You'll Be a Song I'll Sing

 I found my $70 store credit for Barnes and Noble last weekend and spent some time browsing the tables and some of the aisles.  I was very tempted to splurge but thought better of it since the ole birthday is coming up soon.  All I bought was a magazine.

I've been itching to read something though I'm not certain what that something might be.  The last book I read was ErRatic by N.D. Hansen-Hill.  It was a .pdf version and I have to admit it's nice being able to read a book while waiting in line somewhere without weighing my purse down anymore than necessary.

It's been nearly a week since my last update but I have not fallen off the face of the earth.

Last Saturday I did this. Sunday we celebrated Mother's Day by going to church and having lunch with my in-laws. Later that night my parents came over since my dad was to have surgery at a nearby hospital on Monday morning. My in-laws came over to see my parents and all six of us had dinner at Northstar.

On Monday morning Sammy went berserk when my mom woke up early. Unbeknownst to us, she'd fallen out of the guest bed, scraped her hand, banged up her knee and nearly broke her nose. She said it was the most comfortable bed she'd slept in for years. I was so exhausted from so little sleep I called in to work and slept most of the morning. In the afternoon I did go to the hospital to see my Dad. Monday night my brother and his wife came over to have Chinese food with us and Mom. It was their first visit to our house. Monday night Mom slept on the couch. Dad's surgery went well and he was released on Tuesday. My brother and his wife took my parents home that afternoon.

Wednesday night I was planning on seeing Amy Bloom speak but I was just so tired from having company, I took my laptop to the Grandview library and wrote. Spent the rest of the evening at home.

Last night was busy and a late evening. I don't remember if I mentioned it or not, but someone backed up into my husband's car in the parking garage and tore up part of the grill and headlight. We picked up the car in the morning. The body shop did the repairs, fixed a sideview mirror (we said we'd pay separate for it) and cleaned up some paint scrapes on the side and on the bumper. It looked better than before the accident and it cost less than the estimate. After work I went to the Terry Moore talk at the Wexner Center. About 100 people attended. I had him sign the first issue of Echo. One of the girls/women gave him her Katchoo license plate which had expired two years ago. He was so excited! He's one of the most gracious signers I've ever met. Terry spoke to everyone and signed whatever they wanted. Strangers in Paradise was a comic I connected with because the women were drawn realistically. Francine would go up and down in weight and Terry showed it with some extra fat around the face which is more subtle and realistic than showing her as a size 2 (which Francine could never be) in one issue and then a size 22 in another.

Afterwards we had dinner at one of the best restaurants in town. By best I mean where the chef cares about the food and uses fresh ingredients. I was worried about being in jeans but Jeff was in jeans and so was Terry. There were eight of us total and Vijaya joined us later. It was the last night of the Columbus Symphony (supposedly forever though they're advertising two more shows this month) and Yo-Yo Ma was the guest performer. The restaurant closes at 10pm but we were there until nearly midnight. I ate too much and dessert sent me over the edge into colon spasms which ended up okay but really had me worried there in the restaurant. (I don't think it was the sweetness of the maple syrup creme brulee - I think it was from eating very little during the day and then a lot in three hours.)

Two of the guys at work today were talking about marriage (one is in a wedding this weekend and attending a wedding next weekend). And the one who was saying negative looks over at me and said, "Not you, Amber. Nothing like that applies to you." He went on to say, "You and your husband are really happy together and it shows." We have misunderstandings and miscommunications just like other couples but we know we're in it for the long haul and it's too much of a fun ride to try and get off early.

Due to all this family time I've gotten behind in my goal of writing a short story a day during the month of May. I'm at 6 completed stories, 1 is 3/4s completed and another barely started. Wish me luck! We have company coming from out of town tomorrow. :)

In case you didn't guess, I'm back to the ordinary.

Sweeps officially begins tomorrow so the day job will be very busy!

While on vacation I finished a book that I'd been reading for a review.  Monday at home was so relaxing I began writing the review right away instead of putting it off for the book to digest.

This week at work I was given two similar projects which are going to cut into my time to do my regular work. The best I can think of to accomplish them in a timely fashion is to block time out of my calendar to doing nothing but working on the projects. Timing isn't the best though, since I'm supposed to begin training on the monitoring room this week during the afternoon - afternoon is the best time to work on projects, of course.

Wednesday evening I did get some writing done on two short stories I've been working on the last few weeks. I tried revising a short story that I've been working on for... forever, it seems. I may just send it off this week to one of the markets I chose as a target. During the week I had a revelation on how to finish one of the new short stories.

