30 Day blog challenge: Day 12 - whatever tickles your fancy

blogging this at work today, in my dinner hour.  this is because i'm so fecking tired.  tonight's plan includes good food (chippy tea...NOM!!!), shower, jammies, snuggles with hubby and kitteh, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Christopher Brookmyre's One Fine Day In The Middle Of The Night, and. nothing. else.  noooooo interwebz for Squeaky, oh no siree! 

i noticed amongst all of the "your favourite this" and "your favourite that" that there was nowhere for "your favourite poem" in the 30 Day blog challenge.  so here, for your delectation and delight, is my offering for day 12 (and the sharp-eyed amongst you may notice a developing theme - it's not my fault, i should have been born with feathers... )

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,

I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or even eagle flew -

And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod

The high untresspassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

---

Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee

No 412 squadron, RCAF

Killed 11 December 1941

Rest in peace

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N.B. the author of these beautiful words was, i believe, Canadian. 
which ought to please my sister-in-bloggery, over at .Square Mug. ;o)
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this blog challenge has been fun so far, but i have discovered the downside.

we live in a teenytiny house with very little space for desks, tables, etc.  and certainly not enough space for the pooter to have a seat of it's very own.  so i fold it away somewhere convenient whenever it's not being used.  this means it's a flatout pain in the arse to get it out, find a comfy (or not-so-comfy if we're talking about our kitchen chairs >_<) seat, untangle the cables, plug everything in, wait for three hours whilst it goes through its customary warming-up-and-crashing cycle once or twice, and actually get the interwebz to work.  therefore, i rarely go on it if i haven't already got something i need to do (blogging, shopping, &c. &c.).  however, when i have done the needed thing, i usually find myself happily nattering away to people on Twitter and elsewhere, having half-a-dozen conversations at once, and then realizing that if i don't get to bed soon, i will turn into a pumpkin.  and then spend the next day being a rather grumpy zombie and throwing virtual food at @thextraman.

Squeaky needs her sleep.  so tonight she needs an early night.  and by golly, she ain't gonna get one unless she stays away from that damn machine!  i will likely, however, be tweeting from my phone, which is an altogether different prospect, since phonetweeting is a right royal pain in the arse (on mine, at least), therefore i don't natter nearly as much. 

so pleasepleaseplease, dear reader, if you see me tweeting after about 10 PM, tell me off and send me to beddybyes?

kthxbai! XXX

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insomnia, storms, little brother and powerless.

as usual for a weekend, i went to bed quite late last night.  well, it was about 1:30 this morning, actually.  but i couldn't sleep. 

for three reasons.

the first was that it was hot and muggy.  about this, i won't complain.  it's inconvenient, sure, but this country can be so effing cold and miserable at times, that i refuse to complain when it's hot, as a matter of principle.  i love the hot weather, even if it makes me dopey and listless, it's still better than being cold!  also, it's the sort of weather that produces one of my favourite things in the whole world.  we spent a good half hour last night, dangling our legs out of our bedoom window watching a storm at about seven miles distance.  *sigh*  it was the first of the year, and utter bliss.  it was perfectly still, and the clouds were lighting up in the distance with that unearthly beauty you only get on summer nights.

the second was that i had a new story idea knocking on my brain.  this, of course, pleased me.  i haven't been writing a lot, lately, as i have other things on my mind, and it's kind of hard to settle to it,  but i'm thrilled that i'm still thinking as a writer, even wen i'm not writing.  to me, it's another tiny step towards that place i want to be - someone who needs to write.  (heh - in writing that, i realised that what i'm doing is attempting to cultivate an addiction.  naughty Squeaky! *grin*)  i spent a lot of time thinking about this story, and how it might go - disconnected elements i might throw in, and i hope it will be the backbone of this year's NaNoWriMo effort, but we'll have to see.  i know little about it, just how it starts and, as i said, one or two random bits that may or may not be in the middle.  it sort of stems from the description duel i was involved in at the beginning of the year.  i had an idea there might be more to it at the time, but for some reason, it started to put some roots into the story silt last night.  but i'm not going to chase it.  with me, that doesn't seem to be the way forward.  nor planning a story arc or indeed (as i think i've mentioned before) outlining a plot.  somehow, it loses the excitement of the writing.  it makes me wonder if that's because i started writing with NaNoWriMo - that heady, exciting, headlong rush down the pathways of the story seems to have set itself as the pattern for me.  i'm not a thoughtful, introspective type of person.  and, if i'm honest, those sort of books don't generally float my boat.  what can i say?  i'm instinctive, impulsive and exciteable, and very much enjoy that kind of book, too.

