Another Step

If you haven't noticed (and maybe you haven't because I can't say I've really been writing a whole lot about my writing these days), the writing thing is really taking off for me. While I may not be getting a pile of cash for all of my writing gigs, I'm finding more passion and enjoyment in it, which is success in my book.

On Wednesday, I was invited to join the forum of women professionals over at Damsels in Success. What this means is that there is yet another place where you can read what I have to say, in this case about work, life, business and balance. My first piece (originally published in at Weight of My World) was posted Wednesday. I'm excited to have yet another outlet for my writing and to join such an amazing group of women who are all chasing their dreams and pursuing their passions. Being surrounded by so many women doing what they love and loving what they do motivates me to keep reaching for my goals. And having a support group of people going through, or having been through, similar challenges, struggles and milestones makes those goals seem all that more achievable.

From the Damsels About page:

At Damsels, we agree with the popular notion that, in order to grow something, you have to give it attention. And we want to put the spotlight on YOU... Your fascinating stories, your valuable insights, your ambitious dreams. When you visit Damsels In Success, you should feel that you are in the company of women who listen and share. A Damsels woman is one who wants to hear others' perspective on the professional situations that women have all experienced or witnessed, and she is one who has her own enlightening and curious perspective to share. At the very least, participating in Damsels In Success should be a fun conversation. But we hope it is much more...

There are plenty of resources available at Damsels. You can network with others, search the job database, share your stories, or read about the experiences of others and join in on the conversations. If you're a working woman, whether in an office or at home, Damsels in Success has something for you.

And if nothing else, I hope you'll check out my posts each month. Thanks for reading! You make this writing thing REAL.

Thursday Thirteen #24

If all goes as planned, on Friday I will have completed 6 weeks of consistent exercise and healthy eating. What better time to take a few minutes to make note of the progress I'm making? Yes, I've had a few moments of weakness. Yes, I've skipped my yoga workouts on the weekends more than once. But I'm discovering that it's the big picture that matters, not the little peanut butter binge or the skipped gym trip.

Thirteen Ways I'm Recognizing Real Health and Fitness Progress

1. I'm not beating myself up over that ice cream cone I had last night.

2. I made healthy choices at Ruby Tuesdays and only ate a few of my fries.

3. I've been consistently doing cardio for more than a month and I'm actually looking forward to my workouts again.

4. The scale is being relatively kind.

5. I'm not getting down on myself because my weight loss has been slow.

6. In fact, I'm actually proud that I'm being moderate in my approaches to food and fitness this time around.

7. I actually stop eating when I'm not hungry anymore (most of the time).

8. I tried on two pairs of jeans I haven't worn since Christmas and they actually fit without having to hold my breath.

9. In general, I'm more energetic than I have been in some time.

10. I'm drinking less coffee and diet soda.

11. I'm using less artificial sweetener. In fact, I'm using less sweeteners in general.

12. I can eat chocolate without feeling guilty.

13. I'm speaking kindly to myself every day, no matter what my food and exercise choices.

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BlogHer Acts Donation Challenge Update

Well, we're more than half-way there, and I've tallied 27 comments so far. That means I need more than 70 comments to reach my goal of 100 comments this week (which will mean a $100 donation to a maternal health organization). Please leave a comment today and tomorrow (before midnight EDT) to be included in the final tally.

I've never wanted to spend $100 so badly before! Comment away!

Win a Bike ... and Other Things

I've been catching up on all my blog reading (it seems I'm always catching up but never quite on top of them) and I'm finding some gems out there. Thought I'd share them with you all.

~ Interested in getting more exercise? Courtesy of Lipton White Tea, you can enter to win a new bike over at johnisfit.com just by mentioning the contest on your own blog and you can get an extra entry by stumbling his original post, too. You can also win a Lipton-provided bike from InMyHeels just by commenting with a tip about how you stay young. Get a second entry from her by posting about the contest on your own blog (See how I cleverly did that??? Can you tell I want a free bike?)

~ There's an interesting post on universal health care over at BlogHer.

~ Crabby takes on Entitlement over at Cranky Fitness, my new favorite place to commiserate (OK, and get motivated) about exercise and healthy eating.

~ If you're looking for something to do with your economic stimulus check (I just purchased a computer), check out this list of charitable ideas from Britt at BlogHer.

~ Also at BlogHer, Mocha Momma's talkin' about race in an interview with Rita Arens.

~ If you've still got that wedding dress hanging around, or if you're single and bought one with hope and trepidation, Liz Rizzo collected some suggestions on what to do with the thing.

~ Kalyn has me drooling over her Shrimp and Avacado salad.

~ Having joined the CSA (did I officially tell you that?), I'm going to need something to do with all that local produce, so I joined in on One Local Summer at Farm to Philly. I'll be cooking one local meal a week and posting about it here. Interested? There's still time to join.

I think that's enough linky-business for now. Enjoy!

Update on Donation Challenge: Kicking it Up a Notch

OK, the comments are trickling in, and I really appreciate the support I'm getting so far. Unfortunately, I think I may have set my sights a bit high expecting 200 commenters a day. So....I'm going to up the ante a bit.

In addition to my $25 Mother's Day donation in my mother's name, for every unique commenter each day this week (May 5th through May 9th) I'll donate $1 (up to $100) toward the maternal health cause that receives the most votes. Spread the word, shout it from the rooftops, get those comments rolling. Only four days left to raise money for one of these great causes!

Losing My Identity

One of the things I'm most afraid of these days is identity theft. I have good credit, and frankly, I'd like to keep it that way. You'll understand, then, why I freaked out a bit when I received a statement on Friday from an insurance company I'm no longer with regarding a claim from a doctor I've never seen.

I immediately called the insurance company, who had very little information to give me other than that it seemed someone else may have used my insurance information. The representative I spoke with told me the claim was missing a great deal of information and gave me the number for the physician's office so that I could follow up with them. They were closed at 6PM on Friday, so I had nothing to do but research identity theft on the internet and worry all weekend long. I played through every possible scenario, tried to recall if I might have missed shredding one of the old cards and accidentally thrown one away, put a fraud alert on my credit files (just in case) and stressed out to the nth degree. It was like hypochondria for identity theft victims, because every resource I read that was supposed to help me figure out what to do next only made me worry more about how horrible the situation might be.

On Monday morning, before calling to file a police report, I decided to check with the insurance company to find out if they had a fraud department where I could place a fraud alert on the inactive insurance policy. It turns out that they did, so I called them up and explained the situation. This time, the representative looked at the claim and promptly told me that it appeared there had been an error on the insurance company's part. The claim had been mistakenly applied to my policy instead of the actual patient's policy. The representative submitted a request to clear the claim from my inactive policy and I wrote down the reference number that he gave me so that I can follow up in a couple of weeks to make sure everything has been taken care of.

Apparently, there isn't an identity thief out there with my insurance card after all. Thank God. Talk about a wake-up call, though. I'll certainly be very careful about what personal information leaves my house and how it exits. Now, if you need me I'll be shredding.

**Don't forget to comment for a cause. Thanks for your support!**

Bring on the Comments!

Today is the beginning of my BlogHer Acts Donation Challenge. I hope you'll all join in, spread the word on your own blogs and send visitors my way. The more comments I get, the more money I'll be donating to the maternal health cause of your choice. Leave a comment every day, and make sure you vote for your favorite BlogHer Acts maternal health cause. Mother's Day is just around the corner, and I'm excited to be able to donate toward a special cause that will help mothers around the world stay healthy and be the best mothers they can possibly be.

On top of the donation you help me raise, I'll also be donating a gift in my mother's name. When I asked Mom what she wanted or needed this Mother's Day she couldn't think of anything, so I asked how she would feel about me giving a donation to a maternal health cause in her name. After describing the options, my loving, giving Mom was more than willing to give up yet another gift card for Borders or some other possession she didn't really need. Thanks, Mom! In addition to the funds I donate based on the number of comments I receive, I'll be giving $25 to the Nepal clinic in the name of the woman who gave my sister and me life. She was blessed with the opportunity to receive proper health care before, during and after her pregnancies, and now, in her name, many other women and children will have that opportunity as well.

Bring on the comments! I can't wait to give others the Mother's Day gift of health.

Weekend Stuff

Yesterday was the Maryland Writers' Association Writers' Conference. I spent the day networking, learning how to market my books once I write them, getting motivated, learning new strategies for improving my plotting techniques and eating great food. It was a day well-spent.

