Month: April 2013

In the weeds

Well, I know it’s been a bit since I last updated the blog. It isn’t that I don’t have things I’d like to write about, or that I’ve forgotten you all, dear Readers. Rather, I find myself pretty deep in the weeds. Most of this is stemming from me saying yes to things I probably shouldn’t have and to the fact that the semester is gearing up for its final death throes, which means lots of review sheets, exam prep materials, exams, and stressed out students needing extra help. Don’t get me wrong, I love my day job, but this is not a fun time of year.

On top of that, I have a submission due for a writing retreat in a few days. I’m planning to send in materials for a new novel project and they are currently…very underdeveloped. So, there’s that as well.

But, the sun is out, the days are slowly, slowly, slowly getting warmer, and summer is striking distance away. So, I’m not complaining, I’m just explaining.

Hope to be back in blogging action soon!

In the meantime, what are you all up to?

Texas-bound

I’m off today for Paradise Lost III, a writing workshop in San Antonio Texas for graduates of Viable Paradise and Taos Toolbox. There will be friends, beer, and sun. There will be critiques and lectures and new insights. There will be Mary Robinette Kowal, Lynne Thomas, Stina Leicht, and Jay Lake.

Pretty fabulous, if you ask me.

I’ve subbed the first 4K of Project Awesome (aka THICKER THAN WATER) and I eagerly look forward to feedback from my assigned crit groups.

I hope to post some updates from the road, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, I’d better go find my cowboy boots…

Margaret Thatcher: gut reaction

Margaret Thatcher has passed away and the internet is full of people who feel the need to share with the world whether her death makes them “glad” or “sad”.

Seriously?

Why do people feel this urge? From whence springs the need to comment on whether you are pleased about a person’s death? It makes no sense to me, yet every time someone prominent dies people seem to feel compelled to chime in with a thumbs up or down.

Be glad someone is or is not in office. Be glad they are or are not working for a company or publishing a book, or posing a criminal menace to the world.

Thatcher was a divisive political figure, no doubt. She was a powerful woman, which many find a cause to celebrate and some a cause to bemoan. She was unquestionably a person people had opinions about. Let’s share our opinions about what Margaret Thatcher accomplished in her lifetime and whether we find those accomplishments positive or negative.

But being glad or sorry she died?

Come on, people.

Where are you, Spring?

Spring has been oh-so-shy this year. It’s already April the best we’ve seen is a day or two where the icy chill comes off the air for just the briefest of moments. On my walk to the subway there’s a lone tree that’s thrown out her buds. Amongst all the bare branches and frosty brown earth she looks foolish rather than brave (sort of like the folks who wear shorts the first day it rises over 40 degrees, and never mind the fact that it’s raining and still bitter cold).

Still, there’s a feeling of hope these last few days. I wore a fleece rather than a down jacket yesterday and it *almost* didn’t suck. There’s a bright, warm-looking sun out this morning (though the grocery delivery guys informed me that it was still “shit-ass cold” out there). Next week they are going all in and forecasting weather in the 60s. We shall see.

In the meantime, I’m clinging to less tangible signs. Here’s one from my friend Jeremy’s delightful blog — a recipe that brings Spring into your kitchen, even if it hasn’t quite shown up outside yet. Another trick I’ll try is stealing Spring from other places. Thursday I head south to San Antonio for Paradise Lost III. As I pull on my wooly socks this morning, I close my eyes and think of sitting in a patch of sun along the Riverwalk drinking a cold beer with friends.

That’s a thought that’ll get a girl through.

Desert Island Castaway

Spring Break is nearly over and I’m back from my annual father-daughter desert island getaway in the BVI.

It was awesome. The weather was hot and dry. The ocean felt like bathwater. Virgin Gorda is truly a tropical paradise, but it’s not for everyone. There are bugs. There is no air conditioning. The living is rustic. This is the island’s charm.

There is also nothing to do, which is part of the island’s charm as well (unless you are the kind of person – like my husband – who requires activities). You go to read, eat, sleep, and swim. It gets so hot in the middle of the day that none of these activities are feasible, but sitting in front of a fan in the shade and writing is a nice way to wait for the sun to go down. Thus, I got a ton of editing done on ABSENT. This is good because I’ve got two writing retreats coming up for which I need to turn to other (new) projects.

I plan to update the blog and write some new book reviews soon, but right now I’ve got some serious course prep to catch up on. In the meantime, here’s a few pictures from my trip which you can either enjoy or hate, depending on how cold and miserable it still is where you live 😉