The queen of woo woo

Search Function

astrelsa — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 06:13:35 GMT

Hey Friends, old and new.
It's been so long since I posted, it's a whole new experience.
It is definitely going to take a while before I feel like I know my way around here, again. Seems like everything has changed!!
But I have a specific question.
WTH is with the search function? No matter what I search for, absolutely nothing happens. And that is even when I type in the username of a friend.
Can anyone tell me what I might be doing wrong?

Greetings All

astrelsa — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 18:52:23 GMT

Making this post so that a friend will get a month of free LJ. Makes no difference to me since I have a permanent account. Too bad I can't give it away.

Doc Martin :D

astrelsa — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:08:04 GMT

Here is what is making me happy today.

One of my new favourite TV programs is a British series called Doc Martin. I discovered it recently on PBS. Yesterday I found out that my local library has all five seasons on dvd! Hurray! And, the library is open today, so I am going to go and grab some. That also means that I get to see it right from the beginning!

Much happiness is mine! :D

Snagged from Angela ;)

astrelsa — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 08:04:17 GMT

Use the first initial of your first name to answer the following:

What is your name: Elsa
4 letter word: epic
Vehicle: Edsel
Show: Everybody Loves Raymond
City: Edmonton
Boy Name: Edward
Girl Name: Edna
Alcoholic Drink: Eggnog
Occupation: Engineer
Something you wear: earrings
Celebrity: Emma Thompson
Food: eggs
Something you found in the bathroom: eyelash curler
Reason for being late: earthquake
Cartoon character: Energizer Bunny
Something you shout: Eureka!

WTF?

astrelsa — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:36:14 GMT

Okay, what am I missing now? I stayed away from LJ for another few weeks and came back today to catch up on my friends page.
Here I am happily reading backwards to see what's happening in everybody's lives and my friends page only goes back to Jan 31st? After that there is no more "previous page" at the bottom of the screen, just "next page" and "back to top".
I don't get it. I don't remember there being any kind of limit to how far back I could go on my friends page, before!
So what are we supposed to do, go to each of our friends' journals individually to see what they had to say last month?

SO totally NOT COOL, LJ!! :(

LJ Changes

astrelsa — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 23:32:57 GMT

I haven't been around LJ very much of late and they seem to have made some significant changes since I was here regularly.

So what's with the "new friends page"? I have a cool custom layout that I like a lot and it goes away when I take their suggestion to "switch to the new friends page". So where's the advantage in that?

Does anybody know why they made these changes and do you like them?

Sienna Grace - 4 months

astrelsa — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 06:49:11 GMT

Younger daughter posted some new pics of our granddaughter on facebook today. I really couldn't resist....points if you catch the reference. :)

Lions and Tigers and Bobcats, oh my!

astrelsa — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:22:06 GMT

Now this is my kind of Christmas! :)

Missing Kitten! :(

astrelsa — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 05:46:17 GMT

The Travelling Kitty Pikachu has gone missing somewhere in Albuquerque, New Mexico. You may be a long way from there. I know I am. But please, spread the word online. Someone you know may know someone who is in a position to help find him!

Wonderfulness!

astrelsa — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:02:39 GMT

Sometime over the last year, I met a wonderful lady named Julia Guthrie on Facebook. I can't even remember how the connection was made, but it doesn't matter anyway. She is an artist who lives in Cornwall, U.K. Whole lotta synchronicities there I won't go into, except to say that I also have a sister who lives in Cornwall.

Recently, she offered to do commissioned paintings for her FB friends at a ridiculously low price and I took her up on it. Today she sent me a digital copy of the painting she did for me and here it is! She calls it The Watchers, and I absolutely love it! :D

Inspiration for today and everyday...

astrelsa — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:04:37 GMT

Someone shared this on facebook this morning and it had such a profound effect I knew I had to pass it on. Enjoy!

Good Morning! This is God,
I will be handling all of your problems today.
I will not need your help.
So, relax and have a great day!

Writer's Block: Time for change

astrelsa — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 20:02:06 GMT

When are you going to do us all a favour and resign?

Signal Boost: Return of the DDoS

astrelsa — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 04:59:54 GMT

Originally posted by deathpixie at Signal Boost: Return of the DDoS

For those wanting to know more about the recent DDoS attacks, yes, it looks like it was the Russian government trying to shut down the dissidents again.

As I said last time, while it's frustrating not to have access, LJ is a lot more than a social network platform. From the article:

"LiveJournal isn’t just a social network. It’s also a platform for organizing civic action. Dozens of network projects and groups mobilize people to solve specific problems — from defending the rights of political prisoners to saving endangered historic architecture in Moscow."

So while I know many are considering the move over to Dreamwidth and other such sites, supporting LJ is a way we can help support those who use it for more than a writing/roleplaying/social venue.

Also, as a FYI, LJ is giving paid users effected by the outage two weeks of paid time as compensation.

Gorgeous little kitty needs a home...

astrelsa — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:23:58 GMT

Every once in a while you just have to do what you can, even if you know it's not much...

Here is a post from the kittypix community about a kitten who needs a home.

She is in Orange County, Southern California, or I would take her on myself. If you or anybody you know can help, please, spread the word. ♥

Wow!

astrelsa — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 21:08:22 GMT

Hubby and I went to see The King's Speech last night.

It was absolutely brilliant!

If Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush do not take home Oscars for those performances, there is something dreadfully wrong with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences!

Heads up folks...

astrelsa — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:43:38 GMT

Today's PSA is a video about just how slick some thieves can be!

