Welcome to Chicago with Noon and Wilder! Come Play In the Windy City – The Art Institute

Posted on April 1, 2016 by a.catherine.noonApril 1, 2016

Welcome to Chicago with Noon and Wilder, and the A-Z of the Windy City.

Over the next month, we’ll be visiting parts of the third largest city in the United States – home of not one, but two baseball teams, (Go Cubbies!), an American football team, basketball and hockey teams. And those are just the pros – the city is known for Chicago-style softball leagues, beachfront volleyball, soccer, tennis, and many more. That’s just the sports. We also have some of the best museums and galleries in the world. Of course, the best part of Chicago, if we do say so ourselves, is the fact that our series The Chicagoland Shifters is set right here.

Image used under Creative Commons, retrieved 04/03/2016 from Wikemedia Commons.

Our journey begins at The Art Institute, a museum and a school of art and design.

I first visited the Art Institute my very first week after moving here. It’s a hard place to miss, I’m told – there are the famous lions standing guard out front, it’s right on Michigan Avenue, and it’s not far from the lake.

Image used under Creative Commons, retrieved 04/03/2016 from Wikimedia Commons.

There’s only one problem: Chicago is flat as a pancake.

To someone from the west coast, navigating using natural topographic features is second-nature. The big mount is north, the lower range is west, etc. How do you do that on the flat plains of the Midwest? I asked this of my friends. “Use the lake,” they advised. “Lake Michigan, you mean?” “Yup.” “Um, how do I see the lake, if it’s totally flat and there are buildings in the way?” “You develop lake-dar.”

Lake-dar. Like radar, only for a lake. What do I look like, I bird?

Birds have small iron deposits in their bodies that help them determine where north is. It turns out, so do humans; it’s in the bridge of our nose. It’s not lake-dar, but over time, I have been able to keep a handle on where north is and keep my bearings in a city that defies navigation by mountain.

My first visit, however, I set out with the self-confidence of a tourist and marched down the street to go visit the Art Institute.

And for the record?

I was going the exact wrong direction.

So much for lake-dar.

Visit us Saturday for a trip to Wilmette and the Bahai Temple.

Thank you for joining us for the A-Z Blog Challenge. If you’re blogging in the challenge, please leave us a link so I can come visit you too. If you have a moment, please check out these other fine blogs:

The theme at Noony’s blog, Explore the Worlds of A. Catherine Noon, is The A To Z of the Zoo. Join her as she explores Brookfield Zoo and finds animals, birds, and insects from A to Z.

Noony’s theme on Knoontime Knitting – One Writer’s Journey Into 3-D craft blog is Letterforms In Nature. She’ll be exploring her daily round, looking for shapes in the natural world and build environment.

The Nice Girls Writing Naughty have a new home, and we’re blogging in the challenge again this year. Throughout the month you’ll be hearing from each of the Nice Girls, and during the RT Booklovers Convention from April 12th to the 17th, you’ll be getting live convention reports. Join the conversation!

The Writer Zen Garden’s brand new website is up and running, and we’re bringing you posts from Noon & Wilder; the talented Darla M. Sands – a blogger in her own right, see below; as well as Grace Kahlo, Evey Brown, and author Tina Holland. Check it out!

Our friends who are participating in the challenge (and if you’re not on this list, tell me and we’ll add you!):

Darla M. Sands, Awakening Dreams and Conquering Nightmares with a Pen
Kari Trenten, The Cauldron of Eternal Inspiration

Write on, and Happy Blogging!

Luck O’ The Irish! Enter To Win $100 Gift Card and Other Prizes. Plus, Blog Posts from Noony!

Posted on March 16, 2016 by a.catherine.noonMarch 16, 2016

Do I have a party for you, Dear Reader! It’s in full swing, and you can enter to win a $100 Gift Card from the online retailer Amazon, plus many more prizes from participating authors. When you go to the site, be sure to enter both drawings on the right-hand panel. Plus, each of the authors can write up to five blog posts each day, which I took as a challenge. Of course I did. I’m Noony. ~grin~

So, what are you waiting for? Check it out!

Sunday, March 13th

(Note – I don’t have any posts on the 12th due to a family emergency, but there is plenty of content from my fellow authors so don’t be shy!)

Monday, March 14th

Tuesday, March 15th

Wednesday, March 16th

Thursday, St. Patrick’s Day!

Gone Visiting… with a Fairy Tale!

Posted on March 13, 2016 by a.catherine.noonMarch 13, 2016

I’ve gone visiting! The fabulous Delilah Devlin invited me back for a guest post, and I wrote a short little ficlet yesterday about early birds and worms. Won’t you join me?

Tuesday with the Tauruses – Bin It!

Posted on March 1, 2016 by a.catherine.noonMarch 1, 2016

Rachel and I are both Tauruses. And, like most Tauruses, we like home and hearth.

