Nikkiling's Musings

For anyone who needs an smile...

nikkiling2 — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 01:20:31 GMT

It's a very cute kitten. Riding a little tortoise.
http://www.wimp.com/kittentortoise/

TGIF!

Bring back the sun...

nikkiling2 — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 03:33:57 GMT

Record rainfall... record number of cold days... record number of rainy days... gloomy and wet... I wonder if that's one of the reasons I'm drifting again. Can't even get up the energy to write. Or edit. Not even the daffodils are helping. I need true spring. I'm tired of my hips constantly aching from arthritis. I'm tired of people telling me I'm too young for arthritis. I'm tired of being tired. I'm even starting to feel... depressed. It's fucking annoying.
I'm been forcing myself to take walks again on my lunch break. Discovered that the trilliums are finally blooming. Seems like later than previous years. And the purple dead nettles are popping up. Those are kinda yummy to eat. Fuzzy. And quite nutritious. High in iron, vitamins, and fiber. I found blog of a local forager. I think I'll try to go on one of her foraging walks this spring. I used to love learning about plants and their properties. I wrote a little report in high school on the medical uses of certain plants, just for my own personal edification. Considered being a botanist, but hated chemistry. I don't want to learn how plants work, I want to know which ones can be used for what. I want to walk through a forest and forage for food and medicines. I want a garden where I can grow them. I want a stillroom with shelves of tinctures and drying herbs.
And pickled beans. I love pickled beans.
*yawn*

Free LOTR ebook...

nikkiling2 — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:26:41 GMT

So for all you ebook readers out there, I found this lovely little freebie. It's a published LOTR book called The Last Ring-Bearer, translated from a russian author, using the idea that history is written from the POV of the winners. What if Gandolf and his crew wasn't really that good? What if Sauron and his crew wasn't all that evil? This is written from the bad guys POV. Looks really interesting... and it's free!
The link has both .epub and .Mobi files.
http://booksprung.com/russian-novel-retells-the-lord-of-the-rings-from-the-bad-guys-pov#more-5621

Meme from Darkdreamer

nikkiling2 — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 20:32:47 GMT

Well, it's been a long time since I've done one of these... but what the hell...

1: CHOOSE ONE: PARSLEY, SAGE, ROSEMARY, THYME. EXPLAIN.
A: While I love my Rosemary bush, I'd have to say Sage. It's great for purifying energies in the home, the smell brings back happy childhood memories of vacations in Eastern Oregon playing amongst the sagebrush, and there is nothing better than apple brown-butter sage sauce over butternut squash ravioli... heavy on the sage. :D

2. WHAT HOKEY SAYING/TRUISM ANNOYS YOU MOST?
A: I can't really think of one that annoys me, but the phrase "Your imagination is running away with you." used to freak me out as a child.

3. WHAT WOULD BE THE WORST STATE NAME TO GIVE A CHILD?
A: Mississippi? Think of the poor child that has to not only learn how to spell it, but fill in all those little dots on those stupid scan tests.

4. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE CHRISTMAS PRESENT YOU RECEIVED BEFORE YOU WERE 12?
A: Only one? I think it would be a tie between my Rainbow Bright doll and my Tonka dumptruck.

5. WHEN YOU STEP OUT OF THE SHOWER, WHAT BODY PART DO YOU DRY FIRST?
A: My back, as the first thing I do is grab the towel and wrap it over my back and shoulders like a cloak. And then I go running though the house pretending I'm batman... or not.

6. IF YOU'RE ALONE, AND YOU HAVE THIS OBNOXIOUS NUGGET IN YOUR NOSTRIL, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET IT OUT?
A: Fingers all the way. Nothing worse than a crusty schnoz, and one might as well use the tools nature gave us.

7. WHAT ARE YOUR PRE-POST-COITAL PREPAREDNESS PLANS.
A: Wow. Um. Yeah. Considering my sex life boils down to a happy little toy and a good imagination, I'll just leave it at that.

