The Boy is driving. Oy.
It's a really strange feeling to be riding in my car and be in the back seat. His father rides up front with him because, as The Boy puts it, "Your freaking out is not helping me, Mom!"
The WGH does not freak out quite as badly as I do. He has more tolerance for things, like the car sliding too far to the right (I swear I saw a mailbox jump out of the way) and speeding around a curve (I didn't know tires actually made that noise).
I'm not being fair. He really is getting better. The more he drives, the more comfortable I get with the idea.
My parents were here for The Tall One's graduation, of course, and at our little family party Friday night my mother made the very astute observation that you never feel your age until someone mentions the age of your children. Just as my mother can't believe she has a daughter who's 40, I'm having a hard time accepting that I have a daughter who's almost 18 and a son who is 16. Not to mention Little Bit, who is now officially a teenager and is rapidly stretching up to being nearly as tall as I am (which is saying something, because I'm 5'9"). Oy. Again.
In light of all the family stuff, the school year ending and summer vacation getting under way, I've not had an overly productive week as far as getting any writing done. I did manage to get three of the four book reviews I had on the list written and sent off to our illustrious editor at RTE. My plan is to start in on things tomorrow and really get some serious work done - in between having a bit of work time to make up for the part-time job and meeting a deadline for turning panel information for this year's Southern Festival of Books, I might actually get that fourth review written and perhaps get back in the swing of meeting the 1,500 words a day goal for completing the WIP sometime before The Tall One goes off to college. As JT would say, it's doable (she who is off to Book Expo with all kinds of exciting stuff going on).
Have I mentioned lately that I love my life?
Music of the Moment: Mars, the Bringer of War (Holst, from The Planets)
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
5.31.2007
5.28.2007
Memorial Day
In case you missed the whole "quintessential Air Force brat" thing, there are two days of the year that I suffer a particularly sentimental prickling of emotion and ergo cannot be seen in public lest I make a fool of myself with my sobbing and sniffling. Veterans' Day is one of them; Memorial Day is the other.
I get a little weepy around the 4th of July, too, but for some reason it's these two days that really hit home for me.
My father served our country for 20 years as a USAF fighter pilot; having enlisted at the beginning of the Korean War, he didn't see action during that period, but he did pull two tours of duty in Viet Nam, flying F4 Phantoms (he calls the Phantom his "baby" even to this day) in combat and earning an impressive number of service medals, most of which I didn't know about until I was in my thirties.
We were fortunate in that our family saw Dad's safe return stateside; a lot of others weren't so lucky.
So, on this day, our national day of remembrance, remember those who gave their lives so that you and I could live to enjoy the freedoms and privileges we have as American citizens.
End of soap box lecture.
Today is also my mother's birthday. The WGH and the kids trotted off to the lake to spend the day with my in-laws; since I had to work, I stayed behind with my folks (who were in for The Tall One's graduation), and we're going to take Mother out for dinner to celebrate however old she is (which we, of course, are not mentioning). It was my plan to get caught up on my reading this weekend. Yeah.
I hope you're able to spend time with your loved ones today. Enjoy it. And if you have time, read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
I get a little weepy around the 4th of July, too, but for some reason it's these two days that really hit home for me.
My father served our country for 20 years as a USAF fighter pilot; having enlisted at the beginning of the Korean War, he didn't see action during that period, but he did pull two tours of duty in Viet Nam, flying F4 Phantoms (he calls the Phantom his "baby" even to this day) in combat and earning an impressive number of service medals, most of which I didn't know about until I was in my thirties.
We were fortunate in that our family saw Dad's safe return stateside; a lot of others weren't so lucky.
So, on this day, our national day of remembrance, remember those who gave their lives so that you and I could live to enjoy the freedoms and privileges we have as American citizens.
End of soap box lecture.
Today is also my mother's birthday. The WGH and the kids trotted off to the lake to spend the day with my in-laws; since I had to work, I stayed behind with my folks (who were in for The Tall One's graduation), and we're going to take Mother out for dinner to celebrate however old she is (which we, of course, are not mentioning). It was my plan to get caught up on my reading this weekend. Yeah.
I hope you're able to spend time with your loved ones today. Enjoy it. And if you have time, read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
5.24.2007
The Pre-Graduation Party Cleaning Day
I have a confession to make.
I suck as a housekeeper.
Some of you know this about me already. It's funny, I don't mind doing laundry (I'm actually one of those weird people who enjoy doing laundry). I don't mind cleaning the kitchen. I'll even get motivated enough to vacuum, on occasion.
