Random Tuesday Thoughts

Umm, I actually forgot it was Tuesday so I didn't plan Two on Tuesday today.  I am thinking it'll take a break for awhile. I did however come across this other great event at the Un Mom, Random Tuesday Thoughts.  So in no particular order (cause it's all random...) here we go.

Once again I know stuff.  Lots of stuff.  Wish like heck I could SAY stuff.  But I can't.  So I'll continue to know stuff.

The satellite tv guy (a different one since the last one, over a week ago never showed up) is supposed to be here in five minutes.  I am hoping.  I am really hoping.  I could use a little Mickey Mouse Clubhouse right about now you know?

I'm going running today.  Hubby found me this great site called MapMyRun.com  Turns out I've been doing 4 km.  Not too bad.  The goal is three times a week (and sans kids, wahoo!)

I've enjoyed taking photographs this week.  Sunday we went to the Ahr Valley to get some our favorite local wine and took pictures of the vineyards from the overlook.  Great day.  We even went Alteheck!

Yesterday I went around town taking pictures for Stellan.  I don't even know this family but I felt like I was somehow doing something to make him well.  I certainly hope my pictures will make MckMama smile for even a nano-second.  Then I will feel like I made a difference.

Yes, those are vineyards climbing the side of the hills.

We are having the great mini-van debate again.  I hate mini-vans even though I did drive one at one point in life.  But I can't take any more of the "she touched my" crap-ola from the back seat.  11 months my kiddies and you'll each have your own row.  I will die a slow death to give up Lucy but if it means I get my sanity back in the car so be it.

My seven year old was diggin my Dave Matthews we were listening to in the car yesterday.  I knew I liked that boy!  On occasion you can catch him singing to Daniel Powers Bad Day, it's so stinkin' cute.

I just went to get more coffee and I saw the frost rising off the car outside.  Well, rather the sun was hitting the frost and the ensuing steam rising looks really cool.  Maybe you had to be here.

I may have a lead on some work.  That would be so nice.

Thanks to Cinnamon and Honey's Musical Monday and her links to Jori's site I finally discovered who plays the Laser Song from Oceans 12.  Do you have any idea how insane I went trying to figure it out since it isn't on the soundtrack?  We watched that movie last night I was so happy about finding that out.  Love that part of the movie and the music.

I could go on I am sure but then I couldn't go stand at the window watching for the tv guy.  Who is now 13 minutes late.  Hopes, low to begin with, are ebbing away.  Please oh mystery tv guy, fix my satellite!

If you want to pay along go to The Un Mom and link up.  Be sure to see who else is playing today!

Living the impossible dream?

Last Friday in the mail I got my somewhat anticipated RWR (Romance Writers Report published for members of the Romance Writers of America, for which I am not really a romance writer but it's a good association to belong to).  It has articles on craft, trends, tips and success stories among other things.  I was eating lunch Saturday reading an article about the effects of the economy on the publishing world, not an entirely new idea for RWR as past issues this year have also touched on this topic.

My lunch suddenly sat in my stomach and I felt the stress creeping in.

What scares me is that while sales on the whole are only somewhat reduced or stable it's that publishing houses already selective, are becoming even more so.  A tough dose of reality for the unpublished author.  It gets harder and harder to compete in an already competitive business, so much that my own ideals of what I want to accomplish are changing.  

I am opening myself up to working with a smaller publisher, a different genre classification and the scary world of e-publishing which has it's own concerns and complications.

I've tweaked and changed my work to fit in with submissions guidelines for publishers I'd never considered before.  Ones I'm not entirely sure I love.  I've even grappled with removing parts of my work to fit in the much smaller word count guidelines than I'm used to.  Should I change what I ultimately want just to get a foot in the door?  For myself yes, I am willing to do quite a bit.  I'll accept non-fiction work, freelance of nearly any type, anything to just make something stick.

Non-fiction work doesn't help much in a novelists world as far as publication.  In fact the class I took from a NYT bestselling author said she never mentioned her numerous non-fiction works when seeking to publish her novel.  And didn't recommend we do so either.

There's a little figure I've heard that 90% of the population wants to write a book but only 1% actually do.

I'm the 1%.  Lots of people I have connected with are in that 1%.  So how do we become that percentage that makes it to the next level, the mythical world of Published?

I'm taking  classes, reading writing books, absorbing articles. I'm writing on a nearly daily basis and my list of things to do grows daily.  There's always work that needs a bit more rubbing to gain the desired shine and polish.

I normally keep these posts off this blog and confined to my 'professional' writing blog but there are a lot of new people I've met in recent weeks here through Blogging Mama who are writers, writer mama's, and writer dad's.  

I know how selective and guarded writers are.  I've cultivated several friendships online with other writers only to have them up and disappear.  Did they feel threatened somehow?  By me, my work, my progress?  Who knows.  It's a cutthroat business, one published authors insist is worth the struggle.  

I hope so.  If you know a writer, especially the unpublished, give them some support and encouragement.  

Because it's cold and lonely out here on the outside of the Cool Club desperately seeking a way in...

Young Love in the Nation’s Capital

This little story is for a contest, to win stuff.  I like to win stuff though I rarely do.  If you haven’t heard Dadshouse is having a Spring Fever contest.  You’ll need to head over there for the specifics.  I’m not going to help you out and give you the categories, I’m in this to win darn it.

