*I had a coupon today for Hostess. I realized that I'd never given my kids Twinkies. Obviously, there's a reason for that, but I figured one taste wouldn't kill them, and pop culture is full of Twinkie jokes, so they need to understand their origins. I also realized I hadn't had Twinkies in a really long time, either.
OMG they suck. I haven't eaten anything so horrible that was supposed to be good in, like, ever. I actually threw it away.
**I wanted to get some nuts today, too, and the store had Planter's cashew halves and pieces on sale. I'd recently decided I like the halves and pieces better than whole cashews, because they're crunchier and have more of a roasted flavor. Bonus: they're cheaper. So the ones I bought today have "Pure Sea Salt" on them. I didn't know what that would mean. The stuff I've eaten with sea salt before didn't have a regular-salt equivalent.
OMG, these are good! I have no idea if there's a health benefit to sea salt (i.e. lower sodium level?) but yuu-uum.
***Have you noticed the new trend in fundraising? Instead of spending way too much money on junky trinkets or teeny containers of nuts/candy/cheese or whatever, you go out for dinner. Ten or twenty percent of your bill is donated to the school, library, charity, organization, etc., sponsored that night. It's nice because no one is keeping a tally of who participated or not, you don't have to try to sell junk to friends/family, and you're getting something you like.
Only problem is, we can't afford to eat out often enough to support Number One's academic team, her school's PTO, Number Two's school's PTO, the soccer club, the local library, and Operation Wildcat (the organization collecting for needy local families).
****My cats are weird. They get the exact same amount of the exact same food in their bowls. About halfway through the meal, they switch. BG goes to the bathroom, so Maya starts eating out of her bowl, and Frisbee goes to check if the dog left anything in hers. BG comes back, but Maya's in her bowl, so she goes to Frisbee's, who, disappointed by the licked-clean dog dish, comes over to Maya's.
It wouldn't be an issue except Maya keeps gaining weight (she's way beyond chunky now) and BG had glucosamine on her food now, and if she doesn't eat it, she's not getting the benefit. And if Frisbee manages to score dog food, she goes all demon-cat on us when we shoo her away.
Your turn. What food-oriented observations have YOU made recently?
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Oh, Yeah, And...
About Lost this week.
I haven't been inspired to talk about it much, until this ep. (Tracy, I totally forgot! We'll talk tomorrow!)
I've read a couple of media blogs and no one has said anything close to this:
When Ben said he had something to do, or a promise to keep, or whatever he said, did no one else scream "No!!! Not Pennyyyyyy!!!!" at the TV? Did he not promise Charles that he would punish him for taking his daughter, Alex? Which means killing Penny?
My hope is that Penny totally kicked his ass.
I haven't been inspired to talk about it much, until this ep. (Tracy, I totally forgot! We'll talk tomorrow!)
I've read a couple of media blogs and no one has said anything close to this:
When Ben said he had something to do, or a promise to keep, or whatever he said, did no one else scream "No!!! Not Pennyyyyyy!!!!" at the TV? Did he not promise Charles that he would punish him for taking his daughter, Alex? Which means killing Penny?
My hope is that Penny totally kicked his ass.
Enough of That
Let's talk about some happy stuff.
This makes me happy, even though it's still 17 days away:
So much to squee over. Something good? My favorite reaper? Evil Dean? Superhero Sammy? EEEEEEEEEEEEEE! March 12 can't come soon enough.
Let's see, what else?
My mammogram today was negative. My mother died of breast cancer, and first contracted it at age 37, so I've been getting them for the last five years. This year, they also provided a probability profile for me. I'm 0.9% likely to get breast cancer in the next five years. That's three times more likely than the general population, but as risks go, it's pretty low.
Despite the FB debacle and the mammogram and the other errands I ran while I was out (bagels from the place that makes them by hand, yum; library; gas), I had a pretty productive day. I got through one and a half chapters, and plan to finish the second one before tonight. I also sorted the receipts for the taxes. It's a much less overwhelming job if I break it into pieces. I'll be done by the end of the week.
Tomorrow Number Two has after-school club, and Wednesday she has after-school orchestra, giving me an extra half hour of work time both days.
I'm excited about seeing Race to Witch Mountain. I don't remember if I posted about this before. I read the first book again recently (Escape to Witch Mountain, and am about halfway through the second (Return from Witch Mountain) now.
Of course, when reading books this old, you have to allow for the decades that have passed. The first book was fine, but the majority of it had little happening, and the ending was sooo disappointing because suddenly we're not in the kids' POV anymore, so we don't actually see Witch Mountain or what it's like for them to be reunited with their family/people. The second book starts with an absolutely ridiculous scene, even for 1978. The uncle is rewarding the kids with a little vacation, so he drops them off at the Rose Bowl and leaves them for a week. WTF? Who does that with kids? There's absolutely no reason for him not to stay with them. They have to take a taxi to their hotel, but of course it all goes awry. Once again, despite the inherent action in the premise, it's a pretty passive story.
But I've been "matching" the bits from the trailer with the book, and I'm eager to see what they've changed. It looks like they've reversed Tia and Tony in terms of age/leadership, and given the cab driver a bigger role than the two pages he has in the book (maybe he shows up again in the book, I don't know yet).
Anyway, looking forward to that. Unfortunately, I'll be in New Jersey not seeing Jared Padalecki when it comes out, so we'll have to wait a week (assuming the family doesn't go see it without me!).
Okay, your turn! Tell me something positive.
This makes me happy, even though it's still 17 days away:
So much to squee over. Something good? My favorite reaper? Evil Dean? Superhero Sammy? EEEEEEEEEEEEEE! March 12 can't come soon enough.
Let's see, what else?
My mammogram today was negative. My mother died of breast cancer, and first contracted it at age 37, so I've been getting them for the last five years. This year, they also provided a probability profile for me. I'm 0.9% likely to get breast cancer in the next five years. That's three times more likely than the general population, but as risks go, it's pretty low.
Despite the FB debacle and the mammogram and the other errands I ran while I was out (bagels from the place that makes them by hand, yum; library; gas), I had a pretty productive day. I got through one and a half chapters, and plan to finish the second one before tonight. I also sorted the receipts for the taxes. It's a much less overwhelming job if I break it into pieces. I'll be done by the end of the week.
Tomorrow Number Two has after-school club, and Wednesday she has after-school orchestra, giving me an extra half hour of work time both days.
I'm excited about seeing Race to Witch Mountain. I don't remember if I posted about this before. I read the first book again recently (Escape to Witch Mountain, and am about halfway through the second (Return from Witch Mountain) now.
Of course, when reading books this old, you have to allow for the decades that have passed. The first book was fine, but the majority of it had little happening, and the ending was sooo disappointing because suddenly we're not in the kids' POV anymore, so we don't actually see Witch Mountain or what it's like for them to be reunited with their family/people. The second book starts with an absolutely ridiculous scene, even for 1978. The uncle is rewarding the kids with a little vacation, so he drops them off at the Rose Bowl and leaves them for a week. WTF? Who does that with kids? There's absolutely no reason for him not to stay with them. They have to take a taxi to their hotel, but of course it all goes awry. Once again, despite the inherent action in the premise, it's a pretty passive story.
But I've been "matching" the bits from the trailer with the book, and I'm eager to see what they've changed. It looks like they've reversed Tia and Tony in terms of age/leadership, and given the cab driver a bigger role than the two pages he has in the book (maybe he shows up again in the book, I don't know yet).
Anyway, looking forward to that. Unfortunately, I'll be in New Jersey not seeing Jared Padalecki when it comes out, so we'll have to wait a week (assuming the family doesn't go see it without me!).
Okay, your turn! Tell me something positive.
Facebook F*****s
A while ago, tired of all the plants and vampires and pokes and quizzes on Facebook, and not seeing any real value in being there, I deactivated my account.
Recently, more and more authors have been doing Facebook and talking about Facebook. I wasn't interested in going back, but three weeks ago I was looking for someone and they appeared to have a Facebook page, which I couldn't see without membership, so I reactivated my account. It was supposed to be temporary--I had huge misgivings being there, because I had just read about the 419 hacking scam, and Facebook seems to be very vulnerable. But I got friended by friends, and my family has become active on FB, and FB has been all the rage in writing circles, so even though I still don't see the value, I stayed.
Big f****g mistake.
Yeah, I got hacked, and I am pissed. It happened last night but I wasn't online so I didn't find out until this morning. I deactivated my account, apparently still logged in (and the bastard reactivated it immediately). So I changed the password, sent a message to the affected people who got the spam from my account, and deleted the account permanently.
What a freakin' waste of time.
Recently, more and more authors have been doing Facebook and talking about Facebook. I wasn't interested in going back, but three weeks ago I was looking for someone and they appeared to have a Facebook page, which I couldn't see without membership, so I reactivated my account. It was supposed to be temporary--I had huge misgivings being there, because I had just read about the 419 hacking scam, and Facebook seems to be very vulnerable. But I got friended by friends, and my family has become active on FB, and FB has been all the rage in writing circles, so even though I still don't see the value, I stayed.
Big f****g mistake.
Yeah, I got hacked, and I am pissed. It happened last night but I wasn't online so I didn't find out until this morning. I deactivated my account, apparently still logged in (and the bastard reactivated it immediately). So I changed the password, sent a message to the affected people who got the spam from my account, and deleted the account permanently.
What a freakin' waste of time.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
This is Why It's Called "Crushed"
Jared Padalecki canceled on the NJ Salute to Supernatural.
I am shocked at the magnitude of my disappointment. I mean, I've been saying for months that I'm almost more excited to see Jason Manns and Misha Collins. Apparently, I've been lying.
I found out when M texted me last night, though I didn't see the text until this afternoon. It was exactly like someone had wrapped me in a bubble and started drawing the air out of it. I had to buy some dark chocolate toffee medication, and then I bought Cheetos. I let my kids drink Coke with lunch. Classic signs of depression.
The whole idea of being crushed at not getting to meet a celebrity feels ridiculous. I mean, I have friends who've lost loved ones recently. And jobs. And book contracts. There are so many far worse things going on even among the privileged, never mind the underprivileged and worse. And yet, I still feel...crushed.
Intellectually, and even somewhat emotionally, I get it. And I'm not even surprised. He was scheduled for three cons this month, and many people thought that would be too much. Maybe his "unforeseen personal commitment" is a serious or unavoidable thing. And from his perspective, we're just a bunch of nobodies. The faceless mass of interchangeable bodies aren't important, compared to, say, a nephew's birthday party or a meeting with a producer regarding a movie role to film this summer. But I'm not always a naive idealist, and I can't help imagining him partying with a couple of well-endowed twins in Malibu while we trudge through slush in Joisey to commiserate with each other.
Creation Entertainment auctioned off a private lunch with Jared, for $2,300 each. I found that kind of squicky, since the money wasn't going to charity. It's like...paying someone to be your friend, or something. I figured Creation was being greedy, because you could just set a flat fee and do a lottery of all those people willing to pay. And Creation is charging a $7.25 shipping and handling fee for tickets they are E-MAILING. That's EACH TICKET. So if you buy two photo ops, you pay $14.50 to get one e-mail. It still pisses me off to think about it. Anyway, now I find myself changing my opinion a little. If that lunch had been for charity, and the lunch is now canceled, either the people who paid wouldn't get what they paid for and are out the money, or the charity would lose thousands of dollars.
They've added four new attendees, all of whom I expect to be good speakers, and we are getting refunds for the photo ops so I'll probably use that money to get one with Jim Beaver, instead. It won't NOT be a fun time. It's just...
Now how am I going to tell Jared he's not allowed to be in any more horror movies?
I am shocked at the magnitude of my disappointment. I mean, I've been saying for months that I'm almost more excited to see Jason Manns and Misha Collins. Apparently, I've been lying.
I found out when M texted me last night, though I didn't see the text until this afternoon. It was exactly like someone had wrapped me in a bubble and started drawing the air out of it. I had to buy some dark chocolate toffee medication, and then I bought Cheetos. I let my kids drink Coke with lunch. Classic signs of depression.
The whole idea of being crushed at not getting to meet a celebrity feels ridiculous. I mean, I have friends who've lost loved ones recently. And jobs. And book contracts. There are so many far worse things going on even among the privileged, never mind the underprivileged and worse. And yet, I still feel...crushed.
Intellectually, and even somewhat emotionally, I get it. And I'm not even surprised. He was scheduled for three cons this month, and many people thought that would be too much. Maybe his "unforeseen personal commitment" is a serious or unavoidable thing. And from his perspective, we're just a bunch of nobodies. The faceless mass of interchangeable bodies aren't important, compared to, say, a nephew's birthday party or a meeting with a producer regarding a movie role to film this summer. But I'm not always a naive idealist, and I can't help imagining him partying with a couple of well-endowed twins in Malibu while we trudge through slush in Joisey to commiserate with each other.
Creation Entertainment auctioned off a private lunch with Jared, for $2,300 each. I found that kind of squicky, since the money wasn't going to charity. It's like...paying someone to be your friend, or something. I figured Creation was being greedy, because you could just set a flat fee and do a lottery of all those people willing to pay. And Creation is charging a $7.25 shipping and handling fee for tickets they are E-MAILING. That's EACH TICKET. So if you buy two photo ops, you pay $14.50 to get one e-mail. It still pisses me off to think about it. Anyway, now I find myself changing my opinion a little. If that lunch had been for charity, and the lunch is now canceled, either the people who paid wouldn't get what they paid for and are out the money, or the charity would lose thousands of dollars.
They've added four new attendees, all of whom I expect to be good speakers, and we are getting refunds for the photo ops so I'll probably use that money to get one with Jim Beaver, instead. It won't NOT be a fun time. It's just...
Now how am I going to tell Jared he's not allowed to be in any more horror movies?
Friday, February 20, 2009
TIH, FT13, and UTM
I could not wait. I wanted to gather a group of friends to have a movie night, but I can't see it happening soon enough. So I rented Ten Inch Hero this week.
(That link takes you to the Blockbuster Online page. Blockbuster has exclusive rental rights, so sorry, no Netflix. The stores should have it to rent--that's where I got it--and the clerk and other fans have all said it can be ordered to buy. The TIH people also just announced that it will soon be available to buy in other outlets, like Amazon, too.)
It was a far better movie than most of the romantic comedy crap that's been in the theaters lately. Sweet and funny and heartwarming. People make mistakes and do idiotic things but care about each other enough to both help and tell them when they're being idiots. The cast chemistry was excellent, and the best part of the film.
I know you'll think I'm biased, but out of a very talented ensemble, Jensen Ackles stood out. Okay, Clea Duvall made me cry, but Jensen Ackles made me fall in love, over and over again during the hour-and-a-half film. I really hope he gets copies of this to show to studios and stuff. He's so much better than so many actors getting big roles. I know that as a TV star, his schedule is limited, and both being on The CW and filming in Vancouver hide him even more, but man. One viewing of one of his scenes in TIH, and anyone should want to hire him.
I do have a few nitpicks with the film. (minor) SPOILER ALERT!!!! How can a sandwich shop with four paying customers a day afford a staff of five people? There was never anyone in there! :) I liked how all of the story threads played out, but I wished Tish was a little more developed so we could see more likable things about her, and I wished Jen had gotten courage herself, especially after Priestly called her out (and rightly so!). And as much as it made my heart swell, I was a little bothered by Priestly's ending. His willingness to do what he did was courageous and telling, but he shouldn't have had to do it. (Plus, where'd the holes go? LOL)
Those are small things, though. I can't wait to buy it and watch it again, and heartily encourage everyone who loves sweet, emotional movies to give it a try!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I went to see Friday the 13th this week, too. I would say "spoiler alert" again, but it's kind of hard to spoil something so predictable. I mean, we all know how many people are allowed to survive in a slasher flick, right?
