Cold here, but the snow has stopped. I gotta shovel soon. I enjoy shoveling.
Calm weekend, and should be a calm week. I am slowly making progress on Mr. Novel.
I have a bit of memoir up here, from my days in Minneapolis: https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/memoirs/two-neighborhoods.
A tempest in Minneapolis
Memoirs Cool, Ape. Big projects are exciting!
I have a very short horror story coming out this week in an anthology - it's the one about the haunted garbage disposal, if you remember me babbling about that awhile back. So, that's cool.
Lazy day today. I got Talia one of those bird feeders that identify the bird (SO COOL!), and we've been experimenting with different spots. We finally found the best spot and I hung it. Now I'm playing video baseball and wishing for Spring.
Seize the carp!
Quote by Mendalla
Not on DVD or in a theater, but I finally saw Godzilla Minus One. Oh wow, did they ever stick the landing on this one. An intense, moving personal drama about a kamikaze pilot who backed out of his mission and has serious PTSD combined with a dark tale of Godzilla terrorizing a late forties Japan that is still recovering from the bombings and other events of the war's end. And all done so, so well. It landed the Oscar for VFX but the writing and acting are top notch, too.
Minus One is a standalone, not related to any other Godzilla movies but there's a post-credit stinger that leaves the door open for a sequel if Toho wants to go there. I think this movie stands very well on its own and would be quite happy to see it remain a standalone.
It's excellent, though it took me awhile to get to it. I think they are going to bring in Ghidorah next.
Quote by Mendalla
Interesting tat. If I get one, maybe something like that would be good. Less inking involved than some of the wildly elaborate ones. Except with my crappy skin, it might be hard to tell what's a star and what's a blemish/lesion. 🙄
It was surprisingly painless. I like the lack of detail and simple inking.
Sick as a dog for 36 hours, and then fine. We think it was a norovirus, though it was over so fast, who knows? Talia luckily didn't get it. I puked HARD for 12 hours (TMI, I know), slept miserably for another 12, and then recovered. Nasty. But I woke up early this morning, and my first thought was, "I'm well!"
Coffee please.
Quote by gillianleeza
We had a couple of warm days. It was nice for a change. Now it's back to rainy and cold. It matches my mood.
I hate government red tape. My Mom died over a year ago and was on the waiting list for burial at Arlington Cemetery. It's always over a year wait, typically. That was not an issue. Finally got a call saying she was in the queue, and we could now schedule her service. (We had submitted all the paperwork and had approval.) But on review, they discovered that her middle name on her military service forms had an h in it, and the death certificate did not. I had to provide her birth certificate, and her middle name did not contain an h. So I am now responsible for correcting her military record. I found the Air Force website and forms. Their website states there is no telephone number to call. Everything must be done online or through the mail. Then I read the note at the top. It takes an average of 291 days to make corrections. So it will probably be another year before we get a date.
I'm upset and mad, and it brings back all the grief and the anger I have about dealing with insurance companies, Medicare, Tri-Care, and long-term health insurance problems. I am so tired of things being unnecessarily difficult. So now Monday will be another day of filling out forms, requesting information, etc. Other than that, things are great.
I hope everyone is having a better weekend than I am. Take care of yourselves.
All that because of an "h"? Nuts. Just nuts. Sorry Gil.
Same old thang here, after a rather busy December. Started a new novel. Still in its infancy. Competing with my writing aspirations is the PS5, and shiny new games like baseball and No Man's Sky.
Did I tell everyone I got a tattoo? The Pleiades! My daughter got a matching one. My first tattoo!!!
Peace. Coffee please.
Quote by WriterGirl
My sis is getting one of those bird feeders.
It's very very cool. Highly recommend.
We have several inches of snow, and its pretty windy. Thankfully neither of us expect to need to leave the house. Just stay warm and dry and watch the birds!
Coffee and an English muffin please. Do we have English muffins here?
God, I love my PS5. Thank you Santa!
Santa got Talia one of those bird feeders that video and identify the bird. She loves it. I love it too.
I will stay away from the news, as it it bloody and murderous at the moment, and threatening to get worse. Still messing with the opening sentences of a new novel. Meaning, no, I haven't gotten very far.
Coffee please.
Quote by Mendalla
You Americans need to rise up and march on the White House or something.
I've marched four times. He appears to still be President. Good news: our government hasn't murdered anyone yet this week. But it's only Monday.
Starting a new novel today. So far the biggest problem is staying away from my new Playstation until I'm done with my writing for the day.
