The Merry Adventures of Saraphina

File this under "THINGS ONLY SARA COULD MANAGE TO DO TO HERSELF!"

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:24:33 GMT

So, in case I hadn't previously mentioned, I have been having trouble with one of my teeth. The front right on to be exact. Can't recall when the throbbing and numbness first started, sometime around May. I have had the bad luck to have bumped this tooth pretty regularly, starting in 1993 when I smacked it straight on with a pewter pendant. Since then it had been the recipient of bumps and dings and general mishaps. I am prone to them.
So since I already had a appointment for a cleaning, I had my regular dentist check out my issue. He poked and prodded and wiggled and generally made me miserable before sending me to the root canal specialist.
This is about the time I spent 2 hours panicking that I was going to have to a root canal done on one of my two front teeth.
But lo and behold, the specialist checked me out and declared that my roots and nerves were sound. This included tests wherein he whacked at my teeth with a little dental hammer (*cringe*) and then smeared liquid nitrogen on them. When he had successfully scraped me down off the ceiling (I have extremely cold-sensitive teeth) he told me that I had stressed my periodontal ligaments around that tooth and that would account for the numbness and "thick" feeling I was experiencing.
"So, I strained the ligaments of my tooth," I asked him.
"Yes," he said.
"So, in essence, I sprained my tooth?"
Thinking a moment, he smiled and said, "Yup, that about covers it."

Ladies and gentlemen, I sprained my tooth. Seriously didn't think it could be done. But somehow, I managed. he says give it another 6-8 weeks to heal completely, in the meantime, take it easy as not to stress it anymore- so no nail biting or biting into really hard things with it for a while (Insert your own joke here).

He also said I had nice mamelons. No, not the French word for nipple, but I am sure somehow loosely related, mamelons are the little bumps on the top edges of teeth that help them cut through the gums as they erupt. Evidently, he doesn't see many people in their 30's that still have them. *preens*

And right about now me and my sprained tooth are going to check in for our Southwest flight for tomorrow, then settle in for a nice afternoon of writing and relaxing with the family. ^_^

Everything old is new again...or there is nothing new under the sun... your choice of verbage...

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:28:12 GMT

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I present, Hypercolors for the 21st century!

And once more, school officials cringe at the onslaught of inappropriate use of thermochromatic colorchanging t-shirts.
Hear that kids? Don't let me down. Put handprints on boobs and butts and giggle furiously. It's all part of growing up.

I wonder of these can go in the dryer? We all ruined ours that way back in 1992. Y'know, back when Christ was a pup.

Teh Sad!

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 07:19:37 GMT

Disney set to close ALL the nightclubs in Pleasure Island! This includes The Adventurer's Club, which was the single coolest attraction in all of Disney World...kinda like a Chuck E. Cheese for adults (and without the video games). This also includes 8 Traxx which used to have an all 80s night every Thursday.
The clubs are set to close September 27th, and I am wondering if I can steal away for one last drink at the Adventurer's Club before then.
Damn, talk about slowly destroying everything I loved about that park. First Pirates...now this?
It is a sad, sad day, my friends. A sad, sad day.

A bit of the ol' In-N-Out (typed earlier today when I was sans WiFi)

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 05:02:33 GMT

6/30/08

1:49pm PDT

Lunch at In-N-Out. What could be more spectacularly perfect than a breezy cool afternoon under the California sunshine (which always astounds me with how full of color it is). Since we are very near the airport, I am in the company of some half dozen groups of foreign tourists in rental cars raving about the best fast food burgers in the universe in a myriad tongues.

Speaking of rental cars, I seem to have gotten a free upgrade (which I all but vaguely remember requesting) and I find myself driving a Hyundai Sonata. Swanky vehicle, lemme tell ya. Sunroof, XM radio, wood (or at least wood grain) interior, all automatic seats and nifty knob controls where the central portion stays stationary and you twist the ergonomic grippy band around it. Takes some getting used to.

In-N-Out is as crowded as usual and there isn’t another fast food place around for blocks. Only the Panda Express dares stand beside it with stern signs admonishing would-be burger eaters that this parking, it is NOT FOR THEM! After being taunted mercilessly by Fate whilst in the security line in Nashville (just as I was about to take my turn, several airline employees stepping in ahead of me. They have that right, y’know. And I didn’t really mind, but damn, it still sucked.), I have been rewarded by a parking spot beside the iconic crossed palm trees right out front of the restaurant, and right beside the table where I now sit. Sweet.

