Bits
On Saturday, Mr. Cedar and I took Beezus and Ramona to a local spay/neuter clinic to get them appointments to be spayed. When the vet is ready to see the animals, the receptionist calls their names so their humans can bring them in. When it was Beezus and Ramona's turn, the receptionist called, "Beatrice? And there's one more...Ramona, is it?" I picked up the carrier, affirming that yes, they had the right names, and a woman in her sixties or so sitting on the opposite side of the room said, "Awww, Beezus and Ramona! Cute names!" And everyone in the waiting room thought they were very cute. Because they are.
Once they were in their meeting with the vet (they're healthy and cleared to get fixed, yay!), the vet petted Beezus for a minute and said, "She has really neat markings. Kind of like a little cow, you know?" My only knowledge of farm life kicked in at that moment and I said, "Yeah, she's a Holstein." Three days later, I'm still congratulating on myself for naming the right breed of cow.
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saeva made this icon for me with her mad icon-making skillz.
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I made it to queerditch_pub last night and here are the drabbles I wrote. All drabbles are appropriate for all audiences old enough to have LiveJournal accounts.
Sirius/Remus - cathedral:
"It's…." Remus gazes upward. In the sweltering middle of concrete and tourists, there is a brick building with intricate carvings. "It's a church. I didn't know you were religious, Sirius."
"I'm not, really, but you have to see this. Trust me."
The cavernous sanctuary glows with stands of votive candles. People speak in whispers. Some of them dip their fingers into a font filled with water and anoint their foreheads. Hot and crabby, Remus reaches for the water, but Sirius grabs his wrist.
"No, Moony. It's…they're Catholic. You're not."
"Oh." The term is vaguely familiar, enough for him to withdraw to Sirius's side. "You were right, though. It's beautiful in here."
James/Regulus - Quidditch lockers:
Regulus wants to hate James Potter, from the messy black hair to those stupid glasses to the fact that that boy could really use a cheesecake or two. It was Potter that stole Sirius from him, Potter that always comes by with that maniacal grin on his face whenever Regulus tries to get some time to catch up with his brother.
The Quidditch locker room is cool, humid with the steam of showers and bodies fresh from the game.
"Why do you have to spend so much fucking time with him, Potter?" Regulus shoves James and delights in the way James, so light, stumbles backward.
"That the best you can do, Black?" James grins, ready for a challenge.
It is in that moment that Regulus sees what Sirius sees in James.
Harry/Snape - the Dead Sea:
"Because it's, um, dead?"
Snape glares. "Ten years out of Hogwarts and you are still as belligerent and obstinate as ever."
The water glitters and crests in waves at Harry's feet. "I know why. It's because it's so salty, nothing can live in it."
"Potion ingredients have been gathered here for thousands of years. Ancient kings came here for refuge, and for health benefits."
"I like that. Refuge." Harry doesn't turn away from the sea, but he hears the splash of Severus walking through the ankle-deep water next to him. "Why didn't you bring me here earlier?"
The exhalation of Severus's words ruffles Harry's hair. "Because it was not until now that we needed this refuge."
Harry/Luna - Chicago
"You voluntarily come here every year?" Harry's stomach is full of samples from half the restaurants in the city, and it's so hot and humid that he sweats without moving.
"Yes. This is the best place in the world to get pizza. And also, you can see Green-Eyed Kerpiffins in Lake Michigan this time of year. They're excellent swimmers." Luna shields her eyes from the bright sun and scans the people in Grant Park. They're shoulder-to-shoulder, drunk, sticky and enjoying themselves thoroughly.
"I don't think I can Apparate home tonight. I'm so full I think my stomach is going to stay here while the rest of me goes back to London."
With a kiss on his forehead, Luna replies, "I'll stay here with you. Daley root is really best for stomachaches, but it doesn't grow anywhere nearby. The Muggles prefer ginger ale. Shall I get you some?"
Harry groans and sits down on the grass. "Just wake me up when the Kerpiffins go swimming by."
---
I spent the morning at the library's annual booksale and scored a British children's edition of PoA.
---
Read Claiming Georgia Tate this weekend and I really liked it until about the last ten pages, at which point I recalled a speech given by my seventh-grade writing teacher. Not to spoil the book too much, but lots of bad things happen to the main character. Near the end, it looks like everything is going to get better but the author throws us for another loop with another unfortunate event. In seventh grade, we had to write a fairly substantive short story, about fifteen to twenty pages. One of my classmates, let's call her Anne, wrote her story, and it read something like a Lurlene McDaniel novel. Not surprising, as that's what she read. Her story sparked a lecture from the teacher on not maiming your characters and have bad things happen to them just because you can. In Anne's story, a family member got cancer, another died in a car accident, you get the picture. Even if nothiing significant happened to the narrator, the fact that bad things happened to all the secondary characters was too much trauma to cram in. I kind of felt the same way about Claiming Georgia Tate. The writing was very good and the characters, especially Tamika, were incredibly well realized considering the length of the book, but by the end I felt beaten. I felt like I couldn't take any more trauma. Oh, and I also see that the censors are out on Amazon. Sigh. YA books are always an uphill battle. Thankfully, my mother never taught me to pick my battles, so I pick all of them.
---
Work: Eldest comes out tomorrow and although I ordered two copies for the library, I haven't a clue as to where they are. In theory, we're supposed to get books just far enough in advance of the street date to process and catalog them. Supposed to. Patrons are already asking for it. I will seriously never understand Paolini's appeal. The fact that you are fifteen does not excuse you from writing an unreadable book.
---
For those that watch "The Closer," is it just me or was that Marina Sirtis in tonight's episode?
---
Lily needs a new battery. Grrr. I've had her for 10 months, so I guess her time is coming, but still grrr.
