In comparison to recent events, this news item seems almost lighthearted. Poor Yasmin. I wouldn't wish a night in the Romulus City Jail on my worst enemy. Hell, not even a night in the City of Romulus (she says, who spent her wedding night at the fabulous Ramada Inn Romulus).
posted 9:49 AM

Friday, September 14, 2001

In December of 1989, I spent my Christmas holiday listening to Don Henley's "New York Minute" over and over in an endless loop. There was something haunting, desperate, and achingly beautiful about that song. Perhaps my obsession was related to the fact that I was to start student teaching at a school in Detroit that January. I was completely unprepared and soon to be overwhelmed by that experience (I quit after teaching 2 of my required 3 months). I just heard NYM again, on the radio. Some idiot has taken that song and put in sound bites from Tuesday's tragedy.

Anyone attempting to put a "soundtrack" to this horrible event should get life in prison without parole (I was going to say "should be shot" but there's been enough death and violence already).
posted 11:40 AM

Thursday, September 13, 2001

We have a can for a Red Cross collection (dammit, how much trouble would I be in if I lied about being pregnant?) in the kitchen at work; the co-worker who set it up apologized for it being an empty can of "Ass-Kicking Peanuts." I told her that was the perfect receptacle. Attached to the can is a note from a customer in Spain: PLEASE ACCEPT MY CONDOLENCES FOR THE SAUVAGE (sic) ATTACK TO YOUR COUNTRY AND ALL OF US TOO. That almost set me off. This collection of emails definitely did.

Remember, it wasn't the American Trade Center, it was the WORLD Trade Center.

Science@NASA is based in the United States, but among our many subscribers are a substantial number of readers from other countries. In recent days many of them have written to us expressing their sympathies and horror at the events of Sept. 11th. Their messages, attached below, reveal how the heart-breaking loss of life in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania touches everyone. The staff of Science@NASA extend our heartfelt condolences to the many victims of Tuesday's tragedy, and we thank our friends overseas for their kind messages of support as we resume, later today, our regular schedule of scientific story-telling.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr. Koczor,

All of us are shocked by the awful events that have occurred yesterday in
New York and in Washington and we wish to extend our sympathy to you and
your colleagues.

If there is any way that we can help, please let us know.

Sincerely,

Inna Mardanyan
Moscow, Russia
****************************
Dear friends,
Your colleagues from Paleontological Institute of Moscow are with you.
Our sympathy, thoughts and support are yours. And will always be.
Best regards,

Alexei Rzanov, Galina Ushatinskaya, and all colleagues from Moscow
****************************
Dear Ron,

We are very sorry and really left astonished and speechless with terrorism
struck US yesterday. We sincerely wish and hope that everything is OK for
you and all the American colleagues and families.
Yours,

Sophia
Athens, Greece
****************************
Dear Dr Phillips

As my only point of contact with the United States is through your
science@NASA website, I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to
the American people, our thoughts and prayers especially go out to the
relatives and friends of those who perished in the awful events that
occurred yesterday
Yours Sincerely
Tony Aggett
United Kingdom
*****************************
We would like to offer our deepfelt sympathy, concern and prayers to our
friends and colleagues in the US at this dreadful time,

Margaret and Alex Mazzolini
Melbourne, Australia
*****************************
We are absolutely shocked by horrible events in the U.S. It is
unbelievable...Accept my condolences...Today our world has changed. What
will happen to our world?
Take care,
Prof Omarov
Alma Aty, Khazakstan
*****************************
As the President of CANADIAN Environmental Science and Research Group and
on behalf of the Team of CESAR Group I would like to send our heart felt
sorrow to those family members who lost relatives in these vicious and
despicable attacks on democracy. God Bless America!

Jack Pender
Canada
*****************************
Sincere greetings Dr. Koczor, Ron

Together with my family, we feel very sorry for the regrettable incidents
in New York. We are with you with all our hearts.

Rafael Cardenas Santacruz
Scientific Technician
Bogota, Columbia
*****************************
In the 1930's Stalin deported and murdered 25,000 Finns that were
peacefully living on the Soviet side of the border. It was a blind terror
action against civilians, a complete ethnical cleaning of the Karelia
county. Without successful defensive fight in the following winter war
1939 when Stalin tried to invade Finland (5 of my uncles were killed, my
father injured), we would, according to recently discovered documents from
Moscow, all have been deported to Siberia, and I would not sit here and
study your website.

