Alyssa Goodnight's Blog, page 12

Pee Puddles…again

From February 2008…the title caught my eye, and after a quick perusal, I can confirm, I still feel this same. The photo is what you get when you Google 'puddles of pee.'

There was one little aspect of the presentation I mentioned in the last post that sort of put me off–I remembered it last night. Ms. Lawson tries to associate her hightlighter colors with something easy to remember: blue for dialogue (i.e. talking a blue streak). So, when it came time to talk about yellow–the color for internal thoughts, she tells us (I'm paraphrasing) 'Yellow is the color of urine. When you highlight all those lines of internal thought, think of it as little puddles of pee.' First of all, that's disgusting. Second, WHAT IS SO WRONG WITH A LITTLE INTERNALIZING????? I think the publishing world has been brainwashed. Everywhere I turn I'm hearing, 'minimize the time in your heroine's head', but the books I'm reading, the books I'm loving have it spades. And these (at least most of them) are well-received, very popular books, and for good reason. A little internal thought can do magic for a book, and it certainly doesn't have to be the death knell. People think. People in books should therefore think occasionally. Seems like a no-brainer to me. And I really don't care to picture my hard-won WIP with little puddles of pee all over it. But that's just me.

Image via

MIL Gone Wild

From September 2007…nothing much has changed…zebra stripes have been added (and giraffe print in the bizarro house)

I have two funny stories to share about my mother-in-law who occasionally reads this blog. Two things to know about my MIL: her favorite colors are white and black (gray is also acceptable), and she has a new Maltese puppy who is very pampered.

So first up…my MIL has decorated her current townhome and her lake house in shakes of white, gray, and black. The lake house is accented with red. She and my FIL have recently purchased the house across the street and plan to completely remodel it for overflow or particularly private (or demanding) guests. Well, I'd bought a black comforter for my upstairs guest room and decided it didn't go. I asked her if she'd like to have it as it was a very good price and it was black–'nuf said. In an email, she told me no thank you, she was thinking of going with different colors for the new house.

Different colors?? My eyes bugged. What on earth could she mean? I shared this little tidbit with my husband, and he was similarly curious and incredulous.

So a couple of days later, she visited, and obviously I asked her what colors she was thinking of. Her answer? Brown-black, cream, and reddish orange. I find this pretty darn hilarious. There's going to be a bizarro-lake house right across the street from the current one. Different colors! Hah!

Next up: the dog. I have been charged with taking care of the little Maltese for a week while they go on vacation. I've been wondered about this for some time–how it will go with him being so spoiled and me being so unwilling to spoil him… So we were at the lakehouse last weekend, and she was making his breakfast. She calls me out of the bedroom where I was reading a book to show me how to make his food. Here is the procedure:

1. Grate some frozen liver roll onto a plate

2. Add a handful of dry dogfood pellets

3. Mix in a third of a jar of baby food–that day was Mac & Cheese

4. Mix in a quarter teaspoon of Angel Tears so that his fur does not get stained

5. Slide the plate into the microwave and heat for 15 sec.

6. Offer him the food and give him fifteen minutes to eat it.

7. If he doesn't eat it, refrigerate and offer it again in 1-2 hours.

I should note here that she always feeds him one spoonful with a baby spoon so that he knows what's on the menu.

I joked with her that his time at my house is going to feel like a concentration camp compared to what he's used to. I actually think she's a little concerned. But what can I say? That's almost more effort than I expend on my own dinner. Maybe my husband and I should just have frozen liver roll for dinner…

Image via.

Still a really excellent kiss…

From September 2005…this makes me want to read the whole series all over again!

Just recently I read the most perfect description of a kiss that I have read in a very long time—maybe ever. And it was totally unexpected—I wasn't even reading a romance novel. I was reading the ever popular, beautifully inventive Book 6 of the Harry Potter series. I have included it below:

"After several moments—or it might have been half and hour—or possibly several sunlit days—they broke apart."

— J.K. Rowling from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

It is succinct but evocative, not to mention emotionally charged. As a reader of predominantly romance, I have been waiting through Books 1-5 for Harry to develop some sort of crush or romantic interest. And he did, I believe, in Book 4, but that's long over, and Harry's seventeen now (or almost), so really, I imagined that there should be something. I was not disappointed. I await Book 7 with the thrill of romantic possibility.

Still the Seinfeld Generation.

From July 2005…and some new eye candy…

via

I have watched/loved/revered Seinfeld for years, and for better or worse, the show has very obviously made an impression on me. I often find myself quoting from the show, merging a particularly memorable line into normal conversation. One of my best friends and I make a game of doing it whenever possible—we start out emails with quotes from the show that are relevant to the topic we're writing about, we interject lines from the show into conversation and challenge each other to recognize them… In fact, when I told him I had based a character in my next book on him, he proposed the suggestion that he do a "Jayson Reality Book Tour". The pair of us are far gone indeed.

