Hello Autumn

+ school starts next week

- will have to wait for the bus

- allergy season

+/- lots of awesome games coming out (too many to get all at release)

+ days and nights getting cooler

+ pretty fall colors

- lots of wind

- lots of tv interruptions by election updates

+ fall tv season begins, with lots of interesting new and returning series

 

Haven't heard from B's bus driver yet. Last year they didn't call until the day before school started, so not too worried. B will be going four days a week instead of two, which is exciting. He has the same teacher as last year, so that should be really good for him. He already knows his numbers 1-9. I've told him that school starts soon and that he'll get to ride the bus. He jumped up and down in excitement.

 

At the end of October, P will be getting a younger sister and I should be getting a couple months off while their mom takes time off work. Yay! That will also mark the beginning of serious potty training take 2.

 

My birthday is also in autumn. I need to update my wish list.

 

What do you like and dislike about the season?

In lieu of a Tuesday Tally...

5,000 Questions... My answers so far...

 

401. Some say that high school is the best time of your life. Was that true for you? No. It had it's ups and downs, but the best times came after.

402. What do you find yourself encouraging others to try? tv series Firefly

403. Which is better: Mel Brooks or Woody Allen? Mel Brooks

404. When was the last time you were up all night? earlier this year. don't remember the date, and don't think there was a special occasion other than weekend. we watched two movies and played a game.

405. __ is life. The rest is just details. Fill in the blank. Relationships.

406. Are people too complex and different to be categorized? No. There are many ways to categorize people - psychology, profession, race, gender, location, hobbies. The important thing is to not judge based on those categories. Even two people with the exact same psychological profile will not always act the same under the same circumstance. We are unique. Cataloguing simply makes life easier.

407. Is it good to have pride in your own race or does that separate people from each other because it makes them think of everyone else as 'outsiders'? There are few of pure race anymore, so I think it's pointless. Have pride in your culture and country, but respect others for theirs. Just because their culture is different does not make your better (or worse). Grats to all the Olympic accomplishments! There were amazing moments from many countries. A memorable Olympic year.

 
408. What fictional story would you like to live through? I don't wish for my life to be as filled with conflict as many of the characters I read about or watch. If I think of one at a later point I'll let you know.

409. Are cats or dogs smarter? cats

 
410. Have you ever guessed someone's password and broken into their diary? people have passwords on diaries? I thought they had keys. I must be behind the times...

411. What teacher, if any, has effected you the most in your life? Mrs. Monk, first grade, for giving me and Alexis separate activities during reading hour. We were ahead of the class, and didn't need to go through the basics. No "Go Jane go." Instead, we were assigned to write our own stories or learn new words from the dictionary. I still have that very first story I wrote, and the desire to write never left. Another teacher I'd like to thank is Mrs. Flanigan, my 5th grade teacher. She recommended I read "The Blue Sword," effectively hooking me on Fantasy.

412. Are you more easily bored or excited? easily both... quite a rollercoaster ride. ;-)

A (much delayed) Olympic Tuesday Tally

EotF Update

total words to date: 93,486

pages: 411

chapters revised: 26/27 (draft 5)

 

T.C. Status

word count: 1471

 

Last week's goals:

• sit butt in chair and write the dastardly chapter that's giving me trouble....
• read through new chapters before handing entire manuscript over to hubby for second reading
• work on EotF query letter
• write at least one new scene for TC

This month's goals:

• complete previous goals... 

 

If this were an Olympic event, I wouldn't be getting past the qualifiers. My writing muscles are probably atrophying... I'm not sure what's holding me back. I feel bad about not writing when it's due to pure procrastination and not "life in the way". But at the same time I don't want to sit down and write solely because I'm feeling guilty. Then again, I'll never get anywhere professionally if I only write when I feel like it. Conundrums. And, yes, more procrastinating.

 

Have you been watching the Olympics? Wow. So many incredible moments. The opening ceremonies were absolutely mind-blowing. More swimming records have been broken this year than in the past two Olympics combined. All the Phelps moments - coming back to win gold by a hundredth of a second, winning eight gold medals. USA Women's Fencing team sweeping the Sabre Team competition. The incredible gymnastics the Chinese have been showing off, yet USA getting Gold and Silver in the Women's Individual Overall. I could go on! The TV has been on a lot this month. NBC is sure getting our viewing. My husband is grateful to be working from home so often, and actually able to watch a lot of the Olympics that in previous years he was unable. I don't honestly expect to get much done while these are going on. Go Team USA!

Judging, Genetics, and such

5,000 Questions... My answers so far...

 

381. Do you sometimes do risky things? Yes.

 
382. Could just about anyone hold your interest in a conversation for at least ten minutes? Could I listen to someone that long? sure. Would I actually be interested? not necessarily.

383. Are you self-conscious? About my looks, not much. About my performance, absolutely. This is why I cannot accompany on the piano.

384. What would be your ideal destination for a Saturday afternoon? On a nice day, the zoo. On a hot or cold day, a nice afternoon at home.

