Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy was in the news yesterday. It seems that the greenhouse gases make their poison, urushiol, more potent. I wonder if that's why I've been having more trouble with mosquitoe bites in recent years? It's a shame something like our brains and genitals aren't becoming more potent. (and not particularly in that order)

Last Hellnotes Prize Received

Today I received my Hellnotes Trivia prize, Pandora by Anne Rice. The cover looks awesome and I'm looking forward to reading it. Believe it or not, I haven't read anything by her. This will be my first time.

A Moment of Silence

Don't forget that at 3 pm in your time zone to observe a moment of silence for our servicemen and women. They deserve that and much much more.

Record Heat

According to the Weather Channel, my town is supposed to reach a record high today. Coupled with an extremely mild winter, that global warming theory is looking good right about now. I remember when I was young, a hot day was 85 degrees. Now it's 100 degrees and days in the nineties are common.

A Crowd at the Cemetery and It's not Just the Dead People

Whew! I just got back from decorating the graves at the local cemetery. I've never seen such a crowd. I actually had to go around several cars just to decorate the five graves - my mother, brother, grandparents, great aunt, and great grandparents. It's interesting that when this area was prosperous, hardly any graves were decorated Memorial Day weekend and Dad and I were there with just a few people. Maybe being poorer makes people contemplate their own deaths more. I don't know. Or maybe since they're not busy spending money, they're going to the graves instead for entertainment. Makes you wonder...

Happy Memorial Day!

I want to wish everyone and safe and happy Memorial Day weekend. Take time to remember the sacrifices of our brave servicemen and women. Go to the cemetery and decorate the graves of your loved ones, like I'll be doing. That's the reason why this holiday is also known as Decoration Day.

Guilty!

Revenge is a dish best served cold and the Enron executives have gotten an icy cold plate of it, thanks to the jurors. Both Lay and Skilling have been found guilty in the Enron Trial. A triumph of the American worker, albeit too late for the employees who lost their retirement.

In my opinion, this country needs the unions back at full strength. I can't see the middle class coming back without them. In my experience with rich people, the wealthy don't share unless forced to do so. My grandfather, Clarence Newman, started the union at the local post office. Unfortunately, they pissed it away. He was right. This area is slowly blowing away because of low wages. Let's wake up, America! Let the Enron trial lead the way.

Making an Appointment for Old Age

It's hard to admit to getting old. Today I sucked it up and made an appointment with the dermatologist for the first time. Time to check for skin cancer (and age spots). I have fair skin and my back and chest burned when I laid out when I was a teenager. I don't lay out anymore, but I've heard that past burns can catch up to you when you get older.

Website Updates

My short story "A View to a Screw" will be published on girlphoria.com June 1. Also The Lorelei Signal has accepted my poem "Spring Sprites" in their October/December 2006 issue. Check out my website at http://home.zoomnet.net/~karennew to see me in my natural habitat under the appearances and news section.

Hellnotes Trivia Contest

I found out today that I was a winner in the last Hellnotes Trivia Contest. I was the third out of five winners, so I got my choice of three remaining hardcover books. I chose Pandora by Anne Rice. I got my copy of Creepers by David Morrell today, so it looks like I have a lock on my summer reading.

Article in the Newspaper

Well, I went beyond the funny pages. My article appeared in the Lifestyles section of today's The Independent. The link is http://www.dailyindependent.com/Lifestyles/local_story_138091810.html?keyword=topstory. It was a very positive article. There's also a picture of me in my natural habitat. The hard copy included the reprint publication of my poem "The Prisoner".

See You in the Funny Pages

"See you in the funny pages" is an old expression. I don't know where it originated. However, today I got a taste of what it means. I opened up today's funny page and at the bottom was a picture of me sitting at my computer with the caption: "'Making a go of it' Ashland woman finds quick success writing poetry, fiction in horror genre 'Coming Sunday, Lifestyle'". I was interviewed for a story in the local paper back on April 7. My interview should appear in tomorrow's paper. I don't know about you, but being in the funny pages seems rather familiar somehow. Hmmm.

Hug Your Cat Day

Today is Hug Your Cat Day. That's everyday around here. Those two cats are spoiled rotten. Fluffy Buddy (13 year old long haired gray and white girl kitty) and Tri-Paw (10 year old male very long haired gray kitty with white feet and belly) get all the love they can stand. They eat Science Diet cat food and sleep on the furniture. The house is cluttered with cat toys. They get medical checkups every year. They are brushed every day and Fluffy has her teeth brushed with hydrogen peroxide. If only all the children in the world would get this kind of care.

The End of Hellnotes (the email edition, that is)

I got my last email of Hellnotes today. I won last week's trivia quiz and am getting a copy of David Morrell's novel Creepers. It was a good subscription, especially when I first starting receiving it last June. However, the quality did drop off the last few months. I guess then I should have know it was shutting down. You can still get horror news on their website http://www.hellnotes.com. I plan on going by there.

Having the Car Serviced

Whew! I just spent five hours at a local repair shop having my tires and fluids replaced. Well, not the whole time. I went out to eat and ran some errands while my car was worked on. I had originally gone to just get an oil change. The car does run better. Maybe it's because my purse is so much lighter.

Voting in the Primary

I voted in the primary today. Since I'm a Democrat, I had a lot of races in which to vote. This part of Kentucky is heavily Democratic, even though it's conservative. Several races will decided today, since no Republicans ran for some offices.

