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November 25, 2004
Happy Thanksgiving
Today I am Thankful For:
~Being married to the most amazing man on the planet.
~My wonderful, loving family, who have always supported me and been there for me, even as I am now 3k miles away.
~My husband's family, who have accepted me completely into their lives and who always make me feel warm and welcome.
~My friends, of whom I have too many to name, but they are in places both near and far. I feel blessed to be a part of so many lives.
~My little kitty, Romeo, who is, as I tell him everyday, the most beautiful, special, awesome, (keep going...I always do), cat in the whole world.
~My improving health. I am in better shape now, for the most part, than I was entering college. I feel more confident, I know I am more beautiful, and I love that my body is changing into a strong, powerful disease fighting weapon.
~My mental faculties.
***I'm a senior manager in public relations at a company that really treats me well and respects my knowledge.
***I'm finishing up my Masters in Critical & Creative Thinking, with a book proposal at the end of it that will propel me into a book deal that will change my life.
***I am co-editor of the wonderful magazine, Plum Ruby Review--and I say wonderful not because its my magazine, but because I feel so grateful to be working with so many incredibly talented writers and artists.
***My poetry has received recognition....with a nomination this year for the Pushcart. I feel such awe, amazement and a surge of gratefulness to the universe for giving me the chance to stand with the best writers of this year.
~The chance to live in a beautiful place--New England, which is second only the beautiful place I used to live in--the Pacific Northwest. I love being able to be part of such history, culture and culinary adventure.
~And you, dear readers, for letting me spout mush and gush and you still read it. :)
Posted by crystallyn at 10:00 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 20, 2004
breaking through writer's block!
While doing some research on writer's block for my book, I came across a brilliant McSweeney's article by John Warner titled, perfectly, Breaking Through Writer's Block.
And oddly, this little tidbit, while rather tongue-in-cheek, is along the lines of what I'm looking to suggest for writers:
"Suggestion two: Turn your computer keyboard upside down.This is a modern variation of a classic, but little known method. With the publication of Ulysses, James Joyce believed he'd written the definitive statement on the English novel. Unfortunately, he now had to top himself. After years of frustration, in a fit, Joyce switched the positions of all of the keys on his trusty Smith Corona and began transcribing the recipes in the original Betty Crocker cookbook. The resulting nonsense was Finnegan's Wake, a book often purchased, but seldom read, a smart author's home run.
Don't be afraid to experiment with techniques of your own. Desperation is the mother of invention, and if you think you have a future as a writer, you're nothing if not desperate."
And that's what really caught my attention...don't be afraid to experiment with techniques of your own.
And yes, I am rather desperate.
Posted by crystallyn at 01:55 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
November 17, 2004
always time for candy!
FINALLY there is going to be a Daily Candy for Boston!
I've been on the mailing list for Daily Candy Everywhere for a long while now, but it's going to be extra awesome to have things be local for a change. And just in time for Christmas!
Posted by crystallyn at 07:04 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 13, 2004
super awesome wicked cool award won!
but I wrote about it over on my poetry pages...
Posted by crystallyn at 05:57 PM | TrackBack
November 08, 2004
comment trouble fixed
Not sure why they aren't working...will try and fix tonight.
all fixed!
Posted by crystallyn at 08:01 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 07, 2004
the classics--Harvard style
I was so pleased to see that Bartleby, one of my absolute favorite sites, has added over 70 volumes of the Harvard Classics to their online collection.
The collection, as described on the site is:
The most comprehensive and well-researched anthology of all time comprises both the 50-volume “5-foot shelf of books” and the the 20-volume Shelf of Fiction. Together they cover every major literary figure, philosopher, religion, folklore and historical subject through the twentieth century.
My parents had many of the volumes--not the entire collection though, I don't think, but they did have quite a few which were a pure and utter delight to me as I was growing up. The green books were gilded with gold and full of wondrous poetry, philosophy and history. It was through these books that I first discovered Milton, Francis Bacon, Plutarch, Virgil and Dante. I came across Shelley for the first time, in one of the volumes of English Poetry. I memorized Music, When Soft Voices Die and clung to the sentiment of love as only a giddy schoolgirl could.
Posted by crystallyn at 03:24 PM | TrackBack
November 04, 2004
random things, thoughts, etc.
* Upgraded, finally, to Movable Type 3.1+
* And Blacklist for 3.1x (because I hate the crapspam I get on my blog)
* THIS speaks for itself.
* Joe is making me popcorn with Old Bay seasoning. Yum!
* I'm not reading the news, watching it, or anything else. I'm happy living in my own bubble where nothing evil invades.
* Making plans for Boise for part of Xmas. I want to see my family but its not exactly a vacation spot...
* Don't go to Aura in the Seaport Hotel in Boston for a romantic date...atmosphere was all wonky but the food was quite good. Best duck I ever had.
* Trying hard to find a way to ground myself. There is a terrible energy in the air and I'm working a way to avoid it. Key tools include:
--Trust Your Vibes Oracle Cards by Sonia Choquette (one of my absolute favorite motivators)
--Smart Girls Do Dumbells by Judith Shermin-Wolin
--How to Sell, Then Write Your Nonfiction Book by Blythe Camenson
*Just finished Sara Douglass' God's Concubine and am anxious for the third book!
*Am haphazardly doing NANOWRIMO but it's a difficult thing...since I'm writing TWO books at the same time.
*I've lost 42 lbs since the same time last year. Pretty cool, huh?
*The weird thing about that is that I lost a shoe size! I mean really...my feet were never fat, but dang, what a surprise that was!
*I really really love the new Pink Martini album, Hang On Little Tomato.
*I'm not sure what Bible that the other 50% of America grew up with, but I don't remember Jesus ever preaching about war, guns, etc. He used to hang out with Lepers, whores and the poor. He taught us to love our enemies, turn the other cheek, and ultimately forgiveness. Judge lest not ye be judged. I dreamed on the morning of the third and I awoke in a terrible terrible sorrow, just pure sorrow. I have not yet recovered from my deep sadness.
*I have two philosophy papers due this week. One on abortion and the other on euthanasia.
*I should be writing on my book right now. One of them at least. Instead, I'm rambling here.
*I took the Halloween stuff down today.
*The dealer (Peter Fuller in Watertown...CRAPTASTIC!) wanted to charge us $700 for a tuneup and $450 for a sparkplug change! I assumed they were goldplated sparkplugs! They said it would take 3 hours to change them! At $85! Little do they know I was married to a gearhead in my past. So I took it elsewhere and the corner garage is giving us a diagnostic for free (the dealer charged us $85) and is doing the work for 1/3 the price. Going to trade the car in soon, wethinks.
*I can't understand how my husband can watch "wrastling" as he calls it....
Posted by crystallyn at 08:21 PM | TrackBack
November 01, 2004
the rest of the world? ahh they don't matter
Dubya's view of the world, courtesy of my dear friend John:
Let's wrangle us up some tacos!!
Posted by crystallyn at 06:24 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack