Tikuahote

magik_woman @ 9:43pm: It's a lovely night out
It's nice and cool, with a little sunshine still on the western horizon.  And the loveliest little crescent of a moon, smiling at me when I walked out our driveway.

Thank heavens it's been cooler, I've been able to swamp out the house from when it was hotter and I let the house go to the dogs, err, the kids.  I should have been working in the yard.  Giant alien clover plants from heaven knows where have taken over my baby perennial beds in the back.  The clover muscled up during the rainy weeks in May and April, and now they have buried everything.  And clover is such a bitch to get rid of, you have to get every little piece of root out or they pop back up again.  I have no idea where they came from, it's like they got planted behind my back somehow.

We've had a bumper and I mean a BUMPER crop of strawberries.  All in one week.  It finally became summer a week and a half ago when the sun came out and it got hot.  Within a day we had a ton of strawberries ripe and juicy.  I got my daughter and the two neighbor girls to pick, bribing the neighbor girls with "eat as you pick 'em, but leave some to go in the buckets!"  No worries, we got about 2 or 3 gallons of berries.  I let the neighbor girls go home with a gallon, they worked so hard.  And Ed and I haven't been able to keep up with them, and a neighbor lady I chatted with said she would come pick some, and she got to take home half her haul.  And there's still some more to come!!  We ate the first two gallons on our breakfast cereal and I finally bought some mini angel food cakes and some cool whip so Ed and I could enjoy strawberry shortcake.  The next gallon in the fridge (picked yesterday) will hopefully go into the freezer tomorrow so I can make jam sometime next week.

And we've picked up working on the office again.  I've managed to put two coats on the crown molding, one coat on the base molding, and a primer and paint coat on the seam coverings and inside corners.  Ed found out today how damn difficult it is to put up crown molding, something about angling and mitering when you get to inside corners that is nasty, yes.  Still, he managed to get two pieces put up this afternoon, after one trip to Home Depot (of course).  He picked up, among other things, a new sponge mop for me to help me sweep out the grundge, and oh boy, that was nice to clean the kitchen floor finally.  I was itching every time I looked at it.  And tomorrow I'll hit the wood floor in the front room and hallway, I haven't cleaned that in too long.  We've rearranged furniture.  I've been wanting to look out the front window, and still keep the two recliners in the room.  We've managed that, but are scratching our heads over where to put the rocking chair.  Right now it's living in the wide hallway between the front room and the kitchen.  And now there's a lot of wood floor showing, and I must clean it.  Tomorrow.

earthmoon @ 9:53pm: Oooo MP3 merge tool!
I've found a fab tool!  Last time I looked for something like this it just wasn't available for free.  Audiobooks on CD are set up so that you can skip forward or backward a bit at a time - small 2-5 minute tracks.  This is nice for CDs.  It's just wretched for MP3 players!  If you want to skip to your next entire *book* you have to click forward 50 times.  Since you can also run on fastforward to find something you want, separate tracks aren't useful anyway.  I've wanted to find an MP3 merger since I got my iPod a few years ago, and now here's a great freeware one.  Works perfectly!

The download is at downloads.com, so no malware worries, and the program itself brought no baddies onto my machine :)

Merge MP3 0.1j

Now all of our favorite MP3 books are merged into ONE FILE :)  I could merge just 1 CD at a time if I wanted to, but I seldom want to start anywhere but the beginning :)

writergrl @ 8:07am: Happy Fourth of July!

Just a quick note on this, one of my very favorite holidays. And what's not to like? It's summer, a three day weekend AND.....it looks like Brenda might return to the 90210 remake as well! (Don't believe me? Here's my source.) I also saw Luke Perry on Regis and Kelly yesterday (sporting a kind of unfortunate mustache, if I'm to be totally honest) but he nipped any speculation about HIM returning in the bud. Been there, done that, was pretty much what he said. Which I can appreciate. But still. You never know, right? Dylan always was a little unpredictable.