My second little note, dear Hubby (and family), you may not want to read this little story cause it actually isn’t about you.  This is pre-you history here.  By about three years….

Imagine if you will a beautiful day in Bryn Mawr, PA on a quiet cul-de-sac street in a swanky neighborhood where the flowers are cultivated by gardeners and the two point five kids are running on the crisp picture perfect green lawn.  The beautiful suburban moms in their tennis whites and the dads with golf clubs stand chatting at the end of long curving driveways.  Idyllic no?

Now picture the scene inside the house at the end of the court, the nannies room.  That’d be where I come into this story.  Another weekend, another Saturday, another friend bailed out on an adventure.  So what does a 19 year old girl who was bound for DC with her best friend do now?  

She picks up the phone and calls this guy she hasn’t actually met yet in person but has talked to on the phone (who seems way nice!) and says: (I may have taken liberty with the actual words but whatever)

Me: Hey, I’m going to, like, go to DC today, do you wanna come with?  It’s totally cool if you don’t but whatever. 

Him: Like, okay.  Sounds cool.

An hour later we met in Norwood (that’s near the Philly airport for those who don’t know) at some mall whose name escapes me.  Inside I thought he might be the coy guy with the goatee who was staring at me over the music rack but since I’d never seen him I didn’t exactly know.  Our eyes met and something like “is it you?”  “no, is it you?” went on for a few minutes but ahh, it was Him and it was Me.

A bit of hilarity here.  I didn’t want him to drive cause then I’d be alone in his car, you know with the person I’ve actually never met before and don’t know from Adam?  Somehow if I drive this makes it different.  Don’t exactly know how but it does.

We hop in my car, and in a fit of honesty I’ll say it was not a cool car.  There is no possible way a bright neon blue Neon is a cool car.  It simply is not possible.  But when you’re a college student/nanny, sometimes cool just isn’t affordable.  The drive takes about two hours or so and my ‘date’ only dozed off once or twice.  That’s okay I get car sleepy too.

Once we finally parked, took the metro into the city and walked around it was a beautiful spring day, the cherry blossoms were in bloom and you could almost see the buds willing themselves to open a little further right in front of your eyes.  A spectacular sight to behold it was.  (In fact go to DC now and the Cherry Blossom festival is in swing.  It’s an amazing experience.)  Something else was budding right before my own eyes.  A small little thing called like.

After a nice long lunch at Union Station we headed over to the Air and Space Museum and then generally goofed around on the mall.  We even rode the carousel.  

Awww.  

I know.  I was there.  There were several almost is-he-gonna-kiss-me-or-not moments.  Nope, not quite yet.

On the train back to the car he did try to take my hand but I moved at the last second (darn it) so that had to wait too.  It turned out to be a long date, likely the longest ever for me but in a very good way.  Once we reached the mall again we hopped in his car, because now it’s safe, duh!  We went to a greasy diner and ate cheeseburgers and talked and it got so late I actually had to call home to remind them not to set the alarm.  I did plan to be back in my bed that night.  At some point.

You’re waiting for the kiss moment aren’t you?  So was I.  And I didn’t get disappointed and frankly I’m not ashamed to kiss and tell.  We stood outside my car, now about one in the morning and hemmed and hawed about “it’s getting late” and “I should go”.  Then he leaned in and I leaned too and…magic.  He did have the most spectacularly soft lips.  And he was a very good kisser indeed.

We went on to date for several months.  He introduced me to many things like Smashing Pumpkins and Portishead, MC Escher drawings and lots of late night driving between Norwood and Bryn Mawr.  We eventually broke up but did see each other a few times about two years after that.  We went to a Flyers game and to dinner.  It was really nice but for us both the spark had gone out.  We were both working full time in two very different worlds.  It was never meant to be but I never hear Smashing Pumpkins without thinking of him.  Nor can I listen to Portishead in quite the same way. 

There’s nothing like a Philly boy to make a young girls heart go pitty pat….

Thanks Dadshouse for creating the contest and reminding me of a fond memory.  That was actually fun.  I'll look forward to hearing you've picked it to win on April 2nd.  And while were on the subject, I'm fairly sure you said you liked Old Fashioneds and that you can be bribed with Belgian chocolate right???  

Friday, Fun Friday - F2 and Candid Carrie's Photo Friday

My first post at In the Real World: Venus vs Mars! is today.  So please go over there and check it out! 

Ever since blogger started this whole scheduled posting stuff, I've been on a posting tear.  Like four or five days a week posting streak.  Have something to say?  Schedule it!  Thought of something funny?  Schedule it!  I'll hit 400 posts sometime around May.

I think that easily tells me I'm avoiding all the other stuff that I really should be doing.  Like housework (but that's always been easy to avoid, just don't look at the house!), spending proper time with the kids (are you supposed to do more than toss food at them?) and avoiding making any progress on other ventures.  I can easily blame it on lots of things like the rainy weather, lack of desire to move out from behind the computer (hence why I've jumped on the exercise bandwagon), easy access to the Mac in the living room that we never turn off, only put to sleep every now and then, the fact that I love Germany and am not counting down the days till we go Auf Wiedersehen and tschuss! (340 days just in case you wanted to know) 

I'm posting too much because no one wants to play.  It's like being picked last for gym because your short, small and not particularly athletic.  I'm not saying I am those things necessarily because I have a wicked tennis serve (so long as we aren't staying in the lines or anything), backhand that ball with the less than the best and I'm really good at my son's obstacle course in our backyard. Mm, hmm.  And swings, I can swing really high. 

