Sunday, February 01, 2009

Ramble from Minerva

Minerva shares some words.
HI!!! It's Minerva. Remember me? The rumor of my disappearance was not exaggerated. If there wasnt' a rumor I'm starting one. Everyone needs a stroke to the ego! Well anyway, I'm out of obscurity trying to my bitchy muse back on track. She has been a bad girl for some time. Remember White Nights? No? It was that monster of a story I started some years back. I've been trying to feed Angelina (yeah that's her name she even looks like her with a tattoo in a special place with my name on it...drool...thud!) enough to get her going but every time I get a thought in my head about it, it's like that talking stain Tide commercial. "Michelle went. . .ablaah! Blah! Boah! Buh! Maybe if I looked like Brad Pitt? You think that would work? Anyhoo, anyone got some ideas about that I would be glad to listen. I'm not begging or anything...um yeah I am PLEASSSe! The idea struck me to appeal to my adoring public--what too much? Okay how about the public at large for ideas to cure writer's block, bring peace to the world, help me to figure out what women want. I don't think it's really asking for too much. Help with one out of three will do. I can be reached at merci_nerva@hotmail.com for comments, questions, or just to be cursed out for my general craziness.

Let's move on. I've also been watching True Blood and just recently started back with The L Word. Anyone thinking what I'm thinking especially with LL? Now, that would be an interesting show! I'm starting a petition right now! Man, I can't begin to tell you the dreams I've had about that! *Snickers* Personally, I think there should be a law. This should be at the top of Obama's list after the economy... more lesbian television. Let me clarify... more good lesbian television. Maybe he could talk to Oprah. Thanks for your time and tuning into this insane head of mine. Hope to hear from you.

Minerva


Make sure to thank Minerva and take the time to check out her rewritten story (http://www.angelfire.com/nj3/mdomain/anydayrewrite.html). It is a rewrite of the first story in the Vampire Series called Any Day.

Back to the basics, big update for y'all, so enjoy!

Elisa

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Saturday, January 31, 2009

Sunny Saturday

We're having beautiful, sunny weather in Seattle today. As soon as I'm done posting this I'll be taking Cal to the skateboard park. He improves with every visit.

Poor E will remain at home and file and shred. Cleaning off the desk is also on her agenda. She's not pumped about the job but I know when she's finished I'll get to hear how happy she is that it's done.

Tamara

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Friday, January 30, 2009

TGIF

It was a day filled with accomplishments. Not that I actually finished anything, but I felt like I made progress and I'm finding at work lately that progress is something. On top of that good news, it be Friday and that is always a good thing.

Now if I could actually accomplish stuff at home this weekend I would feel even better. Odds may be in may favor as we don't have major plans as of yet.

Back to the regularly scheduled updates! Enjoy 'em.

Elisa

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Thursday, January 29, 2009

Three Day Weekend

My four day week is done. Tomorrow the kids and I will tackle their rooms, go to McD's for lunch, and pick up my comics. I'll also throw in some clothes washing and hopefully clothes sorting.

Actually this week turned out to be lighter than I expected. Monday we were told the Shoreline high schools were only attending a half day on Wednesday and Thursday. Since technically we're an offshoot of Shorecrest High School we were to stick with the half day schedule. So yesterday and today I left work by 12:20. It was odd being home without everyone else. Kind of funny since that was my life for many years.

Decent update tonight. Enjoy 'em.

Tamara

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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Rant from a Writer

I didn't have much to say tonight - apart from yes, my PIN arrived this morning and I have until noon Friday to file my tax return. I have never been so glad that one of my sisters is an accountant. *g*. It will be done in time. Other than that I was going to offer some random silliness - jokes & things. Of the quality of this (best said aloud)... a piece of string walks into a bar and the barman says to it, "I know what you are, you're a piece of string." The string replies, "Sorry, no, I'm afraid not." ... but as it happens I don't have to destroy your brain cells that way. You've been rescued by a rant from a friend of mine, an excellent writer whose work can be found HERE ... any comments you have send to me & I'll forward them.

Begin Rant:

I'm sorry -- can I rant for a moment?

I'm a writer. I can say that again after actually finishing several stories in 2008 and currently being on chapter 10 of a new novel (publishers out there, I'll be looking for you soon). While I have written some fanfic, I'm mostly interested in Original Fic. That's what I write. Original characters, original situations, original settings. Everything mine. I think I do it occasionally very well, and I'm proud of it. I have nothing against Fanfic; I've done one Xena fanfic, one BTVS fanfic, and four WMC fanfics. Nothing wrong with fanfic.

