kimlajevardi

Welcome to my first Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) post for 2023. We have a fresh writing slate ahead of us. Oh, can the writer who threw a pandemic at us in 2020, switch genres please? I’m thinking happy family comedy. Think I’ll get my wish? Yeah, me either. Guess I’ll just get on with things today.

January 4th question: Do you have a word of the year?  Is there one word that sums up what you need to work on or change in the coming year? Control. There is a lot out of my control–the pandemic is just one enormous example, but there are many others. The publishing world is a small component of a very big out-of-my-control galaxy. So, I’m going to spend this year focusing on controlling those things I actually have control over, and everything else will get blasted away with loud music. I’m not going to keep trying to spin the wheels on someone else’s car.

Giving thanks is something in all of our control, so in that vein, join me in thanking my fellow co-hosts of this month’s post: Jemima Pett, Debs Carey, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, T. Powell Coltrin, and me.

And now for a bit of news.

This first story has the best understated line of any animal intruder story I’ve ever read. Her and her family “gathered atop the kitchen table…” I bet it was a bit more chaotic than a gathering. 🙂

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tasmanian-devil-mistaken-for-dog-toy-inside-home-australia_n_63adee15e4b0fe267ca7a94a

In science news this week, theoretical messages from a wormhole. Please, please let scientists discover this is so much more than mathematically possible. Please.

I leave you with a song that embodies taking control for myself in the new year. Enjoy, and I’ll see you in seven.

Hi guys! I’m taking the rest of the month from blogging. Enjoy your holidays, and I’ll see you in the new year.

Welcome to another monthly posting for The Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG). The first Wednesday of the month is the time where twittering writers from around the globe take a few moments to reach beyond our stories to commiserate with other twittering keyboard monkeys. The amazing co-hosts for the December 7 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Chemist Ken, Natalie Aguirre, Nancy Gideon, and Cathrina Constantine!

The optional question this month is–are the holidays a time to catch up or fall behind on writing goals?

In all honesty, fall behind. I work in an industry that gets busy during December, and as a result, I have less bandwidth than normal. I can’t wait until January. Definitely means I need to be efficient with my time. To that end, time for some news. 🙂

This first story talks about the word of the year and a condition I’d like to engage in for at least a week.

https://www.npr.org/2022/12/05/1140696560/oxford-word-2022-goblin-mode

In science this week, gifts from the James Webb Space telescope. Happy Holidays!

I leave you with a song. Enjoy and I’ll see you in seven.

See you in seven.

Happy Thanksgiving Eve! For all of you in the US, tonight is the last night to turn your scale back five pounds. For those of you outside the US, just enjoy the joke I stole from the internet. And in case the idea of eating until you’re beyond stuffed doesn’t appeal, some news and a song.

My first story is proof that people will use absolutely any excuse to get together in a bar. So weird.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/longest-beard-chain-casper-wyoming_n_63727448e4b029013644d818

In science today, a tremendously promising use for virtual reality. I truly love science!

https://now.northropgrumman.com/how-virtual-reality-therapy-can-treat-chronic-pain/

I leave you with a taste of the holiday season. Enjoy and a I’ll see you in seven.

See you in seven.

Happy Wednesday! November is barreling forward. It will be Thanksgiving before we know it. A little turkey, stuffing, and pie for having to endure the speed of time. Is it just me who sees it that way? Anyway, time for some news.

Um…stop, just stop.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sonoran-desert-toad-licking_n_6368b860e4b0eb51ab119e8c

In science news, beautiful pink auroras. They are so beautiful.

https://www.livescience.com/pink-auroras-solar-storm

I leave you with some music. Enjoy and I’ll see you in seven.

Welcome back to another posting for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG). The first Wednesday of every month participating writers hop between each others blogs to commiserate with all of the ups and downs of this crazy authorial journey. If you’re curious, check out the blogs of our illustrious co-hosts: Diedre Knight, Douglas Thomas Greening, Nick Wilford, and Diane Burton!  

The optional question this month is – November is National Novel Writing Month. Have you ever participated? If not, why not?

No, I haven’t participated in NaNo. The primary reason is because I always seem to be mid-project whenever it rolls around. Fast drafting, at least for me, works best when I’m at the beginning. Being halfway through means I am often somewhere in the editing process, and that is not a place where over 1600 words per day is likely. So, no NaNo. But I can share fun news for those of you who are participating.

My first news morsel today is a link about a cat con which features Nicolas Cage. Did you all know he was an internet famous cat dad?

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/catcon-nicolas-cage-art-exhibit_n_632bf2eee4b09d8701bc2a21

It turns out sex may have been a far more powerful tool than violence in wiping out the Neanderthals. I heart science.

https://phys.org/news/2022-10-neanderthal-extinction-sex.html

One last piece of entertainment before I go–a song. Enjoy and I’ll see you in seven.

Welcome to the final Wednesday of October 2022. Fast does not begin to describe the speed with which October has come and mostly gone. Halloween is Monday, y’all. I am shocked. The only way to get over my age-related time experience is some distracting news, I guess. 🙂

Care for a bite?

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/baker-makes-han-solo-bread_n_634b5edee4b0e376dc0d3b0a

In science news this week, some pretty cool eclipse pics. I love a good eclipse!

https://www.livescience.com/solar-eclipse-photos-october-2022

I leave you with a song. Enjoy and I’ll see you in seven.

I’m attending a friend’s book launch tonight, so I’m taking a week off my blog. See you in seven.