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FurEmberLily

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I grew up with the t.v. series Recess. They had a Christmas episode called “Yes Mikey, Santa Does Shave” in which Santa was black, so I’ve been used to the idea of having racially diverse Santa Clauses. When the media presented people freaking out about there being a black Santa at a mall, I really didn’t think it was a big deal. Black, white, Asian—who cares? I just think it’s a fun tradition for kids to go to the mall to “meet Santa.” But as I thought about it, I realized it might be confusing for kids to have Santa look different every year. So my husband and I came up with some excuses to tell our children if/when they ask why Santa looks different. DISCLAIMER: Some of these came from my husband. You can guess which.

 

Ten Excuses to Tell Your Children

1. Use The Beach Boys’ excuse, “You’re really not Santa. He’s just helping Santa Clause” (check out the song “Santa’s Beard”).

2. Santa is magic and can take on any appearance he wants to. It’s how he knows if you’re naughty or nice—he could be anyone, anywhere.

3. Santa is like the Dread Pirate Roberts from The Princess Bride—Santa retires once in a while and a new Santa takes his place.

4. That’s not Santa—that’s one of Santa’s interns. The real Santa started out that way and worked his way up—who knows, maybe he’ll be Santa someday.

5. Santa is really the Ghost of Christmas Present from A Christmas Carol. (On one hand, this seems to be an easier transition to explaining, when kids are old enough, that Santa is a representation of the spirit of Christmas. On the other hand, if they are sharp enough to pick up on the whole Ghost of Christmas Present dying every Christmas, you might need to modify #3 to stop the crying.)

6. Oh, looks like this Santa is the real one. The one last year was Krampus filling in—good thing you were on the nice list!

7. What are you talking about? He looks exactly the same as last year. (Convince the kids they’re hallucinating the differences.)

8. The Nightmare Before Christmas actually happened, but Oogie Boogie still has Santa. Good thing they found a replacement!

9. Don’t question his authenticity. He might be fake, but if you’re wrong, you might not get presents. I wouldn’t risk it if I were you.

10. The mall Santas are just stacks of elves. Looks like Fred is on top this time.

 

You’re welcome, and Merry Christmas!

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Haven't posted in forever, I know. Something about school consuming my life. BUT I'm totally going to start things up again, starting with a meme that my friend Nova Nocturne tagged me in! :-)

~The Rules~

1. Write the rules. (Or copy and paste them, whichever you prefer. Remember to include who tagged you!)
2. Write 13 things about yourself. 
3. Answer 13 questions made by the person who tagged you, and make your own 13 questions.
4. Tag 13 deviants!
5. Make sure they know that they are tagged.
6. Don't say ''You're tagged if you read this."
7. It is forbidden not to tag anyone.
8. Tag backs are allowed.
9. If you don't make this tag in a week, you need to obey a wish of the person who tags you.
10. First shalt thou read the Holy Rules. Thy rules shall amount to thirteen, no more, no less. Thirteen shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be thirteen. 
11. Fourteen shalt thou not count, neither count thou twelve, excepting that thou then proceed to thirteen. Fifteen is right out. 
12. Once the number thirteen, being the thirteenth number, be reached, then fulfillest thou thy Holy Meme Tag of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it.
13. Else thou shalt be turned into a newt.

~Thirteen Things About Me

1. I am currently a college student, BUT I'm graduating in April (FINALLY!) with a major in English linguistics and a minor in editing.
2. Just because I'm a minor in editing does not mean I'm going to judge your writing whenever I read it (unless it's really, really bad).
3. I won't edit your speech either.
4. My real name, Loretta, means "crowned with honor."
5. I have written four novels and am currently working on writing a fifth.
6. I have published a few short stories (through a college science-fiction journal called Leading Edge Magazine, if you want to check it out), but not a novel yet. (I'm working on it, though! Agents just take 3-6 months to get back to you.)
7. I've recently become unrealistically excited about trying out cool makeup and nail techniques.
8. I bought my family's Christmas presents about two months ago, when I was procrastinating doing homework.
9. I'm procrastinating doing my homework right now.
10. I was born in New York, but grew up in Colorado.
11. I was awarded the "Bookworm Tree Monkey" award at a camp during high school (because I would sneak off and read books in a tree).
12. I hate the cold. Yes, despite living in a place where it snows and being USED to the cold, I still hate the cold. (Give me back summer!)
13. I think it would be really cool to be an archaeologist. That was actually my original major, but I couldn't give up writing! 

