kimlajevardi

Time for another posting of IWSG. Insecure? Anxious? Nursing that tenth cup of coffee, or…? Come join us. We are your tribe.

Content in your own skin? Go away! Well… maybe you can join too, but you have to bring the coffee. It’s only fair.

Either way, click on the link above and take a virtual field trip to the land of anxiety. It’s a colorful place, filled with hundreds of anxiety-riddled blogs.

Now on to my insecurity. It centers around the balancing of two projects at the same time. I’m currently revising my second book, and I’m really at the beginning of that process. All the while, I’m continuing to refine and submit my first book. On top of that, I’ve just agreed to work with an editor on the first one because I received a lot of interest and a couple of contest nods for it, but I haven’t been able to parlay that into a contract. So… I broke down and contacted a local editor, and now I’m looking at balancing both projects simultaneously this winter.

Does anyone have nails I can chew down? Mine are practically gone.

My question is: how many projects do you work on at once?

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Time for the news. Don’t check your calendars–it’s not the wrong day. Well, maybe it is a teeny bit early. I have conferences the next two nights, so I’m posting this before my brain turns to mush.

You’re welcome.

This first story. *Giggle* Just read it. I’m being very naughty tonight, but I could just totally picture this. Dumb and pot equals a bed of Doritos. Too funny.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/man-police-too-high-doritos_5613ddf7e4b0baa355ad489f?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

Next up: lunch. Crickets are actually tasty. I ate them at a science conference once. Stir fry bugs and veggies. Yum!

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/UConn-serving-up-crickets-at-food-truck-6549649.php

Science is up to bat now. Good news for a very devastated area, but bad news for people. The effects of people are worse on wildlife that a nuclear meltdown. Geez.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/chernobyl-wildlife-thriving-decades-after-nuclear-accident-151006.htm

That’ll do it for this Tuesday, um… Wednesday. See you next week.

Hello all! It’s time once again for me to rattle on about stuff.  But I don’t wanna. I’m in a mood tonight and talking is the last thing I want to do or you want to hear from a poorly behaved child wrapped up in an adult’s body. So… music and art. Much better than whine with an h. Enjoy.

Rhianna. This. Just this.

https://youtu.be/cBsDAbkbsHY

I love street art.

http://www.streetartutopia.com/?p=2014

And in science news, poop. As I said, I’m a poorly behaved child in an adult’s body. Besides, there are actual pictures of astronaut diapers. Aren’t you the slightest bit curious? (I grinned even while typing this. 😉 )

http://www.popsci.com/brief-history-pooping-in-space

Well, I feel a little better. Time to wrap up the evening and start fresh tomorrow. See you in seven.

Welcome back to our regularly scheduled news break. 😉 In my little North American slice of the world things have been blah this week. Blah and not-so-great. Time to turn it around I say.

First up, it could be worse. Life would be so bad if I were this dumb. Evil twin? *Facepalm* Seriously?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/steven-felton-evil-twin-prison_56018eb6e4b0fde8b0cff080?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

JK Rowling knew it was possible. She did…she totally, totally did. Invisibility folks! Cool. I feel like I should add dude, but without the drawn out u sound and head bob, it’s just not the same. Check this out anyway–the duuude is implied. 😉

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/invisibility-cloak-may-be-moving-closer-to-reality_55febe51e4b0fde8b0ce9afd?utm_hp_ref=weird-news&ir=Weird%2BNews§ion=weird-news

And in science news, research for the win. Using prosthetics to bring movement and feeling back to a man who has been paralyzed for a decade.

http://www.livescience.com/52199-brain-connected-prosthetic-restores-feeling.html

That’s all folks. I laughed, I face-palmed and even said dude. Can’t ask for anything more out of a Wednesday. Onward and upward. Here’s to a strong end to the week. See you next time. Goodnight.

Another Wednesday has rolled in and is carrying September away as it slides into Thursday. Its arrival come as I’m recovering from a beast of a cold that I brought back from my writing conference with me. And Nyquil is acting as an insufficiently sharpened stickpin–aluminum even. I need steel.

Maybe I just need to stop whining. Pfft…

Okay, okay. On to the news.

