The Hero and the Portable Oxygen Concentrator

Okay that sounds like a weird combination, but are all your characters perfect? I don't just mean in the moral way, but in the physical too. It's obvious enough that people aren't in real life, but sometimes I know even for me, it just doesn't dawn on me to incorporate some of the normal human frailties into my characters. Not even minor ones--and wow, the hero/heroin--perish the thought. But it's not a bad thought, even for the main characters. You may not want to go as far as having them on a form of life-support, or a portable oxygen concentrators, but by all means don't shy away from having them exhibit some form of physcial frailalty. It can expand their characters immensely, and even give them a degree of empathy (if that's your wish of course, you may not want to do that with the villian). We all know not to make our characters infalable in their attitudes, now it's time to realize it's worth considering not making them infalable in their physical attributes as well.

Merry Christmas Late

Merry Christmas everybody. Yes I know I'm a day late. Yesterday was Christmas. However, for me, it was just another day. Oh I don't mean that in an anti-religious way. I mean it in a hubby's never off and was finally home and that means we worked all day in spite of my pain (shoulder injury). Fun fun fun. We got a lot done though. We moved goats, we fixed a hole in one of the goat houses--it just happened to be in the buck pen. Now I'll tell you that our buck (male goat) is pretty friendly as male goats go, but we had just seperated him from his 'ladies' who are now several months pregnant and need to be alone, and that makes him pretty, um, testy to begin with, not to mention we are now pounding away in what must seem to him a threatening manner on his house. My job had nothing to do with the construction, my job was to keep a lookout for Mickey and defend my somewhat vulnerable hubby as he worked. It's hard to bend over and hammer in nails while keeping your eye on a goat. Mostly Mickey ate while we worked, but there were a few times he came over and challenged our right to be in his pen.

Mickey is a big dude. He weighs over 300 pounds and is all muscle. Well, let me restate that, he's three hundred pounds of muscle and HORNS. Big horns. Horns that can do considerable damage. I'm standing there defending our position with a shovel---I know that sounds mean but when you're facing down a 300 pound goat with huge horns you need protection if he gets aggressive. And goats, along with sheep, have the hardest skulls you'll ever want to come across. Luckily when Mickey does 'fight' with us, it's somewhat half-hearted. You can tell he really doesn't want to hurt us. Deep down he's a terribly friendly guy... BUT he's still a male goat and those instincts kick in like crazy. There were a couple of altercations. In fact he darned near won one of them. He got one of his horns hooked in the shovel handle and nearly ripped it out of my hand (a Boer goats horns are big and hooked not straight) and even got me in the hand as he twisted trying to get the shovel away from me.

Luckily we both got out of there with our skin after hammering in the final nail, and from the safety of the outside of the pen petted Mickey and made friends again.

I'm happy to say the weather was fairly mild yesterday, for winter, and that made working a nicer thing. When we got inside, we even replaced a leaky faucet with a piece that's like the new Grohe faucets. It's really pretty. Best of all, our bathroom faucet no longer leaks!

Some Christmas huh? Well, it's just par for the course around here. Hope yours was wonderful. All in all, ours was pretty nice.

The flavor and characters of a novel

When I write I like to make my characters stand out with their own individuality. Now most authors use clothing to create a character's personality, and I do that too. I mean you wouldn't normally find a cowboy in a three-piece suit, or a hooker in an evening gown... then again, those types of twists can accentuate a particular twist in a plot, a commical situation, or even a deeper side of their 'normal' personality. Another thing that helps on some occassions are special pieces of jewelry. A deeply religious charcater might wear a special piece of religious jewelry. Maybe a shiny, and ornate cross, or a rugged, battered, simple piece of wrought iron. Depending on how it is used it can help to convey a deep personal message. A centuries old broach once the height of fashion, but now probably considered gaudy and antequated can make a character's strong connection to a past. So much can be done to help to bring out inner feelings, or ties to the past through simple little pieces placed strategically, and used wisely. Never overlook the little things, they give your writing flavor and character in every way.

Nothing Compares to a Diamond.

When I was younger I really loved rocks. I mean the whole nine yards. A science teacher in my earth science class got me into spelunking (caving and the search for -- yes, you guessed it, rocks). I loved the different types of rocks and stones and how they looked in their raw form as well as in their cut and polished form. I thought it was amazing the differences between raw and polished too. I had even acquired some of the costly tools to do my own polishing.

While I've kind of outgrown the love of 'spelunking', or the desire to find raw gems and other rocks and polish them to perfection, I still love and own many examples of such things like amethyst, and opal. For jewlery though, the only real rock I like is diamond. Especially diamond rings. Everything else kind of looks fake no matter how real it is. Nothing compares to a diamond.

A Writer's Wild Ride

Being a writer can make you crazy. I've been doing this seriously as a means of living for nearly ten years now and I'm not kidding this past year with its ups and downs is enough to drive anyone to drink.

One month I'm flying high and making money and feeling like it's never gonna end. The next I'm scrounging around the sofa cushions for spare change. Now it's always been like that but this year it seems the variances have been more extreme than ever before.

With the end of the year coming up fast--can you believe it? It feels like just yesterday I was toasting the new year on the couch with hubby, and now it's gaining ground to Christmas. Whew. Well the wild ride is coming to an end for this year and I find myself praying that next year will smooth out just a little.

If it keeps doing the wild thing I may need drug rehab by this time next year. A gal can only take so many head spinning dips and breath-taking lifts. After awhile it all turns into a tylenol moment, and you want to reach for a Bacardi.

Talk For Less but Still Look Big

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Talkswitch also offers continued support to make sure your office phone system is working efficiently, and the way you need it to work. Whichever way works best for your needs, Talkswitch systems can make use of traditional analog lines, or Internet VoIP to make your connections to the outside world faster, easier, and cheaper.

The brand names available through Talkswitch include Panasonic, and many other trusted names to insure the best quality phone systems that will perform well and last. Neobits has forums for users to gain greater knowledge of these type of phone systems as well as getting information on T1 service providers and virtual private networks. Sharing the best ways to get the most out of the whatever provider you use, the large network of Talkswitch users provide invaluable aid to those just starting out, and continuing advice to each other even after many years using broadband in conjuction with their traditional phone services.

Find out more about how you can get connected, and keep everyone in your office in the loop with Talkswitch from Neobits. They can have your new unit installed before you know it, and have you up and talking. Their technitians are available in every zipcode to provide you with high speed service and quality business communications.

Full Circle Fashion

I don't wear too much in the way of jewelry although I love it. I think jewelry adds an elegant touch and it makes me feel good when I wear it. However working around animals all day I just don't tend to wear it often. About the only time I do get all fancied up and put on my best Lange Sohne watch and long pretty earings, and dangling necklaces is on the rare occassions we go out somewhere really special to eat, or for entertainment. Since that only happens occassionally throughout the year my jewelry tends to last a very long time. My biggest concern isn't breakage, or wearing out, it's keeping my jewelry from being out-dated. Since I'm not out and about all that often I wonder a lot if even I know what is out-dated or not. Sometimes I wonder if people look at me the way I always imagined they did at my grandmother and other older folks like her thinking how cute it was that the 'little old lady' and her broaches and clip on earings (in the time of piercings and bling). Maybe I'm that 'little old lady' now, although I don't stoop to clip ons. Perhaps fashion does come full circle and you become your grandmother before you can blink an eye... but hey, at least I have my own 'old lady' style!

Prime Location

I wish that I had really realized how important location is in the real estate world. Now I can't say I didn't 'know' in the general knowledge sense. After all, the main motto of all real estate agents is 'location, location, location', and yet, the real concept only hits home after you find yourself attached to a less than prime locale. When we bought the little farm we live on now 12 years ago we used the money from a sale of property up north that truly was PRIME. We got good money for that little 1/2 acre of land even though the house on it was ancient and not even going to be used. The developer that bought the land immediately tore down the house (it needed it) and put up a beautiful home in its place. We were selling the property--or more importantly we were selling the LOCATION.

We found our current place and it suited up perfectly. Out in the middle of nowhere in a town no one from where we lived had ever heard of, with plenty of room (over 10 acres) and a lovely newer, although not new, home. Never once did I stop to consider the location in regards to re-sale back then. We pretty much figured we'd be here forever. Twelve years may not be forever, but it is a long time. It's time to move on now though and that 'location, location, location' motto is really hitting home. Sure we could, and probably will sell for a little better than the purchase price. We made some big improvements like a new barn that is still relatively new, but there's no way we'll get the windfall of cash we did from the first property that ended up being the last of its very sought-after kind. Sigh... lesson learned. Mottos are created for a reason, and always look as far ahead as you can in your thinking before you buy a piece of property.

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Vacation Dreaming

Oh it's getting cold out again. Winter is definately here although at the moment it's sort of off and on. Some days remain fall-like, while others drop down into the frigid zone. On the frozen days I long for the warmth of a more southern local. Thoughts of taking a vacation and renting a Pigeon Forge cabins in the beautiful mountains of Tennessee where there are still seasons, but much, much less drastic changes than up here seem perfect to me. Spending the days hiking in the moutains vs hauling buckets of hot water out to unfreeze the stock tanks seems like a 'no brainer'. Thankfully we've installed water heaters in almost all of the tanks so the bigger ones aren't freezing over anymore, but there are still several smaller tanks that we couldn't get heaters in for various reasons. So there is still water to haul, and dreams of vacations in places where water doesn't freeze.

