January Resolutions Update

It's just a couple of weeks into the new year, I was trying to decide what to blog about to keep with my resolution to blog weekly. I haven't quite finished my book, and I blog on technology last week, so I thought I'd take a look how I was doing on my resolutions.

My first was to get in better shape, having the gym membership and using the treadmills there has helped get that off to a great start. However, my method of getting fit will be shifting, as I decided that the gym is an unnecessary expense, so I'm going to move the Wii out of the kid's room and use the fitness games on there. It's been hit and miss on the vitamins, though I've been getting better, and I've eaten breakfast every morning. In fact, I need to get breakfast today. I think it'll be toasted brown sugar cinnamon swirl bread.


As for my novel, I've done a little editing. Though it's not much, it's more than Don has. :p I'm trying to decide whether to post a segment on this blog, will have to be after it's been edited though. I may wait and post it as a serial, which was my original intent when I got the idea. I kid Don about not having edited his novel, but he's been busy with other writing. He has a job reviewing books at The Future Fire and will have a monthly column at Apex Book Company about common themes in genre fiction. I am so excited for him, and so proud.

My third goal was to help a worthy cause. I didn't expect to have a cause to help that hit so close to home. Later today, we are driving up to Austin to help out a friend who had his place broken into. A bunch of his friends are getting together at the Alamo Drafthouse for a free movie screening, he got to choose the movie, and to donate money to help him replace his lost property. He lost over $3000 in goods, if you'd like to help with a small donation, please visit Yay, Gholson. He is one of the nicest people I have ever met. That a major movie theater would host such an event makes me want to give them all my business, and this speaks volumes about the atmosphere is Austin.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your MLK holiday!

2011 New Year's Resolutions

It is almost the end of the year 2010, I still remember how far in the future twenty-ten seemed when I was a kid. And now, here I am, living in the future. Things that were science fiction when I was 10 are now in common use in some form or another. This fact often amazes me and brings me joy. I live in the age of the internet and communicators (cell phones). Not to mention the many medical marvels that have developed, sometimes even by accident.

This is traditionally the time of year that people move from giving thanks for what they have to reflecting about the changes they would like to make in their lives. I fully support people looking to make positive changes in their lives and themselves. And though I understand the symbolic, and often psychological, importance of doing it with the beginning of the new year, it saddens me that people will wait so long when they desire change. I also realize how hard change can be, even when you want it. Humans are habitual creatures, we find comfort is rituals and habits, even when they are not good for us. Habits are easy, because they don't require us to focus on them, they are often automatic, at least to an extent. So when we try to change they, it often proves overwhelming and we simply return to our unwanted behaviors.

Despite these difficulties, I am going to try to improve some of my habits this year. I don't do New Year's Resolutions every year, I find it bad for my self-esteem as I so often fail to follow through on them. Maybe this year I will be successful, as it is the year of the Rabbit and I am a Rabbit. So here, I am going to post my New Year's Resolutions for 2011. I hope that making them public will add a little "peer" pressure to my desire to make these changes in my life.

1. Improve my health - I want to become more physically fit. I need to work on my cardio-vascular health, stamina, and muscle tone. I got a gym membership to this end at the end of October, but haven't been fully utilizing it. My promise to myself is to go to the gym at least two times a week. I then would like to add exercising at home, as well. I also need to make sure I take my vitamins daily (I'm terrible at remembering to take pills). Another thing I need to do is eat breakfast daily.


2. Finish novel/editing - I participated in Nanowrimo with my husband in November. I would like to round out the experience, which I wrote about here, by completing the story and the entire writing process. I think it will help me learn more about the writing process and myself.

3. Read 2 books a month - I haven't gotten to read nearly as much as I usually do in the last couple of years. Between teaching and my masters degree, I had virtually no time. I admit freely that when I did have time, I was burnt out on reading after all the studying and I frequently vegged out online. I'd actually like to read more than two books a month, but I know that with working full time that may not be possible.

4. Blog weekly - I have neglected my blogs lately, again mostly due to the time devoted to school and work. My goal this year is to post weekly, either here or on my technology blog, Tech for Teachers. I especially need to make sure I am posting to my professional blog at least every two weeks. If any teachers that peruse this blog have something they'd like me to look into, please let me know.

