Kira Disapproves

Of course, it isn’t that grand, because I didn’t exactly stage these pictures. But here’s the final kitchen….

The stainless steel stove and microwave. I didn’t have a microwave at all until now. The first thing I did was go out and buy popcorn!!

The sink area with the awesome apron farm sink and silver-gray walls. Cyd painted those walls in exchange for me rolling fondant for the cake with Alex. Best deal ever. Notice Nikki’s mug sitting on the counter. Back when I was taking these pictures, I was still finding all the stuff she forgot at the house! To the right, you can see the other prep area/cabinets where the stove used to be. No more hansel and gretel!

And the best part of the new kitchen? More space for baking! Here are some awesome peach cupcakes I made. The book propped up behind them is the last of Libba Bray’s Great and Terrible Beauty trilogy. There’s lots of talk of Peaches and Cream complexions because it’s set in Victorian Britain. Since I was reading it at the time, it just seemed appropriate.

Pam pictures to come! Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

This was around the point where my sanity started to waver (arguably.)

But, eventually, something started to take shape…

Something.

First day of classes for Fall tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Hi All!

I’ve been getting some greif about the lack of blog posting. At first, I felt like there was a lot of pressure. But then I decided to calm down and start small. So, just a small hint of things to come. The kitchen before pictures!

The sink area. Problems: No garbage disposal, sink mounted above counter and covered in grime, not enough space around sink for dishes, weird paper towel thing left by old owners. The dishwasher is fairly new, and will stay.

Cabinets. This area here includes the only really usable cabinets in the kitchen. The others are all too high, except for the one above the stove which is reachable but also gets to be about a million degrees when you dare to actually use the stove, melting the things inside said cabinet. The previous owners removed the cabinet doors, which actually looked okay, except for where they didn’t paint over where the hardware used to be. The main issue here is the area between the counter and the sink. In that, there isn’t one. It really is as small as it looks in the picture. The door and cabinets beneath are completely blocked (I had to take the doors off, and even then all I could do was store Lila’s food in there.) The old range works but others in the complex have been known to leak gas. The hood was functioning. Suppousedly.

Stove. Here you get a view of the inaccessible cabinets and the stove. The stove is gas, but teeny-tiny. The broiler is in the bottom drawer there, which always struck me as weird. I painted the one cabinet with chalkboard paint, and I do miss that. But I have leftoever chalkboard paint. So no worries, really. A major problem here is the position of the stove next to the door. You can kind of end up with a Hansel-an-Gretel moment if someone opens the front door too fast and another unexpected someone is checking to see if a cake is done or something.

Floor. Really nothing wrong with it. But it doesn’t match the new cabinets. So out it goes. Plus, the kitchen is about to get a foot and a half bigger.

Hey! That was a much longer post than I expected! More to come…

And, before I sign off, another big thanks to all my write-a-thon sponsors. I met all my goals at the last….possible…minute… and I raised $320. Thank you for supporting the workshop I love, and thank you most of all for supporting me as a writer. It really, really means a lot and I had an awesome time writing knowing you were all a part of it. Thank-you notes are on the way, as well as copies of the three submitted stories for anyone who requests them. I’ll let you know if I hear any good news on that front!

…the more words I can write for the last week of the Beg-a-thon Write-a-thon!

I hit my 5,000 and then some this week. More exciting? I passed the 50,000 mark on my half-edited novel, currently laboring under the somewhat weak title of “Perfectly Average.” I’ve been working on the novel for almost ten months now, but the Write-a-thon combined with the earlier part of the summer when I was able to write at my parent’s house have helped me to really feel like an end is in sight.

Thank you!

(And, in case you were wondering, it isn’t too late to donate. http://www.clarionwest.org/events/writeathon/KiraWalsh. <– go there and click the Paypal link!  Or, if you’d rather, you can hand deliver/send a check or cash to me. I promise I’ll send it along. You’ll get a Thank You letter from the CW Office confirming it.)

