Just a quick nore today...since we are out of town visiting my sister and brother-in-law for the weekend. This, of course, is a big deal, as hubby and I haven't gone anywhere since the cat got sick back in August.
My parents were kind (or crazy) enough to come down and catsit, so after many written instructions, and demontrations of which pills he gets when, we were off. We'll see how it goes...they may never offer again!
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Friday, November 02, 2007
TGIF
Aha! Yes, some of you will notice that I posted Friday's post a few hours early...on Thursday, actually, at least in my little corner of the world. But that's only because I'm still having Internet connection woes, so I have to catch a reliable connection when I can.
What I'm watching now:
I've discovered "Life" on NBC Wednesdays at 10:00. Anyone else? It's a pretty typical cop show, but the lead guy, Charlie, is sort of hunky in a non-traditional way.
The episodes are sort of standard fare: finding a killer, discovering a conspiracy, but there's also the twist that Charlie just got finished 12 years in prison for murder he didn't commit. So after spending his days investigating other peoples' crimes, he goes home and tries to figure out his own.
What I'm reading now:
A Three Dog Life, by Abigail Thomas. Powerful memoir about a woman in her 50s whose husband is struck by a car while he's walking their dog - he suffers severe head injury and ends up living in a nursing home. He moves between incoherency, memory, anger, and love; they have conversations in which he'll know her one minute and then leave the room because he thinks he has to catch the train, in the next minute. It's beautifully written, quite heart-breaking at times. It's the story of how she goes on with her life, accompanied by her three dogs. I'm a little more than halfway through and definitely enjoying it. [Cool tidbit: the author lives about 50 miles north of my hometown]
What I'm doing today:
Actually, taking my students on a field trip to NYC. We're visiting two different private schools (this particular class is for high school seniors who are exploring the field of education). One is a specialized school for autistic kids, and the other is a private "international" school with a British-based curriculum, targeted to children of international businesspeople living in the city. I'm excited to expose my students to both schools and hope they realize how lucky they are to live so close to Manhattan (they don't, but I'll remind them...).
Happy Weekend! Any fun plans?
What I'm watching now:
I've discovered "Life" on NBC Wednesdays at 10:00. Anyone else? It's a pretty typical cop show, but the lead guy, Charlie, is sort of hunky in a non-traditional way.
The episodes are sort of standard fare: finding a killer, discovering a conspiracy, but there's also the twist that Charlie just got finished 12 years in prison for murder he didn't commit. So after spending his days investigating other peoples' crimes, he goes home and tries to figure out his own.
What I'm reading now:
A Three Dog Life, by Abigail Thomas. Powerful memoir about a woman in her 50s whose husband is struck by a car while he's walking their dog - he suffers severe head injury and ends up living in a nursing home. He moves between incoherency, memory, anger, and love; they have conversations in which he'll know her one minute and then leave the room because he thinks he has to catch the train, in the next minute. It's beautifully written, quite heart-breaking at times. It's the story of how she goes on with her life, accompanied by her three dogs. I'm a little more than halfway through and definitely enjoying it. [Cool tidbit: the author lives about 50 miles north of my hometown]
What I'm doing today:
Actually, taking my students on a field trip to NYC. We're visiting two different private schools (this particular class is for high school seniors who are exploring the field of education). One is a specialized school for autistic kids, and the other is a private "international" school with a British-based curriculum, targeted to children of international businesspeople living in the city. I'm excited to expose my students to both schools and hope they realize how lucky they are to live so close to Manhattan (they don't, but I'll remind them...).
Happy Weekend! Any fun plans?
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Happy All Saints' Day
Ah, the day after Halloween...All Saints' Day. There's actually a Catholic school in town that's closed today, for the holiday. Interesting, huh? Of course, for the most part, November 1 is like the quiet, unassuming little sister, whose bad boy big brother, All Hallows' Eve, gets all the attention.
Yesterday I was driving home from work, detoured because of a nasty traffic accident (I really hope it wasn't a mini-van full of trick or treaters...), and I wound my way smack through Main Street of our tiny town. Now, we live on the outskirts, up on a hill with a big long driveway, so you know we aren't getting any cute little witches or goblins looking for treats (although my hubby was hopeful and bought 3 bags of candy, "just in case" - his favorite kinds, of course).
But the town was humming with little kids, all decked out, and their parents taking them door to door. Very cute, most of them, though I had to swerve to avoid a teenager wearing a Santa hat (yes, I'll assume it was his costume) puffing on a cigarette on his way up to a front porch. Ah, the spirit of the holidays!
###
And speaking of the holidays, here's a laugh for you:
REMEMBER WHEN YOUR MOTHER TOLD YOU NEVER TO TAKE CANDY FROM A STRANGER....
..THIS IS WHO SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT!!!!!
Yesterday I was driving home from work, detoured because of a nasty traffic accident (I really hope it wasn't a mini-van full of trick or treaters...), and I wound my way smack through Main Street of our tiny town. Now, we live on the outskirts, up on a hill with a big long driveway, so you know we aren't getting any cute little witches or goblins looking for treats (although my hubby was hopeful and bought 3 bags of candy, "just in case" - his favorite kinds, of course).
But the town was humming with little kids, all decked out, and their parents taking them door to door. Very cute, most of them, though I had to swerve to avoid a teenager wearing a Santa hat (yes, I'll assume it was his costume) puffing on a cigarette on his way up to a front porch. Ah, the spirit of the holidays!
###
And speaking of the holidays, here's a laugh for you:
REMEMBER WHEN YOUR MOTHER TOLD YOU NEVER TO TAKE CANDY FROM A STRANGER....
..THIS IS WHO SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT!!!!!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
I'm Here! I'm Here!
But I'm having major technical difficulties with my Internet connection (don't you love it??), so no Writers' Wednesday post today.
In fact, no post of any kind until I can get this straightened out, so how about just have a Happy Halloween (oh, and keep your fingers crossed that this glitch gets fixed soon...)!
In fact, no post of any kind until I can get this straightened out, so how about just have a Happy Halloween (oh, and keep your fingers crossed that this glitch gets fixed soon...)!
