Why it's Awesome to be a Nerd...

Wil Wheaton gives an infant girl a pep talk about being a nerd. This nerd loves this awesome video, and I had to share. Enjoy!




Have a great Thursday!

Fair Day 2

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This cartoon cracked me up. It's so true!

I have one cat who uses my hair as her bed. Two who uses my legs as both pillows and beds. All the things writing about the arms and hands describes how Yoda sees mine!

I spent most of the day finishing up the proposal revisions. I was working so hard I didn't realize until the late afternoon I was still wearing my jammies. After a quick shower and dinner, we headed back to the fair.

It was so chilly! I had a sweater. But it didn't keep me warm at all, and I was even in the dog barn! I'll be bringing a fleece jacket with me from now on. It's hard to believe it's August!

At the fair last night, I wrote a bit. I also read. I so love the book The Iron King by Julie Kagawa. It's published by Harlequin Teen and written in first person. I'm a little over halfway through it. I'll be taking it with me to fair this morning. Once I finish, I'll be passing it on to my oldest daughter. She's a big fantasy reader. I know she's going to love this!

I'll be rooting for Mackenna and Chaos in Dog Obedience at the fair this morning! It's not Chaos' best event who it's always a crap shoot as to what will happen. Fingers crossed it goes okay! Okay is about as good as she gets when it comes to Obedience!

Hope you have a great Wednesday!

Falling asleep with a good book...

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The last book I fell asleep with was my own. I was writing it. Oops. How about you?

Hope you have a good Monday!

To Be Read...

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With a November deadline looming, my reading time becomes a rare commodity. But that doesn't stop my TBR from growing. The kidlets have started adding books to the stack that they want me to read, too. I dream of taking an entire weekend and do nothing, but read. Someday...

Until then I'll gaze at the stack with longing and know I'll get to all the books eventually!

What's in your TBR pile? Anything you can't wait to dive into?

Random Wednesday

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Rocket wanted me to post the above LOLcat. He said time was drawing near and you'd understand.

Let's help out blog reader Anne-Catherine, who used to post comments as Rottie_mom. Go to Dori's Backyard and vote for her dog Patachou in the 2009 Smiley Fest. There are four polls and Patachou is in the first one. Thanks!

I finished all the Twilight series books. The last two books did not change my initial opinion at all. As I posted last week about the first two, I do see why they might appeal to readers, and many of my friends love them, but I cannot suspend disbelief to enter the author's world.

You see, when I was 18, the same age as Bella in the last three books, I was stalked. It was a horrible, scary time and some of Edward's behavior is so similar it's frightening. Imagine no matter where you go, day or night, the same person is always there watching you, sometimes close, sometimes far, but always there. You get your mail one day, and there's a letter. He knows way more about you than he should, and you realize even when you can't see him he's with you. He also talks about the future, your future with him. This person wants to be with you, only you, forever.

Though Twilight fans have rolled their eyes or sighed saying I just don't get it or that I'm taking the books way too seriously, I see nothing loving or protecting in Edward's behavior. Their relationship is not romantic, it's abusive. He's a sociapath and even the actor who plays him in the movie says Edward is creepy. Enough said.

It's another crazy, hectic Wednesday. I have a similar schedule to a couple of years ago, and I get tired just looking at the day ahead. I suppose it's better one day is like this, instead of say, five, but I've been dragging a bit this week. Better make sure I get my pages done before I have to head out and not wait until tonight!

Hope you have a great day!

Spy

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I wish for once my furbabies could sit this closely!

Not much to say. I was out most of yesterday. By the time I got home around 6:30 pm, I was wiped out. I managed a couple pages, but that was it. I was even too tired to read!

Today I don't have to be anywhere until 3. I plan to use the time to catch up on the things that didn't get done yesterday! Including pages.

Did anyone read the Twilight series? A friend of mine, Kelly, loaned me the first two, which I have now finished. I understand the appeal to any female under the age of oh, twenty-four, especially if high school was a difficult time for them, but even then I'm scratching my head at why people, make that women, think these books are so romantic.

An emotionally abusive 107 year old undead stalker and a 17 year old girl without an ounce of self-esteem or personality who happens to smell good?

Personally I'd stake the vampire and go for the werewolf. Who wants to cuddle with a freezing cold marble stone, when you could curl up next to some furry heat? But maybe that's just me!

Want to know what I'm reading?

Go here. I'm the guest blogger at the Pink Heart Society today!

Thanks for all your well wishes. I'm still under the weather, but hoping to see improvement soon. Of course, I can totally relate to this LOLcat given all the doctors and things I've dealt with since my skiing accident in May.


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I really am trying to kick whatever I have on my own. Like Templeton, I don't want to go back to the doctors!

Have a nice day!

Guilty Secrets

I recently received an email about the UK's World Book day. They are running a special campaign called guilty secrets. Readers can vote for their guilty secret reading pleasure. That is, the books they most enjoy reading, but don't like telling people about!

Mills & Boon, my publisher is listed as one of the author options so if you enjoy reading Harlequins, a vote for them would be most appreciated. They are up against some heavy hitters such as JK Rowling and Grisham. You can vote here. Thanks!

Random Thursday

I've finished four of my eight RITA books as my reading binge continues. It's a mixed bag of genres with a couple of authors I've been meaning to read so am happy to finally do so. Thanks for letting me know what you're reading in the comment section. I will be looking into a couple of those books once I finish the rest of my RITA pile!

