Comments on: Going Green

By: Ashley

Ashley — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:13:20 +0000

Isn't that always the way? When were you in Austin? I'm sad to have missed you when I'm so close.

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:27:43 +0000

We sat at that bridge until it was past dark. Those damn bats picked that ONE DAY I was in Austin to sleep in. 🙂

By: Ashley

Ashley — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:13:09 +0000

No, I missed them! Someone was talking about bats while I was there… maybe that's what he was referring to. The music was loud and too many people were talking at once… it's very hard to pay attention at SXSW! 🙂

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:27:36 +0000

Ashley, it's great seeing you back. I'm glad your absence has been due to fun and work! That's always a great sign. Sounds like you had a blast in Austin. Did you see the bats? 🙂

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:26:00 +0000

Thanks for the recommendation, Liz! Not that I need one more book on the shelf (okay yes, I do – I really do!), but any time a writer makes a recommendation, I pay attention.

Good seeing you here. 🙂

By: Liz Craig

Liz Craig — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 20:24:34 +0000

I like your including books you're reading. Gives me ideas of what to read next. I'm reading T. C. Boyle's collection of short stories, "Wild Child." He's my favorite short story writer.

Have a good day!

By: Ashley

Ashley — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 19:49:05 +0000

I had a great weekend! It's spring break this week, so I have a little time to catch up on lesson plans and the research paper that's due for my class. But this weekend I went to Austin for SXSW for the first time! So much fun! Business-wise, I have several articles in the works; one I turned in on Friday, one I'll turn in later today, and another one that will get started next week after the interview.

I have missed visiting here and talking with everyone. I have recently realized I am not Superwoman and can't do quite this much and expect to keep my head above water for long. I have never looked forward to May this much in my life. But I'm doing a lot of awesome stuff, so there is a silver lining :)

By: Lori

Lori — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:34:10 +0000

Devon, thanks for the materials. Looks great!

Side note - Nelly Bly was born in my hometown. :) If you saw where I lived, you'd know how incredibly weird that is. We're pretty small.

Cathy, I'm glad your mom is feeling well enough to try. I guess she learned the hard way to take it slow. :) Sounds like she's healing pretty well.

Kathy, I should be engaged in that particular form of Hell, but per usual I'm avoiding it. And I agree on the tax break - it SHOULD be permanent.

Paula, I love that the book inspired you. :) I love too that the book inspired someone else. It starts out slowly, but boy, does it grab you in the second chapter!

I love it too, Cathy. :)

By: Cathy

Cathy — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:25:57 +0000

I love this community! :-)

Paula-I'm not sure we can ever slow my Mom down completely. She's part of the reason I have such an independent streak. Thanks for the good wishes.

By: Paula

Paula — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:15:21 +0000

Cathy, do you think your mom learned a valuable lesson about not pushing herself too hard? I hope she's doing better soon.

Part of my weekend was also spent on taxes. I was intrigued that the IRS now gives the option of receiving some (or most) of your refunds in Savings Bonds. I liked the idea enough to look into it. The bonds are in $50 increments, and they'll let you split your refund between bonds and a check, but like a lot of other self-employed types, on the rare occasions when I get a refund I like to put it toward the next year's taxes...I didn't see that listed as an option with the bonds. I'm curious what other freelancers think about the new option.

The rest of the weekend included crocheting some quick amigurumi Easter Bunnies, taking a nice doggie walk, making black bean soup, and rejoicing that I didn't have to work on that pesky article that had been hounding me for weeks.

As for The Jungle: That book is probably one of the reasons I don't eat meat. One of my cousins, then in college, was a science geek and loved trying to gross us out. During Easter dinner he started telling us how it was impossible to wash all of the insects and residual material from asparagus tips (he said this with relish while eating said asparagus). After dinner I handed him the copy of The Jungle that I was reading for high school and turned right to one of the book's most descriptive passages about the stockyards. Even he was grossed out - but in a cool way, he claimed. (He's now a science teacher known for using extreme experiments to hold his students' interest.)