via The Markness (seriously, everyone should have one): Casting for A Song of Ice and Fire. Sean Bean! Lena Headley! Jennifer Ehle! Peter Dinklage! Other people I don't know! I'm so excited! *bounce bounce bounce*

Go about your business; nothing to see here.

I have requested that Chrysta bring Joe Flanigan back from DragonCon for me. I cannot think of a better souvenir. Sadly, I fear that I may be let down on this request (though I'm sure Chrysta will give it her best shot).

This weekend has been a doozy. Thursday was a super stressful day, between some work stuff and then some dog stuff. Poor Kaylo made himself so stressed out over his parents' going away that he made himself sick, and as I was so swamped with work stuffs, poor Chrysta and Corey had to try to make arrangements for him to get to a vet and get checked out from the airport in Atlanta. He's doing much, much better now. I just think maybe he has some abandonment issues or something. Also, apparently my jeans has a flavor, as he is determined to lick them to death. Do not want. These are my new jeans!

I made plans to go on a Saturday morning hike with a co-worker, forgetting all about New Belgium's Tour de Fat. So I missed out on that, but had a brilliant time hiking up a little trail in the Roosevelt National Forest. We also stopped in the Colorado Cherry Company store (so much damage to be done there) and the Dam Store (less damage). And then we grabbed lunch at 3 Margaritas in Loveland and I returned to Fort Collins to do a little shopping, visit with the Vera, and then return to the doggies.

I bought purple Urban Decay eyeliner and mascara (and now I want this Book of Shadows business, too... darn you website!), as well as some silver nail polish at Sephora. Have I mentioned that there's a Sephora and an Ulta within walking distance of one another? It's no good, people. no good. And then I went to Lambspun and managed to walk out of there with only a lighter drop spindle (25g as opposed to my 79g spindle -- hopefully I can get some thinner plies with this one) and a niddy noddy and buttons for the sweater I'm working on. That store is a dangerous store. Okay, most yarn stores are pretty dangerous to me.

Today I had big plans for getting up, chilling with the dogs for a while before heading back to my house to hang out with Vera and get some stuff done. All was well until I got home, around 10:30, at which point I promptly passed out for about four hours. Vera napped with me, so I guess that was quality time. I eventually got up, watched last week's Project Runway (IMO, wrong person won, but right person went home).

So now I'm back over with the dogs and after a couple of hours of random barking and general doggie behavior, they're both sleeping on the couch behind me. One of them is snoring. I had brought my True Blood Season 1 DVDs with me, intending to knit and listen to the commentaries...but I didn't bring any yarn. I had yarn in my purse for a project that I need to work on, but didn't bring my purse (only my wallet). And I have a project here that I have been working on, but forgot to grab another ball of yarn. So I may have to actually just sit and watch the show... or figure out some other way to entertain myself because I don't think my hands can stay still that long.

edit: Chrysta, I borrowed your Zombie Survival Guide. Maggie curled up next to me while I was reading it, and then Kaylo got bored and laid half on me and Maggie and kept his back legs on the floor. I'm sure you wanted to know that.

I may go into Boulder tomorrow to hit up a shopping center with another co-worker. Gotta find a replacement khaki skirt, and I may buy some bright yellow cropped pants at Gap if they have them. Yellow pants are so in right now--go pick up the latest copy of Lucky and you'll see. *nods*

Oh snap! Apparently season 4 DVDs of Criminal Minds come out soon. *happy dance*

I went into the mountains! ( not dial-up friendly )

So I went up to Rocky Mountain National Park on Saturday, drove all around, and decided that I want to hike every single trail in the park. Don't worry, I will be starting with the easy ones. And then I got home and kind of died a slow and mindless death. I could not function to save my life on Saturday night or all day Sunday. I made myself go for a walk Sunday morning, and that went well until I got home and promptly ceased to move. I made myself go out again Sunday afternoon, to Target, to get cleaning supplies, in hopes that moving around and having cleaning supplies would make me actually clean, but no. I meandered around Target, feeling the urge to impulse buy things but completely lacking the energy to actually pick them up. It was strange. I think I needed a day or so to just sort of shut down and avoid the world. I've been goinggoinggoing for a while, and I'm used to my Florida life-style, where I was mostly on my own (even at work) and not being social. The timing kind of sucks, because I missed all of New West Fest, but I tried and tried to get myself psyched up for it and took a nap instead. :\

Next weekend, though, is the Greek Festival, and I definitely plan on going to that, if only for the scientific study to see just how much baklava one person can eat and still survive. MMMMM baklava.

