Bridghid Parkinson

We needed it...after the storm everything has been straight work. There are still brown spots in the tress from broken branches that haven't come down. I still see shingles and glass all over the ground....but I'm working...and I come home and sleep. I was nothing less than exhausted. BUT...I took a day off. The results of which you will see in the link below.

As far as the Social Networking sites I've seen...it's good...it kept my attention. It caters to a youncg crowd, but that's OK...it has plenty of people over the age of thirty, and features to entertain.

I think it needs more romance novelists and comedy...some of them need to really LIGHTEN UP. Life is just not all that serious...you know?

www.myyearbook.com/diparkinson

First...keep in mind, "Town" refers to Houston, Texas. Which ranks somewhere around the top ten of the largest cities in the US, bypassed only by New York, Los Angeles, and Washington DC. I think.

I also have to settle a 35 year old argument...Sorry, Charlie...you lost that one! NYC wins the size argument from grade school. I was in New York City at the age of 5 (and change) and I can tell you there was nothing in the entire city more awe inspiring to this little country girl than looking up at these huge skyscrapers and clinging desperately to my father's shirt collar or neck as I looked straight up. Usually, I would lay down in the grass to look up at the stars but I was in my party dress and there was no grass. It's very significant in two respects: this was my only first hand view of the World Trade Center and it was also the night I met Charles Lindbergh. My Daddy never let me forget it and those memories are burned in my heart forever.

I mentioned earlier that I replaced my bike, but I have no compulsion to replace the car that my oldest son burned up by not changing the oil during the time I couldn't drive at all. Now...think about this...Houston can be measured in so many square miles...and I don't need a car. With sweet crude prices going so far up, I don't care if I ever get a car again. The only draw back is that I do have to do a little more planning for my shopping and travel. My bike gets me to work in 20 minutes. That's not a bad commute by anyone's standards. I have huge department stores in the same range and if I get a little excersize or take my bike on the Metro, there is NOTHING in the town I can't do.

I went to Hobby Airport by picking up one bus two blocks away and sticking my bike on the rack. I wanted to talk to Air Trafic Control safety offices to research for a new work-in-progress called "I'm no Angel" and I want to feel the lay of the land and the streets so that when the motorcycle goes blasting through in the manuscript, you know it's serious. That single bus took me all the way to the passenger drop off terminal. I snuck through the parking areas with my bike, hit Airport Road and went down Telephone. OK- I talked to a couple pilots along the way. I'll have to post the pictures later, but winding around some of the old terminal buildings I found, and feeling a little nostalgic for having walked so many identical buildings with my father, I kept snapping pics as a visual notebook. I do that alot. I kept on the streets that kept me closest to the flight line so I could see all of the fantastic planes coming in. As a rounded the corner, I got the shock of my life as I found a DC-3 poking her pretty little nose in the air. It was in the process of restoration and getting outfitted as a Vietnam War era AC-47. I guess the plane's gender should properly be masculine but I have a tendancy to charicterizing machines from computers to planes. Yep- that's the plane I describe in Spellfire Heroes and Spellfire New Years Eve. Dover Air Force Base Meuseum had them on display, so yes, I have been inside and discussing the aircraft in great detail with the curators.

Did I make it to Air Traffic Control? Nope. That's reserved for another weekend. Instead, I found the 1940 Air Terminal Museum. I was as happy as a pig in slop. I looked around the old Eastern displays and I didn't get to go into a lot of detail because the museum was close to closing. Houston was evidently a major hub for Eastern and there was all types of memorabilia. I looked at the little "pilot's wings" that the airline used to give to the children and I laughed. Do you have any idea how many of those things I had, but lost, as a kid? If you dig up the property at our old house (now by the new elementary where I grew up) you'd probably find a dozen of them in the sand box we used to have by Daddy's work shed. They made a cool pattern in the sand so we could make roads for toy cars. I still consider the day a huge sucess but I will definately need to go back.

