Echoes in a Hollow Space

Also, knowing your true audience is as important as writing well. 14 Mar

Mr. Porsche and Gloria Ann of Girlieland have left the building. That is, the manuscript. 15 Mar

The heroes of Fukushima: http://tinyurl.com/48rleke 15 Mar

Dear Library of Congress: my blueberry muffin was extremely fluffy and delicious. 16 Mar

On this day in 1806 Mme. Tivollier let Stendahl put his hand on her thigh. 17 Mar

Thyroid scans will set off airport radiation detectors, which isn’t a dose strong enough to hurt anyone. The detectors are super sensitive. 18 Mar

Just in case you heard any news from Chicago that had you panicking. 18 Mar

God knows any world disaster is All About America. /irony 18 Mar

I found myself with an unexpected two hrs where nothing was expected of me. I took myself to lunch and read Sherman Alexie. 18 Mar

I felt guilty the entire time. 18 Mar

Sherman Alexie was real good though. 18 Mar

Finally at a doctor’s appt for myself. 18 Mar

Yeah. Got me some antihistamines and I’m good to go. 18 Mar

Why do I bother reading comments on Yahoo news? The ignorance and mean-spiritedness is staggering. 19 Mar

Then again, sometimes I can be determinedly stupid in public myself. 19 Mar

My latest Etsy favorite: http://tinyurl.com/6kbmrk2 19 Mar

Great. I share the name of an infamous YouTube troll. Could it get any better? 19 Mar

Oh good, I only share a fake name of an infamous YouTube troll. That’s so much better. [not trolling, just ironic] 19 Mar

Hope the Supermoon doesn’t bring real March Madness. 19 Mar

Corn dogs and cheese potato chips and coffee for breakfast. I can feel my arteries crystallizing. 20 Mar

Rain pouring down, big pot of chili in the making, nowhere I have to be. Heaven. 20 Mar

Still pouring rain. Chili is ready to be consumed, but it’s only 3:30. I guess we’ll just have to eat chili twice. 20 Mar

I like Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of Wonderful World as much as Satchmo’s (and I totally had to cut and paste Israel’s name). 20 Mar

I still like Israel’s Over the Rainbow better, though. 20 Mar

Min is mad at me. I am being shunned. 20 Mar

The L.A. river is about 23 feet over normal levels. Torrential rain all day & many LA Marathoner runners got hypothermia. No kidding. 20 Mar

I spoke too soon. It started raining again. 21 Mar

Not really into DWTS but Mom loves it and it’s one of our few “together” shows so…I’ll be here for 12 weeks, folks. 22 Mar

Mirrored from Better Than Dead.

Being in an even more zombie-like state than usual this Monday due to a jam-packed weekend (with many hyphens), here’s all the tweet news that’s fit to print (although some of it walks the borderline).  Not that it’s any more interesting than usual, just jam-packed with hyphens. I did have a sensationally good meal Saturday night, though: filet mignon in bleu cheese sauce, carrots sautéed in butter, creamy mashed potatoes, broccoli sautéed in even more butter, a bottle of yummy Côtes du Rhone, and for dessert vanilla ice cream with almonds and Grand Marnier.

Got to work at seven this morning, a full hour and a half before my usual shift. I think the zombie coma is finally wearing off a little. 1 Mar

I have discovered that, after all, I am not “a bigger person than that.” At least, not in this case. 1 Mar

Ready whenever you are, C.B. 1 Mar

One thing I hate about tweeting from Edwin Droid is that I’m always accidentally favoriting tweets. I just favorited myself. 1 Mar

I have no unfavored everyone. The world can go on. 1 Mar

Turns out the threefold law works: I’ve been hoist on my own petard by not rising above. And boy is my petard sore. 1 Mar

I should eat. Then I should sleep. Long dammed day. 1 Mar

Home with stomach ick today. Time for a nap. Min approves. 3 Mar

Is there any objective standard for defining crap? From here it all looks subjective, albeit sometimes with more degrees behind the names. 3 Mar

AbsoluteWrite MacAllister Stone Retweeted by pj_thompson If you want to get rid of spam from your twitter stream, try running a report at http://thetwitcleaner.com 3 Mar

Mostly when people say “I’m sad for me but glad for you” they mean “I’m sad for me.” Myself included.  4 Mar

Really?!?!? One Tea Party leader calls for stripping away the right to vote unless you’re a property owner. http://bit.ly/hpzgnn 4 Mar

Reading River Marked by Briggs. Her characters are watching The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra. At least 1 of U will find that interesting. 4 Mar

Bed shopping for Mom this AM. But this eve taking friend to birthday dinner at our favorite Bistro. 5 Mar

