Angry Agnostic

"Agnosticism is the philosophical view that the truth values of certain claims—particularly theological claims regarding the existence of God, gods, or deities—are unknown, inherently unknowable, or incoherent."

-Wikipedia

I used to define myself as an atheist. During my yearly holiday quasi-depression, I realized something.

I cannot be angry with God if I don't believe in God.

Finding my peace with this is not easily forthcoming. Logic says it must be true. But, logic does not often rule a human.

What happens now?

Christmas Vacation

Since my kids started their vacation after school today, I am going to spend as much time as possible with them. Minus work hours, of course.

There is also the matter of sweaters yet to be knitted, cookies yet to be baked, and various other miscellaneous projects to be done.

Merry Christmas!


P.S. Here's to hoping for a few more posts before the new year.

My New Psuedonym

Your Elf Name Is...

Giggles Sticky Fingers

What's Your Elf Name?

Black Feathers

Tambo really has me thinking today about fallacies. She asks, "What feathers have you clung to, and how did you manage to toss them aside?"

In writing as in life, I believe that I am essentially not good enough. That there is something vital missing. The unnamable, unlearnable thing. To a knowledge junkie that beleives anyone can learn anything, there just isn't a strong enough word to describe how it makes me feel.

To me, getting published is a wet dream fantasy. Something that will never happen. But, I hold in my heart that dreams can come true. I could delve deeper, but why bore y'all with my reality?

Flakes

Hop on over to make your own snowflakes.

If you want to see mine, it's number 1686439 under Death By Absurdity.

**Edit: More flakes: 1687069 (you are my friend, right?)

Christmas and Comedy

Your Christmas is Most Like: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Christmas is a big, boisterous event at your place. And no matter what, something hilarious usually happens.

What Movie Is Your Christmas Most Like?

Countdown

Go ahead and slap me. Christmas is only 11 days away. Holly's Create a Character Clinic is only 19 days away. Rebel Ice by S. L. Viehl is only 23 days away.

Surprise, Surprise

Is this really surprising to anyone?

Androgynous You scored 80 masculinity and 66 femininity!

You scored high on both masculinity and femininity. You have a strong personality exhibiting characteristics of both traditional sex roles.

My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 85% on masculinity You scored higher than 69% on femininity

Link: The Bem Sex Role Inventory Test written by weirdscience on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Overload

The emotional roller coaster continues. Details are unnecessary, suffice to say that nothing is continuing in a straight line recently.

Holly has me interested in what conclusions she is going to draw from her poll about how we became readers and/or writers.

Carter needs us all to keep him and his family in our thoughts and prayers.

Tragedy has happened in blogland to Frank O'Brien Andrew and his wife, Gretchen.

Tambo's becoming quite the celebrity.

PBW's quizzing about rejection. I hope that this interest isn't related to her proposals.

Ta-ta for now.

Absurd Thoughts

What if the hokey-pokey is really what it is all about?

Chicken or egg?

It would take 1,010,275,200 M&Ms to circle the Earth once.

125,142,532,544,378,698,224,852,071.00592 servings of M&Ms mass as much as the Earth.

If you live for the future, you are living for something that will never come. For example, "I'm waiting to get published." Guess what, waiting has nothing to do with it. Getting published won't come unless you work today for it.

Rich and extremely unhappy or poor and extremely happy?

If you had to chose, abuse or be abused?

Somewhere in the world, it is already tomorrow.

An average human head weighs between 14 and 15 pounds.

Life-are we really dreaming it all?

Where Can I Cash the Check?

My blog is worth $5,080.86.
How much is your blog worth?

Why I Read

Holly wants to know why. How did we become readers and/or writers? Truly, it is an interesting question. In this age of quick and easy stimulation, what compels us to read instead of play a video game? Why do we write on top of or instead of a "normal" 40-hour-a-week job?

I learned to read and write before I started kindergarten. My biological mother read all the time. Romances and mysteries. Maybe that is why I shy away from those two genres. But, I digress. If I wanted to cuddle, I sat in her lap while she read. If she wanted me to cuddle, she read aloud. It didn't take very long for me to realize that her stories were written on that page.

When she read to me, I was transported to this other world. My biological dad didn't exist. My brother didn't exist. Noone, but the people in the stories existed. Bedtimes became later and that was important to me. If I stayed up later than everyone else, noone came into my room at night.

