Musical-ly Inclined

I usually blog a day in advance so I don’t have to worry about drawing a blank on Friday morning. Normally, that’s a good thing. Unfortunately, today I have worked myself into a nasty funk. I have a laundry list of physical, hormonal and emotional complaints that, for your sake, I will keep to myself. Perhaps I’ll rewrite this blog when my Excedrin kicks in. :)

I’m trying to perk up because tonight I’m supposed to go with a few co-workers to dinner and Menopause: The Musical. Yes, I’m significantly younger than all my fellow employees, menopause is a long way off for me, but it should be funny anyway. I like musicals. This one is described as “a 90-minute production which includes 25 re-lyricized tunes from the ‘60s and ‘70s and culminates with a salute to women who are experiencing The Change. Set in a department store, where four women with seemingly nothing in common but a black lace bra meet by chance, the musical pokes fun at things such as hot flashes, memory loss, mood swings, wrinkles, night sweats and eating binges.”

Mood swings? Memory loss? Eating binges? I must be closer to menopause than I thought. Appropriate for today, I think, as I mutter under my breath and ponder what fat-filled chocolate delight the vending machine has in store for me.

I’m a big musical fan overall. My mom took me to see my first when I was 7 or 8 – we went to see Peter Pan. (I fell in love with Peter and was very upset to find later that it was a girl playing the part!) In college, my dorm was across the street from the auditorium, so I went to whatever I could there. Since then, I’ve seen half a dozen plays on Broadway (42nd Street, Into the Woods, the Producers, Hairspray, Spamalot & Bombay Dreams). I had season tickets to the Broadway season here in Alabama, but let it lapse last season because they were offering more stuff like Chinese acrobats and Cirque du Soleil shows instead of good ol’ Broadway standbys. Before I cancelled it, I saw Miss Saigon, Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease, Cats, Le Mis, Chicago, Oklahoma, Beauty & the Beast, The Full Monty, Thoroughly Modern Millie, 42nd Street, Hairspray, Peter Pan, the Producers...probably a few more I don’t remember.

My favorite, out of all of them, would have to be Spamalot, of course. My Monty Python fetish runs deep. I also love the classics by Rogers and Hammerstein, so Oklahoma, Music Man, Cinderella...always great. Love Jesus Christ Superstar. Loved Mamma Mia – any Abba fan would.

I have to admit there’s a couple I’ve gone to and thought...hmm... Cats was like that for me. I’d always heard all this great stuff about it, then I was just completely lost. Is jellical even a word? And what’s with the spaceship? And who names their cat Mungo Jerry? Nevermind, I just don’t think I’m meant to understand. There's others I like, but had problems with, like the Sound of Music. The goat puppets are a problem for me. Creepy, creepy, goat puppets with their bug eyes and long lashes. Yodalay-he-hoo!

What’s your favorite musical? Any plays you’ve ever seen and wondered why you paid so much for the ticket?? Share your thoughts on the Great White Way.

SP

Time Suck

For the last four days I have wasted countless hours trying to solve a puzzle. It's a puzzle Smarty Pants sent me the link for over the weekend and despite the fact that I'm not a huge old Hollywood fan, I've spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out the answer to the puzzle. And I'm still no closer to figuring it out. It involves an award winning actress who isn't really a woman and the post is known as Timmy/Shimmy.

Here's the original post by an anonymous man who goes by ENT Lawyer on Crazydaysandnights.net

I don't remember the first time I met JJ. It just seemed like from the first day I started at my first position he was there. It seems like he has always said he is retired, but at the same time it seems like he always has a piece of every project. JJ is pushing 90 if he isn't there already. He started in the business when he was a kid doing gofer work and his career rise has matched the rise of films through their infancy all the way to the present day. He knows everyone and for those few people he doesn't know, they certainly know him.

I've always told him he needs to write a book about his life and times and let future generations have an insight into his life and what he has seen. I get the feeling he has, although he hasn't ever confirmed it. Maybe he is waiting to publish it after he dies. I don't know.

With what I do now I don't come into contact with JJ much anymore on a professional basis but I always stay in touch on a personal basis. Every other month or so we get together for brunch and I get entertained for a few hours. I'm not sure what JJ gets out of it except for some company and some free food. Somehow I think I'm getting the better part of the deal.
This past Sunday the conversation turned towards an event he had hinted at previously, but had never really finished the story and I took the opportunity this time to get the answers I wanted.

All I will say about these events are they happened within the past 50 years and only about ten people know the whole story.

Timmy was a gay man at a time when gay men were treated miserably, not only in Hollywood but in the rest of the country as well. Timmy's homosexuality was compounded by the fact that he was very slightly built, had very pale features and a skin condition that prevented much hair growth on his body.

What Timmy had going for him was a personality that wouldn't quit and a way of capturing an audience whether one person, five hundred or through film that was unlike anything most people had seen previously.

Timmy grew up in the Northeast in a small town where he really and truly didn't fit in. At some point he knew he wanted to be an actor and began performing in theatres across the country. He would stick in a city long enough to work in some plays and shows and then move on when he heard of another opportunity in a bigger town or for more money somewhere else. Each of these moves pushed him further and further west to his ultimate destination in Hollywood.
When he first arrived in LA, the studio system was still going strong and most performers were tied to a studio for many years. They would often work on several films simultaneously and often share accommodations with other performers of the same level who also worked at the same studio.

Timmy worked often, but nothing more than a few lines here or there and spent a great deal of time in the "chorus" sections of musicals which were still fairly popular. To supplement his income Timmy began performing in local theatre productions. One night the lead actress was unable to perform and there was no understudy. A sold out audience was going to be sent home unless something was done.

Enter Timmy. With the audience none the wiser, Timmy performed the entire two hour show as the lead actress and received a standing ovation. He was brilliant and there was even a review in the paper which talked about this understudy who was even better than the regular actress.
As good as Timmy was, it was only for one night, and he went back to his regular role the next night. Timmy was excited about the possibilities the night before had held though and the response he received was never far from his mind.

