The Mind of a Sapphic Writer

Mascara Commercials

2011-09-18T14:00:00.002-06:00

File this under "Bitch of the Day"

As I sit in my lazy boy recliner a commercial comes on the television for mascara. The voice over in the commercials states "get longer, lusher, lashes by just using this product". The models they use are very pretty and the emphasis is indeed on the eyes, but what really pisses me off is this:

The models are wearing false eyelashes!

Well, duh, of course they have longer, lusher, lashes and the reason...the fucking lashes are fake. So you may ask why does this piss me off and here is my answer:As a teenager I used to wear makeup and I would fall hook, line and sinker for these false promises commercials. I would spend my saved up money for newer and newer mascara products that would finally fulfill the claim of longer and lusher lashes. But I would be disappointed every time and I would think it was was something wrong with my lashes. "Why don't mine look like the models in those damn commercials, why, why, why?

For years I was a slave to "trying to look like those in the glossy magazine and television ads, and I see as the years have passed that these cosmetic companies are still turning out these lying commercials. You too can have longer, lusher, lashes...but know the first rule:

you have to apply false eyelashes!

Stand up, don't let these commercials make you think that something is wrong with your lashes, tell them to piss off and tell the truth and show us what their mascara really does...

without the fucking false eyelashes!

Write

2011-03-29T07:22:00.002-06:00

I want to sit down and write, but I don't have any time. Work takes over my time.....sigh

2011-01-15T22:01:00.001-07:00

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

I is a writer

2011-01-08T10:14:00.003-07:00

Yep, I sure am. I love to write and write and write. Although I do not do it every day (something I really need to work on) it does not negate the fact that I love to write, so, therefore, I is a writer.

Writing (no matter what) is a way for me to work out all the thoughts going on inside my head and try to make sense of them in story form and sometimes it works and sometimes...well, let's just say it is a present the dog left out on the grass. But, still I keep on keeping on and work it over and over until it starts to make sense again.

I have a few Facebook friends who are authors and I read their web sites, blog, and postings almost everyday trying to glean some idea on how to line edit this or cut a whole paragraph or even to dump it all in the trash heap. I have learned a lot also from reading their books and it is my strongly held opinion that you cannot write unless you read. Plain and simple.

I love to write and I is a writer!

Job

2010-12-31T09:00:00.002-07:00

I got the job! WooHoo! I am so excited!

Things are done different now days. I was hired by committee and by that I mean...I did a phone interview with a guy in Ohio, did the actual location interview in the town I live in, and was hired by a woman in Maryland. It seems as though all of the HR departments are linked and all their work is distributed between various offices throughout the US. I must say I am not used to this way of doing things but hey as long as I have the job..then rock it!

Interview

2010-12-29T08:31:00.002-07:00

I had a second job interview yesterday and I am really hoping and praying I get it. This would be a great job, good pay, benefits and the hours would be great too. No more standing on my feet would really be a benefit for me.

The job would be doing incoming calls for a medical insurance company and I really want this job.

I hope and I pray that I get it, I should find out today, Wednesday or by (at the latest) Friday if I get it. I hope to hear sooner than Friday but hey as long as I get it.

A-List

2010-12-21T09:53:00.006-07:00

Okay, so now the first season of Logo Channel's A-List has finished and I have a few things to say about it. I loved it and I cannot wait for season 2, hopefully there will be a season 2.

Here is the scene: The A-List is about a group of gay men in New York City-upscale gay men. Out and proud they are and they are not afraid to flaunt and preen and live up to most of the stereotypical attributes of gay men. Now, now, don't be a hater because I am not hating here...remember I said I loved it and besides, I am lesbian so I can talk smack. Okay, I am just kidding, but here is the thing, these guys are really fun to watch and get involved in all their drama.

The cast of characters are: Reichen-the not quite as pretty as a pretty boy should be, Austin-the mischievous one with sparkling eyes, TJ-the fun gay who dishes with the best of them, Rodiney-the tall,dark (hairy) latin model, Ryan-the momma of the group who is the nice, nurturing, caring one, Derek-the bitchy, fun gay, and Mike-the only true A-Lister of the group.

I hope we don't have to wait till next winter to see Season 2 but if we do I will definitely be there, as I said I love this show!

A New Book

2010-12-19T08:06:00.003-07:00

One of my favorite authors will have her new book out this upcoming week!

Barbara Samuel's (Barbara O'Neal), new book How to Bake a Perfect Life will be out on December 21, 2010. I cannot wait to get my hands on it!

I work in a local bookstore and so I will have access to it even before it hits the shelves but alas, I cannot buy it until the actual day of release...oh well.

Ala Roma

2010-12-19T00:01:00.004-07:00

There is an Italian Pizzeria and Deli that has the best, I mean the absolute best pizza I have ever had. The "Ala Roma Supreme" which has Italian sausage, pepperoni, ham, bacon, onion, peppers, mushrooms, green olives and green peppers on a crunchy thin/thick crust. Just the right amount tomato sauce will make your taste buds dance!

I have told them numerous times now that they serve the best pizza anywhere and I have had a few pizza's in different areas of the US and they are by far the best...seriously who would have guessed a little town in Wisconsin would serve it up.

Yum is the word for today!

DADT

2010-12-18T14:17:00.001-07:00

Just a quick little post....DADT (Don't Ask Don't Tell) is no more! Gays and Lesbians, Bisexual and Transgendered citizens may now serve openly in the Armed Forces of the United States!

Buck's

2010-12-18T09:23:00.003-07:00

Sitting here in Starbuck's and seeing pre-holiday madhouse customers everywhere with the line stretching out the door. Can you say holy cow!

I finally made it to Buck's after 8 days of not having a chance to get here and write and boy I am going to make the most of it while I can! Next week/Christmas week at work will be so busy and I have forgotten how crazy it can be. This in essence is my first job since not working for a few years and the madness that is the holiday is something I will be glad when it is over.

I am not a shopper, I do not like trying on neither clothes nor do I care to buy for others...it has nothing to do with money (although there is that), it is I just really detest shopping. I am thinking it all stems back to having to get school clothes when I was a kid. My mom and I would go to all the shops...Lerner's, Penny's, Kress's and whatever other store, at that time there was no such thing as a Walmart or a K-Mart and so we would spend what seemed like hours upon hours sorting through dresses and shoes and socks and underwear and whatever else I needed for the upcoming school year.

So what does all that have to do with Starbuck's nothing really just that it was an observation on the holiday madness and the shoppers out trying to get the best bargains and who decided to take a coffee break.

Inception

2010-12-18T07:34:00.002-07:00

I rented the movie Inception and let me tell you it was a real mind blowing movie. I have never had to pay so much attention to a movie in all my years of movie watching.

Layer upon layer were the theme of this movie and if you didn't pay attention you were lost from the word "dream".

This movie is about people who can enter other peoples dreams and manipulate the host dreamer and make them do what they need done. This can range from signing over documents to killing themselves or other people. It really was a pay attention movie.

I guess the only question to ask is...did I like this movie? And I would have to say I loved it! It kept me totally interested and I hardly realized that this movie ran for over 2 hours and 30 minutes. Leonardo DiCaprio was so good in this role I will be amazed if he isn't nominated for an Oscar.

Rent this movie--but be prepared to pay attention, no distractions or you will be so lost.

At work today

2010-12-17T13:38:00.003-07:00

I was called in to work today for 3 hours, it was my day off, and it was a really fun day. It was so busy, the customers kept coming in the door, the phone rang off the hook and books and magazines just sat there waiting to be put away in their proper place.

I really like busy days it makes the time go by so fast and it helps with the paycheck too.

It seemed as though what everyone was looking for were sports books, sports in general or Packer books or Badger books and we almost sold out of them. Sports books must be the go to item when purchasing a Christmas gift for a man and it seems as though a lot of shoppers put buying this little item until not quite the last minute but pretty darn close to it.

I have a few more busy days to work during the holiday time and I am looking forward to it but I am also looking forward to having 2 days in a row off....

Confuzzled

2010-12-17T13:32:00.002-07:00

I registered my blog for a domain sapphicwriter.com and I am having a little trouble figuring out how to access it. I am writing this post in the blogger.com site and don't have a clue if it will work or not.

Snow, snow and more snow!?

2010-12-16T12:31:00.004-07:00

See what I am talking about...too much snow and to much wind. Sunday December 12 we got hit with powerful winds and snow causing blizzard conditions and this photo shows the resulting mess.

It took days (3) for the manager of my apartment building to get some salt out in the parking lot and it could use more. I am not very happy about the lack of clean up in my city and especially at my apartment but hey, what you going to do when hit with a blizzard that dumps 8 inches of snow in your front yard.

Domain

2010-12-16T12:23:00.002-07:00

Today, I have purchased my own domain under sapphicwriter. I am way excited!

