tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71930051596540605452024-03-13T16:21:45.458-04:00Fear in WritingJournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.comBlogger461125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-50286380020842988942016-12-14T15:18:00.001-05:002016-12-14T15:19:29.459-05:002017 CHALLENGE: The European Reading ChallengeA challenge for the new year! Thanks to Gilion Dumas at Rose City Reader for this idea. I will post the books I am choosing soon...<br />
Click the link below for Gilion's full post, and respond here if you are up for the challenge!<br />
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<a href="http://www.rosecityreader.com/2016/12/2017-challenge-european-reading.html?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=blogger_post&utm_source=blog">2017 CHALLENGE: The European Reading Challenge</a>JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-55297930173634525722016-12-14T14:31:00.000-05:002016-12-14T14:31:41.642-05:00Are people still doing this?Aside from a few technical changes, Blogger looks the same. My page needs updating, but the links still work. Other people are currently updating their blogs. But mine sat dormant for three years.<br />
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Three years.<br />
<br />
Where have I been? You probably aren't interested, but I will tell you anyway. I have been working in the real world. I am a TV News Producer by trade and took a job producing morning newscasts.<br />
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But that is over and the world is new again. So maybe something old can be new again here, too. Maybe a return to blogging and online interaction is just what I need. Maybe...<br />
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So hello again! In a way, I have missed you. What shall we talk about? Do I want to get literary again? Do I want to change the subject? The title?<br />
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We shall see.<br />
<br />
Hello, again.<br />
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<br />JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-60477859254422148542013-07-25T21:14:00.001-04:002013-07-25T21:14:18.878-04:00Back?Am I back? Other options didn't go as planned...bur could I ever really write?JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-65105112844251460952012-11-13T10:17:00.000-05:002012-11-13T10:17:01.938-05:00Just WriteIt doesn't matter what you write. Just write.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhhSstK8LM8ZQE5t60rrCHyv0eVoedsAnIZe6D-aILrGdykhBKXluiI_X1wHLVZ5CHKFWqZbfulyXV-6cF-IAu6cvRYW8YPwGE8jDxB5p-jqijFLiFziXQAmCVrzK1tP9YsLCzBhhNN4v/s1600/extraord+chickens.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhhSstK8LM8ZQE5t60rrCHyv0eVoedsAnIZe6D-aILrGdykhBKXluiI_X1wHLVZ5CHKFWqZbfulyXV-6cF-IAu6cvRYW8YPwGE8jDxB5p-jqijFLiFziXQAmCVrzK1tP9YsLCzBhhNN4v/s320/extraord+chickens.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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There's an audience for every idea.JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-57442855886566104352012-05-05T13:23:00.002-04:002012-05-05T13:23:54.277-04:00The Rain Mix<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKUtCqqle1jG4LUEZrfaJhWQBZCHOjhe3xIun2vaC32IX7NK-DKNDtWGYeZd_OpZ5coTrOd6FcYiRbrNsgGyA1Cdydmkn-_9szIF9bufJgDoiPkc78TZCfX0706T7w4ZCeUvQXAQ5SZOr/s1600/rainfall_b+and+w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKUtCqqle1jG4LUEZrfaJhWQBZCHOjhe3xIun2vaC32IX7NK-DKNDtWGYeZd_OpZ5coTrOd6FcYiRbrNsgGyA1Cdydmkn-_9szIF9bufJgDoiPkc78TZCfX0706T7w4ZCeUvQXAQ5SZOr/s200/rainfall_b+and+w.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Rainstorms are like a complex song. The sounds are stacked on top of each other until all you hear is the mixed version. But listen closely and you can separate the layers.<br />
In the middle is the strongest of the sounds--the constant tiny raindrops that fall so quickly and so close to each other that they greet your ears with the steadiness of a waterfall. Not a Niagara-type waterfall, but a smaller one that doesn't crash but instead constantly gushes.<br />
The layer closest to you is, usually, the sound of heavier drops as they fall inconsistently from gutters or window panes. These drops or still being fed by the rainfall, but they are hampered by human creations. They are given time to join together and fall as they may--harder and less often. Their noise is louder and joins the waterfall effect as a staccato layer.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiOnbc81xz9rxQNcdjHJVop8Z7pMHsJ91AeQJOpPK1zZnlLofZt28iPxv9Dfknoy1paotdcxUeP6rcBNOmctlwqpXwDlXHmHCjvYwhXvSIVki0SS3-zqSe17NrmgsTVrj_TzskflVataz/s1600/jungle-rain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiOnbc81xz9rxQNcdjHJVop8Z7pMHsJ91AeQJOpPK1zZnlLofZt28iPxv9Dfknoy1paotdcxUeP6rcBNOmctlwqpXwDlXHmHCjvYwhXvSIVki0SS3-zqSe17NrmgsTVrj_TzskflVataz/s200/jungle-rain.jpg" width="200" /></a>And in the distance is the patter of the rain through the trees. It's a two-fold layer. The water hits the foliage with a gentle slap--a patter, if you will. Then the water falls again; this time it is inn larger drops and makes many different sounds as they hit the different ground coverings. Puddles, play sets, logs, grass, flowers, leaves--each with their unique surface.<br />
