Thursday Thoughts: Universal Life

Posted on August 22, 2024 by Silver James

It’s been a weird month. It seems like I get a “notice” popping up in my news feeds on a daily basis about somebody famous dying. Gena Rowlands. Peter Marshall. Alain Delon. Phil Donahue. That’s in the last 7 days. There have been a lot this year. I keep saying I’m older than dirt, which means all my “icons” are also. It leaves a melancholy taste on my tongue. My Moonstruck Wolves can smell emotions and I realized that I’ve never had a melancholy scent. The closest I’ve gotten is regret, which translates to wet ashes and dead roses, or perhaps resignation with notes of damp, moldy earthy around an old, abandoned house. What brought this mood on? This message from the Universe…

It’s being alive, Silver, that makes you rich.

So easy to forget,
The Universe
©www.tut.com 

P.S. And no matter how you spend each day, Silver, they make you more. More awesome. I meant to add awesome!

I came far closer to dying this past spring than I really want to think about much. I’m not ready to head out into the great beyond. I like the idea of life. A lot. Life is awesome! I also like the idea of bringing figments of my imagination to life, creating them to seem real so that people reading my books are invested in their lives. Love them or hate them, I want people to think of them as actual people. As friends. Or enemies. And maybe the occasional book boyfriend because of that whole romance genre thing. 😉 Anyway, I think I’m going to incorporate a bit of melancholy in the current WIP. What do you think melancholy would smell like? I’ve come up with two ideas and I’ll let y’all vote on it (or if somebody has a better description I’ll steal! ) and I’ll use the most popular one in the description. 

Pick one:

A. Dusty books and red wine

B. White lilies and damp earth

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Wednesday Words: Just Fine

Posted on August 21, 2024 by Silver James

Hump Day has arrived and since Hump Day equals Wednesday, that means words. Problem is, I totally blanked out last week and missed Thursday Threads so there was no “new” snippet for today. However, as I was reading through snippets to get them into the timeline of the WIP, I realized this was from a Thursday all the way in December of last year–right before I got sick and ended up in the hospital. I didn’t use it the following week because I’d featured Fiona and Bowie on the FB page that previous weekend so I used a snippet about them that held the same prompt. Yay! That means I have something fresh-ish for today, along with a prompt, which is….drumroll please…**”You’ll be fine.”** The snippet should be pretty self-exlanatory though I’m not saying where it fits into the overall timeframe.

****
Maura’s rescuer led her up the apartment’s back stairs. He paused, listening, before opening the door. The dark service hall was empty. Unerringly, he led her to the rear entrance. It was recessed and not many people knew it existed. She could only hope those after her were far less informed than Ronan’s man.

They stepped outside but her escort froze. Leaning back, he boxed her in as a car slowly cruised past.

“Once we hit Back Street, we’re just a couple on a stroll over to the Charles River Esplanade, yeah?” At her nod, he continued. “Keep yer head down an’ walk close t’me.”

She nodded again, not sure what to do or think at this point. “What’s going on, Devlin?”

“Ronan’s in a car waitin’ for ya. Once yer with him, you’ll be fine.”

As if his name was magic, Maura realized that with Ronan, she would be fine. And wasn’t that the craziest thought of all. He was the heir apparent to Boston’s Irish mob and she was an assistant district attorney. Yet Ronan and his men were protecting her while her boss’s croonies were out to…what? Kidnap her? Kill her? Shudders coursed through her as she pictured all the dire things that could happen.

Suddenly, a strong arm was around her, she was tucked in close and they were walking the building’s parking area toward Back Street. In moments, she’d be with a man she trusted implicitly. And wasn’t that a kick in the pants.
****

There you have it. All I can say is that Ronan is the most patient Wolf in the Moonstruck universe and he has got his $h!+ tight. Which means when he finally loses it, it is going to be grand and glorious. Just sayin’… Writers, grab the prompt and go for it if it sparks some inspiration. Readers, what’s just fine in your world?

