Found this on a friend's blog and had to share. Such a cute little girl -- I gotta get me one of those.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Things we learned camping last weekend
Quick update: We did not vanish somewhere in New Mexico during our move to Texas, I did write 54,000 words in November, and we didn't actually go camping last weekend (it was November). But why delete a perfectly good post just because it's outrageously outdated?
I knew you'd understand.
* Caramel/vanilla swirl marshmallows are delicious. They taste roasted right out of the bag. Go get some!
* When you go camping, take whatever weather predictions have been made and quadruple their likelihood. So a 30 percent chance of rain would be 120 percent in camping land. That's about right.
* Despite all the dirt and bugs, there's something about nature that makes everything feel remarkably clean. Pure, even. Which is why we still ate our meat after it fell off the foil and into the mud.
* If you ever have the opportunity to stop at a Buc-ee's, you should do.
* Don't feel bad when all the Texans point and laugh at you (the former Utahns) for bringing too many coats and sweaters. You will be laughing in the morning, my friend.
* Nobody believes in roughing it and spending the night on the ground anymore. Ryan and I were the only ones who didn't have an inflatable mattress or blow-up bed inside our tent.
* You can keep a fire alive in the middle of a couple-hour long downpour, and your 4 lb. tin foil dinner can still burn crispy on a fire in the middle of that downpour.
* Never make fun of someone for making a 4 lb. tin foil dinner. Because when you're huddled inside a tent with 3 other adults, trying to eat the only dinner that didn't burn, you will be very grateful for the extra pounds.
Thanks, Julie and Doug, for bringing us along!
I knew you'd understand.
* Caramel/vanilla swirl marshmallows are delicious. They taste roasted right out of the bag. Go get some!
* When you go camping, take whatever weather predictions have been made and quadruple their likelihood. So a 30 percent chance of rain would be 120 percent in camping land. That's about right.
* Despite all the dirt and bugs, there's something about nature that makes everything feel remarkably clean. Pure, even. Which is why we still ate our meat after it fell off the foil and into the mud.
* If you ever have the opportunity to stop at a Buc-ee's, you should do.
* Don't feel bad when all the Texans point and laugh at you (the former Utahns) for bringing too many coats and sweaters. You will be laughing in the morning, my friend.
* Nobody believes in roughing it and spending the night on the ground anymore. Ryan and I were the only ones who didn't have an inflatable mattress or blow-up bed inside our tent.
* You can keep a fire alive in the middle of a couple-hour long downpour, and your 4 lb. tin foil dinner can still burn crispy on a fire in the middle of that downpour.
* Never make fun of someone for making a 4 lb. tin foil dinner. Because when you're huddled inside a tent with 3 other adults, trying to eat the only dinner that didn't burn, you will be very grateful for the extra pounds.
Thanks, Julie and Doug, for bringing us along!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Things I learned (so far) while writing a novel (so little)
If you didn't know (and I'm not sure how you would since I haven't posted here in a month), I'm participating in NaNoWriMo this month! This is the video that finally convinced me.
What I've learned so far:
*You will never, ever, not in a million years, ever read the draft that I finish this month. I may not even read it again. I'm estimating that I'll keep maybe, MAYBE 5 percent of it in the final manuscript (which adds up to most character names, the page numbers at the bottom -- those prob won't change, and a couple of paragraphs).
*I still prefer writing beginnings, but those middle parts are actually pretty fun. Still scared of the ending. How can you possibly live up to the build up? How can it ever be satisfying enough? Worth all that time?
*1667 words is a lot, but 3000 is a hecka lot more. Which is what I've had to do to catch up for all those nights I decided to skip.
*"I'll do it later" is never a good idea.
*Every three pages or so, I think to myself, maybe this would be a better place to start my novel. Where IS the best place to start a novel?
*Writers are a pretty impressive bunch. It takes so much more time and energy and emotion to write a novel than I ever imagined. Good reading = hard writing.
What I've learned so far:
*You will never, ever, not in a million years, ever read the draft that I finish this month. I may not even read it again. I'm estimating that I'll keep maybe, MAYBE 5 percent of it in the final manuscript (which adds up to most character names, the page numbers at the bottom -- those prob won't change, and a couple of paragraphs).
*I still prefer writing beginnings, but those middle parts are actually pretty fun. Still scared of the ending. How can you possibly live up to the build up? How can it ever be satisfying enough? Worth all that time?
*1667 words is a lot, but 3000 is a hecka lot more. Which is what I've had to do to catch up for all those nights I decided to skip.
*"I'll do it later" is never a good idea.
*Every three pages or so, I think to myself, maybe this would be a better place to start my novel. Where IS the best place to start a novel?
