In addition to the business presentation I wrote about earlier, there will be a product demo at 1:00 in the same place. If you are interested in one of them, you will probably want to be there for the other one too. I hope all of you can make it! It looks like it's going to be really fun. :)

I recently found out that much of the world's chocolate is harvested and processed by child slaves in Africa. I am disturbed beyond words. I will never eat a Snickers bar or a Hershey's Kiss again.

Here is a basic informational site about chocolate slavery.

Here is a list of slavery-free chocolate. I'm stunned at how short the list is.

Many of you have heard that I've been looking at an amazing business franchise, called Market America. I've been getting more and more excited about it the more I find out about it. My friends who introduced me to the business suggested I host an event to present an overview of the business to help expand through referrals. My friend David will be helping me with the presentation since he knows a lot more about the business than I do. I am still evaluating it myself.

My aunt Mary Clare has offered to host the event at a conference room in her condo building. It will be on July 11th at 2:30. The presentation will be 35-40 minutes. You're all welcome to stay afterwards to get your questions answered and/or refer us to potential partners. We will have snacks.

If you'd like to help us out, please let me know, or if you decide to come at the last minute that's okay too.

The address is:
2901 NE Blakeley St. #304
Seattle, WA

The street is just north of University Village. The condo is in the same building as the Zoka coffee shop. It's right off the Burke Gilman Trail if anyone is walking or biking.

Please bring along anyone else you think might be interested. Anyone and everyone and is welcome!

~ Mara ~

Without looking in a dictionary, what is your definition of "irony"?

I just joined Facebook and I can't figure out how to use it. I have messages but when I try to read them, it just takes me to a page that asks me to select my gender, star sign, and type my name and phone number. It says it will tell me who has a crush on me if I type the pin that is sent to my phone. I just want to read the message and this seems pretty cheesy. But I followed the directions and it's still not working. What am I doing wrong? So far, Facebook is just annoying.

The Online Freedom Academy

http://www.tolfa.us/

I've been selling stuff on eBay for a few years and I've never once had a package not arrive at its destination until a couple weeks ago. Now all of a sudden, lots of buyers are claiming their packages never arrived. At first I thought it was a fluke so I refunded the money and cut my losses. But I've given about 7 or 8 refunds in the past two weeks and one of them was for a large package with 7 DVD's all together. I'm losing money, not making any! The post office says there's no problem on their end. This is just bizarre. I don't know what to do. Any ideas?

I heard a wacky cover of NIN's Closer a few years ago, and I've been trying to find it ever since. It was done in a folksy bluegrass style and there were animal noises at the chorus. Chickens, pigs, cows, etc. What is it called? Can I find it on Limewire?

I still haven't bought a laptop, and I'm hoping to finally get one in the next month. I need some help choosing which one to get.

In your opinion, what are a few of the best multimedia laptops? I'd like the biggest screen I can get, excellent sound and picture quality, and a fast refresh rate. I don't care if it's heavy since it will mostly be used at home. I won't be doing any heavy gaming- just tetris, zuma, etc.

What do you think???

I had my first day back to work last night after more than a month away. I'm almost as sore as I was in my first week. Oof. It sure was fun though! I love this job! I hope I can work out something with my boss so I can stay on the payroll when I'm in NH and work whenever I visit.

Speed drawing of Angelina Jolie drawn completely in lipstick

My new favorite song, "Shut Up And Drive" by Rihanna

A street corner sign holder gets bored and creative

Gene Kelly tap dancing on roller skates

Ferrari commercial

Human beatbox from Spain

Human Beatbox from France

Human beatbox from Australia

"The Labia Limbo" performed by The Wet Spots.

A bunch of clips from Whose Line Is It Anyway:
Party Quirks
More Party Quirks
Still more Party Quirks
Greatest Hits
More Greatest Hits
Hollywood Director
More Hollywood director

Vanessa Carlton performing "White Houses". She's a good dancer!

A goofy, low-budget horror spoof by Smosh. Cat Soup

CGI car race

Hellzapoppin' Swing Dance. Wow.

