Better Than Dead

No tweet puns in the immediate forecast.

I’m still awake, don’t know how. 25 Feb

On this date in 1808 Stendahl bragged in his diary about killing three hares, his “first quadrupeds.” 25 Feb

I was awake from 4:30 AM Fri to 12:30 AM Sat then slept ten hours. Torrential rain when I went to bed, bucolic sunshine upon waking. 26 Feb

I decided to celebrate the weather change with a massive sinus headache. Fun times. 26 Feb

Snow in the San Fernando Valley, first since the 1970s. More rain tonight and lows in 30s even here at the moderate beach. 26 Feb

I went to the garage to clear more boxes. Only got thru 2 before my nose and fingers froze. 26 Feb

Oh, now the weather guy tells me that wasn’t snow but graupel, small snow pellets in great quantity. 26 Feb

lilithsaintcrow True. RT @sblackmoore: If a character survives a book without losing something important you’re not trying hard enough. 28 Feb

Something to give some perspective. Beautiful progression: http://bit.ly/huotRo 28 Feb

pj_thompson @lilithsaintcrow re: characters losing something by the end of the book – Do you think that’s true of comedic novels as well? 28 Feb

When I was a kid I thought writers wrote the books in one shot all the way through and figured the plot out as they went along. 28 Feb

How did they know to plant clues and foreshadowing, I wondered? When I’m doing rewrites planting clues I remember that and laugh. 28 Feb

Of course, I was right about them making it up as they went along…At least for the pantsers like myself. 28 Feb

Spent a few days adding new material to WIP when should be cutting but that new stuff will allow me to cut other stuff in the saggy middle. 28 Feb

lilithsaintcrow Lilith Saintcrow @pj_thompson Yes. Definitely. 28 Feb

pj_thompson PJ Thompson @lilithsaintcrow So that’s what I got wrong. :-)  28 Feb

lilithsaintcrow Lilith Saintcrow @pj_thompson Tragedy is easy. Comedy is much, much harder, because it skates that edge.  28 Feb

TrishaTelep Trisha Telep @lilithsaintcrow @pj_thompson That’s not funny! 28 Feb

lilithsaintcrow Lilith Saintcrow @TrishaTelep @pj_thompson *snork* 28 Feb

pj_thompson PJ Thompson @lilithsaintcrow @TrishaTelep Dying is easy, comedy is hard, but comedy don’t get no respect. 28 Feb

On the drive home I realized that the MCs in my comedic novel did lose something. Not body parts unless you count the holes in their hearts. 28 Feb

Yet if it hadn’t been for a good friend reading an early draft I would have skated over that exquisite pain. Thx, Kev. 28 Feb

StephenAtHome Stephen Colbert Retweeted by pj_thompson Say no to drugs. Although if you’re talking to drugs you may already be on drugs.  21 Feb

We just adopted Word 2007 here at the office. I hate if with a frothing hate. I think it was designed by a baboon with severe palsy. 22 Feb

My latest Etsy discovery: http://tinyurl.com/6j85ocq Wonderfully whimsical assemblages, cards, prints. 23 Feb

For those playing along at home, Gus Toland is back in the novel. I figured out his relevance to a significant subplot. 23 Feb

Richie and Divonne remain on the cutting room floor. 23 Feb

God save me from spastic personalities and Perfect Little Persons. 24 Feb

I am no longer living for art, but am trying to live artfully. 24 Feb

4:30 am came. I woke. I did not sleep again. TGIF.  25 Feb

Heartbreaking: http://tinyurl.com/5uvn6en Blessings to everyone in Christchurch. 25 Feb

MJMcKean Michael McKean Retweeted by pj_thompson Essentially, Rep. Broun responded to “Who’ll shoot the president” with “I feel your frustration”. http://huff.to/dQCXfc 25 Feb

medwardsmusic Michael Edwards Retweeted by pj_thompson “Quotes on the Internet are hard to verify for their authenticity.” – Abraham Lincoln 25 Feb

4:30 AM was a long time ago. I think I’ve gone into hallucinogenic sleep deprivation. Either that, or my office is haunted. ;-)  25 Feb

It’s been a cleaning frenzy at our house.  While I’ve been dealing with boxes and boxes of stuff in the garage, I finally was forced to the realization that I cannot do all that needs doing myself.  It’s a strange combination of guilt and relief I’m feeling right now.