Birthday

2010-12-08T21:03:00.002-07:00

They say it's your birthday, it's my birthday too, yeah! No, really it is my birthday and it was a very good one. I didn't receive one present (except for the card from Starbuck's that says I have a free drink coming when next I enter their store), and that is okay. I got numerous happy b-day's on Facebook and Twitter and even a few when I listened to the Hal Sparks Ustream this morning.

My family all called to wish me happy b-day and that was really nice, all in all it was a very good day and I enjoyed it tremendously.

Tabatha's Salon Takeover

2010-12-08T09:47:00.004-07:00

I just finished watching the new season of Tabatha's Salon Takeover (Season 3), on BravoTV and I love it. I had forgotten how much fun it was to watch Tabatha and how she is a no nonsense type of stylist.

Having grown up in a family of beauticians who owned beauty shops for over 30 years I can look upon Tabatha's techniques and know she really knows what she is doing.

It is so much fun to watch her stand up to those who think they know better and what I find really funny is that these people invite her to come help them but yet they give her grief. I really have to wonder sometimes about people.

All I can say is Tabatha...You rock and I love the show! Keep up the good work!

Glowing

2010-11-21T21:41:00.002-07:00

This post will probably get me into a lot of trouble with pregnant women but oh well, here goes.

The other day I was watching Ellen DeGeneres show and her guest was Pink, now I love Ellen and Pink so this is not about them but about the use of the word "glowing". Turns out Pink is pregnant (woohoo! for her and her hubby!), and Ellen kept using the word "glowing" as a lead in to Pink telling everyone she is pregnant. Cool, now I don't have a problem with Pink or Ellen but the word "glowing" to describe a woman who is pregnant is really a nails on blackboard moment for me.

This word, this glowing word is used this way as if a woman cannot glow without being pregnant just really sets me off. I will have you know that we woman can glow any time we damn well feel like it. You see it is not a physical thing that makes us glow, but it is our mental attitude that will put us in the mood to "glow".

You may ask why I am making a big deal out of the word to describe being pregnant...well, it is just something that ticks me off...you see, we as woman are lead to believe that only giving birth...or being pregnant is the only way for us to truly be considered a fully fledged women. Well I beg to differ, I have not had a kid nor do I want to have a kid but damn it I can still glow if I want to....

The Girls In The Basement

2010-11-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

The Girls in the Basement are making me very aware of their presence lately. I am seriously surprised that the outside world cannot see the girls working, kneading, shaping, forming all the thoughts, ideas, and story lines running through my brain.

While I sit and watch TV Chloe, Ardel, and Vivian sit quietly whispering back and forth to each other working and reworking a plot point, or an awkward paragraph. And every so often a certain point or just the right word will work its way up to my awareness and BAM! I have to turn off the TV and pick up a composition book and pencil and write, write, write what the girls are dictating to me.

Whew!

The girls have been working overtime lately and I Love It!

Old Posts

2010-10-23T16:49:00.000-06:00

I looked backed over some old posts and realized so much has happened in just a few years. Moved to another state, my mom passed away, moved back to home state, moved back to the state I am in now, and not the least of which I have a Nano IPod and not a Zune.

Does anybody still use a Zune? Seriously?

I am writing more now and have really learned a lot about my voice. But I think the most important thing I have learned is...I write for me and not for the approval of someone else. Yeah sure it is great if others like your work but, if I am not happy with what I write then no one else will be. So my voice like it or not is my voice and I am pretty damned pleased with it!

Crazy Times

2010-10-11T15:33:00.000-06:00

I know that the holidays will be here soon enough but gee, it is not even Halloween yet and they are already playing Christmas music at the grocery store...lol.

I am not a fan of Christmas music to begin with unless it is Mahalia Jackson or perhaps the Three Tenors, but still pre Halloween is just a tad too early.

I remember as a kid when we would clean house on a Sunday morning we would put on Long Playing Record of Perry Como, Dean Martin, or Gentleman Jim Reeves and go to town cleaning away...and yes some of that music was Christmas music.

Taco Bell

2010-09-19T17:40:00.000-06:00

I am a tacobell addict. I live, eat, breath taco hell and I need to stop. I can eat it everyday and I usually do, just ask my cholestral and my weight. I think I have a real problem here with this and I want to stop! I wonder if there is a group out there for those of us addicted to taco bell. In the past year I have gained so much weight by eating there and then adding more fuel to the fire by having soda as well, then coming home and eating a full dinner...can you say duh!

Vegetarian

2010-09-07T10:05:00.002-06:00

As much as I tried to do the veggie thing I cannot switch totally over to being a vegetarian, not even a pescatarian (will eat fish), now don't get me wrong I love a good veggie burger and vegetable lasagna is awesome. But and this is a bit but...I love my real hamburgers, meatballs and yes chicken. I make an awesome chicken stock and I rock it with the noodles.

So sorry to those of my friends who are vegetarians or semi vegetarians, but if I share a meal with you...you will just have to deal with me eating a nice juicy hamburger.

New to me authors to read

2010-08-04T09:01:00.004-06:00

This is so awesome! THE LAST WILL OF MOIRA LEAHY www.theresewalsh.com, Out of the Shadows by Joanne Rendell http://www.joannerendell.com/, How to Buy a Love of Reading by Tanya Egan Gibson http://www.howtobuyaloveofreading.com/, Life After...... Yes by Aidan Donnelley Rowley http://www.ivyleagueinsecurities.com/, The Truth About Delilah Blue by Tish Cohen http://www.tishcohen.com/, The Spinster Sisters by Stacey Ballis www.thepolymathchronicles.blogspot.com/,

Good reading for many months to come!

Update on the Interview

2010-01-14T17:40:00.000-07:00

Had the job interview today, don't think I did that great...probably will not get the job.

Interview

2010-01-12T13:44:00.002-07:00

Okay, Okay, Okay, and Woohoo!

I have an interview for a job on Thursday, can you say excited.

Will let you know if I get it!

Here's hoping!

Laundry Day

2010-01-09T11:31:00.002-07:00

Laundry day and I am always excited to get out of my house, lug the (endless) bundles of dirty laundry to the laundromat...why you may ask well, it is when I can do some work on my MIP.

Yes, you read that right. I take the hard copy of my work and go over it, looking for whatever needs changing, or taken out completely. I really do get a lot accomplished while the washer is doing its thing and the dryer is blowing hot air. Today I got to run through about 15 pages which I think is a new record for me. I didn't change much at all and only took out a few words here and there. I must say I am half way through the MIP and I think I have hit my stride as far as storytelling goes. It seems to be jelling and my characters are telling me what's what. The girls in the basement are singing their happy tune and I could not be more pleased.

Okay, now that I have written that watch me hit a wall...sigh. Been there before and will be there again and have worked it out.

Talked with a few people from the place I used to work at and they are not happy with their job either but what ya gonna do. You need to eat...right.

The rest of the day will be spent (hopefully) doing some more work on the MIP and watching some tv. I should be cleaning my apartment but oh well, stuff happens.

Later

Yeah!

2010-01-07T14:20:00.002-07:00

I am so thrilled! I got to talk to Julie today and it was great. We talked about her book (also talked about my book) and I am officially crossing my fingers for her and the query letters she sent out!

Oh and thanks Jules for the "pen name" idea...lol Mona indeed!

Did some more work on the MIP today and filled out a few more job postings as well. I plan to get back at both of these tonight. I really need to find a job or else win the damn powerball...*grin*

Talked with my BFF today from Colorado for just a few minutes and I am happy to report that she and her girlfriend are going great guns. This really makes me happy as I know that she will be taken care of and will have someone to love her and that my friend is what I wish for those who read this blog.

That you find someone that will love you through thick and thin, good times and bad and think of you every second of every hour of every day.

Have not talked with family for a couple of days...am thinking I should probably call.

Oh yeah, gave ownership over of my yahoo group to someone who wanted to update and change it a tad. I had lost interest in it after almost 5 years and well, it was time. I am still a member of the group but now I do not have to worry about trying to keep it updated.

Okay that's enough for today....

Starbucks

2010-01-03T14:50:00.002-07:00

Starbucks first thing (well first thing for me) at 10 am and had a Grande 5 pump mocha...can you say YUMMMM! I can!

Edited more pages on my book and I am thinking I should actually start to transfer these new edits to my computer copy. I really don't want to have to do it all at once...so tonight I plan on starting the first of 7 chapters of edits that have I done.

I also told my niece to be on the lookout for the 7 chapters and to give me her feedback. My niece is an excellent grammarian (ha, had to look that word up...lol) so she will be a great asset to read and help me through the process.

Haven't done much this afternoon...took a nap that left me kind of pissy about not having a job and also pissy about having to look for a new job. It really is a big pain in the patootie to have to look for work. Guess I am still ticked off about not having my job anymore...wouldn't you say.

Let's see what is happening in the romance department: nothing, absolutely nothing. Was talking on the phone to a lady who lives in the area and then all of a sudden no more phone calls, no emails...nothing. Not sure what happened but I guess that's okay...perhaps it just wasn't meant.

Hmmm, guess that is all for now.....

