I admit, I blog surf. Some people channel surf when they are bored, I blog surf. I have come across one that I adore!
This gets the Point of View Pick of the month:
http://thompsonclan6.typepad.com/thompsonclan6/
It’s called “This Full House” and the lady who writes it has a wonderful sense of humor. Please, click the link above and find out for yourself why she is my pick of the month.
*My sides hurt from laughing so much!*
Sometimes it's nice to see life from someone else's point of view. I am a mother, writer and amateur photographer. This is what the view looks like from where I am standing.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Horizons
Ah well, Smokelong Quarterly sent me a rejection notice.
Smokelong Quarterly is a higher tier of mag (for my ability) to send it out to. I send stuff to the higher rungs first, collect the rejection notices and then go to the next level. The thing I need to remember though, is that my name and my stories are going under their nose fairly often. I will keep trying and in that process, hopefully, develop a kind of relationship based on the quality of stuff I am sending them. One day, they will see my name and say to themselves “Oh look who sent us something again! I wonder where she will take me today.”
This isn't a slam on the other pubs out there. It's more about circulation, and which mags the agents pick through in looking at new talent.
In a fit of optimism yesterday, I sent a production company my story that's in the November 7th issue of Ultraverse.us. They are a brand new company producing their first DVD, sort of a portfolio, really. They were looking for a short sci fi script that they could use to highlight their talent, and attract bigger investors.
If they like the short story, I would then become a student of the art of writing a screenplay and adapt it into that format for them. A learning experience for all.
I have yet to hear from them. They may say that it’s not a good fit for what they are trying to do. And if they do, that’s okay. Know why?
Because yesterday, I dared to dream my horizons bigger than the were the day before.
THAT makes me near giddy.
Okay, I know I am a strange sort of person. It’s a good thing people like me anyway.
Smokelong Quarterly is a higher tier of mag (for my ability) to send it out to. I send stuff to the higher rungs first, collect the rejection notices and then go to the next level. The thing I need to remember though, is that my name and my stories are going under their nose fairly often. I will keep trying and in that process, hopefully, develop a kind of relationship based on the quality of stuff I am sending them. One day, they will see my name and say to themselves “Oh look who sent us something again! I wonder where she will take me today.”
This isn't a slam on the other pubs out there. It's more about circulation, and which mags the agents pick through in looking at new talent.
In a fit of optimism yesterday, I sent a production company my story that's in the November 7th issue of Ultraverse.us. They are a brand new company producing their first DVD, sort of a portfolio, really. They were looking for a short sci fi script that they could use to highlight their talent, and attract bigger investors.
If they like the short story, I would then become a student of the art of writing a screenplay and adapt it into that format for them. A learning experience for all.
I have yet to hear from them. They may say that it’s not a good fit for what they are trying to do. And if they do, that’s okay. Know why?
Because yesterday, I dared to dream my horizons bigger than the were the day before.
THAT makes me near giddy.
Okay, I know I am a strange sort of person. It’s a good thing people like me anyway.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Real Job / Side Job
My “Real” job:
Today, I had one parent bring me hot flavored tea (yum) and another parent bring me cupcakes… (double yum!) Yeah, today is a good day… perks and everything.
I had three new clients sent to me by the gym across the street (moms who are looking for care for their little ones so that they can get some exercise in) and so, I sent them flowers for the referrals.
They called me today to say thank you for the flowers and to let me know that they need more fliers (wahoo!). Soon, I will have my new logo finished, and I will take the template over to the nearby printers and have a bunch made up… along with a nifty new stand to rest them in.
My side job (that makes no money yet):
I sent out two stories to 5 publishers yesterday. It’s called sim subbing, and all the ones I sent it to said they don’t mind simultaneous submissions in their writer’s guidelines. Cool.
I have three stories I need to review yet, two stories of my own I need to edit and progress I need to make on my novel (I will get it finished one day, I swear it). In between that is the normal daycare, housework, and then my own family I need to take care of (which includes yet another three loads of laundry *sigh*).
I need this fantasy life I have built with my writing. I need to immerse myself in a land of make believe where anything can happen. My life has so many “have to’s” just like everyone else in the world does, that the chance to make “something” be anything I want it to be, is a real ego lift.
I also need the time of editing, that sharpens my mind and stretches my abilities. I desperately need to feel like I am growing and not going stagnant. I need to see that growth in measurable increments. That’s why I send those stories out to get published. I need to know that I am getting better, that more and more of what I write is getting accepted.
I do this because I need to grow. It’s that or die.
Well, nap time will soon be over, I need to go switch the laundry over and see if I can get to any of those reviews before the kiddos wake up, or mine come home from school.
I hope your day is being productive, visitor. Thanks for stopping in and checking out how my day went.
Today, I had one parent bring me hot flavored tea (yum) and another parent bring me cupcakes… (double yum!) Yeah, today is a good day… perks and everything.
I had three new clients sent to me by the gym across the street (moms who are looking for care for their little ones so that they can get some exercise in) and so, I sent them flowers for the referrals.
