sad times

One of our dogs died yesterday. She was young and healthy (or so we thought), so it caught us by surprise, but sometimes I think it's easier that way. Like, it sucks now, but at least it hasn't been sucking for two years without a break.

Anyway, she's gone and we're all heartbroken. Next week should be happier, since my sister and her kids will be visiting. Because I don't mind saying I love playing tourist in my own town.

skeletons in the closet

Today, I was cleaning out my closet, and I found a stray copy of my first full-length manuscript, circa 2002. I thought I had purged my life of all versions of said story, both hard copy and electronic, but I must've missed one. Curious, I took a look.

Yep, pretty bad. But also better than I was expecting in some ways. The language was pretty but the overall feel of the story was way too tell-y (pretty much nothing shown), and the tone was completely heavy-handed. Kind of scary, really. Oops.

So do I feel embarrassed and ashamed, when thinking of all the friends I foisted copies upon? You betcha. But I guess that's all part of the learning process. Decent writing doesn't happen overnight. Or not in my case, anyway.

something that bums me out

Last night at Borders, I was going through the YA section looking at all the new hardcover titles. Hate to say it, but I do three things during this process: (1) judge books by their covers (including blurbage and imprint), (2) read opening paragraphs (or more, if I really love something), then (3) flip to the acknowledgments to see who represents said author.

Last night, I found quite a few new books I didn't fall in love with. A couple gems, I loved. But we all have different taste, so fair's fair. Anyway, what bummed me out was that three (3!!!) of the mediocre reads, in their acknowledgments, the author credited their editor with providing the original idea for the title.

Now, one of my good friends and mentors does spec writing, and all have to say about that is more power to her! She takes lackluster concepts to spectacular places. But when a single-title book starts as someone else's idea, I think the storytelling suffers. It's like it's fake from the get-go. The author's voice may still be there, but there's something huge missing. Like the book has no soul. I'll get off my soap box now, since as someone trying to break into the market for the first time, I'm probably just jealous. But still. As a reader, I'm not buying it.

tv party

Yes, REPO MAN was one of my favorite movies back in high school, but we won't be watching any Hill Street Blues or Dallas this afternoon.

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So anyway, it's not been hot enough to go to the beach yet this summer. Low 70s with a cold breeze. Maybe I'm a wimp, but I don't like bringing jackets with the sand toys. The kids, of course, are ready to kill each other. Which made me think, how did Mom get through vacations back when we were kids? When we had no money and all our friends were on expensive trips with their families. Oh, yeah...TV!!!

Normally, there's not enough time to watch TV, and even if there is, we only have $13/month cable, which means we get none of the cool stations. Luckily, the library has all the more popular shows from the last few years on DVD. Right now, my boys and I are creeping through the first season of Lost. Just don't tell us what's shaking all the trees, okay?

happy independence day!

So I'm alive! I made it through my surgery. Every time I have surgery, I have to wonder, Is this it? Will I not wake up? An easy way to go, really, if you think about it, but still. I wanted to hang in there quite a few more years, so I'm glad everything turned out okay.

My nose is all right, but chunky-looking, which I can't say I'm too pleased with. I guess that's the swelling. If it's not, I'll have a few choice words to say to my ENT. Anyway, I can already breathe better through the right side, which is nice. What's not so great is the constant drainage and the dry throat. But both are lessening, so hopefully all that discomfort will soon be a distant memory. And at least I don't have bandages all over my face like the dude from Serbia!!!

s.d. fair fun

So you know how sometimes, you'll be at the fair (or Disneyland or Sea World or wherever) and there'll be some kid screaming his head off while his parent guides him toward the exit? Today that was me (the parent, that is). And the kid was screaming because one the "friendly" rescue parrots in the have-your-picture-taken-with-exotic-birds photo booth bit his ear lobe so hard, it tore and probably could have used a stitch.

Other than that, though, I guess we had a good time.

feeling better

Okay--I just had my pre-op appointment, so now I'm feeling a lot better about my upcoming septum repair surgery this Thursday. My main concern was about the packing (and its subsequent, rumored to be quite uncomfortable, removal), but it turns out that my doctor uses some sort of dissolvable packing material, so I won't even have to have it pulled.

Can I get an amen?

Amen!!!