It’s 5:45 and we’re still waiting for the doctor. Last time I take a 4:45 appointment. [Note: We didn’t leave his office until 6:30.] 17 Feb

On the way to work I listened to NPR and they had a little bit about astronauts going into hibernation sleep on long space voyages. 18 Feb

As I stopped at the sensor where my garage pass opens the door Keir Dullea said “Open the pod bay doors, HAL.” Hal: “I can’t do that, Dave.” 18 Feb

Fortunately, the pod bay doors opened, but I was laughing so hard by then. Sometimes life is a synchronistic delight. 18 Feb

So, read a good book and try to stay awake or kill mutants? Which of these? …The good book… 19 Feb

On this night in 1814 Byron was debating the existence of God in his diary. 18 Feb

There’s hope for us older gals after all… 18 Feb

Lightning. Thunder. Min went under the bed. 19 Feb

Torrential rain and wind at the moment. Sure glad not to be out in it but my dinner is going to get wet. Poor delivery guy. 19 Feb

I would’ve liked to stay in my jammies all day but the Box Unload Marathon cannot be denied. Woe! 20 Feb

I can’t believe no one has tweeted in the last 47 minutes. Not sure I trust you, Edwin Droid. 21 Feb

To do list: finish Drood, start The Mystery of Edwin Drood. 21 Feb

selfavowedgeek Berrien C. Henderson Retweeted by pj_thompson Signal Boost: Francesca Forrest’s story, “The Yew’s Embrace”–http://www.strangehorizons.com/2011/20110221/yew-f.shtml 21 Feb

For the 1st time in my life I paid someone to clean my house. I actually feel kind of ashamed. But I expect I’ll get over it. 21 Feb

With my bad knees and shoulder I couldn’t do the scrubbing needed and Mom sure couldn’t. 21 Feb

A lot of medical stuff going on this week.  Mostly not scary, just time consuming.  Real post soon, I hope.  In the meantime, here’s the news…

A “pay me now or pay me later” weekend dealing with boxes I was in too much of a rush to sort and throw stuff away when moving 5 yrs ago. 14 Feb

Had no choice but to do it now since we need the space for med supplies. Cramming books/trash into every nook and cranny in the house. 14 Feb

Venice library, et al., are also going to be making out like extreme making out things. 14 Feb

This has been a long damned afternoon.  15 Feb

The prank that would not die–now a movie! http://tinyurl.com/4ku94nu 15 Feb

justinemusk Retweeted by pj_thompson What not to say about Lara Logan http://shar.es/3c42N <– this is the year 2011. Let’s try not to BLAME THE FREAKING VICTIM. 15 Feb

The world never ends when you expect it to. Just in case, though, I set up the DVR for my shows… 16 Feb

debkalin Retweeted by pj_thompson via @splinister @jimchines astute analysis of LA Weekly’s coverage of Lara Logan’s attack: http://bit.ly/ij1P0g 16 Feb

In all my 1st draft novels 1 or 2 body elements that get way the hell overused. Last 1 it was all kinds of weird stomach things going on. 16 Feb

In the current rewrite it’s weird wiggily spines and blushing. What is up with all the spastic spines and hot faces? 16 Feb

The naming of Pyreka has gone the way of all flesh. Oh my darling, I loved you so, but it’s time we parted ways. 16 Feb

I guess if you expect to have a heart attack, you don’t. Kind of like watched pots never boiling. 16 Feb

Blah blah blah blah blah. 16 Feb

mrbrown Retweeted by pj_thompson Facebook’s new settings lets ZOMBIES eat you while you sleep! Go to Accounts—Home—Invasion Settings—Cannibalism—Brains, uncheck “Tasty” box. 16 Feb

Worked on a short today. Broken, I know exactly where/why, but no idea how to fix. Beginning and end are good, middle goes wayward. 17 Feb

It’s some of my best writing. I’d love to do right by it. 17 Feb

Mom drove herself to medical treatment bcs she wanted to & I’m trying not to feel guilty. It’s a fine line betw protective/infantilization. 10 Feb

Our $7500 plumbing job began today. Come on, Lotto! 10 Feb

Mom survived the wilds of Inglewood on her own. My guilt is temporarily assuaged. 10 Feb

The story that 1st inspired me to write this novel also got cut. Strange how revisions sometimes go, how necessary becomes superfluous. 10 Feb

I feel tingly and godlike. Richie & Divonne LaRue hit the cutting room floor, gone from my WIP! Well, into my OFF file anyway. Just in case. 10 Feb

Let’s hope the Egyptian army justifies the peoples’ faith in them. 11 Feb

God bless the Egyptian people! 11 Feb

jadewalker Retweeted by pj_thompson Spread the calm. Do nothing for 2 minutes. No really. Take 120 seconds for yourself and just relax. donothingfor2minutes.com 11 Feb

In other important news: all they had in the cafeteria this morning were banana nut muffins. Blech. I ate one anyway. 11 Feb

I spent the entire weekend cleaning up messes. Tired, fragile, hormonal so I’d best hide under my desk today. 14 Feb

Neil Gaiman: the writer as rock star. I mean that with utmost respect. He’s unique and awesome. 14 Feb

Vicarious happy! Happy happy happy!! 14 Feb

Our $7500 plumbing job turned into $8000 over the weekend. 14 Feb

Or I probably should say, “more boring than usual.”

