I'm so frustrated right now, rawr!

I've been selling off my American Girls' collection which mainly consisted of accessories from the Felicity doll. One of my prized possessions (and the most valuable piece) was her clothes press from before Mattel took over the company. Considering its age (at least 16 years old, maybe more) it was in amazingly good shape and looked practically brand new. Just a few nicks from being moved around and played with, but I was never hard on my collector's items and you could barely tell that it had been previously owned.

Very nice lady bought it, and me, being insanely paranoid, packed the ever loving SHIT out of the box. We're talking enough bubble wrap, packing peanuts, and inflatable bags to float a battle ship. Hell, part way through I ran out of peanuts because the box was so large and had to buy more. I still DREAM about packing peanuts, but anyway.

I ship it UPS and figure that's that. Oh no, I get a note from the lady that she had gotten the clothes press . . . IN PIECES! It had busted apart completely on the way there, and she sent me pictures and it's horrible. Thankfully it broke apart along the seams, but still, that wasn't the item she bought and that wasn't the item I oh so carefully packed. So now it's off to the UPS customer care center armed with a TON of pictures of the item I packed, the box, the packing materials, the pieces of the dresser, etc and raise holy hell (if it comes to that) about them paying the insurance claim. She sent me pictures of the box, too, and it's obvious from what the box looks like that it was very roughly handled. There's an area where the box looks like it was torn and that something was either shoved into it, or that it run into with something. Our guess (the nice lady and myself) is that they dropped it, then shoved it onto the truck and dropped MORE stuff on it.

All I can say is that UPS had better honor the insurance claim AND pay back the shipping price. I'm highly upset, and so is my buyer, though thankfully she got in touch with me directly instead of just instantly leaving negative feedback and having us get into a war on the feedback forum. She's going to see if a friend of hers who works with cabinets professionally can repair it, but that's still not the item she bought in its original state.

Sooo, it's off to battle!

Ok, I'm usually not one to request people pray for me, mainly because I don't really believe in it. I prefer to think of it as sending positive energy or well wishs to the person I'm thinking about.

Anyway, there's a little two year old foal named Suds that I know who's having to undergo life threatening surgery (too long of a story to go into, let's just say an injury went bad in her ankle area) and if you have time just send some healing thoughts or wishes for a safe and swift recovery in her direction.

Thanks, and I hope everyone is doing well.

I'm on a WIKI!!!! O_O Granted, it's a fanwiki, but a wiki none the less. I'm amused. http://www.fanhistory.com/wiki/Alyson_Metallium ^^;; And I really should update my own entry, don't you think? XD Not to mention they haven't put up my latest fics. I wonder if this thing is an extension of ff.net. *hunts for information*

And Thank goodness I've used my fan author name for a lot of my online stuff, because it just hit me that people who interview me for jobs (not that there's been any, it was just a passing thought) and the like could hunt up any bashing of previous job places that I've worked by my real name. O_O ACK! And yes, I've always been aware of that in the back of my head, I just never really THOUGHT about it before. I'm an idiot. XD

I've been having really strange dreams lately, too. One I actually woke up crying from, and those who know me know that I. Do. Not. Cry. Unless there's a damn good reason, but otherwise I bottle it up. But here lately I've been having dreams about exploding spaghetti, stalker serial killers after my family, some woman slapping me, and someone else telling me that my pony was dead (and I hadn't really thought of her in years).

I honestly think Murphy (my pet name for God) has it in for me sometimes.

I was thinking about going through and friend's locking my more . . . inflamitory journal entries, but . . . that would be a major pain and I don't feel like it at the moment. Maybe tomorrow. ^^;

I've finally caught up with Slayers Evolution-R, and my inner fangirl has been screeching her head off (ok, the outer fangirl has been squealing, as well) over how much fun it is. I love the detail that the crew put into it, even bringing back secondary characters (and their original voices) for flashbacks. We've also learned more about Zel's background and just WHY he hates Rezo (it's for more, really, than just turning him into a chimera) which was super nice. The first season kind of led you to believe that Rezo just ran across Zel in the woods and changed him, but that's not the case.

Speaking of Rezo, I've always known he was an asshat, but damnit, he's a total douche bag.

