Watseka Weighs on Me, Pt. 2

They’ve changed their layouts over at Ancestry.com and so, even though I’ve looked at the information on the Roff and Vennum families a million times, this is the very first time I noticed that Mary (the spirit who possessed) Roff’s brothers Frank (b. 1859) and Charles (b. 1861)* were the same ages as Mary Lurancy [...]

Watseka Weighs on Me

I’m actually getting very excited to go to Watseka. I hope to go by the Roff house–though I couldn’t work out a tour, I think it’s okay since my characters never actually go in, the Vennum house, the town museum, and the cemetery. I don’t have goals for the trip. I kind of just want [...]

Boyd Taylor Park is Scary

The dog is convinced the storms are going to be bad. The cats aren’t that worried. NM’s plants are slowly coming along. Everyone but one bunch is above ground. I reviewed Boyd Taylor Park today and the creek that runs through the park comes out of culverts that are clogged with garbage. The park is [...]

One Wonders Who Thaddeus Russell’s Editor Is

Sarcastro sent me this link to a Reason interview with Thaddeus Russell and I will say up front that I found it incredibly thought-provoking, but, you know, I’ve spent a lot of time with historians and some historians hang out here and the more I think about this interview, the more I’m curious about his [...]

Saying Doesn’t Make It So

The Shariah Law law supporters rushed out to assure everyone that it wouldn’t interfere with anyone’s religious practices, but is “is modeled after a federal law that bans funding for terrorist groups.” Interesting. I’m sure America would be quite interested to learn if our terrorism laws were written by a guy who thinks it’s unfortunate [...]

RIGHT BY HER ROOTS is Right On

So, I poured through Right By Her Roots. I mean, I drank it up. I would have stayed up all night just to finish it, if I’d been anywhere in the second half of the book last night. But instead, while the Butcher was working on his car, I spent the afternoon reading. Like I [...]

Dad is “Doing Something Wrong”

Not only did I forget to tell you about the hawk that circled so close to us yesterday morning that I teased the dog it was looking to pick her up and fly away with her, I forgot to tell you about the conversation I had with my dad. So, my dad called to firm [...]

Something Cute

Argh. I have died of cuteness and been revived once again. And I now feel incredibly guilty for never getting Mrs. Wigglebottom a horse.

In Which I Say Something Nice about Bredesen

Karl Dean is, of course, running again for mayor. His Facebook campaign ad reads, “How did Karl Dean overcome a 1,000-year flood and an historic recession?” I think we have to guess by “an historic,” that he did it by using his superpower of turning British. Which is a weird superpower. You put “u”s in [...]

Exciting Book Things

I just received Jewly Hight’s Right by Her Roots in the mail! I know Jewly some and she’s very lovely and down to earth, but I am completely fan-girl excited about this book anyway. Which just goes to show something. Weirdly enough, I also think I’m back on track with the novel. I had hoped [...]

Things that Make Me Go “Hmm.”

1. Hmm, “Rented.” 1a. Is it just me or did something awesome happen at Metropulse over the past year? 1b. There is no 1b, but you shouldn’t have a 1a standing alone. 2. I do wonder about this, myself, regularly. I think the answer is “Nowhere, yet.” 3. So, let me get this straight. Teachers [...]

Two Complaints and One Good Thing

1. I used to love rain and thunderstorms and now? Thanks, Nashville Flood–they have me a little freaked out. And by a little, I mean, the heater kicked on this morning and I sprang from my bed convinced it was a tornado. The good news is that we have a slight “wet weather conveyance” out [...]

“Religious Tentacle”

Muslims in our state are being harassed by a guy who is fine with them practicing a “religious tentacle.” It’s beyond parody, really.

Three Political Thoughts

1. I think the death penalty is wrong and immoral, but I have no qualms, none at all, about Shawna Forde’s death by state. She’s my exception. 2. The fact that there’s even a “I read some conspiracy-theory stuff about your religion and then made up my own stuff about your religion and am now [...]

Reading and Rereading

I think I told y’all that my brothers aren’t big readers. In fact, I don’t think the Butcher had ever read a book before he moved in with me. But then he got a copy of The Electric Kool-aid Acid Test and he started into it. And one day, after a month or two, I [...]

An Excerpt About the Devil

Lord it has sucked around here lately, I know. But here’s a little of what I’ve been working on instead. I’ll set the scene. Hannah has just acquired the Devil’s baby from the police in Greenwood, Mississippi, and stopped at the Walmart in Grenada to pick up some things. She meets the Devil in the [...]

Dems Have to Roll Over Before They Can Learn to Crawl Before They Can Learn to Walk

So, y’all remember that Brad Parish invited me to help moderate the debate between the three candidates for TNDP chair? Other than that, I’ve had no contact with him, but I found him, while working with him on the debate, to be very thoughtful and very concerned about how to improve the Tennessee Democratic Party. [...]

Congrats, Kleinheider!

Kleinheider got a job with the closest thing we have in this state to Yosemite Sam. I only wish I could call Kleinheider up at least once a day and whisper “pew pew” “pew pew” into the phone.

Jeff is My Problem with Evolution

I know, one who makes fun of young-earthers should probably keep her own mouth shut about problems she has with evolution, but I have them anyway in exactly the area of Jeff. So, Jeff shows up and comforts Jo’s Grandpa at the end of his life. And, as Jo points out, there’s a scientific explanation–that [...]

Public Workers

I just have a couple of thoughts about the ongoing discussions about the unionization of public workers. One, I see folks saying “But why shouldn’t we taxpayers have a say in what they make?” Um, no. There is no “we-taxpayers” that does not also include “them-public workers.” When I see people setting up their point [...]

That Was Fast

The weekend went so fast! And I just realized that I’ll be in Illinois next week, not the week after, which is how I’ve been playing it in my head. I’ve got to get my brakes looked at this week, then. And we’ve got to figure out something with the Butcher’s car. And my plan [...]

Of Books and Boobs

I think I’ve fixed the opening of the book. I wrote it, completely ditched that and wrote a different thing. Ditched that and wrote a third. But this finally feels to me like it opens in a way that sets up the themes of the book immediately. So, that’s good. One thing I’m concerned about [...]

Just Checking In

I believe writing here every day is good discipline for writing elsewhere, so I’m just popping in to say that the smell has been dealt with, though, now that the smell has been dealt with, I feel like there may be a minor, underlying smell in the living room, here. But I think that’s just [...]

Blah blah blah Anxiety

If the Butcher can’t get his car fixed, I can’t go to Illinois.  And, if I can’t go to Illinois, that’s going to throw a kink in some things. Also, I feel bad about the dog being home all day, even though I know she’s sleeping and fine. And I have a bunch of people [...]

Brakes

Help me, Nashville internet. I drive a Toyota I bought from Beaman. For obvious reasons, it will be a cold day in Hell before I give them any more of my money. I need brakes. Preferably in the Vandy area. Any recommendations?