Okay, so Blogger totally lost one of my posts. I wrote last night saying that I'd provided content in response to something Ben had written on unCultured, but it's not here, and I didn't accidentally post it anywhere else.... I am confused.

No matter, now I can write all that I'd originally intended to, but didn't, because it was 3:30 in the morning and eventually, I had to go to bed. Which I did, around quarter to four. Urgh. I have no brain cells, and work is going to suck tonight. I want a day off, and it looks like I'll be taking tomorrow off to write my paper, and perhaps even Tuesday, depending on how things go.

Three different people have now given me the "go to class" lecture. In first and second year, not going to class was -- *gasp!* -- unthinkable. Then I started noticing how I spend three hours round trip on public transportation to go in for a 3 hour lecture that isn't always worth my time... and so I started realizing that if I stayed home, I could get reading or writing done, or even just have an evening to myself. Hell, I've been in school for the last 18 years. I'm finally at a point where once in awhile, it's nice to go out with friends and try to avoid thinking about that looming whatever, be it a paper, reading I haven't done, or morning class. I'm doing well in my classes, my marks are good (well, I don't really know how this semester looks, but overall), and frankly, every now and then, I want a break. Blah.

Let's see, what have the last few days been? Well, Friday night I got together with my classmate for our presentation on Tuesday. We spent six hours together, and got nine slides (our entire presentation) done. We had fun chatting about non-school related things, I told her all about Mark and she was happy for me, and it was a nice way to spend a school-project evening.

Then I went over and was tired at Mark, so I left for home. Yesterday, I managed to get one article read, two articles for the magazine finished and written, and a response on unCultured to Ben (as noted). In the afternoon, I went with my dad to run errands, and I picked up two new fish and some more knowledge about bettas. I moved everyone around when I got home, so the arrangements are as such: Dr. Seuss and Stinky now share a double tank. Stinky used to sit on top of this tank that housed Dr. Seuss and Johnny Storm, and so he spent a great deal of last night posturing and telling Dr. Seuss that he's the man. So far, Dr. Seuss remains unconvinced.

The two new fish share a double tank beneath Dr. Seuss and Stinky. I bought a beautiful royal blue fish, whom I've named Peacock for both his colour and his posturing ways (he was the first one to issue a challenge and continues to do so), and the second fish is a red, though not as vivid a red as Johnny Storm had been, and his name is Stick, 'cause I have a twisted sense of humour.

While I was setting everyone up, I happened to read the back of the box that the new double tank came in (I am donating the single tank to Mark, in an effort to push him a little further along into fish ownership), and it said that one of the reasons for placing the two fish in close confines such as these was that it promoted the fish to display their colours and fins a bit more vividly, as a method of demonstrating dominance. They don't bash their heads against the divider -- they just splay their fins and the little ruff around their neck, and stare challengingly at one another. This just goes to show me that what I have are definitely male fish.

The guy at the store (hereafter known as 'the fish clerk') told me that bettas are bubble nest blowers; that when they're happy they go to the surface of the water and blow bubbles. This means that, contrary to the depression I thought Dr. Seuss might've been suffering, he was a happy little guy. He hasn't blown bubbles for awhile, but I think that's been the effect of losing Johnny Storm. I have hopes he'll recommence.

The fish clerk also said that they like to make these nests under something, so he gave me a lily pad that I've broken up into four and given one to each fish. I'm hoping they all might blow bubbles.

Finally, I was telling the fish clerk how I bought my fish based on whether they looked depressed and needed cheering up; he said that what he usually did when he noticed one seemed depressed was put it in the tank with the females, to help restore his vitality. He said that being surrounded by 15 females seemed to cheer them up.

So, there you have it; more than you ever needed or wanted to know about my betta adventure.

I watched Big Trouble last night, with the company of the cats. Shadow was feeling very snuggly, and spent nearly three hours straight asleep on my thigh, alone. This was while I watched the movie and flipped between new episodes of MadTV and SNL, then watched the old SNL in its entirety. The movie itself wasn't too bad, although I think the book (written by Dave Barry) was possibly better. Puggy was played by Jason Lee, and while he did a good job of it, I wouldn't have pictured him as the character based on what I recall of his description in the book. No matter.

Wednesday night I watched Road Trip with Mark. I'm now allowed to make fun of this movie as much as I want -- d'ya hear that, Greg and Mark? That's right. I watched it, beginning to end, and now -- I can make fun of it with aplomb. I still won't be watching LotR, but then again, I don't make fun of it. I just say I don't want to watch it.

Anyhow, time for breakfast, cat abuse and other daily events.