What's in Cherry's Mind?

How do you mend a broken heart…aka. my heart attack

2011-07-20T12:06:00.001-06:00

So, this was a very interesting ride I just went on. one I don’t want to go again, but is now in my future at any given time. It all started on Monday the 11th…

My back started hurting. It started out in the upper back, ranging into my neck, and down my arms…both of them. I didn’t think anything of it, because I get back pain all the time (ok, now I know) but as each day progressed, the back pain became more intense and spread further. I never once considered a heart attack, because I did not have any other signs, looking back, I did, but they were all long term and subtle. but I am getting ahead of myself.

I had gone to the doctor Tuesday, but didn’t think of bringing it up to the doctor. I though I just pulled muscles or something. West Nile Virus, but a heart attack never once entered…

Then, come Saturday. The pain had continued to get worse and worse. Saturday morning I was woken out of a deep sleep with chest pain…or actually, extreme shortness of breath. I had figured something major was going on, but I still didn’t consider a heart attack. I was mostly still thinking of West Nile (due to 5 bug bites) or a pulled back. I couldn’t sit of for an extended period of time. Dad and Kacy had gone to get water, and Brad and Marline were in Vernal bumming around when I decided I knew I had to go to the hospital.

I waited until dad got home and I told him that it was time, and he says “Are you sure you want to go to the hospital, are you positive?” I considered giving in and saying, naw…I think I can tough it out. I am glad I didn’t.

I went to the ER and told them my symptoms. The ER doc says “These are some vague and generalized symptoms. I am not sure what to make of it. So I think I will run some blood work and give you an EKG to see where we can start out in figuring this out.

The lab came and drew the blood, and then the EKG was done. I was just lying there, wondering what they were going to find. The curtain was not pulled all the way and I had a direct view to the desk. Suddenly my doctor looked at my EKG and he started bouncing in and out of his chair, grabbing other papers and pacing. I knew something was going on…but still didn’t know what.

So he comes to the cubical and says…”Your EKG is very concerning to me. Do you have a heart doctor?” Well, I semi did, but hadn’t seen him for about 10 years, and he was a prick…sorry, but he was. now looking back, I wish I had continued to go to him, but it was more for dizziness when standing and tachycardia than anything else. So this is what I told him, and he says “You are having a heart attack right now, and we are making arrangements to fly you to a different hospital.” I thought…oh. wow. My mind just kinda went into shock.

I knew that I was high risk for a heart attack, and have known for quite some time. But never, never, did I actually consider that I would have one. Other problems…yes. But never a heart attack.

So the doctor gave me a choice of hospitals, and one I couldn’t go to because of my insurance, the other I hated, so I chose the University of Utah. I knew their reputation and I have liked their clinics for quite some time.

So they started treating me for the heart attack, gave me some blood clot dissolving medicine and went out to get my dad and Kacy. Now, that was quite the shock to dad. the most he figured was pulled muscles, and then to be told I was having a heart attack…blew his mind.

Then the helicopter came. They loaded me in…and I have to tell Kacy…thanks so much for the pictures of them doing so, because, yeah…I just enjoyed them soooooo much! *eye roll* lol.

On the way over to the hospital in the helicopter, they ended up giving me some nausea medicine and some morphine, because I was starting to get higher in pain. It was about a 55 minute ride. had some terrific views to keep me somewhat relaxed LOL.

They get me to the hospital and take me to the ICU floor. Where I discover I am on complete bed rest, I can’t even get up to use the bathroom. Now, if you know me, I cannot stand to be confined. It is the fastest way to make me crazy. It was also then that I discovered, not only did I have a heart attack, but it was a major one.

Because it was Saturday, they did not take me to the cath lab until Monday. If I had continued to get worse, they would have done an emergency one, but while I was in pain, it wasn’t a drastic pain, and they kept me loaded with morphine. They slowly started me on some new meds. adding a new one each day. I discovered that the sack around my heart had been inflamed, and so each time my heart beat, it was rubbing my heart and it hurt to sit forward. That was more the pain that I was in than actual heart attack.

Sunday they moved me out of ICU and put me in the heart patient ward. I was allowed to get up to an extent. never by myself, I had to have somebody with me. But I was able to move around a bit. The pain in the chest continued, so they continued to give me morphine. In fact, they kept me on morphine until a couple of hours before I went home yesterday.

On Monday they took me to the cath lab to see how much and where the blockages were. they were expecting to put in a stent, but they were not sure where.

They made the incision into my femoral artery in my right groin, sent in the dye, and then they discovered, I was blocked not in one place, but in two. the one that sent me to the hospital was 99% blocked, and the other was 70% blocked. They put in 3 stents. one on the 99% but the 70% was longer, and needed two stents to cover it. When I woke up…(I was not supposed to fall asleep, but I had not slept for 2 nights prior and was exhausted!)…I was amazed at the difference. but I didn’t see a whole lot of difference that day.

Then came the hardest part of the whole ordeal. I had to lay perfectly still for 6 hours. SIX HOURS!!! That killed me. the first few hours were a bit of a blur, cause I was still groggy and slept. But the last hour was the worst. It seemed to last forever. come 5.5 hours, I was begging for it to be 6 hours so I could move. and so I could get up and go to the bathroom!

Finally the 6th hour came…9 pm. I got up, but when I went to the bathroom, I was so lightheaded and short of breath and my heart started to hurt. They gave me a nitroglycerin pill…I hope to never have one again. In the movies and books, you see/read that they are grabbing their chests and gasping that they need their pills, but basically have a full recovery afterward. Ok, not so much. What they don’t portray is that it opens ALL of the blood vessels in your body so fast and with such a rush of blood that you get an immediate migraine that feels like your head is going to blow off your head. and it does not go away for quite a while. just the migraine incapacitates you. but it does almost immediately relieve the heart pain. it is not instantaneous, but you can definitely feel the effects right away. I bet it was a process of about 20 minutes for the relief of the heart.

Then came yesterday. Tuesday the 19th. I felt wonderful! Better than I had felt in forever. Marline and I hashed it over, and discovered most, if not all, of my shortness of breath, a lot of my migraines, my slow sluggish thinking, my extreme tiredness, but inability to get good rest…all caused from the heart. It had been building up for a while now, but we passed my symptoms off as something else.

Oh, and the pains I had been experiencing from that previous Monday on…they figured I was having minor heart attacks all week.

So today, I am feeling great. am starting to get a little tired from sitting at the computer for a couple of hours, and am probably going to lay down for a few after I eat, but I am so amazed at the difference. But now, I will be going to many more doctors the rest of my life. I was hoping to decrease my doctor visits, but nope. they are increasing LOL.

I want to thank the staff and both hospitals…Uintah Basin Medical Center and University of Utah, the staff of the helicopter and all of the technicians who helped me. They were all wonderful.

I also want to thank all of my family and friends who have been so supportive. I don’t think I would have recovered as fast as I did without all of you. I love ya’ll!

What to say?

2011-07-10T14:22:00.001-06:00

I swear my mind is a blank slate anymore. I never know what to say on facebook or on here…which is why the blogs have been so scarce lately. I know what I plan on saying, but when it comes down to it? Nothing. nada. zilch. And for a person who loves words, that is frustrating to say the least. I feel lost when my words are not here. And I can trace it back to its source…the day I lost mom. I know I shouldn’t say this, or feel this…but when mom died, I felt like she took my words with me…and I need to find a way to get them back. Of course, it really is not her fault, but that is the time period that I can trace my lack of words to. That is the last time that I really wrote anything in any of my stories. Right now, I am still struggling with the edit of Into the Forest so I can get it back to my editor…but it is coming so slowly. I hate it. Never before had my words been so lost…even when I was at my sickest, years ago, I never lost my words. That was when I was writing Judgment at Witches Court…and that book is what kept me going. Yet…now…I can’t seem to find any words to finish what I want to finish. The urge is there, the desire…but the words? Nope. Grrr. And now with school…I barely have any energy to do anything. I love school, and am glad I am going, but at the same time…I have no energy for anything else. thank goodness school is online or I would never be able to do it as well. Hopefully the doctors will be able to help me get my energy back by getting my health problems on the right track…in the meantime? I continue to search for my words, and hope that I will find them to get writing again soon, and so I can finish my edit of Into the Forest faster.

Run-away dream

2011-07-02T16:31:00.001-06:00

before I describe the actual dream, a little background is needed…

for at least 21 years…at least since I was 13, maybe longer, I have dreamed of Ireland. The green rolling hills, the high cliffs with the crashing surf below, the small cottages, the people, and the castles. Mostly the cliffs and castles. In my dreams, a predominant castle ruin always featured. Close to the castle, was a cliff with the crashing surf below. About halfway down the cliff…in a position that is really hard to get to…there is a cave. And in this cave is something I am supposed to find. The dream details rarely change…the people change in it, the events change in it, but the castle, cliff, and cave never do change.

So, to go to the dream I had the other night. I told my family that I wanted to go visit my Adelfi…Sera Posthumus…in Washington, and that I wanted to make the trip alone. I did not let her know this…for one specific reason.

I booked my flight, but the flight was not booked to her location in Washington…instead I booked two separate flights…one to Chicago, where I continued my way to Ireland.

When I arrived in Chicago, I called my family and told them I had arrived safely at Adelfi’s, and that we were enjoying a wonderful time together. However, as you see, it was a lie. I boarded my flight to Ireland and when I finally arrived, I called again and said, “By the way, I am not in Washington, Sera did not know that I even said that I was going there…I am actually in Ireland and I will be home when I am home. I need to do the missi0n that I had been dreaming of for so long.” Of course, my family was not happy, but there was not much they could do for it.

As I started my search, I met some wonderful people who decided to help me in my search. they would guide me to potential locations. Finally I found it. (No, I still do not know in my waking mind where it is) but I found it in the dream, and I entered the cave, where I found what I was searching for…which is what I have always believed it was…which is a beautiful antique ring that had belonged to me in at least one previous lifetime.

I was ecstatic. Finally I found my home. The ring was part of it, it told me where I belonged. Of course, I could not stay at that point. I had to fly home to explain myself to my family, and Sera, and arrange for everything to be sent to Ireland, where I moved and remained happier than I have ever been.

Of course, telling my family all of this was not easy, and they fought me every inch of the way, but then they realized that this is what I needed, and they finally gave their blessing.

The end of the dream was when I was flying back to Ireland and getting off the plane and gazing around and taking a deep breath.

Now, I told my family of this dream the next day, and they said “I can believe you would do something like that!” I cracked up laughing….cause I rarely do anything that is not predictable in behavior…they never know what I am going to say, but my behavior is always predictable. so them believing that I would sneak off to Ireland speaks for how much they know I want to go (and remain) in Ireland. Too bad I think I will never make it there…not with the way my health continues to go…but it will always remain my ultimate goal…that, and Greece LOL.

I love my crazy dreams…

Miniseries dream

2011-06-24T15:42:00.001-06:00

Have you ever had a dream that is a miniseries? Not a continuous dream, one that takes several nights to complete, but an actual miniseries? That was my dream last night.

I can’t remember the complete details, just that it was on Earth, but it was a sci-fi type. But when the dream was nearing the point of me waking up, the words “to be continued” appeared toward the bottom, and then various scenes from the dream started flashing with credits on them. I don’t remember the names, but yeah…I had a miniseries dream. Let’s see when, or if, it continues *big laugh*

This has to be a first for me. I usually have very odd dreams, and they usually take many nights to complete, but this…definitely a first!

The Moon

2011-04-24T11:13:00.001-06:00

Like most people, I am fascinated by the moon. Not just the mysticism, however, but also the science. I love all of the myths and legends, but I also love the how’s and why's. I guess that is the Gemini/Cancer in me...the science to satisfy the Gemini and the mysticism to satisfy the Cancer. *laugh*

One fact that has always intrigued me since I learned of it is how the moon is slowly leaving us. About 1" a year (give or take *laugh*). And (albeit thousands of years from now) eventually we will no longer have a moon.

o me, that brings speculative questions such as "WHEN THE MOON IS GONE,WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO EARTH? WILL THERE BE AN EARTH THAT FAR INTO THE FUTURE? WILL MAN STILL BE AROUND?"

I fully believe the was a time before the moon...and man was around for it…though that is in high debate for most. So I believe that if earth and man are still around for when man finally leaves us, we will be fine.

However, something occurred during the last full moon that put another thought in my head over this...and that thought is of other moons.

I know theoretically that other planets have moons, but I never gave them much thought, always concentrating on the larger parent planets, rather than their moons. Then I flew through space (in a dream, of course! *laugh*) and I realized just how many moons there are...and the possibility that another moon may eventually be caught in our gravitational pull...after, or even during the time of our current moon. Just imagine if one day we had 2 (or more) moons!

It really opened the thought process to me.

Also, "seeing" all those moons attached to thousands of other planets gave me pause on this as well...yes,earth is unique...but not as unique as we would like to believe. I believe in life on other planets (a different topic however), and if our moon is one of the things driving our planet with life...so must other planets be driven. Maybe not life as we see it, but life nonetheless. *wink* I love our moon *smile*

That much time already?

2011-03-30T11:31:00.001-06:00

So, yeah. This was supposed to have been written months ago, but every time I think about writing a blog, I start composing it in my head and then I forget all about posting it…heck, about even writing it! *laugh* I am bad, I know.

About the Halloween story…let’s just say it was getting to real even for me. So I put it to the by-way and will think what to do with what I had done of it…but there was no way I was going to finish it to post for Halloween. For some reason it wanted to be written very gorily, and too real. Not usually my style. I do like to make things somewhat gory and real…only somewhat though, and of course it depends on what the story is about, but this one went way over the top. And where the subject was cannibalism…yeah. it was put away *laugh* sorry I never did a story.

Lately, when I have felt good enough to do so, I have been working on the revisions my editor wants for Into the Forest. With how I have been feeling, it is being a very slow process. I wish that it was faster, and I wish I felt better…but I work with what I get, right?

One thing I wish is that I could plug a word processor right into my brain. Things always seem to compose in my head really really well, but the minute that I start to type, I forget what I had composed…or it doesn’t even get started on at all. I think my brain is interpreting the composition of items in my mind as actually doing them, and then it decides to wipe itself clean for the next go round. *sigh* frustrating.

Oh, I am also thinking of doing away with my twitter accounts and the blog’s for my characters. As much as I enjoyed doing them, I haven’t done anything on them in forever, and I am not feeling well enough to do them in the foreseeable future, so I might just decide to bag them. Much like what happens to most of what I do *eye roll* *laugh*

Anyway, that is all for now. Laters! (hopefully sooner rather than later *laugh*)

Getting there

2010-11-01T12:04:00.001-06:00

I am even further behind in my writing of the Halloween story than I wanted to be. My diabetes decided to flare up the night before last and so I was up with extremely high blood sugars most of the night. It always wipes me out for several days after an episode. So I slept all of yesterday, and am still dragging and weak today. I did not get any writing done yesterday, not like I had hoped, but I did get some done today. I might be able to pull out a little more writing out of me later on, but it doesn’t look like the story is going to be finished for several more days. Dang it all anyway. It is coming along good, however. I am going to have to put a caution on this story. Like I said in my last blog, it is not my usual style. In fact, this one is going to be quite bloody and gory. *laugh* Hopefully I get the details of it correct! I will put a little spoiler here so that you know if you want to read it or not.

****SPOILER ALERT****

A journalist, at the last of his ropes. No life to live to speak of. He lives in a dive, possesses no money and very few items, and is on the verge of losing his job. in desperation, the idea of cannibalism crosses his mind as a story idea…will he go through with it? will he participate in the cannibalism himself, or find someone else to chronicle their experience?

***end spoiler***

anyway, that is the premise of the story. We will see how it actually turns out, and I hope those that read it will enjoy it…*laugh* Enjoy cannibalism. Nice. *snicker*

It will come, but perhaps late

2010-10-30T12:38:00.001-06:00

So, I am actually writing. Shocking, I know. It has been 9 months since I have written anything. I have tried, but nothing would come. I meant to have a story for Halloween finished days before now, but I couldn’t think of anything to write. I thought I had something, but I could not get the thoughts to form. I have something I am working on now, but because it is turning out to be a bit more twisted than anything than I have done before, and tomorrow is Halloween, I am not sure that I am going to have it done until at least the day after Halloween. I really wanted to have something to post on Halloween, something original, but it doesn’t look like it is going to turn out that way. So, in the words of Brian Adams (who is playing on my player right now…) “please forgive me, I know not what I do” *snicker* I will have a story for you, just not on time. Sorry about that. Hopefully it will be good. It is a bit twisted, like I said, so it may not be to everybody’s taste…it is appearing to be an interesting story to write at least. *laugh* It just feels good to be writing anything at this point *smile*

It never fails snicker

2010-09-20T11:53:00.001-06:00

First things first…today is the last day I am attending school. I am going to miss it like crazy, but I have to think of my health and mental well-being vs. learning…and I choose my health and mental well-being (I guess *snicker and wink*) I also choose being able to write more often vs. learning. Of course, I still learn as I research and whatnot…but I was enjoying the classes immensely. especially since I was getting all A’s in school. Maybe one day I can go back.

So, here is where the title of this blog comes in to play. Saturday I was backing up my computer system so that my brother could update it, including putting on a new version of Windows. this was to occur on Sunday. Well, Saturday the computer was working just fine. And it shut down just fine as well. But when I went to start it up for my brother, it did nothing. It wouldn’t go past the option to boot from a CD option. it just sat there and sat there and sat there. My brother and I got in there and was looking around, trying different things, and it wouldn’t do anything. it wouldn’t even let us reformat the hard drives. It wouldn’t even find the hard drives. It found the DVD-rom’s. It found a x: drive which looked to be a virtual drive. I had never seen that in there before. But it would not find my hard drives. no matter what we did, we could not get it to find the hard drives. We even switched them around and tried various settings…and nothing. We can’t figure out what happened. I hadn’t downloaded anything, and things were operating just fine the day before. but the hard drives just disappeared.

So, my dad being the great guy he is, is buying me all new computer parts for my brother to build me a custom computer. We are going to try to use what parts we can from the dead-in-the-water computer, but most of the parts will be the best that we can find at this time. It is going to have a 2 TB hard drive, 16 GB’s of RAM, HD sound and video (the sound will be home theatre quality HD), and so on. And I will be able to upgrade with no problem, whereas with the DELL computer’s that I have been using, I have to make sure the parts are compatible with their parts they put in and such. The computer that is dead-in-the-water was a DELL XPS 630i computer and at the time I bought it, about 15 months ago was about $2200…and it did not have all of the parts that I wanted. Such as a HDMI port, and some of the parts I was able to get were not the best quality that I could get. Whereas the parts we are buying for my new custom computer is going to be about $600 less than that, with top-of-the-line parts (as of this time anyway *snicker*.

So, until that computer is built, I am reliant completely on my laptop…which I never wanted this laptop to be my main computer, because of how easily laptop’s become bogged down. But I gotta do what I gotta do, right?

I am going to start trying to write again in a couple of days. I would say today…but I have some stuff I need to finish up with for school, and tomorrow and Wednesday I have doctor appointments. Tomorrow’s is to get a corteroid injection in my hip for the stupid arthritis, and Wednesday’s is for my diabetes checkup…which I can already say that my doctor is going to be upset with my blood sugars. With everything going on lately, my blood sugars are rarely below 300…most of the time they are in the 400-500 range. So, he is not going to be happy at all. He has already been threatening to turn me over to a different doctor because he does not think he is doing a good enough job…but he is doing a better job than any of the others I have had. it is not his fault that the last 2 years have been extremely stressful for me and my body can’t handle stress. So hopefully he doesn’t say enough is enough on Wednesday and hopefully I don’t have to start looking for a new doctor. Fingers crossed.

So, back to the writing. I am hoping to start writing again on Thursday…I will get working on the sequel to Into the Forest. When I left it, it was going really well, so hopefully I will be able to pick up where I left off and the book will finish itself pretty fast. here’s hoping anyway. I have never been a real fast writer. Though, I don’t have anybody sick (other than myself) to look after any more, so things might go faster for me in that regard.

I also need to get planning the Halloween blog story. That day is getting close! I have a semi-idea of what I want the Halloween blog story to be, but things are not quite clear on it. Just a few weeks ago I didn’t think I was going to be able to do it…but I think I can now. However, I don’t think I will do the trivia and facts on Halloween like I did last year. I am not totally discounting it…but we will see.

Too much

2010-09-15T10:40:00.001-06:00

Hey all…it has been way too long since I have written anything in the blog…or rather blogs…so much has been going on that I am still reeling. I have hardly written anything since the beginning of the year, and I will explain why…

It all started a year ago last Easter. That was when my grandpa died. Then that following July, Grandma moved in with us due to her Alzheimer’s. Then at the beginning of the year…or rather, then end of January, my mom died. It was shortly after then that I started college. Grandma died from her Alzheimer’s the end of July and a week later one of our favorite dogs died. Then as of Monday, my dad remarried.

All of this has been too much for me and I have not been able to settle down to write anything…I have wanted to, but when I sit down to do it, I could not even think of where to begin. the same thing with the blogs. I just did not know what to say. Because of all of this, I am dropping out of school…at least, for now. I hope to go back soon, but for now, I can’t handle school anymore. Also, because of all of this, my health is the worst it has been for quite some time.

I am still waiting for the publication of Into the Forest…I am not sure when it will be released as of yet. Though I do have the cover, and I need to post it on the website (and do updates there as well…) and on Facebook and get active on my Facebook fan page. I am hoping to get 0n all of that again here really soon…

With dropping out of school, I should be able to concentrate more on writing…I am hoping so anyway. I am going to start writing on the blog(s) more frequently as well…hoping to get back into some semblance of a routine. Here’s having my fingers crossed anyway! *laugh*

Where have I been . . . ?

2010-03-18T17:10:00.001-06:00

That is a good question. Sometimes I don’t even know where I have been. Between home, health and school, the time has disappeared. I have not even been able to write much, it has been that bad. And do you realize how much I am missing writing?

Let me see if I can break it down.

With home, health and school, I have been trying to keep up on things, but my health has decided to throw some more problems my way. Well, I shouldn’t say that they are *new,* more that they are worse and that they are finally diagnosed. Or . . . some of them *are* new. see? I can’t even keep it straight in my head! and trying to keep up with home and health with school in there . . . well, that means I have been extremely wired and tired. it finally caught up with me yesterday. I will go into it in a minute.

First . . . health. should I start with the bottom (feet. feet. clean minds people *wink*) and go up to the head, or head down . . . ?) I will start with the feet. So I went to nerve doctor and had a nerve conduction test run on me feet and legs and found the peripheral nerves are pretty damaged. which means that I don’t feel much in my feet. thanks diabetes! and it extends almost up to my knees.

Also, for several months I have been having problems with one or other of my legs collapsing from under me and the nerve test revealed that my autonomic neuropathy has progressed to attacking the nerves main nerve in my legs. So now I have to have a cane with me.

So, on to the next section. my arms. same thing. peripheral neuropathy in my hands, and possible autonomic neuropathy. but also I have pinched nerves in both elbows and both wrists, which cause all of the fingers in my left hand to go numb and my thumb and first two fingers in my right hand to go numb. gee . . . wonder why. couldn’t be because I am always on the computer or reading, could it??? we are going to avoid surgery as long as possible, however. surgery is the worst thing I could do.

So I saved the worst for last. My eyes. I have always had bad eyes. and ever since my diagnosis with diabetes at age 13 in 1990, I was always told the odds were I would have eye problems, probably blindness. I always knew that I would be blind. when? I didn’t know, but I knew it would be a “if”, not “when”.That eventuality is closer. and I am starting to have to use aids to see properly when writing and reading. what is wrong? a condition called Macular Pucker. it basically is like looking through cellophane and in of itself will lead to a certain extent of vision loss, but I also have diabetic retinopathy which is going to take my vision, especially combined with the macular pucker. there is treatment for the two, but with my health and the risks . . . I am not sure if the doctors and I, when the time is right, will decide that it will be an option for me. each day is a surprise with my eyes. some days are worse than others. And add to the mix are ocular migraines that are an almost daily occurrence.

Then school. I have had two papers that I have been working on. one that I have been working on my own, and one that I have been working on with a team. Not too busy with the papers, not usually. but with the doctor appointments, it has put my schedule a lot tighter than I am used to.

because of the trips to the doctor, I have been extremely tired, but so wired that I could not sleep. but it finally caught up to me yesterday when I crashed and slept for 18 hours.

I am hoping that after a couple more days of sleep, of good sleep, that I will be caught back up now that my doctor appointments are slowing down, though they are not finished. I have a dentist appointment week after next, and another doctor appointment the 6th. And hopefully I will be able to get back to writing on top of everything else. before my mind starts going wacko *wink*

Now, hopefully this wasn’t too much information *laugh*

2 days late, 2 dollars short

2010-03-03T10:05:00.001-07:00

ok, so, the quote should be “a day late, a dollar short” but I am two days late on reporting this, so, I am taking literary license here.

