I'm having one of those days.
Perhaps you know the kind,
the sort of day filled with blue thoughts and questions of worth.
But I'm fighting back
and taking a cue from Batman.
© Tracy Abell 2011
I've put on my Big Girl pants and am pushing on through.
Yesterday I went to OccupyDenver.org to find out what supplies were needed
and after loading up a plastic bin with various items, I drove downtown and
joined OccupyDenver.
Approximately 70 tents were set up on the grass in front of the capitol building
on land that is designated state park property.
There were canopied structures along the sidewalk for check-in, donation drop-off, and
Thunderdome, the kitchen that served hundreds of meals per day for the past several weeks.
While I was there, supporters dropped off cases of bottled water, cash, and small US flags.
People came by, made their own signs using available cardboard and a crate full of markers,
and protested along Broadway for a while.
I didn't make a sign because I had so many thoughts and issues and emotions in my head,
I couldn't focus enough to be coherent. Instead, I selected an enormous sign from the pile:
WHERE'S THE OUTRAGE?
For a couple hours I held that sign next to a woman who'd been inspired to her first political action
by the courage of those speaking out via occupations around the country.
She has a young son and we talked about the various ways things are royally messed up for our children.
She said, "No wonder there's no one message out of all this. So many things are wrong, how do you
pick just one?"
True, that.
Here's one of the many intelligent young people leading the way:
Here's one of the many senior citizens in attendance holding his I'M PROUD TO BE A MOBSTER sign:
While it felt good to connect with the 99% community, I felt down much of the time
because about a half-hour after arriving, I learned the CO governor, Denver mayor, and
CO attorney general had held a press conference saying they were evicting the protesters
that night. For their safety and well-being, don't you know.
Early this morning, police in riot gear descended upon #OccupyDenver and broke up
their camp. Twenty-three people were arrested and belongings were thrown in the trash.
Please check out this slideshow from Denver Post photographers.
This protest is far from over.
#OccupyWallStreet is still going strong and there are over 100 occupations taking
place around the country (and in several cities around the world).
Thank you to all the people who honked and waved in support yesterday.
And to the angry man who flipped us off as he drove by, I wish you'd consider this:
AGNES by Tony Cochran
I am exceedingly freckled and in possession of several sharpies.
Perhaps it's time to deviate from my regularly scheduled program . . .
Zebu suggested drawing a bikini on this little pear butt:
1) Last weekend I read I the first draft of my latest middle-grade novel after letting it sit awhile.
2) All week I've jotted notes and zeroed in on characters' motivations and reconfigured the plot.
3) I followed editor Kendra Levin's Five-Step Revision Plan, and created a
"one paragraph summary" that inexplicably mushroomed into multiple paragraphs.
4) I swing between moods of exhilaration and freak-outs about my chances of pulling this one off.
5) And then today I realized that, despite the first draft being written in first-person,
the story needs to be told in third-person.
Here, Tracy, gaze upon the starling to calm your nerves:
© Tracy Abell 2009
I wish everyone a wonderful weekend filled with epiphanies and maybe a few feathered friends!
Ever since July when I first heard about the planned occupation of Wall Street,
I've wanted to pack my bag and join the brave people speaking truth to power.
Occupation and bodies in the streets seemed like the best way to shed some
light on the criminal behavior of Wall Street and its political enablers.
And it's working.
I'm still here in Colorado but I just joined the Virtual March on Wall Street.
Here's my message:
I urge you to check out the link and read messages from people all around the country.
It's powerful stuff.
Folks are hurting in a big way.
But there's power in numbers and there are lots more of us than them.
We are the 99%.
(Watch livestream here.)
. . . a belly rub.
Yesterday Zippy, Zebu and I went to Casa Bonita to see Wildebeest perform.
I'd never been there, but it's common knowledge people go for the entertainment
rather than the food.
Here I am, Vegetarian in a Strange Land, with the dinner everyone above
the age of two must buy:
I moved the mound of food around the plate, but it was pretty obvious I ate nothing.
We were seated right next to the stage that is flanked by a waterfall and sits above the pool
for the dive shows. This was our view across the restaurant: 
Here's Wildebeest in a skit with Chiquita the Gorilla:
And here he is in another skit with Black Bertha (Black Bart's sister):
Here are Zippy and Zebu exploring the lower level dining area:
This table got my vote for Most Claustrophobic Seating:
It was such fun watching Wildebeest get up on stage and do his thing.
We're thrilled he landed a job that makes him happy and brings smiles to lots of people.
Even when he tries to pretend otherwise.
1) Yesterday I woke to news that the Obama administration had, without due process,
assassinated a US citizen in Yemen.
2) Obama has taken the remaining pieces of the US Constitution already shredded by the
Bush administration, and set them on fire.
3) As people gather on Wall Street to protest real crimes committed by Wall Street,
Wall Streeters drink champagne and laugh at the people below.
4) Rather than covering #OccupyWallStreet, the media pay attention to crazy candidates
trying to outdo each other in callousness and insensitivity as they cheer on the death penalty
and jeer at gay military service members.
