Intravenous Drip

NaNoWriMo

2010-10-31T15:40:00.000-07:00

It's that time again!
All ye who want to write a book but just haven't (myself included)!
National Novel Writing Month is the dedication of thirty days and in the end you have a freshly worded 50,000 word novel. Beginning November 1st through the 30th. It comes out to about 1,167 words a day.
Check out the official website at http://www.nanowrimo.org

Get your outlines ready, your ideas, your playlist to get you in the mood. Gather your confidence, your thesaurus, and your coffee pot. And most importantly you need to get all your laundry caught up on now so that you can go the next month with limited chores.
Happy writing!

2010-09-25T21:35:00.000-07:00

Such a long story in such a few days.
I'm back from the Whitney trip. In short, we made it!
The longer story involves snow and bears and bloody noses, but that's being written out seperately and in a much longer, and detailed fashion.

Whitney-Bound

2010-09-18T05:35:00.000-07:00

I'm leaving today for Whitney! I can't believe it's finally here! After hiking every week, I'm somehow still standing and magically haven't rubbed all the skin off my feet (some, but not all.)
The weather looks good, and with a carload of crap, we are rarin' to go! See ya'll in a week.

Not quite D-land

2010-06-27T19:22:00.000-07:00

Today we hiked in the Cleveland National Forest, and while it was no Disneyland, it was definately Adventureland.
We start out driving way north, out to the 74 and weaving around mountains until we finally see the parking lot and pull in. I'd like to begin by noting, in this forest, we need to yield to horses and the handicapped. The sign said so. Really. Next we start up the trail with a good speed to warm up. We see lizards, wildflowers, and endless flies (the one constant for hiking.)We also see three other people coming down, little did we know these would be the ONLY people we'd see until the last mile back down. My first life-theatening event occured on the first segment, when after discussing at lenth the snakes I've seen on trails, we...see a snake on the trail. At first we thought it might be dead, as it wasn't moving, but after poking the stick nearby it moved. It was a two-foot dark grey and cream striped vareity with a slender head. We're guessing it was some sort of King snake. After some direction pointing, and encouraging words, I finally got the snake off the trail, but after just one step, there's another one who literally jumps into the bushes from behind the same rock.
After some deep breaths we continue on. Little did we know we should have brought our machetes with us, let alone worn pants. We are bushwacking throughout the sometimes invisible trail for a good mile and a half. On the plus side, we did find an awesome new use for our trekking poles. They are excellent at holding shrubs aside so you have semi-minimal scratches across your legs.
Once we reatched the junction (yes the School of Rock song did get sung) we continued onward only to nearly get eaten alive by a vicious, awful rattlesnake! Yes, that's right! We nearly died up there! Granted we didn't see it, but it was rattling up a storm, and pissed off. We stopped to rest a bit after that traumetizing experience and reapply sunscreen. After we set off again we were soon accosted by bees! Well, my brother got stung three times. My Mom and I escaped, and I am still, bee-sting free in this lifetime. Perhaps I was a bee in a past life?
We trekked on, wondering what else this wilderness would throw our way. After a lot more bushwhacking, we got to the point on the trail, where we either continued on for a total of 19 miles, turned back, or did a 2.5 mile loop. We opted for the loop for added length, figuring we weren't quite ready for 19 miles. This loop featured some of the most gorgeous scenery of the whole hike. That is, until we finally figured out, just what was making all the 10 lb poops that we'd seen along the way. No, no horses, but one of the most feared and worshiped animals on the planet. This animal kills more people than sharks (seriously!)
COWS! Not fenced in cows, wild, foaming-with-cud-mouthed anger and intesity cows! They were right there out of nowhere. We walked within 10 ft of a giant black cow, which was decorated only with it's badass tagged earing. Then one with horns stood up as we approached and glared it's beady, unforgigving stare at us. I'll never forget this life-changing, shit-my-pants moment. Almost killed by a cow. Imagine being 10 ft away from a shark in the ocean? It would be a lot less terrifying than this moment.
We finished the loop and started our exhausted trek back, without much excitement.
We ran through the bees, and escaped unscathed, then made a ridiculous amount of noise around the snake area, and finally made it, seven hours later, back to the bottom. It was a long-ass hike, and we all felt like death.
Luckily, right at the bottom of the trail was a candy shop. No joke! We went in and ordered three miracle-life-giving-energy drinks (root beer floats for the laymen) and were quickly brought back to life from our near deaths. I forgot the horny toads! We saw horny toads!
I am now home, and after a long hot shower, and large dinner, I will now sleep for 9 lovely hours before work tomorrow, and hope that I can still move then.
More fun to come next week as we attempt a double summit!

Hiking Update

2010-06-27T18:26:00.000-07:00

I haven't written on any updates regarding the great hiking adventure 2010, mostly because I've been so busy doing just that. Here's where we are so far:
I've dropped a lot of dough at the most magical store on Earth, REI. Seriously, I love this place. Not only do they offer quality product with a fabulous return policy, but they are coop. I get 10% back on all non-sale purchases. They also have a returns sale where they sell what has been returned to them at up to 60% off. They send me coupons, and let me know when there's some great discounts online. But the best thing about them, is the staff knows what they are talking about. They are all outdoors people, and are all willing to help and offer knowledge and advise, as well as options. These are some of the nicest people on earth.
Next, I've been hiking! This was week five of hiking, and it was the best.
We started out small and local, doing 7 miles around the lagoon. Then two days later we did Iron Mountain. The next weekend featured six miles around Lake Murray, and then the long hike up Cowles mountain, for a total of 11ish miles. The third weekend we threw ourselves around Daley Ranch for ten miles. The fourth weekend was up Mt. Woodson and then around the rest of Lake Poway for a little over eight miles. This week, is another blog entry. Trust me.
So my mother, my brother, my friend Melissa sometimes, and I have gone on the jaunts, and I'm finally seeing the hills and mountains of the place where I was born and raised. I just learned that my Mom used to take me on Mommy and Me hikes when I was a wee little kid, and I know where my love of hiking started. Thanks Mom for starting me on a lifetime of adventure!

5 Things I Love

2010-05-30T21:41:00.000-07:00

Hah! I just got that I was tagged in this. I'm a little blonde sometimes and that comment, Jayma didn't quite register at the time. So a lot belated...5 Things I Love:

1. Writing-duh.
2. Pasteries-duh.
3. Netflix-who doesn't?
4. Everest/Hiking (not always me either...I just like witnessing it.) I should probably say mountaineering. So...Mountaineering.
5. Acai Bowls. It's like dairy free frozen yogurt with fruit and granola. What's not to like?

Is it sad that two of my five were foods? And no friends or family or anything like that? Well...I guess those are proper nouns, and I don't include proper nouns in my "things" catagory. No offence, guys. Shhh. No one mention I sort of had a place in there. I decided upon a more thingish thing.

Here's five things I hate, just for kicks.

1. Hate (nerd bomber.)
2. When people say "I could punch you in the face right now" or all those "I want to punch these people in the face" lists. Really? Really? I wouldn't voluntarily punch anyone in the face. Strike that. Okay, here's my five people I'd punch in the face: person who rapes, person blowing things up that cause death, person who regularly punches other people in the face-unless pro-boxer type person, person who harms animals, self for actually making a punch-face list.
3. Feeling stupid, but who can help that sometimes?
4. Being made to feel badly over my successes.
5. My picture. Even the good ones. I'd sort of rather be a mystery when I die. Is that weird?

Five things I wish I cared more about but I just don't:

1. Politics
2. Cell Phones
3. Editing my damn stories.
4. Makeup/Hair
5. Health content of food I ingest.

Five things I wish I was good at:

1. Playing music...nearly any instrument.
2. Art (any sort really.)
3. Being organized.
4. Keeping in touch.
5. Dressing myself well.

Five lists I probably shouldn't have bored the world with making.

1. Ah, crud I'm sure you can figure the rest of this one out.
2. Yes, I know I only made four above, I'm counting this one too.
3. Well I'm sorry, I couldn't sleep.
4. You'll just have to take this list and shove it up your....
5. It's the end, let's be friends now?

Looney Bin

2010-05-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

I have this crazy idea that I need to summit Mt. Whitney for my 30th Birthday. Not want to. NEED to. While it's no Everest (my obsession, but I'm not that crazy to actually want to climb it...though base camp would be cool) at 29,029 ft; Whitney is still the tallest mountain in the continental U.S. at 14,505 ft.
It's a huge shame I don't live at 7,000 ft anymore in Flag. That was a gigantic help. I summited the Humphreys Peak (the highest in Arizona at 12,633) in a whim of a day hike and about 5 hours easy peasy (I think we started at 8 or 9k though.)
Mt. Whitney is a 22 mile round trip hike that you start at 4amish and get back (hopefully) at 10pm. That is a long-ass day.
And right now, it looks as though I'll attempt this insanity alone. Family is all injured or unprepared or unwilling. Man is injured. And who the hell do I know that climbs mountains? Well I'm asking around and working on that one.
I know it isn't that big of a deal for most climbers. But for someone living at sea level it can be.
So as it is now, I'll get a permit, some hiking boots and see about those REI training hikes and off I go. You just have to do something crazy before you turn 30.
Also, might I recomment Everest Beyond the Limit seasons 1 and 2? It's all I've done all weekend, in my sick chair.

Evans Syndrome

2010-04-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

Ever heard of it? Me Neither.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/955266-overview

What I've Been Reading

2010-03-13T08:33:00.000-08:00

So it's been a while since I've posted this. I'll have to just list titles and authors, because there's a lot.

AudioBooks:

Emma by Jane Austin
I Love You Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Madness by Marya Hornbacher
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Sammy's Hill by Kristen Gore
Pandora's Daughter by Iris Johansen
Nature Girl by Carl Hiaasen
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Everything She Thought She Wanted by Elizabeth Buchan
Domestic Affairs by Eileen Goudge
Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty

These are chosen, by what's at the Library, what other people give me for free, and what I can get for $10 bucks or less on Barnes and Noble.com. I'm not that picky, though there were a few free ones that I couldn't get through.

Actual Books

The Woman In The Dunes by Kobo Abe
When You are Engulfed In Flames by David Sedaris
The Mystery of Grace by Charles De Lint
Little (Grrl) LOST by Charles De Lint
Dingo by Charles De Lint
Karma For Beginners by Jessica Blank
Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson
Nightlight a Parody by The Harvard Lampoon

How sad is that? I've listened to more books than I've read. Next up? Shootin' the Shit with Kevin Smith (by the same) and Voluntary Madness by Norah Vincent and for audio books I've got Leonardo's Swans by Karen Essex.

As for reviews. Um if I finished it I pretty much liked it. Obviously I have a bit of a thing for Charles de Lint, and I've got two more books from him on the way. Next up for book club is The Lovely Bones...which I've already listened to, I've got the book coming and I'll skim through it again. I really liked the authors style of writing, so it'll be nice to see the story written out.

Now, to go get coffee for the day.

Where I'm at as far as writing

2010-03-07T14:16:00.000-08:00

Free Rice

2010-01-23T08:18:00.000-08:00

My newest lunchtime obsession:

Free Rice

Improve your vocab, earn some rice for the hungry. All for free.
Apparently started by a parent, who's child decided that playing games online was more fun than studying for the SAT's. Go figure.
Happy ricing!

NaNoWriMo!

2009-11-01T19:35:00.000-08:00

It's finally here! The motivation to get off my butt and finish the darn story I've been working on. NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month! November 1st through the 30th. For all you aspiring writers out there (myself most definitely included) this is YOUR time. It's only one month long, and hypothetically, at the end you'll have a 50k book to show for it.
Now, there is a website with official rules and stuff, you know if you want verification and/or need a pat on the back to say "Good job, you!" http://www.nanowrimo.org. However, I just find it inspiring. I, honestly, would just like to finish the story I've been toying and fiddling with by Christmas. Which isn't nearly as impressive as 50k in a month, but I've done that much before. Heck, I did 130k in two months and two days, so I'm not trying to prove myself with my word count. I just know that I wrote one book last year, and if I finish this one then it'll be two this year, who knows, maybe I can crack out three next year. (Hah. Well, one can dream.) Although I definitely have ideas.
I would also like to add that NaNoWriMo is also a charity looking for donations. You can have other people sponser your writing, like a walk-a-thon to help raise money for creative writing programs in classrooms. Or you can just donate. I hate asking people for money, so I refuse to get sponsered, and well, I'm in the middle of a book right now and not at the beginning so it won't work so well with me.
I know it sounds like a lot, but I find that once I get into a story, the writing part is easy. It's all the editing and the beginning that is hard. But once you get into a flow, busting out 2-3 single spaced pages a day is nothing. And if you finish by Thanksgiving, I totally give you leave to have pie for breakfast every day that weekend. (Not that you won't do that anyway.)
So bottom line is if you're wanting to get that book idea down, then why not start now? No time like Nanowrimo to do so. When I say Hilshire, you say Farm. Hilshire! Farm! Go book!

Banned Book Week!

2009-09-28T21:10:00.000-07:00

(Image courtesy of Random House)
It's that time of year when you have to stand up for your rights.
Heck, if people are so insistent to keep guns around even though they cause more harm than good, why, oh why, would they ban a book? This is the most horrendous of all the rights to ever be broken (Yes I place it higher than ALL the others). So do your brain a favor. Read a banned book.
Why? Because it is Banned Book Week.
Why else? Because curiosity killed the cat, and you are a human...even if you like fish and purr.
Also Why else? Because they must be really good books to be banned. Some of my personal favorite banned books...
To Kill A Mockingbird
Harry Potter Series
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Catcher in the Rye (one of my personal absolute fav's.)
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

I'm proud to say I've read nearly half the books on the list. I am not proud to say I haven't read the other half.
Go. Save your brain. Save a brilliant book.

