Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

This past year has been hectic (to say the least) for me, so in case I've forgotten to send you a card or wish you an appropriate season's greeting in person (or online), this is my last ditch effort to make amends!

The photo below I took a few years ago at my husband's cousin's home in rural Norfolk, England. It's epitomizes a country Christmas to me...

For all my friends who celebrate Christmas, the following I borrowed from Mom's church's newsletter:

Why Jesus is Better Than Santa Claus

• Santa lives at the North Pole--JESUS is everwhere!
• Santa rides in a sleigh--JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.
• Santa comes to your home once a year --JESUS is an ever present help.
• Santa fills your stockings with goodies --JESUS supplies all your needs.
• Santa comes down your chimney uninvited--JESUS stands at your door, knocks and then enters your heart.
• You have to wait in line to see Santa--JESUS is as close as the mention of his name.
• Santa lets you sit on his lap--JESUS lets you rest in his arms.
• Santa doesn't know your name. All he can say is "Hi, little boy or girl, what's your name?" JESUS knew our name before we did. (Not only does he know our name, he knows our address, too. He knows our history and future and he even knows how many hairs are on our heads.)
• Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly --JESUS has a heart full of love.
• All Santa can offer is "Ho, ho, ho!" JESUS offers health, help and hope.
• Santa says "You'd better not cry." JESUS says, "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you."
• Santa's little helpers make toys--JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds us mansions in heaven.
• Santa may make you chuckle, but JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.
• While Santa puts gifts under your tree, JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.

It's obvious there is really no comparison. We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about. We need to put Christ back into Christmas. Jesus is still the reason for the season.

Yes, Jesus is better, even better than Santa Claus.

Merry CHRISTmas!!!

Our "Frosty" sends you warm wishes for a very happy new year, too! :-)

My Angels

Christmas is a time for angels—angels on my tree, angels on my cards, angels on my door wreath. But angels don’t only present themselves for the holidays. Even if we don’t acknowledge them, they exist all year round. Angels surround us and guide us and nurture us. How can I honor some of my “angels”—those wonderful individuals who have helped me navigate through the rough waters of this past year?

I hand-painted some angel ornaments to present my personal angels as “awards” for their love and assistance, but my poor excuse for art can never be enough to thank them for the help and understanding they’ve given me.

To Elaine (and Doris), my angels at Authorlink: Thanks for another year of work and wonderment reading all those fascinating manuscripts. Here's to a better year in 2009!

To Irfan and Alma, my angels of car repair: Thanks for helping me band-aid my 12 year-old car together for yet another year. Your friendly optimism and auto expertise have kept me on the road for a minimum of cash outlay. And Alma—your Bosnian coffee can’t be beat!

To Joyce and Jerry, my angels of understanding and moral support: You’ve allowed me to help you with your mission to teach English as a Second Language to the immigrant community for six years now. You rescued me from the hospital E.R. when I was without transportation, and given me rides to a job interview and to the airport. Your smiles and belief in me keep me going when I feel overwhelmed. A mere “thank you” can never cover all the wonderful feelings I have for you two!

To Diane, Brooke and John, my angels of vocal music: Thank you all for allowing me to sing with your respective Sweet Adelines’ chorus, Praise Band, and Festival Choir. Singing saves my sanity—I owe you, big time!

To Kathryn, my angel of DVD lending: Thanks for letting me borrow and watch your Babylon 5 episodes. I now know who G’Kar and Londo Mollari are now—and have enjoyed every minute of watching their story play out on the small screen. It’s always great to have a fellow sci-fi geek to chat about our favorite shows and movies with. You’re the best!

To Jenny and Mike, my angels of cell phones and socialization: Thanks for helping me keep connected with the world through your phone plan and through your social opportunities (and good eats). I’ve met some very interesting people at your parties… Call it “geek networking” but it’s always great to know you’re not alone in your interest in things of a science fiction nature. One of these days I’m going to see your names in print (Jenny) and on the silver screen (Mike—special effects guru) and say, “I knew them when!”

To Rob and Rona, my angels of computer repair and Thursday “Happy Hours”: Thanks for your technical expertise and patience when my old PC did the inevitable meltdown. And thanks for all the great get-togethers you’ve hosted at your place. Happy hour is truly a happy time on your patio!

To Zo and Mark, my angels of fun on the river: I enjoyed becoming a "lieutenant commander" on your float trip. May the good ship sail forever!

To Gwen and Ryu, my angels of artistic geekdom and great turkey and stuffing: Thanks for inviting me to your home last year for Thanksgiving dinner and for letting me jabber your ears off about things of a movie nature. Thanks for tips on looking for jobs in the area, too. I can’t wait to see your names someday on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

To Linda, Sue, Sue, Barb and all my fellow writers at MoRWA and online: Thanks for the inspiration!

