Quote du Jour:
“The position of annoying talking animal has already been taken.”
–Donkey, Shrek 2

Why do the weekends go so fast? It seems like they are just a blip on the horizon.

Got the husband off to DC last night. Grilled some chicken and watered the lawn. If I get to feeling really industrious, I’ll mow. Then again, maybe not.

Husband said those in The District were complaining about the heat wave, that the high was 95. They need to come to Texas for July and August and see how they like. Don’t they know it’s 5000 degrees here? You could burst into flame just walking outside.

My good friend in Canada sent me a package a week or so ago. Of course, it came while I was out running errands on Saturday and it’s waiting for me back at the post office. So I’m going to run over there on my lunch hour today to pick it up. I can’t wait to see what goodies there are!

Speaking of Canada, Husband and I were talking about taking a nice long vacation next year when we both have two weeks off. We changed jobs right about the same time and – even though all my benefits and vacation got reinstated (because I worked there previously – it was like I never left!) – we are both accruing time at about the same rate. Though I think since I was reinstated, I should have three weeks next year. Not sure, though. Need to check on that.

ANYHOO… we were talking about driving up to Yellowstone and do some camping. We’d stop in Denver on our way there and then spend some time in Yellowstone. After that, we’d like to drive up to Calgary and visit Canada. Then on our way home, we’d stop back in Yellowstone for a couple days and then start the long trek home. Visit the Four Corners. It’d be definitely two weeks. Which might put a cramp in my plans for going to Atlanta for Nationals next year. (But I told Husband that I really needed to attend the National conference next year, no matter what. Because it’s important I network with other writers, agents, and editors. That’s why I’m hoping for three weeks vacation next year, but if not, hell I’ll just take it without pay. Who cares! LOL)

Saturday night we went riding around downtown with the top down on the Jeep. We did some tire kicking of Jaguars (Live in the now! You’ll never afford it!) and stopped at Starbucks and got a venti mocha frappacino. YUM. We headed home at dark and Husband watched the movie Hostage while I crashed hard and fast.

I was extremely tired yesterday for some reason. Took a long nap before heading to the airport. I even crashed at around 10:30 last night. It was nice to just lay there in the bed reading my RWR.

Got up this morning against my will. Got dressed and went to get my son up. I asked him if he slept well. He shook his head and said, “Mom, I want the sky to be dark again.”

Me, too, baby. Me too!

Before I fell asleep last night, I was writing a new story in my head. I heard the dialog from two characters just as sure as I’m sitting here. I should have bolted up and started writing it down that minute but instead I was lazy. I was too tired to drag my sorry ass out of bed and get on the computer. Or even look for a sheet of paper and pen.

And now the story has fleeted from my feeble mind. Gone. *poof* Just like that. Darn it.

But I still have the titles safely tucked away in my little brain. Yes, it is little.

I’ve got this new idea for a novella trilogy. It’d be a contemporary - which is usually not my thing - and it’s a vague idea about theater/music/dance… but I’m wondering if I can work it into a fantasy type story somehow with maybe some paranormal elements. I don’t know. Still thinking on it.

In the meantime, Lance won his 7th Tour de France today! Congrats, Lance! Now he has a retirement to look forward to. I was busy with laundry and dishes and what-not this morning so I missed most of the race.

Trying to get husband ready to go out of town so I had to make sure all his laundry was done and ready to go. He’s all packed and we’ll be leaving for the airport later this afternoon.

I have no energy and I have no idea why. I really want to do the query letters to agents today but my weariness is winning out. I think I’m just going to go lay my butt on the couch and read a book for the rest of the afternoon.

Yeah, that sounds good.

We had some errands to run today. One included a trip across town. Afterwards, we had a yummy lunch at Taco Bueno, then stopped in Best Buy and Office Depot. Oh and the bike shop. My little boy wants a “yewwow jersey like Yance.” Translated that means, he wants a yellow jersey like Lance Armstrong.

Yeah, I know I haven’t done a Tour de France update, but I figure why should I? Lance is in the lead. He’s going to win in Paris tomorrow. He roasted poor Jan Ullrich in today’s time trial. And poor Rasmusson crashed two and changed bikes twice and dropped from 3rd to 7th. Lance looked really good today in the time trials. Go Lance! We’ll be watching tomorrow to see how he takes Paris.

