debxena

Kinda random updatiness. You have been warned.

Work
I gave my first solo presentation/party last weekend! It went really well, both in feedback and in sales. I guess I can do sales after all, provided it's product that I am interested in and genuinely think will make a difference to people.

The average sales for each party is about $1k, assuming 10-20 people. I only had 8 people there, no eftpos, and still made $1k - and gave lots of advice and answered lots of questions. Go me ;)  Got all my admin paperwork to balance the next day, as well!

I was on my feet for a lot longer than I'd anticipated, though. There's the presentation, of course - but for the next two hours of questions and sales I was also on my feet. Wiped me out for all of the next day - although I treated myself to a bath, and that helped. Sunday is very definitely a stay-home-and-recover-and-spend-time-with-Ben day, these days.

Al
He's still missing Lloyd, which is entirely to be expected. For the most part he is 'okay'. The hospice arranged for him to have a blessing/tapu lifting done on his bed, and that's helped somewhat - he's more comfortable being in his sleepout, and can actually sleep in the bed again. The sheets were washed twice and put in a clothing bin, though. Fair enough, I guess.

Unfortunately, one of Lloyd's siblings (out of four) has been causing trouble: she was texting Al last weekend and being very nasty and unpleasant indeed (of the 'so, have you killed anyone this week?' variety). He's taken it as an opportunity to change cellphone numbers and networks - if you're a friend of his and you didn't get the text with the new number, drop me an email and I'll ask him to get in touch with you.

Lloyd's mother and one of his brothers is still getting on well with Al, though - the latter visited Al yesterday afternoon, and he talked to his mum on the phone a few times a week. So it's the shame that the sister in question is being so hateful and blaming. I can understand wanting to blame someone - but it's a real shitter that it's Al she's putting it on.

Anime
The anime film festival is on! Ben is going to quite a few, but we're going together to the double-feature on his birthday (Blood: The Last Vampire and My Neighbour Totoro). Funnilt enough, we've either seen or own everything they're showing - but most things we haven't had the pleasure of seeing on the big screen (Appleseed and Howl's Moving Castle I have seen at the movies, and they're both worth it).

Incidentally, did anyone else know there was a second Appleseed movie out (Appleseed: Ex Machina)? Deb wants!

Voting
Well, Al and Ben and I all went and did our voting duty. I am unimpressed at the outcome ... but it's only three years. Yay Greens for getting a larger proportion of the vote!

Family
Dad would have been 61 last Saturday. Which seems really strange to me, as he never had his 50's (he died at 47). His mother's birthday is the day before, and my mother's father's the day before that. They're both dead too. Why do I remember the birthdays of people who are dead?

While Ben and Al and I have all been invited to Wellington for a BIG shindig celebrating my aunt and uncle's combined 60th birthdays, we won't be going down. It's a bitch trying to plan ahead anyhow, and it sounds like it's going to be way too rambunctious and noisy for any of us. Hopefully we'll make it down for a visit early next year instead.

It occurs to me that people are going to start asking us about Giftmas plans shortly. Eep.

Begging
We're nearly at $3000! *falls over in amazement*



The response from friends, family, loves and co-workers has been great. As always, if you want to contribute we'd be very happy, and give our thanks in the form of a postcard from the Gold Coast (you even get a choice of nekkid, scenic, cute, or 'other'). Full details are here.

Butterfly
I was semi-social over the weekend. It all started well, meeting zesprii in BeachHaven for brunch (amazing Gallic cafe with yummy food). Unfortunately I was thwacked with some horrendous nausea, so after heading back home I spent the afternoon sleeping. I was going to go the munch, but kinda missed it. Many people arrived at The Manor and gummidged, but I mostly hid out either in bed or on the computer. And then crashed out about 9pm.

Sunday was much better, and I went to Orewa to bigtaz to help celebrate his daughter Aria's 9th birthday (she lives up there). It was pretty fun, albeit very pink. She loved her presents from Al (bright pink Barbie-themed suitcase, purple-and-pink duvet set, fluffy pink cushion to go with duvet) and me (pink-and-purple bathset, cat stamps), as well as from all the other aunties and grandparents and whatnot. Not that there are grandparents on our side, but her step-dad's folks and grandfolks were there as well as her mother's. So four generations in the house, along with the obligatory chippies, sausage rolls, cocktail sausages and devilled eggs.

This week is going to be relatively quiet, until the weekend. Yesterday afternoon I visited Sparky and Firecracker and _steelphoenix_ - got hugs, ate chocolate, watched Firecracker check out her new playstation and Phoenix cut up fabric for my new kimono top. Tonight moonspirit43 and radiofishlips are house-guesting with us, and on Thursday hiddendenim is joining us for dinner. Then it's EROTICA EXPO on the weekend. Which I've been really looking forward to! *does a wriggly happy dance*

Buzzing
I joined StumbleUpon - the great timesuck of amusement. Who else is using it?

Anyhow, I've been amusing myself mightily, and even found one item that I read a few years back and then lost.

So, dear readers, instead of doing some work, why don't you follow the links and try not to spit-take on your keyboard?
~ The Horror of Blimps
~ Fourteen Things That It Took Me Over 50 Years To Learn by Dave Barry
~ All I Ever Learned, I Learned from Anime
~ Pimp My Rice Paddy
~ Microsoft receive first ever error report

Fundraising
You ALL are amazing - as of about 20 minutes ago, the BigTaz Internet-athon™ has raised $1014.00 NZ! That's incredible, and puts us well on our way - you can see the figures here, if it so pleases you.





If you haven't donated and want to, all the details are here. Yes, I'm shamless.Y'all know that by now, right?

Incidentally, if anyone in Auckland has a fridge/freezer they're not using or no longer want, Taz's died on the weekend - one month after the six month warrantly expired. *sigh* I'm happy to collect if you have one taking up space ...

Weekend
Saturday day-time consisted of helping mugginsm and fishie move into their new house - their first house! I had the pleasure of packing half their pantry, and then of unpacking half their books. I love books ... but I always want to run away with half of them! I restrained myself, and only borrowed three.

Saturday evening, as fuzzy_ben was out gummidging, I spent introducing alasatyr to the excellent anime series Noir, followed by a re-watch of Twelve Monkeys. That film gets more whacky every time I watch it. Oh, and making home-made pizza.

Sunday was reasonably quiet, and I had a visit in the afternoon from tracyathene - we shot the breeze and talked about relationships and ate delicious raspberry and chocolate chip pancakes. And I introduced her to Black Books. Because everyone needs a little Bernard, Manny and Fran in their life :)

And, mixed in with all of that was a little sleep, a little reading, a little housework. You know, the usual.

Fandom
For the fanfic writers and readers out there: sapphirebreeze has written a most thoughtful and well-written essay about providing feedback, and the reasons for it. Well worth the read, and you can find it here (don't forget to leave feedback!).

*runs away to do some work*