I've recently discovered a new addiction. It's a show called "Deadliest Catch". There are eight seasons of it on Netflix and I've just barely started with season one. The show followed the crews of a fleet of fishing vessels as they fish for crab outside of Dutch Harbor, AK. They're mostly fishing in the Bering Sea, a cold and dangerous place to fish. They risk their lives for the chance at grabbing up something that is literally worth thousands of dollars, and is a hit or miss when it comes to finding it. An episode I recently watched had six people die in the pursuit of the crab, and a ship sinking.
Now, I know you're wondering how on earth am I going to compare this to writing? Well, for starters, writing can be hit or miss when it comes to production. There are days were nothing comes and we're floundering along, pulling up empty pot after empty pot of thoughts and ideas. Then there are days where the pots are full to overflowing and we're barely able to scramble fast enough to keep up with them.
Then there's the emotional pain we feel. It's not the same kind of pain and death that the fishermen face, but for each of us there is a little pain and even emotional death every time we write a scene where a beloved character dies, or we have to give up on a story because it's just not working even though we've invested so much time in it. We face hardship and tragedy each day as we struggle to create masterpieces that we hope someone else will buy and devour as eagerly as people who like it devour crab.
We're not going to freeze to death if we aren't careful. We're not going to fall into the sea and drown. We're certainly not going to be severely injured by our job. But we are in danger of sabotaging ourselves, drowning in doubt, and being hurt by negative reviews or insensitive critique partners. We need to remember though that for us, like for these bravely insane men, this is our way of life. We live and breathe it.
I'm going to continue watching "Deadliest Catch" because I love the personalities and complexities I see in the show. I'm going to continue writing because that is what I love to do. And I'm not going to let anything get in the way of my dream.
A bridge over a beautiful waterfall
Nature brings magic
Showing posts with label Monday Maundering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Monday Maundering. Show all posts
Monday, October 21, 2013
Monday, September 16, 2013
Monday Maundering - #Tagyoureit #bloghop
I was tagged by my lovely friend Joelle Casteel (WARNING: her blog is 18+ due to BDSM and other adult themes) to participate in the blog hop. Check out the link to see her answers to the questions. Here are mine.
1. What are you working on now?
A novella regarding the birth of one of my goddesses and three short stories that need to be rewritten, all of which I intend to self publish. The Birth of the Silver Lady, and Rescue, The Soldier and the Lady, and The Pigeon and the Fiddler all take place in my world of Aleran. Three are precursors to my novel Marked while the fourth takes place after the novel ends.
2. How does it differ from other books in its genre?
I haven't read too many stories about how a mortal woman becomes a goddess and ends up choosing those who will become her children, so I suppose that's one way the novella differs from the other books in the genre. As for the other three stories, they're about the struggles of a man and his family as they try to cope with their ever changing world.
3. Why do you write what you do?
I write what I want to read. I write fantasy, science fiction, dystopian, urban fantasy, and really bad poetry. Now I don't necessarily want to read really bad poetry, but it sometimes helps me frame my thoughts if I restrict myself to the limitations of poetry. I love world building and delving into the lives and cultures of those characters who tell me their stories.
4. How does your writing process work?
*laughs* My writing process is chaos. I write stories, and then I go back and rewrite them. I scrap them and start over. I write multiple variations of the same story over and over again until I find the one I like. I make copious notes on the world, and then change my mind and update them as I go. I don't seem to be able to pin myself down to one idea. I finish a story and immediately want to rewrite it because it isn't perfect. Hence the reason I always have more than one WIP. I'm always writing something.
1. What are you working on now?
A novella regarding the birth of one of my goddesses and three short stories that need to be rewritten, all of which I intend to self publish. The Birth of the Silver Lady, and Rescue, The Soldier and the Lady, and The Pigeon and the Fiddler all take place in my world of Aleran. Three are precursors to my novel Marked while the fourth takes place after the novel ends.
2. How does it differ from other books in its genre?
I haven't read too many stories about how a mortal woman becomes a goddess and ends up choosing those who will become her children, so I suppose that's one way the novella differs from the other books in the genre. As for the other three stories, they're about the struggles of a man and his family as they try to cope with their ever changing world.
3. Why do you write what you do?
I write what I want to read. I write fantasy, science fiction, dystopian, urban fantasy, and really bad poetry. Now I don't necessarily want to read really bad poetry, but it sometimes helps me frame my thoughts if I restrict myself to the limitations of poetry. I love world building and delving into the lives and cultures of those characters who tell me their stories.
4. How does your writing process work?
*laughs* My writing process is chaos. I write stories, and then I go back and rewrite them. I scrap them and start over. I write multiple variations of the same story over and over again until I find the one I like. I make copious notes on the world, and then change my mind and update them as I go. I don't seem to be able to pin myself down to one idea. I finish a story and immediately want to rewrite it because it isn't perfect. Hence the reason I always have more than one WIP. I'm always writing something.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Monday Maundering - World Suicide Prevention Day (Warning: Discussion of Suicide)
I was going to talk about the conflict in Syria, but there are so many people who've said what I'm thinking on it better than I ever could so I think I'll avoid that bandwagon. Instead, let me talk to you about something that is even closer to my heart, something I only recently learned about but have been researching like crazy since I found out about it: World Suicide Prevention Day.
WSPD is on September 10th every year. It's a joint effort between the International Association of Suicide Prevention, the World Health Organization, and the World Federation for Mental Health. This is its 11th anniversary. This year's focus is on the stigma of talking about suicide as a barrier. Read the article through the link to better understand this event.