Another thing about Rezo is that I forgot he and Neuro were voiced by the same actor (Yay, Koyasu!) and . . . *snicker* Rezo's soul is stuck in his jar (not a spoiler unless you haven't watched Revolution) and he's been talking, and I keep picturing Neuro in the jar instead of Rezo. XD Sadly, this mental image makes me snicker at inappropriate times. XD

In other news, so much shippy goodness! Not only do we have Zel and Amelia continuing to play off each other (especially when it comes to teasing Lina), but they're showing more concern for the well being of each other, which brings back memories from NEXT.

I will say, though, Zel's Angst O'Rama in episode 10 had me alternating between wanting to smack him, and wanting Amelia to lay a huge wet one on him. As if the poor boy didn't have ENOUGH to angst over. Rezo, you're an ass.

Soooo, I'm reading Slayers Evolution-R on one manga. . . .

MAJOR ZELAME STUFFAGE, WOOOT! Sooo, Zel, nice catch, and you're going to take her somewhere safe, hmmm?

Mwahahahahaha.

Ok . . . I'm bored. Again. ^^;;

( More fun here! )

So I make lols.


moar funny pictures

Seriously, though, I've been really twitchy and restless today and yesterday. I feel like something is looming around the corner, but I don't know what. And quite frankly, it worries me.

We'll just have to wait and see, I guess.

Good LORD Almighty, and I thought Twilight wank was intense, but this?? Usually I tend to ignore crap and stay on the fringes of fandoms that I like (my stint of wading in with guns blazing and waging war are long over for the most part) because I don’t like fighting and wank and the like, but after what all I’ve been seeing from people that I respected over the last few days, well, here goes.

Give me a minute while I set up my soap box (damn, that’s heavy) and adjust the microphone (gah, sorry about the squealing, let me fix the volume) before I get started. I’m not going to name names because I believe that’s pathetic and childish, and besides, I’m not commenting on individuals because that’s even more pathetic and childish, but I feel the need to rant in general about something that’s irritating the SHIT out of me.

What spawned this is the recent wank war that’s taking place between Zutara fans (yeesh, never thought I’d see that happen, we’ve always been so solid in our support of each other). It’s almost reached the point where I shake my head in disgust about all sorts of things in general. Buuuut, that’s neither here nor there and hopefully I’ll get my point across in a mature and rational fashion. And if I fail that, may I take a few heads along for the ride. *sharpens swords*

I’ve been noticing a distressing rise in the tendency for popular people to threaten to withhold fanfic chapters, fanart, AMVs, etc because they’ve received negative commentary, not enough reviews, or constructive criticism that was taken as “bashing”. I have one thing to say to you people, and brace yourselves, because my immature side is coming out.

Get. The. Fuck. OVER. Yourselves.

*cough* All right, anyway, as I said, that’s my immature side. Anyway, one of my largest pet peeves is when people start bitching and whining about how they’re not going to work on something or publish a new chapter, etc because they’re not happy with the attention they’ve been getting. And I have to ask this, are you writing/drawing/AMVing/Animating/Whatthefuckevering just for attention, fame and glory alone? If you are, I pity you with my entire heart, because you will never, ever be happy if you think like that. I’m sure all of you have run across at least one fanfic where the author goes, “If I don’t get X number of reviews I won’t update”. Guh, that type of Prima Donna attitude is a complete turn off, and it guarantees that I’ll drop whatever story/fanartist/AMVmaker/Whathaveyou in a heart beat.

That might not mean a lot because I’m only one person, but honestly? I don’t care. That type of attitude is beyond annoying (and what’s up with the latest trend of leaving a comment in a fanfic that goes, “Great story! Please read mine!”?? STOP BEGGING!) and obnoxious, and it only serves to make other people less inclined to be understanding if you have a legitimate complaint.

Having said all that, am I able to back myself up? Well, maybe to some extent. I consider myself a writer (and while I do draw, my heart isn’t in it as much as it is in writing, so I consider it a hobby as opposed to something I want to do for life), I did major in it, I have been published (nothing major or mainstream, just a few magazine articles) and I tend to throw my fanfiction out there for fun. Yep, fun, because I write for myself, I always have, and no one else. I won’t lie, I do enjoy it when someone comments that they enjoyed my story, and I REALLY enjoy it when someone else comments with constructive criticism, technical problems, and ways to make my writing better. But you will NEVER hear me whine, bitch, moan or complain that something I’ve written hasn’t had any reviews or hits or whatever you do to measure traffic to certain things. And believe me, I have a few stories like that, but you know? It’s ok if they don’t have any attention, because I wrote them for myself. I had a story to tell, and I told it to the best of my ability, and I’m satisfied with that.

