Sparta's Worlds

Hey, everyone. I've been MIA. I'm sorry - lots of stuff going on here.

However, I am breaking radio silence to ask a favor. Can you go here:  Aha moment  and vote for my best friend in Indiana? Her story is "Learning to succeed."

A little back story as to why I'm asking - why it's important to me. I've known Cara since Kindergarten, even with a few on-and-off's, and she was always very, almost painfully, shy. We lost touch when we graduated high school, but then reunited at a reunion a few years ago. She went through some very hard times, but I could see she was more self-confident. She's overcome a lot, but in the last couple of years she's made HUGE strides. She's even joined Toastmasters - something the Cara I knew in 1988 would have --never-- done. I've been so proud of her ... and then she went and sat for this video! and I was extra proud of her!

And then she called to tell me here was a contest. She's in the top 75 videos - and if she makes it to the finals and then is selected for the top 10 - her video will be a national commercial!

So, if you have a moment, I would really, really appreciate it if you could vote for her. I can't express how shy she was - and how proud I am of her for all her achievements.

http://www.ahamoment.com/pg/voting?id=8377

Jim Unwin has this awesome Venn diagram of mythical creatures....



Find it HERE.

 1.  There was a lot of prep involved for the neighborhood garage sale we were participating in.  A lot.  This kept me busy as I had closets and boxes and toys and books and cabinets to hunt through.  In the end, our selection was pretty nice, and we made about $350.  Not too bad.  Oddly enough, things I wasn't sure would sale did, and things I felt positive would sell quickly are still sitting in my garage.  *sigh*

2.  I spent some time in Berkeley this past Friday and Sunday meeting friends for lunch and doing a little shopping.  I stopped by the SF/F Bookstore Other Change of Hobbit and bought Sandra McDonald's The Stars Down Under, which I haven't read yet.

3.  I sat down with a friend from my writer's group and I think I've figured out how to untangle one of my plot knots with one of my WIPs - Namori.  This is a good thing and will get me back on track with my work on that story.

4.  I ended up at the ER yesterday.  :(  Nothing serious, apparently, but it could have been.  I'm fine now, but taking it easy because the hubs is enforcing it.  *sigh*  Someone send me a special cake with a file or lockpicking kit in it, please?

5.  However, tonight is DATE NIGHT!  We haven't been out on a date together in a looooong time - not since we lost our last babysitter to Oregon (long story).  A friend of ours agreed to stay with the boys - and so we're off to see Carrie Fisher!  Front seats no less!  :-)  Hubby surprised me with the tickets.  Isn't he great?

And now, I'm off to play with the kittens.  ^_^

I had a goldfish when I was a kid.  Before leaving on a family vacation, I made sure to dump in lots of food so Bubbles wouldn't starve while I was gone.  There were two things I didn't realize as I did this:  1.  My older sister had agreed to bring in the mail and feed my fish and 2.  That goldfish will gorge themselves to death.  Needless to say, my homecoming was a sad event.  My parents did not buy me a new goldfish, however, and as my mom wouldn't have a dog and my dad wouldn't have a cat (and any other type of pet was out of the question...period), I grew up with no pets.

Flash forward to a year and a half ago when Star Jelly adopted us.  She was my first pet, really, and as she was indoor/outdoor and already a young adult cat, there was a lot about living with cats/raising a pet that I didn't experience.

Now - here come Pepper and Hiro!  And it's like having self-bathing, mostly self-feeding toddlers in the house.  "Don't play with that."  "Don't put that in your mouth."  "Get down from there."  "Come back here."  LOL!

But there was something I didn't expect ... the grooming!  Pepper seems to think I has a flavor and I guess she likes it.  They are both still a little skittish about someone walking up and picking them up, but if I sit on the couch, she will come up and start licking my arm, hand, and fingers.  And it tickles!  Hiro doesn't do this much - he's more into the quick nip-n-lick - but Pepper.....  *shakes head*

I also went and bought some kitty grass (I know, I know) because they were overly curious about my plants.  Between the aluminum foil-and-sticky tape DMZs around some, relocation of others, and the old tried-n-true "move the kid (cat) away from what you don't want them to play with and take them to what they can" plan ... they are leaving my plants alone, and playing (or eating) their own.