Remember...when one door closes another opens. This applies to so many aspects of life. And it is something I firmly believe in. I am after all an optimistic pessimist.

Cheers!

Okay, Okay

2010-01-02T13:03:00.004-07:00

Well, today I have done about 3 hours worth of editing on my book. I finally worked through some of the trickier (read confusing) parts of the plot. I am very happy that I finally got my head out of my ass or to put it nicer--I no longer suffer from severe cerebral anal inversion.

Now, don't think I have smooth sailing from here on out, oh no, there are still some sticky plot points I need to work through (read that as redundant).

I am finding that in allowing time to go by since I wrote the manuscript I am able to take a big step back and read it with fresh eyes. I tried to edit it like 2 weeks after I wrote it and I thought it was just the best thing ever written and was sure that publishing house would scoop it up as is. Thank goodness I did not embarrass myself and send it out that way. With the passage of time I am able to see the flaws and big huge holes (Grand Canyon size) that I just could not see earlier.

Okay, so that is the update for today...tomorrow who knows what you will get or if you will get anything...so enjoy it while it lasts....lol

Oh and Happy New Year to all...I do hope this year will be better than the last...can I get an Amen!

Resolutions

2010-01-02T12:50:00.002-07:00

I write "Resolutions" in the title and have to laugh as I am not a believer in them. I do not keep resolutions so therefore I do not make them. So it comes as a complete surprise to myself that here I am going to make a "resolution". Ready...here it is......

I am going to finish editing the book I wrote in 2007 through NaNoWriMo.
I am going to write everyday even if it kills me.
I am going to blog everyday or every other day...yes, even if it kills me and no one wants to read it.
I am going to try to do these resolutions but please do not hold me to them...cuz I know me.

UPDATE

2009-11-03T07:52:00.000-07:00

Update on the job situation...

I got a job...woohoooooooo! I start work November 9 at 8 am. I can hardly wait!

What I have been doing lately...got about an hour?

2009-10-11T12:10:00.002-06:00

Where do I begin to tell this story. It has been a crazzzzy ass past few months. My last post was about me getting a job in North Central Wisconsin...and since then my world has totally come full circle. Here's how:

Talked to my old boss back in Colorado, this was sometime in July, and she said if I move back I could have my old job back. Well, I had been missing Colorado like crazy and I said sure thing. So I quit my new job, rented a U-haul (don't even get me started on that fiasco in time, money, energy, blood, sweat and tears), and moved my what I though was happy ass back to Colorado by the first of August. Arrived in Pueblo three days later and stayed with my bff for 3 weeks. In the meantime I had talked with my old boss and now she says she has to talk to her bosses because of my past job with them (although they all knew my history and the reason for my off and on job with them)(btw those that know my story know about me being a full time caregiver for my mother), okay, so fine, I went about my business of finding an apartment...long story short I found one that I rented then backed out on cuz it was way to expensive. Got my down payment back...found another, started to move in and that night after moving a few things up and setting up a blow up bed (it was the hottest day there so far) so I decided to take a shower and get into bed to relax and read as I had no tv yet.
I got out of the shower and something caught my eye...I said "What the hell is that", and ran to get my glasses that were on the kitchen counter. Walked back in the bathroom and saw to my horror that there were blood splatters on the ceiling of the bathroom. The blood must have come through the paint with all the steam from the shower. I freaked!

I called my bff Bren and said look this address up on yahoo or google and see what you find. 10 minutes later she calls back and says you won't believe it but there was a murder comminted in 2008 there in that apartment. What the fuck...I repeat WHAT THE FUCK! So to make a long story short I called the landord asked them why they didn't tell me that a murder had been committed in my apartment just the past year and they said..."what murder, there wasn't a murder, that all I was seeing was rust".

Rust my ass I know blood when I see it (I took pictures too), anyway, after long and very heated words between both parties, she told me to get my shit and get out, and that she was calling the cops...I said too late I already called them. I wanted back up in case something else happened. The cop came in looked at the blood and said yep that's blood and yes there was a murder committed here last year. Well my bff Bren and I moved all the shit I had moved in earlier in the day and we went back to her house she shares with her girlfriend.

So, I finally got my deposit and first months back from the murder apartment, got my lease torn up and here I was ready to look for something else. In the meantime the job I was supposed to get from my old employer fell through...What the fuck...WHAT THE FUCK!

So by this time I am beginning to think that I am being told something here and I better wake the fuck up. So, I begin looking for a new job that very day. That very night my bff and her g/f go out for the evening and I stay behind cuz I am still tired from the murder apartment fiasco (and still freaked out by it). About 10pm they aren't home yet but a sound is heard from around the corner from their house. Boom, Boom, two shotgun blasts or guns or something sounded and for fucks sake just right around the corner a guy was shot two blasts from a gun.

Okay, so now I said to them when they got home...I am going back to Wisconsin I cannot take anymore of this shit going on. I should have stayed where was to begin with but I was just so damn sure that Colorado was home. Well I found out....

You cannot go home again...that saying is so very true.

So I called a moving company this time (I wised up to the U-haul thing) and come to find out they moved me lock stock and barrel for less than the U-haul did. And now I am back in Wisconsin but this time I am living close to my niece in the southeast part of the state. I like it very much and I am looking for work.

Here is the deal...my move out to Colorado cost me over 3000 dollars my trip back to Wisconsin cost me over 2500 dollars...so, for 5500 I learned a valuable lesson and here it is.

LOOK BEFORE YOU FUCKING LEAP

That's it...plain and simple. Do some checking, go out for a visit not a move. And for fucks sake...don't rent an apartment that a murder was committed in....just saying.

Training

2009-07-17T20:58:00.002-06:00

Training is over for my new job and Monday I start on the floor. I am still going to be putting in resumes and applications in my field but for now this job will help pay for at least part of my rent or groceries.

Editing has taken a backseat to my job training but I am hoping this weekend to get back on it...hopefully.

Talked with a lady today who was interested in me...but doesn't look like it will work out...she lives too far away and doesn't have any free time away from her job. Oh well, I need and want a woman in my area and not some part time lover as the song goes...lol.

Looks like I won't be moving back to my home state...at least not anytime soon and it is for definite that my ex girlfriend and I won't be getting back together and I am very sad.

But, life does go on...I will get by.

New Job

2009-07-06T18:16:00.002-06:00

Started my new job today. It is a part time call center job and it will pay my rent so that is a good thing! I am still putting in resume's in my field and trying, trying, trying like hell to get one that will pay me a good salary and benefits. GoodLuck!

Did not get a chance to work on my book today...took today off as I wanted to get my mind in gear for my new job...but tomorrow I am hitting it again!

After 5 years of not having an out of the house job it is really weird to get back into the swing of things.

I am tired...brain fried...

Done!

2009-07-05T18:20:00.001-06:00

I have now finished the first run through of my book and now it is on to more research, more writing, re-writing and more editing....never ending story....lol

10

2009-07-04T07:35:00.000-06:00

10 Pages left. In a couple of hours I will be off to Starbucks to finish the last 10 pages. Woohoo.

Then it is time to start all over again...lol.

Edit the edits....

Also, making a big decision in my online life and I am not sure exactly what to do about it. I just know that something needs to be done.

Okay, that's it

26

2009-07-03T08:26:00.002-06:00

26 and counting. Yep, that's right I have 26 pages to go in my first edit of the book I wrote 2 years ago. It is a blast doing it and I am truly enjoying it! I am hoping to get it done before this Monday July 6 as that is my first day at my new job and I want to devote my attention to the job. At least for the first day...hahaha.

After the 26 pages are done I need to do some more research, fill out the main characters more as well as the minor characters and as Barbara Samuel says...make things luscious....you know give them color, sound, vision, all the things that we in our everyday life use. Give them life...so to speak.

I have started a journal too...not a diary of what I did or need to do but a writing /life/journey style of journal. Hope I can remember to make comments in it...lol. I know me and I do go in guns ablaze'n and then pfft..nothing. I become bored with it or think I don't need to do that. I have all I need right here in my brain. So, anyway, I am going to try it...for now.

That's it for now

First Edit

2009-06-30T21:36:00.002-06:00

52 pages and counting till the end of my first run through (edit) of the book I wrote 2 years ago. I am amazed at how much fun and how much hard work is involved. I edit about 14 pages a day give or take and I must say I am really liking my story...the question is...will others...lol.

Here is my ritual for this editing thing that I do:

Go out to lunch somewhere then head over to Starbucks. Order an iced, decaf, tall, cafe mocha and then sit down and get to work. For some reason the atmosphere, the music and the constant stream of people in Starbucks does not distract me at all. In fact I am finding I am more engrossed by having all the "chaos" around me rather than sitting at home in my 1 bedroom apartment where it is too quiet even with my ipod blasting out some music.

I figure when I wrote the book I had Elvis playing on my computer media player (His Greatest Hits) and had a blast doing it so I guess having all the chaos at Starbucks surround me sort of fits right in.

