Sun - July 9, 2006
Two weeks
And no news is good news. At least I haven't been
rejected outright. Unless she hasn't read it yet...
Posted at 12:00 PM
Thu - June 22, 2006
More on the book...
I submitted to an agent and got more than what I
expected. Compliments, an assurance that there was a market for it, an assurance
that there was an agent for it but no, not the one I sent the manuscript to. So
on to the next one, Annie Proulx's agent. Let's just say that the slip the
rejection was printed on was not even cut straight. So, what the hey, I queried
another big namer and no news is not necessarily good news. But today I queried
with an agent who has worked with Erdrich, Richard Ford and Debra Magpie
Earling. She responded in less than ten minutes, she wants to see the book. I'd
drop her name but I'm afraid I'll somehow curse myself. And it makes my hands
quiver.
So I'm off to Office Depot for toner. Magnus refused to take a nap today and he has diarrhea. Wish me luck.
So I'm off to Office Depot for toner. Magnus refused to take a nap today and he has diarrhea. Wish me luck.
Posted at 03:51 PM
Fri - May 12, 2006
Piss on me economics...
Dear Prez et. al.,
Thanks for the tax cuts but I'd rather have health care and an education for my kid.
Posted at 07:11 AM
Thu - April 20, 2006
I did it...
The post master asked me what was in the box and
I said, "Oh, my novel." I sent it media mail to an agent I met at
Breadloaf.
Posted at 12:38 PM
Wed - February 15, 2006
Happiness is reading your son a poem...
by Raymond Carver. And he actually stood still
long enough to hear the whole
thing.
Happiness
So early it's still almost dark out.
I'm near the window with coffee,
and the usual early morning stuff
that passes for thought.
When I see the boy and his friend
walking up the road
to deliver the newspaper.
They wear caps and sweaters,
and the one boy has a bag over his shoulder.
They are so happy
they aren't saying anything, these boys.
I think if they could, they would take
each other's arm.
It's early in the morning,
and they are doing this thing together.
They come on, slowly.
They sky is taking on light,
though the moon still hangs pale over the water.
Such beauty that for a minute
death and ambition, even love,
doesn't enter into this.
Happiness. It comes on unexpectedly. And goes beyond, really,
any early morning talk about it.
Happiness
So early it's still almost dark out.
I'm near the window with coffee,
and the usual early morning stuff
that passes for thought.
When I see the boy and his friend
walking up the road
to deliver the newspaper.
They wear caps and sweaters,
and the one boy has a bag over his shoulder.
They are so happy
they aren't saying anything, these boys.
I think if they could, they would take
each other's arm.
It's early in the morning,
and they are doing this thing together.
They come on, slowly.
They sky is taking on light,
though the moon still hangs pale over the water.
Such beauty that for a minute
death and ambition, even love,
doesn't enter into this.
Happiness. It comes on unexpectedly. And goes beyond, really,
any early morning talk about it.
Posted at 09:16 PM
Thu - February 2, 2006
Tue - January 31, 2006
It's here...
And so is the novel. I have a page to tweak this
afternoon and then it's done.
I have been holed up for four days now. I have a bad, bad case of "Poet Head." I think I'll put my spinning wheel together.
I have been holed up for four days now. I have a bad, bad case of "Poet Head." I think I'll put my spinning wheel together.
Posted at 11:03 AM
Mon - January 23, 2006
The blog in my heart...
I'm very bad at updating. It used to be that I
would spend at least 10 minutes a week on the blog. I'll just say that I've
become very jealous of my time. So you should all know that you are in the blog
of my heart.
Anyway. I have a new hobby. Look what I bought:
I bought it from Pacific Wool and Fiber. The woman answered my questions (I was thinking about getting the "Mazurka," which is even prettier but a little more difficult to use) thoroughly and with a beautiful brogue. At least I think it was a brogue, maybe it was a burr. But I'm now having the most pleasant dreams about spinning wheels.
I have only used a spinning wheel once and loved it. It was at Christmas time at Henry and Trudy's. Trudy showed me how to card and spin wool "in the grease." I've also been using a drop spindle, which I love and would be very happy with it except that the hanks are so small and production is somewhat slow. Now I'll get my fiber fix without moving my family to the sticks.
Also, in case you have not heard, the Seahawks are going to the Super Bowl!! I try not to watch pro-sports in Seattle. When I do, the teams have a tendency to go downhill. Val and I hung out the first quarter in the kitchen, talking books and other interesting stuff and then we headed in after the first goal. By the third quarter I was talking smack because let's face it, the Seahawks really out-classed the Panthers. It has been a pleasure listening to east coast sports commentators eat crow.
