Sarah A. Hoyt's Blog, page 189

The Stories We Tell – by Dr. TANSTAAFL

Image by J. S. Klingemann from Pixabay
The Stories We Tell – by Dr. TANSTAAFL

When our boys were little, there was always bedtime stories.  We bought tons of books for them, but they picked the stories they wanted every night.  Afterwards, in a ploy to stay up later, they asked questions about the stories, and we discussed them.  How we framed the stories for them taught them what we thought was important, and how we viewed the characters and their motivations.  The Little Engine that Could kept...

Upside Down

My mind works in a weird way, a statement that I’m sure has all of you amazed and confused

Lay Down Your Bets – a blast from the past from September 12 2012

Lay Down Your Bets – a blast from the past from September 12 2012

This is not a post about world building, though it is that too.  It is mostly a post about life – though I’ll come at it through writing, which might make it easier to understand.

It is a cliche, tired and worn, that one has to remind new writers that magic must have a price.  This is because, particularly when you bring in something that doesn’t exist in our world, it is all too easy for young – in age or craft – people to get c...

Routing Around Damage

Sorry this is so late. I got up this morning ready to give the last coat to what will be the household accounts office, so we can move furniture in on Wednesday, So I can do what will be my office over the weekend.  And then I remembered the stairs to the basement needed to be Zinzered (Totally a word. Like Killzing only more so) because grandcat did a number on them when older son was at work or school and not spending the requisite time with him. (Which in D’Artagnan’s mind means, of course A...

Vignettes by Luke, Mary Catelli and ‘Nother Mike and Book Promo

*The good news is that we have changed up the rotation somewhat so I get an office sometime before the 15th of July.  The bad news is husband and son made me realize we ALSO need to do the family room and bedroom (for various and hard to explain reasons.

Which means the insanity and everything out of place all over the house will continue till probably mid-August.  I’m too old for this.  OTOH it will be done… – SAH*

Book Promo

*Note these are books sent to us by readers/frequenters of this blog....

It’s Morning And the Paint Calls

I am going to paint the room that is to be floored this afternoon and which will then become the household management office (it’s more complex than it sounds because between us Dan and I own… 4? small businesses (might be five, though I think one is folded under the other) so Dan spends a lot of time doing the tax work for those and needs a pleasant place to do it in), so I can’t write a chapter this morning, but I’ll try to do one before I collapse this evening.  Though I’ll be honest, yester...

The Danger of War Elephants (a.k.a. whipping up mobs)- by Marc MacYoung

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

*Reposted with author’s permission from a Facebook note, here. Because it needs wider dissemination. The note was written December 2019. As a side note, from my misspent youth, even though I still like to think I was fighting on the side of angels, let me say that what he says about violence being addictive is 100% right. So is danger. For years after moving to the US I MISSED it. I mean, I didn’t miss it, but my body craved the adrenaline rush. Took a while to dry o...

To Mask or Not To Mask… By I.M. Doctoo

To Mask or Not To Mask…
By I.M. Doctoo

 

I recently read a self-professed rant from a person identifying themselves as a surgeon, berating people who object to wearing masks.  It’s a classic “appeal to authority” argument with the ranter holding up their own experience as a surgeon as authority regarding masks.  There are, however, many shades of accuracy in the argument, and the “surgeon” really shows some gaps in their medical knowledge… not to mention their compassion. 

In the hopes of leav...

Sterile

When Dan and I were first married (maybe two years into our marriage) we took a vacation in Algarve, in the South of Portugal. For those not conversant with the region, it has miles and miles of white sandy beaches, a placid, warm sea, and a generally pleasing climate.  All of which were more or less alien to me, since I grew up in the North, where the sea is freezing (due to an arctic current) and has waves that make it a surfer’s paradise. Also, the North is warm — ish. Often hot, actually, b...

I’m too lazy to write a post

Or even to put up a guest post. Or even to look through for a blast from the past.

Okay, not lazy, but still tired and aching from floor laying down and such.

Isn’t this body still under warranty? Why is it breaking down? I’m fairly sure it wasn’t made in China, though admittedly it might be cheap (in the sense that I don’t think mom and dad had to pay anyone to have me.)

Anyway, I just don’t feel it.

I’ll write tomorrow.

Meanwhile, if you wish to amuse yourselves with the image, be my guests.