Nico Jaye's Blog, page 4
January 17, 2014
Difficult Times for the Nicos
This is a hard post for me to write. 2014 hasn't started out well, to say the least. I was sick for the first two weeks, but now I've been hit with something much harder: Nico-kitteh has cancer.
Yes, cancer.
It's hard news to take. As I'm sure you can tell, we're very close; I borrowed this pen name from him, after all. Over the years I did everything right: fed him high quality, grain free foods, took him to regular checkups, and gave him lots of cuddles and lovin'.
And now he has cancer.
In October 2013 we had a tumor mass removed from between his shoulder blades. The mass was around the size of a ping pong ball, and it only took a month or two to grow that big. He came through that surgery well, and he bounced back to his usual adorable and affectionate self. We thought that might have been a fluke - a one time thing, a growth that just appeared and then was removed. I was especially optimistic when the surgeon confirmed that the biopsy showed the margins of the removed tissues were free of cancer cells. That made me think that we got it all.
But no.
When I felt a little lump on his shoulder blade recently, I knew we shouldn't wait like we did the first time to "see if it goes down." So we had him into the vet hospital right away, and they removed the lump two days later.
But now we have to face the very real thing that the lump was not a one-time occurrence. Nico-kitteh has cancer, and given how aggressively these cells reappeared, it's likely not going to disappear, even if the margins are clean again.
I cried. A lot. The ugly, blubbery crying, and it still comes and goes when I think about the situation. To be honest, I'm actually crying a little now while writing this post.
I'm not naive. I know that cats don't live forever. However, I thought that we'd have many more fun-filled, stress-free years with him. Instead, now we're faced with the question of what's best for him in the long run.
We spoke with the medical oncologist before his surgery. Apparently there's a cancer that tends to develop due to injections of vaccinations in the area between the shoulder blades. (Note to pet owners: Have your vaccine shots done on the hind legs or front paws where it's much easier to isolate problems should they arise.) He also spoke to us about treatments to address the fact that the cells didn't go away.
There's radiation therapy that would hopefully give Nico a better chance at ridding himself of the bad stuff. It's tough on cats, though, because they need to be anaesthesized each time they go under radiation. We'd also have to take him to facilities 1.5 hours away to have the treatments done. On top of all that, it's expensive. Like...really expensive. And when you take into account the cost of the surgeries, too, then this awful cancer has taken a toll financially in an amount that most people would probably say is absolutely crazy.
But here's the thing: he's my furbaby. He's my little boy. So I'm at least going to talk to the radiation oncologist to find out what we can do. And then I want to give him a fighting chance at having those many more years together.
And to everyone who says "how can you spend that much on a pet?" then I say shut the hell up. I don't want to hear it. If you're thinking it, then fine. Think it. But if you say anything to me about this in a way that criticizes me for doing what I think is best for me and for my furbaby, then you are not my friend. Period.
It's not your money. It's not your pet. It's not your life.
The way I see it, I don't have any kids. I'm not spending thousands on daycare every month or saving up to send someone to college. I don't have a mortgage. I'm lucky that I don't have any really big responsibilities at this point in my life. Nico is my responsibility. And I want to be responsible for giving him the best care possible so that he has the best chances possible at beating this thing.
Here's something that some people might have deduced about my situation from various posts or that, alternately, some of you might not know. I was a lawyer for many years and managed to save up enough money to take time off. I posted about this decision to take a sabbatical period a while ago, and I'm sure you've seen other posts where I've traveled and done some really awesome and fun stuff along the way. Even after over a year of time off, I still have plenty of those savings left. And after whatever this radiation therapy costs and whatever cancer will suck out of those funds, I'll still have more than enough as a nest egg.
So please don't judge. I know what's best for myself and for my boy-boy. Let me do what I want to do; it's not your decision to make.
That's what's happening with me. Big decisions. Big (and unsettling) news. And big hopes for a long, cancer-free future with my little Nico-kitteh. It's not often we can make decisions from our hearts and have the ability to support them. In this case, I'm doing what my heart says is the right thing to do, and that's to try to provide him with the best care possible. He'll have a chance, and hopefully he will beat cancer.
Your positive thoughts and vibes would be much appreciated as we go into this fight.
♥,
NJ and Nico-kitteh
Yes, cancer.
It's hard news to take. As I'm sure you can tell, we're very close; I borrowed this pen name from him, after all. Over the years I did everything right: fed him high quality, grain free foods, took him to regular checkups, and gave him lots of cuddles and lovin'.
And now he has cancer.
In October 2013 we had a tumor mass removed from between his shoulder blades. The mass was around the size of a ping pong ball, and it only took a month or two to grow that big. He came through that surgery well, and he bounced back to his usual adorable and affectionate self. We thought that might have been a fluke - a one time thing, a growth that just appeared and then was removed. I was especially optimistic when the surgeon confirmed that the biopsy showed the margins of the removed tissues were free of cancer cells. That made me think that we got it all.