---
Happiness is the White Barn Candle Company Buttered Mashed Potatoes candle, a kitten in your lap, Law & Order on the TV, and the knowledge that you don't have to be at work until 1 p.m. tomorrow.
No Doubt - Beauty Contest
Once they were in their meeting with the vet (they're healthy and cleared to get fixed, yay!), the vet petted Beezus for a minute and said, "She has really neat markings. Kind of like a little cow, you know?" My only knowledge of farm life kicked in at that moment and I said, "Yeah, she's a Holstein." Three days later, I'm still congratulating on myself for naming the right breed of cow.
---
saeva made this icon for me with her mad icon-making skillz.
---
I made it to queerditch_pub last night and here are the drabbles I wrote. All drabbles are appropriate for all audiences old enough to have LiveJournal accounts.
Sirius/Remus - cathedral:
"It's…." Remus gazes upward. In the sweltering middle of concrete and tourists, there is a brick building with intricate carvings. "It's a church. I didn't know you were religious, Sirius."
"I'm not, really, but you have to see this. Trust me."
The cavernous sanctuary glows with stands of votive candles. People speak in whispers. Some of them dip their fingers into a font filled with water and anoint their foreheads. Hot and crabby, Remus reaches for the water, but Sirius grabs his wrist.
"No, Moony. It's…they're Catholic. You're not."
"Oh." The term is vaguely familiar, enough for him to withdraw to Sirius's side. "You were right, though. It's beautiful in here."
James/Regulus - Quidditch lockers:
Regulus wants to hate James Potter, from the messy black hair to those stupid glasses to the fact that that boy could really use a cheesecake or two. It was Potter that stole Sirius from him, Potter that always comes by with that maniacal grin on his face whenever Regulus tries to get some time to catch up with his brother.
The Quidditch locker room is cool, humid with the steam of showers and bodies fresh from the game.
"Why do you have to spend so much fucking time with him, Potter?" Regulus shoves James and delights in the way James, so light, stumbles backward.
"That the best you can do, Black?" James grins, ready for a challenge.
It is in that moment that Regulus sees what Sirius sees in James.
Harry/Snape - the Dead Sea:
"Because it's, um, dead?"
Snape glares. "Ten years out of Hogwarts and you are still as belligerent and obstinate as ever."
The water glitters and crests in waves at Harry's feet. "I know why. It's because it's so salty, nothing can live in it."
"Potion ingredients have been gathered here for thousands of years. Ancient kings came here for refuge, and for health benefits."
"I like that. Refuge." Harry doesn't turn away from the sea, but he hears the splash of Severus walking through the ankle-deep water next to him. "Why didn't you bring me here earlier?"
The exhalation of Severus's words ruffles Harry's hair. "Because it was not until now that we needed this refuge."
Harry/Luna - Chicago
"You voluntarily come here every year?" Harry's stomach is full of samples from half the restaurants in the city, and it's so hot and humid that he sweats without moving.
"Yes. This is the best place in the world to get pizza. And also, you can see Green-Eyed Kerpiffins in Lake Michigan this time of year. They're excellent swimmers." Luna shields her eyes from the bright sun and scans the people in Grant Park. They're shoulder-to-shoulder, drunk, sticky and enjoying themselves thoroughly.
"I don't think I can Apparate home tonight. I'm so full I think my stomach is going to stay here while the rest of me goes back to London."
With a kiss on his forehead, Luna replies, "I'll stay here with you. Daley root is really best for stomachaches, but it doesn't grow anywhere nearby. The Muggles prefer ginger ale. Shall I get you some?"
Harry groans and sits down on the grass. "Just wake me up when the Kerpiffins go swimming by."
---
I spent the morning at the library's annual booksale and scored a British children's edition of PoA.
---
Read Claiming Georgia Tate this weekend and I really liked it until about the last ten pages, at which point I recalled a speech given by my seventh-grade writing teacher. Not to spoil the book too much, but lots of bad things happen to the main character. Near the end, it looks like everything is going to get better but the author throws us for another loop with another unfortunate event. In seventh grade, we had to write a fairly substantive short story, about fifteen to twenty pages. One of my classmates, let's call her Anne, wrote her story, and it read something like a Lurlene McDaniel novel. Not surprising, as that's what she read. Her story sparked a lecture from the teacher on not maiming your characters and have bad things happen to them just because you can. In Anne's story, a family member got cancer, another died in a car accident, you get the picture. Even if nothiing significant happened to the narrator, the fact that bad things happened to all the secondary characters was too much trauma to cram in. I kind of felt the same way about Claiming Georgia Tate. The writing was very good and the characters, especially Tamika, were incredibly well realized considering the length of the book, but by the end I felt beaten. I felt like I couldn't take any more trauma. Oh, and I also see that the censors are out on Amazon. Sigh. YA books are always an uphill battle. Thankfully, my mother never taught me to pick my battles, so I pick all of them.
---
Work: Eldest comes out tomorrow and although I ordered two copies for the library, I haven't a clue as to where they are. In theory, we're supposed to get books just far enough in advance of the street date to process and catalog them. Supposed to. Patrons are already asking for it. I will seriously never understand Paolini's appeal. The fact that you are fifteen does not excuse you from writing an unreadable book.
---
For those that watch "The Closer," is it just me or was that Marina Sirtis in tonight's episode?
---
Lily needs a new battery. Grrr. I've had her for 10 months, so I guess her time is coming, but still grrr.
---
Happiness is the White Barn Candle Company Buttered Mashed Potatoes candle, a kitten in your lap, Law & Order on the TV, and the knowledge that you don't have to be at work until 1 p.m. tomorrow.
No Doubt - Beauty Contest