Sore, dry throat but I'm too stubborn to go to the doctor. Why am I so afraid to waste a $25 copay?
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Scooby Who?
When did they decide that the ghosts and monsters on Scooby Doo needed to be real? Each generation is always pushing the envelope; taking everything to the next level.
Sex. Drugs. Violence. Foul Language. Fear.
Everything poses a challenge, daring society to peel back the protective layers that we parents are desparate to keep in place. In fact, I'd say I use duct tape (metaphorically speaking) to no avail. My kids laugh at me for trying to protect them from some of their cartoons. (sigh).
We're watching some newer Scooby movie about zombies, that are real (no human under a mask) and it got me thinking about all this stuff.
It just ended and my kids need some snuggle time now.
Sex. Drugs. Violence. Foul Language. Fear.
Everything poses a challenge, daring society to peel back the protective layers that we parents are desparate to keep in place. In fact, I'd say I use duct tape (metaphorically speaking) to no avail. My kids laugh at me for trying to protect them from some of their cartoons. (sigh).
We're watching some newer Scooby movie about zombies, that are real (no human under a mask) and it got me thinking about all this stuff.
It just ended and my kids need some snuggle time now.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Monday 10/19 Update
Thu - Sun I edited the 1st 6 chapters of my 60k YA and I'm making more changes in my outline for plot events today that just make more sense and create a better flow. Some days it feels like it will never be done! Argh!
I did finish the m.s. I was beta reading. And I made time for leisure reading as well as time with my family. I even cooked dinner both saturday and sunday night.
Goal setting is something I have become tentative to approach. I hate failing at anything but love accomplishing challenging tasks. I need to:
* catch up on bible reading
* create a discussion question for my Small Group regarding bibe reading for October
* prepare for children's church this weekend (I perform w/a partner for all 4 services)
* finish outlining YA m.s. with new plot ideas
* implement these ideas - at least basically in my ms
* provide feedback regarding the m.s. I beta read
In addition to friends n family plans!
I did finish the m.s. I was beta reading. And I made time for leisure reading as well as time with my family. I even cooked dinner both saturday and sunday night.
Goal setting is something I have become tentative to approach. I hate failing at anything but love accomplishing challenging tasks. I need to:
* catch up on bible reading
* create a discussion question for my Small Group regarding bibe reading for October
* prepare for children's church this weekend (I perform w/a partner for all 4 services)
* finish outlining YA m.s. with new plot ideas
* implement these ideas - at least basically in my ms
* provide feedback regarding the m.s. I beta read
In addition to friends n family plans!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Climate Blog Day
Today many bloggers are uniting on an important issue: Climate Change
It's not just a crazy futuristic idea, it's a scientific event that we need to educate ourselves on. The EPA has information you can read about recent changes:
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/recentcc.html
They talk about the impact humans have had since the Industrial Revolution, including greenhouse gases and aerosols. We have been burning fossil fuels and cutting down oxygen producing forests.
I found this bullet point from the Temperature tab scary: "Average temperatures in the Arctic have increased at almost twice the global rate in the past 100 years."
The earth is getting warmer and warmer. GlobalIssues.org talks about this in a recently updated article on global warming:
http://www.globalissues.org/issue/178/climate-change-and-global-warming
They also discuss changes in our overall ecosystem, due to decreases in species (animals and bugs) and habitats (trees, clean water, etc).
WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/index.html
At Home - these are taken straight from EPA site
1. Change 5 lights
Replace the conventional bulbs in your 5 most frequently used light fixtures with bulbs that have the ENERGY STAR and you will help the environment while saving money on energy bills. If every household in the U.S. took this one simple action we would prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars.
2. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products
Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products in more than 50 product categories, including lighting, home electronics, heating and cooling equipment and appliances.
3. Heat and cool smartly
Simple steps like cleaning air filters regularly and having your heating and cooling equipment tuned annually by a licensed contractor can save energy and increase comfort at home, and at the same time reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When it's time to replace your old equipment, choose a high efficiency model, and make sure it is properly sized and installed.
