No Strings Attached

RTBTCKI The "I shouldn't have slept so late" edition

Actually it was not that late. I did get up around 8. Peter was using my computer for something he was working on while watching Caroline so I am on my computer a little later than usual.

I am happy that the Local 1 strike has been worked out and that the lights were back on Broadway last night. They did finally negotiate one of the few things that annoyed me about the contract down to something reasonable for all parties.

We are going to get tickets for the Little Mermaid later rather than rush and see if we can get them for Caroline's upcoming birthday. Instead Caroline and I are going to have a Mommy/Daughter trip into the city on the train and go to the Museum of Natural History and then go look at the holiday windows. She is excited that she gets to ride on the train. I'm debating about the Stroller but if I can find the bag then I can sling it over my shoulder when we are not using it. We bought a really solid umbrella stroller that has held up very well and it is Caroline's safe place when she feels overwhelmed.

Caroline painted a couple of horses and did a really colorful job of it. She was looking them over and saw a spot she missed so I will help her finish up the project today.

Decorations are going out either today or this weekend but by next Monday we will be sparking along with a number of our neighbors.

There are rumors of snow for the weekend. I'm not holding my breath but neither will I be surprised if it happens. The weatherman looked like he was having an orgasm at the thought of some inclement weather moving into the area. Honestly, when did weather become hard hitting exciting news?

I am grateful for cats that insist on sitting on me feet on a cold day.

Project Run (a) way

I will admit now publicly that one of my guilty pleasures in life is Project Runway. I will also admit that I am a late comer to the series having picked it up in the middle of season 3 and since then have watched my way through the marathons that are shown from time to time (a lot of times) on Bravo. Ariel and I like watching it together and discussing what we see on the runway.

This current season is 3 episodes into its run. So far the challenges have been making a garment that reflects your vision as a designer out of about 50,000 dollars of fabric, designing an outfit for Sarah Jessica Parker's new clothing line, and making an outfit for Tiki Barber.

Each has had their challenges. For the first there was very little structure and a lot of grabs for fabric. In the second, they had to work in teams of two which of course brought the personalities out and about to play. And the most recent they had to design men's wear which had most of them throwing up their hands and praying for luck, help and a decent pattern that would fit a man who is concerned that his butt doesn't look big on TV.

The men's wear one was one that I could really wrap my head around. I have not made many dresses in my time. Most of my costumes do not involve dresses. I have learned the magic skill of tailoring men's patterns to fit women which is a great one for a costumer to have up their sleeve so this challenge was made for me. I could look at what they were doing with the critical eye of "been there and done that". And honestly there is not that big a difference between men's and women's wear just a different shape to work with. The people with the advantage on this one were those who had to deal with fitting both men and women. I almost wish now that they would do a season of Project Runway that was nothing but designing men's fashion.

I don't think the right person was eliminated last night but I think it was the right call in terms of having fulfilled the terms of that challenge. Carmen did not finish her pieces. Nothing was done on the slacks, jacket or shirt (there was no shirt). The only advantage Ricky had was that his outfit was more finished. And part of the challenge is to produce a finished look to go down the runway. If Ricky continues to sob his way to the bottom of the pack, I don't think he is going to get much further. This is the third week he has been called out on the Runway to explain himself (well less so since he was partnered with Marion the week before and Marion was Auf'd)

Now I understand that Project Runway does well for Bravo. I really do. However they showed last night's episode at 10 and then 11 then 12 then 1. That is 4 hours of the same episode. They show the previous two episodes in heavier rotation than I have ever seen for Project Runway. And they are showing the 3rd season to death. I almost rather they got back to the first season since there are 3 episodes of that one I have not seen. I am sure there is a logical explanation as to why they are doing this but I am finding it downright annoying.

Ariel likes Christian, Kit, Jillian, and Chris. I like Chris, Kit, Sweet P, Jillian, and Elisa. Christian is grown on me. I do like that he realized that he had a serious wake-up call in week two and could joke about it in week 3. The rest of the pack has not impressed us yet.

I am grateful I have another season of Project Runway to chew over.

Getting Things DONE!

There was a show on called "Monster House" that was all about converting either part or all of a house into a really cool theme that reflected the tastes of the owners. The catch was that the workers had to do it in a set time period to win a lot of cool prizes. When they finished a piece of the project there would be this graphic of a stamp and the echo voice saying "DONE"! Ever since then when I complete a project or a major section of a project. I hear that voice in my head twice yesterday.

Over the past 11 months I have been part of two sets round robin dolls. For those of you who don't know what a round robin doll is, it is a doll or part of a doll that gets sent from artist to artist for additions and embellishment. In one case we were to send two parts of a doll that was never finished to see what everyone else would do with it. In the other we sent part of a doll out (body and start of the head) to see what our fellow doll makers would come up with.

