tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57802833536499587492024-03-12T20:13:14.948-07:00Nikki Memmott NowNikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-31037812166319179842010-10-29T23:40:00.001-07:002010-10-29T23:40:29.301-07:00<img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border=0 width=0 height=0 src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bHQ9MTI4ODQyMDc4NjI5NiZwdD*xMjg4NDIwODIyNjA5JnA9Mzg2MzYxJmQ9Jm49YmxvZ2dlciZnPTEmbz*3NzljOTRmNzQ4Y2Q*/MDRmYjQxMDQxZDdjMWI5NjhmMyZvZj*w.gif" /><a href="http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/?action=view¤t=fluffysprawl3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/fluffysprawl3.jpg" border="0" alt="Yeah, that's the spot"></a>Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-4314326960648897792010-07-08T19:42:00.000-07:002010-07-08T19:44:40.452-07:00Thursday Thirteen 7/8/10Well, the last post I did on this blog was a Thursday Thirteen, so I figured this one might as well be, too.<br />
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Here are, in no particular order, my 13 favorite M/M stories.<br />
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1. <i>St. Nacho's </i>by Z. A. Maxfield<br />
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2. <i>Diving Deep </i>by K. A. Mitchell<br />
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3. <i>My Fair Captain </i>by J. L. Langley<br />
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4. <i>Center</i> by Sean Michael<br />
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5. <i>The Swordsman </i>by Mel Keegan<br />
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6. <i>911</i> by Chris Owen<br />
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7. <i>Couple Seeks Friendship </i>by Rob Knight<br />
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8. <i>Heartbreak Hotel </i>by Sarah Black<br />
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9. <i>The Dark Tide </i>by Josh Lanyon<br />
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10. <i>The Assignment </i>by Evangeline Anderson<br />
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11. Fits Like A Glove by Sean Michael<br />
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12. <i>Without Reservations </i>by J. L. Langley<br />
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13. <i>Regularly Scheduled Life </i>by K. A. MitchellNikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-12112902799101340252010-05-06T13:24:00.000-07:002010-05-06T13:24:32.553-07:00Thursday Thirteen 5/6/10Have you ever had a song that you just could not stop listening to? Even though you knew it wasn't a great song, it just would not go away? Here are thirteen songs that I listened to waaaay too often.<br />
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1. The Boxer, performed by Lee Dewyze on American Idol.<br />
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2. Crush by David Archuleta<br />
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3. Low by Kelly Clarkson<br />
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4. The Climb by Miley Cyrus<br />
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5. Burn by JoDee Messina<br />
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6. You're Still the One performed by Lee Dewyze<br />
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7. Things You Can't Stop With Your Hands by Tara Leigh Cobble<br />
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8. Poor Man's House by Patty Griffin<br />
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9. Beast of Burden performed by Lee Dewyze (Yes, all right, there is a pattern forming here...)<br />
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10. Would You Go With Me by Josh Turner<br />
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11. Relentless by Jason Aldean<br />
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12. Need You Now by Lady Antebellum<br />
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13.(just to keep the pattern going) Chasing Cars performed by Lee Dewyze.<br />
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Happy Thursday, everyone! I hope your day is filled with all your favorite songs!Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-48006492626033342012010-05-03T14:28:00.000-07:002010-05-03T14:28:48.755-07:00The Time That is Given To Us...This last couple of weeks has been a lesson in time. Rather, in changing my perceptions of time - how much time I need, how much time I have, all of it.<br />
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I had a week of vacation, and really did not get any writing done until Friday or Saturday. This was really disappointing for me. There is enough going on outside of writing that I did not anticipate having a large enough block of time to get much writing accomplished once I was back to work.<br />
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Since I did have a week of vaction, the urge to write is there again. The capacity to make the words in my head come out onto the paper is there again. I am definitely running into challenges finding time to write, however.<br />
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I have written on my lunch at work before, but the most recent story idea involved a graphic m/m bedroom scene, so I grabbed a notebook instead of opening a doc on the computer like normal. I still ran into a couple of interruptions (they're inevitable if I'm actually sitting my office) but I managed to get 10 or 15 minutes of good writing time in on Monday, got some reading done on Tuesday and Wednesday, and more writing on Thurs. I even managed to avoid editing too much while I was handwriting, just making notes in the margin about ideas I wanted to make sure and get across when it came time to actually type up the handwritten story. That allowed me to get a lot more done.<br />
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A similiar situation came up with my Wii Fit this weekend. I just wasn't doing it at all if I didn't feel like I had at least 30 minutes to devote to it - which meant I was only doing it on the weekends.<br />
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So I'm going to change how I look at time. I'm going to try and use short bursts of time to get <i>something</i> done instead of waiting for the big blocks of time that rarely happen. I'm going to celebrate what I do get done instead of grousing about all the things I didn't get done.<br />
