Warm day, double header, a long stretch of time to write in: ready to begin the day.

My brain is still waking up, though, so not much to say. blink, blink

Maybe a coffee and a cookie will get my neurons stirring.

Quote by Mendalla

"In dead R'lyeh, Cthulhu waits dreaming"

If you are stuck sleeping off the eons in a tomb under the Pacific Ocean, what better way to wake up and destroy humanity than with some strong black Costa Rican coffee? Or a few cups of English Breakfast tea? Now being served here in Inspirations.

Hides strange book bound in human skin under the counter and walks away whistling

🤣 (interpret that as mad cackling rather than ROTFL)

R'lyeh lies dreaming at 48° 52′ 36″S 123° 23′ 36″W. It's where we are going to drop the space station after we quit using it. Can you say conspiracy theory? I set a story on another site there (Beneath).

I'm prolly gonna try Culbard's graphic novel "The King in Yellow."

Anyway. Long relaxing weekend, but it's time to write. The eclipse last night was mostly too cloudy to see, but caught some clear sky right after totality here.

Coffee and cookies please!

Quote by Mendalla

I read Robert Chambers' original stories about The King in Yellow decades ago, long before True Detective referenced it. Actually, the best King in Yellow story I have read is "River of Night's Dreaming" (1981) by the late Karl Edward Wagner. Brilliantly disturbing piece of horror. It first appeared in Whispers 3 edited by Stuart David Schiff, but has been reprinted a few times since. If you like King in Yellow, it is worth hunting it down. Apparently, it was also adapted for the TV series "The Hunger".

Glad to hear you had a good time at StokerCon. I have never been to one of the big cons but should do it someday.

I’m open to any suggestions you have on other books dealing with the mythos - I didn’t know much about it. I was looking around at graphic novels about it tonight - I may go that route. I’m a little scared I will find the 1890s prose a little impenetrable (like I do Lovecraft).

Stokercon was indeed cool - I recommend it. It’ll stoke (heh) up your enthusiasm to write for sure.

Quote by DenimAngel

Good morning folks

First one in ....

Putting on the tea kettle and making coffee

Yay coffee is on the way. There is red rose and Earl Grey tea in the cute tea pots on the counter .. Red Rose is in the tea pot with pink roses and Earl Grey is in the tea pot with blue roses

sits the tea chest and hot chocolate storage chest on the counter .. sits out marshmallows (nibbles a couple) yep still Fresh

peeks in the cookie jars hmm no cookie bandits yet

Woke up early ...noisy neighbors grrr. But it's LIBRARY DAY so it's a good day

Molly the monkey is hanging out and wonders who needs a monkey hug

giving the adorable critters fresh water and morning treats

climbing up in my favorite overstuffed chair with the morning paper and a cup of coffe and a couple of cookies

Stay safe everyone

I will always take a monkey hug from that little scamp. :)

Nice to see you hanging out here, lil coffee.

Back from StokerCon, and feeling refreshed and reinvigorated. So many good ideas, so many talented writers, and everyone just wants to help! Everyone there has their own skill set, and it was so nice to share what little I know, and shamelessly borrow from folks with more experience and talent. Biggest obsession, post-con, is The King in Yellow, which is a crazy strange set of four stories that sort of invented cosmic horror. That HBO show True Detective often referred to it, several years ago. Very creepy stuff. Binged a bunch of TD last night. And I’ve seen it before! Looking forward to reading the stories.

Just raked, laid down new grass seed, and watered. Frikkin tired. Way to late for coffee, but something iced and decaf would be nice. And a cookie!

Congrats to your son, Red. And again to yours Scott.

I also have reason to celebrate - I sold a story to the NoSleep podcast, and it's finally out! Season 17, episode 16, I'm about 1:12 in. It actually came out in March, but they never told me! I finally saw the payment.

Off to StokerCon this weekend, to workshops and networking (shudder). It'll be fun, if a little out of my comfort zone - my first Con (except for a Star Trek one in high school).

Yeah, our bullpen is stating to falter, Sara. I liked Reid-Foley - former Brave isn't he?

A coffee and a cookie please.

Congrats on your son's job, Scott.

Boring day today, just the way I like 'em! I broke 90k yesterday. Should come in just under 92k today. I've got an Excel chart of my progress I'm tempted to post, but I'm not sure anyone cares.

My decade old Nintendo Wii baseball came yesterday. Unsurprisingly, I hurt my shoulder pitching right away, trying to get a few more MPH on my fastball. My physical therapist will not be pleased.

Okay. Time to get to work. Coffee and a cookie would be great!

Those trilliums are beautiful, Scott. Cool flower, cool name (sounds a little science-fiction-y).

