Dreamspinner Press discussion

I'm trying to talk the kid into running off to Fiji and living in a bure. We have reached a stumbling block over the term "composting toilet". I'm also trying to talk him into taking the Greyhound bus across country- I think that would be quite an adventure.

Anyone have plans?

Fiji sounds a lot more fun to me than Greyhound. And composting toilets are really no big deal - they are likely better than the bus stations!

I'm horrible at planning trips. In the past I was a vagabond, but now I've got 2 kids so it's not so easy to just pick up and go. Also, I'm a hiker/camper and my hubs is a 5 star "hoteler" so we're challenged to find middle ground.

We are trying to get back to southern Cali to see family this summer. My family has three babies I haven't seen yet, including twins!

kel wrote: "Fiji sounds a lot more fun to me than Greyhound. And composting toilets are really no big deal - they are likely better than the bus stations!

I'm horrible at planning trips. In the past I was a..."

your hubby sounds like my kid! I keep thinking he'll grow up and I can go roaming around on my own, but there doesn't seem to be much forward movement in that direction-

Tj wrote: "We are trying to get back to southern Cali to see family this summer. My family has three babies I haven't seen yet, including twins!"

New babies! that's the best.

I will be busy at least two weeks this summer being the arts and crafts leader at a couple of day camps. The rest of the summer I will be working in my garden and trying to stay cool while SCROUNGING up gas money to get to the beach.

Man, no kidding! Gas is at 3.50 a gallon in Boise and I expect it to keep going up. Why hasn't some bright MIT girl made us a solar car we can afford?

Arts and crafts sounds fun- My kid loved those prints made from carving into styrofoam

I'm going on a spiritual retreat in June with my mom and sister and aunt.

This October I have a destination wedding cruise. In September I have my sister-from-another-mister's commitment ceremony. I have to go to Toronto sometime this summer and help them both pick out wedding dresses.

Oh, I'd take gas for 3.50 - cannot find it for less than 4.00 in my area (SF). And speaking of crazy smart MIT girls, maybe Limor Fried will offer a solar car kit on adafruit?

Laddie- sounds like you are going to be BUSY!

oh my goodness! I've never seen adafruit before. I have got to have a pair of those brain machine glasses!

http://www.adafruit.com/index.php?mai...

My friends and I are trying to get together in Las Vegas. Yes, in the summer; what am I thinking?? But then, I live in Atlanta, so at least Vegas won't be muggy like it will be here!

Sarah wrote: "oh my goodness! I've never seen adafruit before. I have got to have a pair of those brain machine glasses!

http://www.adafruit.com/index.php?mai...

I think that it would give me a headache not make me meditate

I feel like summer is so far away. it's scary people are thinking about it already =p I guess my summer plans are to find a real job since i'll be graduating in 2 months >.< eek Not looking forward to the "real world"

AshleyAlexis wrote: "I feel like summer is so far away. it's scary people are thinking about it already =p I guess my summer plans are to find a real job since i'll be graduating in 2 months >.< eek Not looking forward..."

the real world doesn't start until Sept 1 after you graduate! So what kind of job are you going to be looking for?

We're just coming to the end of summer here, and I'm looking forward to autumn and the end of daylight saving. We've had a warm muggy summer and it's been too warm to sleep properly at night. I much prefer to curl up with a nice warm heater than try and cool down in front of a fan, especially as the building I work in seems to be the ultimate in 'anti air conditioning'

kel wrote: "Oh, I'd take gas for 3.50 - cannot find it for less than 4.00 in my area (SF). And speaking of crazy smart MIT girls, maybe Limor Fried will offer a solar car kit on adafruit?

Laddie- sounds like ..."

Try $2.18 a litre - about four of those in a gallon - and still rising. A solar car would be great or even better something that powers with wind as we have plenty of that here.

I look forward to doing some work on our house and the garden. I've never had a garden, so I have no clue what to do with it. I planted some roses in the front last weekend, but that's it. Steep learning curve, I guess. :)

Anne wrote: "We're just coming to the end of summer here, and I'm looking forward to autumn and the end of daylight saving. We've had a warm muggy summer and it's been too warm to sleep properly at night. I muc..."