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I hope everyone finds time today for something they didn't expect to get to.Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-10773689345866742512010-03-21T22:46:00.000-07:002010-03-21T22:46:09.788-07:00Characters, Characters, CharactersI have been reading a lot more than I’ve been writing lately and a couple of books recently really made me think about how important characters are to a story. The two particular stories I’m going to discuss feature male/male relationships, although a lot of what I want to say will apply to any story.<br />
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The first was a m/m/m shifter ménage, which should have been right up my alley. Typos in two consecutive sentences on page 6 (Chapter 1 started on page 5), though, and I was starting to get concerned. By page 12 these characters that have just been introduced are having unprotected penetrative sex on horseback, and by page 14 the reader is led to believe that Jake changed Leyland into a shifter without bothering to explain that little fact to him.<br />
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Now, as a reader I’m pretty easy. I seldom have a problem suspending my disbelief and just going along with whatever scenario a story sets forth. I had a hard time with this story, though, because the characters seemed so unbelievable. Would a human man really get further than a blow job without a condom? Would you really be able to fall in love with someone who was wiling to turn you into a shifter without telling you? (Even if you were a shapeshifter already and couldn’t be changed?)<br />
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In this case I feel like the author sacrificed her characters for the gimmick of revealing that Leyland is already a shapeshifter. Which is not to say that I think characters and plot should always be straightforward and up front. Discovering things as you go, having discrepancies between perception and reality for the characters can make for a wonderful story. All of the elements however, especially the characters, do need to be believable within whatever constructs the author initially presents. If they do not ring true in the moment of the story, they will turn the reader away, not draw them in.<br />
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In contrast, I also read a perfect example of characters that draw you ever more deeply into a story. This particular story is a m/m historical. It opens with two men in a coach getting robbed by a highwayman. This is of course an exciting bit of action, but the best part for me was how everyone’s response to the situation – what valuables did they have to lose, would they attempt to use their weapons, etc - was used to reveal their personality. Nicholas, one of the central characters, finds himself drawn to the highwayman, even attracted to him, but his genuine fury at being robbed continues to leap off the page throughout the scene. By the time chapter two starts and Nicholas is at a fencing lesson I’m completely hooked. I believe in Nicholas. I care about him. I stay up ‘til 2am to finish the book, even though I’m not usually a huge fan of historicals, because of him.<br />
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It shouldn’t really be a surprise, I suppose, but I really came away from this week realizing just how important character is to me in a story. All of the stories I read over and over again have characters that engage me, characters whose lives I want to visit again and again, regardless of genre or the gender of the partners or anything else. <br />
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I want to write characters like that. As much as I want people to think I’m good technically as a writer, what really matters to me is that my characters come alive. I always get a thrill when someone asks me to write more, but I really love it when people tell me “I love your guys,” and ask to read more of them. Not my <em>writing</em>, my characters. </span>Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-57720937111170127772010-03-05T14:26:00.000-08:002010-03-05T14:44:28.217-08:00Friday Flash Fiction 3/5/2010I have no idea where this came from, but I got an idea today involving Charlie, one of the characters in my last Friday Flash Fiction story, and the coffee cart boy Ulysses mentions. It's very rough, but I wanted to get the idea on paper, at least, so here it is.<br /><br />There's nothing graphic here by any stretch of the imagination, but this story does involve homosexual men flirting with each other. If that is not your cup of tea, then you should probably quit reading now...<span id="fullpost"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here is "Three O'Clock"<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Charlie knew he was bouncing with impatience while he waited for the elevator door to open, but he couldn’t force himself to stop. Three o’clock – the very best time of day. Coffee and flirting and maybe an invitation for more if he played his cards right.<br /><br />The doors opened at last, revealing the coffee cart in the lobby and the handsome barista who operated it. Everything about Mark appealed to Charlie, from the dark spiky hair and lean, slender body to the eyebrow ring and sweet, almost shy smile that Charlie swore Mark saved just for him.<br /><br />Mark had looked up as soon as the bell dinged the elevator’s arrival, as used to the routine as Charlie by now. Three o’clock. Early enough for Charlie to beat most of the afternoon rush of caffeine hunters, and close enough to the end of Mark’s shift that he was free to talk and play. Charlie admired the snug fit of Mark’s black button down shirt as he approached the cart, his eyes travelling slowly up and down, soaking in every detail. His grin broadened when Mark acknowledged his perusal with a light blush.<br /><br />“Hey, you,” Mark greeted Charlie. “Triple soy sugar free vanilla latte?”<br /><br />“Yes, please,” Charlie beamed. He ordered the same thing every day, but it still gave him a little thrill each time Mark remembered his order.<br /><br />“Anything else?” Mark asked, eyes lowering so he could peek up at Charlie through his eyelashes.<br /><br />Charlie opened his mouth to reply, but found he had no air to speak or breathe with. Tearing his gaze away from the heat in the sapphire gaze that Mark was careful to keep mostly turned away from him, Charlie managed a low laugh. “Don’t tempt me.”