They called me today to say thank you for the flowers and to let me know that they need more fliers (wahoo!). Soon, I will have my new logo finished, and I will take the template over to the nearby printers and have a bunch made up… along with a nifty new stand to rest them in.
My side job (that makes no money yet):
I sent out two stories to 5 publishers yesterday. It’s called sim subbing, and all the ones I sent it to said they don’t mind simultaneous submissions in their writer’s guidelines. Cool.
I have three stories I need to review yet, two stories of my own I need to edit and progress I need to make on my novel (I will get it finished one day, I swear it). In between that is the normal daycare, housework, and then my own family I need to take care of (which includes yet another three loads of laundry *sigh*).
I need this fantasy life I have built with my writing. I need to immerse myself in a land of make believe where anything can happen. My life has so many “have to’s” just like everyone else in the world does, that the chance to make “something” be anything I want it to be, is a real ego lift.
I also need the time of editing, that sharpens my mind and stretches my abilities. I desperately need to feel like I am growing and not going stagnant. I need to see that growth in measurable increments. That’s why I send those stories out to get published. I need to know that I am getting better, that more and more of what I write is getting accepted.
I do this because I need to grow. It’s that or die.
Well, nap time will soon be over, I need to go switch the laundry over and see if I can get to any of those reviews before the kiddos wake up, or mine come home from school.
I hope your day is being productive, visitor. Thanks for stopping in and checking out how my day went.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
It's 6:15 pm and the sun is STILL shining!
It's painting a beautiful orange light on the buildings and the tips of the bare stalks of weeds in the field behind me.
I just wanted to share my happiness that spring is coming - no matter the freezing temps!
I have to admit that it was weird to shovel the driveway last week to the sound of birds chirping... but the mourning doves have returned and they sit on the swingset outside, grooming and fluffing each other to insulate for the cold.
Happy Almost-Spring!!
Saturday, March 12, 2005
I just downloaded the Picasa software to go along with the "hello" software, and I love it! I am still learning all the ins and outs of it, but it merges with Gmail and my outlook to send photo's online, it will allow IM sharing of photos with those who also have downloaded "hello" software and it will publish your photos straight to your blog with a single touch of the button. The picasa software will allow you to edit the pictures and creat collages like this one. This software seems to be fairly simple to operate, intuitive in nature and nice rounded XP style buttons. I will post more when i discover more, but so far, this has my vote as a "must have" if you like to share photos with friends and family via E-Mail, IM or with a blog.
Friday, March 11, 2005
A view from the laundry room
Items found in the laundry today:
1 Barbie shoe (Is there a Barbie Highway somewhere that has only one shoe on the side of the road? I found the other one then. Maybe Barbie’s mom wonders what happens to lone socks in HER drier. If so, I know where THOSE end up too! *smirk*
2. Two Dimes (Any cash I find I find, I keep. Call it a service fee.)
3. One shredded tissue (Yep It’s cold and flue season – tiny pieces of tissue everywhere *sigh*)
4. One tube of now-melted-and-on-the-clothing-forever, red lip-gloss -- oh joy.
While folding this morning, child number 4 meets me in the laundry room.
Her: Mom, have you seen my blue shirt?
Me: Nope, until you are doing your own laundry, you are stuck wearing what ever you have that’s clean in your drawers.
(Meanwhile, I quickly calculate in my head how many years that is until she is in Jr. High school when that momentous event happens. I deflate, five more years yet – rats!)
She leaves in a slight huff and returns in a few minutes wearing child #2’s Purple turtleneck, it’s sleeves dangling past her fingertips.
Me: That is your sister’s shirt.
Her: It needs to be baggy to go with the pants, mom! (she holds up the shirt to show how low the jeans are riding)
Me: But it doesn’t belong to you!
I decide on a different tack to battle her, she is working herself into a good fight about how I always take “their side” and never let her do what she wants… it’s all there waiting just behind her eyes for me to say the right phrase to trigger it out of her mouth.
Her: Did you ask her if you could borrow it?
Got her! There is no way she can wriggle out of that one, she is forever telling me how un fair it is that the younger one raids HER dresser.
Her: No.
I nod in satisfaction that I diffused that one quickly. I resume the folding and she notices the shirt that I now have in my hand.
Her: Can I wear that instead?
I look, and lo and behold, it is one that belongs to her anyway.
Me: Sure you can.
She snatches it out of my hand and makes for the downstairs bathroom to do her quick-change. I stop her half way there.
Me: Hey! What are you going to do with the shirt you have on your back?
Old argument about clothing being left where they stand…
She bats her eyes and smiles at me in her best “innocent” pretense.
Her: I am going to give it to you, of course.
Me: Good girl. You get to live.
1 Barbie shoe (Is there a Barbie Highway somewhere that has only one shoe on the side of the road? I found the other one then. Maybe Barbie’s mom wonders what happens to lone socks in HER drier. If so, I know where THOSE end up too! *smirk*
2. Two Dimes (Any cash I find I find, I keep. Call it a service fee.)
3. One shredded tissue (Yep It’s cold and flue season – tiny pieces of tissue everywhere *sigh*)
4. One tube of now-melted-and-on-the-clothing-forever, red lip-gloss -- oh joy.
While folding this morning, child number 4 meets me in the laundry room.
