A Ride n' Write You're Really Gonna Wanna Get Behind!

Hey Bloggy friends, and happy Friday. Please meet my friend Rick Arnett and learn about his fantsastic adventure that's looming on the horizon. I hope you'll get to know him, follow him on Twitter or at his brand spankin' new blog HERE, and support him with good thoughts, prayers, and a few bucks if you can! He's got contacts at a major publishing company, and is talking with them about a book. Exciting, no?

Read below to find out about Rick's journey in his own words, except where I butt in with the yellow font. LOL
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I'm making a bicycle trip, solo, unsupported (no chase vehicle or crew) by bicycle from Virginia Beach, VA to San Francisco. I'll leave the first week in April, taking 9-10 weeks to cross the USA on two wheels. I'm setting up a website that will have interactive maps with way points tracking my progress in real time. My gps sensor will post a spot on the map anytime I hit the button and i'll attach photos and details specific to that point. It'll include an ongoing blog. Should be up in a week or so--we're making the maps now. [If anyone has a helmet/handlebar cam they're not using, wouldn't that be a wonderful addition to Rick's data gathering equipment?! :D]


It's not just a recreational ride. I'm in the process of making contacts in every planned overnight through AA (I'm in recovery). Most every night of the trip a fellow AA member will bring me to a meeting, give me a safe place to pitch my tent and wash up, and share a meal, then I'm off to the next day's riding. The idea is to demonstrate that with a little help from my friends, family and fellow AA members, I can achieve goals that would otherwise be impossible on my own, or at minimum, a daunting challenge. People in early recovery and those who think they may have a problem (by which time all your friends, family and co-workers already know you do) feel lonely and afraid. This ride will be an example that shows how people in recovery are only too happy to lend a little support to a fellow recovering alcoholic (or addict).

And I'll be writing about all of it. Besides being a mission to raise awareness for recovery, it's a Creative Nonfiction journey. I thought you might be interested for that reason.

I'm also begging for donations. Anything you could contribute will be greatly appreciated. I'll list all contributors and the amount they give on the website/blog. Funds above whatever expenses I incur on the trip will be donated to recovery centers in LA (Hope Center, Marksville and Red River Recovery in Pineville) and CA (Mad House in Sacramento.) If you send a check, make it out to Diane Gordon--she's going to take care of all that. Address is 4117 Seaforth Road, Chesapeake, VA 23321. [Hey Rick, you need to investigate getting a PayPal account for online donations!]


I'll be posting a lot about this on FB as we departure date gets closer and thereafter, too, as a supplement to the blog. [Friend Rick on FB HERE.]


I feel like Flounder in Animal House. "This is gonna be great!"


P.S. I must stress the BEGGING part--I am entirely dependent of funding from others for all aspects of the trip. Thanks again. This will be fun, scary, angst-ridden, exciting, boring, engaging, morale deflating and spiritually uplifting at various points along the way. I hope to impress those emotions on the readers. I'll be in touch!
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How cool is this? I can't wait to follow Rick's journey!!!

Writerly Wednesday ~~ A Journey from Narrative to Jazz to Poetry

I've got a treat for you writerly/readerly folks today. Poet, professor, global speaker and down-right smart woman Ava Leavel Haymon dropped by to share a bit of her writing journey with us. I know you'll find it inspiring!

Ava heads Collaboration 672, shares her knowledge of the craft willingly with all interested persons, and is on the short list of State Poet Laureate nominees. Her newest book of poems is Why the House is Made of Gingerbread, which she speaks about below:

The old story Hansel and Gretel is a favorite of mine. They did not live happily ever after, and even as a kid, I knew I liked that ending better. I wrote a few poems about Gretel, the sister, a long time ago, and thought I'd like to know more about her. A couple of years went by. Then, at the New Orleans Jazz Festival, 1990ish, I heard Delfeayo Marsalis, and he played some pieces he was composing. This body of work ultimately became the CD "Pontius Pilate's Decision," but that would be several years in the future. No lyrics, all instrumentals. That day, he played one unfinished piece, "Mary Magdalene." Most of the parts in the piece were not scored; there was only him on trombone with another player on another instrument, maybe it was a clarinet. I remember the two parts twining upward like two vines, without support, somehow each holding the other up as they rose.


As the piece unfolded, I realized he'd done something new: He was writing about the crucifixion story, but instead of tracking the narrative from beginning to end, as I'd have expected, he instead wrote a completely separate composition on each character. You see immediately what I mean: a composition about Judas Iscariot, another composition about Pilate, etc., to be played in any order. The music was great, of course, the Festival joyously Dionysian, and in that odd and unexpected inspiration that artists -- maybe only writers, know -- my hair began to stand on end.