<br /><br />Oh. Oh, that was a happy smile stretching Mark’s face at Charlie’s words. Damn. Charlie knew he was staring at Mark, completely ensnared by the sight of him steaming soy milk and preparing espresso shots and smiling, but he could not look away. He heard himself babbling on, covering his fascination with too many words, but Mark was used to that by now, too. Mark answered back when he could get a word in edgewise, the movement of his throat jostling the heavy chain that rested along his collar bone.<br /><br />Oh, God.<br /><br />There, just above the chain was the dark smudge of a hickey. How on earth had Charlie missed that before? It wasn’t all that large, but it was almost black, edged with red where teeth had worried the flesh, too.<br /><br />Hot. Even as Charlie mourned the lost opportunity for more than a flirtation with Mark, his body reacted to the sight of the bruise with undeniable enthusiasm. He wanted to touch it, taste it, in the worst way. Mark might even let him, but the person who’d claimed him would almost certainly object.<br /><br />“Are you going to introduce me to your friend, boy?” came a low rumble from behind Charlie.<br /><br />Mark’s smile had always been bright and intimate for Charlie, but now he positively glowed. “Oh, yes, Master,” he breathed. “This is Charlie. Charlie, this is Master Byron.”<br /><br />Master?<br /><br />Charlie had noticed the chain around Mark’s neck, of course, but he’d never realized it was actually a collar. How had he missed that?<br /><br />With a shake of his head, Charlie brought himself back to the moment and clasped the hand that Mark’s master had extended. It was huge, warm and strong. The arm attached to it was sized to match, thick muscles rippling under the skin as Charlie’s gaze travelled upwards to meet Master Byron’s eyes.<br /><br />Oh boy.<br />*** </span>Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-62703353458475775692010-02-04T21:55:00.000-08:002010-02-04T21:55:00.328-08:00Flash Friday 2/5/10This story came out of a challenge in the Writer's Duel on Romance Divas. I had fun writing it, and wanted to show it around one last time.<br /><br />The prompt guidelines were as follows:<br /><br />Your hero or heroine (your choice) is a participant in a treasure hunt reality TV show. Their directions have been tampered with. By whom and why? What dangers and consequences are there??<br /><br />Please include: A facial scar, a partridge in a pear tree, red stiletto shoes, and a skunk.<br /><br />The original post was supposed to be about 750 words, but I added just a few more back in for this because I just missed them.<br /><br /><br />Here's the story:<br /><br /><br /><br />Ulysses P. Rathbone slapped his credit card on the counter, snatched the cell phone out of the sales clerk’s hands and started dialing. He still had no idea why those ducks had dive bombed him at the fountain and sent his Blackberry plunging to the depths of the wishing pool, but he’d finally gotten it replaced. Now he just needed to get a hold of Charlie and have him resend the email with the final Super Search clue.<br /><br />“Hi, Boss!” came the enthusiastic reply from the other end of the line. Charlie was gay as a maypole and twice as chipper, but he was a genius with computers, so Ulysses put up with the sugar shock.<br /><br />“You sweet talked that guy at the coffee stand into an extra shot again, didn’t you, Charlie?”<br /><br />“Maaaaybe,” Charlie giggled. <br /><br />Sorry he’d asked, Ulysses got down to business. “I need you to send me that email again, the one with the Super Search clue.”<br /><br />“Tiger, tiger burning bright, you’ll find me in the City of Lights? That one?”<br /><br />“Yeah, that’s it. Zap it over here pronto.” Ulysses glared impatiently at his phone, but before the email could come through a screech blasted through the speaker. <br /><br />‘Charlie!” Ulysses shouted to be heard over the noise. “What the hell happened? Where’s my clue?”<br /><br />“Fatal error, my ass!” Charlie shouted accusingly before explaining, “The computer just died, Boss.”<br /><br />“Well, you’re the computer queen, so fix it! I need that email!” Ulysses could hear clunks and thunks as Charlie shuffled things around, interspersed with expletives that increased steadily in both inventiveness and pitch. <br /><br />Almost out of nowhere another scream rocketed through Ulysses' ears, threatening the integrity of his eardrums.<br /><br />“Oh, my GOD! There’s a MOUSE!” Charlie started hyperventilating, sending the octave of his voice into the stratosphere. “There is a MOUSE and it has been EATING the COMPUTER! The computer’s dead!”<br /><br />Mice eating the computer, ducks drowning his phone – Ulysses decided he must have slipped into some kind of Animal Planet Twilight Zone. At least he had the most important part of the clue. “Fix the computer and get me that email,” he barked at Charlie before jabbing the End button.<br /><br />Two hours later, wedged into an airplane seat and headed to Paris, Ulysses chuckled to himself. A mouse, a duck . . . Hell, throw in a skunk and a bird or two and you’d have the whole menagerie of his ex girlfriends.<br /><br />He didn’t have as much magic as some Hunters, but Ulysses could always recognize a Shifter when he saw one. Of course, finding them wasn’t the dangerous part. He bore long, jagged scars on his face, deep enough to be felt even inside his mouth as a reminder of what happens when a Lioness decides you’re little too cavalier with her affections. <br /><br />He’d learned his lesson, though. Smaller Shifters, they were the key. Take the Partridge he’d dated once, for example. Met her in a pear tree of all places, in her family’s orchard in California. Sweet little thing. Sure, she’d gotten a little huffy when he moved on to the Turtledove twins on the neighboring ranch, but she hadn’t clawed his eyes out or anything.<br /><br />Ulysses’ Blackberry pinged an email alert as soon as he landed. <em>Tiger, tiger burning bright, you’ll find me in the City of Lights. No Triumph here, sad tale to tell, but you will find La Tour Eiffel.</em> Charlie had come through - just in time for Ulysses to find out he was in the wrong damned city. Stifling a curse, Ulysses headed back to the ticket counter.