Better Than Dead

Or I probably should say, “more boring than usual.”

The short answer: I’ve been dealing with a family illness since the fall.

The not-much-longer-answer:

I haven’t wanted to talk about it much because I was using most of my energy just dealing with it. We’ve been on something of a rollercoaster, very intense at times, then less so, then more so…and etc.

We are in a good holding pattern right now and I’m feeling a bit more confident, enough to broach the subject here. Although, a superstitious, magical-thinking part of my brain can’t shake the feeling that by stating that openly, the Universe is going to pull the rug out from under me yet again and things will take a turn for the worse.

It’s odd living in Pambrain sometimes.

But if you don’t hear much from me for awhile, it’s probably because I have cursed myself and things have taken a turn for the worst.

If you see me here spouting inanities, you can probably assume things are going okay for the moment.

Tonight’s viewing: The Social Network or DVR’d movies/shows? Hmmm… 5 Feb

Bioshock much more intense shooter game than I thot it would be. Fascinating and–did I say intense?–but just bloodier than anticipated. 5 Feb

@[NameRedacted] No worries. At this point, I don’t trust Life enough to totally unclench.  5 Feb

So this is what relaxed and unclenched feels like. I find that I like it. 5 Feb

@[NameRedacted] George brings many nuances, non-Biblical info about Lilith and “dark” goddesses in general. Very eye opening. 5 Feb

@[NameRedacted] Mysteries of the Dark Moon Goddesses by Demetra George a great resource for Lilith. 5 Feb

SteveMartinToGo Steve Martin Retweeted by pj_thompson Got some great pictures of paparazzi today. Man, they UGLY! Went through their garbage too. Found my own garbage in their garbage. 4 Feb

Mom is back in her room having juice. 4 Feb

Have moved on from coffee to hot chocolate. Really not bad for machine stuff. 4 Feb

I always bring so much stuff to distract me while waiting but am too distracted to use it. 4 Feb

Mom is in recovery though still out of it. Everything went well. We got in early and done early. 4 Feb

In sympathy with my iced in friends I scraped a thin coating of ice off my windshield this morning. 4 Feb

The coffee at least is good. 4 Feb

I have spent way too much time in waiting rooms and hospital cafeterias this year. [12 month period vs. calendar year.]  4 Feb

“You want the Haggis? You can’t handle the Haggis.” #FamousMovieQuotesMadeBetterWithHaggis 3 Feb

JillCorcoran Jill Corcoran Retweeted by pj_thompson For all of you querying agents…. RESEARCHING AGENTS: http://bit.ly/6WFMMT 2 Feb

MJMcKean Michael McKean Retweeted by pj_thompson Hey, fans: shooting begins next month on Indiana Jones and the Early Bird Special. 2 Feb

I’ve edited out the stuff already covered in this week’s blog.  It’s for the best.

Someone in the next hallway is barking like a dog. Either that or their speaker phone is freaking out. Cool either way. 2 Feb

I really must stop assuming people are friends when at best they are tolerating me. Not as emo as it sounds. Just a statement of fact. 2 Feb

Moral victory tastes like…ash and sod. 2 Feb

I finally remembered the name of those hiking boots I bought I long time ago that I loved. Merrell. Went to website, acquired same. 2 Feb

Ha. Made him look. A moral victory if nothing else. 2 Feb

Sometimes I wish I really could Hulk out. Especially on the commute. Not boring old road rage but rip car in half rage. 1 Feb

Not helping with my self-inducted imposturage mood. 31 Jan

We have motion sensor lights in the hallway. Several people moved from this section so as I sit here periodically all the lights go out. 31 Jan

I think I need more coffee. 31 Jan

Is an imposture someone faking bad posture? Prolly for sympathy. A self-induced Munchhausen. 31 Jan

Such an imposter I can’t even spell it. 31 Jan

Yeah, I’m definitely in a “Who am I kidding?” kind of mood. Imposture syndrome is my boon companion.  31 Jan

Either I’m writing too much blog or not enough.  Where’s the balance?

