Please Help

I'm going to make this post brief and to the point.
I have found out that Congress will be deciding whether or not to cut funding from Public Broadcasting. It would be a horrible mistake if they decide not to support the Public Stations anymore. They are a great source for culture, entertainment, and education, which, sad to say, is sorely lacking in most shows today. If you feel the same way, please visit  www.170millionamericans.org

I have also discovered that the Poe House is in danger of loosing it's funding. If you're a fan of Edgar Allan Poe, you can visit http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-the-poe-house-and-museum-in-baltimore/

I now feel as though I should say something like, "Thank you for your support," or "I approve this message."

Thanks for listening.

Muse On Coffee Break

Well, here I am; sitting at the computer, watching time slowly tick by.
Obviously my muse is on a coffee break, so I suppose I'll start without her.

It snowed again this week, which means my brother is home again, and with him the drama that is his vehicle.
His stupid . . . I mean lovely. . . truck is once again causing trouble.
It isn't the brakes this time; they're working great now (much to the relief of every driver in the country).
This time it's the transmission. For some strange and odd reason it has decided not to work. In other words, the lovely truck refuses to go into reverse. Fun huh?
And my brother wonders why my life flashes before my eyes every time I ride in that thing?

I've been occupying my time by re-rewriting chapter one of my novel. I have made an important decision concerning the beginning of my book; I'm afraid it's bye-bye Prologue. I know it sounds heartless, but it just wasn't working the way I had wanted it to, so it's received the axe. Oh, what a cruel world we live in!
With the draft of the first chapter complete (for the thirteenth time), it's been fairly simple to move on with the story. I have finished chapter two, and am currently working on chapter three.

Well folks, I believe that's it for the week. Sorry, you can blame my muse for the short post. I mean seriously, how long does it take her to drink a cup of coffee?

Losing to Luxury Tax

I was desperate. All but one property was mortgaged, I had narrowly escaped prison and was now facing Park Place, or worse, Boardwalk, with two houses. Past Boardwalk was the promise of money that I so desperately needed. If I could just make it to Go and collect my two hundred dollars, I had a chance to survive. If I could just make it to Go, I'd still be in the game.
I rolled the dice. Picking up my game piece of choice, the trusty dog, I moved across the board and landed on . . . Luxury Tax. Close call, right? Wrong! I promptly went bankrupt because I couldn't come up with seventy-five dollars to pay my taxes, even with mortgaging my last property. So much for Baltic or Mediterranean being helpful. They can't even pay off Luxury Tax!
If you haven't guessed by now, I have been occupying a snowy week by playing Monopoly with my Mother and Brother.
I know, I know, I should be writing, but since my brother has had the past few days off due to the weather, I haven't been keeping up with my novel or blog. I realize I've been extremely naughty.
I haven't squandered all my week, since I've gone through my file cabinet and also organized my workspace by installing an old pantry/wardrobe by my desk. It's worked out better than I thought. It almost makes struggling with that insufferable contact paper I was plastering the shelves with worth it.

Last Sunday I had to help my brother bleed the brakes on his stupid. . . I mean . . . lovely, truck. We all know how much I love bleeding brakes/toning thighs!
We bled the brakes, and when we got done my brother climbed into the truck and found out that the pedal could sink all the way to the floor with the slightest amount of pressure.
Turns out, the Master Cylinder had to be replaced and, guess what, the brakes had to be bled all over again. Can we say, "Hooray!"
Believe me, I gave my brother so much trouble over that one. Probably a little too much, since he admitted that he let me pump the brakes a little longer than necessary.
At least now he can stop the truck without locking the brakes.

Well, that's pretty much it for the week. My office is now organized, and my brother can now stop his vehicle. I have also developed a personal vendetta against Luxury Tax, so I don't believe the week has been entirely wasted. I'm planning on doing catchup work on my novel tomorrow, and hopefully will have drafts of the first few chapters complete.

Until next week!

A Week into the New Year

Well, it's been a week since the New Year began and so far, I've only ignored one of my New Year's Resolutions. I think that's pretty good, considering it's me.

My writing has been pretty productive this week. Could I have been more prolific? Absolutely, but overall I'm fairly happy with my results. I've blogged twice this week, as you can plainly see, and I'm plugging away at the start of my novel, 'Rescuing A Towered Prince.'
I've hit a bit of a snag with my book though, not a major one by any means, but a snag nonetheless. To prologue, or not to prologue? That is the question. I've heard that prologues are passe, and that people don't want to waste time on one when they could be reading the first chapter. So, should I change my prologue into chapter one? Hmmm, I can see already that I have difficult decisions ahead of me. I would greatly appreciate any opinions on the subject. Yay or nay to prologues?

