A Month of Thankfulness: Day Thirty - Writing

I am thankful for writing.  I am thankful for getting the story that has been eating my brain written down.  I am thankful for the community of people that has been offering encouragement.  I am thankful for NaNoWriMo for giving me the push to write.  I am thankful for Scrivener which is my current favorite writing tool.  I am thankful for plotting and pantsing.  I am thankful for my outline.  I am thankful that November is over and that I wrote over 50,000 new words this month.  Not counting words written on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, Work, Emails, and blogging.  I am thankful for writing.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty Nine - Firefly

I am thankful for Firefly.  I am thankful for every second of the entirely too short TV series.  I am thankful for the fun dialogue.  I am thankful for the community that the fans have become.  I am thankful that posting a single Firefly quote gets a response of several more quotes.  I am thankful for the sanity breaks that Firefly is giving me during NaNoWriMo.  I am thankful for the hours of entertainment that Firefly has given me.  I am thankful that Firefly only seems to improve with time.  I am thankful for Mal, Zoe, Wash, Simon, Kaylee, River, Jayne, Inara and Shepherd Book.  I am thankful for the Browncoats.  I am thankful for Firefly and Serenity.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty Eight - Chocolate

I am thankful for chocolate: white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, hot chocolate, filled chocolates, and baked goods with chocolate.  I am thankful for the joy that chocolate gives me.  I am thankful for the variety that chocolate comes in.  I am thankful for chocolate.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty Seven - Heating Pads

I am thankful for my heating pad.  I am thankful for the heat that relaxes sore muscles after too much dancing.   I am thankful for the heating pad when the stress of the day sinks into muscles and forms headaches.  I am thankful for my heating pad tonight.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty Six - Turkey

I am thankful for Turkey.  I am thankful for the smell of turkey roasting that permeates the house.  I am thankful for the family gathering around the cooked turkey.  I am thankful for the scene of animals (two dogs and a cat) hovering around the turkey being carved.  I am thankful for the many meals of leftover turkey: hot and cold turkey sandwiches, turkey enchiladas, and other turkey meals.  I am thankful for turkey.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty Five - Christmas Music

I am thankful for Christmas Music after Thanksgiving.  I am thankful for the variety of styles, sounds and themes of Christmas music.  There is something special about Christmas Music and it will always have a special place in my heart.  I am thankful for the memories of performing Christmas music with the String Orchestra in Middle School and High School.  I am thankful for the joy that Christmas Music evokes.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty Four - Google Docs

I am thankful Google Docs.  I am thankful for the ability to access documents from any computer anywhere.  I am thankful for the technology that allows me to write for NaNoWriMo on my phone in the car on the way home from Thanksgiving Dinner in Seattle with the extended family.  I am thankful that I didn't have to hand write and re-type those words.  I am thankful for Google Docs.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty Three - Board Games

I am thankful for board games.  I am thankful for the fun and the laughter with friends and family.  I am thankful for the leisure to enjoy time together.  I am thankful for the break from normal routines.  I am thankful for the laughter and the lasting memories.  I am thankful for lazy afternoons with monopoly, life, and a deck of cards.  I am thankful for Sunday nights with The Game of Things, Quelf and Cranium.  I am thankful for camping trips with Scrabble, Boggle and Backgammon.  I am thankful for the privilege of play.  I am thankful for board games.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty Two - The Rain

I am thankful for the rain.  I am thankful for the variety of rainfall that I get to see in Portland.  I am thankful for light mists and for heavy downpours.  I am thankful for the sound of rain against the roof.  I am thankful for the chance to watch the rain fall outside of the window.  I am thankful for the green that comes after the rain.  I am thankful for the clean, fresh scent of rain in the air.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty One - My Health

I am thankful for my health.  Even at this time when I am coughing, sniffling, headache-y and generally miserable, I am thankful for my health.  I am thankful that I am free of cancer.  I am thankful that my neurological disorder (Chiari Malformation) has been mostly asymptomatic since surgical treatment.  I am thankful that my sight and hearing operate within normal parameters.  I am thankful that my migraines are down to one every several months.  I am thankful for the ability to walk and dance.  I am thankful that my most recent trips to the doctor have been for simple and easily treated conditions.  I am thankful that my greatest health complaint is of a lingering cold.  I am thankful that even if it weren't I would be able to get treatment.  I am thankful for my health.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twenty - My Education