So here are my thoughts on FT13 summed up in 4 points:
1. Jared Padalecki is hot, and so big no one makes a motorcycle big enough for him.
2. A movie that keeps showing potential gory weapons but fails to use them adequately, if at all, is lame.
3. A movie with absolutely no plot (the story line was "kill the a**hole, kill the sl**, kill the sweet guy, kill the stoner, kill the nice girl, kill the di**" [listed in no particular order]) and no logic (why did no one get killed in 20 years?) isn't worth the price of admission, unless it's a matinee. Or stars Jared Padalecki.
4. Why can't a hero just be a nice guy doing the right thing? Why does he have to have a jerky backstory for which he is trying to atone?
We screamed a lot, which was fun, even for the three people in the theater who weren't part of our group. At one point I was trying to stop myself from hiding my eyes, but then I thought, "Jared's not in this scene, you don't have to look." I appreciated that permission. And I'm totally telling Jared he's not allowed to do any more horror movies. I can't take it. (If the miraculous happens, and Jensen shows up because, like, he's lonely or something, I'll tell him that, too.)
All in all, My Bloody Valentine was better; our opinions were unanimous, of those of us who'd seen both. It had more story, more characterization, more tension, more motivation, and much more Jensen than we got of Jared. Plus, the 3D rocked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Things are going really, really well on Under the Moon. After the struggle to get chapter one right, I'm in love with the book and characters again. And what I learned from chapter one is really helping add depth and emotion to the rest of the book. I'm almost halfway through and expect to finish by the end of the month, barring any unexpected work uprising.
So that's all tonight! Have a good weekend, everyone!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Bloggin' Around
I'm not blogging around, not right now. But here are some interesting things to visit:
Vicki Smith has some sage advice about not just dreaming, but working hard to make them happen.
Tracy Madison, whose book comes out next week, has been hosting guest bloggers. This week's guest is Denise Lynn, and she's giving away 3 copies of her latest book. There's still time to comment and get a chance to win one!
Jody Wallace has the latest interview of an author and hercat dog (the horror!).
And finally, so far this week at The Gab Wagon we've talked about brightening days, contest burnout, and reader giveaways.
Toss a link into the comments if you've seen something interesting lately!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remember how Aragorn went off to save the world without his elf, even though she was badass and held off the Ringwraiths all by herself? Did you fantasize about saving the world with him? Me, too. And as a writer, I can right those grievous wrongs! Check out Storm Quest an ultra-sensual fantasy romance novella for only $2.50!
Vicki Smith has some sage advice about not just dreaming, but working hard to make them happen.
Tracy Madison, whose book comes out next week, has been hosting guest bloggers. This week's guest is Denise Lynn, and she's giving away 3 copies of her latest book. There's still time to comment and get a chance to win one!
Jody Wallace has the latest interview of an author and her
And finally, so far this week at The Gab Wagon we've talked about brightening days, contest burnout, and reader giveaways.
Toss a link into the comments if you've seen something interesting lately!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remember how Aragorn went off to save the world without his elf, even though she was badass and held off the Ringwraiths all by herself? Did you fantasize about saving the world with him? Me, too. And as a writer, I can right those grievous wrongs! Check out Storm Quest an ultra-sensual fantasy romance novella for only $2.50!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Quick Hit
Wow. I didn't realize it had been a whole week! Sorry about that. Dead air is stupid.
Check out my word meter for Under the Moon! After being stagnant for a really, really long time, it's finally moving. Notice (yeah, like you pay any attention at all to that) that the total number is about 4k larger than it was before. The first number didn't move for so long because I was struggling to get chapter one right. I finally did ("so, so, so much better" and wasn't that music to my ears!) so now things are progressing much more easily.
I did start a post on Friday, when my kids were off school. This is what I got:
I prefer yellow over any other highlighter color. No idea why I have 18 highlighters here in my pencil holders, none of them yellow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I suck at DDRE. Actually, I'm brilliant, but only on the "beginner" setting. The kids and I were doing it today, and I did "Pump Up the Volume" (I think) on Light and nailed a "complicated" step, cheered, and promptly missed a couple of simple ones. Number Two says, "I think you got a little overexcited, Mom."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yeah, dull stuff. Again, sorry.
So, last week's goals. I got them about half done. Didn't exercise every day, didn't get as much of my own work done as I intended, but did get more critique done as well as the entire editing project, which included creating a bibliography (easy) and an index (God, don't let me have to do one of those again!).
This week is so far much quieter, so hopefully the progress bar will keep moving. I'd like to be done by the end of the month so we can get this puppy submitted!
How's your week look from here?
Check out my word meter for Under the Moon! After being stagnant for a really, really long time, it's finally moving. Notice (yeah, like you pay any attention at all to that) that the total number is about 4k larger than it was before. The first number didn't move for so long because I was struggling to get chapter one right. I finally did ("so, so, so much better" and wasn't that music to my ears!) so now things are progressing much more easily.
I did start a post on Friday, when my kids were off school. This is what I got:
I prefer yellow over any other highlighter color. No idea why I have 18 highlighters here in my pencil holders, none of them yellow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I suck at DDRE. Actually, I'm brilliant, but only on the "beginner" setting. The kids and I were doing it today, and I did "Pump Up the Volume" (I think) on Light and nailed a "complicated" step, cheered, and promptly missed a couple of simple ones. Number Two says, "I think you got a little overexcited, Mom."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yeah, dull stuff. Again, sorry.
So, last week's goals. I got them about half done. Didn't exercise every day, didn't get as much of my own work done as I intended, but did get more critique done as well as the entire editing project, which included creating a bibliography (easy) and an index (God, don't let me have to do one of those again!).
This week is so far much quieter, so hopefully the progress bar will keep moving. I'd like to be done by the end of the month so we can get this puppy submitted!
How's your week look from here?
Monday, February 09, 2009
Day One! Oh, Never Mind
Here's how I did on today's portion of the goals I set yesterday:
Exercise: Done!
Cleaning: Done!
Edit Chapter: Um...
Pro. Editing Job: Done!
Three additional editing jobs today: Done!
Not listed yesterday (oversight!):
Critique: Maybe later?
What I did today that wasn't on the original list:
* Waited for computer to run the chkdsk it decided to do without asking (enabling me to get the editing done, on paper, anyway, as well as the cleaning, but not so much the chapter or critiquing)
* Got adjustment at the chiropractor (ahhhh--I needed it. I was waking up 18 times a night with my arms asleep)
* Bought stamps at the PO to replace the ones the cats apparently sent into Limbo
* Blogged at GabWagon
* Prepped tomorrow's post for Supernatural Sisters
* Did Chuck review for Sci Fi Chicks
* Did laundry (two and a half loads, one being too small and unbalanced and folded into load three)
* Cleaned up dog diarrhea in living room for second time in two days
* Took Number Two back to school to pick up homework she forgot
* Supervised homework of Number Two
* Prepared dinner
* Fed the animals
* Sent some e-mails
I know, that's all terribly fascinating stuff, but tell us, Natalie, what you thought of the episodes of Leverage you caught up on last night!
Yes, I'm all caught up, and I really like the show. I love Elliot and Hardison and Parker. I love Nate's mind, but am quite dismayed by the sudden descent into overwhelming alcoholism, and Sophie doesn't do much for me. It's another on my list of really enjoyable shows that I will record and watch every week, but if it stops, I won't miss it that much. (Of course, I won't have to, since it got a season 2 pickup recently.)
Okay, so, goals for the week, let's try again tomorrow. Chapter 3 will take priority over everything else, I swear it!
Exercise: Done!
Cleaning: Done!
Edit Chapter: Um...
Pro. Editing Job: Done!
Three additional editing jobs today: Done!
Not listed yesterday (oversight!):
Critique: Maybe later?
What I did today that wasn't on the original list:
* Waited for computer to run the chkdsk it decided to do without asking (enabling me to get the editing done, on paper, anyway, as well as the cleaning, but not so much the chapter or critiquing)
* Got adjustment at the chiropractor (ahhhh--I needed it. I was waking up 18 times a night with my arms asleep)
* Bought stamps at the PO to replace the ones the cats apparently sent into Limbo
* Blogged at GabWagon
* Prepped tomorrow's post for Supernatural Sisters
* Did Chuck review for Sci Fi Chicks
* Did laundry (two and a half loads, one being too small and unbalanced and folded into load three)
* Cleaned up dog diarrhea in living room for second time in two days
* Took Number Two back to school to pick up homework she forgot
* Supervised homework of Number Two
* Prepared dinner
* Fed the animals
* Sent some e-mails
I know, that's all terribly fascinating stuff, but tell us, Natalie, what you thought of the episodes of Leverage you caught up on last night!
Yes, I'm all caught up, and I really like the show. I love Elliot and Hardison and Parker. I love Nate's mind, but am quite dismayed by the sudden descent into overwhelming alcoholism, and Sophie doesn't do much for me. It's another on my list of really enjoyable shows that I will record and watch every week, but if it stops, I won't miss it that much. (Of course, I won't have to, since it got a season 2 pickup recently.)
Okay, so, goals for the week, let's try again tomorrow. Chapter 3 will take priority over everything else, I swear it!
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Write 'Em Down...
One of my friends blogs her goals every week. I'm finding myself having a little difficulty sticking to certain ones, so I'm going to give it a try. Writing them down always seems to make them more concrete. Revealing them to the world at large adds the embarrassment factor. I'll report on Friday. :)
* Exercise every day
* Follow summer cleaning schedule (basically, one room per day)
* Edit minimum one chapter per day
* Finish professional editing job
* Complete any additional editing jobs that come in from ongoing clients
There, that's the basics.
I saw two movies this weekend. One was expected to be mediocre, but was surprisingly excellent. The other was expected to be mediocre, and fell a little short.
I rented Wedding Wars because Sean Maher (Simon from Firefly was in it, and the premise didn't sound horrible. But what a movie! It was a TV movie originally, and it faded to black at odd places. Number One watched it with me, and she was indignant it never got the attention she feels it deserved.
The whole cast was good, from John Stamos (in the best role I've ever seen him in) and Eric Bana to James Brolin and Bonnie Somerville. And, of course, Sean Maher, in a slightly looser role than Simon was.
Even better was the writing. It acknowledged stereotypes while expanding on them and then mixing it up a little... Oh. I should explain that the core of the story was gay marriage, with John Stamos playing the gay brother of a man who works for the governor and is about to marry his daughter, shortly before re-election. When the governor (and brother) announce support for a constitutional ban on gay marriage, the gay brother (and wedding planner) goes on strike.
The story is a self-professed fable, with things that would never happen in real life (people really going on strike). And it mostly avoids preachiness, making entertainment come first, and letting the issue serve the growth of the main character and the relationships involved rather than vice versa.
The thing I liked best was that there were no villains, only people. Some of them did stupid things, and some of them were wrong, but they were all sympathetic characters and none of their actions seemed unbelievable or over-the-top. At the end, there is no grand resolution, only a better understanding of each other and plans to move the battle forward.
Can I just tell you how much I love my daughter? Absent any level of brainwashing or forced opinions, she voices extreme disgust that there is even a debate about same-sex marriage. Love is love, she says, and that's all anyone needs to know.
The other movie we saw is He's Just Not that Into You. I've seen worse. The acting was mostly fine, the cast many of my favorites. It was cool seeing a totally unglam Drew Barrymore, and a laid-back Ben Affleck. Sometimes I really liked Ginnifer Goodwin, sometimes I really wanted to slap her hard (I blame the writing and direction). All in all, I didn't feel my money (matinee rates) was wasted.
There was a trailer for an upcoming movie with Sandra Bullock and Bradley Cooper. A dream cast! It also has Thomas Haden Church. I'll see it, because I love all of them and the producers did two other very good romantic comedies (Miss Congeniality and Two Weeks Notice), but Sandra Bullock appears to be sporting a horrible wig or haircut while offering up a very slapstick, silly performance. I'm bracing myself for disappointment.
What did you do this weekend?
* Exercise every day
* Follow summer cleaning schedule (basically, one room per day)
* Edit minimum one chapter per day
* Finish professional editing job
* Complete any additional editing jobs that come in from ongoing clients
There, that's the basics.
I saw two movies this weekend. One was expected to be mediocre, but was surprisingly excellent. The other was expected to be mediocre, and fell a little short.
I rented Wedding Wars because Sean Maher (Simon from Firefly was in it, and the premise didn't sound horrible. But what a movie! It was a TV movie originally, and it faded to black at odd places. Number One watched it with me, and she was indignant it never got the attention she feels it deserved.
The whole cast was good, from John Stamos (in the best role I've ever seen him in) and Eric Bana to James Brolin and Bonnie Somerville. And, of course, Sean Maher, in a slightly looser role than Simon was.
Even better was the writing. It acknowledged stereotypes while expanding on them and then mixing it up a little... Oh. I should explain that the core of the story was gay marriage, with John Stamos playing the gay brother of a man who works for the governor and is about to marry his daughter, shortly before re-election. When the governor (and brother) announce support for a constitutional ban on gay marriage, the gay brother (and wedding planner) goes on strike.
The story is a self-professed fable, with things that would never happen in real life (people really going on strike). And it mostly avoids preachiness, making entertainment come first, and letting the issue serve the growth of the main character and the relationships involved rather than vice versa.
The thing I liked best was that there were no villains, only people. Some of them did stupid things, and some of them were wrong, but they were all sympathetic characters and none of their actions seemed unbelievable or over-the-top. At the end, there is no grand resolution, only a better understanding of each other and plans to move the battle forward.
Can I just tell you how much I love my daughter? Absent any level of brainwashing or forced opinions, she voices extreme disgust that there is even a debate about same-sex marriage. Love is love, she says, and that's all anyone needs to know.
The other movie we saw is He's Just Not that Into You. I've seen worse. The acting was mostly fine, the cast many of my favorites. It was cool seeing a totally unglam Drew Barrymore, and a laid-back Ben Affleck. Sometimes I really liked Ginnifer Goodwin, sometimes I really wanted to slap her hard (I blame the writing and direction). All in all, I didn't feel my money (matinee rates) was wasted.
There was a trailer for an upcoming movie with Sandra Bullock and Bradley Cooper. A dream cast! It also has Thomas Haden Church. I'll see it, because I love all of them and the producers did two other very good romantic comedies (Miss Congeniality and Two Weeks Notice), but Sandra Bullock appears to be sporting a horrible wig or haircut while offering up a very slapstick, silly performance. I'm bracing myself for disappointment.
What did you do this weekend?
Friday, February 06, 2009
Sex and Violence
I spent a lot of time today chatting about last night's Supernatural episode at Supernatural Sisters, and it was great fun.
Then I ventured out into the greater fandom world (not far, I never go far), and much of the talk is about how the siren appeared to Dean. And it left me feeling queasy.
Of course, to Wincesters, the episode is canon that Dean lusts after Sam, because of the way the siren manifested. I disputed this, because during the "seduction" phase, where the siren got its victim close enough to poison it, the siren appeared like Dean, not like Sam. He loved classic cars and classic music. It was only after Dean was under its influence that it brought up the brother connection, and at that point, it didn't matter what it said, the victim will do whatever is asked of it because of the poison, not because of the seduction.
Someone said siren=sex, but I'm not convinced. First, siren also = female so once they twist that, anything can be changed. Now, I haven't read Homer or any other ancient mythology for a long time, and I'm not inclined to spend hours doing the research, but Sam's description of the sirens didn't mention sex at all, if I'm remembering right. They lured the men to their deaths with their appeal, and of course most men are led around by their you-know-whats. The stories were written by men, about seafaring vessels that were rarely controlled by women, so of course the original myths are tightly contained.
But Dean and Sam are not most men. The circumstance was unique. The siren was portrayed as clever and adaptable, not a mindless predator doing what it does. It was bored, it knew the boys were hunting it, and it took on the challenge of defeating them.
