An escape room is a team game that involves exploring a room and solving the puzzles you find there in order to get out. In practice, that means being put into a room with a team and figuring out how to open and/or unlock various things. In Canberra, it is illegal to actually lock theContinue reading “What is an escape room?”
Category Archives: Funny
Ah, l’Hospital!
For those who don’t follow me on facebook or twitter, I’m in hospital (again). Just as it looked like I was in the clear post-operatively speaking, I developed an infection. It so happens that the infection is right in a patch of my belly that’s currently completely numb. Which possibly explains why I’ve been inContinue reading “Ah, l’Hospital!”
Dear Star Wars: Here is Your Script
I don’t often write fan fiction. So this kind of happened as I wrote my thoughts after seeing “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (I had so many feels it took me days to write and is 3000 words long.) It’s a VERY interesting film for writers, and so of course I analysed it in thatContinue reading “Dear Star Wars: Here is Your Script”
Pictures worth thousands of words
I’m not a visual artist, and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of influence I was allowed to have on my books covers (Odyssey Books has a top-notch cover game). It’s a good thing they go through a few drafts, too. Can you see what’s wrong with the first draft of SILVER AND STONE?Continue reading “Pictures worth thousands of words”
Louisette Interview Age Four
Based on a set of questions from Crappy Pictures, I’ve interviewed Louisette around her birthday at age two, three, and now four: Me: What job do you want to have when you grow up? Louisette: LOTS of jobs. I want to be a waiter….and work in a cafe. And in the cafe I willContinue reading “Louisette Interview Age Four”
“Worst one I’ve played”: Reviewing the Reviewers
It’s finally happened: my first interactive (that is, Choose Your Own Adventure-ish) Australian steampunk novel is wandering unsupervised in the great big world, gathering reviews near and far (and scaring its mother half to death). My very first review was the hilarious comment “Worst one I’ve played”, accompanied by one star. I’m genuinely delighted by such aContinue reading ““Worst one I’ve played”: Reviewing the Reviewers”
Missing person? What missing person?
Funny Faces
These are the photos of Louisette that I find funny – often just because of her facial expression. Only the birthday cake photo was posed – the rest just happened. 0-1 month: No! Not without makeup on! Ninja baby only pretends to sleep. Fart face. What on EARTH is that pink flailing thing, and whyContinue reading “Funny Faces”
The Four Scariest Picture Books
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but these are freaking scary. #4 “My Animals” by Xavier Denaux Looks nice, doesn’t it? The entire book is pictures of animals, done mainly in black and white (with a feature colour here or there) and clever little holes through the pages where the eye of oneContinue reading “The Four Scariest Picture Books”
Kissing Frogs
They say you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince. Louisette is getting started early.
Strange Kitten
So Ana has decided that our bathroom is her favourite place to be. The bath is fine. The sink is sort of fine. Eccentric, sure. Slightly odd when a giant fuzzy thing emerges above the rim while you’re on the loo at 2am – certainly. But it’s better than this: Here’s hoping it’s just oneContinue reading “Strange Kitten”
That’s not a poo-splosion, THIS is a poo-splosion!
I rarely use exclamation marks. This one is, believe me, deserved. Time for a daily awesomeness that uses the OTHER meaning of “awesome”. Alternate title: The Bum-Gun. Picture the scene: It’s 5:00am and all is quiet except for a stirring infant and her mother; a woman light-headed and blurry from lack of sleep. It’s timeContinue reading “That’s not a poo-splosion, THIS is a poo-splosion!”
You know you’re a mum when. . .
-you find yourself washing dishes at 3am, because you “had a spare moment”. -ditto blogging. -ditto brushing your teeth. -when you lie down to sleep, a drill sergeant in your head says, “Sleep! Now! Hurry up! Stop wasting time and sleep! NOW!” -you can eat spaghetti one-handed. -you already have four different hairstyles that don’t require aContinue reading “You know you’re a mum when. . .”
Adorable Proof of Incompetent Parents
Before I start – I know there are three types of people reading this blog, so here are my messages for each of you: 1. Regular readers who are really not that interested in babies – never fear. In a week or two your normal schedule shall resume (in fact I’ll be posting the thirdContinue reading “Adorable Proof of Incompetent Parents”
Miscellaneous Monday
I got nothing today, so here’s someone else’s brilliant blog entries: http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/texas.html http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-fish-almost-destroyed-my-childhood.html
Two tales by John Scalzi
For today’s miscellaneous Monday, here are the links to two comical short stories by writer and blogger John Scalzi. Interview with the nativity innkeeper When the yogurt took over And here’s a bonus cat pic, taken as I did some winter writing:
Kitten on Fire
Ana, the younger (and longer-haired) of my two cats, is definitely not the intellect of the family. She also loves extreme heat. The other cat, Indah, finds this heater too hot to touch. Not so with Ana: We also have a single fan heater, which is highly inefficient but great for spending thirty seconds warmingContinue reading “Kitten on Fire”
Plot Device Film, and Ten Untranslatable Words
Here is a movie and an article that are sashaying around the writerly blogosphere at the moment. Yes, it’s a long film for youtube. But it’s way shorter than a movie, and just as good. Say hi to the zombies for me. And this is an article by someone who has picked ten words thatContinue reading “Plot Device Film, and Ten Untranslatable Words”
Advice to Victorian Ladies
This is taken from a mid-book compilation by author Liza Picard, in Victorian London. Enjoy! Advice to Ladies: Most wind instruments are decidedly inelegant, they should be left to the gentlemen. Playing the violin-cello is of course out of the question, while the violin, while not so openly obscene, necessitates an awkward position of theContinue reading “Advice to Victorian Ladies”
Not Always Right
This is a hilarious (and sometimes disturbing) site about the bizarre and funny things customers say and do. I think it’s PG, but I haven’t read enough to be certain. Here’s three fine examples: Medical Training These Days Is Shocking College | DE, USA | Me: “Hello this is [name] from [college] returning your call. What canContinue reading “Not Always Right”