Mirth and Laughter

Time to Trot out my favorite Autumn Poem...

2007-10-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

. . . and perhaps my all time favorite poem.

My heart swells every time I read it.

John Keats (1795-1821)

TO AUTUMN

SEASON of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap’d furrow sound asleep,
Drows’d with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,—
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

Sound familiar?

2007-10-11T16:52:00.001-07:00

I think this woman's been spying on me. LOL. Naw...she's just a fellow mom. I'm sure you've heard all this from your own mom or from your own mouth. It's hilarious! :)

Long Time No Blog

2007-10-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

I've been so bad about blogging lately, as well as visiting other blogs. But, I'll try to do both at least weekly since I don't want to lose touch with my favorite folks out there!

Here's an update:

I started my MSLIS program - Masters of Library and Information Science - last week. It's already proven to be a lot of work, long hours, and a bit of stress. My goal is to make sure it doesn't interfere with my family too much. I'll be finished by the end of next summer, and then will hopefully get a f/t job in an academic library at one of the four local universities, but I'll probably take whatever I can get.

I've had the good fortune to have had a few guests this last month! My Dad and his wife were most recently here, along with their oh-so-cute dog, Gracie, who's about the size of a peanut (not really, but she's tiny). We really had a great time. Before that, Joey and Tom came to visit and we enjoyed their company immensely. Then, my mom surprised me the week before that for my birthday! I came downstairs, having NOT showered since going to the gym that morning and looking like total crap, to find her in my kitchen. Despite wishing I'd been "more together", it was a fabulous surprise and we had a lovely week together.

On a sad note, we lost one of our dogs last week. He had a large mass on his spleen that ruptured. He was an old dog, and from what I understand, this isn't uncommon for his breed, but it devastated the family, especially the kids. We had a beautiful burial for him on our property - lots of flowers etc. The sadness will linger for awhile, I'm sure, but thankfully we're doing better this week.

That's about all for now. I hope you're all doing great in whatever you're doing - school, writing, work, etc.

How was your weekend? What did you do?

Road Trip

2007-09-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy lately that I'm afraid I haven't blogged much, but you can catch me at the Divas today.

Have a good one!

The Inequity begins

2007-08-27T22:20:00.000-07:00

Her: Six pretty highlighter pens

Him: Three ugly ones

Her: Three folders with bright colors and cool designs

Him: Three plain folders that appear to be...brown?

Her: Five cool mini-sharpie pens with rings on the end to hook to a back-pack

Him: None

Her: New pencil sharpener

Him: None

Her: New whiteboard and marker for her locker

Him: None

Okay...both kids got a ton of school supplies (per the school's "list") - nothing like the scant pieces of paper and number 2 pencil we started the school year with. Still, his Dad shopped for "Him" and she shopped for "Herself" and as you can see, things didn't work out. When the inequity was called to account (because siblings can't overlook such injustices), Her only response was "I NEEDED them!" What that really means is that we'll be back at Wally World either returning Her stuff or buying new sharpies, etc. for Him in order to avoid WWIII.

Ever wonder how kids learned anything 100 years ago before solar-powered calculators and washable markers were invented?

Where's the camera when you need it?

2007-08-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

I just looked out the window to see our black and white cow cat stalking the bunnies who have moved into our front yard. He revved up his butt, got ready to launch, then leaped at one. The bunny took a hop and then continued to munch on the clover.

Dejected, O'Malley walked away, looking around to make sure nobody witnessed his failed attack. LOL!

Do you ever do anything you hope went unnoticed? I often trip, and then pretend it was just part of my stride. :)

And I thought WE had a lot of pets!

2007-08-09T22:49:00.001-07:00

Tonight I went to a book club meeting (we discussed Frank McCourt's Teacher Man, in case you want to weigh in here). Anyway, the woman who hosted the meeting (a sweetheart, btw) took us to meet Cody, her lovable Husky, out in back of the totally charming log cabin home.

There was Cody . . . and 17 other dogs. Yep. Eighteen total. Running in circles, excited to see us, barking their greetings. Unlike the Husky, most of the others looked similar in breed and color - black with white chests.

Me: "Um...so you and your husband breed dogs?"

Very Nice Lady: "No."

Silence.

Me: "Oh."

Silence.

Me (because I can't keep my mouth shut): "It's, well, just that you have so many."

One of the other BCMs (Book Club Members) saved me from utter confusion. "Her husband is a musher."

Yep, he teaches micro-biology by day at a local university, and mushes on his time off. He can run the dogs in the summer with carts for practice. He takes them to a local mountain in the winter. He doesn't do the Iditarod, but does compete in smaller races here and in nearby states.

It was really interesting to learn about mushing. They own two teams (8 per team) plus their older two who no longer run. Most of the dogs are actually Euro-pointers (I think they're German short-hair pointers), and they pull a four-wheeler instead of a sled.

One thing led to another, and the musher husband said he'd bring a team to the local elementary school so the kids can see how it works. Cool, huh?

Can you think of any odd hobbies or occupations that might interest school kids? Or us?

Blog-challenged but Doing Something Sort of

2007-08-04T23:17:00.000-07:00

For the last week or so, I haven't blogged because I can't think of a thing to say. I looked at a few quizzes (such as "How dorky am I?" which seemed to suit me) but decided to just go with the truth. I have nothing.

N-o-t-h-i-n-g.

The good news is that I'm writing - on paper, just like good old Shax! It must be that I'm not feeling computer-friendly these days. I'm craving the good old-fashioned-curl-up-on-the-couch-in-utter-silence-and-write. I haven't been in that mode for a long time now, so I suppose you could call it "a phase".

Do you ever get in the mood to toss modern technology out the window and just commune with your pen and paper or sit in silence and enjoy the peace? Quiet time is rare for me. Do you have to fight for it too?

Ten Years Ago Today . . .

2007-07-29T21:20:00.001-07:00

I gave birth to my sweet little boy. He's a great source of joy for us, and I can't imagine a world without him in it.

Happy birthday James!!! May you have a kazillion more!

Baring All for the Planet

2007-07-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

Per CNN, NY artist Spencer Tunick, famous for photographing naked people in public settings around the world, is calling for volunteers who will strip to their birthday suits and stand on a freezing cold Alpine glacier in Switzerland next month. The above picture was previously shot in Mexico City.

The point to the exercise in gettin' nekkid on a humungo block of ice is to draw attention to global warming. Unless measures are taken, most Swiss glaciers will melt away by the year 2080.

Given how freaking hot it's been here this month, I don't doubt the glaciers' fate. Our family does a lot of little things to try to conserve energy. We also recycle where we can, etc. But I know there's a lot more we could be doing to help the planetary distress.

Would you, um, bare all for something you believed in? I think I might - if I could only lose 20 pounds. LOL.

Come one, come all for our Friday chat!

2007-07-27T01:59:00.000-07:00

Everyone's welcome at RWAOnline's public chat tonight! It's from 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm eastern.

You do not need to be a member of RWA. You do not need to be a writer. If you'd like to chat with some authors, have lots of fun, and perhaps take home a nice door prize, please come to the chat tonight!!!

Here's the link. Just type in the name you'd like as your user name, and make up a password. Hope to see you there!

Can You Hear Me Now?

2007-07-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

Last night - after reading tons of material on communicating with your kids - I had a heart-to-heart talk with dh about sitting down as a family. The idea is that as a team:

a) everyone presents things they think could be improved around the house (for instance, I'll say that the house is too messy and I can't do it all myself)

b) everyone contributes solutions (kids say things like "hire a maid", or "pretend not to see the mess", while the parents talk about chores and allowance)

c) we discuss said solutions and hammer out a plan to implement them (set time for chores each day, with bonuses for doing chores each week without reminders)

The idea is that if the kids are part of the problem-solving, they'll be more likely to participate than if being yelled at to "pick up your room!".

So, the kids roll into the kitchen after I've made my case to dh, who, by the way, just nodded and tried not to laugh. I start telling the kids about the plan for the meeting and what we'll do and how wonderful it will be to have open communication with each other. And . . .

Nobody's listening to me. Daughter's talking to dad about the game she's playing. Son's watching TV and not hearing me. Dh's still trying not to laugh.

So much for communication. *sigh*

What's everyone doing this weekend?

Bare Your Soul

2007-07-24T01:00:00.000-07:00

over at the Deadline Divas blog today.

It's nothing too scary. Really.

*muwhahaha*

My daughter on My Space

2007-07-21T13:14:00.000-07:00

Daughter took me on a tour of her My Space account today (I hound her to make sure a) her real name/location isn't out there b) only invited people can get on c) the content is appropriate).

Some of the images she's decorated it with baffled me; some cracked me up.

I thought I'd share...

My alma mater - Gonzaga U:

Have a good weekend, everyone!

If you could pick ONE

2007-07-16T18:13:00.000-07:00

act of daring, what would it be? I've already floated in a hot air balloon. I think I'd like to try parasailing next. I know this is a fairly mild event, but for me, it's huge.

Recently, a friend said they would skydive. I don't think I'd have the courage, but looking at this video tempts me...awesome!

Calling All Writers and Readers!!!

2007-07-13T01:10:00.000-07:00

Please join us RWAOnline writers who are not attending the national conference in Dallas (and perhaps some who are) when we chat tonight at 6:00 pm pacific time, 9:00 pm eastern.

The chat will be open to the public and we would love to see you there!!!

Here's the link. Stop by and join the fun! Marly and I (Chat Divas) and many other authors will be there to welcome you. :)

Happy Friday!

