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A few articles, and a Vlad update.

Cindy:

Six Things I Learned When Purchasing Renter's Insurance

Me:


Little Caesar's Pizza Tastes like Greasy Cardboard, but I Love It Anyway

Top Five Movies to Have While Stranded on a Deserted Island

Easy and Quick Food Add-Ins

Just a couple of response pieces that I did, and a silly one about food. The first one was inspired by my lunch one day. :)

::..::

And as for Vlad, he's doing better now. He spent the night at the vet's office, ate some food, and didn't throw it back up, so that's a very good sign. He's got some medicine for the next couple of days to keep him a healthy kitten, and I'm really hoping that the upchucking is done. Megan is gonna be catsitting for us when we go to Chicago, and I know she won't want to deal with kitty vomit. Cuz I know I don't like dealing with it, though I have done remarkably well doing so thus far. :)
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:: Dawn 3:05 PM [+] :: (0) comments
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Two new articles from Cindy:

Limbaugh's Statement About Michael J. Fox: Crass but Not Malicious

Which was an "Editor's Pick"! Congrats to Cindy! :)

How Much Money You Make at Associated Content is Up to You

And I concur wholeheartedly with this. I do this mostly to give myself a little bit of extra spending cash, particularly with the holidays rolling around. If I plan things well (and stop buying silly stuff), I may be able to do almost all of my holiday shopping just with the money I've made from writing. That would be pretty kewl. :) And it would mean I can spend my money from crocheting on tattoos. :)

Seriously, though, if you're interested in making either a little money or a decent amount of money through writing for Associated Content, E-mail either Cindy: lgunnin (at) hotmail (dot) com, or me: scarywhitegirl (at) gmail (dot) com. If you know Cindy in real life, use hers; otherwise, you can use mine. Yeah, we get a little bit of money for referrals, but once you're started, you can refer people too. :) And you can invite us to be your buddies, too. :)

You get no articles from me. Because I had a week of being a slacker when I didn't write much. I should have more coming up this week, but as I'm off work from Wednesday through Friday, I doubt you'll see anything about them till next Monday.

::..::

Halloween is tomorrow, and if I am ambitious tonight, I will have quasi-Bride of Frankenstein hair tomorrow. This involves putting all of my hair into braids, and Jerome laughed when I asked him if he knew how to braid. Ah well. :)

Wednesday, I'll be headed out for my after Halloween sales (YAY!), and Thursday, we are off to the distant frozen northlands. This is also known, to most people, as Chicago. Jerome and I will be hitting the Art Institute on Thursday night, the Field Museum on Friday afternoon, and the Placebo concert (with Jesi and friends) on Friday night. Then on Saturday, we get to get up early to make the drive back. Well, I can cross my fingers and hope that perhaps they will give Jerome Saturday night off, in the hopes of him working Sunday morning, which will allow us to not leave Chicago super early on Saturday.

And in other news, Vlad has been sick. :( He goes to the vet this afternoon, to see if she can determine something is wrong with him, or whether it's just a case of upset kitty tummy. If it's the latter, I've already got some possibilities on ways to fix that, so that's a relief. It was not nice to hear him start hacking, and then backing up, before upchucking onto the floor. I'd be upset about the mess, but I'm more upset because he made a horrible little mewling noise right before it happened, so he's obviously not a happy kitten. :(
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:: Dawn 12:20 PM [+] :: (0) comments
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NOT an article post! Yes, they happen occasionally! :)

In fact, this is an End of the Work Week Wisdom post!

"There is only one kind of cake, and it is tasty."
--Jerome, explaining that cake donuts are still cake

This was a late night conversation, that for some reason was revolving around donuts being in chili. I dunno, I rather prefer cornbread or the bizarre peanut butter on bread combo that my sister introduced.

As an aside, cans of chili should really include heating instructions. Chili Man chili does not. Bastards.

::..::

In other news, hurrah for pre-Halloween games and then Halloween! :) I've got three costumes planned, two for the games this weekend, and one for actual Halloween.