Now, to Houston's credit, the shopping and entertainment in the area is the best that I have ever seen. In the negatives column, homelessness is some of the worst I've seen, and the crime rate makes me skittish. Never underestimate my ability to defend myself. One of the homeless men I've helped was robbed a couple nights ago. That's just low. I told him that it's not worth risking your life for a couple bucks and got him dinner to try making up the difference of what was taken. In his world it may be equivalent to giving him the proverbial fish, but teaching him to fish is beyond my capability. He defends the area where he sleeps and I pass through it to and from work...we just got to talking. If I have change, I'll pass it to him but he knows my budget is a bit tight just taking care of myself. But, you may see "Cowboy" pop up in a Labrynthine (Brother Luv--Spellfire) story.

Oddities of my Hobby Airport Adventure...I still have not broken the unlucky streak of getting some of the absolute WORST food when I am out researching a story line. What's up with that? I set out, and classic to some of my creative pursuits, I forget to eat. I'm serious. Laura (my twin in Delaware. We were just born to different parents.) would do a 'drive by fooding' when she found out I was in the writing mode. But, when I am out and about, I am so intent on chasing details that I really do forget until I am in some physical need. Oddly- I carry water all the time, but not food. That's got to change and I carry coupons for the nutritional bars but I should put something in my tote for emergencies. When I arrived at Hobby, I was getting shaky so I found the nearest convenience store about 2 blocks away. I saw what looked like good fried chicken and some kind of deep fried burrito. Not the best for my diet, but I'll take it. The chicken was the nastiest crust I have ever put in my mouth but the meat was good. The burrito was a cheese filled cinder block. Maybe it's just my distaste for fried foods but some of the best fried chicken I had came from Delaware. (Paul...can you send some down?) I finally made it to a franchise burger joint, which I also classify midrange on the 'good food' list but high marks for being dependable. No fries, PLEASE.

Now..when I am just out for general shopping, exersizing or exploring, I'll find the BEST food. I've eaten Mediteranian, the world's best tacos are served about 2 blocks from my apartment, I've had Pakistani curried goat (before you turn up your nose at that, Texans call it cabrito and it was great!) and Mediteranian foods that are incredible. I'm still in search of Korean and a sushi bar. I have found an amazing Spanish market and several Chinese places. I love General Tso's, but this is the first time I have ever seen jalepenos in chinese food. Oddly, that was good, too.

I think I fell and hit my head at one point during the train trip from Delaware. I was in a restaurant that served Tex-Mex and the plate came out with a whole jalepeno in the middle of the spanish rice. Forgetting that I had already arrived back in Texas... I looked at it, my mouth watered, and I popped it in my mouth without a second throught. I chugged a full beer to wash it down. By my standards, it was hot. By Yankee Delawarian standards, the spice included brimstone and it would have induced seizures.

But, of all the places I have lived in my life...this is one of the best places suited to me.

For those that know me...that says a lot.

Now...something very funny. In the 90s, I participated heavily in some of the early telnet BBSs (How old? 14.4 modems gave me a headache because the animations and chat windows on my telnet screen were moving so fast.) I get to talking with area old geeks once in a while and I get nostalgic about the BBS days...so my internal compass points to Denny's where we used to do our get togethers (GTs). I started talking with the waitress, who knew an old geek and she got my card to pass on to her friend. Son of a gun, the old friend walks in 10 minutes later and I discovered she'd telnetted to PlayPen and our sister BBS in Washington state called "Northern Lights" her handle was Starlight. That's the proverbial needle in a haystack. Of all the people in Houston, I found a Penner!

Well...That's just my luck. Hey, God, can I apply those odds to winning the lottery?

 

Some of my writing projects have hit an all time high...just so you are warned about that...

The bad news...Stanley went to Rainbow Bridge, he passed away last weekend. I got to thinking about the silly hound all weekend and had been ernestly writing him into an erotica piece for Spellfire that involves other...critters. I called Lauren and during the course of events I found out he was gone. So--like my Rufus, he's getting his own stories from Auntie Di. The name? Oh..."Damnit, Stanley!"...of course!!

