I thought it would be nice to have a more lighthearted post today to contrast the last one. After all, life is full of both happy and sad moments, and you can't have one without the other, right?
The Project. We've lived in this house for just over 5 years now, and we finally decided that it needed a bit of an overhaul. So we're painting. Now, the WGH loves to paint about as much as I love to go shopping. Ranks right up there with cleaning up dog barf at midnight, having a root canal or having someone jab you in the eye with a sharp stick. But it needed to be done, and we're working on a room or two at a time. It's the same answer as the one to the question, "How do you eat an elephant?" (One bite at a time.)
So here we are in the paint department at Lowe's, looking at every Valspar Signature series color sample under the sun. I never knew there were so many different shades of green, beige and pink. We bring the little cards home, prop them up on the baseboards and door frames and spend some quality time with them until we find the color we like the best. After several trips, we finally found a combination we really like.
It's a work in progress. And the more I look at the parts that are finished, the more I love them. Sometimes you just need something fresh and new to perk yourself up. And what better way to do that than to spruce up your surroundings a bit? My study, sometime in the near future, is going to brighten up from this very neutral and *yawn* passive shade of beige to a gorgeous color called Oxford Pink. I know what you're thinking - ewwww, PINK???? But believe me, this color is luscious. It's warm and rosy and cozy and I can't wait to see it on my walls. The recliner and my writing desk chair are both of a rather burgundy-esque color (bought at two different places at two different times and they're almost identical - how lucky was that?), and the pink walls will be a perfect complement.
The part that I'm looking forward to the most is being able to sit in here and just soak up the positive energy and turn it into a blast of creativity. It's all about the chi, yes?
Work in Progress. The other thing I'm working on again is the manuscript - slowly but surely. My recent five-month break did not include much writing, so I'm back after it. Unfortunately, the day job takes up most of my days, so I'm relegated once again, as I was so many years ago when the kids were small ... er, young (have you SEEN my kids?), to working on the manuscript in the evenings. Thank God for DVR and a husband who finally caved and ordered the service. ;)
It's finished, for the most part. The story is down. It's just in the tweaking phase once again. I finally figured out what was bugging me so much about the story, that one little plot point that just wouldn't gel quite properly, and once I did that the edits seemed to just start flowing. I have a legal pad on the desk where I've jotted some editorial notes, things I need to fix overall, which I'll get to as soon as I'm through the first pass, taking care of notes from the BMWs (most of which I've discovered have already been done - I told you it's been a while since I've looked at this thing). But the group is about 2 or 3 chapters from the end, and once that's in hand I'll make sure everything's nice and tight, and then ... well, you writers know the drill. The rest of you probably don't care much - you just want to read the book, right?
Soon. I promise.
Music, music, music. As you know, I have a pretty decent collection of CDs full of classical and orchestral and jazz music, which I must, must, must have playing in the study while I'm working, either at the day job or at the writing desk. Right now there is silence in my little room because The Boy is still asleep next door. It's early at our house for a Saturday. The WGH will be up and painting soon, and I have to spend a few hours chained to the day job desk, but this afternoon ... look out manuscript. The music will be blaring and I will be tweaking away.
It's a little on the rainy gray side today. A perfect day to stay indoors and accomplish something.
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
"Action is eloquence."
-- William Shakespeare, English dramatist & poet (1564 - 1616)
Showing posts with label Family Stuff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family Stuff. Show all posts
2.28.2009
1.23.2009
There's a rock band in my basement ...
I'm not kidding. The Boy and a few of his friends have descended upon the WGH's studio - one of them (and I'm not sure which one, but I think it's my son) is on the drum set, two on guitars, and one on our old clunky antique baby grand piano.
The studio is downstairs, of course. Which is why I am not. I haven't heard much but a lot of noise so far, but whoever is playing lead guitar is actually quite good - every so often I'll catch a familiar lick (pretty sure I heard something from Beat It a few minutes ago).
Meanwhile, it's a mild and pleasant 60 degrees here, so I've shut off the heat and opened the windows for a bit. My plan was to enjoy a nice quiet afternoon, get some writing done, and then kick back and relax with a good book. Sigh. So much for the quiet afternoon. But the "band" apparently won't be staying too long, so perhaps I'll get my opportunity later.
Tomorrow I get to tag along with JT for her gig at the Smyrna Library's Winter Reading Program. I love going with her to these things. She's such a star (not a diva, mind you, but an honest to goodness, gracious, lovely, and entertaining speaker), and she really shines when she's in the spotlight. Okay, that might have been a little too adjectivey and cheesey, but you get what I mean. She's just fun to watch and fun to be with. So Little Ol' Me likes it when she drags Me with her.
Speaking of my Wonder Twin, our mutual pal Timothy Hallinan did a guest spot for her over at Murderati today with some great thoughts on "what not to do." My writer visitors should check it out (you might check it out even if you're not a writer).
The band is in full swing and I can no longer concentrate, so off I jaunt ...
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
"If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die."
-- William Shakespeare (Twelfth Night, Act 1 scene 1)
The studio is downstairs, of course. Which is why I am not. I haven't heard much but a lot of noise so far, but whoever is playing lead guitar is actually quite good - every so often I'll catch a familiar lick (pretty sure I heard something from Beat It a few minutes ago).
Meanwhile, it's a mild and pleasant 60 degrees here, so I've shut off the heat and opened the windows for a bit. My plan was to enjoy a nice quiet afternoon, get some writing done, and then kick back and relax with a good book. Sigh. So much for the quiet afternoon. But the "band" apparently won't be staying too long, so perhaps I'll get my opportunity later.
Tomorrow I get to tag along with JT for her gig at the Smyrna Library's Winter Reading Program. I love going with her to these things. She's such a star (not a diva, mind you, but an honest to goodness, gracious, lovely, and entertaining speaker), and she really shines when she's in the spotlight. Okay, that might have been a little too adjectivey and cheesey, but you get what I mean. She's just fun to watch and fun to be with. So Little Ol' Me likes it when she drags Me with her.
Speaking of my Wonder Twin, our mutual pal Timothy Hallinan did a guest spot for her over at Murderati today with some great thoughts on "what not to do." My writer visitors should check it out (you might check it out even if you're not a writer).
The band is in full swing and I can no longer concentrate, so off I jaunt ...
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
"If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die."
-- William Shakespeare (Twelfth Night, Act 1 scene 1)
6.18.2008
When the mouse is away ...
Smokee has taken up residence in my study and found herself a new hiding/napping place. We've decided she apparently has latent literary tendencies ...
I actually got down on the floor to take this picture - from a standing position, she's hidden from view so that all you can see is her tail. When she stretches a bit, you can see her little white feet sticking out!