Anyhoo… we bought the movie Closer today on DVD. Walked into Best Buy and WHOA they had moved everything. As I looked around I blurted, “Crap! They moved everything!” An employee was standing nearby and overheard me (oops). But really.. they shouldn’t do that to tried and true customers like us. LOL Anyway, we got a freebie hard rock CD out of the deal (YESS).

Then we get to the register to pay (my son had to get a bag of Skittles while in line - I hate impulse items). The DVD rang up $22.99 instead of $19.99 and the dumb girl has the gall to say, “I’ll have to void it and re-enter. Are you sure you want me to do that?”

Yer damn skippy! It’s three dollars of MY hard earned money, chickadee. So sorry it inconvenienced her.

Made her redo it. Then went to Office Depot and bought some ink for our color printer. Found the ergonomic keyboard I want, but decided to wait until payday next week to get it. I think it’ll help my wrist strain. I don’t really have carpel tunnel, just severe wrist strain on my left wrist.

Compiled a list of RWA recognized agents and included all their info - agency, address, contact, response time, submission guidelines, etc. I’m about to FLOOD the market with query letters.

Look out Literary Agents - Here comes Mik!

Okay.. off to have a very large glass of water and TRY to finish the book. Yikes.

Cool. Thanks, Carter!

You are Form 0, Phoenix: The Eternal.

“And The Phoenix’s cycle had reached
zenith, so he consumed himself in fire. He
emerged from his own ashes, to be forever
immortal.”

Some examples of the Phoenix Form are Quetzalcoatl
(Aztec), Shiva (Indian), and Ra-Atum
(Egyptian).
The Phoenix is associated with the concept of life,
the number 0, and the element of fire.
His sign is the eclipsed sun.

As a member of Form 0, you are a determined
individual. You tend to keep your sense of
optimism, even through tough times and have a
positive outlook on most situations. You have
a way of looking at going through life as a
journey that you can constantly learn from.
Phoenixes are the best friends to have because
they cheer people up easily.

Which Mythological Form Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

From the jousting novel (more…)

Quote Du Jour:
“Are you sure it isn’t time for a colorful metaphor?”
–Spock, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

So… stayed up until midnight last night. Part of it was chatting away for a couple of hours (hehehe…it WAS fun, wasn’t is, Lara?); the other part was because when I finally did crawl into bed, I was so wound up I couldn’t sleep. I started reading Katie MacAlister’s You Slay Me. Her writing style is so great that she just sucks you right in. And of course, I read until my eyelids were heavy.

Which was midnight.

I heard the alarm go off this morning. I really did. I thought I hit snooze, but apparently I just turned the thing off.

Now I’m usually out the door by seven. So imagine my horror when I lifted my head and the clock read 6:53.

Oh…my…god…

I literally JUMPED out of bed, gathered the clothes I planned to wear today (at least I already knew!), and ran through the shower. I did a quick make-up job and then dried my hair for about two seconds before I dashed upstairs.

I have to get my son ready too, and, luckily, he was already awake this morning. I told him to get up, that I overslept. He looks at me and says, “Mom, were you running in the house?”

HAR.

I get him dressed in record time, we dash down the stairs. Gather our things and we’re out the door. I lock it, get him in this car seat and then realize I forgot his glasses. Curse. I have to run back inside and get his glasses.

Out of the driveway, we’re down the road. I do 45 in a 40 to get to the sitter. I contemplate Starbucks, but there’s no time. Drop him off at the sitter and off I go. Good thing it’s 80 degrees outside because my hair is still quite damp.

Back in the car, I contemplate Starbucks again but, still, there’s no time.

I do 60 in a 35 and get to the freeway. Then I do 85 in a 60. Approaching the curve from hell where I have to cross three lanes in 2.3 seconds to make my exit. I hold my breath and dive. Luckily, there was a hole and I made it through unscathed. All the while Van Halen is blasting through my speakers.

Get to work, pull into my favorite space and breath a sigh of relief.

I’m still contemplating Starbucks, even though I have a cup of coffee in front of me. Maybe a frappacino for an afternoon snack…

Anyway… wrote two issues of the romance serial yesterday. I am FIVE issues away from completion. FIVE, I tell you. FIVE! Ecstatic. I hope to get those done next week. I haven’t turned in the two yet. I want to make sure I have good continuity throughout the next five. Plus I gotta wrap up all the loose ends. In some ways, I’ll be sad when it’s over because it’s been a big part of me for the last year. In other ways, I am RELIEVED.

Got about 2000 words on the WIP, too. Excitement. Love it.