I used to be pretty flexible but I think I overstetched when I was trying to learn to do the splits and injured a muscle in my leg. Now, not only can I not do that stretch at all (or similar stretches that affect that muscle like touching my toes), but it hurts sometimes when I'm not doing anything. The pain is different than a normal stretch pain. It feels like an injury. I asked for advice from a doctor and she was emberrassed to admit she had no idea what was going on or what I should do about it. It's been getting worse for about a year and just recently I realized I might have done the same thing to my other leg. :(

The question: Do you have any ideas about what I can do to heal the muscle?

Any other advice or thoughts are appreciated too.

I'm trying to decide which laptop I should get. I plan to use it for movies, music, pictures, web cam, games (Tetris, Zuma, etc), and Photoshop.

I found these two for sale on Ebay.

HP Pavilion zd8000 Laptop Windows XP Media Center 17"

New Toshiba Satellite P105-S6024 laptop,duo,17 XP Media

Is one of them a good fit for what I want it for?

Trike race down San Fransisco's curviest road.

Another race, this one running, stumbling, and tumbling down a steep, grassy hillside

Mobius transformations

A train runs through Bangkok Market

Cats talking

Popping hip hop dance

More popping

Amazing synchronized human color show from Korea

"Furry, Happy Monsters" by REM on Sesame Street

Robot dance

Strange, silly vid by two teen boys to the Mortal Kombat theme song

Lindy Hip Hop dance. Two men dancing together!

Drew Barrymore flashes David Letterman

I've decided to sell the school bus.

My parents have convinced me to choose a vehicle in better shape that will make a cross-country trip easier and safer. So I'll be staying in Seattle for another year while I save some more money. I'll purchase a different bus (or van or something like that) that is running and in good shape in spring, then take my time getting it ready to make the trip.

I paid $750 for the bus which is what I'm asking for it now. Note: Although it still isn't running, clemtaur has made a lot of improvements to the engine and replaced some of the parts. The buyer will be responsible for moving the bus off the property.

It is a 1975 Ford Thomas dog-nosed school bus. It has storage compartments underneath that are very handy. The emergency door is in the back. It is 22 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 6 feet tall. It is currently parked in North Bend (About 15 miles East of Seattle on I-90).

The bus is registered as an antique.

Why won't my headphones fit into the headphone jack of my new Blackberry Pearl? They are normal headphones that I've used with normal mp3 players. Is there anything I can do to modify the headphone jack?

I'm nervous about admitting this here, since almost everyone I know are strong Democrats. But here goes anyway. Please do tell me what you think; I am tired of being afraid of honest conversations about what is imprtant to me.

I want Ron Paul for our next president. I don't care that he's running as a Republican. What are party divisions good for anyway?

The Lusty Lady is having their annual Playday on Friday, December 7th. There will be lap dances, live shows with "hot seats" where customers can sit on the stage, Double Trouble private shows, tours of the dressing room, and more. All the money earned is divided among the dancers for their holiday bonus. I will be doing the live show and Double Trouble. This is going to be an amazing, fun event!

The Lusty Lady is on 1st & University, just South of the Pike Place Market, and just North of the Harbor Steps. It will go all day and all night, so show up any time!

A Harry Potter parody video. Harry Potter In The Hood.

A short, silly film about God.

Vegemite and toast speed painting. Weird and beautiful.

Thousand Hand Guan Yin. Amazing dance.

Hang glider flight. The video is from the perspective of the glider.

Someone built a roller coaster in his backyard.

Nintendo Rube Goldberg animation

Do you remember when you first learned that meat is dead animals? Did you find that at all disturbing? If so, did you try being a vegetarian?

Nintendo theme songs a capella.... o_O

Three articles about plasma arc gasification- a process that turns garbage into energy.

The first is a basic overview of how it works.

The second is about Florida's plans to build the largest plasma gasification plant in the world. That article was written almost a year ago. I wasn't able to find out if it was actually built or how it's working for them.

And the third makes an argument for why this technology should replace landfills.