Part of the agreement when you join this sort of thing is that you will move the dolls along in a timely fashion but everyone understands that life happens and things will get held up for the weirdest reason. Like being giving the wrong address or postal code for one of the artists. That was a two month saga in itself. I did get behind due to costumes and other things going on but I always worked on getting caught back up. Since I was working on two swaps at the same time, it got a little exciting when I had say 4 dolls show up within two days of each other.

And each doll came with a journal which the owner would request that we write in. It was interesting what each person wanted us to write about. Some of the journals were hand made and others were store bought but each reflected the owner. That was the hardest part for me to do. The journal was usually where I got stuck when working on a doll. But after doing so many, I am much better at it than I was earlier this year. I also saw some clever ideas that I am going to try down the road.

I also learned a lot from each doll that came through my door. I learned new ways of doing things and new things to do to dolls that I had never thought of. It has been a fascinating experience that I would be willing to do again and, if the group does another one, will.

Yesterday I finished up the touches on two dolls that have been with me since October. I wrote in the journals. I made the parts I wanted to add. I boxed them up to move them onto their next artist. I am now waiting for two dolls in the last challenge. The last doll I have to work on and my doll. I got back my doll from the Orphan Parts swap and I love her. She is totally like nothing I would make but she works on so many levels for me. I also like the journal that I sent with her because now I know a little bit about the dolls journey and the people who worked on her with such loving care.

I am grateful that I took the chance and did these projects.

A New Philosophy to Live By (sort of) *grin*

There is a cartoon strip called Zits and today's had me laughing pretty hard.

Jeremy is talking to D'jion while they eat lunch at school on a bench

Jeremy: "My New Philosophy is to live life in the Moment. Unless the Moment, you know, Sucks. Then I live in some other Moment."

D'jion: "Works for me."

I don't know why that struck my funny bone as hard as it did.

What's strange is that not so long ago when I read Zits or For Better or For Worse or even Doonesbury, I read it from the kid's point of view. Now being a parent and over 40, I am reading it from the parent's point of view. I can still see the kid's POV but it is interesting going back and reading the old strips with my older eyes.

In other news, I found Ariel's cell phone in the Van and got it up and working again just in time for the bowling season. She had lost it during the summer and swore that she had checked the car for it. Flash forward as I am looking for missing bolts from the tailgate which held the lock in place. I look under the driver's seat and find a cell phone that I quickly identify as the missing cell phone. After finding the charger and taking off the block from the number, it works.

Peter is off to the city for a WGA Rally in Union Square. I am hoping that the weather will be nice for him since it has rained all the other times he has gone in for the WGA. He was up a little late last night finished a Star Trek Short Story he needed to get to an editor.

My coffee tastes really weak this morning. I must investigate later. Today I want to get two dolls off my plate and something else creative done. I think I can do that. Air feels different today. Sort of that nice clean feeling after a good rain that always seems to re-energize me.

Caroline is playing with her puppies. Yesterday she got to watch "101 Dalmatians" in our room. She took all her stuffed puppets to watch with her and turned them all so they could see the TV. Afterwards we moved the doggie parade back to her room and she went to bed and talked to the puppies about the movie.

I am grateful for cleansing rains.

It's Monday, Right?

When the weekend starts on a Wednesday and one is traveling, one tends to lose track of time. So this weekend Friday, Saturday, and Sunday felt like Sunday. But with Ariel going back to school this morning and a couple of other things, I have sorted out in my brain that it is Monday.

I am not going to talk about sports this Monday because I am too depressed about just about every game I cared about. Not a good week for any of the teams I follow and worse for some rather than others. (Although the headline in the Daily News was a good one "Hey, Eli, Your team’s in BLUE!") I sort of expected what happened to Jets to happen considering how the Cowboys had been doing.

I could talk about one of the best movies I have seen this year. We tool Caroline and Ariel to see Enchanted and they loved it as did we. This is a film for everyone who grew up on Disney films and fairy tales. The combination of the sweet and the funny was done just right. The casting was brilliant and everyone did their best with what they had. Also the number of in-joke is amazing but they don’t slow down the film or leave others who are not in the know scratching their heads as to why that was there. It was a delightful film that s still sitting in back of my brain and making me smile. Good movie for adults and kids with the right amount of scary that kids love. Caroline spend the climax of the film in Peter’s lap watching it unfold through her fingers.

I could talk about the weather which is that craptacular combination of cold and wet but not cold enough to snow. But at least we have rain, there are entirely too many parts of the USA and other parts of the world that are living in drought conditions.

I could talk about some of the projects I am working on. I am toying about putting some of my dolls up for Sale but don't know if there is any interest in those or the puppets (Marty, don't worry. Your puppet is already in my calculations and you should have it soon).

I could talk about a lot of things and I guess I just did. Now my headache is down to a dull roar (seasonal allergies kicking my tush) and I think I can get some of the stuff I really need to get done today in gear. Have a good one and enjoy the leftovers.

