Cardeno C.'s Blog, page 95

get better quickly!

Well, this week's chat was derailed by BA winding up in the hospital, worrying us all.




The good news is that she's on the mend, feeling much, and is hoping to be home soon.



So continued good vibes and wishing BA a full recovery as quickly as possible.



Sean
smut fixes everything

Translations by Cardeno C.

Happy Monday! One of my writing goals is to make sure my books are available to people. That means I try to keep my prices reasonable, I make my books available on as many sites as possible (including subscription sites like Scribd and Oyster), and I get the books translated into other languages. 

I have a tab on my website where you can find my books in Spanish, Italian, German, and hopefully someday French. Translations are both wonderful and scary. It's wonderful to see my books entering new worlds but it's scary to be in a world where I don't speak the language. 

That's why I was so excited today to hear that some Spanish readers (including the wonderful Y.M. Garcia who translates my books) created a Facebook group for my books! If you're interested in talking books with other Spanish readers, you can find the group here. And on the topic of Spanish translations, I have a new Spanish release out today: Granja McFarland. 

On the Italian translation front, I'm excited to be working with the always amazing Barbara Cinelli on publishing my books in Italian through Triskell Edizioni. If anyone has ideas for me on promoting my books in Italian, please let me know!

As far as German, I have really enjoyed working with Stefanie Zurek on translating my books and I'd love to find a German reader or two who would be interested in reading new translations before we release them so we have another set of eyes. If you're interested, please email me.

Have a great week and happy reading (in all languages)!

CC
www.cardenoc.com

Happy Easter!

I have a confession that will sign my eternal damnation.  You see I’m a Christian.  Yeah – one of those ones who goes to church every Sunday and truly believes that we should love everyone in our lives.  I’m one of these people who can see past the hysteria and the phobias, and calmly believe that God made us how he wanted us.  I’m one of those people who are working from within the church to push for marriage equality and recognition.
But…
…(here is the damnation bit)…
… I don’t like Easter.
**GASP**
I know!  It’s like the main celebration of the church.  But Easter leaves me worn out.  I mean, every single year we kill Jesus.  Okay, so we don’t physically nail him to the cross and cause his death, but every year we go through the build-up of his being betrayed and his death.  It’s rather gory.
Now, even if you don’t believe in God and Christianity, there is still plenty of evidence that Jesus existed.  You may not believe he was the Son of God, but you have to concede the possibility that he was a person who once lived.  And if you can’t do that, then you still have to realise that crucifixion happened in our past.  Every lead-up to Easter we hear the details.  It’s terrible.  I hate it.  To think that we can do this sort of horror to our fellow humans.
So every Easter I’m depressed and mopey, hating life.  Then we have the overwhelming sorrow of Jesus dying (again!) and having to apologise (again!) to Jesus for letting this happen.  And on Good Friday, I leave church hating the world.  Then, just two short days later, I have to go to church again and CELEBRATE!  Jesus is risen!
Hallelujah!
Talk about feeling bi-polar.
SO, why is it a HAPPY Easter this year for me?  Because I’m on HOLIDAY!  Vacation.  Time off.  Out bush.  Done a runner.  I am FREEEEE!
I have a great excuse to ignore church this weekend.  Because I am sitting on a beach, wearing very little and having a great time!  This year, Easter is going to be about chocolate and keeping cool.And just in case you are saying, “Yeah – but what does this have to do about your writing?” – well, I’m also gathering great ideas to set a story in this town – because that would be a great change from Perth, wouldn’t it?
For the next week I’m going to be doing nothing more strenuous than swimming or fishing.  There will be a visit to the croc park, some bbqs on the beach and if I feel really energetic, I may build a sandcastle.  But my little author brain will be snapping pictures for future books…
I hope you have a wonderful Easter.  Don’t eat too many chocolates.
Cheers,
Renae
How to contact Renae:Email:  renaekaye@iinet.net.auWebsite:  www.renaekaye.weebly.comFB:  www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9Twitter:  @renaekkaye Instagram:  renaekayeauthor

