Book & Lover's Day

Stack of Books
Originally uploaded by Arcadiajoy.

Today is Book and Lover's Day. A rose for love and a book forever! Tattered Cover gives out roses when you buy a book today.

I went with Girlzoot and Shadowowl to the new Tattered Cover on Colfax and we spend several pleasant hours browsing in the books and gathering treasures.

The top book, Kushiel's Dart, is going to be the first book in our new book club. I started reading the book that jumped into my basket first, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, by Shirley Jackson. Shirley Jackson wrote the chilling and very memorable "The Lottery". This story is set in the same village.

I try to make my major book purchase on Book & Lover's Day. I spread my choices out over different genres and types of books, poetry, classics, short stories, contemporary and writing. I missed out on my writing book by Joyce Carol Oates, but I found a short stories book by her which evened out.

So I expect to spend many more pleasant hours reading and enjoying my new books. Happy Book & Lover's Day!

Another Week

My uncle is doing better. I went to see him Monday night and he was still sedated in ICU with a ventalator and a big bandage on his head. Thursday, he was sitting up, breathing room air, and talking up a blue streak. He still has a way to go, but I think he's going to make it just fine.

Work has been interesting, and a bit on the frantic side, but what's new, really? I'm excited about the new position and I would like to get down to business on my new projects. Now, to get management to agree... I have been pulled back into the day to day business pretty strongly. I am going to have a talk with my manager to make sure I'm on the right track.

I really enjoyed the rain today. The clean fresh smell during and after the rain was such a refreshing change after all the snow this winter.

Enough randomness for now, more later :)

Scary Night

I found out this afternoon my uncle passed out twice this weekend. This evening, he went in for brain surgery. He is now out of surgery. My cousin in Brasil, four hours ahead, is laying awake waiting for a call from her mom to let her know if her dad made it through surgery.

My aunt, who is generally the rock around which the family revolves, is frightened. We are all grateful he came through the surgery, but the future is still uncertain. But isn't it always?

Promotions Poetry and Posting

It has been a while since my last post, and I missed February entirely! (It's a short month, easy to miss... right?)

I just wanted to put out a quick post on a couple of things going on in my world. First of all, I got the promotion that my manager spoke to me about back in September. Yay! Now to get on to the first real project, well, second project after this report for Sales my director wants done by the end of next week. I'll be the content owner of all policies and operating procedures for the entire department including accts receivable, credit and collections, and deductions. Nothing like a big challenge to start off a promising new job.

I've been reading some poetry books I recently bought, mostly anthologies. I'm reading familiar favorites as well as meeting new friends. I might review some of the poems (if I get adventerous). For now, I am really enjoying them. I'm getting inspired to try my hand at poetry again; it has been a few years since I seriously wrote poetry on a consistant basis. I have also re-read some of my friend Kerri's poetry and that has been inspiring in other ways.

The sun is shining today, even if it is a bit cool out, and I am off to enjoy some of the pleasant late winter weather. Have a great day!

Happy Late New Year!

Sixth week in a row with snow... cold enough to keep the snow on the ground and in 7 foot high walls and piles. The weather and conditions are somewhat depressing and bringing out a strong sense of hibernating. I have gotten in a great deal of TV show watching on DVD, 5 seasons of 24, My Name is Earl, Dead Like Me, Boston Legal, House MD.

I did get Duke Incognito out for printing, yay!

Since the beginning of the year, I have said goodbye to two friends who have passed out of this life. One was a great writer, a bard of the highest caliber, a sweet, funny, kind man with a sparkle in his eye and a particular talent making fires which we all enjoyed at Writers Guild during the cooler months. The other was my beloved bird of 25 years, Deeter, who brought song and beauty into my world for nearly three quarters of my life.

I'm working on goals for this year, projects I want to start or finish and activities I want to participate in. One thing I know already is I want to read more this year than last year.

