Halloween-Type-Stuff - Keslyn’s costume arrived, and we tried it on her… Can I just say she’s probably the most adorable little witch I’ve ever seen? Will post pictures after Halloween, but geez. So cute.

And Joe & John are going to dress up for Halloween, as well. I probably won’t be… The theme is EQ characters, and Joe really went all out and bought himself armor and ears and a sword and face paint… John got a staff (which Keslyn refers to as “The Ooga-Booga”, since that’s teh sound John made when he showed it to her), and is working on some sort of kilt idea. Dunno. It would have required too much effort & money to recreate one of my old EQ characters. If I go as anything, it’ll likely be a witch - all I’d need to buy is a hat, that way.

Work-Type-Stuff - I’m doing some volunteer work for The Bigfoot Discovery Project. Volunteer? Yes, volunteer. Why, you may be wondering, am I working for free when I could really use cash? Portfolio, people. Its good work experience, and its an… Unusual project to be working on. And, actually, the whole museum thing that they’ve got is only an hour or so away in the Santa Cruz mtns, so if I got itchy to get more involved, its not outside the realm of possibility. Mostly the portfolio, though. Its incredibly difficult to get work when you haven’t had work in the past. Especially when you’re self-taught and don’t have a degree to back you up. So. I’ve been surfing Craigslist awhile, looking for people who need web work done, and volunteering my time.

Housing-Type-Stuff - We still haven’t gotten in touch with the guy that John said wanted to rent to us. So. Its all still up in the air. I really want my dsl back.

Free-Time-Stuff - Free time? What free time? I’ve been making more dolls. They’re up on the Blooms section. I’ve been working more on Nepheliad, and I expect to have that functional and ready to go by December 1st. Carole’s been a huge help, making card sets. I hate making card sets. Quilting, too, lately. I’ve nearly finished Keslyn’s quilt. John hooked upt he sewing machine for me, so that’s going a little faster. I’m also crocheting a hat. Its… An experience. Heh. And I’ve been coloring a lot, Keslyn LOVES to color, but lately she’s figured out how easy it is to break crayons.

The biggest downside to that is that I’m very anal about my crayons. I like to have them all put back in order, all UNpeeled, all very neat and tidy and NOT broken. I’m a crayon-nazi.

But I’m trying to relax. A little. I draw the line at chewing on them!

I just have too many online involvements. I can’t keep current on a blog, and yet I went and opened a new section of the site (Blooms). I’ve pared down WhuddleWorld, though, and taken on staff at Bibliophile, so that should help out. Things at the QBee are hectic at the moment, but only because of the Halloween activity, so I expect that to settle to a dull roar by month’s end. I’ve been doing a lot of PTR stuff lately, to bring in a (very) little bit of extra income, and that really does eat into my time. I have a separate email account strictly for that, and its not unusual for me to get over 100 emails a day. You can imagine, then, how long it takes me to sort through them all. Yikes!

And I’ve started dolling once again (which is what the new site section is all about), and base-making, which is tedious and frustrating and very satisfying when it all works out.

And I spent hours updating Keslyn’s Amazon wishlist, for anyone out there who wants to buy her things. Go here to see it in all its oh-so-current glory. Also linked into the sidebar. That project came about because Keslyn’s grandparents (John’s folks) are buying her costume this year, and Amazon seemed the easiest way to show them what we wanted. So, thanks for the costume and the boost in the rear to get the thing up-to-date.

And some (potentially) good news: we may be moving! Not to Michigan, not yet, but out of this restyled frat house semi-studio that is entirely too small for the three of us, and into a 2 bedroom garage-turned-cottage owned by a guy that John has been doing some side work for. And for $60 less a month! With more space, we could get out of the storage unit we’re renting (which costs us another $125 a month). So this place, provided it works out, could save us nearly $200 a month. I’m excited, but trying not to be too excited - we’ve had other similar housing options fall through on us in the past.

Still, its looking good, so keep your fingers crossed for us!