These terrorists try to create a world of that kind. We do not want this
world anymore!
All the best for you in the USA

Jarl
Helsinki, Finland
****************************
NASA:
Hi¡, My name is Maria. I am aware of the attack that has been perpetrated
against your country, and I am very sad. I live in Buenos Aires,
Argentina. I am 14 years old and there is not much that I can do to help,
but I profoundly admire you and you have my moral support. I would like to
ask you a favor. Please reach an agreement without wars, but I hope those
responsible are found, so that peace will be extended throughout the
world.
Sincerely,

Maguie.
*****************************
On behalf of all the employees and stakeholders of ApexMail I would like
to say that we share in your shock, grief and pain resulting from today's
unspeakable and cowardly assault. Our thoughts and prayers are with you
and the people of America.

Jonathon Dugdale
Apexmail, Inc
Canada
posted 4:29 PM

Wednesday, September 12, 2001

"When evil men plot, good men must plan.
When evil men burn and bomb,
good men must build and bind.
When evil men shout ugly words of hatred,
good men must commit themselves
to the glories of love.
Where evil men would seek to perpetuate
an unjust status quo,
good men must seek to bring into being
a real order of justice."

--Martin Luther King

(props to Monique)
posted 8:58 AM

Friday, August 31, 2001

Good thing I found this Steve Irwin toy after my birthday (Pete was begging me for suggestions; I had none, but he did very nicely by me, thank you). I would drive him crazy with it in about 30 seconds flat. Beauty!
posted 9:37 AM

Wednesday, August 29, 2001

We've not had email or internet access at work since Friday morning. It's unbelieveable what you can still get done without technology.

I've been too tired to get online at night, but I did want to comment on the death of Aaliyah (who was from Troy, Michigan, incidentally, not Detroit). I remember when she sang at the 1998 Oscars (a song from the animated film Anastasia). Local press made a big deal out of the fact that she had bought her dress "off the rack" at Somerset Mall. I always thought she was a class act, someone to be proud of, as opposed to Kid Rock (from Romeo, Michigan) or Eminem (whitest of white bread suburban kids from Sterling Heights, Michigan). It kills me that folks so readily identify themselves as being from "Detroit" when they're from the outer suburbs. Not that I can lay claim to being a true "Detroiter," either, but I went to Wayne State in the city and I know how picky people who REALLY live there get when you claim citizenship.

Queen of the Damned, damn. I'll bet Aaliyah was great in that. And a shot at the Matrix sequels! An all-around entertainer -- singer, dancer, and upcoming actress -- whose true worth will now, sadly, never be known.

Props to Scott Liles for the news link.
posted 4:58 PM

Friday, August 17, 2001

Just so you know my food obsession isn't totally pregnancy related: my sister-in-law Lynn once told me that she LOVES to cook for me, "because you eat slowly and obviously savor every morsel." Keep in mind she lives with my brother, who holds land-speed records for finishing his dinner. But seriously, I contemplated becoming a chef while in high school (I'd cook dinner once a week for my family) and I still love to cook (when I have time!), so I found the Italian Slow Food movement fascinating.

So, are you going to watch the Miss America pagent now? If only they could guarantee a backstage catfight, I'd be there. But I think the reality show element they're trying to introduce will be pretty tame.

Oh, and I would be remiss (and in trouble, actually) if I didn't tell you I got today's scoops from NextDraft's daily email news service.
posted 11:04 AM

Wednesday, August 15, 2001

Wait! They did a "Growing Pains" reunion movie? And now they're doing a "Facts of Life" reunion movie?! Wake me up when they do a reunion movie for "Northern Exposure."
posted 9:09 AM

Tuesday, August 14, 2001

This makes it better: "morning" sickness may actually be beneficial. Acupuncture...hmm...
posted 2:13 PM