Progress Report:

5,600 words (this week)

Four chapters edited of Perfectly Average! (More than my three-chapter goal!)

Nothing sent out! (I’ll get there….)

I’ve been putting off doing a write-a-thon update.

1) Because I’m still a little behind on my goals. I made my goal this week, but I didn’t write enough to make up for last week.

2) Because I wanted to include pictures in this post, but my cursed blog issues continue.

3) Because writing a blog is NOT writing write-a-thon goals and, well, see #1.

But that’s just a lot of whining and excuses. If nothing else, doing the Write-a-thon has helped me see how hard it can be to really get those words in every week. It’s also made me more aware of how important the workshop that the Write-a-thon supports is. At Clarion West, you’re gifted with six weeks to do nothing but write, talk about writing, and read the writing of your peers. Sure you have to apply. And you have to actually write about a story a week. But the entire experience is designed to make that writing possible. It’s best-case-scenario writing, despite the hectic schedule and lack of sleep. Even when I don’t meet my goals, the confidence and the writing tools that I took away from CW help me not to get too discouraged and to find a way back to writing. So, even if I’m still a little behind, that’s what I did this week.

Want to really help encourage me to get writing in the final days of the write-a-thon? Well, money always helps. If you can spare even a dollar or two to support me (or any of the other awesome write-a-thoners) and CW, I’d really appreciate it. Every little bit helps. And every little bit goes right back into the workshop. The write-a-thon itself is powered by volunteers.

My write-a-thon page (for donations) is at: http://www.clarionwest.org/events/writeathon/KiraWalsh

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this here before or not, but Clarion West received a challenge grant from Amazon.com last year. If they can raise $25,000, Amazon will match that, dollar for dollar. So even a single dollar goes a long way…it turns into two!

Thanks again for all your support. I’m going to make my submission goals. I’m just trying to keep things interesting…

And! To come this week…kitchen pictures and a secret project report!

Progress Report:

2,300 words (this week)

One chapter edited of Perfectly Average

Nothing sent out!

Well, as you can see, this week my lofty goals hit a bit of a speed bump. I am going in to this week owing words. All I can say is, kitchen renovations and French are taking up my writing time. I’ve also been working on a secret special project that is not un-writing-related. Details to come on that in a blog later this week or early next.

Point is, I’m willing to get back on the wagon. Especially the submission and editing wagon, which are the real sticking points for me. And have been since Clarion West. Thank you for your continued suppourt and encouragement, especially Randy, Theresa, and Margie!

Here’s the address of my write-a-thon page in case you would still like to donate: http://www.clarionwest.org/events/writeathon/KiraWalsh

Even a few dollars would help! You can also click the sidebar there to get a list of many other amazing writers you can support. Pick your own! My friend Tracy, for example, will write a name into a story for you if you donate $100 or more.

Also, completely unrelated. But here’s something for the “I wish I had thought of this first” category: “REM sleep behavior disorder and other sleep disturbances in Disney animated films” (I hope that link works. My blog is still failing. And I don’t have the time or know-how (savoir faire! French!) to fix it.)

 Write-a-thon Week Two

6,647 words (in week two)

One chapter edited of Perfectly Average

No submissions yet…. (That’s my big goal for Week Three!)

________

This time last year, I was at Clarion West and we were wrapping up our second week of classes. The awesome Mary Rosenblum had just left, and we were waiting on Cory’s arrival, excited after our first round of critting full-length stories. However, we were also reeling from the theft of four laptops from the house we were staying in. It happened right at the beginning of the weekend, on a Friday morning while we were in our last class with Mary. Someone broke in through an upstairs window. Having your laptop stolen anytime is awful, and having it stolen from a writing workshop adds insult to injury. My laptop wasn’t stolen, but I felt almost as bad as my friends who lost theirs. The atmosphere of support and friendship in that house was incredible, and having that violated was so sad and scary.