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Tuesday Treats & Titles: Double Trouble Dip

Posted on August 20, 2024 by Silver James

So, I’m trying to get back into the habit of marketing books by way of our stomachs, ie. recipes tied to a book. The newest WIP isn’t ready yet, but it has ties to a previous book, so voila! This was a fun book to write because not only does it visit one of my favorite fictional bars, I got to do a bit of fan fiction with characters from Roxanne St. Claire’s Barefoot Bay world. This all-in-one dip is easy, cheesy, and yummy. And yeah, it’s one of my favorite dips. I think I’ve mentioned that before…like several times.

Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Bread Ring Dip

Ingredients:

12 frozen dinner roll dough balls (I use Rhode’s brand)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 (14 oz) can (1 1/2 cups) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
3/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of excess water
2 cloves garlic, chopped (about 1 tsp)
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Olive oil
Pita chips or crackers (optional)

Directions:

1 – Coat a 10-inch oven-safe skillet with olive oil.

2 – Place the dough balls in a ring around the skillet. Cover and thaw until the rolls rise and double in size.

3 – Combine cream cheese, Parmesan, Romano, mozzarella, sour cream, artichokes, spinach, garlic, basil and red pepper flakes.

4 – Scoop the cheesy mixture into the center of the thawed rolls.

5 – Brush the rolls with olive oil and top with an additional sprinkle of cheese (optional).

6 – Bake at 375˚F for 25 minutes. (If the bread browns too quickly, lower oven temperature to 350˚F or cover the bread with a ring of foil.)

7 – Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

I know it’s still hot outside, but it’s always warm down in Key West at Mother Goose’s Bar. And yes, you’ll find the Hard Target team chowing down on this. Bear, the bartender, doesn’t fix this big-appetite dish for just anyone so feel priviledged if a cast-iron skillet lands on your table with a refill of your favorite beverage. DOUBLE TROUBLE is book 1.5 in the Hard Target series. Want to know more about the Hard Target team? Check out DOUBLE CROSS to find out how the team came together. Just click on the title or any pic with the cover. You can also go back and check out MOON SHOT, where we first meet SEAL Team Atlantis, the precursor to the Hard Target team. The you can also follow-up with CROSS FIRE, the latest release in this series. This dip goes great with a good book. Just sayin’… What’s your favorite dip? And what do you dip in it?

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Melting Monday

Posted on August 19, 2024 by Silver James

August is slowly drawing to a close. I’m sooo ready. I’m not a summer person. I’m all about Autumn. Winter is okay. Early Spring. Summer? Yeah, not so much. Still, I wouldn’t want to live somewhere where there were no seasons. Also, it’s hot. Way hot. Heat advisory hot. But according to my favorite weather gurus, today is supposed to be the last hot-hot day this week. The rest of the week is supposed to just be hot, ie. normal. I can handle 90 much easier than 100, especially when there is humidity involved and heh, there’s ALWAYS humidity involved around here. LOL

So, to update. Jake and I had doctor appointments of a sort last week. He had his annual, got a pedicure and pawhair trim, plus a cyst drained on his neck,. and his annual shots. Which reminds me. I still haven’t switched out the new rabies tag on his collar. BRB. … … … Okay. back. And that’s done. Anyway, his bloodwork all came back good–no heartworms or other bad stuff. And no ear mites or infections. Floppy-eared dogs can have that problem. I also had some blood labwork done. I had some high levels in a couple of areas at my last appointment in June. This time, it all looks to be within normal ranges which will make my doc happy. In other out and about news, LG took me on an excursion to tour our updating Wallyworld. There have been all sorts of changes. Things are all moved around and they’re making the clothing area all fancy. I need to go back and just wander the aisle to figure out all the changes. Yes, I am easily entertained. Why do you ask?

In writing news, I kept falling down rabbit holes. Still, I managed to fumble through a few scenes. I’m currently a little PO’d at Mick O’Connor. He’s being a real Alpha Hotel where Shannon is concerned. She’s about to put a real crimp in his tail and it’s about time! Hush. I know I’m the writer and that I’m in control of the plot. Getting characters to cooperate is not as easy as it seems. Still, progress made.

Stormy had a soccer tournament this weekend. They won some, lost some, and Stormy played well. It was hot. We only made one game, and they won 7-1. It was fun. We got lucky and managed a close parking space and there were canopies up for shade. And there was a bit of a breeze. We missed the other two games due to timing. Anyway, it was good to get out. I’m glad to be getting back to normal routines.