Tarot Card Thingy

You are The High Priestess

Science, Wisdom, Knowledge, Education.

The High Priestess is the card of knowledge, instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge. She holds scrolls of arcane information that she might, or might not reveal to you. The moon crown on her head as well as the crescent by her foot indicates her willingness to illuminate what you otherwise might not see, reveal the secrets you need to know. The High Priestess is also associated with the moon however and can also indicate change or fluxuation, particularily when it comes to your moods.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Blizzard of Aught Six

Yesterday the snow started early and I drove into work in the beginning of the blizzard. After an hour or so at work, the powers that be closed the office and I started driving home.

Mostly it was slow going, deep snow and cautious drivers. About a quarter mile from Federal on eastbound 120th, everything slowed even further to a creeping crawl. Everyone wanted to keep going, once in motion stay in motion. I finally got to the intersection and drove through to the other side of Federal. I saw a police cruiser come down 120th westbound. I noted it and started to drive up the hill. When I checked my rearview I saw that the cruiser was behind me, having closed off 120th at Federal. After passing a semi and one stranded car, I noticed that there were about 6 to 10 other cars on the side of the road. Some of them were completely perpendicular to the road and one of them was the same make, model, and year as my car. I followed the pickup truck in front of me through the maze of cars and continued slowly home.

I got into the complex with little trouble or sliding. Around two corners and then to where my garage waited for my little car, I flipped open the garage and pulled into the untouched white expanse spread before me. I got about one car length in and my car high centered, 50 feet from home.

After forty-five minutes of shoveling a path for the car then digging out under the tires, I popped the car into neutral and rocked it back and forth. The car finally got over the snow and into the garage with only a few seconds of fear that I would hit the building instead of pulling into the garage. After I got inside, I closed the garage door and collapsed into my chair, tired, but proud of my accomplishment.

Today I peeked out and the snow had fallen and drifted over the path I shoveled. Good thing the office was already closed.

Here's to a white Christmas!

Writing Quote

No thinking - that comes later. You must write your first draft with your heart. You rewrite with your head. The first key to writing is... to write, not to think!

-- Finding Forester

Democracy in the morning

I got to my polling place around 8am yesterday and by 8:35 I was done. The little room was packed, but we were very nicely herded by the election judges. The electronic voting booth varied from all the ones I've used in the past and I've used everything from punching the chad, to a hand ballot, to three or four different kinds of electronic voting booths - I like to keep my hand in, ready to vote in any manner presented. Haven't yet voted absentee, but haven't really had the need. I particularly like going down with all the other registered voters and feeling a sense of community, a sense that my vote is part of the whole vote, that we all come together for this special event, this sacred duty.

Ok, must be off to work, so I will leave off with the ramblings and get you back to your regularly scheduled November Insanity. Oh, wait, that's MY regularly scheduled November Insanity. Not doing so well, but writing every day. Story is in a weird place but then again, week two is starting, and gosh golly if it's not going to get harder.

Best of luck to all my fellow nanoers. Keep on writing!

Welcome to the Insanity

NaNoWriMo officially started this morning at midnight. I was snug in my bed with a touch of cold that blossomed into a bit of a cough and fever this morning. Auspicious beginning this is not, but I shall perservere! Even if I can no longer spell correctly.

Welcome to November, the month of insanity and mayhem in the writing circles I run in.

I can't remember, do blog posts count as word count?

Best of luck to all my writing buddies, GirlZoot, Ian, Sunrunner, Survivor, DaveToe, Iunones, and everyone else that my foggy brain has let slip.

Let's get writing!

Last Dance

Thursday and Friday night Cabaret Diosa played their 'last shows ever on Earth' at the Boulder Theater. This year's Halloween theme was Willy Juanka and the Cha Cha Factory.

Many of the old songs came out for one last time. Tonight You Will Be Mine, Banana Rum, Hat's on Fire, Baby Wants to Mambo, Mambo Verde and Mambo Cave all brought back memories and got me dancing.

