Archaeological Dig

June 17, 2013

Heroes Con and Vacay

Heroes Con was excellent this year! They expanded the size and changed the dynamic a bit, but it worked for us. Many of the artists that were there were not having good sales – we think because of the faster flow of people. That, and the floor being twice as big was a bit disorienting for many attendees. I dunno, I think it’s just growing pains and everything will get back to normal next year.

Our con roomies, the Burnses were awesome as always (Harley and Sinestro in the pic below). We got to hang out a bit more this year than last and I got to ogle Miracole’s new Fusion! It’s a very very nice car!

We shared our table with the Coffee Bruin and his posse. I got to see Suzann and Dave a couple of times for a change! Yay!! The art auction had REAL auctioneers this year and it was a riot! I’ve never been to a real auction before and it is SO exciting! Good thing I didn’t have a bidding number or I’d own all the things! Ha! All in all, we had a great time and did well at this con. We <3 Heroes Con. Best comic con on the East Coast in my opinion.
Continue reading “Heroes Con and Vacay”

May 7, 2013July 13, 2019

My Checkered Career Path

I’ve done lots of stuff in my 47 years. I’m going to list off all the jobs I’ve had, the approximate time period and any comments about the job. I’m including internships and my rock n roll stuff, too. So, hey, guess this is my CV. Hire me. :)

First Job: Shoney’s waitress. During High School, early 80s.
Quincy’s Steakhouse: line girl
Domino’s Pizza: phones, delivery, pizza maker (Back when it was 30 mins or less!)
Long John Silver’s: Cod girl (aka morning shift prep) First full time job.

Got my first apartment around this time: Sans Souci Apartments approximately 1985.

Went to University of TN for a couple of quarters. Worked as Assistant Master Electrician in the theatre and worked security for concerts at the venue. MUCH FUN!! I lived with a couple of friends in a shitty student house in South Knoxville.

Ran off w/ the Mister Mister tour for a weekend.

Chili’s: waitress (awesome job, had WAY too much fun!)
American Favoritz Cafe: waitress (locally owned restaurant) Continue reading “My Checkered Career Path”

April 11, 2013

Pressed Pennies!

So my pressed penny collection is pretty old. I’ve been collecting for decades. My first one is from the 50s I think, it was my mother’s. It is dead center and has the Serenity Prayer on it [I’ve always thought it was the Lord’s Prayer! JUST NOW realised it’s the Serenity Prayer. Oops!] – and it’s upside down!

Going clockwise from the top stack of 5: 5 from FL, 1 Carousel something, 1 Torchlake ferry, 1 Am Museum of Nat History, 2 NC Museum of Nat History, big pile from GA [Zoo, Aquarium, Savannah], 2 Vegas, big pile from TN [Zoo, Atomic Museum, Chattanooga], 1 Riverlink ferry, 1 USS New Jersey, 9 San Francisco [Chinatown, etc], 4 Charleston SC [Patriots Point ships], 1 Titanic, 3 Ozark region, 3 Route 66, 2 San Diego, 5 AZ [Air Force museum, Hoover Dam], 6 Detroit.

I have 75 in the collection. THANKS to Sonya for enabling my addiction. :)

I am CRAZY for pressed pennies! If anyone is somewhere and sees a penny machine, please feel free to get me one! I LOVE getting pennies in the mail!

November 13, 2012November 13, 2012

March of Time

Just ran across an obituary for a friend I ran around with in college. She died last year and I missed it completely. She was only 53. I’ve sent a FB message to her sister in the hope that she might tell me what happened to my friend. Sucks.

This has put me in a morbid mood, naturally. I don’t normally think about death much, I just try to live my life the best I can and not worry about it. But days like this when it’s shoved in my face, well, days like this I brood.

I’m 47. While I have a broad skillset and a couple of degrees, I still feel that I’ve accomplished little. I have a lot riding on this move of ours. What if it doesn’t pan out? It’s true, life is what happens while you’re making other plans. All I know is I’ve got to REALLY do something severe to get out of this mile deep rut.

