The Dynamic Trio - Blog

I’m just curious how many people have tried a dating site. I know I’ve talked to at least two or three personal friends who met their husbands through Match.com. I’d love to know what the experience was like for anyone who’s tried dating this way.

I checked into eHarmony but, uh, they rejected me. Can you believe they actually said that I’m too nice and so balanced that people tend to think I’m too good to be true, so they couldn’t possibly match a person like me. Now is that ri-damned-diculous or what? LOL!

I’m actually considering a service called “It’s Just Lunch” because frankly I haven’t dated in so long I don’t even know where to go to meet a quality person, let alone find a date. Gah, I had no idea how expensive it could be to get someone to match you up to have coffee with a person! And even though I’m not looking for a husband (dinner and a movie suits me just fine, thank you) do I really want to pay to be set up? On the other hand, if I want to meet someone that I don’t mind actually being in the same room with, perhaps paying is the way to go?

What do you think? By the way, here’s some facts from the It’s Just Lunch website. Some of ‘em are interesting. Take number 6 for example. It this is true, they sure don’t seem to be in Colorado!:

1) 11: The number of single friends the average 27 year old has.

2) 76% of Men: Prefer brunettes over blondes.

3) Wednesday: The best day for a first date according to 41% of singles.

4) One Hour: The time it takes for a woman to determine whether or not she wants to see a man again.

5) 15 Minutes: The time it takes for a man to determine whether or not he wants to see a woman again.

6) 110 Million: The number of single adults in the United States.

7) 43% of Singles: Have Googled someone on the internet before their date.

You haven’t seen an issue of TJ On A Tangent in quite a while, but it’s coming on July 15th with new articles, sneak peeks into the new novel I’ve just contracted with Ellora’s Cave, news on the new Vampire Council of Ethics books coming next month, a cool summer recipe and something very catty.

Get in on the fun by subscribing. And we will never, ever give out your e-mail addy so be assured you’ll get no spamming from this quarter (grrrr, I hate spammers!)

Happy Wednesday!

TJ

I’m blogging over at the Samhain Publishing weblog to celebrate the new release of Serati’s Flame in PRINT! Squeeeeee!

Skip on over the Samhain and pay me a visit ;D

TJ

I’ve been known to be more of a guy than a girl. Why? Because women have gotten a bad wrap, damn it! And some men figure that if you’re not the stereotypical female you’re either too good to be true, or you are a ‘knuckle dragger’ like them. And I did NOT give them that name. It’s what they believe their women see them as. So, the term has become one that men unite around and are proud to be called.

Women, we’re seen as these complicated, emotional wrecks. We supposedly want to be pamered one minute only to flip the ’spastic switch’ and become Miss Independent I-Don’t-Need-Nobody the next minute. Total bull if you ask me, but them again, I’ve seen my share of goofballs to wonder…

Anyway, so back to the guy thing where I’m concerned. If a knuckle dragger is a person who enjoys peace and quiet, content to let the emotional wrecks get bent out of shape without us, then I guess I’m a knuckle dragger. Hell, even my ex had to admit that he was the complainer/nagger in our relationship, which to me, was a big compliment.

So…Knuckle Draggers unite!

Here’s a joke for those women, like me, who enjoy NOT nagging. Enjoy emotional stability instead of half the month PMS’ing and the other half on her period. Find pleasure in NOT adding a million things to the honey-do list. Enjoy equal parts affection and raunch. Think highly of our men (well, when we have one ;D). And who do love being on the receiving end of chivalry and pampering while still maintaining our sence of self at the expense of no one.

The biker pulled over and said, “Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can ride over anytime I want.”

The Lord said, “Your request is materialistic, think of the enormous challenges for that kind of undertaking; the supports required reaching the bottom of the Pacific and the concrete and steel it would take! It will nearly exhaust several natural resources. I can do it, but it is hard for me to justify your desire for such a thing. Take a little more time and think of something that could possibly help mankind.”