On a completely unrelated note, I know I mentioned my Twitter addiction here last week. I've been having some issues with my account---for some reason a lot of follower requests weren't coming through, or something---so I've set up a new one. My username is sarahdessen, so if you're on Twitter and tried to follow me but it didn't work, please try again! I am following no one right now and kind of lonely. *sob*

Okay, not really that sad. How can I be? It's the Fourth of July!

I hope you all have a great, safe, food-filled, fireworks-blasting holiday weekend. Now, to make deviled eggs....

frabjouslinz @ 5:12pm: Cat's in the cradle...
My little Abby-tabby isn't doing very well. She's refusing to eat, has had almost nothing since the move on Monday. Today I had to call around to find a vet that would take her. My regular vet being in West Seattle, and without appointments today and closed tomorrow, I ended up taking her to The Cat Clinic on Stone Way, which is only about a 10-15 minute drive (in traffic, mind you) from here. They were very nice and professional, and were conscious of trying to keep her as unstressed as possible. They took blood and urine and gave me an appetite stimulus to give to her. They urine analysis is in. Abby has a history of chronic kidney failure. (when we say failure, we mean they don't work great, not that she is currently in grave danger. Although she is closer than what she may be otherwise). She had a close call a few years ago, and has been on maintenance and regular monitoring ever since. Her protein leakage right now is up to plus one. I don't know exactly what that means, except that it's not good. However, it does go up to plus 4, so the vet said not to freak out yet, but to give her fluids. Her urine is dilute, which means the kidneys aren't concentrating the waste like they're supposed to. So I'm to give her fluids every day I guess, until told otherwise. Fun for us both. The blood work won't be ready until Saturday, but I'm hoping the appetite stimulus will get her eating and I'll give her the fluids, and I bought this pheromone spray that's supposed to be calming. Maybe it'll calm us both.

She has been checking out the new digs, wandering around, and likes the big windows and windowsills a lot. But there are people walking by the door in the hall, and noises above and below us, and some street noise as well. She keeps watching out for bigger predators, I think. Poor little baby. No wonder she can't eat. She hasn't been talking much, either, and those of you who know her, know that that's very unusual. In fact, until last night I hadn't heard a peep. Last night, she chirped. This morning, she yowled like she was uncomfortable, which worried me, and used the litterbox. Since I've taken her to the vet, she's growled at me some, and meowed a little plaintively. But has yet to eat, dangit.

I am about halfway unpacked. Maybe getting further along on that project will relax us

Update minutes later - she has eaten something! Hoorah! Let's hope she keeps it up. I'm going to have pizza that was delivered to my door now. Yum.

writergrl @ 8:15am: My daughter is ten months old today. Say it with me: how did THAT happen? Yikes. But she is such a joy, I can't even tell you. Really, I can't. Even for someone like me, who is never at a loss for them, when it comes to her there are sometimes no words.

(As far as her first words go, she's still partial to "Da-da." I only seem to get a "Mmm-Mmm," noise when she is hungry or wants to be picked up. "Da-Da," is joyous, "Mm-Mm" whiny. Gee. I wonder what THAT means?)

Anyway. In other news, it's July, and supercool writer Laurie Halse Anderson---aka halseanderson---(author of Speak, and Twisted, and many others) has begun a month long writing challenge. All she's asking is that you commit to fifteen minutes a day, and she'll even help you with prompts. I mean, how often do you get to write alongside a famous, amazing author? And who doesn't have five minutes to spare? (Okay, new moms, you are excused. Seriously. If you have fifteen minutes, you should be laying down, preferably asleep.) Anyway, it's a great thing, and perfect for a summer activity.

Finally, we are fast approaching my favorite holiday, The Fourth of July, and the beginning of Le Tour (on Saturday) so blogging may be spotty over the rest of the week. Not that you all care, as you will probably all be at the beach, sitting in the sand. Lucky you! I will be here, trying to come up with The Perfect Holiday Meal. We've decided we cannot do hot dogs: that is too basic. Lobsters were a possibility, but they are seriously high maintenance (and who wants to have to put them in the water? Eeek.). So maybe fish tacos? Or SHRIMP tacos? Or maybe we should go with serious Americana and bust out the shishkabobs. (Yes, Spellcheck, I know that's not right. Nor do I care!) I always like to do a big thing for the Fourth, when we celebrate summer being in full swing. So tonight, I'll sit down with my cookbooks and recipe lists and really brainstorm. In the end, I might end up running to Bojangles for the Tailgate Special. But see, that's okay too! That's the great thing about summer. Anything goes. Even fried chicken. ESPECIALLY fried chicken.

