"I can calculate the motions of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of men." Issac Newton

A Walmart employee was trampled to death as the impatient crowd knocked an employee, identified by police as Jdimytai Damour, to the ground as he opened the doors, leaving a metal portion of the frame crumpled like an accordion.
What?
What was so precious that a man had to die? The last bit of food on the planet? Water? No, Christmas presents. Yep, I'm sure Jesus is real proud of that.

Some shoppers were annoyed that Walmart had to close down during the investigation.
What?
Annoyed?
Try horrified or ashamed in your fellow man.

Walmart was blamed for not having enough security.
What?
I'm getting really sick and tired of people not governing themselves.
Anyway, Walmart needed zookeepers.
Or perhaps cowboys to control the herd.

End of Rant.

"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." - Jack London

My current WIP, Love By Design, is not moving along - heck - it's at a complete standstill. I think I know why. Originally, I had chapter titles that would reflect what was going on with the design they hero/heroine were working on and the development of their relationship. However this is strangling the story because I'm trying to fit my story neatly within these confines. So out they go.
That said, I won't have much time for writing this weekend. My husband is in the process of tearing down the huge wall unit he built 20 years ago (we are in desperate need of a change) and I need to go thru all the stuff, deciding what to keep and washing away years of dust (I'm not much of a housekeeper). Also, my son is home for the week and I want to enjoy my time with him. I've missed him so much!

None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude...

...Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy. ~Fred De Witt Van Amburgh

There were so many great quotes about Thanksgiving and giving thanks but I thought during these economics times the above said it the best. My prayers will be with the people of India and pray that the USA continues to be safe from harm.

On a lighter note:
Here are the Top Five Things I'm Thankful For:
1: My familyand friends
2. I have a good job
3. My house is paid off
4. The Giants and Jets are kicking butt
5. I'm feeling better than I have in weeks
oh...wait...there is one more....I'm not cooking!!!!

What are you thankful for?

and just one more quote
I love Thanksgiving turkey. It's the only time in Los Angeles that you see natural breasts. ~Arnold Schwarzenegger

If God hadn't rested on Sunday, He would have had time to finish the world.

Ahhhh...Sundays....
Feeling almost human again I ventured out to a craft fair at a local community college. I go every year and it's always on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. I contributed to the local economy and got some neat stuff. I bought a scented christmas ornament, a cute denim purse lined in tinkerbell fabric, and a beautiful print by a local artist. I could kick myself for not getting his name - his wife sold me the print and I can't make it out. The outing did wear me out but it didn't matter since the couch called to me as the Giants and Jets won their games today. Then tonight is the movie 24 with Keither Sutherland. All in all a great Sunday.
Jack Bauer doesn't rest on Sundays...

Where's The Beef?

I was going to make my famous Taco Pie for dinner but apparently I have totally lost my short-term memory. I said to myself as I was getting dressed this morning before I left for the store, "Don't forget to take the chopmeat out of the freezer so it can defrost." Did I remember? No. Did I remember when I got back from the store and putting away the other things I would need for the Taco Pie? No. SO - It's 4:00 I take out the frying pan and go to the fridge and open it and...Where's the beef? I guess I can make it tomorrow to have during the football games, but what will we have tonight?

And since you have been so nice and listened to the mad woman in the making, here is the recipe for my Taco Pie...

One pkg of cresent rolls - spread flat into a 9" x 12" pan - cook in heated oven about 5 min. (it s/b risen but not done) Take out of oven.
1 Pound of chopmeat in frying pan - cook - then add taco seasoning mix and cook per the pkg.
When done - spread it out on top of the crust
add pepperoni
add chopped onion
add chopped peppers (any color)
then spread 2-3 cups of shredder chedder cheese on top.
Bake at 375 between 15 - 20 minutes.
Serve with shredded lettuce / chopped tomato / salsa / sour cream
ENJOY!

"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint." - Mark Twain

I was looking for a health quote - a serious one - but came across the above and it made me laugh - making me feel better, which only proves - Laughter is the best medicine.
Before I go any further, even though I was looking for a serious quote what I'm going through is NOT serious. Hopefully, a week from now when I have the 'procedure' all will be well and I'll have a healthy and happy Thanksgiving.

No NaNo for me (not feeling very romantic to write romance). Instead, I've been catching up with the free movies On Demand and decreased my to-be-read pile by 4 books. Plan to watch Alien vs. Predator 2 today, read Brad Meltzer The Book of Lies and then tonight its the Jets vs Patriots.

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave - Elmer Davis

Take a moment today to remember America's veterans.

What Board Game Are You?

You Are Chess

You are brilliant and shrewd. You can often predict what people will do in the future. You thrive in complex situations. You deal with contradictions well. You can have many streams of though going on at your mind at once. You keep track of things well. You are very patient. You have lots of endurance, even when your energy dwindles

What Board Game Are You?

Yep this is me (if I do say so myself).

“Well, it all started when I figured out that the janitor at my high school was the Angel of Death...” from Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff

from the back cover: Jane Charlotte has been arrested for murder. She says she’s a member of a secret organization devoted to fighting evil. She say’s she’s working with the Department for the Final Disposition of Irredeemable Persons-aka "Bad Monkeys." Her confession has landed her in the jail’s psychiatric wing and earns her countless hours of poking, probing, and questioning by a professional. But is Jane crazy or lying? Or is she playing a whole different game altogether?
I wasn’t planning on buying a book - just browsing I told myself - when I was drawn to the bright yellow book titled Bad Monkeys. It was a interesting read. Written in a conversational tone the book’s fast pace led me down twists and turns with a truly satisfying, yet unpredictable ending. If you are looking for something different then do as Christopher Moore, author of A Dirty Job wrote, "Read it, memorize then destroy it. There are eyes everywhere."

"If you are false to yourself, I think, other people find it easier to be false to you." from The Forgery of Venus by Michael Gruber

from Publisher's Weekly...Starred Review. Bestseller Gruber (The Book of Air and Shadows) probes the boundaries between sanity and madness in his outstanding sixth novel. Talented Chaz Wilmot, who makes a modest living as a commercial artist in New York City, can't say no when Mark Slade, his former Columbia roommate who now owns a downtown gallery, offers him $150,000 to fix a ruined Tiepolo ceiling in a Venetian palazzo (the ceiling had essentially collapsed, so it wasn't a restoration job exactly but more like a reproducing job). Once abroad, Wilmot gets sucked into an increasingly bizarre world where his own identity is confused and the art he produces may be a forgery but is genuinely magnificent. Is Wilmot crazy or is he being manipulated in a grandiose scheme linked to unrecovered art stolen by the Nazis? Gruber writes passionately and knowledgeably about art and its history—and he writes brilliantly about the shadowy lines that blur reality and unreality. Fans of intelligent, literate thrillers will be well rewarded.

My Take: This was a fascinating read. The author expertly draws you into the story and doesn't let go. I highly recommend it.

Has any one read Gruber's bestseller The Book of Air and Shadows?

Technology... is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ~C.P. Snow, New York Times, 15

Woke up Sunday with no internet service. I waited until Monday after work to call the cable company and after pushing 1 or 2 and saying yes or no or continue I finally pushed 0 for the operator/customer service - as in a real live human! For once I wasn't treated like a MORON and they actually BELIEVED me when I said I tried everything and let me pick up a new modem today.
As far as NaNo goes I haven't written a word. A bit under the weather. I won't go into the gory details, but all I can manage is work and then fall into bed when I get home.

Did you vote today? I'd have to be dead not to vote. Have you ever seen Iron Jawed Angels with Hilary Swank? All mothers should sit down and watch this with their daughters.