Her: Mom, have you seen my blue shirt?
Me: Nope, until you are doing your own laundry, you are stuck wearing what ever you have that’s clean in your drawers.
(Meanwhile, I quickly calculate in my head how many years that is until she is in Jr. High school when that momentous event happens. I deflate, five more years yet – rats!)
She leaves in a slight huff and returns in a few minutes wearing child #2’s Purple turtleneck, it’s sleeves dangling past her fingertips.
Me: That is your sister’s shirt.
Her: It needs to be baggy to go with the pants, mom! (she holds up the shirt to show how low the jeans are riding)
Me: But it doesn’t belong to you!
I decide on a different tack to battle her, she is working herself into a good fight about how I always take “their side” and never let her do what she wants… it’s all there waiting just behind her eyes for me to say the right phrase to trigger it out of her mouth.
Her: Did you ask her if you could borrow it?
Got her! There is no way she can wriggle out of that one, she is forever telling me how un fair it is that the younger one raids HER dresser.
Her: No.
I nod in satisfaction that I diffused that one quickly. I resume the folding and she notices the shirt that I now have in my hand.
Her: Can I wear that instead?
I look, and lo and behold, it is one that belongs to her anyway.
Me: Sure you can.
She snatches it out of my hand and makes for the downstairs bathroom to do her quick-change. I stop her half way there.
Me: Hey! What are you going to do with the shirt you have on your back?
Old argument about clothing being left where they stand…
She bats her eyes and smiles at me in her best “innocent” pretense.
Her: I am going to give it to you, of course.
Me: Good girl. You get to live.
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Autopilot
I did it again!
*sigh*
The dishes are done, the laundry has been switched over (it’s never really done, just in various states of backlog…). Four of the five kids are brushed, prayed with and down for the night (the teenager won’t let me put him down anymore – go figure). I have found the floor (I knew it was under that pile of toys, backpacks, shoes, jackets and snow pants somewhere). I did the dishes *holds wrinkly fingers to the monitor to prove it* and restocked the coffee maker with it’s magic time-to-get-up ingredients and wouldn’t you know it… instead of putting it on “auto” to brew at 6:00 am for the morning – I turned it “ON” !
ON!
Again!
I hate being on autopilot.
Well, while the coffee maker has it’s days and nights mixed up, I am settling in to do the bills. I need to catch up the checkbook, enter in the credit card charges and all that jazz. I will see if I can race the washer in it’s cycle to the music of perking coffee and finish in time to get to some reviews that have stacked up. If I can get them done, then that leaves tomorrow to do some revisions on my own stories and maybe, just maybe I can shoo off another story or two to gather rejection notices like it were building it’s very own spring nest.
Somebody remind me to get the garbage out to the curb tomorrow morning? I seem to be in autopilot and with my luck I will forget.
*sigh*
The dishes are done, the laundry has been switched over (it’s never really done, just in various states of backlog…). Four of the five kids are brushed, prayed with and down for the night (the teenager won’t let me put him down anymore – go figure). I have found the floor (I knew it was under that pile of toys, backpacks, shoes, jackets and snow pants somewhere). I did the dishes *holds wrinkly fingers to the monitor to prove it* and restocked the coffee maker with it’s magic time-to-get-up ingredients and wouldn’t you know it… instead of putting it on “auto” to brew at 6:00 am for the morning – I turned it “ON” !
ON!
Again!
I hate being on autopilot.
Well, while the coffee maker has it’s days and nights mixed up, I am settling in to do the bills. I need to catch up the checkbook, enter in the credit card charges and all that jazz. I will see if I can race the washer in it’s cycle to the music of perking coffee and finish in time to get to some reviews that have stacked up. If I can get them done, then that leaves tomorrow to do some revisions on my own stories and maybe, just maybe I can shoo off another story or two to gather rejection notices like it were building it’s very own spring nest.
Somebody remind me to get the garbage out to the curb tomorrow morning? I seem to be in autopilot and with my luck I will forget.
I just downloaded the "Hello" software (this program helps to insert and automatically size your pictures). I ended up publishing this post accidentally the first time, and discovered that I can go back (using the same program) and edit it. So, that's what I have done.Also, I spent the morning (until driven from the keyboard with a headache) sorting all the links along the side. Hopefully they will make more sense now. I have registered with several blogging catalogs and search engines today... lets just hope they don't sell my e-mail addy... hummm?
Now that I have figured out how to format this template a little better, expect me to share some more photos. *eyebrows wriggle*
Well, must go for now. I have errands to run and kids to get places. Talk to you all again tomorrow!
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Flashing all afternoon!
Today was awesome! I spent the afternoon “flashing”, no it’s not what it sounds like.
It’s where someone gives a topic and then you spend the next hour blasting past your internal editors and spitting a story out onto paper. Afterwards, there is the commenting time when all who played along also give you an on the spot crit. First gut reactions on what worked and what didn’t.
Rarely do you get something that you want to do a quick clean up and send off to an editor, though it does happen.