I am grateful for Rankin Bass.

Two Weeks (and a Day)

Caroline's birthday is in a week and a half but her party will be in two weeks and a day which means it is time for me to produce the December miracle and knock the house into shape and that means all of the house. I got a good jump on it last week but now I need to get some other stuff straightened out in preparation of getting the house super clean. I mean right now the house is clean but we tend to stack stuff to be dealt with later and later has arrived. It is also not a bad thing because then the house is nice for the New Year. Some day I am going to just stack the amount of paper that comes into or is generated by this house for a week and take a picture of that so people can mentally multiply by 52 to see what I am dealing with. Of course none of that has anything to do with fabric or toys or other things that seems to wander in.

Winter is upon us now. The leaves are all taking a dive off the trees. The temperature went from where we were wearing short sleeve shirts on the way to Thanksgiving dinner to where we were wearing our warmest winter coats/hats/gloves/scarves on the way home. I figure it was about a forty-degree drop. So the leaves that had been all pretty on the trees on our street are now all over the lawns with whatever is left dropping in the wind. True meaning of the word Fall I guess.

We had a pleasant time with my in-laws. Good conversation and good food. It is nice to talk to other people who think Pushing Daisies is the most incredible thing to come on TV in a long time. (Last years conversation was about Heroes). Also my brother-in-law is very in the know about collectibles and I always get such interesting information about stuff I like. It was also nice to see my nieces and nephews. Just a bit strange being called Aunt Kathleen.

So today is either going to be lights or another one of the things that needs to be done before the BIG CLEAN can be started. I also need to unpack from the trip and sort out the laundry. I am housefrau, hear me roar. *grin*

I am grateful for all the help I get to get the house into company shape.

The Last day of the week of Thanks for This Year being 2007

So I wrap up this week back home. We had a good visit with my various in-laws. Some of them I hadn't seen in a while but the Internet has made it easier to keep up with them.

Caroline finally had that sleep-over she had been dreaming about since before her last birthday. We invited her cousins to join us at our hotel room giving their parents, who had hosted the feast, a chance to clean up and have some uninterrupted time with each other. So we had three girls between the ages of 4 and 6 giggling while watching Disney DVDs and finally falling asleep one by one. They had a lot of fun. Ariel was a big help with the girls.

I am thankful that you are reading this. I may know you or I may not. You may know me outside what you read here and this may be the only way you know me. You may know me because of who my husband is and yeah I think he is pretty cool too. But for whatever reason you stop by here, I am thankful.

I am thankful that my husband can do what he loves to do for a living. He has a great gift as a writer. I thought that before we met each other oh so many years ago. I knew I was going to get a good read if I saw his name. Now I help him with his writings in various ways but I still am in awe of his skills and abilities.

I am thankful for fans of various things that I have interacted with for various reasons. I like sharing with others and I love talking to people who share my interests. I have made many a life long friendship out of people I met in Fandom.

I am thankful I didn't have to deal with Black Friday. Been there, done that, had the t-shirt, and burned it. I swear they pump something in the air at some of the stores with the way people behave or rather misbehave.

I am grateful that the trip home was so easy.

Thanksgiving 2007 Day of Giving Thanks on the day of Thanksgiving

I did get some stuff done. Today is going to be spent with Family.

I wish everyone traveling today or have people traveling to you a safe and pleasant journey.

Some year I might do this as a countdown of things that I am thankful for but the one that would come up on top every time would be Caroline.

I am so thankful to have Caroline in my life. Honestly, I had given up on have a solid relationship and children about the time Peter and I ran into each other at DragonCon and he informed me about his separation from his then wife. One thing led to another and we started dating and got married. We both decided that if we were going to have a child, it would be without any help. It would happen or not happen. We put it in the hands of Fate as it were.

I found out the week before I was to go to Star Wars Celebration that I was pregnant. And with a couple of words my life changed as did a number of my dietary habits. Peter and I decided to keep it under wraps until I was well into the 2nd trimester. So we only told my parents, his parents, a few other members of our family and 300 Italian Star Trek Fans.

I am thankful that my pregnancy was pretty much textbook. There were a couple of times that things went a little off the rails but over all it was a great. I was lucky that Peter had gone through this a couple of times so anytime I started to panic, he was there to reassure me. I went into labor on the train on the way home for work on my last day at work. Caroline was suppose to be born right around Christmas but she decided that she wanted out earlier than that.

I am thankful for Peter. He got me through so much of the early stuff so I wasn't panicking every few minutes. He assured me that eventually I would sleep through the night again. He assured me that we could get her off the bottle. He assured me that she would be potty trained. He taught me how to tell when she is really sick. He said I would know and he was right. The first time she was really sick, I knew.