After another year working at the studio without getting much further than bit parts, Timmy decided to do something which would put him in the spotlight. When his studio contract ended he basically reversed his original trek to LA and began performing in small town theatres again, but this time as a woman.

Timmy traveled and did the theatre route for almost two years while building up a resume and a background for his new persona. When he finally felt as if he had it down, Timmy returned to Hollywood. This time as a woman.

From his very first screen test as a woman, Timmy was destined to become a star. Timmy was initially given meaty supporting roles and moved into an apartment with two other women who worked at the studio. One of those women was JJ's wife. There was just no way for Timmy to keep his masculinity a secret in such close quarters and so the two women became Timmy's confidantes and helped him whenever possible.

Over the next two years, Timmy worked steadily as a woman and kept getting better and better roles. He was very rarely the lead, but in memorable role he was cast as the lead opposite a very closeted A list at the time actor who also remained single for his entire life. The two began a relationship which was always kept quiet but lasted for many years.

Shortly after Timmy was cast as the lead, he was cast in another role which is the subject of the blind. Timmy was incredible in this role and whether his acting was as a result of his new found love or as a result of just the right part at the right time, Hollywood took notice and so did the critics. During award season, Timmy began winning regularly for his role. I want to make it perfectly clear that none of these organizations knew Timmy was actually a man when they were honoring him with awards as an actress.

This award season was a blessing because it honored Timmy for his work, but at the same time the increased publicity and probes into his background were causing a great deal of stress and Timmy began getting hives and breaking out as the stress of trying to maintain three different persona's. Timmy himself, Timmy the actress, and Timmy the gay man in a loving relationship with a closeted star.

When it came to the very big award, the one with all the television viewers, Timmy won again. There he was, the woman who was really a gay man was being honored for being the Best Supporting Actress/Best Actress of the year. Its up to you to figure out which of the two he won.
After the award season, Timmy thought the hives and his skin would go back to normal, but if anything they became worse. The severe outbreak he had been dealing with had altered his body to the point where it just wouldn't go back to normal.

At that time there was no CGI, and makeup could only do so much. Timmy the award winning actress was having trouble finding work because of his condition and so he saw his career slowly work its way back down the ladder over the course of three or four years.

Timmy considered trying to resume a film career as a man but the skin condition made that impossible because it would have been one hell of a coincidence that two people who looked remarkably alike had the same condition. What he could do though was return to the theatre, and he did so, as a man and worked as a man until his death from AIDS related complications.
Sunday after brunch I went to Blockbuster and I rented the award winning film, and even knowing what I knew, when I watched it Sunday night it was almost impossible to tell. If you watch it carefully there is one giveaway which is a scar. It's not a big scar, but its evident in photos of the male Timmy which you can still find online in old cast photos and in the female version of Timmy as she acts her way to one of the biggest awards in films.

Timmy as an actor and actress was in over 100 films and theatre productions from Topeka to Broadway, but this is about one role and one award.

There have also been several updates and clues given over the last couple weeks here. I'm posting this because I know our readers are much more intelligent than I am and I'm hoping that someone has an idea and can put me out of my misery. ENT has said he'll post the answer sometime next week but I'm going to be in jury duty all week...I can't take the suspense!!

Instigator

P.S. Don't forget that Mary Castillo will be guest blogging with us next Thursday.

P.P.S. Congratulations to Sue A our winner from yesterday. Please email PM with your information including which book you'd like to receive.

Workin' 9 to 5, What a Way to Make a Livin'

When someone asks what my job is, I'm always at a bit of a loss. For most of my married life I've been just a wife and mom, but of course all you wives and moms out there know there's nothing "just" about it. Now the kiddies are grown and out, and I jokingly tell the DH that he's my job now.

Sometimes I actually get up the nerve to tell folks I'm a writer. They ask what I write and I tell them. And there's usually a bit of discussion about books and magazine and reading and such. My nextdoor neighbors are actually impressed that I've had short stories published in a magazine. And some other friends have asked me to see copies of the magazines where my stories appear.

Here's a list of the jobs I've held through the years (and this doesn't include any lemonade stands or babysitting):

1. My college was on the quarter system and we didn't get out of school until later in December. By the time I got home my freshman year, there weren't many good jobs available, but I found a position in a local supermarket trying to convince shoppers to buy eggnog. The company didn't want me actually giving samples. I just had to hold up a quart and show it. Talk about boring. And I even hate eggnog. But I earned enough to pay for my part of a trip to NYC with the Interfaith Council, where I saw Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Empire State Building and was in a disco in the East Village when a subversive group planted a pipe bomb.

2. The next Christmas I worked at Sears. It was my first foray into retail sales. After a quick lesson on how to operate the cash register I was turned loose on the floor. No matter what department I was in, the cash register always screwed up. And to make matters worse, one night I was working with a guy who was still in high school and I learned he made more money than I, even though we both had the same level of non-experience. Talk about mad! The next two Christmases I worked in a small wholesale buying club. It was like Service Merchandise, only locally owned. The owner was great. The other employees were great. I actually enjoyed working there, and bless the owner's heart, he did his level best to make sure everyone had some time off on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day so you could be with family.

3. I was a dorm counselor for two years. Mostly I had to tell girls to keep the noise level down, and when they instituted male visitation in the dorms, occasionally I had to run a guy out of the dorm after hours. The worst was when I was told one of the girl's boyfriend had been killed in a hunting accident and they wanted to keep it from her until after final exams. The other two girls who knew asked me to cancel the hall Christmas party because they didn't think we should be celebrating. Of course I had to come up with some reason for canceling. And once they told her, I had to listen to her sob because she was in the room next to mine. Not fun.

4. I went to summer school after my freshman and sophomore years in college. Going after my junior year wouldn't have let me graduate any earlier because I had a required course that was only taught during winter quarter. So I stayed home and worked. I applied again for a retail job and when they didn't call back after a week, I settled for a waitressing job at a national chain restaurant , which shall remain nameless, but it was a good twenty years before I could eat strawberry pie, and I still can't eat hot fudge cake. I started on the counter, which was mostly just serving coffee and desserts, and then moved my way to the bigger tables. The more experienced waitresses amazed me with their ability to carry multiple plates and those huge trays. I barely managed with the small beverage tray. And the lingo -- for two weeks I thought c-burger was a fish sandwich. Sea-burger. Get it? And would you believe the retail store offered me a job AFTER I'd bought the waitressing uniform and a pair of white shoes?