Anyway.  I did have a point this Friday.  I'm following a new Friday event this week at Ca-Joh. Friday's Feast or F2.  Food.  What is better than food?  Nothing.  Break out your favorite recipes and head over and link up!  Last week was the first F2 and I made Ca-Joh's recipe for artichoke spaghetti for dinner.  It was so good.  In case you don't believe me here's a picture.

So I'm going to post one of my favorite recipes (even my picky 7 year old eats this!)  

Blogging Mama's Sausage Jambalaya

Ingredients:

1 pd ham (preferably smoked), cubed

1 pd kielbasa sausage, sliced (here we use cabanossi sausage since I can't find kielbasa I like)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 large celery stalks, diced

1 green or red bell pepper, diced

1 large onion, diced

1 1/2 cups long grain rice (uncooked)

1 16 ounce can diced tomatoes

4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

In a large stockpot add the ham and sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until both are well browned, about 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, celery, bell pepper and onion.  Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the rice, tomatoes, broth, salt and cayenne pepper.  Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed (depending on your stove this may take longer).  

Serve with crusty bread, a glass of cabernet and enjoy!

It's not hard to make I promise.  People see the ingredients and get all "I can't do that!"  Yes, I am here to say you can.  All it really takes is chopping and stirring and waiting.  I always bring this to potlucks and it's gone faster than you can spell Sausage Jambalaya.

Candid Carrie, whom I love to visit on Friday's is of course having Photo Friday Fiesta today!  A great way to celebrate the end of the week with a picture.  So leave me a comment, then go to Carrie's and see who else is playing today!

If you need me, I'll be in here today.  I've got migraine-o-polis.   Shh, no yelling.

Okay okay, so it's not actually my bedroom.  It belongs to PotteryBarn.com, lucky girl.  I wish it was though, does that count? 

With lots of this:

I'll be leaving that place long enough to toss on another round of Blues Clues or Curious George to occupy the little one.  But that's about it.

Please link up over at Candid Carries and also stop by Ca-Joh for F2!  You might also want to check out this new little blog thing myself and Shelle created called In the Real World: Venus vs Mars.  Everyone's doing it!

Tomorrow; my entry for Dadshouseblog.com's Spring Fever contest.  It's gonna be good, so come back now you hear?

Special Award(s) and MamaKat's Writers Workshop

Please see this post for the AWESOME new blog Shelle and I started.  Or simply visit the blog site itself, Venus vs Mars.

I wanted to play at MamaKat's today in her writing workshop.  So today is combo post day.

My prompt today (which I 'm totally brilliant at!)

3.) What are you putting off right now?

Oh where do I start?  I consider myself legend in putting things off.  Why do today what you can do tomorrow right?  I suppose it's easiest to list the things I'm putting off this week:

laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking, laundry, getting the summer tires put on my car (stupid but I actually do obey the law here in this regard), clean my desk, finish edits, finish writing, finish reading, return blog visits (way behind on this one!), clean.  Figure out life.

Well, that wasn't so bad I guess!  It's so easy to put things off when something else is more interesting and I tend to do it all too frequently.  What I really need to do is make a plan and stick to it.  I've tried organizers, daily chore calendars, even tried setting my blackberry for reminders, left sticky notes all over.  But still there are some things that just aren't going to get done within a timely fashion.  This is something I definitely need to work at.

I'm behind so here's more to my post:

I've been blessed by some lovely bloggers with awards in the recent weeks and it's time I got around to saying my thank you's.  Not only are both of these ladies great bloggers who make me laugh out loud, they are both adoptive parents.  I love finding adoptive families to connect with.  So on to the awards with many thanks ladies!

I got this really cool award from this superb blogger.  Natasha at Exile on Mom Street awarded me with the Premios Dardo award which has been renamed the The Smoking Typewriter. Oh, I like that even better!  Thank you very much! (and by the way, I love your new blog look!)  

Here's how this works:

 "Given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing...created with the intention of promoting fraternization between bloggers, a way of showing affection and gratitude for the work that adds value to the web."

Rule number one of accepting this prestigious award calls for me to put my name in a Google image search and share the results.  Hmm, okay.  Ha!  It actually pulled up a bunch of my pictures/posts!  That was so funny.  Here's the link (hopefully it'll give you the results correctly) GoogleSearch   

The second rule is I'm supposed to pass it on to ten other people.  Hmm, this is always the hard part for me.  And Natasha stole a couple of people from me already (I was gonna pick Petra!  ;) so it's even harder!  

In no particular order, here are some of my favorite reads worthy of this award. They all make me laugh or think or feel something on an almost daily basis:

Nut in a Nutshell, Chronicles of a Mommy, Clark Kent's Lunchbox, Us and Them (Captain Dumbass), Coachblogger, Pearl, Why You Little.., Let Me Think On It, Dadshouse, Cinnamon & Honey, and Divinely Written.  

Whew!  That was a lot of pressure!  Enjoy the award everyone and pass it on if you wish to or don't, I'm not fussy either way.

I also got a Triple Award from awhile back from Retro Girl and haven't gotten around to saying thank you. Sorry about that. Thank You Very Much!  (I can't remember what I'm supposed to do with it so I'll just take it and enjoy!)

