Just another middle-aged fangirl....

Two things

2008-04-30T16:39:41Z

One:

Ahem. Don't wear non-cotton underwear to sleep in. Yes it's hot. Yes, your AC is not installed yet. Yes you have no sleep shorts because they are all in the wash. But just don't! You won't like the results. At all. (moans pitiously and shifts uncomfortably in chair)

Two:

A small announcement with regards to writing.

Off to work!

naiad8 @ 2008-04-05T19:40:00

2008-04-06T02:45:54Z

Gakked from the world.

1. A body of water, smaller than a river, contained within relatively narrow banks.
stream or arroyo, depending on where

2. What the thing you push around the grocery store is called.
cart

3. A metal container to carry a meal in.
tiffin

4. The thing that you cook bacon and eggs in.
frying pan or saute pan

5. The piece of furniture that seats three people.
couch or sofa

6. The device on the outside of the house that carries rain off the roof.
gutter

7. The covered area outside a house where people sit in the evening.
porch

8. Carbonated, sweetened, non-alcoholic beverages.
soda

9. A flat, round breakfast food served with syrup.
pancakes

10. A long sandwich designed to be a whole meal in itself.
sub

11. The piece of clothing worn by men at the beach.
trunks or swimsuit

12. Shoes worn for sports.
sneakers

13. Putting a room in order.
cleaning

14. A flying insect that glows in the dark.
firefly

15. The little insect that curls up into a ball.
potato bug

16. The children's playground equipment where one kid sits on one side and goes up while the other sits on the other side and goes down.
seesaw

17. How do you eat your pizza?
hands and napkins

18. What's it called when private citizens put up signs and sell their used stuff?
garage sale

19. What's the evening meal?
dinner

20. The thing under a house where the furnace and perhaps a rec room are?
we don't got many basements in Cali

21. What do you call the thing that you can get water out of to drink in public places?
fountain

Flower picspam!

2008-04-01T03:07:38Z

It's spring, and my garden is beautiful! It's been helping me exercise and work up my stamina as I slowly, slowly recover from all my electrolyte problems. So, here are a bunch of pics:

A tulip that sunsplashbarbie sent me. Thank you!!! Squirrels got a few, but they are lovely.

More tulips, with my LAdy Banks rose on the fence, some purple geraniums, white candytuft and one of my tomato pots.

My Lady Banks yellow rose, which covers the 7 foot high fence and is breathtaking. 18 months ago, it was 6 inches tall. Life is amazing!

My rosemary has been blooming for months, and it's still going strong. The most delicate shade of purple, and lots of hummingbirds drop by too.

A Snake's Head frittelaria. One of my weirder bulbs that I was not expecting to come back this year. It has the coolest checkboard pattern on it!

Freesia...my freesia bulbs have gone nuts this year, doubling and tripling from last year. And oh, the smell is heaven.

Purple Mary Washington geraniums and some "wild" oxalis (a weed that i hate to pull...it's pretty, so it's a wildflower unless it's suffocating something else)

Species tulips from Turkey that return year after year, despite the heat. They respond strongly to the sun so I get a pink spire in the morning, and a yellow bloom in the afternoon. It's very cool.

A Camilla from my front yard. The blue is me trying to take pictures to use for my author website...elainelowe. Check out the results.

Blanketflower. So happy.

Orange wallflower

Yellow butterfly rose

One of many many daffodils I adore daffodils.

That's it for now...but more things are blooming every day!

For Alex's sake

2008-01-27T02:12:18Z

Please:

The band Five for Fighting is generously donating $0.40 to Autism Speaks each time http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/408214=20] is viewed. The funds raised will go toward research studies to help find a cure for autism. When you have a moment, please watch this informative clip, featuring touching photos of a beloved daughter and her family.

For Alex and all the brilliant kids like him!

Memage

2008-01-22T00:42:55Z

Harry Potter Character Combatibility Test
created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Hermione Granger

You are Hermione. You are academic, intelligent, and reasonable. On top of this, you are highly concerned with justice, scorn the small-minded prejudices of others and work hard to defend the under dog. Many times you may find that your heart and mind are constantly at war with each other.

