Okay, what the hell is wrong with me?? Chalk this one up to bands I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole 5 years ago. Lately, I’ve been listening to Disturbed, and dear gawd, they RULE!! They’re definately a certain taste, and they have a specific sound due to the da-da-da-da-da-da of their guitar riffs.

But when I listened to their latest album, Ten Thousand Fists, where they did a cover of “Land of Confusion” by Genesis, I was hooked. There isn’t a single song on their latest that doesn’t suck. That prompted me to go back and listen to albums from years past. Where have I been?!?

This is only proof positive that my tastes change as I get older. I would have totally thought their music was crap only five years ago. Now, however, I find myself turning them on whenever I want to rock out, and their music is perfect to listen to when you’re writing a good chase/fight scene.

But since I’ve been listening to Disturbed lately, I’ve noticed their lead singer, David Draiman, is kinda hawt!!

Sure, he’s got weird piercings everywhere (lol) but wow… I’d love to see these guys in concert, if only for the eye candy! And you know, I gotta say I really love his voice. In a lot of his songs, it’s almost like he’s singing/rapping. It’s not “rap” like hip hop, definately not. But he sings along with the beat of the music to the same cadence as rappers do. However, I really despise rap (unless it’s Will Smith). Anyhow, I really think this guy is good looking. But I have a penchant for bald men anyhow, since my hubby is one.

Congratulations, David Draiman. You’re Becka’s Hottie of the Week!

~~Becka

My kids are testing for their new belts in Karate today, so send them good thoughts. LOL Currently, they hold the advanced white belt, a white belt with a black stripe through it. Today, if they pass their tests, my boy will advance to the advanced white belt (as described above) and my daughters will get a yellow belt with a white stripe through it.

See, they’re still all technically “white” belts. Apparently, there are different degrees of white belts for kids, since obviously, a little kid doesn’t really have the coordination to become a true black belt. At least, not until they’re teens.

So keep them in your thoughts and I’ll post later to let you know what happened. Since the kids’ tests are always much easier than the adults, I doubt very much they *won’t* get their belts.

Oh, and here’s a cute pic I “altered” with my cool computer drawing pad. LOL

~~Becka

…that the Hillsboro Argus isn’t “just” a mailed little newspaper for Hillsboro. I mean honestly, how dense can one be? I’ve lived in Hillsboro for HOW long and I don’t know this?

Apparently, the Argus is an honest-to-gawd newspaper that is distributed via normal newspaper routes. You can buy it in the grocery store, in those newspaper cage thingies in front of restaurants, etc. It is only the *abridged* version that gets mailed to the residents. DOH!!

How could I possibly NOT know this?

However, I cannot help but feel this is one of those times where you can sit back and say you’ve received a “Bank Error in Your Favor”.

Usually I’m the one making the big mistakes… The “Oh no, it IS a big newspaper!!” only to find out it’s just a dinky mailed rag with barely five pages. **snicker**

But nope! This time, it’s the other way around, baby!

Woohoo! How awesome is that?!?

Hillsboro Argus, how could I ever doubt you?

~~Becka

No, not by:

Although I wish!! But by JoAnn at the:

LOL

The Hillsboro Argus is a local paper that’s mailed to every home in Hillsboro. So in that way, it’s “better” in my community than the Oregonian, which people have to pay to have delivered. The Argus is a very thin paper that’s free and comes in the mail. And while it’s true, many may throw it away as junk mail, use it as kindling, or line their bird cage with it, there are still many more who read it.

JoAnn was a very nice woman; she came out to my house and took some pictures of me at my desk and a pic of me “reading” one of my books on my deck. We chattered for about an hour and a half while she scribbled notes and whatnot. It was really great.

The funny thing is, I’ve never really talked about myself as a writer to the people I know around town, so no one knows what I do. I’ve just never been one to brag about how great I am. **snort** LOL But I know for a fact the people who own the Karate dojo my kids go to read the Argus because the owner wrote them an article once as a freelancer. And I have a few other friends in the community (mostly at grocery stores lol) who have no clue either. So it will be kind of cool to see if anyone actually knows who I am when they read the article. Probably not. Heheh It’s not like I have this entire “secret” life that I live.

Perhaps I’m the reverse of Clark Kent. LOL

When he’s got the glasses on, he’s the “nobody”. But DON’T REMOVE THOSE GLASSES OR YOU’LL RECOGNIZE HIM!! Hahahah! I’m the other way around. I don’t wear glasses when I’m “Jane Housewife”. But when I’m on the computer writing, I do have prescription reading glasses that I have to wear lest my eyes will cross. So perhaps my “power” as “Rebecca Goings the Author” are in these glasses. I put them on and “Jane Housewife” disappears.

Hmm…

~~Becka

Dark and mysterious, you can’t deny there is “something” about Joaquin Phoenix. I remember seeing him for the first time as the adorable little boy in Spacecamp, who’s robot friend launches him and his Spacecamp buddies into space while on a “test ignition” of the space shuttle. Back then, he was billed as “Leaf Phoenix”, but either way, he was my age, and I’ve watched his career ever since.

I’m ninteen days older than Mr. Phoenix. I was born on October 9th, 1974, while he was born on October 28th, 1974. It’s kinda cool “growing up” with an actor, seeing where their lives lead in comparison to your own. Joaquin became a vegan and he smokes too damn much, so no doubt kissing him would taste like licking an ashtray. (No offense, Joaquin lol)

But that doesn’t detract from the fact that he’s pretty to look at and a damn fine actor. If I were an artist, I would probably find his face fascinating, because his features are smooth and striking with great lines. He’d be a great subject to draw or sculpt.

