Quote by DenimAngel
No shopping today if I can get a way with it ..it's too peopley outside
I’ve never shopped on Black Friday, and I pray I never will! It sounds awful. Like, everything I hate most stuffed into one activity. Enjoy your binge. We are about to hit The Shrink Next Door and maybe binge it.
Very chill day. Leftovers, a flurry of leaf raking, more leftovers. Works for me!
A coffee and a turkey cookie please.
Thanksgiving menu:
Turkey
Stuffing
Taters
Gravy
Green bean casserole
Corn
Good bread
Cranberry sauce
Sopapilla cheesecake
Simple but good. Dinner at 6. You are all invited (you really are, I always told my kids our door is open on Thanksgiving, and we've had some memorable guests as a result).
Enjoy the day!
I watched a coyote rip apart a squirrel about ten yards away from my head (we were on opposite sides of a window). I like coyotes, but I respect their animal instincts. Be careful Ping and Ping’s dogs and kids.
Fairly chill T Day. Frankly, I’ve done turkey dinner so many times it’s easy and nearly foolproof (despite my own foolish nature) by now. Small group at the table, so a slimmed down menu. Here’s a first: Talia makes a homemade cranberry sauce I actually like.
I have a friend helping pilot Boss Baby at the Macy’s parade this year!
Lots to be thankful for in this land of plenty. It’s only fitting to devote the day to it. Enjoy the holiday and the long weekend everyone!
Quote by Mendalla
Quote by verbal
7 L’sYou have lived in seven states? Dang, you get around my friend.
Yep. Born in Illinois, grew up in Iowa, spent my young adulthood in Mpls. and NYC, moved to Colorado, where I am now. And I lived in Texas for a summer while in college, and growing up we spent a couple years in Arizona.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
My favorite holiday: good food and togetherness and traditions, without all the presents and drama of Christmas. Making stuffing today, brining the turko tonight. Hope the coyote doesn't get to it when I set it outside. I'm gonna station the cats to guard it. They don't do enough work around here.
Writing a newsletter today, so no novel progress again til Friday.
Coffee and a cookie in the shape of gratitude.
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona (L)
Arkansas
California (V)
Colorado (L)
Connecticut (V)
Delaware
Florida (V)
Georgia (V)
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois (L)
Indiana
Iowa (L)
Kansas (V)
Kentucky
Louisiana (V)
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts (V)
Michigan (V)
Minnesota (L)
Mississippi
Missouri (V)
Montana
Nebraska (V)
Nevada (V)
New Hampshire
New Jersey (V)
New Mexico (V)
New York (L)
North Carolina (V)
North Dakota
Ohio (V)
Oklahoma (V)
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota (V)
Tennessee (V)
Texas (V)
Utah (V)
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming (V)
22 V’s
7 L’s
Yum, six toed cat shaped cookies! Thanks Sara!
Same ol, same ol. A gloriously sunny day that is going to turn to cold rain and snow this afternoon.
A writing trick I am learning keeps me on track: WRITE DOWN THE FRIKKIN PLOT! I should never be asking myself "what happens next?" That road leads to bullsh!t-y writing (for me, your mileage may vary). Consult the plot synopsis and write what is SUPPOSED to happen next. It's taking care of some of my more self-indulgent habits. Heh.
I hope everyone is doing well.
Coffee and sixty six-toed cat cookies! Or one sixty-six toed car cookie.
Good morning coffeeshop!
Urg. Still trying to wake up. Gotta get this sluggish brain in gear. These stupid words aren't gonna write themselves.
Shopping for Thanksgiving dinner is done. I am an old hand at making a Thanksgiving dinner, though this will be the first one at Talia's house. Standard menu: turkey, dressing, two kinds o taters, gravy, corn, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, cheesecake sopapilla for dessert. Talia is making those last two items, daughter is making the casserole, I'm doing everything else. Beginning with the Traditional Brining of the Turkey in the Cat Litter Bucket. Who said traditions are dead?
Okay, someone help this tired old brain and gimme some coffee. A six toed cat shaped cookie would be marvelous.
