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June 27, 2007
Traveling Lessons and My Two-Show Day
I recently returned from another round of traveling. Here are a few things I learned on my trip:
1) In-car GPS with spoken, turn-by-turn directions is one of the MOST USEFUL technologies of all time. I didn't need it to get to and from Florida-home and DC-home, 'cause that's pretty much "Second star on the right, and straight on 'til morning," but it was very helpful for these other places I had to go to, none of which I actually knew how to get to:
a) a friend's house in Georgetown. (Although I was a little freaked out when I put in the address and the GPS told me it's a "restricted" road and I better follow the rules. :shock:)
b) Pearson's liquor store, to get a heaping lot of Angelini wine for the in-laws, whose name is Angelini. (Get it?)
c) Maryland Ensemble Theatre, where one of my best-est friends was playing the Evil Queen in Snow White. It was a hoot. No scenery was left unchewed. A good time was had by all. I seriously recommend stopping by the website to check out the picture of Evil Queen tempting Snow White with a poisoned apple.
[edited to add: Sorry, the show has closed so the picture is no longer there. :( ]
d) Toby's Dinner Theatre, where another friend was singing the part of the plant (Audrey II) in Little Shop of Horrors. Also a really fun time.
2) I make a whole lot better time when I am traveling solo. Sixteen hours, all in one day. That's the way to do it.
3) Just because a hotel room costs $200/night doesn't mean it won't smell funny. It also doesn't mean there will be free wireless Internet. (Come on, people! How can you call yourself a good hotel if you don't have free wireless Internet?)
4) Cracker Barrel still makes the best breakfast on the road. Hashbrown casserole. Yum.
Posted by Selena at 07:13 PM | Comments (0)
June 26, 2007
DKA: "Stihdjia" by Nick Ozment
Today's update is a bit of flash fiction to close out June's issue.
"Stihdjia"
by Nick Ozment
Tease:
When Saint George slays the dragon, he gets more than he bargained for. His deed will be heralded in song and legend, so why does he leave his felled foe with a heavy heart?
Get the print edition that includes this story!
Posted by Selena at 08:03 AM | Comments (0)
June 23, 2007
DKA: "Treatment Protocol" by Michael Heald
Today's story is one of my favorites. It's a science fiction tale about an encounter between two people who can't see each other for who they are, even though all the evidence is right there. To me, it's about the power of perception and how we tend to see only what we expect to see.
I hope you'll stop by DKA and this story a read.
"Treatment Protocol"
by Michael Heald
Tease:
Sometime pride and strength, humility and weakness are in the eye of the beholder.
Posted by Selena at 07:35 AM | Comments (0)
June 22, 2007
New Fav Pic of Lily
Here's my new favorite picture of grandbaby Lily.
I'm traveling now, so I have to get my baby-watching fix via video chat. It's nice but it's just not the same.
Posted by Selena at 08:46 PM | Comments (0)
Testing, Testing...is this thing on?
I have finally been able to get into this blog interface. Just had to go through the comments management page. Whatever works, I always say. ;)
But I'm not sure why it isn't showing any entries on the main page. Maybe because I haven't posted in a while. ?? (edited to add: fixed that, BTW.)
To quote a "Farscape" episode: "Why so difficult?!?"
Anyway, to see what you missed while I couldn't post here, visit one of my other blogs:
DKA Blog
SR Blog
ShoutLife Profile and Blog
Thanks.
Posted by Selena at 07:35 PM | Comments (0)
June 16, 2007
DKA: "Even Dragons Dance" by Christopher Kastensmidt
Some good reading for your weekend…
"Even Dragons Dance"
by Christopher Kastensmidt
Tease:
Balancing career and home life was a challenge long before modern times. In this tale, Sir Gillard learns that some things are more important than being a hero.
Get the print edition that includes this story!
Posted by Selena at 07:55 AM | Comments (0)
June 12, 2007
DKA: "Soul's Sphere" by Lindsay Lair
Today's update is a poem by one of our student contributors.
"Soul's Sphere"
by Lindsay Lair
Tease:
A thousand voices cry out in an attempt to shape you, who will you let determine your worth?
Get the print edition that includes this poem!
Posted by Selena at 08:02 AM | Comments (0)
June 11, 2007
Love in Separation
Maybe it's because last week I again left home (Washington, DC) to come home (Tampa, Florida), but I've been thinking a lot about love in separation.
Most of my friends and family are still back in Washington, yet I have chosen to move a thousand miles away from them. I don't regret my choice exactly, but I sure do miss my loved ones back in Washington. And much as I like Florida, it gets lonely sometimes here without them.