First up, a very wild ride (pun intended). Never take a kayak out on a whale watching tour–check, check. Glad they’re okay.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/whale-breaches-on-kayakers_55f6ff8ce4b077ca094fc8d8?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

*Giggle* Every variation of his name is bad. Love this article. Can you hear the serious Olde English accents saying this out loud? In open court? *Giggle*

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/oldest-f-word_55f65a3fe4b063ecbfa4b9d6?utm_hp_ref=weird-news&ir=Weird%2BNews&section=weird-news

Tricky poop? I love evolution!

http://www.livescience.com/52170-caterpillar-poop-tricks-plants.html

That’ll do it for me yet again. Time to curl up with my medicine, pillow and blankie. Sleepy and sick, and now I’m out for another week. See you in seven.

Hello all! Welcome to the second Wednesday in September–a week that has me all excited because of the writing conference I’m going to this weekend. I get to talk with my peeps. I love writing conferences. While I anxiously await time’s  slog toward Friday, some news.

This first guy is evidence of more money and time than brains. Seriously?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/selfie-stick-fail_55ef8faee4b002d5c07736a0?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

Apparently cavemen were trend setters. Who knew?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/11853734/32000-year-old-porridge-found-in-cave.html

Something I think people have known for a long time. Sometimes unpredictable shit just happens, or chaos–whatever you want to call it. 🙂

http://www.livescience.com/52003-new-definition-chaos.html

That’ll do it for another week. Next time you read me, I’ll be fresh off a writer’s weekend. You won’t see the glow, but it’ll be there.

Surprise, surprise another Wednesday is upon us, and it’s the first Wednesday. You know what that means–Insecure Writer’s Support Support Group. But this is not your ordinary monthly post. No, it’s an anniversary posting. Four years. It’s been four years since the group began, and to celebrate there is a very special announcement.

Come closer.

Closer. 🙂

IWSG is sponsoring an anthology contest that’s open to either Facebook members or blogging members. Previously unpublished stories of 5000-6000 words of Speculative Fiction are welcome. You have until November 1st, 2015. If you’re interested, click the image above and go flying to a link that outlines the rules, judges and piles of gold awaiting your brilliance.

Well, maybe not piles of gold.

Go anyways.

And since I have no whining or complaining for you this week, I’ll leave this part of the post on that very wonderful announcement. Cue Vanna arm waves and a lot of bowing. You’re welcome. So very welcome. I didn’t really have anything to do with the anthology, but you’re still welcome. 😉

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On to the news. I didn’t really have anything to do with it either, but I found the links. Does that count?

This first story is AWESOME! More than cute. More than the reality of parenthood. It’s the cute reality of parenthood.

http://www.today.com/parents/babys-first-photo-shoot-epic-he-poops-dad-t40846

This next story seems silly when you see the headline. I thought it would be, but it’s not. And the issues that tie back to something as important as sanitation, and in some societies, safety, make it worth watching.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/public-restrooms-around-the-world_55e07065e4b0c818f6178691?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

We may be like a virus. Can you imagine life being figuratively contagious?

http://www.livescience.com/52055-life-spreads-across-universe-epidemic.html

That’ll do it for the first week in September. When the Earth rotates seven more times, and the week tips away from the coming weekend and toward the following, I’ll be back. Ooh… total Terminator moment. See you in seven.

Hello all! It’s Wednesday yet again, and a pretty good one at that. I’m beginning to settle back into teaching, waving goodbye to summer. It’s a slow and slightly pitiful wave, but it’s made easier by the hilarious people I work with on a daily basis. People make all the difference, don’t they? Just to give you a sampling of the fun that finds its way into random moments–we may or may not have had a serious discussion about naming our new water cooler today, replete with a survey of possible name choices. Seriously awesome.

And in that spirit, my first news story looks at someone else’s day at work. Can you imagine handing over a ring that costs more than most homes just for a guy to swallow and throw back up? Weird day at the office to say the least.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/watch-moment-heidi-klums-320k-6322822

This next story begs the question: Seriously, Finland? It’s Santa Claus.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/20/us-finland-santaclaus-idUSKCN0QP1US20150820

And in the word of science, Legos rule! Okay, maybe just Lego-like road materials. Still cool, though.

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/where-rubber-meets-plastic-dutch-firm-plans-lego-roads-n392491

That’s it for me this Wednesday night. I may or may not be looking forward to finding out the results of the water cooler naming survey. Middle school teachers are so similar to middle school kids. *Giggle*

Another week has come and gone–a very busy week, make that an extremely busy week. I’m back to school, and my head is swimming from trying to get my teacher legs back under me. I think that warrants a shot of music. If you’re so inclined, feel free to break into a random dance break. 🙂

https://youtu.be/y6Sxv-sUYtM 

I may not be happy about the end of summer, but it’s hard to stay tired when jumping around to something that upbeat.

