That's what all my writery books say. As I'm working, I should be secretive about my work. Mysterious about my words. Hush! Hush!
So fine, I won't tell anyone what I'm writing, only that I've got something to work with, which is always a nice thing to have when you're a writer.
I know, people are so breathless with anticipation. It's like, it's like I'm Dean Koontz and I just released a new series. Only I'm a writer who's never released anything except newsy articles for a military newspaper and fantasy stories for a game, but... but I FEEL like I'm a writer about to release something wonderful.
Yes, I live optimistically. But really, it's about the words and the story.
I usually track page counts or word counts, but I'm not there yet. Right now it's all setting and mood and time and age and figuring out who these people traipsing about my head are, and why it is the middle of July and hot and 90 degrees but in my head it's the eve of a cold, harsh winter... Brace Yourself... Winter is... naaah I can't do it.
Yes, I know, this post is very stream-of-consciousness - it has been edited for context where needed, but for the most part, comes direct from my brain.
I know, my brain is a very strange place. Imagine what it's like to live in it.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
Dwindling days of summer
We've got another month or so of hot weather, but my summer ends pretty much this week. Cue sad music.
Today, I went on a trail hike/run/walk/ to Green Mountain, where, at the summit, Colorado Native and I were accosted by a Hummingbird, in all its glorious ability. We watched it hover with the appearance of standing still in mid-air, wings beating so fast we could barely see them. It was probably the most epic thing that happened today. That, and watching clouds form from infancy to full-on storm clouds with lots of rumbling!
I didn't take a camera today, because, I thought, meh, I'll leave it in the car... alas, of course, it was one of the most beautiful trails I've been on. Ha. I'll capture some of it in the fall, I'm sure.
It's a great way to end a week.. if only I could find a way to bring the trail to the office!
Today, I went on a trail hike/run/walk/ to Green Mountain, where, at the summit, Colorado Native and I were accosted by a Hummingbird, in all its glorious ability. We watched it hover with the appearance of standing still in mid-air, wings beating so fast we could barely see them. It was probably the most epic thing that happened today. That, and watching clouds form from infancy to full-on storm clouds with lots of rumbling!
I didn't take a camera today, because, I thought, meh, I'll leave it in the car... alas, of course, it was one of the most beautiful trails I've been on. Ha. I'll capture some of it in the fall, I'm sure.
It's a great way to end a week.. if only I could find a way to bring the trail to the office!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Hot, Long July Days
The boys are pretty much wiped out from all the summer activity. Camp three times a week and hikes interspersed have done them in. Today, they ix nayed my idea of a short, beautiful hike by waking up before 7 a.m., turning on Batman Lego and letting me know that was the plan. "Mom, we beat the joker. We unlocked the level where we can be villians..." oooh boys, good going...you go defeat... Batman... that's great... I think...
I was tempted to force them on the hike -- it's SUMMER, the SUN is out, it's GORGEOUS, we belong OUTSIDE, we can go on a lovely hike through Enchanted Mesa and IT"LL BE FUUUN.. but then I remembered my days off in the summer, and how sometimes, sometimes it was just so wonderful to be able to hide in a corner and read a book, or watch some cartoons, or just... be... so today I am letting them be. It's day 23 of 31 days of hot sunny days, followed by another month of hot, sunny days. Summer feels so eternal, until it's gone, and in January, inevitably, I will say, winter feels so eternal... and both are true. Every moment, an eternity.
The boys may have needed a day, but while they were at camp, I managed to take Drama Girl with me on a hike, this is her shady spot on the trail up to the Royal Arch, FlatIrons. I want to do more of those trails, but when it's cooler. I've discovered that my family is seriously heat adverse, and if temperatures ever are going to be above 93, (seriously) all outdoor activity has to be completed by noon!
I was tempted to force them on the hike -- it's SUMMER, the SUN is out, it's GORGEOUS, we belong OUTSIDE, we can go on a lovely hike through Enchanted Mesa and IT"LL BE FUUUN.. but then I remembered my days off in the summer, and how sometimes, sometimes it was just so wonderful to be able to hide in a corner and read a book, or watch some cartoons, or just... be... so today I am letting them be. It's day 23 of 31 days of hot sunny days, followed by another month of hot, sunny days. Summer feels so eternal, until it's gone, and in January, inevitably, I will say, winter feels so eternal... and both are true. Every moment, an eternity.
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| A magical sight on the Enchanted Mesa Trail! |
The boys may have needed a day, but while they were at camp, I managed to take Drama Girl with me on a hike, this is her shady spot on the trail up to the Royal Arch, FlatIrons. I want to do more of those trails, but when it's cooler. I've discovered that my family is seriously heat adverse, and if temperatures ever are going to be above 93, (seriously) all outdoor activity has to be completed by noon!
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
When You Write, if you get it wrong, Your Characters Will Politely Haunt You
Sometimes you've got a story all mapped out. Outlined. Characters. It's good. You're excited. The characters' are excited. There's joy. Hell, there's a plot! Woot. You sit down to type, and write, and suddenly, the page is blank because something is all wrong. Something is very, very wrong, and your frozen in front of the screen. The characters just aren't there.