Wonder what I will listen to when I write my next book....*grin*

Time and Tide

2009-06-28T16:12:00.002-06:00

So much has happened since my last post in December 08. My mother passed in January 2009, I moved out of the duplex that we had and moved into a wonderful apartment in another city. Looking for work still in my field but I have a part time call center job just to pay the rent...which works!

Not sure how much I will keep up with this blog as it just doesn't really fit in with how I do things, but if you happen to see a new post every now and then that's cool.

I have begun the first edit on a book I wrote 2 years ago. At the time I wrote it I was not very happy with it but now that I waited all that time I am finding it isn't as bad as I thought...lol.

That's it for now....

Laugh, Laugh, Falling over Laughing!

2008-12-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

more animals

New Template

2008-12-03T14:36:00.001-07:00

am trying out this new 3 column template...Not sure I like it......

After much thought...I changed it back to the 2 column and I like it much better.

Thanks Jules, I think you were right!

Sunday Morning

2008-11-23T09:31:00.005-07:00

What's on your Zune?
The Open Door-Evanescence
CallMe When Your Sober

What are you reading?
The Second Sign of the Zodiac
The Taste of Night
Vicki Pettersson

Well here I sit staring at a blank page of my blog, shivering from the cold weather and wanting a cup of hot chocolate.

Not sure who cares but I have not continued with NaNoWriMo for this year (2008) as there has been so much going on in my real life that trying to concentrate on a storyline is almost impossible for me to do. I really wanted to finish the rough draft of the lesbian romance that I had been working on but life sometimes dictates the rules. I did manage to get over 16K words done on it before things went pear shaped. Oh well there is next year and who is to say that I cannot continue on....eh?

I saved my pennies and bought the cd that I am listening to right at this moment (see above) and I must say I love Evanescence a LOT! Amy Lee's voice is amazing and the blend of rock and ballad really speaks to me. My best friend Bren gave me a copy of Fallen by Evanescence and I was a fan from then on.

The holiday is coming upon us fast and I do hope all who read this post have a great time!

Until next time

Happy Reading and Writing

New Background

2008-11-22T13:27:00.002-07:00

Thought I would try a new template and then add a seasonal background. I like it...what do you think?

Just one more time!

2008-11-06T08:26:00.001-07:00

I just have to say it again!

WOOHOO!!!

Thank you Mr. Obama for giving us hope again!

WooHoo

2008-11-05T07:14:00.001-07:00

Vote

2008-11-04T16:28:00.002-07:00

This is it! In an hour and one half the polls will close and then the results will start pouring in. Let's us hope that the results will be Obama!

I am nervous as hell and cannot wait for MSNBC to start with all the election coverage. We have had 8 long years of the bush regime and it is time for a new direction...with a President who actually cares about people and not what they can do for him.

Obama baby!!!

Says it all!

2008-09-11T07:48:00.001-06:00

Speaks for itself!

2008-06-12T07:07:00.002-06:00

Moving

2008-06-10T07:19:00.008-06:00

I know I haven't been around for ages, but let me explain. I moved!

In what seemed to be a year long work in progress I finally got moved after selling my house (don't even get me started on that mess), and am now living in another state.

My brother and his family all live in this state and so I figured that was the best place to be...with family and so after so much shit the move has been accomplished.

Found a really nice duplex with a full basement and 2 car garage (needed said basement for all the crap we have and a 2 car garage for even more crap). It isn't as big as my home was, but at least I am no longer in 100 degree weather day in and day out.

I cannot get over how green everything is here, it sure is a far cry from the semi arid state I used to live.

I need to get back to my writing but I am afraid that will have to wait for a time as I still have a shit load of crap to unpack (can you say too many boxes in the basement).

So there you have it...an update on what has been going on in my little world.

Peace out

Office Depot

2008-03-11T13:24:00.012-06:00

Whats playing on my Zune?
Bad Medicine by Bon Jovi

Well, thanks to Jules and her good idea, I took my flash memory stick and went to Office Depot and had my manuscript printed to 3-hole punch paper. All 215 pages copied in less than 15 minutes, the only problem...the cost. But, figuring in what printing it out on my little printer (only 50 pages at one time) and the cost of ink cartridges, not to mention the time involved in said actual printing on said teeny printer, the cost of having Office Depot print it out for me actually saved me money. Now granted I didn't have to have it printed to 3hole punched paper, but it saved me from having to buy a 3hole punch and then punching all 215 pages.

Getting some much needed work done in my kitchen. Had some problems with moisture getting into the back splash of my kitchen sink...so, scraping off all of the area and then re-mudding it, then will re-paint the area and then finally caulk the area (will caulk it like there is no tomorrow). It really shouldn't take that long to do and I like doing that type of work, working with mud and the paint. In fact, I always volunteer to do the painting. Something in painting the walls or on canvas just soothes me. It gives me a chance to think and to be left alone and not have to jump up and run here or there. When I am painting...I am painting...don't bother me.

Time to get back to work....

Project Runway/Millionaire Matchmaker

2008-03-06T17:24:00.016-07:00

What's playing on my Zune?

Torna a Surriento (Come Back To Sorrento)
The Three Tenors

Woohoo! Christian Siriano won Project Runway Season 4! I thought he would make it to the end from the very first show. He is a talented and fierce contestant. His runway show at Bryant Park was thrilling and so very original. The other two contestants (Rami and Jillian) had beautiful designs but there wasn't that "oomph" to them. When the first model for Christians show walked out you could hear the audience just send up a chorus of "OOOOO's", they knew they were in for a treat and Christian delivered.

Reading Mel's blog, she posted about the bachelor from Millionaire Matchmaker and his eyebrows well, I just had to find a re-run of that show and watch...and she was right on. That man's eyebrows were the entire focal point of his segment. I could not see anything but those eyebrows. Did he have eyes, a mouth, a nose...I have no idea because I couldn't look away from the "Groucho Marx" type of eyebrows. I really think the man needed to see a eyebrow specialist...he is in California FFS where there is a beauty establishment on every street...lol

Okay, now to get down to what has been happening around here. Tuesday we were evacuated from our home for a few hours as there was a brush fire and high wind and the city police and the Sheriff decided it was best to move the entire community of our complex out and away from said fire. My mom was sent to the hospital as a precaution and released a few hours later. We were finally able to return home around 5:30 in the afternoon. It was a very scary time and we were very happy that no damage was done to our home. In truth the fire was a good way from us but still with 30-40mph winds it wouldn't have taken long for it to truly do some damage. A man did lose his home as it was engulfed before the fire fighters arrived. My sympathy goes out to him and his as they lost everything. Police and Fire has not found a reason for the brush fire and the paper said today that it may not be possible to find the cause as there were so many emergency crews that it might have been destroyed in trying to save the rest of the area.

So there you have it, a scary and nerve wracking time was had by all and I for one do not care to relive.

Zune

2008-03-01T22:00:00.010-07:00

Whats playing on my Zune
Michael Feinstein Who Cares George and Ira Gershwin

Well I did it! I went and bought a Zune, a pretty red one 8gig. I was so excited to get it, I had been wanting one for a long ass time and I finally did it.

Here is how it went yesterday...I drove to Office Depot and was just going to look, well my just looking turned into buying and before you know it I was approved for an instore credit card and I was off and running. Brought the Zune home and tried to figure it out...MP3's no matter the brand speak greek to me so I had to go to the site and read the forums. Well after a frustrating couple of hours I managed to get some songs loaded on Windows Media Player and trasferred to my pretty red Zune! All was going really good until I realized my computer was bogging down terribly...yup you guessed it...too many music files loaded onto my laptops hard drive.

Well, to make a long story short (too late) off I went today back to Office Depot and looked at the external hard drives and got some good info on how they work and how to use it with my pretty red Zune...so off I went to Walmart and bought their Seagate Free Agent 250gig external hard drive.

I know, I know, money, money, money. When all is said and done I paid less (aaahhheeemmm) than 300 dollars and now I am sitting here typing this post while I am ripping all my CD's to my pretty new external hard drive and then when I have a few done I wil sync it up with my pretty red Zune!

So there ya go...this is how I spent yesterday and today...Happy Happy Joy Joy!!!!

Celtx

2008-02-25T15:23:00.004-07:00

I was looking at the NaNoWriMo site yesterday and I noticed a link for free scriptwriting software, well, never one to say no to something free...I looked it over and decided to download it. It is called Celtx and I must say I am so very impressed with it already. I did the tour that was offered on how to use it and I cannot believe this program is free, but yep, it is.

Now the question is why would I want to get script writing software...and my answer is, well, hell you never know. One of my stories (read as: the one about my dad) would make an excellent movie. At least in my opinion..hehe

Anyway, that is all I have for now...

Signs

2008-02-23T21:34:00.005-07:00

Do you believe in signs? No, not the stop sign signs, but the "cosmos is working in conjunction with whatever power out there to tell you that this is IT!"