Suicide is not a joke. Nor is it, as I've heard some people say, the process of natural selection. Natural selection implies a predator taking out the weakest or sickest of the population. Suicide is for the most part self-inflicted and can be prevented by people paying attention and offering help where help is needed.
I've been suicidal before. I probably wouldn't be here if not for my family and friends. Four times in my life I've had the method, the means, and the will to do it. My depression, a mental illness that is as devastating in its own way at times as cancer, overwhelmed me and took its toll on my mental stability. My father prevented my first attempt. Himself has prevented two of the three remaining attempts. A friend prevented the third. All because they were paying attention and even if they didn't know the warning signs of suicidal tendencies, they knew something was wrong.
The most important thing I can say about suicide prevention is educate yourself. Learn what the signs of someone considering suicide are. There are some distinct signs that can be overlooked if you're not watching for them. Pay attention to your friends and family. If they're showing signs of depression, try to convince them to seek help. Not everyone is willing to admit they have a problem. I didn't want to accept my diagnosis for several years. It's only been within the last few years that I've accepted it and started looking for ways to control it.
Suicide is the final choice for those of us who feel we have no other reason for life. People who are abused, bullied, or suffer from mental illness are the most likely candidates for attempting to end their lives. We are the forgotten ones, the ones on the edge of society. We are the ones that people look down on, step on, or ignore. We are the ones crying for help that nobody hears. If they do hear, it's generally either too late or they don't pay attention.
Don't turn your back on the bullied. Don't ignore the abused. Don't shy away from the mentally ill. Noticing the problem is the first step in prevention. Step forward when no one else will and provide those who are suffering a lifeline. Sometimes it doesn't work, but sometimes just even a single person caring about them, a single person willing to step forward and show them that they have worth and value, sometimes that's all it takes to save a life.
WSPD is on September 10th every year. It's a joint effort between the International Association of Suicide Prevention, the World Health Organization, and the World Federation for Mental Health. This is its 11th anniversary. This year's focus is on the stigma of talking about suicide as a barrier. Read the article through the link to better understand this event.
Suicide is not a joke. Nor is it, as I've heard some people say, the process of natural selection. Natural selection implies a predator taking out the weakest or sickest of the population. Suicide is for the most part self-inflicted and can be prevented by people paying attention and offering help where help is needed.
I've been suicidal before. I probably wouldn't be here if not for my family and friends. Four times in my life I've had the method, the means, and the will to do it. My depression, a mental illness that is as devastating in its own way at times as cancer, overwhelmed me and took its toll on my mental stability. My father prevented my first attempt. Himself has prevented two of the three remaining attempts. A friend prevented the third. All because they were paying attention and even if they didn't know the warning signs of suicidal tendencies, they knew something was wrong.
The most important thing I can say about suicide prevention is educate yourself. Learn what the signs of someone considering suicide are. There are some distinct signs that can be overlooked if you're not watching for them. Pay attention to your friends and family. If they're showing signs of depression, try to convince them to seek help. Not everyone is willing to admit they have a problem. I didn't want to accept my diagnosis for several years. It's only been within the last few years that I've accepted it and started looking for ways to control it.
Suicide is the final choice for those of us who feel we have no other reason for life. People who are abused, bullied, or suffer from mental illness are the most likely candidates for attempting to end their lives. We are the forgotten ones, the ones on the edge of society. We are the ones that people look down on, step on, or ignore. We are the ones crying for help that nobody hears. If they do hear, it's generally either too late or they don't pay attention.
Don't turn your back on the bullied. Don't ignore the abused. Don't shy away from the mentally ill. Noticing the problem is the first step in prevention. Step forward when no one else will and provide those who are suffering a lifeline. Sometimes it doesn't work, but sometimes just even a single person caring about them, a single person willing to step forward and show them that they have worth and value, sometimes that's all it takes to save a life.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Monday Maundering - I've got nothing again
I have no clue what to write here today. I don't have anything I feel overly passionate about today so you're in for more music videos. These are some of my favorite songs off of YouTube.
Mordred's Lullaby - Heather Dale
March of Cambreadth - Heather Alexander
Frozen - Within Temptation
Monster - Skillet
The Promise - Krypteria
Monday, August 26, 2013
Monday Maundering - How I met Himself
I don't know if I've ever put this story here or not, but I was thinking about how long we've been together (14 years, married for 11 as of this Halloween) and was amazed at it because the two of us have very different personalities. He's a very outgoing, outspoken person while I tend to be more reserved and withdrawn. It makes for some interesting situations, that's for sure. And some interesting arguments and discussions.
But back to the reason for this post: how I met Himself.
In 1999 I had hit what I thought was rock bottom. My two year relationship had ended badly at the end of '98 and I was still feeling a little depressed because of it. I'd failed out of college and then lost the job I'd held for two years due to a lot of issues. I was working temp jobs and living at home, not even able to support myself.
Then my older sister had an idea. Why not go to Job Corps and get some more training on being an office admin? For those that don't know, Job Corps is an organization that takes low income students from 16-24 and teaches them real life job skills. There are several different trades, among them dental assistant, clerical, culinary arts, carpentry, masonry, and painting. (These are the ones I can remember from my time in Job Corps. There may be others.) You live on their campus in dorms and your entire eight hour day is spent submerged in learning how to do the trade you've selected. You get paid a monthly stipend, and when I was enrolled you got a clothing allowance when you first arrived and then every six months after that to update your professional wardrobe.