This morning I got up early and planted some more flowers in my garden, which you can see at my picture-a-day blog. I also took a 3 hour nap. I'm not sure what's going on with that, but I'm exhausted today. Maybe all that social interaction yesterday drained me, or maybe I'm fighting off some illness, but man am I tired. I could honestly have slept all afternoon, but I knew I had freelancing to do and stuff to get done around the house. Plus, I had to prepare for the start of my donation challenge. Don't forget to stop by every day this week and help me raise money for a maternal health cause. And don't forget to vote for your favorite cause, too.

Hope you all had a good weekend!

Thursday Thirteen #23

Times are tight and I've recently committed to a donation of hefty proportions (relative to my personal budget, at least). This week's TT is all about saving the green for my Blogher Acts Maternal Health Donation.

Thirteen Ways I'll be Cutting Back on Spending in May

1. Stop buying sodas or bottles of water from the grocery store, vending machine or gas station. While I've given up soda most of the time, this gets tough on the weekends.

2. Take my lunch to work. Every. Day. No exceptions.

3. Buy only the essentials at the grocery store. No splurges on Larabars, kumquats or Kalamata olives in May.

4. Eat the food that's already in my house.

5. Avoid purchasing any new (or used) books on my long list of books I want. No matter how many coupons I receive from Barnes & Noble or Borders.

6. Make a list of necessaries for Wal-Mart and buy only what's on the list.

7. Limit Wal-Mart trips to twice during the month. (The less I'm there, the less temptation to buy, buy, buy.)

8. Avoid any stores that sell clothes, shoes or handbags.

9. Feed my cat only her "hard" food. (She normally gets 1 packet of rather expensive soft food each evening. Even Gizmo wants to support maternal health causes.)

10. Limit dates with My Love to things we can do for free: movies in, dinner at home, walks in the park, you get the picture.

11. Read the magazines I have instead of buying more each time I enter a book store, grocery store, or other store that sells magazines. (Clearly, I'm addicted.)

12. Take water in a reusable bottle with me to the gym instead of putting a $2 bottle "on my account" every time I go in.

13. Run all my weekend errands in one trip on one day, avoid driving at all on the other day and plan routes to any weekday meetings carefully to save gas (the biggest cash sucker out there).

How are you saving green during these tight economic times?

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Spreading My Creative Wings

I'm a little late getting around to this, but I thought I should let you know that I'm taking on a bit of a creative challenge--starting tomorrow.

Prompted by some posts I bumped into about Project 365, a challenge to take and post one picture every day for a year, I've decided to give it a try. Initially, I'll be doing the challenge as a Project 31 for the month of May. With all my other responsibilities, I don't want to take on a challenge that will keep me from getting my work done, but I do want to start taking pictures again. And what a better way to get my feet wet again than to plug my nose and dive in with my clothes on, right? If I don't drown, I just might continue with my own Project 365.

This may seem out of the blue, and for many of my readers it probably is, but photography has always been something I've loved. I've been taking pictures for as long as I can remember, and for a while I was known as the girl who always had the camera. Part of this was a defense mechanism (if I'm behind the camera I'll never be in front of it) and part of it was the challenge of creating that perfect frame. While photography has slipped down my list of priorities, it's never been far from my mind, and I'd like to get back into it, to stretch my creative muscles and start getting into the habit of taking pictures again.

I've created a new blog solely for the purpose of posting these pictures and chronicling my foray back into the world of shutter speed, light saturation and aperture size. I'll be working with my point-and-shoot digital for now, but if it looks like I'll be taking more pictures in the future, I might have to go out and get myself one of these, which I've been eying for weeks now. Since I just purchased a new computer, I doubt I'll be getting a new camera in the near future, but a girl can dream, can't she?

Anyway, if you're interested in my photography challenge, check out the new site starting tomorrow. If not, well, that's why I decided to post them on a separate blog.

Small Efforts, Large Results?

I tend to be the all-or-nothing type. If I can't finish something, I don't like to start it. And if it I make a mistake or get derailed, I have this tendency to just give up. Thus, my new mantra:

Small efforts bring large results when repeated often enough. - Ralph Marston

It seems simple enough, and yet I'm having difficulty getting it through my thick skull. I've been getting a bit frustrated with my inability to get large chunks of any of the following completed in a timely manner:

• That novel I started
• A book proposal I'm working on
• Landscaping of my back yard
• Landscaping of my front yard
• Saving 6 months income for that day when I finally decide to kick Corporate America to the curb and go full-time freelance
  
• Reaching my goal weight
• Developing a consistent yoga practice
  
• Getting my articles published
• Reading a book each month
  
• Renovation of my home (this, of course, is also hindered by the money factor)
  

Considering the fact that I work a full-time job, am technically single and have to take care of all household chores by myself, I suppose it's not surprising that many of these things have been on my to-do (or to-finish) list for quite a while. While I'm slowly working toward completion, for this all-or-nothing, perfectionist type who hears stories about busy people like me who get it all done despite the challenges, it's tough to still see these tasks lingering. That's why I've taken on this new mantra.

Today, instead of focusing on what I haven't completed, what I can't get done in the small amount of time I have, I'm going to focus on what I have completed and what I can get done. With each small effort, I'll be that much closer to checking these items off my to-do list.

What small efforts are you making to get closer to your goals? Suggestions for being more productive are always welcome.

New Computer = New Posts

Coming soon...

In the meantime, here's a short list of things I did over the weekend while (mostly) not spending time on the computer or watching TV:

• Shopped around for a new computer
• Cleared out another small patch of my "garden" for future planting
• Did four loads of laundry
• Attended the CSA orientation, including a tour of the farm
• Made my favorite three-bean salad for the orientation potluck
• Picked up a few things at the grocery store and Walmart
  
• Got a new set of glasses at Marshall's to replace the ones I keep breaking
• Read a magazine
• Cuddled with the cat
  
• Purchased a new computer and proceeded to transfer everything from my old computer to the new (in fits and starts since the old one won't power on for long)
• Watched Nancy Drew for nostalgia's sake...not exactly the same as I remember
• Had dinner with My Love

All-in-all a good weekend.

Thursday Thirteen #22

I'm trying to spend a bit more time recognizing the blessings in my life. That's the inspiration for this week's list.

Thirteen Things That I'm Grateful For

1. Sunny days and warm spring air. They're making getting out of bed in the morning so much easier.

2. The ability to pay my bills, buy food, and fill my car with gas. Not everyone is as lucky.

3. A good mortgage broker who told me the whole story about my mortgage before I got it and helped me avoid the current foreclosure situation that so many are facing right now.

4. A strong body that keeps me moving toward my fitness goals.

5. My cuddly cat, who keeps me company when I'm lonely.

6. My Love, who can surprise me with the simple gift of his time and make me love him even more.

7. My mother, who has given so much of herself, not just for her children (biological and not-so-much), but also for so many others.

8. All of my family and friends, who continue to be a web of support and encouragement every day.

9. The ability to do what I love every day and make money for it (see #2).

10. Opportunities. So many opportunities.

11. A love for learning, something that keeps me reading, debating, caring and searching.

12. Everyday blessings, like bright pink blossoms on my azalea bushes, waking up to the chirping of birds instead of the beeping of my alarm clock, and a smile from a friendly stranger.

13. My dreams and goals; they keep me moving toward my best self.


What are you grateful for this week?

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Can I Do It Again?

It came to my attention this morning that this week is National TV Turnoff week yet again. If you'll recall, I've attempted to participate for the last two years, so I couldn't let it go by this year without giving it the good old college try. Since most shows are repeats right now and the only show I'm really interested in seeing this week is the new episode of Lost, I should be good to go. I'm expecting to get a lot done this week.

The productivity of not turning on the television should be enough of a motivator for me to leave it off most of the time anyway, but it doesn't usually last. In all honesty, there's generally not much on it that I want to watch anyway. Why is it then, I wonder, that it's usually on, and I'm often watching it? Is it my need for background noise, or a secret desire to do anything but work, even watch Deal or No Deal? I have a total of five channels on a good day, and yet still I manage to waste hours watching (or listening to) shows that I don't even care about. I have piles of books and magazines to be read, stories to write, a novel to finish, a book proposal to eek out and yet still, I turn on that television and stare into its glow.

But not this week. This week I will produce, I will resist, I will be strong. Anyone care to join me?

Sunday Scribbling: The Painter in Me

For this week's prompt, I thought I'd paint you some pictures.

