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The occasional rant, an interesting quip, a funny thing happened, and other ramblings....
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Jul. 16th, 2006 @ 09:35 am Which Major Arcana Tarot Card Are You?

Result of Quiz :: Which Major Arcana Tarot Card Are You?

You scored as III - The Empress.

The Empress is a maternal symbol. She is the mother figure who loves, nurtures and protects. She will protect you, she will always be there when you are in trouble. When you fall over and graze your knee, the Empress will kiss it better. Yet she is not a weak figure. Her compassion is strength. If her children are threatened she will stop at nothing to protect them. If well aspected in a Tarot spread, the Empress can symbolise security, protection and unconditional love. If badly aspected it can represent over-protectiveness, fear of risk taking and refusal to face the real world.

III - The Empress

 
100%

XIII: Death

 
100%

XI: Justice

 
81%

XIX: The Sun

 
75%

I - Magician

 
75%

VIII - Strength

 
69%

II - The High Priestess

 
69%

IV - The Emperor

 
69%

XVI: The Tower

 
56%

X - Wheel of Fortune

 
50%

VI: The Lovers

 
50%

0 - The Fool

 
50%

XV: The Devil

 
38%

About this Entry
morning routine
Jun. 9th, 2006 @ 09:37 am Cervical Cancer Vaccine
Current Mood: relieved
Tags: ,
They have finally approved the Cervical Cancer Vaccine.  Hooray!!!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003049677_cancer09.html
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writing
May. 19th, 2006 @ 10:09 am Cervical Cancer....
Current Mood: hopeful
Tags: ,

It's becoming reality.  One step closer to the prevention of cervical cancer.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003004460_vaccine19.html

About this Entry
writing
May. 9th, 2006 @ 10:33 am Pink Carpet
Current Mood: content
Current Music: finches out the window
My beautiful, yet incredible messy, pink carpet of cherry tree blossoms is now almost over. This last week the blooms were swept off the tree creating this soft pink carpet all over my yard. I had fun staring out my picture window watching pink snow float by as the wind blew blossoms from all angles. There are three cherry trees in a row, mine and both neighbors to the sides of me. Where the wind came from to blow them around in circles I have no idea. Sadly, the petals and blooms are turning into that sickly sweet- rotting flower smell instead of the brief fragrant spring smell that would drift through the house when the door was open hinting at warmer days and sunshine. Ah... so sad!

Little writing progress has been made. Figured out names for my two young characters instead of using place holder names. I also figured out skills for one of my female characters that I had been struggling with. It should be fun.

Back to work!
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writing
Apr. 28th, 2006 @ 11:21 am progress
Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: Whale song
Words today: 928

Word I couldn't believe wasn't in Word's built in dictionary: Unsticking

Today I got a little progress done on the as of yet untitled Children's Fantasy that I have been working on. I flushed out a few more characters and finally got to the point where it is moving. Printed out the first chapter that may get cut or significantly changed to go over with new writing group on Sunday. Surprising how much I could get done when I finally stuck my butt in the chair and didn't have any distractions this morning. I should have gotten more writing done over the week, but didn't. I was a big old flake and didn't do anything. However I did pick up a book and start to read. It seemed like my brain just wasn't ready for either reading or writing for the last several weeks. Spring fever maybe???

Decided to let my oldest have a play hooky day for half the day today. He just finished 2 weeks of WASL and thought it would be a good treat and a easy way for us to have fun today. The weather is beautiful and his teacher had a light day with the kids today anyway so it just worked out. I go to pick him up in a little while. I think I'll pack a snack and we'll head to the marina to go fly the kite. We've been there a lot lately. Great place for the kids to go ride their bikes and for me to walk because it is all a smooth flat path. There's always wind to fly the kite too!

Yippee! I made some progress!
About this Entry
writing
Apr. 19th, 2006 @ 10:40 am HPV Vaccine..
Current Mood: cynical
Current Music: John Mayer
Tags: , ,
Today I found out that the health community is finally looking into the possibility of having males participate in the soon to be released HPV 16 Vaccine. I just about did the happy dance in the living room! When I first found out about the Vaccine coming out all I could think about was why they didn't have it out sooner and "what do you mean your only going to vaccinate females?" My medical providers were still relatively uneducated about HPV and it's links to cancer when I went in for all my medical issues around it. It seemed like each appointment I had I would find out a little bit more which would spur on my endless round of questions that my doctors never could seem to answer adequately. It still hasn't been decided if they will offer it to males but I know just as soon as it comes out I will be the first parent in line at my pediatricians office to Demand that my boys have it. It makes absolutely no sense to me to only vaccinate females when it is possible to stop the spread of the disease cold by vaccinating both sexes. Just because males don't have a cervix to be attacked with cancer does not mean that they shouldn't be held equally responsible to prevent the transmission of the disease.

