Hi ho, MMMLogerinos!

It's another beautiful day in the neighborhood, another wonderful day in the beautywood, or something like that. I miss Mr. Rogers, don't you? As my sister said, he had such a wonderful calm and loving way about him--for a tattooed former Marine. In any case, that's the little song I woke up with this morning. I often awaken with a tune going through my head and have learned to pay attention to the lyrics or tone of the song. It's a perfect song for today in the Puget Sound--sunshine, cool, no clouds. A perfect spring day.

I've just finished another great online class, this time for Earthly Charms. Teaching a motivation class always gets me fired up, too. I'm on an incredible productive roll and have even taken my twenty-eight year old Epicure speakers apart to deal with the rattle that was driving me crazy. The membranes surrounding the diaphragm are rotted away. All the debris was bouncing around in there. I've pulled it out, cleaned things up. But I do think the two woofers need replacing. I wonder if that's possible? I'll have to check to see if Epicure is still in business.

Now that's done, I'm getting stuff organized for our Alaska Mystery Cruise next week. A little late on booking the shore excursions, so had to call instead of book online. Seems nearly every Alaska excursion includes a salmon lunch. Got plenty, thanks. So we're opting for walking tours. Wouldn't it be absolutely extraordinary if this weather held throughout the cruise? Here's hoping!

I've got to get back at it. Have a great weekend. I will. It's the DH's car's turn to be detailed. eeeeeeeeeeee.

Ciao, ciao, MMMMMMelinda

Hi ho, MMMLogerinos!

The DingdongDell was acting up and I'd called the guy who does Windows. By the time he got here on Monday, Word was opening and saving as it should. He said that he'd seen that strange problem before during the last week and thought it had to do with Windows updating. I had just downloaded a huge patch or something. He also said that there are always glitches that we aren't even told about and fixes for them that are sent to us. And fixes for fixes. Ain't it swell, though. In any case, he praised me up for my puter hygiene--I keep everything squeaky clean, deleting files regularly and defragging.

A marine layer is hovering over Seattle (my part) this morning. It will burn off about noon, I expect. It did yesterday and the temperature zoomed to the 70s, which is welcome but weird. The DH had dethatched and reseeded the lawn. Now without rain we have to water it.

There are just two episodes left this season of Veronica Mars. My gosh, there are lots of grimy characters that need offing or a severe comeuppance at the very least. I don't think there's any social issue the show hasn't dealt with this year. Last night's "exposure" of Veronica's recent doctor's visit was a shocker. Then she lied to poor ole Keith again. Oh. My. But who wouldn't lie to their parent about something like that as long as it was secretly treatable and something important wouldn't fall off and surely be noticed, not to mention missed. As I said before, I can just see those VM writers sitting around wondering how to up the outrageous shock factor of the show. Wow.

Ciao, ciao, MMMMMMMMMMMelinda, off to water the lawn.

Hi ho, MMMLogerinos!

I write about strange things that happen to even stranger people. It's called "paranormal." In one of my books, FIREBRAND, a young woman has a near death experience that renders her able to communicate with inanimate objects such as machines. As outrageous as this might seem, I do believe that a really good technician or mechanic is actually in rapport with whatever he or she is trying to fix or work on. My dad is like that, though he'd say that his skill comes from seventy years of working on machines, that sort of thing. But I've seen him diagnose an engine or mechanical problem on a car by simply listening to it or even smelling it. He taught me a few things about how mechanical things work. Dad possesses an eidetic or photographic memory and taught me to pump mine up, too. He worked nights and weekends during high school and had little time for study. All he had to do, apparently, was open a book just before walking into class, scan the lesson and he'd pass the test every time. My mother is also visually oriented and one terrific mental adding machine. You can give her a list of random numbers and she gives you the sum double quick, though slower these days as she's not yet elderly at eighty. She says she just sees the numbers in her mind and adds them up. Bingo!

