Tray Ellis's Blog, page 7
June 25, 2018
beetle battles continues
I was out again finding beetles on my asparagus. I've made a good bit of progress, but this is going to be something that won't end for a long, long time. Of course, while I was fighting the good fight, a mosquito found my ankle and now I have a very itchy bite. The bug world, man, they always get the upper hand, don't they?
June 24, 2018
beetles!
Yesterday I discovered to my great dismay that two different kinds of asparagus beetles have invaded my small asparagus patch. There were really disgusting larvae all over the ferns. I've been out dealing with them most of today and a good bit of yesterday. Here's a quick page on what they look like:
https://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/...
I've got both beetles in my garden this year. Last year, no beetles whatsoever! (That I noticed.)
So gross.
It takes 3 years at least to get an asparagus bed established. I really hope this doesn't mean that I won't get anything from my bed next spring. There's really nothing quite like super fresh asparagus.
Damn you, Beetles!
https://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/...
I've got both beetles in my garden this year. Last year, no beetles whatsoever! (That I noticed.)
So gross.
It takes 3 years at least to get an asparagus bed established. I really hope this doesn't mean that I won't get anything from my bed next spring. There's really nothing quite like super fresh asparagus.
Damn you, Beetles!
June 21, 2018
fic: Better Business Culture
Wow, tonight I actually get a breather from all the To-Dos that I have on a list. I thought since I had a few minutes, that it was time I shared the other ficlet I wrote for the Queer Sci-Fi flash fic contest, but ultimately decided wasn't quite strong enough to be the one submitted. (Since the one I did submit got accepted, I feel I chose well!)
Here's the original info for the contest: https://queerscifi.com/flash-contest-...
This is still just roughed out. There's a core idea, but I didn't do the heavy editing where I agonize over each word. Enjoy!
Better Business Culture
"Remember what it was like before?" Maxine nodded toward the buzzing area of activity.
Her employees bowed their heads in front of computer screens, some creating code, while others brainstormed ideas in pod-areas, their ideas taking shape in the air, formed by their words and a text-to-laser graphic app. She couldn't hear the main office since her windows were thick sound-proof glass, but she could watch while she had the glass-tint lowered. It let everyone know she was available, if needed.
"Before we got rid of Gwen?" Carla thumbed through a file. "Positively dispirited."
"Odd how it wasn't the main bosses, but one high level analyst that set the tone." Maxine thought back on their take-over. They'd charged up through the ranks, biding time until they could implement their ideas and change the stagnant, antediluvian culture.
"With her gone, people came out of their shells. Not afraid to make suggestions, offer opinions, be creative."
"Jamal and Eric started dating a week after she left. Amber put up photos of her wife and kids."
"Pat stopped hiding zir nature and dressed the way ze wanted."
"And we made 150% profit two years out, from the energy and drive they put in."
"Don't forget the overtime. Suddenly they all didn't hate being here."
"Just goes to show, sometimes a rotten apple does spoil the bunch."
"First get rid of all the haters."
Maxine rubbed her hands together and activated the widow-tint completely. "Now it's time for the next item on our impact list."
Here's the original info for the contest: https://queerscifi.com/flash-contest-...
This is still just roughed out. There's a core idea, but I didn't do the heavy editing where I agonize over each word. Enjoy!
Better Business Culture
"Remember what it was like before?" Maxine nodded toward the buzzing area of activity.
Her employees bowed their heads in front of computer screens, some creating code, while others brainstormed ideas in pod-areas, their ideas taking shape in the air, formed by their words and a text-to-laser graphic app. She couldn't hear the main office since her windows were thick sound-proof glass, but she could watch while she had the glass-tint lowered. It let everyone know she was available, if needed.
"Before we got rid of Gwen?" Carla thumbed through a file. "Positively dispirited."
"Odd how it wasn't the main bosses, but one high level analyst that set the tone." Maxine thought back on their take-over. They'd charged up through the ranks, biding time until they could implement their ideas and change the stagnant, antediluvian culture.
"With her gone, people came out of their shells. Not afraid to make suggestions, offer opinions, be creative."
"Jamal and Eric started dating a week after she left. Amber put up photos of her wife and kids."
"Pat stopped hiding zir nature and dressed the way ze wanted."
"And we made 150% profit two years out, from the energy and drive they put in."
"Don't forget the overtime. Suddenly they all didn't hate being here."
"Just goes to show, sometimes a rotten apple does spoil the bunch."
