10 Things I've Done

I could give you a blow-by-blow of the weekend but it would consist mainly of squeeing, laughing, eating, squeeing some more, laughing some more and eating some more. Rocki was brilliant on Saturday and had us all in the palm of her hand. And she was worried she'd be hearing crickets. Ha! Big congrats to Heart of Dixie, the luncheon coordinator Kathy Bone and all the worker bees for a job well done. I think we get a week off before we start working on the 2009 luncheon.

Funniest part of the weekend? Going to a nice Italian restaurant for dinner Saturday night and seeing "Rabbit Three Ways" on the chef's special menu. ACK!

Since I'm struggling for a blog topic, I went hunting for stuff to blog about and came up with this:

10 Things I've Done You Probably Haven't

1. In 1979, the DH, #1 son and I went through Checkpoint Charlie and visited East Berlin. It was scary but I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

2. In 1980 I rode a camel at the Pyramids in Egypt. That too was scary cause camels are nasty creatures, but again, I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.



3. I had a letter to the editor published in Cosmopolitan magazine.

4. I met Jean Stapleton (Edith Bunker on All in the Family) while I was on vacation in Alaska. We were on the same glacier boat excursion. Also on board was Betty Buckley (the original "glamour puss" in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats and the stepmom on Eight is Enough). You can play Six Degrees of Separation with Jean Stapleton and Betty Buckley. Anybody want to take a guess? *

5. I gave birth the first time in a hospital that at one time was an R&R facility for Nazi soldiers and the second time in a hospital that was once a house of ill repute.

6. I've eaten roasted elk once. I've eaten escargot and alligator too.

7. I had a former Playboy Bunny as a college PE teacher. That's how I learned to do the cha-cha-cha. She taught the ballroom dancing class, only then it was called "social dancing."

8. I've been to the Olympic games -- Atlanta 1996.

9. I married a man who is related to both Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone.

10. I was in Andy Warhol's disco, The Electric Circus, in New York City in March 1970, when it was bombed by a group of radical dissidents.

So tell me what you've done that I haven't.

* Those folks who play Six Degrees with Jean Stapleton and Betty Buckley and correctly connect them within six steps will be entered in a drawing for an autographed copy of "The Ex-Girlfriends' Club" by fabu Playground friend Rhonda Nelson.

Reading is fundamental...

I hope y’all aren’t expecting a play-by-play rundown of the weekend…I’m too pooped to think. (And, thanks to my chaptermate Mary—a closet sadist—I’m unable to walk after a simple 25-minute workout. Mercy, am I out of shape!)

But the weekend was a complete blast—fun dinners, much laughter, a great luncheon, and a special party celebrating my first sale. Plus, it was my first appearance as a published author—definitely something to remember.

And I will—as soon as I get some sleep.

In the midst of all that’s been happening, I’ve been doing some reading. One of the things I love about being a writer is that I can read rafts of books and call it work. I have a reason to get snippy when folks interrupt my reading—after all, I need to do this. It’s tax-deductible and part of the job.

Right now, I’m devouring the line I sold to—pretty much to the exclusion of all else. (Yeah, Jennifer LaBrecque’s book is still listed in the sidebar, even though I finished it. Two thumbs up!! Loved it!! Highly recommended—and the gondola scene is hot.) Of course, I’m reading with the intention of learning more about what I can and can’t do (or say) in the line, how the other authors handle certain things, and, of course, hoping something will spark for me and my next book.

Now, without gushing, I can honestly say I’m flummoxed as to how or why I ended up selling to this line. These ladies can write circles around me and not even break a sweat!

Even though I’m reading with a greater purpose in mind, I haven’t’ lost the enjoyment of reading. I’m still swept up by the story and haven’t begun to mark up the books as craft research or analyze every last word and sentence choice. Reading is still fun. It’s still an escape. I look up and a couple of hours have passed. All I can do is hope I can provide the same enjoyment to someone else.

What are you reading? Are you reading for fun or knowledge? Or can it be both?

PC
~~BTW, while I don’t have a title yet, I do have a January 2009 UK release date!~~

UPDATE: I just got my new title moments ago--- The Secret Mistress Arrangement. Squee!!

The Children and Playkids

I would love to tell y'all what a wonderful time we had at our Luncheon this weekend, meeting and hanging out with Roxanne St. Claire, celebrating PC's first sale with close friends and the Mavens, but I had a realization last night: having the Monday blogging spot, I tend to tell y'all all about our weekend fun and no one else gets to blog about it. Easy and fun for me, not as fun for the other Playfriends. I'll leave them to tell you all about it later this week. Although, BTW, Roxanne is the sweetest person! She's helpful, funny, and just wonderful to hang around. It was great to meet her after hearing so much about her from PM. Squeee!

Instead I'll tell you a little story about AFTER I got home. I didn't get back to the house this weekend until after my children were in bed Saturday night. Driving home was an adventure in and of itself. (Deb, my hubby says thanks for the heads-up on the wine! He's grateful!) But after talking over our weekends with the hubby, I crashed around 11:30pm. Nothing invaded my sleep from that point—not a noise or movement. I don't think I shifted my position by even a centimeter, I was so dead asleep. But at 4:30am, I blinked awake without a clue as to why my heart was suddenly racing and my ears were searching for sound.