Speaking of which...Haunted Passions is to be rereleased. That dog is a fictionalization of my Rufus--keep in mind, the kooky antics of that dog were done to me--it has to come from somwhere, ya know? When this story was first released, I encountered rave reviews but the consencus was that most women are terrified of anything implied as haunted. I am not afraid of it. You will have to remember that the house in the story is inspired by a historic home that I rented for two years. It was haunted--I have no doubts. One of the most haunted sites in Texas is the Alamo and I've lost count of the times I've been there. Now, in my perspective- it's not a scary experience, as a general rule. If your husband is around, any room, you know it. All of a sudden, you get the feeling something is different and discover that he's slipped outside to the yard or the car. That's a presense you are used to...right? Well, I was finishing dinner one night for company. I was expecting a visit from an archeologist that was looking at the house and could explain some of the archetecture to me in terms I can understand. Obviously- he did a good job--those details are in the story! I am setting my table and I feel the extra presence. I carry my tray to the dining room and find a man kneeling, staring at the floor. This is not unusual to me because when I spoke to the archeologist I told him I was leaving the dining room door open, he should stick his head in and holler because the stove is on the far side of the kitchen, and I won't hear a bomb going off in the front yard. Remember- this is a colonial house with foot thick walls because of all the renovations! I set down my tray, and turned to greet my guest and he was gone. My guest showed up about 5 minutes later. Strange lights and shadows allways turend up in the 'corner of my eye' so much so that I went to an opthamologist to make sure my eyes were ok. It was just at that old house and I got used to it. Heck- it was fodder for stories that included some recent Spellfire!! Labrythine has little details that were inspired by that house!

Another investigation...good for writer types...Moss... that's one of the many things around the "Bayou" area that is hard to describe to someone not familiar with a swamp. Huge tangles of moss hang in the trees and I was walking around town today and came accross a copse of trees that were covered with the stringy, spooky and creepy looking moss...except in bright sunlight, it's doesn't look creepy, it's actually pretty. The bad part is that it's also a parasite and will kill a tree, but if the tree is already dead...I wouldn't mind the moss. For those reading "Brother Luv's Salvation" Labrynthine grounds are covered in Moss...especially Jamie's carriage house!!

And a howdy to Mr Tucker...ever get someone that says something 'simple' but your mind plays with the words? Well- my mind does it because that's what I do. We walked into the office at the start of the day only to find that the heater (instead of the airconditioning) had been running. He commented, "You can hear the heat!" I knew logically he was referring to the heating devices in our office area, but at the same time, while missing the cool conforts of the parking garage, I started thinking how to perceive different sensations. Would 'heat' have a sound? (The crackling of a fire?) so I started writing these things out as we were waiting on the servers to boot up- and in half an hour, I had a page- front and back- written up on different sensory perceptions...and he's still got my sheet about the ways a writer's mind 'wanders'. Don't worry- I rewrote it for my own journal.

Oh...and I finally replaced my bike. I've come to the conclusion that I probably need a 'bumper sticker' on it that says "No...I write Romance and Urban Fantasy and my name isn't Jessica" but I cruised 5 miles within an hour this afternoon. Remember- Houston is FLAT. The motorcycle is next.

And a couple "Happy Birthdays" to go out...they know who they are.

I ran into a blue-eyed sweetheart at a concert (yeah, 'accidentaly on purpose') and my email handle is in the 'About me' section...which is my pennname, of course. The symbol next to it tells you which service it is (I really am trying to keep the Spam bots from the address) and I don't mind if you use it! Yeah, you, too, Mel.

BTW... www.bridghidparkinson.com  and www.dianneparkinson.com are 'real' but they are only parked for now as I get a bit more time to work on them

New releases...Ledgends of Love includes the "Fairy Tale" based "East of the Moon" which is based on an Andrew Lang Fairy tale. "Brother Luv's Salvation" is in Spellfire Moons, and I have more coming up! We did a few with Musical Themes so I am in 'Rock and Roll Dreams' with 'Shadows of the Night" and in 'Honky Tonk Heart' but that doesn't have a title yet. I was looking to Johnny Cash songs for inspiration. The story was inspired by an interview I found with a Texas songwriter that was naturally concerned about the horrible influeces children have today in popular media, versus giving these kids some real music to have fun with! I agree with that in spades! I had my kids playing RPGs with me rather than letting them loose in some arcade because I thought it was a better venue. I grew up going to honkytonk dances with my Daddy--I danced with men that were as much as 60 years older than I was--so what? I had a blast and I can still dance like a demoness even if my back is acting up (Right, Tony?). I lack the funding to build an enterprise that would include children, but I can fictionalize it. That's the story...she's barely hanging on to a house she inherited...but she meets a man that has a property that would be a good family venue... Be careful, I am doing some serious cussing in this one! And most of you know that's odd for me!