Are you in Australia? I had a co=worker who lived in Indonesia as a child- she always had a portable heater on in her office while I was peeling off clothes!

I was planning to go to Japan and Hong Kong, but due to the current terrible disastrous situation, we (me and my cousin) had to change our plans. At the moment, we really don't know what we'll do, but we wanted to travel in Asia.
However, we're talking about going to the US - New York and Los Angeles - if we cannot find another alternative.

Aleksandr wrote: "I look forward to doing some work on our house and the garden. I've never had a garden, so I have no clue what to do with it. I planted some roses in the front last weekend, but that's it. Steep le..."

What kind of roses? I've always loved those old roses, and the David Austin English roses- Boise has a great rose garden, and my favorite Abraham Darby blooms nearly all year. Those old roses have the best fragrance

SArah - oh yes, definitely. They are all "English" roses, so should have fragrance and big flowers. I've bought red, white, orange, dark purple and mixed colours. Let's hope the little green bits that have emerged mean they'll actually grow & flower. :)

Aleksandr wrote: "SArah - oh yes, definitely. They are all "English" roses, so should have fragrance and big flowers. I've bought red, white, orange, dark purple and mixed colours. Let's hope the little green bits t..."

that's exciting! Be sure and report when you've got your first bloom- I feel like a flasher sometimes- I'll sneak off the path and stand very quietly among the Abraham Darby, just sniffing.

I'll do that. First time I try to grow anything that's not coriander or mint for the kitchen.

so what are you growing- a food garden?

Roses in the front garden and herbs in the kitchen - and that's really it.

I love to look at seed catalogs- especially those heirloom varieties- I think about growing all those cool looking speckled beans- Jacob's Cattle and Anasazi and all the rest- but then I would have to force the kid to eat beans regularly, and I'm not sure he's up to it.

I can see that. :) Maybe I'll do more with the garden - Kent is a good area to grow stuff, generally. Weather's mild and we have a good balance of rain.

i bought the roses in a pound shop, actually. So cheap that I figured what the hell, if they die in the attempt it wasn't a significant amount of money anyway. I'd like to do more with bonsais, too, but my Chinese elm died when I went on holiday. The horrendous heat wave in June/July just killed it dead.

Back to Germany and lakeside at Scharmützelsee, boating, taking care of the lawn and garden, painting, total relaxing with friends I've not seen for a couple of years. Total perfection for me.

Anne wrote: "Try $2.18 a litre - about four of those in a gallon - and still rising. A solar car would be great or even better something that powers with wind as we have plenty of that here."

Yikes! I forgot how expensive gas is outside the US! Years ago when I visited Australia, I decided to drive and surf from Sydney up to Cairns. Well, after a couple tanks of gas, I decided Rockhampton might be far enough...

Sarah wrote: "I love to look at seed catalogs- especially those heirloom varieties- I think about growing all those cool looking speckled beans- Jacob's Cattle and Anasazi and all the rest- but then I would have..."

I tore up my garden and put in vegetables the year my daughter was born. I had this idea that I'd make her food - puree beans, squash, etc. Well, I did it but, of course, she wouldn't eat any of it. She only liked the store bought stuff.

Aleksandr wrote: "I can see that. :) Maybe I'll do more with the garden - Kent is a good area to grow stuff, generally. Weather's mild and we have a good balance of rain.

i bought the roses in a pound shop, actu..."

I like bonsai, though I've never tried them myself. It seems like a real commitment- like you promise to be there for them for years

Red wrote: "Back to Germany and lakeside at Scharmützelsee, boating, taking care of the lawn and garden, painting, total relaxing with friends I've not seen for a couple of years. Total perfection for me."

oh, that sounds wonderful. What kind of painting do you do?

kel wrote: "Sarah wrote: "I love to look at seed catalogs- especially those heirloom varieties- I think about growing all those cool looking speckled beans- Jacob's Cattle and Anasazi and all the rest- but the..."

when my son was very young, I heard him tell one of the check out girls at McDonald's- we like to come here because my mom doesn't know how to cook. News to me!

Sarah - yeah, and trees might even live longer than you do.

Going to Brazil to know my new nephew!!! (born last week!!!)


YEY!