But no.
When I felt a little lump on his shoulder blade recently, I knew we shouldn't wait like we did the first time to "see if it goes down." So we had him into the vet hospital right away, and they removed the lump two days later.
But now we have to face the very real thing that the lump was not a one-time occurrence. Nico-kitteh has cancer, and given how aggressively these cells reappeared, it's likely not going to disappear, even if the margins are clean again.
I cried. A lot. The ugly, blubbery crying, and it still comes and goes when I think about the situation. To be honest, I'm actually crying a little now while writing this post.
I'm not naive. I know that cats don't live forever. However, I thought that we'd have many more fun-filled, stress-free years with him. Instead, now we're faced with the question of what's best for him in the long run.
We spoke with the medical oncologist before his surgery. Apparently there's a cancer that tends to develop due to injections of vaccinations in the area between the shoulder blades. (Note to pet owners: Have your vaccine shots done on the hind legs or front paws where it's much easier to isolate problems should they arise.) He also spoke to us about treatments to address the fact that the cells didn't go away.
There's radiation therapy that would hopefully give Nico a better chance at ridding himself of the bad stuff. It's tough on cats, though, because they need to be anaesthesized each time they go under radiation. We'd also have to take him to facilities 1.5 hours away to have the treatments done. On top of all that, it's expensive. Like...really expensive. And when you take into account the cost of the surgeries, too, then this awful cancer has taken a toll financially in an amount that most people would probably say is absolutely crazy.
But here's the thing: he's my furbaby. He's my little boy. So I'm at least going to talk to the radiation oncologist to find out what we can do. And then I want to give him a fighting chance at having those many more years together.
And to everyone who says "how can you spend that much on a pet?" then I say shut the hell up. I don't want to hear it. If you're thinking it, then fine. Think it. But if you say anything to me about this in a way that criticizes me for doing what I think is best for me and for my furbaby, then you are not my friend. Period.
It's not your money. It's not your pet. It's not your life.
The way I see it, I don't have any kids. I'm not spending thousands on daycare every month or saving up to send someone to college. I don't have a mortgage. I'm lucky that I don't have any really big responsibilities at this point in my life. Nico is my responsibility. And I want to be responsible for giving him the best care possible so that he has the best chances possible at beating this thing.
Here's something that some people might have deduced about my situation from various posts or that, alternately, some of you might not know. I was a lawyer for many years and managed to save up enough money to take time off. I posted about this decision to take a sabbatical period a while ago, and I'm sure you've seen other posts where I've traveled and done some really awesome and fun stuff along the way. Even after over a year of time off, I still have plenty of those savings left. And after whatever this radiation therapy costs and whatever cancer will suck out of those funds, I'll still have more than enough as a nest egg.
So please don't judge. I know what's best for myself and for my boy-boy. Let me do what I want to do; it's not your decision to make.
That's what's happening with me. Big decisions. Big (and unsettling) news. And big hopes for a long, cancer-free future with my little Nico-kitteh. It's not often we can make decisions from our hearts and have the ability to support them. In this case, I'm doing what my heart says is the right thing to do, and that's to try to provide him with the best care possible. He'll have a chance, and hopefully he will beat cancer.
Your positive thoughts and vibes would be much appreciated as we go into this fight.
♥,
NJ and Nico-kitteh
January 14, 2014
Random Post to Start 2014: Saving Water is Sehr Importante!
Yes, I'm mixing my languages, but maybe it's actually a meta message because water conservation is a global concern. See what I just did there? :D
Here's a tangentially relevant picture from my trip to visit Niagara Falls last year. It has water in it, at least, okay? :)
Anyway, there's a real threat of drought here in California, which comes as a surprise to me after having spent years not living in the Golden State and in places that instead yielded feet of snow and wet weather. However, that is, indeed, the case. The Bay Area hasn't had rainfall in forever, and the reservoirs are in a dire state.
I thought I'd share a few tips because, like Aidan in BTW I Love You, I'm a bleeding heart environmental do-gooder like that. :) Now I just need my own Jake to give me mushy presents, and I'll be all good.
* Easy-peasy Tip #1 - Turn off the faucet when you're brushing your teeth. It's super easy to do and can save lots of water. I mean, why is it on, anyway? It's not like you need a security blanket-noise of water running while you're keeping your chompers pearly-white, right?
