I’m so excited about the Westminster Kennel Club Show coming up – for those of you who might not have realized what time of year it is, the Dog Show is Monday February 11th and Tuesday February 12th.  Set your DVR’s!!  I wouldn’t miss this for the world, never do.  And this year they’re bringing in FOUR new breeds that I’m really excited about.

For the Hound Group – we have the Plott.  These dogs are beautiful examples of working hound dogs. Intelligent, athletic, really beautiful dogs.

In the Working Group they’re bringing the Tibeten Mastif into the AKC.  These dogs look like a wild mix of Chow Chow and Husky.  I’m excited to be seeing them now for the first time.

In the Herding Group we have two new entries that I’m familiar with, and couldn’t be happier to see.  The Beauceron, a French breed with amazing lines and personality, and the Swedish Vallhund, a very very old breed that resembles a Corgi with German Shepard Dog markings. These dogs were bred by the Vikings, and they are really amazing – I had three clients with these dogs and you couldn’t ask for a nicer, more friendly and happy dog.   Like their Corgi cousins, they’re rough and tumble in a compact package.

Yes, I’m a cat owner. I don’t have dogs because I work all day and can’t bring them with me.  But I entered the Veterinary field because I love animals, all animals, and I grew up with dogs all around me.  So this his how I get my fix of all the breeds I don’t get to see every day anymore.  When I want to be reminded of exactly why I’m a cat owner, I visit my mother – two hours of let dog in, let dog out, let dog in, let dog out cure my desire to run out and get five for myself.

I watched the Eukanuba Show rerun last night, and one dog to look out for in the near future is Clio daughter of none other than 2006 Westminster Champion Rufus!  A drop-dead handsome Bull Terrier (my favorite breed) who’s daughter is really incredible.  

 Isn’t she beautiful?

Anyway – I’ll be glued to the USA network on Monday and Tuesday, and if anyone wants to wager on the Best in Show, I have a really good track record of picking winners! 😀

Oh, and here – Chapter 15

Continue reading “the plott thickens!”

No, I don’t write time-travel novels. Although there is a small aspect of time distortion in Ether, it’s a minor plot device and not important at all really.

And I don’t care for time travel shows, or novels where time travel is THE crux of the novel. If it’s a vehicle the characters are using to tell the story, that’s fine.

And I don’t believe time travel can take place, or will take place in the future.

But that doesn’t stop me from thinking it’s cool, and completely misunderstood, misused and misrepresented by Hollywood. I’m not an expert, no one is. Physicists have a handle on some theories that will make you dizzy, and even they don’t agree on things.

“So what’s your point?” you ask. Well, I’m just a fan, and I like to ponder. Did you read my explanation re: alternate universe theory months ago on the old blog? No? Sheesh, well go check it out, I’ll wait.

Continue reading “let’s do the time warp again”

I’ve been a little distracted, working on Ether and the Stoneage Keyboard project, which I’d like to add is coming along nicely. In fact, I hope to have a real finished, working sample to show off next week, as well as a blog specifically designed for that project and talk of rock tumbling/cutting/and such. It’s a Rockhounders tradition to pass on everything they’ve learned to anyone who might be curious, and since I’ve learned an amazing amount of stuff in just a few short years, I’m feeling the need to share so that others who might be curious and tempted might finally take the plunge and give in to their inner rock collector. I’m working on putting the new blog together, and it’ll just be for rock talk and funky keyboard experiments, so if that doesn’t float your pancake, no worries, I’m still here at this blog doing my usual blabla 😀

Anyone interested can find rock talk over at: Primordial Ink

Meanwhile, here’s Chapter 14. Posting this chapter by chapter is really taking a long time, but it does give me something to fill up Fridays with, and leaves me free to work on the current novel, so here ya go:Continue reading “it’s friday”

Okay, so here’s the thing – I’m really getting into this whole Stone Age Keyboard idea. So much so, that I’m asking around to everyone I know, to see if I can score some working, functional, plain-Jane PC Keyboards that are sitting in closets, going unused.

And Lori wisely suggested I put a request out here, too, in case someone out there in bloggie-land might wish to lend a hand, and clear out their closets or garages or spaces under the bed where their old PC keyboards went to . . . well, die.

