Um, what was that and why are alarms going off?

More earthquakes, I understand. Little ones, like a 1 point something. Car alarms were going off somewhere, but I was too sleepy to check it out.

By show of hands, who's sick of the frigid weather? (Stef raises hand high)

I was checking my stats yesterday, and noticed that someone from where my friend JC works in Massachusetts found my blog. JC being the only person I know who works there, I'm assuming it's him. I've had a link to one of his websites on MVL for about the entire time I've had it.

So hi there, JC! Hope you're not mad.

That's all from where I sit.

--MorelaterZ--

Happy Valentine's Day

May you all get hearts and flowers and lots of lovin'!

So far, I got snow, courtesy of Mother Nature. I don't expect anything else today. I had my birthday already.

But, I like surprises. Good ones.


That's all from where I sit.

--MorelaterZ--

What IS it about this winter weather?

This is the kind of weather I'd expect in Boston. This time last year, it was quite warm, and so dry that there was a state wide burn ban.

So today, it's snowing. Yesterday, I had to chip the ice off my car before I could even leave the Rose State parking lot. Fortunately, someone took pity on me and helped me out.

I was kinda nervous this morning driving BabyDoll to school. I haven't driven her in this kind of weather since before I moved from Lawrence, MA in 2002. But everything went well and we got there with no trouble.

Tomorrow is supposed to be worse, with temps in the teens and twenties. I'm supposed to go up to Edmond tomorrow and see Mom, but if the roads are bad, she'd be the first one to tell me to stay home.

That reminds me, I need to go to the store and get groceries.

At least I have no classes tomorrow (it's "B" week Friday. Next week is "A" week and I'll have classes that Friday... on my birthday, no less!)

Wee.


That's all from where I sit.

--MorelaterZ--

I'm blue (as in it's friggin cold out there!)

I stayed up way too late last night reading a book not related to school.

I am so tired now, but I have a study session at 1pm for two hours, so I can't really go home and catch a quick catnap.

I haven't slept very well since I started school, and it's catching up with me. I go to bed at a decent hour, but my mind is reeling with so much information, so many thoughts, so many stupid little worries. I actually got up before my alarm went off, and still couldn't believe it was time to get started for the day.

And this weather is so crazy, it's maddening. Tomorrow it's calling for snow again. Great. That's all I need.

At least I won't be walking in the snow to school. Hope Babydoll behaves and starts right up like this morning. It's good to have my own wheels again. But she needs a lot of TLC right now.

And, yikes! My birthday is a week and a half away!


That's all from where I sit.

--MorelaterZ--

Raider Dayz and other things

First day of school. I used to dread this when I was much younger. Now it excites me.

However, the following happened to me on the way to school (since I'm walking there for at least this week):

*Woke up later than I wanted to.
*Found that I still had time to at least eat breakfast before I left to hike the frozen tundra
*Didn't even make it out of my apartment complex without slipping on the ice in the parking lot, falling down and cutting my hand in several places on the ice
*Once I righted myself, I got half way to Hudiburg Drive before I realized that I had lost my hat.

Once I got walking, things were more or less okay. I could rant about the total lack of sidewalks in key places in town, but that would be a whole post of its very own.

So, I'm walking on snow covered grassy areas (due to the lack of sidewalks), and since the snow has started to melt, everywhere I stepped I seems to sink about four inches. I felt like I was walking on those weakened areas in places like Antartica that fall into the sea due to "global warming". I wondered if one of those snow covered grassy areas (again due to the lack of sidewalks) was one that would send me down the rabbit's hole in Alice in Wonderland all the way to China.

(I bring greetings from your honorable brother, Yao Ming...)

My classes are interesting so far. I really need to scrape together the moolah to get my books, because I think that in at least one of my classes, I'm going to need it as soon as Wednesday. I already have a paper in English Comp due Wednesday, which is what I should be doing in the Rose State Library instead of writing in my blog.

Just call me Stef the Coed...

Raider Dayz is what the first two days of the semester is called, where everything from music to free food is offered. I thought I missed out on the music because all the flyers around campus stated it was from 11am to 1pm, and I was in class during those hours. But, I lucked out, because the music ran a little overtime. I don't know the name of the two guys who were playing late 90's alt rock, but they were quite good.

Of course I had to check out the free (with a "Raider Buck") food. You could only get a hot dog or a beef sandwich (i.e. a sloppy joe), and a drink, but free's free, and free is good!

Now I've got to walk home. Oh. Joy.

That's all from where I sit.

--MorelaterZ--

A sign of more things to come?

I'm at the Del City Library and I looked outside and it's snowing.