Why can’t everyone else be the same? Honestly, whine whine bitch bitch moan complain is a major turn off, and it makes a person seem like they’re never happy or have nothing positive to say about things (it’s completely different when I’m ranting about my job, though, for reasons I can’t go into because I’m being watched by the higher ups. Oh noes!) that they enjoy doing.

And that . . . is extremely sad.

Sooooo, do things for yourself that make YOU happy, and tell the rest of the world to frag off all ready.

It’s raining and getting cold here. That might explain why I’m in such a “bleh” of a mood.

Wow, twice in one month. I must be bored. ^^;

Finally finished rereading the Rurouni Kenshin manga, and realized while I was doing so that I had never really read the entire thing in the first place, just bits and pieces of it. So it was a lot of fun, kind of like I was visiting old friends and catching up on their lives. It also reminded me of just how sad that story could get sometimes, especially when dealing with Kenshin's background.

It also reminded me of how much I LOVE the Enishi/Kaoru pairing. Psychotic hot man for the win! There's some insane chemistry between those two, and it's a shame there aren't more fanfics of them up on ff.net. Speaking of which, though, one of my favorite EK authors has vanished and taken all of her fics with her. Sharkaria, where are you??? *cries*

*cough* In other news, the WTH? is about the fact that I can't login into ff.net, and I haven't been able to for a good two days. It's saying something about a technical glitch and to come back in a few minutes, but those few minutes have really stretched out for me. This bothers me because I have, shock of all shocks, a short Blade of the Immortal fic I want to stick up there. Waaaaaaah.

It's cold here, too. Makes me unhappy. ^^;

Wow, twice in a year, hello 2009!

So, Singleton's Awareness Day has come and gone yet again, and my allergies have decided to take up residence and make me feel like a bundle of, well, grossness. XD And I sound like a dying frog, which is highly entertaining to my students.

I really wish I could do a more in depth post, but I know that my online stuff is monitored by Big Brother, and Heaven knows what they'd do to me if I went into detail about some of the things that have been going on out here. Last time I really did a major, major post that didn't revolve around fandom stuff (which is still going stronger than ever, I really need to sit down with myself and remember everything I've ever loved. Currently rereading Rurouni Kenshin and fallen head over heels in love, once again, with Saito) was around the time I either just started the job I'm currently in, or shortly there after. I'm still here and teaching kids how to ride, but so much has happened in the three years since I first started this job that I'm not sure how to process it all. I really wish I had kept up with the blogging here so that I could go back and remind myself of things.

In a rough nutshell, since I started work here I have:

Been happier than I ever have been before.

Worked harder than I ever have before, to the point of physical exhaustion

Been told I was scary a good 6 times

Got my Masters in Library Science

Sprained my ankle a good 24 times (roughly once a month, damn ankle)

Watched a real life Soap Opera unfold when my coworker started dating a man that my boss had crushed on for years, which became the prelude to the Year of Hell.

Watched one person descend into a level of insanity that was frightening

Watched this same person systematically destroy the other

Had my heart and soul broken (not in a romantic sense) in such a way that there's a part of me that will never fully recover

Watched as people I thought I knew became people I had never seen before

Watched a friend of mine be fired for no reason other that stupid, petty jealousy

Become the target of subtle bullying to the point that I have no doubt that my presence is unwelcome here

Been talked down upon in such a way that I've come as close to striking another person as I ever will and still manage to keep my self control

Had what confidence I had in myself broken into small pieces

Read so many books I can't really keep track of them anymore

Finally started my own original novel for Young Adults that looks like it's going to be a series instead of a stand alone

Realized that while I do like the isolation of living in the country, I flat out HATE the small community where you see the same damn people every single damn day

Become sadder and more withdrawn from everyone around me than I have ever since I was diagnosed with severe depression my Freshman year of high school

Become so disillusioned and cynical about people that it's a wonder I still talk to them (friends, however, are a different matter)

Become more determined than ever to find my place and become happy once again

Become an aunt for the first time

Realized that while I like being single, I don't like being lonely

Become convinced that her cat is a perverted man in a kitty suit

Anyway, that's my mental . . . break down? Hmmm, whatever, of the last three years. I hope that everyone out there is doing well in these troubled times, and while I may not comment or visit your lj's on a regular basis, for whatever it's worth you're still in my thoughts.

Take care, all, and STAY WARM! *glares at what's left of the unexpected snowfall that's finally melting away outside the office window* Bleh.