A.J. Lauer's Blog, page 23
April 1, 2013
A is for the woman with Almond-shaped eyes
The woman's almond eyes gazed across the table toward a playground opposite. Her eyes melted into wistful puddles as her would-be daughter skipped across the grass of her imagination.. Refocusing again upon the appearance of a towheaded boy chasing a ball. "Some day." she thought, "Some day it will be my turn." A drop slid down the side of her glass as she stood, forcing a smile, at the sound of her sister's voice. "Just not today. Just not yet, not yet."
Welcome! This month I am participating in the April A-Z Challenge (sorry to start it off on a kind-of sad note..). My theme for the month is ‘character development.’ Some days will be exercises from John Gardner’s The Art of Fiction, others will be profiles of characters from my book Armageddon: Pick Your Plot, and some will just be random people I make up. I hope you enjoy!
Welcome! This month I am participating in the April A-Z Challenge (sorry to start it off on a kind-of sad note..). My theme for the month is ‘character development.’ Some days will be exercises from John Gardner’s The Art of Fiction, others will be profiles of characters from my book Armageddon: Pick Your Plot, and some will just be random people I make up. I hope you enjoy!
March 30, 2013
6WS
Recovering from a crazy busy week.
Y'all.. Wow it's been a nutso week! Last weekend was the ARCh Reunion, and our book signing event, and hanging out with people and eating lots of yummy WI food (potato pancakes! and frozen custard!) and NOT sleeping. My work week was packed full every minute, including working late most days. This morning I managed to sleep in until 7:15, and later we'll go hiking and lunching with friends, and tomorrow an Easter luncheon. A nice restorative weekend to catch up after last weekend's craziness awesome'ness.
I'm off to keep writing posts for Monday's start of April A-Z! Meanwhile, here are a couple pictures from the book event, for your enjoyment.
Me and co-author Dan - aren't we cute?
We left a copy in the Little Free Library just outside the coffee shop.
This post is brought to you by Six Word Saturday! It's harder than it looks (but also really fun :) ).
Y'all.. Wow it's been a nutso week! Last weekend was the ARCh Reunion, and our book signing event, and hanging out with people and eating lots of yummy WI food (potato pancakes! and frozen custard!) and NOT sleeping. My work week was packed full every minute, including working late most days. This morning I managed to sleep in until 7:15, and later we'll go hiking and lunching with friends, and tomorrow an Easter luncheon. A nice restorative weekend to catch up after last weekend's craziness awesome'ness.
I'm off to keep writing posts for Monday's start of April A-Z! Meanwhile, here are a couple pictures from the book event, for your enjoyment.
Me and co-author Dan - aren't we cute?
We left a copy in the Little Free Library just outside the coffee shop.
This post is brought to you by Six Word Saturday! It's harder than it looks (but also really fun :) ).
March 20, 2013
Featured :)
Am going home for a reunion and a book event this weekend, so am feeling pretty nostalgic. That means this week we're going to get a little retro. Enjoy :)
I think I've pointed out my badge on the right that identifies me as being part of Tina's Terrific Team for April A-Z (have you signed up yet? huh? huh?). Well, one of the perks of being one of Tina's minions is that she is featuring me on her blog today! Fun!
I mentioned we were doing retro this week, and here's the deal - you have to head over to Tina's blog to see it. It's worth it, I promise! I'll wait while you go look. It will only take a second.
..ok.
Didja see it?
How about dem kitties? And those adorable glasses? Yeahhhh... Told you it was worth it! Happy Wednesday! :)
I think I've pointed out my badge on the right that identifies me as being part of Tina's Terrific Team for April A-Z (have you signed up yet? huh? huh?). Well, one of the perks of being one of Tina's minions is that she is featuring me on her blog today! Fun!
I mentioned we were doing retro this week, and here's the deal - you have to head over to Tina's blog to see it. It's worth it, I promise! I'll wait while you go look. It will only take a second.
..ok.
Didja see it?
How about dem kitties? And those adorable glasses? Yeahhhh... Told you it was worth it! Happy Wednesday! :)
March 18, 2013
Youth Team anniversary
Am going home for a reunion and a book event this weekend, so am feeling pretty nostalgic. That means this week we're going to get a little retro. Enjoy :)
Occasionally on this blog I'll talk about my love for women's issues, identity, LGBT folk, and other topics relating to social justice. Something I haven't talked much about is how all of that started for me.