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Together, it is a cacophony of nature. And, to be cliche, music to my ears.JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-56315973557595201142012-03-23T09:06:00.000-04:002012-03-23T09:06:21.263-04:00Book ArtI love books. I cherish them. I love the way they look on my shelves and the way the paper feels under my fingertips.<br />
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But <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaperStatement?ref=seller_info" target="_blank">this artist</a> has found a new way to love them. German creator <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaperStatement?ref=seller_info" target="_blank">Dorisse </a>can turn ordinary paper products into beautiful jewelry and, my favorite, book sculptures!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUvtedV3ZjHmbsbgyIhjDrLBYCqhPd1dezkvA92nxANsz_78KLGeIKNRIcOcuQAf3pLx6vD5SR3fMlAvCVdss3sDYFl8IbhgaIk374KKZLRJLBtOHCoPAkDvjBIvKA4VBtd2EpP3zRsgd/s1600/folded+hp+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUvtedV3ZjHmbsbgyIhjDrLBYCqhPd1dezkvA92nxANsz_78KLGeIKNRIcOcuQAf3pLx6vD5SR3fMlAvCVdss3sDYFl8IbhgaIk374KKZLRJLBtOHCoPAkDvjBIvKA4VBtd2EpP3zRsgd/s320/folded+hp+book.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I will never give up reading the real thing, but I also love the idea of immortalizing my favorites as works of art--<i>more</i> than they already are, that is.<br />
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What do you think? Reverent to the work or destroying it?JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-4263196587496040792012-03-18T17:55:00.001-04:002012-03-18T17:55:44.217-04:00The power of books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGuBJGk_JylwUpC8eSHSqYkA1aYsGiYqzuiJUUt4tb_SAo7lQ2IxQyIqnzfwOwe0YDA2-KPGZtivpBAd7DCXQjRhqsqnNOHb3iaJP5tKqAEAlWnak139EFsMLJwmT8a3rs4QFfIQBzRJ4/s1600/book+tank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGuBJGk_JylwUpC8eSHSqYkA1aYsGiYqzuiJUUt4tb_SAo7lQ2IxQyIqnzfwOwe0YDA2-KPGZtivpBAd7DCXQjRhqsqnNOHb3iaJP5tKqAEAlWnak139EFsMLJwmT8a3rs4QFfIQBzRJ4/s320/book+tank.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From the site <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/further/2012/03/16-3#.T2ZSM_l7KwI.blogger" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a> comes this "weapon" of mass destruction: the "way cool <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #121212; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">book tank created by Argentinean <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">artist</span>, Raul Lemesoff, with </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">a 1979 Ford Falcon from the former military junta. </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #121212; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lemesoff <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">tours</span> from the streets of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Buenos Aires to the countryside, offering his 900, donated, frequently-replenished books free as a "contribution to peace through literature."</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yFi27PQ2bxo?rel=0" width="420"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I want to go to Buenos Aires!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-63533835775962543142012-02-18T16:51:00.000-05:002012-02-18T16:51:06.870-05:00I SpyI have the house to myself this weekend.<br />
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A few minutes ago the doorbell rang. I knew who it was: a neighbor-girl bringing change for a twenty, for a t<em style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;">chotchke</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;"> </span>I bought in support of some school program.<br />
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But I didn't answer.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCe_Qk75UBsjZc4DSfKxWmNcbd27uHJ4bkT16UJXQu90oJurtpo3yAWWEcd5LLOWhm62hmFr_-Fkehxb3LJSMviYGDUz412ITeqImZgLk2UuWqjEyzQGQWy0UQmK6mxF8B_J7uVR9mZPr/s1600/spy+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCe_Qk75UBsjZc4DSfKxWmNcbd27uHJ4bkT16UJXQu90oJurtpo3yAWWEcd5LLOWhm62hmFr_-Fkehxb3LJSMviYGDUz412ITeqImZgLk2UuWqjEyzQGQWy0UQmK6mxF8B_J7uVR9mZPr/s200/spy+girl.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>Instead, I set down the book I was reading and lowered myself silently to the carpet. Then I inched along the floor on my stomach until I could see around the edge of the sofa. The girl's pink sweater fizzled across the patterned glass. Her dark hair bobbed as she rocked in place, waiting. <br />