Once school started, I learned that there were books I could read if I just tried hard enough.
I started asking her to show me how to write the words for different things in the house. Book, stove, refridgerator, stairs. I'd spend hours writing those words, saying the names over and over.

My school had a program for "bright" children. They would send all the kids that showed aptitude for reading to a special class. By the end of first grade, I was seven, I was reading Peter Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh, and Clifford. When I was eight, I found The Phoenix Legacy series at the school library. I was hooked. SF took me into a world that had few connections to the real world. My parents had divorced and I had to spend every other weekend at my father's house. I needed that other world.

Not long after, a teacher asked my why I had missed so much school recently. At eight years old, I'd had a miscarriage and was in a temporary foster home. My foster homes weren't any better than my biological home. So, I kept running away. Reading and school became the only constants in my new life. To this day, it is very hard for someone to get my attention when I am in that other world.

As for writing, I was a natural extension of reading for me. When I couldn't get to a library, I wrote my own worlds to get away in. I think that is why it is so hard for me to let anyone else read my writing. I'll get over it, but until then you won't see me on the bookshelves.

Holly, you probably got more than you wanted to know in this article. But, you asked. lol

Music Kind of Mood

This so fits me. lmao

Your 2005 Song Is

Don't Cha by the Pussycat Dolls "Dont cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me Dont cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me" What happens in 2005, stays in 2005!

What Hit Song of 2005 Are You?

Reading Preferences

This one you can blame on Ronn.

Reading Preferences:

1. I'll read almost anything once. If I own it and keep it, it's a good read. (imho)
   
2. I wish there was more/better lesbian fiction. Especially, in the genres I read.
3. I prefer SF, paranormal, some fantasy, some vampire, horror, "chicken soup," suspense, etc.
4. I like real relationships in books. Romance as a subplot, though.
5. Most people don't know that I have actually read Plato, Des Cartes, and other assorted philospophers. Some many times over. Finding philosophical viewpoints and so forth keeps me interested in reading as much as the enjoyment factor. Rama series is a viewpoint on God as much as it is hard SF.
6. Deep, detailed worlds draw me into a book as fast as a great plot. Especially when the cultures in the book feel real and I can imagine going there to visit.
   
7. All scene and no action bore me. Into. Tears.
8. I can't stand damsels-in-distress books. Give that gal some balls and brains. Take her high heels off before she starts running through the dark dense forrest. Who really wears high heels camping? (Drag queens not included, they wear high heels all the time ;)
9. I prefer hardcover to paperback.
10. I wish mass market paperbacks would use the 8.5 x 5.5 size because it is just easier to hold onto, dang it. I know, I'm a heretic.
11. Out of print books should be made available as ebooks. Or, publishers should have some sort of print on demand option for out of print books. I'd rather pay the higher price for a brand spanking new copy than a used/electronic copy. Get rid of that stake and put out that fire.
    
12. Mug of hot chocolate in hand and swinging on a porch swing in the spring or fall is the absolute best way to enjoy a book.
13. I have a love-hate relationship with stand alone books. I generally want more. Yes, I'm greedy.
14. I refuse to buy a book if certain "reviewers" say it's a good read. They are generally lying. A few times I have changed my mind because of the author's blog/website.
15. I prefer long books and series with more than three books.

Bonus trivia: I once spent 76 hours reading non-stop. As in no sleep. The roster: StarDoc series, Rama series, Ender's Game, Plato's Republic, The Phoenix Legacy, James White's Sector general series.

Seven

Blame Jean. LOL.

Seven things to do before I die: (in no particular order)
1. Get married to my girlfriend (like we aren't already)
2. Retire with the ability to continue all of my hobbies
3. Get one novel published
4. Own my own house built to my design (and the gf's, of course)
5. Make enough to live comfortably (bye-bye paycheck to paycheck)
6. See my girlfriend published
7. Make peace with myself

Seven things I cannot do:
1. Sing
2. Touch my tongue to my nose (boy, if I could)
3. Drink Mountain Spew Dew (but, coffee is my friend)
4. Watch soap operas
5. Watch a horror flick by myself
6. Be politically correct (is there really such a thing?)
7. Get girlied up everyday (whoever invented make-up and pantyhose should have been shot)