Once I'd heard Delfeayo play, I could write about Gretel. Now it could become the obsession it had to be to get words on pages. Instead of writing poems that told the story beginning to end, I could write poems that were jazz riffs. The Gingerbread House as poem topic or focus, Hansel another, the witch's kitchen another. Like traditional jazz: the foundation melody is taken for granted, all the separate jazzmen keep it in mind and improvise off that, and, as I heard Delfeayo say years later, then the performance becomes a conversation among musical voices.

It took years to get the poems down, but slowly the long poetic sequence improvised itself into being. It does not tell the story. The reader doesn't have to know the story. The story was running in my own head, the story let me forget myself, and the individual poems rooted in it. They twined their way out of the story into their own forms. The book is WHY THE HOUSE IS MADE OF GINGERBREAD, Gretel and Hansel still do not live happily ever after, and the poems were free to grow, funny sometimes, fateful always, and spooky as hell.

Find out more about Ava at her site. Why the House is Made of Gingerbread is available online and/or you can read more about it at LSU Press.

Tasty Tuesday ~~ Corn and Shrimp Soup

Hey friends. Whatcha up to? I've been SO busy lately, have barely stuck my toes into the Blogosphere or other swimming holes along the Social Network Highway. (Mardi Gras activities, a massive art project deadline and the time change certainly haven't helped!)

Hope you like this southern favorite. It's good all year round, and most of us keep the key ingredients on hand, so no mad dash to the grocery is needed. :)

TELL ME -- WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SOUP TO MAKE OR EAT?

Simple Corn & Shrimp Soup

1 T. olive oil
2/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery (if you like it)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 lb. large Gulf shrimp (cleaned & deveined)
20 oz. cream corn
10 oz fresh (cut from cob) or canned corn niblets 
Sea salt & pepper to taste
(If you like heat, add a 10-oz. can of Ro-tel tomatoes w/green chillies)
1 1/2 cups water
1 T. brown gravy mix or roux (from jar or homemade)

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, saute' veggies until soft and almost clear. Add in shrimp and stir until you can almost see through them. Put in cream corn, Ro-tel (if using), and corn.

Cook covered on low for 20-30 minutes. Add in seasoning and stir well. Last, dissolve gravy mix or roux in 1 1/2 cups water, then add to pot. Stir to make sure any lumps are dissolved. Simmer on lowest temperature until ready to serve. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Writerly Wednesday ~~ Birth of a Story

We're stoked about our new blog series "Back Story" over at Rose & Thorn's blog. In this continuing stream of posts, contributors of both prose and poetry tell readers how their published pieces were born. Cool, no?

In the kick-off post, Eirik Gumeny shares the journey he took in creating his powerful short story Ballpoint & Boredom. (Read the story in our winter issue HERE.)

Enjoy a sneak peak at Eirik's "Back Story" whose own Blogspot address is HERE ~~~ 

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Like a lot of writers, a large number of my stories are based on real life. Unlike a lot of writers, real life sometimes entails the voice of a grizzled old man telling me what I should be doing myself.

“Ballpoint & Boredom” was based on a real job, a real girl, and a very real fear of rejection. It was also based on a real pep talk given to me by a real voice inside my head.

For what it’s worth, I’m referring to something more akin to a conscience than an actual schizophrenic hallucination. Although, for what that’s worth, I never did bother to get tested.

To this day I’m not sure if I’ve ever heard the voice in real life—and, if not, why my subconscious chose the dialect it did—but I really and truly heard it tell ing me to get off my ass and go after the girl. On a fairly regular basis.

The girl was a friend of mine and we talked occasionally, and being younger, shyer, and male... er, that was enough to convince me that we had a shot at a real relationship. The voice seconded that assumption. He also hinted that, in order to facilitate that, I should, you know, actually ask the girl out. As with most advice I give to myself, though, I ignored it.

Instead, I sat in my cubicle answering the phone, staring out the window, doodling dragons on scratch paper, and staring at the girl as she walked by. It was a short jump from there to a full-on daydream, most of which entailed winning the girl over in a spectacular fashion, the two of us then going on to live happily ever after.

The voice insulted me the entire time.

You can read the entire post HERE. And while you're visiting our Roses & Thorns blog, look over the various topics there. You might just find some inspiration, hints or ideas for your own prose and poetry!!

