Charleen’s Chateau

I’m showing someone right now how easy it is to make a blog entry on Wordpress.  Now, if I could only learn to post regularly…

OK, I swear that this has got to be more than a once a month thing. I’m sorry. It’s not you, it’s me. I’m just so tired all the time, and the stress at work has just been killer. Look, if I promise to make this work, will you stick around? I mean, I miss the days when I would spend all day at work thinking about you, but…well…i just have been thinking about collating other data, and putting my spin on it and - well, it’s just not your data.

I promise that we’ll make it through this. No matter what. And I promise that I won’t cheat on you by posting at livejournal. Wordpress all the way!!! You see that support??

Love and hugs, C.

p.s. New season of Veronica Mars tonight!!! LoVe that show!!!!!

(this is what one does instead of laundry, when one has a blog…you should try it. Also, I find it very funny that the spellchecker that Wordpress gives you does not accept the word “blog”)

Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, died yesterday in a freak accident at the age of 44.  He was filming a new documentary piece at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, when a frightened stingray struck Steve directly in the heart.

While he managed to pull the barb out, he still succumbed to cardiac arrest; all within seconds, and all on film. The film itself is being used in the investigation, although the preliminary investigation has found no indication that the fish was provoked or that the rescue attempts were mishandled. Hopefully, they will destroy the film before his widow or children ever have to see it.

Stingrays are very non-aggressive fish, and tend to strike only when startled. Steve's death could have either been caused by the removal of the barbed stinger, or by an allergic reaction to the toxins that are forced through the barb. An autopsy is being done.

My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Terri, and their children Bindi Sue, and Bob.

Discovery Communications, Inc. is putting together a fund - affectionately called the "Crikey Fund" - to support wildlife protection, education and conservation.  In addition, the fund will be added to donations from DCI in support of maintaining Australia Zoo, and providing an education for Bindi and Bob.  All condolences are being collected at the fan site, which is clogged with users right now.

Goodnight, Steve. Thank you for hours of entertainment and enlightenment.  I'm sorry that you had to go, but heaven must have been getting overrun with rogue crocodiles.  Hopefully, one of the millions that you've inspired will carry on your torch, and continue your fight for the voiceless and vilified endangered predators that you so loved.

"My number one rule is to keep that camera rolling. Even if it's shaky or slightly out of focus, I don't give a rip. Even if a big old alligator is chewing me up I want to go down and go, 'Crikey!' just before I die. That would be the ultimate for me." - Steve Irwin

I didn't announce this last week when I heard about it because I didn't want to overshadow Matt coming in.  But here's the news that I wrote at the time…

The SciFi Channel is cancelling Stargate SG1.  I have no frelling idea why they think this is a good idea, but here's the story from Gateworld.

Now, the folks at MGM are standup folks, and they've agreed to stand behind their show, and the producers have agreed to do the same. I'd love to boycott SciFi, but both Atlantis (which has my fave character in the whole blooming franchise, McKay) and Battlestar Gallactica (which is, hands down, the best sci-fi out on TV right now) are still going to be there.

Not to mention, it will be my only legal way to get the new Doctor Who and possibly Torchwood, if it ever comes out.  So, I can't ban Sci-Fi.  I thought about banning NBC, who is a sister company, but then I would miss out on My Name is Earl…

I'm screwed.  We've seen the writing on the wall for years, but BSG gave us a false sense of security: all good sci-fi gets cancelled too early. The Farscapes and the Fireflys are all thrown out to make room for WWE wrestling, and Who Wants to Be on the Reality Show Du Jour?

Ah well, where there's life, there's hope.  Maybe Joss will come out with something new for me??

BTW, I put most of my links to Gateworld because I think they have the best resource for up to date news on this stuff and  I tend to use Whedonesque a lot as well because they just kick demon ass.  I'm going to try to put up banners for both of them, but I may fail horribly (because I don't know how!!).  Either way, please visit their sites often for insight and news…or just a few giggles!

My darling brother is coming to Austin this weekend for BarCampTexas.  I'm really looking forward to seeing him! They're having a class at the BarCamp on transferring application from the desktop to web based access, which I may very well have to go to.  It's what we're looking at for work.

I heard a rumor as well, that it's Andy's birthday this weekend.  Haven't confirmed that yet, but either way I'm ready to kick all y'all's butts at pool (or frisbee)!!!

Update: Oops!  I forgot that my girl, Glenda is coming as well - sorry to leave you out, darlin'!

Amazon.com is broken.  Waaay broken.  I was going to go and check on whether my season 2 Veronica Mars is shipping this week or next, and I can't get into the site.  Amazon.uk was broken as well as Amazon.ie and Amazon.de.  I was able to get into Amazon.ca, for all the good it did me.  I did have fun searching through everything in English and French, though!

Update:It was suggested that I link in a picture of the error.  This is the one for my account

And this is the one for the homepage

All in all, the pics didn't come out that well.  Will have to ask Matt about that….

I would like to thank work for their bi annual worklife community effort. Where else would I get a chance to be shunned, ridiculed, bullied, ignored, harassed, and to have my car vandalized? Can we do an audit next?

Yes, I changed my layout.  Yes, I know this may be the first time this century that I've done it. I just had to get brave enough to experiment with it.  My brother was very proud of me.  I am happy with it.  I hope you enjoy it; let me know what you think!!!

Someone in my house left my dog out all day.  Nine hours in 100 degrees heat with no water. Needless to say, I'm pretty horked.  I can't understand being so self involved that something like that could happen.

Fortunately, Rhiannon is fine. She's a little freaked out, as she's wont to be when something like this happens, but she's still the best girl ever. We've just got to keep an eye on her for a few days, poor baby; you could tell that she thought she was being punished because she was doing her submissive thing all over the place. 

If I ever figure out which person or animal woke me up at three AM this morning, there is going to be murder most foul here.