Monday, August 13, 2001

What is it about August? Last year about this time I made a royal ass out of myself at a popular forum for journallers. This year I'm suddenly noticing all the support sites for journallers where I'm not listed, not mentioned; basically -- non-existent. I could run down the usual rant of how I never update, how I apparently have no cyber social skills, how other journallers are simply rude, never answering the simpliest of "hello" emails (I've picked up a few new reads recently and I'm 1 for 5 in responses to my friendly introductions -- I've learned not to even bother asking folks to stop by my site, since this is apparently the height of squareness in the rarified air of "cool" journallers), etc. etc. (man, that was a run-on, wasn't it?!), but it all comes down to this:

90% of the time I don't even notice the rest of the online journalling world, and don't really give a flying fuck about being "accepted" in it. I just want to keep on writing, keep on figuring out what makes me tick (sometimes, apparently, it's just the basic need to be liked).

So maybe I should just let August slide on by...

Sorry, no link. Just a rant. Carry on.
posted 2:22 PM

Monday, August 06, 2001

This argument rages from time to time on my writing list: apparently being young and beautiful helps you get published. Here's proof.
posted 2:34 PM

Friday, August 03, 2001

Funny and innocent? Or a tool to promote cruely to cats & other animals? Depends on your sense of humor. I found it hilarious. His link to The Angriest Cat in Chinatown was interesting, too.
posted 9:46 AM

Wednesday, August 01, 2001

I know she's a fake, you know she's a fake, but my love for Miss Cleo commercials knows no bounds. Say it ain't so!

And while I'm admitting to a secret fascination with psychics, I may as well 'fess up: I'm hooked on John Edwards, too. Sad, isn't it?
posted 9:45 AM

Tuesday, July 31, 2001

Mary got a daruma. I want a daruma! Of course, then I would actually have to have a goal. My life is all about being goal-free, baby!

Okay, since the entire site's in Japanese, here's what it's all about: you get a daruma, with blank eyes. You paint in the left one and make a wish or set a goal. When that wish or goal is fulfilled, you fill in the right eye. You need to place it somewhere where you'll see it everyday, to remind you of your goal. When we were in New Orleans, the gentleman who gave Mary her daruma pointed one out in a bakery window. The left eye was painted in. "They've probably made a wish for a successful business," he said. Since he filled in the left eye of his daruma six years ago, hoping for publication of his book, and filled in the right eye after we published one of his children's book earlier this year, I tend to think this kind of daily reminder of your goal is mighty powerful.

I like the red darumas best. Here's a little more info (in English).
posted 4:35 PM

Okay, it's official. According to this 99%-accurate Chinese Lunar Calendar, we're having a girl. No wonder I couldn't come up with any boys' names.
posted 11:22 AM

Friday, July 27, 2001

My mom called me this week to ask for recommendations for her book club. This online service, if it comes to fruition (and survives), would be a great resource for her.
posted 1:27 PM

Thursday, July 26, 2001

Keep your fingers crossed: I've been feeling pretty good since Tuesday. Since I was sure I was going to die on Monday, it's a miracle. But I think that was mainly due to hot weather (94 degrees, 97% humidity). Since I could read Tim's tale of Malaysian seafood this morning without gagging, I like to think I'm on the road to second trimester bliss.
posted 10:58 AM

Wednesday, July 25, 2001

I wrote something similar to this about New Orleans once. Only it was about 1/20th as long. And I never had "her" speak. Certain cities do that to you.
posted 4:55 PM

Tuesday, July 24, 2001

I'm not sure exactly what my co-worker is fact-checking, but she is coming across some weird shit. Literally.
posted 10:21 AM

Friday, July 20, 2001

Interviewing the interviewer: pretty cool article about Terry Gross of National Public Radio's Fresh Air. Only they didn't ask her about the Saturday Night Live sketch that partially spoofs her ("I just love your Schwetty Balls!")...
posted 12:11 PM

Sarah D. and I met through Girl Scouts (or, in her case, Girl Guides) and wrote to each other for over eight years. I finally met her when I travelled to England in 1988. We've lost touch since then, which makes this pen-pal story all the more poignant. How I used to love going to the mailbox and seeing Sarah's tissue-thin blue envelopes with the red airmail striping around the edges! When I moved in November, I almost threw them away -- they were actually in a trash bag -- but I went and dug them out. I couldn't bear to part with them, even though I never hear from her anymore. There's magic in those blue envelopes, I'm telling ya. Instant smiles when I come across them.
posted 10:27 AM

Thursday, July 19, 2001

Lots of exciting stuff going on this weekend for Detroit's 300th. Tall ships! Whoo! Too bad I'll miss it all (still sick) (bleh).

