I'm trying to get ahead. I fear as usual that my good intentions will be all that I'm left with at the end of November. And yet, I'm looking to November and thinking of the National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. 50,000 words in 30 days. Can't start till November 1. Must get to 50k by November 30. Every year I want to do it, and I never get very far.
So, step 1. Between now and Halloween, I need to brainstorm topics and form some outlines. I need to get back into the idea of writing as well. I used to write. I don't much anymore. But, that's the point of doing NaNoWriMo.
Wait - - - I need to break this down. How many pages is 50,000 words? According to the website, 175 pages. Ok. Divide that by 30 days. That's less than 6 pages a day. I can do that.
Time to do some research. I feel like I need to understand the framework: how to structure chapters and characters and themes, etc. when writing a novel?
It's just 1 month. I can do this.
10.11.2010
9.28.2010
CapriSun & Bubbles
Summertime. It's over now, but here are some pictures from just a month ago, during our glorious vacation to the coast of Maine. I need to shoot for fall. But for now, here's summer . . . .
Purple Sky and Boulder
Facing back up toward the cottages from the low tide mudflat at sunrise, late August 2010 at Bayside, Northport, Maine. You can see the moon behind the trees!
Raft at Sunrise, Bayside
I think the shadows in the foreground and middleground need some dodging, but I love these purple skies.
9.27.2010
8.28.2010
the August that was
. . . . I just realized it's been a month since I posted anything. Part of the reason is that my personal news updates that used to appear here on Icon have been shunted to Facebook. So what I haven't posted here is that my father had a heart attack back in June. He went in for quadruple bypass surgery at the beginning of August and spent 2 weeks in the hospital. He got out last Friday, and the Archers left Saturday for a week in Northport, Maine on the shores of Penobscot Bay.
As always, Maine restored me. And it gave me lots of opportunities to see old friends and take lots of photos. We got home this morning in a record FOUR hours, thanks to running into absolutely zero southbound delays. Northbound I-95 was backed up from the Maine border, through the ENTIRE length of NH, and into Massachusetts. Those poor souls must have waited 2 hours at least. Anyway, I'll be processing and posting photos soon.
The best news of all as August winds down is that Dad is doing well, improving more each day.
As always, Maine restored me. And it gave me lots of opportunities to see old friends and take lots of photos. We got home this morning in a record FOUR hours, thanks to running into absolutely zero southbound delays. Northbound I-95 was backed up from the Maine border, through the ENTIRE length of NH, and into Massachusetts. Those poor souls must have waited 2 hours at least. Anyway, I'll be processing and posting photos soon.
The best news of all as August winds down is that Dad is doing well, improving more each day.
7.26.2010
On the Swift!
Annika and me, taken by Amity, on Sunday, July 25, 2010 on the Swift River in Mexico, Maine.
7.24.2010
7.22.2010
The Yard, the Garden, and me
Amity and I have a tradition of photographing our computer screens during our Skype video chats.In the background is my garden, which as literally quadrupled in size in the past 2 weeks since this photo. You can also see the potted herbs and stone wall, the patio and walkway. Still working on grass, and the fence will be done before long.
Chicken Soup
Another Skype portrait, from when we all had the stomach flu. Amity snapped this while I was feeding Kiki some Cup-a-Soup.
Reading Together
If it weren't for Amity, and these lovely little grainy Skype portraits, I'd have few pictures of Annika and me. I love this.
Hi Auntie!
Annika associates the sound of Skype logging in on my computer with "Auntie!" -- also known as my longtime virtual roommate Amity. Well this weekend we are visiting with "Auntie!" in person, which has been quite a treat.
Kiki was also delighted by a Caillou game online. So this was a double treat for her.
Amity shot these photos of Annika a few days ago over Skype.
7.19.2010
Something Alive
It's come to my attention that I've only been posting photos of dead animals lately, and this might be creepy. :) So I thought I'd revive a photo from back in March, of a bee, very much alive and kicking up a great cloud of pollen while going to town on a crocus.
