The Wardrobe

I now have a wardrobe to replace the closet I so gleefully took down. One of my neighbors bought it at a flea market or something, decided they didn’t want it and traded it to me for babysitting ”credits”. Pretty cool!

My Wardrobe

I doubt anyone going into it will find anything other than a very tight space.

That’s me in the reflection, by the way.

 

Introducing Daniel and Jack

After going to Ivy Tech on Thursday, Mom and I stopped by the pet store for her to buy some fish for her aquarium. While we were there, I looked at birds. I’ve really been missing Chip, and somehow I came home with two new parakeets.

These are some unusual parakeets: they do not swear, scream or otherwise engage in loud and obnoxious behavior. Instead they sing to us and live together peaceably. Wierd. So, introducing Daniel and Jack (named for Dr. Daniel Jackson and Jack O’Neil of Stargate SG1):

Daniel

Jack

Daniel and Jack 1

Daniel and Jack 2

 

NaNo ‘09: Update 2

3,535 as of last night. Slow and steady might just make the race yet!

These last two days have proven that 10 pages equals about 1,667 words, which is the minimum I can do and still make 50,000 words in 30 days. (Well, actually it is 1,666. a very long stream of 6’s. But I don’t think leaving .3 off a word will be very good for my already stretched sanity.)

The day before yesterday I was just overwhelmed. Yesterday I was fixated on the word count. Today I’m going to just write, and enjoy writing. I’ll try to make sure I do about 10 pages, but let the word count be hanged! Until tonight, that is.

In other news, I’m going to Ivy Tech tomorrow to met my instructor and be shown the lay-out of the place. I’m really rather excited!

 

Practice Does Not Always Make Perfect

If it did, I would have higher Spider Solitaire stats than 17 % after 135 games.

A familiar image on my computer screen

 

 

Lessons Learned From My First Full Day of NaNo

1. Despite what one might have thought, you do not have to breathe to write. (I’m at the stage of flu recovery when everything is dripping and/or completely stuffed up.)
2. If you are me and frustrated, for goodness sake, take a break! More words and better will be written in the long run that way.
3. Changing a character’s name mid-page is really confusing.
4.  DO NOT use the Paperblank journal if you feel the need to hear paper rip.
5. Counting words can lead to counting all sorts of other things.
6. Unfortunately for the word count, “into” and “upon” are each only one word. 
7. Mothers are the greatest.
8. Dads are pretty great, too.
9. So are patient brothers who let you take over the computer to update your word count.
10. There is no limit to how many times a day a person can say “word count”.
11. Even in a “month of literary abandon”, one cannot escape mathematics.

 

Oh, and I’m at 1,300 words or something. Just a few more and I’ll make my wordcount for the day. Now to make up yesterday’s…

 

NaNo ‘09: Update One

Yesterday began National Novel Writing Month.

I reached 1,500 words.

However, I only am using 908 of those. The other 600 made up a false start that I just couldn’t continue. If I tweak it around, though, that false start may work pretty well later on…but despite the “anything goes” attitude we’re supposed to have, I still have a firm conviction that quality should come before quantity. Now that I have a firm start, though, I should be able to make up my wordcount today.

 

 

I’m Going To Swear!!!

They say that the big thing about swine flu is that it goes away and comes back. After I recovered from my bout with it, I swore I wouldn’t get the second round. I mean, come on, I’m a healthy gal! What use do I have of getting the flu twice in two weeks?

I stayed active, I drank tea and consumed foods stuffed with garlic.

Not an hour after I posted that last post, my throat started to hurt. Now I have a fever of 99.1 and those (never mind those adjectives popping up in my mind that are most unwelcome) body aches have returned.

I am not happy. In fact, I am rather cranky.

 

What Goes Around Comes Around

And this time it’s got MA. “It” being to the flu, that is. Unfortunately, while I was able to escape the high fever, my brother was not.

By the way, the flu combined with asthma–not pretty. He is doing better today, though.

