More good news for Violet.

Today I got an email from my potential agent who said that she loves my manuscript (yay!) but that it's not done (well, true!) and she asked me to think about writing 2-3 chapters to complete the book.
I sent her back an email that apologized for neglecting to mention (oops!) that I'm planning this as the first installment in a series.
I also told her that I'm working on my second book, which (thank goodness!) I've already begun.

I'll let you guys know what she says from there. She might not be interested, but I'm thinking good thoughts and listening to lots of Beyonce.

I'm partway through Steven King's On Writing,

which is one of the best, if not THE BEST, book I've read on the subject. Until this morning, when I came upon a terrifying suggestion from Mr. King. (It has nothing to do with the genre of horror, either.)

He strongly suggests that I stop watching TV if I want to get serious about being a writer. I repeat, STOP watching TV.

I have a list of reasons why I should continue to watch TV on a regular basis. I mean, doesn't TV give me material for my writing? Shouldn't I stay updated on current events, not to mention have exposure to teenage cultural icons, which I need if I'm going to keep writing young adult fiction???

Maybe.

But I have to admit, Mr. King makes a good point. If I devoted all the time I spend watching TV every week to reading and writing, I would probably be twice as productive.

But I also know me. And I know that I can't give TV up completely. So I made another list. This is a list of the TV shows I'm going to watch. The only ones I will watch from now on:
1. The Sarah Silverman Program (So funny, so politically incorrect, I love it.)
2. The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency (I know, I know... But I'm totally addicted.)
3. Whatever "Top" show happens to be on (Top Design, Top Chef, Project Runway, etc.)
4. The Simpsons (which will give me more than enough cultural fodder, plus come on, it's genius.)
5. Best Week Ever (which will also fill me in on the best moments from all the reality shows I'm not watching anymore!)

You don't see American Idol listed here, because it comes on three nights a week and sometimes runs for two hours at a time and is (in the words of Lelaina Pierce) a "Master at the Art of Time Suckage."
If I really want to know the status of my favorites, like Melinda Doolittle, I can check the website to see if they make it to the next round. So I'm quitting Idol. We had a good thing going--while it lasted. But it just wasn't meant to be.

I also want to say right here and now that I reserve the right to swap shows, like if one of my selected programs ends a season, or gets cancelled. But I WILL agree to replace it with another show of the same length, be it a 30-minute show or an hour-long show, or if we ever get HBO again, sometimes they have weird lengths, like 42 minutes or something.

I know I may stray from my commitment, but I feel good about it. One thing I probably should have done is wait until AFTER spring break to make this decision, but oh well. Think how far I'll get in my second book. I already have the first page, but not much else. More on that later.

In other news, the agent (who I've given an exclusive) will receive my full manuscript in the next few days. Then, she has two weeks to decide if she wants to represent me and shop me to a publisher. I'll let you know the news as soon as I find out. Keep your fingers crossed!

Awhile back, Erika "tagged" me.

She confessed six weird things about herself, and then asked six other people to confess weird things about themselves. This was a little like a chain letter, which I normally am against. But, it's Erika, who I love, and so I'm going to participate. Also, Nathan and Stacy already wrote their lists, and I don't want to be left out.

Six weird things about me:
(And I know there are way more than six, because I'm so neurotic, but here are six off the top of my head.)

1. I'm a loud chewer (according to Nathan) Don't misunderstand. I know my manners, and I chew with my mouth closed. But Nathan insists that I'm a loud chewer.

2. I either squeal or gasp in pleasure when I see SJP on TV. This reaction is totally involuntary, and it even happens when I see her in a commercial for crappy hair color.

3. Sometimes when I'm alone, I pretend that someone famous (like Oprah) is interviewing me about my book, and I answer her questions out loud.

4. My most comfortable way to sleep is flat on my back, with my arms at my sides, like a total Stepford wife or something.

5. I can spell most difficult words, but mess up on really easy ones, making the same mistakes I've made since elementary school. Some examples include: monthes, calander, and tons of words that end in "tion" because I mix it up with "sion," like extention. I spell check everything and use my dictionary widget on a daily basis.

6. I always save the very last message on my phone from Nathan, even if it's just a message about DVRing Battlestar Galactica, on the off chance that something tragic might happen to him. I'm really bad about doing this when he goes out of town. I'm typically not a morbid person. Well, except for this one thing.

Maisy, if you want me to love you, you have to stop peeing in the house.

