Good Things Today

[mrissa]

In roughly chronological order:

1. "Uncle Mark's penguin lovey": comfy and snuggly all night even though I couldn't lie flat
2. Chocolate bun from Turtle Bread
3. Pleasant assortment of e-mails
4. Putting in earrings made from resistors -- thanks, orbitalmechanic
5. No longer having thread in my mouth from wisdom tooth removal: yay, last milestone!
6. Leftover Szechuan wontons from Rainbow being on the top shelf of the fridge and thus easily handled for lunch
7. A Ctein! an afternoon's worth, at least*
8. timprov apparently feeling better at least in one limited dimension and at least for awhile -- we'll take what we can get when we can get it -- and sitting here at our computers singing "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" together while we type
9. Making markgritter laugh himself pink
10. Pizza for dinner, fetched by markgritter
11. Silly and interesting conversation about books including mine
12. Knowing at least one thing I Must Have from the dealer's room at WFC
13. Knowing I could do more of these if I felt like it

Share yours?

*It occurs to me that some of you may not be familiar with a Ctein; he is a who, not a what.

Comments

Ctein

[fredcritter.livejournal.com]

A Ctein! an afternoon's worth, at least*
Coolness! Did he arrive, as usual, profusely "illustrated"?

Share yours?
I'd love to. Hmmm. 1) I just woke up. That's good. 2) I am still alive. That is always a good thing (regardless of my occasional doubts). 3) I'm listening to Noa, Gil Dor, and the Solis String Quartet (as recorded and preserved on CD—not live—but we takes what we can gets). 4) Gavi. 5) Susan.
I'll watch for more as my day unfolds. Thank you.

Re: Ctein

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Ctein either did not bring photos or did not take them out of his bag, but I've had the pleasure in the past on more than one occasion.

[stillsostrange.livejournal.com]

My gums have collapsed. It's a thrill a minute over here.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I am not glad either of us had to have this done, but I'm kind of glad we had it together-ish.

[fredcritter.livejournal.com]

Silly and interesting conversation about books including mine

Since I've been admiring your skill at basic-words-together, word choice, concept twiddling, and other such of late, this minded me to take a peek at Amazon.com. The Jewish Americans (Welcome to America) and The Chinese Americans (Welcome to America) are yours? No wonder you recognized Howard M. Sachar's name and cited one of his. Much coolness.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

(And first, thanks! Some of the short stories are linked from my bibliography (http://www.marissalingen.com/bibleo.html), if you get curious in that direction.)

Yes, I did three books as work-for-hire. It was sometimes real fun and sometimes the sarcastic kind of "fun." Explaining pogroms and the Holocaust and some of Mao's policies in terms that a 4th to 6th grade or 7th to 9th grader of average intelligence (depending on the book) could understand -- but would not send them shrieking to bed with nightmares for a month -- but would not minimize the horrors involved -- well, it was not the easiest job I ever did. Worthwhile, though, I'm pretty sure. I tend not to talk about them much now that they're out of my hands (I don't own the copyright), but I'm proud of them.

Putting the pictures with the text was not any part of my job. The Jewish Americans looks pretty good, but The Chinese Americans -- err. There's a lot of, "Look! Chinese people!", where the text is pretty disconnected from the pictures. But most of my friends are very understanding about the author's disconnect from book design, and most of my relatives are just pleased that my words are getting read in their intended format.

[madmanatw.livejournal.com]

Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters is one of my favorite songs. This, I felt compelled to share.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

It is good.

We own the Indigo Girls version of it, which is on their "Rarities" album along with "Uncle John's Band" and "Finlandia" and some other goodness. I grew up with the Elton John version on one of my dad's vinyl records.

[ellarien]

Good things today: Successful launch of the Stereo spacecraft (which will presently become two spacecraft), and eating popcorn while watching it. Gentle warmth and fluffy white clouds. More words, not unconnected to the ones I wrote last night. Having enough food in the cabinets to come up with something dinner-like in spite of not having made it to the grocery store last weekend.

Last but not least, it looks as though the sidewalk between home and the grocery store, out of commission for more than a month, is nearly finished.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

And I thought, "They'd better finish that soon, or it'll snow on the unfinished bit!"

Not so much a problem, huh?

Good Things Today

[haddayr.livejournal.com]

1. On my way to work, an acquaintance told me I looked awesome and professional.
3. Then she listened to me bitch about Arie for a while.
4. Then she started to offer a suggestion of something to try, asked if it was okay, and then STOPPED HERSELF when I said I was burned out.
5. Then she, after asking, gave me a long, firm hug.
6. Her partner came outside to ask if everything was okay, not to be weird and jealous.
7. Then I walked to work in lovely weather, and chatted with a stranger about her cool dog.

Re: Good Things Today

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Wow. Usually I assume that if people ask if it's okay, they're not going to take no. What an outstanding acquaintance you have.

Re: Good Things Today

[haddayr.livejournal.com]

Yes; I think I need to do what I can to move her from "aquaintance" to "friend."

Re: Good Things Today

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

No kidding. I have acquired the habit of informing people, "I think we will keep you," when I am being affectionate.

[tacithydra.livejournal.com]

1. It is grey and rainy and I'm in front of a window looking out on a field with trees all in quiet yellows greens and one smoldering orange. I could stare forever.

2. The smell all around me of coffee brewing.

Also, what is a "penguin lovey"? I am intrigued.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

A "lovey" is a fringed fleece blanket. porphyrin makes all kinds of them for her little guy, Robin, and will make more for the new baby, I feel sure. And Robin's Uncle Mark, markgritter, likes penguins, so she made him a great big one for Christmas one year, cheerful orange on one side and penguins on the other. It is warm and soft and cuddly and made with love in it.

[tacithydra.livejournal.com]

Aw. Those sound nice.

I like the idea that for an item to get a particular sort of name it must be made with a particular feeling.