While I wish the theft had never happened, what happened next was just as unexpected and more than awesome. Word went out to the writing community, and donations started pouring in. In a matter of days, the workshop had enough donations specifically to the laptop fund (that’s above and beyond what people gave to the Write-a-thon that year) to replace all the computers that were stolen. That support helped us recover from the theft quickly and get back to writing. And that support epitomizes the workshop experience as a whole…a feircely protective and close-knit community that is at the same time open and welcoming.

Strangely enough, during week two of the Clarion West write-a-thon this year, I had a bit of an unwelcome reminder of the theft. Two of my good friends had their laptops stolen in a home robbery, just moments after one of them had left the house. I felt that I could at least somewhat understand the violation and fear they experienced at having someone trespass in their home. Although the most important thing is that no one was hurt, losing their laptops must be upsetting on many levels. They’re students and writers, too. And for anyone a computer is a personal thing that we spend a lot of time with. A difficult thing to lose.

I’m sad to be able to draw this particular parallel. But I wanted to thank those same friends for supporting me in the Write-a-thon, even as they’ve dealt with the worry of this theft. Thanks, Harold and Nikki! And thanks to everyone who has supported me in the Write-a-thon with either funds, encouragement, or both!

Now, on to week three…

 Write-a-thon Progress*

• 5,000 + words off the new novel draft
• one-half chapter edit of Perfectly Average
• Nothing sent out. Eep.

…is a show on TLC. They film people who are going to undertake do-it-yourself home renovation and then intercut the disastrous results with snarky subtitles. (Sampe line, as two young homeowners nervously examine an electrical line and say “is this a gas line?”: “No, ladies. It’s an electrical line. At this point, TLC suggests you call an electrician.”

It is not smart to watch this show the day before your kitchen is demo’d. It IS smart to have someone else do your renovation. Dasha from Design Today designed my IKEA kitchen and Serge from ikeakitchens.com is installing it. They’re both awesome and I’ll post pictures soon. But I left my camera cord in Virginia. And I cannot deal with finding another way to post pics while my kitchen is a giant, dusty hole in the wall (although one that looks more like a new kitchen every day!)

*Another “construction project” I’m undertaking right now is a bit more do it yourself. I’m currently writing in the 2009 Clarion West Write-a-thon. The Write-a-thon raises funds for the writer’s workshop that I attended last summer. CW was a life changing experience for me, both personally and professionally as a writer. Over six weeks I learned from six different instructors (Paul Park, Mary Rosenblum, Cory Doctorow, Connie Willis, Sheree Thomas and Chuck Palahniuk) and seventeen classmates in an intense, focused, supportive environment. I wrote five new stories, one of which was the start for a novel. Since then, I have written more stories than ever before and completed a novel draft. I want others to have this experience, and the Write-a-thon helps make that possible. CW, a non-profit, offers financial aid to anyone who needs it, and provides full merit scholarships as well.

I know it’s hard to stretch right now to donate money. I’d love it if you could just offer me some encouragement and support in the comments. However, if you do feel the need to part with even a small amount (maybe a dollar a week?) you can visit my page at: http://www.clarionwest.org/events/writeathon/KiraWalsh to support me, or any of the other awesome writers, including, at my last count, at least seven of my 2008 classmates. You can sponsor me at any time, or you can wait til I meet my goals. I will also provide a PDF of the three stories I send out for publication (most likely CW stories) to anyone who wants it (or will take it without me paying them.) (Just a friendly note (hi, Dad!): I am writing 4-6 hour days. Don’t do anything valiant like offer my a penny a word unless you’re some strangely wealthy friend I never knew about. I’m planning to report my word count up to 5,000 and then just 5,000+. I’ll do the final tally Week Six.)

