thoughts and surprises

[chestnutcurls]

Well, there's a thief in our midst. About an hour ago, I reached into my flip-cabinet for my bottle of Love Spell lotion and discovered that it was gone. After searching to make sure I hadn't misplaced it, I went to alert my co-workers. The Case of the Missing Lotion has now taken over the department. Also, one of my bosses, who keeps a sweater in her cube, keeps finding the sweater in a different place from where she left it. We called security and told them about it, just so they'll have their eyes open if something bigger happens. I'm sad. How lame is it to steal someone's lotion? Out of their cabinet? I really liked that lotion. And it was a present from my mom. :(

Did anyone see Without A Trace last night? I like that show- it's without a doubt the twistiest show on TV. I like having no clue what's going to happen. If you only saw the beginning and end of any episode, you wouldn't even know it was the same story. Last night, I recognized the girl from Ernest Saves Christmas, playing a bit part. I always wondered what happened to that girl.

Lawson showed up unannounced at my door at 10:00 last night, with his Spock costume on. Since I'm still kind of jumpy and wasn't expecting anyone, his knock on the door scared me to death. His costume didn't help. :) It was elaborate and well-done, but scary. Lawson, you need to wear that next Halloween. Seriously.

I've been reading a lot this week- I've plowed through about five books since Saturday. I feel sort of dumb because I usually prefer young adult and children's fiction to anything else. It's not that I can't understand adult-oriented books- I just don't enjoy them as much. But I had a huge revelation about this yesterday. When I wrote my story for creative-writing class, which some of you have read, the complaint from my classmates and teacher was that the two main characters weren't sleeping together. I'm not kidding. They said it was completely unrealistic. They also assumed, based on this, that the characters were high-school age (even though I had written them as college students). When I stopped to think about it, I realized that almost all the adult books I've read (except for Christian ones like Janette Oke's) have sexual content...unless the writer is trying to show how confused and repressed the character is by having him/her stay abstinent. This is annoying. I can't relate to that stuff, and I don't want to read it. So I generally stick to the younger books. I guess this makes me, and my writing, perpetually immature. Watch and see how much I care. :P

Hooray for Friday!

Comments

[moredetails.livejournal.com]

You're right! I like the young adult books, and I think that's why too--they are cleaner and less dramatic, which I can relate to better. Not that I don't have any drama in my life, but it's nothing like some of the adult-oriented books out there.

By the way, I always felt dumb about liking the younger books but now that I know you do, I feel better. :)

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Hey, I'm glad you like the younger books too! I never knew that. Have you read The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? I read it this week and it was wonderful. It's so well-written. Go to the library and get it. :)

You know, I just thought of something else. Do you think this is why the majority of Christian books are set in the past (Janette Oke, Lori Wick, Jane Peart, etc., all of whom I love)? Because then there won't be an issue of promiscuity or anything. No one can call it unrealistic. I never thought of that before, but it makes a lot of sense.

Re:

[moredetails.livejournal.com]

I've never read that book, and I haven't really read much fiction in awhile (I went through a phase of Christian nonfiction).

Yes, I always figured that was why they had it in the past--because that's when Christian values were more the norm so it wouldn't seem really weird. I haven't read any Christian fiction, actually...isn't that weird? For some reason I've just never been given any or made a point to find some. I really should. This morning I was craving to read some stories as opposed to nonfiction.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

You should try Lori Wick. I like her best of all the Christian authors I've read. Kathy and I decided that her characters are more relatable than most, because although they live in the past, they talk and act a more like Christians today. Start with the Californians series. That's my favorite. :)

Oh, and definitely read the Mitford books if you haven't already. They're like a breath of fresh air.

Lori Wick...

[trozzort.livejournal.com]

Don't forget that she also writes *excellent* contemporary fiction... my all-time favorite book is "The Princess" by her. :) Also her, "Sophie's Heart" book is another excellent contemporary fiction work. I love all her books, but "The Princess" is my favorite. :o)

[yakk0dotorg]

You won't get any flack from me about liking those books.

