Hairy Scary

I went a little over a week ago to get my hair cut and my eyebrows waxed. I went to Mastercuts. Now I know what you're thinking but I rarely have anything difficult done to my hair so I didn't see any reason NOT to go there - or to go somewhere else and pay $90 just to get the ends of my hair trimmed.

So that's where it starts. Well, maybe I should back up and tell you that the last time I got my hair cut I had a "long" layer put in and asked them to cut it so that it would curl under easily, if not naturally. Considering the curling under thing is done the same as a layer, just underneath, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that my hair chronically curled UP all the time - no matter what I did. And it didn't look good. I felt like an aging rock star that had a shag/mullet combo and didn't care that it looked awful. Except I did.

Anyway, when I got to Mastercuts I got a Hispanic hair dresser. I don't mind this except that during the course of my visit, I got the distinct impression that she struggled with the English language. Here's why:

She called me back and asked me what I wanted done with my hair. I told her that I just wanted the ends trimmed, a little taper around the face and cut so that it would curl under easily. I also told her I wanted my eyebrows waxed.

She said okay, then walked away to get the drape thing to cover me with. When she came back she said, "You want same haircut?"

Um, no. I just told you what I wanted, I thought. I SAID, "No. I just want the ends trimmed, a little taper around the face and I want it cut where it will curl under easily. I also want my eyebrows waxed."

"Oh, okay."

Then she starts cutting on my hair, and I swear she cut each one individually, using weird methods I've never seen used before. But I say nothing. Just when I think she's done she ask, "You want your bangs cut?"

My bangs were at chin level, which in my book means I do NOT have bangs anymore. I just looked at her and said, "No."

"Oh, okay."

Then she reaches in her drawer and pulls out something I've never seen before and aims it at my head. "Excuse me," I said. "What are you doing?"

"It's a razor."

Okay, not what I asked, and I'm even a bit more concerned. "What are you planning on doing with it?"

"It's a razor."

"Yes, I know. What are you going to do with it?"

"It give your hair texture."

"How? What does it do?"

"It's a razor."

"Yeah, I don't think we'll be needing it today."

"No? Oh, okay."

She put it away and then said, "That's all then?"

"I still want my eyebrows done." (Obviously I'm slow.)

"Oh, okay."

So we go over to the area where she's going to do my eyebrows. She doesn't ask me anything, she just starts applying wax. Not a lot you can do at that point. And really I was okay, up until she put it at the top part of my eyebrow. I said nothing because, really, what are you going to do? If it's munked up, it's munked up.

She worked on them for a while and then started tweezing the strays and she's spending a lot of time on them and finally hands me the mirror. I look at the right eyebrow...it looks good.

I look at the left eyebrow...it looks good too.

I look at them both...they don't match!!!!! I nicely point this out to her and she did fix them, as best she could. No one has said anything but I think I know why. Here's the deal, I can only raise my left eyebrow by itself (I can raise them both together but I cannot raise the right one by itself) and the left eyebrow is slightly higher than the right so I figure people think I'm giving them one of "those" looks. I'm not but that's how it looks - at least to me.

So if you see me and think I'm giving a look, I'm really not...it's just the result of a bad eyebrow wax. LOL

By the way, for fun posts (and entry into a contest), stop by here and post a comment. Tell them Lucy sent you. ;-)

Just Friends

Can men and women be just friends? I don't know exactly what brought this thought to mind. It could have been that I watched When Harry Met Sally last weekend. It could have been the Roula & Ryan's Roses from a couple of weeks ago where the boyfriend sent roses to a woman he said was "just a friend". It could be the comments my boss made recently to me. Who knows?

Anyway, I've been kind of pondering this question in my head for a week or so now. I work in an environment where it's mostly men. One side of the hallway is described as the "more mature" hallway. The other side is the "fresh out of college" hallway.

The "mature" side of the hallway consists of men my age and older, all married - once - for a lot of years. The other hallway is young pups, all experiencing the real world for the first time. I get along with all of them but I find that I'm more comfortable with the more mature side of the hallway. Not because I'm closer in age to them but because I'm more comfortable with married men. I feel less threatened by them for some reason. I feel I can joke and tease them and not have them think I am making a play for them. I know I'm probably wrong about that but, for whatever reason, I'm more comfortable around married men.

Now, let me say this, I had a husband that ran around on me and I promised myself that I would never, intentionally, make another woman feel the way I felt when I found out what my husband was doing. Married men as prospective dates is not an option for me. Someone who would cheat WITH me would cheat ON me. Sorry, been there (being cheated on - not with), done that, not interested in a repeat. And if I learn that a friendship I have with a married man makes his wife uncomfortable, that ends it for me because I don't want to be the cause of any marital strife. I'd mourn the friendship but, in the big picture, marriage trumps friendship. That's just how it is. I know that's not how everyone treats things but that's how it has to be for me.

So my question to you is, how would you feel if your husband or significant other had a close friend of the opposite sex? Would you be okay with it or would you feel threatened? Or would you feel someting else entirely? And if so, what? Inquiring minds want to know.

There is no I in TEAM

But, as a former boss of mine pointed out, there is a "ME" in team. I work with a group of women who can come together when we have to but for the most part, everyone's out for themselves. Remember when I told you what we were going to do for bosses' day? Well, one staff support wasn't going to be able to make it on the day we'd originally scheduled it. She was disappointed but she was looking for the best interest of the group and still said she'd take care of the things she'd agreed to do. Her buddy, however, decided to boycott the thing. She didn't say it was because her friend couldn't make it but it was pretty obvious. And she made it very difficult for the rest of us for a while. To the point I didn't care if it even happened.

Well, last week, when I was pretty much at my wits end (I ended up taking off half a day Thursday and all day Friday of last week...before I went postal) when I received an email from the "difficult" one, instructing me to change the date. She wanted it to be tomorrow. I looked at calendars and it did actually look like a good date (October wasn't really a good month for any of the bosses - there was just the one day that I had booked), so I resent the meeting notice to everyone.

So okay, we're doing it earlier. Those that haven't started preparations had less time (the buycostumes.com site was pretty much sold out of everything we needed within days of when we'd made decisions a couple of months ago). And then Tuesday - three days before the event - the staff support that would have had to miss it on the original date comes to me and tells me she doesn't want to play the game. The fact that I didn't beat the snot out of her is a testament to my restraint (as well as the healing powers of the full body massage I got Thursday afternoon).

Anyway, we tweaked the game a bit and it might even be more fun now. There's only one thing I don't like about the new way but I guess it ensures we're all involved in the game so I can deal with it. Now the celebrities won't rotate around the tables but rather sit at the front of the room. There won't only be three questions asked - all ten will be asked (the staff support will be asking them and that's what I'm not happy about, but it's really not bad). It was thought that it might be hard to figure out some of the celebrities so we decided to help out by having stars on the walls with the possible guesses (with a few red herrings) printed on them. They're going to be brought (in character - we all bought costumes for our guys) back into the room based on the most right answers for a celebrity so doing the music like we originally thought we'd do is out. But I was looking for some music last night and found this for when the celebrities leave the room and the teams are "deliberating" their answers, and this for the time when the "ballots" are being tabulated and the celebrities are getting dressed - it's a bit fuzzy but since it's just filler, it doesn't really make that big of a deal. Everyone seemed to like the idea. Someone is bringing in a strobe light so that when the celebrities reappear it gives the illusion of flashbulbs.

Everyone gets a bit a prize and the winning table (most celebrities guessed - and we do have a plan in the event of a tie) gets meal tickets for our cafeteria (most the guys eat there anyway so they'd probably really like that).

Bottom line, for a while there I wasn't looking forward to it but I'm getting excited about it again. I even made potato salad this evening for forty. Do you know how much potato salad that is??? A LOT!

Anyway, hopefully I'll have pictures available tomorrow to be able to post but if not, early next week at the latest. I really think it's going to be fun. But if it goes as well as I'm thinking, I'm already wondering how we can top it next year.

I'm excited. Oh, but it's still a secret so don't tell anyone yet. ;-)

Conflicts

Okay, so I mentioned that I had a conflict with DWTS last night. That conflict was a show I don't tell many people that I watch...I Wanna Be A Soapstar on soapnet. This is its fourth season and the shows air on Tuesday's at 7:00 (thank goodness for DVRs!). It's a reality show where actors compete for a contract on a soap opera. This season they're competing for a role on Days of Our Lives. The host is Cameron Mathison, who is also on DWTS.

