Geek!
Most of my friends will happily tell you that yes, I am a geek. But only in the best possible way. For example, one of my favorite shows to watch is Farscape (mmmm...John Crichton), which sadly I can only see in reruns right now. I also love everything Joss Whedon has made and could probably quote most episodes of Buffy and many lines from Firefly. I used to read comic books back in the day and I can't wait for the new X-Men movie, even though I know they have ruined some of the best storylines simply for convenience sake.
But the ultimate proof?
The other night while at dinner a friend asked about how Washington has a rainforest. Me, being me, answered, "Now the geek is going to come out." I then proceeded to fully explain how it is possible for Washington to have a rainforest. *sigh* It's a curse. I am the proud owner of a store of random and often times useless information. But it makes me an awful lot of fun in a game of random trivia.
What about you? True confessions time...
It's time, it's time!!
Okay, so it's still a few days away, but I can't contain myself any longer. It's time for the release of Braced2Bite, the debut novel from the always fabulous
Serena Robar. So everyone, first thing Tuesday morning your instructions are to make your way as fast as you can to the nearest bookstore and buy Braced2Bite, and find out what happens when you are found Undead without a license.
****Update!!****
And to win your very own copy of B2B, go
here!
Blood...gore...
This post is in honor Ms. K. who was highly offended that I survived my bike ride in one piece. She wanted gore, she wanted blood...she wanted massive internal injuries.
Barring those, she informed me she'd settle for a gruesome post on the blisters I received while skiing last weekend.
She's not gonna get it.
I'm not going to blog about grievous bodily harm simply to amuse one slightly twisted best friend. Nope, nada, out of luck.
So for the rest of you who wanted to read about more blood and guts...sorry. No can do.
Look Ma, no hands!!
So went on my bike ride this afternoon. R and I were having so much fun chatting, we overshot our mile marker by a bit. Always good to know when you aren't counting how much more you have to go. No, I usually reserve that for the ride back to the cars, when my rear has gone numb and I'm in danger of falling over from exhaustion. So I'm home, and happy to announce no new dings, bruises, cuts or scrapes. Go me!
Dating advice from Guest blogger...Ms. K!!
DON'T
Pick your nose.
Snort when you laugh.
Get naked on the first date. It makes you look (and probably feel) easy.
Blow your nose on the napkin at dinner.
Eat a lot of garlic.
Check out other men.
(Even worse, don't start checking out other women.)
Laugh until some unknown dinner fluid comes out your nose.
Let obvious smelly scents come out of your body in his presence.
Don't pick food out of your teeth at the table.
Don't play Yankee Doodle Dandy on your knee harmonica.
DO
Eat a good meal.
Smile.
Laugh.
Have an alternative plan ready.
Have fun!
And, last but not least...
...LET HIM WALK YOU TO YOUR CAR!
***
Did anyone else notice how the don't list is longer than the do list? Hm??
Plans...
Tomorrow I'm going on my first bike ride of the season. I've got my clothes ready to go for when I get back from work. My bike is downstairs just waiting for me to add air to the tires. I've got snacks and water a-plenty.
I'm ready.
So let the betting commence on when my first accident will occur, since we all know it's inevitable. Hopefully this year's won't add to my scar collection from last year though.
May Online Class Announcement
**PERMISSION GRANTED TO FORWARD***
Plotting Via Motivation with Laurie Schnelby Campbell
May 15-19, 2006
Eastside RWA is proud to present their new online workshop, "Plotting Via Motivation,"
with Laurie Schnelby Campbell.
Any of us could write a book in which the characters set out for a three-hour tour and get shipwrecked on an uncharted desert isle. We've seen what seven such characters would do, over and over again. But what would YOUR characters do?
Their motivation is what drives your story. Of course the shipwreck helps your plot, but if you nail down a character's motivation it doesn't matter whether the ship capsizes or lands safely three hours later. The character is going to create a plot from whatever happens because you've got that person's motivation built in from the very beginning.