I adopted three baby girl rats a few weeks ago. They are two months old now (adolescents) and it appears that one of them is gay (or maybe transgendered). She's persistently trying to hump one of her sisters and sniffing her cute little coochie a lot. Her sister is getting very irritated. And the other one (who isn't involved in the unrequited amorous chasing) has a respiratory infection and I'll have to take her to a vet ASAP. The poor thing sounds like a squeaky toy. :(

Luckily for the straight sister, she will have plenty of space to run away from her queer sister when I let them loose in the bus. And of course they'll all be very lucky to have so much space to run. Few rats are so lucky. I'm running out of options of places to let them explore here at the Metaphorest and they're getting restless.

memegarden posted a horrifying article about plastic. Apparently there is a swirling mass of plastic in the Pacific twice the size of Texas and it's getting bigger.

Watch a skateboarder skate upside down in a tube.

Musical rollerblading

Extreme rollerblading in Paris The song is not work safe.

Power tumbling. They move so fast it doesn't look like real time.

I forgot to have options that say "I'm not interested because I'm straight," and "I'm not going for some other reason." Sorry about that.

Poll #993740 Gay pride 2007
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Do you have plans for gay pride this year?

I was recently startled to learn that several of my friends have never heard of making ice cream in rolling cans. My family and childhood friends did this every summer.

Poll #993695 Rolling cans ice cream
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Have you ever made ice cream in rolling cans?

What do you do when you're bored and restless?

"The New Renaissance", a speech given in 2002 by Daniel Quinn who is most famous for writing "Ishmael". Your thoughts?

I bought a school bus, and I plan to live in it, but I don't know where I'm going to put it.

Do you know of anyone who has an empty driveway, parking pad, spot in a yard or parking lot, or any other empty space where I can park my bus for a few months? I will be moving the bus off the property at least once a week. I have everything I need in the bus (electric, sewer, water), so all I need is the space. It doesn't matter what the space or the neighborhood looks like, but the space needs to be at least 10 feet wide and 30 feet long. I'm hoping to find a place within a mile of Fremont- Interbay, Ballard, Magnolia, Queen Anne, Phinney, Gasworks Park, Wallingford, Green Lake, or Lawton Park would be ideal, but I'll consider farther away if it's just the right space. I prefer an industrial neighborhood. I can pay $300 a month (negotiable), and I'm open to bartering. I'm quiet, clean, independant, friendly, considerate, and decent. I can commit to three months, and I may want to stay longer.

Any ideas?

I had an awful dream.

I was a vampire, and a group of my vampy friends and I decided to go to a church. It was the middle of the night so no one was there. I found a handgun hidden under the pulpit. We took it with us and kept exploring. We ran into a group of toddlers with two adults. I had the gun. My closest friend told me to shoot a little boy. I ran away. I realized that I was in my family's church. Everyone I saw would recognize me. I wanted to put the gun back under the pulpit, but the choir was warming up in the sanctuary and they would see me. So I looked for another hiding place. I had to hide the gun well, because it had my fingerprints on it. By this time, I wasn't a vampire anymore. I was just someone that all the people there knew and trusted. I couldn't be caught with the gun. Someone came into the room and saw me rummaging through a closet. She asked what I was doing. Without turning around, I tucked the gun between my knees and said I was curious to see how things had changed since the last time I was here. She shrugged and turned back to what she was doing. I waited and waited for her to leave, but she never did. I was scared. Finally I woke up.

The Seattle-King County Board of Health is considering banning restaurants from selling foods containing trans fats.

Here's a poll. Please vote "No"! Do we really want our government deciding what we can eat? So far, "Yes" is winning.

This is an informal poll taken by King County government. The results are not scientific and will not be used as such. You will only be able to vote once.

A few years ago an acquaintance was telling me about a conversation she'd had with her mother. She expressed her frustration with not finding a job she liked. Her mom said, "Most people don't like their jobs. That's why it's called 'work'."

~ * ~ * ~

I've been baby-lifting for fun and exercise. Today, meyowmix pointed out that since the baby is growing, the weight will increase each time I lift her. Better than barbells!

Aquariu(m) (Hi)ss

And Raw Mead(ow) Awe

Oh! Rye Inn

Sig(nature) (Pe)nis

Sea Re(tire) Us

Cas(trate) Yo Pia(no)

Play At Ease

High Dra(ma)

Purse E(vil) Us

I feel: : Silly

Recycling isn't good enough. Not nearly. Why not re-use paper (and other recyclables) before dumping them?

