2 Weeks to the Lite

Just wanted to let you all know that I am staying in the UK till Wednesday, and am not returning today. Ta!

Oh Yea

Also, I'm leaving headed off to the UK tomorrow, returning Sunday. Usual times, usual plan. See ya 'round!

(Obligatory song of Emma's departure:)
There's a ship
Lies rigged and ready
In the harbour,
Tomorrow for old England she sails!
Far away from your land of endless sunshine,
To my land, full of rainy skies and gales...
And I shall be aboard that ship tomorrow,
Though my heart is full of tears at this farewell...

Have You Seen the Lite?

I feel I am about to enter into a very 'tech' period of my life. Lots of gadgets and etc powered by electricity that do flashy things.

To start off this trend, I just received a new camera from my mom as a late Christmas present. It's a Olympus Stylus 600 and is 6.0 mega pixels. I'm very happy, yes, but I'm also very tentative, and I feel a little bad for being so. I'm grateful, but I'm just worried that I won't like the camera, which is a problem since my mom really fitted me out with the works. Extra battery, memory, warranty, everything. My mom loves her Olympus, that's why she got this.

The thing is, I love my Canon. Yea, it's crappy, but I was going to ask for the newer model of my good old faithful Canon for my xmas present, because I just adore my Canon. And honestly, I'm not so fond of her old Olympus. It's good for her, but I do more than just take snapshots. I'm not going to try and say I'm some great photographer, cuz I'm not. I've never taken a photography class in my life, and I couldn't explain most of the advanced settings worth shit, though I do use a few of them regularly. I don't know what they do technically, but I know what they do to my pictures. Anyway, my Canon lets me mess around with shit but also has good old Auto options so I can take quick pictures and snapshots. My Canon and I, we're like this.

So this Olympus is nice, at first glance. Very fancy, very shiny, very pretty. Problem is firstly that I'm afraid it's not going to let me get into the inner settings... and also I don't like the screen. God, I feel bad saying this, but that's why I'm putting it on my blog and not talking to a real person. I like the camera... but not as much as I think I like the new Canon model that I had my eye on... *sigh* I really don't know what to do about this. Maybe I should just be silent and shut up, but then, is it worse to pretend to be happy with an expensive present I don't really like and suffer out the shortest time possible with it (years at the least) before coming up with a lame excuse to buy a new one? *sigh* Maybe I'm jumping rivers before I've come to a bridge. I might end up loving it. Anyway, advice is welcome.

So, on the 'tech' point. So the camera, and I'm getting a new cell phone, which I will let you all know about when I get it. Also I think I'm going to ask for or buy a DS Lite when it comes out... Those just look so awesome. So, so awesome. I'm not sure if I can wait till June 11th.

After that, of course, comes the Wii, in the Fall, which I am a-waiting with baited breath. Of course, I'd like one, but I'm not buying without trying. Then, in 2007, hopefully sometime very soon, comes Spore, my lovely precious....

Yea, that's all. I know this post is crap. Go fly a snowshovel.

Let's Talk About Sex, Baybee

Today class, we're going to talk about the human reproductive system. *Raises hands to quiet snickers.* Now, now. I know you're all old enough to be mature about this.

Firstly, let's talk about this little snippet from the Silver Ring Thing (SRT) website (I do not deem this worth my time to make a link, you can google it yourself). This is taken from an away message I have had up today.

"The silver ring and the abstinence vow are a critical first step. Our ongoing support includes follow-up materials, peer-group activities, one-on-one mentoring, an accountability partner, SRT website, and e-mail or Instant Messenger access to SRT advisors [sic]." - All-knowing Silver Ring Thing website

To put that into perspective, if you try and commit suicide, you get a few days in hospital and twice weekly psychiatric meetings. If you want to have sex, you get "follow-up materials, peer-group activities, one-on-one mentoring, an accountability partner, SRT website, and e-mail or Instant Messenger access to SRT advisors [sic]."

Riiiiiiiiiight. I find it quite disturbing to look at the urge to have sex as a disorder, a mental disease. If you don't want to have sex, then don't. Your own convictions should be enough to secure you in that decision.

However, I do not encourage sex at a young age, and I don't encourage sex outside of a committed relationship. I strongly discourage casual sex. I have no qualms whatsoever about sex before marriage. Marriage is lovely, but I don't think two people have to be married to be very much committed. There are many psychological reasons I think young sex and casual sex are bad, but most compelling to me are the simple biological facts. Here, let's start with one that, quite personally, chills me:

1 in 5 female teens have human papilloma virus (HPV). It's transmitted through sexual contact, and is passed from female to female through a common male sexual partner. Strains of HPV can cause cervical cancer (most cases of cervical cancer seen today are caused by HPV). If you don't have HPV, your chances of getting cervical cancer are extremely slim. If you do, they are much, much higher. Young women who contract HPV in their mid-teens have been known to develop full blown cervical cancer by their early twenties, and are often rendered sterile by treatment. Unfortunately, condoms often do not offer enough protection, as HPV is passed through skin-to-skin contact, not sexual fluids, and condoms do not protect the surrounding genital area. Simply put, the more people you sleep with, the higher your chances of contracting HPV.