So you stare at that stupid page and realize it's not even July anymore. You can't even get the season right. It's not hot out at all. Fall has been in the air for a while. There's a noise, too. Someone young is talking in a quiet whisper, just whispering in your ear, your head, the air, you can't place the whisper but you hear it, patiently trying to get your attention without shouting at you or startling you. It's a quiet insistent whisper. Maybe it's the voice that woke you up at 3 a.m. when you were staring at the dark sky wondering what it was that was so urgent, what had startled you to awaken. It's been bothering you for at least two days now so you know the voice is getting a bit hoarse.
You're thinking this, and then you realize since it must have been trying to get your attention for a while now, you could at least start listening to it.
Ah, you hear the voice, you think you understand. This voice that's been whispering in your ear for a while now, is telling you its story, and it makes sense, there's this one character in another half-written story that didn't belong there, but belonged with this voice, and I had it only partly right. Suddenly, the old outline is gone, the characters skidaddle, the perfectly-set up story is a house of cards. The plot empty.
That voice is more real, and then words fall on the page easily. You already HAVE the characters, you just had them in the wrong place, and you recognize the voice, so you know whose voice it is...and the words flow, but there's just something else, something... shocking, an actual surprise. The voice you thought you knew, when it first started talking to you, maybe some years ago, maybe a month ago, who knows, you realize then, you didn't really KNOW the voice, because, you see, you thought the voice was a girl. Now, you know, really really know, it's not a little girl with brothers and sisters. It's this little 11 year old boy. It was always this 11 year old boy....
And that's a lucky day, when you have a character whose voice is so strong it pulls itself out of you, introduces itself and starts telling you the story you need to write because you haven't been writing it, and is kind enough to take the other character to you, well, that's a lucky day. A creepy day, because really, it means my characters are haunting me, but a good, lucky day!
So you stare at that stupid page and realize it's not even July anymore. You can't even get the season right. It's not hot out at all. Fall has been in the air for a while. There's a noise, too. Someone young is talking in a quiet whisper, just whispering in your ear, your head, the air, you can't place the whisper but you hear it, patiently trying to get your attention without shouting at you or startling you. It's a quiet insistent whisper. Maybe it's the voice that woke you up at 3 a.m. when you were staring at the dark sky wondering what it was that was so urgent, what had startled you to awaken. It's been bothering you for at least two days now so you know the voice is getting a bit hoarse.
You're thinking this, and then you realize since it must have been trying to get your attention for a while now, you could at least start listening to it.
Ah, you hear the voice, you think you understand. This voice that's been whispering in your ear for a while now, is telling you its story, and it makes sense, there's this one character in another half-written story that didn't belong there, but belonged with this voice, and I had it only partly right. Suddenly, the old outline is gone, the characters skidaddle, the perfectly-set up story is a house of cards. The plot empty.
That voice is more real, and then words fall on the page easily. You already HAVE the characters, you just had them in the wrong place, and you recognize the voice, so you know whose voice it is...and the words flow, but there's just something else, something... shocking, an actual surprise. The voice you thought you knew, when it first started talking to you, maybe some years ago, maybe a month ago, who knows, you realize then, you didn't really KNOW the voice, because, you see, you thought the voice was a girl. Now, you know, really really know, it's not a little girl with brothers and sisters. It's this little 11 year old boy. It was always this 11 year old boy....
And that's a lucky day, when you have a character whose voice is so strong it pulls itself out of you, introduces itself and starts telling you the story you need to write because you haven't been writing it, and is kind enough to take the other character to you, well, that's a lucky day. A creepy day, because really, it means my characters are haunting me, but a good, lucky day!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
An Account of Hiking Heil Valley on a beautiful July Friday
I had wanted to do the full Heil Valley loop after completing half of Heil Valley's Picture Trail from Lyons, and the Lichen/Wapiti Trail from Boulder with my boys. There's an entire trail loop that runs through what I think is some of the prettiest terrain in the foothills around here. I needed to do it sans children, since at 8, they don't really have the endurance yet for a five hour hike with only a lunch rest. I invited Colorado Native *I've known her for a few years now. She now has an official name for my blog.* along because what the hell, she wasn't doing anything that day...
When I came here with Bear, we saw Wild Turkeys, and to his dismay, and my pleasure, not one Black Bear. Well, no Wild Turkeys on this hike, not one! I did see a Red-Tailed Hawk ride the wind in front of me, soaring beautifully canyon just off of Picture Trail, all casual and bird-of-prey like. And, this fella:
My friend Colorado Native and I ran into two older woman who were hiking the Ponderosa Loop. They were being all whistly and noisy, which we did find odd, until they explained that there was a bear up ahead just off the trail about 150 ft, and we should make noise as we pass. You know they're locals who know the trail well when the viewing of a Black Bear doesn't frighten them so. Sure enough, one of the woman explained she'd been hiking here for many years, and not once did she ever encounter a bear! It was an amazing chance encounter that we took pictures of.