So yeah, at the moment, what Dean wants most is the brother he loved and trusted and protected. And anyone is free to interpret it in any way they want; that's the nature of entertainment. But I seriously doubt the writers intended anything sexual between the brothers, and I don't see anything there.
Sex aside...
There was one thing I didn't like about the show. When we clued in that the FBI agent was the siren, I was hoping there were two, and the doc was one, because otherwise the clues pointing to her were too heavy-handed and manipulative.
Otherwise, I thought it was a great episode. They held to our expected framework, but they mixed it up a little. They were lawyers! And I loved the FBI stuff, because we tend to see them only with quick hits; they get out fast when other authorities show up or they get questioned. It was nice to see them acting with such confidence in both roles.
The guest actors were also great. I wasn't impressed with the husband in the opening, but then when he was in jail, I got totally sucked in to his story and stopped thinking about the episode. I loved Cara, the doctor, who reminded me of Sarah but more mature, more seasoned, just like Sam.
Bobby, as always, was awesomeness. The phones! The cooking! And yes, the rescue. I know some would have liked the boys to get out of it themselves, and part of me wanted that, too, but I think it made more sense for Bobby to figure it out and rush in. I think, for example, Sam being immune to the venom the way he's immune to demon stuff would have been too pat.
The fight meant a lot to me. First, because I got hooked on the show during the pilot episode, when Dean snuck into the apartment and they fought. What a difference with this fight! It was very well blocked and shot, and very believable.
On the other hand, the verbal fight was heartbreaking. What Dean said came from pain and loss, and truth. Sam's been hiding from him and lying to him in ways he never did before. He's fracturing their trust, and for cripe's sake, Sam, Dean DIED for you! But Sam's words came from an ickier place. He said mean, hurtful things, things that if he really did mean them, make him no longer the man we love. I actually cheered Dean when he threw the knife at Sam.
So it seems (with or without spoilers) that we're heading for a Sam and Dean showdown, with Sam becoming the bad guy we've dreaded for three seasons. I adamantly disbelieved the possibility that he could really become wrong, but now I'm not so sure, and I both love and hate the writers for making me feel this way.
Then I ventured out into the greater fandom world (not far, I never go far), and much of the talk is about how the siren appeared to Dean. And it left me feeling queasy.
Of course, to Wincesters, the episode is canon that Dean lusts after Sam, because of the way the siren manifested. I disputed this, because during the "seduction" phase, where the siren got its victim close enough to poison it, the siren appeared like Dean, not like Sam. He loved classic cars and classic music. It was only after Dean was under its influence that it brought up the brother connection, and at that point, it didn't matter what it said, the victim will do whatever is asked of it because of the poison, not because of the seduction.
Someone said siren=sex, but I'm not convinced. First, siren also = female so once they twist that, anything can be changed. Now, I haven't read Homer or any other ancient mythology for a long time, and I'm not inclined to spend hours doing the research, but Sam's description of the sirens didn't mention sex at all, if I'm remembering right. They lured the men to their deaths with their appeal, and of course most men are led around by their you-know-whats. The stories were written by men, about seafaring vessels that were rarely controlled by women, so of course the original myths are tightly contained.
But Dean and Sam are not most men. The circumstance was unique. The siren was portrayed as clever and adaptable, not a mindless predator doing what it does. It was bored, it knew the boys were hunting it, and it took on the challenge of defeating them.
So yeah, at the moment, what Dean wants most is the brother he loved and trusted and protected. And anyone is free to interpret it in any way they want; that's the nature of entertainment. But I seriously doubt the writers intended anything sexual between the brothers, and I don't see anything there.
Sex aside...
There was one thing I didn't like about the show. When we clued in that the FBI agent was the siren, I was hoping there were two, and the doc was one, because otherwise the clues pointing to her were too heavy-handed and manipulative.
Otherwise, I thought it was a great episode. They held to our expected framework, but they mixed it up a little. They were lawyers! And I loved the FBI stuff, because we tend to see them only with quick hits; they get out fast when other authorities show up or they get questioned. It was nice to see them acting with such confidence in both roles.
The guest actors were also great. I wasn't impressed with the husband in the opening, but then when he was in jail, I got totally sucked in to his story and stopped thinking about the episode. I loved Cara, the doctor, who reminded me of Sarah but more mature, more seasoned, just like Sam.
Bobby, as always, was awesomeness. The phones! The cooking! And yes, the rescue. I know some would have liked the boys to get out of it themselves, and part of me wanted that, too, but I think it made more sense for Bobby to figure it out and rush in. I think, for example, Sam being immune to the venom the way he's immune to demon stuff would have been too pat.
The fight meant a lot to me. First, because I got hooked on the show during the pilot episode, when Dean snuck into the apartment and they fought. What a difference with this fight! It was very well blocked and shot, and very believable.
On the other hand, the verbal fight was heartbreaking. What Dean said came from pain and loss, and truth. Sam's been hiding from him and lying to him in ways he never did before. He's fracturing their trust, and for cripe's sake, Sam, Dean DIED for you! But Sam's words came from an ickier place. He said mean, hurtful things, things that if he really did mean them, make him no longer the man we love. I actually cheered Dean when he threw the knife at Sam.
So it seems (with or without spoilers) that we're heading for a Sam and Dean showdown, with Sam becoming the bad guy we've dreaded for three seasons. I adamantly disbelieved the possibility that he could really become wrong, but now I'm not so sure, and I both love and hate the writers for making me feel this way.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Sending You Elsewhere
First off, we have a GREAT deal at Echelon Press:
TODAY ONLY: Buy ANY book/download for $3 or more from http://echelonpress.com/directory.htm and receive a FREE download of your choice.
Just for fun:
This week so far at Supernatural Sisters, Tanya has a very funny post about why she watches Supernatural through her fingers, and Mary talks about living in the hometown of one of the show's heroes. Tomorrow I'll be babbling about Dean's Hell. Thursday Terri examines the five-year-plan, and Friday will be Trish's review of "Sex and Violence."
Guest Bloggers and Inkheart:
Tracy Madison has guest blogger Jessica Andersen, my favorite Harlequin Intrigue author, and Jody Wallace has Jess Granger's cats, among other things.
I posted my thoughts on the movie Inkheart over at The Gabwagon this week. Did you see it? Read the book? Head over there and give us your thoughts!
And if you have a link to a cool site or blog post or whatever, feel free to stick it in the comments!
TODAY ONLY: Buy ANY book/download for $3 or more from http://echelonpress.com/directory.htm and receive a FREE download of your choice.
Just for fun:
This week so far at Supernatural Sisters, Tanya has a very funny post about why she watches Supernatural through her fingers, and Mary talks about living in the hometown of one of the show's heroes. Tomorrow I'll be babbling about Dean's Hell. Thursday Terri examines the five-year-plan, and Friday will be Trish's review of "Sex and Violence."
Guest Bloggers and Inkheart:
Tracy Madison has guest blogger Jessica Andersen, my favorite Harlequin Intrigue author, and Jody Wallace has Jess Granger's cats, among other things.
I posted my thoughts on the movie Inkheart over at The Gabwagon this week. Did you see it? Read the book? Head over there and give us your thoughts!
And if you have a link to a cool site or blog post or whatever, feel free to stick it in the comments!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Sadness
I'm sure you've heard, by now, that Kim Manners died the other day, after a battle with lung cancer. Kim was one of the masters behind Supernatural, and it seems many lives will not be the same now.
A collection has been taken up for a donation in his memory to the American Cancer Society. You can donate here. SciFi Chicks has several related posts and links, as well.
Art and life connect, it seems, as tonight's episode of Supernatural was in memory of two people whose names I didn't recognize. I'm sure I'll be able to find the connection somewhere. And that is mirrored by the airing of the second of two of the saddest episodes of the show in all four seasons.
It's Tanya's turn to do a recap/review of the episode at Supernatural Sisters. As the post is likely to be up soon, and will, without a doubt, be tremendously better than I could do with this tired brain, I'll just send you over there for deep discussion.
But I do want to say that even though the age difference did bug me slightly, and I couldn't really buy Colin Ford as old enough to be in high school, it turned out to be really irrelevant. Both Ford (young Sam) and Brock Kelly (young Dean) did an incredible job channeling their older counterparts. Kelly seems to have watched a lot of the show and mimicked Jensen as Dean subtly, so it wasn't caricature, but clearly, so we could see and hear Dean.
Ford had more of a challenge. I mean, he comes up to Jared's, what, knees? There's far too much discrepancy for him to mimic Jared as Sam. But he was impressive in providing the essence of the character. Despite being a runt, picked on and dealing with being "a freak," he had a self-possession and attitude that was very Sam Winchester. My favorite moment of the show was when the fear and discomfort in his eyes clicked over to burning determination when Dirk asked if he wanted to take Barry's place.
Bravo, young men. Bravo.
A collection has been taken up for a donation in his memory to the American Cancer Society. You can donate here. SciFi Chicks has several related posts and links, as well.
Art and life connect, it seems, as tonight's episode of Supernatural was in memory of two people whose names I didn't recognize. I'm sure I'll be able to find the connection somewhere. And that is mirrored by the airing of the second of two of the saddest episodes of the show in all four seasons.
It's Tanya's turn to do a recap/review of the episode at Supernatural Sisters. As the post is likely to be up soon, and will, without a doubt, be tremendously better than I could do with this tired brain, I'll just send you over there for deep discussion.
But I do want to say that even though the age difference did bug me slightly, and I couldn't really buy Colin Ford as old enough to be in high school, it turned out to be really irrelevant. Both Ford (young Sam) and Brock Kelly (young Dean) did an incredible job channeling their older counterparts. Kelly seems to have watched a lot of the show and mimicked Jensen as Dean subtly, so it wasn't caricature, but clearly, so we could see and hear Dean.
Ford had more of a challenge. I mean, he comes up to Jared's, what, knees? There's far too much discrepancy for him to mimic Jared as Sam. But he was impressive in providing the essence of the character. Despite being a runt, picked on and dealing with being "a freak," he had a self-possession and attitude that was very Sam Winchester. My favorite moment of the show was when the fear and discomfort in his eyes clicked over to burning determination when Dirk asked if he wanted to take Barry's place.
Bravo, young men. Bravo.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Random Thoughts
Why do they keep calling it "the inaugural"? Inaugural is an adjective. The event is an inauguration. I thought it was a silly misuse of a word, like using "sells" as a noun (I mean, really!) but I just read it in Entertainment Weekly. I don't get it.
Okay, I looked it up, and it is a noun, but ONLY defined as an inaugural address. Using it to describe the entire event is still incorrect. Plus, any word that requires itself to define it shouldn't be allowed. Sheesh.
~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm not sure what other actor could pull off Kevin James' heartwarming and competent loser in Paul Blart: Mall Cop. (I know, I can't believe I wrote that, either!) I might be wrong, but it looked like he did his own wall climbing/fence jumping. He was believable when he won, and his "hero shot" at the end was funny without being ridiculous, as certain other funny guys tend to be.
~~~~~~~~~~~
My taskbar showed that my power backup had a problem, and when I pointed to it, it said it wasn't on. I opened the program, and couldn't get it to recognize the power source. I hit the mode button to see the display, but it still didn't connect to the program. So what did I do?
Let's just say I'm a supreme idiot and leave it at that.
(Luckily, none of my applications or documents were open.)
~~~~~~~~~~~
Why can't companies put retractors on their power cords? Especially for stuff like video cameras, which we use pretty infrequently and for which we need a safe, easy way to store the cords. The technology has been around forever, but we're just now seeing the benefit of it. And on what? Extra pieces we have to pay an arm and a leg for that would work far better if they were built in...and free wee baby mice by Windows Rights Management Services. If they can give it away for FREE, they can certainly build it in.
~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm tired of buying dress shoes once a year that get worn twice. Ditto snow boots.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Mary, I finally started watching Leverage, and I love it! Except whenever I think the word, it's in Will Turner's voice and pronounced Leee-verage. :)
~~~~~~~~~~~
Some good stuff this week over at Supernatural Sisters. Yesterday Mary analyzed Papa Winchester. Today Trish talked about the differences in Dean's and Sam's styles of humor. Head on over and tell us your favorite lines!
~~~~~~~~~~~
In the comments of the Dean/Sam humor post, Tanya said she woke up thinking today was Thursday. When Trish commiserated with her, she said at least tonight was Lost. I actually gasped. I'd forgotten!
~~~~~~~~~~~
Snow day + too much excellent reader feedback + repeated crisis of confidence = I'll rewrite chapter one tomorrow.
Okay, I looked it up, and it is a noun, but ONLY defined as an inaugural address. Using it to describe the entire event is still incorrect. Plus, any word that requires itself to define it shouldn't be allowed. Sheesh.
~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm not sure what other actor could pull off Kevin James' heartwarming and competent loser in Paul Blart: Mall Cop. (I know, I can't believe I wrote that, either!) I might be wrong, but it looked like he did his own wall climbing/fence jumping. He was believable when he won, and his "hero shot" at the end was funny without being ridiculous, as certain other funny guys tend to be.
~~~~~~~~~~~
My taskbar showed that my power backup had a problem, and when I pointed to it, it said it wasn't on. I opened the program, and couldn't get it to recognize the power source. I hit the mode button to see the display, but it still didn't connect to the program. So what did I do?
Let's just say I'm a supreme idiot and leave it at that.
(Luckily, none of my applications or documents were open.)
~~~~~~~~~~~
Why can't companies put retractors on their power cords? Especially for stuff like video cameras, which we use pretty infrequently and for which we need a safe, easy way to store the cords. The technology has been around forever, but we're just now seeing the benefit of it. And on what? Extra pieces we have to pay an arm and a leg for that would work far better if they were built in...and free wee baby mice by Windows Rights Management Services. If they can give it away for FREE, they can certainly build it in.
~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm tired of buying dress shoes once a year that get worn twice. Ditto snow boots.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Mary, I finally started watching Leverage, and I love it! Except whenever I think the word, it's in Will Turner's voice and pronounced Leee-verage. :)
~~~~~~~~~~~
Some good stuff this week over at Supernatural Sisters. Yesterday Mary analyzed Papa Winchester. Today Trish talked about the differences in Dean's and Sam's styles of humor. Head on over and tell us your favorite lines!
~~~~~~~~~~~
In the comments of the Dean/Sam humor post, Tanya said she woke up thinking today was Thursday. When Trish commiserated with her, she said at least tonight was Lost. I actually gasped. I'd forgotten!
~~~~~~~~~~~
Snow day + too much excellent reader feedback + repeated crisis of confidence = I'll rewrite chapter one tomorrow.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
There's an AIFA?
A few months ago, Number Two and I discovered there was going to be a local arena football team. Two, actually, a men's team and a women's team. But then the economy crashed and I heard the Arena Football League was canceling the 2009 season. This weekend, I found out the local teams are still playing because the American Indoor Football Association is charging on. Who knew the U.S. could sustain two arena football leagues?
Oh, wait.
Anyway, we went to the first ever Harrisburg Stampede game last night, an exhibition game against the AIFL All-Stars. Turns out the Stampede has only had one full-speed practice. It didn't take a genius to figure that out.
For a while, I was thinking we were wasting our Saturday night. (Metaphorically speaking--it's not like our Saturday nights are rip-roaring or anything.) Getting into the Farm Show Complex was a huge joke. You go up the stairs in a mass of people and then find that somehow, you have to maneuver to two cashiers. One was labeled "Credit Only" and the other "Cash Only," but since you couldn't see the signs until you got right up to the tables, well, you can understand what a cluster-you-know-what it was. Plus, even though all the tickets for this game were the same price, we got stuck way up in the rafters, with two sections below us completely empty. WTH? Oh, well, one plus is that there really isn't a bad seat in the house. This is where they usually do ox pulls, so it's not exactly huge.