*Writers are a pretty impressive bunch. It takes so much more time and energy and emotion to write a novel than I ever imagined. Good reading = hard writing.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The book fair
Remember book fairs in elementary school? Best days of my life. So many brand new books. Brand new books and money. Money from mom and dad, cause everyone knows it's ok to spend money on books. I remember always having a hard time choosing between the "How to draw 50 dogs/horses/other animals" books (anyone?) and the Garfield/Calvin and Hobbes/Far Side comic books.
Clearly, I was born with great taste in literature.
Haven't been to a book fair in over a decade, but just yesterday I came across this.
And it's so much cooler than the title lets on. It's everything book: papermaking, letterpressing, bookbinding, free book appraising, rare book eyeing. Probably not a lot of Calvin and Hobbes reading, but this... this will be cool.
Five dollars to get in, and you better believe I will be there. Everyone knows it's ok to spend money on a book [fair].
Clearly, I was born with great taste in literature.
Haven't been to a book fair in over a decade, but just yesterday I came across this.
And it's so much cooler than the title lets on. It's everything book: papermaking, letterpressing, bookbinding, free book appraising, rare book eyeing. Probably not a lot of Calvin and Hobbes reading, but this... this will be cool.
Five dollars to get in, and you better believe I will be there. Everyone knows it's ok to spend money on a book [fair].
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Please excuse
But today was my last day in the office. Like I said, I'll be working remotely from Houston, but today was my last day to drive in so that I could see and work and laugh with my coworkers, who have become my dear friends.
They threw a going away lunch for me. It was perfect. They made delicious foods, we played bananagrams, they let me win once... you'd think it couldn't get better. But then they gave me sweet cards and said sweet things and gave me sweet hugs. Plus a travel pack for surviving the driving. (Did I mention it's a 24-hour drive?)
So please excuse the reminiscing, but I have to say thank you. Thank you and I'll miss you and please learn how to use video conferencing.
And please excuse if I'm still in pajamas when you do.
They threw a going away lunch for me. It was perfect. They made delicious foods, we played bananagrams, they let me win once... you'd think it couldn't get better. But then they gave me sweet cards and said sweet things and gave me sweet hugs. Plus a travel pack for surviving the driving. (Did I mention it's a 24-hour drive?)
So please excuse the reminiscing, but I have to say thank you. Thank you and I'll miss you and please learn how to use video conferencing.
And please excuse if I'm still in pajamas when you do.
Monday, October 11, 2010
and in the classifieds...
Just a few items looking for a good home. Pass it along to any good homes with space for a few items.
- surround sound stereo system and dvd player
- snowboard, boots, and bindings--size 11/12
- a used car! (said in your best rod roddy voice)
Thursday, October 7, 2010
I declare a time out
Let me set the stage for you.
We're in the middle of a volleyball game. In what is supposed to be a noncompetitive city league. Our team, made up of some of my favorite coworkers, is losing miserably. Our "noncompetitive" opponents, with their "bump set spikes" and their "overhand serves" and their excellent "coordination" are chewing up all our fun and slamming it in our faces. Fun? There will be no fun.
So I deal with it the only way I know how.
TIIIIIIIIIME OOOOOOOUUUUUUUT!
I'm screaming it. Waving my arms frantically in the air. Spinning a little.
The ref was confused and probably a little concerned, but it didn't work. He motions for the other team to continue with their serve. Meanwhile, our team has completely lost it. I'm laughing myself dizzy and can barely take another breath when Jenny finally signals to the ref (that's all it takes) and he calls a time out.
It was a little like this.
Anyway, now that we're only a week away from packing up the truck, I'm wishing I could call a timeout on life for a bit. Just to slow things down. Pull a Blossom or a Zack or any other early 90's TV show character who could freeze everyone else in place for a few minutes. Cause I like where I'm at and I like where I'm going, but it'd be nice to have a minute to enjoy the in between.
We're in the middle of a volleyball game. In what is supposed to be a noncompetitive city league. Our team, made up of some of my favorite coworkers, is losing miserably. Our "noncompetitive" opponents, with their "bump set spikes" and their "overhand serves" and their excellent "coordination" are chewing up all our fun and slamming it in our faces. Fun? There will be no fun.
So I deal with it the only way I know how.
TIIIIIIIIIME OOOOOOOUUUUUUUT!
I'm screaming it. Waving my arms frantically in the air. Spinning a little.
The ref was confused and probably a little concerned, but it didn't work. He motions for the other team to continue with their serve. Meanwhile, our team has completely lost it. I'm laughing myself dizzy and can barely take another breath when Jenny finally signals to the ref (that's all it takes) and he calls a time out.
It was a little like this.
Anyway, now that we're only a week away from packing up the truck, I'm wishing I could call a timeout on life for a bit. Just to slow things down. Pull a Blossom or a Zack or any other early 90's TV show character who could freeze everyone else in place for a few minutes. Cause I like where I'm at and I like where I'm going, but it'd be nice to have a minute to enjoy the in between.
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