Lyda Morehouse's Blog, page 33

Up North, Ya Know.

Sorry I've been away... we were up north. I'm going to slowly chronicle our vacation over the next several blog posts, because otherwise this would be huge and would probably take me another whole week to write (and y'all would think I was dead.)

First, though, Tate has updated UnJust Cause : http://www.wattpad.com/55131739-unjust-cause-part-12-the-innocence-of-dragons. I doubt a lot of you are going from here to there, but I feel the need to, you know, social media this so if it fails, it isn't because I didn't get the word out.

Secondly, I may also be punctuating my vacation travelogue with tidbits about the class I've been teaching at the Loft. Here's a post about how it felt: http://tatehallaway.blogspot.com/2014/06/well-that-was-flail.html and here's one that's about the thinky-thoughts that came out of my first session: http://wyrdsmiths.blogspot.com/2014/06/changing-times-and-importance-or-not-of.html. (Also, I have had both breakfast and lunch, so I'm ready for today.)

Okay, so the trip...

I'm sure I've told this story before, but, in case I haven't, here it is:

When Shawn and I started talking about all the things surrounding marriage, we brought up the idea of a honeymoon while we were all having dinner. Mason got this bright look in his eyes, clasped his hands together, and declared, "Oh! I've always wanted to go to Paris!"

So for us, there was never any question that Mason would be coming along on our honeymoon.

Perhaps you'll say we're doing this wrong. But, the truth of it is, Shawn and I had nearly twenty years of a honeymoon before Mason came along. And, really, at this point, it's not so much about snogging like bunnies so much as it is having an excuse to spend some serious money on a family trip.

We didn't pick Paris because that's a little out of our price range. Mason's other suggestion had been a long weekend at the Waterpark of America, but that seemed not quite "celebratory" enough for us. So, we went to Bearskin Lodge, just up the Gunflint trail, for a WHOLE WEEK. As part of that, we meandered our way along the north shore of Lake Superior and stopped at all the beaches and sights that interested us.

The first time we made the trip to Bearskin in 2010, we brought along a book Shawn had picked up from the History Center called "61 Gems on Highway 61." We brought that along again because it had steered us to some very lovely and memorable sights.

First stop was the break wall in Two Harbors.





Break walls/safe harbors are kind of fascinating. On a clear day, like this one, it seems kind of useless: a big long, somewhat ugly looking structure built out into the water. But on our drive back when the wind was crashing HUGE waves against the shore we stopped at the Grand Marais break wall and the difference was... astounding. One side of the wall was getting HAMMERED by the waves; the opposite side? The sail boats in the harbor barely bounced in the calm.

Science, man. It's kind of amazing.

Okay... that's not much, but all for this time because my internet is being wonky with the pictures. I'll have more for you tomorrow, though! Now I'm off to teach my second day of "More than the Zombie Apocalypse." Wish me luck!

Podcast and Pacing

Mason and I have produced our 12th MangaKast for your... well, I hesitate to say enjoyment, but, well, there it is: http://mangakast.wordpress.com/2014/06/04/a-dirty-dozen/

In this podcast, I also discuss a new anime that I'm watching called Yowapeda. In the podcast, I mostly talk about how it relates to Bleach (there are voice actors in common). But, here, I thought I'd take a moment to talk about how strange Japanese storytelling often is/feels for a Western viewer (or maybe just me).

For instance, here I am, about to start episode 4, and the premise of the show--an "otaku" (Japanese nerd/geek) joins a bicycle racing club--hasn't really even happened yet. We've met our hero, had many discussions about the dorkiness of his mamachari, "Mommy bike," and met a few other characters. People have mentioned the biking club in passing, BUT NO ONE HAS JOINED YET.

I think, by now, this show would have been cancelled in the U.S.

To be fair, there was an exciting race at one point, up a very steep hill, and there were many IMPLICATIONS that our otaku hero might actually be even stronger/faster than he knows. But, it kind of amazes me the extent to which speculation has fueled the "action" of this story.

I always tell my writing students that you have to start strong, lay it all out, get to the point, so that people will know what the story is about, what's at stake... basically, show why a reader should invest their time and keep reading. We spend a lot of time as writers talking about 'the hook' and how important it is to get our 'hooks' into readers so that they will be dragged deep into the story from the get-go.