I hope everyone is well. Happy 2026! Seize the carp!
Quote by WriterGirl
Ooo I love the sound of your story! I’m working on a darker piece, too.
I’m headed to a handbell concert at Dad’s assisted living place. Dad’s in it… the red bell. He has a helper with his bell. He’s really struggling with things right now and it’s hard to watch. We just want him as comfy as possible.
A handbell concert sounds fun! I've never seen one.
Everything is groovy here. Talia is back home. Presents are wrapped and under the Christmas table. Prepping some Mexican food for Thursday. I hope everyone is well.
We saw a WONDERFUL production of Mary Poppins this weekend. The guy playing the Dick Van role (Bert) was really talented. Talia has never seen the movie, so we'll be watching that this week.
Coffee please!
Still struggling with the tail end of the flu. It’s been two weeks! I saw a doctor yesterday, and he said things looked good, I just need to ride it out. Tired and nauseous, with a bit of brain fog. It’s not Covid. Talia got a similar flu, but she is more quickly on the mend than I.
Anyway. A useless video doctor visit today, because it’s been on the books forever. Last tie it got canceled due to snow. Telehealth canceled due to snow. Weird.
Anyway. Taking it easy today. I hope everyone is well. Toast please, and coffee!
We are finally lifting our heads and walking out into the world. That flu (Influenva A) was 7 days longs and the first several days SUCKED! We are healing, though, at long last. Sadly, Talia leaves to visit her Mom this week while I say in town to take care of my daughter. Wah. Still, we'll be together at Christmas.
Cold and snowy today. I have to drive out into it this morning, for a doc visit, but it should be pretty painless.
HOT coffee please! And some pie!
Cori and I both got hit HARD by the flu - NOT covid, but Influenza A. I'm just now getting over it. Talia is still in the worst of it. Get your flu vaccine! I didn't, and I'm regretting it. Talia got hers. She is smarter than me.
We'll have a small, shortened T-Day tomorrow at my daughter's house. I have no appetite now, but hopefully I will perk up a little by tomorrow.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
My daughter is doing better. Still sad about losing a friend. I may fly to New Jersey for the funeral, if I can find the time.
All heck is breaking loose in US media today over Trump and Epstein. Sad and fascinating at the same time. I can't imagine what is inside those files. I'd always figured there was nothing, but clearly something big--so big as to be destabilizing to the US--is in there.
Coffee please.
Quote by gillianleeza
I have too much candy left over, too. I deliberately buy candy that I don't like.
There is no such thing as too much candy!
Actually, we had a ton of leftover candy too, but guilty secret Talia hides it from me, and doles it out nightly.
I passed my heart stress test with flying colors! What an annoying test. But I don't have to take one again for awhile.
Big wins all over the American political landscape yesterday. Maybe we have a chance.
Coffee!!!
I have to stop drinking coffee at noon! Aaaaaaagghhh! I have a heart stress test tomorrow and have to have a 24 hour caffeine fast. We shall see if I survive. I can't eat chocolate either, but I ate a LOT this weekend, so we're good.
Halloween was fun. Weekend was fun. GREAT World Series, even if the wring team won. I feel ya, BJ fans. You deserved a win.
NO coffee please, and no candy. I'll have a freakin salad.
Quote by Mendalla
No, I haven't heard that one. My main experience with the whole nonsense was them going after Dungeons & Dragons since I was active in roleplaying from about 1977 to the early 90s. My church was liberal (relatively, I found out the limits of that when the denomination voted on ordaining gay ministers) so I had no issues but I heard some horror stories for sure. Maybe if I had been into metal in those days, I would have seen more of the music side but that came more recently.
I'd never heard it either. I found out about it from an old horror movie (The Border Lands).
Same old thang here. Write, walk. Good World Series, sorry there is no game tonight.
Quote by gillianleeza
That game was wild. I'm still dealing with troubling family issues. They are taking up a majority of my free time. On top of that, I am trying to work as many days as possible since my health insurance is about to triple next year. Sigh, I am beyond frustrated and annoyed.
I hope everyone is doing well. Take care.
So sorry to hear that, Gill. Take care and keep your spirits up. It was a wild game!
Nothing new here. My daughter's second operation is next month, so I will be caretaking again. Should be easier this time, we know what's coming. And it kind of puts a damper on Thanksgiving, but as I'm the turkey maker, less work for me!
Finally finding my way through the witches spell on cassette tape story.
Seize the carp!
