NTech Duo Podcast!

Today I helped my brother Michael and his friend Zach record an episode of their podcast, NTech Duo. I got to do the intro and closing lines and put in my random, non-tech, opinion. I was surprised that my voice actually sounded decent and I made a few intelligent comments.

So here follows all the shameless plugs you can handle!

NTech Duo Blog
The Podcast
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Independence Day!

Last night we went and saw the Riverton fireworks with Daniel's family. I was really nervous about bringing Will because sometimes he gets really upset by loud nosies, especially at night when he's most tired. But he surprised me, he was fascinated by them. :) He just stared at them and you could see the little wheels in his head turning. He was just trying to figure out what they were.

We had a lot of fun over all and I'm excited because I got a very long weekend. I don't go back to work until Thursday. Woohoo!

In other, work related news, I got a new position. I will now be working at a different branch being a receptionist. I'm going from 30 hours to 40 and it's a $1.20 raise. I interviewed for the job Friday and found out I got it just a few hours later.

This has been a great Fourth of July weekend!

New Blog!

For those of you that follow this blog of mine, I started a second blog that will be just about my writing life. You should go follow that one too! Here's the link http://kricketwrites.blogspot.com/

Writing Prompt: Romeo & Juliet

Found this prompt here: http://blog.writersdigest.com/promptly/Writing+Prompt+When+Romeo+And+Juliet+Goes+Wrong.aspx

There are two versions here, the first one was just a cold writing, the second in the revised version.

WRITING PROMPT: Romeo and Juliet, Derailed

You watch the play.

"I don't remember Romeo and Juliet going like this," you whisper to your companion.

500 Words or less.

It’s such a classic play that it’s almost not worth paying the money to see. We all read it in high school and, most likely, you watched the 70’s movie version. I remember my 9^th grade English teacher hurrying to cover the screen during the scene where you see just a flash of Juliet’s breast.

But, the tickets where cheap, so my husband and I thought, “Why not?” From the get go, we could tell something was wrong. At Romeo’s first entrance he nearly fell off the stage.

My husband leaned towards me and whispered, “Is he drunk?”

I grinned, “Looks like.”

He chuckled.

As the show went on Romeo seemed to regain his composer. He never stumbled with his feet or his words and I began to be impressed with his performance. Then the dual scene arrived. Again, I noticed that Romeo wasn’t quite right.

He was clenching his fist and you could see the sweat glistening on his fore head. All his lines came out in short, angry burst. All the other actors were watching him with mixtures of fear and concern.

“…And so, good Capulet,--which name I tender as dearly as my own,--be satisfied.” Romeo practically barked.

My husband and I traded askance glances. As Mercuitio and Tybalt began to duel I saw the Romeo looked eager to jump in to the middle. As he leapt into the fray, Romeo pulled out his sword and instead of trying to block Tybalt’s sword from reaching Mercuitio, he swung at Tybalt.

Tybalt leaped back his a shout of surprise, barely blocking Romeo’s wild strike.

"I don't remember Romeo and Juliet going like this," I whispered to my husband.

“Me either,” he replied.

There were whispers all around us as the audience watched Tybalt desperately defend him self. It was only then that I realized that there was a distinct difference between the two swords. Tybalt’s sword was dull silver, like painted wood. But Romeo’s sword was bright and shinny and every time the swords struck a small piece of Tybalt’s sword flew off.

“That’s a real sword!” someone shouted from the audience.

A woman screamed as Romeo slashed down, his sword biting into Tybalt’s right shoulder. I found myself standing with my hands over my mouth before I even knew it.

“Take that you bastard!” Romeo screamed as Tybalt crumpled to the floor. Several men came running from the wings and tackled Romeo to the ground.

As the men wrestled him, trying to keep him still, Romeo just kept screaming, “How dare you! How could you sleep with her! You said you loved me!”

My husband was standing beside me and all we could do was stare at each other. Four men finally managed to drag Romeo off the stage while others ran to help Tybalt. Someone called for a doctor and an older man wearing a green tweed coat came on stage and asked us all to leave, promising in the same breath to refund our tickets.

We all filed out of the theater, every one muttering about the night’s events.

“Well, that was entertaining,” my husband said.

All I could do was laugh.

Normally I wouldn’t bother going to see Romeo and Juliet because everyone has read the script at least once in high school, but, the tickets where cheap, so my husband and I thought, “Why not?” From the get go, we could tell something was wrong. At Romeo’s first entrance he nearly fell off the stage.

My husband leaned towards me and whispered, “Is he drunk?”

I grinned, “Looks like.”

He chuckled.