Prayers would still be greatly appreciated.

 

Yo-Yo Ma and Alison Kraus

I found this on Just The Words, a blog I found today. I love both Yo-Yo Ma and Alison Kraus (altough I’d have never thought to put them together), and so just had to post this.

 

I Am Cricket

 

Tyrant of all I survey.

 

Of Waistbands and Rants

Something tells me that readers of the male gender are going to be inclined to sigh, shake their heads and think to themselves: “Women”.

There are certain genes in my mother’s family that predisposes females to large hips–genes that I have inherited. I also have a tiny waist. This puts me rather firmly in the hourglass-shaped figure.

However much certain artists of the past may have enjoyed hourglass figures, the clothing industry tends to forget us. In particular, it is very hard to find bottoms that fit which do not have a drawstring. If I find a skirt or pants that fit my waist, it takes a great feat of willpower to squeeze the rest of my bottom half in them…and I won’t be caught dead in public wearing something that tight. If I find something that fits my hips comfortably, I end up with a horizontal pleat and an extra inch or two of hem.

This hourglass problem never really used to bother me; but those were also the days when shapeless sacks were my prefered clothing of choice. (And usually the top sack would be something like a purple polka-dot and the bottom sack would be a light blue print…my Aunt Kelly used to try to call the fashion police on me.) Even today my house wear of choice is drawstring capris.

But I have learned to appreciate a good fit for out-in-public wear and I wanted to find some nice, comfortable yet practical pants for my EMT course. The hourglass problem has become one in earnest. LL Bean has this ingenious Curvy fit, especially made for women of my proportions. The trouble is that  LL Bean’s clothes, being of high quality, are somewhat pricey.

We (Mom and I) were going to see if someplace like Dillard’s or Kohl’s had something that would do before we called in the clothing cavalry…and while out with a friend, Mom found some slacks that were exactly the style that I wanted. She called to make sure of the size and returned triumphantly, ordering me to try them on almost before she got in the door. I did and they were absolutely perfect…except that damn waist band. 

Well, I’m going to get off my soap box and go take in the waist-side seams of my almost perfect slacks. My penny jar got renamed: “For LL Bean’s Curvy fit slacks or jeans.”

 

The Joys of a Small Town Church

I absolutely love my little small town church…but sometimes we do things that make me crack up. (Catch the “we”.)

Take today, for instance. There is a young man in our ranks, probably middle to late 20’s. He comes like clockwork every week about 20 minutes before the service starts, sits in the same pew as his mother and grandmother (usually the one right behind my family’s), tithes regularly and is just in general a pleasant, quiet person of the type that forms the backbone of all organizations.

Today he was absent and in our church, if someone is absent the reasons are sought out by most members of the congregation. When the question: “Where’s your son?” was politely put before the mother, she replied: “Oh he’s at a wedding.”

“He’s getting married?!”

Every head in the church whipped around, every mouth dropped, every ear strained to hear the mother’s next words.

Much to everybody’s relief, he had done no such thing as get married without informing us first. It was just a friend’s wedding.

I wonder what we would have done if it had been his wedding. Probably had a few funerals.

 

Chip’s Life Story

Remember Chip, the surviving parakeet of the Chip Peter duo?

He died yesterday. This is his life story.

A picture of Chip and Peter. Chip is the one on the right, in front of his mirror.

When Mom and I got parakeets in late 2006, she chose the one most likely to be a good pet. I chose the one with the most spirit…much to the dismay of the girl who had to catch them.

While Peter devoted himself to a quiet life of the average pet bird, learning to sing for us when we called his name, Chip proved himself to be a crazy bird. (Why is it that most of my pets have temperaments ranging from eccentric to insane? Please, don’t answer that.) He liked to pick up his feed in his mouth, cross his cage and dump it in his water. Then he liked to watch me fuss and change his water. Then he’d start it all over again; and if by some chance I didn’t change his water immediately, he would swear up a storm until I did so. And as I said in Peter’s post, “Chip…doesn’t use English. He doesn’t have to.”