Hermione Granger

81%

Albus Dumbledore

66%

Luna Lovegood

63%

Harry Potter

59%

Sirius Black

59%

Bellatrix Lestrange

56%

Percy Weasley

56%

Oliver Wood

56%

Remus Lupin

50%

Neville Longbottom

47%

Lord Voldemort

41%

Severus Snape

41%

Draco Malfoy

31%

Ron Weasley

31%

DAMN THAT WAS LOUD!!!!!!

2007-11-22T01:14:33Z

So....my family has bad holiday karma.
People get in car crashes. The garbage disposal blows up. The power goes out. There are minor floods. Etc.

Today, a shelf in my china cupboard decided it no longer wanted to remain horizontal.

No real reason. No one was touching it. It just decided it was fed up.

So, It collapsed. Pushing the doors out and raining down about 2/3 of the "formal" dining ware. You know, the purty stuff you register for in your wedding and use maybe 2 or 3 times a year.

Days like Thanksgiving.

The sea of smashed china and glassware is now cleaned up. I wept, and then I laughed. What else can you do?

There are worse things. But to quote Martha, is it not a "good thing".

At least my chestnut soup is smelling good.

naiad8 @ 2007-10-29T10:09:00

2007-10-29T17:31:21Z

I am becoming a fan of the show Top Gear. I like cars, and this show is a total riot. And they have cute guys on occasionally. I think this guy will now take the place of Charlie in my head: Jenson Button. He's a Formula One racer. And I don't follow racing. But he was charming on the show and a redhead and very adrenaline "Charlie" to me. Some pics, the bigger one is even at the premier of a Harry Potter movie!

sunsplashbarbie : I love your card! And I promise I will get you your CD soon!

Only two singing days left in the month. I will be doing "I am a Pirate King" for Halloween because I love Pirates and it's going to be Halloween!!! Any other requests?

msmoocow ordained that I should sing country. I refused to do Achy Breaky Heart. I have never ever sung country. Gospel yes. Irish yes. Country, no.
But here's a sad attempt at "Crazy" a la Patsy Cline. I give all the southern folk permission to kick me:
Crazy

And just because it is a cool celtic song and it's almost unintelligable:
Auchindoon

Broadway, broadway, the lights of Broadway

2007-10-26T17:28:51Z

Many many thanks to yaara for the loverly new icon of me and Larry! Woohoo, I lurve it muchly!!! She gets first dibs on any singing requests, including embarrassing ones.

Way way way too much of me making a fool of myself and belting out broadway tunes in the wrong damn key. Only two more rounds til the end of October, so get your requests in soon! Otherwise, I will subject you to Gilbert and Sullivan on Monday!

Ok, worst one first. Sorry queenb23more, but no matter what key I tried this in, it didn't want to sound very good with my voice. I did my best! It's such a beautiful song too....but alas, it didn't like me....got anything else that might like me better?
Somewhere, from West Side Story

For cuteej4, who requested this number from Les Miserables, Castle on a Cloud. I used to sing this when I was a little kid in singing competitions. My voice was a heck of a lot sweeter then. Sorry dear...I tried!

This song I always wanted to sing when I was in competitions as a kid...but I was never old enough. Now I'm old enough. I wails at it so damn loud I had to hold my transcription headset three feet away from my mouth to prevent feedback. Yes, I could make you go deaf if I wanted to. God, I love Les Miserables....such great drama, and such great songs. I really wanted to be play Fantine. I Dreamed a Dream

An old fashioned drinking song

2007-10-22T21:01:50Z

I wish I knew a song that was a prayer for rain. Southern Calfornia really really needs a downpour.

*HUGS* to Pilar and Julz and everyone caught down in the firestorm!!!! I hope the fire gets under control ASAP!

Dumbledore is gay! Yeah! Whoohoo to JKR! I was pretty sure of that after reading DH, but it was deftly handled.

I know no one is listening, but I love this song. It's an old traditional "drinking song". The sound had Alex chirping in the background, but ah well.