In the News

2007-07-10T12:49:00.000-07:00

It's a strange world after all . . .

When Katie Couric goes around bitch-slapping folks.

Apparently, she has an aversion to the word sputum. I think it's rather a fun and edgy word. Don't you?

More news from New York: an advertisement for bidets, which sported a lovely row of shiny derrieres, has gotten church folk riled. Of course it did. LOL. Personally, I couldn't help comparing my own hiney to those in the ad. I definitely don't measure up. If I could choose, I'd pick #1 or #6, I think.

Finally, we leave the states for news from Paris where the mayor is begging the city to be more polite to tourists. Apparently, their excessive rudeness is hurting tourism. "Frank"ly, I'd put up with a bit of grumpiness in order to visit there. Still, it couldn't hurt for them to turn that frown upsidedown. *snort*

Have a fabulous week, everyone!

Exciting New Release!

2007-07-06T09:04:00.000-07:00

My friend, Vivienne Lorret, has a new release today! She's a wonderful writer, so run, don't walk, to The Wild Rose Press for your copy.

She doesn't belong here…

Coerced by a wealthy friend to attend a masquerade with the social elite, Raleigh feels completely out of place. The only thing keeping her here is the mask over her face and the possibility of meeting the dark stranger who stole her attention when she first walked through the door. No matter what happens by night's end, nothing will change. Her hectic life won't allow time for romance and especially not for love.

He'd rather be anywhere else…

Wolfgang isn't looking to complicate his life. He only wants to have a good time, and maybe live up to the playboy reputation he's cultivated. Unfortunately everyone here at his eccentric mother's party knows him. Everyone except for one. The only thing keeping him here is the prospect of meeting the luscious woman at the door.
However, what he discovers at night's end could be the beginning of the biggest complication he's ever faced.

Love.

Life in the boonies

2007-07-05T09:19:00.000-07:00

The fireworks were magical last night. We sat on our deck and watched the hundreds of colorful explosions that stretched up and down the river and at the middle school across from us.

Anyway, I couldn't sleep and about 3:00 a.m. I heard a cat screaming in the woods - sounded like a coyote ripping a kitty to shreds. Since four of our little feline darlings were outside at the time, I tore down the stairs and onto the back deck, where I yelled and clapped loudly, trying to scare the predator away.

The noise stopped. I called for the cats. Nothing.

After debating whether or not to get dressed and traipse the five acres looking for them, I convinced myself they were okay and went back to bed. A few minutes later...more screaming cat, this time like a mournful yowl.

OH. GOD. I raced outside again, clapping and calling. Two of the four showed up - one with a fright-fluffed tail. I went back to bed and got about two hours of sleep. This morning, all but one has shown up - the most feral of our adoptees who refuses to come in the house. She's tough though, so I'm hopeful that she's okay.

Aside from the lack of sleep and the cat scare, the fourth was wonderful for us. How about you? Have a fun time?

Road Trip Tuesday

2007-07-03T00:04:00.000-07:00

Bloggin' at the Divas today.

We might be discussing aluminum foil. Or foil-covered chocolates. Or a fencing sword.

I forget, but come visit us anyway!

Sugar Overdose

2007-06-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

I need to get back on track. I've eaten badly in the last week - or is it goodly since the food was good? LOL.

Last Wednesday, we ate many, many beignets made from a mix that Honey brought. Unfortunately, they didn't puff up like they do in the picture (and like they did when I had them down south). Still, anything tastes right with enough powdered sugar on it. I didn't know you could buy this mix by the case.

We three divas (Honey, Kristen, and I) also ate Mexican food twice. Also, I recall a burnt cream dessert. Sees candies. Cold Stone ice cream. And more. It's a miracle my heart didn't cease up from the cholesterol. Luckily, Honey will be visiting with Diva# 4 soon, so the food love will be moving to the coast. LOL.

So maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of my life....back to the gym and a healthy diet.

Do you ever go hog wild? Oh no! No more talk of hogs! Do you ever indulge?

Blogging as a Diva Today...

2007-06-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

Get silly with us at the Deadline Divas blog today!

Happy Tuesday.

Quill They Survive It?

2007-06-22T15:19:00.001-07:00

This isn't our dog in the picture. I would've gotten a picture of our two dogs who look remarkably like this dog though, except that dh rushed them off to the emergency pet clinic so fast there wasn't time. BOTH of our idiot dogs (I say that with all the love in my heart, even though they do this quill love thing again and again and again, costing hundreds of dollars a pop) got into a porcupine awhile ago and look like the doggy above. The quills nailed their faces and their bodies this time (usually it's just the faces). Last time, the vet said they will never learn, so don't hope for that. We do have an invisible fence that keeps them on our property, but it doesn't keep the other critters away. We've tried a chain link fence, but it's apparently too low because they jump it.

So, when I ask quill they survive it?, I mean will dh just tell the vet to give them the big needle instead of removing the hundreds of little ones? Because he's FED UP with animals destroying our house (we won't go into how many ways they do that) and costing us literally thousands of dollars. Would he really give the thumbs down? NO. He loves our pets, despite the grumbling. As do I. But MAN, it would be nice if they'd STEP AWAY FROM THE POINTY CREATURES.

How's your day going? Weekend plans?

Plant-killer

2007-06-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

I try each year to plant a flower garden and the same thing happens.

Everything dies.

So, this year again, I have a couple of flats of petunias, and I'm going to try like hell to get them in the dirt and keep them alive. We'll see how it goes.

Do you garden? Flowers or vegetables? Are you good at it? If so, where does the magic come from?

Detour to the Divas

2007-06-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

I'm blogging over at the Deadline Divas today. Come and join us!

Happy Tuesday, everyone!!!

Just Wondering

2007-06-08T08:26:00.000-07:00

It's weird enough that a man launched himself from the stands into Benedict XVI's Popemobile, but the Pope kept waving and never seemed to notice that several large secret service men were tackling someone to the bed of the little jeep 6 inches behind him. *wave* *smile* *wave* I'm just sayin' . . . (clearly it's a slow blog day).

What are your weekend plans, everyone?

Chat Tonight!

2007-06-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

RWAOnline is hosting a public chat tonight at 6:00 pm eastern. Everyone's welcome!

Please join us as we talk with our authors who have new releases this month. We always have a good time, so stop on by! The link is: http://www.rwaonlinechapter.org/chat.htm

Congrats, Chris!

2007-06-05T22:04:00.000-07:00

Today dh walked into the above building on campus and defended his graduate project (a fancy way of saying took his oral exam on his project), which represented two years of hard work. And he passed! Woohoo! It's a good thing he passed too since they've already hired him to teach full-time starting in September. LOL. We're so proud of him -- it's not easy to go back to school at our age (we seemed to have missed the memo that said college is for 20 somethings), but HE DID IT!

So, blog guests, what do you think about taking chances? Are you one to jump without a net?

In the Eye of the Beholder

2007-06-03T20:52:00.000-07:00

This video shows 500 years of women portrayed in Western art. It moves pretty quickly, but I tried to notice what changed and what stayed the same as far as percieved Beauty. For one thing, they all have darling feminine noses (something I don't really have) and lovely lips - well except Mona Lisa and the cubism pieces. I'm not sure about the eyes since I only watched it once.

What do you think? Has the idea of Beauty changed over the centuries?

Dam Good Day

2007-05-30T12:09:00.000-07:00

I went on a field trip to day with my son's 4th grade class. We vistited the local dam, which is pretty wonderful, considering it's a tad smaller than the Grand Cooley Dam that we'll also be visiting soon. Still the water is rushing right now (only for a couple of more weeks though, then they shut it off).

We got to see the giant transformer, the generators that create the electricity, the control room, and we also got to peep out doors and windows, for a birds-eye view of the powerful water moving through the dam. As son said, "Awesome!"

Afterward, one of the moms, who is also a local park ranger, told us about the very quaint brick cottages near the dam that used to house the dam workers, and now house park rangers. One of them is supposedly haunted by an 11-year old boy who fell off the bridge and drowned in the river. The woman told us a hundred interesting facts about the area and the houses, and then took questions. It went like this:

Q: How did the boy drown?
A: Er, he fell in. Any questions about the houses? (hands go up)
Q: Did the boys parents know he was at the bridge?
A: I don't know, it happened about 80 years ago. Any questions about the animals in the area? (hands up)
Q: Did the boy know how to swim?

You get the picture. LOL. Not one question in 20 minutes about anything but the drowned boy. The poor park ranger - she tried to keep a straight face through it all, but it wasn't easy. The rest of us parents were hiding smiles behind our hands. So you see, an awesome dam, powerfall water, interesting history, incredible wildlife, and all they care about is the ghost. :)

What is your favorite place to visit?

Have a Great Memorial Day Weekend!

2007-05-25T09:42:00.000-07:00

We'll be making the rounds this weekend, leaving flowers on the graves of family and friends laid to rest in the area. It's a nice way to remember folks, but also to remind the kids of their ancestors -- they'll hear the usual stories about the late loved ones and "care" just a little.

I wanted a "memorial" image for the blog and found a photo of the above tomb -- that of poet John Keats, who died at the age of 25 in Italy, where he went to nurse his consumption. He asked that the following words be carved on his tomb:

Here lies One Whose Name was writ in Water.

Since his work didn't gain popularity until after he died, he never knew that he'd be considered one of those most brilliant poets in history - definitely not a name writ in water.

Take a moment to remember and celebrate the lives of those who have passed on - people who have somehow impacted our own lives. We also say a special thank you to all the soldiers who have given their lives in service to our country.

