Alden's Diary

Feb. 17th, 2012

MLP:FIM Lesson of the Day

If you have an instinctive feeling that something or someone is bad, go with it even if everypony tries to convince you you're wrong or that your feeling is just you being stupid.

This is especially important if your feeling is that someone is crazy or has no boundaries or is an abuser. THOSE ARE DOOZIES.

Tags: mlp:fim

Jan. 23rd, 2012

The fiasco continues

Originally posted by

electricdruid at The fiasco continues

ACTA in a Nutshell –

What is ACTA? ACTA is the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. A new intellectual property enforcement treaty being negotiated by the United States, the European Community, Switzerland, and Japan, with Australia, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Mexico, Jordan, Morocco, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Canada recently announcing that they will join in as well.

Why should you care about ACTA? Initial reports indicate that the treaty will have a very broad scope and will involve new tools targeting “Internet distribution and information technology.”

What is the goal of ACTA? Reportedly the goal is to create new legal standards of intellectual property enforcement, as well as increased international cooperation, an example of which would be an increase in information sharing between signatory countries’ law enforcement agencies.

Essential ACTA Resources -

Read more about ACTA here: ACTA Fact Sheet
Read the authentic version of the ACTA text as of 15 April 2011, as finalized by participating countries here: ACTA Finalized Text
Follow the history of the treaty’s formation here: ACTA history
Read letters from U.S. Senator Ron Wyden wherein he challenges the constitutionality of ACTA: Letter 1 | Letter 2 | Read the Administration’s Response to Wyden’s First Letter here: Response
Watch a short informative video on ACTA: ACTA Video
Watch a lulzy video on ACTA: Lulzy Video

Say NO to ACTA. It is essential to spread awareness and get the word out on ACTA.

Via Tumblr

Posted at 11:05 am | Link | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Share

Bleaurgh.

Food poisoning or stomach bug this weekend. Not pleasant. Taking today off to rest, as am still dehydrated and shaky (and have not done laundry since a week ago so have no work clothes clean anyway).

This experience has convinced me to put together an emergency box of tending-to-self-when-ill supplies (saltines, pedialyte, ginger ale, chicken soup, various meds, etc.), as I am never together enough to go to the store when I'm already ill. I had to ask housemate to go to the store yesterday, which was kind of awful-feeling. Plus, it would've been nicer to just have the nice remedy-stuff during the night when I needed it.

Also, good reminder to keep my bedroom cleaner all the time, because it's no fun to have a yucky room when you are sick. :(

I watched all of Edwardian Farm when I was ill, and now am watching Victorian Farm during recovery day. LOVE EEEET.

Jan. 7th, 2012

I made an icon!

It is a Molly Hooper icon, because she is my new favorite character on Sherlock. Even though she is yet another saddo woman character who is just as terrible as Irene Adler but to the opposite extreme.

I have this mental image of Steven Moffat sitting alone at home, writing shows and imagining he is the main character having all kinds of saddo women characters falling in love with him, and in his imaginary brainland he's thinking, "ALL THE LADIES SAY YEAH" and doing ridic. 1990s dance moves.

Maybe he even says that to himself in his darkened study and does the dance moves in real life.

If only I had the artistic ability to illustrate that, or animate it as a tiny movie with sound, I would possibly be a happy person for an entire year.

Tags: sherlock

Dec. 29th, 2011

BAD Internet Laws Heading Your Way

Originally posted by

write_light at BAD Internet Laws Heading Your Way

From the flist:

Spread the word, even you're not a US citizen, it is important for everyone!! It easy to do and it can change everything. More info by clicking on the banner.

Website Blocking

The government can order service providers to block websites for infringing links posted by any users.

Risk of Jail for Ordinary Users

It becomes a felony with a potential 5 year sentence to stream a copyrighted work that would cost more than $2,500 to license, even if you are a totally noncommercial user, e.g. singing a pop song on Facebook.

Chaos for the Internet

Thousands of sites that are legal under the DMCA would face new legal threats. People trying to keep the internet more secure wouldn't be able to rely on the integrity of the DNS system.

Read this analysis from boing-boing.net

Get on the phone and call your representative. Express your disapproval. Tell him or her exactly how you feel, and that you don't support this. Tell your friends to call their representatives, their Congressperson, and complain. Mention that you are a registered voter that takes your civic responsibility seriously and that you will use that vote to express your feelings about this.

