Wicked

You can now read online Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire.

Wicked is a work of fantasy whose antecedents lie in L Frank Baum's Land of Oz. This, however, is the fantasy tale all grown up. It still possesses the anarchic, fragmented, half-random dream quality of its youth but now with an added adult edge.

We learn, for instance, that it was Queen Ozma the Scarcely Beloved who overtaxed the farmers in order to pay for building the yellow brick road.

link

Me Write Funny Again

David Sedaris, best-selling author and New Yorker magazine contributor, discusses his new collection of comic essays. When You Are Engulfed In Flames is released tomorrow, June 3, 2008.

The cigarettes I bought that day in Vancouver were Viceroys. I’d often noticed them in the shirt pockets of gas-station attendants and, no doubt, thought that they’d make me appear masculine, or at least as masculine as one could look in a beret and a pair of gabardine pants that buttoned at the ankle. Throw in Ronnie’s white silk scarf and I needed all the Viceroy I could get, especially in the neighborhood where this residence hotel was.

I love him.

Amazon | New Yorker

Friday Fill-In

1. For me untalented? is the opposite of creativity.
2. Nowtopia was the last excellent book I read.
3. I like fill-ins because I don't have to use my brain so much and I get to visit with other nice people this way.
4. In nature I like looking at Water--ocean, lakes, rivers.
5. Barak Obama should win the US elections.
6. The last time I laughed with all my belly was when my infant grandson kept sticking his tongue out at me last month.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to working, tomorrow my plans include yard work and Sunday, I want to have some ME time!

link

WHEN YOU ARE OLD

When you are old and gray and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

--William Butler Yeats

Susie Crocker

This is Betty Crocker's Cookbook, my favorite cookbook. Inside it is signed "Wedding Gift, 1972" and was from my Mother. When I was small I watched her cook from well-worn cookbooks with notes in the margins and spots of cake batter stuck to the pages. When I received this shiny new cookbook as a new wife I didn't imagine it would one day look like it had been used. But it does. I've taped the spine back on and I still refer to it today.

I see where one in good shape brings $130.00!

I also had this cookbook. It's probably here someplace so I'll have to dig around for it. I loved this cookbook. Robin and I enjoyed looking at the book and even trying out some of the recipes. It showed how to make everything from Ice Cream Cone Cakes and Pigs in Blankets to Cheese Dreams and Sloppy Joes. Not long before, we had made little cakes from our Easy Bake Oven, which I though tasted yummy. Absolutely yummy. Remember how they just gave you enough cake mix to make like, two tiny cakes? And you cried about it? But I digress. Looking up the cookbooks I ran across another post on this cookbook by The Boomer Chronicles.

Tell me about your first cookbook. =)

Golden Compass

This movie looks mesmerizing. You can visit the Golden Compass movie website and meet your very own Daemon. Mine was a freaking osprey. There is even a Golden Compass blog.

The author of the Golden Compass, Philip Pullman has 3 parts of the Dark Materials trilogy of which the Golden Compass book is the first.

To Sir, With Love... ? No, wrong Lulu

Lulu is a site I've seen around for years now. Lulu.com lets you publish and sell and print on demand books, e-books, online music, images, custom calendars, and more.

Just upload your manuscript, your photos or your digital files, use their formatting tools to get everything set up just the way you want, from size to binding to cover art, and... well, that's it. You're the proud parent of a brand new digital creation, ready to publish and cherish.

You set your own price, they print and ship each item as it's ordered, and you collect 80% of the creator revenue on every sale. To sell or give as gifts.

So many of you are very talented photographers. Either pros or just as a hobby. On Lulu you can print an nice photo album up for your family (for Christmas gifts?).

What's New?

I need to do a family update. Not only for family members who read the site but to document milestones and insignificant events that are a special part of my daily life.

**Why I choose to say "insignificant" began when I was an arrogant teen and older. Speaking with my Mother was painful. She would drift off talking about the cat that lived next door and how she forgot to turn on the dishwasher and other tedious thoughts to a thriving teenage girl. Thankfully, I matured and learned to enjoy her daily accounts and I even encourage her to tell me more.

She wasn't doing very well when I came to stay with her 2 years ago but after a few doctor and hospital visits, she's amazing. The clarity is heart-warming. Everything is still sharp and young about her but her gait. She now uses a cane and putters slowly and deliberately.

**Dear husband is as snarky as ever. Why doesn't he write a book? He has written many songs-- even gospel songs and country songs because he's such a good story teller. He's going down to see Skyler and Phoenix this week again (200+ miles). He reminds me so much of my own Father. Always dependable and ready to lend support whenever his daughter needs it.

**I'm aching to see my little grandson. Phoenix is 8 weeks old now. I'm going down sometime before the year's out. Skyler is wanting to go back to work to pitch in but Jason is happy taking care of them for now so we'll see how that goes. She's pretty much the earth mama of their little commune. There are 3 couples and 4 children sharing a big house.