4. Seal and insulate your home
Seal air leaks and add more insulation to your home. The biggest leaks are usually found in the attic and basement. If you are planning to replace windows, choose ENERGY STAR qualified windows for better performance. Seal and insulate any ducts in attics and crawlspaces to improve the efficiency of your home.
5. Use green power
Green power is environmentally friendly electricity that is generated from renewable energy sources such as wind and the sun. There are two ways to use green power: you can buy green power or you can modify your house to generate your own green power.
6. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
If there is a recycling program in your community, recycle your newspapers, beverage containers, paper and other goods. Use products in containers that can be recycled and items that can be repaired or reused. In addition, support recycling markets by buying products made from recycled materials.
7. Be green in your yard
Use a push mower, which, unlike a gas or electric mower, consumes no fossil fuels and emits no greenhouse gases. If you do use a power mower, make sure it is a mulching mower to reduce grass clippings. Composting your food and yard waste reduces the amount of garbage that you send to landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
8. Use water efficiently
There are also simple actions you can take to save water: Be smart when irrigating your lawn or landscape; only water when needed and do it during the coolest part of the day, early morning is best. Turn the water off while shaving or brushing teeth. Do not use your toilet as a waste basket - water is wasted with each flush. And did you know a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water per day? Repair all toilet and faucet leaks right away.
9. Spread the Word
Tell family and friends that energy efficiency is good for their homes and good for the environment because it lowers greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Tell 5 people and together we can help our homes help us all.
I thought those were great Ideas. The EPA has tips for the office, the school and on the road!
If you can't adopt 5 at least find 1 way to contribute!!
It's not just a crazy futuristic idea, it's a scientific event that we need to educate ourselves on. The EPA has information you can read about recent changes:
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/recentcc.html
They talk about the impact humans have had since the Industrial Revolution, including greenhouse gases and aerosols. We have been burning fossil fuels and cutting down oxygen producing forests.
I found this bullet point from the Temperature tab scary: "Average temperatures in the Arctic have increased at almost twice the global rate in the past 100 years."
The earth is getting warmer and warmer. GlobalIssues.org talks about this in a recently updated article on global warming:
http://www.globalissues.org/issue/178/climate-change-and-global-warming
They also discuss changes in our overall ecosystem, due to decreases in species (animals and bugs) and habitats (trees, clean water, etc).
WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/index.html
At Home - these are taken straight from EPA site
1. Change 5 lights
Replace the conventional bulbs in your 5 most frequently used light fixtures with bulbs that have the ENERGY STAR and you will help the environment while saving money on energy bills. If every household in the U.S. took this one simple action we would prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars.
2. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products
Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products in more than 50 product categories, including lighting, home electronics, heating and cooling equipment and appliances.
3. Heat and cool smartly
Simple steps like cleaning air filters regularly and having your heating and cooling equipment tuned annually by a licensed contractor can save energy and increase comfort at home, and at the same time reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When it's time to replace your old equipment, choose a high efficiency model, and make sure it is properly sized and installed.
4. Seal and insulate your home
Seal air leaks and add more insulation to your home. The biggest leaks are usually found in the attic and basement. If you are planning to replace windows, choose ENERGY STAR qualified windows for better performance. Seal and insulate any ducts in attics and crawlspaces to improve the efficiency of your home.
5. Use green power
Green power is environmentally friendly electricity that is generated from renewable energy sources such as wind and the sun. There are two ways to use green power: you can buy green power or you can modify your house to generate your own green power.
6. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
If there is a recycling program in your community, recycle your newspapers, beverage containers, paper and other goods. Use products in containers that can be recycled and items that can be repaired or reused. In addition, support recycling markets by buying products made from recycled materials.
