neva, miss feva, blogging

2008-03-31T08:18:00.000-07:00

FYI: My blog feed is now http://www.nevafeva.com/blog/wp-atom.php . The current one for this blog, http://www.nevafeva.com/blog/atom.xml, will not be updated. Please change your Bloglines, Google Reader, etc. settings. Thanks!

2008-03-31T04:21:00.000-07:00

Here's what I'm up to:

My out-of-state guest, the lovely Ms. Erika, went back home this weekend. I've got a lot of e-mails and blogs to catch up on! Plus, I've got to get my new home for nevafeva.com in working order. Bear with me, y'all.
I'm 95% done putting stuff away. I will have pictures of my condo remodel up soon.
Today will mark a turning point for me. Nothing major or deep, just different daily priorities. No more construction and re-organization! No more holiday hoo-ha! Starting next week, I hope to focus on two things: the essay part of my thesis and my work on a new lupus network (more on that later).
I have to start reading and writing again. I've been so distracted from it and I miss it. Plus, I challenged myself at the beginning of the year to read 366 short stories this calendar year. I'm woefully behind...whoops.
My allergies are annoying me greatly. It's been a couple of years since I've had my sinuses aggravated by the start of Spring, but this year it's hit me. Blah! Having lupus and sinus allergies sucks. My mouth tastes like snot---gross!
The diet starts now. I mean it this time.

More later...

2008-03-24T00:05:00.000-07:00

I can't get enough of this video. Mace in one hand, your high heel in the other....

2008-03-23T20:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!

2008-03-22T02:51:00.000-07:00

This video is priceless!.....but, um, yeah, I'm still not going to vote for him.

Introducing....The McCain Girls, "It's Raining McCain!"

2008-03-21T22:03:00.000-07:00

It's holiday time...and I'm not talking about Easter!! It's the Discardia holiday! (MeFi post here.) Now go get rid of all that junk you have! I know I'm trying to!

2008-03-20T16:26:00.000-07:00

My only regret is not switching blogging programs and webhosts sooner. WordPress is what Blogger wishes it could be, and HostPC is such a bargain--over $70/year less, and much much more features--compaired to Yahoo!Geocities. I pretty much agree with Morgan's positive review of WordPress. I'd only caution that someone moderately literate in ftp, scripts, etc. should try WordPress, though--it's definitely not for newbies.

I'm currently working on a secret business venture (lupus related) that I will unveil here soon. Per Morgan's recommendation, I signed up for HostPC and WordPress for the new site. After playing around with it all for a few hours, I knew I needed to switch nevafeva.com over to the same. Hopefully, the new nevafeva.com will be up-and-running within the next week. The other lupus project might take a little longer...

...to be continued...

In other news: today and tomorrow is decidated to cleaning up this place and preparing for Erika's visit. I talked to her this afternoon--we're still thinking about Darcelle's on Saturday night. If anyone's interested in meeting up at the 8:30p (or sooner), give me a holla.

2008-03-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

Note: I will be moving this blog to a different host in the next 24-48 hours. After that, I will work on creating a new blog with WordPress. This blog will be, temporarily, hosted at nevafeva.blogspot.com for the time being.

Carry on, now.

2008-03-14T18:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Portland people:

As many of you already know, one of my best friends from childhood, Erika, is going to be visiting Portland in a week. I thought I'd start off her visit with some fabulocity and take her to Darcelle's the night she comes into town. (Believe it or not, I've lived in this town almost seven years, and I've never been to Darcelle's! I must correct this!)

The (tentative) plan:
Saturday, March 22nd, 8:30pm show.

If you are interested in joining us gals, let me know. The more the merrier!

2008-03-14T07:49:00.000-07:00

I had the wildest online shopping experience this week. Ready? Get this--I ordered something online via Amazon.com, paid for standard postage, and got it delivered to my door within 24 hours. I shit you not!

I wanted a very small fan with a clip base to make the most of the incense I burn when HBBK drops a bomb in her litter box. Since the seasonal aisle at Freddie's is dominated with Easter crap right now, I couldn't find one and I wasn't motivated to hunt one down locally. One of the merchants on Amazon.com (Discount Office Items) was selling this one and I didn't hesitate to click on the add-to-cart button.