There were also recreational activities that you could participate in and you were encouraged to socialize with the people around you. Trips to the mall or to the movie theater were common occurrences and arts and crafts and video games were also very prevalent.
I was 22 and in dire need of a better education. I'd flunked out of college due to health reasons and I couldn't get back in. I couldn't get more student loans because of my previous grades and the fact that I hadn't been able to make more than a few token payments on my student loans before that. I was a mess and I needed a change of scenery.
So I enrolled in Job Corps. While there is a campus in Idaho, I wanted out of the state for a while. So I asked to be sent out of state. I was sent to Cascades Job Corps in Sedro-Woolley, WA. I took the Greyhound to Mount Vernon, WA where me and several other hopefuls were picked up by the security officers for the center and taken to our new home away from home.
I was there for a few days when I fell into the gamer crowd. I was rolling up a D&D character, but I couldn't remember how as it had been almost ten years since I'd played the game. A young man with slicked back hair and a perpetual attitude came up and helped me. I thought his arrogance was off putting and after he'd helped me I thanked him but didn't want anything more to do with him. As you may have guessed, this was Himself.
Well, the first two weeks at Job Corps were spent in Orientation. At the end of those two weeks, the culinary arts students hosted a banquet for the new graduates before we all headed off either into our trade or into the high school program so those enrolled could get their G.E.D.s or an actual high school diploma, whichever they decided they wanted to do. Guess who was in charge of the banquet? That's right. It was Himself. Himself came into our class several times over the final week to make sure he knew our dietary restrictions (we had one girl who wouldn't eat pork, a vegetarian, and me on medication who couldn't have caffeine.) He was very courteous to us and the arrogance I'd seen when he was helping me with my D&D character wasn't apparent.
The banquet went off without a problem. We all talked and laughed and had a good time. Himself and the other two culinary arts students who were helping him serve were all very attentive and took good care of us. Now here's where it gets a little odd for me. After the banquet, myself and the vegetarian were the last two to leave. Himself and his helpers came in to clear up. For no apparent reason that I can fathom or understand, I walked up to him and gave him a hug. Remember, I'm painfully shy and awkward around people and I didn't really like him. But I gave him a hug and thanked him for the nice banquet. He was as shocked as I was and I quickly made my escape.
Later, we were wandering around the center grounds because it was the normal lunch hour. (OEP banquet was held before lunch because everyone else had to eat their lunch too.) I saw him in a gazebo smoking. I walked up to him and again, randomly and not normally for me, I gave him another hug. He looked me up and down and asked me if I was seeing anyone. I told him no. Then he asked me if I'd like to go out with him. I said a rather hyper sounding yes. And that was that. The two of us started dating.
Barring four months of painful separation due to a fight brought on by a rather touchy situation with his family, we've been together ever since. A random hug, something I still don't understand why I did to this very day, led me to 14 years with a man that I love and who I'm sure loves me back. Job Corps was an interesting experience, though not one I'd care to repeat. I learned a lot and gained a relationship that has lasted through some of the toughest times of my life.
But back to the reason for this post: how I met Himself.
In 1999 I had hit what I thought was rock bottom. My two year relationship had ended badly at the end of '98 and I was still feeling a little depressed because of it. I'd failed out of college and then lost the job I'd held for two years due to a lot of issues. I was working temp jobs and living at home, not even able to support myself.
Then my older sister had an idea. Why not go to Job Corps and get some more training on being an office admin? For those that don't know, Job Corps is an organization that takes low income students from 16-24 and teaches them real life job skills. There are several different trades, among them dental assistant, clerical, culinary arts, carpentry, masonry, and painting. (These are the ones I can remember from my time in Job Corps. There may be others.) You live on their campus in dorms and your entire eight hour day is spent submerged in learning how to do the trade you've selected. You get paid a monthly stipend, and when I was enrolled you got a clothing allowance when you first arrived and then every six months after that to update your professional wardrobe.
There were also recreational activities that you could participate in and you were encouraged to socialize with the people around you. Trips to the mall or to the movie theater were common occurrences and arts and crafts and video games were also very prevalent.
I was 22 and in dire need of a better education. I'd flunked out of college due to health reasons and I couldn't get back in. I couldn't get more student loans because of my previous grades and the fact that I hadn't been able to make more than a few token payments on my student loans before that. I was a mess and I needed a change of scenery.
So I enrolled in Job Corps. While there is a campus in Idaho, I wanted out of the state for a while. So I asked to be sent out of state. I was sent to Cascades Job Corps in Sedro-Woolley, WA. I took the Greyhound to Mount Vernon, WA where me and several other hopefuls were picked up by the security officers for the center and taken to our new home away from home.
I was there for a few days when I fell into the gamer crowd. I was rolling up a D&D character, but I couldn't remember how as it had been almost ten years since I'd played the game. A young man with slicked back hair and a perpetual attitude came up and helped me. I thought his arrogance was off putting and after he'd helped me I thanked him but didn't want anything more to do with him. As you may have guessed, this was Himself.
Well, the first two weeks at Job Corps were spent in Orientation. At the end of those two weeks, the culinary arts students hosted a banquet for the new graduates before we all headed off either into our trade or into the high school program so those enrolled could get their G.E.D.s or an actual high school diploma, whichever they decided they wanted to do. Guess who was in charge of the banquet? That's right. It was Himself. Himself came into our class several times over the final week to make sure he knew our dietary restrictions (we had one girl who wouldn't eat pork, a vegetarian, and me on medication who couldn't have caffeine.) He was very courteous to us and the arrogance I'd seen when he was helping me with my D&D character wasn't apparent.