Not fully rested up, but doing better. It kicked my butt to get a thousand words down yesterday, but I did. Just broke 90k. I feel like I'm running a marathon.

Nice day today. Gotta get a haircut for StokerCon this weekend! I'll probably squeeze a walk in too.

Thanks for the coffee and cookies!

Thanks for the donuts, Carl, and the coffee, Scott.

I didn't sleep well so I'm a little irritable. It's a regular writing day, with physical therapy in the middle. This is the kind of day where I don't think I'm going to write well, because my brain isn't working, and I used to just take the day off writing. But I'm at 87k, I'm chomping (champing?) at the bit to finish. So I'll clean up the bad writing in the rewrite.

A LOT of coffee, and a Sara cookie too!

Hey, Gabby! Welcome!

Quote by Mendalla
Dreamt there was this big robot bug in my house and when I tried to smash it with a hammer, it regenerated itself. 😨

Robot bugs! What a wonderful way to begin the day! Ever see Runaway? It's pretty good.

Same ol, same ol today. I'm building raised flower bed boxes this weekend, and then sealing them - we'll set them up in a couple weekends (I'm going to StokerCon next weekend!). Also going to a play Saturday.

I hope you guys don't get sick of me droning on about baseball, but...the Mets had a 7-run ninth inning comeback last night that was thrilling. Biggest comeback win in 25 years. This may be be the year. They scored 7 runs in a 29 pitch span to take the lead. Yikes.

I really wish I could take naps - I just can't, my body won't fall asleep. I often have nights where I don't sleep well, so I want to take them. It just doesn't work.

Time to get to it.

Coffee and cookie please, thanks to Ape and Sara for making them.

Where's Ping? SOMEONE FIND PING!!!

Quote by Mendalla

Um, getting the sprinkler system up after shoulder surgery? 😒

Nice weather here. Since Verbs got the coffee going, I'll just make a pot of hot Red Rose and a pitcher of iced for the non-coffee crowd.

Typed too fast. Shoulder physical therapy. Which I'm doing to avoid surgery.

250 words to go. Sprinkler guy is here. Pedal to the metal.

There are cookies but no coffee? I can do coffee. plugs in percolator from 1964

No Talia Thursday. The cats are trembling in inchoate fear.

Busy day. Write my thousand, shoulder surgery, get the sprinkler system up and going, and try to sneak in a walk. Boring. I like boring.

Sorry about your tummy, Sara. Thanks for the cookies!

Quote by Mendalla

Nice pile of calls for submissions for themed magazine issues and anthologies. Some are weirdly specific (houses that are no longer there), others are quite broad. Genres are all over the place. There's at least one in support of Ukraine. Many are due end of this month so get cracking, literary types.

https://authorspublish.com/46-themed-submission-calls-for-may-2022/

The Kolchak anthology sounds fun!

Quote by Mendalla

Then how can you have a "writing arm"? You need both to type.😉

I guess you're right. Although technically all I need are my index fingers. I'm a fast hunt-and-pecker. Heh.

Mets swept a double header yesterday. Sorry, Sara. There's a game on right now, too, though I'm dong my usual dealio of trying to avoid the score for 8 hours and watch it tonight. 50/50 chance I'll make it.

86K words. I'm waking up every morning excited about adding the next scene. It's nice - writing is so often hard work. This is why it pays to plot in advance (something I used to be dead set against).

I'm having too much fun on our ancient Nintendo Wii lately. I just set it up in the basement. 15 year old gaming system, and I'm still hooked - best console ever. Good aerobic exercise.

Time to make the donuts. Thanks for making coffee and tea Scott.

Coffee and a cookie please.

Quote by DenimAngel
It was either Folgers or Maxwell house coffee with that commercial

Talia sez Maxwell house too.

Scott, I type too. I couldn't write a story longhand to save my life. I'm too dependent on a word processor at this point.

712 words. Time to focus.

Yes, an old school percolator! Dink-a-dink-a-dink-dink! Da-dink-a-dink-dink! Anyone remember that commercial? Folgers maybe?

Your Braves kicked our butts last night Sara. Double header today.

I having some physical therapy done on my shoulder. It's pretty minor, and not particularly time consuming--5 minutes away and half hour sessions--but some days it'll be hard to fit in. so weird to be retired and still feel like I don't have enough time in the day! Still, it'll be nice to increase my range of motion. It is, after all, my writing arm.

So, baseball and physical therapy and more baseball and writing today. Cracking 86k today, with any luck.

A cinnamon shortbread cookie and a coffee please.

Good morning all. Has no one made coffee? I'll get the percolator going (old school today!) and put on some a tea kettle.