Prompt #107: Compose

If I were a painter, I'd compose beautiful landscapes and detailed still lifes. Unfortunately, I am not a painter. I've tried to be, even taking art classes to train my shaky hands and my mind's eye, but all to no avail. I have what I like to believe is a painter's eye, though. Sometimes I see scenes and objects in such detail, with such beauty, that I wish I could translate those images onto a canvas. I have to settle, instead, for painting pictures with my words.

If I could compose some paintings for you, I would create a series of images from my hometown—a small village, nestled on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario.

I. The ground is covered in a bright white blanket of freshly fallen snow. The night sky is a deep shade of midnight blue, interrupted by millions of twinkling pin-prick stars. The street lamps of Main Street cast shadows on the sidewalk and the snow crackles beneath my boots. My breath is nearly frozen solid, a cloud of white as soon as it leaves my body. It feels good, the cold I capture as I inhale, warming it in my lungs and then releasing it again.

II. The maple trees are just beginning to show their buds, a welcome sight after seemingly endless months of snow and cold. School children laugh and scream on the playground. It's recess and you can hear them from just about any corner of this small town. The ground is still soft and spongy from the melt, and will be for a few weeks, but the grass is greening and getting longer. The scent of life hangs in the air, floating on the soft breeze that finally holds less chill than warmth.

III. The sun is hot and small American flags wave from every few telephone poles down all two of the main streets in town. Barrel planters along Main Street have taken the place of snow banks and overflow with bright colors declaring the season of summer celebrations. The tourists linger at storefronts and dine at outdoor tables. You can hear the clinking of silverware on plates and bowls. Music drifts on the air now, carried from backyard parties and Sunday concerts alike. The marina is filled with children feeding ducks and sail boats, bearing names like Serendipity and My Lady Love, heading in or out of town. The sun glows as it sets, reflected on the peaks of gentle waves in shades of pink and orange and red. I sit on the bench watching it disappear over the edge of my world.

IV. Leaves crackle beneath my feet as I stroll down the sidewalk of Main Street. The browns and oranges on the trees are beginning to find their way to the ground. One strong wind and they'll find themselves swept into piles for children to jump in and toss and enjoy. Everywhere you go, hints of the hibernation that will follow are beginning to appear. Chairs upturned on tabletops in restaurants no longer serving during the week; "Closed" signs in the windows of shops that just weeks ago would have been open well past five o'clock; empty benches and quiet streets even in the daylight hours. The tourists have all gone home and it is time to prepare for the winter that lies ahead.

Pictures for the Weekend

First, the garden. Now, when I planted these things, I definitely felt like it looked amazing. The tall stuff is irises. The floppy stuff in front is lamb's ear. And the cluster to the left in the back are daisies. I forgot to take a photo of the day lilies, which are further down in a different weeded patch.

This picture doesn't really do it justice, but you get the idea. When they flower, they'll be wonderful. Now, they're just a tiny patch of non-weeds among a much longer patch of weeds. I'll take more pictures as I make more progress and as they start to bloom.

Tada! The haircut! I finally decided to suck it up and post a picture of myself. I wasn't going to, but I just had to show off this great cut. I might even post a pic of it styled flipped under one of these days. It's very versatile and so easy to style.

Saying I'm Sorry

Ever since I first read about the Letter to My Body series at Blogher way back on Valentine's Day, I've been meaning to get around to writing a letter of my own. I knew it would be hard, and that it might not turn out to be a love letter so much as a plea for forgiveness. I'm sure that had a lot to do with me not getting around to it, but I know that it's something I need to do. And I'm finally going to tell my body exactly how I feel, for better or worse.

Dear Body,

I can't believe how much you've grown and changed over my lifetime. And despite the way I've treated you, you've always been there for me. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. But I can tell you how sorry I am for hurting you, so I might as well start there.

You were so cute when you were little, all pudgy and round. When I was a teenager, you were strong and curvy, if only I could have seen it. The late high-school and college years were the worst, for you and for me. I apologize for poor diet choices and the frumpy way I dressed you because I was so ashamed of what you looked like. I'm sorry that I let my discomfort with your curves and excess weight lead me to do some crazy things, like alternately depriving you and stuffing you, beating you up with excessive exercise and insults, and hiding you from the sun. You deserved better than that.

Thank you for standing by me, for supporting me and keeping me going. You've been a good friend. You're strong and sexy and I'm sorry it took me so long to realize it. Those stretch marks are your battle wounds--evidence of years of yo-yo dieting. One day I hope to have more, though I never thought I would say that. I can't wait to see what you can do in the reproductive arena. If you're not up to that challenge, I'll totally understand, but I hope you'll find it in my heart to grow a baby or two before you give up on me.

You're an amazing machine. You heal bones and skin that I break or bruise during my klutzier moments. When I'm under the weather, you kick in with that amazing immune system and drive those infections out. Even as I get older, you handle it all with dignity, making me more and more beautiful every day. How do you do that?

Sure, I complain sometimes (although less and less often) about the size of my thighs, the tiny little wrinkles around my eyes or the pouch of my belly, but you quickly remind me that those thighs keep me walking, those eyes shine when I smile and that belly doesn't need to be flat. There are worse things in the world than a little bit of saggy flesh and a few extra pounds. So to thank you for sticking with me all this time, I've decided to do some things for you.

I'm exercising more and eating less, most of the time, but I'm not depriving you of that chocolate or ice cream when you tell me you really need it. I'm saying more kind things to you each morning in the hopes that I'll cancel out some of those awful things I've said and done in the past. I'll also try to do more relaxing, maybe get a massage or two--I know how much you like those.

Bubble baths? Sure, I can do that, too.

And a pedicure, you ask? Why not?

From now on, I'm supporting you. Multi-vitamins, more organic fruits and veggies, less caffeine (do I have to?) and less artificial everything. You mean the world to me, and I'm hoping to have you around for a really long time. We've got work to do and I need you to get it done. If you'll be there, I'll be kind. I promise.

With all my love,
Your other half

Thursday Thirteen #21

It's been a busy, and slightly stressful week, but a good week nonetheless. Here's a partial list of what made it semi-wonderful.

Thirteen Things That Kept Me Sane This Week

1. The sun shined every day, which means I smiled more.

2. The days are really starting to feel longer, like summer's just around the corner.

3. Green is more prevalent than brown in just about every landscape I see.

4. I'm one day away from finishing week four of my lunchtime workouts.

5. I've been consistent over the last four weeks in getting in at least 4 workouts a week.

6. I watched Ali become the first female Biggest Loser.

7. My first landscaping project got underway.

8. My boss complimented me on the quality a user manual I produced.

9. I cooked up a delicious dinner that used up some of those frozen veggies from last summer's farmers' market.

10. I realized that I need to finish up the last few packs of frozen veggies before the farmers' market opens up again in a few weeks.

11. I'm totally anticipating fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs grown in my own garden, and plenty of delicious recipes.

12. My cat has been sitting in the open living room window watching the birds and activity outside.

13. I finished another book on my TBR list (Citizen Girl, by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus).

Hope you're having a week that makes you smile, too!

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Fresh Dirt and a New Project

I've mentioned in the past that I'm not much of a gardener. If you could see my yard (front and back) you'd agree whole-heartedly. There's stuff there, among the overgrown grass, clover covered ground and dandelions, but it's not exactly well-maintained. I get overwhelmed with the idea of gardening. I tend to kill things, and I don't like to put much time into maintaining them. If it's easy, like the azalea bushes I inherited (just watch them grow and trim them once a year) then I'm fine. But if it's high-maintenance like the weeds taking over my back yard, I'm not thrilled.

Until tonight. I spent three hours in my back yard weeding up a storm thanks to the encouragement of my boss's wife. She cleaned out her own huge garden last week and had to divide up some of the plants that had spread a bit too much, and she asked if I'd be interested. When I hesitated, knowing I wouldn't know the first thing to do with lamb's ear and day lilies, she offered to come home with me and help me figure it out. Now I'm hooked.

She showed me what to keep (the tiny little rose bush just getting started, the daffodils, the curious "grasses") and what to get rid of (even some of the pretty stuff). And then we started weeding. Weeding is like a meditation. It doesn't take a lot of thought, but it takes just enough concentration to push out all the other stuff. We spend a good hour digging dandelions and clover out at the roots in a tiny little section of my yard's border, but it didn't seem that long. I can definitely see myself getting addicted. At least until it's 90 degrees outside.

I'm exhausted, my back and legs are going to be a bit sore, but the fresh air and company did me so much good. And now I'm not afraid to dig and plant and water. I've got wonderful ideas (thanks to the woman who gifted me with her time, knowledge and castaways), but I'm starting small. For now it's weeding the rest of the boarder and starting a little herb garden. After that, we'll see.