Monday, October 29, 2007
Random Thoughts on this Monday Morning
1. It's too bad the Colorado Rockies couldn't make the World Series a little more competitive. To be swept in 4 straight games by the Sox, well...ouch. I have to give the Red Sox credit, of course: they're a tough team. And before 2004, they hadn't won a World Series in 86 years, so some of those diehard fans are still overdue. Still, I'm glad my Cleveland Indians gave them a better run for their money :)
2. Hubby and I went to visit my niece and nephew over the weekend (hubby's brother & wife live about 90 minutes away, but we don't see them all that often). It was great to see the kids, of course ~ it's amazing how much they change in a few months (she's almost 6, he's 3 1/2). Our niece was getting ready for her soccer game (they all play soccer now, almost as soon as they can run around, you know). There she was, all decked out in her adorable purple uniform with her purple socks and bright pink shin guards and sky blue cleats (brand new, and the "in" color). So I asked her what her favorite part of the game was.
Her answer? "Resting."
Out of the mouths of babes, right?
3. My editor at TWRP is trying to wrangle my release date from the senior editor. I told her I was going to be at the Small Press Convention in NYC on December 1, and would really like to have the ebook available for sale there. She's hoping that will light a fire under the senior editor, but who knows. It would be nice to know when this one will finally be coming out!
4. It's Halloween week over at The Long and the Short of It - they'll have fun Halloween book reviews and some cool gifts and giveaways, from what I hear. Go check it out!
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Confusion Reigns
Wow, I was confused for a good 10 minutes when I woke up this morning...
We have one of those atomic clocks in the bedroom, which (supposedly) keeps time automatically, switching for Daylight Savings' Time. But I think someone forgot to tell it that DST comes later this year. At least, I think it does. Right now half the clocks in my house say 7:00, and half say 8:00. I couldn't remember when the heck the time changed, so I checked online. I think it changes next weekend. I hope.
It's not good, to be confused like this first thing in the morning.
Think I'll stick with Unconscious Mutterings, which allows me to babble in a rather incoherent way anyhow...
We have one of those atomic clocks in the bedroom, which (supposedly) keeps time automatically, switching for Daylight Savings' Time. But I think someone forgot to tell it that DST comes later this year. At least, I think it does. Right now half the clocks in my house say 7:00, and half say 8:00. I couldn't remember when the heck the time changed, so I checked online. I think it changes next weekend. I hope.
It's not good, to be confused like this first thing in the morning.
Think I'll stick with Unconscious Mutterings, which allows me to babble in a rather incoherent way anyhow...
- Inaugural :: Ball (and it can't come soon enough)
- Pledge :: of Allegiance
- String :: Silly (check out this article about the soldiers using it in Iraq)
- Trot :: Nixon (yes it's the end of baseball season)
- Fitness :: keeps me sane
- Cinder :: --ella
- Edge :: of the ledge, a place you don't want to be
- 31 :: Age I'd like to be again.
- Blue :: Moon
- Leather :: Never wear it.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Small Town, USA
I grew up in a small town. I mean, really small, as in the Main Street is less than a mile long and has 1 stoplight. There are a few local convenient marts, but no grocery store/Walmart/movie theater until you drive 3 or 4 miles down the road, to the next, bigger town.
The high school sits across from farmland; I used to run laps for track practice and watch the cows during breaks when I was sucking in air. Almost every kid who lived in the downtown area walked to school.
A pair of water towers sits on a ridge just above the town proper. Every year the senior class sneaks up and paints their two-digit graduating class on the towers, and every year the owner of the property threatens to run the kids off.
The town itself has a green on which sit three churches and the elementary school, side by side. There is a bandstand in the middle of the green, and during the summer, the Old Timers' Band plays concerts. In the winter, the local firehouse floods the green for a makeshift ice skating rink that lasts all season long.
It is the kind of place where you can walk down the middle of Main Street at midnight and not worry about a car coming from any direction. It is beautiful, historic, safe, and far removed from any kind of city life.
This is where I grew up.
When my friends and I went to college, in bigger towns or cities, sometimes our peers made fun of us. They'd look at a map, or hear stories about what we did for fun, and think we were small-town kids. My husband still likes to tease me about it.
But here's the thing: something about this town produces smart kids. My friends and I, we went on to top schools in the country. Today we live scattered around the globe. And we are professionals with advanced degrees. We are doctors and engineers and teachers and lawyers. We are actors and musicians and corporate heads and professors.
And last week, an 11 year old who goes to this same school won the Discovery Young Scientist Challenge.
How cool is that? Competing with kids from across the US, he came in first. And he did so by creating an experiment in the stream that runs through his backyard.
In a world where I see so many kids attached to their computers, or watching TV while slowly growing obese, or convincing their parents to buy them the latest electronic gadget, there is something both humbling and inspiring about a boy who devises an experiment in his backyard in a small town in the middle of the countryside.
Let's hope there are many other Eriks out there, many other kids still playing outside and learning about the world by getting dirty and putting their hands on things.
Let's hope that maybe those who are parents and those who hope to become parents remember that there is great merit in encouraging independence in their children, in not scheduling their child's every waking hour, and in letting their children get bored sometimes. You know what? Bored kids find a way to amuse themselves. Some of them even go outside, look at a stream, and start to ask questions.
Amazing, huh?
The high school sits across from farmland; I used to run laps for track practice and watch the cows during breaks when I was sucking in air. Almost every kid who lived in the downtown area walked to school.
A pair of water towers sits on a ridge just above the town proper. Every year the senior class sneaks up and paints their two-digit graduating class on the towers, and every year the owner of the property threatens to run the kids off.
The town itself has a green on which sit three churches and the elementary school, side by side. There is a bandstand in the middle of the green, and during the summer, the Old Timers' Band plays concerts. In the winter, the local firehouse floods the green for a makeshift ice skating rink that lasts all season long.
It is the kind of place where you can walk down the middle of Main Street at midnight and not worry about a car coming from any direction. It is beautiful, historic, safe, and far removed from any kind of city life.
This is where I grew up.
When my friends and I went to college, in bigger towns or cities, sometimes our peers made fun of us. They'd look at a map, or hear stories about what we did for fun, and think we were small-town kids. My husband still likes to tease me about it.
But here's the thing: something about this town produces smart kids. My friends and I, we went on to top schools in the country. Today we live scattered around the globe. And we are professionals with advanced degrees. We are doctors and engineers and teachers and lawyers. We are actors and musicians and corporate heads and professors.
And last week, an 11 year old who goes to this same school won the Discovery Young Scientist Challenge.
How cool is that? Competing with kids from across the US, he came in first. And he did so by creating an experiment in the stream that runs through his backyard.
