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what do do. March 28, 2008

Posted by Abby T in : games & systems, ten-second updates , 1 comment

I could apologize for my extended absence from this blog. I could also try to list all the things I have attempted or accomplished. But I’m not going to.

I’m just going to say that I have made two important purchases in the past week:

  1. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
  2. A spray bottle of catnip

The amusement in my apartment has been endless.

-@

speaking of kitties! March 20, 2008

Posted by Abby T in : misc. adventures, the photo project , 3 comments

A friend from camp (the camp I worked at two summers ago, not the one I went to as a kid, to which I still dream about returning) is in town this weekend with her friend Patrick. Today, I blew off studying for my English 210 final and accompanied them to the Lincoln Park Zoo! It is a fabulous zoo, and even if it weren’t, it is one of those elusive attractions offering free admission, so it’s always worth a visit.

My favorite photo from the experience:


Mr. Leopard says, “Being ogled is exhausting business, guys!”

Seeing big cats always amazes me. Everything they do reminds me of my own cat, only way expanded in size. It’s like they’re evolutionary cousins, or something!

Speaking of cousins, my little cousin Haley was at the zoo today, too. I was hanging out at the jaguar cage waiting for my acquaintances to arrive when I felt a tug at my sleeve. I smiled and returned the greeting, figuring it was just a particularly friendly little kid. It took me a second glance to realize I was related to the little arm-tugger! Small world. We encountered her again a couple hours later, and again, I almost didn’t notice - but this time it was because she was walking down the path waving and shouting, “Emily! Hi Emily!”

She’s got to be seven or eight by now. She had her fair share of annoying little kid habits when she was younger, and it’s been amazing to watch her grow out of her tantrums and into a somewhat functional mini-human. But you’d think she’d be able to tell her own family members apart by now… right?

-@

guest appearance! March 19, 2008

Posted by Abby T in : ten-second updates, the photo project , 1 comment

Tonight’s guest appearance is by the Cat of Various Names. Once Cleo, sometimes George Foreman, now mostly just Kitty, she has been in the mood to pose for me lately. Good kitty!


Ten points if you can guess what she’s staring at.

I’m still playing with the cropping of the batch of kitty photos I’ve taken over the past few days. Perhaps you shall see the fruits of that labor? If you’re lucky.

-@

hey there hi there ho there March 18, 2008

Posted by Abby T in : ten-second updates , 2 comments

So, as you may or may not have noticed, I’ve moved. I imported all my past entries and comments over here from my Wordpress site, but I’m not really sure how this works from that point. Do I have to leave a note over there, forwarding traffic (or in my case “traffic”) over here? Do I have to remind people to update their feeds? I have no idea, so for now I’ll go with “all of the above”.

So, hey, update your feeds, okay?

-@

list time! March 17, 2008

Posted by Abby T in : academic pursuits, technophilia, ten-second updates, the photo project , add a comment

Things I have done in the past two weeks or so:

  1. Teched, opened, closed, and struck a show.
  2. Started rehearsal for another show.
  3. Slept through an exam. (Oops.)
  4. Had my photographic ego stroked by one Director Shady.
  5. Written and turned in a really good paper.
  6. Spent the night in the design area of TI.
  7. Started the process of installing Leopard on my HP laptop.

It is mostly items 1, 2, and 5 that have kept me so radio silent. I have a paper due Wednesday and a final on Friday and then I will be free, free, free to do whatever I please. Hooray?


I kind of miss New York.

I sure wish it would get warm around here again.

-@

ugh March 15, 2008

Posted by Abby T in : academic pursuits, games & systems, language & literature, ten-second updates , 1 comment

I am in finals week hell.

I will be out of the woods when I finish the paper I am currently working on (ETA: about 5AM), but it is difficult to concentrate when I feel so racked* with guilt for having neglected my blog for so long.

Until I am able to pull myself out of the literary quagmire I find myself floundering in at the moment, any looking for insight from me will have to satisfy themselves with these videos. I am a huge fan of the Mario Kart series, and I can’t wait for the Wii incarnation to come out. Can’t wait, I tell you! It looks awesome.

-@

[update - 5AM: I need an hour's extension on my self-imposed deadline. Just for the record.]

*Other grammar and usage nerds may balk at the lack of a “w” prepended to this verb; they can click here.

that wasn’t so bad! March 11, 2008

Posted by Abby T in : ten-second updates , add a comment

Today, I did the impossible: I had a pleasant DMV experience.

-@

relapse March 7, 2008

Posted by Abby T in : birthdays in history, kitchen adventures, language & literature, music & concerts, the photo project , add a comment

I guess I felt entitled to a little bit of indulgence, since I had taken a stab at chipping away at my stack of reading. I’ve read less than half a book and skimmed another, though: progress which definitely does not justify my purchase of two more books this afternoon. I was in Barnes & Noble searching for a book the University bookstores didn’t carry that I need for research on a final paper and I succumbed to the temptation of Rushdie and Keillor.

I know.

So, on my way home from the bookstore, books in hand and tail between legs, I came up with a set of goals for spring break, which starts officially in a few weeks and practically Monday afternoon when I finish my last class and move to reading week and finals.

And here they are.

A Set of Goals for Spring Break

There you have it. I’ll let you know how it goes.


This photo is in honor of the birth of Wanda Sykes, exactly 44 years ago.
It makes sense. Just trust me on this one.

-@

I wish I were my cat right now March 6, 2008

Posted by Abby T in : birthdays in history, games & systems, the photo project , add a comment

She’s fast asleep in a sunny spot, somewhat twined around the wheel mechanism of my desk chair. I’m afraid to move because I don’t want to roll over her tiny sleeping paws. She will never know what I give up for her.

I did end up sleeping last night, because I was able to finish the Hamlet text adventure game rather quickly. I have read Hamlet a few times, as well as most of the other Shakespeare plays referenced in the game. I also worked on the New Student Week production of The Compleat Works of Willm Shkspr (Abridged) this year so even for the plays I haven’t read, I know what parts are comedy fodder and that’s all you really need to get through this game with a score of 100%. I found upon further exploration of the site that Hamlet was written simply as a proof-of-concept for the game engine. No wonder it was so easy!

The other text adventure by the author, though, is another story. Aunts and Butlers is (or so far seems to be) a  full-length text adventure comedy of the highest degree. I’d explain further, but frankly, I’d rather get back to playing it, and I suggest that you do the same.

A hastily-chosen photo to satisfy the day’s requirement:


Ting-a-ling-a-ling!

Happy birthday to Shaq!

-@

two things

Posted by Abby T in : games & systems, ten-second updates , 2 comments

1. Yesterday I topped my all-time high for pageviews: March 5th rang in with 50 in the pot. Sweet!

2. I got out of rehearsal at about 11:45 and it was snowing. So much for my allegations of springtime…

-@

[update: GUYS. I'm not sleeping tonight because I have to play the Hamlet text adventure game. !!!!]