5) Despite compelling arguments against the Keystone XL Pipeline that would stretch from
Alberta to the Gulf of Mexico, we still don't know if Obama will okay or deny this project.
6) Okay. I realize this is not typical LJ-Land fare, but I need to document this insanely wrong environment
so I can, hopefully, look back on it one day and say, "Wow, that was really bad but I'm so glad decency
and common sense prevailed."
image from morguefile.com
Ever feel like hopping the fence to see what's on the other side?
Try it!
You just might find something worthwhile over there.
I'm contemplating going back to one of my novels and doing an overhaul.
I've read it for the first time in almost two years and believe I've got The Fix.
Doing so will mean some demolition and reconstruction,
and a fair amount of sweat and tears.
The thought is a bit intimidating, but I've always enjoyed swinging a crowbar.
© Tracy Abell 2008
This morning as Zebu and I drove to his friend's house to pick him up for school,
we passed a house with trash cans set out at the curb.
And next to those trash cans, was Something Unexpected.
We picked up Zebu's friend and then drove back past the trash cans.
I stopped and after a hurried consultation, Zebu jumped out and grabbed The Caped Crusader.
© Tracy Abell 2011
I offered Zebu and his friend dibs, but neither was willing to carry him through the school halls.
Not to mention their uncertainty about him fitting in their lockers.
So Batman came home with me and Lebowski hissed when he got his first look,
but The Dude's over it now.
I'm thinking today is going to be a very special day.
My post is up at From the Mixed-Up Files…of Middle Grade Authors.
Many of you contributed so I hope you check it out!
1) Wildebeest thanked me this week for not letting him watch much television
when he was little because he believes that made him a good reader.
2) While I drove Zebu and his friend to school Tuesday morning, Zebu laughed
at one of my jokes! In front of his friend!
3) Wildebeest ate an entire helping of Zippy's curry the other night and said,
"This is really good."
4) Last month Zebu complimented me on my texting speed.
5) Grasshoppers have some seriously trippy gription going on:
© Tracy Abell 2011
Wishing everyone a wonder-filled weekend!
It's bad form for me to disappear from LJ and then come back asking for help, I know.
For the last several weeks I was either frantically preparing for our local SCBWI conference
or recovering from the conference.
And in just a few days, it's my turn to blog at From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors.
I could really use your help.
I'd like to write about memorable character names in middle-grade fiction.
When I was preparing my last post at From the Mixed-Up Files,
I was amazed that both Wildebeest and Zebu remembered a secondary character name
from the Artemis Fowl books, and I wanted to to know what other names have stuck in readers' minds.
So.
Please let me know if there's a middle-grade fiction character whose name(s) you still remember.
Please let me know why that name sticks with you (funny, descriptive, sounds great, etc).
And please, if you're a writer, let me know how you go about naming your own characters.
If you tell me it's okay, I will use your names and quotes in the blog post.
Thank you in advance for any and all help for this procrastinating blogger!
I've been gone from LJ much too long
and that makes me feel
bad
bad
bad.
Here's a feathered gift for all my friends . . .
© Tracy Abell 2011
Originally published at Tracy Abell: Writer. Runner. Birder.. You can comment here or there.
AGNES by Tony Cochran
I’m crazy-busy getting ready for the conference so my emotional state is neither happy nor indifferent. I guess my song goes something like “if you’re brain-fried and you know it, clap your hands!”
Then again, I’ve never polled well, either.
There's no one in LJ-land more generous with birthday wishes than ,
and I hope you'll join me in wishing Sharon a wondrous day.
May your birthday and the coming year bring you much love and happiness, Sharon!
(And lots of cake!)
Here's a little Vinca from me to you . . .
As mentioned here and here, I've been using Scrivener to write a first draft
and while I love the program for many reasons,
I got caught up in my chapters being (easily accessible) separate files
and so never printed out anything.
As a result, I got a wee bit confused on plot issues
and came to a screeching halt when I felt overwhelmed by the whole process.
This past weekend I printed out all I'd written and read it again.
Wow.
Hard copies are awesome.
And helpful.
And absolutely vital to the writing process.
So, friends, don't scrimp on your paper usage just because it's better for the planet.
The planet does need our love and care, but so does our mental health. 
© Tracy Abell 2009
Bwak!
What she said!
A little over two weeks ago I shared the sad tale of my old juniper tree,
and today finally summoned the courage to call an arborist.
He just left after telling me (1) the tree will survive and (2) there's nothing to be done
for another year or so except (3) to pray for forgiveness. I thought he meant the tree
forgiving me but realized he meant me forgiving my neighbor.
I feel somewhat better although still cannot look at that old tree without flinching.
And tearing up.
In regards to my stuckness on my work-in-progress, this past weekend I printed out
everything I'd written so far (30k words!) and read it in one sitting. After taking some notes,
I knew I needed to go back and rework some stuff before moving ahead. I'm struggling
with the rewrites but am no longer panicked that fixing stuff will slow my momentum
to the point that I'll never finish the draft.
