So Lea is forcing me to do it... dragging me kicking and screaming into *duh duh duh duh** summertime Nanowrimo.
Ha.
Last time I finished a nano Mollie was just out of diapers and I had only three little hairs on my chin. Now Mollie is getting ready to support me and I have a full beard.
But I'm a gonna try.
Got my story. Got a working computer. Just need chocolate and time.
See you ina month.
Ha.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Beef Broccoli
Great baker. Mediocre cook.
But I made Beef Broccoli tonight and it was the easiest, tastiest dish ever. I mean it was sooooo good that I might put it on a weekly rotation.
So in a bowl combine 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 2 Tablespoons water, some garlic powder (1/2 a teaspoon maybe) and blend. Then add the beef and toss.
Heat some oil in a wok or pan. Toss the beef in and cook till it's done. 5 minutes. Put it back in the bowl.
Then toss in your broccoli florets (I used 3 small heads), your sliced onion (used 3/4 of an onion), a little more oil and cook it.
While that cooks mix in another bowl 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch and half a cup of water. Whisk till smooth.
Throw the beef back in the pan and then add your sauce. Cook it only a few minutes and watch that sauce thicken and look amazeballs.
Serve with rice.
Next time I'll throw some sort of seed on top and wow.
I'm Intolerant
Yesterday as I delighted in the Supreme Court's decision, there were people who bemoaned it. People who upheld the minority decision and who saw it as a sad day for our country.
On Facebook, I unfriended them. Elsewhere, I skipped them over. And someone told me that I'm intolerant of views other than my own and just as bad as they are. And to that I say... maybe. I don't know.
What I do know is this: This is my life that I'm living and it passes in a heartbeat. One can live striving for love and happiness or one can live surrounded by hate and gloom. If you've ever seen someone who was always unhappy and never sought happiness then you might realize that happy is the way to go.
People with different points of view are everywhere in this world. And I'm not shutting the door on all of them. Heck, my own brother and I are at completely different ends of the rainbow when it comes to politics and I love him to pieces and listen to his views. And disagree with most. Think about some when he has a compelling argument. But mostly I cringe a little inside because he's so conservative and I'm so liberal.
Even he celebrated marriage equality.
Because we can disagree on whether illegal immigrants crossing the border should be sent back or given Medicaid. We argue about gun control laws and God help anyone be in the room when Hilary Clinton's name is mentioned. But we both agree that when the founding fathers said all men are created equal, they freaking meant it.
All men and women, no matter color or sexual identity or shape or size and blue or black eyed are created equal and have equal rights in this world. Nobody is born less a person. Nobody should live without the basic rights of shelter, food, health and the right to love and marry. If you don't agree with that then honestly, I'm intolerant. And I don't want you in my world because you take away my happiness.
Basic human rights. That's all we're talking about. Everyone having the same rights and opportunities. There will always be bad people and good people and moral people and immoral people. But everyone deserves the same basic human rights as everyone else.
And if you don't agree then I just don't want you in my life. I'm intolerant that way. So sorry.
On Facebook, I unfriended them. Elsewhere, I skipped them over. And someone told me that I'm intolerant of views other than my own and just as bad as they are. And to that I say... maybe. I don't know.
What I do know is this: This is my life that I'm living and it passes in a heartbeat. One can live striving for love and happiness or one can live surrounded by hate and gloom. If you've ever seen someone who was always unhappy and never sought happiness then you might realize that happy is the way to go.
People with different points of view are everywhere in this world. And I'm not shutting the door on all of them. Heck, my own brother and I are at completely different ends of the rainbow when it comes to politics and I love him to pieces and listen to his views. And disagree with most. Think about some when he has a compelling argument. But mostly I cringe a little inside because he's so conservative and I'm so liberal.
Even he celebrated marriage equality.
Because we can disagree on whether illegal immigrants crossing the border should be sent back or given Medicaid. We argue about gun control laws and God help anyone be in the room when Hilary Clinton's name is mentioned. But we both agree that when the founding fathers said all men are created equal, they freaking meant it.
All men and women, no matter color or sexual identity or shape or size and blue or black eyed are created equal and have equal rights in this world. Nobody is born less a person. Nobody should live without the basic rights of shelter, food, health and the right to love and marry. If you don't agree with that then honestly, I'm intolerant. And I don't want you in my world because you take away my happiness.
Basic human rights. That's all we're talking about. Everyone having the same rights and opportunities. There will always be bad people and good people and moral people and immoral people. But everyone deserves the same basic human rights as everyone else.
