Ideot savant, writer, kinder teacher, MOT (mother of teenagers, for those of you not-so-blessed. Luckies.)
| yeah marsha! you rule! rule! rule!
(and i see you won the bitch argument ) chance |
| Whew. Now my job is done--Wait! What about the OWW list? What about the Sock Monkey page? HeyTrey |
| Trey! Here, too?!
*blush* Link Okay, guys. It's my first story in print. And I don't care what you think about the title at first glance -- it's not that! :P (So, guess again...) Marsha |
| Marsha, put a link here too. HeyTrey |
| chance, one would think so. However, given the choice between David and Alix, David wins hands down. Every time. The other two together, combined with all of their friends, cannot equal this particular child. He started in infancy with asthma, ear infections, a negative reaction to his diptheria injections, and a broken ankle when he threw himself off the changing table, when I was standing Right There (obviously, Charlie has chosen well in selecting E to catch him...), morphed through all the ER visits for bee stings (how many kids allergic to bee stings get stung under their arms or in the neck? I rest my case.), continued with his ADD, and blood poisoning from chicken pox. The usual stitches and road rashes were nothing. Oh, and there was that run-in with the cactus, too.
His affinity for mountain climbing and being chainsaw-certified are therefore nothing new. His middle name should be Danger, however. Nathaniel just doesn't cover the warning that should come with him. |
| Marsha - I always figured girls would be way more high maintenance - boys just like breaking stuff chance |
| Mikal: Your girls are percussionists? Don't destroy my illusions. I have it firmly stuck in my head that girls are quieter than boys generally -- when they're not practicing blood-curdling screams because they can.
However, I will grant you that the MRI noise is very repetitive. Soothing, almost. If you work in a steel mill, say. |
| Geez, Marsha, I dunno...
I fell asleep during my MRI. That noise was positively soothing compared to the racket I get at home. Mikal Trimm |
| Just for informational purposes and apropos of not a whole lot...
MRIs are really, really noisy. You've got the *thunk*thunk*thunk* background noise and then other loud rat-a-tat-tats every time they either take pictures or turn the magnets on and off. Earplugs are your friends. You won't understand a word the tech is saying to you, but hey! That's okay. Marsha |
| Mikal,
Don't worry -- you're already doomed with the plethora of hormones that will be coming your way in about... oh, say, six more years. I almost feel sorry for you. After all, I only had the one girl child, (who is currently pitching an emotional fit because she doesn't have the proper shorts to wear to the band carwash tomorrow) and you have *two*. ::Shudder:: And your wife has potluck bonfires? Cool! Any fuel I can bring? chance, dear... trust me. Puppies are way easier. (I learned this watching Alix puppy-sit this summer. She has not said one word about having a puppy of her own since...) Marsha |
| Marsha--
Stats: 5 & 6 (7 in November), both girls. Stats: One brown-haired, far advanced in her classes, very emotional. One blonde, blue-eyed, could care less about anything, because she's *cute*. Stat: One wife--who, in her own words, says 'Forget throwing the KIDS on the fire--let's start using the PARENTS!' And I won't even BEGIN to say what she just blurted, in VERY foul language, about school administrators... E Tu, Brutus? Mikal Trimm |
| can i have one too? and do they do any tricks?
oh wait, i'm thinking of puppies ... *mumbles* nevermind chance |
| Some of these are self-igniting, you know. May you have one of your very own, Mikal.
Catch! *lobs flaming kinder at Mikal* :> *hurriedly moves before Mikal's kids reach 5 years old, and he decides to relocate to Ventura County, leaving no forwarding address* Marsha |
| Y'know, you can't keep hiding under those kinders--every once in a while, you need to toss one on the fire to keep the room well-lit... Mikal Trimm |
| ::Sticks her head up from under the pile of screaming kindergarteners and looks around dazedly::
Jae! Thanks! It was great to meet you and all the other RMers at WorldCon. I don't feel like I got nearly enough time getting to know you all. We'll have to work on this more at Torcon. :) If nothing else, I'm bringing balloons for Ben next year. We could have a Strange Horizons or Ideo zoo. ::Mewls, as she is sucked back into the kindergarten whirlpool:: Is it the weekend yet? Marsha |
| It was nice to meet you Marsha! I think the faux Hugo became a balloon dog with later became the Strange Horizons mascot. Last I saw it, someone was writing on it with a Sharpie. Jae |
| chance, Kim/Tempest was in charge of all the photos. Every time I turned around, there she was taking stealth photos.