I heard about this fanfic exchange that's going on. Someone said I should go check it out, so I did, even though I didn't expect to see anything I could actually write about listed in their fandoms. For those of you who don't know what a fic exchange is, it's a fairly simple concept. Everyone interested in participating sends out a prompt as to what they would like to see in a story (what fandom, what pairing of characters, whether they want it be PG13 or NC17, and anything they really dislike like incest or character death, and some kind of prompt to go with it), and then a list of what fandoms they'd be willing to write in. The people running the exchange then match up the requested fandoms with the people who said they'd write in a fandom, and all the writers have a certain amount of time to finish their assigned stories. Simple, right?

Well, the organizers of this one put up a poll for fandoms they would include in this fic exchange. It was a nice long list, and then at the bottom you could write in another category if there was a fandom you didn't see listed.

Someone (not me) wrote in Original Fic as a write in category.

What did the organizers do? Well, their comments are in a private journal, so I can't tell you specific statements, but in my opinion they weren't exactly -- nice. I would call it snark, though others may not. Definite hints, in my opinion, that they were laughing. Granted, it was in a private journal, so they had every right to say what they wanted, and I'll respect their privacy as far as names and what was said. And if they didn't mean to sound so negative, then I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

But their attitude set off just about every hackle I have.

Why would Original Fic be so hard to include in a ficathon? How difficult would it be to say, "I'd like two original female characters who meet at such and such a place and end up doing this or that, or having sex or not having sex, and here's a prompt for inspiration." This is exactly what you're doing with fanfic exchange prompts. You want to say you don't like incest, or bdsm, or fic where one of them ends up dead? Cool. That's something you have the option of saying in your prompt for a fic exchange anyway. Worried you might not like what you get back, or that it might not meet your expectations? Most of the time in fic exchanges you don't get exactly what you wanted, but you get something you enjoy anyway, so what's the difference? Why is it so much harder to wrap someone's mind around the idea that people want to read Original Fic as well as rehashed characters in redone storylines in already familiar settings?

I have nothing against those who write strictly fanfic. And I enjoy reading some of those rehashed characters in redone storylines in already familiar settings, so don't take that quite as snarkily as it sounded. But as a writer of Original Fiction, I'm more than a little ticked off at this idea that the two can't be included in the same exchange.

Thank you to Uber Etc. for listing Original Fic; thank you to the Xena fandom who helped people move from Uber Xena to Original Fic and encouraged this movement; thank you to those of you who READ Original Fic; and thank you to those of you who WRITE it.

Now, here's me being quietly subversive. Here's the address for their fic exchange poll. I've already gone over and scrolled down to the bottom and listed Original Fic in the Write In Category at the bottom. I think (and it's just my opinion) that it would be really cool if they got a few more calls for Original Fic. More than a few. A lot more.

And if they get enough to include it in the official exchange list? I'll write for it, if you will. Let's show them how original Original can be.

And if you think I'm on crack for this, at least go over and write in Xena because they forgot that, too.

Shadowriter

End Rant

Thanks Shadow...

Ze

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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Dentists

Over Christmas I broke a tooth. Well, shattered is probably a better description. I bit into an olive rather enthusiastically in the belief that it had been stoned. It hadn't. There was a nasty cracking noise and a chunk of tooth came away. As Xena would say "one of my good chewing teeth". I rang the dentist to see if I could get an appointment this side of the next decade and was dead lucky. The had a cancellation and if I could go the next day I could be seen. So I went. They couldn't save what was left of the tooth - unfortunately it had been filled and re-filled too often throughout my life and was now too weak. They gave me my options.

Just need to mention that here in the UK dentistry is not completely under the umbrella of the NHS so unlike all hospital treatment (emergency or other), GPs (your local family practitioner),etc., treatment is not totally free at the point of supply. It's subsidised rather than completely paid for by taxes which means there is a charge - but nothing like the full amount. American readers - please sit down - I won't be responsible for injuries sustained when fainting.

My options - cheapest was extraction at £44 less the £16 that I'd paid for my initial consultation. However - it could be crowned if I was willing to pay for that. They said that normal cost of crowns was £198 less the £16 (I went "ouch"). However they were prepared to charge only the cost of the crown itself and include the cost of preparation and X-rays at no extra charge if I paid in advance. Cost would then be £175 (less the £16). I thought about it for all of... ooh... 20 seconds and then told them to go ahead. So I've been walking round with a gap in my teeth for the past 3 weeks. Yesterday she fitted the new crown. She numbed my gums to do so. After it was all finished she gave me the usual lecture, don't eat/drink for two hours, don't eat anything sticky for two days, nothing too hard for a week. Then she said when the anaesthesia wears off there may be a small amount of discomfort, your jaw might ache a little bit.

Little bit. Is that like having a nuclear warhead explode in your garden and saying you thought you might have heard a noise?? I feel like I've been on the losing end of a bout with Frank Bruno!! There's no fear that I'll be eating anything too hard - I doubt I'll be eating anything other than soup for the rest of the week!!

Tooth looks good though.

