Monthly Archives: September 2009

Sep
10

Blargh.

Posted in back pain, surgery | 3 Comments
Ok. I realize that I am an idiot. It’s true. The perverse side of me that *needs* to know how an operation works has pushed me over the edge. And I’ve been looking at nasty youtube videos all morning, which I’ll spare all of you. (But if you’re dying to know, just look up microdiscetomy – the ones where the surgeon is listening to classical music pretty much ends it for me.  LOL). Of course, seeing what amounts to what looks like tweezers diving and gouging into something that looks like raw hamburger meat doesn’t really help. So I found the video up above and after watching it, the other ones actually started to make sense. Does it make me feel any better? No. Not really. While I realize that it’s a fairly small surgery – like 45 minutes, it’s still my fucking spine. And there’s still a chance that… Read more
Sep
9

Moving On…

Posted in wow, writing | 1 Comment
Meh.  I’m plunging along into those first few chapters of ShadowWeaver (and mad props to the WaterCooler gang over at FF&P for their flash-drafting…I haven’t manage to crank out that many words in 30 minutes in a *very* long time!). Not that I have a huge amount to show for it…the muse is a bit fickle, at the moment.  The words are there, they just seem to be a bit reluctant to be put down. I need to drag out my Mindola cards to see if I can put some things into order. I have several key scenes that need to happen in the story, and those are already half written in my head.  I may just go and skip ahead and get them down, because at least one of them is going to require some more research on my part. I’m not pushing myself too hard this week, though.… Read more
Sep
8

What Is the Airspeed Velocity of an Unladen Swallow?

Posted in random, renn faire | Leave a comment
Lazy weekend this weekend, but on a lark we decided to head up to the Maryland Renaissance Festival for some Steak on a Stake, jousting, peasant wenches, drunkards and shirtless Celts in kilts. And a good time was had by all. (Even when it started pissing rain later in the afternoon.) We’ve taken the kids to it before, but this was the first year I think they both sorta got something out of it. Last year, Lucy really wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but this time around she figured it out pretty quick. And once both kids stopped whining about wanting to buy something every 2 booths, it worked out pretty well…though, I’m the biggest sucker when it comes to these sorts of places. “You mean, you want that shiny dagger and matching gorget?  Can Mommy borrow it? Sure!” But what the hey, I had a little extra cash… Read more
Sep
3

And a Big Fat WTF?

Posted in random, soup fail, wtf | 5 Comments
Lipton Soup, I’m afraid I’m going to have to think about giving you up.  It’s clear to me now that you’ve been seeing other people behind my back. And the evidence is inside you. But a goldfish?  Seriously? Do you have any idea how heartbreaking it is to be slurping away at your one-billion-milligram-of-sodium-per-spoonful goodness, just to be confronted by a flat and nasty looking goldfish cracker? That I didn’t put in the cup? Oh sure, you can tell me it was just a random escapee from the local processing plant, but I think we both know better. I’m very disappointed in you, Lipton Cup-a-Soup. Very.… Read more
Sep
3

Poetry and Pop Culture

Posted in craft, poetry, pop culture, writing | 2 Comments
I’ve been warned before about using pop culture references in my book. I suppose it’s true – refer to a walkman or record albums and it’s a pretty dead giveaway that the story was written in the 80’s. It dates the story, and then I imagine that some readers are left wondering if the rest of the book is dated too. I’m guilty of this sin, of course – I refer to things like iPods and musical bands (i.e. Black Lab or James or Rilo Kiley) in my manuscript. It’s mostly flavor, something to flesh out the moment. I’ve certainly seen it in other books, particularly other Urban Fantasy/Paranormal romances. Most of the time they’re subtle – a reference to South Park, for example – but I suppose you do run the risk of alienating someone who isn’t “in the know”, or who might not be an obsessive Aliens/Terminator/Silence of… Read more