Can anyone else claim knowledge of this affliction? Anyone out there have their own life stories indelibly linked to a particular Seinfeld episode? I'd love to hear some stories, or reminisce over some classic quotes. Some of my favorite quotes, gleaned not from memory, but from here

"Jerry, you stand on the threshold to the magical world of sensual delights that most men dare not dream of."

- Kramer, in "The Gymnast"

"I'm in the unfortunate position of having to consider other people's feelings."

- Jerry, in "The Gymnast"

"You're giving me the 'It's not you, it's me' routine? I invented 'It's not you, it's me.' Nobody tells me it's them, not me. If it's anybody, it's me."

- George in "The Lip Reader"

"This is the most public yet of my many humiliations."

-Jackie Chiles, in "The Abstinence"

"I don't know how you guys walk around with those things."

- Elaine, in "The Hamptons"

"It's more like a full-body dry heave set to music."

- George, on Elaine's dancing style, in "The Little Kicks"

I could go on and on…

Come on…Post your favorites.

A Flurry of Activity

Whew!  We spent the week of Thanksgiving at Disney World, with one day squeezed in to see the Harry Potter portion of Universal Islands of Adventure.  Talk about your crowds!  We were there three years ago, when my boys were six and eight and a bit wary of going on many of the rides.  This time around my oldest went on virtually everything (except the crazy roller coasters–the ones I won't go on), and loved it all.  The younger one still wasn't interested in anything with drops, spins, or loops.  Or anything 4-D.

On the first day, my younger son, PFB (peanut-free boy) was selected to participate in the Flights of Wonder show at Animal Kingdom.  He was brought on stage with a macaw, and the two were asked simple math problems, in a race to see who got the answer first.  Well, on every problem (all of them having the answer '4′:  '3+1′, '2×2,' etc.), the bird answered first, and then three beats passed and my son would answer.  We thought he was just following directions and maybe hamming it up a little.  Turns out, they didn't tell him not to answer first.  He just wanted the bird to get the answer first.   I'm oddly touched by this sweet side of him–he's usually very competitive.

The trip was a little bit of a challenge because my older son, GFB (gluten-free boy) has been diagnosed with celiac disease.  While Disney has lots of options, they're not always options my son is willing to eat.  So, I was always referencing lists, checking ingredients, and carrying back up food, just in case.  But, despite the lines, the heat, the rain shower, and the occasional ride-induced dizziness, we had a good time.  It'll hold us for at least three more years.  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was amazing, but crowded to the point of ridiculousness.  Both my boys downed mugs of Butter Beer and came away with wands.  PFB picked Snape's wand, and GFB picked Narcissa Malfoy's.

Since we've been back, I've discovered that I too have celiac disease (I had an upper endoscopy before the holiday), and today I took PFB for the same procedure as his bloodwork came back positive as well.  We should know in a few days if we will be a gluten-free family.  Just as we're starting into the Christmas holidays…with all those delicious Christmas goodies.  I'm not sure I can convince myself to start the diet until after the new year…I have no physical symptoms.

 

I've decided that for the month of December, on days that I do not have an alternate post planned, I will be doing a "Best-Of" medley of posts from years-gone-by.  Believe or not, I've been posting to this blog since 2005!   But lots of my posts have probably never been seen by another human eye, so it's almost like they're fresh.  Get excited! 

 

I'm also going to try to sneak in a viewing of my favorite kooky Christmas movie…Susan Slept Here.  What's your favorite holiday movie??

Today I am thankful for…

Family and friends

Technology and simplicity

Blog readers and writers, Facebook friends, Twitter followers

Good books, warm blankets, and hot drinks

Bookstores, toy shops, and mom-and-pop's

Reasons to laugh out loud

Everyday Miracles

Flash mobs and songs you can't help but dance along with

& of course, Dessert…image (and recipe!) via Joy the Baker

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a productive Black Friday!!

Today I am thankful for…

Fairy Lights

For everyday…for any reason.

They spread happiness…and light. 

Images via here, here & here.

Today I am thankful for…

Harry Potter

…the novels, the movies, the quotes, the legend.  And I am in love with these posters!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images via & via.

Check out this gingerbread version of the Weasley Burrow via.  Utter awesomeness!

 

Today I am thankful for…

Good Grammar.

There is just something so refreshing about a person who knows his (or her) your from his (or her) you're.  If you know what I mean.

And don't even get me started on supposably.  Not. A. Word.  It's supposEDLY.  Sorry.  I started all by myself.  I'm done now.

Slap that last one on a t-shirt, and I would sooo wear it.

Images via here, here & here.

Today I am thankful for…

Reading nooks. 

And everything that goes with them.  Secret, out of the way places are best, the better to lengthen your reading time. 

There must be a comfy chair, a warm pool of light, a supply of books, and a spot for a cup of tea and a couple cookies.  A whole bag of Pepperidge Farm will do just fine.

Although totally different, I love the coziness and light in both of these reading nooks.

Images via & via.