If you follow me on Twitter, you may remember the work computer issues I was having. Namely, that my computer at work was restarting itself. So they brought me another CPU this morning, and it's very slow and I think the poor guys didn't know exactly what stuff I needed on here, so I've been trying to get it up and running for a good part of the day.

I still need to straighten up my living room and kitchen, and finish putting the finishing touches on my bedroom so I can take "after" photos.

We're back to thinking of potential wedding outfits, people. I went to Ann Taylor Loft yesterday to see if they a) had a dress like the one I saw online or b) had a dress in my size to try on and then decide to order. They did not have either, but I tried on a size that I had previously thought would be two sizes too small (just to gauge my own estimation) and it almost fit. I just have to downsize my ribcage, which is unlikely to happen because they're sort of fixed in place, short of breaking my ribs or traveling back in time and strapping my five year old self into a corset. Anyway, I have a better idea of what size to order in that blue dress if I decide to order that dress.

But this morning I decided to do that larking about thing I do sometimes and went to a website that has all retro- and vintage-styled clothing. Have we discussed that I really belong in the 40s? Because I do. Anyway. Look at these dresses! Memphis Blue! Derby Doll Teal! Clover Dress! I actually think that Derby dress wouldn't be as flattering on me in blue as it would be in black, but I just wanted to share it anyway. I really want that Clover Dress and am tempted to order it just to see if it would work. I can always return it, right?! And while we're at it, I would also like these shirts: Exhibit A Exhibit B

In other shopping news, did you know that it is near impossible to find a pair of simple, black ballet style flats in size 11 for under $100? I've found a couple of pairs that I like, but Zappos is telling me that they're all currently unavailable, which leads me to believe that Zappos is full of baloney. I've also looked at endless.com, piperlime.com, and shoes.com. So now I need to add "bind feet" to the list of physical modifications I need to make when I go back in time.

Please note that these modifications are not because I am unhappy with the facts of my physical genetics, but because apparently I defy convention when it comes to mass-produced and affordable clothing. While I would much rather change the system as a whole, it's much easier and efficient to change one person and then continue hopping back through time to find out answers to important questions. Yes, my friends, not only will I be able to find clothes that fit me, but I will also know if there was a gunman on the grassy knoll and why Stonehenge was built. Assuming I survive the journey, I'll write a full report upon my return.

Look, the people at Starbucks made me a venti macchiato this morning when I asked for a grande. I can't be held responsible for the ridiculousness that comes from my brain under such conditions.

edit: Man, apparently the coffee just sort of went zipping through my system and did not make me more sensible or anything. I went ahead and bought the Clover dress and Exhibit B (it was on sale) and then I remembered that I had seen a notice about the owner closing down the store while she had a baby. The store is closed from April 24 (today) to May 15 (two days before the wedding). So there's a most excellent chance that the dress won't be sent until after the wedding. I can keep looking locally for a less expensive outfit, but in the interest of not just buying a ton of clothes, it would have to be a most exceptional outfit. Otherwise I'll just wear my totally non-summery black dress and a cardigan or something.

And I'm sure you are all so terribly enthused by my clothing debacles.

edit 2!!!: HAVE RECEIVED EMAIL FROM OWNER OF SHOP STOP EXHIBIT B TOP IN BLUE COLOR SOLD OUT BUT DRESS WILL SHIP TODAY STOP REPLIED TO EMAIL AND SWITCHED TO SILVER TOP STOP SHOULD RECEIVE PACKAGE IN THREE TO FOUR BUSINESS DAYS STOP KEEP FINGERS CROSSED FOR A GOOD FIT PLEASE STOP