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Thursday, November 29, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
the point at which my lungs felt like they were going to disintegrate
Having run A 5K RACE earlier this year, I am now able to drop that fact casually into any conversation. Want to impress the neighbors? All I have to do is say, "Sure, you can borrow a stick of butter. Which reminds me that I had a real hankerin' for butter at about K3 of THAT 5K RACE I ran in May." Bingo. Impression left.
Want to draw a parallel between running and writing? Simply open a new Create Post template in Blogger and start typing away a few sentences that go something like this:
"With four days left in NaNoWriMo (three if you don't count today) I'm feeling kind of like I felt toward the end of THAT 5K RACE I ran earlier this year. The finish line was almost in sight, but I still had a goodly-sized chunk of running to do. So, this interesting mixture of dread and elation started to set in, and I'm pretty sure it had something to do with the fact that I almost threw up on my neighbor's shoes at the finish line when he reached over to tear off the little paper "finish receipt" on the back of my number." Bingo. Parallel drawn.
Oh, NaNo word count as of this moment: 38,639. Let's hope I don't almost throw up on someone around here after typing word 50,000 later this week.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Want to draw a parallel between running and writing? Simply open a new Create Post template in Blogger and start typing away a few sentences that go something like this:
"With four days left in NaNoWriMo (three if you don't count today) I'm feeling kind of like I felt toward the end of THAT 5K RACE I ran earlier this year. The finish line was almost in sight, but I still had a goodly-sized chunk of running to do. So, this interesting mixture of dread and elation started to set in, and I'm pretty sure it had something to do with the fact that I almost threw up on my neighbor's shoes at the finish line when he reached over to tear off the little paper "finish receipt" on the back of my number." Bingo. Parallel drawn.
Oh, NaNo word count as of this moment: 38,639. Let's hope I don't almost throw up on someone around here after typing word 50,000 later this week.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Monday, November 26, 2007
enchanting, amazing, and the very best ever
I hope you all had a fantabulous Thanksgiving.
Okay, first of all, Disney's new joint, Enchanted...It's enchanting. Very clever of me, I know. But seriously, I believe Disney has struck a real chord with this movie, no doubt because everything from the story line to the song and dance numbers hearken back to one of Disney's Golden Ages, when stars such as Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews were the big box office draws. I love the completely a-political nature of this film as well. There were moments when I thought, "Uh oh. Here comes the big global warming message," or "Here comes the big feminist princess message," but they never showed. This is a movie our family will probably go see together again in the theaters, and it is definitely one to own.
Second of all, my mom and I both finished the amazing mother/daughter memoir Come Back over the Thanksgiving holiday, and I must say it is the kind of book that changes the way I view life as both a mother and a daughter. The extended title is "Come Back: A mother and daughter's journey through hell and back," which is definitely appropriate. It is also represented by my agent, Stacey Glick, who wrote an interesting blog post (scroll down to her 10/22 post) about the process behind the publication of this book (but even if Stacey wasn't involved I would love it). Pick up a copy for yourself, and give copies to your favorite mothers and daughters, especially if they have had to endure major, transformative trials in their personal lives and/or their relationship with each other.
Lastly...Friday Night Lights? Best. Show. EVER. I come to this show late in the game, since I just happened to be channel surfing one Friday night (I need to get a life, I know) a couple months back. I thought it was a show about football! Well, it is...sort of. But only to the extent that the high school football team of the tiny Texas town that provides the setting for the show is sort of like the touchstone for all the characters, the one thing they all have in common to some extent. But it's so much more than a show about football. Rarely, if ever, have I seen such accurate portrayals of (in no particular order): the odd mixture of joy and insanity that accompanies having a baby; the multi-faceted tensions inherent in converting to Christianity; the complex sexual, social and emotional tension of being a teenager...and the list goes on. Now I have to figure out if the first several seasons are on DVD.
That's it for now.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Okay, first of all, Disney's new joint, Enchanted...It's enchanting. Very clever of me, I know. But seriously, I believe Disney has struck a real chord with this movie, no doubt because everything from the story line to the song and dance numbers hearken back to one of Disney's Golden Ages, when stars such as Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews were the big box office draws. I love the completely a-political nature of this film as well. There were moments when I thought, "Uh oh. Here comes the big global warming message," or "Here comes the big feminist princess message," but they never showed. This is a movie our family will probably go see together again in the theaters, and it is definitely one to own.