5. After getting married, I had a variety of temp jobs. My husband's job required a lot of travel and I went with him. Sometimes we'd get to stay in a place for several months and I'd register with Kelly Girl (it was called that way back when I worked for them) and work temp jobs. I did mostly office work, but my most interesting job was doing inventory at International Harvester in Atlanta. All day for three days I counted nuts and bolts and doo-dads and other things. We worked in teams of two, and my partner was a Moonie -- you know, a member of Sun Myung Moon's cult.

6. My husband and I have a charity that's close to our hearts because several of his first cousins died from this disease. I've worked on their telethon and was asked to join their fundraising team for pay. For forty hours a week I sat in a basement room with a phone and a reverse phone directory and called people to very politely ask them to canvas their street for donations. Most folks were very nice, even when declining. But a few... May they rot in hell for the awful things they said to me and my co-workers.

7. We owned a retail computer software franchise for a while and I handled all the inventory control for the business. Twice a week I picked up all the invoices along with shipping and receiving documents and entered them into a database on the computer at home. It was a good job for someone with two small kids. As long as I got the work done, it didn't matter when I did it. Sadly, one of our business partners was letting inventory walk out the back door and we had trouble finding help who didn't steal from us. Combine that with a caved in roof after a heavy rain and it was bye-bye franchise.

8. I sold Tupperware for a year and I still remember that it's guaranteed against "chipping, peeling, cracking or splitting for the lifetime of the product under normal, non-commercial use." I hated asking people to do parties and I hate trying to sell things to people, which makes me wonder why I allowed myself to get involved in...

9. Amway. 'Nuff said.

10. My last "real" job was on a space shuttle support contract. For four years I worked in property management and helped keep up with billions of dollars of computational and telecommunications equipment. I also wrote procedures so if Joe Blow walked in off the street, we could hand him the procedure for receiving property and he would know how to do it. Then the contract was renegotiated, which was the roller coaster ride from hades, and after the new company took over, I was moved to the customer support group, where I tracked work orders and tried to keep tempermental engineers happy even when the network gateway was on a launch lockdown and no changes could be made to anything.

All things considered, my jobs really weren't that bad, especially when compared to some I found online.

How'd you like to work in a chicken processing plant? I just don't want to think about all those chicken guts. And how about the poor guy at the zoo who has to perform vasectomies on the male elephants. One wrong move and he'll be a human pancake.

Then there's roofing. We had two weeks of 100+ degree weather last month. I cannot imagine being on a black shingle roof during that. Heck, getting the mail nearly left me suffering from heatstroke.

Prostitution is also low on the list of desirable jobs. I'm just not sure any little girl ever says to her mother "When I grow up, I want to be a hooker." I'm not sure how many little boys grow up wanting to be a pimp, either. But a school teacher friend of mine had a student tell her he wanted to be a rapist when he grew up. She immediately contacted the school psychologist.

What's the craziest or worst job you ever had? Tell us every zany and/or awful detail. One lucky commenter will win a copy of Bite Me if You Can by Lynsay Sands or The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt or Cross My Heart by Carly Phillips.

P.S. We've started posting totals from Smarty Pants and Problem Child's writing challenge in the sidebar, just under the red contest logo. Tune in daily to watch their progress.

How Good is Your Vocabulary?

Alabama is not known for its high educational standards. Considering how Alabama only recently upped the skill level on its High School Exit Exam from 8^th to 11^th grade, it’s amazing I was ever accepted into a good college. (However, I did go to the mock test and am sad to say I would probably not pass the math portion at this time. Stupid Algebra.)

Then I find this—The 100 Words Every High School Student Should Know (according to the American Heritage Dictionary, at least.)

Yeah, right. Trust me, I’ve taught A LOT of Freshman Comp classes. I’ve never met an 18-year-old with this vocabulary. While I can say that I’ve least seen these words before, there are a couple that I’d want to look up before I committed myself to a sentence containing them. (But, then, I am a product of the Alabama Public School System, even if I did pass the Graduation Exam the first time I took it—in 10^th grade, mind you.) Anyway, while I think this is an impressive list of words, there's a lot of basic vocabulary I'd rather have 18-year-olds understand instead of some of the more unusual ones on this list.

I’m reprinting the list in its entirety below. Take a look. Do you know all 100? Are any of your favorite 50-cent words missing from the list?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

abjure abrogate abstemious acumen antebellum auspicious belie bellicose bowdlerize chicanery chromosome churlish circumlocution circumnavigate deciduous deleterious diffident enervate enfranchise epiphany equinox euro evanescent expurgate facetious fatuous feckless fiduciary filibuster gamete gauche gerrymander hegemony hemoglobin homogeneous hubris hypotenuse impeach incognito incontrovertible inculcate infrastructure interpolate irony jejune kinetic kowtow laissez faire lexicon loquacious

lugubrious metamorphosis mitosis moiety nanotechnology nihilism nomenclature nonsectarian notarize obsequious oligarchy omnipotent orthography oxidize parabola paradigm parameter pecuniary photosynthesis plagiarize plasma polymer precipitous quasar quotidian recapitulate reciprocal reparation respiration sanguine soliloquy subjugate suffragist supercilious tautology taxonomy tectonic tempestuous thermodynamics totalitarian unctuous usurp vacuous vehement vortex winnow wrought xenophobe yeoman ziggurat

Refill That Well!

The Playfriends spent Saturday at an all-day workshop hosted by our local chapter. The presentations were great, especially the one by our very own Problem Child. She talked about whipping our muses into shape, including one popular phrase "refilling the well".

Refilling the well, she explained, has to do with refueling your creativity through stimulating brain activities, creative activities outside of our usual writing, reading, and just generally having fun and acting outside of our normal comfort zone.

