Jan 2005 (Part 2)
Forgive my memory lapse last week and thankful there are 5 Fridays this month, lol!
After returning from Ottawa, and spending 5 days creeping around the furniture, only to have toys snatched out of his reach by 17-m/o David, my Youngling decided he'd had enough of the crawling and hanging onto furniture; it was obvious being mobile was the way to go. We had no sooner arrived home than he began trying to find his balance.
Ooooooh boooooyyyy....
He spent two days falling down, staggering across the kitchen floor, whacking his tiny head, and crashing into everything, before finally being able to stand on his own two feet....at 10 months old! K had walked at 11 months; S at 13 months. Suddenly, we had to baby-proof even more.
It was official; sibling rivalry-or in this case, cousin-rivalry, inspired him. I now had a little go-getter on my hands.
Next Month: Chick Magnet #2 and The New 'Pick Up' Line!
********
Present Day:
I've managed to injure my left thumb. I was cutting up a flank steak for beef and noodles, when the knife slipped and cut open the tip of my thumb. You never realize how much you use something until it hurts, ha ha!
Tomorrow's Karaoke Songs:
I Can See Clearly Now-Jimmy Cliff
And Still-Reba
I Can't Dance-Genesis
I Believe I Can Fly-R Kelly
I Can't Hold Back-Survivor
Have a great weekend! We're supposed to get 3+ inches of snow on Sunday....fun, fun....
Friday, January 30, 2015
Friday, January 23, 2015
Flashback Friday
Jan 2005:
I honestly can't remember what we were doing ten years ago this month, unless we were taking 10 m/o youngling to basketball games, to support his big brother playing in Pep Band.
************
Present Day:
Did I mention I turned in NiKoh's Chosen?
Now my time is divided between two wips, SaLie's story and another one, both due about the same time.
This time last week, I turned in my cover art for NiKoh, so hopefully I'll be sharing new cover art soon.
Other than that, haven't got much to say.
Karaoke Songs for Tomorrow:
Hurt So Bad-Linda Ronstat
Invincible-Pat Benetar
I Remember You-Skid Row
Have a great weekend!
I honestly can't remember what we were doing ten years ago this month, unless we were taking 10 m/o youngling to basketball games, to support his big brother playing in Pep Band.
************
Present Day:
Did I mention I turned in NiKoh's Chosen?
Now my time is divided between two wips, SaLie's story and another one, both due about the same time.
This time last week, I turned in my cover art for NiKoh, so hopefully I'll be sharing new cover art soon.
Other than that, haven't got much to say.
Karaoke Songs for Tomorrow:
Hurt So Bad-Linda Ronstat
Invincible-Pat Benetar
I Remember You-Skid Row
Have a great weekend!
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Insomnia Ramblings
I don't know whether to blame the insomnia on the red velvet latte and two glasses of sweet tea I drank between 7-9pm or the fact a character decided at 1:30 am to finally tell me his career choice for one of the new wips.
Probably a little of both...
Anyhoo, after he decided to settle down, I tried to go back to bed, only now my heroine decided to go to her piano and write a song. A SONG. Which means, author get up and write it down, because you'll forget it in 5 hours.
Sigh...after that was finished, I decided to troll Face Book for a while, and saw the NFL concluded the Pats had intentionally deflated 11/12 balls in Sunday night's playoff game. This earns then a fine and a loss of a draft pick.
Of course, my 1st reaction was 'keep them out of the Super Bowl and let the Colts go instead.' But I stayed silent and read the comments before speaking up. The general consensus was to let the Ravens go instead, since they scored more points against the Pats. So then I had this thought:
Why not have another playoff game between the Colts and Ravens? THEN let the winner go to the Super Bowl!
But I chickened out and stayed silent on FB. Probably a good idea.
Anyway, since today's also Hump Day Hook Meme Day, here's a little of what I wrote between 1:30-4:30 am:
Probably a little of both...
Anyhoo, after he decided to settle down, I tried to go back to bed, only now my heroine decided to go to her piano and write a song. A SONG. Which means, author get up and write it down, because you'll forget it in 5 hours.
Sigh...after that was finished, I decided to troll Face Book for a while, and saw the NFL concluded the Pats had intentionally deflated 11/12 balls in Sunday night's playoff game. This earns then a fine and a loss of a draft pick.
Of course, my 1st reaction was 'keep them out of the Super Bowl and let the Colts go instead.' But I stayed silent and read the comments before speaking up. The general consensus was to let the Ravens go instead, since they scored more points against the Pats. So then I had this thought:
Why not have another playoff game between the Colts and Ravens? THEN let the winner go to the Super Bowl!
But I chickened out and stayed silent on FB. Probably a good idea.
Anyway, since today's also Hump Day Hook Meme Day, here's a little of what I wrote between 1:30-4:30 am:
"My dad had a mild stroke, so I came home to help out for a
few weeks, until he gets back on his feet.
What about you?”
“I’m
sorry to hear that, Shana.” Blake
swallowed the food in his mouth. “If
there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.
Your dad’s a great guy.”
“Thank
you. Are you in town on business?”
He
shook his head. “I moved up here two
years ago when the company I work for opened an office in Cedar Rapids. When the Iowa River overflowed, I became the
claims adjuster for the area, and then my home office was caught in last year’s
tornado.” Blake grinned. “I had the unusual task of filing my own
insurance claim.”
Okay. Enough sleep-deprivation rambling. Have a good day, everyone. I know I'll 'crash' tonight and most likely be in bed before 10pm.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Shame On You!
If you're a regular reader of this blog, or even my Monday morning FB status, then you know I love watching Celebrity Apprentice. While I don't love the drama in the boardroom, I do enjoy watching the challenges, and can usually predict who's going home on the losing team. Once in a while I'm shocked and surprised.
Take last night. When Vortex lost, I knew Shawn and Kate would be brought back in with Vivica, and I sincerely hoped Shawn would defend herself against allegations she was blind sided. To my utter disgust, she was not given that opportunity, and was fired.
Maybe it was edited out? I don't know. Here's what happened, since she wasn't even given a chance to tell her side of the story on the Today Show (I DVR'd it, that's how mad I was, lol!).