I was a nerdy kid. We'd moved around a lot, and changed schools a lot (8 schools in K-12!) so I never really had a chance to find my people. My posse, the ones who'd stick up for one another and anti-bully for one another. It was rough. I'd always fought it in my own ways, by doing things like sticking up for those who were getting teased more, etc but that would only work for a short time until I ended up switching schools again.
In the 7th grade I saw a "Differences: Gotta Have 'Em!" presentation by the ARCh Youth Team and suddenly that changed a bit. Here were people who recognized that it was ok to be geeky, or chubby, or have a disability. The presentation made a huge impact on me and I immediately joined the Youth Team. I spent many, many, many hours volunteering for the organization through the rest of middle and high school.
A group of us after a Differences: Gotta Have 'Em! presentation The Youth Team not only does presentations, but also monthly get-togethers with teens who have disabilities, and workshops on Shaken Baby Syndrome. We once did a prayer service at my HS for victims of child abuse, and I hear they are using the text I wrote for that in presentations even today. It is very much a theory-to-practice group, where middle and high school students learn what standing up for what you believe in is really all about.
Me, performing the Balloons skitDifferences presentations were about acknowledging and celebrating the differences and similarities among us all. They were about bullying, about respect, and about learning about people before you judge them. They were the start of my social justice education (though we didn't call it that) and I must have done over 100 of them during my 5 years.
This weekend is the 25th Anniversary of the Youth Team's beginnings. I've somewhat lost touch with them since I graduated from high school and am looking forward to going back, seeing old friends, finding out what the YT is up to these days, and perhaps sharing with its current members the impact that it still has on me today.
Occasionally on this blog I'll talk about my love for women's issues, identity, LGBT folk, and other topics relating to social justice. Something I haven't talked much about is how all of that started for me.
I was a nerdy kid. We'd moved around a lot, and changed schools a lot (8 schools in K-12!) so I never really had a chance to find my people. My posse, the ones who'd stick up for one another and anti-bully for one another. It was rough. I'd always fought it in my own ways, by doing things like sticking up for those who were getting teased more, etc but that would only work for a short time until I ended up switching schools again.
In the 7th grade I saw a "Differences: Gotta Have 'Em!" presentation by the ARCh Youth Team and suddenly that changed a bit. Here were people who recognized that it was ok to be geeky, or chubby, or have a disability. The presentation made a huge impact on me and I immediately joined the Youth Team. I spent many, many, many hours volunteering for the organization through the rest of middle and high school.
A group of us after a Differences: Gotta Have 'Em! presentation The Youth Team not only does presentations, but also monthly get-togethers with teens who have disabilities, and workshops on Shaken Baby Syndrome. We once did a prayer service at my HS for victims of child abuse, and I hear they are using the text I wrote for that in presentations even today. It is very much a theory-to-practice group, where middle and high school students learn what standing up for what you believe in is really all about.
Me, performing the Balloons skitDifferences presentations were about acknowledging and celebrating the differences and similarities among us all. They were about bullying, about respect, and about learning about people before you judge them. They were the start of my social justice education (though we didn't call it that) and I must have done over 100 of them during my 5 years.This weekend is the 25th Anniversary of the Youth Team's beginnings. I've somewhat lost touch with them since I graduated from high school and am looking forward to going back, seeing old friends, finding out what the YT is up to these days, and perhaps sharing with its current members the impact that it still has on me today.
March 17, 2013
SWS
Ack! I missed Six Word Saturday!
Hey that was six words :)
It's been a super-busy, very productive weekend at Chez Sweet. It was a gorgeous 70 degrees out on Friday, so I took the day off to start digging a garden plot in the backyard. Friday and Saturday were all about tearing up sod (with a brief foray into 'maybe we should replace some sod in the front yard! ..umm no that's way too much work') and today we get to actually build the frames for the raised bed. My forearms are very glad we're done with the sod.
We also found a local guy who makes pretty rockin' composters, so we'll be starting that soon.
I've also, also been hemming some drapes, and getting in some reading and writing in my spare time. Yup, spring is springing and I'm restless. Productive, but restless..