So what am I two days late on? I hope you are not going where I think your mind is going because 1) no way in hell. and 2) it is impossible in more than one way. LOL.

No, what I am late on is reporting here that I have updated my website.

I mentioned it on the website itself, and I mentioned it on Facebook. But did I mention it here? ummm. Nope.

Shame on me. Of course, On the first, I had a lot going on…and yesterday I was extremely tired.

I couldn’t figure out why I was so tired last night (I was in bed by 6:30), but when I woke this morning, I woke with a fever and a humongous sore throat. That explained that!

So, here is what I updated on the website:

I put a new sample chapter up for my upcoming book that is being released in July, Into the Forest, you can get to it HERE.

I also finally put the Ancient Greek Time Line up for you. It is what I am using for my Hubris series. Especially the first book, The Prank. It is under the “Free Stuff” link on my website. ;)

So, now you know the updates…a little late, but now you know them. LOL.

A little bit of this, A little bit of that

2010-02-28T16:59:00.001-07:00

You wouldn’t believe it that I am actually getting writing in while going to school. True, the homework load isn’t that great right now, with the first week winding down (tomorrow makes the end of the first week), but the way I study and work, I create more work for myself. Especially with online forums/schooling. I join in the discussions far more than I probably should. But I sure do enjoy the discussions. I love the mental stimulation. And I am still getting writing in, which I am so happy about. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to. Writing and research, and even some movie time.

One thing I am finding I am having to do is actual planning. I am going to buy a planner so that I can keep my days worked out so I can make sure I get everything done. I am also using the calendars on my computer, but we all know that they are not infallible, so I am working the paper planner and the electronic calendar at the same time. probably too cautious, but I am anal that way LOL.

I am getting close to getting the next chapter of Mu Mysteries up, but I had to stop to get a little bit of research. I imagine that I will be able to have it ready by the end of the week … tentatively.

One thing I will be doing tomorrow, in-between my studying, is finishing creating the pages and uploading the Ancient Greek Time Line and also a sample chapter of Into the Forest in preparation of its release in July. I will let you know when they are up and where the links are ;)

This weekend I took off from most things as my sister-in-law and brother and niece were here (the ones that were just married). But I did do a couple of things. One of them, was getting my hair dyed. It is now a nice lovely shade of burgundy. I will have to get a picture of it – wearing my horns of course – I love this color. It always looks so good on me. I don’t know why. I decided that it is my signature color ;) what? every girl should have one! *snicker*

Catch up time :)

2010-02-20T22:02:00.001-07:00

So much has changed, I am not even sure I know where to start. They say that the beginning is a good place to start. I don’t even remember who said that, and I am too lazy right now to look it up…but when you think about it, do we even truly know where the actual beginning is? because isn’t life really a sequence of beginnings? I mean, think about it. We are constantly ending little things and big things only to begin new things…and all at different times, so there is never a true sense of “this is the beginning of it all!”

Well…except when we are born. but…but isn’t even a true beginning, because before that, we are conceived, and there are a series of endings and beginnings while we are in the womb, and even before we are conceived there are a series of endings and beginnings, depending on your spiritual beliefs.

So…

Where does it all truly end???

Where does it all truly begin??

And boy did I go of on a tangent! ROFLMAO

ok. time to reel myself back in. Back to my original thought here…what was it…where did it go? Oh yes…my own series of endings and beginnings.

I guess I will touch on the key points. some of them briefly, some I will expound on.

~There was mom’s passing.

~My diabetes has decided to throw a monkey wrench into the works again, as has several other health factors…my stomach is worsening, I need to get back to the doctor and force him to make a decision. I won’t go into the details, but let’s just say it is not working…figuratively and literally. and now my neuropathy in my legs are worsening and I am having possible spinal problems…I am seeing a specialist on Tuesday to have tests run to give more answers about that. I am definitely going to have to start walking with a cane though…or at least keeping one by my side for my unstable days—bodily unstable. There’s no hope for my mental unstableness! *snicker* So, my health is *not* behaving in the slightest.

~My uncle was just diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

~My grandma is making daily comments, thanks to her Alzheimer's, that I am telling her that I want her out of the house and that I wish she were dead…which, of course is no where near true…gotta love Alzheimer’s! **eye-roll* Actually, she rotates between me and dad. LOL I had to laugh at tonight’s comment…she told dad…in reference to me “For someone who has gone to college, she sure is a dunce.” gee. thanks! ;) LOL.

~My oldest brother had surgery on both knees.

~And my niece’s hamster died, and so did the replacement…which she named after the original one.

All of that is the nasty side that has been going on since the first of the year. literally. all of that has erupted only since the first of the year…actually, only since mom died, has it started, Jan 26th. So, not even a month! (except one of my brothers surgeries was at the first of the year, so before her passing.)

But, here is the positive things that have been going on.

~My writing is finally coming back on board…I have been mostly doing some intensive research…which I still have lots to do for future sections, but have the current areas research done. but the actual writing was not working out…but it is finally coming back on board.

~My brother and his fiancée married just before mom died so she could see them get married and they are doing fantastic.

~My new sister-in-law’s oldest son got engaged shortly afterward

~My oldest niece is in a musical play, her first, and she has a solo part! :D she is tied as one of my biggest fans and is the biggest proponent of my books being turned into movies…just so she can act in the lead part ;)

~And I started college at the University of Phoenix in their Bachelor of Science in Psychology. I want to be able to get into my character’s heads deeper mwaaahaaaahaaahaaa –at least that is one reason for it *snicker* The cool thing is, my academic’s representative thinks we will be able to substitute some of my gen classes with some other classes that I want to take…not all of them, of course, but some of them. such as ancient history classes, and creative writing classes, and possibly philosophy classes. so that would be sweet!

You can’t tell I am excited about college, can you? I start on Tuesday. I have been taking some workshops in the meantime. I applied on the tenth and officially became a student last week and have taken two workshops since then. LOL.

That is what has been going on though. You have pretty much been caught up.

I am still plugging away on my various writing projects…going to get some work done on Mu Mysteries next week and hopefully have a new chapter up for you for next month, and have a sample chapter for Into the Forest up for you for the first of the month as well, as well as a Ancient Greek Time line that I am putting up on the website. I will also be starting back in on twitter better (was going to start better on that the last few days, but got sidetracked from it again. shame on me.) but will be going with Rita and Missy and Dominick again. they have been bugging me that they want back on Twitter ;) My muse is getting strong once again.

For tonight, I have a little bit of work to do and some pre-reading for my class on Tuesday, and then I am heading to bed. Besides, this is long enough! *Grin* Laters!

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody

2010-02-18T14:00:00.001-07:00

It has been a long while since I have done a blog, and I will do one Saturday, I promise, but in the meantime, I was talking with my sister-in-law on the phone yesterday and we were joking around about my brother having to do everything because nobody wanted to do it, especially us, and it reminded me about this joke… and I so I wanted to share it with you, because I always got a kick out of it, and it is so apropos in our society… ;)

This is a story about four people: Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when actually Nobody asked Anybody.

can’t get motivated

2010-02-07T13:38:00.001-07:00

it has been a while since my last blog. between mom taking a turn for the worse and then her passing, I haven’t had the gumption to want to blog. or do much of anything. true, she only passed on the 26th of last month…so it has only been 12 days…but the days have passed by so fast that on one hand it seems like much longer. yet I have not given myself a chance to really grieve for her. I have had to be strong for everyone else and take care of all lot of the after-details…and both of my brothers and their families have been here with dad and I, that I have not let myself sit down long enough to let myself let it sit in. Add to the fact that I had been preparing myself for it for a long time…and being able to commune with spirits to an extent, that I can see and talk with her nightly and “go” places with her astrally…in a lot of ways, she is still here…but she isn’t. and when I have bouts like today (one brother and sister-in-law just went home for the week) I am at a loss to do anything, then I don’t know what to do. I have several projects to work on…I am working on piecing together Ancient Greek timelines form about 5 different sources to make one extensive (or more extensive than any of them alone…) timeline. I have some jokes to go over for Hades and Ares to be cracking together…some may say they are morbid, and they are, but given who the gods are, they need to be morbid…they are dead baby jokes. come on! it is Hades and Ares! you were expecting fluffy bunny and horsey jokes? LOL. nope. not quite. though…they will be cracking some of those. gotta get them at some odd moments *wink wink* but, do you think I can get motivated to do any of that? not really. I can do a little here or there, but my heart isn’t really in it. What I need to do is to dive into some battle scenes in The Prank and get some of this emotion out of me so I can function better. perhaps I will try that here in a few. maybe that will work. hopefully. I know mom would not want me to be this way. I do know that some people do not understand why I am not showing much sad emotion, and why I am laughing so soon (even just a couple days after)…but that is how I deal with sadness and grief. I put a happy face on and never ever…except when it slips…let others see how much I really am hurting. I do my grieving alone. except in writing. I can express it in writing. say out here. or in my books. but in person? nope. crying? hardly never. this may sound bad, but I trained myself to *not* cry. I used to cry. a lot. but I trained myself not to. not because I am ashamed of it. not anything like that. but with all of the aches and pains that I go through on a daily basis, crying physically hurts me, so I refuse to let myself cry, I refuse to let myself add to that pain. so I express my sadness, my pain, my grief in other ways. like my writing. like my words. I am reading Dracula right now, and Stoker expressed it exactly through Van Helsing exactly what I go through when Van Helsing was talking to Seward as they boarded the train… let me find the passage again…hmmm where was it. my fault for not marking it… ah! here it is!

“Ah, you don’t comprehend, friend John. DO not think that I am not sad, though I laugh. See, I have cried even when the laugh did choke me. But no more think that I am all sorry when I cry., for with you that laughter who knock at your doo and say ‘may I come in?’ is not the true laughter. No! he is a king, and he come when and how he like. He ask no person: he choose no time of suitability. he say, ‘I am here.”

…

“…And yet I can laugh at her very grave—laugh when the clay form the spade of the sexton drop upon her coffin and say. ‘Thud! thud!’ to my heart…”

…

“…Oh, friend John, it is a strange world, a sad world, a world full of mysteries, and woes, and troubles; and yet when King Laugh come he make them all dance to the tune he play. Bleeding hearts, and dry bones of the churchyard, and tears that burn as they fall—all dance together to the music that he make with that smileless mouth of him. And friend John, that he is good to come, and kind. Ah, we men and women are like ropes drawn tight with strain that pull us different ways. They brace us up, until perhaps the strain becomes to great, and we break. But King Laugh, he come like the sunshine, and he ease off the strain again; and we bear to go on with our labour, what it may be.”

…

“Friend John, forgive me if I pain. I showed not my feeling to others when it would wound, but only to you, my old friend, whom I can trust. If you could have looked into my very heart then when I want to laugh; if you could have done so when the laugh arrived; if you could do so now, when King Laugh have pack up his crown and all that is to him—for he go far, far away from me, and for a long, long time—maybe you would perhaps pity me the most of all.”

This pretty much describes what goes through my mind, heart and soul when I am sad. when I grieve. a lot of people don’t understand it, and I have never been able to express it. I have never even seen it expressed half-so-well as this. Believe me. Most everyone that I know has made it pretty well known without saying it full-out that I am not welcome at funerals because I do laugh. I do joke. I do tell stories of how the deceased was. I don’t outwardly cry. I don’t outwardly mourn. and it makes people very uncomfortable. And mom was the same way to a certain extent. the only difference was, she was a crier. but not because of the deceased. she was a crier over everything. LOL. she cried at everything. literally. this is why she made certain that we would not have a funeral, or even a viewing for her. She wanted a wake at a later point when the grief for her wasn’t as strong. she wanted happy and memories. not sadness. and our family is more than willing to give it to her.

the only problem is…I thought I would be able to immerse myself in my many sundried projects. it is not turning out that way. of course, we have had lots of company…I am not complaining about that, mind you. I love seeing my brothers and family…but it doesn’t help with my concentration LOL.

after I finish this, we will see if I can get into one of my projects, or into the actual writing. I need it. especially a battle scene. I can even see a funny scene…laughter is good. but I somehow don’t see me working on any love scenes. those are tricky for me at any given moment as is. it is a new territory for me, so still very tricky. not something to attempt when in a darker place. I don’t think…

I think the hardest part of not knowing what to start with…of having so much to do, that I can’t get motivated…beyond the grief factor, is the fact that mom used to help past these hurdles…just by being here to talk to. I would have so much to do, my to-do list would be so long that I would get overwhelmed and we would talk and the talking would get me past the panic and anxiety (which is the underlying factor) and then I would be able to chose something to work on. And my partner is not here now. not physically. and while she is here in spirit…it is not quite the same. I can still talk to her, and I can still hear and feel her answers…but it is not the same. I can’t go hug her when it gets really bad.

It is to the point that I am tempted to go pull out everything in my closet and go climb in it. I have not needed the comfort of my closet for quite some time…and it is getting almost to that point again. *sigh*

Things will be quiet for a few

2010-01-15T13:05:00.001-07:00

I am not going to be totally away, but I may not be around a lot for a bit. for how long? I am not sure. My mom is not going to be around much longer. she is dying. we have been expecting this for a while now. we have known for 8 years(?) that we were going to lose her. our family is plagued with a very destructive disease called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency that attacks the liver and/or the lungs and is passed down through the genes…and almost every one of my grandpa’s family on my mom’s side of the family has it, and is dead or dying from it…not every one, but a good number of them…more so than is not. And I am a carrier of it, as are my brothers. It can be cured with a liver/lung transplant…however, mom cannot have one. she is allergic to almost every medicine on the market, which disqualifies her from one. we have known this almost from the beginning of finding out about the disease. It was just a matter of time. We were hoping that we would have at least another year, or two, with her. we knew time was closing in. but, things escalated at Halloween, she took a turn for the worse. then this past month, things *really* got bad…really bad. the past few days we have been running back and forth to the doctors/hospital. she is now on morphine with end-stage liver failure. the doctors can’t give us a time-frame, but if she follows true to her dad and brother and the rest of the family members…it is only a matter of weeks. Right now, I have numbed myself and am holding myself together with mental duct tape so that I can be strong for my dad and the rest of the family…For the most part, mom knows what is going on, and she has told us, all along, how she wants her body to be treated…she wants a very brief viewing and then cremation to have her ashes brought home. no funeral, no big drama. just brief and simple. which suits us fine. we are, for the most part, very private, very simple people. I have been preparing myself for this for a long time. It does not make it any easier, but it is helping me from breaking down when I am most needed right now. Needless to say, I am not going to be around much…the blog’s, the tweet’s, the Facebook accounts and the writing are all going to be neglected for the most part as I help take care of mom…as the end draws closer…but I will be around…somewhat. I will do what I can, manage how I can, and take things as they come…but most of all…be with mom as much as possible. It would help if we knew exactly how much time we had…but we don’t, and so we take each day as it comes. we muddle through and we love her with all our hearts. She is a fantastic lady who has given lots of love through her life, she deserves no less then to get as much love as we can give her…as I can give her…

Ideas

2010-01-11T13:01:00.001-07:00

I have had several people ask me where my story ideas come from, both for new books, and for while I am writing my current stories, to keep them going…and that answer if very easy for me.

Dreams. They come from my dreams. Both sleeping and awake, but mostly sleeping.

this is the usual process…

I dream. Unless the dream is in color (which is a rarity for me that it is not in color), I do not take note of it. At least for a story. But I usually don’t take too close of note of the dream for potential story use if it occurs just once. oh no. there has to be a lot more to it than this. No, the first time I dream, it is purely for entertainment (and informational purposes from my subconscious).

If I dream the dream again, regardless if it is the same exact dream or not, no matter what form it is in, this is where I really start paying closer attention for potential use. Even if it is in black and white and shades of grey. If it has the same theme, I take note.

Why would I take note even if it is not in color? Because it is building on the original dream. Sometimes it is the same exact dream repeating itself, letting me know that I need to pay attention, that more information will be coming. Sometimes it jumps right into continuing the dream, or going into a new segment of the same theme. This is when I start becoming aware that there is more to it.

then comes the part that is even more fun than "”watching” the dreams unfold” (which I don’t take any action with the dreams to creating anything from them yet). there is still one more test to go through before I know these dreams are leading to a idea that will bear the test from just being entertaining dreams to becoming short stories (that will probably never see the light of day *snicker*) to actual books.

I start creating “mind movies” with them. I put the potential characters through potential scenes in my head (usually while I am lying in bed waiting for sleep to come and the house is quiet around me).

If the characters play in the scenes without any problems, or they actually take off in the scenes with little direction from me, I know that the idea is going to be one that I will be able to complete…regardless how much time it takes.

However, if the characters are stiff, if it takes everything in me to get them to do what I want, then it has failed the final test and I know, that while the dreams were fun, the idea won’t fly, and I stop playing with them to make way for another dream, another idea, to come to me.

For a story idea (other than the odd short story, which I admit I don’t write too many of…I have issues with short writing LOL) to come from the dream stages to a workable idea for me, it can sometimes take several months. that is not counting actually building the actual story from the information I gathered in the dream/mind movie stage. It has been a rare story idea that has been born spontaneously.

This *is* a valid way to get ideas, there is a lot of psychological meaning behind it, the symbols that come out in it alone would let a dreamologist have a heyday. And I *do* interpret the dreams along with using them as story ideas, but man, I love the ideas they create…and no, don’t bother trying to figure out my dreams from the stories, LOL, they change so much from the original dream as the characters take on a life of their own that the original dream gets lost in the mix ;)

I caved…

2010-01-07T13:09:00.001-07:00

… and I don’t mean I went caving in a dark dank hole in the earth…I mean I caved to my characters and created them each a twitter account. Missy, Rita and Dominick can blabber about Twitter to their hearts content now…just one more place—or rather, 3 more places—that I am going to have to try to censor them from revealing too much *snicker*

yes, some days I think my characters have too much control over me… especially when it doesn’t look like they are actually making that much progress in the actual story. sheesh. come on guys. I gave you what you wanted… now give me what I want… actual page progress… can we do that? here’s hoping.

Next thing you know, Reis and Iakonna from The Prank are going to want Twitter accounts too. After all, I gave my Ancient Lemurian’s Twitter pages, why not my Anicient Greek’s… LOL but so far, they haven’t demanded anything related to modern technology. I think they know better LOL.

anyway, back to Missy, Rita and Dominick… their Twitter accounts are: @Vaimpir_Missy, @VampireDominick and @WitchyRita. And already they are at it. of course… LOL.

I also have started the interaction of Allorana and Shashanna on their twitter accounts today as well… hopefully this is going to work out for all of these characters and doesn’t become too much for me… I may have to get my oldest niece and sister-in-law involved here… **possible evil plotting ensues…** ;)

A very strange start to the new year.

2010-01-06T11:43:00.001-07:00

A very strange start to the new year.

Yes a very strange one. I had vowed -- no, not vowed, I had decided that I was not going to make any New Year's resolutions, I don't keep them anyway, but I had decided that I was going to take things more as they come. There are too many things going on in my life that I cannot control for me to stress about the little things. Mainly mine and my family's health. The rainbow I saw on New Year's Day told me I made the right decision, but everything else hasn't been as accommodating. I am writing a little more than I had been -- which in the past few weeks has been pretty much nonexistent -- but the electronics are not cooperating. My CDRW drive won't record and my TreadClimber, as of last night, refuses to turn on... and my monitor gave me a few fits this morning when I cleaned my desk. Yeah, I can safely say it has been a strange start to the new year.

I am behind on Mu Mysteries. I might have it done by this weekend, or the start of next week, but at this rate, I'm not holding my breath. I'm also way behind on The Prank and Underhill, and honestly, as much as I would love to put Mu Mysteries out for you this month, with as slow as I'm writing right now, I would much rather put my efforts into The Prank and Underhill then Mu, wouldn't you? If I have my way, you will have all three -- or rather I'll have a three, you'll have Mu, for now.

In the meantime I'm going to try to have Allorana ( @allorana ) and Shashanna (@prstssshashanna ) more active on their Twitter accounts, not only about posting about their blogs, but about other things as well. I think I'm also going to go ahead and create accounts for Missy, Dominick, and Rita from Into the Forest /Underhill. (I will let you know what their accounts will be when I get them made...)

I was also planning on having the newsletter done by now and having it done twice a year... but I decided I will start as a mean to go on. Since I can't seem to be pinned to a schedule -- or rather my own schedule -- the newsletters will be released when they're released. As close to January and June as I can get them, but... yeah.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T07:49:00.001-07:00

I want to take this moment to wish you all a very Happy New Year!

The past year went by quickly. much more quickly than any of us probably planned on, and in a lot of ways it was not a particularly pleasant year, though it did have moments of happiness and joy for all, and I hope it had a lot more moments of happiness and joy personally for each of you.

It saw a lot of our loved ones leave of, both on a personal level and on a public level, but it also had a lot of births join us in this world.

It also had a lot of advancements in technology and medicine. It brought a vast amount of us closer together, people who otherwise would never have been in contact with each other.

on my own personal level I have had a lot of ups and downs with my health, but I am choosing to push forward, even though, at times, I am tired and want to give up. I refuse to do so. So I embrace this new year and say “bring it on!”

I do hope that it brings better things, for myself and for all of you, but even if it doesn’t, I hope that we all can face it together and make it a good year despite what it throws at us.

As a great new sign for the New Year, I have a rainbow out my kitchen window! yes, you read that right. a rainbow. in Utah. out my kitchen window! I am going to take that as a great sign!

Love to all of you!

Underhill Playlist

2009-12-31T09:07:00.001-07:00

I use a varies playlist for Underhill…some days I go through my entire list of songs as I write…other days I know exactly what I want. There are a lot of days that I use nothing but Celtic music for it. I need to get a more extensive library of Celtic music… especially since I cannot play music from the internet. Some days I play nothing but angry girl music… especially from Kelly Clarkson or Pink or Gwen Stefani. but for the music that speaks specifically to the story itself? these are the songs that I listen to…they are not in any particular order…in fact, they are just in alphabetical order. don’t ask me why I placed them that way… it just happened LOL.

So, here are the songs…

Addicted - Kelly Clarkson
Bad Influence - Pink
Come Sail Away - Styx
Dear Diary - Pink
Feel - Matchbox Twenty
I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That) - Meat Loaf
If you're Irish - Irish Rovers
M!ssundaztood - Pink
May It Be - Enya
Orinoco Flow - Enya
Pain - Three Days Grace
Queen of the Night - Kelly Clarkson
Red Red Wine - Bob Marley
Sailing - Christopher Cross
Slaying the Dreamer - Nightwish
Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson
Sound of Silence - Atrocity
Sweet Misery - Michelle Branch
The Right Kind of Wrong - LeAnn Rimes

(Belated) Merry Christmas and other stuff

2009-12-27T08:48:00.001-07:00

First, I want to wish everyone a belated Merry Christmas…it was so hectic here that I never got a chance to get on here to wish everyone one it that day… do I am doing it now ;)

We were supposed to have all of my family up here, but my other brother and sister-in-law couldn’t make it… we missed them… but it was nice to see the other brother and his family regardless if we were missing the rest of the family. hopefully we can see the other bit of the family soon.

They brought up the gifts for their girls and of course Santa came here with their presents as well. (The girls are 13 and 11.) None of the adults exchanged presents… just being together was enough… well… except, I had my present from mom and dad the beginning of the month… my Sony eReader. Which I am loving ;). Unfortunately I could not afford to get my nieces anything, and they knew it, but they got me something regardless… the sweethearts (Yes, Taylor, I am calling you a sweetheart… get over it :p) She made me a origami ball and Shaye got me a little mirrored aunt plaque. ;)

We had a nice dinner… spiral honey ham, yams, fruit salad, and rolls. Of course, I ate what I could, which was not much, but it was delicious so I did over eat and paid for it the whole of the next day which meant I could not eat much at all the next day LOL. and missed out on the pie Christmas night. Which the pies were pumpkin and peanut butter.

So that was our Christmas. It was chaotic, but it was nice.

