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Ten Things…

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Bronwyn Green won a blogging award, and now we’re all going to be punished. She got to pick some people who have to tell ten little-known things about themselves. I see this as a lot like being crowned Queen in Tudor England. You get the honor and stuff, and you get to pick some ladies-in-waiting and make them do some stuff, but it doesn’t last forever. Look, I’m not saying that someone should cut off Bronwyn’s head and put it on a pike or something, God forbid. I’m just saying that maybe she’s going to be declared the blog award’s sister and put away to molder in an estate somewhere. I’m just looking out for my friend. I want to make sure this blog award isn’t going to kill off its other recipients and expect Bronwyn to care for its children, you know?

Wait, what was I supposed to be doing?

Oh right. Ten things that are not well-known about me. That’s kind of hard, because I generally just vomit forth copious amounts of “about me” in my daily existence. Some of you readers out there might have copies of your books signed with, “I could really use a cupcake right now” or “I’ve never been to a P.F. Chang’s.” But I’m gonna give it a try. I’m gonna do eight because I’m bucking convention and I don’t feel like that blog award should be able to just barge into my house and start bossing me around because I am an American.

teneight things in no particular order of importance


  1. If it would end up with me in some kind of group home, I would wear various period costumes as my regular clothing. Mostly Tudor, maybe some medieval or pre-revolutionary France thrown in to break it up. Regency just for cleaning the house. I’ve also considered the same scenario but with Disney costumes, and I would dearly love having Cinderella’s peasant dress for cleaning days. I would probably be more into cleaning my house if I could pretend to have cartoon mice assisting me.
  2. The first car I ever owned was a Ford Escort XL. It was red, with a green hood because a tree fell on it before it became “my” car. It had a stain in the backseat that we all called “The Mystery Stain” because no one could remember how it got there. My friends and I used to hang our bras on the antenna, and once my mother left to go pick up pizza in the car with all of our bras still attached.
  3. When I was in middle school, I didn’t like taking group showers after gym class, so one week out of every month I would claim to be on my period so that the gym teacher wouldn’t make me showever. Things were going okay for a while, until I actually got my period for the first time during, you guessed it, gym class. I had to go to my teacher’s aerobic’s class for like a week as punishment for lying about my period.
  4. I’m a full-time believer in reincarnation, and I’ve had several past-life regressions. I’ve almost always been a peasant who died horribly. I’m really hoping to avoid that in this life. However, I have a pretty good outlook on dying since I’ve come to the realization that it’s not permanent.
  5. When I was born, my mother was single and in college, so I was raised by my grandparents in their haunted house. Despite putting me to bed every night with stories about who died in the room I was sleeping in, my family can’t understand what would drive me to write stories about vampires. Many family members have expressed a desire that I write historical romances or something “nice” for Steeple Hill.
  6. Recently, I’ve discovered nail polish blogs. I’m addicted to pictures and descriptions of nail polish. I don’t know why, but it relaxes me, and I’m a big fan of being relaxed. Because of my new obsession, I’ve gotten into the habit of painting my nails every day. Sometimes twice a day. And then I decided I didn’t like them square anymore, so I filed them round, then I didn’t like them as ovals so I filed them down to nubs to start over again.
  7. I have a genetic disorder that makes me too bendy for my own good. To combat this, I lift weights, but I’m still a huge wimp who can barely lift a gallon of milk. I could probably crush a man to death with my thighs like that James Bond villain from the 90’s, though. The opportunity hasn’t really come up.
  8. I have this delusional blind-spot in my reason wherein I think, “I can do that,” to almost anything. This once extended to playing the piano. I was surrounded by a group of about thirty high schoolers, all looking at me expectantly, and I asked, “Okay, can someone show me which one of these thingies is C?” I saw thirty young faces fall, and one of them meekly asked, “You know how to play piano, right?” I shook my head, very confident still, at this point, and said, “No. But lots of people do it. It can’t be hard.” I was wrong. However, their musical was a success, so there wasn’t any harm done. In fact, I think I taught them a lesson about courage or music or something.

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Which is why it was all effed up and I had to go through it line by line fixing it.

Turning 30, the Yahoo! messenger epic. Also starring Bronwyn Green

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Me:
I just slept for 14 hours.
Am I dying?

Bronwyn:
Are you sick? Also, I’m jealous

Me:
I don’t feel sick.
Maybe I’m getting sick.
WHICH IS BULLSHIT THE DAY BEFORE MY BIRTHDAY.
But if I’m not getting sick, WTF.
Is this what happens when you turn 30? You go into a coma?