Okay, let me set the scene here...yesterday as I stated in a previous post that I was going to write about my dad and what happened to him in 1948. So, today my mind is churning and churning and I knew I had some errands to run (the main one was to get a fax sent off to this Military Records place, I want to be accurate when I write about this), anyway, I head to Office Depot, get there and then walk over to the area that has the fax machine. I fill out the cover sheet and hand the girl the papers to fax, she walks away and I turn and look at what she was doing as I walked up to the counter. And wouldn't you just know it--she was photocopying a scrapbook for someone and all the pages she was copying were of a soldier from WWII. Pictures of him and his buddies in uniform, Western Union telegrams telling him of his leave and or orders, movie ticket stubs from 1944, and just so much more of the keepsakes from this mans time in service.

Well, this is when it hit me like a ton of bricks and the girl came back to the counter to hand me my papers and I asked her if she believed in signs. She looked at me kind of funny and said "Yeah, I guess. Why?" So I explained that I was writing this story (maybe a screenplay)about my dad during his time in the military and then I see this scrapbook and a lightbulb went off. She looked at me and said, "wow, that is a pretty big sign".

So dear readers do you believe in signs. I do!

Research

2008-02-22T14:59:00.003-07:00

Finally pulled my head out of my ass long enough to sit down with my mother and have her tell me the story of my dad. You see my dad was injured while he was a paratrooper in 1948 and this story to me was a wonderful story of determination. It really is amazing how they survived and pulled together to overcome the disablilty my dad had to endure.

I do not want to post too much about the story here but suffice it to say, it is a story of courage, anger, determination and above all else love.

In writing down all the background for this story, I got a cramp in my hand...lol and had to take a break...so what do I do...I come here and blog about it...sheesh.

Anyway, I have always thought that the story of how my dad triumphed over the nay sayers when they told him he would never walk again would really make a great novel, so here I am trying to start a little fire in the hopes that it will become a truly wonderful story.

Here is hoping!

Addict

2008-02-22T12:59:00.003-07:00

My name is misspride and I am a tacobell addict. I live, eat, breath taco hell and I need to stop. I can eat it everyday and I usually do, just ask my cholestral and my weight. I think I have a real problem here with this and I want to stop! I wonder if there is a group out there for those of us addicted to taco bell. In the past year I have gained so much weight by eating there and then adding more fuel to the fire by having soda as well, then coming home and eating a full dinner...can you say duh!

Well, right here, right now, and starting tomorrow I am going to try and stop eating at taco hell and get my weight down.

I saw my reflection in a window today and this made me so sad, I look like I am just a big slob and someone who doesn't care about themselves. I really am in need of help and hope that those who read this will send their best wishes.

Sighs...as I am so upset for letting myself get this way...

Comments

2008-02-21T22:00:00.002-07:00

Hmmm Just wondering what it takes to get comments made on my blog. I see other blogs and people right and left are dropping comments like no tomorrow. Am I boring (probably), am I whiny (most definately), but still I do think what I say could be worth a "attagirl" or something...sheesh.

Now wait a minute, don't get me wrong, there have been a few comments made here and there but they are few and far between, so I promise if you drop a comment on me I will do likewise...just leave your blog addy and I will go there and read it...Deal?

No Book

2008-02-20T14:02:00.006-07:00

Well darn! I haven't received the book Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier so I guess I will just have to be patient a little while longer.

Read a post from Barbara Samuel's blog A Writer Afoot about mementos that remind you of someone you have lost touch with or someone has passed on, well, this reminded me of my dad who even after all these years (18years) I still miss him. There are times when I will be watching a movie and think "now dad would have liked that movie". Ah well, I can't help but think what is going to happen when my mom passes, will it be just as hard or harder. I have no idea but I just know that when I think of her passing it makes me very sad but then I think she will finally be reunited with my dad and that makes me smile.

Am hoping for an artist date sometime this week and perhaps lunch with my best friend, but I am not going to hold my breath.

Writing life is almost non existent except for this blog and well you see how often I do that...I have decided to stop kicking myself for that.

Okay....there is work to be done on my house so I am outta here.

Rebecca

2008-02-18T17:33:00.008-07:00

I am so excited! Hopefully, tomorrow I will get in the mail the book Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I saw the movie years ago but I do not remember much about it and then the other day I was watching another movie on AMC or Showtime (not sure which) and the movie was "Daphne". All about Daphne du Maurier life and her love of other women. Hell I didn't even know she was on the sapphic team.
Anyway, the movie made me want to read "Rebecca" and so I went to Paperbackswap.com of which I am a member and found a copy of the book and requested it. (If you haven't gone to Paperbackswap.com do so now...it is really worth it!) So to make a long story short the book should arrive in the mail tomorrow and I cannot wait to read it.

Let's see what is new in the exciting world called my life...hmmm not much. I haven't done any editing of the book I wrote. I don't know why, I just haven't. But I am itching to start another story but I will not until I get the 250 pages edited first!

Had to buy another DVD player yesterday at Walmart my 10 year old DVD player conked out. Thinking back to 10 years ago I paid in excess of 350 dollars for that DVD player and the one I bought yesterday cost me less than 50 dollars tax included...how times and electronics have changed.

Lately I have had this wish of wanting to go to Paris, why because I read Gabrielle's blog Diary of an adult runaway and she lives in Paris and just reading her life there makes me want to jump on a jet and go there NOW! Oh well, perhaps someday I might just get to see the City of Lights!

Exercise has hit the skids...I was swimming everyday until I managed to get an eye infection (have no idea where or how) and it stopped me from doing any swimming for 2 weeks and well now getting my ass in gear to head to gym is like trying to move the rockies....it ain't gonna happen. Lazy Lazy Lazy.

Time to go clean the kitchen...

I am still in a holiday funk

2008-01-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

Okay, well I thought with the holidays over I would now be back in gear and raring to go...but no such luck. I do not have any energy or any motivation. I sit and look at my MIP and that's all I do-just look at it. I know that I will need to do some major revisions on it and I just can't seem to make myself pick up those pages and get going. Instead I read others blog, go to different chat sites and in general not do anything, and I am sorry to say that applies to my housework too.

I want to go to the gym and sign up and lose a lot of pounds but I can't seem to justify 50 dollars a month (money that I don't really have) and the need to lose major poundage.

What I really need to do is quit whining and get up off my fat ass and do something...even if it is wrong but I can't even seem to want to do that.

Okay, enough bitching and moaning.

Editing/Holiday

2007-12-23T22:12:00.000-07:00

I printed out the first 100 pages of my MIP and have begun to edit. Today saw about 35 pages edited and the more I read the more I am going to have to re-work the first 50 or so pages to fit with the remainder of the novel.

The way this started totally changed around the 50 page mark or so and went a different direction, and now I scratch my head trying to figure out what to do. I think I need to sleep long and hard on this and just keep plugging away on the remainder of the MIP. Perhaps I will find my clue in the later pages.

Here's hoping anyway!

Now for a different topic: I will be so glad when the holidays are over! Bah Humbug so much hoopla and money spent and time wasted only to make the corporations richer. Boo Hisssssss!

In all seriousness the holidays really do mess things up...the mail is so overwhelmed each year that what should take only 3 or 4 days for a letter to arrive at my home has now taken almost 2 weeks, and that was only from West Virginia. All the stores close, the banks close, hell, the only thing open is Blockbuster Video and their clones. At least I am thankful for that.

Don't get me wrong, I fully know what this holiday is about and I do honor that, but come on...this hoopla bullshit is no more about celebrating His birth than anyting. And really the only reason to even buy any thing is for the little kids and to see the look of pure joy on their face when they see what Santa has brought them. As for me and mine we could do without this corporate holiday, thank you very much.

NaNoWriMo

2007-12-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

WOOHOO! I completed the NaNoWriMo 30 day writing contest for November! It was tough going some days and then other days it was easy peasy. The goal was to write a minimum of 1667 words a day for 30 days and reach the goal of 50,000 words around 174 page book. I surpassed the 50k by over 1k and around 200 pages. Now comes the fun part (the 30 day writing marathon was fun too), to edit what I wrote. I am going to wait till the 3rd of December to get going on it, I want to have a little break and allow my brain to see it fresh.
Then in January I plan on going back to my lesbian romance story I started a while back and finish it up in that one month. I know I can do it now...hey I already did!

No longer scared to write and actually finish...I can do it, I did it!

See the winner's icon from NaNoWriMo! Look to your right and down a little.

RPG Sites

2007-09-24T14:18:00.000-06:00

Okay, I am officially hooked! A friend of mine told me about this site called: (click on the title of this post to be taken there directly)::
SOI or State of Insanity. Yes it is an adult site, but not the whole site. There is a RPG (role playing game) there called "The City" (there is also Vampire RPG based on a movie, a Castle type RPG and many other RPG). Anyway, the point of this post is....I am hooked. I have created a character (a writer ofcourse) age, name, where she is from all of that. I am looking for a part time job there and am starting to make RPG friends....lol.

