It's Electric!

The one thing that scares me about home remodeling, in fact probably the only thing that scares me about home remodeling, is electricity  So what does my spouse want to do?  Yep Electric work.  He ran all the electric in the new room and then decided to install a box for said electricity in my new hobby room  Which of course meant I was somehow involved  I got the joy of standing on a ladder (I'm short for a reason - the universe knows I don't like heights) and reaching into a dark scary space in the attic (I have fairly rational fears about attics as should everyone - and besides I'm convinced there is a Dalek living in mine) and reach for an electric cord.  Ever since I was a child I have had a fear of being electrocuted.  Don't try to tell me that there is no way that I could be electrocuted by a wire that isn't connected to anything.  I mean, it could come in contact with some live wire up there and zap me into the next universe.  I wouldn't laugh if I were you.  Dan found a live cut wire just sitting in the attic today.  And a hidden junction box behind a wall in the garage that had poorly connected aluminium and copper wires just twisted together.  I am surprised my house hasn't burned to the ground yet!

But now this wire:

is now in the attic and connected to this box:

In other news, despite the rain the majority of the walls have been taped.  There is one wall left to do (the wall where we (ha! I say we like it's some royal we as if I am actually really doing anything with the electric aside from sticking my arm into scary places and grabbing fat bundles of wire) are doing the electric.  Hopefully by next weekend the guys will have the ceiling and walls textured and I can get on to painting.  Tune in tomorrow where I will be discussing my Fifty Shades of Grey.  (And fabric shopping at A&E Pharmacy.)

Without really saying it

This morning over breakfast, my husband pulled out a pack of Via, Starbucks new instant coffee. Being a writer, I, of course, had to read the packaging. What I realized is that Starbucks must hire a team of creative writers to do their package descriptions. Not just advertising people, but near savant creative writers. The package reads like a writing exercise. Here it is: Describe our new instant coffee without ever using the phrase "instant coffee." In actuality it is pure genius. they don't even hint at it being "instant." There is no phrasing that makes you think "Sanka."

This little packet of "soluble and microground" coffee got me to thinking about a problem I am having in my current book. How do you describe vampire without ever saying vampire? Without even hinting that what you are talking about is a vampire? That is my task for the day. I'll let you know how it goes.