* Easy-peasy Tip #2 - If you have extra water lying around the house, don't just toss it out in the sink and let it go down the drain. Water the houseplants with it! As long as you have some hardy and healthy houseplants (and let's be honest, don't we all? Not all of us are born with green thumbs...), then give the water to the hardy houseplants and they'll say thank you by staying that way - that is, by staying hardy and healthy. Here are some ideas for water that might be wasted otherwise: (a) the used water when you change your pet's water bowl or (b) the used up ice when you empty your cooler.
* Easy-peasy Tip #3 - Don't wash your hair every day. Bathing is awesome. Yes, I'm a big fan of bathing. Just try prying that Turkish hammam kese exfoliator out of my hands or taking away my aromatherapy shower gel. So yes, bathing, I repeat, is awesome. However, most of us don't need to wash our hair every day. Most of us probably shouldn't wash our hair every day. It strips oils and can dry out your hair. So give it a shot and see if you can handle second (or third!) day hair. I'm guessing your hair just might look even awesomer than on the first day of washing it. And water-saving bonus! You just cut your shower time in half. Awesome!
Hope these tips are easy-peasy for you all to incorporate into your lives. Not only will you save water, but you'll be saving sehr viel dinero, too! ;)
Toting her reusable bag everywhere,
NJ
Here's a tangentially relevant picture from my trip to visit Niagara Falls last year. It has water in it, at least, okay? :)
Anyway, there's a real threat of drought here in California, which comes as a surprise to me after having spent years not living in the Golden State and in places that instead yielded feet of snow and wet weather. However, that is, indeed, the case. The Bay Area hasn't had rainfall in forever, and the reservoirs are in a dire state.
I thought I'd share a few tips because, like Aidan in BTW I Love You, I'm a bleeding heart environmental do-gooder like that. :) Now I just need my own Jake to give me mushy presents, and I'll be all good.
* Easy-peasy Tip #1 - Turn off the faucet when you're brushing your teeth. It's super easy to do and can save lots of water. I mean, why is it on, anyway? It's not like you need a security blanket-noise of water running while you're keeping your chompers pearly-white, right?
* Easy-peasy Tip #2 - If you have extra water lying around the house, don't just toss it out in the sink and let it go down the drain. Water the houseplants with it! As long as you have some hardy and healthy houseplants (and let's be honest, don't we all? Not all of us are born with green thumbs...), then give the water to the hardy houseplants and they'll say thank you by staying that way - that is, by staying hardy and healthy. Here are some ideas for water that might be wasted otherwise: (a) the used water when you change your pet's water bowl or (b) the used up ice when you empty your cooler.
* Easy-peasy Tip #3 - Don't wash your hair every day. Bathing is awesome. Yes, I'm a big fan of bathing. Just try prying that Turkish hammam kese exfoliator out of my hands or taking away my aromatherapy shower gel. So yes, bathing, I repeat, is awesome. However, most of us don't need to wash our hair every day. Most of us probably shouldn't wash our hair every day. It strips oils and can dry out your hair. So give it a shot and see if you can handle second (or third!) day hair. I'm guessing your hair just might look even awesomer than on the first day of washing it. And water-saving bonus! You just cut your shower time in half. Awesome!
Hope these tips are easy-peasy for you all to incorporate into your lives. Not only will you save water, but you'll be saving sehr viel dinero, too! ;)
Toting her reusable bag everywhere,
NJ
December 19, 2013
Holiday Stuffs with DS news, D/s news, and Christmas cuddles!
Oh, what a week it has been! =D
Huge thanks to everyone for the wonderful experience I've had with the Different Strokes release. I love the positive vibes, and being surrounded by upbeat people means that what could have been a really stressful week has instead been a fun and awesome one. *squishy hugs for everyone* Some of the reviews have really astonished me, and I'm so grateful for you all!
Congratulations to Shirra, who won the Different Strokes ebook giveaway! Thank you to everyone who stopped by for release day. If you'd like another chance at winning, Chris over at the blog Stumbling Over Chaos is hosting another giveaway of Different Strokes, so pop on by at this link and enter to win.
How's the holiday season treating everyone? I swear it snuck up on me and suddenly it's a week from Christmas. Whoa! To make up for lost time, I crocheted four scarves yesterday, and I'm also trying to get my fill of holiday stories between crocheting and eating lots of yummy holiday goodies. I managed to write a quickie post for Penny in which I highlighted some m/m holiday recs, so check it out here if you want to see me explode in candy canes all over holiday books.
Also, I have a little bit of news about another story. A couple of months ago I wrote a short story for an anthology submissions call. I finished Sex and Candy really early, and the beta readers loved it, which had me really stoked. The story kept tapping me on the shoulder while I waited for the call's due date to get a little closer. Finally, I asked the boys "what??? o_O" And the short story told me it didn't want to have siblings in an anthology; it was a needy only child. So I hemmed and I hawed and finally I thought "well, let's see what options I have, then," knowing full well that many publishing houses had minimum length requirements for their submissions.
