Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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Writing Questions for Josh
Lou wrote: "I like squirrels even if they are noisy little buggers with too much attitude.In some parts of LA we have green parrots. They're not native but descendants of escaped house pets. They move around..."
Nature has a way of sorting itself out, it seems. :)
Christine wrote: "Cleon wrote: "I want squirrels. I've held baby tigers but I don't think I've ever seen a live squirrels. Poor me. *sniff*"It's so funny, because sometimes I look at squirrels and think, "You know..."
We don't have much wild life here anymore, sadly. :(
Johanna wrote: "Oh, Cleon! You've got to come and visit me and my back yard squirrels some day! :) ..."
I'm looking forward for it, Johanna! :D
Cleon wrote: "Susan wrote: "Cleon wrote: "I want squirrels. I've held baby tigers but I don't think I've ever seen a live squirrels."Where are your priorities, Cleon!
I'd take a baby tiger over a live squirrel..."
I'd be careful, because baby cats of any kind, OMG how I would love to hold and pet a tiger cub.
li>Cleon wrote: I want squirrels. I've held baby tigers but I don't think I've ever seen a live squirrels. ."Oh my god... This is one of those light bulb moments for me (although I don't know if I should admit that)... It never occurred to me that squirrels weren't everywhere in the world. Wow. I always took squirrels for granted.
And to be honest, they freak me out a little bit too. I had one get mad at me once for walking between it and another squirrel it was screeching at. It turned and started screeching at me instead. I can't remember the sound exactly but I know it was definitely a squirrel's version of cursing me out. Also, around the area where I'm from there are black squirrels and their tails are huge and they look like they might eat you (the squirrels not the tails).
So I'm not sure if the moral of this story is that I think about squirrels too little or too much.... Hmmm.
p..s. I really want to hold a koala.
Tina Kay wrote: "I can't remember the sound exactly but I know it was definitely a squirrel's version of cursing me out."I know the sound you are talking about! I can hear it perfectly in my mind.
I love getting squirrels all riled up (by making noise at them) just to hear them yell at me. ;)
Lou wrote: "They move around in big noisy flocks, yet I haven't been able to get a glimpse on a single one. The funny part is that they eat the fruits of palm trees that are also nonnative. It all works out."Ha!
And I have had the same experience with the parrots here. Big noisy flocks, but have never seen just one.
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"Josh wrote: I am CRAVING spring."
Katharina wrote:Oh boy, I SO agree with this. I'm s..."
We're getting close. The buds are forming on the trees, the daffs and tulips are popping up, the doves are getting loveydovey on the fence. But we've had snow all the way into April, so you really can't start planting safely until late April/early May.
And then it's Memorial Day and blazing hot.
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Oh my god... This is one of those light bulb moments for me (although I don't know if ..."
We have ground squirrels here and I am not fond of them. :-(
But are they Corleone squirrels?Why does it always come back to the squirrels? I'm beginning to suspect a grand squirrel conspiracy is afoot. In six months, I'll be typing away on this Q&A as Rhonda after the Witness Protection Program relocates me to the Arctic Circle.
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The worst wild animal invasion we've had where a family of wolf-hybrid dogs that were getting out of their yard. Those four beasts were not afraid of any human, and killed every small animal in a 4 mile radius, including many pets. I lots two cats to those dogs before I knew what was going on.And the people who owned the dogs skipped out of their house lease and left the dogs behind to roam the area around us. Animal control took forever to round them up.
Squirrels I don't mind at all.
Karen wrote: "Guinea hens wander the streets of our village (semi-rural community bordering the metro area) and dig up yards and gardens when the soil is soft enough to get into. They are descendants of barnyard..."Oh, lol!
Susinok wrote: "The worst wild animal invasion we've had where a family of wolf-hybrid dogs that were getting out of their yard. Those four beasts were not afraid of any human, and killed every small animal in a 4..."Ai! That's terrible! ...To say that I hate it when people are irresponsible with their pets would be an understatement. >:(
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Ha! I love that. :-)
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Why does it always come back to the squirrels? I'm beginning to suspect a grand squirrel conspiracy is afoot. In six months, I'll be typing away on this Q&A as Rho..."
:-D True. In the end it's always about the squirrels.
Karen wrote: "Guinea hens wander the streets of our village (semi-rural community bordering the metro area) and dig up yards and gardens when the soil is soft enough to get into. They are descendants of barnyard..."They wouldn't survive a month here. People will catch them for cooking. Lol
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:-)
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Aww... Lovely.
Josh wrote: "But we've had snow all the way into April, so you really can't start planting safely until late April/early May."