Have a great weekend!

American Idol Finale

2007-05-24T08:32:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Jordin Sparks who won this year's American Idol! She's only 17, a fabulous singer, and happens to be good friends with our local drive-thru coffee girl (barista). We adore Blake too - so good luck to him. They'll both end up with record contracts, no doubt.

I know a lot of you would rather stick a fork in your eye than watch AI, but there was one performer on last night's show that you can't hate - Bette Midler made a guest appearance, singing Wind Beneath My Wings (the Youtube vid below). I have to say, I saw her in concert at a small opera house here in town, and it was truly the best event I've ever attended. She was DIVINE. LOVE HER.

What's in a Cover?

2007-05-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

I'm blogging today over at Deadline Divas - come and join us in a discussion about romance book covers!

Movie Reviews

2007-05-20T07:52:00.000-07:00

This weekend dh and I had a rare treat - no kids! Unfortunately, dh had to finish his thesis project, so we couldn't go anywhere or do anything. Except . . .

I rented a few movies. There were movies on TV. It was a chick flick marathon!

Movie#1 - Music and Lyrics was a FUN movie. I like Drew Barrymore, and Hugh Grant was endearing as the has-been pop star - even dh said you can't help but like the guy. The reenactment of an 80's MTV video was hilarious, and I could definitely relate to the maturing group of women. LOL. Their romance was sweet. I'll give it an A- (though I was tempted to give it a B+ because the MTV song got stuck in my head. LOL).

Movie#2 - How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days with Matthew McCutie and Kate Hudson. This was on TV, I've seen it before, and it had some funny moments, some sweet interactions between the hero and heroine, but like the first time I saw it, I didn't care for the games and the lies between them. I'll give it a C+.

Movie#3 - Sweet Home Alabama with Reese Witherspoon and Josh Lucas - another replay on TV. I really like this movie and give it a B+ (it would've received an A- except that I hated seeing Patrick Dempsey (McDreamy) as merely an impediment to true love. His character was too wonderful.).

Movie#4 - Catch and Release with Jennifer Garner and Timothy Olyphant (the sheriff on Deadwood). This was not a romantic comedy as I originally thought, but it does have romance, and I liked it. A lot. It was one of the stories that show life is not black and white - it isn't always neat, but that doesn't mean it's not beautiful. The secondary cast was wonderful, including Juliette Lewis. I'm giving this one an A-.

Seen any good movies lately? Any you'd like to see?

Just Do It!

2007-05-15T06:29:00.000-07:00

I've been blog-lame again, but mostly because I've been overwhelmed this last week with real life stuff.

So, I sat down this morning with the intention of replacing my anniversary post with something more interesting, and my PC is making a noise.

It sounds like a very loud (and slightly sick) motor boat trolling for a good fishing spot.

Crap, thought I. I haven't backed up in SO long. Our business files are on this computer (those would be the worst thing to lose), along with much of my writing. I whipped out a CD, opened the RecordNow software, and went to work. I still have more to go, but hopefully soon, I'll have a good backup.

RUN, don't walk, to grab a CD, diskette, whatever, and back up your system! Especially your stories!

Happy Tuesday. Any plans today?

Happy 15th Anniversary, Chris!

2007-05-09T08:15:00.000-07:00

No Thanks, No Snakes!

2007-05-06T11:11:00.000-07:00

My son has been on a campaign to get me to allow him a pet snake.

Um . . . NO.

He brings home books galore and recites every interesting fact about them from their reticulated skins to their eating habits.

Son: Pleeeease, Mom.

Me: NO, I don't want to lay in bed at night knowing that in the next room over, a large snake is engulfing a rat or a little bunny. (See previous post about me being a wimp.) I also hate the thought of it getting loose in my house.

Son: But Mom, only XX number of snakes are actually poisonous!

Me: NO.

Son next day: But Mom, they can't wind themselves up your legs because your skin is too smooth and they couldn't maintain a grip. (Obviously, he hasn't seen how hairy my legs get when I don't shave).

Me: NO.

Son next week: But Mom, they're important in nature to keep the rodent population down.

Me: That's where they need to stay. In NATURE. I'm fine with them being out there.

I did let him have the lizard, which after going to the pet store for crickets to feed him cost $83.11 in crickets, cricets cage, cricket tubes to coat the crickets in calcium powder, etc. I nearly had heart failure at the cash register. If a small lizard costs that much, how much would it cost to keep a snake in rats and rabbits? *shiver*

Have you ever had creepy pets in your home?

The Seven Year Itch

2007-05-03T07:50:00.000-07:00

Not the proverbial marital itch, but I've heard that we go through cycles of reinvention in our lives.

For instance, at the RWAOnline boards, the monthly discussion topic asks people about their life and job experiences, so that writers might use each other as research resources. There seems to be a pattern in the revealing.

For years, I worked as a grunt worker with little ambition. Then I changed and went through a cycle of ambition in both my work and wanting to acquire "stuff." I wanted nicer clothes, a cool car (which for me was a new SAAB because I'm dorky that way), and eventually, a home to call my own. Then I re-incarnated into a "mom." Pure and simple without any other life things calling to me. After several years of that, I was drawn back to school where I studied something entirely different from my years of employment. Now, I want to write. And read. And listen to stories. And if I had the money, I'd publish books or make audio books. I still do the mom thing, but as the kids grow more independent, so do I -- again. Maybe in the next decade, I'll have an urge to join the circus. :)

Have you seen patterns - maybe every 7 years - of change in what you want from life? Some of you are too young to have a long history of this, but it's like moving from one season to another - do you feel that change?

I'm a Wimp

2007-04-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

Three pieces of evidence that I'm a super wimp (or my writer's imagination needs to be reined in):

Don't be surprised if I announce next week that I've become a vegetarian. I love meat - the dishes, the flavor, and the undeniable protein that it gives you. But, if I think about where it comes from for even a second, my appetite is ruined.

Yesterday, my son got a little lizard as a pet, and he's feeding it beetles. All I can think about is how painful it is for the beetle to be eaten, and how my son's friend caught the lizard in his yard for my son, and how the lizard probably had a family who is missing him and whom he's missing.

Then, I took my son's friend home and we saw a groundhog slipping into a hole in his neighbor's yard. He said that the owner offered to pay him to shoot the groundhogs since their horses are stepping in the holes. So, I started thinking about the groundhog families under the ground and how that will be a nightmare for them as their loved ones are shot for peaking their heads above ground.

Is this not all ridiculous? Do you ever waste your time empathizing with creatures smaller than your pinky finger?

The Real You?

2007-04-24T06:44:00.000-07:00

The Part of You That No One Sees

You are balanced, peaceful, and sincere.

You're the type of person who goes along to get along.

And you're definitely afraid of rocking the boat.

Underneath it all, you fear your world falling apart.

You'll put up with a situation that you don't like in fear of changing it.

Disruptive and forceful people intimidate you - and sometimes exploit you.

What's the Part of You That No One Sees?

Philosophy Before Dozing

2007-04-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

Rene Descartes wrote, "I think therefore I am."

When I programmed years ago, I had a comic strip taped to my computer. It had a PC dancing on the desk saying, "I think therefore I am. I AM. Alive with light and love and happiness!" Then the plug came out of the wall it it fell over. LOL.
In a way though, it's all about attitude while we're here - before our plug slips from the outlet. I've been thinking about that a lot. There's something to this power of positive thinking thing.

I've also been thinking about fate. If we don't get a job or our writing doesn't sell, is it because we're meant to do something else? At the time we might find these things horribly painful, but perhaps in the long run we'll be happier with alternative road. Do you believe in predestination? OR, if we work hard enough, can we accomplish anything?

I'm going to cop out and say that I believe in both ideas -- at least in democracies where people have the freedom to choose. If we work hard, we CAN realize our dreams. But also, some of the best moments of my life have opened up to me because a door closed somewhere else - I believe those things were fated.

I guess I should go to bed before I start quoting Plato. *snort* But tell me what you think about hard work versus predestination. Oh and how was your weekend? :)

Dreams!

2007-04-19T06:59:00.000-07:00

My friend Kim Amburn's DREAMS is out! I started reading it this morning and so far it's terrific. So go buy it everyone! It's available for download here:

http://www.triskelionpublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=1620

Join us tonight at The Knight Agency!

2007-04-18T07:21:00.000-07:00

Come one, come all! RWAOnline authors of paranormal/fantasy/futuristic will be featured in a special chat tonight in The Knight Agency's chatroom. Everyone's welcome to come and ask questions of the authors about their work or the subgenre.

Deidre Knight, successful agent and author, will herself be answering questions!

The chat is tonight - Wednesday, April 18th at 9pm EST. So come and join the fun and invite your friends! The following link will take you there:

http://client1.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=115545

DRIVE

2007-04-16T07:50:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad I remembered to watch the premiere of DRIVE last night. I wondered how hours of watching people drive in their cars could remain interesting, but it really is full of action. Also, the story, while about the race, is more about the people involved. You get the sense that every driver/partner has a secret, something in their past - a reason for being selected.

It's action wrapped in mystery, and the different characters are terrific. Nathan Fillion is awesome as Tully, a supposed landscaper whose wife was kidnapped. Like Firefly's Mal, he is a hard-ass with a dry sense of humor. The pilot continues tonight, in case you missed it last night.

I'll Try Anything . . .

