And Reading...

More Charlaine Harris. I am vastly amused. As soon as I finish the series, I'm going to read Side Jobs by Jim Butcher. It is calling me.

Surprise!

The Husband is home for the evening. We Rockbanded and have been working on laundry (his) so he's ready to go tomorrow bright and early. It is nice to have him around every now and again.

The cat wants to be fed so I'm off.

Happy Day of the Dead!

So Much Going On...And Not

So, the husband got a new job. And we will be moving ... to another part of the state which is totally fine with me. But now he's gone all the time, which is a bummer. But we have money, which is great. But I'm going to have to try and transfer, which sucks. But I don't necessarily need this job, which suits me just fine. But now I need to pack up stuff, which totally blows.

Highs and lows, as you can see.

Also, I'm reading the Sookie Stackhouse books. And I can't put them down. Totally recommend for entertainment purposes only.


Disclaimer: I bought the damn books, lay off. I don't get paid to mention this shit and either I buy, borrow or get from the library.

Books, 2010

23. Heart of Veridon by Tim Akers. Thumbs up. I can't wait to get a hold of the next in the series which will be The Horns of Ruin out in November.


Disclaimer: I don't get anything for these little blurbs, get over it. Books are my own or borrowed from various people or the library.

Much Watching Of Netflix

I've spent an impressive amount of time watching Anthony Bourdain. It's a good distraction from trying to find a place to live that doesn't suck.

A TON.

Like, windows that don't shut, holes in the walls, dirty cabinets and dishes left behind, yards filled with tires. And these are places run by property management companies. The other side of the coin is crappy places that charge way too much renting by individuals with the same problems. Nasty. I'm sure eventually I'll find something since the local college has had graduation so places will empty out.

Now to find a place that will take a cat. Shoot me now.

Oh, and books

21. Spellwright by Blake Charlton - Awesome, can't wait for the next one. Take a young man on a quest and make good stuff happen, twists, turns, and standing things on its head.

22. Soulless by Gail Carriger - Also teh AWESOME. Amelia Peabody gone paranormal. The second book, Changeless, is just as good with what I would consider a cliffhanger ending and I am stalking the book store for the third, which comes out in September. (Blameless) w00t! Brand new series to collect!

Books Post

17. Ecobeauty - Not too bad, I might track down a copy used.

18. Black Magic Sanction by Kim Harrison - Good stuff. I have got to pick up the books I'm missing in the series. There was one I didn't much like and it threw me off reading the rest of the series for a while, I'm glad I picked it back up again.

19. Black Ships by Jo Graham. The reviews I read on this book weren't very good, but I'd have to say they were wrong. I liked the take of history she used in the book, the point of view and all that good stuff.

20. The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag. I am fond of this series. It has an odd little charm that keeps me coming back to it. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

Books, 2010

13. The Blood King - Gail Z. Martin
14. Dark Haven - Gail Z. Martin
15. The Ages of Chaos - Marion Zimmer Bradley
16. Farm City - Novella Carpenter

Currently reading: The Fall of Neskaya by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Deborah J. Ross

Books, 2010

10. Liar by Justine Larbalestier
11. Stalking the Vampire by Mike Resnick
12. Julian by Gore Vidal

Working on a series now.

Books of 2010

9. The No Asshole Rule - Robert I. Sutton, PhD

The subtitle of this book is "Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't". Definitely it's one I wish I could give to my organization but that wouldn't think that it applied to them. I did get some good ideas on dealing, though.

How to handle the assholes I work with every day, how they affect the performance of others, how to try and keep the negativity in check, how to keep yourself from becoming one of them and why they have some good points.

Recommendation: Totally recommend it. Nonfiction goodness - 5 outta 5 stars or books or whatever.

Received: borrowed from library.

Books of 2010

8. Unseen Academicals - Terry Pratchett.

I love Pratchett's books and this one was as good as I expected. Only confusion I'm sure anyone will have is the U.S. vs. everyone else's idea of football. This was soccer, but more that soccer. It always seems that while there's humor and an obvious story, there's also an underlying truth about humankind floating thru the story too.

Anyway, awesomeness.

Contest Win - Old Faves

7. Stardoc - S. L. Viehl. I won a contest on her blog for a copy and since my originals are still packed away, I was really excited to see it show up in the mail Tuesday. And then I promptly stayed up until 4 in the morning reading it all over again.

Definitely recommending this to sci fi readers out there, Viehl writes a compelling character based story that grabs you and doesn't let go even after you've finished the last page. I have to go dig the rest of the series out of storage now.

PS - I read for fun, not profit and anything I put up here I've won, bought or checked out of the library. I don't get paid for saying I like or dislike something.

Books

2. The Dragon Book - ed. by Jack Dann and Gardner Dozois

I liked it. Lots of little short stories, some better than others. I liked Naomi Novik's short - it gave a little background story to her Temeraire world.

3. Leviathan - by Scott Westerfeld

I cannot wait to read the next one in the series. (Behemoth) Steampunk vs. Darwin science and it's fascinating. And I love the cover.

4, 5, and 6. These are by Megan Whalen Turner - The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, and The King of Attolia.

Got these as a recommend from the Book Smugglers and I am going to happily recommend to others. Fantastic storyline about a thief and what he's sent to steal and how that all works out. At least, that's the first book. :)

Nothing I didn't like in this batch, good books all around.

First Book of the Year

"The Mermaid's Madness" - by Jim C. Hines. Strong female characters, interesting twists. I'd definitely recommend to others. I'm looking forward to the next one about Little Red Riding Hood.

Torchwood

Not as good as the Doctor, actually.

Cold

It is very cold here. *Shake, shake, shiver* Brrrrr. Anyway, I'm trying to keep my hands warm typing. News in my world - went to visit the sisters, a concert and Powell's bookstore. Work is fantastically absurd. I'm still trying to find other jobs. Not that it's easy right now. I'm going to surf the net for job postings now. Wish me luck!

And Again

Work - it is strange. Now we are all good and friends. People are schizo.

Fat princess is in the background right now and Wire In the Blood is also. It's a good game and a good series. I've got all the Halloween cards and candy for the family ready to mail. The hubs need to sign stuff but mom's got her bag ready to go....except I want to put something in for the stepdaddy but he doesn't like chocolate and I can't find any halloween stuff he would like.

