Tag Archives: favorite things

Five Things to Love, Love, Love about Colorado

This entry is part 4 of 8 in the series December Ramblings

Prompted by in_the_blue, for a change of pace:

  1. Christmas - Don't get me wrong: I take issue with harsh winters and icy roads I have to actually drive or be driven on, icy winds, and the deeply drifted snow. That is, I take issue with having to be out in it. But there's something about deep snow outside and wind wailing around the house when I'm inside and the white Christmas lights are glowing from greenery and Christmas carols fill the house and I'm sipping hot carob with the family. That is what I grew up loving, and that is still perfect.
  2. Dry Summers - There was nothing particularly pleasant about the forest fires that wracked our state, and that's not why I love it dry. It's the humidity. When we went down to San Antonio, I felt like I'd stepped into a swimming pool. That feeling lessened but didn't go away the week I was there. I felt like I'd shed pounds getting back home and the temperature swings didn't bother me as much.
  3. Sunshine - Except for Florida, Colorado gets the lion's share of America's sunshine and this is a very good thing. It's beautiful even when it's freezing outside—though technically I usually take umbrage if the sun tempts me out to my own cold misery.
  4. Swings - Frankly, I don't know that this is a Colorado thing, but I know it's not a New Mexico thing. Green parks with swings. I could swing forever.
  5. Family - My family is here. That makes it home.
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5 Things Meme: Favorite Song

This entry is part 5 of 5 in the series 5 Things Meme

Comment to this post saying "FIVE!" and I will pick five things I would like you to talk about. They might make sense or be totally random.

Then post that list, with your commentary, to your journal. Other people can get lists from you, and the meme merrily perpetuates itself, hopefully for the rest of eternity!

From arliddian: Current Favourite Song

I'm supposed to pick? Hm... I wonder if people who ask such questions listen to much music, but for the sake of experiment, I shall try to narrow down my multitude of favorites to something manageable.

My Favorite Things

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These are a Few of My Favorite Things

We all of us have favorite things. Mine are primarily words, tea, fiction, and music. Cooking, organization, and analysis tend more to be guilty pleasures. What can I say?

Tea

tea • noun 1. the second-most perfect beverage in existence, the first being water; 2. nature's pharmacy for the soul.

My favorite current tea blend: CHICORY MATÉ SPICE

For an entire teapot:

  • 4 tbsp. yerba maté herb
  • 2 tbsp. stevia leaf
  • 1 tbsp. chicory
  • 1 tbsp. cinnamon powder
  • 1 tbsp. ginger powder

For one cup:

  • 2 tsp. maté
  • 1 tsp. each of chicory, ginger, cinnamon, and stevia

Use a coffee filter to strain this tea! A regular tea strainer will get gunked up with powder and you may lose some of your tea. Steep in almost boiling water until a dark, rich brown. Strain and enjoy!

Books

writer • noun 1. a reader who decided if you want something done right, you must do it yourself; 2.a reader who ran out of books; 3. a reader inspired to immitation.

Unseen by Rabia Gale

A collection of two previously published fantasy short stories about magic in unexpected places and about the loss of that magic. I had read the second selection—about a pudgy, ordinary man who has forgotten his own incredible origin and former life—before Rabia asked me to proofread this collection, but the first story—about a Pakistani girl who can see into a fantastical world others are blind to—was new to me. Both are enjoyable, full of choices between modern safety and wild beauty. Recommended to avid readers of Beneath Ceaseless Skies or Lightspeed's fantasy selections. [ ebook ]

Other Impressions of the Author:
Shattered

Aphorisms of Kherishdar by M.C.A. Hogarth, voiced by Daniel Dorse

Being quite fond of flash fiction in the first place, Hogarth's fil ekain, or incense stories, drew me from our first introduction. The Ai-Naidar are a graceful alien civilization who value the society more than the individual; thus they seek to find the place of each in the fabric of the whole, that none endure separation. These are beautiful stories, "short and lingering," as the narrator tells us, and the reader does justice to them with his warm storyteller voice. If you have never tried audio before, this is a lovely place to begin. [ audio ]

Other Impressions of the Author:
Spots: the Space Marine

The Case of the Poisoned House

Bread

hardtack • noun 1. a boring, edible substance made from flour, water, and maybe a pinch of salt; 2. a base for creating simple, mouthwatering breads.

SALSA BREAD

  • a bowl of all-purpose flour
  • a large jar of salsa
  • water

Combine all ingredients until all powder is thoroughly mixed in and dough is slighty soupy. Layer a baking dish in parchment paper and pour in mixture. Bake between 350 and 400 degrees until a knife stuck in the middle comes out clean. Enjoy!

[Note: I live in high altitude and it seems to take roughly about an hour for the bread to be done.]

What are some of your favorite things?

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Tea and Crumpets: Have a Ficlet

THE TEA



Base:
Fill an oversized mug halfway full of favorite milk. Boil enough water to top it off. Stir the two together in the mug until the base is piping hot, but not near to boiling.

Brew:
Add two tea bags of Maté Factor's Dark Roast. Allow to steep for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove tea bags before drinking.

THE CRUMPETS


Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to a small bowl. Stir in 1 – 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil until all powder is thoroughly dissolved and the mixture is a dark, rich brown. Spread over favorite bread and toast as usual. Cut in small triangles before serving.

THE FICLET


Story Title: The Way to a Girl's Heart
Fandom:
X-Men Movieverse
Summary: St. John Allerdyce discovers the way to his girl's heart quite by accident. A kyro ficlet.

Kitty eyed the spread suspiciously.

"Goodness, Kitty. I can cook!" St. John Allerdyce glared at his girlfriend as he brought his teapot over to the table.