I’ll pay for this later…if I haven’t already. It is difficult to say as I got VERY GOOD PARKING all through Hypericon, too, as did Matt while he was driving Nari-San, my truck.

At any rate, my fries are gone and my shake is getting melty, so I had best pack up and y’know, go see my FAMILY! ^_~

Need some Wiki-Guidance!

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 01:32:16 GMT

Hey all you Wiki-Philes,
What does it mean when you get a note that your article needs to be "Wikified"? In specific, the complaint against mine is that there are not enough outside, third-party references.
Check it out here.

What do I do here? reannon, I am looking at you here! I know you've dealt with this before.

THANKS, LJ-Wan Kenobi!!

Ask and y'all shall receieve!

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:55:06 GMT

I present to you...Disco Nails!

And there's dog hair all over the floor...and sadly, something already happened to my right big toe. *pout*
I think that was "something" was Eowyn, the crazy Basejni mix, she has this thing about standing on other people's feet. It is a habit we are trying very hard to break her of!

Slow news day....

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:28:24 GMT

Slept in late (yay vacation!), then met up with

reannon for girly time. We had our nails done. And I had my feet done too since they really needed some attention. I now have 20 clipped, buffed, filed, and painted nails. The color I chose, glittery metallic gold.
reannon has teased me mercilessly, "Of course you'd pick the sparkly one!"

Afterwards, we went next door to Ruby Tuesday's for lunch.
And spend over an hour and a half being flirted with by the waiter, Damian. Who may or may not show up to Hypericon and was mad that he'd lived in town this long and NOT known about the sci-fi/fantasy/geekery con that happens here every year. Dingus!
He was a sweetie and plied us with flattery and excellent customer service!

Yeah, when the highlight of your adventures of the day is that the cute waiter (who looks kinda like a cross between one of the guys in the Dave Matthews Band and the lead singer of Barenaked Ladies) totally hit on you with all of his charm (which was actually quite a lot and he did manage to drop Nephilim into the conversation and use the word lascivious, so he gets mega-intelligence bonuses in my book) and he notices your KICKASS Parrish Relics necklace and comments on it...while awesome if not necessary news.
Sparkly gold nails. Now, that's news. reannon also says it makes me look like I have, and I quote, "70s Disco Fingers."

And now I wait for Matt to finish up here at work so I can walk the dogs and then dash out to the con hotel to help thewordoffred and others hang art. Afterwards there will be festivities at Fido's in Hillsboro Village. So you Nashville types that want to hang with some awesome authors (one of which has 70s Disco Fingers!!) be there or be a rhombus. We'll be at Fido's from about 7pm til.

Con begins tomorrow, so there will be less posting, but more content. Funny how that works! The less I have to say the more time I end up with in whihc to say it...and vice versa.

Book group and author listings.

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:59:33 GMT

The always-awesome mindyklasky has come up with a BRILLIANT idea!
She had devised a book group and author wiki!
If you are in a book/reading group and want to find other groups in your area or authors in your area (or willing to visit your area), sign up!
If you are an author who would LOVE to speak at a book/reading group meeting, sign up!

I put myself down for Nashville, the SF Bay Area, and NYC.
Mindy rocks my striped socks!

Work instead of work.

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:54:09 GMT

I got nothing written on Labyrinth of the Dead tonight...but that was because I was finishing my "Costumes of a Geisha" lecture and slideshow for Hypericon this weekend (to be reprised at Pi-Con in August)!

There goes the neighborhood!