The biker thought about it for a long time. Finally, he said, “Lord, I wish that I and all men could understand women; I want to know how she feels inside, what she’s thinking when she gives me the silent treatment, why she cries, what she means when she says nothing’s wrong, and how I can make a Woman truly happy.”

The Lord replied, “You want that Bridge two lanes or four?”

I’m totally dancing on air right now (look out below!) - remember the contemporary older woman/younger man story I told you about? It was my first contemporary and I was feeling a bit insecure about it. It’s the first time I’ve written a book without the paranormal element and boy did it feel weird not to have vamps, shifters, weres and spirit guides running around trying to take over the story.

I submitted said story to both my pubs. One didn’t like it at all, the other loved it! So with a few tweaks to the plot, a bit more suspense and some (u-hem) grammar correction, I can now announce that the book, CARAMEL KISSES, has been sold to Ellora’s Cave! YAY!!!!

Contracts are in the mail and I’ll be putting a blurb and excerpt up on my website soon on the Sneak Peek page.

Oh goodness, I almost forgot to tell you what the story is about - it’s the story of a woman named Sydni Cannes. She’s an executive, high rolling, six-figure babe who’s worked her butt off not only to make it in life, but to put her younger sister through school. Well, Syd has had less than stellar luck in the ‘guy’ department and has simply buried herself in work and responsibilities instead. She isn’t a man hater, but simply doesn’t want to deal with Mr. Right, Mr. Right Now or Mr. Warm Pulse. A life without the drama is simply fine with her. Well, that and her trusty B.O.B.

Thankfully her younger sister knows Syd is missing out on enjoying the companionship she deserves. So what does she do? She talks her Syd into letting her hair down for a night. The result? Sydni lands in jail! Low and behold, her knight in shining armor come to bail her out is none other than a co-worker she’s been avoiding like the plague. Yes, Drew has come to save her from the humiliation of the county clink. Gorgeous as all get out, the man is too charismatic by half, too damned good looking, several shades too light and…eight years her junior! All wrong! Hell, if Sydni didn’t know better, she’d think it was all planned from the beginning…

Stay tuned… *tj giggling like a kid in a candy shop with a million dollars to spare!*

Yes, summer is truly here. It’s too damned hot to cook in the house, yet we need to eat. So what are my choices - hmmm, let’s see. Cold cereal? Umm, no. Fruit salad? That sounds good, no cooking required, however, I have a growing boy at home and fruit alone ain’t gonna do it for him.

So I guess it’s time to break out the grill!

For the vegetarians in the group (I eat nothing but grains and veggies all day, and have a single serving of meat with my dinner, so I have to be creative to keep it interesting), grilling can work for you in a major way. And if you’ve never tried indirect cooking, it’s something results in a tender cut of meat that falls apart in your mouth.

So whether you’re a veggie-gal or a rib-chicken-fish diva, here’s a couple of cool recipes for both of you:

Grilled Asparagus with Green Peppercorn Vinaigrette Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay, 2007

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons green peppercorns in brine, drained
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
2 tablespoons canola oil

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl until combined. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified and stir in the peppercorns. Let the vinaigrette sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. Vinaigrette can be made up to 8 hours in advance and refrigerated.
Heat the grill to high.

Toss asparagus with the canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Place grilled asparagus on a platter and drizzle the vinaigrette over the top.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grilled Yellowfin Tuna with Sweet Corn Salad, Herb Roasted Tomatoes and Eggplant Caviar Recipe
courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2007
(Note, follow the link below for the Sweet Corn Salad, Herb Roasted Tomatoes and Eggplant Caviar)

6 (5-ounce) portions yellowfin tuna
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Season each piece of the tuna with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Heat a grill to high and grill the tuna to the desired temperature. Place 1/2 cup of the Sweet Corn Salad on each of 6 plates, and place tuna on top. Garnish each portion of tuna with 2 tablespoons of the eggplant caviar and a 4 slices of the Herb Roasted Tomatoes.

