LaurieLand

Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving at Mom and Don's here in Madison. My brother and his family came up from Bartlett and my sister and her fiance came up from Arlington Heights. It was great to see everyone and play with the kids. Charlie is sooooo close to walking! And his big brother is just wild about Thomas the Tank Engine.

On Tuesday I learned my mother wasn't making the traditional green bean casserole. Now, I happen to LOVE green bean casserole. Actually, I just love green beans, period. So I decided I'd make the green bean casserole, googled the standard recipe, and bought the ingredients on my lunch break. I mentioned this to Jim (after I bought the Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup and other ingredients). He kind of wrinkled his nose. "I'm sure we can find a better recipe to make."

When I came home from work late Wednesday night, I found Jim in the kitchen, hard at work. He had found an appealing recipe for green bean casserole in a cookbook (from the people who do Cook's Illustrated magazine and the PBS show America's Test Kitchen). He had the food processor out, dicing almonds. Special dried mushrooms were steaming in a bowl. Fresh green beans were soaking in ice water. Onions and garlic and normal mushroom had been sliced or minced.

This is a picture of the homemade cream of mushroom soup:


Let me just tell you, it was the best green bean casserole I have ever had! It was the talk of the table. But here is Jim in a nutshell: He ALSO made the standard green bean casserole with the Campbell's soup. We had TWO green bean casseroles! Just in case people had a nostalgic preference for the standard recipe.

They didn't! I have a feeling he will now be expected to make that recipe every year . . .

Here are a couple more pics.


The boys enjoying their special dessert.


That's Mom in the kitchen.


Sister and fiance snoozing after dessert.


Jim, Craig, and Pete watching football.

Hope everyone had a safe and happy day!

I live next door to a woman who has two grandsons. They spend a lot of time at grandma's, and they're pretty adorable. The one just turned five, and loves to dress up as superheroes. When he was three, he would dress up as Clarke Kent ALL THE TIME. The older boy is 11 or 12 and loves to read. I read Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series primarily so I could discuss his FAVORITE series with him.

Apparently, this past summer, said angels got a little hyper and dumped a box of old plastic action figures and toys (most the size of my hand or smaller) in our backyard. After viewing this graveyard, I can only surmise that the little angels then jumped up on down on the plastic carnage, breaking them into little pieces and forcing them into the mud.

Initially, I was highly amused. After picking up five handfuls, I was beginning to get irritated. Finally, after I realized I may need a shovel and a bucket to pick them all up, I decided to go back to being amused and simply gave up. I figure I'll mention it to my neighbor, see if they want to go on an archeological expedition. Otherwise, I'll just leave that for Tuesday.

I have read all but the final book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. Just the escapist plot-driven genre fiction I've needed the past two weeks. I also listened to Robin Wasserman's SKINNED on audio. I'm not quite sure what I thought of it, and part of that may have been colored by the reader and the presentation. I've lent it to a friend, and after she listens to it, and after I read the sequel, I will discuss it here.

I'm also about a quarter of the way through Stephen King's brand new behemoth, UNDER THE DOME. I know; what is WITH me lately?!? I read two King novels in high school: CHRISTINE and THE STAND. Now I'm beginning to remember what I like and don't like about Stephen King novels. What I like is that he really knows how to tell a story. He has great ideas, and he really runs with them. I also really enjoy his essays, especially the ones on writing. Finally, he really knows how to created interesting children in his novels. They are, to me, always the most interesting characters in his character-laden books. What I don't like, and I really this is purely personal, is the large percentage of truly unlikable main (and mostly male) characters. I can handle a few, especially when they're not 100% evil, but when there are so many jerks, it can get really frustrating for me. Also, and I can't remember if this holds true in his many other novels, but there are so many more male characters than female characters in UNDER THE DOME. And the female characters just don't ring as true for me. Of course, I am only a quarter of the way through, and things are just getting started. I'll keep you posted!

In other reading news, I will have to read the young adult novel JERK CALIFORNIA for my Not Just For Kids book group, which is this Tuesday. I don't usually like to wait this long to read the book, but we've been sold out at work. (Don't get me started!) It came back in on Thursday, but I totally spaced on buying it. Just a little pressure for the procrastinating leader!