The next day, the UPS driver shows up at my door...with the fan. (Return address said Wisconsin!) I couldn't believe it--especially since UPS usually takes forever-and-a-day to deliver any other order to me. Excellent service for a purchase of $16.06!

I did get a flash of deja-vu when I took it out of the box. Ten years ago, I worked in an office and the receptionist had one of these things placed under her desk, aimed directly at her. If I remember correctly, her excuse was hot flashes from menopause, but she had that thing blowing up her skirt every day while she worked. A part of me was disturbed by this...and another part of me was envious. Needless to say...I'm not at that point yet. But now I have my fan and I'm ready for that day! Until then, I'll just stick to using it for blowing scented smoke...

2008-03-13T12:20:00.000-07:00

Over the last week and a half, I've been obsessed with saving electricity to lower my bill and so I don't have to keep reseting the circuit breaker for my bedroom--don't ask, long story. Granted, I know that I'll eventually just have to get a new breaker, but I'd rather not mess with it if I can.

After assessing the situation, I went to City Liquidators and bought a bunch of power strips. I classified everything that plugs into the wall as either something that needs to be available at all times or something that gets intermittent use. See where I'm going with this?

For example, my computer (which I keep on 24/7):
Monitor, tower, speakers, and USB hub are on a power strip that stays on most of the time.
Printers (x2), CD burner, and postage scale are on a power strip that is off unless I'm using one of these items.

In the living room:
TV/VCR/DVD/Cable box is on a strip that is off unless I'm watching something on TV, which is usually every few days.
Phone/answering machine is on a strip that's on all the time.

Bedroom:
Lights are plugged into the wall.
DSL modem and router are on one power strip, the space heater is on another. The former gets shut off when I'm asleep and the latter is turned on at night when I need heat.

And so on.

Yes, I do realize I have OCD. Actually, my shrink says my OCD is really a part of my ADD. I'm in no position to argue.

2008-03-12T07:58:00.000-07:00

I'm beginning to realize that "Spring Cleaning" at my house usually involves dumping relationships as well as donating junk to the Goodwill. (sigh)

2008-03-12T01:25:00.000-07:00

Raising money for someone's medical needs:

Here's the story behind the benefit.

And here's the info on the benefit plant sale.

2008-03-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

I'm looking to get rid of my ticket for Cirque du Soleil on Sunday. Something came up and I can't go after all. It's one ticket for the afternoon show. Friend-price is $30 OBO.

The details: Sunday, March 16, 2008 at 1:00 PM, Section 209, Row S, Seat 10. CL posting here.

Post a comment or e-mail me at if you are interested.

UPDATE: Ticket sold on damnportlanders.

2008-03-10T05:56:00.000-07:00

Stuff White People Like. I can claim at least twenty of these traits...and I'm not tellin' which ones! How embarassing! (link via LeLo)

2008-03-09T18:27:00.000-07:00

Today was a lovely day: I had lunch with my mother at Fat City, I stopped by the Jewish Community Center to look into getting a membership there--they have great classes and athletic facilities for both Jews and Gentiles!--and I stopped by the Portland Police Department's Central Precinct to talk to an officer.

The officer I spoke with was very nice. He took the time to look at all the computer printouts I had collected over the last 10 1/2 months and he took down my name and the name of the certain individual I'm having problems with. The officer and I had an interesting conversation--I'll leave it at that.

In other news: I am going to look into changing nevafeva.com from Blogger to Word Press, just so I monitor and block my commenters better. This blog will probably be under construction on-and-off for the next week...but don't you fret, my sweetpeas! I will blog again!

2008-03-07T21:26:00.000-08:00

The Ultimate Peep Show:

2008-03-06T22:43:00.000-08:00

Here's another dose of randomness from me:

I'm still playing catch-up from my trip. I'll get to your e-mail eventually, I promise.

My calendar is beginning to fill again with more lunch dates than doctor's appointments. This is a good thing.

It appears that Bat Shit Crazy is on a tear again. I haven't received any "love letters" this time around, thanks to blocks on my Yahoo! and MySpace, but others I know have. At this point, the guy has become a joke. As long as he stays out of my hair, I'm cool beans.

My neighbor two-doors down has her place for sale. I have a one-bedroom; she has a three-bedroom with a fireplace. Go here and search MLS number 8021488. If you are a nice person to live next to, then put in an offer!

