It’s been awhile since I’ve burned the midnight oil so many nights in a row, probably not since Miss A was a screaming cranky mess of a baby (Lil G has been a good sleeper pretty much since day 1, BLESS her).
Trying to squeeze NaNo writing time into my day just isn’t happening, so I end up having to make my day last longer, and have been up writing most nights til the clock rolls over on a new day. This is starting to mess with my cognitive abilities I fear, after all – I’m getting older, I can’t knock out a week of all-nighters like in my old college days.
I have had a killer headache for the better part of 2 days and it’s what I blame for the following: in the middle of a scene I was writing just now I had to stop and do a homonym word check, because my former English teacher self just couldn’t remember the answer…and here is what the Google told me:
faun or fawn? Do not confuse the spelling of faun and fawn, which sound similar. A faun is a mythological being depicted as part man and part goat; a fawn is a young deer. Fawn is also an adjective and noun referring to a pale yellowish brown color, as in a fawn jacket, or a verb meaning “try to win favor” or “attempt to please somebody,” as in fawning over the celebrities he interviews.
Miss A is convinced that the Google knows everything…she might be right. Long live the Google.
And in case you’re wondering, “fawn” was the word I needed…no Mr. Tumnus-like dudes hopping around in my story.
Not yet anyways.
If I get a little more over-tired, anything is possible.
Anybody have some good headache remedy suggestions? Or want to send a massage therapist to my house?
The scene sprint turned out to be quite productive. I logged just over 3k and got out at least one well developed scene and left plenty of ideas in limbo but with a promising start. Some highlights from Thursday’s scene sprint:
-my heroine performs the Big Mac rap for a man who reminds her of some cross breed of Hagrid and Laura Ingalls’ father
– while a new friend helps the heroine figure out how to put on the array of clothing required in the 1880’s, a heated argument about the pros and cons of woolen underwear ensues…and my heroine ultimately chooses to go commando
– during a scene in which an argument takes place in a dining room (ball room, maybe?) I mention striding across a parquet floor…now I need to go and see if a parquet floor is actually what I think it is, and if they even existed in estate homes in the time and locale I have found myself in
1 day of writing down and 29 to go…I managed to get 5k of words down, which gave me a nice start, I think. Even on the first day it was a little difficult, once I had jumped the first hurdle: finding some free time away from the husband, Miss A & Lil’ G, I discovered old habits are hard to break and I had the urge to check in on my favorite websites, do a little on-line holiday shopping..that sort of thing. I resisted this technical temptation, and got to it – but found my enthusiasm was taking a dip (perhaps it was the exhaustion…staying up and writing from midnite til 2am is hard on the brain cells.). Then I discovered my secret weapon – my writing tool that helps me stay on track. As with anything I find difficult to get through – whether it is running or laundry – I find that music makes me enjoy it more: it’s my spoonful of sugar that pushes me through that last mile, helps me finish that last load.
So I was delighted to discover an on-line source for my “sugar.” Ok, I confess, I didn’t discover it…props to the Queen of Hearts for telling me about it (Thanks Sharon!). I’m talking about Pandora, an on-line personalized radio station. At first I was skeptical, there had to be some kind of annoying or expensive catch…but nope – from what I can tell so far, it is as easy as pie to use and even tastier.
They created a station for me (just type in a fav song or artist), and I left the site running in the background as I typed away. It was awesome! It really was like someone had peeked in my mind and put together a radio station just for me. I heard many favorites, and many songs I love but forgot about, havent’ heard in forever, and songs I had never heard before that grew on me right away.
I had typed in Tori Amos, and got stuff from her but also songs from Fiona Apple, Aimee Mann, Cowboy Junkies, Sarah Mclachlan and others – it was a truly great mix (for me anyway, the husband would have been gagging).
There was a Faith Hill perfume commercial that popped on every 5th song or so, but there was an option to mute it out, so that was hardly a problem.
I am totally sold on Pandora, so if you’ll excuse me, I need to get my spoonful of it and start writing. I gotta crank out 500 words before Lil’ G wakes up.
ETA: They also make cool little widgets, check mine out in the sidebar under Groovin’ Mama.