In writing news, I wrote two more chapters this week. I need to haul ass over the next two months. My writing group will be having a retreat this spring, and an editor will attend -- and will have read all our manuscripts. I want to have a completely finished novel. The first half will be in really good shape, but a lot of the second half has yet to be written. Think good thoughts! (And if you are interested in reading any of if, just let me know.)

Have a great weekend!

Today the newspaper had an article about how burglaries are down.  Apparently, more people are home during the day because of being unemployed, so there are fewer empty houses to target.

The end of the article was very amusing.  Here's an excerpt, from the Wisconsin State Journal, courtesy of the AP:

--In some cases, homeowners are even thwarting burglars.  It happened in February in Bellevue, Wash., when would-be-burglars broke into a home not knowing that -- as the stacked televisions, a computer and other valuables by the door -- the home's unemployed owner was in the basement.
   Then they looked outside and saw that the getaway van they had left idling outside was gone.
   "I drove to a friend's house up the street," said Patick Rosario, the 33-year-old homeowner who took off in the van after her crept outside.  The burglars couldn't believe what happened.   "My neighbor drove by and saw their faces and they had big O's for mouths." --

Hee hee!

My Saturday was quite busy.

First I had my writing group.  It was good to see the gals, and we had a great time. 

Then it was off the Vera's Bridal to help the little sister find her wedding gown.  She has yet to find the right one. 

Speaking of Megan, here's a picture from a couple of weeks ago.  That's my Aunt Sue, me, and Megan.




Last night, Jim and I finally watched the movie Lars and the Real Girl.  It was very very sweet. 

I am looking forward to Tuesday, when I can spend my day writing.  Until then, I am going to kick back -- quite literally -- with a book.  I really need to elevate and ice my ankle . . .

I'm trying to become friends with my new aircast, but it's not making things easy.

Having a severely sprained ankle is no fun, especially when your job requires you to walk all day.  It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the damn stairs.  Grrrr.

My nephew's first birthday party was on Saturday.  I wish I had photos to share, but Jim had the camera for the weekend. (He was in Indiana.)  Charlie was absolutely adorable, though he's going through the stage where he cries if he's not with his mom.   His older brother Gavin (who is almost three) was having a great old time!

Today is my writing day, and I am torn between writing something "new" or completing my editing -- I'm oh-so-close!  For those of you who are interested, chapter one is posted -- just click on the "chapter one" tag to the left.  If you want to read more, let me know -- I have posted the rest of the chapters, but they are currently "locked."

It's a beautiful fall day here in Madison.  The perfect day to rake leaves . . .  oh, wait.  Flashbacks.

Have a good one, everyone!

I have a few things left on my list of things to do before Jim gets home.  One of them is "Rake Leaves."  We have tons.  And, of course, it is constantly raining.  When it's not raining, I'm at work.  So I thought I'd take advantage this morning -- cloudy and windy, but no rain -- and get started. 

I was feeling all proud of myself.  Got on the old jeans and shoes.  Found the work gloves to prevent blisters.  Got the two big containers from the garage to haul the leaves.  Pulled down the rake.  Popped in the iPod.

After half an hour, I was warm.  No, hot.  So I came back inside, removed a few layers, and walked down the four measly stairs outside.

Totally slipped on one of the steps, did something to my ankle that made a frighteningly loud popping noise, and landed in a heap in my proud pile of leaves.

The pain was so intense for a few moments that I felt slightly nauseous, and I saw stars.  And all I could think was:
1.  I sure hope nobody saw that.
2.  What if I can't stand back up?  I'm home alone.
3.  What if I need to go to the ER?  How will I get there?  Everyone I know is at work.
4.  I better not have broken my ankle.  I can NOT handle crutches at work.
5.  What if I pass out?
6.  I sure hope someone saw me.

Luckily, after twenty seconds or so I felt much better.  I was afraid to put any weight on it at first, so sure I was that it was broken, or at least badly sprained.

I was actually able to put everything away and walk back inside without incident.  I am feeling VERY fortunate.

And now I have a very legitimate reason to stop raking for the day.

Jim left for Indiana this morning.  I would have gone on the pilgrimage to the in-laws, but it was kind of last minute and we just couldn't make it work.

I took today off to write.  Usually I have Tuesdays off, but I had my book group last night.  We discussed The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson.  It came out in hardcover in 2008, and was just released in paperback last month.  Here is a link to the website:
http://www.whoisjennafox.com/reviews.html
(At this website, you can also watch the "video trailer" for the book, something that is becoming more and more popular.)