Transformers

I finally sat down and watched Transformers last night! I've had this movie for weeks and it seemed like everytime I was getting set to watch it something would come up and distract me. I think partially it was a matter of I had several friends say they were disappointed in it, so I was a little less than enthused about it as well. Here is just a perfect example of why you shouldn't listen to critics, or even friends when deciding on a movie, or a book.

I liked it.

Perhaps it was the fact that for a 'serious' movie there was a lot of levity in it. I LIKE that. I loved the fact that the autobot goodguys (Optimus Prime and his pack) not only had hilarious personalities, they had very individual personalities. It was a fun movie, although it does require a good deal of suspension of disbelief. If you like comic book styled movies this one is a winner.

Okay, I admit it

Earlier this year when I first heard that Bruce Willis was going to star in yet another 'Die Hard' sequel I was skepitcal to say the least. He's getting pretty old to be playing a hard hitting heo... well I thought so anyway, until I saw the movie. Darned if that man doesn't age well! He's still plenty believable as the loveable underdog fighting a seemingly never-ending number of terrorists bent on total destruction. What I REALLY loved about Die Harder though was more than just Bruce's ability to carry off the loan cop hero role, it was that THIS was my kind of movie... not only did it combine my favorite types of terrorism (if favorite type is the way to describe it, lol) which includes tech hacking of the computer systems, in this case nationwide almost Y2K type of computer shut downs. I've been saying for years, ever since the Y2K scare came and went without a real hitch--if terrorists were paying attention back then, they would have SEEN the best way to 'take us down'. This movie really makes you worry about the security of our lifestyles that are so tied into computer technology, and uses believable government based characters to do it. It is a political, and computer espionage thriller and that is my all time favorite combination so this movie was a real hit!

So Happy

They say that good things come to those who wait. Well, as some of you know, patience is not one of my virtues. Still, with this particular situation I had no choice but to simply shrug and see what happened. A few months ago I got into a great on-line company that wrote web content for SEO companies. It was fanastic money, and there was (it seemed) an endless supply of work. Well, it ran well for a couple months and then the company closed down siting that they had been affiliated with only one SEO company and when things went sour between them they lost their workload, but they'd try to reopen soon... well, I suppose soon is a relative term, and I had about given up hope of any reappearance of the company when I got an email... yes, they re-opened! While they are slowly rebuilding, and the workload isn't near to what it was before yet, there is reason to rejoice. It was also nice to have been contacted and asked to come back. Obviously they weren't just 'being nice' before when they said they liked my work, they were anxious to have me back and that was a nice ego boost just by itself. I got to do some work for them this week, and it felt great to be back in the swing again. Hoping the load picks up and really starts to move again soon, but I'm happy that it has reserected at all. And hey, best news yet, they even gave me a raise! Yeah, it's nice to work for a company that knows how to 'really' show their appreciation. :)

Internet Telemarketers

Popups are annoying. They're kind of a staple of internet advertising, but they jam up the screen, and are sort of the high-tech version of a telemarketer. You don't really want the product, you weren't looking for the product, it just pops up in front of your face and you're forced to look at it, at least for as long as it takes you to click on the 'x' to get rid of it. That's why getting a good popup blocker is essential for piece of mind, and enjoyable internet time. I just wish you could get a telemarketer version of a popup blocker.

No More Pills

I haven't tried any pills or anything on my current diet. I'd prefer to do without, but there are times when I get so frustrated that it wouldn't be a horrible idea to give my sluggish old metabolism a boost. The problem there is I'm horrible at taking pills. I have a bottle of vitamins on my counter--right by my coffee pot so you'd think I'd remember to take them--nope. Oh I do sometimes, but certainly not daily. For me, the hoodia patch would probably be just the ticket. I like hoodia too since it's all natural so I don't feel like I'm talking some sort of dangerous concotion thought up by some mad scientist that researchers will find out ten years from now is really deadly. The patch is great since you just slap it on and forget it. No more worries about forgetting to take pills. For people like my daughter it's even better because she can't swallow pills. Never could. Not even as a child. Getting her to take even a simple little pill when she had a fever was next to impossible. Not because she was obstinant about it, she wasn't, she just couldn't swallow them. She's still like that as an adult. So the patch is a fantastic idea. Thanks Hoodia!

Hope For The Amazing

The thing about technology today is that its so SMALL. That never ceases to amaze me. I remember my very first cell phone. It was back in the early/mid-80's and it was boxy, and about the size of my entire hand. It had a flip top, but it was a 'normal' size. Sort of like the 'princess' phones receiver almost in size. Now, my cell phone is so small it astounds me that we can hear and talk with it. Although those small keys can be aggravating at times.

Digital cameras too. Oh they aren't much smaller than the old-fashioned cameras, but they can hold hundreds of pictures in them with the help of their micro sd and that's just amazing. The old film cameras with their 12, 24, or gasp 36 picture capabilities on a single roll of film couldn't even have dreamed of being able to capture and store so many images. AND give us instant viewing ability so we know if the shot was good or not, and even the ability to load it onto a program where we can crop, cut, lighten, darken, or even skew into crazy shapes the images we've taken. I can't wait to see what technology has in store in the next ten to twenty years. I wonder what someone who lived in the late 1800's or early 1900's would think if they were to suddenly awaken in this era. It would have to be mind-boggling, but that only makes me wonder what will be 100 years from now when I'm no longer here... what an amazing place it will be. Yes, I still have hope.

Hi Tech With A Condition

For all the fantastic technology we have today, that I, in spite of being somewhat secluded and living a more 'simple life' (yeah right) love dearly, one thing hasn't changed all that much. Most of it still requires batteries. There have been some great advances though. nimh batteries
have a longer life and make our 'stuff' run better longer. That's a plus. It still seems like I'm running out to by batteries all the time, for everything from my digital camera, to my walkman (yeah, I haven't gotten 'tech' enough for an IPOD yet, but hubby and son have one. My son's takes batteries too, what's with that? Hubby's is computer charged, and has a car charger, as well as a portable plug in charger. You'd think most things would have gone that way by now, but nope... most are still 'batteries not included'.

Lap Of Luxury

All you have to do, even out in the country by me, is take a short drive and you'll see them. luxury homes are popping up everywhere. I'd like to know who can afford some of these places, especially out by me, but apparently people can, or will do anything to be able to. I'd like to say it's crazy, and yet, a part of me wouldn't mind living in a luxurious palace myself. In fact, one of my favorite shows is MTV Cribs. I like to see how the other 'half' lives. Is it really 'half'? I mean it must be. There must be that many people who can afford such extravagant homes because they're everywhere now. Maybe someday I'll get to call one of those magnificent homes mine. Someday before I die, maybe... with my luck, two days before. LOL

Stupid Slang

Okay, American slang is taking over the world, in the most stupid of ways. In Austrailia Santas are being told to not use the familiar 'ho ho ho' because it is offensive to women.

What?

Now I know, in our politically correct, stupid, and way too sensitive over every little thing world that we can sometimes take things out of context to mean something offensive and get our panties all in a bunch, but come on. Get real.

Then again, maybe:

I wonder if it's true, maybe Santa really was callin out his 'elfs' and they were his hoes... at the same time, MAYBE that's really what the seven dwarfs were singin'...

Hey ho, hey ho,
it's off to work we go
get on your back
I'll talk some smack
hey ho hey ho hey ho hey ho!

Poor Snow White, the only @#$%$ with seven pimps.

No hassle

I've come to a decision--at least it is a decision for now. I'm going to do all my creative writing just for me, and for posting either here or in some of the fiction forums I belong to. Simply put, writing for publication in the fiction realm is just a big pain in the butt. Yeah, I'm a little disgruntled, but hey, when it comes down to it, I actually like writing for myself and certain readers anyway. You get a lot more feedback, and a lot less hassle--less money too, but since there's so little of that anyway, it's better without the hassle.

Get Serious?

I am serious when I laugh
I'm serious when I find the joy and humor in all of life's trials.
Life is good at throwing anger our way
A smile deflects the pain, and turns away darkness.

I'm serious when I play
Work is hard, and I do it with joy because I find the fun in all I do
Life's good at making us forget why we are alive
I play to remember that I'm here to experience all that is good about the world.

I'm serious when I hurt
Seeing what evils people do to each other every day, causes such great pain
Life is good about showing us the worst in our very natures
I hurt to know that I am alive, and am capable of feeling sorrow at others despair.

****

I am the evil that lurks in the dark
I am the darkness that hides in the soul
I am the anger that clouds men's minds
I am hatred…

I am prejudice, and darkness is my child.

****

The only light that destroys the darkness, is laughter, and love… yes, I am deadly serious.

Random Thoughts on the State of Being

A person is so much more than the appearance of their body.

THAT is what is important.

Black/white/red/yellow, or puke bucket GREEN the color of a person's skin does not truly matter. That is not to say: deny thy ethnicity… it means that it does not define who you are as an individual. Your actions, your words, your attitude, all these things help to truly define you. How you treat the person standing right next to you, the person who lives with you, and the person who lives on a completely different content, THESE are the things that define you.

If your hair is long, short, straight, or curly, these things do not define you. If it's brown, black, blonde, or yeah even (gag) kool-aid red, that does not define you.

If you're fat, skinny, tall, short, these things do not define you.

If you have a big nose, a small nose, or a flat, or thin nose, these things do not define you.

If your eyes are blue, brown, green, or pink, these things do not define you.

