Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in No Woman Born's LiveJournal:

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Thursday, June 18th, 2009
9:55 pm	Things that really should have been beta tested While searching for hairball remedies for my cat, I came upon a product descriptively named Cat Lube (TM). I think the fact that it's trademarked is what killed me. Yes, I know that's effectively what it's doing--kind of, if anything it's lubing up the hairball to pass through the GI tract of the cat, but calling it "ball lube" would be far worse--but couldn't they come up with a better name? Also fun: Pet Naturals of Vermont has a hairball treat, and the directions for hairball treatment are as follows: "Give 4 soft chews, twice daily, for 2-4 days, or until results occur." They leave it up to you to imagine what "results occur" means. And now you get to imagine it. Aren't you lucky? (2 Comments |Comment on this)
1:39 pm	cat update My cat seems to be doing much better. There wasn't puke all over the place this morning, for one thing, and she's back to being a spaz. Making up for lost time, in fact. She's still going to get a lovely gift of cat grass, mind, but I'll probably make it out to Wildfire after all. Woo. Must...pack...and prep... Suddenly, I'm so tired. (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, June 17th, 2009
4:03 pm	Cat yack and weekend plans I'm worried about my cat, Sin. She's been throwing up a lot the last two days. I'm inclined to think it's a hairball, since some of the things I'm cleaning up involve wads of hair (yes, I've been poking at them, much like the owl pellets we dissected in Biology), but she doesn't usually have this much trouble. She's eating, but not a lot, and most of it seems to come back up. Can't tell if she's using the box, as I've got two cats. All of this sounds far too familiar--sounds a lot like cats I know that ate something they shouldn't have (like string), and that required surgery to remove it...which didn't work in every case, which is why I'm starting to get really concerned. She's acting...like she feels oogy, but otherwise seems normal. I've been feeding her that hairball gunk Petromalt, but she's not always willing to eat it. Which means, if she's still doing this tomorrow morning, we go to the vet. And depending on what they say, I might not be going to Wildfire this weekend, and I'll have a ticket up for grabs all last-minute like. The cat takes priority. (11 Comments |Comment on this)
1:43 am	Past midnight Also... Technically, it's my birthday. Worship. Or...something. (28 Comments |Comment on this)
1:35 am	They drape well, though. What have we learned about today's sewing project? There's a reason I go through seam rippers. Also, if I'm eyeballing the measurements and think, "That doesn't seem like enough"...I really should listen to that voice. I think I misunderstood the person on the forum explaining how to make the measurements. However, I'm pretty sure I know how to make the next one, properly sized to me, and it wasn't exactly expensive fabric. Not a big loss. In the meantime, I have a mostly finished pair of hunter green, cotton wrap pants that would be great for someone approx. 5'7" and size 6. Or possibly a not-at-all-shy size 8. I will likely finish them and hand them off to the first person who shows interest. (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, June 15th, 2009
10:56 pm	Daily tally + Realize that I can, in fact, renew my license before my birthday, since spending a birthday at the RMV doesn't sound like fun. - The 1/4 mile-long line wasn't the long wait. No. It was waiting after getting my number that sapped my life force for the rest of the day. + New license picture didn't look so bad. - Can't use the temporary license for identification; probably can't drink on my birthday without my passport. + Make it to annual physical checkup early. - Can't find parking, have to use the nearby garage. + Health services validates parking; this is OK. - The people painting the parking lines in the garage appear to have been under the impression that the spaces only had to be wide enough for a car to fit in, not to maneuver into. Around columns. And SUVs unclear on what "compact car" means. - Waited a lot for the new PCP, including every time she left the room. Almost fell asleep several times. + She refilled prescriptions I needed. - Didn't want to refill anything for longer than 3 months, because she might not be my doctor by then, because I have that sketchy COBRA-based insurance, and might be with some other insurance by then. Had to argue. - Even plastic speculums do not make some tribulations completely better. + Ordered some blood tests for me without arguing. - Included in said blood tests: testing for cholesterol (which means a 12 hour fast), and diabetes, neither of which I had mentioned being concerned about. I'm not that overweight. - All that waiting she made me do? Meant I went over the parking time limit, and had to pay anyway. + Napped. - Weird-ass dreams. And I remembered them this time. + Managed to figure out the flush and refill process for my car's radiator without causing myself lasting harm. - Lost some sanity and patience points in doing so. + Gained some points for my anemic wallet, though. - Had to root through my recycling bin--with broken glass in it--to find containers for the old antifreeze. Peanut butter jars? Don't work so well for that. - Still not sure what to do with the used antifreeze, or if I put the right combination of fluid in the car. - Came in after vehicular victory, swaggering, to find that one of the cats had vomited all of her dinner in the entranceway. Possibly the dinner of other cats as well, pulled through some wormhole in space. And she managed to get a bit in every single room and on furniture, just to be sure. + It's trash day anyway, so the resulting stench in the trash won't stick around. I have earned the birthday cake I will have this week. I will eat half of it straight up. The rest I will smear on some hot young thing for my entertainment. Because I can. (11 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, June 12th, 2009