I loved this novel.  It's one of those books you read in one huge gulp, and then immediately want someone you know to read it as well.  The urge to discuss is that strong.  Hence, I knew it would make a great book group title!

And it DID make for a great discussion.

Usually, I give a plot synopsis here.  But I can't for this one.  Let me just say that at its heart, it is a coming-of-age novel that focuses on identity and family relationships.  It's also a medical thriller that deals with bioethics, and is set some time in the near future.  The author writes beautifully, yet quite simply -- a difficult feat.  I heartily recommend this book to high-schoolers and adults.  It is a great read, and there is a lot of substance.  However, due to the subject matter, those from ultra-conservative or ultra-religious backgrounds would not approve.

If you are looking for a really good -- and fast -- read, definitely pick up The Adoration of Jenna Fox.  And then you MUST tell me what you thought!

I always do research on the internet to get information about the author.  (I also like to read teen reviews of the titles.)  Yesterday as I was surfing the net, I was delighted to find out Mary E. Pearson has a blog, which is also on LiveJournal.  I then learned (insert slightly ominous drum roll here) that The Adoration of Jenna Fox is being made into a movie.

Though I am excited for the author (because of the sales uptick she'll get from the movie), I can't help feeling worried.  I LOVED this book.  And I learned at a very young age that movies can ruin a book.  A Little Princess, for example.  An all-time favorite of mine.  Read the book over and over and over again (thanks, Aunt Sue!).  Then one day I saw the movie -- with Shirley Temple.  Shirley Temple is the ANTI-Sara Crewe, for crying out loud!  And the father is dead in the book, but miraculously alive in the movie.  GrrrrrrR!

There are too many botched movie adaptations for me to start listing here, but suffice it to say, trepidation is the major emotion I'm encountering.

So much of The Adoration of Jenna Fox is internal dialogue and reflection.  I hope the movie studio will handle it well.

And so I remind myself of my absolute HORROR when I learned Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson was being made into a movie.  Again, a book that was a huge favorite for me -- and for many many others.  (If you, by some twisted turn of fate, have not read Speak, run to your nearest library/bookstore now!  Never mind me  . . !)  Again, a book where there is little dialogue -- the main character won't speak, after all!

Yet I was AMAZED by the wonderful job Showtime did adapting the book into movie format.  After I saw it, I had so much respect for the writers and the director.  I even bought the DVD, which comes with a few extras, including an author interview.

So, in a strange case of cautious optimism, I am going to cross my fingers and hope the movie of The Adoration of Jenna Fox lives up to the book.

Congratulations to Mary E. Pearson, and best wishes!

(The author has a new Young Adult novel entitled The Miles Between Us, on-sale now.)

Lately I have been, quite simply, overwhelmed by life.  Even watching The Daily Show and The Colbert Report is stressful. 

Reading has always been a big escape for me.  But recently, I haven't been able to "happily" read.  I have the new Atwood novel -- but it gave me nightmares (I know, what else is new?!) so I set it aside for now.  If I read kids or young adult fiction, I find myself editing as I read.  Or, even worse, resenting the author for writing so wonderful and getting his/her novel published.

Which is why I have allowed myself to get to this point.

I am currently reading the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris.

For those of you who may not know, this is the mystery/vampire/romance series that the HBO adapted into their True Blood series.

It is just what the doctor ordered.

I am now on book five of the series.

(And something that gives me a twisted sense of glee?  There were at least two typos/misspellings in each of the first four books.) 

I am being entertained without having to think much at all.

Now I get the genre novel's appeal.

Oh, it will get old after a while.  But for now, hats off to Charlaine Harris who can plot a book like nobody's business.

I have big plans for today.  I am going to take a break from editing and write some new scenes in my novel.  I've got all kinds of ideas bouncing around in my little head.

To get me in the mood, I've decided to listen to some of the CDs I listened to over and over again when I was in high school.  I already did a Led Zeppelin CD while I was in the shower.  Right now, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me from The Cure is blaring out at me from the computer.  Perhaps the ultimate don't-listen-to-this-after-you've-been-dumped album.  Next on deck is Cracker, The Smiths, Pearl Jam, and Nine Inch Nails' Pretty Hate Machine.

"And I remember she used to fall down a lot,
that girl was always falling again and again.
And I used to sometimes try to catch her,
but never even caught her name."
--"Catch" by The Cure

Isn't it great when you go back to an album you loved, an album you haven't listened to in years, and you STILL know--and love--every beat and word?