It's the rest of the stuff I hate. Cleaning the bathrooms and dusting, mostly.
Yes, I'm whining. I don't mind doing that, either. ;)
The kids are officially done with school for the year. The Tall One (who was supposed to get up at 6:45 this morning for their senior breakfast and has yet to drag herself out of bed) should be up and around in a bit to head out for graduation practice. The WGH is at work, so The Boy, Little Bit and I will be left to scour the house and make it presentable for the somewhere around 40 people we're expecting to grace us with their presence at some point over the course of tomorrow afternoon.
What idiot came up with the bright idea to throw a party to honor our graduate?
Oh. Right. That would be me.
Fortunately for said idiot, The Boy is an expert at cleaning bathrooms, and Little Bit does a fair job with the vacuum cleaner. The rest of it I can handle. Not that I'm going to be doing it with much enthusiasm, mind you. I'm still not quite back - medically speaking - to that stage where the manic phases were coming more often than the dragging phases.
Plus, I'm still in that state of foggy disbelief regarding the fact that my oldest child, my firstborn, will be graduating from high school. Tomorrow.
There were goals that I'd set for myself to have accomplished by this point, and although I don't really remember what most of them were, I'm sure I've only managed to put a few checks in the "done" column. I can at least say that I've had a couple of books published, although strictly speaking they don't really "count" in the real world I now find myself ensconced in. At least they're in print. You can buy them and hold them in your hands and read them. But I am still writing, and since I've been feeling better lately, I've gone on a tear with the latest WIP and have really made great strides, not the least of which was coming up with a new title. Like it did when JT came up with the title for the last book, this one's giving me focus. A direction, a theme. More substance to add to the story. Yay.
I will most likely not, however, have much chance to write this weekend, at least until the festivities are over and my house is not crammed full of people and food and cake. My goal is to spend as much time as I can reading, whittling away at the tremendous stack of books I've managed to let get out of control, awaiting review for RTE. I'll get there. Just don't send me any more right now.
Read a book. It's good for you. I'll let you borrow one of mine ...
=) JB
I suck as a housekeeper.
Some of you know this about me already. It's funny, I don't mind doing laundry (I'm actually one of those weird people who enjoy doing laundry). I don't mind cleaning the kitchen. I'll even get motivated enough to vacuum, on occasion.
It's the rest of the stuff I hate. Cleaning the bathrooms and dusting, mostly.
Yes, I'm whining. I don't mind doing that, either. ;)
The kids are officially done with school for the year. The Tall One (who was supposed to get up at 6:45 this morning for their senior breakfast and has yet to drag herself out of bed) should be up and around in a bit to head out for graduation practice. The WGH is at work, so The Boy, Little Bit and I will be left to scour the house and make it presentable for the somewhere around 40 people we're expecting to grace us with their presence at some point over the course of tomorrow afternoon.
What idiot came up with the bright idea to throw a party to honor our graduate?
Oh. Right. That would be me.
Fortunately for said idiot, The Boy is an expert at cleaning bathrooms, and Little Bit does a fair job with the vacuum cleaner. The rest of it I can handle. Not that I'm going to be doing it with much enthusiasm, mind you. I'm still not quite back - medically speaking - to that stage where the manic phases were coming more often than the dragging phases.
Plus, I'm still in that state of foggy disbelief regarding the fact that my oldest child, my firstborn, will be graduating from high school. Tomorrow.
There were goals that I'd set for myself to have accomplished by this point, and although I don't really remember what most of them were, I'm sure I've only managed to put a few checks in the "done" column. I can at least say that I've had a couple of books published, although strictly speaking they don't really "count" in the real world I now find myself ensconced in. At least they're in print. You can buy them and hold them in your hands and read them. But I am still writing, and since I've been feeling better lately, I've gone on a tear with the latest WIP and have really made great strides, not the least of which was coming up with a new title. Like it did when JT came up with the title for the last book, this one's giving me focus. A direction, a theme. More substance to add to the story. Yay.
I will most likely not, however, have much chance to write this weekend, at least until the festivities are over and my house is not crammed full of people and food and cake. My goal is to spend as much time as I can reading, whittling away at the tremendous stack of books I've managed to let get out of control, awaiting review for RTE. I'll get there. Just don't send me any more right now.
Read a book. It's good for you. I'll let you borrow one of mine ...