2007-04-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

From Charmed ~

Spell To See A Muse:

'Being of creativity, show yourself now to me, your light which shines upon our face, let our vision now embrace'

To Track a Muse:

'Being of creativity, we call ourselfs now to thee, your light now darkened in a ring, shall fell the power of three we bring'

To Hide a Muse:

'Being of creativity, hide yourself now from me, your light that shines upon our face, from our vision now erase'

** Now why would I want to hide my muse? Clearly, based on this blog, I'm just too damn creative and need to tone it down. *snort*

I WILL write today. What goals are in your immediate future?

Spring Break Blues

2007-04-06T08:48:00.000-07:00

Blues. As in music.

You know the kids are getting bored on their Spring break when they've learned to play Amazing Grace on the plastic flexi straws from their water bottles. There was even a discussion of a YouTube video.

It might be time for them to go back to school. I'm just sayin'.

Weekend plans, anyone?

Topsy Turvey

2007-04-02T08:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, here's the deal. My kids are getting along and it's scaring me.

Are they plotting against me?

Why else would they be in constant companionship these last few days without yelling, hitting, blaming "it was her/him!" and claiming "it wasn't me!"? (okay, maybe a couple of moments like that, but barely any).

Surely they can't . . . LIKE each other. *gasp!*

Nope. That would be unheard of. It must be a "them" against "the old folks" conspiracy. Nothing else makes sense. I'm going into defense mode now.

How was your weekend everyone?

Grey's Anatomy/House Parody

2007-03-28T18:36:00.000-07:00

Hey, everyone! What's the weather like in your neck of the woods?

Two of Five

2007-03-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Perhaps another day, I'll post the other three cats (anyone allergic?), as well as the two dogs, fish, and hermit crab named Goose. But for today, I introduce to you O'Malley (the cow-looking dude) and Pumpkin (the orange tabby). I think they're Honey's kitties' long lost relatives.

What do you all have planned for today?

Cubicle Wars

2007-03-26T09:42:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, two local Gonzaga University grads, Joe Bereta and Luke Barats, created fun webs videos such as the one below called Cubicle Wars. (Honey first told me about them when they made a mother's day video). Their different acts have become so popular, they're now making a pilot for NBC called "This is Cul-de-Sac." Go Spokane boys!!! What do you think about the YouTube craze?

Visions of Vacation . . .

2007-03-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

Once in awhile, I develop wanderlust that I can't seem to shake. The other night, I googled different U.S. spots where we might travel for our summer vacation. For instance, I thought it might be nice to take the kids to see the Grand Canyon.

I also checked out cruises, because my MIL suggested that dh and I should take a trip like that together. The cruises to Mexico looked cool. The Carribean cruises were nice too - the most affordable. But, I would really love to go on one of those Mediterranean cruises to Spain, Italy, and Greece (with maybe a stop in Monte Carlo so I could win enough to pay for the trip). It would take seven glorious days, after which time I would sport a lovely tan.

Then finally, for the creme de la creme, I looked up The Orient Express. Dh and I think taking this train across Europe would be completely awesome. You can start in London and go all the way to Rome if you like, stopping in cities like Paris and Vienna. You can build your own trip -- such as from Paris to Instanbul. It would be, for me, the ultimate trip (though I would like to go to Machu Picchu sometime).

How much does the jaunt we want to take on the Orient Express cost? A mere $7,000 or so. No worries. I'll just sell my first born child.

Now that the reality of how much it costs to "see the world" has set in, we're back to looking in our own backyard for a cool vacation. A trip across country, a cabin at the lake for a week -- it's all good.

Where would your dream vacation take you to?

In the Mood to Write?

2007-03-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

Today, I'm blogging over at the Deadline Divas. I'm curious to know how your mood effects your writing. Come over and discuss!

The Look of Evil

2007-03-15T07:23:00.001-07:00

A dieting person shouldn't remember the kids' easter candy hidden in the trunk of her car. She shouldn't tiptoe out there in her white socks, stepping in puddles and making the dogs bark. She shouldn't take all of the chocolate creme-filled eggs -- and caramel too -- and eat them one after another. Not good for the diet. Not at all.

They're evil.

How's it going for you today?

Oops

2007-03-12T09:51:00.000-07:00

Over at Deadline Divas today, Kait asked if we remembered to change our clocks for daylight savings time. The answer is a resounding NO.

Yesterday was my brother-in-law's big birthday dinner at a fancy restaurant in town. We were all looking forward to celebrating with him since we don't see that side of the family often enough. Anyway, we showed up in our fanciest finest to find them all eating already. We quickly figured out that we were not on time but an hour late because we'd forgotten about the time change. We felt like FOOLS.

What is the worst social blunder you've made like that?

What goes on in June?

2007-03-10T08:32:00.000-08:00

It's just occurred to me that there are more birthdays in March than I've seen in months. Happy birthday to Honey, my step-dad, my late FIL, my son's friends Connor and Taylor, my BIL Tom, my friends Anne and Wendy, and my daughter Roxie (ooh - I should probably plan something for her, huh?).

So . . . what in the heck goes on in June? Weddings, or rather wedding nights? Or is it July? Perhaps Independence Day - people are feeling liberated.

What do you think? Do you know anyone with a March birthday. If so, feel free to wish them a Happy Birthday here. :)

Blog-Tripping

2007-03-06T18:58:00.000-08:00

Tonight I went blog-tripping, visiting places I haven't been for awhile. I decided to share a couple of neat blogs (yes, I'm blog-challenged again, but they are neat sites).

One of my all-time favorite authors, Jenny Crusie, talks about writing positive goals vs. negative goals for her characters and shares a lovely scene from her WIP. You won't regret taking a few minutes to read her post.

Awhile back, I discovered a blogger/writer whose voice I love. Her name is Buffy, and she's a most interesting individual -- I found myself reading all of her back blog posts, as well as excerpts from some of her work.

Finally, though not a blog, my son, who's found his musical feet lately, discovered this YouTube video -- he's listened to it a lot. See, when he and my daughter were little, I played this song often for them and I'd ask, "Who's the composer?" and "What's the song?" They always answered, "Canon in D by Pachelbel" (they remembered the composer by rhyming it with Taco Bell). This very different rock version isn't bad. Actually...it's freaking amazing!

Shiny!

2007-03-01T20:55:00.000-08:00

Hey, there's going to be a familiar face for some of us starting this month on Fox TV!

Nathan Fillion (aka Capt. Mal Reynolds) has been reunited with "Firefly" scribe Tim Minear to star in Fox's mid-season replacement "Drive", which debuts in March '07. The premise is SO interesting -- read more about it here. I for one plan to jump on board -- can't miss Mal as he races for his life.

And speaking of Fox, is anyone following American Idol? Yes...we're the cornball family. *snort*

Teacher Humor

2007-02-28T12:22:00.000-08:00

Dh teaches at one of the local universities -- he just forwarded this link to me. Check it out, it's pretty funny reading -- students' responses on different exams. Clearly, they're rebels like Lillian. LOL.

Worth Mentioning . . .

2007-02-26T22:07:00.000-08:00

Tonight, my son announced:

When I grow up, I'm going to have pet kids.

LOLOL. My husband and I cracked up.

Also tonight, my alma mater won 1st place in the WCC conference. For those of you who might follow basketball, Gonzaga beat USD and is now assured a place at the big show -- March Madness NCAA playoffs. Yay! GO ZAGS!

In further news, at the National Governors' Association meeting today in Washington, DC, California Governor Schwarzenegger teamed up with governors from our state (Washington), Oregon, and New Mexico, to reduce greenhouse gases. Yay again!

That's all. Happy Tuesday. Any plans today?

Dh says I need REHAB

2007-02-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

A rehab center for chocolate that is . . .

See, the whole family -- including my mom who is visiting this week -- went to an event at the middle school last night. As we're walking in talking to another family, the other Dad looks uncomfortable, turns red, and then finally clears his throat and says to me . . .

"Excuse me, but you have a candy bar wrapper stuck to your butt."

Yep. Time to start that diet and exercise program I have planned. The good news is, Mom and I both have things like this happen to us on a regular basis, so we've learned to laugh about it or we'd have to crawl in a hole and hide from the world. This will be laugh-fodder for days to come.

Hell in a Handbasket

2007-02-12T06:43:00.000-08:00

Haven't we all heard that the world's going to hell in a handbasket? Especially where the youth are concerned?

Saturday, I spent the day at "Super Saturday" which is an event where kids from all over the region get together and meet instant challenges that we give them. It's sort of a cross between Beat The Clock (if you're old enough to remember that) and improv skits. The age groups were from 4th grade to 12th (my daughter's group is 6th grade). The kids work as teams and are judged on their team work, creativity, and success in the challenge.

I'm here to tell you that the world might be going to hell in a handbasket, but there are still some awesome kids in this world -- smart, creative, funny, full of energy, and damn nice.

It gives me hope. Really does. Have you had an opportunity to spend time with any of the kids getting ready to make their mark on the world?

Cars and Guns

2007-02-04T09:55:00.000-08:00

While driving down the road yesterday through the small little town where I live, my car's engine just went quiet and the car started floating instead of, well, driving. I quickly steered it into the nearest parking lot (we have 4 to choose from--feed store, post office, gas station, and gun store) and it came to a halt. Dead. Thank God it hadn't happened a few minutes earlier when I'd been on the highway. Enough about the damn car.

I took my 9 year old son inside the gun store, aka car magnet, to apologize for my car stuck in their lot, and got a whole lot more than expected. The store is apparently a hang out for gun connoisseurs -- there were five folks in there to entertain us.