I will finish this draft! Hear, universe?
As for my web site, nothing's happening there. I still don't know how to proceed.
I guess two out of three ain't bad.
Now, here's a gratuitous squirrel shot: 
image from morguefile.com
1) I haven't written my 1000-words/day for the last two days, in part because
I can't decide whether to forge ahead OR go back and iron out some major plot
stuff I've since figured out.
2) I've been working on a new WordPress site but have hit a major wall in terms
of what my limited computer skills can achieve, and am not sure how to proceed:
hire a web designer/installer to finish up the job OR muddle through as best I can
OR pretend none of it is happening and let it all wither away in cyberspace.
3) I'm not sure why this Friday Five is the Befuddled Edition when numbers one and two
seem less Befuddled than Indecisive.
4) Wait! I've got befuddlement for you: On the first day of school, one of Zebu's teachers
asked students to share a little about themselves, and when no one else volunteered to
go first Zebu did, and proceeded to offer a lengthy explanation of the underwater basketweaving
club he founded at the school. Because the teacher asked questions along the way, Zebu
continued to spin his tale, thinking she was appreciating his silliness. Turns out she went home
and told her husband all about the amazing student who took the initiative to create
an underwater basketweaving club at school, to which her husband said "It's a joke." She told
me about it last night at Back to School Night. I kid you not.
5) About this time every year I start wondering why I've agreed to be the facilities coordinator
for the local fall SCBWI conference. Okay, that's probably more Grouchy than Befuddled.
Wishing everyone clear, concise thoughts and actions today and throughout the weekend!
I wonder if Agnes will deliver meals to my home?
1) This is the last weekend before school starts
2) so Wildebeest and Zebu are cramming as much as they can
into these final days of freedom
3) while I try to adjust to the fact I now have a high school senior and sophomore
4) and the fact that I'm no spring chicken and pretty soon will be an even older chicken
left alone in the roost with Zippy
5) which actually doesn't frighten me the way it seems to freak out some people I know
6) because I've always had my own thing going on independent of my kids but, still,
a senior and a sophomore? Really? Me?
photo by Zippy
(As an aside, may I mention how frustrating it is to post on LiveJournal these days? Wonky spacing, etc.)
I actually have no idea what my word count is right now
because I'm writing in chapter chunks and don't really care
about total word count.
All I know is I'm back in the 1000-words-per-day saddle
and it's the best thing happening for me these days.
I'm a little past the halfway point in this first draft
and I'm going to push on through to the end.
I hope to finish before our fall conference in a month
because then I'll show up there feeling like a champ.
You heard it here first, folks: Tracy is going to feel like a champ.
image from morguefile.com
(For those pondering the significance of this image:
I went to morguefile.com and put "champ" into the search engine,
hoping I'd get the image of a boxer such as Muhammad Ali.
Nope. Only boxer dogs)
My heart hurts.
I’m not even sure where to begin with this story
that involves an eccentric old juniper tree and a neighbor.
Short story: neighbor didn’t like eccentric juniper tree
that grew behind my fence in a Dr. Seuss-like fashion,
and over the years advocated for cutting it down because
the not-conventionally-attractive tree interfered with her view.
I defended the tree on the grounds it partially blocked my
view of the enormous new house down the hill but also
stated that I liked the tree because it had character.
Neighbor continued to advocate for removal and last year
I begrudgingly said she could cut off the very top five feet or
so of the droopy, swamp creature-esque tree. Neighbor
did nothing until one night this past week when we had another
conversation about the tree. I repeated that I liked the tree because it had
character and because it blocked the house below, but that she could top it off.
I’m sure you’ve guessed what happened.
On Saturday afternoon, while I was home and completely unaware,
my neighbor came into my yard, went behind the fence and butchered the tree
so that it now just reaches above the fence.
As soon as I walk onto my patio and face downhill, I see the scarred remains jutting over
the fence. Behind it I see the enormous house down below. Then I close my eyes
and see the off-center, funky old juniper that used to provide habitat for birds and squirrels.
I’m crying as I write this.
I feel as if I let down that tree, that I should not have made any assumptions
about how it would be treated by my neighbor.
I wish I could rewind the tape and handle the whole situation differently.
Yesterday while I was writing a letter to my neighbor about the hurt and anger I felt,
Zippy discovered a card from her in our front door.
Neighbor’s card said a tree was being planted in a National Forest in my honor
and also that she’d plant another tree behind the fence if I wished.
She apologized and said she’d never do that again.
My anger is mostly gone but I cannot shake the sadness.
I’m not sure how to move forward.
It feels disrespectful to leave the tree as is but I don’t know if I can cut it down.
Yesterday morning when I stood next to it, crying, a bird flew from the lower branches.
This whole situation has affected my health and I can’t see how it’s ever going to get easier.
Whenever I face that direction I’ll either see where the tree used to be or its mangled remains.
Neither feels like a good choice.
Tracy Abell 