I still haven't caught up on my sleep from the conference. Not only did I have my usual This isn't my bed! I can't sleep here! And where's my cat? I can't sleep without my cat on my legs! sleepless nights, I drove to and from the conference and that's always wearing--and more so the older I get. (Did I just say that? THE OLDER I GET? Huh.)
But it was a good conference, and it was great to see familiar faces. I would LOVE to say I came back invigorated--but see the paragraph above. I came back too pooped to pop, as my mom used to say.
I'll blog more when I'm feeling more coherent. I've been home 3 nights and each night I've fallen asleep so quickly the cat's barely got herself settled before I'm off to dreamland, snoring happily, glad to be home with family (feline member included).
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
"Where shall I go? What shall I do?"
(OK--I edited the header so it makes sense. Apparently the path from my brain to my fingers as I type is encountering traffic snarl-ups--road construction, no doubt.)
I'll be in the Twin Cities soon, and that means the Mall of America, my home away from home!
For those of you who aren't familiar with my beloved MOA, I thought I'd highlight some of the best features you'll find there, at least in my mind.
NORDSTROMS: If you like shoes, Nordstorms is THE place. That may not be much of a secret, but here's something that might be: stop in at the cafe if you get a chance, and have their iced tea. It's the best iced tea I've ever had in my life, and the food is excellent, too. I never pass up a chance to glug down a glass of iced tea there. And I get one to go, too!
SEPHORA: If you're a make-up/perfume fan, Sephora is the place to be. Tip: Get a Beauty Insider Card while you're there. Then, when you're back home, in Sephora withdrawal, you can go to their website and order--and if you're an Insider with enough points, you'll get extra free stuff!
YANKEE CANDLE: Sniff until your sniffer can't sniff any more! Wow, this place smells great.
DEPT. 56: What a fun store! From expensive to very affordable, there's something for you.
THE AFTERNOON: Sigh. I love this store.
BASIN: I'm weak when it comes to Basin stuff. It smells heavenly. Tip: Purchase a small bag of cut up soap. It's perfect for putting beside the sink in the bathroom because you'll use it before it dries out, and the scent isn't overpowering.
For food:
*CINNABON: Forget the diet, for at least a while. A Cinnabon cinnamon roll is extraordinary.
*LINDT CHOCOLATE: Every time I've been in there, they've had deals if you buy a lot. Haha. Like there's a chance I won't?
*RYBICKI CHEESE: I went in for the first time on my last trip and lost my heart to this place. This store has the most interesting flavored cheeses! We bought a couple of the more intriguing flavors and were going to try them when we got home, but we forgot to put them in the fridge right away, and there was a dog, and well....
*HARRY & DAVID: Oh, Harry and David, whoever you are, I love you.
*CARIBOU and STARBUCKS: I don't know about you, but I do need coffee. I also like GLORIA JEANS.
*GODIVA: The name says it all.
*TEAVANA: If you're a tea person, stop here. Sample. Buy!
This is just a beginning list. I also like Williams Sonoma. Itz-a-Puzzle. Coldwater Creek. Body Shop. It's a big big mall with something for everyone.
See you at BARNES & NOBLE, Saturday afternoon! Fantastic store, fantastic event!!!
(Did you recognize the quote in my title of this post? Of course you did!)
I'll be in the Twin Cities soon, and that means the Mall of America, my home away from home!
For those of you who aren't familiar with my beloved MOA, I thought I'd highlight some of the best features you'll find there, at least in my mind.
NORDSTROMS: If you like shoes, Nordstorms is THE place. That may not be much of a secret, but here's something that might be: stop in at the cafe if you get a chance, and have their iced tea. It's the best iced tea I've ever had in my life, and the food is excellent, too. I never pass up a chance to glug down a glass of iced tea there. And I get one to go, too!
SEPHORA: If you're a make-up/perfume fan, Sephora is the place to be. Tip: Get a Beauty Insider Card while you're there. Then, when you're back home, in Sephora withdrawal, you can go to their website and order--and if you're an Insider with enough points, you'll get extra free stuff!
YANKEE CANDLE: Sniff until your sniffer can't sniff any more! Wow, this place smells great.
DEPT. 56: What a fun store! From expensive to very affordable, there's something for you.
