Monthly Archives: December 2012

Friday Funnies – Big John Doesn’t Pay

Intimidation Demotivational Poster - Originally from Despair.com

One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage, started his bus, and drove off along the route. No problems for the first few stops – a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well. At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a guy got on. Six feet eight, built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground. He glared at the driver and said, “Big John doesn’t pay!” and sat down at the back.

Oh, did I mention that the driver was five feet three, thin, and basically meek? Well, he was. Naturally, he didn’t argue with Big John, but he wasn’t happy about it. The next day the same thing happened – Big John got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down. And the next day, and the one after that, and so forth. This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of him.

Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff. By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; what’s more, he felt really good about himself. So on the next Monday, when Big John once again got on the bus and said, “Big John doesn’t pay!,” the driver stood up, glared back at the passenger, and screamed, “And why the fuck not?!?”

With a surprised look on his face, Big John grins, pats the bus driver on the back, and says, “‘Cause Big John’s got a fuckin’ bus pass!”

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A Few Good Deals on eBooks

I noticed a few good deals popped up today. You can get the following ebooks for $1.99:

  • Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson (aka The Bloggess) – Kindle / Nook
  • The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood – Kindle
  • Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber – Kindle
  • The Host by Stephenie Meyer – Kindle / Nook

I loved Jenny’s memoir, The Handmaid’s Tale is a classic, and Leanna’s work is always enchanting. I can’t say I’m a Meyer fan, but I know a lot of people loved her Twilight series. The plot of The Host sounded a lot like a riff on the Animorphs series to me, but I haven’t read it, so I don’t know how it compares or if it’s any good.There are probably a few other good deals today–anybody spot a recommended read on sale, or get a great book for Christmas? Post in the comments!

(Remember, double-check the price before buying. These books were a $1.99 at the time I posted this, and prices are subject to change, etc, etc.)

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A Little Holiday Fun

I had a great time celebrating my birthday this weekend! On Saturday night, my friends and I all went out to dinner. We went to a craft store afterwards and when I came home, I made this from some materials someone got me:

Yesterday, I slept in, cleaned the house, finished a good book, and watched a bunch of movies. For me, it was the perfect weekend.

I’m sure all of that is very fascinating for you, hehe. To make up for it, here are a few recent guest posts I’ve participated in that you’ll probably find slightly more entertaining:

Hope you enjoy the posts! Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Posted in Contests & Giveaways, Rants & Raves | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Friday Funnies – Whole Roasted Reindeer With Christmas Elf Stuffing

This recipe has been around for many years in many fashions but in recent years for some reason has fallen out of favor. Here we shall return to a true classic dish of alternative fine dining. The list of ingredients is as follows:

  • 1 reindeer, appx. 125-175 lbs., skinned, dressed (though not in a tux; ha, ha) and head mounted if you so desire.
  • 6-9 Christmas elves cleaned and finely diced, appx. 8 lbs. usable weight.
  • 8 lbs. celery, finely chopped.
  • 8 lbs. onions, finely chopped.
  • 8 lbs. carrots, finely diced.
  • 1 gallon vodka to numb the elves before you peel them and dice them.
  • 32 lbs. dry bread crumbs.
  • 3 gallons chicken stock.
  • Salt, pepper, to taste.
  • Fresh garlic, 1-6 lbs. as you desire.
  • 3-4 gallons of olive oil for basting the roasting reindeer.

A. Saute the onions, carrots, and celery in a large pan, using some olive oil, until tender.

B. Brown the diced elves in the same pan until lightly browned.

C. Mix the vegetables, elves, bread crumbs, and the chicken stock, season to taste with pepper, salt and garlic to taste.

D. Stuff the dressing in the reindeer, then sew the deer shut. As for roasting the whole reindeer; it is usually difficult to find to an oven large enough to do the job. So you will have to be creative. My personal favorite is to prop the reindeer up on a neighbor kids wagon. Then roll the whole shebang into the local grouches garage and set fire to the garage. If you can keep the local fire department at bay for 3-4 hours the reindeer will be perfectly done.

This recipe will serve 175-225 hearty alternatively inclined diners.

P.S. Never hunt elves in the same area each year. They have long memories for such little beasties and they won’t fall for the vodka trick twice in two years.

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I Went On A Hike This Weekend

My roommate’s father, Jim, passed away a little over a week ago. A memorial service was held on Saturday.

During the service, David said one thing about his dad that really stuck with me. His dad was the kind of guy to tell you to get outside of your comfort zone. To live your life, and live it boldly. Experience what the world has to offer.

Have an adventure.

After the service, I was with Eve and her sister, and we all needed to get away for a while. There is a park near my neighborhood that I only recently learned about, even though I’ve lived in this area on and off for the last 10 years. After the memorial, we went hiking on some back trails and I took a few pictures I thought some of you might like to see.