My Wonder Twin suggested I put this on the blog. (I'll find a more permanent home for it eventually ... we just have to make sure the health inspector doesn't drop by the Lunch Room!)
Today's just a quick drive-by. So much to do, so little time. So read a book - shall I have Miss Literary Kitty select one for you? She seems to have found a few she likes ...
=) JB
P.S. - Amidst all of my busy-ness, I did manage to register the fact that today marks exactly 4 years since I left my previous job and came home to be a writer. Keep that in mind for future reference, because today might just turn out to be significant in other ways. More later.
I actually got down on the floor to take this picture - from a standing position, she's hidden from view so that all you can see is her tail. When she stretches a bit, you can see her little white feet sticking out!
My Wonder Twin suggested I put this on the blog. (I'll find a more permanent home for it eventually ... we just have to make sure the health inspector doesn't drop by the Lunch Room!)
Today's just a quick drive-by. So much to do, so little time. So read a book - shall I have Miss Literary Kitty select one for you? She seems to have found a few she likes ...
=) JB
P.S. - Amidst all of my busy-ness, I did manage to register the fact that today marks exactly 4 years since I left my previous job and came home to be a writer. Keep that in mind for future reference, because today might just turn out to be significant in other ways. More later.
5.27.2008
A Box Full of Memories
I hope you were able to take some time yesterday to honor or at least think about those who have given their lives for the freedoms we enjoy in this country. You all know by now that my dad is a Viet Nam veteran, USAF retired fighter pilot, and that I'm very proud of that fact. The folks were here yesterday, and I embarked on a successful Internet search on Dad's behalf to locate the service route of the 12th Indiana Infantry regiment - from the Civil War. Turns out his father's maternal grandfather (i.e., my great-great-grandfather) was a private in Company G of the 12th Indiana, and from 1862 to 1865 they traveled from Indianapolis to Memphis to Chattanooga and then to Washington D.C. by way of Vicksburg, Atlanta and Richmond. And our ancestor lived to tell the tale. Fascinating stuff, though I have to be careful about bragging on my Yankee ancestry considering I am now firmly ensconced in a state quite proud of its Rebel heritage. (Down here, they still call it the War of Northern Aggression.)
I love my Southern friends, and you all (ahem, y'all) know who you are.
Another thing I found recently ... sort of related but sort of not ... was a box full of notecards, stationery and stickers that I used for correspondence back when I was in [cough]high school[cough]. Talk about opening up a box full of memories. I can't begin to describe everything that I found, but each new piece I picked up brought back a flood like I haven't had in a long, long time. Ah, nostalgia.
I'm off to spend part of my afternoon with my pal Will ... Shakespeare, that is ... and a bit of As You Like It. And after that, of course, I'm diving back into the TBR pile. I'm reading a book called Poison Pen by the lovely Sheila Lowe, another Capital Crime Press writer in league with Robert Fate and Bruce Cook. Sheila will be dropping by the Lunch Room for an interview here in the very near future, so be sure to schedule your lunch dates accordingly. I'll let you know closer to time what date that'll be so you can get it on your calendar - you won't want to miss her.
And don't forget to register for our current drawing for an autographed copy of Blood Harvest. This is an incredible book, and well worth the afternoon it will take you to read it. Trust me.
=) JB
"Life is too short for a long story."
-- Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1762) English writer
I love my Southern friends, and you all (ahem, y'all) know who you are.
Another thing I found recently ... sort of related but sort of not ... was a box full of notecards, stationery and stickers that I used for correspondence back when I was in [cough]high school[cough]. Talk about opening up a box full of memories. I can't begin to describe everything that I found, but each new piece I picked up brought back a flood like I haven't had in a long, long time. Ah, nostalgia.
I'm off to spend part of my afternoon with my pal Will ... Shakespeare, that is ... and a bit of As You Like It. And after that, of course, I'm diving back into the TBR pile. I'm reading a book called Poison Pen by the lovely Sheila Lowe, another Capital Crime Press writer in league with Robert Fate and Bruce Cook. Sheila will be dropping by the Lunch Room for an interview here in the very near future, so be sure to schedule your lunch dates accordingly. I'll let you know closer to time what date that'll be so you can get it on your calendar - you won't want to miss her.
And don't forget to register for our current drawing for an autographed copy of Blood Harvest. This is an incredible book, and well worth the afternoon it will take you to read it. Trust me.
=) JB
"Life is too short for a long story."
-- Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1762) English writer
5.01.2008
The Tall One Returns
As you read this, I am on my way to pick up The Tall One from college. She has just finished her freshman year and is ready to come home for the summer. Little Bit is just beside herself excited that her big sister is coming home. It's interesting, though, that The Tall One will finish her year earlier and start her next year later than her brother and sister. Funky school systems.
Anyway, just a reminder that if you haven't entered the drawing to win one of five autographed copies of BABY SHARK'S HIGH PLAINS REDEMPTION, git 'er done! Details to the right under The Chef's Special.
More intelligent thoughts are on their way tomorrow morning, when I shan't have to arise at yon crack of dawn and may actually have a coherent thought in my head ... I may even have another special announcement or two to share. In the meantime, read a book!
=) JB
Anyway, just a reminder that if you haven't entered the drawing to win one of five autographed copies of BABY SHARK'S HIGH PLAINS REDEMPTION, git 'er done! Details to the right under The Chef's Special.
More intelligent thoughts are on their way tomorrow morning, when I shan't have to arise at yon crack of dawn and may actually have a coherent thought in my head ... I may even have another special announcement or two to share. In the meantime, read a book!
=) JB
4.21.2008
Tennessee Tuxedo
Raise your hands if you remember this character.
Ah, I see a few of you out there. Remember his pal Chumley? That's when cartoons were great, folks, I'm here to tell you. On second thought, don't get me started ...
So The Boy and I went to the Men's Wearhouse tux shop today - MWTux. All they do is tuxedos. For any and all occasions. And as you know, prom is fast approaching. Milady's dress is pink - shocking pink, if the truth be told - and The Boy has agreed to accessorize the otherwise all-black tux with a fuschia tie. Mom is pleased if a bit tired - I never knew that so much went into renting a tux. But the very knowledgeable young associate who helped us this afternoon took care of everything in a trice. He gets the whole shooting match in the rental package - jacket, pants, vest, tie, shirt - in her words, everything but his underwear. (The Boy and I agreed that he could probably come up with something in that department.) They even do socks and shoes - how cool is that? I question the socks thing, really - we have to take the thing back the day after prom, and do they really want those smelly socks back? Eewwww.
The upshot of our afternoon at the mall is that I haven't done a bloody thing writing-wise today. I have to make breakfast for tomorrow's session of the men's Bible study group at our church, so this evening is going to entail diving into a good book and a few of my favorite TV shows. We'll tackle the rest of the to-do list tomorrow, when I can actually stay home and get something done.