Wow. Interesting! I have to admit that I didn't even know that you have snow there...
Susinok wrote: "The worst wild animal invasion we've had where a family of wolf-hybrid dogs that were getting out of their yard. Those four beasts were not afraid of any human, and killed every small animal in a 4..."Wow that's really scary. I'm sorry about your cats. :-( That almost sounds like it could be a movie... wolf-hybrid dogs taking control of the town... better a movie than real life. :-/
I have to say, I don't feel so bad about the squirrels now either. Although I still think they're shady.
So as I was on my way to Starbucks this morning with my laptop, I found myself wondering where writers like to write. Do most of you write in a home office? Or do you like to go to a place like a Starbucks or book store?
Josh wrote: "So this is a writing question that I can't answer. I started out thinking it was funny, but having had a brush with a stalker personality lately, I'm now leaning more toward creeped out."
I saw this yesterday while reading threads on a snow day from school. I usually don't read in the writing threads. I'm glad I did. How sad that this happened. It does seem creepy and I would be bothered. You are a good guy to let it roll off, though it sounds as if there aren't a lot of options. I think somewhere in this conversation you mentioned a problem with your facebook page 'friends,' as well. Though that could have been something I read under a different topic, it finally gives me a chance to fess up and apologize. I requested friend status on your facebook page by accident. LOL. Call it a 3am glitch, but I honestly thought it was your fan page when I made the request. When you accepted me, I was horrified at what I had done. I try not to intrude on my own kid's fb pages, now I found myself on your personal page! Ack! I debated sending you a message and asking you to just drop me, but I was embarrassed. Then I found out I love you and your friends. :D (and I know some of them are real friends too!) Thank you for adding me and allowing me to interact with you and some truly lovely people out there.
In way of thanks to you and all the regular posters in this thread, I will give you a picture of my husband and one of many of his backyard friends. Yes, that is a peanut in his mouth, and that is how he feeds them. Yes. My life is exciting. The teacher in me was quick to ascertain that there has never been a case of rabies from a squirrel in this country. Thankfully. When I walk out of my house they come running from yards away, hoping for food. When they figure out it's me instead of my husband you can almost hear the collective, "Oh, crap!" from their tiny little rodent lips.
I want to write in Karen's back yard with the Guinea hens.
My "home office" aka my living room. :-)I like writing in the library because it's (generally) quiet but I can't always get out of the house before 7pm and the library closes at 9.
So I've started going to a restaurant (La Madeliene) that has outlets and largish tables and don't seem to mind if you stay awhile without buying a lot. It's noisy and distracting, but I don't have to be out of there by 9, so it's a trade off....
Getting out of the house is good to help me focus, but I generally have more time if I stay at home since I can just keep working late into the night. Until my focus starts wondering...
Karan wrote: "Josh wrote: "So this is a writing question that I can't answer. I started out thinking it was funny, but having had a brush with a stalker personality lately, I'm now leaning more toward creeped ..."
That's so cute! :D
Either in my living room or, when I need quiet to focus, back in my bedroom.
Karan wrote: "Josh wrote: "So this is a writing question that I can't answer. I started out thinking it was funny, but having had a brush with a stalker personality lately, I'm now leaning more toward creeped ..."
You have NICE squirrels. I don't see that one holding your deck hostage for protection money. :-D
Now I feel bad because I don't HAVE a tagline. :( "Aleks Voinov - Best-Dressed Romance." Meh.
My study, overlooking the garden and park. I also sometimes like a coffee shop if I feel lonely/isolated. :)
Karan wrote: "Josh wrote: "So this is a writing question that I can't answer. "
Thank you for sharing this picture, Karan! That's too cute!
I wonder who trained who.
And seeing how big your squirrels are I now understand that they can even think about about a plan to achieve world domination. Ours are way, way smaller. ;)
I usually write at home (I live in a small town, which makes going to the coffee shop or library far too social an event for writing). But I love getting the chance to write somewhere else - airplanes, coffee places in other towns, in my car (while stopped...usually). I have an alphasmart, basically a digital typewriter without internet access, and it makes a wonderful traveling companion.
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Oh LOL! Thank you for posting the cute picture, Karan! :)
Glad you all enjoy the pic. :) They really don't bother me, but they will climb my husband's pants for a treat...which sounds like some sort of squirrel kink, but it's not. :DAs for favorite places to write, I don't, but my friend has her office overlooking her garden. When I was visiting, I spent my time watching the birds and bees out the window. I don't think I could get any work done there, but it was beautiful. :)
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Sometimes I go to a local indie coffee house, but mostly I like to work at home. I'm less likely to be distracted.