Right off the bat, my son, with eyes as large as dinner plates, looks around at the many guns -- from hand guns and hunting rifles to AK47's -- and announces he's never seen a real gun before. Gee. Shucks. He was immediately steered to an impressive package that include a Red Ryder BB gun and all the accessories, including the bb's which can leave scars in your lower back (yes, I have one from my childhood).

I tried to explain that we don't own any guns, what with small kids, one of whom would surely find and shoot the gun the very first day, regardless of security measures -- the very kid gazing at the Red Ryder with lust in his young eyes. Now, I say, it's not that I'm against guns. My family in Michigan hunts and always had those sorts of guns around..but we don't hunt and we have KIDS around.

"Hmm," they seem to silently accuse "a bleeding heart liberal gun-shunner." Not far off the mark.

So, what does the very crafty, clever man do? He shows me the most beautiful 1850's flintlock dueling pistol -- just like what I'd researched for my Crimean War story! Suddenly, I had lust in my eyes. Then, just to make sure he drew me over to the dark side, he produces from the deep secret bowels of the store, an old eetsy beetsy Lady Derringer's pearl-handled Colt derringer. in its original felt-lined white box (with a picture of a lady on the lid).

OH. MY. GOD. I want that cute little gun. I could never shoot anyone. I wouldn't want the bullets or anything. But it was so CUTE. Am I sick and wrong?

Then dh showed up and shattered the moment, announced the car is in bad shape and will cost a freaking fortune to get repaired, and we moseyed on to our still gun-free home.

Name Tag, har har

2007-02-02T09:14:00.000-08:00

Thank you Mel for the fun tag. It's all in the name:

1. YOUR REAL NAME:

Ellen (Endres) Peters

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first three letters of your name, plus izzle)

Ellizzle

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three of your last)

Epet (sounds like an online pet)

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (fav color and fav animal)

Green Dog (yikes!)

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, Street you live on):

Marie Charles (not bad!)

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name, first 3 letters of mom’s maiden name)

Petelhus (hmm...sounds German)

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (favorite color, favorite drink)

Green Martini (now there's a crime fighter)

8. YOUR IRAQI NAME: (2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your last name, any letter of your middle name, 2nd letter of your moms maiden name, 3rd letter of your dad’s middle name, 1st letter of a sibling’s first name, last letter of your moms middle name)

Mel skipped this one -- I agree.

9. YOUR STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/body spray)

How about my newest lotion: Sweet Pea :)

10. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother & father’s middle name)

Anne James

I noticed Wolfie (K) and Lucy were already tagged, and K nailed Aura, Honey, and Pam T., so I'll tag Lillian, Marly, and Kim. *muwhahaha*

Ratty Cats

2007-01-30T12:17:00.000-08:00

I'm looking at my pack of four indoor cats gathered around the basement door waiting for daughter to come upstairs -- why she's down there, I'm not sure. She's supposed to be sick in bed.

Anyway, the cats remind me of a pack of rats. It's creeping me out.

The other night, I dreamt that I started a new job, and the woman who was training me said, "We have a bunch of rats who run around on the floor, but just ignore them."

Me: "What? Ignore rats running around, testing my trousers for climbing grip? Are you nuts?"

Training lady: "Really, they're fine. We've even named them."

So I tried to work, but my eyes darted continuously to the floor looking for rats, terror building in me.

Then I awoke abruptly to find the four ratty cats laying on the bed around my feet. Coincidence? I think not.

Do you ever feel like animals take over your home?

Hometown Pride

2007-01-27T08:34:00.000-08:00

It may be too late for you to catch much of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but there are still some final competitions today (Saturday) on NBC and the ceremonial stuff tomorrow. Also, ESPN will rebroadcast parts of it over the next couple of months.

The big story for us is that our humble town of Spokane, WA is hosting this event and we broke records for number of ticket sales -- more than the record holder, Los Angeles! All over town, businesses from retail stores to bars are celebrating the skaters coming to our city. Our downtown skywalk windows are painted with scenes of figure skaters. The local news features recaps of the event.

It's pretty exciting stuff around these parts -- not since the World's Fair in the 1970's (the legacy of which left us with a beautiful downtown and riverfront park) has there been such hoopla. In case you're thinking "Oh, the place with all the rain," we're nowhere near Seattle, but on the opposite side of the state -- almost to the Idaho border.

Every skater I've heard interviewed so far has mentioned the incredible Spokane audience and warm welcome they've received. Well-known Olympic ice dancer, Tanith Belbin, said that Spokane's like a little olympic village -- everyone involved. She said that it's been a great place to skate.

Considering it could've gone the other way, we're proud to have satisfied the skating community, and pleased that we're putting on a good face for the rest of the U.S. who might be watching the event.

Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks

2007-01-25T09:48:00.000-08:00

Confession: I do too much for my kids.

You might think this is a good thing, but I'm learning that it isn't always the best thing.

I've battled the morning prep-for-school thing with the kids for years. I've prodded them, supplied their clothes, made their breakfast, and practically followed them out the door with a stop watch: You have 30 seconds until the bus comes! And for years, they've dragged and dawdled and sometimes miss the bus. If not, they're often running frantically to catch it. And they get mad at me for "hounding" them.

Eye opener#1: Starting this year, daughter (age 11) has to catch the bus at 7:00 a.m., which means she gets up before the birds do. She asked me to leave her alone and let her get herself going. I have. She does. It's freaking amazing!

Eye opener#2: Boy (age 9) and I went rounds over this topic recently, and he also asked me to basically back off. "Fine," I say, willing to try anything different. Last night he laid out the clothes he'd wear today, put the bowl and spoon and box of cereal at the table in preperation for the morning, put his backpack by the backdoor, and wrote notes in every room he occupies telling himself to stay focused and do whichever duty was for that room. He got up this a.m., took a shower, got dressed, ate breakfast, brushed his teeth, and was ready to go on time. Freaking amazing again!

Lesson: If you allow the kids to own the responsibility, they'll live up to it. It's so hard for me to step back and cut the cord, so to speak. They're my babies, you know? But I see now that it's for the best and probably long overdue.

Have you learned any life lessions lately?

Dark Topic

2007-01-22T08:24:00.000-08:00

Literally dark.

My husband recently expressed an interest in seeing The Da Vinci Code, which if you knew him, you'd know what a rare occassion this is. He doesn't care for movies, except for old ones (like Casablanca). He usually watches them looking more pained than he did after he had a root canal. Seriously...it's a drag.

So, I raced out and rented the Da Vinci Code and waited for the perfect moment -- during a weekend day when he could afford to take a few hours off, he's awake enough to last the whole show, and my son, who is a major distraction while trying to watch anything, is at a friend's house.

The movie was too dark. It really was hard to see who was who and what was happening. I've read the book and seen the movie on the big screen, so for me it wasn't as much of a problem. But he gave it five maybe ten minutes, announced "It's too dark -- I'm not going to struggle to watch it." Then he went into the other room to watch football on the little TV. Argh!

Why do they make movies so dark? We tried to watch Superman Returns the other night and had the same problem. It was a strain to see. I realize they're trying to set a certain ominous ambiance, but it's ridiculous. I don't think it's our TV, because other things aren't dark.

I know this isn't world hunger or anything, as far as topics go. (In fact, I've been itching to blog about war and 2008 election politics lately (have a few drafts), but I know it's a bad idea since I don't want my blog to alienate or rile anyone.) So...for now I'll stick with the mundane. Does the dark picture irriate you? Do you have any other movie/TV pet peeves?

Spiders on Drugs

2007-01-18T09:57:00.000-08:00

I'm totally stealing this from Lillian Feisty's blog yesterday -- thanks Feisty!

It's hilarious (or at least my sick and twisted mind finds it so). If you have dial-up, it might take awhile. Dh plans to show it to his students at the college. I only hope he has a job tomorrow. LOL.

Be sure to turn up the volume.

Genius At Work

2007-01-15T12:20:00.000-08:00

Last night, I watched The Devil Wears Prada for the second time, and yep...I'd remembered correctly how absolutely brilliant Meryl Streep is in this movie.

I first saw her in The Deer Hunter, which is a good but disturbing movie that I hope to never watch again. She was in Kramer v. Kramer -- pretty good. Then Sophie's Choice, which is another extremely disturbing movie, but her acting is -- again -- so brilliant. That one, I would probably watch again just to see her work. Other movies include: Silkwood, Out of Africa, The Bridges of Madison County, and many more.

I think she'll go down in movie history as the Grand Dame -- the best actress of all time. And I figured she was worth a blog post. :)

I'm not talking "celebrities" here, but whom do you admire for their acting talent?

My Own Poem

2007-01-12T09:29:00.001-08:00

Snow blows.

Power goes.

Frozen toes.

Kristen knows.

Well, it isn't Robert Frost, but it aptly describes our little neck of the woods after a ton of snow dropped down on us and temps hover around zero, falling lower at night. Yep. It's a cold spell, but tolerable if there's power to heat the house. Therein lies the annoyance today -- it's up and down like a yo-yo. The power company is working on it though.

The good news is that dh's work laptop has a battery pack, so I'm able to do a bit of internet stuff (when the wireless box isn't knocked out by the outages) and will able to write and clean today. Yay!

What's the weather like where you live? If you're east coast, you're bound to get this white stuff soon. Any good weekend plans?

Lazy Musings

2007-01-07T16:25:00.000-08:00

Today has been gray and lazy. It put me in the mood for some poetry, which I've been reading this afternoon. I thought I'd share one of my favorite poems with you.

