Monday, November 09, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Which is worse - the illness or the cure?
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Unicorns are Extinct
Monday, October 26, 2009
Life has consequences
On Friday I arrived home to a surprise delivery. Our good friends in Abilene had sent us a gift - a game called Dominion that we had thoroughly enjoyed playing with them last weekend. This gift, of course, had to be USED! So I called our friend Craig, who is often up for some last-minute-fun, and invited him over for an impromptu game-time. We picked up some tasty Bun from a local Vietnamese restaurant and proceeded to thoroughly enjoy ourselves. Scott was glad for the break, I was glad for the fun times with friends - it was an excellent way to begin the weekend.
Unlike most Fridays, though, we didn't stay up too late - because we had to get up way too early for a Saturday to get Scott to his conference on time. I then proceeded to search for about 30 minutes until I found the Habitat for Humanity ReStore (I forgot the exact location, and left my cell phone @ home). Eventually finding the place (I now know where it is and shall not lose it again!), I proceeded to purchase a door, a faucet & some rope. Little did I know that each and every one of my purchases had a flaw!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Things I Love - in 5 minutes or less
-my husband
-Trillian Astra's wikipedia links
-cold, cold water
-the good feeling you get when you exercise at lunch instead of spending money on a soda
-nonetheless, the aforementioned ice-cold soda
-This American Life
-cleverly avoiding listening to the public radio station's week-long plea for money by listening to NPR podcasts on my USB stick
-planning to give money to the public radio station anyways
-hammocks
-hammocks + books
-hammocks + books + lemonade
-hammocks + books + Raspberry lemonade + nearby ocean or lake for ambient noise
-Portal
-the Portal song
-the fact that we have an emulation of the Portal computer giving us directions
-my family
-my family
-my family
-my awesome friends
-kittehs
-MY kittehs
-Squirrel!
-saying "It's funny because the squirrel gets dead"
-decorating my house
-my HOUSE!
and many, many more things. For these and much more I am thankful. Thanks God! You're awesome!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Gearing up...
All this to say - November is coming. And with November is NaNoWriMo (that's National Novel Writing Month for those of you who don't know). And so, in preparation for my uphill attempt towards 50,000 words & a completed story, I'm going to endeavor to post in my blog much more often. Perhaps not every day, but my goal shall remain 7 posts a week.
This post, explaining what I'm up to, is not even the "flat land" right now I'm standing by the bike, contemplating my tires, checking the gears, etc. It's been a looong time since I was last on this particular machine and I want to make sure all is in running order.
Wish me luck!
-Hannah
Friday, August 21, 2009
Fear Not!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
This world is not my home, so while I'm passing through...
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
The Merrie Monthe of May
May 1st (Friday) - purchased house
May 2nd (Saturday) - moved into house
May 6th (Wednesday) - house got carpet
May 8th (Friday) - in Dallas to see new Star Trek movie with Trekkie friends (AWESOME!)
May 9th (Saturday) - sewed Tina's ren faire costume all day
May 13th (Wednesday) - new water heater in house
May 15th (Friday) - in College Station for Matt's graduation
May 23rd (Saturday) - My BIRTHDAY - spent at Ren Faire, also, mery got engaged
May 25th (Monday) - Memorial day party with friends!
May 28th (Thursday) thru May 31st (Sunday) - in Dallas for A-Kon
June 1st (Monday) - Mom & Lynna come to visit & help with house - guest room & study are now painted
June 5th (Friday) - not going out of town, so we have a game night!
Wow, looking back at that, no WONDER we're exhausted. Happy, but drop dead tired! And in 2 days, I shall add June 11 (Thursday) - Welcomed 2 Bengal kitties into our new home.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Hedgehog (an actual, unedited IM conversation between myself and my sister)
me: no.
GASP
you can't mean
HEDGEHOG!
MaryLynn: yes, I'm afraid it's true
me: wow
I mean
I always knew
but I never expected
MaryLynn: You know what this means, right? We will have to... take steps.
me: what will you do now?
yes
steps must be taken
certain...drastic measures
MaryLynn: Can you make the preperations for me?
me: I'm afraid not
this is something you must do
MaryLynn: I'm just... not sure if I can... It's just too much for me
me: for yourself
MaryLynn: Help me, Hanni, you are my only hope!
