What a novel idea

So Erin and I are going to Phoenix to visit my mom for Christmas, and it's going to cost alot to get there. Therefore, we have decided not to buy presents for each other, and instead we made a deal to each write a novel by Christmas day. November is actually National Novel Writing Month, but we decided a late start was better than no start.

So today I began outlining. I am having my students write a historical fiction piece as a culmination of our reading and writing instruction this year, so I figured that I would begin with the same genre. I am basically going to follow the model I will be teaching them later this year, only in greater depth. They will write short stories but mine will be longer.

So here's the gist so far: The story surrounds the Watermelon War in Panama City, 1856. This real event will be used to frame the narrative.

Angel de Soto is the son of a recently freed slave in Colon, Panama. He and his father operate Colon's first non-railroad owned printing press. They are somewhat at odds w/ the Railroad administrator due to being competitors w/ the company paper. Angel believes that at the other end of the line, blacks are respected and treated as equals. Unhappy with his father's passivity concerning the family business and their racist treatment, Angel hops the train to go to Panama City to see for himself how things are on the other side.

He gets caught up in the riot that occurs, and comes to realize that racism is not always where you expect to find it, nor is charity.

Anyway, I fully expect to have it done by Christmas. That being said, I am not too concerned with it being good. I just want to do it.

Not much else to say. Here are a few more pics:

Leaf-peeping in the neighborhood near the river

Erin, Nick and I went for a walk today, and this is what we saw.

Fall in Idaho

Not much to say lately... just some more pictures from the last month or so.

More Camera Fun

Erin, Nick and I went out for burgers and soft-serve at the Fanci-Freeze this evening. It was a beautiful night, so on the way home we stopped off and walked along the greenbelt next to the river to see if there was anything interesting to photograph. Here a few of the pics we took, along with some others from this week. I'm actually planning on reading the directions that came with the camera tonight, so hopefully the quality will improve. One of the nice things about this camera is that it catches details you don't notice when taking the picture. For example, the eyes on the spider pic are pretty cool I think.

My town can beat up your town

OK, maybe not. Actually, everyone here is so damned nice I doubt it would ever come to physical blows.

In any case, if I had it to do over again, I'd have moved here to Boise straight from Lubbock and by-passed the 9 years in Vegas (Boise was on the table before we even left Texas).

I really wish all of my friends in Texas would come here for a visit, because it so much like Austin here that it's uncanny. A huge music scene, a committed (and practical)activist community, generally liberal political bent, etc. Plus, within an hour's drive there are so many wild places to explore. AND, Boise has the benefit of NOT being in Texas. Maybe after Texas Secedes, you can come for a visit and decide to move here.

I haven't posted in awhile because there have been so many little things that have made me happy and that I've wanted to brag on that I feared I'd get on everyone's nerves. So instead of focusing on that stuff, I am going to focus on the new camera we recently bought. Erin and I have wanted a digital SLR for years now, and we finally got one. I don't know much yet about good photography, but the camera makes up for my deficiencies, and I am going to learn, either through as community group or a class. Anyway, here are a few photos I took today; the first batch from our brand-new Canon! :)











And this last one was taken by Nick. Pretty good for the first time out, I'd say!

You've been... Christmas'd

I was cleaning up links in my browser when I came across this site, INSTRUCTABLES, which I used for science club ideas a few years ago. As I was browsing all the neat projects, I came across the coolest gun ever:



I do believe I will be building one of these with my class this year.

Mah-wedge, Sweet Mah-wedge

So E and I have been married eight years today.

DAAAANG!

It's good to be me.

In other news this week...

- Saw excellent film called "Moon" at Flicks, the Indie theater downtown (think Alamo theater, but a little smaller)

- Took old computers and electronics to be recycled, then hit the Fly Shop to buy some grasshopper patterns

- Went to Saturday market, and it was an actual market w/ lots of locally produced veggies, art and crafts. Bought a neat spoon. And some dill cheese curds

- Ate BBQ and did some fishing on Grimes Creek and Mores creek.
Score: Tyson 2, fish 0

- Went to UU church on Sunday: sermon was on how "Battlestar Galactica" relates to improving our own lives

- Visited DK Nature Center downtown: full of trout and birds, and is free

- Finally found an excellent pizza joint w/ thin crispy-crust pizzas at "Protos", again downtown

- More milkshakes from Boise Fry Company

- Benefits orientation w/ school district

That's about it.