Rae Roy's Blog, page 65

Merry Monday – Ottawa Comiccon 2017

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Image created using Bit Strips.

This year I had to cut back due to my current financial situation. I normally go for the full weekend including special events. This year I planned to go for one day only. I chose Saturday because it usually has the best content in terms of panels and Q&As. The problem with Saturday is that it is exceedingly busy because of this.

When I arrived, I had to park on the grass lot down the road. In previous years this has been a huge deterrence for me. I would get to Comiccon at 7AM just to avoid it. I forgot about that and missed my first panel because of it. I was in a bit of a bad mood as such. The rain didn’t help, nor did the long walk to the EY Centre.

The first Q&A I went to was with Canadian actress, writer, and producer . I thoroughly enjoyed her Q&A. She has a lot of personality and maybe someday I’ll write something she’ll want to be in. Given the things she said, I think we must be around the same age. I haven’t seen many of the things she is in, but now I want to watch all of them.

The next thing I did was the John Barrowman Q&A. He was hilarious! He came out in a turquoise dress and leggings that he had bought on the exhibition floor. He had a running joke about his husband having come home with braces one day and how he has to go without certain things for six months! He was unapologetically himself throughout and didn’t censor himself for any children who were in the audience. One mother mentioned she had to put a quarter into the swear jar for every swear he uttered. After that he would swear then blurt out how much money he was costing her. It was fun.

After that, I attempted to go to the exhibition hall. There were so many people, I had an awful time and gave up. I went back out and found a panel where I could sit and relax. I don’t even remember what it was about. It didn’t matter. It was so crowded in the hall, I couldn’t even see the Supernatural Impala, which is rather large and should have been visible. Perhaps my short stature made it seem worse to me.

I also enjoyed the Clare Kramer Q&A. Buffy is one of my favourite shows and was the only one with a strong female protagonist while I was growing up, so it was highly impactful to me.

As the day progressed, I ran into some friends and learned there was a bus to take me back to my car. After getting the information from the Information Desk on how late it was running, I went to my final panel. I was distracted during that one for various reasons, but it was one of the panels with repeat content from another year.

Just before that, a friend came to me needing change for the bus. He knew I wasn’t able to come to more of the convention and he traded me bus fair for an extra Sunday pass he happened to have! I was excited and thankful because now I had a chance to not only see Matthew Lewis, but also spend time with my other friends and their adorable kids. I could also actually visit the exhibition hall because by the time I made it back there on Saturday, they were closing it.

So after doing 1.5 hours of martial arts, off I went to the Matthew Lewis Q&A. When I got the chance, I entered the lineup to ask him a question. The closer it got to my turn, the louder my heart beat until it was drowning out much of what he was saying. I worried someone else would ask my question and I’d be there asking something totally asinine in its place like whether or not he puts pineapple on his pizza. I worried I’d forget it all or trip over my tongue and look silly.

But I managed to say hello on behalf of the Ottawa Harry Potter Society. I told myself that I’m a Gryffindor and should be able to handle talking to a hot celebrity I’ve adored watching grow up. Then I asked him what he would be doing if he wasn’t an actor. He said he had no other skills. Then he thought for a moment and said he was an Air Cadet when he was younger, so he’d probably be in the Air Force as they would be able to teach him some skills and he could help people.

That was the first time I didn’t just sit idly in a Q&A. I’m proud at myself for gathering the courage to ask my question, but I think I prefer just relaxing and taking in every word. It was hard to focus on some of the things he was saying because of my nerves. I suppose I felt much like his character did in Harry Potter on numerous occasions, which is poetic in a way.

It was much calmer on the Sunday and I actually saw the cars and could walk around with my friends and adorable toddler. The baby was making strange with me, but I did manage to make her laugh once simply by laughing myself. We were able to determine in one quick look why the traffic flow was so horrible on Saturday. Garbage cans were in the middle of the way instead of being near the doors. People would get stuck trying to go around them.

I had such an emotional rollercoaster of a weekend that it took a while to calm down after and call my mother to wish her a Happy Mother’s Day! I woke up today wondering if talking to Matthew Lewis had been a dream…

The only thing I bought was a Samurai themed dice game to take to the martial arts weekend this upcoming log weekend in Canada.

