Poll #1840718 WisCon
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 54

Are you going to Wiscon?

View Answers

Yes
24 (44.4%)
No
30 (55.6%)
Maybe
0 (0.0%)
No, but I live in Madison
0 (0.0%)

As I do most years, I celebrate Mother's Day by asking you here for a story about your mother -- good, bad, but representative.

Tell me about your mother. I'd love to meet her.

As you all know, Diana passed away a year ago. Now, a year later, Firebird is reissuing three of her books with new introductions -- DOGSBODY (intro by Neil Gaiman), FIRE AND HEMLOCK (intro by Garth Nix, and it also includes "The Heroic Ideal," an essay she wrote about writing the book), and A TALE OF TIME CITY (intro by Ursula K. Le Guin).

Next Sunday, April 22, there will be a celebration of her life and work in Bristol, where she lived for decades. Publishers, friends, and family will speak -- nineweaving will be there, correct?; music from the Black Maria play will be performed; and other remembrances will occur.

And: right now we're having an ongoing celebration of her work on Tumblr -- the URL is http://dwj2012.tumblr.com. A blog tour is happening, and anyone can submit remembrances, stories, favorite quotes, etc. If you've already posted something you want to share, let me know.

Won't you join us?

Today is my birthday.

Those who have been playing along know that, each year, I ask a birthday question.

Here is the 2011 question: Is there something you have always wanted to tell me? (Note: If the thing you want to tell me is private, send a message to birthday at sharyn dot org.)

And thanks -- I read your answers year-round, when I need a lift.

Remember my teeth? You can bet my dentist does. I had a checkup today.

The result, for which I will provide a handy diagram for those playing along at home:

- Fillings on numbers 9 and 22 (he did the latter today)
- Bonding on 8 and 9
- Removal of root tips 2 and 3
- Implant at 2
- I need to use prescription fluoride toothpaste

None of this was a surprise. But then he added: 14 needs to be pulled and replaced by an implant. He gave me an X-ray film for the periodontist, with a note: Hopeless #14. Please remove. ::sobbing::

He also said something that I'll choose to take as a compliment: "Sharyn, you were born to have dental work."

Guess where I will be spending much of the rest of 2011?

Father's Day is this coming Sunday. So, I ask (as I do every year): Tell me a story about your father.

(You can find out about my own awesome father here.)

Mother's Day is this Sunday.

In anticipation, I would love to hear a story about your mother, and see a picture of her (if you want to post or link to it).

Here is my page about my mom, who died almost sixteen years ago.

It has been a while, and I am in a ruminative mood, so:

Tell me about someone you miss. (Posting photos is okay, too.)

Greetings, everyone.

Today is my birthday.

As I do on this day every year, I am going to ask a question.

Tell me one thing about myself that you think I should know all year round. It can be a story, too. And if you do not want to post publicly, you can email me at birthday (at) sharyn dot org.

(I re-read the answers periodically because they are cheering, interesting, &c.)

It's been months since I've posted, much less asked a question. This one is specifically for parents and those who deal with children.

How do you get a child to do something s/he has to, but does not want to do?

For everyone else: How do you get yourself to do it?

Welcome to Id v. Superego.

It's been a while since I asked a question, so here goes.

What makes a good colleague?

Poll #1559062 wiscon
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 80

are you going to wiscon this year?

View Answers

yes
36 (45.0%)
no
17 (21.2%)
i wish!
26 (32.5%)
i am doing something else, which i will share in comments
1 (1.2%)

i am reading what is, quite possibly, one of the most annoying books ever.* every two seconds i am seized with the urge to pitch it across the room. thank god i didn't have to pay for it.

i invite you to either

a. guess what it is, or
b. tell me about an annoying book you have read.

*(it is not by stephenie meyer. it's a memoir for adults.)

note: comments are screened, so only i can see what you say.
additional note: if i reply to you, you are unscreened.

cadbury creme egg season remains in effect. i have, so far, eaten only four. THERE IS STILL TIME

anyway, mostly i wanted to call your attention to the johari window, which is back thanks to oursin.

go forth and, er, rate me.

i am about to drown beneath a wave of work, so thought it would be nice to ask a question or two and read the answers later, as a reward.

one when you were a teenager, did you think about your future career?* are you doing what you thought you would? if not, what happened to change your mind?

edited to add: clearly every single person ever in the known and unknown universes wanted to be a writer! i am no exception. (by the time i was nineteen, i had been published in poetry magazine and was thinking about an mfa.) why i am no longer a poet is its own story for another time.

two what is your favorite midwinter food? provide a recipe or a link to a restaurant or whatever.

okay, off to smoke 543734068 cigarettes.

*if you are a teenager right now, reading the responses ought to be pretty informative.

i hope everyone has had and/or is still having a good holiday.

this has been an absolutely rotten year for so many people -- friends, family, acquaintances, colleagues, strangers. i have a sneaking feeling a lot of us are going to be glad to see the back of 2009.

so, to that end, here are my end-of-year questions.

one what was one good thing that happened in your life in 2009? one bad thing?

two what do you think you learned this year, if anything?

three do you have any 2010 resolutions, plans, or dreams?

edited to add: for a few people, this has been a fantastic year. i fervently hope that this trend continues for them and leaks all over everyone else.

the implants are finished! i went to the dentist today and he cemented in the replacement numbers 19 and 20. it is awesome to have occlusion again! i am going to have to re-learn how to chew on the left side.

thank you for your support through this torturous process. two implants to go.

what a terrific set of responses, both here and on facebook. thank you!

i got a lot of phone calls with singing, and a variety of people gave me candy. which leads right into:

yes, i went to the dentist on my birthday. (i am choosing to see all of this work as a present to myself.) i was supposed to get the bottom left molars yesterday, but alas, the occlusion was off. i'll get them on friday.

he also filled a surprise cavity in number 7. walk in the park.

today is my birthday.

please tell me the story of when we first met, either in real life or online. if we've never met, make up a story!

note: this question may sound totally narcissistic, but i actually plan to read your answers whenever i feel blue or overwhelmed. they will be the perfect antidote.

if you'd like to tell me something in private, post anonymously. all anonymous answers are screened and only i can see them.

i hope you are all enjoying hanukkah, even if you are not jewish.

here is my question for today.

periodically, when someone's behavior or public persona annoys me, i think: would i feel this way about this person if s/he was the opposite gender? in other words, are we more or less tolerant based upon unconscious feeling/expectations/&c?

what do you think?

p.s. i realize this doesn't include various non-binary gender options, but let's not muddle things.

p.p.s. this tuesday is very important. can you guess why?