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 23:26:51 GMT

So coming back from walking the girls, Guinevere and Eowyn, we came down the alley as usual. We noticed three boys, two about 16-18 and a tagalong about 12. They were just hanging out across the street, but they made me a little nervous by their body language. They were working really hard at acting casual.
I ignored them and continued on my route. I was shocked to find a fourth boy, about 14 or 15, this one laying on his belly in my backyard. He was crawling towards some small juniper bushes near my neighbor's fenceline.
"Can I help you?"
He jumped and looked at me in utter shock. He was concentrating so hard on not being seen he had completely missed my approach. That and he was about 6 feet tall and dressed in a BRIGHT BLUE shirt. "Wha-?"
"I said, can I help you? Or are you just gonna lie in my backyard all night?"
"I'm hiding from those three guys."
I glanced down the alley, they were still down there, still "acting casual." "So, what are those three guys going to do if they find you?"
He shrugged. "I dunno. Beat me up I guess."
"Well, could you find someplace else to hide? First, you aren't hiding very well and second if you draw them back here and y'all have a throw-down in me and my neighbor's yards, I am going to be pissed."
He nods and clumsily gets to his feet, muttering something.
"Listen," I tell him, "I got my cell phone on me, do you want me to call anyone for you? Your parents, the police...child protective services?"
He blanches, "No! No way!"
"Are you sure? My phone is in my pocket. If those guys are really gonna kick your ass, you might want to call for some backup, the legal kind."
"Nah, it's cool, it's cool." He starts to shamble out of my yard in that way only teenage boys can. "Hey, do you know where those guys are?"
"Yeah, they are over there," I point, "by the Community Center."
"Oh, okay, thanks." He ambles off down the alley, away from the others.
I let the girls sniff around, giving them a chance to pee. They were pretty cool about the encounter after their initial shock of finding a stranger in the yard. Then I hear the Mad Pack* start barking. I come around the wild growth at the back of the yard and see that the 14 year old in the blue shirt is coming back down the alley towards where the guys were "acting casual."
And he is carrying a brick.

I just shook my head. I mean if I was going to go up against some neighborhood bullies that outnumbered me and outweighed me, my weapon of choice would have some range, or at least an edge or a pointy bit, maybe something to lob at their heads.
It would not, under any circumstances, be a single brick.

There was no screaming and no blood. So I figure no one needs medical attention. And I can only hope that the teenagers have found someone else's yard to clutter up. Heaven help them if they end up in mine.
Because I sure as hell will be wielding something more dangerous than a brick!

*The Mad Pack lives in the house behind the alley from us. Scew-Eyes, the crazy fence-climbing German Shepherd is their leader. They are a ragtag motley of mutts including a baby lab mix and a chihuahua and a yorkie among others. While socialized to their owners and one another, the Mad Pack goes ballistic when anyone else walks by their fence. This has proven to be a blessing and a curse- while they are a great deterrant to trespassers and trouble-makers, they are annoying as all get-out.

Labyrinth of the Dead updates

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 05:13:51 GMT

Managed to round up enough braincells to complete the second page of the next Nephilim novella.

Current word count standings: 1,120/35,000 3.2% complete.

Today was made of fail. I think I am fighting off a cold.

Bleh...

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:43:22 GMT

Tuesday.
Not at class. Nice. Vacation rocks. Now, I still have to go over to the print shop this afternoon, but the is going to require me to put my brain together.

Just heard about George Carlin this morning, that' s what I get for missing more than 24 hours of LJ. Rest in fucking peace, you bastard. We'll miss you.

Interesting tidbit about Odysseus and his return from the Trojan War and other various dates applied to the Odyssey.

Things with the house, going well.

In general, braindead and lazy.

More content tomorrow, I promise.

Leftover surprise!

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 03:15:27 GMT

Statute of limitations on leftovers is one week. So I had to fix up the rest of the pork loin from the party. It had been cooked on the BBQ with rosemary and...something else.
So I tossed it into the crockpot with some brown rice and white wine with thyme and sage until the rice was soft. Then in went two apples, peeled, cored, and cut up and about a cup and a half of crasins. Topped off the liquid with a touch more white wine and water. Cooked on low for about an hour and a half longer.
Totally scrumptious. And kinda purple.
We'll finish it off tomorrow. ^_^

Bike blog #4...I mean #3...evidently I hallucinated an entry in there somewheres

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 01:51:35 GMT

So after the roadtrip with the doggies, we let the girls nap and headed out to Sam & Zoe's for smoothies and some fresh air.
It was delightfully brisk out today.

As you can see, we took our usual detour through the Woodlawn Cemetery and really enjoyed watching the thunderstorm roll in. Thor's been making quite the racket, but no rain has fallen yet. Pity, we could always use a little rain...even if our roof leaks.