How to make it happen? That's what we'll talk about (and do worksheets for) in "Plotting Via Motivation."
Laurie Schnebly Cambell combines her background as a Master's in Counseling therapist with her love of writing -- as a novelist who's lived through everything from Fifth-Book Syndrome to winning Romantic Times' "Best 200 Books of All Time" award. She's sold six romances to Silhouette Special Edition, including the one which beat out Nora Roberts for "Best SE of the Year."
Price per class:
$ 15.00 (RWA members)
$ 30.00 (non-RWA members)
Classes are free to Eastside RWA members. Join Eastside Romance Writers for $30 and get all online classes at no cost. In addition, members can attend monthly meetings for more fabulous workshops.
Register for online classes or for Eastside Chapter Membership at www.eastsiderwa.org or send payment with name, e-mail address, class preference, and RWA number (if applicable) to:
Eastside Chapter RWA
P.O. Box 333
Bellevue, WA 98009
I've returned!
Thoughts had while on vacation with my family:
Why must the commercials be played at top volume, but the songs turned down?
It doesn't matter how much sunscreen you put on your face, when it's a sunny day on a mountain and you're at an elevation of 4000 feet your face will still get pink.
It doesn't matter how early you leave, the 4.5 hour drive will inevitably take at least 6 hours.
It doesn't matter what size car you take on the trip, it will never be big enough.
It IS possible to stop five times in three hours to use the bathroom.
It doesn't matter what stretch of the road we're on, my mom and sister will get car sick and yell at my step-dad.
I don't care if we are in a skiing village, if you're not on the mountain and still wearing your goggles on your face, you will look silly.
Skiing is fun, but when you get to the point where you're turning into giant hills in hopes of slowing down enough to stop because your legs are too tired to stop you on their own.
Screaming "Oh, shit!" while trying to stop on the bunny hill will make people laugh at you.
Screaming "Look out!" while trying to stop on the bunny hill will also get you laughed at, but they will move.
My mom will threaten my step-dad at one time or another because of something weird and/or potentially embarrassing that he's doing (even if no one else can see/hear him).
It is inevitable...every other skiing lesson group will get the young, cute ski instructor from Australia. I will wind up in the group with the 50 year old instructor from Prague with a penchant for dirty jokes.
At the border crossing my blended family will inevitably be asked how we all know one another.
Courtesy of Lil' Sis: "Life's rough, get a helmet."
It will always take more time to get back into the US than it will to get into Canada.
My mom and Lil' Sis WILL make fun of me. They just can't seem to help it.
Mom didn't think I'd actually ski, but HA! I proved her wrong, and I have the blisters to prove it.
And finally, family vacations are like a bad date, best kept short and sweet...it cuts down on possible bloodshed.
Yiddish Phrase of the Week (or Month)
I know, I've been terribly lax in posting these. But truly, I'm picky about my words of the week. This week's phrase definitely fits the theme of this blog.
Geven a mol: meaning Once upon a time; there was once...
What better way to start a story...
News!!
I have an interview on Thursday. Cross your fingers for me!
Music...
I'm listening to a lot of random stuff right now. My fave? Toby Lightman's Devils and Angels.
What are you listening to???
Passover food...
Never let it be said my people don't know how to keep the past alive. For every horrible tragedy, we have some event, holiday, moment of remembrance to show how we survived, triumphed, or at least made it back to our beds eventually and mostly intact.