I am thankful for the time I have had with Caroline. I have been with her from the beginning and I spent time each day with her. I love having watched her grow from a little baby to a young girl who can tell me what she wants (which she has NO trouble doing). I love watching her draw and do other crafty things. I love listening to her telling stories. She is not the perfect kid but she is pretty doggone close in my books. I dodged the fussy crabby baby. Her manners in public are pretty good. She shares with others which took a bit of doing but she does it. The few bumps we have had along the way are minor compared with what some other parents I know have had to deal with.

I am thankful that my daughter is a healthy and happy 4 year old who will shortly be a happy and healthy 5 year old (where does the time grow).

I am so incredibly grateful for Caroline.

Being the 5th day of giving thanks 2007

Not as much done as I wanted to do yesterday. Honestly, I am trying to figure out where the day went. I took care of a couple of errands that needed to be done and that was about it. I was feeling a little under the weather most of the day. I do have things that NEED to be done TODAY so that is going to get underway shortly. On a positive note, we did get the paper recycling out on time and there was quite a bit of it.

I am thankful that I have a good imagination. Sometimes it runs on a bit but it has been quite useful over time. I can see that Caroline has one too. She makes up elaborate stories about the adventures she is on with her toys. I know Peter has one and makes good use of it in his work. Ariel is a poet and fairy fashion designer. Shana is brilliant with music and song. Gwen is an incredible visual artist and a great weaver as well. Imagination is encouraged around here.

I am thankful that I have good organizational skills. These skills have served me well through the years. I think part of it is genetic and part of it is observing my mother over the years. I can break a task down to component parts and figure out the fastest way to do the job the best. Made me a kick-ass stage manager and one heck of a packer for conventions. Peter always boasts to the bellmen that I am the only one who can pack that much stuff into one car when we get to a hotel. And they have been amazed at the amount of stuff they pulled out of our car. I don't always uses these skills but they are there with I need them.

I am thankful I have good sewing skills. Considering all the things I do that need this ability, it is amazing I didn't start sooner with the sewing machine. But I think I had to learn how to control a gas peddle before I could control a foot peddle on a sewing machine. Also I was scared of sewing my fingers together. I have punctured myself since but never managed to sew through my fingers.

I am grateful for all the skills I have learned over the years.

GIving Thanks Day 4 of 2007

Peter and I had a very nice dinner last night with Betsy Mitchell, Peter's editor on "Tigerheart" and Scott Shannon who is an old friend of Peter's. This rare visit into the city was because the SFWA had their annual party called by most "The Mill &Swill". We went and caught up briefly with a lot of friends. Those who didn't make it, don't worry you allowed us to breath and not have to plan who was going to breath out while someone else breathed in. It got a little cramped this year. But our hosts did a fine job of keep everyone in drinks and light munchies.

I am thankful for the author who have amused me over the years. I have been lucky to be able to tell many of them in person how much their work meant to me. I got the chance last night while talking to Chris Claremont about various literary and comic book projects he was working on. And yes I do get that inner fan-girl *squee* that he does know my name without any prompting. I got to work with Alan Dean Foster a writer who I had been reading for more years than either of us care count. I have had dinner with a lot of people I read growing up and some have become good friends over the years.

I am thankful for the puppeteers that showed me the way, as it were. The first puppets I saw as a kid were on Captain Kangaroo, Kukla, Fran and Ollie, and Mr. Rogers. Cosmo Allegretti's handpuppets of Mr. Moose and Bunny Rabbit were a daily part of my life for a number of years. "Kukla, Fran and Ollie" was my first exposure to Burr Tillstrom's work. Fred Rogers brought the land of Make-believe to life with his two hands and I got caught up in the on going saga of the characters that inhabited it. Sesame Street and the Muppets took it to a whole other level for me but those original shows taught me a lot about what you could do with a puppet.

I am thankful for the artists I have seen through the years. When I was a kid my parents would take me to various art museums and exhibits and I would look at the paintings and wonder why they had brought me here. Years later I understood what I saw and appreciate that they took the time to show me those works. I even can remember when the dime really dropped for me. It was a Calder exhibit that they had at the High Museum. Among the things they had in the show were his circus he did and a number of his mobiles. That day was the day I understood why my parents had been taking me to see art.

I am grateful that I went to the Mill & Swill last night and Peter did too.

Day Three of a Week of Thanksgiving 2007 edition

Peter has a picture of his strike buddy up on his website (www.peterdavid.net) which was pretty funny considering who we hung out with at UFC.

No snow but some off and on rain this morning which, considering the conditions down in the southeast, I am seriously giving thanks for.

I am thankful that I can read. Seems like a simple thing but consider how many people in the world can't do so for a myriad of reasons. Reading is something that I treasure being able to do. I love to read. I read all the time. I read for information, entertainment, and to learn. I have spent many an hour lost in a book and transported to different places by the authors. I know it is a good book when I wonder about the characters outside of reading the book. I hope to pass this love of books and reading onto Caroline. She does love being read to.