Friday evening I saw Snow Angels which I highly recommend. I recommend David Gordon Green's movie, Úndertow, as an example of a literary movie. Snow Angels is based on the novel by Stewart O'Nan. David came on board to write a screenplay adapted from the novel for another director and eventually he wound up as the director.

I've enjoyed the cheese factor of the Underworld movies and this really shows a different side of Kate Beckinsale than usual. Sam Rockwell is, as always, the bomb.

David Gordon Green introduced the movie and took questions afterwards. Some of his upcoming projects include a demolition derby comedy, an adaptation of The Dwarf and a remake of Dario Argento's Suspiria. That's some crazy all over the place kind of stuff right there. I can't blame him though - you have to keep your work interesting. I did get to meet him and shake his hand but didn't go out for drinks/dinner as Sammy needed tending. I think Sammy was at the tenth or eleventh hour from his morning walk.

I went to a birthday party today for a one-year-old relative. It was fun and casual. Strangely enough, all of the kids were well behaved and I thought, "I want one of those." Of course, I wasn't paying too much attention to the kids so my point of view is likely skewed.

Unbeknownst to me, March 2nd through the 8th is Read An Ebook Week. The link takes you to 30 benefits of ebooks.

The first Ebook I read was The Unseen by T.C. McMullen. I kept a .pdf file of the book on my Palm. It was easy to read when it was dark out due to the light from the Palm screen and it was convenient for reading when I found myself with little chunks of time available.

Nothing can replace the feel of a nice book in my hands, though.

The conversation with Spike Lee went well last night. The weather kept quite a few people away. Our seats were good. :) After seeing James McBride I have a few more books to add to my Amazon Wish List. I actually talked to people at the reception that I knew independently of my husband. And I drank a little too much; three champagne glasses and one glass of chardonnay. My next door neighbors were asleep when we got home last night but I thanked them profusely for clearing the sidewalk in front of our houses for it made the evening walk much simpler when I wasn't walking through slush. There is a huge snowman across the street. Sammy was frightened of it last night but after I touched it a few times and put his carrot nose back on, Sammy was okay with it. He even licked the side (which had some egg shells stuck in the snow).

The alarm was set for 8am instead of 6:45am but Sammy woke me at 5:30am. I couldn't sleep comfortably after that. The snow that had turned into rain and is now frozen over was uncomfortable to walk on. As the hours pass I become a little more lucid and wonder if I woke up this morning still a little drunk.

Yesterday was stressful at work so I hope today is much better.

The December issue of Niteblade was published a few days ago. You'll find my review of Griffin's Daughter written by Leslie Ann Moore. Enjoy!

Nothing new to report today.  After work I returned something to Best Buy, went to Cord Camera (so new pictures of Sammy can be posted!), and stopped by the grocery store to pick up the last items I needed to finish Thanksgiving goodies.

Finished one of the books I'm reviewing and will start reading the other one tomorrow.

Hmmm. For a mere $500 donation I can get published in The Believer. It may be the only way.

Why do I find this amusing? Because Dave Eggers has been on my mind the last few days. He's been in town and did a reading today and tomorrow. OSU picks a book for the freshman class to read and this year it's What Is The What which I don't believe I have yet. (Gotta whittle down those 100+ unread books, you know.) Valentino Achak Deng was able to join Eggers for this evening's event.

Resident Evil took a long time to get to the end. It was an interesting ride but had some cliches of course.

I didn't see the best copy of Pirates of the Caribbean: at World's End but I thought it was okay. I did like the Calypso storyline and how it continued through to the end.

Chalk is a mockumentary about teachers. 50% of first time teachers quit in the first three years. It was slightly absurd but in a funny way. If you want a laugh that has something along with it then this is a movie to see.

When I heard The Hunting Party starred Richard Gere and Terence Howard my first thought was "What an odd pairing". It's based on the true story of four journalists who set out to find one of the world's most wanted war criminals, the Fox. They find him in two days and none of the governments involved in the UN can do it. Makes you a little suspicous, eh? In the movie there are only three who look for him. At times the story veers off into the surreal but I think that's what happens in life from time to time. While I think Pierce Brosnan would have made a better lead than Richard Gere, it was pretty good.

The Devil Wears Prada - Meryl Streep is the only reason to see this movie. I would much rather spend my time watching Ugly Betty. I haven't had a chance to watch it this season but I've got them on the DVR!

Hubby forgot to show me how to run the Blu-Ray features on the PS3 but I managed to watch Casino Royale with little problem. I did like the movie and it made me laugh every time Daniel Craig got into action mode and pursed his lips. Action mode lips, if you will. The quality of the picture was impressive.