And a thunderstorm says...I gotta go!

Lovely spot of Houston weather we are having here!

The train trip was a rousing success. Three months after the fact, I am only finally settled in and working again at a regular job. I would really die without that type of grounding force to keep my creativity in high gear. God knows, if I vegitate at home- the brain just stops. I also like to eat more than once every quarter.

New Orleans made a huge impact on me and I will be going back every chance I get. My hometown is in the hillcountry, it's one of those "Idon't get to pick, but I didn't do too badly," deals. If I had ever had a chance to pick my hometown, New Orleans would be it. Midnight Showcase has set up a special tribute digest for the ongoing battle of rebuilding after the hurricane. You can still see the debris and damage and it's now been two years since the incedent. We looked hard but kept with a familiar charity, Habitat for Humanity, because of the excellent work they have already managed without a need question as to how the money was used.

My appearances... Howdy to all the new people I met from ApolloCon and I will be attending ArmadilloCon in Austin. I also have plans to attend other conventions here in the Houston area but I'll warn you- look out for next year. It's going into high gear in the Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Dallas areas but I think I'll have a few new things to offer, too. You already know I share a love of books in the Sci-fi and Fantasy range. Heck, look at the titles I've done so far...all that Spellfire! I'll do more and submit them to sci-fi publishers. I'm also looking forward to an opportunity to create graphic poster renderings. I've read a car...after that, a wall or door isn't much of a streach.

The weather in Houston and through central Texas is lovely for those that may be homesick for Scotland, or India in the monsoon season. The local SCA shire is called "The Shire of the Wetlands". I am looking forward to the Texas Renfest (Do cowboy hats and kilts make a good fashion statement?) this fall and there is a reading group I have my eyes on- and a couple 'leisure learning' classes I hope to take over the winter.

I'm doing just fine... LOL

 

Once again, when I'm faced with the choices of blogging or writing and my publishing, the blogging gets stuck on a back burner. I'm here!! If you ever wonder what I am up to... by all means drop a line, swing by Midnight Showcase and see what I am doing.

Art: Book Covers have blown up for me. Spellfire Heroes, Jaded Beasts 5, Spellfire Hearts 2, The Keeper, Moondock, Stargazer, Vamptations, and a few others I can't remember off the top off my head.

Writing: Anchient Jems (Living laughing and loving in 12th Dynasty Egypt) was my first major time travel and I loved it. Of course I had Jewel Adams nudging me and telling me I needed to write a time travel, see what I thought of the genre. Would you want to tell her "no...?" So... you know I don't play around, I bit off 3700 years!! I can see doing more of those. I had a blast with that.

Meanwhile...Back at the Ranch is a take on old movies- Musicals and Black and White silent movies. It's got a 4 Heart Review from TRS with specific nots about the humor.

Hats off to Juilette Ashton and Starla Malone. Spellfire Hearts 2 is a huge sucess. I was worried at first that they might not 'get' Spellfire, but oh boy-- did these ladies ever jump in!! I thought I was warped... Starla wrote about a "Freckle Fairy" and her sorcerer (who has a pet parrot that speaks in Yiddish). Juilette, with a very easy logic about demon and imp sub-types in spellfire, gave spellfire it's own angel. I'm in Spellfire Hearts 2 with Abby Normil's story... they might finally find her!!

Pagan Pleasures-- Elemental Dances If you have ever wondered about Pagans, This is a contemporary sneak peak into the lives of two modern pagans and the magic that surrounds them!

 OK... the itinerary for Texas:

I leave the East coast on April 2nd. I will be in New Orleans on April 3rd- the night sky will have a full moon and I am hoping there will be no rain!! I'll have my camera.

I land in Houston on the 4th, with about 2 weeks to RT. I was trying so hard to make up a party for what would have been my father's 100th birthday when we discovered that the Romantic Times convention will be in Houston. We decided not to get a table this year and we will be roaming... look for the "Spellfire Texas" t-shirts. For those who don't know... my trip to Houston is permanant. Houston is about 6 hours from where I grew up in the Hillcountry and so the whole state is 'home'. I'm sick of snow.

