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Sometimes it's easy to get lost in the shuffle around here ... |
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Best quote to describe me (Anonymous): "Do not think you are on the right road, simply because it is a well-beaten path." I am what I am. Learn to live with it. And realize that comment is as much directed to myself as any reader who ventures here. Tempest arrived 31 March 2009 - changing everything, but she's pretty awesome. Dogbert arrived 13 January 2012 and is working on making the rules change again. I have two writing personas, Ransom Noble and Sheta Storm. Each has goals, and I work on them slowly. Both are published, and will continue to strive toward bigger and better things. I finally figured out how to describe myself in three words: Creative, Determined, Ambitious. It doesn't have anything to do with how I relate to others, but I do use all of those in my many relationships as well as my career goals. I know others use words sometimes like "kind" or "caring" but I think that list is the most accurate if only using three words. Cast... Sesheta: Me Dilbert: My Husband Tempest: My Darling Daughter Dogbert: My Hungry Son Sheer, Nemo, EyeKandy(K), Diego: Friends/Brothers Sugar, Wolvenwings, Mrs. Light, Jori, Trillium (others will be added): Friends It's a start, anyway. Off-Site Blogs: http://ransomnoble.wordpress.com/ http://sheta-storm.blogspot.com/ Upcoming Events: Beaverdale Books signing for Art of Science - TBD Other Items about Me: "Invalid Item"  "Invalid Item" "Failing is a part of success. To make goals effective, you have to fail at them 50 percent of the time, or they didn't stretch you far enough." Chip Wilson, courtesy of an article by Ella Lawrence called Set Your Course from Yoga Journal |
| Because it probably isn't allergies. But I have a bunch of sinus pressure, phlegm caught in my throat (yesterday I even sounded like I swallowed a frog), and two kids who want nothing more than to be playing with me. Dilbert won't be back until tomorrow. My parents will visit tomorrow morning. Uhm, yuck. All I want to do is go back to bed. This morning I got up, showered, and put on freshly laundered pajamas. It's one of those days. Yesterday I went to visit Jori and Tulaksam (plus two of her children, the girls) and we went to dinner and wandered around the mall. Lots of fun, but I kept getting sicker. Hope none of them get it. I am doing better today, but I'm tired. Always so tired. I want to blog (for Noble or Storm) about "My Mind was Changed by Facebook! No, not really." We're all just posting stuff for our cronies to put a "like" on, right? When did anyone actually change an opinion because of a photo meme that it took two seconds to 'share'? I will find a way to say what I want to say here, but right now my stomach is roiling over one of those photos: Mecca, before and after - one side showed Mecca with thousands and thousands of praying muslims, and the after shot was the aftermath of a nuclear explosion. And somehow, that was supposed to make peace? It. Makes. Me. Sicker. Right, I know, I ought to simply block all the people who are pro-romney and anti-muslim and anti-gay and anti-brain and pro-violence. But then where would i go for drama that fuels my fiction?! I'm also really thoughtful about home schooling at the moment. I know PuppyTales  and dareng were home schooled, but someone I kinda know is deciding to home school, and it doesn't seem like a good idea. [Don't we all know people like that?] Jori gave me some crap about testing Tempest. "All kids learn how to talk." Yeah, you say that. But just because she's speaking better than two four year olds you know doesn't mean she doesn't have issues. Yes, I know she's 3. But nearly all the 3 year olds I know speak and respond better than she does, despite her vast improvement over the last 4 or 5 months. Which means the two 4 year olds she knows have Bigger issues. [not the least of which is that one of them is getting prepared to be home schooled - with a 2 year old sister and a newborn sister to arrive yet this month - how much is he really going to get of his mother's time? let's not talk about all the crap she posts to FB...] But that's not my problem. My daughter will go to a good preschool. My son will get more facetime with me during that window. My ebook might even come out this year.  No one is holding their breath on that, right? |
