Climbing out of the hole

I haven't been writing. I haven't even been interested.So, tonight my blog will be about what I have been doing and have been interested in!

I watch a lot of TV. I go through phases with television. When our cable was shut off it was a non-issue. I didn't care to lose track of the shows I was watching. But when we got it back a few months ago, I've been addicted. Catching up on all that I missed, reconnecting with characters, bad-mouthing and probably falsely judging reality show contestants....oh the joys.

I got my little prince started on abcmouse.com. It's a great little website for my little man that isn't in any kind of daycare of pre-school setting yet. I don't know why it's been so hard for me to let him go....but I've sort of subconsciously let that issue constantly float to the back of my mind and not worry about sending him off into the real world. He's so smart, though, so I want to get his brain engaged in a learning setting.

I have a new job. I'm a manager at a mexican place. Salsarita's. Very good food, great company to work for. I am enjoying the learning experience.

So what about you all? What is going on in  your worlds?

COOL KIDS!!!!!

Imagine me, flying through the air and tackling you with hugs. That's about how I feel to be back online and blogging. Even if you never ever comment. I'm so happy to be here again!

What have I been up to? Not a lot of writing, unfortunately. But I've had a good year of learning experiences. That's what I'm chalking it all up to.

 I know there are stories to be found within the events and mishaps of it all. But right now, I'm taking a creative stretch. Not the kind where I don't write. We've already tried that. The kind of stretch that involves going where the stretch takes me, bending where it feels the most beneficial. Writing just for the sheer joy of writing.

This will not be about publishing. This will not be about how to write query letters. This will be my random writings of the day, whether they be rants or flowing poems (don't count on that one, poetry-not my thing) it will be writing. I hope you join me on this journey!!

*PS I have to figure this stuff out all over again! It's not fair that so much in blogging has changed since a year ago!!

Movie Review

We loved The Hunger Games. We loved it so much, I took my two princesses to see it the next week.
Jennifer Lawrence plays the role of Katniss and ROCKS it! She does a great job of channeling the emotions that we as readers were able to see in print, for those that never read the book. She shows her softer sides, the startled and awkward side of her in the interviews.

Before I go into the male roles, I want to say that the filming captures so many things they were unable to portray in the movie for time constraint reasons. Some fans said that there were details missing, or some of them wrong, such as Katniss not receiving the mockingjay pin from the Mayor's daughter. But it's still going to be Hollywood, a movie that has restrictions our writers don't. Which is why books will always reign supreme ;)

Also, about the filming, the scenes in the arena show bloodshed, but it does a good job of not going overboard.

Haymitch, played by Woody Harrelson really threw me off at first, but I think he pulled it off well. Of course, there were a lot of Haymitch conversations left out...but I imagine he will be more active in the second movie.

Josh Hutcherson is such a perfect Peeta. I was completely in love with him the second he shook hands with Katniss on Reaping Day. He must have read this book...a ton of times. I think he probably captured his character the best. Him, and Cinna, played by Lenny Kravitz. Amazing. He said little, showed it all with his eyes, spoke exactly the way he did in my head as I read the book.

Gale, as Princess Rhiannon states, is HOT. "OMG Mom! Look at Gale, he's so hot!" to quote the excited squeal that came from her upon realizing that there was no one else in the theater but us. Liam Hemsworth is the actor and I do have to agree...I hope they keep him around. ;)

It's a movie that I will own one day. I loved it almost as much as the books. Princess Kayla is 8 and although she didn't quite grasp everything, she enjoyed the movie as well. Rhiannon has read the books and so she was thrilled we got to see the movie. She agrees that it's a 5 stars in our book!

Date Night

I have read the series.

I have waited with almost saint like patience.

Tonight...at 11:00...I will watch a movie with my husband. We will be on a date. And 0 Children. Did you get that? Zero. None. Not even 1 child will attend our date.

See this!!!

I work all day, hence the late showing. I then work all day the next day, so I'll be tired. But I will channel the strength of Katniss! I'm so excited!!

Can't wait to write all about it!

How On Earth....

Holy Moly....

I read about 12 blog posts, scanned a couple and emptied my reader list for the morning. I went to work. I worked an ODD shift until about 7:30 and came home to 70 unread blogs.