I have not been able to get any work done writing-wise for a few…and I am feeling it. I am hoping that I will be able to get something done today/tonight. I need to. ;)

I was going to do a thing with Christmas/Yule/Winter with facts, some jokes and a story a few days before Christmas… but that did not work out. SO I was just going to do a story… again, that did not work out. I have not had a chance to do the story. But, the story in my mind is such that with a few modifications I can switch it from a Christmas tale to just a winter one, and I can do it anytime next month. So that is what I will do. I am not sure if it will just be a little story with no relation to anything I am writing now, or if it might be tied in somehow to one of my stories now…but it will be a free story that I will post to my blog like I did on Halloween. (And on my website… I need to put the Halloween one up on the website… make a few adjustments on it and put it up there .;) hehe)

Anyway, that is about all this morning. I do hope your Christmas was a good one…that is, if you celebrate it. If not, I hope your days continue to be good. ;)

Playlist for The Prank

2009-12-21T08:28:00.001-07:00

I thought I would share with you the songs that I play specific for The Prank. of course, these are not the only songs I play…sometimes I vary out of this playlist…but these are the songs that have specific meaning for me as I write this book…and as it will hopefully shape into the series. Now, it is a very extensive list…54 songs in all, so by the song list, it seems like the book should be epic…and in my mind, that is how it feels. how it will ultimately transcribe onto paper? we will see. As you can see by the list, it does have four parts. I won’t reveal what the different parts are…you can intuit a little by the song selections, but it may surprise you in the end. *rubs hands together*

Now for the songs ;)

Part One:

1. Pain - Three Days Grace

2. Home - Three Days Grace

3. May It Be - Enya

4. Haunted – Evanescence

5. A Good Run Of Bad Luck - Clint Black

Part Two:

1. I'm My Own Grandpa - Ray Stevens*

2. Born To Be Wild - AC/DC

3. Runnin' With The Devil - David Lee Roth

4. Eyes On Fire - Blue Foundation

5. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow - The Soggy Bottom Boys

6. You Gotta Fight For You're Right To Party - Beastie Boys

7. Everything I Do (I It Do For You) - Bryan Adams

8. I Fought The Law, and The Law Won - Bobby Fuller Four

9. Hit The Road, Jack - Ray Charles

10. Requiem Of The Gods - Apocalyptica

11. Changes - 3 Doors Down

*keep in mind I am working with the Greek Gods, then apply this song…look up the lyrics, and it is hilarious when you think in terms of this thought ;) *snicker*

Part Three:

1. Over The Hills And Far Away - Nightwish

2. The Power Of Thy Sword - Manowar

3. Seek And Destroy - Metallica

4. Blood Of My Enemies - Manowar

5. Hurt - Johnny Cash

6. Burn - Nine Inch Nails

7. Have A Nice Day - Bon Jovi

8. I've Got The Power - C&C Music Factory

9. Exodus - Evanescence

10. For Whom The Bell Tolls - Metallica

11. Insane In The Brain - Cypress Hill

12. Holding Out For A Hero - Bonnie Tyler

13. Bleed - Evanescence

14. The Warrior - Pat Benatar

15. I Hate Everything About You - Three Days Grace

16. Blood Of The Kings - Manowar

17. In The Jailhouse Now - The Soggy Bottom Boys

Part Four:

1. Exile - Enya

2. Change - Tears For Fears

3. Planet Hell - Nightwish

4. Bliss (I don't wanna know) - Hinder

5. The Unforgiven - Metallica

6. Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears

7. Life Is A Lemon and I Want My Money Back - Meat Loaf

8. Forsaken - David Draiman

9. Gonna Raise Hell - Cheap Trick

10. Bad Influence - Pink

11. People Are Strange - The Doors

12. Prodigal - OneRepublic

13. Sad But True - Metallica

14. Hold Your Head Up - Argent

15. They're Coming To Take Me Away - Dr. Demento

16. Burning Down the House - Talking Heads

17. Going Down In Flames - 3 Doors Down

18. Burn In Hell - Twisted Sister

19. Tubthumping - Chumbawamba

20. Bugger Off - The Real McKenzies

21. I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

way behind

2009-12-18T12:49:00.001-07:00

being ill sucks…especially when you have things you want to do some fun stuff with my fans in the coming days…but with my health taking a sudden dip, my energy took a downward spiral and it is all I can do to get through the day let alone anything else.

It all came to a head on Sunday, and by Tuesday I was right in bed. it is a sum of all of my health problems, especially my gastro- and coloparesis. surprisingly enough my diabetes is not playing that big of a part in it. It is there and making itself known, but not as bad as it could be.

But, because of it, I have not been able to do much at all…no writing, no blogging, no research, no studying… there have even been times that I haven’t even had the energy to even read. that is unheard of for me. Even when I was sleeping about 18 hours a day, I still managed to read.

I had planned on doing something fun with my fans on the 23rd…I even have everything all gathered up for it…I had planned on doing something similar to that of Halloween…posting on Twitter, and my Facebook fanpage facts and a few other things about Yule, Christmas and Winter and writing a short story on my blog. I may still do the short story, but the rest? I don’t think I will be well enough by then to do it…if I am, it will be too soon, my energy level will not be sufficiently stored up to be able to handle that kind of drain…not if Halloween was anything to go by. I will just have to do something off-season to have fun with…there are lots of things that are topic oriented that I can relate toward my writing that I can do when I am feeling more up to it.

For now…I need to get back in the swing of things while concentrating on getting over this spell. I need to get back on my blogs…but I fear that won’t be more toward Monday….and I need to get back to writing. I need to write. it is beyond wanting…it is needing.

I need to get the next chapter of Mu Mysteries completed so I can have it ready to upload New Years Day, and I left The Prank at a very fun spot…though I need to start some research on Sparta…they decided to go there…gotta love it when my characters take me places where I am not expecting them to go LOL. Same with Underhill…and I want to write the short story for the 23rd….because I want to at least want to do that part.

So much to do but for today…it will still pretty much be a lazy day, though I will see about trying to do some writing here in a little bit… ;)

3-D or Hologram’s?

2009-12-14T12:31:00.001-07:00

I watched a news report the other night about how they are going 3-D on everything. TV sets, those big screens at the sports stadiums, the movie theater’s…and how expensive it is to create these 3-D productions…and how annoying those glasses really are. Especially if you already wear glasses. It was stated that the images are projected at 120 frames per second—double the speed of a normal image. and that double images are projected into each eye with the glasses. Here is the problem…the glasses are bulky, they are irritating and have issues with everyday glasses, and if you have eye problems (like I do) you cannot watch the 3-D movies anyway…so the technology is useless for people like me…and we miss out on the thrill of it.

So, it got me thinking today…why don’t they take the money that is being invested into the television sets and the sports stadiums for this expensive technology…and focus it on hologram technology? I know that they have already made great stride’s in it…it can be projected like 3-D, and be even more in-your-face…and you don’t need any fancy glasses for it. Hey! I’m on board for that…and bonus! You can also use it for other purposes. Hologram technology can have so many other applications besides 3-Ding movies and sports. I can see lots of fun…and practical applications for it. And, like I said, the technology has already made great strides as is.

Why hasn’t it made better strides? what is the hold-up on this? I would much rather go hologram than the 3-D…This world baffles me at times…it is so technology advanced…yet on some fronts it is so technophobic at the same time. it is very…baffling.

My thoughts on 2012

2009-12-13T11:08:00.001-07:00

These are my own personal thoughts on 2012, not anyone else's, based on what I have researched and on meditations. And not about the movie LOL. I have not watched the action movie by the same name, though I want to. I love those types of movies.

As we all know, the December 21, 2012--according to the ancient Mayan colander--the world is supposed to end.

Some believe it will be a catastrophic end. Some believe it will be a switch to a new era. Some believe it is nothing be hooey and nothing will happen.

This is what I believe…based on meditations--I do not have any of them written down, and even if I did, they revealed some personal facts and I don’t want that floating around, so I cannot reveal exactly what they said--and my own research and pondering of it.

I believe that we are in for the end of the world--*gasp*…hold your horses. I am not done--I am believe we are in for the end of the world, as we know it. The world will continue, and it may or may not look as it does now. But our thoughts, and feelings, will be different. We will fully enter the "Age of Light."—ah, yes. I can hear the groans now…

I am not saying this is what will happen, just that this is my thoughts and feelings. We will see if the previous and following will be accurate. We will see if I am around to see it come to pass ;)

First, I believe that the Earth is shaking off those that cannot--or will not--see this age come. My proof? Are we not having a record amount of wars, and deaths? Violence and destruction--natural and manmade? Has it not been escalating over the past years, getting worse with each passing year? Have we not seen a record amount of people--not wars, but individual people--going on mass-murderous rampages, taking out not one or two, but 20-30+ people at a time, including themselves? Have we not seen a record amount of storms that are not only wiping out people, but whole cities that we will not, or cannot rebuild? It is going beyond the global warming. It is so beyond that.

Then on the opposite end of the scale, have we not seen a record amount of people finding their faith? Not just "religion." Not just "God." But their faith? Including nature- and goddess-based faiths? There is a vast difference between all of these things. Have we not seen a record number of people seeking answers? Seeking to learn more than what they are taught, or what they can be taught by others? Have we not seen a record amount of people joining organizations of like-minded people? Have we not seen a record number of "miracles”, of sightings of "angels”?

Next, all around the same time of 2012--though I can't remember the exact times--Earth is doing several things…leaving the Age of Pisces and entering the Age of Aquarius, and around the same time-- in the scheme of things--it is leaving what is termed as the "Galactic Night" and entering the "Photon Band”. When that happens, it has been nicknamed the "Age of Light" or the "Golden Age," Sound familiar? (Think back to the Greek God Creation Myths…and it is not only the Greeks that had a “Golden Age” in their creation myths.) The “Galactic Night” is pretty much where we have been "asleep" spiritually, where we have let others lead us, where we have let others make our decisions. The "Age of Light" is a point where we awaken and begin to know, to learn and grow spiritually, to question and stop following. Already we are starting to do that.

This is why I believe that this is what we are heading for.

Do I believe this is where I am going? Yes. Do I believe I will make it there with my health…? Maybe. I am not sure.

I believe that many of us will be going as teachers to help guide the ones that want to go forward to this new world. And no, I am not placing myself as one of those teachers LOL. I am not that conceited.

This is why I am not all that concerned with the "going Green" and the "global warming"…it is important. Especially once we do switch over to the new age. Even if we don't…moderation, balance is the key. However, I fully feel that the Earth is fixing herself and she will right the wrongs done to herself as she has done in the past before we were even a parasite biting her back. Or a twinkle in her eye, depending on which faction you fall into ;) *snicker*

Hardback, Paperback, eReader or AudioBook?

2009-12-11T10:04:00.001-07:00

The choices are getting larger in the book department. Most people automatically disregard the eReader stating it's not for them, but really, they should not be so quick to judge. Let's go through them one at a time:

Hardback: this tends to be the most bulky, and the priciest. However, it also tends to last the longest, and unless you get unlucky, it looks the best. A lot of the series that I really like I try to get in the style, not all, but most. I also try to get the classics I am trying to collect and hardback.

Paperback: With paperback, you have two different types -- or are there more? I forget -- I know for sure of mass-market and trade. The mass-market are more ready available and are cheaper, usually ranging around eight dollar mark. The trade paperbacks tend to be more expensive and sometimes bookstores do not like to stock them, or they are harder to find. Mass-market are smaller, more standard size. Trade paperbacks are larger.

eReader/digital: range in price, but can be very cheap. They're stored on a single drive, or an extended drive and you can hold hundreds, if not thousands, of them on a single digital Reader. You can enlarge the font, you can change the orientation, and you can put your own documents on the Reader. It is very versatile. The benefit over hardback or paperback is you can take as many books with you as you want without the added bulk or weight.

AudioBook: here you have the benefit of having someone read to you wherever you are, or whatever you are doing. I have not looked into AudioBooks much, but it seems to me that they can run about the same price as the printed book, maybe more maybe less, it depends on the publisher, author, and book. Just like anything else. I know many people who love AudioBooks -- this is not a personal favorite of mine though... it is nothing against them, or the authors, or anyone in the publication of them... I just don't care for recorded voices, in any shape or form -- even my own... especially my own.

Each of these forms of books has their own personalities, their own uses, and can be mixed and matched very well. I even have paperback and hardback of the same books... depending on if I want the book to look nice or not. Just because you have one form, does not mean you cannot own another. It may sound... excessive...obsessive... maybe even wasteful, but if you love books, you know where I'm coming from.

In addition, think of it this way, if you're afraid that bound books are going the way of the dinosaur because of the digital books, you can still support both. I am. I'm not rich... I'm not even poor. I live paycheck to paycheck with barely enough money to get by -- but I always, always, always will find money to buy books. And now, I will find money for bound and digital books... for entertainment and for my health -- because if I want to keep reading there are days that I must use the Reader.

So I guess the moral of this brief comparison is don't discount one form of book over another, and don't discount owning more than one form of the same book, you never know when I'll come in handy.

TTTo - Green

2009-12-10T15:10:00.001-07:00

The Tiresome Term Tip-off for today is Green. Now I am all about being globally aware. We all need to be. But there are two things wrong with this…one is the term itself. It is bandied around so much that everything is Green…even if it isn't. Just like when blogged about organic…if something has even the slightest hint of being "green" then it is proclaimed loud and proud of its status.

But you know what? Because of this, we have go ne to the other extreme. We have gone from being totally unaware, to being too aware. We have lost balance again…actually did we ever have it? No…we did not. We are not going to save the Earth with the spastic attempts we are doing…and what we are doing is killing it with being too aware now.

What?

I am serious. Let's look at it this way.

Taking in the Christmas season. Normally we have all of the trees being bought, right? I’m talking about the trees that are bought from tree farms, from places that purposely grow trees for the sole purpose of commercially selling them for profit and about the trees that are cut down to keep the forests healthy. And yes, we do need to cut trees down to keep them healthy, I will go into that in a minute before you start screaming at me for that comment.

These trees that are cut down to keep the forests healthy, specifically in the Washington and Oregon areas are not being bought now, both from the farms and from the logging…here is a report from the tree farm angle: http://bit.ly/8dabki (though it talks more about how he is having to disfigure his trees to get them sold to avoid burning his, but he does mention the ones that are burning theirs. No tree lots have placed orders. No one intends for them to be sold. So what are they going to do with them? No one is intending to use them for enjoyment for the holiday season. So these poor trees, because there is nowhere else for them to go…they are not fit for any other purpose, they are naturally grown, not from farms…are being burned. Yes, burned. Because no one wants them, because everyone is too conscientious of the impact of deforestation. These trees are being burned. Instead of being put to a better use, where they might have some enjoyment for a little while. It is very sad.

So here comes the question. If they are just going to burn them--and they are not going to be used for Christmas trees--why are they even cutting them down at all?

That's the crux of the matter isn't it? The environmentalists would have you think that these trees shouldn't have to be cut down. Well, they do have to be.

Ponder this. These trees in particular grow in abundance. They grow pretty radically. We, as a people have pretty much cut out forest fires. If they do occur, we put them out pretty rapidly. Forest fires are nature's way of keeping the Earth fertile and renewed as well as keeping control of the trees and other plants. Yet we have pretty much eradicated that. Sure, we do controlled burns occasionally, and sometimes they get out of control. But how often do we really do that?

So, these trees have no natural forest fires to keep them under control, and no controlled burns to keep them under control either.

So the next weapon in Mother Nature's arsenal are bugs. The problem with bugs is they don't settle to one kind of tree or plant and it affects other areas of the vegetation and wildlife, even if not directly by the bugs themselves. That creates a whole new problem. So, now we don't have the fires, and now we do have bugs. These poor trees.

The next problem is this. Us!

We are encroaching on them. Not the other way around. Yet we state that the trees are coming onto our land, and so we demand that the trees be controlled. Sound familiar? So, we cut them down…we cut them down to keep our properties clear, we cut them down to create more property for us.

Now you are saying, but that is the whole point of trying to save the trees, that is why we don't want to buy any live trees anymore and why we are trying to save the forests!

Well, that is all well and good for the forests that need saving. For the things that need help. But this is the crux of the matter. We are not determining our battles. We see a problem and we rush head first without further research. We see something is wrong, then we run around like Chicken Little yelling "We need to be 'green!' we need to be 'green!' but do we really know what we need to be Green on anymore?

Honestly, I don't. Let's see…our landfills are getting full. Our oceans are becoming trash dumps. And the rainforests are in trouble . hmm our polar icecaps are melting and our ozone layer is dying. Not to mention global warming. Other than that…what are the other big matters? Can you honestly say you can count…oh I am sure some of you can. but out of these main points, what can we honestly change…within our, our children or our children's-children's lifetime's? the trash dumps. Maybe the rainforests and part of the ocean. The icecaps are from the global warming. So is the ozone layer. But the global warming…hell no. and while I am a big believer in it…I also know this…we are not the cause of it. I am serious. This is not the first time global warming has happened, and I have been saying this for many years, not before the American Government started saying this, but this is not the first time global warming has happened. It happened once during the dinosaurs, it has happened during each of the major ice ages. How many of those have we as humans, especially as thinking man, have we been around for? We have contributed, but we are not the cause. And we cannot fix it. The Earth will renew herself, just as she has in the past. And I will blog about my thoughts on 2012 in a few days.

So, back to "Green." How does this all relate? Easy. Just as we can kill from neglect, we can kill from over concern. Which direction do you think we are leaning now? Let's see…carbon footprinting, organic, green. These are bandied around every day. If these are our everyday vocabulary words now, what do you think or everyday actions are? And I am not talking of Joe Schmoe. I am talking of collectively. Actually, I am talking about both, because both affect just as much as they do independently.

I am not saying Do not be globally aware! Do not go organic! Do not go Green!...oh hell no. What I am saying is *find your balance!* you don't need to be a sloth, and you don't need to be a freak. Just be conscious of your actions, but don't go overboard. For the sake of whatever deity you follow, be it the Christian God or no god…find balance. If you care for this Earth at all, don't be a spazz.

I promise that unless the sun fails or a meteor hits, or you die tonight--the Earth will still be here tomorrow…ok, I can't promise that, but you get the idea.

**None of these topics are meant to be aimed at anyone in particular. Some of them may touch a nerve, and I am sorry if they do, but these are my views. I am even guilty of using some of these and am trying to improve myself in regards to them. Besides, if we can’t laugh at some of the words/phrases we use, then this world is indeed too sad a place to be.**

**disclaimer: writer I am, writer I will always be. But spelling I never claimed to own. There will always be spelling errors, even with the aid of spell checkers. Unless I employ 20 proof-readers, and if I do that, you will never get to see these blogs…so, guess you will have to put up with the spelling errors….or do what I do. Blame it on the Typo-Fae and say the spelling errors occurred en-route ;-)**

Lots to do!

2009-12-07T11:15:00.001-07:00

I can’t believe this year is already almost over with. Where has it gone? I blame my sister-in-law…she keeps wishing the days away. *snicker* Just kidding Marline. you know I love ya!

Seriously though, my days are so full of things to do anymore that by the time I get through even a portion of the stuff, the day is over and I have to start all over again. Most of the items are continuous, like writing and blogging…which I would not want to stop. but then I have other things like cleaning that I wish would ;) LOL.

There are other things that have been keeping me busy as well. Some of them are:

learning Greek. I have been having a blast at this. Though, I do admit that mostly I am concentrating on trying to get the alphabet down. No, it is not that difficult. In fact, we know most of it already, I am trying to get the accent and also trying to remember it. With the diabetes, my memory is not that great anymore. too many trips into the hospital have taken its toll. But I noticed last night that I have made tremendous strides. I have most of it down. There are just a few that I am tripping up on.

I am also working on a list of possible Greek words that I am going to be using in the Hubris stories. Which is also helping with the Greek lessons.

I am also going back over my first novel, Judgment at Witches Court and taking notes. Partly for something I have planned for the blog, and partly for something I have planned for the *eventual* newsletter (more about that in a few). I am also leaning more and more toward “yes” I will do a sequel to it. It is not as painful going back over it as I thought it was going to be. Though I am groaning at some of the things I put in it! ROFLMAO

I am also working on the four manuscripts I already have going. Yes, four. I know I have been talking lately about only three: The Prank (A Hubris Story); Underhill; and Mu Mysteries. But I also have the novel Grakas: the Gnome (the Elementals of Celayone series) that I put away for a few…not because I didn’t want to work on it, but because it is so work intense that I didn’t exactly have time for it. But, it says otherwise LOL. So, after I finish taking notes on Judgment, somewhere in that, I might have to figure out space for a sequel for it…unless I wait until Underhill is finished, or The Prank. LOL. We will see.

I am also working on a newsletter. I am aiming to put the first one out in January and doing quarterly installments, if not, then bi-yearly. it will have updates, and character interviews and announcements and who knows what else LOL. It will be in PDF format, free and hosted at my yahoo group… http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cherrydumas/ right now, the yahoo group has all of the blogs (mine and the characters) posted at one place in case you don’t want to go to their actual pages, though, to me, it is more fun to do so *hint hint* ;) ROFLMAO

Speaking of the characters, two of them (and the eSerial) finally broke me down and they have their own twitter accounts. though they don’t have too much activity quite yet…give me a break, I just did it yesterday afternoon and afterwards, I was so confused my brain did a meltdown! so the accounts are www.twitter.com/allorana ( @allorana ) and www.twitter.com/PrstssShashanna ( @PrstssShashanna ) and www.twitter.com/MuMysteries ( @MuMysteries ) I will create one for Rita, Missy and Dominick eventually, I promise, but not until they have made it to Ireland and they have protection from the sun and are in a completely different time zone from me and I can actually have them awake when I am awake ROFLMAO. Talking as vampire characters when I am not actually a vampire (*snicker*) is not an easy task, you know. Not if I want to be in character with them! Not if I want it to be realistic…well, as realistic as I can be :P I know there are other authors that do it differently, but I want it to be as realistic as possible, at least with the time.

Let’s see, what else. I am going to say this now. In Into the Forest the Irish…or what Missy presumes to be Irish…is all jumbled. initially I believed it was Irish…and some of it is, and some of it is accurate, but getting it from various sources and not quite knowing what I was doing…I am going to fix what I can, but I am going to leave a lot of it jumbled so that I can play with it in Underhill…she is going to get smacked down by the Fae about it. but I mean no disrespect about it, and I will put an addendum about that. I am going to be learning…or as much as I can by myself, Irish. I have discovered there are many different dialects and variations of it, so it is not exactly an easy language to learn, but I am going to do my best, and I will try not annoying or disrespecting anyone…but I am sure I will somewhere LOL. It is not my intents, but I love the language, the culture and the land too much and I just can’t resist using it where I can.

One last note before I end this, there is much more, but I don’t want to make this into a novel! I can’t remember if I blogged about this, I am sure I did, but with everything going on, I can’t remember, so I will put it in again, just to annoy and pimp myself out some more *snicker* Don’t forget to join my facebook fanpage. www.facebook.com/officialfanpageofcherrydumas

Ok, that’s all for now. Hopefully internet won’t crash today, because I have a…or rather, Dominick has a really interesting blog to post later on, one that you won’t want to miss!

Early Yule present

2009-12-04T08:54:00.001-07:00

Yes, it is very early, and I am very spoiled. I am also very loved by my parents. They know I have a lot of health problems, including my eyesight being very…iffy at times. And writing and reading being my top…everything to me, they knew that if they are taken away from me, my world is going to collapse. Writing I did something about…I bought myself Dragon Naturally Speaking. It should be here within days. As for reading…Mom and dad bought me something for Yule/Christmas that I have been wanting and did not expect to afford for some time to come…

A eReader…a Sony Touch eReader.

It arrived today.

And instead of waiting for Yule to arrive, dad and mom had me open it today. What makes it so special is they are not rich. Dad is on a medical retirement, mom has just as many health problems as I do, dad is not in the best of health himself. We all are taking care of my ailing grandmother…and yet, they get me this present.

I couldn't ask for better parents. They are the presents…the eReader is the wrapping.

So, of course, I had to go buy some books for it, I had to. *grin*

So many to chose from, I was like a kid in a candy store!

These were the ones I settled for. I may have to go shopping again soon, so many others I want. And of course, there are so many hard bound and paperbacks that I want as well…this is not going to stop my obsession for those!

These are the ones that I restrained myself to…I bought the first one from the Sony store…I should have bought it from my publishers too, but I didn't go shopping there until the Sony store didn't have the second one…I am ashamed of myself…sorry Mundnaia Press! Sorry Dan, Bob

River by Skyla Dawn Cameron

Wolfe by Skyla Dawn Cameron

Bloodlines by Skyla Dawn Cameron

Bad-Ass Faeries by Elaine Corvidae, Danielle Ackley-McPhail and others*

Bad-Ass Faeries 2 Just Plain Bad by Elaine Corvidae, Skyla Dawn Cameron, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, James Daniel Ross, Jeffrey Lyman and others*

*note: all I listed were Mundania Press authors, I was not familiar with any of the others. No offense to those authors, I have not read you, I may like you ;)

Of course, I also have a copy of Judgment on there as well…and I am using it to make notes for things for the newsletter, and for some other possible planned things…including maybe, possibly, a sequel…I don't know. It is a possibility if I can bear to open the door…I am cracking it to see if it can open. We will see how it goes. I may talk about it, but I am not promising anything. The eReader has made this task a little easier on the note taking…already I have several "pages" of them ;)

Teaching Myself Greek

2009-12-02T16:00:00.001-07:00

Yes, you read that title right.

I am teaching myself to read, write and speak Greek.

When I was in Junior High, I took German. I flunked it with flying colors. Same with French. And again with Spanish in High School.