Everyone is back in school. Only is still excited to have the title of teacher. She should have a full section of students starting today. Because hers was a late, slightly emergency hire, schedules had to be redone for some of the kids. She had a chance to meet either one-on-one or in very small groups with some of her students. I’m so glad she’s happy with this change in her life.

That’s pretty much what’s going on in my life at the moment. I’m going to do my best to avoid rabbit holes this week. What are you going to avoid? 😉

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Friday Sinema: Meet Cute

Posted on August 16, 2024 by Silver James

I love this video. Okay, I kinda have a girl crush on Carrie Underwood, too. I love where this small-town Checotah girl has gone. Anyway, every time I catch this video, I think to myself, “Self, you need to make this chick a heroine.” And I’m going to. I might even name her Carrie. And the meet cute? After she “deconstrucks” her cheating boyfriend’s truck in the first chapter and the cops are on the way, one of my Nightriders pulls up beside her and says, “Get on, babe.” It’ll happen. Just wait for it. 😉 Have a great weekend!

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Permission

Posted on August 15, 2024 by Silver James

Sometimes we need a nudge to get moving. This nudge can come in many different ways. After being sick for so long, it took a bit of time and effort to get back into the habit of writing. There was a lot of stuff swirling around in my head in addition to the actual physicality of sitting at a desk and working on the computer. Sales were (and are) miserable. The Christmas book I pushed out did okay but it wasn’t really aimed at my core readers. The thing about writing is this. If you don’t have a big name, a big publishing house pushing the narrative of your book, then you have to do that yourself. Not many writers are true extroverts. The majority of us prefer to hide in our writing caves and churn out words. The way to get around the hype is to find your base and churn out good books for them to read. Well, at least I hope they are good.* Anyway, being out of the habit, I–along with a sister writer who was also out of the habit–did a summer version of National Novel Writing Month that we called Ju-Lo-Wri-Mo. So, for the month of July, my goal was to write, edit, or do something writerly every day. I achieved that but for one day and there were extenuating circumstances and it was back early in the month.

Then came August. Yeah, I got down off that horse and went to sit in the shade. There were a few days that I declared to be “mental health days.” I needed a break. Or so I told myself. See, those doubts were creeping in again. Why bother? No one’s going to buy the damn book anyway. That voice is insidious. Then this popped up in my inbox and the Universe handed me a Gibbs Slap™.

Do you really need someone else’s permission, acceptance, wink, or nod, Silver, or are you ready to give these to yourself?

I say, “Ready. Now.”
  The Universe
©www.tut.com 

P.S. Action, Silver… take it, make it, bake it, go.

There it was. In black and white and all spelled out. Why did I start writing in the first place? Because I wanted to tell stories. I didn’t share them for a very long time and then I gave myself permission to do so. For a long time, it took “permission” from a publisher to get a book into the hands of the public. Oh, there were vanity presses where you paid them and then hoped you could hand sell enough books to recoup your investment. I eventually found a publisher–two actually: Wild Rose Press and Harlequin. And then Amazon–love it or hate it–threw out a massive bone: self-publishing. I needed no one’s permission but my own. So, I jumped in. With both feet. BLOOD MOON hit the “presses.” It’s been a rollercoaster of good sales and bad but even back then, I knew I had to crank out good words making up good stories about people readers could care about.

So, to answer the Universe’s question, I don’t really need someone else’s permission. I just need to take it, make it, bake it, and go. I mean, what the hell else am I gonna do with my days if I’m not writing? Sitting around vegetating and acting my age? Nope, that’s not the way I wanna go. So back to work for me, full speed ahead! What will you give yourself persmission to do today?

*Psst…there are some authors who sell massive amounts of books and I’m like…how?!?!? *insert muppet flail here* I’ve forced myself to read some of those authors looking for the secret and I’m like…😲??WTF??? Anyway…

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Wednesday Words: Battleground

Posted on August 14, 2024 by Silver James

Wednesday means words and this week, y’all are getting a bit more than the usual 250 words allowed by Thursday Threads. This scene sets up some pivotal moments that are coming up and I needed more than the word count limit. That’s what flash fiction is all about–writing a story/complete scene using the exact prompt and doing it in a specific number of words or less. Since I was the previous week’s winner, the prompt is a phrase from my entry. That’s the way it always works. Sometimes, like last week, I could work the phrase from my winning entry into a new scene that occurs close in time. This week, yeah…not so much. But that’s okay because I love it when a story circles around and it just did. Yippee! I danced in my chair for a few minutes because the timeline and scenes are slotting in nicely. The prompt from last week’s Thursday Threads is: *She could not face this battle alone.* FYI, this scene occurs much earlier than the previous two.