The only time he liked to sing in was in front of his beloved mirror (beloved because it showed him his own reflection–he did not like to see anyone else’s in that thing!)

Despite the differences between them, I think Chip was really fond of his companion, Lord Peter Death Bredon Whimsey. It was many days after his death before Chip raised his voice again, either to swear or to sing. When he did lift his voice, it was to swear and scream at Ellie, whom he detested. This was probably Ellie’s fault as she had once knocked him and his cage off the table.

Even after recovering his swearing, Chip was a different bird after Peter died. He was more subdued, more sane.

I found him yesterday on the cage floor, midway between perch and food bowl. We shall miss him…and his colorful personality.

 

It Ain’t a Proper Poem If It Don’t Rhyme!

Sir Percy Blakeney says this in A&E’s The Scarlet Pimpernel. I loved this line and fully subscribed to this view. Figures that my first completed poem does not and will not rhyme! It absolutely refuses to conform to my views of proper poetry.

Just thought I’d mention that. If anybody would like to read and critique said contrary poem, please let me know and I’ll send it to you.

(After that last rather sad post I needed to say something light.)

 

In Memory Of

Jericho Jake (better known as Jake) entered our lives and our home on the day after Thanksgiving, 2008. From the very first minutes we knew we had a different type of dog. Jake was a lively, not so serious and definitely not as interested in training as our Max. That was okay; he was Jake.

A lively personality defined Jake throughout his short, but happy life. He loved nothing more than to deepen mud holes, much to the detriment of the yard and his own appearance. He had a quick intelligence (more often exerted for a piece of toast than a training command, ’tis true). Quite often his exuberant spirits would get him in trouble, either with us human occupants of the house or with Opal, his canine companion. Let’s not even mention how he got along with the resident felines.

Also from the first it was clear that Jake was not a healthy guy. SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth), EPI (inability to digest and metabolize fat), food allergies and hip dysplasia plagued him throughout his life. Nevertheless, nothing slowed him down. Nothing but death.

He died shortly before his first birthday.

 

Cricket and Ellie

Ellie is the cat we’ve had since 2000. She is pretty, snotty, aloof, dislikes physical exercise and disdains to show affection save in the dead of winter. Oh, and she doesn’t like other cats.

Cricket is my kitten, and a resident of this house for 3 weeks. She is lively, active, affectionate.

Ellie is almost 9 years older. Currently she is bigger, stronger, more co-ordinated…by all rights she ought to be top cat.

The interactions between the two cats lead my family to compose this ditty (sung to the tune of “Pop goes the weasel”):

All around the living room

The kitten chased the cat.

The kitten thought it was all in fun:

“Help!!” goes the cat.

 

Neverwas

One thing I have often noticed in my life is that I am drawn to two different kinds of basically anything that can be defined as a noun: person, place, thing or idea. One is BIG, important sounding, having an air of authority (real or presumed) and possessing great charisma. I like these people, places, things and ideas. I talk about them a lot.

The other, which I ultimately respect more, is quiet and understated. These people, places, things and ideas do not have much–if any–advertising: they speak for themselves and their eloquence is not less powerful for not being repeated elsewhere. These are the stories, ideas, objects and art that I really love; the people I truly want to be like.

One movie that rather defines the second category is Neverwas, my favorite movie of all time.

Neverwas is also the movie that you simply can’t review. The power of this film is being experienced, being lived with no idea what comes next. Further viewings deepen your respect for it, draws your attention to the subtle details (at least, it did for me); but it really needs that first viewing.

If you are going to watch it, my advice is don’t look it up online. Don’t read the reviews or the ratings. Just watch it. It is probably too intense for young children, but there are no scenes you will need to fast-forward on account of skin or violence.

What I will say is that this is a movie that will break your heart and put it back together somewhat wiser than it was before.