Rocktoberfest

For whatever reason I keep thinking I'm going to leave work (13 minutes and 20 seconds) and walk out into a chilly, dim late fall evening. Despite the fact that it is most definitely still summer here in Austin. I think my body has decided enough with this weather, if we can't have it for real, we'll fool ourselves. Even Denver wasn't as deliciously cool as expected. Not incredibly hot, and the changing Aspen's on the drive to Boulder for Sunday's match were lovely, but it was nothing like I had hoped. Then again, pretty much nothing about the month of September, much less that trip, was. On the bright side, the beds in the hotel were fantastic and the pitch in Boulder was downright lush. An "oh, please tackle me" kind of lush.

October isn't starting out so great either, for a variety of reasons. I am, however, going to attempt to celebrate Rocktoberfest along with The Modern Gal. I pledge that I am going to do my best to make that 16 kg kettlebell my primary weight. I may not be able to press 16 kilos by the end of the month, but I will at least be able to snatch it. That will make me feel like I rock.

Also, I pledge to come up with another pledge for Rocktoberfest...

Plus, DQ has Pumpkin Pie Blizzards for the month of October. I'm going to see Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist tonight with friends. Iron Man is out on DVD. Sunday I get my birthday cake during Pattie and Carrey's house warming. Not to mention that I get to play lots of rugby during the month of October. Fun, low-stress rugby with our B-side, starting as eight man.

*I know I'm not blogging much. Keep up with me on Twitter instead.*

Steampunk 8

Steampunk 8
Originally uploaded by katbret_photography.

Me + internet connection = dangerous. Looking for welding goggles ala Dr. Horrible sent me down a Steampunk bunny trail. I'm fascinated. And seriously wondering if I could pull this off. Surely it's not too soon to be thinking about Halloween?

awesomeness

edit: It's free on Hulu! Go Watch It NOW!

..stand back everyone, Nothing here to see,
Just imminent danger, In the middle of it me,

right now

I love the internet. (Thank you new neighbors for having unsecured wireless. You are welcome to my parking space until I find car. Maybe even after.) Right now I am watching Kina Grannis and David Choi play on webcam from Kina's apartment. Watching them musically bounce off of each other as well as the people watching/chat rooming from home so much better than television. My God I'm a nerd.

A nerd who WILL be buying Dr. Horrible, thankyouverymuch Mrs. J.

itchy

Seriously, there is something wrong with me. Has to be. Just looking at these pictures, from what looks to be a pretty incredible product, makes my eyes itch and I think about to sneeze. Look at number eight...I think there's another Corgi hiding in there. Despite my incredible allergic reaction to just the photographic evidence of buckets of dander using the Furminator looks like the most satisfying thing, to take a shedding pet and remove So. Much. Fur. Like picking a scab. Or trying to get the dandruff out of my show steer's tailhead when I was a kid (bet you didn't know cows could get dandruff...), trying to get out the big flakes without breaking them. Yes, kinda gross - but seriously, I think we had the cleanest show cattle ever, what with my father constantly riding us to be in the barn spraying down our steers, which probably contributed to their dry skin issues. Not to mention the depletion of the aquifer around my hometown.

whining

There really ought to be something I could blog about that somehow matters or is in some way at least a little bit significant. Today, however, has shaken it all out of me. Getting frustrated with this damn gel, or rather the PCR which is requiring five gels to get results. Seriously, there has GOT to be a better way to do this. And here I am at work past five o'clock just getting more and more frustrated with this damn thing because I think I'm going to have to do it over again despite all the pain and effort and ridiculousness and why did I even try doing this many samples at once and people are waiting for the results and maybe I'll just getting really drunk on green beer tonight and call in sick tomorrow.

Okay, done whining now. I think.

weekend

Simply put, this weekend rocked. Friday night was the Dropkick Murphys show at Stubbs. I went with some great friends and ran into a number of others (some literally, as I spent most of the show in the pit). Many of whom were happier than I've seen them in a long time. Leave it to a rugby player to sparkle with excitement while in a mosh pit. The show was totally worth waiting two years since the last time they played in Austin.


Saturday night was a time warp. One of my teammates held a party to celebrate leaving her Starbucks employment after five and a half years. Six hours disappeared without my noticing, lost in good converstation about everything from books to politics. One of our rookies is apparently a kindred spirit of mine. Even if she does think Jonathon Frakes looks better without the beard. And getting to spend time with my best friend was golden, watching her be as comfortable as I've seen her since she moved to Austin. By the time I happily, wearily crawled into bed after dropping off drunk friends, it was after 5AM. Damn daylight savings.

cuz there's not a whole going on this afternoon at work

Last night during a rather chilly training S and I got off on a tangent about Muppets. While we should have been listening to our captains describe a drill, of course. S mentioned something about Animal and somehow I wound up on even more of a bunny trail thinking about Muppets playing rugby. Animal is definitely a hooker.

