ba-dum-ching!
I know, cheesy. :)
Sorry, I did not post last week. A lot did happen, I think too much for me to find time. Also, my back was sore for almost a week and I was more focused on that than writing a blog. I found a nice new position to sleep in when my back is sore and I've actually been sleeping that way every other night. It feels wonderful; takes the pressure off the spine and I know it sounds so easy - fold my body pillow in half and place it under my knees.
I know they say don't sleep on the back when you have back issues, but because we sleep Japanese style (on the floor with a futon) sleeping on the side with back soreness doesn't do the trick. The pillow-under-knee-thing = awesome.
Finished reading two books on my list this week. Both JF books with such wonderful tales. Both based off of true stories.
Hachiko Waits by Leslea Newman is a delightful fictitious story based off of actual facts about a dog named Hachiko owned by Professor Ueno. Everyday this loyal dog goes and waits for his master at Shibuya Station. One day, the professor dies at work but every day, Hachiko comes to wait loyally for his master. When he dies of old age a statue is erected in his honor is still there today.
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate is also a fictitious story based off of true facts about a silverback gorilla who lived at a "circus mall" before finding his permanent home in the Atlanta Zoo. And yes, the real Ivan also painted. :)
This book I found exceptionally deep. It's written from the POV of Ivan as he looses Stella (also real) and remembers how he came to be at the mall.
I loved his viewpoint of humans - Squabbling horrid chimpanzees that uses too many words. I actually agree with him.
Both wonderful reads. I recommend them highly!
Speaking of too many words; today as I tried to keep my mind off of my critique buddy reading my finished manuscript, I shredded paper.
It was something that needed to be done. I had been saving my pile for over a year now. Now they squeeze tightly into 2 clear massive garbage bags reading for the recycle day on Tuesday. As I was going through the pile, the last 1.5 years of my life was there: my hubby's paperwork, botched tax forms (without SS#), doubles, triples and quadruplicates of Rx's from my back and shoulder injury and the scariest part - the original draft of my book.
Printed on ugly goldenrod yellow paper and marked in purple and orange pen, was the original idea from years ago. And I remembered that I also lost that file too. All 70 pages had to be retyped (-__-'). but because I had to retype it, it made me start over and now, I have something so much better. In a way I am thankful that I lost that file - even thought I sat in mind-numbing shock for 3 months.
It was weird reading deleted scenes. Scenes that had no place or just did not work. Certain things I did keep. Characters got a face lift, some didn't. Some names got altered or deleted completely. And even funnier, I read my horrendous grammar. I had no idea what I was doing back then. Essay writing and fiction writing are different. And sadly, I still retained those bad habits and it only makes revising a pain in the butt.
Oh, well. That's life!
And how wonderful is this, a patron came in Monday and we had a long discussion about Anne McCaffrey, the now deceased science fiction/fantasy author of the amazing Pern Series. We have a rather small SF section because most of our patrons reads mysteries and fiction so I don't get to go all geeky with anybody about SciFi books. Well, I met one. And how amazing, the next day I came into work, my supervisor hands me a folder. The patron typed out a list of her personal reading collection! And left me her phone number. Anytime I want to borrow a book from her, I just give her a call!
Definitively, made my week!
I know, cheesy. :)
Sorry, I did not post last week. A lot did happen, I think too much for me to find time. Also, my back was sore for almost a week and I was more focused on that than writing a blog. I found a nice new position to sleep in when my back is sore and I've actually been sleeping that way every other night. It feels wonderful; takes the pressure off the spine and I know it sounds so easy - fold my body pillow in half and place it under my knees.
I know they say don't sleep on the back when you have back issues, but because we sleep Japanese style (on the floor with a futon) sleeping on the side with back soreness doesn't do the trick. The pillow-under-knee-thing = awesome.
Finished reading two books on my list this week. Both JF books with such wonderful tales. Both based off of true stories.
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate is also a fictitious story based off of true facts about a silverback gorilla who lived at a "circus mall" before finding his permanent home in the Atlanta Zoo. And yes, the real Ivan also painted. :)
This book I found exceptionally deep. It's written from the POV of Ivan as he looses Stella (also real) and remembers how he came to be at the mall.
I loved his viewpoint of humans - Squabbling horrid chimpanzees that uses too many words. I actually agree with him.
Both wonderful reads. I recommend them highly!
Speaking of too many words; today as I tried to keep my mind off of my critique buddy reading my finished manuscript, I shredded paper.
It was something that needed to be done. I had been saving my pile for over a year now. Now they squeeze tightly into 2 clear massive garbage bags reading for the recycle day on Tuesday. As I was going through the pile, the last 1.5 years of my life was there: my hubby's paperwork, botched tax forms (without SS#), doubles, triples and quadruplicates of Rx's from my back and shoulder injury and the scariest part - the original draft of my book.
Printed on ugly goldenrod yellow paper and marked in purple and orange pen, was the original idea from years ago. And I remembered that I also lost that file too. All 70 pages had to be retyped (-__-'). but because I had to retype it, it made me start over and now, I have something so much better. In a way I am thankful that I lost that file - even thought I sat in mind-numbing shock for 3 months.
It was weird reading deleted scenes. Scenes that had no place or just did not work. Certain things I did keep. Characters got a face lift, some didn't. Some names got altered or deleted completely. And even funnier, I read my horrendous grammar. I had no idea what I was doing back then. Essay writing and fiction writing are different. And sadly, I still retained those bad habits and it only makes revising a pain in the butt.
Oh, well. That's life!
And how wonderful is this, a patron came in Monday and we had a long discussion about Anne McCaffrey, the now deceased science fiction/fantasy author of the amazing Pern Series. We have a rather small SF section because most of our patrons reads mysteries and fiction so I don't get to go all geeky with anybody about SciFi books. Well, I met one. And how amazing, the next day I came into work, my supervisor hands me a folder. The patron typed out a list of her personal reading collection! And left me her phone number. Anytime I want to borrow a book from her, I just give her a call!
Definitively, made my week!
I can comment now! Unfortunately, I forgot what I wanted to say. :(
ReplyDeleteHahahaa! It's okay. I'm just happy the comment section finally works!
Delete