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Monday, November 23rd, 2009
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7:50 pm - what's up with people?
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Bob and I were in the post office today to mail the laptop up to Bobby so he could have it ready for my sister for Christmas. (and the cost of the postage and insurance wasn't too heinous!)
There was a man a couple of spaces ahead of us in the line. He was talking to a postal worker, clearly upset because an incorrect charge had gone onto his credit card last week. She couldn't do anything about it, she stated it clearly and politely. The post office can't do charge backs and doesn't have checks to hand out to correct the difference. But she'd look into it and get back to him.
Normally, I'd listen and commiserate, but he said the magic words: This is your fault!
So I turned to Bob and said, "Oh, great another one who's blaming someone else." I didn't yell it, but I made no attempt to keep my voice down, and I'm pretty sure the man heard me, because he kind of jolted.
I ignored him, though, because I was the next called in line.
So why is it that all of a sudden people are so eager to place blame?
Oh, and that guy from last week? I've made a wall of shame in the photo lab and his name is number 1. You don't want to mess with the head photo tech. *eg*
current mood:  disappointed
current music: Dominick the Donkey
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| Monday, November 16th, 2009
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7:04 pm
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After this morning's diatribe, I thought I'd post a more upbeat entry.
Ten years ago I began writing slash. Love and Human Remains was the first movie I tackled, and I'll always have a soft spot for it. It got better as it moved on, and I think this might be one I'll convert to original one day.
However, wouldn't you know I can't remember the exact date I started work on it? All I know is that it was in the late fall of '99. ::sigh::
Well, today's as good a day as any to celebrate. *tosses confetti and goes back to write*
current mood:  nostalgic
current music: still WAVV
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8:57 am
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I've been working in the photo lab for about sixteen months now. In that time, I've found my customers to be really great. Except for one couple. Perhaps, dear reader, you'll remember the thieving pair who walked out with a number of 8x10s when they were only entitled to one free one?
Well, yesterday didn't top that, but it came close. Keep in mind this started while I was at lunch, otherwise it wouldn't have happened at all, because I know how to do this. A customer came in with a roll of film. She told the supervisor who was watching the lab that she just wanted a CD. However, my supervisor was unfamiliar with the program and couldn't get it to do what she wanted. She told the woman she'd order it with prints, but would delete the prints. The claim check printed out 24 prints and 1 CD. All clear and no problem, right?
Well, there was a problem. The husband came in and insisted that since the claim check said there would be prints, he should have the prints. I told him if he wanted them, we could print them up, but that his wife had told us she only wanted the CD, and I explained to him what we had done.
No, we were mistaken, and if the claim check said he should have the prints, he wanted the prints. He more or less blamed my supervisor for misleading his wife and kept harping on that fact, insisting time and again that we were to blame. My supervisor told him no problem, but to send his wife in, she'd be more than happy to talk to her about it.
I processed the CD at the kiosk and sent the order to Picture Care Plus.
There was another order up, and the whole system froze, so while he supposedly went home to talk to his wife, I had to reboot. He came back before it came up and wanted to know when he could have his pictures.
I more or less told him his order had crashed the system and that now it was up, but I didn't know how long it would take.
My supervisor was going to charge him for them, considering we'd modified the price of his order to reflect the fact that no prints were included, but she spoke to the manager, and the upshot was they didn't feel it was worth the aggravation, positive he would get on the horn with Corporate and generally piss and moan.
I called my manager and had her ring up the sale for $0, because a key was needed to do that.
Now, people who know me know I can be polite to a fault, and I have letters in my file from customers who appreciated me going the extra mile for them. Not to blow my own horn, but this is something I do for all my customers.
This time, however, when the prints were finally done, I put them in the envelope and handed them to him, telling him, "Here are your pictures." No 'thank you,' no 'have a nice day,' no 'come back and see us' (God, no! That's the last thing we want!) no nothing.