Moral: Never stick out your tongue and cross your eyes at a woman armed with a camera. *sigh* She's promised me that one's definitely going up on the web. As for Charlie's... *ahem*... faux Hugo, the last thing I saw was that Ben had turned it into a dog. (Ben was a clown in an earlier life -- obviously a man of many talents.) Up until that point, Charlie had it sticking out of his pocket and whapping unsuspecting women following behind him. (And the number of people who said, "I won't tell you what that looks like...") Well, yeah. It *was*. E did an excellent job of creating the facsimile. Marsha |
| *boing! boing! boing!*
where's my pictures? I've heard rumors of penis balloons. chance |
| chance: Stories? I need to submit stories?! Eeeeeeeeee...
::runs away and hides her head under her pillow. Sticks her head back out to talk to Kim.:: You will need to stick to groups of two, from now on, then. Or, better yet! A group of one. Because unless you give each of your names an individual vote, you shouldn't be able to outvote yourself there. Maybe. |
| but temp, you're still the prettiest ... chance |
| awww man, i always get outvoted. Tempest |
| Yeah! Clarion West it is!
Have you picked out the stories you are going to send it yet, marsha? *bounce bounce bounce* (looks in mirror to check for bug eyes. phwew.) chance |
| Ben: I'm voting for Marty-Feldman-eyed, too. We can start a trend. Use it in your next short. ;)
Ruth: Yay! How are you? Where are you? You are going to be at WorldCon, right? (And of course, I'd expect you to vote for Clarion West. Isn't loyalty a requirement?) |
| I vote for Marty Feldman eyed.
Hi Marsha, et al. :-) (I also vote for Clarion West, but that was to be expected, no? ) |
| Which brings up an interesting point.. why is bug-eyed called bug-eyed when they're aren't any bugs with bug-eyed eyes? Shouldn't it be called frog-eyed or Marty-Feldman-eyed? |
| ::Crawls out from under the pile of kindergartners.::
Chance? Khepri? ::Studies chance.:: She doesn't look bug-eyed to me. ::Kindergartners suck her back under...:: |
|
> But chance, doesn't he only like women with bugs for heads? I just realized I'm making a terrible assumption here. Maybe chance is khepri. If so, include a photo on your Clarion app, chance. It will definitely get China's attention... |
| ::does a dance in here, too:: Tempest |
| But chance, doesn't he only like women with bugs for heads? |
| E: What you don't realize is that I was the real-life model for the illos in The Teacher from the Black Lagoon.
:P Oh, yeah. I am *such* a dragon. (Just the thought of having to homeschool my own is enough to make me blanch.) Marsha |
|
Somehow, Marshy, the thought of moms seeing you and realizing they're leaving their children with you, and this causing them to cry...well, that cracks me up. Heh. It makes me wonder if Rachel's desire to homeschool is motivated more by a separation anxiety than her objection to having her kids systematized. --E E |
| That's not true. I was sleeveless. :P Besides, it's the spiritual coolness that really matters. Celia |
| Celia: There is no way in heck you can convince me that Michigan is cooler than Seattle. First off, I saw those water fight photos. Every single one of you wore shorts or short sleeves.
:P Kim: Yes, back to school already. Culture shock has set in. I met half my new horde last night, and I'm heading back in this morning for a few hours to acclimate some more. I think I shall sit in a corner and suck my thumb. (And if I get one more parent who breaks into tears at the thought of letting her darling go to school... the kid was *fine*.) Marsha |
| You want Clarion Michigan. You *want* Clarion Michigan. It's much cooler. China is cute and all that, but Michigan is cooler. Celia |
| Back to school already!? Did you just get OUT of school? What is up with *that*?