Not sleeting, no freezing rain, but honest to God snow.

The forecast last night stated that there would be a 20% chance of snow today, with a 100% chance of snow over the weekend.

So there's your 20% chance of snow for today.

And the other snow for the weekend will cover a lot of things (since the forecast calls for 2-5 inches of the white stuff), including the 3-6 inches of ice that is already on the ground.

Since I returned from my apartment from Mom's house on Monday, I've been chipping away at the ice that has encased my car. I'll just get it all cleared off and it will snow. Just my rotten luck.

School starts on Monday, or it's supposed to. I'm all signed up, and I need to get a parking pass and my student ID. Hopefully, my financial aid will come thru soon and I can buy my books. I don't even want to think about how much that will set me back!


Guess I better go trudging back thru the frozen tundra and get back to my warm little apartment. I love living within walking distance of a library (and a college and the grocery store- okay, it's Wal Mart, but I'm not complaining!)

That's all from where I sit.

--MorelaterZ--

It's all very pretty, but please make it all go away

I'm finally back home after spending the weekend of the big ice storm in Edmond at Mom's house.

Daniel was supposed to bring me home Thursday night after he got off work at the grocery store. More on that in a sec.

Jeff and I were running around most of Thursday trying to get supplies and stuff to tide Mom over what would be a very long weekend.

We went to WalMart to do some grocery shopping, and the place WAS A ZOO!!!! You'd think the end of the world was coming, instead of a major winter storm. I've never seen so many people in that place, not even at Christmas time!

Couldn't find half of what we went there for. Bread? All we saw were empty shelves. Milk? Slim picking there, too. And forget trying to find Ice Melt or a snow shovel... those things were gone!

So we headed over to the grocery store where Daniel works, and believe it or not, it was WORSE than WalMart! We waited in line to check out with our two or three things for a good 40 minutes. Just looking around the store, Jeff and I knew that there was no way in hell that Daniel was going to get off work at 8:30pm.

And he didn't. At around seven, he calls and says he's going to stay late; real late. I knew then that I would be spending the ice storm at Mom's house.

We here in the Oklahoma City metro were lucky: we just got a lot of sleet (which is bad enough when there is 3 inches of it on the ground), but other parts of the state got ice and power outtages and a messy clean up. It's the thawing and refreezing of the stuff we did get, and that salt loses its effectiveness as a melting agent in really cold temperatures (which I didn't know). So the Oklahoma Highway Patrol was discouraging travel on the highways because it was dangerous.

So, when the storm was over and the roads were somewhat clear, Daniel brought me home yesterday around 1pm.

I had prepared for the storm days before the storm hit, so I still have all my supplies and stuff. Good thing because they're calling for another storm this weekend!

Great. And with school starting next week too. This'll be fun...


That's all from where I sit.

--MorelaterZ--

Impending doom, or a winter storm?

The way that the weather people are talking around here, you'd think we were about to be snowed in for the rest of the winter.

C'mon, I know it doesn't snow here all that much, and yeah, two big storms this year are a bit unusual, but blame El Nino... it's all his fault!

I've plenty of everything to take care of myself until at least the end of the month, but the weather guys on TV are squawking about ice and snow and "you need to get this all done by Friday!"

By "all this" I think they mean make sure your car works (it does but it's still not tagged), you have plenty of gas, check on family, get something called "ice melt" (in Massachusetts, that's what salt was for), and have plenty of food on hand (check, check, and double check).

At least it's not the blizzard of '01 in Massachusetts... although that was fun at first.

And dammit, if I am going to be snowed in for the winter, I'd like to be snowed in with someone other than me, myself and I.


That's all from where I sit.

--MorelaterZ--

Stocking the larder

This time next week calls for a "major winter storm", including, I'd assume, snow.

Well. That's just... great. As if winter couldn't get more bizarre this year.

We're getting Boston's weather and they're getting rain. Perhaps, just this winter, it's just as well I'm not there. Let them be jealous of me for a change. Unfortunately, there isn't anywhere to ski here in Oklahoma. Most people go to New Mexico and Colorado for that.

Even though I'm sure I've bought enough groceries for the entire month, I still have a little money left over to stock the larder, um, my pantry. I wish I had a big dutch oven to make some stews and chili in. Those are great cold weather foods.

Daniel and Jeff just better not get any ideas about going to Barnes and Noble next Friday night. Jeff really needs to save his pennies and buy a car of his own, instead of having Mom or Daniel take him everywhere he can't walk or bike to.
===

It just dawned on me that Scott will be 16 in May. Scott... driving? Help?! (just kidding... he hasn't had the driving course yet, so he will have to do that first. It's only offered during the summer, though). I'm sure he'll be a good driver...