Have a great day, everyone!

frabjouslinz @ 10:25am: ...
Am moved. Am dead. Feel like been beaten with sticks. Uuuuhhhh. Despite being dead on my feet last night, couldn't sleep in the new place. Dozed off and on. Had dreams about moving (unsurprising) and nightmares I don't remember now. Abby stalked around the apartment in the dark, slinking with her belly low, to check things out.. She is p***ed, and huffing and puffing and tail-lashing. She has yet to eat anything, although (whew!) is drinking water. I had to leave her there this morning to work here in the office. I think she'll spend most of the day in the bedroom closet. It will take us both awhile to get used to the sounds of other people sharing walls and ceilings and floors. 

The move wasn't smooth, because, well, it's moving. The movers were later than I'd wanted, but they worked hard on a really hot day and were careful and nice, so all is well. My friends have been completely awesome and helped muchly, and without you all I know I would have been very, very sad. My ex is being a big fat jerk. I miss my dog. But things are OK, and I'll be unpacked and feeling at home soon enough. 

Thanks again, everyone. The new place is great. I'll post pictures once I get myself a little more put together. 

writergrl @ 8:55am: Recently, someone left a comment asking me about time management, i.e. how I juggle the mom thing, and the writing thing, and the TV/Pop Culture thing. I've been hesitant to respond, because I worry that in doing so, it will seem like I actually AM able to juggle all of this, which I am not entirely sure of. Honest truth: it is day to day.

I used to be incredibly disciplined about my writing. I wrote seven days a week, two hours a day, until a book was done. If I skipped a day, or even cut one short, I felt horribly guilty and stressed out. Since I had my daughter, though, I don't have the luxury of control over my own schedule like I used to. I AM very fortunate to have wonderful babysitters, though, who come five days a week (when all is running as it should) for a few hours in the afternoon, so I can work. It is always tempting to spend that time doing laundry, or paying bills, or working out (which I desperately need, let me tell you, especially since I have to put on a bathing suit in a few weeks) but I have to be REALLY disciplined and sit down at the computer instead. It is My Time, the Only Time I Know For Sure I Can Work. So I do. And if the babysitter cancels, or it's a weekend, I just don't get to write. And you know what? Contrary to how I felt the last few years, the world does not end. In fact, I am tempted to say that the book I am working on right now might be even BETTER for the breaks I've taken from it, here and there, to mull things over and rest. But I guess only time will tell.

So mornings are for my baby, and errands, and my To Do list. Afternoons are for work. Early evening: bath, books, and bed. (For the baby, not for me. Although it is tempting, at times, to go down with her, even if it IS still light outside.) Then, I usually get to eat (if I'm lucky) and settle down with my DVR (super lucky) for a little escapism, or get into bed early with a good book (finished Tom Perrotta's latest yesterday, SO GOOD!). The next day, rinse and repeat. With, of course, allowing for the crazy variations that always come up. The truth is, some days are great. Some are terrible. Some days I feel like I'm actually making headway, others I am sure I have gone backwards, if not downwards. But that's the way it is for everyone, right? We are all just, as Owen Armstrong would say, doing the best we can, under the circumstances. And that is just fine.

Hope that answers your question. Maybe not. But like I said, it's the best I can do.
Have a good day, everyone!

earthmoon @ 2:41pm: And if you want text?
And if you just want text?  Go to _Screedbot! 

Which just cracks my shit up :D

earthmoon @ 2:39pm: Want to do basic graphics?
If you want to do very basic LOLcats-type graphics, go to the ROFLbot!  Grab a picture from the internet or your LJ account, upload from your computer or use a random one, add text, save.  Easy as pie :P

Cause the world needs more LOLcats :D

frabjouslinz @ 10:28am: It's memeing again...
 Borrowed from mikigarrison, and a host of others, because, well, it's kind of a fun and short one. 