As for the rest of it, sheer amateur hour. No, that's not nice. I'll call it "Start-Up Syndrome." Instead of benches, the teams had to sit on those molded plastic chairs you find in school cafeterias. The cheerleaders were wearing black and white even though the team colors are blue and that neon gold the color of dog puke. And they mostly step-touched for three hours, with a little pom-pom shaking to mix it up. The strips of turf kept wrinkling and lifting off the field, and at one point, the chains got caught on the turf and they had to maneuver them out.
I've never watched arena football, so it was kind of weird to see so many non-players and non-refs on the field, inside the walls. Coaches joined the huddle and ran around the field between plays, trying to get the crowd to cheer. Four guys crouched on the sideline, ready to move the chains and the down marker.
On the other hand, the atmosphere was fun. They played awesome music, and the players danced around between plays. I could have done without the mascot race and the hula hoop contest during the one-minute warnings, and the sound system makes most of the announcements unintelligible.
Then there was the game itself. Harrisburg kicked off. The All-Star returner fumbled the ball. He picked it up, ran two yards, slipped, and fell. And that set the tone for the next three hours.
At first, the All-Stars dominated. But the Stampede came out a brand new team in the second half, recovering fumbles (of which there were approximately 83--I didn't realize a Nerf ball was so easy to fumble!) and intercepting passes and stopping the All-Stars on fourth down. Final score was 46-26, Stampede.
Some laugh-worthy highlights:
1. There were two penalties for hitting the hockey scoreboard during the kickoff. How did the AIFL come to build that into the rules?
2. Even though the goalposts at one end of the field, suspended by wires from the ceiling, were bowed inward and half as wide as they should be, one Harrisburg kickoff went the full 55 yards and split the uprights, giving the Stampede one point.
3. Number Two and her father went to the restroom in the third quarter. When they came back they asked what happened. I said, "There was a play, with a penalty, then a play, with a penalty, and then another play, with a penalty." I swear, they went back and forth between the 20-yard lines six times before they managed to complete a pass--penalty free--and go for a touchdown.
4. We left at the final one-minute warning because the game was out of hand. As we walked the concourse and looked through a gap onto the field, number 1 (the player, not my kid) was perfectly framed in the center, wiggling his butt.
You won't see that in the NFL.
Despite my sarcasm, we had a good time at the game, and plan to attend more during the season. I'm really happy these guys get the opportunity to play, and I'm even more excited to attend a Central PA Vipers (women's) game.
Oh, wait.
Anyway, we went to the first ever Harrisburg Stampede game last night, an exhibition game against the AIFL All-Stars. Turns out the Stampede has only had one full-speed practice. It didn't take a genius to figure that out.
For a while, I was thinking we were wasting our Saturday night. (Metaphorically speaking--it's not like our Saturday nights are rip-roaring or anything.) Getting into the Farm Show Complex was a huge joke. You go up the stairs in a mass of people and then find that somehow, you have to maneuver to two cashiers. One was labeled "Credit Only" and the other "Cash Only," but since you couldn't see the signs until you got right up to the tables, well, you can understand what a cluster-you-know-what it was. Plus, even though all the tickets for this game were the same price, we got stuck way up in the rafters, with two sections below us completely empty. WTH? Oh, well, one plus is that there really isn't a bad seat in the house. This is where they usually do ox pulls, so it's not exactly huge.
As for the rest of it, sheer amateur hour. No, that's not nice. I'll call it "Start-Up Syndrome." Instead of benches, the teams had to sit on those molded plastic chairs you find in school cafeterias. The cheerleaders were wearing black and white even though the team colors are blue and that neon gold the color of dog puke. And they mostly step-touched for three hours, with a little pom-pom shaking to mix it up. The strips of turf kept wrinkling and lifting off the field, and at one point, the chains got caught on the turf and they had to maneuver them out.
I've never watched arena football, so it was kind of weird to see so many non-players and non-refs on the field, inside the walls. Coaches joined the huddle and ran around the field between plays, trying to get the crowd to cheer. Four guys crouched on the sideline, ready to move the chains and the down marker.
On the other hand, the atmosphere was fun. They played awesome music, and the players danced around between plays. I could have done without the mascot race and the hula hoop contest during the one-minute warnings, and the sound system makes most of the announcements unintelligible.
Then there was the game itself. Harrisburg kicked off. The All-Star returner fumbled the ball. He picked it up, ran two yards, slipped, and fell. And that set the tone for the next three hours.
At first, the All-Stars dominated. But the Stampede came out a brand new team in the second half, recovering fumbles (of which there were approximately 83--I didn't realize a Nerf ball was so easy to fumble!) and intercepting passes and stopping the All-Stars on fourth down. Final score was 46-26, Stampede.
Some laugh-worthy highlights:
1. There were two penalties for hitting the hockey scoreboard during the kickoff. How did the AIFL come to build that into the rules?
2. Even though the goalposts at one end of the field, suspended by wires from the ceiling, were bowed inward and half as wide as they should be, one Harrisburg kickoff went the full 55 yards and split the uprights, giving the Stampede one point.
3. Number Two and her father went to the restroom in the third quarter. When they came back they asked what happened. I said, "There was a play, with a penalty, then a play, with a penalty, and then another play, with a penalty." I swear, they went back and forth between the 20-yard lines six times before they managed to complete a pass--penalty free--and go for a touchdown.
4. We left at the final one-minute warning because the game was out of hand. As we walked the concourse and looked through a gap onto the field, number 1 (the player, not my kid) was perfectly framed in the center, wiggling his butt.
You won't see that in the NFL.
Despite my sarcasm, we had a good time at the game, and plan to attend more during the season. I'm really happy these guys get the opportunity to play, and I'm even more excited to attend a Central PA Vipers (women's) game.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Totally Bogus
Here's the readability rating for my Blogspot blog:
Here's the readability rating for my Livejournal blog:
They have the exact. same. content.
I'm so disillusioned.
Here's the readability rating for my Livejournal blog:
They have the exact. same. content.
I'm so disillusioned.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
New Books, and Bloody Valentines
I have a new book coming out in May! Indulgence II is a second collection of erotic novellas, containing the stories Under Control, Rebuilding Forever, Renegade, and Letting Go. So if superheroes, rock gods, psychic heroes, and young studs interest you but you prefer paper over electronic ink, stay tuned!
Here's my very gorgeous cover:
I went to se My Bloody Valentine 3-D last night. I'll be doing a full review of it next week at Supernatural Sisters, but I will say I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to. I'm not at ALL a horror movie fan, especially the gory kind, but it's not like I didn't know what I was in for. The acting was decent (which it isn't always) and the writing mostly held together (which it rarely does). Even though I'd been spoiled a little, it kept me guessing.
Definitely, if you're inclined to see it in the theater, go for the 3D if at all possible. Someone I read said it wasn't any better than the old 3D, but I beg to differ. It wasn't just the things coming out at you, which were cool but less frequent than I expected. The entire film, start to finish, was 3D. Foreground, middle ground, and background. Combined with the digital format,it was amazing. I've never seen Jensen Ackles so clear. Mmmmmm. Anyway, it added a new level of interest.
New Supernatural tonight! I can't wait! I love Barry Bostwick. And for once, Dean's the one who gets throttled.
~~~~
Have you met Logan McKnight? Discover his power to settle your world in one of four heartwarming stories: To Heal the Soul, Seeking Peace, Opening Hearts, and To Change a Life. Only a dollar apiece!
Here's my very gorgeous cover:
I went to se My Bloody Valentine 3-D last night. I'll be doing a full review of it next week at Supernatural Sisters, but I will say I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to. I'm not at ALL a horror movie fan, especially the gory kind, but it's not like I didn't know what I was in for. The acting was decent (which it isn't always) and the writing mostly held together (which it rarely does). Even though I'd been spoiled a little, it kept me guessing.
Definitely, if you're inclined to see it in the theater, go for the 3D if at all possible. Someone I read said it wasn't any better than the old 3D, but I beg to differ. It wasn't just the things coming out at you, which were cool but less frequent than I expected. The entire film, start to finish, was 3D. Foreground, middle ground, and background. Combined with the digital format,it was amazing. I've never seen Jensen Ackles so clear. Mmmmmm. Anyway, it added a new level of interest.
New Supernatural tonight! I can't wait! I love Barry Bostwick. And for once, Dean's the one who gets throttled.
~~~~
Have you met Logan McKnight? Discover his power to settle your world in one of four heartwarming stories: To Heal the Soul, Seeking Peace, Opening Hearts, and To Change a Life. Only a dollar apiece!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Bloggin' Around Town
Today I posted at the Gab Wagon about Paperspine, a Netflix-like book rental service.
Tomorrow (posted at midnight central time) I'll talk about the effect of passion on expectations (in terms of being a fanatic) at Supernatural Sisters. Today's post at SPN Sisters was by MJ Fredrick about the upcoming movies the Winchester boys (well, the actors who play them, actually) will be in this winter/spring. And later in the week we have Tanya Michaels on fandom, Trish Milburn on Sam Girls vs. Dean Girls, and Terri Clark's recap/review of this week's episode, "Criss Angel is a Douche Bag."
Check 'em out!
Tomorrow (posted at midnight central time) I'll talk about the effect of passion on expectations (in terms of being a fanatic) at Supernatural Sisters. Today's post at SPN Sisters was by MJ Fredrick about the upcoming movies the Winchester boys (well, the actors who play them, actually) will be in this winter/spring. And later in the week we have Tanya Michaels on fandom, Trish Milburn on Sam Girls vs. Dean Girls, and Terri Clark's recap/review of this week's episode, "Criss Angel is a Douche Bag."
Check 'em out!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Stoopid Cats
I don't get it.
When there are two full, clean bowls of water on the floor, what possesses a cat to jump on a counter she's not supposed to be on and shove her head into a glass to try to access the quarter inch of water on the bottom?
And even when her head is obviously far too big, to keep shoving and pushing until the glass falls off the counter and shatters?
And most importantly, when this happens and she a) is terrified by the loud noise and commotion AND knows to run from me, and b) has lost her toy/beverage...
Why do it again?
Stoopid cats.
When there are two full, clean bowls of water on the floor, what possesses a cat to jump on a counter she's not supposed to be on and shove her head into a glass to try to access the quarter inch of water on the bottom?
And even when her head is obviously far too big, to keep shoving and pushing until the glass falls off the counter and shatters?
And most importantly, when this happens and she a) is terrified by the loud noise and commotion AND knows to run from me, and b) has lost her toy/beverage...
Why do it again?
Stoopid cats.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Is Dean Evil?
First, let me please direct you to this post at Supernatural Sisters, where I did a full recap/review of "Family Remains." Assuming you haven't already been there.
Next, let me sheepishly admit that "we'll see" (regarding whether I'll talk about the show here as much) didn't take too long. :)
I just read this article at Buddy TV. I'm not actively debating or agreeing with the article, but it launched some thoughts I felt compelled to share. You know how that goes.
I wrote a long post but went too deep into my thoughts on Dean's Hell (a scheduled topic at SS) so I abbreviated it it bit, kept it focused.
So okay. Now that Dean has opened up, he appears to be finding it much easier to admit stuff. Some people complain that the bookending brotherly moments are getting old, but if they hadn't addressed his revelation, we'd have been complaining about that. And they need to take a break from the intense myth-arc for those fans who prefer the standalone episodes. Maybe they saw some parallels and they wanted to tie that in. Maybe they struggled to make connections.
Whatever. Those one-on-one moments are my favorite parts of any episode, wherever they stick them, and whether they are Dean punching Sam in the face, Sam giving too much detail about sex with Ruby, or Dean confessing to liking the torture.
On the surface, that last revelation is disturbing. We all want Dean to be heroic and stronger than typical people. We want him to do no wrong.
But I ask, when has he ever NOT been a dick?
Let's look at episode 1.1, "Pilot." Dean breaks into his brother's house, fights him instead of just saying "Hey, it's me," and ogles his girlfriend.
He sleeps with truck stop waitresses with questionable rashes, yells at fat kids, steals, cheats, hustles...and while justified, he spent a lot of time whining about how much he's given up for this family! *foot stomp* He's very much a dick.
Now obviously, that's not all Dean is. Those things are all pretty inconsequential in the face of how many lives he's saved and the sacrifices he's made for his brother. It's very easy to overlook them. He's as much selfless as he is selfish, a complete product of his experiences.
But because of all that, I don't think his response to hell is at all out of character. I think that when you consider the two intertwined sides, the dick and the hero, they will create exactly the kind of action Dean took.
So the revelation doesn't change my opinion of him at all.
Next, let me sheepishly admit that "we'll see" (regarding whether I'll talk about the show here as much) didn't take too long. :)
I just read this article at Buddy TV. I'm not actively debating or agreeing with the article, but it launched some thoughts I felt compelled to share. You know how that goes.
I wrote a long post but went too deep into my thoughts on Dean's Hell (a scheduled topic at SS) so I abbreviated it it bit, kept it focused.
So okay. Now that Dean has opened up, he appears to be finding it much easier to admit stuff. Some people complain that the bookending brotherly moments are getting old, but if they hadn't addressed his revelation, we'd have been complaining about that. And they need to take a break from the intense myth-arc for those fans who prefer the standalone episodes. Maybe they saw some parallels and they wanted to tie that in. Maybe they struggled to make connections.
Whatever. Those one-on-one moments are my favorite parts of any episode, wherever they stick them, and whether they are Dean punching Sam in the face, Sam giving too much detail about sex with Ruby, or Dean confessing to liking the torture.
On the surface, that last revelation is disturbing. We all want Dean to be heroic and stronger than typical people. We want him to do no wrong.
But I ask, when has he ever NOT been a dick?
Let's look at episode 1.1, "Pilot." Dean breaks into his brother's house, fights him instead of just saying "Hey, it's me," and ogles his girlfriend.
He sleeps with truck stop waitresses with questionable rashes, yells at fat kids, steals, cheats, hustles...and while justified, he spent a lot of time whining about how much he's given up for this family! *foot stomp* He's very much a dick.
Now obviously, that's not all Dean is. Those things are all pretty inconsequential in the face of how many lives he's saved and the sacrifices he's made for his brother. It's very easy to overlook them. He's as much selfless as he is selfish, a complete product of his experiences.
But because of all that, I don't think his response to hell is at all out of character. I think that when you consider the two intertwined sides, the dick and the hero, they will create exactly the kind of action Dean took.
So the revelation doesn't change my opinion of him at all.
Wicked Cold
It was 5 degrees this morning.
Wind chill of -4.
I kept mentally rolling my eyes at my husband, who grew up in Ohio and should be used to this. I grew up in Massachusetts and I'm not flabbergasted by winter weather of any sort. Five degrees doesn't seem that amazing.
Except...I'm 38 now, and I think I'm feeling the cold more than I used to, which I always pooh-poohed when people older than me said it. Now I hate my smug younger self, as I huddle here next to my poorly insulated basement window with my fingerless gloves, two blankets, massaging foot-warmer, and space heater.
Far more important, however, is how fast we're sucking down oil, and how much I dread seeing the electric bill after the dim, dreary days, two weeks of having the kids home all the time (Wii, computers, lights, more dishes, etc.).
Having the heart of winter after the Christmas expenditures doesn't work for me. Whose idea what that, anyway?!
Wind chill of -4.
I kept mentally rolling my eyes at my husband, who grew up in Ohio and should be used to this. I grew up in Massachusetts and I'm not flabbergasted by winter weather of any sort. Five degrees doesn't seem that amazing.
Except...I'm 38 now, and I think I'm feeling the cold more than I used to, which I always pooh-poohed when people older than me said it. Now I hate my smug younger self, as I huddle here next to my poorly insulated basement window with my fingerless gloves, two blankets, massaging foot-warmer, and space heater.
Far more important, however, is how fast we're sucking down oil, and how much I dread seeing the electric bill after the dim, dreary days, two weeks of having the kids home all the time (Wii, computers, lights, more dishes, etc.).
