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First, I dug a hole.

Then, I realized the hole had a ton of rocks in it.

Then, I decided to avoid the rocks, so I built a box and filled it with dirt.

At this point I realized that farming is really hard.

But I pressed on and put my tiny little plants in the ground and …

BAM! A victorious victory garden.

I think my newfound farming skills will be pretty useful. You never know when you’ll be faced with a zombie apocalypse.

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My very first foil!

It’s not the sort of thing Hallmark makes cards for, but I still feel like I’ve passed some sort of milestone. I’m still taking classes, but I’ve also started going to open fencing. It was really intimidating at first, but I got over it

I need to get a bag to carry my stuff in though, walking around with a sword in downtown Detroit attracts a bit more attention than I was expecting. It makes getting to and from the parking garage… interesting.

I can’t wait until advance classes start.

I also have a feeling they’re going to start me on epee at some point. Probably far in the future since I’ve just started with the foil.

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Now, something I wasn’t expecting to like. The second book.

It was equally awesome even though the main characters were different. Still set in the same world, but I have to admit I normally I hate follow up stories that run off and tap a different character. This, totally changed that for me.  I have no complaints, and I can’t wait to see who the third character will be (Although, I think i know

EEEEeeee…..I can’t wait until the last book comes out.

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One of the copywriters at work uses this: Visuwords

It’s a visual thesaurus/ dictionary. Not that there’s anything wrong with a regular thesaurus, this one is just a lot more fun. It also reminds me of this awesome game which has nothing  to do with thesauruses, and everything to do with video game physics.

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I bought this book for my  kindle (2.99, btw) after reading one paragraph. I can’t wait to get home tonight so I can read the rest of it.

It’s up for a Hugo. You can read all about that, and who else was nominated here.

And this is what Publishers Weekly has to say about it:

“Starred Review. Convoluted without being dense, Jemisin’s engaging debut grabs readers right from the start. Yeine desires nothing more than a normal life in her barbarian homeland of Darr. But her mother was of the powerful Arameri family, and when Yeine is summoned to the capital city of Sky a month after her mother’s murder, she cannot refuse. Dakarta, her grandfather and the Arameri patriarch, pits her against her two cousins as a potential heir to the throne. In an increasingly deep Zelaznyesque series of political maneuverings, Yeine, nearly powerless but fiercely determined, finds potential allies among her relatives and the gods who are forced to live in Sky as servants after losing an ancient war. Multifaceted characters struggle with their individual burdens and desires, creating a complex, edge-of-your-seat story with plenty of funny, scary, and bittersweet twists.”

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DIY FTW!

*Update*  As some of you have noticed I still need to put in shelves, but I’m so close to finished I couldn’t wait to share it.

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Apparently, it’s really important that I read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Ah well, who am I to argue with the universe.

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Click here to view the embedded video.

I’m a little late on the uptake on this one, but they’re a “shock rap collective” out of LA. They played last night at the Majestic. I found out about them a few hours before the show so it’s no surprise I missed it. Although, I didn’t miss much. Apparently, the show ended after a couple of bottles were thrown on stage, about an hour in.

…Who am I kidding. I still would have gone.

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With a three-level deep backup system I doubt I’ll be having anymore computer problems.

It’s a tad obsessive, but I’m ok with that.

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But I’m going to do it anyways. I’ve always wanted a garden and now I’ve got one…sort of.

I have a few plants, a shovel, some dirt and a backyard.

Funny how I’ve jumped from keeping one basil plant alive to planting a whole garden. But we didn’t get to the moon by only flying halfway there, now did we?

But considering my track record with plants, this leap is almost just as big.

Things I’m growing:

Heirloom tomatoes

Beefsteak tomatoes

Green bell peppers

Red onions

White onions

Kale

Jalapenos

Cilantro

I might pick up a few more herbs at the Eastern Market, but I’m trying really hard not to overdo it.

We’ll see how it goes.

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My “outline” is nowhere near finished, but I have to start writing.

I should have enough of it done by Wednesday to start in on the story itself.

Based on this experiment I’m not convinced that outlining is the way to go for me. Even though I’m sure the benefits of it will be apparent once I actually start writing, I feel like it’s taking forever to get to the pen-on-paper part.

I’ve discovered that you could literally outline a story for years without doing any actual writing. It’s a bit too much procrastination – even for me.

So by Wednesday, regardless of whether I’m done plotting or not, it’s on.

Look at all that paper…..I should really look into finding some cork board.

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We are gathered here today, to say goodbye to a good friend of mine.

His name was, Mac.

I only had him for five months, but we had already shared a ton. I really trusted him and while I hate to talk shit about someone at their own funeral, he died and took everything with him.

What a bastard.

But it’s sort of my fault too, I suppose. I didn’t give him the loving backup he deserved. I just assumed a Server God was taking care of everything. Plus, he was brand new. Little did I know, he had cut his ties with the Server long ago, and was destined for death the moment he came out of the box.

I’m quite certain he’s laughing at me from hard drive hell, but I’m going to do my best to forget about him.

Goodbye, Mac.

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That’s right. I went out last Saturday and bought at $200 18-volt drill. My obsession with furniture/stuff making has reached a new level of ridiculous.

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Dodos

Black Night

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Kills

Future Starts Slow

Click here to view the embedded video.

Satellite

Click here to view the embedded video.

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While drinking and driving definitely don’t go together. I can assure you with confidence that drinking and sewing definitely do.

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1)    I just might finish my character outlines.

2)    There’s a  storytelling show in Detroit tonight.

3)    Tomorrow is a half-day!!

4)    The sun has finally come back out.

5)   And…There’s a present, from one of my favorite people, sitting on my porch

That’s a fairly decent list for 1:30.

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They demand that I buy a case of Salt Lick BBQ. One of Austin’s many treasures. How could I deny to such a delicious request?

I swear, if Austin weren’t in Texas I’d be there in a minute.

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