I've recently learned quite a bit in this area. I used to think I couldn't refill my well if I didn't have hours to spend reading, going to a movie, or spending a whole evening scrapbooking. What can I say? I'm an all or nothing kind of girl. Then reality hit, because I don't often have that kind of time.

So I'm trying something new. I'm refilling the well with little bits and pieces, but they add up. Here are a few things I now look forward to doing:

Listening to a couple of good, inspiring songs.
Taking a 20 minute nap.
Driving anywhere.
A bath, just until the muse starts working. Or even a shower.
Cuddling on the couch with the kids with my eyes closed.
Giving myself permission to daydream.

These are just some of the new techniques I'm trying, and they are working pretty darn good. :)

But today I'm doing something a little bigger. Problem Child suggested doing something new and different, so I let my husband talk me into an overnight trip to Tunica, MS. I'm not much into gambling, but you never know when it might come in handy to know what the inside of a casino looks like. I've even asked my hubby to teach me to play video poker.

While he's gambling, I can sleep in, dip into the jacuzzi, swim laps, or just daydream. If I'm inspired, I might even write. :)

So, what have you done to fill the well lately?

Angel

That's What Friends Are For

The Playfriends are a codependent group and we're not above getting teary-eyed over how very lucky we are. Then stuff like this comes to your mailbox and reminds you what it's really all about.

For my friend...

When you are sad -- I will help you get drunk and plot revenge against the sorry bastard who made you sad.

When you are blue -- I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.

When you smile -- I will know you finally got laid.

When you are scared -- I will rag on you about it every chance I get.

When you are worried -- I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining.

When you are confused -- I will use little words.

When you are sick -- Stay the hell away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.

When you fall -- I will point and laugh at your clumsy ass.

This is my oath.... I pledge it to the end.

"Why?" you may ask; "because you are my friend".

Yep, that pretty much sums us up...

Battle Cry of the Procrastinators

A little battle music to get us started...

"Dum...dum, dum, dum...dum, dum, dum...dum, dum, dum! Rising up, back on the street. Did my time, took my chances. Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet. Just a man and his will to survive! So many times, it happens too fast. You trade your passion for glory. Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past. You must fight just to keep them alive! It's the eye of the tiger, its the cream of the fight. Rising up to the challenge of our rivals! And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night and he's watching us all with the eye of the tiger..." (Survivor, Eye of the Tiger)

So we're four days into the SP/PC writing challenge. No timelimits, no minimums, just a race to 140 pages. This could take a week if one of us buckles down or six months if we creep along at our current pace. Who knows what will happen?? So far, it hasn't been too painful, at least for me. I had to psych myself into it, though. I took the last few weeks leading up to the challenge to prepare. I looked at my outline and made a list of major scenes that need to be written. Sure, there will be scenes that come along as I go, but I captured the high plot points to move the story along. I went back and edited what I'd already written so I had a better idea of how many pages I really need to write to be finished. (The goal is 140, but if one of us completes our book at say, 125 pages, the contest will end there and the person with the most pages at that point, even if not done, will win.)

I've also started going to bed about twenty minutes earlier. I choose a scene and lie in the dark, thinking out how it would go. I fall asleep with the scene in my mind and wake up ready to write it the next morning. Instigator has always written her scenes out of sequence as they come to her. The thought of this has always made me crazy, but I'm trying it now. I'm writing the scenes that seem the most alive to me at the time. I'll go back and string them together later. This may not be the best method, but I'm getting words and scenes written, so I say don't knock it till you try it. I have to go back and layer a bunch anyway, so it doesn't matter. The pages don't have to be perfectly revised and submittable to win, but they do have to be clean without gaps, etc., so I'll have to do all that before the race is done.

Of course, it takes the threat of public shame and financial burden of losing to movitate me, but that's ok. I say whatever works at this point. I haven't quite gotten my method down as a writer, so challenges like this force me to work through my issues and get books written. That's the whole point, right? Someone said you have to write a million words before you get to the level that you should be published. That comes out to 12.5 80k books for me. So far, I've cranked out 5, so I still have a way to go.

As of Thursday night, our numbers stand at:

SP:6,500 / 35,000 (18.6%)
PC: 3,750 / 35,000 (10.7%)

There's a long way to go until the mani-pedi is awarded, but I think we're both off to a good start. Is there something in your life you could use a little movitvation to start or finish? Share with us and maybe we can give you a boost to get going.

SP

I'm So Stupid

Seriously. I've spent numerous hours over the last several days redesigning my website. Why might you ask? Because I'm an idiot.

Yes, it needed to be done. Desperately. But it isn't like I'm on a demanding time table here. I've got months to deal with things like updating my website, building video trailers and researching what chotchkies and other marketing ideas I want to use to promote my book. Our very own Smarty Pants is a whiz at websites and offered to help me build my new one. I on the other hand know just enough to get myself in trouble.

So again you ask... WHY? Because I was goofing around trying to decide what I wanted my new site to look like and couldn't stop. I think I've mentioned before that I'm a perfectionist in the worst sense of the word. Well, after hours of playing I finally got a look I liked and as much as I tried to convince myself that throwing useless days on top of the hours I'd already spent was insane...I had to finish it. The thought of pulling up my old site just made me cringe. Yes, I could have (and should have) waited for SP to finish her challenge or for DH to get me the phone number of a friend who builds websites for a living but I just couldn't wait. I told myself I'd just start it and then let someone else more versed in HTML make it better (it wouldn't take much ;-D).

It took me days longer than it probably should have but it's there. For the most part. If you don't notice the missing pictures and whole page that isn't complete.

Have you guys ever started something that just snowballed into more than you expected?

Instigator

P.S. I'd really like to know what you do and don't like about the new site. So if you have an opinion (or notice a problem) let me know.

P.P.S. I just heard that Pavarotti has died which makes me sad. I remember watching the Three Tenors with my grandmother and falling in love with a kind of music I hadn't really paid attention to. My grandmother's no longer with us and somehow Pavarotti, her favorite, was a link I never realized was there.