To Donna, my angel of tax preparation: Wow—I could have never figured it all out without you. You literally saved my bacon and saved me bacon, so I didn’t starve later. See you next April!

To Mom, my eternal angel and cheerleader: Enough said!

To Adrian, my angel of all time: Thanks for always being there for me. You’ve dried my tears and listened to my rants and ravings and still didn’t desert me. You put my feelings first and sacrificed so much to keep me on an even keel. You’re my bestest friend ever. I hope to be your bestest friend forever in an official sense one day soon, too. Love ya, my handsome man!

Do you have any “angels” you’d like to honor with a shout out this year? Leave their names and their stories in the comment section below. Everyone who leaves a comment this month will have their name thrown into the hat for an e-book prize drawing.

Merry Christmas to one and all, and especially to my dear angels.


P.S. Speaking of giving out awards, I received one myself recently—my writers’ guide THE CURSE OF THE MANUSCRIPT EATING SLUSHPILE MONSTER has been nominated for an EPPIE Award! The finalists will be announced in March. Read more about my funny, “how NOT to” book at Uncial Press: http://www.uncialpress.com/books/curseoft/curseoft.html and at my web site: http://www.cynthianna.com/slushpile.html

The Happy Hour

The name brings to mind smokey bars and blue collar types getting off shift to down a pitcher of beer or materialistic yuppies mingling over tapas and martinis after a hard day’s work pushing papers. But the Happy Hour I’m referring to is far from these stereotypes. It’s in a class all its own.




This Happy Hour happens on the side patio of a friend’s home. It’s not at a dark, beer sign-bedecked, neon-lit corner pub or a posh, upscale restaurant. It’s relaxed and casual to the extreme. Better yet, bring the kids and your favorite snacks… Both allowed—and encouraged.




In fact, many of us don’t even drink, so we’re sipping water or soda pop while others toss back a beer or mixed beverage of their choice. But we’re not coming to Happy Hour for the drinks—we’re coming for the conversation and fellowship.




Happy Hour is a group of science fiction fans and other like-minded people who get together on a Thursday evening and sit around and chat endlessly on a variety of topics. Anything and everything goes.




There’s all those great SF summer movies we’ve seen (or not) worth discussing. There are fun activities coming up in the near future to get psyched up for like Archon 32, a float trip, or a possible ghost tour of old St. Charles. There are jokes to be told and great stories of past humorous situations to share. (I even learned you could use a tampon as a soft dart. You never know when that bit of info could come in handy!)




Happy Hour is all about being… well, happy. Enjoy a snack, enjoy a chat, have a beer or soda and relax. True happiness isn’t about trying to impress the work crowd or tie one on. True happiness is spending a few cheerful hours with your friends.

Tell me about a regular hang-out or activity you do with your friends just to unwind and to share a good time. Everyone who leaves a comment on any of my blogs this month gets their name tossed into a hat for free ebook drawing. So tell me what you think! And be sure to check out my latest SF/fantasy romantic-comedy offering LOVING WHO from Mojocastle Press. Links at my home page: http://www.cynthianna.com

My Exciting Ride in an Ambulance

Here's the latest exciting thing to happen to me this week... I got to take a ride in the ambulance to the hospital emergency room!

About 8:30 AM or so, I was sitting at my computer sipping tea (just waking up really) and suddenly it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. I was short of breath and figured that wasn't an entirely good sign... So I did the sensible thing (not wanting to be found rotting on my floor two weeks later) and called 9-1-1. And sure enough these nice looking young guys and a gal paramedic came over and took my blood pressure and connected me to the EKG thingy with the sticky bits/leads (which hurt like heck to pull off, let me tell you!). I guess they weren't too pleased with what they saw, because they stuck me in this chair to get me down the two flghts of stairs of my apartment building and then I got put onto a stretcher (in the rain!) and slipped into the back of the ambulance.

Now, is that ever a weird ride... You're on your back and your traveling backwards and they are sticking things into you the whole time. Ugh! I have a big bruise on my arm from the IV. Anyway, I got shunted off to the ER and got even more sticky bits attached to me. And I waited and waited about three and half hours and they take blood out of your other arm (ow!) and they take samples of other bits of you and they connect you up the "beeping machines". But I guess they figured I was okay, and so they let me go around 1 PM and told me to go see this doctor by Monday at the latest. So I made an appointment for Monday morning, being the good girl that I am. ;)

Now, here is the even more exciting part--I am wearing nothing but my nightgown and slippers! (Fortunately I'd grabbed my little bathrobe too going out the door.) I couldn't argue with the paramedics and get some clothes on first, as I was tied up to their EKG machine with leads and cables. So at 1 PM, the nurse says "You can go home." Well, I didn't drive myself there and I'm essentially undressed, so public transport (in the rain) would be a bit dicey, and they don't have any volunteers who can give you a ride home they said. But I did reach my dear friends Joyce and Jerry at home by phone, and they came over and picked me up, bless their hearts. They are truly lifesavers.