A few weeks ago I was at a book club meeting and somehow the term “butt rock” came up…that is to say, at some point I referred to a band as possible butt rock and received blank stares in return.
It seems none of my lady book club friends have heard this term.
Butt Rock was first introduced to me as a genre of music by my husband. Based on my knowledge of the genre, I’d say bands like the Scorpions and ACDC are the epitome of butt rockism. Trying to explain to my book club buds what qualified as butt rock was surprisingly difficult…the husband and I can be channel surfing – hear a song come on and immediately agree that such and such song most certainly belongs in the butt rock genre. Baffled by their complete ignorance to this term, I decided to google it…just now…
Here is my favorite definition as described on Urban Dictionary:
The name “butt rock” has a few possible origins. First, in the 1980s, the musicians in many hair metal bands often dressed in a “glam” style, wearing tight pants that would accentuate their butts. (This may also be the origin of the term “cock rock,” which has the same connotations, as the tight pants would also accentuate the musicians’ crotches.) A less flattering origin for the name is that the lead singers of these bands sounded like they were singing out of their asses. Finally, the term can generally mean that the music sounds like ass.
Dude, turn off that butt rock. We’re not at the gym.
Yep, music that sounds like ass is exactly how I would describe it.
On to people who probably listen to lots of butt rock, a website I will be wasting way too much time on, indulging in one of my favorite guilty pleasures..people mocking (hey, I mock myself all the time too). Recently, someone alerted me to the site called People of WalMart where it seems camera pics of Wal-Mart shoppers have been posted with mocking comments…some may say this is rude and unkind…but I say if you choose to leave the house dressed like this:
Then you pretty much deserve what you get. (Props to the poster, this was his comment: “What are you wearing sexy?” -Cowboy boots. “Ya that’s hot.” – Pink velour pants. “Ya I like that.” – a little green baby girl hoodie. “Oh damn, that sounds sexy.” – and I kinda look like Gallagher. “Oh ya…wait…what?”
He DOES look like Gallagher! Maybe all his clothes got stolen from the laundromat, so he borrowed some from the sorority girl’s basket one aisle over.
And I’d like to point out that the people posting these pics and poking fun ARE ALSO CUSTOMERS OF WALMART SINCE THEY HAD TO BE THERE IN ORDER TO TAKE THE PHOTOS.
Also, the site is hosting a contest for “pictures of the most ridiculous and insanely disturbing people who call Walmart their home.”
I’m cranky, sunburnt, and got my period this morning (for what I SWEAR is the second time this month).
But we took some basic run-of-the-mill pics of the girls yesterday…and I just want to say…
I am blessed.Really. I am a very lucky Mama.Afterall, joy and beauty surround me every moment.And even if Ms Flo did somehow visit me twice this month.I really have no room to complain about my life.
I was in the mood for a laugh, so I decided to pay a quick visit to icanhascheezburger. However, nothing on their cover page was really getting the giggles going, so I did some clicking around, and found a link on their site to “look-alikes” basically side by side pictures of any two items that look alike. Some are weird, some are surprising, some are disturbing, and some are witty and/or outright hilarious. Quite a few got me laughing, but it was THIS ONE in particular that had me really cackling. I don’t know why…I guess the idea of the evil eye of Sauron casting it’s deadly gaze on you would be a great way to say no to dessert. He’s watching you…and he knows.
Oh yes, he knows.
And if you touch that piece of triple chocolate fudge mocha cheesecake (do they have such a thing?) then the Ringwraiths will be coming for you (or would they be cheesecakewraiths?).
Miss A is following in her mama’s footsteps. Around the time I was 6 years old I became completely obsessed with all things Star Wars (having a crush on Luke Skywalker might have been part of it). For some reason, I would have this reoccurring dream that Luke was coming to visit me at my house (except, it was a younger Luke than in the movie, like 8 or so, and he was wearing a red turtleneck) and he would throw rocks at my window and my dad would yell at him to go away. I didn’t say it was a great dream, it’s just one I clearly remember having many times when I was 6.
Anyways, so Miss A is now 6 and is obsessed with all things Star Wars. So there are lots of lightsaber fights and attempts to use the Force around here. She has big plans to dress as Princess Leia for Halloween (with Lil’ G going as R2D2 of course).
