Lost_Warrior

*rofl* Throwing a ball for a dog on a leash? Wow. It amazes me how people haven't figured out that war is just a part of human nature. It's been around for as long as humans have been around, and humans aren't the only ones doing it, although when animals compete, they tend not to drag it out with politics, threats and weapons that could destroy half the earth!

I just finished Gladiatrix last night, and just submitted the rough draft of the review today. WOOO HOOO!!!! Update on Flash: he has been eating his tail. A whole 1/4 inch it seems like disappeared one day- but I have an idea why this might be happening. Turns out, the poor guy's bowl was in the sun for several hours a day! I was at work during this time, so I had no idea. I have taken measures to make him feel safer, and to stop the sun from shining on him. So here's hoping the situation improves. I'm sad and frustrated. He had such a gorgeous tail and it's nearly gone! (and it's not fin rot, either.) He is eating, I got him some bloodworms and different pellets. He will not eat the pellets, but he attacks to blood worms viciously! While I was at the store getting him different pellets, I couldn't resist and I acquired this guy: Meet Cobalt. He lives in a bowl on the other side of the dresser, and is MUCH calmer than Flash EVER was. Flash is a high anxiety fish. Just like his mama. On Friday I hennaed my hair and I gotta say, I LOVE IT!!! The color develops over time, so it will continue to darken. I hope it doesn't darken too much more though. I have had a lot of different shades of red in my hair over the years, I dyed it often when I was younger. But orange is some place I never thought I'd go, and now that I see it I can't figure out why. This is yesterday: And today: As you can see the color is darker, but still quite red. I can't believe how much of a difference it made, even in the way I feel. I really missed having red hair. I think I'm hooked for life now! I've given up on getting my own place for now, as I did the math and realized that I just cannot afford to live on about $800 a month, which is what I'm making after taxes when you don't count the overtime. Although, I have everything I want here, so I don't think this is a huge big deal. My Gwyddon Initiation will be on Samhain and I'm really hoping I'll be able to get time off work to fly out to Kentucky for it. I'm crossing my fingers and bugging every deity I can to make this happen. It will mean a lot to me. Since things seem to be slowing down a bit here, I'm going to try to be more active on UNRV. I hope. *crosses fingers*

I've never been to Pompeii and I really had no idea it was so bad. Here's hoping they get their act together and do something about it! I'm with NN on this one, if I had free room and board I'd work for a week there, just to see the sights!!! Though I'd probably want more than one meal a day...all that physical work makes you very hungry!

(swiped this bit from another thread) We have plenty of recipes for foods eaten at the banquet, but what did a Roman 'dessert' consist of? I don't think they had sugar cane, so I'm guessing anything sweet (that is, if they did enjoy something sweet after a meal as we do) would appear much different than what we are used to. Would fruit, such as figs (which are very sweet) be in order? Or were cakes sweetened with honey more likely? Something else entirely?

Oh good gods on a stick. ROTFLMFAO!!!!!!!! Don't people have anything better to do with their time?

Oh no!!!! Poor fishy!!!!!! ACK!!!!! :(

Just busy. I got a new fish, pictures posted Here. He seems to be doing well, still won't eat. BUT his beautiful tail that you see there, is in shreds!!! He must've got it caught on the plant (I removed the plant) and it looks just awful but I'm so worried about stress on him and the possibility of fin rot. My poor, beautiful baby. And his poor tail. I just fell in love with that tail. I am so sad. I'm still reading Gladiatrix and I must say, I am pleased with it. I'm almost done, but I haven't been reading as much as I should be. I'm actually pleasantly surprised by the book. I've been working 9 hour days (well 9.5 hours. Half hour unpaid lunch) and Saturdays usually. Busy, busy busy. Life goes on...

I've never heard this.

I had thought that caligae were sandals...they're commonly referred to as such. Most of them do look pretty much like what we would term "sandals" anyway. I do wonder...what's the difference?