Until the Bear realized we had stopped and were you know, paparazzi-ing it, and turned its cute little maw our way and took an ambled step forward. The older woman suggested we all skidaddle, Colorado Native agreed, and I whined about not getting a good full-maw shot which more than made up for Colorado Native's whining about her sore feet because she engaged on a five-hour hike after running 13 miles and the entire angry-bee-after-my-food crisis whine where I lobbed my sandwich maybe a couple of times to distract said angry swarm of three bees... Just saying...
The rest of the hike took us through the most beautiful part of the trail, the Wild Turkey trail. We wandered on a trail shaded with abundant Ponderosa Pines to look up and be surprised suddenly with a meadow!
I can't wait to do this trail when the wildflowers are at the height of their bloom!
This view is one of the reasons why this hike is now one of our favorites.
It was an amazing hike, and we left with plans to do a longer hike up to Button Rock Reservoir in August, which I can't wait for, and a return to Heil Valley in the fall to do the full Lichen to Picture Trail hike.
I so heart nature.
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| I love the stillness of the distant peaks. |
When I came here with Bear, we saw Wild Turkeys, and to his dismay, and my pleasure, not one Black Bear. Well, no Wild Turkeys on this hike, not one! I did see a Red-Tailed Hawk ride the wind in front of me, soaring beautifully canyon just off of Picture Trail, all casual and bird-of-prey like. And, this fella:
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| Hey little fella, you eat bark and berries, right? |
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| A bear off Ponderosa Loop Trail - bringing authenticity to our nature hike. |
Until the Bear realized we had stopped and were you know, paparazzi-ing it, and turned its cute little maw our way and took an ambled step forward. The older woman suggested we all skidaddle, Colorado Native agreed, and I whined about not getting a good full-maw shot which more than made up for Colorado Native's whining about her sore feet because she engaged on a five-hour hike after running 13 miles and the entire angry-bee-after-my-food crisis whine where I lobbed my sandwich maybe a couple of times to distract said angry swarm of three bees... Just saying...
The rest of the hike took us through the most beautiful part of the trail, the Wild Turkey trail. We wandered on a trail shaded with abundant Ponderosa Pines to look up and be surprised suddenly with a meadow!
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| Meadow! Not the most meadowy meadow we came across, but a meadow nonetheless. |
I can't wait to do this trail when the wildflowers are at the height of their bloom!
This view is one of the reasons why this hike is now one of our favorites.
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| Check out the view. |
It was an amazing hike, and we left with plans to do a longer hike up to Button Rock Reservoir in August, which I can't wait for, and a return to Heil Valley in the fall to do the full Lichen to Picture Trail hike.
I so heart nature.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Writing it all down
I had promised myself most of the year that in July, I'd really kick off and seriously get back to the writing. It's the third part of my three-part goals I set a while back. It was just three things. To write, read, and exercise.
And finally, happily, I'm writing.
And how I love the writing.
I had a few stories I could work on, and settled on trying two out. The first one, as much as I wanted to write it, wasn't ready to be written. It's not filled in yet. The second one, the words, the story, the characters, they're ready. So that's what I'm spending a few nights a week on. I had a blast coming up with the correct character names, and while I don't think I'll finish this book in a month, I do know the first draft won't take long - it's just flying!
And finally, happily, I'm writing.
And how I love the writing.
I had a few stories I could work on, and settled on trying two out. The first one, as much as I wanted to write it, wasn't ready to be written. It's not filled in yet. The second one, the words, the story, the characters, they're ready. So that's what I'm spending a few nights a week on. I had a blast coming up with the correct character names, and while I don't think I'll finish this book in a month, I do know the first draft won't take long - it's just flying!
Saturday, July 07, 2012
Little Trips
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| I'm not picking my nose. |
It's summer, and I know a lot of people are going to amazing places, doing amazing things, and seeing amazing stuff.
Well, I live in a place of amazing places, so it doesn't require a trip to see amazing stuff. But we're not really 'doing' anything or 'going' anywhere.
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| Turbo's ready for the ride! |
It's pretty awesome how I can go for a run, or hop on a bike and go for a ride, or drive 20 minutes to a great hike, and find the most incredible, beautiful sights. It's my goal this summer to really show the kids this amazing place they live, and the amazing things you can see in nature. I want them to be explorers and adventurers, and to love and crave the outdoors. It's pretty easy to do with kids, they're naturally inclined that way. That's why this summer, it's really about the little trips.
Today, Turbo and I set out on one of our little trips to a cafe in Niwot. He's been waiting for his long bike ride with mom for about a week and a half. It's about 6 miles to the cafe and 6 miles back, so he got a bit of a workout on his bike.
Turbo and I chatted all the way there and home. He stopped to take pictures with his own camera a few times on the way back. I bought the boys $1.50 photo albums so they could document their summer with pictures. I also grabbed a bunch of disposable cameras at Target for like, $5. I don't think they're quite ready to not lose/break/destroy a real one. They also have little notebooks to write down anything interesting when we go on our trips. They don't write in them much, but occasionally, they'll surprise me with a desire to 'observe' something!