Second of all, my mom and I both finished the amazing mother/daughter memoir Come Back over the Thanksgiving holiday, and I must say it is the kind of book that changes the way I view life as both a mother and a daughter. The extended title is "Come Back: A mother and daughter's journey through hell and back," which is definitely appropriate. It is also represented by my agent, Stacey Glick, who wrote an interesting blog post (scroll down to her 10/22 post) about the process behind the publication of this book (but even if Stacey wasn't involved I would love it). Pick up a copy for yourself, and give copies to your favorite mothers and daughters, especially if they have had to endure major, transformative trials in their personal lives and/or their relationship with each other.
Lastly...Friday Night Lights? Best. Show. EVER. I come to this show late in the game, since I just happened to be channel surfing one Friday night (I need to get a life, I know) a couple months back. I thought it was a show about football! Well, it is...sort of. But only to the extent that the high school football team of the tiny Texas town that provides the setting for the show is sort of like the touchstone for all the characters, the one thing they all have in common to some extent. But it's so much more than a show about football. Rarely, if ever, have I seen such accurate portrayals of (in no particular order): the odd mixture of joy and insanity that accompanies having a baby; the multi-faceted tensions inherent in converting to Christianity; the complex sexual, social and emotional tension of being a teenager...and the list goes on. Now I have to figure out if the first several seasons are on DVD.
That's it for now.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Monday, November 19, 2007
long time, no blog
Or at least that's how it feels. I've been in busy bee mode - or chicken-with-its-head-cut-off mode; you pick. But I am still alive to happily proclaim that craft show season is officially OVER. Which is a good thing. The soaps did well, and people scattered far and wide now have cute gifts and stocking stuffers to hand out at Christmas, so mission accomplished.
A craft show is such a bizarre little microcosm - all those crafty hopefuls schlepping their much sweated-over treasures into a strange location where they are stuck for at least an entire day surrounded by people they have probably never met, people who are also trying to hawk their lovingly-crafted wares. It can make for a delicate situation - all that hope, all those fragile egos, all that need to unload this year's inventory and earn back one's table fee, materials and (hopefully) one's investment of time and energy. You just never know how it's going to go.
At the first of the two shows the sweet, elderly, granny-like lady with the scrap booking booth just behind my soap booth asked me at lunchtime if I had any drugs. I absolutely kid you not. However, I lucked out at last weekend's show, partly because my mom flew into town for a visit and to sell her jewelry, which has become something of a tradition for us. So, I had her on my left. At the table to my right was a vendor I'd never met before, though I noticed right away during setup that she had some incredibly cute and artfully-made things. Turns out we had all sorts of things in common, not the least of which are consuming passions for Disneyland and English degrees. So, during the lulls in business I had a lovely time chatting about books, the Tower of Terror (which I am still too much of a scaredy-cat to ride) and mom stuff. Here's her blog, The Polka-Dot Pixie, where you can see a bunch of her wares. It's amazing to me that she's never been to art school. Such talent. Oy.
~segue~
NaNo word count: 25K plus. Yeehaw!
~segue~
Last Friday's soap giveaway? Oops. Totally spaced it out amid all the hustle and bustle. I'll make it up to you.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
A craft show is such a bizarre little microcosm - all those crafty hopefuls schlepping their much sweated-over treasures into a strange location where they are stuck for at least an entire day surrounded by people they have probably never met, people who are also trying to hawk their lovingly-crafted wares. It can make for a delicate situation - all that hope, all those fragile egos, all that need to unload this year's inventory and earn back one's table fee, materials and (hopefully) one's investment of time and energy. You just never know how it's going to go.
At the first of the two shows the sweet, elderly, granny-like lady with the scrap booking booth just behind my soap booth asked me at lunchtime if I had any drugs. I absolutely kid you not. However, I lucked out at last weekend's show, partly because my mom flew into town for a visit and to sell her jewelry, which has become something of a tradition for us. So, I had her on my left. At the table to my right was a vendor I'd never met before, though I noticed right away during setup that she had some incredibly cute and artfully-made things. Turns out we had all sorts of things in common, not the least of which are consuming passions for Disneyland and English degrees. So, during the lulls in business I had a lovely time chatting about books, the Tower of Terror (which I am still too much of a scaredy-cat to ride) and mom stuff. Here's her blog, The Polka-Dot Pixie, where you can see a bunch of her wares. It's amazing to me that she's never been to art school. Such talent. Oy.