The Soapstar show is filmed in advance, except this year the finale is going to be live and the audience will get to have a say in who wins the contract. I think it will be interesting to see how that plays out, if Cameron lasts on DWTS, because the live show of Soapstar would air at 7:00, followed immediately by the elimination round of DWTS at 8:00.

Anyway, a week or so ago I found a blog by the contestants of Soapstar. Each week the contestants post a blog about what happened, from their perspective. There was one contestant, Bo, who really annoyed me with his posts. He had bonded with two other of the men (not that way - that I know of) and thought they were the three best...he refers to them as the three musketeers. He didn't want any of them to get "killed off" and went so far as to point out why others should be killed off. Didn't like that.

I read all that and told my friend, who also watches the show, that Bo had to go. Period. He's been struggling from the beginning anyway so let's just get rid of him already! The next show though, his buddy Travis was killed off. (Travis was a frontrunner from the beginning but had had a very poor showing that night.) Bo's on air comments were like his blog. "Travis shouldn't have left. They could have killed off Yves or Ashley but Travis didn't deserve to go." (Those may not have been the exact words but that is what he said. Ashley was the other frontrunner but she seems to be losing steam herself. I'm leaning towards wanting Jimena and Yves to be in the top two.)

So last night they all had to play drunks. They were drinking for the first time after their SO broke their hearts. Bo said he was going to play it like he was crushing on the bartender. I wondered what he would do when he found out the bartender was going to be played by a man but I have to give him credit, he still did it and it was fun to watch. But then, all of the competitors did a great job last night I thought (as did the judges). And I momentarily forgot about his poor sportsmanship that made me want him to be killed off. So that when he WAS killed off, I was disappointed (I had wanted it to be Justin - his other buddy, who also seems to have a bad attitude about the competition, just in a different way). Once I remembered, I was okay with the decision last night.

Now, as far as DWTS goes, I so do not understand the judges. Monday night they told Jennie Garth how wonderful she was (and I agreed) and gave her all straight sevens. Last night I thought Cameron Mathison had a poor showing (and the judges seemed to agree), and he also got straight sevens. What gives? I still gave Cameron some of my votes but I really didn't feel like he'd put in the work some of the others had.

Lots of conflicts.

Happy Dancing

Well, today officially starts the new season (although I do think some networks - maybe non-network? - started last week). Dancing with the Stars premieres tonight and I'm excited. The women dance tonight and the men tomorrow (which I have a conflict with *sigh* but I'll work it out). I'm also looking forward to Private Practice, Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters. There are a couple of other shows I'll probably watch - at least initially (like Grey's Anatomy and Ugly Betty) but those are my (at least initially) must see TV shows. Obviously I'm an ABC girl. :-)

So, what premiere's are you looking forward to?

Debut Author - Dawn Temple

To Have and To Hold has a scheduled release date of October 1 but the author was told it would be on the shelves this Tuesday (September 25?). However, since I have a copy I purchased from Waldenbooks and another friend has a copy she purchased from Walmart, I figure it's okay to get the word out now. Go buy this book! :-)

THE WAY TO A WOMAN'S HEART...

When Lindy Monroe separated from her workaholic husband, Travis, after a devastating miscarriage, she fled to her beloved grandfather's country farm. After he died, a brokenhearted Lindy was shocked to learn that he'd left his home to her on one impossible condition: She had to live there with her husband!

City boy Travis was definitely out of his element in Land's Cross and with the beautiful women he'd briefly called his wife. But country life agreed with Travis more than he'd ever expected, and also fanned the fires of a failed marriage that hadn't quite burned to ash. Would Travis be able to set the reluctant Lindy's heart ablaze again?

Sing Along

I want to make fun of people today. Before you go thinking awful thoughts about me (well at least about wanting to make fun of people), just know I'm going to give y'all something to make fun of me about as well.

Have you ever been singing a song, loudly, where others could hear you, only to realize that the words you were singing weren't the actual words to the song? Think Phoebe Buffay (that's the right spelling...I looked it up) from Friends from an early episode when she thought Elton John was singing to Tony Danza instead of the tiny dancer. That kind of thing.

Or, the guy from my church when I was in high school. We sang a song quite frequently that had the words, "Thy loving kindness, is better than life." He thought the words were, "Thy loving kindness is better than wine." I mean, His loving kindness IS better than wine but it wasn't the right word. He said he was very embarrassed when someone pointed out his error.

Okay, so mine...I recently bought a Bon Jovi CD that has his song It's My Life on it. Now, I really do know the right words (well, I think I do anyway) but when I'm singing it? The wrong words come out - a lot. For Example:

Right way (we think): It's my life. It's now or never. I (ain't) gonna live forever.

Lucy's way (we know): It's my life. It's now or never. I don't wanna live forever.

and another passage...

Right way (we think): I just wanna live while I'm alive.

Lucy's way (we know): I don't wanna live while I'm alive.

Now I'm sure there's some subliminal or Freudian message I'm telling myself with the way those passages come out of me but I'm choosing not to look to closely at it.

But anyway, do you have any songs that the wrong words just want to come out of you when you sing them, loudly, where people can hear you? And if so, please share (I shared mine. ;-) )

The Secret's Out

Which movie heroine are you?

Rose DeWitt Bukater You are Rose DeWitt Bukater from "Titanic"! You are beautiful and trusting, with a hidden internal strength. Many men find you attractive, but you would only give your heart to someone who loves the real you. While you sometimes doubt your life's direction and your place in the world, you're open to see where fate takes you.
Take this quiz!








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Okay, that isn't the only secret that is out...my blog has been discovered. Alyssa Goodnight installed a statcounter on her blog and since I access her blog from this one, she found me out. I mean, she knew I had a blog but she couldn't remember the name of it. Guess that'll teach me...

Possums: Enter at your own Risk

That's what the sign on my property line should say. The death toll is three so far with a fourth one injured after it took a tour of my living room. (It should be noted that I was not the one who hurt it. I was too afraid to get near it to hurt it.)

I just have to wonder what this family of possums is thinking. What...Bubba went out and committed suicide at the foot of my bed (which about gave me a heart attack when I discovered him) so they sent out Archie, looking for him? (Archie being the one that brought my neighbors and myself closer while he checked out the wall to wall tile in my living room.)

I figure Archie went back with the injured paw and told them of the twenty-five bears he had to fight off to survive. He, of course, maimed and/or killed all the said bears. He milked it for several weeks before they sent Chuck out to avenge the injury.

Chuck wasn't so lucky and never saw the inside of the house. He did, however, make it to the back porch before HE committed suicide.

When he didn't make it back for a week (or so) Mama possum came looking for him. She too made it to the back porch before SHE committed suicide. She's currently sitting in my trash can on the curb, even though trash day isn't until Wednesday (let the homeowner's association write me up...that thing is NOT sitting in my garage until Wednesday!).

All I can say is, I hope the possum family stopped at three and that daddy possum ran away to another neighborhood because, despite all the practice I've been getting lately, I don't ever want to have to dispose of another suicidal possum. It's not as fun as it sounds.

Technologically Challenged

I think I may have mentioned that I have a technological disability. If you've ever felt stupid when dealing with a computer or cell phone, this post may make you feel better about yourself.

Okay, so I have a cell phone and have had one for 12 or 13 years. It's never been something I've used a lot though. It's always just been there for "just in case" needs. And I can tell you that when my very first cell phone came with features like call waiting, I didn't see the need. But it was standard and it was more of a hassle to get it removed than to just keep it, so I kept it. I didn't figure it would be an issue, since I wasn't giving out my number anyway.

So, the few times someone DID actually call in when I was using the phone, I disconnected all parties. Don't know how I was doing it but, if nothing else, I was consistent. About the time I would figure out how to work all the features, I would get a new phone and start the process all over again.

