Inspiration song for revisions: La Roux's Bulletproof

If you're launching into revisions, listen to BULLETPROOF by La Roux for inspiration. Consider it for an anthem, even.

Some of my favorite lyrics:

Been there, done that, messed around

I'm having fun, don't put me down

I'll never let you sweep me off my feet...

and:

Burning bridges, shore to shore

I break away from something more...

The video is worth watching just for the major 80s flashbacks:

My first Pinterest board: presents for Ruby

I just joined Pinterest and I had a lot of fun making a little "board" of presents for Ruby, the main character in my novel DROUGHT. Check it out; I hope you love it!

Next up: presents for Oscar. If you have ideas, leave me comments or make your own Pinterest board and let me know where it is!

My crown obsession continues: 3 beauties and 1 baby

My friend Viv created a monster with my revision assistance package. Now I am even more obsessed with sparkly crowns than before.

Here are three lovelies I found this weekend.

First up, from Etsy seller and artist Castens, a $870 handmade 18K gold crown (yes, completely wearable). You can also read the creator's blog entry about how the crown was made.

Next, likely on the other end of the quality-material spectrum, a zinc-and-rhinestone crown available wholesale. Yours so long as you are willing to buy 59 others just like it.

 And finally, because I am not above pandering, a beautiful baby that clearly is sleeping well because of the crown perched atop his/her head. From Etsy seller whisperbugboutique. At a mere $40, I want SOMEONE to snap this up!

Soundtrack for a battle

I'm re-writing the climactic battle scene of my work-in-progress this morning. Music always inspires me, so I put together a short playlist on repeat. I'll be listening until the last word of the chapter is written. Here are the songs:

1. Mermaids by Hans Zimmer, from the soundtrack for PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES

2. The Battle by Harry Gregson-Williams, from the soundtrack for THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE

3. Dragon Battle by John Powell from the soundtrack for HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

4. Mutiny by Hans Zimmer, from the soundtrack for PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES

5. Massive Attack by Nicki Minaj (if my writing pace is slowing, this song will pick it up again, guaranteed...)

I'm realizing that I have tons of energetic songs in iTunes but not a ton of crazy-aggressive fighting ones. I might need to grab a few more if this chapter goes on for awhile...

Here's the video for Massive Attack. I want my mother to know I previewed the whole thing and there is nothing TOO crazy inappropriate with the dancing (sorry if that's what you were hoping for....) :)

Playing with dimmer switches

Last week I helped my Mom unpack in her new house. I also had the brilliant idea that she needed dimmer switches. As my family knows, I have a hatred of overhead lights and I'm always trying to find a way to eliminate or minimize them:

ME: "Ow, Mom, it's so darn BRIGHT in here at night."

MOM: "Well I suppose there are a lot of light bulbs..." (glances, uncertain, at ceiling)

ME: "You need a dimmer switch. No, two. No, THREE! Kitchen, bar, and dining room."

MOM: "Sure, honey, that sounds great". (with a touching overconfidence in her eldest)

We went off to the hardware store. Purchased three dimmer switches. Came home. Took the switchplate off the wall.

And let the fun begin. The next morning,  I finished the job... if by "finish" we say she had working lights and the dining room switch no longer turned off the guest bathroom and guest bedroom lights. And she had one operating dimmer, plus an upside-down switch for her bar lights. Call it my electrician signature.

The hardware store guy, who I saw three more times that day, started making jokes about putting me on the payroll, seeing as how I was at the store all the time. I suggested getting an employee discount but his hearing seemed to conveniently cut out on him at that point.

I'll sum it up with you for some actually valuable suggestions, should you decide to embark on the "easy" task of putting in a dimmer switch:

1. BEFORE you go to the hardware store, take the switch plate off and pull out the existing switch to look at. We were surprised to learn that she had three-way wiring in all her switches, even though she only has one switch per set of lights.

Too bad we figured that out after we hacked open the dimmer switch packages... all of them for ONE-WAY wiring.

2. Take a picture of the existing wiring before you take it off the switch. As much as you hate to admit it, you might end up having to re-wire into that existing switch.

3. If you have the switches with the wires stuck INTO the switch, instead of just screwed to the side of it, don't just yank them out. You may not think you are strong enough to break electrical wire... but you are. Oh, you are. Get a teeny flathead screwdriver and stick it in the little opening below where the wire goes into the switch. Wiggle the screwdriver. Swear loudly. And then POP, out comes the wire without breaking.

Good luck, fellow home electricians...