If anyone was was wondering just how awesome my boyfriend is, you should get some idea from the fact that he told me about this:



Here's more info, in text and picture form: Brainwashed by a parasite

How in God's name did I not know about this before?! I guess that's what the boy is for. I have learned so many cool things from him.

My parents just returned from a long trip to China. They brought back a pipa as a gift for Andrew.

They handed the totally unfamiliar, traditional Chinese instrument to him, and within seconds he was playing a surf riff on it.

That's my brother in a nutshell.

1. Lately I have had a terribly strong urge to pack a suitcase and just go visit all my friends who are currently spread out across the country. I am starting to miss people so much that it actually hurts me. Right here (indicates heart). Something about listening to Suicide on a dark, cloudy day makes that worse, somehow, like that's music to pack all your stuff as fast as possible to.

2. I have also had an urge to delete this journal. No, seriously. Of course, I would probably start a new one with a new name and, naturally, add all my friends back. And basically make it the same in every way...I don't have any particular reason for wanting to delete. I can't explain it; sometimes I just get an urge to clean up the old junk I have lying around.

So, the Large Hadron Collider is going into operation soon. In fact, they were supposed to have that thing working today; their original calculated start date was May 15th. Now, if they stick to their current schedule, the LHC will be activated this June and the first collisions will be happening in August.

Now, if you aren't a dork like me and you have no idea what the Large Hadron Collider is...essentially, it's a project meant to recreate the conditions of the Big Bang so that scientists can observe them first hand. As you can imagine, this has serious implications on many different levels, philosophically, scientifically, and so forth. Furthermore, no one really knows for sure what would happen if we recreated the Big Bang right now. It's entirely possible that...well, the universe as we know it would come to an end. But nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

So, the apocalypse could be on the way. Hey, that's an exciting prospect! Not to mention, we now have three months to plan for the possible end of the universe. So, squeeze in those good times and tie up those loose ends while you can! I only regret that I will be keeping my job during that time just in case I still exist by then and therefore need money.

I was just digging through a box of old junk and found some primitive but interesting paintings that I started when I was probably 14 or 15 and never finished. They are painted on cardboard (a testament to a fascination I had as a teenager with using the rudest materials possible as supports).

What do you think...should I finish them, do them over from the beginning, or forget about the whole thing and focus on the other projects I'm supposed to be doing right now?

My brother Andrew
Smoking in the parking lot of Target
Taken on my camera phone

Fox housing British 'Spaced': U.K. comedy being remade for U.S.

This isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...this isn't happening...

Simon Pegg has plenty to say on the matter himself...

I stopped at Dunkin Donuts in Milford today to get an iced coffee. The guy behind the counter brought it, then he asked me where he could get white sage and dragon's blood. He didn't even ask me if I knew, he just seemed to know that I would certainly know. I directed him to the closest place I could think of, in Nashua.

People ask me questions like this all the time. I don't know why: is it my Celtic cross necklace? Is it the black dresses I wear? Or is it just an obvious aura of awesome magical powers?

Earlier today, I told Andrew about how whenever I drive I can't seem to fight the feeling that the car has a mind of its own and will just go veering out of the lane and smash into opposing traffic, and there won't be anything I can do to stop it. He said, "Bethy, you don't belong to this time."

Hey, I found out why I've been feeling like garbage...

It's all thanks to my friend and yours, streptococcus. Yes, I have a strep infection. And it's not strep throat either, but something WAY more interesting and fun. I'll spare you all the disgusting, oozing details, but...long story short, it seems to have started with a stubbed toe, and some bacteria who said, "Hey, while we're here making pus, let's just go crazy!". Or something like that. I'm actually not totally clear on what the doctor said anyway because my head was spinning while she was talking. I was basically just on autopilot until I got home from the pharmacy and fell asleep. I didn't even really know what I had until I woke up later and Andrew told me the drugs I was prescribed are used to treat strep infections. So I looked it up, read the description of the illness I apparently have, and started freaking out so I put my computer away and watched The Simpsons instead. And I thought I just had a cold...

I feel like the walking dead, but I have to go to work anyway. I will probably fall asleep in the breakroom and get yelled at.

A few people have asked me if I have to wear the red and khaki to work, or if it's just for people on the sales floor. When I tell them, yes I do, everyone has to wear it, they express some surprise that I would even take a job like that. I guess they think it doesn't jive with my usual fiercely non-conformist ways.

They don't know that, in reality, I'm a big fan of uniforms. I like uniforms a lot, uniforms of all kinds.* As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing hotter than a woman (or a man, or whatever) in any kind of uniform. In fact, talking about this has given me the idea of the century:

The Ladies of Target pin-up calendar! It's worked for the armed forces, it's worked for the medical profession...now it could work for us! We could feature the hottest Target employees in red bras and khaki thongs!

I guess the dudes could get in on the action too. Why not? They could wear khaki thongs too, and red bowties! Or better yet, picture this: tight khaki pants, red undershirt, strategically-placed pricing gun! I might slap a cowboy hat on there too, but we're not allowed to wear hats in the store.

I think it's a brilliant idea. I think I'll call corporate tomorrow and tell them all about it.

*Know what else I like a lot? Getting a paycheck.