Yikes! How did I keep up with all of this before?? I was still working..posting less, but still posting, writing a little, reading a little....it was all under control.

Or was I delusional? Am I delusional? It's best to step away from that question, I think.

I will say now that I most obviously can not comment on every blog that I read.....so my apologies in advance. I do realize and understand that blogging is part conversation, part "listen to me rant" so... (just kidding...I find so many very helpful blogs that are not all about "listen to me rant")

I will also say that currently....my blog has nothing to do at all with writing...except for the lack of writing. And my sudden obsession with ....

I write a lot of fiction at work.. ."Great teamwork!" haha

Until my next brilliant outburst.... I'm going to read some more blog posts!

I'm Ba-ack!

Here I am, I know I disappeared for almost a year. Well, I really didn't disappear. I stayed right here in this little hole of my home...but it's a home. But now I have a computer and internet access again so it's time to start writing! Right?! Uhm. Well. .... Maybe.

So far, the jumping in hasn't happened as quickly as I had hoped. I figured I would start with a blog post since going over old and abandoned WIPs didn't appeal to me. And, I've written about five piece of crap blog posts that I immediately deleted.

That fear has taken hold again. So, I'm making this a short and sweet post. I hope to be writing again, and lots, soon! I can't wait to catch up...or at least rekindle and reconnect with fellow bloggers. Until next time....Lots of love blogosphere, I have missed you!!

A few tears...

Ok..truthfully...I have cried more in this past week than I have in a very long time.

The first breakdown occurred at work Saturday night but that was pure exhaustion coming out.

Monday night was fifth grade night where the staff held an awards ceremony and social for just the fifth graders. I thought it would be like any other award day. Boy was I wrong. One of the PTA members put together a slide show of the students as they grew throughout the years. Immediate tears! The music choice alone had me weepy...add pictures of our children's happy smiles and experiences as they blossomed into fifth graders and sheesh!!

Then my beautiful little girl was honored by a WWII Veteran with am American History award.

And then I wrote a poem just for her. It brought me to tears again..and poetry is not where I excel! I want to share it here as well.. in case Rhiannon loses it along the way :)

I remember the day I brought you home. You were tiny and perfect; God gave you to me and I called you my own.
Much too quickly you were a baby no more and I held onto your hands as you practiced walking the floor.
Before too long school days came to call. I cried knowing I wouldn't be there to catch your every fall.
Each year continues to fly by; I never really imagined the day you'd be tall enough to look me in the eye. There are times I know I yell louder than I should. Some days seem to be nothing good.
However, in my life as a mother, I've always found the world to be a brighter place with your smile around.
On this special day when I know you've risen to every challenge along the way; I wanted to have the chance to tell you that I'm proud of you in every way!

Friday Photos

What's your favorite Summer Activity??

Wednesday Writing

For today's post I'm typing on my touch screen phone...the internet bill had to take a backseat to the electric bill and various end of school costs that popped up unexpectedly!

At first I was really mad. But then I remembered that with these phones..there's an app for that. :)
And with that I set off to find and download blogger.

Success! Now I can keep that promise to myself about posting this week. However ...the sample of writing is on my pc and not my phone and I don't think my cheap version will handle an app for that.

And so I'm sorry for not having a writing sample up. Instead I think a prompt will be more fun.
Apparently I can't schedule posts with this app...so it will be published early.

Here it is.....
A young man finds himself lost in the underground tunnels of Portland, Oregon. Why did he go there?  And will he find his way out?

Monday Mania!!

Every once in a while I run across a word and definition that still leaves me with a little bit of the .... "HUH?" factor.

Zeitgeist: the spirit of the time;the general intellectual and moral state or temper characteristic of any period of time.
Thank goodness for examples!
As most critics and all professors of cultural theory note, Madonna is nothing if not a skilled reader of the zeitgeist.
Callithump: A children's parade, with prizes for the best costumes.
Purlieu: a place where one may range at large; bounds or confines 2. A person's haunt or resort 3. an outlying district or region 4. A piece of land on the edge of a forest, originally land that, after having been included in a royal forest, was restored to private ownership, though still subject, in some respects, to the operation of the forest laws.