Be sure to stay tuned over the next few days, because I'm putting the finishing touches on a very special announcement which shall be forthcoming soon. You'll love it, I promise.
In the meantime, read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
"If we would build on a sure foundation in friendship, we must love friends for their sake rather than for our own."
-- Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855) English writer
Ah, I see a few of you out there. Remember his pal Chumley? That's when cartoons were great, folks, I'm here to tell you. On second thought, don't get me started ...
So The Boy and I went to the Men's Wearhouse tux shop today - MWTux. All they do is tuxedos. For any and all occasions. And as you know, prom is fast approaching. Milady's dress is pink - shocking pink, if the truth be told - and The Boy has agreed to accessorize the otherwise all-black tux with a fuschia tie. Mom is pleased if a bit tired - I never knew that so much went into renting a tux. But the very knowledgeable young associate who helped us this afternoon took care of everything in a trice. He gets the whole shooting match in the rental package - jacket, pants, vest, tie, shirt - in her words, everything but his underwear. (The Boy and I agreed that he could probably come up with something in that department.) They even do socks and shoes - how cool is that? I question the socks thing, really - we have to take the thing back the day after prom, and do they really want those smelly socks back? Eewwww.
The upshot of our afternoon at the mall is that I haven't done a bloody thing writing-wise today. I have to make breakfast for tomorrow's session of the men's Bible study group at our church, so this evening is going to entail diving into a good book and a few of my favorite TV shows. We'll tackle the rest of the to-do list tomorrow, when I can actually stay home and get something done.
Be sure to stay tuned over the next few days, because I'm putting the finishing touches on a very special announcement which shall be forthcoming soon. You'll love it, I promise.
In the meantime, read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
"If we would build on a sure foundation in friendship, we must love friends for their sake rather than for our own."
-- Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855) English writer
8.19.2007
Done Again
Thursday night I sent the "finished" manuscript to JT and the WMVR.
Is this a burden lifted? Almost. Knowing that I've edited the story enough that it's in a fairly readable state is a step in the right direction. I think there are probably still holes to fill ... things I didn't catch as I was reading through it, changes I made that might not have carried through from beginning to end. We'll see. I have an initial reaction from the WMVR. After the first chapter, she called me and told me I was a sick puppy. I took that as a compliment. ;)
I'm glad I have these two. I value their opinions so much, mostly because I know they want me to succeed. They're not the only ones, of course, but they're the two who have their fingers on my pulse, so to speak. They're the ones who will be absolutely frank about whether what I've written works, and because they're judging it from two different perspectives - one from the market and one from the target audience - they're the ones I have to "sell" it to first. They're also the ones who know me best, know how I work, encourage me along the way when I get down on myself and lose my enthusiasm, the ones who kick me in the tail and motivate me to keep plugging away, keep working, keep writing when it's the last thing I want to do. So thank you, ladies, for ... well, everything.
I told them to take their time with it, mainly because I have a laundry list of things that need my attention, most of which I have been putting off until I got the manuscript finished. Do you other writers do that? Do you not do anything else until you complete that manuscript? I was talking the other day about being able to multitask, and I'm not recanting what I said, but when I'm working on a book and get so close to the end point, I have a tendency to let everything else slide for a while until it's finished. Well, now it's finished, and I have to start working my way down the list again. The good news is that over the past couple of days I actually have marked off a few things. Yay, me.
Now that we're in that holding pattern, though, I find myself sort of pacing the virtual waiting room. There's a lot of emotion going on here - nervous anticipation, insecurity, anxiety ... and fear. Fear of failure - or fear of success. I have finally admitted to having a bit of both. Will they love it or will they think it sucks? Either way, I know they'll be honest with me, but it's the not knowing, the waiting, and then ... the next step. Whatever it is I have to do after they send it back to me, whether it's edit more or get ready to submit, the whole process of pacing is my chance to get my act together so that whatever that next step is, I'll be ready for it.
Two Days. One of the things I have to do while I wait is get emotionally prepared for sending The Tall One off to college. She's excited and ready to go. And I'm pretty sure I'm ready to let her. I'm a little worried about her father, though - he's been on vacation the last week and hasn't been involved in the "final preparations". When he gets home this morning it will be to find that she's cleaned her room and packed already. It might freak him out a little, even though I did warn him that it was done. Then he gets two days with her - on one of which he has to work - and then she's off. I know you're thinking I'm being a little dramatic here. But she's Daddy's Girl, always has been, and I know it's going to be hard on him. So I'd just ask that you all send some good vibes his way, some virtual pats on the back and a couple of "it's going to be all right"'s, and I'll share them with him. For those of you who have already sent me notes of encouragement, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Enjoy your Sunday. Read a book. Hug somebody you love. It's all good for you.
=) JB
Is this a burden lifted? Almost. Knowing that I've edited the story enough that it's in a fairly readable state is a step in the right direction. I think there are probably still holes to fill ... things I didn't catch as I was reading through it, changes I made that might not have carried through from beginning to end. We'll see. I have an initial reaction from the WMVR. After the first chapter, she called me and told me I was a sick puppy. I took that as a compliment. ;)
I'm glad I have these two. I value their opinions so much, mostly because I know they want me to succeed. They're not the only ones, of course, but they're the two who have their fingers on my pulse, so to speak. They're the ones who will be absolutely frank about whether what I've written works, and because they're judging it from two different perspectives - one from the market and one from the target audience - they're the ones I have to "sell" it to first. They're also the ones who know me best, know how I work, encourage me along the way when I get down on myself and lose my enthusiasm, the ones who kick me in the tail and motivate me to keep plugging away, keep working, keep writing when it's the last thing I want to do. So thank you, ladies, for ... well, everything.
I told them to take their time with it, mainly because I have a laundry list of things that need my attention, most of which I have been putting off until I got the manuscript finished. Do you other writers do that? Do you not do anything else until you complete that manuscript? I was talking the other day about being able to multitask, and I'm not recanting what I said, but when I'm working on a book and get so close to the end point, I have a tendency to let everything else slide for a while until it's finished. Well, now it's finished, and I have to start working my way down the list again. The good news is that over the past couple of days I actually have marked off a few things. Yay, me.
Now that we're in that holding pattern, though, I find myself sort of pacing the virtual waiting room. There's a lot of emotion going on here - nervous anticipation, insecurity, anxiety ... and fear. Fear of failure - or fear of success. I have finally admitted to having a bit of both. Will they love it or will they think it sucks? Either way, I know they'll be honest with me, but it's the not knowing, the waiting, and then ... the next step. Whatever it is I have to do after they send it back to me, whether it's edit more or get ready to submit, the whole process of pacing is my chance to get my act together so that whatever that next step is, I'll be ready for it.