The Waking

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.

We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.

Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me; so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.

This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.

-- Theodore Roethke

Blog-challenged

2007-01-05T07:55:00.000-08:00

Definitely challenged. I haven't been able to think of a thing to blog lately.

The only thing I can think of this morning is that we're a strange society of beings because we are obsessed with celebrities. Why is that? My friend, Honey, has made a resolution to avoid celebrity gossip. I never used to care about that stuff, and still don't. Yet, when I get my email, there it is on the server screen. Taunting me. News about Lindsey and AA. Did Kate and Owen split? How is Reese after filing for divorce? Is Jen really calling Brad?

Have people always been obsessed with celebs? Or did it used to be royalty, like it still is in England and Monaco? Did the Egyptians delight in seeing papyrus drawings of Cleopatra's scantily-clad body? Were they simultaneously upset and intrigued when she and Marc Antony fought? Were people scandalized when Charles II took up with Nellie?

Is it just entertainment like watching TV? Or do we feel better about ourselves when we're witness to their lives unraveling into complete and utter disaster? Maybe it's life affirming -- like straining our necks to see bodies loaded into an amulance while passing a bad accident. Either way, I need to resolve to "look away."

Do you ever find yourself curious about celebs? Are you ever blog-challenged?

HEA Cafe

2007-01-03T08:27:00.000-08:00

RWAOnline published authors have opened the doors to The HEA Cafe. It's a new group blog that's open 24/7 -- dishing up everything from chatting to writing tips. Everyone's welcome. So come on by and sit a spell. Visit with the authors, read about their new releases, and leave comments -- they want to hear from you.

Coming up in January:

This week, authors with January releases discuss their books. Comments are welcome.
Jan 8-Jan 14 is "Ask a full-time author" questions and answers.
Jan 15-Jan 21 “How did you make your first sale?” and the subsequent journey.
Jan 22-Jan 31 What's in your writing bag? A virtual purse-dumping.

Thanks, Kim, for reminding me to announce this.

See you at the new HEA Cafe, everyone!

How we spent New Year's Eve

2007-01-02T08:20:00.000-08:00

So, anyone who doesn't currently have kids, here's the first thing about them. You will rarely ever go out for New Year's Eve again. At least, that's how it is with us. BUT! We had a lovely time.

I bought a bag of party favors -- hats, blowers, little bells, and leis (don't tell the kids, but I hid the confetti).

At 9:00 pm or time (pacific std), we tuned into Fox in New York and watched the ball drop and celebrated. We blew our horns and clinked our champagne flutes (filled with sparkling cider) and gave each other kisses and a group hug. The kids banged pans and lids and all in all it was very noisy and the pets all hid.

I immediately went and laid down because I've had this "dizzy" problem the last few days.

At 12:00 midnight our time, the kids hauled me up for another round of blow the horns and bang the pans. We kissed again and the town across the river shot off fireworks. And the pets hid.

I had a blast! I'm not sure when I turned into an old fart, but I really enjoyed spending Christmas with dh and the kids. And I didn't have to deal with a hangover in the a.m.

How did you spend your New Year's Eve?

Hepburn and Tracy

2006-12-29T18:56:00.000-08:00

Today, dh and I watched Adam's Rib for the ?? time (double digits at least). I started thinking about dynamic couples, and what makes them so. What was it about Hepburn and Tracy that created such a spark -- both on and off the screen?

Well, in the nine movies that Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy made together, there was always a power struggle. In Woman of the Year, Hepburn's character's career overshadowed Tracy's. Then there was the hilarious Adam's Rib, where they squared off in court. He complaind that she wasn't his wife, she was a "competitor." Of course, the very thing that drove him nuts about her is what attracted him to her. Their relationship wouldn't grow stale because of that "edginess."

In Desk Set (which scares me because it looks just like the first place I worked with computers), his job threatened hers. More tension.

And in the lovely Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, the last movie Tracy made before dying, they played a married couple who loved each other deeply, but went head to head over whether or not their white daughter whould marry a black man (in the era when that was socially scorned).

Maybe their onscreen sparks flew because their relationship was so heated in real life. They definitely had something special. What do you think it was? Because, I want to bring some of that heat and tension to my hero and heroine. Some of that spark.

Do you have a favorite onscreen pairing? If so, what do you think makes them dynamic?

Merry Christmas to All!

2006-12-24T11:39:00.000-08:00

Have a safe and happy holiday everyone!

Bass Notes

2006-12-19T10:40:00.000-08:00

The electric bass is here. Dh talked son out of the upright bass, which he still might get (after he's grown a few inches). Amazingly, the new bass matches our cat, who we thought looked like a cow, but we now realize looks like a Fender Squier Bronco bass. Here's what it looks like:

We gave son's Christmas present to him early, because we wanted him to pick out his own instrument, with the idea he would appreciate it more. He'll get some other packages to open xmas morn, but this is the biggie.

So . . . in son's usual fashion (which is single-minded obsessiveness), he begs to take the new bass to his school's music class. The teacher agreed and dh took drove it down, along with a mini-amp from dh's band days.

Now, folks who have met my serious, professorly, computer geeky dh recently might have a hard time picturing him as a hippie in a rock and roll band, but he really was in a former life. He mostly played electric guitar, but did play bass for awhile and the upright bass in college (since music majors then weren't allowed the guitar as their instrument of choice).

Anyway, back to the music class...Son played Jingle Bells for the class, then said (according to a laughing dh), "Questions? Comments?" One kid raised his hand and said the bass was "cool." Another raised his hand and asked if son's Dad could play "Smoke On The Water." So he did. LOL! Dh was truly a good sport. Son's simply cute (in Mom's opinion).

Sidenote: I've been hearing dh downstairs after everyone's gone to sleep playing this cow looking item. I think he misses being in the band. :)

What instruments do you hear in your home? (Kristen -- I know you can list a few!)

Wii

2006-12-15T08:01:00.000-08:00

So . . . I'm standing in line at a gaming store the other day with a couple of new gamecube games for my son.

The line doesn't move. It's getting hot. My claustrophobia's kicking in.

"Er, excuse me. Why isn't the line moving?"

"This isn't a line," says the cheery man in front of me. "We're all waiting for the Wii."

"You're waiting to wee?"

"No. The Wii. See?" He points to a box that holds the new Nintendo Wii and a TV screen that has a Wii commercial so you can see how it all works.

Within moments, the whole line became animated as they explained to me what it was how and great it was and why they'd wait for many hot and nauseating hours to get one. Basically, it's more interactive. You move the hand controllers as if you were doing the action on the screen. So if it's bowling, you make the bowling motion with your arm and it rolls the ball on the screen. Likewise, if you're slicing off a warrior's head with a broadsword (this was in the store's commercial), you make that slicing motion with your arm. Isn't that sweet? Now, why people can't just go bowling or play tennis or whatever (well, except for decapitating people) in real life, I don't know.

But I have to say this, kids WILL get more exercise this way. Instead of sitting down for hours playing it, they're up and kicking their legs and swinging their arms. Just don't stand too close to them. And now they have wrist bands for the controllers because kids were throwing them through the televisions accidently.

Since then, my son's already brought it up once. I avoided talking about it with him. Oh, I suppose at some point he'll get it, but not this year. We're trying to move him into a musical instrument instead. Life can't be all about electronics.

Have you heard of the Wii? What do you think about it? I'm too old to have played these games when I was younger. Did you ever play them? What's your favorite?

Let's Talk about House (again)

2006-12-13T10:04:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't follow the show, just answer this question:

Would you rather be treated by a doctor who has a charming bedside manner, is competent, and will listen to your wants and needs. Or...by a doctor who is rude (calls a dwarf "Little Freak") but brilliant and will be more likely to diagnose you correctly?

On to the show...

David Morse is doing such a good job, because I officially HATE Detective Tritter. What he did to House last night, who finally swallowed his pride and took the deal, is beyond, well, ARGH. I'm very, very angry with that fellow. Here House helped that little girl even though nobody would give him the painkillers and Tritter had to go and do that.

What do you think of Wilson's betrayal? He seemed conflicted. Is he right? Does House need to hit bottom? His addiction was tearing their lives apart.

And what about Cameron? Is she finally growing a spine? I think I'm liking her better these days.

My favorite line from last night's show. House pointing to a nativity scene(to distract Wilson): "Look! There's baby Jesus. Call the Romans."

Of COURSE it sold for a bundle!

2006-12-10T12:59:00.000-08:00

If I'd won the lotto (or mega millions) which I fantasize about daily (I keep a list of how I'll spend/save/donate the winnings), I wouldn't have hesitated to buy the dress made so famous by Audrey in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Of course, to wear it, I'd have to super-diet.

The dress said "class." She was all class -- as Holly Golightly and even more so, as herself. I'm glad the money's going to charity -- she would've liked that.

If you won the lotto, what would you buy???

Here's the article about the dress from The All Movies Replica site:

The little black dress that helped launch AUDREY HEPBURN and made jewelry house Tiffany's a household name was sold for a staggering $807,000 Tuesday in London.
Christie's auction house auctioned off the famous GIVENCHY gown worn by Audrey as she gazed longingly into the windows of the New York diamond boutique in the 1961 film, 'Breakfast at Tiffany's.' Auctioneers were hoping to get $138,000 at most for the frock and were thrilled by the giant bid. Proceeds will benefit India's City of Joy Aid.