This sometimes means that we collect stuff for use in home and hearth that’s seasonal, and needs to be put in its place when not in use – to abide by the dictum, a place for everything and everything in its place, of course.

What to do then?

Rachel came up with a great idea. Use large plastic storage bins for things like holiday ornaments, emergency kit food, and off-season clothing. If you keep your eyes peeled, you can even find color-coded bins available – orange for Halloween, say.

What about you, Dear Reader? How do you store your stuff?

I Don’t Like Green Food – How To Eat Better

Posted on February 9, 2016 by a.catherine.noonFebruary 9, 2016

We all know them – the finicky eaters who won’t eat stuff that’s good for them. I once had a friend try to tell me that taking supplements would mean she could completely avoid eating any fruits and vegetables, (it doesn’t). But what do you do if you’re one of the finicky folks and you know you genuinely need to eat better, but you just don’t want to?

First, know you’re not alone.

Second, start with what you do like. When Rachel said she didn’t like vegetables, and only wanted to eat cheese, some meat, and bread, we sat down and figured out what she would be willing to eat.

Try starting with the colors. Experts recommend that we consume five colors of fruits and vegetables a day. Rachel gleefully pounced on that and said that cheese is orange. Yes, cheese IS orange. It is NOT, however, a fruit or a vegetable. Nice try. ~grin~ What are the colors?

Think of the rainbow:

Red
Orange/Yellow
Green
Blue/Violet
White

Here’s a handy list to help you brainstorm:

Circle everything on this list that you like or can tolerate. Then, focus on including those in your diet as much as possible.

What about you, Dear Reader? What are your favorite fruits and vegetables?

Monday Morning Pages – Routine

Posted on February 8, 2016 by a.catherine.noonFebruary 8, 2016

Routine is habit’s little sister, the one that doesn’t get all the press. It’s the small, daily activities that we do that either give us peace or create chaos. In many ways, our routine can make or break us.

Is it our routine to get up early and putter around the house, maybe do some journaling or chores? Or is it our routine to hit the “snooze” button until the last possible moment, only to careen out of the house with toothpaste on our chin, barely ready for the day? It’s worth considering whether our routines are leading us in the direction we want them to or, instead, hindering our best-laid plans.

The nice thing about routine is that it doesn’t have any drama around it. It just is. We do it because it’s our routine, because that’s what we do at a particular time or day. Morning pages, for example, become a routine. We don’t write them because we’re a writer, and not even because we should write them; we write them because it’s our routine to write them in the morning. What’s more, when we break our routine, we feel disjointed and out of sorts.

Routine, then, can help keep us on track.

So how do we use routine to make the life we want?

We first have to decide what we want in our lives, yes? That’s sometimes easier said than done. Let’s start smaller. What do we want to include in our lives that we’re not yet doing? Maybe it’s writing our journal or morning pages on a daily basis, or going to the gym. Maybe it’s picking up what we put down and preventing clutter from accumulating. Pick one thing.

Now, do that one thing, just because you do it. Not because it’s Going To Lead To Big Things, and not even because It’s What We Want To Do. Just do it because it’s a routine, because it’s something we do at a particular time and place.

So tell me, Dear Reader: what’s your one thing?

Sunday Journal – Why Cats?

Posted on February 7, 2016 by a.catherine.noonFebruary 7, 2016

Fur. It’s everywhere. Yesterday I got home from my day job and sat down at my desk to write. My middle cat, Nadya, hopped up on my lap for some cuddles. I pet her, and loved on her, and she jumped down.

And I had fur in my glasses. Between the glass and my eyeball. Hrr???

So why do we put up with this?

Because cats are cuddle muffins. An Austrian friend of ours calls it “snoogling.” Cats are great snooglers. He believes male cats, especially large ones, are better snooglers.

I think it depends on the context. For example, if I’m at my desk, Nadya will climb up on the shredder to my right and then onto my lap. She knows she’s not supposed to be on the desk, but she’ll wedge herself between my stomach and the desk and lean… on… my… hands… while… I… try… to… type… sajs;lkdfjl;dkja;ls…

She full on lies across my husband’s mousing arm when he’s trying to work on photo editing for his business.

Boria, our largest and oldest cat, isn’t interested in snoogling if you’re looking at him. He’ll only snoogle if you don’t look at him and “don’t notice” he’s there.

This is difficult when he’s twenty pounds and white.

He likes to pin your legs to the couch or the bed. In fact, I think my kid’s legs are stunted because he grew up with a cat on them. (This is an inside joke, because my kid is a head taller than me or my husband.)

And then there’s Kolya. Most of the time he runs around like his tail’s on fire. But when he wants to cuddle, it’s when I pull out my journal. Or my knitting. Or my loom. Or my beads. Or… You get the picture.