What I'm Reading

2009-09-12T08:44:00.000-07:00

Music to blog to: Jackson Browne

As I mentioned before, I"ve fallen into the clutches of AudioBooks. I hadn't been reading much because I spent all my free time writing. However, I now load up all the audio books I want (there's a bunch of free ones at the library!) onto my Zune and listen all day at work. Well, mostly. There are some things I do that don't marry well with listening to literature. But there's at least four solid hours I can devote to data entry and Jane Austen.

Actual Books:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. by JK Rowling
A lot of people I know are waiting for the movies to read it, but I got conned into it by my officemate. It was fabulous, and slightly dissapointing all at the same time. I loved the book, the way it was set up, and the general feel of it was so appropriate. That's the thing with JK, she's not afraid to make something long and tedious if that's what's going on with the characters. We need to feel what they are, and her writing allows it. That is probably my favorite thing about JK's writing. She is excellent at conveying a mood. What I disliked, was the way all the explanation came about, near the end. It seemed like a bit of a cop out. But over all I give it 4 and a half bookmarks out of 5.

Secrets of Truth and Beauty by Megan Frazer
ARC I just got around to. Love this book! Goat cheese and Mama Cass done right! A girl spends her summer at her sister's (whom she'd never met before) Goat Farm which doubles as a sanctuary for Gays and Lesbians.
Very original concept. I wish it had been a bit longer, because I wasn't quite ready to be done with the book when it ended. But it could easily lead toward a prequel...should the author feel so inclined. This is one reader who would adore reading Rachael's story. Four out of Five bookmarks!

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
This is a Newberry Honor Book, and well, you'll see why when you read it. It instills those good morals in kids, the ones that say that helping someone in need is more important than what others think of you. You don't have to sit back and do nothing, in fact you should never just roll over and take the punches. A spunky kid learns that chain restaurant will be built over a plot of land that harbors an endagered animal. While fighting off bullies, attempting to make new friends, and trying to not get in too much trouble, you'll find yourself hooting along with him. Five out of Five bookmarks!

Just Another Hero by Sharon M. Draper.
ARC I just got around to. Fun read. In fact, I read the whole thing on a bus-ride to LA. New, original characters, and apperently it is the third in a trilogy. It stood alone pretty well though, I didn't miss the other two books, except it might have been fun to read all three to have the full character experience. Love it, I would completely suggest it. 3 and a half Bookmarks!

Audio Books

Emma by Jane Austen
I could have cried, when I realized I had gotten the abridged version! Don't do it! It's too short! You don't get the full Mr. Knightly experience! But of course, it is Austen, so it is wonderful, even in all it's abridged version.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Yeah. Do I really need to say anything? This was the full version, and so wonderful. I'm such a chick.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Loved the movie, so I decided to give the book a try. The book and the movie are amazingly similar. I love it when they don't stray too far off. A freshman girl deals with the emotions that come with rape. It is an honest, and simple experience, that will be both painful and refreshing.

Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
You might have heard this book mentioned in You've Got Mail. I adored this book. I wish the other shoe books were available on audio, because I think I'd enjoy them all. It was sort of like a British Little Women, except the children were all younger. I loved this story, performing and precocious children are always a pirate pleaser.

HRH by Danielle Steel
My frist Steel book ever! I know, right? And well, who am I to criticize someone who's had 100 books on the best seller list (part of me thinks that is exaggerating a bit, and the other part of me really thinks that might be accurate,) but crap, that was repetitive. I mean, I really liked the story, but if I had to hear one more time how much she liked and missed her time at Berkely I was going to throw my Zune across the room. And of course, she's perfect in every way possible...perfect is boring. Give us at least one flaw, the only one I could see was the fact that she really, really wants to do humanitarian work, instead of play the princess part-which is sort of the same. Anyway, like I said I did really like the story and the plot. But maybe, just maybe, try to not repeat the same concept fifty times over. (Again, part of me thinks that is exaggerating, and the other part of me thinks that it was really mentioned about fifty times.) Yes, I'll probably listen to a Danielle Steel book again, I mean, there's a bunch on disc at the library, so maybe I'll change my mind with the next one.

Daddy's Little Girl by Mary Higgins Clark
My first Mary Higgins Clark book too. Something I would have neve picked up on my own as I'm not a big Mystery genre reader. A fun little whodunnit. My only complaint is that the person the main character thinks "dunnit" the entire book, turned out to be the actual doer. I kept waiting for the floorboards to come up and reveal that...dun dun dun...it was her father the whole time! Or something crazy like that. But it was demure, yet still a good romp. I'll listen to another one of hers as well.

Summer Crossing by Truman Capote
My frist, and definitely not my last Capote. His words flow like warm honey over your eardrums, or eyeballs respectively. He really is a master of the written word. Even if you hate the story, it is worth a read just to revel in the linquistic phrasings.

That's it for now. But I've got three more audiobooks lined up right now, and a couple actual books that I want to read soon as well. Till next time. Happy Reading.

Heartbreak

2009-08-23T20:05:00.001-07:00

It happens to the best of us.

So the agency I was revising for shut down. I know! And it wasn't just the agency, the agent I was appealing towards is now not accepting new clients. I could cry. Wait, I probably did for a bit. Actually, I'm not sure if I did for that specifically. But, lets just say bad things come in threes, and I cried about all three of them at the same time.

Time to move on. Dust the self back off, and begin writing again. It's been a couple weeks of reading a bit, writing a bit, and discovering the magical land of Audio Books. (I listen to my Zune at work a lot so I can get through books I might not have read on my own while working.) But, I'm feeling more inspired than ever. To write. The sad thing is that I've abandoned my trilogy for now.

I need to do a complete full edit on book 1, and a complete full edit on book 2 before continuing on book 3. I got about 20k in and stopped due to editing and then heartbreak. I feel like I need to make the first two books clear and concise before jumping into the third, so I've put it on hold.

On the plus side I've begun writing bits and pieces to a new story that I'm in love with but it is making me slightly mental. I'm really sorry to any friends or family who've dealt with me in the funk I've willingly put myself in. When life gives you shit, you take it and rub it all over your computer and write a shit story. Wait a minute...that isn't quite right. No, you take your sadness and you embrace it and put it on paper. I'm writing this story much slower than the others, and muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch stranger.

It is in bits and pieces. I think of a scene and then I write it out and copy and paste it approximately where it would go in order of the story. I'm not sure if this book will go in order or not. It certainly isn't writing itself that way. I have no idea where it begins or ends, but the middle I am sure of what happens. I'll give you a hint as to what it's about too. Pomegranates.

Awkward Signiture Girl

2009-07-30T22:07:00.000-07:00

Hear me out.
Am I the only person who would prefer that people not sign her books or anything?
I don't want to meet the author, I don't want to get a picture taken with you, and I don't want your flippin' signiture on my brand new, pristine book!!!!!
And it gets so awkward at things like Comic-con where I do most of my graphic novel shopping, and at the smaller publishers where the people are selling their own stuff. And I mean reeeeallly awkward.
Perhaps I'm just socially awkward, but it turns into a big flippin' mess. You see something that looks interesting, you stop,take a look, decide to buy it, and look face to face with the author...sharpie already in hand, grinning that "I'm so glad you like my work" grin. I automatically feel like vomiting.
I would like to admire your work from afar. I would like to never meet you, or have the cute little main character sketch on the opening page of the book, and to never have to try and play off how much I disdain your graffiti all over my just purchased book. Just take my damn money.
"Would you like it autographed? The writer/artist is right here!"
I vomit. "No, that's okay. I don't want to bother anyone."
Big smile. "No, here, you don't mind, do you artist/writer?"
Big smile. "Who should I make it out to?"
Vomit. "Your Mom, because she would appreciate it more than me."
Blink. "I'm sorry?"
Vomit. Sigh. Wipe the mouth. "Coffee, c-o-f-f-e-e."
And I cringe with every slick sharpie movement.

What the heck is wrong with me?

I never promised you a comic-con

2009-07-23T20:50:00.000-07:00

Comic-Con is this weekend, and for the first time in a few years, I'm not going all four days.
I am both glad and sad at this prospect for several reasons.
I'm am very glad that I have a new job, but sad that I don't have enough paid time off to justify taking the time off.
I'm am very glad that I'm writing so much that I don't want to take time away from it to go spend 3/4 of a week (yes I go to preview night usually too.)
I'm glad that I won't have nearly as much time to form an obsession over something new. And I'm sad that I won't have nearly as much time to form an obsession over something new.
I'm glad that I'm going at all, and will still, if luck has it, be able to see Kevin Smith's panel. Am horribly upset that I will miss Neil Gaiman at the Coraline panel.
Am glad that I will probably spend less money by not haunting the sales floor for 4 and a half days. Am sad because it means I will have less new and enthralling books.
And I am going crazy, because it has become such a phenomenon that it haunts the television, the radio, the newspapers, the internet (google even changed their logo for it. I love google!) even the workplace (the entire art department is going tomorrow)!
I am glad to spend time with my sister because we need our goofy time together. Am sad, because it means less editing will be accomplished in liu of good times.

How much are you willing to sacrifice for your art?
Now, if you'll excuse me, some of us have to go haunt youtube in search of footage from what I missed today.

Little Deaths

2009-07-19T21:10:00.000-07:00

Okay. It has been nearly a week of machete work. My arm is tired.
I've done a lot of work on the story though. Heck, I practically rewrote an entire chapter. And I'm trying to only add detail in place of things I've cut so that with all my other cuts, hopefully this thing will turn out shorter.
Sadly, I've only cut about nineteen pages and approximately 9,000 words.
It feels like that's all I've done all week.
For all you aspiring writers in the world. Just be prepared to absolutely love everything you write. And to hate it. Then to love it. Then to hate it. Then to thinking, "hey this is publishable!" And then to "What complete crap what was I thinking?"
Be prepared to have hit 'delete' on genius phrases that you absolutely love, becuase, frankly, they just don't work. I have a whole notepad of those which I'm hoping to use somewhere else in the story.
I would advise anyone who has no experience in getting critiques to take creative writing and poetry classes at your local community college. Be prepared to have your ass handed to you. Be prepared for people to comment about your phrasing, your grammar, your word choice, your stanzas, your characters, how cliche you are, how cheesy you are, how lame your writing is...etc.
If you don't want to jump in a hole and die after that, then maybe writing is your thing. I've got my own family telling me I'm boring and bitchy all within the same chapter. Hah! I love you fam! Actually, to be fair, I think they were different chapters, and both very good critiques.
I'm just saying, you have to be that blow up scream doll with the weight at the bottom that keeps popping up. When someone slams their fist in your face and yells "You Suck!"
you have to pop back up and ask why, and what made them think that about you, and how you could change that impression. You are a dog. Striving for attention. Wag your tail, do a trick, whatever, as long as you get that belly rub in the end.
Yes, I am procrastinating a bit. What's it to you? Give me a treat.
I know, I know, I'm long-winded. Why do you think I'm supposed to cut my story nearly in half? I've cut, oh about 1/15th, 1/20th of what I need to do. I just can't shut up.
Back to the chopping block.

Buzzed

2009-07-14T23:01:00.000-07:00

Wow.
That's kind of all I can say right now.
I got the actual revision letter, and it is long and detailed with specific things to cut, general areas to look for repetitions, general themes that I might want to tighten up.
It is so much more than I expected. A lot of thought went into it, and I was so honoured to receive such a well-thought out critique.
Plus it was ripe with compliments regarding my writing style which is enough to pump any author up and go, "Revisions! Yeah!"
So I've got my machete and caffeine supply and I'm going into the jungle.
I bounced some ideas off my Mom and brother today, to see how I could tie up a couple loose ends and I feel pretty good about where I'm going.
So yeah! Bring on the summer heat and the iced tea because I've got some revisions to do.
P.S. I've got the first three chapters written and I'm pretty happy with them. They're angsty and lovely, and a fun little intro into what I hope will be the most dramatic, the most different, and the most tortured of the three books. Mwah!

Revision Letter

2009-07-08T17:56:00.000-07:00

I am seriously about to crap myself right now.
I never thought I'd be so happy to have to edit, but I am.

So after holding onto my manuscript for oh...4 months (hey I was going to remind them when bk 2 was all edited...and there's conferences and stuff right now, and it's really a much, much, much too long book) I got a rather terrifying email today.
There was no congratulations in it like there was when they asked for the manuscript. But it was still positive all the same.

I'm going to have to hack the thing to bits maybe. But I'm actually pretty good with a machete, as long as someone points this girl in the right diretion.

Now to clarify. This was only a request for revisions. Heck, it was only a request if I was interested in receiving a revision letter. But I like mail just as much as the next person so I said. "Yes. Please put me on this mail list." Okay, not exactly like that, but you get my drift.
It's nice to think someone who gets paid to read actually slogged through my much, too long, silly story and thought it possible to do something with it. So the journey continues. Just like Lord of the Rings. Only it's a lot of editing and waiting instead of a lot of walking and well, walking. Luckily I have many a story to write on to keep me occupied and many a load of laundry to do should writer's block hit.
So yay! I'm not quite dead!

Why I don't hug

2009-07-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

That's right. I am not a hugger. Not in the least.
I find it awkward every time except for two instances.
Hugs are appropriate (for me) if you are my man. Yes. I love hugging my Mr. C. I need it.
Hugs are also appropriate if you are hurt (physically or emotionally). It is one of my first instincts if someone found out some bad news.
Other than that...don't touch me. Hugs are a very deeply personal thing for me and akin to kissing. I don't kiss my friends, heck, I don't kiss my mother. Sorry Mom. I do hug her, because she likes it, but it is still awkward. (Sorry Mom!)
I won't hug you volontarily and I will always make hugs initiated by you very awkward. Sorry. I'm lame, and socially awkward.
But I won't push you away or anything. I'm not a jerk. Just jerky.