The task was to create a mobile media event in a truck (think food truck, only with shoes). Shawn (who I do agree should have stepped up to be Project Manager), came up with a fantastic concept of turning the truck into an elaborate Nordstrom dressing room, then was sent off to get props with Kate and Sig.
Meanwhile, Vivica, Geraldo, and Lorenzo scope out the truck and guess what? Shawn's idea won't work. So they switch gears and go with a different concept. When they called Shawn and Co about the change, Shawn said they'd already bought, paid for, and cut the fabric.
"So we just wasted $500 on fabric you're not even going to use?"
"Sorry...get something else."
Both Shawn and Kate were dismayed.
They didn't show the fresh vs fake flowers debate; that came up in the boardroom, so really can't judge there.
Yes, Shawn showed off a laid-back attitude, but that's because when she and Kate arrived back, she found her concept GONE and a new one already in place. It was too late to do anything about it, so she sucked it up and tried to work with the 'sinking ship'.
But what really got me mad was this: Once Vivica brought her back, I really thought Kate would be fired. But no, The Donald focused on her non-PM status, and never gave her the chance to voice WHY she felt railroaded by Vivica. In all honesty, Vivica or Kate should have been fired. Vivica, because it was HER idea for the coffee bar experience, and Kate due to her...I don't even know what she contributes, other than getting lucky in Challenge #1 and shopping for props. In Challenge #8 last night, she held up Lorenzo's production of the video while having her hair styled ala 50's. Couldn't she have done it herself, or called the guy to arrive earlier?
But I digress. Yes, Shawn is young. Yes, she should have been the PM for Challenge #7. But should she have been fired? NO!
Then I woke up this morning and turned on my DVR'd Today show, expecting a more in-depth look at the episode. Nope, all we got was a brief recap and a 'yes, that's it." from BOTH contestants! Where's your side of the story that the first six contestants (supposedly) got? Since I didn't watch, I don't know if they got the same less than 5 minute treatment also.
Shawn was let down TWICE, in my humble opinion. Once by The Donald, then by the Today scheduling.
And one more note: Ivanka even told Shawn her initial concept would have been on target, but before Shawn could explain WHY they hadn't gone in that direction, The Donald fired her.
Unless that footage is on the cutting room floor. Either way, she needs to be given a second chance.
Take last night. When Vortex lost, I knew Shawn and Kate would be brought back in with Vivica, and I sincerely hoped Shawn would defend herself against allegations she was blind sided. To my utter disgust, she was not given that opportunity, and was fired.
Maybe it was edited out? I don't know. Here's what happened, since she wasn't even given a chance to tell her side of the story on the Today Show (I DVR'd it, that's how mad I was, lol!).
The task was to create a mobile media event in a truck (think food truck, only with shoes). Shawn (who I do agree should have stepped up to be Project Manager), came up with a fantastic concept of turning the truck into an elaborate Nordstrom dressing room, then was sent off to get props with Kate and Sig.
Meanwhile, Vivica, Geraldo, and Lorenzo scope out the truck and guess what? Shawn's idea won't work. So they switch gears and go with a different concept. When they called Shawn and Co about the change, Shawn said they'd already bought, paid for, and cut the fabric.
"So we just wasted $500 on fabric you're not even going to use?"
"Sorry...get something else."
Both Shawn and Kate were dismayed.
They didn't show the fresh vs fake flowers debate; that came up in the boardroom, so really can't judge there.
Yes, Shawn showed off a laid-back attitude, but that's because when she and Kate arrived back, she found her concept GONE and a new one already in place. It was too late to do anything about it, so she sucked it up and tried to work with the 'sinking ship'.
But what really got me mad was this: Once Vivica brought her back, I really thought Kate would be fired. But no, The Donald focused on her non-PM status, and never gave her the chance to voice WHY she felt railroaded by Vivica. In all honesty, Vivica or Kate should have been fired. Vivica, because it was HER idea for the coffee bar experience, and Kate due to her...I don't even know what she contributes, other than getting lucky in Challenge #1 and shopping for props. In Challenge #8 last night, she held up Lorenzo's production of the video while having her hair styled ala 50's. Couldn't she have done it herself, or called the guy to arrive earlier?
But I digress. Yes, Shawn is young. Yes, she should have been the PM for Challenge #7. But should she have been fired? NO!
Then I woke up this morning and turned on my DVR'd Today show, expecting a more in-depth look at the episode. Nope, all we got was a brief recap and a 'yes, that's it." from BOTH contestants! Where's your side of the story that the first six contestants (supposedly) got? Since I didn't watch, I don't know if they got the same less than 5 minute treatment also.
Shawn was let down TWICE, in my humble opinion. Once by The Donald, then by the Today scheduling.
And one more note: Ivanka even told Shawn her initial concept would have been on target, but before Shawn could explain WHY they hadn't gone in that direction, The Donald fired her.
Unless that footage is on the cutting room floor. Either way, she needs to be given a second chance.
Friday, January 16, 2015
Flashback Friday: Saying Goodbye
Jan 1995:
Just a few short weeks after spending Christmas in Florida with my grandmother, who had esophogeal cancer, my mother called me one evening, stressed. Grandma was getting worse, and Mom feared the end was in sight. She asked me if I wanted to come down for the pending funeral, if my spouse was available to watch the kids. D had already decided to take the winter off from his normal winter-time temporary job, since he barely saw his now 6-month-old baby girl for the first several months of her life, and wanted to spend some time with her. He told me to go.
After hearing about what Grandma was going through, and the stress my mother and uncle were under, I simply sat on the toilet and cried, praying to God to please end my grandmother's suffering soon.
The next morning, I got the call Grandma had passed away. Dad was on his way to collect me, so would I please be ready in an hour? I threw a bag together and when Dad arrived, we caught a flight back to Florida.
I'm somewhat ashamed to say I enjoyed the first four days of that trip. I didn't have any 'mommy' responsibilities, so my sister and I ran errands for Mom, went shopping, fielded phone calls, and revisited many of our favorite childhood restaurants, including Crabby Bill's with the entire extended family. We also spent one wonderful day going through Grandma's closet and dresser, laughing over the many broken gold choker chains found in every drawer, and the many bottles of Primo body spray. We picked out what we wanted to keep, and my aunt picked out mementos for our cousins, who were not there because of being in school.
