pain and suffering in various tempos

So I'm trying to reply to a comment made to my by caras_galadhon in her journal, and it gives me this message:

Error
[Error: DBI connect('theschwartz_livejournal;host=10.16.129.222','lj',...) failed: Can't connect to MySQL server on '10.16.129.222' (113) at /home/lj/cgi-bin/Data/ObjectDriver/Driver/DBI.pm line 54 at /home/lj/cgi-bin/TheSchwartz.pm line 349 @ w85]

What in the WORLD? It just ends up leaving blank comments instead. Three times in a row. LJ, what's up, dude? You have a headcold?

Wowsa!

From Winnie-the-Pooh, Check your Store Cupboard:
It's sort of comforting to know if you have fourteen pots of honey left, or fifteen, as the case may be.

And, a book meme, nicked from noelegy, because it's always fun, and because of the particular book ...
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don't search around and look for the coolest book you can find. Do what's actually next to you.

Liall's hands gripped his arms tightly, and Scarlet got the distinct impression the atya wanted to shake him for his carelessness.
-- Scarlet and the White Wolf, Book One: The Pedlar and the Bandit King by Kirby Crow

***

Dear Asshat Bad, Bad Man Prime Minister Harper,

Well. Congratulations on your exceptionally narrow win. Now that you and your scary face are running this country, I would like to take a moment to talk to you about some things. I think everything I would care to say falls under one, very simple, header:

This is Canada, not the United States of America.

Please remember those very, most vitally important nine words. Remember what Canada has prided itself for, for so very long.

We are a peacekeeping nation, and not a militaristic force.

Canada did not follow the U.S.'s silly campaign against Iraq. I think it's fairly safe to say that most of us are quite happy with this. It's kept the needless deaths of Canadians on Iraq at a very low level, wouldn't you say? Do not, please, do not start making efforts that might cost Canadian lives for silly things. Okay?

We believe in fundamental, civil rights for all.

While, as you said recently in The Toronto Star, the separation of church and state may not be mandated in any particular part of the Canadian Charter, it's worked very well for us. Freedom of religion is a very important thing, and I agree with you on that. I keep you free of my version of what can only be called Christianity, and you should continue to keep me free from yours. I'm not sure just which churches you say have been "forced" to perform same-sex marriages against their will (surely I would have heard of such things in the news, Mr Prime Minister?), and I agree with you that no church should be forced to do something it doesn't want to do. They should be free to practice their wonky version of my religion as they see fit. By the same token, anyone who feels that same-sex couples deserve the very basic protections under the laws that are afforded heterosexual couples should be able to extend those rights freely, without interference from your religion. Do you see how it needs to be a two-way street? All of this applies to abortion, by the by. If you start barging in and trying to throw civil rights all into chaos, I hope the other three parties tell you to sit down and stfu will veto it all.

Incidentally, I would love for you to explain, as concisely as possible, without using your version of Christianity, just how affording basic legal protections and rights to same-sex couples will lead to chaos, the apocalypse, a rainbow explosion, people marrying their pets, the general destruction of all that is good and decent and right, etc. Please. Just why should a gay person not be allowed to inherit their partner's properties, or be allowed at their dying partner's bedside, be allowed tax breaks, be allowed to share insurance policy, and all that very basic stuff that heterosexual couples are allowed to have? Just cuz they're queer don't cut it, sir, and neither does the fact that a passage in the Old Testament (which I thought Christians weren't actually supposed to be following?) "says so".

Basically what I'm trying to say, Mr Prime Slimeball Minister, is please remember that you're in Canada. While we certainly couldn't condone much of what had gone wrong with the Liberal party, we do not deserve to be turned into America's "MiniMe". Do not start kowtowing to American policy, George Bush, or any of that. Despite the overwhelmingness of American culture streaming over the border, I still live in hope that the vast majority of Canadians are happy being Canadians, and having a strong, healthy, happy Canada. Oh, mentioning healthy -- I think the free healthcare thing makes a lot of Canadians happy, too. Touch that, and I'll bite.

It seems I can't say any of this in a concise manner. I won't apologise for that, though. If you have to annoy me, I'm going to annoy you, so nyah. Please, just don't start making grand, sweeping changes. Leave Canada the way it kind of is. Please?

No love,
Sincerely,
ashinae

***

Dear LJ:

You're confusing me and causing general distress. Quit it.

Le sigh,
ashinae

*flails happily*

Got annoyed at 3Column's wonkiness. Have chosen non-wonky new layout. Given journal massive overhaul. Miss Maximus already, but just look at all the new pretty! Even have brand-new default icon. I know people are gonna get confuzzled not seeing Pooh all the time. I promise to take him out and use him, though. :)

*bounces* Am so pleased. So much thanks to rahalia_cat for using this layout for the Gravity and Want One mirror journals, or else I'd have never seen it, and that would have been so sad! *G*

To get a permanent account, or not to get a permanent account. That is the question. Can I actually AFFORD it?