Hallelujah!

astrelsa — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 18:47:18 GMT

This gives me chills:

Today's PSA is about coffee...

astrelsa — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 18:50:35 GMT

I want to share something I have learned through personal experience, for anyone who might be considering the purchase of a Tassimo machine.

On the whole I recommend it for those of us who are spoiled rotten! They are not cheap to buy or to run, nor are they the most environmentally friendly option as you are throwing out the T-discs when they are used. But once you get used to having your beverage, which includes a whole lot more than just coffee btw, dispensed one cup at a time, and of a quality way above what most coffee makers can accomplish, you will never want to go back. And to be entirely fair it is cheaper than going to Starbuck's every day!

We bought one several years ago when they were fairly new and you really had to look around for the T-discs because not everybody carried them. The one we bought was made by Braun and it looks like this:

Then before the first time we took out our fancy schmancy new trailer we thought, "Oh wouldn't it be wonderful if we had a Tassimo machine to take with us?" We couldn't take the one from home, because we would have been lynched by the folks remaining there, looking after kitties, so we bought a new one.

Turns out, not only had the price come down quite a lot, but it is now made by Bosch instead of Braun and it looks like this:

I thought that meant that Bosch had bought out the Tassimo brand name and changed the design. But I was surprised to learn recently that both styles, made by the different companies are still available for sale in various places.

And what I want to share is this. If you are thinking of buying one, make sure you get the one made by Bosch because it is an order of magnitude better than the one made by Braun! It is quicker, quieter, cleaner operating, smaller overall, but with a bigger water holding capacity, and in most places that I've seen them together, cheaper, than the other one.

Calling All Canucks!

astrelsa — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 01:23:14 GMT

Here is a little something we all need to know about!

I mean really, are you kidding me?!

Annoying LJ changes...

astrelsa — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 17:41:52 GMT

Ok so I don't know how long it's been like this, but LJ has made some changes that make it impossible to figure out how to remove a friend from a friends list. Does anybody know how this works nowadays? I can't find anything in the FAQ either! :(

Don't worry, I'm not making a friends cut, just doing some housekeeping, trying to remove people who have either long ago unfriended me or disappeared altogether.

LOST Series Finale ...

astrelsa — Sat, 29 May 2010 19:11:10 GMT

If there is anyone left on the planet who has not yet seen it, be warned, there are spoilers behind the cut.

I hardly know where to begin to describe my own reactions, so please don't expect any particular level of coherence.

I think they ended the series in pretty much the only way they could, at this point, but having said that I still found it mostly disappointing. Yes, much of my disappointment is because it's over. But the greater part is that now I will never know the answers to all the questions they left hanging.

I watched the finale on the Cdn 'Space' channel on Thursday night and after the show was another that they call "Inner Space" in which they discuss whatever you've just seen; in this case, the LOST finale. They talked about how the show was 'all about character' and I get that. I like it in fact. It is one of the things I liked best about the show. But I consider it a cop-out at the same time to just say, "Oh if you go back and rewatch it from the beginning you'll see that they have given clues all along that will answer your questions." That comment was from some woman who has been writing books about the series since the beginning. Supposedly she's quite famous and probably many of you know who she is. I don't remember her name, having never heard of her before Thursday night.

I don't doubt that some of my questions would be answered if I went back now and watched it all again. And I may. But it is such an amazing expenditure of time, to go back and watch six whole seasons of shows, based on that vague promise, that I really have to ask myself if I care enough to do it!

So yeah, I get it. They're all dead in the sideways world and they need to work stuff out before gathering to move on. But what the heck was going on on the island then?

What the heck was the actual name of the 'man in black' and how the heck did the woman who killed his and Jacob's mother actually prevent the two babies from dying of starvation in order to raise them? For that matter, who the heck was she and how did she end up 'protecting' the light on the island and how was she supposed to protect it?

I could go on and on, but I won't.

Tell me what you think ...

I'm leaving this entry public in order to open up the discussion to more than just my flist.

Public Service Announcement...

astrelsa — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:55:25 GMT

Calling all kitty lovers on LJ and Facebook: Check out this post by my dear LJ friend ugotogal

I can personally vouch for the greatness of the lady herself and the kitty beds (etc) she makes!

Must See!

astrelsa — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:28:48 GMT

Anyone who has an appreciation of musical talent should go and see this! Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent

Life according to Garfield...

astrelsa — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:48:13 GMT

Somebody just posted this on kittypix and I had to share:

On the first day, God created the dog and said: 'Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years.'

The dog said: 'That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?'

So God agreed.

On the second day, God created the monkey and said: 'Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span.'

The monkey said: ' Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?'

And God agreed.

On the third day, God created the cow and said: You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years.'

The cow said: 'That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?'

And God agreed again.

On the fourth day, God created man and said: 'Eat, sleep, play , marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years.'

But man said: 'Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?'

'Okay,' said God, 'You asked for it.'

So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone..

Life has now been explained to you.

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information. I'm doing it as a public service.

Best regards

How About You

astrelsa — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 06:27:36 GMT

Rented a movie tonight called How About You. It may not be to everyone's taste but I found it touching and lovely, as well as being screamingly funny at various points.

But the most moving part of it was a piece of hauntingly beautiful classical music by Erik Satie called Gnossienne #4. I didn't find any information on IMDB about who played the piece in the movie, and I have yet to pore through the credits trying to find it, but I found it as a You Tube video played by Pascal Rogé, which is very similar.

Erik Satie was a contemporary of and apparently had an influence on the music of Claude Debussy, who up to now has been my favourite composer.

Here is another lovely version played at a faster tempo (almost a minute shorter) by Ren Yuan. It has the added advantage of a more interesting video component.