This is fun to play and also it is helping with my writing as far as dialogue. Getting into a conversation while sitting in the 141 club or having breakfast at a local restaurant and talking with the wait staff really makes me see the choices I make as far as dialogue goes. It really is amazing this site. I know that RPG sites are becoming the "thing" right now and I can see why.

Well if you get a chance stop by the site and see what it is all about

Storm

2007-08-26T14:40:00.000-06:00

This past Thursday we were hit with a big thunderstorm. Quarter size hail, and torrential rain, with wind up to and beyond 75 miles and hour. The hail busted my phone line wires and thus I was without Internet until today which is Sunday. Had to replace the wiring and get my head out of my ass so I could figure out what wire went to what wire. :(

But all is well now, I have my DSL High Speed(?) Internet up and running again! :)

Not much else going on really. I did get to go to lunch with my best friend last week and it was awesome. First time in 2 1/2 months that I was able to do that.

Haven't been writing much, but I did get my collage worked on, and now I have something to look at when I am writing. Hopefully this will work....I just need to write. Sigh..that is the main problem. Getting my ass in gear to actually write.

Another Artist's Date

2007-07-26T18:19:00.000-06:00

I don't know what's going on but yesterday I had another artist's date. I wanted to go to the local gourmet shop (needed some cheesecloth) and since I was in the area I then went to this Used Book shop that the local library donates books too (also citizens can donate too). I found 4 cookbooks and then received 2 free books one is Virginia Woolf an Illustrated Anthology and the other is Favorite Poems of Emily Dickinson.

So many artist's dates this week and I wanted another one today....lol, but that was not the case. Oh well, can't have it all. I will have to think back on these extra "dates" when I can't get out of the house.

Wrote a 400+ word of flash fiction, it seemed to be well received by the ladies from the group, so I am pleased. I really liked my characters and am thinking about making them into a full blown story. I will have to think hard on that. Time to get the girls in the basement busy, they have been some lazy bitches lately.

A mini artist's date

2007-07-24T19:06:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, after reading an exercise in chapter 1 of the Artist's Way, I went to Walmart and looked around in the office/school supplies. There I found 2 booklets that are "encouraging" and "retro" types of stickers. Also, found some stars, a pair of children's scissors and some colored pencils. According to the exercise you should buy yourself some of these "silly" items and give yourself a star when you do your morning pages, or add a sticker of encouragement to what you are doing with the exercises, or just when ever you want to. Sort of like when we were in grade school and got gold stars put next to your name. Ohhhh, the pride that was felt, the feeling of being able to do anything. And knowing that someone else thought you were terrific.

So, that was a fun time buying those items, and then today I had to go to Office Depot, and while browsing I found some Post It Page Markers. They are about 1" wide and 2" long and have a picture along with a saying on them. The post it page markers I bought have the words "dream", "believe" and "imagine" on each of the markers respectively. This or rather, those words are what the Artist's Way is all about. Dreaming the dreams of what will fulfill your inner artist, Believing in yourself, knowing that you are an artist, and Imagining all that you can be. I found those posts its today and knew it was providence.

Balking

2007-07-22T12:48:00.000-06:00

Alrighty then, reading my first assignment in The Artist's Way, I am already balking at it. Sigh. Why can't I just do it. Damn censor that is in my head keeps working overtime. I need to kick it in the ass and push on. Damn it!

Artist's Date

2007-07-21T10:16:00.000-06:00

Today I am hoping to get to Barnes and Noble for my artist's date . I have been trying for a week now to get there, but with my mom's health the way it is, I can't seem to get out of the house. I really need this, to just walk amongst the books, to take in the smell of the coffee brewing, to find just the right book that I can sink my teeth into. To walk in with hopes and to walk out with dreams. I really, really need this date.

I read a paragraph in The Artist's Way today that really hit home for me. It made me want to jump on my morning pages and really get to work on the assignments.

Well, it doesn't look like I will get to go to B&N today. Damn it

It is now 2:48 pm and I got home from B&N about an hour ago! Yes! I finally got to go, and you have no idea how much it did for me. I was only in B & N for maybe 30 to 45 min, but oh boy, did I get a lot done in that time!

Let's see I bought:
2 books by Patricia Briggs (she is my new favorite writer right now). A Food & Wine magazine. I want to see what all the fuss is about on Top Chef, they are always talking about this magazine. A Risotto Cookbook, that was on the bargain books shelf. Paid $6.98 for it. Has 40 Classic and Contemporary Risotto Dishes. I am a big rice fan (huge, big) and am always looking for new ways to cook rice. And last but not least, I got my own copy of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way. Now I can take back the library's copy, and not have to worry about highlighting my copy. WoooooHoooo!

Well, I am going to dive into my books now. I am so excited. You really have no idea now much this means to me. To actually get out of the house for something other than grocery shopping. Some "me" time...an actual Artist's Date. Holy fucking shit!

UpLoad

2007-07-13T21:33:00.000-06:00

Today I uploaded most of the files I want to keep onto Google Docs/Spreadsheet. Almost all of my WIP are there and am trying to get the spreadsheets to upload. Did that this afternoon and the spreadsheets still aren't there. Going on 5 hours now. I am thinking something really jacked up with them. Damn it

I do want to thank Lynn for her suggestion to do this. That way you have all your files on another server in case something happens to your computer. I also have hard copies of most of my writing. Will do some more in the next few days. I also have saved to disk, both 31/2 and cd. So I think I am covered. I have thought about emailing them all to my hotmail acct. Will think about that one.

Anyway, that was my day today. My last weigh in was today, and I am still at 209, been there for 5 days now....grrrr. I need to do something to kick start it again.

Found a good blog to read today. It is Tammy Lynn Michaels Etheridge (married to Melissa). I am enjoying it so far! If you are interested in looking at it I have it linked under Blogs I Like.

That's it for today!

How I spent the day.

2007-07-04T23:10:00.000-06:00

Today I spent the day with Nikki, and Kate. The two main characters in the story I am writing. I hadn't been with them in a long while and it was very good to see them again. We picked up right where we left off all those months ago. Just like good friends are supposed to do.

But I must admit I think Nikki is too damn shy, she wants to stay in the background and just react to what is around her. Now, this is not acceptable as she is the main character....sigh. Nikki, come on girl, let me hear your voice, show me your true colors. And for heavens sake do something!

I read a post on Barbara Samuel's blog the other day and a small statement caught my eye. I will quote her here as I do not want to mess it up:

"Sometimes beginning writers are afraid to pour all their love into their stories. They want to be more sophisticated than that, or more "interesting". Just do it, pour it all in. Let it shine."

This really struck me, because I have thought that sometimes a simple line or a simple turn of phrase is just too plain, and surely would not be good enough for a story.
Well, I am going to now stop this thinking and start to pour all my love into my stories and my characters. Let them and the story shine through.

Time to round up the girls in the basement, we got work to do!

Who Should Paint You

2007-06-23T09:44:00.000-06:00

Who Should Paint You: Alfred Gockel

All American yet funky, you inspire an artist's imagination. And while not everyone will understand your portrait, you will!

http://www.blogthings.com/whatartistshouldpaintyourportraitquiz

Saw this on Barbara Samuel's Blog A Writer Afoot and had to give it a go. The painting seems pretty right on, and I DO understand it!!

Weight Loss

2007-06-22T14:04:00.000-06:00

Woohoo! As of June 20, 2007 I have lost 21 pounds. I started watching what I eat way back in February 2007, but in the last month after having been diagnosed with Acid Reflux (Gerd), my diet has drastically changed.

For about 9 months I have been fighting acid indigestion, and at times have had the reflux wake me up in the middle of the night with painful burning in my throat and esophagus. Breathing was very difficult and I had to get on oxygen. The pain would last hours and the breathing difficulty made it impossible to lay down or even relax in an easy chair.

I tried over the counter meds (Prilosec) which helped the first time I had a problem but then it sort of just petered out. So, I finally got off my ass and went to the doctor where she prescribed some heavy duty medicine.

I have also stopped drinking soda pop that has caffeine (I will have a Sierra Myst 100 Cal. twice a week), and stopped eating tomatoes, citrus, and and some dairy (during the day it is fine, but not for dinner along with some carbs. Carbs and late night do not make for weight loss).

So, to make a long story short, I was 233 in February and now June 22, 2007, I am 212. I have set 1 (of many) goal to reach 200 (12 pounds to go) before September 2007. Slow is the way to go.

I average around 1400-1500 calories a day, and because of my situation at home I am not able to get out to a gym, but I do what I can around the house.

I am just so damn happy with what I have lost so far...can't wait to see what I look like at 200 pounds...still heavy--but on my way!!!!

This and That

2007-06-20T13:50:00.000-06:00

Got home today from taking a movie back and just as I got out of the car, a black and white female cat came up and started meowing at me. She is a pretty cat, a little dirty from being out doors and my heart leapt at seeing her. I miss my cat who I had to have put to sleeep over 2 years ago. She had kidney problems and it finally took its toll. The cat today keeps coming back around and looking in through the screen door and meowing more. It is very hot out today so I put some water out for her. Everytime she comes around and starts talking my heart aches to rush out bring her in and feed her. But I cannot because of my mother who can't handle a cat right now. So, I respect her wishes and try to ignore the cat. But, it is very hard.