I have read that the Legionaries used to stuff their sandals with fur during winter months. They also had pants, I believe, in colder climates (but only in colder climates. Pants were considered 'effeminate' by the Romans and were only worn when necessity dictated.)

I'm using well water given to me by my grandmother. Her well is good and chemical free. It's the same water he WAS in and doing fine.

Yea. I'm getting a new one...but I am NOT buying another Wal Mart fish again. *sigh*

I'm really sad to report that Lasairian died this morning. I don't know what happened. I changed his water on Saturday and he was fine. I fed him Saturday. He took one bite of food (I think it was too big a bite. More than one pellet stuck together or something) and went to the top of the bowl. Just hanging there. He stopped eating. All day yesterday he was either at the top or bottom of the bowl...totally just like 'meh'. I could tell the spirit wasn't in him. He ceased to be Lasairian and started being 'fishy' again. This morning I looked at him and knew he was a goner...he wasn't dead but I considered flushing him to put him out of misery. At about 8.15 or 8.30 this morning...I was at work...I got a 'flash vision' like a window opened in my head and there he was...his old self. I knew right then. When I came home he was gone.

Hmm... I've thought about making myrrh lip balm but I didn't as I was unsure of the safety of doing so.

This wasn't as difficult and messy as I thought it would be. Worked far better than trying to do this with honey. I started with a little less then the amount that my container would hold of fractionated coconut oil. (I love that stuff...but I'm going to have to start using something else soon). I put that in a double boiler (well, the makeshift version) and I ground up the myrrh resin as much as I could. I put this directly into the oil which I heated, stirring for a good 15 minutes or so. (I couldn't tell you how much myrrh I used. I just "eyeballed it"). When it smelled decently of myrrh and was a nice golden color, I strained the oil back into the measuring cup I'd started with, and cleaned out the pan with a paper towel. I then strained the oil back into the pan, put it back in the double boiler and heated it again, this time adding beeswax until it hardened to the consistency I wanted. (Test this by dripping some onto a cold plate.) Allow to cool enough that it won't melt the plastic container, pour into container and there you go. It does not have a lot of smell once it's solidified, but when you rub it into your skin the scent returns.

So I have some myrrh resin and it stinks to high heaven when burned, sadly. I ran across a reference to its use as a salve in medicine and as I'm constantly making that sort of thing (not for medicinal purposes...more for 'fun to make, smells pretty and I know what's in it' purposes) I thought what the heck, I'll try it with the myrrh resin. It worked, btw. So I'm wondering. How exactly WAS the myrrh used? I know it has value as an antiseptic...how was it prepared and what uses did it have in ancient times?

It's in a vase. IME bettas actually do really well in vases. You do gotta clean the water often (every week or two). Lasairian is being stubborn. It's normal for Bettas not to eat when you first move them or if you change anything in the tank...well I got him Sunday and he's maybe taken 2 bites since then. I do suspect he may be eating when I'm not looking though. What's really funny is that there is a plant next to his vase and he is in LOVE with it. I swear he's pining after it. LOL

Beautiful!!!! Lasairian it is!!!

OH AWESOME!!!! I'm so using that. Because I'm having a stupid attack (or, rather, I'm in my normal state of mind...) how do you pronounce that?

I'll check that one out tomorrow.

Oh thank you! I've seen all the 1001 baby name sites...but they get old after a while. Time for a change.

Oh that's a great one too! I was actually thinking of a Gaelic or Welsh name for the little guy. It suits him. Definitely on the 'maybe' list. Where are you finding these names?

Unfortunately it's definitely male. The males of the species are the ones with very showy fins. Is there a masculine form of that name? It's a beautiful name!

Isn't he awesome? My grandma got him for me. I'm trying to think of a name. Something fiery...or warrior like.

ROTFLMAO Getting any sort of govt. benefits is a weird situation. I remember filling out medicaid apps in order to get treatment for my anxiety disorder. Now that didn't make me anxious at all....