The computer is still completely out of commission and it won’t be coming back any time soon. I’m also totally broke, so a new computer is not in the picture either…so I’ve been using mom’s computer hence the sporadic posting. But I figured I should just check in and update.
The weather down here has been beautiful! Spring has certainly arrived. Temperatures are about 75 degrees in New Orleans today, there’s green on all the trees, butterflies flying around, little lizards crawling, and I can sit comfortably on the swing again and read without freezing! Which is exactly what I’ll be doing after this post (still reading The Blue Girl and loving it). I planted a vegetable garden the other day and it’s doing really well already. No veggies yet of course, but the plants are taking off…another sure sign that Spring is working it’s magic. We have 2 creole tomatoes, a creole green bell pepper, sweet green bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, and 2 green eggplants. Hopefully they do as well as last year.
Yesterday we went to the zoo since the weather was as nice as today and it was tons of fun. I haven’t been to the zoo since before Katrina and it was really nice to be back. I missed it quite a bit. The only thing that made me mad was that the kangaroos weren’t out 
I’ve become quite attached to them. I took a comparative psychology class back in college that studied the behavior of humans through animals…strange I know. But we had an assignment to study a zoo animal throughout the semester and observe all of it’s behaviors and log them down to specifics. So I’d go and observe the kangaroos for 4 hours a week for a whole semester and write down every little movement, twitch, shake, hop, etc. they would do down to which leg moved first. I can tell you anything you want to know about the behavior of kangaroos! But they weren’t out I did get to pet a goat though (and I look entirely too excited about that)! That’s my little brother in need of a haircut behind me.
In book news, I thought that I’d let everyone know that Connor Cochran was kind enough to inform me that Conlan Press has signed and personalized copies of the trade paperback edition of Tamsin on their website. That edition has larger print too! While on their website, you can also pick up Peter Beagle and Lisa Snellings-Clark’s collaboration, Strange Roads or some cool The Last Unicorn stuff!I just reviewed Tamsin the other day and it’s a wonderful book. He also told me that he is working with Peter Beagle on a film treatment of Tamsin to show around Hollywood!!! So cross your fingers. This would be an awesome movie. They’re working with one of the producers of Disney’s The Little Mermaid.
Brandon Mull’s publisher was also kind enough to email me and let me know that the first chapter of Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague is now available to read online for free! Another awesome thing is that Mr. Mull has now set up his own blog! I love that authors are starting to blog more frequently now. Makes me happy.
OK, that’s all I’ve got.
Filed under: Random Ramblings
So sorry about the PC situation. I hope something gets resolved for you soon or that you can check in often. Won’t be the same without you posting regularly.
Carl, I hope that something gets resolved soon too…I just picked up two extra shifts at my current job so maybe that will give me an extra boost to afford something new. I just don’t want to sink money into this piece of crap that I have now because it looks like it’s a problem with the main board. But fear not…I’ll try to post as regularly as possible…I can’t stay away for long!
oh no ! I sure hope something happens that you can get either your old computer fixed or a new one… *sigh* I need you to get me through the fantasy challenge!!
Computer woes suck. You do look happy about that goat though
They seem to like you.
Aww, that sucks about the computer
On the good side, you look incredibly happy with that goat 
I think I would too. I was grinning like mad at the sheep in Wales…I think I scared a few 
That assignment with kangaroos has to be the coolest assignment ever! I’d have loved to do something like that. Animal psychology is fascinating. It’s too bad my university didn’t offer more courses on it.
And that’s great news about the Tamsin movie! I hope it gets made. Peter Beagle certainly deserves more notoriety and hopefully a movie would bring him some.
Yuck, I hope you get the computer situation figured out. Maybe a new one after you get the job?
Heehee that sounds like a fun assignment to watch kangeroos. And a nice picture! I wish I could wear flipflops right now. Its not bad here, but 40 degrees still isn’t flipflop weather.
What a wonderful, happy post! (Well, except for the part about your dang computer!!!)
Love that picture from the zoo! Sorry you missed your kangaroos…you’ll just have to get back there real soon to see them, huh? What an incredibly cool project? I’m interested to hear what you learned…about kangaroos or humans. Really neat stuff!
As much as I love winter, I think I’m finally starting to feel a little jealous of those of you enjoying spring! I know, I know, jealousy is very unbecoming. But we woke up to 6″ of fresh snow this morning!
