Friday, February 13, 2009

Critiques, Contests and uhhh Crud? Crap? Crying?

I just sent my first 2 scenes in to the critique group I joined 1 year ago. Hopefully I will get some constructive criticism. I am also preparing to enter the first 10 pages in a contest where the final 5 will be reviewed by an agent I have targeted. Either way, the feedback on the scoresheet should help.

Yesterday I loved my story; today I decided it stinks and is too slow. I need some objective feedback - not from friends and family.

As much of a nutcase as I seem to be, E is holding his own. I have received 2 e-mails alerting me to his GPS tracking status: I can click a link that shows me his GPS position on a map. This is his way of telling me he has left the office and is almost home. Why call when you can use satellites? Nutcase.

We're off to ski in what's left of the snow.

Enjoy your weekend!

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Google search meme

No one tagged me but as part of my growing obsession with John Green, I saw this meme on his blog and decided to try it. Note that I didn't always take the first result if it made no sense. I did stay on the first page of results.

Q: Type in "[your name] needs" in the Google search.
A: "Karen needs a lobotomy"
"Karen needs help. Karen needs feedback. Karen needs a lobotomy fund. ... Karen needs to start carrying a flask." (all true)

Q: Type in "[your name] looks like" in Google search.
A: "KAREN looks like she is on the verge of ..." (aagh - what? what? I couldn't find the rest of the sentence - the suspense is killing me)
"Karen Looks Like She'd Love The Outdoors" (what does that mean? is she wearing hiking boots?)
"Karen looks like a fun date" (yikes - due to her love of the outdoors?)

Q: Type in "[your name] says" in Google search.
A: Karen says "Wow! Cool ultra lite!" Tripp says "That is the biggest freakin' horsefly I have ever seen!" (I had to scroll way down on the page to find one that made any sense. Apparently Karens don't say much)


Q: Type in "[your name] wants" in Google search.
A: "Karen wants to be a dog (this is in reference to a YouTube video of some 'Karen' trying a dog shock collar. eeew!)
"Karen wants to pump up her car tyre her pump has a piston with an area of 7 cm sq Karen pushes the handle down with a force ?" (tyre?)
"Karen wants a "friendlier" injection." (?)


Q:Type in "[your name] does" in Google search.
A: "Karen Does Survival." (oh yes- every weekend with E)
"Karen Does Not Gamble." (true)

Q: Type in "[your name] hates" in Google search.
A: "Karen Hates Artwork" (what? not true)
"Karen hates Kate" (I can't think of any Kates other than Spade or Hudson, neither of whom I hate)



Q: Type in "[your name] asks" in Google search.
A: "Karen asks the CSS Guy about CSS tooltips without Javascript that show on click instead of hover." (zzz- what? Karen's web development days are behind her)
Karen asks, “The Ruse call or Networking.. which is more efficient?” (zzz)



Q: Type in "[your name] likes " in Google search.
A: "Karen likes the word hussy" (it's ok, I guess)
"Karen. likes. art." (How can I like art and hate artowrk? maybe Karen does need a lobotomy or friendlier injections)

Q: Type in "[your name] eats " in Google search.
A: "Karen Eats everything" (true)
"Karen, you may remember, gets bitten by the walking dead, dies, and rises again in her family's basement. Upon her re-animation, Karen eats her dad and ..." (apparently she will eat anything)


Q: Type in "[your name] wears " in Google search.
A: "Karen Wears the Red Shoes" (The obsessed ballerina red shoes?)


Q: Type in "[your name] was arrested for" in Google Search.
A: "Karen ---, arrested for fraud"
"Karen Women Arrested with Yaa Baa" (??)


Q: Type in "[your name] loves" in Google Search.
A. "Karen loves Kate" (good lord - apparently Karen doesn't know what she's doing)
"Hot teen babes Karen and Kate together in this erotic girl/girl photo gallery."
(eeew- well that's enough of that.)

I don't believe in tagging people - try it if you want, and link back to your results.

Monday, February 02, 2009

*Click*

Saturday started crabby - not in my bed, friend "D" waiting for me to get up and go xc skiing, and all I wanted to do was roll over and sleep. Forced myself up, drank the big bowl of double latte D had ready for me, dressed in layers and headed out the door.

Arrived at the ski center to howling winds - Mt. Washington-esque. Misery. Pulled on my windstopper jacket, slapped my skis on and headed out, fumbling with my heart rate monitor and balaclava all while trying to keep moving so D wouldn't be delayed getting out of the wind into the shelter of the trees. Hate skiing. Why do I do this? I could be in bed. grrr. Why do I always say yes to these weekends away when I know I'd rather be at home?

Finally got moving, warmed up, getting in a groove. D made some form suggestions. I figured as long as I was out there, I may as well try what she said. Shifted my hips, changed my arm posture, and - whoa - I'm moving, MOVING! For the first time ever I felt an actual glide on my skis! I thought it was a myth - something athletic people lorded over me that I would never be able to do. Glide, glide - wow! It even works uphill! Genius. I love this!

If I had a point it would be something about pushing yourself through the rough patches, not lying in bed refusing to try to improve something you're bad at, and making an effort to listen to advice. I am rarely able to do this myself, and definitely would have stayed in bed Saturday morning, given the choice. I'm lucky to have friends who put up with grumpy, cranky, I don't wanna Karen and help me get through those patches. Why do they do it? I have no idea. E says it's because I sometimes make funny comments when I'm crabby, so apparently my misery is not so miserable to others.

What's my point? I am in another rough patch writing, getting frustrated, and trying to force myself through it. grrr. Where's the freaking *click* already??