* Post 3 things you've done that you don't think anybody else on your friends list has done.
* See if anybody responds with "I've done that." If they have- add another!(2.b., 2.c., etc...)
* Encourage your friends to paste this into their own journal to see what unique things they've done.

1. Been stopped with my family by the Spanish military just that side of the French border because my dad took a picture of some pretty mountains. Which turned out to have a military installation on them. They did not take Dad's camera away, but it was a near thing. I guess my dad didn't make a credible spy. Perhaps the bored, sleepy, whiny children in the backseat of the crammed-full tiny Toyota convinced them, along with Dad's non-existent Spanish. It's possible he asked them where the toilet was, as an explanation.
   
2. Sailed over the Tasman sea. Well, chugged over, in a giant floating city. But it was still gorgeous.
   
3. Accidentally lit myself on fire, and ended up with a black eye but not at all burned. It's a long story.

Other things that others may or may not have done, but I think are cool (and less indicative of my clumsiness): 

-Lived in 2 countries other than the US, visited 12 others, and lived in 4 States (5 if you count Nebraska, which was for only a few months). 
-Played Cleo the Goldfish in a ballet production of "Pinocchio" when I was 10. Unfortunately was forced to wear ugliest costume ever.
-Sang Mimi's aria from "La Boheme" for a final grade in voice class in college, and did really, really well, surprising myself most of all. Still have that recording somewhere....

writergrl @ 8:57am: The Friday Five!

1. Recently, I purchased a new toy for my daughter. It's called The Happy Home, or something like that, and is basically a large plastic thing with a door she can open and shut, and a fake mailbox, and about a million really irritating sound effects that come from a little fake radio attached to the back. We just set it up yesterday, and right away she hit one button on the radio, which then said, "It's bumper to bumper on the rainbow bridge!" My husband and I just looked at each other, totally creeped out. Because, if you don't know, the Rainbow Bridge is the thing they always talk about when pets die. There's a famous poem, or something, about how they cross the rainbow bridge but are still with us, or something. So you can understand why the idea of traffic on said bridge being bumper to bumper is a little morbid, to say the least. Luckily, my daughter does not yet have this association. Still, I think we'll turn the sound effects off. I have enough to worry about.

2. I just started reading Tom Perrotta's latest, The Abstinence Teacher, and I am LOVING it. I just really adore how he writes. His stories are just so real feeling, and he's one of those writers that just makes it all look so easy: descriptions, dialogue, everything. I'm pretty much in awe whenever I read his stuff, and I wish this book would last forever, or at least until he has another new one. As it is I keep sneaking off to read whenever I can, slacking on just about everything else. The laundry is piling up, but I blame Tom Perrotta. I can't help myself.

3. I can't believe it is almost July. In fact, I had that moment of panic today that always comes when I realize the summer is going by entirely too fast, and I need to be enjoying it more. I mean, I haven't even been to Maple View for ice cream yet! And I've only made deviled eggs once! I think we've been so busy with everything that's going on that we haven't been able to just SLLOOOWW down the way I like to, come summer. Maybe in July, though...

4. Maroon 5 is on GMA right now. They just played a new song, but now they're doing "She Will Be Loved," which is one of those songs that came out ages ago but is ALWAYS still on the radio. Remember how in Just Listen how Owen says how a song can bring you back to a place, or a time, and never changes? It's weird, because this song for some reason has always made me think of Just Listen. Not for any specific reason, just that it was popular when I was writing it, I guess. But every time I hear it, I think of that book. Odd, I know. But you can't control these associations, I guess. At least it's a nice song, though.

5. Finally, my cousin Ben recently convinced me to sign up with a service called Twitter, and it's a little scary because I am already kind of addicted. It's like Facebook status updates, but just that, and all the time. You can even set it up so that you get people's updates via text message, which I did with Ben, because I have all these text messages as part of my plan and never use them. It's pretty neat, I have to say. I'll just be hanging out with the baby, singing Old MacDonald or whatever, and my phone will beep. I'll check it, and know that across the ocean, in the UK, Ben is deciding what to eat for lunch, or just bought a new CD, or is going to bed. It's just sort of fun. Also, the only other text messages I tend to get are from my babysitters when they have to cancel on me, so I kind of had a bad association. Now it's like, "It's Ben!" Which makes me happy. Like Tom Perrotta, and "She Will Be Loved." But not the rainbow bridge. No!