which sort of brings me to the third reason that i couldn't sleep.  i'd been reading a book that filled my brain with fireworks, both good and bad.  i read half of it yesterday, and half of it today.  and i urge you, as an internet user, to do the same.  the book is called "Little Brother" by a man named Cory Doctorow.  it's about  how the surveillance culture that we live in can go horribly, horribly wrong.  it's about security, and privacy, and (most attractively for me, as i always, *always* wanted to be like this) about a bunch of geeky teenagers who take on the might of The Man.  And Kick. His. Ass.  it's *really* exciting, and explains some of the arcana of the internet in a way i could just about grasp.  and it was fascinating.

truly - geeks are the future.

sadly, i think i'm possibly too old to become any kind of computer/communications geek now, and my mathematical understanding is most assuredly not up to the job.  but i have such a huge admiration for geeks of *every* stripe - not just the electronic ones.  if there's any sort of justice around, never mind the meek inheriting the earth - i think the geeks should.

speaking of books wot i haz read, i would like to bring your attention to another one whilst (or, rather, *if*) i still have your ear.  this one is the first in a YA fantasy series.  Powerless Book 1: The Synthesis is written by Jason Letts, also known as @foreverjuly .  you may have seen him wandering around on Twitter at odd hours of the day or night (he teaches English in Japan), being alternately philosophical and subversve.  he's a lovely guy, and i urge you to get online and buy the book.  i spent a short while dropping one or two reviews on amazon.com, smashwords, LibraryThing and GoodReads this afternoon.  i did it gladly and with pleasure, since i enjoyed the book, and we all like to help each other out, don't we?  best thing about the internet, i think, actually - there truly is a kind, helpful, sharing culture out there, and i'm lucky enough to know/communicate with some of the loveliest promoters of that phiosophy, who promote it simply by being themselves.  it gives me the warm fuzzies on a reguar basis.  anyway, here's what i had to say about it:

"I enjoyed this book very much. The main character is warm and giving, the supporting characters are human and three-dimensional, and the story and the world it is set in are well-thought-out, detailed, engaging, exciting and interesting. It's an excellent and thoughtful debut, and I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the series."

seriously - go buy it, and read it - it rocks!  ;o)

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there was another storm this morning, at about seven o'clock.  right over our heads.  the thunder woke me up with a jump - the only time i don't mind being woken by sudden a loud noise.  it was absolutely lovely.  the rain had cooled the air as it hammered down, the lightning was fresh and clean, and the crashing and rumbling of the thunder was just so deliciously comfortng.  it swells my heart with bliss to remember it, and it lulled me back to sleep with a smile on my face.

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blogging in the sunshine, and Minotaur

Good afternoon, dear reader!


This is coming to you live from my knackered garden, and the sun is shining, so I can barely see what I am typing. But who cares? I haz warms, and have bared my neck and arms and legs for the first time in what feels like forever. And I just saw a butterfly flutter by... *sigh*

Well, actually, the “live” thing is a bit of a fib, since the wifi signal doesn’t work this far away. ‘coz, y’know – I live in Chatsworth House, innit? XD No, really – I’m typing this into Word then I’m gonna cut and paste.

Ooo! Hang on a mo....*runs to fetch camera*

...

So now I’ve taken some pics and, when I post this, you’ll be able to see the estate in all its dubious glory. I’ll post ‘em at the bottom.

...

Where was I? Oh, right – I’ll get on to the main subject in a moment, but first, I want to share a tiny bliss moment I had yesterday, whilst on the bus to work.

Yes, the bus.

Nonono – there’s nothing wrong with Newbie, she’s looooovely! *sigh* But I have to concentrate when I ride her, coz she’s a sprightly little bugger, and she won’t catch me if I cock up. And yesterday, I was more likely than usual to cock up, since I’d had 3 hours’ sleep, due to .... dun dun duuuuuhhhh!!! The Return Of The Cramps!!! Heh – it’s no biggie, but the buggers always*do* seem to wake me.

Anyway...

So I was on the bus, and I saw something I’ve been waiting to see for what seems like forever. I always wait for it, and it always seems faaar too long in coming. But I saw it. Yesterday. And it filled my heart with bliss and made my eyes fill with tears of gratitude.

I saw the first white dusting of Mayblossom on the hawthorn trees.

It may not seem like a big deal but, to me, it’s the signal that, in the words of The Dooberies, summer’s on it’s way. We have a saying in this part of the world:

Ne’er shed a clout*
‘Till May be out

(*clothing)

Meaning: don’t discard yer woollies ‘till you see the blossom on the Maytree (hawthorn). Even then, it’s not an absolute guide, since the sun’s just gone in, and I’ve had to slip me cardi back on – the breeze is still pretty cold. But I care not. I care not. Because the warms are nearly here, and I miss being able to expose my skin to the bliss of the sun’s rays.

...

In other news, which was, in fact, supposed to be the point of this post (but now seems to pale into insignificance beside the pale beauty of the Mayblossom), my very first effort at writing a novel is now up on the internetz for all and sundry to read. And, having read through it for the final edit, I’m actually rather proud of it.

Oh, who am I kidding? I love it, and am enormously proud of it. It’s called Minotaur, and it’s posted on the Authonomy website.