I am thankful that I can do math and understand numbers. When I was a kid numbers were easier to understand than letters. They just made more sense. I enjoyed my math classes a lot. The only subject that gave me a little trouble until I sorted out what was I was doing wrong was fractions. And I think that was because our math teacher broke her hip and we had a substitute teacher who came in half way and taught us the "new math" way of doing fractions that totally confused me. But I got fractions sorted out and I do long division in my head to go to sleep at night. It amazes me, although it probably shouldn't, that people can't make simple change in their head. I have a purchase that is 1.87 so I had the clerk two dollars, two pennies, and a dime. They look at the change very confused, put the amount into the keyboard and I have heard audible "Oh"s when they see that they just have to hand me back a quarter.

I am thankful that my parents let me take Shop in the 8th grade rather than Home Ec. It was odd at the time for a girl to take shop. Out of my class only 5 of girls did and rest took home economics. That shop class taught me a lot about working with tools and the basics of how to put things together so they would stay together. Also shop was needed to get into Photography and Graphic Arts both of which I wanted to take. That shop class has served me very well through the years of set building and home repair.

I am grateful for all the education I have gotten during my life.

Second Day of Giving Thanks 2007

Reading the Internet and various web logs of friends, friends of friends and acquaintances, I find out a lot about subjects that I know little about and hear about situations I hope never to find myself in. But I also read about the good things that happen to people. The unexpected nice surprises and their hopes and dreams coming true after a lot of travails.

I am thankful for my parents. I get long with them. Baring the usual high school/teen idiocy, I have not had a problem with my parents. They provided me a great childhood. They have support me both emotionally and financially as I went to grad school and beyond in my theater career. They have been there for me through good times and bad. I can talk to them which I know is unusual but for me it is the normal state of affairs.

I am thankful for my brothers and sister. I still get long with them. My parents (see above) worked very hard to make sure that we played well with each other and others in general. They succeeded. I love my brothers and sister and am glad to see them when I can. It uses to be that when we all lived in Atlanta, Sunday dinner was a must unless you were working or dead. It was the one time a week we got together as a family. I can still get together with them and we just pick-up where we left off. The family jokes are still told. Certain phrases will get certain reactions from the group. We are a close-knit family as everyone who has known us for a while knows.

I am thankful for my friends. My oldest friend I have known since I was 6 (according to her) or 7 (according to me). I still stay in touch with her. I still keep up with people I knew in high school, college, grad school, and beyond. My friends are important to me especially those who have been with me for the long haul. Friendships that travel over the years are rare especially those started in grade school. I like that the Internet has allowed me to keep up with so many people and meet so many more. I really value friendship.

I am grateful for my social life.

A Week of Thanksgiving

For many the Thanksgiving holiday is kicking off early this year. Especially for the retailers who have sales starting this weekend to start off the Holiday Season.

I tend to use this week to reflect on the blessing in my life. I know I point out something I am grateful for every day but this is a little more than that. Also I know I repeat myself from year to year on some of this but I am still thankful for those things.

I am thankful for my pets. I really thought I was a dog person but I have grown to enjoy our cats. The three of them give me unconditional love as long as the food bowl has kibble in it. They have helped Caroline learn how to act around animals. According to various studies, Caroline's exposure to them at an early age will help her immune system and lessen her chances for allergies later in life. They are great foot warmers when I take a nap. The three of them have parts of my body scoped out as theirs and when I nap that is where they settle down.

I am thankful for my neighbors. We live in a neighborhood where the people do keep an eye out for each other. We have the neighborhood nosey neighbor who has the low down on everyone on the block and is usually the first person to find out about the new people in the neighborhood. She is not a gossip nor does she go telling tales but she is privy to a lot of information. I think she likes gathering it. We have some older gentlemen who putter in their lawns and go golfing during the season but always take a moment to pick up litter on their morning walk. Most of our dog owners curb their dogs very well. Those that don't find tend to find a flyer with the town's rules in their mailbox.

I am thankful for my choices in craft stores. I have quite a few in the area and one really good fabric store too. Each of the stores has managed to get a good staff with knowledge in all sorts of subjects, especially the fabric store. I have seen them come up with answers to some of the strangest fabric questions you have ever heard. They know a lot about repair and how to take care of the fabrics you are buying. These are older ladies but they are teaching the younger staff what they know. They also know their resources in terms of their regular customers. I was in the other day and answered a couple of questions for them about paperclay and putting paperclay over cloth.

I am grateful to have so much to be thankful for.

Stick a fork in me, I'm done

Well I haven't stopped writing the story but I am not going to make the goal of 50,000 by the end of the month. I did get further than I had in previous years but Real Life (tm) got in the way again and unless I can write about 5,000 words today and get everything else that needs to be done finished, it is not happening. I will get back to the regular pace today to see if I can complete the month in good shape.