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I started out thinking it was funny, but having had a brush with a stalker personality lately, I'm now leaning more toward creeped ..."
Nah. I have no problem at all with friend requests on my regular FB page. In fact, a lot of people prefer that page because (I think) they fear I'll spam them on the fan pages and they'll get more quality interaction on the regular page. I don't think twice about it.
I'm thinking most people worry needlessly about whether I'll view their affection for the books or their curiosity about me as "stalkerish." The fact is, it takes a lot to raise my flags. I would suggest that the people who are concerned are the *last* ones who need to worry.
Aleksandr wrote: "Now I feel bad because I don't HAVE a tagline. :( "Aleks Voinov - Best-Dressed Romance." Meh."
You need no introduction, Aleks. :)
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Hee. Two trained squirrels! :-D
Susinok - But everybody says you need BRANDING. :)
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Hey! I think you do, but some people just naturally seem to present a complete and unique persona from the minute they appear.
Hmmm. Interesting. Because this is more "me" than my boss thinks comes to work 5 days a week. (I tone the crazy down a bit so I don't get a company-sponsored psych eval.)
Aleksandr wrote: "Susinok - But everybody says you need BRANDING. :)"Out here in Oklahoma, branding takes on a whole new meaning.. :) I would be the Lazy S.
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Out here in Oklahoma, branding takes on a whole new meaning.. :) I would be the Lazy S."
Yes. Too many Max BRANDS for me as a kid.
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You're very welcome, although the guinea hens tend to hang out in the front, avoiding our geriatric dogs and foraging yard to yard, then slowing down cars as they cross to greener pastures. Actually, almost nothing is green right now. It's that awkward late winter/false-spring high desert time of year. The first emerging green is usually the weeds. ;-)
Karen wrote: "Dev wrote: "I want to write in Karen's back yard with the Guinea hens."You're very welcome, although the guinea hens tend to hang out in the front, avoiding our geriatric dogs and foraging yard t..."
That sounds really beautiful. Even in the awkward times.
Susinok wrote: "The worst wild animal invasion we've had where a family of wolf-hybrid dogs that were getting out of their yard. Those four beasts were not afraid of any human, and killed every small animal in a 4..."I'm sorry about your cats.:( We've been lucky - our semi-feral cat has so far survived the coyotes that howl across the street, the wolf pack that killed a deer in a neighbor's driveway, and the cougar that killed a deer in our driveway and then dragged it down and left it in front of our horse barn. 0_0
Life here is interesting. My husband fights the birds, squirrels and deer every summer for the fruit from our fruit trees (don't tell Kari I fed the squirrels this winter) and one night I went out to feed the horses and literally stepped on a raccoon in the barn. Fortunately, it ran away and didn't bite my ankle.
We get coyotes nearby as well but they don't come close to the house. You can hear them yipping in the distance in the middle of the night some nights. It's a sign of a healthy ecosystem. The wolves do NOT belong. They are not native to the area, and these were tame(ish) hybrids. It was a mess.Now I'm down to 1 outside cat who is a stray that moved in and we feed her. The other two cats are indoor only. And the remaining dog (just had to put Sophie down yesterday due to old age) has a fenced yard and two doghouses. She comes in and goes out on a minute by minute basis. :)
Susinok wrote: "We get coyotes nearby as well but they don't come close to the house. You can hear them yipping in the distance in the middle of the night some nights. It's a sign of a healthy ecosystem. The wolve..."(Hugs) so sorry to hear about your dog and cats.
Kiracee wrote: "Life here is interesting. My husband fights the birds, squirrels and deer every summer for the fruit from our fruit trees (don't tell Kari I fed the squirrels this winter) and one night I went out to feed the horses and literally stepped on a raccoon in the barn. Fortunately, it ran away and didn't bite my ankle."Yikes, Kiracee, where do you live? A zoo without barriers?
Cleon wrote: "(Hugs) so sorry to hear about your dog and cats. ..."The cats, that happened years ago though I still miss Boris and Seamus.
Sophie was 16 years old and had been steadily declining. It was time to put her out of her constant pain. I will miss her. Remy, our smaller dog will be with us at least another 10 years or more though. She's still young, thankfully.
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Q&A with Josh Lanyon
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Where are your priorities, Cleon!
I'd take a baby tiger over a live squirrel any day. :)"
Careful, they bite. But OMG, they must be the cutest things on earth, especially white tigers! I think I must visit the zoo again sometimes.