Having the heart of winter after the Christmas expenditures doesn't work for me. Whose idea what that, anyway?!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Supernatural Change
Check out the banner in my sidebar for my new group blog, Supernatural Sisters!
Five authors who are also fans are coming together to talk about our very favorite show. I guarantee entertaining, insightful, broad topics and excellent discussion in the comment trail.
Does this mean I'll be talking about SPN less here? We'll see. I kind of intend to, but I'll only post once a week over there, and I might be too impatient to wait, or have something too silly to post about. But I'll try to always remind you to head over there, too, though I expect you'll want to subscribe to the feed or bookmark it or whatever.
We've started planning our posts, and I have to tell you, the way our minds work is definite synergy. :)
So, you can head over now (pre-9:00 p.m. EST) to check out Trish Milburn's launch post, describing our intentions, and be sure to read my recap/review of tonight's show, posted at midnight CST! Sunday we'll have a summary of next week's topics, so you'll know what to look forward to.
I hope you enjoy it!
Five authors who are also fans are coming together to talk about our very favorite show. I guarantee entertaining, insightful, broad topics and excellent discussion in the comment trail.
Does this mean I'll be talking about SPN less here? We'll see. I kind of intend to, but I'll only post once a week over there, and I might be too impatient to wait, or have something too silly to post about. But I'll try to always remind you to head over there, too, though I expect you'll want to subscribe to the feed or bookmark it or whatever.
We've started planning our posts, and I have to tell you, the way our minds work is definite synergy. :)
So, you can head over now (pre-9:00 p.m. EST) to check out Trish Milburn's launch post, describing our intentions, and be sure to read my recap/review of tonight's show, posted at midnight CST! Sunday we'll have a summary of next week's topics, so you'll know what to look forward to.
I hope you enjoy it!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Quick Hits
My inbox is empty for the first time since, like, Thanksgiving. It gives me a huge amount of pleasure.
~~~
Not as much, however, as the news that Jason Manns is going to be at the Salute to Supernatural convention in Cherry Hill this March. Many of you won't believe me, but I am more excited about this than I am about anything else going on at the convention. I mean, seeing Jared Padalecki in person is great, and seeing my favorite angel and FBI agent and psychic is also excellent, but I've been dying to see Jason Manns live for years. That seemed a much more achievable thing, and is therefore less surreal than the rest of it.
~~~
Number One starts indoor soccer this Saturday. She's playing with the team that's playing in the U-15/16 league, which was a relief because they play at 10:45 or 11:30 each week, while the U-13/14 league starts at 6:30 in the morning. But I just found out sometimes she might be needed for that team. Pray we don't draw a 6:30 a.m. game, please!
~~~
I had a good, productive day today, though I need to top it off with an equally productive night. Wish me luck.
~~~
Not as much, however, as the news that Jason Manns is going to be at the Salute to Supernatural convention in Cherry Hill this March. Many of you won't believe me, but I am more excited about this than I am about anything else going on at the convention. I mean, seeing Jared Padalecki in person is great, and seeing my favorite angel and FBI agent and psychic is also excellent, but I've been dying to see Jason Manns live for years. That seemed a much more achievable thing, and is therefore less surreal than the rest of it.
~~~
Number One starts indoor soccer this Saturday. She's playing with the team that's playing in the U-15/16 league, which was a relief because they play at 10:45 or 11:30 each week, while the U-13/14 league starts at 6:30 in the morning. But I just found out sometimes she might be needed for that team. Pray we don't draw a 6:30 a.m. game, please!
~~~
I had a good, productive day today, though I need to top it off with an equally productive night. Wish me luck.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Today's Insanity and Other Stuff
Have you heard about the upcoming law that's gonna wipe out the economy?
Oh, wait. Economy already wiped. Okay, consider the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 the salt in the wound, or the foot kicking everyone while they're down.
Basically, any product meant for children under 12 has to be tested for lead before being sold or given away. The onus is not on the importers who brought in those 45 million lead-containing toys made in China last year, nor is it on the manufacturers in this country who make toys, clothes, shoes, books, and jewelry that kids might have access to. It's on Amazon, and Walmart, and the little shop around the corner. I'm told they have decided to exempt thrift stores and resellers, so yay, you won't be committing a felony with this spring's yard sales. But there's a lot more to the problems of a panicked, broadly worded law. This article explains it far more eloquently than I ever could.
I don't generally buy used stuff (for deep psychological reasons) but I'm involved in publishing, so this affects the people who might contract my books, and I feel for the small retailers who will get forced out of business by this insanity. So check it out, do your part if you feel so inclined.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FYI, Adobe Acrobat Reader has a version 9 available now. I learned this when I tried to open my paperless bank statement in PDF and it gave me an "Adobe failed to open" message, even when I opened the reader manually. If this is happening to you, go to the Adobe site and click "Get Acrobat Reader" on the right. Save yourself some frustration.
I don't know why Acrobat Reader can't tell when there's a whole new version when it runs it updates, but it can't.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I felt like a hero last night. My brother-in-law (BIL) texted me the other day for suggestions for finding pink skull stickers my niece needed for some unknown reason. He called me less than helpful. Well, I showed him!
Last night Number Two was working on a project for school and wanted wavy scissors to cut out her text for display. Normally, I'd have put her off, since it's the weekend and the project isn't due until Tuesday, but I played Good Mom and went to three different stores last evening, looking. Of course, the first two (drug stores) didn't have them, so I went to Michael's. I went down the sticker aisle, curious, and BAM. Pink skull stickers. Texted the BIL, niece still needs them, so they are on their way to Florida today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That success went a long way toward easing the pain of sucking. Some people can be trained and trained and instructed and helped and handheld and educated and then trained some more and still not ever be able to do what needs to be done. I'm really hoping that's not me, but the hope dims a little more each time. Mega thanks to all my friends for trying to convince me I'm more of a Matt Cassel than a David Carr. You all rock, and I couldn't do any of this without you.
Oh, wait. Economy already wiped. Okay, consider the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 the salt in the wound, or the foot kicking everyone while they're down.
Basically, any product meant for children under 12 has to be tested for lead before being sold or given away. The onus is not on the importers who brought in those 45 million lead-containing toys made in China last year, nor is it on the manufacturers in this country who make toys, clothes, shoes, books, and jewelry that kids might have access to. It's on Amazon, and Walmart, and the little shop around the corner. I'm told they have decided to exempt thrift stores and resellers, so yay, you won't be committing a felony with this spring's yard sales. But there's a lot more to the problems of a panicked, broadly worded law. This article explains it far more eloquently than I ever could.
I don't generally buy used stuff (for deep psychological reasons) but I'm involved in publishing, so this affects the people who might contract my books, and I feel for the small retailers who will get forced out of business by this insanity. So check it out, do your part if you feel so inclined.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FYI, Adobe Acrobat Reader has a version 9 available now. I learned this when I tried to open my paperless bank statement in PDF and it gave me an "Adobe failed to open" message, even when I opened the reader manually. If this is happening to you, go to the Adobe site and click "Get Acrobat Reader" on the right. Save yourself some frustration.
I don't know why Acrobat Reader can't tell when there's a whole new version when it runs it updates, but it can't.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I felt like a hero last night. My brother-in-law (BIL) texted me the other day for suggestions for finding pink skull stickers my niece needed for some unknown reason. He called me less than helpful. Well, I showed him!
Last night Number Two was working on a project for school and wanted wavy scissors to cut out her text for display. Normally, I'd have put her off, since it's the weekend and the project isn't due until Tuesday, but I played Good Mom and went to three different stores last evening, looking. Of course, the first two (drug stores) didn't have them, so I went to Michael's. I went down the sticker aisle, curious, and BAM. Pink skull stickers. Texted the BIL, niece still needs them, so they are on their way to Florida today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That success went a long way toward easing the pain of sucking. Some people can be trained and trained and instructed and helped and handheld and educated and then trained some more and still not ever be able to do what needs to be done. I'm really hoping that's not me, but the hope dims a little more each time. Mega thanks to all my friends for trying to convince me I'm more of a Matt Cassel than a David Carr. You all rock, and I couldn't do any of this without you.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
I Love My Boots
So I don't know what's up with this school district. Yesterday was a throwback to the panic/reactionary times of a few years ago. (One winter they canceled school the night before and it never did anything--no snow, no ice, no rain. It was infuriating.) We had predictions of an ice storm, and it came, but they did a one-hour early dismissal even though nothing was happening yet, and nothing did happen until a couple of hours after the kids were home.
Today, with an inch of ice on everything, freezing rain still coming down, the roads fine but with patchy ice and slipperiness--far more than the nothing we had yesterday!--we only had a two-hour delay. I just don't get it.
Anyway, with the ice storm, I got to try my new boots. I have a pair of cheap men's waterproof construction boots that keep my feet dry but have NO tread, and an old pair of hiking boots that have good tread and are lightweight but have no waterproofing and even if I spray them, they're uninsulated so my feet get cold
So we were shopping for shoes last week, and due to a rockin' discount we had four pairs of sneakers, a pair of sheepskin slippers, and a package of socks and were still under budget. I tried on a pair of boots that I knew I'd be getting for less than half the "suggested retail" and the first pair fit perfectly, cradling my feet. Now, this never happens. I have weird feet. Before I had my kids, they measured 6EEE but I wore a 9C or D, depending on the style of shoe. I haven't done an actual measurement since, because I know my feet and I worked in a full-service shoe store so I know how to fit shoes, but with the normal loosening of the joints that pregnancy causes, and the fact that I've only worn flat shoes for the last 10 or 15 years, they've spread even more. So finding a pair of shoes that's wide enough without being too freakin' long or pinching somewhere or having the arch hit me wrong is a miracle. So I bought them.
Today I got to wear them, and OMG, they are awesome. So warm and dry and light and I have no fear of skidding on the ice. I mean, even the best tread is going to allow occasional slipping, but these at least have some grip. So today, I got to start off gleeful. :)
Today, with an inch of ice on everything, freezing rain still coming down, the roads fine but with patchy ice and slipperiness--far more than the nothing we had yesterday!--we only had a two-hour delay. I just don't get it.
Anyway, with the ice storm, I got to try my new boots. I have a pair of cheap men's waterproof construction boots that keep my feet dry but have NO tread, and an old pair of hiking boots that have good tread and are lightweight but have no waterproofing and even if I spray them, they're uninsulated so my feet get cold
So we were shopping for shoes last week, and due to a rockin' discount we had four pairs of sneakers, a pair of sheepskin slippers, and a package of socks and were still under budget. I tried on a pair of boots that I knew I'd be getting for less than half the "suggested retail" and the first pair fit perfectly, cradling my feet. Now, this never happens. I have weird feet. Before I had my kids, they measured 6EEE but I wore a 9C or D, depending on the style of shoe. I haven't done an actual measurement since, because I know my feet and I worked in a full-service shoe store so I know how to fit shoes, but with the normal loosening of the joints that pregnancy causes, and the fact that I've only worn flat shoes for the last 10 or 15 years, they've spread even more. So finding a pair of shoes that's wide enough without being too freakin' long or pinching somewhere or having the arch hit me wrong is a miracle. So I bought them.
Today I got to wear them, and OMG, they are awesome. So warm and dry and light and I have no fear of skidding on the ice. I mean, even the best tread is going to allow occasional slipping, but these at least have some grip. So today, I got to start off gleeful. :)
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Wrapping Up 2008
I have no posts in 2008 labeled "Goals."
None.
Of course, according to my final post about 2007, I didn't set goals. I made plans.
Let's see how I did:
Exercise
I did very well through May, when I got swamped with work. From May through August I occasionally missed my goal of 2.5 hours per week, and then I was totally inconsistent, with some weeks in the fall good, some bad, and then nothing at all in the entire fall.
Compared to previous year: 126 days of exercise compared to 301 in 2007. Ick.
Goal for 2009
I dunno. I started again this week, went to the club yesterday and today. I'm just going to try to go every day, except when I can't.
Weight
No change. Nothing different in my plans for 2009, either.
Entertainment
I read 95 full books, a falloff from last year's actual 107. I also started but didn't finish 40, and tracked 7 additional novellas.
I saw 22 movies in the theater, 8 fewer than last year, but 35 on DVD, up from 17 in 2007. Plus two on TiVo, two on TV, and two on DVD that I didn't finish.
I won't go into the TV I watched live or TiVo'd, I do that during the year. I also watched the following on DVD:
All the Buffy seasons
All the Angel seasons
Prison Break season 3
Entourage
Roswell season 1
Goal for 2009
I always strive to read 100 books, but I think I'll keep better track this year so I can push myself if possible and make the goal. I don't expect as many movies in 2009, probably about the same amount of TV. Once I finish Roswell, I might give Bones a try.
Work!
Okay, this is the biggie. Here's what I accomplished:
Overall writing
Fiction: 184,486 words (includes totally new text and added words during revisions)
Nonfiction: 57,855
That's a total of 242,341 written words in 2008. That's more than 60k less than 2007!
Goal for 2009
Whatever I manage to do, based on my circumstances.
Project breakdown
Fiction:
Submitted 8 projects
Sold 2 novellas
Wrote three novellas
Revised three+ novels
Compared to plan: Did two of the revisions I planned, started both of the sequels plus another book, though not the one I intended to.
A reminder of my plan for 2009:
1. Revise Under the Moon until it's ready for submission
2. Process critiques for Hummingbird and prep for agent review
3. Revise Fight or Flight again, if Agent Awesome so decrees
4. Do first round of revisions for More Than You Know and submit to critique partners
5. Finish Zoe WIP
What else did I do, that caused me to write so much less in 2008? Well, let me tell you:
Nonfiction:
1 20-page report
58 articles
74 biographies (short ones, not book-length!)
21 autoresponders, 4 ads, and a few miscellaneous things
Editing/Proofreading:
Approximately 3,579 pages, some being full editing in hard copy transferred to computer documents, some being small projects that I typed a list of corrections for.
Critiquing:
40 pages for LM
55 pages for M2
184 pages for M3
402 pages for TM
491 pages for JW
506 pages for VB
783 pages for VS
1,011 pages for M1
for a grand total of 3,472 manuscript pages! That amounts to roughly 868,000 words, though it's probably more than that because some people don't use standard format.
I think I only sent one full book out for critique in 2008. I'll make up for it this year!
Judging:
I judged 9 stories with just a scoresheet, and 279 pages that required comments as well as the scoresheets.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, I'm tired just adding that all up! I will no longer feel like a slacker! Such occasions are surely few and far between, with that kind of tally, wouldn't you say?
So that's all. Goodbye 2008 (a few days late) and hello 2009! May it be better than productive for all of us!
None.
Of course, according to my final post about 2007, I didn't set goals. I made plans.
Let's see how I did:
Exercise
I did very well through May, when I got swamped with work. From May through August I occasionally missed my goal of 2.5 hours per week, and then I was totally inconsistent, with some weeks in the fall good, some bad, and then nothing at all in the entire fall.
Compared to previous year: 126 days of exercise compared to 301 in 2007. Ick.
Goal for 2009
I dunno. I started again this week, went to the club yesterday and today. I'm just going to try to go every day, except when I can't.
Weight
No change. Nothing different in my plans for 2009, either.
Entertainment
I read 95 full books, a falloff from last year's actual 107. I also started but didn't finish 40, and tracked 7 additional novellas.
I saw 22 movies in the theater, 8 fewer than last year, but 35 on DVD, up from 17 in 2007. Plus two on TiVo, two on TV, and two on DVD that I didn't finish.
I won't go into the TV I watched live or TiVo'd, I do that during the year. I also watched the following on DVD:
All the Buffy seasons
All the Angel seasons
Prison Break season 3
Entourage
Roswell season 1
Goal for 2009
I always strive to read 100 books, but I think I'll keep better track this year so I can push myself if possible and make the goal. I don't expect as many movies in 2009, probably about the same amount of TV. Once I finish Roswell, I might give Bones a try.
Work!