I've been reading Mark Twain's autobiography...the one he actually wrote (which is by far the worst example of writing and yet the most hilarious example I've ever seen.) and realize a little more each day that writers, as a rule, have completely lost our minds. To read the internal musings of such a great classic...well, I just have to say WOW. 


What's your Monday looking like? :)

Random Theories

Here is my mash-up of Thursday Theories and Friday Random....

Theory #1
The squeaky wheel is always the defective one. I do also see, unfortunately, that the squeaky wheel gets attention. But....it's always the person wheel that gripes squeaks the loudest that is usually guilty of something.

Theory #2
Business management has gone all wonky. Certain...qualities that are searched out are no longer the ones that REALLY matter. Where it used to be that hard work paid off and moved you up...it now seems that hard work is the last rung on the ladder of qualities an individual must possess. The most important qualities that businesses want in their upper level of management are no kids, no husband, no knowledge and no respect for peons.

Random.....
I can't seem to figure out how to get pictures from my phone to my hard drive. I can get them to facebook and then I suppose I could download them from there, eh? Look at that. Talking to you Cool Kids just solved one major problem. So..here is a random picture I wanted to share...

Princess Rhiannon thoroughly enjoyed her choir experience. After the performance she received flowers from her very proud Poppa. :) I am so proud of her. They did an excellent job...you would not listen to them and think they were little kids. I hope this is something she decides that she likes enough to pursue.

Oh look....a new business card! I have way too much fun on vistaprint.com and now I'm having way too much fun on Cafe Press. They allow you to "open shop" for free and create different slogans/designs which they will produce when ordered and you receive a commission. Kayla and I have one....we love it. We're not breaking the bank, but we figure it's got to take some time before our designs hit the red carpet. ;)

That's all for now. I have been blogging sporadically because I haven't worked on any work in progress steadily in so long that I kind of feel like I would be a bad influence to all of you writerly Cool Kids that are still writing along. :) 

So tell me something random from your week!! :)

Monday Mania!!

I've been unfaithful, Cool Kids. I'm sorry. I started this writing thing over at Triond.com where you write short articles or submit recipes or creative writing. They have deals with other websites to pretty much publish what they want (which is what you write) and you get a certain percentage of the income generated by people reading and clicking etc.. At least that's the way I understand it. I'm very new to this. It's not anything I'm trying to break the bank with or catch the eye of some dream agent with. But it's allowing me to write short bursts of junk that is in my head without all the strict guidelines. It's like my free-writing exercise. (And if you clicked on any of these links you will see that I shamelessly led you to my little articles. Fun game, huh?)

So, for today's vocabulary I have some fun words. Seriously fun.

Vociferate: to speak or cry out loudly or noisily; shout; bawl
Coruscate: to emit vivid flashes of light; sparkle; scintillate; gleam
Sedulous: diligent in application or attention; persevering; assiduous
                persistently or carefully maintained

Wednesday's Writing.. .Lazy Writing

I was looking over an old manuscript and found this passage.....

The mountains soared all around me with incredible color. I couldn’t name half of the trees or plants in the mountains, but I had always loved walking this road for the scenery. The mountains remained my highlight through everything over the years. I had even hiked them a time or two.

I was immediately struck by my laziness. Instead of naming off trees and plants that this character would obviously know...just by them being a highlight over the years; I made my character take the fall as ignorant. What kind of lame friend does that??

Have you found any examples of lazy writing in your manuscripts? Or are you too scared to call yourself out on it? :) Until next time....

Keep a Smile on!

Monday Mania!!

How about a little vocab to wake up the Monday Brain Cells??

Kismet: fate, destiny

Quaff: to drink a beverage, particularly an intoxicating one, with great enjoyment and in excess

Ersatz: being a substitute or imitation; usually an inferior one

Gimcrack: tastelessly gaudy, tacky; a showy but useless object

And some inspiration to get you to the office/diaper changing table/coffee pot/vehicle/whatever....

"It's never too late to become the 
person you might have been." 
- George Elliot 

And a laugh for you.....