There's something about this that is utterly and truly DEFIED by animes like Yowapeda. By rights, I should CARE LESS. I mean, really, all that I know that's at stake is that our anime-loving hero would really, really rather join the anime club, but it cancelled due to lack of interest. THIS SHOW SHOULD BE CANCELLED DUE TO LACK OF INTEREST, but it's in its second season (or at least 34 episodes and counting) and, frankly, I'm fairly captivated.

I wonder if it has something to do with character. Because character can be its own hook, and, honestly, our little nerd hero represents a lot of things a lot of people are and WOULD LIKE TO BE. I'm a nerd. I'm scared of sports clubs (or was, when I was in high school), and I would really, really love to be recognized for my specialness (wouldn't we all?) So, right away there's a kind of guilty pleasure watching people looking at our dork/geek hero and saying things like, "Oh, even on his Mommy bike, he does x and y like a pro!" The implication is: this guy is special. Without even having joined the biking club yet, you start to get the feeling that this little doofus is going to be critical in elevating everyone to a higher level.... and there will be cheering and trophies and heartbreak along the way.

I'm in.

Totally. Just on the IMPLIED promise alone.

Tuesdays with Tate

I have posted part 11 of UNJUST CAUSE, Tate's serialized, work-in-progress novel for your entertainment on WattPad: http://www.wattpad.com/53052964-unjust-cause-part-11-jazz-dance-of-justice

This one is titled, "Jazz Dance of Justice." In it, Alex attempts to get a message from the Dead (and rather wishes they could be clearer when making the effort to come back from Beyond.)

:-)

That took me longer than usual because I'm starting to get ready to head off for our honeymoon next week. I have many errands to do. Many, many. And I should warn you that since we're going to be up in the Boundary Waters internet access will be limited. You're going to hear from me even less than usual. (Sorry!) Though I should be able to get a few things out since the Lodge has wifi, and so I'm hoping to be able to continue to post this... though I think Mason and I will be skipping out Podcast next week, since that takes up a lot of bandwidth.

Anyway, I should go off to the post office and pet store now.

See you!

Manga and Anime

Some time ago, I reported that I started watching Witch Craft Works. I'm 10 episodes into a 12 episode series and I still can't quite get over the awesome that is this subversive gender-swapped shounen anime.

The ostensible hero, Takamiya Honoka, is in constant need of rescue. Luckily, Kagari Ayaka, a kick-ass Workshop Witch, is there to do it.



What I consistently love about this anime? It's unabashed ...uh, for the lack of a better word, GIRL POWER. A villain shows up? She's a woman. If a new ally is needed? She's a woman. If Takamiya is asked to think of the strongest thing he can? It's a woman.

There are hardly ANY MEN IN THIS ANIME AT ALL AND I F*CKING LOVE IT. Seriously, there's one other male character who makes very, very rare appearances. He's a science teacher with a fondness for quoting Clarke's Third Law. Super-nerd. Totally ineffectual. I think he's had five lines. TOPS. There are some other boys seen in the background at school, but they're not important.

*I am made so happy*

Takamiya totally embraces the gender-swapped role of 'girl in need of rescuing,' that even when he starts to come into his own power, everything comes from a 'white princess' inside his soul. No power comes from men. None. Zero.

Meanwhile, Kagari kicks so much a$$ it isn't even funny. Even stripped of her prodigious super-powers, she can take out a stone golem with a flying kick. She holds Takamiya while he cries and cajoles him to try to pull it together at least until the fight is over.

Yet, because Takamiya is the 'hero,' he still trains to become stronger (though it's all very 'aw, honey, no') and shows the kind of bravery/superpowers that women are usually only allowed. He holds the mysterious key, you see. (That's why everyone is after him, 'natch, and why he must be protected at all costs.) He has the kind of power that can protect the city by making a contract with his heart and the heart of his town.

*weeps with delight*

I don't know how popular this show is and it's JUST silly enough that I can't recommend it without caveats. I'd say if you're already a seasoned shounen anime fan, you might find this utter reversal to be delightful. Otherwise, it might baffle you.

And, then, for something completely different, I'm also 20 chapters into the historical manga by Makoto Yukimura called: Vinland Saga. This, my friends, is a manly man story with man sauce.