THE AFTERNOON: Sigh. I love this store.
BASIN: I'm weak when it comes to Basin stuff. It smells heavenly. Tip: Purchase a small bag of cut up soap. It's perfect for putting beside the sink in the bathroom because you'll use it before it dries out, and the scent isn't overpowering.
For food:
*CINNABON: Forget the diet, for at least a while. A Cinnabon cinnamon roll is extraordinary.
*LINDT CHOCOLATE: Every time I've been in there, they've had deals if you buy a lot. Haha. Like there's a chance I won't?
*RYBICKI CHEESE: I went in for the first time on my last trip and lost my heart to this place. This store has the most interesting flavored cheeses! We bought a couple of the more intriguing flavors and were going to try them when we got home, but we forgot to put them in the fridge right away, and there was a dog, and well....
*HARRY & DAVID: Oh, Harry and David, whoever you are, I love you.
*CARIBOU and STARBUCKS: I don't know about you, but I do need coffee. I also like GLORIA JEANS.
*GODIVA: The name says it all.
*TEAVANA: If you're a tea person, stop here. Sample. Buy!
This is just a beginning list. I also like Williams Sonoma. Itz-a-Puzzle. Coldwater Creek. Body Shop. It's a big big mall with something for everyone.
See you at BARNES & NOBLE, Saturday afternoon! Fantastic store, fantastic event!!!
(Did you recognize the quote in my title of this post? Of course you did!)
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
The Goldenrod is Yellow....
When I was a kid, we sang a song that has partially stayed with me all these years: "The goldenrod is yellow, the corn is turning brown...." Google, bless its little search engine heart, found the source for me, "September" by Helen Hunt Jackson (of Ramona fame, I believe).
It's a cool poem--goes on much longer than I'm sure we learned. And the ending:
One day of one September
I never can forget.
So what happened on that one day? She doesn't say. It's kind of an early "Ode to Billy Joe" thing, I guess.
I don't have anything more than this to talk about. Just find the poem and read it. Let September wash over you. It's a great month to make memories, whether you're doing something momentous or just simply walking to the mailbox on a golden afternoon.
One day of one September
I never can forget.
It's a cool poem--goes on much longer than I'm sure we learned. And the ending:
One day of one September
I never can forget.
So what happened on that one day? She doesn't say. It's kind of an early "Ode to Billy Joe" thing, I guess.
I don't have anything more than this to talk about. Just find the poem and read it. Let September wash over you. It's a great month to make memories, whether you're doing something momentous or just simply walking to the mailbox on a golden afternoon.
One day of one September
I never can forget.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
The last summer Saturday
Sigh. This is it. Labor Day weekend traditionally ends summer, but up here in the north, at least, we want to squeeeeeeeze every bit of summery warmth out of these days that we can.
School's back in session. The calendar page turns Sunday night. Labor Day is near. But it's too early to write off summer.
Tell that to the retailers, who have had autumn doo-dads on the shelf since June. Who no longer carry sandals, unless you're a woman who wears a size 5...or a size 11.5.
And I've got to ask--what's the deal with the Halloween candy being out already? HUH? My husband once teased me about having bought Halloween M&Ms in August, and I retorted, "Well, at least I know they're fresh."
"Either that," he said, "or really really old."
Have a great weekend!
School's back in session. The calendar page turns Sunday night. Labor Day is near. But it's too early to write off summer.
Tell that to the retailers, who have had autumn doo-dads on the shelf since June. Who no longer carry sandals, unless you're a woman who wears a size 5...or a size 11.5.
And I've got to ask--what's the deal with the Halloween candy being out already? HUH? My husband once teased me about having bought Halloween M&Ms in August, and I retorted, "Well, at least I know they're fresh."
"Either that," he said, "or really really old."
Have a great weekend!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Summer Saturdays
What an incredibly busy summer this has been. I wish I had something to show for it other than massive credit card debt. I've been travelling--to San Francisco and the Twin Cities. Now I'm home for a while, and although it's late in the season, I've discovered perfection. It resides in two words:
SUMMER SATURDAYS
Isn't that just yummy? It's got a nice, peaceful energy. On a summer Saturday, you can be outside, riding your bike or taking a walk or swimming or just lolling in the sun with a good mystery or romance novel. Or you can be inside, taking a nap or reading a book....even house-cleaning has an extra shine on a summer Saturday.