12:37 pm	Somewhere, someone in customer service is very confused I actually just sent this to them on their feedback page, under "Product Ingredient Question." I figured it was close enough. Dear Nexxus: We had something special, you and I. Your Humectress conditioner did things for me that no one else has ever managed to do. Sure, there were other conditioners in my life, and they worked for a time. But no one ever did for me what you did--there for me, every day, easily detangling my stressed out, unmanageable, dry curls, making them feel smooth and wonderful without being weighed down with build up. Every day. It was a beautiful thing. I thought we had a future together. But...you've changed. I hardly know you anymore. Sure, the outside looks the same, but your scent is almost cloying. And I tried to dismiss the way my hair felt a bit heavy and grungy as being the weather's fault. After all, I trusted you. I've trusted you for years. But I couldn't help it; I snuck a peak at your ingredients list. And...I feel so betrayed. Silicones! All kinds of 'cones, so many I couldn't keep track, sullying your once beautiful ingredient list! This, then, was why my hair felt disgusting! I felt unclean. I needed a drastic and harsh shampoo to even feel like I could touch my hair again. I did it. I went and found some cheap, bottom shelf, pharmacy conditioner to get you out of my system. I'll move on, I know it--after a lot of trial and error, I know I can find a conditioner that will keep my curls going. But I'll always treasure what we had. Wistfully, K (12 Comments |Comment on this)
11:17 am	Finding the holy grail, or: My hair is a cheap date In curly hair circles--forums of (mostly) women who take their hair care Very Seriously--there is what is known as the Holy Grail. This is a product (usually a conditioner) that consistently makes your hair look, act, and feel wonderful, and that when you discovered it there was suddenly a heavenly host that materialized and started singing Hallelujahs. It varies from person to person, obviously. I had one. It was Nexxus' Humectress Conditioner, and it cost me $26 a bottle, but it lasted me almost 9 months, usually, and it smelled lovely, and my hair became the most obedient little kitten with it (not puppy--it still had its moments of being a pain). Then they changed the formula that has worked for years, and didn't tell me. The smell was off--now it's almost cloyingly tropical--and this should have tipped me off. My hair felt...well, kind of gross and heavy. I blamed the icky weather. I eventually read the ingredients; sure enough, it was fully of 'cones (silicone and its cousins). This stuff works wonderfully for many people--hey, it does smooth the hair, after all--but I eventually figured out (after years of using it) my skin and hair hate it. It weighs down my hair, and requires SLS shampoo (also avoided) to get rid of it, which makes my hair dry, and consequently needs more product to smooth it--fun cycle. And it makes my skin break out. And it has invaded my favorite conditioner. I felt betrayed. I felt like writing a letter--alternately wistful and bitter--to Nexxus to tell them how they broke my heart and made my hair sad. So in the meantime--now begins a trial and error of finding the next Holy Grail--I broke down and grabbed the only thing at CVS that didn't have silicones in it that I could deal with the smell of, which turns out to be a $0.99 V05 herbal thing. I used it this morning. My hair...is not so bad. It's not tangled, it's not frizzy, and it's not all weighed down. I currently feel like I'd been under the impression my hair was a champagne and intellectual soirees kinda girl, and only just found out that really, it's the kind of girl that gets called at 3am because her phone number's up on a dirty bathroom stall--not even craigslist, mind--and brags about the hookup the next day. $0.99 conditioner? Really?? (16 Comments |Comment on this)
10:46 am	Coconutty This is based on a discussion with another baker that people seem to either love or hate coconut. For the purposes of this poll, I mean bits of coconut flesh, not coconut milk, cream, flavoring. The stuff with the chewy texture is what I'm asking about. Poll #1414828 Love it or hate it Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All When offered a treat with coconut in it, you say: View Answers Yummy! Yes, please. 28 (49.1%) Bleah. Keep it away. 13 (22.8%) Meh. Could take it or leave it. 8 (14.0%) Other 8 (14.0%) Other? Please enlighten... View Answers ETA: I think it says something about the "Love it or hate it" theory that, at 28 respondents, no one has chosen "Meh..." yet. (11 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, May 7th, 2009