I didn't really realise the seriousness of HPV until I did my observation with an OB/GYN last year, and saw such young, young girls with abnormal pap smears. Some even getting treatment to have the abnormal cells removed, because they had not been destroyed by the body during the observation period. These girls in their twenties, they shouldn't be worrying about cervical cancer and hysterectomies - and neither should you.

One last thought on the subject for the guys. Be careful who you sex up, because if she decides she actually didn't want to have sex with you after the fact, and she's a bitch who wants an out, you'll find yourself in custody for rape charges. And yea, she's a girl. Chances are, you're not going to win the case. It's sad, yes, and it's really not cool that the system is pretty biased when it comes to men who truly are innocent, but it's the way it is, so protect yourself. Really know anyone you're going to have sex with. But even then, that's no guarantee: 'You think you know someone...'

Cervical cancer isn't worth it. Rape charges aren't worth it.
Please be careful out there in the sex world; make smart decisions.

Sad, Jealous, HAPPY!

I found out today one happy thing, one sad thing, and one make-me-jealous thing.

The sad thing is that Hartlepool got relegated today. That's the football (soccer) team that my dad is chairman of. For the last 8 years or so they've worked hard and been unbelievably good, and managed to get their way up into the next (1st) division. This year, something just went all wrong, and they've been pushed back down. It's sad, but it's life. It just sucks that 8 years hard work can all go to pot in one season. But we still have the memories! And I'll never forget Cardiff last year! (See Archives, June 2005, 'Is This the Way to Amarillo?')

The make-me-jealous thing is that my dad casually informed me today that he is going to a special invitation-only dinner being held by Alan Shearer (only the best football player in the WORLD). This in itself is not completely unusual, as my dad actually has a relationship with the man, and they regularly exchange phone calls and texts (!!!!!! I still can't quite believe this). However, at this dinner my dad will be rubbing elbows with the likes of Sting, Dire Straits, Ant and Dec, and Jimmy Nail. (These are all very famous people/bands in the UK. And in the case of Sting & Dire Straits, worldwide.)(Corrections thanks to Amanda) AHHHHH. I am jealous of my father. Very jealous. *pout*

BUT! The happy thing I found out today makes up for it all!
It looks like one of the biggest plans of my year is becoming a reality if everything keeps working out a-ok. For my birthday present my dad has agreed to foot the bill and fly AJ to the UK for two weeks! We will be departing together at the end of June, and travelling from London to Aberdeen up the East Cost of Britain by train, making many stops and some good places. I am so excited! This really means the world to me, since I've never had any friend come over and see the other half of my life, which is just weird when you think of it. It's half of me, it's half my history, it's half my future, and yet nobody has ever seen it. I've never had the joy of showing off my other two homes or the other school I attended or all my favorite places to go. And I can't think of a better person to share this with than AJ! Ohhhhh happy!

And so today is a good day!

Oh WootGod, You so Powerful!

I had an interesting experience yesterday. I ordered some Altec-Lansing speakers from Woot.com (if you don't know that site, go check it out, it's pretty cool) and was trying to track them on FedEx tracking, yadda yadda. They had apparently gone from Irving TX to San Diego CA, so I posted on the forums about it. A few hours when I checked back I found this amusing little flow:

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04 May 2006, 8:50 PM
WOOTGOD
Joined on 07-27-2005
San Diego
Posts 28

WOOTGOD sayeth...

Fedex show today as arrival date to WOOTGOD but detail only show received in Dallas.
WOOTGOD NOT IN DALLAS!!!!!
WOOTGOD not feel like goto DALLAS!!!!!

WOOTGOD use PHENOMINAL COSMIC POWAR to see status of WOOTGOD new toy.
HAAAAAAmmmmmmmmmmmm.
WOOTGOD see Altec NOOB Dweebie screw order.
ALL shall be right in 24 HOUR!!!!!

So it shall be written....it is DONE!!!
Or WOOTGOD have to SMOTE Altec NOOB Dweebie who screw order!!!!

Oogy Oogy OOO HA HA!!!!

Do not make WOOTGOD smote you with his PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWAR!!!