Two Days. One of the things I have to do while I wait is get emotionally prepared for sending The Tall One off to college. She's excited and ready to go. And I'm pretty sure I'm ready to let her. I'm a little worried about her father, though - he's been on vacation the last week and hasn't been involved in the "final preparations". When he gets home this morning it will be to find that she's cleaned her room and packed already. It might freak him out a little, even though I did warn him that it was done. Then he gets two days with her - on one of which he has to work - and then she's off. I know you're thinking I'm being a little dramatic here. But she's Daddy's Girl, always has been, and I know it's going to be hard on him. So I'd just ask that you all send some good vibes his way, some virtual pats on the back and a couple of "it's going to be all right"'s, and I'll share them with him. For those of you who have already sent me notes of encouragement, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Enjoy your Sunday. Read a book. Hug somebody you love. It's all good for you.
=) JB
7.30.2007
Jollification*
My baby ain't a baby no more. Or something just as grammatically horrifying. Yep, we've reached yet another milestone. The Tall One is 18 years old today. She went out with an old friend of hers last night (how old can an "old friend" be to an 18-year-old?) to spend time with another friend they hadn't seen in several years. She called me around 9:30 or so and said she was going to stay with them until midnight so that they could say they hung out with her on her birthday. I thought that was kinda funny.
Hotter 'n blazes. I am sunburnt. We spent most of the day Saturday in town (our little town - where "uptown" is 1/2 mile up the road) for the annual Volunteer Fire Department Parade and Picnic. The Boy was in the parade with the marching band, of course, and for being so small (we're rebuilding, in the new director's second year) they sound great. The Boy has switched from bari sax to Sousaphone. For those of you who don't know what that is (and yes, there are those of you out there with furrowed brows - I can see you), it's the thing that looks like someone stretched out a big brass pipe and wrapped it around the guy playing it so that the bell sticks up over his head. Named for John Philip Sousa, of course, it's the marching band version of a tuba. Anyway, their band director is just tickled at how quickly The Boy has adapted to his new instrument. What can I say? Pure talent. It's genetic - and no, he didn't get it from me. The musicality is from the WGH's side of the family (from the WGH himself, mostly).
It was 90 degrees and mostly sunny all day Saturday, and we were right out in it. No sunblock (I know, stupid), but I did spend as much time in the shade as I could get. Watched some friends and other members of our community play softball, walked around and talked to a bunch of folks, and generally had a high old time. By five o'clock I was whupped (how's that for a Southern expression?).
Now, I told you all that to tell you this. Nowhere in the span of the last three days have I spent any time working on the book. Yikes! So, today is the day. Aside from figuring out what we're doing for The Tall One's birthday bash on Saturday, today is set aside for me to start finishing (is that an oxymoron?) the final edits on the manuscript.
I was glancing back through some of my old posts and came across one from November, when I was doing the NaNoWriMo thing and trying to polish up two manuscripts during that month. Do you realize that the one I'm working on now is one of those two books? Not that you'd recognize it, because the story's changed quite a bit, but most of the gist of it is still there, and it's so much better now. At least in my humble but accurate opinion.
Whatever is on your plate today, I hope you have a good time doing it. Life's too short not to enjoy it. Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
Word of the Day: *jollification \jol-ih-fuh-KAY-shuhn\ (noun) - Merrymaking; festivity; revelry. [source: ArcaMax Vocabulary 07.27.07]
Hotter 'n blazes. I am sunburnt. We spent most of the day Saturday in town (our little town - where "uptown" is 1/2 mile up the road) for the annual Volunteer Fire Department Parade and Picnic. The Boy was in the parade with the marching band, of course, and for being so small (we're rebuilding, in the new director's second year) they sound great. The Boy has switched from bari sax to Sousaphone. For those of you who don't know what that is (and yes, there are those of you out there with furrowed brows - I can see you), it's the thing that looks like someone stretched out a big brass pipe and wrapped it around the guy playing it so that the bell sticks up over his head. Named for John Philip Sousa, of course, it's the marching band version of a tuba. Anyway, their band director is just tickled at how quickly The Boy has adapted to his new instrument. What can I say? Pure talent. It's genetic - and no, he didn't get it from me. The musicality is from the WGH's side of the family (from the WGH himself, mostly).
It was 90 degrees and mostly sunny all day Saturday, and we were right out in it. No sunblock (I know, stupid), but I did spend as much time in the shade as I could get. Watched some friends and other members of our community play softball, walked around and talked to a bunch of folks, and generally had a high old time. By five o'clock I was whupped (how's that for a Southern expression?).
Now, I told you all that to tell you this. Nowhere in the span of the last three days have I spent any time working on the book. Yikes! So, today is the day. Aside from figuring out what we're doing for The Tall One's birthday bash on Saturday, today is set aside for me to start finishing (is that an oxymoron?) the final edits on the manuscript.
I was glancing back through some of my old posts and came across one from November, when I was doing the NaNoWriMo thing and trying to polish up two manuscripts during that month. Do you realize that the one I'm working on now is one of those two books? Not that you'd recognize it, because the story's changed quite a bit, but most of the gist of it is still there, and it's so much better now. At least in my humble but accurate opinion.
Whatever is on your plate today, I hope you have a good time doing it. Life's too short not to enjoy it. Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
Word of the Day: *jollification \jol-ih-fuh-KAY-shuhn\ (noun) - Merrymaking; festivity; revelry. [source: ArcaMax Vocabulary 07.27.07]
1.05.2007
The 200th Post: Progress Report #3
We're five days into the new year and five days from my deadline, which means, if my math skills serve me well, that I'm at the halfway point and should have at least half of my work done.
I'm actually more like 6/7 of the way there. The edits are done, the query letter is drafted, and the synopsis just needs a little tweaking.
I worked a little bit on the short story today, too, and have just informed JT that I want to have it ready to submit by the 15th. Tomorrow is actually going to be a better day for writing work. The folks and I had a lovely day in town - shopping, as you know, is not my favorite thing to do, but take me to a bookstore and lunch at The Cheesecake Factory and I'll put up with whatever else you want to drag me to do. At least for a while. But now I'm in desperate need of a cat nap and we still have to take the Christmas decorations down. That might have to be my project for first thing in the morning. We'll see how I feel once I make it back downstairs.
The Tall One has her first post-holiday basketball game tonight, so we'll see how the two days of run-till-your-legs-fall-off practices the girls had this week help their game. Go team.
Tomorrow I'll try to muster up something profound and eloquent. For now, it's time to read. Or sleep.
Do something good for you!