As the show went on Romeo seemed to regain his composer. He never stumbled with his feet or his words and I began to be impressed with his performance. Then the dual scene arrived. Again, I noticed that Romeo wasn’t quite right.

He was clenching his fist and you could see the sweat glistening on his fore head. All his lines came out in short, angry burst. All the other actors were watching him with mixtures of fear and concern.

“…And so, good Capulet,--which name I tender as dearly as my own,--be satisfied.” Romeo barked.

My husband and I traded askance glances. As Mercuitio and Tybalt began to duel I saw that Romeo looked eager to jump in to the middle. As he leapt into the fray, Romeo pulled out his sword and instead of trying to block Tybalt’s sword from reaching Mercuitio, he swung at Tybalt.

Tybalt leapt back with a shout of surprise, barely blocking Romeo’s wild strike.

"I don't remember Romeo and Juliet going like this," I whispered to my husband.

“Me either,” he replied.

There were whispers all around us as the audience watched Tybalt desperately defend him self. It was only then that I realized that there was a distinct difference between the two swords. Tybalt’s sword was dull silver, like painted wood. But Romeo’s sword was bright and shinny and every time the swords struck a small piece of Tybalt’s sword flew off.

“That’s a real sword!” someone shouted from the audience.

A woman screamed as Romeo slashed down, his sword biting into Tybalt’s right shoulder. I found myself standing with my hands over my mouth before I even knew it.

“Take that you bastard!” Romeo screamed as Tybalt crumpled to the floor. Several men came running from the wings and tackled Romeo to the ground.

As the men wrestled him, trying to keep him still, Romeo just kept screaming, “How dare you! How could you sleep with her! You said you loved me!”

My husband was standing beside me and all we could do was stare at each other. Four men finally managed to drag Romeo off the stage while others ran to help Tybalt. Someone called for a doctor and an older man wearing a green tweed coat came on stage and asked us all to leave, promising in the same breath to refund our tickets.

We all filed out of the theater, every one muttering about the night’s events.

“Well, that was entertaining,” my husband said.

All I could do was laugh.

Maybe I'm Trying Too Hard

Maybe I’m Trying Too Hard

I’m a working mom; I guess that says it all right?

Most days I feel like I’m going crazy.

The list of things I want to do

And the list of things I have to do

Will never collide.

So I try to simplify.

Just do one thing at a time.

Step by step, no matter how slow they are.

I want to believe that I am Super Mom.

I want to believe I can do it all.

Maybe I’m trying too hard.

I’m a writing mom; so what does that say?

The words refuse to hit the page,

They get cluttered out by the everyday.

And the things I want

And the things I need

Will never collide.

So I try to simplify.

Just do one thing at a time.

Step by step, no matter how slow they are.

I want to believe that I am Super Mom.

I want to believe I can do it all.

Maybe I’m trying too hard.

The picture was found here: http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=trying#/ddue6f I DO NOT OWN IT!!!! It's just pretty and it fit with the poem, please don't kill me. :D

Writing Update!

So I've outlined 4 chapters and I started actually writing chapter one. I'm so proud of me! I'm stuck on chapter 5 though.

One of my characters is a detective but I know nothing about real police work. My knowledge of detective work is limited to Law & Order: SVU, Bones, and Castle. Not exactly creditable sources. So if there's anyone who actually knows a cop or detective I can talk to that would be great. Otherwise I might just try to get in touch with my local police department and see if I can talk to someone.

Anyway, getting up at 5am to write every morning has been working pretty well so far. Generally, Will isn't up by then, so I can get a solid hour to write. I wish I had more time, but an hour a day is good for now.

Update and some Life Improvments

So Will is now 6 months old! It's so hard to believe that a year ago I was pregnant and that six months ago William was born. So much has happened in those 6 months. A lot of chaos but it's been worth it.

So we've all been super busy. I work 3 days a week and Daniel has a job that keeps him late everyday, but it's all good. My biggest problem is keeping the apartment clean. It's hard to get much of anything done when I'm taking care of Will. But we try.

So I came up with a new story idea that I'm pretty excited about. It's a totally different genre than I've tried before, but I think it can work. I guess you could label it as a crime/thriller type book. I won't go into the storyline too much here, but I'm almost positive the idea can sell.

Anyway, I've decided that I need to write/work on the story everyday. I need to just get it all out on paper. I need to prove to myself that I can, in fact, write a complete story. It's not right to call myself a writer if I've never actually completed a story. So that's the goal, write everyday and finish the story.

Also, I'll try to update this blog with my progress as much as possible. This way I'll have some accountability. I need something/one other than Daniel to poke me and tell me to write. So if I make it public, then I have to worry about my reputation. :)