<br /><br />The Super Search sign was still posted when Ulysses pulled up to the Mirage. He burst through the hotel’s double doors and skittered to a halt in front of the host. “Have any other teams made it through?” <br /><br />The host simply smiled and motioned for the woman standing behind him to come forward. Tiny black dress, Cruella De Vil’s big ass white coat, and red stilettos? No mystery there. “Hello, Sylvia,” Ulysses sneered. “What’s a nice Skunk like you doing in a place like this?”<br /><br />“Ulysses, darling. You’re right on time,” Sylvia beamed. <br /><br />More girls drifted over to join Sylvia. Patti, Tonya, Tracy . . . Oh boy.<br /><br />“What is this, some kind of joke?”<br /><br />“Not a joke, dear boy. A treasure hunt,” Sylvia replied with a tinkling laugh. “You had to find the treasure, and the girls had to stop you. Wasn’t it fun?”<br /><br />“Oh, yeah,” Ulysses scoffed, “A real blast.” He knew the answer, but forced himself to ask one more question. “So, there’s no treasure, then?”<br /><br />“Oh, no, Ulysses, there <em>is</em> a treasure,” Sylvia reassured him. “It’s right in front of you.” Her gaze narrowed as she added, “You didn’t recognize the treasure when you had it, and we’re here to remind you that you will never, EVER have it again.”Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-40689868740312276732010-02-03T21:17:00.000-08:002010-02-03T21:20:26.787-08:00Thursday Thirteen 2/4/10I recently transferred from one store to another, so here are<br /><br />Thirteen things I've learned since I transferred to the new store:<br /><br />1. I lived across the street from my old store, and now drive 45 mins one way to get there. Apparently having the extra time to wake up and sing along as loudly as I want is a good thing, though. I'm the kind of girl that gets up in the morning just in time to get ready and get to work. No leisurely breakfast or reading the newspaper for me. That is especially true now that I have to commute in the morning and at the same time have to be to work an hour earlier than I did at my old store. I am discovering, however, that all of a sudden I am more productive in my first hour at work since I started having the extra drive. Who knew?<br /><br />2. 45 min drive vs 2 minute walk = triple the monthly gas bill. Yuck.<br /><br />3. Sunny Han's is still some of the best Chinese food I've had. Takes some getting used to because it's not a lot of sauces and fried things, but their brown rice and steamed vegetables are just so good.<br /><br />4. Apparently I am not the only one who doesn't like to throw things away, because there is an astonishing amount of stuff in the back room that was here when I managed here two years ago.<br /><br />5. Sing along songs are more important to a good driving cd than just a fast beat.<br /><br />6. Mt. Hood is almost heartbreakingly beautiful at sunrise.<br /><br />7. I actually am a better manager now than I was two years ago.<br /><br />8. No matter what city my office is in, it's still the same job.<br /><br />9. Muscle memory for things like where supplies are and the best path across the parking lot to Quiznos works even after two years away.<br /><br />10. Change really can reenergize you, even when you aren't unhappy with the way things are.<br /><br />11. 6:00 is still too dang early to get up in the morning, and I still don't want to have to be in bed by 10:00.<br /><br />12. I must be developing more of a routine schedule, since Fluffy the cat is usually waiting for me at the window when I pull into the carport.<br /><br />13. Coffee's On is still a great place to go. They remembered me, which was very nice. They even remembered that I didn't have a favorite drink, but get something different almost every day.Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-85099587768723693412010-01-14T09:31:00.000-08:002010-01-14T10:04:11.658-08:00Thursday Thirteen Jan 14I have had such a hard time coming up with Thursday Thirteens the last couple weeks! For some reason the first part of the week has just been all about rush rush rush. So while my body is tired, the real problem is that I am mentally exhausted.<br /><br />So here are thirteen things I do to rest and reenergize my mind.<br /><br />1. If it's night time, I go to bed. Sometimes it's hard to stop the momentum, but a little extra sleep never hurt.<br /><br />2. Take another look at the schedule. Do I really need to be to work at 8am, or can I take an extra 30 minutes and pet the cat?<br /><br />3. Stop hitting the snooze button and get up on time. Skimping on time to get ready and getting a few extra winks <em>sounds</em> like a good idea, but for me if I start the day rushing around, I'll just keep doing it.<br /><br />4. Get dressed up. Not schmancy date dressed up, necessarily, but the full daily routine. Again, it takes time, so there's no rushing through it. Second of all, if you do rush, it tends to show. Knowing I look barely presentable never makes me feel good. But the little buzz when someone compliments hair or clothes because I took time with them is a definite boost.<br /><br />5. Find the right music. It would seem like you would want something super peppy and energetic, but for me that is not the case. The point is to stimulate the brain and wake it up, not really to exercise it. I have cd's like The Art of Concentration from Lifescapes, Zen Grooves from Avalon, and Hemispheres from Sharper Image that are upbeat enough to give me energy without being intrusive or edgy.<br /><br />6. Watch TV on DVD. The episodes are short enough that it's easier to just stop and go to bed when you're ready, rather than feeling like you need to finish a whole movie. And there's no commercials blasting at you, wearing out your eyes and brain.<br /><br />7. Go to Jamba Juice instead of Starbucks. Caffeine is a good thing, but Jamba Juice can do more to give my whole body energy, and not just my brain.<br /><br />8. Reread a favorite book. I know, we hardly find time to fit in all the new stuff we want to read, but for me, although reading itself is always a pleasure, reading new books can be stimulating rather than relaxing for my mind. <br /><br />9. Make plans with a friend. Me, I call my mom and see if she's free for dinner. Having plans after work is the best way I know to make myself leave on time. I should be smart enough to do it on my own, but sometimes I have to give myself a little help.<br /><br />10. Make a to-do list. Having a visible representation of what you need to get done, and then being able to check it off can really give you a boost.