In a world where I see so many kids attached to their computers, or watching TV while slowly growing obese, or convincing their parents to buy them the latest electronic gadget, there is something both humbling and inspiring about a boy who devises an experiment in his backyard in a small town in the middle of the countryside.
Let's hope there are many other Eriks out there, many other kids still playing outside and learning about the world by getting dirty and putting their hands on things.
Let's hope that maybe those who are parents and those who hope to become parents remember that there is great merit in encouraging independence in their children, in not scheduling their child's every waking hour, and in letting their children get bored sometimes. You know what? Bored kids find a way to amuse themselves. Some of them even go outside, look at a stream, and start to ask questions.
Amazing, huh?
Friday, October 26, 2007
TGIF!!!
Here's the Friday Feast - enjoy!!
Appetizer
Name a great website you would recommend to others.
Why, this one, of course. It's witty and personal and the journey of the next best-selling author...didn't you know?
Soup
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 as highest), how often do you dream at night?
Probably 8.5. Yes, I do a whole lot of dreaming...always in color, by the way. Does anyone dream only in black and white?
Salad
Did you have a pet as a child? If so, what kind and what was its name?
Oh, of course. Let's see, a variety of cats, but the two from my youngest childhood were Orph and Eddie. A variety of dogs as well, though the first was Heidi, a German shepherd ("Heidi" was also my first word...so much for Mama or Dada, right?). Had hamsters, fish, and rabbits that mysteriously multiplied, too...
Main Course
If you had the chance to star in a commercial, what would you choose to advertise?
A brilliant time management system that I came up with that will save everyone thousands of hours a year and make me enough of a billionaire so I can stay home and write full-time!
Dessert
What is your favorite kind of hard candy?
Werther's Originals - oh yeah!
Appetizer
Name a great website you would recommend to others.
Why, this one, of course. It's witty and personal and the journey of the next best-selling author...didn't you know?
Soup
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 as highest), how often do you dream at night?
Probably 8.5. Yes, I do a whole lot of dreaming...always in color, by the way. Does anyone dream only in black and white?
Salad
Did you have a pet as a child? If so, what kind and what was its name?
Oh, of course. Let's see, a variety of cats, but the two from my youngest childhood were Orph and Eddie. A variety of dogs as well, though the first was Heidi, a German shepherd ("Heidi" was also my first word...so much for Mama or Dada, right?). Had hamsters, fish, and rabbits that mysteriously multiplied, too...
Main Course
If you had the chance to star in a commercial, what would you choose to advertise?
A brilliant time management system that I came up with that will save everyone thousands of hours a year and make me enough of a billionaire so I can stay home and write full-time!
Dessert
What is your favorite kind of hard candy?
Werther's Originals - oh yeah!
Thursday, October 25, 2007
A Laugh for Thursday
OK, my neighbors are officially insane. I mean, I don't know them or anything (we live out in the countryside, where you sort of wave to people as they drive by, and have a vague idea of who lives where, but you don't hang out on the porch and chat with everyone in the neighborhood...). However, now I am certain that the couple who lives on the corner, in the big gray house, is insane. How do I know this? Well, as of last night, their Christmas lights are up.
No, I'm not kidding. And no, the lights aren't orange, in some kind of Halloween spirit. They are 100% red, twinkly Christmas lights. Strung along the wooden fence that runs the length of their property. With a big wreath or something right in the middle. It was 70 degrees two days ago!!
I'm all for the holiday celebration, but could we maybe wait until most of the leaves are off the trees? Or until after Daylight Savings' Time changes back? Or until the calendar switches to November, at the very least??
Sigh...
###
Marianne found this yesterday, and I have to share. Especially if you're a cat person, you'll appreciate it!
###
By the way, you should visit Marianne's "fun page" anyway. She has some good stuff there. Enjoy!
No, I'm not kidding. And no, the lights aren't orange, in some kind of Halloween spirit. They are 100% red, twinkly Christmas lights. Strung along the wooden fence that runs the length of their property. With a big wreath or something right in the middle. It was 70 degrees two days ago!!
I'm all for the holiday celebration, but could we maybe wait until most of the leaves are off the trees? Or until after Daylight Savings' Time changes back? Or until the calendar switches to November, at the very least??
Sigh...
###
Marianne found this yesterday, and I have to share. Especially if you're a cat person, you'll appreciate it!
###
By the way, you should visit Marianne's "fun page" anyway. She has some good stuff there. Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Ryan O'Donnell
Welcome to Writers' Wednesday, and another author interview! I'm especially pleased to introduce today's featured author, not only because he's a local author to my area (NY's Hudson Valley), but also because he's 17 years old and just self-published his first novel! [I can barely remember what I was doing when I was 17, but it sure wasn't writing a complete novel and having the gumption and focus to get it published.]
Draw up a chair and stay a while...and please leave Ryan a comment when you're through!
Hi Ryan...can you tell us a little about your background?
My name is Ryan Michael O’Donnell and I am a senior at Port Jervis High School in New York. I’m seventeen currently, I’ll be eighteen this November. I was born in Port Jervis, New York, and during the course of my early childhood my family and I moved to Cody, Wyoming. We lived there for six or seven years before we returned to Port Jervis and we’ve been here ever since.
When did you first begin writing? Was there an event or moment in your life that triggered your desire to write?
I’ve been writing for mostly school reasons for as long as I can remember. However, when I came upon my 8th grade year my English teacher at the time, Mrs. Wooley, gave our class a collaborative assignment in which we broke up into groups of two, then had to write a short story either from scratch, or based off of something we enjoy. Writing the joint story was a wonderful experience for me, but at the same time when it was complete I wasn’t satisfied. It set a goal that lingered within me. Write a novel from my mind, not from the mind of another. My fire to accomplish this task was finally kindled when was walking home from a friend’s house during the late afternoon. I had a sudden explosion of characters in my mind, along with flashes of powerful, emotional battle, all at once. These characters lacked names and one in particular received his name from a street sign I gazed at while this influx occurred: Marcus Holbrook, the mentor to the main character in Turalus. His last name taken from Holbrook Street, which neighbors my own.
How do you go about developing your characters?
Like the majority of writers I take situations, events, and people from what I have encountered, experienced, and met. The main character is myself and his friends are friends of mine whom I’ve known for an extended period of time, and whom I consider close to me. To name a few, Christian is my friend Josh Finan who graduated last year before me, Luke is John Yorke who also graduated, and Morgan is Chris Connor who is in my grade currently. A good majority of those who’ve read Turalus have asked me who Angel is as well. I haven’t had the blessing of meeting her yet.