I also still don't know why they aren't talking about HPV in sex ed classes?!?!?!?
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writing
Apr. 12th, 2006 @ 11:13 am too much time on my hands..
You Are a Jam Cookie

On the outside, you project a straight-laced, innocent vibe.
But on the inside, you're complex, exotic, and full of flavor.


You Are a Mai Tai

You aren't a big drinker, but you'll drink if the atmosphere is festive.
And when you're drunk, watch out! You're easily carried away.
About this Entry
writing
Apr. 12th, 2006 @ 10:47 am funny..
Current Mood: busy
Current Music: Gretchen Wilson

What Type of Writer Should You Be?
You Should Be a Science Fiction Writer
Your ideas are very strange, and people often wonder what planet you're from.
And while you may have some problems being "normal," you'll have no problems writing sci-fi.
Whether it's epic films, important novels, or vivid comics...
Your own little universe could leave an important mark on the world!
found at
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writing
Mar. 28th, 2006 @ 08:55 am Quest
Current Mood: uncomfortable
Current Music: Bamboo waterfalls
In my endless quest for pain relief, increased mobility, and weight loss I have found a arthritis water class that is just at my level. Yesterday was my first class. I figured I would be sensible and get a day pass instead of a quarterly pass that is more economical just to make sure it wouldn't be too stressful on my back. So I drop the youngest off in the h2o childcare (which is way cool!) and wade out with the rest of the class. Of course I realized I would likely be the only person under 50 but it still didn't make me feel good when everyone's head turned my way and the instructor asked, "This is a arthritis class, are you sure you're in the right class?" Like I wasn't feeling bad enough watching seniors having better range of motion than I do! So as I nod my head and the instructor continues periodically I get these side ways looks all through class. Yuck! It felt like I was the new kid in High School all over again. You know that uncomfortable feeling where everyone stares at you as you go by, whispers to their buddy, but never bothers to say hello? It was one of those things.

By the time class was over I felt like jello, except for my back that kept twitching. Not painful, but just enough to say "Do one more thing today and you will regret it!" Class was gentle enough, but physical enough that I felt everything. This morning most of me feels pretty good. All except that I feel like a spring that is being squished tightly together. I've done all the lengthening stretches I know to try but it just isn't helping. I need traction!

Does anyone know any low back stretches I could try to lengthen out my back????? Open to suggestions!!!!
About this Entry
writing
Mar. 18th, 2006 @ 08:29 am What kind of coffee are you?
Current Mood: tired
You Are a Frappacino

At your best, you are: fun loving, sweet, and modern

At your worst, you are: childish and over indulgent

You drink coffee when: you're craving something sweet

Your caffeine addiction level: low
About this Entry
writing
Mar. 17th, 2006 @ 09:53 am Yesterdays dose of excitement....
Current Mood: shocked
Current Music: Jann Arden
I had a big dose of excitement yesterday. It definitely rated in one of those "HOLY SHIT!" moments. I live in a house that is located by the freeway. Not just by the freeway, but as you walk out my door or look out the window in the living room you see a steep embankment with black berry bushes and there it is. If I tried real hard I could probably throw a rock up to the on ramp. (I know parachute men fireworks make it up there.) The south bound freeway entrance in front of the house is really short. A car climbs a steep hill to make it up, but the merge lane is super short. I often hear the blaring of big truck horns as someone is trying to merge. In the 4+ years I've lived in this house, thankfully there had only been 3 accidents in that area. That was until yesterday.

Yesterday's excitement sent a car flying across the merge lane and into the chain link fence that parallels the freeway when another car hit it. The impact was so hard it broke the useless fence and had it teetering on the edge of the embankment. If it had been hit just a little bit harder or there wasn't so much brush it would have come directly down the hill and into the house. As it was we had 3 Fire Engines show up, the ambulance shortly after, and after the ambulance left the state trooper finally showed up (20 minutes later). My street was blocked off with one Fire Truck and the fire dept. told all the people to clear the street in case the car came down. I can only imagine the poor persons face looking down the embankment! Thankfully there was no fatality.

After all the excitement was through the neighbors started talking about getting a retaining wall continued down our street. It was suppose to be done last year, but obviously didn't. The stupid part is that it stops at the new off ramp at the same location as the on ramp or 1 block away. Why they didn't continue it, who knows? With all the construction noise last year up there it sure sounded like they were doing something although it doesn't show it in any way.

How very sad when the only exciting or new thing is a car accident!
About this Entry
writing
Mar. 9th, 2006 @ 08:45 am Can I call it or what???
Current Mood: bouncy
So high winds brought down another section of the tree in the back yard that the landlord left with the "we'll see how this goes", statement after I told him that it would come down next storm. Sure enough, it did! They've been really lucky the tree hasn't done damage to property.