The banquet went off without a problem. We all talked and laughed and had a good time. Himself and the other two culinary arts students who were helping him serve were all very attentive and took good care of us. Now here's where it gets a little odd for me. After the banquet, myself and the vegetarian were the last two to leave. Himself and his helpers came in to clear up. For no apparent reason that I can fathom or understand, I walked up to him and gave him a hug. Remember, I'm painfully shy and awkward around people and I didn't really like him. But I gave him a hug and thanked him for the nice banquet. He was as shocked as I was and I quickly made my escape.
Later, we were wandering around the center grounds because it was the normal lunch hour. (OEP banquet was held before lunch because everyone else had to eat their lunch too.) I saw him in a gazebo smoking. I walked up to him and again, randomly and not normally for me, I gave him another hug. He looked me up and down and asked me if I was seeing anyone. I told him no. Then he asked me if I'd like to go out with him. I said a rather hyper sounding yes. And that was that. The two of us started dating.
Barring four months of painful separation due to a fight brought on by a rather touchy situation with his family, we've been together ever since. A random hug, something I still don't understand why I did to this very day, led me to 14 years with a man that I love and who I'm sure loves me back. Job Corps was an interesting experience, though not one I'd care to repeat. I learned a lot and gained a relationship that has lasted through some of the toughest times of my life.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Monday Maundering - Cute cat videos
I don't have much to say today. So here are some cute cat videos I found on youtube for your entertainment.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Monday Maundering - Where there's smoke there's fire
And I do mean that literally. Around here, we're surrounded by wildfires. The smoke is pretty thick in places in town. My dad woke up to ash on his cars on Friday. My dad sat down and showed me in the paper today the map they posted of the areas affected by the fires. The two major routes my family always took to go for picnics and rides are blocked by fire.
Another route we used to take is blocked by a manhunt looking for a murderer and the 16 year old daughter of one of his victims. The Valley county police force has borrowed as many officers from neighboring counties as can be spared. Someone saw the man and his victim in a state park so now they're focusing their search in that area. The guy abandoned his car but they're afraid to search it for fear it's been booby trapped.
I often wonder when I read these stories what drives people to kill, to kidnap, to rape, to physically harm another human. I don't understand what drives people to emotionally harm another human either. What is it in their psyche that drives people to do this?
Some people say it's a chemical imbalance. Others say it's due to some traumatic event in their childhood. Still others say that the offenders were victimized so they see that as the only way to be. I don't know that any of these are entirely right or wrong. I just know that there are some people out there that are so fundamentally broken that they get a rush from hurting other people.
I think it's sick. What makes it even sicker is how it's glorified by the media. Rape culture is alive and well in America, where it's okay for a man to rape a woman because "she deserved it." Murderers become something of a celebrity. They dominate the news feeds for weeks at a time. To me, this just feeds into their egos and drives them to kill even more. It also inspires a new generation of criminals to try to outdo their predecessors. I think that's one of the reasons we end up with serial killers.
We need to stop giving criminals the ego boost of showcasing their crimes on national media like they're some kind of twisted celebrity. I've heard the argument that if we don't show their crimes, they'll escalate to try to get the attention of the media and will not stop until they get the attention that they want. I don't know if that's true but I do wish mainstream media would stop glorifying crime and instead showcase something that would better our world, like scientific discoveries or medical breakthroughs. Or just the general kindness of strangers and the generosity of those who don't always have much to give. Uplifting stories, stories that educate, rather than stories that glorify violence.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Monday Maundering - Random babble again
I don't really have a purpose for today's post, except to ramble along about whatever crosses my mind. You have been warned.
Let's talk the media - specifically news outlets. I don't get my news from the mainstream outlets anymore. At least not the ones here in the U.S. Fox News, MSNBC, CBS, CNN, ABC, none of them. Firstly, I don't have tv. So everything I do is online or via the radio. And even on the radio I'm listing to NPR and PRI (a lot from the BBC, especially at night). BBC is the only mainstream media I listen to. I get better reporting on what's going on in the world from them than I do from our own newscasters.
I also read Huffington Post. I'll admit that they can be a little one sided as well, but at least I'm more likely to be given the facts behind a situation than I am with the other media outlets. If someone posts a link to another online news site, I'll go read that too. I'm very ecumenical. I give everyone a chance to tell me their version of the same story - as long as it's not Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and the others like them.
Names. What's in a name? My friend Joelle got a lot of comments on one of her blog posts about how she has a male character who uses the name 'The Queen'. He's not a drag queen. He's a very dominant personality. He's actually a dom in her BDSM book series. He's a fascinating character and very complex. As of yet, I don't know how he got the name but I'm sure it would be an interesting story to learn.
What we call ourselves is our business. I have my real name, which I don't generally use online. And I have my pen name, which is what people online know me by. There was a transgender woman (male to female) at my work place who preferred to be called Michelle. She was a sweet, wonderful woman. But some people couldn't get past the fact that she'd been born Jeremy and continued to call her that and refer to her as a 'he'. It upset her so much she actually quit, citing harassment as the reason. The people who harassed her? Didn't get into trouble. At least, not that I saw. Two of them boasted about having driven the 'freak' off. I was livid for days after that.
What does it matter what we call ourselves? A name is just a label we give ourselves. Some of us choose to keep the labels we were given by our parents. Others choose to change that label as they grow up. We use nicknames as a different label as well. Respect those around you and use the name they prefer.
