Archive for May, 2010

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My Favorite Comics – Girl Genius by Phil & Kaja Foglio


27 May

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If you are not reading Girl Genius by Phil & Kaja Foglio, you should be. In fact, go read it right now and come back once you’re done. It might take you a little while, but that’s okay. I’ll wait.

Girl Genius is steam punk done right. The story lines and the artwork are bright and vibrant. The characters are likable, lovable even, and the heroine is equal parts mad scientist (she will take over the world), daring adventurer (even if she has to do it country by country), and caring friend (she risks her life to save her friends).

Busy Weekends


23 May

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We have standing plans every weekend. Right now, every other Saturday we have a 14th level D&D game run by a friend. On Sundays of the off weeks, my husband runs a 17th level D&D game. He’s currently considering starting a ShadowRun game to run on the Sundays he’s not running D&D. So that would be every other weekend with a game on both days.

On top of this, we have to take his mom shopping.

I love spending time with our friends and playing in the games, but I think I might start needing a weekend from my weekends.

Normally, I’m an optimist


21 May

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I’ve always been just a little paranoid about my dogs. If I wake up in the middle of the night and they don’t react, I’ll put a hand on their side to make sure they’re breathing. Losing Moree (our Aussie) last November, 5-6 years earlier than we’d been expecting, just made me worse.

Right now, Smokey (our lab/pit mix) has hurt his leg. He can’t get up on the bed with us, and that makes me sad, and then I get even more paranoid. It’s a vicious cycle. How is it that I’ve become a pessimist about my pets’ health?

Finding time to read and think


19 May

Posted in Non-fiction, Reading | Comments Off

It will come as no surprise to anyone here that I love to read. What may be less evident is that I enjoy reading non-fiction as well. The problem is, while I can get lost in a good fiction story, non-fiction is rarely all absorbing. That means I read those books more slowly and sporadically.

I need dedicated reading time. Now that my Monday night critique group is more of a try to get together and write group, maybe I’ll take the off Mondays and give myself over to non-fiction. After all, what else am I doing- playing bejeweled blitz?

My Favorite Books – The Winds of War by Herman Wouk


18 May

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And now for something completely different. Well, not completely different, still a book, but not the same kind of book I normally read. Writing about Snow Crash reminded me of the first book I read that rolled some non-fiction into its fiction- The Winds of War by Herman Wouk.

I read the Winds of War the summer between 7th and 8th grades. I was bored and we hadn’t been to the library in a week or so. I “threatened” that if we didn’t go soon I was going to read the Winds of War. My step-mom said go right ahead.

My Favorite Books – Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson


18 May

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Snow Crash has a special place in my heart because it is one of the things that brought my husband and I together. He loaned me the book right around the time our friendship was starting to evolve in to something more.

Not only does Snow Crash have one of the best openings ever (I LOVE the Deliverator), but the book successfully weaves mythology with a cyberpunk setting. At the same time the story doesn’t suffer for those who can’t bring themselves to read the chapters on Sumerian mythology. Instead, they deepen a dedicated reader’s understanding of the author’s world.

My own stupidity


17 May

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Twice recently I have had to come to terms with my dumb mistakes. First, I cancelled my timeshare reservations 1 day too late (not getting a full refund). Second, I bought a new pair of $120 shoes- without trying them on. They are the same brand, same size, same style that I currently have. The only difference, they’re patent leather. Patent leather doesn’t stretch very well and the new shoes are too tight across the tops of my feet, causing bruising. Now I have to take them back and see if I can exchange them for the non-patent leather version.

My Charity Idea


15 May

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Someday, when I am more organized, I will start a charity. I will call it City Pets (or some such thing), and we will be devoted to helping the pets of the homeless.

I know a lot of people think that the homeless shouldn’t have pets when they can’t care for themselves, but if I lost my job and my home, I can not imagine also losing my dogs. The unconditional love they provide is a key to staying sane. My goal would be to provide pet food, help with veterinary care, and eventually help with shelters and transitional housing.

Silver Linings


14 May

Posted in Budgeting, Debt Reduction, Finances | Comments Off

My husband was laid off a year ago. Today, we are better off financially than we were then. This is not a story of a get rich quick scheme, taking internet surveys, or doing direct sales. The only income he has had is unemployment.

How did we do it? We put ourselves on a budget. We powered through credit card debt, then the car payment (which was our biggest non-mortgage mortgage bill) to pay it off. I got my first raise in two years (despite earning an MBA in the interim), and now we can live on my salary alone.

Microfiction Contest


14 May

Posted in Microfiction, Writing | Comments Off

I used to host a 50 word microfiction contest. I ran it weekly, and after a while, there were very few entries and fewer votes for the winning entry, so I stopped. But I do love microfiction. I love the challenge of telling a complete story in so few words. At some point, I will probably post 100 word microfiction stories here.

Today I want to tell you about another microfiction contest. The entry fee is $15; you could win $500. Unlike my contest, which required exactly 50 words, this one calls for 100 Words or Fewer. So get writing.

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100 Words On

topics explored in exactly 100 words