(I'm sure you're going to want to see pictures, and don't worry, I wouldn't miss documenting my first in-the-ground gardening project for the world. It was just too dark to take the pictures by the time I got everything cleaned up. I'll post pictures soon, I promise.)

Just a Few Things

There's a new post at the Going Green blog. And an older one that I forgot to mention.

Try a new recipe that I posted at Feed the Soul a few weeks ago. If you haven't heard about the cereal recall linked to salmonella poisoning, check out some info on that, too.

If you haven't heard about Jen's new adventure, head over there and read about it. Then, if you feel so inclined, help her help the girls of Rwanda out.

OK, that's all I have for now. Hope you had a great weekend!

Sunday Scribbling: Elixer

I'm not sure why, because I haven't written poetry since I was in elementary school, but this week's prompt immediately had me creating a poem.

Prompt #106: Fearless

His love, like elixer
fills me warm
and gentle.

Something new found
within his eyes,
brown and
beautiful.

Acceptance, kindness,
passion.
His love
for only me.

It fills me and
I am fearless,
gorgeous,
powerful.

Thursday Thirteen #20

Prompted by a little post by my friend nejyerf, I decided to list some things that have made me smile this week.

Thirteen Things That Brightened My Week

1. The beauty of cherry blossoms all over the place.

2. Compliments on my new hairstyle.

3. The sun shine of spring that's been blessing us the last two days.

4. Meeting my first weight loss goal when I stepped on the scale this morning.

5. Being tickled by My Love just because he was feeling playful.

6. Seeing Ali reach 99 lbs. lost on The Biggest Loser. (For some reason, she's got me hooked on this show.)

7. Finding out that my tax return is much bigger than I expected.

8. Also finding out that my fiscal stimulus check will be arriving around May 9th.

9. The possibility of going back to school for something that really excites me and will help me in so many ways.

10. Not feeling a single ounce of guilt before, during or after drinking a Caramel Light Frapuccino.

11. Planning a sushi dinner with a friend I haven't seen in more than a month.

12. Waiting expectantly for responses from a couple of queries I've submitted.

13. Having this unexplainable, yet undeniable, knowing in my soul that I'm reaching new levels with every step I take.

Hope you're having a week that makes you smile, too!

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A Bit of Wednesday Randomness

It seems like Wednesdays are often my days for playing catch-up and posting about the random, interesting (and sometimes mundane) things that I haven't gotten around to creating full posts for during the week.

• Jen Lemen has me all atwitter about her upcoming trip and a new collection of stories, among all of her other creative and inspiring goings-on.
• With so little time on my hands lately, and my limited access to the internet (which hopefully will be fixed today), I've been getting behind on my blog reading. Don't for one minute think this means I haven't found interesting and wonderful things all over the internet.
• It took me 5+ hours across two evenings to roast a chicken that was supposed to take 3 1/2 hours at 350 degrees. I had to turn my oven up to 450 degrees for the last 45 minutes just to finish it off before bed time. Does anyone else wonder if that oven might have needed a new seal instead of those hinges after all?
• My frivolity seems to be paying off, at least a little bit. I have had four spots of chronic dryness on my face for quite some time now. Two of them seem to have completely disappeared and the other two are much less flaky than last week and the months before. I'm not sure if my pores have gotten any more "refined" but I'll keep you posted on any progress.
• I'm on my third week of lunch-time workouts, and I have to say that it's really going well. Not only do I feel more energized, but it's also a great way to break up the work day. It's like working two half-days instead of one full day. The 7 to 11 "day" goes by quickly because I'm actually scheduling my projects more effectively because I know I want to leave for an hour and a half to get that cardio in. And staying until 5:00 is nothing when I start my afternoon "day" at 12:30. Another side-effect is that the scale's been treating me nicely.
• I got a fabulous hair cut and color over the weekend (which I mentioned on Sunday) and it's making me feel all confident and sexy. It's amazing what a good 'do can do for my attitude. I'm feistier than ever! I've been getting compliments galore, too, and who doesn't love that? But when My Love saw me for the first time since the cut, he wasn't exactly gushing about the great new style. I think his exact words were, "It's OK." (He's not usually a big fan of shorter hair, but by the time he left, I'm pretty sure he had come to grips with the change.) One of the only other comments he made was, "You're getting all sophisticated on me." While he said it with that hint of come-on in his voice that suggested he had ulterior motives, it occurred to me that "sophisticated" was exactly what I was going for. On the heals of the notification of my essay publication, and in anticipation of some other exciting changes that I feel brewing in my career and my life in general, I wanted a physical representation of what it seemed was going on inside. My confidence is growing, my career is blooming and my creativity is flowing. What better way to represent that than with an outward expression of change?
  

That's the Wednesday Round-up. Hope you're having a good week!

I'm a Winner!

I got some great news on Friday. One of my personal essays is going to be published in an anthology of work by local writers! I'm so excited!

Then I got some even better news. I've been named as a Blog of Distinction. Started by Working Mum on the Verge, this wonderful award is given to bloggers who make us "laugh, cry, think or sigh". And Reluctant Housewife thinks I'm a Blog of Distinction! I can't believe it! I'm so honored. Along with this award, comes the honor of passing it on to five wonderful bloggers that I think are distinct, five bloggers who make me laugh, cry, think or sigh. So, without further ado, here they are:

1. The ever-entertaining and thought-provoking Mocha Momma, who on various occasions has made me laugh, cry, think or sigh, sometimes at the same time.
2. My beloved Nejyerf at calling dr. bombay, who most recently starred in True Blogosphere Story, and is always making me laugh, often to the point of tears and ending with a big sigh of satisfaction.
3. A new favorite, Erin at Fully Alive...Ready to Smile, whose personal story made me cry, and who has managed to make me laugh, think and sigh ever since then. (Plus, she totally inspired me to get a new hairdo and I must say, it looks fantastic!)
   
4. The creative and inspirational Jen Lemen, who insists on making me laugh, think, cry and sigh at any given reading.
5. And last, but certainly not least, Belinda at Ninja Poodles, a wonderful mother who taught me all about Twitter and brings me the best in laughable, thoughtful, teary and sigh-worthy posts she possibly can amidst the whirlwind of her life.
   

Congratulations to the winners! Keep passing the distinctive blog-love.

Sunday Scribblings: My Buddy

I've been meaning to introduce you all to someone who holds a special place in my heart. This week's Sunday Scribblings prompt gave me just what I needed to get this story started.

Prompt #105: Photograph

There's a photograph of me taken in the parking lot of a mall near my home town. In it, I'm bundled in a winter coat and gloves. My hair is much shorter and darker than it's been in several years, and I'm a bit heavier, too. But I'm happy, at least in this moment, because I'm hugging to my side my favorite little boy. He's dressed in a bright yellow coat and a matching knit cap, wearing gloves that make his hands look as big as mine. He's only 6, maybe 7, in this picture, and he smiles widely beside me as his mother takes the picture.

This little boy holds a piece of my heart that will always be his. I haven't seen him in a few years, but I know he still remembers me, still thinks of me like I think of him. How could he not, after two years of long afternoons at a little table in his living room?

B was my introduction to the world of autism. We met when he was three, and he promptly stole my heart, and then bit me. He was adorable and challenging and I loved every minute I had with him. The worst tantrums weren't enough to chase me away. I watched him learn to speak his first words and phrases. Then I made him into a "burrito", wrapping him up tight in a blanket and squeezing him until he giggled.

I worked with B for a little more than 2 years, and in those two years I learned about unconditional love (on my part and his). I watched B blossom from an extremely aggressive three-year-old who could barely speak, to an almost-kindergartener speaking in complete phrases and controlling his impulses with much more regularity.

That picture of B and I sits on my desk, as a reminder that things aren't always as them seem. People can grow and change in ways you might never imagine. And sometimes bites are the best way a person can express their love for you.

Autobiographical Explorations

There’s nothing like not having the ability to post blog entries whenever you feel like it to give you the motivation, desire and inspiration to come up with all sorts of ideas for blog posts.

I’ve been typing a long lists of posts and post ideas in a Word document like a mad woman. You'd think that, suddenly, there's a whole lot more interesting stuff going on in the world. Really, I think it's just that I'm taking the time to "jot down" my ideas because I know I can only post while I'm at work right now.

Why haven’t I ever done this before? I’d have plenty of material for posts on those days when nothing seems to be of interest to me.

Now, on to my actual post for today...