This is what I actually said to Maisy just a few moments ago. It might sound cold. It might sound callous. (I know they pretty much mean the same thing, but I like the alliteration.)

We knew this would be a long road. Why else did we buy a new, fabulous, hand-held carpet shampooer? But, that doesn't mean I want to use it every twenty minutes.

I think I can speak for Nathan on this subject, without even asking him.

Even more good news for Violet.

After reading my next 25 pages, the literary agent who may potentially represent me, asked for the FULL MANUSCRIPT and an "EXCLUSIVE."

An exclusive means that I only show the whole book to her for a specific amount of time (approx. 3-4 weeks) and then she'll let me know if she wants to represent the project. I went ahead and emailed the other agents I had queried to let them know that I had a request for the entire manuscript as well as an exclusive. The reason you're supposed to let them know is to create interest and hopefully bring your query to the top of the pile. It's the equivalent of saying, "I'm great! Look at me! You want me!" or something like that.

This week, I'm going to go ahead with the exclusive. Then, while we're waiting, responses will be trickling in. They will most likely be rejections (I'm not being modest; I'm being realistic) and that will be fine. If any come back positive, I can let them know that another agent has an exclusive, but that I can give THEM an exclusive after that point. Then, we can try to see who feels like the best fit and/or can negotiate the best deal.

For the record, I'm still in shock.

Uncork the champagne, baby!

OK. I'm a little freaked out.

I sent out my first round of query letters to my first ten agents. Half of them I met this summer at a writers' conference, and they asked for me to send my synopsis and first three chapters when my book was complete. Two out of ten prefer email submissions, so I emailed them yesterday. The other eight I sent off today, on my way home from school.

I didn't expect to get an email response today. But I did, from both agents. One said, "Thanks for your query, but this doesn't sound right for us." I was expecting that. I was ready. I was NOT expecting the other one to say, "Dear Amy: I like this. Send me the next 25 pages. Look forward to the read." But it did.

No, it's not a deal, but it's the next step forward. And it's a step I didn't expect so soon. So, we're celebrating tonight.

Don't worry--I'll keep everyone up to date. At the rate I'm going, I'll be on my book tour by the end of the year.

I'd like to call this series "White Doggies on a Red Couch"

Interesting facts about Maisy

Number of days we've had her: 6

Average number of times we take Maisy out to pee per day: 14 times, I counted! (5:30 a.m., 6:15 a.m., 7:00 a.m., 7:45 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and in increments of 45 minutes thereafter up until 10:30/11:00 p.m.)

Highest number of times Maisy has peed in the house in a single day: 4

Fewest number of times Maisy has peed in the house in a single day: 0

Total number of days Maisy has not peed in the house: 2, not consecutive

Number of long walks with both doggies: 3

Cutest puppy habit: Tie between falling asleep frequently and getting the hiccups

Grossest puppy habit that I totally forgot, since Abigail doesn't do this anymore: Eating other dog's poo found outside

What I keep accidently calling her: Mabey (combination Abigail/Maisy)

Number of times I've had to scold Maisy: too many to count

Number of times Abigail looks distressed when Maisy is scolded: see above

Number of times I've had to reassure Abigail after her distress: see above

Total number of times Maisy has not cried when put in her crate: 4

Total number of times Maisy has put HERSELF in her crate at bedtime: 1

Songs Maisy likes, in case she does cry, to which she will stop crying: Killing Me Softly, Fugees cover of Roberta Flack; On Top of Spaghetti, artist unknown; Breakaway, Kelly Clarkson

JUST IN: Number of times Maisy has scratched at the door to go outside and pee: 1!!!!

I have to tell you about how Nathan just broke our ceiling fan.

Tonight, in the midst of the fantastic spectacle that is American Idol, Nathan got, well, a little carried away doing a Bo Bice impression when he grabbed our beige, velour throw from the couch, which probably weighs close to five pounds (the throw, not the couch) and put it on his head, flinging it around like hair, singing Bo's version of "I Don't Want to Be," that crappy Gavin Degraw song, a.k.a. the theme song from One Tree Hill.

The impression lasted a glorious 15 seconds, before the blanket whipped to the ceiling, breaking off one of the spokes of the fan, sending it spiralling across the room. It was pretty awesome. But if the fan had been on, it probably would have killed me.

My book is finished! Well...mostly.

Yes, you read correctly. I finished the last chapter of my book this last week!