~segue~
NaNo word count: 25K plus. Yeehaw!
~segue~
Last Friday's soap giveaway? Oops. Totally spaced it out amid all the hustle and bustle. I'll make it up to you.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Monday, November 12, 2007
Pumpkin Spice - we have a winner!
Congrats to Laura (of laurawilliamsmusings) for winning Friday's Pumpkin Spice bar!
As always, the winner was randomly chosen with the help of a cute, random kid. I'm glad Laura got a chance to win, though, since she's been so great about blogging my weekly giveaway on her uber-popular blog.
I loved your Thanksgiving stories, Ladies. They really put me in the mood for all that upcoming cooking. Thanks so much for sharing, and be sure to check back later this week to see which soap I'll be offering for the giveaway.
:-)Follow @nicole_mcinnes
As always, the winner was randomly chosen with the help of a cute, random kid. I'm glad Laura got a chance to win, though, since she's been so great about blogging my weekly giveaway on her uber-popular blog.
I loved your Thanksgiving stories, Ladies. They really put me in the mood for all that upcoming cooking. Thanks so much for sharing, and be sure to check back later this week to see which soap I'll be offering for the giveaway.
:-)Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Friday, November 09, 2007
friday soap giveaway: Pumpkin Spice!
My daughter calls these "Monkey Tail soaps."
Okay, okay, so it's almost Saturday. My soap giveaways are starting later and later in the day on Fridays, I've noticed. But I have a fairly good excuse: Tomorrow is the first of the big holiday craft shows in Northern AZ, and I'm doing what I always do the night before - staying up way too late boxing up soaps and loading the truck. At least the weather's gorgeous this year. I remember one year our old truck got a flat tire and my husband was out in the snow late the night before a big show with the jack and a none-too-pleased expression on his face.
But I digress. This week's soap giveaway is a yummy-smelling bar of Pumpkin Spice. I'm bringing a bunch of these tomorrow, since they always do well at this time of the year.
If you'd like to throw your hat into the ring for a chance to win this bar, simply leave a comment to this post telling me the short version of one of your favorite Thanksgiving memories. I know, I used to just GIVE these things away. Now I'm making you work for it.
:-)
Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
heh.
My NaNo word count thus far: 13, 036.
So, is my WIP any good?
Oh, heck no.
But it's fun.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
So, is my WIP any good?
Oh, heck no.
But it's fun.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
toys made in China? thanks, but no thanks.
It's not often that I put this blog down on the ground in the middle of a crowded World Wide Web, step up onto it and use it as a soap box from which I deliver my views on a specific issue in a way that will hopefully make you take action.
But.
With the Christmas shopping season fast-approaching (already HERE, if walking into Wal-Mart is any indication - they were actually playing Christmas music over the sound system the other day), I feel it's time to bring up something important.
I've been cleaning out my daughter's room for the past couple days. A better word might be "purging" her room, since it's been too long since I've been a good little Fly Lady fan and dumped all the useless junk the girl never plays with anymore. But my mom will be coming to town in a little over a week, so it was definitely time to address that particular room, which serves as a grandmother/granddaughter sleepover spot whenever Abue comes to visit.
Anyway, I couldn't help but notice that just about every toy/gadget/tchotchke that either got thrown away, put into the Goodwill bag or put back in its proper place had the inevitable "Made in China" stamp on its underside.
Now, let me just admit here that I am a major devotee of both Wal-Mart and the Dollar store, both of which sell massive amounts of Chinese-made junk. Much of it is useful junk, though, and it's always cheap, which means a lot when you have kids and live on a budget. This fact alone might make me a giant hypocrite for writing this post, but I don't think so, and here's why:
Anyone who hasn't been living under a rock has probably heard about the widespread recalls of toys made in China that came with free, extra helpings of lead. This is really scary to a parent because in the worst-case scenario lead is fatal. In the less-worse but still horrendous-case scenario it can cause irreversible developmental delays. And I'm really happy that you can find such detailed recall lists online, but I can't help but wonder about the toys they haven't tested yet, those that are still on the market.