Okay, this is the biggie. Here's what I accomplished:
Overall writing
Fiction: 184,486 words (includes totally new text and added words during revisions)
Nonfiction: 57,855
That's a total of 242,341 written words in 2008. That's more than 60k less than 2007!
Goal for 2009
Whatever I manage to do, based on my circumstances.
Project breakdown
Fiction:
Submitted 8 projects
Sold 2 novellas
Wrote three novellas
Revised three+ novels
Compared to plan: Did two of the revisions I planned, started both of the sequels plus another book, though not the one I intended to.
A reminder of my plan for 2009:
1. Revise Under the Moon until it's ready for submission
2. Process critiques for Hummingbird and prep for agent review
3. Revise Fight or Flight again, if Agent Awesome so decrees
4. Do first round of revisions for More Than You Know and submit to critique partners
5. Finish Zoe WIP
What else did I do, that caused me to write so much less in 2008? Well, let me tell you:
Nonfiction:
1 20-page report
58 articles
74 biographies (short ones, not book-length!)
21 autoresponders, 4 ads, and a few miscellaneous things
Editing/Proofreading:
Approximately 3,579 pages, some being full editing in hard copy transferred to computer documents, some being small projects that I typed a list of corrections for.
Critiquing:
40 pages for LM
55 pages for M2
184 pages for M3
402 pages for TM
491 pages for JW
506 pages for VB
783 pages for VS
1,011 pages for M1
for a grand total of 3,472 manuscript pages! That amounts to roughly 868,000 words, though it's probably more than that because some people don't use standard format.
I think I only sent one full book out for critique in 2008. I'll make up for it this year!
Judging:
I judged 9 stories with just a scoresheet, and 279 pages that required comments as well as the scoresheets.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, I'm tired just adding that all up! I will no longer feel like a slacker! Such occasions are surely few and far between, with that kind of tally, wouldn't you say?
So that's all. Goodbye 2008 (a few days late) and hello 2009! May it be better than productive for all of us!
Friday, January 02, 2009
Funnies
I've been snowed under and haven't even gotten my spreadsheets updated to 2009 yet, never mind prepped my end-of-year post, so stay tuned for that. I know you're all dead curious.
For now, I just want to share my birthday cards, which tend to run to the guffaw rather than the awwwww:
Outside:Happy Birthday to my loving, patient, and devoted wife.
Inside:From the man who's always testing your love, patience, and devotion.
Outside:To me, you're kind of like a six-pack in the back of the fridge.
Inside:You're very COOL, and it's a great feeling just knowing you're there.
Outside:Mom, I don't say it enough, but I really appreciate how you love me and care for me and always put my needs before your own.
Inside:And I want you to know that I think it's just a terrific arrangement.
Outside:If you ever thought too much about all the places in your home your pet has touched with his naked butt, you'd have to move.
Inside:Hope you find a nice place to eat your cake.
For now, I just want to share my birthday cards, which tend to run to the guffaw rather than the awwwww:
Outside:Happy Birthday to my loving, patient, and devoted wife.
Inside:From the man who's always testing your love, patience, and devotion.
Outside:To me, you're kind of like a six-pack in the back of the fridge.
Inside:You're very COOL, and it's a great feeling just knowing you're there.
Outside:Mom, I don't say it enough, but I really appreciate how you love me and care for me and always put my needs before your own.
Inside:And I want you to know that I think it's just a terrific arrangement.
Outside:If you ever thought too much about all the places in your home your pet has touched with his naked butt, you'd have to move.
Inside:Hope you find a nice place to eat your cake.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Heartwild
This is quite possibly one of the coolest things I've ever been involved in.
A while back, Orchid Games contacted a friend of mine about beta-testing their romance-reader targeting solitaire game. She had a Mac, so she couldn't do it, but gave some other names. Mine was one, so I got to test the game, called Heartwild Solitaire, and help them work out the bugs and revise their scoring system and stuff.
And now the game is available for everyone! And I'm in the credits! LOL
First off, the game is gorgeous. Every board is richly elaborate art, and the music matches. I like playing stuff like this at the end of the day (which is good, because sometimes I end up playing for four hours and only stop because it's 2:00 a.m.!), and the imagery and sound suit that.
Secondly, the game is FUN. It's a simple matching game, but there are 7 boards for each of 12 levels, plus a bonus level in the middle, and I've played hundreds of times without ever getting bored. There are many different ways to score, so it's challenging.
And finally, it's unique. You may have played games before where each accomplishment uncovers part of a story. This is different because it's a romance! The story unfolds in chapters accompanied by tarot that adds depth to the arc. Very compelling.
Right now you can get a demo of the game for FREE, then decide if you want to purchase the whole game. Sandlot Games will also be offering a "modified for television" type version that lowers the sensuality a little, if that's something you prefer. You can get all the dope at the Heartwild site.
Check it out, and have fun!
A while back, Orchid Games contacted a friend of mine about beta-testing their romance-reader targeting solitaire game. She had a Mac, so she couldn't do it, but gave some other names. Mine was one, so I got to test the game, called Heartwild Solitaire, and help them work out the bugs and revise their scoring system and stuff.
And now the game is available for everyone! And I'm in the credits! LOL
First off, the game is gorgeous. Every board is richly elaborate art, and the music matches. I like playing stuff like this at the end of the day (which is good, because sometimes I end up playing for four hours and only stop because it's 2:00 a.m.!), and the imagery and sound suit that.
Secondly, the game is FUN. It's a simple matching game, but there are 7 boards for each of 12 levels, plus a bonus level in the middle, and I've played hundreds of times without ever getting bored. There are many different ways to score, so it's challenging.
And finally, it's unique. You may have played games before where each accomplishment uncovers part of a story. This is different because it's a romance! The story unfolds in chapters accompanied by tarot that adds depth to the arc. Very compelling.
Right now you can get a demo of the game for FREE, then decide if you want to purchase the whole game. Sandlot Games will also be offering a "modified for television" type version that lowers the sensuality a little, if that's something you prefer. You can get all the dope at the Heartwild site.
Check it out, and have fun!
Friday, December 26, 2008
The Day After
Merry Christmas to everyone I didn't manage to greet in some way yesterday. I hope you all had lovely holidays, assuming you weren't puking or dealing with puking or recovering from puking. My condolences to those who were.
And Happy Hanukkah where applicable. I don't know anyone who actually celebrates Kwanzaa, but I think that starts today, so have a good seven days!
We had a nice, quiet holiday, just the four of us. Did presents, played Wii, went to a movie (Bedtime Stories, very funny, though Adam Sandler is always better when he doesn't go all the way to total idiocy), had stir fry for dinner. Yep, stir fry. That's what they wanted!
So now we're on Transition Weekend.
As I've mentioned, December is a difficult work month. Everything seems to back up as we concentrate on the holidays and associated activities. Between now and the end of next week, focus shifts. This weekend I don't actually do anything. It's the last week of regular-season football, and tomorrow we're doing Christmas at my inlaws. Today I'm running errands, including using a gift card that will make one of my Christmas presents (an espresso machine) complete. And Sunday, we'll probably take down the tree and stuff, instead of waiting until New Year's Day. Not sure, I might get outvoted on that one. :)
So for the next few days, I'll be slowly making lists of everything I have to deal with after the first:
Losing weight Getting healthy. I lost 15 pounds in 2007 and kept off every pound this year...until this week. I don't know why. I haven't changed my eating habits at all, just substituted Christmas cookies for other junk food. But I jumped up four pounds. Plus, after my exercise plan fell apart in May, I completely dropped it this fall. And the kids start soccer again soon. So we're going to be increasing our activity levels next week, and I'll go back to the club the week after, when they go back to school.
Writing. My agent hasn't exactly been sitting by her computer waiting for my revisions, but now I have no excuses. I need to get back to them. Luckily, I have a plan for that, too.
Taxes.
Spreadsheets. I have to set up my organization schedule for next year, reconfigure my to-do list to accommodate some regular obligations, get the old pages out of my day planner, etc. Luckily, my office/desk are clean because I had company. The one bright side to that. The cleaning, not the company.
So let the transition begin! (And let the Patriots lead us into 2009 on a positive note. Go, Jets! *gag*)
This is a day late, but hilarious enough to share all year round. Slightly NSFW.
And Happy Hanukkah where applicable. I don't know anyone who actually celebrates Kwanzaa, but I think that starts today, so have a good seven days!
We had a nice, quiet holiday, just the four of us. Did presents, played Wii, went to a movie (Bedtime Stories, very funny, though Adam Sandler is always better when he doesn't go all the way to total idiocy), had stir fry for dinner. Yep, stir fry. That's what they wanted!
So now we're on Transition Weekend.
As I've mentioned, December is a difficult work month. Everything seems to back up as we concentrate on the holidays and associated activities. Between now and the end of next week, focus shifts. This weekend I don't actually do anything. It's the last week of regular-season football, and tomorrow we're doing Christmas at my inlaws. Today I'm running errands, including using a gift card that will make one of my Christmas presents (an espresso machine) complete. And Sunday, we'll probably take down the tree and stuff, instead of waiting until New Year's Day. Not sure, I might get outvoted on that one. :)
So for the next few days, I'll be slowly making lists of everything I have to deal with after the first:
So let the transition begin! (And let the Patriots lead us into 2009 on a positive note. Go, Jets! *gag*)
This is a day late, but hilarious enough to share all year round. Slightly NSFW.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Quiet Perfection
In an effort not to repeat myself, I just looked back over my old birthday posts. 2007 describes my birthday in historical (mine) terms, and 2006 describes my crappiest birthday ever.
Shit. Hold on, I think the dog just barfed.
Phew. I got her outside. That would have rivaled 2006. Well, okay, not really, but having to clean up dog barf on your birthday is pretty crappy. And justifies the use of the word "shit," though I apologize because I try not to curse so publicly. Kids might be listening.
Anyway. I started this blog in July 2005 and apparently felt uncomfortably announcing my birthday that year, so I didn't post that day. I did find this post, though, which amused me because I've been having similar thoughts about the whole holiday thing. I guess I probably do every year. Just stop with the annoyance, people, will you? For sheesh.
Hm. OK Cupid just sent me birthday greetings. Even said happy 38th birthday. I don't know how they know that. I must have told them, but even so, Borders isn't so rude as to call out my age when they send me a 25% off coupon.
Anyway. Again. Today is very low-key. Even though I get to sleep in for the next 12 days (kids off school), J insisted I not get up this morning. It didn't amount to sleeping in, but it did mean no animal feeding or litter box cleaning, no breakfast making or dishwasher filling, no bus stop in 14-degree cold.
I spent a couple of hours reading with a warm, soft cat on my lap. Now I'm doing this, and I think I'm going to go to the post office and pick up Neato Burrito for lunch. Dinner is, I think, at Red Lobster, though I tried to decline. And I suspect I have a dark peppermint ice cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery in the freezer.
No presents from J and the Numbers this year, but you know what? That's beyond okay, because remember what my present is? SALUTE TO SUPERNATURAL in March!!!!!
I did get some gift cards from my dad and brother, some already spent for real, some spent in my head. I might watch some TV (I have last night's Prison Break recorded, but I think that's about it) and do some more reading.
Might write, too. I had a new idea this morning, had some scenes writing themselves in my head, and then my brain was trying to turn them into a book while I was in the shower, which always sucks because there's no way to get the ideas down, but it's inevitably where they pop up. I won't work on that new idea, of course, I have way too much pending before I can get to a new book. But thinking about this new idea had me thinking about my already-done books, and how much I love them, despite the work they need before they can sell, and how my purpose in writing the paranormals/urban fantasies I write is to ground the stories so fully in the real world that the reader has very little need to suspend disbelief, and feels like they could really go outside and bump into my characters at the supermarket. You know, between crises. :) And how can anyone not think that was really cool?
So I'm obviously feeling pretty optimistic and yeah, that's a good way to feel on your birthday.
I probably won't post again until later in the week, so Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah (why does every spell check give me a different spelling for that word?) to everyone!
Shit. Hold on, I think the dog just barfed.
Phew. I got her outside. That would have rivaled 2006. Well, okay, not really, but having to clean up dog barf on your birthday is pretty crappy. And justifies the use of the word "shit," though I apologize because I try not to curse so publicly. Kids might be listening.
Anyway. I started this blog in July 2005 and apparently felt uncomfortably announcing my birthday that year, so I didn't post that day. I did find this post, though, which amused me because I've been having similar thoughts about the whole holiday thing. I guess I probably do every year. Just stop with the annoyance, people, will you? For sheesh.
Hm. OK Cupid just sent me birthday greetings. Even said happy 38th birthday. I don't know how they know that. I must have told them, but even so, Borders isn't so rude as to call out my age when they send me a 25% off coupon.
Anyway. Again. Today is very low-key. Even though I get to sleep in for the next 12 days (kids off school), J insisted I not get up this morning. It didn't amount to sleeping in, but it did mean no animal feeding or litter box cleaning, no breakfast making or dishwasher filling, no bus stop in 14-degree cold.
I spent a couple of hours reading with a warm, soft cat on my lap. Now I'm doing this, and I think I'm going to go to the post office and pick up Neato Burrito for lunch. Dinner is, I think, at Red Lobster, though I tried to decline. And I suspect I have a dark peppermint ice cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery in the freezer.
No presents from J and the Numbers this year, but you know what? That's beyond okay, because remember what my present is? SALUTE TO SUPERNATURAL in March!!!!!
I did get some gift cards from my dad and brother, some already spent for real, some spent in my head. I might watch some TV (I have last night's Prison Break recorded, but I think that's about it) and do some more reading.
Might write, too. I had a new idea this morning, had some scenes writing themselves in my head, and then my brain was trying to turn them into a book while I was in the shower, which always sucks because there's no way to get the ideas down, but it's inevitably where they pop up. I won't work on that new idea, of course, I have way too much pending before I can get to a new book. But thinking about this new idea had me thinking about my already-done books, and how much I love them, despite the work they need before they can sell, and how my purpose in writing the paranormals/urban fantasies I write is to ground the stories so fully in the real world that the reader has very little need to suspend disbelief, and feels like they could really go outside and bump into my characters at the supermarket. You know, between crises. :) And how can anyone not think that was really cool?
So I'm obviously feeling pretty optimistic and yeah, that's a good way to feel on your birthday.
I probably won't post again until later in the week, so Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah (why does every spell check give me a different spelling for that word?) to everyone!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Did You Remember...
(Today's post is from The Gab Wagon)
Well, here we are, on the home stretch. I'm "done" with everything but wrapping, but I'll go out on Wednesday for some stocking stuffers and maybe one final thing for my husband. One gift hasn't arrived yet, but it's in the local distribution center and will get here tomorrow (gotta love online tracking!). And see, all you mood-killers who had everything bought and wrapped, baked and frozen before Thanksgiving? It's perfectly possible not to start until December 15 and get done in pllleeennnnttyyy of time. :)
But maybe you're not a moodkiller or a middle-grounder. Maybe you are totally about the last-minute shopping. Well, that's okay, too! I have some recommendations for you!
Books Galore!
I've been in B&N twice and Borders once in the last three weeks, and every time they were packed. Today we had a humongous line and the staff (shout out to Camp Hill Borders!) was tremendous. It moved like a glacier-fed stream in the spring.
Anyway. Books (or bookstore gift cards) are always a great choice, and will have the added bonus of supporting both retailers and publishers, helping keep Mac, Monica, Cathy, and me working. (See handy links right there in the sidebar! Hint hint!)
Whether you buy hardcover, paperback, or e-books; online or in a bookstore or grocery store; children's or adult books...remember to go to this blog. Take a minute to list your book in the comments, and visit often to add to the list or just watch the tally rise. Last week it was jumping about a hundred books a day! Isn't that awesome?
iTunes
iTunes is a pretty immediate and universal gift source, too. It doesn't cost anyone anything to download the software or set up an account, and most people have some way of listening to the music or audiobooks they buy or watching the TV shows and movies. iTunes gift cards are ubiquitous, available in grocery, department, and electronics stores as well as in the iTunes store itself. There's also lots of free stuff, so surf around it a little, check it out!
