kimlajevardi

Hello again! I’m back. It’s Wednesday evening, and some rain is tapping against my windows while thunder occasionally rolls through the sky overhead. I’d like to think that I’ve seen the last of snow and winter, but I do live in Colorado. If you’ve never had the pleasure of visiting my beautiful state, bipolar weather is the best way to describe it. So, although I’m enjoying tastes of spring, I’m in no way convinced that I’m completely finished with the snow. Mother’s Day is when I can be confident. Until then… I read and write. Tonight – some news. You knew that was coming, didn’t you?

The first tidbit that caught my eye–copying Stonehenge with cars. Something to talk about – definitely. Worth visiting? Hmm… You tell me.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/roadtrippers/video-explore-nebraskas-carhenge_b_6752066.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news&ir=Weird%20News

Interesting. I wouldn’t have immediately jumped to mold as the cause of creepy sounds and visions of spectral beings. Who knew?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/05/ghosts-caused-mold-clarkson-university_n_7006836.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

This last news item has me intrigued beyond belief. What if their predictions are correct? Definite game changer. I love science!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/08/nasa-alien-life_n_7023134.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news&ir=Weird%20News

That’ll do it for me once again. Have a fabulous evening and an even better weekend. See you in seven.

Time for another posting for Insecure Writer’s Support Group. This month is a double for a handful of people also participating in the A to Z Challenge. Kudos to you all – I’m not quite brave enough to balance something else, but I’ll stand over here and admire you all from a far. 😉

The awesome co-hosts today are Suzanne Furness, Tonja Drecker, Toi Thomas, Rachna Chhabria, Fundy Blue, and Donna Hole!

Instead of discussing my own personal insecurity, curiosity (which happens more often than not) or posing a question, I’d like to add words of encouragement to those undertaking the monthlong A to Z Challenge. Writing is a slog and willingly challenging yourself is admirable and ultimately builds better writers. These words are so true, so I offer them up to you:

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” Stephen King

Blog reading counts, right?

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Now on to the news.

First up, some brazen thieves. How do you steal something that big?

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/10-foot-300-pound-metal-rooster-goes-missing-in-6170022.php

Cool. I wonder if they’re edible. Would that be weird?

http://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/567189/Newly-discovered-mushrooms-look-weirdly-like-tiny-HUMANS

And in science news, it’s possible that George Lucas was on to something. Two sun planets. Definite shorts weather.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/31/tatooine-planets-two-suns-common_n_6970532.html?utm_hp_ref=science

That’ll do it for me. Have a great end to your week.

Hello all! Greetings from a semi-relaxed teacher/writer, enjoying the yearly public school tradition of Spring Break. It has been a mostly relaxing one here in my humble abode, and to be honest, I’ve only left for errands and walks. The rest of my time has been spent writing, reading and doing a few critiques. Time to use my computer to reach beyond the confines of my four walls.

Fantasy authors take note: Our Earth is amazing! These settings are so inspiring. I just added some travel plans to my bucket list.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/purewow/10-of-the-most-colorful-p_b_6746178.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news&ir=Weird%20News

Not only do we have access to some amazing destinations that should make you dream in technicolor, but we also have access to the history of people heretofore unsung. Our history has untold numbers of stories about achievements that demonstrate that we are as amazing as the planet that we inhabit. Here are just a handful of those stories.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/world-leaders/140108/the-badass-women-history?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_433838

You know what’s next, don’t you? Science, of course. 😉

Even our waste is interesting… well, um valuable at least. I’m such a middle school teacher.

http://www.popsci.com/what-goes-your-toilet-might-be-literal-goldmine

That’ll do it for me tonight. Not going to bed quite yet – there are certain benefits to being off.

Welcome back all! Another week has come and gone, and as a result, we are days away from the Vernal Equinox. Spring has almost sprung. 😉 Enjoy the longer days, the return of color and warmth and the ever-closer presence of summer. A giant sigh just escaped the thoughts of every teacher in North America, including me.

Enough of my seasonal celebrations – on with the news.