Long story short (heh heh – short!), Sex and Candy found a home at JMS Books. ♥ Yaaaaaay! I'm SUPER excited that Lee and his Sir will have their opportunity for their own spotlight. They are needy and exhibitionist little (big) boys like that. *winks* Sex and Candy explores a D/s vibe and is smutty yet oh-so-sweet. It's scheduled for a March 2014 release date. I hope you like it!
Finally, unless some crazy brain spaz happens in the next few days, I won't have a holiday story this year. However, if you haven't had a chance to check out my freebie A Man-to-Man Christmas, you can download the PDF on the Goodreads page here . It's part of the Man-to-Man Coverage series , but it would work as a standalone, too. It's a sweet and super flufftastic short story with no sexytimes on the page (but lots of cheesy holiday cheer instead). =D
Happy holidays to everyone, and may your stockings be filled to overflowing with love, cheer, and good reads!
♥,
NJ
Huge thanks to everyone for the wonderful experience I've had with the Different Strokes release. I love the positive vibes, and being surrounded by upbeat people means that what could have been a really stressful week has instead been a fun and awesome one. *squishy hugs for everyone* Some of the reviews have really astonished me, and I'm so grateful for you all!
Congratulations to Shirra, who won the Different Strokes ebook giveaway! Thank you to everyone who stopped by for release day. If you'd like another chance at winning, Chris over at the blog Stumbling Over Chaos is hosting another giveaway of Different Strokes, so pop on by at this link and enter to win.
How's the holiday season treating everyone? I swear it snuck up on me and suddenly it's a week from Christmas. Whoa! To make up for lost time, I crocheted four scarves yesterday, and I'm also trying to get my fill of holiday stories between crocheting and eating lots of yummy holiday goodies. I managed to write a quickie post for Penny in which I highlighted some m/m holiday recs, so check it out here if you want to see me explode in candy canes all over holiday books.
Also, I have a little bit of news about another story. A couple of months ago I wrote a short story for an anthology submissions call. I finished Sex and Candy really early, and the beta readers loved it, which had me really stoked. The story kept tapping me on the shoulder while I waited for the call's due date to get a little closer. Finally, I asked the boys "what??? o_O" And the short story told me it didn't want to have siblings in an anthology; it was a needy only child. So I hemmed and I hawed and finally I thought "well, let's see what options I have, then," knowing full well that many publishing houses had minimum length requirements for their submissions.
Long story short (heh heh – short!), Sex and Candy found a home at JMS Books. ♥ Yaaaaaay! I'm SUPER excited that Lee and his Sir will have their opportunity for their own spotlight. They are needy and exhibitionist little (big) boys like that. *winks* Sex and Candy explores a D/s vibe and is smutty yet oh-so-sweet. It's scheduled for a March 2014 release date. I hope you like it!
Finally, unless some crazy brain spaz happens in the next few days, I won't have a holiday story this year. However, if you haven't had a chance to check out my freebie A Man-to-Man Christmas, you can download the PDF on the Goodreads page here . It's part of the Man-to-Man Coverage series , but it would work as a standalone, too. It's a sweet and super flufftastic short story with no sexytimes on the page (but lots of cheesy holiday cheer instead). =D
Happy holidays to everyone, and may your stockings be filled to overflowing with love, cheer, and good reads!
♥,
NJ
December 11, 2013
Release Day for Different Strokes, Giveaway Info & Some More Crafty Quickies!
Today is release day for Different Strokes. Woop woop! *tosses confetti* Of course that means one last cartoon from my lovely artist friend Natasha Snow:
And, yes, I freaking am IN LOVE with Darren's little face here. ❤__❤ If you wanna find out what's in the little box, check it out in Different Strokes ! To celebrate release day, I'm doing a giveaway of an ebook copy to one lucky commenter! A US winner will also get a little swag pack from yours truly. ;)
If you're looking for some gift ideas of your own, here are a few DIY quickie craft projects that I'd recommend. I'm a super amateur crafter, but I found these doable!
***
1. Rice Heat Packs
This project is the classy and fancy-looking alternative to the rice heat packs I posted this weekend. If you're interested in seeing the Winging It Rice Heat Packs version that I actually made last month, check out Sunday's crafty post.
2. Puff Stitch Crochet Hat
I'm obsessed with this hat! I'm pretty basic with my crochet, and I found this one to be super easy to follow. The results are pretty awesome, too, and I've received tons of compliments on them already. Yes, them. I've made at least four at this point. *shameless grin* There's also a really helpful video tutorial to accompany the instructions.