~My Answers to NovaNocturneArt Questions~

1. Where would you go if you could travel anywhere, real or fictional?
Ooooh . . . I'm torn between a tour of the British Isles and China.
2. Who do you have a crush on?
My husband, Michael :-)
3. Who do you consider your rival (meaning someone you have to compete against in whatever subject or field)?
Some girl named Mary, who always answers all the editing questions correctly in class.
4. Who do you consider your enemy (meaning someone you have to defeat)?
"Mr. Grin"--my personified version of depression (named after the crocodile in Peter Pan--he's called "Mr. Grin" in Peter and the Starcatchers)
5. Who do you consider your allies (meaning people you can trust and are friends with)?
My husband, followed closely by NovaNocturneArt :-)
6. What is your biggest struggle in life?
Dealing with depression. It's rough when it's a struggle to do the simple things. 
7. What is your greatest achievement in life?
Going off of #6, I think the fact that I'm still functioning and able to admit that I struggle is a great achievement.
8. What is your most intriguing goal you are after right now?
I'm trying to get a book published :-) Still waiting to hear back from some agents, and I plan on submitting to more over winter break.
9. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas. The lights and the cocoa and the excuse to go out of your way to surprise people with special gifts--it's just so cozy! 
10. What is your favorite trait of your own culture?
National culture: I love how you can get any kind of food within a ten-mile radius. It doesn't matter what I'm craving--fries, Thai food, Indian food, sushi, or Mexican food. I can get it! How cool is that?
Family culture: I like how my husband and I do DIY projects together. For instance, our first Christmas, we got some materials from a craft store and decorated stockings (I made "holly" berries with little red pompoms and he made a penguin). And just a few weeks ago, I decided I wanted an autumn wreath, so we went and got supplies and it has a sunflower and a burlap bow and a bunch of tiny orange and yellow flowers and it's awesome.
11. When would you want to live if you could choose any time period (you would retain your personal qualities such as health while there)?
I really don't know--there are too many options! Let's go with . . . ancient China or ancient Japan.
12. Why would you choose that time period?
Ignoring beautiful clothing and fantastic cuisine? As far as civilizations go, both places were pretty advanced, including in mathematics and sciences. And women could, depending on the era, gain positions in the government. And I could still write as a woman--one of the first novels ever written, The Tale of Genji, was written by a woman in Japan in the 11th century. (And maybe part of me still would want to risk an encounter with Sesshomaru, but that's not historically accurate.)
13. Why would you NOT choose a different one (specifically what would make you want to avoid choosing a different time period)?
I wouldn't not choose a different one necessarily . . . But I guess I'd want to choose an era where a woman has a some chance of success (rather than being considered legal property).

~My Questions for the next people to answer~

1. They're making a documentary of your life. Who would be the narrator?
2. They're making a movie about your life (mostly accurate with Hollywood liberties). Who would you like to be cast as you?
3. Ignoring current relationships, if you could date any FICTIONAL character, who would you pick?
4. If you could ask Santa (for reals) and get any material gift you asked for, what would it be?
5. What is your favorite physical feature? (Because my yoga teacher wants everyone to say nice things to their body.)
6. You are thrown back in time and get to be trained to use a traditional weapon to assist in overthrowing an evil ruler. Do you choose the sword, the bow, or the staff?
7. You are thrown back in time (again), but this time, you get to be trained in a musical instrument by one of the classical geniuses (think Mozart). Which instrument would you choose?
8. What is your favorite fairy tale?
9. Let's say you were cursed to cause small glitter explosions every time you sneezed. What color would you like the glitter to be?
10. If you suddenly inherited a large fortune and money was no longer a factor in what you did, how would you live your life?
11. You suddenly have the superpower to enter any fictional universe (and can, like The Chronicles of Narnia, spend any amount of time in there and be able to come back out with little or no time passing while you were gone). Where do you go first?
12. If you had a job that involved working remotely, where would you choose to live?
13. Because it's winter . . . Cocoa or eggnog?