Well, a few weeks ago I switched cell phone service providers. As such, I was required to change phones. Now, I still don't see the need (for me anyway) to have all these extra features. While I am using my phone more frequently now, it's still a "just in case" phone to me (although, I haven't replaced my dead house phone yet so it's the only phone I can be reached on at the moment - but that's another story). Even so, the sales person tried to sell me their top of the line phone. She kept showing me these phones with all these features ("you flip it this way for easy text messaging" she said. "I don't know how to text message," I replied. "This one takes pictures," she said. "I don't need a phone that takes pictures," I replied. "You can make this one have a bigger screen," she said, "for when you're on the internet." "I don't need to access the internet from my phone," I replied. And on it went.). I did end up getting a camera phone though, mostly because you can't hardly get a phone without it anymore - plus it was free with my company's plan.

Which, by the way, I want to recommend an improvement to the (or maybe just my) camera phone. You see, I was snapping shots of my dogs and got a great one of Max. Thing was, no one told me that you had to SAVE the picture (yes I'm THAT stupid) so I lost it when I flipped it closed. So my recommendation is that the phone alert you to the fact that it's not saved. You know, like maybe making a sound and then asking "are you sure you want to close this document/picture without saving?" before you lose it. It's just a thought.

But, anyway, I'm still learning the new phone. And last night I was talking to a friend of mine and I heard this beep. I wondered what it was. It was brief so I wasn't sure. Then it beeped again. I started thinking someone was calling me. It was going to be my first call waiting call. I was pretty anxious about it because of my track record of losing both callers in the past.

Then the beeping stopped. My friend had been talking the whole time and I didn't want to interrupt so I hadn't said anything. Then the beeping started again. This time I interrupted my friend and said "Hold on, I think I have another call."

I pressed the "send" button, assuming that's what would switch me to the other call, right? Well, after I pressed it I hear the hi / low pitch you hear when you're phone has been off the hook too long. Figuring I'd missed the caller, I pressed the "end" button. When I tried to get my friend back, I found out that I had disconnected "both" calls. Doh!

I called my friend back, apologizing for disconnecting our call. We were only talking for a few minutes when, again, I hear the beep. I sighed heavily and said, "I think someone is calling me."

She said something and I responded, "Did you hear the beep?"

"Yes. Wait, I think I did."

On cue the beep sounded again. "That?" she asked.

"Yes!" I replied.

"Honey, that's in the store. I'm in WalMart! That's a sound in the store."

Oh.

So I hadn't really disconnected two callers, like I'd thought. No. I'd merely HUNG UP on my friend, for no apparent good reason! LOL

Not embarrassing or anything.

Now, don't you feel better about your skills? ;-)

Hard Work

A couple of years ago I questioned the way my chapter gets its officers. You see, a nominating committee is put together and they announce who will hold what offices. No voting or anything. It's just a done deal.

Okay.

So this year I'm on the nominating committee and I'm seeing why it's done that way. No one will agree to take on the offices! There are only a handful of people I haven't talked to - half of which I don't want to see on the board and the other half, people who have been on the board forever and have expressed a desire to have a break. And I still have two offices to fill! (insert head banging smilie here)

I really want to see a good slate of officers this year. This past year we had a really weak leader and the entire chapter suffered for it. This "leader" never does anything. She will send email after email asking if this or that is done, we say yes and she keeps sending the emails, saying she's getting really worried? Why, I don't know. We'll have done the work already! It's really annoying.

Plus, she never communicates what she IS doing. For example, one of members recently had a death in the family. I passed this information along to the board and found out that she's been sending things out on behalf of the chapter/board without telling us. Someone else stepped up and said that was wrong. She finally commented last night and said she was sending things out on behalf of the chapter - not the board, like that meant it didn't matter we didn't know. I jumped on that and (nicely, but I think everyone knew my "intent") said the board should be in the know no matter what. She hasn't responded to that yet.

She also didn't respond when she sent an email about our upcoming meeting(s), asking which one we should recognize a debut author and who was in charge of bringing the bubbly. What she didn't respond to was my email asking HER to take care of that (again, nicely but everyone probably knew what I was getting at). And I know she was still online in her email because, she sent me an email asking me to give her an update on the slate of officers - something I said I'd do when I had a full slate. I've been avoiding communicating that with her though, because she's expressed an interest in being on the board (but only in particular positions) and I don't think she's a good representation of our chapter. In any event, I've decided to take a page from her book and just ignore what I don't want to address. Works for me.

In other news....it's gonna be another long week for me. I woke up this morning (it's Tuesday, in case you don't stop by for a day or two) and thought it was Saturday. I HATE when that happens.

How's your week going so far?

Harley

I didn't blog about this before but for a while there, I was really worried about Harley.

I came home last Friday and he had a slight limp - very slight limp. I might not would have noticed except that he kept holding up his front paw when he sat or stood for any length (and not necessarily long length) of time. I gave him an aspirin that night, which seemed to help.

Saturday, I considered taking him to the vet but I'd given him another aspirin and he seemed to be okay so I decided against it, thinking he'd be fine.

By Tuesday, when I returned to work, not only was he still limping (and it was more pronounced), his energy level was falling. If I could get him to eat he would empty his bowl but he didn't seem to have any real interest in eating, except to make me happy. The biggest indicator for me was that he had no interest in my used kleenex either (and that was a big deal! believe it or not). I started to get really concerned.

Wednesday morning he seemed to have energy so I thought he was getting better. He didn't eat breakfast though, but then he really hadn't been eating much for the last couple of days so I didn't get too alarmed, just from that.

That evening though, he ate his dinner - for me - and then threw it up. He still wasn't interested in used kleenex and when he jumped off the bed (he hasn't had any problems jumping up during this whole ordeal), it was like he didn't have any front legs at all. He came down chest first.

Thursday morning he didn't have energy and didn't eat so I called the vet and scheduled an appointment for that afternoon. When I came home for lunch it seemed like it was an effort for him to open his eyes. By now I was really freaking out. Oh, and someone had mentioned that I needed to watch to see is if was doing his business or not (I don't usually see that because they let themselves out), so I'd gone out the night before. Sure enough, one of my dogs was having diarrhea - I assumed Harley.

I took him to the vet and he would notice the house cats and other animals there but if they moved outside of his eye-line, he didn't see what they did...he wouldn't even move his head. I was hoping for some miracle drug that would help my baby.

Anyway, the vet had me walk him around a bit and commented that his back-end seemed stiff when he walked. He noticed that he seemed to be favoring his front leg but he also thought the rest of him was stiff. Of course, I'm thinking it's because he's not moving much at all but I didn't say anything.

He told me that it was probably one of two things...a virus that is going around that attacks their joints and muscles, or he was injured. He said that all the other symptoms - his lack of interest in food, throwing up, diarrhea, lethargy - were all consistent with an injury. But he wanted to treat for both - just in case.

So he gave him a shot of an anti-inflammatory and sent me home with an anti-inflammatory drug and an antibiotic.

Within a couple of hours of the shot, he was like a new dog. Which of course made me wonder if he wouldn't re-injure himself...I still wonder about that. Anyway, I came home with a week's worth of drugs and just a few days in, he's almost back to 100%. First thing in the mornings he's limping because the medicine has worn off but his appetite is back, he's as curious as ever and he's back to jumping at the sound of me pulling a kleenex out of its box.

Life is good.

Roses Day

So, I was listening to Roula & Ryan's Roses this morning and the situation was that this couple had been in a relationship for 2.5 years I think she said. They're 18 or 19 (even though the form says you have to be 21 to play) and currently live in different areas because of college. They've been having a long-distant relationship for a while now and he spent the summer in summer school so they didn't really see each other. He was supposed to come down this past weekend but he called and cancelled so she had Roula call him and offer him roses to see who he would send them to.

So, Roula calls and a woman answers. She sounds like she was asleep when the call came in. They ask for the boyfriend and she, groggily, says "it's for you" and the guy picks up. He also sounds like he just woke up. Anyway, Roula does her spiel and offers him roses and he happily accepts. When they tell him they can be sent anywhere he tells them to send them there - to his dorm. Roula says okay then asks for a name and a greeting for the card. He gives the name of someone other than the girlfriend and the girlfriend immediately jumps in (which she's not supposed to do, by the way).

The guy was livid that she'd had the radio station call him and said he'd talk to her off the radio and hung up without further discussion. The girlfriend, at this point, is sobbing uncontrollably. They talk to her for a minute and then let her go and open the discussion up for the DJs and then callers (which I didn't get to hear but one).