So, have I decided to boycott Chinese-made goods entirely? Heck, no, though I heard an interesting piece on NPR about a family who decided to do just that for an entire year. She ended up having to buy kids' tennis shoes out of a European catalog, and paid something like $75 for them.
But here's what I am going to do this year and for every year in the foreseeable future when it comes time to buy toys for any kid. I'm going to check out websites like this one and this one. I'll still check out the toys at Wal-Mart, Target, etc, but if I can't find anything made in the U.S.A., then forget it. I hope you'll make an effort to do the same.
Do I think American toys are perfect and without risk? Of course not. But I know for a fact that literally millions of toys coming from China are not only imperfect, but they have put my kids' health at risk in a very serious way.
Which brings us to an easy way to both buy American and shop locally: Hit your local holiday craft fairs this year! I'll be hawking soap at one of Flagstaff's biggies this weekend, and I'll also be doing some shopping, which means I'll be putting money directly into the pockets of some of our insanely talented local artisans. I can't think of a better way to spread some early Christmas cheer.
So, what you you all think about this issue, and have these recalls changed the way you shop for kids? If you have any good ideas on non-Chinese-made toys, please share!Follow @nicole_mcinnes
But.
With the Christmas shopping season fast-approaching (already HERE, if walking into Wal-Mart is any indication - they were actually playing Christmas music over the sound system the other day), I feel it's time to bring up something important.
I've been cleaning out my daughter's room for the past couple days. A better word might be "purging" her room, since it's been too long since I've been a good little Fly Lady fan and dumped all the useless junk the girl never plays with anymore. But my mom will be coming to town in a little over a week, so it was definitely time to address that particular room, which serves as a grandmother/granddaughter sleepover spot whenever Abue comes to visit.
Anyway, I couldn't help but notice that just about every toy/gadget/tchotchke that either got thrown away, put into the Goodwill bag or put back in its proper place had the inevitable "Made in China" stamp on its underside.
Now, let me just admit here that I am a major devotee of both Wal-Mart and the Dollar store, both of which sell massive amounts of Chinese-made junk. Much of it is useful junk, though, and it's always cheap, which means a lot when you have kids and live on a budget. This fact alone might make me a giant hypocrite for writing this post, but I don't think so, and here's why:
Anyone who hasn't been living under a rock has probably heard about the widespread recalls of toys made in China that came with free, extra helpings of lead. This is really scary to a parent because in the worst-case scenario lead is fatal. In the less-worse but still horrendous-case scenario it can cause irreversible developmental delays. And I'm really happy that you can find such detailed recall lists online, but I can't help but wonder about the toys they haven't tested yet, those that are still on the market.
So, have I decided to boycott Chinese-made goods entirely? Heck, no, though I heard an interesting piece on NPR about a family who decided to do just that for an entire year. She ended up having to buy kids' tennis shoes out of a European catalog, and paid something like $75 for them.
But here's what I am going to do this year and for every year in the foreseeable future when it comes time to buy toys for any kid. I'm going to check out websites like this one and this one. I'll still check out the toys at Wal-Mart, Target, etc, but if I can't find anything made in the U.S.A., then forget it. I hope you'll make an effort to do the same.
Do I think American toys are perfect and without risk? Of course not. But I know for a fact that literally millions of toys coming from China are not only imperfect, but they have put my kids' health at risk in a very serious way.
Which brings us to an easy way to both buy American and shop locally: Hit your local holiday craft fairs this year! I'll be hawking soap at one of Flagstaff's biggies this weekend, and I'll also be doing some shopping, which means I'll be putting money directly into the pockets of some of our insanely talented local artisans. I can't think of a better way to spread some early Christmas cheer.
So, what you you all think about this issue, and have these recalls changed the way you shop for kids? If you have any good ideas on non-Chinese-made toys, please share!Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Monday, November 05, 2007
Mulled Cider - we have a winner!
Is that like, "Houston, we have a problem"?
Anyway, congratulations to angelaandconnor for winning last week's bar.