~My Answers to My Questions~

Because NovaNocturneArt challenged me to respond to my own questions. :-)
1. They're making a documentary of your life. Who would be the narrator?
Jim Dale :-)
2. They're making a movie about your life (mostly accurate with Hollywood liberties). Who would you like to be cast as you?
Probably Jennifer Lawrence :-)
3. Ignoring current relationships, if you could date any FICTIONAL character, who would you pick?
. . . Sesshomaru . . .
4. If you could ask Santa (for reals) and get any material gift you asked for, what would it be?
If it were something serious: for my college debts to be paid off and/or a practical car with working air conditioning
If it were something fun: a private beach and vacation home in California
5. What is your favorite physical feature? (Because my yoga teacher wants everyone to say nice things to their body.)
I think my eyes are an awesome color.
6. You are thrown back in time and get to be trained to use a traditional weapon to assist in overthrowing an evil ruler. Do you choose the sword, the bow, or the staff?
Probably the staff (so if I loose my weapon, I can find a decent substitute).
7. You are thrown back in time (again), but this time, you get to be trained in a musical instrument by one of the classical geniuses (think Mozart). Which instrument would you choose?
piano :-)
8. What is your favorite fairy tale?
Beauty and the Beast
9. Let's say you were cursed to cause small glitter explosions every time you sneezed. What color would you like the glitter to be?
clear (so it matches with every outfit)
10. If you suddenly inherited a large fortune and money was no longer a factor in what you did, how would you live your life?
I'd probably finish my degree anyway (April's not that far!), then get a large home in Texas and a summer home in Victoria, British Columbia and write. With frequent cruises to a variety of places for inspiration.
11. You suddenly have the superpower to enter any fictional universe (and can, like The Chronicles of Narnia, spend any amount of time in there and be able to come back out with little or no time passing while you were gone). Where do you go first?
Probably to Hogwarts :-)
12. If you had a job that involved working remotely, where would you choose to live?
Staying in one place? Probably Flag Staff, Arizona--in travel distance of family, with both snow and warm places in traveling distance. Plus the Grand Canyon nearby. 
13. Because it's winter . . . Cocoa or eggnog?
Cocoa all the way!

~I tag the following people~

I'm not sure if I'm friends with more than thirteen people on Deviant (shame on me for doing homework). But I'll tag who I can! Please pardon me if I tag you and you've got no clue who I am. :-)
NovaNocturneArt (because tag backs are allowed :-D)
WritingByCandlelight 
StressedJenny 
rockstar456 
Patches365 
burdge 
DeathdealerTsunade 
youowemeasoda 
YoukaiYume 
WhiteWhisp 
Animaker131 
ohparapraxia 
vainia 
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New Blog

1 min read
I started a blog. I'll post stories on my Deviant (and art if I ever get brave enough), but if anyone wants to know the Ember Lily behind the crazed fandoms and fanfiction, here is the link! Enjoy!
themormonotaku.blogspot.com/
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Yes, I'll keep working with Cormac and the gang on my Harry Potter Fanfiction. But I recently came up with a new story idea. Isn't it ironic that my muses take a vacation on my breaks and come back when school starts and I should be studying? (Scheduling conflicts -- I need to have a meeting with them someday...) While it's not something I'll consistently post up here (if it turns out good, maybe I'll look into publishing it), but I'll post the first chapter and various excerpts throughout the writing process. It is called... *drum roll, please*...

The Asylum for the Clinically Delusional Writers.

*giggles* We'll see how it turns out. I'll let you know when a solid plot starts to appear.
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Fighting...

1 min read
I've concluded I'm fighting a hydra. I thought that it was dead (and was laying on the ground after cutting off its neck - from the inside, all Hercules-style) and it just grew a few more heads. I'm already exhausted from fighting ONE head - what am I supposed to do now?!
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