<br /><br />11. Smile at someone and ask how they're doing. No matter how busy you are you really do have five minutes to make someone else feel good, and the personal contact makes you feel good, too. Not to mention it slows you down just a little.<br /><br />12. Go for a fifteen minute walk. Just another way to STOP for a few minutes. A walk gets your adrenaline flowing, which makes your body feel better, and your mind can relax.<br /><br />13. Breathe. Just take a deep breath. It helps!<br /><br />Have a very happy Thursday, everyone!Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-52176876966535818802010-01-07T22:30:00.000-08:002010-01-07T22:53:31.159-08:00Flash Fiction, Friday Jan 8My Critic has this thing about me writing poetry, or rather the Critic is quick to remind me that I am not great at poetry and thinks I should avoid it at all costs. I'm not entirely convinced the Critic is wrong, but I've decided to continue the practice of forcing myself to post my poems somewhere whenever I happen across them.<br /><br />So, for Flash Fiction Friday, here is a poem from senior year of high school:<br /><br /><strong>Retreat</strong><br /><br />Nature's call is a siren's song.<br />Trees croon lullabyes with creaking limbs.<br />Grass whispers secrets to the wind, and <br />the brook's cheerful chatter tells us to hurry<br />as we fly to nature's retreat.<br /><br />But we look back.<br /><br /><br />Jangling phones, shreiking printers,<br />cranky customers, bosses with razor tongues,<br />children clamoring for attention,<br />clanging construction, blaring alarms,<br />headaches screaming for Excedrin - <br />These are the tools society uses to<br />restrain our retreat.<br /><br />Mother Nature greets you in her backyard,<br />a barefoot version of Cinderella's fairy godmother<br />with twigs in her hair and grass stains on her feet.<br />Her smile shines like the sun in her domain, and<br />her bower offers respite from the world looming large<br />behind us. The cheerful brook lip-laps away the headache,<br />the grass massages stressed muscles, and<br />the trees rock us into peaceful repose.<br /><br />Then we go back.<br /><br />---<br /><br />I suppose poetry is like anything else - you have to practice to get better. Still, I persist in seeing poetry as something you are born with, not something you learn. I can't imagine ever really getting comfortable with it, but picking at the scab of it every so often seems to be good for me.<br /><br />I was also reminded of a poem that I'd almost forgotten, but that still gets right inside me. It's Love Song: I and Thou by Alan Dugan, and I have always connected with it. You can read it <a href="http://www.ftrain.com/poem_lovesong.html"> here</a>.<br /><br />On another topic, I pulled out some of my very first stories the other day in a fit of nostalgia. I have to apologize to some of my poor characters, because I had completely forgotten about them. I remembered a few as works in progress, but I did have a couple that were completely finished. Very much a sixteen-year-old-girl kind of thing, but not altogether the horror I remembered. I also found a hard copy of one of two fanfiction stories that I'd lost. It's like having an extra warm fuzzy blanket to know that story's in the world somewhere again.Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-14364483448669827112009-12-31T09:02:00.000-08:002009-12-31T09:40:09.336-08:00Thursday Thirteen 12/31It's New Year's Eve, but I find that I'm not quite ready yet to shift my focus to the new year. This day is going to fly by and I'll be thrust into 2010, ready or not, before I know it. But for now, today is just Thursday.<br /><br />What I was actually thinking about this morning was movies. My new year's celebration will most likely involve a movie fest, and I was remembering all my favorite movie scenes. You know, the one scene that can make even a terrible movie bearable, the scenes that stick with you.<br /><br />So, here are my 13 of my favorite movie scenes.<br /><br />1. When Aragorn pushes opens the doors to the throne room at Helms Deep in The Two Towers.<br /><br />2. Near the end of the most recent Pride and Prejudice when Matthew McFadyen's Darcy struggles to say "I love you" to Elizabeth.<br /><br />3. When Jason Bourne drives the car off the roof of the parking garage in Bourne Ultimatum.<br /><br />4. In the newer version, when Edmund comes to take Fanny back to Mansfield Park. I love that carriage ride, where they both acknowledge and avoid their feelings for each other.<br /><br />5. The first scene with Methos in Highlander End Game. Blah blah Duncan, broody broody blah blah, then ..... METHOS! <br /><br />6. In P.S. I Love You, when they're reading the letters in Ireland. "Hey, Big Mama" has me bawling every time.<br /><br />7. The dance party in steerage in Titanic.<br /><br />8. Any scene with Jeremy Northam in Emma.<br /><br />9. In 27 Dresses when Jane tells Tess, "Today you're just some b**ch who cut up my mother's wedding dress." Also love "Benny and the Jets."<br /><br />10. I realize he's like twelve, but the scene with Jacob and Bella on the stairs at the movie theater in New Moon gets me, too. Something about the long hair pulled back in front, and the way he's into her is just yummy.<br /><br />11. The scene where Jet Li pretends to be the takeout delivery guy at Aaliyah's apartment in Romeo Must Die.<br /><br />12. In the new Star Trek when Spock tells the council to "Live long, and prosper" after they diss his mom. Love that.<br /><br />13. In Serenity when they're discussing whether or not Inara's call is a trap. "Did you see us fight?.....No.....Trap." <br /><br />Have a wonderful, safe celebration tonight. May the new year bring you all good things.Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-65829813399420752842009-12-20T20:29:00.001-08:002009-12-20T20:37:08.991-08:00Writer's Retreat Blog 12/20Here is my latest post to the Writer's Retreat Blog:<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://writersretreatblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/to-drabble-or-not-to-drabble.html"> To Drabble or Not to Drabble?</a><br /><br />Enjoy!Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-60992899114859881032009-12-10T21:59:00.000-08:002009-12-10T22:15:10.749-08:00Friday Flash Fiction Dec 11<em>I was really trying to write something new, and apparently it was just not going to happen tonight. Jason had this major attack of potty mouth, and that was about all I got, lol.