I may be off line a bit more... don't panic, I'm doing fine!!

 

The storms were bad last night and there aren't too many improvements expected for tonight. 

I watched the storm on radar as it blew up over Delmarva. My first thought was, "You've got to be kidding!"

A severe storm warning was finally issued. No- it doesn't make the storm any better or worse, but sometimes I am sure this area is neglected by the weather service. Watch how many times the people on the weather services will say "Delmarva" They point out Baltimore, DC, and New Jersey.  During the entire June Rain Fiasco- where we got something around a foot of rain, we never lost power. I reading the storm warning for Delmarva (at long last!) when the lights flash and go out.

We spent time comforting the dogs that were terrified of thunderstorms. I thought to step out and rescue my plants until lightening hits a light pole in the park less than a block away. I don't think so! The thunder rattles the house and I looked at my son and laughed, "I don't think I'm going to try that again!"

And then we sat around and twiddled our thumbs. I like to read. I like to crochet. I like to play cards. BUT none of these things go well when you can hardly see your hand in front of your face. Kik napped out in the recliner. Steve snoozed on the couch with the fraidy cats... errr... dogs.

Once it stopped raining I surveyed the damage. We may have lost a couple tomato branches. One of the 'succulents' (Lauren insists it's not a "cactus" but it drew blood more than once!) needed to be repotted because it fell and the pot broke. Considering that this was a NASTY storm, it could have been worse. The wind was the worst and reminded me of Hurricane Isabel.

So... the power still out and I'm back to twiddling my thumbs. Once the rain softened outside, I noticed something. All of the people are coming out to their porches. You know... we are so dependent on our electrical devices anymore. We, as a society, are lost without them. If the power goes out... do you really have any oil lamps or kerosene lamps? I didn't think so. Don't worry, neither do I. i have a few candles- I won't stub my toe or trip over a dog. I decided outside looked like a great place to be!

I was right. ADVENTURE TIME!

I left my shoes and stomped in every mudpuddle I could find. I also met at least a dozen of my neighbors. Special "howdy" goes out to Buddy and his Mommy, Candace and Ra-ra, and Nick. The lights came back on, and guess where we stayed? You got it... that sidewalk torned into a nice social place!

You have to watch for your best opportunities... when you least expect it... lightening strikes!

Shoe leather Adventures

Maryland Renaissance Faire:

Day 1- September 24, 2005, Day 2- October 1, 2005

http://www.rennfest.com

Girls Day at the Beach: October 2, 2005

DNREC- State of Delaware

The reason I call my outings ‘Shoe Leather Adventures’ is one of my favorite quotes attributed to Gilbert Keith Chesterton: “An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered.” I was not able to drive for over a year, due to illness. I can now drive but it got me into the habit (I like that word) of slowing down and thinking about the places and things that I see. What’s the rush? When we went to the Maryland Renaissance Faire, near Annapolis, we spent the whole day. Twice. Rush? Absolutely not!

It’s no secret that I prefer community events like fairs of varied types- all the way through June Jam, Punkin’ Chunkin’, The Rehoboth Jazz Festival, Renaissance Festivals, SCA Events, City Festivals, and Art Festivals. We were on overload both days. So many bad boys… so little time!

Garb? Love it! I can make an authentic peasant blouse in just a few hours and I even wear them in civilian attire. I pair my blouse with a long full skirt. Love them! I’ve driven a few fellas to distraction by wearing long skirts and then ‘getting comfortable’ by baring leg(s) when I sit. For me, that’s almost ‘civilian’ attire. The modern fashion industry infuriates me as bad as the music and movie industries so I keep my mundane clothes basic. I wear jeans with basic tops or T-Shirts, and black or tan accessories. My ‘over shirts’, wraps, long skirts, etc., are mostly handmade!

Psst-- Don’t get me on my ‘mainstream soapbox’… that’s ugly… some of our finest artists are being stiffed by the pabulum manufacturers that try to decide what is fashionable (making money from what can be easily mass produced). Blech! I guess that’s a drawback of the way I grew up, but my father focused on what I thought rather than what other people think. I get a few stares when I go to the gas station. Guess what? I could care less.