And where am I going with all this? Back to the initial communicating with machines idea. I kind of do that--sense what might be wrong or going to happen with a machine like a car or a computer. It's like they send me messages? Or I get a feeling that something is wrong or about to be. Case in point, this Dell I slog away on everyday began to "feel" funny to me, and not the good ho-ho-ho way, a few weeks ago. Nothing was apparent, but still I kept feeling like something was about to go wonky. I installed McAfee, cleaned up web history and cookies, backed up files and so on. At the first of the week, Internet Explorer began crashing on me, and yesterday Word and Publisher wouldn't let me access files except through My Computer. My Dell has gone to hell, folks.

So I called the guy who does Windows. He's paying a visit on Monday to sort this out. In the meantime I may just adopt the son of MMMMM's policy--buy a new computer every two years. I bought the Dell when my Viao's hard drive went with the warranty period. Argh. It's been two years since I bought this dingdongDell. Maybe it's time for something new. A laptop, maybe? Got any suggestions? Lemme know.

Ciao, ciao, MMMMMMMMMelinda

Hi ho, MMMLogerinos!

The DH is still doing his annual Midnight Ride of Paul Revere sharing. This time spreading the word via the internet. I haven't received mine yet because my email down. But I'm sure he will treat me to a spirited rendition this evening. Remember, when we lived in England he used to ride through the halls at British Airways sharing the verse. Oh. My. And I will repeat--yes, we did have English friends despite his willingness to celebrate his ancestor's famous ride. Speaking of our time in England, we were often the only Americans in a group of Brits. Once we were invited to an informal cocktail party and the DH was determined to wear his favorite Tony Lama boots. As we were being introduced around, a disdainful walrusy fellow asked the DH what part of Texas he was from (the western boots, ya know.) DH replied, "Nevada", turned on his boot heel and left the fellow in his disgusted dust. Don't misunderstand. The DH is not the proverbial ugly American. He's a student of history, a tall repository of miscellany, a natural teacher. He's respectful of other cultures and wants to learn about them. He just expects others to have the same respect and interest enough to at least try to get it right. It's all good and I learn a lot. Wheeeeeee.

Ciao, ciao, Mmmmmmmelinda

Hi ho, MMMLogerinos!

Who doesn't love to get affirming emails? Ooooo, I really do!

I teach workshops in many venues and of course love to hear how people have put the techniques to positive use in their work and lives. I received the following email from a participant in a Perfect Pitch online class that I taught for Eastside RWA Chapter last July.

Hi Melinda,

Just wanted to drop you a quick note and say thank you for providing this "pitch" training.

Using what I learned from your class, I have recently pitched my manuscript to (1) Agent and (3) Editors/Publishers at recent Conferences. WOW! The agent requested a Synopsis and 3 chapters. Two of the editors requested FULL manuscripts and the third editor recommended the name of the person within her publishing company I should contact who specifically handles Long Historicals. This third editor also told me to write the Sr. editor in London and tell her she strongly recommends she ask to review my manuscript.

Well... all I can say to you is..." THANKS!!! for helping me obtain the know-how to make my pitch."

Sincerely,

Cheryl MacMillan
www.macmillanbooksinc.com

Now, that's what I'm talking about!

Ciao, ciao, MMMMMMMMMMMMelinda

Hi ho, MMMLogerinos!

Okay, yeah. I have been heckled. The Kansas Heckler checked in this morning, chiding that I hadn't posted for a few days. True, but I've been way busy and nothing that exciting has been going on that's been MMMLOG worthy, IMO.

The Motivate the Plot of Your Life online class is going great and we're all getting motivated there. So much so that many of us are getting stuff done we have been putting off. Yours truly is working that class and working on my new project that's due NOW. Wheeee, we are having fun yet.