The DJs were hung up on the age thing and college saying what the guy was doing was to be expected and to have a long-distant relationship when you're that young isn't really realistic.

I don't remember what the caller I did hear said but all I could think was DID NO ONE ELSE PICK UP ON THE PHONE BEING ANSWERED BY ANOTHER WOMAN????? WHO SOUNDED LIKE THE PHONE HAD WOKE HER UP??? AND THAT THE BOYFRIEND WAS RIGHT THERE?

I don't know, it was just kinda weird to me. But, I guess in the long run, at least now the girl knows...time to move on.

Rules of Fashion

This past Friday I was digging through my closet to make a decision as to what to wear. I spied a white dress of mine that I haven't worn in year...years. My reasoning being that the "rule" is you can't wear white after labor day and that was going to be the last day I could wear it until after Easter - according to the rule. As I pulled it off the hanger I saw another white dress that I haven't worn in years. Well dang, I wasn't going to get to wear it until after Easter now! Oh well.

So, I was driving in to work, thinking about this "rule" about white. I've never really understood it because in this part of the country, we don't really have a fall or a winter. Our fall is like most other people's summer. And our winter is like most other people's fall. Winter is virtually non-existant (although we do usually get one overnight hard freeze a year...usually). Spring is my favorite time of year with great temperatures, low humidity but well, I'm getting off topic, now aren't I.

Anyway, even though I don't really agree with the rule, I've mostly followed it (except when I could fit in about two outfits, one of which was white...then I totally blew off the rule because I didn't really want to wear one outfit every day of the world). But I was wondering, as I drove in to the office...how does that impact brides that get married between Labor Day and Easter? If they wear white are they considered fashion disasters? And if they wear off-white, or some other color, are they considered little hoochies because they didn't wear white? (No offense to any hoochies or anyone who just didn't want to wear white to their wedding...it's all in fun here. ;-) ) Seriously, what is the protocol for brides that get married between those dates? Or is there one?

Although, it may all be moot. My co-worker told me that it is no longer taboo to wear white after Labor Day. However, when I asked her where she had heard this, she didn't remember. She also didn't remember if it was just for our neck of the woods or everywhere. It could be she dreamed it and it just had this lasting effect on her for all I know.

So, what I want to know is, was my co-worker right? Is it now okay to wear white after Labor Day? And if so, does that mean it's okay to wear white year round or is there another date now that white is no longer acceptable - in terms of being fashionable (and what is it?)? And if your answer was yes, I might need to know your source...you know, just to be thorough. ;-)

New Look

I decided I needed a new look and this is what I decided on.

You know, I really kind of like it. :-)

A Tisket, A Tasket

When I bought my house going on seven years ago, I decided I had to do some grown-up things to go with the grown-up mortgage. So I subscribed to the newspaper (which I only read on Sundays and only the comics, TV Guide and Dear Abby at that...I let that subscription lapse after about a year or so), and several magazines. One of the magazines I subscribed to was Good Housekeeping. I figured it could give me ideas on inexpensive decorating things.

And I did get some ideas. Like the one about getting a basket for your bathroom to hold all your "toiletries". I went out almost immediately and bought this cute little basket and came back and filled it with all my "stuff". It's an idea I really liked and really worked. It also saved time when cleaning because rather than having to remove all your "stuff" from the counter, you just had to move the basket, clean and replace the basket on the counter. Easy-peasy.

Okay, so a few months ago I went out and bought two more baskets. I wasn't really looking for baskets (actually, I was at the store looking for work stuff) but I found these two I really liked and they just happened to be on sale, so I snagged them. Didn't really have any idea where I would put them or how I would use them. They're both bigger than the original one I bought and a lot deeper.

So fast forward to yesterday...I was cleaning my bathroom and realized that I've kind of outgrown the original basket. It overflows. So I decided to try out one of the bigger baskets. I started being really neat about it...putting all the Mary Kay stuff on one side and and the Estee Lauder stuff on the other. I put all the hotel lotions and soaps in there. But the more I put in there, the more I'm finding in the smaller basket. It was like it had a false bottom or something. Anyway, by the end, I'm just chunking stuff in the basket (guess I don't have a lot of patience for organization and stuff). But, the good news is, it held everything, with no overflow. Plus it looks good on the counter, and I still have two baskets to play with.

I was thinking about the baskets last night and thought I could fill them with the books that won't fit on my new book carousel. I could also put the smaller one in the guest bathroom (now that I've cleared the plants off the counter) for guest toiletries. We'll see.

All this talk is making me feel like I need to renew my Good Housekeeping subscription. But my question to you is, have you ever gotten a really good decorating idea from a magazine? And if so, please share! :-)

Also, do you have baskets and what do you keep in them? Inquiring minds want to know.

The August Curse Continues...

I guess I kind of jinxed myself yesterday because I was thinking "August is almost over and nothing bad has happened so far". I knew immediately that I shouldn't have had that thought but, what are you going to do?

I got an email today telling me the second boss I had at the company I work for, died last night. He found out less than three weeks ago that he had cancer and he died that quickly afterwards. We haven't worked together since 1998 and we didn't really stay in close contact with each other but we did, from time to time, have reason to communicate with each other. I've received a couple of emails (work related - not personal) in the last year or so from him. Anyway, I think it was all the things considered that caused me to receive the news as badly as I did (I didn't take it well). The only "positive" thing I could say about it is, hopefully that means I'm done for bad things happening, at least until August 2009.


I promise to start posting more pleasant things in the very near future. Honest.

Discoveries

Today is the anniversary of my mother's death. I'm not looking for sympathy or anything, it's just it was a weird day today and that it was the anniversary of her death kind of plays into that.

After my mother died, my step-father gave me a bunch of stuff of hers, including old letters (including one I wrote to the tooth fairy explaining that I'd lost my tooth but would still like the money for it please and thank you). Anyway, as I went through everything I realized that there was a lot about my mother that I never knew. A LOT! And I envisioned a play about this discovery and thought about writing it. Then, like most my other story ideas, tossed it aside.

A couple of months ago I decided to resurrect that idea but work it a different way. Make it more fictionalized to where there is some actual facts that take place but the overall story is fiction. And that is what I have been working on lately.

But anyway, I wasn't really thinking about what today was until I'd read someone's blog and wondered if I was behind and then saw the date. THEN, I get mail (real mail, not email) from my step-father. He was sending me checks on his new bank account (he wanted someone to be able to write checks in case he wasn't able to - I've had this since my mother died but he's changing banks). He included a note that read (after a series of information details) "Laura, this is info that someday, you are going to need. Although I don't plan on checking out soon, I might not have much notice. so - - -"

I opened this right after I'd read the blog that reminded me of what day it was. I drove back to work (this all was on my lunch break) and decided I would call him when I got back to the office (his number is in my day planner which was sitting on my desk). I wanted to be sure he was okay. He'd recently broken up with his girlfriend and I was concerned about the "tone" of the letter. Before I did that though, I decided to talk to someone about it and see what they thought. But before they got to my office, I opened my home email again and had an email from my step-father. Subject line was needtotalk (he didn't put any spaces in it either). Email read:

Laura, there are some some recent events that I need to let you know about. (okay, this was when my heart stopped...once I was able to breath again, I continued) No bad news, by the way, so don't worry. (our ideas of bad news differs so I wasn't totally convinced here) It's a little long and protracted to do on e-mail, so let me know when you will be home and have some free time to talk.

I didn't wait (plus my phone - not my phone line, my phone - is screwed up so calling at home wasn't going to work anyway) and called him.

Turns out he found out about a year ago that he inherited some land from my mother that he didn't know existed (he doesn't think she knew about it either). He was contacted by someone who wanted to do some tests for oil (mineral rights were retained by the family). He leased it to them and they contacted him about purchasing it outright last month. At this point I'm thinking he needs me to do some running for him, since he lives in another state, and I'm trying to figure my time but I'm saying "Don't sell the mineral rights! Don't sell the mineral rights!" For one thing, wanting to lease the land to check for oil and then wanting to purchase it (including mineral rights) a year later - well my thought was they found something and didn't plan to share that information.

Anyway, long story short, he wasn't selling anything. He wants to GIVE me the land and the mineral rights. (I feel funny about that but that's a whole other story.) We didn't talk about what day it is but he sounded really emotional - and that's just not him. I'm still a little worried about him. He said he was fine - that he was just doing what was right.