For tonight, I'm going to Ashes dressed as Mina Murray, from Dracula. My costume is largely inspired by the green dress that Mina wears in the Francis Ford Coppola movie, though mine is red. But I finally have a tiny top hat... of DOOM! :) Okay, so it's not actually of DOOM, but I can pretend, right?

For tomorrow night, for Riddles, I've got a Queen of the North sort of costumes... all silvery and icy and cold. I still need to do something with my wand to make it snazzier, and I have to figure out what's going on with my hair, as the flapper headband is great, but a bit too small.

For actual Halloween, I'm doing a quasi-Bride of Frankenstein costume. It's a dress that Megan mangled a while back, and I will probably draw some stitches onto my face... though I just realized that I need to find some white eyeliner or a white makeup pencil if I'm going to do it well...

::..::

In other other news, it's raining cats and dogs today. I really wish that we had a big golf umbrella... failing that, though, I think I may just put my costume into a bag and dress at the Student Center. It's only my costume for tomorrow that I need help getting into.
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:: Dawn 11:14 AM [+] :: (0) comments
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Two new articles from Cindy:

Is Mystery Shopping the Job for You?

Do You Have What It Takes to Make Your Marriage Stand the Test of Time?

The latter of these two is written somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but she's absolutely right. She actually mentioned this to me while we were talking one day, and that night, I told Jerome that he could have his fleece blanket, and I would take the normal sheet (which has since been supplemented by an afghan on my side). Neither of us wake up to no blankets anymore, unless we kicked them off of ourselves in a moment of silliness. It's very nice. :)

And I also have two articles:

Getting Ready to Play in a LARP: Demystifying Live Action Role Playing

I'm really trying to write as many articles as I can come up with for LARP related stuff, as I would like very much to be known for my knowledge about LARP... this one was pretty easy to write... :)

Why I Like Avenged Sevenfold: Sounds Like '80s Hair Metal

I was planning on writing this article anyway, and then they put out a special offer where you get paid a flat rate if your article references someone else's article. Hurrah for getting paid to disagree with people about music!!! :)

::..::

In other news, it's cold out, and our heat is not working properly... I called the landlord yesterday, though, so hopefully he will have someone look at it today.
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:: Dawn 2:42 PM [+] :: (0) comments
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Oi... I spent a lot of time sick and otherwise not at work last week. Monday, my car wouldn't run, so I stayed home till I could get it to the shop. Tuesday was normal. Wednesday, I got a migraine around lunchtime that took almost a full day to leave me alone. So Thursday was spent recovering, and Friday was preparation for Vulture Fest. All in all, I only worked a day and a half. Craziness.

So unsurprisingly, there are a few articles from my downtime. :)

Cindy has three:

Making My Own Thanksgiving Traditions is More Fun Than Visiting Family

Slimy Illinois Politicians Take State from Bellwether to National Joke

EBay & Phishing: You Recognize It, Now What?

And I also have three:

What Should I Give My Co-Workers for the Holidays?

Top Holiday Gifts for the Firefly Fan in Your Life

Physical and Social Benefits of Learning to Belly Dance

Whee, fun and excitement! :)

::..::

In other news, Vulture Fest was not too bad, but then I ended up spending most of what I made on other peoples' stuff. Specifically jewelry and soap. Cuz I love homemade soap, and though I still haven't found the Almond Oatmeal Raspberry stuff that I love, plain almond is pretty good too. :)

I am, unfortunately, pretty badly windburned, and swamped as all get out. I have a lot of stuff that I'd like to work on, but we'll see how much of that actually gets done. Last week was fairly productive on the crafts, not so much on the writing. This week, if I'm smart about it, should go in the other direction. But I may not be smart about it, as it's far easier to crochet and watch a movie than write and watch a movie... at least for me. :)
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:: Dawn 11:33 AM [+] :: (1) comments
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This week has taken a bit longer than usual to get going, though that may be because my car was being a pain in the ass on Monday, and thus I stayed home that day.