I am thankful for my education.  I am thankful for my ability to read, write and do math.  I am thankful for an education that included music, art, physical activity (not that I appreciated it at the time), and computers.  I am thankful for an education that meant I decided which college to go to.  I am thankful for my higher level education.  I am thankful for classes with wonderful, dedicated professors.  I am thankful for the opportunity to pursue more education and I am thankful for the doors that my education has opened.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Nineteen - Biology

I am thankful for Biology.  I am thankful for the intricate workings of the human body.  I am thankful for the wonders of creation.  I am thankful for the citric acid cycle and for glycolysis.  I am thankful for the cell cycle and for DNA replication.  I am thankful for Genetics and the patterns of evolution.  I am thankful for the study of life and for the passion it instills in me.  I am thankful for immune systems and for muscles, ligaments and joints.  I am thankful for Biology.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Eighteen - Science Fiction

I am thankful for Science Fiction.  I am thankful for an entire genre of imagining the future.  I am thankful for new ways to travel through space (and perhaps time)!  I am thankful for the exploration of other planets, life forms and technologies.  I am thankful for the science that comes from the imagination.  I am thankful for the exploration of morality, cultural norms and ethics using technology that doesn't exist yet.  I am thankful for special effects and computer generated images.  I am thankful for the writers, actors, artists and others that work to bring imaginary worlds to life.  I am thankful for the ability of science fiction to bring people from all walks of life together.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Seventeen - Knitting

I am thankful for knitting.  I am thankful for a hobby that I find particularly relaxing.  I am thankful for the fun and whimsical patterns that I have found to play with.  I am thankful for a way to keep my hands busy while my mind works or doesn't work as the case might be.  I am thankful for wearable art and for usable gifts.  I am thankful for fun yarns and new needles.  I am thankful for knitting.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Sixteen - Books

I am thankful for books!  I am thankful for the ability to be transported to other worlds instantaneously.  I am thankful for the wealth and variety of ideas at my fingertips.  I am thankful for a childhood full of imagination and stories.  I am thankful for hours of entertainment both in reading and other less lofty pursuits.  I am thankful for the feel of paper against my finger tips.  I am thankful for the collection of words on the screen.  I am thankful for books in all their sizes, shapes, and formats.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Fifteen - Sewing

I am thankful for sewing.  I am thankful that I learned to sew and for the costuming opportunities that it offers.  I'm thankful for the ability to make real and useful clothing items.  I am thankful for the added awareness of what goes into making the clothing that I wear and that I don't actually have to make all of it for myself.  I am thankful for being able to alter my own clothing.  I am thankful for the skill of sewing.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Fourteen - Heat

I am thankful for the heater in my house.  With this cold snap, it feels wonderful to be able to come in out of the cold.  I know that this is a privilege that not everyone has and I am thankful for my privilege.  And my heater.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Thirteen - Fall

I am thankful for the Season of Fall.  I am thankful for this short burst of cold and dry weather that is giving Portland a vast array of colors.  I am thankful for the falling leaves.  I am thankful for the gusts of wind that send those leaves swirling through the air.  I am thankful for this taste of fall weather before the rains set in.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Twelve - Friends

I am deeply thankful for my friends. My friends keep me sane.  They introduce me to entirely too many addictive TV Shows and Computer Games.  They help me find new and time consuming hobbies.  I am thankful for all of my friends: new, old, real life, online, dancers, steampunks and writers.  You are all special and I am thankful for you!

Day 11 of NaNoWriMo 2011

General Stats:

Words Written Today: 2070

Total Words Written: 20835

Write-ins attended: 4

Words Written at a Write-in Today: 0

Total Words Written at Write-ins: 7625

Cups of Coffee This Month: 12

Plans Changed to Accommodate More Writing: 0

Named Characters Killed: 3

Scenes I forgot to Plot Out: 1

Scenes Completed: 18

Scenes Written that I’m likely to Cut in December: 2

Random Ideas Generated: 6
Scenes that I need to Add: 1
Emotional Breakdowns: 1

Random Thoughts:
- Still feeling sick-ish which isn't a good thing for writing motivation
- Despite lots of distractions, I got my 2K words written by 11:59pm


Small Snippet of Novel:

Sector Red Three was one of the original bio domes scavenged from the colony ship that had brought humanity to Tresaria. It was one of the biggest surprises that human had had in their colonization program. When the colony ship has launched from earth, Tresaria’s surveys had shown a planet rich in dense minerals and with an Earth-like atmosphere and fertile soils. Tresaria was expected to be one of the best suited planets for humanity that the colonization program would ever find. The colonists had a great surprise when they came out of stasis in front of a planet with a severely toxic atmosphere and poisoned soil. IT was clear that whatever the surveys of Tresaria had shown, the reality was terribly inhospitable to humanity. The colonists had to make a hard decision. They could take the chance of there being a suitable or even more suitable planet in the nearest system or they could adapt to the challenges that Tresaria would present. The colonists chose not to take the gamble of search for searching for a new planet on very limited fuel capacity and worked to make Tresaria home. The colony ship was converted into the original bio-domes. From the original bio domes, the colony spread rapidly into its current configuration and size. The original bio domes were still in excellent shape and were a popular tour site because of their historical significance to the colony.

Favorite NaNo-isms of the Day:


instinctually
privelege
circumstnaces
greav
coould
mand

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Eleven - Veterans

I am thankful for the men and women that have served my country's military.

Why I am Thankful:

I am thankful for what the men and women of the armed forces have fought to protect: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and the freedom to enjoy the rights granted by our country.  I am grateful for their protection of my way of life.  I'm thankful for the sacrifices that have been made.

I am Thankful and I Remember.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Ten - God

I am absolutely thankful for the presence of God in my life.

Why I am Thankful:

• He has seen me through some really dark times
• He continues to show me hope and light
• He guides my life in ways both big and small
• He has showered me with blessings
• He protects me, sometimes even from myself
• His grace
• His love
• The people that he has brought into my life

Day 10 of NaNoWriMo 2011

General Stats:

Words Written Today: 2204

Total Words Written: 18765

Write-ins attended: 4

Words Written at a Write-in Today: 2204

Total Words Written at Write-ins: 7625

Cups of Coffee This Month: 11

Plans Changed to Accommodate More Writing: 0

Named Characters Killed: 3

Scenes I forgot to Plot Out: 1

Scenes Completed: 16

Scenes Written that I’m likely to Cut in December: 2

Random Ideas Generated: 6
Scenes that I need to Add: 1
Emotional Breakdowns: 1

Random Thoughts:
- Had an excellent writing session at the write-in I host at Sweetness Bakery (much less lonely than last week!)
- Went home with a terrible sore throat and then squandered the rest of the day watching Mad Men.  
- Had to pause in the middle of a writing session to add more scenes to Scrivener.  


Small Snippet of Novel:

“Wasn’t there an unknown infection in Red Sector Three in the news flashes?”

“Was there?” James asked, suddenly believing in the reality of the conspiracy.


“What are the odds that there is more than one unknown infection in Red Sector Three?”

“Severely dwindling.”

“Well, at least there is a place to start.”


Favorite NaNo-isms of the Day:

prductivity
relesae

Day 9 of NaNoWriMo 2011

General Stats:

Words Written Today: 4,018

Total Words Written: 16,561

Write-ins attended: 3

Words Written at a Write-in Today: 2703

Total Words Written at Write-ins: 5421

Cups of Coffee This Month: 10

Plans Changed to Accommodate More Writing: 0

Named Characters Killed: 3

Scenes I forgot to Plot Out: 1

Scenes Completed: 13

Scenes Written that I’m likely to Cut in December: 2

Random Ideas Generated: 6
Scenes that I need to Add: 1
Emotional Breakdowns: 1

Random Thoughts:
- Does it still count as a write-in if I was the only one there?
- Made up for one of the days that I slacked off writing, hopefully I'll get the rest made up soon.
- Had a good writing day until I ran out of steam.
- Wish I'd been able to make the Jazz Write-in
- This one character is trying to re-write his character arc, and I think I might just let him even though I can already tell that he's going to try to steal the spotlight.


Small Snippet of Novel:

     "Very well. Despite the prevention of an outbreak by the excellent biological security system of the Neurological Institute, it still leaves us in the tricky situation of minimalizing the damage that this incident could cause. We absolutely do not want the name of Senator Steinwick or the Senate itself connected with even the possibility of an illegal testing clinical test. Not after the last illegal clinical test that made the news flashes. We will have to carefully pick and choose which truths to share in the official release so that the trust of the people in the Senate isn’t eroded in any fashion.” Senator Wells looked around the room with his most piercing glare and dared the other Senators to disagree with him. “Now, let’s hear some thoughts on what the official release of information regarding the death of Senator Steinwick should contain.”