=) JB
5.18.2007
Tickled Pink
It occurred to me this morning that it's been a week again since I've been in the Lunch Room. Sheesh. I was tripping along merrily last week, with a post every day (did you notice?), and then ... bupkis. Zip, zilch, nada. For a week! Shame on me. Again.
So, ready for my excuses? Well, no excuses, really. Just a rundown of what I've been up to since I was here last.
Saturday. Prom night! I have pictures. Somewhere. Oh, I know - they're on the other computer. So, I'll get those posted as soon as I journey into yon loft and get on it. The Tall One and her date, The Taller One, had a lovely time. The WGH played chauffeur after a minor snafu from the rental place, who promised us an Expedition and then couldn't deliver. My wise and resourceful hubby ended up snagging a Durango from one of the rental counters at the airport. A fortunate turn of events, so the evening was not a loss. The Boy, not wishing to have a thing to do with prom, held an "anti-prom party" - his being the thorn among the roses (four girls, friends of his from school), three of whom showed up unexpectedly. Little Bit and I watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on DVD while waiting for the WGH to drop the promgoers at the dance and return home for the in-between time and join us for our pizza dinner.
Sunday. Major down time. We made it to church, but only for the first session - the rest of the afternoon was spent cozied up in Napland, to recover from the previous night (the WGH and The Tall One rolled in at 2:25 a.m.).
Monday. Little Bit's band concert. Outside. Lovely spring evening. The kids did a good job, and the best part of all was that we were finished in just under an hour.
Tuesday. Senior Awards Night. The Tall One was honored with the Vocational Business Academic Award, High Honors (Top 20), Scholar Athlete recognition, a special Military Award from the Army for Female Scholar Athlete, and her service scholarship and lottery scholarship were recognized. Another proud Mama moment.
Wednesday. Our normal BMWs night, but since this guy was in town, we went to his signing at our favorite indy bookstore, then I tagged along with my Wonder Twin and her darling hubby as well as a couple other pals to take Mr. Charming to dinner. I shared with him that I'd mentioned to the kids that I would be spending the evening in the company of a very charming and very British gentleman. The Boy said, "Don't those two terms automatically go together?" Smart kid. Won me brownie points, I think.
Thursday. Doing my good turn. A couple in our Sunday school class had a baby recently, and there were major complications resulting in a prolonged ICU stay for Mom. She is home now and both are doing well, but a lot of us are helping by preparing meals and staying with her during the day. Yesterday was my day to cook, so I fixed up a big ol' pot roast dinner complete with 'tatoes and carrots, salad and mixed fruit for dessert. People truly are a blessing sometimes - their fridge was so full it was hard to get all my containers and bags in it.
The entire week. In addition to all the foregoing various and sundry activities, I've been writing. I made it to the end of the synopsis, so the basic story is done and down, and we're at just over 63,000 words. Now it's time to go back through and start filling in, patching and spackling, working on development of characters, pacing and the things that will make it a salable book. I'm liking where it is so far, but I have so much room in which to work that I'm actually kind of excited about what I'll be able to do with it.
The reason for my current state. Okay, so I've bored you with the gory details of my week, but since my frame of reference is now leaps and bounds above what it's been for the past month or so (we're calling that the pre-medicated period), I'm starting to get tickled about more of the little things again. Trust me, this is a good thing. What's really got me pink at the moment is that my first CD from YourMusic.com came in the mail today. You guessed it, of course - given the subheading "My Obession: All Things Harry Potter" in the right column - it's the soundtrack for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I remember the first time I watched the movie and thought, man, I love this music! Only to discover that it was none other than the great John Williams who composed it. Well, duh. At any rate, it's exactly the kind of stuff I like to listen to while I'm writing - orchestral, sweeping, moving. Insert contented sigh here.
Harry and I are going to go work on this manuscript now.
Read a book, and enjoy this gorgeous sunshiny day. It's good for you!
=) JB
So, ready for my excuses? Well, no excuses, really. Just a rundown of what I've been up to since I was here last.
Saturday. Prom night! I have pictures. Somewhere. Oh, I know - they're on the other computer. So, I'll get those posted as soon as I journey into yon loft and get on it. The Tall One and her date, The Taller One, had a lovely time. The WGH played chauffeur after a minor snafu from the rental place, who promised us an Expedition and then couldn't deliver. My wise and resourceful hubby ended up snagging a Durango from one of the rental counters at the airport. A fortunate turn of events, so the evening was not a loss. The Boy, not wishing to have a thing to do with prom, held an "anti-prom party" - his being the thorn among the roses (four girls, friends of his from school), three of whom showed up unexpectedly. Little Bit and I watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on DVD while waiting for the WGH to drop the promgoers at the dance and return home for the in-between time and join us for our pizza dinner.