****
Ronan stood at the window in his office watching the late-night traffic on Dorchester. His contact in the DA’s office hadn’t minced words. Maura was squarely in Crensaw’s crosshairs.

He didn’t react to the soft tap on his open office door. His nose had already announced his brother’s presence, the scents of a peat fire and hops preceding him. Overlaying their familial scent was a hint of the sea breeze, salty and full of sunshine as it blew inland. Ronan, feeling out of sorts, wondered what was making Mick so cheerful.

“You’re looking glum, Rone. What’s got’cha so bollocked?”

“And yer feelin’ right cheerful for a man who’s been collared twice now by the coppers.”

Mick laughed, deep and hearty, as he slapped Ronan’s shoulder. “Shite, man, do ya think they can keep me under lock and key when I’m as innocent as a lamb?”

Ronan very slowly turned his head and stared. Mick, used to his older brother’s ways returned the searing look with a cheeky grin. “We both know I didn’t do the cop or the girl.”

He paused and inhaled deeply. Mick’s expression immediately turned serious. “You’ve been with the pretty DA again.”

“I went to her office because they were stallin’ out your hearing.”
Mick grinned, his mood mercurial. “Ah, no wonder I was so precipitously escorted to the courthouse.”

“No, that was all Declan’s doing.”

“You need to stay away from her, Rone. She’s trouble.”

Mick was right but Ronan refused to admit it. For all intents and purposes, Maura Brannigan was the enemy. She worked for a wanker on the take. She should be tainted by the man’s avarice. But she’s not. He agreed with his inner wolf’s assessment. Mine, the wolf insisted. No. Ronan denied the insinuation. Maura was all about law and order. Brian’s crew wasn’t anything like the sleaseballs JD Moore ran, but the Wolves weren’t anywhere close to being the innocent lambs Mick claimed.

He couldn’t bring her into his world. And he couldn’t step out of it to exist in hers. Additionally, Crenshaw was growing desperate and desperate men took stupid chances. That’s when Ronan realized Maura was in deep trouble and she could not face this battle alone. He’d put her in danger. Now it was up to him to protect her. He took out his cell phone and placed a call.
****

So there it is. I’m happy with it and went on to rip out a few more scenes once it was done last week. Now it’s a week later and I’m still making progress. Again, YIPPEE! Writers, take the “battle” to your own WIP. Readers, what are you battling today?

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Tuesday Treats & Titles: Food in Books

Posted on August 13, 2024 by Silver James

So, something different today. Why? Because I don’t have any cool ideas for recipes and my characters so I can link a book because the whole reason for this particular day’s postings is to get people interested enough to go check out my books and maybe buy one. I’m an author but a subset of my job as an author is to sell books. You guys get off light this week. I’m going to muse about how food is presented in books. This is not a how-to or anything, just my observations as a reader, on one hand, and how I’ve done it as a writer on the other.

So, I do occasionally mention food in my books but it’s not necessarily a big deal. Usually, it’s a meal in a restaurant or a character who cooks (or doesn’t…I’m looking at you Hannah and Sade!). I don’t recall going into elaborate detail when describing my characters enjoying their food. That said, would you believe that I fall down the “research” rabbit hole of the intrawebz looking at restaurants that I can either mention or build upon and if I mention an actual place, I want to know that I’ve gotten the food right. I’m weird like that. Considering I right fiction, I get stuck on the truth of things. A lot. It irks me when authors take HUGE liberties with the facts* and it will, in fact, cause me to stop buying books by that author. On the other hand, it might not bother you and the fact that I’m such a stickler for facts might irk someone else. Anyway, I’m digrewssing a bit but hey, this is what happens when I have no idea of what to post. Moving on…

Two of my favorite series (by other authors) do have a bit of food emphasis in them. There are very good reasons for the inclusion that is part of some excellent worldbuilding. If you aren’t a fan of UF/ParaRom books, I’d direct you to cozy mysteries because those quite often deal with food. I don’t read them as a rule. I occasionally read one or two back in the day when I was a judge for various book awards. Not sure why I’m not a cozy mystery kinda gal, but there ya go. Back to my forte, though.