I don't feel too bad about it. I did manage to keep up the pace for a while. I have a chunk of the story worked out in my head and now I can get it down on paper (or in the computer).

I just have other things that need my attention more than the story right now. It would probably be different if I had a sale on it because then I would be earning money as I write. As it is, it is a fun activity and maybe it will become money but not today.

Peter made a new friend on the line yesterday but I am going to wait for him to tell the story first.

I have a feeling that a nap is in my future today since I had a pretty bad night of it last night. I debating if I should go to my Doctor or my Dentist first to see if I can get this problem solved. If it is yet another sinus infection then I have to see the Doctor. If it is a tooth problem then it is my dentist. I may just flip a coin. I do have to see my doctor about my back again since the flare up last night was pretty bad and Advil had little to no effect.

Some other ideas are percolating in my head of some stuff I want to get done before Thanksgiving and then before Caroline's Birthday Party and then before Christmas and then before the New Year. More on those once they are a little more solid.

I will be going to the SFWA Mill & Swill on Monday as will Peter. And of course I'll bring pictures of the kids and a flashlight.

I am grateful for whatever I get done today and will tell myself that it is enough.

Placesaver

Or I might write more later.

Peter is in the city walking the picket line since he is a member of the WGA

NaNoWriMo may be DOA for me unless I can catch up a bit today.

Yesterday was a total loss due to headache.

I am grateful for things that amuse me.

Happy Birthday Da!

Today is my father's birthday.

He has always been the best father a girl could ask for. I know I am one of the lucky ones that can talk to my father on just about any topic.

He has supported me in my endeavors even the crazy ones. He has accepted my friends even the slightly off-putting ones.

He has been there for me through thick and thin.

He has shown my how to live by example rather than just lip service.

I love my Da very much.

I am so grateful that my father is my father.

US Thanksgiving's in a WEEK (and a day)!?!?!?

I have been aware of the month because I have been writing for NaNoWriMo but isn't that a little early this year?

Tuesday is becoming my GI issue day. Last Tuesday I had some sort of stomach bug and this Tuesday was not much better except this week there was no regurgitation so that was a plus. I woke up this morning with one of my bad headaches and am now trying to figure out which combination of painkillers and caffeine will kill it. I might try some Benadryl as well since my teeth hurt which usually means sinus pressure. Everyone else is fine.

I am behind on my writing. I am exactly one day behind so I am hoping to make that up today once my head stops feeling like a bass drum being pounded by Animal. Peter is closing in on 70,000 words for the Iron Man novel.

I did get one doll done and want to get the other done today then onto the next project.

If you haven't guess (or are a new reader), I hate being behind but seem to end up there a lot.

Today is about getting back to an even keel. If I get that far I will be happy.

I am grateful for lovely fall weather that allows me to finish up the yard work in comfort.

RTBTCK (The "I have made my word count" edition)

I almost called this entry housekeeping but that I figured out that I have a steaming cup of coffee next to me that I have not touched yet which is unusual for me to do. I was reading up on something and ran across a website on how to make your coffee taste the best. Apparently you need to drink it within 20 minutes of the brewing process for it to taste the best. Also if you grind your own beans, it is best to use what you grind within 3 days for optimal coffee experience.

I have made my word count so far. I am at 20428 and rather proud that I could keep up the pace. But then Peter has been pounding away at the Iron Man novelization and is at about 65,000 for about the same period of time. He is a fast typist and a fast thinker. Both of which is a good thing to be if you are a novelist. I still have to write 1700 words today but I now know that I don't need to do it first thing in the morning like I thought I should and I can make up time if something comes up.

I have my MacBook back with a shiny new case replacing the cracked one. It amazes me how quickly one adjusts to a new computer. I went back to the iBook and the keyboard just didn't "feel" right even though that was the computer I used earlier this year. Also the MacBook is sooo much faster than the iBook.

The weather is cold and wet. Not quite cold enough for snow but cold enough to make standing out in the rain miserable. Good day to stay indoors and work on some projects I need to work on.

I do have one errand that needs to be done today and that I need to do before noon.

So during this month my web log is probably going to be a little irregular to see if I can do this NaNoWriMo.

I am grateful that I have made my word count so far.

If you like your freedoms, Thank a Veteran

Today is Veteran's Day.

I know a number of people who have served in the military formally or informally by being the family member of military personnel.

The old Veteran I know served in World War II. He was in a bomber that made runs over Italy. He was shot at more than once. He made it back. A number of his friends didn't.

I have known a number of people who served in Korea and Vietnam. I met someone this summer who is a writer and we talked about how he was treated when he came back after serving his tour. He told me that one of the things that hurt the most was that no one ever said Thank You to him for serving his country. I shook his hand and said Thank you. Because these people were put in an impossible situation and all they wanted to do was serve their country.