She sniffed at him. She did. The girl who could down their enemies with a single taste of her infamous blueberry muffins. The girl who scared off bad guys with her special, cannot-ever-cook superpowers and kindly-intentioned sense of hospitality.

He shook his head and scowled, but he did not allow himself to be distracted from his role as proper host. St. John had learned to cook from an overworked hotel maid he'd met on arrival in America who didn't mind feeding him if he kept the house clean and maintained. It was sheer survival. She taught him her entire repertoire (ten dishes and three beverages) and each only once. If he didn't get it, he didn't eat and that was that.

"Tea." He poured into the perfect little teacup on its perfect little saucer that Storm had generously allowed him to use. Kitty could eat safely enough. It was a warm, rich brew: his favorite chicory blend with a pinch of ginger, a dash of cinnamon, and a hefty dose of rooibos he'd bought fresh at a local market, all of it steeped in milk.

Finally, Kitty showed a little appreciationg. "This looks good," she admitted.

"It should," he replied and filled her plate with a selection of different crumpets: a tiny cinnamon apple sandwich, strawberries spread on rye, a ginger snap, and three of her favorite shortbreads.

"Did you make these all yourself?" she asked, still half-cautious to go with her half-salivating.

He nodded, sat, and helped himself, but his attention was fixed on her taste-testing each item with a tiny nibble. Her eyebrows swung upward. "This is really good." She took a tiny sip of the tea and those eyebrows went even higher. "Where'd you learn to make this?"

St. John chuckled at her then.

Kitty went on enjoying the repast, stealing little looks at him out of the corner of her eye while he pretended not to notice. He may have been romantic enough to make and serve her an evening meal, but he wasn't yet to the point where he wanted to spill his heart to her or commit himself more than necessary.

Nevertheless, he nearly spilled his tea when a he felt a small hand make its way into his under the table then hold on tightly. He opened his mouth to say something, stared at Kitty, who was doing an admirable job of pretending there was nothing more interesting in the world than her teacup and the Monét painting on the wall above the table, then closed his mouth again.

He glanced down at his own plate, then back at Kitty. She caught his look from the corner of her eye, smiled shyly, then focused back in on her cup.

Without saying a word, St. John Allerdyce ran his thumb over the back of her hand and squeezed back.

#

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Theme in Fiction: How do you take it?

My characters are beverage drinkers. From Clark Gabrin with his "fine decantation of valuable stimulants and nutrients" designed to taste like an Earl Grey to the national Vardin beverage, sluscheta; to Shelley Huntington's addiction to all things coffee, tea and coffee seems to show up all over in my fiction.

Myself, I am a bit of a tea connoisseur. The family cupboard has always been stuffed to the brim with assorted teas, mostly supplemental or Celestial Seasonings, and my father's pantry contained even more exotic varieties, including coffee alternatives, such as Roma and Pero. When I opened up shop in my own pantry, I included hefty doses of tea for both healing and flavor. An introduction to a local tea room owner led me to fall in love with rooibos as well. So, when my characters began showing personality through their choice of beverage, not only did it not really take me by surprise, but it made for a delightful round table of who likes what and what that says about them.

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Sunday memery while I procrastinate on writing whipsy's story.

Oops! I said it out loud. Ah, well. These are from arliddian. Comment if you want your own.

1. What is your favourite sweet treat?

Cheesecake. Bar none. With kiwis on top.

2. There's a fire in your house! What are the first five things you try to rescue?

My family. My writings. My PDA and backup hard drive. Oh, and underwear/change of clothes.

3. A time machine is malfunctioning and is going to deposit you in the past, with no way to return to your own time! You have just enough seconds to set the time period of your choice. Which would you choose and why?

Five years ago. I'd get back to where I am a whole lot faster and be able to finally have two of me. Answer to prayers, y'all.

4. What is your favourite thing to do in summer?

Write. What else?

5. What kind of music do you listen to when you need inspiration?

Celtic. Christian contemporary, mostly pop and acoustic, none of this rock and roll stuff they're calling CCM anymore. More celtic.

6. What are your top five tips about writing original fiction?

Focus on stories. Forget the writing; the writing will take care of itself. Focus on what inspires you. Read. Live through your character's eyes. Know what makes people tick. Know the stories you love and how to get from point a to point b with as many complications as you can throw on there. It's about stories, people.

Fuel selectively. If you fall in love with something (I'm looking at you angsty ships!), it will come out in your stories. Pay attention to the things that unleash your inner fangirl. Fangirl your own fiction. Make it yours. Explain it. Juggle it around until you're satisfied. Love AU (hereby go to original) but make their lousy, crazy canon nonlogic into real logic without changing anything from canon at all—if you can. Learn how to feed your own muse.

Never assume anything. Know your characters, the rules of your world, and a handful of outside factors to fling at them. The rest will be unpredictable—even to you, but inevitable.

Know the difference between voice and tone. Your voice is your writing. Your tone is your story. And for goodness sake, don't read out of tone when you're working. Keep the reading and the writing separate if you're tone-hopping.

No matter what you do in writing, what choice you make, it's fine. As long as you do it consistently.

7. How much do you think you have changed in the past two years?

Goodness. Much. And nothing. Some days, I know. Some days, I don't. I try to stay in the present, know what I want to change and where I'm heading. I'm not a journey person. It's about the destination, and that's where my eyes are fixed.

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Meme Post #2: It's a Letter

From arliddian:

Comment to this entry and I'll give you a letter.
List ten things that you love that begin with that letter and then post that list on your journal.

My letter was R.

  1. Reading
  2. Relaxation
  3. Ribbons
  4. Rascals that are good at heart
  5. Red cabbage
  6. Raspberries
  7. Riddles
  8. Realistic or established romances as part of but not the point of fiction
  9. "Ride of the Valykyrie"
  10. Roses
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