At any rate, Cindy has three new articles today:

Foley, Reid Should be Investigated, Prosecuted If Laws Were Broken

Fall Wedding Beset with Problems Still a Happy Affair (Once It's Over)

Misadventures in Energy-Saving and Winterizing My Apartment

And I have four new ones, from the course of the weekend:

The Life and Times of Michael Alig as Told in Popular Culture: Party Monster and Disco Bloodbath Tell Part of the Story

For those who don't know who Michael Alig was, don't feel bad. I didn't either until I saw the movie version of Party Monster. I guess perhaps if you were in NYC in that time frame, he might be better known, but to Midwestern teenagers, he wasn't a big name. :) Of course, now I've watched the movie, the shockumentary, and read the book, so I know a good deal more about him. :)

Where's Neil When We Need Him?: A Tribute to Neil Gaiman

I started talking about this CD MONTHS before it came out, because it was a whole ton of bands that I love, all on one comp. This CD rocks. You should totally get a copy. Whoever you are.

Treatment of Gypsies in Early Industrial England and Nazi Germany

A school paper, one that I presented at an undergrad conference, and of which I'm still very proud.

A Comparative View of the Maternalist Welfare State

Another school paper, this one for grad school.

::..::

In other news, Drunken Pumpkin Carving last night was a grand success, and no one lost any digits, to my knowledge (I left a bit early). I did manage to destroy two of my brand new pumpkin carving tools. They should really make the pokey things out of metal. :) I didn't break the saw/knives, just the pokey things. :)

Any rate, my pumpkin, Spooky, is happily ensconced outside of our apartment. I may start taking bets on how long she lasts. I don't give her very long, though...
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:: Dawn 11:10 AM [+] :: (0) comments
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Two new articles for both Cindy and I today!

Cindy's:

Illinois Wine and Wineries Offers a Variety of Tastes at Low Prices

AustraLearn a Great Help for Studying in Australia, New Zealand

Mine:

Beowulf & Grendel: An Epic Worth Watching

This is a new-ish movie that we rented, and I really liked, even if it wasn't quite the "Beowulf" that I read in school.

Holiday Gifts for College Students

Because cash and alcohol aren't necessarily what you want to give them, even if that is what they want. :)

::..::

We haven't had any End of the Work Week Wisdom for a LONG time... not like I have any today, but I just thought I'd comment on that fact. :)

I plan to thoroughly enjoy my weekend of not having to sell crafts. :) Of course, this means I will probably spend at least a decent amount of time tomorrow working on crafts... at least in between trying to write some more articles. :) Practice makes perfect, and all that. :)

The hopeful highlight of the weekend, though, will be taking a drive somewhere, as the leaves are starting to get good... only barely starting, but depending where you look, they can be very beautiful...

At the very least, we're gonna go to the Halloween store in Marion either Sunday or Monday. w00t! :)
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:: Dawn 3:35 PM [+] :: (0) comments
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Slow over the weekend, as always, but here are a couple from Cindy:

Time Maybe the Perfect Gift for Your "Tweener" Daughter

Just How Old is Too Old for a Computer?

And let's see what I've got...

An Examinination of the Reasons for Emigration and the Process of Assimilation in the Nineteenth Century

Toys for Children Under 2 Years Old

Misadventures in Cooking: How NOT to Make an Omelet

Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys: Masterful Storytelling from Comic Book Author and Novelist

Aspects of German Immigration and German-American Life

The Contributions of Immigrants to the United States

So yeah, several more papers, a gift guide, a quasi-recipe, and a book review on a GOOD book (as opposed to an academic book). Fun stuff.

I probably won't have much in the coming days, because I managed to royally slack off this weekend, and not write anything. Bad Dawn, no biscuit.