On a brighter note... IT'S SNOWING!!! It isn't going to stick, at least not for long - but who knows. It's snowing! It's snowing! I love the snow! Yippee!
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Happy Dance
Mar. 8th, 2006 @ 08:45 am pick and poke
Current Mood: blah
Current Music: wind chimes
I haven't gotten much writing done. Just a little pick here, a little poke there. My head just hasn't been in the right space for writing for the most part so I've begun the chore of editing a lot of stuff in the "edit" file since the analytical part of my brain is taking over. I haven't even been able to enjoy reading this last week either because I've picked out all the little errors in the book. - The dropped letter here, the left instead of right, etc. It's likely because I'm having a bad flare up with my back and it is distracting, but who knows?

I started making reservations for this summers camping and can't believe I'm already having to fight for days and sites. We usually go camping at the state camp grounds for the convenience and I think this year we might check out one of the camp ground that have Yurts so I don't have to set up so much. I seem to be cheating more and more when I go camping. Next thing will be going in a trailer! I'd love to make the trip down to Cannon Beach, but I think the drive alone would do me in, let alone setting up camp. It would be nice if I still had access to my military benefits and we would just sleep at the Coast Guard station in the barracks and go off for the day, but those days are sadly gone.

Hope everyones day is warmer and drier than mine!
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writing
Mar. 4th, 2006 @ 08:24 am Grumble Grumble
Current Mood: grumpy
Current Music: SHeDaisy
I've been stuck in the incredibly boring world of the Domestic Goddess. House stuff keeps popping up lately that has been taking up huge amounts of creative time. It seems like I no sooner sit down into the groove of getting writing done then something that demands attention barges it and interrupts. My back hurting doesn't help because it is so distracting. I need to go back into the doctors office and I have a feeling she is going to want a new MRI to check what's going on. Last night the bulge in my low back was back which means more problems with the disc. How they can say that it isn't impinging on the nerves I don't know but my foot that is numb says something VERY different! I finally gave up and woke up about 5 this morning just because sleep wasn't happening and it was hurting more to lay down. I thought about trying to take a walk around the lake but knowing how it is I will likely get stuck on the other side hurting too much to keep going. Walking around the neighborhood is getting really boring and I hate going to the track at the stadium. Besides they are finally repaving the area in front of the stadium and most is blocked off for parking.

Grumble Grumble. I need more coffee!
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Dragon
Mar. 1st, 2006 @ 02:06 pm Putzing, Futzing & other
Just a quick blurb.

I haven't gotten nearly as much writing done as I want in the past month. I finally sat my butt in the chair to get some work done only to really not make any progress. I edited 33 pages but had about 5 pages of cuts and rewrites. It's shaping up, just not nearly as productively and quickly as I would like. I worked more on the outline which I've been working around for this story. Because this story is so new to me it has really helped. This is the first time I've truly worked from an outline and even still its just a few anchor points for the most part. Hopefully the rest one the week will go more smoothly.

The tree in the yard still isn't all down. The part that is down in the neighbors yard is still there. Poor people.
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writing
Feb. 27th, 2006 @ 11:28 am Dumb! Dumb People!
Current Mood: cranky
For some time now one of the trees in the back yard has been progressively leaning in two directions threatening to come down with the next big gust of wind. The only reason it didn't come down on my side of the yard yet is because the low branches are already laying on the ground holding the rest of it up. I have no idea what kind of tree it is but it has a multi-section base. Last night the tree finally gave up and fell partially in the neighbors yard taken out the t.v. cable with it. The rest of the tree... well, those branches just weren't going to hold it.

I called my landlord who surprisingly enough showed up within less than an hour. This is the guy who takes three months to come fix the leak behind the toilet. I explained that because of the funny walkway going off at angle I wasn't sure who's tree it was, but I was moving my car so it didn't get smashed. (although, it might not have been a bad thing really----insurance!) So true to his worthlessness he decides that he is only going to cut the part of the tree leaning on our side of the yard, leaving the middle of the tree and the fallen part in the neighbors yard saying that "we'll see how this does, hope this doesn't come down too." Just take the whole damn thing!!!! So sure enough when I come back from running around this morning the middle part of the tree that's leaning is still there and the poor neighbor still has part of the tree fallen in their back yard with a cable tangled in it. What a JACK ASS! Like it was really going to take a whole lot more effort to chainsaw the rest of the tree and help the poor neighbor! I think it's our tree anyway. I should have just let the tree fall on my car and sewed his butt!