Bronwyn:
Maybe your body recognized it was coming down with something and decided to sleep it off. [name omitted] does that all the time

Me:
That would be awesome, if somehow my body realized it should do something good for itself.
Most of the time, when I start to get sick, I also stop sleeping and being hungry.
Like my body is saying, “Bootstraps, young man!”
Why are you awake so early?

Bronwyn:
Editing.

Me:
Fuck that. Burn down your house, collect the insurance money, move to the bahamas, profit.

Bronwyn:
Oh, how I want to.

Me:
I think I’m having a mental break down.

Bronwyn:
Seriously?

Me:
No, not really.
I had a dream that I had to get my high school boyfriend to sign some paper having to do with my kids.

Bronwyn:
I’m sorry you’re cranky. I’m feeling pretty bitchtastic myself.

Me:
Is this what it’s going to be like every time I go into a new decade of age?
Like, “OMG IT IS MY LAST DAY IN MY _______IES! I MUST GO IMMEDIATELY INSANE.”
I’m googling old classmates.
I have wasted the last ten years of my life.
This is it. It’s a midlife crisis.

Bronwyn:
That’s pretty much how it works. Just be prepared to rage insanely every ten years – sometimes it starts early and lasts longer.

Me:
Which means I’m only going to live to be sixty.
That is not good news, Bronwyn.
I am disappoint.
Deeply, deeply disappoint.

Bronwyn:
You did not waste your life – you made two amazing kids, you write books, you have fantastic friends – this is not a waste.

Me:
I had one, long dream during my fourteen hours of sleep. All of it came down to trying to clean things by setting them on fire or running from people younger than me who had guns.
This is not a good sign.

Bronwyn:
This is your paranoia and freakout about turning 30.

Me:
I’m actually surprised that it waited this long.
This whole week should have been like this, knowing me.
I’m going to go wake up Joe and share these thoughts with him.

Bronwyn:
I’m not sure if it’ll make you feel any better, but I’ve kinda been waiting for this.

Me:
Oh, good. I’m glad someone was anticipating my mania.

Uncharacteristic ruminating on fatness

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Usually, I don’t have a problem with my body. In fact, I like it. I have to, because I have no intention of changing it, other than punching a few holes here and there and inking up my skin. This weekend, however, I was confronted by something that threatened to destroy the self-confidence I take such pride in. This weekend, I found an old duffle bag full of clothes from my high school days.

As any of you who have met me in person know, I’m fat. Rubenesque, if you’re into flowery language. I wasn’t always fat. In high school, i was teensy. I never realized how teensy until I held up a t-shirt that would fit a four-year-old and realize it was a size 2 from GAP. Now, I have this policy in life. My policy is, “Do what feels good.” Dieting doesn’t feel good. No one can convince me that a Snickers don’t taste as good as thin feels. Because I’ve been thin, and it didn’t taste like Snickers. But in that moment, as I held up that tiny shirt, I thought, “My God. How did I get this fat? I need to go on a diet.”

That feeling passed as soon as we started roasting marshmallows over the campfire. But I did take stock. How did I get to this weight?


  1. I had two wonderful babies who are growing every day into wonderful kids and, eventually and against my wishes, into wonderful teenagers and then wonderful adults.
  2. I have plenty of food to eat. Some people don’t.
  3. I have the genetic code of my family, the women of which tend to be on the heft side. Also, on the awesome side.
  4. My husband doesn’t care how much I weigh or what I look like, and I don’t have to be afraid that he’s going to leave me for a younger, thinner woman because I’m not physically perfect.
  5. I express my love for my friends and family through food. And I love them a lot. My family and friends share this same ideal, and they also love me a lot.

So, in the end, I guess the leap from a size 2 to a size 20 wasn’t a downward slide generously greased with ice cream cake and cheese fries. Every pound I’ve gained has been the result of love and good fortune. And I’m not about to wish that away.

Things I Have Learned Online

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Okay, so, according to the internet, there are thousands upon thousands of dollars to be made just sitting on my ass. Like, I know, internet. It’s called “writing”. However, that hasn’t been paying the bills as well lately, what with being between contracts and all. I’m staring to feel the pinch. So, maybe my good friend the internet has a point.

The internet wouldn’t lie to me, right?