Usually, when you are done, you have the start of something or the seed of something you can go back to and rewrite. The thrill of it of course is that everyone is doing it at the same time. You get instant feedback and know right away if you have written something that is going to make connections with people.
I am hopelessly addicted to this style of writing.
It allows me to write stories that are bite sized and refine them, making me a better writer; while still giving me a finished product that I can usher out the door and see if it can be published. I have had some success at this so far, and I am encouraged.
One day, I plan to finish the several novels that hide in my hindbrain and live half-lives in various states of done-ness on my hard drive.
So much to write, so little time!
It’s where someone gives a topic and then you spend the next hour blasting past your internal editors and spitting a story out onto paper. Afterwards, there is the commenting time when all who played along also give you an on the spot crit. First gut reactions on what worked and what didn’t.
Rarely do you get something that you want to do a quick clean up and send off to an editor, though it does happen.
Usually, when you are done, you have the start of something or the seed of something you can go back to and rewrite. The thrill of it of course is that everyone is doing it at the same time. You get instant feedback and know right away if you have written something that is going to make connections with people.
I am hopelessly addicted to this style of writing.
It allows me to write stories that are bite sized and refine them, making me a better writer; while still giving me a finished product that I can usher out the door and see if it can be published. I have had some success at this so far, and I am encouraged.
One day, I plan to finish the several novels that hide in my hindbrain and live half-lives in various states of done-ness on my hard drive.
So much to write, so little time!
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Long Story Short
Wahoo!!!! Lookie at what came in the mail today!!!
Dear Ms. Rittinger,
Congratulations! The editors of Long Story Short have accepted your story, A Day in the Life of a Mouse, to be published in our April issue. This will make a cute addition to our children's stories.
The newsletter and e-zine are published the 7th of each month. You can view your story, at that time.
We hope you tell your family and friends the good news. They can sign up on the home page to receive the newsletter. You've been added.
A Media Release is below to alert your local newspaper, writing groups, family/friends, etc., of your acceptance.
We look forward to receiving more of your stories.
Sincerely,
Linda Barnett-Johnson
Assistant Editor
www.LongStoryShort.us
I am so excited I can barely contain myself! That makes two stories I have in the published world. The other being at Ultraverse.us November 7th Issue.
I will be walking on clouds all day long now.
Please, no one burst my bubble, let this moment be full and complete. Real life will invade and the daily grind will go on, but for this perfect moment, I want to bask in it.
*happy, satisfied smile*
Dear Ms. Rittinger,
Congratulations! The editors of Long Story Short have accepted your story, A Day in the Life of a Mouse, to be published in our April issue. This will make a cute addition to our children's stories.
The newsletter and e-zine are published the 7th of each month. You can view your story, at that time.
We hope you tell your family and friends the good news. They can sign up on the home page to receive the newsletter. You've been added.
A Media Release is below to alert your local newspaper, writing groups, family/friends, etc., of your acceptance.
We look forward to receiving more of your stories.
Sincerely,
Linda Barnett-Johnson
Assistant Editor
www.LongStoryShort.us
I am so excited I can barely contain myself! That makes two stories I have in the published world. The other being at Ultraverse.us November 7th Issue.
I will be walking on clouds all day long now.
Please, no one burst my bubble, let this moment be full and complete. Real life will invade and the daily grind will go on, but for this perfect moment, I want to bask in it.
*happy, satisfied smile*
Monday, March 07, 2005
All things to all people
All things to all people
It’s hard to be all things to all people when you are working with youth. Not all parents appreciate the same things or the same formats. Some people, in an effort to be “Helpful” will tell you all the things they think you are doing wrong.
Sometimes they are right and you must change your outlook, routine or structure to account for it. For those people, I say BLESS YOU! Feedback serves to make you stronger and improve the quality of what you are doing in your ministry.
Sometimes they aren’t though. Sometimes they are mean in their well meaning.When you take someone’s advice to heart when they may mean well, but don’t see the whole picture or carry your vision, all it serves to do is undermine your self-esteem or confidence.
Lets, just say that I had a very rough weekend. One that made me want to turn tail, runaway and hide inside myself. I was crushed, working my way into a full blown, wallow-in-it, full-bodied depression. I went home from church, and sat staring into space until I had to nap … my soul felt too heavy for my body and I retreated into sleep for anesthesia.
The funny thing is that what brought me “out of it” was talking to the other youth leaders in my Jr. High group. We needed to reinforce with each other that we aren’t perfect, we are still learning, and yes, we had room for improvement. Always, this will be true. What ever else though, we also needed to remember that letting those comments sink in too far would cripple our confidence and ability to lead. Second-guessing yourself for everything simply is defeating and counter productive.
So, I pick up my feet, put my foot down, and move forward. Praying the whole time, that I am able to let God be seen through my faults and shortcomings. I am not perfect, I fail, I fall down. But God gets the glory, because darn it, that’s why I need him so much in the first place. I will never be perfect enough, pretty enough, strong or smart enough to do all the things set before me.
It’s hard to be all things to all people when you are working with youth. Not all parents appreciate the same things or the same formats. Some people, in an effort to be “Helpful” will tell you all the things they think you are doing wrong.
