I'm cleaning house today.
Well, eventually I'll be cleaning house.
It's 4:19 pm, and all I've done today is go to the library for books, go to Costco for milk ($2.45 a gallon), and drive past Starbucks and not buy a thing. See, I can go a day without Starbucks coffee or chai tea. I'm not addicted.
Pretty soon I'm going to be cleaning house.
If I wasn't so busy cleaning house, I'd blog about my Bible study this morning. But to do that, I'd have to get up out of my chair and get my Bible and study book off the sofa. Too multi-taskable for me.
This weekend I'll be reading five Julia Quinn novels. Since you asked, I'll share my thoughts on them on Monday. I'd do it now, but I'm cleaning house. :-)
Friday, March 14, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Know any kids aged 6 to 12?
Become a Published Young Author or Illustrator!
Launch Pad has published its first online magazine devoted to publishing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, book reviews, and artwork by children ages 6 to 12 and invites young authors and artists to submit material on the following themes: The Ocean, Fairy Tales & Fantasy, Mysteries, Sports, and Summer Fun.
Please visit the Launch Pad website at www.launchpadmag.com.
Launch Pad has published its first online magazine devoted to publishing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, book reviews, and artwork by children ages 6 to 12 and invites young authors and artists to submit material on the following themes: The Ocean, Fairy Tales & Fantasy, Mysteries, Sports, and Summer Fun.
Please visit the Launch Pad website at www.launchpadmag.com.
Grrrrr
I had a great thing to blog about, but I have a laptop issue to deal with.
What's amazing is my Bible Study was about trials and frustrations.
I'm frustrated.
Once I figure out what to do with the laptop, I'll try to get back.
What's amazing is my Bible Study was about trials and frustrations.
I'm frustrated.
Once I figure out what to do with the laptop, I'll try to get back.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Parenting 101
So last night we were sitting at the dinner table finishing the last of dinner, when oldest son said, "What's on TV tonight?"
For some freaky reason, I then remembered I had a moms fellowship at church to go to. I gave hubby a quick list of things for the kids to do (clean the kitchen, go to bed) then all but ran out to the car. After a day of dealing with sick kids, I needed female adult conversation.
All in all, the fellowship time was awesome. We have a MOPS group at church, but I don't attend because...well, frankly, first-time and over protective moms drive me bonkers. The baby will not die if you let it cry itself to sleep. Yeah, I had a couple freak-out moments when I had baby #1, but once hubby and I moved away from the grandparents, we figured out "freak-out" did not have to be the first emotional response option when the baby does [fill in freak out thing here].
Baby swallows a Lego. Don't fret. Eventually it'll come out. Same with jingle bells, marbles, and dog food.
Toddler a nudist? Don't fret. I don't know any Kindergarten nudists.
What hit me last night was that how I parented one child probably isn't going to work the same for another. Especially in cases of boys verses girls.
Matthew, my oldest, likes to joke around. He can handle sarcasm. He's on the right path to become a cocky, funny guy that most girls will love.
Jerah, my oldest girl, isn't so keen on joking around. She often doesn't "get" sarcasm. Tell it to her straight, and you're more likely to communicate with her. Of course, she did begin the "Would you rather..." game.
My parenting style with each should evolve and grow as each child grows. Matthew and Jerah are at ages where they don't need dictator parents but diplomat ones. The whiney dog just needs a kick in the patootie. I put him outside and he whines. I let him in and he whines. He's driving me nutso. What was I rambing about....
Currently I'm revising a manuscript I wrote, I think, six years ago. Let's see, it's the third manuscript I ever wrote and I stared after child #3 was born. Gee, that makes it almost eight years. Freak me out. I've been writing for eight years. That's crazy. Of course, if I subtract all the months I didn't do any writing, then I'm probably down to only 5 years of writing.
Anyhoo, I thought the manuscript wasn't that bad, wouldn't take much time to revise because not much needed to be revised. Ha!
Ha! Ha!
When I wrote that story, my understanding of plot was "something bad must happen now." I didn't understand character arcs, inner journeys, spiritual threads.
With each line I revise, I see how I've grown as a writer.
And with each child I have, I see how I need to color my hair more frequently.
For some freaky reason, I then remembered I had a moms fellowship at church to go to. I gave hubby a quick list of things for the kids to do (clean the kitchen, go to bed) then all but ran out to the car. After a day of dealing with sick kids, I needed female adult conversation.
All in all, the fellowship time was awesome. We have a MOPS group at church, but I don't attend because...well, frankly, first-time and over protective moms drive me bonkers. The baby will not die if you let it cry itself to sleep. Yeah, I had a couple freak-out moments when I had baby #1, but once hubby and I moved away from the grandparents, we figured out "freak-out" did not have to be the first emotional response option when the baby does [fill in freak out thing here].
Baby swallows a Lego. Don't fret. Eventually it'll come out. Same with jingle bells, marbles, and dog food.
Toddler a nudist? Don't fret. I don't know any Kindergarten nudists.
What hit me last night was that how I parented one child probably isn't going to work the same for another. Especially in cases of boys verses girls.
Matthew, my oldest, likes to joke around. He can handle sarcasm. He's on the right path to become a cocky, funny guy that most girls will love.
Jerah, my oldest girl, isn't so keen on joking around. She often doesn't "get" sarcasm. Tell it to her straight, and you're more likely to communicate with her. Of course, she did begin the "Would you rather..." game.
My parenting style with each should evolve and grow as each child grows. Matthew and Jerah are at ages where they don't need dictator parents but diplomat ones. The whiney dog just needs a kick in the patootie. I put him outside and he whines. I let him in and he whines. He's driving me nutso. What was I rambing about....
Currently I'm revising a manuscript I wrote, I think, six years ago. Let's see, it's the third manuscript I ever wrote and I stared after child #3 was born. Gee, that makes it almost eight years. Freak me out. I've been writing for eight years. That's crazy. Of course, if I subtract all the months I didn't do any writing, then I'm probably down to only 5 years of writing.
Anyhoo, I thought the manuscript wasn't that bad, wouldn't take much time to revise because not much needed to be revised. Ha!
Ha! Ha!
When I wrote that story, my understanding of plot was "something bad must happen now." I didn't understand character arcs, inner journeys, spiritual threads.
With each line I revise, I see how I've grown as a writer.
And with each child I have, I see how I need to color my hair more frequently.
Monday, March 10, 2008
To Contest or Not to Contest
I'm wavering in unsure-dom.
My agent has send partials out to various editors, so do I keep entering contests in the mean time or do I wait? Do I enter the inspy category or stick my story in the historical one, and risk the judges marking it "wrong category" because of the inspirational elements?
Of course, if the contest didn't have an inspy category, then it's not as if there's an option. Historical should go in historical.
But I'm looking at $20-30 an entry.
Is the benefit worth the cost?
My agent has send partials out to various editors, so do I keep entering contests in the mean time or do I wait? Do I enter the inspy category or stick my story in the historical one, and risk the judges marking it "wrong category" because of the inspirational elements?
Of course, if the contest didn't have an inspy category, then it's not as if there's an option. Historical should go in historical.
But I'm looking at $20-30 an entry.
Is the benefit worth the cost?
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Quote of the day
"Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has not heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains." - Sir Winston Churchill
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