Since I haven’t anything important going on today I decided I might as well post chapter 2 of The Numberless Stars on OWW.  27 Jan

Doctors: you can’t live with them and you can’t live without them. 27 Jan

Think I nailed down chapter 2, or at least good enough that I can progress to chapter 3 with a clean conscience and wait for revisions. 26 Jan

And so to lunch and the third try to nail the opening of chapter 2 of The Numberless Stars. 26 Jan

RETWEET: StephenAtHome Stephen Colbert by pj_thompson: I don’t want Sharia Law messing with our constitution! That’s the job of Scalia Law. 25 Jan

A word of warning: do not type “scars” into Google Images if you have eaten recently. 25 Jan

The Social Wetwork: An Assassin’s Dating Service #comingsoon 25 Jan

Life is a perpetual field of banana peels. You just never know when you’re going to step wrong. 24 Jan

I do plan on writing a real blog post again some day—I’ve been cogitatin’ in that general direction—but things have been rather hectic.  The blog still resides mostly in my brain.

Otherwise, the penne with tomatoes, basil, and Italian turkey sausage was splendid. :-/  24 Jan

As was reinforced for me in last night’s dinner: there’s a fine line between carmelizing your onions and burning them. 24 Jan

Chocolate chocolate chip muffin you are mine! I’m sure we’ll be so happy together. Until I eat you (not in a good way). 24 Jan

Jack Lalanne’s motto (as stated at 95): “If man made it, don’t eat it. If it tastes good, spit it out.” Yeah. Right. 24 Jan

Perspective is everything I say. 23 Jan

Cable guy here to see about the horrible tragedy of no modem. 23 Jan

TMI? Mom: Who pooped on the paper? Bird: Bird. 23 Jan

Go Jets! 23 Jan

Too much singing for Min, though. She left the room. 22 Jan

I loved it, but then, I’m a romantic slop bucket. Acting was much better than I expected. Good thing they didn’t let Pierce sing much tho. 22 Jan

All right, I confess. I’m about to watch Mamma Mia. 22 Jan

Fortunately utter tragedy has been avoided because of Mr. Droid. I call him Edwin when it’s just us. 22 Jan

This afternoon my modem went bellyup. No bigscreen internet until at least tomorrow afternoon. So stunned to get a service call so fast. 22 Jan

That was supposed to be “but bwoogity. We’re wimps” but spellcheck is cursed. 22 Jan

This morning we took Bird to have her toenails clipped and her beak Dremeled. We could do this ourselves but velocity. We’re wimps. 22 Jan

Apologies for having so many tweet posts this week.  It’s been a busy/distracted time and I seem to only have to brain for short infoburps.

And….scene.  21 Jan

My quest for chocolate chocolate chip muffin foiled again this AM. Had to settle for a cranberry scone. As a second, it was right up there. 21 Jan

Done that RT @literaticat:When should authors on submission keep their traps shut? Well, almost always, actually. http://tinyurl.com/4cxthyh 21 Jan

I think the clock is standing still. I am really convinced of it. 20 Jan

We’re even. 20 Jan

Earlier last eve she scared the bejabbers out of me by making me think she’d gotten out of the house, hiding, & not answering when I called. 20 Jan

I think Min was trying to tell me something last night: she kept slapping the Droid as I was reading email. 20 Jan

Ha! My friend, Artur, tells me I got spammed in Russian for “high quality porn”! Someone will be getting acquainted with the banning club. 20 Jan

if I can’t picture the place I’m writing it seriously messes up my pantsing. And research shows the image template I had isn’t correct. 20 Jan

I’ve really jacked myself up with the research. Part of me just wants to write and worry about making right later, but… 20 Jan

That last statement has many parallels to “I can see your house from here” or “My sister used date the roommate of FamousGuy’s cousin.” 20 Jan

Huh. I just learned I went to high school with someone who lived on the same street as the famous “The Entity” haunting house. 20 Jan

Anyone speak Russian? I just got Cyrillicized in a comment over on LJ. 20 Jan

What is Microsoft’s problem? Instead of improving their product they reinvent Word each and every version. Idiots. 19 Jan

I must remind myself not to fall too much in love with the research. Too much is as bad as too little, I think. 19 Jan

I can’t find my research notes for the novella I’m currently turning into a novel. Which means I’ve had to start all over again. *sigh* 19 Jan

And so, another story committed to the winds of fate. Or editors, which is almost the same thing. 19 Jan

