kimlajevardi

Time once again the once monthly posting of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group. The image above with carry you away to a list of amazing twittering writers who participate in this monthly gathering. Click on their sites and show them some love.

The awesome co-hosts today are Christopher D. Votey, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Fundy Blue,and Chrys Fey!

This month’s question regards the A to Z blogging challenge of which I’ve never participated, so I will simply offer my best wishes and occasional likes and comments. Good luck to everyone who participates!

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Time for some news.

This first piece seems like a continuation of my disregard for the whole pineapple on pizza argument, but it’s not. This is different. Peeps on a pizza is truly worth disdain and complaint. I would even be willing to invite the politician who I mocked for making pineapple an issue to weigh in. Travesty.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/im-enraged-by-peeps-on-pizza-and-you-should-be-too_us_58e3b45ee4b0d0b7e164da23?section=us_weird-news

Really? I feel like a piece of meat … or chicken. I bet we taste like chicken.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/spiders-eat-all-humans_us_58dd332de4b0e6ac7092fbfe?section=us_weird-news

Science rocks. It just rocks.

http://www.livescience.com/58549-jet-engine-powered-flying-exosuit.html

That’s it for another week. See you here in seven.

It will be no surprise to my regular readers that I’m a day late. I, uh, forgot what day it was. Again. I’m sheepishly hanging my head if that counts for anything.

It’s not my fault. It happens whenever I’m busy, or on break. I’m currently on break. I know, I know, no sympathy for teachers and their breaks. But, in my defense, those breaks do cause weird impressions of time. Days slip away. A problem you would like to have. Um … okay. No more excuses. Here’s the news.

This first story is heart-warming, and I’m so happy that man was able to help the shark, but alarm bells slightly rang in my head when I thought about how acclimated sharks have become to divers. It may not always be a good encounter.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/shark-injured-hook-diver-florida_us_58d9e545e4b00f68a5ca3b79?section=us_weird-news

The images in this next story are amazing, but I suggest you watch it on mute. Getting to see the Southern Lights from a plane seems like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but the accompanying soundtrack was kind of stupid. IMHO

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/southern-lights-airline_us_58d97517e4b018c4606a2de3?section=us_weird-news

I know this seems like a setback for cancer prevention, but I think real understanding generally provides something down the line. This new understanding about how random cancer really is will, I hope, eventually lead us toward better ways to address it. For now, early detection.

http://www.livescience.com/58393-cancer-caused-by-random-dna-mistakes.html

That’ll do it for me. See you in six, um, days. 😉

Welcome back, friends. A friendly greeting for the final Wednesday before my spring break. I can taste it. Two more days. I may be crawling toward break, but I’ll get there. Two. More. Days.

This first story sounds like an innovation for those who enjoy a nice cool one, but …. Can you imagine? I’m not a drinker, so not drinking it falls into my normal aversion to beer. What about all of you? Could you stomach a beer knowing it’s treated sewage water?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/stone-brewing-toilet-to-tap_us_58cc60c7e4b0be71dcf4fc2f?section=us_weird-news

This is creepy. Please don’t. Except on Halloween, then it’s okay. 🙂

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/amazon-alexa-talking-skull_us_58c9b77de4b00705db4bf02a?section=us_weird-news

Science understanding of how the microbiome directly impacts health as well as disease risk has grown by leaps and bounds. Further proof to stop with the anti-bacterial soaps and overuse of antibiotics. Step away from the bottles.

http://www.sciencemag.org/topic/microbiome

That’s it for me tonight. Two more days. I can do this…uhh. See you in seven.

Welcome back to all my warm friends out there as well as my snow-bound ones. I finished a run earlier in 73 degree weather. Don’t be jealous if you’re getting pummeled by snow. I live in Colorado, which means that I could be buried under feet of snow any day between now and the end of April. Until then, I enjoy. 🙂 Time for some news.

This first story has the highest cute factor I’ve seen for a while. It may be over-shared online, but I just couldn’t leave it be. He’s. So. Cute.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/disabled-goldfish-wheelchair_us_58c9c4d5e4b0ec9d29d897c2?section=us_weird-news

This house looked weird when I first saw the picture, but then I saw the inside. I don’t know if I could get over feeling like I was living in a fairy tale, but it is interesting.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cowboy-boot-house-dan-phillips-texas_us_58c6c85be4b0d1078ca85cad?section=us_weird-news

Last up in science, they found grandpa.

http://www.livescience.com/58256-hominin-skull-is-likely-neanderthal-relative.html

That’s all for tonight. If you’re reading this wrapped up in blankets, grab a cocoa. If you’re toasty warm like we are at the moment, enjoy. See you in seven.

Welcome back! Another week, another chance to impress with my array of intriguing stories. The following will not disappoint, or, at the very least, they will make you giggle.

This first story defines strange flea market oddities. Who wants a bejeweled Victorian gas mask?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/brooklyn-flea-market-oddities_us_58c05d1ee4b054a0ea675c98?section=us_weird-news

Perfect story for International Women’s Day. I bet she could even accomplish this feat backwards in heels. 😉

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/a-reporter-in-heels-just-ran-the-most-impressive-40-at-nfl-combine_us_58bd9b52e4b0d8c45f452560?section=us_weird-news

I don’t pretend to have a full grasp of this incredible science story, but I love challenging myself. Science is fascinating!

http://www.livescience.com/58171-time-crystals-created-in-the-lab.html

That’s all folks. See you back here in seven.