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| Hot chocolate! I know! |
This picture on the right shows how gorgeous and picturesque (get it, picture, picturesque?) it was this morning, and what an awesome view we get on the ride! We've just come out of a ridiculous heat wave, so having morning temperatures in the 70s was a wonderful treat, and those are seriously some of the puffiest clouds ever!
The ride takes us past his favorite creek (okay, our only creek) and the rains from last night made the waters higher and faster than normal.I don't know how many times I was convinced he was going to ride his bike into the creek. He loves watching the water rush by, and kept getting distracted by it on our ride.
The entire ride and breakfast took up our Saturday morning. Just a little trip on a cool, breezy Saturday from one place to another.
Thursday, July 05, 2012
Wednesday, July 04, 2012
Fourth of July Hike
This July 4th, there are so many wildfires in Colorado, and such a danger of fire because of the intense heat and dry year, that the city won't be celebrating with fireworks. The sale of fireworks has been banned, and our neighborhood has been at it's quietest this time of year in... well... years... But what better way to celebrate our land than through walking it? I took Bear on a hike to Heil Valley. We took the Lichen Loop until it hooked up with Wapiti, then took that trail. It was, as Bear described, 'Over-Awesome' because, see, awesome just didn't describe it enough....
The thing that took me by surprise the most? When he randomly ran to me, hugged me, and said 'I love you mom' before scampering up the trail. Awwww, Sweet Bear!
This was probably the first time in a long time, I had alone time with Bear. What did I learn about him on the trail? He wants to be a builder.... There are some dull pictures of paver stones I was forced to take, because they were 'interesting' somehow...
Happy Fourth!
The thing that took me by surprise the most? When he randomly ran to me, hugged me, and said 'I love you mom' before scampering up the trail. Awwww, Sweet Bear!
This was probably the first time in a long time, I had alone time with Bear. What did I learn about him on the trail? He wants to be a builder.... There are some dull pictures of paver stones I was forced to take, because they were 'interesting' somehow...
Happy Fourth!
Monday, July 02, 2012
Renaissance Festival Braids
We went to the Renaissance Festival, and essentially discovered how quickly a 15 year old teenager can spend her money!
This, though, I think was worth it:
And I can totally see how this could be justified:
But the tourist hoodie and the $20 puppet and the other bits of food, I'm not sold on, but hey, that's how you roll when you're 15 apparently!
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Summer Manifesto
Thanks Denice! Because of you, I have a summer manifesto, too.
It's very short.
Explore our playground!
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| Hi Bear, please don't fall.... |
We kicked this first manifest off with a trip to Rabbit Mountain, aka Grasshopper Mountain, on account of the zero rabbits sighted, but the bajillions of grasshoppers leaping into our legs as we climbed.
Bear declared it his favorite trail until today's little jaunt to Heil Valley Ranch, which is now his favorite, but won't be, once we go to the next trail.
Both Turbo and Bear are excited about all these hikes and explorations we're taking, which is exciting for me, because I love getting outdoors finally!
This summer is the first summer I feel I could really do that with the boys, and we're busy picking out new trails to explore daily! I can't wait to hit RMNP!
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| Lunch on a rock at Picture Trail |
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| It's a long, dusty road |
Friday, December 30, 2011
Out with the old year...
Go on, kick it out.
2011 was a weird year for us.
I'm glad it's over.
I'm hoping 2012 is a bit calmer, tamer, mundane...
One can only take so many upheavals in a year.
I don't want to scare 2012, so I'm not going into the New Year with a huge list of resolutions, must-haves and how-it-will-be-in-2012-isms. I mean, there's still the possibility that 2012 is the end of the world, so my dreams, plans and goals for 2012 will reflect that possibility.
I have three things I will do every day starting Jan. 1.
Well, I've already started, but these are my New Year's goals.
I will not go to bed until I've:
Written something, at least a page
Read something, at least a page
Exercised, at least 30 minutes
That's it!
That's me in 2012!
2011 was a weird year for us.
I'm glad it's over.
I'm hoping 2012 is a bit calmer, tamer, mundane...
One can only take so many upheavals in a year.
I don't want to scare 2012, so I'm not going into the New Year with a huge list of resolutions, must-haves and how-it-will-be-in-2012-isms. I mean, there's still the possibility that 2012 is the end of the world, so my dreams, plans and goals for 2012 will reflect that possibility.
I have three things I will do every day starting Jan. 1.
Well, I've already started, but these are my New Year's goals.
I will not go to bed until I've:
Written something, at least a page
Read something, at least a page
Exercised, at least 30 minutes
That's it!
That's me in 2012!
Monday, December 26, 2011
Happy Day After Christmas Day - best day of the year
I do enjoy Christmas, but by the time Christmas arrives, I'm almost ready to be done with it.
One of my favoritest days in the entire year is the day after Christmas Day.
It's not that I'm a grinch. I love the music, the lights, the simple traditions we engage in with the kids every year - cookie baking, tree decorating, singing mutilated versions of Christmas carols - it adds some festivity and brightness to a normally dark time of year.