Meeting with the pastor was both fun and tearful, as we recalled stories about Grandma for him to use at the funeral. When food began pouring in, W and I joked about when the green jello salad was going to appear, and my grandmother's friends didn't disappoint, ha ha!
It was also during this time I wondered if my father had developed sleep apnea. The first night, neither W or I wanted to sleep in Grandma's bed. We knew she hadn't passed away in it, but the hospital bed which had been removed, but the memories of her occupying that room were too fresh. She and I slept downstairs on the floor, while our dad slept on the couch. Night #2, W moved upstairs, but I stayed downstairs....and noticed my father would snore, then be silent...he'd snort, roll over, then the pattern would begin again. I told Mom about it, and she said she'd talk to him once everything in Florida was settled.
The day before the funeral (I THINK), W and I arrived from an errand to find our old childhood friend KB, his wife D, and their newborn daughter, C at the townhouse, talking to Mom. I hadn't seen KB since his sister's wedding four years earlier, so it was nice to meet D and baby C. I joked I wished I could read K's reunion 'memory book', since we'd gone to different high schools, and it would be interesting to see who among our old class ever dropped out, got pregnant, got their act together, etc. Yes, I was still a little vengeful about some girls from jr. high.
The day of the funeral, I was a wreck. Before heading to the church (Grandma had been cremated, so we gathered at her church), our family gathered and prayed together, but I couldn't get through mine. During the service, I broke down during "How Great Thou Art", and all of a sudden, I felt my sister nudging me and hissing at me to 'stop it'. WTH????? I was in tears, and yes, my nose runs, so I was blowing it a lot. I tried to hold it in and control it a little better, but I was really confused.
I did better at the reception, and discovered I LOVED cucumber sandwiches. What I was NOT thrilled to discover was, afterwards I had an hour to pack before my departure flight. Dad was staying behind a few more days. I was angry, but left anyway. I was even less than thrilled to discover my seat was in a full row, while the next row up had two empty seats. I asked the flight attendant if I could move up, and she said after take off, if they weren't taken. But as the plane began to taxi, I moved up anyway, and spent the entire flight looking out the window and crying.
A week later, I was thrilled to learn I was getting another momento of Grandma's, her car. We were driving a two-door Ford Escort, and Grandma's Chevy Celebrity was only two years old. My Uncle Ed had gone to bat for me, saying we needed a four-door car worse than my single cousin, who didn't even attend the funeral. We would get it sometime in the coming months, after Mom settled everything.
The rest of that month passed, with me growing increasingly irritated with a spouse who was constantly around all the time.
Next Month: Snap Decision
*************
Present Day:
I sent Niko's book to the publisher! Now to tackle the next project, promo for our upcoming Hotel Stories Anthology. I should have a finished proof copy in my hands next week:)
Tomorrow's Karaoke Songs:
How You Remind Me-Nickelback
Hungry Eyes-Eric Carmen
Hot Stuff-Donna Summer
And Still-Reba
Invincible-Pat Benetar
Just a few short weeks after spending Christmas in Florida with my grandmother, who had esophogeal cancer, my mother called me one evening, stressed. Grandma was getting worse, and Mom feared the end was in sight. She asked me if I wanted to come down for the pending funeral, if my spouse was available to watch the kids. D had already decided to take the winter off from his normal winter-time temporary job, since he barely saw his now 6-month-old baby girl for the first several months of her life, and wanted to spend some time with her. He told me to go.
After hearing about what Grandma was going through, and the stress my mother and uncle were under, I simply sat on the toilet and cried, praying to God to please end my grandmother's suffering soon.
The next morning, I got the call Grandma had passed away. Dad was on his way to collect me, so would I please be ready in an hour? I threw a bag together and when Dad arrived, we caught a flight back to Florida.
I'm somewhat ashamed to say I enjoyed the first four days of that trip. I didn't have any 'mommy' responsibilities, so my sister and I ran errands for Mom, went shopping, fielded phone calls, and revisited many of our favorite childhood restaurants, including Crabby Bill's with the entire extended family. We also spent one wonderful day going through Grandma's closet and dresser, laughing over the many broken gold choker chains found in every drawer, and the many bottles of Primo body spray. We picked out what we wanted to keep, and my aunt picked out mementos for our cousins, who were not there because of being in school.
Meeting with the pastor was both fun and tearful, as we recalled stories about Grandma for him to use at the funeral. When food began pouring in, W and I joked about when the green jello salad was going to appear, and my grandmother's friends didn't disappoint, ha ha!
It was also during this time I wondered if my father had developed sleep apnea. The first night, neither W or I wanted to sleep in Grandma's bed. We knew she hadn't passed away in it, but the hospital bed which had been removed, but the memories of her occupying that room were too fresh. She and I slept downstairs on the floor, while our dad slept on the couch. Night #2, W moved upstairs, but I stayed downstairs....and noticed my father would snore, then be silent...he'd snort, roll over, then the pattern would begin again. I told Mom about it, and she said she'd talk to him once everything in Florida was settled.
The day before the funeral (I THINK), W and I arrived from an errand to find our old childhood friend KB, his wife D, and their newborn daughter, C at the townhouse, talking to Mom. I hadn't seen KB since his sister's wedding four years earlier, so it was nice to meet D and baby C. I joked I wished I could read K's reunion 'memory book', since we'd gone to different high schools, and it would be interesting to see who among our old class ever dropped out, got pregnant, got their act together, etc. Yes, I was still a little vengeful about some girls from jr. high.
The day of the funeral, I was a wreck. Before heading to the church (Grandma had been cremated, so we gathered at her church), our family gathered and prayed together, but I couldn't get through mine. During the service, I broke down during "How Great Thou Art", and all of a sudden, I felt my sister nudging me and hissing at me to 'stop it'. WTH????? I was in tears, and yes, my nose runs, so I was blowing it a lot. I tried to hold it in and control it a little better, but I was really confused.