Let's talk the media - specifically news outlets. I don't get my news from the mainstream outlets anymore. At least not the ones here in the U.S. Fox News, MSNBC, CBS, CNN, ABC, none of them. Firstly, I don't have tv. So everything I do is online or via the radio. And even on the radio I'm listing to NPR and PRI (a lot from the BBC, especially at night). BBC is the only mainstream media I listen to. I get better reporting on what's going on in the world from them than I do from our own newscasters.
I also read Huffington Post. I'll admit that they can be a little one sided as well, but at least I'm more likely to be given the facts behind a situation than I am with the other media outlets. If someone posts a link to another online news site, I'll go read that too. I'm very ecumenical. I give everyone a chance to tell me their version of the same story - as long as it's not Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and the others like them.
Names. What's in a name? My friend Joelle got a lot of comments on one of her blog posts about how she has a male character who uses the name 'The Queen'. He's not a drag queen. He's a very dominant personality. He's actually a dom in her BDSM book series. He's a fascinating character and very complex. As of yet, I don't know how he got the name but I'm sure it would be an interesting story to learn.
What we call ourselves is our business. I have my real name, which I don't generally use online. And I have my pen name, which is what people online know me by. There was a transgender woman (male to female) at my work place who preferred to be called Michelle. She was a sweet, wonderful woman. But some people couldn't get past the fact that she'd been born Jeremy and continued to call her that and refer to her as a 'he'. It upset her so much she actually quit, citing harassment as the reason. The people who harassed her? Didn't get into trouble. At least, not that I saw. Two of them boasted about having driven the 'freak' off. I was livid for days after that.
What does it matter what we call ourselves? A name is just a label we give ourselves. Some of us choose to keep the labels we were given by our parents. Others choose to change that label as they grow up. We use nicknames as a different label as well. Respect those around you and use the name they prefer.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Monday Maundering - Stupidity in the world of customer service
I've discovered a, for me, highly entertaining website. Not Always Right is a collection of stories about customer service situations that you wouldn't think are in the norm. But after 20 years of working in some kind of customer service or front office role, I can tell you that I believe all of these stories are true. There are other "Not Always..." pages to look at and they're all rather amusing in a disheartening sort of way. But I specifically want to talk about Not Always Right.
Are people truly this fundamentally stupid? Maybe not all the time, but I can relate to so many of these stories it's not funny. I've been accused of being racist because I wouldn't give someone their own way. I've dealt with misogynistic assholes. I've even dealt with misandry and feminazis that wouldn't let a male help them even though I didn't know how to do what they were asking and had to ask my male co-worker to talk me through it. People like this actually exist out there.
Why are people so willfully ignorant? How can they get through life not understanding the basic rules of being out in public? Why do people in some cases still treat women like we don't know anything? In other cases, why do they treat women like we should know everything? Why get mad when someone doesn't know something? Why get mad when you're told no?
These are things that we as the consumer need to be aware of in ourselves. I've had to cut Himself off a few times when he's done things that would irritate or upset a cashier. I've blown up at cashiers when I was having a bad day. I've at least apologized for it, but too many people don't apologize and don't care that they've upset someone.
Take a look at a few of the stories on that website. Look at yourself in the mirror when you do and say, "I never want to end up on this site." Then do your best not to end up on the site. You never know who's watching.
Are people truly this fundamentally stupid? Maybe not all the time, but I can relate to so many of these stories it's not funny. I've been accused of being racist because I wouldn't give someone their own way. I've dealt with misogynistic assholes. I've even dealt with misandry and feminazis that wouldn't let a male help them even though I didn't know how to do what they were asking and had to ask my male co-worker to talk me through it. People like this actually exist out there.
Why are people so willfully ignorant? How can they get through life not understanding the basic rules of being out in public? Why do people in some cases still treat women like we don't know anything? In other cases, why do they treat women like we should know everything? Why get mad when someone doesn't know something? Why get mad when you're told no?
These are things that we as the consumer need to be aware of in ourselves. I've had to cut Himself off a few times when he's done things that would irritate or upset a cashier. I've blown up at cashiers when I was having a bad day. I've at least apologized for it, but too many people don't apologize and don't care that they've upset someone.
Take a look at a few of the stories on that website. Look at yourself in the mirror when you do and say, "I never want to end up on this site." Then do your best not to end up on the site. You never know who's watching.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Monday Maundering - Random thoughts
I thought I'd treat you all to an example of my stream of consciousness thoughts, but really, I don't think anyone wants to spend time in my head. My thoughts tend to run chaotically and in all directions so I'm not sure where that would take us.
What is it about money? I mean, I understand that everything in this world has a price. We just have to find it and pay it. But really, why can't we trade skills and goods for other things instead of using money? Like Himself. He's pretty handy with a computer. He could trade computer maintenance for food. Or building a web site for gas. Then again, people wouldn't be able to agree on the value of the goods or services they were trading so I suppose money is a necessary evil.
Then there's this. According to the update, they're finally allowing women their pads and tampons back. But really, they're afraid women are going to throw their sanitary products at people? When guns are allowed in, which I would think would be the more dangerous option? I always knew Texas had issues but this is just ridiculous. Then again, a lot of things happening in Texas are pretty ridiculous these days.
A lot of things happening everywhere are pretty ridiculous these days. The ongoing war against women has got to stop. It's getting so being female is a crime. To paraphrase a quote from one of my favorite movies: "They're in our homes and in our heads. They tell us what to do, what to think, what to say. They're meddlesome, and they haven't the right." The government needs to back off and leave us alone.