Anyway, the whole point of this is, I'm still learning things about my mother - and even her family (when I went to look up the land, I learned a lot of things I hadn't known...a LOT). It's just been one of those weird days. I'm just glad it's almost over.

Hurricane Preparedness

Prior to Hurricane Katrina, I was unaware of any "panic" that occurred as a result of a potential hurricane threat. Until then it seemed that people went about their business, the hurricane hit and then life resumed as usual. No big deal. And I've lived in hurricane territory my entire life. It's not like hurricanes are new to me.

So while I watched, as did the rest of the country/world, the devastation caused by Katrina two years ago, I was still unprepared for the panic I witnessed when Rita headed towards Galveston. (And just so you know, if Galveston is hit, Baytown [where I live] will be impacted. No ifs, ands or buts about it.) But actually, what surprised me so was that the panic started the minute the storm hit the Gulf. So much can happen between entering the Gulf and landfall. That was one of the reasons there was such devastation in New Orleans - it wasn't the projected landfall site. Katrina made a turn at the last minute and went there. And it was the same situation with Rita. Rita's projected landfall was Galveston. Evacuations started a week before landfall was expected. And, like Katrina, Rita made a last minute turn and a lot of the people who evacuated left a place that wasn't hit, only to end up in the place that was (although we were impacted to a degree - just not with the intensity expected). Hurricanes are so unpredictable.

Anyway, so why am I blogging about this today? I went to the grocery store this morning and the shelves of water and soft drinks were bare already. Dean is expected to make landfall on Thursday near Corpus Christi and the shelves are empty in Baytown on Sunday. Although, in fairness to those who cleared the shelves, this area is expected to be impacted by the storm to some degree - it's just not known yet, how much. The further up north the Texas coast it hits, the worse it will be here. And, assuming it makes landfall south of us, we'll be on the "wet" or "dirty" side of the storm - which, considering the amount of rain dumped by Erin (and that was just a tropical storm!), we really can't afford to get.

Fortunately though, I started preparing early this year (since I was so ill-prepared when Rita came through). I have been buying a gallon of water each week so that I have enough to last me and the boys the recommended three days. I'd like to have more, but as I mentioned, the shelves were bare today so I'll have to make do with what I have - if it comes to that.

Bottom line, I may not have everything they tell you to get to prepare for a hurricane (and good luck getting it now) but I am better prepared than I ever have been. And you know, it wouldn't hurt my feelings a bit if I never have to need it.

Secret Crushes

Have you ever been reading a romance novel and thought "people don't really do that"?

I have and one of the situations that I think that about is when the heroine (for example) just sees the hero and goes all weak-kneed. She just melts in front of him and becomes mindless. I read that and get annoyed because, who really does that? I mean, maybe we want that to happen and maybe that's what the author is counting on - our ability to suspend disbelief that a perfectly intelligent female could forget her own name and want that.

Okay, so that's where I am on the matter - and then I get this picture. It came in the inter-company mail yesterday and is a picture of the holiday party committee (minus two) for last year's party.

And that's when I remember that there is someone who has that effect on me - and he's in this picture. Now, looking at the picture of him does nothing for me - really. But in person, I just become jello. He just smiles at me and says hi and I can forget anything. Like the fact that he has a wife and kids. Morals? Values? What are those?

I don't think about it much, unless I see him and this picture brought it all back to the surface again. Then I found out yesterday that Friday was his last day at work. *sigh* I won't run into him in the hallways anymore or see his smiling face. This photo is the only thing I have left of him. My one consolation is that I'm sure the only reason he left the company was to save his marriage because, of course, he's secretly in love with me too and his wife made him choose between us. I mean, it couldn't be that he had a better opportunity with another company, could it? ;o)

So what about you, ever had a secret crush that had to remain a secret?


P.S. This post helps to ensure that I don't tell my work-friends about this blog. LOL Oh, and the object of my affection? I'd like to see who y'all think it might be, and then I'll spill. :o)

Local Chapter Activities

Tomorrow my local chapter is hosting a reception for local booksellers and published chapter authors. The only reason I get to participate is because I'm on the board of directors of the chapter.

Anyway, we all have duties and responsibilities. Mine was to collect materials from the authors and put them in goodie bags for the booksellers (to remember our authors). We all also have to bring some food dish. I always hate that part because I don't know a lot of fast and easy recipes. But it's expected.

So fine, I asked a co-worker for her recipe for the crockpot meatballs and sauce she brought to an event last year. Figured it would be easy. And it turns out it's only four ingredients (including the meatballs) in the crockpot for a couple of hours. Perfect!

I bought all the ingredients (actually twice as many meatballs as I needed but, oh well), then our president sends out an email asking for finger food. Finger food? I'm thinking meatballs don't count as a finger food. So I emailed the author whose house it will be at (I've been there a couple of times and realized it might be difficult to have the meatballs on the table if they needed to be plugged in, so to speak) and asked what she thought about a crockpot dish. She said it could go on the pass-through between the kitchen and dining room if I was okay with that. Which I would be if I didn't think it would be completely overlooked (and I did mention I bought way too many meatballs, right?) so I offered a compromise. I said I would cook them beforehand and, if she didn't mind, heat them up there so that they could go on the table.

I'm waiting to hear back from her but I really hope she's okay with it because even on the off chance that all the meatballs that are currently cooking (which is half of what I bought) are eaten tomorrow, I still have a ton more left (or did I mention that already?).

Anyway, corning ware can go in the microwave and the oven, right?

Oh, and as an aside, please email (or post here) your best recipes for potato salad. I volunteered to make this for boss's day and while I used to have a recipe for it, I don't anymore.

Have I mentioned that I hate events that require I make food and bring it? *sigh*

A little silly

My step-father sent me this and I thought it was fun. Hopefully it will work. And if it does - you might want to set any drinks you have aside. ;o) (It's popping up in a separate window for me - just so you know.)

Can you keep a secret?

I've mentioned before that this is my secret blog. . . no one knows about it. I have one person that I don't know from RWA that knows about this blog (and only one person from my local chapter - and she doesn't know the name [I did tell her once, she just didn't remember it - which I'm okay with]), and I trust her with all my secrets so it's okay if I put this post out there.

At work we're getting ready for boss's day. Last year we dressed all our bosses up as pirates and the everyone else had to guess which pirate they were supposed to be. It was fun and all but at the time, I suggested we do a 50s theme this year. They all said okay and them I'm sure they promptly forgot about it. But I didn't.

So a few weeks ago we had our monthly Staff Support (SS) meeting and I brought it up again. I threw out the 50s theme again and they all liked it, but then started leaning towards Elvis and wanting to dress all the male bosses as Elvis from different times in his career. The lone female boss was going to be dressed up as Priscilla. Okay, we have a starting point.

Then, a co-worker and I decided to see where we could find Elvis "costumes" for cheap (because we pay for all of this out of our own pockets) and ended up at buycostumes.com. From there we went to their adult wig selection and we went off in another direction.

I sent an email to all the other SS telling them what we'd found and we scheduled a meeting for today to discuss further. I'd come up with an idea for a game, which was a starting point but after we started brainstorming I think what we decided was even better. We made a lot of decisions and I think it's going to be so much fun. We're going to dress up eight people (we're doing more than usual). We'll have Elvis, Donald Trump, Bill Gates, Dean Martin, Jeff Bagwell, Marilyn Monroe, Sonny, and Cher.

Now, you may be saying "Didn't she say the lone female boss?" but then probably disregarded it because I also said we're dressing up more than usual. But you'd have been right the first time. We're dressing one of the men up as Cher (his SS doesn't particularly like him so her wanting to do that to him is more out of spite but we all agreed it would be fun - and we like him so. . .).

Anyway, I worked up a little "program" today creating a tri-fold document. On the outside it tells them what the event is called and other miscellaneous information. When you first open it up you see the "rules" of play (which I'll go into in a minute). When you open it further you have all the bosses' names, with a blank beside it (for their guesses), the questions they're allowed to ask and the menu (the SS make them lunch too - and we've already decided on that as well). Everyone seemed to like it.