Think of it as doing your part to keep these things out of the landfills. And yes, what it means is I’m asking you to mail them to me – which might cost a couple of bucks – so in turn I’m willing to mail you a couple of lovely polished stone pendants. (a hint for the dudes – they make great zipper pulls, and key fobs, or presents to the missus).

Want an example? Well, sure you do . . . um . . . Here’s a couple from my lapidary web page:

 The first one there is called Porcelian Jasper, exotica pattern. The second is Amethyst Sage Agate.

So yeah, anyone willing to mail me a working, functioning PC keyboard will get in return a nice pair of pendants, polished and drilled, that I normally sell for $15.00/each.

Oh, and I have a new blog – or I will have a new blog by Monday and I’ll give you the addy then – where I’ll talk endlessly about rocks, rock hounding, rock tumbling, Stone Age keyboards, and all the other “return the PC to the caveman days” stuff I’ll be doing. But all the other stuff, all this usual stuff about writing and life and stories and trying to get published and such, will stay here at My Midnight Muse – so if you’re not interested in rocks or keyboards, you won’t miss a thing !

Oh, and if you wanna mail me a keyboard – and need an address – email me: Kristine (at) wavecable.com

I’m sure you’re all just fascinated by this, but there are other blogs to read if you’re bored!

I’ve come to the conclusion that my first test run doth sucketh. It’s the keyboard I’ve chosen there, that monstrosity of an MS natural keyboard. It’s looking too  . . . What’s the word? 

Stupid.

So like many brilliant ideas, this one needs to percolate more. I’m going to try using a standard black keyboard, something normal size/shape. Something with less plastic to distract from the look. I’m determined to make this work the way it has in my head!  Especially now, when I’m so close to making it right. I’ve got the cutting down pat, I’ve found an adhesive that seems to work, and I’m getting the hang of what stones will work and what won’t.

And by God, I’m gonna have a line of Stoneage keyboards for sale by this summer! (for those of you keeping score, that’s what you might call a famous last words line) But dammit, Gumby, I’m all set to start up a line of Primeval Technology, and I won’t be happy till I do!

I need my wooby.

I’m just guessing on the stage, since I have yet to get a concept of how many stages are involved in this experiment! But here are some photos of the progress so far. What I’ve done, first, was to pull the keys off of a Microsoft Natural (ergonomic keyboard) that I had on hand. These are the style keyboards I use at work, so I had several of them hanging around that weren’t in use. At home, I use a laptop – and that’s kinda making it odd, me building keyboards that I won’t be using 😀

But odd never stopped me before.

Once you pop off the keys, you’ve exposed a few avenues to the innards, so I had to be careful when spray painting the case. I didn’t want to take it completely apart, since with these keyboards that results in a lot of bits falling around and a complete destruction of the unit. I couldn’t be sure putting it back together would result in a functioning keyboard, so what I did was tape over the important bits, and spray the main case with a granite spray paint. Really odd stuff, and it’s still drying, but the overall look isn’t all that bad.

It’s taking some time to dry, so I brought it in from the garage and hope it’s touchable by this evening. I need to put the pegs back in place before I can pick stones for the keys. I’m finding that more of a challenge than I expected due to the size and shape. I can’t let the rocks hit each other, obviously, so the letter keys have to be pretty smallish, but some function keys such as Enter and Tab and the Space Bar can be larger, and in an odd shape. Here were a few experiments before I cut the rest of the skirts off, with a few rocks simply set in place to test sizes.

I also found, and you can see in the photos above, that simply cutting off the skirting wasn’t going to cut it – there’s still too much plastic showing around the rocks. So it was back to the drawing board, or Dremel, and more plastic came off.

So that’s where the Stoneage Keyboard stands right now. I’m still waiting for paint to dry, still fussing about what stones to use, still worried that I’ll have trouble fitting the rocks in place – and still coming up with wild notions for future keyboards 😀

And if you think this is easy – just look at my choices for the Space Bar ! I can’t decide.

But I’m leaning toward #3 😀

<>Updates on the Stoneage keyboard – with photos to follow tomorrow.

Today I finished cutting the keys. It was so simple, using the cutoff wheels and the Dremel.  Thing is, though, you’re not so much cutting the plastic as you are cutting and melting it. Safety glasses were a must, and I had them handy since I use power tools a lot with my hobbies.  And I admit, I should have used one of those paper masks, which would have prevented the odd splatter of small, molten plastic that would hit my lips. Then again, a mask could have caught on fire.