Welcome back to another posting of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG). Time once again for a virtual gathering of twitching laptop-chained writers. We may require coffee and chocolate to stay engaged, but those are at hand. Yum. 😉

Thank you to this month’s co-hosts:  Tamara Narayan, Patsy Collins, M.J. Fifield, and Nicohle Christopherson!

The question this month relates to dusting off really old stories. I personally do not have that experience, so I’ll instead trumpet some good news about my WIP. I just found out that my submission in a local writing contest garnered me 3rd place in the science fiction/fantasy category. Woo-hoo! I’m even more pleased to know that it underwent further development before being sent to another contest, which bodes well for a higher place. My fingers are most definitely crossed.

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Time for some news. March is here! I cannot believe it is finally here. I need spring. I want warm weather and long days, and summer … I can’t wait for summer. I know I’m ahead of myself. Shut up. Let me fantasize. Ah…

This first story has an amazing shot of a UFO. Wait, it’s a jellyfish. They do not seem equivalent, but you need to take a look and decide for yourself.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jellyfish-ufo-american-samoa_us_58b604d6e4b060480e0cb577?section=us_weird-news

This next story makes me proud of the next generation. Too many people forget to acknowledge how many really good kids are out there.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/puppy-trapped-well-robot-arm-istanbul_us_58adc905e4b04a0b274ee203?section=us_weird-news

The jellyfish picture made me long to look at other ocean images. So much beauty in our largely unexplored depths.

http://www.livescience.com/58017-amazing-underwater-photos.html

That will do it for me. See you in seven.

Welcome back. It is time for a blast of news: an interesting blast, a spectacular blast, ah…you judge for yourself. 🙂

This seems like a legit topic for a president to weigh in on. I mean pineapple … where will it end?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/iceland-president-guoni-johannesson-pineapple-pizza_us_58ac7164e4b02a1e7dac2c24?section=us_weird-news

I just love this contest. I would have so much fun trying to sculpt my own do.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hair-freezing-takhini-hot-pools_us_58a77606e4b07602ad54a5ca?section=us_weird-news

What a game changer. This is why science  and thinking is important.

http://www.livescience.com/57902-magic-foil-cools-buildings.html

That’s all folks. See you in seven.

Sorry this is a day late. I had conferences the past two nights. Last night I just couldn’t. Tired brain and writing is as likely to be funny as incoherent. I chose instead to be an incoherent, semi-conscious vegetable for my whole hour between work and bed. It is a decision I stand by. 😉

First up is a heart-warming trick to get people to donate to this animal rescue organization. I’m all for pulling at heartstrings to get people to take care of animals.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/goat-loves-ups-man_us_58a54ed5e4b037d17d24d5a3?section=us_weird-news

Major props to Officer Chris Womack. Police officers do so much that goes unnoticed, glad this rookie is getting some attention for a very brave act.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cop-drive-thru-fire-jack-in-the-box_us_58a4381ae4b0ab2d2b1ab5b3?section=us_weird-news

Last up, who knew that oceans contained some of the most beneficial lawns imaginable. This is the first year I’m teaching about ecosystems, and I think this is definitely worth a mention.

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/seagrasses-boost-ecosystem-health-fighting-bad-bacteria?tgt=nr

That’ll do it for me this *cough* afternoon. See you in six.

What’s up? It’s Wednesday yet again, and I’m feeling the urge to listen to music. So… I’m going to share.

Love, love, love this song!

Different feel and tone, but equally loved. Enjoy!

Last up, a science song that I love to play for my students.

That’ll do it for me tonight. See you here in seven.

It is once again time for the monthly Insecure Writer’s Support Group posting. This is a wonderful chance for light-sensitive writers to reach through their computer screens to the larger web. Come witness the stunning poltergeist effect. It is quite entertaining.

The fantastic co-hosts for this month are Misha Gericke,  Christy LK Hill, Juneta Key, and Joylene Buter!

This month’s question is: How has being a writer changed your experience as a reader?

Being a writer has changed my reading experience in two primary ways. First and foremost, I’m pickier. There were few chances before I began writing more seriously in which I would put a book down after getting a few chapters into it. Even so-so books had to be finished. I had to know. I’m plot and character hungry and have always been. Only very bad books escaped my hunger before.

And now? I struggle with some of the so-so books. I have such huge to-read stacks to fuel my writing. I just can’t take on many of the mediocre ones any longer.

This is also partially connected to my second biggest change: I read as much for craft as story. I rarely noticed craft elements when I use to read before. As I said, hungry. Devour might even be a better word for how I use to read. But now, I pause and admire or criticize POV decisions, character arcs, single book and series arcs, etc…

I can see behind the walls now.

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Time for the weekly news. I will stay clear of the bright, red news dominating in the U.S. at this moment. I. Just. Can’t.

This first story seems like an interesting and helpful product, but as the comments address, it could get weird. Kudos to Frito Lay, though. Good idea!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tostitos-breathalyzer-twitter-reactions_us_5890b148e4b02772c4e94c45?section=us_weird-news

I hate sagging pants as much as the next girl, but psychological counseling as a stepped-up consequence? Pardon me while I roll my eyes.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sagging-pants-bill-mississippi_us_588aed2ce4b0230ce61b2e9c?section=us_weird-news

In science news: I love volcanoes! So beautiful!

http://www.livescience.com/57701-lava-firehose-steams-into-ocean.html

That’s it for me again this week. See you here in seven.