Living in Arizona, those words have rarely held much meaning for me. Frightful, eh? Yah, if you call 60 degrees and sunny "frightful"--then I'm with ya. But last night, I got a small taste of what those words really mean. The wind moaned and howled around my house, an unusual bumping was heard repeatedly from one side of the house, rain lashed against our windows, and my neighbor's tree gave up the ghost in an amazingly ferocious winter storm. The storm began yesterday morning with rain, then fog in the late afternoon, and culminated with hurling of water and ice and wind all night long.
It made me really appreciate my house--no chinks in it and a nice heater plugging away come rain, sleet, or snow. I remember reading the Little House on the Prairie book The Long Winter. I hated that book because it made me feel so cold and dark and forlorn. In contrast, last night, a warm glow filled the house: I had the heater, a few blankets, and my trusty rice bag to keep me warm. I really do feel blessed. --Lu
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
Loser
I lost NaNoWriMo (as I said in my P.S. a post or so ago). BUT! I would happily sign up for it again. (especially if it didn't take place in the month of November. I'm thinking January or February would be better months for writing nonstop).
So, do you want to know why you should sign up for NaNoWriMo no matter what? .... Wait for it....THE EMAILS! Can any of you non-nanowrimoers say that you have an email from Gail Carson Levine in your inbox? What about Robin McKinley?
Yeah. I have both of them in my inbox.
My theory is, if you are a writer, you should sign up for NaNoWriMo just for the email pep talks from other (cool) authors. Cuz that's just AWESOME to have people telling you that they struggle with the writing process too, even though they are Big Name Authors.
--Lu
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Not too early for a Christmas Song and Dance
I love this song and the video and everything about it. If you were with me last year, you already know that, though. Just pretend we're having a YouTube sharing party at my house. This is my contribution.
P.S. I'm not going to win NaNoWriMo. I'm around the 30,000 word mark. Better luck next year.
P.S. I'm not going to win NaNoWriMo. I'm around the 30,000 word mark. Better luck next year.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Favorite Things Add On
3. Psych.
(I know, I know. Megan and Matthias are shaking their heads and saying, "We told you so." And all I can say back is...you were RIGHT! It is stinkin' funny.)
(Psych side note: The Rock's sister says that since she's been watching Psych, she's noticed she's been more observant. And just tonight (a mere three days after seeing my first episode EVER) I too noticed that I'm getting a tad more observant. As in, we were picking up a key from our neighbors, and from my position outside their back door I observed that there were homemade chocolates on the kitchen table. And in my mind, the little Psych glowy light zoned in around the chocolates as if it were an important clue. Mostly, it was just important to my stomach.)
Watch yourself an episode and let me know if you like.
That links to the second show of the series because...
NOTE: the pilot episode is hilarious and worth watching, but does have the only makeout scene I've encountered in the series so far (though I'm not really an expert on the series, I have it on good authority it's the only one). It's mild, but I'm warning you because I was annoyed by it and you might be too. Also, it happens at the beginning of the show, and I didn't want you to get the wrong idea about the whole series from that one blip of stupidity. And also, these shows are crime mysteries, and sometimes there is some violence, which I didn't find offensive, but I get overly worried that my scale of tolerance is not your scale, so--there ya go.
--Lu
P.S. In case you were wondering, my neighbors did give us some chocolates even though I was Very Good Mannered and didn't make any kind of suggestive comment at all. Patience paid off...and the fact that they know I have an unquenchable sweet tooth.
(I know, I know. Megan and Matthias are shaking their heads and saying, "We told you so." And all I can say back is...you were RIGHT! It is stinkin' funny.)
(Psych side note: The Rock's sister says that since she's been watching Psych, she's noticed she's been more observant. And just tonight (a mere three days after seeing my first episode EVER) I too noticed that I'm getting a tad more observant. As in, we were picking up a key from our neighbors, and from my position outside their back door I observed that there were homemade chocolates on the kitchen table. And in my mind, the little Psych glowy light zoned in around the chocolates as if it were an important clue. Mostly, it was just important to my stomach.)
Watch yourself an episode and let me know if you like.
That links to the second show of the series because...
NOTE: the pilot episode is hilarious and worth watching, but does have the only makeout scene I've encountered in the series so far (though I'm not really an expert on the series, I have it on good authority it's the only one). It's mild, but I'm warning you because I was annoyed by it and you might be too. Also, it happens at the beginning of the show, and I didn't want you to get the wrong idea about the whole series from that one blip of stupidity. And also, these shows are crime mysteries, and sometimes there is some violence, which I didn't find offensive, but I get overly worried that my scale of tolerance is not your scale, so--there ya go.
--Lu
P.S. In case you were wondering, my neighbors did give us some chocolates even though I was Very Good Mannered and didn't make any kind of suggestive comment at all. Patience paid off...and the fact that they know I have an unquenchable sweet tooth.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Favorite Things
Alright, now that my long silence is over (apparently), and while we're talking about favorite things, I'll tell you two of mine:
1. Sonic Cherry Limeade Chillers. (take a cherry limeade and add icecreaminess AND whipped cream on top.) (sigh.)
2. Chocolate covered altoids (cinammon preferably), esp. good when eaten DURING church. (gasp! That's practically contraband! And it's all the sweeter for being such.)
