A Charm-ing Group!

I know I've mentioned before that I belong to a writers group full of awesome, supportive ladies. It certainly bears repeating.

Rainbow Rowell just did a lovely column about our group which ran in yesterday's Omaha World Herald, focusing on some of the ways we support and encourage each other. One of the more tangible signs of support are our charms. The column features Sherri Shackleford's charm bracelet and talks about how we earn charms (mine isn't nearly as full as Sherri's, which tells me I need to get my rear in gear), but the charms are just one of many ways the group inspires me.

At our meeting this weekend, our "Goals Guru" *lizzie starr handed out these little inspirational cards. I've gone mine planted firmly between my keyboard and monitor where I will see it (Where I NEED to see it):

It's not all just trinkets and feel-good stuff. Our members (and sometimes guest speakers) give programs each month on craft, the business of writing, or critiques and brainstorming help. We discuss issues ranging from  changes the publishing industry is facing to challenges in just getting our "button" the chair.

Sometimes life really does get in the way and I genuinely can't make it to a meeting. But there are often meeting days that I wake up feeling blah, tired, and worn down, and don't really want to leave the house (like any other Saturday morning). I consider not going, for maybe half a second, but I always always make myself make the effort to go, no matter how low I feel, because I know that I will come home inspired, energized and ready to burn up the keyboard. Heartland Writers Group is a drug like no other for me. These ladies get me and they never fail to encourage me.

Check out the World-Herald story, and HWG's blog and website! If you're a writer looking for a supportive group, check us out!

Make music with Google's Les Paul doodle today!

Check out today's Google Doodle in honor of Les Paul's birthday (try it at google.com)

(This is just a screenshot, to play go to google.com)

It looks a little grey and odd and, frankly, dull...until you play with it. Then it gets addicting. It'll even let you record your work using that nifty button at the bottom. Here's what I recorded.

Update: The doodle has its own dedicated home page now.

Today in Random Songs That Pop Into My Head:

I haven't heard this one in years, but like a bolt out of the blue, there it was. Stuck. In. My. Head. Thought I'd share the earworm...

Awesome tiny apartment

My friend Cheryl St.John posted a video on her blog recently about a family of three living in a 350 square foot house. It reminded me of this video I found via PC Weenies a couple weeks ago:



I love the idea of small-space living, and although I doubt I'll ever go to the extremes the people in these videos have, I always find an idea or two I can take away from them to use in my life.

Peonies of Doooom!

A week after I planted my peony plant in 2008, we had a horrible storm here in Omaha which tore the plant up so badly I was sure it would die. 

Luckily, it came back nicely the next spring, but about a day after it opened its single bloom, we had a hailstorm which tore it to shreds again. 

The next year it put out two or three blooms and within a day or two, a storm. Flowers, gone.

This year the plant produced four blooms. They've been opening one by one throughout the past week.

The last one bloomed earlier today...

Batten down the hatches.

She makes it so hard to use the computer

Lap dog 1, Laptop 0

Angry bird?

He looks more "pouty" to me. I'm guessing from all the pinfeathers that he's just out of the nest & not too happy about it. We seem to get a lot of those on our deck. Last week it was a young sparrow of some sort, obviously in an awkward "adolescent" phase.

This looks like a wonderful place to curl up with a book

*sigh*

traditional family room design by los angeles interior designer Susan Jay Design

Via houzz

Superbusyday

I had the day off today. What did I do? Let's see...

• We started off with LilGirl's graduation from 5th grade. I can't believe she'll be in middle school in the fall!
• We went out to lunch because, well, graduation!
• We went to Lowes and bought plants.
• Then to Menards for more plants and some blocks and dirt for the front flower bed.
• We swung through Scooters for a little energy boost (mmmm, blended iced coffee!)
• We built up the flower bed and planted the new plants (geraniums, daisies, a climby plant I can't remember the name of and a yellow rose bush)
• We loaded the two dead TVs (which have been in the garage forever) into hubby's truck and he took them to Best Buy for recycling.
• While he was gone, I cleaned the garage to make room for the dead refrigerator.
• I scrubbed every inch of the dead refrigerator.
• I called my dad with a stupid question on how to unhook the water supply from the dead refrigerator.
• I scrubbed all the shelves and drawers from the dead refrigerator.
• I had a burger from Runza for dinner.
• More scrubbing...
• I showered and now I'm going to bed.