“I propose that there should be no mention of the location of his death. Let’s leave the lab completely out of it. We wouldn’t want the death of the Senator connected in any way to the minor incident at the Neurological Research Institute.”

“Say that he died of complications due to his previously undiagnosed his Rook-Jerrard’s disease.”

“No, mention that he’d been struggling with Rook-Jerrard’s disease for months.”

“Had he been struggling with Rook-Jerrard’s disease for months?”

“Doesn’t matter. We just need to tell the public that and he becomes a medical martyr.”

“You mean, politician beloved of the people succumbs to the degenerative disease that he never allowed to influence or hold back his dedication to representing the people?”

“Something like that. Do you think it comes to close to lying?”

“Not necessarily, it is an excellent embellishment of the truth though.”

“Did you even have any idea that he was suffering from Rook-Jerrard’s?”

“No, he was managing the symptoms quite well.”

“How much of it do you think was disguised by collaboration with his assistant?”

Esther let the flurry of voices brainstorming their ideas, and frantic questions wash over her in a wave of white noise.
Favorite NaNo-isms of the Day:
viedo
falshes

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Nine - Jazz

I am very thankful for Jazz music.

Why I am Thankful:

• It inspires me
• It drives me to move
• It is the heart and soul of the dance I love
• It makes me happy
• It brings together people from all walks of life

Portland Lindy Hop Events November 9-16

The Week of November 9-16

Wednesday November 9

7:00-10:00pm Weekly Swing
McMinnville Grand Ballroom (325 NE 3rd St, McMinnville)
7:00-8:00 Beginning Swing Lesson
8-9:30 DJ'd Swing Music
9:30-10:00 DJ'd Blues Music



Thursday November 10

7:30-11:00pm Thursday Swing
PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)
7:30 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson
8:30 DJ'd Music

Friday November 11

6-8pm Swing Papillion at Secret Society
Drinking Age Only, 21+
Secret Society Ballroom (116 NE Russell Ave, Portland)
6-8 pm Live Music by Swing Papillion

Saturday November 12


Sunday November 13

3:00-6:00pm Charleston Workshop
Scottish Rite (1507 SW Morrison, Portland)
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=120423304729583


7-11:00pm  Sunday Swing
Scottish Rite (1507 SW Morrison, Portland)
7:00 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson
8:00-11:00pm DJ'D Music
http://www.stumptowndance.com/

Monday November 14

6:30-8:30pm Beginning to Beyond Beginning Swing with Josh and Emily McLaughlin
Wimbledon Square (2837 SE Colt, Portland)
6:30 Drop-in Lesson
7:30-8:30 Dance Practice
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=138845799520031

7:30-9:30pm Guided Swing Practica
Lower Melody Ballroom (615 SE Alder, Portland)
http://www.stumptowndance.com/

9-11pm Kung Pao Chickens
Drinking Age Only, 21+
Laurelthirst Public House (2958 NE Glisan, Portland)

Tuesday November 15

7:30-12:30 Tuesday Blues
Lenora's Room (615 SE Alder, Portland)
7:30 Intermediate Blues Lesson
8:30 Beginning Blues Lesson
9-12:30 Dj'd Music

Wednesday November 16


7:00-10:00pm Weekly Swing
McMinnville Grand Ballroom (325 NE 3rd St, McMinnville)
7:00-8:00 Beginning Swing Lesson
8-9:30 DJ'd Swing Music
9:30-10:00 DJ'd Blues Music

Upcoming Events!

November 25-27 Brenda Russell and Steven Mitchell Dance Workshop - Lindy/Blues/Waltz (Portland, OR)
December 2-4 Killer Diller Weekend (Seattle, WA)
December 18 Semi-Formal Sunday Swing Christmas Dance plus Workshop with Peter Flahiff
March 2-4 Portland Lindy Exchange

Day 8 of NaNoWriMo 2011

General Stats:

Words Written Today: 2003

Total Words Written: 12543

Write-ins attended: 2

Words Written at a Write-in Today: 0

Total Words Written at Write-ins: 2718

Cups of Coffee This Month: 8

Plans Changed to Accommodate More Writing: 0

Named Characters Killed: 3

Scenes I forgot to Plot Out: 1

Scenes Completed: 10

Scenes Written that I’m likely to Cut in December: 2

Random Ideas Generated: 6
Scenes that I need to Add: 1
Emotional Breakdowns: 1

Random Thoughts:
- I'm getting back into the swing of things after two days of minimal writing.
- I'm starting to write faster which means that I should be able to catch up and hopefully get ahead tomorrow 
- Scrivener made me think that it had eaten my novel for a few moments today.  Very Scary!


