Post-Schna-ulations

Rudolph, take me with you!!

Roberts to be confirmed as Chief Justice. Lovely.

posted by Schna @ 10:21 AM 4 comments

Silver and Gold

The Danish Air Force KILLED RUDOLPH.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - The Danish Air Force said Thursday it paid 31,175 kroner ($5,032) in compensation to a part-time Santa Claus whose reindeer died of heart failure when two fighter jets roared over his farm.
The animal, named Rudolf, was grazing peacefully at the central Denmark farm of Olavi Nikkanoff, when the screaming F-16 jets passed overhead at low altitude in February.

posted by Schna @ 9:26 AM 0 comments

Because I'm too busy to think of my own post for the day

Thanks to Dr. P for this one. :) So, what is YOUR power color?

Your Power Color Is Lime Green

At Your Highest: You are adventurous, witty, and a visionary. At Your Lowest: You feel misunderstood, like you don't fit in. In Love: You have a tough exterior, but can be very dedicated. How You're Attractive: Your self-awareness and confidence lights up a room. Your Eternal Question: "What else do I need in my life?"

My confidence????? Oh, wait, that's right. I'm awesome. :)

posted by Schna @ 8:13 AM 3 comments

Big Pink Disemboweled Bunny

Courtesy of my sister, check this out. Seriously.
Coco can never again claim that Italians aren't crazy. :) Anyone up for a trip?

posted by Schna @ 8:46 AM 3 comments

stupid stupid stupid yuck

I keep having to kill THESE

in my BEDROOM!!! and bathroom. and kitchen. and living room.
Tonight, I killed the 4th one in the past 3 days. They seem to come in waves. We'll go weeks without seeing any. Then, it rains. Then, a couple of days go by and suddenly, creepy crawly nastiness IN MY BEDROOM!!!
Yuck yuck yuck. I'm getting the crawlies now just typing about them.

My day was actually decent, despite a killer sunburn. However, as of about 5:00pm, my immune system has been slowly losing its battle with whatever it is that battles it. Seriously sore throat+huge glands = bad state to be in for opening night of Gilbert and Sullivan's "Yeoman of the Guard" tomorrow night. Yes, I am still playing with the Savoyards on top of everything else. Only 3 shows. Tomorrow (the 23rd), next Friday (the 30th) and the following Sunday (the 9th). Come see it, IF YOU DARE. Not tomorrow though, because I will most likely be sick and playing quite crapily.

Oh, the best part about my sunburn is that it's totally uneven and I have a very bizarre watch tan. WOO HOO!!!

Did I mention that I just had to kill one of THESE

in my BEDROOM!!!! yeah, I think I did. stupid centipedes. *grumble grumble*

posted by Schna @ 8:46 PM 3 comments

Not a good way to start the day

I slept late. Actually, that's not entirely true. I woke up on time, took the dog out, and got BACK into bed for another 20 minutes (though I didn't really sleep during that time). Once I finally got up and dragged my lazy ass to the shower, I realized that I have a "networking event" this evening and I have to look like an adult. Damn. After going through half my closet and realizing that none of my clothes are any good and none of my clothes fit me, I FINALLY found a suitable pants/shirt combination. Sliding on not-good-for-walking-to-the-bus heels, I took off, 20 minutes late.
By the time I got to work, I realized two serious blunders I had made.
1) I could have been one of those dorky people who wears tennis shoes to an from work and changes into nice shoes AT work. But, I didn't think of this, and in my mad dash to the bus, I gave myself two lovely blisters. Now, I'm a grown up with bandaids under my strappy black shoes. Super.
2) As I was trying to be an adult, I decided to actually put on perfume this morning. Somehow, I had misplaced my normal bottle of it (which I end up using all of 4 times a year). BUT, I had a little sample bottle I had gotten for free in one of Clinique's many free-stuff giveaways.
Too bad it was not my perfume. Too bad I DON'T LIKE THE WAY IT SMELLS. It's actually been making my eyes water all day (and I didn't put on much at all!).
So, my feet hurt and I smell bad. Yeah, I'm totally ready to network!!!!