And if you don't agree then I just don't want you in my life. I'm intolerant that way. So sorry.
Friday, June 26, 2015
Marriage Equality
It would be easy right now to list all the ways people aren't equal in this world or this country but I don't want to do that right now.
I want to take a moment and thrill that something that has mattered to me since I was a teen has come true. Gay people can legally marry in the US.
I was raised believing in equality. As a Jew with the rich history of antisemitism and ultimately the diaspora of my people, we're seeped in the belief of equality. Fairness. Live free to worship, free to learn, free to love.
My mother devoted years to working as a volunteer in the AIDs community and was a great advocate of equal rights. I have to believe that today she danced on a rainbow in celebration.
This is an important day. Marriage has become meaningful again. And now it can be truly fabulous too.
I'm so fucking happy. Words can't even describe it.
This country got it right today.
I want to take a moment and thrill that something that has mattered to me since I was a teen has come true. Gay people can legally marry in the US.
I was raised believing in equality. As a Jew with the rich history of antisemitism and ultimately the diaspora of my people, we're seeped in the belief of equality. Fairness. Live free to worship, free to learn, free to love.
My mother devoted years to working as a volunteer in the AIDs community and was a great advocate of equal rights. I have to believe that today she danced on a rainbow in celebration.
This is an important day. Marriage has become meaningful again. And now it can be truly fabulous too.
I'm so fucking happy. Words can't even describe it.
This country got it right today.
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Kill Your Darlings
Oh my. Oh dear. The book I've been working on is one for the scrap heap.
It's nobody's fault, not really. But I realized this morning while driving to work, that I was writing my heroine completely wrong and from the beginning. She needs to be a straight out of the gate beeyatch and not a Carrie from Sex and the City.
My bad.
So I'm erasing it all and starting over again.
The funny thing was that Mollie and I were in the car together and I told her what I'd written and how I should write it and she looked at me as if I was stupid and said . "Well, duh."
Even a 14 year old knew my story was all wrong.
In other news, I've got a moderately new job that's forcing me to think hard and work hard. It also gives me a great sense of accomplishment because I have to get things done and make people happy. So I have no down time at all but it's all worth it. I like doing it.
Doing the summer nanowrimo in July. Got my writing partner lined up **waves at Lea** and smores are at the ready.
Also have sister and sister in law coming to vacation here in a little over two weeks and in less than a month have a huge freaking party at the house.
Mollie ended the school year with a 4.0 So proud.
It's nobody's fault, not really. But I realized this morning while driving to work, that I was writing my heroine completely wrong and from the beginning. She needs to be a straight out of the gate beeyatch and not a Carrie from Sex and the City.
My bad.
So I'm erasing it all and starting over again.
The funny thing was that Mollie and I were in the car together and I told her what I'd written and how I should write it and she looked at me as if I was stupid and said . "Well, duh."
Even a 14 year old knew my story was all wrong.
In other news, I've got a moderately new job that's forcing me to think hard and work hard. It also gives me a great sense of accomplishment because I have to get things done and make people happy. So I have no down time at all but it's all worth it. I like doing it.
Doing the summer nanowrimo in July. Got my writing partner lined up **waves at Lea** and smores are at the ready.
Also have sister and sister in law coming to vacation here in a little over two weeks and in less than a month have a huge freaking party at the house.
Mollie ended the school year with a 4.0 So proud.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Imagine ...
When will imagination become reality? When?
Lady Gaga is becoming a performer I want to watch:
Lady Gaga is becoming a performer I want to watch:
More Meanderings
So, I have a Kindle Fire. And it is SO much easier to make collections on it than on a Kindle reader. I have collections coming out my wazoo.
I got a really neat idea: why not make a "Review" collection. Just add books I want to talk about here and I'd always have something to say. :-)
Not so much. *hangs head in shame*
My review collection now has eight books in it and many more I know I forgot to put in there. Quite a few of the eight books might as well be new territory to me because I've forgotten the story line, the characters and most everything else about them. And there's a couple I think I might have already talked about, but I can't remember and God forbid I remember to use tags/labels!
So, before I can talk about any book in my "Review" collection, I'll have to reread it and even then it'll be a near run thing that it ever see the light of Farts. What books are in there now?
1. Bound by Flames by Jeaniene Frost
2. The Unseen by Katherine Webb (can't remember a thing about this one)
2. The Deal by Elle Kennedy
4. Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop
5. Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs
6. Truly by Ruthie Knox (another one lost in the mists of my mind)
7. Rock Hard by Nalini Singh ( now this one I remember!)
8. The Martian by Andy Weir (what a great book, but I have no idea what to say about it!)
*****
There was a review of Opening Up by Lauren Dane over on Dear Author this morning and I'm really torn about trying this book.