So, y’know – go have a look. Please. Leave comments if you wish. Honestly, I hope you like it, but I won’t mind if you don’t. I wrote it purely for myself, after all, and one man’s meat is another man’s poison. But I *am* very interested to know what you think...

It will soon be available in print, too – for a given value of soon, as I’m still waiting for the artwork from hubby. But that’s ok – we know how fickle the muse can be don’t we, dear reader?

...

The sun seems to have gone in properly, now, and the clouds are gathering. I wouldn’t be surprised if it rains in a bit. But no matter. I shall go inside, and I shall post pictures, and you can see what a mess our darling chickens have made of our once lush and inviting lawn. The little buggers are eating what’s left of it as I type...

...

view from the back door.  that's hubby's poor dead bike under the cover.  Newbie is just out of shot to the right.

here we have the first view of the garden proper.  to the left is the veg patch - not growing anything this year, but every now and again, we turn the earth over so the chickens can scratch about for delicious treats.

the view to the end of the garden.  as you can see, we no longer have a lawn.  the girls have trampled and scratched and eaten it out of existence.  that's their home, on the right.  built by my clever hubby.

further up the garden is the pond.  sometimes, we get newts.  they are such gorgeous little creatures....

back down the garden, we get another view of the coop, and the girls.  the stone mushroom marks the grave of our first and most beloved rat, Jeremy.

here's where i was writing the post from earlier.  jolly comfy it was, too...  the pillar behind it was also built by hubby, to use as a base for his telescope.

the girls.  that's Alan at the back (named after a character in the delightfully bizarre and much missed series Green Wing).  Ruby (Ruby Murray - chicken curry.  geddit?...) is at the front, looking at me suspiciously, as usual.

and here's me enjoying the rays.  Sunshine Squeaky.

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smells and sleep and stories

yup - smells.
see, i was going to blog about sleep, and how i don't seem to be getting enough at the moment. 
but smells come first at the mo.  this evening, i smell of violets and lemons and patchouli.  that's because i went to Lush today, to stock up on one or two much-needed items (and, as usual in Lush, one or two that just said "you need me" - whatever they happened to be...) however, the reason i chose to go *today* in particular, is that i had a really shitty afternoon.  things just kept on comin', and getting worse and more bloody irritating as they did. by a quarter to four, i'd REALLY had enough. so (and gods bless the joy that is flexi-time!) i called it a day.  in a foul mood, i thought i'd head for lush as i had the time for once, and was getting really low on some things.
oh! i am sooo glad i did.  the smell in that shop is just...*sigh*...heavenly.  and i've noticed before, i immediately feel better when i walk through the door. i.m.m.e.d.i.a.t.e.l.y.  and after my bath tonight (with my delicious Space Girl bathbomb and lovely new violet-smelluing Daddy-O shampoo and Sexy Peel soap - guaranteed to make you feel good, just on its own), i feel - MUCH better.  almost drunk, in fact.  coz, y'know - there's certain times when us girls (through no fault of our own) feel really, really crap (the girls know what i mean, right?).  but i've found that smells can help.  and at other times, too. 
aromatherapy? maybe. 
but i think it's a very personal thing.  for instance, the most wonderful woman in the world's favourite smell?  poplar trees in bloom?  it HATES me.  i mean, it REALLY hates me.  makes my nose feel all crinkly and weird inside.  but, then, we're all different, after all.  with similar chemicals and cells and stuff washing around inside us, but such vastly different mixes, you might as well compare graphite to diamond.  both carbon, but the similarity ends there.  same with taste and sight and, well everything.  nature is such a wonderful thing. :)  oh, yeah, and i was listening to the new album by The Imagined Village, too.  also sold in Lush (0.o).  to go with the bathbomb - "inspired" by one of the songs. yeah, yeah, yeah.  even the organically tree-hugging Lush and TIV aren't above marketing. *grin* and why the hell should they be?  everyone's gotta make a living somehow, after all.  good album, though.  and the song's great! sort of an updated version of "My Mother Said I Never Should..."  lovin' Eliza Carthy.  just lovin' her.  if i could be anny singer/musician/whatever, she's the one.

and now, to sleep.  briefly (if i can ever be brief about anything!)  my body clock seems to have reset itself to wake up at 5 am.  by the gods, it's annoying!  by the time i'm just about ready to drop off again, the alarm's due in about 20 minutes!  GAAAH!!!  hate this.  not getting enough sleep.  at. all. 

this morning, though, i woke up with the germ of a story.  dunno if it was a whisp of a dream or what, but it was kind of an image of a set of twins.  one magical, the other not.  but, the non-magical one is more magical than the magical one, in a way, because everything comes as a quality of her, rather than the magic.  or something.  that one needs to settle in the silt for a while...grow some roots.  along with the vampire, and the incubus and the succubus.  this could take years, but i'm happy to have them there, just kind of...barely simmering...i guess.  it makes me happy in a tiny but important way.