confessions of a red-headed stepchild: July 2004

Friday, July 30, 2004

i have henchmen

This is a silly quiz and the results are even more entertaining.

You Are

When The Levee Breaks

You are a dominating person. People don't stand in your way. Everybody basically does what you say. And if they don't, they better start, or you just might have one of your henchmen kill them.

Just like "When the Levee Breaks" dominates Led Zeppelin IV, you dominate your world. You don't have time for nonsense (it's surprising you even took this quiz) and you would love to be dictator of the world someday.

You are dark and scary, and you probably don't at all care about this quiz, if you even bothered to read your results.

Take the Which Led Zeppelin Song Are You? Quiz

Thursday, July 29, 2004

poop

I have been in a poopy mood for the last couple of days and along with that mood I have been obsessed with the word POOP. I ran across a site I hadn't seen in a long long time and find it just as funny as the last time I was there. Make sure you click on the back button under the cartoon. They have a new one each day and you have to click back to see previous days cartoons. Check it out man! Doodie.com

Monday, July 19, 2004

protect your neck

I use the nickname geeekgirl because I work in the computer industry, and not geekgirl because that was already taken at yahoo.com when I setup my first email address in 1998. I wanted to post a little something regarding spyware because it has been the bane of my work existence for the last few months, not to mention at my house when my browser was hijacked and I had to hand delete a ton of entries made to the registry by the big bad CoolWebSearch program that attached itself to my computer.

For those of you who are not very computer savvy I will start with the real basics. Do not install anything on your computer unless you know what it is. And never ever ever install anything that has these keywords attached: buddy, pal, cool, search, tool bar, helper etc...

Now if you remember your computer being much faster in the past, you have a lot of pop-up advertisements, it takes a long time to boot up or respond when you click on things, you may be infected with spyware. Spyware and adware are programs that keep track of that you are doing on the internet and report back to advertising agencies. These programs will sometimes hijack your browser in an attempt to direct your traffic to a certain page and some people have reported their personal information being stolen because these programs create a way for others to access your computer.

I remove these programs at work on a daily basis, sometimes by hand and sometimes using tools available on the internet. other than the obvious privacy issues involved, it becomes a real pain because these programs are running behind the scenes hogging your system resources. If you think you might have spyware or adware on your computer you can download a couple programs that will scan your hard drive and remove the files for you. As long as you are using the software for personal use it is free. I scan my computer once a month just to make sure it stays clean. In addition to virus software, if you spend time surfing the internet spyware removal is a must.

Some programs I recommend:

Adaware
Spybot Search and Destroy

You can download both of these at download.com

If you have any questions about spyware removal feel free to ask. I have learned a lot the hard way, and have done a lot of manual removal so I know where they hide!

Click here to read an interesting article on the legal proceedings regarding spyware.

Tuesday, July 13, 2004

busy busy bee

I haven't had time to write over the last week but I do have a few things I want to share.

1. I love Daniel Johnston. If you have never heard him before, or never heard his song "Speeding Motorcycle" you should definitely check it out. It makes me smile and laugh and feel happy.

2. I am a whistle blower and was recently written about in the Oregonian regarding an investigation of my complaints to the Department of Education and BCTI's business practices. The article is excellent and I have renewed faith in justice prevailing through not shutting my mouth. If they don't get shut down they will be scared into following the law hopefully.

3. After the anniversary of the Tienanmen Square Massacre I read a disturbing article which stated that no one to this day knows who the lone protester was that stood before the line of tanks with his shopping bag. In fact most of China has never heard of the man or seen the picture. A picture that makes the hair on my arms stand up just thinking about it, and a story that gives me hope each day that one person really can make a difference is being censored by the Chinese government. In an effort to quell dissent and dominate their people, the government controls all forms of media as well as the Internet. I am beginning to wonder if that is where our country is headed in regard to censorship, in fact I searched the term "Michael Moore" on yahoo.com yesterday and too many of the top listings were sites insulting him and calling him a liar. For a movie that has been breaking records left and right, the conspiracy theorist in me wonders if someone or something is trying to counter act the country turning against BUSH! I am embarrassed to say that I still haven't seen the movie, and not because I didn't try, I went and they were sold out because people are still swarming to see it. That makes me so happy!

Thursday, July 08, 2004

hamster wheels

I went to Ashland this last weekend for the 4th of July. Ashland has a big celebration I hadn't been to for at least 4 years, plus Maria was in town and I didn't want to miss out on spending as much time with her as possible.

Tom and I stayed at my sister's house for the first two nights, BBq'd, went on a rafting trip and set off fireworks with my nephew! Tom stayed up until 5am playing video games so he was hurting when we woke up early Sunday morning to go to the Ashland parade. After the parade we went to a fun party at Maria's parents house on the golf course. Maria's dad hired a band to play, her mom made tons of food, Jenni had lots of fireworks and there was plenty of cold beer. The next morning we all went out to breakfast before heading back home.

