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My thoughts ~ Imagination is even more valuable than knowledge. |
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My topics this week *Bullet* How would your life change if you won the lottery? More importantly perhaps, what would stay the same? *Bullet* It's practically impossible to escape modern technology. Tell us about something you still do 'the old fashioned way'. *Bullet* The saying goes that 'You learn something new every day'. What did you learn this week? *Bullet* Write a list of at least ten sentences, each starting with the words 'I believe...' *Bullet* Who is your 'blogger crush' and why? That is, which blogger (on WDC or offsite) do you most admire and/or wish to emulate? What's stopping you from achieving something of the same standard? *Bullet* Tell us an excuse you used this week to get out of something or explain something. *Bullet* What cause are you passionate about? 1.What are your hopes and dreams for the future? 2.Where do you see yourself 5 years from today? 3a) What do you want to be remembered for? what will your legacy be? Write your obituary.{{/b} 3b) Are your priorities today at odds with how you wish to be remembered? If so, what changes will you make? (Note:This is not meant to be a morbid exercise but rather a personal assessment of our priorities. For me I often decide what I want the end (of anything from a book to my life) to look like and then what steps do I need to take in order to achieve it.) 4.Write your own personal mission statement. 5.What single thing are you most proud of? 6.What could you imagine never living without 7.What does the word content mean for you? Describe what it looks like in your life. 1. We are creatures of habit. Tell us some of your habits, and how they affect your day. 2. What three adjectives described your day today? Why did you choose those three? 3. Tell us five things you were thankful for this week. 4. How do you think the blog you're writing now would be different if you were writing it in a paper journal? 5. Share something you wrote today. 6. What was your latest writing accomplishment? 7.What are your writing habits? 1. What made you happy today? 2. Do you consider yourself an optimist or pessimist and why? 3.What are you writing/working on today? 5. Do you have a bucket list? If so, what is on it? If not, why? 6. What made you sad today? 7.List 10 great things about your day/ week. |
Today was the Superbowl and I was torn as the Broncos, the team I grew up rooting for, was in it. Also in the top two was the Seahawks. Being from Washington I felt a loyalty to this team that had worked so hard to make it to the Superbowl. As a family we decided to go to a family friendly establishment to enjoy the game. There were a multitude of choices and we narrowed it down to two. The two places we chose were on the same street just two minutes apart and we decided to start at my favorite karaoke place. I knew the food was good and the staff always treated us well. The only booths available at the Iron Horse were back in the corner. I was willing to give it a try but right away there were little issues. The TV in the corner was small but we could see well enough for me. However, we all found we could not hear what was being said unless there was a lull in the conversation in the room and we strained to listen real hard. Elizabeth and I were seated next to the window and although I was comfortable enough in my favorite sweat shirt, Elizabeth complained of being cold from the minute we sat down. As the kids began to get restless I thought maybe another place would have been a better choice. Elizabeth really wanted to go check out the other place and when Isabel bumped the lady in the next booth in the head while reaching for a poster on the wall, I gave in. When I finished my bratwurst Elizabeth and I left to see if the other place would be any better. Darcy’s was a spacious elegant restaurant with a bar on the side. The serene restaurant was deserted as we were escorted through it to a nice sized banquet room. It was equipped with a large TV that we could actually hear and the room was so warm compared to our window seats at the Iron Horse. I left Elizabeth to enjoy the game and went to go retrieve the rest of the family. When I arrived at the Iron Horse I told Denny that we needed to go ASAP and he informed me that Chelsea had stolen Isabel’s Chicken and he had ordered more. I called Elizabeth and told her to hang tight, paid for our food and waited for the children to finish eating. When they were done I had to pry Isabel off of the floor to get the kids out the door. We settled in to Darcy’s and Isabel had plenty of room to play and roll around on the floor where she was completely out of the way. The free food came in handy because the food at the Iron Horse had not filled them up and the drinks were so much better. (We had chocolate milk and soda.) They had a drawing and the kids made out like bandits; although all of the prizes were alcohol related. We were warm and comfortable and very welcomed by the staff. It was a good time despite the fact that I learned the team I loved as a teenager sucked pretty bad. I have never been one to follow football but I have always been a Broncos fan at heart. I was quite embarrassed today as the Seahawks stomped the Broncos into the turf at MetLife Stadium. As the people in the adjoining bar screamed “Sea” “Hawks” over and over I began to feel a little Seahawk pride. Maybe the team of my childhood was just thing of the past and it was time to start rooting for a real team; one that doesn’t choke every time upon making it to the Superbowl. Today ended up being a new beginning as a Seahawk’s fan in a nice warm banquet room in my favorite sweatshirt. And even as I say that I choke a little to myself, my heart still belongs to the Broncos of my youth. |