Suddenly, I heard a faint and familiar cry. My son. Suffice it to say, both of my children have gone through periods where, instead of waking up naturally and going potty in the middle of the night, their bodies don't wake up enough for them to navigate the dark, and they wander around in their rooms trying to figure out how to get to the bathroom. They cry because they are actually still asleep.

Realizing what was happening, I stumbled from the bed, crossed the hall, and called out to him. Finding him more by instinct than sight, I picked him up and we headed for the bathroom. Now, I can describe this, because he's 3, though he'll probably kill me later in life. I settled him on the toilet, then sat on the rim of the tub until he finished, because he was swaying, still drowsy enough to act drunk, which is SO CUTE on a kid that age. :)

Then the sweetest thing happened. All of a sudden, he seemed to realize it was Mommy there beside him. The Mommy he hadn't seen all weekend and didn't know was home. He turned to look at me, eyes glassy and dazed, and this HUGE grin broke out on his face. My heart contracted, and I couldn't help smiling back. He was so happy to see me.

Then his gaze wandered around aimlessly for a few minutes, finally settling back on me, and he tossed out that same grin. I had to stifle a laugh this time, because it reminded me of the type of drunk that gets all touchy feely when he's liquored up. (I know, don't hate me because I've compared my child with a lush. It was just funny!)

He repeated this action several times before his eyes started drifting closed. As I snuggled his body close to mine, carried him back to bed, and tucked him under the covers, I sported a little smile of my own. I'd had a great time out with my friends, but he made me so happy to be home....

What makes you grateful to be home?


Angel

Three Weeks Late and 5k Short

In early April, I challenged Instigator to a writing competition to light a fire under our tails. I’m uber-competitive and there’s nothing like it to get me to push through a tough writing spot. We opted for a race to 125 pages. If one of us finished our book before we reached 125, whomever had the most pages at the time of completion would win, even if their book wasn’t done. At the time, I was at 100 even, so once I hit my goal, my book would be almost finished. I was on fire at the start. 10-18 pages a day, no problem. Then I went to Disneyworld for four days. Then Tampa. Then Nashville. Three consecutive long-weekend trips and I was toast. She smoked me, finishing her book after 112 pages while I still sat somewhere in the 80s.

I will be graciously buying us both a mani-pedi before Nationals this year. In the last challenge, PC and I decided that win or lose, we should both get a mani-pedi as a reward for our hard work. I quite agree. 100+ pages in a couple weeks is nothing to sneeze at.

So, better late than never, I hit 125 pages yesterday with a grand total of 4 full love scenes (this is a major breakthrough for me, I assure you). I still have about 5,000 words to go on Red-Handed, but I’m close. I have to work out all the post-black moment internal angst and burn down a building. I seem to do that a lot. You'd never know I was pyrophobic. Anyway, I wanted the book finished and edited by June and I think that might just happen. I just need to find a few people frustrated enough with their own books to stop and critique mine. :)

Now that I'm so close, I'm of course being tempted by the lure of the next book. I don't have much, but what I've got is GREAT if I say so myself. I've done a little research and found some perfect stuff. This should be interesting to write, if nothing else. Unfortunately I can't start on it until I FINISH THE OTHER ONE. Argh.

This of course is on top of a million things happening this weekend. Teas, luncheons, dinners, parties...all with outfits I still haven't chosen. Sigh. All I had to say to DB was that it was luncheon weekend and he was like...oh, see you Sunday, then. Pretty much sums it up.

So, what has your brain pulling in 5 different directions today?
SP

Circle of Five:
1 novella pending with Nocturne Bites
2 short stories and 4 short features with the Trues
(yeah, I know it hasn't changed...)

As My World Turns

I'm going to apologize ahead of time because this post is going to be short. I'm writing this from the bed, flat on my back, after a day of vertigo. It isn't getting any better. I'm tired of the world spinning. I'd really like it if someone could stop the ride now so I can get off.

This happens every so often for me - it's been a long time since I've had an episode this bad though...almost 3 years I think. But when it hits my response is to immediately drop to the floor and stay there until everything stops spinning. At least I was at home this time when it hit. Last time I was at the office. When my parents came to take my home I know the woman in the front office thought I'd been hitting the sauce. They had to practically carry me out of the building. Not a pretty sight.

I went to the doctor earlier in the week because my ear is stopped up - ringing constantly(which is what's affecting my equilibrium). So I'm on medication already but I added a couple more this morning that should hopefully kick in and make this all better. Please, God. We have a pretty big weekend planned and I don't think experiencing it from the floor of the ballroom is how I want to spend it. Not to mention that I don't think its the atmosphere we're going for. I will though because damn it I'm not missing this weekend!

I'd open the comments up for everyone to share their medical woes but...I'm afraid it might turn into Christmas with my grandma-in-law(not that it hasn't already). Anyone have fun plans for the weekend?

Instigator

The Real(ity) World

Two of my must-see television shows are winding to an end.