Seven things that attract me to my significant other:
1. Her eyes
2. Her laugh
3. Her personality (sarcasm and all)
4. The way she makes me feel
5. Her spontaneity and care-free attitude
6. Her beauty
7. Her ability to, um, well, ya-know ;)

Seven things I say most often:
1. Yes/No
2. Time for your shower (work) or take a bath (kids)
3. I love you
4. I want...
5. Cool
6. Didja know?
7. Aww, shit

Seven books or series that I love: (book links are to booksamillion.com, other links are specified)
1a. Stardoc series, by S. L. Viehl (author blog)
1b. Darkyn series, by Lynn Viehl (Darkyn's website)
2a. Talyn, by Holly Lisle (author website)
2b. Midnight Rain, by Holly Lisle (author blog)
2a. Rama series, by Arthur C. Clarke (Aurthur C. Clarke Foundation)
3. Ender's series, by Orson Scott Card (author webpage)
4. Ringworld series, by Larry Niven (author website)
5. The Phoenix Legacy, by M. K. Wren
6. Tinker, Wolf Who Rules, and A Brother's Price, by Wen Spencer (author site)
7. Harry Potter series, by J. K. Rowling (author site)

Seven movies I would watch over and over again:
1. Basic
2. The Birdcage
3. Robin Williams Live
4. Pitch Black and Chronicles of Riddick
5. Constantine
6. Stargate SG-1 series and Stargate Atlantis
7. Coach Carter

Seven people I’d like to join in the fun:
Whomever wants to.

Poor Traveler's Guide

For those of us who may never be able to travel and see the wonders of the world.


Hollywood Sign

St. Louis Arch

Thomas Jefferson Monument

Mount St. Helens

Pentagon

White House

Pyramids at Giza

The Coliseum

Hoover Dam (black and white)

Statue of Liberty

Washington Monument

Ayres Rock (Uluru-aboriginal name)

Niagra Falls

Grand Canyon

Euphemism Quiz

How many can you guess?

Misguided criminals
A. Terrorists
B. Get-away car drivers with last years road maps
C. Con-artist who haven't found Jesus-yet

Deferred Succes
A. Waiting until the kids are grown to go to work
B. Failure
C. Waiting to suceed until retirement

Womyn
A. Someone just couldn't spell
B. Women-men don't want to be a part of us anymore
C. Women-us gals just don't wanna have anything to do with outdoor plumbing

C.E.
A. Creative Experimenter-crafters into recycling
B. Common Era-Anno Domini is just too religious
C. Chaotic Entropy- because using two synonyms just sounds better

Metabolically Different
A. Dead
B. Short
C. Lazy

Wardrobe Malfunction
A. Laundry really doesn't do itself?
B. Vertical and horizontal stripes?
C. A nipple just happens to pop right out of your top

Headcount Adjustment
A. Lost count of the kiddies in line at daycare
B. Mass firing
C. Adding the babies-to-be into you family roster before they are born

Undocumented Workers
A. Illegal Aliens
B. Workers paid cash
C. Using someone else's identity to work

Motivationally Challenged
A. Workaholic
B. Depressed
C. Lazy

Some ideas are mine, others are from MSNBC or Wikipedia.

Stop AIDS

Today is Worldwide Aids Awareness Day.



The best way for you to stop AIDS is to make sure that you don't get it.

Top Ways to NOT Acquire AIDS:

1. Limit sexual partners or don't have sex. Don't do drugs.
   
2. Use a condom, dental dam, latex gloves or other barrier protection.
   
3. Ask your partner if he/she has been tested for HIV/AIDS recently and what the results were. Get tested yourself.
   
4. Remember, the more you play, the easier it is to pay.
   

Racism

Someday, I'm going to make a calendar of all the "Blog Against/For/About Whatever" days that I can find. Seriously, racism is a bad thing. Period. End of Story. But...

Prejudice based on most any difference is a bad thing, too. We can all write whatever we want to dissuade, or at least try to dissuade, someone from being prejudiced. The fact is most people will believe what they want, maybe.

Idealist concept it may be, but what if just one person changes their mind based on what I wrote. That's better than a kick in the ass. PBW shows us that skin color is truly only skin deep. Ronn compares skin to paint. Monica talks about romance authors and racism. And the list goes on. Can you see the point?