What advice would you give to new writers just starting out?
I believe two important things I can offer to new writers are for one, don’t be discouraged by the criticism of others. I’ve had all kinds of responses toward my novel, some positive, others, not so much. I’ve had people tell me with beaming smiles how wonderful they think my work is and how much they’ve loved it, and conversely I’ve also had people blow me off just for the sake of my age. I’ve held book signings and had people tell me that before I even consider writing anything I should read such-and-such author’s work or I’ll never be successful. Secondly, don’t rush your work. Get it down on paper if you’re like me and you have all-the-sudden ideas, but once it’s on the scrap paper don’t race to put it into the work. Nurture the idea and allow it to evolve into something more riveting than the original idea. Add whatever you feel necessary and take away what you feel won’t flow with the piece. Do what you feel is right. That is one of many beauties of literature, the variety of different conventions writers use.
What do you find most difficult about writing? What do you find most exciting or rewarding?
I find the most difficult thing about writing to be deciding on which way would work best in conveying your image to the reader. People are diverse and respond differently, so it’s hard for me to decide how to word portions from time to time. In writing Turalus I aimed for it to be a visual spectacle that is simply written. I’ve always admired how something could be so powerful due to its simplicity, thus I write in that manner. I feel the most exciting and rewarding aspects of writing are seeing your words come alive, but more so seeing the reader’s face in awe as they become drawn in to your own world.
Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?
From time to time I have a writer's block. I’m in the sequence of one now actually. My methods of dealing with it are quite simple really. Let it pass is one way. I think of it like driving a car and coming to a stop at the railroad crossing. If the train is still passing, I can’t go yet. Once it’s gone, I can continue. Forcing writing out I wouldn’t encourage even though I did do it for a portion of Turalus. I feel writing is much better when it isn’t strained out. If that just doesn’t work for some, then slowly ease back into it. Continue where you left off, and go for however long you can comfortably, and then stop. There are many ways of dealing with it I can imagine; those are two that I use.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
When I’m not writing my hobbies include listening to all kinds of music, video games, spending time with friends or family, weight training and running. Pretty much the typical teenager stuff.
Thanks, Ryan! If you're interested in finding out more about this up-and-coming author, or purchasing Turalus, visit this link. (Turalus is available though AuthorHouse as well as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Buy.com, etc)
Ryan welcomes correspondence from friends and fans; you can email him at odonnellburg@hotmail.com.
Enjoy your Wednesday!
Draw up a chair and stay a while...and please leave Ryan a comment when you're through!
Hi Ryan...can you tell us a little about your background?
My name is Ryan Michael O’Donnell and I am a senior at Port Jervis High School in New York. I’m seventeen currently, I’ll be eighteen this November. I was born in Port Jervis, New York, and during the course of my early childhood my family and I moved to Cody, Wyoming. We lived there for six or seven years before we returned to Port Jervis and we’ve been here ever since.
When did you first begin writing? Was there an event or moment in your life that triggered your desire to write?
I’ve been writing for mostly school reasons for as long as I can remember. However, when I came upon my 8th grade year my English teacher at the time, Mrs. Wooley, gave our class a collaborative assignment in which we broke up into groups of two, then had to write a short story either from scratch, or based off of something we enjoy. Writing the joint story was a wonderful experience for me, but at the same time when it was complete I wasn’t satisfied. It set a goal that lingered within me. Write a novel from my mind, not from the mind of another. My fire to accomplish this task was finally kindled when was walking home from a friend’s house during the late afternoon. I had a sudden explosion of characters in my mind, along with flashes of powerful, emotional battle, all at once. These characters lacked names and one in particular received his name from a street sign I gazed at while this influx occurred: Marcus Holbrook, the mentor to the main character in Turalus. His last name taken from Holbrook Street, which neighbors my own.
How do you go about developing your characters?
Like the majority of writers I take situations, events, and people from what I have encountered, experienced, and met. The main character is myself and his friends are friends of mine whom I’ve known for an extended period of time, and whom I consider close to me. To name a few, Christian is my friend Josh Finan who graduated last year before me, Luke is John Yorke who also graduated, and Morgan is Chris Connor who is in my grade currently. A good majority of those who’ve read Turalus have asked me who Angel is as well. I haven’t had the blessing of meeting her yet.
What advice would you give to new writers just starting out?
I believe two important things I can offer to new writers are for one, don’t be discouraged by the criticism of others. I’ve had all kinds of responses toward my novel, some positive, others, not so much. I’ve had people tell me with beaming smiles how wonderful they think my work is and how much they’ve loved it, and conversely I’ve also had people blow me off just for the sake of my age. I’ve held book signings and had people tell me that before I even consider writing anything I should read such-and-such author’s work or I’ll never be successful. Secondly, don’t rush your work. Get it down on paper if you’re like me and you have all-the-sudden ideas, but once it’s on the scrap paper don’t race to put it into the work. Nurture the idea and allow it to evolve into something more riveting than the original idea. Add whatever you feel necessary and take away what you feel won’t flow with the piece. Do what you feel is right. That is one of many beauties of literature, the variety of different conventions writers use.
What do you find most difficult about writing? What do you find most exciting or rewarding?
I find the most difficult thing about writing to be deciding on which way would work best in conveying your image to the reader. People are diverse and respond differently, so it’s hard for me to decide how to word portions from time to time. In writing Turalus I aimed for it to be a visual spectacle that is simply written. I’ve always admired how something could be so powerful due to its simplicity, thus I write in that manner. I feel the most exciting and rewarding aspects of writing are seeing your words come alive, but more so seeing the reader’s face in awe as they become drawn in to your own world.
Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?
From time to time I have a writer's block. I’m in the sequence of one now actually. My methods of dealing with it are quite simple really. Let it pass is one way. I think of it like driving a car and coming to a stop at the railroad crossing. If the train is still passing, I can’t go yet. Once it’s gone, I can continue. Forcing writing out I wouldn’t encourage even though I did do it for a portion of Turalus. I feel writing is much better when it isn’t strained out. If that just doesn’t work for some, then slowly ease back into it. Continue where you left off, and go for however long you can comfortably, and then stop. There are many ways of dealing with it I can imagine; those are two that I use.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
When I’m not writing my hobbies include listening to all kinds of music, video games, spending time with friends or family, weight training and running. Pretty much the typical teenager stuff.