::..::

But in other news, the Ren Faire was fun, if not particularly profitable for me. Now we get a weekend off from the craft fair circuit, and then the next weekend, we'll be in Makanda for Vulture Fest. This should be fun, I think, and hopefully our sales will be good.

In the meantime, though, I'm going to enjoy this weekend off of craft fairs, especially since this is the heavy gaming weekend for this month. Ashes Friday, and Riddles Saturday.

Oh, and there's this game (TT) I might be trying to start up... but I need to talk to people about that... :)
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:: Dawn 9:21 AM [+] :: (0) comments
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Yesterday was a busy day, and Cindy ended up with three more articles up, all tourism pieces.

Why You Should Visit Cave-in-Rock, Illinois

Why You Should Visit Southern Illinois

Why You Should Visit Metropolis, Illinois

Sadly, though I live in southern Illinois, I've only been to the region as a whole, not Cave-in-Rock or Metropolis. But then again, I'm not a big Superman fan. :)

And I also have three other articles:

Ways to Keep Your Office Assistants Happy

Early Green Day Albums: 1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours and Kerplunk!

Saving Money on Christmas Gifts in a Large Family

And three more book reviews added to the book review page.

::..::

In other news, I'm gonna run off to become a gypsy pirate this weekend. Oh, wait, I mean I'm going to be at the Southern Illinois Renaissance Faire. Whee! :)
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:: Dawn 8:35 AM [+] :: (0) comments
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Today's articles by Cindy are all about southern Illinois wine. w00t for wine! :)

A Short History of Winemaking in Illinois

Shawnee Winery: A Cooperative Effort for Grape Growers

Art and Wine: A Marriage Made in Heaven

Illinois Grape Crop Growing Each Year, Harvest Getting Sweeter

And I have one article, which is really an old paper, up today. It's on immigration, as are so many of my old papers, but I figure that immigration is an even more significant topic today than it was back when I wrote these papers (1996-1998-ish). This is that whole idea of history informing the present. I like it. :)

Immigration History: Ethnicity and the Melting Pot Examined
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:: Dawn 10:46 AM [+] :: (0) comments
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Cindy has a couple of new articles up:

Why You Should Visit Elizabethtown, Illinois

Freedom of Information vs. Police: Can Police Confiscate Cameras?

And I made my promised book review page. As the disclaimer at the top says, it's mostly reviews of books for academic purposes, not for popular books. That, of course, is why I'm just putting them there, rather than posting them here. The interesting stuff gets posted here. :)

::..::

In other news, I got the cartilage on my left ear pierced last night, and it looks very spiffy. Didn't hurt nearly as bad as my belly button piercing to get it done, and has basically died down to a just a very minor dull pain, which sharpens only if I bump my ear or the earring. So as long as I'm careful, it's not too bad.

I originally planned to get my right ear done, but decided on my left a couple of days ago because of the way I sleep. I didn't realize till last night how much I WANT to roll over in the middle of the night. I think the next time I get something pierced or tattooed that is in a location I would possibly sleep on, I should do it on a Friday or Saturday, so that I have a day to recover from the lack of sleep. I'm half dead today. :(
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:: Dawn 10:38 AM [+] :: (0) comments
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Three new articles by Cindy:

Talon Falls Haunted Theme Park is the Best Haunted House in Paducah

The Best Halloween Party in St. Louis is at the Haunted Lemp Mansion

Missouri Voters to Decide Stem-Cell Research Future

And three by me:

Pros and Cons of Living in a College Town

Crimson by Alkaline Trio: Punk Band Heads Towards Musical Maturity

Visiting Laumeier Sculpture Park

I've also got book reviews up, but I think I'm gonna make a book review page, and then link that here... :)

::..::

In other news, the first craft fair of the year went tolerably well for me. Here's hoping that the rest will go even better! :)

Ren Faire this weekend. My project for this week is to crochet small bags... that can be used for dice, tarot cards, or carrying stuff around when your outfit has no pockets... :)
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:: Dawn 10:50 AM [+] :: (1) comments
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