Up-and-Coming Musicians
Well, not the musicians themselves, but their music. I'm talking about people like Jo Braithwaite, Jason Manns, Life of Riley, people who aren't filling stadiums on their tours but cute little pubs (or ugly dives, we don't judge!) with their devout but small fanbases. This kind of gift is cool because it's personal, potentially gives the recipient something they'll enjoy over and over, and helps the struggling (or semi-struggling) musician.
Charity
Of course, by now, you've been buried in solicitations for money. Charities of all sizes are probably feeling the pinch, and they always hit us up at this time of year, anyway.
But sometimes grassroots-level programs are the most rewarding. The money usually goes directly to those in need--no wondering how much of your contribution is really supporting a six- or eight-figure CEO salary and how much is helping people. Check out these awesome enterprises for some real feel-good cheer this holiday season:
Fandom Rocks (ongoing events ranging from auctions to simple donations, targeting a wide variety of needs such as domestic abuse shelters, the Humane Society, etc.)
Operation: Winchester (sending goodies to the troops overseas)
Office of Letters and Light (sponsor of NaNoWriMo, Young Writers NaNoWriMo, Script Frenzy, and, in the past, filling libraries in Vietnam)
Add your favorite suggestions in the comments!
Well, here we are, on the home stretch. I'm "done" with everything but wrapping, but I'll go out on Wednesday for some stocking stuffers and maybe one final thing for my husband. One gift hasn't arrived yet, but it's in the local distribution center and will get here tomorrow (gotta love online tracking!). And see, all you mood-killers who had everything bought and wrapped, baked and frozen before Thanksgiving? It's perfectly possible not to start until December 15 and get done in pllleeennnnttyyy of time. :)
But maybe you're not a moodkiller or a middle-grounder. Maybe you are totally about the last-minute shopping. Well, that's okay, too! I have some recommendations for you!
Books Galore!
I've been in B&N twice and Borders once in the last three weeks, and every time they were packed. Today we had a humongous line and the staff (shout out to Camp Hill Borders!) was tremendous. It moved like a glacier-fed stream in the spring.
Anyway. Books (or bookstore gift cards) are always a great choice, and will have the added bonus of supporting both retailers and publishers, helping keep Mac, Monica, Cathy, and me working. (See handy links right there in the sidebar! Hint hint!)
Whether you buy hardcover, paperback, or e-books; online or in a bookstore or grocery store; children's or adult books...remember to go to this blog. Take a minute to list your book in the comments, and visit often to add to the list or just watch the tally rise. Last week it was jumping about a hundred books a day! Isn't that awesome?
iTunes
iTunes is a pretty immediate and universal gift source, too. It doesn't cost anyone anything to download the software or set up an account, and most people have some way of listening to the music or audiobooks they buy or watching the TV shows and movies. iTunes gift cards are ubiquitous, available in grocery, department, and electronics stores as well as in the iTunes store itself. There's also lots of free stuff, so surf around it a little, check it out!
Up-and-Coming Musicians
Well, not the musicians themselves, but their music. I'm talking about people like Jo Braithwaite, Jason Manns, Life of Riley, people who aren't filling stadiums on their tours but cute little pubs (or ugly dives, we don't judge!) with their devout but small fanbases. This kind of gift is cool because it's personal, potentially gives the recipient something they'll enjoy over and over, and helps the struggling (or semi-struggling) musician.
Charity
Of course, by now, you've been buried in solicitations for money. Charities of all sizes are probably feeling the pinch, and they always hit us up at this time of year, anyway.
But sometimes grassroots-level programs are the most rewarding. The money usually goes directly to those in need--no wondering how much of your contribution is really supporting a six- or eight-figure CEO salary and how much is helping people. Check out these awesome enterprises for some real feel-good cheer this holiday season:
Fandom Rocks (ongoing events ranging from auctions to simple donations, targeting a wide variety of needs such as domestic abuse shelters, the Humane Society, etc.)
Operation: Winchester (sending goodies to the troops overseas)
Office of Letters and Light (sponsor of NaNoWriMo, Young Writers NaNoWriMo, Script Frenzy, and, in the past, filling libraries in Vietnam)
Add your favorite suggestions in the comments!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
I Want to Be a Prison Break Writer
Prison Break is a show that requires a huge suspension of disbelief. From the first season, they've created alliances and progressions of events that could never happen, not to mention conspiracies of unmanageable proportions.
But there's one thing they do extremely well, and it's the reason the show has survived even though seasons 2 and 4 actually didn't have anyone in prison for more than an episode.
There's an old piece of writing advice (I don't know who originally said it, sorry) that goes something like "If your story stalls, run your characters up a tree and throw rocks at them." In other words, make things really, really bad, and then make them worse. I've never seen a TV show or movie or read a book that did that better than Prison Break.
You'd think that would get exhausting, and it does. This should be the show's last season. These guys (and Sarah) deserve a break, for cripe's sake. But that's a big-picture level. On an episodic level, the writers have managed an amazing balance between success and failure that keeps us totally hooked.
For example, when they stole Scylla (reportedly a list of every bad guy in every important position in the world), it looked like they were getting caught, but it was part of the plan to get the missing piece. Then they were betrayed and lost Scylla, but Michael had kept part of it, so the double-crossing Agent Self didn't get to complete his plan. When Michael, Sucre, Sarah, and Lincoln successfully get Scylla back, Michael's tumor acts up and flattens him, so Self grabs Scylla again and finds the missing piece. When Michael dies on the operating table during the tumor reduction, he realizes Scylla isn't what they thought it was, that it's much, much bigger.
There's no relaxing during this entertainment. The level of suspense is neverending, with very short, exciting reprieves and moments of hope. It can't be sustained forever, but day-um, I want to write like that!
So excuse me while I go throw rocks at my characters.
But there's one thing they do extremely well, and it's the reason the show has survived even though seasons 2 and 4 actually didn't have anyone in prison for more than an episode.
There's an old piece of writing advice (I don't know who originally said it, sorry) that goes something like "If your story stalls, run your characters up a tree and throw rocks at them." In other words, make things really, really bad, and then make them worse. I've never seen a TV show or movie or read a book that did that better than Prison Break.
You'd think that would get exhausting, and it does. This should be the show's last season. These guys (and Sarah) deserve a break, for cripe's sake. But that's a big-picture level. On an episodic level, the writers have managed an amazing balance between success and failure that keeps us totally hooked.
For example, when they stole Scylla (reportedly a list of every bad guy in every important position in the world), it looked like they were getting caught, but it was part of the plan to get the missing piece. Then they were betrayed and lost Scylla, but Michael had kept part of it, so the double-crossing Agent Self didn't get to complete his plan. When Michael, Sucre, Sarah, and Lincoln successfully get Scylla back, Michael's tumor acts up and flattens him, so Self grabs Scylla again and finds the missing piece. When Michael dies on the operating table during the tumor reduction, he realizes Scylla isn't what they thought it was, that it's much, much bigger.
There's no relaxing during this entertainment. The level of suspense is neverending, with very short, exciting reprieves and moments of hope. It can't be sustained forever, but day-um, I want to write like that!
So excuse me while I go throw rocks at my characters.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Names and Stuff
I haven't found myself with much to say lately. Been busy, of course, as we all are at this time of year. Most of what came to mind was of the "why I love December" variety, but geez, how many years in a row do you want to hear that?
So.
I bought Necco wafers today. I can't stop eating them. I bought one assorted and one chocolate and they're both half gone. I suppose that's not too bad, considering I bought them 8 hours ago.
Today Megan Hart posted about her name, and asked "Do you like your name?" Because I tend to be long-winded, and because I had no recent posts, I decided to answer here instead of there.
So. Again.
Do I like my name?
Mostly yes.
I was born Natalie Jeanne Jacobus. Let's break that down, 'kay?
I never disliked Natalie that I can recall. I've always tried to go against the crowd (without going all the way to outright rebellion), and I liked having a name no one else had. There was one other Natalie in my entire school district (as far as I could tell), and we never crossed paths. I may have had a short-lived dislike of the unusualness of it, maybe around first or second grade, but it wasn't very intense, and I came to appreciate not being Jennifer.
On the other hand, I never liked Jeanne. Still don't. When I got married, I eliminated it from my legal name.
Jacobus was always pretty cool, too, despite the typical "Fatalie Jacopiss" and "Jacobitch" taunts. It was unique; different from Jacobs, which was more common. But I never linked my identity to my name, and while I have solid respect for everyone's right to decide how to combine their married names and a mild resentment for the expectation that the woman has to give up hers, Jacobus-Damschroder was even more cumbersome than my favorite teacher's name (Albright-Rivenburg). Plus, logistically, it seemed mean. What if my daughter, Dakota Jacobus-Damschroder, wanted to marry, say, Dean Erickson-Patton? (Just as a hypothetical, there's no boy by that name.)
So now I'm Natalie Jacobus Damschroder and I will not give up the J. Professionally I am Natalie J. Damschroder, my signature is usually NJ Damschroder (because otherwise it's too damn long), and I even like my initials, NJD.
But wait! There's more!
Nicknames.
People generally tend to shorten Natalie to Nat. Growing up, I HATED Nat. Hated everything about it. I tried really hard to keep people from using it, but that was difficult, and I realized at some point that I minded the idea of it more than the actuality. IRL, I barely noticed it when it happened. So I let it go. Many people still use it.
Someone tried to call me Nate for a while. THAT I put a stop to right quick.
A hearing impaired friend called me Nad. That was before that word got used much for something else, I think, or at least before we were old enough to understand the slang use.
But my lifelong nickname has been Nuj, and of course, there's a story behind it.
My mother's initials were TAM (for Teresa Agnes Miller, and yes, she most definitely dropped the Agnes when she got married, and did not take it back after she got divorced and reverted to Miller). She always wanted people to call her Tammy, but no one ever did. I didn't know her then, obviously, but she never struck me as much of a Tammy. (My childhood best friend was Tammy Moran. Hey, Tam, if you Google yourself, give me a holler!)
Fast forward to my birth, where my father commented on my initials being NJJ. "NJJJJ," he said. "What can you make with that?" So Nuj was born. It led to Nujie (which my little brother used most), and Nujer-Buj, and cutesy stuff like that. I did have a longer period of acute hatred of this name, in my tweener years, but I outgrew it and by high school, I lovedlovedloved it and actively encouraged it.
When my mother went to Washington (state) to visit the guy who'd become my stepdad, I told her the souvenir I wanted was a shirt with Nuj on it. They didn't know where to put it, so she came home with a baseball-style shirt with Nuj in script on the upper left chest, down both arms, and on the tail.
I miss that shirt.
So that's it. I still use Nuj. It's in my e-mail address, my LiveJournal name, and a lot of message board usernames. I even have a personalized license plate with it. If I were to have a gravestone when I die (which I won't), it would be on it.
I often wonder if my uncommon first name and totally unique nickname have led to my preference for unusual names both in my kids and for my characters. With my kids, the names were uncommon when I picked them, but we apparently tapped into a burgeoning zeitgeist with both. Number One only has one kid with her name in her entire class, a boy, but they often wind up in class together. Number Two has kids ahead of her and behind her with her name. No one in her class so far, but plenty of variants. It really galls me to look trendy. *sigh*
Your turn! Tell me your name story in the comments! Be as long or as short as you want. :)
So.
I bought Necco wafers today. I can't stop eating them. I bought one assorted and one chocolate and they're both half gone. I suppose that's not too bad, considering I bought them 8 hours ago.
Today Megan Hart posted about her name, and asked "Do you like your name?" Because I tend to be long-winded, and because I had no recent posts, I decided to answer here instead of there.
So. Again.
Do I like my name?
Mostly yes.
I was born Natalie Jeanne Jacobus. Let's break that down, 'kay?
I never disliked Natalie that I can recall. I've always tried to go against the crowd (without going all the way to outright rebellion), and I liked having a name no one else had. There was one other Natalie in my entire school district (as far as I could tell), and we never crossed paths. I may have had a short-lived dislike of the unusualness of it, maybe around first or second grade, but it wasn't very intense, and I came to appreciate not being Jennifer.
On the other hand, I never liked Jeanne. Still don't. When I got married, I eliminated it from my legal name.
Jacobus was always pretty cool, too, despite the typical "Fatalie Jacopiss" and "Jacobitch" taunts. It was unique; different from Jacobs, which was more common. But I never linked my identity to my name, and while I have solid respect for everyone's right to decide how to combine their married names and a mild resentment for the expectation that the woman has to give up hers, Jacobus-Damschroder was even more cumbersome than my favorite teacher's name (Albright-Rivenburg). Plus, logistically, it seemed mean. What if my daughter, Dakota Jacobus-Damschroder, wanted to marry, say, Dean Erickson-Patton? (Just as a hypothetical, there's no boy by that name.)
So now I'm Natalie Jacobus Damschroder and I will not give up the J. Professionally I am Natalie J. Damschroder, my signature is usually NJ Damschroder (because otherwise it's too damn long), and I even like my initials, NJD.
But wait! There's more!
Nicknames.
People generally tend to shorten Natalie to Nat. Growing up, I HATED Nat. Hated everything about it. I tried really hard to keep people from using it, but that was difficult, and I realized at some point that I minded the idea of it more than the actuality. IRL, I barely noticed it when it happened. So I let it go. Many people still use it.
Someone tried to call me Nate for a while. THAT I put a stop to right quick.
A hearing impaired friend called me Nad. That was before that word got used much for something else, I think, or at least before we were old enough to understand the slang use.
But my lifelong nickname has been Nuj, and of course, there's a story behind it.
My mother's initials were TAM (for Teresa Agnes Miller, and yes, she most definitely dropped the Agnes when she got married, and did not take it back after she got divorced and reverted to Miller). She always wanted people to call her Tammy, but no one ever did. I didn't know her then, obviously, but she never struck me as much of a Tammy. (My childhood best friend was Tammy Moran. Hey, Tam, if you Google yourself, give me a holler!)
Fast forward to my birth, where my father commented on my initials being NJJ. "NJJJJ," he said. "What can you make with that?" So Nuj was born. It led to Nujie (which my little brother used most), and Nujer-Buj, and cutesy stuff like that. I did have a longer period of acute hatred of this name, in my tweener years, but I outgrew it and by high school, I lovedlovedloved it and actively encouraged it.
When my mother went to Washington (state) to visit the guy who'd become my stepdad, I told her the souvenir I wanted was a shirt with Nuj on it. They didn't know where to put it, so she came home with a baseball-style shirt with Nuj in script on the upper left chest, down both arms, and on the tail.
I miss that shirt.
So that's it. I still use Nuj. It's in my e-mail address, my LiveJournal name, and a lot of message board usernames. I even have a personalized license plate with it. If I were to have a gravestone when I die (which I won't), it would be on it.
I often wonder if my uncommon first name and totally unique nickname have led to my preference for unusual names both in my kids and for my characters. With my kids, the names were uncommon when I picked them, but we apparently tapped into a burgeoning zeitgeist with both. Number One only has one kid with her name in her entire class, a boy, but they often wind up in class together. Number Two has kids ahead of her and behind her with her name. No one in her class so far, but plenty of variants. It really galls me to look trendy. *sigh*
Your turn! Tell me your name story in the comments! Be as long or as short as you want. :)
Monday, December 08, 2008
A Rant and Some Thoughts
Note: I wrote this a couple of weeks ago, but just got my Neo back from Number One and found it. What luck, since I didn't know what to blog about today!
