Lady of the Harbor by Brother Sun

A little social commentary delivered in the sweet harmonies of Brother Sun, Greg Greenway, Joe Jencks, and Pat Wictor. From their CD "Some Part of the Truth," available here.

Sizzurp--who comes up with these things?

I once knew a guy who was addicted to cough syrup. He was a nurse and knew that his addiction could cost him his job, so he got help and got on with his life. When I first started hearing about "Sizzurp," i figured that was just edgoer slang for the same codeine-laced cough syrup that my friend had favored. But now, thanks to TMZ (yes, I read TMZ. Regularly.), I now know that it's typically codeine and promethazine mixed with Sprite and a Jolly Rancher."
And I have to wonder, who first concocted that particular cocktail of ingredients and decided to try it out?
When I was in college, a favorite party ption was Southern Comfort and 7-Up, which sounds disgusting now, but it was sweet and sparkly and the next step up from wine coolers. It would never have occurred to me to drop a Jolly Rancher into my glass.  (And what flavor is favored?)
These days, I don't drink anything harder than Diet Snapple Half 'n Half,which isn't all that good for me, but at least it's not going to trigger anti-social behavior. Or my gag reflex. Sprite and Jolly Rancher? Yuck.

A Deer of a Different Color

There's a surprising amount of wildlife in urban L.A. I've seen coyotes skulking about on canyon roads, and we have falcons in my neighborhood. But I have friends who live closer to nature and one of them sent me this picture of a deer that wandered into her yard this morning.

The Times, They are a'changing

Yesterday, while registering for a website, I was asked to provide some basic demographic info. I was given three choices for sex:  Male, Female, and Transgendered.I'd never seen that option before and my first thought was actually--Seriously? The option just seemed so earnestly PC, almost as if the website was trying too hard.
It And then I thought of Bob Dylan's song, "Don't criticize what you don't understand."
We live in a world that can no longer be defined by either/or. First there was LGBT and now there is QUILTBAG, and maybe soon, labels like these will be totally irrelevant.  It's time, in the words of the classic Apple Computer slogan, to "think different." And maybe that paradigm shift begins with a third choice on a website registry.

The worst Craig's List ad ever

You know I love Craig's List but I've ranted before about the scammers and the schemers and the just plain clueless who post in the writer's jobs and gigs sections. This ad was posted today and I can't decide if it's meant to be a joke or what. I particularly like the location--Santa MANICA.  Yeah, this is an ad I'm going to rush to answer.

BOOOKs, MUNUSCRIPTZ,a nd scipts wasnted (Santa mainica)

Can you tell your story in one sentese. Comitted riters wanted for I can sell yur book. Mustr be willing to do what it takes. I have deals with big companiesaz and know people in Hollywood. I ca make it happen. send yor infro and lets make a sail,

• Location: Santa mainica
• do NOT contact me with unsolicited services or offers
• Compensation: $5,000 to $1,000,00.00 depenz on quallitee of righting.

More free books!

i've always been vaguely aware that there are lots of sites that offer free books, but lately I keep stumbling across them everywhere I go. Here's a new one:  Book Gorilla.

Best Book Promo Item Ever!

I'm always looking for items I can use as promotional tools for my fiction and for the release of Whipping Boy (due out in February from my alter-ego Kat Parrish), I snagged this fantastic Police Line Do Not Cross scarf from Barbara Perelman of "Blazing Needles" on Etsy. (Find her shop here.) I like this scarf so much that I really, really wish it got cold here. (It's been in the 80s this week and if I started wearing a scarf I'd look like one of those eccentric old ladies who wears three layers of sweaters in the middle of the summer.


Barbara provides customized knits, crochet cacti and novelty knits.
And in case you were wondering what a crocheted cactus looks like--here's one. (There are several varieties.) Isn't it adorable?