When I ask someone for some scratch paper, I mean something that's otherwise going to be thrown away. Paper with a blank side or a large blank area is very easy to find in any recycling bin, but most people don't bother; they just grab a fresh sheet. Even my most environmentally conscious friends think I'm funny when I look in the recycling bin for paper to write on.

I'd rather copy info by hand from the computer instead of using the printer, but everyone else will automatically print it out for me, even when I insist that I don't mind writing it down myself. I think they feel that they are doing me a favor by printing it out, and that my desire to write it myself is just me being humble or self-sacrificing.

I don't understand. I don't understand why most people don't re-use paper (and other stuff too!) automatically. It's simple and economical. And I think it's fun.

Poll #922183
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Which silly or messy combat games have you participated in?

I've decided to try to get to the grind every week. I didn't make it last week, because I waited too long to try to find a ride. :( I'll plan ahead in the future.

In other news, I unintentionally got drunk today. After running some errands on Capital Hill, I decided to stop by the Wildrose for a single glass of wine. Unfortunately, I forgot that all I'd had to eat today was half a grapefruit three hours before. So, I'm feeling quite tipsy. :- I had a taco salad and a glass of water when I got home. I'm hoping to feel a little less woozey soon.

I feel: : drunk

When people say, "We're not laughing at you, we're laughing with you," the person in question usually isn't laughing. So, they are not laughing with them. Why do people say that? I'd rather just hear, "Yes, we're laughing at you. You're funny."

Who wants to help me build a treehouse with a hammock, skylights, a deck that goes all the way around, a series of bridges, and a fireman's pole? We could swing around like monkeys, yodel at the birds, watch the stars, and tell ghost stories.

How about a gazebo on the end of a dock on Puget Sound with a tin roof, a pile of pillows in the middle, and a slide to the water? We could wave to the boats, make friends with a seal, tap dance, make seaweed sculptures, and listen to the rain on the roof.

How about an obstacle course with ropes, walls, tires, and platforms to jump off of?

I can't sleep.

Do you like Weird Al's music? Do you like his parodies better or his original creations?

Did you ever have the feeling (or knowledge) that you were destined for greatness? That someday you would change the world in a big way? Is it conceited to feel or think that way? Is it healthy self-esteem? Is it something else? ( More under here... )

I've always known I was more different than most people and that someday I'd do something amazing. Am I deluded? Is this something I need to get over with my counselor's help?

~ * ~ ^ ~ * ~

I can't sleep. I'm starting to think I should try making a 36-hour day for myself-- Sleep for 12 hours, awake for 24. When I try to maintain a normal sleep schedule, I either have to use sleep aides or I keep staying up later and waking up later each day, until I eventually decide to just stay up all night and start over. Not fun. Anyway, I won't be able to try it out until I have a very flexible job. :(

* * * * * *

Who is your favorite singer of all time?

I know there are at least a few religous people who read my journal. My question to you (and anyone else) is this:

Do you believe in a heaven and a hell?

Are you happy with the gender of the body you were born into?

If you could instantly and painlessly change your gender just for one day, would you?

Poll #905336
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

How many tattoos do you have?

Do you want a tattoo (or more)?

( Three polls about Muppets!! Cut for length )

Personal trainer zellita is going to help me get my body into stripper shape. Today we did a few lunges and squats, and I lifted Alex (baby) over my head. I got tired very quickly. Raven was entertained by the squats. I guess she thought we looked silly.

This post is mostly for the straight and gay (not bi) people, but I'm glad to hear everyone's thoughts:

Straight people: Is same-sex porn featuring people with your preferred gender a turn-on? What about with your non-preferred gender?

Gay people: Non-preferred gender?

I'm looking for a full-time temp job, preferably as a receptionist or office assistant. It could be as short as a month or as long as 6+ months. Ideally, I'd work in the Northend (Woodinville, Lynnwood, Edmonds, etc), but I'm open to working Downtown or on the Eastside. Any ideas?

Poll #903370
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Do you like to be tickled?

Do you like to tickle?

Do you like to have your back scratched?

Do you like to scratch other people's backs?

Is Ireland full of ire?