It's going to be a bumpy ride

Holiday week! Let the madness begin. I made pie for coworkers, but I think the crust came out tough. Meh. And where was this Steelers team last week? Seriously, they're killing me. I don't have faith in our quarterback.

Nothing like realizing that that is NOT pearlite or accumulated salts on the soil of your favorite plant/ bonsai (which is currently covered in flowers/ flower buds-- thank you, Murray the Murraya!), but a crapload of bug eggs. Bug eggs. COVERING the surface soil. Of my favorite plant, which has already been through so much thanks to the falling plant light incident. And it's been sitting on your dresser for the past few days (because a. great light and b. it's getting nippy at night for a tropical citrus type and c. did I mention the flowers and how great they smell?). Cue freak out. And then I scraped off the top layer of soil and drenched the rest with pyrethrin insecticide, and let's hope I don't have a batch of stinkbugs or something nasty hatch on me.

I'm remembering that swimming in a long course pool is going to take a little more adjustment from swimming in a short course pool than originally thought (it's 25 meters versus 25 yards). That difference... oh, it definitely adds up. 1 yard = 36 inches. 1 meter = ~39.4 inches. 25 meters (one length) = 27.3 yards. 50 meters (one lap) = 54.7 yards. 1000 meters = 1093.6 yards. At my peak, I'd do about 2500-3200 yards plus warm up/ down over about an hour or so, depending on stroke & pacing (so 50-60 laps). 60 laps, 3000 meters would be 3281 yards (or just over 5.5 extra laps in a short course pool). Oh, and one other thing? Community pools are kept so very warm-- which is really, really challenging for lap swimming because your muscles just relax in the warm water and it's hard to get them going and keep going. Adjustments all around.

I've been memed. From HPO, I have a meme of threes. Is that a threme?

Three names I go by
Jacqueline
Jackie (or Jackie-lyn)
Jack

Three Jobs I have had in my life
Research assistant (chemistry)
Research assistant (policy)
Library assistant
(are we noticing the trend of assisting and research?)

Three Places I have lived
Dravosburg, PA
Pittsburgh, PA
Baltimore, MD

Three Favorite drinks
Hot Cinnamon Spice tea (by Harney & Sons)
Margarita (classic, on the rocks, salted rim)
Diet pepsi

Three TV Shows that I watch
Burn Notice
Doctor Who
The Good Wife

Three places I have been
Here
There
Nowhere

Three favorite foods
Samosas (not the cookie, though those are good too)
Homemade gnocchi
Popcorn

Three friends I think will respond
(non-tagger)

Three Things I am looking forward to
Bedtime
Thanksgiving
Christmas

Three things that are always by my side
DamnCat
FatCat
My towel (DON'T PANIC)

And from Jek-kah, I have this oldie but goodie.

CHANGES-- David Bowie

RULES

1) Put your itunes, windows media player, etc on shuffle.
2) For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3) YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4) Tag 20 friends
5) Everyone tagged has to do the same thing.
6) Have fun!

1) IF SOMEONE SAYS 'ARE YOU OKAY', YOU SAY? Wonderful Tonight-- Eric Clapton (I have been known to use the sarcasm on occasion)
2) HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF? Stranger than Kindness-- Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
3) WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL? Birdhouse in Your Soul-- TMBG
4) HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY? At the Heart of it All-- NIN
5) WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE? Touch of Grey-- Grateful Dead
6) WHAT’S YOUR MOTTO? Black Sunshine-- White Zombie ft. Iggy Pop
7) WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU? Real Love-- Smashing Pumpkins
8) WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU? Free as a Bird-- Beatles
9) WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN? Alive-- Pearl Jam
10) WHAT IS 2+2? $300-- Soul Coughing
11) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND? Nobody Does it Better-- Carly Simon
12) WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY? Things Have Changed-- Bob Dylan
13) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? Girl, You'll be a Woman Soon- Urge Overkill
14) WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE? Get Ready for Love-- Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds (har dee har har)
15) WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING? Bad Touch-- Bloodhound Gang (AWKWARD! Hilarious, but AWKWARD))
16) WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL? Night Like This-- Smashing Pumpkins (okay, that's kind of apropos)
17) WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST? Thunderball-- Tom Jones (Yes, I am an evil mastermind)
18) WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR? Sunday Bloody Sunday-- U2
19) WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET? I Believe in a Thing Called Love-- The Darkness (AWKWARD)
20) WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW? Everlong-- Foo Fighters
21)WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS? Strong Enough-- Cher
22)WHAT WILL YOU NAME THIS NOTE? Changes-- David Bowie