Il bel far niente

Yesterday, Mary Kate commented about a book called Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Glbert. I haven't read it, but I heard about it on the radio last month. I took a 915 mile car trip to attend a family reunion. 915 miles in a car all by yourself gives one lots of time to think and to listen to CDs and the radio.

I have XM radio in my car and had tuned to a women's talk station. Amidst the regular programming, they had a short blurb by a woman who talked about this book and about how many women feel that every minute of every day must be filled with something worthwhile. If we're not doing something then we must be doing nothing and doing nothing isn't good.

"Why?" she asked. "Why does every minute have to be filled with something?" Why can't we do nothing and enjoy it? Is it the Puritan work ethic that's been pounded into us from birth? Do we believe we can't set a good example for our children if we're not slaving over something every moment? Will our husbands/family/neighbors/whatever think we're lazy?

I think many women are conditioned to believe they have to always be in the midst of some task. Of course our natural ability to multi-task doesn't help. How many of you have cooked dinner, made the next day's lunches, fielded a phone call from your mother, scheduled the next month's vacation, sorted the mail and assisted with a child's homework all at the same time?

I see the heads nodding.

When's the last time you did nothing and actually enjoyed it? When did you sit back on a beach or a mountain top or on board a cruise ship -- or even just in your back yard -- and do nothing but listen to the wind or feel the sun warming your skin or smell the freshness of the air?

When did you last engage in "il bel far niente" -- the beauty of doing nothing?

Yeah, yeah... I know. If we all did nothing, nothing would get accomplished. I'm not talking about sitting back forever. I'm talking about sitting back for a morning or afternoon to recharge, rejuvenate, relax. To let your mind concentrate on nothing.

Here's a little clip from a roadside stop I made on my trip back home. I could sit and watch this for hours. And isn't the sound soothing?





And here's a bunch of people who are expending way too much energy, not to mention getting into water that's so cold it makes your muscles cramp.




Did you do a little "nothing" over the Labor Day weekend? I did. Well, if reading Maven Linda's latest book can be described as nothing.

P.S. schwartzbergj is yesterday's winner. Please email Nalini for your prize.

Guest Blogger Nalini Singh

Nalini Singh has traveled as far afield as the deserts of China and the temples of Japan. However, it is the journey of the imagination that fascinates her the most. Currently writing the next book in her bestselling Psy/Changeling series—about a psychic race with no emotions, and the sensual changelings who challenge their perfect Silence—she can be found via her website: www.nalinisingh.com/ or hanging out at her blog: www.nalinisingh.blogspot.com.

Her newest release is CARESSED BY ICE, which comes out today!



Y'all give a big playground welcome to Nalini Singh!

Loving to Read

I love to read. I truly, deeply love to read. In the movie Sabrina, the heroine says that her father became a chauffeur so he’d have more time to read. That’s one of my favorite lines in the movie—because I understand that kind of love for the written word. As a child living on a tiny dot of an island in the Pacific, one of the highlights of my week was the book bus. I used to eye the adult side of that bus covetously—I really wanted to read those books with no pictures in them!

These days, I have lots and lots and lots of books. There are books on the shelves, stacked on the floor, propped on my desk, tucked in my bag...so many books everywhere. I love the feeling of just looking around, figuring out what I’m in the mood for and diving in. I always feel like a child let loose in a candy store.

My reading choices fluctuate with my mood, but this year, for the first time, I’ve started keeping a record of what I’m reading, and that’s turned into fascinating reading on its own. For example, there’s a section of the list that’s all rereads, one after the other. I went through a patch where only the tried and true worked. That pattern broke after I read a new-to-me author.

I’ve also noticed that I’m reading a whole bunch of debut authors. Some of this is because people I know have had their first books come out, but a lot of it is curiosity. As a reader, I want to try things, want to make up my own mind—especially about books that get a lot of buzz (negative or positive).

I think, as writers, reading is built into our genes. It’s the rare writer who doesn’t also read thousands of books over their lifetime. Personally, I think reading is necessary. Not just in terms of ‘work’, to keep up with what’s happening in your genre, but because it serves to pamper the creative side of the brain. Think of it as a treat for the mind.

Which recent books proved to be delicious treats for you? Are there any that you’re anticipating with bated breath? And just because I’m the curious type, how many books do you think you read over the course of a year?

Everyone who comments goes into a draw to win a signed copy of either Slave to Sensation or Visions of Heat, the first books in my Psy/Changeling series. (If you’d prefer one of my Sil Desire books, let me know.) And talking about prizes, I have this competition running on my blog where you can go into the draw to win a $50 Amazon voucher. It closes Sunday, so enter before it’s too late.


P.S. from PC: Sometime on Monday, the Writing Playground blog passed the 60k mark for blog visitors! SQUEEEE!!!

MoanDay

Thanks to everyone for posting last month about your favorite hotties and which ones you'd like to see here on the Playground. I waded through the page of listings I culled from the comments and decided to go with someone we haven't talked about much here on the Playground. That narrowed down the list considerably. :)

Today's Moanday hunk is Joaquin Phoenix:



One of the interesting things I've found about actors (and even models) as I'm hunting pics for my heroes is that different photos can make them look differently or make me think about them differently. For instance, in my last book, my hero was modeled after Scott Speedman. But he looked like the Scott Speedman from the Underworld movies. Some of the pics I found of him on the Internet looked totally different (and not nearly so attractive). Plus you can see them in a variety of guises. For instance, here's a slightly evil looking Joaquin from the movie Gladiator (which I've never seen, so I don't know what role this is, some kind of royalty, I believe):



Here he is as a country music star, when he played Johnny Cash in Walk the Line. Not one of my favorite movies, but this picture is certainly "angsty artist", don't you think?




Here he is from one of my favorite movies, Signs. This wasn't one of his most aggressive roles, but I loved the kind of lost, unsure of his path guy he'd played here.





They say symmetry is one thing people look for in others they are attracted to, but I also think the things that make us different can have a deciding factor in the staying power of attraction. I, for one, happen to adore the scar on Joaquin's upper lip.