=) JB
I'm actually more like 6/7 of the way there. The edits are done, the query letter is drafted, and the synopsis just needs a little tweaking.
I worked a little bit on the short story today, too, and have just informed JT that I want to have it ready to submit by the 15th. Tomorrow is actually going to be a better day for writing work. The folks and I had a lovely day in town - shopping, as you know, is not my favorite thing to do, but take me to a bookstore and lunch at The Cheesecake Factory and I'll put up with whatever else you want to drag me to do. At least for a while. But now I'm in desperate need of a cat nap and we still have to take the Christmas decorations down. That might have to be my project for first thing in the morning. We'll see how I feel once I make it back downstairs.
The Tall One has her first post-holiday basketball game tonight, so we'll see how the two days of run-till-your-legs-fall-off practices the girls had this week help their game. Go team.
Tomorrow I'll try to muster up something profound and eloquent. For now, it's time to read. Or sleep.
Do something good for you!
=) JB
12.24.2006
Christmas Eve
"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, 'God with us'." Matthew 1:23.
As we were sitting in church this morning - a single service combining our traditional with our contemporary services, which are normally separate - our contemporary service's worship leader played and sang a lovely piece on the piano that really helped me focus inwardly and remember that despite all the commercialism, the fun and frivolity, the true meaning of Christmas is a very special thing.I hope you'll bear with me this week, as I will probably be much more reflective than normal, and the posts will be fairly short and (I hope) meaningful.
Now is the time for being with family and friends if you can, praying for those who can't, and celebrating the joy of life.
Our pastor said this morning there is a difference between joy and happiness. Happiness is external. Joy is internal.
I wish you happiness, but I also wish you joy!
Merry Christmas!
=) JB
12.04.2006
18 Degrees
Nephew #1 would be in shock. He posted a note on his blog the other day that he woke up cold - it was 72 degrees in Hawaii that morning. Aw, poor baby. (Excuse the dripping sarcasm.) It's what you're used to, I guess. To me, 18 degrees when the kids head out for school is practically shirt-sleeve weather. My friends and family from up North know what I'm talking about. But yeah, down here, and maybe even for Big Brother Brett out in sunny CA, 18 degrees is darn cold!!
Major progress. My desk still looks like a paper storm hit, but the good news is I printed myself copies of both manuscripts and have been working furiously and steadily on read-throughs and edits. By Wednesday of this week, we should have a synopsis in place for the first book (the WIP you got so tired of hearing about over the past several months). The second book (the NaNoWriMo 50,000 words of junk that has turned into a pretty golly-darn good story) is shaping up nicely as well.
So that's my update as far as the writing stuff. On the family side, The Tall One and her teammates managed to fairly soundly defeat their intra-county rivals Friday night. I heard lots of compliments on my child's play, and at the risk of boasting she did play a great game. The best I've seen her play? Maybe not - and in my defense, she didn't think so, either - but still there was something a little different about her and it was noticeable to everyone else, apparently. The WGH says I didn't see it because I watch her play all the time. Maybe - all these other parents watch her play the same games I do. Regardless, it was a fun night, victories for both the girls' and boys' teams, and we're 1-0 in district play, 5-1 overall on the girls' side. I'd say that's a fair start to the season.
My primary goal this week is to post something every day - the ulterior motive being that I not be subjected to the barrage of emails I get from my dear, sweet, thoughtful friends who miss me when I don't. ;) You guys are too much, and I love you for it. The secondary goal is to actually write something worth reading. Topic ideas and questions for me to answer are more than welcome.
I'll definitely be waxing both poetic and nostalgic this month, looking back over the last year and all the things that have happened ... and gearing up for 2007, which will be here (and probably gone again) before we know it.
In the meantime, read a book!
=) JB
"Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well."
-- Voltaire (French Philosopher and Author, 1694-1778)
Major progress. My desk still looks like a paper storm hit, but the good news is I printed myself copies of both manuscripts and have been working furiously and steadily on read-throughs and edits. By Wednesday of this week, we should have a synopsis in place for the first book (the WIP you got so tired of hearing about over the past several months). The second book (the NaNoWriMo 50,000 words of junk that has turned into a pretty golly-darn good story) is shaping up nicely as well.
So that's my update as far as the writing stuff. On the family side, The Tall One and her teammates managed to fairly soundly defeat their intra-county rivals Friday night. I heard lots of compliments on my child's play, and at the risk of boasting she did play a great game. The best I've seen her play? Maybe not - and in my defense, she didn't think so, either - but still there was something a little different about her and it was noticeable to everyone else, apparently. The WGH says I didn't see it because I watch her play all the time. Maybe - all these other parents watch her play the same games I do. Regardless, it was a fun night, victories for both the girls' and boys' teams, and we're 1-0 in district play, 5-1 overall on the girls' side. I'd say that's a fair start to the season.
My primary goal this week is to post something every day - the ulterior motive being that I not be subjected to the barrage of emails I get from my dear, sweet, thoughtful friends who miss me when I don't. ;) You guys are too much, and I love you for it. The secondary goal is to actually write something worth reading. Topic ideas and questions for me to answer are more than welcome.
I'll definitely be waxing both poetic and nostalgic this month, looking back over the last year and all the things that have happened ... and gearing up for 2007, which will be here (and probably gone again) before we know it.
In the meantime, read a book!
=) JB
"Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well."
-- Voltaire (French Philosopher and Author, 1694-1778)
11.27.2006
Holiday Recap
Oh, don't the days seem lank and long,
When all goes right and nothing goes wrong,
And isn't your life extremely flat,
When you've nothing whatever to grumble at?
-- Sir William Gilbert, English Playwright and Poet (1836-1911)
3-1. Last Tuesday's game was a defensive struggle - final score 38-36 (Them). The Tall One was almost the heroine of the game, making two clutch free throws with less than a minute left to put us up by one. Unfortunately, the other team managed to get a score on the other end AND a foul, and with less than 10 seconds left one of our guards put up a three and missed. Tall One got the rebound, put up the shot to tie and was blatantly fouled - but the refs chose for some unknown reason not to blow the whistle and the game ended with us on the down side. Oh, well. Stuff happens. The up side is that the game was a good challenge for our girls, and we played better overall than we did the first three games. Oh, and in case you're wondering, she had 9.
Thanksgiving Eve in the ER. You know the conversation is not going to go well when it starts with, "Now don't freak out or anything, but I may have go to to the Emergency Room and get my leg stitched up." This from the WGH at about 8:30 on Wednesday night. Both sets of parents at the house, and he's closing the store with a 1-1/2 inch gash in his left calf from the brand new razor blade he had just put on the floor scraper. There is a praise in all this, however - you always say "it could've been worse", you know - it was the new blade and not the old, nasty one he had just taken off, it was a very clean cut and only required three staples, and it's approximating and healing quite well. And no restrictions on activity - which will become important in the paragraph after next.