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I held myself still. Frozen. Breath slowed to the dimmest of oxygen intake. I was a spy.<br />
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After all, why just write about the stuff? Why not actually live it every once and a while?JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-71154796227203280402012-02-16T08:38:00.000-05:002012-02-16T08:38:16.358-05:00AfraidI think I am afraid to come here.<br />
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Like the mere act of opening Blogger impresses guilt upon me. A reminder that I'm not writing. A glimpse of a story unfinished.<br />
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So I avoid. It's still a link on my bookmarks bar--glaring at me every time I open Google Chrome.<br />
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Someday I will just delete it. Then the guilt will bury itself a level deeper.<br />
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And I will pretend to forget.JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-43994362627781765512012-01-24T10:12:00.000-05:002012-01-24T10:12:26.373-05:00Anyone CanAnyone can have a website. Anyone can creat a blog.<br />
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Just look at this guy: <a href="http://brianstalin-jfk.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Brianstalin</a>, Past Life Research (including some very UN-researched connections between JFK and Russian royals and Abraham Lincoln reincarnating as Leonard Nimoy).<br />
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And <a href="http://www.thewatcherfiles.com/bloodlines/" target="_blank">The Watcherflies</a>, which explains the 13 Illuminati Satanic Bloodlines. Of course it does.<br />
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So don't believe everything you read. Don't use faulty resources.JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-57783161533302318622012-01-22T10:50:00.000-05:002012-01-22T10:50:05.654-05:00What's in a word?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopIJdTZZJecTQiLePfDzg1W0xgzeWtxpBrW0s7A4e-FMzaVgHz6mwC1Gnc524W3gAFYRSg_0Tt9lk2phxjmYoDZNrvw_z4tH-_6osKvzFkpSRByW5lt_oGj6iT1MwwzfMObQr-uP0aQAD/s1600/Catherine-the-Great.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopIJdTZZJecTQiLePfDzg1W0xgzeWtxpBrW0s7A4e-FMzaVgHz6mwC1Gnc524W3gAFYRSg_0Tt9lk2phxjmYoDZNrvw_z4tH-_6osKvzFkpSRByW5lt_oGj6iT1MwwzfMObQr-uP0aQAD/s200/Catherine-the-Great.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">We think we know what we're writing. We think we know what we're reading. But what if the word we use really means something else?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">I am reading Robert K. Massie's <i>Catherine the Great</i> right now. First, let me tell you that it is masterfully written. The prose is interesting, the facts well-researched. He follows a chronological order in laying out the chapters, but throws unexpected and interesting facts in places that catch you off-guard and, at times, make you laugh. I highly recommend it.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3w77r0T4yT1pRANOzxkt88wx0XRslP4DD0G3V6jJCVjNMgT2kZawMuKPgFWromNKsq92hF4mBSb8xsqp8fvtCvZT4Z08inUVzNzCa87090CiLbGhIASPJBCRkFSOObOpv4Xy2DnZnK4nk/s1600/ivan-iv-the-terrible.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3w77r0T4yT1pRANOzxkt88wx0XRslP4DD0G3V6jJCVjNMgT2kZawMuKPgFWromNKsq92hF4mBSb8xsqp8fvtCvZT4Z08inUVzNzCa87090CiLbGhIASPJBCRkFSOObOpv4Xy2DnZnK4nk/s200/ivan-iv-the-terrible.jpg" width="106" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ivan (IV) the Terrible</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">I digress. While reading this book, I was moved to search online for pictures of Empress Elizabeth I (Catherine's mother-in-law--and if you think <i>you</i> mother-in-law is terrible, you never stepped in Catherin's shoes). One link lead to another, as they usually do, and I began reading about Ivan the Terrible. This paragraph struck me as interesting:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">The English word </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">terrible</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> is usually used to translate the Russian word </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">grozny</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> in Ivan's nickname, but the modern English usage of terrible, with a pejorative connotation of bad or evil, does not precisely represent the intended meaning. The