OLftR and other elder gods and the good old HEA

<sean> hey everyone
<BA> hey you
<julia> waves
<julia> hey there
<BA> we planted tomatoes and roses
<sean> so how is everyone today?
<sean> oh neat
<julia> dirty!
<sean> well, yes, we all know that ;)
<julia> LOL
<julia> not in the good way
<BA> LOL
<BA> I washed
<julia> but we accomplished
<BA> nods
<sean> that's cool
<BA> tomorrow, queen victoria agave and blue agave
<BA> then aloe
<BA> then I have to go buy more pots
<sean> do you harvest the agave?
<julia> yep
<julia> no on the harvesting
<BA> No
<BA> I just adore it
<BA> until it gets gigantic
<julia> they have to have way more room to grow than we have
<BA> then I give them away
<BA> and start over
<sean> heee
<julia> hee
<BA> I planted a peace rose, a yellow rose of Texas, a Mr. Lincoln and a JFK rose today
<julia> Daddy has some we gave him that he could probably make juice out of ;)
<BA> I figure, if I buy 4 rose bushes a year
<BA> I will have one amazing garden in 10 years
<BA> I ALMOST bought a barrel cactus yesterday
<BA> but my wallet opposed the idea
<sean> lol
<sean> your wallet is the logical one, is it?
<BA> nods
<BA> it is
<BA> it says, you'll need more pots and more dirt
<BA> you have 34123980319857024957230495 aloe babies
<BA> I could mail you aloe, Sean
<BA> lots
<sean> it wouldn't survive the mailing
<BA> I know
<BA> It wouldn't survive the 49 million degree temperature difference
<sean> LOL
<julia> poor baby aloe
<julia> wilting in the frozen Canaaaaadia
<sean> it's not frozen year round
<julia> no
<julia> it's hot and humid for like
<julia> a month
<julia> ;)
<sean> heee
<sean> unfortunately it's hot and humid for more than a month
<BA> it's humid all the time
<sean> nah, it's dry a lot of the winter
<julia> heee
<julia> not to us
 * BA giggles
 * sean grins
<sean> it's getting warmer
<sean> it tried to snow today but it turned into rain
<julia> it's eighty here
<BA> it was 80 today
<sean> there's a couple weeks where the snow is melting and things are gross on the ground
<sean> 80 is too warm for right now
<BA> (jesus christ, we've devolved into chatting about the fucking weather)
<sean> I LOVE the slow build up
<sean> hey, I'm Canadian, we always talk about the weather
<sean> ;)
<julia> because we're all stupidly tired
<BA> weather in New Mexico -- it's sunny
<BA> hooray
<BA> :D
<sean> I have a bit of anew obsession
<sean> Michael Stokes photography
<julia> heee
<sean> he does lots of stuff of vets with amputations (and tattoos)
<sean> nudes
<sean> they're stunning
<julia> yeah he's got some pretty stuff
<BA> horndog
<sean> blinks innocently and adjusts halo
<sean> who me?
<julia> no
<julia> you
<sean> couldn't be
<sean> *grins*
<sean> okay, maybe a liiiitle
<sean> I'm currently writing a vet with an amputation
<sean> right arm, below the shoulder
<BA> awwww
<sean> he's okay with it
<sean> and then he gets home and his lover has shacked up with someone else
<BA> ack
<sean> it's going to work out okay for him
<sean> it usually does for my boys
<BA> nods
<sean> I love my HEAs
<BA> that's sort of your job
<sean> nodnods
<sean> yep
<julia> torture, then sex
<julia> ;)
<sean> LOL
<julia> then HEA
<julia> that might be me
<BA> no no no
<BA> sex
<julia> paranormals