For those of you unfamiliar with her work, this collection would be fabulous. I'm putting it on my Christmas wish list:

Audrey, who became a fashion icon in movies like 'Roman Holiday' and 'Funny Face,' has been enjoying a renaissance of late. Thanks to those skinny pants ads for the Gap, she's been seen rocking out to music from AC/DC. (The footage of her dancing was taken from 'Funny Face.') And Paramount Home Video recently released the three-DVD Audrey Hepburn Collection, including 'Holiday,' 'Sabrina' and 'Tiffany's' ($29.99).

I found the collection for just $19.99 at Amazon.

Today's the big day!

2006-12-08T07:48:00.000-08:00

My short story Snow Angels was released today at The Wild Rose Press. It's a "sweet" holiday story about a woman facing Christmas alone one minute, then trying to decide between her handsome boss and the Boy Next Door the next. My corny nature (which apparently dominates my various personalities) came out while writing this one. :)

I couldn't do a better job announcing it than Kristen did at The Alphabet Girls blog. Thanks, K!

Happy Friday, everyone!

This Doesn't Happen in My House

2006-12-06T06:49:00.000-08:00

Daughter: Mooom! He's not sharing!

Son: Well, she wouldn't share with me yesterday!

(Screams of pain.)

Daughter: Mooom! He punched me!

Son: I did not! She shoved me!

Daughter: He punched me, kicked me, pulled my hair and bit me!

Son: She knocked me to the floor and stomped on my head!

(Mom enters room, arms folded, evil glare cutting into children's brain. They're both upright, hair unmussed, no bruises or cuts or blood.)

Mom: Both of you to your rooms now!

Multiple exorcist voices: It's not fair! It's his/her fault! I didn't do anything!

(Both kids stomp off to their separate rooms.)

10 minutes later . . .

Whispers floating down the stairs ~

Daughter: Psst, come in here. She won't hear us.

Son: Okay. Wanna play [insert name of next game they'll fight over]?

Daughter: Ooh, yea! We just need to be really quiet so she won't hear us. (Giggles and more giggles).

*sigh* Nope. This doesn't happen in my house.

Poor Kitty

2006-12-05T01:29:00.000-08:00

We took our eight year old kitty, Pumpkin, to the vet this afternoon, a result of a strange milky -- and as of today, bloody -- film over his eyes. Apparently, he has a rip-roaring infection that could be caused from many things, including feline leukemia or aids (which they ruled out). It could also be a simple infection from a cat fight or something, but we're still waiting to hear on another panel of tests (I hope and pray dh doesn't see the bill for this).

Anyway, we're administering two different ointments to his eyes (one antibiotic and another pain killer) and one oral antibiotic. We hope he's on the road to recovery and that it's not something bad.

On a lighter note, I couldn't stop chuckling because they took his blood pressure! Yep. They put a little itty bitty cuff around his leg and pumped it up. LOL! I don't know why, but I can't get the image out of my head. It's especially amusing because dh and I have been taking our blood pressure for the last few days, courtesy of some equipment my dad left behind on one of his visits. I guess kitties and humans aren't all that different when it comes down to it (to what? I don't know what that means, but you know what I mean. Right? LOL).

If I seem squirrely, it's Kristen's cat's fault. No. LOL. It's because it's 1:40 a.m. and I'm goofy-headed. How late can you stay up before you quit making sense?

Though this be madness, yet there is method in 't.

Good night, sweet prince. And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest! ...

New Releases!

2006-12-01T08:18:00.000-08:00

Today is a good day for two of my friends -- their stories were released at The Wild Rose Press and are available for download. Woohoo!

Read about/download The Promise by Marly Mathews here.

Read about/download The Cowboy Way by Vivienne Lorret here.

Congratulations, ladies! I look forward to reading your stories. :)

New Quiz

2006-11-30T13:38:00.000-08:00

A new quiz since the other wouldn't link up correctly . . .

Oh, and listen . . . before you read on, I have to say I'm very unhappy with my results. I've been lumped together with Britney Spears and HITLER. Yep. That's me. So, who will you resemble? LOL.

Your Inner Blood Type is Type A

You seem cool and collected, though a bit shy.
You are highly driven and a perfectionist, but that's a side you keep to yourself.
Creative and artistic, you are a very unique person who doesn't quite fit in.
People accept you more than you realize, seeing you as trustworthy and loyal.

You are most compatible with: A and AB

Famous Type A's: Britney Spears and Hilter

What's" Your Inner Blood Type?

Calculate Pi by Throwing Hot Dogs

2006-11-30T08:52:00.000-08:00

I'm serious. Here's the link (especially for my special geeky friend who shall remain nameless (Honey). She's pi-obsessed:

http://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Pi-by-Throwing-Frozen-Hot-Dogs

Holiday Tag!

2006-11-28T20:40:00.000-08:00

I was tagged by The Pam and Lillian Feisty for a holiday quiz. Thanks, ladies! This was fun.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate. Any chocolate. YUM.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrapped, unless they're big, like the tobaggen when we were kids, or my kids kitchen set.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Usually. *smooch*

5. When do you put your decorations up? 2-3 weeks before Christmas.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Er, chocolate yule log, of course.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? I think all my Christmas memories are from the same year -- I was about six. We got sleds, and I got an Easy Bake oven, a kid-size ironing board and broom (hey, times were different then) and golden books. I loved books even then. *sigh* Oh, and hand-knitted mittens and slippers.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Sorry, Dad, but I woke up (Eaton Hwy) and heard you and Mom talking down in the basement (I think you were watching the Johnny Cash show). Anyway, I tiptoed down the steps and saw you putting together a tricycle. I tricked myself into forgetting it for a few more years, then kids at St. Mikes told me while I was taking off my winter boots. Oh, the trauma!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We always let the kids -- we don't open any of ours.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? We have a eclectic collection of ornaments from cheap to very nice, most sentimental in some way. colored lights. red bows. no tinsel or garland. popcorn or cranberry strings or paper link chains if the kids do it.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love to look at it -- it's truly beautiful at times. Don't like being cold or driving on ice and snow. Like The Pam, I grew up in Michigan, which has harsher winters than here in eastern Washington.

12. Can you ice skate? I skated "just okay" when I was a kid. Not at all now.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I loved the above gifts too, but one year I got a fold-out large doll house with furniture, etc. I loved that best.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? I love two things: children's joy (because the non-religious part is for them) and midnight candlelight mass (to celebrate the spiritual reason for it).

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Hey, the chocolate yule log!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Playing holiday music while trimming the tree.

17. What tops your tree? An angel.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? O Holy Night. Patti LaBelle's version especially.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Too sweet, and not chocolate. :)

Let's see, Honey and Lucy were also tagged, and I'm sure one them will nail K, who will nail A, Feisty got Meg, so I'll tag Vivienne Lorret and Marly Mathews. Have fun!

Old Movies and Split Personalities

2006-11-26T10:20:00.000-08:00

This last weekend I've been watching corny old movies full of romance and singing and dancing. White Christmas was one and is dh's favorite. When they sing "Snow", he gets goosebumps. I get a bit verklempt at other parts of the movie too.

We also watched Easter Parade. Why they're playing that for Christmas season I don't know, but I NEVER pass up an opportunity to watch Fred Astaire dance. What a master!

So, I have a split personality. Ellen One could live and breathe corny old-fashioned movies and church and living in a small town -- never leaving her house except for groceries and an occasional night out. Like June Cleaver.

Ellen Two loves the Firefly series (((Mal))). She's a wild child who wants to move every couple of years. I keep trying to talk dh into moving to Europe, where we and our children could have amazing experiences. Dh has the opposite of my wanderlust: stayputlust. So, we'll stay put. I guess Ellen number two is Holly Golightly--my RWAonline avatar suddenly makes sense. :)

Lillian Fiesty probably thinks I'm nuts since she'll soon be going through moving hell. (The process of moving sucks, but the "newness" is cool, right?).

Are you ever torn between two opposing parts of your personality?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-22T12:29:00.000-08:00

May you enjoy your day, count your blessings, and reach out to those around you, loved ones and strangers alike. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

A Real Laugh Riot

2006-11-21T06:39:00.000-08:00

Okay, what kind of cuisine do you suppose we'll find here? ------>

Once again at a blog loss, I thought we could take a look at oh-so-funny things happening on our planet.

Only in Texas:

Sheriff Clint Low of Mason County hands out pink jumpsuits and slippers, paints the walls and bars pink as well as dyes the sheets pink, all in an effort to reduce repeat offenders and cut down on the vilonce in the jail. Reports repeat offenders down 70% and 0 fights since the revisions. Do men really hate pink this much? Should we apply this method to jails across the country?

In Vancouver, Jim Nelson attempting to reach "spiritual perfection" by fasting says the hell with it, breaks into condo and gorges himself on chilli, cream cheese and tortillas before passing out. Guess that fasting thing doesn't work.

Tracy Harper a British prostitute who took Matthew Bushell to court had the satisfaction of seeing him plead guilty and ordered to pay court costs after failing to pay for six hours of sex.

The Bestival music festival (Isle of Wight in the UK) had to change their circus theme after some ticket holders told them they had a phobia of clowns known as Coulrophobia.

You know . . . clowns really creep out my son. I didn't realize there was an actual phobia! Wow. What are your feelings on clowns?

Fun Contest!

2006-11-19T09:44:00.000-08:00

I don't often join contests since:

a) I usually don't win

b) I usually don't care about the prize

But Vivienne Lorret is having a contest at her blog and the prize is a cute cowboy-hat charm bracelet. She had the local jeweler make it specifically for her upcoming release The Cowboy Way.

