Wednesday, June 30, 2004

Pyrexia, Unknown Etiology

I finished this story tonight. I would like to thank A. for his encouragement. (If you read the story you will know why that is kind of a joke) I was flustered when I realized the story was yet another take on the existence after death and thought I was getting kind of one note but he had nothing but reasons to keep on writing.

I am going to resubmit my Coraline piece for the Neil Gaiman Reader. It's funny because I swore I would not let myself rewrite it and now that is all I can think about. Freaking writers are never satisfied.

Sunday, June 27, 2004

Something I wrote to a friend where I am rambling about writing:

I wrote something today and I have no idea where it is going to go. It might not go anywhere. That thing for Fisher didn't really go anywhere but still magically seemed to work on some level. The only thing that bothers me is I do seem like all I write about these days is dead people. Oh sure they are pretty much all still existing on some level but really, why is it all so one note? It's so frustrating because I am still forgetting things that I want to do.

Ages ago I was going to start this children's book series with my friend and it would be called the Renn Fair Five but it never happened. Then I was thinking about how much I love Edward Eager and I was thinking I would like to write some accessible magical books.

By that I guess I think of JK Rowling as not accessible. Her characters are almost in this caste system. You do have some who were not born into this system but they are frowned upon.

But Edward Eager's magic can happen to anyone and that is the beauty of it. You pick up a nickel and the next thing you know you are in a desert being kidnapped by a sorry looking fellow with some moth-eaten camels. So I had the idea for the opening of something and then I forgot it totally.

Tuesday, June 22, 2004

Lollapalooza is cancelled. How downright sucky is that? Pretty darn.

Sunday, June 20, 2004

Still in a dreamy state and maybe that is just as well.

Sadly my vision has rapidly deteriorated in my left eye over the weekend. I'm kind of worried about it so I'm going to try to get in to see the specialist this week before Chris leaves. I keep thinking how so many people with this end up blind in one eye even with treatment and then I get nervous and hyperventilate and have to put my head down.

I keep thinking about this great horse that used to up at Jeannie's. She lost an eye in an accident. For some reason when horses go blind they tend to lose the other after. She lost both her eyes. I don't mean blind I mean no eyes at all.

She was kind of shocking to look at until you got used to her. But she was so kind and willing and I loved her so much. She could do anything a sighted horse could do. You could even jump her although I never understood how that worked.

The last time we saw her before Jeannie moved away we were up there and we were all playing in the field and Chris vaulted up on her back and rode her around, his eyes closed, his arms out at his sides like a scarecrow, hands loose and flopping, the sun shining down and the flowers blooming and this sense nothing bad could ever happen again.

Thursday, June 17, 2004

Keepin the faith

Chris went to Kentucky to go to Bonnaroo this last week. He came home very hyper, happy, sick and sunburnt. He had loads of fun, met a lot of great people and lost his wallet.

Bonnaroo puts the lost and founds up on their site but it's still a little too soon for them to be listing stuff.

Chris was just going out the door to go to the MVA and get a new driver's license when the overnight delivery truck pulled up with a package for him.

A Mr. Allen found his wallet and sent it to him overnight with a nice note enclosed. Not only was his money and all his id still in it but so was the monkey he drew that he carries everywhere. Mind you this wallet looks like a piece of junk, duct tape is holding it together, but Mr. Allen treated it like it was Gucci and wrapped it in padding before he sent it.

A perfect ending to a great festival. Thanks Mr. Allen.

Tuesday, June 15, 2004

In which the kids and I meet some interesting people at the ER
Cullen came running in here last night around 7, this weird yellow colour and fainting because he was cutting some wood for a friend to make a staff and he cut his thumb down to the bone. I took him over to Nighttime Pediatrics but they wouldn't see me because Chris had their insurance card and he was at Bonneroo.

We ended up at the ER until 2 AM. George Bush Sr sewed up Cul's thumb and gave him a tetanus shot. I'm pretty sure it was really the ex President because not only did he recap his needle after injecting Cullen but then he couldn't find the paperwork and starting digging barehanded in the biohazard trashcan. Only someone who is not a medical professional would something that scary.

