kimlajevardi

It’s been a weird and sad week here in the U.S. I have no plans to jump on the posting bandwagon to capitalize on the sad events of the last few days. I do want to share pieces that are uplifting though. So sit back and enjoy what I found. Sometimes we need positive and enriching images and music.

These pictures just made me happy. We live in an amazing, awe-inspiring world. Sometimes I forget just how amazing our little corner of the universe is. I hope it also does something for you.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/natural-wonders_n_3844980.html

Orchestra music is always good. Pairing it with Harry Potter – nirvana. 🙂

http://youtu.be/WsJEuAd0-1I

And in a nod to my science side, a song and video that I love. I show this to my students every year. 

http://youtu.be/9Cd36WJ79z4

Today Beth Fred, Medeia Sharif and Lexa Cain are hosting the International Potluck Blogfest.

Here are the rules:

~ Put the bloghop badge on your post.
~ Post the cover of a book you love (it can be your own) with a food and/or recipe from the book, or a food from the MC’s region, or any food you just like!
~ Link back to Beth, Media, and Lexa. All three of them.
~ A copy of Beth’s Finding Hope, Medeia’s Snip, Snip, Revenge, and Lexa’s Soul Cutter, plus a $10 Amazon gift card will be given away via Rafflecopter!

So here goes. 🙂

My book is: The Next Time You See Me by Holly Goddard Jones

It was my favorite read this summer. It uses multiple third-person POVs to unveil a tragic event and the underbelly of all of those involved in the life and death of the person at the event’s center. The storyline uses distance and slowly and masterfully reveals what actually happened, exposing those things we hide – even seemingly good people. With the convergence of separate storylines, we get the entirety of the last night of Ronnie Eastman, and learn just how much can be hidden beneath.

My recipe does not come from the book or the region per se, but it requires the combination of distinct elements to make it sing. And if I’m honest, I just love it. One caveat – I like homemade beans instead of the canned ones, so if you want to make it (and you really should), use some homemade black beans.

Submitted by: CHIQUITA72979

Introduction

This corn and black bean salsa is the perfect dish for potlucks when you want to have something healthy on the table.

Ingredients

Directions

Another month has flown by. Has this year zipped by everyone else as fast as it has me? I think it’s a sign of getting older, but I’m not telling how old. Anyways, on to the task at hand. Let’s leave talk of old age in the dust. It’s time for another month of miserable   nervous  insecure writer commiseration. Us insecure writers need support, so if you haven’t already clicked on the little image and checked us out, then get on it. We need witnesses to our twittering and shakes otherwise…well, I don’t know what we’d do otherwise. So click! 🙂 

This month my insecurity has circled back to time. It’s something that never lets go of me, but this month the time issue is different. This month, I’m coming out of my beautiful, productive summer break – a time where I actually “finished” my first WIP, and I’m beginning my second. But the trouble is that I’m beginning it as I gear back up for another school year. I thought I’d have more of the summer to outline and draft, but “final” edits of my first novel took longer than anticipated. So, I have to cut down from four hours of work per day to one. And I’m tackling a much bigger project. Ah… My fingernails are already stumpy at this point. I worry that before long I’ll start gnawing at flesh. Wait, is that another book idea? 

My question for all the illustrious IWSG’ers out there is: How do you balance early stages of planning and drafting with small windows of time?

Now, on to the weekly news. If you’re uninformed and choose to stay that way, stop reading. 🙂

This first kernel of interesting news leads me to believe that someone needs to read the definition of sport. I’m sorry to anyone who loves this tradition, but finger-wrestling is not a sport. It may be fun, and the beer may be good, but IT IS NOT A SPORT.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/06/finger-wrestling-championships-germany_n_5654357.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

Knock, knock. Tell me if you’ve heard this one. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/04/gator-knocks-florida-couples-door_n_5647494.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

And in science news: What happens when Robert Frost meets particle physics? A really cool experiment.

http://www.livescience.com/47221-quantum-particle-path-most-traveled.html

What day is it? It’s huuummmppp day! 🙂

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWBhP0EQ1lA

You knew at some point I’d have to do it, didn’t you?