| What song holds the most wonderful memories for you? As I reflect on this prompt I can think of many songs that hold wonderful memories for me. I can start with a song from when I was a teenager. My boyfriend and I were cruising main when we heard a contest on the radio. All we had to do was call in and tell them the name of the song playing on the radio and the artist and we would win a CD. He quickly pulled into the nearest payphone and between the two of us we found enough change to make the call. He called the station and we won the cd. It was Randy Travis Forever and Ever Amen. When ever I hear any Randy Travis song, especially that one, it takes me back to when I was fifteen. A time when life was so full of adventure and promise. I was so in love but like so many things in life, it did not last. Another song that has deep meaning for me is Daddy's Hands by Holly Dunn. My sister was a huge fan of this obscure singer and I fell in love with the song because it said so much to me. My dad was one tough cowboy but when it mattered I knew he loved me. He worked hard and his hands were tattered and dirty but they showed me so much and made me who I am. When I hear that song I think of my dad sitting in the shade taking a break from helping to build my foundation for my house. Even as he grew older he was always there for me. My dad died while working on a project for me. To this day I tear up when I think about my last words to him. We talked about parts for my car that he was fixing so he can bring it to me. I miss my dad so m uch. The final song I see that holds great memories for me is Goin Through Hell by Rodney Atkins. The first time I heard it was on the myspace page of a guy I once worked with. I loved the idea of that guy and we did become friends. I was in a bad place and connected with him because he was too. He was the reason I met Donovan who I could have loved but let go instead. When ever I hear that song I think of Eddie, Donovan and the changes that happened in my life when that song was new. The fact that each of these songs take me back to a time of what could have been just reminds me of where I am. The car still sits in the field where my dad left it Eddie and Donovan have both married cowgirls of their dreams and I have moved eight hundred miles away to a new life where I hope to find a new song that will make me smile with nostalgia when I hear it. When that happens I know I will be in a good place. |
| What you see out one of your windows. As I look out my living room window I see a snow covered heaven where the trees block out the world. Beyond the trees I know my treasures await in a field that is equally covered in white powder waiting to be disturbed. I have waited all winter for the blanket of snow to cover my world but now that it is here I just wish for the trees to be standing in the bright sun of summer. If you look to the left you see my garden; recognized only by the fence that surrounds it and the bricks and boards that define the raised beds. The green house plastic that I covered my strawberries peeks through the snow waiting to find the sun and make a secret warm cove for the new plants to start. Beyond the garden is the ponies frolicking in the fresh snow. As they tear up the field I wonder what the larger version of this creature is doing in the field below. This winter wonderland is a nice thing to look out upon but I know that to go out in it my fingers would turn red from the cold. My nose and cheeks would be frozen along with my ears if I failed to cover them. The animals and the children love to play in the snow but the older I get the more I want the snow to be short lived. I welcome the time when the view out my window includes green grass and maybe some critters grazing on it. |
| I met with a group of writers tonight. This is a group inspired by the desire to go somewhere with our writing. The problem seems to be that we are all in different stages of writing. I am the only one with published books and mine are all self published. I put a lot of thought into what would make my books marketable and tweaked my manuscripts until I felt they were perfect. I published them with high expectations and reveled in all of the positive comments that I received from the people who previewed my books. In this group we shared our work. It was very interesting to see what other writers are working on. The crime drama, the thriller and the contemporary women's novel were all well written; some better than others, but I long for another serious author of children's books. The books I write have no swear words and no murder. They are simple touching stories of hope and adventure for children. This latest novel started out to be a chapter book for grade schoolers (that was my vision) and has turned into being geared more towards teen-agers or young adults. It is a mystery to me why I seem to gravitate towards both ends of the reading levels and can not simply find a quaint story for older grade school children. Maybe someday I will solve the mystery but until then I will relish the fact that I can boast five published books. Even if my books are self-published and have met with minimal sales at least I can say I have been published. I watch these other writers and feel good about where I am with my writing career. As I move forward from here I know it will only get better and I can hope someday to be a well known writer. I dream of the day people are waiting for my next novel because they loved my characters and cant wait to hear more about them. Until then I will continue to work hard and to move forward. I will continue to write on! |
| It seems when I read I get lost in a book. Right now I am writing a fantasy novel and I have not taken a break from it in a long time. I have to read and re-read what I have written to be able to continue the story so I guess you could say that I am reading my own novel. I am super excited about this book. I know I will have to become a super marketing fool before I make any money on my books, but this one seems like it is something that agents and publishers might accept. If I am wrong that is ok too. I know that I can self-publish this book for my children to enjoy. This world of a writer is harder than I expected but I am glad that I found a way to share what I have created without selling my first born or waiting until I am old and gray to see my books in print. Well at least the old part; I have been graying since I was twenty-five. The work is rewarding, if not lucrative. Reading any book is rewarding; but reading one I have written and written well, full of adventure and intrigue is rewarding beyond measure. As I weave this tale and my heroine is threatened and saved by my hero I am given a sense of satisfaction. Creating the ability to defeat evil in my characters is inspiring. Would I recommend this book; of course I would. It has kept me riveted to my computer screen as I know it will keep my reader glued to the pages. The characters will become a part of your soul and you will think about them long after you have finished the book. You will long for the next book detailing the adventures of Audreena and Bayleen. |