On the writing front, we (the four continuity authors) should hear something about the new continuity soon. Maybe as soon as tomorrow! And when that happens, my JaNoWriMo book will go on the backburner completely. But not working on it this past couple of weeks has actually given me a lot of insight into the 10K words I have on it. I now know how I want to open it and how to make those beginning chapters so much stronger!

My burn is feeling better. Thanks for the well-wishes! I was putting something into the oven (not my oven) and burned the top of my hand. I've been putting stuff on it and, fingers crossed, hope it's looking better this morning.

Sad news from Mount Hood again. A thirty-one year old woman, who was climbing with her husband, got hit with a chunk of ice, fell four hundred feet and died yesterday. According to news reports, the accident happened near the spot where the same thing happened to my friend on Saturday. Ice fall was one of the things the PMR guys who helped me with research told me could have taken out the two climbers in the prologue of Rescued by the Magic of Christmas.

Any random things from your corner of the world you want to share?

Reading Time

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That picture just cracked me up! Last night I burned the top of my left hand. It's pretty nasty looking with a nickel sized blister. A good thing I'm on a reading binge right now rather than a writing one!

My RITA books arrived. Every year the Romance Writers of America put on a contest for published authors called the RITA. The judges are published authors. I like to get them done right away, especially when I know I'll be working toward a deadline very, very soon.

So far I've read two books, both new to me authors. I'm on my third and enjoying my reading time so much! Usually reading turns into a low priority when I'm really into working on a book.

I can't say what books I've read, but what about you? What are you reading right now?

The Life of a Writer

I always say being a writer is the best job ever. I get paid to do what I love...write. But sometimes it's not so wonderful (say, deadline time or the beginning of a book) and I wonder why I've chosen this profession.

This picture sums up those times perfectly:


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Yes, characters do talk to you. And sometimes you don't like what they say. Here's my most recent scenario...

Hero: Give me amnesia.

Me: What?

Hero: Don't have me remember meeting the heroine.

Me (off to google amnesia to see if it's actually plausible): There's something called retrograde amnesia, but that means you probably suffered brain damage. It's not going to work.

Hero: Come on. Would I lead you astray? Just try it.

Me (after writing ten pages of a hero with amnesia): I told you it wouldn't work.

Hero: No worries. I'm still a hottie and you love me.

Me: Sigh...

And then there's always the brainstorming an idea part of a writer's life. I found this clip on the Pink Heart Society blog and thought it was hilarious.



Okay, back to the story! I've fallen behind in my reading once again. It always happens when I start a new manuscript. What are you reading right now?

Carpal Tunnel Strategies

A while back a few of you asked what hints/suggestions I'd received to help me deal with the CTS during deadline. Here's what I found helpful.

Please note: I still haven't seen a doctor so I have no idea whether these are actually sound practices or not, but they helped me get through a grueling two weeks at the keyboard.

1. Ergo Keyboard - this was the item that improved my hands the most. A climber on a forum I belong to gave me this link. Hubby had it sent next day delivery and it wasn't quite immediate relief, but close enough. A couple other climbers recommended other keyboards but they were too expensive not knowing whether it would work or not.

2. Hand exercises - the same climber who gave me the link to the keyboard also said I should warm up for 5 minutes before long spells of typing using these. They really helped from the get go and have become part of my routine now.

3. Wrist braces - I wear them when I sleep and at the height of the pain was wearing them two hours on, one hour off. I have yet to get back to work on a new book but will use them as I type for part of the time until my hands have healed.

4. Redoing work area - I was writing in bed on my iBook or on the couch or wherever I could find quiet. Hubby set me up on a table with a chair at the correct height. This was the first thing we did and like the keyboard helped right away.

5. Limiting keyboard time - this was the hardest. I stopped blogging and doing whatever wasn't related to the book. Thanks to blogger scheduling, I had most of my Wedding Planner posts at least drafted so just had to finish those up. I'm still trying to limit my time since I still have lingering symptoms.

6. Massaging arms and hands - a writer had told me to look for any sore spots and rub them hard. I tried that, but then went a step further thanks to my oldest who decided to open her own "spa" called the Lava Sun Spa. She would come to me with her bucket of spa equipment and rub my arms and hands with lotion.

7. Limiting activities - I took a break from climbing. I didn't think I could safely belay a partner. Now I feel I can. Amy had asked how this was affecting my working out. I also cut back crossfit to twice a week and we only used PVC pipes, little to no weight. Funny, but these non-weight workouts really kicked my butt. I also had to drop out of boot camp which is starting tonight. My hands couldn't take it five nights in a row.

On Friday: 2 400m runs, 1 burpee to plank position (no push-up), 5 lunges down Martin Luther King Blvd during rush hour traffic and the broad jumps all the way back.

On Last Wednesday: 800m run with squats and good mornings, practice all lifts with pvc pipe. WOD: 3 rounds - run/sprint, 15 - 10# medicine ball wall toss

I can't remember my other workouts which is why I post them here so I can keep a record. Oh well!

If the symptoms don't go away completely, I will see a doctor. But so far, self-care has worked pretty well. And spending the weekend away at camp with no keyboards in sight was a big help. Plus I got tons of sleep and even managed to read most of a book I've been dying to read, Garden Spells. Only 80 more pages to go. I'm planning to finish it tonight!

How was your weekend?

Year of Reading

Here's a clip I think all you readers out there might enjoy!



Want to play the same game in comments? Post a sentence or phrase from whatever you're reading in the comment section.