Not all of the wildlife in this "Urban Wildlife" series is dead, but a lot of it is. It's making me realize that I am still surrounded by animals and nature, even in the city. And unlike this bee, most of the wildlife around here doesn't make out so well for its proximity to humans and other animals.
7.18.2010
Annika at 20 months
Annika playing in her pool and water table. It's also a good view of the new patio and wall, from the point of view of the laundry room (the doorway behind Annika goes to the sunroom)
Aqua Kiki!
Daddy busted out the "mist" setting on the hose so Annika could run around and get wet. Here she's filling her watering can so she can water the impatiens.
The Trapped
The other night I went to lock the back garage door, and found 2 large flying bugs (June bugs, maybe?) trapped inside the security grating on the door. We took Annika out to play this morning, and Aaron found both bugs dead.
The larger of the 2 had tried to crawl out through one of the holes, but got stuck and died there.
The Escaped
The smaller of the 2 managed to squeeze out of the grating, but not without crushing his own thorax. We found him on the threshold.
6.29.2010
Dead Mouse
Another image today for the "Urban Wildlife" series. It's a present from a neighborhood cat, left in the path of the sprinkler near the new path by the wall. Mike found it yesterday, but it was fresher and didn't look like anything then. Today, it looked like this . . . .
6.24.2010
Free to a Good Home
One of the cats peed in the living room today. It soaked one of the curtains, and got under the ottoman, and I lost Annika's comb in the process. Even if I cleaned it, I couldn't put the comb to my daughter's head knowing it had been sitting in a pool of cat piss.
An hour earlier, I stepped in cat puke. Barefoot.
So, free to a good home: Rococo, Ichiban, and Mojo.
And honestly, at this point, the home doesn't need to be all that good.
An hour earlier, I stepped in cat puke. Barefoot.
So, free to a good home: Rococo, Ichiban, and Mojo.
And honestly, at this point, the home doesn't need to be all that good.
6.16.2010
Go USA!
Annika wore her support for the US Men's Soccer Team the other day. The shirt's all washed and ready to go for Friday's match against Slovenia. USA! USA! USA!
Poor girl. She asks to play with her soccer ball quite often, so I'm hopeful she's actually enjoying the three matches a day she's been watching this week while she's been sick and Daddy's been home on vacation.
Kiki with Swiffer and Hat
On Monday afternoon Annika was running around wearing her winter hat and brandishing a Swiffer. She found the Swiffer all on her own, full length, and marched around with it for a long time. In fact, she cried and protested bitterly when it was time to put the both the hat and the Swiffer away.
We took out one of the pieces so the Swiffer wasn't so long, which you see here. Ultimately we took out a second piece, and it's the perfect proportion for her to push around now. Sadly, it doesn't seem to be as much fun at half length.
I think she was more into marching around with it upright than she was actually cleaning anything. But the sudden and passionate attachment to the Swiffer was comical.
6.15.2010
Yard Update
The backyard is undergoing some major changes this week. Pictures will be forthcoming. I got a little time in the garden today, but there was entirely too much going on with the sick kid for any photography. Plus the yard was a bit hectic, between the contractors pulling down the trees with ropes and chains (after having hacked off the limbs with a machete (yes, a machete) and breaking stones with small hammers. Every single stone has been custom cut to fit the gorgeous sculpture of a wall they've built.
But for now, suffice it to say that in 2 days, we have stone walls and the beginnings of stairs to the 3 doors. Three more trees have been cut down, and 2 trimmed back. Most of the fence is gone. There are tracks laid down where pavers will be laid for walkways and a patio. The grass has been bulldozed. Sadly, I had to mend a broken branch on one of my rose bushes. The sandbox was dented. A tree was gouged. The peas have been decimated, and the corn looks trampled. But we'll soldier on.
After all, the sunlight coming into the back of the house is stunning. And the yard seems bigger somehow, even with a stone wall and a bulldozer and a huge mound of dirt. All of the changes are a little shocking. But that's what this month seems to be about.