What anomalies do you find make men more attractive? Are you a scar kind of girl, seeing them as character-proving marks? Do you favor uneven facial features, moles (like the one Enrique had removed), or even those certain guys who look great bald (Jean Luc Picard, yummy!)?

Until next MoanDay, enjoy!

Angel

Shamless Plugging

You may have heard about Gather.com's First Chapters Romance Writing Competition.

It's a fun opportunity for new writers to get their first chapters out there. The competition is stiff--a lot of folks with a lot of good chapters. I'd encourage everyone to wander over and read, vote, and comment* on the chapters before September 18. Yes, you must register with Gather.com in order to vote, but it's free and only takes a second.

There are quite a few entries in this first round, and it may seem overwhelming. However, I'd like to call your attention to this one: His Hotness.

It's a great chapter, and it just happens to be written by my fabu CP. We'd both appreciate it if you took a moment to vote. (And possibly tell your friends to vote as well.)

*Commenting is very important. Turns out, Gather uses the number of unique commentors as a tie-breaker. (The entries with the most number of "10" ratings get moved to the next round, but in case of a tie, they use the comments.) Commenting can also win *you* a prize from Gather.

Thanks!

And the winner is...

Congratulations to the winners of our Highland Fling contest!

Grand Prize : Kimberly Perry of Little Falls, MN

Runner Up: Jackie Wisherd of La Mesa, CA

Thanks to everyone who entered, and good luck in our new contest!

Last Chance to Enter!

Tonight is your last chance to enter our Highland Fling Contest and win some super cool stuff from our trip to Scotland! And tomorrow, we kick off a whole new contest - you have to enter each time, so be sure to do it. We give away good prizes!

Fear Factor

So, you're probably wondering what happened to the big Playground battle between myself and PC. All gung ho after drinking at a restaurant, we decided we'd start the following Monday (cause all challenges, like diets, start on Monday.) Well, then we postponed for the knee surgery and desk assembly. Didn't want anyone to have an unfair advantage that might taint their victory. We told ourselves September 1st. Hmm...that's tomorrow. So I sent an email to PC to renegotiate - yes, its the beginning of the month, but what challenge starts on a Saturday? It should start on Monday the 3rd. Wait. That's Labor Day. What challenge starts on a holiday? Tuesday then. Yes, Tuesday the challenge will begin!

I'm a little freaked out by the whole thing. Yeah, I'm sure I jumped right on it when the suggestion came up. Yes, I'm super competitive and know that the pain of losing will be much worse than the pain of pulling 140 pages out of my hind end. I know I cocked an eyebrow at her and raised the stakes so high, there was no way to blame the peach bellini and back down. But still, I worry. I worry like I do with every book, but this one is worse than the others.

I really like this book. I like the characters. I think what I've got so far is great. Yeah, there are issues, but...what if I screw it up? 140 pages, whether written in 6 months or 6 weeks can be screwed up. What if I ruin this story? This great story. This could be THE story. Makes it that much harder. And what if I don't screw it up? What if its great and it sells and they want the other three books that go with it? What if they can never be as good as the first? Darned if I do, darned if I don't, although I'd be stupid to complain about having the latter problem.

This will probably come as a shocker (hush, y'all) but my list of fears does not have spiders or snakes on the top. I'm pyrophobic, but that's an irrational fear and doesn't really count. My personality type is the mastermind. The problem solver. The perfectionist. What I'm afraid of, really afraid of, is failure. Followed up by a close second of rejection. Guess I got in the wrong business, eh? I mean, I think most people don't want to fail and they pray not to get an R in the mail, but I'm actually afraid of it. Occasionally paralyzed by it. Got that whole "if I'm perfect maybe my daddy will see and love me" or some psycho-babble crap thing going. Not as exciting as spiders or those people with odd ones like fear of hairballs or mayonnaise.

Well, I've shaken hands and gotten myself into this challenge, no matter what. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully we'll both break through our barriers and get some good work out of this. In the meantime, what are you afraid of? Share your neurosis with the group, please, so I'll feel better about this. :)

SP

A Southern Religion

In the South Wednesdays and Sundays are reserved for God's use. Friday and Saturday's are for football. And never the two shall meet - with two exceptions. First, there's 30 seconds left in the 4th, it's 3rd and goal and we're down by 6 points. Then everyone prays. Second, if you're a good Catholic boy like DH and you root for Notre Dame.

This weekend marks the start of most high school and college football in the country - the beginning of a seasonal religion in the South. Pro ball starts next week. After spending four years in the band, countless hours watching college ball on TV and a couple nights in the stands at a Titans game I've learned a thing or two about football. I know I enjoy watching the games (and the way those quarterback's butts look in those tight pants). And I know I can't tell holding from offsides - but I can spot unsportsmanlike conduct.

DH will be taking both girls to the first home game of the season for our local high school tomorrow night. It's a tradition he started with Sweet Pea several years ago. They're all very excited about going. Me? I'm staying home. It's till 90 frickin degrees in the shade down here and I'm a firm believer that if I'm sweating I'd best be losing inches from my waist.

My parents, sister, brother-in-law and youngest brother will all be at the Auburn game on Saturday since they hold season tickets (WAR EAGLE!). This weekend begins a proud family tradition of scheduling absolutely everything around when we play Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida. The rest of the games don't matter unless we lose.

Who are you rooting for this year?

Instigator

P.S. Congratulations to Sassy and Ginger, our winners from Jen LaBrecque's guest blog with us yesterday. Please email Jen at jennifer@jenniferlabrecque.com with your name and snail mail address to claim your prize.

More Than You EVER Wanted to Know about Writing a Harlequin NASCAR Romance…

First of all, thanks to PC for the very nice review of the THE ROOKIE here at the Playground. And I always enjoy stopping by here to check out what’s going on, so I’m pretty darned excited to be the guest blogger today.