In the Real World Venus vs Mars - A New Blog!

Oh My Goodness.  Have I got a treat for you today (and many days to come).  It all started with a lovely lady named Shelle over at BLOKThoughts (I see you nodding your head, good, you know her too).  Well she had this idea for a real blog about real relationships, a no holds barred kind of thing.  And I said "Mm, Hmm, I am on board with that!"  We emailed, we debated, we created and here's a little something we've come up with:

  

Yep, we really did.  And it's going to be pretty great.  But before I give you the juicy details of where you can find In The Real World Venus vs Mars we need your help.  Your input.  Your words.  We want bloggers who want to talk about relationships (MEN ENCOURAGED AND WELCOME!!) to join us and be contributors to the site.  We would like to have a regular group of writers and we are also looking for guest posters.  We also welcome questions, thoughts, ideas.  Email us realworldvenusmars@gmail.com or comment.  You can even ask to be posted anonymously, that's perfectly okay too.

What we would like to do is keep it as an adult site.  And NO I don't mean that in a  p o r n o  way.  It simply means you'll have to leave your mom and dad hats (if you happen to wear them) at the door.  This is a place for grown-up issues.  Singles, marrieds, committed relationships and committed flirts welcome.

Shelle said it way better than me over at the site so check out her first post giving away some of the details of the site What is this blog all about??

Shelle's also dishing on her regular blog all about Venus and Mars too so go to BLOKThoughts and read up.  Then go to RWVM and leave us a little comment love.  Follow if you'd like (we'd like that!)  Be sure to email or leave a comment here on Blogging Mama, onBLOKThoughts or on RWVM if you'd like to be a regular or guest poster on the new site!

We hope you will help spread the word about the site so tell your friends, tell your enemies and join in for some great discussions!

Random Tuesday

There is a great event on Tuesday's at The Un-Mom, Random Tuesday Thoughts.  I could so go for a totally random post because that's where my brain is the happiest.  But I do my own event on Tuesdays.  So I decided this week I'd play along with her event...on Wednesday.  Forget it, no one's playing Two on Tuesday so I'll be Random Tuesday Thoughts today then (though if you do want to play ToT just bump down to the next post).  I know that's against 'the rules' but when have I ever cared about that?  So my Random Tuesday Thoughts...

Last week when I went running on Friday (and felt like I was dying - you try running and pushing 43 pounds of kid/stroller) my sock slipped down in my shoe and I yanked it back up but the dang thing would not stay.  So now I have three little raw spots on my ankle.  At least it's on the same foot I had surgery on over three years ago with the still pink scar.  They form a little line of battlescars.  I'm so happy I went with the ankle/foot surgeon who said he'd do it just like the plastic surgery guys do!  While I'm on the subject, should I still have numbness and occasional lightening pain in that scar spot?  Yep, that's what I thought.  Thanks Doc! (quack)

Do you know how hard it is to know something and not be allowed to say it?  Not that I know anything...I'm just asking.

Sunday I read an entire book in one day it was that good.  Check my reading tab if you are interested, it's the first book listed.  Be prepared for twists and turns is all I'm saying.

Music has taken on a new level of obsession.  I simply can't do anything without it.  Driving, dishes, blogging, working, running.  I even clean while listening to the iPod.  I have to stop clicking on blogs with music because inevitably I find something new to like.  (Thanks Ruby Red Slippers at Lions, Tigers and Boys Oh My!  I've now come to cultivate two songs recently because of your site and an entire album.  iTunes and my bank account thank you.)

I was just thinking that the weather had finally turned in my favor, I got all jiggy with this exercise thing and then...rain.  And possibly snow/rain today.  W.T.H.  I love Germany!  

I'm going to do this too on a regular basis:

Honestly it is a great workout video.  I've had it since college when the girls in the Ronson Hall dorm started doing it four days a week in the lounge freshman year.  I particularly like the kickboxing/karate part.  I do get the impression the instructor, Karen Voight, may have been the inspiration for this wii Fit lady everyone talks about.  Sadistic doesn't begin to cover the abs section of this video.

I had someone buy some of my baby gear stuff I was selling through an expat club here.  Back and forth via email to figure out will she buy it, will she not?  For golly's sake lady it's a dumb 45 euro stroller - buy or don't but stop wasting my time!  So she finally says yes, she'd like to buy it but can she meet me today (getting this message at 12:45pm and I told her no later than 2 to meet on any given day because of Boo's school schedule).  Oh and she's leaving to go back home to Michigan tomorrow and oh yeah, she doesn't have a car.  Do I mind terribly driving to Cologne and bringing it to her?  Sure, cause I have nothing else to do to make a quick 45 euros. I politely didn't put it quite that way but it was a resounding 'Sorry, will have to wait until another day.'  I do have a life.  (But if you want the Bugaboo for 350 euros I'll drive through snow and ice!)

I have to finish this dang agent query letter and send it out.  I hate these things.  Anyone want to write it for me?  I can't pay you in anything other than thanks and maybe some chocolate so drop me a line if you're interested!

The SKY tv guy was supposed to show up tonight to fix the dish.  Did he show up?  NO. It's 10:15 at night I think all hope is lost.   Just like always we have a totally different concept of which day and time he's supposed to be here. No tv since Friday and not only did I miss Numb3rs when it first showed on Friday, now I've also missed the re-run of it tonight.