Be sure to check in later this week to see what I'll offer for the Friday Soap Giveaway.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Anyway, congratulations to angelaandconnor for winning last week's bar.
Be sure to check in later this week to see what I'll offer for the Friday Soap Giveaway.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Friday, November 02, 2007
friday soap giveaway: Mulled Cider!
This is one of the staples of my soap line, and has been for several years now. There's something about the spicy, slightly tangy apple-y scent of cider slow cooking on a stove top (with cinnamon sticks, cloves, etc. floating around inside) that keeps people coming back for more.
I'd like to gush about them even more and I apologize for the quality of this old picture, but since Halloween I've been feeling sore of throat and head - like a family of smallish porcupines has taken up residence in my sinuses. So, that's all for today, folks. Had to get that soap giveaway listed, though.
Want one of these yummy bars? You know what to do (and if you don't, all you have to do is leave a comment to this post). How about telling me what your favorite scent is - soapy or otherwise?
Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
january garnet - we have a winner!
All the names went into the official red baseball hat (no team affiliation...you know, in case anyone thought I was a fair weather D-Backs friend who'd decided to swap loyalties over to the Sox).
The official small child subsequently pulled a name from said hat, and the winner is...
Mr. Ken!
So, you see, these soap giveaways are not just a chick thing.
Of course, I have a sneaking suspicion that Mrs. Ken may well end up with this bar.
:-)
Ken, email your address and I'll get this bad boy in the mail.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
The official small child subsequently pulled a name from said hat, and the winner is...
Mr. Ken!
So, you see, these soap giveaways are not just a chick thing.
Of course, I have a sneaking suspicion that Mrs. Ken may well end up with this bar.
:-)
Ken, email your address and I'll get this bad boy in the mail.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
this one's for you, Rockies fans
The Verse-a-Week Memorization that popped up on my screen this morning goes thusly:
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. Psalm 147:3-5 KJV
Let's face it. The Sox brought their A-game last night, plain and simple. Imagine how they would have played if they weren't at altitude.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. Psalm 147:3-5 KJV
Let's face it. The Sox brought their A-game last night, plain and simple. Imagine how they would have played if they weren't at altitude.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Friday, October 26, 2007
friday soap giveaway: January Garnet!
These January Garnet bars are the last of the new GemSoaps line that I'll be officially introducing this year at the big November Craft shows. In early 2008 I plan to start working on the spring and summer birthstones, which should be fun.
Since I was told that the picture I took of the November Topaz bars made them look like cheese (not what I'm looking for in a soap pic - then again, maybe I should think about starting a stinky cheese soap line...), I decided to move the garnet bars outside. Maybe I should have taken them out at the crack of dawn or dusk, though, since I still don't think the picture does justice to the yummy, sultry sparkliness. And, lawdy, things just don't get much more yummy smelling: I used a winter grapefruit scent for these, which means that whoever ends up with today's free bar will have to practice great self-restraint and not eat the soap during shower time.
Thanks to Laura for coming across my blog and posting these giveaways on her nifty site.
So, ya want one of these bars? As usual, leave a comment to this post, and the winner will be announced Monday.
Have a great weekend, y'all. Mine promises to be rich in kid birthday fun, Halloween preparations and continuing on a (hopefully near-final) novel revision. And don't even GO there by reminding me that NaNoWriMo starts in just days.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
check 'em out
Sarah Zarr's YA novel, Story of a Girl, which I read a few months ago as part of my own ongoing look into writing YA, has recently been nominated for a National Book Award. Not only is this book a great read whether you're young OR an adult, but how excited must she BE? You can find out the answer by hopping on over to her blog.
Also, my agent has a great post up at the DGLM blog. It's a perfect illustration of why I love her.
Brackett out.
P.S. Please send up a prayer today for folks in SoCal. I can't imagine having my home turned into a blazing inferno like that. I worry about the animals, too - especially the horses, which can be a challenge to move even in the calmest of circumstances.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Also, my agent has a great post up at the DGLM blog. It's a perfect illustration of why I love her.
Brackett out.