Of course I want to be near you, I was just being cranky that day. Lack of funds for chocolate :( Bad days always begin with no funds for chocolate I still want to go to clarion middle tho... waaaaa Tempest |
| My gosh... go away for a few days, and all heck breaks loose.
Celia: Chance isn't interested in sex. No... it's his mind. Don't believe me? Hmm. Neither do I. Darn. Kim: What do you mean you don't want to be close to me? You're always asking about when you can move in! Did I miss something? Charlie: Don't make me co-op your topic again. Haven't the last twenty times or so been enough? You'll have to wait for it until later. Today I'm back to school. ::Sniff.:: Where did my summer go? Marsha |
| If they don't come looking for me, Celia, then I must perforce venture forth in search of them.
I will go back over to my topic and set out a supply of pillows, just in case. They can always be used for naps if nothing else. Charlie Finlay |
| I thought all the girl fights are supposed to stay in your thread, Charlie. celia |
| Leeeeeeeeeeet's get Ready! To! Rummmmmmmmble!
In this corner, the always Entertaining E!, complete with emphatic punctuation! In this corner, the aptly named Terrible Tempest! The size of the ring? As big as the United States! No hitting below the Bible Belt, ladies! At the ring of the bell, let the fight begin... brrrrrrrrrrng! Charlie Finlay |
| E, the point was that Seattle is closer to Marsha than Michigan is. So there would be a better chance of her coming to Clarion West than Clarion middle. I am well aware of the distance between Seattle and LA thank you. Tempest |
|
Yeah, Tempest, Seattle is practically next door to L.A. Okay, so NY is 2.5 times as far. But Seattle is still close to 1000 miles away from L.A.! Yeesh. This is what happens when the schools stop teaching geography. --E E! |
| Yes, China. China has settled the great debate chance and I were having - Clarion West or Clarion middle? I was pulling for Clarion middle, but she kept on about Seattle and being close to Marsha (like I need to be close to my mother... always telling me to brush my teeth and such) and whatever. But now there is no dissuading her. Tempest |
| China. If you go, Chance, bring us back compromising pictures, please. Celia |
|
Damn, now I'm all curious as to who Chance is eyeballing. --E E |
| Damn it Marsha, I was going to tell her that! I came here specifically to hijack your thread, and turn it to a discussion of people Chance would like to be involved in premarital sex with. And you've gone and ruined it all. Celia |
| thanks! chance |
| chance -- come out from underneath all those daisies you're strewing and scoot up to Clarion Workshops under the Networking file. Check out who's instructing at Clarion West next year.
Marsha |
| Mikal, maybe it has more to do with kung-fuing each other to exhaustion -- the ultimate workout. ;)
And thanks! Marsha |
| Hmmm--premartial sex. Would that be having a nice lie-down *before* kung-fuing each other to death?
And Marsha, another welcome you-know-where. Mikal Trimm |
| Celia: If I'd actually been looking for premartial sex with weiner dogs, it would have been. Trust me.
:P Marsha |
| Whoa, Marsha, are you sure that wasn't supposed to be in Charlie's topic? Celia |
| ::taps foot::
*ahem!* Yes, you. You know exactly what I want. :P Marsha |
| I would walk through chance's open door anytime
oh yeah, i finished the story. Tempest |
| But chance, no one in their right mind would accept the open door invitation... just think about who might be lurking within!
(Okay, we know it's you, but they don't! Celia, if you need work to activate your brain, I can offer you an abundance of housework -- starting with the laundry. I'll also borrow the small dogs in the neighborhood, and bestow upon you the honor of walking them all simultaneously. (Think of it as practice for that day when you drop off your mother's at the pound.) Marsha |
| I did that all the time at Clarion. I'd be like, "what happened this afternoon?" And they'd be all, "well, you were asleep for most of it." And I'd be like, wow, how did they know that? til I remembered that I'd had the door open because otherwise there was no air movement worth writing home about.
