Andee from the internet.

1) I CAN HAS STIMULATION. And fuck, it couldn't have come at a better time. I won't use it for anything fun alas, but not being a month behind on bills will definitely help me not be so stressed.

2) I seem to have conquered my elliptical phobia. I have replaced utter terror of the machine to the hatred of all that is holy while I am using it. Yet another curious gym contraption that is not for wussies.

3) WTF yo. I've been at this a week. A WEEK. I should not already be seeing definition returning in my arms! But no, there is definitely that telltale shadow when I flex. Guh. ...hawt.

I feel the need to cackle maniacally and sing Peggy Lee standards in the shower now.

Between sydneycat's and sixswordsamurai's offers to rescue my weekend, I will indeed be heading to the Stronghold of Harmony on Friday. Take that, money gods. TAKE IT. NYEH NYEH.

Seriously... domo arigatou, guys.

I did indeed wind up going home yesterday. The old defective GI tract (especially, alas, the end I sit on) was hurting something fierce and I ached all over like I had the flu. Feel a bit better after collapsing for three hours upon getting home. Weird dreams notwithstanding - I dreamed that MC Hammer was standing in our kitchen wearing an apron and a red sparkly chef's hat over one of his genie-panted early 90s outfits, making stack after stack of pancakes. Like literally, every available surface of the kitchen had a plate with a steadily growing, if somewhat wobbly stack of pancakes on it. And we were trying to tell him it was okay, there was no way we could have eaten all those pancakes if we brought in the BesterMortons, their kids and a few other friends let alone the six of us. And I shit you not, Hammer's only response to the pleas to stop making pancakes was "STOP. BREAKFAST TIME." I woke up from this enough to slur the above to sundart and to resolve to post this to LJ when I actually woke up. Ye gods, but my head is an extremely fucked up place sometimes. Afterwards, back asleep, thankfully this time relatively dreamlessly.

Still feeling listless today, even after going back to sleep for a couple more hours yesterday after the above and getting pretty much a full night last night. It's sunny today (albeit COLD - 'sup 28 degrees??) so that should help with the whole unmotivated thing, though I think the anemia monster is raising its ugly head again. Which would make sense considering last week's Moses-must-part-the-Red-Typhoon celebrity batshit circus. I'll also have to find some way of boosting my iron without the help of the clot-promoting evil green leafies. And yes, I've already considered the possibilities of 1) rare steak and lots of it (expensive) and 2) feasting on the corpses of my multitudinous enemies (illegal, gross, and honestly, I don't have THAT many enemies or people I want dead) 3) suppliments (paranoid of taking anything without clearing it with a doctor first). Still, may ask Ann about it tomorrow, and in the meantime maybe I can get people to cook stuff using the cast iron skillet, lol.

I'm trying to actively take control of my money management these days, as I need to crawl out of my debt and actually start saving for my end of the proposed Real Camp Amoeba we're all starting to plan on having in a few years, not to mention a couple of long-term side projects I've got in the works. Plus I have a couple of expensive things to plan for this year... trips to various places and people to see once I get there, my harmanhay dress (which I need to sketch out)... we'll see where I come out by the end of the year. *crosses fingers* I just really hope I end up in a MUCH better place financially than I am right now. *sigh* of course I still feel like Once and Future Crap, and am debating staying home and working today... which is not going to help my pocketbook any.

And now, these messages.

So... it's no secret I'm extremely bad with money. It's actually a really good thing that I know this, since I've had enough trouble keeping up with the one credit card with the $500 limit on it that I've had since college. I cringe to think what I would have been or would be like with an Amex card or something.

Most of my downfall is food. I love to eat out, and I tend to forget or not be bothered with packing my lunch. This doesn't even count the cherry cokes and coffees I've been known to drink, though I'm making some effort towards once again kicking the coffee habit and toying with the idea of weaning myself off soda as well. I always feel bad at the end of the week frittering money on eats, because while I like good food, really at the end of a meal you don't have much to show for your monies. :P So I'm trying to shift my spending to bigger, better, more permanent things.

Most immediate of course is the wedding and the three loans I'm working through, which are all school related. Argh. Hopefully the wedding will be resolved soon. The loans... well, thanks to the auspices of Madame Sundart, those are getting managed.