I wanted to figure out a way to remind us about what lousy customers this man and his wife were, but the system we use doesn't allow us to make notes, no matter what the PPL videos showed, so I talked about it with D, who comes on for the evening shift. Going back to the couple who walked off with the 8x10s, he said he'd put something in their profile which would be unseen by anyone but us. Good idea, so that's what I did.
The odds of this couple returning here are slim, but if they do, the photo tech who deals with them will be aware.
current mood:  irritated
current music: WAVV
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| Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
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7:31 pm
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This is so sad. I went into the front room to set up the VCR to tape Bones.
For tonight.
It isn't going to be on here in the States until tomorrow night. *facepalm*
Well, at least I'll be able to write.
Blue Moon is done, and I'm working on two f/f stories. Once they're finished, it's off to What if You're the One?.
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| Thursday, October 29th, 2009
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7:14 pm
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I was pretty sure I'd finished Blue Moon, but then, while I was talking with ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) kouros3 last night, it occurred to me that Quinn's uncle would still have a Christmas tree up. *shoot*
So I went researching, only to realize google wasn't my friend. However, I found a link to the Maryland Christmas Tree Association and wrote them. The Sebrings can have a pine plantation on as little as 10 acres. Okay, this is teh good, since I didn't want it taking over the farm.
This takes place at Shadow Brook on New Year's Eve. Quinn and Mark are about to enter the living room, and Mark had paused to observe it:
"Impressive tree," he murmured. "And I thought yours was big!"
"I could have told you it was just a baby." At ten feet, it was a good eight feet shorter than the Douglas Fir that stood in the far corner, covered with decorations, some of which dated back to the early nineteenth century. "Tomorrow when we go riding, I'll take you to see the pine plantation." I smiled at his raised eyebrow. "Back in the early sixties, Grandmother decided to set aside ten or so acres to grow our own trees."
"Your tree came from here?"
"Of course. Uncle Jeff always makes sure both Mother and I have one. And the same for Uncle Tony and Uncle Bryan when they lived on this coast. I would have gotten one for you, but you already had that midget that's on your window seat."
"Are you insulting my tree?"
I just bumped my shoulder against his. "Next year, all right?"
A warm, mellow baritone had joined the piano and the guitar. "I heard somebody whisper, 'Please adore me,' And when I looked the moon had turned to gold… "
I smiled at Mark. "And that's Uncle Bryan."
current mood:  pleased
current music: Quads with 2 Moms
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| Monday, October 26th, 2009
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10:44 am
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Okay, I've been quiet about this, but let's face it: October isn't a busy month. There's no reason why clicks to The Breast Cancer Site haven't been adding up. The goal this time is 500 mammograms, and with five days until the end of the month, we're only up to 309.
Keep in mind each click is doubled!
C'mon! Click, click, click!
current mood:  distressed
current music: The Wreck of the Edmund FitzGerald
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| Sunday, October 25th, 2009
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7:27 pm
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Well, I'm up to part 7 in Blue Moon, and isn't that a hoot? I wasn't sure I'd be able to get it beyond part the first.
We've been to Mark's island, to Quinn's townhouse where we've met one of the neighbors (not a very pleasant person), to Raphael's for New Year's Eve dinner and an unexpected meeting with Wills and Theo, to Shadow Brook to welcome in the New Year with Quinn's family. We've celebrated his birthday with fellow officers, with his mother and Gregor, with Mark. And now, finally, we're in the Midwest, where Wexler has been dealt with.
Of course, a disguise was needed, and Quinn donned a blond wig. The problem is, he didn't bleach his eyebrows. Now, Draco Malfoy has dark eyebrows, and he's a good deal blonder than Quinn. (I'm thinking more along the lines of buttered toast.)
So, do I have to say something about this? And if so, how does this work?
I fitted the blond wig on my head, making sure no brown strands were visible, and glanced at my reflection in the mirror. I'd worried about my brows, which were darker than this wig, but Mark had assured me there were plenty of blonds with dark eyebrows. When I'd demanded he name one, he'd looked smug and said, "Draco Malfoy." I'd had no choice but to laugh and concede him the point.