Meh, if I mention him in the card maybe that will be enough. (Crosses fingers.)

Ghost Hunters

Been watching all the Ghost Hunter episodes and Ghost Hunters International. Fascinating for the most part.

I've also been reading a lot. Since I don't really have anything else to do, or anyone to talk to, I've been doing space fillers. I'll post the books at a later date.

The season premiere of Criminal Minds was awesome and full of "eep" moments. And the new CSI was most excellent.

And the start of the new Amazing Race was tonight. Excellent.


I am so friggin' lonely.

That Voodoo That You Do

Take the Role-Playing Stereotype quiz.

Whole Lotta Nothin'

Well, almost. I've picked up about 9 hours a month (I think.) We'll see if that pans out. So, I'll keep looking. I'm going to try to get over to Home Depot some time this week and see if I can pick up an application. If I can't get a paper app., I'll get online and fill out one there.

In other news, the cat has been out on his lead and has been (pretty much) behaving. I'd like him to be more comfortable but he hasn't reached that level yet. Oh, and I've been watching a ton of Ghost Hunters. It's been fun, even if I have to have the lights on.

Anyway, reading Lev Grossman's "The Magicians" and so far so good. AND IN EXCITING NEWS - my first Subterranean Press book that my man bought for me showed up. w00t!

Books 30+

30. Lord of the Silent - Amelia Peabody series

31. The Golden One - Amelia Peabody series

32. He Shall Thunder In the Sky - Amelia Peabody series

33. Children Of The Storm - Amelia Peabody series. And I've got three more to get and I'm current. I like this series a lot. Good, strong characters both male and female. Good history, and not using the time period as a reason to be bigoted.

34. Digital Barbarism by Mark Helprin. I tried to read it. Multiple times. He's got important things to say and I caught several of his points but I'd have to say it was a pretty dry read.

35. Un Lun Dun by China Mieville. This I enjoyed quite a bit and it's going on my "recommend to others" list. To me, this had the same sort of flavor as some of Neil Gaiman's works but still something all it's own. I wish I had a rebrella.

36. The Shamer's Daughter by Lene Kaaberbol. I think this lost a little something in the translation. The story is solid, sound and rather boring. It isn't a long book but it took much longer than I expected to get through it.

So far, so good. The list is by no means everything I've read this year but is the ones I've remembered to write down (and not lose.)

Job Search

Still job searching. I've put in five applications in 3 weeks - no one hiring at the moment. If I don't hear from someone by the end of the week, I'll put in three more. I'm trying to space them out a bit.

I love my current job, actually. Books are my life. I love dealing with books and helping with questions and all that good stuff.

I hate my coworkers. With a passion. With the hot fiery passion of ten thousand suns. If that were the only thing required to utterly annihilate various people.

*poof*

Oh, yes.

Unnatural Castastrophes

It seems I'm plagued with bizarre home repair issues in my rental history. The water heater that rusted out and sent a slow puddle across the kitchen floor (yes, the water heater had pride of place in that kitchen right next to the sink), the gas heater that would never stay lit, the bathtub with no shower/faucet, bats in the shed attic, and our latest - some moron who cut thru the tile in the shower to insert a ceramic soap holder that fell out the other day because of improper workmanship.

And nearly took out the husband's foot, who was in the shower at the time. (Ladies, you all know how things like that go over.)

And can we find a replacement? Oh no. Have we come to the realization that the tiles are also shoddily glued on? Oh yes. Do we want to call the property manager? Definitely not. Her fix-it guy has to be seventy and as frail as a toothpick. And I have the sneaking suspicion he's of the class of gents that uses duct tape and superglue and calls it good. Not quality repair, in other words.

How do we get this weird stuff? Why can't it be something I can fix ON MY OWN? You know, door hinges, clogged drains, that kind of thing.

*sigh*

Time to surf the net for a soap holder.

Nagging Me

Myself is nagging me to sit down and write something. Anything. Just write. Take an idea and run. And instead?

I'm Cat Waxing.

And everything else but actually opening the word processor. I think I'm a bit intimidated by it all but the compulsion is getting harder and harder to ignore.

And That's the Last of It

No more moving stuff. That's the last of it. Thank the Gods. I don't think I could handle anything else. Anyway, even the boy has decided that we need to do a garage sale. Ya think?

Anyway, the shed's full, the small shed is full, the house is full. Good grief.

And I've been having a hilarious time watching the original Iron Chef. The subs are so funny. The husband is also eating up the bandwidth watching the Office.

Mmmm...rice. Gotta go now. Nom, nom, nom.

Hermes, Fair, Birthday

It's all good. This month I'm studying up on Hermes, making a moving trip to and from the mothership's, while I'm there I'll be hitting the fair and my birthday is also that week.

It is going to be interesting if nothing else. :) Unpaid vacation during inventory= I don't even mind I'm not getting paid because I've heard...stories. I'm glad to be gone.

Big Move, Round 2, FIGHT!

OMG. Another "you haul it yourself" truck with money I don't have to pick up stuff I have no room for. Oh god, what was I thinking? And it's bugger-all kinds of hot here, how's your weather?

Bunch of Books

24. The Snake, The Crocodile, and the Dog - Elizabeth Peters

25. The Last Camel Died at Noon - Elizabeth Peters

26. The Ape Who Guards the Balance - Elizabeth Peters

27. Seeing A Large Cat - Elizabeth Peters. The Amelia Peabody mysteries. Obviously, I'm really enjoying this series. I'll be picking up some more of them as soon as the next trip to the library comes up.

28. This Child Will Be Great - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Quite a good biography of Liberia's first female president. Even more appropriate considering the news the past couple of days. After reading her book I fail to understand why they are asking her to step down. She seemed to be quite open about her past, but I guess they felt it wasn't enough.

29. Drood - Dan Simmons. Interesting. Huge, but interesting.

Bump...a bunch of Books

Since I'm never really working much anymore, I've been taking advantage of the local library system.

12. The Language of Bees - Laurie R. King

13. The Clan Corporate - Charlie Stross

14. White Witch, Black Curse - Kim Harrison

15. Tangled Webs: a Black Jewels Novel - Anne Bishop. I love the Black Jewels books. They are high on my reread list. :)

16. The Hidden Family - Charlie Stross.

17. Death of a Bore : A Hamish Macbeth Mystery - M. C. Beaton. I'm enjoying the Hamish series on audiobook. These are definitely fun.