Dumb! Dumb people!!!!
About this Entry
writing
Feb. 15th, 2006 @ 09:10 am Under Construction
Current Mood: frustrated
Current Music: Bamboo Waterfalls
I haven't gotten much noteworthy writing done lately. There should be a huge sign reading Under Construction!  I've been torn between several projects unable to focus in on any one in particular.  All the ideas have been rather random, some of them being crossover stuff that makes me sit back and wonder, What in the hell am I doing? I realized that one of the characters was really flat and being a major character I needed to immediately fix this.  Usually I try to work out new characters as I'm writing but this one isn't working so well. I'm now wondering how to fix it or because it's been such a pain to drop the character all together. It doesn't help that I haven't managed to carve out writing time lately either so most of what I have gotten has been little fits and spurts here and there.  I know that many writers have several projects going at the same time so does anyone have any advice on how to keep the flow going and not get caught being stretched too thin between projects?

On another note, all of our sunshine is leading to the possibility of snow.  The grocery store has been packed, Wal-Mart has been packed, the roads have been a zoo... Aren't you all suppose to be at work or school?  I feel like I should be in Seattle or something. Yuck!  I guess if it is going to get cold like it's been I'd rather have snow.  So long as I don't have to go anywhere and it doesn't last overly long.  Just enough to remind us it is winter, allow the kids and I to have some fun, and then go away.  That's not asking too much is it???

Off to carve out writing time.
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writing
Feb. 12th, 2006 @ 09:14 am Ok I'm up!
Current Mood: content
Woke up early yesterday to get things done that desperately need to be done. Had a very enjoyable day with my oldest child. We went out to breakfast just the two of us and it was nice to catch up. We do some of our best talking when we have our little Mom & Me dates. After coming home and getting more stuff done we went out to the movies. All in all, a good day with D.

While we were out an about I found a new work out machine that I have been eying for a few months. I've been really apprehensive about buying it because I hadn't found anything that had enough support for my back and neck to be able to do the exercises. The greatest part was it was about 1/3 of the original price, clearanced out. So someone opened the box or the box got damaged -- Who cares so long as what's inside is ok! It was! Yippy! Better yet, when I bought it, got it home and put it together I found out it really will work. YEA!!!! I had a great gentle work out. I really felt it, but this morning I'm not dying because of it. My back actually feels like it got a good stretch and isn't so compressed, my neck isn't locked into one position and my leg isn't numb! This is a wondrous thing for me. I have nerve damage in my low back/leg, chronic back/neck pain, mild scoliosis, and fibromyalgia so finding the right exercise is really hard. I hope this really will do the trick. The last cool thing is the machine folds pretty flat and compact so it won't take up a bunch of room in my little place.

We've actually had sun the last week or so which has been such a wonderful change of pace. Still cold, but NOT RAINING! Today though it looks like the clouds have rolled back in. Hopefully it will burn off and we will squeak out one more day of sunshine before the rain comes again. It's been nice to be outside. I don't want to have to go back into hibernation mode.

Not a lot of writing has been done lately. It's rattling around in my brain trying to decide where it wants to go and still isn't sure. I wrote a few scenes but wasn't happy with them. Luckily I was smart enough to tuck them in the "Crap" folder to save for later. Usually there will be something I can pick out later to justify the time I spent writing it so it's better not to just delete the whole thing or throw it away. This weeks schedule is a bit slower so hopefully I'll be able to get some more work done.
About this Entry
morning routine
Feb. 7th, 2006 @ 07:53 pm I need help!
Current Mood: confused
Can anyone help me answer a question?

I need to know more details about wounds and healing. Specifically at which point or what type of wound would you allow to drain vs. binding and changing the dressing??

Thanks!
About this Entry
writing
Feb. 5th, 2006 @ 09:23 am Weird Mood
Current Mood: weird
Current Music: Black Eyed Peas
I don't think the coffee has kicked in yet. The wind here has finally died down. Yesterday I watched through the window most of the day as two trees in the yard threatened to finally come down. One is in the back yard that has been leaning precariously for the last few months but yesterday I watched some of the branches touch the ground. The other is in the front yard. Usually this is a hearty tree and I wouldn't be too concerned, but as I watched thick branches bend and sway I was fascinated. The tree suddenly looked like a willow tree swaying in a breeze. This morning all is quiet.

Writing didn't get done yesterday because I waited for the power to go out with the high winds, but surprisingly enough it stayed on except for the flickers that made the touch lamp blink on. I didn't even need to reset the clocks. So in other words it was a waisted writing day. I did get domestic duties done, or mostly. I just need to finish up the laundry and give Spot, the dog, a bath. (yes, the kids named him)

I came to a sudden realization yesterday as I was working that when I am stressed my writing is darker. I don't know why that is, but... does anyone else have this happen???? I reread some of the scenes that I had worked through last week and saw a weird turn that I hadn't planned in a new/old piece that I am working on. It was good, it fit, but I just wasn't expecting it. Because yesterday was a reading day I went back through some of my other writing and found the trend. It was really odd to me.
About this Entry
morning routine