K.D. Sarge's Blog, page 36

How to Make an Author Squee!

I was looking at a book on Goodreads this morning, and followed a link to a list. Scrolled to the top to see what books exactly qualified, and saw

SQUEE!!! Number one of 217 awesome books!

When Friends Go Bad

Once in a while I mention a toxic friend I had to leave behind a few years ago. It was a clean break–I never see or talk to him anymore. But we were friends for a VERY LONG TIME. And we were friends through some very bad times, for him and for me. We held each other up, talked about everything and anything, and we were always there for each other. He was very dear to me before the toxicity level got too high. He’s still very dear to me, from a distance.

The point is, tonight I met someone who...

Vaccines Save Lives, or Why It’s Important to Evaluate Information

I work in a school. I’ve heard the reasons, both rational-sounding and not so much, behind not getting a student vaccinated.†

That said, my child is vaccinated against everything that’s required and a few things that aren’t. I’ll tell you why.

1) Even if the research regarding vaccines causing autism was reliable (it’s not, see #4) I would much rather my child risk autism than polio. Neuro-typical people talk like having autism is worse than having polio, but that’s just not how I see it.

2) It’...

*warning: this post may contain an overabundance of “awesome.” Not particularly sorry.

Reason #724 that I love the internet–because it lets me follow people I adore without being a stalker. Gotta love two awesome people being awesome on the internet.

J. Michael Straczynski is the creator of Babylon 5, and much other greatness. Neil Gaiman is the author of Neverwhere and many other marvelous things.

Last night, together, they created this. (read from the bottom up)

In other news, Turtleduck Press is still seeking submissions.

And I am still seeking someone to come and do all that cr...

So. Budgets. Wow.

I’m office manager at my school now. Everything has to be paid for, and it’s up to me to figure out how.

Budget strings are sometimes sixteen digits long. That’s because they tell exactly where the money is coming from.

Which means if I want to buy something, I have to figure out which budget string to put on the purchase, so that, say, the teacher supplies budget line buys the construction paper and spiral notebooks, but the principal’s office supplies buys the replacement fax machine.

I’m supp...

Still Here, Mostly

Just a bit stressed. Tired. Overwhelmed.

Every year August is a matter of survival. I know this. It started earlier this year because school started earlier, but hey. That just means I’m farther in, right?

Right.

So anyway. If you don’t see me around, or all you see of me is a lot of “ugh” and “soooooo tired…” don’t worry. I’ll be fine in September.

Of course, if I don’t show back up, I’ve probably stolen a Jaeger. In which case I won’t be all THAT hard to find.

First Day of School and a New Book

Turtleduck Press did a thing. Normally I would talk more about the thing, or about life in general, or something interesting at least, but today was the first day of school and I am busy going AAAAHHHH!!! and then falling over.

Have a thing instead.

I Do Love Gadgetry

Since my contract ran out with my cell provider, they’ve been desperate to “give” me a new phone to reward my loyalty. Mostly I’ve been ignoring them. The plan is to step down to pre-paid service, since I use my phone so very rarely. Sometimes I call my daughter, more often I send a text to her or Twitter, that’s about it. I’m paying for way more cell service than I use, and it needs to stop.

There are two reasons I haven’t made the change.

1) I have to call customer service to do it and I hate...

Barry Manilow and Comfort Music

I have a playlist titled “HALP.” I’d imagine most people who make playlists have something similar. Sometimes, though, I don’t go to that list. The other night, for instance, when I was feeling down, I turned to Barry Manilow. Other nights I’ve turned to ABBA, or all the “depressing” country music of my childhood. You know the stuff. John Denver’s “Country Roads” when I’m far, FAR from home. Barbara Mandrell’s “Sleeping Single in a Double Bed.” And how about Gordon Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of t...

OMFG PACIFIC RIM

Guess what I saw today? If you guessed anything other than Pacific Rim, maybe go get some coffee.

Pacific Rim. Holy BLEEP, I loved it!

Now, I’m definitely a giant robot fangirl. Love Robotech, adore Gundam, freaking CHEER when Escaflowne charges into the fight. I would steal this in a heartbeat.

I also love my monster movies. Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, Gamera…oh yeah.

So when you give me a visually stunning, well-strung-together, beautifully designed homage to BOTH my giant mecha and my giant monst...