That wasn’t supposed to be a question mark after “What an incredibly cool project”…Learn to proofread before you hit submit, Debi!
Oh gee! Aaargh! I am sooo envious about your good weather. And the visit to the zoo!!!! It’s so wet and icky here. ::Giggle:: yes, way too much joy on your face seeing that goat. Animals are the best, though!
Am sorry about your computer.
Have a great weekend. -C
I really hope you get your computer up and running. Believe me, I know what it’s like to have computer problems. Man. It about killed me not to be connected!!
LOVE the picture!! Of course, since it’s only 33 degrees here, I’m green with envy over you and your shorts!!
Bad kangaroos! lol I love goats-my best friend in elementary school lived in the country, and they had a herd of goats as pets. They’re so smart and funny.
Tamsin sounds really good, so on to the wishlist it goes!
Love the pic of you and the goat! Sorry about the computer. Darn. Love the comments about kangaroos. How fun to have an excuse to observe them!
I am soooo missing those little lizards!!! I haven’t seen a single one in OK–not that I’m getting out much. Gray squirrels and dogs are *it*. Man, I miss the critters.
Deslily, I can still use my mom’s computer, so I’ll be here to get you through the challenge ;)_ Like you need help getting through a fantasy challenge anyway! Seriously…like you need a push to read fantasy :p I couldn’t stay away for long, don’t worry. I’d find a way to get online even if computers were made illegal!
Chris, The goats were all friendly for the most part. It was the sheep in the petting zoo that wasn’t too friendly. He ran away from me every time I tried to pet him
Nymeth, Me and Megan have a joke that I’m going to get a pet goat when we get our own place and she usually just looks at me and shakes her head in embarrassment…so I was extremely happy to pet the goat because I love goats for some reason
I love sheep too, but the one at the zoo kept running away from me…The assignment with the kangaroos was awesome, but would get incredibly boring sometimes. There would be days where all they would do for four hours was lay in their little mud holes that they would dig themselves. And I’d literally just watch them lay there for four hours and hope that they’d at least scratch themselves. I’m hoping for a Tamsin movie too! The book was so good and Beagle really deserves more attention!!
Kim, I’m hoping that there’s some way that I can get a new computer after I get a job…whenever that will be…I did just pick up more hours, so maybe that will let me get it. I just don’t want to add more debt until I pay off what I have and that may take a little while…Lord knows what to do! I was wearing flip flops in 40 degree weather! I wear them as soon as I can even if it means being a little bit uncomfy. I wear sandals as often as possible, lol.
Debi, Yay! You can comment again
I think I missed the kangaroos because we were there right until closing time and they were one of the last exhibits that we saw…so they probably put them away for the night…poor guys. It was a very cool assignment though, I miss it. I’ve thought about doing it with another animal at the zoo on my own just for fun! What I learned really isn’t that interesting :p I have a 10 page long paper if you want it, lol! 6 inches of snow! I can’t even imagine that! Yeah, I think that I was finally just about sick of winter. In the middle of summer, I’m always begging for it, but after Christmas it just gets old. I really think that Spring and Fall have become my favorite times of the year. Fall will always be my favorite because it reminds me of Halloween 
Carole, I’m an animal-a-holic! I was dying to go to the zoo so I’m so glad I finally went. I love spending a day with all of those animals. I shouldn’t have gloated about the weather down here :p It looks like we’re the only ones in the country with good weather…Hope that Spring makes it to you soon! And for me, I’m hoping that a computer makes it to me soon! You have a great weekend too!
Steph, I’m about ready to just throw my computer against the wall or through a window or something like that. Not that it would make a difference, it would operate the same as it does now…So frustrating! I know you know all about it! At least I know not to buy another HP again…this was the second one that did this to me. I so shouldn’t have gloated about the weather down here :p I feel horrible because everyone is having freezing rain and snow everywhere else in the country and here I am in shorts and sandals, lol! Hope Spring gets to you soon!!
Eva, Bad zookeepers for putting the kangaroos up too early! It’s sad that they put them up anyway. I love goats too
Always have…I’ve threatened to get one as a pet many times and in turn I’ve been threated to be disowned by family and girlfriend. Tamsin is awesome! I loved it…perfect little read and it really cemented Peter Beagle as an author that I respect!
