The Big Night | Sainsbury's Ad | Christmas 2018

I post the Sainsbury Christmas ad every year even though, as far as I  know, we don't have them in the US. But they're the best!

My Life

It's a Meme Meme World

Garden Diaries

We didn't put out a garden this year because we had our roof replaced in June and I was afraid the guys would need to drive through the backyard; there was no point in planting anything if it was just going to get run over. But summer would be sad without some fresh green beans, so I decided to put a few plants in my flower bed. Since I got a late start, the seed packets were picked over by the time I went shopping. What I found was "asparagus" pole beans and I planted them next to the deck. They've started producing and we're on our second picking, so I'm going to call the experiment a success! Coupled with some volunteer tomatoes that came up, I've got all the garden I really want. This may be the way to go from now on!

The Cocky Cockers

So I did a thing...err, I mean, I wrote a thing. A short story that got included in this anthology, specifically. It was fun, both the writing and simply being involved. Sometimes writing feels like I'm pulling myself from paragraph to paragraph, but the idea for this anthology popped up on Twitter (in response to #cockygate) and I thought "what the hey, I'll give it a try". Ten minutes of character planning turned into three days of writing. I think it's going to be a limited release, but I'm just glad I decided to do it. I used to never try because I was afraid of failing. I'm getting braver in my old age! 

Goodreads

Amazon

Happy Solstice!

I mean, any excuse to balance an egg. Right?

It's a Cocky Old World

Romancelandia (or the writing world of Romance novels) has its share of drama. So much drama. I'm fairly new to the Author corner of Twitter, 3 years I think, and it seems like in the last year things have completely blown up. For a while, there would be something posted that had the feel of someone whining about a slight or a perceived slight. But as more and more people took notice and started sharing their stories, relieved that they weren't the only one or had imagined it, things have come to light of people misusing power or cheating the system in various ways.

A fair share of it isn't really of interest to the readers (although they may be affected without even realizing it) but there is something going on now that has far-reaching repercussions. An author is trying to trademark the word Cocky. On Twitter, this is referred to as #cockygate. At first glance, it deserves a snicker. Cocky? Really? But do a search for books with the word cocky in the title and it suddenly isn't so funny. Because after this became public, other people began to apply for trademarks on other common words. If this continues, even Bloggers (and you know who you are!) may start to be affected.

“All genres — whether it’s romance, mystery, thriller, SFF — repeat words in their titles and series names, especially as they apply to tropes that can help readers quickly identify what type of story they’re picking up,” said RWA spokesperson Jessie Edwards in an email to Vox. “Using these words is not unique and should not be proprietary.”
from Cockygate explained

I'm not going to go into all the details here--if you're interested, you can check out the article I've linked. It's a few weeks old now and the first trial date was this past Friday. An author bought the transcript and has posted it for anyone interested. I've read bits and pieces and I have to give kudos to the Judge. Rather no-nonsense, but you get the feeling he has a sense of humor. One has to wonder what he thinks of it all.

I'm sharing this because it's something that is slipping through the cracks. It seems so minor, the trademark of a single word. But really, it feels like a symptom of the times. I think everyone is going crazy!

Garage Sale Finds

We're thinking about moving in a few years so I've been trying to get rid of things here and there. Not with much success, I might add. And then what did I do this morning? Hit garage sales! I haven't done that for awhile, but the weather's nice today and it was "Town-Wide Garage Sale" day, so I gave up an hour of my time to do my civic duty. And I found several bargains but I didn't realize until I got home that I must have been on a red kick. The waffle-iron looking thing bakes little cakes and I've thought for awhile that I need a carafe so I don't have to waste valuable minutes walking to the kitchen for a coffee refill, and the box (on its side--that's the lid) was just cool. And I got it all for just a couple of dollars. 

Because I needed it!

Desktop Funnies

I haven't posted for awhile. I've been concentrating on my writing and I seem to spend a bit too much of my allotted "social network" time on Twitter, which cuts into the time I have to spend on other sites! (But, oh, the drama that goes on in the writing world! Who knew?) But I thought I'd take a moment and share the stuff I've saved on my desktop, usually saved to share on FB as a little poke at my "friends and family" who are the other side, if you know what I mean, although most of it was simply for fun, this time.

My Week on Facebook

So I posted this on Feb. 16 on Facebook as a response to the crap and memes I was already seeing there after the Parkland shooting:

Sadie's going to rant now:
In other countries with more restrictive guns laws, there are MANY fewer guns deaths (Canada, Australia, England, etc). That isn't a coincidence. Does it stop them entirely? No, of course not, (just like seat belts don't stop all car deaths, but it cuts down on them) but the numbers of them combined don't even compare a tiny bit to the US. The more guns that are available and the easier they are to procure, the more shootings and subsequent deaths there will be. That is only common sense. I believe the mindset in this country about guns has become so twisted that people can't take a breath and think rationally. I've heard versions of "I have a gun and if he thinks he's coming on my property, I'll shoot him!" so many times. Do you think kids don't hear that? That they don't start to believe that a gun is the solution to all of their problems? Guns shouldn't be a hobby, they shouldn't be a toy, because hobbies and toys aren't dangerous. You're petting your new gun, showing it off, jizzing all over it? The kids see that. It's not just the laws that have to change, it's the way (some, not all) gun owners worship those pieces of metal, making gun ownership into a religion. I'm not saying guns are inherently evil, but not everyone should have one, no one needs an arsenal, and absolutely no one needs a multi-round killing machine. End of rant.

