A Birthday Idea

I'm re-posting this to several places for Stixs. He posted this originally on Facebook hoping that I wouldn't see this... Unfortunately Facebook fails on that kind of privacy. So, it's kind of surprise fail. But it's still a very nice thing he's trying to get together.
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It doesn't look like we're going to swing a large party, due to lack of space and timing of events around Thanksgiving.Instead we've set up an ink fund for anyone who wants to help her finish her tattoo. It's been on hold for most of the year and she'd love to get more work on it.If you want to contribute, I've set up a paypal account under phoenixink09@gmail.com. General birthday wishes can be sent to the same email address and I'll put them together into a presentation for her.

This doesn't require any RSVP or anything of the sort. I believe that he's trying to get the deadline to be on the 26.November, my birthday. Any little bit helps.

黒執事(Black Butler)

I've seen a lot about this... generally in manga form. I loved the look of it. It's more Gothic-Lolita. Unfotunately, as of now, the books haven't been released in English. It is being serialized in Yen magazine.

Regardless, I've been curious about the series.

I have been able to find and watch it in anime form.

When you first start watching it, it looks like a cute story set in Victorian England about a boy who's the heir to a popular and profitable toy business and his butler. But as the series progresses you notice more. His butler isn't exactly human. He's entered in some form of a contract with Ciel (the boy). This is alluded to at the very beginning of the series, but isn't better revealed until about episode 3 or 4.

Ciel, the youth, is also know as the Queens Guard Dog (referring to Queen Victoria). He protects the Queen from whatever may harm her. This includes going up against Jack the Ripper and solving the Hound of the Baskervilles. While it sounds like it's simply a re-telling of these stories, it's a bit more complicated then that.

Then there's Sebastian, the butler who is also a demon serving Ciel. It is in Sebastian's best interest to keep Ciel alive, which he does by any means possible... and often fulfills commands made by Ciel.

There are heavy Domination/Submission overtones between Ciel and Sebastian. Sebastian almost seems like Ciel's lap dog. There's also undertones of homoeroticism. It seems like there might be something a bit more to Sebastian and Ciel. This is probably intentional on the behalf of the writers.

The story is compelling. The more I watch, the more I want to know. And thankfully I'll get to learn more. The first series ran for 24 episodes that concluded in Japan in April of this year. They announced that there will be a second season (much like what they've done with Fullmetal Alchemist). This is good. I found myself feeling a little sad that the first series was coming to an end.

As for the manga. I'm pretty sure that Kuroshitsuji (the reading of the above kanji) will be fully translated into English at some point. Seeing that it's being printed episodically in a manga magazine, it seems pretty likely.

My suggestion, is check this out. It's thoroughly enjoyable.

In Unique Circumstances...

I'm in a situation where I'm not sure what to do next...

I have a list of cemeteries and funeral homes to try to seek employment. But I have no idea where to start. I'm not contemplating getting my license to be a funeral director. I think, if I want to work in cemetery sales, that I need to be certified by the funerary board after I have a place to work.

I also left my last job in a very unique circumstance... at least for me it's unique. I have a letter of recommendation from them. I don't know what's the etiquette on letters of recommendation. Do I automatically attach it or do I say that I can send it upon request.

I'm seriously feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment.

I might keep trying the conventional route and do a bit more research on the cemetery/funerary industry.

Also, if anyone out there has any additional information, that would be wonderful.

A Wee Bit of an Update

Well, unfortunately I post with a bit of bad news.

At the end of July I will no longer be gainfully employed.:( And as bad as I should be taking this, I kinda already knew this was coming. In a lot of ways, I feel like a weight has been taken off of my shoulders. It's something that I wasn't sure if it was coming or not.

This is the downside of working at a non-profit. Oftentimes they have a board of directors. More times then not, they don't do what would be in the best interest of the staff. This is the case. The general manager is not happy with this decision. He even said that if there's anything they can do to help me, they'll do it.

This is, in oh so many ways, a good thing.

I feel like this time around that I have a more stable footing for getting a job. Much better then my last job. I also feel much better about my job performance at the cemetery. I'm apparently a very valuable asset (the only other person who can do one of the co-workers job), and loosing me might be very problematic.

The unfortunate problem is they're loosing me for someone who's supposed to be doing outside sales.0_0

Oh well, that's the way it goes right?

At least I know that I as valued (a huge plus over my last job) and that I will be missed.

Now I get to delve back through many a classified in order to find a new job.

The Old Familiar Beast

I know a good portion of you already know that I was quite sick over the past week. It hit me like a runaway train on Tuesday. I wound up with a 102 degree temp. But after some Hot and Sour soup and a luke warm bath/shower as well as a lot of sleep, my temperature finally came down to normal by the next morning. That was very good because we had two funerals on Wednesday that virtually fell back to back. The first one was for a Sicilian family. I learned that Sicilians like to talk as much as the Irish.^_~

Then Thursday rolls along. My stomach has been feeling pretty bad. I'm not eating as much, but the pain is dealable. Even the bouts of nausea are dealable. But after dinner, while I was showering I get bad chest pains. Like double over in pain, feeling like a chest burster alien's burrowing it's way out chest pain.

Now, I've had chronic heartburn all my life. It's something that I've dealt with. Usually it forces me to eat a lot less... and I usually get it when I'm fairly depressed and stressed out.

Anyone who's familiar with my housing situation (which I know that I've talked about ad nauseum) knows that it's been stressful. But I'm not depressed. I love my life, and other then hating the roomy situation I'm happy with things.

Which is probably why I can eat... just not a whole lot. This is a pleasant upgrade from maybe eating one meal a day.

But the heartburn migrating to my chest is new. And the fact that the pain was more intense... It's scary. I don't want to go through that again.

So, that leaves the obvious decision. Now Stixs and I need to figure out whether or not we can afford to live without the roommate. We know that emotionally we can most definitely afford it, but not so sure if finances will allow for it.

(Image: still from Death Note (the live action movie). I thought it was appropriate since he looks like he's pondering something.)

Almost One Month in...

And I still love this job. Seriously, it's a great job.

I work with two kind older Italian men. They really are. They keep telling me that they're suprised that I'm not as thin as a rail with how little I eat. They always ask if I want to share some of their food. And despite the fact that it's a cemetery we always joke. As somber as a place you'd think it would be... I think it takes a special kind of person to work there.

I've been to quite a few funerals in the 3 weeks that I've been working there. They've by and large been Catholic funerals... the exception being the funeral that I went to yesterday. It was an Orthodox funeral.

One thing that I see often in Catholic funerals is sprinkling holy water on the cakset before it is interred. And while I realize that as far as the faith is concerned it's consecrating the body, but a part of me giggles. I picture they're being proactive in stopping vampires or trying to curb a zombie invasion.

One thing that's come across most strongly to me is the idea of impermanence. It certainly is food for thought when you're surrounded by death.

(Pic info. Cypress Lawn Cemetery Colma, CA. I took it a few years ago...)

If Any of You Happen to Be Home Right Now...

And happen to have Current TV, they're running TV Free Burning Man.

I have to say, I feel a wee bit home sick just watching it.