Book 2

2009-06-20T07:37:00.000-07:00

Finished!
Okay, well not really, but I've finished the rough draft and the initial read through.
I'm going to do some clarity edits to the second half, then a grammar read-through and then it's off to the Mom and Brother for editing.
When I finished writing it, I immediately started fiddling with an old story idea that decided to haunt me. I let myself have one week of tomfoolery before getting back to business for editing (which I hate). So I read it through, and fell in love all over again, and am ready to start up on book 3. Teehee.

Plan for next week: Get the first two or three chapters written for bk3 and to get bk2 ready for my fam. It's kind of a lot to do, but who needs a life outside the computer?

Oh, and I think I've got a final soundtrack for bk1 done, and am fiddling with one for bk 2.

I think I have a small problem with fiction. Addiction. No interventions please.

Pro-Cess

2009-05-27T21:01:00.000-07:00

I read on the Firebrand blog today, a question about what keeps us, unpublished authors, writing. My answer is too long and boring for a comment so I'm blogging my response.
I write because I don't know how not to.

Guess it was short afterall.

Just kidding, like I would ever shut up after just that. Honestly, I didn't know I wrote as much as I did. I knew I wrote a lot of songs and poems in college and fanfics throughout my life. But I was cleaning out some of my old crap from college, and am amazed at just how much crap I actually did write. Not the quality, I knew it was crap, but the volume.
I probably have about thirty half-filled journals and notebooks (no, I'm really not exagerating with that number.) I found old letters I had written, songs (horrid), poems (not quite so horrid), and stories. I cleaned up all the old floppy disks I had and put them all onto one external hardrive and was amazed how many of them were chock full of writings. Essays, journal entries, poem upon poem, short stories, blahblahblah. Fanfics for several things that I am too embarrassed to mention here. Songfics! I have a special place in my heart for a good songfic.
So I'm not sure exactly how I started, other than my sister was doing it, why didn't I?
And to answer the question, I don't know why I keep doing it, but I've never stopped writing for the past decade, I doubt I'll stop now.
I've always had characters that won't shut up in my head. Don't even get me started on Jordie. I've had an interconnected set of stories in my head forever with Jordie and his world. I've started that story about a billion times, and never finished it. Seriously, don't ask becuase I won't shut up about him.
I've never had real writer's block. There's always something to write on. But just in case I ever do get writer's block, there's about a year's worth of laundry to catch up on.
As for my current story. I lucked out. Plain and simple. I've started alternate versions in several styles (graphic novel, diary, other ages) and none of them worked out. I thought for sure that's what I was doing this time. Except I didn't stop. The first two paragraphs wrote themselves one day and I toyed with the rest of the first chapter over the next few days. Then, after coming home drunk from the Stone Anniversary beerfest I polished off the first chapter. And there was no looking back.
I'd finished reading the Twilight series, and wanted to fall back in love with characters even more than I was in those books. So I created my own world, my own story to obsess about. And Obsess I did. The first draft wrote itself in two months. The editing was not so quick. In fact it's still going. Book two took a lot longer. Well five months or so. To be fair there's been a lot of bk1 editing during the process, but it also wrote itself by scene instead of in order. The entire first half of the book was written in scene snippets that I had to go back and connect. And I wrote one of the last scenes in the book before I wrote the plot.
So, to any aspiring writers out there, think of Yoda. There is no try only do. Don't aspire, just write. Don't wait for a plot, that will come (sometimes.) I have yet to know exactly where I'm going with a story when I start it, or even while writing it. I'm not an outliner, that creates too many rules for me, makes it too much like work. I write like I'm reading a book, anxious to find out what happens next. Half the time that I get an idea in my head my characters refuse to follow along anyway so there's no point for me to even try outlining.
Characters will rebel against what you have planned out in your head, and as any good parent you have to let them. You can always edit and change them in the future anyhow.
Um. Okay, I'll get off my self obsessed soapbox now and back to writing the last two pages of book 2. (EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!)

What I'm reading # 8

2009-05-25T12:58:00.000-07:00

Music to blog to: Imogen Heap.

Book Club was a blast. Melissa, your house is the most fun place ever. I drank Kosher beer and lemon soda beer and a little Bitch Creek mixed in. Fun times were had by all.

Everything is Illuminated: Jonathan Safran Foer

As per usual, when reading a book after I've seen the movie, I realize the book seems to have a different message, and a rather different way of telling it. I was pleasantly surprised by all the bits of the book that weren't in the movie (would not have been feasible to include it). You get so much more from Alex in the book, so many moments of laughing out loud and everyone wondering what the hell I'm laughing at. Honestly, I laughed and cried and laughed whilst crying. It was momentous. Love the book.

Kiss of Life: Daniel Waters

YA ARC book. Very fun. A lot better than I expected it to be based on the cover. Rights for the differently biotic, inter-biotic relationships. I love it when sci-fi goes political. A great, fun little romp. All I have to say is, Some of my best friends are dead.

I Am Not Myself These Days. A Memoir: Josh Kilmer-Purcell

I actually read this book a year or so ago, but just got it back from my friend, which reminded me of how much I loved it. Hilarious and yet so real. The story of a drag queen in New York and the lifestyle that ensues. The voice is what will real you in, hook line and sinker, as if you were one of the goldfish swimming around in the plastic boobs of her corset. And there's a photo in the book of her all dolled up too, which is something.

Next up for me: I promised my office mate I'd finally read the last Harry Potter book and then the next book club book is also by Jonathan Safran Foer: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

100k!

2009-05-09T20:57:00.000-07:00

I past the 100k mark on book 2! Whoo! As of this moment I'm at 107,234 words. (Um, I just made up those last three numbers because, frankly, I don't know.) I actually just barely reached the 100 mark earlier this week, but didn't take the time to blog about it. And I've been writing all day. And crying. Oops! hah, you don't know why though! It could be because My Girl was on t.v. (it was on t.v. really). Anyway, I'm so close I can taste the end. And as usual (well you know comparing this with the only other full manuscript I've written) I save a lot of the drama for the end. Poor Jamie, I'm so mean to her, but I'm nice too! Heck, the whole first half of the book was pretty darn nice. Well the first third at least.
Back to the grindstone.

What I'm Reading #7

2009-05-01T18:06:00.001-07:00

Music to Blog to: Uh..Monty Python's "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life." Teehee.

Now, to be fair, I recently rearraged all my books on my book shelf. And I blame Jayma, who gave me more YA ARC books, and apparently there is talk of even more come el Cinco de Mayo. Oh my. But here we go...

Dork Diaries by Rachel R. Russell:

A wee bit young for me. This is more of a preteen coming of age story. I appreciated the realism of the voice, and I love anything put in a diary story. And well I loved the characters. But, there's just only so much I-Carly I can watch. Never-the-less I read it in a couple hours, and it was adorable. Suggested for your little preteens out there.

Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford:

I can't remember if I blogged about this book earlier, but I loved it so much that I'm mentioning it again. Carter is a freshman in high school, and this was the flippin' best young adult boy book I've read in a long while. It was shit-your-pants hilarious, and sweet (only a little) and even a bit about Taco Bell. Don read it, he loved it too. So well written! I'll definitely have to read this again when the little man turns 12 or so. A refresher coarse.

Contact by Carl Sagan.

Freakin' loved it. I love science vs. theology anything. I think a lot of great points come up on both sides and I am horrendously sorry for missing book club. I'm an idiot. For me, it is a slower read, but very worth it. Passion! Technological crap that I don't understand! Babylon! Vegans! I ask you, what is there not to love? Read it, it just might make you smarter. Or at least teach you stuff about radio telescopes. Prime numbers rule so much more than any other numbers. (I didn't say it would make you more mature.)

The Twilight Prisoner by Katherine Marsh:

I think this is a sequel, but it didn't matter. Jack can cross over into the Underworld. Euri and her cockroaches. Unrequited love and a three-headed dog. Haunting. The living avenger! Will true teenage love prevail in the heart of the dead? Awesome.

Sophmore Undercover by Ben Esch:

Cute. Drug bust gone bad. The lengths that some journalists will go to for a story. Toilet scenes. An action-packed Schwinn scene! Hah. I hope I never grow up. Car chase scenes are so boring, but on a bike! That is where the magic happens! Oh and not just any ol' Schwinn, your mother's Schwinn, and in costume. That chapter alone was worth the whole read. I want to see that scene in a movie.

That's it for now. Happy reading all. Happy writing. And if you'd like to submit a book for my reading pleasure, and crappy-ass reviews...I do accept all manuscripts free of charge. Though I don't promise to actually finish reading anything, nor do I promise to like it.
FYI: Next month's book club is Everything is Illuminated

Guns don't kill people. People kill people.

2009-04-25T08:21:00.000-07:00

But guns make it ridiculously easy.

Where do foreign countries get their weapons from? Us. Because it is cheaper to just leave the used weapons wherever we might have been, than to ship it back to the states.

Lord of War...is one of the most disturbing movies I've seen in a while. Nicholas Cage...wow. I'm not usually a fan, but...wow.

Based on a true story. Based on a sadly disturbing story.

And People wonder why I love the Brits

2009-04-15T18:15:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro9ufVuuNb0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaBsshIYT2w

No wonder Simon's always so flippin' board on American Idol.

You're Not Worthy

2009-04-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

I'll be the first to admit, that I'm what some may call a beer snob. I know I look like a naive girl with a tiny head, but I'm a naive girl with a tiny head who wouldn't drink light beer unless you paid her to. (Of course I would do it for money!) Not only will I not willingly drink light beer, but I won't willingly drink anything that you can buy in more than a six pack unless you're at costco. (Our costco usually has a case of Stone.)
I don't drink out of cans either. Only bottles.
I enjoy beer that has a higher alcohol content than wine.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy lighter alcohol contents too, as long as there is flavor. And by flavor I don't mean salted water flavor like a freakin "Bud" the hired help to any sort of "royalty of beer."
In short, I am a Stone Girl. I am an Arrogant Bastard. And you're not worthy.
For just after work, give me a Stone Pale Ale. For a party, give me the Double Bastard. Or anything in between.
Stone isn't the king of beers. No, Stone is the evil overlord of the universe of beer. And fizzy yellow stuff is for wussies.
Now, I do enjoy other beers, as long as the flavor is good. I enjoy Hefeweisen, (chick lemonade beer) but it has to have the appropriate awesome flavor, (Oak Creek Canyon is my top Hefe ever enjoyed and most of the ones you get in the store are bland.
I like my beer oaked, and smoked. I like it to have hints of the flavors that grew near the barley and hops. I like it to have some sort of insulting quip on the bottle, because if you're drinking, then insults always sound better.
I like it to be pretentious. And not like a certain silly, green bottled German friend. No, I want it to have real aires.
I want a beer that kicks my butt and talks me into bed so that I wake up not knowing where I am the next morning, only that I had a truly memorable, once in a lifetime experience the night before.
I love me some good brew.

42

2009-04-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

Where has the time gone? Is it really April already? I apologize to everyone for not being better at posting. Honestly, I haven't sat still for a moment in the past month. I've read like crazy, written like crazy, made music playlists for each of my characters like crazy.
March brought on the new job, which admittedly, keeps me from home a bit longer. It also brought on Taxes. And I've started my summer job of hefting plants to and fro also. There have been birthdays and outings, and catching up with friends. I got my animals all licensed and shot up with drugs. I've made loaf after loaf of friendship bread, and taken advantage of free bagel Fridays. I've been a whirlwind. The only thing I haven't accomplished is cleaning the bathroom.
I've injested more caffeine than a person should. It isn't my fault that the AM PM by work has "Double the caffeine" coffee, and 42-oz cokes for a buck-twenty.
Unfortunately, the caffeine never helps me stay awake. I just took a half hour nap after drinking a cup of coffee. Nothing keeps me from sleep, despite myself. If I had my way I'd only sleep on the weekends, and it would only be that good, snoozy, lazy Saturday afternoon sleep where you, somehow, are coherent, but not really- for every minute of it. I hate sleep, it sucks up so much time I could be using for blogging, or reading, or writing.
BTW I'm at 87k right now, and I know what I'm doing with the rest of the book, so I'm slightly giddy. All I want to do is snuggle up in bed and write out the rest of Jamie's life. But, alas, I go braindead in 2.2 seconds flat and comotose a moment after that.
Oh, I did pick out a new computer online too. eeeee! I haven't purchased it yet, waiting on my state tax return to come in and then it will be mine. Oh yes, it will be mine.

What I'm reading #6?

2009-03-22T20:08:00.000-07:00

Music to blog to: Watchman Soundtrack. Teehee.

Life Of Pi by Yann Martel

I know, this is the first non-graphic novel/non YA book I've read in a few months. I am such a cheezeball. But the Gaare sisters (two of them) and I met for our first book club meeting on national Pi day and enjoyed Pi(e) while discussing the book (which by the way, if you google image search you see a lot of really cool covers). I loved this book. It was like a spiritual mental romp. And I am not a spiritual person. Well, not in the sense of the word that most would take it as. I am self-spiritual and a firm believer in life and love in general. And all emotions for that matter. Anyhoo, I surprised myself, and really enjoyed the book. I mean one Hindu/Islam/Christian Vegetarian Indian boy in a lifeboat with a tiger, zebra, orangutan, rat, and a hyena. There was murder, and dead turtles, and algae, and teeth (just for you Meli!) And I love that there is a completely fake author's note at the beginning.
Many Nut-Thins were consumed in the reading of this book. It is a book to eat while snacking, because you will be hungry while reading it. Whether or not it is a true story doesn't matter. Whether or not it involved animals or people, I love that I get to make the choice about the story. I love that it is belivable and not believable and all together a lovely little tale that surely could have started from one of those dreams after having too much curry.

