Join with me in singing:
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday, Dear JT,
Happy Birthday to you!
Okay, so we'll have to sing REALLY LOUDLY so that she can hear us all the way from Italy, but still ... it's the thought that counts, right?
I've known JT for about three years now (yeah, only three years - can you believe it?) but it seems like a lifetime. Funny how two people can have so much in common that when they meet it's like they've known each other all their lives. That's the way it is for JT and me. It was like that when I met the WMVR, whom I've known for almost 11 years now. And my best friend from back home - well, we really have known each other all our lives - since we were nine, anyway. I consider myself a very lucky person to have so many good friends. (Here's me, getting up on my soapbox again.) Next to God and family, friendships are the single most important relationships you can have in your life. Treat them well and cherish them. I am so blessed!
So here's to you, Wonder Twin - Happy Birthday! I hope you've had a marvelous vacation, but come home safe and sound, because I miss you.
I'm crawling back in my hole now ... catching up on my reading and writing.
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
4.30.2007
4.26.2007
The Weekly Check-In
Still here. Coming out of the funk, slowly but surely, and writing again. The WMVR said the other day, "It's time for you to start being J.B. again."
Yeah, I know. And I am. Sort of.
The thing we thought might happen last weekend didn't exactly - here's the story: The Tall One had an "official visit" with the women's basketball program at her university of choice. They're still interested in her and wanted to go ahead and get her on campus for a tour and talk, but at the moment they're still in limbo about offering her a scholarship. There are other factors involved, so we're playing a bit of a waiting game. We should hear something in the next couple of weeks, one way or the other. What it comes down to is she's either going to be playing college basketball or she isn't. If she does, she'll go to one school, if she doesn't, she'll be at another. I think she'd be happy either way, although there are probably more people who won't be. I'm not worried, really - just figure whatever God wants her to be doing, He'll make the choice clear. That's my prayer, anyway.
So, I'm working on the WIP, as well as a couple of interviews and an article I've been asked to do for the Killer Year folks. Keeping busy, doing what I do best.
I've also finished another couple of books from the TBR pile, part of which the littlest cat knocked off the bookshelf and down into my window well yesterday. The Boy and I were the only ones home at the time, and you can imagine how the noise startled both of us. I didn't know what had happened until I walked into my study and saw a fuzzy gray tail sticking out from behind a stack of books on top of the bookcase. Hmmmm ... I seem to recall that one of the boys did that very same thing a while back. Guess I need to keep them separated so they don't compare notes. Hey, look, you can jump up here and scare the pee-willies out of Mommy ...
I've been messing around with my ailing website this morning (switched servers recently and am having to rebuild everything from the ground up - what a project this is turning out to be), so now I'm going to dive back into the WIP and try to get some new material written. I think I've caught up with myself again. Wait ... what? Oh, never mind.
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
Yeah, I know. And I am. Sort of.
The thing we thought might happen last weekend didn't exactly - here's the story: The Tall One had an "official visit" with the women's basketball program at her university of choice. They're still interested in her and wanted to go ahead and get her on campus for a tour and talk, but at the moment they're still in limbo about offering her a scholarship. There are other factors involved, so we're playing a bit of a waiting game. We should hear something in the next couple of weeks, one way or the other. What it comes down to is she's either going to be playing college basketball or she isn't. If she does, she'll go to one school, if she doesn't, she'll be at another. I think she'd be happy either way, although there are probably more people who won't be. I'm not worried, really - just figure whatever God wants her to be doing, He'll make the choice clear. That's my prayer, anyway.
So, I'm working on the WIP, as well as a couple of interviews and an article I've been asked to do for the Killer Year folks. Keeping busy, doing what I do best.
I've also finished another couple of books from the TBR pile, part of which the littlest cat knocked off the bookshelf and down into my window well yesterday. The Boy and I were the only ones home at the time, and you can imagine how the noise startled both of us. I didn't know what had happened until I walked into my study and saw a fuzzy gray tail sticking out from behind a stack of books on top of the bookcase. Hmmmm ... I seem to recall that one of the boys did that very same thing a while back. Guess I need to keep them separated so they don't compare notes. Hey, look, you can jump up here and scare the pee-willies out of Mommy ...
I've been messing around with my ailing website this morning (switched servers recently and am having to rebuild everything from the ground up - what a project this is turning out to be), so now I'm going to dive back into the WIP and try to get some new material written. I think I've caught up with myself again. Wait ... what? Oh, never mind.
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
4.19.2007
Out of Touch
You know it's bad when ...
My parents called me the other day to find out if I was okay, because I hadn't posted anything to the blog for several days.
Yeah, I'm here. I'm just not in the frame of mind to talk right now, and can't think of anything interesting to say, anyway.