But the rules - we've decided not to dress them up from the beginning this year. Instead, they're going to come out as themselves, having only an index card with numbered answers on it. The group will be broken up into teams and each of the "celebrities" will visit with the teams. The team will say, "I want the answer to question 5 (or whatever number)". They won't read the question. The celebrity won't know the question - only the answer (they're not going to know who they are either - at this point anyway). Each team gets to ask three questions from the list, of which there are ten, of each celebrity. Then they have to make a guess at who they are supposed to be.

At the end of it all, the teams turn in their program with the answers and the team with the most right answers wins. (We're going to get them a little something but that hasn't been decided on yet.) While they're turning in their answers, the celebrities will be leaving the room and will be asked "who are you?" to see if they know. Then we'll dress them up as their character and they'll come back into the room - to music.

Elvis will come in to "Love Me Tender", Sonny & Cher to "I've Got You Babe", Bill Gates to "Money" (I don't know if that's the name of the song but I sang it for my co-workers and they knew what I meant.), Marilyn to "Happy Birthday Mr. President", Jeff Bagwell to "Take Me Out To The Ballgame". We haven't definitely decided on Dean Martin's song and Donald Trump will come in with pink slips saying "You're Fired!"

I'm already looking forward to it and it's a good two months away! I think it's going to be a lot of fun and I'll have pictures to prove it! :o)

But don't tell anyone - it'll be our secret. ;o)

The Dating Game

Last night I was watching The Bill Engvall Show (caught it accidentally - didn't know it had premiere'd yet) and the parents were getting ready to go out to a ballgame with a friend of theirs. (He'd gotten lost on the way, even though he'd been there a gazillion times, because he was following his GPS's instructions.) So while they waited they sat down with their kids. One of them said they had to write a history paper and the topic was "How did people meet each other before the internet?". (I found that amusing. :o) ) So the parents told their story.

But it got me to thinking, meeting on the internet is big business these days. But it's one of those things I just don't get - not really. I did actually meet someone from the internet once and we went out for a while but there were things that troubled me, not the least of which - we met online. He was okay with that and told anyone who asked he'd met me that way. I, on the other hand, chose to tell people "we met through mutual friends" which, truth told, wasn't entirely a lie (if you were okay with stretching the truth - out of shape even) but it sure was walking a fine line there. I knew if he ever met my friends and family, he'd spill his guts and so we never took things to the "meet the friends and/or family" stage. Plus, I couldn't see myself telling my kids one day, "Your daddy and I met online."

But I can see the advantage to meeting online because you have the opportunity to get to know someone without being judged on looks. This is assuming, of course, who you're getting to know is being honest - but then you can meet liars and skanks without going online too. I just don't think that venue is how I want to go about meeting someone though.

So anyway, the big question of the day is - how did you meet your significant other? Was it a blind date? Office romance (which was the case with me and my husband - I was his father's secretary)? Automobile accident? Visitor's day at the prison? What?

Inquiring minds want to know. :o)

Wake me in September

I'm not normally a superstitious person but there is one thing I dread. August. Not only is it a major hurricane month but bad things seem to happen to people I care about in August. My mother died in August 2001. My step-father had quintuple by-pass surgery (he was going in for a roto-blading that he was told would kill him if he had it done and the by-pass surgery was scheduled in place of that) in August 2003. And my very dear friend died, at the age of 46, in August 2005.

Augusts 2002, 2004 and 2006 passed without tragedy. That just seems to happen in the odd numbered years.

So, as the title of this blog says. . . Wake me in September.

The thing about reviews

Several chapters I know of (including RWAOL) have instituted a program wherein published authors have their books read by someone in the chapter and that person writes a review of the book and posts it at amazon and Barnes and Noble's websites.

Okay, so I'm partnered with Kasey Michaels. I absolutely love her books. She is wonderful with bringing her characters to life. Thing is, she has nine books out this year. Nine! And I want the reviews to be original, like the books. I don't want anyone reading the reviews thinking I've just switched book and character names. But you know, it's not easy because the characters are what pull me into her stories and how many ways can you say that.

Anyway, I finished reading one of her upcoming releases (a re-release actually) last night and felt an inspiration this morning and wrote up the review rather quickly. Normally I have someone review it before I send it to Kasey but this morning I sent it straight to Kasey for review and comment. I haven't heard back from her but here's what I sent her.

When Christian St. Clair talks, people listen. Whether it be on fashion, people or politics, St. Clair has the ear of the ton. Only his support of the Peacock have given them pause.

Gabrielle Laurence’s only hope of saving her home is to marry a wealthy man. Having no dowry - her father has gambled away all their money - she has no choice but to allow Christian St. Clair’s championing of her, raising her to the status of belle of the season.

In public, Christian is a dandy, one whose main interest is in fashion. Simple, but revered. In private, he is the Peacock, fighting to right wrongs against those who cannot stand up for themselves. So different are that personas that no one suspects he is the Peacock, and he intends to keep it that way.

Although Gabrielle appreciates what Christian’s support has done for her, she also resents it. Resents him. She knows that one word from him can destroy her chances of a good match. As such, she forms a plan that will allow her to remain is society’s good graces while removing the need to be pleasant to Christian. She will unmask the Peacock.

As Christian fights to keep his identity a secret and Gabrielle is intent on discovering the identity of the Peacock, they find that it is a fine line between love and hate. Will it be too late for them when Gabrielle, unable to ascertain with any certainty who the Peacock really is, sets in motion her plan to bring Christian down, revealing him as the Peacock?

Kasey Michaels has a knack for writing characters that leap from the page and into your heart. This re-release of The Secrets of the Heart is a perfect example of why, when Kasey Michaels writes, people read.

I'm a Believer!

I had intended to include this information in my last post but forgot. It's really for Ellen that I'm confessing this and I've advised her to get ready with her "I told you so". With that in mind, here's what happened. . .

Last Saturday I went to the library to return the audio book Dear John. I thought since I was there already, I'd check out the other audio books, since I said I might give it another try before I wrote it off forever. Anyway, they had a larger supply of audio books than they did when I was there before National. Good books even.

Well, even though I had the "not for me" thought in my head, I selected three books. Dirty Blonde by Lisa Scottoline, Shopgirl by Steve Martin and The Devil in the Junior League by Linda Fracis Lee.

So Sunday, after I got home from the movie, I decided to start listening to Dirty Blonde, while I cleaned house (I'd picked up a CD player the day before at WalMart). And later I was kicking myself for not listening to it sooner! I will say, though, that while the reader was better than the Dear John reader, I had a little issue. It was like I was sitting down with my girlfriend and she was telling me this story. It was comfortable and all, but the thing was, she was apparently telling me the story in a restaurant and was eating, and/or drinking and/or taking drags off of cigarettes (I couldn't figure out exactly what it was she was doing) from time to time. Other than that, she was great. I finished listening to it Tuesday night.

Wednesday I popped in Shopgirl (even though I need to finish Kasey Michaels' book so I can write a review! Argh!) and listened to the whole thing. Steve Martin did the reading and I have to say, he could have a whole new career reading books. He was fabulous! The story itself was a bit strange but the reading could not have been better - really.

All the while I'm listening to these books, I'm cleaning house.

I went to work today and was telling someone about it and told him that I'm LOVING audio books and think I'm spoiled now - may not ever be able to sit down and actually read a book. They're great.

Meanwhile, my house has never looked better.


And Ellen says, "I told you so." LOL

One Hundred Words

Jessica Trapp has this thing going on called One Hundred Words a Day for One Hundred Days. The purpose of it is to get you writing, setting doable goals. Mind you, you can write more than one hundred words a day - you just have to write one hundred words, a day. If you miss a day, you have to start all over again at day one.

She's been doing this for a while now but I decided to join June 1st. So, I went to the yahoo group to sign up, only to see that it was closed to new members. I sent Jessica an email, asking her if it was truly closed to new members because I really wanted to join.

Well, I got an email invitation to a second group that she decided to open up. I think I got that invitation on June 3 - the day my computer crashed for the first time. As you may recall, my computer wasn't stable for a couple of weeks and then it died for good, leaving me without a computer for another couple of weeks.

By that time I was giving very serious consideration to going to Dallas - where I knew I wouldn't write, so why start beforehand, right? I mean, I had been reading the posts (you have to account for writing each day on the loop - although no bragging is allowed, just a post saying you accomplished the one hundred words for the day) where people were saying they were writing their one hundred words long-hand. I was so impressed that people were writing four manuscript pages long-hand.