Thanksgiving. 20-pound deep-fried turkey with all the extras. 16 people. We had very, very little in the way of leftovers - no turkey sandwiches on Friday. A lovely time was had by all. 'Nuff said.
An evening of culture. Friday night the WGH participated in his first performance with the Nashville Pipes & Drums (Scottish bagpipe band), at the new Schermerhorn Symphony Center downtown. They were part of a Thanksgiving concert celebration featuring the Nashville Chamber Orchestra and the NCO Gospel Choir, with special guests Wynonna Judd and Donna Summer. Wynonna was pretty good - although she tried something new, a rather contralto rendition of Ave Maria. When a country singer does opera it's something akin to yodeling. It wasn't bad, just ... different.
Donna Summer was phenomenal. I mean, wow. The Boy remarked that she looked like a walking disco ball - the lights were reflecting off her dress - but oh, Mylanta, can the woman SING. Still. Brought the house down with Amazing Grace. Just a splendid performance overall. Just before she came out, the NCO did Bartok's Adagio for Strings, and it was such a beautiful piece that The Boy actually leaned over to me, asked me the title of it, and said, "That's a great song." Yeah, we're working on the whole terminology thing. He said "piece" later - he's getting it. I was just impressed that he enjoyed it and thought enough of it to make a comment. Sigh. Every parent's dream, for her kids to have this kind of opportunity.
The Writing Weekend. All the company was gone by Saturday noon. My parents shifted locales to my brother's Friday, and the father-in-law went home. The mother-in-law stayed with us, then hung around long enough Saturday morning to hear The Tall One do the local radio show - Sports Round Table kind of thing, where she got to talk about her team and the games and did a terrific job filling in until the coach made it in - and then by midday it was quiet at my house. I took advantage of the opportunity by spreading my working copy of the manuscript out on the kitchen table with all my notes and settling into some serious work. One plot point I'd been struggling with gelled into focus quite nicely, and I wrote an entire new scene (by hand, oy) in about four hours. Got it typed into the file Saturday night and found that I'd bumped the word count quite a bit.
This week it should be relatively quiet around the household, at least during the day, so I'm pushing myself toward that December 1st deadline of having a good chunk of this thing ready to call a first draft. Good grief, that's Friday.
Better get to work.
Music to motivate. Apropos - on my radio, since I didn't switch to the CD player yet, is Joe Walsh's Life's Been Good to Me So Far.
Yes it has, Joe. Yes it has.
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
11.14.2006
It's Here!
It's a day buzzing with excitement in the Thompson household - the first official day of basketball season! The Tall One is looking forward to tonight's game with a mix of enthusiasm and sentiment - her first game of the season, and her last "first game of the season" for high school ball.
We're pretty much a basketball loving family. The WGH and I grew up in a state that eats, sleeps, lives and breathes basketball basically year-round. Ever see Hoosiers? My high school principal was a member of the real-life team on which that film was based, and actually had a cameo appearance in the movie. Several of our friends from our college band were extras - one trombone player who marched with us was actually one of the opposing team's players and had an actual speaking part (one line, but still ...).
We were the die-hard band geeks, the #1 supporters of our sports teams. Everyone has a "claim to fame" or "brush with greatness" story, right? Ours is that we were AT the game when Coach Knight threw the chair across the floor. The WGH was in the pep band and I was in the student section across the court from the bench. What an experience - 17,000 people, all deathly quiet at the exact same time. I've never heard silence so deafening.
On a brighter note, the WGH was also in the pep band, partying with the team on Bourbon Street in New Orleans in 1987, the night we won the NCAA Championship. Um, yeah, if you haven't guessed by now or don't know us or haven't read it here before - we're Indiana University alums. It's where we met - in the Marching Hundred. I knew he was the man I was going to marry when he tried to run over me with a snare drum strapped to his chest. Ahhh, the memories - 21 years ago and I can still see it in my mind like it was yesterday. ;)
So here we are 21 years later with a child who in less than a year will be a college student herself. Is it just me, or is that old saying about the older we get, the faster time flies actually true?
Today my goal is to get at least 1,000 words written. The meter on Book Two stands at 52,934. If I'm following the NaNo formula, I have 42,156 words to go ... or 2,480 words a day between now and the 30th. Hmmm. Is this doable? With everything going on in my life at the moment? Maybe. Quite possibly.
Yes.
I can do this.
So I'm a little behind, and have parents, basketball games, Thanksgiving and about six thousand other things going on, but by Jiminy Cricket, I am a writer, and as such I thrive on deadlines.
I can do it!!
You there - go read a book. When mine's finished, I'll let you know.
=) JB
We're pretty much a basketball loving family. The WGH and I grew up in a state that eats, sleeps, lives and breathes basketball basically year-round. Ever see Hoosiers? My high school principal was a member of the real-life team on which that film was based, and actually had a cameo appearance in the movie. Several of our friends from our college band were extras - one trombone player who marched with us was actually one of the opposing team's players and had an actual speaking part (one line, but still ...).
We were the die-hard band geeks, the #1 supporters of our sports teams. Everyone has a "claim to fame" or "brush with greatness" story, right? Ours is that we were AT the game when Coach Knight threw the chair across the floor. The WGH was in the pep band and I was in the student section across the court from the bench. What an experience - 17,000 people, all deathly quiet at the exact same time. I've never heard silence so deafening.
On a brighter note, the WGH was also in the pep band, partying with the team on Bourbon Street in New Orleans in 1987, the night we won the NCAA Championship. Um, yeah, if you haven't guessed by now or don't know us or haven't read it here before - we're Indiana University alums. It's where we met - in the Marching Hundred. I knew he was the man I was going to marry when he tried to run over me with a snare drum strapped to his chest. Ahhh, the memories - 21 years ago and I can still see it in my mind like it was yesterday. ;)
So here we are 21 years later with a child who in less than a year will be a college student herself. Is it just me, or is that old saying about the older we get, the faster time flies actually true?
Today my goal is to get at least 1,000 words written. The meter on Book Two stands at 52,934. If I'm following the NaNo formula, I have 42,156 words to go ... or 2,480 words a day between now and the 30th. Hmmm. Is this doable? With everything going on in my life at the moment? Maybe. Quite possibly.
Yes.
I can do this.
So I'm a little behind, and have parents, basketball games, Thanksgiving and about six thousand other things going on, but by Jiminy Cricket, I am a writer, and as such I thrive on deadlines.
I can do it!!
You there - go read a book. When mine's finished, I'll let you know.
=) JB
11.09.2006
Notable Progress
"Slow and steady wins the race."