Thanks, Ryan! If you're interested in finding out more about this up-and-coming author, or purchasing Turalus, visit this link. (Turalus is available though AuthorHouse as well as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Buy.com, etc)
Ryan welcomes correspondence from friends and fans; you can email him at odonnellburg@hotmail.com.
Enjoy your Wednesday!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Good News and Five Things
Two pieces of good news for this Tuesday morning ~ celebrate with me!
1. I won Liana Laverentz's award-winning novel Thin Ice from the LASR website. Can't wait to read it!
2. My editor at Samhain sent me an email regarding my second submission to her, and said "Allie, I’ve read and, unsurprisingly, really enjoyed the first chapter of One Night in Memphis. If the manuscript is still available, I’d be thrilled to take a look at it. Thank you so much for the submission."
Fingers crossed for another contract!
And now, the "5 things" meme that's been circulating the last few days. Hey, you wanted to know more about me, right?
What were you doing ten years ago?
1) Adjusting to living in a brand new town
2) Adjusting to a brand new job
3) Writing a book that never got published (and probably never will)
4) Planning a cross-country trip with my ex-boyfriend
5) Listening to my best friend gush about the guy she met in a bar...who is now her husband and the father of her 3 kids
What were you doing one year ago?
1) Setting up my writing website!
2) Writing (of course)
3) Starting up my regular running habit again
4) Spackling and painting my linen closet
5) Planning a trip to New Hampshire for a holiday getaway...and to meet Marianne
Five snacks you enjoy:
1) Trail mix
2) Quaker Oat Squares (much better as a snack than a cereal)
3) Lime Tostitos
4) Dark chocolate
5) Apples - only in season! (which means right now, I'm in heaven)
Five Songs you know the lyrics to:
1) Almost anything from a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical
2) "Ave Maria" ( I sang it at a friend's wedding)
3) "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood
4) "Respect" by Aretha Franklin
5) "The Star Spangled Banner"
Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
1) Build a lake house on our property upstate
2) Pay someone to replace the siding on our house
3) Donate a good chunk to the animal shelter where I volunteer
4) Take a tour of the British Isles
5) Spend a month in Italy
Five bad habits:
1) Obsessing over things I cannot control
2) Speaking before I think (this doesn't happen as often as it used to, thankfully)
3) Eating too much sweet stuff
4) Spending too much time on the computer *not* writing
5) Skipping workouts
Five things you like to do:
1) Write
2) Run 10K races
3) Play my piano
4) Read good books
5) Travel
Five things you will never wear again:
1) Legwarmers (80s, anyone??)
2) High-waisted jeans
3) Leather
4) Reebok sneakers
5) A perm (oh yes, I loved the big hair of the 80s as well)
Five favorite toys:
1) My laptop
2) My cats (they wouldn't like to be called *toys*, but oh well)
3) My Ouija board (even though I haven't used it in ages ~ it used to be THE thing at sleepovers
4) This great wine bottle opener
5) The game Memory (especially played with my niece)
Five things you hate to do:
1) Make cold calls
2) Discipline students
3) Clean the cat box
4) Read badly written books
5) Lose touch with friends
Five people to tag:
1) Anyone.
2) Who.
3) Wants.
4) To.
5) Play.
Have a great Tuesday!
1. I won Liana Laverentz's award-winning novel Thin Ice from the LASR website. Can't wait to read it!
2. My editor at Samhain sent me an email regarding my second submission to her, and said "Allie, I’ve read and, unsurprisingly, really enjoyed the first chapter of One Night in Memphis. If the manuscript is still available, I’d be thrilled to take a look at it. Thank you so much for the submission."
Fingers crossed for another contract!
And now, the "5 things" meme that's been circulating the last few days. Hey, you wanted to know more about me, right?
What were you doing ten years ago?
1) Adjusting to living in a brand new town
2) Adjusting to a brand new job
3) Writing a book that never got published (and probably never will)
4) Planning a cross-country trip with my ex-boyfriend
5) Listening to my best friend gush about the guy she met in a bar...who is now her husband and the father of her 3 kids
What were you doing one year ago?
1) Setting up my writing website!
2) Writing (of course)
3) Starting up my regular running habit again
4) Spackling and painting my linen closet
5) Planning a trip to New Hampshire for a holiday getaway...and to meet Marianne
Five snacks you enjoy:
1) Trail mix
2) Quaker Oat Squares (much better as a snack than a cereal)
3) Lime Tostitos
4) Dark chocolate
5) Apples - only in season! (which means right now, I'm in heaven)
Five Songs you know the lyrics to:
1) Almost anything from a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical
2) "Ave Maria" ( I sang it at a friend's wedding)
3) "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood
4) "Respect" by Aretha Franklin
5) "The Star Spangled Banner"
Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
1) Build a lake house on our property upstate
2) Pay someone to replace the siding on our house
3) Donate a good chunk to the animal shelter where I volunteer
4) Take a tour of the British Isles
5) Spend a month in Italy
Five bad habits:
1) Obsessing over things I cannot control
2) Speaking before I think (this doesn't happen as often as it used to, thankfully)
3) Eating too much sweet stuff
4) Spending too much time on the computer *not* writing
5) Skipping workouts
Five things you like to do:
1) Write
2) Run 10K races
3) Play my piano
4) Read good books
5) Travel
Five things you will never wear again:
1) Legwarmers (80s, anyone??)
2) High-waisted jeans
3) Leather
4) Reebok sneakers
5) A perm (oh yes, I loved the big hair of the 80s as well)
Five favorite toys:
1) My laptop
2) My cats (they wouldn't like to be called *toys*, but oh well)
3) My Ouija board (even though I haven't used it in ages ~ it used to be THE thing at sleepovers
4) This great wine bottle opener
5) The game Memory (especially played with my niece)
Five things you hate to do:
1) Make cold calls
2) Discipline students
3) Clean the cat box
4) Read badly written books
5) Lose touch with friends
Five people to tag:
1) Anyone.
2) Who.
3) Wants.
4) To.
5) Play.
Have a great Tuesday!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Monday Mourning
Well, sadly my Cleveland Indians didn't get it done in Game 7 against Boston last night, so they're going home. They did play well, until the 8th inning anyway, and I'll admit I had fun cheering for them this season (as every season, until they break my heart again). I suppose when you have a $101 million dollar on your staff, the way Boston does, you'd better win big games, huh? I could wax on about the discrepancy in MLB teams' payrolls, but you can compare for yourself, here.