Then there's what happened in Florida. How could they let Zimmerman off without having him pay a price for killing Trayvon Martin? He disobeyed the cops. He stalked the boy. He shot him and killed him with no provocation. Yes, he said he was defending himself. Yes, it's possible Trayvon was fighting him. But what if Trayvon was the one in fear for his life and he was defending himself? Did no one stop to consider that? Obviously not. And then there's the poor woman who got 20 years for firing a gun at her abusive husband. There are mitigating circumstances in that case as well, but she didn't hurt anyone. She was skilled with a gun. She knew what she was doing. She doesn't deserve 20 years in prison for defending herself.
I could ramble on about various things but I think that's enough for today.
What is it about money? I mean, I understand that everything in this world has a price. We just have to find it and pay it. But really, why can't we trade skills and goods for other things instead of using money? Like Himself. He's pretty handy with a computer. He could trade computer maintenance for food. Or building a web site for gas. Then again, people wouldn't be able to agree on the value of the goods or services they were trading so I suppose money is a necessary evil.
Then there's this. According to the update, they're finally allowing women their pads and tampons back. But really, they're afraid women are going to throw their sanitary products at people? When guns are allowed in, which I would think would be the more dangerous option? I always knew Texas had issues but this is just ridiculous. Then again, a lot of things happening in Texas are pretty ridiculous these days.
A lot of things happening everywhere are pretty ridiculous these days. The ongoing war against women has got to stop. It's getting so being female is a crime. To paraphrase a quote from one of my favorite movies: "They're in our homes and in our heads. They tell us what to do, what to think, what to say. They're meddlesome, and they haven't the right." The government needs to back off and leave us alone.
Then there's what happened in Florida. How could they let Zimmerman off without having him pay a price for killing Trayvon Martin? He disobeyed the cops. He stalked the boy. He shot him and killed him with no provocation. Yes, he said he was defending himself. Yes, it's possible Trayvon was fighting him. But what if Trayvon was the one in fear for his life and he was defending himself? Did no one stop to consider that? Obviously not. And then there's the poor woman who got 20 years for firing a gun at her abusive husband. There are mitigating circumstances in that case as well, but she didn't hurt anyone. She was skilled with a gun. She knew what she was doing. She doesn't deserve 20 years in prison for defending herself.
I could ramble on about various things but I think that's enough for today.
Monday, July 8, 2013
Monday Maundering - Music
Music. How many times have we been doing something when a song pops into our head? Or an event reminds us of a song? Or a song reminds us of an event? How many of us have a special song that we share with our significant others, that means something to us? Parents sing lullabies to their children. Schools teach music as a way of teaching cultural appreciation to children. Some of the greatest theatrical triumphs come from Broadway musicals. Music is the soundtrack to our lives.
I don't know about you, but I can't write without music of some kind playing in the background. Rock, classical, techno, whatever fits the mood I'm in that's what's generally playing. I thought for today's post I'd share some of my favorite music with you. (The ones I can find on youtube at least.)
I don't know about you, but I can't write without music of some kind playing in the background. Rock, classical, techno, whatever fits the mood I'm in that's what's generally playing. I thought for today's post I'd share some of my favorite music with you. (The ones I can find on youtube at least.)
The Promise - Krypteria
Why - Krypteria
Pachelbel - Canon in D
Lindsey Stirling - Phantom of the Opera
Heather Dale - Mordred's Lullaby
I have so many more I could put here, but this is just a sample of what I listen to. Enjoy!
Monday, July 1, 2013
Monday Maundering - Religion vs. Science
I got into a couple interesting conversations this past week and it got me thinking. I am not a religious person by inclination. I believe that spirituality comes from within, not without. I believe that people choose their own paths in life, not that they were predestined to do anything. I believe people have free choice and those choices are inspired only by their own minds, not by any outward influence save that of their environment, upbringing, and mental state.
One of the conversations I got into was regarding Adam and Eve. If you think about it, Adam and Eve were the first humans. They had at least two sons. We all know the story of Cain and Abel. So...who was Cain copulating with when he produced his children? Adam and Eve were the only people on the planet, other than their sons. But Genesis tells us Cain found other people. So were there other Gardens of Eden? Other people like Adam and Eve? Where did these other people come from? Adam and Eve had other children. Who did those children marry to produce their children which ultimately led to the population of the world?
What about when the flood wiped out humanity, except for Noah and his family? How did we avoid inbreeding irregularities when the children of his children only had each other to marry? How did humanity get to the point it is today without the host of problems you see in families too closely related? How did we end up with so many varyingly different peoples if we're all descended from the same stock?
I found no answers to my questions.
My second question revolved around how science has shown that we did evolve and change as we spread out over the world. It has also tried to prove how the universe was created, and has done a good job of it. Where is god in all of this? If he created the world in seven days, where did the dinosaurs come in? Where did the neanderthal and the other primitive lives that were found to exist prior to us come from?
No one can answer these questions for me. I find myself questioning a lot of the beliefs I grew up with lately, and would love to hear some insight from others.
One of the conversations I got into was regarding Adam and Eve. If you think about it, Adam and Eve were the first humans. They had at least two sons. We all know the story of Cain and Abel. So...who was Cain copulating with when he produced his children? Adam and Eve were the only people on the planet, other than their sons. But Genesis tells us Cain found other people. So were there other Gardens of Eden? Other people like Adam and Eve? Where did these other people come from? Adam and Eve had other children. Who did those children marry to produce their children which ultimately led to the population of the world?