-- The Tortoise and The Hare (Aesop's Fables)
In the meantime, I took a nose-dive into Book Two just to refamiliarize myself with the story. Considering I haven't looked at it in nearly a year, I was rather pleasantly surprised by some of what I'd written. It's actually not half bad, if I say so myself, and I might just be able to make a book out of it. For those of you who are itching to know, it's the third book following the two I already have published [yep, the FBI's 3J team is back - see my website for details =) ].
Mother and Dad are heading down today to spend the weekend (well, Thursday night to next Wednesday) doing family things. They'll actually get to see all three kids do their respective thing - Little Bit has a Veterans' Day concert tomorrow afternoon at the middle school, The Boy will be performing with the high school band at our second playoff game (go, team!), the Basketball Boosters' 2nd Annual Chili Supper & Auction is Saturday night, and Tuesday is our first home basketball game (again, go team!). There's a big kick-off celebration/community pep rally at the high school tonight, where they'll introduce the men's and women's teams (that would be The Tall One), the coaches, the cheerleaders and the dance team, and all of them will do some kind of exhibition for the spectators. Should be fun, at least for those of us who live, sleep, eat and breathe basketball starting in November. My parents might be a bit worn out by next week, so you guys send some energy their way, 'kay?
My other hats are calling me today, so I'm hoping to find as much time to write as I can. Here's a quick update on the word meters:
Book One. "Final Draft" complete at 89,690 words. We may eke the remaining 310 (or more) words out if there are last-minute touches that need to be added, but mostly, the thing is done.
Book Two. Currently at 50,510 words. I discovered yesterday that Word doesn't recognize the ellipsis (...) if you don't put a space between. In other words, it counts...this as one word, whereas this ... is two. Hmmm. So, either I cheated myself out of 202 words last year, or I'm cheating by upping my count by 202 words this year. We'll call it making up the difference, just for the sake of argument, how's that? No cheaters here, no sir, nuh-unh.
Got a note from the Best Friend the other day (hey, BF!). Some days I miss her so much it hurts. Living next door to each other for the years we did really spoiled us, but that was 30 years ago and we're still friends, so I figure God must have intended it that way. You've probably seen that email that circulates every so often about how people are brought into our lives for a "reason, a season or a lifetime". I've had all three in my nearly 40 years, and consider myself quite lucky that I have more "lifetime" friends now than I can count on one hand - all of whom I've mentioned here at one time or another. Are you so lucky? Do you have lifetime friends? If so, tell them you love them today.
It's good for you (and them).
I have to go find all those hats now.
=) JB
11.04.2006
A perfect day for marching ...
On this sunny, gorgeous fall Saturday morning, The Boy and his bandmates are headed to the Division II State Marching Band Competition - 22 high school marching bands from Division II schools all over the state come together in one venue to compete for the title of "State Champs". Last year our band came in 9th overall. This year we're just hoping they make it past prelims.
The Tall One has basketball stuff all day and the WGH is at work, so Little Bit and I are going into town to watch our band march their little hearts out to see if they can do the new director proud and make it to the finals for his first year. It's been an interesting season - lots of changes (for the better) - and the kids have worked really hard. They deserve to make finals, and I hope for their sake that the judges think so, too.
I was able to work on the WIP a little yesterday (between cleaning up in the study, writing two book reviews and grocery shopping), so the word count looks like this now:
87,243 / 90,000
96.9%
We're getting there. Just a few more plot holes to fill, some scenes to set, and making sure all the elements are in place. The 90K is still a guestimate, but we should have a final total in the very near future. I still have 45,000 words to write on the other book before the end of the month. I know 30 days sounds like a lot of time, but when you factor in ... well, life in general, then there never seem to be enough hours in the day. I write as much as I can, when I can, and the rest of the stuff sort of fills in the gaps.
Happy Saturday. We're going to go listen to some music and watch some marching and cheer for our kids. Whatever you're doing today, I hope you enjoy yourself. Life's too short not to.
=) JB
The Tall One has basketball stuff all day and the WGH is at work, so Little Bit and I are going into town to watch our band march their little hearts out to see if they can do the new director proud and make it to the finals for his first year. It's been an interesting season - lots of changes (for the better) - and the kids have worked really hard. They deserve to make finals, and I hope for their sake that the judges think so, too.
I was able to work on the WIP a little yesterday (between cleaning up in the study, writing two book reviews and grocery shopping), so the word count looks like this now:
87,243 / 90,000
96.9%
We're getting there. Just a few more plot holes to fill, some scenes to set, and making sure all the elements are in place. The 90K is still a guestimate, but we should have a final total in the very near future. I still have 45,000 words to write on the other book before the end of the month. I know 30 days sounds like a lot of time, but when you factor in ... well, life in general, then there never seem to be enough hours in the day. I write as much as I can, when I can, and the rest of the stuff sort of fills in the gaps.
Happy Saturday. We're going to go listen to some music and watch some marching and cheer for our kids. Whatever you're doing today, I hope you enjoy yourself. Life's too short not to.
=) JB
10.31.2006
Looking at today a little differently ...
Those who can laugh without cause have either found the true meaning of happiness or have gone stark raving mad.
-- Norm Papernick
Spook Day. Yes, it's Halloween. Yes, there will be trick-or-treaters at my house tonight. No one believes me when I say this, but we'll probably have anywhere from 200 to 300 of the little buggers ring our bell (if it doesn't rain, which is predicted). Our subdivision is a pretty popular place to beg for candy in our little town. It's a "safe" neighborhood, because there's only one entrance. One way in, the same way out - no back streets or cut-offs or throughways. You come in off the main road, you leave on the main road. We moved into this house three years ago, right before Halloween, and quickly discovered that we were ill-prepared for the onslaught of ghouls, ghosts and fairies that we were subjected to. It was later that night that one of the long-time locals told us, "You can't afford to live there if you can't afford the Halloween candy."
Lesson learned. Since the WGH works for a GROCERY store, we stockpile every year now.
But I'm looking at today a little differently. It's Tuesday, which means I have to work, and it's Halloween, which means I need to get my work finished in time for trick-or-treat, but it's also the day before ... November 1st.
November 1st has become an important day in my life. The day NaNoWriMo begins. I bought a new dry-erase calendar/memo board so I could keep track of the things I have to do - deadlines and such - and I put it up next to my desk Sunday night. It already has four things written on it that I have to do that involve writing in some shape, form or fashion. Make that five. And tomorrow I start writing - fresh, new things, polish and edits (which technically isn't what NaNo is about, but I'm invoking the Zokutou Clause).
But tomorrow is also the day we have to have some of The Tall One's college applications in. The beginning of the next chapter of her life - and ours. And it's still seven months until graduation, which I refuse to think about right now.