At that point, I thought I was done. I was wrong. So yesterday, I found myself typing this:

Posted Feb. 24
I'm not sure where I want to start here. I've spent the morning scrolling through meme after meme and found myself disappointed and saddened by people I love and care about who seem to value metal over life. People who consider themselves "good Christians" and yet it seems to me they have set guns up as false gods. (I do believe that's frowned upon in the old Testament). This isn't about undisciplined children (sorry, folks, they're just as disciplined as we were-every generation says that about the younger) or about kids so stupid they eat Tide pods (another one of those "stories" that has been overblown--I looked it up. Hell, when I was a kid, I tried to make bubbles come out my mouth with dish soap. Just saying.) Kids that don't know which bathroom to use? Oh, come on. People know what bathroom to use. Again, one of those made up problems used to make headlines for people who refuse to educate themselves. (lookup transgender vers transvestites. Not the same thing.) This isn't about losing 2nd amendment rights. Most people don't even know the history of the constitution, or why that was included. (take a moment, look up the Magna Carta). The amendment doesn't promise unqualified gun ownership. Again--take a moment. If you're reading this, you have the world of information at your fingertips. The NRA was formed during the Civil War because most northerners didn't own guns--they formed to teach gun safety and help the government MAKE SENSIBLE GUN LAWS! Then a new group took over in the '70s who's sole aim was to create fear in the general population and sell guns. They succeeded--immensely. The problem isn't a lack of God in school or the fact that people aren't allowed to beat their kids. There is a mindset in this country that needs to be changed. If you post those memes, or "like" them, or if you simply find yourself spitting and sputtering over what I've said here, you might just be one of those people. I'm done. I've tried blocking posts to preserve my sanity, but it's not enough. I'm shaking, I'm that upset. So starting tomorrow, I'm unfriending. I don't know what else to do. I've lost respect for so many people that I used to care about, which makes me sad. But it is what it is.

Okay, I expected to get some hate for that, but so far so good. And I've started unfriending. I'm thankful for my friends because I've surrounded myself  with people who are smart and thoughtful and don't simply repeat what they've seen on Faux News or heard at the coffee shop or at church. I know this is a bit heavy, but I think we are at one of those cruxes of history where things begin to change for the better--or I hope so. I have a lot of confidence in this generation of kids. Anyway, they have my support and I hope they prove me right!

Desktop Dump 3

Once again, some random memes and Tweets I saved and did nothing with. 

So I'm finally getting around to posting them!

Desktop Dump 2

Desktop Dump 1

I've been a bit absent for a while. Life stuff. But I've saved all kinds of things on my desktop, so I'm just going to do a few dumps this week. Because I can!

New Year's Reflections

2017 is behind us, and I can't say I'm sorry to see it go. Not even mentioning the political storm happening around the world, it's been a year when I've lost people and almost lost people, and each of those events has been accompanied by a hailstorm of reflections. The year started when a friend slipped on ice a few days before Christmas ('16) and was in a coma for weeks, and even now he's struggling to do the most basic things. I've watched my brother's family deal with my niece's cancer, I cried when a childhood friend died, and again when another told her #metoo story, something I had suspected when we were kids, but never knew for certain. And I was devastated when another lost her daughter to a drug OD just the week before Christmas.

I don't know if it's my age, but after each tragedy, I've reflected on the past and my relationship with each person; our interactions and shared history. I don't know if I remember things differently than they really were, or if I'm looking at them from a distance and seeing what I missed the first time, but that old adage "If I could go back, but know what I know now," seems so apt. No regrets, but yes...there are things I would do differently.

I've found myself during these last weeks embracing those around me, making sure they know I care. Because I'm not sure I did back then. No, that's wrong. Let me restate-- Because I didn't back then. Whether it was because I was unsure, or simply naive, I will never know. I think probably it was a bit of both. I look ahead to the coming year and I wish I could be optimistic, but I know my niece isn't going to get better. My Australian friend's daughter isn't going to get better, neither the father nor brother of one of my close friends will make it to 2019. That's it-that's how it is.

My job isn't secure, my car is ready to give up the ghost, and we need a new roof desperately (hopefully it'll make it to spring). But... the husband and I are going to celebrate our 30th anniversary this April, and if things go as planned, we're going to do that at Walt Disney World and I hope to publish a book or two this year. So there are things to look forward to, goals to set and work towards. So, I wish everyone of my virtual "friends" a Happy New Year...

...and please know, I value you all! The world is so big and so complicated, but it's nice to know we all have things in common. It's nice to not feel quite so alone.