That's all from where I sit.

--MorelaterZ--

do you ever peek from home on the weekends?

Here's the story, morning glory...

Current temps: 12 degrees at Will Rogers; 9 in Edmond.
===

Re: the previous post, this is what happened...

Daniel and Jeff went to Barnes and Noble. It had just started snowing when they left to come home, so the roads were slick.

Daniel drove around a corner, and the wheels turned, but the car slid into a curb, messing up the suspension. Jeff calls at about 11:30pm and I knew, just knew, that there was some kind of mishap.

Thing is, I asked them not to go because they'd been saying on the news all day that the roads were going to be icy after dark.

Jeff tried to call Dean, but the line was busy (c'mon, the guy's a doctor, he's bound to be getting calls late at night). I called Dean and told him what happened, and he ended going all the way out there to fetch them.

And apparently, Dean tore them both new ones, because they weren't in a great mood when they got home.

Daniel spent most of yesterday morning on the phone with his insurance company, arranging to get the car fixed. I had to take him all the way out to where he had left the car to give the spare key to the wrecker driver, then take him to work.

It doesn't snow like this in Oklahoma City as a rule. So people don't know how to drive in snow. There were some people who were driving fast (and not all were in 4 wheel drive vehicles). What really got me is that the mall was open, McDonald's was open, and people actually braved the elements so they could get their shopping done.

Jeff's work was closed yesterday, but it was his day off, so it wasn't like he got a snow day. Which kinda ticked him off...
===

Lots of places are closed today, too. The storm that brought this stuff is up near Chicago now. But damn, it's cold!
===

Another 4 day weekend... how lucky can one guy be :)


That's all from where I sit.

--MorelaterZ--

Rain, sleet, icy roads, 100% chance of snow

...perfect night to go running out to Barnes and Noble to check out the latest Japanese comic books, right?

WRONG!

I knew as soon as the phone rang that this scenario would not end well.

It's 20 something degrees outside and a wind chill of 12. What were they thinking?!

What does stupid getcha? Getcha stupid.

I'm so pissed off right now I can't see straight. More on this later when I know more about what the heck happened.

What were they thinking?!


That's all from where I sit.

--MorelaterZ--

Smells like snow

Currently, it's 28 degrees where I live.

Could be worse-- I could still be in Wyoming, where it was 4 degrees in Casper yesterday!

The television stations are already broadcasting school, church and other closings. Not that I'm planning on going anywhere.

At least I didn't have to drive on I-40 eastbound at 5pm. Or on any other interstate. I went as far as WalMart today. Wow.

Still waiting to hear about the apartment I paid an application fee for on Monday. Seems that they're having trouble contacting my landlady in Wyoming. I was told that property manager at the place I applied at would contact me.

I'm going to call her in the morning, though. We were having issues with the phone yesterday. Someone at the phone company screwed up and the payment somehow didn't get credited. If someone hadn't called to ask about where the payment was, I'm sure the phone would have been cut off. Maybe it was for all I know. But the problem was resolved and all is well for today.

Mom was none too pleased by this turn of events.

Jeff told us this evening after Daniel picked him up at work (I'm not cool enough to pick him up, I guess) that someone had keyed Daniel's car on both the hood and the spoiler down to the base metal. If this happened while the car was parked here at the house, I'm going to suggest that Daniel call the poilce and report it. I wonder if his car insurance will pay to fix the damage.

Well, I better go fix dinner. Mom doesn't want to be eating when "Medium" comes on at 9pm.


That's all from where I sit.

--MorelaterZ--

I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but...

I know all the words to the BC Clark Christmas jingle. It is, amazingly enough, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

It only took me four Christmases to get the words to this annoying (and by Christmas, it will be) little ditty down pat.

It almost makes coming back from Wyoming worth it.
===

We're supposed to get some of the white stuff on Thursday. The forecast calls for a high of (get this!) 27, and a low of (I shit you not) 26. Wind chill, batteries, taxes, tag and title not included.

I do miss the winters in New England, though. Someday, I'll get back there.
===

Interview went well, BTW. Now the waiting begins. There must have been a dozen people there at the same time I was.

And, a one bedroom apartment came available this morning at the last place Tori took me to about three weeks ago. So I went over there and took a look. It's a small one bedroom, but, hell, it's just me going to live there, I don't need much room. I paid an application fee and filled out paperwork. I'll know something about that tomorrow. If I pass muster, then things will move very quickly.
===

The busybody will be here in the morning. Oh. Joy.


That's all from where I sit.

--MorelaterZ--