Thank God It's Friday!

But not Joe Friday!

Guess you need to be a Boomer or older GenX to get that joke.

Anyway...

It's been a bit of a crazy week. Taxes were completed, filed, and...

Can you believe DH and I already got our refund back? It shocked the crap out of both of us. It means the IRS is rubberstamping returns, and I really, REALLY hope that doesn't  come back to bite us in the butt once the current fascist regime is, um, gone. (I was about to say "overthrown", but I know some asshat or Google itself will report me as unpatriotic.)

Tuesday I jumped back into A Barrel of Vintner, only to realize I'd dropped two subplots that need to be woven in since they relate to the last two novels. Once I finished cursing myself, I started cycling back through to add the text needed and straighten out some issues with this story's timeline. So, if you check the word count on the reader blog, it will be lower than usual because I was doing a lot of editing as I went through the chapters. Which is fine because it means less work when I do the actual copyedits.

Then I went out to dinner with DH and some of his old friends. They get together once a month at my favorite restaurant in town. Usually it's an enjoyable hour or two. This time however, I discovered just how bigoted they are. One person was complaining about one of their children cutting off contact with her. The truth is that the child (who is in their 30's) in question is non-binary and the person cannot accept the child as they are. While everyone else was cooing about how the child will come around, I nearly bit through my tongue to keep from telling the person how hurtful they were being to their child. Luckily, I kept it to one margarita, or else I probably would have unloaded on the person.

On the way home, I told DH I probably wouldn't go with him to another one of these dinners. There's a couple of his friends I really like, but it's not worth hearing someone who sounds just like my own mother getting all self-righteous. There's not enough tequila in the world to trade for my peace and sanity. *sigh*

I've managed to attend yoga class three days this week. My body isn't sure whether to thank me or curse me. Why? Because every time we have a weather front come through, my knees complain. Rather loudly, too.

On the other hand, Ohio's February fake spring arrived, and it has melted a good chunk of the 13+ inches of snow on the ground. Hopefully, the weather stays sunny and nice over the weekend so the pups can get some outdoor exercise. We haven't been able to take walks or play play for fear of frostbite because it's been that effing cold for the four weeks.

Today, I need to pay bills and make out a grocery list since it's the middle of the month. Tonight is an early Valentine's celebration and catsitting. The rest of the weekend will be cleaning the house interspersed with watching the Winter Olympics.

And I need to finish cycling through the last ten chapters I wrote. 

So what about you guys? Any big plans for the weekend, or are you just relaxing?

The Return of Latin Rhythms

I don't give a flip about the fake culture war certain assholes are trying to create. Latin music is back, baby!

None of the white nationalists want to admit Latin rhythms have influenced pop music for decades. My friend and I danced to Santana, Menudo, Gloria Estaban and the Miami Sound Machine in the '80s.

Then, there was a surge in the late 90's and early 00's with Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, and so many others. Those tunes were especially significant to me. While I was pregnant with Genius Kid, all I had to do was find a radio station playing Marc Antony, and GK would boogie like nobody's business!

You can ask my OB/GYN and her nurses. I was getting an ultrasound. GK was perfectly still until "I Need to Know" started playing on the exam room's speakers. My doctor said, "Wow, he's active! Did he just wake up?" I pointed at the overhead speaker. "No, he loves Marc Antony!"

And when he was a toddler, we danced in the living room to Ricky Martin's "La Copa De La Vida" and Los Del Rio's "Macarena". Yep, my little boy loved Latin music.

Or he did until the other kids at school teased him unmercifully for being a white kid who appreciated Latin music and culture. *sigh*

And I don't care what anyone says. Bad Bunny's half-time show last night was fucking spectacular! If you missed it or want to see it again, I posted the link below.

Because Benito is right. We are all America. 

Super Bowl LX Half-time Show starring Bad Bunny

Music I've Been Listening to Lately

Let's turn a little Todrick into a little Taylor...

A Good Day to Stay Home

I've been going to Starbucks pretty consistently this week to get words in on A Barrel of Vintner. I love our local Starbucks because people leave each other alone to work. Oh, there's a nod and smile of acknowledgment, but otherwise we focus on our own tasks.

I find this rather pleasant. Nothing against DH or the pups, but I can concentrate for a solid two to two and half hours. Whatever wip I'm working on receives my sole attention, and I can type a solid 1K to 1.5K in that time.

Yes, I'm a slow writer by most author's standards.

However, we had a snow storm this morning. Mother Nature added another two inches to the foot of snow we've received over the past two weekends. DH is out with the snowblower clearing the driveway and sidewalks even as I type this.

There's something calming about fresh powder. A blank tapestry over sleeping nature. It's a good day to knit with a cup of hot tea and puppy on your lap.

For those who love yarnwork and hate ICE, Needle & Skein in Minneapolis, MN, is offering a hat pattern for a donation. Employee Paul Neary designed the hat based on the red resistance cap worn by Norwegians during the Nazi occupation of the country during World War II.

Here's the thing--the  state of Minnesota was settled by a lot of Scandinavians, including Norwegians, in the 1800s. Scandinavians are the descendants of Vikings. These aren't people who will roll over and show their bellies to a bunch of gun-toting bullies. If you don't believe me, read up on these countries' histories.

Which makes Tribblehead's efforts to bully Denmark into giving up Greenland and their refusal even more significant.