Seven garage boxes left. The rest (8) will have to be hauled off the shelves and purged in the house but at least the floor is clean. 6 Mar

chandlerisms Raymond Chandler Retweeted by pj_thompson A check girl in peach-bloom Chinese pajamas came over to take my hat and disapprove of my clothes. She had eyes like strange sins. 6 Mar

I have conquered the 7 boxes but the ones on the shelves bred overnight. Now there are 17. May not all be mine but suspect they are. 6 Mar

I wrecked my knee bad in the process and feel thoroughly trashed overall but I think (hope) that’s the worst of it. 6 Mar

Min meowing angrily for chaperoned walk in back yard but that’s not going to happen with bad knee. She’s bitterly disappointed in me. 6 Mar

I should take my aching bones to bed. 6 Mar

I am so frakking tired and sore this morning from all the fricking cleaning. Fug. 7 Mar

And worse: they’ve changed their maker of scones in the cafeteria to something Really Cruddy. 7 Mar

You know, it IS all about me.  7 Mar

Mirrored from Better Than Dead.

StephenAtHome Stephen Colbert Retweeted by pj_thompson Say no to drugs. Although if you’re talking to drugs you may already be on drugs.  21 Feb

We just adopted Word 2007 here at the office. I hate if with a frothing hate. I think it was designed by a baboon with severe palsy. 22 Feb

My latest Etsy discovery: http://tinyurl.com/6j85ocq Wonderfully whimsical assemblages, cards, prints. 23 Feb

For those playing along at home, Gus Toland is back in the novel. I figured out his relevance to a significant subplot. 23 Feb

Richie and Divonne remain on the cutting room floor. 23 Feb

God save me from spastic personalities and Perfect Little Persons. 24 Feb

I am no longer living for art, but am trying to live artfully. 24 Feb

4:30 am came. I woke. I did not sleep again. TGIF.  25 Feb

Heartbreaking: http://tinyurl.com/5uvn6en Blessings to everyone in Christchurch. 25 Feb

MJMcKean Michael McKean Retweeted by pj_thompson Essentially, Rep. Broun responded to “Who’ll shoot the president” with “I feel your frustration”. http://huff.to/dQCXfc 25 Feb

medwardsmusic Michael Edwards Retweeted by pj_thompson “Quotes on the Internet are hard to verify for their authenticity.” – Abraham Lincoln 25 Feb

4:30 AM was a long time ago. I think I’ve gone into hallucinogenic sleep deprivation. Either that, or my office is haunted.   25 Feb

Mirrored from Better Than Dead.

A lot of medical stuff going on this week.  Mostly not scary, just time consuming.  Real post soon, I hope.  In the meantime, here’s the news…

A “pay me now or pay me later” weekend dealing with boxes I was in too much of a rush to sort and throw stuff away when moving 5 yrs ago. 14 Feb

Had no choice but to do it now since we need the space for med supplies. Cramming books/trash into every nook and cranny in the house. 14 Feb

Venice library, et al., are also going to be making out like extreme making out things. 14 Feb

This has been a long damned afternoon.  15 Feb

The prank that would not die–now a movie! http://tinyurl.com/4ku94nu 15 Feb

justinemusk Retweeted by pj_thompson What not to say about Lara Logan http://shar.es/3c42N <– this is the year 2011. Let’s try not to BLAME THE FREAKING VICTIM. 15 Feb

The world never ends when you expect it to. Just in case, though, I set up the DVR for my shows… 16 Feb

debkalin Retweeted by pj_thompson via @splinister @jimchines astute analysis of LA Weekly’s coverage of Lara Logan’s attack: http://bit.ly/ij1P0g 16 Feb

In all my 1st draft novels 1 or 2 body elements that get way the hell overused. Last 1 it was all kinds of weird stomach things going on. 16 Feb

In the current rewrite it’s weird wiggily spines and blushing. What is up with all the spastic spines and hot faces? 16 Feb

The naming of Pyreka has gone the way of all flesh. Oh my darling, I loved you so, but it’s time we parted ways. 16 Feb

I guess if you expect to have a heart attack, you don’t. Kind of like watched pots never boiling. 16 Feb

Blah blah blah blah blah. 16 Feb

mrbrown Retweeted by pj_thompson Facebook’s new settings lets ZOMBIES eat you while you sleep! Go to Accounts—Home—Invasion Settings—Cannibalism—Brains, uncheck “Tasty” box. 16 Feb

Worked on a short today. Broken, I know exactly where/why, but no idea how to fix. Beginning and end are good, middle goes wayward. 17 Feb

It’s some of my best writing. I’d love to do right by it. 17 Feb

Mirrored from Better Than Dead.