Up next, a treat for your ears. Not necessarily jump up and dance kind of music, but it’s one of my favorite songs. And. Well. Because.

https://youtu.be/bmXumtgwtak

And in Science news, a stinky flower blooms and people line up for hours to smell it. Or, if you’re so inclined, you can watch the live feed. Come hither Carrion beetles–you know you want some.

http://www.livescience.com/51913-denver-corpse-flower-blooms.html

That’s all folks. See you again next Wednesday.

Another week, another chance to regale you with what’s happening in the world. From the beautiful to the funny, and every weird thing in between, I watch and I choose. This week I’ve chosen a few fun nuggets for you, so sit back, click on the links and enjoy at your leisure. If you’re so inclined to compensate me for my work, think coffee–I’m always up for some coffee. 😉

Our first little snippet comes from the other side of the pond – England. It turns out that if you’re a hungry, hungry caterpillar, you simply need to cover a roundabout with webbing. Plants can’t escape if you bind them. Those people freaked about spiders probably had a heart attack.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/roundabout-entirely-covered-gigantic-web-6241482

If that last one was too much for you, don’t even click on this one. Bugs are gross and they can ruin a lot of stuff people care about, but they’re also an integral part of the ecosystem. When you look at these photos, you’ll see how interesting they can be. I give you up close and personal with some of the smallest lifeforms on Earth:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/bugs-life-incredibly-detailed-pictures-6238602

Finally, science that makes you go hmm… and maybe also makes you want to beg me to stop with the creepy crawlies. I just had to, and besides, cool story about spiders. Perhaps the guy who used a blow torch to kill a spider may have been on to something. Or, maybe he was just on something.

http://www.livescience.com/50348-tarantula-temperature-coordination.html

That’ll do it or me today. I meant what I said about the coffee. Anytime.

No? Well… guess I’ll see you in seven anyways. I may be sleepy, though. 😉

It’s time once again for insecure writers, typing out their fears, thoughts, questions or any combination thereof. Join us by going to the home page, or maybe it’s the mother ship (you decide). Here’s the link because my WordPress is acting hinky today: IWSG.

Our awesome co-hosts today are Nancy Gideon, Bob R Milne, Doreen McGettigan, Chrys Fey, Bish Denham, and Pat Garcia!

My current fear, concern,  nervous meandering is related to getting everything done–time. Do I sound like a broken record? I feel like I do. I’m wrapping up another summer break, and I still haven’t completed nearly the amount of writing I wanted to get done. I “finished” the first draft of my second book, and it’s resting, but I’d hoped to already be editing it by now, but I’m still a week or two away. I am revising my first book again, but I’d hoped to be done with that as well. My writing time will be less than half of what I get during the summer and I’m already 1-2 months behind where I’d hoped to be by this time. Argh… Now, I know the deadline is self-imposed, and it’s not the end of the world, but I am super aware of my free times and my busy times based on schedule, and I’m approaching the busiest time of year for a teacher, and I’d rather be writing. Sad face.

What do you guys do to balance your busy times of year with your writing?

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Time for the news–da da da dum. *Giggle* A week or two ago I was feeling all James Earl Jones when I typed that, but now I’m hearing big drums. Dramatic, huh?

First up, AMAZING photos. These are identified as the best travel photographs/photographers of the year, and I so agree. Love, love, love!

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33682404

Um, serieskiter. Read it, and the translation of that word will become clear. I am such a middle school teacher or maybe it’s a student. *Snort*

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/someones-pooping-in-golf-holes-in-norway_55bbc5e7e4b0d4f33a02c941?utm_hp_ref=weird-news&ir=Weird%2BNews§ion=weird-news&kvcommref=mostpopular

In science news, traveling backwards in time could produce doppelgangers. So cool. Read it through to the ten year example–twins that take each other out, leaving just the original? Mind totally blown.

http://www.livescience.com/51648-how-time-travel-would-work.html

That’ll do it for yet another week. The last full one before I have to go back to work–big inhale. You should feel sympathy for me, but I know that the majority of you do not have summers off, so my whining falls on very deaf ears. I get it. Still sucks, but I get it. See you in seven.