All of the above may make you readily identifiable in a crowd as 'that person' rather than another, but, they have absolutely nothing to do with who you are inside, how you act, react, or respond to others, or situations around you: THAT defines you.

Caring deeply about people, and the world around us.

THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT DEFINE HUMAN BEINGS.

These are the things that make us truly brethren, regardless of race, creed, or sex.

These are the only things that matter.

Hurtful comments are just disrespectful no matter WHO you are talking about, public figure or not, or person next door. It's shameful. It truly is… and it defines YOU.

Reality VS Fiction

There's a lot being said on one of the music boards I habitate on the state of the industry. So much is true about it going the way of the dinosaur, just like the rest of the entertainment industry, but the moaning of its death really is just the passing of a falacy.

Something that happened to me just recently (and not for the first time, lol) only drove the point home harder for me... what we 'see' as the decline of musical talent, the pap of the iconoclastic culture... is not the reality of true artistic endeavors.

The fact is that in a very unbalanced industry where a handful of artists make mad, crazy money and lead extraordinary lives that the public sees and think is glamourous and 'normal' for that realm of work, is in reality the true fantasy... becasue in reality a much larger mass live near poverty and create because it is in their souls to do just that, and nothing in the world will ever stop it.

Perhaps the destruction of the dinosaur will allow for that to come up to the top... maybe not though, because as you pointed out in history those creative types were usually scorned and considered the lowest of the low... so be it, so it will be.

But it will not die, because it can not.

Just For The Fun

As a writer I get invitations to all sorts of conferences in the mail all the time. I'm sure any of you that write do as well. Sometimes I even get invited to speak at them which is a lot more fun. It's always at least a little thrilling to actually feel like you're a part of the show rather than just a spectator. It's a little nerve-wracking too though. Having always had a healthy dose of stage frieght I sometimes get tense for days before actually heading out to whatever conference, or appearance is schuduled. That saps a lot of the 'fun' out of going to the events. There are times I even find myself becoming more reclusive (I say 'more' because what writer isn't reclusive to some degree? It just gets brought out more by being thrust into the public). I think it's from a tendance to not say 'no' to a lot of these events. I've learned to say 'no' a lot more often now, and don't feel the pressure as much as I did the first few years. I found out after all that all those speeches, and signings, and such really didn't do that much for my 'career' anyway, so why do them until I drop? Selecting just a handful to do each year makes much more sense, because then I can concentrate on just doing them for the fun, and experience rather than for any misconstrued exposure... and I don't have to take so much antacid.

Planning A Trip Fails Me

There's a writer/blogger conference I'd love to go to in Las Vegas this month, but I'm just not sure I'm up to it. It's going to be in one of the cities, Las Vegas, that I've always wanted to go to, but I don't know if I want to go there for a conference. I want to go there to have fun, and see all the wild sights, and 'sin' the town is so well-known for. I'm really better when other people plan my trips anyway. It really should be so easy with the way things are on the computer now, but planning and getting everything in order isn't my style. When with the click of a button you can get Las Vegas hotel reservations
it really should be a snap. I use the computer for everything under the sun from buying furniture and clothes as well as DVD's and music, to banking, and money shifting (not to be confused with money laundering, lol) but for some reason planning a trip fails me. Good thing my hubby's good at that.

Down To The Business Of Living

With the new regulations on mortgage loans a lot of people are finding it more difficult to get loans now. I guess that's a good thing really. A friend of mine and her husband recently lost their home (after a two year court battle) that they'd had for over twelve years. The original mortgage wasn't the culprit, it was a re-fi they did about five years ago that did them in. Too bad in a lot of ways. They'd had dreams of turning their huge old Victorian styled home into a Bed & Breakfast. It takes a lot of money to do that, though, and the loan they got when they refinanced didn't even begin to cover it. So maybe it's for the best, sad to say. I did try and warn them when they were going to sign off on the loan that it was a dangerous piece of paper, and that with their history they'd never be able to keep up the escalating payments. People never listen. It seems their dreams are at least a little more down to earth now. They've managed to pick up a small eight acre lot (for us out here, that's small), and have laid a cement pad and are having a nice, normal sized modular home brought in. It's used, but in really good shape, and they can get down to the business of just living in their home rather than trying to find a way to get rich quick off of it.

What Takes Writing's Place?

Watching my shows this week makes me wonder what is going to happen with the new WGA strike. Lots of the popular shows are going to get hit. Probably not so much with their current running shows as they're probably taped already, but next season which should already be in the works. I guess we'll get another long hit of more reality, and talk shows popping up to take the place of good writing. The last time there was a writer's strike, that's what happened. That's when reality shows hit the scene, and ever since Hollywood writers have cried about how those shows take away their jobs since writing staff isn't necessary with them... well, sink or swim. It's a double-edged sword because I know writers, especially in the television and movie world should get paid more, and DEFINATELY deserve more respect than they get. In that realm they are treated like dirt by and large, and directors, and even actors are the gods that make the industry. If it weren't for the writers where would most of those directors, and all of those actors be anyway? Still... going off and pouting in a corner, as in striking, only seems to make the writer's perdicament worse. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I have a bad feeling that I know what the end result will be... more reality. I can remember when television meant an escape from reality, and entering a world of fantasy, not seeing how truly sucky everyone's life is, just like your own.

Other Kinds Of Stupidity

I was just reading about Hallie Berry and the 'comment' she made on the Tonight show and how she felt she needed to apologize for the comment that a distorted photo of herself made her look like 'her Jewish cousin'. Come on people, are we really all that thin skinned? She wasn't being mean, or deragatory. In fact the comment came from when she showed the pictures to some young women who worked for her that were JEWISH. I really think that the aura of political correctness, and jumping on anyone who says something conceived as racist is way out of hand. Several months ago I made a short film on the evils of racism and in it I said racism was the darkest of evils. Someone attacked me saying that using the word 'darkest' implied a racial slur against blacks.... what? Um, I don't think so. Come on people. Use some sense when dealing with such things. REAL racism needs to be dealt with. Going overboard, on the other hand is a different kind of stupidity, and really needs to be igorned. Sorry.

Anger Management

There's an article on how to complain without 'venting' on Yahoo. Mostly it has to do with dealing with problems that arise during travel, but when you think about it, it's probably a good idea to consider how you complain about anything in life. Most of it really is just frustrated venting that gets you nowhere. Well it may help you feel better a little, but it doesn't solve anything, and usually makes the person you are gripping at just dig in harder and ignore the real problem. Getting a hold of your own frustrations and pushing aside anger to look at the simple ingredients of the problem so you can lay them out in an un-emotional manner is the best way to sort through difficulties without it turning into a blow out, but how often does that happen? It's natural for our anger to be present over something we feel is done to us. It's difficult to push it aside. It was a really good article though and something I'm going to try to deal with in my own times when I need to handle a problem with someone else, and not just traveling.

Big Loser

Well, did any of you guys happen to watch last Tuesday's episode of Biggest Loser? I love that show but what was going on there last week really toasted my buns (how's that for talk from a dieter? LOL). I can't believe it. First the show's creators restructered the entire way the show was conducted so I felt kind of lost, and a little angry because it's hard to root for your favorite team when the teams are all split up and re-grouped. Then the real bombshell came. Two members of the former blue team conspired to pull a stunt to get rid of someone else. Suddenly it was a typical 'reality show' instead of the everyone being there for the main purpose of losing weight. In fact, in order to pull of their little game, they had to do the exact opposite! Two of the blue team members GAINED weight ON PURPOSE. One of them, a whopping SEVENTEEN pounds! Apparently they did it by drinking mass amounts of water and holding it right before the weigh in (man, 17 pounds of water, that's over two GALLONS!). It was so wrong though. Lots of others, including two of the trainers were massively pissed off about the whole thing when it came to light, and I don't blame them, what I DO blame them, and the show for is not considering that against the rules in the spirit of the idea behind the show---LOSING weight. If Biggest Loser comes back on next season, I sure hope they have taken such tactics into consideration and made rules to avoid them. To me, that should be grounds for expulsion from the game!

Back To My Roots

While I've always had an active imagination, and wrote little stories in my childhood days they were usually centered around famous characters that attracted me---yeah, fan fiction. Years ago, and I do mean years ago when I first got 'hooked up' on line I started writing fan fiction on various sites. Some geared toward certain celebrities, some toward certain popular shows, etc... it was fun, it was exciting, and the feedback was... well, ego boosting. Those of us who write know what a lonely business it can be at times. We also know how discouraging it can be without knowing your words have any effect at all on others. Huddled away in our 'bat caves' to write for hours and wonder if anyone else on earth will feel it the way we do. Oh sure, we try critique groups, but that's a different type of animals entirely. After years of doing fan fic, I finally branched out on my own and wrote my own original fiction based on my own characters and had some levels of success... but it gets daunting at times. You can find yourself loosing faith. Finding that faith again is vital to picking up the 'pen' again, but where do you find it when it's flown away?

Go back to your roots... at least that's what I did. I feel the juices flowing again and it's a great feeling.

It's The Little Things

Being a romantic at heart I love buying frilly little gifts for the entire bridal party when I go to weddings. So often the rest of the party get totally ignored on that day, while of course it should be the bride's day, still, the rest of the group put a lot of work into that day too. It doesn't have to be a big thing. Just something to say they are appreciated, and noticed. I forget myself about the men in the party though. I never really thought about groomsmen gift. If I remember correctly I didn't at my own wedding either, and I'm pretty sure my hubby-to-be at the time didn't either. He's not really like that. It's not that he's not thoughtful, he is, he just doesn't think in terms of little things like that. I kind of feel guilty that I didn't either now.