You see how well this photo op went....Young Prince is throwing a fit and trying to get out of the swing and I look like I'm about to chain him to something..... ;)

Have a great Monday!

Thursday's Theory....Super Moon Musings

Did any of you see the Super Moon on the 19th? We sure did, big and bright and unfortunately....without a cape. ;-)

Since that, I've had a really interesting week. I've decided it's the Super Moon's fault.

No blog posts this week? Super Moon. The negative effects of the Moon's gravitational pull so close to my home surely kept my brain from being able to type out three effective blogs.

Coolant in my car is low after filling it yesterday. Super Moon's fault. Obviously it was too hot.

The bickering between my children. *gritting teeth* Super Moon. Definitely.

Two car accidents (major accidents which involved flipping of vehicles) within 8 hours and 1 mile of each other. Super Moon.

My home almost caught fire. Super Moon is stealthy.

Griping guests at work? Oh they must have missed the Super Moon.....

You get my point. How did the Super Moon screw up (or maybe enhance with luck) your life this week??

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

For each petal on the shamrock
This brings a wish your way -
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day.
~Author Unknown




May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing


Find more fun anecdotes, sayings, blessings and jokes here!!

Monday Mania!! .... On a Tuesday

I'm feeling like a rebel. Actually...I'm feeling like I have some kind of sickness that is making my throat burn and swell and my body ache. Therefore my blogs didn't get written in time.




"Not every story has explosions and car chases. That's why they have nudity and espionage." ~Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum

Blandishment: Flattering Speech or Action

Fanfaronade: Swaggering, empty boasting, blustering manner or behavior, ostentatious display

Gimcrack: Tastelessly showy; cheap or gaudy

I hope everyone has started their week off well. It's spring break around our house so all They Royals are running around free and wild. This makes routines a bit more difficult....but not impossible!! Have a great week, Cool Kids!!

I have not overlooked...

I received two lovely blog awards over the past couple of weeks and I wanted to let you know that I have not forgotten about them, and please accept my apologies for not properly thanking you!!

Angelia Almos at One Writer's Journey awarded me the Irresistibly Sweet Blogger Award.

I'm to list 4 Guilty Pleasures 

1.) Facebook...it's really such a guilty pleasure it should count as all four!

2.) Survivor on Wednesday night. Unless I'm working, I'm watching. This includes ignoring my children.

3.) Malibu and Hot Cocoa. Yes, this sounds odd. Malibu is coconut flavored rum. Throw it in hot chocolate and I swear it will taste like a melted Almond Joy. I only get this when the Young Prince goes to bed at a decent hour and I don't have to be up early!

4.) Angry Birds. It's embarrassing how much those little pigs piss me off!

Courtney Rene awarded me One Lovely Blog award!! Thank you!

Here's where I'm horrible....to pass these along. I can't ever choose. I hope that you link back to the fabulous blogging writers that awarded me these as they deserve them too!! Please feel free to share the awards with your favorite bloggers.

Wednesday's Writing

My good blogging pal, Glasshalfful Gal, is starting a Creative Writing Challenge game on her blog. We haven't worked out all the deets yet, but it sure sounds like a good way to kick that writing muse in the rear!

She plans to begin on Saturday with our first short story due April 1st. So, head over to her blog and check it out! I plan on participating to try and get my discipline back!!

Speaking of discipline......for Wednesday's Writing, I want to know if you have a schedule or routine to go with your writing? I've tried many, many different forms of scheduling my writing time and it's not easy with a job that doesn't keep the same days off from week to week, three children and a husband. I imagine it's not easy if you do have a job with regular days off and you have no children. Let's face it; there's always something else that needs to be done, right?

My latest and greatest attempt looks like this:

WIP ONLY: Mon, Wed, Fri for 2 hours
weekends if possible

REVISING ONLY: Tues, Thurs for one hour
Friday if possible

BLOG POSTING ONLY: Saturday or Sunday

Let's see if this at least gets me back into the swing of sitting at my computer to write...not to facebook. ;) What are your tricks?

Fat Tuesday!!

Let the Good Times Roll!

Just for fun, I thought I'd post a few videos of Mardi Gras past...it's not just about drinking and showing body parts... ;)