Llama drama… giggle. 🙂

http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/llamas-lead-arizona-police-chase-through-phoenix-suburbs-n313766

This is stunning! Finding this video couldn’t be more timely. I’m currently writing chapters where my main characters are in a cave, and the visuals in the world’s largest cave make me feel the chill of the stone under my fingers and the crunch of rock beneath my boots.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/16/hang-son-doong-drone-worlds-largest-cave-vietnam_n_6882916.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news&ir=Weird%20News

Next up, further evidence that science rocks: blue lava. Very cool!

http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/17/no-computer-trickery-here-just-real-bright-blue-lava-5108300/

Enjoy your evening and even more important, take a few moments to recognize another spring. If you celebrate the Persian New Year, Aid-e shoma mobarak!

Hello all! It’s Wednesday again – time for another posting of the news that I found interesting, intriguing, or just plain weird. This has been a much better week in my little corner of the galaxy. I hope you can say the same.

First up, a yummy treat courtesy of the police. I’m not sure where I fall on rewarding people for what they should be doing anyways – but as someone who normally follows the laws, I wouldn’t mind a little something. Coffee. Definitely coffee.

http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/nh-police-department-rewards-good-behavior-pizza-fries-n321741

Next up, a very interesting marketing ploy. Go away it’s too snowy. (Not really. Come visit and spend your money 🙂  )

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/travel/new-york-town-gives-says-visit-florida-instead-n308876

A first for science: an image of light as both particle and wave.

http://www.livescience.com/50019-image-light-wave-particle.html

That’ll do it for this next to last week of winter. Cheers and whooping and hollering are totally appropriate now. Next week when I post, we will have two final days before the equinox. Yay! The sun is returning! The sun is returning!

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group!Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month.

Please visit the blogs of our amazing co-hosts: Chemist Ken, Suzanne Sapseed, and Shannon Lawrence!

This month I’m feeling both insecure and ecstatic. Who said being a writer wasn’t fun? 🙂 That twitching you feel is me. Don’t worry, it’ll stop once I refill my coffee.

So, my insecurity stems from my bad week last week. I had a lot swirling about in my over-worked brain; time was working against me, and then, because the universe knows how well I handle stress, I had a big ol’ bad day at work. The culmination of all of that was on Wednesday – when I’m supposed to post my weekly news. Long, and maybe not so interesting story short, I missed last week’s posting because I was hiding in bed with the blankets pulled over  my head. I’m sorry to my massive list of readers, and especially sorry to those writers who I owe a blog visit and responses to previous posts. I’ll catch up after work today.

On a happier, make that fantastic note, I just found out that my novel won first place in a regional writing contest. The contest is associated with a writing conference put on in my neck of the woods, and the local writing group that created it has very helpfully chosen to make it mirror the steps of landing an agent: a query, synopsis and first 2,500 words of your manuscript. There were several rounds with the final round being judged by an agent that is also attending the conference. And I won first place in my category! Woo-hoo! I need emoticons. Hmm…

Any gray left hanging over me after last week dissipated when I got that call I can assure you. Picture a schoolgirl running around the house, yipping and giggling and you get a small glimpse of what my Sunday evening looked like. My family was quite amused. 🙂 I haven’t been able to wipe the smile off of my face since.

Happy IWSG posting day! What about all of you out there in the virtual abyss? Anyone else celebrating good news?

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Now for a long-delayed news break. Let’s just pretend that last week didn’t happen, okay?

First up, a massive discovery. This isn’t weird or crazy, just amazing. Look what happens when we ask questions and try to seek out the answers – we find more than we could ever imagine.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/03/lost-city-honduras-ciudad-blanca_n_6797194.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news&ir=Weird%20News

Um… okay. How relaxing is a small underground tunnel? I’d think a shed or garage, or virtually anything else would be better. Can you spell claustrophobia?

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Toronto-police-say-no-criminal-intent-with-tunnel-6109755.php

And in science news, my backyard is apparently the safest place in case of a zombie apocalypse. Who knew?

http://www.livescience.com/50016-best-place-to-hide-from-zombies.html

That’ll do it for me. Have a fabulous week and weekend.