Changing Seasons

Today is beautiful outside. After a day of thunderstorms on Thursday, then a cold front the storm blew in on a dreary cold Friday, having the sun out and the breeze warm today makes it feel like it might very well be the last day of fall. Not too uncommon here to have October be the end of the decent weather. It makes me feel like taking a tablecloth out and spreading it on the ground to have a picnic to celebrate this end of the season. Pretty soon it will be holiday lights, festive feasts, and most of all bitter cold. Ah, the warm days of summer are gone too soon once more. This drastic change of weather we've had in recent years kind of leaves a gloomy feeling because the leaves haven't even started to change yet. We don't seem to get the beauty of fall anymore. Just summer, then right into winter.

Look At How You Feel

Back on my jewelry kick for a moment--I've found that I really like wearing jewelry of all kinds much more now that I'm losing weight. Funny, but dressing up, wearing jewelry, wearing make-up kind of goes by the wayside a lot of times when we start to feel less attractive, even subconsiously. Once you start to feel good about yourself again, a lot of things come blazing back into full glory, including wearing nice clothes, and jewelry (and that's not all, but this is a 'g' rated blog). I have even taken, most times anyway, to not wearing sweats and t-shirts to 'work' in my home office anymore. I do slide on that once in a while, I mean what's the fun of working at home if you always have to get dressed up? However, even in sweats and t-shirts, I feel sexier!

Doing What You Love

I just took a little break and went in and turned on the tv to watch for a minute while I had a pear and revived my energy. 'Rock Star' was on. It's one of my favorite movies, but just seeing that little glimpse of it, rather than sitting and watching through the entire thing gave me the rare opprotunity to think about it in a different vein. How often in life do we finally acheive what we think is our 'dream' only to find it's the same old 'stuff' (see I can use nice words). It's just a job. Same politics, same drudgery, just in a shinner package--maybe. I've certainly found that to be true. I've been lucky enough in life to have turned several 'hobbies' into financial ventures (ie: job). In doing so I've found in EVERY case that there's nothing that sucks the fun out of an enjoyable pursuit faster than having to make money at it. They say that it's wonderful to be able to make a living doing what you love to do... that's true to a point--just don't expect to keep on loving it.

TV for Real Life

I bet you didn't realize how much you can learn from television that you can apply to your real life. I'm not even talking about reality shows here. I mean sitcoms, dramas and all that. For instance, a few weeks ago on the series 'Shark' I learned that you can sometimes pay for plastic surgery with sex instead of money. I mean all us poor girls who'd like a little nip and tuck, but don't have the cash--no problem? The sleezy doctor's will probably hit on us seeing our desperate need for their work, and do it gratefully in exchange for a little bump and grind retaliation... of course, the drawback here is you may end up dead. Dang, I knew there had to be a catch.

Getting The Big Bang

I started out watching the premiere of 'Big Bang Theory' a few weeks ago but then let it go. It was kind of 'haha' funny, but not really what I thought it would be. I really liked the idea of Johnny Galecki, David from the Rosanne show, in a new character. It's kind of funny because his character on Big Bang isn't much different from his old character on the Rosanne show. It really didn't quite make the cut though because although seeing a bunch of 'egg-heads' in difficult circumstances is funny, and even heartwarming in a 'I'm glad they have the same problems' sort of way, and even worse, that's all it was. However, I was drawn back in last night when Lauri Metcalf, Jacki (the sister) from Rosanne, made a guest appearance... now there was the old chemistry. See I loved Rosanne. That was a great show. Those two characters being on Big Bang really brought back a chemistry even though the Laurie character, playing the mom of Physicist 'Sheldon' wasn't the same as her Jackie character. I really enjoyed that episode. I think I'll give Big Bang another shot. It could actually amount to something after all.

The Thrill of Not Knowing

Sometimes I wonder if I have covered all my bases in investments. I'm usually a pretty 'safe' investor. I tend to take only those things that require small investments in money, and are secure so I am not likely to lose the principle. It could happen, but it's not likely. However those investments don't pay off really big either. The more you have, the more you get, and it can get rather large over time, but it's not like a huge windfall at every turn. Real estate, and real estate franchise can really put a fire under investment returns. I've learned a lot about real estate investments and have come close to jumping in at several points. Some days I think I just need to grab my nose and jump in the water, or I'll never get wet. I'll never feel like I know enough, or feel secure enough, but then again, there's a certain level of thrill in the not knowing.

No News Isn't Good News

With all of the talk about celebrity rehab and its effectiveness, or lack thereof, it's really putting a shadow on a very important industry. Drug treatment centers are vital in the work they do to help those who earnestly want help from their addictions. The trouble with celebrities in rehab is that they really don't want 'help', they want some magic cure that will enable them to go on with their destructive lifestyle while not suffering the consequences of the drugs and alcohol abuse. Maybe in some warped sort of 'perfect' world that would be possile, but in reality, if you want a cure, you have to be willing to accept the treatment, and do the work to get through the rehab. For those that really DO want to clean up their lives, rehab is the best possible way to do it. Most of the time there is no way to do it alone, and friends and family can only help so much. The professionals that work at the treatment centers have not only valuable school knowledge, but often times life knowledge of what it takes to get rid of the dependancy on alcohol or drugs. Sadly, the focus now is on the celebrity rehab failures rather than on how wonderful and helpful those places really are. The focus needs to shift. Unfortunately good news is usually not 'newsworthy'.

Baby On Board

Way back when my kids were babies I did everything with them in baby slings. I loved them things. Then when my grandkids came alone, I reaquiainted myself with the wonderful strapped cocoons that allowed for freedom of movement while keeping the baby close to your heart. You can do anything when them things, even jogging, which I did often after the birth of my first child, and not so much after the birth of my second. Okay, well I'm back to jogging, and grandchild number 4 is on the way, and well, I'm digging out my old baby sling in preparation.

Going For The Gold

I am looking for a new watch. If you're gonna get a new watch why not go for the gold? I think getting a Cartier watch makes more sense than spending a couple of dollars at a discount store. I mean, sure you save money, but it won't last as long--been there, I know--and it won't give you nearly as much pride. I mean this is something you wear on your wrist in a prominent viewing spot, it should be something beautiful as well as functional. Cartier watches are elegant, and sophisticated. A watch to be proud to wear. I really love the silver/black/gold one they have. I adore those combinations of colors.

Why Did I Get Married?

Whoo Hoo, I can't WAIT to see Tyler Perry's new movie 'Why Did I Get Married?' First of all, Janet Jackson is one of the leading cast members and I really like her in movies, secondly I like Tyler Perry's work, at least his sitcome 'House of Payne'. I haven't seen his movies before, but I've seen clips and they look hilarious. One of the lines in the previews of the new movie has a husband and wife in the car and she tells him to 'go to hell' and he says 'already there'. I know, not really all that original, but totally hilarious. Another part I saw in a clip the other day when there was a special on with Tyler and the cast from the movie had the 'men' in the ensamble cast together talking about marriage and cheating and the 20% rule, it went like this: The one guys says, in any marriage a woman can only give you 80% of what you need, no matter who they are, so along comes 20% and you go for it, and you end up trading 80% and only getting 20% in return.

Okay, that was very paraphrased, I don't remember the exact words, but that's close enough for the point. It's so true. Guys cheat thinking they are going to get so much better but usually when a guy cheats its an impulse thing, someone who gives them the illusion of a little excitement, or beauty they are lacking, but they fail to realize that new woman isn't anywhere near the personality of the one they are leaving because they haven't gotten to know her, just her 'ass'ets. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the movie. I'm going to be on the look out for a couple of his earlier movies too, especially Media's Family Reunion that I saw clips of on the special.

Fall is a Bust

I'm so lovin the Biggest Loser on Tuesday nights, but honestly as much tv as I'm watching lately with all the new fall shows, that's the only one I'm really feeling. Oh on Monday's my usual standby's 'Two and a Half Men', and 'Rules of Engagement' are still funny, but even they have lost a little bit of the spark they had last year. Maybe it's because there's only so many things you can say in that 'environment'. It's just a little predictable. For the new shows I'm watching myself this fall, the Bionic Woman, and Cane, I'm just less than totally impressed. Bionic Woman really isn't hitting the right spots at all, and Cane, while I want to like it, seems a little lackluster for all it's backstabbing, that's all it is. The characters themselves just don't 'feel' like well-rounded real people. Except for the father of the family, him I really like, and he's very well played. The rest are just evil little self-centered ego-spuds.

I've Been Tagged!

I recently had an engraved dog tag made with the inscription 'Winning the race, one step at a time', on it, along with my name, and a victory symbol. I got this great necklace and dog tags from Quicktrophy.com and they were fantastic to work with!

Ordering online was quick and simple. There were all kinds of colors to choose from, I picked gold (the color of victory!) and then you simply type in your inscription on the lines provided, and off you go. They let me know when the order was going to be created, when they were shipping it, everything!

The inscription I picked has a personal meaning for me. Some of you know I'm on a weight-loss journey, and this inscription helps to remind me that dieting may be a race, a race for health, but it's not a sprint... it is a long-distance journey that you can only accomplish by taking it one step at a time, and enjoying the process! I love my new tag, and wear it proudly as inspiration along the way. Thanks Quick Trophy!