Sunday. Major down time. We made it to church, but only for the first session - the rest of the afternoon was spent cozied up in Napland, to recover from the previous night (the WGH and The Tall One rolled in at 2:25 a.m.).
Monday. Little Bit's band concert. Outside. Lovely spring evening. The kids did a good job, and the best part of all was that we were finished in just under an hour.
Tuesday. Senior Awards Night. The Tall One was honored with the Vocational Business Academic Award, High Honors (Top 20), Scholar Athlete recognition, a special Military Award from the Army for Female Scholar Athlete, and her service scholarship and lottery scholarship were recognized. Another proud Mama moment.
Wednesday. Our normal BMWs night, but since this guy was in town, we went to his signing at our favorite indy bookstore, then I tagged along with my Wonder Twin and her darling hubby as well as a couple other pals to take Mr. Charming to dinner. I shared with him that I'd mentioned to the kids that I would be spending the evening in the company of a very charming and very British gentleman. The Boy said, "Don't those two terms automatically go together?" Smart kid. Won me brownie points, I think.
Thursday. Doing my good turn. A couple in our Sunday school class had a baby recently, and there were major complications resulting in a prolonged ICU stay for Mom. She is home now and both are doing well, but a lot of us are helping by preparing meals and staying with her during the day. Yesterday was my day to cook, so I fixed up a big ol' pot roast dinner complete with 'tatoes and carrots, salad and mixed fruit for dessert. People truly are a blessing sometimes - their fridge was so full it was hard to get all my containers and bags in it.
The entire week. In addition to all the foregoing various and sundry activities, I've been writing. I made it to the end of the synopsis, so the basic story is done and down, and we're at just over 63,000 words. Now it's time to go back through and start filling in, patching and spackling, working on development of characters, pacing and the things that will make it a salable book. I'm liking where it is so far, but I have so much room in which to work that I'm actually kind of excited about what I'll be able to do with it.
The reason for my current state. Okay, so I've bored you with the gory details of my week, but since my frame of reference is now leaps and bounds above what it's been for the past month or so (we're calling that the pre-medicated period), I'm starting to get tickled about more of the little things again. Trust me, this is a good thing. What's really got me pink at the moment is that my first CD from YourMusic.com came in the mail today. You guessed it, of course - given the subheading "My Obession: All Things Harry Potter" in the right column - it's the soundtrack for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I remember the first time I watched the movie and thought, man, I love this music! Only to discover that it was none other than the great John Williams who composed it. Well, duh. At any rate, it's exactly the kind of stuff I like to listen to while I'm writing - orchestral, sweeping, moving. Insert contented sigh here.
Harry and I are going to go work on this manuscript now.
Read a book, and enjoy this gorgeous sunshiny day. It's good for you!
=) JB
5.11.2007
Before Friday gets away ...
So much going on ...
Progress Report #2. The manuscript now stands at roughly 58,475 words. I added and incorported text for a total boost of just under 3500 words today, and then with the ending that's already written, we get this grand total.
Which is about ... oh, maybe not quite 60% of goal for completion.
But we're getting there.
I'm technically supposed to be housecleaning, as we are having company tomorrow (prom night is here), and too much running to do in the morning to get it done then. I'm actually in the middle of sorting through a stack of mail in the living room (really, that's what I'm doing right now, I'm not sitting here typing this post - you don't see me, I'm a figment of your imagination).
More as soon as I can. In the meantime, read a book!
=) JB
Progress Report #2. The manuscript now stands at roughly 58,475 words. I added and incorported text for a total boost of just under 3500 words today, and then with the ending that's already written, we get this grand total.
Which is about ... oh, maybe not quite 60% of goal for completion.
But we're getting there.
I'm technically supposed to be housecleaning, as we are having company tomorrow (prom night is here), and too much running to do in the morning to get it done then. I'm actually in the middle of sorting through a stack of mail in the living room (really, that's what I'm doing right now, I'm not sitting here typing this post - you don't see me, I'm a figment of your imagination).
More as soon as I can. In the meantime, read a book!
=) JB
5.10.2007
Thursday's News
The decision. Well, it's official. The Tall One will not be playing college basketball. The coach called her last night to let her know that the other players had accepted their offers and they didn't have the money to offer us a scholarship.