Ze

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Monday, January 26, 2009

Blank

Sorry, a bit wordless tonight. Enjoy your updates

Elisa

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Sunday, January 25, 2009

Bah

It's snowing again. It started out this morning as just a dusting but here in the convergence zone the flakes have fattened up as the day has progressed. I'm not for fat snowflakes. I want skinny, intermittent snowflakes.

Four day week for me and the kids. E is jealous. She really shouldn't be. I plan on spending my Friday helping Cal and Duncan get their rooms in order. And I really need to thin out Cal's closet. It's time to get rid of those size 4 shirts.

Today much was accomplished even with the fat snowflakes. Best of all...the burn ban is off and the fireplace is going. I have to admit that I broke my resolution about never touching the damn thing. Let's hope my luck holds....

Tamara

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Saturday, January 24, 2009

Chore Day

The usual weekend and chores are upon us. Any of you have first hand knowledge on how to make two neurotic cats (from earlier abuse with dogs and people) become less so and to accept a dog into their lives again let me know.

A good size update for you, so lots to read and don't forget the feedback, writers will appreciate it.

Have a good night.

Elisa

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Friday, January 23, 2009

Lycos/Tripod Alert

An FYI to anyone who has a European site hosted by Lycos/Tripod, they're closing operations in Europe in four weeks. Also those of you with favorite abandoned sites hosted by this company, now might be the time to snag those stories. Here's the pertinent information courtesy of Ze: www.webuser.co.uk/news/news.php?id=275335.

Tamara

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

Foggy Days

We wake up to serious fog and as the sun rises it burns away slowly...by nightfall fog returns. I enjoy these foggy times, fairly common for my area, but when they are thick it's nifty to see. Darn cold though and a burn ban is in place, hence no fireplace...bummer. That is what the fleece throws are for I guess.

Now back to your updates, enjoy!

Elisa

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Wednesday, January 21, 2009

American kindness and my first american

I said I'd mention the fantastic things Americans had done for me. And then I'll tell you about the first time I met an American.

At the end of 2006 I was knocked off my motorbike when a car changed lanes right into me. The driver sped off without stopping. I was left very badly injured. I couldn't work. Self-employed means no work = no money. Things looked grim. American friends decided to help. They set up a website. They organised an appeal. Dozens of them offered things - autographed books, photos, characters in a novel - for auction. And scores more of Americans bid, bought or donated. Some sent gifts directly to me. All because they'd met me or chatted to me online & liked me. Or they'd not met me but liked my writing. E & Tamara sent stuff. In the end I had enough to pay my living expenses for almost 3 months. I was overwhelmed. I love Americans.

My first American. A bloke I met when I was living rough - I was about 15 - he was the worst stereotype of an American tourist you could imagine. Loud, rude, obnoxious, big hat - and fairly idiotic with it. He coloured my views of American tourists for years. (Bit like folks in Torremolinos or Thalaraki feel about Brits - they only see the worst of us). It wasn't until I started meeting more Americans on my travels around the world that I discovered Americans were also friendly, intelligent, fun and downright nice as well as idiotic.

Anyway - this bloke stopped me in Trafalgar Square after he'd heard me begging and told me he'd never met a real Cockney before and he wanted a picture of a real cockney in real cockney land. I was pretty rude and told him there was no such place, it wasn't like bloody Disneyland and anyway even though I was a real cockney, Trafalgar Square - whilst being in London - was in the City of Westminster not the City of London and so wasn't cockney country (just think of it this way - Pasadena and Glendale are part of LA - or they would be here in the UK - but they're not Watts). He ignored the rudeness - I figured at the time it was because Yanks were rude so it felt natural to him. He told me he'd give me five bucks to pose by the lions. I had no idea what five bucks was but he held out five pounds. Five pounds!!

I'd have sung the entire Dick van Dyke part from Mary Poppins for five pounds!! He obviously had no idea how much it was. Put in context - at 16 if I'd been working I would have expected about six to seven pounds for a whole week's wages. I posed for the picture. I talked rhyming slang for him. I put a neckerchief and a flat cap on (borrowed from a bloke selling pigeon food) and posed for a couple more pictures. I spared him the singing. He'll never know what a lucky escape that was.

Then he asked how to get to the Tower of London - was it close. I explained that London was a bloody big city and it was about four miles away. He said it was too far so I told him how to get there on the tube (subway train). For that five pounds I'd have been willing to take him there myself if he'd wanted to walk. He pulled out a couple of tickets he'd been give by a friend - they were for the Ceremony of the Keys. I was gobsmacked. How the hell had he got tickets for that!! Never mind, he was asking another question. He asked if the show would still happen because it was raining. I wanted to bang my head on a wall. I carefully explained to him that the Ceremony of the Keys had been carried out every night for over six hundred years.