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57_60/Internet-Companies-Boost-Hill-Lobbying-210345-1.html?pos=olobh

“We support the bill’s stated goals — providing additional enforcement tools to combat foreign ‘rogue’ websites that are dedicated to copyright infringement or counterfeiting,” the Internet companies wrote in Tuesday’s letter. “Unfortunately, the bills as drafted would expose law-abiding U.S. Internet and technology companies to new uncertain liabilities, private rights of action and technology mandates that would require monitoring of websites.” The chamber-led coalition in support of the bill includes Walmart, Eli Lilly & Co. and Netflix.

Google and other opponents of the legislation argue that restricting the Internet in the U.S. sets a bad international precedent and that the language defines infringing too broadly.

SIGN AND FORWARD THESE PETITIONS

American Censorship
Whitehouse Petition
Fight For the Future
DemandProgress
Save the Internet

Posted at 11:25 pm | Link | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Share

Dec. 27th, 2011

Oh.

I was going to post something, but I forgot what it was.

Posted at 10:27 pm | Link | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Share

Dec. 26th, 2011

Goodness!

When Bundle pukes, she pukes a LOT. D:

Posted at 11:39 am | Link | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Share

Dec. 25th, 2011

Hapless Christmas. :D

Ok, my Christmas has been kind of hilarious.

First, there was present-opening with the housemates (I gave them Starbucks cards; they gave me thoughtful Doctor Who themed gifts), and then ham-eating with the housemates, and then extended afternoon nap with Bundle.

Then, as I was leaving the house for Dad Xmas Time, I saw that my car battery was completely dead because I had left the headlights on all night/day.

canellaphile totally rescued me (and

lord_vandemort waited for ages, thus delaying their dindins on my behalf) and let me use her AAA card... and then I drove to Dad's and let the car run in the driveway for an hour while we watched Jeeves and Wooster. And Dad told me I am fat. Which is true, but not very nice to say. Still, if it inspires me to get healthier, then fine. Dad Rudeness is allowed if it is ultimately helpful.

And now I am home, with a headache that is totally my own fault.

Still! This Christmas was TOTALLY BETTER than last Christmas!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

Tomorrow: Hangout time with friends, renewing of AAA card, and purchase of jumper cables of my very own.

Tags: growingup, lifewithdad

Dec. 20th, 2011

Cheese!

Tonight, I went on Omegle and asked a bazillion people one question: "What is your favorite type of cheese?"

After an hour of wading through such answers as "Your conversational partner [or whatever] has disconnected," and "do u want to see my abs?" I was able to compile 20 sensible answers to my question.

I think you will find the results to be fascinating. Tomorrow, I will make a chart. Or, as my favorite anonymous chatperson called it, a cheese wheel.

Also, pleasingly, one person on Omegle greeted me with "RONALD WEASLEY!" and I enjoyed chatting to her, and then later someone greeted me with "Nitwit! Blubber!" and it turned out to be the same person. Her favorite cheese is gouda, but I did not count it twice.

Good night, friends!

Tags: cheese poll

May. 9th, 2011

YAY!

Event is over and went well. I am STILL TIRED. Today was about processing 100+ thank you letters. *Almost* done.

Pleasant evening with Dad last night. Tonight watching DWTS with the housemates. And I have changed the litter box. It is a good week so far. Probably I should do laundry, though.

Such is my life.

Oh. Also, I replaced my iPhone battery myself tonight, and I was ALL excited! But then it started shutting itself off and restarting randomly all the time. So I am NOT excited anymore.

I need book recs, please. Must start taking the bus to work again, so... book recs!

This is the least coherent post ever.

Tags: update

Apr. 25th, 2011

Eventful!

So, the Big Work Event I have been working on is this Saturday.

I am slightly panicked. Boss is also slightly panicked, and she accused me of being snappish today when I absolutely was not being snappish.

Howevs, this boss is WAY BETTER than any other boss I've ever had, so I am not too annoyed.

Now, to sleep. Have been eating poorly but at least am relaxing after work, which is good. Must keep up on the self-care.

Also, thank you again for awesome comments on last 2 posts. ♥ ♥ ♥, srsly. :D

Writer's Block: Eeny, meeny, miny, moe

If you had to give up swimming, skiing, hiking, or biking for the rest of your life, which would you choose, and why?

View 1387 Answers

All of the above! Obviously.

Tags: writer's block

Apr. 23rd, 2011

YAAAAAAY!

Ok, the talking-to-the-niece went pretty well. I didn't give her details, but did tell her what sort of thing had happened, and she said she would keep me posted on whether or not my half-brother will be attending, so I can decide what to do.