And she's okay with this. Really. She's decided she's looking forward to going to school and just being a student, without the added pressure and stress of being an athlete. So the wait is over, we know where she's going to college, and now we can take a breath and concentrate on wrapping up her last year of high school.
Progress report. It's been a long but productive day. Most notably, I added 2,205 words to the WIP this morning - in 3-1/2 hours. Now that's what I call progress. I'm excited to see where it's going next.
Tomorrow will be a day devoted to some serious writing - at least until around 3:30 or so, when the kids get home from school and we set about the task of getting the house straightened up and cleaned for prom company this weekend. Hoooo, is it going to be busy. But the WGH came up with an idea tonight that will ease the rush just a bit for Saturday morning. Bless him. He does have his moments.
Music, music, music. Went to The Boy's band concert tonight, and what a treat! I am one proud Mom, let me tell you. His Music Theory class was divided into three groups, and each group worked together and actually composed a short piece of music, which was then performed by select members of the band at tonight's concert. At the risk of sounding biased, The Boy's group had, hands down, the best piece. Also on the program were two pieces by the Jazz Band (The Boy had solos), and a piece each by the Brass Ensemble, Woodwind Ensemble, and Percussion Ensemble, and the final number with the entire band together was a rather scaled-down version of the overture from The Lord of the Rings. For those of you who know me, you know how much it means to me to have our son so excited about band. For those of you who don't, just bear with me while I have a few proud Mom moments.
On tap for tomorrow. Looking forward to taking some time to troll around the blogosphere and catch up with my buds in the world of words. Check back with me and see what I find.
In the meantime, read a book. It's good for you!
=) JB
And she's okay with this. Really. She's decided she's looking forward to going to school and just being a student, without the added pressure and stress of being an athlete. So the wait is over, we know where she's going to college, and now we can take a breath and concentrate on wrapping up her last year of high school.
Progress report. It's been a long but productive day. Most notably, I added 2,205 words to the WIP this morning - in 3-1/2 hours. Now that's what I call progress. I'm excited to see where it's going next.
Tomorrow will be a day devoted to some serious writing - at least until around 3:30 or so, when the kids get home from school and we set about the task of getting the house straightened up and cleaned for prom company this weekend. Hoooo, is it going to be busy. But the WGH came up with an idea tonight that will ease the rush just a bit for Saturday morning. Bless him. He does have his moments.
Music, music, music. Went to The Boy's band concert tonight, and what a treat! I am one proud Mom, let me tell you. His Music Theory class was divided into three groups, and each group worked together and actually composed a short piece of music, which was then performed by select members of the band at tonight's concert. At the risk of sounding biased, The Boy's group had, hands down, the best piece. Also on the program were two pieces by the Jazz Band (The Boy had solos), and a piece each by the Brass Ensemble, Woodwind Ensemble, and Percussion Ensemble, and the final number with the entire band together was a rather scaled-down version of the overture from The Lord of the Rings. For those of you who know me, you know how much it means to me to have our son so excited about band. For those of you who don't, just bear with me while I have a few proud Mom moments.
On tap for tomorrow. Looking forward to taking some time to troll around the blogosphere and catch up with my buds in the world of words. Check back with me and see what I find.
In the meantime, read a book. It's good for you!
=) JB
5.09.2007
A Wednesday Without Words
But only insofar as the BMWs don't meet tonight. Next week we are going to see this charming British gentleman for a signing at our other bookstore of choice.
As far as writing, I accomplished more today than I have in the past several weeks. Also had another heartfelt, soul-searching discussion with my invaluable Wonder Twin, and am going to be trying to make some minor adjustments to the "routine" - which as you've probably guessed by now has become so far from anything remotely resembling a routine as to border on the ridiculous. Riddikulus! (Harry Potter reference for those of you in the know.)
In terms of where I am as far as word count, I've culled out all the previously written material that is not at the current time usable, and am counting only what follows the synopsis guideline, so the "official" word count is now just over 52,000. Which is actually not bad, considering I've deleted a lot of superfluous crap along the way.
In light of my discussion with my illustrious critique partner, I'm giving myself an attitude adjustment and am going to reassess my priorities. We'll see how it goes.
Killer Year 2007 classmate Derek Nikitas posted a brilliant bit on the KY blog today. Check it out and pass it on.
In the meantime, I'm at the point where the energy has run out for the day, so I'm off to napland to see if I can't recharge my batteries a little.
See you tomorrow.
