I call a do-over.

[stoney321]

I think I've used that same subject heading before. I've officially become lame. *stamps lame certificate* So today almost brought y'all a woe post from me. ALMOST. Went to bed blue. Woke up blue. Didn't help that the first news article I read was that they found James Kim's body. That poor family. (SF family that got lost in the mountains, for those not keeping up with Current Events) I'm missing Mr. S, I've been feeling overwhelmed by everyone's NEED and me being the only person that's needed (gah) and under-motivated to do anything, BUT.

I took the dog for our 5 mile walk (which quickly became a 2 mile walk when the wind gusted up to 30mph making the 40 degree weather feel WAY colder) and all I had on was my grey hoodie. I totally had a Uni-bomber look going, which for some reason cracked me up. Apparently, imagining that I'm a serial terrorist cheers me up. YOU'VE ALL BEEN WARNED.

Today is FUGGIN' freezing and so there will be a stock pot of turkey chili made. There will be comfort movie watching (as yet to be determined). There will be fudge consumed. There may even be, dare I say, a hot chai. What there WON'T be is: whining on my part. Any chores done. (screw 'em) Any errands involving me leaving the house. CRAP. Except for one, but it's my volunteer day at the library, but it's a half-hour, so that gets a pass.

I have monster writer's block. The creativity well done dried up. Who does what when that happens? I'm going to see if making scarves and fudge eating fixes mine. Probably not, but it's the EFFORT that counts. Heh.

And tonight is Best Comedy Night on TV night. My Name is Earl is okay, but THE OFFICE! SCRUBS!! 30 ROCK!!! <-- why aren't more people watching this? It's EXCELLENT. It's so damn funny. Plus, I heard a rumor that there's JD/Turk in the musical episode, hahahaha! Okay, blue mood is lifting.

Comments

[fiveandfour.livejournal.com]

There's something about dogs in general that keep a person from being blue for too long, I think. I think it has something to do with that "you're the greatest person in the whole world" look they've got perfected.

I was missing my mom's chili recipe the other day. My husband's family call this stuff made with a packet that cooks for less than 30 minutes on the stovetop chili, which to me is an abomination. My mom's would start in the morning and sit there in the crockpot tempting us ALL DAY LONG, just as God intended.

Care to share your recipe?

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Hahaha, I AGREE re: packet =/= chili. And we're believers in beans in our chili, which is a source of contention in Texas. I make this with either turkey or beef.

Turkey Chili
Brown 1 lb. ground turkey in skillet with 1 Tbsp cumin + 1 Tbsp chili powder (or more to taste. I often double those proportions.) Drain off any fat (leaving scant amount in skillet for further use) and transfer meat to crock pot/slow cooker/heavy bottomed pan on Low. Add one yellow onion, diced (I like the pieces a bit larger than tradition dice) to hot fat in skillet, cool on Low heat until transparent and beginning to brown on edges. Add to pot.

Add to pot: 1 can of black beans, drained, 2 cans of Del Monte tomatoes, Mexican style (or can chop 5-7 tomatoes, 1 jalapeño, add pinch of garlic, cumin, chile and salt*), and one small can of tomato paste. (I like to add Habañero powder and a few dashes of Chipotle tobasco sauce, but I have to go easy as I have kids eating it, too.)

Let cook a minimum of one hour - add salt and pepper to taste. *can also add 3 chopped tomatoes and 1 can of Rotel.

I've also used a spicy Bloody Mary mix as the tomato base for my chile, and it was GOOD.

[entrenous88.livejournal.com]

*hugs hugs hugs*

Today is crazy, but I'll pop back in later/email for non-blue talk (hahaha, keep it clean, kids!) and writing talk.

*hugs*

*monkey hugs*

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

*hugs you back, zomg!*

Oooh, I look forward to the non-blue talk! Ahahaha.

:(|) and {:> hugs!

[beadbeauty.livejournal.com]

Oh I'll never get it. NEVAH!!!

Don't be sad!!! Why are you blue? Do you need to come over and we can drink hot coffee and eat your yummy fudge? That would be a great morning. Do you know that my daughter has been in my 24/7 physical presence and worried mind since November 20th? Today was her first day back to school. YAY! Gave the nurse my digits, told the teacher to watch her. Wrote a note excusing from PE as her liver and spleen are sensitive. We'll see how the day unfolds. NOw I can complete my Christmas shopping and grocery shopping and SHOPPING!