But for now, suffice it to say that in 2 days, we have stone walls and the beginnings of stairs to the 3 doors. Three more trees have been cut down, and 2 trimmed back. Most of the fence is gone. There are tracks laid down where pavers will be laid for walkways and a patio. The grass has been bulldozed. Sadly, I had to mend a broken branch on one of my rose bushes. The sandbox was dented. A tree was gouged. The peas have been decimated, and the corn looks trampled. But we'll soldier on.
After all, the sunlight coming into the back of the house is stunning. And the yard seems bigger somehow, even with a stone wall and a bulldozer and a huge mound of dirt. All of the changes are a little shocking. But that's what this month seems to be about.
A Beautiful Goal
Maicon scored the prettiest little goal I've ever seen today, in the 54th minute of Brazil's match against North Korea. Brazil went on to win 2-1.
The slightest bit of english on the ball makes it fly off his outside foot before taking that cheeky little arc past PRK's keeper. And only Brazil could score from that angle.
Not to take anything away from the North Koreans. For them to score off a top seed like Brazil, and with a solid good goal, is a major point of pride, and Ji Yun-Nam is to be commended.
World Cup love is abundant in the Archer house. One of the highlights of my day was finding out that our pediatrician, between seeing patients, has the matches on TV in her office so she can keep an eye on things. I can appreciate that level of support.
The slightest bit of english on the ball makes it fly off his outside foot before taking that cheeky little arc past PRK's keeper. And only Brazil could score from that angle.
Not to take anything away from the North Koreans. For them to score off a top seed like Brazil, and with a solid good goal, is a major point of pride, and Ji Yun-Nam is to be commended.
World Cup love is abundant in the Archer house. One of the highlights of my day was finding out that our pediatrician, between seeing patients, has the matches on TV in her office so she can keep an eye on things. I can appreciate that level of support.
Loss
It's been a tough week. Another one. Between Dad's heart attack and me getting sick last week, we've now gone from insult to injury, so to speak. Annika came down with what I had and has had a dreadful 24 hours. Fortunately she's sleeping now and seems to have the 102.8 degree fever on the run. I hope. I'm also keeping my fingers crossed that the little food she ate this evening actually stays down.
And into this, my mother called to say we lost my great aunt, Lucy D'Errico, today after a long illness.
Then Amity texted me while I was on the phone with my mother. One of her former students died in a car wreck this morning.
So all at once, we're in the same place, but very different places, dealing with a complex of messy emotions. Amity blogged it out in a touching post, On Grief, and as usual she inspired me to work it out for myself.
I tried to leave the following letter in the comments to her post. But I realized it's a blog post in its own right, (and I couldn't get the damned word verification to work on the Mac when I posted the comment) so I've repeated it here. Be sure to check out Amity's post as well. :)
I'm working on this myself right now, so I'm thinking of you, and of your community.
My dad's heart attack last week was entirely sudden, and caused a great deal of shock. I certainly felt something close to grief, waiting to find out if he was going to make it, willing him to survive with every ounce of energy I could project his way. But is it actually grief if you don't lose someone?
There's also my great aunt's passing today (at 88, at the end of a long debilitating illness) that was anything but sudden. In fact, it's a marvel she fought as long as she did, as frail as she was. But I know my grandmother is grieving tonight, deeply, as she's lost another sister, her fourth, another 80-year friendship -- even while she consoles herself that Lucy isn't suffering any longer.
And then there is the senseless, that's usually sudden, shocking, saddening, as was was what happened today in your town. The only lessons here are the hardest ones, and there aren't any comforts -- not even the cold ones.
The shock of my father's illness yielded new attitudes about our health, as a family. And we are all intensely grateful and relieved to have been spared the onslaught of the grief we would have felt had we lost Dad. And so we are comforted.
But in Dixfield tonight there is little comfort. You can't make sense of this, which is what makes it the worst kind of grief: it is sudden, it is pervasive, and it is entirely, terrifyingly random. It strikes at will, and it has little mercy. I hope its presence is not long felt, and that something comes from your tragedy, if only to provide some relief.