I don’t know if it was taking language courses in school, the teachers/books, or the fact that I was out of school 8 out of 10 days because of my health…or a combination of the three…( I was a fantastic student otherwise…aced most of my other classes for the most part)…But I did convince myself that I had no head (or ear nor tongue) for languages.

But my desire to learn Greek and Irish has grown significantly over the past few years until I finally broke down.

So far, so good. Granted, I am in the early stages with it…I have mostly just read and translated…I haven’t done much speaking…but, still, not too bad.

I will be starting Irish in the not too distant future.

I am actually having quite a bit of fun with it…the Greek that is. I have always loved learning.

Maybe, eventually, I will overcome my fear of poetry from horrible emotional scarring caused by an cruelly insensitive English teacher when I was 13…

going to be absent…

2009-11-30T09:20:00.001-07:00

…one more day.

my eyes are still messed up. but not nearly what they were days ago. One thing I did do that seems to help is when I got on here to type this up and check emails this morning is I turned down the brightness on my monitor…way down. and that seems to help. But I can tell my eyes are still going to protest if I stay on here too long. So, a quick sendoff on this, but I will be back tomorrow. hopefully that will have put me away long enough that my eyes will have had a long enough time to have gotten over their temper tantrum. I am debating on on if I should go back to the eye doctor and talk to him about this…again. the problem with that is, where I had just seen him last month, my insurance company won’t pay for the visit and it will have to come out of my pocket…not cheap. But it might be something I may have to do…if I can get him to believe me. he is a great doctor…except for this one little problem of believing me of the reaction of my eyes LOL. even I admit these are some odd quirks. we will see…we will see…but, I will be back tomorrow. I wrote last night…but not in the traditional sense. I spoke into a tape recorder for the first time ever. Oh I have used it to take notes before, but never for the actual story. When I sit down to transcribe it, we will see if it was a practical means or not. but I worked in all three of the stories, and if I hadn’t of gotten tired, I would have actually of “written” in Grakas for the first time in months and months. I did re-read what I had done, and now the bug to work in it is on me again. so evidently I will be back to working on 4 stories again LOL. I love writing. But for today, it is resting my eyes some more, and going to the foot doctor. tomorrow…it is catching up with my friends and fans and writing! so…see you tomorrow!

I might have to disappear…

2009-11-28T10:27:00.001-07:00

I might have to disappear for a few days, and stay as much away from electrical gadgets…and possibly even books…as I can for two, maybe three days. it depends on how the rest of this day goes.

I have noticed a decline over the past few days in my health. well, not just the past few days, but dramatically over the past few days. especially with having eaten Thanksgiving dinner. My eyes have been bothering me for a few, and I have been trying to ignore them, but it is not working and my tummy…well, It has been being an issue for several weeks now.

My diabetes, however, is being surprisingly mellow. that surprises me.

but my eyes and my tummy…

I have eye damage from the diabetes and it is flared up. when I went last month to the eye doctor, there was more damage…not significant, but more…and it is aggravated right now. and the more I am on the computer, the worse it is getting.

it is so strange. when my eyes get tired, I get after images…I call it the “strobe-light effect.” I can wave my hand (or any movement) and it will leave after images of it for several seconds afterward…it is especially pronounced in the morning and evening and in low-light. Also you know how if you stare into the sun, or at a lightbulb you get the sun spots in your eyes? they are there in mine all the time now, and I have a hard time seeing around them anymore…some days are worse than others. some days I barely notice them. Then I can also “watch” my vision actually dim. I can watch the light be shut off and everything go almost dark. It is to the point in the evenings that I have to have a lamp and the overhead light on to read. we won’t go into how thick my glasses are even with the feather-weight lenses LOL. So, yes. I am loosing my vision. We don’t know when, but yes, it is something I am going to have to face. And on days like today and the past little while, I wonder if it is going to actually be sooner rather than later.

and my tummy…I decided last night that I am going to have to go on a more liquid diet…not totally liquid, but more of a liquid diet. in order to ease the discomfort, in order to help everything…I cannot go on like this. regardless if surgery is in my near future or not, I am going to have to give up meats. I said I was going to keep it specifically for the big holidays…I can’t. not with how I am feeling yesterday and today. I can’t do it anymore. so easily digested foods, more of a liquid diet. hopefully that will postpone surgery, and not make me suffer as much and make me feel slightly better. because, having to choose daily which meal it is that I am going to eat because my tummy won’t let me eat more than even one *small* meal a day is not a good thing. perhaps if the new pill the doctor just put me on earlier in the week works, then I may be able to revise things a little bit, but for now…nope.

So, if I don’t appear for several days, you know why. I have had to go rest. I have had to go baby this pathetic body of mine….

anybody have a miniature violin they can play for me right now? I think this blog deserves one ROFLMAO

Mundania is having a sale!

2009-11-28T08:04:00.001-07:00

Mundania is running a Holiday Sale for all imprints. Entering the Discount code SANTA when checking out gives a 20% discount on the entire order.

This runs from now through New Year’s Day, January 1, 2010 on Mundania, Awe-Struck, and Phaze Books.

Spread the word!

TTTo - Black Friday

2009-11-25T16:22:00.001-07:00

In honor of America's Thanksgiving, I give you today's Tiresome Term Tip-off topic, Black Friday.

Black Friday. What does it bring to mind…something morbid. Something depressing. Something…wrong. At least it does to me. When I first heard the phrase years ago, I thought that it was honoring something catastrophic from our history. You wouldn't believe my shock when I learned that it was supposed to be something positive instead. The day after Thanksgiving when the stores throw the biggest sales of the year to put themselves in the "black" and out of the "red." When they get themselves out of debt…hopefully.

When I first heard that, I was astounded. They had a term for it? They named a day after it? What happened to the good old-fashioned term, "Day-after Thanksgiving Sales"? What happened to the feel-good values? When did it turn from having fun to "Let's get the bottom dollar!" it is still mayhem. It is still chaos. Why did they have to change the terminology? It changed the feel of the day…for me at least. Because, for me, Black Friday has the feel of something depressing.

Black, to me, is not anything depressing. I love the color. But, usually when it is termed with a day like this, it is not in a good way. I never did understand the whole "black" and "red" concept of keeping books either…but that is neither here nor there. I am not a mathematical person. Using it as much as I do with my diabetes is way too much LOL.

If we have to move away from the "Day after Thanksgiving Sales" at least come up with something more positive…something friendlier…than "Black Friday."

Am I the only one that feels this way?

Every time I hear it in the news, I expect to hear a tragic story with it…and, honestly, anymore there usually is a tragic story with it…people getting killed in the mad rush of the crowds, children getting lost, robberies, etc. It is no wonder that I associate Black Friday with negativity. Media…Companies…come up with something else. Think positive. Think. Use your brains. There are better terms out there. You just have to find them. You do know how to think, don't you? Sometimes I wonder anymore.

Can you tell I am just the slightest bit disgusted? :P

And on that note…have a Happy Thanksgiving, and try to survive the *grimace* Black Friday ;)

Just making the gods laugh…

2009-11-25T10:20:00.001-07:00

I swear that is what my last two days have been all about. Monday started out awkward to begin with. I had so much to do, but just couldn't get my engine's revved. They no matter what I did…they just didn't want to go.

But I worked. I did what I had to do, regardless.

Part of what I tried to do was create a Facebook fanpage. (the address is www.facebook.com/OfficialFanPageofCherryDumas) pretentious huh? ;) I love it *snicker*

Yeah, that was an experience.

If you were following me that day, although I didn't chatter much, I did talk about what was going on. But if you weren't, here is what happened.

I had heard you could turn your profile into a fanpage as well as a profile. But for the life of me, I could not figure out how to do that. I looked and looked and looked. I searched help…but couldn't figure it out. So I decided to create a whole new profile just for my fan page.

Well, since I already had "Cherry Dumas" for my profile page, I decided to go with "Cherry Dumas Enchantment of the Mind dot Com" for the the second profile. So I started to create it. Well, then I saw that I could just create it as a fan page direct and link it to my existing profile. That's what I did.

So I kept the fan page private while I put all of the information on there. When I got everything done, I put it public. So far, so good right? Right.

I did a search for the page to make sure you could find it, and guess what I found? A fan page under my profile name as well as the Fan page that I had just created. Well damn! Some time or another I had started to create a fan page, but since I didn't make myself a fan of that earlier page, I lost it and evidently I was so new to facebook, I didn't know how to find it again, and then totally forgot about it.

So then I had two fan pages. Now what? I decided to delete the new page, because I would much rather have the page with just my name. But…I guess I was still having a bad day, because I could not figure out where to delete the page at. And every time I tried to go to the help section, it was down. By this time I was getting very frustrated.

So, I said "Screw it. I will keep both of them." So, I tried to keep all three of my pages updated…ha! After just a couple of hours of it, my head hurt so bad…and the thought kept echoing in my head of "how pretentious!" I decicded to do a fan page mostly so that people could get just updates on my writing if they didn't want to wade through my gaming and health and other stuff if they didn't want to. Because that is all that will go on that page, is just writing….I think. Maybe other updates. But the main reason was so it would not be littered with the vamp wars stuff.

Finally I checked one more time, and saw the help section was up. I looked to see how to delete the fan page…and it was so easy, I couldn't believe I didn't see how to do it earlier.

I swear I should not be allowed to do anything on the internet at times.

So, I went to blog about it and my computer freaked out so bad then froze…I shut it down before I blew something up.

However, I did type up about 6 blogs or so for posting at later dates…

That was Monday.

Moving on to Tuesday.

Tuesday started out great! It really did.

I completed two short chapters in Mu Mysteries (you will be getting both on the 1st since they are both short…two for the price of one, as an early Christmas present hehe). plus almost 2000 words in Underhill…with the combined writing in the two stories…about 5000 words, or there abouts…I didn't fully tally, so it is a guesstimation.

Also, my new laptop arrived. So I thought, this day will go great…much improved over yesterday.

This is when the gods really laughed.

I went to the doctors about my tummy. Well…the news wasn't good at all. I won't go into the details. Needless to say, food is pretty much a thing of the past. And I am on yet another ultra expensive medication to add to my already extensive cocktail.

And to top it off, when we got home from the doctors, I fell and banged up my knee pretty good.

As I am writing this, it is officially Wednesday. It is 12:14 AM Wednesday morning. We will see if the gods are through laughing yet or not…

Character Blogs’ Schedule

2009-11-23T08:47:00.001-07:00

Wow…OK…so it looks like the new schedule for the character blogs’ will will have to be revised…again. I thought alternating them on different days would work so it didn’t look like they were writing every day; so “they” wouldn’t run out of things to say (not likely!), and so they would have less chance of spilling something important…well, it is not working.

“They” went from talking every day, and talking a little too much, to barely talking at all. Even in the books. The only ones still talking loudly are the Greek’s…and they don’t have blogs! I think I offended the vampires/Fae and the Atlantean’s/Lemurian’s!

So, time to try a new schedule.

let’s see…how about at least every 2 days for them…no, I know. Better yet! Missy and Dom and Shashanna can talk one day, and Allorana and Rita can talk the next.

Allorana and Shashanna are not too important if they overlap their talking on the same day, at least, at this stage ;), but that might change hehe.

But with Missy, Dom and Rita…that is a different story. This way, Dom can post, Missy, then the next day Rita…and we can still have the interaction.

That work for you? I think it will work just fine for me!

Spiders and writing

2009-11-19T10:43:00.001-07:00

Spiders, spiders…they are everywhere!

for those long-time readers, you know I have a muse, much like every artist, but my muse takes the form of a jumbo-jet sized spider named Galock. And when I haven’t written anything…or when the urge to write is particularly strong…he sends out the forces. Sometimes they are invisible…only appearing in my mind. I will see flashes of them here, or there, but they are not really there at all.

But then other times he will send in the real thing. He will start out with the typical spiders. your normal, non-threatening house spiders. I will start seeing them everywhere. But if I ignore them, he starts sending in the bigger troops. the Sun Spiders…they look like scorpions, but do not have the tail and are non-venomous. And yet, if I still ignore them/him…he sends in the true scorpions.

However, last night he did something that he has never done before….

Here I am, sitting on my bed. I am writing, so it is not as if I am ignoring my craft. In fact, I am writing longhand. something I haven’t done since I was 13…19 years ago. Yes, I am telling. I never understood the rule of a woman never telling their age LOL. Anyway, I am writing longhand. Listening to Christmas music. I started out with pop, then country, then hard rock, then metal…but it was Christmas I needed. But then, in comes mom with a box of chocolates and to love my dog and cat goodnight.

As she was loving them, I look over and I see something on my knee. something that was not there earlier…a ink scribble. What in the hell? How did that get there. I had no ball-point pen on the bed. The only writing instruments I had there was a mechanical pencil, a red felt-tip pen and my fountain pen. And when the fountain pen was not in my hand on the paper, it was capped. There was no way it could have touched my knee….especially to put this particular pattern on my knee.

What pattern is that?

It is a spider.

Yes, you read that right. The scribble is that of an abstract spider. It has the fat body, and it is not round, it is oblong. and each side has four legs, but the legs are all joined, not like the “pen” was not lifted and was not drawn straight back to the body…so the legs were drawn more like V shapes for each one, except the first and last ones on each side.

Now, I did not draw this on myself. Nor did my parents, nor my grandmother. It just appeared. I have no clue at all where this came from. It is so weird.

And what is even funnier, is that every time my cat saw it, she kept pawing at it, trying to knock it off, as if it were a spider on me. In fact, she kept coming back to it, like “Mom! get it off you!”

This is the first time Galock has ever inked me with a brand. I didn’t know I needed it. It is not like I have been ignoring my craft…in fact, lately, I have been writing more than I ever have… *snicker*

Do your craft

2009-11-18T17:30:00.001-07:00

I thought I would come in with some words... Dominick was to post his blog tonight…but I booted him away so I could blog about this…

So here goes…

I want you all to keep creating...whatever your form of expression is, and whatever your level is. Be it a word or two or a scribbled drawing that you are embarrassed to show anyone else...to epic novels, paintings, or whatever else it may be.

for me, writing is my entire existence. and I mean that. it is not an exaggeration. If it were not for my writing, I would not be here today. I do not mean that I would have taken my life...My life would have taken me. What I mean by that is this...my health at one point was so bad that I had nothing. nothing at all. I slept 18-20 hours a day. I would wake to eat and then write for a few, then I would read for a few, then I would go back to sleep. that was the sum total of my existence. If it were not for the writing, I would not even have done that much. I did that for years. at least five. perhaps more. I do not know.

Then one day I woke. I woke and thought. I want to write. I stayed up a little longer. I tired easy, and went to bed. but I stayed up longer that day. I did that for several days. I was exhausted. I went back to sleep. Then after going back to my old routine, I woke again. I stayed awake even longer this time. then I slept again. it took quite some time to get my energy back. but it was all because of my writing. how long? 6 years. the exact amount of time it took to write my book Judgment at Witches Court of course, I did not seek to get it published right away...but it is what saved me. it is also part of the reason why I have such a hard time even looking at the book now. but it saved me. it saved my life.

If it wasn't for that book wanting to be written, I would have let sleep take me and eventually the few hours that I was awake, wouldn't have happened. eventually I never would have woke at all.

Since then, things have constantly gotten better...it has been a daily struggle. and some days have been a lot worse, and some days...some weeks...some months...have been a backwards slide and I did not think I would make it...but I have persevered.

Of course, Judgment was not my first book...but it was the book that woke me. and since then, I have been awake. there have been times that I have almost slid back to sleep...figuratively and literally...but always, my writing, my craft, has pulled me through.

Writing has saved my life, my sanity and my soul many times over. and because of it, it is my life, my sanity and my soul. It may sound hokey, but it is the truth.

So, do your craft. whatever it takes, do your craft. Even if you never want to share it with anyone...even if you think you have no talent...do your craft. You will be amazed at what it will do for your entire being.

the “new” AP Report…Now Tiresome Term Tip-of (TTTo) - Authoring

2009-11-18T09:16:00.001-07:00

If you read my last blog “What’s been going on,” you were already aware of the name change…if not, then you are probably a little confused…then again, if you are a frequent reader, or friend of mine, then nothing I do really confuses or surprises you. Because you know I change my mind frequently LOL

Yes, we have a new title for this blog series. The AP Report is dead and in it’s place the Tiresome Term Tip-of…or TTTo…has been born. The reason for the name change is this…I forgot that there is already a pretty big name news outfit by a similar abbreviation, Associated Press, and I did not want to be “associated” with them. LOL. So, I renamed this series to the TTTo. I kinda like it better anyway.

On to the Tiresome Term…

Authoring.

I am authoring this blog.

Not.

I am writing this blog.

I don’t author anything.

I am a author.

get it straight.

this has bugged me for a while now. You don’t author a story, you write a story. you don’t author a book, you write a book. And yes, I am aiming this at all of the writers out there that have referred to themselves in this term. If you cannot even use this correctly, then what the hell are you doing writing? *shakes head sadly* It is a very sad commentary on your writing ability if you cannot even refer to your professional status correctly.

Picture this. walking into the publishing house, or more accurately anymore, writing in to them, and saying “I have authored a novel I think you would absolutely love to publish!” If I were the publisher, the proverbial door would be slammed in your face so fast you would get a wind burn, at the very least.

I can just see all of the English, and grammar teachers out there just cringing in disgust at that usage. Now, granted, I am not the best example of using proper grammar. I bet I write and say things that would make people cringe in fear and loathing…but at least I don’t say that I author anything. Even I draw the line at that.

“Choose Your Own Adventure” books

2009-11-15T08:25:00.001-07:00

Do you remember the “Choose Your Own Adventure” books? Oh I do. I loved those books. My favorite was The Magic of the Unicorn by Deborah Lerme Goodman. I devoured that one every chance I got…and still occasionally read it. I am amazed I still have it, and that it is still in good condition with how much I did read it.

I always have had aspirations to write my own “Choose your own adventure,” and at one point my brothers and I attempted to do so…but either it is harder than we thought, or we were going about it completely wrong…because we gave up the idea quickly. I am betting we went about it wrong.

In fact, now that I am awake and writing this blog, I am positive we did it wrong. ROFLMOA

Okay, the process we attempted to write it in when we were children…

1) write a page
2) put a random page number at the bottom of the page
3) continue the story on that random page number
4) put a different random page number
5) continue the story on that next random page
6) and so on and so forth

you get the idea. by the time we were about ten pages in, we were so confused.

now that I am awake, and coherent, and thinking back to then and thinking about the books now, knowing more about the publishing process…not that I am an expert by any means…

I am betting it is more coherent…it is more you write the story, write an alternate endings, then jumble the pages. LOL. Of course, I may be slightly wrong still…but I bet the second way is more accurate than how we attempted it as children!

but thinking about the “Choose Your Own Adventure!” books, I bet they are a complete blast on the eReaders…they are fun in the paper version…being able to flip between the pages to get to where you need to go…forwards and backwards. But with the eReaders, they would be a virtual haven for these type of books. I would not be surprised to see them make a big comeback. I would love it. they are so fun to read.

I know I would get a new copy of The Magic of the Unicorn to go on the eReader—when I eventually get one—though I would still retain my paperback version.

what’s been going on

2009-11-14T09:01:00.001-07:00

busy week…kinda-sorta

I am hoping to post this on Friday, but my internet was exceeded on our “Fair access policy” when we didn’t even download anything, so we had a downgraded, so if it doesn’t get to be posted until Saturday, then that is why.

last weekend, my oldest brother and his family were here, and so all writing got put on hold during that visit. sorry. I don’t get to see them much, even though they only live 2 hours away. Then on Monday and Tuesday, I had such a long to-do list that all writing still was on hold. I did do some work that was writing related, but actual writing, no go. Then on Wednesday and Thursday I came down with a fever and could not concentrate at all, so no go on anything. and today, (Friday), I am going to write. I am bound and determined. But in between that writing, I am going to write some blogs that were put off, though, odds are, they are not going to be posted until Saturday, and I am also going to be working on a roast and making made-from-scratch brownies for my dad’s 59th.

I still am not feeling well. My tummy problems just keep escalating. I was supposed to go to my GI doctor on Thursday, but with the fever, I didn’t go in. So, I need to reschedule with him, see what we can do to get my tummy digesting a little better. the pills I was taking seem to have stopped working. I have a feeling that the feeding tube scenario is getting closer than we were thinking it was….hopefully not, but I have a feeling it is. But, my way of thinking…if it is, and it will make me comfortable and get me the nutrition that I am lacking, then maybe it is something we should start looking seriously into.

so, now onto the blogs…first the AP Report blog. I was thinking…I love doing it. Sure, I am a bit sporadic with it. but one thing that needs to change is the name…I completely forgot that there is something already similar…AP…Annoying Phrases = mine…AP…Associate Press = not mine LOL. and while that could be good for me, I don’t want to step on any toes, and I want to be a bit unique. so I am changing the name…again. Trying on a new personality for that title…so, I am going to try out…Tiresome Term Tip-off or the TTTo. I actually kinda like it ;)

the other thing is the character blogs. I am quite enjoying them…a little too much. I am forgetting myself a little too much in them. almost letting too much information go in them. So the first thing that is going to change is…they are not going to be posted to every day. the second thing is they are going to rotate. one day will be say Shashanna’s. Then maybe Dominick’s. Then Maybe Rita’s. Then Maybe Shashanna’s again, or Allorana’s. Then Missy’s. You get the picture. And I will be a little more circumspect about what they talk about…maybe more about their past. more about their feelings…more about their society/town’s. but not so much as to what might relate to the actual story. Especially in regards to Missy, Dominick and Rita. I do quite enjoy those three’s back and forth, and I will keep that going…and eventually I might bring them on Twitter…maybe. It all depends. what it mostly depends on is the hours. Where Missy and Dom are vampire’s, it is a bit difficult for me to keep to their hours LOL

Anyway, that is what I wanted to discuss today. I will try to post this later, if not, you will see it Saturday ;)

busy busy

2009-11-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

so, I have been super busy lately with writing, have I not?

on top of the other character blogs, I added a blog for Rita from Into the Forest and Underhill it is www.ritahut.blogspot.com

I have been keeping a bit quiet this past weekend as my brother and his family were up and also, my tummy issues have been flared up. those are going to be addressed at the doctor on Thursday…nothing unusual for me though. it was nice to see my brother and family. It was very nice torturing my nieces.

yes, I said torturing. for instance, my youngest niece (11), jokingly asked me, “where’d you find me?” (she should know better than to ask me a question like that. So, I responded “I found you in the dumpster.” Her jaw dropped open and she gasped. I said “Do you want to know how I found you in the dumpster?” She got a suspicious look on her face and asked “How?” (another thing she should know by now…don’t encourage me further.) I said “The stench!” she started to hit me and I, of course, had to repeat it to her sister and then her mother…who both cracked up laughing. It was priceless.

Never, never encourage me unless you want to pay the price. it is not often I am not able to come up with snappy comments, and it is even less often I am not willing to make them. I am not saying I am always *good* at the snappy comments. sometime is know I am going to be making a bonehead mistake when I say it, before it is out of my mouth, but it comes out anyway. LOL.

but, anyway, I got sidetracked. My nieces always do that to me. It is just too much fun torturing them.

In the next couple of days, I will be updating my website with the blog links and a few other things. My oldest niece found some places in Mu Mysteries where words or sentences had been eaten…so I will be making a few adjustments and re-uploading it…again. That’s what I get for using a new program and not going back and verifying. that was my mistake, but I got in a hurry. I will also be updating Facebook with some information.

I have a few other things I need to do…like get started on the promotion and marketing plan for Into the Forest and also work on getting some reviews for Judgment at Witches Court and also Into the Forest. It is still several months till the release of Forest, but it is getting close enough that it is getting crunch time for this type of thing…and I promised myself, I would do better on being proactive toward it than I was with Judgment.

So, busy busy busy LOL.

Tonight. rest. rest. rest. see if I can get my tummy to cooperate. doubt it will. don’t know what the doc will be able to do. but…who knows.

Tomorrow, I start being even more busy.

AP Report - “It’s That Time of Year Again!”

2009-11-05T18:59:00.001-07:00

Hello, and welcome again to the AP Report. And there you have another old and worn out phrase, right? LOL

Sorry about the slight delay in this week’s AP Report. I done tired my brain out yesterday. So, I beg your forgiveness and give you the pleasure of reading it tonight. I hope it’s a pleasure anyway *wink wink*

Ok, that made me feel like a sleazy car salesman! …ummm no offense to any car salesman who might be reading this ROFLMAO

on the the Report before I get myself into trouble tonight!

tonight’s special little winner is…”It’s That Time of Year Again!”