Wow, that was fun.  It's kind of like the therapy sessions of Not Me Monday's! at MckMama's.

And now the latest in my little Boo's world: (is he not the most handsome thing you've ever seen??)

Waffle Hut, Orlando, Florida Feb 09

Boo came home from his little friends house Friday, his girl friend's house.  We were looking at a Where's Waldo book and he said there's Waldo and his girlfriend.  So I asked him:

Me: Do you have a girlfriend?

Boo: {giggle, pause} G! {and he hides his face in a pillow}

Yep, the little girl who's house he'd been at.  Well, it fits.  They've been inseparable since the first day of school back in August.  Sitting next to each other at the back to school picnic, always playing together on the playground.  It's always G this and G that.  

She is a very cute little girl I have to say, very polite.  They are good solid Americans.  Her mom is nice and drives a mini-van.

Just when I was getting used to the idea of his first loose tooth.  Then this!

Sigh.  My boy's heart is starting to belong to another.  She better be good enough for Boo, that's all I'm saying.

Two on Tuesday with Blogging Mama

It's Tuesday!  The first thing to announce today before we get on with the event is the winner of yesterdays Writer Mama giveaway! In a very scientific way (umm, I printed the comments, cut them out, folded them and let my 7 year old pick one from a hat ;)  

The winner is:  Kimberly Zook!

Congratulations!  Yea!  Please send me an email momof2squirts {at} yahoo {dot} com with your full name and address so I can give it to Christina and she will mail out your book.  Thank you to all who stopped by and participated!

Now on to Two on Tuesday!  I thought we'd go nostalgic today.  If you don't know what Two on Tuesday (ToT) is here's what we do. On Tuesday I post two questions, two thoughts, two of something.  I encourage you to add your own 'two' in the comments or on your own site.  If you add it to your site please link back to me, feel free to snag the nifty button below and leave a comment so I can stop by and check it out!

<a href="www.bloggingmama-andrea.blogspot.com”" target="_blank" title="Tips for New Bloggers"><img border="0" alt="Two on Tuesday" width="80" src="http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn27/momof2squirts/Resizedtuesdays-1.jpg" height="15" /></a>

Just copy and paste the code from the box above into your post.  If you need help email me by using the contact me button on the navigation bar across the top of my page.

I gave this one a lot of thought and also my answers, especially this first one because there were plenty of things to choose from.  Think back to years past (or maybe even recent years) and tell me: 

#1 What's the one thing from the past you should part with but you simply can't bring yourself to do it?  Some examples: letters, ratty teddy bears, college stuff etc.  Make you tell me why you can't bear to get rid of it.

The second question is another look back or possibly forward.  

#2 What did you want to be when you grew up?  And have you become what you wanted to be?  You can interpret that in terms of jobs, where you are at in life, anyway you like.

#1 For me the first question has a lot of possible answers.  I tend to keep things.  Lots of things.  I have a particular sweatshirt that fits the bill though.  All it says is PCTS (which stands for Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science) my college of choice many years ago (which is now known by the name Philadelphia University, PU.  I much prefer PCTS.)  It's a large grey sweatshirt and the letters are in a nice flower print.  It has started to achieve the little holes along the cuffs and has a light coffee stain on the bottom.  It is nearly 13 years old!  I never wear it out of the house it's strictly the "I'm cold so I'll throw this on while watching tv" sweatshirt. But I can not fathom getting rid of it.  I've tried, I simply can not do it.  It'd be like throwing away the best/hardest years of my life.  I suffered through the shared dorm room and dining hall food and I've got the $36,291 sweatshirt to prove it!

#2 When I was little I wanted to be lots of things.  A ballerina, a teacher, a lawyer.  Later on I wanted to be an architect and even spent a semester in college with this dream (turns out I can't draw, as my drawing professor told me, ouch!)  I switched majors and started studying marketing.  The dream was the power suit & corner office in an advertising agency.  I am very proud that the best grades I've ever gotten in college (straight A's thanks!) were in my advanced advertising and marketing classes.  It turns out I'm good at making up slogans to go with pictures and convincing you you need to buy stuff.  

But what I am really doing with life is being a full-time mom and writing novels, shuffling my feet and waiting to be published.  A rather rough world to be in (on both accounts).  I'll go back to work maybe next year after I finish my degree {note to others, don't leave school when you only have a year left. That's just plain stupid!} and hopefully pursue something in journalism or other writing related field.  But maybe in the meantime I'll sell one of these four+ manuscripts floating around my desk and become a best selling novelist instead.  Now that would be something.

I'd like to add the music selections today were for nostalgia (though I do still listen to SmashMouth).  Ahh, the music of my youth!

So tell me, how would have answered Two on Tuesday this week?

The Writer Mama Two-Year Anniversary Blog Tour Giveaway!

It's Monday and a very exciting day here!  I am honored to say that today I have my first guest poster on Blogging Mama, the lovely mom and author Christina Katz.  She has been hopping around the internet this month offering some really great writing advice.  If you haven't heard about her wonderful Blog Tour then please go visit her site and catch up!  You could even win a copy of her book by answering the question she has for you below, simply leave your answer in my comment box and I will announce the winner tomorrow.

Here's Christina's advice for today, day 23...

The Writer Mama Two-Year Anniversary Blog Tour Giveaway! 

