through the looking glass

In a previous entry, I had asked whether people wanted me to add my tweets to my blog, and the response was overwhelmingly against it. So no worries: I will not add that.

One change that I hope people will enjoy: I created a set of Alice in Wonderland-based icons for my LiveJournal, replacing most of the icons that used photos of myself. The exceptions are my default picture, of Una kissing me, as well as the image of me bellydancing and the close-up of my eye with the dilated pupile. I love all of those. You'll probably still see them quite a bit. I'll also still be using most of the wonderful icons that sara_merry99 made me earlier this year.

Below the cut are a couple pictures I couldn't turn into icons, because when they I tried to crop portions of them to 100X100 pixels, they lost their magic. Feel free to use them if you'd like. I couldn't find a photo credit for either of them.

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Now, another update. On Thursday, I had a DVD stolen from my car, Born into Brothels, a title which was suffiently enticing to find itself in the hands of some unknown thief, instead of in my admittedly unlocked car. I suspect the teens who were skateboarding nearby, but I've got no proof. So one minute I was unloading groceries, and then 20 minutes later, I was flushing beet red from embarrassment as I called the local the video store and then, on their advice, the police to report the petty theft.

This morning was the first day since the incident that the manager was scheduled to be in the store, so I headed there after my morning workout at the gym. I explained the situation, repeated my story to her, and gave her the police report number and the officer's name. After she did quite a lot of typing into the system (probably about what an absent-minded twit I was), she declared, "All taken care of."

Sure enough, I returned home, logged onto Blockbuster.com and saw that the movie was no longer considered to be in my possession. This means I can go back to having three movies at a time, under the terms of my rental agreement, and the next one on my list (ironically enough, the pickpocket-heavy Oliver!), is already winging its way to me. Huzzah.

Originally, this was supposed to be the weekend for Otakon regional gatherings, but it turns out that the Philadelphia are event will be next weekend, and my husband, The Gryphon, and I won't make it. Since the pet sitters (a very nice older couple) had already planned on taking Una for the day, during which time they planned to take her to a big dog park, along with their own doggies, she told me I could leave her anyway. I dropped Una in the morning, and then came home to a quiet house and got caught up on Otakon press relations correspondence, which always seems to eat up more time than it should.

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I am participating in National Poetry Writing Month, where the goal is to write one poem a day for 30 days. During the month of April, I will be using the writing prompts at ReadWritePoem.org and posting the results.

Day twenty prompt (image)

Today is an image prompt. Write a poem to this image, or another one that sparks your creativity, uploaded by pareeerica.

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This is my home-game entry for The Real LJ Idol. I am not competing this season but invite you to read the many fine submissions and the home-game entries. Topic number 23 is "Underdog."

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I'm now a featured contributor for Yahoo! Movies and Yahoo! TV, and it's been keeping me busy. Here are my latest articles.

"Soul Surfer" - Seeking Surfing's Soul

Critics' Choice Television Awards: New Awards Program to Reward Premiere Series

Stunned Fans Take Action to Save Soaps

Viewer Reaction Mixed to Audrina Patridge's Reality Show

We attended a baby shower this past weekend. I hope to share some photos soon!

At the top of the elimination episode for "Now and Then Week" (a.k.a. Current Songs and Soul Songs Week) on "American Idol," we saw video of the Top 7 contestants getting ready for the previous night's performances, as well as some quotes from them about how they did.

According to host Ryan Seacrest, the show received 53 million votes this week, the highest of the season.

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I am currently eating with the child fork I carry in my diaper bag, because I removed the "adult" plastic forks and knives before flying here, and the sweet woman in the deli remembered all of my special orders (such as leaving the cheese and dressing off my chicken-fruit-and-nut salad) but didn't point out to me that I had to grab my own cutlery.

A very quick update from yesterday's activities, before I have to get KFP ready for the wedding.

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Today's NaPoWriMo prompt at Wild Violet is to write a poem based on the events that took place on a selected day in history, such as your birthday. Click on the link for some sites that will help you search.

NaPoWriMo Prompt – Day 20 (One Day in Time)

If you like, share your poem either here or in the comments on the Wild Violet post.

A couple months ago, KFP made a really cool Duplo creation he called "The Cleaning Robot." I cobbled together still photos and video of that creation to enter the Duplo video contest. If he's one of the top three vote getters this week, he will win 5 Duplo sets, or about $150 worth. And cooler still, if you click on the link below and "like" his video, you can opt into entering for a chance to win some Duplo gear yourself. If you don't have little ones, it makes a terrific gift.

Here's the link: http://www.duploplay.com/1/mypage/…

The votes are tallied for the entire week, ending Sunday, so try to vote tonight. He's really close to the top and only about 10 or 15 more votes can put him comfortably in third place.

Please boost the signal!

For day 20 of the NaPoWriMo challenge, try a stream-of-consciousness poem. Read the link for more.

NaPoWriMo Prompt 20 | Wild Violet online literary magazine

My poem today is based on this prompt from Wild Violet: NAPOWRIMO 2020 - Prompt 20.

View from my window of the brick building across from ours, and blooming trees

Fairy Tale, 2020

This tale has a happy ending.
For 40 days and 40 nights, the princess
imprisoned herself in a tower,
Outside, a rain of locusts
and frogs, wearing masks.
Best to wait them out. I
am the princess. The keys
are by the front door,
but I'm waiting to see
where this story goes.

- April 20, 2020