On the one hand, as far as the plot, characters, etc. go, it sounds so good. On the other hand, Dane does write erotica, doesn't she? I'm not into BDSM so much (read not at all), but an erotica would make it hard to just skim the sex, wouldn't it? Otherwise, it sounds like a great story and may do for auto design what Joanna Wylde and Kristen Ashley did for motorcycles.
For right now, I've put it in my Amazon Wishlist and there it shall stay until I find out something definitive.
*****
I find myself collecting old favorites in e, despite the fact that I have most of them in hardcover. The latest is the Rhapsody series by Elizabeth Hayden.
And I've got a lot more Georgette Heyers in e than I had realized. One can never have too many Heyers, that's what I say.
Then there's Barbara Hambly, Catherine Cookson, Diana Gabaldon (but just the first three), Elizabeth Vaughan, Elizabeth Moon, J D Robb, Jennifer Crusie, Joshilyn Jackson, Judith Tarr, Kate Elliott (I love her Jaran series!),LaVyrle Spencer, Lisa Klepas and Loretta Chase and oh, so many, many more. I'll never get all the books I've loved in e; there are so many. And I don't have the time (I am an old fart, afterall) or the money to do it right.
Oh! Forgot Rosamund Pilcher! And Robin McKinley - why won't they release the Blue Sword in e?
*****
A confession.
I do know why I don't do "professional" reviews. It's because a good review requires you to think, plan and execute. Me? I don't think so much these days. I retired from thinking when I retired from the work force.
So I pay no attention to politics, right or left, I don't much care about all the 'isms' floating around. I want to lose myself in another world and forget about this one. Because really, nothing ever really changes, does it? The human condition is either boring or depressing and it's why I have to have a HEA these days.
Thankfully, I have a lot of portals to other worlds and I use them constantly. As I'm about to do now. :-)
I got a really neat idea: why not make a "Review" collection. Just add books I want to talk about here and I'd always have something to say. :-)
Not so much. *hangs head in shame*
My review collection now has eight books in it and many more I know I forgot to put in there. Quite a few of the eight books might as well be new territory to me because I've forgotten the story line, the characters and most everything else about them. And there's a couple I think I might have already talked about, but I can't remember and God forbid I remember to use tags/labels!
So, before I can talk about any book in my "Review" collection, I'll have to reread it and even then it'll be a near run thing that it ever see the light of Farts. What books are in there now?
1. Bound by Flames by Jeaniene Frost
2. The Unseen by Katherine Webb (can't remember a thing about this one)
2. The Deal by Elle Kennedy
4. Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop
5. Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs
6. Truly by Ruthie Knox (another one lost in the mists of my mind)
7. Rock Hard by Nalini Singh ( now this one I remember!)
8. The Martian by Andy Weir (what a great book, but I have no idea what to say about it!)
*****
There was a review of Opening Up by Lauren Dane over on Dear Author this morning and I'm really torn about trying this book.
On the one hand, as far as the plot, characters, etc. go, it sounds so good. On the other hand, Dane does write erotica, doesn't she? I'm not into BDSM so much (read not at all), but an erotica would make it hard to just skim the sex, wouldn't it? Otherwise, it sounds like a great story and may do for auto design what Joanna Wylde and Kristen Ashley did for motorcycles.
For right now, I've put it in my Amazon Wishlist and there it shall stay until I find out something definitive.
*****
I find myself collecting old favorites in e, despite the fact that I have most of them in hardcover. The latest is the Rhapsody series by Elizabeth Hayden.
And I've got a lot more Georgette Heyers in e than I had realized. One can never have too many Heyers, that's what I say.
Then there's Barbara Hambly, Catherine Cookson, Diana Gabaldon (but just the first three), Elizabeth Vaughan, Elizabeth Moon, J D Robb, Jennifer Crusie, Joshilyn Jackson, Judith Tarr, Kate Elliott (I love her Jaran series!),LaVyrle Spencer, Lisa Klepas and Loretta Chase and oh, so many, many more. I'll never get all the books I've loved in e; there are so many. And I don't have the time (I am an old fart, afterall) or the money to do it right.
Oh! Forgot Rosamund Pilcher! And Robin McKinley - why won't they release the Blue Sword in e?
*****
A confession.
I do know why I don't do "professional" reviews. It's because a good review requires you to think, plan and execute. Me? I don't think so much these days. I retired from thinking when I retired from the work force.