In the last two weeks, I've had two people tell me I smell like Strawberry Shortcake and one person tell me my voice sounds like Zooey Deschanel's. I use Garnier Fructis products to style my hair because I'm too broke for Aveda all the time. And the Zooey Deschanel thing? Mmmmmm....I guess I could hear it. Sort of. We're both deep and nasally when we talk. Whatever--I'm taking both comments as complements.

A part of me feels like I really need to stop talking out-loud for awhile.

2008-03-06T22:16:00.000-08:00

There's not enough footage of Sgt. Caroline Mason on YouTube.

Don't you know who Sgt. Mason is? Memphis PD, motherfucker. My favorite The First 48 episodes are the ones with Sgt. Mason kicking ass and taking names...which she does every time. You don't want to be in the interview room with her on the other side of the table from you--she'll get you to confess to the Lindenberg kidnapping AND to being the "real killers" that O.J. is looking for, I swear.

She's a rare beauty that's such a badass while she tiptoes with a sassy walk around a crime scene in her high heels and mini-skirt. I don't know many bitches that can pull that off, son...but Sgt. Mason does. For example: Girlfriend was justifiably named "Hot Slut of the Week" by dlisted.com recently because "She dresses for every occasion, even to solve a murder. She loves dark lip liner and her 'JLo sunglasses'." YES!

Sgt. Mason, I love you!

Sgt. Mason describing the "Gansta Lean":

Tribute to Sgt. Mason:

2008-03-04T20:40:00.000-08:00

2008-03-03T14:21:00.000-08:00

It's Soundies Night at Monday Movies!

Tonight, March 3, 2008, at 9PM Monday Movies will bring you over 20 original vintage Soundies, including many rare reels of black American Jazz and blues performances unavailable anywhere else.

Soundies were three-minute black and white mini-musical films made to be played on a self-contained coin-operated 16mm rear-projection machine, known by the brand name of Panoram. For a nickel, arcade, tavern and nightclub patrons could play three of the movies. More than 1800 of the Soundies mini-musicals were made during their brief peak of popularity in the 1940’s. Soundies were one of the few ways a black performer could reach a white audience on a grand scale in the US at the time.

The show begins at 9PM at Mississippi Pizza Pub in North Portland. Local media historian and author Tom Robinson will introduce each 16mm print from his collection and play it on a vintage projector.

Mississippi Pizza Pub
3552 North Mississippi Ave.
Portland, OR
503.288.3231
This is a free event. Full bar and menu. Non-smoking, child-friendly venue.

For a complete calendar of upcoming movies, go to http://www.myspace.com/mondaymovie. To sign up for our email list, please write to mondaymovies@aol.com

2008-02-29T03:36:00.000-08:00

In a nutshell:

UCLA visit went well. I will probably start a new regimine of meds soon and I'm totally optimistic about it. I can't wait to see my rheumatologist in Portland next week and putting this new game plan into action.

I had an absolute blast hanging out with my friends! I am very fortunate to have the friends that I do. They make me feel very loved.

The trip wasn't perfect, though. I made a bad error in judgement the last night I was there and, now that I'm back in Portland, I'm paying the price dearly. I've disabled comments on this post because I really don't want to talk about it in detail. I'm just disappointed in myself and with some of the other parties involved in this fucking mess I made and I'm just trying to concentrate on the fact that my friends think I'm a good person and that a doctor thinks I can get better.

2008-02-24T01:18:00.000-08:00

If you didn't hang out with me tonight...this is what you missed!

2008-02-20T12:37:00.000-08:00

Dress by Goodwill bins, $1-something a pound. Hair by Hannah Montana, on clearance for $12. The look? Priceless!

2008-02-20T10:04:00.000-08:00

Ask and you shall receive! Let me explain: There are tons of things I miss about living in Missoula. One of those things is dining on Le Petit Outre's Vanilla Creme scones at the UC Market. It's been seven years since I've had one of those goodies.

Patia reminded me about these beauties by mentioning them in a blog post last Friday. So, I e-mailed them and asked them for their recipe. Today, they wrote back with it! Granted, they just sent a list of the ingredients, so I'll have to experiment, but that's okay. It's a start. Oh! To blow my diet because of those damn things again! I can't wait to try my first batch...but that will have to wait until I get back to town.

Speaking of which--I really should finish up packing and whatnot. I'll try to blog (or at least twitter) while I'm gone.