The only problem is, I can tell there are some things that need re-tweaking. This may come from the fact that all the beginning and middle chapters have been revised SO MANY times, and the latest ones at the end are still a bit rough.
Right now I am in the process of reworking the last few chapters, adding pieces that may be missing, and slowing down the pacing, to make sure it really matches the rest of the book.
Not too difficult, because all that really means is that I'm expanding what's already there, adding little scenes or lengthening the amount of dialogue, etc.

My goal now is to really have a strong, basically "finished" draft in the next two weeks. I also need to put together my proposal package, with query letter, synopsis, and all that. As of now, the game plan is to send out proposals to ten different agents every six weeks. I'm bracing myself for lots and lots of rejection letters. Honestly, that's just part of the process. I know that my writing is strong enough that eventually someone will be interested in picking me up. My optimistic outlook says it's only a matter of time.

It's January 3, 2007 and

1. I am nearing the end of my book. It really feels like that final sprint that you go into at the end of a race, which I've only heard other people talk about. I have just under 30,000 words/126 pages. My original goal was to be done by the end of 2006. My new goal is to be done by the time I go back to teaching, which is Tuesday, six days away. I'll let everyone know when it's done--don't worry.

2. In the meantime, I can't get enough of the America's Next Top Model mega-marathon on VH1, which I shamelessly subject Nathan and Abigail to. I won't let it keep me from working on my book, but I do have to leave the house so that I can really focus. But I usually do that to write, not just when America's Next Top Model is on.

3. Since we got back to Austin after Christmas, I've been working out like crazy, going back to my routine of exercising five days a week, taking off Mondays and Fridays. I've been alternating aerobic workouts with weight training, and hope that soon I will be able to wear the cute clothes hiding in the back of my closet.

4. Tomorrow night is the Ladies of the '80s Sing-Along at the Alamo Drafthouse, which I am SO excited about. It looks like it will be myself, Stace and Jennifer, along with many other 80s-music loving strangers who will seriously feel like our friends by the end of the evening. Based on how much fun I had at the Little Mermaid Sing-Along, it promises to be a great time.

Lord of the Rings...quite a little story, wouldn't you say?

The music, the cinematography, the dialogue, the special effects, the costumes, the creatures, the heroes, the battles, the quest. Fantastic.

I can't watch just one. I have to set aside enough time to watch all three, and vacations are just perfect for that.


Since I am finishing The Two Towers this afternoon, I will leave you with one my favorite pieces of dialogue from the script, between Frodo and Sam. (I found this on the imdb website, where you can find many other quotes, if you like.)

Frodo: I can't do this, Sam.
Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?
Sam: That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for.

I think I can...

Most of you know that this summer I took a big step forward in my writing, which was to join a group called the Writers' League of Texas. I went to an annual conference where I met with an editor, and learned about how to approach getting published.

At the conference, I ran into a friend who used to work at Dobie, and she and I have been meeting every two weeks to critique each other's writing. We are both writing young adult fiction, both our main characters are teenage girls, and we're both writing in first person, present tense. Other than that, our subject matter and writing styles are quite different. The great thing is that we're really getting to a point where we're digging into the writing, and pushing each other to revise in certain ways and make the writing really strong. It's fantastic.

It was my original goal to be done with my book by the end of the year. I've always gauged that I wanted to write about 150 pages. Since then, I've learned that in the world of publishing, you talk more in terms of word count, not page numbers. Right now I have 27,000 words, which is 115 pages. Typical YA fiction is between 25,000 to 35,000 words, and I'm still expecting to write several more chapters, so I think I'm right on track.

The exciting thing is that if I work really hard over the holiday, I may still be able to meet my goal of finishing by the end of the year. There's an end in sight, and I'm looking forward to the day when I can write my final page, close my laptop and feel that I created something I'm proud of. And yes, I sometimes broke the rules of grammar, like how I ended that last sentence with a preposition, or started this sentence with the word "and." And that's okay.

Guilty Pleasures.