I think the fact that Cleveland defeated the #1 team on that list (Yankees - $200 million) and came within one game of defeating the #2 team (Boston - $144 million) speaks well for a team that comes in at #23, with $62 million. I've always admired that fact about the Cleveland baseball organization: they're willing to let top players go to other franchises because the players demand salaries that management isn't willing to spend. Of course, this also means that they're willing to let top players go...and maybe that's why I spend every post-season a little depressed. But I'm still glad they don't give in.
And now I'll be rooting for the Colorado Rockies in the World Series - even more so since they come in at #25 on the list, with a paltry $55 million. This, by the way, means their total payroll equals the payroll of the Boston pitcher who won last night - one guy!! And the Rockies are on a huge roll, so I hope they can pull it out and show that maybe, sometimes, money isn't everything and can't buy a championship title after all.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Last Chance to Make the Dance
Well, it's do or die time for my Cleveland Indians, who have to win against the Red Sox tonight (at Fenway Park) to make it to the World Series. Last night's game was, well, less than stellar...
I'm hoping they'll pick themselves up and come back tonight with a better performance. *Fingers crossed*
###
I'm in the middle of reading my first-ever historical romance, Halloween Knight by Tori Phillips. I chose it to review for LASR, and while it took a little while to get used to the language, I'm enjoying it. Anyone else a big fan of historicals, or have an author they'd recommmend in that genre?
###
And I'm
How many online messageboard/forum posters does it take to change a light bulb?
1 to change the light bulb and to post that the light bulb has been changed.
14 to share similar experiences of changing light bulbs and how the light bulb could have been changed differently.
7 to caution about the dangers of changing light bulbs.
27 to point out spelling/grammar errors in posts about changing light bulbs.
53 to flame the spell checkers.
41 to correct spelling/grammar flames.
6 to argue over whether it's "lightbulb" or "light bulb."
Another 6 to condemn those 6 as anal-retentive.
2 industry professionals to inform the group that the proper term is "lamp."
15 know-it-alls who claim *they* were in the industry, and that "light bulb" is perfectly correct.
156 to email the participant's ISPs complaining that they are in violation of their "acceptable use policy."
109 to post that this forum is not about light bulbs and to please take this discussion to a light bulb forum.
203 to demand that cross posting to hardware forum, off-topic forum, and light bulb forum about changing light bulbs be stopped.
111 to defend the posting to this forum saying that we all use light bulbs and therefore the posts *are* relevant
to this forum.
306 to debate which method of changing light bulbs is superior, where to buy the best light bulbs, what brand of light bulbs work best for this technique and what brands are faulty.
27 to post URL's where one can see examples of different light bulbs.
14 to post that the URL's were posted incorrectly and to then post the corrected URL's.
3 to post about links they found from the URL's that are relevant to this group which makes light bulbs relevant to this group.
33 to link all posts to date, quote them in their entirety including all headers and signatures, and add "Me too."
12 to post to the group that they will no longer post because they cannot handle the light bulb controversy.
19 to quote the "Me too's" to say "Me three."
4 to suggest that posters request the light bulb FAQ.
44 to ask what a "FAQ" is.
4 to say "Didn't we go through this already a short time ago?"
143 to say "Do a Google search on light bulbs before posting questions about light bulbs."
10 posters to claim the light bulb failed because of George Bush's policies.
20 to denounce those 10 and blame Hillary.
1 to say that if you were any damn good at all you wouldn't need the freaking light bulb.
3 to say that those of you talking about light bulbs aren't working and should get back to work.
1 forum lurker to respond to the original post 6 months from now and start it all over again.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Friendships and Book Memes and Trailers
Last night, I was on the phone for almost 2 hours with one of my closest friends from high school. We've gone in completely different directions since then, but it's one of those friendships where you can pick up the phone anytime, any year, and know you'll have exactly the same kind of heart-to-heart, laugh-a-minute conversation you did when you were teenagers having a sleepover. It's nice.
And she's writing a book! Not only is she writng a book, but she wants my feedback on it (since I'm an oh-so-successful published author now :)...and she has a really good premise for a story. I was already thinking of all the ways she could market it (does that mean I'm really sucked into this whole publishing thing?) Anyway, I can't wait to read it.
Here's a funny book meme, to add to the collection of the ones that have been circulating the last few weeks.
And here's a book trailer contest to enter, for anyone who's interested. No big prize as far as I can see, just bragging rights and another way for new authors to get their names out there. On second thought, maybe you shouldn't enter, so the prize can go to me :)
Have a great Saturday!
And she's writing a book! Not only is she writng a book, but she wants my feedback on it (since I'm an oh-so-successful published author now :)...and she has a really good premise for a story. I was already thinking of all the ways she could market it (does that mean I'm really sucked into this whole publishing thing?) Anyway, I can't wait to read it.
Here's a funny book meme, to add to the collection of the ones that have been circulating the last few weeks.
And here's a book trailer contest to enter, for anyone who's interested. No big prize as far as I can see, just bragging rights and another way for new authors to get their names out there. On second thought, maybe you shouldn't enter, so the prize can go to me :)
Have a great Saturday!
Friday, October 19, 2007
TGIF!!
"How do people make it through life without a sister?"
~Sara Corpening
So yesterday morning, I developed a splitting headache. This is a little unusual for me, because I rarely get them. I thought maybe it was because I didn't have my morning latte, but I don't usually get caffeine headaches, and I don't drink lattes *every* day.
Skip forward 5 hours or so, to noontime, when I opened my email at work and found 3 messages from my father, telling me that early that morning, my sister fell in her kitchen (the circumstances are too long to get into), knocked herself unconscious, and gave herself a concussion and a head wound that required 7 stitches...
Weird, huh? Just a coincidence, or actual sympathy pains from 150 miles away? I know twins have that kind of telepathic connection, but I didn't think regular sisters did. Still, she and I are pretty close. (She'll be fine, though she's required to stay out of work for 3 days. I told her to quit drinking so early in the morning ;)
###
I'm happy to share the good news that I will have a number of articles featured in a couple of places, over the next few months. The Samhellion has taken on two for their upcoming issues (no $$ but my book cover will be featured in both issues), and WOW! just told me they're interested in one "How 2" column for their January ezine issue and a *feature article* for their February issue. So I'm happy about that ~ anything to get my name in a few more places! And how ironic (or sad) is this: the 2 articles for WOW will likely pay more than I've received in royalties from One Night in Boston, so far. Ah, well. Good thing I'm not living on my writing (yet!)...