18. The Family Trade - Charlie Stross. Now I have to wait for the library to get the next one in the series.

19. Across the Face of the World - Russell Kirkpatrick. They only had the first one in the library. Waiting on that one too.

20. Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street: A Life of the World's First Consulting Detective - Baring-Gould. Fascinating "biography" of Mr. Holmes. Actually shelved in biography, too. :)

21. Bridge of Birds: a novel of an Ancient China that Never Was - Barry Hughart. Master Li and Number Ten Ox. I can't recommend this one enough. Awesome.

22. The Years of Rice and Salt - Kim Stanley Robinson. Would recommend this to anyone with an interest in Buddhism and what might happen in the bardo.

23. Death of a Witch: A Hamish Macbeth mystery - M. C. Beaton. Yet another audiobook, and I'm liking this author more and more. The reader for these books, Graeme Malcolm, is very good. I guess he's done hundreds of audio books but since I'm new to the genre, I'd never heard him before.

And that's all the books I've read since last time (that I remember).

In other news, the house is slowly coming together. Boxes being unloaded and keeping up on the rest of the house. Including giving the cat a bath. I can't say he enjoyed it, I certainly didn't and I know the fleas didn't either. But less fleas = happier cat.

Downside is that he's so fuzzy that it takes forever to dry him out. And I haven't unpacked my hair dryer yet.

The Wii Fit is also being used on a regular basis. Not that I'm seeing progress but whatever. -2 lbs. In a month. *sigh*

Books #4-11

So I'm way behind on this but considering 8 of these books is a series re-read, it's all good.

Books 4-11 were a reread of Laurie R. King's Mary Russell series. I can't quite recall how I wandered across this series for the first time but when I read the cover blurb, "A Novel of Suspense Featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes" it intrigued me. I am a Sherlock Holmes fan, I read the Holmes canon about once a year. I've tried many Holmes stories but very few have lived up to the original and I wondered if this one would.

How was she going to keep Holmes his sharp, acerbic self and include a young woman into the mix without having the story fall down flat?

Mrs. King gave Holmes a true partner. Ms. Russell definitely has her own interests, like Theology, that Holmes has no interest in and Holmes has interests, like beekeeping, that Russell doesn't share. But Holmes trains her genius into becoming a detective. And not just any detective, but one that can work on the same level as himself. They are both brilliant minds and challenge each other's stereotypes and preconceptions of men and women. Russell doesn't outshine Holmes but neither does Holmes leave her behind in the investigation business.

I think that is what makes these books work. Mrs. King treats Sherlock Holmes as he was shown in his own canon, not changing his previous actions/emotions but brings someone in who can live on the same intellectual level as the Great Detective.

I really enjoyed this series and like to recommend it to friends who enjoy mysteries and/or Sherlock Holmes. My personal favorites are O Jerusalem and the next one in line, Justice Hall. Ali and Mahmoud Hazr are my favorite new characters that Laurie R. King has introduced me to.

Go! Get to the bookstore! Buy!

This reread brought to you because the newest in the series "The Language of Bees" is out in hardcover right now and I had to refresh my Mary Russell history to read the new one.

Enjoy!

Book #2 and #3

Blueberry Muffin Murder and Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke.

Nice little murder mysteries. (It seems I'm on a bit of a food kick with my recent reading.) Anyway, they have recipes included since the main character is the owner of a cookie bakery. They are fast paced and have decent character development and if I get the opportunity, I'll definitely pick up another in the series.

The premise of this little exercise is that the National Endowment for the Arts believes that the average American has only read 6 books from the list below.

Here’s how it works:

1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline (or mark in a different color) the books you LOVE
4) Reprint this list in your blog so we can try and track down these people who’ve read 6 or less and force books upon them.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

Ripped off from Blue Soup. Anything in italics either I mean to read this year or I started but didn't finish, therefore I need to go back and read.

Friends never made

Just spent some time catching up on someone's blog that I knew for a time. I can't even say that we were friends. The potential was there but either I wasn't breaking through or they didn't want to. I know this is extremely vague and it is meant to be. I don't want any offense to be given or guilt trips to be handed out. Not the way to make friends and influence peeps.

I've tried to stay in contact but I've never been very good at that so maybe its my bad. Could be that association with me reminds them of the hellhole of a job they had. I know I started this blog because they inspired me to. I enjoyed our conversations and they had a pretty good sense of humor too. I received advice from them and I gave some. But we never moved to the "sending emails, inviting over" sort of relationship. I regret I that I didn't make that opportunity.

All I can do at this point is wish them well. I hope they succeed (which is what looks to be happening) and I have fond thoughts of someone who I should have tried to be a friend to a little better.

Book #1

The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry - By Kathleen Flinn

Interesting story of a lady struggling to achieve her dream of a degree, deciding to attend Le Cordon Bleu and what she went through to do it.

Now I'm hungry.

Yay!

Home just in time to watch my CSI. I'm enjoying Mr. Fishburne's performance, although I miss Grissom. 11th hour is a hoot more for being strange and laugh worthy than accurate.

I traveled to see the husband. Now I'm home. And packing. There's a house waiting for me, hopefully a job to work at, and a husband who wants me with him. Yet again, yay!

Life is good. Mostly.

Late Late Nights

It's pitiful. I'm watching late night t.v. All the time.

Partly because my mind won't let me rest and I'm all wound up from trying to get make sure all my loose ends are tied up for this move. And not making any sense in the process.

Arm hair. Yup, it's late.

Packing, Part Deux

And here we go again. Packing, moving, setting up house (hopefully).

Actually, I have a shit load of stuff in storage. It's been there for a year or more now. What that tells me? Some of it I can definitely live without. So there will be some sorting and chucking.

I am the woman for the job and it's gonna happen next week. Get 'er done.

WoW

Working on leveling to 50. Kill, maim, destroy. Woohoo!!

Murder She Wrote

Enjoying watching some "Murder, She Wrote" while DH is off working. Sometimes it's vastly amusing to go back and see old shows and sometimes how badly or how well they hold up.

Mrs. Fletcher must have a lot of nieces and nephews.

Noise Machines

Men are noise machines. They try so hard to be quiet and then? They kick something and curse profusely. When we ask if they are okay, they respond with "Oh, did I wake you? I was trying to be quiet."