When I was working at Del Rey I worked with a number of authors who had served in the military. One told me that he liked working with me because I respectful of what he had done rather than try to explain to him why military is bad (which apparently happened a couple of times during his career).

I had friends go off in Desert Storm. I watched the lives of some of my peers go totally haywire because of it. A couple didn't make it back at all. But I respected them for doing something I knew I couldn't do.

Now we have people coming back from the Middle East. I have talked to mothers my age who's sons and daughters came home in a coffin. I have had friends count down the days until their loved ones would come home only to have the tour extended and the worry go on. I got to talk to someone I know who came back recently. They said that they liked talking to me because I wasn't judging them or trying to tell them that I was not judging them. I was just letting them be them. She said it was an amazing experience and where she would not have chosen to go, she was glad that she was ordered to.

So go and shake a Veteran's hand and say thank you for what you did for your country.

I am grateful to all Veterans.

The Crack of Darn(nit)

The MacBook is in the shop and I am back on the iBook until it comes back. The case cracked right above the light that lets you know that it is on or asleep (You know the blinking all-seeing eye). It is an easy repair but it will take a day or so. Apparently it is a slight design flaw in the computer where the top meets the bottom. Why do I always seem to pick the ones with the design flaws?

It use to be that I was then very limited as to what I could do on the internet but since we did get the iBook fixed, I have an alternative until I get my MacBook back.

Peter, being a wise and clever man, told me to e-mail what I have done on my NaNoWriMo to myself so that in case I had to leave it, I would have my work so far (17210 words and counting). So I do have that. There is not much else I needed on there right now. I didn't back up my photos but nor have I wiped the chip they are on so that is a wash right now.

So I await word on my little MacBook while typing away on my iBook. The keyboards are very different but they both work so that is a good thing.

I am grateful I have a computer to use while mine is in the shop.

Caroline's "Computer"

Yesterday Caroline informed me that she created a computer for her. It consists of her Diego Colorform Box on its side so it looks like a screen and a pink metal fauchon box that she got from who knows where. The metal box is the "keyboard". She has been "typing" on the box and telling me what she is doing on her computer including who she has gotten e-mail from and what she said in reply. She has been quite content playing with it.

Yesterday she took her exercise mat and my throw blanket and put it over the coffee table and the couch creating a cave for her and her stuffed animals. It reminded me of these large "junk" games I use to play as a kid. I honestly don't remember who named them junk games but I am assuming that it would be one of my parents. But we had a whole bunch of toys and stuff that we use to turn into anything we could imagine. Nice to know that those genes passed onto the next generation.

I am grateful for junk games and the next generation of them.

Getting Back to Normal

I am feeling pretty much my old self again.

I got a lot of cleaning done and my word count up to 13630 so I have stayed caught up so far.

Today is a little more about the cleaning and a lot about a couple of dolls.

Peter is walking the picket line for the WGA today in New York.

I am grateful for clean surfaces.

I am addicted to Caffeine

I managed to get through yesterday with only minor stomach complaints and I did get a few of my much needed errands run. The larder is restocked and the laundry is where it needs to be at this point. I also caught up on my lack of sleep from the night before.

I went to bed at a reasonable hour after seeing a rather hilarious South Park. Is it my imagination or has this season just been so much better than the last few? And slept pretty well through the night only to awake this morning with that lovely headache that I recognize as a lack of Caffeine in my system. *Sigh* So I have been dealing with that and some major house rearranging I have need to do for a while but I needed Caroline out of the house to do it. So Peter took Caroline off to a doctor's appointment and then out to lunch and to the mall to get some tights and socks for her.

Then it is some doll work that I have needed to get done for a while.

I have done some of my writing for the day and we currently stand at 13209 for the word count. So by then end of the day I need to add another 400 words to be at today's goal. I think I can do that.

I am grateful for time to get things done.

Con Crud Again

I'm figuring what I picked up I got at the hotel or it was incubating when I went to the convention. Either way this has not been a fun 24 hours of my life. I did manage to keep my word count going (10457 so far) but that was about it.

I had grand plans of things I was going to be doing but all this came to a halt when my gut decided that it didn't want anything in it and removed the contents the hard way. So now I am a day behind on some household chores that need to be done along with some other stuff that needs to be done. And I don't know how much I am going to get done today. It really depends on my gut.

I am grateful for hair ties.

Caroline the Observant

Caroline is one of those kids who watched the world and then tucks things away in her brain for later. She also has a steel-trap mind when you promise her something. I can tell her that it is too late in the day to paint but we set up the paints after breakfast and the next day after breakfast and getting dressed she will remind me what I said the night before.

She also has good recall of events that she either observed or participated in. I couldn't find one of the remotes to the DVD player. I asked Caroline if she knew where it was. She hopped off the couch, went to my worktable, and brought it back to me. I remember that I had placed it there after programming the player two days previous.