Satisfied my new coloring wouldn't draw undue attention, I stepped into the boots, laced them up, and hung the jacket on the hook behind the door. Then I began folding the clothes I'd changed out of.
current mood:  busy
current music: It's Now or Never
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| Sunday, October 18th, 2009
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3:07 pm
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I hate my laptop. I hate it with a hate that is so strong that as Madelyn Kahn said in Clue, "... Flames, on the side of my face, breathing-breathl- heaving breaths. Heaving breath... "
This Lenovo is the machine that's given me nothing but aggravation right from the beginning. Okay, granted the Gateway wasn't a pleasure to run either, but it's been behaving for the most part.
All I want to do it wipe the harddrive. Am I able to do that? Apparently only if I want to install another OS. Well, I don't want to do that. At least, not until I get a copy of Windows 7. Maybe I ought to wait for that.
In the meantime, it keeps losing my internet connection. Office Depot again proved to be less than useful, telling me I need to update the Linksys software. Only linksys doesn't seem to do that on its site.
Four more days until I get the new laptop, and it might not be the Asus, since that's running a grand.
This is not proving to be a good day. (on top of all this crap, Bob flooded the guest bath when one of the connections he was refitting gave way. It's fine now, but towels are draped all over tha lanai.)
current mood: pissed off
current music: the hum of the desktop
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(comment on this)
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| Thursday, October 15th, 2009
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5:45 pm
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On Tuesday night, I think it was, Bob came to pick me up at work and told me #1 son had sent him a really weird text message, which he couldn't make heads or tails out of.
I took a look at it, and it said something along the lines of Johnny Fontane isn't ever going to get that picture. He passed away at 82.
Johnny Fontane = Al Martino in The Godfather
So why is it that none of the sites I usually visit - AOL, TVGuide - made any mention of this? That's pretty sucky.
Anyway, RIP, Uncle Al.
current mood: aggravated
current music: me humming Charles in Charge
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(comment on this)
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| Tuesday, October 13th, 2009
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8:49 am - Beta Appreciation Day
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| Monday, October 12th, 2009
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8:16 am - How much is too much?
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Still working on Blue Moon, which I'd really hoped to have done at least by the end of August. I guess it's the throwaway lines that did me in once again.
At any rate, I've got Quinn and Mark in an unnamed town in the Midwest. Quinn, from whose POV this is, has proceded to describe the office of the motel where they'll be staying (there's conversation with the desk clerk), the cabin they're renting (necessary, I think, since they will be staying there and making preparations to deal with the baddie), and now the Chinese restaurant where they'll be ordering takeout.
Reading this back, it seems like much of this might be unnecessary, but wouldn't these men, both at the top of their game, be aware of their surroundings? And if I cut all that out and bring them back to Mark's island, won't I have to reveal what happened in a flashback? Which would be a pain, since the body of the story is a flashback anyway. ::sigh::
In other events, the lanai was invaded by a black racer last week. It didn't take well to me trying to encourage it to exit via one of the doors. I stood there with our trust pool skimmer at the ready, but eventually it slithered through the doorway. I unhooked the door and pulled it shut very quickly.
And since last Thursday, I've been having issues with the laptop. Yes, once again it's driving me crazy, although this time it might not be the Lenovo but the Linksys router. I keep losing my signal, I'm told there aren't any networks to connect to, and then when it finally gives me networks, instead of just my own, I'm getting two weird ones, Paradise and bowser. Embarq was unhelpful beyond telling me to take the laptop to a place that has Wifi to see if it's the internet card that's crapped out or else buying the modem/router combo they sell, which would run an additional $150.
I just need to hold out 10 more days. We'll be getting an Asus then, with Windows 7. I'll reformat the harddrive on the Lenovo, and ship it up to NY as a Christmas gift to my sister. She'll be able to connect it directly to dial up, and since the Lenovo works fine when directly hooked up, she won't have any problems.
current mood:  stressed
current music: When Joanna Loved Me
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| Friday, October 2nd, 2009
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8:18 am
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Okay, I think in spite of the time, it's way too early.