Post #23: The Perils of Book Writing (Part Three)

Continued from Part One and Part Two

Putting Spirituality to Use (Not abuse)

If fear is the biggest threat to your emotional health while writing a book and negativity is the biggest danger to your mental health, then deprivation is the biggest threat to your spiritual health.

Spiritual 911

You might be tempted to abandon your spiritual practices while working on a book to find more time. Of course, since I’ve already mentioned the physical, emotional and mental havoc that book writing can have on even the most high self-esteem, grounded, and happy individuals, I think this would be the worst possible time to alter a spiritual routine that has kept you feeling connected to a higher power. I’d even go so far as to suggest that you’ll need your connection more then ever in order to stay in touch with your intuition and instincts.

So when writing a book is this a good time to stop going to church, recovery meetings, temple, or your weekly mediation circle? 

No. Absolutely try to maintain your spiritual rootedness while writing your book. You’ll thank me later.

Spiritual 411

I attended a nearby Christian Writer’s Conference last year. While there, I attended a workshop and learned something from the acquisitions editor of a well-established Christian publisher. He said to a predominantly Christian audience, “Don’t make the mistake of only writing for other Christians if your topic can serve a broader audience.”

Why? Because every time you tighten the focus of your readership, you lose readers and therefore book sales. So before you decide to write a Christian book, or a recovery book, a Jewish book, or a Buddhist book, etc., ask yourself if your book is really only for these folks or if you could extract the principles for a broader audience and therefore reach more readers and achieve more sales.

Spiritual Don’t-Do-It

I feel that it’s important to bring up, since we are talking about book writing, that it’s important not to make the mistake of thinking that your religious beliefs belong in our book, unless they are explicitly written into your approved book proposal and marketing plan, or unless your religion is explicitly part of your platform and is anticipated by your readers.

In other words, call on your spiritual reserves to buoy yourself up while you are writing a book; but never assume that your specific readership shares your religious beliefs, unless you know for a fact that they do. A far safer bet is to assume religious diversity in your readers.

And finally, never try to sneak your spirituality into your book when you’ve formally agreed to something else in your contract. That’s a big mistake that will bring your professionalism into question. A writer’s job is to respect the reader, not convert them, unless this is explicitly the purpose of the book.

Today's Book Drawing: To enter to win a signed, numbered copy of Writer Mama, answer the following question in this blog's comments:

How will your spiritual beliefs help you write your book? How much will your religious beliefs will be included in your book? Anything else you'd like to add to this discussion?

Thanks for participating! Only US residents, or folks with a US mailing address can participate in the drawing. Please only enter once per day.

Where will the drawing be tomorrow? Visit http://thewritermama.wordpress.com/ to continue reading the rest of the Writer Mama story throughout March 2009!

Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids by Christina Katz (Writer's Digest Books2007)

Kids change your life, but they don't necessarily have to end your career. Stay-at-home moms will love this handy guide to rearing a successful writing career while raising their children. The busy mom's guide to writing life, this book gives stay-at-moms the encouragement and advice they need including everything from getting started and finding ideas to actually finding time to do the work - something not easy to do with the pitter-patter of little feet. With advice on how to network and form a a business, this nurturing guide covers everything a writer mama needs to succeed at her second job. Christina Katz is also the author of the newly released Get Known Before the Book Deal, Use Your Personal Strengths to Grow an Author Platform (Writer's Digest Books 2008).

Midnight on a Friday

As I lowered the shades outside the living room door to the patio tonight I glanced up and just before the metal shade on the outside of the window fell across my vision I saw out in the night sky something beautiful and full of wonder.  

In the cloudless cold sky sat the most amazing inky black night filled with what seemed thousands of stars so bright and pure.  I caught my breath and stared as I once again moved the shade this time up so that I could for a moment gaze at the sky.  

It is amazing.  When I will see such a sight again I don't know.  As I have frequently both lamented and praised we live in the country next to the city.  From my living room window, which is the back of our house, we sit three stories up.  The huge picture window shows me the cows and horses on the hill opposite the road.  Out my kitchen window, the front of the house, and up two streets of the hill my house is perched on, are horse stables and a riding school.  

But in ten short minutes I can be in the zentrum drinking a Starbucks and taking in the city’s pedestrian squares.  

It is an amazing thing these stars tonight, so bright and high in the sky.  In fact I had to pick up my phone and type this out so that by morning I would have this memory written and not once again forgotten to a nights dreams as so many of my thoughts are as I wait for sleep to pull me under.  

But maybe the vision I saw tonight was a dream it's hard to say.  As I lay on the couch attempting a more quiet night of sleep away from the toddlers nightly crying spells I wonder if everyone else has seen what I have and if there are others out there enjoying such a sight.  

I like to think I am not the only one for whom the sight of stars has created a moment of quiet reflection and inner peace.

Candid Carrie's Photo Friday & What Are You Wearing?

It's time once again for my two favorite Friday activities!  Candid Carrie is hosting Photo Friday and over at Tiara's & Tantrums we have What Are You Wearing? so have a read, leave a comment and then head over to both and see who else is playing today!

Last Thursday I asked my dad if I could look through all the old photos they had of me as a kid.  He brought up the same banker's box they'd been stored in since I was a child and mom, dad and I had a good many laughs over these pictures.  Shame Sis wasn't there, she could have prevented me from taking some of the great (80's highly embarrassing ones of her) and bringing them home to Germany to put on the internet.  I'm just wicked evil like that Sis, sorry.

