Channeling Andy Rooney on Technology

Warning: I'm going to get all Andy Rooney grumpy pants here.

What is the deal with these codes I have to type in on the internet to prove I'm not a self-actualized robot?

They used to be a jumbled word.  Then they became upper and lower case. Next, it became two words. NOW, it's numbers and words.

Confession: I have been unable to comment on blogs simply because I can not type in the proper code. After four times--yes, FOUR--I give up.

My failure makes me feel...old. And I'm NOT old.

Read in the appropriately curmudgeon voice:

• "Back in my day, we didn't have email. We wrote letters."
• "When I was a kid, we didn't have smart phones. We had to look things up in encyclopedias."
• "We didn't have Pinterest to plan our childhood parties. We had McDonald's Playland and a birthday cake."
•  "When I was in the third grade we moved to a small town where you didn't even have to dial a prefix. Just four numbers.  Most times I dial now, it requires more numbers than I have fingers and toes."

How on this green earth am I going to manage by the time I qualify for senior citizen discounts? It will probably be an eye scan. Of course,  I'll probably develop cataracts and it will misread.

Maybe, by then, I can buy a computer program to figure out those darned codes for me.


Follow up: My husband told me this makes me sound much older than I really am--especially because of the phone number thing. It was a very small town. 

And I'm not old.  Not yet.

Friends or Seinfeld?

 You can tell a lot about a person of a certain generation based on one simple question:

Do you prefer Friends...

or Seinfeld?

The characters of Friends met in a coffee shop. They lounged on the arms of sofas, practically inviting the other customers to join them.  With the exception of Ross's place, the group came and went freely and comfortably in their apartments.They knew they were always welcome. They were inclusive. What's theirs is yours and what's yours is theirs. It's the whole bff/roomie/family/gonnaget marriedorhaveababytogether concept.

The characters of Seinfeld made fun of people. A LOT. They didn't allow people into their inner circle.  My friends who prefer Seinfeld have a little harder edge to them. They mock the love fest. They are a little zany. They covet their alone time. They respect space and expect you to do the same, but if you make a Kramer entrance into their day, that's cool. After all, you may be flawed, but you're friends.

I would love to watch a show where the two sets of characters interact. Anyone write fanfic out there?

No matter what show my friends prefer, they remind me most of...

...with their sassy hair cuts, great shoes, and ability to save the day.

So, dear reader, what show do you prefer?

 

Tasty Tuesday: Tiffany's Chicken

Families who have healthy, home-cooked meals are marvels. Perhaps they possess some gene I lack. More likely...they know magic.

So, today's entry is my second attempt at helping other mere humans prepare a super easy entree. Don't forget to read my Magical Meal Suggestion for rounding out the meal. If you're like me, you don't have time to let something like cooking sap your creative juices.

My friend's recipe is known as "Tiffany's Chicken" at our house. As a mom of four and first lady of People's Church in OKC, Tiffany Cooper knows about feeding a family on the run.



Tiffany's Chicken
chicken breasts
can (or 2) of black beans
jar of salsa

Dump can of black beans over chicken breasts. Pour jar of salsa on top.

Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour.

I used two cans of beans in this picture because we like the extra.

Complete Magical Meal Suggestion
Serve with twist of lime, brown rice, and avocado slices. Good with mixed berries on the side. Add tortilla chips or cornbread if you feel like it.

If you don't think it looks good, don't worry! My husband claims that some of my ugliest entrees taste the best.  That's a compliment, right?

This meal is so easy, I always think I forgot something.

Maybe it's the margarita?

Enjoy!


If you missed the first Tasty Tuesday, check out the recipe for Pinterest Chicken.

Alexandra's World vs. Christina's World

Alexandra experience grass for the first time recently. After luxuriating in the texture, she looked longingly at her brother, scampering about the lawn.

 

 Andrew Wyeth's Christina's World immediately came to mind.

Christina's World is in the style of magic realism. Something about my kids that day made me feel they were, too.

Inklings Retreat 2012

L-R: Dee Dee Chumley, Kelly Bristow, Sonia Gensler, Lisa Marotta, Martha Bryant

Fellow Inkling Lisa Marotta led our 2012 summer Inklings retreat by guiding us through a series of exercises designed to help us identify our own passions, how those passions appear in our writing, and how we can nurture an audience and develop a relationship with others by letting them get to know our passions.  

Sonia, Lisa, and Martha during a session

I learned A LOT.

The weather felt like fall, so we didn't get to swim. Mostly we had workshops, critiqued pieces, and took walks.

Appreciating the scenery during a walk with Lisa and Dee Dee. (Photo courtesy of Sonia Gensler)

Since the focus was on "platform," we thought we'd build one for Lisa.  Okay, I STRONGLY encouraged the others to do it, but it gets the point across, right? Note: I am not bossy. I just have good ideas.:)

Lisa on platform

Glamour was about fairies.  Lucky Charm, the novel I just completed, has fantasy creatures in it, too. I accept that unicorns don't exist, but I still believe in the fairy tale. Perhaps that's why I love how our group wears tiaras at conferences--and at the lake.

If you can't play princess with your friends, then I don't want to grow up.

Inklings lake tiaras

Lisa Marotta conducted the weekend workshops in such a way that when it was over, I announced, "I would pay a lot of money for this experience."

So...other authors, take note and contact her! You won't be sorry.

Magic Monday: Mermaids are Real?!

The Little Mermaid is one of my all-time favorite movies.  Confession: my favorite sing-in-the-shower-song is Part of That World.

 
When I heard about the mermaid "documentary," I was a tad excited.


Read here.
See pictures here.  And here.

Yes, I wrote a book about fairies. Some may think I'm one of those people who have rooms decorated completely in unicorn themes. I don't. 

Although...this lovely picture hangs on a wall.

Wouldn't you like to think that maybe, just maybe,  a real mer-girl like Ariel wants to find herself and break free from what's expected?

I don't know about you, but I like to believe in the possibility of fairy tales.

Writer's Wednesday: What words should be censored in children's literature?

I love agent/editor panels at conferences. They offer the opportunity for authors to experience the flavor of agents' personalities.   The same questions are usually asked, and, if the session is mediated properly, it doesn't have to be entirely tedious. 

Oklahoma Writers' Federation, Inc. had a fabulous group of agents this year who served on the panel. Louise Fury, Stephen Fraser, Jessica Sinsheimer, and Emmanuelle Morgan are all impressive and should be checked out if you're looking for both pleasant and hard-working agents.

In response to a certain question, I've heard many responses over the years.

• It depends on the publisher.
• It's fine if it fits the character.
• It's fine if it serves a purpose other than shock value.

The following question and answer may not be verbatim, but it's how I remember it.

And I like it this way.


Are four-letter words unacceptable in children's literature?

Stephen Fraser's reply:
Only one. HATE.

Click here for an interview with Stephen Fraser as well as a photo of his spiffy, trademark bow tie.