Better yet, I had a job interview about 25 miles north of here at 3 PM. I told Joyce I just wanted to get home and get in the shower and quickly get ready to go up and talk to this lady about the job at a women's drug rehab center. She and Jerry volunteered to drive me up there and back so I didn't have to stress out on the driving. (And I think I did okay on the interview, too.) They are double angel lifesavers in my book now!

So, that was my exciting day with the ambulance trip and being undressed and waiting for a ride in the ER waiting area, and then doing a job interview. Don't let anyone tell you that I'm not a trooper and I don't want to work.

And I’m fine really, just a bit tired now. I will be a good girl and go to the doctors Monday and let you know what they say.

Prayers and good healing thoughts and wishes welcomed!


UPDATE: I got my latest blood work back this week, and they say it looks "fine". I'm not vampire or a shapeshifter of any kind. The test results didn't say I wasn't an alien abductee or I didn't have a weird sense of humor, however. My blood pressure still remains high, unfortunately, and it makes me feel fatigued and winded.

I had an echocardiogram and it went swimmingly. In fact, I think the human heartbeat sounds surprisingly a lot like the roar of the ocean in places. Would that make me akin to a beached whale, I wonder? Anyway, they slop cold gel all over your chest and then press the sonogram wand into your sternum and then into your left side of your rib cage very hard, over and over again, to record the activity in there. And that hurts!! My poor left side still felt bruised the next day.

But there is a heart in there, I can tell. (Yep, no sign saying, "This space for rent." Fooled you!) It's sort of black and white grainy with the occasional red and blue energy pulses on the screen. I have no idea what's up with it, and the nice lady who jammed that wand hard into my side didn't tell me anything. If there's anything incredibly exciting happening with it, I'll let you know. Otherwise, assume that it's an okay heart for an alien abductee with a weird sense of humor.

I Love My H R Block Tax Preparer

Yes, I’m a broken record lately. I’ve listed the names of two big corporations two times in a row in my blog titles. (See last month’s tirade against Charter Communications Interenet Service.) I can’t help it this month—I have to say this: I love my H & R Block tax preparer!

No, no, it’s not a romantic attachment at all. It’s a professional arrangement, but she’s my friend as well and she understands what a tough financial bind I find myself in lately. She went the extra mile to help me get all the business deductions I could legally take this year and helped me get my personal tax forms in order. The end result? I don’t owe the government anything! Yippee!

This is a big deal for me, since I had been forced into submitting my tax forms as “married filing separate” because of my ongoing divorce difficulties. Without dependents and a head of household deduction, you can pay a lot (that is, GINORMOUS) amounts of taxes. And when you’re forced to itemized your deductions (since the other spouse had done so already without bothering to ask if this would be convenient for you) rather than take the standard deduction, you really do find yourself scrambling to come up with enough deductions to help lower your tax burden.

But with my tax preparer Donna’s help, we did it. Just in time, too. There’s a deadline of April 15 in the US to file these sorts of things, right?

My “bacon has been saved” as some would put it, and don’t I know it. I’m breathing a little easier at nights knowing that the taxman won’t be coming after me in a black hood, chain mail vest, combat boots, a vicious sneer plastered on his ghastly visage, carrying an ax to chop off my head… Yes, it is a silly nightmare, but most Americans possess an instinctive fear of the Internal Revenue Service. It’s in our genes somewhere next to the uncontrollable urge to yell, “Play ball!” after hearing the national anthem.

(Sorry about that IRS. I’m sure you are all very nice folks, like Will Ferrell is in Stranger than Fiction. Good move on your part to cast likeable guy like Will in that role, too.)

Has there ever been a time in your life when you felt desperate like I did this past month? Like nothing or no one could help you? Did you find out that someone could actually help you out of this hopeless situation? How did you find yourself after the experience—older, wiser, less stressed, committed to an insane asylum?

Leave me a comment below describing your experience, and I’ll choose a name from the comment-makers for a freebie e-book prize. So, talk to me—what have you got to lose? (You might just have something to gain. It won’t be extra taxes, either.)