We are getting to know our cemetery. Here is the military memorial area:

Overlooking the main field:

And no, I couldn't bike all the way up this hill quite yet.

I have found that although my legs are gaining strength and muscle tone *flexes*, I am still lacking stamina and get winded easily. What this means is that I need to bike more often and I need to supplement with more cardio exercise in between.
Did I ever mention how much I hate to exercise? I hate to sweat, I hate the feeling of my heart hammering and my lungs wheezing and my muscles protesting and yeah...the whole exercise enchilada.
But I love a lean, toned body, I love having biking come easy for me, I love being able to feel physically capable, and I know I am going to love seeing the scale read 150 pounds again.
Currently, I am scale-less so I have no idea where I am in terms of target weight. But I am feeling leaner and looking more toned. Some of my clothes are really loose but others, strangely, are not. Not sure why, since it is not like it is just the stretchy or non-stretchy that are being affected but a weird selection of some things that are all but falling off and other things remaining tight. Must be size disparities.
I am working towards most of my clothes being loose on me again.

Requisite summer roadtrip with the kids...

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 01:25:48 GMT

So we went out to check out a possible boarding spot for Guinevere and Eowyn today. It was about an hour outside of Nashville, out in the COUNTRY. Really. The country. Somewhere out in Smith County, near South Carthage and Gordonsville. That oughtta narrow it down for you, right?

This is the road leading up to the place, which is a 5 acre farm and art studio in addition to being a pet boarding place.

There were also deer. Oh deer!

And there were some colorful businesses along the way.

The scenery was beautiful.

The girls had a nice time, actually.

ETA: That is not a muzzle on Eowyn, it is a Halti halter style lead that helps us control her canine crazies on walks and in the car. It does not keep her mouth shut or impede her in any way, except to tug her head downward when she is pulling and keep her in control. Since she has pulled both me and Matt down on occasion, we thought this a sound investment. She hates the damn thing, but it isn't hurting her any.

And we had a little hitchhiker for a few miles, too!

And Nashville has some really cool things, the first...a DEL TACO! The SoCal girl in me drools for burritos and fries!

And Fifth-Third Bank, the bank of improper fractions. I mean seriously, if I bank can't be bothered to do the math on their own sign, how can you trust them with your money???

Although on the way out there, Eowyn was a holy howling terror, she did calm down once we got onto the highway and she had a rawhide strip to otherwise occupy her mouth. And the Jack in the Box bribe was also helpful.
But this was an overall positive expereince and I don't dread road tripping with the canine kids as much as I used to! ^_^

I should be pun-ished for this, but...

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:48:39 GMT

A pirate walks into a bar. He has a helm crammed down his pants. The bartender asks him, "What's that helm doing in your pants?"
"Arrr," replies the pirate, "it's drivin' me nuts."

feelin' lazy

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:17:58 GMT

Finals are 99% over and done with. I may have one more to grade on Monday if it comes in under deadline, otherwise MOnday will be for setting up my binders and handouts for next quarter

Today, I took a decadent mid-morning nap with the dogs and now...now pondering how best to spend my day. I have a few errands to run, so maybe I'll mosey out into this unseasonably wonderful weather and do them, then maybe end up at Sam & Zoe's for lunch and writing.

Eowyn's been a sick little pup. She ate something..and it did bad things...very bad things...to her digestion. Suffice it say it was disgusting and she had to be bathed, stat. And that's all the detail you'll be getting.
ETA: And she's MUCH BETTER NOW! Just in case I left you hanging on the fate of our foundling Basenji/Lab mix!

Otherwise, I am feelin' fine and lazy. And that's just wonderful today.

And I did some silly thing:

New project word count!

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:45:38 GMT

Labyrinth of the Dead:
302/35,000 words

.1% complete.
Gotta start somewhere.

I think he just won me over....

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:15:10 GMT

Party pics!

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 04:48:02 GMT

Just a few images before I wander off into Dreamland.....

Party Central, Matt's family's backyard.

A special welcome for the happy couple!

Which was us!

WARNING: Cute!

There was much food, much fun, much beer, and much singing.
And by the end of the weekend, we have not two, but ONE happy family!

And we all lived happily ever after!