Today's random list: People I feel like throwing today
(related to this: I just read this past weekend that individuals whose job it is to be the projectiles in midget tossing often make six figure incomes - if only i was just a LITTLE bit shorter...)
-- people with a fashion sense
-- people who like their clothes
-- people who wear heels and claim that they are COMFORTABLE
-- people who eat salads while I neurotically chomp down nutter butters
-- people who can use the term "networking" without laughing
-- people who are not working right now
-- anyone who laughed at me because I STINK today

posted by Schna @ 1:34 PM 4 comments

I need a younger body

It has begun already. My body hates me. Stupid, stupid body!! Yesterday marked the first day of only the 4th week of school. That means I have a measly three weeks out of two years behind me. However, at 3am this morning, I was wide awake. Same was true at 4...5...6...by 7:00 I decided that I needed sleep more than I needed to be at work this morning. I only had to take a half a day and now I'm here, working away (can't you tell?). And true, I would have been more inclined to come to work in the morning if I didn't have class this evening, followed immediately by a 3-3.5 hour rehearsal (yes, I'm crazy - we've covered this before). If I knew I could be in bed by 10:30, as opposed to getting HOME at 11:30 or midnight, then perhaps I would have dragged my lazy ass here in the morning. But, the lack of sleep, the fatigue, and that gnawing swollen-gland, sore throat feeling kept me in bed. It was the only 4 hours of the week that I could really afford to give up.
Perhaps the worst side-effect is that I'm feeling very cranky. Many of the frustrations from my classes (like all the freakin' circular conversations that seem to arise about the same thing OVER and OVER again) sap all of my energy and make me far more susceptible to being bitchy elsewhere. Not many of you have witnessed me being bitchy - I don't think it's pretty. LHPJ just thinks it's funny. Still, it is not a state in which I am entirely comfortable.
BUT, I am determined to make it until at least the end of next July working full-time. It will save me quite a bit of money on many fronts. So, if my posts tend towards more complaints and expressions of frustration, so be it. I would apologize for it, but bitchy-Schna just doesn't say she's sorry. So there!!!

Okay, I lied. I really am sorry. Dammit!!

posted by Schna @ 12:52 PM 0 comments

In search of the goat...

In my search to find a 1978 Kenner Toys Gobbles the crazy eating goat (which continues to fail), I discovered this site which has 4 pages of the "coolest toys ever". I miss many of these toys.
If and when the goat search yields results, I will post them here. Does anyone else remember the plastic chomping goat? You could open a compartment in his side and remove what he had eaten (it included a wrench, a string of sausages, and a rope - i can't remember the other things at the moment). Then, you would stick one in his mouth and pump his tail to make him eat the things again. He was awesome.
Anyway, enjoy the nostalgic trip that the link above might inspire.

posted by Schna @ 12:23 PM 6 comments

An afternoon well spent

This afternoon, LHPJ and I had lunch at Tessaro's, where I had THE BEST TUNA MELT EVER. Seriously, it was REAL tuna - not out of a can, not coated in mayo. True, there was a small amount of thousand island dressing on the sandwich, along with mushrooms and colby-jack cheese (on rye). YUM!
Then, we went and saw The Constant Gardener, which despite its terrible title is a very good film. It reminded Jon quite a bit of The English Patient in the way it was filmed (and not just because it too stars Ralph Fiennes). I concurred with his assessment. It also reminded me quite a bit of Rabbit Proof Fence.

Though it's not what I would call a tear-jerker (a term which I never use as a positive when describing movies), it does provoke some strong emotion. It's relatively intense and pretty political (so don't see it if you're not into that type of movie).

How do I have the time to spend my afternoon this way, now that I'm working and in school? Well, I had class (lab) this morning, which was FANTASTIC (more on this later - possibly tomorrow). And since we've been home, we took Pancho for a walk and sat down to work. It's 9:30, and I'm FINALLY eating dinner. SO, I have accomplished much, in addition to having an enjoyable afternoon.

My Ramen calls (yes, I really am a student again!).

posted by Schna @ 8:23 PM 1 comments

Strange things one witnesses on the bus and other assorted places

- A guy singing "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" for an entire bus ride and trying to get everyone on the bus to clap along. It reminded me of Steve Buscemi in that really shitty movie about convicts on a plane (that would be "ConAir" for any fortunate enough to have MISSED that movie), singing that song while the plane was crashing. I just turned up my music a little bit and avoided eye contact.

- An older gentleman, very tall and skinny, wearing ultra, ultra low-rise stretch jeans, to the point that half his ass was sticking out the top of the jeans. He was walking town the street in front of my office building.

- A panhandler sitting on the sidewalk near Pitt's campus with a sign that read: "Give me money so I can buy my wife a bracelet and finally get laid!!!!"

posted by Schna @ 8:52 AM 3 comments

Pancho in bed

Pancho in bed
Originally uploaded by sbjuengst.