ALL AMONG THE BARLEY

Now is come September, the hunter's moon begun
And through the wheaten stubble is heard the frequent gun
The leaves are pale and yellow, and kindling into red
And the ripe and bearded barley is hanging down its head

All among the barley, who would not be blithe
When the ripe and bearded barley is smiling on the scythe

The spring is like a young man who does not know his mind
The summer is a tyrant of most ungracious kind
The autumn's like an old friend, who loves one all she can
And she brings the bearded barley to glad the heart of man

The wheat is like a rich man, it's sleek and well-to-do
The oats are like a pack of girls, laughing and dancing too
The rye is like a miser, it's sulky, lean, and small
And the ripe and bearded barley is monarch of them all

Now is come September, the hunter's moon begun
And through the wheaten stubble is heard the frequent gun
The leaves are pale and yellow, and kindling into red
And the ripe and bearded barley is hanging down its head

This is loverly, and I'm looking to do nice things for folks

2007-10-19T21:21:48Z

Most of what I want is weird ass, immaterial stuff that ain't going to happen, but it's nice to think about

Step One

* Make a post (public, friendslocked, filtered...whatever you're comfortable with) to your LJ. The post should contain your list of 10 holiday wishes. The wishes can be anything at all, from simple and fandom-related ("I'd love a Snape/Hermione icon that's just for me") to medium ("I wish for _____ on DVD") to really big ("All I want for Christmas is a new car/computer/house/TV.") The important thing is, make sure these wishes are things you really, truly want.

* If you wish for real life things (not fics or icons), make sure you include some sort of contact info in your post, whether it's your address or just your email address where Santa (or one of his elves) could get in touch with you.

* Also, make sure you post some version of these guidelines in your LJ, so that the holiday joy will spread.

Step Two

* Surf around your friendslist (or friendsfriends, or just random journals) to see who has posted their list. And now here's the important part:

* If you see a wish you can grant, and it's in your heart to do so, make someone's wish come true. Sometimes someone's trash is another's treasure, and if you have a leather jacket you don't want or a gift certificate you won't use—or even know where you could get someone's dream purebred Basset Hound for free—do it.

* You needn't spend money on these wishes unless you want to. The point isn't to put people out, it's to provide everyone a chance to be someone else's holiday elf—to spread the joy. Gifts can be made anonymously or not — it's your call.

* There are no rules with this project, no guarantees, and no strings attached. Just...wish, and it might come true. Give, and you might receive. And you'll have the joy of knowing you made someone's holiday special.

My Ten Things, in no particular order:

1. A new left ear. Or, short of that, surgery to fix my fucking left ear. this would have an 80% chance of stopping the world from spinning.

2. The energy and drive to get back to a regular exercise routine. I have vertigo and anemia, and all I do is sit on the couch all day and try to work. And lately to cry. Maybe someone can help be my conscious and poke me to at least try to do ten minutes a day on my exercise bike. It's something to start with.

3. My son to have a consistent teacher in preschool, a psychologist who is not sick with permanent sinus infections, and a speech therapist who will actually call me someday to arrange an appointment. All so that he can be happy and try to make some friends.

4. The memory and dignity to make a post saying that becuase I am a complete buffoon and spinning like mad, I keep forgetting about Year 7 at Hogwarts and would like to declare a RIP. Or someone to post that for me, becuase I hate failure and just don't want to deal with it.

5. a sexy pair of socks. Larry has this thin about cute little socks...or long ribbons....anyway

6. flower bulbs. I am being good and not buying any for myself, but oh I salivate over them in catalogs and online sites. Culinary crocus. Daffodils. Alliums. Hyacinths. Anything. I love bulbs.

7. suggestions for icons for the following needs: hugs, anger, consolation, contemplation, tears, dizzyness

8. a good new cookie recipe! Something without walnuts please, they make me itch.

9. donations to Childreach. A great organization that I've been with since I was 17. I've seen 4 kids through to adulthood, and one went on to teachers college in Thailand!

10. Some postcards from people on my flist! I'd love to hear from you by snail mail, and I would be happy to respond!

Octaves in October: Old School Broadway

2007-10-19T18:08:37Z

Well, the drugs to control my dizziness have completely failed. I forget what it's like not to have the world swirling around you. Walking is an adventure, let me tell you, and I hope to god I am not stopped by a policeman when I drive to pick up Alex from preschool. There's no way I could pass a sobriety test.
So, since I am depressed as hell and in full-wallow mode, I am resorting to several things to make me feel better. Reading copious fanfiction. Dark chocolate. And singing!