While we were waiting to see the doctor this man started talking to us. He asked right away if the kids dad had hurt them and if that is why he wasn't at the ER with us. Cul said no, we're divorced and his dad is doing his National Guard duty. The guy asked me if I had a boyfriend and when the kids said no he yelled at me for not having one.

He kept calling me grrl, I don't know how he knew my name, and telling me there is no way I can support the kids on my own and finally asked how I did it. I was flummoxed by the question and said we do it by working as a team and sticking together.

Then he asked if he could live with me. But there is more, he would pay 600 a month. And he wouldn't be around long enough to scare the kids, he is just waiting to die and promises not to live long enough to be annoying. Then he had a pizza delivered to the kids over my protests.

This other lady came running over and started stroking my arm telling me how much she loves purple. Then she told me all about her Daddy and their horses and junkyard and how to get there and how many barrel racing trophies she has. When she went away Cul said she was really annoying and I said she was really drunk.

Then the son of the guy who wanted to come live with us started telling us about his days as a drug runner across the Mexican border and how his dad was addicted to stadol for 13 years and had to put his own doctor in prison. Good times.

Theme Music

I've had this odd series of action dreams where I have the same song playing in the background. Today I was showing the quest for the rest to the kids and I realized the song is from the upcoming Polyphonic Spree album called Together We're Heavy.

.....


I bought a ticket to Lollapalooza. I bought a ticker to Counting Crows and I bought two tickets for Chris and I to go see Phantom of the Opera and we have plans to go see Les Miz in NYC as soon as we can afford it. Since Neil is not touring this year we have to plan our culture elsewhere.

Sunday, June 13, 2004

Geekdom!

Ha ha I am such a geek. Not only am I at the top of the Geek hierarchy but I am about to pass out with excitement because I finally signed up to be a beta tester of google's new email system. It's positively swimming with swoony goodness.

Saturday, June 12, 2004

In which I am confused by men's furnishings

I was out buying clothing for my kids today. I don't think that I have been away from shopping so long that everything changed but I guess it did.

I was looking at boxers and out of the corner of my eye I see "Automatic retracting dog leash with light!" Umm okay, yes boxers are a kind of dog but not the kind I am perusing.

While I wait for the littler (of course one is taller than I am but he is still littler than Chris) ones to come out from trying on swim trunks I go and look for socks. Chris is on his feet all day and the little ferret took all my new balance marathon socks because they are so comfy. Then he took all the socks I got from when I was in the hospital. Then he took my punk rock socks with the spiders on them. I don't think I have any socks at all now.

I want to get him some more really good socks. I don't see any that say "standing all day until you want to cry? These are the socks for you!" so I am squashing them trying to decide which ones seem to be the thickest when I see that Joe Boxer no longer makes socks. Now they produce Foot Coverings.

What is that? A foot covering is what I get when I walk through a muddy field. I can't get over how pretentious the whole foot covering concept is so I retaliate by not buying any at all. That will teach Joe.

But really why were they selling dog leashes in the underwear section?

Wednesday, June 09, 2004

Misreading

I read this:

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but I read it as Dairyland and thought I could get my own little virtual dairy and play with cows and such but alas I am simply illiterate.

Tuesday, June 08, 2004

Thriller

I've got this idea for a thriller. My friend A. was helping me think it through. It could be good. It is sort of about what I am afraid will happen and more details will be forthcoming when, hopefully, nothing happens.

I wrote the first 200 words today. Not much I know but I love it when I am doing something else and all of a sudden I hear dialogue and see my character walking around. I think I did a good job establishing her so far.

Old comics

One of the most entertaining things about rereading all my comics is the ads in the oldest ones. From ads for gear "like OJ has!" to ye old Charles Atlas kick sand in your face they are too much fun for words.

My favourites though are the smokin' state o the art video consoles that feature games with three, that's right THREE, levels and are for colecovision and Atari. "Is there too much action for even Spider-Man?"

*swoon*

Some things I don't like are the costume in the Marvel Team Up featuring Iron Man. Why does my friendly neighbourhoods Spidey have a black costume that he can change with his mind? The reason I love me my Spider-Man is because he is not perfect. He's a poor confused schmoe like me.