Now, I know what you're thinking but we aren't quite there yet - but we will get there.

So, I'm really impressed by these folks, thinking I must not be as dedicated as they are that I won't even attempt to write four pages out long-hand. But I did plan to start writing as soon as I got back from Dallas.

Then I get an email with a link to an interview with Jessica where she talks about the one hundred words a day. She's going on and on about how it's a doable goal and it's not that much (and really four pages a day isn't that much if you're really dedicated, right?) - only like ten lines.

Huh?

Just what kind of big-ass font is she using that ten lines equals four pages??? I wondered.

And then it hit me. It's a HUNDRED words - NOT a thousand. Even I could have written that out long-hand! Geez! I'm telling you, numbers and I are no longer friends - we ended our close relationship my senior year of high school I think and this is just evidence of that fact.

Anyway, I finally started writing last Wednesday. But then last night I had a bit of excitement around here and kind of lost my motivation. I had resolved to starting on day one again tonight.

Fortunately though, I couldn't sleep because of the excitement (and the adrenalin rush that came with it) so at about 11:00 p.m. last night, I pounded out my hundred words and post my "did it" email.

I just completed day seven and already have at least day eight mapped out in my head.

So I'm using the hundred words a day motivation to write and it seems to be working. What motivation tactic do you use, and how's it working for you?

Hairspray

I went to see Hairspray this afternoon and absolutely loved it. It's one I'll probably have to buy when it comes out on DVD. The lead, Nikki Blonsky, was great, as was John Travolta as her mother. It was a fun, upbeat movie. And it had a message! It was better than I expected it to be. Always a good thing. :o)

So, what movies have you seen lately?

What's in a Name?

Over on the Deadline Divas' blog, Rhoda recently posted a picture she used for inspiration and I absolutely loved it. In fact, it inspired me too! Several years ago I was inspired to write this story. In my head I saw it on stage rather than in a book. Not sure why but that's what I was seeing. And having less of a clue of how to write a screenplay than I do a book, the idea got shoved to the further most recesses of story idea queue in my mind. Well, plus, the idea wasn't fully formed - I basically only knew the concept.

Fast forward to this picture of inspiration and suddenly the concept is fully formed. I know the beginning, the middle and well, I don't know the exact ending but I do know it is a happily ever after one. I even have a title for the story.

The only thing I don't have is the character's names. I never get fully invested in the names so they might change a gazillion times in the process. And I hate that.

One exception to that is a story idea that I have but it's based on someone I actually know and so I only see that person's name for my character. But, should it be published and should my friend actually read my book, I wouldn't want her (or a jury) to know (beyond a shadow of a doubt) that I based the character on her - or at least one of my initial impressions of her. (I should point out here that it is a person I adore and have the utmost respect for but this particular aspect may not seem "flattering" and I don't want to hurt any feelings.)

Anyway, I've told you all this to ask this - how do you come up with your character's names? Do they just come to you? Do they grow into them?

I just had this flashback to when I got my dog Harley and I called him something different every day until I took him to the vet and was forced to decide on a name. I don't know that I can do that with my characters.

Again, anyway, how do you work these details out? Inquiring minds want to know. :o)

On the Road Again

As promised, I'm going to comment on my virgin audio book experience. As you may recall, I was listening to Nicholas Sparks' (who, after talking to several people at the conference, is definitely off my "list") Dear John.

I was skeptical for a couple of reasons. One being that I didn't think I had the attention span to follow a story being read. Another being that I was so disappointed in the last book of his I read that I wasn't sure if I wanted to read/hear another.

So, okay, I put it on as soon as I dropped off the boys at the kennel Wednesday morning. The reader initially had a thick southern accent that I wasn't fond of (but I also think I may have been looking for things to not like). And I never did get comfortable with the "voices" he did for the people. I couldn't quite put my finger on it at first but, several hours out, I realized that one thing that was bugging me was that the heroine of the story sounded EXACTLY like Dustin Hoffman in his role of Tootsie. Exactly like it! So I couldn't quite get the image out of my head that the heroine was a drag queen as I listened. Not to mention that the southern accent he attributed to the characters made them all come off sounding dumber than dirt - which I think is a misconception about southerners, but that's another story.

But, I plowed on anyway. The story was okay - definitely not my favorite of his books (but also not my least favorite - that honor goes to the last one I read) and there were a couple of places that I cried (which wasn't necessarily a good thing, considering I was behind the wheel of a car at the time). And there were a few places where my mind wandered off enough that I knew I had missed something - but I didn't really care so I didn't go back and replay anything.

In the end though, I might try another audio book but what I was telling my roommate was that what I think part of the problem for me was, was that I read in my own voice. The intonation and inflection I would have given would have been different I think. I think I might have enjoyed it more reading it than I did having it read "to me". And part of that might be because the story was told in first person, I don't know.

Anyway, as I said, I might try another audio book but I'm still kind of leaning towards thinking it's not really for me.

Lucy does Dallas

I'm noticing a bit of a theme - everyone is titling their posts " (name here) does Dallas", so why not me too? (And no - before you ask - if everyone else was jumping off a bridge, I wouldn't do that too. . . I don't think... ;o) )

Anyway, my stay in Dallas was a short one, not being registered and all so I'm already home. I had a lot of fun though and even have pictures this year to prove it! (I may have mentioned that I've depended on the kindness of others in years past and never saw the pictures so I made sure to take matters into my own hands this year.)


I arrived Wednesday afternoon after driving in from Houston (the drive made longer by a serious accident in Houston and my inability to navigate downtown Dallas streets, but that's a whole other story). I had called my roommate a couple of times from the road and she indicated that she was out and about in the hotel but that check-in should be a breeze for me, as she'd added my name to the reservation (it was a breeze, by the way). So I arrived and checked in, went to the room, dropped my stuff off and immediately went in search of water.


On my way up to the room, someone got on the elevator with a take-out box and someone else on the elevator asked her where she'd gotten it and she said there was food on the second floor. So when I went out in search of water, I went to the second floor first. Which is where I ran into the person I always see first at the conferences - Pamela Hathaway. She told me that Mel, Maria and The Pam were at the bar, so off I went.


Mel was walking away from the table so I went up and said hello to her. Turns out she wasn't feeling great so she was going for some water and then heading back to the room (she told me the water was on the first floor). We said our good-byes and I headed over to talk to Maria. We visited for a few minutes when Louisa showed up and the three of us visited.


Then I went over to say hello to The Pam and her first words were "How's Harley? That's what I want to know!" Gotta love a woman (man, person - anyone) who loves animals like that. I told her I had pictures on my camera that I'd show her later. We visited for 20 or 30 minutes and I headed out for the water that I'd originally left my room for, which I now knew was on the first floor (thanks Mel!).


I get my water and decide that I'll just scope out the hotel and find out where the signing was going to be later that evening. I go down one more level and see a line formed outside of this one room. One quick look confirmed that it was a line forming for the literacy signing - only two hours before the event officially started!


After a moment or two of thought, I decided to join the line - after I went up to my room to get the new Julia Quinn book I'd brought for signing (I figure I can read it while I wait too!). So I head back to my room (which, for the record, was as far away from the elevator as the hotel could get it). I grab the book and leave the water, thinking I don't want to bother with carrying two things around (doing mental eye roll here). I head back to the elevator and decide, you know, I DO want to have my water with me after all - it's a long wait before the doors open. I go back to the room, grab the water and head back out again. I'm almost to the elevator again when I remember that I want my camera, so back I go to the room. I head out once more and realize, I must've put the book down because I only have the water and camera. It only took one more visit to the room before I was good to go.


The line that had been coming straight out from the ballroom doors was now up against the wall. It hadn't grown much while I was gone but I wasn't as close as you might think, for being there an hour and a half early. Everyone around me had stacks of books for signing - 90% of which were Sherilyn Kenyon books. I didn't get a lot of reading done because everyone was visiting. I met some really neat people in line (which I have each year that I've waited in lines) and it was kind of fun.


The crowds started coming more regularly and they roped off the area so that the line would go in a maze sort of thing (if you know what I mean) and the hotel staff was working furiously to keep up with the incoming crowd. Below is a picture (what I could get of it) of the line that was already in place an hour before the event started.