meaning of </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">grozny</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> is closer to the original usage of terrible—</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">inspiring fear or terror</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">, </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">dangerous</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> (as in </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_English_language" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-decoration: none;" title="Old English language">Old English</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">in one's danger</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">), </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">formidable</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> or </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">threatening</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">. Other translations were suggested, such as </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Ivan the Fearsome</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> or </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Ivan the Formidable.</i></blockquote>It's not a major difference. He's either 'terrible' because he did terrible things, or 'terrible' because he was feared for doing terrible, or at least oppressive, things. But still, it made me think.<br />
<br />
Do you think about the words you write? The words you read? Do you ponder over their meaning and strain over picking the appropriate verbage? If not, should you?<br />
<br />
(For those interested, I came across some very ornate 'dolls,' for lack of a better word, fashioned after historical figures. Here is the link for <a href="http://www.galleryhistoricalfigures.com/figuredetail.php?abvrname=EmprsCath_II_Robes" target="_blank">Catherine the Great's</a>.)JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-16616305844426588462012-01-19T10:38:00.000-05:002012-01-19T10:38:48.494-05:00My Super Hero KidsMy son, the Super Hero, saves Yodicity!<br />
<div style="color: grey; height: 387px; width: 470px;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,19,0" height="377" width="470"><param name="movie" value="http://www.hellokids.com/_flash/video_personnalisee/super_heros/heros_garcon.swf?sexe=garçon&img=http://images.hellokids.com/medias/animation_super_heros/20120103/86a952bbefaf6aff5e94daed860c4d8b.jpg&langue=en&url=http://www.hellokids.com/c_20817" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed src="http://www.hellokids.com/_flash/video_personnalisee/super_heros/heros_garcon.swf?sexe=garçon&img=http://images.hellokids.com/medias/animation_super_heros/20120103/86a952bbefaf6aff5e94daed860c4d8b.jpg&langue=en&url=http://www.hellokids.com/c_20817" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="470" height="377" wmode="transparent"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.hellokids.com/c_20817" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">Become a Superhero onwww.hellokids.com</a>, <a href="http://www.hellokids.com/" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">site for kids</a> of <a href="http://www.hellokids.com/r_3" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">coloring page</a>.</center></div><br />
And, my Super Hero daughter, too!<br />
<div style="height: 387px; width: 470px;"><div style="color: grey;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,19,0" height="377" width="470"><param name="movie" value="http://www.hellokids.com/_flash/video_personnalisee/super_heros/heros_fille.swf?sexe=fille&img=http://images.hellokids.com/medias/animation_super_heros/20120103/7fb195b4bb59621ca92ca46f1110c382.jpg&langue=en&url=http://www.hellokids.com/c_20817" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed src="http://www.hellokids.com/_flash/video_personnalisee/super_heros/heros_fille.swf?sexe=fille&img=http://images.hellokids.com/medias/animation_super_heros/20120103/7fb195b4bb59621ca92ca46f1110c382.jpg&langue=en&url=http://www.hellokids.com/c_20817" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="470" height="377" wmode="transparent"></embed></object></div><div style="color: grey;"></div><center style="color: grey;"><a href="http://www.hellokids.com/c_20817" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">Become a Superhero onwww.hellokids.com</a>, <a href="http://www.hellokids.com/" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">site for kids</a> of <a href="http://www.hellokids.com/r_3" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">coloring page</a>.</center><center style="color: grey;"><br />
</center><center style="color: grey;"><br />