And that was the 2017 Ottawa Comiccon.

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Here’s where I’m at on my goals:

Screenplay: No change since mid-week.
Novel: Nothing since last week.
Short Story: It’s with the editor.
Kitchen Reno: On hold until June, though I have a piece of fiberglass that may work to finish one of the drawer bottoms. That was my original plan, then I saw the price of fiberglass and ran away in fear.
Sewing Business: On hold until after the May long weekend.
Martial Arts: My first attempt at onigiri, I didn’t use enough salt. I’m focusing on food, music, and laundry for the bulk of this week. Training has been going well.
Newsletter: Working on the short story that will be in it.
Fitness: Made my step goal both of the last two days because of Comiccon.
Cleaning: Ugh.
Bento Boxes: I’m planning to make the chicken today and freeze it.
Guitar: Haven’t played the last two days, but will get back at it
Reading: Eyeballs are sore and drops aren’t helping. Frustrated.

Well, it’s time now for me to get the rest of the things ready for my long weekend adventure in Guelph.

Salut,

R~

Filed under: Musings Tagged: Courage, Discipline

Frisky Friday – How Great Writing is Like Great Sex

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Image created using Bit Strips.

Think about the best sex you’ve ever had.

Was each touch the same intensity, the same speed? Did you use the same positions you’ve always used? Was it predictable? Probably not.

My best experiences were where I didn’t know what was coming next. He suddenly moved me into a different position. He varied his touches. Some were gentle. Some assertive. Now, mine aren’t likely to match yours exactly. What I like in the bedroom may be vastly different than what you like.

The same goes for reading.

Books need to delight us. To do that ,they need to vary in speed and rhythm. We need a mix of short and long sentences. Chapters too. Otherwise reading the book will be like maintenance sex. Routine and boring. Some people like predictability, but most prefer variety.

Words that invoke the senses are part of it too. Many of us are good at painting the picture, but we forget about the other senses. Ever light candles to provide a sexier ambiance in the bedroom? Ever played around with food like whipped cream or strawberries? Maybe a scented candle? Do it in the rain or the shower? Spanked someone or been spanked? Done it to music?

A bad lover often either puts no effort in or doesn’t pay attention to their partner’s needs. They will thrust away and your head could be banging against the headboard for all they care. Headboard sex isn’t fun. Well, it probably is for the one banging away oblivious to their partner’s needs, but good partners pay attention and try to make the experience fun for both parties.

A bad writer makes either a boring book or an inaccurate one filled with stereotyping. They don’t care about the readers. They stick too closely to prescribed notions like every chapter should be a set number of words or all the chapters should be the same length. They think every single word has to relate directly to the plot. Worse yet, some think there is no need for a plot at all.

Many rules can be broken, such as using a multiple view point, if they’re done the right way. Setting can be dispersed throughout rather than only in one chunk. Exploring something that was overlooked previously can inject excitement.

Seduce your readers. Make them gasp. Make them lust for more. Writing is an art form and as such, there are techniques you can learn, but mastery comes from putting it all together in ways that often defy rules.

There is a concept in screenwriting for dialogue that says it shouldn’t be on-the-nose. On-the-nose means unimaginative and predictable for those who may not have heard the term before.

Keep your lovers and your readers on their toes.

That’s not to say there isn’t time for vanilla sex or moments that aren’t deeply meaningful in a story. Sometimes the curtains are just blue because the author needed to give them a colour and that’s what popped into their head. Moments of vanilla sex let us appreciate the kinky times even more. Sometimes we need a breather. Readers need that too. Otherwise, your all intense book becomes boring even at its anything but calm level. If you had strawberries every time you had sex, not only would they become routine, you might have a problematic response to strawberries during an office party like Pavlov and his salivating dog.

Ups and downs are what make life fantastic.

I’m off to write some toe-curling prose.

Have an exceptional weekend!

Salut,

R~

Filed under: Musings Tagged: Sex

ROW80 – Mid-Week

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I felt today’s Thoughtful Thursday post on Cultural Appropriation needed its own space free from my goals update. I’ve linked it in case you want to read it.