Doing a bit work on Blue Moon before I have to get ready for work, and I decided to add a line where Quinn is having a little fantasy where he follows Mark into the handicapped restroom and drops his jeans, to reveal he's gone condo.
*facepalm*
Yep, okay, and how much square footage does your condo have, Quinn?
Like I said, it's way too early!
current mood:  silly
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| Monday, September 21st, 2009
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1:01 pm
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Maddie, I missed your birthday! I'm sorry. I hope it was a good one.
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(comment on this)
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| Saturday, September 19th, 2009
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7:12 pm
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In February of '08, I was contacted by a zine publisher who wanted to produce a fanzine with my Sentinel crossover stories, No Way to Treat a Sentinel, No Way to Treat a Guide, and Goin' Courtin'.
Now although writers had had problems with her, I hadn't, and I thought this might be a good way for my writing to get out there and possibly attract the notice of publishers of ebooks or actual, honest to god, hard copy books. I agreed to take down the three stories, which took a while, since there were a number of archives: My Mongoose, 852 Prospect, The Movie Slash Archive, WWoMB, and of course my own site.
After more than a year of waiting, I finally got the word on April 17th that Passing in the Night was going to come out in time for MediaWest.
Only MediaWest came and went, and nothing. Shore Leave came and went, and still nothing. An email to the publisher never received a reply.
In the 20 months between the time I was first contacted and today, I've had numerous requests for the story, which I had to turn down.
This morning, pattrose asked if I'd be willing to let her have the stories to post, considering how long it's been. So as soon as I read them over a final time, adding // to italicize and * to bold, I'll be sending them to her.
And I guess that's all I'll have to say about that.
current mood: done
current music: Our Day Will Come
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| Monday, September 14th, 2009
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8:22 am
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Okay, granted the lists have been so dead that I've gone to Yahoo a number of times to see if my mail was bouncing. (It wasn't.)
But what was up with Saturday? It had to be something, because so few people were online that there were only enough clicks for 25,000+ bowls of food for the Animal Rescue Site, and you know how that translates to the number of mammograms funded by the Breast Cancer Site -- .04.
And that's just sad.
current mood: tired
current music: Midnight Train to Georgia
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| Monday, September 7th, 2009
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12:35 pm - It's Labor Day, but let's take a moment to talk about New Year's Eve
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I'm third generation American. I come from a working class background. I can't even recall how many times we celebrated New Year's Eve by going to dinner, and we were never ones to celebrate at home.
Now I spend it on the computer, barely taking time to watch the ball drop before I have a single glass of the most reasonable champagne I can find, kiss Bob, and then go to bed. (because usually I have to work the next day.)
This is why my characters have such a fun time -- to make up for all my boring New Year's Eves.
Okay, the question is this: how do I have the Sebrings celebrate the holiday? I'm not talking about partying like Wills and Theo are doing. This is a family affair at the old family home. There will be platters of all varieties: cheese, veggies, pastries; wine to go with them, and champagne (Moet and Chandon Dom Perignon 1985) to ring in the New Year, but what else might be entailed? Conversation of course, because we need to get caught up on Tony and Bryan and see their reaction to Mark. Music? Classical, because I've mentioned a number of pieces in various stories. But would they turn on the TV to watch Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve?
What do people with that much money do?
current mood: tired
current music: Love Train
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| Monday, August 31st, 2009
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11:12 am
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We hit the ground running this morning. Bob had to go for follow-up blood work on his cholesterol, so we left the house before 7:30. I know, not as early as we would have liked, especially considering Quest opens at 6:30, but it's not Season, so we thought we could get away with it.
Turns out we could. We were in and out within 15 minutes.
From Quest we drove south to IHoP, where we had a fantastic breakfast (love me some stuffed French toast!).
Then we went across W. Terry to the Mail Stop (Shop?). I needed to mail copies of Friends and Lovers, but it didn't open until 9.
