This year will be monumental for me. I’m going to my first convention.
The RT (Romantic Times) Convention is in Columbus this year. I have a friend who lives in Columbus (although it’s only an hour’s drive away). I truly didn’t see a better opportunity for me.
Sure, the cost was high. It’s what kept me from registering until the last minute. But my sweet husband encouraged me to go (and the fact I had a free place to stay helped, too).
The convention is only a month away. I’m scared and nervous. I’m also excited. This is my chance to meet other people like me. I hope it’s the first of many. It’s the first of two, anyway. I’m also registered for Dragon*Con this year.
Yeah, when it rains, it pours.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Is Looker-Outer a Word?
The other night my husband and I had dinner at Gold Star Chili. It’s a small restaurant and not very busy, so you can hear just about anyone’s conversation. Some Metro cops (actually Park Rangers – but it’s their new title) were at the register to pay their bill and talked with the girls that worked there (and none of the girls there had a quiet voice). The subject of speeding came up.
One girl wanted to know if the EMS or Fireman could pull her over for speeding. No, but they could radio in the speeder to the proper authorities. She didn’t think that was fair. Of course, she also didn’t think you could get a ticket if you had out of state plates (go figure!).
One girl bragged about how she speeds all the time and will “never” get a ticket. The Metro cop told her not to ever say “never”. She said the reason she would never get a ticket was because she was the “looker-outer” when her brother drove.
Looker-outer? I almost spit out my dinner! Is that a real word? Isn’t that usually the job of the passenger (at least in my family)? The cops had a good laugh. I told my husband I had to remember to use that word in my next book. I just have to figure out how to get it in there. Of course, the only way I’ll remember to use it, is to blog about it. So that’s what I’m doing!
One girl wanted to know if the EMS or Fireman could pull her over for speeding. No, but they could radio in the speeder to the proper authorities. She didn’t think that was fair. Of course, she also didn’t think you could get a ticket if you had out of state plates (go figure!).
One girl bragged about how she speeds all the time and will “never” get a ticket. The Metro cop told her not to ever say “never”. She said the reason she would never get a ticket was because she was the “looker-outer” when her brother drove.
Looker-outer? I almost spit out my dinner! Is that a real word? Isn’t that usually the job of the passenger (at least in my family)? The cops had a good laugh. I told my husband I had to remember to use that word in my next book. I just have to figure out how to get it in there. Of course, the only way I’ll remember to use it, is to blog about it. So that’s what I’m doing!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
We're Officially Empty Nesters
Our son moved out this weekend. Yes, it was time. Yes, we'll miss him.
Our daughter (who's three years younger than her brother) has been out for at least two years.
I love them both, but I hope they never have to come back. I want them to succeed!
Our daughter (who's three years younger than her brother) has been out for at least two years.
I love them both, but I hope they never have to come back. I want them to succeed!
Friday, March 19, 2010
I Even Shock Myself
I’m excited.
Last Sunday I actually read some of our newspaper. I don’t usually do this. I’m usually writing or reading a book, but for some reason, I decided to scan through the paper. Boy, am I glad I did.
You see, there was an article about a short-story contest being held. That got my attention. I wrote a short story! So I checked out the guidelines.
Shoot! It had to be no more than 1800 words. My short story was 3500. Too big (and no, I wasn’t chopping it). So why not write another? Hmmm, why not?
The only problem is I couldn’t think of what to write about (and in 1800 words or less). Then I remembered an idea my husband jokingly threw out one day; an idea for another book, no less. “Write about a Ferris wheel,” he said. Yeah – a whole book about a Ferris wheel? I don’t think so. But a short story – that I could do!
So on that Sunday afternoon (and it was after 3:00 when I got started), I set to write a story with a Ferris wheel in it. By dinner (which was supposed to be at 5:00, but I didn’t get started on it until 6:00 – that’s what happens when I write), I had a story. In 1797 words. I was pumped!