Childhood Version Of Cool

I need a new bathroom sink. First because the one we have is so dated. The cabinet is very '70's'. And second because it's so big. It takes up the entire wall of one side of the room making the entire room look much smaller than it really is, AND, I want to replace our standard tub with a jacuzzi type tub. So I need more space on that side of the room. I've been looking at bathroom sinks all over on-line and have found some really amazing choices. The problem is I tend to go for that really big cabinet style, therefore defeating my purpose. What I should really get is a pedestal style. That would give me plenty of room. I don't really use the cabinet much. Both top drawers in our existing cabinet are full of my 'junk' makeup, and the bottom is sort of a catch-all. I could really do without it with no problem. I think it's because when I was growing up we always had a pedestal style sink and I thought cabinet sinks were 'cool' (of course I did, it was back in the 70's!). Somehow it's hard to shake your childhood version of 'cool' even if the need for it is long gone.

Replace Cavemen with...

I have a full line up of shows now that I'm watching, either because of my own interest (Biggest Loser) or hubby's (every CSI on the planet) I do like all the shows, even the ones I wouldn't necessarily watch on my own, and I have to admit that I've even learned to really love a few of them (Shark on Sunday's) thanks to hubby's persisitance. Still, sometimes I wish we had two satalitte boxes. His Wednesday night shows pre-empt my chosen desires (although I did demand Tuesday's BL that pre-empts two of his). I also watched the new premiere of 'Caveman' last Tuesday. Funny, and if you replace the 'cavemen' with 'blackmen' you'd get the whole gist of the show... prejudice is ignorance. A good message no matter who is delivering it.

Feeling The Burn---Feelin' Great!

Whew, I rode my exercise bike for 45 minutes this morning! I like that better than all the walking I've been doing, although I'm not going to stop that, but on the stationary bike I get to watch tv while I do it! Hey, killing two birds with one stone, and it beats just watching tv and turning to jello. I got an eliptical machine too and that's great, but it beats me up in just a few minutes. So I am incorporating it into my free-weight, and swiss ball routine, so after I rode the bike I did all that stuff with the eliptical in the cycle as well. I am worked-out but good today. Feels great!

Fun Shopping

I love wearing jewelry and adore costume jewelry because I can't afford the big expensive 'bling' that others might have, and yet the costume jewelry of today is often so realistic that it easily passes for the 'real thing'. I have rings that you'd swear were real diamonds, earings and necklaces that look like the gems they were created to mimic, and even pins and fancy belts that give each outfit that special touch without costing a fortune. Finding cool jewelry is easy online and I don't even have to go searching for it in my car anymore. That makes shopping for it so much more fun.

Relationship That Barely Existed

Speaking of moving on, a long time ago, about 12 years to be more exact, I had my realtor license. I briefly dabbled in real estate, mostly to sell the property we'd owned back then and buy the one we're at now. I don't remember too much about real estate except that it was a long course and a complicated state regulated test. One thing I do remember is that they said once you had your real estate license you would forever have to disclose that fact on any sale of any personal property for as long as you lived. Well, I think that's kind of silly and it kind of puts me in a quandry now as I consider selling the property we're at. Do I really have to state that? I haven't had my license in 12 years. I don't remember diddly about real estate law or procedure... well, okay, diddly, but not much more than that. Things have changed drastically and I'm not up-to-date on any of it, so do I still really have to say that I once, years and years ago, had a real estate license? The reason it seems important to me is that it would seem to put buyers on some kind of alert. Now that is reasonable if the person really IS involved in real estate sales, but if they haven't been for years, and even when they were it was for a very short time, and a very specific situation then it seems like putting caution where none is warranted. I'll have to check that out. I've moved on, no reason to keep beating up an old relationship that barely existed to begin with.

Can't Let Go

Have you ever had a relationship, whether it's a love relationship, or a friendship, that when it was over you just can't seem to let it go even though you know you have to? I kind of have that going on now. It's been a long-term relationship that is over, but it won't leave my mind. Maybe it's because I'm so used to it. Maybe it's because I care deeply about the person involved. Maybe it's all of that, but there's no use hanging on to it. It doesn't help much that they're doing the same thing. We've both moved on, but can't quite finish the on part. Lingering feelings and desires keep popping up even though the actual relationship is over. I don't really know what to do about it. I don't know how to conquer it, but I felt like talking about it. Maybe talking about it will help to make that final move. Maybe for both of us.

Article Writing, And Freelancing

The world of freelancing both in SEO writing, and article writing is such an up and down game. Some really good places to generate income from writing articles stay a viable source, and others change their methods to make them less attractive--to the writers anyway, I'm sure the changes are in the site's best interest. Take Associated Content for instance. It started out as a really decent paying opprotunity to place well-written articles. Then Helium came along with a different format that practically paid nothing, and Associated Content seemed to take a page from them. While they didn't drop all the real payment incentives, they lowered them drastically. You really have to roll with the punches when you freelance, and learn never to put all of your eggs in one basket, because sometimes the baskets break. I surely haven't in the several years I've been freelancing. As a rule anyway. I did, however, earlier this year when a very, VERY profitable freelance opprotunity raised its head. I was doing so well I let a lot of my other projects slide only to have the really great op fall apart after a few months. It was a great few months while it lasted but the demise of that company sure taught me a lesson. When you write for a living, it's not a good thing to spread yourself too thin, but it's even worse to not spread yourself at all. I recovered from the lost potential income, but it took a few weeks to get the other things rolling again to replace it. Life as a writer, when you're not Stephen King, J. K. Rowlings, or on that level, can be very stressful, learn to cut the stress to a manageable level though, and you can survive.

Reality TV

'Biggest Loser' is on again tonight. I don't know what's wrong with me, I never used to like reality shows. I still don't all that much, but some of them like Biggest Loser have a lot to do with what I'm doing in my own life, so that's interesting, and others like 'Rock of Love' are just sort of inline with other long-time interests I've always had. I still don't care for reality shows that have nothing to do with 'normal' life, or 'extraodinary life situations' like rock star dating, I mean that reality show 'I Love New York' what do I care what bunch of guys will do to date a nobody? Same thing with shows like Survivor, not like that kind of thing will every happen to ordinary people, and they themselves are nobody extraordinary, so who cares? That's just my take, and I know it's not the popular one. I am finding myself drawn to the couple reality shows that I have watched though and I still wonder what someone slipped in my Ovaltine lately.

Music For Company

I really love my new walkman. It's the 'old-fashioned' CD player that seem almost obsolete now with MP3 players being all the rage, but it does the job. I would like an MP3 player though because I'd like to make the transition from walking to jogging pretty soon here. Even thinking about joining a running club--they have walking events too. The MP3 player won't skip (I don't think) during jogging. The walkman definately will even though it's an 'anti-skip' one. It clearly states that the anti-skip helps during swaying like walking, but won't during running, or jogging. Plus you can put a lot more songs---A LOT, on an MP3 player. The most I can seem to manage to put on a single CD is about 14, a MP3 can usually hold upwards of 200. Big difference. I'll have to settle for the walkman for a little while though. Maybe I can get an MP3 player for Christmas--for now, the walkman does the job of keeping me company on my walks really nicely.

Rock Of Love

You're never going to believe what I got into watching yesterday. I was tired and bored and there was nothing on TV so I turned on a reality show (yes, really) on VH1--the Rock Of Love--Bret Michaels. I like Bret, I always liked Poison, it's kind of amazing the shape he's kept himself in in spite of having diabetes and such. Anyway, I watched an entire season's reruns yesterday except for the final episode which was on in the evening. I had to tune in to see who he finally picked. Now the entire time watching the series reruns I was sitting there joking back and forth about the goings on, one thing that REALLY made me laugh is one of the girl's parents (it was a segment where all the parents of the various girls left were there) anyway, this one father was all self-important at a private dinner meeting with Bret and his daughter, going on about how he was a self-made man and since he had a nice house and clothes and such, if Bret married his daughter there would be a pre-nup involved... oh my God I laughed so hard, like this little piss-on nobody had to worry about HIS money from a man whose made millions, has a mansion, etc... yeah, I was like, there will be a pre-nup alright, Bret's! Goodness gracious what a joke that was. I do think he picked the right girl at the end. Although I kind of liked the one named Heather, there was just a bit of coniving in there with that one. Jess, the one he picked was a real sweetheart. Hope she can deal with that world.

Getting Less Forgiving

Well, I watched the season premiere of CSI last night. Why is it that the shows lately with the most hype, or promise after a cliff-hanger ending last season are the ones that seem to be such a let down. I don't remember it being like that a few years ago. The only show that didn't disapoint at all from beginning to season finale this year was 'Burn Notice'. I can't wait for that one to come back, and sure hope they don't mess it up next season. The CSI cliffhanger with the one unit member trapped somewhere in the desert under a car was, at first, confusing they way they kept flashing back and forth, and then, well just boring really. I'd say that I'm through with that show except for the fact that I know hubby will still want to watch it. He's a lot more forgiving of disappointing shows. I guess I'm getting less so in my old age.

Long Time To Wait Under A Car

It's been months since the season finale of CSI where the investigator was pinned under a car in some wooded unkown location--tonight we find out what happened to her. It was raining too, what a bitch that is, pinned under a car and it's raining. I can't wait to find out what happens, and if they FINALLY catch the miniature killer, that guy (gal, whatever) was running loose all through last season. Everytime you think they got him, it turned out to be the wrong person, obviously. I think it's the chief.