---

I've been wanting to write a Six-word Autobiography for quite some time now. I kept seeing it all over the blogosphere and I thought it was a great idea, and most recently at Adventures of the Reluctant Housewife. I've now spent better than an hour and a half trying to craft something witty yet true...no luck. This is what I came up with:

Living, learning, loving through my writing.

Not so witty, but definitely true.

While I was at it, I decided to try an autobiographical Haiku as Housewife did. Here's the result:

Becoming myself
Is harder than expected.
Enjoying the journey.

What's your life story in 6 words (or 17 syllables)?

Thursday Thirteen #19

Some more randomness, in the vein of last week's Thursday Thirteen.

Thirteen Things I've Realized Accepted Recently

1. I'm a book-a-holic.

2. I'm becoming more and more like my mother every year.

3. Being like my mother isn't as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, it's got its good side.

4. I'm never going to have a perfect diet.

5. Being perfect is impossible.

6. Still wanting to be perfect despite its impossibility will drive me crazy.

7. Being too nice will get me in trouble.

8. I really should trust my gut.

9. Building a business takes work.

10. Work is hard.

11. The benefits of hard work to achieve something you've always wanted will far outweigh the effort it took to get there.

12. I'll still have to work hard to stay there, though.

13. Taking time to enjoy the beauty of cherry blossoms and sunrises and warm spring breezes is necessary for my sanity.

Have you made any realizations this week?

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Things I Would Have Posted Last Night if My Internet Was Working

Am I Thirteen Again?

Oh. My. God.

I just had a major adolescent moment, complete with flash backs.

Was that NKOTB (that’s New Kids on the Block for the youngsters) on TV? Did I just hear that they’re reuniting and set to perform on the Today Show this week? Am I seriously breathing hard at the thought of little Joey crooning to me from the television screen once again?

OK, moment is over. What ARE they thinking?

---

Verizon Sucks

I’m so pissed right now. Apparently my internet issues are NOT being caused by my security system. It is, in fact, being caused by the fact that I don’t have a dial tone. Yes, I had checked this, but the Verizon tech I spoke with said that this was also due to the security system interference.

I called the automated repair service tonight to report the problem and “she” told me it was likely a problem on Verizon’s end. Go figure. So now I have to wait for a technician from Verizon to make repairs to the line.

If cable wasn’t so expensive, I’d be calling Comcast right now to switch over to their high-speed service. Of course, that would make the $89 I just spent to have my security company install a DSL filter that I didn’t even need because the problem wasn’t with the system a complete waste!

Ugh!

Frivolity on a Tuesday

Last night I made a completely frivolous purchase based on my experience with a teeny, tiny little bottle. Several months ago I got a free sample of Estée Lauder's Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher in the mail. I put it in my little sample box in my bathroom linen closet and promptly forgot about it. Then, over the weekend, when I didn't have internet access and didn't know what to do with myself, I decided to clean out this closet and purge it of all the things I'd been collecting. When I found the Idealist, I couldn't bring myself to throw away a sample of something that people probably pay lots of money for, so I decided to keep it and give it a try.

Bad move.

I fell in love at first silky smooth touch. This lotion made my face feel as soft as a baby's bottom. I kid you not. So, last night while I was out shopping for a birthday gift for My Love, I decided to stop by the Estée Lauder counter and see how much this wonderful product might set me back. While I wasn't completely surprised, I found that a 1 oz. jar--that's two measly little tablespoons, people!--cost $46.50. Of course, I could get the special limited edition Beautiful Skin Solutions: Prevention package that included the 1 oz. of Idealist plus a trial-sized tub of DayWear Plus Multi Protection Anti-Oxidant Creme SPF 15 and a trial-sized bottle of Advanced Night Repair Protective Recovery Complex for the same low price.

I hemmed and hawed over it. I went and found a gift for My Love. Did I consider whether Estée Lauder followed green business practices or tested on animals? No (but they don't test on animals; I just checked). Did I wonder what else I might be able to do with that almost-50 dollars? No. (OK, a little bit, but not much.) After purchasing a couple of things for My Love, I promptly returned to the counter and said, "OK, I'll take it." Famous last words, right?

Now I'm certain that I'm going to fall in love with the other two products and have to go back and buy them, too. What's an aging woman with tiny little laugh lines and some emerging crows' feet to do? Take before and after pictures and compare the difference, obviously. I may or may not post them, but I'll let you know how I'm feeling about these products after a week or so. As of today? I'm loving every silky, cucumber-scented, dry-patch eliminating bit of my $46.50 + tax purchase.

I'm Trying to Keep Up

It's tough to read blogs, and comment, and write posts, and respond to comments, plus perform required online research and write content for those clients who pay me when I have absolutely NO internet connection at home. I'm doing by best during my breaks at work, but that's just not good enough for me.

Thankfully, the technician for my security system, which is apparently interfering with my DSL signal, will be coming tomorrow to resolve the issue. At a charge of approximately many, many dollars that I can't believe I have to fork over for a situation that shouldn't have happened in the first place. (Why exactly didn't that installation tech ask me if I had DSL or warn me that the security system might interfere with my phone line and DSL signal?)

The appliance repair person will also be visiting to install new hinges on my oven door. Hopefully that will resolve the oven-not-holding-heat-well issue I've been having. I still think it's a seal issue and not a hinge issue, but what do I know?

And to top it all off, I think I might need to start looking for a new computer. My dear laptop is having overheating issues and shuts off randomly if it gets too hot. At least that's what I'm assuming is causing the random shut-offs. It's not all that old, either. Maybe I haven't been a very good tech-mommy. I've never "dusted" it and I do actually hold it on my lap much of the time, which I hear is not good for the temperature of its insides. Maybe I'll have to get one of those cooling pad thingies that I saw at Best Buy. Still, I'd like to just use this as an excuse to get a brand new top-of-the-line middle-of-the-road completely affordable model. We are getting those rebate checks soon, right?

The Used Book Connection

I'm sitting in a used bookstore, planning to do some writing, but mooching their free wi-fi waves to check my email and do a tiny bit of research first. My internet connection at home is unpredictable at best these days, and mostly it's just nonexistent. So here I am. And I've found my new favorite place to hang out on a Saturday or Sunday and read, think or work: Ukazoo Books.

I first discovered Ukazoo during a meeting of the Maryland Writer's Association's Baltimore Chapter. It's a quiet and cozy place, filled with my favorite things. Shelves and shelves of books in every shape, color and subject. I've found two great books for my nephew's birthday gift, a nutrition book I've been looking at for months now but didn't want to pay full price for, and several other interesting tomes. I'll be coming back for more of those books on my long to-be-read list, too. Why pay full price for a brand new book, when you can find like-new copies at Ukazoo or your own neighborhood used-book store?

I have to admit that I feel a little guilty over my new found love of used books, though. I do plan on one day writing (dozens of) books and selling (millions of) them, after all. Don't used books decrease new book sales? Maybe. But they also provide an opportunity to own books when you might have just picked them up at the library for free. Plus, there's something incredibly inspiring to me about holding in my hands a book that someone else recently held and (hopefully) enjoyed. I start wondering about the story of the child who read the Spiderwick Chronicles every night before turning out the lights. I imagine the woman, strengthened and reborn in her ability to nourish her body with food and love. I become connected to these people in a sort of circle of life. And I want to pass that connection on to others and widen the circle. I only hope that I'm not the only one who turns the pages of these well-loved books and wonders about the last person or long line of people who have also done the same.

I wonder why holding library books never inspired such imaginings. Is it the fact that someone picked these books up off the shelf in a store and found something in their covers or their first few lines that drew them in and required a purchase? Probably and I can relate. I, too, am lured into book purchases by the smell of their pages, the sound of their brand new covers crackling as I open them, the sight of the black letters printed there on the pages, and before I know it, the book is waiting for my attention on my tall shelf of books I have yet to pick up again and experience. And once I've done that, I want to share that experience with another. What better way than to allow someone else to hold that same book, smell its pre-turned pages and open its slightly scuffed cover to find something new and exciting inside?

Plus, I'm saving a few trees along the way.

Thursday Thirteen #18

Here's a little something for a Thursday afternoon. Not much, but something...

Thirteen Things I Thought, Did or Said This Week

1. Thought, Did and Said: See my last post.

2. Thought: (In response to a post I read at a girl, a dog, and a second chance) Why do people insist on having personal conversations on their cell phones in the middle of the check-out line at Wal-Mart at levels that allow them to be heard three people back even amidst the din of the after-work crowd?