*goes back to playing with his Transformers*

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

:)

[lovelife.livejournal.com]

We found out our cleaning people were moving stuff around our office--I wonder if that's why your co-worker's sweater keeps moving? They also eat any candy we leave out so we've learned to lock anything we don't want taken. :(

I totally agree w/you on the reading. I have a lot of adult books but I prefer my young adults. I have read a lot of non-Christian adult books but I prefer my Christian ones. I'd love to read your story sometime! :)

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we think it's one of the cleaning people because they just hired someone new.

Hey, thanks! :) I'll look through my calendar and see if I can find the day I posted it. I don't have any other links to it. It's not great, though, so don't expect a work of genius. :)

[calypsobard.livejournal.com]

We ahve to lock up everything we dont' want someone else to have. It's not safe even in a cabinet. coworkers and security are the known culprits. One of my coworkers actually rifled thorugh my desk and stole my pens. Candy is so not safeIf it's not locked up, don't even bother looking for it the next day. This past week, one of my coworkers had her clock CDplayer thing stolen right off of her desk. WE file reports but they don't do any good b/c it's all about security.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

I can't believe that happens in a government building! :(

[tingilya.livejournal.com]

Children's books are wonderful! Collecting them is my new obsession. I've been on a picture books kick lately because of my midterm, but I also love the chapter books. I've come across some really wonderful picture books lately, so if you're into that sort of thing, I can pass on the names to you. Don't feel bad about reading stuff like that and writing that way. I miss that sort of innocence in books, which is why I love the Mitford books so much. Back when I used to write short stories (mostly fanfiction), mine were always pretty low-key. Some would say immature. I enjoyed it, so I didn't care. :-)

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the support! :) Yes, I like some picture books too. I don't feel bad buying them because I want my children to have a great book collection from birth. And if I never have children, I can eventually give the books to my sister's kids. :)

Hey, I'd like to read some of your stuff! Low-key is good.

[roadsquish.livejournal.com]

At my old job, nobody could figure out which of the coworkers was stealing candy from the Honor-System-Candy-Box (you drop money into a slot). Everybody seemed too honorable to do something like that. It turned out to be non of the coworkers. The building's janitorial staff was actually taking money from the box (making it seem like candy was being eaten without being paid for). We had to give that up.

In my new job, there are always office workers in the building around the clock. I don't worry too much about stuff disappearing from my cubicle (although the cleaning crew DOES move stuff around while they're dusting). I guess that's a benefit of a 24/7 outfit that nobody considered.

[dirtbird.livejournal.com]

I'm with you there :)
I prefer children's and young adult's fiction because they aren't so serious. I read books to get away from real life, not to hear about it (that's what the news is for).

I hope you find out what is happening at your work. I am blessed that I have a workplace where we all get along and are fully trusted by everyone else, including the cleaners...

May I suggest?

[trozzort.livejournal.com]

Brenda,

Although Janette Oke and Gilbert Morris were the pioneers in the Christian fiction realm, they have many, many, many new contemporaries. Not all Christian fiction is historical. You can have good clean, believable & enjoyable fiction from several of our great Christian authors like, Dee Henderson (writes about Navy Seals, Special Ops, Forensic Scientist, Firemen, US Marshal, etc), Hannah Alexander (husband/wife team who write medical fiction), Terri Blackstock (writes excellent mysteries!), Lisa Tawn Bergren (writes contemporary Christian fic), Stephen and Janet Bly (mostly western, but some contemporary fic), Lynn A. Coleman (friend of mine, writes contemporary fiction mostly based in the North), Liz Curtis Higgs (writes hilarious contemporary fiction), Debra White Smith (writes contemporary) and a few that write really good historical fiction: Lori Copeland, Robin Lee Hatcher (also writes contemporary but I've only read her historical stuff), Beverly Lewis (writes Amish based contemporaries) and last but certainly not least, Tracie Peterson (writes great "Havery Girl" historicals and some contemporary fiction).

So that should give you a good base to start with on your Christian fiction reading :). I've read books by all of the above authors (hmmn, rather, I've read and have books by all those authors, ) and think you'd like them too. :-D

-Shelley

do you have camera's in your building?

[purple-reign.livejournal.com]

I've had two Henry Weinhardts root-beer's stolen from our employee fridge...probably because they look suspiciously like beer bottles.

That's strange that you got complaints about your writing...especially from your teacher:O