3. Unicorn Horn Headband
This unicorn horn headband is super cute and fun! Even though it's labeled as a Halloween tutorial, it'd be great for kiddos who love to play dress up. I know a certain *coughs* big kiddo who definitely enjoyed making and wearing it! Just grab some crafty materials from Jo-Ann and about an hour later, you have the beginnings of a really lovely and unique Fantasyland costume for you or the favorite kiddo in your life. :)
***
Hope everyone's having a fabulous holiday season! If you have any other crafty projects to recommend, definitely let me know. :D
GIVEAWAY INFO! One commenter will win an ebook copy of Different Strokes, and, if within the US, I'll also send a swag pack via snail mail. :D Just leave a comment below with some means of contacting you on the web (e.g., email, Goodreads profile, Twitter handle, etc.). The winner will be chosen by a highly scientific metaphorical "names in a hat" method using an Internet randomizer. ;) Contest closes at 11PM (Pacific time) on December 15th!
Live long, craft prosperously, and happy reading!
NJ
And, yes, I freaking am IN LOVE with Darren's little face here. ❤__❤ If you wanna find out what's in the little box, check it out in Different Strokes ! To celebrate release day, I'm doing a giveaway of an ebook copy to one lucky commenter! A US winner will also get a little swag pack from yours truly. ;)
If you're looking for some gift ideas of your own, here are a few DIY quickie craft projects that I'd recommend. I'm a super amateur crafter, but I found these doable!
***
1. Rice Heat Packs
This project is the classy and fancy-looking alternative to the rice heat packs I posted this weekend. If you're interested in seeing the Winging It Rice Heat Packs version that I actually made last month, check out Sunday's crafty post.
2. Puff Stitch Crochet Hat
I'm obsessed with this hat! I'm pretty basic with my crochet, and I found this one to be super easy to follow. The results are pretty awesome, too, and I've received tons of compliments on them already. Yes, them. I've made at least four at this point. *shameless grin* There's also a really helpful video tutorial to accompany the instructions.
3. Unicorn Horn Headband
This unicorn horn headband is super cute and fun! Even though it's labeled as a Halloween tutorial, it'd be great for kiddos who love to play dress up. I know a certain *coughs* big kiddo who definitely enjoyed making and wearing it! Just grab some crafty materials from Jo-Ann and about an hour later, you have the beginnings of a really lovely and unique Fantasyland costume for you or the favorite kiddo in your life. :)
***
Hope everyone's having a fabulous holiday season! If you have any other crafty projects to recommend, definitely let me know. :D
GIVEAWAY INFO! One commenter will win an ebook copy of Different Strokes, and, if within the US, I'll also send a swag pack via snail mail. :D Just leave a comment below with some means of contacting you on the web (e.g., email, Goodreads profile, Twitter handle, etc.). The winner will be chosen by a highly scientific metaphorical "names in a hat" method using an Internet randomizer. ;) Contest closes at 11PM (Pacific time) on December 15th!
Live long, craft prosperously, and happy reading!
NJ
December 8, 2013
Brrrrr! Quickie craft project from yours truly!
With this winter (Wait, what? It's still technically autumn??) cold snap gripping the country in its icy clasp, any type of heat pack seems like a pretty darn good idea. Since completing this little project last month, I've seen a few DIY tutorials out there, but I actually made mine by winging it, which turned out just fine. :) I use my heat pack in bed when my toes are almost always icicles, and it has made a huge difference!
***
Winging It Rice Heat Packs by Nico Jaye
Here are the step-by-step winging it instructions! They might look lengthy, but that's just because I know I like things explained out to me when I do crafty stuff. I figured you guys might like that, too. :)
Step 1: Towel-Covered Rice Pack
- Sewing:
(1) Using a tight seam, sew two 100% cotton square washcloths together on the edges (if there's a right vs. wrong side, then sew with wrong side facing out). I did this by hand, but now that I have a sewing machine (YAY!), I'd say maybe use a zig zag stitch or something? *shrugs* :) IMPORTANT: Sew three sides completely and then leave an opening on the fourth side that's about 3-4 inches long to insert the rice.
(2) Flip towels so that the right side is facing outwards. Sew the two towels together using a seam down the center. The seam shouldn't start at the edge of the towels. Instead, the seam should bisect the center of the towel and be about 60% of the length. I left about 1-1.5 inches from between the edges of the towels and the start and end of my seam. This seam is to ensure even distribution and movement of the rice.
- Rice: Fill towel pack with uncooked rice (hrmmm, don't use instant rice, either) until it has a pretty good layer when lying flat. If you're gonna lie it down to test layer thickness, definitely remember to hold the opening closed! I think I ended up using about 2 cups. Pin the opening together and sew the rice pack closed.