<BA> then sex
<sean> nods, it might be julia
<sean> nods at BA
<BA> then a little thing
<sean> then some more sex
<BA> then sex
<BA> then the torture
<sean> then climax sex
<BA> then sex
<sean> pun intended
<BA> then an erotic HEA
<julia> heee
<sean> cackles
<sean> yes
<julia> that's sean
<julia> BA
<sean> the very best kind of HEA
<julia> meet
<sean> fist fight
<julia> fight
<julia> fuck
<julia> fight
<julia> make up
<julia> HEA
<BA> nods happy
<BA> that's me
<julia> hee
<julia> biting should be in there too
<BA> fighting, fucking, a little murder sometimes, lots of biting, happily ever after
<julia> boom
<BA> oh, yes
<BA> booms
<BA> I love a good explosion
<sean> boom boom boom
<sean> which makes me think of the theme music for ncis: no
<julia> what's the best thing about explosions?
<BA> THEY'RE EXPLOSIONS
<julia> I need to write more of those
<sean> the opportunity for hurt/comfort post explosion
<julia> or, as I used to do when gaming
<julia> Great Cthulhu appears
<julia> he eats you all
<julia> you all die
<julia> game over
<BA> nodnods
<BA> that's not an explosion, though
<julia> no it's an elder god
<julia> I need to make supper I think
<BA> what's cooler? elder god? explosion?
<julia> hmmm
<BA> explosive elder gods?
<sean> is the elder god sexy?
<BA> did they make those?
<julia> ew
<julia> no
<BA> Cthulhu is whatever the polar opposite of sexy is
<sean> is he the only elder god out there?
<julia> tentacles
<sean> well, if you like tentacles....
<sean> *ducks*
<julia> no but none of them are hot
<julia> Hastur
<julia> Nyarlethotep
<sean> if I was a god, I would be hot
<BA> Hastur Hastur Hastur, see nothing hap...
<julia> heeee
<julia> yep
<julia> Deep Ones
<BA> there's Mother of Pus
<julia> Hounds of Tindalos
<BA> Ngyr-Korath
<julia> ew
<julia> yeah okay I might be a Lovecraft fan
<BA> The Blackness from the Stars
<BA> Amon-Gorloth
<julia> you just lost 10 plus sanity for saying his name
<BA> dork
<sean> heeee
<BA> I think, if I were an elder god
<BA> I would be the Dweller in the Gulf
<julia> nah
<BA> (it's turtle shaped)
<julia> you'd be the Old Lesbian from the Ranch
<BA> LOL!
<BA> I love it
<sean> LOLOL
<sean> perfect
*** BA is now known as Old
<Old> hrm
*** Old is now known as OLftR
<OLftR> better
<sean> heeee
<julia> I like it
<julia> sexay
<OLftR> now I feel like a Tolkien reference...
<sean> yes
<julia> okay
<julia> on that note I need to feed the puppers
<sean> give them scritches from me
<julia> I have a new book out at Resplendence April 22
<sean> oooo
<sean> bdsm?
<julia> in case we need to promo ;)
<julia> yep
<OLftR> (pimping book woman)
<julia> Minerva Howe
<sean> fun!
<julia> the sequel to Chosen Wolf
<julia> called Found Vampire
<OLftR> ooooh
<OLftR> Vampires
<sean> nice
<OLftR> I read that one
<OLftR> *grins*
<OLftR> one of the bennies of being the wife
<julia> LOL
<julia> yep
<sean> nods
<OLftR> okay, lovelies
<OLftR> feeding dogs
<OLftR> feeding us
<OLftR> feeding all the things
<sean> just make sure you give the dog food to the dogs ;)
<julia> oh god
<julia> so nasty
<OLftR> shit, we pay more for their food
<sean> LOL
<julia> too true
<julia> hugs
<OLftR> *kisses*
<sean> hugs
<julia> night y'all
<OLftR> Love you, honey
<sean> bye!
<OLftR> *waves and poofs*