Dancing with the Stars is down to the final three couples. Any one of the three could win, though I really want Kristi Yamaguchi to get that coveted mirror ball trophy because aside from the fact she's really good, a woman hasn't won since season one. But who amongst us hasn't enjoyed the eye candy called Christian de la Fuente? I've discovered a new hunk.

American Idol is ending too. The finale is next week and it's a toss-up who will win. David A might have lost some popularity after the media revealed his father was a backstage bully, not only to his own son but the other contestants as well. After he told his son to change a lyric and cost AI money, their lawyers banned him from backstage.

I was not a David Cook fan at the beginning. His crazy hair and rocker style wasn't my thing. But I've seen him take huge chances and improve each week. I wonder if Simon's early comment about him never amounting to anything besides a guy with a guitar was a motivation to DC to prove him wrong?

Syesha is a powerful singer, but she hasn't been able to battle these two guys. Maybe the voters will surprise us and the finale won't be the battle of the Davids.

The non-reality world is winding down for me too -- Desperate Housewives and CSI are ending. The writers' strike did a number on TV this year. I have discovered Moonlight so at least I can catch up on it during the re-runs.

Last Sunday night was the Survivor finale. Parvati won Survivor Micronesia: Fans versus Favorites and pocketed a cool million for holding off the other contestants over 39 days of rain, bugs and sleeping in a cave. I was bummed when Ozzy was voted off. He's by far the best ever player in Survivor history. I was more bummed when James had to leave for medical reasons. I agree that Erik is THE dumbest player in Survivor history and I really wanted Amanda to win.

But I read about a new Survivor series.

Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each for six weeks. Each kid will play two sports and take either music or dance classes. There is no fast food. Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean, correct all homework, and complete science projects, cook, do laundry, and pay a list of 'pretend' bills with not enough money.

In addition, each man will have to budget money for groceries each week. Each man must remember the birthdays of all the family's friends and relatives, and send cards out on time -- no emailing. Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment and a haircut appointment. He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the Emergency Room.

He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a social function. Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house, planting flowers outside and keeping it presentable at all times. The men will have access to television only when the kids are asleep and all chores are done.

The men must shave their legs, wear makeup daily, adorn themselves with jewelry, wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes, keep fingernails polished and eyebrows groomed. During one of the six weeks, the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches, and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or slow down from other duties.

They must attend weekly school meetings, church, and find time at least once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting. They will need to read a book to the kids each night and in the morning, feed them, dress them, brush their teeth and comb their hair by 7:00 am.

A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information: each child's birthday, height, weight, shoe size, clothes size and doctor's name; also the child's weight and length at birth, time of birth, and length of labor, each child's favorite color, middle name, favorite snack, favorite song, favorite drink, favorite toy, biggest fear and what he/she wants to be when grown up.

The kids vote the men off the island based on performance. The last man wins only if... he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice.

If the last man does win, he can play the game over and over and over again for the next 18-25 years, eventually earning the right to be called Mother!

Other than watching the Moonlight reruns and the six weeks of Monk we'll get in July and August, I guess I'll have to find something else to do in the evenings. Gee, maybe I could oh... write?

How's your TV viewing coming along?

P.S. Please pop over to the Pink Heart Society where our own Problem Child (AKA Kimberly Lang) is doing her first guest blog. Squeeeee!

One week later...

Has the glow faded? Nope.

Does it still seem unreal? Yep.

Has it been an awesome week? Oh, yeah, bay-bee.

Has it been a crazy week? Omigodyes.

Not that my life is ever what you’d call boring—at least in the “sit around and do nothing way” (doesn’t that sound like bliss?)-- but I’ve been running non-stop lately. Take the general stuff—dance recitals, luncheon, a Tea, Parent-Teacher conference, PTA meetings, field day, field trips, SP’s birthday celebrations, doctor appointments, laundry and the fact my family likes to eat—and add in all the I JUST SOLD!!!! excitement, and I’m a flurry of activity this week. (Yes, we’re just talking about *this* week. I can’t even think about next week yet without crying…)

But who am I to complain? Like I’m going to whine about having to get headshots done or getting my website up and live. Oh, poor me--another congratulatory email just came in. Pfft! I’ll take this over the PTA meeting any day.

I am in a bit of a panic about that whole “next book” thing, though. I’m auditioning heroes and herioines and some plots in my head right now and none of them are exciting me yet. I’m just holding on to the faith that one of them will spark and I’ll have a new book idea ready to go…once I make it through the next two weeks (what *is* it with May anyway?).

(But, yeah, little “squees” do escape from time-to-time without warning, and that really does make everything else tolerable. )

So, I’m afraid this blog will be short, sweet, and not too pithy, because I have to plan the end-of-the-year party for the first grade.

Since Rhonda Nelson has given up her personal blog and "Whine About It Wednesday" is no more, I'll dub this "Tantrum Tuesday." Let it all out. We'll sympathize.

PC

****I'm guest blogging tomorrow at the Pink Heart Society (www.pinkheartsociety.blogspot.com) . Please come by and say Hi!***