What about when the flood wiped out humanity, except for Noah and his family? How did we avoid inbreeding irregularities when the children of his children only had each other to marry? How did humanity get to the point it is today without the host of problems you see in families too closely related? How did we end up with so many varyingly different peoples if we're all descended from the same stock?
I found no answers to my questions.
My second question revolved around how science has shown that we did evolve and change as we spread out over the world. It has also tried to prove how the universe was created, and has done a good job of it. Where is god in all of this? If he created the world in seven days, where did the dinosaurs come in? Where did the neanderthal and the other primitive lives that were found to exist prior to us come from?
No one can answer these questions for me. I find myself questioning a lot of the beliefs I grew up with lately, and would love to hear some insight from others.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Monday Maundering - My love affair with caffeine
I think just about every author out there has a love affair with something to aid their writing. Be it alcohol, cigarettes, or mine - caffeine. To be more specific, Mountain Dew. I have to have Mountain Dew at some point in my day to write. Which makes kicking the caffeine habit a hard one for me.
Did you know that caffeine is the world's most heavily consumed psychoactive drug? 90% of adults in America consume caffeine daily. The lethal dose of caffeine for most people is 10 grams, though we're not likely to see more than 500 mg of caffeine in most drinks. Those children and adults who had heart problems because of an overabundance of caffeine, such as is found in energy drinks, are believed to have a higher sensitivity to caffeine than others.
Me, my sensitivity to caffeine has been dulled by years of use. I don't get the energy boost off of Mountain Dew like I used to, which is fine by me. I don't do energy drinks because they leave me feeling jittery and generally give me a stomach and/or a headache with everything else that's in there on top of the caffeine. You have to figure that guarana, which is a key ingredient in many energy drinks, has caffeine in it naturally. So beyond what caffeine they're adding, you're getting an extra dose in the guarana.
Did you know that caffeine resides in chocolate too? It's there in minuscule amounts, but it's there. That's why I don't think I could give up caffeine completely. I love my chocolate too much. But I can deal with it in moderation, which is the key point of everything.
So why am I talking about caffeine? Because it's a habit that I want to kick. I want to be able to write without having to have Mountain Dew around. I'm trying to lose weight and guzzling soda all day isn't the way to do it. But I'm so addicted to the Dew (not that Mountain Dew is naturally addicting...it's just what I'm hooked on) that I have a hard time focusing on my writing if I don't have at least one can or bottle there with me.
So I'm slowly weaning myself off of Mountain Dew, and off of caffeine in general. I think I'd be a lot happier off of them and caffeine does tend to screw with my anxiety levels anyway. So the less I consume the better. So wish me luck in getting over this love affair.
Did you know that caffeine is the world's most heavily consumed psychoactive drug? 90% of adults in America consume caffeine daily. The lethal dose of caffeine for most people is 10 grams, though we're not likely to see more than 500 mg of caffeine in most drinks. Those children and adults who had heart problems because of an overabundance of caffeine, such as is found in energy drinks, are believed to have a higher sensitivity to caffeine than others.
Me, my sensitivity to caffeine has been dulled by years of use. I don't get the energy boost off of Mountain Dew like I used to, which is fine by me. I don't do energy drinks because they leave me feeling jittery and generally give me a stomach and/or a headache with everything else that's in there on top of the caffeine. You have to figure that guarana, which is a key ingredient in many energy drinks, has caffeine in it naturally. So beyond what caffeine they're adding, you're getting an extra dose in the guarana.
Did you know that caffeine resides in chocolate too? It's there in minuscule amounts, but it's there. That's why I don't think I could give up caffeine completely. I love my chocolate too much. But I can deal with it in moderation, which is the key point of everything.
So why am I talking about caffeine? Because it's a habit that I want to kick. I want to be able to write without having to have Mountain Dew around. I'm trying to lose weight and guzzling soda all day isn't the way to do it. But I'm so addicted to the Dew (not that Mountain Dew is naturally addicting...it's just what I'm hooked on) that I have a hard time focusing on my writing if I don't have at least one can or bottle there with me.
So I'm slowly weaning myself off of Mountain Dew, and off of caffeine in general. I think I'd be a lot happier off of them and caffeine does tend to screw with my anxiety levels anyway. So the less I consume the better. So wish me luck in getting over this love affair.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Monday Maundering - Why I love/hate summer
I have a love/hate relationship with summer. I'm not one of those people who likes going out and spending days in the sun. I can't swim so I don't go swimming. I don't go camping or hiking, though honestly I would love to go camping again. I do miss that. And fishing. I don't do either of those anymore.
I hate the heat. That's the biggest problem with summer for me. I also don't like sunny days. I miss the gray summers when we lived in Washington, where it didn't always rain but we had clouds most of the time and it rarely got above 80 degrees and usually stayed in the 70's. Here it's pushing the 90's already and summer hasn't even officially started yet.
Summer does give me an excuse to wear my tank tops, though I never really needed much of an excuse to wear them. I wear them year round, just with the addition of a sweater in the colder months. I don't like wearing shorts. I don't wear sandals.
But summer does have something going for it. Roses. This is the time when all the rose bushes are blooming. In fact, there are a lot of flowers that bloom in the summer around here. I love looking at gardens and one of my favorite places to go is the Rose Garden in Julia Davis Park. The smell is heavenly.
There's also ice cream. I know you can eat ice cream year round, but it's a lot more satisfying in the summer. The snow cone shops are all open now too and it's fun to occasionally indulge in one of those. Barbecues are awesome and this is the time of year when everyone who can is out with their grills.