I’ve heard the phrase “write like your face is on fire” but I didn’t really want to experience that first-hand.

Now and then, a piece of molten plastic would hit my fingers, or the back of my hand, but by the time you draw the breath to scream, it doesn’t hurt any longer.  In two hours, I had every key for one keyboard cut, and sanded.  Then I sat down to mock up a few keys, test out the shapes and sizes of my scrap rock supply, and I’ve decided I have to go back to the cutter.

See, I was keeping some skirting, for stability and more surface for the rocks to adhere to. But, thing is, that’s making it harder to find rock that’s the perfect size – in that, I need the rocks to cover all the plastic.  It won’t do to have some plastic key bits sticking out around the rock. So tomorrow, I’m going to cut more of the skirting off. I’ll probably take most of them right down to the pegs, since the rock I need to use has to be relatively small so you can type and not have the rocks smacking each other.

Oh, and another thing – turns out beach pebbles are an amazing fit and look. I mentioned this to Pete and Lori the other day, and they thought using beach pebbles just might make for another amazing look. So that might turn out to be my first one – we’ll see tomorrow.  I’ll call it the Pebbles and Bam Bam 😀

Anyway, I’m documenting my progess, taking photos, and I’ll post some tomorrow.  I’ll be painting the keyboard case tomorrow, as well, since I found this amazing spray paint that gives a faux stone finish.  Meanwhile, Rock On ! 😀

Honestly, it nearly skipped my mind. I’ve been so wrapped up in the Stoneage Keyboard – which I’ll be working diligently on this weekend and posting photos of my progress. So here’s chapter 13, such as it is. I was really in love with plot twists and turns, and I’m sure I still am, but for some reason tossing in left turns was a real pleasure for me in this story. That and shower scenes – I don’t know if there’s one in this chapter or not – and they’re basically a writer no-no according to the “rules”, but damn, they were fun to imagine while writing 😀

Continue reading “almost forgot it was friday”

Not long ago I came across this funky computer keyboard that someone had made and labeled his Steampunk Keyboard, and I thought that was the coolest thing ! I wanted one so bad, but the man sells them for thousands. I didn’t become financially secure by spending thousands of dollars for a fancied-up computer keyboard, although that’s not to say this man isn’t putting in tons of labor and genius.

It just means unless I build one myself, it ain’t gonna happen.

As luck would have it, this dude generously posts very detailed instructions on how you can build one yourself – all it takes is a keyboard, some eBay savvy, a few power tools and loads of spare time. Well, I have one of those brains that will latch on to something, usually something it has no business latching on to, then be unable to let it go.

Which meant I wanted to try this. His instructions looked reasonable, and I have the power tools. I wasn’t so sure I could find an old manual typewriter, let alone the two required to supply enough keys, and once finding them I was pretty sure I’d have a hard time bringing myself to destroy such beauties. Then there was the metalwork. Steampunk keyboard dude, as I’ve come to call him, fashions a cradle for the keyboard, since he completely dismantles them in the process, and that adds to the overall look.

I can do metal work, sure, but that takes more tools, and loads more time. But I’ll admit, I was giving that serious thought.

Then it hit me – this guy’s already making Steampunk keyboards. The world doesn’t need another one, and what I’d really love is a manual typewriter – not one that I had to destroy to copy someone’s design and turn it into a computer keyboard.

But I couldn’t let it go. There was something calling to me, something about this keyboard that wasn’t letting me go. So I started looking around, and contemplating (all while feverishly writing my novel, I assure you) then I had a thought . . . I don’t have a plethora of manual typewriter keys lying around, but I DO have rocks.

Yeah, don’t we all? No, I mean I have ROCKS. I’m surrounded by my other passion – the lapidary arts. And somewhere in the middle of thinking about this, and pondering out loud with Lori and Pete, it hit me that I don’t need to make a Steampunk keyboard, I need to make a Stoneage keyboard !

Continue reading “yabba dabba doh!”

3-day weekend!  Yay 🙂  Okay, here are the promised two chapters, since I’m in a good mood, it’s Friday, and it’s also a 3-day weekend and who doesn’t love those?  I didn’t look these over, since my brain is fully engulfed in Ether right now – and I’m going to beat Pete and Tori in the Penman Shipwreck.

And by the end of the weekend I’ll have light in my bedroom again 😀

Continue reading “tgif”