Emily the Strange by Rob Reger and Jessica Gruner
Illustrated by Rob Reger and Buzz Parker

An ARC due out in June. A wonderful comic book character who I've seen haunting the halls of comic-con for years; has a book. A fabulous book. A book that stays wholly and completely true to Emily and while introducing other characters manages to somehow, charm the socks of you. Black socks that is. Emily has Amnesia, and nothing but a notebook and pen, a slingshot, some pebbles, and a park bench to go on. Who is she and why does she have amnesia? Love it. This is my first proper introduction to Emily, which was great because I was learning about herself with her. Kind of awesome.
Speaking of google image searches (the best!) You should google Emily the Strange. Paste her "I want you" poster to your door, or cubicle at work. It just might help matters. Either that or a really good slingshot.

Vibes by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Another YA ARC book. Just a girl with gigantic gazungas and the ability to read minds. And a few other problems. I loved the reality of the problems, and unreality of her school (which totally could be a reality). I loved Kristi, and wanted an umbrella top just like hers. Though I will gladly do without her giant boobs. The voice in this book is true, and that, plus the strange visuals she keeps getting from her peers are enough to read the book on your own. Marscopone cheese. 'Nuff said.
And if you google search Vibes, you will not get a cover of the book..you will get the cover to porn things.

E the Riveter

2009-03-21T21:08:00.000-07:00

Update: First week of my new job has been awesome. It is rather terrifying to not know what the hell I'm doing, especially when I went from knowing nearly everything to nothing. But I feel that I've got a fairly good grasp on my job, and even if I'm still slow at some tasks, I'm not terrified. I sort of know what people are talking about. Leverages and Importing and Status Reports. Hey, at least I know what a PO is and what Terms refer to. WHOO!
On Friday we took a field trip to the USS Midway gift shop. Yep, we went aboard an aircraft carrier just to go look at the gift shop. Can I just say, I love my company? There are many reasons, but my favorite is because in that gift shop, on the key chain stand...sat a keychain with my name spelled correctly. First time, ever for me. I nearly bought it. And it flashed and was solar powered, so it'll never die. So cool. I'm so easily pleased.

Been fairly stressed this week. And it shows. Not only medically am I suffering..um you don't want to know; but mentally. This week I have left my lights on in my car so that my sister had to come down and save me. I have also burned my entire hand with a boiling (I swear it was boiling...it was in the microwave for 3 minutes) cup of coffee and then forgot to bring it with me to drink. And I have forgotten to shower.

But things are looking up. Took care of shots for all the animals, and lovely Don gave Kobe a buzz today and he is so handsome now! Have successfully not spilled coffee on myself. Looks like the medical thing is not serious which is good because I lose health insurance in ten days for two months. Gack. I even wrote a few thousand words today. And I'm back to reading my ARC YA novels. Yay! Until I get my next book club book-Contact by Carl Sagan.

Perhaps tomorrow I'll post a reading update, because I have been reading a lot. Two books on my lunch breaks alone. So life is looking up.

Die Vampire Die

2009-03-19T19:30:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahjxvBV1Heg

warning: language and awesomeness

When it rains it pours

2009-03-13T07:19:00.000-07:00

Yes. I used a cliche. I use them a lot sadly, because why reinvent the wheel?
Anyhow, here's an update to my current "bucket of stress" life.
Book club meeting tomorrow. And I am terribly only pgs into a pg book. Don't get me wrong, I'll finish it. I like the book it is a jovial mind romp. (Life of Pi) So I'm stressing about finishing the book.
Someone actually requested my manuscript. The whole thing. So while I felt like I had the whole thing done and finished, it only brings up a certain sort of panic. So I'm doing a quick read-through and minor cuts-only truly boring bits that don't pertain to anything in the story, I promise. I called my brother three times in an hour last night for permission to cut certain lines.
It is my last day at my current job and Monday I will start my new job, for good. That's enough to stress anyone out. Especially for the fact that they gave me so much extra work to do because I'm leaving, and training my replacements, all on top of my normal work load.
I'm supposed to go to a party tonight, that I really, really want to go to. But I'm afraid I won't be able to. The manuscript and book club are kinda a priority for me as I made those engagements a month ago. I am officially a bad friend.
And it is orchid show season. Orchids? What? Well, my parents have an orchid business and they are stressed and running around like crazy too. I'm supposed to help clean plants on Sunday. Maybe. And cleaning plants isn't misting the leaves with water or anything. It is hacking of dead bits with razor blades, and cutting your fingers to crap trying to rip off the dead bits at the bulb. I might pee my pants in excitement.
Oh, and Saturday I sort of have plans to go give my pets shots.
What is wrong with me? Why does everything happen at the same time? How does life do that? But, I suppose it is all good, nice, fun things that are happening, but I hate having so many commitments. I feel awful when I can't follow through on things, but some things may have to give this weekend.

Too much? Apparently.

2009-03-05T13:16:00.000-08:00

Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing? Apparently. My book is apparently too long. Apparently young adults aren't that game for reading 135000 word books. Why? Are lit agents looking at my query and seeing 130000 and thinking "holy crap, I don't want to read that, I don't have time to read that! It must all be long, and tedious drivel!" Well, I don't know, perhaps it is. Perhaps I wrote a really long, tedious, boring book. But my mom and bro who are acting as my editorial team right now keep telling me to stop second guessing myself, and everytime I talk about cutting things out I get yelled at. Do I trust them? Do I keep trying to convince everyone that a really long, young adult genred, slightly sci-fi but not really (same world as we are in, only everyone is genetically engineered) book is really worth the read?

Is it worth the read? I have no idea anymore.

And I'm not looking for reassurance, so friends and family who have read it, don't comment on this or anything, I'm not looking for a pat on the back, just gushing.

Perhaps I've written a poor book. Don't get me wrong, I'm not self-pitying, I'm just admitting that it could be the case. Perhaps, in this time, no one wants a longer book (even though I might add that Twilight was 130000 words). However I don't have vampires, just normal people-sort of. Perhaps the plot is uneffective, or unevocative, perhaps my grammar (Despite the many edits) is just too dettering.

Whatever. I don't care. I mean, I would love to be a published author, and wake up in the morning and carress my laptop, make a cup of tea and curl up in bed and type like the dickens. As that is what I do anytime I have a spare moment anyways. But I can wait for that. I can write a few more stories in my spare time. I can allow myself to write shorter stories that are more commerical (not selling out, I thought of them, and they assumed the position of a shorter, more commercial story.) In my opinion it is the characters that carry a story, and not the plot or surrounding circumstance. I will follow ANY story if I love the main character. And I love my character.

Jamie, you are bad-ass. And even though I disagree with you on several things, you are a piece of me. And I'll miss you when I kill you off.

Just kidding. Hah, making sure you made it through my drivel about drivel.

So anyhow, I'm letting people know, I will finish the series (I set the date of 08-21-09 for the trilogy which is exactly a year from the date I began writing the first book.) So if I've written 3 135000 word books by then that'll be half a million words in a year in purely fiction. That would be pretty cool. And then I can move on to my fun commercial series. Or whatever strikes my fancy. And maybe then I'll give another go at getting published. Maybe the economy will be better, and the extra hundred pages I've thrown into my books won't be so scary.

We're all afraid of paper cuts. Aren't we?

Update

2009-02-28T20:42:00.000-08:00

So I've been procrastinating like the dickens this weekend. I played a lot of spider solotaire and plant tycoon (flippin' love this game as you only have to attend to it for a moment every ten minutes or so, perfect for those with short attention spans, like moi), and watched a lot of Top Model reruns.
I stressed a bit, you know just to do what I do best.
I accepted a new job on Friday. Merchandising Assistant. Just gotta pass the drug test and the referrals. (By the way, I love my friends and coworkers.) My first drug test! Hopefully it doesn't actually measure the amount of sugar and caffeine I consume, because that might be a little embarrassing. I'm at that stage when I'm scared of a whole new environment...will they appreciate my TooMuchCoffeeMan "Don't drink crappy coffee" mug? Will I remember their names? (I am terrible at names of new people.) Will I know what the hee-haw I'm doing? I'm also guilt-ridden about leaving my other job, but finances are just too tight right now. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. But at least it is a bit more money and a lot more potential.
And I did write a bit in between all my other procrastinations. And I know where I'm going for the next chapter or two, so that is good. And tomorrow I'll bribe my brother with coffee cake for another editing session. Hopefully this time we get more than 3/4 of a chapter done. But to be fair, it was during the Oscars.
So there's my update. Happy blogging everyone. And might I suggest a Slurpee? Mine is just about gone, and I wouldn't mind going for another.

What I'm reading #5ish or so

2009-02-26T08:11:00.001-08:00

Yes! I finally got through the last batch of YA ARC books and the select few graphic novels I had pulled out of my stash recently. Back to writing it is. But first, here is what I've been reading over the last week.

Music to Blog to: Jimmy Eat World '23'

The Forest of Hands and Teeth: by Carrie Ryan

I wasn't sure about this one. And of course I loved it! This is why I don't take back covers too seriously. It should have just said "Fun YA version of "The Village" with zombies or "unconsecrated" that'll make you stay up at night to see who lives and who dies! I must admit, this is my very first zombie book. I think my previous zombie experience comes from Shaun of the Dead...and that's it. Just FYI. Anyhow, you will love the spirit of Mary, the main character, she inspired me, and I don't have to face the living dead every day, just two ferrocious cats. It was definitely something different and something very fun! Cheers to Carrie for breeching several genre's and mixing them all up in a very unexpected story.

The Demon's Lexicon: by Sarah Rees Brennan

Another I wasn't sure of, and of course I ended up loving it. Again, I am new to books on demons, I guess I should have delved in much earlier in my life to the fantasy world, but I was busy imagining myself a poet. So there's a bit of backstory about this book. This book came in the batch of ARC's and I put it down, thinking "demons? me?" What brought me back to it, is the image haunting the lit agency website...the one who gave me the nicest rejection of my life. I was told they would have liked to see more "world building" and even though I'm still not sure how to fit that into a story that takes place in a world that is essentially our world just with a different past of genetic engineering-I've tried it--it is some boring writing) I thought I'd take a gander at what would obviously had a good sense of world building. (I'm sorry I am the tangent queen!)

Boy did it! Right away, and very naturally I will say, the world of demons and magicians was explained without lecture and with much action. Needless to say, I get it. This is the book that I kept getting mad at myself for not staying awake longer to finish. I yelled at my lovely Don for not waking me up when I fell asleep during a movie, so I could read into the night. Here's the thing though. Not only is this an imaginitive and captivating story...and it is that...but it is REALLY well written. I'm in love with Sarah's descriptions. I would throw a quote in here, if I thought I was allowed, but I'm not sure I am. Anyhow, I am so glad that for whatever reason I picked this book up, and finally managed to stay awake long enough after work to finish it!

Mouse Guard: Volume 1 Fall 1152--by David Petersen

The first in what will be an enchanting series of graphic novels. If all adventure novels could be graphic, then I would be reading a lot more. And mice. Not just mice, a whole secret and elusive world of mice. That alone, got me interested. The artwork is amazing. The story is simple, sweet, heroic, and captivating. I can't wait to pick up the next in the series at this year's Comic Con.

There you have it. Now, maybe my brain is satiated with enough new fiction that I can go back to my story.

Y: The Last Man

2009-02-25T14:09:00.000-08:00

by Brian Vaughan (Author) and Pia Guerra (Illustrator)

Yes! I finally read the tenth graphic novel in the ten-book series. It was lovely and everything that I remembered loving about it when I read the first nine nearly a year ago. If you haven't read this series, or heard of it, you might want to take a peek. Why? Not because I said so. But because I originally heard about on NPR. Yep, our friends on national public radio are so hip as to be in the know of graphic novels.

The series takes us on a journey through Yorrick Brown and his Capuchin monkey Amphersand. And In the first novel all the men suddenly die of a plague on earth. Except Yorrick and his monkey. What happens in a world of all women, and what happens to the last man in a world with all women? Well, that you'll have to read to find out.

But this story is witty and intriguing and adventurous, all the while still maintaining a serious enough tenor that makes the story believable. And in a world full of women, it is hard to acheive an equal balance of all those things. You will fall in love a little bit with Yorrick, his monkey, and the strength of women all at the same time.

There is a time for every purpose

2009-02-24T15:28:00.000-08:00

So I'm on the mend, but my sanity seems to be dropping off. When did life get so stinkin' busy? I feel like I may never catch up here. I'm having trouble focusing on my book (about 65% of the way through!) because there are things like haircuts and rabies shots (not for me) to worry about. Oil changes, and taxes and birthdays. Ugh, does life ever just sit down and relax so that I can sit down and write for a few hours without having a narcoleptic episode and sleeping for ten hours straight? Could I please stop to watch my netflix movies, or should I wait another month?
And what I keep thinking is...I have to start my summer job in less than a month? That means even less time to do all the other things I don't have time to do now.
And even worse is I keep having ideas! The horrors! Other ideas, that tempt me, and curl their little fingers in tendrils of my hair and pull at me to come write on them. Just a paragraph, a little synopsis. Pulling me away from my current project. I have priorites here, and it's about time I set them.
1)Book 2 (writing)
2)Book 1 (last minute read through, and attempt to edit it down to 130,000 words even...although I just wrote another 1000 into the ending. Idiot)
3)All other appointments like rabies shots and haircuts
4)Reading for fun (I know, I am so sad to give this up as I've been on such a kick lately, but I really need to get my butt moving)
5)Writing my stupid synopsis for agents that require a stupid synopsis. (Yes, I put them off for later, because I didn't want to write one, well I tried and I hated the one I came up with so much I tossed it.)
6)Eating and Sleeping
Hmm. I wonder if this is in the wrong order. Oh well. That is my list and I'm sticking to it.