| Funny that I wanted to focus on focus this year, and I seem to be flightier than ever. Oops. I was going to blog, but I got distracted by my pretty bananagrams and trying to count them to make sure I had the right number. I finally found the missing tile... after way too long. But no matter! My toenail polish says "green apple scented" but my nose is way stuffy and I can't smell a thing normally. I asked Tempest and she said my toes "smell like flowers". She had to take several large sniffs of my toes to figure that out. I just laughed. We danced. For a while today, Tempest thought the only good song was 'rock'n'roll drift away'. Drift is a really difficult word for her, but she's been practicing. She only first heard the song lately a couple weeks ago, but the first time she tried to sing the chorus.  But we listened to Elvis, Elton John, John Mellencamp, and a few others she thought were decent enough. But I got so tired dancing, carrying one child or another or both. Did I mention Dilbert is gone for the weekend? He is living up the boys' weekend in Michigan, and I'm all alone with the kids. Hrmph. And I'm sick. Really stinks. Rough day, though. Mom was here half of it. Feeding Dogbert real food. He loves real food. But i think he also appreciated that i fed him chunky baby food tonight. So he's over purees, it seems, but textured stuff is all right. Tempest has allergies or sickness like me, and she's not at her best. I filled out all Tempest's paperwork this morning and got it in the mailbox so they'd hold her spot for testing in IC. Whew. Glad that's done. Sad and bitterness: I had a great day today, but I can't leave my kids for an hour without Dilbert complaining about it. It's just... not right. No news of the new BabyLight, but my twin niece and nephew have to stay in the hospital for a while longer. Took a turn for the worse.  I wish I could do more for my SIL. It's gotta be tough. So hoping the best for all three of those premies. Have plans for tomorrow. Sunday might just sit tight with the kids and rest. We'll see, though. For the world-building: playing with bananagrams, partly because they limit the exotic letters from coming up, and partly because it's fun to play with the game that I never get to play with others. So running through a few exercises and I went through Tempest's Universe book and came up with more questions but also some answers. I think it might be a buy-able option for a science fiction universe and space travel. My races are odd but not insane. I hope! And I have some cool characters. The world is rich and vibrant. I know I can twist some interesting plots around it, but I have to finish this world building before I really get into that. And at some point, I need to get my sinuses to let me SLEEP. |
It started because I asked Brandiwynš¶  about naming. While I am not comparing my work to Star Trek, there is the similarity of having many different races in a space travel society. However, in the world of Star Trek, the Vulcans come from planet Vulcan - Romulans from Romulus, Bajorans from Bajore, Andorrians from Andorria, and on and on they go. I partly wonder if this is to avoid confusing reader. However, despite the scope creep she claims, she made a lot of valid points that gave me food for thought. [And I'm keeping them here to put them in the forefront of my thoughts while smacking names on these things I need to name. Brandiwynš¶ Or just accept that civilizations who grow up apart from each other will have different nomenclature rules. We call ourselves human, and we call our planet Earth. Actually, that's only in English, anyway. In most languages, the root is "man" not "hu." But still. I do, however, agree that it makes sense that other cultures - particularly alien cultures who call themselves after their planets - would lean toward calling us "Earthlings" because it's what they're used to. I thought of something else, too. You're sort of mixing races and nationalities. Think of this: Let's say humans populate Mars. Wouldn't we call the humans on Mars "Martians" (ironically, since we think of little green men) and the humans on Earth "Earthlings" while we would all still be humans? We sort of do that with continents. I'm a Pickeringtonite, Columbusite, Central Ohioan, Ohioan, American, North American, Earthling, Human. In fact, you're technically following human convention in naming anything at all. Of the races we know about, no others do that (to our understanding - for all we know, Dolphins "speak" with their minds or something.) Canines, without human intervention (I clarify since Sammy knows what his "crate" is, but only because I've taught him) don't identify things with vocal sounds. They identify them by smell. And if Sammy could teach me to identify his crate by smell, he probably would. Of course, I'm not sure how he would tell me to go there without a vocal command. Some sort of body language, I suppose. That's how he tells me he needs to go outside. He runs to the back door, then runs back to me and stares at me, then runs back to the back door, then runs back and stares at me again until I say, "Do you want to go outside?" Then he yelps and twists in circles and gets all excited and runs to the back door and twists in circles until I open it for him. And