Saturday, June 11, 2011

Ranks and Raves

Wow, I'm not the world's best at blogging, am I? Maybe I should claim it's a Taoist thing "if one's words are no better than silence, don't speak." Yeah, that sounds good:)

It's a great time for me right now. Work is good, home life is good and the world is still turning. I got some exciting news this past week from work. Jaid Black (yes, THE Jaid Black, The Queen of Steam, herself) is going to be co-editing an anthology series with Ellora's Cave Editor-in-Chief, Kelli Collins and Jaid asked me to create a series of covers for it.

"Something Wicked This Way Comes"

I love it! And since I found out all kinds of ideas have been running through my head. I have an idea - something I don't think anyone has done yet (yes, really) and can't wait to get started on it bright and early Monday morning. Well, maybe not bright - I tend to start the day long before the sun - but I am psyched. Working with Jaid is a lot of fun!!

Oh, and big thanks to Jaid and Ellora's Cave CEO, Patty Marks for the day off this coming Tuesday. Employee appreciation day. Ladies, thank you!! You ROCK!!

I have a book in submission to my primo editor Meghan Conrad at Ellora's Cave. Am nervous about this one. It's for the new Blush line and so is not erotic. Yeah, there's a romance, but it's all about conspiracy, a terrorist act on home soil and the knee-jerk reaction people have to such an event and how easy it is to jump to conclusions and point fingers. Got my fingers crossed that it's accepted:)

On the home front things are calm and flowing like a clear stream - just the way I like it. I'm blessed with a man who is possessed of remarkable calm. Seriously, he could have been a Zen monk in another life. Yesterday he took me shopping at my favorite place .... Home Depot.

Yes, I am sickeningly addicted to tools and plants. Give me a home project and I'm happy as a pig in mud. (Which bears asking, ARE pigs happy in mud???) Anyway, I went nuts in the HD. So much so that we had to rent a truck to get everything home - tools and plants, dirt, mulch and manure. I am so going to have fun this weekend!!

Okay, so that's it for the Raves. Rants? Well, I have only one....

This past week I attended my first HOA meeting in my new neighborhood. Nice folks showed up for the annual election of officers. All was well except for this one - uh, fine lady - who seemed intent upon interrupting at every turn to complain. Mind you her complaints were petty but to her they were of primary importance. Whatever.

So, enough people arrived to have a quorum and this fine woman stands up and says that she doesn't want a new president. The one we have takes her calls at midnight. Say what? She calls the man at midnight to complain that there are leaves in the gutter in front of her house? Get off your ass and get a broom, b__ch!! Grrrr....

Anyway, she announces that since SHE doesn't want a new president, she's leaving so we won't have enough for a quorum and cannot vote. Oooookay, I guess that's one way to exercise your power, but seriously! She gloated for a few moments about how she was going to have it her way and have someone to call all hours of the night then flounced out.

When someone does that it demonstrates that (1) they are thoughtless to the opinions of anyone other than themselves, (2) they have no respect for others, (3) they are desperately seeking some kind of power, and (3) earn the prestigious Bitch of the Week award.

And that concludes the Rank of the week. I think the Raves won out this week:)

Wow, I really blogged this time, huh? Hope you all have a grand weekend and find more raves than rants in your life. Time for me to get in the yard and get my hands in the soil!!

Namaste:)