These are arranged chronologically now.

Bouncing around from idea to idea bcs I’ve been so distracted. Maybe I should stop trying to write new for awhile and stick to revisions. 6 Feb

Good day, sunshine, currently 53 degrees here in Westchester. 6 Feb

Do not let me near your microwave. Burned 1 up last month and burned the mini quiches just now. 6 Feb

lilithsaintcrow Lilith Saintcrow RETWEETED by pj_thompson The best curse is, “May you live in interesting times.” The second best? “May you get exactly what you want…” 7 Feb

I’ve held off on revisions for the last WIP bcs there’s a central plot point that has to be changed and I haven’t had a clue how to fix it. 7 Feb

This morning I got an inkling on how to fix it, but I still have no idea how to get there from here. 7 Feb

Maybe I’ll just start driving and hope the road holds out, or magic flowers start growing by its side that whisper the right direction. 7 Feb

Spent the afternoon revising one thing and another. Being in that cold-eyed revision mode, I think I made good progress. 7 Feb

Eat now? The ginormous cranberry muffin I wolfed at 9:30 won’t hold me til 5, but def not hungry now. Just have to get hungry, I guess. 8 Feb

Ick. I just took a Promark poll and I feel so slimy. Prolly skewed their demographic way Leftie though. 8 Feb

JoshMalina Joshua Malina RETWEETED by pj_thompson “Gnomeo and Juliet” looks pretty cute, but Disney’s “Lawn Jockey Othello” strikes me as racist. 9 Feb

I feel zero envy for people who’ve lived privileged, sheltered lives. In fact, I feel kind of sorry for them: they miss the nuances. 9 Feb

I do, however, resent the hell out of them telling other people how they should live their lives. 9 Feb

Word nerd! @pj_thompson scored 522 in The Times #WordNerd test. Discover your score at: http://thetim.es/word-nerd 9 Feb

You, Madam, are a douchebag. I’m so glad I don’t work for you, but I hate having to listen to you deal with the people who do. 10 Feb

Mirrored from Better Than Dead.

Tonight’s viewing: The Social Network or DVR’d movies/shows? Hmmm… 5 Feb

Bioshock much more intense shooter game than I thot it would be. Fascinating and–did I say intense?–but just bloodier than anticipated. 5 Feb

@[NameRedacted] No worries. At this point, I don’t trust Life enough to totally unclench.  5 Feb

So this is what relaxed and unclenched feels like. I find that I like it. 5 Feb

@[NameRedacted] George brings many nuances, non-Biblical info about Lilith and “dark” goddesses in general. Very eye opening. 5 Feb

@[NameRedacted] Mysteries of the Dark Moon Goddesses by Demetra George a great resource for Lilith. 5 Feb

SteveMartinToGo Steve Martin Retweeted by pj_thompson Got some great pictures of paparazzi today. Man, they UGLY! Went through their garbage too. Found my own garbage in their garbage. 4 Feb

Mom is back in her room having juice. 4 Feb

Have moved on from coffee to hot chocolate. Really not bad for machine stuff. 4 Feb

I always bring so much stuff to distract me while waiting but am too distracted to use it. 4 Feb

Mom is in recovery though still out of it. Everything went well. We got in early and done early. 4 Feb

In sympathy with my iced in friends I scraped a thin coating of ice off my windshield this morning. 4 Feb

The coffee at least is good. 4 Feb

I have spent way too much time in waiting rooms and hospital cafeterias this year. [12 month period vs. calendar year.]  4 Feb

“You want the Haggis? You can’t handle the Haggis.” #FamousMovieQuotesMadeBetterWithHaggis 3 Feb

JillCorcoran Jill Corcoran Retweeted by pj_thompson For all of you querying agents…. RESEARCHING AGENTS: http://bit.ly/6WFMMT 2 Feb

MJMcKean Michael McKean Retweeted by pj_thompson Hey, fans: shooting begins next month on Indiana Jones and the Early Bird Special. 2 Feb

Mirrored from Better Than Dead.

Either I’m writing too much blog or not enough.  Where’s the balance?

Since I haven’t anything important going on today I decided I might as well post chapter 2 of The Numberless Stars on OWW.  27 Jan

Doctors: you can’t live with them and you can’t live without them. 27 Jan

Think I nailed down chapter 2, or at least good enough that I can progress to chapter 3 with a clean conscience and wait for revisions. 26 Jan

And so to lunch and the third try to nail the opening of chapter 2 of The Numberless Stars. 26 Jan

RETWEET: StephenAtHome Stephen Colbert by pj_thompson: I don’t want Sharia Law messing with our constitution! That’s the job of Scalia Law. 25 Jan

A word of warning: do not type “scars” into Google Images if you have eaten recently. 25 Jan

The Social Wetwork: An Assassin’s Dating Service #comingsoon 25 Jan

Life is a perpetual field of banana peels. You just never know when you’re going to step wrong. 24 Jan

Mirrored from Better Than Dead.