Mets threw a no-hitter this weekend, albeit of the kind that takes 5 pitchers. It was fun to watch. Talia was napping on the couch and I told her, Wake up! You're about to experience Mets history! Her eyes appeared to be open as the final pitch as thrown, but I can't be sure.

Sara, we're taking on your Braves tonight! Should be quite a pitching duel.

Other than that, writing and walking today. Might get a haircut. I signed up for StokerCon in Denver in mid-May. Gonna stray out of my comfort zone and learn to network! Learn more about writing too!

A coffee and a n0-hitter shaped cookie please!

Man, you guys are an educated bunch! I majored in Theater Arts, minored in Education.

So, Talia is back (yay!), but this morning she left for the physical office. I woke up and both cats are looking at me like WTF!? You again!?

Warm but very windy here (sorry Sara).

Yesterday my therapist officially diagnosed my condition, and I’m quoting verbatim here, is I’m “turning into a big old softie.” I’m paying a $70 copay for this? (Actually I love my therapist.)

Okay. Time for coffee and words. A coffee and cookie would be swell.

I speak only one language, and speak even that one poorly.

Good stories on the front page - worth a look!

Today will be annoying - dentist, followed by therapy (okay, I like therapy), which leaves me only three hours to get my thousand words, and NO time to walk on a gorgeous sunny day. And no game tonight!

Oh well. Talia is home, the cats are happy, I am healthy: I'll quit complaining.

A coffee and an apple shaped chocolate cookie please!

Quote by redwriter

I am not looking forward to a hospital inspection on Monday

Hope your hospital inspection went okay.

I am happy Talia is home.

Hear that sound? That's the sound of joyful purring from Mimi, now that Talia has returned safely. When Talia came upstairs, Mimi came out of her hiding spot, shot her a passive-aggressive stink look, and slunk back to her hiding spot. It was pretty funny. They've since reconciled.

I am, needless to say, happier than Mimi at Talia's return, but my purring is quieter.

So, same day I usually have, just with Talia smiling as she works at the kitchen table. 83K words! Getting there.

And, the Mets won AGAIN! They're going to be arrested for impersonating an actual team.

So sorry for the cold, Ape and Elizabeth! It's pretty warm today, though we'll probably get a couple more snows. this being Colorado and all.

Coffee and a Talia-shaped cookie please!

Looking forward to reading all the new stories.

Talia is home tonight, albeit late. So my slightly altered morning routine is: write, walk, clean the house like a madman for a few hours, baseball.

Speaking of, the Mets had a wild win last night.

That coyote story I was blathering on about last year got accepted into an anthology! Yay! Lotsa rewriting though.

Enjoy the day everyone. A coffee and a cookie please!

Quote by Mendalla
I think we sold my son's. I used to play the Wii Sports games like tennis sometimes. Generally not a fan of videogames, though.

MarioKart!!!

Thanks for the coffee Ape. Sorry about the back. Been there.

Talia returns in about 25 hours. She will come home to a cleaned and organized garage we can actually fit both cars into. Barely. AND set up my ancient Nintendo Wii in the exercise room! AND organized my Dad’s genealogy and photos! I will spend the day cleaning up (I wasn’t a pig or anything) and editing, and then teach the cats to sing Talia a welcome home song.

Mets had a good weekend - most wins in the majors! The Dodgers still have a better winning percentage.

How is the ankle, Sara? I would love a cookie to go with this coffee.

Quote by elizabethblack

Jeff, I don't know...are you showering and shaving regularly with T gone? Maybe that has Mimi upset.

I tell everyone about the article I read that said get a female dog and a male cat. But they all didn't read the same article so you never know what you will get. I remember reading don't put a bluebird box in or on a tree as they like open spaces like fence posts. Gave a friend a bluebird box and as soon as she hung it among the trees, a pair nested in it. See, they didn't read that book either.

I'll have you know I'm showering and shaving with the same frequency I was when Talia was around, though that is an admittedly low bar.

Today I am consolidating tools from my toolbox, my Dad's toolbox, and my Grandpa's toolbox as I organize the garage. Something kind of primal about that: bringing together the tools of three generations. Something kind of phallic too. :)

I'm also hanging up my Mets flag in the garage today! Talia will be so thrilled. <insert sarcasm emoji>

Mets played a nail-biter against the Snakes last night. Where are you, Bill? I wanna talk baseball with you. Wah. I hope you are well.

I hated meetings, Ape, and so I feel your pain. I am so happy to not have to attend them. Especially Zoom meetings - at least yours was in person.

Sara, feel better.

Coffee and a cherry shortbread cookie please. Enjoy the weekend everyone.

Good morning all.