"First get rid of all the haters."
Maxine rubbed her hands together and activated the widow-tint completely. "Now it's time for the next item on our impact list."
June 12, 2018
Queer Sci Fi: Impact (I made the list!)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/qsfdi...
Check out the link to see the official post, with all the many stories that made it into the new flash fiction anthology that Queer SciFi is doing this year.
My flash fiction made the list this year!
The title is "Low Tech Impact" -- and I'm really happy about this. I've had a busy year with things that have taken me away from writing (as evidenced by my drift away from social media for a little bit) and finding the time to write the flash fiction was a small struggle at the time, and now I'm so glad that I made the extra effort. It feels really, really good to be included with so many other spectacular writers. It keeps me *feeling* like a writer. And I know that soon I will be getting back to writing more often, just as soon as the pesky stuff in life is dealt with.
Check out the link to see the official post, with all the many stories that made it into the new flash fiction anthology that Queer SciFi is doing this year.
My flash fiction made the list this year!
The title is "Low Tech Impact" -- and I'm really happy about this. I've had a busy year with things that have taken me away from writing (as evidenced by my drift away from social media for a little bit) and finding the time to write the flash fiction was a small struggle at the time, and now I'm so glad that I made the extra effort. It feels really, really good to be included with so many other spectacular writers. It keeps me *feeling* like a writer. And I know that soon I will be getting back to writing more often, just as soon as the pesky stuff in life is dealt with.
May 1, 2018
Smeg stuff -- retro cute
Someone just told me about Smeg today -- I hadn't been aware of the brand before. Really cute styling, very retro. Pricier than I like to go, and also I have very good working stuff I don't want to replace for no other reason than style, but it's a fun few minutes to daydream about having a kitchen all color matching and sleek.
See here if you haven't seen it before: https://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/...
And I've been watching some Iron Chef lately, which always puts in mind of having the Ultimate Kitchen.
Right now, though, I only have the Ultimate Kitchen Mess. I cleaned up some of it this evening, but this is going to be a two part cleaning attempt to get things organized again. I really need to go through and get rid of stuff. I have an entire shelf of plastic containers, cleaned and at the ready, for food, but I've switched to trying to use glass a lot more.
April 29, 2018
fic: Wisdom at a Price
I wrote a couple roughed-out flash stories for https://queerscifi.com/flash-contest-... and then chose the one I thought was the strongest for submission, but that left me with stories without a home. This is one of them. Only roughed out, meaning it hasn't been heavily edited, but still has a core idea in it. Plus, it is a free ficlet, and that's a good thing. Enjoy!
Wisdom at a Price
"I have some bad news."
Kayden flicked her eyes to the white smock of Dr. Sheed. A smudge of yellow-green marred the otherwise immaculate fabric, testament that Dr. Sheed had been poking and prodding around Kayden's mouth earlier.
"They're impacted."
Kayden stifled the impulse to let her hand fly to her face. Touching would hurt too much. Her jaw had ached and throbbed for weeks before she'd finally gotten enough together to afford this visit. She'd have to put her surgery on her credit card and get a bank loan to pay it off.
"Only two of them," Dr. Sheed continued. "But you already have an infection setting in."
"It's early, though, right?" Kayden's voice trembled. She'd feared this the most. Most antibiotics had stopped working five years ago. Of the few that still worked, they were reserved for important people like politicians. The other technologies, like phage therapy and targeted liposome strategy, were expensive. Even with a bank loan, Kayden couldn't afford them.
"I can get you in as early as tomorrow afternoon. The earlier the better. We have amazing advances now in terms of completely sterile surgery since we use a robotic extraction method. I can try debriding the area, but the infection is a concern. With the teeth removed, your chances will be better."
Kayden thought of Penelope. Would she go bankrupt if Kayden died before she'd repaid the loan? Could Kayden really allow that?
"Thanks, Doctor. I need to consider it. I'll let you know."
Wisdom at a Price
"I have some bad news."
Kayden flicked her eyes to the white smock of Dr. Sheed. A smudge of yellow-green marred the otherwise immaculate fabric, testament that Dr. Sheed had been poking and prodding around Kayden's mouth earlier.
"They're impacted."
Kayden stifled the impulse to let her hand fly to her face. Touching would hurt too much. Her jaw had ached and throbbed for weeks before she'd finally gotten enough together to afford this visit. She'd have to put her surgery on her credit card and get a bank loan to pay it off.
