Tag Archives: life

Miss MOL Break

Posted on December 23, 2011 by PB Rippey

Sometimes I live vicariously through Miss MOL, an art curator by-the-sea. I love her recent sojourn. She hits all the cool places and makes me laugh. Check out her latest post on the Springs. THREE DAY TOUR.

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Quote For The Weekend (Exhausted Edition)

Posted on November 10, 2011 by PB Rippey

Never tire yourself more than necessary, even if you have to found a culture on the fatigue of your bones. —Antonin Artaud When I was in my early twenties, I kept a postcard with his image on it fastened to … Continue reading →

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Notes From The Armchair

Posted on September 26, 2011 by PB Rippey

And how is it going, PB, in your newly rediscovered armchair? Are you working under favorable conditions? Or does the scent of cat pee distract you, just as you’ve made yourself comfortable, laptop on lap, glass of wine on the bookshelf next … Continue reading →

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Llama Laugh

Posted on September 5, 2011 by PB Rippey

His laugh: Vaguely hyena, part labrador-loose-in-the-surf, not mocking, but the tiniest bit cryptic, comically so. He made me want to write. Since it was too wonderfully cold for sitting outside by the fountain and attention-sucking candlelight, for two nights we kept company, this llama and … Continue reading →

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Quote For The Weekend

Posted on September 1, 2011 by PB Rippey

“Write freely and as rapidly as possible and throw the whole thing on paper. Never correct or rewrite until the whole thing is down. Rewrite in process is usually found to be an excuse for not going on.” —John Steinbeck

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Quote For The Weekend (early edition due to MWO beginning Friday a.m.–yee haha–er, sorry)

Posted on August 25, 2011 by PB Rippey

In honor of this writer’s upcoming MWO (Mama’s Weekend Out) at a spa in a tiny dry patch of non-descript California where she will experience mud, warm, constant bubbles and pools filled with bodies floating privately on provided rafts (the kind … Continue reading →

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Gypsy Sunset

Posted on August 22, 2011 by PB Rippey

Now that summer preschool camp has come to an end, life is extremely busy as I organize excursions that will benefit the small mind and help it to expand in positive, utterly enriching ways (I’m talking about the enrichment that … Continue reading →

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Reveries

Posted on August 9, 2011 by PB Rippey

I’ve been seeing so many people from my past lately—I mean the past past, hazy-rocketing back to elementary school and working up from there—and it’s affected my dreaming. I have hosted reunions in my dream homes, welcoming total strangers to parties … Continue reading →

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Rocking Muses

Posted on August 4, 2011 by PB Rippey

YA Muses are having another contest/giveaway and all week have reposted tons of valuable writing advice. Their story is inspirational–seriously, check them out, especially today’s post. Really wish I was going to SCBWI-LA this year so I could meet them … Continue reading →

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See World

Posted on July 18, 2011 by PB Rippey

Soon, this extremely amateur marine scientist, dolphin lover, anti-orcas-in-big-pools-putting-on-shows type, One Who Is Against Ray Petting Whether 2 Fingers Are Used Instead Of Your Whole Hand Or Not As You’re Still Diminishing The Ray’s Mucus Layer And Once That Happens They Get … Continue reading →

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Quote(s) For The Weekend (Carmageddon Edition)

Posted on July 16, 2011 by PB Rippey

A suburban mother’s role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after.  ~Peter De Vries The best car safety device is a rear-view mirror with a cop in it.  ~Dudley Moore The longest journey begins with a … Continue reading →

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Watermelon People, For Instance

Posted on July 15, 2011 by PB Rippey

My head and my brain are still at the writing retreat, clicking away, processing vitals, etc. I hope they are enjoying themselves. I returned home with my son to a house packed with visitors both human and canine, dinner for 8 … Continue reading →

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The Baby Blessing (With Writers)

Posted on July 11, 2011 by PB Rippey

So the baby blessing took place in my mother’s faintly overgrown backyard, guests’ heads thunked by falling trumpet vine blossoms (they are as large and as heavy as some sandwiches), the mingling of shadows and vines and succulents forcing the … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Faction, Fiction, Me and Us, middle grade, ocean related, Santa Barbara, Writer's Angst, writing, Writing Progress | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Retreat

Posted on July 6, 2011 by PB Rippey

Tomorrow I go off the grid and to my borrowed writing-house, get-away-pad, writing-retreat-with-fountain for a few days. Since there will be no wireless connection, I will revise sans the usual distractions (Facebook, The Pioneer Woman, Yahoo “News”, hulu) while my son eats … Continue reading →

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Quote For The Weekend: Holiday Edition

Posted on July 3, 2011 by PB Rippey

The American Flagfish (captured edition) The best way to enhance freedom in other lands is to demonstrate here that our democratic system is worthy of emulation. —Jimmy Carter

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When I Write

Posted on July 1, 2011 by PB Rippey

I might wake up many times during any night due to: Nightmares involving fedora-wearing aliens intent on making off with my son. The certainty that I have heard a loud noise, which means rising from bed and checking my son’s room and the rest … Continue reading →

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Going Home

Posted on June 26, 2011 by PB Rippey

The problem with zipping up to my hometown some weekends is not the going-home-traffic turning 75 miles into 750, not that I rarely get any writing done because of the endless activities, not the June gloom (kindly vanishing for the … Continue reading →

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Monday Tussle

Posted on June 6, 2011 by PB Rippey

Welllllllll…Soooooooooooo…It’s one of those mornings when you use that refrain as you do a Trader Joe’s run, a shoestore run for the little guy, a Target run and a Lowe’s run because you can’t live without knowing if they have … Continue reading →

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Notes From Here

Posted on May 30, 2011 by PB Rippey

Beach as mental equalizer (despite persistent wind). Impossible to crack open a book or uncap a pen here (though not because of wind). The way the sand is riled, looks as though whole, transportable cities (twirling towers of particles) are whisking … Continue reading →

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New Muse

Posted on May 12, 2011 by PB Rippey

A kitten after my own heart. We have a new muse around here since Mother’s Day. He was this writer’s huge, completely unexpected, big-deal surprise. I’d forgotten how much joy kittens bring, endless chuckles for both adults and a little boy excited to … Continue reading →

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No Whining

Posted on May 6, 2011 by PB Rippey

No whining when it’s hard to write/revise because: 1. because a dog charged your cats at 6:00a.m. and in her haste to control her animal, the owner, lunging across your front yard and bashing into the wall below your kitchen … Continue reading →

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YA Muses Contest

Posted on May 4, 2011 by PB Rippey

If, like me, you welcome critique on your WIP, which is actually a complete novel you can’t stop revising, then visit the YA Muses and participate in their contest. The prizes are very generous. I hope I win. Something. Thank … Continue reading →

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The Chalk Speaks

Posted on April 15, 2011 by PB Rippey
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There’s No Place Like Hush

Posted on April 7, 2011 by PB Rippey

It’s April. I’m quiet. I’m revising. Being a vigilant mother. Cooking for house guests (i.e. Costco-ing for house guests). Hulu-ing Parenthood (help me, Obi Wan—it’s my only vice). Typing in my quips on Facebook (help me, O.W.—it’s my only other … Continue reading →

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Welcome Vibrations

Posted on March 31, 2011 by PB Rippey

A striking thing happened this morning after dropping my son off at his preschool. I returned home, did not check email, vacuum up dog hair, make a Trader Joe’s list, stare intently at Yahoo news while groaning at the spelling … Continue reading →

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