</center><center style="text-align: left;">Cute, right?</center><div style="color: grey;"></div></div>JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-76200320965209021782012-01-17T11:57:00.000-05:002012-01-17T11:57:49.223-05:00Nature is Art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Bg8KbYigbIwHEjgI-W4c8iIAy9_vYZ8NWkrgO3uA4ccDVOkf-M8mCS0YL5cr6chTxiwPLAHCzg3wc5crWzPdBfboF5xQFUncki_maTWcpd9UcJny5MqyjiH68bW24YZKtbPFJ7eGgCEB/s1600/Ice+Grass+closeup_text.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Bg8KbYigbIwHEjgI-W4c8iIAy9_vYZ8NWkrgO3uA4ccDVOkf-M8mCS0YL5cr6chTxiwPLAHCzg3wc5crWzPdBfboF5xQFUncki_maTWcpd9UcJny5MqyjiH68bW24YZKtbPFJ7eGgCEB/s320/Ice+Grass+closeup_text.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Art abounds...Not really, but I have a new project I'm undertaking.<br />
<br />
For a long time, as long as I can remember, I've always turned my camera on nature and snapped away. Am I any good? I don't know. But I think I have an eye for framing a shot. I spend a lot of time outdoors with my family, and it doesn't take much to just turn a little bit and click a few of a beautiful view or a vibrant tree.<br />
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Now I'm sharing those pics on Etsy, and you can order any that interest you. I am offering them<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmhWJzYHcDzt1AFhKoPOp7Kd7-vPvog6DRq3nKkI1dKeu-8CQXY1T7AFRwKBXHxV1ALBaHhkW52xfnxtfMoCYq-5lxyuSjN5J3bEeyaVy_ys9ckNvs1Q5K7DBbtQBz_k9boD5-qqSXpDn/s1600/fungi_text.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmhWJzYHcDzt1AFhKoPOp7Kd7-vPvog6DRq3nKkI1dKeu-8CQXY1T7AFRwKBXHxV1ALBaHhkW52xfnxtfMoCYq-5lxyuSjN5J3bEeyaVy_ys9ckNvs1Q5K7DBbtQBz_k9boD5-qqSXpDn/s320/fungi_text.jpg" /></a></div><br />
as prints (basic sizes starting at 5x7) and wrapped on canvas. The prices range from a low $8 for a digital copy, to upwards of $100 for a large canvas for your wall.<br />
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Even if you aren't interested in bring my view of nature into your home or office, pass the link along to those you think might be. I'd appreciate it. The more art out there, the more beautiful the world becomes.<br />
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Thank you, friends!<br />
<br />
My photography Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/TheNaturePhotog<br />
My Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ThePhotogJournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-75657445620392118772011-12-27T12:28:00.000-05:002011-12-27T12:28:10.773-05:00Guilty Pleasures<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/60728294944995455/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://media-cdn.pinterest.com/upload/60728294944995455_vdkru2md_c.jpg" width="141" /></a>I love Pinterest. I love the arbitrary pictures people post. I love the chance to just "pin" something because I think it's beautiful...not because I'm pushing a product or wanting you to click on a link. I can find beautiful places and dreamily "pin" them to my boards. I can see unbelievable fashion and just add it to the page and feel satisfaction.<br />
<div style="line-height: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px;"></div><div style="float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source: <a href="http://highfashionsproperty.tumblr.com/post/14791786923" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">highfashionsproperty.tumblr.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/micheleemrath/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Michele</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div></div><br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/60728294944948947/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://media-cdn.pinterest.com/upload/159948224235343809_s6zlkxiU_c.jpg" width="142" /></a><br />
Why do I feel satisfaction sharing these beautiful pictures? I don't know. But I do.<br />
<div style="line-height: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px;"></div><div style="float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source: <a href="http://thefoxisblack.com/2010/07/05/la-cabane-perchee/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">thefoxisblack.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/micheleemrath/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Michele</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div></div> It's a way for me to explore all my interests without feel shame or silliness.<br />
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Find me if you want; find my pins: <a href="http://pinterest.com/micheleemrath/">http://pinterest.com/micheleemrath/</a><br />
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What is your guilty passion?<br />