Love you. Thanks for letting me ramble. ;)
And into this, my mother called to say we lost my great aunt, Lucy D'Errico, today after a long illness.
Then Amity texted me while I was on the phone with my mother. One of her former students died in a car wreck this morning.
So all at once, we're in the same place, but very different places, dealing with a complex of messy emotions. Amity blogged it out in a touching post, On Grief, and as usual she inspired me to work it out for myself.
I tried to leave the following letter in the comments to her post. But I realized it's a blog post in its own right, (and I couldn't get the damned word verification to work on the Mac when I posted the comment) so I've repeated it here. Be sure to check out Amity's post as well. :)
I'm working on this myself right now, so I'm thinking of you, and of your community.
My dad's heart attack last week was entirely sudden, and caused a great deal of shock. I certainly felt something close to grief, waiting to find out if he was going to make it, willing him to survive with every ounce of energy I could project his way. But is it actually grief if you don't lose someone?
There's also my great aunt's passing today (at 88, at the end of a long debilitating illness) that was anything but sudden. In fact, it's a marvel she fought as long as she did, as frail as she was. But I know my grandmother is grieving tonight, deeply, as she's lost another sister, her fourth, another 80-year friendship -- even while she consoles herself that Lucy isn't suffering any longer.
And then there is the senseless, that's usually sudden, shocking, saddening, as was was what happened today in your town. The only lessons here are the hardest ones, and there aren't any comforts -- not even the cold ones.
The shock of my father's illness yielded new attitudes about our health, as a family. And we are all intensely grateful and relieved to have been spared the onslaught of the grief we would have felt had we lost Dad. And so we are comforted.
But in Dixfield tonight there is little comfort. You can't make sense of this, which is what makes it the worst kind of grief: it is sudden, it is pervasive, and it is entirely, terrifyingly random. It strikes at will, and it has little mercy. I hope its presence is not long felt, and that something comes from your tragedy, if only to provide some relief.
Love you. Thanks for letting me ramble. ;)
6.14.2010
Happy Flag Day!
Spectral Flag at Riverside Cemetery, shot April 2010. I recently switched it to B&W for submission to a show, along with the Tulip and the Fairy Shadow, below.
Snakes on Shrubbery
The snakes in my yard have a tendency to crawl on top of the shrubbery when we get too much rain, or when there's digging going on like today.
Displaced Snakes
With all the digging in the backyard, the snakes ran for cover. I found a pair of them basking together on top of a shrub in Mr. T's yard next door. Then later one snake was perched on top one of the dwarf Alberta Spruces next to my front door.
I startled one of the two at Mr. T's pretty early on, so the best shots I got were of the one that stuck around.
Blown Tulip
The original is hot pink, and I shot it at close range with a flash, so the tulip is already pretty high-key. But once I converted it to black and white and started working with the texture of the raindrops and the veins in the petals, it took on a very different aspect.
I am falling in love with black and white all over again. The water temperature regulator is on its way from B&H, so I'm hopeful I'll be working in the darkroom this week.
Capturing the Fairy Shadow
Here's a reboot of this image, black and white. For the color version, scroll back through some of my recent older posts.
2nd Wedding Anniversary, etc.
So my 2nd wedding anniversary was Monday, June 7. One week ago. Aaron had a meeting in LA, so he left that morning. It couldn't be helped, it sucked, but we sucked it up.
Then at 10:30 am, my father had a heart attack. His quick action, and some very good work on the part of various EMS and medical professionals, saved my dad's life. But we came very close to losing him last Monday, and that's taken a toll on everyone. Happily, Dad is doing really well. His color is better than I've seen it in a long time, and his mood is good. The upside of having a heart attack at 57 is that he's plenty young enough to recover well and live a long and healthy life.