I won’t let her watch Revenge of the Sith until she is 10, but I finally decided she could watch Attack of The Clones. Watching along with her, I saw one of my favorite moments in the movie that I had forgotten about.
I don’t think it’s breaking news to say that Hayden Christensen, while not bad on the eyes, was a bit weak in the acting dept. Perhaps it was the horrible dialogue that was at fault, or Lucas’s inability to work well with humans, but in any case – his performance fell short.
There was however, one moment I thought he played to perfection. It was done so well it was really believable. Believable and hilarious. That moment when they first arrive at Padme’s little lake house hideaway on Naboo, and she is outfit #456 – she and Anakin are on the balcony, and he is overcome with her hotness, so he moves in for a kiss…she responds for a moment…then leaves the poor boy hanging. Watch this, if you don’t remember. (Skip to 1:37 for “the face”)
The look on his face after she says no is just priceless. Classic “WTF woman!?!”
Lemme see some hands – how many of you boys can remember being in just such a moment? I am embarrassed to admit I pulled that on the husband a long time ago in a galaxy far far away.
I never really thought about it, but looking through my house, I guess we kinda do. Have something against closet doors that is.
It started simply enough…I don’t like bi-fold closet doors in the kids’ rooms, because I think it is all too easy to pinch a finger in one of those. So upon moving in, we took out the doors in Miss A’s room and used the drapes from her room in the old house to “act” like closet doors.
So of course, when we got the spare room ready for Lil’ G, I took out the bifolds in there and used simple drapes…her room is a horse theme now, but she may decide on something different in a few years.
Then the husband decided he needed more room to display his game collection (actually, if I remember correctly, he was the first to declare war on closet doors: removing the ones in his office at the old house, and doing the same thing in his new office.) So after several trips to Ikea for some book shelves, he had a place to house his hobby.
The doors to the closet in the laundry room were irksome; Miss A had a hard time manuevering them when she wanted to get a game out of there. So off those went too.
A pretty sheer curtain can hide all kinds of scary clutter-ness.
The denoument, though, is our foyer/front hall closet. It had sliding closet doors that loved to fall off the track. While incredibly annoying, it wasn’t a big deal until Lil’ G was on her way…then it became a potential hazard. So rather than buy new doors or fix the track we decided on a solution that was more “us.” We ripped the doors out, and while we were at it, we ripped the old shelving organizers out too. That left some nasty holes in the drywall. Which even after patching, were less than smooth…so I decided on some wall paper (in small amounts, I like a little wall paper. Shhh, don’t tell anyone). Then it was off to Ikea for new shelving, hooks, and a shoe bench.
With all our coats, shoes, bags, etc in there it might look a little cluttered, but in reality it’s not too bad. Leaving it open makes the whole hallway feel bigger. Guests have a place to sit and take off their shoes, and Lil’ G has a constant source of entertainment removing said shoes from the shelves.
In fact, after it was finished, I believe I inspired many friends to do the same in their own homes. Ha! I’ve started a trend…join in! Free yourselves from closet doors forever.
I was student teaching high school – my “preps” were: Speech (Juniors and Seniors), Honors English Literature (Juniors), and a BD class of Soph. year American Literature…quite a variety, I must say.
I was performing in my last college theatre production. Originally someone else was cast in my role, but then she had to fly out to CA for an audition, and I was asked to come in and read the part for a week so rehearsals could continue. I really liked the director, so I agreed. When the week was up and they needed me to continue for another, I told them to drop her and cast me or forget it…a favor was one thing, but I was way too busy to put all that time in on a part that wasn’t mine. The director agreed, and gave me the part. I’m glad he did, because I really enjoyed that play. I’m also proud of myself for standing up for lil Ms. Me.
The girl whose part I took over? She didn’t get that part she auditioned for, but don’t feel sad for her – she’s moved on to bigger and better things.
So, while she has made a successful career in Hollywood (I’m only a teensy bit jealous…really), what have I done in the last 10 years?
Taught high school Theatre and English, got engaged, moved into my first (and only) apartment, got married, moved into a townhouse, had Miss A, moved into a bigger house, had Lil G, and now am on the verge of launching my own Children’s Theatre Co.