No Loser

On Tuesday night I watched 'Biggest Loser' again, I think my favorite part of the episode was the very end where they showed the old man--Jerry--after he'd been kicked off the show and what accomplishments he made on his own. What an inspiration! He looked fantastic, and he did it at home, and at an age when most people would have said, the heck with it, I'm old, I don't need to worry about a few extra pounds. In fact, most people give up after 40 thinking they can lose weight, Jerry's visual proof that it indeed is possible, and the great feeling it gives is well worth the struggle. Way to go Jerry. I hated to see you leave the show, but I'm sure inspired by your story.

Insurance Woes

My sister-in-law has diabetes and a million complications on account of it and has an impossible time finding high risk life insurance. It’s so important too because when people like her have issues like that the medical bills are staggering. Not they ‘can be’, they ARE. People who can’t get, or can’t afford insurance when they have such serious pre-existing conditions are forced onto medicaid, and less than idyllic care. There are great companies that offer really good insurance for people who have conditions that other ‘normal’ insurance companies won’t touch and it’s vital that they find them.

Career or Temp?

On the same note, I just came across an ad for another job I've done before, and liked--working in the personnel department. I like helping people coming in for jobs, and helping those already working in a company with their affairs. It can be a little dicey at times when there are problems between one employee and another, or an employee and the company, but for the most part it's pretty smooth. Most companies have that makes keeping track of the people, the payroll (which I really love doing) and things easy and simple. I'm good at picking up new software too and most of them run along the same veins so it's easy enough to learn a specific one. That's more of a 'career' than just a temp job though so I think I'll pass.

Something To Think About

I was thinking for the past few days of getting an outside job again. At least for a little while. Working at home is really nice but the money is so up and down, and I'd really like a reliable check for a few months. It's always nice to have that right before Christmas. Man can you believe Christmas is right around the corner again? This year just zoomed on by. One of the jobs I'd thought about was an ad for a receptionist. I kind of like sitting at reception desks and doing that. You meet so many cool people all day, and the job is never really boring. At least not if the business is active. Not sure if I'll actually go out and get a job. There are so many things about working from home that I like, obviously. It is something to think about though.

Vacation, or way of life?

A good friend of mine has what seems like the perfect situation. She and her husband are retired and they have a BEAUTIFUL home in the Chicago suburbs right off of a forest preserve. It's amazing. They also have a really nice condo in Florida right off the beach. I've never been there but I've seen the pictures. In the summer they stay in Chicago, in the winter they move everything down to Florida. That just seems so perfect, but at the same time, I've thought about doing something like that, and when I think hard about it I wonder if that wouldn't get boring after a while. It's still the same old places every year. The only benefit is that in the winter you're not living in an icebox. Taking vacations and renting an Orlando vacation home rental seems like a better option to me, although it's true that I can't afford to do it ALL winter, so I do still have to come back and live in an icebox.

Real Loser

Anybody here been watching the 'Biggest Loser' show on NBC on Tuesdays? This is my first season watching the show. I don't usually get into reality shows at all, but when they are centered around something I'm doing too I tend to get excited about it. The only thing with the show is, although I work out everyday using varied types of exercises, watching that show makes me feel like I'm not doing a danged thing! The thing is, just going by the woman's losses because the men are loosing way more each week, but that's typical of the male/female difference in regards to weight loss, just going by the women, they aren't loosing any faster than I am in spite of being immersed in the program 24/7 and working out like maniacs. Some people I've talked to knock the show because it's not 'realistic' for just everyday people to go through that type of routine--true, but, probably not necessary either. Eat well, eat right, exercise, and it is possible to get the same results.

Drink UP

You know, speaking of water and things I've learned. Okay, we've all heard that drink 8 glasses of water a day thing, especially for diets, and Bob and I were talking the other day about that and why that should be so unusual, and why that's such an important thing for people to take to heart---but think about it, on the average, unless someone is consciously dieting, or very health concious, how often do they drink water? I know for my own experience, I rarely drank water. Okay, a sip here and there to take an aspirin, or vitamin, etc... but actually drink water instead of coffee, pop, tea, whatever.... nope. I just think that's pretty much the common thing too. It's so not a good thing. Water is so vital to our make up and can make such a drastic difference in how we feel, look, and even our general health.

So drink up... water's free too. :)

Finale Week

This kind of sucks, I thought when the US Open was over that Burn Notice was coming back for antoher 'season'. That's how they made it sound before they took the 'break'. But it was Thursday's episode, and then next week is the season finale. It looks like a real great finale, and it's a two-hour one, so that's really cool. I really look forward to watching that on Thursdays. I'm going to miss it. Painkiller Jane's finale is next week on Friday too and I'll miss that show, but not as much as Burn Notice. There's just something about the way it can keep you in suspense and make you laugh all at the same time. My kind of show.

New Seasons, New Shows

The new fall lineup is going to be starting soon. Most of it seems to begin the week of the 21st. A few things have already started up, like 'The Biggest Loser' which I'm watching for the first season since I'm on a diet too. Fun new shows that I'm looking forward to are 'Cain' which looks like the Sopranos in the nightclub business, and some body cop show that I suddenly can't remember the name of.It kind of looks like a 'Lethal Weapon' type of thing. It will be good to have some regular shows to watch again, and Burn Notice will be starting back up in a week after the US Open winds up. That's really cool. I can't remember any show having a 'no-break' first season then second right in a row. But they say it's really popular. I can see why. I really love it.

The Good Earth

I have always had an intense interest in Earth science. It was my absolute favorite course in high school, although I loved most of the science courses. One of my Earth Science teachers was a serious 'spelunker' and had a rock obsession. He had all the tools too! It was amazing what he would find just locally not to mention the things he would bring back from expiditions. The things he did with those bare rocks with the rock tumblers
and polishers he had was nothing short of miraculous either. I always wondered where he got the equipment he had and I just found a great source today! I think I'm feeling a re-kindling of my love for rocks building up inside. I know I've found some really interesting pieces just on my own property--now I'm beginning to wonder what they'd look like if they were properly prepared.

Country Property

You'd think that living out in the country I wouldn't have to worry about vandals, and property destruction... well at least I thought so. Basically I don't really have a problem with vandals, but property destruction is another story all together. Just in regards to mail boxes and having them torn out of the ground, or broken in two by speeding motorists, or local kids playing Halloween pranks, or just being a pain, I must have invested a year's salary over the course of time in replacements. I like nice mailboxes. They add so much to the curb appeal of your property. I've taken to just putting in a plain pole and box though. It just doesn't make sense to spend a lot of money just to have it plowed over.

My New Blinds

I am so excited! I got my Blinds from Blinds Chalet (http://www.blindschalet.com) on Thursday and my son came over yesterday to help my husband install them. They were SO easy to install. They didn't come with any directions, although there are complete instructions online on the Blinds Chalet site, however I didn't have access to my computer yesterday, (server down--figures huh?) so I couldn't get online to see them, but even without instructions they were a breeze to install. For mine it did take two people only because they were quite large. I ordered them to fit my main window in the living room where I've always wanted a pair of blinds but could never find the style that really pleased me for such a focal point window. Well, I found them. I am SO very pleased with the way these blinds look. Not only that but the Blinds Chalet blinds come with a molding that covers the top 'mechanism' hanger that you normally always see on mounted blinds. It adds such an elegant, and beautiful finishing touch to the blinds.

Here's a picture of the blinds open, it was kind of difficult in the lighting with the sun coming in.

And then here's a picture of them closed:

Here's a close-up of the molding:

And the pictures really don't do them justice at all. I couldn't take my eyes off of them all day yesterday! They add such a pleasant touch. Ordering the blinds was quick and easy with the detailed online order form at Blinds Chalet. They had so many styles to choose from that I had difficulty at first deciding, but went with the faux wood style. My picture window is so large (72") that I felt the small slats on standard aluminum or pvc type blinds would look out of place. The faux wood blinds have a thicker slat that has a lot of substance, and that is 2" wide.

I already have blinds in all of my other windows, but they are just the standard aluminum and I am so hooked on the molding aspect of these blinds that I'm planning on replacing many of the existing blinds in other rooms, especially the family room, and kitchen.

I was worried about the living room blinds but I couldn't be more pleased if I were twins. They are fantastic, and the Blinds Chalet folks were fabulous to work with. Check them out if you are considering blinds of any style for your home. You'll be amazed at the many varieties of blinds and window coverings available.

Alternative Exercise

Did you know that bar stools make great exercise equipment? Yeah, they do. I have been using one in my normal daily routine both as a balancing aide, as a 'bar' to hold onto during complicated yoga moves, and as an aide in stretching. I've also used a kitchen chair. I won't deny I've spent 'a few' dollars on exercise equipment over the past couple months, but by and large I've saved some money too, by figuring out what alternatives could work in the place of more costly equipment.

Live With It

I watched 'the Biggest Loser' last Tuesday. It was very inspirational. I never watched it before, but now that I'm seriously working on my diet and health, I figured it might be something to get into, and it really as. Although this first episode of the season wasn't really 'the show' but rather a reunion of past 'losers' in a way that was even more inspirational. Having lost the weight, and then KEPT it off, because as we all know, that's REALLY the hard part. If I'd kept all the weight off that I've lost in my lifetime of dieting, I'd have disappeared long ago. Keeping it off is what counts, and like someone said today on a commentary, what that's all about it DIETS... diets don't work, because at some point you stop dieting, and it all comes back. It's about lifestyles, and changine how you do things in a healthy way that you can live with forever.