Then, we were sort of discussing it a bit later, and M., my dad's awesome former grad student, was there, and I just filled her in with, "one of my brothers and I have a non-speaking sort of relationship."

So M. said, very quietly and sweetly, that she knew a bit about what had happened because my dad told her (she is like family, you see, so it's ok), and that she used to work with my half-brother, and she absolutely believed me and always thought something was wrong with him.

Which was the best thing ever and I almost cried with relief.

Anyway, I feel much better about the whole thing, and now I am looking forward to a) breakfast with the niece, and b) DOCTOR WHO WITH AWESOME FRIENDS AFTERWARDS.

Thanks for listening, friends. <3 you heaps, and I want to answer comments right now but I am about to pass out from emotional exhaustion.

P.S. Protip: Twin Peaks is on Netflix streaming. You're welcome.

Tags: better

Family = not always good.

Just wrote pages and pages out, venting about some abuse that happened to me when I was in my teens... if you've been reading here for years and years, you probably already know about it.

Anyway, my niece is in town tonight, and I have to tell her I won't be able to attend her upcoming wedding, because I believe she has unknowingly invited the abuser, who is one of my half-brothers. No one on her side of the family knows what happened, you see, and my half-brother is much beloved by all.

So, my niece doesn't know about the abuse, and I'm not sure I want to tell her... at least not in terms of details. But I also can't face making an excuse like "sorry, I have plans." I'm really tired of lying and looking like a bitch/flake/whatever, because this is not my fault.

My experience with telling people about the abuse is: friends believe me wholeheartedly; family members say they believe me, and then either forgive my half-brother or allow him to convince them that it's not true, or that I am twisting things in some way.

Or, as in the case of my Dad, they get really old and loopy and don't really remember details.

So, telling another family member is not an experience to which I am looking forward. Please think good thoughts at me tonight, ok? Really actually quite scared.

Mar. 2nd, 2011

LJ Icons = <3

Have just realized that my obsession with graphic design--at least, computer-y graphic design--started with making LJ icons.

Sobering thought, really. What if I hadn't spent all that time babbling away on LJ in 2003? :D

Now I want to make MORE ICONS OMG.

Tags: graphicdesign, icons

Feb. 28th, 2011

Bus

Am at bus stop, waiting for bus to work, trying out the LJ App again.

Ummm... I think that is all...

Except, there has been a small time warp and now I am on the bus! Have never posted from bus before. Technology = pleasant.

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

Tags: via ljapp

Posted at 07:56 am | Link | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Share

Feb. 26th, 2011

Saturday.

Accidentally slept until 4:40pm today (I know! Ugh!) and then woke up, had superquick shower, and drove out to rich-people town to pick up a donation for work. Then went to silly restaurant to meet the housemates and awesome co-worker and her friends for drinks, then visited my old work (Bookshop) and went downtown for more drinks, and now I am home and about to go sleepies.

All in all, a lovely (if short, due to oversleeping) day. Huzzah!

Amusing thing, though: Awesome co-worker is quite a long younger than I am, so the housemates and I feel like Miranda and Stevie in the "Miranda" episode where they are struggling to keep up with a younger friend. Wait, let me see if I can find a link...

Here it is! Miranda: "A New Low".

Also, "Miranda" is my favorite show ever. Miranda Hart is the best.

Tags: fannish, friends

Feb. 24th, 2011

Morning.

location: bed

music: goddamn happy birds outside

This post is a shameless attempt to delay getting out of bed and making myself look presentable for work.

What all are you doing on this fine Thursday (or indeed Friday, depending on your location) morning (or indeed evening)?

P.S. I am SHOCKED to find that "procrastinating" was not one of my tags up until now.

Tags: procrastinating

Feb. 17th, 2011

OMG LOL SPOKE TOO SOON

Ok, so right after my "everything is awesome!" post of a couple of days ago, I came down with a terrible lurgy, and am now home sick from work.

Which is actually ok. I was super-responsible and went in this morning to finish a graphic design project, and then boss sent me home because I looked peaked.

Is that a word? I mean, a word that applies to looking pale and ill? My grandma used to say it. "PEEKID," it sounded like.

Anyway! Now cuddled up with the kitties and am going to watch America's Next Top Model reruns on YouTube until: a) my brain liquefies, or b) I learn by osmosis and become confident and charming.

[Hint: Answer will be "a".]

Feb. 13th, 2011

Life Is Good.

Just taking the time to notice that life is pretty damn good. Love my house & housemates, really like my job, career plan going well, kitties happy, Dad ok, etc.

I need to blog more, though. I miss it.

How is everyone?

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