Category: Misc

Shocking, but true

Darcy outed me (in the comments for yesterday’s post). It is my birthday today. This morning, when I was dropping the kids off at their summer program, Andrew–concerned about my advanced age–offered to buy me a Vitamin Water–with his own money. I told him it wasn’t necessary, that I had a vitamin for breakfast, along with orange juice, oatmeal, and soy yogurt. (I know, am I all about health or what?)

He remained unconvinced. Miss B was upset because she didn’t get me a present (the boys sneaked off to Kmart last night while the girls took a walk).

I got a lamp, which sounds like an odd gift. However, I have strange electrical current running through my body. I have short-circuited more lamps than most people will own in their lifetime. Shocking, but true. (Oh, I slay me.) So. I always pretty much need a new lamp.

I also received a milkshake maker, which suspiciously looks exactly like something Andrew would want. Funny how that worked out. But then, he also picked out a pretty pendant for me and some dark chocolate. (Again, I’m all about the health.)

So, another birthday? It’s all good.

Say what?

I have great affection for puns, misheard lyrics, and unintentionally funny typos. Once, when I was working on an installation guide, I meant to write: It does not. What I wrote was:

It’s doe snot.

Yeah. It keeps you humble. Below is a video courtesy of SBTB.

I’ve always like the Joe Cocker version of this song better than the Beatles version. Sacrilege? Probably. At least now I know all the words. I love how into the song he is. Granted, in this video, evidence suggests he’s into several other things as well. Still. Dude rocks this song.

Kyra’s at that age where she interprets lyrics/words her own way. Her version of the pledge:

… one nation, under God, invisible …

Not to mention the major confusion with “liberty and justice for all” since she had a preschool friend named Liberty and Andrew has a friend named Justice. You try explaining.

This year, at her summer program, she’s learning all sorts of old camp standards. You may remember this one:

Got this little piece of tin
Nobody knows what shape it’s in
Got four wheels and a running board
It’s a Ford, oh, it’s a Ford.

Here’s Kyra’s version:

Got this little piece of Tim …

Ah, yes. The young Hannibal Lecter attends summer camp. Good times.

Of edits and things

So, some of you were wondering where I was that strangers hand me Godiva chocolates. It was lunch hour. I’d just mailed something at the post office, stopped at the ATM, and I was cutting through Macy’s. Because that’s easier than walking around Macy’s. Plus, when you walk through Macy’s, strangers hand you Godiva chocolate.

Then I went back to my desk and ate my PB&J and the banana I brought for lunch.

I have a short story up at The Long and the Short of It. it is absolutely, positively pure romance. It’s also very sweaty. You’ve been warned.

Darcy and I are working on edits. Actually, Darcy is making a sandwich. I’m supposed to be thinking about edits. Am I? Sure. I can think and type a blog entry at the same time. (Shhh. Don’t tell Darcy.)

As added incentive, our editor (!!!) sent us the cover concept today. Sadly, we can’t share it yet, but we may be able to as soon as later this month. But right now? It’s my desktop wallpaper.

And there’s something totally surreal about that.

2008 maiden voyage

So, we took the canoe out today. Or more accurately, Bob and Andrew took the canoe out. Kyra and I acted as support (really, not as much fun as going down the rapids backwards, but more on that later).

First, if you’re taking the canoe out, you have to clean it.

We drove up to the headwaters of Minnehaha Creek, which sounds exotic, but is only a few miles away. We launched the boys, then Kyra and drove back to wait for them.

Kyra with Lake Minnetonka in the background.

Canoeing is no laughing matter. It is serious business.

The launch. Let’s wish them luck.

Not even an ice cream from Dairy Queen can compensate for being left behind.

The mighty return.

It was at this point where they decided to go further and it was just after this point they nearly met their match with the rapids. I’m sure raising their paddles in the air had nothing to do with it. There were rocks, spinning around, and going down the rapids backwards. Discovery: Our canoe is more of a lake canoe.

Second discovery: Going down the rapids backwards = bragging rights.

