News Spot with Tess

Lets Do the Time Warp Again

2006-09-02T20:21:00.001-07:00

Tonight I shall venture out into the unknown. My friend J, (not to be confused with the husband J) is taking me to see a live performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Of course, as goofy as I am, I am not about to surrender to the experience without the proper ensemble as you will. So in the spirit of being spooky and fun, I got some new makeup and applied liberally. I pulled my hair back into 2 pigtails and put on some cherry print knee highs, my plaid skirt and my semi-corset top. (Yes Mom, I put the wrap over it) I managed to achieve a most frighteningly funny outfit. I look like the girl-next-door gone goth. It screams of cheerleader innocence with a touch of halloween. I have to say that I am rather enjoying the result.

There is a tradition at the live Rocky performances of taking those on stage that have never been to the performance before and creating a spectacle. I will not volunteer myself for such a thing, but going with J and several of her other Rocky friends, I may not have a choice.

Depending on what "horror" becomes my fate, I shall update as needed.

Job

2006-08-30T13:41:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting at work at Castleworth Insurance, its not too busy today, which I suppose is good. I'm hoping to get a little extra moolah today, but I dont really mind if i have to wait until Friday.

Things on the story have basically come to a standstill. I have a little bit of information about our villaness, but other than that and some rough character sketches, I've got nothin'.

So thats the update for today, and yay for coffee with D tonight. It will be nice to catch up with him after so much time. Considering D and I used to see each other at least 2x a week, 4 weeks without seeing each other is a long time... its all that floozy's fault! ( Thats a great word, "floozy.") Its so nice to spend time with my friends.

Plus, this weekend is Rocky Horror Picture Show, I'm beyond excited!
Oh yeah, and my birthday! WAHOO!

Pluto is No Longer a Planet

2006-08-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

According to the International Astronomical Union, Pluto is not a planet. It no longer falls in to the definition of a planet. With the incredible advancements in science and technology, modern astronomers are now about the look closer at the traditional classifications that were given to objects in our solar system and reclassify them accordingly.

As an astronomy junkie, this decision surprises me greatly. For one, I thought our universe was expanding, not shrinking. Our solar system just shrunk, but then again with other planetary objects waiting to be classified, perhaps it will be growing again shortly. The IAU is convening again today to decide the fate of more solar system bodies.

I for one, will be awaiting their decision with rapt attention.

First Few Pages of new novel

2006-08-21T21:39:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time… on second thought, screw the “once upon a time” crap. This ain’t that kind of story. This ain’t no fairy tale. At least, not really. Stories that begin with “Once upon a time” are normally the truth, but that’s not what they want you to believe. Not at all. Once upon a time, is a crock.

It all began on an ordinary Thursday. Nothing out of place, sky was blue, the grass was green, and my hair was brown. As complacent as ever I walked to work in the financial district of Sacramento from my little apartment. If it had starting pouring rainbows and white picket fences, it couldn’t have been a more idealistic 1950s housewife’s dream.

Conrad and Quinn Inc. stood in the center of the block, a grey behemoth of a building towering over the funky little cafes and shops alongside the square. I climbed the stairs quickly, making sure the clock on the monstrosity had not yet struck 9. For once I was running slightly behind.

“Good Morning Ms. Baxter!” The perky blonde secretary chirped at me as I hurried past. “Cutting it close aren’t we this morning.” Her snub nose wrinkled in a conspiritory wink as if I had been caught with my hand in the proverbial cookie jar.

“Too pretty of a day to want to stay inside, Jessica.” I said. At least I wasn’t dipping my quill into the company ink.

Hurrying up the five flights of stairs I made it to my desk just before the phone rang.

“Marjorie Baxter, how can I help you?” I asked breathlessly.

“Maggie?”

“Hi, Mom, whats going on?” I knew it was going to be a long day.

“Nothing dear, just your fathers blood pressure seems elevated, could you drive down and help me check it? I’m afraid the man is going to pop off and have a heart attack at any moment!”

Mother, as usual was over reacting. My father had never had elevated anything healthwise, but my mother was very high strung.

“Mother, I cant leave now, I just got into the office. Besides I have meetings all day.” I fumbled in my desk drawer for an asprin.

“Surely, they understand that you need to take care of us too, Maggie.” My mom’s voice quivered. She was working herself up into a fine tizzy.

“Mom, I’ll make an appt for Dad later this afternoon and you can drive him over, Dr. Grove will be happy to see you.” I should make an appointment for you to see him as well, I thought.