This weeks holiday showcase is Passover. Also known as Pesach (note gutteral 'ch' sound), to those Yiddish speaking folks. Passover is all about the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. And if you want a handy dandy cheat sheet, you can always go rent The Ten Commandments (the Charelton Heston version, not the new one with the British Moses, that's just wrong). This is also the holiday Ms. K will always remember as the one where I made her taste Gefilte fish. (And no, this is not an actual fish, but an amalgamation of 2-3 different types of white meat fishes. You cannot actually go out fishing for Gefilte fish. If you try, I have immediate permission to mock you.) We also eat matzo (or those funny cracker-things, as some non-Jews call it). We eat chicken soup (and when it's made well there is loads of flavor), as well as the occasional piece of chicken, matza meal-flour chocolate cake, salad, hard boiled eggs, parsley (don't ask), and other strange food combinations.
Tonight at the seder (a special meal where we re-tell the story of the exodus, complete with song), I was reminded yet again of why this meal may look strange to outsiders.
All our food is one color.
No, seriously! Matza is essentiall variations on tan and/or white. Gefilte fish is beige, occasionally with orange mixed in from carrots. Chicken soup is usually a nice golden color, but can occasionally ressemble more a beige-y liquid. Chicken...beige. Chocolate cake? Not beige, but it's dessert, can we really count it?
Me thinks the rabbis need to re-think the foods used to honor the past. We need more color. Heck, we need more fiber.
Hag Sameach!!
Guest Blogger....Ms. K!!
Why Erin has random stuff happen:
Just lucky
To give more stories to tell
Her deceased relatives hate for her to be bored
To make her late for school
To make her late for work
To get her blood pressure up to a level where exercise is no longer necessary
To aid in digestion
To increase her tolerance for stress
To provide a level of comfort with the unknown
To force her to use her cell phone minutes making calls to car fixers
To just plain piss her off
To entertain her friends
To provide a manner for her to meet men
To encourage fiscal responsibility
To encourage cleanliness (wouldn't want to get caught with that nasty car debris by an unsuspecting police officer stopping to help at the side of the road)
To encourage wishful thinking
To give her mom something to worry about (Like that is an issue?) Heh.
To just plain scare the Hell (though it is not inherent in her belief system) right out of her
Controversy...
I'm a troublemaker. This isn't news to most of you, but to some of you who still see me as sweet and innocent it might be.
I'm a troublemaker with a pet peeve. I hate the word "that". It comes from writing. We're told as writers to not use "that" unless it's absolutely necessary. This means if the sentence works without "that", then get rid of it.
I bring this pet peeve to my critiques, as well as to papers I write for class. Today in Portfolio we were critiquing each other's papers, and I did it. I started crossing out all the unnecessary "thats". I couldn't help it!
Of course, this started the whole discussion about whether or not "that" and it's usages is a stylistic thing, a grammar thing, a faux pas, or simply something you DON'T DO. We even got the English TA involved.
*hanging my head*
I'm a troublemaker.
Favorite Fours Meme
Here's a new twist on the "Favorite Fours" meme:
Four movies you would watch over and over:
1. Serenity
2. Return of the Jedi
3. Princess Bride
4. When Harry Met Sally
Four of your favorite flowers:
1. Tulips
2. Calla Lilies
3. Stargazer lily
4. Lilacs (to look at only, not to smell or have anywhere in my home)
Four magazines you buy or subscribe to on a regular basis:
1. I don't have time to read any regularly, so I stopped buying them.
Four of your own childhood toys still in your possession:
1. A stuffed lamb from my grandparents
2. Some proceline figurines my great-grandma made
3. ummm...
4. double ummmm....
Four TV shows you love to watch:
1. Gilmore Girls
2. Without a Trace
3. Farscape (reruns)
4. Numbers
Four recurring nightmares you tend to have:
1. You're all gonna hate me...but I don't have any.
Four places you have been on vacation:
1. France
2. Israel
3. Scotland
4. Ireland
Four languages you can speak:
1. English
2. French (used to be fluent)
3. Yiddish (mostly just individual words)
4. Hebrew (can't really speak it, more like I can say certain words in it, and I can read it fairly well.
Four places I would rather be right now:
1. The south of France
2. Scotland
3. hanging out with C who lives in New York
4. anywhere...
