DL Warner -- A Work in Progress: December 2013

I actually try to shop locally as much as I can. We are incredibly fortunate to reside in an area with a lot of shopping at our finger tips. We're really lucky to live near all manner of businesses that support my little cooking biz. There are two major Japanese markets in the immediate area. There are some seriously good ethnic markets where I get my stock makings and cheap veggies when not at the farmers market. And there are some major restaurant supply joints a short drive from here. I now qualify for a professionals discount from those! But one of my favorite places is Gloria's Cake and Candy Supply. I always go there for my Small Business Saturday purchases. For a while, they had the most interesting clerk to ever work in such an establishment. He looked like he walked off of a stage at a battle of the death metal bands. I was so tickled at him selling things like Spongebob cake toppers. He didn't look quite as extreme as the Vegan Metal Death chef here, but it is close. Alas, he was not there this past Small Business Saturday. On Prince's Erotic City and its incredibly racy lyrics. I was shocked until I thought about it for a moment. When that song was popular, the snowy haired owner would have been in her 20s as I was. She may have enjoyed turning out the dance floor to Prince as much as I did. She may still. That made shopping for my mini cupcake liners and piping bags a lot more fun as I head bobbed through the aisles.

duty was the elegant showy haired lady who owns the place. And that was why the choice of music was a bit shocking. It was

The Naked Truth

Los Angles is a magnet for good looking people all over the world. They are drawn here to try their hand in the various entertainment fields. On any given day, rain or shine, I can look from the door to my building to the bike path across the street and see male beauty of all colors and types biking or skating or jogging past in all manner of dress. I've been told that there are some amazing sights to see in my own building. Jon has seen a young man who likes to do pull ups near the laundry room nearly naked. I'm told he's built like a swimmer. I've had visitors tell me about the gloriously built, tawny skinned blond from upstairs going to his apartment from the pool. Why am I writing as if I never get to see these things? Because, I don't, it seems. When I see any of these men, they are fully clothed. Who do I get to see naked? Usually, octogenarians. One day during the Demon Under Glass Shoot, we had about a half dozen really hot, young actors portraying commandos. They were incredibly built with adorable smiles. All day long I heard of the various crew seeing these guys in the all together. You know who I get to see in his skivvies, Jack Donner. I always end up seeing him in his skivvies. And last week, I saw another very very elderly man in boxers. This time, it was the neighbor of the Cat Lady Who Calls Me Barbara. He was taking out his trash to the dumpster which had been moved out front for collection. He seemed annoyed at me that I was on a public street while he was out of his apartment without a robe.

Speaking of elderly gents, I ran into an adorable widower who reminded me a bit of my father. He had a dark blue stretch limo parked in front of my Costco. I must have been looking at the vehicle quizzically, because he struck up a conversation and offered me his card should I require his services. I have no doubt that he was hitting on me a bit, but I've gotten tickled by the notion of doing my last minute shopping and cookie deliveries in a stretch limo. He claims it would be the same price as a cab. We'll see...

Big News

I went for my latest check up at the oncology clinic ready for battle. I was tired of going there once a month for a five minute B-12 shot. No one in my cancer support group was going to the doctor for those shots if they needed them. Additionally, there had been a policy change that dictated that I had to fill my prescription for the vitamin at the hospital pharmacy. This would mean that I'd have a two day appointment once a month for something all other patients with my cancer do at home. It was ridiculous. Well, an amazing thing happened when I brought up the B-12 shot. The resident came back from conferring with the head of the department and said that I still had enough of that part of the intestine that absorbs B-12. I didn't need the shots if I made sure I was getting a B-12 rich diet. In fact, I was well enough to transfer monitoring my condition to my primary care doc save for the annual tests. They needed the space for someone sicker. It was almost four years to the day that I had been diagnosed. When I realized that this was good news, I was elated! I'll go back next week to take the nurses the Christmas cookies they've been anticipating, but it will be nice to not have to go back so often. It's nice to be free of the designation of cancer patient. I can really embrace the designation of survivor!

Updates!

Part One – Cooking

Thanksgiving was exciting and scary. I had some clients for pies and bead and sides. One of them was a favorite Aunt on my Father's side of the family. The Warner women are stellar backers, so sending her baked goods was almost terrifying. The family liked everything! My Aunt liked the goods enough that she wants me to bake for clients from her own business. She's not a caterer, but she often baked for certain clients who needed something home made for a special occasion. She's going to sub-contract those gigs to me! My dinner rolls were very well received as was my first ever vegan apple pie! I was so happy that it all went well. I have a few clients for Christmas and none for the New Year's celebrations. I plan a push to get some more of those. I'd like to keep it growing at a slow pace, so I don't get overwhelmed during this merry time of year. I do have a long range plan should my orders really start coming in. Unfortunately for Jon, it involves dragooning him as perhaps some of my other friends and a professional kitchen. But that's for later. Meanwhile, here is the link to my website http://deborahlwarner.wix.com/dlwcatering#!hors-doeuvers/c1e7h. If you don't see it, write me or call me! I can make anything!

Part Two – WRITING!!

When last we met here, I was in a deep, deep funk about where my writing projects were and how slowly

they were progressing. Since those very dark days, I have devised a plan to get back to the output I had a year or so ago. I had to figure out why I was stuck with each title that was at an impasse. That's been an interesting process. I'm not an actual believer in writer's block where I'm concerned. I've been trained to write no matter what is going on in my life. That's why I think out my treatments and outlines so carefully. I can then churn out pages ever when I am having the worst kind of days. That's what's been so disconcerting about this problem that has been getting worse with each passing month. What I realized is that I am having an issue with the original plan for one book that has brought me to a halt. As for the rest, I've been profoundly unhappy about how my work has fared on the market. There was an ever growing, 'why do I even bother' growing. Well, I've been schooled in why and how I should continue. Thus, this list is not as daunting as it seems. I'm actually working on some short fiction with the characters in my yaoi books. That's been fun which is more than I could say about my writing for quite some time.

Stay tuned!

And now, a look at the past few weeks in photos.