Since everyone is doing it, why not join in the fun?
My top Guilty Pleasures that I am NOT ashamed to admit:

1. Chili cheese dogs, preferably from Dog Almighty or the Drafthouse, although I will settle for one from Sonic
2. Whose Line is it Anyway?
3. Girls Just Want To Have Fun (the song, AND the movie)
4. Sugarry kids cereals
5. The E Channel, Oxygen and We
6. Drug commercials that list funny possible side-effects
7. Going to bed at 8:30
8. The Game Show Network
9. Anything with Sarah Jessica Parker, even those Garnier hair color commercials
10. McDonalds French fries
11. Burger King cheeseburgers
12. Sonic tots
13. Popeyes spicy chicken
14. Whataburger sausage biscuits
15. Nestle Quik
16. So You Think You Can Dance
17. For that matter, almost ANY kind of reality TV, including ones that swap wives and bring in super nannies, but not the ones that make the contestants eat bugs
18. Cheesy aerobic workouts, like step or water
19. Jammin 105.9 (they mainly play disco hits of the 70s)
20. Robert Zemeckis movies like Romancing the Stone and Back to the Future
21. The #1 Spot at Target (those shelves right at the front where everything is on super clearance for $1.)
22. ABBA, the Carpenters, Journey, Heart, Whitney Houston (Pre-Bobby)
23. Oompa Loompa dance choreography
24. Kid songs like this.
25. samples at Central Market, which I eat 2 or 3 times the polite amount

The most fun I've had in a long time.

The Secret Fish-Girl Sing-Along at the Alamo.



You just can't imagine how singing like a fool at the top of your lungs with strangers around you doing the same can feel so, so good. Or maybe you can.

Either way, I'm hooked on this Sing Along stuff. Coming up next is the Christmas Pops! Sing Along which promises holiday songs by Boyz 2 Men, Dolly Parton, and New Kids on the Block. Add to that "Last Christmas" by Wham, and the strange but memorable duet of "Little Drummer Boy" by Bing Crosby and David Bowie, and you've got something special.

Feeling a little bit better.

Not quite back to my usually annoyingly energetic self, but better than last week.
Sick is not good, but here are some things that make it nicer:
1. Watching old movies, especially musicals.
2. Consuming things that I normally would never want, such as Jello, plain Saltines, and Sprite.
3. Going back to work and having a mediocre day that turned into a beautiful day when Nathan had a gorgeous vase of flowers delivered. I would post a picture here so that everyone could see just how gorgeous they are, but that would mean bugging Nathan to help me do that, and that doesn't seem very thankful, now does it? Also, it's interesting that beautiful flowers can make a girl really feel beautiful.
4. Watching the Food Network, and wishing I was friends with all the people, especially Nigella Lawson, Rachel Ray, Alton Brown, Giada De Larentes, Paula Dean, Mario Batalli and the rest of them.
5. Exploring the new IKEA, which we visited this weekend. Twice.

Double whammy.

The doctor says I have bronchitus AND a sinus infection.
When I get sick, I do it right.

Sickies.

That's me. Not feeling good. Not good at all. Stuffy, sneezy, glands-swollen-y.

At least if I have to really take a day off, I have three great subs I can call in as backup.
Well, I'll only have to call in one of them.

Happy Anthropologie, etc.

Updates, since I haven't blogged regularly, and am very into lists right now.

1. We are close to Thanksgiving. This was even a three day weekend, if you count the inservice I had today.

2. I was afraid that my wallet had been taken out of my school bag yesterday, but found it exactly where I left it at home. It was a relief, because I had accepted the possibility that it was stolen. Lesson of the day: Trust is emotional.

3. It had gotten nice and chilly. Now hot again. "WHA HAPPEN'D?"

4. Tomorrow morning--ok, afternoon--I plan to happily explore the new Anthropologie store downtown, and maybe even buy this gorgeous dress I've had my eye on. If it fits, naturally.

5. This Sunday night for family, we might just have a dance party. I wish I could type "dance party" in bright colors and animate the letters so they wiggled, with little confetti pieces all around. Does anyone know how to do that?

6. If we do have a dance party, I think I should wear my new party dress.

Last Thanksgiving, I raided my mom's closet.

Now, to give you a little background, you should know that my little sister constantly "borrows" things from my mom because she's in college and is back at home a bunch. My mom is something of a packrat, which means she hangs onto clothes forever. To boot, she has a flair for fashion and most of her stuff is really timeless. In other words, it's a rare treat for me to dig through her closet. One of the things I pulled out was this fantastic trenchcoat that was in perfect condition. A basic, belted trench, double-breasted. Mom said she got it in the early '80s. I tried it on, and it was really perfect. So, I swiped it. Obviously.