--Lu
What are some of your favorites from 2009?
1. Sonic Cherry Limeade Chillers. (take a cherry limeade and add icecreaminess AND whipped cream on top.) (sigh.)
2. Chocolate covered altoids (cinammon preferably), esp. good when eaten DURING church. (gasp! That's practically contraband! And it's all the sweeter for being such.)
--Lu
What are some of your favorites from 2009?
Most Useful Thing I've Made This Year
The winner is: an improvised rice bag foot warmer.
You've probably heard of/seen/used one yourself.
I have perpetually cold feet (except on the day of my wedding. And I'm plenty braggish about that fact.)
Cold feet isn't really a problem for most of the year in Arizona. But, when the weather turns cold(er), and me being a night owl, sometimes by the time I hop in bet my tootsies feel like icebergs.
On one of my late night stay-up-a-thons I was really dreading the Iced Feet of the Dead, so I took matters into my own hands. Not wanting to sew that late at night, I grabbed an old pillowcase, scooped in a few cups of rice, then tied the opening of the pillow case in a knot. I stuck the whole thing in the microwave for 1.5 mins and VIOLA! No more cold feet, no more laying awake in bet for an hour till they warm up enough for me to go to sleep.
I carry my rice bag around with me all the time when I'm at home (I'm using it right now, and my feet are blissfully warm, whereas moments ago they were on the verge of turning blue).
This makeshift rice bag foot warmer is working so well, I don't know that I'll ever sit down and make an official one.
--Lu
You've probably heard of/seen/used one yourself.
I have perpetually cold feet (except on the day of my wedding. And I'm plenty braggish about that fact.)
Cold feet isn't really a problem for most of the year in Arizona. But, when the weather turns cold(er), and me being a night owl, sometimes by the time I hop in bet my tootsies feel like icebergs.
On one of my late night stay-up-a-thons I was really dreading the Iced Feet of the Dead, so I took matters into my own hands. Not wanting to sew that late at night, I grabbed an old pillowcase, scooped in a few cups of rice, then tied the opening of the pillow case in a knot. I stuck the whole thing in the microwave for 1.5 mins and VIOLA! No more cold feet, no more laying awake in bet for an hour till they warm up enough for me to go to sleep.
I carry my rice bag around with me all the time when I'm at home (I'm using it right now, and my feet are blissfully warm, whereas moments ago they were on the verge of turning blue).
This makeshift rice bag foot warmer is working so well, I don't know that I'll ever sit down and make an official one.
--Lu
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Every Moo Needs a Studio
YES! I have a STUDIO now!
I always did kind of sort of have it, only, it had all of my paintings and a (I love it when in mid-sentence I glance up and google is advertising "Feline Pine Cat Litter" with the explanation that "Your cat's litter is important--more than toys or treats." Nice try google. Not buying today.)
Anyway, I had a whole bunch of stuff in the corner, and the University Library has the Famous Artist Course books in the oversized section, and my new goal is to go through all of them before we move in August, or December. And the very first part before Lesson 1, which I could have told you myself, but it's More So coming from Norman Rockwell and Bernie Fuchs (two of the famous illustrators who wrote the books), that before you begin, you need a studio space.
So on Saturday The Geologist mopped the whole kitchen floor and we took all of the big paintings and things I'm not using to his house, and then borrowed my in-laws other card table, and ta-da! I have a studio!
I'm really excited about this because now I can make my painty messes and I don't have to clean them up before dinner/lunch/breakfast/snack because it was all over our kitchen table.
The Geologist has heard lots about this between Saturday, and yesterday like you get to hear now because I'm really excited, as I just said two sentences ago.
The End.
--Moo
I always did kind of sort of have it, only, it had all of my paintings and a (I love it when in mid-sentence I glance up and google is advertising "Feline Pine Cat Litter" with the explanation that "Your cat's litter is important--more than toys or treats." Nice try google. Not buying today.)
Anyway, I had a whole bunch of stuff in the corner, and the University Library has the Famous Artist Course books in the oversized section, and my new goal is to go through all of them before we move in August, or December. And the very first part before Lesson 1, which I could have told you myself, but it's More So coming from Norman Rockwell and Bernie Fuchs (two of the famous illustrators who wrote the books), that before you begin, you need a studio space.
So on Saturday The Geologist mopped the whole kitchen floor and we took all of the big paintings and things I'm not using to his house, and then borrowed my in-laws other card table, and ta-da! I have a studio!
I'm really excited about this because now I can make my painty messes and I don't have to clean them up before dinner/lunch/breakfast/snack because it was all over our kitchen table.
The Geologist has heard lots about this between Saturday, and yesterday like you get to hear now because I'm really excited, as I just said two sentences ago.
The End.
--Moo
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