I did better at the reception, and discovered I LOVED cucumber sandwiches. What I was NOT thrilled to discover was, afterwards I had an hour to pack before my departure flight. Dad was staying behind a few more days. I was angry, but left anyway. I was even less than thrilled to discover my seat was in a full row, while the next row up had two empty seats. I asked the flight attendant if I could move up, and she said after take off, if they weren't taken. But as the plane began to taxi, I moved up anyway, and spent the entire flight looking out the window and crying.
A week later, I was thrilled to learn I was getting another momento of Grandma's, her car. We were driving a two-door Ford Escort, and Grandma's Chevy Celebrity was only two years old. My Uncle Ed had gone to bat for me, saying we needed a four-door car worse than my single cousin, who didn't even attend the funeral. We would get it sometime in the coming months, after Mom settled everything.
The rest of that month passed, with me growing increasingly irritated with a spouse who was constantly around all the time.
Next Month: Snap Decision
*************
Present Day:
I sent Niko's book to the publisher! Now to tackle the next project, promo for our upcoming Hotel Stories Anthology. I should have a finished proof copy in my hands next week:)
Tomorrow's Karaoke Songs:
How You Remind Me-Nickelback
Hungry Eyes-Eric Carmen
Hot Stuff-Donna Summer
And Still-Reba
Invincible-Pat Benetar
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Character Photo Bomb, Blog-Style:) Happy Birthday SCP!
*clears throat* Hear ye, hear ye...Secret Cravings Publishing is turning FOUR this weekend, so please, everyone, click HERE to see the list of participating authors. No gifts, please...simply comment on each blog in order to entered to win the various books, swag, etc, which each author is offering. Any questions?
Caitlyn raises her hand. "If this is an anniversary/birthday party, why aren't gifts being GIVEN? This makes no sense."
Tricia nudges her. "This is what cyberspace calls a party. We invite readers to our author's sites, and give them gifts, for reading our stories and being loyal readers or customers. Get it?
Keri looks confused. "Wasn't Amy's book released this month? So why is Molly offering a copy of Caitlyn's book?"
Amy hugs Caitlyn. "Because Cait's won the award last year! I don't mind not being the prize."
(off camera) "Thank GOD! That book has gotten me into SO much trouble with my fellow fly boys!"
All: Shut up, Matt!
Caty glares. "If anyone should be upset about the content, it should be me. I can't believe-" She stares at the envelope thrust into her hand. "What's this?" Scans brief message, then adopts regal posture. "I take that back. I always knew my story would be her highest seller."
*collective groans from the cast*
Keri rolls her eyes. "Thanks a lot. Now she'll have a swelled head and lord it over the rest of us."
Blurb:
Caitlyn McCarty plans to marry her high school sweetheart, Bryan Johnson, and teach elementary school after graduating from Arbor University. But after Bryan's life turns upside down with an unexpected turn of events, Caty begins to question her goals and every decision she’s ever made.
Peter Criswell fell for green-eyed, opinionated Caitlyn when he first met her. However, her determination to hold onto a dream frustrates him. Sometimes you meet the right person at the wrong time, and falling for a woman who’s caught between her parents’ wants versus her own desires isn’t always easy.
When the foundation of Bryan Johnson’s relationship with Caitlyn is tested not once, but twice, he faces the possibility of losing the only girl he’s loved since high school. When Caty does make up her mind, will she stand by her man or run into the arms of another?
Excerpt:
"I'm holding your friend for ransom.”
He stopped Caitlyn as she made a move to get in the car.
“What?” Caty whirled around, shaking
off his restraining hand and watching Stephanie drive away. “Why did you do
that?” I don’t want to be alone with him!
“You and I need to talk.” He glanced
at her finger. “Still with Bryan
“Yes I am.”
“Okay. Why?”
Caty’s panic turned to anger. “Why
not? It's none of your business.”
“Well, let's see... You're standing
on my used car lot, you've seen what I look like in the morning, I've been with
you intimately...yeah, I'd say it was my business.”
“I love him. I've been with him for
almost eight years. What right do you have to question that?” Calm down…be calm.
“Maybe you're having second
thoughts?” Peter leaned against a green Chevette and raised an eyebrow. “Do
your eyes always flash green fire like that?”
“How the hell should I know?” Caty
lost her temper. “And no, I'm not having second thoughts. This mess will be
over soon, and-” she clapped a hand over her mouth, regretting her last
statement. Great, just great. See what
happens when you lose your cool?
Peter pushed himself away from the
car and moved closer. “What mess will be over soon?” he asked. “Don’t tell me
there's trouble in paradise.” His voice mocked her.
To win a free pdf of Endless Love, which of the above characters does NOT belong in the Arbor University series? Caitlyn, Tricia, Keri, Amy, or Matt? Don't forget to leave your contact information along with your answer:)
Friday, January 9, 2015
Flashback Friday: How To Scare Your Boyfriend:)
Jan 1985:
Over Christmas Break, my great-grandmother handed me a tiny zirconian ring and said she didn't want it. Since it perfectly fit my ring finger, I decided to wear it, even going so far as to tease Grandma..."Does this mean we're engaged?"
Arriving back on campus, I forgot I even had it on, since I'd worn it non-stop for a week. I reunited with my boyfriend of 3 months, TM, and my roommates. At dinner that night, an acquaintance stopped to ask about my Christmas. Since I'd also been given a beautiful gold watch, I held up my left hand. She sucked in her breath and nearly screamed congratulations, while holding my hand! I promptly corrected her, saying TM had NOT proposed, upon which he nearly choked, and my roommates nearly fell off their chairs from laughter!
Friend K was thrilled one of her old HS friends was now attending VU, and while we weren't exactly sure what to think of her, we accepted her into our group and decided to reserve judgment.
Later that month, TM and I seemed to drift apart. I had changed my major from Early Childhood Ed to Social Work, and was enjoying my classes. We no longer had the same lunch hour, so the only time we seemed to connect was after dinner. Which soon put a strain on our relationship, and by the end of the month, we were no longer seeing each other. I did form a tiny crush on his friend J, but it wasn't returned. To fill in my empty hours, I began writing.
*******
Present Day:
The temps are in the teens, and thankfully, all we have is snow flurries, nothing on the ground.