Share a memory about how one of your works was born, why don'tcha? :D

Tasty Tuesday ~~ It Ain't Called FAT TUESDAY for Nothing!

Cool mask artwork by my twin Alaine, hunh? (She's @Canvas on the Rocks on Facebook if you want to see some artisitc magic.) :) 

And if you need a good "taste" of MARDI GRAS in the Big Easy, read below:

Chef John Besh goes over some traditional Mardi Gras dishes (such as Jambalaya) and traditions, and even brings us to his hometown's yearly parade via live cams. Zatarain's has even spiced up their Facebook page to continue the fun with videos from the parade, recipes, Carnival music and a new app to jazz up your profile picture. All at THIS LINK, brought to you by hometown favorite -- Zatarain's!

PS. Friend Zatarain's on Facebook HERE for essential Mardi Gras recipes and more, and be sure to follow Zatarain’s on Twitter (@MyZatarains) to let the good times roll (Laissez les bon temps rouller)!!!

Friday Funnies ~~ Information Overload?

Kinda sad to say I relate to some of this! Have a wonderful weekend, kicked off with a little bit of techy humor...


When I bought my Blackberry, I thought about the 30 year business I ran with 1800 employees, all without a cell phone that plays music, takes videos, pictures and communicates with Facebook and Twitter.

I signed up under duress for Twitter and Facebook, so my seven kids, their spouses, 13 grandkids and 2 great grandkids could communicate with me in the modern way. I figured I could handle something as simple as Twitter with only 140 characters of space.

That was before one of my grandkids hooked me up for Tweeter, Tweetree, Twhirl, Twitterfon, Tweetie and Twittererific Tweetdeck, Twitpix and something that sends every message to my cell phone and every other program within the texting world.


My phone was beeping every three minutes with the details of everything except the bowel movements of the entire next generation. I am not ready to live like this. I keep my cell phone in the garage in my golf bag.

The kids bought me a GPS for my last birthday because they say I get lost every now and then going over to the grocery store or library. I keep that in a box under my tool bench with the Blue tooth [it's red] phone I am supposed to use when I drive. I wore it once and was standing in line at Barnes and Noble talking to my wife and everyone in the nearest 50 yards was glaring at me. I had to take my hearing aid out to use it, and I got a little loud.


I mean the GPS looked pretty smart on my dash board, but the lady inside that gadget was the most annoying, rudest person I had run into in a long time. Every 10 minutes, she would sarcastically say,"Re-calc-u-lating." You would think that she could be nicer.It was like she could barely tolerate me. She would let go with a deep sigh and then tell me to make a U-turn at the next light. Then if I made a right turn instead, well, it was not a good relationship. When I get really lost now, I call my wife and tell her the name of the
cross streets and while she is starting to develop the same tone as Gypsy, the GPS lady, at least she loves me.


To be perfectly frank, I am still trying to learn how to use the cordless phones in our house. We have had them for 4 years, but I still haven't figured out how I can lose three phones all at once and have to run around digging under chair cushions and checking bathrooms and the dirty laundry baskets when the phone rings.


The world is just getting too complex for me. They even mess me up every time I go to the grocery store. You would think they could settle on something themselves but this sudden " Paper or Plastic ?" every time I check out just knocks me for a loop. I bought some of those cloth reusable bags to avoid looking confused, but I never remember to
take them in with me.

Now I toss it back to them. When they ask me, "Paper or Plastic?" I just say, "Doesn't matter to me. I am bi-sacksual." Then it's their turn to stare at me with a blank look.

I was recently asked if I tweet. I answered, No, but I do toot a lot."

Can you relate??!? (Please lie and say yes.) :D

Writerly Wednesday ~~ She's Number Three with a Bullet!

We all know and love the fabulous Jenni James, author and mom extraordinaire; now we have a chance to help her win a contest. Jenni is one of the most generous writerly women around, and there's pretty much nothing she won't do to encourage and advance her friends' writing goals. So let's pay it forward!

Here's the scoopage on the writing competition in JJ's own words: 

Um, backstory: It's my very first historical attempt and short story I've ever written. For anyone who has ever read Pride & Prejudice or watched the movies, then you know about the awkward sister Mary. I decided to write her own love story and have her find someone amazing. My primary reason for entering this contest because I'd love to have a chance to have a connection with Random House, mainly because of all my author friends/people I come across who have awesome stories. {Angie here -- Jenni wants to be able to help other authors, so is seeking to increase her connections to do so.}

I'm not sure if you can vote more than once, but already these women are going all out. Lol! I'm so not the 'vote for me' type, so I'm struggling with this one. However, I think I've got a real shot if I can just crack the top ten and it's worth it if I get a chance to help someone else. {Angie again -- JJ's story is at #3 with a bullet, so let's shoot her to the top of the heap! She's story #85: "Mary Bennett Falls Head Over Heels."}

You go to THIS LINK and hit **click here to vote* right above the listings.
It's simple, easy, and will get you good writerly karma...and just possibly A VERY COOL PRIZE from Jenni James!!!!! Let's do this thing!