Small Snippet of Novel:

     Steinwick was unsure what type of dosage would be suitable for the human body and as such withdrew a sizable dosage from the test tube in the syringe. He positioned the injector on his arm and took a deep breath. He was only seconds away from the most important moment of his life since he’d been diagnosed with Rook-Jerrard’s disease. This injection contained his best, his only, hope to live past the next six months. Senator Steinwick took one more deep breath and depressed the plunger on the syringe. He felt a cool sensation as the needle entered his arm and a tingling sensation that may have been imaginary as the compound entered his bloodstream.

     The next sensation wasn’t imaginary at all. A sudden paralysis overcame his body, followed by a sharp spasms of pain and then Senator Victor Steinwick felt nothing at all.

Favorite NaNo-isms of the Day:
irratic
relesed
oculd

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Eight - Technology

I am thankful for the technology that I use everyday.

Why I am Thankful:

• My phone that allows me to check my email from anywhere
• My phone that allows me to carry a small library of books everywhere I go
• My computer that provides hours of entertainment
• The internet that allows for hours of procrastination
• My computer and internet that enable me to apply for jobs and schools
• My computer that allows me to keep in touch with friends all over the world including ones that I've never met in person

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Seven - Furry Friends

I am thankful for the furry friends that make my life more complete.

Why I am Thankful:

• Comfortable mornings sleeping in with the dog
• The amazing cuteness of the dog interrupting writing time with his head
• For the good health of the dog who nearly died almost a year ago
• For my friend's cats that are wonderfully snuggley
• For the dogs that always look happy to see you come home and sad to see you leave

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Six - My House

I am very Thankful for my house

Why I am Thankful:

• The roof over my head
• Walls that offer shelter
• Heat in the winter and AC in the summer
• A backyard that is green and often has deer running through it
• Plenty of rooms
• The kitchen with tons of counter space

Day 5 of NaNoWriMo 2011

General Stats:

Words Written Today: 2853

Total Words Written: 10038

Write-ins attended: 2

Words Written at a Write-in Today: 1482

Total Words Written at Write-ins: 2718

Cups of Coffee This Month: 6

Plans Changed to Accommodate More Writing: 0

Named Characters Killed: 0

Scenes I forgot to Plot Out: 0

Scenes Completed: 5

Scenes Written that I’m likely to Cut in December: 2

Random Ideas Generated: 6
Scenes that I need to Add: 1
Emotional Breakdowns: 1

Random Thoughts:
- Made up for yesterday's word count but wasn't able to maintain the momentum and write enough to make 15k by Sunday feasible.
- Must resist the temptation to make fake fluorescent microscopy images for my imaginary research on my imaginary disease
- I love scientific babble 
- I might be too tired to type even this post properly

Today's snippet is brought to you by my degree in biology.
Small Snippet of Novel:
     “This first slide is the combination of the anti-inhibitor and the antiviral treatments. You can see that there is very little virus remaining. You can see that the inhibitor binding is pretty well restricted. For comparison here is the infected and untreated sample with the neuron-inhibitor interaction tag. [Dear Self, you are not allowed to spend valuable time in November making fake slides to illustrate this scene. Really, you are not.] See the difference?” The Doctor waited for the appropriate response from the Senator to continue. “This combined treatment could be a valid treatment for Rook-Jerrard’s disease though it wouldn’t do much more than halt the disease in its progression. However it would be a valid treatment option for those newly diagnosed. The next slide is the anti-inhibitor treatment with the neuron-nanites and you can see that there is the appropriate overlap of the inhibitor interaction tag with the nanite-neurotransmitter interaction tag. This treatment plan would necessitate ongoing treatment with targeted nanite placement to continue off setting the spread of the inhibitor. I am under no illusions that some of the medical establishment won’t prefer this treatment style as a way to create more profit. However, it is still a less than ideal outcome. Here is the nanite and antiviral treatments. The results make it clear that if only two of the treatments were used that this is the combination that will give to best results as far as the treatment of the disease. However, let’s compare this with the mouse treated with all three compounds treatments. This mouse show more natural neural activity, and in our time delayed elapsed samples showed the fastest recovery and response time. The three pronged treatment approach is absolutely the most effective.”
Favorite NaNo-isms of the Day:
appropraite
profuit

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Five - Coffee

I am absolutely thankful for coffee.  Wonderful warm beverage that it is!