My goal is to write 5,000 words per week, edit three chapters of my completed novel draft, and send out three stories for consideration at various publications. Goal one is a big one, but its the most fun. I love to write, especially in the summer, and I’m hoping that the 30,000 or so words I emerge with will be the start to another novel draft. I am taking a French class this summer and doing some other work thinking about my dissertation, but I still have more time to write than during the school year, so having some novel drafts to revise next semester would be awesome. The bigger issue is the revision and the sending stuff out. I’m bad about that. I have only sent one thing out since CW ended. I need to be brave and consistent with trying to find a place for my work. I’m hoping the Write-a-thon will give me a push.

So, thanks for any support you can give, and sorry about the lack of kitchen pictures.

Location: Decatur, GA

Status of Kitchen: Giant Hole in the wall where kitchen used to be. To all that have witnessed the fit I throw when I see furniture on my wood floors without protective fuzzy feet, just imagine my mood NOW. (But I am excited about the new kitchen!)

Status of Write-a-thon: ~2,200 of my 5,000 words for this week. Plus half a chapter edit.

(See http://www.clarionwest.org/events/writeathon/KiraWalsh if you want to sponsor me!)

Status of Dog: see www.rexandroxys.com and click “webcam”

Status of Life in General: frazzled but slightly optimistic

In honor of Shane’s funny letter series on his blog (www.longstraighthighway.com — links still not working on this site), here is one of mine, sent to the Washington Post in December 2006.

Dear Editor,

During a holiday season where our country is at war, many issues fade to the background and appear trivial in comparison. I am not as concerned with receiving the right Christmas presents this year; I am simply happy that my family will be joining me for the holidays. Additionally, I chose to wrap the gifts I am giving this Christmas in old issues of The Washington Post (decorated with paint and stickers) to be environmentally friendly. My 20-year-old brother derisively called it “Kira’s Al Gore Christmas.” However, I was dismayed today by a problem that may initially seem trivial, but that I have decided, after much consideration, is off great importance. I am writing to you to express my heartfelt dismay and dissatisfaction at my Friday horoscope in The Washington Post. It read:

When it comes to love, there is no reciprocity in your

stars today. Someone loves you, you love someone

else, and that person loves a dog.

Seriously. A dog? What kind of horoscope is that?

Please, do not stop reading…allow me a moment to explain. I am a senior in college, and the real world is staring me in the face. Due to a refusal to acknowledge said real world, I am spending my holiday applying to graduate school. Personal statements, resumes, and other application paraphernalia can make an individual feel nearly worthless despite their academic and personal achievements. A difficult job market means a difficult market for graduate school. Speaking of the job market, I was recently informed by the Washington education firm where I have interned for the past two years that I would not be invited to return this holiday due to unspecified “budget issues.” I’ve been in Washington long enough to know what that means.

With all this weighing on me, I decided to turn today to the friendly advice of your horoscope advisor, Holiday Mathis. In my experience, horoscopes are either encouraging, or at least refreshingly dispirited. As a psychology major, I know that they normally subscribe to the so-called “Barnum effect” rather than the movement of the stars. Basically, this effect–named for the famous circus family–alludes to the fact that astrologists utilize general, vague, but well-written and clever statements to create information that could apply to many people. In turn, people project their own experiences and feelings onto the information and consider it to be accurate. I know this. I turned to my horoscope for comfort.

I got unrequited love, and a dog.

Please, dear editor. Speak to Ms Mathis and to the stars. Let her know that there are plenty of twenty-somethings out there dealing with the real world. There are plenty of middle-agers with unhappy love lives and dead end jobs. There are all kinds of people who turn to the horoscopes and the surrounding comics for a well-needed break. All we ask is for a horoscope that does what it is meant to do. Something like Aquarius got (”Whatever you do, your popular appeal makes it a hit”), or even Taurus (Just when you’re motoring on, troubling thoughts about the past could slow everything down.”) I can take gentle prodding to think positively. I can take vague assurances about an (admittedly non-existent) love life. But I cannot, will not, and should not have to take a love triangle that includes a canine.

Thank you for your kind attention, and happiest holidays to you and your own.

Sincerely,

Kira Walsh (Virgo)