I spend a week every year at Pennsic War, a medieval-themed war between the Midwest and the East Coast. We camp for the entire week--in a 16x16 11foot tall pavilion, with oriental carpeting and handcarved wooden beds--and wear medieval clothing and watch battles and water the fighters and take classes on medieval life and SHOP. It's amazingly fun--the only thing missing is air-conditioning...

Bookwatcher wrote: "Going to Brazil to know my new nephew!!! (born last week!!!)


YEY!"

New babies! Yipee! Great graphic!

Rowan wrote: "I spend a week every year at Pennsic War, a medieval-themed war between the Midwest and the East Coast. We camp for the entire week--in a 16x16 11foot tall pavilion, with oriental carpeting and han..."

wow, how fun is that? Are you east coast or midwestern? That's the best summer camp for grownups I've ever heard of.

I am a devoted subject of the glorious Middle Kingdom, which annually takes up arms to defend the Kingdom of Aethelmarc from the evil depredations of the East Kingdom. Of course, if you were to talk to one of those vile Easterners, you would get a different story. :D
And yes--best summer camp ever!!

Sarah wrote: "Red wrote: "Back to Germany and lakeside at Scharmützelsee, boating, taking care of the lawn and garden, painting, total relaxing with friends I've not seen for a couple of years. Total perfection ..."

We've an art group which comes down from Berlin each Saturday in summer, and it rotates who chooses the medium and theme. This way we learn always something new or to improve. My personal preference is in oil or acrylic.

kel wrote: "Anne wrote: "Try $2.18 a litre - about four of those in a gallon - and still rising. A solar car would be great or even better something that powers with wind as we have plenty of that here."

Yike..."



I'm in New Zealand. I know the temperatures we've had are nothing compared to Australia but I wilt in heat so feeling them as they're hotter than I'm used to/am comfortable in.

Summer in Texas, especially the last few years, has been blazing hot. Last year we drove all over the midwest to escape it, but this year we're trying not to spend so much. So for me it will be prime writing time, hopefully in the air conditioning, in the converted child's bedroom that by then should be my office. After that, looking forward to the Gay Romance Lit Retreat in New Orleans! That's in October. New Orleans will still be steamy then, though.

I was down in Big Bend capming, and we looked at all those old adobe houses with the thick walls and the deep overhanging roofs- I thought that would probably work, if you could sleep from 10 to 4, because even in an adobe house, it was still too hot to move.

NOT STUDYING.

Sue wrote: "NOT STUDYING."

This I wish I could do. Finishing up my degree in Psychology, so no possibility of taking a break.

Red wrote: "Sue wrote: "NOT STUDYING."

This I wish I could do. Finishing up my degree in Psychology, so no possibility of taking a break."

By the end of April I should have finished by dissertation (undergrad) and two essays. Then I have an odd semester to do in September because I started at an time. I am going to use the time to write my socks off and reclaim the heap that is my house.

I don't know how it will play out, as I do more writing projects of my own in summer than any other time of the year, but I start an internship (I'm a grad student) which will involve a lot of work related reports and articles. We'll see how it goes however, the lakehouse inspires peace.

Red wrote: "I don't know how it will play out, as I do more writing projects of my own in summer than any other time of the year, but I start an internship (I'm a grad student) which will involve a lot of work..."

I hope to start an MPhil next year if I can work out how to fund it. I'm going to enjoy this summer.

The lakehouse sounds wonderful.

Good luck with that, and yea enjoy the summer.

I was getting a homesick and anxious to catch my flight home, so I posted some photos of it on Queer Magazine Online. I know some authors from DSP have profiles there, as do I. http://www.queermagazineonline.com/in...

I'll be there soon!

Sarah wrote: "AshleyAlexis wrote: "I feel like summer is so far away. it's scary people are thinking about it already =p I guess my summer plans are to find a real job since i'll be graduating in 2 months >.

..."

haha. Well I currently work part time at a rec center. I hope to get a full time job there once I get a degree. I've also been interning at the Boys and Girls club so thats and option although I hate it >.< I'm pretty much looking for anything in the non profit sector. I hope to get a job soon since i'm mentally preparing myself to get steamy in the big easy at the gay romlit retreat =p Sooo It would be nice to not eat ramen for the next couple months to make sure I can do it lol

So my summer will be about making money for the fall ^.^