The Writers Diet (my next..er first bestseller)

I love to read.

Which is good. You learn things from reading.

I started reading around age four and I remember piling my books around me in my bed and cuddling with them as if they were my lovies. On more than one occasion I've been informed that my reading is a problem, from statements like, 'You'll never have a real life if you keep living in those books' or 'Your brain doesn't benefit from you reading a book over and over' (this second statement was a TEACHER, that's right an EDUCATOR told me to not read as much. As horrified as I am to think about this as an adult, I was mortified as a child.

The thing here is, I never thought my reading was a problem.

I love it. Like I said, I honestly believed that reading opened up worlds to me that I'd have never been privy to otherwise. Worlds from time long since past and places that only exist in other authors minds. I love that my daughter now loves to read, that I don't have to force her, and that she (almost) loves the new book smell as much as I do. I just love it, I love the thrill of having a new book that I have waited and waited for and cracking it open with some warm tea, a couple cookies and a cozy blanket.

But lately, when I should be writing, I've been reading.

I know that most great writers read a lot, but in theory, most great writers actually write at some point as well.

So, my pledge.

Starting Monday November 24th, I will NOT read For a WHOLE MONTH.

Thirty days.

NO READING.

NONE.

NO READING THAT ISN'T ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

for thirty days.

Thirty L-o-o-o-o-n-n-g days.

I'm getting light headed, is the room spinning?

No reading until Christmas Eve.

A reading diet, when I can hog out on turkey, ham, pecan pie and various other evil but delicous foods.

So here what I need from you faithful bloggies.

(bloggettes is a little sexist, but I do like it better)

Don't recommend a book or several books to me unless you are prepared to sit by me AA sponsor style and talk me down from the ledge.

Don't ask me about what I've read lately and if my eyelid starts to twitch step away slowly.

Expect me to cheat and love me anyway.

So hopefully I will be churning out mass amounts of writing this upcoming month which means updates on WritingMommy and I will of course keep you posted on my progress with not reading.

Happy Thanksgiving Turkies!

R

I ran from spam and new things I'm loving

So, if you have a blog you know how it is.
You send your million random thoughts (in my case, seventy or so) out into the blogverse and then you wait..


and wait...

and wait some more.....

For a comment on your myspace, on the blog, when you see someone who has commented on your blog, and then it comes..a COMMENT!
VALIDATION!!
CONFIRMATION!!
SOMEBODY LOVES ME!!
I HAVE AT LEAST ONE READER!!
The joy....and then..

the heartache.
IT was SPAM.

UH. About VIAGRA.
I suppose the fact that I get spam should flatter me (it doesn't) but VIAGRA?
Do they read the blog?
Honestly?
Pampers or a chocolatier would be much better served to spam me than Viagra.
I'm just saying.
and although I have a great poem about Viagra (and the kajillion rhyming words, Niagra..ok maybe one rhyming word) I will spare you and move on.

TV I'm Loving despite the fact that I only really watch adult TV one day a week.

1. The style networks new reality show Ruby.
This lady is amazing. I believe the show only started last night but immediatly I identified with her struggle. She's funky and beautiful and is four hundred pounds, get the tissues, it's that awesome.
2. True Blood On HBO...I know the last thing we need is another freakin vampire show, but the male hotness on this show + the outlandish fantasy storylines keep me hooked. ONLY TWO EPISODES LEFT!
3. Ace of Cakes. I know that naysayers say who can watch a show esclusively about cake? ME ME ME!! I love this almost as much as the challenges on food network.I don't know how you can be rock and roll and a pastry chef, but Duff makes it work.
4. My old favorites, My name is Earl, The Simpsons, and THE SOUP.
Ok, I'll watch paint dry if they amp up the drama!
Don't rot your brains!!

OFCourse I'm FINE!!

Hope the onset of the holidays is not causing seizures of anxiety, because I know I'm fine!
I'm totally not worried about when to bake, put up the tree, roast the turkey, make the pancakes, wrap presents (er..buy presents.) order holiday cards.
I mean, just looking at my abbreviated to-do list is not making me want to run away for the holidays for a nice vacation to oh, say, Tahiti, where I'm almost positive Christmas, Thanksgiving and the entire brouhaha of the holidays is more um, how do I say, laid back.
Because here's the thing,

the one thing that's most important,
spending time with people you love, and letting them know you care.

And I know that, I do.

Totally.

but the thing is,

I still feel the pressure to DO all the things that well, frankly, I'm not sure why I do.

Well, I know why I send out cards...duh, so I can brag about my cool family. I know why I bake cookies. To create lasting memories with friends and family (that disappears in the time it takes my family to devour them)Plus, I like cookies.
But why do I kill myself will all our other commitments?
Because that's life? It's just what's expected of me?
That come the day after Halloween, we turn into tinsel be-decked chickens sans heads and proceed to run willy nilly in every direction?
Well, not me!

I know, right? What am I going to do? Boycott one of my favorite holidays ( a note to people who do not know me, personally, I love all holidays, boycotting one or two may actually do me some good)
No, I'll just keep complaining until I fall into my bed (flannel snowman sheets) some time in January and sleep off the madness.
Here's hoping you have some sanity time!