8. WHAT REGIONAL SPECIALTY IS YOUR AREA FAMOUS FOR? DOES IT ANNOY YOU?
A: Beavers and Rain. I love the rain, so no, it doesn't annoy me. I even like beavers, especially when they dam up nice little placid streams and then it rains and the dams cause massive flooding... Yeah, I like beavers and rain.

9. WHAT EIGHT LETTER WORD BEST DESCRIBES YOUR FEET?
A: Flatfoot? But just one. After all, they can't be identical, can they... damn obstinate body...

10. WHAT FRUIT BEST COMPLEMENTS YOUR PERSONALITY? WHY?
A: Durian. One of the only foods Andrew Zimmern couldn't eat. I'm an acquired taste.

11. THINK ABOUT IT. THINK LONG AND HARD. YOU CAN DONATE IT TO CHARITY. YOU CAN KEEP IT. HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOU TO HAVE A ONE-NIGHT STAND WITH GEORGE H.W. BUSH THAT NOBODY ELSE WOULD FIND OUT ABOUT?
A: Well, considering he's what, almost 90 years old? Besides the obvious ick factor, I doubt he could get it up anyway... and even if he could, it would probably kill him... Although that alone might make it more interesting.
I'd do it for 1 billion dollars and two nights with Antonio Banderas, one before and one after the event. For cleansing.

12. WHAT PAIRING WOULD YOU SHIP IN THE WIZARD OF OZ FANDOM?
A: Huh?

13. WHAT'S THE WORST WAY TO DIE YOU CAN THINK OF?
A: Being buried alive. And I refuse to see the movie Buried with Ryan Reynolds. Ain't gonna happen. Just the thought makes me shudder.

14. WHAT COMPANY HAS GIVEN YOU THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE? WHAT HAPPENED?
A: I can't really think of anything specific. Best Buy has a way of pissing me off everytime I go in, jsut from sheer incompentance. Then I went into Staples once looking for something specific for my computer and the guys there gave me the 'Silly girl who doesn't know computers' attitude and tried to get me to buy something else. I left empty handed and enraged. And I won't even get into HP's customer service division in India... I may not be a computer tech, but I'm not incompetant either.

15. DO YOU WANT TO BE BURIED, CREMATED, OR OTHER? WHY?
A: Cremated. I want to go out like Donnie in The Big Lebowski: Directly into the wind. LOL

16. HAVE YOU EVER LIED ON A MEME CAUSE YOU WERE TOO EMBARRASSED TO SHARE THE TRUTH?
A: No.

17. WHAT IS THE ONE THING ABOUT YOU MOST LIKELY TO KILL YOUR MARRIAGE OR CHANCES OF MARRIAGE?
A: My hypnogogic hallucinations. I probably won't recognize them and go for a knife or a blunt object to defend myself. I think I'm safer living alone with my cats. At least they only turn into dead rabbits or spiritual beings.

18. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING GOES BEST WITH PEANUT BUTTER: BANANAS, CHOCOLATE, JELLY, YOUR DOG?
A: Huh... what about honey? Or apples? Or celery?

19. WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR HIDDEN TALENT?
A: My ability to wiggle my eyeballs really fast. It does amuse the children.

20. HAVE YOU EVER, EVEN FOR A SECOND, IMAGINED JUST GOING AHEAD AND RAMMING THE DRIVER TRYING TO CUT YOU OFF?
A: Of course. On a daily basis. I absolutely hate people speeding along the disappearing lane just to get ahead of the line, and then they turn at the next light a few hundred yards away. Really? What was the point? Damn idiots...

Jeremy Irons and Horse

nikkiling2 — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 03:06:20 GMT

OMG! I finally found it!!!

I've had a thing for Jeremy Irons for... well... forever it seems like. Even now, he may be looking aged, but his voice still makes me warm where it counts.

