Tag: random

Question for readers

Many, many years ago, I read a short story (I think it was a story and not a novel; I could be wrong) about two sisters. One of them was married to a terrible man who was either injured or ill, and the other managed to let him die on her watch so she could free her sister of his tyranny. His widow, however, wasn’t at all grateful, saying that he might not have been the ideal man but he was her husband and she loved him.

Does anyone else recognize this story and know the title/author?

Hump Day Happy

I’m reading a good mystery and just finished a BLT, only without the T. Mmmm, bacon. Then I gave the dogs some all-natural dog biscuits as a treat. With everybody happy here, it’s only fair that you get to be happy, too.

You are welcome to give me a page number from 1 to 612 and another number between 1 and 30, and I will find your reason for happiness right here:

Hump Day Happy

If you are in need of something to be happy about, please give me a page number from 1 to 612 and another number between 1 and 30, and I will consult The Oracle:

Probably no photos with your answers because I think I have other photos to post. Also, I exhausted my creative energy writing that “poem” for MGH.

Button Sunday

I think Jim Benton may be one of the busiest artists on the planet, with several creations including “It’s Happy Bunny.” I first became acquainted with It’s Happy Bunny at Crossroads Bookstore back when there was a Crossroads Bookstore. If I’m not mistaken, Tim has some It’s Happy Bunny buttons he got from there.

Since I’m a longtime button collector, It’s Happy Bunny buttons were a natural interest for me. I think images of bunny buttons are some of the first that were e-mailed to me by other people after I launched Button Sunday (which itself began because of an e-mail–from my friend Denece–full of buttons that made me laugh).

A few days ago, I received two packs of It’s Happy Bunny buttons in our post office box. I could dole them out over time, but hey, I got to laugh at them all at once; why shouldn’t you? So today’s six buttons are courtesy of Marika. Thanks, Marika!

Mercury makes me his bitch

Yesterday I was going to post a happy Friday the thirteenth to Todd (I know he thinks those dates are cool), but I didn’t. So happy belated, Todd.

I myself had adamantly stated that I would not be driving anywhere on Friday the thirteenth…not so much because I’m superstitious as because I think people are even crazier than usual during times they think they have permission to be crazy (like, say, during a full moon or on a Friday the thirteenth or when some sports team wins whatever sports teams win or when Project Runway returns). However, being an Aries, I didn’t finish what I started on Thursday, so I found myself having to leave The Compound on Friday–even though a little voice in my head kept hissing, You could put this off until Monday.

Ignoring Little Voice, I fortified myself with a car full of three dogs and a Timothy. And this is when Mercury, Mr. Retrograde himself, began to snicker and say, “Do not doubt my ways, woman, for they are strong, especially during Gemini’s days of joy and joyness.”

At Tim’s bank, I went inside with him. The air conditioner wasn’t working. The employees had fans blowing everywhere, but trust me, a building that relies on air conditioning is not cooled by little fans. The air was sticky, heavy, and I said, “Going back to the air conditioned car with the dogs! See ya!” and left Tim to fend for himself.

Later, we left Tim’s hot bank and went to my bank only to find signs taped in the windows that said, “Temporarily closed. Technical difficulties.”

“Ack,” I said to Tim. “It’s YOUR planet!”

“What?” Tim said, handing over the cigarette I demanded even though I’m “not smoking.”

“Mercury. Gemini’s planet. It’s in retrograde and wreaking havoc on electrical equipment.”

“Huh,” Tim said. “It hasn’t been bothering ME.”

Well, of course not. When their bad boy planet goes retrograde, it’s a great time for Geminis and Virgos to get all introspective and find truths and wisdom within themselves. With that in mind, I had an in-depth conversation with Jim (Virgo) last night. As we talked about the traits of our sun signs in relation to a work situation he’s having, he asked, “If Aries always thinks she’s right, and Virgo knows he is, and we disagree on something, who should be listened to?”

“It depends on the situation,” I said. “If it’s a matter of intellect, a person would do well to heed the analytical Virgo. If it’s a matter of emotion, then it’s wise to listen to Aries’ instincts.”

He seemed satisfied with this answer, and I meant it sincerely. Aries people may be impetuous and rush headlong at life (like the ram in my user picture), but as the babies of the zodiac, though we sometimes survive on sheer instinct, we DO survive. Even thrive.

Unfortunately, all my head-butting games with life have a price. Today I got a migraine just after I woke up. The headache itself wasn’t bad, and once the visual problems subsided, I called another friend I’ve been missing. This is when Mercury decided to make me his bitch again. When Mercury is in retrograde, communication breaks down. I couldn’t find the right words to express myself effectively. Maybe it was the headache. Maybe it was because for the past eight months, my world had to get very small as two things consumed my time and energy. Shifting my focus and my priorities are slow processes. I’ll get there, but in the meantime, a failure with language is daunting to a writer.

A few things make me feel better about all of this. One is that I have an idea for another Coventry novel roiling around inside me. As situations and characters begin to emerge from the muck of my subconscious, I know words can clean them up and make them shiny. Likewise, I’m hearing occasional snorts and mutters from the Timothy James Beck writing team–the sleeping beast is waking up, and I always look forward to seeing what adventures that may lead to.

And finally, today I saw a package on my lawn just inside the gate. I knew what I desperately wanted it to be, but I was so sure it wasn’t that I refused to go out and pick it up. Instead, I took my headache back to bed. When Tom came home later, he brought the oversized envelope to me and said, “THIS looks interesting!”

And it was what I’d hoped for.

Wanna see?