3. Did: Made an excellent shrimp and vegetable pasta dish for dinner. (Stay tuned for the recipe.)

4. Did: Taken four trips to a grocery store in as many days. All different stores, I might add.

5. Said: (to My Love after a wild rant about SUV-driving, inconsiderate, environment-destroying crazy people) "Yes, I'll still love you if you want to buy a pick-up truck, but only if it's not your main vehicle and you keep your car to drive unless you need to haul something."

6. Said: (to my co-worker after describing the wild rant I'd gone off on and the ensuing conversation between My Love and I) "I think my desire to be a better person is making me too judgmental." His response was: "You don't say."

7. Thought: (while listening to an NPR guest discuss the uninhabitability of the earth over the next century based on current human activity) Will my children's children have a planet to live on?

8. Thought: (in response to #7) Am I ever going to have children?

9. Did: Started a new routine of lunch-time workouts. I've decided I can't get up early in the morning; my body's just not having it. And I make too many excuses in the evening. So, since I'm lucky enough to go to a gym that's just around the corner from my office, lunch-time workouts are perfect. I don't have to get up early, and I can't make any excuses when it's time to go home. Let's see how long I can stick to this one...

10. Did: Watched Casanova. I don't even remember putting this on my Blockbuster queue, but I'm glad I did. It was surprisingly good for a silly romantic comedy. Also a little weird to watch because it stars Heath Ledger and I kept thinking...

11. Thought: It's so sad that Heath Ledger won't ever make another movie.

12. Did: Gave away my old refrigerator on Freecycle.

13. Did: Had major issues with my internet connection at home. Working on it, but in the meantime, my lunch break and early mornings at work are the only internet time I have. Verizon is not on my happy list right now.


What did you say, think or do this week?

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The Stalking Philosopher

I'm almost embarrassed to write this, but it is a funny story, even if I feel like an idiot now.

Let me set the scene. I'm waiting for a meeting to start and decide I'll walk to the bookstore and check out the magazines for a little while. The magazine racks at this particular bookstore are laid out so that they make rows, so I slowly meander through the racks, picking up and glancing at the various magazines that catch my interest. I stop at the writing section, which is at the end of one of the racks, and pick up one magazine to flip through it.

At this point, I notice out of the corner of my eye that there's a tall guy (from here on out known as Tall Guy) standing across from me on the other side of the rack and he's looking in my direction. I continue to glance at the table of contents and don't give it much thought, but then he comes around the rack to stand beside but slightly behind me. I move down a bit so that he has room to see the magazines, making the assumption that he's looking for something. I start to get a bit weirded out by Tall Guy because he stands next to me the entire time and doesn't even feign to pick up a magazine. Still, I put that magazine back and lift a few others to check out their covers before heading around to the other side of the rack to see what I can find there.

I take a look at one or two and find something interesting that I decide to flip through. Within a few moments, Tall Guy has come back around to the side of the rack he'd just left and is now standing behind me. Again, I move down a bit so that I'm not blocking his view and continue to flip the pages, hoping beyond all hope that he will pick something off the shelf and walk away. I'm totally distracted now because there are many other racks of magazines that this guy could be looking at, but he seems to be hanging around in my direct vicinity no matter where I decide to go. And none of these sections is similar in any way. So I'm not particularly paying attention and am debating at this point if I should drop the magazine I'm holding and make a run for it.

I thought about it too long, though, because before I could turn another page, he came around in front of me and said, "Are you a writer?"

Now here's where you need to understand that this is the question every writer loves to answer, so despite the heebie-jeebies I was getting from this guy, I proceed to answer with a smile and, "Yes I am." Also, to myself, How did you guess? You were just standing over my shoulder while I proceeded to look at every writing magazine on the rack. But I still don't run for safety. Big mistake.

"Oh, I'm a writer, too," he says. "What do you write?"

The question a writer loves to answer second best. So again, I answer with, "A little bit of everything. Mostly essays and some magazine articles with a little fiction thrown in." I turn back to the magazine I'm holding and flip another page, hoping to give the tall guy the hint. He's smiling, but not in a weird way, so I relax for a moment. Maybe he just wants to network, I start to think to myself.

"I'm a writer, too," he says again, and the heebie-jeebies creep back in. "I don't write for magazines, though. I write philosophy."

I try to be kind and joke, "Ah, the deep stuff, huh?" Back to flipping pages that I'm obviously not reading. Why, oh why didn't I run when I had the chance?

"Yeah, the deep stuff. Maybe you'd want to read my book sometime." Now his smile is starting to weird me out, too. And he's nodding at me in a steady, hypnotic rhythm, to which I attribute everything that I do next. I swear he must have put some sort of spell on me.

"Sssuuurrrre," I say slowly, trying to figure out someway to get out of this without hurting the guy's feelings.

"Right, sure," he says. "Why not, right?" Still nodding.

Oh. My. God. HowdoIgetoutofhere? HowdoIgetoutofhere? I start glancing around, put the magazine on the rack, look at my watch.

"We could get together and talk about it after you're done," he says, clearly not getting my hints. "Maybe I could read some of your stuff, too." Now he's smiling so widely I think I may have just accidentally agreed to marry him.

"Um, OK, do you have a card?" There, that will do it. He'll give me his card, I'll walk away and I'll never. ever. call.

"No, that would be a good thing to have, wouldn't it? Do you have one?"

Before I can even stop myself, I'm reaching into my purse. I'm not thinking, I just want this to be OVER. I pull the card out and hand it to him. I can't make words come out, I just hand it over.

"Thanks, great," he says, studying the information on the card. Which is when I remember that there is an address on those cards, personal information that I should never have had printed on a business card. What was I thinking? I need to get new cards and shred those! Thank God it's my old address. "OK. So you don't have any vacations coming up any time soon that I should know about, do you?"

Huh? "Um, no, not that I know of," I say. Is this guy for real?

"Good, so I can call you at this number." He's still grinning at me like the Cheshire cat. I'm pretty sure all color has drained from my face and I must look like I've seen a ghost. But he just keeps smiling.

"Yes, but I might not answer because I do work a day job." Can I go now? Please?

"OK, I'll call you then."

"OK." He starts to walk away and I say, as a last thought, "What was your name?" At least now I'll have a first name to give the police. Of course, he has my full name, previous address, email address, website and cell phone number. UGH!

Why do I do this? Please yell at me and tell me what an idiot I am. I get myself in these situations all the time because I don't want to be mean to people and I end up putting myself in really awkward, and sometimes dangerous, positions. How would you have handled it? I need to learn some new avoidance techniques. I need to learn to get a backbone. I need to learn a good brush-off. Something. Anything.

PLEASE.

Introducing...

As promised, here's the newest edition of True Blogsphere Story. In this episode, you'll meet nejyerf (Jen) from "calling dr. bombay." She's fun, snarky, and sometimes off-the-wall, and she's the best blogger friend you could ever ask for.

Introducing...nejyerf.

What's the inspiration behind the name of your blog, "calling dr. bombay"?

I always knew someone was going to ask me that, and I wish I had a good answer. It's a reference to "Bewitched". Samantha would call Dr. Bombay whenever one of her spells had gone wrong. I just liked the way it sounds. People can "call" me for silliness and lightheartedness. Pretty boring isn't it? Can you come up with a better story? That is what you do, after all.

That's right. I’d totally forgotten about that. Very clever. I wouldn't even try to come up with a better story…besides, this is your interview. No turning the focus on me. Back to you. Your favorite color is orange, but if orange were, let's say swallowed by
a black hole, what color would you choose as its replacement and why?

I checked in my closet to see of what color I have a lot, and it turns out, I’ve got a lot of blue… teal blue, baby blue, dark blue. Who knew I liked blue that much! I have no idea WHY I have that much blue. It must be an unconscious thing. I also like yellow. Yellow is so bright and sunshiny.

And what's up with your boobies? You haven't talked about them in a while.

My boobies thank you for the inquiry. They are doing fine. They are currently hibernating, but will come back in full force now that the weather is getting nicer.

And your Oreo addiction? How's that coming?

You probably won't believe this, but I've really cut back on my Oreo consumption. I limit myself to MAYBE three a day, when I even have them in the house. Shocking, isn't it?

Not so much shocking as encouraging. It gives me hope that I can battle my chocolate addiction after all.

You know…sometimes admitting you have a problem is half the battle. And I'm so not kidding when I tell you that too many Oreo's acts as a laxative and if you are also mildly lactose intolerant one injudicious binge has far-reaching and embarrassing intestinal ramifications and that's putting it delicately.