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Yesterday, 6:20 AM
firefoxx66
Joined on 04-27-2006
Posts 1

I'm having a different problem with shipping, but maybe someone can give me a heads up?
FedEx reports that my package was picked up in Irving, TX and is now 'leaving the FexEx facility' in San Diego, CA. Sound good? Not so much. I live in Austin, TX, and am very curious as to why my package is going via CA to get to me....

Anyone have info?

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Yesterday, 7:33 AM
creary
Joined on 02-17-2006
Posts 3

I live in NY. The original estimated delivery was today (5/5). Now, my package has gone from Texas to San Diego (?), and the estimated delivery is 5/11. So I guess we're all in the same boat.

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Yesterday, 9:24 AM
WOOTGOD
Joined on 07-27-2005
San Diego
Posts 28

WOOTGOD say....

WOOTGOD right AGAIN!!!
Fedex tracking now say WOODGOD new toy on truck be delivered in San Diego TODAY!!!
ALL is right in LESS than 24 hour.
WOOTGOD better than he thought.
Apparently I am too POWARful and make ALL Altec toy go to San Diego first.

ALL praise my PHENOMINAL COSMIC POWAR!!!!!


Do not make WOOTGOD smote you with his PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWAR!!!

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AIM, Away, and Idle

This post is going to seem pissy, to warn you up front. That's because I'm in a bad mood, and have been since yesterday. I'm tired, running too little sleep, hungry, having eaten far too many noodles and not enough food with actual nutritional value, and brain dead, having taken and studied for far too many tests, exams, and finals.

This post has been triggered by recent events, but it is not aimed at anyone in particular because it has happened to me countless times with countless people. I always say to myself, 'I'll post about this after the incident blows over, so that <person> knows this is not directed at them.' But, like the good little short-term-memory-lacking-girl that I am, I always diligently forget once the incident blows over, since it's no longer on my mind.

Well, no more. I'm going to post this now, and you're just going to have to take my word that this really is not targeted at one person, but at many, and does not refer to once incident, but many. Now, onwards.

I'd like to post a few comments about AIM and away messages and the 'idle' setting. I myself allow everyone to see when I am idle and when I'm not. I do this because I think it's very useful to see when someone has left their computer and when they've returned. I find it useful for myself to see when people I am trying to contact are present or not, and thus I do unto others, etc. However, I'd like to point out some things about being idle and being not-idle.

Many people seem to have come to the conclusion that if I am not idle, I should be talking to them. Yes, it might be considered rude if I am not talking to you, and I don't have an away message up. An away message says to everyone "I am not available." It does not necessarily mean "I am away from my computer." (Unless that's what the message says, of course.) Here's the take home message: Whether or not I am idle, if I have an away message up, it means I'm busy or unavailable. True, many times I will see/hear you've typed me a message and come back from being away and chat with you, but it is my choice to do this, and not your right to demand it of me. If I have an away message up, assume I'm not going to answer. Most of the time I do, but don't assume I'm going to, or ask me to inform you if I'm not. (<-- This doesn't even make sense to me. I donno.) If I come back from idle but still have my away message up, it does not mean I'm going to talk to you. I means I moved my mouse. It means I'm checking my email. It means I have AIM minimized with the sound turned off and I'm writing a paper. It does not mean I'm going to reply to your messages.

Many people get around this problem by simply turning off the idle setting, and some go the extra step by putting up an away message all the time. This way, no one can get mad at them, because you never *really* know if they're there or not. Very mysterious. I'm not going to do this. As I said, I think it's helpful to see when I'm idle and when I'm not. But that's it: helpful. Not a guarantee of a reply. Feel free to hide behind your away message and never make anyone mad. As for myself, I will continue to piss you off, but this post has hopefully informed you that you are being silly when you get pissed off, because I am under no obligation to respond to you just because I move my mouse or check my email. If I'm ignoring you while I'm not away and not idle you probably have a right to get pissed, because that's just being rude. However, if I've informed you (through an away message) that I'm not going to say anything, that I'm busy and unavailable, you should not be surprised when I don't respond.

I'd also like to add a quick note about me when I'm in a bad mood. Often when I'm in a bad mood, I go away and I don't come back for a while. Usually at most for about 2 days. It's nothing against anyone, it's just my way of dealing with being stressed out and pissed off. I'm probably not going to come back, no matter what you say. However, being accusative and trying to guilt trip me just pisses me off more, and I will probably stay away longer. If you're seriously extremely concerned about my well-being, send me an IM along the lines of "Emma, I am seriously extremely concerned about you, you've been gone 1.5 days, I am getting worried, blah blah," and I will probably respond to reassure you, because that is not my intention, and I don't want people worrying unnecessarily. However, I probably won't hang around to chat about it.

Anyway, I hope everyone can read that and see my logic. If not, feel free to comment with any questions you may have.