The short answer: I’ve been dealing with a family illness since the fall.

The not-much-longer-answer:

I haven’t wanted to talk about it much because I was using most of my energy just dealing with it. We’ve been on something of a rollercoaster, very intense at times, then less so, then more so…and etc.

We are in a good holding pattern right now and I’m feeling a bit more confident, enough to broach the subject here. Although, a superstitious, magical-thinking part of my brain can’t shake the feeling that by stating that openly, the Universe is going to pull the rug out from under me yet again and things will take a turn for the worse.

It’s odd living in Pambrain sometimes.

But if you don’t hear much from me for awhile, it’s probably because I have cursed myself and things have taken a turn for the worst.

If you see me here spouting inanities, you can probably assume things are going okay for the moment.

I got my most ardent wish for this weekend: it was uneventful. Reading, sleeping, watching DVR’d shows, excessive tweeting… 20 Dec

Here in Westchester we got an inch and a half [of rain] in 24 hours—rather unprecedented for SoCal. 20 Dec

As predicted, after four straight days of heavy rain, the sound of rain falling is not as charming as it once was. 20 Dec

I want to go to Istanbul. I’ve wanted to for a long time but I really want to go now. 18 Dec

I love listening to the rain fall even after two days. It isn’t supposed to clear until Xmas day. Prolly won’t be as enchanted by then. 18 Dec

The android really wanted to make that the Gate du More. Which is kind of appropriate I guess. 18 Dec

And yes arriving in Paris at the beautiful light-filled Gare du Nord. Like stepping into an Impressionist painting. 18 Dec

The Historian: riding across Dutch countryside from Amsterdam to Bruxelles–YES, a wondrous green journey. My v. 1st view of Europe. 18 Dec

Mom and I are completely disconnected from Xmas this year. The good news: no shopping! 18 Dec

It’s rained steadily for two days. Light yesterday heavy today. 18 Dec

Also still watching ghost shows. I find them obscurely comforting which is just weird. What strange psychology is this? 18 Dec

Still loving Kostova’s Historian. Not reading much but love those stolen moments. 18 Dec

Do you ever wish you could hide out in the Bathroom of Life and hope nobody finds you? No, me neither. Just wonderin’. 17 Dec

Further abject apologies for not being much of a blogger these days.  I hope to get back to it soon.  Wish me a very boring weekend, please.  Meanwhile, here’s the condensed version:

Four more work days until vacation. Four. More. Days. 12:07 PM Dec 17th via web

Cold rain came in today. We’re finally getting to share some of that fabulous arctic chill all the rest of you have been so happy with. 12:03 PM Dec 17th via web

The rollercoaster keeps on a rolling. I would like to get off now, please. 12:01 PM Dec 17th via web

RIP Blake Edwards. 10:02 AM Dec 16th via web

Fascinating RT ColleenLindsay Think vampires are overused? Check how vampire compares to werewolf, angel & demon: http://bit.ly/gTbcsA 10:02 AM Dec 16th via web

Life weirder than fiction: a ex-cop flasher by the name of Wadley. 10:05 PM Dec 15th via Mobile Web

Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on History Channel Thursday is pretty interesting. Hist mysteries like assassination OR suicide of Meriwether Lewis. 8:19 PM Dec 15th via Mobile Web

Still dealing with issues that sap my energy for real blogging.  I hope to become a normal person again some day soon.

Sunny and warm temps are gone, btw. We’re freezing our squids off today. Well, relatively speaking. Highs in the 50s. 2:38 PM Dec 15th via web

I just paid off my car loan. 😀 10:37 AM Dec 15th via web

Not that I’m glad everyone else is freezing. 11:41 AM Dec 13th via web

Having bright sunshine and record-breaking temperatures in the 80s while the rest of the country freezes does help to lift the mood a bit. 11:41 AM Dec 13th via web

When you’ve been stressing for a long stretch, it’s hard to let go of it when things ease up. 11:40 AM Dec 13th via web

Random quote of the day:

“News didn’t grieve.  It took note, moved on.”

—Emma Bull, Territory

Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.