Random thoughts on invisible babies and Enchanted

So, despite claims that Miss B did not miss her brother this weekend (who was away on a Boy Scout campout on an island–how cool is that?), she invented several invisible siblings to keep her company.

Somehow, I birthed all these invisible babies this weekend, along with taking Miss B to ballet, vacuuming up all the dog hair (not as easy as it sounds), editing fifty pages of MacKenna, and so on. Can I multi-task or what?

We started out with Makayla, added Jake, then Rosie and Sarah. Miss B was the proud and busy big sister.

And you know what? Invisible babies are still a lot of work. And I kept sitting/stepping on them, too. (Mommy! No! That’s where Jake is!)

Then Andrew came home and the babies faded to the background. Kyra still denies missing her brother.

We also watched Enchanted this weekend. Okay, it’s probably just me, but I was underwhelmed. It got great reviews. Parts were cute/funny. I really enjoyed the Central Park dance number.

But. It seemed like that’s all it was: cute/funny parts that somehow didn’t make a satisfying whole. Plus, I felt Patrick Dempsey underplayed his part. McDreamy? More like McComatose.

But you know, Miss B, the born romantic, was also meh about it too. She didn’t understand the ending, and she has a fairly sophisticated sense of story for a five year old. I mean, she understood Roman Holiday and that Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn couldn’t be together. Oh, sure, she leaned against me and sobbed for a bit (told you she was a born romantic), but she understood.

Enchanted, not so much. And she didn’t seem to care, either. Again, I’m sure it’s a me/us thing, and we’ll be soundly beat about the head and shoulders for not liking it. Bring it on.

Geek is the new black

You want one. You know you do. Okay, so I want one (and recently ordered one). Darcy and I were thinking this might make a pretty snazzy promo item for when The Geek Girl’s Guide to Cheerleading comes out next summer.

What do you think?

(And if you crave one and can’t wait for us to start giving them away, you can always get your own here.)

Snippets from our week

The batteries in the programmable thermostat finally gave out, after possibly a year of the message: Replace batteries soon! It’s the sort of thermostat you can pull off the wall, which I did only to hear a gasp behind me and Kyra saying: “Mommy! What have you done?”

Andrew made a terrific Pirate #4 in the sixth grade musical version of Treasure Island. They had four performances, two casts (the cast that doesn’t perform sings in the chorus), and a very busy week. Kyra has seen three of the four performances (the last one’s tonight). She keeps referring to Long John Silver as “Long Jeans.” When the chorus sings: “Eat, drink, and let’s be merry,” she sings her own version: “Eat, drink, and let’s get married.”

There’s a downside to tossing your manuscript in the air. When you’re done, you have to put it back in order again. Actually, it’s not that bad, but for continuity and sanity’s sake, I’m putting the pages in numeric order before I start keying in the changes. Would I do it again? Without question. It was a great exercise and a great way to edit.

I’ve published twenty books this week, some of them multiple times, some of the multiple times in the same day. I’m telling you, technical writer = nonstop fun.

Winning on Mother’s Day

Thanks to Random.org, I was able to draw a number without assistance from the smaller members of the household (who are still asleep). The winner of Oh. My. Gods.by Tera Lynn Childs is:

Marianne!

Hooray, Marianne! The book will wing its way to you ASAP.

In Mother’s Day news, yesterday Andrew and Bob sneaked off to Target under the guise of going to GameStop. This morning, I am the proud owner of what may be a metric ton of chocolate. Seriously. I have enough chocolate, all sitting in a very nice (faux) leather magazine rack/tote to last until next Mother’s Day.

Plus, a funny homemade card from Andrew. Plus, I know Belgium waffles are in my future (new waffle maker “hiding” in the kitchen, a bottle of maple syrup, and so on). Andrew so wanted me to sleep in this morning (I think so he can provide breakfast in bed), but everyone else gets up so late. I tried to explain that the early morning quiet is like a Mother’s Day gift.

Maybe I’ll sneak back to bed. Just this once.