This is the first time in a long time that I posted on my blog. I need to keep this blog up but sometimes I get so damn lazy.

I miss my kitty and I want another.

Mann Coulter--Shut The Fuck Up!

2007-03-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

Holiday Blues

2006-12-27T14:27:00.000-07:00

Yeah, Christmas has come and gone. I am so not a holiday person. I used to be, but now that there isn't any family around and no small children the Christmas holiday isn't much fun. Oh, I know that is not what it is about, as if the holiday was about Christ anyway. It maybe at one time was about Him, but now...nope, it is just another "shopping excuse" for an already spoiled nation. Okay, okay, I really am a Grinch...Bah Humbug!

Also, the fact that I don't have any money to shop is another reason. My finances are next to nil and what I do get I tend to spend on the luxuries of life. Like aspirin, toothpaste, and of course the Internet. Can't get by without that, I would loose my ever loving mind if I did not have it. Sometimes I think I will anyway...LOL.

Mom is not getting any better, and I really don't know how much longer she has. It is hard on her and also hard on me. The constant stress of never knowing if this is the day or not. Not that I am wanting that to happen, but it is a forgone conclusion that it will happen. It is just a matter of time. She never wants to be left alone, but there are things I simply must do out in the real world, like buy groceries and have a little me time. I am lucky if I get out of the house for 1 hour a day...even luckier if I can stretch it to two hours. I really do understand her not wanting to be alone, it must be a scary thought not knowing from one day to the next if you are going to end up in the hospital.

I need to be there for her more than I am. I spend my hours of the day on the computer and watching movies. I think she gets very lonely even when I am home. But I just can't spend 24/7 sitting at her side, that would drive her and me both crazy. I feel like I am torn in two and the stress I am feeling is almost overwhelming. Yesterday, I broke down and cried my eyes out feeling very stressed and feeling like my life is on hold, which it is, so damn hard not to feel some resentment. But, then I get to feeling guilty over it all because I love my mom more than anything and would do anything in the world for her. Sometimes it feels like a never ending cycle.

Enough for today.

Birthday

2006-12-09T15:35:00.000-07:00

Well b-day has come and gone. Had a great one this year! My bestest friend in all the world kaja took me out for lunch to one of my favorite places, and she also gave me a book mark, a beautiful card and a gift card to my favorite store...Barnes and Noble...woooohooooo! Thanks again kaja...I love you...but you know that...*wink*

Well, my so called plan to write so much before went by the wayside. Knew it would. Sigh...I have big ideas and then never follow through.

I sent my neice the first 2 chapters of the story I am working on...havent heard a thing back from her....they must be pretty bad.....lol...oh well, back to the drawing board. Actually I think the further along in the chapters the better it gets...am not very happy with the first 2.

Time to get my butt in gear

2006-11-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, enough procrastinating! Time to get back to my writing. I have put it off too damn long and I am damn tired of being scared of it!!!

So, I am going to buckle down and get 3 more chapters done by next week. This is a pledge I am making to myself.

I owe it to myself to work through this scaredy cat phase and get on with what I love to do...WRITE, WRITE, WRITE!

So what if no one else thinks it is good, I do and that is what's important right now. When I get it finished, then I can let someone else see it.

Get to it girl, get it done grrrrrrrrrl....NOW!

Grab That Book

2006-11-15T10:07:00.000-07:00

GRAB THAT BOOK
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next four sentences on your blog along with these instructions.
5. Don't you dare dig around for that "cool" or "intellectual" book on your shelves. (I know you were thinking about it.) Just pick up whatever is closest.

"And if he had so little use for us!"
I said to her.
But the vehemence was false.
Hopeless.

Can you guess my book?

The answer is below--use highlight to see it.

Interview with the Vampire--Anne Rice

New Template

2006-11-10T14:17:00.000-07:00

Working on my new template. Trying to figure out what all I want on it.

YES!

2006-11-09T13:14:00.000-07:00

WooooFuckingHoooo The Democrats have taken back the country!!!!

So damn happy!

The Republicans and the President got a SPANKING and then some!!!

About time!

House Cleaning

2006-11-08T09:59:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! It is about time. Hoping they take the Senate as well.

Doogie Howser

2006-11-03T22:20:00.000-07:00

Neil Patrick Harris comes out of the closet
Actor Neil Patrick Harris has come out of the closet. The star of CBS's How I Met Your Mother tells People.com, "[I] am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest."
The 33-year-old former star of Doogie Howser, M.D., says he came forward because of recent "speculation and interest in my private life and relationships." (The Advocate)

WOW.....way to go NPH. Hopefully those who are still in the closet will see this and see that it isn't a bad thing to be OUT and PROUD!

Reading

2006-10-17T15:30:00.000-06:00

Yes, I am reading 3 books at the same time! At times I have read 4 and 5 books at the same time. I do not find this difficult as there is a little trick I use to do this. Ready for the secret?

Here it is:

Make sure each book is a different type/style from the other books.

Examples:
Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris is a modern day vampire romance series
Maybe Next Time by Karin Kallmaker is a modern day lesbian romance
The Diamond Secret by Ruth Wind (Barbara Samuel) is a modern day mystery romance

I find I am able to keep these books seperated in my mind. Also another trick I read each one at a different time during the day.

Mornings is the Ruth Wind book, Lunch is the Karin Kallmaker book and bedtime is the Charlaine Harris book.

Easy!

Collage Part 2

2006-10-16T18:36:00.000-06:00

Well, I am slowly getting the material together for the collage. And I have changed my mind again on the main chracter...sigh. Anyway, I need to just get a few more things for the collage dealing with the minor characters in this project.

On to other things:
I am so fracking tired of red tape concerning some title work. The damn bank lost the original and I have to jump through hoops to get a duplicate. This pisses me off to no end but if I ever want to sell then I need all my ducks in a row...so to speak.

I checked out another blog site 'word press' tried it, didnt buy it, found it way too complicated to use--not user friendly at all. So I will stick with Blogger for now, I just wish they offered more templates to choose from. I would so love a 3 column template. Oh well.

Joined a new group on yahoo--for lesbians over 40, guess I qualify for that...lol.

Changing my mind....again

2006-10-10T14:10:00.000-06:00

Okay, I have changed my mind again about my main character for my book. I am leaning towards Amanda Peet....sigh....am wondering why I am having so much trouble trying to figure out my main character.

Hmmmm....am thinking it is because I am the main character and I just can't picture anyone else in that role.....could be.

Raining

2006-10-08T13:22:00.000-06:00

It is a lovely day, it is raining! A nice slow drizzle of a rain. My favorite kind. Great day to read, or watch movies or to take a nap. Nothing like a cup of tea, a good book, a nice warm blanket and off you go to another world. Heaven!

Went to Staples and got the Easel pad I had been wanting, damn things are expensive 30 dollars for 2, but they are big ass huge mo fo's...and hopefully will last a long time. Am also gathering pictures and other things for the collage, I cannot believe how my thought process is going with this. My imagination is soaring. I am so excited!

I have changed my mind about my characters look. I think I am going to go with Charlize Theron as the role model for my main character. Will decide for sure later. Damn, didn't have any trouble finding the role model for my second character, I knew from the get go who it would be.

Collage

2006-10-06T13:58:00.000-06:00

I am very excited, I have been reading up on collages and post it notes...how to create a collage for writing. To get your characters down, basically to just get inspiration...or to kick it in the ass and get a move on! I am anxious to try this. I know what one of my characters is about, but unfortunately the main character I have a fuzzy outline for her. So hopefully this collage will help me a lot!

I have already downloaded pics of what a couple of my characters look like-sort of...one of my characters looks like Kate Moennig from the L Word, and the other character looks like Samantha Brown from the Travel Channel.

Now, I just have to find other stuff that helps with their character definition and story progression.

Last class

2006-10-03T13:29:00.000-06:00

Turned in my last "voice" class assignment. The 6 week long class seemed at times to take a year, having to delve deep within and find the true voice. It was a good class and I enjoyed it very much. Now I need to get back to my writing.

Colored my hair yesterday, from blonde to light amber brown, sort of a reddish brown. Not too sure I like it yet, I was a blonde for over a year and it is a change. Am thinking I might just go all the way and become a red-head.

Damn, it is chilly today, supposed to rain later maybe, you just never know.

I need to watch the damn movies I rented. I need to quit renting movies and then not watch them, I have wasted so much money doing that....grrrr

Not much to say today, not in the best of moods.