when he's happy to see me, he wags his tail and kisses me. That's how dogs communicate. Why should we assume that an alien race wouldn't do the same thing, or something completely different? In fact, we're very closed-minded as humans. We assume there only only "six" senses - the five we have, and a mysterious other one that we don't understand. Who's to say that the "sixth" sense isn't really another six hundred senses that we aren't blessed with? We have a nose - little hairs detect and identify gaseous molecules and send a signal to our brains. We have ears - drums vibrate with the vibration of air and sends signals to our brains. We have skin - nerves sense pressure and send signals to our brains. You see where I'm going? It's all biology. The biology of another race might not even HAVE noses or ears or skin. They might, in fact, have less senses than we do. Or more. Or just completely different. Just opening up your nomenclature box. Never know where these observations might lead your races and nationalities and characters. Not to create scope creep, though. Right and other races populate Earth, too. Canines, felines, reptiles, etc. etc. Some might even be classified as "intelligent," though whether as intelligent as the human race is debatable (dolphins, chimpanzees, e.g.) Who's to say that other planets might not have multiple races of equal intelligence? In fact, what if on Earth, it were the dolphins who reached out to alien species (alien meaning alien to Earth), and not the humans? Wouldn't the alien species then possibly refer to the dolphins as "Earthlings"? Or, you know, "squeakity-squeak-squeak-screeeeeech?" I've heard there's evidence that dolphins might actually be smarter than humans, so anything's possible (especially in fiction, LOL.) Storm Machine  Chimps are not as intelligent as orangutan. Remind me of humpback whales in star trek iv. Fun. Yes, that does sort of creep my scope, but human characters and other speaking people will have some sort of common nomenclature. Brandiwynš¶ Well, not only that, there are some facts that make common nomenclature logical: 1. Even among the races we know of, most of them have the same five senses we do. It's what we know. Since it's what we know, it's what readers know. But at least I think I know what I'm dealing with. If anyone else has thoughts for the naming of these things: stars, planets, moons, solar systems, races, species, entities... I wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts. 2. You can't write smells. |
| ,y poor second child isn't in the spotlight, huh? He is on solids. Yesterday he bit and mashed and tried to swallow chunks of a teething biscuit, actually eating most of it. I knew he was a foodie, but I had no idea he could actually eat the thing and not just gnaw on it the way I have seen the other babies do it. So today, during Tempest's swim lesson, I let her friend's motherly influences give him pretzels. Which he thought were awesome. And then he ate goat cheese on crackers for dinner. Food yummy. More food, please. Holy crap, lil dude! Got Tempest's papers for her evaluation, so I am setting forth to find all the information. Blah. At least I have it all in my blog! |
| They're going to promote Tempest in Gymnastics. If it doesn't go well, there will be a parent-tot class that she can go back to until she's ready. OMG! It's great. I'm a little sad that none of our friends will be there at first. But we'll find ways to see them. And then I think, what if I'm doing the wrong thing by pushing her up there? But this has got to be good for her. And it might get moved to Wednesdays. No, definitely will get moved to Wednesdays. And thinking of moving swimming to Mondays, which means we do something (with preschool) M-R of the week. We do anyway, and I might get the yoga class Mon eve, and I might be able to figure out the new schedule. Not perfect, but it is doable. I think? Still doing world-building for this novel. It's a bit crazy. I need names. Names would help. So, yeah, that's what I should do next. But I'm going to get ready for friends to come over tonight, and make 1. banana bread, 2. brownies, 3. something interesting that I'm not sure what... if I get time. Plus diaper wipes. Swimming lessons tonight and Dilbert leaves for Michigan tomorrow. I also snagged art museum passes from the library. That ought to prove interesting. |