I grew up fully engulfed in the religious context of Christmas, but as history and the religious holiday don't quite match up, I'm not going to dwell on the religious. Those who truly celebrate the holiday in a fully religious capacity aren't affected by.... Santa, elves and the crushing realization that Santa provides presents solely based on your parents' economic status.
Right now, my kids love it - Santa, presents and stockings and all.
But really, Santa is us telling our kids some magical, mythical creature exists solely to bring them toys in some mythical place called the North Pole. Lets hush up about the poor, starving kids that get nothing.
I'm guilty, I really am. I perpetuate Santa.
I justify it by my belief that childhood belief in magic and myth helps kids' imaginations. It helps stave off the ho-hum reality of life and helps transition them from belief in magic to fascination in science - why no, a big fat man isn't going to come down a chimney we don't have and drop off presents, but we can TOTALLY travel in space and build a bio-dome on Mars.
I will say, though, at 8, this is their last year of belief. Mr. logic, Turbo Boy has already figured it out but is hanging on to the dream, while Bear suddenly realized that um, if Santa is magical, why didn't he get a DS? And how come Santa always brings things that Target sells? And um, the kids at school, they got DS' and consoles and snowboards and a trip to Bali and ummm... hmmm....
This is what I think ultimately breaks the myth of Santa -- Johnny Rich Kid and siblings gets snowboard and gear, a season pass, a new console - elite version - for the entertainment centers in their bedrooms, 5 best selling games to match, and a crap ton of designer clothing. Danny Dad Works The Night Shift gets 1 new game and a console for the whole family, some socks and a sled, but that's okay because hey, sleds are cool.
But that's the kids. Me? Presents? Ack! No, anything. Ask me to do anything, but do not ask me to find meaningful gifts my family will cherish every. single. year. Inevitably, I fail. There's so much pressure! Even if I had deeper pockets than I do, I can't do it. I. Just. Can't give the perfect gift.
Get your child the best gizmo! And the gizmo games! Do something big - buy your husband a new toolbox, with all the tools, in a new workshop. Give the gift of diamonds. Spend more money than you actually have because if you don't, you're admitting you're you know... economically challenged (to be fair, being economically challenged is very 2011, and is rumored to remain the smokin' hot trend of 2012...).
The entire point of 2012 for my "economically challenged" and so-smokin-hot-trending-2012 family is to become less 'stuff' oriented. Christmas defeats that entire purpose. It's the time of year when you buy a bunch of random stuff for people who only think they want it. Inevitably, one or two gifts are used, kept and loved and the rest become destined for basements, yard sales and re-gifts. Then, of course, there's the silent disappointment - oh, is this what you got me? Do you even you know, know me?
So here's to the Day After Christmas Day.
My favoritest day of the year.
The day where everyone is chill, the kids aren't yet bored by all their loot and the brand-spankin' New Year hangs over us all, about to come in all blinged out and optimistic, where the only thing you need to buy is some good wine and Chinese take-out.
One of my favoritest days in the entire year is the day after Christmas Day.
It's not that I'm a grinch. I love the music, the lights, the simple traditions we engage in with the kids every year - cookie baking, tree decorating, singing mutilated versions of Christmas carols - it adds some festivity and brightness to a normally dark time of year.
I grew up fully engulfed in the religious context of Christmas, but as history and the religious holiday don't quite match up, I'm not going to dwell on the religious. Those who truly celebrate the holiday in a fully religious capacity aren't affected by.... Santa, elves and the crushing realization that Santa provides presents solely based on your parents' economic status.
Right now, my kids love it - Santa, presents and stockings and all.
But really, Santa is us telling our kids some magical, mythical creature exists solely to bring them toys in some mythical place called the North Pole. Lets hush up about the poor, starving kids that get nothing.
I'm guilty, I really am. I perpetuate Santa.
I justify it by my belief that childhood belief in magic and myth helps kids' imaginations. It helps stave off the ho-hum reality of life and helps transition them from belief in magic to fascination in science - why no, a big fat man isn't going to come down a chimney we don't have and drop off presents, but we can TOTALLY travel in space and build a bio-dome on Mars.
I will say, though, at 8, this is their last year of belief. Mr. logic, Turbo Boy has already figured it out but is hanging on to the dream, while Bear suddenly realized that um, if Santa is magical, why didn't he get a DS? And how come Santa always brings things that Target sells? And um, the kids at school, they got DS' and consoles and snowboards and a trip to Bali and ummm... hmmm....
This is what I think ultimately breaks the myth of Santa -- Johnny Rich Kid and siblings gets snowboard and gear, a season pass, a new console - elite version - for the entertainment centers in their bedrooms, 5 best selling games to match, and a crap ton of designer clothing. Danny Dad Works The Night Shift gets 1 new game and a console for the whole family, some socks and a sled, but that's okay because hey, sleds are cool.
But that's the kids. Me? Presents? Ack! No, anything. Ask me to do anything, but do not ask me to find meaningful gifts my family will cherish every. single. year. Inevitably, I fail. There's so much pressure! Even if I had deeper pockets than I do, I can't do it. I. Just. Can't give the perfect gift.