It's strange to think it's over. After 11 years of playing (I 'discovered' them about halfway through their run) the band decided to go their separate ways.

I'm happy for them. They got to go out in grand Cabaret Disoa style, with good hair and great music surrounded by devoted fans who all left wanting more.

Juan Del Queso told us that The New Electric Eden isn't a physical place; it is in our hearts and minds and we can go back any time we want. Pablo de Gallo reminded me that There is a place that you can go to dance where the music always plays.

I believe them.

!All Hail the Mighty Mambo!

Updates

Aqua Doors and Windows
Originally uploaded by Arcadiajoy.

I'm slow on the updates since I got back from vacation.

Here's a pretty picture to look at while I get my act together.

Enjoy!

20 ish Questions

I found this little meme on GirlZoot's blog. It was fun so here it is for your enjoyment. Anyone wanting to answer, please feel free to answer in the comments.

----------

I want to know 20+ things about you.
I don't care if we've never talked, never liked each other, or if we already know everything about each other.
I really don't.

1.Your Middle Name:

2. Age:

3. Single or Taken:

4. Favorite Movie:

5. Favorite Song:

6. Favorite Band/Artist:

7. Dirty or Clean:

8. Tattoos and/or Piercings:

HERE COMES THE FUN ... ... ...

1. Do we know each other outside of blogging?

2. Whats your philosophy on life?

3. Would you have my back in a fight?

4. Would you keep a secret from me if you thought it was in my best interest?

5. What is your favorite memory of us?

6. Would you give me a kidney?

7. Tell me one odd/interesting fact about you:

8. Would you take care of me when I'm sick?

9. Can we get together and make a cake?

10. Have you heard any rumors of me lately?

11. Do you/have you talk(ed) crap about me?

12. Do you think I'm a good person?

13. Would you drive across country with me?

14. Do you think I'm attractive?

15. If you could change anything about me, would you?

16. What do you wear to sleep?

17. Would you come over for no reason just to hang out?

18. Would you go on a date with me if I asked you?

19. If I only had one day to live, what would we do together?

20. Will you repost this so I can fill it out for you?

Munching on pumpkin

PA020084
Originally uploaded by Arcadiajoy.

Currently, I'm in Santa Fe with some wireless access so I thought I'd post a quick pic.

This horse is outside of the Taos Visitor Center. Since it's now officially fall, he's snacking on a lovely pumpkin, which just made me smile.

Having lots of fun, with the shopping and the museums and the being away from home.

More soon!

Day of Projects

This week pretty much flew by. My trip to Scottsdale AZ was quite lovely. The weather was quite hot (well into the 90s). We stayed at a lovely resort with no less than three pools (and me w/o my bathing suit!), ate copious amounts of resort food (and drank quarts of grapefruit juice... yummy!), and even learned a little along the way. It was amazing to be in the same room with a large group of people who understand the work I do and can get excited about it. I won't bore you with the details, but the job I do is a specialized niche of accounting that generally only CPG (consumer packaged goods) companies have to deal with.

Today, I'm planning on getting some projects if not finished, at least started. I have stuff I'm doing for the band for their final shows (which makes me a bit sad), more along the lines of personal projects I've wanted to do for years and just never made it a priority. I've also got a few things around the house to do, so I'll just have to see how much I can get done.

On another note, I received my free* Day Timer leather binder with all the inserts and accoutrements I recently ordered last night. It came with samples of all sorts of different pages, including graph paper! Now I need to get the phone book tabs and I'll be set. Most of my contacts are in my email program or on my Palm (yes, I have both a paper and an electronic planner, I'm finding out what will work best for me as I have used both to varying degrees of success) but I learned from the Laura Stack, the Productivity Pro, to use the alpha tabs in the phone book as a filing system in the planner as well as a phone book. Since there are some very exciting opportunities coming up at work, I want to work hard on my productivity and my organization to give myself that extra boost.