Apologies for having so many tweet posts this week.  It’s been a busy/distracted time and I seem to only have to brain for short infoburps.

And….scene.  21 Jan

My quest for chocolate chocolate chip muffin foiled again this AM. Had to settle for a cranberry scone. As a second, it was right up there. 21 Jan

Done that RT @literaticat:When should authors on submission keep their traps shut? Well, almost always, actually. http://tinyurl.com/4cxthyh 21 Jan

I think the clock is standing still. I am really convinced of it. 20 Jan

We’re even. 20 Jan

Earlier last eve she scared the bejabbers out of me by making me think she’d gotten out of the house, hiding, & not answering when I called. 20 Jan

I think Min was trying to tell me something last night: she kept slapping the Droid as I was reading email. 20 Jan

Ha! My friend, Artur, tells me I got spammed in Russian for “high quality porn”! Someone will be getting acquainted with the banning club. 20 Jan

if I can’t picture the place I’m writing it seriously messes up my pantsing. And research shows the image template I had isn’t correct. 20 Jan

I’ve really jacked myself up with the research. Part of me just wants to write and worry about making right later, but… 20 Jan

That last statement has many parallels to “I can see your house from here” or “My sister used date the roommate of FamousGuy’s cousin.” 20 Jan

Huh. I just learned I went to high school with someone who lived on the same street as the famous “The Entity” haunting house. 20 Jan

Anyone speak Russian? I just got Cyrillicized in a comment over on LJ. 20 Jan

What is Microsoft’s problem? Instead of improving their product they reinvent Word each and every version. Idiots. 19 Jan

Mirrored from Better Than Dead.

Yes, positive signs. Story revised & ready for sending, Chapter1 finished and posted to OWW, Chapter2 1/3 done. Feels so damned good. 14 Jan

The tortilla chips however are chewy not crispy. One cannot expect miracles from cafeteria food. 14 Jan

Sat outside on patio last night with a beer & noticed the peach tree loaded with buds. 2 early blossoms had already produced tiny peachlets. 14 Jan

Chocolate chocolate chip muffins: I live for you. 14 Jan

The good, the bad, and the ugly, except without good. 13 Jan

After misreading headlines all morning, I think I’ll leave work now to take my elderly mother to a doctor’s appointment. 13 Jan

Positive signs of life: I’ve started writing again this wk for the 1st time since November. I hope Life settles down enough to continue. 12 Jan

Happy 101st birthday to Luise Rainer. 12 Jan

Mirrored from Better Than Dead.

I’m a prisoner of news cycle & the Arizona tragedy. Blame the inflammatory rhetoric of recent yrs. And schizo white supremicists of course. 8 Jan

I threw my back out carrying a microwave to the trunk of my car to return it and get a new one. Hope my microwave karma improves soon. 8 Jan

I’m reading the Sveti Petko section of The Historian now. Must listen to the Bulgarian Women’s Choir very soon. 7 Jan

Dear Johnny Weir, darling, I was never in any doubt. 6 Jan

Jan Brewer’s Death Panel has killed another poor person. 6 Jan

Eat, Pray, Love is a REALLY twerpy book. There, I’ve said it. 6 Jan

I am not perfect, alas. But that’s okay. Note to self: remind yourself of this frequently. 4 Jan

Justice Antonin Scalia: “The Constitution doesn’t protect against discrimination based on gender or sex.” http://tinyurl.com/2cj44lh 4 Jan

RIP to Honey West—Anne Francis. 3 Jan

RIP Pete Postlethwaite. 3 Jan

I got nothing. 2 Jan

Happy New Year, everyone! Managed to stay up till midnight (barely) but we toasted the year in with Martinelli’s. I had quite a sugar buzz. 1 Jan

Maybe I can finally finish Kostova’s Historian in 2011. Still only 3/4 through. Loved every minute but my concentration has been bad. 1 Jan

Been away from the internet except in dribs since 12/22. If I need to know something assume I don’t know because I can’t possibly catch up. 1 Jan

Happy New Year to everyone. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em. 31 Dec

Wow, has my attitude about…like, everything changed in the last month. 31 Dec

America is obsessed with germs. We’ve become a nation of Howard Hugheses. Fetch me my kleenex box shoes. 29 Dec

Mirrored from Better Than Dead.