<br /><br />So I'm going to post this little snippet I wrote before Thanksgiving instead. I begged for a prompt on RD chat, and Inez told me to blow something up. This is what came out.</em><br /><br /><br />The fuse had been lit. Licks of amber flame circled black pools of darkness, spreading slowly outward until a wide ring of fire blazed.<br /><br />Lord Jeran smiled at his handiwork. Prince Ming would be pleased.<br /><br />“Don’t worry, Lord Rogon, I won’t tell a soul,” Jeran assured the man beside him. He hurried to cover his smirk with sympathetic concern as the laser focus of Rogon’s attention returned to him. Heat shimmered in the air, searing Jeran’s skin, and the acrid stench of smoke burned his nostrils and clogged his throat. <br /> <br />A trill of feminine laughter drew Rogon’s eye to the back of the room, and suddenly Jeran could breathe again. The sight of a willowy blonde standing close to a tall, dark-haired man, her arm resting lightly against the emerald velvet of the man’s jacket as she laughed up at him nearly drew an answering giggle from Jeran. <br /><br /><em>How wonderful!</em> Jeran knew he couldn’t have choreographed the scene more perfectly than the two unwitting participants in this little play had just done. Now all he had to do was stand back and wait for the inevitable explosion.Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-44329702079483332922009-12-09T21:03:00.000-08:002009-12-09T21:53:19.984-08:00Thursday Thirteen Dec 10This last weekend was my Christmas tree decorating party, and in the absence of of any other inspiration this week, I thought I would show you all my thirteen favorite Christmas ornaments. They are, in no particular order:<br /><br /><br />1. <a href="http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/?action=view¤t=shellyornament.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/shellyornament.jpg" border="0" alt="Shelly's ornament"></a> <br /><br />This is a pretty simple ornament, but my friend Shelly painted it for me, and it's had a special place on the tree for close to 20 years now.<br /><br />2. <a href="http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/?action=view¤t=redangel.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/redangel.jpg" border="0" alt="Red Angel"></a> <br /><br /><br />This angel is part of the set of ornaments I bought for the very first Christmas tree I had on my own. I collect angels in a small way, especially at Christmas.<br /><br />3.<a href="http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/?action=view¤t=redandwhitenightmare.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/redandwhitenightmare.jpg" border="0" alt="Red and White from Nightmare Bazaar"></a><br /><br />For some reason I just love this ornament. The colors remind me of the tree at my dad's parents' house. They only ever had a white flocked tree with red balls. Period. I guess this ornament takes me back there without actually having to have a tree like that myself.<br /><br />4. <a href="http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/?action=view¤t=pier1snowflake.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/pier1snowflake.jpg" border="0" alt="Pier 1 Snowflake"></a><br /><br /><br />A couple years ago I added snowflakes to my list of things I collect at Christmas. For some reason not a lot of them made it on the tree this year, but this one from Pier 1 is one of my favorites.<br /><br />5. <a href="http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/?action=view¤t=pear.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/pear.jpg" border="0" alt="Marshalls Pear"></a><br /><br />This is just one of a set of sparkly pear ornaments we got at Marshalls. They aren't anything fancy, but I love them.<br /><br />6. <a href="http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/?action=view¤t=nightmareangel.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/nightmareangel.jpg" border="0" alt="Balsa Angel from Nightmare Bazaar"></a><br /><br />This is a balsa wood angel ornament from the Every Husband's Nightmare Bazaar. Mom and I go every year the weekend before Thanksgiving and always come away with something. This one is from the first year we ever went.<br /><br />7. <a href="http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/?action=view¤t=neworleansornament.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/neworleansornament.jpg" border="0" alt="New Orleans Ornament"></a><br /><br />This is a sort of Mardi Gras themed ornament from our trip to New Orleans. My mom had always wanted to go there, and she and my two aunts and I went the Memorial Day before Hurricane Katrina. If I ever needed a reminder not to put off the things that are really important, this is it.<br /><br />8. <a href="http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/?action=view¤t=jobunchbell.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/jobunchbell.jpg" border="0" alt="Jo Bunch Bell"></a> <br /><br />This is a bell hand painted by our church minister's wife when I was in elementary school. We haven't seen her in years, but every time we put the ornaments on the tree we say, "It's a Jo Bunch bell." They're simple and beautiful and still some of my favorites.<br /><br />9. <a href="http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/?action=view¤t=houselymouse.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/houselymouse.jpg" border="0" alt="Great Grandma Houseley Ornament"></a><br /><br />LOL - this is one of those ornaments that I both love and hate. It was made by a great grandmother that I don't have a lot of other memories of, so the big purple....rabbit? mouse? ...finds a home on the tree every year.<br /><br />10. <a href="http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/?action=view¤t=hornornament.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/hornornament.jpg" border="0" alt="Horn Ornament"></a><br /><br />No one hear wants to actually hear me play the french horn anymore, but I used to. This was a present from a fellow horn player in college. I still love them and always find myself looking for a new horn ornament.<br /><br />11. <a href="http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/?action=view¤t=denmarkbell.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/denmarkbell.jpg" border="0" alt="Danish Bell"></a><br /><br />This bell is part of a set my uncle's mom would send him from Denmark. My uncle was a chef who was usually working on Christmas Eve during our family celebration, and he's passed on now, but I'm glad to have these bells so he's with us still.