The event started a few minutes late because some of the authors were late but all-in-all, it was all good. More details to come tomorrow. . .

Books We Love

I'm driving up to Dallas on Wednesday (Nationals, in case you didn't know) and I decided this would be the perfect opportunity for me to try out audio books. I've never done that before but lots of people love it (I've always been concerned that it wouldn't hold my attention - my mind tends to wander and drown out the background noises.) so I thought I'd give it a try. So I went to the library the other day to check out their audio selection. (And by the way, I guess I've used my library card more recently than I realized because they actually had my current phone number on it! But I digress.)

Well, let's start with, I didn't know where the audio books were (kinda goes with the "never having listened to one before), so I had to ask. Then I get over there and they have a very limited selection. Someone else was on the aisle so I kept looking around her and then we started talking about what was where and all. (She said they were in alphabetical order but if they were, I need to relearn my ABCs, that's all I'm saying.)

I was specifically looking for SEP's Natural Born Charmer and/or Janet Evanovich's Lean Mean Thirteen, which, of course, I never found. (But they did have every Danielle Steele book ever written - in cassette tape, of course.) I really didn't find anything that made me think this is the one so I finally settled on Dear John by Nicholas Sparks.

I used to be a huge fan of Nicholas Sparks. He was one of my auto-buy authors - I would even buy in hardback until this happened. Since then I haven't read anything of his. Haven't been motivated to attempt to read anything of his. So the fact that I picked one of his for my first audio book should say something about the lack of choices. So that will be what I'm listening to (maybe) on the way to Dallas.

But, while I was at the library, talking to this lady, I noticed that she had a book copy (as opposed to an audio copy) of Evanovich's Two for the Dough. I made a comment and she was saying that she loves the series and reads them over and over again.

You know, I love reading and I keep all my books (unless they are dreadfully awful, then I can manage to part with them - if I must) but there are few, if any books that I would read over and over again. It was about a year ago that I read Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice for the first time. I loved it and was so awed by it, it made me want to read all of Ms. Austen's books but I haven't felt the desire to re-read - at least not yet. But maybe I'm alone in this.

Are there books that you love and re-read over and over. And if so, what are those books?

The Geek Squad

I know I've been a bit neglectful, if you will, of my blog recently but I've really had a good reason. I've had zero computer access at home for the last two weeks and an unstable computer environment for a couple of weeks before that. It wasn't until last night that I was able to get back online at home (and don't think I'm not happy about it - I've been spending the last four hours catching up on internet surfing! :o) ).



Anyway, I found out just how little I really know about computer and I also learned that the experts don't know a whole lot more than I do. This all started the first weekend of the month when I noticed my computer was going slower than usual and I shut it off. It shut off alright . . . it wouldn't reboot for me to save my life.



I took it to work and, on the first try mind you, a co-worker got it up and running. I immediately started yelling "save my newsletter! I've gotta save my newsletter!" And then I promptly saved the one document (to a flash drive) that would be the most easy to recreate, should I lose everything and we shut 'er back down - where it once again died.



An "expert" told me I should try to re-boot it from my boot disk and I did, and it actually worked. At that time, I copied as many files as I could (starting with all my partial wips) on the flash drive. It didn't get everything but it got a lot. I'm thinking I'm doing pretty good. I was getting advice that I should re-install everything on my computer and start fresh (I'd bought Norton because the initial diagnosis was that I had a virus - and maybe I did but in the end, it wasn't my biggest problem, but it wouldn't install on my computer) but I wasn't finished with the newsletter I was working on and I really wanted to get it out before I wiped the slate clean, so to speak.



Well, with each change I made to the newsletter, I resaved it to the flash drive, right? That is until my computer quit recognizing the flash drive. You know, the one that had my life on it? Yeah, that one. Suddenly I didn't feel like I was doing so good anymore. That's when I started emailing EVERYTHING on my computer to my gmail account (gotta love 'em) so I could feel good again. :o)



So, I finally finished the newsletter and got it out and decided to reinstall everything. Oh, during all this, I was having some issues with my computer where if it stalled, I could tilt it and it would un-stall, if you know what I mean. The Pam said she thought it was my hard drive. I told the computer "expert" at work all this and he disagreed, saying that if it was my hard drive that I would hear a grinding noise and it would just crash. Which is exactly what happened after I stayed up all night reinstalling everything on my computer.



That was two weeks ago tomorrow.



Tuesday I went Best Buy and bought the hard drive that the computer "expert" from work told me to buy. To shorten the story, it was the wrong hard drive. Fortunately I made the decision to have the "geek squad" at Best Buy install it. Some thought it was a waste of money to do that but considering it turned out to be the wrong hard drive and they wouldn't have refunded my money had someone else opened the box and tried to install it, I think it was money well spent! Anyway, the geek squad had issues too but at the end of the day yesterday (and I mean the end of the day!), I was finally back up and running. (If you wonder why I wasn't up before then - let's just say this was a contributing factor.)

In any event, it's good to be back! :o)

The Theatre

I'm a big fan of the theatre . The first time I remember going was to see Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr in The King and I back in 1982. It was either later that year or the next year that I went to see Debbie Reynolds and Harve Presnell in The Unsinkable Molly Brown. LIVE and in person! There's nothing like it.

Over the next many years, I went to the theatre with a regularity. When my ex-husband and I separated and divorced, I started taking my nieces and/or nephew with me before I made it a solo act, ocassionally deciding to go on the spur of the moment.

Only once was I disenchanted with a play I saw.

Anyway, back in the early '90s my mother and I went to Las Vegas. Debbie Reynolds had a hotel there at the time (off the strip) and we went to see her show which, in my opinion, is the best show I've ever seen in Vegas. She, in her show, commented that her fans were "of an age", suggesting that younger people didn't much care for her. Well after the show, she talked to and took pictures with anyone who wanted to chat or have their picture taken with her. I, of course, have a picture with me, my mother and her in it and made a point of telling her I (in my early 30's at the time) was a huge fan.

But, back to the theatre...I haven't been much in the last five to ten years or so. Something I keep telling myself that I will remedy soon.

At work this man who was transferred out before I arrived (over a year ago) occasionally gets mail from a theatre in Galveston...The Grand 1894 Opera House. It's what I've always pictured in my head when I read historicals and they talk about going to the theatre (although, when it tells you a seat is "obstructed", they mean it! Just so you know.). It's this quaint little place - very nice. Well, this man from work received another brochure this past week and Debbie Reynolds is going to be there this coming March. She's hosting a dance thing but I think I'm going to have to go. Galveston is less than an hour away so it's definitely doable.

It's almost a year away and I'm already excited about it. How silly is that? LOL

What celebrity would you like to see come to your area to perform?

All the comforts of home

I called a contractor out earlier this week because I wanted to discuss installation of hurricane shutters. Before he got out here it occurred to me that I might need the HOA's approval to do this, so I called them. I do need it but I couldn't reach the contractor before he arrived so he came out.

As a result we started swapping contractor stories (mine coming from the side of "can you believe what that awful contractor did?" his being "then they wanted me to do so and so..." ). During the course of this discussion, he told me about a product I'd never heard of before...walk-in bathtubs! He said he'd installed one for this elderly couple, and that it'd be his last installation of a walk-in bathtub. Anyway, I was curious so I asked some questions about it and then looked it up online. You're looking at the Cambridge Walk-in Bathtub which is described as follows:

This standard length walk in bathtub provides a very effective solution to everyday bathing problems and can simply be fitted in place of your existing tub to allow you to continue to lie down and luxuriate in a bathtub full of water.

The Cambridge walk in bathtub allows you to simply step in through its conveniently sited side entry door.

Once in, make yourself comfortable on the contoured bath seat, turn the handle to seal the door and open the taps. It's as simple as that. Once the tub is filled to your satisfaction press the button and you will be gently lowered into the water. Lie back and enjoy your bath. There is of course a choice of tap options; from traditional cross-headed faucetts, lever style or a more contemporary style. All are available in Chrome or Gold finish to complement your bathroom fittings.

When you have finished your bath, simply press the control once more lift you back to the seated position ready to get out of the bath and into a comfortable position ready for standing again.

The Cambridge walk in bathtub is available in a range of colours to complement your bathroom.

Who wouldn't want one of those? :)