Go play!

Weekend break...

2006-11-18T11:50:00.000-08:00

Boy, they tell a lot after three questions. *grin*

Your Personality Is

Idealist (NF)
You are a passionate, caring, and unique person.

You are good at expressing yourself and sharing your ideals.

You are the most compassionate of all types and connect with others easily.

Your heart tends to rule you. You can't make decisions without considering feelings.

You seek out other empathetic people to befriend.

Truth and authenticity matters in your friendships.

In love, you give everything you have to relationships. You fall in love easily.

At work, you crave personal expression and meaning in your career.

With others, you communicate well. You can spend all night talking with someone.

As far as your looks go, you've likely taken the time to develop your own personal style.

On weekends, you like to be with others. Charity work is also a favorite pastime of yours.

The Three Question Personality Test

Time Travel

2006-11-16T08:13:00.000-08:00

Last night I helped my daughter with a school project. The scoring will be mostly about grammar -- using dressups (adverbs, adjectives, prepositional phrases, etc), and learning to construct paragraphs into essay form. But the overall idea was this:

Imagine there was a group of kids stranded on a desert island and now it's fifty years later. Choose an invention (from the last 50 yrs) that they've never seen or heard of and try to explain it to them. Include the pros and cons, etc. She picked genetic cloning to save an extinct species -- which was actually quite interesting and a whole story of its own.

I started thinking (yikes!) about how many inventions there have been in the last 1/2 century. The world used to be so much simpler in so many ways. Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm insane for history. If I could do one magical thing, I would be to travel through time.

If you could time travel to one place and time, to where/when would you go? I need to think about this myself since there are so many. It's going to be hard to narrow it down to one.

Though, I must say, there's a certain charm to the period of chivalry. To be a lady with a loyal knight bowing at her feet... *sigh*

By the way, I posed for this painting. Just so you know. That's me. *snort*

House and other news...

2006-11-14T00:44:00.000-08:00

I love Tuesdays . . .

I don't know if any of you follow House, but for several episodes, our hero/anti-hero doctor meets his match in Detective Tritter, played by David Morse. The last couple of episodes have been great. Morse is such a phenomenal actor -- can't wait to see what he does next.

In other news, there is a new kind of pop-up book, and it ain't for kids, folks.

In the Pop-Up Book of Celebrity Meltdowns, you get to see Tom Cruise popping up from Oprah's couch, Russell Crowe throwing a phone (it boings out from the page).

It's sick and wrong. It made me laugh.

What made you laugh today?

It's The Best Day Ever...Not

2006-11-11T10:35:00.000-08:00

Seriously, if I have to hear Sponge Bob's "It's the best day eeeeever!" song one more time, I'm going to borrow one of my husband's ties and hang myself. There's some kind of movie marathon on. My son is obsessed. OBSESSED with Sponge Bob Square Pants. Hell, I like the little yellow guy too, but not 24/7. Where's that head banging into brick wall smiley when you need it?

What is everyone doing this weekend? Fun plans?

HELLO or FRIDAY AT THE MOVIES

2006-11-10T00:53:00.000-08:00

How on God's Green Earth did I miss this new movie? The Fountain.

Spanning over one thousand years, and three parallel stories, The Fountain is a story of love, death, spirituality, and the fragility of our existence in this world.

HUGH JACKMAN and Rachel Weisz star in this movie that looks more than intriguing from the little bit I've seen and read. It also stars Ellen Burstyn, whom I love. Oh, if you're Mel, please note photo #1, which rivals the Lost tongue. LOL.

In case you're wondering, I'm cheating on Gerard Bulter with Hugh. When I waxed romantic about Gerard, I'd forgotten that I'm about as faithful to the matinee idols as I am to my stories.

I first saw Hugh in a cute Australian movie called Paperback hero. He played a real macho guy who drove a semi, but secretly wrote romance novels. To avoid ridicule, he used his best friend (otherwise known as the girl he's secretly in love with) as a cover -- he wrote under her name. The problem is, he never told her until it was time to publicize the book. LOL. I wonder if I can get that on DVD.

I've seen him in several movies since then -- all good. I have NOT seen him as the claw-handed guy. K has. I believe she likes him in X-Men.

So, does anyone know anything about this new movie, The Fountain? Has anyone seen The Prestige, his other new release?

Are there any new movies out that you'd like to see, or can recommend?

Day in the News

2006-11-08T07:10:00.000-08:00

In New Mexico, two tribal policemen who went through the Burger King drive-thru received burgers laced with pot. Gives a whole new meaning to "Have it Your Way." Read here. I hate that King guy, by the way.

Also, in the news: studies have shown that jet-lagged mice die young. So, you might want to cut down on international travel.

More about the poor little critters.

Britney Spears finally dumps that Kevin Federline dude. Why do I care about this? I don't. I think he's a loser with a giant "L", and she's a mess. But at least now we might not have to hear about their dysfunctional lives anymore. Divorce news here.

And of course, there's the election news. But if you care, you're already following it. If you don't care, then read about pot-laced burgers, mice, and stupid celebrities instead.

In news from my house, I volunteer at daughter's middle school today, plan to write at least 5 pages, and can't wait to chat with AG friends tonight.

What's happening in YOUR life today?

Which Kind of Car Are You?

2006-11-07T09:30:00.000-08:00

I spent most of yesterday at the car dealership waiting for an auto repair that never came -- so I was given a loaner SUV to drive. This all got me thinking about cars...

I like our sedans okay -- they serve the purpose of a family of four (2 kids) and get decent gas mileage.

I liked the SUV -- being up high was fun, and I felt safe.

I like my mom's minivan -- fits lots of people.

But...the sedans are boring. The SUV and minivan felt like they'd roll over if I took a corner too fast. When I drove Dad's Chevy van as a teen, I launched it onto the yellow post at the bank's drive thru. You should've heard the teller yelling, "Turn your wheel to the LEFT" through the speaker. (Dad, you may not recall the yellow on brown paint, because Mark (old BF) used rubbing compound on it. LOL). Anyway, those big big vehicles don't hug the roads.

I once owned a Mustang -- and although it was one of those boxy ugly models, it was zippy and could take a curve quite nicely.

So...I'm a sports car.

At MSN online today, they show favorite sports cars:

Porsche 911 -- my personal favorite, and under 100K (which is still too much for me, but not out of this universe).

The Ferrari F430 -- which runs between $150K and $200K, thus putting it out of my universe. Isn't that yellow color fun?

The Astin Martin V12 Vanquish -- at about $250K. Aliens and Bill Gates drive this. Maybe it's my new personal favorite for when I win the Mega Millions.

Seriously, my dream car of all cars is probably a classic Thunderbird. They're way cool.

What would your pick be if you won the Mega Millions? What kind of car are you?

So Not Interesting . . .

2006-11-05T12:01:00.000-08:00

I was tagged by the very interesting Nic to list five interesting things about myself.

I am SO not interesting, but here are five things about me:

1. Let's address the jail rumor first. Once I thought about it, there were actually two such events. But neither were very bad. Really.

a) When I was 12 or 13, and friend and I snuck out in the middle of the night -- thus breaking curfew -- to perpetrate the heinous crime of hanging out in 7-11. Yep. It was bad.
b) At 13, a group of friends and I threw eggs at cars on Halloween (I didn't know then that the eggs can damage the cars' paint). It was dark. Didn't know it was a police car. We were all hauled off to jail (my friend had an egg left and thought she should hide the evidence -- rolled it under the driver's seat of the police car).
My parents describe their shock in coming the police station to spring their poor good Catholic girl daughter, just to hear me yelling through the police station "I HAVE RIGHTS!"

2. Speaking of GCG -- I was a good Catholic girl (recovering now) and seriously carried a rosary around when I was a kid, blessing people. Yes, while at St. Michael's elementary, I considered becoming a nun.

3. I was a 70's hard rock chick. I've seen Rush, REO, Nazareth, Styx, Journey, Cheap Trick, and other bands in concert several times. I could play air drums along with Neil Pert. I won't discuss other things I had in common with 70's hard rockers.

4. I once played pool with the three San Diego Padre pitchers: Goose Gossage, Tim Stoddard, and Andy Hawkins. I beat Tim and Andy, but lost to Goose when I scratched on the 8 ball.

5. I wanted to be a teacher, but have the worst case of stage-fright you've ever seen. When in front of a crowd, I get physically ill. I tremble, sweat, and stutter. It started in 3rd grade when all I had to say at the Christmas play was "I'm a cherry on top" with my hands arched over my head. I laughed insanely rather than saying my line. You'll soon find me wearing a librarian hat instead of teaching.

I can't remember how many people I'm supposed to tag, so I'll just do one. Sorry, K. *muwhahaha*

Celebrating Gerard, er, Beowulf

2006-11-02T07:30:00.000-08:00

This morning, I ordered the movie Beowulf and Grendel which is now available on dvd. Some of the reviews complained that the movie doesn't follow the epic tale closely enough, etc. I have read Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf, and sure, I would like to see the hero's journey, the symbolism that combined pagan and Christian traditions, the, the, oh hell -- I just want to see Gerard Butler as Beowulf.
I LOVE HIM.

As the Phantom of the Opera, he completely seduced me over to the darkside.

I've also seen him in Timeline (one of the few highpoints of the movie), and I understand he was good in Dear Frankie. I still need to watch the Lara Croft movie he's in, as well as catch him as "Dracula" in a UK version of that movie.

LOVE GERARD...

Is there anyone for whom you'd spend $20 at Amazon?