Ladies and gentlemen...we have one big happy family.

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 06:48:24 GMT

Party = over.
Success= VERY YES!

Pictures to follow.

From bryozoan

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 05:26:43 GMT

Roman glass gaming die.

Anyone have about $20k hanging around they aren't using???

Hypericon Schedule (subject to change)

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:31:48 GMT

Friday, 6/27, 5pm
Pigeonholed!!!
These authors are tired of being thought of as 'romance writers'. Listen as they talk about their work and the frustration of being labeled.
Me and Elizabeth Donald (reannon)

Saturday, 6/28, 5pm
Signing

Saturday, 6/28, 7pm
Hooked from the Start
Writers talk about how to hook the reader at the beginning of the story.
Me with Elizabeth, Fran Friel, and Allen Gilbreath.

Sunday, 6/29, 11am
Costumes of a Geisha
A 40 minute lecture on the history, culture and costuming of the geisha; one of the most renowned social icons of Japan. Topics will include Geisha training, how Geisha are not prostitutes, current popular cultural images of geisha, Kimono Basics and costuming in all its elaborate finery. A 15 minute Q&A will follow the lecture.
Me.

Hypericon is in TWO WEEKENDS here in Nashville.
Be there or be a rhombus!

Why, yes, I'd love a limoncello, thank you!

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:59:20 GMT

After cooking and tidying up the kitchen behind me, I found that I had enough brainpower to play on Facebook for about 3 hours instead of writing.
I am between projects right now and trying to think of what I should work on next. NO excuse to waste an entire evening on Facebook. Or at least the rest of the evening that wasn't spent making various salads and cooking Swiss chard.

I am a bad, bad author! No cookie!

Matt, my beloved, vacuumed the house and finished tidying up the bedroom. So tomorrow we tidy the white room and take out the trash and recycling. Then the Cottage will be ready to receive the Family.

Tomorrow, I really need to write something. Even if it sucks. Even if I never use it again. I need to get back into the habit after taking a couple of weeks off to let my brain cells cool off. Heavens know I will need the mental respite in the coming days as finals week officially begins on Monday!

But right now, everything looks good.
Life just falls into place when one has a frosty cold glass of limoncello for the sipping....

Farm shares and you

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:54:48 GMT

The "Barefoot Farmer" has come to South Nashville! (ok, technically, Berry Hill, but close enough)
After the poor showing of last week, we were rewarded with a full bushel of Swiss chard, lettuce (no idea of the variety, Green Leaf I think), radishes, green onions, celery, the freshest head of garlic I have ever encountered, and something called garlic scapes. I need to look up some scape recipes, but the chard has been damn tasty. We had a handful last week as well, but tonight it made a major part of the meal.

I had some chicken marinating since the other day (Sunday maybe?) with white wine, lemon juice, and spices (Emeril's Chicken Rub). Put on some brown rice to steam (with the marinate tossed in for flavor) and the chicken to steam on the top rack. Then I cooked up the chard.
I found an easy recipe online. Heat some olive oil with some garlic and red pepper flakes. When the garlic starts to cook and get golden and translucent, toss in the washed chard. Toss to coat with olive oil and cover for about 5 minutes over low heat. I break off the stems because they get tough and if the leaves are big I tear them up a little.
So tasty brown rice topped with wilted Swiss chard with a small chicken breast on all of that. Oh, so delicious!

The celery has gone all limp and wilty and since it is too hot for soup, I cut them up and made both tuna salad and chicken salad. The celery leaves were still attached, I love them! But they are really bitter! (Take notes, papillon_enrage!)

We also have a bunch of thyme and about 8 radishes. Need to find some radish recipes!

But not only is all this stuff organic, but it is locally grown and harvested. Good for the body, good for the economy, good for the planet!

And we are eating more adventurously. I am not sure I would ever have bought Swiss chard, but when it arrives on my doorstep I am compelled to get creative with cooking.

Look into your local farm share. It is worth your money to taste vegetables so fresh! Nothing from a grocery store compares, not even from Wild Oats/Whole Foods.

Now to see what I can make with radishes!

ETA:
This looks delish! That might be tomorrow's adventure! Might skip the shrimp though.
But this one might be easier. I already have all of that stuff!