It's a good thing I didn't expect my day off to be relaxing because it reaallly wasn't.

Tomorrow I'm going back to work so I can rest a little.

Twitter throwing a wrench in my workflow?

logo via TEIA MG

Mashable: Twitter Users Get New Email Notification Options

This might put a hitch in the way I use favorites on Twitter. I tend to favorite things in less of an "I like this" and more of a "I want to read this later" manner. I send an RSS feed of my favorites to Google Reader which lets me look at things later on so I don't "lose" them in my twitter stream. I may have to re-think that practice as I don't want to unnecessarily contribute to full inboxes...

Do you use favorites (or any other Twitter features) in an unusual manner? Please share!

logo via TEIA MG

Adam Savage. Faraday Cage. Tesla Coils. Doctor Who Theme. Need I say more?

via @thinkgeek

How good is your gadget history?

There's an extra joke here, though you may need to be of a certain age to catch it. Do you see it?

Update: Scroll down for the answer:






























The schools are both named for an early PDA, the Apple Newton.

Milestone

So, this happened on the way home yesterday:


Photo link


Would have posted earlier, but Blogger was down :(

It's A Book!

I picked up the mail Saturday and discovered my brother & his family had sent me a package. Inside was the most awesome. book. ever: It's A Book by Lane Smith.

Here's the book trailer (containing most of the text...hey, it is a children's book*)


Video link

I found a great post on Lane Smith's blog about the evolution of It's A Book.

*Just a note: Even though it is a children's book, it does have the work jackass in it. I notice they left that out of the video. (Maybe they thought that might hurt sales?) It does add to the hilarity of the last line, in my opinion. But then, the book isn't for my kid, it's for me. Your mileage may vary. :)

The other great tragedy of 1912

Photo by Great Beyond

Most people don't know that back in 1912 Hellman's mayonnaise was manufactured in England. In fact, the "Titanic" was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after New York City.

Mexicans were crazy about the stuff.

The Mexican people were eagerly awaiting delivery and were disconsolate at the loss. So much so that they declared a national day of mourning which they still observe today.

It is known, of course, as...

Sinko de Mayo

(Yes, it's a groaner)

This joke is all over the internet, but I found this particular telling at Urban Dictionary.

As a woman, I can say I have absolutely no interest in this phone

via This is my next

"We don’t know much about what version of Android this will be running, but our source did tell us that the mockups had shopping comparison and calorie counting apps — you know, because every woman watches the pounds. We also heard that “calming” adjective used to describe the wallpaper. "

You know, because I couldn't add those myself (if I wanted them), or change the wallpaper.

And that's not all, wait until you read about the "charm indicator" (oh, if only that name was a joke): HTC Bliss: a Verizon Android phone for women? 

From the comments: "with any luck, this'll be the dumbest thing I read today"

I can only hope so.

I don't need a "women's phone" just a phone. KTHXBAI 

May the Fourth Be With You! #starwarsday [Video]

This one's apparently been around for awhile, but I just discovered it. Super cute!



Video link

I'm a little Thor

You may remember the Little Darth Vader commercial. Here's a parody from Marvel to promote their upcoming movie, Thor.



Twist ending for the win! :-)

Video link

via Hero Complex

And now, the cartwheeling verger...

I almost sure everybody has already seen this, but the video tickles me. My first impression was "How cool! But he's probably not really a verger." I suspected an actor or someone just dressed as a verger. However, The Daily Mail ran a story about the verger and the Abbey's reaction, so I guess he must be the real deal.

[Update: I've just been chastised by my mom: "Why do you think this isn't real? It is a 'thing' for clergy to do cartwheels. The pastor that married Jeff and Erin did cartwheels on Easter at Each service." So there you have it! ;-) ]

The funny thing is, I came across this picture on Flickr, and it's captioned "One day when the time is right, i will cartwheel in the abbey"

By tezzer57

I love the look on his face, and it certainly looks like the same guy :)

And here are the cakes! #royalwedding

Gorgeous!

While the one above looks too good to eat, this one basically just makes me me go "Yum!"
Oh, and it does look nice, too.