Get your child the best gizmo! And the gizmo games! Do something big - buy your husband a new toolbox, with all the tools, in a new workshop. Give the gift of diamonds. Spend more money than you actually have because if you don't, you're admitting you're you know... economically challenged (to be fair, being economically challenged is very 2011, and is rumored to remain the smokin' hot trend of 2012...).
The entire point of 2012 for my "economically challenged" and so-smokin-hot-trending-2012 family is to become less 'stuff' oriented. Christmas defeats that entire purpose. It's the time of year when you buy a bunch of random stuff for people who only think they want it. Inevitably, one or two gifts are used, kept and loved and the rest become destined for basements, yard sales and re-gifts. Then, of course, there's the silent disappointment - oh, is this what you got me? Do you even you know, know me?
So here's to the Day After Christmas Day.
My favoritest day of the year.
The day where everyone is chill, the kids aren't yet bored by all their loot and the brand-spankin' New Year hangs over us all, about to come in all blinged out and optimistic, where the only thing you need to buy is some good wine and Chinese take-out.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
That pretty much sums up today.
I have two weeks off. In the Corporate World, that means I'm a programmer, software engineer, or work somewhere else in tech where the idea of working the weeks between Christmas and New Year's Eve is so mind-boggling awful, they shut down and send everyone home. And mostly don't pay them.
In the world of education, it's just you know, Winter Break.
I'm on Winter Break.
YAAAY.
In celebration of Winter Break, I did every conceivable chore I need to do before I go back to work next year. All in one day: Bills, paid. Christmas presents, mostly bought. Appointments for everyone for eyes, teeth and whatever else, made. (Oh crap, I forgot the cats!!! They'll be February) I spent today doing all the stupid, annoying things that I never actually have time to do any other time of... well... any other time at all.
So now I can goof off and write. quilt. swim. bake. run (after eating the baked things).
I'm soo excited.
I'm so excited, that on this cold, snowish Monday, I dug out the fine paper plates and gourmet Campbells, and made some awesome Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup for dinner.
Woo hoo!
Happy Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Monday.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Bizarro Lisa
I changed my twitter name to BizarroLisa. How cool is that?
It's because I have two twitter feeds, and it has been annoying my friends, all five of them, that follow me... 'who will you choose, will it be you, or bizarrolisa?' and that is awesome.
This by the way, is yet ANOTHER attempt to kick start my writing :)
I've got a cool job I love now, so yeah. Totes to me!
I'm sending my baby out to be published, the one I've spent so much time on, that's been done for a year and a half, but that I never bothered sending out. TROLLS!
There are those who know me who feel the only way to move on with writing is to send that one piece out.
Next up: do I do demons, biological metamorphis' or crazy teen angst?
It's because I have two twitter feeds, and it has been annoying my friends, all five of them, that follow me... 'who will you choose, will it be you, or bizarrolisa?' and that is awesome.
This by the way, is yet ANOTHER attempt to kick start my writing :)
I've got a cool job I love now, so yeah. Totes to me!
I'm sending my baby out to be published, the one I've spent so much time on, that's been done for a year and a half, but that I never bothered sending out. TROLLS!
There are those who know me who feel the only way to move on with writing is to send that one piece out.
Next up: do I do demons, biological metamorphis' or crazy teen angst?
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Did I mention, I'm a runner? and my new fave drink
Three miles every other day! Woot.
I've completed the couch to 5K and now I'm just running every other day. Next month, I plan to add 5 minutes to my daily 30 minute run. I want it to get up to 45 minutes of running.
Lost a few pounds. Lost a few inches.
Feel stronger, better :).
Also, if you have never blended coconut water with some frozen berries, than you have never truly had a refreshing drink.
Mmmmm....
Seriously. Try it.
11 oz. of coconut water
2-3 frozen pineapple chunks
2-3 frozen berries
Straw
Blend.
Drink.
Bliss.
Careful you don't make it too thick.
It is more refreshing than ice cream. Than frozen yogurt. Than heavy milk or soy-based smoothies.
I've completed the couch to 5K and now I'm just running every other day. Next month, I plan to add 5 minutes to my daily 30 minute run. I want it to get up to 45 minutes of running.
Lost a few pounds. Lost a few inches.
Feel stronger, better :).
Also, if you have never blended coconut water with some frozen berries, than you have never truly had a refreshing drink.
Mmmmm....
Seriously. Try it.
11 oz. of coconut water
2-3 frozen pineapple chunks
2-3 frozen berries
Straw
Blend.
Drink.
Bliss.
Careful you don't make it too thick.
It is more refreshing than ice cream. Than frozen yogurt. Than heavy milk or soy-based smoothies.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Quick update and Battle of the Content management systems
I've got WordPress.
I've got Blogger.
Now, I've got a Google Site.
I just can't make up my mind!
I think I'll be spending the next month working this out.
Quick update: still here, still carrying on.