Our hero, Thorfinn is a classic shounen hero with daddy issues. His father was brutally and (much more importantly) _dishonorably_ murdered by the pirate Viking, Askeladd, who, for REASONS, Thorfinn is now working for. Reasons being: for every task Askeladd sets for our hero Thorfinn--ala bring me the head of that un-defeatable enemy yonder--Thorfinn demands the price of a mano-a-mano duel for HONOR and JUSTICE!!(my two favorite shounen themes.) Thorfinn is, like 15, tops, so he hasn't won any fights with Askeladd yet, and consistently faces humiliating defeats, which, of course, only hardens his heart to strive to be stronger. *imagine music swelling and an anguished fist pumping in the air*

I'm actually uncertain why this manga is compelling to me right now. Maybe, it's because the art and brutal storyline are very reminiscent of Shingeki no Kyojin. Wikipedia tells me that a good number of the historical events that our heroes wander though are fairly accurate. They meet and fight alongside historical characters like Lief Erikkson and contribute to battles that were really fought, like the Danish Invasion of London. I don't know much about the Viking era, so it's all new to me. However, I can't help but enjoy a good battle manga, I guess.

We'll see how long it lasts. Like I said, I'm about 20 chapters into a story that's already 100+ and going....

Hair Curls of Doom

Mason and I have far too much fun on our podcast today: https://mangakast.wordpress.com/2014/05/28/eleven-heaven/

We discuss the importance of hair curls of doom, costume upgrades, and more!

New Installment and the Internet...

First of all, the newest installment in my serialized work-in-progress UNJUST CAUSE is up on WattPad. This one is called "Maggots and Magpies" and follows as Alex and Jack investigate the second drop victim who was found on the side of a county highway by Mac's motorcycle gang.

http://www.wattpad.com/51990582-unjust-cause-part-10-maggots-and-magpies

Secondly, you know that thing that goes around the internet that says: "How to Start a Fight on the Internet: 1) post and opinion, 2) wait"? Yeah, well, after yesterday, I feel like I could change it to just, "1) post, 2) wait" because SOMEHOW I managed to press the OMGYOU'REANUNREPENTANTPUPPYKILLER button by mentioning that I'm a klutzy gardener.

Really, I was posting about how I managed to dump mulch THROUGH the hole in the knees of my jeans and how funny it was that I had to use my leg as a mulch spreader, but, apparently, by mentioning the type of mulch I happened to have bought I became the target of three separate, well-intentioned... let's call them 'advice-givers.' One of whom even felt the need to stalk me on IM and harangue me about my mulch choices.

The problem I have with this is not with these people's passion. You love your dogs. I love your dogs. You don't want your dogs getting hurt. I don't want your dogs getting hurt. But, I don't have a dog, my backyard is fenced, and, MORE IMPORTANTLY, St. Paul has very clear leash laws.

You are very worried about my mulch hurting your dog because it smells like yummy, forbidden chocolate and it has trace amounts of the same poison. Okay. Fair. But, if your dog is in my backyard eating my mulch right now it's either because you're standing there watching them do it while holding his/her leash... or your dog is roaming leash-free.

My VERY urban neighborhood has much, much more serious hazards to puppies and dogs who are off their leash than my mulch, namely: cars!

Yes, we both agree that keeping dogs safe is a HIGH PRIORITY. If you have a dog, don't buy this mulch! BUT ALSO, KEEP YOUR PUPPY IN YOUR FENCED BACKYARD OR ON A LEASH AS THE LAW REQUIRES!!! St. Paul also has plenty of safe places for urban dogs to play off-leash. Go there. Avail yourself of those parks and playgrounds. If they have this mulch, you have my permission TO FREAK OUT. I will help you organize a letter-writing campaign. I will sign your petition.

Buying this mulch and using it is not illegal. It *is* illegal in St. Paul to let your dog roam free without a leash (for its own safety.)

*sigh*

I probably shouldn't even post my re-cap of this. Because people are wrong on the internet and I'm one of them.

Angry Birds in the Garden

Yesterday, I spent the entire day shopping for plants and planting plants.

Once a year, my family and I take the trip out to Shady Acres to buy herbs and some annual vegetables. You'd think that once I planned a perennial, I'd have it again next year.

Uh... no.

The only thing I seem to be able to do that with is our parsley, which is actually a biannual. But, the parsley comes back consistently AT LEAST ONE MORE TIME. Things that should live forever, die. I think partly because I'm a crap-a$$ gardener, but also because the light of our yard is constantly changing. Things that were sunny one year, are partially-shaded the next because we have so many trees.

Plus my gardening skills can be summed up thusly: dig a hole, jam the plant in, water it, and hope for the best.

