Sunny and windy today. Nothing new. Listening to Senate confirmation hearings and preparing to write.

That dumb rule about extra innings starting with a runner on second is back. Apparently just this year, though.

A coffee and a cookie please.

Quote by Mendalla

Quote by verbal
It's demise? I hope not. I haven't heard anything about this place closing.

I think she's referring to the lack of activity. Outside a few of the game threads and Inspirations, there's not much happening. And that's mostly from the same half dozen to ten people, some of whom only post in those threads and don't do much else. Most of the stories on the front page have maybe 1 score at most and 0 or 1 comments. My latest is up to one score and two comments. A lot have 0 for both. So, yeah, I have noticed it being rather quiet here, too.

That said, Wondercafe2 (my site) has been kind of sleepy since the New Year and has picked up a bit of late so maybe this is a similar lull.

Oh, well there's some truth in that. I'm a culprit - I haven't read anything here since the last comp (in my defense life has been wildly busy of late). I'll try to get to the front page soon. I do a lot of critiquing for the two writing groups I'm in, as well as folks who have asked me to read their stories (he said defensively). Not an excuse. I'll try to get there soon.

Quote by Verity

Although I no longer write for this site, I am genuinely sad to see its demise. It seems that the only time it gets any real attention is when they have a competition on. Then you get the usual interlopers from the sister site looking for glory. This is a shame and I honestly don’t know what the answer is. Perhaps as I no longer write on here I am in no position to say anything. If you think that, I really don’t blame you. There are some very good writers on here but they are not getting the recognition they deserve. I see a couple of new faces, one of which looks to have a bright future in writing. So today I am going to go through the front page and give everyone on it a 5* rating. Call me mad, call me bad. Whatever you think of me, I wish you all well. Yes, even you.

It's demise? I hope not. I haven't heard anything about this place closing.

Sara, that operation is TOMORROW! Good luck! I assume it's outpatient, and you'll be home that night? We'll be thinking of you.

You are most welcome, Elizabeth - it was a sweet piece of description.

Thanks for the coffee, Ape. I'm back to my old tricks, writing today, baseball tonight. Still insanely windy here, and a chance of snow, but sunny now.

Time to face the page. A coffee and a monkey cookie please!

Quote by elizabethblack

It has been windy and cool (55F) today after 75F yesterday. But Spring is here and the blush of green is on so many trees and bushes. Forsythias starting to bloom along with the daffodils and other early flowers. Birds are nesting. Two Carolina wrens (the bane of my existence) have already built nests on my back porch. Such rascals. I have had generations of them feel the back porch belongs to them.. They have already thrown big plastic greenery bushes out of a wall planter so they have room for their nesting. And they have taught all their young to come on the porch when they need to poop. And they yell and scold me for daring to even set foot on the porch. But, they are adorable and I love to hear them.

Sara, take care of your poor ankle.

This is a beautiful piece of description, Elizabeth.

Gill, life sounds draining, and I'm sorry it's taking so much from you. growing old is not for the faint of heart, and the fact that you are caretaking for your parents in addition to dealing with your own issues has got to be a sometimes crushing responsibility. God bless caretakers.

Not up to much here. Writing, a trip to the dentist later. Planning a trip to Chicago this summer for a wedding that looks like it might be Big Fun.

Sorry about all the wind, Sara. My bad.

Coffee and a sugar cookie please.

Hope Uncle Wiggly feels better soon Sara.

Sunny and warm here. Light errand running, followed by...wait for it...a televised Mets game! With Elizabeth's Nationals! I'm psyched.

We saw Deep Water last night. I liked it quite a bit, though it was too mean spirited for Talia's tastes. She's right, it's pretty mean-spirited, and kinky, and dark. Sad Ben Affleck is reasonably good in it, but Ana de Armas is frikkin electric! Like, deeply, mind-meltingly hot. Ping, take notice. She's on fire in this. The character is very twisted, but very sexy.

Coffee and a Ana-de-Armas-shaped cookie please.

I barely noticed St. Patrick's Day this year. No festivities whatsoever. I did watch several hours of baseball though, and struggled with the novel. Getting some serious Imposter Syndrome. But I'm in the last third, at this point I'm just pushing through as best I can. Fix mistakes in the next draft.