Sorry you're blue. Go in the closet and get your flask and rock quietly back and forth. That always helps me. (HUGS)

It will pass- and all will be well.

<-- I would like this to appear magically for my lunch, thanks.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Ahahahahahaha - HOW DID YOU KNOW ABOUT MY CLOSET DRINKING?? Hee!

Oh, just - feeling like a single mom with the amount that DingDong is traveling. (he's now leaving Sunday afternoon and getting back at 8 Friday nights. GAH. And he'll be in Europe and Australia for January, so no coming home for at least three straight weeks. I'm just worn out, I think.)

Oh, I'm SO GLAD that Makena is going back to school - I bet she'll be glad to get her routine back as much as you. Plus, HOORAY FOR ALONE TIME. I love my kids, but when it's a constant like you've had, it's TIRESOME. Here's to hoping she makes it all day and feels good when she gets back.

[lynnenne]

*huggles and snuggles you*

I also feel like crap today--home sick with flu, second day in a row. :( We can be blue together.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oh, no!! You're sick with the flu? Poor baby. (I know everyone's all abut the Airborne for building up health when sick, but Cold MD works three times as fast. If you can get some, you should look into it.) If I lived closer and not a bajillion miles away, I'd make you soup and hot cocoa and tuck the blanket under you and make you watch old chestnuts like Caddyshack or Young FRankenstein, as laughter is the BEST medicine.

:*

[melbournegirl.livejournal.com]

Unibomber look only works if you wear the fake moustache. You should start wearing a fake moustache. All the time, pickin the kids up from school, cocktail party, book club meeting...

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I LOVE the fake mustache idea!! Hahahaha!

(Does it count that my ponytail was whipping around my face and laid across my lips? Probably not.)

[lettered.livejournal.com]

Mekalekahi (http://www.cowabduction.com/) Meka (http://www.puppytummy.com/) Hiney (http://mistux2.com/misgroup/funnies/drunk/help_the_drunk_get_home.php) Ho (http://www.omodern.com/Eurobad/euro.html).

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Mekalekahi Meka CHINEY Ho!

Dude, the kitchen with the HORSE in it, what?? Lots of Orange and turquoise in those homes, yeesh. (And cow abduction made me laugh out loud.) You rock, Joy. *beams*

[domenowtrent.livejournal.com]

You can't be the Unabomber, I'M the Unabomber.

For serious, that was my Halloween costume. :D

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Ahahahahahaha!! AWESOME! That's a fantastic costume, heee!

I heard you had fun with Bohon this past holiday!

[ros-fod.livejournal.com]

Oh, that chilli recipe sounds *outstanding*. I am totally going to try it out this weekend.

I'm sorry you're feeling blue.
*massive hugs*

A couple of things that really help me when I can't write:
1. When the issue is that I can't write something that I already have a clear idea for (i.e., the issue is not the idea but the execution of the idea): I write about what I'd like to be writing about. It really helps! Instead of trying to form sentences in just the right way or trying to hit the exact tone or getting the dialogue to flow in exactly the right direction, I freeform about the generalities. Why do I want to write this scene/story? What would I like to see? What are some elements that I'd like to include? What would I like to see happen to the characters at the end? That kind of stuff.

2. When the issue is that I can't think of anything interesting that I'd like to write: I start writing things that don't have anything to do with anything, that have nothing to do with themes or metaphors or revelations. Just the mundanities that are interesting to *me*, that no one will ever see. I start writing about why strawberry jam is Connor's favorite jam or start listing all the toys that he missed out on by growing up in Quortoth, or I have two characters go couch shopping. Silly things that make me happy.

For me, it's all about breaking past feeling like I'm pressured to write a certain way or a certain story, and doing these things helps me to write for writing's sake and it gets the creative juices flowing. So to speak.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oh, thanks Ros! I think you're on to something with the whole "feeling like I'm pressured to write a certain way" which is silly, because no one is the boss of me. Hee hee.

I'm definitely stuck in the execution portion - it's all very clear in my head what I want, and what the story is.