Why I am Thankful:

• It smells amazing
• Tastes Wonderful
• Walking over to the coffee shop makes a great break from work
• Improves my mood
• Makes NaNoWriMo work
• Warms me up on cool days, or even on warm days when the AC is set for someone else's preferences

Yeah, I needed a light-hearted post after yesterday too.  

Day 4 of NaNoWriMo 2011

General Stats:

Words Written Today: 1102

Total Words Written: 7158

Write-ins attended: 1

Words Written at a Write-in Today: 0

Total Words Written at Write-ins: 1236

Cups of Coffee This Month: 4

Plans Changed to Accommodate More Writing: 0

Named Characters Killed: 0

Scenes I forgot to Plot Out: 0

Scenes Completed: 4

Scenes Written that I’m likely to Cut in December: 1

Random Ideas Generated: 6
Scenes that I need to Add: 1
Emotional Breakdowns: 1

Random Thoughts:
- Difficult Writing Day brought to you by lack of motivation, competing ideas, and complete emotional collapse
- Apparently writing biotechnological babble is a great way to write a lot of words quickly.  I did today's entire word count in an hour.

Small Snippet of Novel:
        “Yes, of course. I believe that you are already aware that we’ve been doing targeted research toward curing and reversing the effects of several debilitating diseases affecting the nervous system. One of those targets is a disease called Rook-Jarrard’s Disease. Rook-Jarrard’s is characterized by a virus that takes up residence in the brain tissue and systematically disrupts the neuronal connections. Early symptoms of Rook-Jarrard’s disease can look remarkable similar to several pre-Space diseases like Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease. Naturally those diseases have been long eradicated but it is an interesting fact for those of us who are interested in the characterization of disease development. But, I digress. Rook-Jarrard’s disease presents an interesting puzzle in that it is one of the few viruses that can cross the blood-brain barrier.

Favorite NaNo-isms of the Day:
mdoel
tissure
inhection

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Four - My Friend K.

I'll get to my friends in general later in the month, but my friend K* is someone who I feel a special type of thankful for.  My friend K is both autistic and epileptic (my NaNoWriMo-fried brain tried to turn that into eclectic which isn't necessarily wrong but certainly irrelevant) and 100% awesome.

Why I am Thankful:

• She sometimes makes me uncomfortable, in that way that means my brain hasn't finished processing yet
• She has helped me to understand the concept of privilege and what that means in relation to my life
• She sometimes makes me uncomfortable, in that way that means I failed the privilege check
• My vocabulary has grown to include words that I never before had a concept for
• She has widened my awareness of the world and the many things I take for granted
• She inspires me to become better educated about the challenges of the people around me
• She inspires me to be a better friend
• She inspires me by knowing who she is and not changing despite strong pressure to be someone or something else
• I have learned new and awesome signs as well as exploring a new category of insults for the ignorant and ill-behaved
• She inspires me to be a better person and (perhaps much to her dismay) a better Christian

There are probably still more reasons that I am thankful to be a friend of K's but these are good ones and important ones.  The most important thing is that I am thankful.

*Name withheld, at least temporarily

Day 3 of NaNoWriMo 2011

General Stats:

Words Written Today: 2051

Total Words Written: 6083

Write-ins attended: 1

Words Written at a Write-in Today: 1236

Total Words Written at Write-ins: 1236

Cups of Coffee This Month: 3

Plans Changed to Accommodate More Writing: 0

Named Characters Killed: 0

Scenes I forgot to Plot Out: 0

Scenes Completed: 3

Scenes Written that I’m likely to Cut in December: 1

Random Ideas Generated: 5
Scenes that I need to Add: 1

Random Thoughts:
- Today's words are a pretty good indicator of my writing weaknesses
- I need to read less David Weber and GRRM.  I'm getting too much inspiration for political maneuvering that I can't write
- I'm not love this story right now, hopefully that will change when I get to switch POVs in a few days
- Occasionally I end up with snippy social commentary in my writing that will probably get cut in December

Small Snippet of Novel:
        Half an hour later, the Senators exited the train into the Guard Station entering the White Sector. There they were briefly searched again before there entrance into the White Sector was allowed. Even though the buildings had the same general appearance, being made from the same materials and similar design features, the White Sector engendered a sense of awe and inspiration in Victor Steinwick. Walking these corridors made him feel so close to his goals. A small stumble reminded him of all the obstacles between him and his ambitions. He only had so much time before his own body would be the biggest thing in his way. No one would elect a President with a failing body and dwindling mental capabilities. Although it was possible that he was giving the citizens too much credit for common sense.

