Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Book signing in Essex, Vermont

I'll be signing books as part of the Kindling Words caravan tomorrow, January 24, 2008, 4 to 5pm, at Phoenix Books & Cafe in Essex, Vermont:

Phoenix Books and Cafe
21 Essex Way, #407
Essex, VT 05452
(802) 872-7111
http://www.phoenixbooks.biz/

I'll be one of more than 20 children's book authors and illustrators gathering at the store. If you'll be in the area, please stop by!

Saturday, January 19, 2008

For the Cat People

My friend Peter sent me this today. It's awesome:

http://www.thefunnystuff.net/viewmovie.php?ad_key=MYQFWBUSMQKD&tracking_id=890373&id=614%5C

You may enjoy it even if you aren't a cat person, but it's especially good for those of us who have been there.

While we're on the subject of funny cat things on the web, if you aren't already a fan of LOLcats, please go here:

http://icanhascheezburger.com/

(Warning: the LOLcat site can suck you in for hours. Maybe days. Seriously. Visit with caution.)

Saturday, January 12, 2008

MySpace and MySpiders

I've succumbed. I now have a MySpace page. You can find it here. Yay one more online collective! It's so weird to think that there was a time, not so very long ago, when the internet wasn't such a huge part of our lives. Craziness!

Spider update: Two more little guys who I have allowed to stay, for now. One is JUST small enough to not freak me out. The other was so tiny I couldn't evict him if I tried. Seriously, he's like the size of a pinhead. Maybe smaller. He was running around on the Chinese food menu when I picked it up a little while ago to place a delicious order (egg roll, shrimp with cashews, dry sauteed string beans, brown rice. Yes, I know it's a lot of food, but then I'll have lots of leftovers and won't have to think about making anything tomorrow, either.) Anyway, I will reflect the updated spider count in the SPLOG. (SPLOG! SPLOG!)

If anyone out there is actually reading this... how about a little poll. What's your favorite take-out order? Not just the kind (Chinese, Italian, etc.) but what specifically do you most like to get? Inquiring minds want to know.

Oh - I should point out -- because I'm sure you care! ;) -- that the above order isn't actually my current favorite. That was actually me mixing it up a little. My very favorite Chinese food take-out order includes chicken chow fun with no vegetables other than snow peas and the House Special fried rice. And every once in a while I let myself get General Tso's chicken, even though it is very bad for me, because it is just so delicious. Shrimp with cashews was one of my favorites growing up, though. Mmmmmm, Chinese food! I can't wait until the delivery guy gets here!!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

SPLOG!

I am not a fan of spiders. Because of this, inevitably, they are drawn to me and I have more spider encounters than anyone else I know. I've decided to keep a log this year of how many spiders invade my apartment. FYI, if they are below a certain size, sometimes I let them stay, because I feel it's good for me to become a little desensitized. The big suckers, however, have to go. I don't like to kill them, so what generally happens is I trap them in dixie cups and dump them out the window. Technically, that gives them a fighting chance. They kind of float, you know, and I'm certain they always find something to stick their sticky web trails to somewhere on the way down. I can't say for sure they can survive the cold... but hey, I'm not running a spider boarding house here. Unless they're going to start paying rent, out they go.

One time it was very windy and I was afraid the spider would get blown back on me if I tried to throw him out the window (which would be entirely UNACCEPTABLE) and so that one I evicted into the hallway. But then I kept getting nervous that he'd just crawl right back to my door. So really the window is the better option.

Anyway, I will keep a running count of the spider situation in the right-hand column of this blog. I will call it SPLOG, which is short for spider log, only much more fun to say. SPLOG! SPLOG! SPLOG! (Seriously, try it and see.)

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Hello, 2008

Here's hoping the new year brings good things to everyone, all around.