The DH's mom is coming for dinner on Easter. Thinking of what to prepare, I found something round and sort of longish in the freezer. Could be a ham. When it defrosts I'll have a look. Whatever it is, we'll enjoy, or maybe not. Though the DH's mom is always a good sport and game for whatever I happen to put on the table. Usually. And so is the DH. The son of MMMMMmm always has been, too. It's either that or not eat. So are the dining choices at Chez Haynes. Early on I told the boy that I was not a short order cook and if he didn't want to eat what was served, that was his choice. But I was not cooking anything else. I didn't make him eat whatever because I didn't want to repeat that cruel treatment from my childhood when liver or whatever nastiness was poison on the tongue. But I had to sit there until I ate it. Interesting how one gets clever at hiding stuff, or so she thinks. The dog wasn't allowed in the house, so I was reduced to putting scraps under my plate. However, the lopsided plate didn't fool anyone. Dang it. And I'd have to eat it anyway. Or so I remember. Interesting how the mere thought of having to eat something icky and cold induces dry heaves . . . but you have to eat it anyway. So much of life can be like that.

Let us hope that whatever that is in the foil and rock hard is a frozen ham and not a roll of liver or chunks of very old sushi, aka forgotten fish.

Ciao, ciao, MMMMMMMMMMelinda

Hi ho, MMMLogerinos!

It's royalty statement time and it's more confusing than ever. It seems that big publishing channels another realm when putting together these arcane compilations of figures and acronyms. One needs her own sorcerer to conjure meaning and money from one of these statements. Even a wizard agent can say, "Whatha?" Oh. My.

The first week of my online class Motivating Your Plot and You Life for Earthly Charms is going great. I always have such a wonderful time in these writing classes. This group is made up of some old friends like always, and fun new ones as well. They're great storytellers and love to share, thank goodness, for that's one of the wonderful benefits of the classes. Great diversity and creativity that inspire one and all.

April is hugely busy--the class, the coaching/consulting and I'm on a dead run to get this new book done. Very exciting and stimulating, I keep reframing all the "gotta do" stuff. Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to just do it land I go.

Ciao, ciao, Mmmmmmmmmmmmmelinda

Hi ho, MMMLogerinos!

We haven't heard from the Kansas Heckler, who has interests we certainly didn't imagine, and suddenly this illuminating bit of Kansas Heckler hit the inbox:

"The sun is shining, the Kansas breeze is below gale force and my boss just
left town for the rest of the week. What do you think about that!

"The latest pest to migrate to Kansas is the 9-banded armadillo from Texas.
We are starting to see them dead along the road, and they have been sighted
as far north as the Platte River in Nebraska. They are not cold hardy, but
dig a really deep nest and with our milder winters could conceivably do well
and just keep enlarging their territory. Their reproduction habits are the
weirdest. They mate in July and then the female puts that single embryo on
hold until November at which time the embryo divides itself into 4 units and
in the spring Mama gives birth to identical quadruplets. Really! Makes you
glad you're not an armadillo.

"Other odd armadillo facts: They are frequent road kills because when
startled they jump straight up in the air. That's a good habit out in the
wild, but on the asphalt it just makes a short animal a really good target.
They are the state animal of Texas which might explain their need to move
out and mess up other folks' property (digging burrows all over the place.)
They are omnivorous but prefer to eat primarily grubs and bugs and can turn
your beautiful yard into a plowed field in one night of feasting. Oh yeah,
they are originally from South America. I have no idea how they got to
Texas. According to several folks who consider themselves
wild-meat-gourmets, they are consumable but not really edible. Sort of like
an old desert burro. Keep you from starving."

And there you go--more than you ever wanted to know about armadillos.

Ciao, ciao, MMMMMMMMMMelinda

Hi ho, MMMLogerinos!

If you are making travel plans to Asia, you might want to reconsider . . .

Face Theft New Travelers Terror
01-Apr-2006

A riot broke out in the lobby of the Lucky Star Hotel in Shanghai after forty American tourists awoke to discover that surgically skilled thieves had stolen their faces during the night. The distraught tourists, some of them wearing pillowcases over their heads, others with exposed facial musculature, glittering teeth and glaring eyes, hammered hotel staff senseless as they demanded the return of their faces. But Chinese authorities claimed that the faceless Americans were simply due new faces, not the specific faces that they lost. "I can't leave Des Moines an American woman and come back a Chinese man," one outraged victim huffed.
Full Story

MMMMMMMmmmelinda, making other plans . . .