kimlajevardi

It’s time once again for unstable but entertaining support of other neurotic writers from across the virtual world. If you haven’t taken in the show before, come in and pull up a keyboard.

Thanks to our wonderful co-hosts for the month of September: C. Lee McKenzie,Rachel Pattison, Elizabeth Seckman, Stephanie Faris, Lori L MacLaughlin, and Elsie Amata!

It’s still Tuesday, don’t check your cat calendar. I’m posting this a day early because I have evening plans tomorrow. And boy was this a banner day to check the news.  I have intriguing science news below to tickle your brain.

First up, I can’t decide if this is the first step toward Terminator-style world changes or an amazing step forward into a new era in human engineering. Take a look.

http://news.sky.com/story/watch-robot-builder-construct-house-in-two-days-10514890

I think she overreacted just a bit.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/woman-drives-store-refused-gift-card-purchases-145522453.html

And now for the BIG news ….

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/aug/29/russian-radio-telescope-strong-signal-hd164595-seti

It may be nothing, but it could be a game changer. Not a bad way to end the news, huh? Have a great week. See you in seven.

Welcome back to a weekly news feature run by a non-weepy, relatively-normal person this week. I have partially recovered from taking my only son to college and dropping him off.

*Sniff*

The news is a good distraction. This first story is equally intriguing and macabre. Ultimately, I love how beautiful that dress looks as a result.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/09/arts/sigalit-landau-salt-bride-dress/index.html

Um … crappy is absolute the correct word.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/russia-poop-explosions_us_57b66dcae4b00d9c3a16c481?section=us_weird-news

Dude. (Do you like my surfer moment? I had a very Bill and Ted moment when I saw the article. :)) This is so close in terms of space distance. I love astronomy!

http://www.livescience.com/55868-closest-earth-like-planet-proxima-b-discovered.html

That’ll do it for me this week. I get to see my son on Sunday, so I’ll be even better next week. See you in seven.

Sorry to cut this short today. I sent my son off to college today, and I am not up for much of a post. Take the night to read something funny, listen to music that makes you laugh, or curl up with a good book.

See you in seven.

Hello. I know that doesn’t have much flair or humor, but I’m tired. Today was my first full day back at work. Summer is over. Sad face. Sad, sad teachers across my state. Rather than wallowing in my pity party–you can save the reminder that I had over ten weeks off–I’m going to plow through the news, albeit in a tired, foot-dragging kind-of way.

This first story is interesting. I think little kids ask this question all of the time, but when I really dug into what this could mean, though, I realized how it could be used in my writing. Fantasy and Sci Fi writers–can you see how this could inform a scene(s)?

http://www.livescience.com/54864-do-trees-sleep.html

This is good. Sorry for those of you who lump rats into animal rights protection discussions. I don’t. They’re icky.

http://www.livescience.com/55544-nyc-fights-rats-with-geeky-tools.html

This is super cool.

http://www.popsci.com/next-leather-jacket-will-made-from-mushrooms#page-2

That’ll do it for this tired, back-to-work teacher. See you next week. Same time, same place.

The first Wednesday of the month has been flipped forward, either on your virtual calendar or literally for those of you still sporting old-school wall calendars. You have cats, don’t you? Admit it. Twelve months of cats tumbling, hanging, and just plain being cute. There’s a reason they’re are all over the internet.

Man, I’m easy to distract.

Anyway, it is that time once again, and whether you are inconsolable because you lost your cat calendar, or your writing has been zinging you with anxieties over character, plot, aliens, or the complexities of microscopic sword battles, come release it with us. We’ll be your cats. My thanks to our co-hosts for this month’s: Tamara Narayan,Tonja Drecker, Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor, Lauren @ Pensuasion, Stephen Tremp, and Julie Flanders!

What was your very first piece of writing as an aspiring writer? Where is it now? Collecting dust or has it been published?

Hmm…

My first piece of writing as an aspiring writer was more of a character sketch than anything else. It was something that sprang to mind as I was walking around my neighborhood one day. This little girl popped into my head during that walk, replete with a simple storyline and background that wouldn’t shake loose. It was around seven summers ago, and the idea continued to follow me around as I went about my summer business, climbing onto a ladder with me as I painted the main level of my house. And it was during that painting session, while listening to an interview with J.K. Rowling, that I sought out the online writing support which would eventually lead me to the path I’m now following.

The story is still just a vignette, and I haven’t looked at it for years, but it is that character and tiny nugget of an idea which has been responsible for me having finished one novel (which is looking for an agent at the moment) and beginning the first book of a series. Quite a productive walk, huh?

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Time for some news.I promise to be good. I will not talk politics, will not…

It’s so hard. So many temptations. No. I will snap my mental rubber band around my wrist and resist. It would be so funny if I could, but I won’t. Snap. Snap. Snap.

The best part of this news tidbit is the video of New Zealand dogs completing a driver’s test. Better drivers than many people I’ve encountered.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dogs-car-crash-walmart_us_579f5ec8e4b08a8e8b5e95a4?ir=Weird+News&section=us_weird-news&utm_hp_ref=weird-news

Bad weather. Too soon.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/colorado-springs-july-hail-storm_us_579ecf68e4b0e2e15eb63f01?ir=Weird+News&section=us_weird-news&utm_hp_ref=weird-news

In science this week, another gift for my writer friends. I bet you guys can come up with all kinds of ideas about that pod. *Giggle*

http://www.livescience.com/55574-mysterious-purple-sea-orb-near-channel-islands.html

That’s all for me this week. Until next time, enjoy the news. 🙂

Welcome one and all. I’m feeling very optimistic this evening. I’m looking forward, and that is in no small part due to watching the political process unfold. I watched the Republican National Convention last week and this week I’ve been watching the Democratic National Convention, and regardless of which side you land on this election cycle, the process itself can be invigorating. Inspiring. And with that in mind, I’ll speak the only political point that I’ll share with people outside my small circles in the world. That word: Vote. Vote for what you believe in. Please use the right you have.