3:51 pm	Organizing resources? Those of you who create or maintain organizational systems, what tools do you like? Or dislike? What programs--software or subscription services--do you feel help you keep track of projects? What books or articles have you found helpful? What combination of techniques and support system do you find best? If you were to recommend an organizational system for a very right-brained person, what would it be? Mostly, this is for professional project tracking I'm thinking about, if that helps narrow it down. I've had a passing acquaintance with BaseCamp and MS Office Project, but I'm wondering if there's more out there that work better. (17 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, April 20th, 2009
3:29 pm	You remind me of the babe The Nostalgia Chick's review of Labyrinth, featuring David Bowie's package I love the movie, but yes, I'm the target audience of her review--lord almighty, did I imprint on King Jareth at the tender age of 10. Explains my thing for pretty, dramatic men in eyeliner, I suppose. Also, pokes fun at LARPing, and I'm pretty sure there's footage of NERO at Camp Wing in there. Go watch. Except...perhaps not at work. Far too many innuendos in there. (23 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, April 17th, 2009
12:34 pm	Assets Friday Tribaret eyes: close up on the eyes Originally uploaded by cheshirekat This was the make up for XMortis: Arabian Midnights last week. Thassa lotta makeup. And glitter. You can't tell, but it's there. (13 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, April 4th, 2009
1:25 pm	A positive meme I love you. Go here for reference. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, April 3rd, 2009
11:20 am	I made me a Grendel From the "Oh yeah...I can draw" files, something I did yesterday: Grendel Originally uploaded by cheshirekat Copy from Matt Wagner's Grendel graphic novel "Devil by the Deed." I like the way Wagner draws people's body language. (8 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, April 1st, 2009
5:03 pm	In case I owe you an email... I confess I am loath to answer any emails or start any correspondence* on April Fool's day. Just in case. * Except with Mom. Mom is fair game. (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, March 26th, 2009
3:14 pm	Just try it... Latest food experiment: attempting to acclimate myself to coffee. This goes against 30+ years of finding it flinchingly repulsive, a product of growing up in a home where no one drank it. Why do it? Well, at some point it might be nice to have a more efficient method of caffeine intake than tea and soda (without resorting to pills), and have it be something available everywhere. (Similar reasoning to learning to drive stick..."Because someday you may find you need to, and then what?") I remember Penzey's saying the way to get used to curry is to add small amounts to foods you already know and like. So...fine. I'm adding tiny amounts of instant coffee to my cocoa. (And brownies, which is why it's in my cabinet in the first place.) I've also heard from nutritionists that you really need to try a new food 10 times or more before you can be absolutely sure you dislike it--it might just be an acquired taste issue. So...Silk Very Vanilla soymilk, gourmet cocoa, Marshmallow Fluff, and a tiny bit of freeze-dried coffee for scent. I get the impression this isn't that far off from how most people getting their macchiatto-ghettoccino-with-extra-caramel-and-whip from Starbucks drink their coffee, anyway. (38 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, March 21st, 2009
5:28 pm	Baking notes: When the mix says 2 eggs for more fudgy brownies or 3 for more cakey brownies, fewer eggs is always better. Cakey brownies are just all the wrong texture, even if they're cleaner to get out of the pan. Might've gotten the right balance of added flavor enhancement, though. Shall ask folks at the party tonight while playing Fluxx and Chez Geek. (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, March 17th, 2009
10:46 pm	No ass at all In honor of the faux Irish* dancing like drunken dorks out there on Amateur Night**, I give you a video about having no ass at all: nowassitall - watch more funny videos I love that she references Sir Mixalot and Blackeyed Peas and talks about being a "bad ass shiksa dipped in chocolate sauce." It is a strangely catchy tune. Thanks to polymexina for the link. * Real Irish, mind, seem to not be endowed in the booty department. Least all the ones I know. ** What my serious drinking friends call St. Patty's Day. (18 Comments |Comment on this)
10:37 pm	[meme] What Slanguage Do You Speak? You Speak New England Slang New England Slang: 75% British Slang: 25% Canadian Slang: 25% Prison Slang: 25% Southern Slang: 25% Victorian Slang: 25% What Slanguage Do You Speak? (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, March 15th, 2009
12:37 pm	Experiences one should have Last night I was reminded that most SCA stories start with, "No shit, there I was..." or end with, "...and then I hit him." The best ones have both. I might have started tales with the former, but never used the latter. And I like telling stories. It also occurred to me last night that I'd never been to the Boston St Patty's parade, despite living here forever...which is where I'm on my way to now. When the nice officer asks, these two thoughts are unrelated. (4 Comments |Comment on this)