June accomplishments: Finished the Couch to 5K, can now run 3 miles in 30 minutes, and do so about every other day. Garden is blooming like crazy. Still missing: job. Will find, now that I can run three miles and have become quite the proficient gardener, the only thing left undone is the job, which is still in progress... waiting, waiting...
I've got Blogger.
Now, I've got a Google Site.
I just can't make up my mind!
I think I'll be spending the next month working this out.
Quick update: still here, still carrying on.
June accomplishments: Finished the Couch to 5K, can now run 3 miles in 30 minutes, and do so about every other day. Garden is blooming like crazy. Still missing: job. Will find, now that I can run three miles and have become quite the proficient gardener, the only thing left undone is the job, which is still in progress... waiting, waiting...
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Vegebaconarism, Day 3
Still going in there!
We made it through Day 2, despite a late-night crisis revolving around Husbear's belief that there is an actual, super-secret special Healthy Man Food that doesn't involve brown rice, celery, veggies or other normal healthy food.
This resulted in a trip to the grocery store at quarter to nine at night to discover that, no, health food is health food, and there's no secret, yummy tasting man health food.
We left with ingredients amazingly similar to the ones we already have in the refrigerator: celery, lettuce, cucumbers...
Yesterday was a yummy bagel breakfast, a Greek luncheon platter of cheese, olives and tomatoes with an olive dressing and crusty bread, and dinner was tuna skewers. Yep, Tuna. It isn't bacon, but I made an allowance.
Today, we did have bacon, lunch was a BLT sandwhich, and Hungry Husbear only had one sandwhich today, since two is ridiculously fattening and defeats the entire purpose of trying to lose weight/eat healthy, and so filled up on a salad with veggies.
Dinner is a treat for tonight: Taco Pizza, ala The Pioneer Woman. Wednesday is mid-week, and so it's really important that everyone go to bed happy tonight, because tomorrow's dinner is Risotto... just sayin'!
We made it through Day 2, despite a late-night crisis revolving around Husbear's belief that there is an actual, super-secret special Healthy Man Food that doesn't involve brown rice, celery, veggies or other normal healthy food.
This resulted in a trip to the grocery store at quarter to nine at night to discover that, no, health food is health food, and there's no secret, yummy tasting man health food.
We left with ingredients amazingly similar to the ones we already have in the refrigerator: celery, lettuce, cucumbers...
Yesterday was a yummy bagel breakfast, a Greek luncheon platter of cheese, olives and tomatoes with an olive dressing and crusty bread, and dinner was tuna skewers. Yep, Tuna. It isn't bacon, but I made an allowance.
Today, we did have bacon, lunch was a BLT sandwhich, and Hungry Husbear only had one sandwhich today, since two is ridiculously fattening and defeats the entire purpose of trying to lose weight/eat healthy, and so filled up on a salad with veggies.
Dinner is a treat for tonight: Taco Pizza, ala The Pioneer Woman. Wednesday is mid-week, and so it's really important that everyone go to bed happy tonight, because tomorrow's dinner is Risotto... just sayin'!
Sunday, June 05, 2011
Vegebaconarian week
Have I mentioned this yet?
The whole family is going meatless for a week, with the exception of bacon.
Left the bacon in to reinforce the 'I promise I'm not trying to make everyone vegetarian' notions.
The idea is to learn to enjoy other flavors besides meat, and to discover recipes we can eat so that not every night is a meat night.
I'll let you know how it goes, with pictures!
The whole family is going meatless for a week, with the exception of bacon.
Left the bacon in to reinforce the 'I promise I'm not trying to make everyone vegetarian' notions.
The idea is to learn to enjoy other flavors besides meat, and to discover recipes we can eat so that not every night is a meat night.
I'll let you know how it goes, with pictures!
Saturday, June 04, 2011
Cool weather crops ripe for picking, and I totally rock the Couch to 5K
This is going to be mostly about my garden. Just warning you. If you're not really interested in gardens, could care less about turnip greens, and don't like long-winded explanations about how a garden grows, then just click away :).
Although, I am starting Week 7 of Couch to 5K on Monday, yep, WEEK 7! And I still don't have a job, which kinda sucks, but I got some good advice, made some changes to my res and CV and got a couple of leads, nothing hot to trot, but leads lead somewhere... which is why they call them leads... and it goes with my motto, if you follow a path, you'll get somewhere. And it's true.. for instance, if my garden is a path, look where it's led me, not only to a bountiful spring harvest of cool lettuces, radishes and other greens, but to a new appreciation of fresh greens... I've been devouring chard, turnip greens and spinach all month for lunches. And if the Couch to 5K is a path, it's gotten me from not running at all since I first moved here, to running for 25 minutes straight without a break (that's Week 7!!) and to 3 miles in Week 9. So the job path, it's a bit longer, but I've already learned tons of stuff about me, about what I want to do, and about how perseverance is essential. Not all paths are short, or easy, but it's not about the end of the path, it's about what you do while you're on the path.
And now, it's the beginning of summer, my spring crops are in, my summer crops are mostly planted and ready to fill the bare spots when the spring crops are done, and I can run a goodly distance!