5. Actively help a cause - I want to help those in need. I signed up for the Walk for Diabetes this year, but sadly only got one donation and then couldn't walk because my daughter had a school commitment that same day. I participate in Causeworld through my iPhone, it's an app that lets you earn "karma" points and vote where funds donated by sponsors go. Through this app, I feel I'm helping in some small way. However, I want to be a good example for my child when it comes to being generous and help out people in need. I'd like to walk or volunteer for a couple of causes this year. The problem will be deciding which one or two I want to prioritize. Diabetes, AIDS, cancer, there are so many good causes. Is it selfish to consider raising money for something you have?

Well, those are my five goals for this year. Wish me luck, and good luck with your New Year's Resolutions as well.

Plague Zone by David Wellington

I have been a fan of David Wellington's for a while now, at least his zombie series. I was very excited when I learned he had another zombie story available. I became even more excited when I learned that it was free. Mr. Wellington has written most of his books as serials, and originally published them on his website. I was not aware of this until I got a hold of Plague Zone. You may purchase any of his works as e-books or printed editions, but the ones sculpted as serial novels, remain online for free. If you enjoy what you read online, please also purchase a copy, this encourages authors to continue offering material online, and to not remove content that is now available in other formats.

Plague Zone is about 222 pages, it does not take place in the same universe as Monster Island, Monster Nation, and Monster Planet, at least as far as I could tell by the capabilities of the zombies. The story is set in the Northwestern United States, in the great state of Washington (the only state named after a President, just in case you didn't know.).

Imagine yourself to be an average research librarian, there has been talk of the Russian Flu having arrived in Canada, but there have been no cases reported in the US as of yet. You are at a library conference, and have retired to the hotel bar after giving a talk that even you found dull. Imagine that you see a stunning woman at the bar, and go to speak with her. Then imagine your conversation is interrupted by news footage from your hometown of Seattle. All thoughts of what might have happened with this vision of loveliness vanish, though the two of you head to your room anyway. You stare at the footage for hours on end, something is so familiar about the man in it. Then the footage runs a bit longer, and you see your lovely wife trying to fend off this man you know, and then him taking her life.

The first cases of the Russian Flu have hit the United States, and not just a few, but enough cases to practically wipe out all of Seattle and have it declared a Plague Zone. Other outbreaks are occurring, making it more and more difficult for our protagonist to return home to avenge his wife's death, and his son's. The closest he can get by plane is San Francisco. From there he hoofs his way north.

As with the Monster series, Wellington's descriptions are gripping. His characters ring true, flaws and all. Even the antagonists prove to be sympathetic to the audience, I'm not counting the zombies as antagonists here. Though the number of pages are short, the passage of time is felt well. You can sense his weariness during his walk, his frustration at obstacles at reaching his goal, and his desperation to find this man. The action moves along well, there were no lulls in the story telling. It was a fast paced, and engaging story. I didn't want the story to end, but it did as all stories must. I really recommend this story, can't call it a book, as it's only available online at this point. And while you are at his website, check out his vampire and werewolf series, I'm going too.

And Happy Holidays to all my readers.

Completed Kitten Stocking

Finished just in time! Now to deliver it.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

My Letter to Santa

Dear Santa,

I hope you realize what you mean to the world, I hope you represent the wonderful things you represent. You exemplify generosity and giving of yourself and to others. You encourage children to be good but do not expect perfection, and often overlook small transgressions in order to give children joy. Most importantly for me, you represent hope. The hope that the world can be a better place. The hope that all people can be charitable and giving, not just at Christmas time but year round.

I have thought long and hard, and there is nothing I want for myself this year. I have a very loving family and two silly pets. We have enough to meet our basic needs and a little more.

As with most people, I wish for general good for the earth. I wish for the end to all wars, clean forms of energy, the end of pollution, cancer, and AIDS. I am aware that these are problem you can not fix for us, and that we must see to ourselves.

Of all the holidays, this is the one that is most about family for me. I think this is true for most people. The greatest sadness people feel at Christmas time comes from people not being able to have their families near. Some are separated by death, others by distance, and yet others by hurt feelings. I believe the worst pain is the parents that are far from the children that they love. My Christmas wish is that all loving parents get to spend time with or hear from their children that are far away. I know parents that are unable to be with their kids, and it is the worst pain in this life. Christmas expands this hole in their heart from barely manageable to a ragged, gaping cavern that sucks their joy away with the intensity of a black hole. So my Christmas wish is to have parents and their children to be reunited.

Love always,

Harpy