There was this photo I saw years ago while working in the book store. It was in a book of celebrities. I wish I would have bought the book, if only for the one series of photos within. Occasionally I would look online for the pictures, but could never find them.
Well, here it is... my favorite of the collection... and it still makes me quiver.
Enjoy.

It's gotta be the pants... or maybe the horse... could be the muscles... or perhaps it's his voice whispering in my head asking me to come along for a 'ride'. *whimpers*

Books

nikkiling2 — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 18:26:36 GMT

It is very difficult to write when the cats are literally climbing over the back of your computer chair.

Have you ever read a peice of published fiction that was so bad that you desperately want to rewrite it properly? I've never done a cowboy fic, but I'm tempted. It was supposed to be m/m romance, but it read like a classic m/f cliche. None of the characters made sense. The straight cowboy seemed to have very little problem turning suddenly gay, and the other male was basically a female with a dick. I got about halfway through, to the point where the weak and abused male has suddenly learned to ride the untamable stallion, and when he dismounts the stallion decides to play tag with him. *groans* I just can't bring myself to go further. Even by reading it as a primer on how NOT to write m/m fiction, it was too much. I mean, come on! A kid who's been severely abused and brutalized by his father, is terrified of big men and of attracting attention to himself, decides to wear his leather pants to a bar? Leather pants???
Riiiiiight.
At least I have The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo to turn to. Now THAT is an AWESOME book! The writing vaguely reminds me of Victor Hugo... but much more concise.

Names

nikkiling2 — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 02:59:42 GMT

I like the name Jordan Rook as a pen name.
Jordan can be assigned to either sex.
My Kindle's name is Magpie, my computer is Kestral, and I want to be Rook.
Jordan L. Rook.
:D

nikkiling2 — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:51:44 GMT

I received a Kindle for christmas... I love it. I've been busily downloading free books, picking out cheap books... this is gonna be dangerous at work. We are not supposed to read at our desk (we have to look attentive at all times, even when it's dead slow), but the Kindle is so small I can just hide it in a drawer with no one the wiser. hehehe And it has games!

Fear.
I've always wanted to own my own home... a little cottage with a big garden. But there are so many things I have to do first, the biggest being to finish paying off my student loan ($4000 left!) and saving up money for a down payment.
Over the last two years my mom keeps bugging me about it. I need to jump now. I need to do it now. The market is ready now!
But I'm not ready.
Over christmas she told me how she was looking around, and how I could get a little place for just under $100,000. The payments, including property taxes, would be the same amount I'm paying for my apartment.
But I'm not ready. I don't have anything to put down. The bank would never approve it, even with my excellent credit.
She said I didn't need it. That it wouldn't matter.
I think she is right.
I think could do it.
So is it really that I'm not ready, or that I'm too scared to jump?
A new year is starting.
I have seven months before my lease is up.
I think it's time to take the first step.
It never hurt to look.

Janitor's Revenge

nikkiling2 — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 05:11:13 GMT

How to annoy people when it snows.

http://www.wimp.com/janitorrevenge/

Now I wish it would snow...

Life sucks.

nikkiling2 — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 05:35:04 GMT

And on top of it all, Bob broke.
*sniffs*
Now I need to go get a new one, but I don't feel like going.
Why can't they make Bobs that last?

nikkiling2 — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 05:17:24 GMT

Falling down... down... down...
I hate this.

Thoughts

nikkiling2 — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 05:20:35 GMT

Mercedes Lackey.
Just finished her latest Valdemar book. What I find amazing is how much her books can still grab me, hold me by the gut, shake me around a little, and leave me with a slightly dazed, yet happy feeling. This is despite the need of a decent copy editor (I've noticed that this seems to be an issue with many series authors by their later books) and the fact that her MCs and plots are all very similar; the poor persecuted youngling struggles to belong and ends up saving the day.
I want to be able to do that. I want to create that same feeling I feel in my readers. But how?
Her books seem to be mainly character-driven... playing with the emotions of the characters... I need to start there and delve deeper.