Quote by Mendalla
Blue Rodeo (country-rock or alt-country depending how you call it) would be another, I think, though they might had some success stateside. I forget.
This was from Rodeo's very successful debut album, Outskirts. That album also gave us "Try", which I think still remains their biggest hit.
Hey, I know Blue Rodeo from the Austin alt.country scene (or y'allternative, as I like to call it). They did a show for a radio station there, I have a CD from it somewhere. Maybe I'll find it looking for my NYC head shot.
Any of you Cunucks know Great Big Sea? Good band!
Errand day. Breakfast out, shopping and gas and such, then home to watch good bad television and avoid the news and my fears. deletes long political diatribe We're gonna try to binge The Shrink Next Door. Prolly throw a horror movie in there too. And tomorrow...Thanksgiving grocery shopping. Yikes!
A coffee and a democracy shaped cookie please. I'd like to be reminded what it looks like.
Thanks for the googly eyed love, Gil.
Today's entry is below.
So, is it 60 six-toed cats, or 66 toed cats, or one giant 66 toed cat?
Not much going on. 32,243 words. I'll break 33k today.
I won't go into politics, but some upsetting news just came down on the news. I'm gonna turn to the solace of the blank page. See you all soon.
Coffee and a cookie would improve my mood.
Quote by Ping
Quote by verbal
Quote by Ping
Sixty, six-toed cats.
Solve the meaning or identify the significance of that reference and Verbs will send you a signed copy of his 1985 Verbs’ Beefcake Calendar, with him sporting big ass ‘80’s hair and bombastic ’80’s flair.
Ping, all I can say is, there's the right way, the wrong way, and the Hemming way.
One of the world’s wackiest, that is for certain. You pounced on that like Mike Tyson on ears. Guess you don’t want to part with one of your NYC modelling reminders.
If I can dig up my long-haired NYC head shot from back in the day, I promise to post it for 24 hours. You will, I promise, be highly entertained.
200 words to go for the day. Feets don't fail me now.
Quote by Ping
Sixty, six-toed cats.
Solve the meaning or identify the significance of that reference and Verbs will send you a signed copy of his 1985 Verbs’ Beefcake Calendar, with him sporting big ass ‘80’s hair and bombastic ’80’s flair.
Ping, all I can say is, there's the right way, the wrong way, and the Hemming way.
Broke 31K words. Is it any good? Who knows? It is fun to write (so far).
Cold sunny day, which is kind of bracing. Lunch with youngest later, meaning I've got to hit the keyboard early, and soon.
I have a lovely googly eyed work of art for you today, but I am too lazy to upload it, so I'll just tell you: a googly eyed electric toothbrush!
Coffee and a yummy cookie please.
No Talia Wednesday! It's Fun With Googly Eyes day! The cats are not amused.
Nice to see you Red. You too Henrietta! Ping, Ape.
The weather is turning colder, but Thanksgiving is nearing, which is my favorite holiday--Christmas without all the gift-buying hoopla. Just good food and togetherness.
Time to fight the blank page. A coffee and a stack of cookies, please.
Today's googly eyed work of art.
Not much going on today. They start painting my old house in preparation for sale today. It's gonna be an annoying ton of work, getting everything ready. But it will bring in a un-annoying pile of money for me to spend on more googly eyes.
Started Roadrunner last night. Good doc.
Time to make the donuts. Should hit 30k words today. Looking forward to it.
Coffee and a random cookie please.
Quote by Ping
Oh, forgot to mention, just watched Roadrunner on Prime. A documentary about Anthony Bourdain. A highly recommend.
It didn’t reveal much that I didn’t already know. But it was good to see and hear him again. There are questions. How much did Asia A. and their, posthumously according to her, open relationship, push AB over the edge. I believe he was heartbroken when media widely revealed her coziness with another. Tony was a committed romantic in the truest sense. He was always a darkened soul, but he was happy with her until he joined her battle and took the #MeToo movement bit in his mouth. Feinstein is undeniably a wretched beast. But giving someone that much buy-in and then witnessing with the rest of the world her fling, open relationship or not, must have hurt really, really bad. No toxins in his system. He hurt. He hung. He died. I remember it like yesterday. Damn I miss him, just like I miss Freddie Mercury and Robin Williams.