Your incredible sense of humor is something I really admire. You're funny in a very snarky way. Are you always a jokester or is this something that only comes out in your online persona?

I have an over-developed sense of humor. I would call it irreverent (it might even be a little perverse) All I know is that life seems so much easier if you are laughing. We all should try to find a little bit of humor in every situation.

I think you're right, although I have to admit it's easier said than done sometimes. What's one thing that always makes you laugh?

I like British humor and I like a good play on words. Here's my favorite joke....."How do you top a car? 'Tep on the brake 'tupid!"

On a more serious note, you live with MS. When were you diagnosed?

I was diagnosed in 2003. I think. I really don't remember. Seems like I've always had it.

Having MS certainly doesn't define you, but I wonder, how has living with MS shaped who you are?

It has made me slow down and really listen to my body. When my body says "Jen, I'm getting tired." I don't force it to continue. We sit down and rest. It has also made me less tolerant of people and their illnesses. So what if you are sick. So am I. But I'm still getting up and going to work everyday and trying to maintain and so should you. Don't succumb.

I suspected you’d say something like that. You seem like the type of person who would beat the &@!# out of anything or anyone that tried to keep you down. But has there ever been a time when you’ve just wanted to stop fighting and give into it?

Sometimes I do break down and cry and feel sorry for myself. Like the time I was at my FIL's house to take a shower and slipped getting out of the tub and fell down with a great thump that shook the house to its very foundations. I sat in a sodden, pink, naked lump and sobbed. When I finally gathered myself together and got dressed and went downstairs, tears still trickling down my face, Kathy, my FIL's girl-friend asked if I was alright. My husband, who was sitting at the kitchen table eating pot-roast, unconcernedly said "She'll be okay, she gets like this". That pretty much sums it up.

I think because people don't treat me or see me as an invalid really helps. If my husband coddled me I might get sucked into the whole "I have a disease" thing. Although I am not averse to reminding people that I am a cripple when I don't want to do something!

Tell me something that you've never told anyone (in the blogosphere or in the "real" world).

There was a guy I went to school with. I've known him since elementary school. I longed for this guy all through high school. Given the chance, I think I would totally sleep with him. Just the one time. To get it out of my system.

What's your favorite thing about blogging? In other words, why do you do it?

I like to talk. My mother has always said that I have diarrhea of the mouth so I guess blogging is the next best thing to talking. And I don't ever have to shut-up!

What's your least favorite thing about blogging?

It has been documented that I don't like the use of LOL and people giving virtual hugs. There are some seriously bad blogs out there. And I have real issues with people who say they want to write a book. People seem to think that just because they can write a coherent *POOF* they are a writer. But they never do anything about it. Then there are people like you, who are constantly writing and putting quality stuff out there.

There's a lot wrong with our world today. If you were Queen of the World, what's the first thing you'd fix?

I do find myself saying "what is WRONG with people" quite a bit. Then I have to remind myself that we can't be responsible for what other people do, we can only make sure what WE do is right and true and fair. Not to get all religious or anything, but the ten commandants are actually good rules to live by. We should all try abiding by them for a while and see where the world would be.

Wouldn't that be a nice change? Even if we just stuck with a few of the biggies, like "Thou shalt not kill."

And here's something else…I wish we could lose the whole political correctness thing. We have to be so careful not to offend anyone. It seems like people are walking around just waiting to be offended. It bores me to tears.

Who's your biggest inspiration in life and why?

You know, this is going to sound all kinds of cheesy and gay, but my friend Sanna is kinda my touchstone. Oftentimes I find myself wondering whether or not she would agree with what I'm buying, writing, etc. And when we disagree, and remember, this is all in my mind, I'm always a bit surprised by my audacity to defy her.

I have a friend like this, who kind of brings me back to center and reminds me to check myself, even when she’s not around. How did you and Sanna meet? How long have you been friends?

Ah, this is a good story, Sanna and I met when I moved to a new school just after I started 4th grade. At first I thought she was a boy. She had a bowl cut and a pair of cleats tied to her desk. We somehow gravitated to each other and found that we were “kindred spirits” when we discovered that we both loved Anne of Green Gables. We’ve been through so much together: wearing glasses and braces (at the same time!!!), bad hair-cuts, teen-aged crushes, field hockey, high school plays, parties (she gave me my first beer!), boyfriends, weight gain (mine) weight loss (hers) the list goes on and on. Our friendship has waxed and waned but through it all, I know if I needed her she would be there for me and vice versa.

Another Mid-week Round-up

Wednesday seems to be the perfect day for me to stop and catch my breath, evaluate what I've managed to accomplish over the last few days, and plan ahead for what I need to do before the weekend (or during the weekend if the list is really long, which it usually is). This week started out like a slow-moving train and has picked up speed unexpectedly. The thing is, I have great projects going on right now that make the busy-ness and minor sleep deprivation seem worth it. Since I haven't really had much time to write up full posts, I thought I'd give you all another mid-week list of things that are rolling around in my brain to keep you entertained. Hope it works!

• If you're interested in living "green," you might want to check out National Geographic's newest contribution to the world of publications: Green Guide. While I haven't actually seen a print copy of this magazine yet, I'm interested to get my hands on one. The green-living information available for free on the website seems pretty helpful, too.
• If you've been around for a few months, you know that I took part in the Great Interview Experiment (which is STILL going on by the way, so you're welcome to go join in on the fun if you'd like). Now I'm branching out and taking it upon myself to interview some of my favorite bloggers and non-bloggers. So, prepare yourself for the first independent installment in the True Blogsphere Story series. I'm working on the interview now and hope to have it up by early next week. And who knows, you just might be next...
• A little motivating note to anyone else out there who struggles with eating issues and/or weight problems. I've lost 10 pounds over the last 2 and a half months, and I did it without dieting. It's amazing what can happen when you start listening to your body and stop starving it.
  
• I officially sent in my check for the CSA. This has me doing a mini Dinner-at-Hand challenge to try and empty out my freezer and refrigerator in preparation for the onslaught of fresh produce. I know I'm a little early, but it's also in preparation for a new-to-me refrigerator that a wonderful friend of mine is giving to me. It's only a few years old, but they just remodeled their kitchen and didn't want the old one to go to waste. My 1970s model isn't big enough, energy-efficient enough, and doesn't work well enough to handle the quantity of food I hope to be freezing come summer and fall, so this is a wonderful blessing!
  
• I've been trying to get into a more consistent yoga practice at home, for both strengthening and relaxation, and I just found a great tool to help me. Yoga Journal's free weekly yoga podcasts. You can download them through iTunes or listen to them at the Yoga Journal website. They're about 30 minutes each, and the instructor, Jason Crandell, who's a writer and staff yoga teacher for Yoga Journal, does an excellent job leading you through the practice. If you're a beginner, or need more guidance on some of the poses, you can follow along with images on their website, too, which makes it really accessible for anyone who isn't as familiar with yoga.
• I'm also working on getting through that 2008 To-Do list. All in all, I'm doing pretty well. So far I:
• Started one of #4
  
• Started #5
• Have been doing #6 religiously
• Have been trying to practice #7
• Have been consistently working toward #8
• Am on track with #9
• Am on schedule for #12
• And am dipping my toes into #13

Well, that's enough of that. Have a great Hump Day!

TBR Challenge: So Far, So Good

I'm right on schedule and feeling really good about my reading so far this year. Not only have I finished 3 of my TBR books, but I'm also plugging away on several "professional development" books and making a slight dent in my ever-growing magazine pile, as well.

As for the 2008 TBR Challenge, my third TBR book was We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg. This was a good coming-of-age story about a southern girl whose mother, Paige Dunn, was paralyzed from the neck down after contracting polio while pregnant. Fourteen-year-old Diana Dunn learns about life, love and sacrifice in 1964 in Tupelo, Mississippi. In the midst of racial tensions and social unrest, as well as her mother's sickness and their never-ending financial distress, Diana tries to enjoy her summer, while Peacie, Paige's caretaker and assistant in raising Diana, worries about her husband's involvement in Civil Rights marches.

Elizabeth Berg is one of those authors that doesn't always stand out in my mind as a favorite, yet I haven't read a book of hers yet that I haven't liked. While I felt like the ending of We Are All Welcome Here was a bit contrived, I really enjoyed watching Diana grow up and grow out of her resentment and selfishness. If you like books like To Kill a Mockingbird and The Secret Life of Bees, I think you'll enjoy this one.