<br /><br />12. <a href="http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/?action=view¤t=cloissonnebell.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/cloissonnebell.jpg" border="0" alt="Cloisonne Bell"></a><br /><br />It's a bell, it's sparkly - pretty much a perfect Nikki Christmas ornament.<br /><br />13. <a href="http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/?action=view¤t=bellebell.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/bellebell.jpg" border="0" alt="Belle Bell"></a><br /><br />This is another one of the ornaments from the tree in my first apartment. I love it because it's actually a bell (her feet dangle in the middle for the chime). It's a heavy ornament so it always has to go at the top, but it's still one of my favorites.Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-42064439650485143072009-12-05T20:35:00.001-08:002009-12-05T20:52:36.707-08:00Time for the Tree!<img style="WIDTH: 0px; HEIGHT: 0px; VISIBILITY: hidden" border="0" src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bHQ9MTI2MDA3NDA2MzY4NyZwdD*xMjYwMDc*MTQwNzUwJnA9Mzg2MzYxJmQ9Jm49YmxvZ2dlciZnPTEmbz1hY2Y5ZTJkZTMzYjE*YjNjYmUxYzhkZTkzMzc3ZGRmOCZvZj*w.gif" width="0" height="0" /><a href="http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/?action=view&current=christmastree2009.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Christmas Tree 2009" src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss134/nikkimemmott/christmastree2009.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />The Tree Party is over, and we have a beautiful tree to show for it again this year. If there's only going to be one Christmas tree in the family, it should be a good one, and everyone contributed to this year's effort. What a great start to the Christmas season!Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-67374598603539357922009-12-04T21:46:00.000-08:002009-12-10T22:16:37.732-08:00Flash Friday December 4I feel like the Flash Friday is supposed to be for original fiction, but that's just not where I'm at today. The only writing of mine that I really wanted to read tonight was an old Highlander story. It's called Public Displays, Private Affections. and it's my favorite Richie/Methos story.<br /><br /><br /><br />It is m/m slash, so I'm only going to post the link here. In my own Richie/Methos-verse, Richie and Methos got set up on a date for a gay and lesbian edition of the WB show Blind Date. This story is the one year anniversary of that date.<br /><br /><br /><br />Thank you to Emma, who is still kind enough to host my HL stories for me. Public Displays, Private Affections can be found at: <a href="http://www.ithilas.com/chezemma/nikki/hl/public.html">http://www.ithilas.com/chezemma/nikki/hl/public.html</a><br /><br /><br /><br />Enjoy!Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-81291977501404853142009-11-25T19:49:00.001-08:002009-11-25T20:56:43.389-08:00Nikki's Thanksgiving Thursday ThirteenFor a variety of reasons, none of them particularly onerous or challenging on their own, it's been a rough last couple of weeks. I haven't been feeling especially thankful lately, so it really is the perfect time to count my blessings.<br /><br />Here are 13 things I'm thankful for this year:<br /><br />1. My family. I am so lucky to have them close, and to have close, loving relationships with so many of them! I'm also going to get to see a little more of them than usual this holiday season, and I'm really looking forward to that.<br /><br />2. My job. I feel very fortunate to still be working despite store closures nationwide, and to have a crew of people I can enjoy and respect.<br /><br />3. The Pomme de Sang Forum and Fanfic Archive, the Fiction Writer's Workshop, and Romance Divas. I have met so many wonderful people since I joined them! I have been able to get back into writing again and found a great community to share the experience with. Not to mention just having a ton of great stuff to read and talk about! Thank you everyone.<br /><br />4. Fluffy the cat. I'm sorry for the unfortunate circumstances that brought him into my home temporarily, but it's been great to see him come out of his shell and find his voice. He's definitely getting the hang of lazy weekend mornings sleeping in, and that's a great thing :)<br /><br />5. Good friends. I've thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people, but there's nothing like the friendship of women I've grown up with. I'm glad you're still in my life.<br /><br />6. My apartment. The housing market being what it is, I feel very lucky to have my apartment stay at a rate I can live with so I didn't have to move this year. I hate moving, and am very cozy in my little apartment. (Across the street from work - woohoo!)<br /><br />7. My muse. I'm so glad it came back! Shame on me for letting it get away. Thank heavens it was willing to come back around once I decided to get off my butt and write again.<br /><br />8. The new Star Trek Movie. I love movies, and it's been ages since a movie came out that I just had to see over and over again. Hurray for spending a summer at the movies again!.<br /><br />9. iTunes. I feel sort of ridiculous saying this, but I'm really glad to have been forced to get used to iTunes. I finally feel free to just download the songs I want instead of the whole cd, and I've been able to find a bunch of new music I would never have risked in a store. I need new music almost as much as I need new books to read, and it's great to have a place to get a new bite if I need to.<br /><br />10. My Blackberry. Hurray for getting email on my phone, and for Pandora radio and an ebook reader on my phone when I get to restaurant before my friends do, or just want to read in bed!<br /><br />11. Studded tires. I would not have been able to buy Christmas presents for my family in time for the holiday last year, or even made it to Christmas breakfast at my mom's if I hadn't had studded tires on my car. Two solid weeks of snow and ice is more than I ever thought I'd see in the NW. I wasn't sure I'd ever use them again once I moved across the street from work, but got my money's worth out of them again last December.<br /><br />12. Line dancing. Finally, something that'll get me out of the house on Friday night! I don't even know the names of all the dances I've learned, but I'm having a great time and learning more every week.