12/31/2006

A single and a CHRISTMAS SONG?

Correction: I had an embedded YouTube thing here - but it majorly screwed up my formatting. WTF? So here’s the link instead: Tarako Cupie Girls music video. Here’s the commercial. It’s apparently some kind of pasta sauce. Hmmmm….

Extra:  Because I love you all enough to torture you this way, here’s the Tarako Christmas song.

sparta at 4:02 pm

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Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!  I know I haven’t posted here much - illness and the holidays have taken over my time, which was to be expected.

I’m sure you all know that I have two other blogs and a forum to maintain, so I have to balance my time between them all, but I’m hoping to post here more often in 2007.

To give a quick update:  AJ, the boys, and I have been watching episodes of Star Trek: The Animated Series (one of AJ’s presents); we also watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Depp) and Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest (also Depp); we went bowling; and there have been several video game challenges.  All in all, a very relaxing break.  There were all kinds of projects I wanted to finish, but decided not to push it.

So - as I won’t get to share a glass of bubbly with you all in person, consider this my New Year’s toast:

Here’s to the bright New Year
And a fond farewell to the old;
Here’s to the things that are yet to come
And to the memories that we hold.

sparta at 3:55 pm

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12/26/2006

Happy Hanachristivusrhamakwandonmasdays!

Actually - Happy Holidays should cover it.

I had a nice Birthday and Christmas.  I will not go into a full listing of all my gifts here - but suffice it to say:  the haul was pretty good.

My kids really made out like bandits.  That Santa is a fantastic gift giver.  The boys have been so excited about each thing they received, they’re having a hard time deciding what to play with -  that is, when they can’t play with multiple things at the same time.

Top of the list was the Dr. Who Sonic Screwdriver.  Both of them seem to have it close by even if they aren’t playing with it directly - just to have it near them - just in case, I guess.  ^_^

There’s a winter storm for the rest of today and into tomorrow.  By that they mean it’s going to rain - and get pretty windy … up to 25 mph.  That’s the kind of storm I can handle.

Oh, and for those who might have been aware of it - there were some earthquakes not to far from us.  The strongest was a 3.7.  Yes, we felt it; but no, there was no damage.  I’m surprised my dad didn’t call and ask if our house and come down or something.  :-P

Not much else is going on.  We’ve enjoyed having Andrew home - he’s still on vacation for another whole week!  Woot!

How is everyone else?

sparta at 5:10 pm

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12/20/2006

Being sick sucks - sometimes recovering does too

I’ve been ill.  There’s a virus going around - and it’s not a nice, simple “runny/stuffy nose, cough, cough” kind…oh, no….  Your nose POURS for a day to three, then you’re runny and stuffy for a day or so.  Next, your throat gets sore.  Then your chest starts to hurt like you have bronchitis or something.  Then, just when you’re thinking - I need to go to the doctor, it begins to dry up … which I’m not sure isn’t worse.  You become exhausted - and your throat is DRY and sore - and the nose is stuffy - runny - totally stuffed - then only partially stuffed…  AUGH!

So be aware - it’s out there.  To add to it - I have Swimmer’s Ear.  Well, actually, it’s called Otis Externia or something like that because of where the infection is in the ear…but still.  I did not acquire it swimming.  It’s been causing a very annoying ringing in both ears.  Very annoying.

Still - even while I’ve felt like crap and had to ask people to repeat things because the tones in my ears overrode their voices - I’ve been in a good mood.  I have a Birthday/Christmas weekend to look forward to - and hubby has 11 days off!  WOOT!

So thanks for letting me rant about my Virus/Ear thing.  How are all of you?

sparta at 10:04 am

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12/18/2006

Um - ooookay … I thought we had this one covered…

So, a Britist computer scientist has created nullity.  I thought we already had a grip on zero (my hero, how wonderful you are!)

sparta at 11:03 pm

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12/11/2006

Short but sweet.

Back now.  Went to L.A. over the weekend.  Had fun.  Tar pits.  Bruce and Grace.  Good time.  You?

sparta at 3:15 pm

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12/6/2006

Could someone clone my husband?

I really need a clone of my husband.  Actually, an android copy might be better.  Just one I could pull out of the closet and activate when he’s gone on business.  When AJ comes home, I’d just turn the android off, and stick him back in the closet.

Hmm - maybe that’s dangerous, though.  Then AJ would want to borrow him.  He’d send the android to work for him and so on.  Or maybe he’d try to send the android on the trip.  Bet the TSA’d enjoy that!

Well, it’s still an idea in progress.  The cloning thing would be too complicated.  You can’t turn a clone off - and I wouldn’t just create it and destroy it - and I certainly couldn’t create one for every trip and then let it loose.  Can you imagine all those AJ’s running around loose in the world?

Well, we only have to manage without him for a couple more days.  And now that you know how I’m doing - how are all of you?

sparta at 2:08 pm

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12/5/2006

It’s that time of year…

Actually, it’s almost past….  It’s the time of year to think about our servicemen and women who are in foreign lands for the holidays.  Many of them will not be seeing their families this holiday season, and I’m sure a few of them feel a bit blue and wonder if most Americans feel about them like the MSM does.
So here’s your chance to show them your support and bring a little cheer.  Go to AnySoldier.com and follow their easy instructions.  Note:  They are very specific and clear about what you can send and how you can send.  Please pay attention to their guidelines.  The folks at AnySoldier are not trying to be bossy, rude, or domineering - they are simply trying to ensure that the soldiers you ship to will actually receive the items you send.

We’re almost finished with our package.  It’s going out a bit later than I’d wanted - but at least it’s going.

Merry Christmas, guys!

sparta at 10:48 am

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12/3/2006

How’s everyone doing?

How’s everyone doing? I’ve been busy - de-toxing from NaNo. NaNo just worked for me this year. It was my third win. I’ve learned a lot since my 2004 win. A whole lot. My writer’s group is responsible for some of that. As are the forums at NaNoWriMo. As is Holly Lisle. Before 2004, I wanted to be a writer. Now, in 2006, I am a writer. And I tell people so. Even if their eyes glaze over a bit when I tell them what I write. I still tell them. Do I say author? No. I - personally - reserve the term author for someone who is published (or has won an award for their work, and let’s say, it was going to be published in an anthology).

But I am a writer. And a fairly prolific one - I write at least 3,000-6,000 words a week. That’s being productive. Okay, none of what I’ve written is ready for submission yet. But it will be - eventually - or in 2007 whichever comes first.

I’ve been a little lazy about posting. I have three blogs of my own, plus the T4W forums. Sometimes I wonder if I should just combine them, but then I think about it, and I’ve realized that I like having things separate. WHEN my writing career takes off (thinking positive, see?), I don’t want my fans knowing the same things I want to post to my friends. And if I maintain the podcast, I don’t want my readers and listeners all jumbled…because the topics posted/discussed are different.

So, I think they will remain separate for now. Anyway - I really just wanted to say that I survived NaNo - we’re gearing up for Christmas - and doing okay … and to ask how all of you are doing. Everyone’s been so quiet lately.

sparta at 2:16 pm

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A digital lightening detector?

Okay, so this company says they have a Lightening/Storm Detector.

And it only costs, oh, about $480. For this little gizmo that you hold in your hand that tells you “Storm Activity. ETA 15 minutes.” You know, because you can’t look up in the sky and see the dark clouds. I’m not entirely sure how it works, but one of the ads on their website says “Forget counting.”

I’m just not sure how useful this device actually would be.  Anyone own one?  Know anyone who owns one?

sparta at 2:05 pm

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