Hello all! I’m no longer as exhausted as I was last week. That was a doozy of a week. I’m better now. Spring is beginning to play peek-a-boo with us over here, and there are hints that Spring Break is around the corner. I. CAN’T. WAIT. The only way to keep my mind occupied is to stay busy, and what better way than reading the news? 😉

Here’s a bit of what I found.

Do you think the fridge is the weirdest thing ever thrown at those officers? I have a sneaking suspicion that they’ve seen their share of some crazy stuff.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/16/tractor-trailer-chase-34-miles-fridge-thrown_n_6691646.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

Very funny! Youtube has opened up a whole new world of entertainment, hasn’t it?

http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/watch-this-farmer-make-artwork-with-his-cows-400613443784

Mental telepathy is possible. Wow! Authors get your fingers poised on the keyboards – the stories will practically write themselves.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/16/tractor-trailer-chase-34-miles-fridge-thrown_n_6691646.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

That’ll do it for this week. If you’re buried under snow, just keep your thoughts focused on the idea of one month. In one month, it’ll be the vernal equinox and then we can start counting down to summmerrrtttime. Woo-hoo! Don’t pop my happy bubble by reminding me of how long until it arrives. I can’t hear you. 😛

Happy early Valentine’s Day! This week has brought a flurry of flower deliveries, cards, cookies and candy throughout my work space. Along with the extra sugar and color those things bring, conferences. Two extra-long days where I find myself with droopy eyes and a sore throat. What does this mean? I’m tired. Very tired.

So…

Some music and art.

First up is some cool 3D street art. Talented artists.

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/absolutely-stunning-3d-street-art-paintings/

What do I want to hear before I go to bed? One of my favorites. I like Eminem. It’s not for everyone, but I enjoy it.

http://youtu.be/bmXumtgwtak

I didn’t forgot that we need some science. Cool science!

http://coolsciencenews.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-better-map-of-ocean-floor-has-been.html

That’ll do it for me. Goodnight.

It is time for The Insecure Writer’s Support Group once again. Time to release anxiety, soak in some support or just make connections with other writers out there in the virtual world. If you are so in need, click on the link above and sign up to join in. If you’re just up for some reading, you’ll find material worthy of giggles and more, so much more.

I’ve shown up as the party’s winding down once again this month. Dangnabbit! Overall life business keeps interfering in my writing time. Some days I wish I could chuck it all and just write.

Do you ever have those days?

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First up in this week’s regularly scheduled news update: A gigantic um… okay. I’m all for fundraising, but isn’t this a little creepy?

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Zoo-offers-creepy-way-for-lovelorn-to-get-even-6039354.php

Goes to show you that some political positions aren’t really necessary. Too many bad politician jokes. 😉

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Man-who-died-in-2012-gets-reappointed-to-Pa-6049040.php

Whatever it depicts, it is absolutely stunning and knowing that it’s larger than our solar system leaves me in awe.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/31/space-globule-very-large-telescope_n_6581042.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news&ir=Weird%20News

That’ll do it for me tonight. Have an amazing night and I’ll see you in the virtual future.

IT’S WEDNESDAY! Why the exclamation you ask? Well, we’ve been having unseasonably warm weather here in my neck of the woods, and I’ve got a little extra pep in my step as a result. So this ordinary hump day seems just a bit brighter and bolder – the kind of day that requires exclamation points. 😉

In the news, some reflections of that same boldness. Maybe even a subtle plea for a quickening in spring’s approach.

I could not do it, but it looks like it is a blast and talk about bold.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/28/tesla-insane-button-video_n_6560170.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news&ir=Weird%20News

Seriously bold uses for bananas, but I’d stuff the skin and eat the fruit first. No use wasting such a yummy garnish for cereal. Oh, and ice cream – definitely ice cream.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/elisa-roche-jamie-oliver-chef-5060836

Volcanoes rock! Another exclamation point, I know, but the constructive  and destructive forces of the earth are worthy. So cool.

http://www.popsci.com/underwater-volcano-just-created-new-island

Go forth and enjoy the rest of the week. Whether you’re buried under snow or enjoying beautiful temperatures, there’s always something worthy of exclamation points.