Have a good weekend, everyone!

frabjouslinz @ 12:32pm: Traveling I made a friend, he had a trouble in his head...
So exhausted. Halfway packed. Movers contacted, but not confirmed.
By the end of the weekend of the 4th, I should be more or less settled, most of the boxes unpacked (let's hope) and feeling more like a normal person instead of road kill. Looking forward to that. I'll take pictures and post them before July is over. Um, hopefully. Onward and upward, to borrow a phrase. Nearly there....

writergrl @ 9:23am: Okay, so you all know I am obsessed with Good Morning America. Today they had a segment on summer reading and...Lock and Key was there!
Okay, so it was in the background. And they didn't specifically mention it (they did talk about E. Lockhart's latest, so yay for her!). Still: VERY exciting. My book was within a foot of Chris Cuomo!

I think I need to go lie down now......

magik_woman @ 10:40pm: A meme, right, yes, okay, uhhhh......
Had to think about that one for a bit.  Confessions of a Hoarder tagged me for this meme, I'm not sure who I will tag other than Open Doors, since I don't read a lot of blogs.

Anyhoo. 

1.  What was I doing 10 years ago?   I was dealing with a 5 month old red-haired giggly baby.  I wasn't quite so overwhelmed as I was when she was born in February.  I certainly wasn't getting enough sleep, but I was loving being a mom.

2.  Five things on my to-do list for today:  Work out.  Find a label maker and a fuchsia basket for my mother-in-law's birthday celebration.  Make potato salad (to take to dinner celebration at her house).  Pick strawberries (to go with angel food cake and whipped cream at her house).  Get the kids bathed/showered.  Do laundry.  (Oh, that's why it didn't get done, laundry was the last thing on the list, it was number 6!)

3.  Snacks I enjoy:  what don't I enjoy, would be a shorter list.  I like fresh fruit and dried fruit.  I like crackers and cheese (although cheese doesn't like me any more).  I love popcorn.  I like chips, although they also don't like me, so I try not to buy them.  And I have to say, cookies, candy, donuts, and other sweet things are ambrosia.  I try to keep sugar-free stuff around, but when I really need something decadent I spread chunky peanut butter on graham crackers, then put chocolate chips on top.  Yum!  For a little less decadence, I use raisins instead of chocolate chips.

4.  If I was a billionaire:  first, financial security for us and the kids, ie, retirement accounts and college funds, and trusts for my dad and nieces and nephews.  I'd go back to school to study the arts:  dance, music, theater, and the ARTS: painting, drawing, sculpture, jewelry making, pottery, all the things I've been wanting to study.  I'd buy my husband an electric car to commute to work in (if he still wanted to work).  I'd hire professionals to finish up all the little detail work that remains of our remodel, so it would get done before we retire.  We'd take some awesome vacations to other countries, and stay for three or four weeks, and relax.  Get some nasty icky hairy moles removed from visible portions of my body.  Give lots to charities of my choice.  Design and build somewhere out of town the fantasy house of Ed's and my dreams, complete with turret, a library room, wrap-around porches, large entertainment area, fantastic kitchen with pantry, two or three car garage with bonus room over, hot tub and hammock somewhere on the premises.

5.  Places I have lived:  Los Angeles, California.  Columbia City, Oregon.  Corvallis, Oregon.  Chicago, Illinois.  Seattle, Washington.

That was fun. I could definitely keep going on ideas for being a billionaire. 

writergrl @ 9:12am: I'm feeling a little wistful that I won't be attending the American Library Association conference, which is happening this week. I didn't get to go last year (too pregnant), and maybe I could have swung the trip this year if it wasn't in California. I'm just not ready to have an entire country between me and my daughter yet (and even if I could, my husband's surgery and subsequent restrictions on movement and driving would have made it a no go anyway). Still, I love the ALA conference. Partially because I love librarians (who doesn't?) but also because it's always so fun to catch up with other writers who I never get to see except at conferences. Plus, this year I would have gotten to see my VERY FAVORITE librarian, who is now also a newlywed. Congratulations again, Matt and Jenny! Anyway, if any of you are going, have a blast for me. I want all the details!