Ok, what time of year? We hear this phrase all throughout the year. Most notably during the holiday’s; especially in the US of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Then we hear it perhaps with Valentines for the men to buy their women--and sometimes visa-versa, though not always--something oh-so-purty! Also for Easter--though this one is a little rarer. Then it erupts big time once again for…. give me a T! give me a A and a X! give me a S. E. A. and a S. O. N. what does that spell? TAX SEASON! **waves the pom-poms wildly in the air.**

Did you enjoy my little cheerleader routine? Please, I beg of you, Please do not tell me if you pictured me in a cheerleading outfit. Because if you did, I will have to hurt you. Unless you made me look petite and pretty…then…well…no. I would still have to hurt you. Just on the principle of the matter LOL.

Then it quiets down through the rest of the year until it hits the holidays again. But, come on. We hear it plenty. and we hear it yearly. It does not get cuter each year. No, it makes me dread it. And I can pretty much set my calendar by it. no…not my calendar. it is worse than that. I can pretty much set my clock by it.

And you know what is worse? when I read it in a book or elsewhere. Oh, yes, I have. I cannot remember just where, but I do recall that i have read it in a book. Will the guilty party please step forward so I do not have to hunt up the book and point fingers, because on this little number, if I recalled where it was, I would have pointed the finger. There is no excuse for this one to be perpetuated in on TV, on the radio, in the ads, let alone in a book. I about died.

It has been years since I read the book that it was in, but…yeah. I about died.

Who will join me in my new crusade to get this phrase banned? LOL. *ponders the wisdom and energy it would take to actually form a group on Facebook about this…* naaaw wouldn’t be worth the energy, and the inanity would probably be lost in the shuffle of all the groups there. but it was a pleasant thought for the brief glorious second that it was there. ;-)

AP Report, writing, and blog accounts

2009-11-04T18:48:00.001-07:00

First, the AP Report is postponed until tomorrow. I am wiped. Today has been a busy day for me. I didn’t realize I would get so much accomplished!

I hope you don’t mind that I won’t do the AP report tonight…I figure one more day won’t hurt you LOL.

So, I did a tremendous amount of writing today…tremendous for me that is. I did 9 pages….4332 words in Underhill. I am impressed with myself. Other than Halloween night, when I wrote almost 8000 words (and that was spread throughout the entire day), it has been a long time since I have written that much. and that much was written in just a couple of hours. Maybe 3 at the most. So, yeah, I could have done more, but…my brain was getting fuzzy from lack of food. and where my tummy is not digesting well today….lack of food is not easily solved today.

So, I have some good news…for you. it will be a little extra work for me. I have created some character blogs. Two for Mu Mysteries and two for Into the Forest/Underhill.

The two for Mu Mysteries are for Shashanna and Allorana and they are www.priestessshashanna.blogspot.com and www.allorana.blogspot.com

and the two for Into the Forest/Underhill are for Missy and Dominick. Missy’s is www.missycraven.blogspot.com and Dominick’s is www.vampiredominick.blogspot.com

Each already have their first blog’s up…so you can wander over there and enjoy them already ;-) LOL.

As for me, I think I am going to go to get off here and take my nighttime pills…see if I can get my body to quit yelling at me. Read a little…possibly go to bed, or see if I come back in here to work a little more. Who knows. But definitely time for a break. This will be the last you actually see me tonight though. So…goodnight!

P.S. don’t look for any twitter accounts from them any time soon…I doubt very much I will do that…unless they push me to ROFLMAO. I think they are enjoying this a little too much. Especially Missy and Dom.

blog updated

2009-11-02T16:05:00.001-07:00

well lookee here!

wow-ee! fancy!

Ok, maybe not so much LOL.

But i did update some of the information, some of the look, and I did add the ability to add comments and a couple of other things. So the blog is a little more interactive. I may be adding some other things at a later date…it depends on how slow it makes it to load when I play with it. For now, this is fine LOL.

I may also change the colors later as well…we will see. I also may be adding a picture of Cedric soon….He is feeling left out of the blog. Oh, and Galock…you know, my giant spidery muse. But, I have to create a picture of him first LOL.

For now, I hope you enjoy the new look!

life and computers

2009-11-02T14:55:00.001-07:00

If only life could be like a computer and the internet.

Think about it. Restart buttons. Ignore. Refresh. Delete. Save. Undo. Redo. Shutdown.

All those handy little buttons that make computing so easy (ignoring the frustrating bit LOL)

Wouldn't it be so nice...oops, I made a mistake. I think I will *undo* that. Oh no, that was better the other way....Redo!

Oh no, I don't like how this conversation is going....Ignore!

Ohhh look! I like how this is! Save this!

Ut oh. I. Am. Getting. Ti.re.d. REFRESH!

I am through. Done. Finished. Shut me down.

See how many different ways this can be used? Wouldn't it be nice to have some of the buttons of a computer? And no...I am not saying I want to be a 'doid ROFL. Oh hell no. Though...there are days that I don't care for being human, I don't want to be a 'droid either. No, I would just like to have the convenience of some of the buttons ;)

Maybe have a shortcut bar ;) *snicker*

Ch.4 Mu Mysteries

2009-11-01T13:13:00.001-07:00

Chapter 4 of Mu Mysteries is now uploaded. I promised I would have it uploaded on the 1st, and I was actually able to keep this promise. It makes me feel good when I can keep a promise of this kind. It really surprised me when I was able to complete chapter 4 in time (and actually with time to spare) to have it ready on it’s schedule where Ch. 3 was so late…and being such a brat. Now, hopefully the rest of the chapters will cooperate this well LOL.

I am working on Underhill this afternoon, but I am hoping after dinner I will be able to put in a little on Mu Mysteries. it all depends. Yesterday was a busy day…something I was not used to…and it actually proved a little something to me. That I still have it in me to perform well under pressure. I actually wrote almost 8000 words yesterday…that is a record…something I haven’t done in a long time. It may not seem like a lot, but for me, it is. When you take into consideration my arthritis in my shoulders, hands and back…it is actually quite something. I am quite proud of myself. maybe, I can start pushing myself a little more. maybe, I am babying myself a little too much. I don’t know, but it is worth looking in too. meanwhile, enjoy ch. 4!

What Hides in…the Fog #20

2009-10-31T21:12:00.001-06:00

I walked along the road, and it took a while, but a car eventually came. It stopped, and they were going to take off when they saw me, but I convinced them that I needed help. Still, they wouldn't let me ride with them. Not that I blamed them. No, not really.

They *did* call the cops, who brought an ambulance with them, who took me to the hospital. At first they didn't believe me, but when I had them call my boss, who explained to them why I had been sent to the town, they sent someone there to check it out...who found bite-boy.

The state did some testing on the water, and found some very strange things and quarantined the whole area, plus some. Who know what will happen?

As for bite-boy and me? We have been committed. Bite-boy, it is not so surprising. Not really surprising for me either.

I have some good days; they have me on some medication that helps. But, there are days that I *need* those restraints, when the fog is my best friend and the skin...oh, the skin, must come off. Those days are bad. Those days I yell and scream. I can hear bite-boy echoing me as he, too, wants to rip and tear at his own skin. But these restraints do not let us.

On my lucid days, I fear for the future of that area. I don't think they are going to contain whatever it is that is in the soil. One day it is going to spread, and heaven help those it contaminates...especially if it spreads to a large city....

The End

I hope you enjoyed this story…I had fun writing it. and, I think it may have sparked an idea for a full-length story in the future. We will have to see, but I definitely had fun writing it. It has been a long time since I have written this much in a single day. :)

What Hides in…the Fog #19

2009-10-31T20:57:00.001-06:00

Running. I ran for hours, until I couldn't run any more.

When I couldn't run any more, I walked.

When I couldn't run any more, I crawled.

The typical horror story escape. But I had to get as far away as I could. Though, no matter how far I went, the fog stayed with me. I don't think I would ever rid myself of this fog. At least, not until I rid myself of the influence of the water...maybe not even then. Maybe the effects of the water are permanent. I don't know. All I know is I am covered with bleeding wounds. Wounds from the trees and rocks...and wounds from my teeth.

I couldn't move another inch. I collapsed. The night was almost over. I had run all that day and most that night. I am exhausted. Maybe some wild creature will come by and end my torture, though I had not seen or heard any...any living creature that is.

But, by this time, I knew no more. I lapsed into unconsciousness.

When I regained it, I have no clue how much time had passed. The sun was high in the sky, but is it the next day, or is it the day after? I don't know. I feel so weak. I need nourishment, but I don't dare eat or drink anything from this region...if I will ever dare eat or drink anything remains to be seen...I have to get away from *here* first.

Climbing unsteadily to my feet, I stumble into an uneasy walk, then I gain my balance enough to run again.

After running for a while, I suddenly come across the road. Not the road I had driven yesterday, but the main highway. Hopefully, I will be able to get a ride from here to some city for help...

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…the Fog #18

2009-10-31T20:25:00.001-06:00

God! How horrible! I stumble to my feet and pushing past bite-boy, I run out of the door.

I can hear his maniacal laughter follow me as I trip my up the multitude of stairs, eventually coming out of the church into the sunlight.

Sunlight!

I throw my arm over my eyes.

Had I been down there that long? I know I had not been down there all night, because I had spent part of the night above, but I did not realize I had spent the rest of the night below ground. And the sun. God! The sun! It hurt my eyes.

Carefully lowering my arm, I squinted. Maybe my eyes will get used to it. Whatever that water did, it made things unbearable.

But, even now, I can feel the light easing. It does not hurt so much. Maybe it was because I was in such a dim light all night. Yes. That is it.

I must calm myself. Still, that hideous light radiated off my skin, regardless of the light, and I can still see the fog, that beautiful fog with the creatures cavorting deep within it.

And that urge to bite and tear my skin was overwhelming.

I have to get out of here and to civilization. I must...and get warning about the water. Because if it is here, what if it is in other places?

But, how am I to get out of here? Even if I make it to my car, it doesn't run any more, and it is hundreds of miles to the nearest town...

And still, I can hear bite-boys maniacal laughter echoing in the recesses of my mind. Always laughing. Always calling "My preciousssss."

I have to get out of here!

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…the Fog #17

2009-10-31T20:04:00.001-06:00

So, it *is* the water. I thought as I stare at fascination at both my skin and the blood running on my skin. I wonder if I would have torn at myself first if he hadn't had attacked me.

He started that maniacal cackle again.

"Welcome." He cackled "Welcome."

I growled at him, and he stopped cackling only long enough to briefly growl back.

Then the fog. The fog moved. I saw it clearly. It was beautiful. Yes, it was tinged red like I had first seen it, but there were so many other colors in it. And the animals it had formed? Even when it was formless, they were still there, deep in it. There. Always there. It came at me. Chittering and chattering. The squirrels gamboling and playing, running over my feet. The birds landing on my arms. There were no larger animals in this portion of the fog. They couldn't fit down here, but the smaller animals, oh yes. I could see them. They are beautiful. And now they didn't hesitate to touch me, though, I don't feel a thing.

Is it of my mind? I don't know anymore. A bird *landed* on my hand, drawing my attention to it. I lifted my hand slightly and the bird flew off. I didn't feel a thing, but I wasn't paying attention to the bird either.

It was my hand I cared about. Always my hand.

I lifted it. The light shining off it was...odd. not beautiful. Not like the fog. It was hideous. I wanted it off me. I tried scraping it with my other hand.

Ewww. It was there too. No! All over me! Where is the beautiful fog? Maybe it can cover this hideousness.

The fog. Yes. The fog. I look around. It is around me, but it is not covering it. I have to get it off me!

Maybe I can chew it off. Yes! I can try that.

I lift my hand to my mouth and bite. I bite as hard as I can, trying to chew the flesh off. The pain doesn't matter. I need to get that flesh off.

Then a flash of sanity.

I jerk my hand out of my mouth and spit the blood out.

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…the Fog #16

2009-10-31T19:40:00.001-06:00

"Drink!" He shouts it...no, he roars it. It is beyond a shout.

"Ok, ok. I will drink." It's not like I will get out of here alive anyway. I think to myself with dark humor.

Downing the water in the canister, I grimace at the bitter taste. Well water, and not too fresh.

I wonder...I drank the bottled water earlier, and that was when I started seeing the fog. I wonder if the water was bottled locally. And if so, I wonder what the well water will do. Because if the bottled water is causing the hallucination of the fog...

Mentally shrugging, I settle down for a long talk with bite-boy. Yeah. Long talk. More like long silence.

"Who are you?" I ask.

Silence. Or rather, babble...it is the same as silence, really. Being from the city, you are used to all sorts of babble. It all becomes a sort of silence...and that is what this is.

"What happened here?"

Babble/silence.

Ok. So this isn't working. The only time I got a reaction was with the pictures, though I didn't particularly feel like being attacked. Yet...

Looking at the bite wounds all over the bite-boy, there was a strange fascination with them that wasn't there earlier, if I was being honest with myself.

But, when have I *ever* been honest with myself?

I moved to stand and bite-boy's gaze sharpened on me.

I stood and walked closer to his picture stash, and he began to growl. I growled back.

What. The. Hell?

That was strange.

Brushing it off, I bent to pick up a picture, and I saw bite-boy jerk to fly at me again, but I met him half-way.

Ripping and tearing at eat other with our mouths.

I fling him away and back toward the wall, wiping his blood off with my hand. He crouched down, staring and growling at me.

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…the Fog #15

2009-10-31T19:21:00.001-06:00

As I reached for the photo, I heard a god-awful screech. I looked up, dropped the picture I had just touched and barely had time to brace myself for the attack.

Bite-boy landed against me with such force, I was knocked back against the wall. Again the breath was knocked out of me as he landed a painful hit with his bone elbow to my already bruised ribs. As I tried in vain to get my breath, he bit my cheek as hard as he could. I could feel the flesh tear and the blood pours down. Pushing him off before he could actually rip a chuck of meat off, I could get my arms up in time to brace myself for the next attack.

He swooped in, mouth gaping wide. He didn't try to gouge me with his hands, in fact, they virtually hung limp at his sides. He leapt at me with his legs, guiding himself like a missile with them. His teeth snapping open and closed. I had never seen anything like it.

Fortunately, I had enough strength to keep him off.

Something about it broke through to him, and he started throwing things at me. This is actually the first I had seen him use his arms. Huh. They aren't useless after all.

Shaking my head to get myself out of the daze, I dodge and weave to avoid his missiles. And do fairly well. That is, u one hits me in the face. Oh, that smarted. It hit with enough force it put me on my rear.

And he laughed. He actually laughed. Granted, it was not a comforting laugh. Not even a friendly laugh. It is a raise-the-hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck insane laugh. I looked around for what hit me. A canister of...what is that? I sniff it...water?

"Drink."

Startled, I look at him. The first coherent words out of him. Will wonders never cease?

"Drink. Talk."

Talk? Hmmm...possibilities.

"How about we talk, and I drink later?" I would much prefer *not* to drink...

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…the Fog #14

2009-10-31T19:02:00.001-06:00

The...person...and I stared at each other in shock. I don't know what he thought of me, but I sure was not expecting...him.

He was human, that was evident. And he was a survivor. I guess the authorities did *not* clear them all out. He was young. Perhaps in his early twenties, and completely covered in bite marks. Some are old, the white scar tissue barely discernable. But some so fresh they still bled. Obviously, he has lost his mind.

"Prescioussssss. What isssss he?"

"Your mother read you a little too much Hobbit before you went insane?" I asked casually. Not really expecting an answer.

He hissed at me, showing his blood and gore speckled teeth. His teeth so thick with it, they were blackened. The saliva dribbled pink down his chin.

"So," I said, walking closer to him...though no *too* close. I'm not stupid enough to get in grabbing or biting range. "You have been here for fifteen years. You were just a child when it all happened. What *did* happen. Can you tell me?"

More hissing. He turned as I walked past him, but not much else.

I could feel my stomach clenching. But not from fear. I was actually getting a little hungry. Stupid to think of food at a time like this. But I haven't eaten for so long, all I took time for earlier was one of those bottles of water...and it didn't taste too bad. A little stale.

I pushed the hunger aside.

"I thought the injuries were self-inflicted. Did you know, they thought it was vampires or werewolves that killed your town?"

The man started babbling, but I didn't understand a single word he said, so I continued walking around. There were a few bits and pieces from around the town. Mostly, I saw skeletons from forest creatures. I really wondered at that "fog." But that is something to worry about in a bit. This boy-man was the problem right now. I cast a look at him, but he had gone back to dancing around and babbling at the fog. Since he was ignoring me, I continued looking around. I came upon a stash of photos. I bent to pick one up.

And that was my mistake.

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…the Fog #13

2009-10-31T18:31:00.001-06:00

Still no answer, just the incessant hissing.

This is annoying. I thought, half-amused. Better amused than admit that I was a touch scared. I never did handle fear well.

I continue to walk to the door. I have no clue what to expect. This town is supposed to be deserted. Of course, any vagrant could have settled here. I have no clue what they did for food or water, but it is possible that *someone* could live here. There are no reports of it, and according to the survivors, no one stayed behind when they fled. They said everyone was accounted for.

Also, when the authorities came and collected bodies, they did a thorough search, and they said they had collected everyone, alive and dead.

So who this was, I had no clue.

Finally, to the door, I took one last breath around my aching ribs. Just what I had needed, to have an injury when I may have needed to fight. I hope not fight. I am a runner. Usually. As evident by my half-ass attempt to flee earlier. I *would* have fled if I had anywhere to go.

No use worrying about either of those now.

I braced myself. Though, for what, I really had no clue.

Stepping around the open doorway I faced the person waiting for me.

I had been right to brace myself. I had not been prepared.

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…the Fog #12

2009-10-31T18:09:00.001-06:00

Still clutching my stomach, I slowly make my way toward that faint light. I didn't know what to expect, I didn't know if they knew if I was here. I didn't even know if there was more than one of them. I suspected it was only one. All I could hear was one cackle...well, one *person* cackle. I heard many cackles.

The closer I got, the brighter the light became. I could see that there was another room. And that there must have been several candles...the light was flickering too crazily for a single wick. As I got closer,

I saw the shadow on the wall.

I stopped. The fog next to me did *not.* it continued its way into the room.

"Preciousssssssss! My Preciousssssss."

I laughed. I couldn't help it. It was too Gollum-eque. Straight from The Hobbit. Couldn't this person have thought of something other that *that* to call this fog?

Regardless, my laugh had caught this person's attention. It was hissing. Yes, hissing.

So, first we have Gollum, now we have a snack, huh? Am I to expect a snack goblin to come erupting out of the room? Shaking my head I continued on to the room. Guess my reason for secrecy is over.

"I know you know I am here." I call out.

No response except the increase of the hissing. Still, I walk toward the opening. I could detect no movement from the person. I won't even say man, because I don't know. The voice *was* deep, but it was hard to tell if it was a male or a female voice.

In the light reflected on the wall, I could see the faintness of the fog shifting. Strange how out in the open it had seemed so large, even upstairs it had seemed so. But down here, it seemed much smaller. It is as if it can compact itself.

"Who are you?" I try again.

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…The Fog #11

2009-10-31T17:54:00.001-06:00

I followed the fog through a door in the back behind the altar. I expected to go into the priest's office, but we didn't. Sure, there was a door leading into what I assumed would be his office, but there were two other doors as well. Both hanging open. One led up to what I assumed would lead to the spire and subsequently, the bell. The other leading down. There must be a cellar down there. That is where the fog went.

It is strange to follow a fog. Especially to follow a fog that goes to specific locations and doesn't spread itself everywhere.

I laughed as the fog pushed itself against the wall in an attempt to avoid touching me. I never thought to encounter a neurotic fog before.

Down we went. Further than I thought we would go.

Down and down. The steps did not lead straight down, no, they twisted upon themselves at various spots, and they were steep.

The deeper they went, the darker and more oppressive it got. I would have expected to feel a spider web against my face or arms...but there were none. Further indication that this building alone was still used. For what purpose still remained to be seen. I could no longer see the fog. But I could still hear it. It is very strange to hear woodland creatures right next to me. If it were not for the fact of the steps beneath my feet and the railing I desperately clutched as I descended, I would have thought I was in the forest.

Without warning, the ground evened out beneath me. It did so with such abruptness that I stumbled. If I had not had hold of the railing, I think I would have landed on the ground...probably on my face. As it, I swung around into the said railing with such force I was winded.

Stumbling back, clutching my stomach, I gasp, trying to get my breath back. The fog sounded angrier than ever, yet I don't recall touching it yet. One of these times I *will* touch it. I silently vow as I wheeze.

Looking around, at first I don't see anything. But then, a faint...something. A cackle. Wait. A cackle? Yup. This place has definitely gotten to me. Who cackles in this day and age? And is that candle light?

There *is* someone here!

(to be continued…)

(now we are re-caught back up, I will continue the story…;))

What Hides in…the Fog #10

2009-10-31T17:52:00.001-06:00

Walking in, I see the pews, while dusty, hold very little of it, so little, you can see the gleam of the wood underneath. You can see that they have recently seen the police of wax. You can also see that the floors have also seen the same wax. Well, maybe not the same kind, but waxing as well. I have no clue what kind of wax goes on what. I don't care. My point is, someone has been housecleaning here, and it has been recently.

The angry animal noises, and noisome fog curls around me through the door I left open, yet it doesn't touch me. Surprising, that.

Dismissing it as unimportant now that I know that it cannot harm me (I refuse to entertain the possibility that it will not, not cannot), I walk further into the church, halting halfway down the aisle. I rub at the polished pew with my hand as I consider where to go. Up, or to the back.

The fog makes up my mind for me.

It curls its way (it is no longer in the shape of animals anymore. Once I had left the house, those shapes had reformed back into the almost liquid form of this shifting mass.) Where was I? Oh yes, it curls its way toward the back of the church.

I follow it. Well, not so much as follows as walk with it. I would be walking *in* it, but it refuses to touch me. It makes me wonder if I had not run from it in the house, what would have happened there? It makes me wonder a lot of things.

According to the survivor report...everything started with the fog.

But back to now. With the fog semi-guiding me, yet trying to avoid touching me...I wondered at the whole madness. Just what in the world is going on?

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…the Fog #9

2009-10-31T17:51:00.001-06:00

Now that I have rationally determined that these are both an auditory and a visual hallucination, how the hell am I supposed to fight it...and what is causing it? Especially to have given it to a whole town all those years ago.

There has to be a cause somewhere.

I look around the town, and realize that I have not explored the church yet. There probably isn't anything there, but I have to explore every possibility.

Ignoring the fog, I walk in the direction of the spire.

To get to the church, I have to walk close to the fog...a little too close for my comfort, but I am determined not to fear it. It is ridiculous to fear it. I tell myself.

As I get close to it, I reach out and touch it. Just to prove to myself that it is harmless. But as I reach out to it, it shrinks away from *me.*

Yeah...fearsome, that.

Laughing at it, I continue on my way to the church. Closely followed by the animal noises, sounding angry this time.

Looking over my shoulder, I can see the fog is following me at its more leisurely pace. Yes, there is definitely something about this that is created more from the mind than from something paranormal or supernatural.

Or so I will keep telling myself until it is proven otherwise.

I walk to the church and push the door open. The first door I have found that had remained unlocked.

And, unlike the other doors, it did not squeal as I push the door open. Now this is an intriguing development. Why would this door remain smooth and the others not? I don't think God cares for the building despite what the clergy claim...at least, not to the extreme of keeping the hinges oiled.

Walking in, I see other clues that this building is not as abandoned as the others...

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…The Fog #8

2009-10-31T17:49:00.001-06:00

Hearing a noise, I turn toward the door, the front door, that is. Though, there is nothing there. The door is still closed tight. But the noise. The noise is getting louder. It is the incessant sound of the woodland creatures. Am I going insane in this lonely deserted town with its nightmarish history?

It is a possibility.

For a surely as I am kneeling on this dusty vinyl flooring, I am hearing something that is not there. I can hear the chattering of squirrels, the squawking of birds. Even the hissing of some sort of forest cat. Yet...I see nothing. Then, the first tendrils of fog forming together. But not in the typical tendrils of fog...however bloody-looking this fog is, no, this fog is forming into the shape of the animals. Squirrels, birds, a bobcat...I slam the door shut before I can see any further.

I shove the towels under the door, knowing it is probably futile. I run to the window. Outside I see the fog-shapes of deer and bear. I break the glass and regardless of the shards, I shove my body through. I can outrun the fog in its tendril form...but in its animal form...I don't know, but I have to try. Some of the people got away...but they may have been let go.

I ran.

Then I stopped. I didn't get far; I wasn't even out of the town. The fog was hanging around the house I had left, completely surrounding it, but it was slowly leaving it. Drifting this way and that, as if searching.

Where was *I* going though. I don't know the area. I don't know how far the fog extends. I don't have any supplies. According to the map, there are not any other towns for hundreds of miles. It was a miracle the people got away did manage to get away. This is ridiculous running.

Besides, the medical reports on the bodies found showed *human* teeth on the bodies. *self*-inflicted wounds. Not even wounds caused by others, but by their owners. Some of the bodies were drained of blood. But there was enough blood around that it is possible they had wandered around until they drained themselves. There is *nothing* suggesting that anything supernatural did it.

