I know it's a bit after midnight, but I'm still counting this bit of word count as Day 4. I'll get my butt moving on Day 5/6 later tomorrow. But for the moment, I'm back on track.

I'm behind. Almost 2k behind. I didn't manage to write much of anything yesterday, but I've gotten about a thousand down so far today. I'm not going to bed until I catch up, so I'll be on AIM as jessicaxreloaded if anyone wants to keep me company while I do sprints and the like.

Writing today was harder than yesterday, but once I got going it flowed okay. (Sprinting helps. A LOT. I got all but the last 400 words of today's quota while sprinting on AIM.) I'm absolutely determined not to get behind. I'm not sure when I'm going to have time to get tomorrow's words in. I work most of the day, although I have a 3 hour break in Boston where I might be able to get some words down. But I'll probably land up having to stay up late and buckle down. Oh well. That's what NaNoWriMo is about, right? Getting a novel done at the expense of other stuff...especially sleep!

So that's what I've accomplished on my NaNo day 1. I really wanted to go for 2000, but my computer is starting to act up and I don't want to push it too hard. I'm not sure if I like what I wrote so far, but it gets the job done for the moment. (Inner Editor, kindly STFU.)

Tomorrow I plan on writing most of the day, so hopefully I'll have a decent cushion to cover me on days where I don't get the required 1667 done.

How was your first day of NaNo?

Yes, I'm doing NaNo again this year. I'm hoping I'll actually be able to make it this year. Last year's NaNovel (Crew Baggage) is hopelessly unfinishable, and Brain Storm, 2007's attempt, still isn't finished. (I still intend on finishing it, but I simply don't know what happens next. Somewhere around the middle it turns into every zombie movie ever, and I don't know how to fix it. I'm not ready to call it hopeless yet, but I am putting it on the back burner for a while.)

But this year's NaNovel? I've got a problem already. A BIG problem, as a matter of fact. I don't have any characters! Okay, that's not quite true. I have one. And he's a member of an alien race that I've barely done any work on fleshing out.

( Here, let me just tell you the concept so far )

That's the story. I have a world, but I don't have any characters to populate it, which worries me greatly. None of the characters that I have rattling around in my head seem to fit into this world, so I need to come up with some new humans. (I've got an alien. That's it.)

Oy. I've got about 26 hours to figure it out, or I go in without any characters, which seems like it would be a really, really bad thing.

By the way, if you're doing NaNo and want to add me as a friend on the website, I'm jessicareloaded over there, too.

I also need a title for my project, but that's not nearly as urgent. I just want a title to put on my NaNo profile!

I needed cable and internet at my new apartment. (I know it sounds like an issue of need vs. want, but I'd give up a LOT before I'd give up cable TV service and even more beyond that to give up high-speed internet.) Anyway, I've had a lot of lousy experiences with Comcast so they were my last choice. I couldn't get WOW because apparently Comcast owns the cable wires in the apartment complex. But, my landlord came down from on high to tell me that I can get Uverse via AT&T. And lo, it was good.

Really, really good. Like, this is going to sound like a commercial good. For the same price that Comcast wanted to charge me for just internet and 100 channels of digital cable, AT&T offered me internet, 200 channels of digital TV and a DVR. Tough choice, right? Oh hello there, Mr. DVR. I've wanted you in my life so.

I'm so happy about it I'm kind of not sure what to do with myself. Aside from watch a lot of TV, that is. There's a feature where if I upload pictures to a Flickr account attached to my att.com email, I can select a dedicated channel on my TV and my pictures are shown on that channel. DUDE. The future: I has it. In all seriousness, I'll probably just use it to impress my parents, but given that I travel a lot and have some fairly interesting pictures, it may come in handy. (I just tried this, for reference. It works.) Netflix on Demand works well. This concerned me, considering when I had DSL it was slow as molasses, but no problems on that front. (I'll fully admit that I'm not entirely sure exactly how Uverse works, even after reading the Wiki article on it. Is it fiber? Is it DSL? Is it a hybrid? I have no idea, but it works and that's the important part.)

That said, here's the part of the entry where I need your help. I have an empty DVR and it's sad! What should I be watching? Supernatural is #1 on my catch-up list, but I'm a couple of seasons behind and I think Netflix (or *cough* some other means) might be the best way to get caught up. But is there anything on right now that I should be DVR-ing? Anybody watching Warehouse 13? I haven't seen any posts about it, which makes me suspect it might not be all that good, but has anyone given it a shot? What do I need to be watching this (late) summer? Keep in mind that I'm still off work for 5 weeks, so I've got the time to kill. (And a Netflix membership. I'm primarily looking for stuff I can put on the DVR, stuff that's currently airing either first-run or in reruns, but I'll take suggestions for the Netflix queue.)

As soon as I figure what's up I'll respond to comments and update and read my f-page again. Until then, just wanted to let you all that I'm not dead or anything.

YouTube - Everything's amazing, nobody's happy

I love this video so. Sorry all I'm doing is posting videos, but I'm kind of just sitting around watching videos lately, so it's all I've got at the moment.

I know I've written posts like this before, but since I wrote this out for a message board, I figured I'd repost it for posterity. It's public, because it makes life easier for everyone if people actually know about this stuff. (Actually, if you're on my f-list, most of this is probably a repeat.)

To preface, for those of you that don't know, I'm a flight attendant.

( TL;DR: Come to the airport prepared )

So here's a quiz that came out oddly accurate instead. Especially the parts about "not specializing in a career" and generally being all over the place...that's so me.

( I'm a Katharine Hepburn! )

She's on CNN talking about abortion, and talking about how the measure of society is how a society takes care of their most vulnerable members. If that's her logic, why is she against universal health care?