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Happy Holidays.JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-5593585844553504362011-12-12T08:12:00.000-05:002011-12-12T08:12:03.811-05:00Quality, right?How is it that Mattel can throw out a million (or at least three) Barbie movies a year, and I can barely get to the end of an outline in 24 months?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8HMiqfNPm_k2_7eh3tu7N9v6KogP5FPZD2HAzcW3bBLl2V1ScYDltDKB7LooAC70q5yp8AMqziKzlcOaBEvnTxkkcJEDiYEovyVRA-OVJvFb-tkCEM6rHKFFMZIl0RfkygP-18WQuqrI/s1600/barbie+christcarol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8HMiqfNPm_k2_7eh3tu7N9v6KogP5FPZD2HAzcW3bBLl2V1ScYDltDKB7LooAC70q5yp8AMqziKzlcOaBEvnTxkkcJEDiYEovyVRA-OVJvFb-tkCEM6rHKFFMZIl0RfkygP-18WQuqrI/s320/barbie+christcarol.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Quality, right? That's what I keep telling myself: a difference in quality.JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-47658271251835605022011-12-08T10:27:00.002-05:002011-12-08T10:28:07.296-05:00Happy Holidays to all of you...<div class="sflyProductPreviewWidget" style="height: 494px; width: 425px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetTop" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/top.gif); height: 6px;">From my family to yours...</div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetTop" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/top.gif); height: 6px;"><br />
</div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetCenter" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bg.gif); background-repeat: repeat-y; height: 482px; padding: 0 6px 0 6px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewLogo" style="height: 34px; padding: 14px 0 0 14px; width: 105px;"><img src="http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/logo.gif" style="background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none; padding: 0;" /></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewContainer" style="height: 350px; padding: 0; text-align: center;"><a href="http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2AZuGbhwzcsXig&cid=SFLYOCWIDGET&eid=115"><img src="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/prs/v1/2AZuGbhwzcsV/2AZuGbhwzcsVcl/p/67b0de21b3127d902548/JPEG/1323357983000/0/" style="background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none; padding: 0;" /></a></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewMessageContainer" style="background-color: #f4f4e9; height: 55px; line-height: 19px; padding: 15px 0 15px 0; text-align: center;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewTitle" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">Peace 2011 Christmas Card</div><div class="sflyProductPreviewSEOText" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px;">Find unique and <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards" style="color: #6666cc;">modern Christmas cards</a> at Shutterfly.</div><div class="sflyProductPreviewViewCollection" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px;">View the entire <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery" style="color: #6666cc;">collection</a> of cards.</div><img border="0" height="1" src="https://os.shutterfly.com/b/ss/sflyshareprod/1/H.15/111?pageName=sharekey&c1=msc&c2=blogger" style="background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none; padding: 0;" width="1" /></div></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetBottom" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bottom.gif); height: 6px;"></div></div>JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-21846413976109855982011-12-07T08:50:00.000-05:002011-12-07T08:50:10.235-05:00Wow.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9w8Dc7jl_dkmc2xxDDNVfWilhlYNhthd7qQinD041YnjmWy6JVqZQB62AXiynW__0xeXOjUq8UujKiAaSq-AcZD_52Fz6v3KKfaoGqwOWKX5Ze6qHCJ2cdrZUcTelGPs8g2I1RPeYnTp/s1600/amazed-smiley.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9w8Dc7jl_dkmc2xxDDNVfWilhlYNhthd7qQinD041YnjmWy6JVqZQB62AXiynW__0xeXOjUq8UujKiAaSq-AcZD_52Fz6v3KKfaoGqwOWKX5Ze6qHCJ2cdrZUcTelGPs8g2I1RPeYnTp/s200/amazed-smiley.png" width="200" /></a></div>Wow. I am overwhelmed! I certainly didn't make it to 12 blogs yesterday, but you all took the time to come by and welcome me back. That means so much!<br />
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I am really enjoying this renewed spirit of blogging. In myself, the energy is amazing and my mindset post-blog romp yesterday was much more positive than usual. And the things I found! Dez's <a href="http://hollywood-spy.blogspot.com/">Hollywood Spy</a> up for awards! Click away and I find Alex J Cavanaugh up for just as many there<a href="http://411movienews.blogspot.com/p/themovie411-blog-awards-2011.html"> (vote for them both)</a>...Patricia Stoltey blogging for <a href="http://chiseledinrock.blogspot.com/2011/12/whats-new-from-rocky-mountain-fiction.html">Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers</a>...and many more wonderful adventures!<br />