Like the thundering of a herd running through the middle of a piano concerto.

Teenybopper

New Hampshire has elected a 20 year old to a county treasurer position. Her opponent called her a "teenybopper" who got brain washed college students to vote for her and that's the only reason she won.

How lame is that?

Hmm...

I'm going to see the DH.

I am looking forward to it.

I don't have to be at work for a week.

Oh yes, I still am writing it down.

I am such a bitch. :)

Old Friends

Heard from someone tonite I haven't talked to in around a year.

It was good to hear from her and get the chance to vent on something that she totally gets.

Awesome.

Damn I'm Crude

I realized here in July that I was editing myself here on my blog to try to keep from offending anyone. I thought about it for a while and I'm going to keep details to myself but I'm not going to censor who I am anymore. It took this long to come to that point.

Watch out world, here I am.

Vote!!

You'd better have voted. Otherwise? I will hear no bitching from you.

Walking

Lots of walking and working. Hubby came to visit last week - it was really nice to see him. I wish we could be together more often but such is life.


Walking to Rivendell - 179 miles. Camp in western part of marches. (3rd day from Bree.)

Walking...

Walking to Rivendell - 5 miles today - total 15 miles.

Ooph. And I feel it. Mother's Day. And we went to lunch. And planted flowers. And did yard work. And worked on the clogged drain. And on, and on, and on.

I'm going to bed now, G'nite.

"All knowledge is worth having."
- Anafiel no Delauney,
Kushiel's Dart

Miss Marple!

Mystery! has been playing Miss Marple mysteries. I don't know the actresses' name but she is a riot.


Walking to Rivendell - 10 miles. (Stop in a birch grove. Eat a frugal supper.)

Walking to Rivendell

From Bag End to Rivendell - 458 miles (from the Eowyn Challenge Site.)

Progress so far with 3 days under my belt....not much. BUT I have made it to Tookland.

Walking to Rivendell - 5.5 miles.

The Office?

Not that funny.
PBS?
Infinitely interesting for some odd reason. Been watching too much Miss Marple on Mystery!

GAH!!

I'm getting old. *sigh*

Crash Into You

Yoga nearly every day = muscles you never knew you had.

That is all.

Some days it's all about the reading

There are days when it is nice to do nothing but read a good book. And listening to some good authors discuss their business and their books. Nice.

Sickness

I truly hate being sick. The hacking, nose blowing, throwing-upness. Blech.

Lots of fluids, lots of t.v. and lots of medicine later I'm starting to feel better. I received the expansion set for my game so I'm going to get that going here in a minute, but first a little Dexter. That is one twisted show.

Something Musically Cool

Gotta love WoW

The Wheel has Turned

And the fantasy world is a little poorer this week. James Rigney, Jr. - pen name Robert Jordan - passed on from this world to the next on Sunday. I've read quite a few tributes, posts, blogs and remembrances. They all point out to me that this world has lost not just a good writer but a good man.

"And there are never any words except 'The light shine on you, and the Creator shelter you. The last embrace of the mother welcome you home.'"
-Loial, The Great Hunt pg. 178

An Extraordinary Author

In the whirlwind of packing and family stress and drama, I had totally forgotten that I had won a contest on Paperback Writer's blog. The package came today. It had a neat tote bag that Mom thought was extremely cute (and so did I) various and sundry little surprises, more books that you can shake a stick at (Wabi Sabi for Writers, Tied to the Tracks, The Spooky Art, Soul Song, and several others) and these.






They were signed.

I did a little dance around the living room and squealed like a teenage girl at a boy band concert. My husband thinks I'm weird now.

What I don't think I could ever express to the author is how much this thrills me. I've never owned a book signed just for me. She troubled herself sending this to me (USPS instead of UPS because of the moving issue) and she didn't have to. I've never thought that I could win anything like this. I didn't think I was worth the trouble. Granted, this was sheer luck of the draw - but still...

I needed to hear/receive something positive. And I did.

And for the first time in more months than I want to think about, I want to write.

That is inspiration.

Thanks, PBW.

200

200 posts.

I didn't think I'd make it this far. I started out thinking that this blogging trip was just a fad I was going through. Guess not.

I surfed today and found all kinds of interesting things: Zube Girl had her a baby girl : ) , Dooce is going crazy with the contractors in her house, Rad Fanny is getting married and Jay at Kill the Goat is having her some rough life moments right now. I don't know these girls in real life and I wouldn't since they are spread over half the globe but if I could? Oh yes I would. The Nets bring the most interesting people to my attention and even if I'm not spreading the love and commenting like a fool, (which would require a NAME or something - I'm such a chicken sh*t) I'm interested in their stories, the real and the poetical.

You gals rock. I wish I could write about my life as half as well as you all do.

Stupid Trains

As I'm up two hours before my alarm is supposed to go off, I thought I'd take the time to stop by and say hello. I'm not sure what the engineers don't get about leaving running trains with noisy ass air compressors running RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE but I'm sure breakfast at Dennys doesn't take 2 hours and counting. I'd mind less if they (all 6 of them) were on the far side of the three tracks in front of my house or there were some train cars between me and them.

I think what really bothers me is the fact that they aren't hooked to anything. There's just 6 engines sitting down here running. Instead of parked behind the dairy plant a block away. Or better yet, downtown at the offices for these bastards. Since the tracks run right by there.

P.S. - That's the view from my living room with the door open. Spectacular isn't it?

#49

All kinds of interesting and uninteresting but time consuming things have been going on lately, so pardon my absence.

The Secret Life of Houdini - by Kalush and Sloman

Houdini as spy. His life, his love, and what may have been his real job. Fascinating. More info and footnotes at : www.conjuringarts.org .

Actually I just picked up the book to begin with because I thought it was a bio of Houdini and I think he's cool.

The Trip to Hell was Wonderful

Well, I was sick for two weeks. It was completely boring. I worked, I went home, I slept, I worked. That puts us up to nearly last week. And then? The hot water heater sprung a leak. So there was emergency house cleaning because I'd been a slob for two weeks so the repairmen could actually get through the house. *Sigh* I need a vacation from my time off.

My sister got accepted to GRADUATE SCHOOL. And she called and left a VERY long and EXCITED message on my phone. If I could translate what she said into print, there would be lots of CAPS. Way to go!