Quite a few milestones hit in a decade, even if they aren’t very glamorous.
While I directed lots of lots of plays during this time, my only stint on stage was when a theatre was performing in a mall…yes, that’s right,
a theatre in a mall…it didn’t last long. I think it’s a trendy clothing store now.
I miss acting, and hope to find the time to be in a few productions here and there, even if they are small potatoes community theatre productions, and not big time fancy pants stuff like a prime time t.v. show.
I would like to go back to college for my Master’s…but I’m in no hurry, maybe in the 10 years after these 10 years (while the girls are in college too, don’t worry, I won’t make them take me to any parties).
I’d like to reach a place where I am happy in my body.
I admit it, I’m a magazine junkie. Back in the day when my heart went pitter-pat for NKOTB (see #53)I would spend wads of babysitting money on TeenBeat, TuttiFrutti, Bop and other glossy homages to the teen idols I so adored. I would pull out the posters to adorn my walls, cut out special articles like the ones that had info on Jordan’s favorite things to do on a date (I just knew that would come in handy when he saw me at his concert and fell in love with me), and paste the covers in a photo album. (Photo albums I may still have somewhere in my garage…oh yes I may)
Nowadays, as in – my life as a 30-something mom vs. a tweeny-something junior high girl, I still enjoy buying magazines. I’m not much for t.v. , so in many ways magazines function like t.v. for me: lots of info in little quick tidbits. Much like a channel surfer, I will flip quickly through a magazine, stopping here and there to skim an article, but never staying with a story long enough to get, well, the full story. Perhaps this is why for years I was loathe to part with any of my glossy reading material. I always planned to go back and read this or that, I really wanted to hold on to that banana bread recipe, and wow, but you never knew when that article on potty training was going to come in handy. So I would save them…and as I usually have subscriptions to at least 3 magazines at any one time, my collection (and my bookshelves) fill up fast.
When we moved out of our townhome, I went through a forced purge and, refusing to be ridiuclous enough to PACK several year’s worth of women’s health magazines, I tossed them all into a Free Pile at our moving sale, then dumped what didn’t go into the recycling bin.
Recently, I realized that I have been building the same dangerous tower of triteness in this home…and I refuse to teeter into that trap (oh, yes, I loves the alliteration). Reading a magazine cover to cover, even in a week’s time, is a highly unlikely prospect considering the juggling act I call life…so, instead, I still do the skim routine I so love (I really do find it relaxing actually, especially if the reading time involves a latte and some bright morning sunshine…on a morning when both girls are still asleep). When I come across an article I like: such as a running routine I’d like to try, a recipe for LOWFAT cheesecake I want to save for a bad pms day, or some great craft ideas I could implement for Miss A’s homeschool – I simply rip it out and file it.
When I say “file” I am not referring to giant office-y looking things…I simply have a 3 folder system…
Aren't they cute? I love shopping for folders.
In which I have labeled with something a little more specific than “stuff” and a little more general than “Meals for Summer Evenings”
Just "Crafts" "Fitness" & "Recipes"...I may have to add a "Home" file, for decorating, gardening, and what not
So as I read, if I see something I know I’ll like, I just tear it out and add it to the appropriate folder.
When the folder starts to get too full, I move the collected pages to a larger 3ring binder (I keep a recipe binder by my cookbooks, a craft binder with the homeshool stuff, etc). The binders aren't as pretty, so I won't show them to you.
Then I pack up the de-filed (ha!) magazines and drop them off at Little Gym for other moms to read. (I apologize if you got excited about the “10 Best Ab Moves!” advertised on the cover, only to find the page to be MIA).
Since I have had this system in place, I am proud to say I can usually zip through a month’s worth of literature in a few days.
And I am even more proud to say that I have not put more publications onto the pile I previously started…and am in fact, slowly working towards reducing that as well.
Maybe in a fit of wild abandon I’ll drag them out of the basement and throw ’em into the garage sale we’re getting set to have this spring.
Need some reading material? Do you lust after old issues of Better Homes & Gardens?
Come check the free pile at my garage sale.
Just don’t bury yourself under your own pile. I don’t want to be an enabler or something.
Melonie Johnson 
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