Of Haikus and Cupids

Thanks to all who entered last week's contest. The winner of the Valentine's haiku competition is....drumroll, please....

Glynis Smy (visit her blog HERE). Congrats to you poet/author lady. Lovely work, and oh what a killer last line! Love when a poem's form mirrors the message. The end words -- promise, kiss, farce also make a secondary form, if you've got a wierd brain like mine. Here's Glynis' winning haiku:

Stiletto promise
Floral bribe, sweet chocolate kiss
February farce

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Since today is that special day we spread around the love a little bit more than the other 364 days a year, here's hoping you ALL have a wonderful Valentine's day. [That especially includes those of you who are single or between loves, divorced, widowed, or simply choose to be by yourself for now!]

I planned and executed Operation St. Valentine's and had a great time preparing little treat bags for my loved ones here in town, but I'm sending y'all who live far from me (and you KNOW who you are) thoughts of love and joy too. :)

What is Operation St. Valentine's (OSV), you ask? Just some culinary and therapeutic fun I cooked up.........

Step One -- Decoupage and personalize plain brown paper bags:

Step Two -- While the bags dry, make a big load of brownie balls to put in the freezer to harden for an hour or so (see recipe from last week):

Step Three -- Fill Ziplock bags with Dr. Teal's (Oh myyyyyyy; you just gotta try this new spin on epsom salt!!!). I used Lavender for this project, but love the spearmint and eucalyptus:

Step Four -- Decorate brownie balls with melted chocolate, Heath and Andes Mint chips, sprinkles, etc. Put in fridge for 2 or 3 hours to set:

Step Five -- Group sweets in sandwich bags and tie with a pretty ribbon. Add colorful tissue paper and you're ready to deliver your "Soak and Savor" bags.

X's & O's from me to you!!!





Friday Foibles ~~ Just Can't Fix Stoopid

Check out the fun haiku and Mardi Gras contests below. Cool prizes involved!!! Now, back to our regularly scheduled Friday fun...






I was driving when I saw the flash of a traffic camera. I figured that my picture had been taken for exceeding the limit even though I knew that I was not speeding. Just to be sure, I went around the block and passed the same spot, driving even more slowly, but again the camera flashed.


Now I began to think this was quite funny, so I drove even slower as I passed the area once more, but the traffic camera again flashed.


I tried a fourth and fifth time with the same results and was now laughing as the camera flashed while I rolled past at a snail's pace.


Two weeks later, I got five tickets in the mail for driving without a seatbelt.

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Photo image from BatonRougeToday.com

No, this wasn't really me, but it coulda been! Have you had any experience with a traffic camera, or some other driving related mishap?

Have a wonderful weekend and stay warm!!



Writerly Wednesday ~~ Contest and Other News...

Hey writerly blog pals! Before other things, I posted the recipe to Beth's yummy Italian Cream Cake below. It's TDF!

How's it going in your corner of the world? I've been b-u-s-y lately, but with good stuff. Cooking, writing projects, some creative endeavors of the Vispo-collage-art kind, reading, researching some new ideas for our beloved Rose & Thorn Journal, (check out our winter issue -- it's fab!), collecting recipes/pics for a cookbook project, etc.

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I've also been doing some background/extras work on the set of HBO's Treme show down in New Orleans. Sooooooo much fun, and an awesome series. Check it out on Hulu if you get a chance. The second season airs starting in April. I'll let you know if I make it past the editing "machine" and actually appear in any of the episodes. haaa

Okay, enough about Gumbo Writer's world. Hope yours is twirling just as nicely as mine! :)

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It's time for a writing contest, dontcha think? This one will honor ST. VALENTINE'S day. It's simple and fun, so enter to win a fab writerly package, which naturally includes lotsa chocolate and coffee -- mainstays of the "job" description. [More on that on Friday's post.] 