Got any ideas for programs I must have? I'm still kind of 'moving into' my new computer, and I really don't even know what I need. I'm looking for a writing program that isn't word (something like Scrivener on the Mac would be nice) particularly.

Remember I mentioned earlier I was getting a new toy today? I picked it up and it's every bit as awesome as I thought it would be.

( pictures after the cut )

*snerk*



I think I'm going to go see The Dark Knight again and then pick up a Wii Fit if I can find one. Yup. So that's my afternoon. How's yours going?

Remember Batman and Robin? Thankfully, The Dark Knight isn't a goddamn thing like it. (I know I wasn't the only one who felt cheated after seeing that blob of cinematic radioactive goo.) The Dark Knight is dark and dangerous, just how I like my Batman. If you haven't seen it yet and are skipping the spoilers (and you should skip them if you haven't seen it...DON'T SPOIL YOURSELF!), here's it in a nutshell:

Heath Ledger deserves, at the very least, an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actor. I'm completely serious here. (I know, "why so serious?" etc, etc)

You really don't have to have seen Batman Begins to enjoy this one, although I'd recommend it simply because I liked Batman Begins. Honestly, I'm hearing that people who didn't really like Batman Begins are liking The Dark Knight. Bottom line: this sequel blows its predecessor out of the water.

If you can, see it on an IMAX screen. Parts of the movie were specifically shot for IMAX, and while it wasn't jarring switching between scenes that were and weren't shot in IMAX, you could tell the difference when it switched. When it did, the entire audience audibly said "Whoaaaa!"

All right, that's about all I have that's not spoilery. Here's where you stop if you haven't seen it. If you haven't seen it, go. Right now. Preferably on IMAX. Really, I'll wait.

Okay, back now? Seen it? On to the spoilers, then. I'm not kidding, here. I'm talking plot points, characters, it's all fair game. I'm spoiling the hell out of it.

( SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS )

Bottom line: as soon as it ended, I started thinking about when I could see it again. I'm thinking an early showing tomorrow, in hopes of seeing it with a smaller crowd. It's fun seeing it with a huge (literally every seat was filled, and I saw it at 10am), involved audience, but it can be a bit distracting. I'll probably have more to say after seeing it again, but for now I sum it up by saying OH MY GOD.

Edit: Anyone have any TDK icons I can swipe, or point me in the direction of some? As much as I love me some Indiana Jones, Crystal Skull had a serious case of the suck compared to TDK.

I'd like to dedicate this first song to the good drivers in Boston, all three of you.



I've never seen so many people completely run red lights and otherwise completely ignore traffic rules than I have since I've started driving in Boston. Detroit drivers speed like crazy (going 65 will get you absolutely run over, especially on I-696), but they're not as completely crackers as Boston drivers. I don't consider myself one of the good drivers, the combination of the wtf of other drivers and barely knowing where I'm going makes me just as bad as everyone else.

I heard this next song while in the car with my mom. It kind of went like this:

Mom: Did he just say "I want to go to Boston?"
Me: I think so! *cranks up radio*
Mom: He did! I like this song now.
Me: Awesome.
Mom: WTF, that asshole just ran a red light! (I take after my mom; we both swear like truck drivers, especially when driving.)
Me: That's got to be the fourth one today alone.

Anyway, here's the song. Augustana - Boston

I'll always be a Detroit girl at heart, but I like it here. I guess I'll stay. (I'd better...I signed a year lease on my apartment!)

This might be my last update for a while, Comcast says they can't get internet installed at my new apartment until the 9th of July (!), so I'll be offline unless I pick up a layover so I can get a hotel with internet access. I don't care when they get around to the TV service, but no internet?! How will I survive?! (I'm only half kidding on that.)

I hate moving. Haaaaaattteee. Unfortunately, I'm knee-deep in it at the moment. Thank God my mom came to help me out. We decided to hire movers...there's no way we're getting my furniture from a second floor apartment, to my new apartment, and up to the third floor there. I guess I could marshal up everyone I know to help, but I know everyone despises moving, so I won't do that. Now I've got to find movers who can come tomorrow or Wednesday, and that hopefully won't hold my stuff hostage or anything. (I've heard horror stories about movers and I'm twitchy about it, but I don't have much choice at the moment.) Wish me luck, guys!

DIRECTIONS:
1. Hit shuffle on your music player.
2. Fill out the following questions by answering with the title of each track.

This song describes your best friend.
Guns 'n Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine

This song describes your family.
Girls Aloud - No Good Advice (lol)

This song describes your romantic situation.
Rilo Kiley - Dejalo

This song describes someone you will meet soon.
Jay Z and Linkin Park - Points of Authority/99 Problems (that doesn't bode well!)

This song describes your favourite place to be.
Weezer - Beverly Hills

This song describes your least favourite place to be.
The Only Time - Nine Inch Nails

This song describes your past.
Timbaland (feat. One Republic) - Apologize (okay, I can see that)

This song describes your present situation.
DJ Assault - Ass and Titties (wtf)

This song will describe your future.
U2 - When I look at the world

Who do I think I am?
Fergie - Finally

Who do my friends think I am?
Basement Jaxx - Crazy Girl (haha)

Who does my family think I am?
Gardenia - Mandy Moore

This song describes the solution to a problem I'm having.
Nine Inch Nails - The Big Come Down (what this solves, I haven't a clue)

This song gives an answer to an unsolved question.
Bowling for Soup - Trucker Hat

This song describes my life's philosophy.
Gave Up - Nine Inch Nails (am I that obvious, iTunes?)