I'm off to have some iced tea and read that new mystery novel I just bought. Inside? Outside? Who cares? This is a summer Saturday!
SUMMER SATURDAYS
Isn't that just yummy? It's got a nice, peaceful energy. On a summer Saturday, you can be outside, riding your bike or taking a walk or swimming or just lolling in the sun with a good mystery or romance novel. Or you can be inside, taking a nap or reading a book....even house-cleaning has an extra shine on a summer Saturday.
I'm off to have some iced tea and read that new mystery novel I just bought. Inside? Outside? Who cares? This is a summer Saturday!
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Sicko
Why is it, just when I can't spare any more minutes in my day, my body decides to blow up? I'm on the home stretch with the book, going along great guns, knowing something's missing but I'll catch it on my rewrite. I'm good, I'm good, I'm good....
And then I'm not. I'm sick, I'm sick, I'm sick. I had some horrendous bug this past week that took me out for almost the entire week. I don't remember ever being so sick. I must have had some wild fever because I kept going in and out of reality.
Nothing got done with the book. I couldn't even have told you what the book was about. Assuming I could have uncurled my fingers from their claw-like position (did I tell you I was sick?) to type, it wouldn't have made any sense.
But here's the cool thing. As I was laying/lying (I can never keep those straight) in bed, feeling like a old bowl of Alpo, I got an idea of how to fix the story. Actually three ideas. One was probably the thing that, if I can pull it off, will make this story elevate, and the other two are thread fixes.
Most of you who read this know about the horrendous turn my life took two years ago. It was as if a great door slammed, and there I was, in a new room. An unfurnished new room.
I've been writing for years and years, and I'd managed to create a system that works for me. I use threads. It's very visual for me, the concept of these threads that run through each book--eh, I can't explain it easily here. It requires "twenty-seven eight by ten color glossy photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one was to be used...." (source given below--anyone recognize it without peeking?). Anyway, this is the first book I've written since the Great Slam and I hadn't set up my threads in my graphic synopsis (I totally forgot them) and sure enough, my threads had tangled into knots and some were broken.
Janet, is there a chance this train of thought might pull into the station any time soon?
What I'm saying, in my very roundabout, still kind-of-sicky way is that sometimes the part of my brain that runs under everything, the part that keeps my heart beating and my lungs breathing, remembers life before the Great Slam and reminds me about the threads even if my upper brain can't.
Kind of cool, huh? So now I'm back to working on this book again, still a little slowly, but I've got the threads untangled and we are GOOD TO GO!
(Pssst: "Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie)
And then I'm not. I'm sick, I'm sick, I'm sick. I had some horrendous bug this past week that took me out for almost the entire week. I don't remember ever being so sick. I must have had some wild fever because I kept going in and out of reality.
Nothing got done with the book. I couldn't even have told you what the book was about. Assuming I could have uncurled my fingers from their claw-like position (did I tell you I was sick?) to type, it wouldn't have made any sense.
But here's the cool thing. As I was laying/lying (I can never keep those straight) in bed, feeling like a old bowl of Alpo, I got an idea of how to fix the story. Actually three ideas. One was probably the thing that, if I can pull it off, will make this story elevate, and the other two are thread fixes.
Most of you who read this know about the horrendous turn my life took two years ago. It was as if a great door slammed, and there I was, in a new room. An unfurnished new room.
I've been writing for years and years, and I'd managed to create a system that works for me. I use threads. It's very visual for me, the concept of these threads that run through each book--eh, I can't explain it easily here. It requires "twenty-seven eight by ten color glossy photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one was to be used...." (source given below--anyone recognize it without peeking?). Anyway, this is the first book I've written since the Great Slam and I hadn't set up my threads in my graphic synopsis (I totally forgot them) and sure enough, my threads had tangled into knots and some were broken.
Janet, is there a chance this train of thought might pull into the station any time soon?
What I'm saying, in my very roundabout, still kind-of-sicky way is that sometimes the part of my brain that runs under everything, the part that keeps my heart beating and my lungs breathing, remembers life before the Great Slam and reminds me about the threads even if my upper brain can't.
Kind of cool, huh? So now I'm back to working on this book again, still a little slowly, but I've got the threads untangled and we are GOOD TO GO!