If you have a topic you’d like us to chat about (or any other favorite things you'd like us to share), please let us know. We’re totally up for that. You can find us on Twitter at @seanmichael09, @juliatalbot and @batortuga. Sean’s website is http://www.seanmichaelwrites.comJulia’s is http://www.juliatalbot.comBA’s is http://www.batortuga.com Facebook:Sean -- https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWritesJulia -- https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbotauthorBA -- https://www.facebook.com/batortuga
Seansmut fixes everything

Cold Brew Tea by Cardeno C.

Happy Monday. Today's post is kind of like my "I Tried it at Home" posts, except there's no video and I know it works because I've done it before. Around a year ago, I started making toddys (cold brew coffee) and loved them. I also love iced tea. One afternoon I had an epiphany (or, at a minimum, a good idea): if I can cold brew coffee, surely I can cold brew tea, right? The answer is yes and it's super easy.

A. Mandatory ingredients:

1. Water.




















2. Tea (I use three packets for a bottle). 


B. Optional Ingredients:

1. Double sided tape.

 2. A hard surface you can tape to with a string that fits around the bottle neck.

3. Mint.


C. Instructions: 
1.  Put a piece of sticky tape on the hard surface, slip it into the tea label, put it over the bottle neck. (Optional)
2. Put the teabags into the water, making sure to leave some string hanging out over the top. 

3. Add a sprig of mint (optional). 

 4. Put the bottle into the refrigerator overnight.


5. Take the bottle out of the fridge and pull out the teabags. 
6. All done! Yummy tea ready to drink.

Stressed to the max

Okay – I’m feeling a little more than “overwhelmed” today.  Why?  Because I’m off on vacation.  
We’re flying north to a world renowned town called Broome.  Best beaches ever.
My husband’s brother lives there, and so we try to visit every couple of years.  The last time we visited was 2012.  We had booked the holiday four months prior to that to get the cheaper flights, because we knew we needed a break.  You see, my father was dying.  He had bowel cancer and it had spread.
My father ended up dying two days after we returned.  To say that it wasn’t a relaxing holiday is an understatement.  As the time nears for us to fly out, more memories of the previous time come over me.  I’m sad.
The other reason I’m stressed is the fact that, as usual, I’m the packer in my family.  Does this happen to anyone else?  I can predict it already.  My husband will wake up on the morning we fly out, have a shower, then start throwing some things in a bag.  Then he will look at me and say, “Where are my blue shorts?”  <face palm> 
Meanwhile, I’ve packed for me, for our two children, plus all the paraphernalia that is required to go on holidays with two children.  I’ve bought, wrapped and packed Easter presents.  I’ve bought, wrapped and distributed all the Easter presents and birthday presents required for my family while we’re away.  I’ve paid the bills, cancelled the newspaper and shopping deliveries.  I’ve organised a housesitter and all the pets for while we’re away (including cleaning the house from top to bottom).  I’ve talked to the kids’ school.   I’ve packed all the toiletries and medicines our family require while we’re away.  I’ve organised snacks and activities for the kids on the flights.

Do I know where his blue shorts are???
No.  Not really.  Perhaps he should look in his drawer?
The other thing I need to do is organise my brother-in-law the other end of the journey.  I love my BIL – he’s a wonderfully caring person, with such a laid-back look on life.  If he ever has kids, I can see him strapping the baby to his back and visiting Vietnam or Japan or France or any of the other places he just takes off to.  He doesn’t worry and it’s lovely – but stressful as a mother.  It’s kind of like, “Yes, my children do require a carseat, and no you can’t just put them in the back of the car unrestrained.”  Or “This is a baby who’s just turned one year old.  I really don’t think that serving her chilli with green mango, chicken and rice is a good idea.  Do you have any Weetbix instead?”  Or “Yes, I think that having that huge fish pond there is a danger to my crawling baby.”
Luckily for me, the kids are a little older for this trip.  We don’t need to organise prams and cots like previous trips.
But yes – I will be away on holidays in the next couple of weeks.  I’ll chuck some pictures on Instagram and Facebook to make you all jealous.  I’m determined to catch a barramundi this trip.  Each time I go, I catch everything OTHER than a barra.  

So find me on Instagram.  I’m thinking that there needs to be a story come out of my trip to Broome.  So I’ll be taking plenty of notes while I’m up there.  I wonder what the gay scene is like in town with less than 15,000 people?How to contact Renae:Email:  renaekaye@iinet.net.auWebsite:  www.renaekaye.weebly.comFB:  www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9Twitter:  @renaekkaye Instagram:  renaekayeauthor

Ask Andrew - Writing and Working

Dear Andrew

What was it like going from a working class person to actually giving up that work to do writing full time? Was it scary with out that extra cushion? I've been trying to write for awhile now and it seems like work gets in the way a lot and I just don't get much done. How did you balance it out?

