Author Thursdays: NaNoWriMo Maple Valley

by in Author Thursdays, Maple Valley Writers, NaNoWriMo

Come join us and grab a snack or some coffee and your very own duck. Ducks provided free of charge. Coffee and snacks available for purchase from the lovely local Spot.

Interested? Check out Seattle NaNoWriMo kickoff party from last year: http://www.seattleoutandabout.com/2012/11/ducks-and-dennys-seattle-nanowrimo.html

Toiling Tuesdays: An Observation on Getting New Jobs

by in Toiling Tuesdays and tagged ,

I have heard both ends of the stick on being able to get a new job, one being that it is easy and you only have to try and the other being there are none and you can’t seem to get an offer (or even an interview!)

Being able to get a job is like being able to follow a new recipe, at least the way I do it. The first time following the recipe I sub ingredients, I only partially follow directions and it never turns out how I want it to (I don’t get the interview or the job because I don’t properly prepare or style my resume to highlight my relevant experience and expertise). The second time I only sub ingredients I know can be subbed and I follow all the directions I’ve newly found to be important after flubbing up the first time. The produced effort is rewarded with a decent reward (or a half dozen interviews). The third and subsequent times you throw a spin on the recipe to make it your own so it caters to your own tastes (this is when you are so confident in yourself that you get the job!).

Foodie Fridays: 21 Life Hacks Food Style

by in Foodie Fridays
Found this gem in my facebook feed today:


I have not tried all of them and some made my raise my eyebrows in disbelief….

I take issue with a few, such as:


4. Use a sharp knife (CAREFULLY) to pit an avocado.

     If the avocado is not ripe enough this will not work (SAFELY) because the pit will cling desperately to the meat of the avocado, making it near impossible to separate the two parts. 

5. Slice avocadoes right in the skin to make neat cubes.

     If the avocado is too ripe then when you swipe with the spoon to dig out the cubes, they will mush together. 

9. Hold cherry tomatoes between two plastic lids to slice them all at once.
     These tomatoes looked fairly smooshed to me. 

13. Coat your cheese grater with nonstick spray for delightfully clean, easy shredding.

     You ever try cleaning a pan that was coated in butter? It’s super greasy! Hot water and      plenty of soap sometimes works to get out the grease.

19. Pit cherries with a paper clip.

     Is this sanitary?

Book Review: Mistress of the Dancing Bones by Thomas Alexander

by in Author Thursdays, Book Review

Thomas Alexander’s world in Mistress of the Dancing Bones is one where magic is realistic and woven organically throughout the story. The setting and the characters are so much a part of the landscape that I do not question their existence but instead ache as they thrust themselves into danger and am giddy when any trickles of romance play out. The characters were distinctive and robust and became increasingly intriguing to me as the web of relationships and allegiances was revealed, like a world shrouded in mist that becomes clear piece by piece as the mist drifts away. As I read through to the end of the novel, I realized I did not want to let go of the story. Reading a good book such as this one is like being on a sugar high, the visualization of the action and emotional attachment to the characters is so intense that when the lines of plot are smoothed out and the last word has been consumed, you are left feeling empty and disappointed that you were not there with Ashia – the Mistress of the Dancing Bones and main character – throughout her adventures. The next best thing is to continue on with her when the next part of her journey is revealed in the second novel.

Toiling Tuesdays: Bring a Child to Work Day

by in Toiling Tuesdays

Now re-read that title… It says to bring “a” child to work day not to bring “your” child to work day.

Have you ever asked a young person what they want to do/be when they grow up? Not too long ago I used to be one of those “young persons” and do you know what my answer was? Usually it was that I didn’t know. Or, when I grew tired of hearing that question, my answers would become more and more humorous or absurd, such as “drop out of school and have ten kids” or “underwater basket weaving.” However, if you ask some young kids/teens what they want to do/be they might have a solid and unchanging answer. My question for those kids is, “how do you know for sure?”

Here is my answer: Bring a child to work day. Bring your kid, bring your neighbor’s kid, bring a kid from the local school. Bring a kid who wants to do your job when they grow up. Bring a kid who is undecided. The point is to expose them to a realistic job experience. 

Why bring someone else’s kid? One of the one jobs I was certain I did NOT want to do when I ‘grew’ up was be a teacher (my mother’s profession). Plus, because she was a teacher and my mom, I was already exposed to that career’s characteristics. If you bring a kid who thinks they want to be a teacher, it will be more beneficial for them versus your own kid who already knows they don’t want to be a teacher or already knows the ins and outs of being one.

One step further: What about a program from the business end where businesses sort of sponsor the bring a child to work day and partner with schools to provide this type of experience? If it does well enough, it could even be for longer than a day, kind of like a mini internship.

Socializing Sundays: I Want to be Treated Like a Queen

by in Socializing Sundays

I would like to be a queen… but only for a day. Having to wait for someone to open the door of your car would get tedious. Every now and then I want to be treated like a queen, not too often though just so those few times are more special and “spontaneous”, I like to be treated like a queen. I want the seat held out for me, the door opened, to be carried and driven to mysterious destinations. I guess what I really want is fantasy, where people and events don’t really exist. Where there isn’t traffic or lack of parking, where prices don’t mysteriously go up or poof into existence. Well, that just sounds like blind ignorance. So what I want is to be blindfolded and taken somewhere unique where my every need is taken care of. 

Wouldn’t you want to be treated like royalty for a day too?

Seattle Specific Saturdays: Painting Class at Arts n’ Carafes

by in Seattle Specific Saturdays

Have you ever wanted to be an artist? I know I have but I lack talent and skill, however, there is this growing phenomenon of classes for novice and more experienced painters! There are places cropping up all over and giving out coupons and specials (see Groupon for example) for these classes. My step-mom and I did the Renton Arts n’ Carafes class and it was wonderfully fun! Even though we were painting the exact same thing, our distinct styles came through in our individual pieces. Yours can too! Just go to the website and pick a date to begin exploring your creative side!