First bar is from Guys and Dolls, Adelaide's Lament, more often known as "A person could develop a cold". Forgive the crappy NY accent! natertatersmom chastised me for the bad accent in the Oklahoma songs, so harrysmomcan poke at me for this one.

The second bar is a so-so version of "I could have danced all night" from My Fair Lady. Because I wish I could dance.

Singing makes me feel better, and is one of the few things I can do as a lump on the couch. Any requests?

Sleepy...Octaves in October

2007-10-15T17:43:31Z

I need sleep. Alex keeps waking up like 3 or 4 times a night, and I'm exhausted. I need to go to sleep earlier, but work just seems to keep me awake (or watching Top Gear, which was the problem last night). Ugh. My voice is not the best today...but here is one of my favorite Irish Laments (half in English, half in Gaelic)

Siuil a Ruin

Octaves in October: Old School Broadway

2007-10-12T16:50:06Z

First of all, I'd like to give a big cheer for Al Gore and the Nobel Prize! A great guy, who is doing great things. I voted for you every time I could dude! You rock (even if your wife is a bit of a stick in the mud)!

For my song, I would like to say first of all I have no intension of insulting anyone. This song was written fifty years ago, long long before the Iraq War. i love Howard Keel, and I love this old movie musical, KISMET! This song is "Not Since Ninevah" and it's a great number...just a bit off-color now due to the current political climate. But sometimes, a girl wants to live dangerously.

Not Since Ninevah

Octaves in October

2007-10-10T18:09:45Z

Meme:

I taste like Peanut Butter.

I am one of the most blendable flavours; I go with sweet, I go with sour, I go with bland, I go with anything. I am practical and good company, but have something of a tendency to hang around when I'm not wanted, unaware that my presence is not welcome. What Flavour Are You?

Peanut butter? Well, maybe the organic kind. How about something like honey...or chocolate-hazelnut spread...now that would be something!

The song for the day (I hope I'm not bugging you) is something I could never sing in public, and I am such a white girl it would be ridiculous, but I belt it out when it comes around on iTunes. I love Erykah Badu, and this is one of her best live numbers, Tyrone. It's got some swearin' in it, so it's probably not kid friendly, and I sound like a dweeb, but it was fun!
Oh, and Larry is nothing nothing like this...I just love the song!

Power Ballads

2007-10-08T16:50:06Z

I had a decent weekend, other than for Aunt Flo visiting and the continued limitations of dizzyness. I'm over 21,000 words on the rewrite of Portrait into an alternate universe and I'm starting to like it more. Trapping Iona under a stage with a cat while the bad guy walked over her head has been an interesting seen to write.

Larry made another wonderful meal, but I think I'm allergic to fennel bulb as it made my tongue tickle. We went to a fun birthday party and Alex did really well. He had to cover his ears a lot and didn't play too much with other kids, but he seemed to have a good time nonetheless. Parties are LOUD!

The song today is one of my favorite ballads from one of my favorite bands. Kamelot is a "symphonic metal" band with incredible music and one of the most fantastic singers! Don't You Cry is a beautiful song, so beautiful that I included it as the second bar, just so you can hear how awesome the singer is. But, they also do a french version of the song as "Ne Pleure Pas", and that I adore singing for some reason, though I can't do it justice. So, the first bar is me singing in french, the second is the real version of the same song, in English. Go figure. Enjoy, and I'll happily send out other Kamelot songs to anyone interested. I know I included one on the CD I jsut sent to Angela.

Octaves in October: OKLAHOMA!

2007-10-05T17:17:11Z

I can't decide between these two songs, so I put in both. Larry insists that the voiceposts suck, so me asked me to try this embedded flash thingy. If you want voiceposts instead, just drop me a comment!

Oh What a Beautiful Morning (the pansy soprano version) is the first bar and the second is "I can't say no!" because I love the character parts and have a deepseeded desire to do community theater someday, sigh.

More Octaves in October

2007-10-03T17:59:53Z

Alex loved more time in school. He had a great time, and the teacher said he was an angel. And I got a huge amount of work done, and got to play with him in the afternoon unemcumbered with work-guilt. YEAH!

Of course, then I managed to throw out my ear again and I'm wicked-dizzy again, but if Alex is happy, I'll cope.