1. Cookie Monster
2. Animal (because it takes a special kind of crazy to love the front row)
3. Sweetums
4. Big Bird
5. Sam the Eagle (why are the tallest muppets birds of all things???)
6. Gonzo (classic crazy flanker)
7. Telly Monster
8. Rowlf the Dog
9. Kermit the Frog (manager of the chaos; The Muppet Show or a rugby match)
10. Grover (every team needs a super hero)
11. Ernie
12. Dr. Teeth (he looks like he could tackle)
13. Fozzie Bear
14. Bert (Ernie had to pester him into it, but then he fell in love with rugby at first ruck)
15. Rugby Tiger (our fullback has been known to imagine herself as panther when she plays)

Muppets make me happy.

lunar eclipse

Now why is that it's tonight that Austin has a crystal clear, beautiful night sky? Tonight, the 21st, the night after the total lunar eclipse??? Not last night while I was outside in the stinking humidity wishing the clouds would clear so we could stare up for a while instead of running sprints.

swoooooon

This morning one of my blog-heroes, Ree, aka Pioneer Woman, asked in this morning's post if her readers were morning people. So I commented. Because I dearly love the peace before the sun comes up and the feeling of having the world to ones self. A love much dampened by my congested sinuses these days. I said as much. AND SHE COMMENTED BACK! (Why yes, I do happen to be a sixteen year old disguised as an independent career woman.)

Kukuburi

A few months ago I stumbled across an incredible web comic. Kukuburi. Absolutely fantastic. The story line, the artwork, the flying whales. It even has a cute girl on a scooter. Seriously, I fall in love all over again with every update. Go! See! Appreciate!

success

It worked! I finally got a conventional PCR to work! Everyone I worked with in the lab as an undergrad would be shocked. And I might actually get to keep my job after all.

cozy warm molecule

My God, I think something in my head just exploded out of joy. The science nerd in me just got together with the crafter and the hippie, who joined hands and started singing, all over a single piece of cleverness from a Portland mom.

Texas on the web

Greg Dean is moving to Texas! Another admission to my nerdiness, I read a number of web comics. Including Real Life, written by Greg. San Antonio has been highlighted by Greg the past few days, and I have to say that he really hits the nail on the head with Tuesday's strip.

Austin was home to some great rugby this past weekend. While the Valks weren't playing, at least we got to be there and watch and see old friends. I'm done playing for the fall for a variety of reasons, but it's good to be letting my ankle heal. Soft tissue injuries are a menace. As for those props, I'd say most of the front rows were considerably bigger women than myself. Which sounds like a challenge to get myself fit and strong enough to bring it.

Harry Potter and other goodness

And I'm reading it again, because I think I missed a bunch of stuff. (No spoilerage under the link.)

Today was a good day. An extremely good one, particularly considering how it started off. I got new rear tires because I am blessed with some amazing friends and while at the the tire shop a company I submitted my CV to a few weeks ago left a voicemail in reference to a position as a "Project Director." It's a desk job, but their benefits package is very tempting. I received a response from a contact I emailed at the state finally, but all she had to say was they would be starting the initial screening "soon." No indication as to what "soon" means in state bureaucracy terms, though in my case it means I need health insurance by the time rugby season starts. Not to mention that I'm getting really sick of not making enough money or truly utilizing my talents and degree working at a bar.

Early this evening I went to dinner with my old lab and one we(they) collaborate with closely. My ex-boss footed the bill for some excellent Indian food (I have curry leftovers in the fridge!). Seeing my old lab mates made me realize how much I miss them, and listening to the ex-boss reminded me how much happier I am out of that situation. Upon parting ways after dinner I felt so light I would have sworn I could fly.

New music: Colbie Caillat (myspace.com/colbiecaillat)

teenage angst

Just got off working a double shift and don't have much in the way of a capacity for coherence at the moment. It may be the delirium induced by spending over ten hours in the bar today, but I ran across Mortified today and think that it's a great idea. Especially since they're starting a "chapter" here in Austin. Airing my teenage angst in public sounds fabulously therapeutic. I've been back over some of my journals that they're talking about and read some of the truly horrid poetry I wrote. The only word to truly describe them is hilarious. Hilarious in an excruciatingly uncomfortable way that makes me exceptionally happy to no longer be a teenager.

nerdgasm

Oh. My. God. If my iPod wasn't a generation early I would so buy this. I don't know how actually useful it would be for me as neuroanatomy is only a very minimal concern for what I do, but having an brain atlas on my iPod? What could possibly be more awesome?

As a side note, Tim totally ROCKS. For many reasons, not the least of which being that he's willing to spend an evening touring the high and low culture of Austin, TX with me, but at the moment because he bought me the new Anberlin album. So I can rock out while working on my "MASSIVE paper."