But what is with the fog...it *has* to be a hallucination. It *has* to be. Which means...it is harmless.

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…the Fog #7

2009-10-31T17:48:00.001-06:00

Running into the nearest house, I looked around for the best location to hide. At first I thought of the closet. And in fact, I did head in the direction, but if it came to fighting (though what I might have to fight, I had no clue), there wouldn't be any room. Though, I did look in there for any possible weapons. And luck be mine, there was a baseball bat. *somebody* was looking after me, after all...or was prolonging my death for their amusement.

Thinking about where to hide, I tried not to think about what might be out there. If anything. Wouldn't it be the biggest cosmic joke if I was doing this over nothing?

Looking around the house, I saw the perfect room. The bathroom. Big enough I could maneuver around in, it had a window that was (barely) big enough I could escape out of if I had to, but small enough that I could defend it and the door. I could shove towels around both to *try* to keep the fog out, yet I could keep them open to watch for the attack...if it comes. And the bathroom door might actually lock, though I won't count on it being a *good* lock.

Going back to the front door, I saw the fog had actually made significant progress toward the house. And strange enough, it looked like it was actually *aiming* for the house. Huh. A fog with intelligence? Yeah right. More like, there is a breeze blowing it in my direction...though...I can't *feel* a breeze.

Even stranger is I can still *hear* the creatures...the squirrels and the birds. At least I assume it is just squirrels. How the hell do I know? I have never seen them before. But that is the point, I still can't see them. I can hear them, but I can't see them, yet they sound like they are close. Maybe they are hidden in the fog. Maybe the fog brought them. I don't know, but it is getting creepier by the second.

Shutting the door, making it into another barrier. However feeble it is with its broken lock, I head for the bathroom. Leaving the bathroom door open I sit on the counter that is next to it.

While I wait, I stare around at the room. Except for the dust, it is fairly clean. There are the suspicious dark spots here as well. I don't dare look in the toilet. Luckily, I haven't had to go. Yet. I don't even want to entertain *that* possibility. I shudder at the mere thought.

Thanks to the dust, I cannot even tell the pattern of the wallpaper or vinyl flooring, let alone the color...but I *think* I can see a hint of flowers. Typical.

The mirror behind me has smears of faded red on it in the shape of a hand. I turn away, not wanting to think of how that got there.

Hopping down off the counter, I look in the cabinet for some towels...forgot to get those, I am going to need them to shove under the door.

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…the Fog #6

2009-10-31T17:47:00.001-06:00

I wandered the town for god only knows how long. The moon gave no indication. I never could tell time by the moon. All I knew was that my feet were incredibly sore from all the walking today. Through the woods and now through the town.

I half hoped my walking through the town would uncover some clues as to what happened all those years ago, but if there *were* clues, time had eaten them away. I *thought* I saw dark spots in some of the houses and buildings I broke in to that looked suspiciously like blood, but I am no expert.

Though it would collaborate with some of the survivor stories if it was.

Let's see. How did those ones go? I wish I had my notes.

It was something like the tales of vampires or werewolves...*something* coming and gnawing on the people, drinking their blood, ripping in to them. Who knows? They never *saw* anything other than the end result, and it *did* look like teeth, but nothing *pointed* like a vampires teeth. And nothing animal-like either. More human-like gnawing. As if in their fever, they had been gnawing on themselves. Which, is a possibility...the fever could have been producing hallucinations and odd behavior. The survivors could have been touched with it as well.

Though, nobody wanted to entertain that notion. All these years, they did not want to write it off to that. No, it has been speculation and rumors and fear.

Just my luck *I* got chosen to be the voice of reason.

Deciding enough is enough for the night, that nothing is going to happen, I turn to head back to the house. But as I near the center (yeah, some center) of town, I see the first tailings of the wisp of fog. A fog unlike any I had ever seen before...

This fog is not the brown fog of the city. It is not even the white fog I have seen in pictures that haunts the country and seaside...this fog is almost blood red. This is *not* right. What the hell?

It has got to be a trick of the light. Yeah. That is it. That and I have listened to too many stories about this place.

Then I hear the noise. Not howls of werewolves. Not insidious voices of vampires. Not the hiss of creeping fog. No, this is the chatter of woodland creatures. The chirps and cries of birds. The sounds I expected to hear as I walked through the trees earlier. Now this is definitely getting creepy. Not one building is secure thanks to me. Not the *entire* building that is. *but* I *can* hide in a single room. Yes, that is what I will do.

The question is, jut what *exactly* am I hiding from?

The woodland creatures don't *sound* threatening. They are making the sounds that you would expect them to make on a sunny day. It is just that they started making them when the fog appeared. And the fog...I can't lock the fog out...can I?

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…the Fog #5

2009-10-31T17:45:00.001-06:00

Moving to the front door, I try it. Locked. Why lock it? They abandoned the town. Oh well. Ah, a window. Picking up a branch, I break the window and use it to knock out the remaining glass. Climbing through the now empty frame, I enter the living room. Dust coated everything so thickly that I cannot even tell the color of anything, but the floor seems sound.

This will work.

I quickly look around the house for supplies and see that I am going to need some more. I go back to the "store" and make sure to grab some candles and matches while there. Nothing electrical, or battery operated seems to work. And surprisingly enough...the canned goods, and even some bottled water, still seems to be good. Even after fifteen years...I am not questioning *that* luck.

I head back to the house and prepare for true night to settle in.

Luckily, the wait is not long. There is nothing more boring the waiting in a lust laden empty town waiting for absolutely nothing to happen.

Because that is what I was sure would happen.

Nothing.

Tonight would be the fifteenth anniversary of the *illness* that took over the town. Let's see if it would repeat itself with me.

I laugh. Not that it would matter. Nobody would miss me. This is the last stop before I was to be fired. I have no family, No friends. I don't even have a dog or a goldfish. I have nothing.

So what if I might die.

My employer even told me not to bother coming back if I don't discover what happened here. So it is not like anybody will check if I survived here or not.

Silence. Never have I hated it so much.

Tired of staring at the walls, I move to the front door and stare outside. Not a hint of fog. Never had I been more certain that nothing was going to happen.

A walk would probably do me good. Get me away from these depressive thoughts. I wish I had had someone to bring with me, but there was no one. Besides, it is one thing to bring myself on a potentially suicidal mission, even if it is of the mundane type...it is another to bring someone else.

Grasping the door knob, I walk out and down to the road. Damn trees are everywhere. But still no hint of life.

I wonder if whatever killed the people all those years ago did something to the wildlife. But that couldn't be...the forest would be a lot different if that were the case...wouldn't it? Horticulturist I am not.

Shrugging my shoulders I walk through the dim light into the center of town. There are just enough stars and the moon is almost full and bright enough that there is enough to see.

The town looks even worse by the grey light of the moon. It emphasizes the shadows. Eerie.

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…the Fog#4

2009-10-31T17:44:00.001-06:00

...later...

Finally, I reach the village. And it is not much to look at. I don't think it would have been much to look at, even if there had been people here.

It is small. And I don't mean "Oh, look how small town cute it is!" I mean it is *small* One main street. One intersecting street and perhaps two or three small side streets. I was lucky to have seen this from the tree top. How it even made it on the map is anyone's guess. What made people want to live here in the first place?

The buildings are even small. I won't go into how run-down they are. That is to be expected; after all, as far as I know, no one has even driven through this town in fifteen years, let alone lived here.

Walking over to peer into a broken window, I see this building is supposed to be the store. You could have fooled me. There wasn't even a sign proclaiming it as such. Though, I guess with a town this small, there needn't be one.

Huh. Ummm, wait a second. I literally scratch my head with this puzzler. There were only a dozen survivors at the most. There couldn't have been many more living here. Where is my briefcase? Shit, Damn Sam! I forgot the stupid thing in the car. Great. Now I don't have *any* of my notes. This is just perfect.

Yeah, this is one fan-freakin-tasting assignment. I won the lottery with this one.

Regardless, I better find a place to crash...somewhere where it isn't *too* bad, *too* derelict. Cause, it is getting dark...true dark. My true assignment is just getting started.

I look around. I doubt there is much use to hope for a hotel. I snort an abrupt laugh. What am I thinking? A hotel? What, do I expect all the amenities to go with that hotel? Yeah, I am completely on my own here. Finding a bed will be good enough. It's bad enough I don't even have any of my supplies.

Thinking of that, I realize I don't even have any of my food or drink. Great. Maybe there is some canned goods that haven't spoiled somewhere here. If whatever killed most of the people here doesn't kill me, food poisoning will...or starvation!

Turning away from the store, thinking to come back *after* I find a place to sleep, I look at the town. The side streets will probably be the best bet for a private home. Which would probably be the most comfortable...more laughter at that thought.

I quickly walk toward the nearest street and turn down it, a stop. More trees. Of course. They have taken over the town. It is surprising they haven't taken over the main street yet. I move toward then and push my way through the underbrush to the first house. The roof *looks* sound let's see about the inside.

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…the Fog #3

2009-10-31T17:43:00.001-06:00

Seeing a likely tree to climb, I grasp the lowest branch and lift my leg to lodge my foot into a gap in the back. The bark bit into my hands as I wrap them around the branch. God, what an unpleasant feeling. No wonder I never really liked climbing these things as a child. Shifting my weight to the foot on the tree, I begin to lift myself.

Unfortunately, I am wearing the wrong shoes. Dress shoes are *not* the thing to climb trees in. My foot abruptly slides out of the gap and, with a jarring thud, lands back on the ground, scraping my chin on the trunk as well.

Cursing foully, I grab my handkerchief out of my back pocket. Dabbing at the scrap, I can tell it is bleeding pretty badly just from the sting.

There is no other way around it, if I am going to do this; I am going to have to take off my shoes. Bending down, I unlace the shoes and pull them off. Standing straight, I look back up at the tree. Trying it again, this time I succeed in raising myself to the first branch. After that, it was fairly easy. If you count getting scratches and gouges from the unforgiving twigs and bark easy. But I manage to get to the top. Or as close to the top as I can get.

I push the foliage out of the way and look around.

Trees. Trees and more trees. Where the hell is the town? I see a slight break in the trees to the right...that must be the road. If I remember the map correctly, it showed the town to the east and the cliff to the south. So that would put the town somewhere to the...oh hell, I don't know.

I look around. It is getting pretty dark, but not as dark as the forest would have me believe. I would say, about eight. If I had had to *try* to judge the time according to the light in the trees, I would have said it was after ten.

Oh! There is a large gap in the trees over there, and I can see a steeple. The town, a not too far away. I can make that, no problem. Maybe a half hour longer. Good.

I take one last look around the sky before having to dive into the oppressiveness of the foliage. I begin my descent back into the hell of the silent woods.

I miss the noise and pollution of the city already. My lungs do not know what to do with this air. I feel almost lightheaded from it. Yeah, they can keep this. I will stay in my city from now on.

Reaching the forest floor once again, I put my shoes on and once again head in the direction of the town. Amazingly enough, it is the direction I have been heading this whole time. Guess my sense of direction isn't as bad as I thought it was.

(to be continued…)

What Hides in…The Fog #2

2009-10-31T17:42:00.001-06:00

I was driving along the narrow winding road that passes through the village when the head- and dash-lights began to flicker, then went out. At first I didn't think anything of it...then the car sputtered and died completely. Nothing I tried would start the car back up. Now, I know that typically I wouldn't need the lights on during the day, either the head or the dash...well the dash.

The headlights are on all the time now thanks to new car regulations...which can be annoying. But the dash, well, typically I don't. But the dense trees made it dark enough that it made the lights necessary. But when I tried to start the car back up, nothing would happen. There was not a response of *any* kind.

I wasted a good two hours trying to get that stupid piece of metal to move, but nothing worked. Finally, knowing I *had* to get to town before dark, I decided to walk. I didn't realize it was going to be quite the hike. It looked closer on the map. That and I didn't think it would get so dark quite so fast.

Looking around me, the shadows were almost pitch black now. I had no concept of time any more. How far left to go to the town, I have no clue.

Up until this point, I had been walking steadily...at some points, almost running. But there was little or no change in the scenery. I wonder if all forests are this unchanging, this constant. If they are, it is no wonder wood people always seem to be on the crazy side.

I decide to stop and try to get my bearings, though how, I am not sure. Looking around, I wonder...maybe I can see something if I get high enough. These trees *are* pretty tall, but I haven't climb a tree since I was a kid...and I wasn't ever really good at it. What if I fall? Should I...or shouldn't I? Should I continue to wander aimlessly and hope to stumble upon the town, or should I *try* to see if there is any hope of finding it. Who knows, maybe I am hopelessly lost, never to be found again? Though, if I can find the road, I could find my way back out. Too bad I wandered off it a while back.

(to be continued…)

What Hides in the Fog #1

2009-10-31T17:40:00.001-06:00

The trees' tower over me. I see a cliff just a matter of feet away on the left through the occasional gap between the trunks. But my goal is not the cliff. My goal is far, in the distance. So far, I cannot even hope to see it yet. My goal is a distant town. I hope to make it before nightfall, but I fear that hope is going to be futile. I can already feel the day getting cooler. I can already see the shadows getting darker. I cannot *see* the progress of the sun...the branches of the trees block out all glimpse of the sky. I am lucky to see what glimpses of the cliff I have seen.

The forest is unusually quiet. Or, at least I assume it is unusual. This is the first time I have been in these woods....any woodland really. It is imperative that I reach this town, or I would avoid these woods at all cost. Unfortunately, going through these trees is the only way to reach the settlement.

But, I will go into that in a moment. First, the forest. Looking around, I see no sign of life anywhere, not even a twitter of a bird. I always thought that woods would be rife with sounds. Maybe not mammals like deer and foxes. But squirrels and birds, those I thought I would see plenty of...but I am not seeing any of those at all.

Come to think of it, I have not even heard any rustle of leaves except for those crunching under my feet. No wind whistling through the branches. The *only* sounds I have heard are the ones that I, myself, have made. Odd. Very odd.

Now, the reason that I have to go to this god-forsaken town. And it is forsaken. For all I knew, there is no living being here, from the rumors, it was abandoned some fifteen years ago. An illness had ravaged the town and the survivors, what few there were, had left as soon as they were able. I don't think there were many. Maybe a dozen, maybe less. And their stories were...strange. Some said it was a fever that took the citizens of the town. Some say a monster. All agree it came from the fog.

Typical. I laughed when I heard it. Yeah, typical.

The story went that it came on Halloween night...All Hallow's Eve. The fog blanketed the town and then the screams started. This is where the story became confusing. And became a typical Halloween tale. Yet, my superiors are sending me out here, to verify it. Come on now. This is all insane. How typical, how Hollywood-ish is this going to get. A Fog. Screams. Next you are going to tell me that vampires or werewolves are going to come rushing out at me. Yeah, and I will believe it. I roll my eyes as I plod through the forest.

The silence of the woods *is* grating on my nerves though. It is like it is holding its breath for something.

The air is getting even chillier...and the light darker. I look up, but still can't see anything, the trees are so dense. How could anyone in their right mind *want* to live out here? I am *definitely* not a nature child. Nope, give me a big bustling city any day. But...it does seem to be getting dark awfully fast.

I look at my watch. Shit. The damn thing has stopped. Just like the car, just stopping for no reason. What is with *that*?

(to be continued…)

What Hides in… the Fog…screw up’s LOL

2009-10-31T10:46:00.001-06:00

Ok, I am going to repost these…because, evidently how I was doing it didn’t like I. All day I have been posting these and it messed it up, it was just updating them instead of posting the new ones and keeping the old ones. I am so sorry! *wail and cry* so, let’s start this again. I am sorry…

What Hides in…the Fog!

2009-10-31T10:03:00.001-06:00

(to be continued…)

Halloween fun tomorrow…

2009-10-30T12:51:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow I am going to be having lots of fun here on the blog, on Twitter and on Facebook as I celebrate Halloween…what will I be doing…?

That is half of the surprise….join me there and you can see what’s up ;)

Lots of tricks and treats going on of the verbal kind!

www.cherrydumas.blogspot.com (of course)

www.facebook.com/cherry.dumas

www.twitter.com/cherrydumas

(Expect lots of posting tomorrow)

dental work

2009-10-30T12:46:00.001-06:00

So, after several root canals, the tooth we thought I was going to have to have pulled today is now fine. And hopefully it will remain fine. So, no tooth was pulled today…YAY!

BUT! the tooth behind it has gone sour. he ground it down so that no pressure is being put on it and we are hoping it will heal…if not, it will need a root canal, and the way my insurance it, and my finances, and it being the very last tooth…I am not even going to bother. I will pull that one without hesitation. No messing around this time. I can’t afford it.

this is ridiculous. No offense to the dentist, it is not his fault, but my mouth is costing me a fortune, and I am beginning to doubt my decision to fix it rather than my original plan of pulling everything and getting dentures. yes, it is better to keep my teeth. yes, I would have had other problems in the long run with dentures. but already I have spent close to a grand on my mouth out-of-pocket and we are only 1/4 of the way through fixing everything. I have a lot of work left to do.

I am putting everything else off until after the first of the year. I have to anyway, I am out of benefits and out of money. Come the first of the year, I am going to sit down and discuss with him exactly what it is going to take, price-wise and everything, to get my mouth fixed up. I don’t know if I can afford to do any more, even with starting the year fresh with dental benefits. I would run into the same problem with any dentist cost-wise. it is not like dental work is free.

Maybe after a couple of months, a fresh perspective will occur. I just don’t know. I am back to questioning dentures, but I have so much invested in my mouth now, that I would hate to throw that away. but, it is dental work. it is not like it lasts anyway. that is the sad thing.

what makes it worse, is I had to have my dad pay off my outstanding bill with the dentist today. a big chunk of change…added to my glasses that he paid off today as well. almost $600 went out today.

So, though I can’t pay him back with money, I am going to go back him some treats. It is the least I can do….

maybe some inspiration about the dentist will come shortly…I don’t have many options where I live…

Health care and accountability

2009-10-29T10:04:00.001-06:00

This irks me. you hear on the TV all of these lawyer commercials for lawsuits for “medical malpractice” and while some of them are valid, and some *should* be pursued, the majority of them are such a load of BS that it just pisses me off.

It is no wonder that it is so expensive to go to the doctor or hospital. it is no wonder it is so expensive to take prescriptions. it is no wonder insurance is so outrageous. They have to recoup their money somehow.

Yet, people still go after the health care system for things that are stupid. blaming the companies or professionals for things that are inconsequential or that should never be be sued about.

The legal system should never have opened the door for these type of lawsuits. and they should never have let these same lawsuits have their settlements be raised from thousands of dollars into the millions.

As someone who has to go to the doctor a lot, it affects me more than those that only have to go once or twice a year, or less. as someone who sees the inside of a hospital at least once a year, it affects me outrageously. as someone who is in the poverty level income and has to rely on family to survive, it affects me to an even greater capacity.

The more that people sue the medical establishment, the more the medical costs go up. it is a cause and effect. yes, there are cases that *should* be pursued, that have damaged lives greatly…but the majority of the cases out there have damaged more lives as a *result* of the actual lawsuits than the reason *for* the result in the first place.

People take no accountability for their own actions anymore.

Case in point, specifically, case in point is the prescription drugs. these are the ones that irk me the greatest. *shakes head*

Scenario: I see a commercial for a specific drug on the TV (which should never have been allowed either), I convince myself I need that drug. I talk to my doctor. I persist and even though the doctor doesn’t agree (or if the doctor is a bad doctor and doesn’t care) he prescribes it anyway. we talk about the side effects…and also the commercial lists the side effects. I start taking it. I develop problems from the drug…or even die. LAWSUIT! ok, I can see a lawsuit from the death. but the problem…hello. ok, first. accountability. I chose to take the drug. I talked the doctor into giving it to me. the doctor told me about the side effects, the possible risks. they were fully disclosed. I can see a lawsuit if the side effects were not disclosed…but where the side effects were fully disclosed, there should not be a case. period.

Yet you see it all the time. you see it advertised on TV all the time about drugs that were advertised, fully disclosing their side effects, prescribed, then suddenly a mass explosion of law firms are launching law suits against the doctors and manufacturers of the drug. in my book, this is absolutely wrong. the manufacturers and the doctors gave full warning of what the side effects are. the patient, the user, should take accountability for their own actions.

ok, new scenario. surgery. the doctor leaves a surgical instrument in you. ok, now that needs a lawsuit. LOL. or you get dropped on your head while being transferred from the table…that needs a lawsuit. but the room gets too cold and you develop a fever. that is ridiculous. how is the doctor supposed to know? I would rather have the *doctor* be comfortable than me…LOL think about it this way…the OR is set to a comfortable temperature for *me*, not the doctor. I am knocked out, but the room is too hot for the doctor, especially adding those focused lights…which put off *a lot* of heat by the way…and the doctor passes out (which could and has happened)…hmmm no contest. I wouldn’t want my doctor passing out on me during the middle of a surgery…especially if it is a major surgery.

Accountability for our actions. lawsuits are there for when there is need, not for us to abuse the system. it makes it harder for everyone else to a) afford to get insured, go to the doctor/hospital and our medications and b) it can actually make it harder for us to get insured, period.

We need to close the door on these petty and small cases and go back to where we can only sure for major medical malpractice. it has gotten out of hand.

Lemurian’s/Atlantean’s, Greeks and Vampires…oh my!

2009-10-28T18:34:00.001-06:00

LOL, I had to. Don’t shoot me, because I had to.

I *think* I have reported already that the next chapter of Mu Mysteries is all ready to be uploaded, I am just waiting for Sunday to roll around. I suppose I could be nice and upload it now…but who says I am *that* nice? hmmm? ;) This chapter debuts my eldest niece’s character…I have yet to decide if I am going to make her sweet and loving, or evil…well, not quite evil, but wicked. She can be both. She is definitely a smart alec, and that will be reflected in the story LOL. It will be hilarious to see how she reacts to her. Of course, she is not very involved right now…the character, not the niece LOL. After all, she *just* made her debut….the character ;) I promised her years ago that eventually I would make a character out of her and her sister. Her sister hasn’t had a character yet in Mu…but she will as well.

I am also working hard on The Prank, though not much progress has been made at this specific point as I have had to turn my main focus to my third project. As I get it off the floor then I will be able to get them going equally again. I am almost to that point. Just a little more background work…maybe 2, maybe 3 more days.

The third project is getting the sequel to Into the Forest started…it is going to be called Underhill. Well, I had it semi-started a while back…but my main character, Missy…was fighting me, and I couldn’t figure out what she wanted. with the changes she went through at the end of Forest, I was a bit stumped. I knew where I wanted to go, but she was not quite clear…she wanted a little bit more, and I could not quite get what she wanted. but now I do. I was still making her a little too good. she was too good in Forest and now she wants to be bad. and the changes I gave her is going to allow her to do that. Also they get to move to Ireland and I had to figure out the logistics of that, where I have never been there and can’t go…yet. But I almost have that ironed out. And work is progressing well.

So, 3 projects. once I get going, it won’t slow any of them down. work will be about the same speed…actually I am working a little faster than I have in some time, so actually, even with the 3 projects…I might actually get them finished faster…who knows. I won’t promise anything. But, I am a slow writer. that won’t change, but I am able to work on multiple projects and it doesn’t affect any one projects speed on how fast it is finished.

AP Report – now playing in theaters

2009-10-28T18:18:00.001-06:00

Good evening, and welcome to this weeks edition of….*drum roll please* Annoying Phases …otherwise known as the AP Report.

This week I am going after that *cough* lovely little phrase “now playing in theaters.”

So? when isn’t it playing in theaters? Movie or any of the other type of theaters, it is still a theaters, so, is there a specific reason we have to know that it is playing in one?

Oh wait! I know. Maybe it is playing in Roy’s back yard garage and we want to all pile in there to watch it. saves on overhead, you know? *eye roll*

Of course it is playing in a theaters. Broadway. Duplex. Drive-in. They are all a theater of one kind of another. Even if it is a play, or a movie, or a ballet…it still has to play in one. Oh! I lie. in that case, it *might* be playing in a studio, or a gym, or something like that…but most generally, it is a theater. so, unless it is *not* in a theater, I don’t want to hear it *snicker*

the other phrase that is just as annoying is “Coming to a theater near you!” uh-huh *make sure you draw that out ni-ice and long.

I don’t know about you, but usually when either of these two phrases are used (and heaven forbid they be used in the same advertisement), the production is not what they want you to think it is. Thanks, but no thanks.

If (and this is a strong if *snicker*) any ad people are reading my blog…seriously consider taking those two phrases out of your vocabulary…or at least rework them. Cause, honey…they ain’t workin’ anymore.

sleepless night=writing and cleaning=not happy body

2009-10-24T13:55:00.001-06:00

had a night where my mind said that sleep was not an option. it was not on hyper drive. it was not thinking bad thoughts. there was nothing bad going on. it just was not sleepy, and neither was the body,

so the mind said “Hey body! Since you’re up, and I’m up…let’s say, you and I go into the office and actually get some work done.”