The BF from back home knows, as I explained to my parents, that she shouldn't worry if I'm not around for a few days at a time. For the past couple of weeks I've been hiding, in a manner of speaking. Trying to catch up on my reading and a few various and sundry other things I'm supposed to be doing, and trying to get back in the swing of writing after my brief hiatus.
I apologize for my absences - we've been here before - but remember that if my world comes to an end there's a good chance you guys will hear about it first. For now, know that I'm fine, and if you did miss me, know that I appreciate it. I'm just in another one of my down phases and trying to get back on the upswing.
There are some things going on in the Thompson household this weekend that might bring some very good news come Monday next. If it comes, I'll share it with you. In the meantime, catch up on your reading, have a good weekend, and thanks again for being here.
=) JB
My parents called me the other day to find out if I was okay, because I hadn't posted anything to the blog for several days.
Yeah, I'm here. I'm just not in the frame of mind to talk right now, and can't think of anything interesting to say, anyway.
The BF from back home knows, as I explained to my parents, that she shouldn't worry if I'm not around for a few days at a time. For the past couple of weeks I've been hiding, in a manner of speaking. Trying to catch up on my reading and a few various and sundry other things I'm supposed to be doing, and trying to get back in the swing of writing after my brief hiatus.
I apologize for my absences - we've been here before - but remember that if my world comes to an end there's a good chance you guys will hear about it first. For now, know that I'm fine, and if you did miss me, know that I appreciate it. I'm just in another one of my down phases and trying to get back on the upswing.
There are some things going on in the Thompson household this weekend that might bring some very good news come Monday next. If it comes, I'll share it with you. In the meantime, catch up on your reading, have a good weekend, and thanks again for being here.
=) JB
4.12.2007
The Critic's Corner #4
Little Miss Sunshine
Fox Searchlight Pictures/Big Beach Films
Rated R for language, some sex and drug content
101 minutes
I have a deep appreciation for movies like Little Miss Sunshine, but not for the reasons you might think. When I can watch a film and not absolutely love it on the surface, but can contemplate it later and begin to appreciate its merits in objective terms, that's the kind of picture I think deserves recognition.
A friend mentioned that she thought this movie was hilarious. After it won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, I rented it just to see what all the fuss was about. Alan Arkin, of course, was honored with the Best Supporting Actor Oscar this year, and the film generated a total of 33 wins and an additional 34 award nominations. So it had to be good, right?
I was disappointed. But is there more to this than my initial opinion? Absolutely.
It may have been a bad day for me to watch movies. It may have been that I'm just not intelligent enough to get this film. Nah, don't think so. On the surface, this is a farce of a film about a severely dysfunctional family that pulls together to make a dream come true for its youngest member. I couldn't see the deeper meaning in it until I got away from it for a while.
I've had a chance to stew on it for ... oh, a couple or three weeks now, and I recognize that there are some Oscar-worthy qualities to this film. I took a retrospective look at the individual performances of its cast - Greg Kinnear (Sabrina, As Good As It Gets, You've Got Mail, Invincible), Toni Collette (Muriel's Wedding, Emma, Changing Lanes), Steve Carell (best known for his TV work - The Office - but now making a name for himself on the silver screen), Alan Arkin (with 90 movies to his credit, including Inspector Clouseau, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, The In-Laws, The Rocketeer, and Grosse Pointe Blank), and two relative newcomers, Paul Dano and Abigail Breslin (who have over 30 credits between them already). I realized what made the picture noteworthy as far as the acting was concerned was not so much how the ensemble worked with each other, but more how each individual's performance contributed to the story. I didn't think the players interacted as well with each other as they did just being themselves, which is part of the charm of this film. Each character was so wrapped up in his/her own personal issues that s/he failed to see how closely interconnected with the family s/he was.
Young Olive Hoover (Breslin) is beside herself when she learns she's been chosen to participate in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant as a replacement for another contestant who has a conflict. Her father, Richard (Kinnear), is working on his "Nine Steps to Being a Winner" motivational program - his mantra is "There are two kinds of people in this world - winners and losers". Chain-smoking Mom Sheryl (Collette) - whose idea of a sit-down dinner is a bucket of fried chicken - is just trying to hold the family together after her gay brother Frank (Carell), a renowned Proust scholar, moves in with them following a failed suicide attempt. Olive's brooding half-brother Dwayne (Dano) - who hates everyone - has taken a vow of silence, pledging not to speak until he's accepted into the Air Force Academy's pilot training program, and has succeeded in holding his ground for a staggering nine months. Richard's foul-mouthed, cocaine-snorting father (Arkin) is the only one who seems to take a genuine interest in Olive's ambitions to be a beauty queen, and takes it upon himself to "coach" her for the talent competition. (Oh, boy.)