Ilona Andrews, a wife-and-husband writing team, have a very interesting take on food in their Kate Daniels world. Premise: Magic and Technology are often at war and when one is prevalent, the other wanes. Then you have times where one has reigned for a long time (Tech in this case) and suddenly, Magic makes a comeback. There are waves that happen and sometimes Tech works and Magic is weakened, other times, Magic overwhelms Tech. There are humans, humans with magic (necromancers who pilot “vampires,” mages, witches, and people like Kate but no spoilers), a few gods, and shapeshifters. Food is very important to the shapeshifters. Feeding a potential mate is a Very Big Deal. Example: Kate (whose backstory involves a LOT) is a bit clueless about the rituals. Being injuried while helping the Pack lands Kate in the Pack’s infirmary. Curran (a lion shifter) is the Beast Lord, ie. his the alpha in charge of all the various shifter groups who are members of Atlanta’s Pack. Curran feeds her a bowl of soup. Aunt Bea, the matriarch of the hyena clan, jumps on this event. Feeding each other becomes a running thing in the books, starting with MAGIC BITES, the first in series. Now, for a slightly different take.

We move on to Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changling series. There are Humans, Psy, and Changlings. All three share human DNA but Humans are at the bottom of the feeding chart. Changlings can shift into their animals, have better senses, and have a certain amount of immunity to the Psy’s psychic abilities. The Humans have none. The Psy are all about the mental and decided back in the 1970s (it’s 2060-80s time in the saeries) that emotion is a bad thing and to be a perfect Psy is to be without emotion. This is called Silence. To be silent is to be an automaton basically. Everything that might encourage an emotional reaction (like sex) is banned. That includes enjoying food. The basically exist on unflavored protein bars and drinks. *shudder* In the course of the series, things happen and some of the Psy fall out of Silence and to watch their non-Psy friends and lovers tempt them with food is nice to watch. Reading about Sascha, the Psy heroine in SLAVE TO SENSATION, taste hot chocolate for the first time! Be still my heart. FYI, her hero, Lucas is alpha of the local leopard pack. Reading about the Psy discovering food is a journey and a large part of the worldbuilding and plot line. Also, Nalini’s shifters have a thing about food too. They always want to feed their mates. This is a running gag in a fictional magazine targeting ladies who are interested in pursuing relationships with shifters and then expands as more Psy become “sexy.”

Anyway, I know have a post, for what it’s worth. Writers, do you use food in your books for whatever reason? If yes, why? Readers, how do you feel about food in books? And can anyone think of other books/series with food? Inquiring minds want to know!

*In one case, an author’s MC was a CIA agent undercover in a US motorcycle club. The CIA does not officially do that. FBI, Homeland Security, ATF? Yup. CIA. Nope. That’s not their mission and they’d be in deep kimchi if Congress found out. In another, an author had oriental lords in regency England. Nope. My Brit History professor (who actually DID write a book on the Regency) is likely spinning in his grave.

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Middle Monday Mash-up

Posted on August 12, 2024 by Silver James

Unhhh. I just need to reach a little bit further…almost have it…ahhhh. Coffee!

So it’s Monday, and it’s not quite the middle of the month but it’s close. There are two more Mondays before we hit September and the first Monday in September is a holiday so that’s like a bonus, right?

My life is so exciting. Not! There was a week and a weekend but I still don’t have much to talk about. I get up. I feed cats. I make coffee. I drink a protein shake. I make my first cup of coffee. I sit at the computer and try to figure out what the heck I’m doing while waiting for the caffeine to kick in. Sadly, that’s seven days a week. Sadly, I’m not even breaking up things with Starbucks runs. One, it’s too hot to get out. Two, until I start selling more than one book a month at the ‘Zon, no frappucinos for me! Luckily, I still have the fixings for homemade chocolate sodas for when I get the urge for something frosty and creamy.