P.S. Please send up a prayer today for folks in SoCal. I can't imagine having my home turned into a blazing inferno like that. I worry about the animals, too - especially the horses, which can be a challenge to move even in the calmest of circumstances.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
of mentors and assassins
image via Yahoo! MoviesAn old friend recently reminded me via email of something I've been wanting to blog about for many moons - ever since I first heard that Brad Pitt and some other A-listers were heading into production on a little movie project based on Ron Hansen's book The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.
When I was in my second year as an undergraduate at the University of California at Santa Cruz (yeah, life was tough) my loyalties began to feel split between the Theater Arts department and the English department. At the urging of my then-boyfriend's roommate - an eccentric writer and artist - I went with him during pre-registration week to check out a creative writing class offered by a RLPA! (Real Life Published Author!). Who, incidentally, I'd never heard of.
That writer was Ron Hansen, and after being told that this would be an incredibly difficult - if not impossible - class to get into, my boyfriend's roommate promptly pointed at me and declared to Mr. Hansen, "If you let us into this class, she will take her shirt off for you."
I got in. Boyfriend's roommate did not. (Score one point for being a wallflower.) But it's not what you think, honest. For one thing, I have long been president of my local chapter of the IBTC , and for another, Ron was never one of THOSE professors. From that first course (Intro. to Creative Writing, I think it was) until I graduated with a BA in English, I took as many of Ron's fiction, literature and screenplay-writing classes as I could. He was an excellent teacher - not only knowledgeable about the world of writing and publishing, but always humble and willing to share his knowledge freely with goofball undergraduates who thought being a real writer meant donning a black beret and sitting at Cafe Pergolesi until midnight with a notebook, a pen, and an artistically pained expression on one's face.
Uh, not that anyone around here fit that description - no sirree. But I digress.
Through Ron I got to meet Ron Carlson, who cracked me up, both in his pages and in person. He was also supposed to introduce me to his old friend, the literary rock star John Irving, but it never happened. It was also through Ron that I became acquainted with Wallace Stegner's son, Page, who was teaching at UCSC as well. Page taught this amazing class called (if I remember correctly) Literature of the American West. It was a full-credit course, and part of the (grueling, painful, torturous) course work was a ten day rafting trip down the San Juan River in southern Utah. Ron and his then-wife Julie were on that trip, and I remember thinking (at one point when things among all of us undergrads at one of the riverbank camps had descended into something more closely resembling Lord of the Flies than a college course) that those literary, professional adults were being awfully patient with us kids. I fell hard for the Southwest during that trip.
When it was time for me to leave my cushy undergraduate nest behind and apply to graduate schools Ron wrote a glowing letter of recommendation which did - and still does - mean a lot. We wrote back and forth a few times after I moved to Flagstaff, but then life happened and we lost touch. I continued to read each of his books as they came out over the years (Mariette in Ecstasy remains one of my all-time favorites for its gorgeous, palpable writing). So, even though it's been about fifteen years since I last spoke to him I can't help but feel awfully proud of my old mentor for accomplishing things that I continue to dream of accomplishing someday. I'm also grateful to my eccentric artist friend for convincing me to check out that creative writing class all those years ago.
Follow @nicole_mcinnes
When I was in my second year as an undergraduate at the University of California at Santa Cruz (yeah, life was tough) my loyalties began to feel split between the Theater Arts department and the English department. At the urging of my then-boyfriend's roommate - an eccentric writer and artist - I went with him during pre-registration week to check out a creative writing class offered by a RLPA! (Real Life Published Author!). Who, incidentally, I'd never heard of.
That writer was Ron Hansen, and after being told that this would be an incredibly difficult - if not impossible - class to get into, my boyfriend's roommate promptly pointed at me and declared to Mr. Hansen, "If you let us into this class, she will take her shirt off for you."
I got in. Boyfriend's roommate did not. (Score one point for being a wallflower.) But it's not what you think, honest. For one thing, I have long been president of my local chapter of the IBTC , and for another, Ron was never one of THOSE professors. From that first course (Intro. to Creative Writing, I think it was) until I graduated with a BA in English, I took as many of Ron's fiction, literature and screenplay-writing classes as I could. He was an excellent teacher - not only knowledgeable about the world of writing and publishing, but always humble and willing to share his knowledge freely with goofball undergraduates who thought being a real writer meant donning a black beret and sitting at Cafe Pergolesi until midnight with a notebook, a pen, and an artistically pained expression on one's face.