Well, I didn't end up wearing it last year because it had these shoulder button-strap things, which are meant to hold up the sleeves if you roll them up. You might know what I'm talking about. Really more function than fashion. Well, last week, I got to looking at the trench, and realized that the straps were sewn on externally, and it would be a snap to remove them. So I did. Obviously.

With the cooler, blustery weather, I've been wearing the trench almost daily, in the mornings especially. I love the feeling I get from it. Just knowing my mom wore it more than twenty years ago gives me this strong sense of connection to her. I also found a ticket in one pocket from a jazz concert that my little sister went to. Which means that at some point, she stole it, too. How I managed to get it in the end, I'm not sure. But I plan to keep it. Obviously.

Why, American Heart Association, why?!

I could have gone a long time without reading this.

In a fitness article I just read yesterday, I saw a little piece of information, direct from the American Heart Association. But before I break the traumatic news, I want you to keep in mind that this article is titled "Killer Tone-Up, Trim-Down Workout." Sounds good, huh? Tell me more about this killer workout! The explanation and exercise moves look great. I think I'll incorporate them into my 30 minute, 3-days a week workout. Cool.

Not so cool. In a little pull-out box of text, I read that the "American Heart Association now recommends the new fitness guidelines of 30 minutes of exercise per day to maintain your weight and 60 minutes a day to shed pounds." It says nothing about my old faithful 3 days a week routine. In fact, if I were to up my ante and complete my workout on a DAILY basis, I would still only maintain my current weight. Sure, I wouldn't gain, but let's be honest. How many of us, including me, have tons of cute clothes we're still hanging onto for that far-off dreamy day that we might fit back into them again?

So what now? I could just quit. Because what's the point? OR--and this is the philosophy I'm going with--I could be bittersweetly grateful that I read what I did, and accelerate my workout to 60 minutes, EVERY day. Yes, there will be days that I don't make it. But if I get it done most of the days, I may begin to see a difference on the scale and might even be able to wear said cute clothes in the back of my closet again.

My German roots have finally caught up with me.

Something happened about a year ago. We had been back on meat for a while, and I started craving bratwurst. Then, schnitzel. Then, I started to think, my tastes have changed a lot in the last few years. What about trying some kind of...beer, just for kicks? I thought that given my German heritage, I owed it to myself and my ancestors before me, to try....beer. Before long, I had developed a taste for what I liked and didn't like, and then one day, I finished a full bottle. I believe it was a Dos Equis. Since then, I've moved on. Enough so that I can even recommend my top ten brews, perhaps even give a quick run-down of what they taste like to me. In no particular order...

1. Pyramid -- Apricot Ale. Fruity, crisp, sweet without being too malty. One of the first beers I ever tried, and really turned me on to the fact that there are ALL kinds of beer out there.
2. Lindemans-- Cassis (Black currant) Belgian Lambic. We also like their cherry lambic. They also brew a peach, but it's a bit too sweet for my taste. Lambics are pretty much the champagne of beers. So bubbly and punchy that I'm not even sure they belong in the same category.
3. Real Ale - Full Moon Pale Rye. Nice and hoppy without being bitter. Real Ale is a brewery in Blanco, Texas, which is about an hour away.
4. New Belgium Brewing Co. -- 1554 (Brussels Style Black Ale) We just found this one a couple weeks ago. The label says it has a "clean, chocolately finish" and surprisingly, it does.
5. Spaten - Oktoberfest. Bold, bitey. Those Germans know what they are doing.
6. Dogfishhead -- 30 min. IPA. Despite the off-putting name, this brew is nice. A bit on the stout side.
7. Fireman's #4. Every time I've had this one, it has accompanied steaming slices of pizza from the Parlor. Pretty light, just a little hoppy. Another one of my gateway beers.
8. Full Sail -- Session Lager. This one is smooth and well-balanced. Not a usual you'd find in the regular grocery store, but don't let that stop you from looking.
9. Pyramid -- Curve Ball (seasonal) I picked this one on a whim, and I'm glad I did. Has a little kick.
10. Bass Pale Ale. This beer was originally brewed in 1777, and I read that it was a favorite of Napoleon, Edgar Allan Poe, and Buffalo Bill. Oh yeah, it's also great. Big, hoppy, I like it.

This stuff is genius.

This week I had that feeling. You know the one. The uh-oh-I-think-I'm-getting-sick-and-I-don't-have-time-for-that-right-now feeling.