Step 2: Pillowcases
Because I don't enjoy the idea of smushy rice, I realized it'd be pretty darn impossible to wash my towel pack. Thus, I decided to make pillowcases to ensure it'd stay clean. I used cotton flannel for my pillowcases, which are nice and soft against my feet, and I also designed them so that I wouldn't need to use buttons or zippers to keep them shut. :) Bonus: The flannels were on sale at Jo-Ann -- SCORE!
- Cutting: Cut one piece of fabric in the size 28 inches x 13 inches. On the two short edges (the 13 inch sides), sew a little of the edge under so that there isn't a raw edge.
- Folding: I tried to make a little picture thing to illustrate this step! :D
Place the piece of fabric so that it's lying flat and horizontally in front of you (right side facing up, wrong side facing down). NOTE: This is how the fabric will be oriented for all of the folding, so there's no need to flip the entire thing over or rotate it at any point.
(1) Fold a little flap of ~4 or 5 inches on the righthand side over until the long side of your fabric is only ~23 inches. Now you'll have a little flap with the wrong side facing up.
(2) Fold the lefthand side of the fabric over until you have folded the fabric in half, leaving the side closest to you ~11.5 inches. The folded fabric should now be ~11.5 inches x 13 inches, and the fabric side should all be wrong side facing out.Sewing: Sew the two sides that are ~11.5 inches long shut. To reinforce the seams, I sewed a couple of times over the connector point where the little flap was on the inside of the folds. Now flip the whole thing right side out, and you should have a pillowcase with a little foldover flap. Tada! I made three pillowcases so that I could rotate them around when in the wash.
Step 3: Stay warm!
- Pop the rice pack minus the pillowcase into the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes to heat it up. Watch out when handling it straight out of the microwave because it'll be pretty hot.
- Tuck the rice pack into the pillowcase and enjoy!
***
I hope this little creation helps keep at least some of you warm this season--just as toasty-comfortable as all of the great holiday stories out there! :)
Hope you all are staying warm and that you have plenty of warm and fuzzy fiction to keep you cozy this season!
Curling up with her heat pack and holiday stories,
NJ
P.S. I actually have another warm-and-fuzzy cartoon that my awesome friend Natasha provided to give y'all a taste of the flufftastic scenes in store for you with Different Strokes . Check out this cutie right here:
Heee! Poor boy. *squishes him*
***
Winging It Rice Heat Packs by Nico Jaye
Here are the step-by-step winging it instructions! They might look lengthy, but that's just because I know I like things explained out to me when I do crafty stuff. I figured you guys might like that, too. :)
Step 1: Towel-Covered Rice Pack
- Sewing:
(1) Using a tight seam, sew two 100% cotton square washcloths together on the edges (if there's a right vs. wrong side, then sew with wrong side facing out). I did this by hand, but now that I have a sewing machine (YAY!), I'd say maybe use a zig zag stitch or something? *shrugs* :) IMPORTANT: Sew three sides completely and then leave an opening on the fourth side that's about 3-4 inches long to insert the rice.
(2) Flip towels so that the right side is facing outwards. Sew the two towels together using a seam down the center. The seam shouldn't start at the edge of the towels. Instead, the seam should bisect the center of the towel and be about 60% of the length. I left about 1-1.5 inches from between the edges of the towels and the start and end of my seam. This seam is to ensure even distribution and movement of the rice.
- Rice: Fill towel pack with uncooked rice (hrmmm, don't use instant rice, either) until it has a pretty good layer when lying flat. If you're gonna lie it down to test layer thickness, definitely remember to hold the opening closed! I think I ended up using about 2 cups. Pin the opening together and sew the rice pack closed.
Step 2: Pillowcases
Because I don't enjoy the idea of smushy rice, I realized it'd be pretty darn impossible to wash my towel pack. Thus, I decided to make pillowcases to ensure it'd stay clean. I used cotton flannel for my pillowcases, which are nice and soft against my feet, and I also designed them so that I wouldn't need to use buttons or zippers to keep them shut. :) Bonus: The flannels were on sale at Jo-Ann -- SCORE!
- Cutting: Cut one piece of fabric in the size 28 inches x 13 inches. On the two short edges (the 13 inch sides), sew a little of the edge under so that there isn't a raw edge.
- Folding: I tried to make a little picture thing to illustrate this step! :D
Place the piece of fabric so that it's lying flat and horizontally in front of you (right side facing up, wrong side facing down). NOTE: This is how the fabric will be oriented for all of the folding, so there's no need to flip the entire thing over or rotate it at any point.
(1) Fold a little flap of ~4 or 5 inches on the righthand side over until the long side of your fabric is only ~23 inches. Now you'll have a little flap with the wrong side facing up.