We were supposed to go to Cape Cod next week, but now that's been postponed as well. Which means only one thing: we are back on for The Tour de France this year. Regular readers of this space know that my husband LOVES the Tour, and we have watched it faithfully for the last three years or so, ever since our neighbors, who are avid cyclists, got us into it. It is always a production. Big meals, lots of wine, LOTS of TV coverage, lots of people sitting around drinking said wine, eating said meals, and watching said coverage. Now, I'm a social person. I like having people over, especially now that my daughter goes to bed early enough so I can actually hang out and enjoy the company. But every year, I love the Tour....for about a week. I mean, I want to appreciate it the way everyone else does. I WANT to see it as the nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat event that it supposedly is. But after a little while, it's just wheels going round and round for me. And it goes on EVERY DAY (with a couple of days off) for pretty much an entire month.

In the interest of keeping peace within my marriage, I'm coming up with alternative viewing options for myself. I figure I can have the meal, the wine, the cheese, and the socialization. Then, I can creep into the other room where....I have the DVD of the BBC Pride and Prejudice, which I am saving for July. Like the Tour, it's set in Europe, there will be people in tight pants, and it's full of tradition and history. When I'm done with that, I think I'll move onto Mad Men, which I hear is GREAT. And if I run through that (entirely possible, I do have an entire month) there's all the chick flicks I've missed lately. Like Definitely, Maybe (which just came out on DVD) and Dan in Real Life (which is not a chick flick, but seems kind of emotional anyway). Plus a new season of Intervention, which I stopped watching last year (too pregnant and emotional) but am now, I think, ready to take on again.

So that's my plan. The Tour de Sarah. A full month of movies, TV, and maybe some deviled eggs thrown in for good measure. I will keep you posted on my standings and progress, starting on July 1. It's not ALA (what is?) but it should be fun anyway.

Have a good day, everyone!

writergrl @ 9:00am: I am back, after a busy weekend that included not only my last local reading for awhile, but also my twentieth high school reunion. Whew! The reading, at the North Regional Library in Durham, was great. Everyone was so nice, and I got probably the best introduction ever from Skip Auld, who performed, a capella, "The Potato Song" from This Lullaby. It was AWESOME. Thanks to him, and Angie, and Autumn, and everyone else there for making me feel so welcome. It was a great way to wrap up my Lock and Key stuff, at least for the time being. I tell you, all this promotion stuff was really fun, but MAN am I sick of myself right now. I am sure everyone else feels the same way.

Then, a few hours later, it was onto nostalgia, and my reunion. I attended with my friend Lars, who was also my date for the senior prom back in 1988. I think this confused a few people, who thought we were still together. Still, it was wild to see so many people after so many years. I ended up doing a lot of Mom Talk (par for the course these days, I suppose) and fighting this total sense of insecurity that hit the minute I pulled into the parking lot. Yeah, that's right, I'll fess up: I was nervous. Like, REALLY nervous. It's like I got within twenty feet of the door and regressed twenty years. How crazy is that? Lars and I sat in the car for a few minutes, freaking out together. Which, we realized, was a lot of what we did in high school, as well. But then we finally bucked up and got out and went in, and it was all good.

I don't know, I think I have a different connection to high school than most anyway. I mean, I do spend part of my professional life thinking about it, just about every day. It's a job requirement. So I guess it makes sense that those years carry a heavy weight for me. I'm still working things out, on the page. Maybe I always will be? Yikes.

I REALLY wanted to post my prom picture with Lars here, along with a shot from Saturday night but 1) I can't find my prom picture anywhere and 2) I think I might regret it, as I had both a big hair and a big dress, and do I really want that on the internet? Probably not. Some things are best left in the past, I think. Yeah. Definitely.

Have a good day, everyone!