Thinking about being away from those I love made me realize that love in separation is a recurring theme in my writing. Just off the top of my head I can think of three stories where the "happy couple" end up apart. Still in love, just apart.
We can't always be with the people we love, but that doesn't mean that we love them any less or think about them any less. It's just not a perfect world and you can't have everything you want.
I guess I better start planning my next trip to Washington, DC to visit my nearest and dearest. That always helps.
Posted by Selena at 01:16 PM | Comments (0)
Studio 60 Rocks!
I'm trying to add back in the posts that got missed while this interface was down. Here's one:
I am so glad Studio 60 is back on. I keep watching the episodes over and over again. I finally had to figure out how to get the episodes from TiVo into my iTunes so I can watch them more often. (I still can't wait to get my hands on the full series DVD set. They better release one.)
I have lots of favorite moments, but here’s one from this latest episode:
Harriet finds out that Jordan is in the emergency room with pregnancy complications, this on top of finding out that the brother of one of her castmates has been captured in Afghanistan, and this is Harriet's reaction:
She says "Alright" then immediately drops to her knees and begins praying, "Almighty God, father of all mercy…"
The moment so touched me that I was crying as we went to the opening credits. Even now, just thinking about it gets me emotional.
Other favorite moments that I keep rewatching:
Matt's "introduction to a dark and dangerous path." (This snippet in on the website and is listed in just those terms.) He begins taking pills (illegal ones, of course) to try to feel better so he can write. It's a painful scene to watch because his desperation is palpable and you just KNOW he is going down the wrong road.
I rewatch that scene though because it prepares me for others that follow, like the one where Suzanne (Matt's assistant) confronts Matt about his drug use. The scene gets to me every time. Honesty I can't imagine how anyone could continue taking illegal substances after the look on Suzanne's face.
I wanted that to be what made Matt stop, but it wasn't. In his next scene he is popping more pills. Then suddenly Danny storms in threatening to beat him to bloody pulp if he doesn't quit taking pills, and Matt says he has quit. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Matt quit. I just felt gypped that we didn't see Matt's turn-around.
Why is that good TV like Studio 60 can't make it but shows that appeal to our basest instincts can?
Posted by Selena at 10:57 AM | Comments (0)
Too Busy to Blog/A Difficult Trip
Sorry, I've been to busy to blog. I went up to the Washington, DC area to pick up my daughter and granddaughter and drive with them down to Florida.
I guess I should known it was going to be a rough trip when it began with a really bumpy flight from Tampa. Maybe I've just been lucky in my air travel because I have never had turbulence like that before. It was like being on a small boat in choppy waters. But at least we didn't crash. We all arrived in DCA safe and sound.
The drive down was even more difficult. You haven't lived until you've spent 22 hours in a crowded car with a fussy infant. What is usually a 16-hour drive turned into two 11-hour days on the road. And I thought 16 hours with three cats in the car was rough! I can't adequately describe the level of euphoria we experienced when we finally arrived at our destination and were able to get that screaming baby out of the car. Whew.
It seemed like Miss Lily was mad for days afterward. She'll only just recently settled back into her usual "happy baby" self.
Now if I could just get back to my usual self. Then we'd all be happy.
Mostly I just gotta get back to work. Writing and editing, that always helps.
Posted by Selena at 09:51 AM | Comments (0)
June 09, 2007
DKA: "Manikin" by Josh Vogt
To start off June's issue, here is a fun piece of flash fiction:
"Manikin"
by Josh Vogt
Tease:
He was more clever than we've been led to believe.
Get the print edition that includes this story!
Posted by Selena at 08:05 AM | Comments (0)
June 01, 2007
Funny Lily
Just got this latest picture of my granddaughter Lily and it's so funny I had to share it.
What is she doing with her hands? Is that a "pee-ew" sign or an "okay" sign?
Whatever it is, it makes me laugh every time I look at it.
Posted by Selena at 08:20 PM | Comments (0)
Latest Column Now at TeenAge
My latest column ("Letting God Drive") is now also available at the brand new TeenAge magazine.
How cool is that?!!!
It's got me feeling all young and hip. And it's been awhile since I felt that way. Because, let's face it, I'm kinda old.
Check me out, I'm hanging with the young folk!
At least until they kick me out. ;)
Thanks TeenAge!
Posted by Selena at 04:25 PM | Comments (2)
DKA's 2007 Fiction Contest – Winners Announced!
Winners have been announced in DKA’s 2007 fiction contest. Stop by and see who won!
Then congratulate them in the forums.
Thanks.
Posted by Selena at 03:41 PM | Comments (0)