The body says *groan* “you want me to what and what time of night??? fine! but you owe me!”

so the mind wrestles the body into submission (not that it was hard since the body was actually fighting to stay in bed, it was a token fight, you understand, and I was in the office at 12:30 writing and editing.

So, I posted on twitter that I almost had ch. 5 finished and was getting ready to work on ch. 6…my bad. it was actually ch. 4 and ch. 5. I was never good at keeping stupid chapters straight ROFL.

I was hoping to get some work done in The Prank, but it hasn’t worked out yet today, but there is still plenty of day left…is it still only 2??? sheesh. the day seems to last forever when you have been up all night. I was also hoping to do some work on Into the Forest’s sequel Underhill…but…well, yeah.

But, now, because I also did some cleaning today…my body is seriously miffed. no. miffed is too mild. it is flat out pissed off.

So, we will see. LOL. we will see. I am hoping after I get a little bit of a break I will be raring to go again. **wiggles eyebrows**

“AP Alert” - Organic

2009-10-22T18:32:00.001-06:00

Wow, the AP Alert’s have slipped past me, I didn’t even realize so many Wednesday’s have passed by, I didn’t even realize yesterday was Wednesday until a friend of mine, and fellow writer – Amanda Devine (Name Drop! LOL) and I were talking just before I was getting ready to head out for the night LOL.

So, I said I would do the AP Alert today instead…and almost forgot again. So neglectful of me ;)

this week’s AP Alert is Organic. Do we even know what the meaning of this word is anymore? It is bandied around so much that it has lost its meaning. Everything is organic, regardless if it has just one molecule in it that is actually the organic piece, it is called organic now.

I’m serious. It used to be that what was considered organic meant that it had to be 100% natural to meant that guideline. Now? if it has just one ingredient, it is organic. And if it is truly organic, then you have to pay an arm and a leg for it.

For instance, if you want organic chicken versus non-organic…first you have to hunt it down. if you are lucky enough to have it in the same store, then, well, you still have to separate which is the organic and which isn’t. then you have to decide, is paying at least $5. more a breast worth getting the organic? (maybe a slight exaggeration….maybe).

Same goes for the produce.

So, let’s move away from the produce and meat and let’s go to the….oh, let’s go to cleaning. now here is where they really get you. Organic.

first, it can be anywhere from the packaging is organic…not the actual cleaner. So, are you cleaning with a cleaner that is organic, or is the package what is the healthier aspect of it?

So, now the actual cleaner…now, is it all of the ingredients? or are they being sneaky and just putting in one or two ingredients that are all natural and the rest are chemicals?

See? they can be very tricky. All they have to do is put ONE thing about their product as all natural or organic and they can claim that title. and that price.

Now clothing.

Organic. just because it is, doesn’t make it better. oh yes, I am full support of natural fibers and such. In fact, I am absolutely in love with bamboo. best plant out there. fast growing…renews itself fantabulously. versatile. We have my office floor done in it and my bathroom towels are made out of it. But, again…watch your labels. I learned the hard way. What is advertised is not what you get.

For instance. My bamboo hardwood floors? They said “do not put anything on them. hardest wood out there. won’t scratch.”

I put one hell of a scratch in it the first day it was down and subsequently my dogs have done a number on it. That’s ok. I like the distressed look of hardwood floors…the more worn they look, the more I like it. but it shows you that what they claim, is not always what you get.

As for the towels? I spent damn near $100 for these towels. I have had them since April, maybe the end of March. they are already coming undone. I am pissed about these. The towels are soft. they dry rapidly. But, they are not put together well. Would I go with Bamboo towels again? I would. but I would be more leery.

Oh, another note on the bamboo floors….they are supposed to 100% bamboo. which was supposed to make them the best, right? Wrong. They have some other wood as a second layer. , the first layer, the primary layer, is bamboo, but the secondary is not.

But, this got a little bit away from the main topic of Organic. it did stick to the “what you see is not always what you get” but not to the organic LOL.

So, my main point is, Check. Don’t just assume that it is organic just because it says it is. And really, everything is claimed to be organic anymore….because in reality everything is organic, because everything has components of being organic…at least by the terms that it is being used by now.

Ch. 3? – Mu Mysteries

2009-10-19T20:21:00.001-06:00

So, ok. this is how much of an idiot I am (and I mean it in the nicest of terms, really I do) **eye roll**

I knew I had to finish Ch. 3. I was not finished with it. or I thought I wasn’t. But, I guess at some point I had said I was and uploaded it? huh? ok. what was I thinking?

ok. strange. Anyway. I finished it. I got it uploaded. I got the prologue, ch. 1 and ch. 2 re-edited and re-uploaded.

I am working on ch. 4 now. I am also working on The Prank, of course. I don’t know what I was thinking. I really don’t. Maybe I didn’t even change that much of Ch. 3. At this point, I really don’t even know. My mind has confumbled on me. what I thought I did, and what I did do have all jumbled together. So, if there wasn’t much change, I am sorry. if there was, then yay! LOL

I don’t know if I will have Ch. 4 done in time for the scheduled upload of the 1st, but I am shooting for it. we will see. If not, we will see how close to the actual date I can get LOL.

For now, well, enjoy what there is ROFL. ;)

Almost ready

2009-10-18T18:19:00.001-06:00

So, I almost have ch. 3 of Mu Mystery ready to upload for your enjoyment. Almost.

I have it edited. I have it proofed. several times.

*snort*

does that mean it is error free?

oh hell no.

I don’t think I could give something error free if the fate of the entire universe depended on it. **eye roll**

Take, for instance, Judgment at Witches Court.

Do you realize how many times I went over that manuscript before I sent it in to Mundania Press? I don’t either. I lost count. It was so many times. And I had my mom, my sister, and two friends edit the thing before I went over it again. Then I sent it in. then I got it back for the proofing before it went in. Now, I haven’t actually read it since it got published. I can’t. I will have to if I decide to go through with the sequel. but I haven’t read it yet. But, just glancing through for this reason or that, I see errors here or there. my errors. not Mundania’s.

Yeah. I need a sign. I found one that fit’s me perfectly.

“I see the screw-up fairy was here again”

That’s me to a “T”

anyway, back on subject. I don’t think I will ever turn anything in that is error free regardless how many times I go over it, so if you are waiting for that…it ain’t gonna happen LOL.

So, what you are getting tomorrow, is it. At least, for now.

I am not even going to attempt to fix my tenses. if there is something I am worse at than spelling errors is getting my tenses correct. My sister helps me with that. And I figure it is not worth fixing that until the serial is finished.

So, I am giving you warning here. you are going to get errors of spelling, grammar and tenses. I’m sorry, but **shrugs** I do the best I can. I can either try to get it as error-free as I can…you may never actually see the stories at that rate, and I will never get them finished at that rate.

So, take your pick…get the stories to enjoy…with errors….or never get the stories while I try to make them error free LOL.

What’s that? You would rather have the stories?

That’s what I figured *snicker*

So, tomorrow. probably tomorrow evening is when they will be up. that is what I am aiming for anyway. We will see if it happens **glares at internet**

For now? I am going to go read and try to relax…but I am probably going to end up in here tonight working again. So, who knows…maybe you might get it tonight.

We will see…..we will seeeeeee……

sick and no sleep, do I dare edit?

2009-10-16T11:54:00.001-06:00

so, I have come down with something. who knows what. this is the first time in I don’t know when that I have come down with something this bad…usually when I don’t feel good, it is my diabetes. usually when I get sick, I can take some cold medicine and it blows over in a few hours…but this time, it is deep in my lungs. Of course, in the past, I have not had to deal with asthma. that might be a contributing factor with the cold/flu season. But man, oh man, my chest is killing me, it feels like a steel band around the lower portion of my ribs and every second it is getting tighter.

Because of it, because I am not used to this kind of sick, I did not sleep at all. ok, I did sleep. I fell asleep at 6:30 PM and woke up at 9 and was wide awake from then on. so I guess I did get a little bit LOL.

I did get a bit of the editing done last night, but I have a bit more to do. I have been playing on Facebook to distract myself. and it has worked…to a point. I noticed I have been a bit whiney. So I put a “WHINEY R US” as one of my status messages LOL.

I was thinking that I could possibly try working on the edits. maybe. I am going to go grab me a glass of water to pop some Tylenol to help with the fever and the chest/back pain and see if I can work and have words make sense.

Do I dare? It may be interesting what will come out LOL. Luckily I am at the stage of editing where I am running it through WhiteSmoke and through Word and not manually. Aren’t you glad of that. I already did the initial of that. After WhiteSmoke and then Word, I will run it manual one last time and then PDF it again. I am also rerunning the previous chapters, cause, honestly, I did not do it before. at least, not as thoroughly as I am now. I did a little manual, and Word…but not to the extent that I am now. So, it will (hopefully) be a little more seamless when I re-upload them.

One good thing, we hard-wired the internets, so we are off of wi-fi, and things are running a bit smoother. It seems that we have put a stop to the internet thievery…the weekend will be the big tell on that.

Finally!

2009-10-13T16:29:00.001-06:00

Yay! except getting the editing done on it, Chapter 3 of Mu Mysteries is finished. So, like I said, I just need to edit it and then I can upload it.

I will be gone all day tomorrow, Hopefully I will be able to get the editing of it done tomorrow when I am home though. if not, then definitely Thursday. I am aiming for…depending on internet…on having Chapter 3 uploaded by Monday. Wouldn’t that be nice? I know I will be happy. I am going to go hop in the shower, then come work a bit on The Prank, and then go back to Mu Mysteries if my brain is not mush by that time. I am amazed at how much I have gotten done the last two days. I haven’t had this good of productivity for quite some time….

Children! Especially precocious ones!

2009-10-13T14:50:00.001-06:00

So, I sat down and had a little talk with Allorana about my plans with Mu Mysteries and this is what we came up with. She is a child. and yes, she is more advanced than the typical child, especially during that age, and she will know more, she needs to be a child. and I am going to let her have some fun, but she needs trust me to know that I know what to do. Of course, she is not happy, cause I have some plans for her that she is going to have to do some more suffering, and she does not like that. what child would like to hear she is going to have to suffer? But, I did promise her, that if things works out right, the rewards will be worth it, and I will let her have her way once in a while. Besides, she can’t be on stage all the time, I do have to work with her mom just as much. It is not just her story. Yes, you can imagine the pout I got for that as well. LOL. Children. Especially too-intelligent children. No wonder I am making her suffer LOL.

I think I am more sadistic than I realized. I think it is a good thing I will never be a mother. My nieces will testify to that. Especially my oldest niece, I torture her enough as is LOL.

So, I have new tentative plot outline. my plots are very fluid, or rather, I should say my plot outlines are very fluid. I don’t like to pin them down too much, cause then I run into the problem of trying to conform them when they don’t want to conform and then I just have a whole mess on my hand.

But, thanks to a few more tarot reads, I know where I am going and know how I am going to get there. I think. I will know more when I actually sit down and get the writing started. I need to make a phone call, and then dinner, and then I will do a little writing this evening.

I did something last night that I usually don’t do. about 8 last night I came back into the office and worked on tarot readings toward the plot and trying to get Allorana to spill her guts until almost 2 in the morning. it is a very rare occurrence that I do something like that. not just with the plot, or the tarot, but with staying up that late working. I just couldn’t settle down last night until I worked out what Allorana wanted…and I still had a little more to do today.

Now Shashanna…I left her in a state of panic, but I know where she is going. At least, at this point. I may have to pin her down in a a chapter or two, but for now, I know where she is going. She seems, so far, to work with me better. Course, she is not a precocious 7-yr-old LOL. Anyone would be easier than that ROFL.

So, now, on to the phone call, then dinner, then I can work, and who knows, I may actually be able to work on The Prank tonight as well. The creative energy seems to be flowing well today…

Mu Mysteries update #2

2009-10-12T23:48:00.001-06:00

So, I ended up pulling out the Tarot cards to get to where I need to be so I can start working on Mu Mysteries again. I need to do one more small reading to get just a little more information if Allorana doesn’t want to spill the beans, but at least I know now where I am fighting her…I wasn’t being too clear on a certain area of why the Atlantean’s wanted her, and because of that, she didn’t want to play nice with them, or me. children.

But, if I can break time to work tomorrow…if I can get some quiet time that is, I might actually make some good progress on it, and I might be able to revise that timeline that I posted earlier. we will see. we will see….

Quote

2009-10-12T20:56:00.001-06:00

“It is the nature of those with power to ever seek more until there is nothing left but the choice of being defeated or being destroyed. Even you may one day be tempted.” - Koeos

Koeos – God, Lemurian god of Intelligence and Deep Searching Questions, (Taken from Koeos, the Greek Titan God) – Mu Mysteries)

Mu Mysteries update

2009-10-12T13:35:00.001-06:00

ok so I am stuck. I have barely had time to work on Mu Mysteries, and the spot where I had to leave off, well…it is not working out so good. I know where I want to go with it, but Allorana is being a little brat. she wants to act older than she is, and she wants to know things she shouldn’t know yet…practical things that she has not been exposed to yet. yes, she knows the impractical, the intangible. she is beyond her years with that. but she is being a little precocious with the tangible. she wants to know what she shouldn’t know, what she has not been told, what she has not been shown, and what she has not been exposed to. I keep trying to slow her down, but she refuses to listen to me. for instance, she wants to already know her relationship with the people of Atlantis, yet she has not been given that information yet. slow down girl. grrr. I am trying. I am. I may have to put her in a time out. LOL. I keep having to remind her she is only seven. but you know how children are. always wanting to know and be older than they are.

So, since I am already this far behind schedule, I will plan on posting this chapter the beginning of November. I was hoping to have it posted by now, but with all of the appointments I have had, and Allorana’s stubbornness, it is proving a little later than I originally planned. I am hoping that once I can get Allorana to behave, I will be able to get a few chapters ahead and stay at least a few chapters ahead…here’s hoping LOL

An excerpt

2009-10-10T09:38:00.001-06:00

"Will this battle bring him a worthy opponent, one worth keeping alive to fight along-side, or would he be disappointed and have to kill yet another wanna-be soldier-boy who thought to impress the gods with his so-called prowess on the fields, and to use his tales of ‘victory’ to woe the women, little understanding that the only women that would have a soldier of his class would be the whores who walk the streets…”

excerpt from The Prank

**I already posted this on Facebook, but I love this little excerpt, though unpolished, and wanted to share it. The whole passage that it goes in is really good, but that would be oversharing, but I love how much hubris this one little excerpt shows. it, in a nutshell, shows just why the twins are always getting themselves into trouble….**

A new pump!

2009-10-10T09:30:00.001-06:00

So, it has finally happened. After all of this time, I finally have my new pump!

Well, I have had the new pump, sitting in my cupboard, so, let me change that statement a little bit.

I am finally wearing my new pump!

So, I went to Salt Lake to get trained on it yesterday. a 2 hour trip. Normally I wouldn’t go, especially since my doctor doesn’t want me traveling. But, I wanted to be on that pump dammit LOL.

Dad had a doctor appointment and if I didn’t meet the Jody (I hope I have her name spelled right, I forgot to get her business card…oops) I would have had to wait longer. So, I went.

Normally, a trip to Salt Lake would mean that that day, and the next, my blood sugars would be sky high and soaring. In fact, that is how they started out.

But, by the time I got home, and keep in mind, this is also after a big mac and fries….the only time I get one is when I go to salt lake…my blood sugars were in the mid-100’s. that in itself is a miracle.

So, the new pump is on the exact same settings as the old pump. We changed nothing. I changed nothing of my routine other than going on the new pump.

This morning, I woke early with my blood sugars dropping low. and I don’t mean just into the low 100s…I mean low. low 70’s, which is low for anybody. That astounded me. I have not been that low for….you know, I don’t remember when I was that low. I don’t remember when I was lower than 100. it has been so long ago.

And I changed nothing. That is what gets me.

I feel like running around to all of the medical doctors and nurses that have been telling me for the last year…actually longer…that the pump was working, it was me. it was not me. I did nothing different. and in a situation where the past has proven that would take me high, with the new pump, under the exact same conditions, it took me low. HA!

Tell me I didn’t need this pump. Tell me my old pump was working. I didn’t believe them then and I won’t believe them now.

Does that make me a bad patience? Oh hell yeah. There is nothing worse than a patient that refuses to believe a doctor when that doctor “knows what’s best for that patient.”

But, my argument for that? “Who knows the patient’s body better? the doctor or the patient?” the doctor doesn’t know how I am feeling? the doctor doesn’t know how I am honestly reacting to something. only I do. So, hell yeah, I am a bad patient, and I will continue to be one, as long as the doctor tries to work above me. when the doctor will work with me, then I will be a good patient.

That’s why I like my current doctor, he is trying to work with me, and so, I am trying to work with him. So far, so good. **knock on wood.*

We will see what he says when I report yesterdays and today’s news to him. LOL

Annoying Phrases - Bailout

2009-10-07T11:35:00.001-06:00

Back. We are back. Aren’t you excited? I can feel the enthusiasm rolling off of you ;)

So, I decided to change the title of this blog series. from Words that Bug Me, to Annoying Phrases. I was thinking of the AP Alert, and I still might do that, we will see ;) hehehe. But I was never happy with “Words that Bug Me”. too wussy, to whiney. Annoying Phrases, AP, better. AP Alert. better. Still not 100% but, we will see. I wanted to do a better acronym, but, I have never been good with acronyms. so if anyone has any suggestions, I am open to taking them LOL.

So, back to the phrase today. Bailout.

Talk about overused much? I mean, anymore it is bailout this or bailout that.

Bailout. when I hear this, I used to picture was a little old fisherman in a rickety boat with a bucket bailing water out of the rapidly sinking rig. Cute, right? Right. Adorable. Maybe not for the fisherman LOL, but an apt description.

Now, the image that is projected is a line of men, women, even children, holding out their hands for money or whatever goods that can be placed into them.

Now how sad is that?

We go from the cute little homey picture to one of greed and abuse. and yes, it has turned into abuse. something that was intended as help, has turned into abuse. it is not something that is being used for what it was intended for. it is being used for whatever can be gained.

My dad and grandma was the court shows every day. hours and hours and hours of them. Judge Joe Brown. People’s Court. Judge Alex, Judge Judy. Judge Christina. These are their favorites. And it is guaranteed that at least *once*, if not more, that someone is being sued for the stimulace (Hell, this is not even a recognized word in the dictionary, yet, it is thrown around every day now.) money they were promised…for whatever. it was never intended for private use, for bails, for private loans. it was intended to be spent in stores to help the economy or to help pay bills. but was that were it went? nope.

And people wonder why we, especially American’s are considered so greedy.

bailout. be it personal, or government, was not, and is not, used for what it is intended, and is being overused. hell, there are ads on TV now for all sorts of “bailouts” that don’t even relate to money now. I have seen them in relation to cars, furniture, even food. Food.

Sad. very sad.

So much for the cute image of the little old fisherman with the bucket and the boat.

It really is a sad commentary on where this country is going, don’t you think?

Unlimited internet….as if

2009-10-03T02:32:00.001-06:00

This really burns me

Here I am, purposely staying up during the middle of the night, knowing it will adversely kick my butt with my health and set me back several days because I have to do some serious updating and fixes on the computers, but it is the only time I can do it.

not because it is quiet. not because it is the only time I can get to the computers. not because it is the only time they are free. but because it is the only time I can get the major downloading down without killing our supposedly “unlimited” internet.

Yes, we pay $80 (with tax) a month for unlimited, high-speed satellite internet.

but do we get it?

that is a big HELL NO.

Where we live, the only alternative is dial-up, and our land-lines are so bad, that the dial-up can barely connect.

So, we pay the big money. For something we don’t even get.

And it pisses us off.

The thing is, because we have 3 computers spread throughout the house, we have it on wireless. Well, that is fine. we live up on a mountain. literally. and up until recently, that was not a problem. but someone up here, has figured out how to tap into our wireless. we don’t know who. we don’t even know where. our nearest neighbor is at least a half-mile away. we can’t figure it out fully. and out network key is about 20 characters long give or take. but they figured it out.

So, between the piss-poor internet we are getting, and whoever is tapping into us, we do not get the service we are paying for.

One thing we are going to do, is fork out even more money to switch to a different satellite company that gives us a little more leeway on our time, though they still put a cap on us though claim to be unlimited. (I will describer more about that in a minute), and buy several lengths of cable about 30 feet long each and wire them into the router and get rid of the wireless.

Ok, how do we know someone is tapping in to us? Well, every day, after school gets out, our internet goes from super fast, to super slow, and on weekends it literally goes from high-speed to slower than dial-up.

And as for the “unlimited” yet limited internet? Yes, it is unlimited, but they have something called “Fair-access policy” and depending on what package you pay for each month, you get only a certain amount of MBs to download and a certain amount to upload before they put a cap on you and take your high-speed down to dial-up speed. sure, you can still surf the internet, but only at a very restricted pace. “to be fair to all users.”

And this is what gets me.

now this next piece may sound like a conspiracy theory, but after my experience with my “unlimited….but only to a certain bit-rate!” experience with satellite…all of the “free wi-fi”? who do you think the expense for the free wi-fi comes from? people like me who pay $80 or more a month for internet who don’t get the service they pay for, who get a cap put on how much they surf, even though they pay for unlimited. Or people who have hidden fees with other electronic services, such as television that have satellite internet companies attached…such as Dish network, or DirecTV…though I don’t know for sure that Hughesnet is officially affiliated with DirecTV anymore or not, but you get my drift…The free wi-fi comes out of someone’s pocket, and not just the generosity of businesses.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I think it is great for those that can’t afford internet to be able to access…but, well, I have a hard enough time making ends meet. I can barely afford internet as is, but I cannot do without it, especially if everyone out there wants to continue to read my works, because there is no free internet access anywhere for me. And for me to be ripped off the way I am with it…it burns me. and it burns me bad.

I guess like everything else, a little bit of a good thing has become abused. My internet situation wouldn’t be so bad if whoever up here wasn’t abusing me and my family the way they are. sure the people out here are poor. some are beyond poor. but to steal from others, and it is stealing, is not right. Especially where our health and livelihood depends on this internet. Where we lose it at times because they steal it, and where the internet company is continually shutting us down because of their “Fair-access policy” that we don’t even exceed, puts all of us at risk. I use this internet to keep in contact with my doctors, to get medications…not just for my writing.

But, I guess, as long as whoever is stealing it from us is getting a little bit of pleasure, all is well huh? **rolls eyes**

Ok. It is late…or early. I hate being up this time, working on computers. I get cranky and paranoid. I will go crawl under my desk. Maybe, though, if one of my neighbor’s reads this, they will think twice.

Wishful thinking huh?

strange dream – now trying to research it

2009-09-30T14:09:00.001-06:00

ok, now why am I trying to research a dream? because both my mom and I both had the same dream with varying depth to the dream, I believe in prophetic, and/or telling dreams and I also believe that spirits talk to us in our dreams and with Halloween approaching, the spirits are getting more and more active.

So, here is my version of the dream.

this dream was interspersed with a dream about the appointment I was supposed to have today with my insulin pump trainer. the dream also jumped between the early 1800s and present day, but it revolved around the same dream. except the pump trainer LOL. that was my brain trying to draw me away. I have the impression that it was toward the North East, around Pennsylvania or West Virgina area and that it was a family that was more upper class, maybe not one of the completely wealthy, but definitely upper class.

Anyway, I will leave the details of the pump trainer out.

The dream starts out at night. I am in the bathroom. It is dimly lit with a gas lamps. they were turned down low. Everything was turn of the century. I was standing in front of a mirror, but I wasn’t me, I couldn’t see “me” clearly though. I did see that I was in a night gown. I was getting ready for bed. My hair was curly and I was braiding it. I was the nanny. I hear a noise. A window breaks. I hear screaming children. so many screams. It is dark. I run into the nursery. I am knocked out. I wake. The children are not in the nursery. I hear more screaming. these are adults. The day help. I run toward the screaming. I feel, more than see, the parents murdered. that was not where the screaming was coming from. I go outside to the play area. There. There are the children. all seven of them. murdered. no. not murdered. butchered. pieces of them here. pieces of them there. I don’t know if it is the wind pushing against fabric and limbs that give the impression of twitching, or if they *were* still twitching…

flash to the present day. somehow a bunch of kids learn about this murder. They decide to reenact the scene. I get the impression there was a photograph…so, looking that little info up, it looks like the first permanent photograph was taken in 1825…so it would have to be after that…or the scene was so well described that the children were able to have all the gruesome info…or just my brain trying to sort through the info of the original part of the dream…but I have a strong feeling there was a picture…who knows though…but back to the dream. The present day children were reenacting the dreams, even going so far as to getting period clothing and a child’s glove and putting a frog in the glove so it would look like the “hand” was twitching.