Long time

2006-10-01T12:44:00.000-06:00

I haven't posted in a while, not much to write about. Mom was in the hospital again, it is wearing on all of us, still trying to catch up. My writing class is almost over, I am wishing she would offer another class on specfically our writing--our own work--works in progress, etc. etc. Not sure she does though. Speaking of writing, I need to get back to it, it has been 6 weeks now and I haven't put word one down on the new chapter. Its not that I don't know what to write about, its that I am having this problem (again) of thinking my writing isn't any good. I have to work through this, I know the way to work through it is by writing and getting out of that mind set. I just can't seem to get my ass in gear or my brain to process what I need to do....SIGH~

Well, my exercise seems to have gone by the wayside, with mom being in the hospital, I didn't have time to get to the gym. At the hospital from open visiting hours to closing visiting hours...no time for shit. Now she is home, but I still haven't gotten my ass back to the gym...damn!

I want to join another gym, this one has a swimming pool and water aerobics, but I just can't see 120 dollars for only 3 months...very expensive, and with my limited income (very limited), I really have to watch....grrrrrrr....I really miss having my old job as an insurance underwriter. I made a shit load of money and now I couldn't pay rent if I had to.

Kinda sucky right now...hope things get better...

Zumba revisted

2006-09-10T14:26:00.000-06:00

Well I said I would write what happened at Zumba. Well, nothing happened other than almost getting fucking sun stroke! They held the class out doors in the bright, blazing sunshine at 1 in the afternoon. I didn't even make it half way through the 30 min class as I was already getting a headache from the sun. Getting warmed up on the inside as well as the outside was not a good thing to happen, along with getting dehydrated. Where the fuck were their brains to do this outside in the great american southwest-semi-arid climate.

Also weighed myself at the gym, I lost 1 1/2 pounds in 2 weeks...sigh. I was hoping for more. Oh well, at least I lost it instead of gaining it!!!

Zumba

2006-09-08T18:59:00.000-06:00

Well, tomorrow is my first Zumba class, a mixture of latin dance and exercise. Supposed to be a kick ass and a kick butt exercise. I can hardly wait, especially after all I ate today...omg can you say enough to choke a horse, well, not quite that much, but damn, I ate so much my stomach feels 3 sizes bigger. Taco Bell is the root of all evil...lol

Will write more tomorrow about Zumba!

First of September

2006-09-01T18:56:00.000-06:00

First of September woohoo! Means fall is not far behind. Can't wait for the cooler weather. Today was a lazy day, got my grocery shopping done and then took myself out for lunch, my one day a week treat. Tomorrow back to the workout.
I am going to try to stay on a schedule--Tues, Wed, Thurs-Workout, Fri-Grocery Shopping and Lunch, Sat, Sun-Workout, and Monday off. Will see how things work out for this schedule.

I have an assignment for my voice class, I just dont know when I will be able to go somewhere to observe. Perhaps I will try the workout class, but I cant guarantee that there will be people there when I am......oh well.

I hope this holiday weekend is not like the last holiday weekend when I had to put my mom in the hospital. She was there for 3 days over Memorial Day and it was really hard for her, but damn, she needed to be in the hospital as she was in terrible shape.

Okay enough, I have depressed myself so I think I will end this post now.

Workout

2006-08-31T21:44:00.000-06:00

Today was my third day of working out, and I am finally over being in pain. I could not believe the difference between Ladies Workout Express and Curves. LWE (Ladies Workout Express) is so much more of a workout and it is all because of their adjustable machines, where Curves is set to one setting and cannot be moved. I was at Curves for 6 months and hardly lost much and my overall muscle tone was not that great, but I can tell already that LWE is going to do the trick. I will confess the first day was killer, and my legs burned and ached all night long. Can you say aspirin. But the next day I went back worked out all the soreness and today all the muscle burning and soreness is gone. I like it there LWE so much better, as I said the machines are adjustable, but they have way more to offer than Curves, and they don't preach to you like Curves does. Which really ticked me off to no end. I was there for a workout not worship.

My voice class is going well, and I am very pleased. Although, there is so much email with this class that it can get a little time consuming, but I can deal with it. All of my classmates are very nice and Barbara is very nice as well.
I do have a problem with confidence in my writing, and I am hoping that this class helps with that as well. I just need to write and write some more and keep on writing and finally I will get there!! Said with authority and confidence--you speak it--it will happen!!

Enough for tonight, workouts are still kicking my butt, but in a good way. I haven't slept so soundly in a long ass time.

Today

2006-08-28T14:28:00.001-06:00

Today, in fact this weekend, some major changes in my life have begun! This is a cause for big shout of joy, as I finally paid off one of my credit cards, the one that had the highest balance, and I do mean high. Also, today, I have finally gotten up off my fat ass and joined Ladies Workout Express here in my hometown. I am tired of looking like a fat cow, being depressed, no energy, and in general a piss poor attitude about everything! I remember how exercise and a good diet really improved my mind, my attitude as well as my body. Tomorrow is my orientation for this new place and I can hardly wait. I will not get carried away like I did at the other workout place, I pushed myself too fast and too hard and I got burned out. Seven days a week of exercise is not good, so I will limit myself to 3-4 days of workout and eat a good, balanced diet. I will post my weight here but not my measurements.

Todays weight is 225 1/4 pounds. One month from tomorrow I will post my new weight, and hopefully it will be down by a good 10 pounds. I hope, I hope!

Finally!

2006-08-21T13:23:00.000-06:00

Finally got my MySpace done, and it looks good, now I just have to had some content...here is a link to it:

http://www.myspace.com/misspride2u

Alright, tomorrow I start the writing class with Barbara Samuel, I am so excited, to say the least. I can hardly wait, but now I am getting a little nervous, what if I can't do it. What if I totally suck at these exercises, what if I totally suck as a writer. Yikes! Well, it doesn't do me any good to think like that, cuz if I do, then I will never get anything done. Ever!

Got word today about my finances WOOT WOOT! Think I will go out to lunch this Thursday take my best friend with me.

Just finished a pretty good book:
Good bad woman : a Frankie Richmond mystery by Woodcraft, Elizabeth. I did enjoy it althought it seemed to take forever to read it, hmmm, could that be due to the fact that I read 3 to 4 books at the same time....I wonder! lol

Picked up a new book at the library today:
Madame Mirabou's School of Love : a novel Samuel, Barbara

So far I have read chapter 1 and I really like it...but then I like most of Ms. Samuels books.

Enough for now-need to get some writing of my own done.

Crazy

2006-08-20T15:57:00.000-06:00

I have totally driven myself crazy today by trying to create a MySpace page. Arrrggghhhh! It is enough to drive one around the bend. Perhaps my tired old brain does not want to comply with new fangled shit. I don't know. I just know that I am frustrated as hell. Ready to throw in the towel and any other frigging cliche I can think of.

Am still ticked off about last nights post. I wrote this long heart felt post only to have it get eaten by the blog monsters when I tried to spell check it.

Authors

2006-08-16T22:19:00.000-06:00

Lately I have been reading different authors web sites and blog. I must say I have been enjoying them very much. Bob Mayer (I have enjoyed his Area 51 writing under Robert Doherty books and also writing as Greg Donegan, The Atlantis series). Then there is MaryJanice Davidson and her Undead series, a funny and new slant on the "vampire" genre. For a new writer with a fresh look at magic, vampires, werewolves all done with a sense of style and humor there is Kim Harrison. Jim Butcher and his Dresden files are just in a word...spectacular. Then there is Laurell K. Hamilton and her Anita Blake series, I must confess I haven't read much of her lately as I feel her later books are not as good as her earlier books. I will probably get crap for this, but there is just too much sex, sex, sex, and too much I, I, I, in her books. Her other characters seem to really take a backseat to her Anita Blake character and it has made her books seem the same old same old. Another new writer is Carrie Vaughn and her "Kitty" series, yes this is a werewolf book, that is so much more than that, it makes the point, that being different, is not a bad thing. Which in this day and age is something we all can take pointers on.

Another day

2006-08-14T19:06:00.000-06:00

Another day and I haven't written anything. Sigh! Just been playing around with this blog trying to get it to look how I want it, and it is not going well. Big Sigh! I really need to quit this crap of getting so bogged down with stuff that doesn't matter. Heavy Sigh!

Sitting quietly wrapped up in Zeke’s arms, Nik let her mind unfold to the events
of the past couple days and specifically the kiss. She told Zeke about the looks
they shared, the handholding, the winks, and the kiss. That long, slow,
passionate kiss that left her weak in the knees. How she wanted nothing more
than to just fall right into the sack with Kate and stay there for all time, but
now her fears were getting the better of her, and she poured it all out for
Zeke. “So what makes you think she is going to break your heart, and for gods
sake, why wouldn’t you want to love again?”
“Well you know, after Deanna, I don’t think I could face it again.”
“You’re an idiot, you know that, and absolute idiot. You think that Kate is anything like Deanna, or that it will happen again. My god, the laws of probability are in your favor.” Crying now in Zeke’s arms Nik tried to shut out the memories of Deanna and that awful night. The night when her world came crashing down and she found out it had all been a lie. Nevertheless, the memories would not let go; they kept her firmly back in that time.

Reading over my words, trying to decide if this is good or not. Thinking I am too tired to make a decision right now. So much to do and so little time.