Favorite NaNo-isms of the Day:
Secotrs
Peronally

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Three - Swing Dancing

I feel very blessed to have joined the Lindy Hop community in Portland.

Why I am Thankful:

• Great Exercise
• Awesome music
• I've gotten hear some really great bands that I never would have heard of
• I have made some awesome friends
• Swing dancing never falls to make me happy
• When I am dancing, I feel beautiful
• Dancing keeps me sane

Day 2 of NaNoWriMo 2011

General Stats:

Words Written Today: 2020

Total Words Written: 4033

Write-ins attended: 0

Words Written at a Write-in Today: 0

Total Words Written at Write-ins: 0

Cups of Coffee This Month: 2

Plans Changed to Accommodate More Writing: 0

Named Characters Killed: 0

Scenes I forgot to Plot Out: 0

Scenes Completed: 3

Scenes Written that I’m likely to Cut in December: 1

Random Ideas Generated: 5

Random Thoughts:
- Writing felt like pulling teeth today
- It was my day off and I only really spent 4 hours writing.  Most of the day was spent taking breaks from writing.
- I need to get some momentum going.  Writing only 500 words an hour is going to make this a very long month.
- Was going to write more tonight but I'm exhausted.
- Name Generators are Awesome!

Small Snippet of Novel:

        Senator Victor Steinwick was selecting the Flex sheets that he would need for the upcoming meeting with the help of his assistant, Esther DeLund. He reached out for a particular sheet with hands that were noticeably unsteady. Not for the first time he cursed the disease and his failing body. As often as he cursed the virus destroying his body, he remembered to be thankful for the medications working to preserve his mental capacity. Still, on particularly rough days he often imagined that he could feel his thoughts slipping away one by one. He cursed as the flex sheet slipped out of his fingers and hit the ground. Esther glanced up at him in concern peering above the wire frames of her glasses and the worry in her pale blue eyes was easily discerned.

Favorite NaNo-isms of the Day:

dieades 
plenet 
deocrative 
traililng 
Senarot

A Month of Thankfulness: Day Two - My Family

I am above and beyond thankful for my family.  My family has been an absolute rock of love and support for my dreams.  I can't imagine life without them and I wouldn't want to.

Why I am Thankful:

• Overflowing love and support
• Strong models of loving and respectful relationships
• Source of encouragement
• Source of inspiration
• Raised by Science Fiction and Fantasy fans
• Raised by intellectuals
• Politics and religion are frequent topics at the dinner table

Additional thought:  Often, the more I hear about other people's families, the more thankful I am for mine.

Portland Lindy Hop Events November 2-9

The Week of November 2-9

Wednesday November 2


7:00-10:00pm Weekly Swing
McMinnville Grand Ballroom (325 NE 3rd St, McMinnville)
7:00-8:00 Beginning Swing Lesson
8-9:30 DJ'd Swing Music
9:30-10:00 DJ'd Blues Music




Thursday November 3

7:30-11:00pm Thursday Swing
PPAA (618 SE Alder, Portland)
7:30 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson
8:30 DJ'd Music

Friday November 4

6-8pm Boy and Bean at Secret Society
Drinking Age Only, 21+
Secret Society Ballroom (116 NE Russell Ave, Portland)
6-8 pm Live Music by Boy and Bean



Saturday November 5

6-8pm Pete Krebs at Secret Society
Drinking Age Only, 21+
Secret Society Ballroom (116 NE Russell Ave, Portland)
6-8 pm Live Music by Pete Krebs

9pm-12am First Saturday Swing
Drinking Age Only, 21+
Secret Society Ballroom (116 NE Russell Ave, Portland)
9:00 Live Music by Anna Paul and the Bearded Lady


Sunday November 6



7-11:00pm  Sunday Swing
Scottish Rite (1507 SW Morrison, Portland)
7:00 Beginning Swing Drop-in Lesson
8:00-11:00pm DJ'D Music
http://www.stumptowndance.com/

Monday November 7

6:30-8:30pm Beginning to Beyond Beginning Swing with Josh and Emily McLaughlin
Wimbledon Square (2837 SE Colt, Portland)
6:30 Drop-in Lesson
7:30-8:30 Dance Practice
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=138845799520031

