caitlin | The Plaid Pladd Blog

Posts Tagged ‘caitlin’

Beginner’s Guide to Plants

May 10th, 2017 by pladd

I’m a plant novice. The only time I’ve grown any kind of plant was once in fourth grade when I needed to grow grass in a tupperware for a science fair project. It worked, I guess, but like all science fair projects everywhere, I’m pretty sure my mom did most of the work. I decided that was going to change this April. I was going to keep something alive for at least a month, and I’m pleased (and surprised) to announce that I have accomplished that goal!

Here they are on April 1st, just after planting!

I got seedlings of thyme, rosemary, and basil, which are some of our most used kitchen herbs. They get a lot of sun on our balcony and the coconut husk liner in the basket keeps them pretty well drained. I water them every day, which is fun, because Olivia is invariably standing underneath and looks really miffed when she gets splashed.

This is two weeks in!

We’ve used them quite a few times when cooking at this point, and they’ve weathered some thunderstorms and wind well. Olivia likes the fact that we open the balcony door so often, because she loves to keep watch on the parking lot.

And lounge in the sun

This project was a lot easier than I thought it would be, although I did have a lot of help from both Caitlin Miller, the only plantologist I know, and Steven, who knew his way around Lowes Garden Center. Even if you’re like me and don’t feel like you have a green thumb or any plant instincts, if you choose your plants well, you can do it!

One month!

Previously: Beginner’s Guide to Cross Stitch
Next: Make Up

Tagged: beginner's guide, caitlin, plants

Posted in 2017 TO THE MAX, Beginners' Guides |

Can you see this? I can’t

December 10th, 2012 by pladd

So I haven’t been able to access my blog since last Thursday. It just won’t load on any device on my home internet connection, wired or not (I’m typing this on my phone–it’s exactly as fun as you would expect). Steven says it’s probably a problem with some data center between our ip and whatever and I stopped listening to his explanation around then because all I heard was “Blah blah blah SOMEONE IS TRYING TO SABOTAGE YOU”. There are so many suspects. Let me see if I can format a list on this graspin interface:

Plaid Pladd’s Most Wanted
1. Brian Reinhart
Ugh I was going to link you to my Brian tag (“brian is a weather witch”) or maybe his blog but inserting a link is like a million times harder on my phone, so that is all you’re getting. Just know that Brian is often my nemesis (link to something about NaNoWriMo would go here) and one time lied to me about IKEA free meatballs. Clearly he is just jealous of my blog and wants to bring it down!!! Just because you don’t care enough to update your blog ever doesn’t mean you have to drag the rest of us down to your level, BRIAN.

2.Bova
Does that link even work? Whatever, my blog has a search function that everyone not me can utilize right now so you can find Bova if you want. She’s another suspect who I assume might be jealous of my blogging prowess. Plus she has a mystery commenter on her blog that she assumes is me, so she may be trying to get misguided payback? Misguided because it’s totally not me. Seriously, if I could make links or insert screen caps right now I would build my case in great detail since being mistaken for Mysterious Commenter is hurting my rep in more ways than potential Bova reprisals. Like I would ever listen to Cake? Or brag about what I’m listening to at the end of my comments like someone’s livejournal from 2002? I mean, I can see why the correct spelling and punctuation might make me an obvious choice, but other people care about grammar. Namely, old people, so I’m personally betting on Dr. Dodds. Send your internet attacks to H-Town, Bova, I am your friend!

3. Caitlin
Caitlin is another blogging friend who has expressed envy in the past about my amazing blog and all of the fabulous spam comments it generates. Caitlin seems kind of busy right now so she probably doesn’t have time for l33t internet hax but maybe that is JUST WHAT SHE WANTS ME TO THINK.

4. James Fox (one of them)
Awhile ago two people each claiming to be James Fox commented on my NaNoWriMo post. Or one person creating an elaborate fake fight with themself for some reason. Whatever, the point is, one or both of them trash talked me a year in advance for NaNoWriMo 2013 so maybe SOMEONE is having a hard time coping with the fact that I dominated at our annual competition again this year. Not cool, Fox or possibly Imposter!Fox. Not cool.

5. Steven Wiggins
Steven Wiggins is doing absolutely NOTHING to fix this dire situation despite the fact that he has also lost access to his personal email which is hosted on the same server or something. Is this complacency just the mark of someone too tired from slaving away in the website mines everyday to care about my blog troubles? OR is this the nefarious work of someone who can’t stand to hear about Sam Neill anymore????

6. Sam Neill
Dude, you should be THANKING me! I have raised Sam Neill Awareness among my immediate social circle by like 300%!!! Most of my family can now recognize you on sight and no one has confused you with Hugo Weaving in like three months. I’m sorry I sometimes make fun of your outfits or complain that you are in way too many Australian history pieces, but it is just my way. Mocking things is the only way I know how to show love. And hate. It gets kind of confusing, but for you it’s love, I swear!

7. Dark Wizards
You can never be too careful.

Anyway, since I have no idea how long this problem will persist and doubt that I will have the patience to actually leave my apartment and find somewhere else to Internet, please enjoy I Detonate Around Him, a tumblr James, Steven, and I started to make fun of 50 Shades of Grey.

Tagged: Bova, brian is a weather witch, caitlin, James Fox, meta, Steven

Posted in Let Me Tell You About My Life |

VIQVI: Real People Edition

June 26th, 2012 by pladd

I know, usually the vast majority of Vitally Important Questions of Vital Importance that I receive are from my many adoring spambot fans, but lately I’ve gotten a few questions from real people!! Exciting!!

Caitlin M. writes about my last spam post:

How come you get so much spam? I don’t have any. Should I be jealous?

I think one of the main reasons for your lack of spam is that your blog has exciting Captcha technology, while commenting on mine just requires that you type in a (not even necessarily legit) email address. Captcha is designed to keep out just such spam traffic as I am obviously enjoying! Blogger probably sees this as a good design feature–you don’t have to spend time managing your spam folder!–but you are clearly missing out on some vague and misspelled compliments and non sequiturs about handbags.

Also, spambots are apparently way more interested in sarcastic reviews of Sam Neill movies than beautiful pictures of gardens and insightful word-snapshots of life. You just have to provide the content your target audience desires, and if you want to shift your target demographic from thoughtful friends and family to advertising robots, then you’re going to have to buckle down and watch Merlin II like I did. It won’t be easy, but it’s the only way.

Brian R. writes about Ten Years of Journals:

Wonder what a chart of worries over time would look like.

Wish granted:

Look at the sharp decrease in worrying about school right after high school! lol IB and your stress-stomachaches

Rachel K. writes:

I can haz blog post about the crazy new pony hair I saw on facebook?

She’s talking about this:

The blue and purple are maybe too dark to see in this shot

And I WISH I could write a blog post just about this, but ever since he got back from Aveda, Steven has just been working! Like he thinks his job is more important than rainbow hair! What a loser! Anyway, now it’s getting dark, but he promises there will be an amazing rainbow photoshoot tomorrow!

Not to mention pictures of the amazing costumes I am making for this weekend!! You haven’t even seen my new hat yet! I’m not going to say it’s more exciting than rainbow hair, but it’s probably at least 80% as exciting.

Tagged: brian is a weather witch, caitlin, my little pony, questions, rachel, spam, Steven

Posted in Advice |