There is a brief moment of panic while Richard and Sheryl try to work out how they're going to get Olive to California in time for the pageant when Richard needs to meet with a potential backer. Frank can't be left alone, Dwayne doesn't want to be left alone with Frank, and Richard and Sheryl don't trust Grandpa to get Olive across the country safely. So it's decided that the whole family will go - in their worn-down VW bus - budgeting their travel time to give Richard the opportunity to meet with his backer and still get Olive to the pageant.
Sound like a good idea? Of course not. That's where the comedy - dark as it is - begins.
I have to give credit to writer Michael Arndt for coming up with some of the craziest mishaps that could befall this family along their journey (the tag line for the film - "Where's Olive?" - is only one tiny hint of the hilarity that ensues). What takes these events out of the cellar of schtick and into the stratosphere is the intertwining into the plot of one heartbreaking moment which finally seems to unite the family in their cause. There is a profoundly functional element to this otherwise super-dysfunctional family - they do love each other, each in his or her own unorthodox way. In an industry where timing is everything, Arndt structures the world of the Hoovers with expert precision. Each experiences one life-changing moment that brings him to realize that being a part of a family, regardless of how screwed up it is, means a lot more than just being.
By far the most memorable performance of the film is rendered by Abigail Breslin (whose brother Spencer is also an actor) as Olive, whose innocent charm and unjaded view of the world is the undisputed glue that holds her family together, despite their best efforts to separate themselves from the almost tragic reality that is their lives. Olive sees things in black and white, and what she wants more desperately than anything is to not disappoint her father - she doesn't want to be a "loser". Richard's moment of epiphany is a poignant lesson in self-evaluation and the realization of what's more important.
After some soul searching and a bit of retro- and introspection, I decided that Little Miss Sunshine was the kind of film that should be awarded and recognized. Even if you don't find it hilarious, I think you'd do well to watch it just to gain the experience of seeing a film that isn't a razzle-dazzle of special effects, an over-dramatic family saga, or a lighthearted, laugh-a-minute romp of a comedy. Little Miss Sunshine is none of these things. It's more a picture of life and all its moments - good and bad - that shape and mold, inspire and devastate, and teach us that there's more to it than two hours can hold.
Fox Searchlight Pictures/Big Beach Films
Rated R for language, some sex and drug content
101 minutes
I have a deep appreciation for movies like Little Miss Sunshine, but not for the reasons you might think. When I can watch a film and not absolutely love it on the surface, but can contemplate it later and begin to appreciate its merits in objective terms, that's the kind of picture I think deserves recognition.
A friend mentioned that she thought this movie was hilarious. After it won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, I rented it just to see what all the fuss was about. Alan Arkin, of course, was honored with the Best Supporting Actor Oscar this year, and the film generated a total of 33 wins and an additional 34 award nominations. So it had to be good, right?
I was disappointed. But is there more to this than my initial opinion? Absolutely.
It may have been a bad day for me to watch movies. It may have been that I'm just not intelligent enough to get this film. Nah, don't think so. On the surface, this is a farce of a film about a severely dysfunctional family that pulls together to make a dream come true for its youngest member. I couldn't see the deeper meaning in it until I got away from it for a while.
I've had a chance to stew on it for ... oh, a couple or three weeks now, and I recognize that there are some Oscar-worthy qualities to this film. I took a retrospective look at the individual performances of its cast - Greg Kinnear (Sabrina, As Good As It Gets, You've Got Mail, Invincible), Toni Collette (Muriel's Wedding, Emma, Changing Lanes), Steve Carell (best known for his TV work - The Office - but now making a name for himself on the silver screen), Alan Arkin (with 90 movies to his credit, including Inspector Clouseau, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, The In-Laws, The Rocketeer, and Grosse Pointe Blank), and two relative newcomers, Paul Dano and Abigail Breslin (who have over 30 credits between them already). I realized what made the picture noteworthy as far as the acting was concerned was not so much how the ensemble worked with each other, but more how each individual's performance contributed to the story. I didn't think the players interacted as well with each other as they did just being themselves, which is part of the charm of this film. Each character was so wrapped up in his/her own personal issues that s/he failed to see how closely interconnected with the family s/he was.