All my spring weather crops are in and mostly being happily harvested. See those tall shoots reaching for the sky? Garlic! Can't wait! I love fresh garlic. When I prepare the garden for winter, I'll plant more along the sides. I want enough garlic to braid next year.
This photo isn't that great. I discovered after I took all the photos, I had them on the super close up setting. That's why the cilantro is so in focus.
I have a mini-field of cilantro. We eat it THAT much. When my tomatillos and peppers come in, I will be making my homemade salsa verde with the cilantro, tomatillos and peppers, and lime. I need to figure out how to grow a lime tree in Colorado. Maybe I could winter it indoors. Hmm. Guess what I'm going to google after! I already googled Kholabri.
This is one of my tomato plants. It's in a bit of a sad state, so I'm concerned. But so far it's holding up. The problem is after I planted it, we had a cold front come in. We didn't get below freezing, but I think the cold weather may have stunted its growth.
I love chard.
I planted bright lights. I love the variety of colors that particular chard has. I also planted green chard, and out back on my patio, ruby red. See this chard? See how cute it is? I've already been harvesting baby leaves. I can't help it. Fresh chard is one of my favorite greens.
Field of Romaine. I planted some spicy salad mix on my patio, too, but this is for the non-adventurous eaters in my family, mainly everyone except me and Turbo. Turbo is my mini-soul mate. He's my running partner, my gardening cohort -- he's growing his own eggplant out back -- my yoga-buddy and my mini-BFF. He eats radishes with me. His brother, Bear, is adorable, and my baby, but he hates gardening, can't stand running and gets bored with yoga... so we bond in other ways. He's an artist, so as long as he's got art supplies he's happy. Turbo, though, genuinely shares the same interests as me. Right now Bear is leaning against me cuddling and fiddling with his skeleton ring that he picked out of the 25 cent toy machines at the Safeway. I told him it would turn his finger green, and after, his finger would fall off, but he is still wearing it.
See all those blurry carrot tops? Can't wait to harvest these! I got bunches of multi-color carrots... white, purple, orange... I thought it'd be fun for the kids to help pick them when they are ready. Last time I did carrots, nothing happened, so this time I made hills. See, what happened last time is I planted them, forgot where I planted them, then all these crazy tops appeared way late, and around November i pulled one and found all my carrots, too large to eat. Oops.
This is my strawberry plant, from last year, at least. Aren't those some crazy large leaves?
I can't wait til these babies ripen. I only have two strawberry plants. One of the peeps in my hood has a bed which is half strawberries. I suspect it's an abandoned garden bed, so will probably snag some of those strawberries. I refuse to have more than two strawberry plants though. They spread like crazy! If I had a third bed, I'd probably do strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. But three beds is a bit excessive. I'd feel like I was hogging a chunk of the community garden...
I love our community garden. I love that I look out my window, and see the garden. I love they are making a better fence to help the garden look better -- right now it's surrounded by chicken wire. I love that most of the beds are taken, and being used. I love that empty ones eventually get cleaned out and suddenly, used by people who have a spare plant or three they can't fit in their garden.
Not that I'm keeping an eye on any of the abandoned plots. No sirreeee. I wouldn't want to be greedy.
My green beans are probably done for, but these sugar snap peas are happy sugar snap peas. I didn't thin them out, but they are still doing fine, so I'm excited. I love fresh snap peas, but never buy them at the grocery store. This was this year's garden treat.
This is the treasure of my garden. Turnips! I love turnips. I really do. I love them mashed. I love them roasted. I love them lots. And, after reading some stuff about how you should eat turnip greens, I love turnip greens. I love turnip greens so much, I planted a variety of turnip grown specifically for the greens. I haven't harvested any of the actual turnips yet, but I'm so excited. I am sure they will be ready soon, maybe another two weeks, at most. Most of the seeds took, and I was really bummed about having to thin them out, but I ate the greens so it wasn't all a loss!
Turnip greens are packed with nutrients. You should eat them. This one has holes in them. Aphids. I've got a pocketful of ladybugs that'll solve that problem... well, I will... soon.
This is the other end of the garden. Radishes and carrot tops galore. There are some onions in the middle, and my poor ridiculous green beans. Next year, I won't transplant them, and next year I'll buy those nitrate packs they sell at the garden shop to help green beans. I've got some squashes sprouting up, which is exciting, because I love squashes. Mostly, I love how they start out ridiculously teeny and you think, I've totally got room for like, six, and then realize your garden can only fit three because my August they have overtaken everything. See those radishes and carrots? They will be harvested just in time for the squashes to overtake everything. Oh, and those leafy things? Celery. I'm a bit nervous about the celery, but Bear wanted to grow celery and I was so excited that he showed an interest, I got him some celery. He has not been in the garden to see how the celery is doing, but I'm sure when we harvest it he'll claim it's all his.
So that's the spring garden. It's just totally rocking. Along with my running. And the best thing about the garden is now most of my lunches are ridiculously healthy. And my breakfast. Nothing beats an egg with greens and radishes for breakfast.
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