I'm trying to think of what else dominated my high school years.  REM.  Depeche Mode.  The Doors.  Love & Rockets.  Peter Murphy. Modern Talking.  Tom Petty.

Kind of funny.  I just realized that I listen to a lot more female musicians now than I ever did in my younger years.

(An aside: The CD I am now listening to I orhad as a taped copy of a friend's tape.  I just got to the point in the middle of a song where my side one ran out -- I still remember that.  In fact, I braced for it!)

I know I owe a post on The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks, but I will save that for another time.  Today I want to work on my own book.

I've been very lethargic lately, and my blog is suffering as a result.   Poor little blog!

Babysat for the nephews this past weekend.  My favorite part was when my brother Pete asked Gavin (who is two) "How old are you, Gavin?"  Gavin replied, quite seriously, "Five."   Hee Hee!   I also learned way too much about Thomas the Tank Engine.

I finshed reading RIck Riordan's intermediate series.  My next door neighbor's grandson is a big fan, so it's been fun talking to him about it.  Not usually a series I would read, but it was fun and quick.

Next I have a HUGE stack of new YA books to read.  First on deck is The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart.  It's tonight's Not Just For Kids Book Group title, so I better start reading!  I will post on it tonight or tomorrow.  I have the new Margaret Atwood book started, but it's messing with my mood so I might set it aside for a little while.

My uncle had surgery last week and it went great --I'm very happy and relieved!

I haven't been able to shake my reaction to this story, so I'm going to write it out of me.

There have been string of burglaries in an upscale neighborhood in the adjoining suburb.  Earlier this week, some guy with a very long rap sheet broke into a huge house, and was shot by one of the residents.  The resident was a young man, home alone at the time.   Here is the story as of this morning.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime_and_courts/article_b4185a76-a2fd-11de-8aa7-001cc4c002e0.html

This story disturbs me.  And yes, I know the law -- the resident was within his rights and should not be charged.

But let me just say these things:

1.  I have been the victim of three crimes that the police had been called in on -- before the age of eighteen.  I know what it's like to be a victim, and it sucks.  (And no, in none of these cases was the perpetrator found and/or charged.)  In all cases, I went to the police, and did my "duty" (for example, running after the car after being mugged and memorizing the license plate).  And I have felt the adrenaline rush that occurs during moments of crime.
2.  I know how to dial 911.
3.  I know how to physically defend myself against an unarmed man of any age or size.
4.  I live in a tiny tiny house.  You could probably fit at least five of my houses inside the house that was attacked.  And even in my tiny house that has only one room with a door (the bathroom) I would still have time to grab my phone and lock myself in the bathroom to call 911.  (Unless I wanted to grab the flashlight and be Buffy!)
5.  Why is it so much more "disturbing" when a robber targets a "nice" neighborhood, as opposed to my "bad" neighborhood?
6.  I am very happy I do not own a gun.

Perhaps my past has colored my reaction to this story.  In comparison to most of the people in Madison, my childhood in a suburb of Chicago would be considered "rough."  Perhaps my social class is influencing my reaction.  Relative to the people living in the upscale neighborhood, I may even be considered "poor." 

But when I finally heard this story on the news last night, I audibly gasped when I learned the resident shot the intruder dead. 

After reading the story online this morning,  I learned that the resident "flinched" and the gun went off.  This made me feel both a little better, and a lot worse. 

Because he flinched, and someone died. 

Yes, that someone was a criminal. 

But this resident now knows someone died at his hands. 

It's just all so very sad.

Another beautiful day in Madison, Wisconsin!

I realized I haven't posted much recently.  Basically, I've been really busy.  Add on work, which has been REALLY rough as of late, and I'm exhausted by the end of the day.   

Writing has been going pretty well the last two weeks.  I've been editing away, and have made some good progress.

Last week I finished reading Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist.  The film did a great job adapting it.  Some storylines and characters were cut from the movie.  I enjoyed reading it, and now really want to go back and watch the movie again.  Some SPOILERS here, so skip to the next paragraph to avoid.  Anyway, in the movie version, there is some hint that Eli might not be a girl.  The book goes into this, and in fact, in the book, we learn that Eli is a boy.  Oskar is pretty upset when he finds out, worrying that he is gay, but ultimately learns he doesn't care if Eli is a boy or a girl.   I'm kind of glad the movie version didn't go into this; I really enjoyed Eli as a girl.  But the book version is quite powerful as well.