Tammy

Dear Tammy

It was an amazingly freeing experience when I got to write full time.  It was also incredibly terrifying.  At first I loved it and reveled in not having to get up to go to work.  I wrote a ton, but spent a lot of time worrying about what was going to happen because I didn't have a regular pay check any longer.    It was terrifying for a while.   Then I got used to it and things settled down for me.  I got into a normal writing routine that I stick with today. 

When I was working I wrote in every spare minute.  I used to say I was very dedicated, Dominic said I was obsessed.  But I got very good at picking up my story quickly and writing whenever I could.  Those times added up and I was able to get quite a bit done.  A lot of people say that they need a quiet space and time to get into their work.  They may need to read what they wrote last to get into the story.  I have the ability to remember where I was and to pick up right away, instantly getting back into the characters.  (I think its a skill I developed out of necessity)

As far as balancing out my life, that's the tough part.  Dominic was and is very supportive.  He took good care of me and took on extra tasks so I could write.  I couldn't have written and worked without his constant support.  On fact there is no way I could continue to write without it. 

Hugs and Love
Andrew

Ask Andrew is your chance to ask questions of a gay romance author.  The questions can be about the writing process in general, writing sex scenes, gay men, sex, characters in romance, characters having sex... okay you probably get the picture.    I promise to answer your questions as frankly and with as much humor as I possibly can.

So if you have a question, please send it to andrewgreybooks@comcast.net.  This is different from my usual email so your questions don't get lost.  I will answer one question a week.

Please remember this is meant to be all in fun.  (I was going to say good, clean fun, but who wants that.)    So send me your questions and let's see what mischief we can get into.

Visit Andrew on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/andrewgreybooks  and you can join Andrew's fan group All The Way With Andrew Grey.

