The Novelty Girls

But…can you first…KILL my computer. I totally missed my post last Saturday because my husband took it to get wiped clean and begun anew. But alas….it’s still having problems. Last night (when I was orginally doing this post - today is actually Sunday….Sssh…don’t tell anyone) it flaked out on me again and it was so late my brain and my eyes couldn’t handle it so I just went to bed. My husbands family had a reunion of sorts yesterday and we were out all afternoon and night with family who came in from out of town. Needless to say, now I am bound and determined to use wordpress to my advantage and make sure I create my post ahead of time and set it to post on my regularly scheduled Saturday.

Anyway….back to rewinding time. For me, summer is over. I go back to work on Monday (tomorrow). But if it were possible, I’d love to go back to June and find myself again on that beautiful white beach in Destin, Florida. Then, move slowly to July to the family vacation to D.C. And then, move turtle slow through the last few weeks and hold steady to the end of July. LOL…I know…NOT possible. But a person can dream…can’t she?

Although….being the book geek that I am…I can’t wait to stand in the middle of my library and be surrounded by all those books again.

OK…that is such a big lie.

My favorite time wasters….

I love my Cobb author buddies!

I love my author buddies!

I love books!

I’ve really tried to cut back on my TV watching this summer. TV Guide online allows me to keep up with my two favorite soaps…Y&R and General Hospital. Plus, you can get some good celeb gossip.

I’m a movie junkie and there are always so many good movies out in the summer so I go here to look at the trailers.

With summer here, I’ve been devouring books it seems. I don’t think a week has passed that I haven’t visited the library or Barnes & Noble for “something” to read. So, in honor of this weeks theme I’ll share with you what I have read, what I am reading, and what’s in my TBR pile.

Have Read:

I’ve had the Tale of Despereaux in my school library for a year or so and never got around to reading it. Then, my youngest daughter started reading it and telling me about it. So, we picked up the CD on tape at the public library and we read/listened to it together, along with my oldest daughter. Very cute story if you’re in to YA/Mid Grade stuff. She has another one, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane that I plan to read also.

I’ve gotten really into Nora’s In Death series this summer. I think I’ve read at least 6 or 7 of these this summer already. I’m really loving Eve and Roarke these days. The one pictured above I actually finished today.

Am Reading:

Boy isn’t that a lot of books up there. Well, my brain works in mysterious ways. It likes variety. The daughters and I are again listening/reading Inkheart. We’re only about 4 chapters in but I’m/we’re liking it so far. There’s supposed to be a movie coming out some time this year staring Brendan Frasier. For my sci-fi side of the brain, plus my constant craving for the new Star Trek movie that’s coming out soon, I picked up a novel to get me through the agonizing wait. This of course picks up at the end of the last movie when Riker goes off to be the captain of the starship Titan. This is the first book in the series and I picked up the second the other day. The True Meaning of Smekday is a kind of sci-fi novel as well but it’s a YA/mid-grade novel. It’s OK so far. A Vintage Murder - been waiting for this one for a while. I’m glad the author allowed the heroine to end up with the hero I wanted her to. It’s a cozy mystery, and this series is one of my favs.

TBR

Inkspell is the second book in the series and I also have this on CD so the girls and I can listen to it and read it together and The Red King is the second book in the Titan series.

I’m not going to even mention how many other books are on my ever growing book shelf. But as an avid reader and librarian…this will never ever end.

Oh how can I count the ways. There are days when I look in the mirror and go “Ugh!”…and then there are days when I can’t help but say, “Hey hot stuff!” I’m always in a constant battle to lose weight. Always! And I’ve done it. I’ve lost anywhere from 5 pounds to 35 pounds depending on how motivated I was at the time. I’ve done my own thing…I’ve joined Weight Watchers. My weight loss has always depended on how tired I got of not wanting to eat what I wanted to eat and when I reached that point…I stopped dieting…I stopped exercising. So, I do realize it’s something I have complete control of. However, what I have come to realize is that, I can’t rush it. I can’t make a goal of losing..say…15 pounds in 2 months because I always drive myself crazy trying to do it. I’m at the point now that I know how to eat in moderation..what I want to eat…and I exercise at least 5 days a week. And I’m losing. It’s not major…but it’s coming off. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that as long as I’m losing something…1/2 pound or 3 pounds a week….then so be it. As long as I can get up on that scale and see a smidgen gone…then I’m happy.  