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And my outlines stare up at me...beckoning and taunting. If only I could tackle those with as much gumption as I tackle blogging!JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-84747612140215727722011-12-06T08:05:00.000-05:002011-12-06T08:05:18.343-05:00I'm here.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_pCSe80AWwlrRf3HuRaV9LrSISerXMbz-wDMRijWXjeG5DdiCWjVQfgwAGwPON9cqfkHskJpcx8p4TjbWR6eZv-ndRr1q8Sc25Pa42VOPn_8K3DcndcLOx2KxJOuUjpMIiLHHVPw5CSF/s200/counter+bell.jpg" width="200" /></div>I'm here. I'm checking in. I'm on the Internet...I did it! I sat down at my computer and I typed words in a box and I am publishing them...wow. Who would have thought something so small could be so fulfilling? Who would have thought it would take me three months to get back here? And even longer to begin a regular posting schedule? Who would have thought...<br />
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I'm off to view your blogs! Happy blogging day!JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-83962444995124832802011-12-05T21:16:00.002-05:002011-12-05T21:41:42.606-05:00Hello Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIbnEumS1qdewHC5NCDIPQRJLw6GkTyY0LGDB6euTQM9uvs6kPKPjjsrGtpQRtGq9XnQDxcBz9bM3j9juoiu1ynTap1oxFfILINjHSKqwcXaVGFbfSLV1fAQK9cqMROdG-nlrJzKoF_kf/s1600/hello+again.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIbnEumS1qdewHC5NCDIPQRJLw6GkTyY0LGDB6euTQM9uvs6kPKPjjsrGtpQRtGq9XnQDxcBz9bM3j9juoiu1ynTap1oxFfILINjHSKqwcXaVGFbfSLV1fAQK9cqMROdG-nlrJzKoF_kf/s1600/hello+again.jpg" /></a></div>Hi. <br />
I am sooooooooo sorry I disappeared! I just lost my edge...lost my time...lost my oomph...lost my mind? Thankfully, not totally on the latter, but I pretty much gave up writing for a long time. Not that I'm 100% back on the wagon, but I have at least put words on paper and complete ideas in an organized form. <br />
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So I just wanted to write a quick "Hello!" to all my wonderful bloggy-world friends. I have truly missed the discussion and the exchange of ideas. I hope to hop around your blogs tomorrow (Tuesday), as I'll actually have some time to myself.<br />
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And feel free to yell at me if I don't post at least once a week (hey, we have to re-start somewhere, right?)!<br />
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Happy Holidays!<br />
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Love (and long-time missing),<br />
MicheleJournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-66413956967432546232011-09-16T08:56:00.000-04:002011-09-16T09:04:34.815-04:00eBooks"Amazon sells more e-books than hardcovers and paperbacks combined." ~<i>Vanity Fair</i>, October 2011<br />
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Facts like these who the future of the publishing industry. And that's not a bad thing (though at one time I thought it was). For Father's Day this year, I bought my husband a Nook. We chose this e-reader for several reasons: size, touch-screen, weight, and ability to interface with .pdf files and library content. (There was a little support-your-bookseller anti-Amazon in there, too.)<br />
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But my husband has had so much studying to do for his next level of work (CFP status) and sooooo many Economist magazines to read...that I've sort of stolen the Nook. :) Which is funny, because you might remember I was very against the idea of the e-reader (especially in <a href="http://southerncitymysteries.blogspot.com/2010/03/e-book-and-writer.html">March 2010</a>).<br />
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I love buying books with the touch of a button! (Watch out for hidden fees and know this can get expensive if you add up your purchases.) I love taking a handful of books with me on trips, but being able to hold them all in one hand! I love swiping my finger across a screen to turn the page! And, with the recent founding of e-lending sites like <a href="http://lendle.me/">Lendle </a>and <a href="http://bookfriend.me/">Bookfriend</a>, the future is <i>here</i>.JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-65063821423656112742011-09-15T07:50:00.002-04:002011-09-15T07:50:45.627-04:00Happy Birthday, Baby!Hello, old friends. I pop back in today to wish a very BIG Happy Birthday to my son, Jake. He turns 6 today and is well into his first year of school--kindergarten.<br />