Ah-ha moment...

nikkiling2 — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 02:08:03 GMT

Bearnuts!
Now I know where Tinasin is! YAY!!
And even better, Mi'kal knows. Or at least he has an idea.
I knew dragging him along would be a good idea in the end.
:D

Taking the time to write Tinasin's story is turning out to be very lucrative.

50,727

nikkiling2 — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 21:51:35 GMT

And... done.
*happy sigh*

Rie, I'm back home!
*squishes my beautiful blue elf to bits*

Sunday Update

nikkiling2 — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 05:17:52 GMT

Watched Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Awesome movie. Lisbeth is just a fantastich character. Really gotta read the books. Makes me worried about the American version that's coming out though. I just can't see how they will be able to pull it off given the graphic content vs the american prudistic sensitivity.

Anyway, I'm over a day ahead and over halfway done with NaNoWriMo! Yay! Spent the last three days at home writing and watching movies and the Dresden Files while outside its been the perfect weather: drizzly and misty and foggy and cold. And it didn't let up all weekend! :D
Kinda feel a bit fuzzy-headed actually... like I've just spent three days living in fantasy.

I am thinking that pausing my current story and working on this new one was a really good idea. Oddly enough, by writing about Nasi I've been learning more about who Rie is. I feel the need to go back and edit some things... although I would probably be best off writing down the changes I want to make and save it for the third revision. I can't wait to start working on it again!

nikkiling2 — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 22:36:23 GMT

So I took today off work to write. It's been so nice. Slept in a little, vacuumed, put a new scent in the scentsy pot (just got it; powerful little toy!) sat down with a cup of tea, and spent the morning and part of the afternoon writing. Got through a really difficult scene (Nasi's first night working as a nightling. Needless to say, he's not going back. I think Master Kaglin tricked him.) and fulfilled today's quota, plus some.

It's odd. You have a quota for the day, and it's such a struggle to get it out. But when you make the quota, the words than come after are easy. It's like getting through a meal you don't really like, but when you finish, then you get chocolate cake for desert.

Now I get to go to my doctor's apppointment. Yes, leave it to me to schedule a doctor's appointment at work on my day off. And it's one of the women's appointments, which makes it worse. But then its Pad Thai for dinner, followed by chocolate lava cake with raspberry sorbet, a movie, and then more writing! :D

Keiliss: I dreamed of you last night. You were touring the US as a stockcar driver showing at Renaissance fairs. You didn't know I was there, so I snuck into the barns, saw you, went "Ooh! There's Keiliss! She looks just like I imagined!" and left.
I blame it on the wine.

Sunday Update...

nikkiling2 — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 18:45:11 GMT

Dreams of Fire and Void is becoming very chaotic; I guess that's what happens when you don't properly outline prior to writing. I keep going back to different points and rewriting them because the previous threads aren't working. This takes the story in a whole new direction than what's written. Or plotted. At this point I have no idea what's going to happen. At the moment Nasi is going to accept the position of a nightling (prostitute) because he needs the money for his family and its the quickest way to pay off his father's debts. I knew Peten was a drunkard; I didn't realize he was also gambling, the bastard. I'm gonna have to kill him. I just know it. Nasi keeps threatening, but I don't think he'll actually do it.
And he met Ana, which was unexpected.
And for some reason this story is just chock-full of dialogue. The dialogue is flowing like a spring river... and the descriptive elements are merely limping along behind. Very strange. Maybe it's the character. Maybe my struggles with dialogue isn't me, but the fact that Rie just isn't very talkative, while Nasi is. Huh. Interesting.

And I found myself modeling the godel Ana after the musician Hyde in his white period. I love Hyde. He's pretty. hehehe. And this song is one of my favorites.

A rather odd christmas movie...

nikkiling2 — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 04:31:07 GMT

Okay... this just looks... gah! It's a christmas horror movie!