My eye surgery on my RIGHT eye on Wed went well, and next week the left eye will be done. Since the left one is the least cooperative, here's hoping all goes well.
Books Read This Week:
LOVED Seduced; High Stakes Seduction was okay, and now I'm enjoying Kilts and Kraken:)
Karaoke Songs:
Cry-Mandy Moore
How Do I Live-Leann Rimes
How You Remind Me-Nickleback
Hungry Eyes-Eric Carmen
And Still-Reba
Come back tomorrow for the SCP Anniversary Hop!
Over Christmas Break, my great-grandmother handed me a tiny zirconian ring and said she didn't want it. Since it perfectly fit my ring finger, I decided to wear it, even going so far as to tease Grandma..."Does this mean we're engaged?"
Arriving back on campus, I forgot I even had it on, since I'd worn it non-stop for a week. I reunited with my boyfriend of 3 months, TM, and my roommates. At dinner that night, an acquaintance stopped to ask about my Christmas. Since I'd also been given a beautiful gold watch, I held up my left hand. She sucked in her breath and nearly screamed congratulations, while holding my hand! I promptly corrected her, saying TM had NOT proposed, upon which he nearly choked, and my roommates nearly fell off their chairs from laughter!
Friend K was thrilled one of her old HS friends was now attending VU, and while we weren't exactly sure what to think of her, we accepted her into our group and decided to reserve judgment.
Later that month, TM and I seemed to drift apart. I had changed my major from Early Childhood Ed to Social Work, and was enjoying my classes. We no longer had the same lunch hour, so the only time we seemed to connect was after dinner. Which soon put a strain on our relationship, and by the end of the month, we were no longer seeing each other. I did form a tiny crush on his friend J, but it wasn't returned. To fill in my empty hours, I began writing.
*******
Present Day:
The temps are in the teens, and thankfully, all we have is snow flurries, nothing on the ground.
My eye surgery on my RIGHT eye on Wed went well, and next week the left eye will be done. Since the left one is the least cooperative, here's hoping all goes well.
Books Read This Week:
LOVED Seduced; High Stakes Seduction was okay, and now I'm enjoying Kilts and Kraken:)
Karaoke Songs:
Cry-Mandy Moore
How Do I Live-Leann Rimes
How You Remind Me-Nickleback
Hungry Eyes-Eric Carmen
And Still-Reba
Come back tomorrow for the SCP Anniversary Hop!
Monday, January 5, 2015
Starting 2015 With A Bang
Okay, maybe not so much a bang, but maybe a whimper of protest....
I haven't been exactly public about this, unless you're one of my Facebook friends. So bear with me.
Back in September, when I had my eyes checked, the pressure in my left eye was 'elevated'. I was told possibly 'Occular Hypertension' or simply a fluke, and told to get it rechecked in a month. I was happy with my new glasses, with the right eye 'improved' to 20/35, while the pesky left one needed trifocals.
October came, and pressure was slightly higher. Since the spouse had also seen the eye doctor, and had his eyes dilated, I refused the numbing drops for another test, since I'd never had them, and didn't know how I'd respond. I needed to drive him home, so was told to return at the end of November.
In November, the pressure was back to the original 'elevated' number, so was referred to the Eye Center for a full glaucoma work up. This was scheduled for Jan 15th, but when we discovered our local eye center did the same testing, I opted for a five minute drive, rather than an hour long one. Because, let's face it....in Indiana, you never know what's coming in winter. The roads could be clear, or we'd face driving in a foot or two of snow.
Dec 15th, I was rather traumatized by the test. After explaining my excessive phobia, the tech either was having a bad day, or no patience at 8:30 am for a skittery patient, and her compassion was a little low. I survived the four rounds of drops and the pressure test, though the spouse had to clamp my head to the machine so I wouldn't keep backing away. I still had trouble keeping my left eye open, so yes, this took several tries before she finally got a reading.
Then the doctor came in, and after examining my eyes, pronounced my eyes 'healthy', with 'just the start of early cateracts', which, given my age, is COMPLETELY normal. Then he dropped the bomb.
"I've got a laser treatment which can clear up your pressure problems."
I jolted. "Oh no."
His compassion evaporated. "Am I just wasting my time? If you're not going to accept treatment, I can walk out that door, or you can."
I protested that I'd been told for three months 'drops' would be all I needed.
"Do you want pain in your wallet or pain in your eyes? Laser will clear it up in no time."
The spouse compounded my fears by ganging up on me also by chiming in about me being a 'big baby'. And after we returned home, he laughed about me getting chewed out by the doctor.
I felt completely alone, humiliated, and as if the doctor had treated me like I was 3. In fact, as I type this, tears are still forming in my eyes, and this happened three WEEKS ago!
I was scheduled for a follow up pressure recheck today.
I was happy to note that a) my eyes cooperated for the numbing drops, b) both the tech and the doctor's compassion was back in full force, and c) the spouse did NOT need to come into the room with me, since he was again having another exam.
The one BAD note? Now my right eye has decided to join in the 'fun'. My pressure was now 26 in both eyes ('Normal' pressure is 20, so yeah, while not too bad, it's still 'elevated').
So now, instead of having the laser procedure on my left eye, I now have to have it on BOTH, This Wednesday, Jan 7th, is the one on my left eye, then the following week is when the right eye will be done.
Yes, I'm scared.
Yes, I WILL be taking a few shots of tequila to calm me down.
No, they can NOT sedate me or put me under for this.
I'm hoping that after the 1st one is done, I'll be fine to go with the 2nd one, like 'everyone' says. But still, keep me in your prayers?
I haven't been exactly public about this, unless you're one of my Facebook friends. So bear with me.
Back in September, when I had my eyes checked, the pressure in my left eye was 'elevated'. I was told possibly 'Occular Hypertension' or simply a fluke, and told to get it rechecked in a month. I was happy with my new glasses, with the right eye 'improved' to 20/35, while the pesky left one needed trifocals.
October came, and pressure was slightly higher. Since the spouse had also seen the eye doctor, and had his eyes dilated, I refused the numbing drops for another test, since I'd never had them, and didn't know how I'd respond. I needed to drive him home, so was told to return at the end of November.