(I'm sorry, I don't know who took over my brain for most of that message. I blame lack of work yet again.) celia |
| lol Marsha - but I was actually talking about napping with the door unlocked and standing ajar. (the post before the call mom one)
chance |
| Kim! You are to finish that story or I will hound you at WorldCon about it. (Have I mentioned that mothers can do guilt well?) :>
Chance, fat lot you know! I am taking a leaf from you and writing notes to myself on my hands from now on. From there, the meme will spread to my kindergarten classes, who all, when their mothers scream at them for having used indelible markers, will say, "But my teacher does it!" It will all be your fault. Celia, Whew! For a minute there, I thought you were bringing all the dogs out to me. If you had, I would have insisted that you drop me at the closest bus station, where, not being senile, I would have taken off for parts unknown. Marsha |
| We think right now she's just trying to replace the mastiff. Figure one 180 lb dog, 18 10 lb dogs. She keeps threatening to get huge herds of them and then die and leave them to my care. Complete with color coded leashes and fewer manners than cats. THis is why I'm leaving her in a bus station as soon as she's senile. I'll drop her off there, the dogs at the pound, and buy myself something pretty on the way home. Celia |
| Hey Marsha - did you read my journal today? Yet another reason why I need a keeper. chance |
| That would make an interesting story idea, a mother who replaces her children with animals, even going so far as to name the animals the same name of the kid it is replacing, then forcing the remaining children to treat the animal as if it were actually their sibling. Hmmm.. excuse me, I need to go write somethin'. Tempest |
| hmm - my parents did the same thing - they got one cat to replace each kid, even matching the sexes.
I do wonder if four cats are harder to take care of than four rotten kids? Celia- I wouldn't be too sure. Did I ever mention why I don't have any pets? chance |
| So, Celia, does this mean when she started the menagerie she only had you and your brothers? And now that you've moved out, she's resorting to small animals to keep her challenged?
Kim, just count your blessings I don't offer you David -- but Amber gets him. She'll make a Buddhist out of him yet. He's halfway there. He's already a vegetarian. ;) Hmm. I probably should update my will, making sure everyone gets the right kid... Marsha |
| Ever notice how Marsha is always trying to send her kids to *me*? Like just because I am their older, cooler sister I'm supposed to be able to do something about them. HA!
If chance gets the small dogs, I can be the keeper of the cats. They're easy to take care of. But I wonder if a tiger can be litter trained. I guess if I get Drew or Alix we'll find out. Tempest |
| I was refering to zookeepers. My mother's collecting her own little menagerie. Chance can probably be trusted to keep small dogs under control. Celia |
| Kim, thanks! We tracked him down, and are now in the process of retrieving our lost... well, I'd call him a penny, except he's much larger than one, and he's cost us a lot more over the years. He'll be home this evening. In the meantime, I am mangling a paintbrush and woodwork in order to prevent a virtual strangling.
Would you accept a substitute keeper? David needs to see the world from the other side. :> Marsha |
| Marsha, your rasperry better call you soon or I'll (censored)! yeah, you heard me!
I definitely need a keeper, I was counting on you for that. Who will keep me if my own mother will not?? Tempest |
| But Charlie, that's because you'd skipped even further ahead to the wetbathingsuit hugs after the rescue.
