Monday, June 25, 2007

Disappearing Act

Seems like a fell off the face of the planet, doesn't it? I basically did, my Internet kept going in and out for nearly a week. Do you know how much stuff you can get done without the distraction of the Internet? I spent a week cleaning house, I mean really cleaning. I rearranged cabinets and closets, cracked the whip on the kids, you name it.

I didn't do much writing, however, I did get an AlphaSmart. I won a Dana on Ebay and I love it, if only I loved my writing as much right now.

My hubby had a deposition down San Diego way on Friday so we all went down with him. I dropped him off at the depo then headed over to Legoland. We had a blast, when my husband was done, the court reporter dropped him off and he joined us. We spent the night and came back to the park the next day. The kids really enjoyed it and I liked the fact the temperature never got above 73 degrees.

My son started enrichment classes this week from 8-12 everyday. The girls enterain themselves while their brother is away by fighting. Geez, these kids can whine. I've told them today if they can quit fighting for an hour or so we will make chocolate chip cookies.

Now to play catch up on all your news!

Sunday, June 10, 2007

8 Things I Like

Willow tagged me with a meme. I've actually done it before so I thought I'd give it a twist.

Here are 8 things I like:

1. Movie star men. I love the larger than life personas they have. Hugh Jackman as Van Helsing, Daniel Craig as James Bond and Johnny Depp as, well, anything, feed my daydreams.

2. Perfect fruit. I do not like fruit. I think it is because it is hard to get really good fruit in the store. This morning I was out in the yard and I picked an apricot off the tree and it was perfect. If I could this kind of fruit all the time, I'd fruit.

3. Martha Stewart. Not her personally, but everything she represents. She presents a lifestyle that is graceful and effortless. Yeah, its an illusion, but I read her magazine like some men read "Playboy." I know these things only exist in the glossy pages of "Living," but I still enjoy the pictures.

4. Books. There's a no-brainer. I love books, love to read them, love to write them. I love to look a them at the bookstore.

5. A hot shower. Isn't it amazing how a little hot water and foo-foo soap can restore a person?

6. A roaring fire on a cold winter night. We discovered we could actually use our fireplace this winter. What a difference it made. There is nothing like dozing in front of the fire while watching t.v.

7. Rose gardens. I love roses, but only on rose bushes. I don't care for cut roses although I will cut some of my own for a centerpiece. But rose gardens are something else. They are generally planned with attention of a person. My husband has his planted in rows, recorded in a notebook so he knows what is where and where he can add more. He tends his rose garden with care. I like the fact rose gardens are created with pleasure in mind.

8. Baking. I don't like the clean up, but I love to bake. Bread, cakes, pies, any of it. I get such satisfaction from turning two cups of flour into something wonderful.

What are some of the things that you like?

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Thirteen Places I'd Like to Take My Kids This summer


I plan this every year and every year something happens and we don't go.

1. The Big Island. We took the kids last year and they had a blast. My folks are planning on going with us so it should be more fun and easier.

2. The Arboretum. I remember going here as a kid and really enjoying it. If anything, it has large expanses of space where kids can run around.

3. California Science Center. My son has been here several times and always enjoys it. I think my other two might appreciate it now.

4. The Getty. I've wanted to go since it opened but always something comes up. My two older kids really enjoy art and their school makes it a serious part of their curriculum, so I think they would appreciate it.

5. American Girl Place. Okay, so I probably will let Supernerd out of this one. The girls are really going to have to behave because I know they want one of those damn dolls.

6. The Huntington Library. I live about 20 miles from this place and I've never been there. I hear it is incredible and I know my kids will like it.

7. Legoland. My kids love this place. I like it because it is in Carlsbad and always several degrees cooler than home. The food is good too.

8. Natural History Museum. They got dinosaurs.

9. La Brea Tarpits. They got sabre tooth tigers.

10. Aquarium of the Pacific. Both of my older kids have been here more than once. I've never been. Too bad they have to do what I say. I'd love to see it.

11. Raging Waters. We are getting season passes. Its only a few miles from my house so I figure we will be going at least once a week, probably more often.

12. The Claremont Club. Most of everyday will probably be spent here. I can get 3 hours of free babysitting, hence the reason I want an AlphaSmart. I can stay in the shade while the kids go swimming and do whatever.

13. Home. Nothing exciting in that, but my husband has worked very hard to have a nice yard for them to play. We have a croquet set, badminton, bocce ball and a sunk golf hole. I'm hoping they can enjoy the simple games. Sometimes the simplest pleasures are the best.