Sadly, this picture is a bit blurry, but it's still VERY cute. Pancho likes to bury his nose under the covers for some reason.
School and work are keeping me very busy, so I have been lax in posting lately. I can't say for sure whether or not this will change.
But, I can continue to post pictures of his Sr. Jalapeno Pancho Rio Salado Javalena Cholla Feinberg el Diablo Loco (his full name).

posted by Schna @ 6:54 PM 0 comments

A small victory

US Clears Generic AIDS Drug for Use Overseas

It's a small step, tentatively making clearance for a liquid generic form of AZT (Retrovir) to be dispersed overseas in places where the epidemic is growing rapidly (China, India, and Africa), but at least it's in the right direction.

posted by Schna @ 10:05 PM 0 comments

One of the many reasons I love going to baseball games in Pittsburgh...

View from PNC Park (upper decks, just to the first base side of home plate) of downtown Pittsburgh and the Allegheny River at dusk.

posted by Schna @ 2:54 PM 0 comments

What many of us are thinking...

I commend Richard for his post on the hurricaine Katrina situation. He has put into words what many of us have been thinking and feeling.

posted by Schna @ 8:32 AM 0 comments

On a lighter note

Something is REALLY funny
Originally uploaded by sbjuengst.

This is another one of my favorite pictures EVER. I'm not sure what was so funny, but that's part of what makes this picture so great. That and the look that vagrant #2 is giving to vagrant #1 - sort of a, what the fuck is the matter with you look.

posted by Schna @ 11:25 PM 1 comments

To be serious for a moment

I've been trying as much as possible to avoid posting about the constant stream of tragedies that have been occurring, such as the bridge stampede in Iraq to the current situation in New Orleans (and many others that are not as high profile as well). However, after reading three different individuals blog comments about the situation, I find myself feeling very agitated.
First, I share Sloth's indignation about people's reactions to the whole situation. From the ignorant assholes who are criticizing the dying to the Jaggerbush administration's continuing neglect of everything not associated with its fucking war, I can't help but think most people just don't give a shit what goes on outside of their comfortable little lives.
I don't claim to be aware of everything, but at least I try. And at least when something happens that I cannot HELP but be aware of, I am capable of empathy (or at the VERY LEAST SYMPATHY!!).
I also know that I'm probably preaching to the choir. I know that the people around me who are close to me and probably just about everyone (if not everyone) who reads this blog don't fall into the category of ignorant, unfeeling assholes.
Which brings me to the other two blogs that spurred this post.
At Salmagundionline, I was reminded of the people I knew in the bayous of Southern Terrebone, LA. I was 14 years old when I went their with my high school youth group (I know it might come as a big surprise to some that I was actually part of a youth group in high school, but I was and I'm happy that I was).
My crew (myself and 9 strangers) was sent out to a family for the week, to help them repair their 2 bedroom trailor home on the edge of the bayou. The mother was alone with her children most of the time, as the father spent weeks at a time out oyster fishing. She had 7 children and was pregnant. This was about 2 years after Hurricaine Andrew. The US government had brought supplies to repair their home - mostly large stacks of various sizes, shapes, and types of lumber - and then had left. It sat their for almost two years.
I won't get all mushy on you, don't worry. However, in that week, I got to be very close with all of the children in the family. For a couple of years, they would write me postcards which I had left for them (stamped and addressed). Eventually, that stopped of course. I haven't heard from any of them in close to 10 years.
They had no money, no car, and nowhere to go. The two oldest might have moved away by now. I have no idea how Katrina has affected them.
Another friend, on her blog, made a comment that people were dying "because they were poor, and black". I don't think that she is mistaken, but the comment irked me because I felt like it lessened the plight of those like the family that I used to know there (which is not to say I think that was her intent, because I don't think that at all). They were not black. They were of french descent. They didn't live in New Orleans, and perhaps that saved their lives, but after seeing the damage from Hurricaine Andrew, and knowing how much worse Katrina has been, their situation shouldn't be trivialized and they shouldn't be blamed. And the same is true of everyone in New Orleans now, and everyone hit by this storm.

Click here to donate to the Red Cross.

posted by Schna @ 9:28 AM 2 comments

Christian Science Pharmacist Refuses To Fill Any Prescription

(from The Onion)

posted by Schna @ 3:14 PM 1 comments