I’ve decided to make it my personal project this summer to “make money online from your own home” by doing all the crazy things people do to make money. First of all, I’ve signed up with AdSense to put ads on my blog. I almost accidentally typed “ass” there. To put ass on my blog. Anyway, AdSense promises that the ass put on my blog will with unobtrusive, and won’t do anything to my readers unless they click on them. After that, I’m not sure what happens, and I won’t be able to find out because I’ve already had to sign a contract in blood stating that I will not, under any circumstances, click on those ads even if my house is on fire.

The other thing I’m going to do is write articles and make how-to videos for Associated Content. Of all the money-making schemes online, this one seems to be the most promising. Why? Because it only partly relies on me tricking people into clicking links, and the other part is something I do really good, writing. And talking on a video. Okay, so anyone who listened to my short-lived and ill-conceived podcast knows that I’m not very good at the talking part. But I’m good at spamming my twitter and social networking sites with content, so just, you know, gird your loins and such.

The most exciting and yet least likely to pay off avenue to monetary gain on the internet has to be the online survey phenomenon. I’ve already signed up with a (legitimate and free) survey site and have taken some surveys. I’ll be honest, I made six dollars in an hour, which is less than minimum wage in my state. But I got to click things and it makes me feel important to know that someone, somewhere, might use my opinions on iced coffee to market something to my fellow consumers.

If I’ve missed any opportunities to waste my time trying to get free, easy money, let me know. I’m game for anything on this virtual road trip to unbelievable riches.

I’ll provide you all with updates from my awesome internet money adventure. According to all the promises these sites make, I’ll be updating you via wrist-watch computer from my private helicopter over my recently purchased island off the coast of Fiji. Wish me luck!

In Case You Missed It…

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First of all, if you did miss the fact that Lady Gaga has a new video, you don’t spend enough time on the internet. But I’m here to recap it for you.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niqrrmev4mA&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f]

I’m not sure what commercial you’ll guys get, but for me Vevo selected an add for Caress body wash that implied my salsa dancing might not be up to par because my skin isn’t sexy enough. Then the video started.

First, we’re treated to a shot of a hot guy in fishnet tights lazing in a chair while the words “Gaga” and “Klein” and “Alejandro” are displayed in bold text. I know who Gaga is and I know the song is “Alejandro” but I’m not sure what “Klein” means. Maybe she’s going for a pseudo German vibe, because the next thing we see is a bunch of men in Nazi-esque uniforms sitting at tables. Sweet, maybe this is going to be a Cabaret themed video!

The song should be starting any minute now. I mean, the Nazi guys are shirtless and dancing now, so they’re going to need music to groove to. This is where Gaga pops out and starts singing, right?

There’s Gaga! Wearing steampunk goggles! Awesome! And there’s… bloody meat full of glitter and pins. And, uh, a casket. Okay, let’s go with this. There’s a cheering crowd, too. From the uniforms and Gaga’s bleached eyebrows I’m expecting them to start chanting “Peron! Peron!” but it doesn’t materialize.

Instead, Gaga is now leading a funeral procession for that casket we just saw a minute ago. Oh, and she’s the one carrying the glitter meat. Wait, I thought she was watching that from the window. I’ve officially lost the narrative thread of this video and the song hasn’t even started yet. Is 10:00 am too early to have a drink?

At least I have incredibly phallic shirtless gun-holding puppet man to soothe me. Gaga usually has women or flamboyantly arrayed men in her videos. I’m not complaining about the buff underwear models in this one, Lord knows I am not. But it’s two minutes into this video and the song hasn’t even started yet.

At about 2:04, funeral ballerina Gaga starts talking in a really muddled accent that can only be described as “vaguely European”. Something about being in love with Alejandro, but not being able to be with him. Then it cuts to a shot of incredibly phallic shirtless gun-holding puppet man. So, that must be Alejandro. At least, that’s the perception I’m going to continue to watch under.

So, Madonna is sitting watching some shirtless guys– oops, my bad, that’s Gaga. The cruel laughter and throne of nightmares made me mix the two up. But this is definitely still Gaga. I can tell by the goggles. The Gagagles. The shirtless Nazi boys dance for Magana’s pleasure, and then the camera cuts to what can only be described as the 32nd Annual Needlessly Buff Moe Howard Impersonators’ Synchronized Dance Competition. This is possibly the most disturbing part of the video for me, and by that I mean their haircuts. The haircuts, dear God, the haircuts. All I can think of are the Three Stooges, but their bodies, and the dancing, and men touching and simulated sex with each other and–

GAH! Gaga is dressed as a nun, probably praying for my immortal soul because her stupid Nazi Moes gave me a girl boner. Look, lady, you can’t just put shirtless guys grinding on each other in your video and not expect a straight woman to stay dry as the Sahara, okay? No matter how ridiculous their haircuts are.