Now on to your news fix. Our first tidbit will make some people out there very happy. Me? I just keep thinking about what it must smell like. That’s a lot of cats.

http://metro.co.uk/2014/07/30/japanese-cat-island-has-more-cats-than-humans-and-its-utterly-amazing-4815069/

Whoops! Can you imagine the embarrassment? If he has a wife, she is probably mortified. If not, I get it.

http://metro.co.uk/2014/07/26/homeowner-posts-naked-bathroom-selfie-by-accident-on-listings-website-4811167/

And in cross-my-fingers science news, a potential breakthrough in AIDS research. Maybe. Hopefully!

http://motherboard.vice.com/read/scientists-edited-hiv-out-of-a-human-genome

Take a minute to join me in hoping. And to all of those who have battled HIV/AIDS, or are living with loved ones who do, I hope it happens soon.

It’s Wednesday, and this week I got the day right. 🙂 Applause, applause. I’ll bow now. You can’t see it, but the flourish I just made with my left hand was spectacular. I may even be good enough to replace Vanna. It doesn’t matter that she doesn’t do the gestures for prizes anymore; I’ll bring them back. I’m a trend-maker, you’ll see. In the meantime, on to the news.

Our first story shows a definite case of a career-minded young man. He doesn’t mean to commit crimes, it’s just that he knows what he wants to be when he grows up – a bus driver. Come on.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/16/12-year-old-steals-school-bus-again_n_5592785.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

One question: Would you like fries with that?

http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/07/22/4248889/170-foot-ketchup-bottle-for-sale.html

Fossils are cool, and we learn a lot from them. But, um, who wants a fossilized piece of crap? Seriously? 

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/weird-science/impressive-load-longest-fossilized-poop-goes-auction-n161291

I’ll leave with that last news piece. There’s not much I can say to top it, so until next week…

Happy Wednesday!

What? It’s Thursday? Agh… 😮

The truth is, I kind of forgot that yesterday was Wednesday. I know, I know, bad blogger. You can’t see it, but I’m flogging myself. 😉 I’d like to come out and give a grand excuse for why I missed posting yesterday. Something like: illness, emergency, flood, or ginormous earthquake; but I can’t. Tuesday just extended its reach until it morphed into Thursday. Not my fault. It just happens every now and again when you’re lost in an editing fog.

Can I tell you, though, I re-wrote a great scene yesterday. Cheers! High fives!

Can I share it? Well, not yet. Gotta get an agent and that whole publication deal thing first. Sorry to make you wait, but think of the satisfaction when you get to read it. It’ll be that much sweeter.

Anyways, on to the news – the Wednesday/Thursday news. 🙂

This first piece causes all kinds of questions for me, but it also stokes my creative juices. I’m thinking the inability to imbibe could lead to a monotone society. Big Brother being able to wipe out everything from sex to happiness. Total Dystopian storyline people! Or, it can help with that whole alcoholism thing. *Shrugs*

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/17/worms-alcoholics_n_5595741.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

This next story is an example of a confused and/or lazy group of cops and media people. Staring at someone and hypnotizing them are not the same thing. You need cheesy lines like “look into my eyes” and “when I say paramour, you will quack like a duck.” 🙂

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Hypnotist-Bandit-Bank-Robber-Manhattan-Beach-Bank-of-America-264094801.html

And last, but certainly not least, is a departure from my normally scheduled closing. I found this link a few days ago, and the writer in me began singing with possibility. This one is not a science-related story, but I figured that number one mostly served that purpose. No, this one is just for writers like me who enjoy picture prompts. And the best pictures of all – doors. Enjoy!

http://www.boredpanda.com/most-beautiful-doors-around-the-world/

Have a fabulous week. Oh, and watch out for exceptionally long Tuesdays.

I’m bbbaaaccckkk! 🙂 The week has flown by, and I’m here to share a few tidbits from the weird corners of the world. What will it be today you ask? Well, lean forward, wipe the fingerprints off your screen, and prepare to find out.

Our first nugget gives new meaning to the phrase “payback is a bitch.” This cub will never make this mistake again.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/08/lion-stuck-buffalo-butt_n_5567060.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

This next piece isn’t funny, but interesting and thought provoking instead. I actually think this is ingenious, but I wonder if the litigious nature of my home country – the U.S. – could ever actually use it. Hmm…

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/weird-news/slovakian-designers-seek-house-homeless-billboards-n151056

And in a totally dorky bit of science news, proof that bugs are so cool. Take that all you bug-stomping haters. 😛

http://www.wunderground.com/news/can-dung-beetles-fight-climate-change-study-says-yes-20130827

Until next week, keep reading. Our world is a fascinating place.