Here are my updates:

Screenplay: 13 pages have been written.
Novel: Nothing since Monday.
Short Story: Editing finished and returned to my publisher. Likely another round of editing before it’s complete.
Kitchen Reno: On hold until June.
Sewing Business: On hold until after the May long weekend.
Martial Arts: Must get making the rest of my food. It would be nice to be ready early in the week. Working on the car music too.
Newsletter: Working on the short story that will be in it.
Fitness: Got out walking yesterday and danced some while working on the car music.
Cleaning: No major improvements. Just fighting the usual battle with dishes. Picking up a little at a time.
Bento Boxes: I made rice balls. Lacking salt, but otherwise good. Also not sure where to get black sesame seeds.
Guitar: Been playing a little every day. New strings are brighter, but my playing is sloppy.
Reading: Really enjoying Sins of the Angels. On Chapter 10. Might finish it this week. I don’t read slow when I’m liking something. I devour it.

Off to Comiccon on Saturday. I could only afford to go for one day this year. I picked the day that had the best panels for me to learn to make certain items in case I want to for my sewing business. I also make it a point to go and visit people I know in the extended writing community that I don’t see often otherwise.

Salut,

R~

Filed under: Musings Tagged: Discipline

Thoughtful Thursday – Cultural Appropriation

[image error]Please bear with me and read to the end as it’s a difficult topic prone to enraging people.

The iconic image of the Japanese rice ball found its way to Hawaii. While you might hate pineapple on pizza, it’s a delicious fruit we wouldn’t have if not for trade.

Japan has done a lot of appropriating over the years. Their written language came from China, as did Bonsai. They got Buddhism from Korea who got it from China. Wet-rice farming also came from China.

A former friend’s Chinese boss loved Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pepsi. I’m not sure if he also like collared greens or not.

Yoga is REALLY popular among many cultures today. It’s from India. And I’m sure you’ve heard about the Kama Sutra

Morose Monday – Floods

[image error]Cars have been swallowed. Stop signs are barely visible. People use boats to travel. This isn’t the start of a story. This isn’t a description of Venice. All over Ontario, people are being forced to leave their homes due to floods. The situation has hit a critical point and the army is being deployed to rescue citizens. In the Ottawa area, Gatineau and Rockland are the hardest hit. CTV is reporting live on the situation.

I find it hard to stay positive while I worry about those I care about. Others are unhappy that it is now snowing, but this is a good thing. “New snow is composed of a high percentage of air trapped among the accumulated snow crystals. Since the air can barely move, heat transfer is greatly reduced. Fresh, uncompacted snow typically is 90 to 95 percent trapped air.” (Source: https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/snow/sci...) Snow is better than more rain at this time. Sure, I’d prefer sun, but right now it’s just not an option. They’re predicting more rain… I never thought I’d be scared of rain.

It’s a hard thing. One usually buys waterfront property to enjoy the beach access. Walls might help protect these homes, but cut them off from the beach.

This is climate change. Pure and simple. The water continues to rise around the globe. Homes will either be lost completely or need to be raised. Basements are going to become a thing of the past.

I feel fortunate that I can’t afford to live near the water and that I’m on the 3rd floor of a condo building. My area is fairly dry. With hundreds of thousands of sandbags deployed and the military there aiding what citizens are left, there isn’t much left to do but wait until the water recedes. I’m thankful for messaging applications that let me keep in touch with loved ones. Sometimes being there physically isn’t possible, but supporting them emotionally can be just as helpful.

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In the rest of my world, I’m plodding along on my goals:

Screenplay: 6.5 pages have been written.
Novel: Rewritten 3 chapters because they were godawful and I couldn’t continue writing the rest so terribly.
Short Story: 6/11 pages edited. I need to kick into high gear on this as it’s due by the 15th. When I get stuck, I work on my other writing projects or cleaning.
Kitchen Reno: The drawers are not cooperating at all and I might need to replace the bottoms with the same crap they were originally made of. I don’t want to spend the money, but I also want to have my kitchen whole again. I’ll be putting it on hold until later this month as I don’t have the extra cash for it. Someday I’ll be able to paint. I have a colour in mind.
Sewing Business: I’ve made some marketing materials. I’ll be focusing on this more in June once the short story is completed, Comiccon has passed, and my annual martial arts weekend is done. I haven’t begun my inventory yet. I’ve just been too swamped with the rest and I suppose a little scared.
Martial Arts: Trying to be prepared for the seminar and grading weekend. I have a large amount of my clothes packed and pretty much just need to worry about food and clean and pack my keikogi and hakama sets.
Newsletter: Haven’t progressed on this. I’ll make this a priority once I’ve finished the short story and handed it in.
Fitness: Between reno and rain, I haven’t been doing great at this.
Cleaning: I’ve been cleaning everyday and it’s starting to look better in here. I noticed this improves my ability to concentrate on important things like writing.
Bento Boxes: I’m reading a lot about bento lunches and trying to make rice balls later today. They are freezable, so I can make them now for my two busy weekends. I’ve also read about orange juice carrots and chicken “ham”. I think these will be a good start and need some easy filler ideas like pre-made cookies, fruit salad, etc to complete my bentos for the seminar weekend.
Guitar: I just got my guitar back from the shop and have only had time to play a couple of songs. I need to rebuild my calluses and I just caught my pinky finger in between my chair arm and keyboard tray, so today might be a wash.
Reading: I haven’t been doing well on this. Why? The novel I was reading wasn’t enjoyable. I switched to Linda Poitevin’s Sins of the Angels and read 7 chapters. The damn thing is hard to put down. I was hooked from the opening sentence. I felt a mix of things while reading Sophie’s World. One thing I felt like it was too much of an academic story. The other was that it is very much from the perspective of a young girl, but not wholly realistic in the way she acts. I just couldn’t connect with it and felt like it’s just not the right time for me to be reading it. I didn’t expect that. I generally like philosophizing about things, but it just isn’t working for me. Maybe with the flood and how much decision making I have going on, I just need something more fun right now.

That’s all I have. I hope wherever you are that you are safe and dry. I hope the forecast that includes more rain is wrong. I hope that people will have homes to return to.

Salut,

R~

Filed under: News Tagged: Compassion

Frisky Friday – The V Zone

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Image created using Bit Strips.

All right. I didn’t think I would have to go here, but judging by the amount of weird articles online and the activities people with vaginas are engaging in lately, some stuff needs to be said.

Vagina’s clean themselves unless you’ve got a yeast infection. You do not need to be shoving things up there like cucumbers to cleanse them! In fact, this is why douching isn’t a thing anymore. Your vagina requires a certain level of acidity to function properly. When you shove things like cucumbers up there regularly to “cleanse” you disrupt its natural function. Using a proper vaginal wash like Summer’s Eve or Vagisil on the outer part is all you need. The inside cleans itself. Let it.
Kegals are healthy exercise for your pelvic floor muscles. There is no proof currently that you need to be doing kung fu, aka lifting weights via a jade egg, in order to have strong vaginal muscles. This expert in pelvic floor muscles is worried about permanent damage that will do the very opposite of what you are hoping to achieve.
It’s also probably not great to be shoving dildos made of minerals up there. Your vagina can damage inside. Small tears can eventually lead to bigger tears. Eventually you might find yourself developing infections, STDs, and more from putting the wrong things up there. Go to a sex store or shop online for proper sex toys supported by sexperts like Sue Johanson.

Here are a bunch of facts all vagina owners should know.

Please take good and proper care of your vagina.

Wishing you great sex in the near future.

Salut,

R~

Filed under: Musings Tagged: Sex

Thoughtful Thursday – Freedom to Grow

[image error]When did it become OK to verbally attack strangers? To suggest they are inferior to you in some way because they think differently than you? There was a time people knew how to respectfully discuss ideas and how to respectfully disagree with others.

There’s a video online of a woman who is whining that her son hasn’t phoned her from college. She rambles on about wiping his butt, toilet training him, making him go to karate, etc. Some people find the video funny and others find her overbearing.

I take issue with forcing a kid to do an extracurricular he doesn’t like. It’s one thing if he usually loved it and thought about quitting during a trying time. As you level up, it gets harder after all. It’s quite another thing entirely if they dislike the activity and would rather be doing something else. People like Elon Musk become who they are by having parents that let them follow their passions.