My Stepmother spent the weekend at my mom's with her two boys (long convoluted story) while hoping the police could catch up with my dad to serve him with a restraining order. The boys had fun and were not excited about going back but it's all up to the paperwork. We've (mom and I) done what we can, but being able to go to the appointments and all the red tape is what's left.

Hmmm, oh and my hubby wished me Happy Valentines Day with flowers and a balloon. Twice in a one month time span. Freaky, but I'm not complaining.

It seems to have been a very busy two weeks and hopefully the next trip I take I'll remember to get the pictures for the slideshow.

'Twas the night before Christmas

And all through the house
The only thing stirring was the computer mouse.

The stockings were scattered hither and there
And I was desperately hoping no one would be here.

The cat was all snuggled up in his bed
With visions of kibbles going 'round in his head.

And Hubby in his boxers and I in my shirt
Were gaming away and feeling quite pert.

When out in the yard there arose such a clatter
I jumped from my chair to see what was a matter.

Away to the door I ran like the Flash
Yanked open the sucker and gave my foot a good bash.

The moon reflected off the tarp like Canadian snow
Which gave off a good glare to see what was below.

When, what to my disbelieving eyes should appear
But one lazy old tom gorging on leftover beer.

I wandered back in the house with aplomb
And I muttered about tossing some f-bombs.

I shreiked in fright scaring hubby a bit
Realizing that I'd forgotten St. Nick.

You see, he was coming and the house was a mess
It seemed that my life was destined for stress.

I scoured and cleaned, washing dishes like mad
Hoping hubby would jump up and help just a tad.

He was gaming away, lost in the WarCraft
And I told my mom this and she totally laughed,"

You know the young man is oblivious to
Any cleaning or house chores that you need to do."

I continued my mission, making everything neat
And definitely taking time for a treat.

Finally the house was well scoured and cleaned
And I passed out on the couch, listening to the clicking.

The next morning the stockings were stuffed clear up full
And the tree was finally found under the packages and yanked out with a good pull.

We picked up the papers, hauling out the trash with shear might
and at the bottom of the pile a note was located that made everything all right.

"Merry Christmas to all and To All A GOOD NIGHT."

Christmas Season is Hell in Retail

Druid 44% Combativeness, 60% Sneakiness, 82% Intellect, 58% Spirituality

Sneaky, cunning, and spiritual: You are a Druid! Druids work with nature to cast their spells and favor balance over extremes. They're shapeshifters, capable of taking the forms of natural creatures. While they don't always deal well with people, they do have animal companions to come to their aid. You are probably intelligent, spiritual, and more than a little deceptive. Fortunately, your lack of violent tendencies means you are also likely to be level-headed.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 99% on Combativeness You scored higher than 99% on Sneakiness You scored higher than 99% on Intellect You scored higher than 99% on Spirituality

Link: The RPG Class Test written by MFlowers on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

50 Sci Fi novels

50 Significant SF/F Novels
This is a list of the 50 most significant science fiction/fantasy novels, 1953-2002, according to the Science Fiction Book Club. Bold the ones you've read, strike-out the ones you hated, italicize those you started but never finished and put an asterisk beside the ones you loved.


* 1. The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien

*2. The Foundation Trilogy, Isaac Asimov

*3. Dune, Frank Herbert

4. Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert A. Heinlein

5. A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin

6. Neuromancer, William Gibson

7. Childhood's End, Arthur C. Clarke

8. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick

*9. The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley

10. Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury

11. The Book of the New Sun, Gene Wolfe

12. A Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr.

*13. The Caves of Steel, Isaac Asimov

14. Children of the Atom, Wilmar Shiras

15. Cities in Flight, James Blish

*16. The Colour of Magic, Terry Pratchett

17. Dangerous Visions, edited by Harlan Ellison

18. Deathbird Stories, Harlan Ellison

19. The Demolished Man, Alfred Bester

20. Dhalgren, Samuel R. Delany

*21. Dragonflight, Anne McCaffrey

22. Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card

23. The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Stephen R.
Donaldson

24. The Forever War, Joe Haldeman

25. Gateway, Frederik Pohl

*26. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, J.K. Rowling

*27. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams

28. I Am Legend, Richard Matheson

*29. Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice

30. The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin

31. Little, Big, John Crowley

32. Lord of Light, Roger Zelazny

33. The Man in the High Castle, Philip K. Dick

34. Mission of Gravity, Hal Clement

35. More Than Human, Theodore Sturgeon

36. The Rediscovery of Man, Cordwainer Smith

37. On the Beach, Nevil Shute

38. Rendezvous with Rama, Arthur C. Clarke

39. Ringworld, Larry Niven

40. Rogue Moon, Algis Budrys

41. The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien

42. Slaughterhouse-5, Kurt Vonnegut

43. Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson

44. Stand on Zanzibar, John Brunner

45. The Stars My Destination, Alfred Bester

46. Starship Troopers, Robert A. Heinlein

47. Stormbringer, Michael Moorcock

48. The Sword of Shannara, Terry Brooks

49. Timescape, Gregory Benford

50. To Your Scattered Bodies Go, Philip Jose Farmer

You are The High Priestess

Science, Wisdom, Knowledge, Education.

The High Priestess is the card of knowledge, instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge. She holds scrolls of arcane information that she might, or might not reveal to you. The moon crown on her head as well as the crescent by her foot indicates her willingness to illuminate what you otherwise might not see, reveal the secrets you need to know. The High Priestess is also associated with the moon however and can also indicate change or fluxuation, particularily when it comes to your moods.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

You scored as Batman, the Dark Knight. As the Dark Knight of Gotham, Batman is a vigilante who deals out his own brand of justice to the criminals and corrupt of the city. He follows his own code and is often misunderstood. He has few friends or allies, but finds comfort in his cause.

