Some Stuff About Some Stuff

Happy Monday all, or at least it would be if this damned computer would work.

Just so you all know, it was 8:50am when I turned this computer on. It's now 10:10 and only now am I able to type out my blog post. I really do despise this computer.

There's actually quite a bit to go through... I think... there was this morning at 8:50, at least. I'll have to try to remember it all. Let's hope I leave nothing out.

I suppose I ought to start with writing news, since this is this blog's primary function. Today is the first day of my return to writing The Great Man. I make a start on book 5 - Puppet Master. I like the title. I also like the fact that this one is darker than the others, darker and melancholic. For some reason, that makes me absurdly happy.

It might have something to do with the weather. It's been gloomy, rainy and cold all weekend. I should be sad about it, but to be honest, I quite like this weather (though I actually do get S.A.D (Seasonal Affect Disorder)). Which reminds me, must take my vitamin D.

Saturday was wonderful as always. Lion Dance practice in the morning went well, and now that we're switching dancers on the fly, it's even more fun. Exhausting, but fun. The troupe goes out to lunch after, and that is always a good time. Then the afternoon was spent teaching Kung Fu. I say the afternoon like it was the entire afternoon, but really it was just an hour.

That evening I went to dinner with my father, and we attended a concert at a church. One of the lawyers in the office at work is in the Ottawa Centennial Choir and they performed Celtic songs (including some really awesome mouth music) for the evening. There were also instrumental pieces.

I have to say, the Uilleann pipes are one of my favourite instruments. Closely followed by the erhu and cello. I was very pleased to see a set there, and happier still to close my eyes and listen. It was a great concert and a lot of fun.

Sunday morning was lesson 2 of Equestrian Archery. It was rainy, cool and generally miserable, so of course I had an awesome time! The drive up was terrible. The rain poured down so hard I could barely see out the windscreen. It had lessoned significantly when we arrived.

We arrived to some bad news... the arena was taken, so we had no choice but to work outside in the cold and rain. It was easy, given the weather, for my imagination to run riot and I was briefly transported to another world where we were preparing for battle in early Iron Age Europe. Yup, I'm a dork.

It was a brilliant lesson, despite the ankle-deep puddles and Nash's attempts at a hostile strike (as in a union strike, not as in a kick or blow to any part of the person). I hit the target twice at a canter. Missed thrice and on one of those misses, lost the knocking and had to reset the arrow to fire... only I wasn't quite fast enough to manage it and was almost past the target by the time I drew. Sigh. Oh well, practice must continue in order for me to improve. Happily, practice will!

Also, I fell in love with a kitten who fell asleep with a goofy smile on it's tiny little face as I cleaned the gunk from it's tiny little eye. Most of the kittens at the stable have cat flu. I didn't take the kitten home, though I was sorely tempted. It was so cute, clinging to my thumb and sleeping, with it's teeny tiny back legs just hanging down...

Le sigh.

Photos and video of lesson two will go up on my Facebook page. If you're not there yet, just click on the link to the right, and you will be.

As most of us know, blogger was having a few issues, and some posts vanished, and for a time, I couldn't post at all. One of the posts that vanished, but has been replaced, was this one by Pam Asberry, who very kindly awarded my another blog award.

Many thanks for it. Unfortunately, I can't pass on the award as I don't have 5 new blogging buddies to pass it along to. The only new blog I follow is George R.R. Martin's blog (entitled Not a Blog). Thus, though I am flattered, I'll spare you all the blog roll.

I think that about covers everything. Here is today's Forgotten English, before I dash off to start writing:

Byspelt

A strange, awkward figure... acting contrary to reason, or propriety; as if labouring under the influence of a spell.

- John Brockett's Glossary of North Country Words, 1825

Byspel, one whose worthlessness is proverbial.

- Sir James Murray's New English Dictionary, 1888