She owns a million little plastic animals of various species. I can't keep them all straight but if one is missing she knows it and wants to find it. She had out the dogs of which there are 12. She counted them and had only 11 and then came to me asking if I had seen the beagle. I found it under a couch but I was rather impressed that she knew exactly which dog was missing.

We have been working on letters and numbers. She can count to 25 and is sorting out the alphabet. The little fink knows the alphabet song but the only way I know that she knows it is that I heard her very quietly singing it under her breath. We have been sitting down with books that go through the alphabet and finding all the objects that begin is various letters on the page. She has also been working on writing various letters out. She has sorted out that the letters on the page allow me to read her a story. Now I think she is trying to figure out how it works so she can do it too.

She loves helping. We clean up things together. She helped me sort of the comics for Halloween by putting them in the piles I asked her to. She helped Ariel bake cupcakes for a school bake sale last night. She helps me with loading and unloading the dishwasher. She wants to be known as the best helper ever. She is also great at chasing the cats into the dining room so we can lock them up.

Soon she will be five and next year she will be going to school but right now I get to enjoy my time with my daughter and watch the world through her observant eyes.

I am grateful for all the things that Caroline has learned.

Back from UFC 2007

I think it was the car that aggravated my back or the long trip. Either way yesterday night was pretty miserable for me.

Not yesterday at the convention. I had a great time talking to friends both old and new. I got to hear Henry Winkler talk and answer a bunch of questions. That man could so easily be a motivational speaker. We said our good-byes and headed for home.

Overall the convention was a lot of fun. Peter and the girls had a great time. Any problems I had were with my health rather than the convention. Peter sold a lot of books and scripts which is always good. His reading of the first chapter of "Tigerheart" (June 2008 from Del Rey) went over very well.

I haven't done the math but I am not behind on NaNoWriMo yet.

I am grateful for all the fun we had at UFC.

UFC 2007 Friday and Saturday

Well my health luck continues to be on the bad side of the table. I met Wendy Padbury, who was in the first episode of Doctor Who I ever saw, and had a nice chat with her. Ariel calls from across the room that the food had arrived and I turn and my back goes out. Which curtailed a lot of want I wanted to do on Friday. Once the Advil kicked in, I was able to at least stand and I went to see Peter sing at the Karaoke (He did Monster Mash and it was a graveyard smash). I met Henry Winkler who is a really sweet guy and just wonderful with the fans. He gets my vote for best able to deal with some real loony tunes this convention. I also had a chance to chat with Tracy Scoggins who I hadn't seen for a while.

This morning (being Saturday) I was able to move with only a little bit of a twinge. I caught up and chatted with the Mumys and talked a number of my convention friends. I had lunch with my sister-in-law and her husband while Ariel and her friend took care of the munchkins. Caroline had a blast playing with her cousins and they had fun with her and their babysitters. I saw Peter, Bill Mumy, and Tracy Scoggins do a Q&A together about Babylon 5 and other things they had done or will be doing. Then my GI track started to act up and it has not been a fun couple of hours. So I sent Peter, Ariel, Bob Greenburger, and Marina off to the banquet while I took care of Caroline who is very happy right now drawing and eating her dinner.

I'm hoping that tomorrow I will be in shape to go home.

I am grateful that I got to talk with as many people as I have.

Word count for yesterday 1456

Made it to UFC 2007

We're here. Not too much traffic but what there was was bad.

I am grateful we safely got to the hotel.

Oh, word count yesterday was 2073

Today is a Good Day to NaNoWriMo

(Just Imagine a Klingon saying it and you'll get the joke)

But first Halloween which is one of my favorite holiday's on the calendar. It always has been. I loved dressing up as a kid and the candy was a bonus.

I put up our graveyard complete with some new skeletons yesterday morning. I finished the comic book sort so I could grab comics quickly to give out to the kids. Caroline took her bath and then put on her Cinderella costume.

Princess Caroline

Ariel came home and dressed up in her costume. She was a social Butterfly. She got a number of her friends together and they took Caroline off to trick or treat. Caroline did better at it this year than she did last year. She came home with a large bag of candy while her sister and company went out to see what else they could score.

Meanwhile I gave out comic books and candy to the little ones. The comics were appreciated by all the kids. They were so excited. The girls were happy to get comics where the main character was a girl. The boys loved their comics too. Star Wars went over very well this year. I even had some horror comics for the older teens that come by later. We went through about half the comics I sorted. I think I am going to hang onto the rest until next year.

A number of people asked if it was OK for them to take pictures of their kids standing in the graveyard. Apparently we were the only people on the block to do something like that. The owners of the haunted house sold their house last year and the new owners didn't decorated like the previous owners did.

Overall the weather was just about perfect and the kids were all polite.

I am grateful for Halloweens that go well.