If you don't vote, you shouldn't complain about how things are run. Care about our country. Please vote.

The Reality of Reality Shows

I watched the Survivor final and reunion show last night. You know, there's a lot of reality in reality shows. I wish these had been on TV when I was younger. You can learn a lot of life lessons on TV instead of going to the infamous school of hard knocks. One example last night was Terry's observation of why he lost - he lost control of his own destiny and hence the game. He was forced to depend on someone else. It amazed me that he learned that lesson at age 46. I was much younger. Now, hopefully, others won't have to learned it at his age.

Another show I like is The Apprentice. You can learn business lessons without taking the classes. All you have to do is pay attention instead of tuition.

Taking Fluffy Buddy to the Vet Yesterday

Attempt number two on taking Fluffy Buddy (my 13 year old cat) to the vet went well. I can't believe I was able to get her again easily. She had a slight ear infection again this year. She's had one almost every year. The vet prescribed a new ointment. The infection doesn't seem to bother her, though. She's still active and likes to play. She got her Rabies shot and ran into her carrier to go home. Now I have to try to medicate her. Wish me luck!

Congratulations to Guiding Light Emmy Winners

Congratulations to Kim Zimmer (lead actress), Tom Pelphrey (younger actor), Gina Tognoni (supporting actress), and Jordan Clarke (supporting actor) for their Emmy awards. My family has watched Guiding Light since the show started on the radio. My great-grandmother first listened to it, followed by my mom who watched it on TV, and then me. Hopefully, these well-deserved wins will keep the show on the air.

Limerick Day

As associate editor of Appalling Limericks, I wish everyone a Happy Limerick Day. Please visit http://www.samsdotpublishing.com for details on how to submit.

Here's a limerick to celebrate:

Excuses

After the economy burst,
all the rhetoric seemed rehearsed,
but George W. Bush
needs a kick in the tush
to put jobs and Americans first.

Six Hours

I was numb for a total of six hours yesterday. Yikes!

Also you can now buy issue 24, vol II of Cthulhu Sex Magazine. My poem "Acid Man" appears there. Go to http://www.cthulhusex.com to find a newsstand near you.

A Visit to the Dentist

I went to the dentist this morning to have my chipped tooth repaired. As usual, the worst part was the numbing. It's three hours later and I'm still numb. I had trouble the carbocaine today. I got lightheaded and covered with sweat. This episode lasted about ten minutes and then I was fine. Usually I don't have that kind of trouble. But then again, I usually go in the afternoon.

My tooth looks fine. No more of this agony until fall. Whew.

Times, They Are A'Changin'

Times indeed are changing. For instance, companies no longer honor their pension agreements. They go to court and use a judge to cheat workers from money they were promised. The same thing with marriages. It seems like the new vows should be "for better, for worse, but not for very long".

Today I read on the front page of the local paper about a girl whose prom date dumped her with a text message a week and half before the dance. I won't mention her name. She's been embarrassed enough. Turns out she went with her 56 year old grandfather. In my day you kept being stood up a secret. You didn't announce it in front of the whole town. I would have been mortified if that happened to me. Besides, neither me or my friends would have been caught dead with our grandfather, father, brother, or any other relative at the prom. What was she thinking? Carrie had it made with only the pig's blood being dumped on her. Years from now that poor girl's classmates can bring that picture of her and her grandfather at the prom to every reunion. Now that's horror!

Higher Prices at WalMart

I went to WalMart this morning to fill my new glasses prescription. WalMart now charges a $48 fee for higher prescriptions. So if you get much more than simple reading glasses, you have to pay more. I wonder if the employes are getting raises and health insurance. Somehow, I doubt it.

Website Update

Three of my short stories have been accepted by Flashshots Daily Genre Fiction. Please visit my website at http://home.zoomnet.net/~karennew for details as they become available.

Agreeing with Bush? It Can't Be True!

It's true. I do agree with President Bush on one thing. The national anthem should be sung in English. It's like going to France and demanding that their anthem be sung in English. You just can't walk in someplace and expect to be catered to. You're a guest there. What happened to common courtesy and manners? Has everyone gotten so selfish that it's their way or the highway?

I Can't Believe It!

I won third place for my poem "The Missing Link" in the Balticon 40 Poetry Contest. I'm still in shock. That was a well-publicized contest in Hellnotes, the Science Fiction and Fantasy message board, and the Horror Writers Association message board.

Congrats to the winner James S. Dorr for his poem "The Edge of the World" and second place finisher M. A. Griffiths for the poem "My Life with a Latin Professor".

Moderating a Forum

Yesterday I became a moderator for the Afterburn SF forum. You can find it at http://afterburnsf.com/forum. You can post any PG-13 comment concerning speculative fiction in the horror, science fiction, and fantasy genres.

I've also updated my website under upcoming publications at http://home.zoomnet.net/~karennew.

Happy Wordsmith Day!

I saw in the paper where today is Wordsmith Day. That's me. My greatgrandfather was a blacksmith, so I guess smithing runs in the family.

I received some great feedback yesterday for my wordsmithing. Karen Vidra, a reader at Authors Den said my story "Black to the Bone" is "chilling and creepy; Stephen King eat your heart out! Great story!" I can't do any better than that.

Read the story at http://afterburnsf.com.

Website Update

Please visit my website at http://home.zoomnet.net/~karennew and go the 2006 fiction publications to read my story "Black to the Bone" in Afterburn SF.