**Who else? Oh, there's me! I'm looking forward to getting things set up to work here at home this week. I wonder how I'll do with that? Interruptions? Can I stay focused? Do I wear my house shoes or should I dress up like I'm at work to help me get in the working frame of mind? Should I set up my computer work space in another area of the house, or just leave it where I always type? Hi-speed Internet coming this afternoon! Zoooooooooooooooooom!

Okay, that's my news or lack of it for today. xo

What Book Are You?

You're Watership Down!

by Richard Adams

Though many think of you as a bit young, even childish, you're actually incredibly deep and complex. You show people the need to rethink their assumptions, and confront them on everything from how they think to where they build their houses. You might be one of the greatest people of all time. You'd be recognized as such if you weren't always talking about talking rabbits.


Take the Book Quiz at the Blue Pyramid.

Young and childish? Check and check. Always talking about rabbits? Hmmm, not so much.

Check-ing In

I'm trying to stay with a promise to myself to check in here on SJ every day. It may be late before I get here, but I'll get here.

I'm at Mother's house today and I just balanced the check book and advised her of what bills to pay. She still writes out her checks to pay the bills. I just keep track of what she's got and what to transfer or pay. I have gotten her to set up some automatically to come out, but she feels more comfortable writing and sending checks.

That seems to go with what I've observed. Our older citizens rely more on checks and our younger citizens rely almost exclusively on bankcards or checkcards. Me? I'm an old chick who exclusively uses her Visa Checkcard!

Well, my Skyler is back home which is great news! She's not sure what her next move will be, but at least she's not going to move to St Louis, MO. She had an excellent job offer while she was gone.

Do you have a favorite morning drive radio program you listen to on the way to work? I listen to Bob & Sheri which is also in a lot of cities now around the country. They're a fun couple and they became part of my routine years ago. She's written a few books which are pretty funny.

I digress. I just drove over the mountain from NC to TN on the edge of a major snow storm. When I say "mountain", I'm talking about the mountain that's part of the range that has the highest peak this side of the Mississippi River. I travel back and forth from NC to TN a LOT. Asheville is called the Land Of The Sky because of it being a mile high or so. Mother is about 30 miles from the state line in Tennessee and my house with Skyler and hubby is about 30 miles from the state line in NC. The state line is a mountain range that finally has an interstate straight through it now after 30 years of building and blasting through the mountains. With lots of time in court about the deets.

Wow, I sure can ramble, can't I? Well, I decided to make this Susan*Jayne website totally LIVE and off the cuff. No rough drafts, just wild keystrokes slapping out something tedious and tantalizing.

I'm off to check my email, news, and of course, visit with YOU!

Offbeat Brides (and grooms) tell their tales. A new book provides resources for indie weddings.

When Ariel Meadow Stallings and Andreas Fetz started making out at a rave in 1998, they weren't planning on hooking up for good. But love sparked in the warehouse where they met, and they stayed together.

Stallings writes in her first book, they were planning a "hippie/raver/freakfest wedding," for which she wanted to dress "like a fairy-freakish electro forest queen" and Fetz, who "dresses like the Midwest academic feminist he was raised by," wanted something comfortable because they'd be outdoors. Everything came off marvelously in August 2004.

So what to do next? Clearly, help others with their fairy freakfest forest (or underwater scuba diving or circus musical or Burning Man) weddings. That is, write a book. [via]

See (www.offbeatbride.com) and her Flickr group (www.flickr.com/groups/offbeatbride/), where other "offbeat" brides can upload their unconventional wedding photos.

*Photo of Rebecca's wedding can be see on Flickr.

Offbeat Bride: Taffeta-Free Alternatives for Independent Brides by Ariel Meadow Stallings has a publication date of Jan. 28.

Although it's not for everyone, it's nice to see people add their own creative twist to the traditional wedding and fun to read their stories. My two weddings were both pretty dull. The first one I wore a floral jacket and skirt and the marriage lasted 3 years. The 2nd one I wore jeans and a nice blouse and we're about to celebrate our 20th anniversary this summer!

Boys, A-Z (A Primer), by Dan Waber (the brains behind the x365 project among other literary endeavors!)--

The abecedarius is a poem with 26 words. The first word starts with "a", the second with "b", the third with "c", and so on.

A cycle of abecedarius re-envisions the alphabet as a loop, instead of a line. The first poem goes from a-z, the second from b-a (through z), the third from c-b (through z then a), and so on.

The book is a cycle of abecedarius poems which aims to instruct young girls about the various types of boys to be avoided (in short, all of them).

Includes illustrations by the author.

The first four poems:

Adam builds computers,
digital engineerings finagle gates,
his insistent keystrokes lay most networks open,
plunder quarantined remote systems.
This uninhibited vandal will X10 your zippers.

