Fabulous Friday

So why is today so fabulous?

I finally got the internet hooked up at my house. None of the equipment is where I want it to be yet, but I'm no longer cut off from the outside world. Yea!

I'm hoping to resume my normal posting schedule next week, but I'm still not totally unpacked, so no promises. Of course, I'd much rather blog than unpack boxes, but I'm trying to keep my priorities straight. :)

A couple of things I've noticed about not having internet:

1. I'm capable of keeping my house super clean and staying on top of my laundry. Crazy, I know.

2. Even if I don't obsessively check my email every five minutes, they're still there waiting for me when I do get around to it. (I got a new mobile phone (that I LOVE) a few days ago that notifies me every time I get an email, so I'm not sure if that will be counterproductive on this front or not.)

3. I didn't realize how much of my writing routine revolved around blogging and checking my email. If I got stuck on something or felt like I needed a distraction, I'd just click over to Explorer or Windows Mail. Then I no longer had to worry about whatever it was I was worried about. I think from now on, the internet will be disconnected while I write. For some reason, I'm more productive without it. ;)

4. I'm very reliant on http://www.merriam-webster.com/. Maybe I should buy one of those old-fashioned book-type dictionaries. ;)

5. I really missed all my bloggy friends and the community we have. When I'm having one of those everything-I-write-sucks kind of days, it's definitely nice to be able to go to other blogs and read about other writers' experiences and know that I'm not insane.

Anything you want to share that I may have missed out on?

Have a great weekend, and I'll see you all next week!

My Moving Adventure

On Sunday, December 27th, we woke to find our great dane, Terk, gone. This isn’t the first time he’s gotten out, but it’s the first time he didn’t come back. By the end of the day, we were starting to get worried. At the suggestion of a friend, I posted ads on Craigslist and Pets911.com hoping to reach whoever had him.

We continued packing, and I checked the websites regularly for any ads that might match Terk’s description, but nothing ever came up. The closer we got to January 1st, the day we were scheduled to leave for Idaho, the more I became convinced he’d been stolen. He’s big and he looks scary, but anyone who knows anything about danes, knows that they’re just big teddy bears. And I can see how an unneutered male of his size would be desirable enough to steal.

January 1st rolled around and we weren’t quite ready to leave, so we decided to wait one more day. At this point, we’d checked both animal control facilities and pretty much given up hope of finding Terk before we left. We were all really sad to leave him.

Somehow, we managed to cram most of our house into a 26 ft. Uhaul and the back of our Tahoe. There was just enough room for two of us in the Tahoe and three in the moving truck. We left that night at around 11:30, hoping to reach Idaho Falls in the daylight. We’d made the drive in 15 hours the last time, so it wasn’t unreasonable to assume our travel time wouldn’t be more than a couple of hours longer with the moving truck.

Not an unreasonable assumption, but apparently unrealistic. We had to stop twice to sleep, because we were both too tired to drive. (You’d think an hour and a half sleep would be enough to get you through a 16-17 hour drive. ;) We really did try to sleep longer before we left, but the floor isn’t very comfortable, and I got tired of tossing and turning. It felt like wasted time.) Between sleeping and stopping to eat and get gas, we added about three hours to our trip.

Then in Ogden, UT (about 2 ½ hours before Idaho Falls), we stopped to get gas, and through a miscommunication about which way to go, we got separated. Jason’s cell phone battery was dead, and the batteries on the walkie-talkies were too low, so I had no way to contact him. Fortunately, he knew the way, and I had the GPS—except the GPS decided to lock up about 50 miles before I reached Idaho Falls.

I made a quick phone call to my cousin and got some basic directions. We pulled up to the house about 8:20pm, January 2nd. Jason pulled up about ten minutes later. It was frustrating being separated for the last few hours of the drive, but worrying about him and the kids kept me wide awake.

The trip took a total of 21 hours—we were SO tired. We had some awesome people from church here to help us unload the Uhaul, and that was done in about an hour. The next morning, we swept out the moving truck and left to return it. On the way, Jason got a phone call. Someone found Terk.

Apparently, they picked him up from the end of our street about an hour after he left our house. He was probably on his way home. They hadn’t been able to get animal control to pick him up, so someone suggested they check Pets911.com, and that’s how they found us. He’ll be staying with our good friends until we can pick him up in a few months.

So, even though this has been the most stressful experience of my life, we’re getting settled here and really enjoying it. The kids love their new school and the snow. (It snowed all day January 1st, so it turned out to be a good thing we didn’t leave that day.) My husband loves his new job. I don’t have to work, so once I’m done unpacking and the house is all set up, I get to write full time. Yea! And this house has so much more space than our old house. I think we’re going to be very happy here.

A few things I’ve learned since moving here:

*-14 degrees F is very, very cold.

*When the sun comes out from behind the clouds here, it gets colder instead of warmer. Logical, I suppose, if I really think about it, but not what I expected.