Furthermore, posting a video online shaming your son for not calling isn’t a mature way to handle the situation. This is like shoving a puppy’s nose in their poop rather than teaching them to poop outside. Set up something that works for both of you according to both of your schedules rather than complaining he has time for his girlfriend. She may well become the mother of your future grandchildren, but only if they have the time to grow as a couple without your interference. College is a time for your children to grow into adults. They are supposed to be handling almost everything on their own. Maybe you help them with care packages and such. Maybe you pay their tuition. That doesn’t mean they should be in constant contact with you. Don’t be Norma Bates or you’ll bring a Norman Bates into the world. It’s also disgusting to complain how long the black belt testing for karate is after making him go.

I love martial arts, but if my kids would rather play hockey, do ballet, be a musician, or whatever else, I will support them in what they are passionate about rather than force them into an office job that sucks the life out of them. Activities are not like eating vegetables, chores, or bathing. They are something people do in the time they have that isn’t dictated to them by a teacher or boss. Unstructured play is critical for development. Let your kid figure out who they are and want to be.

And FFS, don’t tell strangers they have no character, patience, or willpower and the only way to develop it is to spend a decade doing something they hate. That decade is lost forever. They could’ve been doing something they’re passionate about instead and accomplish something amazing like developing a better testing method for pancreatic cancer like Jack Andraka did.

Sorry for the rant, but it needed to be said.

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Onto what I’m passionate about. Here’s where I sit on my goals:

Screenplays: Completed the outline of Puppy Chow and have begun writing it. Got more pages done than I thought I had.
Short Story: On page 6/11 of my short story. Editing is a little less painful than last time.
Novels: Editing the first half of The Blood Waitress Club as writing a screenplay has taught me how to better show vs. tell.
Sewing Business: I have cleaned up the table surface for my sewing area. The floor is next.
Kitchen Reno: I’ve made some progress on my drawers. It’s harder than I thought it would be, but I’ll make it happen.
House Cleaning: Plant repotted. Begun moving things to storage.
Walking: Terrible. It’s been raining heavily most of the week.
Guitar: It’s ready to be picked up. Planning to do that tomorrow as I have plans with a friend in that area of town anyway.
Exercise: Been sucking at this. Been focused at crossing other things off the list I suppose.

And my Bullet Journal has been helping me achieve all this.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t say, “May the Fourth be with you!”

Anyway, there’s more to tackle yet, so I better get moving.

Salut,

R~

Filed under: Musings Tagged: Discipline, Respect

Merry Monday – Goal Setting

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Image created using Bit Strips.

The demonstration at the Japanese Embassy went well. I was a little nervous on the day, but I found my focus and got through it. Generally, I have difficulty with change, but after doing demos for a couple of years, they are rarely done according to plan. More people showed up than we thought and many were there just before the demo. There wasn’t enough space inside to do it safely because several of the exhibits were on the stage. It’s a good thing the weather was beautiful. One of the other ladies made rice balls for everyone to have after the demonstration. It was delicious and I’m now on a bento box kick.

My sewing area is getting cleaner, as is the rest of my home. I have some repairs to do on my kitchen drawers that are taking longer than I thought they would, but I’m just doing a little at a time and I know they’ll get done eventually. I’m more concerned with the actual messy areas like my dining and living room as I’d like to have people over in the near future.

I’m starting to find this thing called routine again. Liking it. I function better with routine.

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The outline for my screenplay is coming along. I’m going to get back to doing ROW80 to help me stay focused, so here are my writing goals right now:

Edit The Language of Love by May 15th
Complete Puppy Chow screenplay loglines by May 1st
Complete Puppy Chow first draft by May 31st
Add 500 words a day to The Blood Waitress Club
Edit the short fiction piece for my newsletter
Newsletter goes live

Other goals:

Finish setting up sewing area
Finalize product listing and specifications
Start building up an inventory
Get the house clean
Walk at least 30 minutes a day
Work on leg strength in preparation for the May seminar
Read 5 pages every day
Make healthy bento box lunches
Play a bit of guitar every day
1 hour of “play” each week (gaming or something that is relaxing)
Limit/eliminate time with unhealthy people

I think that’s enough to work on. So I’m jumping back into ROW80 when it’s half over, but there’s still time to accomplish my goals. I’ve added them to my bullet journal too. Some were sort of in there, but the way I wrote them in was annoying to me. I like just working with one day at a time. For a Gantt chart, I’d rather use a spreadsheet.