All you have to do is write a Valentine's haiku and leave it in a comment. Or, hey, if you're not one of those mushy, gushy, lovey-dovey types, how about an anti-Valentine's haiku? *grin*  

Haiku is that Japanese poetic form that follows the 5 + 7 + 5 = 17 syllabic equation. They're fun, easy and can be surprisingly "deep" if crafted correctly. And the best part? ANYone can write a haiku! 

Here's a quick example~~~~~~~~

He corrected her
drink order: "Two rums and Coke." 
The break-up followed.

So get busy, have fun, and enter to win by midnight February 13! (Leave me an email address if you don't have a Blogger account profile so I can get in touch if you win!) One entry per customer.

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For another cool writerly contest of the Mardi Gras variety, check out Tere Kirkland's at her The Lesser Key of Tere writing blog. Cool prizes to be given!

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Just in case you're wondering...I've got three sticky notes left in my 100-pack Spread the Love project. It's been SOOO much fun. I'm going to do it again soon. Recipients have really enjoyed the little boost to their day and/or an unexpected "love" note.

Now.....get out there and do something nice for somebody, and for yourself too! xxo

Tasty Tuesday ~~ Sweets for Your Sweets?!

If you're trying to think of something to get your Valentine's this year, what about something made with love from your kitchen? Here's a few options...

BROWNIE CAKE BALLS

1 brownie mix cooked according to pkg. directions
1 16-oz can of complimentary flavored frosting (or prepared butter cream icing)
6 or 7 oz. chocolate chips, melts or almond bark

After brownies are cool enough to handle, crumble the panfull into a large mixing bowl. Add 2/3 of the can of frosting or comparapble amount of butter cream. Put bowl in fridge for at least 4 hours.

Form small balls (these are rich!) and put on wax paper-lined cookie sheet using your hands like making meatballs, or a melon baller if you have one. Flash freeze for about an hour.

Melt chips in a small glass bowl in microwave, stirring between heatings to get it smooth. (You can add a few drops of food coloring if you use the almond bark or white chips). Either dip each ball with a spoon into chocolate, or drizzle it on top, or just dunk in the top half! This recipe has lots of leeway and flavor choices! Set balls on clean wax paper. Put in refrigerator until choclate sets.

You can also use the leftover frosting with a cup of chips/melts to drizzle over brownie balls. Or just dust with powdered sugar!

BUTTER CREAM FROSTING

1/3 c. margarine or butter, softened
Flavor:  1 1/2 t. vanilla, almond extract OR 1/2 tsp. peppermint
3 T. milk

Mix all ingredients until smooth.

Your love will eat these up! Find a pretty container or tin...or even use candy sticks to make a bouquet of sweets in a styrofoam wedge.

When I get back from New Orleans this afternoon, I'll post the recipe that goes with this...........

Beth Bennett's Italian Creme Cake

1 stick butter
2c. sugar
5 eggs, separated
2 c. flour
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 can coconut
1 c. chopped nuts

Blend sugar, butter and egg yolks. Add flour, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla. Fold in coconut, nuts and beaten egg whites. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Let cool.

Frosting

Blend 1 8-oz. package cream cheese, 1 stick butter and 1 tsp. vanilla. Gradually add in 1 box powdered sugar, then one cup chopped nuts. Apply to cool cake. Garnish with a sprinkle of nuts.

******This cake is amazing!!!! Twin Alaine ate so much of it she got sick. LOL



 What's your plan for the fourteenth???

Friday Foibles ~~ Phone Funniness (PG-13)

TGIF to all my friends. Hope life is treating you well. I'm juggling several fun and exciting projects (more on those later), along with taking care of Rose & Thorn Journal and editing an engrossing manuscript for someone I love. I've also blown the dust off my own ms and am tackling revisions.

Being away from home the last almost-two weeks and unplugged from the electronic world was refreshing, but I also missed it. I was a Camp Chef on a hunt in northeast Louisiana with two great Hunter's Specialties pro staff guys -- Steve Criner and Rick White. It was oodles of fun, and I've got plenty of new recipes to share with y'all from that trip.

But no matter how busy I get, I'm NEVER too busy for a few laughs; especially those of the slightly politically incorrect variety. (Might wanna censor the kidlets for this one if they're reading over your shoulder.) :D
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When old people (AKA "parents") text and use those fancy phones, bad things happen. Have you done anything like this yet?.......

Okay, don't tell me that's not funny! Surf over to DamnYouAutoCorrect if you want a few more giggles. And for even more snafus of the cellular kind, check out the popular CrazyThingsParentsText too. Oh my......I laughed til my sides hurt!!!!

Love, laughter and lotsa good stuff to each of you. xxo  Angie