I just took a telephone survey about grocery shopping. I do surveys online periodically, too, for Homescan (we scan all our purchases for them) and Entertainment Weekly and People and stuff. And I HATE HATE HATE forced answers. You know, the kind where you have never in your life bought deli meat at Wal Mart and they force you to rate their meat quality on a scale of one to five. It's not hard to have "not applicable" as a category, and if you want honesty, you must have it. Otherwise, I'm getting pissed and giving you all ones. Of course, it was probably Giant doing the survey, and now they'll be really happy because they think everyone else sucks and they don't.
On the same topic, FFS, people, what's up with the reduced employment categories in that qualification question? I don't have an employer. I am self-employed. Saying "employed full time" or "employed part time" is a lie, and I'm sure as hell not a homemaker.
Stupid flawed surveys.
/rant
begin thoughts
~~~~~~~~~~
When Dean confessed to Sam about what happened in hell (yes, this is thoughts on Supernatural, sorry) we were talking about what he'd had to do. One of my friends said something about at least the people in hell have a reason to be there, even if they just made a deal to do it.
I was just reading a section in the Supernatural Magazine that listed the people who'd made deals, and I felt compelled to revisit the topic.
The idea of selling your soul to the devil and being destined to go to hell, even for small things in return, is a concept that, of course, existed long before this show. Certainly, it's difficult not to say "they asked for it" for people like Robert Johnson or George Darrow or Sean Boyden, who wanted talent because they wanted fame or envy or accolades. At 14, though, Bela probably couldn't imagine a worse hell than the sexual abuse she was enduring, and Evan Hudson wanted to save his wife. Even Dr. Silvia Growman used her deal to save lives, which, in karmic terms, probably balanced her desire for success. So saying everyone in hell deserves to be flayed alive over and over for eternity is way overstating. Which, of course, is part of the point.
The real issue, though, isn't about whether the people deserved it. The real issue, in terms of the show, is how much more it punished Dean to have to deliver punishment than to have to take it. Remember John? Who was in hell for 100 years? I bet Dean has thought about that a lot, and what his father endured. (Though John probably would have hopped off that rack on day one.) I'm sure Dean also wondered how many of the people he was flaying were bad people, seriously deserving of it. How many had done bad things in life that they needed to be punished for, and does it even work that way?
Ooooooohhhh! I just had another thought, about Ruby!!!!
We're always wondering why she's different from other demons. What if most of the demons we've met have been bad people already, their nature lending themselves to the full corruption of hell? But Ruby was a dealmaker, good at heart, someone who made a mistake, who has been turned into a demon over a hundred years (thousands, in hell time), but able to remember being human because she started out from a better place?
We know she was a witch, like the ones in "Malleus Mallificarum," in service to the same demon those women were. And of those women, at least two were greedy and vindictive. But Elizabeth had a kinder nature. Sure, she wanted to win stuff and have a great garden or whatever, but she didn't have the avarice the others did, and she really cared about the people who'd died. What if Ruby started out like her?
Such a thing would be akin to a good person in real life going though trauma and abuse and coming out the other side hardened and with skills learned through the horrible events. Skills of manipulation and deceit, with a stronger sense of self-preservation and vengeance. I think that describes Ruby pretty well.
Anyway, that went flying off topic. The point was, it was traumatic to Dean to have to cause that physical and psychological harm to people, no matter what they'd done. And the possibility that the person he was flaying might not deserve it would only make it worse.
I just took a telephone survey about grocery shopping. I do surveys online periodically, too, for Homescan (we scan all our purchases for them) and Entertainment Weekly and People and stuff. And I HATE HATE HATE forced answers. You know, the kind where you have never in your life bought deli meat at Wal Mart and they force you to rate their meat quality on a scale of one to five. It's not hard to have "not applicable" as a category, and if you want honesty, you must have it. Otherwise, I'm getting pissed and giving you all ones. Of course, it was probably Giant doing the survey, and now they'll be really happy because they think everyone else sucks and they don't.
On the same topic, FFS, people, what's up with the reduced employment categories in that qualification question? I don't have an employer. I am self-employed. Saying "employed full time" or "employed part time" is a lie, and I'm sure as hell not a homemaker.
Stupid flawed surveys.
/rant
begin thoughts
~~~~~~~~~~
When Dean confessed to Sam about what happened in hell (yes, this is thoughts on Supernatural, sorry) we were talking about what he'd had to do. One of my friends said something about at least the people in hell have a reason to be there, even if they just made a deal to do it.
I was just reading a section in the Supernatural Magazine that listed the people who'd made deals, and I felt compelled to revisit the topic.
The idea of selling your soul to the devil and being destined to go to hell, even for small things in return, is a concept that, of course, existed long before this show. Certainly, it's difficult not to say "they asked for it" for people like Robert Johnson or George Darrow or Sean Boyden, who wanted talent because they wanted fame or envy or accolades. At 14, though, Bela probably couldn't imagine a worse hell than the sexual abuse she was enduring, and Evan Hudson wanted to save his wife. Even Dr. Silvia Growman used her deal to save lives, which, in karmic terms, probably balanced her desire for success. So saying everyone in hell deserves to be flayed alive over and over for eternity is way overstating. Which, of course, is part of the point.
The real issue, though, isn't about whether the people deserved it. The real issue, in terms of the show, is how much more it punished Dean to have to deliver punishment than to have to take it. Remember John? Who was in hell for 100 years? I bet Dean has thought about that a lot, and what his father endured. (Though John probably would have hopped off that rack on day one.) I'm sure Dean also wondered how many of the people he was flaying were bad people, seriously deserving of it. How many had done bad things in life that they needed to be punished for, and does it even work that way?
Ooooooohhhh! I just had another thought, about Ruby!!!!
We're always wondering why she's different from other demons. What if most of the demons we've met have been bad people already, their nature lending themselves to the full corruption of hell? But Ruby was a dealmaker, good at heart, someone who made a mistake, who has been turned into a demon over a hundred years (thousands, in hell time), but able to remember being human because she started out from a better place?
We know she was a witch, like the ones in "Malleus Mallificarum," in service to the same demon those women were. And of those women, at least two were greedy and vindictive. But Elizabeth had a kinder nature. Sure, she wanted to win stuff and have a great garden or whatever, but she didn't have the avarice the others did, and she really cared about the people who'd died. What if Ruby started out like her?
Such a thing would be akin to a good person in real life going though trauma and abuse and coming out the other side hardened and with skills learned through the horrible events. Skills of manipulation and deceit, with a stronger sense of self-preservation and vengeance. I think that describes Ruby pretty well.
Anyway, that went flying off topic. The point was, it was traumatic to Dean to have to cause that physical and psychological harm to people, no matter what they'd done. And the possibility that the person he was flaying might not deserve it would only make it worse.
Friday, December 05, 2008
Catching Up and Stuff
Okay, that's just another way to say "Random Friday." Sorry. :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Busy week. Actually managed to get TWO people bought for Christmas. Should have gotten more than half my list done today, but it didn't work out. Stupid day job.
If you're all done, I don't want to hear it. I think there's something sad about being "done" for a holiday a month before it gets here. I know it's less stressful and very practical, but it takes away all the magic. Plus, people who are done tend to be all smug. :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was watching the "promo" for Supernatural (which is just past clips, nothing upcoming, but well put together, I think) and I remembered a key point from the second-to-last episode before hiatus that I haven't seen talked about.
I'd been thinking, since Castiel talked about the 66 seals, that this is going to be a season of failure, and that's kind of depressing. Because as soon as they stop Lilith from breaking a seal, it's done--she can't free Lucifer.
For example, in "It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester," the window to raise Samhain was only open every 600 years. So if that was one of the seals Lilith had to break and they stopped Samhain from rising, they'd stopped Lilith.
But fast forward to where we meet Anna, and she tells the psychiatrist there are actually SIX HUNDRED seals, and Lilith can break any 66 of them. From an "oh, the boys!" standpoint, this is rough. The angels can't predict where she'll strike, so they are constantly playing defense. But from a narrative standpoint, it's FREAKIN' AWESOME. They can have some victories. They won't last, but they'll have them, which will break up what could be a dreary, despairing, downbeating series of events. The tension will be high, and the number gives the writers a lot of flexibility.
On a side note, some of the upcoming episodes sound like the "Wishful Thinking" and "Monster Movie" variety, standalones that don't deal directly with the apocalypse. Which is good, a lot of people don't like too much emphasis on the season's mytharc. But it's got me thinking...maybe the endgame for this arc won't draw near until the end of season five, like with YED, who stuck around until the end of season two. That will be perfect, because the increasing ratings for this season will feed the possibility of season five (as far as the network is concerned), and keep us from getting too fatigued by the intensity of the arc, and prevent a season five that would have trouble following an averted apocalypse.
If they could just do an episode where Sam and Dean switch bodies, I'd be in hiatus heaven.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, this thrills me beyond all reasonableness.
I'm not sure if I knew this existed. If I did, I dismissed it because it never aired, or at least didn't get picked up. And Jared Padalecki by himself wasn't a draw for me (until he got HUGE and GOOD and I found out I was going be able to TOUCH HIM).
But he's a draw now.
And the original show was my all-time favorite growing-up show.
Combine the two, and I'm just a great big puddle of giddy goo.
This is a credit video made from bits of the pilot.
I didn't know what it was at first. One of the TV blogs I read recently had a poll about which show should be remade next, and MacGyver won by a large margin. So I saw the start of that video, and thought, "OMG, Jared Padalecki would make a PERFECT MacGyver in a remake!" Little did I know...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And I just cannot believe how excited I am to see this.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Busy week. Actually managed to get TWO people bought for Christmas. Should have gotten more than half my list done today, but it didn't work out. Stupid day job.
If you're all done, I don't want to hear it. I think there's something sad about being "done" for a holiday a month before it gets here. I know it's less stressful and very practical, but it takes away all the magic. Plus, people who are done tend to be all smug. :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was watching the "promo" for Supernatural (which is just past clips, nothing upcoming, but well put together, I think) and I remembered a key point from the second-to-last episode before hiatus that I haven't seen talked about.
I'd been thinking, since Castiel talked about the 66 seals, that this is going to be a season of failure, and that's kind of depressing. Because as soon as they stop Lilith from breaking a seal, it's done--she can't free Lucifer.
For example, in "It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester," the window to raise Samhain was only open every 600 years. So if that was one of the seals Lilith had to break and they stopped Samhain from rising, they'd stopped Lilith.
But fast forward to where we meet Anna, and she tells the psychiatrist there are actually SIX HUNDRED seals, and Lilith can break any 66 of them. From an "oh, the boys!" standpoint, this is rough. The angels can't predict where she'll strike, so they are constantly playing defense. But from a narrative standpoint, it's FREAKIN' AWESOME. They can have some victories. They won't last, but they'll have them, which will break up what could be a dreary, despairing, downbeating series of events. The tension will be high, and the number gives the writers a lot of flexibility.
On a side note, some of the upcoming episodes sound like the "Wishful Thinking" and "Monster Movie" variety, standalones that don't deal directly with the apocalypse. Which is good, a lot of people don't like too much emphasis on the season's mytharc. But it's got me thinking...maybe the endgame for this arc won't draw near until the end of season five, like with YED, who stuck around until the end of season two. That will be perfect, because the increasing ratings for this season will feed the possibility of season five (as far as the network is concerned), and keep us from getting too fatigued by the intensity of the arc, and prevent a season five that would have trouble following an averted apocalypse.
If they could just do an episode where Sam and Dean switch bodies, I'd be in hiatus heaven.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, this thrills me beyond all reasonableness.
I'm not sure if I knew this existed. If I did, I dismissed it because it never aired, or at least didn't get picked up. And Jared Padalecki by himself wasn't a draw for me (until he got HUGE and GOOD and I found out I was going be able to TOUCH HIM).
But he's a draw now.
And the original show was my all-time favorite growing-up show.
Combine the two, and I'm just a great big puddle of giddy goo.
This is a credit video made from bits of the pilot.
I didn't know what it was at first. One of the TV blogs I read recently had a poll about which show should be remade next, and MacGyver won by a large margin. So I saw the start of that video, and thought, "OMG, Jared Padalecki would make a PERFECT MacGyver in a remake!" Little did I know...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And I just cannot believe how excited I am to see this.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Holiday Hell Contest
Win an amazing variety of goodies (books, gift certificates, Vera Bradley, and more), including one of TWO Kindles being given away, here.
That link takes you to the full details of the contest. Follow links from there for the Kindle entries, and make sure to click on Home for the main blog for the most current day's contest.
Good luck!
That link takes you to the full details of the contest. Follow links from there for the Kindle entries, and make sure to click on Home for the main blog for the most current day's contest.
Good luck!
Winning and Losing
For the most part, I feel like I lost in November. I didn't write the 88k+ I was aiming for, and the half of the book I did write is the worst I've ever written in my life. I finished the month feeling like my skills are diminishing. Many years ago, I worked at a nature center, and I led nature walks during which I'd educate the classes and tourists on plants and stuff along the trail. By the end of the summer, when most things weren't blooming anymore or had changed their greenery, there seemed to be fewer and fewer things I was confident talking about. Over three months I'd forgotten much of what I'd been taught, and when I led a hike, I felt like a fraud. That's how I'm feeling now, where my characters are superficial and unemotional and their actions are rote and the plot is boring and going nowhere.
Losing sucks.
That's why I started with that, so I can end this post on a high note. I did write 50,309 words of fiction as well as 3755 of nonfiction (marketing text and biographies). I also revised the 20-page nonfiction report I'd written in October, proofed 116 pages of text of various sorts, critiqued 288 pages of fiction for friends, read through an 88k manuscript while taking revision notes, edited several interviews for my chapter newsletter, and spent Thanksgiving in the ER*. That's probably three times as much as I did last year, so I should feel pretty good about the month overall. I will frame and hang my NaNo winner's certificate with pride.
*I was not the one needing treatment; the one who was is fine now, and it wasn't a life-threatening situation. I only mention it because I want the sympathy we deserve for missing out on Thanksgiving! :) No need to mention it, I'll just assume you're offering it. *g*
Now, on into December, traditionally known as "Writing? What's That?" month.
FYI, both my kids won NaNo, too. Number Two reached her word count goal on Saturday, I think. Number One was a little more complicated. She reached her original goal of 20,000 words halfway through the month and opened another account for another book idea, which she abandoned shortly thereafter for Another Shiny New Idea. Combined, she met her second word goal of 10,000, but felt guilty combining them, so she stayed up late last night finishing 10k (total) of the third idea, which she plans to keep going on now. I mention this partly out of pride and knowing headshaking (Shiny New Idea Syndrome! We all know about that!) and partly as inspiration and taunting for those who need such. :)
Losing sucks.
That's why I started with that, so I can end this post on a high note. I did write 50,309 words of fiction as well as 3755 of nonfiction (marketing text and biographies). I also revised the 20-page nonfiction report I'd written in October, proofed 116 pages of text of various sorts, critiqued 288 pages of fiction for friends, read through an 88k manuscript while taking revision notes, edited several interviews for my chapter newsletter, and spent Thanksgiving in the ER*. That's probably three times as much as I did last year, so I should feel pretty good about the month overall. I will frame and hang my NaNo winner's certificate with pride.
*I was not the one needing treatment; the one who was is fine now, and it wasn't a life-threatening situation. I only mention it because I want the sympathy we deserve for missing out on Thanksgiving! :) No need to mention it, I'll just assume you're offering it. *g*
Now, on into December, traditionally known as "Writing? What's That?" month.
FYI, both my kids won NaNo, too. Number Two reached her word count goal on Saturday, I think. Number One was a little more complicated. She reached her original goal of 20,000 words halfway through the month and opened another account for another book idea, which she abandoned shortly thereafter for Another Shiny New Idea. Combined, she met her second word goal of 10,000, but felt guilty combining them, so she stayed up late last night finishing 10k (total) of the third idea, which she plans to keep going on now. I mention this partly out of pride and knowing headshaking (Shiny New Idea Syndrome! We all know about that!) and partly as inspiration and taunting for those who need such. :)
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