"Only two of them," Dr. Sheed continued. "But you already have an infection setting in."
"It's early, though, right?" Kayden's voice trembled. She'd feared this the most. Most antibiotics had stopped working five years ago. Of the few that still worked, they were reserved for important people like politicians. The other technologies, like phage therapy and targeted liposome strategy, were expensive. Even with a bank loan, Kayden couldn't afford them.
"I can get you in as early as tomorrow afternoon. The earlier the better. We have amazing advances now in terms of completely sterile surgery since we use a robotic extraction method. I can try debriding the area, but the infection is a concern. With the teeth removed, your chances will be better."
Kayden thought of Penelope. Would she go bankrupt if Kayden died before she'd repaid the loan? Could Kayden really allow that?
"Thanks, Doctor. I need to consider it. I'll let you know."
March 21, 2018
finally decided
For the "Impact" contest, I actually wrote 3 different stories. After letting them sit for a few nights, when I came back to do the editing, I knew which one I wanted to fix up and send in. But that leaves me with two others! They need a little spit and polish to make them presentable, but I'll get them up sometime soon for sharing.
March 20, 2018
actual pen to paper
Winter is always one of my lag times, where I work a lot and don't write a lot.
I thought this year that I wouldn't have something to submit to the Queer SciFi contest as seen here https://queerscifi.com/flash-contest-... but I did scribble out something today. Maybe after an edit it will be in good enough shape to submit.
I thought this year that I wouldn't have something to submit to the Queer SciFi contest as seen here https://queerscifi.com/flash-contest-... but I did scribble out something today. Maybe after an edit it will be in good enough shape to submit.
March 17, 2018
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
A day of many joys -- corned beef cabbage, green beer, everyone dressing in green, and the birthdays of a few of my favorite people. For whatever reason, St. Pat's Day seems to be a popular day to be born into the world. It is as if the babies knew they were setting themselves up for a lifetime of fantastic parties. It is also nice to think that even if you're not the least bit Irish, on St. Patrick's Day, you get to be just the littlest bit Irish, and celebrate.
March 4, 2018
the infinite balance
So, the last day of the weekend...what's on my To Do list for today
--magazine shovel out (I save too many, thinking I'll read them later)
--make soup
--laundry
--bills
--stretch/exercise
--delete old e-mails
I already spent some time going through older e-mails, always a rabbit-hole of a task. I realize I need to catch up on stuff!!
I'm about to go stretch -- the older I get, the more my IT band has decided it wants to go to war with me.
I'm trying to decide what soup I want, because soup leftovers will also be my lunches for the next few days.
Magazine shovel out -- as part of my general thought of trying to declutter things. I don't want to get rid of everything and I am way to sentimental to ever really pare down to that state of zen that some people aspire to, but I also know that I could be a really massive pack rat if I don't watch it. Part of the problem is that I tend to be really careful with my things. They last a really long time. And I don't want to just chuck things into a landfill. So I end up keeping things. I do recycle a lot, and also donate things to thrift stores/recycling stores/give things away/etc. but I try to be mindful about things, and that takes time.
Taking that time means taking away from writing time, so I'm always balancing between doing things I enjoy (writing, going out and enjoying activities) and dealing with my clutter and accumulation. Today is another day of that infinite balance.
--magazine shovel out (I save too many, thinking I'll read them later)
--make soup
--laundry
--bills
--stretch/exercise
--delete old e-mails
I already spent some time going through older e-mails, always a rabbit-hole of a task. I realize I need to catch up on stuff!!
I'm about to go stretch -- the older I get, the more my IT band has decided it wants to go to war with me.
I'm trying to decide what soup I want, because soup leftovers will also be my lunches for the next few days.
Magazine shovel out -- as part of my general thought of trying to declutter things. I don't want to get rid of everything and I am way to sentimental to ever really pare down to that state of zen that some people aspire to, but I also know that I could be a really massive pack rat if I don't watch it. Part of the problem is that I tend to be really careful with my things. They last a really long time. And I don't want to just chuck things into a landfill. So I end up keeping things. I do recycle a lot, and also donate things to thrift stores/recycling stores/give things away/etc. but I try to be mindful about things, and that takes time.
Taking that time means taking away from writing time, so I'm always balancing between doing things I enjoy (writing, going out and enjoying activities) and dealing with my clutter and accumulation. Today is another day of that infinite balance.