Finally, since this blog entry is filed under Magnus (that way I know my mom will read it) Magnus has a really cute new habit. He loves to wash his tractor. He takes his morning wash rag and carefully wipes each part of both his John Deere's. And do not, no matter what, try to take the rag away from him before he's finished.
Anyway. I have a new hobby. Look what I bought:
I bought it from Pacific Wool and Fiber. The woman answered my questions (I was thinking about getting the "Mazurka," which is even prettier but a little more difficult to use) thoroughly and with a beautiful brogue. At least I think it was a brogue, maybe it was a burr. But I'm now having the most pleasant dreams about spinning wheels.
I have only used a spinning wheel once and loved it. It was at Christmas time at Henry and Trudy's. Trudy showed me how to card and spin wool "in the grease." I've also been using a drop spindle, which I love and would be very happy with it except that the hanks are so small and production is somewhat slow. Now I'll get my fiber fix without moving my family to the sticks.
Also, in case you have not heard, the Seahawks are going to the Super Bowl!! I try not to watch pro-sports in Seattle. When I do, the teams have a tendency to go downhill. Val and I hung out the first quarter in the kitchen, talking books and other interesting stuff and then we headed in after the first goal. By the third quarter I was talking smack because let's face it, the Seahawks really out-classed the Panthers. It has been a pleasure listening to east coast sports commentators eat crow.
Finally, since this blog entry is filed under Magnus (that way I know my mom will read it) Magnus has a really cute new habit. He loves to wash his tractor. He takes his morning wash rag and carefully wipes each part of both his John Deere's. And do not, no matter what, try to take the rag away from him before he's finished.
Posted at 09:10 AM
Wed - November 30, 2005
Seattle mama
A recent phone call to Alan (at
work):
Magnus sat on his potty this morning and while I was in the process of removing his diaper he peed. I think he is beginning to get the concept of the potty chair. Pretty cool.
Reading "My Holy War," by Seattle's own Jonathan Raban and feeling very much like I am living in the right place at the right time. That is saying a lot because every time I am in the kitchen (you might need to be a stay-at-home parent to appreciate this), looking out the window to my neighbors' brown backyards, I am reminded that I'm not in Montana.
Magnus sat on his potty this morning and while I was in the process of removing his diaper he peed. I think he is beginning to get the concept of the potty chair. Pretty cool.
Reading "My Holy War," by Seattle's own Jonathan Raban and feeling very much like I am living in the right place at the right time. That is saying a lot because every time I am in the kitchen (you might need to be a stay-at-home parent to appreciate this), looking out the window to my neighbors' brown backyards, I am reminded that I'm not in Montana.
Posted at 01:42 PM
Thu - November 10, 2005
Happy Birthday to me!!!
I was pretty ho-hum about my birthday until I saw
the newspaper headline: GOP leaders yank Arctic drilling plan. The
decision to drill in the ANWR was something that was really getting me down. I
see so many unnecessary SUVs in this town (yes, there are places where SUVs are
needed but Seattle is not one of them), so many people who install air
conditioners for our week and a half of +80 degree weather. Not to mention
anyone who lives in a local neighborhood and drives to work in downtown Seattle.
There is a lot we can do before we make the decision to drill in the ANWR. Like
biodiesel. Like walking for as many errands as you can. Like combining your
errands. Like carpooling, taking the bus (Magnus takes the bus), riding your
bike.
I can't believe that some Republicans actually stood up to the President and his bad policy making cronies.
I can't believe that some Republicans actually stood up to the President and his bad policy making cronies.
Posted at 07:32 AM
Sat - October 29, 2005
Fri - October 28, 2005
Rainy days...
Shirley Horn died last week. I heard it on NPR
while going to the dogpark. I couldn't get out of the car until the finished the
piece and then they had to play a song of hers. I rarely feel bad when famous
people die. Why should I? I can rent their movies, listen to their CDs, read
their books, etc. The great thing about art is that it will always be there. No
one, not even art bashing, funding slashing Republicans can kill it. It lives in
even the most deprived areas. But Ms. Horn was different. I used to believe that
if I could write poetry like she sang, I would be a very happy person. (Just as
a side, I also felt a loss when literary great James Welch died.) Good thing I don't write
poetry anymore. (Still working on that
novel.)
Another sad note: Magnus just handed me his toy airplane. I stepped on it and now the wing is broken. He always hands me broken things and usually I can fix them. This time I couldn't, and it was the first time he noticed. He looked at me with those big eyes and he frowned a little, then he moved on to the next toy.
By the way, winter is the best season to listen to Shirley Horn.