Long Time

Wow, has it really been so long? Sometimes it seems like there's not enough hours in the day to get everything done. I've been a little under the weather too. There's not much going on writing wise, and I haven't even been watching much TV, which is okay because Big Love is over now for the season, and Burn Notice is on a short hiatus with the Tennis US Open in it's spot for a couple weeks. The only thing I watched last week was Painkiller Jane. There is a reality show coming up on Tuesday that I want to watch. I didn't see it last year, but since I'm dieting now, I want to see it. It's called 'The Biggest Loser'. (Who would have thought I'd ever want to be called that. LOL)

You Never Know What You'll End Up Needing

Have you ever opened up drawers in your bathroom and suddenly realized you have so much 'stuff' you never use and it's just accumulating there way past it's expiration date? I have a 'make up' drawer in my sink vanity drawer that is loaded with stuff I rarely ever use. In fact I think it's been years since I used it. Besides not being good for your skin after it's that old, most of it isn't even usable, but it's still in there... in fact, this morning when I looked in the drawer, I was looking for a nail clipper and just happened to look in there hoping that's where it had ended up when someone else used it last--I closed the drawer and didn't even take the handfulls of containers out and throw them away. Why? I'm not going to use them.

Still there are things that I'm happy I didn't throw out. Last night I was looking for some good moisturizers and skin care products like that and realized I had a full bottle of a really good moisturizer on the back of the top shelf of my towel cabinet. It was still good, and I'm sure glad I didn't throw that away. Maybe I'll find a use for the old cosmetics someday too. Not sure what, but I'm not throwing it out just yet. You never know.

What Do I Want To Do When I Grow Up?

Kind of a funny question to ask at 45 isn't it? It's something that comes up regularly in conversations between my husband and I. What do we do when we 'grow up'? (Retire actually) Do we want to keep the farm? Do we want to have a little house somewhere and travel a lot--that's my vote. Really. I have been a lot of places and still not been anywhere. Everywhere we go, mostly, is to show animals. So we travel a lot, to a lot of states, but I never really see them except from motel rooms, or highways. I want to really see the places I go to. There are a lot of places I've never been to at all. For instance, I HAVE been to California, but I've never been to Las Vegas... yes I want to go. I'm not a big gambler, but once I'd like to have some fun and try it. It doesn't even have to be with a lot of money. I'd like to stay in a big fancy hotel like the Paris Las Vegas hotel, and live like a 'queen' for a weekend. I'd like to see the shows.

I've never been to Hawaii either. Sure would like to see it. That and Jamaica, although both of those are definately not driving trips so they may not ever happen. lol. Montana, I don't want to live there--burrr chill--but I'd love to see it in real life, not just in the movies. Washington, that would be very exciting... or even the REAL Paris. (Again, not a driving trip so unlikely.)

Still... yes, I think when I 'grow up' I want to have a nice little place to come home to, but spend a large chunk of time traveling.

Getting That Holiday Spirit

It's not too early to talk about Christmas gift ideas is it? Christmas isn't too far away. It seems like it is just around the corner. This year flew by so fast. Doesn't it seem like the older you get the faster the years go? You get more people to buy for too the older you get. First it was a husband and his family, then it was our own children adding to the list, now their children too. The good thing about it is it is fun to buy gifts for all of them. Seeing their faces when they open their presents. Shopping for Christmas gifts early makes the joy last even longer.

Getting Old...er

I must be getting old. Yesterday a friend of mine who was trying Associated Content for the first time asked me for advice on how to submit her story. She is rather new to computers, in fact, the one she has is the one I traded her for a goat just this spring and it's the first one she's ever had. So she is very unsure about how to do a lot of things. She keeps on appologizing for asking question. I keep telling her I don't mind at all. I don't. But it's kind of annoying when something like yesterday happens--on MY part. When I was younger, and not much younger at that, I could talk someone through anything. It used to amaze new people where I worked (and my bosses too) how when they got in a jam they could call me at home and I could tell them exactly step-by-step how to do very complex things to fix their problems on the computers at work... yesterday I found myself floundering around trying to think about what steps to take to tell my friend long distance, how to do something as simple as post a story at AC. I don't mean the simple cut and paste things, but what are the abstract was entered in, how to use the editor. I had to open the program my self and look at it in order to be able to visualize what had to be done... I used to be able to do that from memory on much, MUCH more complicated systems, and programs than AC's submission forms. Agh, it's heck getting old.

What's In Your House?

When I go to someone's home for the first time I like seeing what they have as it compares to what I do. Not in a snobby sort of way, but actually more in a 'camaraderie' sort of way. For instance many of my friends have poker tables in their basements, dens, or family rooms, I have one in my basement now, it used to be in my family room but that got taken over by weight equipment just recently. Still, we have a finished basement that we use as a den and the table fits in nicely and makes for a more secluded spot to have friendly games of cards. I now have a 'weight room' in my home in what used to be the family room. How many people have a fireplace in their weight rooms? Pretty cool huh? LOL It works for me. So it's cool to see what other people have in their houses for exercise. My best friend has a stationary bike in her bedroom, and my uncle has had a rowing machine that he shoves under his bed for as long as I can remember (for as long as I can remember he never really used it either). My new equipment 'can' be folded and put under a bed, but I know that if I do that it will never get used. It has to be clearly visible and in my mind at all times... so the family room it is.

I Fell For It

When I fall for something stupid, I do it big. I've said time and time again that there are legitimate ways to make money on the Internet, and that even though there are you may have to sludge through a lot of Bull---- to find it. One rule I have always lived by is NEVER pay anyone to find out what they have to offer. If you have to pay for something to find out how it works or what its about, it's pretty likely that THAT is how they have made their money.

Well, I broke my rule.

Now-I'll tell you that within that rule I don't include paying for reasonable postage on things like CD's, or DVD's etc...

That's what this sounded like, so I'm only 'partially' a fool. Still, even a partial fool is still a fool.

The ad said 'Make Money With Google'.

Sounds good so far. Google is a name I would trust--right? Wrong.

The next thing it said is pay just $1.95 for shipping. That is fair--right? Wrong.

Well anyway it is fair but only IF that's the truth. What it is really is pay $1.95 for shipping and then we'll charge you 19.95 when you get the CD (which I didn't I had to call and tell them I never got the stupid thing to even see if I liked it first when the charge came in), they sent me a download of the CD by email, then if you like it they'll graciously charge you 29.95 a month after that if you keep it....

Now, I'll go back a little bit and clarify, when I first signed up they sent me to a website for adsense. I CALLED immediately I don't want that. I know what that is, it's not what is promised in the ad. No, no, they assured, there's more on the CD... okay, so I waited.

Finally with the download there was Adwords included too... yippee... I just found out what ANYONE can find out online to begin with before they pay a cent to 'try' it.

In their email ad, and online ad they don't say ANYTHING about what their easy to make money online program is. There is no mention whatsoever of it been adsense, and adwords. You have to pay to find out it's a CD all about the same freaking things you can find out all about without the CD.

Google made out like a bandit, they got my 1.95, AND 19.95... they won't get a penny more ever again, and I'll be damned if I just up and trust the name Google again.

Now it's okay if you say-well you got what you deserved, you broke your rule... you'd be right. I fell for it.

Second To Last

Sunday night was the second to last episode of Big Love on HBO. They switched the nights from Monday to Sunday, although they still repeated the episode on their old time at 8 on Monday. It was primarily a set up for next week's finale, but the 'main family' Bill and his three wives are definately an open target now for the commune. The end was really shocking. There were rattlesnakes in their bed. Doesn't sound so shocking just to say it, but it was completely unexpected. Just like the gun shot two weeks ago, this just came out of the blue as a way of killing off someone. The big surprise to me is in the previews for the next show it seems the old man Roman (the commune leader who had been shot, and looked for the last two weeks to be next to death) appears to make a miraculous come back. I sure hope so, because of the two (Albie and Roman) Roman was a much more likeable villian.

New Article

I just had my new article published on AC. It was a simple household tip type article, but it was one I was kind of excited about because it worked for me. It is called 'Household cure for Ringworm'... ew, Icky subject I know, and in all my years I'd never had ringworm, but with all the humidity it actually happened earlier this month. After I got over the being upset about it, I did some research and found it is a very common thing and not associated with worms at all, but a fungus due to the heat and humidity. Anyway, doing more research found several home cures and one that was actually doable, and seemed like it would work so I tried it. There is some debate in various online areas on the use of this cure, but I can tell you it works -- at least it did for me.

Toning up and sliming down

I've been on a diet now with a strict exercise program for several weeks and its going great. So far I've been doing it without diet help, but in the past I've used products to help me along such as hydroxycut. It works really well and while it's still necessary to follow a good diet plan and exercise it can make the ordeal of dieting much more pleasant. I'm really serious this time around. I may be middle aged, but I plan on living the second half of my life much slimmer than the first half.

I'm not sure what to think of Helium. It's sort of like Associated Content, but not. The same principle, you write an article--either one you want to write, or one from a list of subjects their 'clients' would be interested in buying, but they don't pay per article like AC does. Instead you get paid only per click. AC also pays per click, but they give you a base pay first which is at least fair. Helium suggests it is possible to get a pretty high payout per article if their 'clients' buy it, but of course there is only a slim hope of that happening. I did one article -- a suggested subject, but I think I'll leave that site go for now as a possible real opprotunity. It's not a scam, but it's just one step up for making promises that are unlikely, rather than stepping up to the plate and at least paying a minimum for each article.

