Laura VanArendonk Baugh's Blog, page 55

Earth Day, and I’m off to the Northern Colorado Writers Conference

So for Earth Day today, I didn’t mow my grass. Okay, so I probably wasn’t going to mow today, anyway. I have real grass, the grass that was here when the bison were still eating it, and it don’t need no stinking fertilizer and it don’t need no stinking water — during last year’s record-setting [...]

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I’m off to the Northern Colorado Writers Conference

So for Earth Day today, I didn’t mow my grass. Okay, so I probably wasn’t going to mow today, anyway. I have real grass, the grass that was here when the bison were still eating it, and it don’t need no stinking fertilizer and it don’t need no stinking water — during last year’s record-setting [...]

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I Ran for Freedom. And I Didn’t Collapse.

So this morning was the 5K run to benefit International Justice Mission, combating modern slavery. (Yes, real slavery still exists today. In higher numbers than ever, in fact, but thankfully also as a smaller percentage than ever.) What you have to know is that I don’t run. Really. So this was a really good cause [...]

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Teaser Tuesday — Kitsune-Mochi

I’m only flirting with the idea of #TeaserTuesday, but here’s a brief excerpt from Kitsune-Mochi. Let me know if you think #TeaserTuesday is a good idea, ‘kay? Naka no Yoritomo nodded. “My men are without equal, but I will not ask them to face an oni. Let us fall back for now and wait until [...]

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Thoughts on the Boston Marathon Disaster

I didn’t hear about the explosions at the Boston Marathon right away. It wasn’t until my sister and I were on our way home from a library, where we’d been running a simple jewelry workshop for kids, that she checked Twitter and asked, “What happened at the Boston Marathon? Why would they need blood drives?” [...]

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From (Deep in the Heart of) Texas Hill Country

I’ve spent the last few days in Texas Hill Country, visiting my aunt and working on a project. But before I tell you about that, let me walk you through her ranch. My aunt Margie lives on a small ranch immediately outside of Utopia, Texas. When she first moved there a couple of decades ago, [...]

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An Outsider’s Perspective

I just came home from opening night at the Indiana Reperatory Theatre‘s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I gave it a glowing review, but I wanted to comment on a technique they used which made the play more accessible. (And let’s be honest, Shakespeare often unnecessarily intimidates potential audiences, just because of the language and reputation.) [...]

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Political Insults — Assault Weapons & Weapons of War

The most insulting letter I’ve ever received from any government entity or official was a form letter from TSA, informing me that the agent who had invited me to come back for some costumed roleplay with him was in fact only acting for my own security. Not a word about the inappropriateness of the sexual [...]

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Yuki Onna photos

The yuki onna is a femme fatale of Japanese folklore. When travelers are lost or exhausted in the winter snows, the yuki onna (“snow woman”) appears to greet them — and they are never seen again. /cue shivery music/ Yuki onna are always extremely beautiful, and they are icy cold to the touch. From [...]

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More Options for Guilt-Free Chocolate

Well, free of guilt from exploitation. You’re on your own for the calories. (But dark chocolate has important antioxidants and flavonoids and stuff. It’s good for you. That’s science.) I bought a Dove dark chocolate bar, marked certified by the Rainforest Alliance. A bit of research (the Mars link is dead) shows that Rainforest Alliance [...]

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