Celia? I don't think chance is promoting herself as a keeper, so much as needing to be kept. Unless you're suggesting your mom is ready to take on another child... Chance, (censored) (censored) (censored). Don't you agree? ::Resorts to childish behavior again. Sticks tongue out.:: There. I feel better, don't you? And now can we all join forces for a rousing raspberry for (yes, the alliteration is intentional) scouts who are evacuated in a fire, but don't call home so their parents know exactly where they are? Marsha |
| Does this mean we don't get to dunk you, chance? I was already skipping past the dunking booth idea and thinking swimming pools.... Charlie Finlay |
| hmmm - for some reason the word censored came out as dots when I posted - here are the stories with the censored tags (in case they were confusing -
Ok -I think these two stories pretty well cover why I can't be let out on my own: 1. One time in college we broke into (censored) Little did we know there was a silent alarm, so we were all busy , when the campus police showed up. (censored) And then they let us go home, with a promise of being arrested if we ever did it again. 2. There was the time was coming back from a club in D.C.(censored) We thought it would be a good idea to (censored) and then I got a $300 dollar ticket, which I never paid. Mwahahahah. Uncensored versions might be told when I am very drunk. chance |
| Quick, someone dunk chance -- I have to hear the uncensored details!
In fact, I think there's a dunking booth next door for the church festival this weekend. Hmmm. If we sneak over there in the middle of the night and climb over the fence... Charlie Finlay |
| Sure, she can stay with my mom. Camp Stevens always needs another keeper. Celia |
| Ok -I think these two stories pretty well cover why I can't be let out on my own:
1. One time in college we broke into . Little did we know there was a silent alarm, so we were all busy , when the campus police showed up. . And then they let us go home, with a promise of being arrested if we ever did it again. 2. There was the time was coming back from a club in D.C. We thought it would be a good idea to and then I got a $300 dollar ticket, which I never paid. Mwahahahah. Uncensored versions might be told when I am very dunk. chance |
| Hey, Marsha, regarding keeperdom, I'm pretty sure that chance is a keeper even without the applica--
What? Oooooooh. She needs a keeper. Maybe they have space at the zoo. With the primates. Say, the bonobos. We could ask. If you guys are serious about Clarion, good luck! Charlie Finlay |
| Kim, yes. Why west? My mother would visit. ::Grin.::
Chance, you need to prove that you're worthy of keeperdom. Please fill out the application, citing all idiot things you have done in the past (with the dates they were accomplished), plus those you hope to attain in the future. Three recommendations are necessary -- only one may be from a family member; another must be from a recent employer. Remember, this recitation can and will be held against you. Marsha |
| ooo can i come to clarion, too?
why are we ging to clarion west? Tempest |
| I do need a keeper! (do i have to regale you with the many idiot things i do?)
and we are both going to clarion west!!! chance |
| Celia, you're being supportive, aren't you?
Tell you what, you're not busy next summer now -- you can play mommy to my 15YO daughter. Snerk. And you thought David was bad. Hah! Marsha |
| Apply early! It's easiest to get in apparently if you apply before the new year--december or so. Celia |
| ::Buries her face in her hands::
I'm doomed. Doomed. Chance is never going to let up on me now. Not that she needs a keeper. Or that I'm competent at keeping even. (Keeping kindergarteners does not count. No matter what you say!) And all I would have to do is convince the family they can live without me for six weeks. Snerk. Marsha |
| Apply early! It's easiest to get in apparently if you apply before the new year--december or so. Celia |
| Marsha -- this is the first I've heard of your (or chance's!) hearkening to the Clarion call! Good luck to both of you with that. Now's the right time to start making plans. Charlie Finlay |
| ooh - yes, apply to clarion. we can go together. chance |
| Christina, thanks so much!
