K.E. Skedgell

I 'm sore, burnt, and have tons of work to do. Last Friday my mom, a friend and her son, and me, all went down to Ohio 200 miles away to my ex's house to dig as many plants from my flower beds as we could fit inside the little 4'x8' trailer and the backs of both of the SUV's. And we didn't get them all. So Saturday my mom, brother, and me, went back down there while we still had the trailer and hauled some more. Still did not get all that I wanted, but got the majority. I could have grabbed a few others that would have fit, but I was so tired from digging I just didn't care anymore. I have roughly about 400 plants that I brought up here. I suppose it's a good thing that I didn't grab more, now that I have some of them spaced out around in the beds I made, I wouldn't have had room for more. I'm afraid I won't have room for all of my hostas. Some may have to go in pots and I may have to dig out more grass. In the meantime, they'll ...

I t has been nearly three weeks since my last post. Nothing of any merit has happened since then. I've been outside digging my mother's yard for the last couple of weeks in preparation for the plants I'll be bringing up here from Ohio next weekend, assuming the weather cooperates. Speaking of weather, this has been one cold, wet, nasty spring up here in Michigan. Welcome back home, my home state says, enjoy all the cold and rain and yuck. Rivers and lakes are flooding all around, some of the worst around the Grand Rapids area. Low lying areas around here are underwater, the ground is just so saturated that it can't hold anymore. Except for my mom's yard. It's a sandy loam soil, so it drains really well, which will be good for my plants and will be quite the opposite of which they are growing in now, poorly draining clay loam. On the writing front, sadly, not much has been done. I've barely started my second pass of edits (I decided to make a third draft...

Ludovico Einaudi -- Newton's Cradle Album -- In A Time Lapse (2013) Instrumental. Yes, another Ludovico song. I love his music, and this is a dark and chilling piece from his newest album. The video I found on YouTube is a time lapse video, and it's awesome. Do watch! Of course, to get the full effect of the music, it's best to listen on a headset or ear buds, but if you don't have either, watch this anyway and turn up the volume.

I 've been rather quiet on my blog lately, with good reason. I've been working on the edits of my manuscript for the past few weeks now that I'm out of my funk from having broken up with my boyfriend of seven years and moving back home with my parents. I still get mopey from time to time, but I'm doing better. Today I finished my first pass of edits on this draft. I don't plan to have other drafts other than the first and this one, I just don't see the point in keeping so many versions (but, who knows, I may change my mind). I'll just hack away at this one until it's as tight as I can make it. I didn't get anywhere near my goal of cutting the manuscript down from 189k to 150k, I managed to cut a measly 7000 words. I'll let the manuscript sit for a week or so and then I'll start on pass number two. Hopefully I can cut more then with a little distance from it. Afterward I'll be seeking betas and their advice or suggestions. I've ne...

Pearl Jam -- Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town Album -- Vs. (1993) I seem to recognize your face haunting, familiar, yet I can't seem to place it cannot find the candle of thought to light your name lifetimes are catching up with me all these changes taking place, I wish I'd seen the place but no one's ever taken me hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away... hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away...  I swear I recognize your breath memories like fingerprints are slowly raising me, you wouldn't recall, for I'm not my former it's hard when, you're stuck upon the shelf I changed by not changing at all, small town predicts my fate perhaps that's what no one wants to see I just want to scream...hello... my god its been so long, never dreamed you'd return but now here you are, and here I am hearts and thoughts they fade...away... hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away... hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away... hearts and tho...

Richard Burmer -- A Story From The Rain Album -- Across The View (1988) & Sunday Morning Coffee (1991) Electronic ambient artist and Michigan native, Richard Burmer . If you have a good set of headphones or ear buds, you may want to listen to this on those, then turn the sound up and prepare for your skin to goose pimple. Rest in peace, Mr. Burmer.

So Thursday I finally went to see an ophthalmologist to get my eyes examined and to get some new contact lenses, only I didn't get new contacts this time around (yet), I got glasses instead. And let me tell you, wearing them feels strange ! It's been since the early nineties when I last wore glasses, I've always worn contacts because of the comfort of not having something sitting on my nose and being able to wear sunglasses. Putting them on for the first time in many moons is such a weird sensation, everything seems farther away and rounded and distorted and when I walk or even move I feel dizzy and out of balance. I'm sure in a few days I'll adjust, but until then I'm not driving or going into public. I've always told myself for the past several years that I should have a pair of glasses in case something should happen to my contact lenses, or to give my eyes a rest from wearing them. But I didn't, and now I'm paying the price for my procrastin...