I read it to my husband. He was impressed! I took it to my writer’s group. They enjoyed it (and gave some suggestions to make it better – revised at 1792 words). I’m ready to submit. And after the contest ends, whether or not it wins and gets published in the paper, I will post it here for you to read (and if it wins and gets published in the paper: I’m posting the LINK). Because I am proud of that story and I want to share it with everyone!
Last Sunday I actually read some of our newspaper. I don’t usually do this. I’m usually writing or reading a book, but for some reason, I decided to scan through the paper. Boy, am I glad I did.
You see, there was an article about a short-story contest being held. That got my attention. I wrote a short story! So I checked out the guidelines.
Shoot! It had to be no more than 1800 words. My short story was 3500. Too big (and no, I wasn’t chopping it). So why not write another? Hmmm, why not?
The only problem is I couldn’t think of what to write about (and in 1800 words or less). Then I remembered an idea my husband jokingly threw out one day; an idea for another book, no less. “Write about a Ferris wheel,” he said. Yeah – a whole book about a Ferris wheel? I don’t think so. But a short story – that I could do!
So on that Sunday afternoon (and it was after 3:00 when I got started), I set to write a story with a Ferris wheel in it. By dinner (which was supposed to be at 5:00, but I didn’t get started on it until 6:00 – that’s what happens when I write), I had a story. In 1797 words. I was pumped!
I read it to my husband. He was impressed! I took it to my writer’s group. They enjoyed it (and gave some suggestions to make it better – revised at 1792 words). I’m ready to submit. And after the contest ends, whether or not it wins and gets published in the paper, I will post it here for you to read (and if it wins and gets published in the paper: I’m posting the LINK). Because I am proud of that story and I want to share it with everyone!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Can a Color be too Bright? You Betcha!
As much as I hate working – a necessary evil at this point in time – sometimes humorous things can happen there.
I work in sales support, where we write up proposals based upon quote requests. These proposals have to be signed and to make it easier to tell who owns the proposal, we each have our own color of folder. When I started working there, blue and red were taken. I took pink. Yeah, I’m partial to the color (to the disgust of my daughter, I’m sure).
Now, my pink folders aren’t that flashy. Most are pale pink, others are a little darker. I think they’re pretty. People tease me about the color, but I don’t care. We recently hired a new sales support person so my co-worker ordered some new folders.
They came in today.
When she laid down these pink folders on my desk, I almost went blind. They were the brightest florescent pink I’d ever seen. They actually hurt my eyes! I had to put them in a drawer as they were leaving spots behind – as if I had stared into the sun.
She showed me the other florescent colors and they were just as bad. We laughed at how bad they were.
I told her I would never use them, but then I got to thinking. If I had a proposal that I needed signed right away, maybe those folders would come in handy. NO ONE would want to stare at that color for very long! My co-worker agreed.
It does make me wonder about the poor people who have to make these folders. They must wear sunglasses at work. It’s the only explanation. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be so damn bright!
I work in sales support, where we write up proposals based upon quote requests. These proposals have to be signed and to make it easier to tell who owns the proposal, we each have our own color of folder. When I started working there, blue and red were taken. I took pink. Yeah, I’m partial to the color (to the disgust of my daughter, I’m sure).
Now, my pink folders aren’t that flashy. Most are pale pink, others are a little darker. I think they’re pretty. People tease me about the color, but I don’t care. We recently hired a new sales support person so my co-worker ordered some new folders.
They came in today.
When she laid down these pink folders on my desk, I almost went blind. They were the brightest florescent pink I’d ever seen. They actually hurt my eyes! I had to put them in a drawer as they were leaving spots behind – as if I had stared into the sun.
She showed me the other florescent colors and they were just as bad. We laughed at how bad they were.
I told her I would never use them, but then I got to thinking. If I had a proposal that I needed signed right away, maybe those folders would come in handy. NO ONE would want to stare at that color for very long! My co-worker agreed.