=) JB
As far as writing, I accomplished more today than I have in the past several weeks. Also had another heartfelt, soul-searching discussion with my invaluable Wonder Twin, and am going to be trying to make some minor adjustments to the "routine" - which as you've probably guessed by now has become so far from anything remotely resembling a routine as to border on the ridiculous. Riddikulus! (Harry Potter reference for those of you in the know.)
In terms of where I am as far as word count, I've culled out all the previously written material that is not at the current time usable, and am counting only what follows the synopsis guideline, so the "official" word count is now just over 52,000. Which is actually not bad, considering I've deleted a lot of superfluous crap along the way.
In light of my discussion with my illustrious critique partner, I'm giving myself an attitude adjustment and am going to reassess my priorities. We'll see how it goes.
Killer Year 2007 classmate Derek Nikitas posted a brilliant bit on the KY blog today. Check it out and pass it on.
In the meantime, I'm at the point where the energy has run out for the day, so I'm off to napland to see if I can't recharge my batteries a little.
See you tomorrow.
=) JB
5.08.2007
Tuesday Trolling
I don't put much stock in astrology, but every so often it's kind of fun to read my daily horoscope. Did I mention I'm an Aries?
Okay, just for fun, this is what LifeScript has in its profile for my sign:
"Aries is the adventurer of the zodiac. While always up for new challenges, it may be a rare Aries who actually finishes the projects they were so enthusiastic about starting. [so me] The Aries person is naturally independent, making them the first to take on the leadership role and the last to take orders or be restricted. [again, me] With an optimistic attitude and innate belief in themselves, the Aries person must be careful to balance their dreams with reality." [heh, yeah]
Aries in a Nutshell
Born: March 21 - April 19
Element: Fire - active and ardent
Quality: Cardinal, the quality that signifies change and movement
Symbol: The Ram
Lucky Day: Tuesday [that's today - go figure]
Lucky Numbers: 1 and 9
Special Color: Red, the color of passion and excitement [definitely]
Aries Traits: Adventurous, ambitious, impulsive, impatient, self-reliant, undiplomatic [yep, all me]
So, you can see where I get it. At least, I believe all these things are true about me, and anyone who knows me well will probably tell you the same thing.
Today's horoscope says this:
"Today still has a bit of an edge to it, yet you will do better if you can just turn down your volume, settle in and take it easy. You may talk up a storm about all you want to do, but you're not obligated to accomplish too much. If you feel lazy, make your plans less ambitious. Cut back on the noisy distractions and be quiet ..."
Hmmm, so this means I have an excuse to be lazy today? Ahem. I'm not so sure about that. I had plans for today. Things to do. Places to go. People to see. Not the least important of which is the florist, because until last night I forgot about a corsage and boutonniere for prom. Yikes.
I also need to go to the post office. Yesterday I got another package of books in the mail from RTE. Turns out my shipment got mixed up with someone else's - I got the wrong books. That never happens. We have it straightened out, though - I'm sending her books to her and if/when she gets mine she'll send them to me. No harm done. It's not like I don't have a titanic stack of books to read, so a delay of a few days getting the next batch won't kill me.
And this morning I requested five more.
No wonder I'm tired. A couple of weeks ago, my horoscope said I needed to re-evaluate things because I might be "heading for a reality check" if I took on "too much".
Who, me?
Trolling. So, it turns out that over the past three weeks or so, Big Brother Brett has been a) sick as a dog; b) busy with rewrites on Book 2; and c) hanging out at the LA Times Festival of Books. He's got some terrific pictures you might enjoy perusing.
My Wonder Twin posted a nice first-week recap of her trip to Italy. Part two is coming Friday. I'm glad she had a good time, but I'm even more glad she's home.
I even took a jaunt over to The Writing Playground to see what the Playfriends are up to, and discovered that they are ... well, playing. What a fun little group they are.
As tonight is our monthly Sisters in Crime meeting, I'm on the clock early with the day job, and the errands must be run this morning so that I might have time to write. Which means I probably need a shower - the general public will not take kindly to the vision I am at the moment (trust me, I look like a reject from Carrie).
You, there. Read a book. Enjoy your day.
