What part of discontinue don't you understand?

I know they have a script they have to follow, but how many times do I have to tell AT&T I no longer require their land line? Or any optional services (a forwarding email for $20, an alternate phone line, etc, etc.) or that the line does not connect to internet, Tivo, a respirator for my dying dog or that no one else in the household (Santa?) is going to fight my decision to disconnect from a service that only brings bill collectors for family members not living in this state or a law enforcement officer selling tickets? For this I pay a half-day's wages? It especially irked me when she asked how I was going to stay in touch with family members. I waffled between semaphore and smoke signals but went with it wasn't her business. Jeez.

In other news, I've been on a cleaning bender. The simple task of putting away the Christmas decorations morphed into cleaning out the teeny, tiny storage area. That sequed into taking care of the dozens of craft magazines, travel magazines, etc I've collected over the last decade. Why did I move them with me? I have to split them up when I toss them or risk a lawsuit from the garbage man for physical duress.
Now that I have all the important articles/patterns ripped out and filed, I feel better. Of course, there's still all the minutae I've collected for each story, none of which is collated into one binder. That's my next project. God, I love long weekends.
And yes, I am writing. I finished a hot love scene and am starting to look toward the big, black moment. My goal is to have the vomit draft down by Jan 31st and the final within a couple of weeks. My first drafts are clean, but there's always something that crops up that needs to be referenced to earlier. Like Rue's pregnancy. She wasn't pregnant at the beginining, but the Girls kept nagging me, so, about page 150, it was first mentioned. Hey, they thought it seemed important to the plot.
What has been the biggest surprise your characters have thrown at you?

Get your groove on

I'm looking for ideas to get back into the writing groove. You know, when you've found the place where you are a conduit to a higher power. Words write themselves. You look up, and two hours have passed. Your fingers can't move fast enough, and you're making handwritten notes on scrap paper so you won't lose a thought.
I had this last night. After I went to bed. I was brilliant. The ideas sizzled. The phrasing was poetry. The ideas flew. I'd laugh at my own wit and remind myself not to forget a certain idea.
This morning? Butkus. Should have got up and at least found a piece of paper. All I have left is this weird dream that had less to do with my WIP and more with a displaced Mayberry.
So, how do you stir up the creative juices?

Day 16

Day 16 after NaNo and my count is at 236. Which averages to two point something pages a day for December. I'd like to blame the holidays, but it's the dreaded BIC syndrome. Yes, butt in chair. Or futon, which is where I spend most of my evenings.

On the bright side, I have my tree up. And decorated. My room is clean. My nativitiy scene, personally handmade by moi several (several) years ago is on display. One tiny, tiny trip to the store will complete my shopping. Of course, I have two parties this week (gaak - three) at work which means some peanut butter fudge to be made, and the gearing up for the weekend, when my daughter returns home, but I should be able to squeeze some time out for writing, right?

Let us see what the page count is on January 1st.

Smart bras

Go Aussies! Researchers at the University of Wollongong in Australia (I did not make up that name!) are working on an "intelligent bra."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7136248.stm

Sensors are built into the fabric which will move with the woman, giving more and better support than current models. That's good news to the well endowded. Of course, they still have to work out a few bugs in the world of breast biomechanics, like turning off the support so the woman can breathe, but progress is being made.
And no, I didn't make up breast biomechanics (sounds painful with a wrench involved somehow.) Check out this link from the Sun Herald and the research being made at the University of Portsmouth.
http://blogs.sunherald.com.au/danieldasey/archives/2007/09/women_could_soo.html

(The model looks like she needs to go up a cup or two)

Wouldn't it be nice to have a bra that fits?

I hope they got it wholesale

The blood, that is. There's huge amounts of blood, or stage blood, or Karo syrup mixed with raspberry Kool-Aid in this movie. I hope you're not squeamish. Just do what I did - close your eyes and wait for the sound of the body hitting the floor. It's okay to watch after that.
This is probably the brightest scene in the movie (the dream sequence.) I'm surprised, as Tim Burton trades in dark, in multiple ways.

I want all of Helena Bonham Carter's costumes. I'm a sucker for a good costume. Where I'd wear it is another story, but the detail is awesome. I suppose I could sew them myself, but I've pretty much given up sewing. Maybe a hem or two on a good day, but that's pushing it.

If you like dark humor, dark stories, dark musicals and being surprised by the singing talent of people not considered singers, go see this movie.
And close your eyes when they sit in the barber chair and don't open them until you hear the sound of the body hitting the bricks. You'll thank me.

Russian Rockabilly

Okay, I've abandoned YouTube in favor of MySpace. My favorite radio station www.specialradio.net/6 has a click here button for CD and recommended records (Records? I'll take a 45 with a side order of 33 1/3, please) As this is a Russian station, most of the bands have weird names like Братья по разуму and Идолы Молодежи. Damn, I wish I could read Russian. Wait, there's babel fish, er, alta vista. The first is Brothers to Reason, the second Idols of the Young People. Weird.

Of the English names, I randomly picked this one:

http://www.myspace.com/thestockmen

Which is really a Russian band that specializes in rockabilly and psychobilly music. (Do they look like Johnny Cash to you? More like the Russian Mafia Youth Group) Go to the link for samples. I especially like Ghostriders in the Sky. Or, the Lazarus Connection's version - Ghostwriters in the Sky. Anyone have the literary version lyrics?

The weirdest thing ever

Because I'm not a dork, I have no idea how to embed a video here (right, YouTube, it doesn't work) so here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMnk7lh9M3o
Sorry I had to make you work for it.

Squee !!

Be still, my heart. Adrian Paul, THE Highlander, will be attending RT in Pittsburgh. Why didn't someone tell me? RT is celebrating 25 years of cover models, and he is one of their honored guests, available to dine with on Saturday for a mere $100.00 a plate.

Richard, my current hero, looks eerily like Adrian Paul. Not that I would confuse the two. Or anything.

Oh, and Fabio will be there, as well. Huh.

Excuse me, I have to go write a torrid love scene.

1/2 a book

NaNoWriMo is over, and I did it! Granted, I never officially registered, but my opinion is more important than Chris Baty's. Two hundred pages in thirty days! I finished the last sentence of scene two on page two hundred, line twenty-four.
For December, I'm planning on NaNo light. At least one hundred but preferably one hundred and fifty pages.
The draft is a lot rougher than normal, but I have plenty of notes. The Girls keep sending up tidbits to add, the latest being a secondary character should be pregnant. I resisted for two or three weeks, but caved in last night. There must be a reason. In the meantime, I'm enjoying torturing my characters. I have much more in store for them before the happily ever after.
If you're looking for a little Christmas fun, visit this website: www.elfyourself.com Upload some photos and send them to your friends. It's a rocking good time!