That’s the first time in a long while I had the opportunity to get outdoors and just enjoy my time away from the pressures of deadlines and commitments and all the other worries waiting for me at home.

If there was one thing that I was reminded of on Saturday, it’s that while it is perfectly natural to grieve for a loss, while you are still here, there is a life worth living. There’s a great, big world outside your front door, waiting to be explored. There is always something more to learn, something more to see or do.

Grieve for those lost, yes, but don’t forget to live your own life.

Jim was right. Life is beautiful. Life is worth living.

Have an adventure.

Posted in Rants & Raves | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Newtown In My Thoughts

I’m finding it exceedingly difficult to write anything thoughtful or entertaining after the tragedy in Newtown. I’ll try to resume blogging soon, but I need to step away for a few days.

I hope you guys understand.

Please keep the victims and their families in your thoughts. Consider sending a letter of condolences.

I’ll leave you with this:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

-Prayer of Saint Francis

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Friday Funnies – Christmas Fruitcake Recipe


  • 1 c water
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 c sugar
  • 1 c brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 c dried fruit
  • 2 c chopped nuts
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 full bottle of your favorite whiskey

Sample the whiskey to check for quality. Take a large bowl. Check the whiskey again to be sure that it is of the highest quality. Pour one level cup and drink. Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat 1 cup of softened butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add 1 tsp. sugar and beat again. Make sure the whiskey is still okay. Cry another tup. Turn off the mixer. Break two legs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers, pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the whiskey to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift 2 cups of salt. Or something. Who cares? Check the whiskey. Now sift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Spoon. Of sugar or something. Whatever you can find. Grease the oven. Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees. Don’t forget to beat off the turner. Throw the bowl out the window. Wheck the chiskey again. Go to bed. Who likes fruitcake anyway?

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Falling In Love With New Characters Who Won’t Be Back

I’m working on the copy edits for Forsaken by the Others now. One thing that’s been driven home to me in doing my reread is how very much I love some of the secondary characters who will most likely never be seen in this series again.

When you breathe life into characters and make them into more than just a caricature on paper, when you know their hopes and dreams and fears and see just how fun it is to spend time with them, it’s hard to let them go.

It’s one of the downsides to being a writer, I think. No matter how much I might want to revisit them, some characters need to be let go. Their story isn’t grand enough or their end too painful to share. If you’ve read enough of my work, you know that—just as in real life—there isn’t always a happy-ever-after for everyone. To make the journey meaningful, there must be a measure of pain and loss and suffering.

Of course, I try to keep things light and funny as much as I can, to counter the truth of that statement and make these escapist slices of urban fantasy palatable.

Life does go on. No matter how great or how terrible things get, they have a tendency to change, for better or worse. When you’re an author, you are responsible for the world and characters you write, and you decide just how much they will suffer for the sake of the story. It’s my job as the storyteller to make those moments—both the joyous and the painful—mean something to the reader, too.

Coming back around to the topic at hand, I don’t think I’ve ever spent so much time fleshing out secondary characters before. There is a whole world of information behind them in this book, pages and pages of unseen story, and it all served only as a reference for Shia’s experiences. Maybe some of them will get a short story or novella one day, but for now… it might hurt, but once these copy edits are done, it’s time to put them to bed.

Who are your favorite secondary characters? Doesn’t have to be from one of my books, just in general—characters you wish had their chance to have their story told.

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Friday Funnies – Casual Friday

Memo 1: Effective immediately, the company is adopting Fridays as Casual Day so that employees may express their diversity.

Memo 2: Spandex and leather micro-miniskirts are not appropriate attire for Casual Day. Neither are string ties, rodeo belt buckles or moccasins.

Memo 3: Casual Day refers to dress only, not attitude. When planning Friday’s wardrobe, remember image is a key to our success.

Memo 4: A seminar on how to dress for Casual Day will be held at 4 p.m. Friday in the cafeteria. Fashion show to follow. Attendance is mandatory.

Memo 5: As an outgrowth of Friday’s seminar, the Committee On Committees has appointed a 14-member Casual Day Task Force to prepare guidelines for proper dress.

Memo 6: The Casual Day Task Force has completed a 30-page manual. A copy of “Relaxing Dress Without Relaxing Company Standards” has been mailed to each employee. Please review the chapter “You Are What You Wear” and consult the “Home Casual” versus “Business Casual” checklist before leaving for work each Friday. If you have doubts about the appropriateness of an item of clothing, contact your CDTF representative before 7 a.m. on Friday.

Memo 7: Because of lack of participation, Casual Day has been discontinued, effective immediately.

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