I did read M is For Magic over the last month. My favorite story was probably "The Price" about a cat that duels each evening. There are still boxes and boxes of books packed in the basement (a quarter of one box is unpacked and on a book shelf) and I know I'll pick at least one to take with me on my trip.

I really overextended myself with the writer's conference. 29 workshops while working (and a few days of vacation) is just too much. But on the good side, I can pre-register for next year's conference. The dates are already picked out.

I worked late on Friday night but on Saturday we saw The Boss of It All. I was surprised to see my girl Iben in it. I think the last thing I saw her in was High Fidelity.

Most of my weekend was spent reading The Bird Woman by Kerry Hardie. I just got so caught up in it that I didn't want to put it down.

Time seems to run differently on the weekends. If I wanted to I could manage to take two naps in a day and still feel like the day hasn't been wasted. Hubby did most of the work. I ordered the bed for the guest bedroom.

After much work on my husband’s part he declared he could do no more to the apartment on Thursday. Each time he thought he was finished, a closet or cabinet held more of our treasures collected over the last 11 years. He turned in the keys and parking pass on Thursday.

Friday he bought paint for the guest bedroom and ran around gathering things for our anniversary. My mother-in-law was there cleaning things up. Our dining room was completely functional while our kitchen was really close.

When I came home from work I found flowers on the dining room table. The colors match the dining room curtains. Hubby was afraid he would not have time on Monday to get me anniversary gifts. So I have a new writing journal, some yummy looking chocolate bars and a sweet card.

We spent the rest of the night cleaning. Saturday we went to his Grandpa’s for poker. For the tournament game we won first and second places. His Grandpa came in third. “I have to call Medicaid on Monday. Those kids took all my money!”

After poker we went to a double feature. The first was Once. It was a sweet movie. I enjoyed the music in it but wished there were more songs. Next on the bill was Joshua. Do not see this movie if you are thinking about kids. It’s not a demonic child movie as much as it’s about an intelligent child going about things in the worst way(s) possible to get what he wants.

Sunday brought more cleaning up around the house. I filled the bird feeder. Later in the afternoon I missed the party in the pond. My in-laws tried to call me but I didn’t hear them from upstairs. The birds were swooping into the pond, landing on the rock and flapping their wings to get them clean. This morning I saw nearly a dozen birds in the sugar maple near the bird feeder.

Two aunts came by to see the house on Sunday. They liked it. We’ve offered to step up for family events. They don’t think Grandpa could make it up the steps though. He’s using his motor scooter more than his walker this days.

My mother’s been having problems getting around. From what I can piece together, her osteopenia has caused heel spurs to develop. The last two times I’ve seen her she’s been using a cane to get around.

We had our first uninvited guest. Twice I’ve seen a black and white cat sleeping on our porch. On Sunday I saw another cat coming from the garage but he took off. I hope I don’t find a dead bird while I’m weeding.

The guest bedroom is nearly done. My husband painted it yesterday and did a wonderful job. It’s “Horizon Haze” which looks like a cartoon blue according to my husband. I think greens and wood items will look good in the room.

My Harry Potter book arrived Saturday morning. Our mail carrier banged and the door and took off. When I got to the door she yelled from the sidewalk “I wanted to make sure you got your book!” She’s always cheerful.

I've finished reading The Sweetest Hours by Laura Pedersen. I should start writing my review of it this week.

I'm still reading The Subtle Knife by Pullman. It keeps getting pushed aside so I can do other things. It's good I can pick it up each time with no problems.

With the time off work tomorrow I hope to make the time to sit down and do some writing.

I'm feeling a lot better. Unfortunately my husband has been feeling down and up. We had tickets to see Morrissey on Friday. He didn't feel up to though. I could have left work early because everyone knew I had plans but I stayed. Hubby found someone at his work to take the tickets.

Without meaning to do so, I've introduced a time suck to our lives. michaeljr915 offered me a copy of Oblivion for the PC but I declined. As it turns out, the PS3 version is just as addicting as any PC version of a game. In a way it feels like EverQuest all over again.

Hubby is flying through levels and I'm stuck. I can't even do "little" quests to advance in the fighter's guild. I couldn't even close one of the gates without him playing my character. It's a little dispiriting.

Sunday we went to four open houses. We really liked three of them.

We visited with my husband's maternal grandfather on Sunday. He has good and bad days. Fortunately, we were there on a good day. He knows the lung cancer will kill him; he just doesn't know when his time will come. The good thing is that he's making his wishes known now.