=) JB
Okay, just for fun, this is what LifeScript has in its profile for my sign:
"Aries is the adventurer of the zodiac. While always up for new challenges, it may be a rare Aries who actually finishes the projects they were so enthusiastic about starting. [so me] The Aries person is naturally independent, making them the first to take on the leadership role and the last to take orders or be restricted. [again, me] With an optimistic attitude and innate belief in themselves, the Aries person must be careful to balance their dreams with reality." [heh, yeah]
Aries in a Nutshell
Born: March 21 - April 19
Element: Fire - active and ardent
Quality: Cardinal, the quality that signifies change and movement
Symbol: The Ram
Lucky Day: Tuesday [that's today - go figure]
Lucky Numbers: 1 and 9
Special Color: Red, the color of passion and excitement [definitely]
Aries Traits: Adventurous, ambitious, impulsive, impatient, self-reliant, undiplomatic [yep, all me]
So, you can see where I get it. At least, I believe all these things are true about me, and anyone who knows me well will probably tell you the same thing.
Today's horoscope says this:
"Today still has a bit of an edge to it, yet you will do better if you can just turn down your volume, settle in and take it easy. You may talk up a storm about all you want to do, but you're not obligated to accomplish too much. If you feel lazy, make your plans less ambitious. Cut back on the noisy distractions and be quiet ..."
Hmmm, so this means I have an excuse to be lazy today? Ahem. I'm not so sure about that. I had plans for today. Things to do. Places to go. People to see. Not the least important of which is the florist, because until last night I forgot about a corsage and boutonniere for prom. Yikes.
I also need to go to the post office. Yesterday I got another package of books in the mail from RTE. Turns out my shipment got mixed up with someone else's - I got the wrong books. That never happens. We have it straightened out, though - I'm sending her books to her and if/when she gets mine she'll send them to me. No harm done. It's not like I don't have a titanic stack of books to read, so a delay of a few days getting the next batch won't kill me.
And this morning I requested five more.
No wonder I'm tired. A couple of weeks ago, my horoscope said I needed to re-evaluate things because I might be "heading for a reality check" if I took on "too much".
Who, me?
Trolling. So, it turns out that over the past three weeks or so, Big Brother Brett has been a) sick as a dog; b) busy with rewrites on Book 2; and c) hanging out at the LA Times Festival of Books. He's got some terrific pictures you might enjoy perusing.
My Wonder Twin posted a nice first-week recap of her trip to Italy. Part two is coming Friday. I'm glad she had a good time, but I'm even more glad she's home.
I even took a jaunt over to The Writing Playground to see what the Playfriends are up to, and discovered that they are ... well, playing. What a fun little group they are.
As tonight is our monthly Sisters in Crime meeting, I'm on the clock early with the day job, and the errands must be run this morning so that I might have time to write. Which means I probably need a shower - the general public will not take kindly to the vision I am at the moment (trust me, I look like a reject from Carrie).
You, there. Read a book. Enjoy your day.
=) JB
5.07.2007
Monday Morning Musings
As you know if you've been keeping up, I'm in the midst of getting back to normal. The walks aren't happening again yet, although the weather is certainly cooperating here in Middle Tennessee. We're moving fast from spring into summer, complete with sunshine and the occasional pop-up shower/thunderstorm. I'm planning to work the walks back into my routine as soon as I get to the point where walking 20 feet doesn't wear me out.
The part of the routine that is (fairly) normal again is my reading for an hour every morning (and more in the evening most days). I've added several excellent books to the list, and a couple more of my RTE reviews are up (links to the right). And, as I'm sitting here in the study, with a cat in my second desk chair and the lamps and radio on, posting to the blog, I'm sort of feeling like me again.
Return of "Music of the Moment": Are You Feelin' Satisfied? by Boston
Yes, I am a rock-n-roller at heart. As soon as The Big Show is over, we'll be switching over to Ralph Vaughan Williams on the CD - writing music - and I'll be diving back into the WIP, which now stands at just under 62,000 words. See? I haven't really been doing nothing all this time.
Tomorrow we may see what my Literary Siblings have been up to - JT just got back from a two-week trip to Italy, and I need to check in with Brett and see how things are in California, as we edge closer to the release of The Cleaner at the end of June.
In the meantime, read a book. It's good for you!
=) JB
The part of the routine that is (fairly) normal again is my reading for an hour every morning (and more in the evening most days). I've added several excellent books to the list, and a couple more of my RTE reviews are up (links to the right). And, as I'm sitting here in the study, with a cat in my second desk chair and the lamps and radio on, posting to the blog, I'm sort of feeling like me again.
Return of "Music of the Moment": Are You Feelin' Satisfied? by Boston
Yes, I am a rock-n-roller at heart. As soon as The Big Show is over, we'll be switching over to Ralph Vaughan Williams on the CD - writing music - and I'll be diving back into the WIP, which now stands at just under 62,000 words. See? I haven't really been doing nothing all this time.