“Fine, fine, if you can’t be bothered to help me now, the least you can do is pay for the funeral if your father should drop off!” She was really going into it now. I never had been forgiven for going off to school, while she had never had the opportunity. Worse, I had had the nerve to get a job outside the family business.

“Mom, I have to go, my boss is calling,” I winced a bit at the fib, “I’ll call you as soon as I make the appointment.” She stammered out a huffy farewell and then the phone was blissfully silent. For now at least.

Before I knew it, lunch time had come and gone, and I still had a pile of research to be done that towered well about my head. The books balanced precariously on the edge of my desk, daring me to try to add one more book to the massive pile. I felt a familiar tingle up my spine as a shadow flitted past my desk and the books tumbled to the floor.

“Thank you ever so much,” I grumbled as I knelt to pick up the scattered records. “I truly felt the need for a bit of exercise.” I was rewarded by a faint giggle. For a moment, I thought I had seen her. A girl of maybe four or five with blonde hair and peircing blue eyes, then the image faded as if no one had ever been there at all.

I let out a breath and stood up slowly. There was no shadow on the wall any more, just the ticking of the clock, and my heart thudding in my chest. I pressed my fingers to my temples and opened the book back up, and kept working, resisting the urge to scream. The shadows were back.

A thousand memories came over me. Shadows twisted into shapes, and ribbons. Some shadows stayed put, others moved and became human. Others still became monsters.

I told my mom once about the shadows I saw. The next day I went to the psychologist. I never spoke about the shadows again, and in time, I stopped seeing them. Every now and again, I swore I saw the darkness move, but I put it out of my head, saying that I was too old for such nonsense.

The rest of the day was more than busy. I managed to ignore the shadows that flitted by throughout the day, but by 5pm, my nerves were shot. Thank God the day was over.
I wasn’t really in the mood to head home. I hadnt shopped in so long, you would think my last name was Hubbard, first name Old Mother. I decided to catch the bus down to the riverfront.

copywrite 2006 TRawlinson

This Evening

2006-08-18T22:34:00.000-07:00

There really isn't much to say tonight. Just a rambling thought process that doesn't seem to slow, or at least, doesn't seem to care much for an actual train. It seems the cars have jumped tracks and no longer know which direction they are heading in. *sigh*

I'm wondering at the moment, "who am I"? Which to me the logical answer is, "I'm Jean Valjean."

Who am I? I may as well give the question back, a la catapillar from Alice and Wonderland. "Who Arrrrre Yoooouuuu?"

There is nothing truly special about me. I cant do death defying acrobatic stunts. Although I have the average reflexes of a 20 something. That "something" is getting bigger shortly and I don't want it to. It seems like I am an old lady sometimes in my mind, that its truly surprising to me how young I am. I don't feel this young, I feel ancient.

My friend Nikki, who is older than I, often comments that she and I are old souls. I'm ready to believe her. Actually, I believe a lot when it comes to her. She knows who she is, and what she's talking about. Our situations are similar at times, she's like the big sister I never had.

But I digress

I really don't know myself. I know what I like and don't like, and I have a very vague idea of what it is I want out of life, but truly knowing myself? That's a journey of a thousand lifetimes. We are human, we evolve, a constant change. I am no different.

Relay for Life

2006-08-18T18:31:00.000-07:00

Relay for Life

Last Saturday night, I walked. This wasn’t your typical walk to the store, or the pub crawl which is typical of a college town on a summer Saturday. I walked to remember my grandmothers. Both of my grandmothers had a battle with cancer. One of them is here with me, the other lives on in the name, and face of my daughter. No two struggles are the same, and yet so many are affected by this disease. Two grandfathers passed before I was born, my mother’s best friend lost her brother, and another family friend lost her husband. I was very little, but I remember his service. Two of my husband’s friends are affected, one recently died, the other is in her third round of treatments after several remissions. I watched as many others made their walks and runs.

A friend of mine ran ahead remembering a woman who had passed away, mere hours before he began to run. I watched him and in his stride, were the grief and frustration that comes when we feel helpless. I saw touching luminaries filled with support, and remembrances.

There were a few that touched me deeper than I expected. One read, “For those who have no support,” another, “For those afraid to die, may they find peace.” The hardest one to read was, “For those diagnosed before this day is through.” How many more will there be? How many more people are we walking for?

I walk for everyone I know. I walk for the people my family knows. And I walk for myself.The fundraiser itself is a great thing. Under the luminaries that spelled out “HOPE” was the number 60. The American Cancer Society has been helping families affected by cancer, and looking for a cure for 60 years now. We still don’t have a cure, but we have hope. And that’s what matters.