I mean, honestly... the prophecies have foretold... and now, hedgehog...
me: deep down inside, though, you know this something you must do
and I know you have the strength
MaryLynn: Alright. Can you bring me... THE CHEESE BALL OF DOOM please?
me: are...are you sure you're prepared?
do you need a little time to think about this?
I mean, you have options, surely?
MaryLynn: do you think maybe THE CHEESE BALL OF DOOM is overkill?
me: it might indeed, be overkill
perhaps merely the crackers of imminent peril ?
MaryLynn: perchance.
But only in conjunction with the /wine of complaining/
me: here, I bring them to you on a platinum plated silver platter cast in the shape of a steep hill
MaryLynn: No!
you must not!
me: oh my! you are right
MaryLynn: yay verily, the imminent peril is overly enhanced by the platinum!
me: perhaps the gold & emerald encrusted basket with lavender ribbons?
MaryLynn: nay, the lavender ribbons simply will not do.
me: but the lavender ribbons add a softening touch
and they go so nicely with your robe of cerimoniousness
MaryLynn: aaah, true, true.
'tis important to match the robe.
me: perhaps the risk of the lavender ribbons would be lessened if I tucked a watermelon flavored gummi bear in the bow?
MaryLynn: hmmm, that might do. Only so long as the bow is tied in a sailors knot, and you hold your breath while tying it.
me: that I can do
that, but no more!
MaryLynn: or else who knows what might happen!
me: for, as I said, you must face this task on your own
MaryLynn: ah yes. with no assistance at all
me: none
MaryLynn: *sigh *
me: no matter how convincingly the Scottish sheep argue
MaryLynn: ack, they are mighty persuasive
me: beware their fiendish baahs
MaryLynn: and bleats
me: and remember.
Hedgehog
MaryLynn: *shudder *
I shall be strong, my dearest.
I shall endure.
And now, I must be off, for this cannot wait.
The basket?
me: here it is, I hand it to you with my left hand turned sideways
in the Persian manner
MaryLynn: standing on your left foot alone?
me: my left foot and my left foot only
MaryLynn: ah, good.
I accept the basket with my eyebrows raised and my nose crinkled, holding it precisely betwixt the second and fifth fingers of the right hand.
me: as is only proper
MaryLynn: and now repeat the ceremonial words after me "Yon is the day of the hedgehog, beware all ye eaters of crackers, for your time cometh. The day is near and the gummi bear is at the door. Prepare yourselves!"
me: "Yon is the day of the hedgehog, beware all ye eaters of crackers, for your time cometh. The day is near and the gummi bear is at the door. Prepare yourselves!"
MaryLynn: And so it is, and so it shall be. Farewell, dear sister! Until I return, victoriously or in a small box!
me: a tear slides down my cheek
I wipe it off, with my paisley kerchif
Farewell!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Looking forward
"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." Proverbs 31:25
I've tried to make a practice of reading the Proverbs 31 woman verses once a month. This month, this verse in particular seems to be especially pertinent. As Scott and I have been deciding what our plans will be for the future as regards housing, I realized just how important it is to be able to "laugh at the days to come." Not just for spiritual or practical reasons - although those are many - but for my own happiness. If I can look at the future with joy instead of fear, then my days are full of hope, not drudgery. In fact, if I look at those days which I've been most depressed, I think most of them can be seen to stem almost directly from a lack of certainty in my future. So, as we're going forward, I'm making this a priority - no matter what we do, I want to be able to laugh at the days to come.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
I promise that eventually I'll stop posting links and start writing posts again. Really
I knew it! I knew it! Now go, check out the full article!