Follow him on Twitter:  @andrewgreybooks

Visit Andrew's web site:  www,andrewgreybooks.com

Twenty Questions, the Spring Edition

<BA> booooo
<BA> :D
<sean> eeeeek!
<sean> *grins*
<julia> Hola, peppitas
 * BA leans and waves
<julia> dude, y'all
<julia> it's spring
<sean> not according to what's outside my window ;)
<sean> not that I'm complaining
<julia> the trees are budding here
<julia> the spring fleurs are blooming
<sean> cool
<BA> no, no. Spring happened...
<BA> Saturday?
<julia> we're getting April showers in March
<BA> SPRING!
<sean> we've got cold snap
<BA> my FAVORITE season
<BA> flowers
<sean> but it looks like we've got the warm coming
<BA> bunnies
<BA> birds
<sean> heeee
<BA> butterflies
<julia> well, the frozen north doesn't count
<BA> SUNSHINE
<julia> heee
<BA> open windows
<julia> I thought
<julia> we could do the 20 question thing, spring edition
<julia> I'll start
<sean> that would be fun
<julia> Favorite Easter candy
<BA> PEEPS!
<sean> Laura Secord Eggs
<BA> the purple chick ones
<BA> not the bunnies
<julia> Reeses
<julia> though I can't have them as the holiday ones have wheat
<sean> are the easter ones different than the usual ones?
<julia> yes
<julia> they use wheat to keep them together
<julia> because they're bigger
<sean> ah
<BA> My turn: Favorite spring flowers?
<sean> crocuses!
<BA> bluebonnets!
<julia> ocotilla
<BA> !
<julia> What color do you dye your easter eggs?
<sean> rainbow
<julia> I like the fancy foil ones
<BA> nods -- I love glitter!
<sean> I remember always doing them with crayon and onion skins
<BA> rainbow and glitter
<sean> when I was little
<BA> yes, but you're older than Jesus
<julia> heee
<julia> Happy Birthday older than Jesus
<sean> me and Methuselah
<julia> ;)
 * BA giggles
<julia> Let's see
<julia> What do you hate spring cleaning?
<BA> windows
<sean> actually spring cleaning
<julia> Floors
<julia> I hate deep cleaning floors
<julia> oh!
<julia> and curtains
<BA> I just did curtains
<BA> we're safe for the spring
<sean> lol
<sean> favorite spring baby animal
<BA> What's cuter? Chicks or bunnies?
<julia> oh
<BA> LOL
<julia> no fair
<sean> duh bunnies
<julia> ducklings
<julia> bunnies are cuter than chicks
<BA> Favorite spring baby animal: BABY GOATS
<julia> baby alpacas?
<sean> baby bunnies
<julia> also cute as hell
<BA> chicks are pretty cute...
<julia> they are
<julia> but omg bunny ears
<BA> OMG -- did y'all see the baby alpacas? I would snuggle them so hard
<BA> bunnies bite
<julia> well, yes
<julia> and they poop on you
<BA> the bassets like bunnies
<BA> so do chicks
<BA> chickens poop EVERYWHERE
<sean> most babies do
<julia> bunnies don't accidentally expire in the oven when the incubator goes out
<BA> oh, shut up
<sean> O.o
<julia> oopsie
<BA> I was little
<julia> yep
<julia> what happens in Texas stays in Texas
<julia> if you want to know the story you have to come to RT or the Austin Author Affair
<sean> *grins*
<BA> LOL
<BA> there you go
<julia> galoshes or umbrellas?
<sean> galoshes
<sean> mud is way ickier than rain
<julia> I like galoshes to STOMP in
<BA> umbrellas -- I reject the idea of plastic boots
<julia> no Wellies for BA
<BA> *snorts*
<julia> the chicken or the egg?
<BA> velociraptor
<sean> oh that's the best answer I've heard to that question
<julia> heee
<julia> it is
<julia> we'll leave it at that
<BA> :D
<BA> Jurassic Park for the win!
<julia> spring holiday?
<sean> may day
<julia> heee
<julia> which is also Beltaine?
<julia> ish?
<BA> Easter
<BA> I like the whole Easter hat and Jesus Christ Superstar on demand thing.
<BA> Isn't Tom Cruise too old to be an action hero?
<julia> Yes
<julia> Cinco de Mayo
<julia> tacos!
<julia> what food are you happy to let go with winter
<julia> you can totally eat it again come fall
<sean> stew
<BA> hrm
<BA> potato soup
<BA> chili
<BA> pot roast
<BA> casseroles
<julia> sauce
<BA> (can you tell I'm ready for salad and veggie season?)
<sean> yep
<BA> :D
<julia> hee
<julia> and grillling!
<julia> oh
<julia> what's your favorite grilled food
<sean> steaks
<BA> barbeque chicken
<julia> hot dogs
<sean> although I do love veggies done on the grill too
<BA> we have to go buy a new grill
<sean> do you?
<BA> nods
<BA> it's time
<BA> our old one was too big and bulky
<BA> we need a sleek, sexy one
<sean> one with rock hard abs
<BA> nods
<julia> yum
<julia> oh!
<sean> pert glutes
<julia> the boys of summer are nearly here!
<julia> shirtless
<julia> low hanging shorts
<sean> oh yeah
<sean> hip cleavage....
<julia> heee
<BA> I shall name the grill, Blaze
<sean> cackles
<julia> oooh
 * BA grins
<BA> yeah, I'm clever ;-)
<sean> how much do you hate springing forward?
<julia> so much
<BA> ****this much****
<julia> it's worse than falling back
<sean> the biggest much
<sean> so worse than falling back
<BA> nods
<BA> I hear you
<julia> heee
<julia> I think we're short of twenty questions
<sean> yeah
<julia> but I'm all pooped
<BA> (story of her life)
<julia> hey!
<sean> it's  hard theme to come up with 20 questions for
<sean> LOL
<julia> I had minor surgery today
<sean> your toe?
<julia> toe callus removal
<julia> I bled a lot
<julia> blame that
<sean> :P
<julia> hugs my spring queen and my winter loving bud
<BA> SPRING SPRING SPRING
<BA> *ahem*
<BA> I'm ready. Bring on the budding.
<sean> hugs Julia and BA
<sean> night
<BA> Love you, honey!
<sean> love you :)
<BA> *smooches and poofs*