I realize that this often works for other gardeners (with occasional weeding, which I do, too,) but for whatever reason, my plant magic is nil. It doesn't help that kids tear through both yard and garden with no regard for anything. We tell the neighbor kids to stay out of the clearly marked gardens, but that's like shouting into the wind. Though it might be better now that one of next-door-neighbor boys managed to jam his foot nearly all the way THROUGH the sundial in the back. (The dial was not that sharp, the force he landed on it was JUST THAT GREAT, a launch off the picnic table might have been involved, but I didn't ask. I just drove him and his moms to the hospital.)

So, when I was at FleetFarm yesterday, I talked Shawn and Mason into some garden whimsey. We now have Angry Birds in the garden:



Complete with hiding piggie:



The next purchase should be this, I think:



The
It would actually be kind of a blast to fill Mason's garden with lawn ornaments related to iPad games. Because: screw pumpkins, what I really need is plastic crap!

Okay, no.

But, so beyond the silly stuff, we bought: parsley (for more edging, though lots came back), basil, thyme (which had died, and is now in a sunnier spot), oregano (again, same), marjoram (that Shawn is going to try growing on our kitchen/pantry windowsill), eggplants, bell peppers, pumpkins and cucumbers (for the container gardens). And... I'm sure I've forgotten the other herbs we got, but we managed not to (for once) go too far overboard, I think.

We also bought some paint at Menards. One of the other projects Shawn wants to tackle over Memorial day is to paint the second bookcase we bought for Mason, put it in the TV room, and then switch out the bookshelves from there to his room... because right now, he's got books on the floor in boxes---many, many boxes. I told her that what she really needs is for me to pilfer a couple of the book trucks from work, but this is a more legal solution (though she actually did look up purchasing book trucks, because: wheels!)

Happy Memorial Day, btw! We intend to actually grill out steak tonight, so wish me luck (I mostly do chicken on the grill and the occasional hamburger.)

Fire Up Your iThings!

It's Tuesday, and that means there's a new installment of UNJUST CAUSE to read up on WattPad. This time, I feel like the title sums it up best: "Naked Dragons on the Lawn."

http://www.wattpad.com/50932760-unjust-cause-part-9-naked-dragons-on-the-lawn

I'll be curious what people make of this installment. Things happen--and, in fact, we return to one of the first themes of this novel--but, if this were being written traditionally, I think I'd call this moment 'connective tissue' since it's not wham-bam action.

This is one of the weird things about writing serially. I feel like every tiny little 2,000 word bit needs to have a reason for the readers to keep coming back. There's not a lot of... hmmm, lingering? I'm not sure that's a bad thing, because it keeps me writing very tightly, with an eye on forward movement, but suspect this will read even faster than one of my more traditionally written novels.

Ah, it's all an interesting and grand experiment. Speaking of experiments, I'm thinking of spinning off a little sexy fanfic involving Valentine and his Phoenix lover who was mentioned in the previous chapters... I mean, why not, right? If I do this, I may publish it on AO3 under my fan pseudonym.

Of course, I have to find some TIME to do that. I write all the time, but I never seem to have enough time for all the things!

On Our Way... Soon

I just woke up a little while ago. We're still in LaCrosse, visiting my folks, but we'll be headed on the road soon. I took a few pictures yesterday when we went hiking along the marsh trail.

Red-wing blackbirds are Shawn's favorite bird. Since this one posed so nicely for me, I took the shot:


My favorite flower is the woodland violet, particularly the white ones. I managed to catch this elusive creatures as well:


My dad loves great blue herons, and I actually got a couple of really good shots of this one:




In this second shot, you can sort of get a sense of how high the water is. It's been a very rainy, cold spring and all the rivers are getting close to flood stage. As we walked our usual path, we noticed several 'sink holes' in the gravel. Mason and I stuck a long stick into one of them. We hit sand almost right away, but the sand was wet a long way down.

Grandpa and Mason on the bridge:






All and all a good visit. We're about to have some breakfast, a bit more coffee and conversation, and the hit the road... probably just in time to drive back through thunderstorms (again. We did this same thing on the way back from Indiana.)

Manga Madness

And now it is Wednesday, which is the day in which Mason and I record our MangaKast. It's up and available at: http://mangakast.wordpress.com/2014/05/14/nine-is-fine/ in which there is a lot of giggling, spoilerage, and squee.

As usual, this is us, in the raw. I had to edit a huge section of "d'urrrr" because neither of us were at our best... (tbf, there was no coffee in the house and I was operating on one cup.)

I can't believe we've been doing this for 9 whole episodes, but it's been a blast.