Hey that was six words :)
It's been a super-busy, very productive weekend at Chez Sweet. It was a gorgeous 70 degrees out on Friday, so I took the day off to start digging a garden plot in the backyard. Friday and Saturday were all about tearing up sod (with a brief foray into 'maybe we should replace some sod in the front yard! ..umm no that's way too much work') and today we get to actually build the frames for the raised bed. My forearms are very glad we're done with the sod.
We also found a local guy who makes pretty rockin' composters, so we'll be starting that soon.
I've also, also been hemming some drapes, and getting in some reading and writing in my spare time. Yup, spring is springing and I'm restless. Productive, but restless..
March 13, 2013
Author conversations
When we ask people what ending they find first in our book, a majority of them tell us they found a certain ending that involves dwarves. This has been a source of great entertainment over the last 7 weeks, and yet again tonight a friend who just got her book shared the same thing.
And lo, the wisdom of my co-author Dan:
me: Jess found the dwarf ending first too. What is it about that ending?? Daniel: Lesbians and free will.
That's right. Lesbians + Free Will = Dwarves. Yeah, our book is awesome.
And lo, the wisdom of my co-author Dan:
me: Jess found the dwarf ending first too. What is it about that ending?? Daniel: Lesbians and free will.
That's right. Lesbians + Free Will = Dwarves. Yeah, our book is awesome.
March 11, 2013
Ooops...
I accidentally set my alarm clock forward an hour AND ten minutes. Got up before 6 this morning!
Spring Forward fail!
Spring Forward fail!
March 9, 2013
Six Word Saturday
Oh no, a daffodil allergy? Really?
Beautiful offenders
One of my coworkers sells daffodils for a fundraiser every year. Bright, gorgeous, fresh daffodils. This year I was the first person he hit, so he didn't have change yet, so I got two bunches. Because, you know, I can handle an extra dose of pretty! For sure. We got the daffodils this week and they are so very gorgeous! Unfortunately they are having a not-so-gorgeous effect on my respiratory system, so I think they're going to have to be gifted to some friends when they come over tonight.
This post is brought to you by Six Word Saturday! It's harder than it looks (but also really fun :) ).
Beautiful offendersOne of my coworkers sells daffodils for a fundraiser every year. Bright, gorgeous, fresh daffodils. This year I was the first person he hit, so he didn't have change yet, so I got two bunches. Because, you know, I can handle an extra dose of pretty! For sure. We got the daffodils this week and they are so very gorgeous! Unfortunately they are having a not-so-gorgeous effect on my respiratory system, so I think they're going to have to be gifted to some friends when they come over tonight.
This post is brought to you by Six Word Saturday! It's harder than it looks (but also really fun :) ).March 5, 2013
Tina's Terrific Team!
I mentioned a bit back that I am participating again this year in the April A-Z challenge. A lovely challenge that involves writing a post for 26 days in April (every day but Sundays), with topics that go in alphabetical order. In an interview on the A-Z blog, I mentioned my theme for the year, but what I didn't mention is that I've decided to get a little more involved in the Challenge. When the lovely Tina asked me to join her team of minions, I immediately said yes. I mean, who doesn't love to be a minion once in a while? Check out our neato blog badge on the right!
I encourage you to visit Tina, as well as the other minions in our group. It's an eclectic and lovely team. I'm excited to work with them and to help keep the Challenge running smoothly :)
Andrea of Maybe It's Just Me and I Like it On the Table
Hilary of Positive Letters... Inspirational Stories...
Jolie DuPre of Precious Monsters (Gotta love someone with an awesome name like that!)
JoJo of Tahoma Beadworks and Photography
and
PV Ariel aka Philip of philipscom
Still have a lot of writing to do to prepare - it's going to be great. :)
I encourage you to visit Tina, as well as the other minions in our group. It's an eclectic and lovely team. I'm excited to work with them and to help keep the Challenge running smoothly :)
Andrea of Maybe It's Just Me and I Like it On the Table
Hilary of Positive Letters... Inspirational Stories...
Jolie DuPre of Precious Monsters (Gotta love someone with an awesome name like that!)
JoJo of Tahoma Beadworks and Photography
and
PV Ariel aka Philip of philipscom
Still have a lot of writing to do to prepare - it's going to be great. :)
March 3, 2013
Overengineering the house
It is always so exciting to get house projects done! These are the hooks we just added on the way to the basement, to catch hiking backpacks and as a home for the broom. Happy to take care of a few more bits of clutter :-)