Ok…now…to what I like and don’t like. Hmmm..let’s start with the Don’t Like! My knees. My shape is EXACTLY like my grandmothers…from head to toe. Small waist. Huge hips. Knobby knees. Too much extra skin flapping over. Drives me nuts. If….and that’s a big IF..I ever decide to have some plastic surgery..it’ll be to remove that extra skin off my knees. Weird…I know…but it’s the truth.

Likes! Breasts. Butt. The hubby loves them. So those are a keeper. I have nice feet too. I keep my toes painted and get pedicures year round. And I have nice skin. I’m a lotion fanatic. I hate dry skin. So, I lotion every inch of my body after a bath and I keep a small bottle of it in my purse at all times for my hands.

this week. Awesome topic Crystal.

I’m a Christian. Yep, I said it. I believe in God. Heaven. Hell. The Bible. The Ten Commandments. All of that stuff. It was my upbringing and nothing profound has happened in my life to alter my perception of that fact.

However, I also say…to each his/her own. Live “your” life the way you want. I have never and will never hold that against any one. I’m African American. There is too much stuff in my race’s history to hold “who” and “what” you are against you or judge you or be prejudiced against you. I absolutely love that everyone is different. I’ve already stated in a comment, how boring as hell would it be if everyone was the damn same. If there were too many blond haired/skinny/blue eyed OR light skinned/skinny/hazel eyed people in the world…I’d freaking go insane.

God, in his infinite wisdom meant for everyone to be different and for everyone to have a choice to be exactly who they want to be. Yes, some people were born with genetic frailties that make them even “more” different. To me, it’s all about differences. There are always two different sides to the coin. Black/White - Smart/Not So Smart - Those Who Can/Those Who Can’t - Those Who Will/Those Who Won’t.

If everyone were like me, there wouldn’t be a scientist or mathematician in the world. Who’d be around to save anybody then? Who would experiment and try to find cures for the diseases that our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, suffer from? Again…it’s all about differences. There IS a reason for everything and everybody. Everyone has a purpose. Whether or not we like what that purpose is…good or bad…they are who they are.

Science, in itself, is about discovery. Giving people hope. I’d love a procedure or a drug that could get rid of all murderers, child abusers/molestors/pedofiles, diseases that effect children, deafness, blindness. But where do we cross the line? We’ve already agreed that humans are arrogant. When is too far…too far? When do we say stop? When do we say enough is enough?

In the end, if we’re not able to do this, I think we’ll destroy ourselves in the process of trying to find the perfect cure for everything that is wrong in the world.

Oh boy….after reading everybody’s posts this week, I realize that I am severely less than well traveled. Have GOT to change that. I’ve only lived two places, Virginia - which I didn’t “hate” perse…but didn’t like all that well, and Arkansas, my home town, where I live now. Over the last year or so I think I’ve traveled more than I have in a really long time. My family has traveled to Texas at least twice or so a year because my husband’s sister’s live there and for extracurricular fun. But, in the last year, I’ve been to Jamaica, California, Florida, and will be on my way to the Washington, D.C. area in July for my cousins wedding. Just purchased the plane tickets yesterday for that…for the entire family, plus my mom and grandmother. Can you say “ouch” in the money pockets department. It will actually be the “real” first, I consider, family trip/vacation we’ve taken as a family. Of course, besides the wedding, we’re going to do all the touritsy things, visiting the Washington Monument, old Abe, the National Air and Space Museum, the Library of Congress (that’s totally me…LOL), and others of course. I think the kids will really enjoy it and when school starts in the fall, when the teacher asks, “What did you do this summer?”  - my kids will have a really good answer. I’ll be sure to posts pics of our fun after I get back.

So, I’ll end my post with a list of places I plan to/hope to travel with the family in the coming years.

1.  Florida - Have to do Disney World, Isle of Adventure, and Universal Studios. Did this with the girls a couple of spring breaks ago, but I was pregnant with the little one and couldn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted to. So, we’re planning a trip back next summer. And, I want to take the family to Destin. It was beautiful there.

2.  Cancun, Mexico

3.  Seattle, Washington

4.  New York

5.  Philadelphia - I’m dying to visit the Hershey Chocolate place.

6.  Aruba

7.  Australia - I have wanted to visit since I was a kid. I actually have a cousin who visited, met the man she married and lives there now.

8.  California

9.  San Antonia, Texas - Six Flags, Sea World, and the Alamo - gotta love it!

10.  Niagra Falls

So, what about you? Where are some places you’ve wanted to visit, but never have? I hope you have a great Saturday!

