Tipping my Hat to the Pioneers
(Yes, I reached my goal today! 1,053 words.)
I heart the pioneers. They were brave and tough.
Mostly, I’m just really glad that I wasn’t one. I really like cotton blend, pillow tops, and air conditioning. And a keyboard. And email. And electricity. ‘Nuff said about that.
I have a pioneer heritage. A great great grandmother that crossed the plains and fought the Indians, excuse me, Native American’s that attacked their wagon train. I don’t really feel like I missing out by living here and now. Except that my life probably won’t make for great stories like her’s, though, which is why I am a fiction writer.
Cowboy’s fourth great grandmother died at Winter Quarters. Her name was Lucy. They said she just couldn’t take the exposure to the elements. Oh, yeah, I wouldn’t have made it across the Mississippi.
I love to pull weeds though, because it makes me feel a little bit like a pioneer. Independent and working the land. And then I go into my air conditioning and drink a soda and listen to a little Pink on my Ipod. (Okay, I only like one Pink song and I don’t own an Ipod yet. But I am a fiction writer still.)
When I blog at night, it is so random . . .
I hope you all enjoy the 24th of July, whether you celebrate pioneers or have no idea what I am talking about. The 24th is so Utah.
I heart Utah, also.
Category My Life | Comment (0)Fear Factor
Word count: 1,035
I think if I write more, I’ll be able to write more. Right?
So, I spent almost the entire day at Lagoon. (A lovely little amusement park only 8 minutes from where I now reside.) (I go there a lot.) (I think my next book will take place at an amusement park. Maybe even Lagoon. Now that is HIGH CONCEPT.) (Don’t steal my idea now.) (I know you are tempted.) (Why I am typing everything in brackets?) (I do not know.)
I do have a topic to blog about. I’m just rambling around a bit to get there.
Fear.
You all know about my fear of heights, right? Like how I can’t lean over the landing to change the lightbulbs in my chandelier without feeling like I am going to pass out. How I can climb a ladder, but then freeze like one of the stone statues in Narnia when it is time to get down.
You did know this right? No? Well, now consider yourself informed.
I have taken up the intermittent hobby of conquering my fears. What better place than Lagoon?
This is what I did:
Disclaimer: this is not really me, but just the pic I kifed off Lagoon’s website.
Here are the facts:
Location: North Midway
Tower Height: 196 feet
Maximum Capsule Height: 250 feet
Number of Capsules: 1
Number of Seats: 2
Cycle Time: Approximately 2 minutes
Here are more facts:
In the amusement industry, the “Catapult” is frequently called the world’s hottest new attraction, providing riders a unique, high adrenaline, vertical experience. The Catapult, manufactured in Europe, utilizes a specially designed spring machine that operates by applying over forty (40) tons of force to extension springs. This incredible propulsion energy is then transferred to the rider capsule prior to launch. When launched, riders will experience forces similar to astronauts as they are rocketed from ground level to well over 200 feet in the air. At the highest point, riders will become weightless momentarily as they freely rotate forward and backward before they are pulled back to Earth. After several oscillations up and down, the capsule is lowered to the boarding area to unload and load another group of riders.
Disclaimer: I also pilfered this info from Lagoonpark.com.
Please note: (if you skipped that last paragraph because it was too long, like I always do.)allow me to point out the most important parts of the paragraph: riders will experience forces similar to astronauts as they are rocketed from ground level to well over 200 feet in the air and At the highest point, riders will become weightless momentarily.
Oh yeah. That’s me. It was one of the coolest things I have ever done. Now, instead of being addicted to blogs, I am addicted to weightlessness. Now I want to be an astronaut when I grow up. I have no idea how to satisfy this addiction. I think it will just become a secret desire. When you see me next, you will probably wonder, is she really thinking about weightlessness right now? Rest assured, I will be.
I would do this all the time if it didn’t cost $20 buck a pop. I would do it every day.
I need a bumpersticker that reads I heart the catapult.
Now what? Conquer my fear of water? Nah. I’ll stick to the sky.
I bet you wanted to know
I met my goal tonight.
1158 words
Now I can blog and tell you random things like:
Three earwigs tried to crawl into bed with Cowboy last night, not that I blame them. Another one was on his toothbrush and crawled onto his hand. I bet you thought I was going to say lips. Wouldn’t that be nasty?! (the earwig, I mean) We are being infested with earwigs. We kill a dozen daily. Cowboy keeps forgetting to spray until they come out late at night. This year is going to be remembered as: The year of the earwig.
Now I can’t think of anything else to say. So there you go. But I met my goal. I bet you really wanted to know. So now you can relax and enjoy the rest of your day.
Peace.
I thought of something else to say. Today I went with the fam to SLC to listen to a concert at Liberty Park. When the concert was almost over I saw a girl. Not just any girl, but a girl that looked just like, Birdie, my main character. I stared stupidly at her for several minutes. If she had seen me, she would have thought I was a freak. I was in awe. I was shocked. I know she wasn’t really Birdie, but seriously, it looked just like her!
Honest to goodness, it was a Stranger than Fiction moment (see below). Too bad I didn’t have a camera with me. Augh! I could have shown you all. . .
(If you have not seen this movie, walk, don’t run, (I wouldn’t want you to get hurt) to your nearest video store and check it out. It is a classic. –Especially for writers.)
Category My Life | Comments (7)Dear Blog,
Dear Blog,
Thank you for your devoted time and ever-availableness for me. Whenever I am bored or suffering from writer’s block, or just trying to avoid writing my novel altogether, I know I can come to you and you will always be there. I can fiddle with words and try to write something witty or shocking or wise or just plain silly. You will listen, you will accept. Your love is unconditional and for this I thank you.
The Confession: I am just using you. For a happy distraction. For validation. For a voice that says “Here I am, let me tell you what I think.” Our relationship is a little superficial and for that I am sorry. It’s just all about me.
The Problem: Because I am using you for a proper distraction, my novel isn’t getting written. It’s not you, it’s me.
The Solution:I have set a goal to write at least 1000 words in my novel EVERY DAY. In order to accomplish this I am denying myself the luxury of you, dear blog. I will not come to visit until my goal is met. I’m sorry. You may not see me for days at a time. After writing my novel, I may find that I have nothing else to say. I don’t know. But don’t feel too lonely. I’ll be back every chance I get after my goal is met.
Don’t feel jealous. I’m not going to visit other blogs, either. At least not until my goal is met. I think I’m addicted and it’s time to conquor that addiction.
I need to simply write…
Love,
Me
PS-I love this artwork. If you click on it, it will take you to the artist’s webpage. Enjoy!
Category The Writer's Life | Comment (1)Ode to my Friends
I would like to dedicate the following quotes to you:
In a friend you find a second self.
–Isabelle Norton
Now that could be scary, but also delightful. We “get” each other.
We cherish our friends not for their ability to amuse us, but for ours to amuse them.
–Evelyn Waugh
Thanks for laughing at my jokes.
It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.
–Ralph Waldo Emerson
This one goes without saying. . .
Friendship between women can take different forms. It can run like a river, quietly and sustainingly through life; it can be and intermittent sometime thing; or it can explode like a meteor, altering the atmosphere so that nothing ever feels or looks the same again.
–Mary Haskell
I love all types of friendship.
A friend is someone who you can tell your complaints; a good friend is someone you can tell your dreams.
–Dale Dauten
Thank you for listening to my dreams and understanding, not rolling your eyes.
I could go on and on, but simply said: Your friendship means the world to me.
Thank you!
Category Misc. | Comment (1)