Daleks

I thought about writing several posts today: on rejection (ah, the life of a writer), on stalking, on the humane society (guess where we went tonight?), but I'm going to settle for this: my four-year-old got up at four this morning, and I am not so coherent. So this video of Daleks from Doctor Who is dedicated to his boundless energy, as is all of this short blog post.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Poe!

I would leave a rose at your graveside, if I were near enough. May your poems and stories creep through reader's brains forever!

SOPA/PIPA

My blog is a tiny thing, but I really, really believe in free speech, so I must post this anyway: oppose SOPA and PIPA in any way possible. If you live in the United States, you can contact your representatives. If you live abroad, or just want to know more, read about it or watch the video below. There are petitions to sign, as I'm sure you've seen on Google, and it's worth it. I believe in the power of words, and ideas, and open communication. I don't want that power given up to any government or corporation, because that's one way to hold them accountable.

So I know my four-year-old will be sad tomorrow that I didn't post a video with stormtroopers or daleks, but he'll live. This is important.

Little sanity things in the winter

Here's a sort-of secret: I love Christmas, but I hate winter. Driving in the snow is scary. Getting coats on the boys before we go anywhere is enough to keep me homebound. And exercising without a gym in the winter is...tricky, to say the least.

So I've decided on some tricks to keep me happy in this turn-in-grades-make-a-new-syllabus season:

Lots of library trips for good books
Popcorn for snacks
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic snuggle time with my four-year-old
And occasionally, every so often, we eat dessert first

(The pony clip doesn't have desserts, but it does have Pinky Pie, and that's got to count for something, right? Plus there's a lot to be said for laughter in dark places--or seasons)

Post with a baby on my lap

I've never written a post with a baby on my lap (well, and 18-month-old), so I figure it will be an instructive new thing! It's just that I have to pack tonight, as I am driving to Idaho tomorrow for my Uncle Mike's funeral. I'm not sure if a seven-hour drive (we're going both ways) with two children is a good idea, but we shall see. So far this blog post is turning out with no extra j's or x's...maybe it's a good sign? Anyway, if anyone has tips on traveling with young children, I would love to hear them. Also, I shall add some interesting linkage if you're into sports or sporting-figure-type behaviors, since I plan to show the article to my husband later and see what he thinks. I will now close with a link from the They Might Be Giants CD we bought our four-year-old for his birthday. You may think the sun is a mass of incandescent gas, but...

Inspirational Blog Award

The kind and soothing blogger WilyBCool gave me this rather nifty award...

...which includes butterflies and some questions! I am not sure I deserve the butterflies (although they are pretty!), but I'll do my best to come up with answers. So.

1.  What makes you laugh, smile or giggle?

Um...Muppets. Tickling my baby with my head. The voice of Edna Mode on The Incredibles. My three four-year-old's jokes. Dory talking to baby jellyfish in Finding Nemo. Calvin and Hobbes. Terry Pratchett. Foxtrot. My husband's puns. And lots of other stuff, too.

2.  What are your dreams for the future?

Teach my boys so they can be happy. Travel with my husband. Read books. Publish books. Meet other awesome writers. Eat sushi. Read more books in a warm bath. Feel happy myself.

3.  If you were going on a cruise where would it be and why?

I want to go to England and Ireland and Scotland because I've studied so many authors from there, and because I've heard the weather over there will make the Seattlelite in me feel at home. Also, maybe I could meet Sherlock. Or Doctor Who.



The United Kingdom isn't exactly a cruise place, though, is it? So maybe I'll say Micronesia. Because my husband lived there for a while, and I've always wanted to learn how to scuba dive.

4.  Who would you spend your vacation with and why?

My husband. And my boys (if they're older). Because they are awesome and make me laugh (see question 1).

5.  If given a life, what life would you chose and why?  Past or future?


If I could be someone else, you mean? I'm happy being me. But if it were a kind of temporary thing, like a chance to download someone's life experiences, I'd go for Mary Cassat. Or William Shakespeare. Or maybe Queen Elizabeth. There's so many intriguing choices! So I'm going to cheat and say I'd choose some future psychic who could see all past lives and reveal them in a healthy, educational, and compassionate way. Whew! Did I pass?


And if you want to see the blogs I'm reading, you should check out my sidebar. I totally stalk each one of these poor bloggers every time their blog updates, and I am lucky I have so many interesting people to read about!

The end of a semester

We have one class left, and then our semester is over. And this year my students are surprisingly easygoing--not one complained about their grade, or implied they should be doing better, and a heartening number are willing to rewrite essays. I'm all about rewriting essays: if I can't get my writing right the first time, why should I expect that of my students? Some students take two drafts, other students take twelve, but if they're getting to the same level of research, analysis, and creativity, it really doesn't matter. This time of the year is hectic, but it's a good reminder of what perseverance can do--usually it's my students who rewrite the most who get the best grades, not necessarily those with the most raw talent. Of course some years, like this year, I get super-talented students who also rewrite. Yay!

On an unrelated note, I wish to post this video. Because it is five people playing one guitar, and that is a noteworthy thing.