In November, the pressure was back to the original 'elevated' number, so was referred to the Eye Center for a full glaucoma work up. This was scheduled for Jan 15th, but when we discovered our local eye center did the same testing, I opted for a five minute drive, rather than an hour long one. Because, let's face it....in Indiana, you never know what's coming in winter. The roads could be clear, or we'd face driving in a foot or two of snow.
Dec 15th, I was rather traumatized by the test. After explaining my excessive phobia, the tech either was having a bad day, or no patience at 8:30 am for a skittery patient, and her compassion was a little low. I survived the four rounds of drops and the pressure test, though the spouse had to clamp my head to the machine so I wouldn't keep backing away. I still had trouble keeping my left eye open, so yes, this took several tries before she finally got a reading.
Then the doctor came in, and after examining my eyes, pronounced my eyes 'healthy', with 'just the start of early cateracts', which, given my age, is COMPLETELY normal. Then he dropped the bomb.
"I've got a laser treatment which can clear up your pressure problems."
I jolted. "Oh no."
His compassion evaporated. "Am I just wasting my time? If you're not going to accept treatment, I can walk out that door, or you can."
I protested that I'd been told for three months 'drops' would be all I needed.
"Do you want pain in your wallet or pain in your eyes? Laser will clear it up in no time."
The spouse compounded my fears by ganging up on me also by chiming in about me being a 'big baby'. And after we returned home, he laughed about me getting chewed out by the doctor.
I felt completely alone, humiliated, and as if the doctor had treated me like I was 3. In fact, as I type this, tears are still forming in my eyes, and this happened three WEEKS ago!
I was scheduled for a follow up pressure recheck today.
I was happy to note that a) my eyes cooperated for the numbing drops, b) both the tech and the doctor's compassion was back in full force, and c) the spouse did NOT need to come into the room with me, since he was again having another exam.
The one BAD note? Now my right eye has decided to join in the 'fun'. My pressure was now 26 in both eyes ('Normal' pressure is 20, so yeah, while not too bad, it's still 'elevated').
So now, instead of having the laser procedure on my left eye, I now have to have it on BOTH, This Wednesday, Jan 7th, is the one on my left eye, then the following week is when the right eye will be done.
Yes, I'm scared.
Yes, I WILL be taking a few shots of tequila to calm me down.
No, they can NOT sedate me or put me under for this.
I'm hoping that after the 1st one is done, I'll be fine to go with the 2nd one, like 'everyone' says. But still, keep me in your prayers?
Friday, January 2, 2015
Flashback Friday: Catching Up and New Friend
Dec 2004:
I neglected to mention this incident from ten years ago. The kids and I flew to Ottowa, via Detroit, and when we arrived at the Detroit airport, we discovered our flight was delayed by several hours. I bought the kids some games, and tried to calculate when K and I would have to take our decongestants, since our ears always gave us trouble on the take off and landings. W was content to crawl around the waiting area, and took several 'walks' with his siblings as they explored our deserted area.
It's a good thing I paid attention to the loud speaker, for they announced our flight would be departing earlier from another gate. I gathered the kids and we hurried toward our designated area, to discover our flight was to depart in twenty minutes. K and I gulped our Sudaphed, then be boarded. Twenty minutes went by; they took us all off the plane, and thirty minutes later, reboarded us. We landed in Ottowa several hours later than expected, and baby W exploded his diaper. There were no bathrooms in the luggage area, and I discovered our luggage was missing.
While I filled out the forms and waited to clear Customs, all I could do was hope and pray my father was on the other side of the opaque glass, and there would be a bathroom.
When the kids and I were cleared, we were overjoyed to see my father! I hurried into the washroom and changed W's diaper. It had leaked through his clothing, and fortunately I'd packed an extra set. I threw his soiled onezie away, not wanting to haul it around, since I didn't know if we would have access to a washing machine. Dad loaded us into the van, and took us to the Holiday Inn.
Since we had no luggage, and all our Christmas gifts were packed in my suitcase, we went ahead and exchanged gifts. The kids and I were thrilled to receive new shirts, and even more thrilled when there were laundry facilities near our room.
Every day, I called the airline to check on our luggage, to no avail. We did go to the Mall one day and purchased some necessities, and my BIL even went to the drugstore for some personal hygiene items.
My sister had given me a gift certificate to a spa, and I spent a relaxing day getting my 1st massage, facial, manicure, and hair and makeup. Too bad I had no where to go for New Year's Eve!
My nephew D 'tormented' little W. D was walking. W would creep around the room, holding onto furniture or crawling, to reach a certain toy. Just when he was about to reach it, D would grab it and run to the other side of the room. W would get a frustrated expression on his face, then start the journey around the room again, even as the adults protested D;s actions.
The day we were to depart, the kids and I were dropped off at the airport. We checked in, waited two hours, only to be told our pilot had not shown up for work. Our flight was cancelled, and rescheduled for the next day. We were given hotel vouchers for another night.
I called the hotel and arranged for transportation back. While we were waiting, a clerk who had spoken to me two days before recognized me and asked if our luggage had ever been found. When I said no, he told me to sit tight a minute.
My sister arrived; I told her the situation. The clerk returned, dragging our luggage behind him! I was so happy, I kissed him:) We returned to the hotel and could finally pass out our gifts.
The following day, our flight was cancelled again. This time, we waited in line for two hours before arriving at the desk. The clerk first wanted to send us to La Guardia, then take a taxi to Kennedy, but looked at me with the three kids. "I'm guessing you won't want to do that." He rechecked, then put us on a Delta flight to Atlanta, with a 6 hour layover.
The kids and I arrived in Atlanta, and our flight kept changing concourses. I wasn't relying on the loud speaker; I fell into the habit of checking the departure board every hour. We finally arrived back in Indiana:)
Jan 1975:
I arrived back at school and discovered we had a new classmate. KB soon proved to be another 'smart' kid, and later that day, I discovered he rode my bus. He had two siblings, a brother who was two years behind us, and sister who was in kindergarten.