Four of your favorite foods:
1. Seven Layer Cake
2. pasta (pretty much any kind)
3. kugel
4. Tuna Casserole (Mom's recipe)
Four of your favorite alcoholic beverages: ***note, I don't really drink, so this is limited
1. Midori sour
2. Bailey’s with cream
3. Screwdriver
4. Lemon Drop (the sweet kind)
Four of your worst vices:
1. Purse addiction (great minds think alike)
2. Book addiction
3. computer
4. Diet Cherry Coke
Four accomplishments you’re most proud of:
1. Going back to school for my Masters
2. Completing my third manuscript while in school
3. Making my way from the train station in Paris (where I could understand the employees and therefore knew they were making fun of all the cranky travellers) to the station in London, on my own, (without the appropriate ticket for the tube).
4. maintaining a life while in school
Four of your biggest fears:
1. Spiders
2. crowded places (not really a fear, but I get anxious and need to know where the exits are)
3. Stupid people (those who simply follow someone without actually thinking for themselves).
4. People who refuse to learn from their mistakes
Four of your most irrational fears:
1. spiders
2. small spiders
3. big spiders
4. notice a pattern here? any kind of spider
Four genres of radio stations pre-programmed in your car:
1. The everything station
2. Country
3. Pop/Rock
4. Oldies (pre-1980)
Four items you always carry in your purse:
1. Wallet
2. Cell phone
3. lip gloss
4. a book (if it'll fit)
Four things you look for in a mate:
1. Sense of Humor
2. faith (preferably Jewish, but at least believes in something)
3. can keep up with me mentally
4. Intelligence
Four things (realistic) you want to do within next five years:
1. Get a job!
2. Travel abroad more
3. Get published
4. Meet someone special
Four friends I am tagging who I think will respond:
1. Kristi
2. Esri/Kiki
3. Kelley
4. Heather
I've used this one before, but it still makes me laugh
Jewish telegram: "Start worrying. Details to follow."
What I love about writing...
First off, I have to thank Serena for the use of her computer tonight. I got loads done. I even have my teaching philosophy!
I also made a wonderful discovery about my character that plays a big role in the events about to unfold. As I mentioned before, I'm making some pretty significant changes to my current WIP in order to fit it to a specific editor. In the story I've now set it up where something very special happens when her birthday, her family and the first night of Hannukah coincide. What I didn't realize, until I began to write this new scene is that this is not the first time for such meetings. In fact the night she was born was also the first night of Hannukah. And for those of you who don't know, this is very unusual as Hannukah changes from year to year according to the Roman calendar.
I just love moments like these! They are what writing is all about to me, those little nuggets that appear when you need them and bring everything else into sharper focus. For a pantser like myself, these nuggets are invaluable.
Now, I'm off to try to go to sleep. I probably shouldn't have drunk that diet coke so close to bedtime.
The Musical version of the Magic 8 ball
Stolen from Christina because I can...check out this meme
Put your iTunes/iPod on shuffle.
Say the following questions aloud, and press play.
Use the song title as the answer to the question.
NO CHEATING.
Here are my results:
1. How does the world see you?
The Good Life - Tony Bennett...hmmm. Really?
2. Will I have a happy life?
Karma - deSol This is actually a pretty angry song. The tag line is "karma comes back to you."
3. What do my friends think of me?
Good Man Like Me - Dierks Bentley Can we change the lyrics here? Can we say good woman?
4. Do people secretly lust after me?
Trouble - Harry Connick Jr. Um...apparently those who do, find that I am trouble. Or maybe THEY are trouble.
5. How can I make myself happy?
Nothing to Lose - Josh Gracin Apparently just throwing myself in will do it :D
6. What should I do with my life?
Too Marvelous for Words - Frank Sinatra Now here's a man who knows what he's talking about. Apparently I just have to be mah-ve-lous!
7. Will I ever have children?
Spit of Love - Bonnie Raitt Is this a Yes?