Captain Jack Sparrow		83%
Batman, the Dark Knight		83%
Maximus		71%
William Wallace		58%
The Terminator		58%
James Bond, Agent 007		54%
Indiana Jones		50%
Lara Croft		50%
El Zorro		46%
Neo, the "One"		42%
The Amazing Spider-Man		42%

Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0
created with QuizFarm.com

Oh look, a quiz

Proteus 33% Extroversion, 46% Intuition, 72% Emotiveness, 23% Perceptiveness

Changing your shape to suit your situation, you are most like Proteus. More than anything else, you need to be wanted. You have a very strong work ethic, and are very adaptable, but are often unappreciated. You develop very strong personal loyalties, and will often maintain these personal relationships at a great expense to yourself. Convention and conformity are very important to you, and you find deviations from either to be very inappropriate. You tend not to burden those around you with your own problems. Famous people like you: Mother Theresa, Jimmy Carter

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 99% on Extroversion You scored higher than 99% on Intuition You scored higher than 99% on Emotiveness You scored higher than 99% on Perceptiveness

Link: The Greek Mythology Personality Test written by Aleph_Nine on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

I Have Enjoyed the Day

I have celebrated my birthday this week. I have spent time at the county fair. I will have worked (by the end of the week) my butt off. So far, life is good.

Oh, and there is nothing more entertaining when you've got the time to stare than to watch old metal heads try to rock out. *Giggle*

What D&D Character Are You?

I Am A: Chaotic Good GnomeBard Ranger


Alignment:
Chaotic Good characters are independent types with a strong belief in the value of goodness. They have little use for governments and other forces of order, and will generally do their own things, without heed to such groups.


Race:
Gnomes are also short, like dwarves, but much skinnier. They have no beards, and are very inclined towards technology, although they have been known to dabble in magic, too. They tend to be fun-loving and fond of jokes and humor. Some gnomes live underground, and some live in cities and villages. They are very tolerant of other races, and are generally well-liked, though occasionally considered frivolous.


Primary Class:
Bards are the entertainers. They sing, dance, and play instruments to make other people happy, and, frequently, make money. They also tend to dabble in magic a bit.


Secondary Class:
Rangers are the defenders of nature and the elements. They are in tune with the Earth, and work to keep it safe and healthy.


Deity:
Finder Wyvernspur is the Chaotic Neutral god of the cycle of life and the transformation of art, although he leans heavily towards Good. He is also known as the Nameless Bard. Followers of Finder believe that everything must change in order to grow and thrive. Their preferred weapon is the bastard sword.


Find out What D&D Character Are You?, courtesy ofNeppyMan (e-mail)


Detailed Results:

Alignment:
Lawful Good ----- XXXX (4)
Neutral Good ---- XXXXXX (6)
Chaotic Good ---- XXXXXXX (7)
Lawful Neutral -- XX (2)
True Neutral ---- XX (2)
Chaotic Neutral - (-1)
Lawful Evil ----- (-1)
Neutral Evil ---- (-1)
Chaotic Evil ---- XX (2)

Race:
Human ---- (-2)
Half-Elf - XXXX (4)
Elf ------ XXXXX (5)
Halfling - (-4)
Dwarf ---- (0)
Half-Orc - (-2)
Gnome ---- XXXXXX (6)

Class:
Fighter - (-3)
Ranger -- XXXXXX (6)
Paladin - (-3)
Cleric -- (-2)
Mage ---- (-1)
Druid --- XX (2)
Thief --- (-2)
Bard ---- XXXXXXX (7)
Monk ---- (-2)

Heat Wave

I've noticed that there isn't a gradual build up into summer around here. It's a week of humidity at 75 degrees and then POW! it's a hundred or higher from then on.

In protest we put up the pool.

I received my first sunburn of the summer.

And it was very nice.

Trains

You're the Ghost Train!

You often feel that you're the subject of songs, legends, and
even myths. But are you really feeling something real or is this just an
overactive imagination? Is something really calling to you in the great
beyond or do you just really like Halloween? Only you can answer this
question, howling through the darkness as you have been known to do. Maybe
you've spent too much time in philosophy classes, but you're not even really
sure that you exist. This is only part of the reason that you tend to scare
other people.


Take the Trains and Railroads Quiz
at RMI Miniature Railroads.

Viva le France

You're France!

Most people think you're snobby, but it's really just that
you're better than everyone else. At least you're more loyal to the real
language, the fine arts, and the fine wines than anyone else. You aren't
worth beans in a fight, unless you're really short, but you're so good at other
things that it usually doesn't matter. Some of your finest works were
intended to be short-term projects.


Take the Country Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid

College?

You're the University of Chicago!

A bit stuffy and pretentious, you definitely think you're
superior to most of those around you. At the same time, you live in a terrible
part of town and have even gone through a rather large Goth phase. Instead of
trying to resolve these conflicts in a social setting, you prefer to hole up on
your own and study the roots of the issues. Your basement is rather unsafe, and
in your backyard you have a little gravestone marked "Fun".


Take the University Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Book Quiz

You're Ulysses!

by James Joyce

Most people are convinced that you don't make any sense, but compared
to what else you could say, what you're saying now makes tons of sense. What people do
understand about you is your vulgarity, which has convinced people that you are at once
brilliant and repugnant. Meanwhile you are content to wander around aimlessly, taking in
the sights and sounds of the city. What you see is vast, almost limitless, and brings you
additional fame. When no one is looking, you dream of being a Greek folk hero.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Now That I'm Here

I can't think of anything I want to write. Let me contemplate....

Sorry that blogger was having a brain fart - I couldn't really access anything for 3 days.

Oh, I know, Music.

Have you ever noticed how productive you are when music is playing? What about different kinds? Soundtracks, country, blues, alternative, goth. Every one of them puts me in a different frame of mind. Or maybe takes me out of a frame of mind. I do know it's darned difficult to write mellow and light when I'm listening to LOTR's orc/ogres theme and I can't get too worked up when the hobbit number has a showing. The elven bits get my fingers moving but the actually fellowship keeps them moving.

When I'm mad I end up housecleaning to B.B. King or Rob Zombie. Once my mood lightens up I find things like Garbage or The Dresden Dolls keep me moving. Country keeps me awake in the car usually as does Tom Petty. Soundtracks are my splurge zone though. I love a soundtrack for any number of reasons and usually they cover whatever emotional zone I'm in. The other nice thing? Many times if the soundtrack is good I can remember the scene in the movie where it was playing.

Right now? I know it is the mines of moria "A walk in the dark". Excuse me, the tracks actually called "A Journey in the Dark" I think I'm going now because the bridge scene always stirs me up.