Music, music, music

2009-02-20T08:02:00.001-08:00

I just read another blog post about how music can inspire writing. Whether it is the lyrics or just the melody, or sometimes just the tenor of the music can inspire. Who wouldn't be inspired by Carmina Burana or Carmen?

When I write I LOVE having music on. Sometimes I have the t.v. on low in the background, just because I usually work better with some sort of background noise; but, usually it is music. My entire Aria series was inspired by the Imogen Heap song "Hide and Seek." Although, to be fair, it didn't turn out the way I had originally imagined--which was the end of the world as we know it--it still inspired a three-book series. Um, I know I'm only on the second one, but I can't wait for the third.

Not only can it inspire, but it also puts me in the right mood. Led Zeppelin is responsible for anything that takes place in L.A. or when I just need a general Jamie bad-ass hit for a bunch of dialogue. Pink Floyd was behind any scene that had testing in it...genetic engineering is so Pink Floyd. I had cheesy love songs for the lovey bits, and anything to put me so in the mood, and swept up in the general moment. I have yet to find really good heartbreak music, but Weezer's 'Make Believe' album is pretty darn awesome for that. The song "Hold Me" is Ben's song, forever and always. Makes me cry just thinking about it. And of course Blues is good heartbreak stuff.

And for days when I was editing...always have the classical, blues, or jazz going. Always. Originally I had lyrics from songs that paired with the chapter as chapter titles, but after my Mom and brother kept telling me "I don't understand the chapter titles" I took them out for lame, obvious ones. I want people to work for things, but I guess sitting your butt down and reading a book is work enough, I shouldn't make it hard. Even though I want to.

Anyways, in a moment of pure panic last night I called my mom and said "Mom, I'm on a ledge, either talk me down from it, or give me wings." Proverbial speak for "Erika's going through a period of self-doubt and wanting to change an already done manuscript" Well I wrote a slightly different ending last night, a little more action-packed. We'll see how the Mom, Bro, and friends take to it. And I wrote a few pages on book two. And I came up with a whole new idea for another three-book series, including major plot lines for all three books. (More YA, but shorter than these...probably 65-70 k words.) Also I came up with a character for another book, but not a plot line. So, I wrote everything down on my "notepad" document where I put all my ideas, or bits that I'm working on, and called it a night. And I did all this sans music, so here's to silence too!

Oh caffeinated one! How do you come up with your ideas? Well you know what the Smashing Pumpkins say "Emptiness is loneliness and loneliness is cleanliness and cleanliness is godliness and God is empty, just like meeeee." Um I shower. I think waaaay too much in the shower. I gotta stop that so my writing can catch up with my ideas. Dirty girl.

New Books

2009-02-16T09:39:00.000-08:00

So with the lame chest cold, comes time off work (no voice=no answering phones.) So I read a whopping amount of books last week (And I wrote a few pages too, and came up with a whole new story idea.) What can I say, I'm very productive from bed. My reading was more of the young adult advanced copy novels (we got a bunch more in at work, and I relish them because I usually whip one of them out in a day) and they were light and fun and perfect books for when you feel cruddy.

Radiant Darkness: by Emily Whitman

Flippin' loved this. It is a retelling of "The Rape of Persephone." Greek Mythology, abundant nature, God of the underworld...what more could a girl ask for? It was an original re-telling of story, and completely enchanting. I love the constant inclusion of nature, and the fact that Persephone was a girl who made her decisions and stuck with them, not the 'poor maiden' she might have been made out to be in the original story or the song listed in the book. I'm a sucker for any mythology with multiple gods. Anytime you involve more than one god in a story it's like a wonderful superhero soap opera.

Wings: Aprilynne Pike

Faery stories. I love them. I eat them up like candy. I am afterall a chick, who always believed herself to be a faery. And well, I did mention Charles De Lint a couple posts agao. Anyways, this was a lovely story where faeries acutally don't have wings, they have blossoms and pollen and they are plants and not animals. I love this concept, and I've never heard any other telling where they were technically plants. But this story had realistic (you know, for faeries) conflict, and lovely characters, and was very well thought out. I am back to wanting to be a faery again.

Fade: Lisa McMann

This is book two to Wake, which, um, I didn't read. So I can't compare it to the first book (it wasn't sent to me, and I'm strapped for cash right now) but I can honestly say I would buy it and definitely read it based on the second book. But more importantly, I didn't need to read the first book to understand the second one. I picked up what was going on, fairly quickly. The author did a really nice job of entering in details from the first book without it feeling like a summary at the beginning. (I hate paragraph to chapter summaries in books. Seriously, you can weave it in without bonking us over the head with it.) Kudos to Lisa! I loved it. Picking up other people's dreams--it is just fabulous! And working for the police, undercover to boot.

Swoon: Nina Malkin

So I wasn't so sure about this one. A town named Swoon, a guy named Sin...it just seemed a little romance novely. Not that it was a bad thing, but I'm complex, I like there to be more than girl meets boy, girl gets hot and heavies etc... But there was, and I was so charmed by all the other aspects of this story. Paranormal, psychic, tarot cards, miscreant youths (gotta love that!), ghosts, golums, murder, sex, booze. There were well thought out familes and everyone had a fun nick name, and a very realistic portrayal of youth today (a lot of books leave out the cusswords and nefarious activity that, frankly, kids do.) So this book won me over, and had me swooning in the end (ha, cheezy, I know.)

Raven: Allison Van Diepen

Wasn't sure about this one either. Thought it might be another vampire take, and the first few pages took me off guard. All the urban hipster lingo (I am very much un-hip) and break dance description really took me by surprise. And then as the initial burn wore off, the drugs seeped into my skin and it was a blissful high. I still have no idea what l-kicks are or applejacks, but I get the idea, I watch all the dance shows on tv so I can imagine. And then, come to find out it isn't about vampires at all, but soul-eaters. Love it! Of course they are moral soul-eaters and ridunculously hip and gorgeous as all immortals are. What I loved most about this book are the smaller characters, how they come into play, and how just enough is given to each of them for them to come into life, and still be minor characters. And I've got a big thing for ravens too.

So there we have it. A cozy week of silence with a coal miner's cough and lots of books and tea.

Laryngitis

2009-02-11T08:49:00.000-08:00

The most cursed and worst thing that could happen to a person. Well, maybe not, but with a blabbermouth like me it's pretty rotton.

How to cure it? Rest and relaxation. Pardon me while I laugh hysterically (and quietly.)

Stupid chest cold. Stupid larynx. Stupid everything. I think I'll make poor Jamie get laryngitis too, because it would be really funny. Sorry Jamie, but when I suffer, so do you. At least I'm not giving you migraines anymore. (Yes, this is my character in a story, not another personality)

So I am suffering in silence. Against my will.

What I'm reading #1

2009-02-09T17:14:00.001-08:00

Music to blog to: Queen "Somebody to Love"

Today is all graphic novels. Deal with it. I'm catching up on my treasures found at comic-con.

Too Cool to be Forgotten: by Alex Robinson

Love anything Alex does. This made Amazon's top 10 list for graphic novels. It blends the wisdom of an older self to the awkwardness of a teenager. How life is tough at all ages, but how simple choices we make can affect us for a lifetime. I've read his other books Box Office Poison, Tricked, and Bop! and they all capture you with simple characters in stories that feel impossibly true-to-life.

The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch: by Neil Gaiman and Michael Zulli

Perhaps it isn't fair to put any Neil Gaiman stuff in here. But I honestly read it this weekend. And of course, I honestly loved it. Michael's artwork is both realistic but somehow still with a dreamy quality (yes, that is honestly how I'm describing it) mixed with Neil's tricked out story telling. I want to know if this is based on any sort of factual experience. Because the guy looks like he could be Neil (albeit with a beard) and it references story telling, and Alice Cooper. I love it when lines between reality and stories get blurred. It is a short tale and even though I don't know what happens to Miss Finch, I don't care. It isn't her I'm interested in, it is the other very real-ish characters.

Amulet- The Stonekeeper: Kazu Kibuishi

This is book one of a series. And I'm so flippin' excited. It is the new Bone for me. Except all in color! A sister and her younger brother move with their mother to a new town to an old family house. While cleaning the house (I must also say the panels where they set about to cleaning the house is THE BEST!) the girl stumbles upon her great grandfather's workspace and study. She finds an powerful amulet that leads them on their journey. I won't say anymore. You'll have to read the lovely tale on your own.

Book Club

2009-02-09T17:01:00.001-08:00

Here's the funny thing. As much as I love my books, I've never been in a book club. Sure, I've taken loads of literature classes, all which kind have a book club feel to them if they are taught properly. I would love to be in one, but it just seems hard to keep a group of people dedicated enough to a project to keep reading on a timely scale and then voluntarily speak about it. My friends and I have the rumblings going on for a Jane Austen book club which I would love to do, as I think any proper woman should. Oh, I'm not judging if you hate Austen or not, I don't care. It just seems like something everyone should do...read the book then get together for a discussion with food and maybe even one of the movies. Any excuse for popcorn.

Anyhow, although I've never been part of a book club I do read a lot. And I do like to share what I've read...a lot. So instead of actually boring people with the details of what I've read I'll post about it. So if you don't want to read it, skip over.

Post to follow.

Gmail is all knowing

2009-02-06T11:07:00.000-08:00

Alright, I concede. Google is all-powerful. My Add this morning was a simple quote:

Quote of the Day - Luc de Clapier - "Patience is the art of hoping."

I get it, google. I'll be patient in the art of hoping. Dammit.

2009-02-06T08:35:00.001-08:00

I know, another blog. But I'm off work today and the Necco candy hearts and coffee are setting me abuzz.

First of all, hello to Katie Alender who wrote Bad Girls Don't Die which I mentioned a couple posts ago. She commented on the post, and I never felt more famous than I did this morning; seeing a note from a published author and all. Your book made me want to dye my hair pink. It was a perfect harmony of strong characters plus a truly intriguing and original plot (never thought I'd read a book like that-never would have even imagined a book like that.) I gobbled it up in the wee hours of a sleepless night. So, thank you.

Second of all, I am so sad for the world right now. As I'm looking to author, publisher, and editor blogs it seems that everyone thinks the world of books is on a downslope. The publishing world is on a decline. I realize that gives me a very 'slim-to-none' shot of getting any sort of agent or shot of publishing--which I'm okay with. Honestly. I care more about the possible decline of bookstores. The possibility of a lack of new books. A lack of stores. A lack of reading? Could it be than in an era where people will spend $10 on a two hour movie (most of which are completely unoriginal) and not $10 on a book that allows for bathroom breaks, gives you a much longer escape, and allows for much more cozy and personal surroundings. So I will encourage the two people who actually read my blog to buy books from bookstores!

I know what you're thinking. This isn't helping. Maybe one day my soapbox will gather a bigger audience. But then I would have to spell check and pay attention to commas and stuff.

And lastly...sorry Jayma. Manson and I were left alone in the office yesterday for a few hours. You know that only leads to trouble. I admit, there was running around the warehouse in the rain, loud singing, and everyone's stuff all mixed up and all over the place. You can't leave us alone unattended. I'm a child. Forgive me? And, at least it was better than what I really wanted to do which involved plastic wrap and popcorn in your cubicle.

Stupid is as stupid does

2009-02-06T08:09:00.000-08:00

Confession: I love the word stupid.

Yes. I know it's a bad word. And as much as I hated it as a child, and feel it is the worst insult you could possibly say; I love it so much. I try not to say it about other people. I reserve it for myself and my own stupid (hah) mistakes or inanimate objects.

I can't help myself. It is one of my dirty little secrets.

Now for the excuses. It isn't my fault! I had broken myself of the habit of saying it, but I blame Jamie. She's a habitual stupid sayer, especially in her inner dialogue, and so now of course she's rubbing off on me. Stupid character.

Also, as I've grown older, I've come to recognize the true beauty in every word (except blog and blurb, I still think those are stupid, but I've accepted them.) This especially includes curse words. I love them! There are some times when they are wholly neccessary. A lot of times they are wholly unneccessary, but sometimes there nothing more brilliant than an f bomb.

So I lift my coffee mug this morning to words. Stupid words and nifty words and curse words and lack of commas! Huzzah! And tangents too!

May we all (for you Meli) have a way with words.