So I pay no attention to politics, right or left, I don't much care about all the 'isms' floating around. I want to lose myself in another world and forget about this one. Because really, nothing ever really changes, does it? The human condition is either boring or depressing and it's why I have to have a HEA these days.
Thankfully, I have a lot of portals to other worlds and I use them constantly. As I'm about to do now. :-)
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
My Head Just Exploded
You know that moment when someone mentions a book you adore and then rips it apart and your jaw is on the floor and you wonder what the hell that person was reading because it isn't the book you love?
Hellzapoppin, I think my brain quit on me.
Thing is, since Jane's disclosure of her Jen Frederick alter ego, I've not been visiting DA as I used to. But this morning I popped in and saw someone had made a comment on Lord of Scoundrels so I read the thread and I just fucking died.
Beside the hate for To Kill A Mockingbird (which is my all time favorite book ever ever ever) readers were eviscerating Lord of Scoundrels. Oh my God and What the Fuck?
So here's the thing: We currently live in 2015 in mostly civilized countries with electronics and Kim Kardashian and pizza. We're not living in historical times or with historical values. These books are about a time before Martin Luther King and psychiatry and today's social mores.
Why the fuck are they being judged like they were published yesterday?
And by the fucking way: To Kill a Mockingbird isn't at all about celebrating racism. Atticus Finch was fighting racism and trying to keep Tom from going to jail. Scout learned so much in that book and it was fucking brilliant. Remember the time it was written and stop judging it from your 2015 life. At the time it was ahead of its time.
And LoS... people hated Dain. Called him a bully and all sorts of horrible names. Disliked Jessica too because she was perfect and didn't grow enough in the book. Someone boo-fucking-hoo'd Dain for having a bad childhood. (Read the book again.... he had a tortured childhood and was lucky to have not offed himself as a child.)
I love LoS and it's one of my go-to reads (like Motorcycle man which I hated the first time I read it and Crazy For You which I read maybe four or five times a year because it's a perfect book).
I just can't do it anymore. I can't take these casual intellectual discussions about books I love. I can't read people hating what I love. So I'm done with it. Done with intellectuals. I'm declaring this space a smart-free zone. Take your college degrees and go away.
This space is for dummies like me. People who love books for what they are and not for some idealized world that didn't exist.
And if you have anything bad to say about my favorite books, do not leave a comment.
Hellzapoppin, I think my brain quit on me.
Thing is, since Jane's disclosure of her Jen Frederick alter ego, I've not been visiting DA as I used to. But this morning I popped in and saw someone had made a comment on Lord of Scoundrels so I read the thread and I just fucking died.
Beside the hate for To Kill A Mockingbird (which is my all time favorite book ever ever ever) readers were eviscerating Lord of Scoundrels. Oh my God and What the Fuck?
So here's the thing: We currently live in 2015 in mostly civilized countries with electronics and Kim Kardashian and pizza. We're not living in historical times or with historical values. These books are about a time before Martin Luther King and psychiatry and today's social mores.
Why the fuck are they being judged like they were published yesterday?
And by the fucking way: To Kill a Mockingbird isn't at all about celebrating racism. Atticus Finch was fighting racism and trying to keep Tom from going to jail. Scout learned so much in that book and it was fucking brilliant. Remember the time it was written and stop judging it from your 2015 life. At the time it was ahead of its time.
And LoS... people hated Dain. Called him a bully and all sorts of horrible names. Disliked Jessica too because she was perfect and didn't grow enough in the book. Someone boo-fucking-hoo'd Dain for having a bad childhood. (Read the book again.... he had a tortured childhood and was lucky to have not offed himself as a child.)
I love LoS and it's one of my go-to reads (like Motorcycle man which I hated the first time I read it and Crazy For You which I read maybe four or five times a year because it's a perfect book).
I just can't do it anymore. I can't take these casual intellectual discussions about books I love. I can't read people hating what I love. So I'm done with it. Done with intellectuals. I'm declaring this space a smart-free zone. Take your college degrees and go away.
This space is for dummies like me. People who love books for what they are and not for some idealized world that didn't exist.
And if you have anything bad to say about my favorite books, do not leave a comment.
Saturday, June 6, 2015
The Cowboy's Dick
So way back whenever, I was playing with book covers cause I like to do that instead of write or clean house, and I made a joke cover called The Cowboy's Dick.
I wrote the story. I had to. That cover deserved it.
So check above. Have a read. And don't stop coming here after you read it. Really.
I wrote the story. I had to. That cover deserved it.
So check above. Have a read. And don't stop coming here after you read it. Really.
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