###
And now, of course, the Friday Feast. Enjoy!
Appetizer If you were a dog, what breed would you be, and why?
Hmm, maybe a German shepherd - 'they're strong, tough, beautiful, and loyal. I'd like to think I'm some of that too :)
Soup What does the color purple make you think of?
Harold and the Purple Crayon!'
Salad Approximately how long does it take you to get ready each morning?
About an hour, if we're talking school (work) days.
Main Course How many cousins do you have, and are you close to them?
On my side, 10 first cousins, but they're all a lot older than I, and live in other parts of the country. On my husband's side, though, there are something like 20+, and they almost all live within 25 square miles and grew up together. Big difference.
Dessert Take your initials (first, middle, last) and come up with something else those letters could stand for.
Allie Loves Baseball! (Even though the Indians lost last night and now have to go back to Boston to win the series...it's OK...they will!)
~Sara Corpening
So yesterday morning, I developed a splitting headache. This is a little unusual for me, because I rarely get them. I thought maybe it was because I didn't have my morning latte, but I don't usually get caffeine headaches, and I don't drink lattes *every* day.
Skip forward 5 hours or so, to noontime, when I opened my email at work and found 3 messages from my father, telling me that early that morning, my sister fell in her kitchen (the circumstances are too long to get into), knocked herself unconscious, and gave herself a concussion and a head wound that required 7 stitches...
Weird, huh? Just a coincidence, or actual sympathy pains from 150 miles away? I know twins have that kind of telepathic connection, but I didn't think regular sisters did. Still, she and I are pretty close. (She'll be fine, though she's required to stay out of work for 3 days. I told her to quit drinking so early in the morning ;)
###
I'm happy to share the good news that I will have a number of articles featured in a couple of places, over the next few months. The Samhellion has taken on two for their upcoming issues (no $$ but my book cover will be featured in both issues), and WOW! just told me they're interested in one "How 2" column for their January ezine issue and a *feature article* for their February issue. So I'm happy about that ~ anything to get my name in a few more places! And how ironic (or sad) is this: the 2 articles for WOW will likely pay more than I've received in royalties from One Night in Boston, so far. Ah, well. Good thing I'm not living on my writing (yet!)...
###
And now, of course, the Friday Feast. Enjoy!
Appetizer If you were a dog, what breed would you be, and why?
Hmm, maybe a German shepherd - 'they're strong, tough, beautiful, and loyal. I'd like to think I'm some of that too :)
Soup What does the color purple make you think of?
Harold and the Purple Crayon!'
Salad Approximately how long does it take you to get ready each morning?
About an hour, if we're talking school (work) days.
Main Course How many cousins do you have, and are you close to them?
On my side, 10 first cousins, but they're all a lot older than I, and live in other parts of the country. On my husband's side, though, there are something like 20+, and they almost all live within 25 square miles and grew up together. Big difference.
Dessert Take your initials (first, middle, last) and come up with something else those letters could stand for.
Allie Loves Baseball! (Even though the Indians lost last night and now have to go back to Boston to win the series...it's OK...they will!)
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Happy Endings
It's amazing to me how much cruelty there is in the world :( I think that's why I write, and like, stories with happy endings.
This story, while a sad one, also has its very own happy ending: 200 dogs were recently rescued from a horrible puppy mill in VA. They were covertly bought by animal rescuers and then driven through the night to a no-kill shelter in NY. This is, by the way, the same shelter where I started volunteeting a few months ago.
Last night I got an email from the director: "We are up to our eyeballs in puppy poop! Any volunteers that can help give some extra hours, please contact us!"
So guess where I will be the next few days? (And any of my local friends reading this, they need new volunteers, too! Email me if you want to help out) But it's all good, if it helps the poor animals feel better in their brand new, first real "home."
###
Fingers crossed for the Indians-Red Sox playoff game tonight, because it's gonna be a tough one. The Sox have their best pitcher up, so we'll see...
###
And how cute is this guy? Istole borrowed him from Marianne, and I will most definitely need to give him a permanent place on my sidebar. Right now, this is where I am in (revising) my current WIP, Summer's Song. Feelin' pretty good about it, too!
This story, while a sad one, also has its very own happy ending: 200 dogs were recently rescued from a horrible puppy mill in VA. They were covertly bought by animal rescuers and then driven through the night to a no-kill shelter in NY. This is, by the way, the same shelter where I started volunteeting a few months ago.
Last night I got an email from the director: "We are up to our eyeballs in puppy poop! Any volunteers that can help give some extra hours, please contact us!"
So guess where I will be the next few days? (And any of my local friends reading this, they need new volunteers, too! Email me if you want to help out) But it's all good, if it helps the poor animals feel better in their brand new, first real "home."
###
Fingers crossed for the Indians-Red Sox playoff game tonight, because it's gonna be a tough one. The Sox have their best pitcher up, so we'll see...
###
And how cute is this guy? I
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Writers' Wednesday: Tricky Words that Trip you up, and How to Get the Best of Them
Here we go, Indians, here we go! (woo woo)
Up 3 games to 1 over Boston...can a girl dare to dream??
Okay, okay, now that the celebration is over with, welcome to another Writers' Wednesday! Today, I thought I'd pass along some tips for keeping track of easily-confused words...
Lay vs. Lie - The first can be used as the past tense of "lie" (as in, "Today I lie down to take a nap, but yesterday I lay down to take a nap."), or as a verb in which you are actively placing an object somewhere. This means that the sentence "Peter lay his map on the seat" is correct, but "Peter wanted to lay down on the seat" is not. Use "lie" if you are talking about assuming a prone position: "The dog lies at his master's feet at night," NOT "The dog lays at his master's feet at night." You could say "The dog lays his bone at his master's feet at night," but unless there is an OBJECT being placed somewhere, DO NOT use the word "lay" in present tense.
Farther vs. Further - Use the first word to describe distance, and the second one to describe degree of comparison. Example: "Shirley lives farther away from work than Martha does." (Hint: the word "far" is in the word "farther," to remind you that you're talking about a measurable distance) In any other case, use the latter: "Max went further in his education than Elmo did."
Fewer vs. Less - Use the first word if you're talking about items you can count, and the second one if you're talking about items you can't. For example, "The ball team with fewer errors won the game" is correct, since you can count actual errors. Don't say "The ball team with less errors won the game." In the grocery store, the express lane should say "10 Items or Fewer," since you can look into your cart and actually count the items. A store that has an express lane sign reading "10 Items or Less" is committing a grammatical error. Yes, really :) When to use "less?" Anytime a quantity cannot be individually counted: she had less experience than he did, we got less rain this summer than last summer, I have less anxiety today than I did before, etc...