Speaking of books, I’m up to 113K with the Boston Wolves. That’s twice the word count I normall work with. Ugh. But, that’s what the story wants. At this raite, with what’s left to be written, I’ll be lucky if the count comes in under 120K. *sigh* It progress. I worked on chapter 36 yesterday. I kept thinking that I’d written a scene about something that needed to be and I couldn’t find it and then I thought I did but I didn’t. I must have jotted an idea down somewhere and thought I wrote the scene out. Or I just dreamed the whole thing. I have no clue. Hopefully, if I did write a scene and lost it along the way, then write a new scene about the same thing, I or my beta readers will find it. Ah, the trials and tribulations of being a writer. Anyway, progress was made during the week and weekend, despite a few mental health down days along the way.

I finished off my relisten of the Trinity portion of Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changling series with PRIMAL MIRROR. Remi and Auden. *deep feminine sigh* I swear Nalini can think in HUGE plot arcs. PM is a good one. Then I dropped in on my favorite Eeyore-jammies-wearing black volhv by listening to Ilona Andrews’ SANCTUARY, set in their Kate Daniels world. And no, I’m not being politically correct by using the “they” pronoun. Ilona Andrews is actually Ilona AND Gordon Andrews, husband and wife writing team. It was a fun “Christmas in the summer” treat. I’m currently listening to Marjorie M. Lie’s TIGER EYE, the first book in her Dirk & Steele series. I keep hearing about the D&S books so I thought I’d give it a try because free read off Hoopla. (Free to me. The author gets a royalty. Hoopla is a subscription service but also works with libraries who pay the freight. Free library, free read. Yay! I ❤ my library system.)

We actually had rain a couple of times this past week. The storm dragons were up playing REALLY early Sunday morning. And they must have been playing in the pool because we got dumped on–at least 4.5″ here at the house. That’s all good. We needed the rain! Of course, we didn’t exactly need it in the space of a few hours. Still, it was nice to sit, sip coffee and listen to the rain in between the thunder boomers.

In family news, Stormy starts the FIFTH GRADE this Wednesday. *muppet flail* Gah. I’m gettin’ so frickin’ old! In other news, his mom is going back to work. That’s a long story but she’s been off a little over a year. She’s a provisional ELA SPED teacher at one of the middle schools in a metro-area school district. This all happened late last week so YAY! She’s prepping her room today and tomorrow with students arriving in the classroom on Wednesday. She has a masters in musuem studies but did a lot of substitute teaching this past spring at Baseball Boy’s high school. She decided she liked the classroom (especially since museum jobs aren’t available at the moment) and had started the process to get certified. Anway, she’s excited. We’re excited for her. Yay. If I still had pompoms, I’d go shake them.

That’s pretty much the sum total of my life at the moment. Why yes, I AM living vicariously through my characters (and my kid! 😉), why do you ask? LOL How’s life with y’all? Have a great week all! Hopefully, I can figure out something to post for tomorrow. Later, taters!

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Friday Free For All–August Edition

Posted on August 9, 2024 by Silver James

TGIF! I have had thoughts this week. And seen things. Many things. This is what happens when I fall down rabbit holes on social media and on the internet. Some things left me agog. Some made me laugh while rolling my eyes. Today’s list is pretty short. I had stuffs to do. Words to write. Cats to pet. Dog to sit in the yard with. Squirrels to almost feed out of my hand. Anyway…

Did you know that the lowest open string on a violin is the G string. Uhm… 😲

Take a minute–or two–and check out this series of Farm Cat Olympics by just CLICKING HERE. It’ll zip you over to one of the ICanHazCheezburger sites.

Learned a new term: Code-shifting. What is it? Code-switching is changing your style, dress, language or behavior to fit in different contexts or groups. Not that I would accuse a certain candidate of doing this but her fake southern accent irritated the snot outta me. I’m southern born and bred and come by my accent naturally, thank you very much. Another term comes to mind: pandering. But y’all probably know what that means…

My mind is like my browser–twenty tabs are open, eight of them are frozen, six of them say “Files Not Found,” and I have no idea where the music is coming from…but at least there’s music. 🤪

Finally, I leave you with this last bad writerly pun because it made me laugh.

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