Bookfool, Yes me and the goat became fast friends
I had to tear him away from this little string that he was eating on the end of a shovel so that he would take a picture with me, but he was quite friendly! I’m sorry you’re missing your lizards 
You’ll have plenty waiting for you when you get back though! I’m starting to notice more and more of them. I’d take some pictures and send them to you if I knew how the hell to take a picture of a lizard! I swear, you should have contracts with science books or National Geographic or something!
Sorry about your computer - I don’t know if I could live without my laptop!
Oh, and could you send some of that spring up to New Jersey?
Oh, by the way, my husband is a software developer and computer guy and always suggests people buy Dell as it is the most reliable computer made. I have a Dell laptop and love it.
Bah to computer problems! Do you have Freecycle over there? Someone might be able to help you out with a temporary solution.
Love the Zoo picture! I have always had a fondness for goats and planned to get one as a pet when I was younger. Then my very sensible mother made me work out how much it would cost to goat-proof our garden. So no goat. We have no spring yet, it’s rainy and cold enough to force you indoors still. I only have determined daffodils and blackthorn to play with yet. But spring must be on its way. I hope!
oh I wish spring was here too already but no sign of it yet!! it’s still bloody freezing:(
cute picture! and Yay for the Blue Girl!!!I’m happy you’re loving it:-)
Very sad news about your computer, I just watched my 19 year old try to get his fixed and have to buy a new hard drive for it. I hope yours isn’t so bad, but fingers crossed you can get it fixed soon! I just found you, will have to read old posts by you in the meantime….and, like many of your blogging buddies, I LOVE the picture of you with the goat - envy for SANDALS! Sandals!! Ohmigod, you’re wearing sandals!!! Shorts!!! It’s sunny and WARM there! I have hope again our winter will fade….but it’s hanging on for dear life up in the Great White North (a snow storm is raging in the Prairies today, I’m very thankful we don’t live there!). We can’t even get out of our winter coats yet, *sigh* and i live for summer….is your garden all vegetables or do you grow any flowers? I’m trying a vegetable garden for the first time this year; I have a main flower bed that is my pride and joy. You look so happy with the visit to the zoo - great photo, Chris.
I’m verry sorry about your computer issues. I’ m very jealous of your warm sunny weather. I took my daugther to her soccer game today at 8 am and we froze. It was just above freezing. It was fun as always to watch them play even though they got drilled 7-0. She’s in the 5th grade. Great Tasmin review as well. Sounds like a wonderful OUT2 read.
Stephanie, I’m finding it very hard to live without my laptop!! But I’m making due using my mom’s…it’s really not that bad. I wish I could send you some Spring up there
We’re just skipping Spring now and going to summer…it’s supposed to be in the 80’s now!
Stormfilled, I haven’t heard of freecycle, so I don’t know if we have it…I’ll have to look into it! My mom found someone who’s supposedly good with computers though, so I may let him just play around with it…can’t make it any worse! We could never have goats for the same reason…they eat the lawn :/ Well, that and I live in the middle of a very metropolitan city :p
Valentina, I’m sorry you have freezing weather! I feel horrible now posting this post! It’s like I rubbed it in everyone’s face, lol. The Blue Girl was so good…I’m in love with it. Didn’t want it to end. I’m about to go on a de Lint binge!
Susan, Computers are just a pain in the butt aren’t they? Well, they can be…luckily, this irresponsible 26 year old hasn’t moved out of his mom’s house yet, so I can use my mom’s computer still :p I’ve been trying to find a job counseling down here though, so hopefully once will come through soon and I can maybe afford a new one! As for the weather, it’s VERY warm down here…tomorrow’s high is supposed to be in the 80’s and humid…a bit too warm for my liking. I love the 60’s and low 70’s. That’s just about perfect for me. The summers in New Orleans are awful…we get in the upper 90’s and 100’s sometimes. yuck! Our garden is mostly vegetables now because we’re renting since hurricane katrina. Before Katrina (when we had our own house) we had tons of flowers and pretty gardens and we will again as soon as we can rebuild. You should post pics of your garden!
Jeff, The computer will get figured out eventually I hope…no worries. Freezing at a soccer game?! That sucks…it just doesn’t seem right does it? lol..I can’t imagine freezing weather right now, though I’m sorry to rub that in :/ Sorry to hear that they lost
I can’t wait to have kids though and take them to stuff like that. It’s gotta be fun to watch them play even if they do lose. I always have fun going to my little brother’s baseball games. Tamsin was a great read! You’d enjoy it I’m sure.