Serve immediately.

Click HERE for the other recipes. Enjoy!

TJ

If you’ve read my books, such as Jaguar’s Rule, Spirit of the Pryde, Primed to Pounce or Egyptian Voyage, you know I really have a thing for large cats. I don’t mean overweight Garfield types, but lions, tigers, jaguars and the like. I was thinking about my need to schedule my family’s next camping trip to enjoy the great outdoors, and a thought came to mind - what would it be like to run up on one of my favorite animals in the middle of the night? I mean, if he wasn’t after ME, of course ;D

Ever wonder what a jaguar sounds like? Well, I’ve got an answer for you. Choose from the several selections on the player below, close your eyes and imagine yourself in the jungles of Belize in the middle of the night…

Strangely enough, the sounds didn’t scare me or make me feel afraid. But after you listen to them, tell me whether they curled your toes! Especially, sound clip number three. Whew!

Love, TJ (a/k/a Big Cat Nutball Extraordinaire)

The weather here has been absolutely scorching. Now I’m SO not the girl who enjoys being baked alive, but I do enjoy getting outside. I don’t get to do it as often as I’d like anymore (somehow those danged responsibilities sometimes get in the way ;D) but I like to walk at lunch time with some of the ladies at the office. The other day when I took this pic it was cloudy out with a bit of a cool breeze as a storm blew in. And it was STILL 80 degrees outside! Just yesterday, it was 92. Ack!

Forget New Year’s resolutions (I don’t bother to make them), it’s all about taking care of yourself all year long. Last year was one of the most stressful years of my life, mostly due to my job. And I made a commitment to myself that I would SO not go there again, being worked up and worked out to the point of affecting my health.

I’ve always been a health goofball - I love the outdoors, I like going to the gym, and like taking walks. Not to the point of being a fanatic, but it is important to take care of yourself. Especially if you have kids. Your kids need you to be around for a good long time.

So what are you doing to keep yourself in good health? And if you’re not doing anything, maybe I can help you with that?

First, a good way to work off stress is to play! Do something fun. My game of choice right now is World of WarCraft. Another good way is to get physical. You don’t have to lift a ridiculous amount of weights, or do aerobics until you faint. Just a little walk about the neighborhood, enjoying the evening breeze is a good one, too. And it’s even better if you can grab the hand of someone you care about and drag them along ;D

TJ

Now this is a hot topic personally. But before I get started you can blame this all on my friend and fellow author, Marilyn Lee. If you don’t know Marilyn’s work, she’s a kick butt author who writes Shifters, Weres and Vamps with so much personality you expect them to jump off the page and bite you (oh baby!). Her contemporary books are off the chain, too.

Well, the other day on the Ladies of the Club blog (another cool group that Marilyn and I both belong to) she started the topic on asking whether we, as woman, think chivalry is dead. The discussion was being had on other blogs where it seemed that some women don’t mind if their men called them bitches, as if the word ‘bitch’ has become the new endearment rather than ‘baby’ or ‘honey’.

Now is that ri-goddamned-diculous or what? Like Marilyn, I have strong opinions about this. If chivalry is dead with a man, then he’s not the one for me. Do I need him to tie my shoes? Not. But I do expect to be treated with care. Now, I am so NOT a high maintenance woman. I don’t nag, whine or pout. But…well, anyway, this is what I wrote in response to her blog (click HERE for the original post at Ladies of the Club):

TJ SAID: “Mary, this is a subject that just frosts my cookies. Basically, makes me mad, pisses me off, etc. Is chivalry dead? It depends on the guy. I happen to like polite, courteous men. To me, that’s chivalrous. I’ve had men tell me that they like opening doors for women, but stopped doing it when the woman bit their heads off for being nice. Which, in my opinion, is simply stupid.
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