And if you ever wrote Connor experiencing a Sit-n-Spin for the first time, I would TOTALLY read that. :) I'm very much the kind of person that likes to talk about the writing process, and I've not done that at all with this particular fic for fear of conforming to other's wants or something, I'm not sure.

This helps me a bunch, thanks again. :*

[anelith.livejournal.com]

Chili sounds soooo good! I wish my kids would eat it. Heck, right now I wish Nathan could eat anything. Poor little guy, he got food poisoning during that trip to Oak Ridge (little tip: never buy a commercially made smoothie!) and his tummy is still hurting from it.

You're having colder weather than we are! That doesn't seem right. But we'll get our natural weather tomorrow, which I hope for your sake means that the order of things will be righted and you'll be warmer.

Hey, has your family seen the movie "Flushed Away" yet? Done by the same people that did Wallace & Gromit. So good, so funny. Highly recommended.

I hope the blues will not stay for long, sweetie.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

O_O

You didn't get that smoothie from Jamba Juice, did you? Because you might want to check the news. Poor little guy.

It's supposed to be FREEZING tonight, but then back to the 30s-50s, which is normal for us. We haven't seen it yet - we're waiting for the vacation to catch up on movies, so yay for knowing I won't be bored to tears!! I love Wallace & Grommit.

*hugs you back* Feeling better than I did, and a long and loving phone call with the Man helped. :)

[moosesal.livejournal.com]

My only venturing from the house today will be a quick run to the post office and walking the dog. That's it. I've got to finish fic today (Callum/Denis - wanna beta later?) for posting today. Of course while I have to write one fic, I've got a different fic running through my head. That's the way it always works for me.

What to do when the well runs dry? I just go with it for a couple weeks then sit down and try to do something different than the norm. Maybe drabble in a fandom you don't usually write. Or try porn if you've mostly been doing humor, or humor if you've been doing angst, or some weird AU if you've been sticking to canon. Does that make sense? Going in a totally different direction can open the mind.

*hugs*

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oooh, more of your Denis? Send it on, yes ma'am! And hah - I'm the same way. I write one thing and then end up writing a completely different idea. while the first fic is half-finished. (I just got an FNL bunny that's femme-slashy with Lyla/Tyra, so let's see if it gets done...)

I think the idea of writing out of your normal fandom/style/theme is a great idea. It certainly seems where my brain is headed, so I'll give that a try. *hugs you back!!*

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

IT ISN'T????? Well, CRAP. Thanks for putting me in a bad mood. Hahaha. FALSE.

QUESTION: what do you think about pumpkin color? And a pretty "leaf" autumnal green? And chocolate brown? Also, I'm making a pretty marbled dark green/midnight blue scarf, and a boucle black scarf.

Also, re: scarved. Felted or no?

(Hogod, I want Jim/Pam, too, yet I love the PAIN of the separation!)

[crazydiamondsue.livejournal.com]

CHILI!!! Bowl of read. Or white. What-have-ya. We had the red version last night. Well, Caza did. I went out with the girls to Zorba's and had baba ganoush and tabuli (had better) and whatnot.

Hmmm. I read the comments on the way down and have now forgotten what your post was about. Writing? Needy people? "Scrape 'em off, Stoney - if you're gonna save somebody, save yourself!" Hah - I give you some Scrooged dark humor. Ahem. SAVE THEM ALL!!!

I go now to decorate the office Christmas tree. Wire garland? Makes a nice garrote.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

*breaks out unexpectedly in Billy Joel* White? White chili? Like, with a white sauce? Hmmm. I am skeptical, SKEPTICAL!

I am a huge fan of eggplant. Babaganoush is a fave of mine. Mmmm, tapas.

I haven't even DRUG MY DECORATIONS out of the attic. What the hell is WRONG with me this year?? I haven't even gone to one of my dad's performances, and I love love LOVE his choir. I suck at holidays this year, clearly. Well, except I got the fudge started, that's something... *clings to the CRUMBS!*

[julia-here.livejournal.com]

I have monster writer's block.

Compared to my near inability to write even comments?

Julia, I actually had something to say, but then the phone rang

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Heh - I've had that too.

I had an idea to dive back in, then the kids came home from school c'est la vive...