Sometimes they are right and you must change your outlook, routine or structure to account for it. For those people, I say BLESS YOU! Feedback serves to make you stronger and improve the quality of what you are doing in your ministry.
Sometimes they aren’t though. Sometimes they are mean in their well meaning.When you take someone’s advice to heart when they may mean well, but don’t see the whole picture or carry your vision, all it serves to do is undermine your self-esteem or confidence.
Lets, just say that I had a very rough weekend. One that made me want to turn tail, runaway and hide inside myself. I was crushed, working my way into a full blown, wallow-in-it, full-bodied depression. I went home from church, and sat staring into space until I had to nap … my soul felt too heavy for my body and I retreated into sleep for anesthesia.
The funny thing is that what brought me “out of it” was talking to the other youth leaders in my Jr. High group. We needed to reinforce with each other that we aren’t perfect, we are still learning, and yes, we had room for improvement. Always, this will be true. What ever else though, we also needed to remember that letting those comments sink in too far would cripple our confidence and ability to lead. Second-guessing yourself for everything simply is defeating and counter productive.
So, I pick up my feet, put my foot down, and move forward. Praying the whole time, that I am able to let God be seen through my faults and shortcomings. I am not perfect, I fail, I fall down. But God gets the glory, because darn it, that’s why I need him so much in the first place. I will never be perfect enough, pretty enough, strong or smart enough to do all the things set before me.
Friday, March 04, 2005
Funny Voice Mail
I stumbled across this hilarious link in a forum I am a member of. You have to hear it to believe it!
http://members.cox.net/patcovington/funnyvoicemail%20-%20Mar%2003,%202005%2021.29.35.wav
It is a wav file of a voice mail, that has a man describing the scene of an accident he just witnessed on his cell phone. I don’t want to ruin it for you, but it’s funny, not tragic.
Warning: if you are a dialup user, it takes a while to buffer into your system, so be patient. I don’t remember the last time I laughed so hard!
http://members.cox.net/patcovington/funnyvoicemail%20-%20Mar%2003,%202005%2021.29.35.wav
It is a wav file of a voice mail, that has a man describing the scene of an accident he just witnessed on his cell phone. I don’t want to ruin it for you, but it’s funny, not tragic.
Warning: if you are a dialup user, it takes a while to buffer into your system, so be patient. I don’t remember the last time I laughed so hard!
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Cheerleading
Cheerleading
I have found that everything gets done easier when someone you love is watching you do a hard task.
“Look at me Miss Dee” they respond to me as they are finding the floor. I cheer with wild abandon and they rush around the room picking up the toys to keep me clapping. If my attention waivers, they call for me to look again until they are done.
It astounds me how powerful ATTENTION is, when given to you without reservation or distraction. When I nag, they point fingers and tell me how this person or that person isn’t helping them clean. My girls do it all the time too, for they share a bedroom.
But if I stand over them with praise, if I point out this or that as they start collecting things off the floor, they are given invisible motivation that sustains them through the yucky part of playing – the clean up afterwards.
I am like that in my relationship with my Heavenly Father. The bible tells me that He knows the number hairs on my head. His attention does not falter or become distracted, he knows what I do and usually, his attention is positive on me. Cleaning the toilets for my family who do not appreciate or even think about this service doesn’t motivate me. In fact, I get rather resentful and grumpy about it! But when I view this service in terms of caring for the ones I love my helping to make sure they don’t get sick with nasty germs, my load is lightened.
My attitudes are so darn subjective!
I think that is what makes prayer so valuable to me, it puts me in the right relationship with God. When I am talking to him intimately (‘cause that’s what prayer is to me) I am reminded over and over again of His overwhelming love for me, and how, like a child, he showers me with attention. His love swells inside me as something that I can’t contain, like a sponge filled too full; it spills out into every relationship I have around me.
Attention.
A child teaches me today about rapt attention and it’s power.
And somehow, I am reminded that just as I cheered those animated kids on to do their best for cleaning the floor up… he cheers me on when I clean the toilets.
I have found that everything gets done easier when someone you love is watching you do a hard task.
“Look at me Miss Dee” they respond to me as they are finding the floor. I cheer with wild abandon and they rush around the room picking up the toys to keep me clapping. If my attention waivers, they call for me to look again until they are done.
It astounds me how powerful ATTENTION is, when given to you without reservation or distraction. When I nag, they point fingers and tell me how this person or that person isn’t helping them clean. My girls do it all the time too, for they share a bedroom.
But if I stand over them with praise, if I point out this or that as they start collecting things off the floor, they are given invisible motivation that sustains them through the yucky part of playing – the clean up afterwards.
I am like that in my relationship with my Heavenly Father. The bible tells me that He knows the number hairs on my head. His attention does not falter or become distracted, he knows what I do and usually, his attention is positive on me. Cleaning the toilets for my family who do not appreciate or even think about this service doesn’t motivate me. In fact, I get rather resentful and grumpy about it! But when I view this service in terms of caring for the ones I love my helping to make sure they don’t get sick with nasty germs, my load is lightened.