Safe to read now.

I've always enjoyed stories like Let the Right One In.  Two lost and different souls finding one another and helping one another.  Another movie that comes to mind is Lost in Translation.  Never knew I could find Bill Murray attractive!  Another movie is Little Miss Sunshine.  Kind of odd, I know -- they're all family members.  But they learn to see one another in totally new lights.

Two young adult novels that do this extremely well are Tenderness by Robert Cormier and The Watcher by James Howe.  In Tenderness, a psychopathic teenage boy and a depressed and damaged teenage girl come together.  In The Watcher, four kids come together in a moment of violence in a beach house.  In both these books, characters begin lost and needy, alone and lonely.  And the story ends with them finding hope in one another.

I like that.

Perhaps because it acknowledges first and foremost that life is hard.  And lonely.  And scary.  But if you hold on, there will be moments that make it all worth it.  A moment when you connect with someone.

I finally saw the movie Wall-E over the weekend.  Jim and I got an offer we couldn't refuse from the cable company (scary I know!) and we now have cable again.  In addition to catching up on the second season of True Blood, we have caught a couple movies On Demand.  I was in kind of a mopey mood, and I told Jim to pick either something incredibly funny or something totally action-packed.

He chose Wall-E.

I've been wanting to see Wall-E since it came out at the theaters, and I was not disappointed.  It was utterly delightful.  I can't believe I got so invested in animated robots!   By the time the movie was over, I was fighting back tears.  So I decided to go to the bathroom and "wash my face."  

Yeah, right.  I balled!

Last week we read The Lightning Thief for my Not Just For Kids Book Group.  It is the first in a five book fantasy series, and has become more and more popular with each book.

Now those of you in the book business may be shocked and apalled that I had not yet read this popular kids book.  But believe me when I say, it was always on my list!  I remember reading about it before it first came out, and I thought, "This is a brilliant idea!"  When the book arrived in my store, I immediately tagged it and put up quotes from the great reviews.  I wanted to borrow it, but I couldn't keep it in stock long enough to do so!  I read the first few chapters on my lunch breaks, enough to get a feel for it.   But then, once it became popular, I wasn't in a rush to read it.  I find it more helpful to read the books kids DON'T already know.

But the final book in the series was published last month (largest sales of a kids book I've seen, after Harry Potter) and I learned that the first was being made into a movie (trailer already available online) so I figured I better read it now. 

The first book in the series is aimed at ages eight and up, and is HIGHLY readable.  The author, who was a middle school teacher for many years, knows what makes kids laugh -- and what holds their attention.

In many ways, The Lightning Thief follows many kids fantasy "rules."  Male main character? Check. Missing parent(s)? Check.  Misunderstood protagonist? Check.  Boarding school setting? Check.  Plucky female friend/rival? Check/Check!

   These "rules" always drive me a little insane, because they make the writer's job easier.  Yes, I understand a male main character doubles your readership, but that doesn't mean I'm happy about that fact!  It drives me crazy that girls have no problem reading books with boys as main characters, but mothers will be insulted, reminding you that her child is a boy, if I suggest something with a female main character.  Grrrr.  But that's another post!
   The missing parent/misunderstood protagonist seems to be essential in fantasy, although this series plays with this idea more than most, so I give it kudos for that.
   But the plucky female friend thing gets to be annoying.  Every once in a while, I wish the "token girl" was NOT a tomboy.  Or totally smart and tough.  I'd like to see a female friend with some depth.  Though Annabeth was very much such a "token girl" in this book, I anticipate/hope the author gives her more layers in the following stories.

A brief introduction to/synopsis of The Lightning Thief:
   Percy Jackson is in middle school, in danger of being kicked out yet again.  Wherever he goes, bad luck  and "accidents" seem to follow.  Furthermore, he has dyslexia and ADHD, making schoolwork -- and behaving -- even more difficult.  He has a very close relationship with his mother, but can't stand his ogre of a stepfather.  Percy never knew his father, who disappeared even before Percy was born.
   The story begins the last week of boarding school, when yet another "accident" happens to Percy on a field trip.  But this time, he learns the reason.  He his actually a descendant of the Greek gods.  His dyslexia is the result of this -- he's able to read Ancient Greek just fine.  And his ADHD is because he is like the gods, always prepared for fight or flight. 