Ooh, ooh, I may watch this tonight! $3! I knew very little about him until this year. I knew of the suicide, and the vague outlines of his persona, but had seen none of the tv shows or read his book. Then I started watching Parts Unknown and was just blown away, particularly after he hits his stride mid season 2 and you realize his true subject is not travel, or food, but the people he meets. And himself, but I don’t mind a little ego in the mix.
I told my youngest daughter I was binging it, and she started laughing loudly and told me I was turning into my Dad (I guess he loved this show, but I didn’t know that). So, another reason to recommend it.
Looking forward to Roadrunner. That, and Ping exclaiming “Oh my God, World War Z is SUCH an atrocious movie!”
Quote by Ping
Quote by verbal
World War Z is AWFUL. Good book though.
We saw Last Night in Soho and really liked it. Not perfect, but really great performances and set decoration and music. Worth seeing.
We saw Belfast too. Not as memorable, but very good. Best picture Oscar bait.
Really?!? WWZ is awful? 😩 Awful like most The Rock blockbuster albeit entertaining movies or awful like Killer Tomatoes and most things Marvel?
Grumble. Grumble. I really wanted to watch it. I guess I’ll go back to my first pick, Stillwater. Damon can’t be worse than that stupid zoo movie or that even stupider Mars mish-mash… could it/he?
Awful as in I saw it at the DRIVE IN and I still didn't like it. Drive in movies are a mighty low bar: as long as there's dancing popcorn boxes and hot dogs I'm happy. It's mindless, and the book is so good (Mel Brook's son wrote it).
The Martian is stupid!? The Martian!? Thems fighin words.
I think we agree The Rock is pretty silly.
Bright sunny day today! I raked and bagged leaves all day yesterday and while it was a nice way to spend the day, my back is barking today. Still not much to do: one meeting about selling the old house, the rest of the day is writing.
Got my googly eyes in the mail yesterday. Here's what my phone looks like now. World beware.
Coffee and a typewriter cookie please!
Hee hee! Good comp! Big congrats to all the winners, and all the entrants! That was fun, and made for several excellent nights of spooky Halloween reading. And thanks to Molly, for all her work behind the scenes! Come have a cup of hot tea, Molly!
No Talia Friday. Not making this up: I haven't seen the cats since I woke up. Perhaps they see the writing on the wall.
I hit 27k words yesterday. First drafts are easy, but still, the words are flowing. I have got a LOT of plates in the air, plot-wise. Let's see if I can this juggling act up. It's like juggling cats! Hey, that's an idea.
We saw Last Night in Soho last night. We both really enjoyed it. Not perfect, but really fun, and really smartly done. And Anya Taylor-Joy is crush-worthy; she's just mesmerizing.
Okay, time to make the donuts. A coffee and a GIANT PING-SHAPED COOKIE please!!!
Happy Veteran's Day, all, and my gratitude to those of you that served.
Talia has the day off, and I'm feeling lazy, so I will write a bit, but not shooting for the daily 1k (as a side note, I have friends doing NaNoWriMo--National Novel Writing Month--churning out thousands of words a day, anyone doing that? the idea of writing that quickly makes me anxious). We are threatening ONCE AGAIN to see Last night in Soho, We'll see if we actually get out of the house.
We finished binging Maid last night. I cannot praise that show enough. Margaret Qualley and Andi McDowell absolutely shine in it. Perfect. Or as close as it needs to be.
Coffee and a Maragaret Qualley shaped cookie. Oh, and a spliff rolled from the Ape's Chinese green tea please, too!
Quote by redwriter
Quote by verbal
Now, to do the same with an eye doc appt. in my sights (see what I did there?). I have faith.Verbal, I don't know how bad your eyes are, but if you are offered a cataract op, take it.