I wish *I* could get the picture, because his other favorite thing to do is chew on my glasses. I have to put them in their hard case at night, or risk waking up to perforated spectacles. My last pair had little teeth marks all over the ear pieces from when he was a baby and before I was on to his dastardly plans. Now we know better.

And then there’s when they barf on the bed because of fur balls. Or, my favorite, on the lintel of the bathroom, right before I get up to go in there and am not yet awake, nor wearing my glasses, so I can’t see the floor clearly. The stuff oozes between your toes and you know you’ve been gotten by a smug ball of fur that will soon be a hat, complete with tail.

Remind me, why do we have cats again?

Oh, yes. The snoogling.

What about you, Dear Reader? What are your favorite pets?

Throwback Thursday – Suffering from amnesia / a talking dog / refused to leave the bathtub.

Posted on January 21, 2016 by a.catherine.noonJanuary 21, 2016

Introduction: I love writing from writing prompts. Over the years, I’ve amassed a collection of story bits from various prompt circles and exercises. A particularly fun one to play with is called The Amazing Story Generator. You pick three pieces at random and write a story based on what comes up.

Writing Prompt:

Suffering from amnesia
A talking dog
Refused to leave the bathtub

Flash Fiction Snippet:

“No.”

“Ralph, come on. You have to get out of that tub! Now!”

“Why? And who are you, anyway?”

“Oh, Ralph. I’m Louise.”

“Louise, come on. Just leave him in there.”

“Dad, you can’t. He’s gonna clog the drain!”

“Janey, don’t whine. And put your phone down; this does not need to go on Facebook.”

“Oh, Mom.”

“I’m hungry. Are you people part of my pack? Where’s the food?”

“Yes, hello? Animal Control? Harry, I got through. Yes, hello? This is Louis Hancock and six-two-five Crescent. The dog won’t get out of the tub.”

“Damn right I won’t. None of you will give me a straight answer. I’m hungry, too. Hey, is that a cat? I could eat a cat.”

“Mooom!”

“Yes, he’s a Siberian Husky, but he’s from Canada, not Siberia. He doesn’t have any Russian accent at all. What? Who? No, Harry’s from Poughkeepsie. The dog’s from Saskatoon.”

“Janey, your mother said no Facebook. Ralph, you may not eat the cat. You love that cat. You’ve known him since he was a kitten.”

Want to give it a try, Dear Reader?

Throwback Thursday – The Martian Babies

Posted on January 7, 2016 by a.catherine.noonJanuary 7, 2016

The Martian Babies

“Xaxon, you space hound! How have you been?” The hail came from behind Xaxon Broxes and he turned.

“Javnon Pequent?” Xaxon blurted. “Is that really you?”

Javnon strode up, his lemon-yellow ship-knits clashing horribly with his shock of long orange hair. “Of course it’s me, you pirate! You still piloting that elderly old bird of yours?”

“The ZX-5 is the best in its class,” Xaxon retorted stiffly.

“Of course it is!” Javnon agreed airily. “Come. Buy me a drink?”

By the time Xaxon realized the direction of the suggested transaction, Javnon had already clamped onto his arm and was leading him steadily toward the central grav bar. It floated, gently bobbing, the anti-grav field generators nearly invisible under the heavy synth-wood construction. Brilliant cyan electrified gas tubs leant the drinkers a cadaverous air, but Javnon elbowed his way in to plunk his ample bottom on a stool and dragged Xaxon down onto the adjacent one.

“Two Glaks!” Javnon boomed.

The bartender, a pert Saturnian with electric fuchsia hair and perky breasts – all four of them, nodded, bored. She set the foaming brown sludge in front of Javnon and waited expectantly. Xaxon sighed and swiped his credit chit. She flounced away while Javnon turned to him.

“So. How did you make out in the Martian debacle?” Javnon all but whispered, looking around furtively.

Xaxon shrugged. “I wasn’t stupid enough to get my nose in on that one,” he answered and took a sip. The Glak was stale, but washed a parsec’s worth of space dust out of his mouth.

“Stupid. Yes, hmm, well,” Javnon mumbled. He took a long swig of his Glak and burped phenomenally.

“Nice one,” Xaxon murmured. “You, um, didn’t actually give them money, did you?”

Javnon sighed. “Yes, actually.” He waited a moment, then added plaintively, “It seemed like such a good deal, too!”

Xaxon nodded sympathetically. “But don’t you know the Martians love to defraud us?” he admonished gently. “I mean, what did Binxman say?”

Javnon flushed. “She left me,” he said into his Glak. “Six cycles ago, actually. Got fed up and left me for a Wormhole wildcatter, lucky bloke.”

Xaxon felt a flash of envy. He took a sip of his drink to cover it and looked at Javnon. “You didn’t lose a lot, I hope.”

“Most of it,” Javnon admitted. He glanced at Xaxon so quickly that Xaxon only got a flash of green eye and then was looking at Javnon’s ear again. “The ship, too.”