House closes in 11 days. Very little left to go wrong now. Yay!

Writing and baseball, all day today. Science Friday on NPR at 1 - always a highlight of the week. Absolutely nothing planned for the weekend but laziness.

Congrats on selling 50 stories Verity.

How go the new peepers Scott?

Coffee and a snickerdoodle cookie please!

Quote by Ping
But the better news is that a major news outlet commissioned me to write some stuff. I know, right? Me, FFS. I don’t know if I can finagle a regular writing gig out of this, but anything’s possible. Even if it’s one or two and done, it’s pretty cool

Too cool, Ping! Good luck with it.

I didn't know Russian Doll was gonna get a second season. Great first season! I've only watched the first two season on Eve, but may jump back into it.

Baseball on television today.... Yay! D-backs vs. Rockies is my pick, though I may watch a bit of whatever game is on at 11.

Other than that, appraisal and inspection went fine, so we are very close to having a done deal on the house. Writing again. Life resumes its normal rhythms.

I love my walks, Ape. Nice to see you enjoying yours.

Coffee and a cherry shortbread cookie please!

Good morning all.

Not much going on here. More snow tonight - this is snow season in Colorado - March and even April we always get a ton. I'm not complaining, the signs of Spring are in the air, so I can wait. Talia saw a robin last week! Televised baseball starts tomorrow. First televised Mets game is Saturday, against Elizabeth's mighty Nats.

Time to face the page.

Coffee and a stawberry shortbread cookie please!

We just completed ALL the items mentioned in the inspection of the house. So, it should be smooth sailing from here on in. The appraisal is next.

First televised spring training game is on Sunday!

As for me, I've got therapy in about 5 minutes, then some errands, then a slightly truncated writing day; I'm shooting for 750 words.

Congrats on the new story Ape. I'll get to it eventually.

Where the frick is Pingu? Do we need to send out a search party?

A coffee and a therapist-shaped cookie please.

It's sunny and warm, the house closes in two weeks, and there are Spring Training games this week! I'm writing again! What's that feeling? Could it be...hope? The thing with feathers? It's the season for it.

More critique group tonight - short story group, and I'm thankfully not under the gun. But I do have a lot of critiquing to do today.

Anyway, I hope everyone is well. A coffee and a baseball cookie please!

Quote by WriterGirl

Update: 3/13/2022

Oh my goodness, I feel awful, but am going to have to bail on the anthology. I hate breaking a commitment more than you know, but need to cut some responsibilities as I've picked up more issues with my parents. Mom's quit eating and Dad's had health issues surface this month that are going to require my time. Aside from the time factor, my mental health is suffering due to stress and heartache over my parents. And I've had my work responsibilities increased as well.

Again, I'm very sorry. I know sorry doesn't cut it and I understand your disappointment you will no doubt feel.

I won't be on here or the other site much for a while, but wish you all well.

It's all good, WG. Your life, your health, and your family are so much more important. Take the time you need - and don't worry about disappointing anyone: you were the one doing all the work!

I have some experience with Amazon, so if there is a finished manuscript I can help shepherd it through. But I'm guessing preparing the manuscript is the truly difficult part. Anyway, feel free to drop me a line if you want some help. I just hope you're taking care of yourself and doing better. Love and hugs to you and your parents.

Quote by Mendalla

There is no truth to the rumour that this is what Verbs looks like getting his morning coffee before starting to write.

But I'm putting on a full urn anyhow just to be safe. Teas du jour are Tea Haus Breakfast (blend from my local tea shop, similar to an English Breakfast) and Earl Grey. Hot water is ready for hot chocolate or other teas.

Now, off to do a final pass on the story I have in draft. Would have done it earlier but Canada Revenue Agency needs their pound of flesh by the end of April (IOW, I was working on my tax return).

Not inaccurate.

First Spring Training game is Thursday, against Elizabeth’s Nationals. The first televised game will be this coming Saturday. Yay! The house closes in two weeks, baseball season starts in three!

The novel got savaged in critique group yesterday. Deservedly so. Sigh.