In my slightly scattered way, I just checked my queue in the midst of writing this post. My next movies coming from Netflix are quite exciting, and the tv show is one I've been waiting to see all year (since I don't get WB on my rabbit ears). Netflix is my compromise with myself regarding visual entertainment. I just cannot justify the $40+ a month for cable for me and my kitties, when I have so much else I should do (writing, reading, projects). So I get my movies, fit them in when I can, and call it good. I'm sure I've ranted this before, but I do feel strongly about it (and I can get digital cable at Mom's whenever the urge strikes).

Off to check the mail and get working on those projects.


* with purchase of a year of inserts and S&H, still a good deal overall.

Tagged Again

1. The last movie you saw in a theater, and current-release movie you still want to see:
Saw Cars at the dollar movie – I loved it!

Little Miss Sunshine

2. The last movie you rented/purchased for home viewing:

The Constant Gardner – Very good

3. A movie that made you laugh out loud:

Dogma

4. A movie that made you cry:

Big Fish

5. A movie that was a darling of the critics, but you think didn't live up to the hype:
um I don’t generally keep up with the critics,
6. A movie you thought was better than the critics:
see above

7. Favorite animated movie:
Mulan

8. Favorite Disney villain:
Ursula

9. Favorite movie musical:
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever

10. Favorite movies of all time (up to 5):
Princess Bride

To Kill a Mockingbird

Casablanca

It’s a Wonderful Life

Labyrinth

Got Tagged

The hardest part of this one, was that I had to pick only ONE in each… tried for the first one I thought of.

1. One book that changed your life - the hardest question first. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

2. One book that you've read more than once. – A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

3. One book that you'd want on a desert island. – A large collection of short stories or fairy tales

4. One book that made you laugh. – Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

5. One book that made you cry. – All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarch

6. One book that you wish you had written. – Wicked by Gregory Maguire

7. One book you wish had never been written. – Mien Kampf

8. One book that you are reading at the moment. To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis – funny time traveling literary goofiness

9. One book that you've been meaning to read. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

Business Trip Prep

Whee! Today I'm going about making lists, ironing clothes, figuring out what items need to be checked and which I can carry on all in preparation for my business trip next week. I actually leave tomorrow afternoon, so hence the running about today.

My department is sending me to beautiful Scottsdale AZ for a conference. I'm going to meet others in my field (which is fairly specialized to CPG companies) as well as folks from my parent company. There will be a presentation by our new software provider about the module we just implemented for my department (for which I'm busily troubleshooting and refining processes). I'm glad I got business cards a couple months back, they'll get a work out this week.

I also have time to bond with my current supervisor, who is the other attendee from our company. We have gotten along well over the last couple months since she joined our department. I'm hoping that the time together will be good for both of us. I know that I can learn a lot from her, and I hope that she can learn more about our specialized field from me.

When I get back, I'll let y'all know how it went. It's a short trip, so I'll see you soon!

Newness

Short and quick post here.

It's amazing how wonderful and special things are when they are new. Even a treadmill, pre-owned and representative of long hours of hard work can be a bright and shiny thing.

And the cats think it's a wonderful new toy to climb on or nap on... silly kitties. (No, I don't let them near it when I'm using it)

Weird, wild stuff.

Five years ago

This morning I woke up to the song stylings of Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA.

Five years ago tonight, I sat in a new hottub, listening to Mr. Greenwood and watching the Twin Towers fall over and over again on every channel.

The Towers of Light are on in NYC tonight, still the only thing to have risen from ground zero.

I just heard on the news that it takes 7 to 10 years to get over a sudden and tragic loss.

Today I had an active and exciting day, and tonight, after finally being alone for the first time since early this morning, I'm experiencing an admixture of at two very different griefs, one very public and shared, the other very private, yet on some level shared.

Just reflecting in a scattered, disjointed kind of way.