Things You Should Know About Me

2009-02-04T09:19:00.000-08:00

I drink my coffee black. Don't touch it with sugar or milk...it makes me ill just thinking about it.
I love opera. I don't know anything about it, but I just adore the passion in the voices. CARMINA BURANA!
If I had my way I would work from home. As long as someone gives me a deadline, or it is something I'm interested in, I would do fine. Work should be done from bed with Friends reruns going on in the background.
Cereal is one of my favorite things. If I was Oprah, everyone would have a shiny box of Lucky Charms or Cheerios. It is the perfect thing for someone who is a snacker and not a mealer. And it is easily carried around the house with me.
I am not a big fan of shopping. I do most of my shopping online, except books. I adore bookstores, and would happily stay there all day, and cry when leaving because I couldn't take them all home with me.
I trust magic eight balls.
I also have a belief in horoscopes. Not so much for predictions, but generally for personality traits. Then again we can always find similarities in things if we are looking for them. But I am very much a Libra and a Monkey.
I have overcome serious (and not so serious) mental disorders all on my own without the use of drugs or therapy though many times I nearly caved. I am mostly cured, though I'll always be a little bit crazy. Introspective thought and writing could be considered therapy, I suppose. Honestly my best therapy was to get a job. Responsibility helps one act responsibly. At some points, it was my only reason to get up in the morning.
Neil Gaiman. Need I say more? He is my favourite author, he writes everything from screenplays to children's books, graphic novels to novels, short stories, songs, you name it, he's written that style. They've made movies out of a couple of his children's stories (Coraline being the most recent). He is British so it's a wonder that I've picked up so many British spellings for words from his writings. He is fantastical, I could go on for pages, but I will stop here. Please ask if you would like to borrow any of his works, I have most of them.
If I could have any superpower it would be the power to fly.
I love NPR. I wished I listened to it more often, but I've been in a music mood for the past few months, so my IQ has probably dropped considerably. One of these days I'll work on getting podcasts onto my zune so I can at least know
I am a pc girl in a mac world. The thing is: if I switched to mac...it would have to be a new computer and itunes and an ipod and everything. I just don't have the money for it. I'm sticking with what I know, what works for me. It isn't that I'm against it (though I was brought up to be) I just would need time and money to make the switch, neither of which I have. So for now, I stick to my good ol' PC and Zune in their good ol' bowtie and suit.

Fav's of Feb.

2009-02-03T12:31:00.000-08:00

Inspired.

I was updating my profile, which is just the "about me bit" to the side, and saw all the spaces to list favorites. Books, movies, music, and so forth. Honestly, there are too many of all of those to put up on the side of my blog. It would be garish all those names and titles staring at you all the time.

So as of February 3rd, here are my favorites:

Music: Led Zeppelin (Only recently have I been properly introduced to "getting the Led out" and it was a life-changing experience.) This is probably the greatest band in the world. Ever. The poetry of the lyrics mixed with the lucsious melodic strains (sometimes rockin', sometimes bluesy, sometimes accoustic, sometimes folksy) this is everything I look for in music.

Movie: Iron Man. Yes, I am aware I am a comic book dork (I do have the promotional Iron-Man t-shirt given out at the panel at comic-con) but I was never into Iron Man. Mostly because my sister who brutally forced me to read comics (at first) never was. And, honestly, he isn't that super. His inventions are, but he doesn't have some genetic mutation or anything. I know, I know, his brain is his super power--blah, blah, blah. I digress, this movie rules. It was the perfect amount of wit, action, emotions, evil vs. good, and genuine comicyness. I could go on, but I'll spare you. If you haven't seen it, I'll loan it to you.

Book: This is the hardest of the three. I've read some good ones lately, some young adult books we got advanced copies of at work which I'll name (Bad Girls Don't Die, Carter Finally Gets It, Science Fair) but I'll go with a classic author instead. Charles De Lint. I was just telling Melissa how I loved him, and his ability to weave fantasy into everyday life and ecclectic characters through semi-interconnected short stories. Then she blogged a link to 100 greatest novels...and the reader list featured quite a few of his books. I'm not a big fantasy person, but these little faery tales gone urban hipster are pure magic. I adore them. They are like Skittles to me. You can taste the rainbow in each delicious book (and he's got a billion of them.)

So there. My favorites for this month.

grr arrg!

2009-02-03T09:32:00.000-08:00

Yes, I stole my title from the end credits of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. No I didn't voluntarily watch the show, my sister used to make me watch it. My favorite part of the show was the little end credit thingie from the production company.

Sorry. Okay. Stress. I still am. I'm sorry, I said no more blogs about stress but I still am. And this time it is new and improved! I played MacGruber yesterday and had to get into my own condo after breaking my key off from the outside, while it was locked. And I broke it off so well that there was nothing to grip onto to try and pull it out with pliars or tweezers or anything. So I borrowed a latdder from my parents and climbed up the balcony to get in, and now, for all to know, my condo is currently unlocked.
Yes, it is unlocked and empty...Except for my vicious watch animals. My cats are ferrocious, they will run at you and rub up against your leg and meow until you give them a stroke. And the fish are always fierce, but alas, not unaquariumed right now. But my dog! He is fierce. He not only comes at you for a stroke and any attention in general, he will whine at you. So we've left the place guarded only by my vicious beasts for the day until we can go to home depot to get a new deadbolt.

This on top of all the literary agent and work stress (both of which were at an alltime time high last night. But I won't go into that for you guys.)

Actually, despite it all it was fun. And yes Melissa, I did work out and floss per our agreement. And did dishes. I'm changing my name to ErikGuver. And Grr. Arg.

2009-01-22T14:07:00.000-08:00

I have nothing to blog about. It has been just two days of waiting and I'm a nervous wreck. Seriously. I feel sick and my heart is beating strangely. And all I want to do is check my phone, email, and mailbox obsessively. And I'm supposed to do this for 2 months? Ugh.

I know you guys are tired of hearing about my freak-outs. But I just can't help it. I want to vomit. So I figured if I could at least attempt to relieve some stress on a stupid blog then so be it.

Sorry guys.

Oh, while I'm whining I might as well throw in "I hate it when dvd sound is formulated for televisions." Ahem. I rented Sweeney Todd and while I sorta loved what I watched of it, I couldn't stand the fact that the background music was so much louder than the speaking/singing parts of the film. I had to turn it up so loud to hear the voices, and then the background music would either sweep away the voices are just blare like I was some punk-rocking teenager trying to stick it to the man (namely all my neighbors.) I didn't finish it because it was such a hassle. Stupid volume control.

End Rant

Queries

2009-01-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

I did it! 9 queries. Although today is a holiday so I don't think they count until tomorrow. And I've got a couple more I'm working on tonight. I'm not sure if I'm exhausted from not sleeping enough this weekend (Sat night was literally a half hour of sleep.) or if i'm just relieved. But I feel better already.

Don't get me wrong...I still have editing to do. But I think I'll be slightly less crazy now that I've done my part. Well some of it. Let's just hope I'm interesting to someone out there.

Thanks to everyone who's read some or all of it and given me critique's or feedback. I welcome anything...even if you tell me it's boring or cheesy or dumb. I don't care.

Right now, I'm kind of thinking it's a hard story to sell. Just because it is slightly sci-fi, ya, with romance, and while plot is well sorta different than other stories I just have a tough time encompassing the story into a couple paragraphs.-Heck there's one agency that asks for a complete story summary (1-2) pages including the ending...that would be the one I'm still working on. How do you summarize a 450 page story into two pages? Espcially with so many made up medical things?

Ah well. It is exciting none-the-less. And I've put it out there. If people are interested, awesome. If not, well hey at least I actually finished something in my life, right? Okay. This will be my last blog on this topic...unless I get good news. But any news will probably take a couple months. So I think I'm going to read my Dave Barry kids book, and do some edits...I'm almost halfway through my final-read through and I am making changes as others who read it find them.

I love you all, and your support has meant the world to me. I hope I return to a fairly normal person now for you.

Peace out.

Aria

2009-01-12T08:39:00.000-08:00

That's my official "working title" for my book. I hate thinking of titles, and this one is a little corny, but it works and my brother pressured me to take a title. So I'm in my final editing stages. Well, pre stages? I'm also getting my info together to send out the query letters (which I wrote this weekend, and that I think was the most stressful thing I've done in my life). I've got chills just thinking about it. Don and I are going to get my Writer's Market for Agents book tonight as well as return envelopes (SASE).

I'm finishing up on the edits my family made on the story and then I'm going to do a final read-through. And hopefully someone is interested in the book. So if I'm a crazy person during the next month or so. That is why. I'm preparing myself for rejection. Big Time.

I think I need some coffee.

Cheating

2008-12-03T07:46:00.000-08:00

Let's just put it this way. Normally, I'm not a cheater. I don't want to play games unfairly because it diminishes the challenge. I don't cheat on relationships because, frankly, it would be too much work. (You know, and I love Don like the Dickens and he's about 3 persons worth of personality as it is.)
But when it comes to crafts or any sort of creative project...I cheat. I cheat, meaning that I never finish anything. I made a purse once, hand sewn and everything. I still have yet to put the strap on it. I stickered the crap out of a coffee canister (with Starbucks coffee stickers) and still have yet to put on that final layer of modge podge. I have the hardest time starting and finishing any scrap book project...but since I usually do them for gifts I finish them in the midnight hour. My problem? I get sidetracked. I start something else. I cheat on my craftiness.

I cheated on this blog. You guys know I don't update often anymore. Why is that? Well, first reason is Dog. Second reason is that I got so darn busy with Comic-Con (still want to do an uber-post about that) and then I started reading Twilight (because of Comic-Con! It's their fault!). And then because I got so into Twilight...I started writing my own story. My own story that I wrote in two months (approximately a 500 page book if you will). A story that I've been editing for over a month. And I'm still not flippin' finished. Because I write so fast, I have to go back and do all my edits. My problem is that I essentially vomit up a story and then have to go clean up the mess afterwards.

And I hate editing. And there's so much to do when you do it. So, bottom line is: Don't let me cheat on my story that I've all but finished! I've set a goal to be done with it by Christmas...don't know if that's happening as I still have to get the second half of it ready to be read. My sister has read the first half...but only put down edits for one chapter. It sucks to finish something and be so far from done. I've done nothing but eat, sleep, breath, and shower with (yes I'm kinky like that) this stupid story and I'm a bit obsessed as you guys know. I've changed character names, inserted whole new chapters, and am in the process of completely re-writing another chapter. I've killed characters off, and written extra scenes that will never be in it just to really see how a character would handle something. (I understand why Stephenie wrote Midnight Sun it helps a lot if you let the other characters get their points of view in).

So if I'm distant, or talking nonsense or laughing at something ridiculous because it reminds me of that one time when my character did this and that...just smile and nod and tell me to get my butt to editing. I'm so close and yet still so far.

Don't let me be a cheater on the closest real project I've come to finishing (for myself) for a long time. I do however accept cheet-o's. hah. But as everyone at work knows prefer cheez-its.

What made me laugh out loud

2008-11-25T09:32:00.000-08:00

Melissa, I was looking for your high five image and found this instead. Still gives me the giggles.

John Lennon-Imagine

2008-11-04T19:24:00.000-08:00

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

Congrats Barack Obama. It's your turn to lead.

Snippets. All hail Jonathan Larson

2008-11-04T19:14:00.000-08:00

No Day But Today

The heart may freeze or it can burn
The pain will ease if I can learn
There is no future
There is no past
I live this moment as my last
There's only us
There's only this
Forget regret
Or life is yours to miss
No other road
No other way
No day but today

There's only now
There's only here
Give in to love
Or live in fear
No other path
No other way
No day but today...

And now for something completely different

2008-10-24T09:26:00.001-07:00

Yes. I got a dog. And promptly stopped writing in here. What a jerk I am.

Kobe is the laziest, quietest, hairiest dog there is. And I love his fluffy butt. He is half golden retriever, half Chow-Chow. I know...he is the hairiest beast around. He looks like a lion cub a bit. He refuses to jump on furniture and chew on things...no matter how much we try. After months of persuasion he'll finally eat a bone. He hardly ever barks, just whines when he wants or needs something. It is so darn sweet.

At first he didnt' get along with my two adorable cats (who are still the best cats in the world) but since he's been able to sniff their butts he's come to terms with them. They wander around the condo together and sit next to each other (no interspecies sleeping together yet...but we're working on that one). It's a pretty darn, cute family.

Don't drink the Hatoraid.

2008-10-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry to my non-crazy-liberal-heathen-friends. Let's start out with that.
My chest is constricting, and I've literally got flu (hot/cold) chills coursing throughout my body. I feel sick, nauseous, just awful. How can people vote to not let people get married? How can someone take that away from someone else? I just don't understand. I don't. Honestly. It is a human right, given by the state...by law...it isn't a religion thing at all. You have to get a license to get married...that makes it a government issue not religious. Church and state are separate.
I want to go home and curl up in a ball and just cry for the sad state of affairs. For how demeaning this world has become. I am so sad that the place I call home has people telling me every morning to be cruel to other people. It's a human issue. Bottom line. End of story. If you take away a human right...as listed in the constitution...then what does that make you? Casting stones. Casting judgement.
Believe what you want. I don't care. But don't determine how other people should live their lives or how other people can or cannot live their lives based on how you personally feel. I think marriage is a universal thing. Either everyone can, or everyone can't. And I can darn well say that I refuse to marry until everyone can. I haven't voiced this to many people before, but I've thought it for a long time. It is a right of law.
That's all. You would think I'd feel better after that. But I don't. I still feel sick, and hot and cold. I know so many decent people that deserve that right, and it is just awful to take it away. Sick, Sick, Sick.
Do women deserve the right to vote? Do all nationalities deserve the same freedom? Does sexual preference really take rights away from people? Honestly? It's all the same to me.

Human is as human does.

My mama

2008-05-09T08:00:00.001-07:00

Just for the record.

My Mom is better than your Mom. My Mom is a tough cookie who is really a softy (Unless you faint and hit your head on the corner of your dresser and wake up with a bloody head...then you still have to go to school.) I'd say my Mom and I were pretty close growing up...but more so now. She is one of my best friends. She taught me how to be frugal...and sometimes I even am! She taught me how to bake...which I do often. What is that phrase "Bake like no one is watching"...I do! My Mom taught me patience and respect and how to be genuine. She got up with me at 4 in the morning so I could study for Physics. She helped me through that horrendous Geometry class. And she made me Toaster Struedels when I had 4:30am swim workouts. She goes shopping with me and has movie dates with me. She encourges my craftiness...even though I'm hard-pressed to actually finish a project. She puts up with my sarcasm and lets me sing as badly as I want (not that I want to sing badly...it just comes naturally.) My Mom rules. And she made us matching Christmas outfits-I would be the short one.