Looks like the Poe Toaster is gone for good, alas. http://tinyurl.com/yccv9tx 19 Jan

Happy birthday, Edgar Allan! 19 Jan

The worst part of this AM’s NPR tribute to Don Kirshner? I’ve got “Honey, sugar sugar, you are my candy girl…” earworming thru my brain. 19 Jan

Alas, I had to settle for poppyseed. 18 Jan

Time to go see if there are anymore chocolate chocolate chip muffins left in the cafeteria. 18 Jan

I long for the days when I can play Fallen London again. Mostly these days I’m just too tired. 18 Jan

Yes, positive signs. Story revised & ready for sending, Chapter1 finished and posted to OWW, Chapter2 1/3 done. Feels so damned good. 14 Jan

The tortilla chips however are chewy not crispy. One cannot expect miracles from cafeteria food. 14 Jan

Sat outside on patio last night with a beer & noticed the peach tree loaded with buds. 2 early blossoms had already produced tiny peachlets. 14 Jan

Chocolate chocolate chip muffins: I live for you. 14 Jan

The good, the bad, and the ugly, except without good. 13 Jan

After misreading headlines all morning, I think I’ll leave work now to take my elderly mother to a doctor’s appointment. 13 Jan

Positive signs of life: I’ve started writing again this wk for the 1st time since November. I hope Life settles down enough to continue. 12 Jan

Happy 101st birthday to Luise Rainer. 12 Jan

Finally finished The Historian last night. Loved 99.9% of it. I won’t know what to do with myself when I have no more to read tonight. 11 Jan

When did Dread become my middle name? 11 Jan

NameRedacted @pj_thompson I hope it’s not official. The Peej is so much more fun to say than The Peed. 11 Jan

OtherNameRedacted @NameRedacted @pj_thompson HAHAHA she has a point, Peej. 11 Jan

@NameRedacted @OtherNameRedacted rofl – The Peed may have just wet herself. 11 Jan

Now the dryer’s gone out. Fortunately we have a great appliance guy who promptly fixed it and only charged $40. All hail Solis Appliances! 11 Jan

The rooter guy is on the way. I’m hoping this won’t cost us a second mortgage. 10 Jan

But I do love the sound of gurgling and backing up plumbing in the morning. Fortunately, everything eventually settled down. 10 Jan

So far the second new microwave hasn’t started rattling and overheating. Tried ultimate test last night: Stouffer’s lasagna family size. 10 Jan

This is my placeholder tweet. 9 Jan

I’m a prisoner of news cycle & the Arizona tragedy. Blame the inflammatory rhetoric of recent yrs. And schizo white supremicists of course. 8 Jan

I threw my back out carrying a microwave to the trunk of my car to return it and get a new one. Hope my microwave karma improves soon. 8 Jan

I’m reading the Sveti Petko section of The Historian now. Must listen to the Bulgarian Women’s Choir very soon. 7 Jan

Dear Johnny Weir, darling, I was never in any doubt. 6 Jan

Jan Brewer’s Death Panel has killed another poor person. 6 Jan

Eat, Pray, Love is a REALLY twerpy book. There, I’ve said it. 6 Jan

I am not perfect, alas. But that’s okay. Note to self: remind yourself of this frequently. 4 Jan

Justice Antonin Scalia: “The Constitution doesn’t protect against discrimination based on gender or sex.” http://tinyurl.com/2cj44lh 4 Jan

RIP to Honey West—Anne Francis. 3 Jan

RIP Pete Postlethwaite. 3 Jan

I got nothing. 2 Jan

Happy New Year, everyone! Managed to stay up till midnight (barely) but we toasted the year in with Martinelli’s. I had quite a sugar buzz. 1 Jan

Maybe I can finally finish Kostova’s Historian in 2011. Still only 3/4 through. Loved every minute but my concentration has been bad. 1 Jan

Been away from the internet except in dribs since 12/22. If I need to know something assume I don’t know because I can’t possibly catch up. 1 Jan

Happy New Year to everyone. Smoke ’em if you got ’em. 31 Dec

Wow, has my attitude about…like, everything changed in the last month. 31 Dec

America is obsessed with germs. We’ve become a nation of Howard Hugheses. Fetch me my kleenex box shoes. 29 Dec