*Driving on ice is a lot like driving in the mud, so all that mud-bogging experience on our unpaved road in AZ is coming in handy.

*I can go several weeks without blogging and not die. ;)

No internet at the house until the end of the month :(, but Barnes and Noble isn’t too far away. I won’t be posting every day, but I’ll be checking in. I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and a Happy New Year! It’s good to be back! :)

Moving Up to a Whole New Level of Crazy

I have some awesome news to share. :)

My husband got a new job on Friday—in Idaho Falls! So exciting and so overwhelming. What was I thinking? Moving everything to a new home 1000 miles away? In the coldest part of the year?! Needless to say, I'm feeling just a smidge insane right now.

To remove some of the pressure I seem to enjoy heaping upon myself, I'll be unplugging until we're all settled in up there. I'm not really sure how long it'll be before we have the internet set up, but I'm hoping it'll be sometime in the first week of January. What am I going to do if I can't obsessively check my email and Statcounter? I'm trying not to think about it. ;)

I'm going to miss all of you! I hope you all have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy New Year, and any other holidays I may've missed!

Here are some awesome Christmas lights to get you in the spirit! See you all in the new year!


Amazing Grace Techno - Computer Controlled Christmas Lights from Richard Holdman on Vimeo.

I've Been Hit!

I was tagged by Michelle Gregory at beautiful chaos to answer this writerly questionnaire. Since I'm it, I get to tag whoever I want. >:) Stay tuned. I'll announce the lucky taggees at the end.

1. What's the last thing you wrote? What's the first thing you wrote that you still have?

The last thing I wrote is an experimental short story I’m working on, but haven’t finished, called Pancakes. That title is awesome. ;) It has a lot of meaning for the story. Really.

The first thing I wrote that I still have is an awful poem I wrote in high school. Even the title is awful, so I'll spare you. I thought it was hilarious at the time, and my English teacher thought it was genius enough to include in the school poetry journal, but it was a total joke—intentionally.

2. Write poetry?

Not anymore. :)

3. Angsty poetry?

No.

4. Favorite genre of writing?

I guess that would be YA speculative fiction—scifi, fantasy. And there’s always a romantic element in there.

5. Most annoying character you've ever created?

The protagonist in my newest WIP—he’s a huge jerk.

6. Best Plot you've ever created?

I don’t know if it’s the best, but my favorite is Embrol. :)

7. Coolest Plot twist you've ever created?

The one at the end of the sequel to Embrol, and that’s all I’m saying.

8. How often do you get writer's block?

I don’t know that I get writer’s block. It’s more of a brain deadness, like when I’m super tired or stressed out.

9. Write fan fiction?

No.

10. Do you type or write by hand?

I used to think typing was the only way for me, but lately I’ve found some advantages to writing by hand. #1 advantage: I can’t click off my spiral bound notebook to obsessively check my email and Statcounter. :)

11. Do you save everything you write?

Yes. Every crappy word. And the good stuff too—though my opinion of what belongs in that category changes frequently.

12. Do you ever go back to an idea after you've abandoned it?

I don’t have any abandoned ideas yet, but I think a lot about an idea before putting anything into writing. Are they still abandoned if I never write them down?

13. What's your favorite thing you've ever written?

Embrol. Love the story. Love the characters.

14. What's everyone else's favorite story that you've written?

Embrol, but it’s the only one anyone has ever read, so I don’t know if that counts. :)

15. Ever written romance or angsty teen drama?

Yes on the romance—love a good love story. You’ll have to ask my betas if it’s angsty. I don’t know. I guess by definition there is an angsty angle to Embrol, but it’s not a result of normal teenage stuff. Does that count?

16. What's your favorite setting for your characters?

Um, the moon? Is that giving too much away? :)

17. How many writing projects are you working on right now?

I have three in the works, though I only actually work on one at a time. The voices get all screwed up in my head if I try to work on more than one simultaneously.

18. Have you ever won an award for your writing?

No.

19. What are your five favorite words?

Totally (totally overuse this one :). Awesome (obviously). Coalesce. Festoon. Ephemeral.

20. What character have you created that is most like yourself?

Olivia—main character in Embrol.

21. Where do you get ideas for your characters?

People I know. Bits and pieces from characters I see in movies and on TV. People-watching.

22. Do you ever write based on your dreams?

There is a dream that I had that I put in Embrol, but that’s only because it fit so perfectly. The story isn’t really based on it.

23. Do you favor happy endings?

Yes and no. I definitely think there should be a solid sense of closure, but I don’t like endings where absolutely everything is resolved perfectly, all tied up with pretty ribbons and bows. It’s too unrealistic for me. Or maybe I just like to make my characters suffer, and I have to get in one last little jab before it’s all over. :)

24. Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?