Young Olive Hoover (Breslin) is beside herself when she learns she's been chosen to participate in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant as a replacement for another contestant who has a conflict. Her father, Richard (Kinnear), is working on his "Nine Steps to Being a Winner" motivational program - his mantra is "There are two kinds of people in this world - winners and losers". Chain-smoking Mom Sheryl (Collette) - whose idea of a sit-down dinner is a bucket of fried chicken - is just trying to hold the family together after her gay brother Frank (Carell), a renowned Proust scholar, moves in with them following a failed suicide attempt. Olive's brooding half-brother Dwayne (Dano) - who hates everyone - has taken a vow of silence, pledging not to speak until he's accepted into the Air Force Academy's pilot training program, and has succeeded in holding his ground for a staggering nine months. Richard's foul-mouthed, cocaine-snorting father (Arkin) is the only one who seems to take a genuine interest in Olive's ambitions to be a beauty queen, and takes it upon himself to "coach" her for the talent competition. (Oh, boy.)
There is a brief moment of panic while Richard and Sheryl try to work out how they're going to get Olive to California in time for the pageant when Richard needs to meet with a potential backer. Frank can't be left alone, Dwayne doesn't want to be left alone with Frank, and Richard and Sheryl don't trust Grandpa to get Olive across the country safely. So it's decided that the whole family will go - in their worn-down VW bus - budgeting their travel time to give Richard the opportunity to meet with his backer and still get Olive to the pageant.
Sound like a good idea? Of course not. That's where the comedy - dark as it is - begins.
I have to give credit to writer Michael Arndt for coming up with some of the craziest mishaps that could befall this family along their journey (the tag line for the film - "Where's Olive?" - is only one tiny hint of the hilarity that ensues). What takes these events out of the cellar of schtick and into the stratosphere is the intertwining into the plot of one heartbreaking moment which finally seems to unite the family in their cause. There is a profoundly functional element to this otherwise super-dysfunctional family - they do love each other, each in his or her own unorthodox way. In an industry where timing is everything, Arndt structures the world of the Hoovers with expert precision. Each experiences one life-changing moment that brings him to realize that being a part of a family, regardless of how screwed up it is, means a lot more than just being.
By far the most memorable performance of the film is rendered by Abigail Breslin (whose brother Spencer is also an actor) as Olive, whose innocent charm and unjaded view of the world is the undisputed glue that holds her family together, despite their best efforts to separate themselves from the almost tragic reality that is their lives. Olive sees things in black and white, and what she wants more desperately than anything is to not disappoint her father - she doesn't want to be a "loser". Richard's moment of epiphany is a poignant lesson in self-evaluation and the realization of what's more important.
After some soul searching and a bit of retro- and introspection, I decided that Little Miss Sunshine was the kind of film that should be awarded and recognized. Even if you don't find it hilarious, I think you'd do well to watch it just to gain the experience of seeing a film that isn't a razzle-dazzle of special effects, an over-dramatic family saga, or a lighthearted, laugh-a-minute romp of a comedy. Little Miss Sunshine is none of these things. It's more a picture of life and all its moments - good and bad - that shape and mold, inspire and devastate, and teach us that there's more to it than two hours can hold.
4.11.2007
Turning on the Light
"... and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky
to give light on the earth." And it was so. (Gen. 1:15, NIV)
That's usually the case with me. But today, I do.
The meeting was enlightening, to say the least. Our guest was Chris Roerden, editor extraordinaire, talking about her book, Don't Murder Your Mystery. Chris pointed out some of the same things I've been reading in Stephen King's On Writing, which I finished this morning. One of the non-writers in our group made the comment that she appreciates books like Roerden's and King's because a lot of people think writing a novel takes no more effort than sitting down at the computer and cranking out a story. These are the kinds of books I think non-writers should read, too - for the exact reason that my chapter member pointed out.
Chris did make one suggestion last night that I'd not heard from a speaker before (that I recall, but you know how my memory is) - that if you find a book you like (or don't like), read it twice. The first time, read it to see whether it works for you. The second time, read it to see why it did or didn't.
There are lessons to be learned.
I will, however, leave those lessons to be taught by those more adept than I - like Steve and Chris - to put into words the do's and don'ts, the guidelines (not rules, for there are no rules other than you start with a blank page and go from there) to the craft. There's a lesson in a word. Writing is a craft. An art form. A passion.
One of the most prevalent points in King's book is that to hone one's craft, one must do two things - read a lot and write a lot.
I'm taking away more than a few things from this book, and I hope that if you haven't read it you'll pick up a copy - writers and non-writers alike, because if you live with or know a writer you must understand how a writer's mind works, which is constantly. I was on the phone with JT the other day and we were talking about the King; the WGH was in the next room and at one comment I made he piped up with the thought that perhaps he should read this when I was finished. I told him he should, so that he would understand why I was crazy.