There's other stuff too, creative stuff. Belly dance starts up again at the end of the month. I'm going to need a cubic fuckload of legos if I want to make the "leap from dreams to reality" with my victorian model. Like, upper 3 figures worth of legos. I'm also toying with the idea of starting music lessons again in the spring, either violin or piano (I miss them, and know I'm never going to pick them up again consistently unless I HAVE to), or Something Completely Different and going for voice. There's a music school in Amherst over by the Studio, which is what put the idea into my head. And I really do want my very own hi res digital camera. I miss taking pictures.

And then there was the fact that three days ago on a total whim I was checking how much flights were from JFK to St. Petersburg were. I still find it amusing and somewhat appalling that I grew up in an international environment and at one time had competent command of both French and Russian (I could still probably hold an intelligible conversation in French, but the Russian is sailing out of the window except in the rare case of total inebriation) but yet I've never managed to get out of the eastern US except for one trip to Austin when I was like 6 that I totally don't remember. But I totally want to visit places - Europe, Japan, Egypt maybe - fly one place and take the train everywhere else. I don't know. But that's a very big, expensive whim, so I don't know how likely it is that I'll get to do it or not.

incidentally it's my birthday coming up soon. Considering I only know one concrete thing that I actually want (and it seems to be covered by morlock) I think I might brush the dust off my paypal account and be all like "gimme monies." and then use it towards one of the above, or towards making teh weddingthing kickass.

Incidentally, stormcloud and reverendtom we need to ... discuss. Can I find you on IM sometime this weekend?

[ring ring]
Robot of Financial Assrapage: Hi thank you for calling AssCards. Please say or dial your account number.
kjpepper: xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
RFA: I'm sorry but I do not understand you. Please try again.
KJP: x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
RFA: I'm sorry but I do not understand you. Please try again.
KJP: *swearing*
RFA: I'm sorry but I do not understand you. Please try again.
KJP: *growls, dials the number*
RFA: [artificially perky] *spews interminable list of options I don't want*
KJP: Representative
RFA: I'm sorry but I do not understand you. Please try again.
KJP: *restrains herself from throwing the phone out the window. dials 5*
RFA: Thank you for using AssCards. I'll transfer you to a representative.
PreRecorded Voice of Financial Assrapage: All Representatives are busy now, please hold the line. For quality control, training, and/or our personal purposes, your call may be recorded and if your voice is sexy enough, masturbated to.
KJP: *fumes*
Jessica: [very cheerfully] Hi thank you for calling AssCards. Can I get your mother's maiden name or personal password?
KJP: *gives password*
Jessica: ooooooooooh. Very close, but not quite. Try again?
KJP: [aside] what is this, Jeopardy? [to Jessica] *slightly different variation on password*
Jessica: hmm. try all numbers?
KJP: [aside] try nostril fucking yourself with an emery board? [to Jessica] *last variation of password*
Jessica: O-kay!!! How can I help you today?
KJP: My card expired in August and I never got a new one.
Jessica: Huh. Weird. Lemme see when that went out. [pause] says it went out last friday.
KJP: Last Friday? it expired in August!
Jessica: [brainless giggle] I know. That's... weird. You haven't gotten it yet?
KJP: Would I be calling otherwise?
Jessica: Oh. Yeah.
KJP: *headsmack*
Jessica: What's your current address?
KJP: *gives it*
Jessica: Have you got an old one?
KJP: *gives that one*
Jessica: yep, it went there.
KJP: But I changed it online last summer?
Jessica: Really? *keys clacking* So you did. But it was sent to [previous address], and they probably won't forward it.
KJP: So now what?
Jessica: well, lemme put in a request for your new one. Keep in mind though that if the new card is received at the old address, you may be subject to credit card fraud.
KJP: *imagines herself on one of those commercials where beatgoddess's voice comes out of her mouth detailing her all expense paid cruise to Fagtopia Island* *laughs* Um, thanks, I don't think I need to worry. Someone I trust lives at that address. [aside] Besides, that would be one crappy cruise on a $500 limit.
Jessica: [surly] Just telling you.
KJP: *bites tongue, manages to be civil enough to get the new card routed to new address, says goodbye politely*
Jessica: oh, and Ms. Pepper? Happy Birthday.
KJP: Thank you. *hang up, headsmack*

Right. That was the tail end of the financial fu I got done today. Also got fed up with tripping over sydmor's dryer door when loading it, so I menaced it a little with the power drill. Dryer door is now hung in the opposite direction. The sexy.

And now to watch Pirates of my Ass and braid my hair.

EDIT: and then the missing card arrives in today's mail. Call Asscards back, get Jessica again(!!!!!). Card is now activated and problem solved.