Sugar High

2008-05-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

I love work. Yes, I can't help myself. I am like a kid in a candy store here...literally. We have so much sugar here it is a little gross (in that wonderful way). We have cream pies and donuts and cupcakes (my fault). We have candy by the reception desk and now pumpkin pie as well. We have a little candy snack bin For when those sugar urges hit. I'm pretty sure there is ice cream in the freezer and whipped cream and toppings in the fridge door. Yes we are a company fueled by sugar and caffeine and I love it. I might feel sick to my stomache half the time but at least I am rarin' to go thanks to my sprinkle donut and cup of joe!

Going Pro?

2008-05-01T07:50:00.000-07:00

That's right. I'm thinking about being a professional blogger. As a side job that is. I found this site that I'm still looking over...but it looks like you actually make money doing your thing by posting weblinks through google and such on there. It takes a while to get to the money I'm sure. But if I'm blogging anyway why not, right? Granted, that would mean I'd have to do things like edit. Eww. I am not a natural grammatical writer (as I'm sure you've noticed) but I do enjoy writing. We shall see. After a bit more reviewing I'll let you guys know If I think it is worthwhile or not.

It's a good life

2008-04-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, Jayma I stole the email joke you sent me. The difference between cats and dogs...while I don't think cats are quite as sinister as this makes it out to be. I do think dogs are as simple as they are portrayed...They forgot toilet water drinking in both cases though.

DOG DIARY

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing

9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing

9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing

10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing

12:00 PM - Lunch! My favorite thing

1:00 PM - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!

3:00 PM - Wagged my tail! My favorite Thing !

5:00 PM - Milk bones! My favorite thing!

7:00 PM - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!

8:00 PM - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!

11:00 PM - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

CAT DIARY

Day 983 of my captivity. My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. Bastards! There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage. Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs. I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.*[not my word]

I think my cats daily schedules are as follows:

6:00 am *yawn* Good sleep.
6:30 am Can't believe these lazy people aren't up yet. I will walk all over them and cry until they do.
6:35 am Follow Erika to the bathroom where I will continue to cry and attempt to crawl up her pant leg.
6:40 am Cry until I get fresh food and water.
6:45 am Cry until I get picked up and held or petted or generally any attention at all.
7:00 am Try to get out the door with Erika so that I can sit in the middle of the parking lot and make her worry about running over me.
7:30 am Get outside when Don leaves.
7:31 am I am now queen of the jungle and ruler of all Pacific Pines.
8:00 am Flirt with Tigre (next door neighbor boy kitty.)
9:00 am-2:00 pm Play and hunt bugs and nap a couple times.
2:30 pm nap
3:00 pm big game hunting time.
4:00 pm play with fresh kill and leave it at the doorstep to gross Erika out when she gets home.
5:00 pm Erika's home! Go run and get pets and love and then run away to stay outside a little longer.
5:30 pm Meow at the door or balcony because I'm not getting any stinkin' attention out here.
5:32 pm TREATS!
5:35 pm Fresh Food and water!
6:00 pm bug Erika a while.
7:00 pm DON'S HOME!
7:10 pm Get a good "man-hand" rub down.
8:00 pm nap on masters
9:00 pm look distraught when Erika goes to bed. (Amie will come sleep with me. Izzy will stay and bug Don while he plays poker online.)
10:00 pm SLEEP

The Perfect Cookie

2008-04-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

Yes. I am a baker. If I get bored I will bake. If I can't sleep I will bake. If it is a weekend morning, I will bake. Whether it is bread or cookies or my favorite...cake! I love to bake. So I

recently began my search for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe. I want to have a recipe memorized by heart and be able to whip it up easily any time a good cookie is needed. I've tried my Mom's tried and true recipe and the gluten-free one (which still makes a great crunchy cookie) and I've done Alton's "Ultimate Chewy" recipe and Radical Rob's from the Ultimate Recipe Showdown. I've done the toll house recipe and my Grandma's I've made a lot of cookies in my day and none of them are perfect. The time has come to be creative and come up with my own recipe. I'm going to start with combining Alton Brown's Ultimate Chewy with Radical Rob's cookie. We'll see how this goes. I'm looking for a cookie that looks amazing and has a lot of flavor. It needs to have a slight crunch on the outside and be chewy on the inside. It also needs to hold up and not dry out too quickly. I adore the combo of toasted walnut and milk chocolate chip in Radical Rob's but it was just too sweet. There was more sugar than flour in that cookie, and then you throw chocolate chips on top? Plus it dried out. I don't want a delicate cookie dough I want one that will travel well. I will have the perfect recipe, even if I get fat trying.

Juice You!

2008-04-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

We are the proud new parents of a Juicer. Not just any Juicer, the Jack Lalanne Stainless Steel Juicer.

I've never been more intoxicated. No, seriously, there is nothing like a cocktail made with fresh juice. We have morning tangerine-grapefruit-orange juice from the fruit in my parent's garden. There is an afternoon veggie juice and a nightly cocktail. We have fresh strawberry popsicles and my favorite part is having all the fresh fruits and veges for eating and baking. I am not as far gone as Don. He is in love with his juicer, I have to fight for any attention. However I won't argue with fresh squeezed juice served in bed on Saturday mornings.

Vicarious Me

2008-04-03T07:50:00.001-07:00

To Melissa and Jayma my blog buddies.

How I even update this thing, I'm not sure. I don't really care about writing about my life, but it passes the time between updates on other people's blogs. I will read any story if it a detailed account of someone's life (fictional or non). I guess I'm nosey. There's just nothing like reading other life stories to learn from and to bring about realizations and comparisons in your own. I'm not a Psych major for nothing, I love people! We are fascinatingly different but very, very similar somehow.
Meli, I am making up your life story right now since I haven't had an entry from you recently...but re: your comment LONG LIVE FARTS AND BOOGERS!
Jayma, who spoiled me with three entries last night with a doggie video! Thank you endlessly for the entertainment!
And to any other blogs who I might read randomly or regularly thank you for sharing your life with me. My nosey butt (yes, my butt has a nose) is most grateful to get to read about you.

April Fools

2008-04-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

I'm not an ingenious prankster. In fact, I've never played a joke specifically for April 1st at all. I played one yesterday and it felt fabulous! Sure, we hide Charlotte the plastic spider, Sparky the plastic winged bug, and a plastic unnamed squeaky rat around work all the time. But the euphoria one gets of playing a joke on someone else is awesome. You punk them, you X-factor their butt, you catch them on Candid Camera and you surprise party them. Why is it so much fun to deceive? Outwitting another person is human nature; as is all competition. Since humans have been alive we have been competing, heck you see animals competing all the time whether for sport, for a dame, or for dominance.

I suppose sarcasm was bred from this joy and I am so greatful for it. What fun is life if you can't make fun of it a little bit. Laugh at yourself a bit, let others laugh at you (or with you if you're sensitive). Inherently, we are pretty funny creatures. Live to Laugh because laughter (with potatoes) has cured cancer and nearly anything else.

To Slime or not to Slime

2008-03-31T07:48:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the fabulous Kids Choice Awards on Nickelodian and having a six-year old in tow we stayed up late just for this affair. Watching this award show reminds you that being a kid is great, but being adult who still knows how to have fun like a kid is even better. I remember thinking as I was growing up that I'd never be that person who was all adult-ish and I actually vowed to keep my inner-kid alive. I may not be the kid I once was, and yesterday in fact I had a rather adult-ish day doing my taxes. I was unable to remember my inner-kid and still do those taxes at the same time and I'm a little mad at myself for it. I became that adult who said "I'm trying to concentrate" and "I'm sorry I can't play right now...which line 37 are they talking about?" I am upset with myself. I fear that I have lost my inner kid.
I think there is still hope for me, as the Kids Choice Awards were very funny. I mean, if Heidi Klum can launch herself at a wall just for slime I can too. Well maybe not throw myself at a wall, but I could do something! So I am re-vowing to my inner kid to just have fun at life. Whether it is adult fun or kid fun or even stupid taxes (which is always fun when it is done because you realize you get money back.). I vow to play Hide and go Tag even if I'm tired. I vow to play games or color, because frankly everyone needs a little coloring time. I vow to do craft projects like I used to and to use a whole bottle of glue this year. I vow to laugh at farts and boogers. And I vow to be more concerned with playing with my food than the vaccuming up the mess after.
I think if we keep our inner kids close than we just might be a little more sane and centered through our adult years.

After the Storm

2008-03-11T09:14:00.001-07:00

I was looking for images of the wildflowers I know from my yard growing up. And while I didn't see any nice ones, I did find this image of a burn area from those wild fires last Fall. Nature rocks.

These are mostly California poppies and then some Parry Pacelia. Thank you to whomever put this image on the internet.

Spring Forward

2008-03-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

There are so many things that I love about this time of year.

I love the clouds, high icy clouds that make the most fabulous patterns seem most abundant in the late winter and early spring.
I love the green. I love the wild grasses growing along hillsides, and the water in the lagoon nearby. I say hello to our neighborhood crane who elongates his stark white body as he walks delicately through the marshes.
I love the wild flowers here. The wild radishes growing in thick brambles. The delicate mustard flowers tall and bright. The neon lemongrass in patches along every hillside.

Yes I love the beginning of spring. When the temperature is just right to spend a Saturday afternoon lounging on the patio with the cats in a lazy splendor.

However. I hate Daylight Savings Time. That is all I'm saying about it.

Fox

2008-03-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

My heart goes out to our friends Steve and Dave Fox. They have had one of the toughest years I could ever imagine. They're mom was in a car accident about a year ago. And she went from perfectly healthy to paralyzed and in a wheel chair. Then she was diagnosed with cancer. Then she broke her hip. And then after fighting for so long, she past away before the holidays. They just went to spread her ashes at a favorite camping spot this past week. I saw Steve on Saturday and he was doing alright. Last night we got a call that their dad had just passed away.

I can't imagine the pain that these two must be feeling, but my heart goes out to the Fox's. Be strong guys. You are our friends, and our family and we share our hearts with you.

Cat-du-sac

2008-03-03T07:42:00.000-08:00

I was sitting on my balcony this weekend, reading the last bit of a book when I looked up to one of the most ridiculously cute scenes ever. Our two cats were playing on the small hillside that runs the distance of our condo building which has various shrubs and plants intersperced throughout it. Our two cats are black and white sisters who are so loving and mischevious. They come in when they are called at night and will climb the stucco to get to the second story balcony. They are very much like real sisters. There's the skinny perfect sister, and the not so skinny and shy sister. They fight a lot and clean each other a lot. They worry about one another and nap together sometimes.

Anyhow, I was thinking about what a good life they have here at our condo complex which has many other pet neighbors. Next door we have the older tomcat who is a bit crotchety. Then just down the lane is another girl cat who just recently began to play outdoors, and is our girls' (Amie and Izzy) best mate. There is the quiet cat that sits by the post boxes under the now blooming jasmine and watches all the people. There are a couple different bully cats that are big and just generally grumpy. (I know the sound of their meows and will jump up and immediatly make my presence known as one has injured one of my cats when she was a mere kitten. Stupid bully cat.) And everywhere there are loving people who know our two black and whites and will let them play in their house during the day or some of the neighbor girls who just love to pet and fawn over them.

It was a merry scene of our cat neighborhood. Some places are a great places to raise families. Our place is a good place to raise cats.

Because I kind of went off in the previous post...

2008-02-27T13:15:00.000-08:00

Stressy Mc Stress and Stress

2008-02-27T12:19:00.000-08:00

It is an evil, yet rather familiar word. We tend to experience this most often with situations we cannot control. People tell me that caffeine affects my stress level. I maintain that I am just really good at stressing. Don't be a hater, I'm just talented. I will stress about an orchid show my parents might be doing, or a performance that my sister will be doing. I will stress about my life, your life, and the next-door neighbor's life. I will stress about a sports game on t.v. (which is why I don't watch much sports) or a local business closing. I will stress about usually stressy things such as bills and work and unusual things such as the possibility of ending up on camera somewhere from some stupid reality show that might be filming nearby.

This is why I don't (often) wear makeup..then I stress about whether or not I've rubbed it all off and the mascara is now streaked to the ear, and I have purple eye shadow bits by my mouth or elbow.
This is why I don't play sports. Especially team sports (can you imagine the stress of possibly letting your whole team down? Don't even get me started on guilt, because I am also reigning queen of quilt too.)
This is why I never went to Harvard. (Well, there are a lot of reasons for that.) If I let myself I would be the most anal over-achiever that existed..but somehow I talked myself out of it as a kid and I settled for pretty good...as long as I was above average I was fine.
This is why I am not a pastery chef. If I cook something that isn't the best thing you've ever had. I get rather upset. I probably won't show it, but I will stress about not being good enough at pumping you full of uneeded calories.

This is why I hate global warming. Let me explain. I don't hate it, but I do stress about it. And what is worse, I stress about people who don't think it exists. Just hearing about it makes me have a sitcom moment where time stops and I pull out my hair and gouge my eyeballs and scream the most hideous scream you've ever heard. And then I flash back to normal time where the person is looking at me oddly...and I'm amazed that I do in fact still have hair and eyeballs. (Like a possible reaction flash). Honestly go watch An Inconvenient Truth and get over your high and mighty self. And I swear if you blame the cows....(yes they release a lot of methane...but why are there so many cows in the first place? Because people just love their methaney butts cooked up medium rare on a plate!) Okay.

Yes I am slightly ridiculous, but that is the norm these days isn't it? So if you want to cut me a bit of slack and decrease my stress level then please, recycle a bottle or two and say you like my cake.