(2) Fold the lefthand side of the fabric over until you have folded the fabric in half, leaving the side closest to you ~11.5 inches. The folded fabric should now be ~11.5 inches x 13 inches, and the fabric side should all be wrong side facing out.Sewing: Sew the two sides that are ~11.5 inches long shut. To reinforce the seams, I sewed a couple of times over the connector point where the little flap was on the inside of the folds. Now flip the whole thing right side out, and you should have a pillowcase with a little foldover flap. Tada! I made three pillowcases so that I could rotate them around when in the wash.
Step 3: Stay warm!
- Pop the rice pack minus the pillowcase into the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes to heat it up. Watch out when handling it straight out of the microwave because it'll be pretty hot.
- Tuck the rice pack into the pillowcase and enjoy!
***
I hope this little creation helps keep at least some of you warm this season--just as toasty-comfortable as all of the great holiday stories out there! :)
Hope you all are staying warm and that you have plenty of warm and fuzzy fiction to keep you cozy this season!
Curling up with her heat pack and holiday stories,
NJ
P.S. I actually have another warm-and-fuzzy cartoon that my awesome friend Natasha provided to give y'all a taste of the flufftastic scenes in store for you with Different Strokes . Check out this cutie right here:
Heee! Poor boy. *squishes him*
December 5, 2013
Thanksgiving roundup with cartoons, movies, and social media, oh my!
Okay, so this post may be a week after Thanksgiving, but better late than never, right? :D Hopefully the stuff I have to report is cool enough to make it worthwhile!
1) Less than one week until Different Strokes is released! *quivers in excitement and anticipation* Of course that means...another cartoon teaser from my lovely and talented friend Natasha! Here's a little scene you can be on the lookout for in the story:
What's going on here, anyway??? Wellllll, you can check out Different Strokes (now available for preorder) when it releases on December 11th to find out! :D
2) Thanksgiving was pretty awesome. I might have gained five pounds in the last week, but regardless, it was SO. WORTH. IT. Between my aunt's famous turkey and sweet sticky rice (yay, being Asian American!) to my other aunt's famous cornbread to my uncle's prime rib to my OTHER uncle's homemade cranberry sauce, everything was just so. dang. good. I was giddy with food elation.
Over the holiday weekend, I was lucky enough to catch not one, but TWO awesome animated movies. If you couldn't tell from the Different Strokes cartoon cuties I've been posting, I kinda-sorta really love animated stuff. :) Well, Frozen and Wreck-It Ralph were right up my alley. I did a quickie write up of the films over on Penny Romance Reviews, but suffice to say that they were GREAT.
Also, last week I discovered (and binge-watched!) a web series called It Could Be Worse . It is pretty much the most amazing thing to happen to my computer since I figured out how to Print Screen. j/k But really, it's SO good and totally worth a try. If you're a fan of the Husbands web series, then you'll love ICBW.
3) Lastly, but certainly not leastly ;), I finally landed on Facebook! Yup, this one definitely falls into my "better late than never, right?" category because, um, it only took me about a year and a half to set it up. Oops? *sheepish grin* You can find me at my brand spankin' new Nico Jaye Facebook page! Feel free to gimme a shout with any ideas - awesome or otherwise! - of the kinds of doodads I could share on there. :)
Anyway, that's the scoop with me. What's new with you?
Salutations and squishies,
NJ
1) Less than one week until Different Strokes is released! *quivers in excitement and anticipation* Of course that means...another cartoon teaser from my lovely and talented friend Natasha! Here's a little scene you can be on the lookout for in the story:
What's going on here, anyway??? Wellllll, you can check out Different Strokes (now available for preorder) when it releases on December 11th to find out! :D
2) Thanksgiving was pretty awesome. I might have gained five pounds in the last week, but regardless, it was SO. WORTH. IT. Between my aunt's famous turkey and sweet sticky rice (yay, being Asian American!) to my other aunt's famous cornbread to my uncle's prime rib to my OTHER uncle's homemade cranberry sauce, everything was just so. dang. good. I was giddy with food elation.
Over the holiday weekend, I was lucky enough to catch not one, but TWO awesome animated movies. If you couldn't tell from the Different Strokes cartoon cuties I've been posting, I kinda-sorta really love animated stuff. :) Well, Frozen and Wreck-It Ralph were right up my alley. I did a quickie write up of the films over on Penny Romance Reviews, but suffice to say that they were GREAT.
Also, last week I discovered (and binge-watched!) a web series called It Could Be Worse . It is pretty much the most amazing thing to happen to my computer since I figured out how to Print Screen. j/k But really, it's SO good and totally worth a try. If you're a fan of the Husbands web series, then you'll love ICBW.