7. Be green in your yard
Use a push mower, which, unlike a gas or electric mower, consumes no fossil fuels and emits no greenhouse gases. If you do use a power mower, make sure it is a mulching mower to reduce grass clippings. Composting your food and yard waste reduces the amount of garbage that you send to landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
8. Use water efficiently
There are also simple actions you can take to save water: Be smart when irrigating your lawn or landscape; only water when needed and do it during the coolest part of the day, early morning is best. Turn the water off while shaving or brushing teeth. Do not use your toilet as a waste basket - water is wasted with each flush. And did you know a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water per day? Repair all toilet and faucet leaks right away.
9. Spread the Word
Tell family and friends that energy efficiency is good for their homes and good for the environment because it lowers greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Tell 5 people and together we can help our homes help us all.
I thought those were great Ideas. The EPA has tips for the office, the school and on the road!
If you can't adopt 5 at least find 1 way to contribute!!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Mon 10/12 - Planning, Writing, Juggling
So I did some editing of one WIP and re-writing of another over the weekend. Considering how busy our family was, that felt like a success. I am having trouble getting back into my paranormal YA to edit. The task seems so overwhelming that I'm waiting for an enormous amount of time to sink into it, which isn't in my near future. I just need to schedule time to devote to it.
Lately I've been trying to start a 3rd novel (4th actaully, but its complicated). I'm questioning my process. With my very 1st, I started with research and outlines and never actually wrote anything yet - to date. My 2nd and only completed (if I can call it that) novel I just started typing and ideas and scenes came spilling out. So I worked on an outline and then started writing the story. My 3rd novel came from a creative writing assignment I gave myeslf to force build a daily habit of writing...anything. I have no outline still, just ideas and images in my head.
So now,with my 4th I have an idea but not a full plot. I'm trying to write but feel like I should know where I'm going and now I'm confused. Today I tried to write a synopsis, thinking this would help me decide who my MC really is, what her hang-ups are and why the story is so gosh darn important to tell. It was hard. Real hard. This one feels like it needs a plan before I let the words spill out of me for some reason and I can't get into it like I did with my 1st (wait no, my 2nd).
I'm home after working all day, have to go over the kid's homework, prepare dinner, prepare for tomorrow night's girl scout meeting and maybe clean out my inbox just a little. I'm also in the middle of a couple of good books that I'd like to finish.
Calgon take me away!
Lately I've been trying to start a 3rd novel (4th actaully, but its complicated). I'm questioning my process. With my very 1st, I started with research and outlines and never actually wrote anything yet - to date. My 2nd and only completed (if I can call it that) novel I just started typing and ideas and scenes came spilling out. So I worked on an outline and then started writing the story. My 3rd novel came from a creative writing assignment I gave myeslf to force build a daily habit of writing...anything. I have no outline still, just ideas and images in my head.
So now,with my 4th I have an idea but not a full plot. I'm trying to write but feel like I should know where I'm going and now I'm confused. Today I tried to write a synopsis, thinking this would help me decide who my MC really is, what her hang-ups are and why the story is so gosh darn important to tell. It was hard. Real hard. This one feels like it needs a plan before I let the words spill out of me for some reason and I can't get into it like I did with my 1st (wait no, my 2nd).
I'm home after working all day, have to go over the kid's homework, prepare dinner, prepare for tomorrow night's girl scout meeting and maybe clean out my inbox just a little. I'm also in the middle of a couple of good books that I'd like to finish.
Calgon take me away!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
So tired! Had our close friends over for dinner after church, so there were 5 kids running around (from 3 to 9 yrs old). Some screaming, running, fighting, but the only blood came when everyone was settling down and leaving; my 6yr old was all alone and slipped on a book in her bedroom. Go figure. Good times. I'm ready to snuggle up and fall asleep now.
Sat 10/10 10am
Last night was nice; real good food. My dad's shrimp and scallops were phenomenal. Thank God for birthdays....they give us a good reason to stop everything and go out and drop $100 on dinner.