Whew. Don't know what kind of spewage happened there. But I feel less stressed already. Don't you?

Uncaffinated Moments #1

2008-02-21T07:45:00.000-08:00

My family knows that if they hear me singing I'm in a good mood. I never sing if I'm feeling crappy (or uncaffinated) except for one moment that no one has witnessed before...unless you've seen me in traffic. I sing on my way home from work--especially if I'm uncaffinated. And I don't just mumble under my breath with lips hardly moving so the person in the car next to me won't see...I SING. If I'm tired or antsy or going through withdrawel symptoms then this is the best way to keep my eyes open during the stop and go San Diego 5-805 merge. Now, I'm not very hip (to say the least) I'll sing anything from Disney (yesterday was a big Disney day) to any soundtrack song (Hello La Vie Boheme from Rent!) to any Queen or Styx song I may know to the Indigo Girls or if I can find a song to sing a long to on the radio (Jack 100.7 is the best for this purpose). I'm too lazy to switch out the cd's in my car...so a lot of times I'm singing my Pixies B-sides album or Flogging Molly (I think it's the Drunken Lullabyes) or the Stick It soundtrack (great for grooving in the car).
Now don't assume that I get in my car and just start belting it out. I usually flip around different radio stations and settle on NPR (All Things Considered!) for a while. Then if they get to war-y or politic-y and I find myself drifting I'll switch around for a while and usually just turn the radio off and start singing. Noise helps me focus on the roadway, and if your as narcoleptic as I am (I will literally fall asleep in the middle of a conversation) "it is better to make a fool of oneself while driving, than to be caught wearing the not-cute panties when they wheel you off to the hospital from your car accident." Coffeepirate wisdom for you there.

She's not well right now

2008-02-19T11:17:00.000-08:00

It is true. I am suffering from an "intestinal bug." Eww. There was one moment when I swore I had a tapeworm, but how many people actually get a tapeworm in San Diego? No, pretty much my stomach is throwing a huge hissy fit over eating food. It wants it, it just doesn't want to digest it so it cramps everything up very nicely. So I'm having a lot of liquids and "easily digestive" foods hoping that will help. It has a bit. I think. I'm just glued by the stomach to my heating pad and making the best of it.

Mwah

2008-02-17T07:57:00.001-08:00

So Don got his fancy new Blackberry yesterday. And with his nifty new phone, I'm learning all the cool stuff my phone can do too. Like voice command calling, and setting each contact with a video for a ringtone and a lightshow! Also I can connect picture and email and all that to a person so I can see who is calling me. But I've now given almost everyone a personalized ring tone! For my parents, I've given the bit of Bohemian Rhapsody that has "Mama" in it a lot. Plus this is one of my all-time favorite songs. Queen Rules. For my home I have Our House, by I don't remember who. Jayma has her Sex in the City opening credits. My friend Jewels has The Grateful Dead singing "Ramblin' Rose". And my sister has this awesome crazy cow singing the "I like to move it-move it" I had way too much fun with U-Tube and creating video ring-tones for everyone. I haven't done Meli yet, but I think she should have something Spanish for sure. oOH! Hold on. Just a minute while I do this. Okay, Meli now has Shakira Whenever, Wherever in Spanish. Now, if only I had pictures of everyone in my phone it would be complete. What a techy I am!
Plus I was accused of never baking in the morning for my love. I had stopped at his request for diet health, and then yesterday I get a pouty "you don't bake me breaky anymore." So last night I assembled cinnamon rolls that will go in the oven in an hour or so. So much for his diet, eh? We tested a couple last night and they are ridiculously good. We'll be eating them all this morning, accompanied of course with coffee.
Evil laughter abounds.

2008-02-15T13:56:00.000-08:00

Blogger hates me. And my images too! I swear I used to be good at all this stuff. Not that you'd know I created and maintained my own website for four years or so. I knew all the fancy html codes and everything, and now I'm just not web savvy anymore. Oh Poop.

Hopeless Romantic

2008-02-15T07:31:00.000-08:00

I am so darn seductive it kills me. Last night on Valley tines day I came home from work and went to bed. At 6:30 pm. At least I woke up at six the next morning and made it to work early. Yes, my guy was thrilled that I slept the night away. He knows I love him. And I did wake up when he came to bed and remembered to throw my bag of gifts on him before conking out again. He received a bag of green m&m's, Season 1 of the Chapelle's Show, and then a 8 x 8 scrapbook of gooberness. He was fuming that I got him something. I just smiled coyly and sleepily and said he'd forgive me and loved me anyway.

Besides, the man got our dryer fixed, which 1) was expensive, 2) what I asked for when Cade asked what I wanted for V-Day, and 3) the best thing ever, because now we won't bicker about taking the laundry to the dryer downstairs and can be more lovey-dovey. I did get a bit of my Mom's practicality. And he wrote me a letter with a pink, cursivey font. What more could a girl want? I did get some of my Mom's practicality in me.

One-Hour Woman

2008-02-13T07:49:00.000-08:00

As always, I will blame someone else. Jayma made me do it!! Ok, not really, but she did introduce it to me. Viciously.

Scrapbooking. I am now, officially not a tomboy anymore. Well maybe a little, but my days of tough "one-of-the-guys" days are over. I am no longer the only girl in my class, and no longer trying to protect a ridiculously sensitive interior with a "whatever, I don't care" exterior. I am...(wait for it...) a woman. *Gasp*

Yes, I now sunbathe in a bikini instead of swim around proudly in my Speedo (well I would swim laps in said Speedo if the pool was frickin' big enough), I now bake stupid little heart shaped cookies and decorate them instead of eating the raw dough from the freezer, I now (openly) watch chick flicks and admit it, I decorate and have fake flowers with silly little glass beads in the vase, I have 5 different face products I use in the morning (Shout out to Arbonne!), I use sunscreen (sometimes), and I now scrapbook.

It is amazing to me that this is now a hobby as I used to and still do a little-hate to be in pictures. This I blame on that Robin Williams movie One Hour Photo. I don't like the fact that part of me, even if it is only my image is "captured" and can be repetitively printed out for all the world to see. I don't want the world to see me. And then I put on my big girl pants and rub a little dirt in it. Who cares who sees me. Well I do a little, but I'm working on it.

Anyhow, all this self-realization has come because of Jayma and her reminding me that it is fun to collage and glue paper together, and if it organizes your photos at the same time, then bully! So yes I scrapbook. Yes I am a woman, look out for my glue stick. And look out for the "rapidly growing pile of giant albums that we have no where to put but on the floor right in front of the door so you'll trip on them if you ever come into our house."

Much love to the Scrapper Queen!

St. Valentine

2008-02-12T07:47:00.000-08:00

For the record, I am not an expert and in fact a lot of my information might me misquoted from Wikipedia, but these are my views. And no one can take that away from me. *Insert breakdown scene with tears, crumpling onto the floor, and a fade out to black*

This time of year you hear all the harping about how Valentine's Day is a made up holiday for corporations to make money. I believe the day started out as a sort of carnival celebration and a lot of sex and general nakedness. Something about streaking through the town on the unofficial "naughty day." I believe the day got moved because it was too close to some religious holiday (I don't remember which one but knowing history it was probably catholic). So the day was moved and then the modern era happened when sex translated to love and general mushy-stuff so as to be kosher for Hallmark cards placed in low spots of the store where children are often at eye level. As general public behaviour became shall we say less titillating and more reserved so did the holiday. And now with the help of marketing and massive guilt (What, are you saying you don't love your girlfriend? That's what she'll think if you don't get her something!) We have our lovely pink and red holiday that single-handedly support the makers of doilies.

Now I can understand how cheap and grossly over-played the holiday has become. But I see nothing wrong with celebrating love or sex on the naughty day or as you may prefer the "official mushy-stuff day". While I would never want red roses (the most hated flower for me) or a heart-shaped box of chocolates (eww chocolate). I will always except a letter of affection (not a card) and any sort of cake. I do love my cake.

My point (yes I swear I had one...I just lost it) is that I think it is nice to have a day to celebrate the ones we love, but when we do celebrate it, make it honest and from the heart, and not mass-produced. Oh, and maybe a little naughty too.

Smooth man, real smooth

2008-02-11T07:53:00.000-08:00

Jamba Juice is the best smoothie place ever. I love them so much I would seriously cry if they went out of business. No, I'm not being a snob. In fact I'm not even talking about whether or not they make the best smoothies. Who cares if they are good or not, when they are free! That's right I love them only because they give me free smoothies. This is the second time in the past six months or so that they send out these "free 16 oz (perfect size)" smoothie coupons in the mail. No purchase neccessary. And the best part, is that at my condo complex there are two huge recycle recepticals for unwanted paper mail. Do you know how many people throw these coupons out? Yes, I do make special trips to the mailbox just to look for smoothie coupons when we get them in the mail. But hey, 8 free smoothies is sure worth it!
So now I am officially on the smoothie diet. Okay, that isn't meant to infer restriction or nothing but smoothies. Just one smoothie a day. And that's because they expire on the 17th and I need to use them. All of them. I won't let my free smoothie fall between my fingers. May I suggest the Strawberry Surfliner (even though it contains sherbert which isn't my friend but who I love anyway).
In short. Yay Jamba Juice for being my best friend and favorite smoothie place. And for any other smoothie place out there-just know I can always be wooed by a free smoothie. Fickle, I know.

Hang Dry

2008-02-09T14:32:00.000-08:00

Our dryer's been broken for quite a while. A few months or so. And we just got it fixed today. I have never been so happy to do laundry and not have to turn the house upside down looking for quarters in order to have dry laundry. YAY! My Mom would hardly recognize me.

Mammoth!

2008-02-08T12:23:00.001-08:00

After acquiring a day off from the boss-man Mrs. Mancove, La Gringa, L-Bo (unofficially) and I headed up to that great big snowpile in the sky. Well the mountains at least. We left early, and after a neccessary pit stop to In-n-Out for nutrients we were on the road again; Just can't wait to get on the road again...ok I'll stop with the Willie Nelson.
We had smooth sailing up until we were steered off the road by Mr. CHP and sentenced to a night of sleeping in the backseat of the car until 5:30 in the morning. Then we were released and drove through some fun night-time semi-whiteout conditions where Jayma found her new favorite hobby of using four-wheel drive. We finally arrived at seven in the morning where everyone promptly passed out.
I, being unable to sleep stayed up and read Mr. Kevin Smith's "My Boring Ass Life." Once the propane alarm went off everyone got up due to the worst sound I've ever heard for an extended period of time we decided to eat some Stove grub and then did what women did best. We went shopping at the outlet stores! After that we went home, ate dinner and played speed scrabble.
Next up we actually went snowboarding! I fell down the mountain four times before becoming pooped and accidently tried to steal a pair of gloves from the gift shop. We went to Whisky Creek for booze and appetizers and returned home to fall asleep during a chick flick.
After waking up to a blizzard we watched Mythbusters and hung out eating Chili and Twizzlers while generally complaining of aches and pains. (Ok I did most of the complaining because nearly every part of my body was whimpering.) The snow cleared enough for the long ride home, where I remembered that I was supposed to take pictures and took a few from the backseat window.
So, I apologize to the girls, because most of...probably all of the pictures I took were from the car window. I am a bad photojournalist. Which is why no one pays me to do so. Perhaps I'll upload some of my window pictures later. If you're lucky.

Moldy Peaches

2008-02-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

Juno. Can I just say that? I had so many pre-determined traits to love this movie so naturally I thought it wouldn't live up to the hype. But it did.

Pre-determined traits are as follows:

1) Ellen Page a.k.a. Juno. Not only was she Kitty Pride in X-Men (the third one and yes I know I'm a complete comic book dork) but she was the girl in Hard Candy. This was the Halloween movie Don and I elected to see and she was just fabulous in it. You've got to give it up for a girl who can castrate a guy right?

2) The witticisms are real. If you've seen the preview and figured that they just took every witty bit of the movie and threw it all together then you will be pleasantly surprised. The whole movie is chock full of funky band names and B-movies (most of which I don't know, but I like it when a writer goes with what they know and not what everyone else might know....like the Ramones). In the words of Ali G...Respect!

3) The emotions are real. They didn't just toss a "cry-scene" in to grab you on top of all the funny. No the emotion is interlaced and interconnected. And just inter.

4) The reason I'm actually writing a movie review...because the soundtrack is awesome to boot. It is mostly all stuff I hadn't heard which means I'm not getting a compilation of a bunch of stuff I already own. This is Kimya and the Moldy Peaches. I love being introduced to new music. Especially when they are a folksy, punky, fun, chillax type of music. Yes I used chillax. And yes I am sorry. Sorta.

There you go. A movie review on a movie most people already knew was good from the ridiculous amount of reviews already out there. But at least you know the soundtrack is good too now, if your into chillax type of stuff.

Title 1

2008-02-07T20:10:00.000-08:00

To start, I hate the word blog. When I first heard it I scoffed and declared it ficticious and horrendous. I guess Diary or Journal needed a young, hipster new phrase. Eww. So why am I here? Well that's a deeper question then anyone need think about. I mean why on a site that has such a hated word in the URL? Easily explained.

Peer pressure!

Okay, not really. I just figured since I gobble up anything that my friends and family post on their...um...online journals, that it was only fair I provide or "put forth" some food to the pot luck. And I made it easy by putting it on the same site as the lovely Gringa (her words not mine), Meli-La and now Mrs. Mancove as well. Even if it has a silly, shouldn't-be-allowed-in-Scrabble (regular or speed) name.

Yes, I am spending the first entry in a whiney diatribe. I suppose I'm a real winner at this so far.