Okay, we'd hit it on our way back from other errands. However, Pinch a Penny (chemicals for the spa) didn't open until 9, and the same was true for the Liquidators, so we browsed through Ace Hardware. Bob found grout for a neighbor's shower, and I found a DVD copy of Fantasia.
It was after 9 by the time we were finished there, so it was on to the Liquidators, where I found a 3 litre box of white Zinfandel, (I know, I'm a philistine. What can I tell you?) and then Pinch a Penny. The spa needs calcium and pH up.
Once we were done there, and since by then it was after 9, we drove north to the Mail Stop (Shop?). However, the very nice lady told me it would cost more than $8 each to mail my books, so as much as I love my family, it isn't $40+ worth. I took them back to the car, and we went to the post office on Old 41, where for less than $13, they are now in the hands of the government and will shortly be winging their way east and north. *g*
We're home now, and the spa has been chemicalized, I've checked my email (and will be answering them shortly, chere amie) and will get back to Blue Moon. I'd thought to insert a snippet about Mark rimming Quinn on Christmas evening, (after they'd returned to Mark's condo, of course) but a friend assures me that's more a prelude, so I'll have to see where else I might insert that. Keep in mind Quinn's 37 and Mark's 40, so their recovery time might lag a bit.
Of course I could have it when they're on Varlabania their first evening on Mark's island. Now, is this something Quinn would need to mention at the time, or could I...
Okay, now here's a thought: after their New Year's Eve dinner at Raphael's was interrupted by Theo and Wills, Mark got decidedly tense. If he'd rimmed Quinn while they were in the shower before they left, and since that was most likely the first time Mark had done that to him, Quinn could feel Mark had been turned off to the point of no longer wanting to continue their affair.
Although... This seems to be becoming a recurring theme in this story, since it starts with Quinn brooding over Mark's dark mood and wondering if Mark wants to call a halt to their relationship.
I'll have to give this some serious thought.
current mood: accomplished
current music: Shambala
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| Sunday, August 30th, 2009
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7:11 pm
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I think I hear as well as the next person. Can I help it if singers mumble the lyrics?
Take The Bells of St. Mary's, released back in the early 60s. That was around the time of the TV show, National Velvet. The stable boy's name was Mi. So of course, when I heard the line, and so my beloved, I understood it to be and so, Mi, we love them. *shrugs*
Now, Mamma Mia! has been aired numerous times on HBO, and once again I'm hearing things, although I can't blame the movie for all of the confusion. I always thought in Dancing Queen the line was See that girl, watch that scene, dig it, the Dancing Queen. Who knew it was dig in???
And then in the song Voulez-vous, I'd have sworn they were singing about 'masters of deceit,' not 'masters of the scene.'
Okay, I'll admit, the former sounds more intriguing.
But geez, it sucks getting old.
current mood: silly
current music: Rags to Riches
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| Monday, August 24th, 2009
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11:48 am
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I'm working on Blue Moon, and it's coming along fairly well. Quinn's told me some interesting things about Mark's island, and Mark's revealed some previously unknown facts about it himself, like how he happened to buy Isla del Placer Escarpado instead of an island off New Zealand, which had been his original intention.
The problem I'm having now is the title. How do I tie it in to the story? (there were no blue moons in 2002.)Usually the song comes over the radio, or it's a CD or music Quinn is playing, but how many times can I do this? Someone's bound to twig to it sooner or later.
Now they're in Mark's Dodge, driving to Quinn's townhouse, and of course the radio is playing.
Most of the versions of Blue Moon that I'm familiar with are very up tempo, but I needed something by one of the artists Quinn enjoys. I found Ella Fitzgerald's version on Youtube. (and of course I'm having fits trying to download it from Amazon.)
Would it work better if I had just had Quinn pop a CD in the player once they got home?
Or maybe simply not mention it at all?
current mood: contemplative
current music: Blue Moon
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(6 comments | comment on this)
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| Saturday, August 22nd, 2009
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6:53 am
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Happy birthday, wolfsbride! Have a wonderful day, and just consider: you're not getting older, you're getting better! *g*
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creative