My girlfriend Anita sent me The Pregnancy Journal. I'm trying not to freak out over all that information.
posted 10:04 AM

Tuesday, June 26, 2001

The human community was not amused by the unplanned infestation of a million and a half rabid, soul-stealing, vicious, blood-sucking, disease-ridden, evil-incarnate vermin. (In fact, there has not been a single case of bat-transmitted rabies in Austin since the colony arrived.)

I LOVE fact-checking!
posted 1:20 PM

Monday, June 25, 2001

Yes, I'm A Freak, Pt. XXIV: Eclipses. Gotta love 'em. Here's my favorite image.

When I retire, I think I'll become an eclipse chaser.
posted 9:49 AM

Friday, June 15, 2001

There's no link here, so if this has already been emailed to you, feel free to skip it. Amongst the stress of buying a house, the cat's surgery, a visit to my parents, and a nasty bout of PMS, I can appreciate the fact that Pete sent this to me in the first place. Especially considering that I used most of these phrases in a hissy fit I had last night.

FEMININE LANGUAGE

FINE:
This is the word we use at the end of any argument that we feel we are right about but need to shut you up. NEVER use fine to describe how a woman looks. This will cause you to have one of those arguments.

FIVE MINUTES:
This is half an hour. It is equivalent to the five minutes that your football game is going to last before you take out the trash, so it's an even trade.

NOTHING:
This means something and you should be on your toes. "Nothing" is usually used to describe the feeling a woman has of wanting to turn you inside out, upside down, and backwards. "Nothing" usually signifies an argument that will last "Five Minutes" and end with a huffy "Fine."

GO AHEAD (with raised eyebrows):
This is a dare, one that will result in my getting upset over "Nothing" and will end with the word "Fine."

GO AHEAD (normal eyebrows):
This means "I give up" or "do what you want because I don't care." You will get a raised eyebrow "Go ahead" in just a few minutes, followed by "Nothing" and "Fine" and she will talk to you in about "Five Minutes" when she cools off.

(LOUD SIGH):
This is not actually a word, but is still often a verbal statement very misunderstood by men. A "Loud Sigh" means she thinks you are an idiot at that moment and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you over "Nothing."

(SOFT SIGH):
Again, not a word, but a verbal statement. "Soft Sighs" are one of the few things that some men actually understand. She is content. Your best bet is to not move or breathe, and she will stay content.

OH!:
This exclamation, followed by any statement (esp. "REALLY"), is trouble. Example: "Oh, let me get that." Or, "Oh, I talked to him about what you were doing last night." If she says "Oh" before a statement, RUN, do not walk, to the nearest exit. She will tell you that she is "Fine" when she is done tossing your clothes out the window, but do not expect her to talk to you for at least 2 days. "Oh" as the lead to a sentence usually signifies that you are caught in a lie. Do not try to lie more to get out of it, or you will get raised eyebrows and "Go ahead" followed by acts so unspeakable that we can't bring ourselves to write about them.

THAT'S OK:
This is one of the most dangerous statements that a woman can say to a man. "That's OK" means that she wants to think long and hard before paying you retributions for what ever it is that you have done. "That's OK" is often used with the word "Fine" and used in conjunction with a raised eyebrow. "Go ahead." At some point in the near future when she has plotted and planned, you are going to be in some mighty big trouble.

PLEASE DO:
This is not a statement; it is an offer. A woman is giving you the chance to come up with whatever excuse or reason you have for doing whatever it is that you have done. You have a fair chance to tell the truth, so be careful and you shouldn't get a "That's OK."

THANKS:
A woman is thanking you. Do not act surprised; just say, "You're welcome."

THANKS A LOT:
This is much different from "Thanks." A woman will say, "Thanks A LOT," when she is really ticked off at you. It signifies that you have hurt her in some callous way, and will be followed by the "Loud Sigh." Be careful not to ask what is wrong after the "Loud Sigh," as she will only say "Nothing."

posted 2:56 PM

Thursday, June 14, 2001

There is no excuse for me to peruse this Romanov site. Hell, I'm not even sure how I ended up there. Pete would be thoroughly disgusted. I'm just a little concerned that people are this obesessed about dead royalty.
posted 1:46 PM

Tuesday, June 12, 2001

This is how I get distracted when I should be fact-checking.

