Online Writer LJ reccs

I don't often recommend someone else's LJ, but I'm going to this time. shanna_s is a pro writer with several books to her name, the most recent one being Don't Hex With Texas. She's down to earth about writing, what works for her, what helps, what doesn't, and so forth. Today's entry is about procrastination. It helps that the humor that shows up in her books permeates her LJ.

Check her LJ out - I don't think you'll regret it!

(and if you want a writer with a different flavor, check out sartorias; her credits include the Wren series and Court Duel and a plethora of intelligently written tie-ins. Her entries tend to veer into Meta, with some practical entries, as well)

So, flisters: do you have a favorite writer on LJ that you'd like to recommend?

Am Dying from the Exams

 I just sent in my answers to my second Exam for my Proofreading and Business Spelling class and OMG, certain verb/subject agreements are so hard to figure out, especially if you have to *think* about them instead of just writing them out! I'm crossing my fingers that I earn over 42 points out of 50 so that I earn an "A" grade, at least with the first book.

Now I have to start on the second book, which delves much more deeply into proofreading. Lucky for me my editor mother taught me a bunch of basic proofreading marks when I was a kid (seems like I've known them forever) so it won't be a totally strange language for me to learn. I've always actually *liked* making those little swirly marks as I read through my stories. Means I'm making them better.

I still would fail a class that forced me to name the parts of speech. I couldn't tell you what half the prepositions are in the prep list. I wasn't even sure what "seem" was! (it's a verb) Predicative, nomative, ugh. My mind builds a huge brick wall against terms like that. I can't remember that stuff. But I DO seem to "get" how to use them. It helps that English was always one of my better subjects, you know?

Update on the #2 Exam

O.M.G. 

I didn't get 50 points (really wasn't expecting to get 100%) but I did get a lower number of correct answers than I expected - 41/50. But at least I got the minimum I needed to get an "A" on THIS book. Today I'll start working on the Proofreading book and hope I do better. 

Crap. I really wanted to do better than a 41.   :-(

Bowling and Cake Decorating!

 Phew!

Little Guy has been mentioning bowling for a couple of weeks now, so I *finally* signed him up for a children's bowling league - it's the one where the kids (or adults) can "earn" a bowling ball at the end of the 12 weeks. They used to have crazy characters balls, like the Simpsons or Spongebob, but I'm not sure they have those anymore. Heck, *I* want a bowling ball with Spongebob on it!  Mermaid showed a little interest in doing the bowling thing, but we'll see. She's on the fence. If she wants to, that's great. If not, she can draw while her little brother bowls his little heart out. Gotta remember to bring my camera!

When Mermaid and I were at Michael's Craft Store picking up a birthday present for her friend, I saw a cake decorating class flyer, grabbed it and called the woman who teaches it. This was very opportune, because lately, Mermaid's been going nuts for baking. That's why I cleaned out my baking shelf. So Mermaid will be taking a two and a half hour cake decorating class in July on Saturdays, and then in August, assuming she's still into it, she'll take the next class on Tuesday nights, when she'll learn more advanced techniques.

The Devil Came Down to Georgia

 The Devil Came to Georgia was a popular song when I was a kid - I'm not sure when it came out, exactly, maybe the early eighties. I remember it because A) it was a catchy song with two cool instrumentals in it, and B) had a good narrative story in it and C) it was about the ONLY current song I remember my father, the opera stick-in-the-mud, ever singing along to when it came onto the radio!

I just discovered, many years late, of course, that the song had a sequel called The Devil Comes Back to Georgia, wherein after ten years, with Johnny's win on the fiddle just gnawing away at him, comes back to challenge him again.

I can't find the sequel song on iTunes, of course. Does anyone remember hearing it?