Pretty cool concept.  I love Greek mythology, and I love turning "handicaps" into "talents."  (For another masterful use of this idea, see David Lubar's wonderful Hidden Talents, and its sequel, True Talents.)  I only wish the author had delved into this aspect more in the novel.

   The book continues with Percy being rushed away to Camp Half-Blood, for kids with one mortal parent and one Greek god parent.   He arrives with his friend Grover, who Percy has just realized is not just a nerdy awkward boy with facial hair, but actually a satyr instructed to keep him safe.  Once at the camp, he is introduced to all things Greek gods, though the camp is still at a loss as to who Percy's father is.  This is awkward because everyone is grouped by Greek Gods.  There is an "Ares" bunk and an "Athena" bunk.  Finally, after an interesting reaction to water, it is discovered that Percy is descended from one of the "Big Three": Poseidon, god of water.
   Of course, there is a quest.  What makes this quest fun is the trek across the real United States, where the group encounters Medusa and other mythological creatures in modern places. For example, Hades is off the coast of California.  The Heavens can be reached by taking the Empire State Building's elevator to the "500th" floor.
   Percy is accompanied by Grover as well as Annabeth, the token plucky female.  She is a descendant of one of Poseidon's "rivals" so she is not exactly thrilled to be with working with Percy.  But, of course, they learn to respect and even like one another by the end of the book.  Big surprise, I know!  This was the weak link in the story, but it WAS only the first book in the series.
   
Things I really liked?  
   The environmental messages throughout were great.  The river Styx, for example, has become polluted.  Grover, being half-goat, comments throughout on how humans are harming the earth.  There is a hysterical scene when they have been sucked into a magical hotel where they can do whatever they want.  It's filled with video games, and Grover is glued to one where the animals hunt the humans.  "Die polluting humans, die!" Grover yells as Annabeth and Percy try to break the spell.
   The humor was a lot of fun.  I smiled and even laughed on a several occasions.  There's no doubt the author has a keen ear for the middle school boy.  Even the chapter titles were funny; a great way to get kids to read "just one more chapter" before going to bed.
   The magic was great fun as well.  I loved Percy's magical sword, given to him by Poseidon.  It looks like a pen.  When Percy is first given the pen, he worries because he always loses pens -- which I thought was hysterical, because what boy with or without ADHD DOESN'T lose pens?!  The great thing about this "pen"?  It never gets lost -- it will always return to Percy.
     My favorite aspect of this book?  Its portrayal of the gods and of parents. The parents and gods are imperfect.  In fact, both can act like spoiled brats and be entirely selfish.  I thought it was a great parallel, one that kids with divorced parents can relate with well.

The author, Rick Riordan (pronouced Ryer-don, like fire-den) has written several acclaimed adult mysteries.  He wrote The Lightning Thief after his younger son was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD.  His son loved Greek mythology, and Riordan would recound the stories each night at bedtime.  When he ran out of myths, his son asked him to make new ones.  Hence, Percy Jackson was born.

Here is a link to the author's blog:
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2009/07/lightning-thief-movie.html


 

This has been the strangest summer, and I loved it.  Relatively cool weather, very few mosquitoes.  And now it appears to be coming to an early close, though Mother Nature could just be psyching us out again.

   ambivalence: The coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings, such as love and hate, toward a person, object, or idea
     American Heritage Dictionary

I love the fall.  And I hate it as well.  Whenever I hear the word "ambivalent" (usually used incorrectly) I think of the autumn season.

I am not a big fan of summer.  I hate the ninety degree weather and the humidity.  I hate trying to sleep when it's hot.  I hate being used as a feeding station for every mosquito in town.  As a child, I could take summer or leave it.  While I loved riding my bike and playing outside, and going on special trips with my family, I dearly missed my friends from school.  Growing up, we only had one car (which my dad used to get to and from work) and none of my friends lived anywhere near me.  I could go weeks without seeing another child my own age.  Then, when my mom got a job working at the public library, my summers consisted of babysitting for my younger brother and sister.  This lasted through high school.

So I don't have any real affection for summer.  Like everyone else, I love spring.  And unlike most midwesterners, I don't hate winter.   The only major problem I have with winter is endangering my life to get to work during or after a snowstorm.  But otherwise, winter doesn't bother me too much.  I love wearing sweaters!