Do it, girl

I'm feeling a little girl powery today.
And let me tell you why.
Women are awesome.

I have so many awesome women in my life who continue to amaze me with their strength(s) and talent(s).
I read in the Charlotte Observer that over 11, 000 women in Charlotte alone participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the cure. Over 11, 000, dude, like WOW.
This is quite literally women saving other women's lives. (read more at www.komencharlotte.org) are we awesome or what?
Of course there are women like Sarah Palin who are paving the way for future generations of women who want to be political and mothery and have good hair all at the same time.
The big drawback here is that women tend to do so much for others that they don't do quite enough for themselves. So here is your job Mommies, ladies and girlies of all kinds.
Do one kind thing for yourself. Take a bath, get a manicure, pedicure, massage, new book, new sweater.
Do you love something that's too expensive? ask yourself if you would hesitate for one second spending that money on your children, husband, parents or boyfriend.
Then why hesitate spending it on yourself?
You're awesome women!
Now go out and feel it!

Seven Years ago Today.

(NOTE:*should have been posted yesterday, but something wonky was going on with blogger)

Seven years ago today I was

One month away from finding out I was going to be a mother the first time.

Apalled and horrified.

Petrified.

Still not watching regular programming.

calling everyone I knew to see if anyone had been traveling.

wondering if we'd ever catch the bad guys.

Today I'm-

A mother of three who still is wondering if we're going to catch the bad guys.

There are a million tributes to the needless loss of life on 9/11, let this be a million and one. There cannot be enough said about the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, some body's to someone who are no longer with us.

I have always been fiercely proud to be an American, and I hope that you all take a moment to remember what is was like to be a part of a nation falling apart seven years ago, and to realize how far we've come and how far we have to go.
Have a great day...R

Long time no blog

I think it's this way with everyone this summer with the notable exceptions of those people without children or children who are of age to amuse themselves without maiming themselves, I mean, I can barely find two seconds to bath (don't get too close and thank you Bath and Body Works Body Spray), much less blog, write, breath, eat or um...oh yeah, that distant memory sleep. So far this summer I haven't.....
1. won the lottery.
2. died my hair green.
3. officially potty trained Leesy.
4. figured out how to find some energy.
5. even started tagging my fall weeruns stuff.
6. found a cure for any diseases (though I faithfully donate my dollar anytime they ask at the grocery store, restaurant or gas station, but how can I be sure the wierdo behind the counter didn't go to Kinko's and make some hearts/clovers/hand prints himself just to raise beer money?)
7.gotten a bad sunburn.
8. read half my summer reading list (I did finish the Harry Potter's good stuff, that)

But, I have....
1. made some great new friends
2. got a great pedicure (see color here)
3. kept most of my appointments
4. remembered to take my vitamin.
5. decided to move to Tahiti indefinitely
6. moved on from my obsession with karaoke to being obsessed with karma (I like K what Kan I say?)
7. tried to pull my daughters teeth out while she's sleeping.
8. discovered a new way to sleep with eyes open, well, it's called being awake and is really nothing like sleeping. Will keep you posted on results of staying awake for days on end.

Summer as we think of summer is officially grinding to an end, we've registered for dance, I have PTO meeting tonight and we've begun making family labor day plans....but I LOVE fall, and hopefully will be V. productive concerning my writing come September. We will see.
Hope everyone is well....R

Cute Shoe Events

So there I was, at some random shoe store on Friday, contemplating the most adorable pair of peep toe pumps, complete with embossed cherries and snazzy ankle straps. I had tried them on (twice) regaled my husband with the why's and why nots of purchasing such impractical shoes. I mean, on one hand, we all need a little frivolity, but on the other hand, even such adorable footwear would surely only languish in my flip-flop/tennis shoe/ barefoot world.
But.

YOU know.
They were ON SALE.

ON SALE is kryponite to my very shopping soul.

I am generally of the mind that if it is NOT ON SALE, then it will be shortly and I can just wait. Then if it is gone when said item goes on sale, then well, it was not meant to be.
But shoes....shoes are a pump of a different color.

Before M snoozed off, I decided NOT to get them.
I mean, they were truly REALLY cute shoes. They made my ankles look not so baggy and elephant like (see earlier post) and my toes look tiny and feminine, but I honestly don't have that many cute shoe events in my life right now.
We have some friends we meet for dinner (like once every four months) and there are our monthly (ok, more like every other monthly) dates, but even then, you can only justify so many pair of new shoes (and believe me, I've tried) we have a company Christmas Party, (peep toe pumps probably not appropriate esp. with cherries)
And then it hits me,
in the middle of random shoe store,
MY REALLY CUTE SHOE events have mostly all passed me by.
And this makes me so sad.
My prom, graduation, bachelorette party, and actual wedding (THE cute shoe event) have all passed.
Is it possible that I need to inject cute shoe events into more mundane things?
I think it is, even still, as I purused the non-slip ubersneaker collection, I had to wonder, what in the world happened to the girl that had seven hundred pair of underwear and thirty to fifty pair of shoes?
Of course we all know that her feet and butt expanded and she is built more for comfort than speed at this point, but before I say no to all peep toe pumps in the future, I may think about making PTO meetings a CUTE SHOE EVENT after all.
Best. R