A few weeks ago we had a family poker get together where he gave my husband a $2 bill with a dime embedded in it. At Christmas he shared some of his memories with the family, including the story of the bill with the dime. When my husband was young he wrote a letter to his grandmother and included the dime because she was always giving him money and he wanted her to have some. For thirty years he's carried that bill and dime in his wallet.

The last two weeks have brought some books in the mail for me to review. I began one and now I can't find it. I was enjoying it so I hope I find it soon.

Acceptance arrived in about two weeks as promised. My drabble, "Bunny" will appear in the March issue of Shine.

While waiting for the plane to Las Vegas I started a short story involving Trolls and pirates. *laughs*

Question for anyone: when you read a brief bio about an author what kinds of things do you like to know about them?

During my trip I started Northern Lights by Philip Pullman which was released in the US as The Golden Compass. The next book in the trilogy is The Subtle Knife which I began last night. These seem geared towards adolescent readers but I'm enjoying them.

My book review of The Dead Detective has been published on OnceWritten.com.

Now I just have to figure out a bio and a picture too!

Whether or not we want to admit it, people change. This morning I was reminded of a change in my husband and myself. When we first got married we'd hardly talk to each other in the mornings. Mornings were not our best times. I realized several years ago things changed. Often we wake up to kisses, hugs, and smiles from the other person. It's a good way to start the day.

I should just come to grips with the fact I will never read all of the books on my "books to be read piles". Last week brought the gift of a new book - Stephen King's Lisey's Story. I wouldn't say I'm a fan of his earlier work - much of it I haven't read. But I have been much more interested in his books from the 90's onward.

I've finished reading another book, watched some interesting movies, taken some naps with Zilla, worked a lot of hours, and lost 4 pounds. I've figured out my costume for the party this weekend and I will work on it over the next two days. Spent some time with my brother's wife which was eye-opening as always. I learned I can just ask her what she wants for her birthday and I'll actually get an answer. Ask me what I want and I won't know what to say. :)

This weekend I marked off a lot of my items from my "to do" list but it seems like it's never-ending. I've lost my USB drive somewhere during all of this cleaning. Today would have been a great day for writing and I should have taken advantage of that.

Instead I took great delight in lying on the couch and using Zilla as a footwarmer. I'll look for the USB drive some more tomorrow.

For months and months we've been calling in gas meter readings and our gas company hasn't believed us. About two weeks ago someone from the gas company came and read the meter. Friday we got our newest bill... and we have a credit of over $300. We may not need to pay our gas bill until January 2007.

My temperature has been going up and down since yesterday and my sinuses are still wonky. I called in sick to work today. Last night I felt so achey I just wanted to sleep so I wouldn't have to feel it. For some reason, nearly every time I am sick some station is showing The Accidental Tourist. The antics of Edward just always cheer me up. The only thing staged is the biting scene. It's obvious to me, being one who has been accidentally bitten, that the dog held his mouth open and William Hurt placed his hand in it's mouth. William Hurt liked the Cardigan Welsh Corgi so much that during or after the filming, he got one for himself. I read an interview with Anne Tyler where she recounted why she kept going back to this dog and realized that it was angry at the world for Macon and the loss of Ethan.

Today was the day of the phone call from our vet. The growths don't indicate lymphoma. They seem to be a result of Zilla's hypothyroidism. Zilla's staples come out next week. If we have any questions, my husband can ask them at that time or we can give the vet a call.

My shipping labels for my snail mail writing submissions arrived today. Woo hoo!

Earlier this week I read and finished Blankets by Craig Thompson. It was a fast read.

Reading Wild Things something finally clicked for me. On a technical level my writing has been getting better but something has been missing. I realized it was characterization. In only a few of my stories does the reader connect with the characters or care about what happens to them. Now I've got something new to work with on the next short story.

Yesterday was a weird work afternoon. I kept messing up numbers, not finding stuff I needed... I kinda felt like I should just go home if I wasn't going to do anything right. :)

It was a mite slow and I finished Deafening. I was worried I wasn't going to make my 10 book goal this summer for one of the adult summer reading clubs. Now I'm not as worried; I'll know I did at least 5 if not more. The next thing I'm reading is Wild Things by ccfinlay which was a pleasant surprise and I'm really engaged with it.

My husband works late tonight so I may get some writing time this evening. I've been revisiting some old stuff from last year or early this year trying to make them better.

On Monday I went to Kohl's and bought a pair of olive green khakis. I wore them yesterday and felt a little better about my wardrobe. Not much, but every little bit helps.