Lasagna.
Well, today's cooking class we learned to make lasagna, with both Goten and Kia's help. Kia brought along her sauce, which is a lot better than any stuff you can get from a jar. Goten made the pasta we needed for the dish. I think I need to learn to make pasta at some point, because I think the homemade pasta is much better than the hard, prepackaged stuff.
There's something rather relaxing and satisfying about making lasagna. You layer it carefully, trying for eveness. Intentional or not, there's a certain symetry in the product when it's finished. Nice, neat, layers of noodles,cheese, and meat. When I was cutting up a pan to serve it tonight, I noticed you could see the layers. It reminded me of those rock layers you see when they cut into mountains to build highways. Although it wasn't time that made the layers in lasagna!
I also gave Piper the first five hundred pages of the new book and a check for the job. Again, she felt she should be paid as she brings each section. I told her if it really worried her, she could just hold the check until she was done. But really, it doesn't matter, I have confidence she'll do a wonderful job. I just hope my manuscript doesn't put her to sleep.
Oddly, I'm almost done with the second book, but this evening, when I started on my "writing time" I just couldn't work on that book, because my brain started feeding me ideas for the third book. I don't even know if I'll be asked to write a third book, but I wasn't going to waste the moment, so I wrote down the outline, made notes, and wrote five pages into the first chapter.
I'm going with the idea to write ten different books, each focusing on a different character from the first book. If you remember, the first book was various Saiyajin legends told to me by the surviving Saiyajins. Well, I realize that as each legend was told to me, not only was the legend good, but you got a feel for the person telling the story. A story from King Vegeta's point of view took on a different angle than a legend told from Bardock's point of view, and Celipa's point of view. So, I ended up with ten strong, main, characters that I think deserve their own book. The first one is being done from the point of view of the king. The second I thought would be the prince, but suprisingly, it's the female character that is insisting her story be told next. I guess she has a stronger personality in my mind than the Prince does. Yes, Celipa is the basis of inspiration, but I'm going beyond that. Her personality is a mixture of Celipa's, my daughters, and some of my own design. Not that I'm any expert on women, as I think I proved the other night, but I think this woman, (who's name is still a bit up in the air right now) will prove to be interesting. She starts out by being just a member of a small group of warriors, ends up leading the small group when the leader is killed, realizes that's where her strength lies and ends up commanding the largest army in the Empire.
But, my school work is done, dinner is done, and I've done some writing. Now I'm actually tired and I think I'll go to bed. I've earned it today. And I do have school tomorrow.