385. Does anyone have a video tape of you doing something embarrassing? Not that I know of. If anyone else does... give me a call and we'll work something out. ;-)

386. What is Kevin Smith’s best movie? Do minor acting roles such as the diner clerk in TMNT count? Or the forensic assistant in Daredevil? Cause I am not a fan of his directed movies or main roles. I have seen Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and did not enjoy it at all (unlike my husband, who was still talking about the movie when we went to bed). I admit to not having seen his other movies, but if the humor is the same then I shall gladly pass.

387. Where do you like to go on Friday or Saturday nights? going out to see a movie is always nice.

388. Do you like your friends to act the same way all the time or do you accept their moods and changes? I am very accepting. :-)

389. Do you often feel like other people are judging you? Sometimes. But I think most of it stems from me judging myself.

390. What do you think other people judge you to be like? I don't know. (Yes, a cop out.) Do you judge others? What are your impressions of me?

391. Are you quick to judge others? We all judge without thinking, imprint on own experience on others, create first impressions. I may be quick to judge at times, but I take my time in creating a "final verdict". I am always open to be swayed from my judgment.

392. When you have a fight with someone do you want to talk about it right away or calm down first and then talk? Calm down first. No one wants to hear the initial argument that boils in my head.

393. Some say love is a river (according to the old song). What do you say love is? Love is a complex equation. It may take proofing to understand, but somehow all the unrelated pieces work together to create wonderful results.

394. What is the worst fault a person can have? complete selfishness, a disregard for fellow man.

395. Do you have it? no. if I did, maybe I would understand all the crime, war, abuse.

396. Which do you think has more impact on a person’s character, genetics or environment? aah, the age old question of nature vs nurture. Genetics is the clay, the base of a person. Environment helps to hone and shape what is already there.

397. Who was your first best friend? Alexis, back in kindergarten.

 

398. If you are not best friends anymore, what came between you? She moved after first grade, but we wrote letters for many years, seeing each other occasionally. It wasn't until I moved to a different part of the state in 5th grade that we finally lost touch completely. We hadn't been real close anymore, and I lost her address.

399. Who have you read a biography about? Mary Queen of Scots.

400. What would your own autobiography be called? I hate this question! I suppose I could go with my first blog's title: "Discovering Me". Or the planned title of my poetry book, "My Letter to the World". Maybe I would use one of my other poem titles: "More than what you see" or "See This Woman." Not that my life is interesting enough for an autobiography.

new TT

EotF Update

total words to date: 93,486

pages: 411

chapters revised: 26/27 (draft 5)

 

T.C. Status

word count: 1471

 

Last month's goals:

• finish five antagonist chapters for EotF - 4/5 done
• finish EotF draft 5 
• submit at least one batch of poetry
• submit Blazing Princess
• work on Trinity Coven

Last week's goals:

• 250 secondary character submission
• finish EotF draft 5

This week's goals:

• sit butt in chair and write the dastardly chapter that's giving me trouble....
• read through new chapters before handing entire manuscript over to hubby for second reading 
• work on EotF query letter
• write at least one new scene for TC 

 

The final chapter/scenes I'm adding are an extension of the final battle in EotF. You see, currently it is rather anti-climatic. The POV character it is shown through avoids most of the fighting (my technique to avoid writing about it). Action, particularly battle, scenes are not a strong point for me. Quite the contrary. I am at a loss how to describe the battle and infuse that sense of danger and action. I have some minor skirmishes earlier in the book, some written better than others, but still obviously not my forte. Must be a disappointment to my hubby, who loves action and adventure. Heh. Anyway, yesterday I spent most of my time procrastinating writing the scene. I even skipped it and finished revising the last couple chapters. But now it is the only thing left. A hole in the book. Anyone have advice for writing battle scenes? Particularly ones with magic?

 

Fantasy book of the week: I recently finished "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss. This one was a risk for me to pick up, at over 700 pages for a debut author. It came highly recommended though, and won the Quill Award. I usually don't take stock in the author blurbs on the back cover, but this one also had multiple pages of praise in the front, from so many varied and recognizable sources, that it was hard to ignore. I highly enjoyed this book. Rothfuss is an amazing storyteller. The voice is one I'd read/listen to at any time. Not only is the writing beautiful, but the story is strong. I was immersed in the depths of the world, and honestly care about the main character. I can't wait for the next two books of the trilogy to come out. Maybe someday my writing will be as powerful.

 

Good deed of the week: While walking home from an emergency 7-Eleven visit, a man came up to me and asked for help. He said he was from out of state, his dayplanner had been stolen, and he was out of gas. No one would take his out-of-state checks, and he'd been trying to get someone to help him all morning. His proposal: he would write a $20 check in exchange for $6 in cash for gas. All I had left on me at this time was a twenty dollar bill, so I simply gave him that without wanting anything in return. He was very surprised, and didn't want to take that much, but I insisted. He needed it more than me. It felt good to make his day a little better. :-)