Chris is at church for a class this morning (Old Testament) so me and the girls are cleaning the house. They are such good helpers. My 6yr old cleaned all the doorknobs and straightened up the living room, while my 9yr old cleaned the microwave and vacuumed. They don't get upset, they understand that if we work together it gets done faster and I award them points that get turned into an allowance every Friday.
We have some errands, then church tonight and we are entertaining guests tomorrow evening, so I'm sure we'll have some light cleaning tomorrow, as well.
No time for writing or editing today, but I can't stop thoughts and plot ideas from popping around inside my head.
Chris is at church for a class this morning (Old Testament) so me and the girls are cleaning the house. They are such good helpers. My 6yr old cleaned all the doorknobs and straightened up the living room, while my 9yr old cleaned the microwave and vacuumed. They don't get upset, they understand that if we work together it gets done faster and I award them points that get turned into an allowance every Friday.
We have some errands, then church tonight and we are entertaining guests tomorrow evening, so I'm sure we'll have some light cleaning tomorrow, as well.
No time for writing or editing today, but I can't stop thoughts and plot ideas from popping around inside my head.
Friday, October 9, 2009
So, I never made it to the the gym all week. Ugh! I did meet or at least make progress on some other goals:
->wrote about 3k this week
->read/skimmed my Bible reading assigmment for sept and started on oct's assignment already
->read another 9 chapters in book I'm beta reading for a fellow AW (absolutewrite.com) forum member
->cleaned up clutter and put up curtains downstairs
->and I finished watching season 1 of TrueBlood w/my sister
->wrote about 3k this week
->read/skimmed my Bible reading assigmment for sept and started on oct's assignment already
->read another 9 chapters in book I'm beta reading for a fellow AW (absolutewrite.com) forum member
->cleaned up clutter and put up curtains downstairs
->and I finished watching season 1 of TrueBlood w/my sister
Saturday, October 3, 2009
10/03
Wow! The days really fly by....ugh. Been in a cleaning mood, so my 9yr old and I have been cleaning the fridge, finally organizing the pile of clutter in the dining room, sorting out the front closet, and cleaning the whole kitchen. We started Thursday, had to break Friday cuz we had a wedding, and we're back strong today. She's a little worker bee and I thank God for her. My husband took the 6yr old to run errands after his bible class this morning.
I haven't really done any writing lately and I haven't felt well enough to work out (sigh). I am hoping for a fresh start this week.
In fact, in order to help force a writing habit, I may enter the Nov NaNoWiMo. You have to write 50K from 11/01 - 11/30. It doesn't have to be any good, just forces you to get into the habit of writing...alot...no web surfing or editing, just pushing out words in volume. I've been contemplating and I think I've decided to go ahead with the commitment.
I don't know how to motivate myself on the working out. I want to be healthy and look good, but apparantly that's not enough motivation. I know myself well enough to realize I am a group person and am more willing to go when I have a partner. So, I just need to plan my workouts around my BFF (my sister) I guess.
Well, I need to hunt up a couple of good crock recipes for those hectic weekdays and finish writing our meal plan for the week so I can go grocery shop and be back in time to get the family off to church.
Maybe I'll get back to my manuscript tomorrow!
I haven't really done any writing lately and I haven't felt well enough to work out (sigh). I am hoping for a fresh start this week.
In fact, in order to help force a writing habit, I may enter the Nov NaNoWiMo. You have to write 50K from 11/01 - 11/30. It doesn't have to be any good, just forces you to get into the habit of writing...alot...no web surfing or editing, just pushing out words in volume. I've been contemplating and I think I've decided to go ahead with the commitment.
I don't know how to motivate myself on the working out. I want to be healthy and look good, but apparantly that's not enough motivation. I know myself well enough to realize I am a group person and am more willing to go when I have a partner. So, I just need to plan my workouts around my BFF (my sister) I guess.
Well, I need to hunt up a couple of good crock recipes for those hectic weekdays and finish writing our meal plan for the week so I can go grocery shop and be back in time to get the family off to church.
Maybe I'll get back to my manuscript tomorrow!
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