Unfortunately my old scanner does not work with my Mac so I had to take a picture of the picture which naturally means the quality isn't as good.  But I still think this is a good picture of my family.  This is us probably circa 1983 when I was six.  I know we are in Alberta (maybe Banff?), Canada because I remember going to the waterfalls there and saying how pretty it was. We were on a camping trip.  I'm the littler one in this picture in the grey and crimson sweatsuit.  

Notice how thrilled we all look?  It actually was a great vacation.  I remember that way back then we could actually drink the fast flowing water without risk of being poisoned.  Of course I wouldn't exactly recommend this on your next family trip.  My sister may also now really want to come to Germany to kill me for posting this picture visit.  Ha!  I won't be coming to see you for at least a year so hopefully your memory will have faded by then.  I couldn't resist posting. Love ya!

The next one is a few weeks before my 7th birthday at Easter in 1983.  I decided if I posted the other half of the picture that contained my sister she really might have climbed on a plane, killed me, dressed me in my running clothes and left my body near the river.  Maybe not but why take the chance right?

Do you just love the shawl look and the white socks or what?  Look how cold it was because there's a fire going in the fireplace but I have short sleeves and no tights on.  I love the 80's such great fashion! (not)

So that's Candid Carrie for today.  I think I've embarrassed myself enough.  Go see who else is playing today!

On to What Are You Wearing? with Tiara's & Tantrums.  I am cheating a bit.  I actually wore this yesterday  I am planning to get out and run today so I won't be getting into 'real' clothes until later and then it'll likely be comfy stuff since I've foisted Boo off on a playdate so I don't even have to do school pick-up!  So here's what I was wearing yesterday.

 

Green coat (that Crash wants to steal) and blue tank under shirt (which you can't see) from H&M, shirt from New York and Company, black pants from Old Navy and the famous Esprit flats that everyone loved so much last time.  Jewelry - wedding rings, Scottish Thistle ring, butterfly necklace from Tiffany's and yellow bracelet from J-Crew.

What Are You Wearing today?  Make sure and go over to Tiara's & Tantrums and tell her!

I also have very exciting news!  Please make sure to come back on Monday where I will be hosting the Writer Mama Two Year Anniversary Blog Tour Giveaway with Christina Katz! Wahoo!  This is a fantastic way to get some inside scoop on writing and a great chance to win a  copy of her book, Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids  simply by answering a question she will have for all of you!  Easy Peasy!  So be sure to stop back on Monday March 23 (that's this Monday) for your chance to be a part of the giveaway.

Another fun event happens on Friday now too!  Friday Feast with Ca-Joh!  Stop by for some great recipes (this weeks is tres yummy).  You can link up your own recipes as well.  I'll be heading over with my plate and fork prepared to taste some delicious treats.

And for those who've enquired - my mom had her surgery yesterday and dad said all is well.  I'll speak to her later this evening, so thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts - they worked!

Writer's Workshop with MamaKat

MamaKat is hosting Writer's Workshop today so please read up here and then go and join in over there!  It's always a lot of fun.  Today I chose this prompt:


2.) List ten things you can do in three minutes

1. Blog
2. Read blogs
3. Make coffee
4. Change a diaper
5. Eat chocolate
6. Make Boo's lunch
7. Decide it's too icky out to do anything
8. Tell Chick to get OFF her highchair
9. Put Chick in timeout
10. Write this post :)

See that wasn't so hard was it? So head over and see who else is playing today at MamaKat's Losing it!
I realize after reading some other lists it's quite possible that we are supposed to list all the things we can accomplish in only three minutes, not things that take us three minutes each.  I already linked up so I'll leave it and you can all know about my lack of following directions  my own way of interpreting things that generally gets me in trouble.

I might be in for more than I bargained for

I recently made the decision to start being more healthy.  And by that I mean cutting out chocolate exercising.  Why exercise?  Why not? I ask you!  People think because I am skinny thin that I don't need to.  Okay, just because I may not have an issue with weight doesn't mean I shouldn't shake the cobwebs and move out from behind the computer every now and then.
So what have I chosen to do for my exercise?

R U N

Yep, quite possibly I may have lost my mind. But it sounds so good, all that blood pumping through the veins and the legs in motion and all that other...stuff.  First, I had to get accessorized. I made the trip to Kohls while visiting my mom last week and I came away with these:

Cute, no?  If that doesn't make you want to get all down with exercise then I don't know what will.  Available at Kohl's.  On sale even.  Then of course I had to get some pants, with a matching pink stripe (this time hunting the clearance rack). If I'm going to do this I might as well look good when they find my dehydrated, dead tired body crumpled by the side of the running path.  

I don't know what makes me think I'm going to be particularly good at running, since history shows me I'm not, but it seemed like an achievable goal.  A worthwhile endeavor.  If I fail I could blame it on this lovely blogger, who after all, made it look easy - Domestically Challenged? 

No, I really wouldn't  But the temptation would be there.  Hopefully the weather will be in cooperation (and I will be as well both on the same day) and I will be running this week.  The Chick will be my escort in her stroller (I do have one that is good for this) so the excuses are sort of fading away.  Plus if I am any good at it I can claim to be a runner.  That's a kind of cool thing to say.  Better than saying I'm good at reading blogs or typing or eating Milka Caramel bars.  

Ohh, Milka Caramel.  

I wonder if there are any left in the cupboard...