Suddenly everything made sense. Xaxon’s heart sank. Sure enough, Javnon looked at him pleadingly.

“You don’t have space in your crew, do you? I mean, even if it is just a ZX-5…” he trailed off.

Xaxon thought it was rich to insult his bird at the same time as he asked for a job. But, he’d known Javnon for a long time. “I’ll think about it,” he hedged. “I just might have need of a mechanic.”

“Not a Starnav?” Javnon said hopefully.

Xaxon laughed at that. “You don’t think small, do you?”

Javnon looked guilty, but met his eyes easily enough. “No,” he agreed cheerfully.

Xaxon made his decision. “All right. Meet me at Bay 14 at oh-nineteen station-side.”

Javnon beamed. “Thank you! You won’t regret this!”

Xaxon wasn’t entirely sure he agreed with that, but shook hands dutifully. He checked his chrono and stood. He downed the rest of his Glak in one shot and patted Javnon’s shoulder. “I’ll see you shipside,” he said and left the bar.

He arrived only five minutes late for his appointment with the prostitute. She let him take his time and didn’t overwhelm him with exotic positions, and he enjoyed himself immensely. He even left her a thirty-percent tip in gratitude.

He reached the ZX-5 five minutes before oh-nineteen and saw Javnon waiting with four heavy carbonite crates. He slowed, frowning.

“What the asteroid is that?” he blurted.

Javnon flushed, looking furtive. “It’s just a little cargo, Xaxon. Nothing too weighty…”

Xaxon stopped. “What is it, Pequent? I’ll not have contraband on my ship.”

“It’s not contraband,” Javnon protested. “It’s … um, specimens.”

“Of what, Pequent?” Xaxon pressed.

“Martians,” Javnon whispered, glancing around fearfully. “We should go…”

Xaxon was thunderstruck. He started to step forward, to yell or thrash Javnon’s ridiculous red-headed body, he hadn’t decided. The station klaxon let out with an almighty squeal and Javnon’s face drained of color.

“All ships not cleared for station undock are detained by order of Stationmaster Sylipsyn,” a voice intoned. “All ships not cleared for station undock are detained by order of Stationmaster Sylipsyn.” The voice droned on, repeating its warning in Martian, Salubrian, and even Saturnian – although hearing Sylipsyn pronounced in Saturnian would have made a cat laugh. Unfortunately, Xaxon was not a cat. Nor in a good humor.

“Get on board,” he snapped. He snatched the controls for the nearest crate and jammed the button down. He thumbed his comlink in his collar. “Minkis, coming aboard now. Four new crates and one mechanic. Clear station now, before lockdown. Is that clear?”

There was a startled pause and then Minkis responded. “Aye, sir.”

Xaxon was relieved Minkis was on duty. He was calm in a crisis. He swept on board, Javnon behind him, and they stowed the crates in cargo bay 2.

“Strap in,” Xaxon snapped at Javnon and moved aft to the bridge. Javnon, after momentary indecision, stumbled along behind him. Xaxon ignored him. If he wanted to fly about during undock, fine.

Maybe he’d break that red-headed noggin and save Xaxon the trouble.

They cleared the station doors just before they started to close. Xaxon strapped into the Captain’s lounge and watched Javnon slip into the Starnav’s console. Minkis thumbed a switch and the wormhole flared to life.

“Here we go,” Xaxon murmured.

“Let’s hope they don’t follow us,” Javnon whispered nervously.

Xaxon turned his lounge to stare at him. “Who?”

Javnon turned innocent green eyes to him. “Their parents, of course!”

Originally appeared on Explore the Worlds of A. Catherine Noon, 03/14/2008.

Monday Morning Pages – Using Diary Techniques

Posted on January 4, 2016 by a.catherine.noonJanuary 4, 2016

Writing a journal or diary has a long history. It’s taken many forms throughout the years, and diarists have developed tools that help get at the heart of the self.

Two of my favorites are cathartic writing and listing.

In cathartic writing, we write about something that evokes strong emotions – a memory or an event that happened to us. If we’ve experienced trauma, it’s a good idea to do this with the assistance of a therapist. But cathartic writing can help us get the emotion out of our heads and onto the page, where we can begin to work with it and make it something positive.

In listing, we make lists of related things. They might be lists of tasks to accomplish, or it might be lists of places we’ve lived – roommates, pets, apartments, etc. Listing can be a way to free associate – for example, start with coffee and make a list of all the beverages you can think of. Setting a timer for five minutes can help add structure to this exercise. Try listing things in your bedroom at home, if you’re away from home; or your office, if you’re at home. Use it to strengthen memory, by listing everything in your bedroom growing up at the age of five, then eight, then twelve.

What about you, Dear Reader? What tools do you like to use in your journal?