| What or who makes you laugh the most today? I have eight kids but none of them have affected me the way my little Isabel does. She drives me crazy but makes me laugh all at the same time. The innocents behind her antics are inspiring. She makes me laugh multiple times a day. |
| What song did you sing along to today? I am not one to listen to a lot of music; but today, on my way to go get hay and I did sing along to a couple of songs on the radio. I cannot tell you the title of any of the songs. I have always loved country music and can sing almost any song that comes on the radio. The song that touched me talked about going to the house where you grew up to find yourself. The fact that I have been lost a good part of my life and going to the house where I grew up would be a very interesting thing for me. My life is so busy that I cherish these little moments where I get to get lost in a song are precious and wish I could find more of them. When my kids are grown and life changes maybe I will find a way to create some. I know that now my focus on my children outshines my own need for solitude and serenity. I will be sure to find time for myself but I am not willing to give up interacting with my kids to do it. |
| What did you do today for fun? I don't often have time or energy for fun. But today I took the time to enjoy a Queen pageant. I really enjoyed watching the girls ride and compete with each other for the title. The fact that they cheered each other on and congratulated each other on their accomplishments showed a sportsmanship that you would expect from a rodeo queen. These girls were all wholesome, down to earth cowgirls that were proud to compete for this title. They will go on to become amazing inspirational young ladies who will do great things. But for now I get to be proud of the fact that I have raised such a daughter. One who will stand up and fight for what she wants; and even though she was disappointed and didn't win, will hold her chin up high moving forward with a smile. She is already showing her will to persevere by starting to set goals that will help her win the Miss Cheney Rodeo title. I don't know if she will be able to succeed in winning but I know she will be made bigger by the experience of trying. So here is to the one thing that brings me joy these days; the accomplishments of my children. They will laugh, they will cry, they may scream; but they will always do their best to try and succeed. |
| What excited you today? I spent the day with my eternally grouchy daughter. It seemed that the moment that she woke up she was irritated about something. We went on a quest to find her the items she would need for the Miss Interstate Rodeo Queen competition tomorrow. She just needed to acquire the finishing touches to her outfits and a flag boot. She was almost in tears the other night as she told me she felt like I didn’t care about her contest. I was sad when I had to explain that it wasn’t that I didn’t care, it was simply that I had never been a part of anything like this so I had no idea how to support her or what she needed. When she said she would like me to go shopping with her I told her I would love to. But anyone who knows me knows that this was torture for me. I hate shopping more than I hate getting work done on my teeth. It is necessary but I avoid it at all cost. To my surprise I actually enjoyed the day. Her grumpiness was at a minimum and we accomplished a lot in a short time. We also had little Isabel with us and when I said we had to stop to get some milk and other groceries she said, “But I am tired, and grumpy and I want to go home.” She then leaned her head on the door and fell asleep. This was an unusual moment for her as she normally runs a million miles a minute. We returned home where Isabel took a healthy nap and Elizabeth and I went to the barnyard to set up an impromptu wash stall in a horse trailer; heated, of course, by heat lights and insulated by blue tarps. We washed a white horse in the dead of winter so she could go and compete for a title that will keep her eternally busy but give her a sense of accomplishment that will pale to most things in her life up to now. I am excited for my daughter’s future. Whether she wins this competition or not I think that she has the ability to excel in life. She is strong, motivated and determined. She just needs her mom to believe in her dreams and take a little splash of soapy horse water in the face from time to time. I love her but I found that washing a horse with my daughter was a lot like washing a horse (or a goat or a dog or…) with my best friend when I was young. That is a treasure worth being excited about and one worth holding onto. Write on! |
| What helped you today? Goals #1 - to finish converting my notes into chapters for my fantasy novel. #2 - do some research for my historical fiction/ memories of a cowboy projects. #3 - write the puppy descriptions and post them #4 - follow through on the pieces for freelance work. #5 - work on illustrations for Lilly's Pig ~ Quit being a chicken! #6 - draft a query letter for one book. #7 - Write the piece for the genre contest due feb 3 I have recently joined a group/contest about goal setting to help inspire me to stay on track this year. I have made the list and am plugging away at the goals I listed. Problem is I have found that I have more to do than what I have time for. This leads me to try to prioritize my goals. So the big question is which is more important, to finish a chapter or to write a query; and which query do I start with. Some of my goals are easily met, others will take some diligence by me to complete. So today I am able to look at my list of goals posted in multiple places to determine what I have yet to accomplish. I have started a million things but finished nothing. I have worked on things that are not on my list and have gotten off track. So today I will refocus my energy and strive to complete the list above with grace and fortitude. I actually had six goals and added a seventh so I would not forget about that as well. I have decided I need to create two lists, current goals and future goals. That way I can put the most pressing goals in one list and help me keep the focus on priority. Wish me luck. :) |
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