They still like to go into their safe room from time to time, but they are staying out with the family most of the time.  And they are smart, smart kitties, too.  Hiro's already figured out how to turn on the family Mac, and Pepper is our escape artist.  

I have a feeling a lot more adventures lie ahead.  :)

Yes!  

After collecting suggestions and have a family vote, we have named the kittens.

Boy Kitty is now Hiro.

Girl Kitty is now Pepper.

:-)

They seem to like their names (as much as any cat does, I suppose) and are settling in nicely.  I was subjected to a grooming yesterday, which is a good sign. 

Just managed to use "dunderwhelp", "stickybeak", "eyeservant" and "shoulderclapping" all in one sentence.

Did Victorians know how to insult or what?

:)

1.  Writing has laid mostly dormant the past couple of weeks.  Between end of the school year stuff to do, two different trips and the necessary prep for each, and being sick ... my brain has had very little spare capacity for writing.  I hope to change that trend this week, however.

2.  My neice's baby shower was a lot of fun.  One of the games involved taking the parents-to-be's first names and seeing how many boy names you could come up with using those letters.  I came up with 16; I would have had more, but they called "time".  Yeah, I won that game.  :)

3.  I spent time with my best friend, Cara, met two high school friends for lunch, and saw various relatives...even a few unexpected ones.  As far as visits go, this one was one of the more calmer trips.  I think I know why, but won't expand on that here.

4.  There is no #4.

5.  I returned Monday night to SFO...very, very late as they had cancelled and rescheduled me on different flights.  Whee.  Tuesday I was tired as hell (lack of sleep all weekend PLUS a very late flight does not equal energy on the day after travel).  Wednesday a.m. I awoke to a 101 degree fever.  Fun...NOT.  I was sick all day Wednesday and Thursday, at which point the hubs put his foot down, and Friday I was at the doctor.  I am almost fully recovered now - whew.  I was getting pretty frustrated with being ill.

6.  On the flight out I read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies which my hubby had bought for me for the trip.  I want to read it again before I relate any in depth comments, but I will say that I enjoyed it.  :)

7.  I also read <lj user="karenmiller">'s The Innocent Mage, which I enjoyed more than the first book in her Godspeaker trilogy.  Not to say that I didn't enjoy Empress, I just conected more with IM's main character. 

8.  Now that I'm feeling better, I really need to get on the ball and move my summer projects forward.  Writing, planning for next school year, and a garage sale are all a part of the list.

9.  And one more thing that must be said:  

Dear Movie Industy...

WTF????  I mean, a remake of something here or there is fine, but have you no new or original ideas...at all?  I mean...Teen Wolf?!  Come on!  There are scores and scores of books out there that could be adapted.  There are plays which could be adapted.  There are true stories from history that could be told.  But no, you chose to look back at your catalog of movies and start remaking them all one by one, even the ones that sucked.  You are the weakest creative links - and I hope you find yourselves rattling your Starbucks insulted cups on Hollywood's street corners sooner rather than later.  'Kthxbai.

I have travelled outside of California.

And once again, I am sick.  Grrrr....

At this rate, my husband isn't going to ever let me leave again.  Either that or he'll make me travel in a haz-mat suit.

Doctor's appointment today.

Wish me luck.

~PJ~ 

P.S.  For those who emailed me recently:  no, Star Jelly didn't return while I was gone - or since.  :(

I'm off on a plane to attend a baby shower this weekend.