He knows if you've been bad or good... and he doesn't give a fuck.
Ooookay.
It's based upon the youtube short films, which are about how wild father christmas's are hunted down by professional hunters and trained to become nice santa claus's and shipped all over the world.
The worst part is... I kinda want to see it. *winces*

In other news... the Dreams of Fire and Void is coming along. 6,224 words. Haven't met my quota for the night (6,664,) but I'm just so tired. And this story is... odd. Nasi isn't quite what I expected. I may not have written an outline this time, but I had a reasonable idea of what was going on. Surprises are to be expected. I wasn't ready for his alcoholic father to try to sell him to a night house... or for Nasi to actually consider working there. I need to get him to Ana's Temple fast!

nikkiling2 — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 17:30:34 GMT

Happy Samhain, everyone!

I should be writing, but I've been cleaning instead. NaNo starts tomorrow, and I've got to get this place clean. Wasn't feeling too good this past week. I'm hoping it's just a cold trying to break through and not the mold that I've been dealing with. Throat is still a bit achy though.

Finally broke down and watched Paranormal Activity Friday night. Despite it's silliness and stupidity, (The boyfriend was an idiot, and I don't know about anyone else, but the first thing I do when I notice something suspicious is turn on the lights, not run around in the dark.) the very end did get a little creepy. Alright. I'll admit it. I closed my eyes at the end of the last scene. I think that's the first time I've ever done that. And then watched Zombieland, which was a lot more amusing.

Put together a dreamwidth account using my other writing name. Just checking things out. Not sure what I'm gonna do with it. So far it's turning into a random prose journal. And I got a twitter account. Haven't twitted anything yet. It all seems rather silly, but I've been reading about books and publishing and networking... ah for the days of being a reclusive writer.

If anyone out there is doing NaNoWriMo this year, my account name is Almimsy. Feel free to buddy me!

Adventures in Mold Continues...

nikkiling2 — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 02:08:36 GMT

So the manager sent the peon maintenance guy out. He sprayed the mold-corner and the windowsill with white anit-mold stuff. I spoke with the manager, and I guess he told her the stuff on the windowsill wasn't mold. Ummm... it's green and fuzzy, and has destroyed everything under my bed, not to mention several pairs of shoes and my favorite fuzzy lepord-print slippers. She looked dubious by his claim as well. And instead of wiping the mold off, then spraying the anti-mold paint stuff, he sprayed right over it. So now there is a perminant greenish spot on my white windowsill. Lovely. Fortunately, she said he will be back on Monday with real paint and will paint the entire windowsill, something which should have been done two years ago when they replaced them in the first place. Much from then was neglected.
He also did nothing about the mildewy closet doors. (I left big signs everywhere pointing out the problems; he couldn't have missed it!) The manager lady said the mainenance guy would take those down Monday and paint those as well. She's actually really nice. I kinda feel sorry for her. She does try to get things done...
And she said that the head maintenance guy will be coming out next week to take a closer look and try to figure out where the moisture is coming from. Finally!! My question is why this wasn't addressed during the inspection two weeks ago???
AND she is letting me borrow a professional dehumidifier! YAY!! I hope it FILLS with water; then I will have definate proof of a problem! (Not that mold shouldn't be proof enough, but who can guess the minds of management companies...) In fact, when I go into the room, I think I hear a faint dripping sound coming from the machine... *rubs hands together happily*

Smell Like a Monster...

nikkiling2 — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 14:32:49 GMT

It's nice to know that despite all the unpleasent surprises this week (Mammogram machine broke down twice, yesterday only had two phlebodomists to cover the entire clinic plus walk-ins... lots of delays, massive apartment mold issues, fire alarm going off for no reason...) I can still find something to laugh at. In fact, I watched it three times, laughing hard each time. This is just too cute!