So, this evening (11:15-ish pm) I’m sitting at my computer, playing The Sims. All of a sudden, I looked over at the door (my computer happens to be directly in line with it) and I see a strange man peeking his head in.

Now, we have a sutdio, let me explain, so everything and everyone is in one room, John’s & my bed and Keslyn’s bed are not in view of the door (or viewable at all from the door). So, its a fair assumption to say that this strange person poking his head into our place may think that I’m in here alone.

Now, since we are in a building that is supposedly locked down (only residents have keys to get in), I figure that maybe this person was just wandering around and accidentally opened the wrong door. So, I said “Hello?” thinking that perhaps its our next door neighbor. No answer, just this head and bare chest peeking in through about a 6-inch opening.

Me: “Hello?”

Him: “…”

Me: “Hello?”

Him: “…”

Me: “Hello?”

Him: “…”

At this point, I’m obviously getting a little freaked out, and my voice has been getting steadily louder. The person at the door starts to close the door - or at least, I assume he’sclosing it. But it pops back open, to that same 6 inches.

Me: “Hello? Can I help you?”

Him: “…”

Me: “Do you need something?”

Him: “…”

Me: “Hello? Do you need help?”

Him: “…”

And starts to shut the door again.

Or so I thought. Yes, that’s right - for the third time, the door swings open about 6 inches. Now, you may be wondering: why on Earth didn’t I just get up, slam the door, and throw the bolt? Two reasons. 1. I’m basically a good and trusting person, and I thought perhaps this was a drunk or sick or whatever person that legitimately needed help. 2. I’m basically a scared and suspicious person who had no idea if the strange person peeking into my room was going to reach in and grab me, or stab me or whatever strange peeking people do. Plus I kinda thought he might be nude (couldn’t get a good view, thank God), and I didn’t want to get that close.

So, back to the open door.

Me: “Hello? You can close the door now.”

Him: “…”

Me: “Close the door. Now.”

Him: “…”

Me: “Close the door, NOW!”

Him: “…”

But this time, he mostly closes the door, and his shadow moves far enough away that the hall light is once again coming in - so I get up, shut the door, and throw the bolt.

Then I wake John. That’s right. He slept through the whole thing. I woke him up and said: “John, I think a naked black man just opened our door. And poked his head in. Alot. I think he was naked. Some black man. I don’t know who. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, at least.”

As you can see, I really wanted to stress the possibility of his being naked.

Actually, to be really honest, I was largely freaked out. I mean, its not every day that strange men open my door, for one. But if my door gets opened, there usually follows an embarassed “Ohmygod, I’m sorry! I wasn’t paying attention. I thought it was my room. I’m sorry! Sorry.” and then the door shuts immediately. Not really a big deal. Especially since that’s only happened once. But this person… It wasn’t an accident, and it had the feeling of play, in a sick sense. Like he opened the door, and was absolutely silent… And then kept swinging it shut and open and shut and open… Just staring at me with wide eyes…

It was freaky. John couldn’t find anyone in the halls, or the building manager. So. The door is bolted, John has gone back to sleep… And I’m still freaked out. Its not so bad right now, because John is here, but he’s going to work tomorrow, and I’ll be home alone with Keslyn all day long.

It worries me, and I know I’m justified in worrying… I’d feel much better if the issue were resolved tonight. I guess I could call the cops. Its technically high enough on the freak-out scale that a police report would be justified, and they would take care of it tonight… I don’t know why I don’t call the cops. I guess I just don’t feel justified. I don’t know that I could pick this guy out again if I saw him, and that really does scare me - he may be a resident in the building, or he may be someone’s guest, or he may be just some random person who followed a resident in. I have no idea. There are cameras in the hall, so tomorrow people will review the tapes and figure out exactly what happened…

I don’t know why I don’t call the cops. It doesn’t seem like a big enough deal, to me, to be making such a fuss. I mean, nothing really happened, and it could have just been an accident.

Didn’t feel like it, though. Still doesn’t. And really - how much has to happen before it justifies a call to the police? Am I really one of those people who waits (or would wait) til it was 5 minutes too late to try and protect myself?