So, enjoy your day today, and tomorrow, think of me - holed up in the study in my standard writing attire, pecking away furiously and consuming large quantities of caffeine, all the while thinking, "Am I insane, or have I found the true meaning of happiness?"
In the meantime, check out my buddy PC's list of happy little things. And read a book!
=) JB
10.27.2006
Early-Thirty at the DMV
It's official - I feel old.
The Boy and I got up at the crack of dawn and spent a lovely rainy morning at the Driver Testing Center, and he now has his learner's permit. Oy. I've already told the WGH that he will be the one teaching The Boy to drive. I just can't handle it.
That'll hold up for ... oh, maybe a day. We'll see.
The whole process actually went very smoothly, in spite of there being 15 people in line at 7:30 this morning when the place opened a half hour earlier, and my son, being ... well, my son, passed the "knowledge test" with flying colors - in fact, he didn't miss a single question. Since you're allowed to miss 6 and still pass, the machine shuts down if you get the first 24 right. The nice ladies at the DMV were quite impressed with The Boy. And, his father is happy because we finally got The Boy's hair cut last night and it's actually out of his eyes. (He looked something or other like a sheepdog previously - he has my hair gene, which is thick and curly, and he likes it long. It's been an ongoing argument for about four months. His father finally told him he would not get his permit until he could see to drive.)
So with that under my belt, I am diving back into my secret identity as a writer. Made some progress yesterday on a plot hole I've been struggling with, so I'm pleased. It's still a work in process ... er, progress.
Read a book. I started a new one last night (finally) and it's terrific so far. This is J.B., doing the happy dance, until tomorrow.
=)
The Boy and I got up at the crack of dawn and spent a lovely rainy morning at the Driver Testing Center, and he now has his learner's permit. Oy. I've already told the WGH that he will be the one teaching The Boy to drive. I just can't handle it.
That'll hold up for ... oh, maybe a day. We'll see.
The whole process actually went very smoothly, in spite of there being 15 people in line at 7:30 this morning when the place opened a half hour earlier, and my son, being ... well, my son, passed the "knowledge test" with flying colors - in fact, he didn't miss a single question. Since you're allowed to miss 6 and still pass, the machine shuts down if you get the first 24 right. The nice ladies at the DMV were quite impressed with The Boy. And, his father is happy because we finally got The Boy's hair cut last night and it's actually out of his eyes. (He looked something or other like a sheepdog previously - he has my hair gene, which is thick and curly, and he likes it long. It's been an ongoing argument for about four months. His father finally told him he would not get his permit until he could see to drive.)
So with that under my belt, I am diving back into my secret identity as a writer. Made some progress yesterday on a plot hole I've been struggling with, so I'm pleased. It's still a work in process ... er, progress.
Read a book. I started a new one last night (finally) and it's terrific so far. This is J.B., doing the happy dance, until tomorrow.
=)
10.07.2006
Us 19, Them 17
Generally, when the opposing team returns the opening kickoff for a touchdown, this is not a good way to start a football game. However, after that debacle and the ensuing flag fest that was our first drive, our young men finally got their act together, held their opponents to a field goal and then scored two touchdowns. There were a few tense moments in the fourth quarter when the other team scored another TD, making the score 17-13 with just under seven minutes left.
The Tall One has a buddy at school, a terrific kid we'll call Mr. SHS. They've gone to school together since the first grade. He's the football team's quarterback, co-captain of the basketball team, runs track and plays tennis - in other words, an all-around outstanding athlete. When he's playing, he is something to watch. And, I might add, he's a very nice young man to boot. Last night, Mr. SHS took his team from a not-so-decent field position somewhere around the 10 or 15 yard line and drove them all the way down the field in the last six minutes of the game and then took the ball in himself for the winning touchdown with :16 left on the clock.
Now, 16 seconds doesn't sound like a lot of time, but take it in context. The team we were playing managed to get three plays off in those 16 seconds. Three plays. They could easily have thrown three 30-yard passes and been in the endzone again, and we would have lost. I've seen pro football teams go the full length of the field in less time. It's all about time management.
Obviously, you can tell from the title of this post that we did manage to hold them off and win the game. And it was an exciting 48 minutes of football, not to mention the Sweetheart presentation (pre-game), the crowning of the Homecoming Queen (halftime) and the band's terrific, totally new show (post-game), which all made for one pretty cool family night. When we finally dragged ourselves home at 11:30, we were all pretty much wiped out. And cold. It was already somewhere around 45 degrees by the time the game got started, and my poor child in her strapless dress was a popsicle by halftime (yes, she was smart enough to bring jeans and a longsleeve shirt to change into after the presentations were over).
I love fall. You've probably figured that out by now. The leaves are finally starting to turn, the air is crisp and light, and we're promised abundant sunshine again today. And what am I going to do? Hole myself up in the JBTAuthor Study and write like a madwoman.
You can bet your sweet bippy my windows will be open, though.
Enjoy the day. Do good for you things.
=) JB
The Tall One has a buddy at school, a terrific kid we'll call Mr. SHS. They've gone to school together since the first grade. He's the football team's quarterback, co-captain of the basketball team, runs track and plays tennis - in other words, an all-around outstanding athlete. When he's playing, he is something to watch. And, I might add, he's a very nice young man to boot. Last night, Mr. SHS took his team from a not-so-decent field position somewhere around the 10 or 15 yard line and drove them all the way down the field in the last six minutes of the game and then took the ball in himself for the winning touchdown with :16 left on the clock.
Now, 16 seconds doesn't sound like a lot of time, but take it in context. The team we were playing managed to get three plays off in those 16 seconds. Three plays. They could easily have thrown three 30-yard passes and been in the endzone again, and we would have lost. I've seen pro football teams go the full length of the field in less time. It's all about time management.
Obviously, you can tell from the title of this post that we did manage to hold them off and win the game. And it was an exciting 48 minutes of football, not to mention the Sweetheart presentation (pre-game), the crowning of the Homecoming Queen (halftime) and the band's terrific, totally new show (post-game), which all made for one pretty cool family night. When we finally dragged ourselves home at 11:30, we were all pretty much wiped out. And cold. It was already somewhere around 45 degrees by the time the game got started, and my poor child in her strapless dress was a popsicle by halftime (yes, she was smart enough to bring jeans and a longsleeve shirt to change into after the presentations were over).
I love fall. You've probably figured that out by now. The leaves are finally starting to turn, the air is crisp and light, and we're promised abundant sunshine again today. And what am I going to do? Hole myself up in the JBTAuthor Study and write like a madwoman.
You can bet your sweet bippy my windows will be open, though.
Enjoy the day. Do good for you things.
=) JB
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