I mentioned I had a sister who would be going to kindergarten the following year, and suggested she come down to my house to meet her. I don't remember when it happened, but the two girls did meet, and became life-long friends. Since Kristin spent so much time at my house, everyone soon thought my mom had 3 girls:) To this day, I still consider her my 'other' sis:) Unfortunately, I regarded her older brother as a total jerk, and I think the feeling was mutual.
**********
Present Day:
I'm spending a few days with my mom, and am helping out around the house, baking cookies, doing laundry, and continuing the 'Great Declutter Project'. My sister is in the process of moving to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, for she's been offered a supervisory position. MDQ and ME are currently at my house, which is why I chose to 'run away' for a few days, lol!
I've also committed myself to a new project, slated to arrive next October. This now makes 3 projects for me; pray I can get everything accomplished!
I THINK karaoke is up here tomorrow. I'd like to sing the following songs:
ET -Katy Perry
Edge of 17-Stevie Nicks
Wanted Dead or Alive-Bon Jovi
Wishing everyone a Happy and Blessed New Year!
I neglected to mention this incident from ten years ago. The kids and I flew to Ottowa, via Detroit, and when we arrived at the Detroit airport, we discovered our flight was delayed by several hours. I bought the kids some games, and tried to calculate when K and I would have to take our decongestants, since our ears always gave us trouble on the take off and landings. W was content to crawl around the waiting area, and took several 'walks' with his siblings as they explored our deserted area.
It's a good thing I paid attention to the loud speaker, for they announced our flight would be departing earlier from another gate. I gathered the kids and we hurried toward our designated area, to discover our flight was to depart in twenty minutes. K and I gulped our Sudaphed, then be boarded. Twenty minutes went by; they took us all off the plane, and thirty minutes later, reboarded us. We landed in Ottowa several hours later than expected, and baby W exploded his diaper. There were no bathrooms in the luggage area, and I discovered our luggage was missing.
While I filled out the forms and waited to clear Customs, all I could do was hope and pray my father was on the other side of the opaque glass, and there would be a bathroom.
When the kids and I were cleared, we were overjoyed to see my father! I hurried into the washroom and changed W's diaper. It had leaked through his clothing, and fortunately I'd packed an extra set. I threw his soiled onezie away, not wanting to haul it around, since I didn't know if we would have access to a washing machine. Dad loaded us into the van, and took us to the Holiday Inn.
Since we had no luggage, and all our Christmas gifts were packed in my suitcase, we went ahead and exchanged gifts. The kids and I were thrilled to receive new shirts, and even more thrilled when there were laundry facilities near our room.
Every day, I called the airline to check on our luggage, to no avail. We did go to the Mall one day and purchased some necessities, and my BIL even went to the drugstore for some personal hygiene items.
My sister had given me a gift certificate to a spa, and I spent a relaxing day getting my 1st massage, facial, manicure, and hair and makeup. Too bad I had no where to go for New Year's Eve!
My nephew D 'tormented' little W. D was walking. W would creep around the room, holding onto furniture or crawling, to reach a certain toy. Just when he was about to reach it, D would grab it and run to the other side of the room. W would get a frustrated expression on his face, then start the journey around the room again, even as the adults protested D;s actions.
The day we were to depart, the kids and I were dropped off at the airport. We checked in, waited two hours, only to be told our pilot had not shown up for work. Our flight was cancelled, and rescheduled for the next day. We were given hotel vouchers for another night.
I called the hotel and arranged for transportation back. While we were waiting, a clerk who had spoken to me two days before recognized me and asked if our luggage had ever been found. When I said no, he told me to sit tight a minute.
My sister arrived; I told her the situation. The clerk returned, dragging our luggage behind him! I was so happy, I kissed him:) We returned to the hotel and could finally pass out our gifts.
The following day, our flight was cancelled again. This time, we waited in line for two hours before arriving at the desk. The clerk first wanted to send us to La Guardia, then take a taxi to Kennedy, but looked at me with the three kids. "I'm guessing you won't want to do that." He rechecked, then put us on a Delta flight to Atlanta, with a 6 hour layover.
The kids and I arrived in Atlanta, and our flight kept changing concourses. I wasn't relying on the loud speaker; I fell into the habit of checking the departure board every hour. We finally arrived back in Indiana:)
Jan 1975:
I arrived back at school and discovered we had a new classmate. KB soon proved to be another 'smart' kid, and later that day, I discovered he rode my bus. He had two siblings, a brother who was two years behind us, and sister who was in kindergarten.
I mentioned I had a sister who would be going to kindergarten the following year, and suggested she come down to my house to meet her. I don't remember when it happened, but the two girls did meet, and became life-long friends. Since Kristin spent so much time at my house, everyone soon thought my mom had 3 girls:) To this day, I still consider her my 'other' sis:) Unfortunately, I regarded her older brother as a total jerk, and I think the feeling was mutual.
**********
Present Day:
I'm spending a few days with my mom, and am helping out around the house, baking cookies, doing laundry, and continuing the 'Great Declutter Project'. My sister is in the process of moving to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, for she's been offered a supervisory position. MDQ and ME are currently at my house, which is why I chose to 'run away' for a few days, lol!
I've also committed myself to a new project, slated to arrive next October. This now makes 3 projects for me; pray I can get everything accomplished!
I THINK karaoke is up here tomorrow. I'd like to sing the following songs:
ET -Katy Perry
Edge of 17-Stevie Nicks
Wanted Dead or Alive-Bon Jovi
Wishing everyone a Happy and Blessed New Year!
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Happy New Year!
Last Year's Goals:
-Repair laptop Check:)
-Attend ONE (1) conference, be it RT NOLA, Lori's, or the one in Nashville, TN. :(
-Lose 10 lbs or more Check:) I've lost a total of 30 lbs since Sept 9, 2013:)
-Reach the 'HO' titles in karaoke Check:) I'm up to 'How Do I Live' by Leanne Rimes:)
-Publish at least two books this year, which means cleaning up NaNo 2013's wip and submitting it; finishing #8 or going onto #9. Write one or two more (either pen name) 50/50 on this one. Published one, wrote two:)
-Read 200 books Read half that many, due to having to 'share' my Kindle with spouse and youngling.