When I first heard that Harlequin had teamed up with NASCAR to cover romances, I thought it was a very savvy business move – I just didn’t realize I’d be one of the writers involved. I was invited to write one of the books and while I was still on the phone with the editor, the characters and the storyline popped into my head – a pampered daddy’s girl who’s always had everything handed to her on the sponsorship side and a down-to-earth rookie driver who’s fought his way up the ranks. It’s always a good thing when characters show up wanting their shot at happiness.

Now color me strange (please hold all cheeky comments on that), but the other appealing factor was it had to have a romance and sexual tension, but it also had to be written at a PG-rating level. No on-page sex. No “earthy” language. Uh, both of those things are a given in all of my books. Plus this was a longer word count than I’d ever written. This was an opportunity and a challenge for me to write outside my norm, to tell a story that would appeal to NASCAR fans who’d perhaps never read romance before, and likewise to interest romance readers who weren’t necessarily NASCAR enthusiasts.

I hopped on-board.

And I quickly learned an important thing. You can like NASCAR racing and you can watch it but there’s a whole lot to know beyond that to write about people who live in that world because it is a world unto itself. It very quickly slapped me upside the head that I needed to do some major research. I do actually research pretty much every book that I write whether it’s location or jobs or professions, but this was way beyond and above any kind of research I’d had to do before.

I bought lots of non-fiction books about NASCAR and read. The fam and I went to a race at Talladega and sat in the nosebleed section and when it got rained out on Sunday, we won the Bad Parent Award by keeping our kid out of school and going back to the Monday make-up race. It was very cool to “experience” a race at the track, although I could have definitely lived without the horrendous traffic. There’s a reason they fly the crew members in and out.

In May 2006, a group of us met in Charlotte for a tour of Roush Racing headquarters and the Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Here we are, all assembled for dinner the night before:

Front, L to R: Carrie Weaver, editor Marsha Zinberg, Ken Casper, (Back) Gina Wilkins, Wendy Etherington, Yours Truly.


What an amazing experience to go through the garages where these cars are being built and fine-tuned, to see the assembly crews at work, to realize the depth, scope and sophistication behind those Saturday and Sunday races. We also got to tour one of the haulers – those big transport vehicles that take the cars to the track. It was kinda mind-boggling when the tour guy told us that when that hauler pulls out heading for a race, fully loaded down, you’re watching one million bucks pull out of the parking lot.

When you think garage area, grease and oil and well…dirty immediately comes to mind. Uh, no. People, we are talking pristine. You couldn’t buy a spec of dirt or oil. It was cleaner than my kitchen floor. Actually, it was probably cleaner than my kitchen table.

And here’s the inside of Carl Edward’s hauler at Roush.

And outside the hauler…

Then it was over to Lowe’s Motor Speedway where the Busch Series cars were practicing. It didn’t matter that we were there with NASCAR personnel. No one’s going in the in-field without registering and picking up a band at the Credentials office. Here we are sporting our wrist bands:

And who could resist the opportunity to stand in Victory Lane when the other guys have to fight it out on the track for this opportunity? Not us.


My other research trip was to Atlanta Motor Speedway in October. Fellow writer Wendy Etherington and I were lucky enough to get “cold passes” which granted us entry to the garage area and pit road until an hour before the race began and a pass to the NASCAR skybox which overlooks the start/finish line.

Here’s a pic of the crews setting up the pit boxes early in the morning:

Inside the NASCAR Nextel Cup Garage trackside:


and a crew waiting to take the car though to have it checked out by tech:



I’ll have to say the research was incredibly interesting and brought a nice authenticity to many of the scenes. When the hero or heroine is in the hauler, it’s authentic. Skybox? Check. Plus my husband and daughter were green with envy.

No. I did not meet any of the drivers and that suited me just fine. Tucker Macray, the hero who is a rookie driver, is totally a person I built in my own head. He’s not based on or inspired by any driver out there. Tucker was so firmly in my head, I didn’t want to muck that up. Plus, I’m actually kind of shy -- no snorting from any of the playfriends -- yes, I will talk your ear off once I know you, but otherwise…. Other than “Hi, nice to meet you” I doubt I would’ve managed to say much more. And third, the kind of things I’d want to ask any of the drivers, they wouldn’t want to answer because it’s the kind of “crawl into your head” stuff a writer wants to know.

Despite the research when all is said and done, it’s a love story set against a NASCAR backdrop. For two people with such different backgrounds, a stock car driver who attributes racing with literally saving his life and a pampered heiress, I really felt as if this hero and heroine were meant for each other, which at the end of the day is what it’s all about.

When I say I grew writing this book, I mean it literally. By the time I finished the revisions, I’d packed on ten pounds and I hit Harlequin’s deadline but I was nearly a month past mine. Of course, you’ve got to factor in that in the middle of revisions my mother fell and shattered her arm and had to have surgery and I figure ten pounds was a better deal than a nervous breakdown.

The book is done and I’m on to the next one and I get this cover:



I wasn’t sure whether to cry or laugh hysterically. I decided on both. Surely, the cover gods couldn’t have deserted me so horribly on a book I’d worked so hard on and sacrificed ten horrid pounds for.

Voila, a month later, I learned that the cover had been scrapped in lieu of this one!


Woohoo!! Thank you, cover gods, thank you!!!

Okay, so I’ve blathered on enough. I’d love to answer any questions you might have except I AM NOT telling how much I weigh.

P.S. You can learn more about Jennifer and her books at her website and be sure to visit The Soapbox Queens, her group blog.

This just in! "I'd like to share the Harlequin NASCAR love...and read...by giving away a free copy of The Rookie to two visitors today."

Quite the Mix

Ahh, the Mix Tape. When I was a lass, a Mix Tape was the ultimate sign that a guy really liked you. You could be dating and all, but it wasn’t serious (even by the teenage definition) until a Mix Tape was made and presented with much formality. Mix Tapes took time and effort to put together. It was a symbol of commitment.

Heck, if you got a Mix Tape, you were practically engaged. This was L-U-V.