Want a personal tidbit about me? My middle name is Scandinavian and means "hope" or "luck" depending on the country.

Anyway, Needle & Skein donates all the proceeds from their "Melt the ICE" pattern to the immigrant programs in Minneapolis. They've received nearly $500K and donated to organizations that assist immigrants. (Note: This article is a week old. The current number I stated is from this morning's post on their Facebook page.)

With the cold and snow here in Ohio, I need something to keep my head warm! Fuck ICE!

Tax Time!

Yep, it's that time of year. All of the 1099s and W-2s have arrived. I've run the necessary reports from our accounting software. Now, it's time to wade through the paperwork and double-check everything is correctly categorized before we meet with our CPA Monday night.

I know tax prep is the last thing most people want to do. However, I like getting it out of the way as soon as possible. Now that I'm doing minimal elder care (Both DH's parents and mine have passed to the next realm. I just check on a particular cousin once in a while.), I can knock this crap out in a few.

Especially since we'll probably be snowed in again through the weekend. Various meteorologists have predicted a dusting to two and a half inches more of the white stuff. I don't blame the poor people doing the predictions. Climate change has thrown the weather modeling developed over the last 50+ years out the window.

And the weather is the very reason I want to have taxes done. The weather has been too dangerously cold for the Grandpuppy and the Princess Pup to stay outside longer than absolutely necessary to do their business, even though they both love playing in the snow. That means a distinct lack of walks to burn off excess energy and weight gain for them both. I want to be free to take the pups outside as soon as the weather allows.

FREEDOM! And sun! We don't care what the groundhog saw! We want spring!

So, yeah. I need to get the taxes done over the next few days. 

More Amazon Fascism

Ohio Resistance by Bob Seay

Welp, I got hit with the Amazon identity verification bullshit yesterday morning.

I don't think I would be as peeved about it if they started this nearly twenty years ago when they launched KDP. They've let scammers get away without ID for almost two decades with little or no punishment other than a slap on the wrist. The scammers would simple set up another account and keep doing what they were doing.

Unfortunately, this ID check has nothing to do with preventing bad actors from scamming customers or stealing writers' intellectual property. Amazon will hand your information over to our fascist government to kick out anyone whose not a citizen and exile anyone whose books the fascists don't like.

Let's face it, kids. Amazon is deeply in league with the current fascist government. Why else would they pay the First Lady millions of dollars to make a film two-hour advertisement about how great she is?

But if I create a multi-cultural cast in a fake American city based on the real-life U.S. cities I've lived in, I'm a flaming SJW writing feminist propaganda?! *eyeroll*

Music I've Been Listening to Lately

A sweet little love song.

A Hell of a Week

Jessica Morrigan

Snow. Public Executions. Taxes.

There's a massive snow storm targeting the East Coast. The winds have been so blustery we got lake effect snow from Lake Michigan. Again. Plus, we're having record cold in Northwest Ohio. The kind of frigid temps that when you step outside, any exposed skin hurts!

There's too much going on in the world and at home, and I need a break. You know it's bad when I get an hour and a half, and I write to relieve the tension building inside of me.

So, I'm going to do something I haven't done in years. I'm taking the last day of January off.

Totally off. No writing. No marketing. No prep for the planned Kickstarters for 2026. Nothing.

I'm going to brew a cup of Irish Breakfast tea, curl up on the couch, and read. What will I read? I'm not sure yet. I've got several books by Jonathan Moeller and Lilith Saintcrow, two of my favorite authors, that I haven't devoured yet. The hardback of the latest Dresden Files arrived last week. And there's literally thousands of titles on my Kindle and in the boxes I've been unpacking, all waiting for me to consume them.

Oh, and the Princess Pup will probably be under the blanket with me, snoring away as she uses me as her personal heater. 

See y'all on Monday!

 

P.S. Apparently, the fascists in the country haven't realized everyone's designing these logos to resemble the Rebel Alliance symbol. You know, the movie where Antifa are fighting the Space Nazis. Seriously, that's why George Lucas called the henchmen Stormtroopers!

Don't Get Political They Said

Ohio Resistance by Bob Seay

Don't get political they said. I would lose readers.

But when ICE agents are executing American citizens in the streets, I can no longer be silent.

The Second American Civil War has started. I stand with the people who believe kindness and empathy are virtues.

I do not stand with anyone who believes the Constitution only applies to certain, privileged people. I do not stand with assholes who think it's okay for children to be kidnapped. Assholes who think it's okay for elderly people to be dragged from their homes naked in subzero weather. Assholes who think shooting unarmed people in the face or back at point blank range is acceptable.

If you have a problem with my views, then leave my website. Do not buy my books. My stories won't please you one iota.

You see, I've heard too many stories from and about my uncles who fought for the Allies during World War II. Funny how the stories are so similar. Children taken from their families. Old men forced to endure the cold in little or no clothing during the winter. Innocent people shot in the streets for whatever reason the fascist wanted. Or for no reason at all.

If it quacks like a fascist, fosters fear like a fascist, kills like a fascist, then it's a fucking fascist.

And I stand against them.

 

P.S. Author Bob Seay created resistance logos for each state based on Minnesota's resistance logo using their state bird, the loon. He gave permission for personal use of the logos. Please give him credit if you use one.

Music I've Been Listening to Lately

The choreography in one take! TH is the consummate professional!