Behave, everyone...at least until I get back.  ;-)

~PJ~ 

We've started family game night at my house.  The hubby came up with the plan, and it's a good one.  The boys are very excited.  So we all voted and picked Risk as the first game.  The beginning of the game began pretty much as you might expect.  The boys needed to learn the rules, and so there was a lot of attacking and defending and moving and explaining and all those things.  Risk takes a while to play, and so when their bedtime came around, we had to stop.  Not a popular decision; they were really just getting into it.  We made a plan for how to stop the game without leaving it to take up the dining room table.  Take pictures of the board and put those pieces into individual Zip-Lock bags.  Yay, camera phones!  So all day Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, the boys were begging to play.  No time.  But yesterday, the hubs and I made it part of the schedule.  He asked if he could tell them...and I knew right there that my prior suspicions were about to pan out - somehow.  I've played Risk with my husband for about 18 years.  I know what he's capable of.

So the husband goes downstairs and tells the boys, "You know, in Risk, forming alliances is allowed.  The three of us could agree to all attack Mom, and then once she's off the board, renegotiate."  The boys were allllll for this. 

( More of the war story here... )

 

In writing news, I am still working on my new project - doing research more than writing, but that's okay.  

AND....I received a surprise from the hubby on Saturday!  A copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith.  I am saving it for my trip to the Midwest this coming weekend, but it's sooooooo tempting to read it all now.  



 

Story in 15 words: The difficult climb behind her, she stood and marveled at the new world below her. 

May 22nd:   A story in 15 words:  (from BayCon)  The whistle blew loud in the chill air, and slowly the machine began to move. 
May 23rd:    A story in 13 words:   The rhythm of waves match those of breathing; the sun feels gloriously warm.
May 24th:    A story in 07 words:   The phone call brought relief and tears.
May 25th:    A story in 12 words:   The air crackled with electricity; the rain fell; she insisted on driving.
May 26th:    A story in 16 words:   The picture was worn and faded; she still looked young and beautiful to his aged eyes.
May 27th:    A story in 03 words:   Yes, I will
May 28th:    A story in 15 words:   Ignoring the dust, he set the ball back in the mitt and closed the door.
May 29th:    A story in 10 words:   For sale:  Two sets of skis; one set of crutches.
May 30th:    A story in 16 words:   She spared a glance at the house before opening the newly oiled gate and stepping through.
May 31st:    A story in 10 words:   The train took her far, the book took her farther.
June 1st:     A story in 09 words:   When the lights came up, all his shaking stopped.


There ... all caught up!  :)

Things I brought back from BayCon: Pretty necklace (check), valuable story ideas (check), ConCrud (check)... :-( I hate being sick.   I really do.

I owe the stack a few micro-stories....hopefully I'll get to those today.

I'll post a con summary as soon as the Crud lets me, also hopefully today.

In the meantime, how has everyone been doing?

 

I'll be away for the weekend at BayCon!  I'll post the missing Micro-stories on Monday!

Have a happy and safe weekend everyone!

~PJ~ 

 Wednesday Story in 13 words: After the cracking sound, the pain came, and the change in her life.

Thursday Story in 8 words: When the letters stopped coming, he started drinking.

 Tuesday Story in 9 Words: And before he could answer, the line went dead.

 (Make-up micro-story for Sunday) Story in 15 words: The waves pushed him brutally toward land whether or not he wanted to go there.

Micro-story for Monday - Story in 8 words: The neighbors say they are builders and inventors.

 Saturday story in 9 words: Seeing in the dark did not matter to them.

 Story in 7 words: His name should have been Mr. Darcy.

Lately I've been posting micro-stories...stories in "X" words.  The "X" comes from the rolling of 3 virtual dice.  Here are a few of the stories so far:

Story in 9 words: The leaves looked like they were painted in sunlight.
Story in 10 words: The rain splashed her black dress, and she didn't care.
Story in 6 words:  She would never buy shoes again.
Story in 15 words: There was no mistaking the flutter in her chest and the surge in her blood.

It's been a lot of fun...and I've had a few people add their own sentences or stories to my posts.  :)

My goal is to post one a day.