It does make me wonder about the poor people who have to make these folders. They must wear sunglasses at work. It’s the only explanation. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be so damn bright!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
I'm Afraid
I’m Afraid
On one of the many loops I’m a member of, one person commented that she was taking 17 classes. 17 classes! I’m assuming she doesn’t work full time. I just could never see me doing that.
One class is hard enough. Seven loops are hard enough. Keeping up with the e-mails is HARD.
So, why am I afraid? I’m afraid it could happen to me. I love the information I’m obtaining from my critique class. Classes through loops are really perfect for me. It gives me time to process the assignment; where in a classroom environment, the assignment must be done quickly. I’m not quick. No siree.
I could see me taking more classes. It’s certainly opened my eyes to what I’m doing wrong, and smile when I see I’ve been doing it right! But 17 at a time? I’d be hard pressed to do 2 at a time. I'd like to have some time to actually WRITE!
On one of the many loops I’m a member of, one person commented that she was taking 17 classes. 17 classes! I’m assuming she doesn’t work full time. I just could never see me doing that.
One class is hard enough. Seven loops are hard enough. Keeping up with the e-mails is HARD.
So, why am I afraid? I’m afraid it could happen to me. I love the information I’m obtaining from my critique class. Classes through loops are really perfect for me. It gives me time to process the assignment; where in a classroom environment, the assignment must be done quickly. I’m not quick. No siree.
I could see me taking more classes. It’s certainly opened my eyes to what I’m doing wrong, and smile when I see I’ve been doing it right! But 17 at a time? I’d be hard pressed to do 2 at a time. I'd like to have some time to actually WRITE!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Time, Wherefore Art Thou Time?
I think I’m going crazy. Or as I told my husband to call me: Loopy.
What was I thinking? Oh yeah: to LEARN.
What I failed to realize was that learning takes TIME.
I’m a member of SIX Yahoo! groups/loops and ONE non-Yahoo! group/loop. Granted, two of the loops are classes and will end when the class does (April & May).
When you mix that with a full-time job, and editing/revising, and paying SOME attention to my dear husband, it leaves little time for sleep. I force myself to go to bed at 11:00pm. 5:50am comes much too early in the morning!
But I love the critique class I’m taking. It’s making me take a good hard look at what I’ve written. The other class won’t occur until I go to the RT Convention in April.
Yeah – I actually signed up for a convention and I’m scared to death! But the loop is fun and interesting and I’m learning something there, too.
I never thought I’d utter the words, seeing how I hated college, but learning is fun! It’s fun when it’s something you WANT to learn. Somehow, accounting never did that for me – it just came easy (and I am always looking for the easy way).
So, now I’m doing something I love and it isn’t anywhere near easy! Maybe that was my problem all along. Of course, when I went to college, it was the hopes of learning a skill that paid better than being a clerk-typist (and it did). I don’t see writing ever doing that. I see writing as being a nice retirement job. I just want to retire NOW.
What was I thinking? Oh yeah: to LEARN.
What I failed to realize was that learning takes TIME.
I’m a member of SIX Yahoo! groups/loops and ONE non-Yahoo! group/loop. Granted, two of the loops are classes and will end when the class does (April & May).
When you mix that with a full-time job, and editing/revising, and paying SOME attention to my dear husband, it leaves little time for sleep. I force myself to go to bed at 11:00pm. 5:50am comes much too early in the morning!
But I love the critique class I’m taking. It’s making me take a good hard look at what I’ve written. The other class won’t occur until I go to the RT Convention in April.
Yeah – I actually signed up for a convention and I’m scared to death! But the loop is fun and interesting and I’m learning something there, too.
I never thought I’d utter the words, seeing how I hated college, but learning is fun! It’s fun when it’s something you WANT to learn. Somehow, accounting never did that for me – it just came easy (and I am always looking for the easy way).
So, now I’m doing something I love and it isn’t anywhere near easy! Maybe that was my problem all along. Of course, when I went to college, it was the hopes of learning a skill that paid better than being a clerk-typist (and it did). I don’t see writing ever doing that. I see writing as being a nice retirement job. I just want to retire NOW.
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