If you have a topic you’d like us to chat about (or any other favorite things you'd like us to share), please let us know. We’re totally up for that. You can find us on Twitter at @seanmichael09, @juliatalbot and @batortuga. Sean’s website is http://www.seanmichaelwrites.comJulia’s is http://www.juliatalbot.comBA’s is http://www.batortuga.com Facebook:Sean -- https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWritesJulia -- https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbotauthorBA -- https://www.facebook.com/batortuga 

I Tried it at Home - Peeling Potatoes with Your Bare Hands

Happy Monday! Today I have another installment of I Tried it at Home. This one was suggested by Jayden Brooks and it's peeling potatoes with your bare hands. Here is the inspiration video. And now for my attempt:

1. First, I got a bag of potatoes.


2. Then I washed them and put them in my pot.

3. I decided to add in garlic because it makes everything yummier. And in case you're wondering, I used the traditional knife smash method to peel it.
4. I also added some salt.

 5. When the potatoes were done cooking, I took the strainer out and then put ice water in the same pot - yay for one pot cooking!


6. Okay, that was a lot of lead up to go time. Here is what the potato looks like before.


7. And now, here's the after - a full pot of after! (Plus butter.) Looks good, right? It really did work well!


8. Then I smashed it and made mashed potatoes. 



So finally a success story! Jayden sent me another idea - coffee ice cream. I'll be trying it (or a variety of it) soon. 

CC
www.cardenoc.com

Gay imagery – stop it!

I have a confession to make.  I nearly failed English Literature in high school.  **sad face** 
I didn’t get their teachings.   I didn’t understand when they would say, “You should’ve gotten this out of the chapter.”  What I read, and what I understood, is a subjective matter.  If the author meant me to be angry at the end of the chapter, and I wasn’t – does that mean that I should get a C grade?  Or if I could explain to the teacher marking my paper why I was happy and not angry, shouldn’t that mean an A? 
I grimace as I write this, because I hate English Literature as a subject.  I’m a black and white type of girl.  I like one answer.  Maths and Science is good – it’s ONE answer.  You are either right or wrong.  End of story.
Visual imagery was one concept that I did get however, although I disagreed with a lot of what the teachers told me that the author was meaning (hence the C grades).  The concept (for those who didn’t get it either) is that an author can unconsciously influence how a reader perceives a character or situation by the use of scenic descriptions, supposedly unrelated to the story.  For example, the “good” character in a book is dressed in white while the “bad” characters are dressed in black.  Or the places where a reader is supposed to be frightened are dimly lit.  Or even that bad news only comes on days when it is raining.
I got the concept, but disagreed with a lot of it.  Sometimes a puddle is just a puddle. 
I needed 50% pass in English Lit to get into university.  I got 52%.  How close was that?
That concept of imagery is something I think about from time-to-time.  You often pick it up in movies.  Twilight and its sequels are something you may notice.  The vampires (especially in the opening scenes) are mostly dressed in white, instead of the black as you would normally see a vampire on TV.  Movie makers are well aware of colours and how it depicts someone.
Which is why I was angry at a film I watched yesterday.  It was called Shank and it’s a 2009 British indie film.  Unfortunately I cannot recommend you watch it.  I didn’t enjoy it.  I bought it for its gay-romance theme, but I was turned off by its bad acting, trite storyline, and unnecessary violence.  And no – it wasn’t a realistic ending, and romance?  Pff.
But before I get side tracked, I want to mention the gay man imagery used in this film.  
The basic storyline of the movie is about a young, tough gang member, Cal, who is desperately hiding his homosexual encounters from the world and his mates.  Until one day Cal rescues a gay student from being bashed by the gang.  That incurs the wrath of his mates, so he hides out with his new friend and they fall in love.
Olivier, the student, is openly gay, and the first time he appears on the screen, he is wearing a pink business shirt.  I rolled my eyes at this.  Really?  There is no other way to show the audience that this man is gay apart from dress him in pink?
I persevered onward, thinking that maybe pink was just the “in” colour that year.  Maybe all men wore it. 
The second scene Olivier appeared in, he answered the door wearing bright pink shorts as a bathing suit, and another pink shirt.  And yes – it was a different pink shirt – not the one from the day before which presumably had blood all over it.
During the following scenes, Olivier wore either pink or white (or nothing at all…). Even though he was portrayed as very fashionable, frequently shopping and buying clothes, he stuck to these colours.
BUT the kicker came when we had a series of scenes showing rough Cal falling for the gay-and-proud Olivier.  Cal went from hiding his gay sex while dressed in black, to walking down the street with Olivier and shopping.  And guess what?  Cal was wearing a shirt that had pink stripes.  So in the scenes where Cal is supposedly coming to terms with being gay, and that was okay, he suddenly wore pink?  I just wish the movie makers would stop with the gay man imagery!

