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Life 'n Stuff
Dec. 2nd, 2008 10:54 amSo I skipped working out this morning, but, for the first time in several months, all my websites are updated. And, if you happen to also be a Tate Hallaway fan, you will be perhaps pleased to know that you can now pre-order a copy of her May 2009 release DEAD IF I DO via Amazon.com. (Whoot.) Also, should you like to read a excerpt of the first chapter (which, if I do say so myself, is one of the funniest I've ever written), you can do so at Tate's site: http://www.mninter.net/~sprounds/Tate_excerpt[4].html
In a few minutes, I'm off to the Sprawl of America to do some early Christmas returns. There was a couple of mix-ups with pre-ordered presents, (which I can't list here since Mason can read.) So, anyway, wish me luck. I'm not looking forward to it because the Mall is an epicenter of the Dark Side of the Force, but, you know, it's also really convenient (as all evil truly is.)
Our anniversary celebration was very pleasant if, by some standards, low-key. Shawn had to work so I took her out to lunch at our favorite Indian buffet in Maplewood. I bought her a bunch of roses (two red to symbolize the two decades we've been together, plus three more for the years, and one white one for our FUTURE), as well as a small box of chocolates. Lately, Shawn's been collecting jeweled animal boxes and I'd previously purchased several via Smithsonian, so she got the wren box, as well, (which is honestly my personal favorite, outside of the TICK, of course. No really, they had a jeweled tick. We named it Pheobe.)
But speaking of writing, I've been very remiss in telling all y'all that if you're interested in my short story work, you can now also purchase TOTU #29 which features, among other great work by writers far more skilled than I, my "couch story." The Van Buylen Effect, aka the couch story was written several years ago ("do you remember the 90s, Bob?") and was inspired by a photo that ran in Entertainment Weekly when the movie "Micheal Collins" came out. Shawn and I both looked at this photo of a British regiment with their long-range guns resting on a barricade of broken furniture and whatnot and said, "Wow, check out that couch." So I wrote a story in which a woman goes back in time to rescue that very couch. It's a story of love, transformation, the 1916 Easter Uprising, and, of course, antique bargain hunting.
It is one of my more flawed stories, but, in some ways, it contains a nugget of the single most science fictional concept I've ever envisioned -- that is that history can't be changed, but history can change a person. Read it -- see if I really pulled it off (I have my doubts.)
My thanksgiving was fairly awesome. The Jacksons came all the way from Colorado and they are always great to have around. Mason ADORED having other kids around, even though the Jacksons are much older than he. But, they're like a second family, which is good since Shawn and her brother and I are still not speaking (see earlier friend's locked entry) and having family around for the holidays is nice. But, my nephew Jonathan came and helped us put together a puzzle and put away a thiry pound turkey. I cooked everything, including making French bread from scratch -- I'd complain about slaving away in the kitchen, but the truth is, I love it, and most of the work was done by the oven, anyway. John taught me a new way to make turkey soup stock, and I actually got a lot of reading done, not only on T-day itself but throughout the whole vacation. So the whole thing was thumbs up.
Now I'm behind on my writing, so I may be somewhat absent here.
In a few minutes, I'm off to the Sprawl of America to do some early Christmas returns. There was a couple of mix-ups with pre-ordered presents, (which I can't list here since Mason can read.) So, anyway, wish me luck. I'm not looking forward to it because the Mall is an epicenter of the Dark Side of the Force, but, you know, it's also really convenient (as all evil truly is.)
Our anniversary celebration was very pleasant if, by some standards, low-key. Shawn had to work so I took her out to lunch at our favorite Indian buffet in Maplewood. I bought her a bunch of roses (two red to symbolize the two decades we've been together, plus three more for the years, and one white one for our FUTURE), as well as a small box of chocolates. Lately, Shawn's been collecting jeweled animal boxes and I'd previously purchased several via Smithsonian, so she got the wren box, as well, (which is honestly my personal favorite, outside of the TICK, of course. No really, they had a jeweled tick. We named it Pheobe.)
But speaking of writing, I've been very remiss in telling all y'all that if you're interested in my short story work, you can now also purchase TOTU #29 which features, among other great work by writers far more skilled than I, my "couch story." The Van Buylen Effect, aka the couch story was written several years ago ("do you remember the 90s, Bob?") and was inspired by a photo that ran in Entertainment Weekly when the movie "Micheal Collins" came out. Shawn and I both looked at this photo of a British regiment with their long-range guns resting on a barricade of broken furniture and whatnot and said, "Wow, check out that couch." So I wrote a story in which a woman goes back in time to rescue that very couch. It's a story of love, transformation, the 1916 Easter Uprising, and, of course, antique bargain hunting.
It is one of my more flawed stories, but, in some ways, it contains a nugget of the single most science fictional concept I've ever envisioned -- that is that history can't be changed, but history can change a person. Read it -- see if I really pulled it off (I have my doubts.)
My thanksgiving was fairly awesome. The Jacksons came all the way from Colorado and they are always great to have around. Mason ADORED having other kids around, even though the Jacksons are much older than he. But, they're like a second family, which is good since Shawn and her brother and I are still not speaking (see earlier friend's locked entry) and having family around for the holidays is nice. But, my nephew Jonathan came and helped us put together a puzzle and put away a thiry pound turkey. I cooked everything, including making French bread from scratch -- I'd complain about slaving away in the kitchen, but the truth is, I love it, and most of the work was done by the oven, anyway. John taught me a new way to make turkey soup stock, and I actually got a lot of reading done, not only on T-day itself but throughout the whole vacation. So the whole thing was thumbs up.
Now I'm behind on my writing, so I may be somewhat absent here.