I haven’t posted any quiz results in a long time. These are from the Commonly Confused Words Test, which is part of OKcupid. You don’t have to sign up with OKcupid to take the test, but if you do (or you’re already a member) look for me on there as woofiegrrl.

English Genius
You scored 81% Beginner, 93% Intermediate, 93% Advanced, and 88% Expert!
You did so extremely well, even I can’t find a word to describe your excellence! You have the uncommon intelligence necessary to understand things that most people don’t. You have an extensive vocabulary, and you’re not afraid to use it properly! Way to go!

Compared to test takers who are female, gay, and in my age group, 10% had lower Beginner scores, 10% had lower Intermediate scores, 50% had lower Advanced scores, and 100% had lower Expert scores. Interestingly, users aged 55 to 59 had the highest scores in all difficulty levels.

I didn’t really expect any different results for myself, though I’m a bit surprised by my Beginner score being so low.

Just some random fiddle-faddle notes.

I made it to work this morning only to discover that the training was canceled. This doesn’t usually happen to me, but I got “lucky” this time. Unfortunately, I had to take the rest of the day off in order to avoid being sent to a job I can’t stand.

It’s finally snowing enough for me to not feel too guilty about having taken the time off; up until about 12:30 nothing was sticking on the pavement so I was rather angry at the sky. But at least I’m already home safe now that there’s serious accumulation happening on the roads.

My terp friend Tara just got back from her week-long cruise job, which came up unexpectedly a few weeks ago. She may be doing another job for them - gay travel company RSVP, that is - in September to Seattle. I really want to go…I would absolutely kill to interpret on a cruise, especially a gay one! While Tara was away I amused myself by reading the CruiseCritic boards and chiming in here and there. I think I would really like to take another cruise but I know my wife isn’t as keen on the idea as I am.

I am still hoping to hear back from various sources about getting a corset made. I was planning to work with one person but she stopped responding to e-mails, then I was hoping to work with another but they haven’t responded to me yet either. I know I’m just too impatient…it hasn’t really been all that long, but I want results now! I’m so silly.

I am trying to keep up with my diet. I lost half a pound this past week, after having had two liters of water every day for a week and exercising twice. I need to get more exercise in.

• Story of Immigration in the U.S. : Ellis Island
  Information on the first point of entry for many immigrants during the first half of the 20th century. [via yahoo daily wire]
  (categories: history)

• blogging! magazine
  PDF-only magazine beginning in March 2005. [via concrete angel]
  (categories: blogging)
• MT Blogroll 1.0
  Blogroll system similar to Blogrolling or Bloglines but stored entirely within MT and displayed using template tags.
  (categories: movabletype)
• ThreadPit.com
  Funny, cool, crude, and retro t-shirts. Running the same software as T-Shirt Hell. [via foreignlegion]
  (categories: stuff.to.buy)
• The more the merrier
  Article on polyamory from Kansan.com, by Paige Worthy. [via shakay]
  (categories: fringe)

• Knife Rack
  This is the best knife rack I have ever seen - and no, it’s not Hello Kitty! [via pouk23]
  (categories: stuff.to.buy)
• The Cynthia Tested Button
  Alternative to Bobby testing. Compatibility and accessibility for websites.
  (categories: disability internet)
• GothAuctions.com
  Like eBay, but free and gothy! [via houseofworship]
  (categories: stuff.to.buy)

I just wrote a rambling entry over at CyDy Blog about a high school incident in Florida. Here’s the scariest part:

When uniformity is compromised, then authority no longer holds.

Check out the rest of my incoherent rant here.

• MegaView
  Viewer for a variety of image, audio, and video files.
  (categories: software)
• Fontleech
  Free font blog. [via geekgrrl]
  (categories: graphics design)
• Atmosphere Deluxe
  Soundscape generator that is highly customizable. [via levi wallach]
  (categories: software)
• Tacky Times
  A magazine unconcerned with current issues and affairs, celebrating tackiness, frivolities, and downright decadence. [via yahoo daily wire]
  (categories: history design)
• Limited-edition “Hello Kitty” iPod mini
  Nifty! [via llortsher and filkerdave]
  (categories: hellokitty)

I’m bummed - it looks like I won’t be able to get insurance for my Sidekick. Apparently you have to sign up within seven days of activation (for new customers) or ten days after switching phones (for existing customers), and I didn’t know that when I bought the Sidekick on eBay. I didn’t even know that insurance was recommended, but every website or discussion forum I’ve seen about Sidekicks has people mentioning broken scroll wheels, buttons falling off, etc. I have some friends who have never had those problems, but apparently they are quite common. I certainly wasn’t eager to cough up the $4/month for the insurance, but given what I’ve heard I figured it was prudent. I tried begging Asurion, the insurer for T-Mobile, but the woman couldn’t help me. I asked if she had other suggestions, and she mentioned homeowners insurance and auto insurance…I didn’t bother telling her that I don’t own a home or a car.

This is all a bit perplexing to me because mobile phone insurance is very easy to come by in the United Kingdom. I searched Google for mobile phone insurance and got plenty of results…all in the UK. So if there are independent insurers elsewhere in the world, why can’t I find any in the United States? All I’ve found here are companies that work with cell phone providers to provide insurance, not directly with individuals.

• X-Rated eBay
  Adventures of a used panty-selling journalist, from the L.A. Weekly.
  (categories: sex funny)
• Lipstick Lesbians - Why The L Word isn’t just eye-candy
  Um, no. It’s purely titillating. It’s a soap opera, with all the trappings of one. And yes, I watch it.
  (categories: queer sex media)
• Professional Body Etching
  Really well-executed scarification. Check out the fleur de lis.
  (categories: fringe)
• eBay: Want It Now
  Want It Now is a new format on eBay enabling buyers to let sellers know what they are looking for and allowing sellers to respond to buyers with eBay listings.
  (categories: random)
• Copyscape
  Website plagiarism search and copy protection. [via captain fantabulous]
  (categories: internet)
• Terri Schiavo Diet Book Tops NYT Bestseller List
  I’m not sure I even get this, but it IS funny. Read the ranty comments. [via the wide awakes]
  (categories: funny)