The Omnivorous Geek

I'm still very sad about losing my ratties. It hasn't been a week yet. I'm sad that I didn't have a good camera while they were alive, that I only have two short clips I took with my cell phone, only a few stills that I hadn't deleted. I wish I had footage of me hand-wrestling with Leo, or cuddling with Bartleby, or the two of them playing and snuggling and arguing with each other.

Leo loved to explore. His whiskers are short in this clip because not long before I recorded it he had been exploring on my dresser and stuck his face in a lit candle jar before I could stop him. His whiskers singed off but he wasn't otherwise hurt. He didn't even squeak in surprise, just pulled his head out and went back to running around and stealing my scrunchies. And Leo was my squeaker, much more vocal than Bartleby, always making a fuss when I grabbed him when he'd rather be running around, when I pinned him down and mussed up his fur, when I playfully pretended to take back a treat I offered him. Leo was a very independent little fellow and he was indignant every time his right to explore was curtailed.

I miss them both so much.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8RUbL4Nbdg

Leo just died. Same thing. I saw him four hours ago and he was fine. Went to check and he was dead in the corner of his cage. I have no idea what killed him, or Bartleby three days ago. They seemed FINE. Leo was sneezing a bit earlier this afternoon, but not that much. At least I held him for hours. At least he knew I loved him. Still, he died alone. I hate that. I hadn't even had him for a year. He couldn't have been more than a year old.

At least I can be reasonably certain this time that it wasn't my fault. They must have both caught some kind of sickness that didn't show any symptoms. Until it killed them.

Now all I have is my crotchety old cat.

I miss my rodents.

This week sucks.

Occasionally I follow a vid rec over to YouTube from LJ or whatever and see bunches of SPN vids that look cool but then get TOTALLY DISTRACTED BY ADORABLE RATTY VIDS.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF2tFBWD_1E

I want to get my ratties a little chair where they can sit next to my computer and be with me all the time.

My netbook power cord got broked. This is what I get for having pet rats and letting them run around my room, obviously, even though the nest they made in my sock drawer is incredibly adorable (AHAHAHA THEY KEEP STEALING MY MAXI PADS AND SCRUNCHIES TO PAD IT WITH), and next time of course I will try to do a better job of protecting my cords, possibly by wrapping them entirely in citrus, which my ratties hate. But. For now, I have six hours of battery power and that is IT.

I ordered a new cord and even went for expedited shipping, but it's definitely taking too long. ::shakes usps.com to make more tracking information fall out:: What, yes, I only ordered it a few hours ago. Shut up.

Anyway. This is sad, because I don't know when I'll be able to download the new SPN ep and watch it. I spent this evening killing undead devourer thingies and harpies with my mad awesome elf rogue, and that was amazing, but what will I do with the rest of my time? :(

At least I still have the Netflix queue on my teevee. But Supernatural isn't on it.

Woe.

Adorable YouTube vid of some pet rats running around and having fun. The music is perfect and it's well put-together. This vid makes me very happy every time I watch it, which is often. These rats are definitely girls--very hyper and fun-loving. My boys prefer to cuddle and veg out. (Bartleby is sleeping on me as I type this.)

Since Sebastian passed I've been spending a lot of time with Bartleby, who seems to appreciate it greatly. It's to the point that he'll just curl up in my lap while I'm watching TV and let me scratch his soft little tummy. He even falls asleep there, sometimes, all warm and fuzzy in my hand.

Last night I got some good footage and pics of him cuddling in my lap. (Yes, I wear a nightgown even though I'm in my twenties. Shut up.) They're just from my cell phone camera so they aren't awesome, but here they are.