chance, it's all a figment of someone else's imagination. You are drinking margaritas. Pay no attention to the fact that it's not quite noon and you're stuck at work. Congratulations, Celia! I'm very impressed at your total word count for six weeks. I'm tempted to apply to Clarion for next summer. (I think it would count as a vacation if I don't take the kids...) ::Steps aside to reveal someone cowering behind her.:: *ahem!* Tempest! Don't make me use your full name in public! (For one thing, I'm sure it would take up far too much space.) Don't you remember? Celia's the redhead. Now I can see if you confused her and Amber, because Amber's hair color changes about as often as her web pages, after all... but chance? |
| Celia, chance, whoever. You all look the same to me. ::hides behind Marsha:: Tempest |
| Yeah, it was me who was scrubbing. I'm Free! Well, the good part is that I finished my sixth story(6700 words, but I told them just 6200, cause that's what Word says). The bad part is that I've only got two more days here. Celia |
| hey! why am I scrubbing? I thought I was on the deck plotting, er chatting with Marsha and drinking margaritas. chance |
| When Marsha isn't looking, chance and Tempest sneak away from their scrubbing duties... half of hell is even scarier than all of hell, anyway. Especially with those wriggling flies. Tempest |
| Congrats Marsha on your first sale too! The feeling is unparalleled! :D Christina |
| Celia, *Thbbbpppppppt!*
Eek! That wasn't me! Charlie had his hand in my inner puppet. I have no idea what it's talking about. But shouldn't you be working at Clarion? What about that 6500-word story you are supposed to stun the compet... ahem!... the other Clarionites with this week? Add another 500 words to the total and watch their heads spin. |
| *ding-dong*
*hides* *gets found and dragged out by an ear* *gets made to help Tempest scrub wall* Stupid Marsha. Thinks she's so cool, just cause she's got an acceptance. not telling |
| Terry! Thanks! I appreciate it! (Even the confetti, which you had the grace to make out of flypaper... who could ask for anything more?)
Charlie? Thanks for the vote of confidence! I've made you earn those crit points, haven't I? :) As for the decorating scheme... Kim? Look at all those flies stuck onto that wall. Would you mind taking your pets someplace else? Like... oh, outside, perhaps? I think Charlie's barbequeing downstairs on his balcony. |
| Congrats Marsha!! Yippee! [tosses confetti] Wahoo!! Ee-haw!
Um. Sorry 'bout the confetti in the PB &J...; Happy happy--gotta love that first sale! |
| MARSHA!!
Congratulations on the first sale. I swear to god I was talking with Ellen this weekend about writers on the workshop who were due to start selling soon, and your name was one I gave as an example. May you have many, many more. Uh, nice decorative scheme you've got here, btw. Charlie Finlay |
| ::sniffle!::
Okay, you asked for it. ::creates a mural based on one of those Hell paintings my H. Bosch out of peanut butter, jelly and bread crusts on the opposite wall:: There. Now we have a dichotomy. ::points to letter:: heaven... ::points to mural:: Hell. Hey... where did all those flies come from? Tempest |
| chance: Thanks! I've always wanted my own personal cheerleader! ::Grin::
Kim, dear: Couldn't you have just stuck with peanut butter and jelly fingerprints and cookie crumbs? Don't cry, sweetie. It's all right. I love your artwork and never have quite enough to hang on the fridge. And blowing up the acceptance is a great idea! Look! One! One! Somebody loves me! Amber: I'll gladly share the crit mojo with you. Of course, that means that anything that would normally come my way for the golden touch, automatically goes to you first. Now all I have to do is to train people... huh? Pish. What's a little more slush on your plate? |
| egads, one sale and you're all famous 'n stuff. :)
congrats you. It's cuz I critted it, isn't it? :P (you can't have all the crit mojo) :) Amber |
| oooo... look at this place, all nice and white and shiny. It needs something. hmmm... I know!
::runs off to Kinko's, comes back way lighter in the pocket:: Here we go, a poster-sized photocopy of the email acceptance letter. ::tacks it to the wall with pushpins, velcro and bubble gum (cherry flavored):: We should frame it with all the rejection letters. Hmm. But first... ::whips out paintball gun - splortsplortsplortsplortsplortsplortsplortsplortsplortsplortsplortsplortsplortsplortsplortsplortsplortsplort!:: Now it looks more home-y Tempest |
| go marsha go!!!!! chance |
| Gee, Terry, thanks a bunch!
For a second, when I saw my name pop up, I thought I'd posted to the wrong topic. Talk about being relieved to see someone else's name... ::grin:: |
| Congrats on the Ideomancer sale. The first one is special, like your first love. |