However, his eyes are what get you, deep and green and piercing, making your heart go all a-flutter. And his thick, dark hair makes you want to grab a handful. LOL

Congratulations, Joaquin Phoenix. You’re Becka’s Hottie of the Week!

~~Becka

(This post was edited because the original video had been deleted. I found this video again on You Tube and edited this post. If you didn’t get to see this video before the other one was pulled, you should be able to see this version.)

If you read this blog at work, then go away and come back after 5pm. This video is not safe for work, but oh my GAWD is it funny! I saw this actually a couple of weeks ago before Christmas, and only just now thought to add it here for your crude enjoyment. Don’t worry, it’s not porn or anything. It’s just kinda raunchy. An SNL skit. (Saturday Night Live for you venerable folk).

Enjoy the best Christmas gift of the season. Oh, and btw, that blond guy in the video is Justin Timberlake. After seeing this skit, I have to say, I’ve got a newfound respect for the guy. LOL If you’ve already seen this vid, partake again. Dear Lord, I almost peed my pants watching this.

~~Becka

I just switched this blog to Blogger’s new “blogger” edition-thingy-who’sa-what’sit, and I found a section with NEW TEMPLATES!!! I was never fond of that green, even though green is one of my favorite colors, NEON green leaves much to be desired. However, pink… Hmm. I might have to get used to it, but I like it! I wish they had this template in purple, tho. Might not be too hard to tweak the code…

heheheh…

>:D

What do y’all think about the pink? Strange? Ugly? Cool? Better or hideous-er than the green?

~~Becka

Well, this is the “official” first post of 2007…

How boring.

Seriously, folks, did you think I’d have something cool to say? You’ve been reading my blog for how long and you don’t know that yet?

Actually, I’m trying to figure out why THIS blog is more popular than my author blog (http://www.rebeccagoings.com/blog.asp) Prolly because that blog is just not… well, exciting. Does anyone actually read that one? I don’t know why I don’t post over there more often. However, with this busy-as-hell year, (EIGHT books releasing) I’m sure I’ll be postin’ over there more and more. Didn’t have a lot of exciting “news” to post on my author blog this year.

So what exactly is the “draw” of Becka’s Babble? Inquiring minds want to know. Is it the lame attempt at humor? The amusing photographs? The frequent updates? Or a combination of the lot of them?

I know for a fact that one of the members in DH’s and my circle of friends “outted” this blog to the rest of our “circle” (thanks a lot, Kyle! ) a few weeks back by posting a linky to one of my Avatar posts and now they read it every now and again. Don’t think I don’t know you read this drivel, guys. . . Oh yeah, we’re all Avatar: The Last Airbender geeks in the Pacific Northwest. Was there ever any doubt?

My 3 y/o son knows the entire spiel of the beginning of the show and even acts it out. “Water, Earth, Fire, Air….” DH wants to shave our son’s head next Halloween and dress him up as Aang with an arrow painted on his head. LOL That would be sweet. If we do that, I’m sure I’ll regail you with pics.

I read a fabulous book over the New Years weekend. DEVIL IN WINTER by Lisa Kleypas.

Yes, it’s so good, it deserves a big-ass pic on my blog. Loved, loved LOVED that book. RUN, don’t walk, to buy your copy. And if you’ve already read it already, let’s collectively sigh together.

**LE SIGH**

I’m a sucker for emotional love stories, and a book that can make me cry and shout and read until the wee hours of the morning is a keeper. I’ve never read one of Ms. Kleypas’s books before, but hot damn, I’m gonna stock up!! I can only wish my stories will be so awesome once I’ve been doing this writing gig nigh on 20 years…. I’ve had people compliment my writing up and down, saying I need to be with New York, yadda yadda yadda. But you know what? I can tell when a writer is just plain better than me and Lisa Kleypas is better that me. I’m not ego-tripping, merely stating a fact. However, I did just start my writing career two years ago, so I’ve got 18 more years to go before I’m up to her caliber.

Yup, 2 years ago my first book was released, HOPE IN THE LORD from By Grace Publishing in January of 2005. Seems like so long ago now. I knew nothing of promotion. I still feel clueless and I’m just feeling my way along, but judging by sales, I guess I’m doing something…write (pun intended nyuk nyuk).

Okay, I’m aware that I’m rambling, but I really have nothing of importance to say. I have absolutely no idea how to start the third book in my BEAST series and my publisher needs the first chapter by mid-January in order to get it ready as a “teaser” for the print of B*E*A*S*T* OF BURDEN. (perhaps this is news for my author blog, but screw it, I’m rambling so I’m just gonna do it here. No one reads that blog anyway. lol) I have an idea of where I want to go, but I’m just not feeling that first chapter. I gotta get this third BEAST book done by April 1st, I’ve got to do my brutal self-edits on THE WOLVERINE AND THE JEWEL, the 2nd book in the Legends of Mynos series, I gotta then write an historical novella *and* finish 3rd Legends book, THE WOLVERINE AND THE FLAME, by June 1st.

Thankfully, I did finish and self-edit PROMISE ME FOREVER, a book that was *taking* forever to write (TWO years.) **whew** Am I glad to get rid of THAT book… It’s just a “vanilla” contemporary, about ordinary people, and it was so damned BORING!!! I don’t think I’m going to write a “vanilla” contemp again. Don’t get me wrong, the BEAST series is contemp, but it’s got suspense and paranormal stuffage going on, so it keeps my interest. Now this is not to say you shouldn’t BUY this book. lol The story itself is good, but it was just so very hard for me to write. Ugh. With a capital Uh.

And dear Gawd, this post is going on forever. I’m sorry folks. If you’ve gotten this far, thank you for faithfully reading my ramblings. If you’ve fallen asleep, ZZZZZ…

~~Becka
Over and out.