to combine my birthday well-wishing into this one post for everyone who was born in February.

First I would like to wish a very happy birthday to my favorite little sister, Sierra Maggie. She turned 12 on the 8th. It's odd thinking that she is now older than I was when she was born. I was terribly upset when I found out I would no longer be the baby, but now I can't imagine my life without you.

Next is my husband Josh's 25th birthday, which was yesterday (the 11th). I would like to thank him for saving me from my fate of turning into an old cat lady. Now the only place I have cats in the double digits is in the Facebook app Happy Pets. XD I love you whole bunches!

Then there is the lovely Jessica, whom I have known and loved since 3rd grade. Are we to the age where it is no longer proper to say what our age is yet? I'll just say that she will celebrate the 2nd anniversary of her 21st birthday on the 18th :P Only 38 days and 10 hours until I can get you your birthday present! (the website did the calculating, not me. I'm not that much of a nerd lol)

And finally we have Rebecca, my adopted band-mother, whose birthday is on the 26th. I don't get to see Skittles as often as I would like now that she lives in Tally, but she will always be important to me. I got you a present while in Mexico, so please let me know if you will be in town for your birthday!

These four people are partly responsible for making me the person I am today, so I am immensely grateful to their parents for spawning them.

Back to the grind

Well, today marks the end of my series of vacations. I won't get anymore time off until Spring Break (which just happens to start my birthday weekend!). I wonder if the bookstore is open during Spring Break... I should ask when I go in today.

Like I've said in previous posts, I like my job. I really do. But this waking up while its still morning thing? Not so much. On Thursdays I have an 8am class. I have no idea what compelled me to sign up for that.

No resolution posts for me this year. I know it's what all the cool kids are doing, but I'm just nonconformist like that. I'll stick to my trend of New Years Indecisiveness instead. Because hey, when I give that up in two weeks it'll be a good thing!

Smiling's my favorite.

1. What is your favorite Christmas movie?

Elf! It is probably the only Christmas movie I will watch outside of the Christmas season.

2. What is your favorite Christmas memory?

Probably when I got my first pogo stick. Man, I loved that thing. Or the few minutes at Grandma's house when everyone seemed to get along and we could just play board games like we were a happy family.

3. What is one of your Christmas traditions?

My mom always has on A Christmas Story for the all day marathon. It's not really my favorite though, I'd rather watch her other favorite Christmas movie, Die Hard lol.

4. What is your favorite Christmas song?

Carol of the Bells hands down. My current favorite version is this one by August Burns Red.

5. What is your favorite Christmas food?

Cranberry sauce. This year we aren't doing the whole turkey thing (Mom is making tasty steaks instead), but we *still* have to have cranberry sauce. And Cranberry Splash Sierra Mist now that they've invented it. Mmmmm, cranberries!

Another week off, so soon!

Two weeks ago, my lovely DH and I went on our belated honeymoon/anniversary/Christmas/V-day/Birthday cruise. And then I went back to work.

Boo!

But, it wasn't bad. School is out so we weren't very busy. I got some possibly good news. And overall I just like my job most of the time. I feel lucky, since so many people can't say that. But then again, books + me = bff so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise.

However I'm still glad to be off another week. =]

As my body is want to do after a vacation (especially one involving so many climate changes), I've developed a cold of some sort. Now I've got a whole week off to recover until we're thrown into the midst of our busy season.

Sure we've got laundry to do, and we *still* need to get our rebate forms out in the mail... but other than that I'm going to quite enjoy this week of relaxation. I've got Sims that need a little TLC, a cleric to level, and hopefully a few more games of Headbanz in my future (which I will have to do a post about at some point.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Do you know where your towel is?

A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapors; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-bogglingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.

More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag (strag: non-hitch hiker) discovers that a hitch hiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, face flannel, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitch hiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitch hiker might accidentally have "lost". What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows where his towel is is clearly a man to be reckoned with.

--Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Every year on May 25th we celebrate Towel Day in honor of the late Douglas Adams. Why May 25th? Well, its two weeks after his death (May 11th, 2001) which is how long it took the first one to be organized.

This year I am not going out and about, but my husband will be taking his first pre-calculus test and you can bet he'll have a towel with him for luck.

Think Geek has some various Towel Day merchandise for sale, including two different towels (Don't Panic and 42) and a "Don't Panic and Carry a Towel" t-shirt.

Daryl Hall has started a petition to get Google to recognize Towel Day on their website with a special logo. As of now there are 1602 signatures, but I think we can do a lot better than that.

Now I must say "So long and thanks for all the fish!" and go do some laundry... gotta keep those towels clean, you know.

Zombie Awareness Month

May is Zombie Awareness Month! According to the Zombie Research Society, several important zombie movies have taken place in May. It is also spring, usually a time of renewal and hopefulness, yet we must remember to always stay vigilant.

Here are some steps you can take to do your part:

Wear a gray ribbon

Gray was chosen as it "signif[ies] the undead shadows that lurk behind our modern light of day". When wearing your ribbon chances are someone might come up to you and ask about it. This is a perfect opportunity to spread awareness about our cause and to inform the public.

Cardio, cardio, cardio

As we learned in Zombieland, this is one of the most important steps we can take to fend off the zombies. They do not feel pain nor fatigue, thus they can run a lot longer than your average American. We can combat this by increasing our endurance, giving us a better chance of survival whether we be trekking on foot or bicycle.

Do your research

Since 1932, there have been more zombie movies made than I really feel like counting. As seen in our second step above, they can include some vital information regarding the zombie culture. They provide us with information regarding how they move, how they detect the living, etc as well as examples of what can get you killed or how to survive. By watching these movies you will be one step ahead of those who don't.

Create a zombie plan

The zombie apocalypse is coming whether we like it or not, and if you want to survive you must be prepared. A good start would be to read Max Brook's Zombie Survival Guide. There you will find many tips on the best outfits, weapons, and strategies for defeating (or at least outliving) the zombies. I recommend reading it at least once a year to keep it at the forefront of your memory, and what better time to do it than Zombie Awareness Month?

May the 4th be with you!

That's right, it's Star Wars Day!! Whoooo! And in honor of Star Wars Day I would like to direct you [here], to read an entertaining account of a mother showing her three kids Star Wars for the first time. Unfortunately it seems as though Disney has already got them in it's grip... how sad.

Hopefully by this time next year we will be able to celebrate properly by playing The Old Republic. Until then I will just have to settle by running around with a lightsaber and a cape. :D

Every time I hear "May the force be with you" I always have the urge to respond, "And also with you!" as if I'm in some weird Star Wars church service. Does that happen to anyone else?