For Octaves in October, here's a song I first heard on one of Connie Dover's cd (if you like Irish music, you music look for her stuff. She's amazing).n Aimsir Bhaint an Fhéir (At Hay Cutting Time)
Thíos ag cois na farraige bhí teach ‘g mo mhuinntir féin
Mo mhamaí ‘gus mo dheadí ‘gus mo chairde ‘lig ‘en tsaol

Refrain
Guigi ar bhúr bpaidrin ‘ach oich’ ag gabháil ‘na leapa daoibh
I ndúil go mbeinn sa bhaile ‘gaibh in aimsir bhaint an fhéir

A chailíní is a chailíní, ‘nach trua libh mo scéal
Mise gabháil thar farraige ‘s gan cead a philleadh ‘e choich’

Rachaidh mé go h-Albain ’s ni phillfidh me go h-éag
Toicfaidgh mé ‘na bhaile beidh mé bruite tinn.
Translation from Irish Gaelic to English

Down by the sea was my people’s house
My Mommy and my Daddy and all of my friends

Refrain
When you go to your bed every evening, say a prayer for me
That I will be home in time for the cutting of the hay

All you girls, won’t you take pity on my plight
Me, going over the sea without permission ever to return

I will go to Scotland, and I will never return
And when I do come home again, I will be crushed with pain

Music: Connie Dover and Phil Cunningham
Lyrics: traditional Irish
From the CD,The Wishing Well, by Connie Dover © Taylor Park Music, Inc.

Singing in Ocktoberfest!!!!

2007-10-01T17:33:31Z

I can't drink due to how icky I feel and public humiliation is the order of the day!

Actually, I miss being in choir and so I'm going to sing for the hell of it in voicepost throughout October. I've loved Scribbling in September for my original work and I've gotten a heck of a lot done writing everyday for the last two months. I'm damn proud of myself. Now I get to crow about it, by singing and making a fool of myself.

I take requests, including requests to cease and desist.

I had a great weekend, including a fantastic meal Larry cooked on Saturday to get us into that German mood. I love spaetzle.
I recorded a cd for natertatersmom of crazy-ass music.
I sold another book (woohoo for me).
I'm coping with the dizzyness. I refuse to let it rule my life.
I love my flist!

Song Sealwoman/Yundah by Mary Mclaughlin, quasi-celtic in nature. God, do I need to practice. I miss hcoir, did I mention that?

Many happy returns!

2007-09-20T15:46:29Z

Stacy, you're the person I following to find LJ. Thank you!

I hope you have a marvelous, fun and relaxing day!

You are a wonderful person, a fantastic beta and just plain cool.

Take your pick, a drabble, a batch of cookies, or public humiliation (I'll sing a song on a voice post!)

Achy and late, but full of good wishes

2007-09-18T17:11:17Z

Myspace Comments

Have a wonderful marvelous super-fantastical kilt-filled day!

A quick spout of good wishes!

2007-09-16T23:32:13Z

Poetry reading, please

2007-09-12T05:11:04Z

Many people posted beautiful poems to celebrate Jordan and cope with the way death touches us. They were beautiful and inspiring. I am asking on behalf of cuteej4 for volunteers to record themselves reading a poem as an audiofile. One or two of the poems posted, or one of Jordan's own poems on deviantart. Please, no camera shyness folks...it's just your lovely voice and the power of great words. We need you (yes, you) to help. These audiofiles will become part of a video project about Jordan.

Any takers?

For Jordan

2007-09-04T23:29:09Z

Forgive this semi-pagan her words of comfort.

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there. I do not die.

Mary Frye

Shipping poll ends FRIDAY

2007-08-23T19:08:08Z

Hello all, just a quick note that the SHIPPING POLL ends TOMORROW Friday 8/24. Please vote if you haven't and encourage others to join the community to vote as well!

Also, we are still accepting applications for lead writer and helpers, and will for another week. Please take a look at the application and send yours in ASAP. We've got some great applications so far and I'm really excited to see how things will be shaping up when things get off the ground in September!

To Maple

2007-08-07T15:50:16Z

We love you Maple! No way I'm defriending such a wonderful personage as yourself. Whoever was mean can blow it out their inadequate holes.

*growls threateningly at meanies*