And how do you respond to a letter like this?

"Hello! My name is ____ Jr. I'm 15 and am wanting to write a book about my father's long-term illness, ________. I was wanting to know, how to start writing a book, and how to get it copywrited. If you would, please send me some information about writing a book about his horrible illness. He died in 1994; he was 34 years old. Thank you!

This is the best I could come up with:

Dear ___ Jr.,

This is in reply to your email regarding writing a book about your father’s death from _________.

You have the advantage (wrong word?!) of knowing about _________ from a personal viewpoint, although you were very young at the time. You’ll want learn as much as you can about the disease, and combine what you learn with the details of your father’s life.

A local community college or even online course in memoir writing might be very useful in getting you started. You have the opportunity to talk with other relatives (if they are ready) and speak from your own point of view. Check out OnlineLearning.net (search under “writing”) for an introductory course on memoir writing.

Instead of a tackling a book, you might want to start with an article (you could always expand on it later).(this is the kindest way I could figure to tell him "we won't publish it"). The Writer’s Market Guide, published by Writer’s Digest (online at writersdigest.com) could give you some leads on magazines and other outlets for publication. As a teenager, you might even consider teen magazines that would be interested in your story from a young person’s (did I just say that?!) point of view.

Best of luck with your work.

If that's as tough as my job gets, I've got it easy, I guess.
posted 10:22 AM

Monday, June 11, 2001

Buy A Clue Department: Hello? Do these marketing people never go into an actual bookstore? Have they not noticed Harry Potter merchandise at 50% off already?! And why do we need "new" Narnia books? The originals are just fine. And I've seen them in the kid's department, not the Religious/Christian section (believe me, I used to shelve both areas).

Finally, as a recovering Christian, I would not be offended by a biographical program on C.S. Lewis that included references to how he re-worked Christian themes into the Narnia series. Sure, if that was the MAIN focus of the biopic, it would turn me off. But to completely ignore it, as they noted in the NYT article, would be "like making a film about Hank Aaron, and refusing to mention he was a ballplayer."
posted 11:54 AM

Thursday, June 07, 2001

I thought I was in The Worst Marching Band Ever, back in high school. Ha! I say. And this was a college band!

I tried to play the snare drum in my senior year, but they took it away from me. I couldn't bear the bass drum another year. I ended up with a tomtom (like a snare, but no...uh...snare). Humiliating. But I got a letter jacket for it (alas, a mere windbreaker). I thought, hell, if they could get letters for dance club, I could get one for band.
posted 5:02 PM

Wednesday, June 06, 2001

I was questioned by Leslie Walker, but not quoted. Still, I'm not bitter, or anything. Interesting article, even without my pearls of wisdom.

BTW, my taxi driver name is Knøfahgginarëbagz Richards. My gangsta name is "Played Out Fish" (hmm...that's rather telling). My porn name is "Lady Slapalot." This could go on forever, as there's about a million Sopranos nickname generators out there, and even an Oz Prison Bitch naming site. Getouttahe-ah.
posted 9:35 AM

Tuesday, June 05, 2001

Whohoo! Blogger is back up to speed. Man, that was driving me crazy last week. Anyway. Believe it or not, at our publishing house, we never deal with literary agents. We deal directly with authors and illustrators. It's a one-on-one, warm-fuzzy specialty of ours (and, from what I understand, it's the same for most small, independent presses). So, I respect what Natalie is doing with her agents page. I don't know the first thing about literary agents, but I do know there are some scumbags out there. Here's one writer's way of weeding them out.
posted 1:14 PM

Friday, June 01, 2001

Great. Now I can kill an entire garden via remote-control. In Austria, no less.
posted 3:32 PM

"The banishment of alcohol would eradicate poverty and vice while simultaneously ennobling the common man to achieve his highest goals. The reality of Prohibition was to prove quite different."

I should have been a history major. Because I could spend hours here.
posted 2:55 PM