(Pssst: "Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie)
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Lolling around
Remember that song by Chicago? Does anybody really know what time it is? Well, apparently I don't. Today I thought I had a whole extra hour and I didn't, which resulted in me lolling around for sixty minutes that I really couldn't spare...but I do love to loll around. Lolling is way under-rated.
Unless I'm on deadline. I have to wait to loll until Aug. 2. Then I can loll for a little while before the next deadline comes clickety-clacketing at me with its little hooves.
Let's talk about lolling. First off, it's a lovely word. Lolling. See how it just lingers on the tongue? Lolling. Lolling. Lolling.
It's a whole lot better than saying, Procrastinating. Avoiding. Delaying. I always get this way when I'm on deadline. I suddenly want to clean my house. Really. Talk about weird, huh?
I love writing. I do. It brings me to life. So why is it so hard to do?
I was talking to my kids about transitioning yesterday. It's a phrase that's used to explain why, when your children are little, they cry when you drop them off at day care, they cry when you pick them up, they cry when they get home. It means that the transition from one environment to another is rough.
I was using this to explain why, when I get home from work, I need to smoothly and gently transition into being mom, and to please give me a few minutes before asking what's for dinner, can the son go to a movie and the daughter to the mall, does he have a clean shirt and where are her new jeans, etc.
And so I need to transition from my 21st century home, with a washing machine (running), a dishwasher (needs to be emptied), and a computer (in lap), to the 19th century, to rural Minnesota. I know my hero and my heroine need me--but my 21st century phone keeps ringing, my 21st century cat keeps trying to push the 21st century laptop off my lap, and my 21st century children think they should be fed.
ARGH! The pain of transitioning!
Tomorrow I'll loll for a little while, but it'll all benefit my writing. It's Crime Time Sunday on the Hallmark Channel. There's a Perry Mason movie (I love the theme song, and Raymond Burr's voice, and the generally unresolved tension between him and Della Street....well, my dears!), a Matlock movie (he's a great character to study--lots of understated dimension), and McBride (the device of replaying a scene with him in it as a shadowy observer is brilliant), plus a couple of my favorite detective and yours, in "Murder, She Wrote." Then it's back to writing.
And that's what I'm about to do now. 19th century Minnesota, here I come!
Unless I'm on deadline. I have to wait to loll until Aug. 2. Then I can loll for a little while before the next deadline comes clickety-clacketing at me with its little hooves.
Let's talk about lolling. First off, it's a lovely word. Lolling. See how it just lingers on the tongue? Lolling. Lolling. Lolling.
It's a whole lot better than saying, Procrastinating. Avoiding. Delaying. I always get this way when I'm on deadline. I suddenly want to clean my house. Really. Talk about weird, huh?
I love writing. I do. It brings me to life. So why is it so hard to do?
I was talking to my kids about transitioning yesterday. It's a phrase that's used to explain why, when your children are little, they cry when you drop them off at day care, they cry when you pick them up, they cry when they get home. It means that the transition from one environment to another is rough.
I was using this to explain why, when I get home from work, I need to smoothly and gently transition into being mom, and to please give me a few minutes before asking what's for dinner, can the son go to a movie and the daughter to the mall, does he have a clean shirt and where are her new jeans, etc.
And so I need to transition from my 21st century home, with a washing machine (running), a dishwasher (needs to be emptied), and a computer (in lap), to the 19th century, to rural Minnesota. I know my hero and my heroine need me--but my 21st century phone keeps ringing, my 21st century cat keeps trying to push the 21st century laptop off my lap, and my 21st century children think they should be fed.
ARGH! The pain of transitioning!
Tomorrow I'll loll for a little while, but it'll all benefit my writing. It's Crime Time Sunday on the Hallmark Channel. There's a Perry Mason movie (I love the theme song, and Raymond Burr's voice, and the generally unresolved tension between him and Della Street....well, my dears!), a Matlock movie (he's a great character to study--lots of understated dimension), and McBride (the device of replaying a scene with him in it as a shadowy observer is brilliant), plus a couple of my favorite detective and yours, in "Murder, She Wrote." Then it's back to writing.
And that's what I'm about to do now. 19th century Minnesota, here I come!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)