And now back to light and fluffy. I found some tasty news for you this evening. Enjoy!

This first one was just too cute to pass up. I want to hold them and squeeze them.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/these-adorable-pets-prove-they-know-how-to-nap_us_57912eb5e4b00c9876ceb05d

This is wrong. Why would you make something as yummy and wonderful as a cupcake represent something so gross. Bad baker and very bad doctor.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pimple-popping-cupcakes_us_578e47cbe4b0fa896c401414

My science link tonight is a gift to my Sci Fi writer friends.

http://www.livescience.com/55474-sea-slug-biohybrid-robot.html

That’ll do it for me this evening. I hope the links this week appealed to you on some level, but I meant what I said about voting. Please exercise your rights and vote in November.

Hola all! I’m feeling spicy tonight, which means I need to jazz up my greeting. Hola was my first option, but I also have salam and wau for you. Wau is actually Australian, and on the page I found it, there were two additional hello options: ella and alla. That’s pretty cool, huh? Makes me think there’s some interesting things going on down there. Want to join me in checking it out? 😉

I was right. Can you imagine coming home to this little guy? He is so confused by the slick surface of that weird shiny tree.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pole-dancing-koala-australia_us_578e6f65e4b07c722ebc73ec?ir=Weird+News&section=us_weird-news&utm_hp_ref=weird-news

Absolutely brilliant move to make the police station a Pokemon gym. Some people just don’t think.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pokemon-go-arrest_us_578d412fe4b0a0ae97c30bfb?ir=Weird+News&section=us_weird-news&utm_hp_ref=weird-news

This has so much potential, and I love that the scientists working on it are from my neck of the woods.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/csu-st071916.php

That’s all for yet another Wednesday evening. I’ll see you back here in seven.

Welcome back to my little news feature: The Weekly News. It’s full of fantastic information to enrich your minds, spark conversation and entertain. Mostly, the latter. I must admit to being thoroughly entertained this week.

You know that the Pokemon Go thing has gone too far when adults are wandering around work oblivious as cameras roll. The weather guy handled it with a lot of humor.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/weather-forecast-pokemon-go_us_5784fc24e4b0ed2111d7895d?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

It’s laudable that he wants to turn this into a learning experience for kids. But … it’s ten times bigger than the computers kids already have at home and does a fraction of what those machines can do. And on top of all of that, it cost $51,000.00. Um … I think the kids will want to teach him something instead.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/supercomputer-only-plays-tetris_us_577febe8e4b01edea78dcaf1?ir=Weird+News&section=us_weird-news&utm_hp_ref=weird-news

In science news this week, toilets reveal a wealth of artifacts. I just couldn’t resist, and it is a huge find. *Giggle*

http://www.livescience.com/55301-toilets-from-old-philadelphia.html

That’ll do it for me this evening. See you in seven.

It’s time once again for my monthly posting for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. If you haven’t clicked on the image and traveled to their site yet, do it. This group is a must for us shaking bundles of caffeine-driven writers who sit with one twittering eye trained on the screen and the other rolled somewhere in the back of our skulls. Consider it your monthly group. Your tribe of other weirdos in whom you can connect via this roller coaster journey we call writing.

Today’s co-hosts are  Yolanda Renee, Tyrean Martinson, Madeline Mora-Summonte , LK Hill, Rachna Chhabria, and JA Scott! 

IWSG is trying something new beginning this month: a question. Consider it a focal point for the above-mentioned writers to train themselves on instead of going down the rabbit hole. Not a bad idea.

This month’s question is: What’s the best thing someone has ever said about your writing?

Hmm…

I think the best thing someone ever said wasn’t focused on a particular aspect of technique or a story element. Instead, it was a complement from a beta read. One of my fabulous critique partners had offered to beta my manuscript, and in among the threads that she mentioned needed tweaking was an ego-stroking compliment. She said: The last quarter of this novel is brilliant.

Well, I can tell you that the birds sang. The clouds parted, and the rays of sunlight streamed forth, striking every available surface imaginable. It was the best thing I’ve heard regarding my writing, and it was from someone I respect which makes it even better. Anytime the word brilliant can make an appearance in any mention of my writing, I will do somersaults and back handsprings. Well… I would if I was still twelve. But I’ll definitely jump. High. Really, really high.

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Time for some news.

This first story is incredible. When I opened the link, I thought the two men would have faceless office jobs which could go unnoticed for upwards of fifteen years, but a gardener and a driver? Someone should have noticed that the car never moved and the grounds were in bad shape. Seriously. The topper is the mention of the guy at the end of the story getting an award for his contribution to the job after not showing up for six years.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/spain-skipped-work-15-years_us_57760ea3e4b09b4c43bfdec7?ir=Weird+News&section=us_weird-news&utm_hp_ref=weird-news

I’m thinking that they need to change the title of this story to the state with the most drunk arrests. Who is happy when they’re arrested? And the people who actually spent any time analyzing mugshots even though the methodology is suspect, wow.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/happiest-saddest-mugshots-is_us_577585d7e4b0a629c1a951de?ir=Weird+News&section=us_weird-news&utm_hp_ref=weird-news

Growing your own protective armor is beyond a cool adaptation. These little fleas are rock stars, and my writer brain is working on overdrive thinking how this could make its way into a story. Definitely coolest link of the day!

http://www.livescience.com/55297-how-water-fleas-grow-body-armor.html

That’s it for the first work in July. See you back here in seven.