My reading is going well. I'm still trying to finish The Plums of P.G. Wodehouse, which I am still thoroughly enjoying. I have to stop dilly-dallying around though, because my list of books to read is beginning to grow at an alarmingly rapid pace. I have borrowed a book from my Grandmother that I'll start as soon as P.G's done, and I also have A Writer's Guide to 2011 to read. Preferably this time I'll finish reading it before 2011 ends. Plus all the countless books lying around that I've started but haven't finished. Yes, regretfully, I am one of those readers who starts a book, gets bored, starts another book, gets halfway through, and starts yet another.

As for my mandolin practices . . . uh, what mandolin?
Okay, this is the resolution that's taken a back burner to other things. So don't look for my CD very soon. I'm going to make time to practice though . . . someday . . . eventually.

Well, that's been my week. How are your New Year's Resolutions going? If you'd like to share, or would like to express your opinion on prologues, leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you!

Oh, and for those of you who love a good crime story, my Grandmother is now writing a blog called Mystery & Me. She's going to start critiquing mystery books. If you would like to check it out: mysteryandme.blogspot.com

Resolutions

With the New Year's come the annual resolutions that seem really good at first, but quickly die mid-January. Well, if you're me they die mid-January, but perhaps other people can keep their resolutions alive a bit longer.
Despite the fact that I have as much trouble with resolutions living as I do with plants, I still make them every year. Don't ask me why. Perhaps I'm an incurable optimist . . . or I'm crazy, whichever one.
This year, I am resolving to write more, which really shouldn't be hard considering I didn't write very much last year. I am also hoping to read more often than I have been of late, and also learn to play the mandolin that has been sitting around for almost four years now. Hey, I need a backup plan if my writing career doesn't take off. So, if you don't see any books or articles by me just look for my CD.

I've been getting a head start on my reading resolution. I just finished a Middle-Grade book called The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh. I'm also in the midst of reading the Plums of P.G. Wodehouse, which I am thoroughly enjoying. I might blog about these a little later.

As for my blog I hope to touch base with My Padded Cell at least once every week. That's another resolution. Hopefully, since I'm posting it where everyone can see, I'll keep up with my resolutions this year. . . Hopefully.

Happy Black Friday!

It's that time again, when families gather around the table and give thanks for the fortunes they have received by a giant feast that takes forever to prepare, and almost as long to clean up. But really, what does Thanksgiving really mean? Yes, that's right, tomorrow is Black Friday.

It's sad but true, Black Friday has taken the place of Thanksgiving as a national holiday, even though it's the most dangerous day of the year.

I wonder if the first Black Friday was as dangerous as it is today? It wouldn't be pretty seeing all those pilgrims fighting like that. Especially after that picturesque scene where they're all sitting at the table together. Imagine what the Native Americans thought, with everyone fighting over turtle necks and running around as though they had been bit by a rabid squirrel. It would have been a very awkward day indeed.

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys their Thanksgiving, and survives Black Friday.

Oh, and Happy Early Birthday, Grandma!

The Padded Library - Rochester vs. Heathcliff

Anyone who has a love of classic literature knows about the Bronte Sisters, especially Charlotte and Emily. Charlotte wrote Jane Eyre, while Emily . . . was clinically insane!
I came to that conclusion after reading Wuthering Heights, a book that I could hardly get through. The only reason I did was because I had to write a report on the Bronte sisters for school. I hated the book, didn't like Cathrine and. . . well, let's just face it, I wanted Heathcliff to die a slow and painful death.
So, imagine my surprise when I came across someone who said that Rochester was insane and that Heathcliff just needed medication. What?
True, Rochester was a little off at times, but he had every reason to be. I mean his father and brother tricked him into marrying a crazy woman, for crying out loud! (Oh, yeah. Spoiler Alert!)
What was Heathcliff's excuse, he was a poor boy, and then he was adopted by a rich guy? Yeah, I can hear the violins already. Let's just face it, Heathcliff was mean from the start.

Rochester was willing to let Jane go in the end, just as long as it made her happy. Heathcliff . . . we won't even go there. Marrying Cathrine's sister-in-law just to get back at her was extreme, but making his son and Cathrine's daughter marry? That's diving as far as you can go in the depths of insanity.

Overall, my view on the subject: Rochester may not be playing with a full deck, but Heathcliff is only holding one card.
Really, I'm just happy I'm not a heroine in a Gothic Romances, because I believe most of the Goth heroes are drinking out of lead goblets.