<br /><br />13. Elliptical machines in the workout room. They're my favorite cardio to do, and now that they're in the fitness room in my apartment complex I actually visit the place once in a while :)<br /><br /><br />Happy Thanksgiving and best wishes to all!!Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-81548906163652009192009-11-24T19:44:00.000-08:002009-11-25T20:55:45.641-08:00Writing is Like Pasta PizzaI actually cooked dinner on Sunday. I try to do that, so I have leftovers for the week, however I am not always very successful. This Sunday, while I was hunting down my lasagna recipe, I came across my pasta pizza recipe and made that instead.<br /><br />As I was going through my cooking adventure it occurred to me that there are some parallels between the writing process and the cooking process.<br /><br />1. <em>The recipe.</em><br /><br />Most cooking begins with a recipe, however informal, and most stories start with at least a general outline. When I am preparing a receipe for the first time, I usually try to follow it exactly, on the theory that it'll give me a sense of what it's supposed to taste like. After the first time, I'll play around with it some - adding zucchini to my vegitarian lasagna recipe, for example.<br /><br />When it comes to writing I am much more go-with-the-flow. I usually start with some kind of strong mental image and then build a story around it, but nothing so concrete that I can't change it up if the muse strikes. Where as with cooking the end product is a direct result of the recipe, I find that writing can be almost the opposite - the recipe, or outline - is a product of the story itself (I hope that makes sense.)<br /><br />2. <em>The ingredients.</em><br /><em></em><br />With pasta pizza and with writing, you have to have all of the ingredients. In the case of this Sunday's endeavors, I was going to end up with more than enough mushrooms and hamburger, so I decided to make two pies. Then I got home and realized I did not have double the amount of stewed tomatoes or mozzarella. The solution - substitution! A half a can of tomato sauce and some cheddar and parmesan cheese saved the day, and I was able to make two pies.<br /><br />In writing, being flexible is very important, but you also have to be careful. You often need more than a dash of plot or a splash of dialog to hold a story together and make it come out as a tasty finished product. If the story you started out writing ends up not being the story that needs to be told, that's one thing. Sometimes, though, I find I'm deviating from the path I originally set just because it's harder than I thought and I don't want to wrestle with it. Sometimes that's a sign I need to change direction, and sometimes that's being lazy.<br /><br />3<em>. The tools</em>.<br /><br />Another minor panic moment came when I realized that I did not in fact have two pizza pans any longer, but only one. I'd never made pasta pizza in a baking pan before, but since the pasta had already been cooked I was kind of committed to at least making the attempt. There were stages to the recipe - the pasta "crust" first, and then toppings - so I was able to see that the crust came out well before I added the toppings and cheese, and it was a reasonable substitution to make, but still nothing I would have wanted to attempt if I'd actually been going to serve the food to other people.<br /><br />I'm finding out that writing takes more than a laptop and some time, too. It takes notebooks and forums and feedback and a support system, among other things, to really do it well. No writer is an island and I realize a little more every day that published writers who prepare and make sure they have all the tools ahead of time, and use a wide variety of them, rather than opening the oven drawer and finding out they're short a pan.<br /><br />4. <em>Soup's on!</em><br /><br />Sometimes, despite starting out with a half-assed plan and missing ingredients and pans, everything comes out right. Fortunately for me, the baking pan version and the pizza pan version came out very well. The cheddar cheese I added didn't make it too greasy, and the parmesan I tried crisped nicely on the top. The mushrooms I added a step too early didn't get too soft and the green pepper wasn't too firm. It's really good, actually, as it almost always is.<br /><br />For writing I think this means to trust your instincts. They're usually sound. As long as you start with a solid foundation, like a recipe or an outline, and make sensible changes instead of plowing ahead willy-nilly, your inner voice will almost always steer you in the right direection.<br /><br />5. <em>You have a freezer - use it.</em><br /><br />While I suppose it's possible for me to eat two entire pasta pizzas by myself before they either went bad or I completely sick of it, it just didn't seem like a good idea. About half of one pie ended up in the freezer as soon as it cooled, so I'll have something to look forward to someday when the cupboards are bare or I want hot food without cooking something new.<br /><br />One of the hardest things for me to learn was to write ideas down - just ideas not the whole darn story - so I could have them later when I was ready to actually focus on them. Honestly, I don't often have trouble coming up with ideas, it's the execution of them that seems to trip me up. I'm trying really hard not to take that for granted, though, since I'm almost certain the day will come when I don't have the luxury of an easy inspiration.<br /><br />I'm also sick to death of not finishing things because a new story idea has hijacked me and then I can't get back into the original story once I've exorcised the new plot bunny. Drives me <em>crazy</em>, but I don't want to lose the new idea, either.<br /><br />Hence the institution of at least outlining a new idea - like tupperware for stories, lol. I get enough of the bunny down to make sure I won't lose it, and even the little bit of writing on it keeps me from getting overwhelmed by the need to write the whole thing down. Still, I stay on track with what I'm really working on.<br /><br />Now that I've analyzed the process to death, I suppose I'd better get to work and actually write something. Have a great day everyone!Nikki Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732158532510804049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780283353649958749.post-49659202918813466752009-11-24T18:03:00.000-08:002009-11-24T18:04:13.068-08:00This is a placeholder!This blog is under construction. Check back soon!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0