I don't think he grasped the concept of six hundred years. It was a time that happened before there was a USA. He said "yeah but it's raining". I got ruder. I told him again, this time with the addition of some swear words, that the bloody ceremony been happening on every night - uninterrupted even by the Blitz - for over six hundred years - possibly even as long as nine hundred - and a little rain wouldn't stop it. I don't think he understood Blitz. I told him again that if Hitler's bloody bombers hadn't stopped it and had only made it late once - once - and that only because the Chief Warder had been blown off his feet by a bomb exploding nearby, then rain wasn't going to make a bleeding bit of difference.

I really should have been nicer to him - he'd just given me enough for a bed in a shelter and meals for a week. My only excuse is that I was an angry, hurt, fifteen-year-old kid. He went off satisfied that he wouldn't miss it. I still don't think he understood though. I think he thought it was some sort of parade put on for tourists like a Disney show, I don't think he got that it's simply a military tradition - like the Changing of the Guard or Beating the Retreat - that tourists have latched on to because they're quaint or colourful. I hope he wasn't too disappointed with the show - it only last about 20 minutes all told...

Ze

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Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Taxes and things

Watched the inauguration. Nice speech. Left me very hopeful. What was that bloke doing though - fluffing his lines?? Obama knew exactly what he had to say but that muppet who was reading it out to him completely bolloxed it.

Taxes. Here in the UK we generally don't have to worry. We have something called PAYE (pay as you earn). If you are employed by someone then they deduct tax each payday according to a code provided by the Inland Revenue and you never have to bother. If you're self-employed though - whole different kettle of fish. I think it's a lot like things are in the USA. You have to register for tax and then fill out all the appropriate forms providing income and expenditure details. Then pay the assessed tax in a lump sum.

You can do this the old fashioned way by hand-filling forms & posting them. The cut-off date for this is the end of September. Or you can be nice and modern and do the necessary paperwork online. Cut-off date January 31st. File after that and you get fined. You have to register on the Inland Revenue site and they will send you your PIN. Not PIN number if you please - PIN stands for Personal Identification Number so that would be number number!! That's worse than HIV virus (Human Immunodeficiancy Virus virus). It takes 7 days to get your PIN.

I'm self-employed. Guess when I registered. Yep. Today. What do you reckon?? Think I can get it done in time?? *g* I'll keep you posted...

Ze

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Monday, January 19, 2009

Ramble from phair

We are once again lucky enough to have phair share part of her world.
It's colder than a titch's wit up here in the Commonwealth. We've seen more than a few days in single digits and too many snowy days this soon in the new year. The ground is little more than rock hard ice and slippery as the proverbial slope. After a two year absence, winter has reasserted his birthright strangle hold on New England.

And, so it goes, my house is cold. I've got it just warm enough to keep the pipes from freezing. My body, however, is not as easily maintained as the pipes or as easily warmed as last year, it would seem.

"I'm feelin' the cold," my mother would say as she got older.

I use to tease her that she kept our house like an ice box when we lived in a triple decker in the city. She'd flash me that glare which frightened me as a child but amused me no end as an adult.

"You just wait," was the warning to end the conversation. Usually, it was the warning which ended all conversation.

Now I know what she meant. The chill likes to settle across my shoulders and if I don't put on a sweater, I'll have a stiff neck the next morning. My preference is to keep my feet bare at home. But lately, they are like size 7 blocks of ice by evening. I've taken to wearing the feeted pajamas I got in 2004 as a, 'just in case.' But, worst of all, my nose is cold - I think I hate that most.

Still, the snow falls mindless of my discomfort. Actually, it continues mindless of all human suffering. Winter will flurry and blizzard through my lifetime as it did throughout my mother's which was dramatically similar to the winters of my grandmother's life. There's a reassuring repetitive poetry to winter. A snow covered field is not much different between my grandmother's time and my toddler niece's. Snow, cold and white, falls in drifting swirls or driven on the Northeast wind to cover the grass with a frozen blanket until the sun muscles her way back to power and melt it all away.

We talk so much about the human ability to save or destroy the planet. How we're warming or cooling or defrosting the globe. The seas are rising and the farm lands are dry. All of nature is on the verge of extinction because of the reckless over population of the earth by the bipeds with opposable thumbs.

It is kind of funny, when you're trapped shivering in your cold home because of ice and snow, to think how much of our time we spend worrying about ruining the environment. It might be closer to the truth that we have no real ability to save the planet. In fact, it may be truer that the world will just have to save and destroy us - one snow flake at a time.

phair


You know last time she wrote I was somewhat jealous of her snow, that no longer holds true. So for tonight I wish us all an early spring. For those of us in the US, on this historic Martin Luther King Day I wish you all the very best and even more so I hold the hope we all have a brighter future with tomorrow's inauguration of Barack Obama.

Enjoy your updates!

Elisa

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