Teeheehee…..I’ve been here since late Wednesday night at a school conference. Thought I’d share my “star” - non-groupie acting - sitings. First we have….

Frankie Muniz came into the restaurant we were eating at late Wednesday night after we got there. He was with some girl with pink hair. Go figure. Kids!?

Next…

Bob Barker out early Thursday morning walking his dog. Very cool.
Then…

Matthew McConaughey. OK…almost could have had a serious groupie meltdown but I controlled myself. He was just calmly walking down Hollywood Blvd.

Finally….

Akon. He was getting into his black Escalade leaving the hotel/conference center where the conference was. Again…resisted going into groupie mode. Congratulate me please.

All in all…I’ve had a fabulous time. We (my co-workers and I) presented at the conference and kicked ass and we’re still having fun. I leave tomorrow. Here’s one last photo to leave you with. I took this with my cell phone, but it’s still an awesome pic.

Hope you had a great weekend!

I’m taking a plotting class this month and using it to thoroughly plot out the YA novel I want to begin writing somewhere around mid-February to the beginning of March. I need to finish a couple of other projects first though before I start on it, because its the only thing I want to work on when I begin writing it. The different assignments I get each week have helped me really delve into who my main character is and the conflicts he has to go through to reach his end goal.

I’m a panster, so I really don’t get into my characters heads this much or into the story this much until I’m actually writing it. So, let’s just say I’ve figured out that it just might be something to being a plotter and not a panster. I’ve really enjoyed the process and hopefully, I’ll be able to keep it up.

I’ve been sitting at home practically all day today pondering what to post about. I missed my post last Saturday because I went to a retreat. Today…I’m just blank. So, I’ll give you a myriad of musings going on in my mind right now.

1. I have two stories I’m trying to complete right now. The first, a sequel to my Private Jane book that came out over a year ago. The second, a short for the new Wicked line at Cobblestone Press. Which, makes me think about the contest Cobb ran and wondering how many entries they got.

2. I’m going to California at the end of the month on school business to give a presentation with some other co-workers and we really need to sit down and finalize it and the Power Point.

3. I need to work on my national board stuff. I won’t go in to too much detail but I’m seeking National Board Teacher Certification and it’s a lot of writing, which could be a little overwhelming if I wasn’t used to writing a lot. But, the deadline is little over two months to go and I still have 2 more long entries to write. In case you didn’t know….I’m a real procrastinator. Go figure.

4. I need to text message my girlfriends to see if any of them are interested in having a girl’s night out tomorrow night since we don’t have to go to work on Monday.

5. I’m behind on my writing goals…which really sucks. But, I’m still getting a little writing in at least every other day, which is better than nothing.

6. I have two books coming out next month, which is really exciting. Real happy about that.

7. I really need to clean my house.

8. I really need to wash the mountains of clothes getting higher and higher in the hallway.

9. Right now I’m watching The Day After Tomorrow on DVD and I have The Transformers on standby because there’s nothing else on TV and I’m not sleepy yet. But, I did take a nap today, so that’s probably the reason why.

10. I need to buy more ink for my printer.

OK…I guess that’s enough. I could go on, but I won’t. Do you ever get like this? Too much information jumbling around in your head that you don’t know what to do with? I guess writers are like that. I guess it’s the reason we come up with more stories to write. Like while I was in the shower a little while ago I was working out a new story in my head. See….I told you I could go on and on.

I hope you had a great Saturday!

Internet! Email! IM!

I mean it. It’s true. We wouldn’t survive without them. For me…it’s IM. Take last night. I was in the middle of writing, at the end of the first chapter and I got stuck. My story is about a guy who begins to get death threats via “notes” and instead of contacting the police, he hires a private investigator…a “female” private investigator. So of course, she’s my heroine. So, at the end of the first chapter he’s showing her the first note he receives…and that’s where I got stuck. I wanted to be real clear but evasive with what the letters said, give little clues but still keep the reader guessing. Plus, the letters are about a secret he’s keeping.

So, of course, even at ten-thirty at night, one of my writing buddies was still on line to help me out. So, I IM’d her and we brainstormed the letters and she also helped me fill a plot hole that I hadn’t worked out yet.

I love IM. At any given time of the day, I can find one of my writing friends to share some good news, brainstorm, or just find someone to talk to.

What do you think? What are some writing tools you just can’t live without?

Have a great Saturday!