To complicate matters, I got sick last Monday night. Like, struck down with flu. I'm mostly recovered now, but was pretty much useless in the midst of the family crisis. Fortunately my brother was an absolute rock, and he kept everyone steady last week.
Last week also happened to be my 32nd birthday. I got the best possible birthday present: Dad was released from the hospital. I had to banish the thought that I could have been burying him that day. As bad as the week was, we were infinitely blessed with the best possible outcome. Aaron, Annika, and I went out for dinner that night, Thursday, and he sent a bouquet of daisies which are still lovely.
So this week, we're recovering. And we're planning some do-overs. Aaron is home on vacation. It's a staycation, really. And to kick it off, he surprised me Saturday morning with a small round wedding cake. Other than the ceremonial bite of cake, I never got to eat mine at the actual wedding. The waiters cleared the plates before I got back to the table, and I have since lamented I never got to enjoy the cake. It was a perfect gift. And the cake is delicious, real buttercream on white cake, with a light mocha buttercream filling.
We're also excited about the approaching end to all the work on the house. The siding is up, and the patio is going in today. There is a small army of heavy equipment buzzing around the yard: a dump truck full of stone just made the most impressive noise as it poured out onto the street in front of the house. Like an Autobot crashing through massive panes of glass. I shot some photos of the work going on (film and digital), as well as some shots of 2 snakes coiled up together on top of some shrubbery. I'll post soon.
I'm hopeful the patio will be ready, and my father well enough, to celebrate Father's Day on Sunday here with the whole family as we'd planned.
So things are returning to normal.
Then at 10:30 am, my father had a heart attack. His quick action, and some very good work on the part of various EMS and medical professionals, saved my dad's life. But we came very close to losing him last Monday, and that's taken a toll on everyone. Happily, Dad is doing really well. His color is better than I've seen it in a long time, and his mood is good. The upside of having a heart attack at 57 is that he's plenty young enough to recover well and live a long and healthy life.
To complicate matters, I got sick last Monday night. Like, struck down with flu. I'm mostly recovered now, but was pretty much useless in the midst of the family crisis. Fortunately my brother was an absolute rock, and he kept everyone steady last week.
Last week also happened to be my 32nd birthday. I got the best possible birthday present: Dad was released from the hospital. I had to banish the thought that I could have been burying him that day. As bad as the week was, we were infinitely blessed with the best possible outcome. Aaron, Annika, and I went out for dinner that night, Thursday, and he sent a bouquet of daisies which are still lovely.
So this week, we're recovering. And we're planning some do-overs. Aaron is home on vacation. It's a staycation, really. And to kick it off, he surprised me Saturday morning with a small round wedding cake. Other than the ceremonial bite of cake, I never got to eat mine at the actual wedding. The waiters cleared the plates before I got back to the table, and I have since lamented I never got to enjoy the cake. It was a perfect gift. And the cake is delicious, real buttercream on white cake, with a light mocha buttercream filling.
We're also excited about the approaching end to all the work on the house. The siding is up, and the patio is going in today. There is a small army of heavy equipment buzzing around the yard: a dump truck full of stone just made the most impressive noise as it poured out onto the street in front of the house. Like an Autobot crashing through massive panes of glass. I shot some photos of the work going on (film and digital), as well as some shots of 2 snakes coiled up together on top of some shrubbery. I'll post soon.
I'm hopeful the patio will be ready, and my father well enough, to celebrate Father's Day on Sunday here with the whole family as we'd planned.
So things are returning to normal.
The Universe is Expanding
I went through a phase years ago when I was sort of fixated on this concept, like around 2003 maybe. And I saw on TV last night that the Universe has indeed expanded. Now we have a concept of the Multiverse, of which our Universe is but one bubble in a cosmic roll of bubble wrap.
I guess once the world got smaller (thank you technology), the Universe suddenly got relegated too.
Is the next step now to figure out who/what/how the Multiverse is made?
I guess once the world got smaller (thank you technology), the Universe suddenly got relegated too.
Is the next step now to figure out who/what/how the Multiverse is made?
6.03.2010
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