( Ratty cuteness! )

Me: *is holding a bowl with some traces of caramel sauce, Sebastian-rattie sitting on my shoulder*
Sebastian: *stares at interesting wall, turns in nervous circle with claws digging into tender girl skin. Does not sit still*
Me: Would you like some caramel, Sebastian-rattie? *tips bowl toward him*
Sebastian: *descends to lap, waddling like geriatric little fattie he is*
Me: *offers caramel bowl*
Sebastian: *sneezes*
Me: Sebastian! I just offered you a gift of caramel, and you sneezed! That is no way to respond to the gift of caramel! It is nothing to sneeze at!
Sebastian: *stares at interesting wall*
Me: Here, try it. *gets some caramel on finger and holds before pink rattie nose*
Sebastian: *noms*
Me: That's what I thought.
Sebastian: *stares at interesting wall, then lumbers away to harass Taffy-cat*
Taffy: *hisses, goes back to sleep*
Me: I miss my mice. They would just fall asleep on my shoulder and be all sweet and nice and cute. You have sharp claws, my rattie. And Taffy bites me all the frickin' time.
Sebastian: *ignores*
Taffy: *ignores*
Me: *sighs*

Gosh, so many people died today, many of them named Dave. :(

I am lightly sunburned all over. This makes me think of Corran Horn, because I am weird like that.

Tonight was the final fight of the campaign I've been doing with my Thursday night group. HOLY EPIC BOSS BATTLE. It was fantastic. But I am sad that my friend Sean is going away for the summer, and then another buddy, Tim D., is going to graduate school in the fall. People are going awaaaaaay. It makes me sad.

Add Little Leo to the list of rats who have been in my underwear. This makes three.

1. Ah, so I totally lied about not doing anything with my new twitter account. I've been posting there every day. Random stuff, mostly, but I find it amusing. It's a good outlet for those little bursts of frustration or glee that don't merit an actual blog post. F'r instance:

I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW--IT'S VERY VERY IMPORTANT--THAT A&W MAKES THE BEST ROOT BEER FLOATS YOU CAN BUY THROUGH A WINDOW.
about 10 hours ago from web

I HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON THIS TOPIC AND YOU CAN TOTALLY TRUST ME.
about 10 hours ago from web

I understand now why people like it.

2. Still pondering what to do in the next chapter of Mouths. It could go a number of ways. Also have at least two other stories that I want to write. But yeah, the computer problems have not gone away. Typing is still kind of a pain. I've just been watching a lot of TV on my computer, mostly. Criminal Minds, right now. How did I not know how awesome this show is?

3. Saw the new Terminator, and I desperately want a teen!Kyle of my own. As well as a Spencer Reid. (OMG, would that work as a crossover of any kind???)

4. Bartleby will NOT stop eating Taffy's cat food. Silly rat. I tried to shut him up in his cage (usually let him run around) and he figured a way out, and now he is just sitting there by the food bowl, eating and staring at me with his adorable face as if to say "HA HA YOU CAN'T STOP ME." And Taffy is just sitting there staring at him, of course, because she's a big wuss and was even afraid of my pet MICE, never mind my rats. Oh, pets.

5. When I got home from my morning job just now, had a short chat with my parents. My dad just finished reading the fourth Harry Potter book and he was trying to tell me about that scene where Mrs. Weasley was comforting Harry, being the closest thing he ever had to a mother, and my dad, aww, he was getting all choked up and wibbly and it was so sweet. Dad does NOT get emotional about fiction very often. But yes, I agree, Harry so richly deserves a family, and that part was lovely, and also with Bill and Charlie being like older brothers to him and him giving the gold to Fred and George and... Ah, cripes, I'm getting choked up now myself. Totally bawled when I read that the first time.

Despite the issues I have with HP, there's some really good stuff in there, and the value of relationships is one.

Soooo, I know I haven't been posting much lately. Been feeling pretty icky, what with everything and all. I was going to post another 4.17 reaction post, you know, more actual thoughts on the episode instead of a brief squeefest about Dean's eyelashes, but I just didn't have the heart. Maybe I'll do one later, but basically what it boils down to is that I loved the episode right up until the big reveal. I loved it when it was Sam bringing his brother back to the light, so earnest and puppy-eyed and excited about hunting people and saving things, and I completely adored their utter cuteness, but the end felt like a cheap trick. Whatever.

I have happy news of happiness! ( My ratties! Yes, that's right, I said ratties. As in more than one. :D )