My son wants to learn to play the clarinet in band. I’m happy about him being interested in music. Hopefully he will enjoy it, but now we have to figure out the instrument and all that.

I’m reading for the new block next week. I just finished this block yesterday. Tomorrow I’ll be teaching children’s and young adult lit. It’s a full class. Yowza. So now I”m rereading the books. I’m sort of neurotic about that. no matter how many times I’ve read a book, I have to reread it for the class or I don’t feel prepared. Do you have any idea how many times I’ve read Jane Eyre? So anyhow, It’s The Wolves of Willoughby Chase today. Not sure what it will be tomorrow.

On the subject of Susan G. Komen and Planned Parenthood. I’m disgusted. I won’t be supporting Komen again in any way, shape, or form. Don’t get me wrong. They are entitled to fund what they want. However, it appears to me that they have changed their rules to explicitly exclude Planned Parenthood (and the lifesaving screenings that they’ve funded). In doing so, they’ve essentially given in to using women’s bodies and health as a pawn in political maneuvering, and that disgusts me. I hate when politicians do it, and I hate it a 1000 times more when an organization devoted to women’s health does it.

Planned Parenthood is important, particularly for lower income women, not to mention teenaged girls. I went there in college for my pap smears and to talk to doctors about anything I needed to, including contraception and to ask about STDs. I didn’t have another doc. I didn’t have insurance. I didn’t have other options. I wasn’t about to talk to my parents about it either. I had a friend who was raped. Guess where she went to get looked at and counseling? She did not want to tell anybody and would not. Without them, she would have gone nowhere. When I was younger, it was always a safe place for women for answers and healthcare. So yeah, I think SGK is cowardly and wrong and if they can fund who they want, then I certainly can too, and there are plenty of other places to donate. If not Planned Parenthood, then other Breast Cancer organizations, or other women’s health organizations.

And a snippet:

Alexander kicked aside snow until he found dirt and lowered Gregory down. Instantly he turned to Max. She was on her knees, pulling snow up over her melted flesh. He made harsh whining sound, stretching out for her and stopping when she flashed a look at him. Her eyelids were gone and most of her nose. Her hair was a matted black cap plastered to her skull. Her fingers were blackened stubs and her skin looked like melted wax.

His hands dropped and he swallowed bile. His Prime raged, clawing inside, shredding at his insides.

Thor had turned and was quietly retching. Gregory was struggling to stand.

“Let me—” he said and got no further.

A scouring blast of magic swept across them like the shock wave of a nuclear bomb. It brought with it a wind that rushed past with all the fury of a superheated tornado. Alexander pushed Max down into the snow and huddled over her to protect her. He felt her body quivering. Helplessness strangled him and he struggled to keep his Prime from overwhelming his mind. He was constantly fighting for dominance, to keep from sliding over the edge and disappearing entirely into his beast. He had thought he had gained mastery, or at least equilibrium, but when it came to his feelings for Max, all bets were off.

The snow in the trench melted instantly, leaving them in pools of tepid water and squelching mud. Gravel pelted them in a stinking hail. Then just as quickly, the wind stopped and the air dropped to well below zero. The water skimmed with a skin of ice. The temperature continued to drop. Thor wrapped Gregory in a hug, pulling the witch tight against him to keep him warm.

When I got home I put chicken in the oven. I rubbed it with butter and put salt and lemon pepper on it and shoved lemons into its cavity and put it in to roast. I hope it tastes good. It seemed like it ought to be a good combo. And I also put these on to marinate Yeah, we are overloading on roasted chicken, but I’d found the buttermilk recipe and it looked so good, and then last night I found buy one get one free chickens at the store and couldn’t resist, so it’s a roast chicken weekend, plus leftovers, so . . . .

Dog is going for surgery on Tuesday. He’ll be operated on on Weds and I’ll pick him up on Thursday. I hope it goes well. I can’t keep him as immobile as they want so I plan to ask them to give me meds to keep him stoned for a little while. At least long enough for the healing to really begin. I’m not giving him pain meds now because even without, he runs and jumps (in the house) and tries to take the stairs. I can’t crate him all day and I can’t have him on my lap all day, much as he would like it.

Was watching a bit of the Dew tour at lunch (skateboarding). Two things struck me. First was when they called these guys (they were guys) athletes. It’s not that I don’t agree, but they are not your usual image when the word athlete pops up. These were the punk kids on the playground who skateboarded and probably got stoned. Not your varsity whatever. But they are athletes. What they can do with their bodies is amazing. The second thing that struck me with a guy by the name of Bucky Lasek. He was doing all this stuff and he’s 38 years old. I couldn’t do anything like it when I was 28. Or even 20. Holy crap. Amazing.

!. Zipline through a rainforest canopy (this one will be tough because I’m terrified of heights, but I really want to do it.)
2. Travel to Belize and see the Mayan ruins there.
3. Learn to scuba dive

I’m not sure what else I want to add. That’s actually important enough to add.

What’s on your list? Someone you want to meet? A place you want to go? a skill you want to learn?

Part the first

Part the second

So anyhow, I was tinkering on this chapter. I was poking at some of the dialog and trying to bring more of the characters to the surface. And suddenly things clicked. I found them. It was like they were hiding behind a curtain and I pulled it back and yanked them out and they were abashed for a moment, then they got down to the business of being themselves. Whew. It was a relief. For a little while there, I was afraid they were going to be made out of cardboard. Heck, I was afraid they were as thin as the paper they were written on. Even thinner. Pixel thin.

In other not so important news, Voodoo (dog) has managed to hurt his himself. Not sure how, but he’s not wanting to put a lot of weight on his back leg. Giving him Rimadyl and coddling him, but if he’s not better soon, he’ll be heading for the vet come Monday.

We finally got around to raking up some leaves. Only a few months or so after they fell. That’s not terribly slow, is it?

Did a couple of geocaches today. It was sleeting. Better than snowing, I spose.

Saw Shadow City at Walmart. That was exciting. At least in so much as there’s some distribution on it. Now if it’s getting bought. What? Nervous writers are nervous?

Speaking of books, I’m pushing through this sticky spot in Blood Winter. It’s sticky because it’s where a lot of things have to come together and weave out and it’s a place for being careful. So it’s slow. Hopefully after that, the pace of writing will pick up. I’ve got a number of new characters and of course the old, and trying to keep them all juggled is interesting. Entertaining even.

Worst part is I want to read some stuff and I haven’t any time!!! Noooo!!!