This Year I Resolve To:
-Finish writing/write NiKo's Choice and untitled Salie's story and publish both
-For NaNo, either write Renei's story or get back to work on AU #8 or 9
-Lose 10 more pounds
-Get out of this house
-Attend ONE conference (see last year's goal)
-Promote more
-Step up the blogging
-Reach the mid-to-end of the 'I' songs
Books Read Last Year: 102
Print: 35
E-Book: 68
DNF: 15
Karaoke Songs Added: 23 added to the 'Good' list:)
January Reading List:
Protector-Joanne Wadsworth DNF. Too confusing.
Seduced-Cari Marsi LOVED this! RR if you don't mind indiscriminate sex among rock stars. Can hardly wait to read the rest of this series!
High Stakes Seduction-Ami LeCoeur Not bad
Stephan (sample)-Hazel Gower Bleh. Glad I didn't buy it.
Al Clark (sample)-Jonathan G. Meyer Sample was interesting, but not so much I wanted to keep reading.
Kilts and Kraken-Cindy Spencer Pape LOVED this! DRR
Bed and Breakfast Man-Amanda Ward Enjoyed it:)
Slave- Sherri Hayes LOVED it! Couldn't put it down!
Winning His Wife- Sandra Sookoo Very enjoyable!
Need-Sherri Hayes Had to read it, then immediately buy the other two! LOVE this series!!!
Truth-SH Loved it!!
Trust-SH Excellent ending to this saga!
Baby Stetson-Nikki Lynn Barrett Loved this! DRR Want to read #2 now:)
The Billionaire Princess-Christina Tetreault DRR! Loved this! Need to get the 2nd one...
April Fool- Blanche Marriott
Wicked-Madison Scott
Triple D Ranch-Beverly Ovalle
Broken Pieces-Rachel Thompson
I Like 'Em Pretty Nawlins-Michael Mandrake
I Love It-Michael Mandrake
The Bull Rider and Bare Boycotter
Karaoke Songs:
And Still-Reba
Cry-Mandy Moore Bleh.
Breathe-Breaking Benjamin
Broken-Amy Lee/Seether
Broken-Lifehouse
Call To The Heart-Giuffria
According To You-Orianthe
Don't You Wanna Stay-Kelly Clarkson/Jason Aldean
The Climb-Miley Cyrus
Consider Me Gone-Reba
Hot Stuff-Donna Summer Slightly flat; doubtful I'll ever sing this again.
How Do I Live-Leann Rimes Did well:)
How You Remind Me-Nickleback- Bleh first time; think my brain short-circuited? Will try again.
Hungry Eyes-Eric Carmen DNH
(Trying to clear up some titles which were on list before finding current KJ)
Hurt So Bad-Linda Ronstat Bleh. Belongs in the 'what-the-hell-was-I-thinking-when-I-chose-this' file....
-Repair laptop Check:)
-Attend ONE (1) conference, be it RT NOLA, Lori's, or the one in Nashville, TN. :(
-Lose 10 lbs or more Check:) I've lost a total of 30 lbs since Sept 9, 2013:)
-Reach the 'HO' titles in karaoke Check:) I'm up to 'How Do I Live' by Leanne Rimes:)
-Publish at least two books this year, which means cleaning up NaNo 2013's wip and submitting it; finishing #8 or going onto #9. Write one or two more (either pen name) 50/50 on this one. Published one, wrote two:)
-Read 200 books Read half that many, due to having to 'share' my Kindle with spouse and youngling.
This Year I Resolve To:
-Finish writing/write NiKo's Choice and untitled Salie's story and publish both
-For NaNo, either write Renei's story or get back to work on AU #8 or 9
-Lose 10 more pounds
-Get out of this house
-Attend ONE conference (see last year's goal)
-Promote more
-Step up the blogging
-Reach the mid-to-end of the 'I' songs
Books Read Last Year: 102
Print: 35
E-Book: 68
DNF: 15
Karaoke Songs Added: 23 added to the 'Good' list:)
January Reading List:
Protector-Joanne Wadsworth DNF. Too confusing.
Seduced-Cari Marsi LOVED this! RR if you don't mind indiscriminate sex among rock stars. Can hardly wait to read the rest of this series!
High Stakes Seduction-Ami LeCoeur Not bad
Stephan (sample)-Hazel Gower Bleh. Glad I didn't buy it.
Al Clark (sample)-Jonathan G. Meyer Sample was interesting, but not so much I wanted to keep reading.
Kilts and Kraken-Cindy Spencer Pape LOVED this! DRR
Bed and Breakfast Man-Amanda Ward Enjoyed it:)
Slave- Sherri Hayes LOVED it! Couldn't put it down!
Winning His Wife- Sandra Sookoo Very enjoyable!
Need-Sherri Hayes Had to read it, then immediately buy the other two! LOVE this series!!!
Truth-SH Loved it!!
Trust-SH Excellent ending to this saga!
Baby Stetson-Nikki Lynn Barrett Loved this! DRR Want to read #2 now:)
The Billionaire Princess-Christina Tetreault DRR! Loved this! Need to get the 2nd one...
April Fool- Blanche Marriott
Wicked-Madison Scott
Triple D Ranch-Beverly Ovalle
Broken Pieces-Rachel Thompson
I Like 'Em Pretty Nawlins-Michael Mandrake
I Love It-Michael Mandrake
The Bull Rider and Bare Boycotter
Karaoke Songs:
And Still-Reba
Cry-Mandy Moore Bleh.
Breathe-Breaking Benjamin
Broken-Amy Lee/Seether
Broken-Lifehouse
Call To The Heart-Giuffria
According To You-Orianthe
Don't You Wanna Stay-Kelly Clarkson/Jason Aldean
The Climb-Miley Cyrus
Consider Me Gone-Reba
Hot Stuff-Donna Summer Slightly flat; doubtful I'll ever sing this again.
How Do I Live-Leann Rimes Did well:)
How You Remind Me-Nickleback- Bleh first time; think my brain short-circuited? Will try again.
Hungry Eyes-Eric Carmen DNH
(Trying to clear up some titles which were on list before finding current KJ)
Hurt So Bad-Linda Ronstat Bleh. Belongs in the 'what-the-hell-was-I-thinking-when-I-chose-this' file....
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