http://playingboardgames.com/playing-board-games-helps-prevent-degenerative-diseases/
Friday, December 12, 2008
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Music Through the Years
Age 5
Song: The Wheels on the Bus
Artist: Raffi
Genre: Anything with repeatable lyrics, Hymns
Age 10
Song: "Every Heartbeat" - Amy Grant
Artist: Twila Paris
Genre: Christian Pop
Age 15
Song: "Socially Acceptable" - DC Talk
Artist: MercyMe
Genre: Christian Rock & Praise Band
Age 20
Song: "Ballad of San Francisco" - Caedmon's Call
Artist: SuperChic[k]
Genre: Folk, Christian Punk, Broadway Musicals
Age 25
Song: "The Call" - Regina Spektor
Artist: The Killdares
Genre: Punk Ska, Broadway Musicals, Celtic Rock
PS - right now? I'm listening to "Stand in the Rain" by SuperChic[k]
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Boom-di-yada
I found this by clicking around on Trick's vid:
Which is also awesome.
PS - I love Egyptian kings!
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Searching for Inspiration
Okay, today is November 5th. I am officially behind in my writing. I didn't write yesterday. Not because I was engrossed with watching a US map being slowly colored in by the votes of the populace, but because I couldn't stand the idea of sitting in front of a computer screen. Honestly, I barely got with the sitting. Mostly I slouched (something you cannot do in an office chair & office clothes). Mostly I played Final Fantasy X. Mostly I did. not. write. Grrrr. But it's okay. Because ya'll are gonna bug me if I don't write for at least an hour tonight, right? RIGHT?
In other news, I did occasionally switch from channel 3 awesomeness to Any Other Channel (except the CW) and check on the election. Yes, they apparently decided that this historic election was more important than the adventures of Ziva, Tony, Abby, Ducky, Tim & Gibbs. This, of course, disrupted my Tuesday enormously. I get my warm fuzzies from watching slaps up the back of the head and a happy goth forensic scientist with a caffeine addiction. And yes, the lack of NCIS did indeed mess up my night. I am a creature of habit. Fortunately, despite frustrating programming decisions on the part of CBS, I managed to get to sleep relatively quickly and slept fairly well.
Okay, so the big news of the day is that we have a new President-elect, right? And, living in a liberal city in a conservative state, I feel like the only reason this hasn't been the only thing on people's tongues is that I'm at work. And you're not supposed to talk about politics at work. Right? Despite that, I could tell you without hesitancy the political leanings of everyone in the office. Although they probably couldn't tell you mine. Because mine, like me, are not simple. But my feelings right now, about the results of the last TWO YEARS of campaigning, are pretty easy to put forth:
The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
A living poet that I actually relate to
The evening was the same as any other.
I came out and stood on the step.
The suburb was closed in the weather
of an early spring and the shallow tips
of washed-out yellows of narcissi
resisted dusk. And crocuses and snowdrops.
I stood there and felt the melancholy
of growing older in such a season,
when all I could be certain of was simply
in this time of fragrance and refrain,
whatever else might flower before the fruit,
and be renewed, I would not. Not again.
A car splashed by in the twilight.
Peat smoke stayed in the windless
air overhead and I might have missed:
a presence. Suddenly. In the very place
where I would stand in other dusks, and look
to pick out my child from the distance,
was a shepherdess, her smile cracked,
her arm injured from the mantelpieces
and pastorals where she posed with her crook.
Then I turned and saw in the spaces
of the night sky constellations appear,
one by one, over roof-tops and houses,
and Cassiopeia trapped: stabbed where
her thigh met her groin and her hand
her glittering wrist, with the pin-point of a star.
And by the road where rain made standing
pools of water underneath cherry trees,
and blossoms swam on their images,
was a mermaid with invented tresses,
her breasts printed with the salt of it and all
the desolation of the North Sea in her face.
I went nearer. They were disappearing.
Dusk had turned to night but in the air -
did I imagine it? - a voice was saying:
This is what language did to us. Here
is the wound, the silence, the wretchedness
of tides and hillsides and stars where
we languish in a grammar of sighs,
in the high-minded search for euphony,
in the midnight rhetoric of poesie.
We cannot sweat here. Our skin is icy.
We cannot breed here. Our wombs are empty.
Help us to escape youth and beauty.
Write us out of the poem. Make us human
in cadences of change and mortal pain
and words we can grow old and die in.
Eavan Bolan
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
A new discovery
P.S. - Expect a post about NaNoWriMo soon.