Ashland will always be a very special place to me and not just because it is my home town. It is a small place, smack in the middle of reneck AMERICA. Somehow it is a safe haven from racism, homophobes, radical right wingers, religous fanatics and unfortunately the poor because the cost of living is getting way too high. People make fun of Ashland and say things like "girls don't shave their legs there...it is just a bunch of hippies", but the reality of it all is that the people think for themselves, they care about the enviornment and there is so little crime that events like "shopping cart crashed into parked car, under investigation" are covered in the public safety column of the newspaper.

Somehow as great as it is there, I can't imagine living there again and when I talk to people who are still there I want to ask them how life in the hamster wheel is treating them. Life just cycles around and around. Nothing really changes other than a few new faces, a few new restaurants and a few changes to the way traffic is directed around town. Other than that you can see my sixth grade school teacher sitting out front of the bank getting ready to watch the parade, as my ex-boyfriends ex-girlfriend (after me) and their kid march past in the parade, there is my old boss in his booth at the park, I sure hope he doesn't see me, there is the old pervert that liked to take pictures of young girls, and that guy I can't stand who thinks we are buddies...No really I saw a bunch of people I was happy to see as well.

I am bored at work today and haven't been working much. I was checking out this site that I go to every once in a while, I ran across it years ago and something about it really intrigues me. Anyway I better try to regain focus.

Friday, July 02, 2004

Q and A

LAST PERSON WHO
. Slept in your bed: Tom, casper, Penny and Jack (our pets)
. Saw you cry: Doniella
. Made you cry: A friend I lost
. You shared a drink with: Maria and Robert
. You went to the movies with: Tom
. You went to the mall with: Kathleen and Charles at Christmas
. Sent you an email: Rachel Saloma

HAVE YOU EVER...
. Said "I Love You" and meant it? Yes. Yes yes yes.
. Gotten in a fight with your pet? Yes he ate a loaf of foccasia I was taking to a BBQ.
. Danced naked: I am sure I have.
. Dreamed something really crazy and then it happened the next day: Yes.
. Wished you were the opposite sex: Yes.
. Had an imaginary friend: No but an active imagination about the living.
. Do you have a crush on someone: Yes, Tom.
. What book are you reading now: Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut.
. Worst feeling in the world: Anxiety/Depression
. Future daughter's name: I have always loved the name June.
. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal: only if the real animals bring them to bed.
. What's under your bed: the floor
. Favorite sport to watch: I really hate watching sports.
. Siblings: 4: Annie, Moriah and Alana (same mom different dads) and Christian (same dad different moms).
. Location: Portland, OR
. College plans: yes not sure what they are yet.
. Piercings/tattoos: ears pierced/kanji symbols on back of neck, flowers on lower back

...BEEN TO
. California: yes
. Hawaii: aloha
. Mexico: si
. China: not yet
. Canada: not yet

EXTRA STUFF
. Do you do drugs: Not really.
. Do you drink: yes.
. Who is your best friend: Tom.
. What are you most scared of: snakes.
. What clothes do you sleep in: Usually nude, but sometimes in shorts and a tank top.
. Where do you want to get married: outside.
. Been in Love: Yes. yes yes yes.
. Do you drive: Yes.
. Do you have a job: Yes, I work for a really great company doing computer repair and support.
. Do you like being around people: Most of the time. I do enjoy being alone too.
. Are you for world peace: Yes. But I know how impossible it is.
. Are you a health freak: Yes, in an effort to make up for all the junk food I eat!

STUFF
. Have you ever loved someone you had no chance with: Yes. My first love. We were together for 2 years, I wanted to be together forever, but it was not meant to be.
. Have you ever cried over something someone of the opposite sex did: Yes. Same sex too.
. Do you have a "type" of person you always go after: People who make me laugh.
. Are you lonely right now: No, I am extremely content.
. Song thats stuck in your head a lot: I drove all night, Cyndi Lauper
. Do you want to get married: Yes.
. Do you want kids: Yes.

FAVORITE
. Room in house: front porch
. Type(s) of music: I love all types of music.
. bands: Fiona Apple, Leonard Cohen, Aimee Mann, Michael Jackson, Modest Mouse, Talking Heads, The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Tracy Chapman, PJ Harvey, David Bowie
. Color: blood red, turquoise
. Perfume or cologne: My rule for perfume is that it needs to smell like something that exists naturally. I love vanilla, rain, and gardenia essential oils.
. Month: October
. Flower: orchid
. Stone: opal and amber