But fall is harder for me to wrap my mind around.  

Fall means the end of summer, which is fine by me.  Fall is also back to school time, which I have always loved.  Nothing better for this little nerd than getting to notebooks, folders, and pens.  I love the weather.  And the colors of fall are brilliant.  There is no better time of the year -- for me -- to take a drive around the countryside.

Yet I always get depressed around this time of year.  It usually starts as soon as the back to school ads start, and then ends after Halloween.  Many people get depressed in the fall or winter, so I am not alone.   And it makes a sick kind of sense, as pretty much every major negative experience I've had happened in the fall.

During the months of August, September, and October, I float back and forth between utter happiness and inexplicable moodiness.  Which is why, when Jim and I got engaged, I insisted we get married in October.  I wanted to make sure I could associate something wonderfully happy with such a confusing time of the year.

Today we are driving out to see our friends in Evansville.  It's always fun because they have two adorable dogs and a ton of entertaining cats.  Furthermore, they live on a large property "out in the country" which they have populated with tons of trees, plants, and gardens. 

Tomorrow is a friend's bridal shower in Schaumburg, IL.  I will actually be wearing a dress, so I will insist that someone takes a few pictures.  It's not that I'm anti-dresses.   I just don't like spending lots of money on something I'll only have an opportunity to wear once or twice.  With my job, wearing a dress to work is just inviting ruination.

I am enraged that this happened.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/08/27/california.missing.girl/index.html

On Friday, Sigmund had an appointment with the vet.  Nothing wrong; just time to get a couple of shots.  Sigmund is a wriggly little guy, and trying to get him into his cat carrier has to be done as quickly as possible.  We managed on the second try, and off we went, Sigmund meowing the entire way.  We got to the vet ten minutes early, and as we were getting the carrier out of the back seat, we smelled something not so good.  Yes, the drive to the vet literally scared the shit out of Sigmund.  We didn't know quite what to do -- if we took him out of the cat carrier to clean it and him up, would we be able to get him back in before the appointment?  If I held him, would he bolt?  We finally decided to take him into the bathroom, close the door, and assess the situation.  I got down on my knees, opened the carrier, and Sigmund slowly started to walk out.  Then he realized he had no clue where he was, and he hid under my legs.  Got him cleaned up.  Attempted to return him to the carrier; he was having none of it.  He just curled up in my arms and clung there like he was never going to let go.  Luckily, we were called in pretty quickly, and he was the perfect patient.  Took his shots without a peep.  I was quite the proud parent!



We went out for Jamaican cafe.  The women who work there were totally teasing Jim -- it was so funny to see him turn red!

On Saturday, we went to out to Stoughton, where our friends John and Cindy live.  Their son Ben was having his 9th birthday party at a park, and it was a hoot to watch five boys running crazy.  Then Jim went out to the movies with a friend, while I stayed home and did laundry.  We watched a couple of old movies on TCM and then it was time for bed.

And back to work this morning.

Tuesday night is my NJFK book group.  This month I have us reading The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.  It is immensely popular with kids, and if you haven't heard of it yet, you will soon.  It's being made into a movie.  Because of its popularity, I thought it would be a good choice.  Usually I try to choose non-bestsellers, but I like to throw in a kid-favorite at least once a year.  I'm about halfway through, and I can see the appeal.  I'll write more after I've finished it and have had our meeting.

I am 3/4 of the way finished with Let the Right One In, which had to be tabled when I realized that the book group was this Tuesday, and not NEXT Tuesday.

Writing-wise, I am trying to figure how to more effectively end chapter two, now that I have broken it into two chapters.  I have twenty chapters done, but I've tweaked a couple of things and am editing it from the beginning.  Hopefully, I'll have time on Tuesday to figure out something totally inspired.

Sometimes happy news just falls in your lap.

I've been feeling rather sorry for myself because I have a headache.  This stupid migraine just won't completely disappear!  As it is Tuesday, I am even more frustrated -- I have a lot of writing I wanted to do.  But creating good fiction under the influence of a migraine is incredibly difficult.

But I have been planted at the computer for the last two hours.  Did a little editing, decided to print my changes to share with a gal at work, and then the printer kept jamming.  Twenty minutes later, the printer was finally fixed but my creative flow was effectively jammed. Played on Facebook.  Wrote to my cousin.  Looked up a new CD online, decided I wanted it, and sent an email to work to have them put it on hold for me. 