It’s a fine line, I know.  What are stereotypes, and what are not? 
If I google “gay man” and ask for images, three out of the first four images that appear on my list are of a man doing something seen as feminine – makeup, a pink feather boa and a purple bikini are all featured in these pictures.  The fourth image is of two men with beards kissing.
I think this is where young people in our world often get so confused.  The beginning of this film (although with its rough acting and violence) was rather thought provoking.  I thought the film would continue down a certain theme, but it didn’t (it was all downhill from about 25 minutes into the movie).  In the opening scenes you find Cal – driven to picking up strange men on the internet, taking them to isolated areas, having to take drugs before he can go through with the sex, and then attacking the men afterward.  It was powerful.  His rage and anger was remarkable.  I could see he was compelled by his urges, but at the same time thoroughly disgusted with himself for giving in.  The only way he knew how to cope with it, was to take his rage out on the other man.  As if bashing them was a way to punish himself.
(As previously mentioned, this line of the story petered out to nothing).
But why are young men in our society like this?  Why are they disgusted with themselves?  Part of the reason (and yes, it is only a part of the reason) is that they are being shown that this is what it is to be gay.  If you’re gay, this you mustwear makeup and pink.  They often don’t identify with that image, and therefore they are even more confused.
My debut character of Jay was your stereotypical gay man.  He had the bleached hair, the makeup, the clothes and the daaarlingdown pat.  Yes, he was gay.  But he wasn’t pandering to an image.  This is what he wanted, so this is how he was.  Conversely, my other romantic lead, Liam, was so far from the glitter and the daaarlingsthat he was convince that he was notgay.

I adore both of these characters, but neither is more gay than the other.  And movies and other mass produced items should stop unconsciously telling the audience that this is how gay men are. 
If the movie was real life, then perhaps it could be that pink was Olivier’s favourite colour.  (Pink is my 7yo son’s favourite colour).  Maybe Olivier enjoyed wearing it as an affirmation of himself.  I get this.  But to have Cal suddenly turn around and start wearing pink too – just because he was coming to accept his sexuality?  That’s pushing the envelope, people.

I stress that this is just my own feelings.  My review of the movie is that it was not realistic, and the characters were too one dimensional.  You had a lot of extreme stereotypes without justification.  And all paths lead back to the same place?  Hmmm.
But I often wonder, as a writer, am I pandering to the stereotypes?  I love my everyday-men characters, who are guys you could meet on the street, or in a train station.  I try hard to make them individualistic, fleshing out the character, making them realistic without the stereotype creeping in.  My problem, however, is where do you draw the line?  Is making a character the extreme opposite of the flamboyant queen pandering to stereotypes too?  Just how many fire-fighters are gay after all?  And not every twink is looking for a daddy.  And not every gay man wants to get married and have a couple of kids.
So tonight I sit here telling myself I’m a hypocrite.  No one is perfect.  If you happen to come across this movie, and you can stomach the violence, then yes, perhaps you should watch.

Just pretend that shirt is something other than pink.


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