If I died tomorrow, what would I leave behind? Umm. Some websites? This blog, certainly. It’s all electronic. I mean, I’ve got stuff, too, but this blog is really the essence of me. I’ve ranted. I’ve complained. I’ve celebrated. I’ve tried very hard to document what my life has been here.

I have to tell my parents that we are planning to move to AZ. They are old and infirm. They won’t do anything to save themselves. I can’t help them, but I still feel guilty about moving so far away. I’m sure my brother will have a conniption. Or not. It’s hard to tell with any of them. They have so much disdain for me, I can’t imagine it getting any worse. It’s not like they ever contact me, so I don’t see much difference between my being 200 miles away or 2000. But still.

I’m trying so hard to not hinge all my hopes on this move. But, hell, what else do I have? I’m done here. The house is gone, I’m sick of this ghetto ass town, I’m very, very bored. I want very much to have something to get up for in the morning. Learning a new town, getting a p/t job, setting up a new house and all of that is very appealing.

Of course I worry about my elderly cats. I think the plan of renting an RV to make the trek is a good one. They won’t like it, but it is easier on them than flying. Last time I moved (about 3 miles) my elderly cat Dickens didn’t make it. So, I’m anxious about DJ (15) and Missy (12-15). They are in good health, but I still worry.

I’m probably more anxious about all this than I’ve ever been about anything. When I moved down here, I was 23 years old! I had no fear! But this time, I’m older and wiser and have much trepidation. I’m giving up a VERY comfortable life (that is killing me) for complete and utter chaos (which will save me? I hope?).

Blah, I don’t even know what I’m rambling about. All I know is that I’m getting old enough to start seeing friends die and I’ve got fewer days ahead than behind. It’s scary, but it also makes me more determined to DO SOMETHING before I die.

Allons-y!

August 14, 2012January 18, 2016

DNA results

So, we got our DNA results from Connect My DNA yesterday. I’m very glad I got a steep discount because I think the results are questionable at best.

Here is my graph of DNA hits:

Irish I can dig. I’ve researched the family names and United Kingdom is a definite link. But all that Latin America? I’m not so sure. I also love that there’s no obvious Native American Indian anywhere to be seen. THAT doesn’t surprise me, although I’ve seen a pic of my great grandfather on my father’s side and he certainly LOOKS Cherokee. Or some sort of Native American, anyway.

But I dunno, could that dude actually be of Central American Indian descent rather than North American Indian? I suppose that’s a possibility. And on my mother’s side, her father’s lineage is a question because he was born out of wedlock (and of course in the 20s, one didn’t TELL no matter what). Whoever his family was (we think Hall is a good possibility) had black hair and eyes and could tan deeply – like my mother and brother. Also, my brother is practically hairless, which is another Native American trait.

I’ve always assumed their reddish skin full of melanin was the Cherokee or perhaps there was some African in there, but what if it’s the Central American causing their traits? I guess it’s possible. I assume that all the native tribes of the Americas intermingled at some point, so maybe that’s the deal?

Just read this on the wiki about indigenous peoples of the Americas:

“DNA testing is not sufficient to qualify a person for specific tribal membership, as it cannot distinguish among Native American groups.”

I paid for a STR DNA test, which cannot test for indigenous markers, sadly. You need a Y-DNA or mtDNA test for that specific information. Info on that (here). But I think you can extrapolate from this one that indigenous people are involved. I think maybe the family insistence that there’s “Cherokee” in us may not be entirely untrue.

Here are the actual tags:

If anyone out there can read that, HOLLAH, would you? All I know is that I can prove I’m a minority! Yay! LOL

The Irish did make me laugh, though, considering what a sot I am. Makes TOTAL sense! :)

Nick’s came back with Belarus as his primary and Polish at the very bottom, but it was almost all Eastern European, so that makes sense. After looking at the history of Belarus (Lithuania and Poland) it’s perfect.

I think these cheapo DNA tests are more parlour game than useful info, but it’s fun and for $30, why not? Perhaps use a better one than Connect My DNA if you want ancestry info, but do try it if you find a discount coupon. I’m intrigued and will probably do the ancestry one at some point.