Windbound The Works and Whimsy of M. Hodges-Boos

Posted on December 15, 2011 - M. Hodges-Boos

Here’s to You Psycho Muse…

Pete, Licey and Hat-Trick belong to me, thanks.

The second book Forever(Wonder)Bound, sequel to Never(Wonder)Land, is complete in 35 days.  Granted it is a first draft and will be groomed, polished and pruned within an inch of its darling life, I’m still quite pleased with the results.  It went in a direction I never expected, but still worked within the original parameters of what I hoped to accomplish. So, here’s to you HT…thanks for the ride.

Posted on September 18, 2011 - M. Hodges-Boos

Mouths of Babes…

On our way home from JapanFest today, the little one was playing with the iPad.  She suddenly starts yammering and finally gets out, “Daddy, daddy!  Mommy’s book is in here.  Read it to me!  Read it!”  Holding it up, she’s in the library section and saw the cover from last night’s fiasco.  She’s three…I about cried.  Okay, yeah, I cried.  Love ya kiddo!

Posted on September 18, 2011 - M. Hodges-Boos

The Pain of Digital Text

My eyes are crossed, it’s too late at night to get any thoughts straight in my crooked head and I’m still waiting for the converter to crunch up my editing file so I can transfer it to the iPad for the husband to read.  Both hard copies of the second draft are MIA so since he’s on it all the time anyway, I figured the easiest way for him to get it would be to have it on his tech…but the digital gods are laughing at me tonight.  I just wanna go to bed.

Posted on September 16, 2011 - M. Hodges-Boos

Technology Will End Us…

Hayao Miyazaki (the Walt Disney of Japan) always works environmental themes and traditional values into his movies.

Nooooo! No Nausicaa, don't TWEET!

The first Studio Ghibli Miyazaki movie “Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind” is about a determined, brave princess who finds ways to co-exist with the Toxic Jungle that is slowly taking over the world.  This movie fueled my obsession with Japan and anime more than any other film.   So perhaps you’ll understand why this is so very, very wrong.

Posted on September 16, 2011 - M. Hodges-Boos

Get Gritty!

[F]ailure can help build determination, perseverance, curiosity, and other qualities summarized as grit.

I never thought of ‘grit’ like this.  It will be interesting to see if the education system in our areas will adopt this kind of rhetoric.  It’s wonderful to be successful in your educational career, but raising the future generations with kid gloves, might not be the best way to do it.  How can you have character if you’ve never had to overcome anything?

The Full Article can be found here.

See! UNBURNT! Yes, the great American turkey dog, French Crossiant hybrid dinner!

On a personal gritty note…I’ve successfully cooked from a recipe! After decades of failure, determination, perseverance…etc, dinner shall arrive at the table UNBURNT!

Posted on September 15, 2011 - M. Hodges-Boos

Animal Invasion.

Our house is a magnet for critters.  We do have two cats inside, always inside! But outside, a menagerie of wildlife is slowly gathering.  Here’s a list as per the little one…

• Pascal-a little green lizard who skitters around our back porch.
• Mr. Toad- lives in the remains of our neglected hydrangea, likes to hop out at inopportune times.
• Innumerable Squirrels- like to throw nuts at us and steal things off the door.
• Random Cat- Glares at us from the bottom of our considerable hill.
• Evil Flippin’ Turkeys- Inside the neighbor’s fence, sound like something out of a horror film.

I feel I should elaborate on the Turkeys…they are creepy and when their failed to drown themselves by looking up in the rain storms, I purchased a Super Soaker 4000 EX and went to town on their feathery behinds.

Posted on September 14, 2011 - M. Hodges-Boos

Wibbly Wobbly, Timey Wimey!

Been a rough week…I fear for the safety of my old orange writing chair.  It’s on it’s last legs.  Pftt.

Hello, TARDIS calling! Can you hear me now?

Sorry, sorry.  Anyway, I’d like to thank my dad for sending us all some small gifts!  It’s really perked me up.  What touched me was how personalized they all were!  Hubby got a Darth Vader phone fob.  The little one got a set of snap together chopsticks to practice with before April when we head overseas.

My dad got me a TARDIS!  So..ahem, my dad’s better than your dad!  Nah, nah!

Posted on September 14, 2011 - M. Hodges-Boos

When We Should REALLY Hear a Victory Song…

We’ve been replaying Final Fantasy 9 the past few weeks.  For those of you unfamiliar with the battles, once you slay the beastie you’re fighting, a short Victory Song plays…

Here is MY list for when the Victory song should play randomly…

• Getting the laundry folded
• Getting the little one down for a nap
• Finding a way to cook dinner without a fire
• Making it through a yellow light
• Getting something to the Post Office
• Avoiding mean people
• Remembering where I left my keys
• Not locking myself out of the house
• Husband comes home
• Editing…

Victory Theme Song

Posted on September 12, 2011 - M. Hodges-Boos

Never Tattle to a DJ…

Because everyone can be pushed too far.

A constant swirl of chaos enfolded our home at the beginning of summer and the wings of the tornado refuse to stop flapping.  Now, I’ll be the first to admit, I like chaos.  It’s a fertile ground for ideas and creativity, like mushrooms in the dark.  But, to sustain that for too long makes one lose all sense of balance and propriety.

The most delightful part of the chaos is our decision to return to Japan when the cherry blossoms bloom.  We miss our Japanese family.  (For more on our experiences there, please peruse my Japan Essay section)  They have not met the little one and I am exhausted by finding a face saving way to say no.  But this means we will all have to procure passports…a process we’ve been attempting to complete since early last month.

Today, we had a meeting with an official passport acceptance facility, but it had to be cancelled do to the husband’s first grade class having to take a test.  I had also asked

him to find the little one’s Birth Certificate.  When I asked today, he said he hadn’t found it yet…this was after he called, told me he COULD go to the meeting (I’d worried all weekend about having to cancel and had already done so).  I begin to rip apart our files and lock box to try and find the silly thing to no avail.

Long story short, my temper was a bit incendiary today.  I went to get little one from school and on the way, called the local radio station to see if they could play, ‘a very angry’ song.  Kind DJ that he was, chatted with me, got me calmed down and I thought that was the end of it.  As I pull up to retrieve the little one, she hops into the car with the help of her teacher and suddenly says, “Oh, Mommy’s on the radio!”

My kind DJ broadcasted our conversation about my stressful morning, my poor husband (who normally is fantastic) and on and on and on.  And the teacher kept listening.

If it wasn’t so funny, I’m sure it would have made me even hotter under my sweaty collar.

Posted on September 11, 2011 - M. Hodges-Boos

Favors…

People, if anyone in your life is attempting to write anything, be their angel and read what they’ve got.

You might be really surprised at the talent and facets you didn’t see in them before.  You will also be that person’s best source of help in the beginning of what might one day be something fantastic. 

So please, please, read Uncle Sam’s Memoir or your neighbor’s Vegan Cookbook or even you child’s attempt at Fanfiction.  Every life will be enriched.