Tongue in cheek, there is a certain insanity to our lives as writers. There has to be. How else could we come up with the six thousand variations on the seven basic conflicts which are the foundations of every plot? My pal Julia Spencer-Fleming once said, "Conflict is the engine that fuels good fiction." (She tells me that's a quote from someone else, but I heard it from her first.) What could be a better example of conflict than a writer sitting down with an idea that s/he hopes to turn into a story worth telling, wondering all the while whether anyone will want to read it?
I'm diving back into my manuscript today with my Stephen King toolbox stocked and ready. The door is closed, and I'm ready to tell my story. I know that won't make much sense to you if you haven't read the book, but trust me. Between last night and this morning, a lot of lights have been turned on. Humor me, and let me write. Pay no attention as I walk around the house muttering things like "kill my darlings" and "the road to hell is paved with adverbs".
Read a book. And embrace the knowledge that whoever wrote it probably locked themselves in a room for months on end to offer you something that might bring you a few hours of entertainment. Appreciate our dedication to the craft, just as we respect your opinion on the finished product.
=) JB
4.10.2007
My Week Away
Today's Word: "tetchy"
tetchy \TECH-ee\ (adjective) - Peevish; testy; irritable.*
Wednesday. Had an absolutely lovely time with the BMWs - and we didn't even work. Three of us have birthdays close around this time, so we went out for dinner and celebrated. Great little Italian place in West Nashville. Good pizza.
Thursday. I think I actually had a normal day on Thursday. I've spent the past week keeping myself purposely away from the computer and getting some reading done - and I'm doing something I rarely, if ever, do ... I'm reading more than one book at a time. One fiction, one nonfiction. Stephen King is changing the way I view myself as a writer.
Friday. I have reached the age now where certain things have to be taken care of in the realm of health maintenance. And we'll just leave it at that, shall we? Friday started out rather *meh* and then got better - spent most of the day just relaxing in the recliner and reading. You're beginning to notice a pattern here? It's really rather liberating, not pushing myself to crank out my 1,000-1,500 words a day. I'm taking time out for some mentally soothing activities - all the while I know that the WIP is simmering ... not so much cooking as sort of bubbling, with all the flavors and spices and main ingredients blending into one another - in the back of my brain, ready for me to tackle it again. And this will happen soon, as soon as I've finished with the King.
Saturday. Saturday was pretty much the same as Friday. By now, you're yawning ... boh-ring, JB - is that all you're doing is reading? Well, yes. Yes, I am. Because I've been given free license and rein to do that, thank you very much. World's best advice in a little paperback book: Read a lot, and write a lot. I've been doing more of one than the other recently, and I need balance. I'm catching up and moving forward.
Easter. I did forget to mention that the WGH had one whale of a sinus infection last week, and bless him, he was kind enough to share some of his germs with me. So, I've been fighting a scratchy throat and the sniffles for several days, and now Little Bit has it and has stayed home from school today. But in the midst of the cold, I got out on Sunday morning and went to church, to serve as a "parking lot greeter" for our late service. This amounted to 45 minutes standing out in the chilly but sun-shiny weather and welcoming folks as they came in from the lot, directing them to the sanctuary and wishing them a Happy Easter. The WGH had gone in early to play for the first service, and the kids rode in with me. By the time the second service was ready to start, I was ready to go home, and bless my hubby's dear heart, he called me on the cell and said, "The music's going to be really loud" (our late service is contemporary as opposed to traditional) "do you want to go home with me?" Oh yeah, that sounds like a great idea. I called the Tall One to make sure she had keys to my car and told her she could drive herself and her siblings home, and the WGH and I came home, put on our comfies and spent an hour in blissful, quiet napdom. Topping off the day, my supervisor let me take half my shift off because work volumes were low, so it turned out to be a nice, quiet Sunday afternoon. We like.
Monday. So we're starting a new week, and I'm still in down mode. Once I get through today, though, it's going to be full steam ahead, all engines running, with a goal of 1,500 or more words a day until this manuscript's first draft is finished. No excuses. It's a good story, and by jiminy I'm going to write it.
Now, I'm sure all that probably wasn't worth the wait, but since at the moment I lead a fairly mundane existence, I'm afraid that's as good as it gets today. But don't get tetchy. At least you know I'm still here.
Read a book. Or three or four. It's good for you - probably better than you realize. (Even the WGH said the other day he thinks he needs to read more - but what he'll read is for another post.)
=) JB
A book is a garden, an orchard, a storehouse, a party, a company by the way, a counselor, a multitude of counselors.
-- Charles Baudelaire, French poet and critic (1821-1867)
*from ArcaMax Vocabulary, 03/09/07 [And no, I'm not really in that kind of mood today, I just thought it was a cool word.]
tetchy \TECH-ee\ (adjective) - Peevish; testy; irritable.*
Wednesday. Had an absolutely lovely time with the BMWs - and we didn't even work. Three of us have birthdays close around this time, so we went out for dinner and celebrated. Great little Italian place in West Nashville. Good pizza.
