Science Fiction Tuesday

I'm not exactly a science fiction buff but I like some sci fi movies and I really like the one sci fi book that I've read: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin. I'm re-reading it now and it's just as absorbing as it was the first time around. The plot centers around an envoy to a planet where people are androgynous and can become either sex during a certain period every month. Even though this fact by itself is so provocative, the book isn't really about that. It's more about the precarious process of discovering how things work in a very different culture as well as an exciting adventure story with lots of frozen tundra involved. We could use some of that icy tundra action in Louisville right now - it's 90 degrees and very humid!

We also watched the Steven Spielberg movie A.I. last night (DVR'ed) for the second time. I first saw A.I. when it came out, which seems to be a while ago since Haley Joel Osment is now old enough to drink and drive. It's an interesting concept that robots can be constructed to love humans, with no guarantee of course that the humans are going to love them back. However, even though it's wrenching when the human mom abandons the robot kid in the middle of nowhere, I have to admit that a small part of me didn't blame her. Here's a kid who pops up with a fixed smile around every corner, is super eager to please, and just wants ever so hard to be part of the family. On paper he's perfect; in real life, he would be a little creepy. So while I was tearing up at the touching moments, I was also laughing (wickedly I'm sure) at Haley Joel Osment's character. It didn't spoil my enjoyment of the movie though. It's definitely worth seeing if you haven't watched it in a while, or ever. That's it for my one and only science fiction post this year!

Of Flowers and Anchorage (Kentucky, not Alaska!)

Fernando (aka hubby) bought me these beautiful red and white roses - for some reason, that's a popular combination in Louisville grocery stores. These are perfect for my desk! I keep looking at them as I'm working at my laptop and they make me smile. They're also an incentive to stay at my desk and be a good little medical writer.

We had an interesting restaurant experience recently at the Village Anchor Pub & Roost in Anchorage, a picturesque suburb of Louisville that's 10 minutes away from our apartment. From the outside, it looks like an unassuming pub in a well-kept building (the refurbished Anchorage train depot). Inside it was hopping! We got the last table because we didn't have a reservation, and we saw them turn away several people who came in soon after us. After a moment of feeling undeservedly smug, we checked out the menu.

Prices were on the steep side for pub fare (the fish and chips and fried chicken entrees were $16 each) and there weren't too many items that sparked my interest. However, I've been meaning to try a Hot Brown since coming to Louisville so this seemed as good a time as any. I can't speak for other Hot Browns but at the Village Anchor, the dish is a very cheesy casserole with lots of bacon and cherry tomatoes. Overall it was quite yummy although you'd never guess it's a sandwich at heart.

More interesting is the quirky vibe of the place, evident in the framed pictures crowding the ceiling instead of the walls. When we asked for the bill, I raised an eyebrow when our waiter plonked down a well-worn romance novel with "pearl" in the title. Nah, I thought, he can't be reading this. He quickly explained that that's how they presented the bill, as a bookmark in an old romance novel. Nice touch. It made me think of this online romance writing contest that I tried my hand at a few years ago. It's amazingly fun to write a romance novel actually! You can be as campy and over-the-top as you want, and let's face it, we could all use a lot more of that in our lives:)  

First Post Ever!

Hi Readers,
This is my first post on my first blog, so I'm new to the blogging world! I'm thinking of blogging about being a work-from-home writer to connect with other people who are telecommuting, writing, or just want to connect! I also need an outlet for more fun, let-it-all-hang-loose type of writing because the writing I do for work is very technical and precise. I might also talk about creative writing, moving to a new city, food, my favorite books and movies...you get the picture. Basically whatever catches my fancy and passion! I'd love to hear your thoughts and stories too.