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June 26, 2013

Query Response #3: Mickey and More

The shelf above my desk. Good stuff. — The shelf above my desk. As you can see, it has a couple of Mickeys.

In a recent post I asked, “What do you want me to post about?

You responded — and your wish is my command. It might take me a while, but I will get to each and every one of your requests (even Sarah W’s).

***

This query comes from writer and waffle fan Laurel Leigh who writes: “I’d like to know if you play that banjo in the corner, whether you’ve ever tipped over backwards in your desk chair, if your office is truly always that tidy, and how come you have a Cat in the Hat but not Mickey Mouse?”

Jiminy! OK, let’s take your questions one at a time:

1. I do like to play my banjo, but I rarely play it in a corner. I prefer the center of the room.

2. I have not tipped over backwards in my desk chair. I have, however, repeatedly fallen up stairs. This degree of clumsiness never fails to astound my wife.

3. My office is always tidy. Would you like to know the secret to a truly tidy office space? OCD. You’re welcome.

4. You have jumped to conclusions, Laurel; believe me, my office is duly Mickified.

I even think of Mickey whenever I have to make a call. Thanks, Aunt Elaine!

So, there you have it!

Sadly, I am going to have to temporarily postpone Query Responses for the next week or two. I have a Susanna Leonard Hill contest entry to post next week, which will be followed by the July installment of Waffles With Writers.

Don’t forget to check back soon for more fun!

June 22, 2013

Query Response #2: Telephone!

In a recent post I asked, “What do you want me to post about?

You responded — and your wish is my command. It might take me a while, but I will get to each and every one of your requests (even Sarah W’s).

***

Today I’ll reply to Eagle-Eyed-Editor, who wanted to know a bit more about the phone in my office:

That, my friend, is a gen-u-wine 1920 candlestick that I bought from Ring My Bell!, a telephone restoration company in Southern California. Don’t bother looking them up; they’re out of business. Apparently, no one wants 90-year-old technology anymore.

My candlestick works beautifully and I adore its retro charm.

But retro charm doesn’t amount to a bucket of warm spit when a computerized voice on the other end of a call asks you to “press” a number. Nothin’ to press here, I’m afraid.

Also it is impossible to cradle the oddly-shaped two-pound handset on your shoulder, so good luck taking a message.

In order to be heard, you have to speak into the 11-pound base. So if you want to move anywhere you have to carry it with you. Fortunately, the phone cord is really, really short so you can’t go anywhere anyway.

To put it another way, my 1920 candlestick can be a big pain in the rumpus room.

So I have another phone in my office that I use for interviews and other business calls. This phone does not have retro charm, however, so when it is not in use, I hide it away in my desk drawer.

So there you have it! Be sure to check in again. Query Response #3 is coming soon!

June 19, 2013

Query Response #1: Bookshelves!

Eve (from the movie Wall-E) guards a few of my animation books.

Last week I asked, “What do you want me to post about?

You responded — and your wish is my command. It might take me a while, but I will get to each and every one of your requests (even Sarah W’s).

***

Today I’m going to answer a question posed by Anne, Pam, Harula, and Jilanne.

They wanted to know what I read. So! I present to you some pics of my bookshelves!

Some shelves from the living room/library... — Some shelves from the living room/library…

Who needs a bannister when you can make bookshelves? Seriously. — Who needs a bannister when you can use the space to make bookshelves? Seriously.

And this is how the stair books stay in place. I took a decorative end of the a a curtain rod and screwed it into a wooden dowel. The dowel goes in the holes where the bannister supports used to be. Yep. I'm crafty. — This is how the books on the stairs stay in place. I took the decorative end of a curtain rod and screwed it into a wooden dowel. The dowel is then inserted into the hole where the bannister spindle used to be. Yep. I’m crafty.

There are more shelves all over the house, but this is a pretty decent sample, I think.

Be sure to check in again. Query Response #2 is coming soon!