But... 100 icons...

That's really all I want. Just the 100 icons.

Dammit. I don't know! Argh.

My life can now start slowly getting back to normal. My training is over; no more commuting down to Toronto via the 400 and the 401; no more up-at-6:30, home-at-7:00; no more homework. Training is over. I start in-centre on Monday. Life can slowly start getting back to normal.

I don't have a lot to say, really, in "me" news. They spelled my last name wrong on my diploma; it'll be a few weeks before that's fixed. Alas. I started the programme last Saturday, and I am down 3 pounds since Monday. Go me.

So, yes, I have missed out on a lot of stuff here in LJLand. The basic rundown would probably be something to the point of:
Happy Birthday! Oh, I totally agree with that. God, I'm so sorry that happened. *HUGS*. I hope you're feeling better! I hope everything works out for you. Oh my gosh, that is so, so totally cool. OMGYAY. SQUEE House. People are silly, aren't they? Ooooooh, shiny!

Yeah. I think that would just about sum it up. *G* I mean, there really is no way for me to catch up on three weeks, is there?

*

thefridayfive, on Saturday:

1. What are your five favorite all time TV shows?
Hmm. *looks at DVD collection* Farscape, Babylon 5, Xena, Due South, and now House.

2. What five things you want to do before the year is out?

• Reach my goal weight -- which I am "scheduled" to do by December 17
• See Sarah McLachlan and U2 in concert -- the former is absolutely going to happen, deerdancer has our tickets. The latter... *crosses fingers*
• Consisently reach my goals at work.
• Consistently help people at work.
• Get a Creative Zen Micro MP3 player. *waves at asynje*

3. Who are five people (alive, dead, or otherwise) you would want to have dinner with?
Oooh. *ponders* Paul Bettany+Jennifer Connelly+Russell Crowe. *grin* Bono. Jann Arden.

4. Where are five places (cities, states, countries, etc.) you would like to visit?
Australia, New Zealand, England, Ireland, Scotland. At least I have a really good hope of understanding the language, y'know? I'd also like to go to Vancouver, head out to Calgary again to visit family since I haven't in eleven years now, and I'd like to do another wee tour of the maritime provinces.

5. What are your five favorite desserts?
Ice cream -- bordeaux cherry and DQ Oreo Blizzards in particular. Cherry pie. Homemade -- peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies and chocolate puffed wheat squares. (OMG if you've never heard of such thing, just ask, and I will post the recipe. They are to die for.)

( and I so seldom ever do these, but oh, this made me giggle )

Good lord, but James Purefoy is hot. Nummy.

I checked my "friend of" list today and I am AMAZED. I have got to ask this -- why on earth have you people friended me? *G* A bunch of you I know from either the Due South fandom or Aragorn/Boromir part of LotR fandom. Other names I know quite well now from the whole clip theft thing. But the rest of you? Speak up, my lovelies! What are you here for?

Oh -- if anyone has friended me or watches this LJ just for vid updates (which, unfortunately, due to school are few and far between now), would it be appreciated if I made a new journal just for vid posts, so that it wouldn't be necessary to wade through the icky boy-on-boy smut and insane squeeing?

Picked up Josh Groban's new CD today. Will be listening to that tonight, squee!

The Friday Five:

1. What housekeeping chore(s) do you hate doing the most?
Bathroom. Hate hate hate cleaning the bathroom.

2. Are there any that you like or don't mind doing?
When the mood strikes me, I actually don't mind cleaning my room. It's rather theraputic, going through all my things, throwing stuff away. I'm a bit of a pack rat, a bit obsessive-compulsive, so I feel oddly freed by being able to have the strength to throw away something I honestly don't need.

3. Do you have a routine throughout the week or just clean as it's needed?
I pretty much only clean when I feel like it, or when I can't look at something without going "Oh god, how do I live like this??"

4. Do you have any odd cleaning/housekeeping quirks or rules?
I have to start at the same place all the time. It's more routine than anything else, but I can't break that routine.

5. What was the last thing you cleaned?
My desk. It's now a mess again. This was only last weekend. Ah well *G*

* * *

Am I the only person who actually likes LJ's new layout? It's so much cleaner. It'll take some getting used to, yes, but I feel like the old purple layout was much more cluttered. And I love the blue.

Am waiting for 3D class to start. I can't wrap my head around the 3D stuff. I can DO what our instructor guides us through, but can't really seem to make anything on my own. This is a problem as I only have about 2.5 more weeks to finish my project.

Am making a Sharpe fansite for my final project for web design. Go me!