I had mine done three weeks ago. In and out in one hour (20 minutes only op time). Told I would need the lenses on my specs readjusted after four weeks and things might be a little blurry until then. That was the case, but only in a minor sense. At the weekend I was watching a football game on TV and the figures were slightly blurry. I removed my specs to wipe then and was amaze to see pitch and players on screen much clearer and brighter. I could even read the names on the shirts. This without the specs. When I tested other programmes I found the same. Clearly something to do with focal length. I'm hoping my optician will shed some light (no pun intended) next week. So if you need it, and are given the choice, I strongly advise it.
I have the beginnings of cataracts but nothing too worrisome yet. Actually, the (non) worry is macular degeneration, which they are keeping an eye on (heh), but which isn't yet a big deal yet either. The dilation was annoying for several hours, but the only upshot is to take eye vitamins.
Got my writing done though!
Losing more writing time today, doing COBRA paperwork for healthcare. Grrr. About halfway done. It's unnecessarily complicated.
No Talia Wednesday. Today the cats and I are staging the fight scene in Godzilla vs. Mothra. They're fighting over who gets to be a moth.
Coffee and a snickerdoodle please!
Morning all. Looking forward to reading WriterGirl. I like having my heart lifted. 
House selling BS went fine, and I still got all my writing in. Now, to do the same with an eye doc appt. in my sights (see what I did there?). I have faith.
I've just brought TWO laptops into Windows 11. Painless process. Not much different from 10, to be honest, but a few neat little design details. No problems so far. The God Mode thing (create a folder and name it GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} ) is really helpful at tweaks.
Time for a coffee and eleventy-six snickerdoodles.
I thought I'd read all the comp entries, and suddenly stumbled across VV's crazed entry concerting animatronic frikkin WEASELS!!! My kinda story. Any others I've missed?
Tired from the weekend, though I should be rested with a free hour's sleep. But no. I wasted my hour on frivolity. I'm the grasshopper to Talia's very pretty ant.
Dumb chores to do today, mostly centering around getting my old house ready for sale. That stuff bores me. Should get a few hundred words in anyway. Starting...NOW!
A coffee and a snickerdoodle please!
Those Northern Lights shots are incredible! And you are a good Dad to take your son out to see them. Talia and I keep threatening to center our yes-we-really-will-get-officially-married-someday honeymoon around seeing Northern Lights (taking a cruise up to Alaska and Denali Park), though the more sensible version of that honeymoon is a train trip up the California coast. Anyway, you are lucky to see them, and your son is lucky to be shown them.
No Talia Friday, or as I like to call it, Where the F*ck Are the Cats Hiding and Why Friday.
I've finally broken free from the rewrites, and am on chapter 14 of new material. Open seas! No more ice floes to dodge. Follow that albatross!
Two good movies out this weekend - Last Night in Soho and Antlers. We may actually leave the house!
Sara, today, I brought cookies for YOU! I'd love a coffee to go with one of these.
Quote by Ping
In all my years, I've never seen such an enthusiastic display for that northern hemisphere dancing radiation. My son was in awe. He's not seen the northern lights as vibrant as they were. So much green and purple rippling across the star-studded sky. Took some amazing pictures with my iPhone. The greens and purples were brilliant. Even thought we got a glimpse of some red too. That's rare. Usually, only see that at higher latitudes. We could have stayed there all night, but he needed more sleep before school. I once wrote a story about a zoo, igloos, polar bears, and northern lights. Good times.
That's so cool! I've never seen them, except for some very tame spokes in the sky in Mpls. once. Always wanted to see them - so cool you did! I learned about them when I was a really little kid, at a planetarium in Chicago, and it blew my mind! Good on you for taking your kid out to see them!
My Dad once took me out to see a comet late at night, and it changed my life.
The Jays-Phillies World Series was one for the ages. I think Joe Carter's home run is still circling the globe, now in orbit. I loved that Phillies team, but baseball transcends mere team identity.
Not much else going on. Gotta write. Feeling unmotivated. But I will push on.
A coffee and a Mitch Williams shaped cookie please.