Thursday. I think I actually had a normal day on Thursday. I've spent the past week keeping myself purposely away from the computer and getting some reading done - and I'm doing something I rarely, if ever, do ... I'm reading more than one book at a time. One fiction, one nonfiction. Stephen King is changing the way I view myself as a writer.
Friday. I have reached the age now where certain things have to be taken care of in the realm of health maintenance. And we'll just leave it at that, shall we? Friday started out rather *meh* and then got better - spent most of the day just relaxing in the recliner and reading. You're beginning to notice a pattern here? It's really rather liberating, not pushing myself to crank out my 1,000-1,500 words a day. I'm taking time out for some mentally soothing activities - all the while I know that the WIP is simmering ... not so much cooking as sort of bubbling, with all the flavors and spices and main ingredients blending into one another - in the back of my brain, ready for me to tackle it again. And this will happen soon, as soon as I've finished with the King.
Saturday. Saturday was pretty much the same as Friday. By now, you're yawning ... boh-ring, JB - is that all you're doing is reading? Well, yes. Yes, I am. Because I've been given free license and rein to do that, thank you very much. World's best advice in a little paperback book: Read a lot, and write a lot. I've been doing more of one than the other recently, and I need balance. I'm catching up and moving forward.
Easter. I did forget to mention that the WGH had one whale of a sinus infection last week, and bless him, he was kind enough to share some of his germs with me. So, I've been fighting a scratchy throat and the sniffles for several days, and now Little Bit has it and has stayed home from school today. But in the midst of the cold, I got out on Sunday morning and went to church, to serve as a "parking lot greeter" for our late service. This amounted to 45 minutes standing out in the chilly but sun-shiny weather and welcoming folks as they came in from the lot, directing them to the sanctuary and wishing them a Happy Easter. The WGH had gone in early to play for the first service, and the kids rode in with me. By the time the second service was ready to start, I was ready to go home, and bless my hubby's dear heart, he called me on the cell and said, "The music's going to be really loud" (our late service is contemporary as opposed to traditional) "do you want to go home with me?" Oh yeah, that sounds like a great idea. I called the Tall One to make sure she had keys to my car and told her she could drive herself and her siblings home, and the WGH and I came home, put on our comfies and spent an hour in blissful, quiet napdom. Topping off the day, my supervisor let me take half my shift off because work volumes were low, so it turned out to be a nice, quiet Sunday afternoon. We like.
Monday. So we're starting a new week, and I'm still in down mode. Once I get through today, though, it's going to be full steam ahead, all engines running, with a goal of 1,500 or more words a day until this manuscript's first draft is finished. No excuses. It's a good story, and by jiminy I'm going to write it.
Now, I'm sure all that probably wasn't worth the wait, but since at the moment I lead a fairly mundane existence, I'm afraid that's as good as it gets today. But don't get tetchy. At least you know I'm still here.
Read a book. Or three or four. It's good for you - probably better than you realize. (Even the WGH said the other day he thinks he needs to read more - but what he'll read is for another post.)
=) JB
A book is a garden, an orchard, a storehouse, a party, a company by the way, a counselor, a multitude of counselors.
-- Charles Baudelaire, French poet and critic (1821-1867)
*from ArcaMax Vocabulary, 03/09/07 [And no, I'm not really in that kind of mood today, I just thought it was a cool word.]
4.03.2007
A break in the action ...
Yes, so, I'm a little depressed this morning:
FLORIDA 84, OHIO STATE 75
Gators Repeat as National Champions
By Pete Thamel
With an emphatic and definitive victory over Ohio State, the Florida Gators left one final mark for their legacy as one of the great teams in college basketball. (New York Times, 04/03/07)
Sigh. Guess I can't pick 'em, after all, though I really thought the Buckeyes could pull it off. Oh, well. There's always next year.
We're on a break this week, in more ways than one. With Easter weekend coming up, Little Bit's soccer coach gave them the week off since there aren't any games on Saturday. The kids have Good Friday off from school, and Monday for some reason ... or so says The Boy. May have to confirm that with the Powers That Be.
I'm also taking a bit of a break from writing ... on the WIP, that is - still doing the articles and reviews ... at least until I finish reading Steven King's On Writing. So far I've been enlightened and inspired, awed and touched. This is a fantastic book. Really. As a writer, if you haven't read it, you just have no idea what you're missing. Have you got your copy yet? Well, why not? This book should be on the desk or bookshelf of EVERY ONE OF YOU. No kidding.
Ahem.
I'm climbing down off my soapbox now and going after a bowl of marshmallow cereal and Pop-Tarts.