See the picture of me with the Pantomime Stilt Walker in the Photo Album. I think it was ‘Lurk’ (according to the program) a.k.a. Martin Ewen (http://www.anti-gravity.com.au/) The website was down when I tried, but I offer it in the hopes that it will be fixed. I stepped out from behind the camera for once! I’m sure he loves his secondary job as ‘bodice inspector’. I don’t like the picture of me but he’s a hoot! Do you know of anyone that likes the way they look in pictures? As you can see- he was a Grade A (Boneless) Master. We loved him.

I take pictures and video. I apologize that I can’t give better credits for some of these snapshots but they are just my vacation pictures- and some people took pictures of me, too. This is just a bit of my continued applause. I caught the stilt walker dancing to guitar music in a piazza (Sounded like Jethro Tull, minus the flute, and I never caught his name because he was gone when I turned around). The Hammered Dulcimer player was a handsome fellow by the name of Vince Conaway, (http:www.vinceconaway.com) who also explained his instrument. I got some great footage of the bagpipe group but it’s a little shaky (Yes, I know what they wear under their kilts but these guys were not regimental on stage, but that’s not the reason the video was shaky. I don’t have their name, either). A young lady demonstrated an unusual harp (I think it was made by ‘Unicorn Strings’?), on which she used a bow, by playing Greensleeves for me. I made a video CD and I will put copies into my upcoming reader baskets.

I enjoy the flirt factor at this type of event. It’s not a sport; it’s an art! Some of these fellas are not shy either! I’m shameless when these guys are giving the little extra charm. I’m single and ‘not looking’, but I’m not dead! The evening is negotiable- the rest of my life is not! I loved the Pirates, Knights, Lords, Musketeers, and kilts! I will never say I hate my life!

We went to a wine tasting where I found a Honey Mead that I adore! The mead I have had in the past is generally homemade- it varies wildly. This one is a commercial brand from a winery in Maryland so I can continue to enjoy! http:www.linganorewines.com

We enjoyed demonstrations, craftsmen, shopping, theater, comedy, tightrope walkers, fire breathers, the Royals, and a good bit of obnoxiousness for no reason at all. That was a great trip!

We up and went to the beach on Sunday. We were searching for neat shells and ‘Cape May Diamonds’ at Cape Henelopen State Park. I am not sure about the full legend but supposedly a ship sank in the bay in the 1800s and they were carrying diamonds from South Africa. People do still find diamonds at both Cape May and Cape Henelopen beaches. I love legends and history like that! I don’t care if the pieces I found are real diamonds or not, they are beautiful.

We enjoyed a picnic and shopping. It was a quiet day… so why do my legs feel like jelly, now?

I'm headed for Washington DC next.

     I love bumper stickers—but not on my car. I put them on other articles, like my journals or scrapbooks. One of them reads, “My other car is a pair of boots.” It’s a two-fold meaning. First, I am a misplaced Texan and I love my cowboy boots. Second, in the time since the doctor first prohibited me from driving, I’ve walked most places that I need to go or ridden with friends or on the bus. I enjoyed it so much I keep doing it. It is great exercise and I have a little time to think.

     I do not advocate hitchhiking. You are responsible for the trip and the costs. In my situation, I could not drive. The entire point is to rely on your feet! You are not going to get the different perspective from the same view through a windshield. If you have bad knees and hips, drive to a spot, walk around as comfortably as you can and then drive to the next spot. With the rising costs of gas, and the focus taken away by traffic, it may be best that you don’t use your car at all. What’s important is the thinking time.

     Where am I going? I don’t know, but I have to go! (Jack Kerouac--? paraphrased?)

     Maybe it's just the fact that I am from a small town, and back then, I knew almost everyone. If someone pulled over to offer you a ride, you were safe because chances are you went to school with them, knew where they lived, went to church with them, and knew their parents- or their kids, and sometimes all of the above. I had a few nice walks interupted with good friends, or good flirts, and I'd accept the ride and just go for the walk later.

     I do a lot of these... random walking and thinking. In this fast paced society- try it- it can't hurt you unless you walk into traffic.