More Than Just A New Computer

This is what I was telling Bob I needed just the other day.


A huge 22" lcd monitor. That way I could multi-task like I always do, but I could have more than one thing showing on the screen at a time, so if I had the word program open, I could have the internet browser open on the other side of the screen for searching information, or if I had paint shop open I could browse the different pictures I wanted to work with on the other side. That's just fantastic. When I get my new computer that's what I want with it!

Time For A New Computer?

I've had my computer now for about 3 years and I'm thinking of getting a new one. In day's gone by I would only purchase Gateway's but this one is a Dell and I really like it. I haven't had any of the issues with it that I used to have with the other one that kept me on the tech phone line all the time at all hours of the day, and getting additional Dell Memory is easy. One of the things I used to say I liked about the other company was that their help line was so good... now I know that it's better to never have to use it, although I hear Dell has a very good help line too. Mine has pretty much been like the Maytag's in their commercials, their repairmen must get really bored if they're all like this.

Oh Painkiller Jane was great last night, and next week's episode looks fantastic too. I'm so glad the season wasn't over like I thought it was.

Well, on the writer's front, I dusted off Hell's Own since I'm no longer with Chippewa and they are experiencing difficulties and missed their deadline to publish it, and resubmitted it to a different company. I don't mind waiting anymore. It was just sitting here anyway, so now it can sit with them, lol. I used to hate the waiting part. I guess you really do develop patience as you get older.

Painkiller Jane is back

Hey I thought Painkiller Jane was over for the season when it didn't show up last Friday night, instead it was replaced by 'Flash Gordon' (it is the sci-fi channel after all), but apparantly it was just a matter of the FG premiere and they needed the extra time slot. That's all I can figure anyway since there was no warning. I'm kind of glad because I wasn't quite ready for the season to be ending just yet. I like the show. I was a harder sell for me than Burn Notice, or Big Love, but it sure beat out John From Cincinnati which sucked. Painkiller Jane is actually really cool. There was only one episode that I thought was a little cheesy. In fact even that one wasn't after the first few minutes but it took awhile to get over the initial 60's sci-fi movie moment. From then on I've liked the show very much, so I'm glad I get to see it again tonight.

Tonight's Burn Notice

I can't wait for tonight's episode of 'Burn Notice' on USA network. Last week Michael finally got his dossier (I think that's how you spell it) that would tell him who issued the Burn Notice on him. The coming previews said this week that he had been labeled high risk, or something like that, so it was about time he started acting like it. It's intriguing how they are going to continue now that Michael knows what the burn notice was and who issued it. That was one of the leading premises of the entire first season so far, his striving to find out. I am hooked on the characters and story lines though. They're amusing while thrilling at the same time. There can't be too many episodes left in the season.... I hate the end of seasons when I really love the shows. Big Love is winding down with only two to go, and Burn Notice will probably follow the same week. :( It's going to be a long time until next season.

The Villians You Love To Hate

In talking some more with a friend of mine about the Big Love show on HBO and the two villians (well there are more than one, but the main ones) and how now that the old villian is in dire straights and may die and his son, the other villian may take over how we both hope that Roman (the old villian) recovers just to put his son in his place----why?

Roman is THE VILLIAN YOU LOVE TO HATE. He's got reason behind his villany. They're the wrong reasons to do something--BUT he BELIEVES in them. It's in his heart that he's doing the right thing. You can understand where this comes from even though you understand it is wrong. It's not based on simple lust, greed, or self gratification which are all of his's sons reasons for doing things. That kind of villian you just hate because he's evil through and through. More often in real life even bad people have their good points, and things that their friends and families love about them. LOL They have some inner believe that justifies what they do.

It's wrong

It may even be evil

BUT THEY BELIEVE in their priciples.

Good villians in any stories we write should have more of a basis to them than just lust, greed, or self gratification. Sure that can all play in, but for a TRULY great villian there has to be some inner sanction for the actions. A belief system.

Take Stalin as a for instance. Pretty evil guy, and did LOTS of bad things.

Hitler too.

Both of those nut cases are real life people, and most would agree villanous. BOTH of them truly believed deep down that they were abiding by a deeper logic, and loftier goals. They believed that what they did was for a higher purpose.

They were wrong, of course, and we know it, but the reason that so many did follow those people is because their beliefs were infectious. They could, under the right circumstance even sound true.

Great villians come from somewhere deep inside a thought that has a broad implication and resonation. Something many people can understand, even if they don't agree with it.

Make your villians great.

Hey! Here it is, I finally got to the page (it has to be my browser issues)-- Designer Dogs is not ranked #1, that's up 5 from yesterday's rankings! That's so cool! Check it out today.

New Work, Old Losses

I wrote an article the other day that got published on Helium.com. It's about Designer Dogs and I'd love to share the link with you. I will if my server quits acting like a dog itself. Actually I'm not sure if it is my server's fault, or if it's the new IE browswer that I was forced to install because the old IE6 kept stalling on me. The new IE7 is a pain in the ...

I also wrote and submitted an article on a home remedy for ringworm this morning on associated content. I'll let you know if and when that gets published, although that should also show up in my sidebar over there.

I began a new job writing for a law firm today too. I'm awaiting news on whether my article makes the grade over there. I'm hoping it does because they have quite a bit of business and it would help a lot since the web content writing business I was employed by closed up shop for a few months after loosing a big customer. That really hurt because I was making about eight hundred dollars a week from them.

Since I was never getting any of my articles sent back, I know it wasn't me that the owner of the ad company said the reason the client left was because of returned articles. There were quite a few writers with the company, and all of us are feeling the shut down pretty strongly.

Oh well... that's life in the Internet working world. Here one minute, gone the next.

(Just a note, I haven't been able to access the article yet but I'm pretty sure it's a browswer issue due to the why's of it not happening that I'm not even clear on enough to attempt to explain. I'll post the link as soon as I can.)

Big Love Bang Up Season Finale Episodes

Wow, this season ender is amazing, and these last episodes are just blowing it all out. If you have been watching it you'll know what I'm talking about in this post... if not, it may give you an idea of how action packed these episodes are. The writer's of Big Love are just leaving out all the stops.

I can't believe how everything is falling apart. Someone's gonna die, and I don't just mean Roman, at least that's what I think. Albie is SUCH an evil mutha. The way he's killing Roman now is just crazy, I wonder somehow if he'll get stopped and Roman will have him put away, but it doesn't look like it, it looked like in the end of the last episode like he was being done in by that cocktail of drugs Albies wife gave him. Who knows though, I thought he was dead from the gun shot in the episode from the week before. Nicole, jeesh, I'd say something's gonna happen to her, but that would kind of kill the series because she's the wife that REALLY causes all the trouble, although just lately Barb has been making waves too. About the only one who still isn't like that is Margene. I don't blame her for the way she acted at all in the last episode. Somehow too, I don't know how but Bill always manages to come out squeeky clean. Like how in the end it worked out with the two wives in front of those 'poker buddies' in the restaurant who probably will buy into the gambling machines now that Bill isn't such a 'holy roller' in their eyes.

I don't know what's gonna happen with Nicole and stealing that money, and Albie knowing about it, or that rat father of Bill's trying to use Albie to get at his sons. Funny about the mother giving him his divorce papers but I don't like her either, coniving witch. Then Nicole with that huge slip of the tongue to Albie about Bill buying into Weaber Gaming (or whatever it's called) or course she didn't know it was something that her father wanted, so she really didn't know, but ouch, that's why I think someone in the family's going to get shot.

Busy Blog

Sometimes when I look at my blogs here I think wow, they're really busy. I don't mean busy as in so many people stopping by, I mean busy as in double sidebars, lots of stuff on the bars. I wonder sometimes if that's not a turn off, and yet, I'm not sure exactly what I'd remove from them if I were to 'redecorate' in here. There is so much information that while not really necessary for me, or someone who cruises through here often, would be what I'd want someone new to know about. Do you think a 'busy' blog is a distraction? Do you think more people would want a less cluttered sidebar? Do you even pay attention to that stuff when you go to a blog?

I'd like to know what you all think. I actually think there has to be a middle ground. I've been to blogs that had virtually nothing in the side bars and the blogs looked fairly bland and uninteresting. Some went to the extreme and didn't even have a personal information area. I like to know a little something about the person who is writing the blog. I definately prefer to be able to find out a first name. If secrecy is such a must, I can live without knowing a last name, or even a location, although where they are can be very relevant in regards to the information in their blogs, but a first name is a good thing. I'd love to know a teeny bit about what that person is about, or what they do. That makes the whole 'blog experience' more relevant.

Anyway, any ideas on what you like in a blog? Let me know.

End of The Seasons

Well, I guess that the week before last was the season finale of Painkiller Jane. They didn't say a word about it being the end but last Friday it wasn't on at all. I hope they don't do that with Burn Notice. I'm so hooked on Burn Notice, but I know the season must be ending soon. I'd hate to just find out because it wasn't on anymore though. I think that's kind of a raw deal. Or maybe it's just because I'm so used to being told how many shows are left when it gets down to the end of the season like with the HBO series. Big Love is winding out now with only 3 more shows for the season, and it's going full-guns. I love it. Now John From Cincinnati had it's finale yesterday and I'm tellin' ya, I don't think I'll watch it again next season. I kept on watching this season hoping it would all make sense. In some ways it did, but it was just to esoteric for me I guess. Burn Notice on USA Network continues to thrill each week though and I'm happy for that and HBO's Big Love. Those two turned out to be the real winners.