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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



AlphaSmart


I work on a laptop. Well, its a laptop in name only. Its a big Sony Vaio which is pretty good but it isn't portable. Its heavy and too wide to fit into a laptop case. The battery sucks and drains completely after about 40 minutes. Ridiculous, I know, but for the most part, it isn't an issue.

However, this summer I plan on going lots of places with the kids or staying outside with them when they are playing. I'd like something more portable and far more rugged. All I need is something to write on. So I'm considering an AlphaSmart, probably the Dana. I thought about getting the wireless option, but I really wonder if that is a wise idea. I spend way too much time on the Internet as it is.

Do any of you have one or know someone who does? What do you think or what do have you heard?

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

So Now What?

I don't like to admit it but the single biggest issue I have with writing is my last book.

When my book first started its journey into the shadowy world of editors, my enthusiasm for writing was high. I quickly wrote the first few chapters of the sequel book then dove into something new. But as the rejections started coming in, my elan faded and doubt took its place.

I have no doubts that I'm a good writer. I'm confident in my own abilities to realize my trouble isn't with the quality of my writing. Where my doubts come in is whether I write marketable stuff. We as writers sling around platitudes about writing what we love and what our heart dictates. I've followed a version of that theory in all my writing. But once the rejections started pouring in, well, maybe not pouring since my book has only been with a few editors, my attitude changed and not for the better.

No, it isn't any easier to anticipate the market from an editor's comments. They all have a different opinion as to why the book wasn't right for them. Obviously trying to gauge how well a book will do with this variety of opinions is nigh on impossible. I know this, but the doubts creep in.

I feel like I'm at the Hilary Step on Everest. The most challenging part of the climb is the summit ridge. All the really hard work has happened already, but I'm mentally worn out. I can see the sale, see the summit of my journey, but these last few obstacles are here. And I'm not sure how to face them or work with them. I have a well-regarded agent who knows her business and works hard for me. I don't want to waste this opportunity, I don't want to waste her time and mine by writing a book that isn't going to sell.

It crippled my writing. I kept flitting from project to project, starting and stopping because I wasn't confident that it was marketable. Talk about a maze with no end!

I can write about it now because I seem to have gotten over my hang up. I'm back to writing. I realized that I was thinking too much rather than letting my writing work itself out. I need to trust my instincts more rather than trying to think too hard. By worrying about what I think is going to sell, I lose the value of my writing. I suppress just the thing that attracted my agent in the first place. I'm back to writing and more importanly I'm enjoying it. One thing my agent said when she signed me is that she felt the fun in my writing. She had fun reading it and felt the fun I had writing it. So I guess that is the lesson I've learned. Go with instinct, it won't let you down.

Now I'm hoping my blogroll is back up. I sat down yesterday evening to catch up with everyone and the darn thing crashed and I don't have my links saved anywhere else.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Changes

I'm a big believer in change as my oft changing blog skin can attest. Change is the mechanism we use to improve ourselves and our lives.

We had a big change around the ol' casa this weekend. My husband turned my daughter's room into...well, we aren't exactly sure. The one thing it isn't is a kid's room. He pulled out the carpet and put in laminate. He added crown molding at the ceiling. My youngest now sleeps upstairs. While I greet the change with relief and joy, the displaced child is not so happy. Moving upstairs means she is becoming a big girl and she isn't real keen on that. She's happy being the baby. But change is good and while she won't like it at the start, I'm guessing by the end of summer she will embrace it.

Changes run the gamut. Some are anticipated, others are not. Some changes make us decry our fate. I'm real good at that. But eventually we have to accept change and decide what we are going to do with it. We either sink or swim. Sometimes sinking doesn't sound like such a bad option. Swimming is tough and exhausting. But it gets us to the other side.

I tend to want make wide, sweeping changes. The changes I wish to make reflect goals which are, frankly, nigh impossible to accomplish. Or I tend to focus on the goal and not on the process it takes to accomplish it. I do it with everything from weight loss to housework and most definitely with writing.

This week I want to focus on my diet and fitness. My goal is to lose, well, a lot, but putting that plan in motion has always been a problem. My other goal is to be more focused. I'm easily distracted and thus I don't accomplish what I want to accomplish. Which leads to frustration. I've started writing lists again. I focus better if I see the words written down, imagine that.

Anyway, for this week, my focus is on what I'm eating and making exercise a priority. I'm hoping to make going to the gym second nature because I cannot lose weight unless I exercise. My goal is to make going to the gym something I do as a habit like drinking coffee. The more I go the more it becomes necessary.

Do you look for change or do you avoid it? What has been the biggest changes in your life recently both positive and negative? How are you dealing with them?