Another sad note: Magnus just handed me his toy airplane. I stepped on it and now the wing is broken. He always hands me broken things and usually I can fix them. This time I couldn't, and it was the first time he noticed. He looked at me with those big eyes and he frowned a little, then he moved on to the next toy.
By the way, winter is the best season to listen to Shirley Horn.
Posted at 06:52 PM
Fri - October 21, 2005
Some new words...
So Magnus is not really "speaking" just yet, but
here are a few of his
words:
Tractor
Hurrah
Yay!
La!
Woo-hoo!
beep-beep
And there has been a few attempts at "red car" but they sound similar to tractor so it's really hard to say when that happens.
Tractor
Hurrah
Yay!
La!
Woo-hoo!
beep-beep
And there has been a few attempts at "red car" but they sound similar to tractor so it's really hard to say when that happens.
Posted at 06:07 PM
Thu - October 20, 2005
Fire! Fire! Run! Run!
Magnus had new "fire boots" on and is convinced
that he can't take a step in them. For about half an hour he has moved a total
of 12 inches from his original spot. But I have him saying "Weee-oooooo,
weee-ooooo." (Like a fire truck.) It's so cute I can't help but
laugh.
Posted at 08:20 PM
Thu - October 13, 2005
"Da-doe"
is Magnus' new word for tractor. We're getting
closer to speaking everyday.
I'm sorry I have not been able to keep up with the blog. The Bü has kept me running. For instance, today we had a vet appointment for our million dollar cat (not quite a million, more like $3,000 and counting) who managed to burst a blood vessel while scratching his own ear. While waiting at the clinic among other clients (who likely do not have children as that would get in the way of their time with their cats. I'm not kidding. People in this town are whacked when it comes to their pets.) Magnus managed to pick up the cat carrier and shake it six or seven times, approach other cat carriers, play with all of the toys (and spread them about the waiting room) return to the carrier, pat it and when I thought he was finally getting it, picked it up again. He had only one conniption, disappointing in its volume (I was sincerely hoping that a real fit would get us into a room and out of there more quickly) but figured out the Dutch door and all of the non childproof cabinets in the room we finally got. And then, because he had a flu shot yesterday, he had a screaming fit when the vet finally came. Then on the way out, while I'm waiting to pay the bill (I swear, there were fifty keystrokes for each letter of my name), managed to run down the hall and into a room where another sad-faced couple were waiting for the vet. Finally the bill is ready and someone gives us a coloring book (sans crayons) on our way out the door.
But they said he was the best behaved kid they had seen in a long time. I have no idea if they were saying this to make me feel better. Generally, compliments like this mean little from youngish people just out of high school who equate having children with meeting the anti-christ (sorry to my parents for the reference, but it's true.) But if they did mean it, what could they possibly expect? Keep me waiting for 45 minutes for my fricking appointment and my attitude will be the mean side of impatient. And I have nearly 37 years of late appointments behind me.
I'm sorry I have not been able to keep up with the blog. The Bü has kept me running. For instance, today we had a vet appointment for our million dollar cat (not quite a million, more like $3,000 and counting) who managed to burst a blood vessel while scratching his own ear. While waiting at the clinic among other clients (who likely do not have children as that would get in the way of their time with their cats. I'm not kidding. People in this town are whacked when it comes to their pets.) Magnus managed to pick up the cat carrier and shake it six or seven times, approach other cat carriers, play with all of the toys (and spread them about the waiting room) return to the carrier, pat it and when I thought he was finally getting it, picked it up again. He had only one conniption, disappointing in its volume (I was sincerely hoping that a real fit would get us into a room and out of there more quickly) but figured out the Dutch door and all of the non childproof cabinets in the room we finally got. And then, because he had a flu shot yesterday, he had a screaming fit when the vet finally came. Then on the way out, while I'm waiting to pay the bill (I swear, there were fifty keystrokes for each letter of my name), managed to run down the hall and into a room where another sad-faced couple were waiting for the vet. Finally the bill is ready and someone gives us a coloring book (sans crayons) on our way out the door.
But they said he was the best behaved kid they had seen in a long time. I have no idea if they were saying this to make me feel better. Generally, compliments like this mean little from youngish people just out of high school who equate having children with meeting the anti-christ (sorry to my parents for the reference, but it's true.) But if they did mean it, what could they possibly expect? Keep me waiting for 45 minutes for my fricking appointment and my attitude will be the mean side of impatient. And I have nearly 37 years of late appointments behind me.
Posted at 11:30 AM
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Published On: Jul 09, 2006 12:00 PM
Published On: Jul 09, 2006 12:00 PM