Of course, the quality of the Mix Tape was very important. You couldn’t just slap together a few songs and call it done. Each song had to be hand-picked —meanings and possible associations were very important. And of course, the tape had to include “our song.” (And, to really date myself, I’ll tell you the choice of “our song” was usually either “Never Say Goodbye,” “Sweet Child of Mine,” or “Need You Tonight.”)

I thought the ability to download songs off the internet would revolutionize the Mix Tape. MUCH easier than trying to get LPs in just the right place and remembering to take the tape player off PAUSE without either leaving a huge gap or cutting off the opening bars of the song. Download, burn, give. Voila! Your affection is proven.

But the invention of the iPod has me worried about the future of the Mix Tape (or I guess it would be the Mix CD. It just doesn’t sound as good). Why go to all the trouble to gather all the favorite songs into one place when your beloved most likely has them all on the iPod already? Plus, if it’s on Shuffle, then you lose the wonderousness of knowing that “Two Princes” always follows “Listen to Your Heart.” You also lose the importance of that particular song combo. How do you tell a story in song when the songs are all out of order?

Do kids today even give each other Mix Tapes any more?

I’m truly afraid the age of the Mix Tape has passed. Sigh.

So, I want to make a Mix Tape today. What songs come to mind when you think of the Playground and the Playfriends? Y’all know us well enough now to make some associations. I’d put Cher’s “Just Like Jesse James” on the tape because when Kira and I drink, we like to sing it very loud and off-key. (The other Playfriends find this annoyingly amusing.) If I was feeling sappy and squishy, I’d put something like “That’s What Friends Are For.” I might even put “Mickey” on there to remind us of healthier knees.

Let me know what songs you’d pick for a Playground Mix Tape and why. I want to come up with a really awesome mix. (Shh, don’t tell the others, but if I can get a good play list and find all the songs, I’m going to make everyone a copy for a present for our 2nd birthday. If it’s a good mix, I’ll be making extra copies to give away to our Honorary Playfriends as well.)

And, yes, I’ll burn it to CD.

PC

PS: I’m feeling much better now. I’m off the crutches, but still limping a bit (and stairs are still a pain). It wasn’t half as bad as I’d expected (or braced myself for). Thanks to everyone for your emails and good thoughts. I’ll be shakin’ my groove thang again in no time!

PPS: Jennifer LaBrecque returns to the Playground tommorrow to talk about her new NASCAR book. Check out the review, and bring your questions and comments!

Blessings Not Disguised

This past week was a doozie! I was sick twice (or maybe once, with a brief respite in the middle) and had a sick child for part of the week. There were the usual hassles to deal with, plus school fundraising and extensive discipline problems brought on by lack of sleep and illness. There was more than one day that I wanted to pull the covers over my head and just pretend the rest of the world didn't exist. In fact, I indulged in that desire a time or two, which simply put me even further behind, which started the cycle all over again. (But at least I didn't have to have surgery like PC, although the drugs would have been nice!)

In the midst of it all, my poor husband worked all week at his very physical job in over 100 degree weather. I know he must have been exhausted himself. Yet he still came home and helped me out. The first night I ran a fever, he walked in the door, sent me to my room, and put the kids to bed all by himself. He got a sitter (this is almost unheard of) and asked me out to dinner one night. He didn't complain when I fell asleep on the couch before 10pm, but woke me up and helped me to bed. Plus his attitude in general was helpful and conscientious, which meant more to me because of the week I knew he was having.

Growing up in church, we always called this "a blessing". My husband was a big blessing to me. Or should I say, he blessed me over and over again this week. Actually, that sounds a little dirty, but there was certainly not much of that going on around here with the way I was feeling. I know, TMI. :)

I've actually been blessed throughout my 11 years of marriage by my husband of choice, the man I know God meant for me to be with. I could make a whole blog out of that topic alone. But I guess my point is that, despite the way my life went this past week, and the fact that I probably wasn't the prettiest sight or personality to deal with after a long day, he went out of his way to do some nice, thoughtful, helpful things for me. I appreciate that.

So let's start the week off right by counting our blessings. Who has blessed your life this week?

Angel

What's Your Ability?

I have a dinner guest coming over tomorrow. I couldn't put her off - she has the audacity to be moving to Florida in a week and wants to see it before she leaves. Sigh. That means tonight is a mad straightening dash to get a least downstairs quasi presentable. I'm taking a break to blog before I head back downstairs to try and find a home for all the random things that are sitting around, unloved.

While I do, I've been watching TV. I have done quite well catching up on my Tivo over the last week. I watched all the episodes of House, only to find we moved and had no satellite service to record the finale. Ugh. I'm also catching up on the 4400 - only two episodes until I'm caught up. That show, if you haven't watched it, is riveting. It simply pulls you into the storyline and won't let go.

For those of you that don't know, the premise is that 4400 people that were abducted over the last 100 or so years are suddenly returned to earth one day in a giant ball of light with no memory of where they've been or what happened to them. What they do come back with is a special power - an ability that is unique to them. One can heal with his touch. One can see the future. One can levitate objects. One can ask you any question and you tell the truth, no matter what. 4400 possibilities for cool shows. Of course, there's drama, discrimination, government interference, etc. Later, when they find the substance in their body that gives them their powers, they learn to harvest it and regular people have the opportunity to give themselves an injection that would potentially let them develop an ability too.

Of course there's a catch - first, it's illegal to do it. Second, there's a 50/50 chance of developing an ability...otherwise you end up dying. One or the other. At the point in the series I'm in, they haven't figured out a way to tell who will die and who won't. (Don't tell me if you're caught up and they've solved the problem.) So lots of folk are taking the chance, some are dying, some are developing really cool and unique abilities.

So it makes me wonder...What would it take for you to take the shot with a 50/50 chance of developing a super-hero like ability? If your odds were better and you knew for sure you wouldn't die from it, would you do it? What kind of special powers would you like to develop?

You can also go online and take a personality quiz that will tell you what kind of ability you would develop. Try it and let us know what you end up with! I'm a MIND CONTROL MASTER! Woo hoo!

http://www.usanetwork.com/series/the4400/games/profiler/


SP