"All art constantly aspires towards the condition of music." - Walter Pater

Books - The More the Merrier

Meh - Barbara Taylor Bradford / Unexpected Blessings

Whohoo! - Naomi Novik / The Black Powder War

To Be Read - Steve Alten / The Loch

Websites That Have Sucked Me In:

Paperback Writer

and

Destress Toy of the Day:

Music - Dresden Dolls

Every Day

Stream of conciousness? I don't know that I can handle that kind of post. I like to have all my answers all thought out and "ducks all in a row." It is hard because I want to write. Really write. I want to have a novel in my hands that I wrote. I don't know that its possible.

Well, it could be if I stopped doubting myself. Sometimes I have to wonder if it is possible that my background caused this writer's block. Something about being the oldest child, the most responsible. The one who Had To Take The Important (Practical) classes. Maybe my imagination just needs stretching.

I wish I could just let go, but when the day job doesn't pay enough and the landlord is setting unreasonable time limits, and the money isn't stretching far enough - well, my mind doesn't want to daydream. It wants to worry. *Sigh*

"Use your imagination not to scare yourself to death but to inspire yourself to life." - Adele Brookman

"So Much To Read, So Little Time"

How to deal with someone who insists you need to read someone's books that, quite truly, you'd never touch (10 foot pole optional)?

Do you just baldly state you don't read that "crap"? I can see that going over real well with the friends or the little old ladies.

Do you lie and say you have? Nothing like being asked about such-and-such a character and try to fib your way out of that one.

My favorite? I've just got so many books on my to read stack, I haven't had the time to pick up a new author. It is polite and leads the fevrent fangirl or fanboy to believe you are seriously interested.

"Good manners are the technique of expressing consideration for the feelings of others." - Alice Duer Miller

Time Off

I'm all for a little time off. Even my regular days off. I'd just like them better if they weren't split up throughout the week. Two days off IN A ROW would make me all kinds of happy right now.

Anyway, new blogness for consumption : Paperback Writer

It is all good.

Do Something!

Ah, dear Internet, how I've neglected you. Truth to tell darling, I've been busy with other pressing business. I've found that my One True Love has been wasting away from my lack of affection and I have been striving to correct that oversight.

(In other words, I've been reading. And having a wonderful Anniversary (9 years now!) with my hubby this weekend. Oh, and helping assorted family members with moving various heavy furniture items.)

But you've been so patient and wonderful and here I am! Ready to relive all my daily anxieties and frustrations for you. My ups and my downs. It will be fantastic! I've missed you so much and I'm glad to be back, lit by your magical glow.

Author is feeling whimsical and amused today.

All the Things I Have Read...

In the last two weeks. Sorry I've been gone so long, I needed a break from the world so I retreated to my imagination. Anyway, it seems my imagination needed some quality reading time. I ended up reading around eight books this week and I think I've finally finished my marathon run.

Monday Mourning, Murder List, Talk to The Hand, R is for Ricochet, Shadow of Sagnami, Druid's Sword, Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows, Queen of the Darkness. There is another one wriggling around trying to get me to remember its name, but for the moment this list will have to do.

I think I'll go start a series I've got the whole set around so I have something else to occupy my time until work tomorrow.

"All words are pegs to hang ideas on." - Henry Ward Beecher

Books For My Pleasure...

Finished "Throne of Jade" and I can't wait for number three, "Black Powder War." This series is a fast and fun read. I also like what she's done with the ideas of dragons and riders. Fascinating.

Also finished my reread of Anne McCaffrey and I remember why I liked these so much. I read them when I was younger, junior high - high school, when my reading tastes were more . . . immature. The story is there and the characters, but it is almost like an outline. I want someone to come along and fill in all the details. Everything just seems to move too fast. Still, a good light read, which is what I needed after all the cleaning and cleaning and cleaning.

3. R is for Ricochet - Sue Grafton

4. Dragonquest - Anne McCaffrey (I hate to only read one of a series.)

Starting a 50 Book Challenge For My Amusement

I saw this pop up on several blogs and I figured since I do read profusely, why not?

1. Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik

2. Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey

I've really enjoyed Mrs. Novik's "His Majesty's Dragon" and I'm really looking forward to reading the 2nd book in this series.

Dragonflight is a re-read for me but since I haven't picked this up in ages I thought it'd be nice to visit where I'm getting my Final Fantasy Character names from. : )

I'll jump back by on how TofJ was in a few days.

Messing Around on Colors Yet Again

I realized I had not explained my current profile photo. Google "Laughing Man". I thought it oddly appropriate since I'm not terribly keen on letting the world know who I am and where I'm at. It's always nice to have a little anonymity. I'd rather not be "Dooced" for talking about my numbskull job and I'd rather not have an audience of people I know reading about how life and everything peeves me some days.

Anyway, back to the blog colors and maybe getting fancy one day. I think that is the best estimate on when I'll have graphics in the background. One day. As soon as I actually sit down and plow through the programs that'll help me figure it out and the books and the sites....yada yada yada. The red is nice enough for now. Besides, messing with my template colors gives me something other to cuss at than the landlord or work. Isn't that exciting?

"To err is human, but to really foul things up requires a computer." - Anonymous (Farmer's Alamanac for 1978

More Quizzy tastic ness

What Subversive Alternative Paradigm Are You?
created with QuizFarm.com

True Alternative 90% Mystic 75% Otherkin 70% Magician 55% White Lighter 45% Discordian 45% Aimless Eclectic 35% Spiritualist 35% What Subversive Alternative Paradigm Are You? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as True Alternative. You are a True Alternative! Labels do not suit you well, particularly as you tend to strike your own path and to grow purely via experience. No armchair quarterbacking for you! Originality and creation are your specialities, and sometimes you can even articulate what the hell just happened. Someday you may find yourself drawing the maps for other people... lots of other people.

What Subversive Alternative Paradigm Are You?
created with QuizFarm.com

Fae? Hmph.

What type of Fae are you?

Frustration

I just haven't been in a writing kind of mood, at least not since I got a tax notice from the state about how they are going to garnish wages. Oh bugger. So I've been stressing trying to make sure that I can swing it and cover everything else too. I think I've got it figured out but thats not concrete.

I also was messing around on myspace and found one of the gals that I used to work with. I'm not surprised by what she's done with it, but I definitely have the feeling that others will be. This should be interesting.

X-Files Season 5

I've just spent the last two days catching up on my tv shows of the past. I'm watching 'The End' which is the season finale for Five. I like. I like lots.