My attitudes are so darn subjective!
I think that is what makes prayer so valuable to me, it puts me in the right relationship with God. When I am talking to him intimately (‘cause that’s what prayer is to me) I am reminded over and over again of His overwhelming love for me, and how, like a child, he showers me with attention. His love swells inside me as something that I can’t contain, like a sponge filled too full; it spills out into every relationship I have around me.
Attention.
A child teaches me today about rapt attention and it’s power.
And somehow, I am reminded that just as I cheered those animated kids on to do their best for cleaning the floor up… he cheers me on when I clean the toilets.
The Magic of Kisses
In the day care that I run, there are sometimes little bumps and boo boos that happen. Today they are cheerfully upending all the toy boxes. I have found my observations on this topic to be true for my own 5 as well though. Inevitably there are a few who trip on what they’ve spilled and need their boo boo’s kissed. Nothing serious, no blood, (Which is a shame really, because if it’s gonna hurt there aughta be Something to show for it!) and each cry or fuss according to their nature. The first-borns seem to be a bit more dramatically while the younger ones in a family seem to shake it off and move on more easily.
In both cases though, they need a kiss before they were able to move on. Who knew that there was magic in kisses? A will give a quick rub, a sympathetic hug, be someone to HEAR of their woes and remind them that they are precious… and that, all powerful, Magic Kiss.
Pow!
All is right with the world!
Yeah, …I love my job.
In both cases though, they need a kiss before they were able to move on. Who knew that there was magic in kisses? A will give a quick rub, a sympathetic hug, be someone to HEAR of their woes and remind them that they are precious… and that, all powerful, Magic Kiss.
Pow!
All is right with the world!
Yeah, …I love my job.
Monday, February 28, 2005
Sleepy
Got up this morning at 4:30 am.... a little one woke up and needed help, I couldn't get back to sleep. Now that I am tired, it's time to get the rest of the family up and moving *argh*. Day care kiddos are coming and I have a pile of laundry to do... I think I need more coffee. Yeah, coffee sounds good...
I will be back to write more once the house is in motion (well you know what I mean) and I can string more words together. Maybe trying to blog this moring was a bad idea.
Where is that coffee?
I will be back to write more once the house is in motion (well you know what I mean) and I can string more words together. Maybe trying to blog this moring was a bad idea.
Where is that coffee?
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Monsters in the closet
Today, a writer friend posted a good question and I spent a fair amount of time responding to it. I am rephrasing the opening, but keeping a large portion of it in tact for posting here in my journal. Mostly because it’s something, I want to come back to. There are lots of elements here that touch on writing, most of them though, are about me and my own journey.
Her question was mainly about how far you go (sexually explicit, violent, gory or graphic) as a writer.
This below, was my response.
I wrote my first scary story recently that was outside my comfort zone mainly because it dealt with witchcraft and reincarnation, both things that as a Christian, I don't approve of. (Never mind that I have been reading fantasy since I could pick up a book and THEY contain those elements.) It was still strange to find myself telling a story that I didn't know was in me and had to argue with myself to actually hit the submit button. Silly isn't it?
That aside, I also started a romance novel, and though I have plenty of sexual tension in it, I have yet to cross the line and write a sex scene. What stops me? There is an invisible line there that says "here there be dragons". Unless one of my characters passes through a significant event contained within a sex scene that needs to be "revealed" (pardon the pun) in order to move the story forward -- I won't wrestle that dragon.
But you raise such a good point. As a writer, to create characters that explore depth and strength, there must be conflict. That's probably the biggest flaw in my first novel. Yes, I have gone back and fixed many of the grammatical errors and created plenty of tension... it's a paper tiger in that there are no real teeth in it. There IS no real jeopardy, no really bad guy to make it so important that there is a good guy. Most of my characters are flawed (and that’s good) but truly there needs to be … a nasty, mean, depraved character in there. And that means that I am going to be forced to step outside my comfort zone and dig inside the closet where I keep all those emotions.
No, I am not repressed; I just don’t like to keep those unproductive thoughts and emotions cluttering the floor of my mind. They end up controlling me. So, I use self discipline and store them on the metaphorical shelf till I have the time and inclination to deal with them again. Like anything else, if you feed something it grows, if you starve it – it dies.
I have starving monsters in there…
*shakes it off*
Yeah, great question. Just passing by the door of that closet gives me the willies.
The funny thing is that in my head, I know that those monsters can’t hurt me any more. In my head, I know that I will never be chained to those monsters that fed on me ever again. I am changed and no longer the scared child that hid from the world in between the covers of a book.
In my head.
In my heart though, I remember.
I get whelmed and either disconnect or fry my nerve endings with the memories. Too hot to touch, not enough time to sort through all the sticky ends that I need to, in order to untangle the monsters tentacles and put him back on the shelf. It’s easier to just make faces at the closed door as I pass by it saying “you have no power over me”.
And it doesn’t.
But I have not yet mastered the art of opening the closet door, turning on the light and cataloging all those emotions for the purpose of putting them on like a coat while I sit at a keyboard. It almost seems wrong unleash that evil for the purpose of entertainment. Yet, in order to make a character LIVE and breathe I must find a way to channel that and access it… or my characters are doomed to a bland life of ignominy never to transmute through a page into another’s imagination.