Been thinking about what to write next once the jousting novel is finished. I think I should start on the sequel to the fantasy novel since it IS in the hands of an editor (not that she’s going to buy it or anything.. but.. just in case).

I have a proposal going out today, so best get to it.

*yawn*

You Are a Chick Rocker!

You’re living proof that chicks can rock You’re inspired by Joan Jett and the Donnas And when you rock, you rock hard (Plus, you get all the cute guy groupies you want!)

Quote Du Jour:
Woke up, fell out of bed,
Dragged a come across my head.
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
And looking up, I noticed I was late.
–A Day in the Life from Sgt’s Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles

Thanks to everyone who came to chat last night (even my mommy came!). It was a lot of fun! We talked about everything from writing to opera to books and movies. Thanks, too, to Angela who asked lots of interesting questions.

I’m sleepy today. I didn’t want to get out of bed. Husband had to drive to Oklahoma City this morning so he was up early. (Why does 5:30 seem so much earlier than 6? It’s only a half an hour, but it seems like it’s too early.) So he was up this morning, turning on all the lights and making lots of noise. I buried my head under my pillow while he got ready to go. You’d think he could keep it down some.

And, for whatever reason, little boy had a potty accident. First one in weeks. It was so bad I had to put him in the tub and this was about 30 minutes before the chat. So I had to hurry. I got him all cleaned up, washed his hair, and got him in his pjs, even though it was a mite early. Then this morning, he had totally wet the bed – something he hasn’t done since he stopped wearing pull-ups. So that made for a fun morning, getting his sopping wet clothes off of him, getting him cleaned up, and dressed. At least he was in a good mood this morning. That makes it a little easier.

He’s a good kid, really. He’s happy and he self-entertains for the most part, being an only child. He loves to play with his daddy though and when he’s out of town, he expects me to do the same. It just doesn’t work that way. I promised him a movie tonight when we get home, which means I’ll have to see one of our many Disney DVDs for the umpteenth time. That’s okay by me.

We tried to watch X-Men (the first one) the other night, but it was a little intense for him. So we had to turn it off. I forgot about some of the parts being a little scary. He watches Spiderman, though, with no problem. It’s becoming quite clear he likes the superhero movies. In fact, he’s been asking to go see Fantastic 4. We’ll probably wait for DVD (and it has the very cute Ioan Gruffudd (he was Lancelot in King Arthur).

And I’m excited to know the second and third Pirates of the Caribbean are being filmed as I write this. Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightly are all returning for both movies with release dates of 2006 and 2007. I can’t wait!

On the writing front… I didn’t do much. I started an issue of the romance serial, but didn’t quite “feel” it so I put it aside. I managed to write about 1000 words on the new WIP and do some edits. I did a quick read-through, so I know what holes I have to fill in. Not much progress. Not good.

Tonight is my author chat with KeepItComing! Hope to see you there!

Click HERE to go to the chat room.

HA! Reading another blog made me think of it (yeah, I’m quickly becoming a blog-junkie…anyway…)

Husband forced me to watch Rock Star INXS last night. FORCED, mind you. He gave me that lost puppy look and said “Will you watch it with me?” ARGH

I didn’t want to get into another reality show but I agreed.

So I laid on the couch and made fun of just about everyone there. Dave Navarro… that guy freaks me out. He looks like the Devil in Fur. *shiver*

Anyhoo… some of the talent was pretty good. I missed the first two singers so I have nothing pithy to say about them. The dude with the studded pants who sang “Summer of ‘69” – OY! Don’t give up your day job! He was awful. Made me cringe. The chick who sang the Black Sabbath song made me wish she’d just hurry up and get the hell off the stage.

But JD Fortune (he stole my last name, dammit) he ROCKED. He did his own arrangement of Alanis Morrisett’s “Hand In My Pocket”. Wow. Rocked. Loved it. And I really liked the girl who sang “The Reason”. She was quite good, too. So those were my top picks of the night.

Oh and the guy who sang “Sweet Home Alabama” (Bo Bice did it better) – his shtick was to do it barefoot. Not only that but he looked like a homeless person they just picked up off the street to sing. He definitely needs a better image. Barefoot Homeless Dude ain’t working.

I can’t see a girl as the lead singer for INXS. It just doesn’t jive with my vision of the band and what I remember back in the late 80s.

Of course you know I’m going to have to see who gets booted off tonight. CURSE Mark Burnett and his reality TV!

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