Sunday Scribblings: A Veritable Smörgåsbord of Kissing

I had so much fun with this last week that I thought I'd do some more scribbling this weekend. And it's a U-Pick week, where I can pick from any of the 101 prompts that have been offered up so far. When I saw "Kissing" in the list, I thought, Why not continue my story from last week? And then I got the crazy idea to try to include both this week's prompt (smörgåsbord) and kissing. Let's see how I do.

Prompt #102: Smörgåsbord/Kissing

If you'd asked her six hours ago where she'd be at midnight, her answer would not have been sitting in a dark corner booth at the local pizza dive sharing a large pepperoni and extra-cheese pie with a guy she'd just met a few hours before.

For the last hour, they'd been chatting like old friends. They talked about their families, their friends, the environment and politics. It was a veritable smörgåsbord of conversation. Andrew was a junior, and a business major, and it turned out he'd never been in the science department before this semester. He was, in fact, taking the only science requirement he needed to graduate. If he hadn't dropped his cell phone during class that afternoon, he would have never run into Jessie and they probably never would have crossed paths.

There was a momentary lull in the conversation, as Andrew chewed. Jessie sat across from him, picking a piece of pepperoni off her third pizza slice and eating it, wondering how she'd gotten here. This was not what happened to her. She was not the girl who got the guy (the really hot guy)...ever. She was, after all, the girl who spent her evenings and weekends in the science labs or the library. She didn't go to fraternity parties or happy hours at local bars. She wasn't a sorority girl or a flirt. She was just Jessie. Yet, here she was, on a date (was this a date?) with the cutest boy she'd ever seen on campus.

Andrew broke into her thoughts when he reached across the table for the cheese shaker and brushed her hand. "What's with the grin?" he asked.

"What?" She looked up at him, only then realizing that she was smiling. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking."

"About?" he asked, taking another big bite from his own slice after coating it in more Parmesan.

"Tonight. How I ended up here." She stopped talking abruptly. Was that even OK to say? she wondered. She was no good at this. Andrew smiled at her, though, and she relaxed a bit and continued. "I mean, this isn't how I normally spend my Friday nights, eating pizza with a stranger."

Andrew put his pizza down and looked at Jessie. "Change is good," he said in his nonchalant manner. She already liked this about him. When they were leaving the lab, she'd asked him where they could eat at that late hour, and he had just shrugged his shoulders and said, "We'll find a place." She probably should have been worried, should have begged off and headed back to her dorm room instead. But for some reason, she wasn't afraid. It never crossed her mind to be, not from the moment he walked into the lab and offered his help.

"So what do you normally do on Friday nights?" Jessie asked, breaking a bite-sized chunk off her slice and sliding it into her mouth.

Andrew finished chewing and then said, "Pick up unsuspecting strangers in the science lab and take them out for late-night pizzas."

Jessie stopped chewing mid-bite and looked up at Andrew, a worried look crossing her face. When he smiled his broad, perfectly straight-toothed smile, she let out her breath and grinned back at him. They both laughed, but Jessie sat back in her seat and watched him more closely now, wondering if she'd misjudged. She mentally calculated the best escape route, just in case things got out of hand. "Really, though," she started, more hesitantly, "you don't seem like the study-on-a-Friday-night type. You must have had better plans than hanging out with me running organic chemistry reactions."

Andrew sheepishly picked at the cheese stuck to his plate. "I was supposed to meet some buddies at a party, but..."

Jessie waited for him to continue. When he didn't, she leaned forward again, crossing her arms and putting her elbows on the edge of the table. "Won't they wonder where you are?" she finally asked.

"Nah, they're probably wasted by now trying to hook up with the first girls that cross their paths." He smiled at her again, the uncomfortable silence gone. "That's really not my scene. I only go because they go. Believe me, I was much more comfortable watching you mix your compounds than watching them make fools of themselves."

Jessie laughed and felt her shoulders relax. She hadn't even realized how tense she'd gotten. "That's the good thing about being a nerd," Jessie joked. "No one expects you to go to parties and socialize. They know you'd rather be in the library than at a fraternity any day."

Without any warning, Andrew raised himself up on the edge of the table and leaned over the pizza pan to kiss her. His lips were soft and tender against hers. It only lasted a moment, but it seemed like a lifetime. When he pulled away she found herself following him for a few inches back toward his seat. She caught herself and pulled back when he said, "I'm glad I'll know where to find you."

Jessie, her face flushed with excitement and embarrassment, looked in Andrew's eyes and nodded. After a long moment of silence, she asked, "So, you know where to find me, but where can I find you? I don't think I've ever seen you around."

Andrew went back to eating his pizza. "I'm around. Don't worry, you'll see me now."

One of the bus boys started mopping the floor near their booth and giving them the evil eye. It was after 1AM. "I guess we should go," Jessie said, tossing her napkin on her plate. "I'm stuffed anyway."

"Yeah, me too," Andrew said, tossing the three remaining pieces into the box they'd asked for over a half-hour ago. "Do you want to take these for breakfast?" he asked her.

She cocked her head and raised her eyebrows. "You eat pizza cold for breakfast?"

"Yeah, it's--"

"Really good," they both said at the same time. Then Jessie said, "I thought I was the only person who ate cold pizza for breakfast." They laughed until the bus boy stopped mopping and just stood watching them.

"OK, OK," Andrew said, standing and grabbing their jackets from the hook on the booth post. "We're leaving." They laughed all the way out the door and back to Jessie's dorm. At the door to the building, Jessie thanked him for the company and the dinner.

"Can I call you sometime?" he asked her.

"I'd like that she said," pulling a pen from her bag and ripping a piece of paper from her notebook. "I'd like that a lot." She handed him the number and he held her hand for just a moment longer than necessary.

"Good," he said and kissed her one more time.

The Party's Over...

Well, the Ultimate Blog Party officially ended yesterday. I'm a little sad that's it's over already, but I'm so happy that I decided to take part in the fun. I've met dozens and dozens of great bloggers, many of whom I'll be reading regularly from now on. My Bloglines feed is overflowing with new Blog Party finds, and I'll be adding more as I make my way through the long list of Partiers that I still haven't had time to visit. Oh yeah, I won a prize, too! #39-the Amazon gift card from The Organized Knitting Club. We all know what that means - More books!

I hope you've all enjoyed getting to know me, too, and I hope that some of the party-goers that have stopped by to say hello will stick around for a while. It's always nice to know that there are people out there who "get me" and enjoy reading what I have to say. Plus, I love getting to know new people. Who knows? I might just decide to interview some of you!

Now that the party is officially over, I guess it's back to the normal routine. Maybe by the time next year's party rolls around I'll have managed to meet everyone who partied this year. Here's to Ultimate Blog Party hangovers!

Random Thoughts for Friday

I took today off, as I mentioned on Wednesday, to wait around for the appliance repairman. Thankfully, he got here a little after 8 and was gone by 9, so I had plenty of time to get other things done. I paid a couple of bills, washed my dishes, did a load of laundry, watched a little TV and then took a trip to one of my favorite places. You know what's coming if you know me at all...wait for it...

The Bookstore.

Yes, I spent my afternoon surrounded by magazines and books, smelling that sweet scent of paper and ink, gazing lovingly at colorful book jackets and beautiful covers. And I managed to walk out with only one magazine that I got for 20% off, thanks to a coupon.

When I was done browsing, I had a great lunch at Panera while reading my new magazine. I also had the pleasure of people watching, which is where the random thoughts come in.

• Are we really at a point in our evolution as a species where three people can sit down in a booth to eat lunch together and spend more time talking on their cell phones than talking to each other?
• Is it just me, or does the smile and curiosity of a three-year-old the most beautiful thing in the world?
• I hope that I am lucky enough to spend much of my adult life with a man who will still carry my tray, pull out my chair, gaze at me lovingly, and hold my hand when I'm 70 and beyond.
• When I see people together--girlfriends talking and laughing, a couple sharing a Friday lunch together, a group of frat boys talking about the next big party--I always wonder about the story behind them. How did they meet? What brings them together and keeps them that way? What are they thinking about one another behind those smiles and laughter and loving eyes?
• Food is really good if you take time to taste it and chew it and think about it. And I don't need nearly as much of it to feel satisfied when I do this. Also, bread is good and I'm never going to give it up. I don't care what the anti-carbohydrate gurus say. A good baguette--crunchy on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside--is like medicine for my soul.

Well, I'm off to do some more blog-hopping. There are more than 1300 Blog Party hosts left for me to visit. At the rate I'm going, it will be 2025 before I finally get to meet them all. But I'm going to do my best to stop by and say hello to as many as I can. Hope you had a wonderful Friday! Enjoy your weekend.