8. What is some good advice for me?
I'm a Believer - The Monkees I guess I just have to believe.
9. How will I be remembered?
Seven Seas of Rhye - Queen I'll be remembered like a big haired band from the 70's?
10. What's my signature dancing song?
Cab of My Truck - more Dierks I'll be honest, I do not agree with this choice ;) I don't even own a truck.
11. What's my current theme song?
How Am I Doin'? - more Dierks Hmmm...does my shuffle know of my love of Dierks?? Sadly, this is another slightly angry song, though in a good way. "I failed to mention, those tears I cry are tears of joy. Because it was no fun there under your thumb."
12. What do others think is my current theme song?
Another Postcard - Barenaked Ladies All I can say here is HA!! It's about chimpanzees! and Stalking!
13. What shall they play at my funeral?
Killer Queen - Queen Oh, this is priceless. Truly.
14. What type of men do I like?
Second Best - Barenaked Ladies Okay, now I have to flat out disagree. Unless it's speaking to the band. Cuz I like me some funny men.
15. How's my love life?
What Was I Thinking? - more Dierks. Seriously, this is weird.
The sad part here? That I have approx. 5 hours of music most of which is not Dierks, and it still kept coming back to him. Hmmmm.
***Serena pointed out that more interesting that what song answered which question, is finding out what everyone listens to.
All I wanted was an oil change...
What I got was a whole other story. Thankfully, I have a service place that I know and trust. This is important when you are a woman, as there is a tendency for such places to try to take advantage. Seeing as how I am a po' grad student, this is especially important, because I do not have money to waste on needless repairs.
So when I called for an oil change, and was told there was an online coupon, I was very happy.
When I went in and asked them to confirm their recommendation for a powersteering flush, I was ecstatic when they told me it looked fine.
When they told me I might need to flush the brake fluid though, because it looked off, I was a little leery, but if it makes the car (which is 10 years old) run longer, I might consider it.
When they called and told me my brake fluid was fine, but that the valve gasket cover was leaking and would run me over $300, I was less fine.
All I wanted was an oil change. is that too much to ask for?
Seriously?
Spammers, do your research. If you email me, call me a homeowner and then offer me credit, I sure as heck know you are not interested in me. I don't even have to open my email to know this.
*****
Would it really kill you to wake up 2 minutes earlier so you have enough time to do your make up in front of a real mirror? Driving on the highway this morning, on my way to Serena's, I passed a woman putting on her mascara while she merged into another lane. Um, excuse me? How can you even check your blind spot if you can't turn your head for fear of getting the wand in your eye? To make it worse, her arm was all bent weird, in the way that only women can do, in order to get the eye opposite her hand...surely this was not safe driving.
*****
Shaving while driving to work??? C'mon! This one doesn't even deserve my comments...
Core Philosophy...
You know you are a graduate student when they ask you to come up with your Top 3 core philosophies for teaching. Um...core? Philosophies? What are those exactly? Thankfully, this rough draft isn't due for another week. Plenty of time to come up with something. Right? Right?
Am I that weird?
I came on to campus early today to stop off at financial services to pay my tuition for the quarter. Please note this is my last quarter, and I will soon have to start paying back all the lovely money I borrowed from the government. In the meantime, I've been accruing (sp?) interest on said lovely money since last January when they handed it out. This of course means that I now owe MORE money to the government, because they just aren't satisfied with getting their original sum back.
So here's my food for thought...how weird and annoying would I be if I began paying back the interest on my loan in the amount of $10 a month. Keeping in mind that the loan itself has a few more zeroes on the end.
Talk amongst yourselves.
Goodies for the writer in your life!
Have I got an awsome site for all you people out there who are at a constant loss for things to buy the writing gal in your life. This is the MUST SEE site of the year!
The Writer Chick has everything you need for your upcoming gift giving events (hint, hint).
Check her out!
