Pinterest versus Toddler...

As we were making dinner this weekend my husband paused, looking down at a glass vase full of soapy water and half a banana. The banana was blissfully floating on top of the bubbly water and after a minute he made a face. "Is this a Pinterest thing? Does the banana help get the water spots off or something?"

Now, this really isn't that odd of a question. We've tried some weird Pinterest stuff before, some of which was brilliant and some of which was...well...ineffective. However, this time it was a case of the rabid toddler. She wanted a banana, then once she got one she didn't want it anymore and was about to throw it on the floor. I scolded her that we don't throw food, so she plopped it into the vase (which was soaking to get the spots off).

The next morning I tossed everything down the sink and gave the vase a good rinse. To be honest the spots from the flowers and hard water lifted right off. I don't know if it was the banana or not, but hey.... Maybe I should Pin the suggestion.

Writer Snacks - Tater Treats

One thing I have noticed that for many writers, we do our best work when our stomachs are full. I remember reading once that Janet Evanovich ate cheesy poofs while writing and had to constantly replace her keyboards and I'm certain she's not the only one. I try not to, really, but there's just something about chocolate and creativity that go hand in hand. But chocolate aside these sweet potato treats are one of my very favorite writing snacks and they're pretty good for you too!

Tater Treats

1 large garnet sweet potato/yam
olive oil
salt
shredded cheese
cooked, crumbled bacon
green onion

Preheat oven to 425. Prepare a cookie sheet by covering with foil then putting a cooling rack on top. This way the air can get to the bottom of the taters and crisp them up. Wash and peel the sweet potato and slice into 1/8 inch rounds. Hubby and I use a mandolin for this and it's the thick slice setting. Coat very lightly with oil and lay out on the rack, touching but not overlapping. Sprinkle with salt and bake for 35 minutes. Pull from the oven and sprinkle with cheese, bacon, onion and a little fresh ground pepper and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Once everything is melty and luscious remove from oven. Allow to cool just enough that the cheese doesn't resemble edible napalm and munch. Great source of fiber, vitamins and goodness and low carb to boot. You can go for lower fat by using turkey bacon and a low fat cheese, but if you're gonna splurge go for the good stuff!

So what treat fuels your creativity?

Loving Genre in Selected Media

I have often heard that to truly love a particular genre or fandom, you have to learn to appreciate it in all its forms from books, to movies, to music, to cons, etc. While I understand the fannish drive behind this idea, I have to disagree and think it is quite possible to love some aspects of a genre or fandom without being fond of all aspects.

For example there is a lovely sub genre called Steampunk which a lot of you are likely familiar with. But boiled down it is a look at life if invention had favored steam versus electric progression. There are a lot of fun things like airships and clockwork creatures and beautiful, expressive clothing for man, woman and child. I love this genre as a visual medium. I love the pictures and the clothing and the imagination it evokes. However, I have tried to read various Steampunk novels and short stories and while I get through them, they just don't cause the same kind of thrill for me. So I've had to decide that I love Steampunk visually, but not literarily (I may have just made up that word), and I'm okay with that and think it's alright if I participate in the parts I like and not as much in the other without it meaning I've ceased to be a fan.

What about the rest of you? Are there certain parts of a genre or subgenre that just don't do it for you, even when the rest of the trappings may be a favorite? Or am I alone in the universe?

JL