A coffee and a cookie on this fine Spring weekend!

Set your clocks ahead if you haven’t already!

We have baseball! Yay! First spring training game in 7 days! I can once again devote shocking amounts of time to the Mets.

Sunny but cold out. No writing today - off to do dumb stuff like install smoke detectors and fix garage doors. The house closes in 17 days, if things go according to plan.

A cookie and a baseball-shaped cookie please!

Quote by DenimAngel
Jeff the canceled another series of games .. saying the season probably won't open until April 14

They signed a deal! No canceled games! April 7th Opening Day! Woo-hoo! Drink're on me!

Quote by JustAnotherSapphic

Cable and wifi upgrade is really nice but now I've got even more options in terms of watching stuff on streaming services.

Best of all, everything is upgraded in time for Jane's return on Sunday.

I thought you'd moved on to Alan Rickman. Or are you shipping both (did I use that term right? I'm so old!)?

Looks like we'll have a baseball season - they agreed on the International Draft, which was the big sticking point. They might even have a full season, though I'm a little skeptical that can be done. I'd think the sport would cause a lot more injuries if they played with no days off. Still, good news. I miss baseball.

No Talia Thursday. Me and the cats and the blank page.

A coffee and a cinnamon shortbread cookie please.

Huh. I thought I posted this morning - I just must not have hit submit.

At any rate, sorry about Uncle Wiggly Sara (that an old school expression for bad ankle). That sounds pretty serious! I hope your procedure goes okay.

Shame about baseball season - I am disgusted by their willingness to destroy America’s game in pursuit of a little more cash.

Best of luck on the repaired peepers, Ape.

I wrote well today. Another snow storm coming in, but I got my last errand accomplished just as the flakes started coming down. I feel bad: it’s gonna snow for 2 days and Talia has to drive into work both days whilst I laze at home with the cats.

Enjoy the day, Inspirators.

A coffee and a banana cookie please.

Quote by Brad_Naylor

I am drinking and watching TV

When I am done writing, I too will be drinking and watching TV.

I am writing.

Quote by JustAnotherSapphic

...so I ordered an Arthur (yes, as in the PBS character; don't judge) plush yesterday, and he should arrive by Friday if the mail isn't wonky.

...and this isn't me hoping he arrives sooner than that.

I AM judging you! Not for the Arthur plush, or any actual failings on your part. Just on me having to sit through those terrible PBS shows when the kids were little. Arthur. Clifford the Big Red Dog. Freakin CAILLOU! It was hell, I tell you, hell!

Sorry for the outburst. I need to watch my morning episode of Little Einsteins.

Back on the horse, writing every day, and I have a whole string of free days to keep plugging away. I'm definitely starting to head toward a climax (not that kind) and denouement. A few scant months away.

Sorry about sending you snow Sara. I'm sending you a total lack of baseball next.

Coffee and a Collective-Bargaining-Agreement-shaped cookie please.

Lotsa snow last night and this morning, and no end in sight. I had to drive in it this morning, and it was not fun. But back home. Ready to drink some coffee, warm up, and start writing.

Baseball looks likely to cancel more games. A losing proposition for everyone involved. I don't always side with labor, but in this specific case it looks like the players are coming to the table in good faith, and the owners keep shutting things down. They're the ones saying there's a "deadlock" - no the players union.

Anyway. Time to write. Coffee and a butterscotch cookie would be great!

Good Lord, no one's ben in to make coffee? Okay, I can brew a pretty mean pot of coffee. And boil a pretty mean kettle of water for tea. Let's have a quick Keurig while we're getting the REAL pot of coffee ready (my usual routine).

No Talia Thursday. I'm back in the groove - making my thousand words a day, and it was even warm enough to take a long walk yesterday - I love my walks.

Gonna see a play this weekend! Yay! Meet Vera Stark. I know very little about it, but I love plays. I think it's a musical.

Coffee and a Mardi Gras cookie please. Remind me to tell you some day about the time I got arrested during Mardi Gras....

Wah! My former employers have just canceled their promise to let me use a copy MS Office free for life. Looks like I have to plunk down $150 for a home version of Office within the next 45 days. I refuse to buy a yearly subscription ($100/yr), and my experiences with OfficeLibre were not encouraging. Grrr.