Concerned? I think obsessed is a better description. It’s ridiculous. If I don’t fix something I know is wrong, it will annoy me until it’s corrected.

25. Does music help you write?

When I’m writing new stuff, it helps, as long as it’s the right music. I need silence when I’m revising, though.

26. Quote something you've written. Whatever pops into your head.

This is my newest opening from Embrol.

------
Three seconds. That’s how long it took for my life to end.

Well, it was an end of sorts. And it may’ve taken longer. My recollection of that day is fuzzy, at best. I suppose it depends on which point was the actual end. Some might say it was the first or second or third time I died. For me, it was the moment I saw that truck barreling toward us. A girl really should have better memories of her eighteenth birthday.
------
 
Aaaaand...
 
Tere Kirkland at The Lesser Key
Rebecca Knight at Rebecca Knight: Writer in Progress
Tricia J. O'Brien at Talespinning
 
...you're it! *runs away laughing hysterically* Have fun! :)

Bloggy Award Time--See, I'm not a Total Slacker

I'm so late in posting these, but I have a few awards to be thankful for. :)

First off, thank you to Dawn Simon at Plotting and Scheming - My Writing Life for the Best Blog Award! If she hadn't given me the award, she'd be on the list of nominees, so be sure to check out her blog.

The rules:

1. To accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his/her blog link.

2. Pass the award to other bloggers that you have recently discovered and think are great! Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

And the nominees are:

Teressa at The Chocolate Chip Waffle

L.T. Elliot at Dreams of Quill and Ink

Anissa at Anissa Off the Record

Melissa at Chasing the Dream

Second, Julie Dao at Silver Lining gave me the Kreativ Blogger award. I'm going to be lazy on this one and refer you to my previous post with all the rules and seven facts about me. Thanks, Julie!

Lastly, from Suzy Hayze at Tales of Extraordinary Ordinariness, I recieved the Honest Scrap award. Thanks, Suzy!

The rules:

1. List ten honest things about yourself.

2. Pass it on to seven other bloggers.

Here are ten honest things about me:

1. When I eat goldfish crackers, I like to pop them in half with my teeth, so I have two little fishies before chewing. Doesn't always work, but I still do this every time.

2. "Dork", "Nerd", and "Weirdo" are all terms of endearment at my house.

3. Other than my tennis shoes, every pair of shoes I own adds at least two inches to my height.

4. Going along with #3, my husband calls me a hobbit on a regular basis, and it's not because I have hairy feet. Yes, we have strange ways of showing our love around here.

5. I refuse to use internet/texting acronyms like LOL. It doesn't bother me if other people use them, but there's a part of me that feels like I'm giving in to some sort of evil peer pressure by using them.

6. I love to read. Not just books, although that is what I prefer. If I’m bored, anything will do, including shampoo bottles. It’s kind of fun trying to figure out the correct pronunciation of all the chemicals in the ingredients list.

7. One of my favorite lines from a movie is, “Your mother went to college,” delivered by Kipp in Napoleon Dynamite. I would try to describe the scene, but without experiencing it for yourself, you can’t truly appreciate just how hilarious it is. If you haven’t seen the movie, you wouldn’t understand. If you’ve seen it and still don’t understand, well, there really is no point in trying to explain.

8. The whole concept of using time travel to fix past mistakes makes no sense to me. Let’s take, for instance, the movie Terminator, followed by Terminator II and Terminator III, and now The Sarah Conner Chronicles TV series.

The basic plot is that in the future the world has been taken over by cyborgs, which stemmed from an artificial intelligence program that man created. One of the cyborgs is changed into a ‘good guy’ and sent back to the past to protect John Conner, the man who is the leader of the resistance in the future. Thanks to the cyborg’s presence, John Conner and his mother, Sarah, discover the cause of the future war, so they try to stop the creation of the source of the cyborgs, which in turn would cause the cyborgs to cease to exist, thus making it impossible for the time-traveling cyborg to go into the past in the first place. Ultimately, this would eliminate all of the events that led up to the destruction of the artificial intelligence. So, essentially, nothing would've been changed.

Are you following this?

9. When it comes to sports, dance or pretty much anything that requires even a small amount of coordination, I can confidently say that I’m very, very bad at it. In addition to that, I am continually running into things. I hit my arms on doorknobs, stub my toes on a regular basis, and hit my head on open cupboard doors (this is more of a height issue, but still relevant), just to name a few.

10. I totally cheated and stole some of these from a previous tagged post.

And the lucky nominees are:

Dawn Simon at Plotting and Scheming - My Writing Life

Michelle Gregory at beautiful chaos

Stephanie L. McGee at Chronicles of a Novice Writer

Natalie Murphy at The Sound of Rain

Julie Dao at Silver Lining

Stephanie Thornton at Hatshepsut: The Writing of a Novel

MG Higgins at MG Higgins

Thanks for reading everyone! Have a fabulous Monday!