Sunny and warm today. Same old dealio: write, walk, eat, watch baseball. Supposed to ger REALLY windy, which may nix my walk.

I have prepared a PowerPoint presentation for the cats explaining that Talia really is coming back, in exactly four bowls of food (that's how cats tell time). Poor Mimi is hiding much of the day. Wallace follows me around from room to room.

Mets vs. D-Backs tonight. Makes me miss Bill. Has anyone heard from him?

A coffee/cookie combo would be lovely.

Thanks for the date-specific cookies Sara )how's that for a euphemism?). Back to the salt mines today.

The game is starting right now, so I am once again going to try to avoid the score all day, and get writing and walking and lunch with my daughter under my belt before I kick back and watch. Ugly loss last night.

I should break 80k words by the end of the week, so I am getting kinda psyched.

A coffee and a cookie. Time to face the page.

Quote by elizabethblack

Sara, as usual your cookies are beyond adorable and delicious. But, like Ape, about you skipping around with the kiddies. You must take great care.

The Nationals are struggling along, but not at the bottom of the pile yet, so I am hopeful. Seems we have a young pitcher or two that look very promising.

For Jeff, female cats are fearful, on guard and have the biological link of having to protect the young. Male cats are like human men - Ho, ho, ho, and a bottle of rum, let's go play.

You are right, Elizabeth, and they were super skittish when we first got them - the female is still pretty jumpy and easily scared. I really wish I knew cat language to tell her Talia will be back soon. The male, as you rightly point out, is happily oblivious.

Mets swept a double header yesterday. Best record in baseball! It's utterly meaningless this early in the season of course.

Writing, doc visit, walk, game tonight - my day is chill but planned out, and I was lazy a f yesterday, so time to get to it.

A coffee and a 4/20 cookie please.

Sun is shining here too, a lovely Spring day. I’ve concluded my writing early today so I can watch the double header. What better way to bide m6 time until Talia returns.

The cats appear to be of two kinds about Talia’s absence - David Foster Wallace has mostly adjusted and is following me around like an eager-to-please puppy, but Mimi Rose Howard is skeptical, and spends most of the day hiding from me and throwing me stink looks when she enters the room. Could be a long week.

Mets are down by a run. Back to the game.

Coffee and a cookie would be wonderful.

Quote by Ping

Yup. In addition, Killing Eve concluded. My daughter and I really enjoyed the series, more so than many reviewers. The finale was an emotional rollercoaster. We really grew to love the characters.

Started season two of Peaky Blinders but I’ve been to busy to continue. Tom Hardy joined the cast in season two. That in itself will draw me back, but PB is probably fifth on the list.

Apart from Saul’s final season beginning next week, both Russian Doll and The Flight Attendant begin their respective season two’s next week as well. Both had intriguing first seasons with good storytelling and even better acting. Kaley Cuoco was spectacular as actor and producer as the slutty drunken flight attendant. We’ve all known or dated a few of those. Right Verbs? 😉

But the best new series is a updated retro throwback, or something like that. Tokyo Vice. I screamed when I discovered it, like little Verbs screamed when he dropped the toilet seat on his wee wee, while being too inebriated to stand during urination, or as he calls it, Wednesday.

The cinematic genius that he is, Michael Mann (Miami Vice, Crime Story) is the energy behind this excellent deep-dive spin on Japanese culture and it’s organized crime underbelly. It’s not nearly as flashy as the other projects he’s developed. It’s understated in a way Japan views it’s humble and honourable traditions. It’s a slow burn of other world, with the viewer being dropped into a rich, language-barrier and culturally-nuanced land as if one is learning a new language. The setting is the tension.

It’s definitely not a show for everyone. Patience with an understanding nod to some early series hiccups, are necessary. But my favourite Japanese actor, Ken the head Samurai from, The Last Samurai, and the driver from Baby Driver, are the leading actors. Lots of Tokyo tidbits. Viewing episode five now.

Old man winter is MMAing that spring fella’s ass. Snowed again today. This weather is a disturbing force, said Yoda and OB 1. No riding bikes for you, said the soup Nazi. I disagree.

I just finished Killing Eve season 3 last night. It rocked, but I can't figure out how to watch season 4 (for free).

Blowing through season 5 of Saul too, though I will have to wait quite a bit for the last season.

Really looking forward to new seasons of Russian Doll (I didn't know it was supposed to HAVE a second season) and Flight Attendant and Stranger Things.

In the monomanical grifters genre, we loved The Dropout and Inventing Anna, and really like WeCrashed. The Thing About Pam is fun, though the voice-over guy annoys me (Talia assures me I am missing the irony because he's the Dateline voice). She also says Rene Zellweger is wearing a far suit! Is that rue? Probably.