Late Nites and Long Stories

I'm forever and always staying up late at night. I just don't get tired until one or two in the morning. I've been fairly productive tonite, I created a myspace.com account so that I can hook up with my sisters. Hooha. And I've decided I hate html code even if I do "get it." It's still frustrating and time consuming to deal with. I've also explored photobucket and have found the joy and wonder of pictures. So, enjoy my new profile picture. (hehe)

Crayons

I haven't been feeling very well for the past two days. It's that not-quite-sick-muddled-brain feeling so I've been coloring in my coloring books with my industrial box o' crayons. I have to say nothing is quite like making pictures come to life and you don't have to have great manual dexterity to do it. Just me, my crayon stuff and a big cup of juice. Life is good.

"Art has something to do with the achievement of stillness in the midst of chaos. A stillness which characterizes prayer, too, and the eye of the storm....an arrest of attention in the midst of distraction." - Saul Bellow

Ant Farm

I watch them crawl.
Under the door and across the floor.
Over the washer ...Look! theres some more.

Up the cabinets to the sink,
I'm not quite sure what to think.
There's nothing there,
I've checked it out
But yet they move all about.

The little buggers, they just won't leave
I'm not quite sure what they think to acheive.
I think they just want to drive me bats,
They think its fun (the little rats!)

I scrub and I scower,
they've even driven me to cleaning the shower.
But yet they keep coming and wandering around,
like kitty litter covering the ground.

One of these days I'll go on a spree,
killing them madly and laughing with glee.
Just right now I'm in despair,
I can't get rid of them - it's JUST NOT FAIR.

Death To All Ants! It is my war cry.
Death To All Ants! Die, Die, DIE!

MediEvil

My hubby bought me MediEvil for PSP. w00t! It's actually very fun and with a little help from GameFAQs I'm making progress. I'd be pretty sunk if I didn't have a guide to hold my hand throughout many of the games I play. Well, except FFXI. That one doesn't really need guides, just good friends.

My Eyeballs Might Just Implode

Or explode. I've been playing on the computer all day and keeping track of Mr. Wheaton's poker progess. GO WIL!

In other exciting fun-filled news I worked in the yard. Write it down on the calendar because that happens like once a month. I guess since the landlord has decided to put the places she owns on the market (with no notice) I might as well make the jungle look like you can walk through it. The grass may look even but I know the ground has holes deep enough to swallow the UPS delivery guy whole should he roam off the path from the gate to the door. I have a sneaking suspicion the yard has gobbled up more than one small animal who dared trespass in the wild unknown.

There's also nothing like getting paid and being completely broke at the same time. Every once in a while it'd be great to know there was a little left over but at least the lights are still on and the house is still warm.

"Money talks, but all it ever says is goodbye." - American saying

The Elements of Style

I finally found a copy of "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White. It is a bit of a boring read on the front section - well, it wouldn't be if I knew my grammar. I would really like to write, but I read these books and realize how little I understand. It discourages me.

"Language is the dress of thought." - Samuel Johnson

Mommy blogging?

I don't understand the "Mommy Blogger" bashers. In fact I'm not sure I really understand the phrase "Mommy Blogging." I read Dooce on a regular basis. To me she is a wonderful, sarcastic, intelligent woman who seems to be married to a fantastic man and they have a daughter whom they love very much. Mrs. Armstrong doesn't come across to me as a mommy-blogger, just a lady who wants to share whats going on in her life.

Why would spending more than a sentence on a person with whom you are sharing the majority of your time loving and teaching be considered over the top mommy - ism? Mrs. Kennedy of Fussy.org is also a fantastic writer of the everyday and ordinary. And she writes in such a way that the ordinary makes me feel how she was feeling, makes me laugh or want to cry. These ladies to me are good writers. Good bloggers. Wives, mothers, and all around great gals.

Labels don't suit. They are not right. But if these ladies want to stand up and claim "Mommy blogger" then go for it. Make it positive.

"To be nobody-but-myself -- in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you like everybody else -- means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting." - e. e. cummimgs

Interesting things Happening in the Book World

Terry Brooks has something coming out in late August and it looks to be a prequel of Shannara. Harry Turtledove has several books coming out this year in 4-5 months intervals. Raymond Feist has a new Riftwar Trilogy starting up in April and Anne Bishop has Sebastian coming out in February. Sara Douglass looks to be starting up a new series along the Tencendor lines - old characters and new places. (w00t!)

Out of Sci Fi for a second, it also looks like Janet Evanovich will have a new Plum novel in June. I've never laughed so hard at any other book, they are fantastic.

I enjoy my books and I'm glad to see that there's a bunch of stuff coming out by the people I enjoy.

X-Men Legends 2

Psp version is what I received for christmas and it's pretty alright. At least, I'm enjoying it so far. My only irritation is the fact that some of the areas are just to damn dark for me to navigate in easily. Not dissing the game there, could just be me too so who knows? Other than that, I've really enjoyed fighting my way through Acts 1 & 2 and if I didn't need to snowshovel a path throught the laundry, I'd probably be playing it now.

I am Finally done...

I have officially given out all the gifts, covered all the bases, sent all the cards. It's done. I picked up my new Tolkien calendar for the year and of course, Winnie the Pooh. Happy New Year everyone. I got paid time and a half for today and it was a productive day (which makes me happy). I've reached a creative stumbling point with my writing and have decided to scratch what I've got for now and go with something new and different to see if I can get the ole' mind churning again. Oh, and I got Battlestar Galactica Season 2 for Christmas! WOOT!

Holy Cheese, Bot Man!

I'd say I can't believe how long it's been since I posted but I can believe it. Forty hours a week definitely cuts down on the computer time. I spent some time surfing today and have found a new "band". If you get a chance, check out The Dresden Dolls. Fan-freaking-tastic.

It's a Retail Christmas

Crazyness. Absolute crazyness. People are insane shoppers. I've been so busy between the loonies and the serious shoppers that I'm lucky I don't collapse under the desk for a nap between whiny I-want-ers and ranting Why-don't-you-have-ers.

Oh. And the new DragonQuest is pretty time consuming too.

Progress, I think...

The Husband has decided that now is the time to get the school stuff going and I'm going to cheer him on all the way. Or at least until the rent comes due. This should be interesting. I'll keep ya posted.