More tasty greed-shaped cookies please!

Quote by DenimAngel

grumbles stupid people who are in charge of negotiating MLB MORONS!!!

The MLB 2022 season is DELAYED

Grabs a cookie and some hot chocolate

Yep. The billionaires thought the millionaires were making too much money. So everyone loses. Most of all the game loses. Fans and credibility and money.

I look to have an actual calm day ahead of me - we'll see if that lasts. It's warm and sunny and I am going to try to climb back into the novel today.

A coffee and a greed-shaped cookie please.

Scooby snacks! Thanks Sara!

Long day. My daughter was in the ER last night, but all appears to be well now. Whew! Life is short, but parenthood is long.

The house sold fast this weekend, for more than I expected, which is cool. A bunch of dumb little details are gonna follow, but it should all be over in a month.

MLB is currently in their 11th straight hour of talks, with tonight being the last day of negotiations. They’d better get their sh!t together or they are gonna lose a LOT of fans. Probably not me though. I’d prefer to watch and b!tch about it.

I’m grabbing a cup of decaf and a couple Velma cookies and kicking back with a book.

And…we just accepted an offer on the house. Higher than I was expecting, so yay! Weird to work hard for a month and a half, and have the thing sell in 48 hours. Not that I am complaining.

I suppose I should want to celebrate, but staying home and hanging out with Talia sounds like a pretty good celebration already.

So, coffee and cookies are on me! Some Velma-shaped cookies please!

Good luck with the peepers on Monday Ape.

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog, Red. It sounds like you found some healing in the ceremony and dignity with which they handled the remains. I have a paw print of our beloved Minky on the wall of my office.

Woke up to actual house offers today! We'll be fine, I think. The house looks really nice - way nicer than when we lived in it! All that work is beginning to pay off.

And I am taking one more day off. I will edit a bit, but mostly I will rest on my laurels and wait for offers to come in.

Coffee and a home-shaped cookie please!

And...the house is on the market. I feel like I'm crossing the finish line in a marathon. It looks great. I'm psyched.

Plus, it's nice to be cashing out of the real estate market on the apparent eve of World War III (nervous laugh).

So, me and the cats will be kicking back and celebrating today, on No Talia Thursday, with an anxious eye on the news (the cats are very interested in geopolitical politics). I may putter around on editing some short stores, but I'm basically taking a day off.

Talia and I are debating going to see the opera of The Shining, at the Elle Caulkins Opera House, as a celebration. It's supposed to be really good, and I've never seen an opera before. Plus, IT'S THE SHINING!!!

Coffee and a peace-shaped cookie please.

Quote by Ceebees

Watched Parallel Mothers. A beautiful film by Pedro Almodovar staring Penelope Cruz. Deals with friendship, motherhood and romance against a backdrop of the history of the Spanish Civil War.

Loved this movie. Almodovar can do no wrong.

So I'm not a big Vin Deisel fan, but he made a great sci-fi movie called Pitch Black, and a goofy but fun sequel called Chronicles of Riddick. There was a third movie made that for some reason slipped under my radar, and I found a couple nights ago on HBO. Simply called Riddick. Good sci-fi, if not quite as good as the first movie. David Twohy wrote and directed all of them - he's from the X-Files writing room.

That X Files writing room is responsible for a lot of good TV and movies. The Sopranos writing room too.

I'm sure I'll end up doing something today, but I have absolutely nothing planned. It's Decompression Day, I have declared! House is done as it is gonna get, jury is over. I will start writing again, but I think I am gonna wait a day. Today I am just gonna see where the day takes me.

Happy Wednesday everyone! No Talia Wednesdays is switching to No Talia Thursday, so she's around. So are those doofy cats.

You sneak up on me with that boot, Sara, and the cats are gonna get you!

A coffee and a boot-shaped cookie please!

Okay, I am done or mostly done with all my recent obligations. I'd love to be part of this anthology and I'll have a version of Monster ready by the end of the week (I promise changes will be minor!). Do I just send you the .docx, WriterGirl? Do I need to do anything else? I've been a bit out of the loop on this.