Stared at the computer screen for ten more minutes and checked my email again.  (Checking my email repeatedly is a great diversion. )
And there was a note from Abby informing me that she and Chris have gotten engaged!!!!

Congratulations to Abby and Chris!  I hope you have a wonderfully blissful life together.

And thanks for putting a big ol' smile on Migraine Girl's face . . .

"I'm not ashamed.  It's the computer age; nerds are in . . .
They're still in, right?"
-- Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer


It's Sunday, which means I worked 8-5 and then came home and made my "List of Things to Do" for the week.  I then completed the first three items on the list, which included organizing my comics.

It's a relatively recent hobby.  Collecting comics, not organizing them.  Though I do like to organize.   But I digress . . . Several years ago, Joss Whedon wrote an X-Men comics series.  Being a devoted follower of Joss (yet knowing nothing about the X-Men) I ran right out and started reading them.  They were a great deal of fun, and I then watched all the X-Men movies and read the "classic" storylines in graphic novel form.  (Favorite X-Men characters? Kitty Pride and Emma Frost.  Just in case you were wondering . . . )

Joss then moved on to writing for the Runaways comic series, and I started buying all of those.  Also great fun!  It's about a group a teenage kids who find out there parents really ARE evil.  Highly recommended.

And when Buffy ended as a TV series, Joss started doing Buffy comics.   Need I say more?

Thus, I now have boxes of comics.  Last week Jim and I went to Westfield Comics on the west side of Madison.  Unfortunately, I forgot my list of what I already had, and what I still needed. Tonight I pulled out my boxes, put the new comics in their happy little plastic sleeves, and made a new list of what I forgot to get.  Something to look forward to next time!

I also enjoy reading graphic novels.  One of the best books of last year was Shaun Tan's The Arrival.  Totally wordless story of the immigrant experience.  Amazing.  (I also love his new book, Tales from Outer Suburbia.  Wow!)
http://www.shauntan.net/

Persepolis and Satrapi's other graphic novels are obviously a favorite of mine.  I love coming of age stories.  I have yet to see the movie adaptation, however. 

Speaking of movie adaptations, after I saw Sin City I started reading the graphic novels it was based upon.  Thanks to Jim and his brother, I now own them all.  If you liked the movie and haven't read the books, you are missing out!

I loved the series Y: The Last Man.  It imagines what would happen if every male of every species suddenly died at the same moment, world-wide.  All males, that is, save one twenty-something year-old guy named Yorrick and his pet monkey.  Humorous and thought-provoking, it differs from other sci-fi graphic novels in that it -- obviously -- has lots of female protagonists and villains.  I hear it's being made into a movie.
http://www.dccomics.com/vertigo/graphic_novels/?gn=1736

Finally, there is a great series of comics, now in book form, called Amelia Rules!  I picked it up because it had such great reviews (including a glowing one from one of the main Buffy writers).  It's like a modern Charlie Brown with a young female protagonist.  Very funny, very smart, and quite touching as well.  There was a Christmas story that was incredibly sweet -- I just saw in the publisher's catalogue that they are going to issue that "episode" as a stand-alone book for the holiday season.  Brilliant!
http://www.ameliarules.com/

So there you have it.  Laurie is a geek. 

But you knew that already!

I've been meaning to post a link to this for the last week and keep forgetting.  Movits! is a Swedish band, and they appeared on the Colbert Report a few weeks ago.  This is a music video for the song they performed.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/240680/august-03-2009/movits----fel-del-av-g-aring-rden-music-video?videoId=240680

I've always wanted to learn to speak Swedish.  My dad's side of the family is from Sweden.  In fact, my last name means "Branch of a rose" in Swedish (to which I always like to add, "And I'm the thorn").  Kind of funny, because everyone always assumes I'm Jewish. 

In other Sweden-related news, I am halfway through the novel Let the Right One In.  The movie did a wonderfully faithful adaptation of the book.

Tonight it took me three tries to get in the front door without bringing any moths in with me.  So when I heard Jim laugh, I assumed it was at me.  Fortunately, it was not.  He had just opened up two envelopes with refund checks from Dean Care -- totalling a nice little sum of money.  They were refunds for money we sent in LAST YEAR.  Hey, I'm not complaining . . .