7:30-9:30pm Guided Swing Practica
Lower Melody Ballroom (615 SE Alder, Portland)
http://www.stumptowndance.com/

9-11pm Kung Pao Chickens
Drinking Age Only, 21+
Laurelthirst Public House (2958 NE Glisan, Portland)

Tuesday November 8

7:30-12:30 Tuesday Blues
Lenora's Room (615 SE Alder, Portland)
7:30 Intermediate Blues Lesson
8:30 Beginning Blues Lesson
9-12:30 Dj'd Music

Wednesday November 9


7:00-10:00pm Weekly Swing
McMinnville Grand Ballroom (325 NE 3rd St, McMinnville)
7:00-8:00 Beginning Swing Lesson
8-9:30 DJ'd Swing Music
9:30-10:00 DJ'd Blues Music

Upcoming Events!

November 25-27 Brenda Russell and Steven Mitchell Dance Workshop - Lindy/Blues/Waltz (Portland, OR)
December 2-4 Killer Diller Weekend (Seattle, WA)
March 2-4 Portland Lindy Exchange

A Month of Thankfulness: Day One - My Job

This Blog Series is inspired by John Scalzi over at Whatever.  You should probably read his version because it is guaranteed to be funnier and more entertaining than mine.

A Month of Thankfulness: Day One - My Job


Sometimes I have a hard time being thankful for my job.  In this modern US culture it often feels like failure to be working for my parents in a job that isn't in my field.  I have been known to dismiss it with "it pays for dancing".  But really there are a lot of things about my job that I have to be thankful for and when I am counting my blessings these are things that I really appreciate.

Since NaNoWriMO is stealing my ability to string together coherent sentence this is going to be in list form.

Why I am Thankful:

• I am employed
• I am paid a decent wage and have health insurance
• I work part-time and have the freedom to rearrange my work schedule so I can travel for dancing
• I set my own hours
• My workplace has AC in the summer and heat in the winter
• I work across the street from an excellent coffee shop and bakery
• Since it is a computer store, I am able to maintain a near constant internet presence
• Accounting often offers the opportunity to solve puzzles
• I get to perform a variety of tasks, some of which aren't actually in my job description
• I've learned a great deal about how to deal with "customer service people" over the phone
• I've learned how to manage accounting systems and keep them balanced
• I've learned new and interesting ways to create passwords for sites that require they change every 60 days
• I've learned that as little as I think I know about computers, I know way more than most lay people
• It's really exciting when I actually have the answer to a technical question
• It pays for coffee and dancing

I possibly shouldn't write lists at almost midnight...

Day 1 of NaNoWriMo 2011

Yes, my NaNoWriMo check-ins are back!  Let me know if there are any stats that you would find interesting or helpful.

General Stats:

Words Written Today: 2013

Total Words Written: 2013

Write-ins attended: 0

Words Written at a Write-in Today: 0

Total Words Written at Write-ins: 0

Cups of Coffee: 1

Plans Changed to Accommodate More Writing: 0

Named Characters Killed: 0

Scenes I forgot to Plot Out: 0

Scenes Completed: 1

Scenes Written that I’m likely to Cut in December: 1

Random Ideas Generated: 5

Random Thoughts:
- I came incredibly close to setting aside my outline and pantsing it this year
- I'm way out of practice for NaNoWriMo
- I will eventually need to name the colony and/or the planet that my story takes place on
- I really love Scrivener!
- I've learned from my brief attempts to edit last year's NaNo-Novel and am keeping all the NaNo-isms and sentences that I don't want to use in separate text sections.

Small Snippet of Novel:

         “Please explain to me what that means exactly.”

“Rook-Jarrard’s Disease is a virus that invades the brain and degrades the connections between the neurons. As the disease progresses there is loss of mobility and mental function.”

“So what is our plan of action? What steps can we take from here? How do we treat Rook-Jarrard’s?”

“There is currently no cure for Rook-Jarrard’s. There are some relatively effective treatments that will retard the progression of the degeneration and give you more time.

“How much time are we talking about?”

“We’ll need to done some testing to see the current rate and spread of degeneration before we can make any time estimates.”

“Give me a general idea based on your experience with the disease.”

“Patients with Rook-Jarrard’s can have as much as 5 years or a little as a few weeks from the time of diagnosis. It all depends on how far the disruption of neurons has spread and how fast it is spreading.”

Favorite NaNo-isms of the Day:

Bagan

Indictators

Diesease

Patheays

Scanenr