Then it just kept flashing back and forth between the two scenes of the original murder of the children, and the reenactment. the parents were never shown in the dream. but they were “felt” as murdered, as dead. and the babble in the background could be heard giving that information. It focused mainly on the butchered bodies of the children.

so. here is mom’s dream, from what little she told me. It is pretty much the same. she did not see a nanny, she saw the parents dead, the mom was pregnant with her 8th child. the children, she cannot remember exactly where they were, only that they were strewn all over the place, butchered.

I did not tell her much about my dream, and I haven’t asked her that much about hers.

It is not uncommon for me to dream of ancient battles or things like this…but *not* of children’s deaths.

Mu Mysteries delay

2009-09-27T09:31:00.001-06:00

So, as much as I hate to say this, unless today goes a little better, or the next few days go a little better, Mu Mysteries is going to have a delay in its posting. I haven’t quite finished the next chapter.

I hate this. this month started out so promising with writing and just quickly went downhill. I knew it would time-wise, but health-wise…well, that had looked so promising too, but…I guess I got too excited.

I am still keeping my fingers crossed that I will be able to do some writing today, but even that is not looking too good. again, it started looking positive early this morning, but everything started going downhill after I ate.

We will see though. I will take it a bit at a time.

Yesterday and the day before were really bad. The day before I had a really bad panic and asthma attack. I ended up on oxygen for several hours. yesterday, my blood pressure was sky high…150+ / 90+ with a pulse of 80+ all day and I was on oxygen in the evening again. I need to take it again today, I want to try to do a little bit of walking on the TreadClimber if I can, but it all depends on the blood pressure and blood sugars. I am hoping that if I can walk, maybe everything else might align properly.

Again, we will see.

If I can walk, it will be the first of being able to use the new machine. I keep looking at it longingly LOL.

The past 2 weeks we have been gone almost every day, and the next week it will be the same. It has been quite some time since we have been on the go this much. I believe it has been years since it has been this bad. It is not helping the health. No wonder the doctor does not want me doing any traveling. even these short trips are killing me grrr.

Ok, gotta go do a few things and then see if I can walk then try to get some writing done….

Words That Bug Me….Winner of ______Nominations….!

2009-09-21T11:57:00.001-06:00

In honor of the Emmy’s and all other award shows, I decided to go with the infamous, “….winner of five nominations!”

So, tell me if this is not the most annoying thing ever. ok, maybe not the most annoying thing, but it is right up there.

for many reasons.

first, if you are nominated, you haven’t won. flat out. end of story. there is no winner of nominations. you either win. or you don’t. LOL. sure, you have runner’s-up, but, nominated does not equal a win.

and to have more than one nomination and not win, to me, is a slap in the face. ok, so “if I was so popular to get more than one nomination, then why didn’t I win???” **insert whiney starlet voice**

Come on now. This is insane LOL. I feel bad for all those stars and starlets that get these “nominations” that are supposed to be so great rubbed in their faces.

It reminds me of the Two-and-a-Half men episode where Charlie is nominated and is tricked into going to the award dinner by everyone and, of course, doesn’t win…everyone both unintentionally and intentionally rubs it in his face.

It is not the actual fact of the nominations. hell, we need those if we are to have winners. One day, I want to be nominated for at least one of my books **hint hint** LOL. but, to have it lauded about “I am the winner of x-amount of nominations” **bouncing about happy-happy joy-joy** that is what needs to take the jump off the short pier.

You can even be as happy about the nominations as you want.

but, listen people….you do not win if you are just nominated. nominations do not equal a win LOL. ;-) hehehe

Also, just a quick side-note on this same topic…I have to thank Skyla Dawn Cameron for this idea to mention LOL…hey, talk show hosts / News Media….stop asking the celebs who they are wearing…they are not Leatherface or any other freak from a horror film/book…they are not wearing human skins. they are wearing clothes. think of a better phrasing….unless you really do want someone showing up in a human-skin suit ROFL

test results and various other things

2009-09-21T08:21:00.001-06:00

Well, I wasn’t expecting great news when I went in for the colonoscopy and endoscopy….but I was hoping things were at least stable. They’re not. I am not that lucky in regards to health. I want to know where my contract I signed before I was born is, so I can a) look to see where they slipped in the fine print about all of this ill-health and b) so I can shred the sucker.

So, what did they find? first, keep in mind that I did not eat anything before the test for 36 hours. and what I did eat before it was light stuff. some stir fry, a hand full of cheetos, and ritz crackers. The cheetos were about noon on Wednesday, the stir fry was at 4 and the Ritz were at about 6. the test was run at 9 Am on Friday. so, he first does the scope to the stomach. there is still food. after 36…no, wait, more than 36 hours, there is still food. so the digestion has slowed down even more. It is a form of paralysis. it is not full paralysis yet, but it is heading that way) and without going into detail on the colonoscopy (which I bet you are just dying to know the details LOL), my paralysis has begun to affect my intestines. But wait! that is not all. On top of that, there is the colitis. it has calmed down a bit, thankfully, but I have added irritable bowel onto the colitis. can I catch a break here? sheesh. So, not only is my intestines not working properly, they are also inflamed and irritated and just flat out angry all the time. grrrrrr. So, I am on meds to start helping (hopefully) the digestion of the food, to start helping the muscles in there to move, and I have to take at least 1000 (yes, one thousand. I did not put too many zero’s there) MG of grape seed extract, plus benefiber, and if that doesn’t work, I have to add a third fiber on top of it. can I get you some fiber? sheesh LOL.

ok, so there is that. not absolutely horrible news. I mean, it could have been a lot, and I mean a lot worse, but it definitely was not what I wanted to hear. but honestly, was I too surprised? not really.

My tummy is still not happy though. LOL.

Did you hear about the libraries in Philly? Good ol’ Benjamin Franklin started the first free libraries in Philadelphia. They are now closing them down. Can you believe it? If it was not for libraries, I would not be the person I am today. I cannot picture my life without libraries. I first heard about this a few days ago. My family and friends cannot fully understand why this has hit me so hard, but this has actually devastated me pretty badly. not just because it is what made me…well, me….but because it is the beginning history of all libraries. If we can’t even keep our libraries open, this is a sad country. and where is it going to stop? **shakes head sadly**

I am hoping I will be able to sneak in some writing today. If I don’t write today, I won’t be able to for several more days this week, and this month is rapidly disappearing on me. I need to write. so keep your fingers crossed.

I need to go eat some breakfast. That in one thing I promised my stomach doctor, that I would start eating smaller, more frequent meals, then I will be back to write the Words that Bug Me blog…you might get two this week, then I will be back to the regular schedule…I hope.

Ohhh. today is the 21st. I get my new Bowflex Tread Walker Wednesday! woohoo! YAY! **reminds self. Slow and steady…slow and steady** this is going to be so good in so many ways.

Ok, I will be back in a bit with the next blog.

News

2009-09-15T15:19:00.001-06:00

Lots of news. ok maybe not lots, but a good deal. ok, maybe that is an exaggeration as well…but I have some news LOL.

Things have been progressing well on the writing front. I have been working on The Prank and Mu. We left the daughter as a captive and now, we have shifted attention back to mom, just wait until you read it. it is going to be good. or, at least, I think it will. I hope you will too.

As for The Prank? If you have been following on Twitter, the Greek Goddess Artemis has been giving me fits, wanting things her way…which is funny, because the story is not exactly about her, but her and Apollo have decided they want a bigger role in the story than I originally planned for them. the stinkers. But Artemis really wants the bigger role. She is making some interesting plots for some of my characters.

I had to go back in time in the story line in the beginning to lay out some of the story for the twins…their family before they were born, to prevent a little bit of confusion later in the story. And boy, their family is really throwing me some curve balls that even I wasn’t expecting. I mean, I knew it, but I wasn’t expecting on putting it in to this degree, or it even showing up, if you know what I mean. I was planning on it just being hints. But, like the saying goes, and it plays especially well with the Greek Gods, “If you want to make the gods laugh, make plans.” But, I am almost back to the original beginning…wait, no I’m not. I just realized, I have a bit of a…oops, I almost let it slip. bad me. ok, I will change the subject, but let me say this, I do have a little bit more work before I am back to the original beginning before I can go back to where I left the twins hanging. I kind of left Reis in the middle of a fit of rage…it’s a wonder he hasn’t exploded yet LOL.

So, what else…Oh yes, I was a bit stuck on part of the story when Artemis changed a bit of the plot on me and I was a little lost on which direction to go…force my way, or to go her way…which I might add, she didn’t leave too clear on what exactly she wanted me to do once I followed her. So I pulled out my tarot cards and, oh I love the tarot, especially in regards to the writing. It led me exactly where I needed to go. Not only did the first few cards tell me exactly what I had already done, but the last cards told me exactly where I was heading, what I knew was to be the end result…and the middle cards, they were the ones that told me what I needed to know, what direction I needed to take what I had already done to achieve where I knew I needed to go. It was a beautiful thing. But, then, I got a little sidetracked and almost turned the book into the wrong genre…I have been reading too many other’s work that head in that same direction. I need to take a slight break and read a “genre cleansing” book…something that will get my mind away from the paranormal genre so it doesn’t bleed others ideas into my book. Yes, I still need to head in that direction, but this book is not shape shifters or vampires LOL. It is something else entirely. I am not saying it is something entirely new. I am not that egotistical…hell, I am not sure exactly what it is going to turn out to be until I get further into it. they have not fully expressed their powers to me, but I do know it is not vampires or shape shifters. **looks toward her files and sticks out her tongue and mumbles “so there” at them**

ok on the health front. I have to say I am bowled over by my new doctor. I have said this several times already. But, where I have been waiting months and months and months with other doctors for the insulin pump….with this new doctor…I have the new insulin pump sitting right here in front of me, newly delivered this afternoon. Of course, I have to wait until the 30th before I can actually hook up to it because I have to wait for the training. which I actually don’t need, but for insurance purposes, I have to have.

The problem? the part that I was really looking forward to, the part that I really need, the part that monitors my blood sugars continuously….Medicare won’t pay for. so, unless I can get my secondary insurance to pay for it, it will cost me over $1000 this month and each consecutive month it will cost around $500 for the supplies. Diabetes is not a cheap disease. **sigh**

I was going to write this afternoon, but I have been so busy playing with the new pump, that I didn’t get around to writing LOL. Tomorrow, I will dedicate all day, just check a few emails and then get right on writing. no delays. I will chain myself to the desk. ok, maybe not that far. But I do need to get a few scenes written that are driving me crazy LOL.

For now, I am going to go read more of the instruction manuals and play with the pump more.

Writing, doctors and dentist

2009-09-10T15:53:00.001-06:00

so, this blog is 3 parts. of course, since writing is foremost to me, it will be the first part of the blog LOL

I worked on The Prank today. I had to go back to the beginning. well, didn’t have to go to the beginning, but decided that I needed to start from their first beginning. not from their second beginning. They needed their back story. I am not the kind of writer that will put out a book then will go back and do the prequel. I hate it when that happens. it drives me batty. same with movies. I have a book series that I read that she has done that to me, not once, but twice in the series. She wrote the story, then did the prequel. then she did the continuation of the original story, then she did the prequel of the prequel. I was sooo confused when I got the fourth book. I had to figure out the timeline, then put the books in order and reread it in the order they are supposed to be, not the order they were published in. I could have killed her for doing that LOL. I will never do that. If I don’t include the pre-story in a book, I will not do a pre-story. well….I won’t say never. but the odds of me doing that, are very slim to none. I hate prequel’s. LOL. so anyway, the twin’s get their first beginning told in their actual book, especially since it is pertinent to the rest of the story, and since it is not going to be long enough to be its own book, there is no reason to make it its own book. Oh sure, where it is about the gods and goddesses, I have plenty of material to write and write and write and make lots of books, but, that would be taking away from the twins story, and it will no longer be the Hubris series. I could have written far more than I did today, but, I ran into a block…I was going to go one way, and Artemis decided that it was not feasible to do it, so now I have to figure out a different route to take. Dang goddess LOL. They always have a way of making their own plans known ;-) “If you want to make a goddess (god/deity) laugh, make plans.”

I hate how sporadic it is. But, thanks to the doctor getting me on some better anxiety medication, it seems to be a bit better. Now, it is just a matter of getting used to doing a schedule. If I can actually sit down to a schedule, I think I can actually get more writing done than I ever have. It will be challenging to get the schedule, what with grandma, and doctors and dentists and family period. but I think I can do it. no. I will do it. I will. I have to. I can’t keep playing around with it. If I am going to actually do this, I have to actually do this. I love writing, I have proven I can do it. I have proven I can sell it. I need to figure out how to up my sales, but I have proven I can do it. So, I need to prove I can get my output going better. Sure, I have problems. But, I can’t let that hold me back. I can’t travel. so what. it is not like I live in a world where travel was essential. So, I have problems typing some days. I can work around that. So I have lots of pain. I can work with and around that too. I don’t have to let all of this hold me back. I can’t keep using it as an excuse, or let it limit me. I need to stop letting my health define me. I am a writer, damn it. not a some-time-if-my-body-will-permit-it-I-will-jot-down-some-words hobbyist. I have two books under my belt published. That shows that I can do it. I have a eSerial going pretty good, granted it is only a few chapters, but it is still going pretty good. I have a couple of books that may, if they turn out well, turn into serials. No more playing at this, no more letting my health define me.

So, been going to a new diabetes doctor. well, he is not going to be just my diabetes, he is going to be my everything doctor. I am very impressed with him so far. I think I have mentioned him. I think. I mailed off the last bit of paperwork to get the insulin pump today. They should get it tomorrow, which means, that I should have the insulin pump in 2 weeks at the most. More than likely it should be ready for me to schedule to get trained on in a week. I am getting so excited! This, I hope, will make such a vast improvement. I know I am already on the pump, but 1) we are not sure if the pump is even working and 2) the new pump has what is called a CGMS (Continuous Glucose Monitoring System) which keeps my blood sugars monitored in between my usual testing and will adjust the pump and also alarm if my blood sugars go too high or too low so hopefully I will be able to keep my blood sugars from going to such extremes and I will be able to keep more stable…which in turn, we hope, will either stabilize or totally eliminate some of my other complications and health problems. Then I will be able to go in and get my eyes checked and worked on, as well as get my shoulders worked on and my feet/back and maybe have improvement on my digestive system.

Then, dentist. My old dentist, we have found out, was just a patcher. instead of taking out and fixing the whole problem, when he found a cavity, he would just patch the cavity to the old fillings, so he did not get all of the decay. So, Tuesday, when my new dentist went in to work, there was a lot more work to do than the x-ray showed. my mouth and jaw is still sore LOL. I still have at least 2 more appointments to get my teeth in shape, then a cleaning. Then, hopefully, we can get on a regimen of 3 visits a year for maintenance and 2 visits a year for deep cleaning. and, depending on things, I may, just for myself, have him whiten my teeth after getting them all fixed up LOL.

Just like, if I can get feeling somewhat better with the health if we can get the diabetes even somewhat going better, maybe I can start doing some light exercising again and get into at least a little bit better shape physically. I was looking at my legs night before last and they are looking pretty skinny….which is not a good thing. cause I am 5’10” 210 lbs…and my legs look too skinny for that…and in one place, I have slight muscle bulging (past doctor noticed that) down by my ankle and in a couple others, the muscle is caved in. So, I am worried that my leg muscles are wasting due to not much use. worries me a lot. so, definitely, if I can get feeling better and not in so much pain and the diabetes to a place that I can exercise safely, definitely.

Like I told the doctor. I am tired of living like this. I want to actually live. Well, since I can’t go home (right Adelfi? ;-) hehe) I want to at least be healthy here. No sense being unhealthy and miserable. Time to get my butt in gear and be a healthy writer. **that was typed with a vigorous head nod LOL*

Words That Bug Me – Carbon Footprint

2009-09-09T17:12:00.001-06:00

This one I am going to be kicked for by the environmentalists…but give me a break on this phrase. Carbon Footprint. If this is not the most ridiculous phrase I have ever heard, I don’t know what is.

I am already prepared for the rotten tomatoes, the boo’s, the rants…whatever you want to throw at me for hating this phrase LOL.

Ok, so going on Wikipedia for the “official” definition of this term first…

“A carbon footprint is ‘the total set of greenhouse gas (GHG) emmisions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product’. for simplicity of reporting, it is often expressed in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent of other GHGs, emitted. The concept and name of the carbon footprint originates from the ecological footprint discussion. The carbon footprint is a subset of the ecological footprint.”

Now, before I continue any further, I am all for saving the Earth. I do what I can. I conserve, I recycle. Hell, I live on a mountain, very rarely leaving it except to get my water from the city well and going to doctor appointments and the grocery store. I believe in the Greenhouse Effect, I believe that we are in a climate change…in fact, if I listed what I really did believe was in store with the climate and the world and us, I would probably be locked up with the tied-dyed hug-me jacket that I have always wanted LOL.

But, when it comes to the carbon footprint. This I laugh at.

Why? Not because of the carbon footprint…but because of the outcry of it, because of the fuss of it.

now think of it people. everyone and everything leaves a carbon footprint. everything not just large corporations. not just humans. it does not even have to be living to leave a “carbon footprint” *said in loud booming voice*

Hell, it does not even have to be made of carbon to leave a footprint, because it will interact with the things that are made of carbon, thus changing their composition, thus leaving the footprint.

So, see why I think that making a fuss over it is overrated? just because suddenly it is in the public eye, just because suddenly it is “now”, does not make it any more or less important, does not mean we have to suddenly start spouting “oh my! My carbon footprint is so-oo-oo huge!” *said in a valley-girl voice*

It has been there since Earth was created. It will still be here long after human’s are gone. do you really think human’s are making that big of a difference with it? The Earth goes in shift’s and changes, even when the human’s are not here. It still goes in it’s cycles of climate changes, it still goes in it’s cycles of chaos. Yes, we don’t help matters, and yes, we can help matters…but in the long scheme of things? we are insignificant. Earth will fix herself just as she has done when we weren’t here and just as she will do when we aren’t here.

Carbon footprints…*laughs* Come on. Let’s focus on something that we can work with. not something that we really can’t change. We can’t eliminate the plants….they are needed, even though they put out their own carbon footprints. We can’t eliminate animals, though they are a large contributor to carbon footprints as well. Ok, let’s destroy all of the corporations. where will we get things to survive with all of the people on Earth now? it’s not like it was centuries ago when Earth was not that populated. Oh! I know! Let’s get rid of the people! That will work…oh wait, no it won’t, cause there will still be the plants and the animals. drat. so what to do? guess we will have to learn to live with carbon footprints, won’t we?

See? how silly is it? Do away with the phrase. Learn to live with it, quit focusing on it and focus on something that we can really change and affect. We might all be happier one day.

Words That Bug Me….will return next week

2009-09-02T14:45:00.001-06:00

As I mentioned in my blog yesterday, I had to put my cat to sleep today. I knew it was going to be hard. I was not even close. I was up all night with him. He did not want to let go. He fought till the end. Gods the house seems empty without him, even with 6 dogs and 2 other cats and a bird…he was the love of this house. I crashed for a couple of hours when I got home, but…When he did let go, I saw him with his brother, they ran and chased each other, then settled down to groom each other. They are together again. they are happy. They are waiting for me now. But, still…They were my babies. They are my babies. Tonight is going to be the hardest. It has been 11 years since I have been without one or the other. I don’t know how I will do. Yes, I have Mo and I have Antiphone…but. There is that ‘But’. Anyway, I will be back on schedule with Words that Bug Me next week as usual. I would have done it tomorrow, but I have a doctors appointment tomorrow, and that will wipe me out for the day there, then I will have company all weekend. So, yeah. Next week LOL. For now, I go nurse my migraine and sit with my family and comfort each other.

trying to prepare for tomorrow…

2009-09-01T11:38:00.001-06:00

…but not being too successful.

Our cat, Clarence has been sick for some time.

We thought we were going to lose him in November. But we managed to save him. not even the vet thought we were going to.

Again, we thought we were going to lose him in March, but we managed to save him.

But, this time….there is no hope.

He is wasting away. the vet can’t find anything wrong. he is eating, and eating, and eating. when I say he is eating, I mean, he is eating almost a pound of wet cat food a day, plus as much dry cat food as he wants, plus human food, at meal times, and whenever he catches us in the kitchen. He has gone from 17 pounds, down to 6 pounds. he is nothing but skin and bones, literally. there is no muscle mass on him at all. You touch him and he cries out in pain.

And yet…..and yet.

I can’t bare to do this.

I don’t want to do this.

I know it needs to be done. he is suffering. I know he is. He is ready to go. I know he is.

and yet. and yet.

I am selfish. I can’t bare being without him. I had him and his brother for so long. I lost his brother, Orion 2 years ago, November. That devastated me. I can’t lose Clarence too. They are my children. I have other animals. I have another cat. I will get another cat. But Clarence. Orion. They are my heart. my soul.

Clarence is such a happy baby.

Even with all of the pain. even with constantly being hungry. He still purrs…and it is not a pain purr, it is a happy, I am loved purr. You can tell the difference. He talks. He kisses. He is such a happy baby. He will be down to the very last minute.

Which is tomorrow morning at 9.

I can’t do this.

I have to do this. Dad doesn’t want to do this. He keeps trying to talk me out of this. But. Looking at Clarence. He can’t go on like this any more. He is suffering. It is not fair to him for us to be so selfish.

Why? Why do animals have to have such a short life? why do they have to be so loving? so dependant on us? so…so everything…when humans have to live so long and, generally, suffer so much? Why do we have to get so attached to these little fur-balls and watch them suffer and eventually leave us when we do not want them to?

I don’t want to do this. but I have to.

Eleven years. Eleven short years. Orion was with us 9. These two cats are the longest lived I have ever had, but, it still seems too fast. They took on too much of my own illness. they shouldn’t have. they did it for me. why? why? they could have lived much longer. They both died having pancreas problems…echoing my own diabetes. they should never have taken on my own illnesses. My babies. the only babies I will ever have. I cannot have children. I will have other animals, but I will never have other “babies”.

Gotta get through today and tomorrow. Gotta find a way. Gotta go distract myself. This is not fair. If ever a time is shown that life is nothing but a cruel joke, is when someone you love is taken from you….be it a family member, or an animal.

Tomorrow is coming much too fast….

Just a quick one

2009-08-28T10:53:00.001-06:00

one quick little blog. just a little one. I promise. no ramblings. nothing that can be construed as boring. just a little note to say one thing. And that thing is….

CHAPTER THREE IS POSTED!

there. I am done. I am dead. I didn’t sleep last night. I am going to go crash. BYE!

What's *in* Cherry's Mind?

How do you mend a broken heart…aka. my heart attack

What to say?

Run-away dream

Miniseries dream

The Moon

That much time already?

Getting there

It will come, but perhaps late

It never fails *snicker*

Too much

Where have I been . . . ?

2 days late, 2 dollars short

A little bit of this, A little bit of that

Catch up time :)

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody

can’t get motivated

Things will be quiet for a few

Ideas

I caved…

A very strange start to the new year.

A very strange start to the new year.

Happy New Year!

Underhill Playlist

(Belated) Merry Christmas and other stuff

Playlist for *The Prank*

way behind

3-D or Hologram’s?

My thoughts on 2012

Hardback, Paperback, eReader or AudioBook?

TTTo - Green

Lots to do!

Early Yule present

Teaching Myself Greek

going to be absent…

I might have to disappear…

Mundania is having a sale!

TTTo - Black Friday

Just making the gods laugh…

Character Blogs’ Schedule

Spiders and writing

Do your craft

the “new” AP Report…Now Tiresome Term Tip-of (TTTo) - Authoring

“Choose Your Own Adventure” books

what’s been going on

busy busy

AP Report - “It’s That Time of Year Again!”

AP Report, writing, and blog accounts

blog updated

life and computers

Ch.4 Mu Mysteries

What Hides in…the Fog #20

What Hides in…the Fog #19

What Hides in…the Fog #18

What Hides in…the Fog #17

What Hides in…the Fog #16

What Hides in…the Fog #15

What Hides in…the Fog #14

What Hides in…the Fog #13

What Hides in…the Fog #12

What Hides in…The Fog #11

What Hides in…the Fog #10

What Hides in…the Fog #9

What Hides in…The Fog #8

What Hides in…the Fog #7

What Hides in…the Fog #6

What Hides in…the Fog #5

What Hides in…the Fog#4

What Hides in…the Fog #3

What Hides in…The Fog #2

What Hides in the Fog #1

What Hides in… the Fog…screw up’s LOL

What Hides in…the Fog!

Halloween fun tomorrow…

dental work

Health care and accountability

Lemurian’s/Atlantean’s, Greeks and Vampires…oh my!

AP Report – now playing in theaters

sleepless night=writing and cleaning=not happy body

“AP Alert” - Organic

What's in Cherry's Mind?

It never fails snicker

Playlist for The Prank