3) Lastly, but certainly not leastly ;), I finally landed on Facebook! Yup, this one definitely falls into my "better late than never, right?" category because, um, it only took me about a year and a half to set it up. Oops? *sheepish grin* You can find me at my brand spankin' new Nico Jaye Facebook page! Feel free to gimme a shout with any ideas - awesome or otherwise! - of the kinds of doodads I could share on there. :)
Anyway, that's the scoop with me. What's new with you?
Salutations and squishies,
NJ
November 27, 2013
Different Strokes: Introducing Tomas and Darren!
Different Strokes comes out in exactly two weeks. Woohoo! I am super duper excited about that, and particularly excited about the boys! Here's a little introduction to the characters, as gorgeously illustrated by the talented and beautiful
Natasha Snow
:
If you like fluff and want to hang out with a grumpy Olympian who meets his match in a cute and sweet massage therapist, then keep an eye out for more of Tomas and Darren. :D
I hope everyone has a safe, happy, and healthy Thanksgiving weekend! I'm thankful for the awesome friends I've made throughout this fun and crazy Different Strokes journey.
Different Strokes is available for preorder right now at a 15% discount on the Less Than Three Press website!
If you like fluff and want to hang out with a grumpy Olympian who meets his match in a cute and sweet massage therapist, then keep an eye out for more of Tomas and Darren. :D
I hope everyone has a safe, happy, and healthy Thanksgiving weekend! I'm thankful for the awesome friends I've made throughout this fun and crazy Different Strokes journey.
Different Strokes is available for preorder right now at a 15% discount on the Less Than Three Press website!
November 25, 2013
Cartoon teaser for "Different Strokes"
Do you like cartoons? Because I like cartoons! =D From Gummi Bears to Inspector Gadget to Snorks to X-Men, I grew up with cartoons and still haven't let them go. *coughs The Incredibles coughs* Sooooooo...here's a quick cartoon teaser for
Different Strokes
for you all!
Amazing, right? *dreamy sigh* I love those little cuties, and they're now cartoon cuties thanks to the awesome talents of Miss Natasha Snow!
Check back later this week for an official introduction to Tomas and Darren! =) Different Strokes is now available for preorder at a 15% discount on the Less Than Three Press site.
Amazing, right? *dreamy sigh* I love those little cuties, and they're now cartoon cuties thanks to the awesome talents of Miss Natasha Snow!
Check back later this week for an official introduction to Tomas and Darren! =) Different Strokes is now available for preorder at a 15% discount on the Less Than Three Press site.
November 20, 2013
I'm reviewing for Penelope's Romance Reviews!
Hi all! Just a quickie - update, that is. ;) Recently Penny Watson approached me to do m/m reviews for her site,
Penelope's Romance Reviews
. Penny writes quirky and beardy (hehe!) m/f contemporaries, and her blog features a bunch of cool stuff in addition to reviews, too.
I'm really honored to be included in Penny's crew, and it should be a lot of fun. =) I just wrote my first review for her, so check out my thoughts on Amy Lane's The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-Bearing Critters here .
On a related note, I feel a teeeeensy bit of pressure picking m/m books to review for a crowd that might not necessarily read m/m frequently or even at all. I want to pick something that won't be too graphic or outrageous (so, yeah, no tentacle sex...yet?), but also something that represents m/m romance well. I generally read sweeter, non-angsty stuff, so it'd have to fit into my overall reading preferences, too.
If you have any suggestions, feel free to leave a comment! =)
Cheers,
NJ
I'm really honored to be included in Penny's crew, and it should be a lot of fun. =) I just wrote my first review for her, so check out my thoughts on Amy Lane's The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-Bearing Critters here .
On a related note, I feel a teeeeensy bit of pressure picking m/m books to review for a crowd that might not necessarily read m/m frequently or even at all. I want to pick something that won't be too graphic or outrageous (so, yeah, no tentacle sex...yet?), but also something that represents m/m romance well. I generally read sweeter, non-angsty stuff, so it'd have to fit into my overall reading preferences, too.
If you have any suggestions, feel free to leave a comment! =)
Cheers,
NJ
November 16, 2013
Pet Adoption Saves Lives
I recently came across this comic strip, and it really hit home for me. A little over seven years ago, I adopted Nico-kitteh from a rescue organization that pulls pets from NYC-area animal shelters. There were a lot of pets in the foster home, and they could all stand to win a little in the lottery of life. Nico has brought me so much happiness and joy, and I can't imagine my life without him in it. As we come into the holiday season, please be responsible in making the decision to bring a pet into your home.
Pets are a lifelong commitment, so before you spring one on someone as a surprise gift, please consider why pets make bad gifts . However, if you've carefully considered everything that goes into welcoming a pet into your life, then please consider rescuing a shelter pet. You'll save a life, and that just feels good. =)
Here's a treasure trove of tumblr goodies about shelter adoption. They made me smile, and I hope they bring a smile to your day, too.
