Where'd Everybody Go?

E & G from my writing group came up for the day today. We wrote for 2 1/2 hours, hiked, had lunch, talked…and played ball with my budgie, Rocky.

He ran back and forth across the table, tapping on the ball, chattering in his musical little voice. He’d throw a ball off the edge of the table, then run over to look at where it fell. He gets a kick out of people picking up stuff for him, and G & E were both good playmates.

They left about an hour ago. Rocky’s still sitting quietly on the table. Awww.

What are they listening to?

Photo taken Friday, November 18th.

I found out a couple of months ago that I could deposit my checks in the ATM beneath the Disney Channel building. Disney’s credit union and mine have an agreement. I usually go in through the artrium, but I couldn’t find parking in the 10-minute zone outside of it, so I went round the corner.

If you walk straight in from the side of the building I was on, you are questioned by security because you have access to the whole office building. It looked like I could go around the back, so I decided to try that. A few feet in, I came upon these big dishes. There are about 6 of varying sizes back there.

It felt kind of creepy. These are listening devices, not broadcasting devices, I think. They remind me of the Very Large Array that’s listening for signs of intelligent life in outer space. Probably all very above board, but…

Anyway, I was nervous as I whipped my camera out of my bag and stood there and framed this shot. Wondered if security would come around the corner and sandbag me.

But no. I just went on in, did my banking, and left quietly. Whew.

Friday Writing and Thoughts on TC Boyle

Wrote for about an hour. Decided to expand on a character that I’d just told about before. I hope this is the right thing to do.

Also went in and edited the outline. It helped to add stuff that I’ve written, and to see it in that bare bones state. A reminder of what the story is that I’m trying to tell.

Have been listening to T.C. Boyle short stories (Afer the Plague) in the car for the past week. He’s an amazing storyteller. He’s really good at making you see how a character can come to a conclusion and set out upon a course of action that you may think is absolutely wrong, misguided or crazy, but you believe that the character believes it. That moment of committment to a course of action is really critical and fascinating.

See more progress on: work on my novel rewrite every day until it's done

How brazen am I?

I used to be fairly shy about takingmy camera out. Yesterday I had to go to the doctor.

Felt like I was going to faint a couple of times and—long story short—my blood pressure was low. Great! This means the exercise and weight loss finally paid off. I’m going off my high blood pressure prescription.

But the important part… I’m lying there feeling miserable, waiting, waiting. Then, hey, I haven’t taken a photo today. Grabbed my camera out of my purse and viola! Actually took about 4 shots around the exam room. It was a little excruciating because my camera, in spite of fresh batteries, seems to be grinding to a halt. It took what felt like forever to recharge for the next photo.

If my doc had come in, what would I have said? Well, there’s this site called 43things, and my blog and— Really, I’ve never wanted to become intimate with the workings of the pysch ward.

Meanwhile, I am very much relieved that this episode was not stress related. I've been working hard on a rewrite of my novel and I'd be truly saddened if I found that I am not physically or emotionally strong enough to work all day and write for a few hours at night.

I keep changing the dates on these posts so that they reflect the day that I took the photo rather than the day I posted. I'm going to stop doing that. It'll look like I skipped a day, but no.

Also, I need to figure out how to better manipulate pictures here. Maybe there's a better template for photos?

Urban moon

See? Teasing me, I tell you. Photo really doesn’t capture how pretty this was. The sky was actually a purpley blue and the moon was bigger. Honestly! Maybe the red neon threw my faltering little camera’s color sensors off?

I've been working furiously on a rewrite of my first novel. I think I'm getting a little worn out. My eyes are burning from spending so much time at work and home staring at the computer screen . I am not getting as much sleep as I need. Keep thinking of the song lyric, "Who'll stop the rain?" but with the words, "Who'll stop my brain?"

Anyway, even Burbank is pretty in the early morning.

Don't tell my mom

Took this photo over the dashboard while driving home on the freeway. I know it’s wrong. But the moon has been just TEASing me the last few days, popping up in the most beguiling places!

It’s there, just above the ridgeline a little left of center. Obviously, I couldn’t focus!

The light was so incredible. The sun setting behind me sent a golden glow across everything.

New shoes

I also tried on really hot black leather shoes with heels that look like boots under pants. Maybe should have gotten those too, as I’m trying to dress better. But these were so cute and COMFY, I opted for these. Sort of like Earth Shoes. And a good deal, too!

See more progress on: Take one picture a day as a way to document my life

Lilacs & Tangerines

The remnants of my bath. I was feeling a little burnt out. Decided to take a bath. I gathered up three magazines and the new Trader Joe’s catalog, but when I lit the candles, I realized I should just STOP with the constant multi-tasking and focus on…not focusing.

I’m not a regular bath-fan, but this felt fabulous. It’s good to just take some time out. I used the tub in our guest bathroom, which I very seldom use, so it felt a little more like a getaway.

Oh yeah… Lilac bath bubbles followed up with Tangerine sugar scrub. Sugar is a nicer base for a scrub than salt. With salt, I always find the little nicks on my arms from gardening…ouch.