Tonight is the first night in a very long time that I get to attend my original writing group. I’m looking forward to seeing them and catching up.

Well, off to get some things done.

Salut,

R~

Filed under: Musings Tagged: Discipline

Frisky Friday – Writing Erotic Scenes

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Image created using Bit Strips.

There are lots of ways to write erotic scenes, but through reading and trying things out, I’ve learned that most of the time it’s best not to bother naming certain body parts unless you’re writing something you intend to give people a laugh instead of making them horny.

You don’t need to say he put his love wand into her dripping beaver. It’s better to say something like:

She was wet and moaned softly as he entered her.

Less is often more. Spark your reader’s senses and let them use their imagination as undoubtedly they either have a partner or someone they’re interested in and it gives them the option of fantasizing.

And if you’re not particularly sexual yourself, have friends read it to let you know if you’ve made them hot under the collar.

That’s all I have time for today.

Salut,

R~

P.S. I’m swinging my sword about tomorrow around 2PM in Ottawa at the Japanese Embassy if you want to see me do my martial art.

Filed under: Musings Tagged: Sex

Thoughtful Thursday – Waiting

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I’m in a holding pattern on several projects at this time. For my sewing business, I’m waiting for my thread to arrive. But there’s lots to do in the interim. I’ve been making the space ready. I’ve been purchasing supplies and planning specifications. I can also do some personal projects to test out which seams are best.

There’s always something you can do when you’re waiting.

I’m also waiting to hear about my novel. In the email they first sent, it said 6 weeks, but their website lists a longer time frame. In speaking with a more experienced author, I’ve decided to wait to ask about it until the period listed on their website has come. They could be swamped. They could have even made a typo in the email. At any rate, I have a slew of other writing projects to work on in the meantime. I’m editing a short story, I’m writing a B-movie script, I’m sorting out where the hell I am in one of my novels… It’s a first draft. Yuck. I also have a newsletter I’ve been wanting to get out which involves editing a piece of flash fiction.

I’m eagerly anticipating school though summer isn’t here yet, so I’m doing a 30-day script writing challenge. Thankfully, it has a learning portion to help guide me. This is me trying to reduce my workload come September because if I already know some of the things, I figure I won’t be overwhelmed by the learning curve for some of my courses and will be able to be more successful. After this script challenge, there are two books I want to read on script writing and by the time I’m done those, I expect it’ll almost be September.

And I have other things on the go as well. This Saturday I’m part of an Iaido demonstration at the Japanese Embassy. Next month, I’ll be attempting to grade Jodo. I’m excited for that weekend because it’s one where I get to spend a large chunk of time with my martial arts friends that I only see a couple times a year.

I’m also cleaning a lot. Between work and how busy my life often is, I fell very behind and my home has been a disaster. The cleaner my home gets, the less I have to do other than my projects though. I think I’ll be able to write better once my home is clean.

But I didn’t do much of that stuff today. The weather was gorgeous and I have been cooped up inside for so long that I felt that a break was in order. I had to bring my guitar in for a “free” tune up. Free except for the cost of strings. I’m not sure how much the tune up normally costs. I also renewed my warranty for $6 because they said it even covers if the guitar’s neck warps. The guitar place is right near a friend’s place so I visited her and hung out with adorable toddler too. We walked, caught Pokémon, and went to the park. I tried to explain to him that I couldn’t also play on the play equipment because it’s just for kids and it wouldn’t be fair for me to use it when there were many kids playing on it. He didn’t really get it, but I’m sure he will understand soon enough.

Anyway, we ate pizza and played a little more before I left to get a few errands and such done. It was a beautiful day and now I better get some writing done.

Salut,

R~

 

Filed under: Musings Tagged: Discipline