Read a book. Writers: The one I recommended above. Non-writers: Pick one from the bookshelf (see right column). Again, good for you.
=) JB
FLORIDA 84, OHIO STATE 75
Gators Repeat as National Champions
By Pete Thamel
With an emphatic and definitive victory over Ohio State, the Florida Gators left one final mark for their legacy as one of the great teams in college basketball. (New York Times, 04/03/07)
Sigh. Guess I can't pick 'em, after all, though I really thought the Buckeyes could pull it off. Oh, well. There's always next year.
We're on a break this week, in more ways than one. With Easter weekend coming up, Little Bit's soccer coach gave them the week off since there aren't any games on Saturday. The kids have Good Friday off from school, and Monday for some reason ... or so says The Boy. May have to confirm that with the Powers That Be.
I'm also taking a bit of a break from writing ... on the WIP, that is - still doing the articles and reviews ... at least until I finish reading Steven King's On Writing. So far I've been enlightened and inspired, awed and touched. This is a fantastic book. Really. As a writer, if you haven't read it, you just have no idea what you're missing. Have you got your copy yet? Well, why not? This book should be on the desk or bookshelf of EVERY ONE OF YOU. No kidding.
Ahem.
I'm climbing down off my soapbox now and going after a bowl of marshmallow cereal and Pop-Tarts.
Read a book. Writers: The one I recommended above. Non-writers: Pick one from the bookshelf (see right column). Again, good for you.
=) JB
4.02.2007
Monday Morning Musings
I decided to take a morning off from trying to be brilliant, witty, or insightful and just settled for being informative. Sort of.
I've spent the last hour or so trolling, and here are a few gems I found amongst the rocks:
For writers. Today's New York Times has this very interesting article about some publishers' new marketing strategy of pre-publication promotion. Heh. To me, of course, considering my circle of friends, this is not a new concept: Pushing a New Writer Upstream.
Down to Two. Tonight's the night. More from the NYT:
FLORIDA 76, U.C.L.A. 66
Gators Top Bruins in Rematch and Earn Right to Another
By Lee Jenkins
After drubbing the Bruins in the national championship game 362 days ago, Florida beat them again Saturday night in the national semifinal.
OHIO STATE 67, GEORGETOWN 60
Timing Is Perfect for Oden and Buckeyes
By Pete Thamel
Ohio State Coach Thad Matta’s patience in substituting led to the defining swing in top-seeded Ohio State’s victory against Georgetown in the national semifinals on Saturday night.
My adopted team, the Buckeyes of The Ohio State University (yes, the "The" is part of the school's official name) will play [ahem] that other team for the National title. We're having pizza for dinner, mostly because I'll be too jittery to cook anything else.
Ooga-ooga! Huh? Yeah, I know, but I can't explain it. It's a writing thing. Just read my Wonder Twin's Murderati post from Friday, and you'll get the idea.
Kindred Spirit. I knew there was a reason JT and I adopted Brett Battles as our long-lost Triplet Brother. I found this post on his blog and had to smile simply because it's just SO something I would have done.
Wild woman. In addition to being sweeter than Southern tea, a phenomenally talented writer, and drop-dead gorgeous, Tasha Alexander is funny as all get-out.
On the Playground. I stopped by The Writing Playground simply because I hadn't been over there in a while and needed a little time on the swingset. Angel's introspective post from this morning caught my attention. Also for writers. Enjoy yourself!
The Weekend Wrap-Up. I'm not sure I surfaced for air much over the weekend, between a full day of writing, two shopping trips, birthday dinner, a soccer game, a basketball banquet and working the day-job. I didn't even get the chance to call my parents on Saturday to wish them a Happy Anniversary. (Bad daughter. Go to your room and don't come out until I tell you!)
We lost the soccer game - it wasn't pretty. Little Bit got tough on one of the kids from the other team, though. He was putting his hands on her - in places they shouldn't have been - and she told him off, charged him, and made him trip over his own feet. She said it was worth the penalty (she got called for a push, not for what she said - we're not sure whether the ref heard her or not, but he's a friend of the family so we think he may have let it slide, anyway). Fortunately, her teammate playing goalie at the time made a spectacular save on the penalty shot, so it didn't cost them any more than they were already losing by. I told you it wasn't pretty.
The Tall One was honored with the Defensive Player of the Year award. She was a little surprised by that, but with everything the coach said about why she'd earned it, it made a lot of sense. You don't even really have to know much about basketball to know a kid 6'4" can make a difference on defense (blocked shots and forcing a lot of adjustments on the offense, for starters). I'm so proud of her. And no, we still don't know anything definite about college plans, but we did find out the other day that the school she was interested in is apparently still interested in her, so we're in sit-back-and-wait mode ... again.