| They were born yesterday... forgot to blog it. Silly me. The girl and boy were one ounce different in weight and the same length - 18 inches. Weight added up to 10 lb 7 oz - only 2 ounces more than Dogbert when he was born. Amazing, huh? But doing fairly well for only 34 weeks. Lots of babies. Life seems to be good. Figured out my characters and some more world building for Firstborn. It's one of those projects I keep coming back to, but it's also one where I have so many characters and motivations that they are overflowing. Like, what do I do with the stolen gardener? And who steals a freakin' gardener who needs to have special atmospheric conditions because she can't breathe regular air and doesn't get caught? There are so many more things I have to figure out before I can write it all, but it's slowly starting to come together. Frustrated by potty training. Tempest throws a fit if I even mention the word. So time for another change in tactics. Or something? Sometimes I might be pushing her in too many directions. Gymnastics was pretty good, but everyone had too much chaos energy and it overflowed throughout the lesson. Yet Tempest did fairly well for most of it. |
| Yoga was awesome today. I want to learn more. But I think I an teach and still have an appreciation for things I wish to improve upon. Dresden books fly through my head, and I worry how I will finish other things before I come to the end of the book. Paolini hits me more like, how will I ever get through this in the 14 days before the library wants it back? Oh, how I hate acne. It's coming back, so I will have to figure out something. Who'd guess I am nearly 35 with this crap all over my face??? Dogbert's second tooth broke through today. |
| Because, in Inheritance, when the bad guy was found in the highest room of the west most tower (which I took to be the tallest in the castle), my first thought was: but he's not a princess. Today was nice to spend with friends. Though I hate the one asking why I am alone at breakfast with her and my two kids. She had a kid and a friend to watch her... And I just didn't want the hassle of Dilbert. I knew she would like to see the kids. And dilb was sleeping until only a few minutes before I left. And Dilbert and I have had some u pleasant exchanges today. Blah. Maybe tomorrow will be better. After all, he is going to work. |
| Mrs light had hers! I am excited. Glad, too, since even though she wasn't full term, lil girl was 8 lbs 4 oz and 18 inches. Great baby size. Sil will be sending news anytime, too, with the twins... Had to see the parents today. Gah, I couldn't believe my mother, calling at 7:30 about how maybe we should do it next week. You can't DO that with a three year old, and I thought we had covered that enough with the crazy fourth of July. Tempest was so excited to go, I didn't want to be the bad guy because they were over scheduling their weekend. They invited us, and dammit, we were going! Somehow, firstborn, the novel I started before I joined Wdc, is taking shape n my head with the universe and some of the species. Not that I haven't dredged it out of the slush pile before, but it might take shape this time. Maybe? I pulled out my star trek rpg narrator's guide to see what they meant for using it to be a writer's resource. And it might help me. Smirk. If all else fails, I can always try to run some kind of rpg. I do have resources... I just haven't ever played one before. And I just know someone is wanting to pop that cherry, but y'all'll have to fight for that one. |
| And repeat. Over and over. Until you don't have to remind yourself to keep doing it. Follow up on the Second Opinion for Tempest's testing: Scheduled for 19 September. Looks like it might only take threeish hours. Still going to be a long day. [In case we've forgotten, we will be doing the evaluation from the AEA on 23 August.] Called the gymnastics place again, asking about why some 3 year olds get placed directly in the higher kindergym while the rest of us have to wait to be evaluated in parent-tot. *sigh* Didn't get the slam dunk I was looking for, but I did explain about the whole getting bored and needing a challenge thing. We shall see what comes of it. Playdate today with the girl who got promoted last session, and they're learning jumping jacks. For some reason, her mother annoys me. Not as much today, and she didn't talk about her daughter's potty training much today. Coincidence? Dilbert also interrupted in the middle when he arrived home from his business trip, and that may have helped. My brain cannot seem to encompass the kind of complexity I want to write at the moment. So I keep letting things stew. The notes will all congeal at some point, right? I'm also trying to figure out things about cooking, so just don't look at that stack of cookbooks next to me while I'm piecing things together. One of them must be from across the pond, since most of the measurements are in mL and grams with English (American?) units in parentheses. That one is fun. I had no idea a pancake turner was called a fish slice, and everything they use calls for a fine sieve. Hee. At least I'm still writing. 13 day streak and counting. And Tempest's swim lesson last night: teacher commented she is enthusiastic but doesn't listen. Big surprise, huh? |
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