John suggested, laughinly, that I keep the hammer (an actual hammer, not slang for some other kind of weapon) next to me at all times, because it would really freak someone out if they opened the door and I charged at them swinging a hammer.

And it would.

But what if it didn’t? Or they had something that freaked me out more than my hammer freaked them…? Just what if?

So, I think I’ve fixed the minor IE compatability issues. Careless cssing on my part, and I’m a little scared to test it in Netscape… I don’t want to know about the hundred other things I need to tweak for this to look the same across the board.

They’re showing Grey’s Anatomy from the first episode on now - I forget which channel it is. But I’m in heaven. I love that show, and I somehow missed out on at least the first season of it, so I’m glad for the recap, even though I know how everything turns out now. Its the only series I’ve ever seen that I would actually consider buying the dvd of if they ever compiled it. I’m not big on series-type shows.

I’ve gotten some pictures of the baptism, and will post them as I’m able. Probably nothing big any time soon, but eventually. Losing our cable modem really screwed with my plans. Keslyn and I had made up little cards and passed them out at the party after her baptism, telling everyone that pictures would be up soon at this address, and then… -poof- Nothing. I feel bad. I feel a little stressed, too, now. Like I have to get them up ASAP, but I just don’t have the opportunity. Dial-up connections every now and then are not conducive to massive file uploading. Not one little bit.

John was in touch with the child support people, in a round about kind of way. Apparently the guy that ultimately receives John’s garnishments before they go to Liisa never got one of the payments. So he had to contact John’s boss and John. It was a little worrisome, but we found out that this guy could lower John’s child support. Maybe. He faxed John some paperwork to fill out and fax back, but we still won’t know anything for 30-45 days. It said on the paperwork that an individual will get faster results filing for a court date to get the child support lowered, but after waiting for over a year for the courts to even serve her… Well, lets just say we’er not hopeful that the courts are moving on this issue.

And that’s news in a nutshell. We’re still in CA, and we still don’t have a set date to leave, although I can’t help but feel like time is running out on us - CA is so darned expensive! But life goes on… And so do we. Just how we do it is a mystery… Heh. Theme song goodness - I think that was from The Wonder Years, but my memory is a bit spotty and I can’t be certain…

Keslyn just loves this show. I don’t understand it. Its not much different from every other kids’ show we’ve seen, but for some reason… She’s glued whenever it comes on. I don’t mind, since its tons better than most cartoons that kids her age usually enjoy. But, geez. Just glued to it. She hasn’t moved from in front of it since it came on (about 15 minutes ago). My little girl, who normally can’t sit still for 30 seconds at a time, is hypnotized by Loonette and Molly (a clown and her dolly) on The Big, Comfy Couch.

Err. Sorry. Theme song moment, there.

In other news: I just got my little approvaly notice for Google Ads. I’m kind of bothered by the fact that I’ve resorted to putting ads on my site - I thought when I bought my first domain name, that that would be the end of ads on my personal sites, and now here I am again, full circle. At least these ads are (supposed to be) targeted, relevant ads, and I can put them anywhere I want. I remember how happy I was when I first figured out how to cover up the silly ad banners on my geocities site… Man, I really thought I was getting away with something! Those were the days… Hah!

I knew just enough to think I was so supercool; such a fantastic web designer. Now, though, I know just enough to realize how much I have left to learn. Its a humbling process, validating your code. All these things that looked just fine every which way I previewed them - I run them through the validator and “19 errors” “22 errors” “This Site is not valid XHTML 1.0 Strict!” Eesh. But I’m getting there. Now, if I could just overcome my laziness and do my coding in notepad or something other than FrontPage… But I can’t help it. I like the intstant preview I get in FP. Not terribly fond of the extraneous code I keep having to delete, but these are minor sacrifices, yanno? Mainly I’m just proud of myself for being able to fix the errors in validation. The next step is remembering to code without them in the first place.

But, anyway - go click some ads. Do something that will make me money. You know you want to.