Dinner at Mikado. JT, her sweet hubby, the WGH and I went to a Japanese steakhouse for my birthday dinner Friday night. Lovely. She gave me a copy of Steven King's On Writing as a gift. Brilliant stuff. Every writer should read this book. I mean it. Every single one of you. Go ... now ... and buy a copy. Your favorite local bookstore, Amazon, wherever. Just get it.
Spring has sprung. Can't believe it's April already. My dwarf rhodies are just about in full bloom, and we have an azalea that will look like a fire bush in a couple of days. And the grass is so GREEN it's refreshing just to look at it.
I guess that's enough wit and wisdom for one day. The to-do list awaits.
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
I've spent the last hour or so trolling, and here are a few gems I found amongst the rocks:
For writers. Today's New York Times has this very interesting article about some publishers' new marketing strategy of pre-publication promotion. Heh. To me, of course, considering my circle of friends, this is not a new concept: Pushing a New Writer Upstream.
Down to Two. Tonight's the night. More from the NYT:
FLORIDA 76, U.C.L.A. 66
Gators Top Bruins in Rematch and Earn Right to Another
By Lee Jenkins
After drubbing the Bruins in the national championship game 362 days ago, Florida beat them again Saturday night in the national semifinal.
OHIO STATE 67, GEORGETOWN 60
Timing Is Perfect for Oden and Buckeyes
By Pete Thamel
Ohio State Coach Thad Matta’s patience in substituting led to the defining swing in top-seeded Ohio State’s victory against Georgetown in the national semifinals on Saturday night.
My adopted team, the Buckeyes of The Ohio State University (yes, the "The" is part of the school's official name) will play [ahem] that other team for the National title. We're having pizza for dinner, mostly because I'll be too jittery to cook anything else.
Ooga-ooga! Huh? Yeah, I know, but I can't explain it. It's a writing thing. Just read my Wonder Twin's Murderati post from Friday, and you'll get the idea.
Kindred Spirit. I knew there was a reason JT and I adopted Brett Battles as our long-lost Triplet Brother. I found this post on his blog and had to smile simply because it's just SO something I would have done.
Wild woman. In addition to being sweeter than Southern tea, a phenomenally talented writer, and drop-dead gorgeous, Tasha Alexander is funny as all get-out.
On the Playground. I stopped by The Writing Playground simply because I hadn't been over there in a while and needed a little time on the swingset. Angel's introspective post from this morning caught my attention. Also for writers. Enjoy yourself!
The Weekend Wrap-Up. I'm not sure I surfaced for air much over the weekend, between a full day of writing, two shopping trips, birthday dinner, a soccer game, a basketball banquet and working the day-job. I didn't even get the chance to call my parents on Saturday to wish them a Happy Anniversary. (Bad daughter. Go to your room and don't come out until I tell you!)
We lost the soccer game - it wasn't pretty. Little Bit got tough on one of the kids from the other team, though. He was putting his hands on her - in places they shouldn't have been - and she told him off, charged him, and made him trip over his own feet. She said it was worth the penalty (she got called for a push, not for what she said - we're not sure whether the ref heard her or not, but he's a friend of the family so we think he may have let it slide, anyway). Fortunately, her teammate playing goalie at the time made a spectacular save on the penalty shot, so it didn't cost them any more than they were already losing by. I told you it wasn't pretty.
The Tall One was honored with the Defensive Player of the Year award. She was a little surprised by that, but with everything the coach said about why she'd earned it, it made a lot of sense. You don't even really have to know much about basketball to know a kid 6'4" can make a difference on defense (blocked shots and forcing a lot of adjustments on the offense, for starters). I'm so proud of her. And no, we still don't know anything definite about college plans, but we did find out the other day that the school she was interested in is apparently still interested in her, so we're in sit-back-and-wait mode ... again.
Dinner at Mikado. JT, her sweet hubby, the WGH and I went to a Japanese steakhouse for my birthday dinner Friday night. Lovely. She gave me a copy of Steven King's On Writing as a gift. Brilliant stuff. Every writer should read this book. I mean it. Every single one of you. Go ... now ... and buy a copy. Your favorite local bookstore, Amazon, wherever. Just get it.
Spring has sprung. Can't believe it's April already. My dwarf rhodies are just about in full bloom, and we have an azalea that will look like a fire bush in a couple of days. And the grass is so GREEN it's refreshing just to look at it.
I guess that's enough wit and wisdom for one day. The to-do list awaits.
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
Every man's life is a fairy-tale written by God's fingers.
-- Hans Christian Andersen, Danish poet and novelist (1805-1875)
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