Uh, not that anyone around here fit that description - no sirree. But I digress.
Through Ron I got to meet Ron Carlson, who cracked me up, both in his pages and in person. He was also supposed to introduce me to his old friend, the literary rock star John Irving, but it never happened. It was also through Ron that I became acquainted with Wallace Stegner's son, Page, who was teaching at UCSC as well. Page taught this amazing class called (if I remember correctly) Literature of the American West. It was a full-credit course, and part of the (grueling, painful, torturous) course work was a ten day rafting trip down the San Juan River in southern Utah. Ron and his then-wife Julie were on that trip, and I remember thinking (at one point when things among all of us undergrads at one of the riverbank camps had descended into something more closely resembling Lord of the Flies than a college course) that those literary, professional adults were being awfully patient with us kids. I fell hard for the Southwest during that trip.
When it was time for me to leave my cushy undergraduate nest behind and apply to graduate schools Ron wrote a glowing letter of recommendation which did - and still does - mean a lot. We wrote back and forth a few times after I moved to Flagstaff, but then life happened and we lost touch. I continued to read each of his books as they came out over the years (Mariette in Ecstasy remains one of my all-time favorites for its gorgeous, palpable writing). So, even though it's been about fifteen years since I last spoke to him I can't help but feel awfully proud of my old mentor for accomplishing things that I continue to dream of accomplishing someday. I'm also grateful to my eccentric artist friend for convincing me to check out that creative writing class all those years ago.
Monday, October 22, 2007
November Topaz - we have a winner!
Congratulations to bebemiqui for being the winner of last week's November Topaz GemSoaps bar. Hey, bebe, send your mailing address to nebrackett@gmail.com, and I'll get this bar out to you pronto!
For those of you who didn't win, check back this Friday for another Garland Prairie Soaps giveaway!
Thanks for stopping by!Follow @nicole_mcinnes
For those of you who didn't win, check back this Friday for another Garland Prairie Soaps giveaway!
Thanks for stopping by!Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Sunday, October 21, 2007
and speaking of metal
Did anyone happen to catch FOX's new show "The Next Great American Band" on Friday? I just happened upon it, and I think FOX is onto something. More interesting than Idol, and how cool was it to see Sheila E. as one of the judges? The lady rocks.
The highlight, however, was a band of young (twelve and thirteen-year old) teenagers from SoCal called "Light of Doom." The name cracked me up, as did the cute little dudes, especially when it was announced that they were a "metal" band.
Then they played (scroll down the page a little to watch the clip). Holy cow. I've never been an Iron Maiden fan, but this version of Flight of Icarus was a jaw dropper. Check out the guitar solo, for instance. I'm quite sure having that much talent at that age just isn't natural.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
The highlight, however, was a band of young (twelve and thirteen-year old) teenagers from SoCal called "Light of Doom." The name cracked me up, as did the cute little dudes, especially when it was announced that they were a "metal" band.
Then they played (scroll down the page a little to watch the clip). Holy cow. I've never been an Iron Maiden fan, but this version of Flight of Icarus was a jaw dropper. Check out the guitar solo, for instance. I'm quite sure having that much talent at that age just isn't natural.Follow @nicole_mcinnes
Friday, October 19, 2007
friday soap giveaway: November Topaz!
I know I've been a bit scarce this week. I've actually had a lot to say, but not much time to say it. I did want to make sure I got the Garland Prairie Soaps giveaway posted before the weekend, though, so here it is!
It's a bit difficult to see the sparkly details in this picture, but trust me: These are gorgeous (and their Ginger-Orange scent makes them yummy to boot). I'm having so much fun with these GemSoaps that I have to make sure they don't eclipse all the traditional holiday soaps I still have to batch by November.
Want one? Simple leave a comment for this post. Winner announced Monday.
Have a great weekend!Follow @nicole_mcinnes
It's a bit difficult to see the sparkly details in this picture, but trust me: These are gorgeous (and their Ginger-Orange scent makes them yummy to boot). I'm having so much fun with these GemSoaps that I have to make sure they don't eclipse all the traditional holiday soaps I still have to batch by November.
Want one? Simple leave a comment for this post. Winner announced Monday.
Have a great weekend!Follow @nicole_mcinnes
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