Category: general

general

musical interlude

abby mumford

i interrupt this broadcast to share with you the musical stylings of MUMFORD & SONS. i think you know why i’m sharing this music with you, dear readers. it’s because they share a name with me. i’m not sure if we’re related or if this is what G and his sons will look like all growed up…. but either way, i’m enjoying the music and thought you should too.

side note, if i’m not related to the lead singer of this band who has the same last name as me, would it be weird if i married him and moved to london and became abby mumford mumford?

Little Lion Man

Winter Winds

The Cave

ENJOY and thanks to B for bringing this music to my attention.

general

a reason to celebrate

abby mumford

yes, today is the 5th of may. cinco de mayo. per wikipedia:

a holiday held on May 5 that commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín.[2][3] It is celebrated primarily in the state of Puebla and in the United States.[4][5][6][7] While Cinco de Mayo sees limited significance and celebration nationwide in Mexico, the date is observed nationwide in the United States and other locations around the world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride.

but there is another reason to cheer today. i fought my own battle and i have come out victorious.

the contenders in the ring were me and ANTISPYWARE SOFT (a dirty, vile computer virus). the battle started on sunday when a “windows security alert” popped up. OH HO. trickster. it looks like it’s scanning your computer, when in fact it’s actually disabling your antivirus software. and then mucks up everything else. on monday, i got a tip to run my laptop in safe mode. but i’m no brain. and this virus has a big one. i got knocked down and wasn’t sure i’d be able to get back into the ring. fortunately, i have a secret weapon, K. so secret, he didn’t even know it. but i tag-teamed him and he hopped into the ring and threw his considerable IT weight around. laptop is now all spiffy and shiny and working. actually working. i’m writing this very post on laptop. *weeps tears of relief*

but the real reason to celebrate here is friendship. i had to call in reinforcements (the aforementioned K), who i met my first year here in boston. he lived in my apartment building. we’ve hung out in bars and on softballs fields over the years, but of late, our time together has been very infrequent and has been relegated to the moments we run into each other on the sidewalk. (we work in the same neighborhood, so this isn’t as random as it sounds.)

and yet, he answered my SOS. and then spend 2+ hours working on my defunct laptop. and all he asked in payment was a 6 pack.

i’d like to think that having 2+ hours to spend with me is something to look forward to, but i’m no fool, he’s just a generous soul. and that reminds me to be one too. to give back to others even if you’ve had a long day. to give back to others even if you’ve had a great day. to give back to others because it recharges you. to give back to others because that’s what you believe in.

thank you, K. thank you a million times over. for saving my laptop. for reminding me that the breadth of friendship is vast and all encompassing. and for showing me how to pay it forward. OLE!

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land line

abby mumford

i linked to this article in my last post, but it really stuck with me, this idea that if something happened to technology and all you could do is call your high school self, what would you say? i had put two up on twitter, but decided to elaborate today, because, why not? it’s fun!

dear HS self: you’ve reached your maximum height. stop dreaming. start living that pint sized life. or learn to love heels.

dear HS self: you know how you play sports 6x a week? you can enjoy that cake and have ice cream too. and chips. and soda. and seconds on everything.

dear HS self: don’t ever stop reading. or writing.

dear HS self: get a math tutor. it’ll quiet down those arguments with your (too smart) father.

dear HS self: those home cooked meals? appreciate them. your cooking doesn’t taste like that.

dear HS self: all that time you spent on the phone? it’s good practice for later in life when your friends are scattered all over the globe.

dear HS self: WEAR SUNSCREEN. or sit under an umbrella. it works. pale skin is better than red skin, especially since it’s pain free. promise.

dear HS self: tell E you like him WHEN you like him. don’t wait for him to make the first move. he’s just as shy as you are.

dear HS self: don’t have a girls’ night out at a club near the jersey shore. it doesn’t end well.

dear HS self: the blushing doesn’t ever go away. you should still speak up regardless.

what would YOU say to your HS self given the opportunity?

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other(s) words

abby mumford

i’ve been reading a lot of wonderful words by others lately, so i figured i should share their words with you instead of imposing my own amateurish words on your brains.

a post on what being a mother means, including all body, mind, and soul morphing aspects.

a post on the definition of an author. this definition spins in my favor. sweet diggity!

a post on being funny in the face of danger. i’d love to think this is how i’d act, though i’d probably either (a) remain mute or (b) run away and hide. i guess i’ll have to start taking more risks to see what personality my courage has.

a post on what being humble, arrogant, and/or having a lack of confidence REALLY means.

a post on twitter because i love me some twitter. and i love me so funny. and she says it better than i ever could, would, should, hood…oops, got carried away.

continuous posts on gratitude because it is so important to feel. and express. and she makes even the most mundane thing seem miraculous. and i’m grateful for that.

a blog that i read daily. because i need help in this area.

a post on writerly advice from sue grafton. because she’s been in the trenches. she knows how to battle with words. how to wrestle with chapters. how to beat down self-doubt. how to knock out an ending. and how to keep writing when you’re covered with bruises.

a post on a brand new way to use Microsoft Excel. this is so creative and right up my alley. i am planning to adopt this for sure.

a post about what you’d say to your high school self given the opportunity. HILARIOUS.

this post. ah, this post will make you feel a little bit better about your life. i hope.

and this post. it’s a pretty picture and i want to end on a high note.

click, read, enjoy, enrich your mind.

you’re welcome.

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a sneak peek

abby mumford

of chapter 5 of my WIP, via wordle. which is to say, i copy and pasted chapter 5 into wordle.net and this is the resulting image of how frequently i use what words:

chapter 5

it’s a beautiful and fun way to show you your word usage. the smaller the font type, the less frequently you use the word. the larger the font, the more you use it. the names of my main character are pretty obvious. and that’s all you’re going to get for now.

cheers!