Now, I’m not going to describe the next scene. Because I have a pen name that gets paid to write about that kind of stuff. But this is definitely starting to win the prize for Best Gaga Video Yet in my mind. After the porn, Gaga dances around in Sally Bowle’s underthings with her Moe clones behind her. And then there’s more simulated intercourse with men in high heels. Seriously, has she been reading my dream journal?

Okay, now I’m starting to understand the plot of this video. The white latex cape she’s wearing shows that’s clearly a Knight Templar, and these are the devoted pilgrims following her. Right? Is there some kind of story here? There’s always a story, Gaga! Sometimes it’s hard to figure out, but there’s always a story. Just let me know what it is!

The next part is honestly my favorite part of the video. I know, I know, you thought it would be hard to top the sex dancing. It’s actually pretty tame, with Gaga sporting a Carol Channing bowl cut and actually wearing pants while she dances by herself and with jackbooted thugs. But she’s so sexy and awesome in this part, it makes me wish she’d thrown the creepy Catholicism and Facism references out and done the whole video like this little bit right here. But if she’d done that, the inevitable comparisons to Madonna wouldn’t have been as forthcoming, so she fucks it up by putting on a machine gun bra and dancing.

At this point I have yet to compare her to Annie Lennox, which happens at least once per video. Gaga hasn’t forgotten about my love of pointing out which artists have visibly influenced her. She slicks back her hair and puts on a leather jacket, sunglasses and panties and gets behind a microphone to sing to her distopic future Fascism world while having fond flashbacks to the simulated sex she just had in the middle of the video. And there’s some rioting and group sex and I still don’t know what’s going on. At the truly horrifying conclusion, Gaga’s face melts like a film negative.

I have no idea what I just watched, but I’m terrified and aroused.

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My son’s first grade teacher is awesome. There’s no way of getting around it. She’s totally focused on reading and writing, and runs her classroom like an all day writing workshop at RWA national. Today, to celebrate these dwindling days of this school year, I’m going to share the fruits of her labors through the prose created by my son:

Kiersten, by Christian Armintrout
copyright February 2010 ed. note: There is actually a copyright page.

Kiersten is my best friend in the world!
But one day Kiersten ran out of our fort so…
I went in.
I saw snowball, it was as heavy as a TREE!
So– I rolled it out.
But another kid came in and he hit me!
When Kiersten wasn’t around.
“Kiersten!”
Kiersten is a great friend.

Christmas Tree, by Christian Armintrout
copyright January 2010

I had to get the Christmas tree out of the closet, it was heavy.
Then, I had to get the ornament box out.
We has lots!
Next I had to take everything down the stairs.
Grandpa and Steve helped me build it.
After we put up the tree we decorated it with ornaments.
My favorite ornament is a robot. But it got broken.
My new favorite is a bear in a car and mom put it up high because it is delicate.

The Boy Who Used to Be Naughty II, by Christian Armintrout
Dedicated to Mom and Dad and Wednesday
copyright October 2009
ed. note: This is the sequel to The Boy Who Used to Be Naughty, which tells the story of the time Christian got into my office and broke a bunch of glass globes for fun.

Now I am 6 1/2
Sometimes mom still says, “GO to your room,”
When I do naught stuff.
The last naughty thing was giving money to AJ.
I should have given the money to the lunch lady.
I learned my lesson.
Well, I ran out of paper so thats… the end.

ed. note: This next one is my total favorite. It’s the only fiction one he’s written, and I think he shows a real knack for it.
Grandpa’s Car is Cool!, by Christian Armintrout
copyright November 2009

Grandpa’s car is cool!
It has a face on it. The eyes are headlights, the bumper is the mouth.
“Hooo,” I said.
It transforms into a red and blue robot.
The tires are lazers. It uses sign language to talk.
It can also make a mean face. I copy it.
“That car is cool,” I said.
He said, “Thanks!”
“Cool,” I said it again.

Look, I know I’m his mom, but I don’t think it would be bragging or premature to announce that he’s going to be the next Faulkner.