Mold!

nikkiling2 — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 01:42:12 GMT

Sometimes I feel like mildew is the bane of my existance.
My bedroom has been smelling a bit musty of late. I checked the mold-corner, but although there has been a little reemerging growth, it wasn't too bad. Then I took a closer look at the odd scuff mark on my closet door. I thought it was kitty litter from wandering kitty paws, although it seemed a bit of an odd place for it. Well, it wasn't kitty litter. It was mildew. Ick!
So I took some bathroom cleaner and wiped that off. But it still smelled musty. So I investigated further. Damn cheap apartment closet doors... the outside is cheap veneer, the inside particle board. And the inside was covered with mildew from the bottom to about a foot up. ICK!
So I've bleached that, careful not to bleach my clothes. Might have to completely empty the closet this weekend and to a thorough inspection.
But last night, as I was lying in bed, I kept smelling mildew as though it were close by. I figured maybe it was time to wash the top set of pillows. (I sleep with four). So after I got off work I stripped the pillowcases from the top set, and while they needed a good washing, there was nothing suspicious. Still, the smell... so I stripped the cases off the bottom set... *shudders*
Needless to say, I've been sleeping with moldy pillows. Green and grey moldy pillows. They are currently in the wash with a good amount of bleach. Last time this happened (yes, this has happened before; one would think I'd have learned by now.), I just threw them away and bought new ones. Still might do that.
But I want to know why the HELL my pillows are molding!! Why is my bedroom so damp?? How do I stop it? (I live in an apartment, so tearing down and resealing the walls is not an option) I've put the space heater in there, but will that help dry things out, or just cause the mold to grow faster? Ugh!
I wonder if they make a cheap dehumidifier?

Sheep

nikkiling2 — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 18:00:17 GMT

540 words in one hour. That's not good.
This story is bombarding me with too many conflicting emotions. Grief, anger, fear, guilt, shame, more anger, doubt... different events are colliding and trying to keep track of them all is driving ME crazy. And until Rie becomes a drug addict, it's just gonna keep getting worse. Then I'll get a brief reprieve until withdrawl hits. Then I'm really screwed.
If I can get it all right, it's gonna be awesome. I think I need a list. I need to keep track of the events and the emotional progression of each. Then when I blend things I will know what fits where.
Or maybe that's just another way of me procrastinating.
Which brings up a good point: At what point is it considered working and at what point merely procrastinating?
THIS is definately procrastinating. hehehe
And I need to make Rie more manly. I've already posted chapter 7, but in the next draft I need to give him more interest in the female slaves in the gardens. He's kinda geeky-manly. Maybe I should watch more Big Bang Theory for ideas. :D

Watched The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus yesterday. Terry Gilliam is a GOD.
Just saying.

Sheep, sheep, sheep, sheep, sheep, sheep, sheep!

nikkiling2 — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 01:05:17 GMT

It's extremely frustrating when you have one of those Ah-ha! moments while at work. I've been trying to solidify a basic plotline for next month's story (I'm gonna try to write without an outline, but I still need a basic idea of what's gonna happen), and I had this sudden punch of inspiration. I love those. Almost knocks you off your feet. So I needed to write it down, and quick! Unfortunately, although it had been fairly quiet for some time prior, patients decided to all show up right as I started writing. Ack! And I can't just tell the patients to wait. I don't think my boss would care for that. But I think I got most of it down.

Maybe I'll call this one Thoughts on Dirt. hehehe

Writing thoughts

nikkiling2 — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 02:12:33 GMT

I was driving to work this morning and Coldplay's song Viva la Vida came on. The lyrics of that song have captured me since I first heard it. I always feel like I could do something with it, but could never solidify anything. However, this morning I finally had that AH-HA! moment.

I need to solidify a magic system and quick. Mages... gods... divine power? Wells of power? Leylines? Innate gifts?

Polital intrigue... I hate the stuff, mostly because have a hard time wrapping my head around it and can't seem to keep track of what's happening. But maybe I can work my way around it. He will be an innocent, after all, trapped by those vying for power. Not stupid. Just overwhelmed. Confused. Hmmm...

I guess I might not be doing a Voices rewrite for NaNo after all. And since this fits in the current world I am writing, and pertains to what I'm doing, this could work better.

So now the question is: Plotter or Pantser?