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Six years ago I looked down at this round, perfect face and fell in love. Today, I look down at this child's perfect face and fall in love all over again.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26kjguG4gpKOzX_yrbBsugDt4m8RYf4l5iG3_KbJUfp190RIDF1dB5TVokeQwBIq8mbMPyJ6z3TQHSqj_4cPMejQHvelJWZBKSw-oE4BiZw0dn9t4zChUeAmcnVEzfaKuHo1oPw7GkfqF/s1600/Jake+closeup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26kjguG4gpKOzX_yrbBsugDt4m8RYf4l5iG3_KbJUfp190RIDF1dB5TVokeQwBIq8mbMPyJ6z3TQHSqj_4cPMejQHvelJWZBKSw-oE4BiZw0dn9t4zChUeAmcnVEzfaKuHo1oPw7GkfqF/s320/Jake+closeup.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This little boy is one reason I haven't been around since June, and not very much then. My children have kept me extremely busy...in a good way! But I am hoping to be back this fall with new and wonderful posts! Thank you to all who stuck with me and who are newly joining Southern City Mysteries.JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-79286499583083503472011-06-21T12:56:00.000-04:002011-06-21T12:56:07.599-04:00Watch itIf you haven't seen this show and you love mysteries, you are really missing something! Netflix, Hulu, BBCAmerica, whatever--just get a hold of it and watch it!!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_KYv5d_sObZ3LNTGJtcgrMJAI-BqClOf52-xY25WDGt6E5f_ZOaidsF813Errqe0BaaaAxhPzs6MRPHTLnqazs7O-Kt9V9xSJQhVEIH39MyOR2OS-w1REVicK4FqsodRVunJTshwpChY/s1600/sherlock+bbc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_KYv5d_sObZ3LNTGJtcgrMJAI-BqClOf52-xY25WDGt6E5f_ZOaidsF813Errqe0BaaaAxhPzs6MRPHTLnqazs7O-Kt9V9xSJQhVEIH39MyOR2OS-w1REVicK4FqsodRVunJTshwpChY/s320/sherlock+bbc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t4pgh">Masterpiece Mysteries!: Sherlock</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-65287309235403842862011-06-13T11:19:00.001-04:002011-06-13T11:19:45.338-04:00Something newTrying some new authors. James Morrow (<i>The Last Witchfinder</i>) and Daniel Stashower (<i>The Dime Museum Murders</i>). Actually, I've read Stashower before--<i>The Beautiful Cigar Girl</i>. But this is a different genre.<br />
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Are you trying anything new?JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-40486012524990082522011-06-12T11:36:00.000-04:002011-06-12T11:36:17.598-04:00How many is too many?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAw2mMTLLLft_DH9McAKPxS67-_zl2OklWFpMNu3uu49Dgh9D2I65dQUbaZWdCMEfL6CCFm3Y1UO6_MzAoksfRuZKmihd86U-83Q2FPt2A6cUvMnooFopLRnFZR3NppAFbfPs_SV5HEz2o/s1600/numbers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAw2mMTLLLft_DH9McAKPxS67-_zl2OklWFpMNu3uu49Dgh9D2I65dQUbaZWdCMEfL6CCFm3Y1UO6_MzAoksfRuZKmihd86U-83Q2FPt2A6cUvMnooFopLRnFZR3NppAFbfPs_SV5HEz2o/s200/numbers.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>How many different stories do you have working at once?<br />
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I seem to come up with all sorts of good scenes that would play into different plotlines...but I never finish one of them! I know I need to just take something to completion (a problem of mine, really), but just <i>can't</i> for some reason.<br />
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Do you make yourself stick with something? Do you work several manuscripts at once?JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193005159654060545.post-91209754429832127302011-06-06T08:43:00.000-04:002011-06-06T08:44:05.396-04:00StrangersWe have new neighbors. They are really nice people--a young couple with two kids very close in age to our's. We've yet to get to know the parents very well as they both work during the week. But we've had the children around nearly every day since they moved in. Our children are IN HEAVEN! They ask every morning and every night when they can have their new friends over.<br />
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And so they come. And they play.<br />
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Four laughing, pretending, needing children. In some ways it's easier--my children are entertained and that equals less work for me. In others it's more--more mouths to feed, more responsibility, more restrictions on my activities.<br />
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But all in all, it's a blessing. My children can run freely to another house for the first time. They are learning to be hosts and how to treat guests. They are making strong friendships.<br />
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Sometimes when I'm writing, a stranger wanders in. That person could be a major character in the future. They could be instrumental to the development of my MC. They could be a killer. But it's a process for me just like it's a process for my children. I have to learn how to work with this new children, discover their likes, dislikes, and other traits. I have to be a good host and treat them well.<br />
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Then they aren't strangers anymore. They are just part of the writing family.JournoMichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.com4