Billy can dance,
every Friday goes hip-hopping,
it's just kicks, limbo, mambo,
no orchestra plays quick rhythm steps,
the upstairs vanishes when XM-enabled yahoos zootsuit around.

Charlie doesn't eat fish,
grains, hamburger, instant juice,
kiwi, lemons, mangoes, nectarines or pork.
Queer religious sects take unhealthy vows.
Why X-rate your zaftigness? Appetites belong.

David's experimental fashions grow hilarious.
Imagine Jello knickers. Lavender maribou nightshirts.
Off-center pinstriped quilted red shoulderpads.
Tight underwear. Various weird x-shaped yarmulkes.
Zany aluminum boots. Cowbells.

How fun! And a new word to learn today, too. abecedarius. I'll have to try this sometime. Mayabe some of your word buffs will have a go at it. I couldn't find it on Amazon though.

[via]

Nobody ever tags me for anything. Waaaa. So I'm tagging myself via Shirl's offer.


Number of books I own: Probably around 200.

Last book I bought: Memnoch The Devil - Anne Rice

Last book I read: Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates - Tom Robbins (re-read)

Books that mean a lot to me: I immediately think of Betty Eadie's Embraced By The Light. It got me through a 'rough patch' after my father passed and gave me peace about passing over. Richard Brautigan's Trout-Fishing in America I have in plastic from college dorm days.

One of those terrible stories about the death of an eight year old boy that just resonates in your soul. The mother with no child care, locked her son in the trunk of the car while she worked a double shift (16 hours) on Sunday. Devin Miles Gibson died of hyperthermia, or exposure to heat The mother is charged with second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and two counts of felony child abuse. You want to get mad at the mother, but....I know she was hurt at what happened. Some people just aren't very bright and make poor decisions...I don't know what I'm trying to say.

Link

Okay, let's find something to smile about. Down here in the South, there are many women writers vying for the honor of Sassy Author of the South. Rhonda Rich is one who does it well. She has a new book out now, What Southern Women Know About Flirting. I was looking at that Vinegar Pie recipe on her website, too. Odd, but I bet it's good.

Have yourself a good Tuesday!

Rant-O-Ram-A
I found an old program I had called "Note Tab Light" that will count my words for me as I type. NaNoWriMo's a little frustrating in that it appears to be set up for return NaNo'ers. Newbies are a little lost, I'd think. If they go to so much trouble to set up the darn thing, what help do they give you? We should be able to go THERE and type our pseudo novel. Not waste hours and hours finding something to count the words. It's like, OK. We've got this excellent idea. All you have to do is everything and when you're through, come back and tell us all about it. When you do, our automatic bot thingy will count your words and send you an automatic thank you and then we're through with you. And, by the way, we could use some money to run this top shelf project.

Now. I feel better. I think I may have a moment or two while hubby's out of the house to try and work more on my little book! =)

Diagnosis:

I do not know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation. You were born somewhere around territory of modern Ireland approximately on 925. Your profession was seaman, cook, carpenter.

Your brief psychological profile in that past life:
Bohemian personality, mysterious, highly gifted, capable to understand ancient books. Magician abilities, could be a servant of dark forces.

Lesson, that your last past life brought to present:
Your problem -- to learn to love and to trust Universe. You are bound to think, study, reflect, develop inner wisdom.

Now you remember? Past Lives Quiz. The whole Stepping Stones site has been a favorite of mine for some time.

This Punctuation Quiz is fun to play. I had some trouble with my mouse that caused it to place the comma in the wrong place twice, but, I wouldn't have gotten 100% correct. I think I over-punctuate, if anything. Maybe I need to order this book!

I was 25 years old, and working 8:00am - 4:00pm in a credit department. My day uniform consisted of tweed and linen suits, Dupioni silk blouses, "How About A Nooner?" pumps, and a gam's best friend: L'Eggs hose. And from 9:00pm - 2:00am, I worked as a bartender in a short black leather skirt and white tux shirt, black bow-tie, black L'Eggs, and "Me Love You Long Time" pumps. (At one bar, we wore these outfits in black, except the bottom came to the waist and we had black hose underneath.)

I worked two jobs like this for eleven years on very little sleep. I was driven. I was a young divorced Mother. And I was an addict.

(This is the latest little blurb I'm working on. I like to write memory blips and keep them for a possible attempt at a book someday, or at the very least, for my children or children's children to read. I can only write in baby steps when it comes to writing about myself. But each time I read another blogging friend's truth or emotion, it encourages me to continue. )

You're Anarchy, State, and Utopia!

by Robert Nozick

If it were up to you, there would probably be no government at all.
But then you'd have to deal with there being no government, and nobody likes that. So
you've decided that hiring a few security guards is okay. Getting rid of that nasty
tax collector would sure be nice, though. He keeps getting in the way of you making
the money you so richly deserve! Everyone who believes in you happens to be fairly
well off.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

found at Runes who found it at Shirls.