It's vs. Its - It's ALWAYS means "It is" or "It has" or, rarely, "It was." Since it's (ha ha) a contraction, you can test your use of the word in this manner. "The cat found it's favorite toy" really means "The cat found it is favorite toy." Use its (with no apostrophe) to show possession (and yes, this is opposite of the way you show possession in the English language for almost any other word): "The vine attached its leafy fingers to the side of the house" or "The team lost its first game in over a month."
Effect vs. Affect - In most cases, effect is a noun: "The effect of global warming on the earth is a frightening one." Affect is a verb: "The movie affected me profoundly. " Now, effect can be used as a verb in a very limited sense, to show the creation of change: "Teachers can effect change in the future by shaping young minds." But for the most part, use the "e" word if you're talking about a noun, and the "a" word if you're talking about action/using a verb.
###
Make sense? Or are you more confused than ever?? Are there others that trip you up? Let me know, and maybe I can help (or just commiserate)...
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Some Links for You!
First off, a big cheer for the Tribe, who beat the Red Sox last night 4-2 and are up 2 games to 1 in the ALCS playoffs!!! Still a long way to go, but I'm enjoying every minute of it. Though I've lived in Yankee territory for over 10 years, part of my heart will always belong to the city of Cleveland...
Now on to serious sorts of writing things: check out the October issue of The Samhellion, my publisher's newsletter. Some great stories, articles, recipes, and author interviews there. You know, I've been toying with the idea of writing a ghost story for some time now. Maybe, with the hint of October and the witching hour in the air, I should give it serious consideration....
###
Second, stop by and visit the American Title contest, which just began its 3rd go-round. You can vote on your favorite opening line, and I find it interesting that the judges have commented on each one. Reminds me how important those initial sentences can be!
###
The Long and the Short of It has multiple chances to win some great prizes this week!
###
Finally, fellow Samhain author Rose Marie Wolf interviewed me for her blog today, (should be up later this AM), so hop over, give it a read, and maybe leave a comment if you would, so I don't feel lonely over there :)
###
I'll be here tomorrow with a writing article for Writers' Wednesday, so I hope to see you back here then!!
Now on to serious sorts of writing things: check out the October issue of The Samhellion, my publisher's newsletter. Some great stories, articles, recipes, and author interviews there. You know, I've been toying with the idea of writing a ghost story for some time now. Maybe, with the hint of October and the witching hour in the air, I should give it serious consideration....
###
Second, stop by and visit the American Title contest, which just began its 3rd go-round. You can vote on your favorite opening line, and I find it interesting that the judges have commented on each one. Reminds me how important those initial sentences can be!
###
The Long and the Short of It has multiple chances to win some great prizes this week!
###
Finally, fellow Samhain author Rose Marie Wolf interviewed me for her blog today, (should be up later this AM), so hop over, give it a read, and maybe leave a comment if you would, so I don't feel lonely over there :)
###
I'll be here tomorrow with a writing article for Writers' Wednesday, so I hope to see you back here then!!
Monday, October 15, 2007
Major League Monday
First, I have to say that I love being married to a handyman...who, after a few hours of trying everything under the sun, fixed our satellite TV problem yesterday. Hooray! Now I can watch tonight's playoff game!!
And since my Cleveland Indians are holding their own against the Boston Red Sox, here's a little tribute video, a clip from the movie Major League. In case you've never seen it, it's a hilarious sports comedy, well worth renting.
The premise: the woman who owns the Indians' baseball team can't stand Cleveland and wants to move the team to Florida, so she drafts all the worst players she can find so that they'll lose. Of course, when the players find out, they decide to turn the tables and try to win...
And since my Cleveland Indians are holding their own against the Boston Red Sox, here's a little tribute video, a clip from the movie Major League. In case you've never seen it, it's a hilarious sports comedy, well worth renting.
The premise: the woman who owns the Indians' baseball team can't stand Cleveland and wants to move the team to Florida, so she drafts all the worst players she can find so that they'll lose. Of course, when the players find out, they decide to turn the tables and try to win...
Sunday, October 14, 2007
I Have Nothing Important to Say Today
Of course, this is assuming I have important things to say on every other day I blog. I suppose they might be important to me, but to anyone else? Hmm...probably less so. :)
I guess I could write about the fact that I was up until 2 am watching the Indians-Red Sox playoff game (they pulled off a nail-biter, winning in the 11th inning!!). I suppose "watching" isn't really the right word, though, since hubby and I came back from dinner last night to find that our TV satellite doesn't work. At all. No matter what. And it will cost $50 for a technician to come out and tell us why. I was NOT a happy camper. Thank goodness ESPN.com has a real-time score page, which even updates itself so you don't have to keep clicking "Refresh."
I guess I could write about the fact that I was up until 2 am watching the Indians-Red Sox playoff game (they pulled off a nail-biter, winning in the 11th inning!!). I suppose "watching" isn't really the right word, though, since hubby and I came back from dinner last night to find that our TV satellite doesn't work. At all. No matter what. And it will cost $50 for a technician to come out and tell us why. I was NOT a happy camper. Thank goodness ESPN.com has a real-time score page, which even updates itself so you don't have to keep clicking "Refresh."
Or I could write about how I finally put down The Time Traveller's Wife yesterday, 265 pages in (of 500+). I. Couldn't. Do. It. Lovely story, fairly interesting plot, but it just moved too slowly for me. Ah well. I hate not finishing books.
I guess I could also write about how I worked through about 3 chapters of my WIP yesterday. That was a good feeling.
Or about how great it was that Al Gore won a Nobel Prize for his work with raising awareness about global warming. Now that must have been a good feeling!
Or I could just stop blogging now, get on with all the things I have to do today, and wish you all a happy Sunday!
Come back tomorrow. I'll have something more important to say.
Maybe.
I guess I could also write about how I worked through about 3 chapters of my WIP yesterday. That was a good feeling.
Or about how great it was that Al Gore won a Nobel Prize for his work with raising awareness about global warming. Now that must have been a good feeling!
Or I could just stop blogging now, get on with all the things I have to do today, and wish you all a happy Sunday!
Come back tomorrow. I'll have something more important to say.
Maybe.
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