Two on Tuesday with Blogging Mama

It's time for another addition of Two on Tuesday!  This week's theme is music so I hope everyone will participate.  If you're not familiar with ToT here's what we do.  On Tuesday I post two questions, two thoughts, two of something.  I encourage you to add your own 'two' in the comments or on your own site.  If you add it to your site please link back to me, feel free to snag the nifty button below and leave a comment so I can stop by and check it out!

<a href="www.bloggingmama-andrea.blogspot.com”" target="_blank" title="Tips for New Bloggers"><img border="0" alt="Two on Tuesday" width="80" src="http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn27/momof2squirts/Resizedtuesdays-1.jpg" height="15" /></a>

All you need to do is copy the code in the box above and add it to your own post.  If you have questions or need help go to the 'contact me' button and let me know.  Mr Linky is making his first appearance here as well so you can link up. Actually he isn't here.  He's screwing up my webpage for some reason so I had to take him out.  If you play along on your own page I will manually link you in the post so please just leave a comment telling me you've posted to your own blog.  Many thanks and hopefully Mr Linky will work out in  the future.  Though this is the second time I've tried this and the second time he's screwed up the page. 

On with today's Two - 

#1 What song (or lyrics from a song) best describes your life?  It can be something that fits your mood right now or just a song you like as well.  Make sure to tell me why it fits you!

#2 What's the best concert you've ever been to?  What made it memorable?  If you've never been to a concert tell me what group you'd like to see.

My answers:

#1 I had to think about this one for awhile because there are lots of songs!  I finally chose Many the Miles by Sara Barielles.

'There’s too many things that I haven’t done yet
Too many sunsets
I haven’t seen
You can’t waste the day wishing it’d slow down
You would have thought by now

I’d have learned something'

I really like this song because I think it fits where I am right now.  There are so many things I have yet to do and see in the world and not nearly enough time to do them in.  I've started making a goal list (sort of like the top things to do before you turn thirty except I'm already past thirty...).  I look forward to checking them off!

#2 Best concert.  This was nearly as hard as the first one.  I had a few to choose from.  Dave Matthews (three times) was certainly high on the list as was seeing Collective Soul before they were anybody in one of those small Philly clubs.  But I have to say hands down for memorable - Jimmy Buffett at the E-Center in Camden, NJ.  Seven years ago maybe?  We went with friends who lived in Camden and we had the great lawn seats.  If you've ever been to the E-Center, this can be good and bad.  It turned out to be bad on a summer's night. It started with a whole lotta dark clouds rolling in and then thunder.  And lightening and way more rain than it takes to drown a rat.  So, soaked to the bone, shivering in the wind on the lawn, we heard Jimmy Buffett sing his legendary songs.  And even though I was really not having fun at the time I look back and see that it was the best concert I've ever been to.  Hands down the most memorable!  How many people can say they've seen Jimmy Buffett in the rain??

So tell me, how would you have answered Two on Tuesday this week?

Today's Players are:

Jeannie at Jeannie's Happy World  I dare you to click the link - you'll walk away smiling for sure!

Natasha at Exile on Mom Street  Go check out her answers, now not a dry eye over here!

Please also read through the comments for more great answers from others!

Recession Friendly Bargains: Beauty on a Budget

This was really just too good to pass up.  I subscribe to Harper's Bazaar and this month my edition features Sarah Jessica Parker on the cover.  I love Miss Carrie Bradshaw. I'll see the SITC movie one of these days.  But it was within the pages of this magazine that I found the bargains I wanted to mention.

Ever conscious of the tough times here's what Harper's Bazaar had for me this month:

Bargain Find #1 Dennis Basso blouse $2,100 silk looking with weird purple and grey, looks more like something you'd find in your grandmothers closet.  But then again I can't afford $1,000 shirts so maybe I'm clueless.

Bargain Find #2 Lancome Oscillation Mascara $34 Vibrating mascara, seriously.  I'll let you draw your own conclusions on that one.

Bargain Find #3 T3 Bespoke Featherweight Dryer $249 (my personal favorite bargain).  It's a hair dryer, comes in shiny red.  According to Bazaar it's 'a staple'.   Hmm, my definition would be a hairbrush and deodorant but beauty is in the eye of the beholder I suppose.

Bargain Find #4 Barbar Titanium 1 1/2 inch Curling Iron $145  Titanium?  Seriously?   Yeah, okay.  Or you can upgrade to the R Session Tools Nalu Waver curling iron for $179.99.

Bargain Find #5 Mason Pearson Junior hairbrush $126  Apparently the $12.99 brush I've been using just isn't going to cut it.

Of course now you still need pants or a skirt (at least $400-500 for something decent) and shoes (Louboutin pumps are a bargain at Neiman's at $595) and let's not forget jewelry.  Then there's the $55 Sisley Paris lipstick and $56 Chanel eyeshadow.  Of course you'll need a nice handbag from Tod's for the bargain price of $1,665.

It must be hard to be rich in these tough times if even the 'rich' have to bargain shop.

Scenic Scenery Sunday

I got some great pictures while I was visiting in Idaho last week and I wanted to share them. They are of Couer D'Alene Lake and the surrounding area.  Basically where I laughed and swam and grew up in the summers.  

 

These two additional photos are from the plane from Spokane to Seattle so there is a bit of discoloration or reflection across the pictures but I think they are still beautiful.