It’s a good question. One I need to spend more time thinking about… and open that door.
Her question was mainly about how far you go (sexually explicit, violent, gory or graphic) as a writer.
This below, was my response.
I wrote my first scary story recently that was outside my comfort zone mainly because it dealt with witchcraft and reincarnation, both things that as a Christian, I don't approve of. (Never mind that I have been reading fantasy since I could pick up a book and THEY contain those elements.) It was still strange to find myself telling a story that I didn't know was in me and had to argue with myself to actually hit the submit button. Silly isn't it?
That aside, I also started a romance novel, and though I have plenty of sexual tension in it, I have yet to cross the line and write a sex scene. What stops me? There is an invisible line there that says "here there be dragons". Unless one of my characters passes through a significant event contained within a sex scene that needs to be "revealed" (pardon the pun) in order to move the story forward -- I won't wrestle that dragon.
But you raise such a good point. As a writer, to create characters that explore depth and strength, there must be conflict. That's probably the biggest flaw in my first novel. Yes, I have gone back and fixed many of the grammatical errors and created plenty of tension... it's a paper tiger in that there are no real teeth in it. There IS no real jeopardy, no really bad guy to make it so important that there is a good guy. Most of my characters are flawed (and that’s good) but truly there needs to be … a nasty, mean, depraved character in there. And that means that I am going to be forced to step outside my comfort zone and dig inside the closet where I keep all those emotions.
No, I am not repressed; I just don’t like to keep those unproductive thoughts and emotions cluttering the floor of my mind. They end up controlling me. So, I use self discipline and store them on the metaphorical shelf till I have the time and inclination to deal with them again. Like anything else, if you feed something it grows, if you starve it – it dies.
I have starving monsters in there…
*shakes it off*
Yeah, great question. Just passing by the door of that closet gives me the willies.
The funny thing is that in my head, I know that those monsters can’t hurt me any more. In my head, I know that I will never be chained to those monsters that fed on me ever again. I am changed and no longer the scared child that hid from the world in between the covers of a book.
In my head.
In my heart though, I remember.
I get whelmed and either disconnect or fry my nerve endings with the memories. Too hot to touch, not enough time to sort through all the sticky ends that I need to, in order to untangle the monsters tentacles and put him back on the shelf. It’s easier to just make faces at the closed door as I pass by it saying “you have no power over me”.
And it doesn’t.
But I have not yet mastered the art of opening the closet door, turning on the light and cataloging all those emotions for the purpose of putting them on like a coat while I sit at a keyboard. It almost seems wrong unleash that evil for the purpose of entertainment. Yet, in order to make a character LIVE and breathe I must find a way to channel that and access it… or my characters are doomed to a bland life of ignominy never to transmute through a page into another’s imagination.
It’s a good question. One I need to spend more time thinking about… and open that door.
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Oh to play like a child!
To my delight, my children have discovered “A Wrinkle in Time”. I found the video on sale and now my kids love reenacting scenes from it and using a “tesseract” as a method of transporting their imaginations from one place to another.
This story is the one that hooked me onto Sci Fi as a kid myself. I have been trying to get them interested in the book for a long while, but to no avail. Not until I found the video that is. My eldest has since finished all the books in the series and she drops hints to the younger ones about what happens to Meg and Charles Wallace in their future. I sit in the next room (like today) and hear them organize the game they will play. They have done it since they were tiny, taking spoons or even gummy bears and say “I will be the momma, you be the sweetheart” and off their imaginations would gallop into one fairy world after another.
My eldest is 11. She is just now over the last year or so separated herself from the younger ones to do “more grown up” things, like read books or draw for hours. But the younger ones still let their imaginations take them places that we learn to release as adults. Today even the 11 year old plays along.
I adore the way they play. I smile as I write this for now they have found a winding music box that they have inducted into their game as a prop. It’s one of those notched barrels that have tin prongs that play when you spin the handle.
Today the carpet is dry but barren of furniture. It is a wide-open place to romp. A new toy of sorts for them you could say. So while one plays the music box for sound effects to tesseract (teleport?) Two others are crawling across the floor as though they were scaling a building, I can’t help but to shake my head and be amazed at their creativity.
Right now, (after making a few posts at some boards I frequent) they are ready to go to the mall, and they are already creating a new game of spies, walkie talkies, a transistor radio, a bag of other gadgets a note pad of paper and they are set. Now they just need me to get off the computer so that I can go fulfill a promise. One week of clean bedrooms, and they get a treat – in this case a trip to the local mall to play in the kiddie corral. (see the entry about redoing the chore charts) They will duck behind and under the foam climbable sculptures while playing hide and seek. I will sit along the edges with the numbers of other parents waiting for family members to finish shopping while they pull kid watching duty.
Fun will be had by all.
Bye for now.