Summer is also a good time to go to the park. The river is flowing at a decent level. The ducks and geese are all gathering in the ponds. Other animals are out and about and you're more likely to see something than in the colder months. It's a lot of fun, and it's the only hiking I get to do right now. It's worth the sun block to enjoy some time in the park, especially in the ones where trees shade the paths and the grassy areas.
Then there's the zoo. All of the animals are back from their winter care facilities. The zoo is full of people and the educational programs are in full swing. It's a lot of fun to go and people watch as well as gawk at the animals.
So there are things I hate about summer, and there are things I love about summer. Hence my love/hate relationship with the season.
I hate the heat. That's the biggest problem with summer for me. I also don't like sunny days. I miss the gray summers when we lived in Washington, where it didn't always rain but we had clouds most of the time and it rarely got above 80 degrees and usually stayed in the 70's. Here it's pushing the 90's already and summer hasn't even officially started yet.
Summer does give me an excuse to wear my tank tops, though I never really needed much of an excuse to wear them. I wear them year round, just with the addition of a sweater in the colder months. I don't like wearing shorts. I don't wear sandals.
But summer does have something going for it. Roses. This is the time when all the rose bushes are blooming. In fact, there are a lot of flowers that bloom in the summer around here. I love looking at gardens and one of my favorite places to go is the Rose Garden in Julia Davis Park. The smell is heavenly.
There's also ice cream. I know you can eat ice cream year round, but it's a lot more satisfying in the summer. The snow cone shops are all open now too and it's fun to occasionally indulge in one of those. Barbecues are awesome and this is the time of year when everyone who can is out with their grills.
Summer is also a good time to go to the park. The river is flowing at a decent level. The ducks and geese are all gathering in the ponds. Other animals are out and about and you're more likely to see something than in the colder months. It's a lot of fun, and it's the only hiking I get to do right now. It's worth the sun block to enjoy some time in the park, especially in the ones where trees shade the paths and the grassy areas.
Then there's the zoo. All of the animals are back from their winter care facilities. The zoo is full of people and the educational programs are in full swing. It's a lot of fun to go and people watch as well as gawk at the animals.
So there are things I hate about summer, and there are things I love about summer. Hence my love/hate relationship with the season.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Monday Maundering - My mini adventure
Yesterday I took a little mini adventure with Himself. The two of us were tired of being cooped up in the house all day so we decided to go for a drive. We wandered around downtown Boise for a little while, looking at the beautiful houses, but decided that we wanted to do something else. That was when Himself got the idea to follow Eagle Rd. to its end.
Eagle Rd. is one of the major thoroughfares in Boise/Meridian. It's always got a lot of traffic on it and is a pretty busy street. It has access to several shopping centers and is the primary access to one of our hospitals. It stretches a fair distance and we decided to go down Eagle past State St. since we've never been down that far.
Well, we followed Eagle down and saw some pretty green areas and some nice older houses. We passed through Eagle (the city) and beyond. We drove for probably half an hour total before we came to the end of the road. Only it didn't end there.
Eagle Rd. itself ended, but it took a rather sharp turn and became something else. We decided, being adventurous, that we would follow it down for a ways and see where it took us. It took us on a very twisty, turny drive with a few blind hills and a lot of open space. We saw a lot of quail and even a couple ground squirrels.
We followed the pavement until it ran out. Then we followed the dirt road it became down a ways until we found a turn off near a house. We used that and turned around and headed back the way we came. On our way back we saw a rattlesnake in the road. He was probably dead, but it was still cool seeing him. As long as he was on the outside and I was on the inside of the car at least.
We stopped by my dad's afterwards and Himself got his own personal mini adventure - he had to clean the malware off my stepmom's computer. That took almost an hour and a lot of muttered curse words for the idiot who got them on my stepmom's computer in the first place. She didn't do it. Someone who was helping her set up her computer to do something very specific managed to mess it up.
All in all, it was a pleasant day. We're hoping to take another adventure here soon. Maybe I'll talk him into taking the road all the way out to Horseshoe Bend. Just because.
Eagle Rd. is one of the major thoroughfares in Boise/Meridian. It's always got a lot of traffic on it and is a pretty busy street. It has access to several shopping centers and is the primary access to one of our hospitals. It stretches a fair distance and we decided to go down Eagle past State St. since we've never been down that far.
Well, we followed Eagle down and saw some pretty green areas and some nice older houses. We passed through Eagle (the city) and beyond. We drove for probably half an hour total before we came to the end of the road. Only it didn't end there.
Eagle Rd. itself ended, but it took a rather sharp turn and became something else. We decided, being adventurous, that we would follow it down for a ways and see where it took us. It took us on a very twisty, turny drive with a few blind hills and a lot of open space. We saw a lot of quail and even a couple ground squirrels.
We followed the pavement until it ran out. Then we followed the dirt road it became down a ways until we found a turn off near a house. We used that and turned around and headed back the way we came. On our way back we saw a rattlesnake in the road. He was probably dead, but it was still cool seeing him. As long as he was on the outside and I was on the inside of the car at least.
We stopped by my dad's afterwards and Himself got his own personal mini adventure - he had to clean the malware off my stepmom's computer. That took almost an hour and a lot of muttered curse words for the idiot who got them on my stepmom's computer in the first place. She didn't do it. Someone who was helping her set up her computer to do something very specific managed to mess it up.
All in all, it was a pleasant day. We're hoping to take another adventure here soon. Maybe I'll talk him into taking the road all the way out to Horseshoe Bend. Just because.
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