Tomorrow we may see what my Literary Siblings have been up to - JT just got back from a two-week trip to Italy, and I need to check in with Brett and see how things are in California, as we edge closer to the release of The Cleaner at the end of June.
In the meantime, read a book. It's good for you!
=) JB
5.06.2007
Yes, there's actually something wrong with me ...
It's called "subclinical hypothyroidism". This is a condition in which the body does not produce sufficient quantities of the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). In layman's terms, the thyroid is a little gland that helps regulate your energy level. Mine is underactive.
I went through this 13 years ago, right after Little Bit was born. Only then, we added a lovely bout of postpartum depression to the mix, and I was a real mess. Thank God for Zoloft and Synthroid. ;) A year later I was pretty much back to normal, and the doc has been keeping a spot check on my thyroid levels since then. I guess I'm pretty lucky to have made it 13 years without a relapse.
How funny is it that I'm actually relieved to know there is something physically wrong with me? But it does explain a lot - the lack of energy or motivation, the weight gain (you don't want to know). I was analyzing things from my own point of view in terms of where I am now compared to where I was when I had the depression. Were I in my depressive state, I would have looked at the two project boards on the wall in my study, with their lists of names upon names of authors I've promised to interview and books I've committed to review, and I would have been overwhelmed.
In my current state, I'm not overwhelmed. I'm not overemotional. I'm simply over-apathetic. I'm tired - all the time. What's worse, I don't even have the energy or motivation to get upset about it. Frankly, Scarlet, I just don't care.
Actually, that's not entirely true. I do care. I just don't have the gumption to do anything about it. I'm getting there, though. And it's not that I don't take pleasure in doing things (also a sign of depression - it's a good sign that I still enjoy doing all the things I love to do). Once I get myself sparked enough to work on something, I'm fine. But it wears me out, so I can only do a little at a time.
So, for those of you who have been worried about me, I thank you as graciously as I possibly can. And I want to emphasize how much I appreciate your support and concern. I'm on medication now, which should bring me back to normal (well, as normal as you could call it) very soon.
In the meantime, I'll be here when I can. I am still writing, still reading and still busy with life - The Tall One's graduation is now less than three weeks away, and prom is this weekend. Little Bit is playing soccer, and The Boy is up to his elbows (which are considerably higher off the ground than they used to be) in band activities. If I can stay awake for all of it, I'll be sure to post updates along the way.
The WMVR says if my admonition that reading a book is good for you is true, she should be the healthiest person on the planet ... how about trying to outdo her today?
=) JB
I went through this 13 years ago, right after Little Bit was born. Only then, we added a lovely bout of postpartum depression to the mix, and I was a real mess. Thank God for Zoloft and Synthroid. ;) A year later I was pretty much back to normal, and the doc has been keeping a spot check on my thyroid levels since then. I guess I'm pretty lucky to have made it 13 years without a relapse.
How funny is it that I'm actually relieved to know there is something physically wrong with me? But it does explain a lot - the lack of energy or motivation, the weight gain (you don't want to know). I was analyzing things from my own point of view in terms of where I am now compared to where I was when I had the depression. Were I in my depressive state, I would have looked at the two project boards on the wall in my study, with their lists of names upon names of authors I've promised to interview and books I've committed to review, and I would have been overwhelmed.
In my current state, I'm not overwhelmed. I'm not overemotional. I'm simply over-apathetic. I'm tired - all the time. What's worse, I don't even have the energy or motivation to get upset about it. Frankly, Scarlet, I just don't care.
Actually, that's not entirely true. I do care. I just don't have the gumption to do anything about it. I'm getting there, though. And it's not that I don't take pleasure in doing things (also a sign of depression - it's a good sign that I still enjoy doing all the things I love to do). Once I get myself sparked enough to work on something, I'm fine. But it wears me out, so I can only do a little at a time.
So, for those of you who have been worried about me, I thank you as graciously as I possibly can. And I want to emphasize how much I appreciate your support and concern. I'm on medication now, which should bring me back to normal (well, as normal as you could call it) very soon.
In the meantime, I'll be here when I can. I am still writing, still reading and still busy with life - The Tall One's graduation is now less than three weeks away, and prom is this weekend. Little Bit is playing soccer, and The Boy is up to his elbows (which are considerably higher off the ground than they used to be) in band activities. If I can stay awake for all of it, I'll be sure to post updates along the way.
The WMVR says if my admonition that reading a book is good for you is true, she should be the healthiest person on the planet ... how about trying to outdo her today?
=) JB
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