This story is the one that hooked me onto Sci Fi as a kid myself. I have been trying to get them interested in the book for a long while, but to no avail. Not until I found the video that is. My eldest has since finished all the books in the series and she drops hints to the younger ones about what happens to Meg and Charles Wallace in their future. I sit in the next room (like today) and hear them organize the game they will play. They have done it since they were tiny, taking spoons or even gummy bears and say “I will be the momma, you be the sweetheart” and off their imaginations would gallop into one fairy world after another.
My eldest is 11. She is just now over the last year or so separated herself from the younger ones to do “more grown up” things, like read books or draw for hours. But the younger ones still let their imaginations take them places that we learn to release as adults. Today even the 11 year old plays along.
I adore the way they play. I smile as I write this for now they have found a winding music box that they have inducted into their game as a prop. It’s one of those notched barrels that have tin prongs that play when you spin the handle.
Today the carpet is dry but barren of furniture. It is a wide-open place to romp. A new toy of sorts for them you could say. So while one plays the music box for sound effects to tesseract (teleport?) Two others are crawling across the floor as though they were scaling a building, I can’t help but to shake my head and be amazed at their creativity.
Right now, (after making a few posts at some boards I frequent) they are ready to go to the mall, and they are already creating a new game of spies, walkie talkies, a transistor radio, a bag of other gadgets a note pad of paper and they are set. Now they just need me to get off the computer so that I can go fulfill a promise. One week of clean bedrooms, and they get a treat – in this case a trip to the local mall to play in the kiddie corral. (see the entry about redoing the chore charts) They will duck behind and under the foam climbable sculptures while playing hide and seek. I will sit along the edges with the numbers of other parents waiting for family members to finish shopping while they pull kid watching duty.
Fun will be had by all.
Bye for now.
Friday, February 18, 2005
Still more plates spinning in the air
Yesterday I spent the larger part of the day online doing research. I was researching property for a business venture with a friend of mine. (More news on that when it’s … well, more than just talk.)
Researching for hand held UV sanitizer. You would not believe how hard it is to keep all the toys clean to prevent cross pollination of germs! This has been such a hard hard year for sickness in our community. I am also thinking about buying one of those air purifier units that pass the air through a UV beam to kill air-born germs. Those are very expensive though.
Researching for storage containers for the toys… something besides toy boxes that swallow the little toys to the bottom to never be seen again.
Carpet cleaning today in a few hours, so I need to get off the computer in a few minutes to get as much stuff out of the rooms as I can before the professional carpet-cleaning guy comes over. This is to help stay in compliance with my licensing report.
I am so excited! I got invited to a writer’s networking party! I have never been to one before and I am a little nervous about what to expect. Should I bring stuff I have written? Would that be presumptuous? *sigh* I need to call the lady and find out more details when I am not buried in children.
This of course means that I will need to find a sitter on short notice. While that sounds easy enough, no one looks at watching as many kids as I have without thinking about it hard.
*grin* We had pizza again last night after running loops all evening going to tutor’s and piano lessons. Thursdays are always a zoo. But it begs the question… just how many times can you have pizza before a kid rebels? “The world may never know,” to quote a tootsie pop commercial.
Slowly, I am catching up on reviews. I wish it wasn’t taking so long, but I am juggling so much these days that it’s sometimes either; let them wait, or just not participate at all. And I love the writing communities I am part of way too much to stop altogether. I am a glutton for punishment. That’s all I can say.
Well, my kids are moving my living room furniture out into the garage without me… they seem more excited about the carpet guy coming than I do. I need to help supervise and keep them from gouging holes in the walls on their way out.
I will write more later.
Tootles!
Researching for hand held UV sanitizer. You would not believe how hard it is to keep all the toys clean to prevent cross pollination of germs! This has been such a hard hard year for sickness in our community. I am also thinking about buying one of those air purifier units that pass the air through a UV beam to kill air-born germs. Those are very expensive though.
Researching for storage containers for the toys… something besides toy boxes that swallow the little toys to the bottom to never be seen again.
Carpet cleaning today in a few hours, so I need to get off the computer in a few minutes to get as much stuff out of the rooms as I can before the professional carpet-cleaning guy comes over. This is to help stay in compliance with my licensing report.
I am so excited! I got invited to a writer’s networking party! I have never been to one before and I am a little nervous about what to expect. Should I bring stuff I have written? Would that be presumptuous? *sigh* I need to call the lady and find out more details when I am not buried in children.
This of course means that I will need to find a sitter on short notice. While that sounds easy enough, no one looks at watching as many kids as I have without thinking about it hard.
*grin* We had pizza again last night after running loops all evening going to tutor’s and piano lessons. Thursdays are always a zoo. But it begs the question… just how many times can you have pizza before a kid rebels? “The world may never know,” to quote a tootsie pop commercial.
Slowly, I am catching up on reviews. I wish it wasn’t taking so long, but I am juggling so much these days that it’s sometimes either; let them wait, or just not participate at all. And I love the writing communities I am part of way too much to stop altogether. I am a glutton for punishment. That’s all I can say.
Well, my kids are moving my living room furniture out into the garage without me… they seem more excited about the carpet guy coming than I do. I need to help supervise and keep them from gouging holes in the walls on their way out.
I will write more later.
Tootles!
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