I thought about buying some of that medicine I've seen that you're supposed to take right at the beginning of feeling cold symptoms. I talked to three different people, and this is what they said:
Dana (a friend from work): You mean Zycam?
Lora: Are you talking about Mucinex?
Nathan: Uh...I don't know. Echinacea?
Me: No, I'm pretty sure it's called something else.

And it is. It's called Airborne. It's that stuff that you may have seen that was created by a school teacher who was tired of getting sick all the time. I can relate to the teacher part, but not the getting sick part. Excuse me now for the following personal testimony/unpaid endorsement. This stuff is packed with antioxidants, herbs and vitamins to boost your immune system so that you can actually fight a cold. The formula dissolves in water like Alca Seltzer, but tastes a lot more like Blue Sky soda. I bought the pink grapefruit variety, and the Walgreens version, Wal-borne, because this stuff isn't cheap. I did also spring for these Airborne gummy throat lozenges that have a smaller dosage of the formula.

It's FANTASTIC. Every time I have taken my little tonic, I seriously get this boost. The website says it doesn't have caffeine, so I think it must be the blend of natural herbs and all the vitamins. This stuff is insanely magical. I know that I'm not sick right now and I should be because of this stuff. And I, for one, am very happy about that.

Best voicemail ever.

This morning I saw the little annoying blinking light on my phone telling me that I not only had one, but two messages. While I am inundated with email throughout the day, it is a rare occasion to get voicemail messages, and the majority of them are either hang-ups, or parents who are very angry--and vocal about their anger--who demand that I call them back right away. I know my return phone calls will almost always end well, but I digress. Voicemail blinking lights are NOT a welcome sign.

To my surprise and delight, I was wrong.
This is the transcript of the two voicemail messages that I hope to keep forever.

Hi Mrs. Russell.
I love you, Mrs. Russell.
You are my favorite teacher.
Bye!
(click)

Hello...
This is Casandra and Jayla...
We just wanted to know...hi!
I mean, we just wanted to SAY hi. (laughter in background)
And we love you.
Bye!!
(click)

Dedicated to all those who have an Abigail-sized hole in their hearts.

Just now, and I mean, right this very second, I was about to post about my stressful day in which I had three meetings, two that were before 9 a.m., and then a siren went by, right as I was signing into blogger.

A second later, I heard Abigail howling out on the patio. All the tension of my day slipped away like in one of those commercials for scented candles. Just hearing Abigail belt out her little low-pitched howl made me smile and realize that I have a pretty nice life.

On the heels of my junk food post

I think it only appropriate that I delve into my latest fitness craze--the NYC Ballet Workout!
I love, love, love it. Perhaps it's my formative years that were spent in ballet class, I don't know. But my unrequited desire to be a ballerina will be satisfied, and I plan to burn some calories in the meantime.

Here is a shot of myself doing one of the more basic maneuvers (with Nathan helping me, of course!)



By the way, on the second volume of the ballet workout, there is a combination routine that I think we should all learn and perform together! In the spirit of Oompa Loompa. Who's in?

When you have an insanely hectic day

from start to finish, there are few things on Earth that will make you feel as good as a steaming slice of Conan's deep dish pepperoni pizza and a cold glass of Pyramid's apricot ale.
Nice.

Top 5, okay 3, Patriotic Movies that Make You Feel Good about Our Country

I tried to think of 5, so that I would have a nice round number, but could only think of 3. So, here they are, my top 3 Patriotic Movies...

1. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
2. The American President
3. Dave

Aren't these great movies? For some reason, I love them, and they make me want to stand up and sing in the spirit of Pollyanna, "Amerrrrica, Amerrrrica, God shed her grace on theeeee, and crooooown thy gooood with brrrraaaaaaaatherhood, from seeea to shinnniiiing seeea!"

Updates in Brief

School is back in full force, three weeks in to be exact. And I am tired, spent, brain-dead, any other synonym you can think of.

1. My classes are going well. Other than having the highest numbers I've ever had, I'm feeling good, working like crazy, and loving (almost) every minute of it.

2. I wrote past my 100th page in my book! I'm meeting every other week with a friend who is also a writer of YA fiction, and just having that meeting time motivates me to pick up my writing when I don't feel in the "zone." By the way, the "zone" is a load of crap, and just a really good excuse to be lazy.

3. Not working out every day like I did in summer, but between all the running around I do at school, up and down the hill between the building and my portable, and the fact that I haven't had a lot of spare time for snacking in front of the tele, I'm still on the weight-loss track. I think it's the tortoise-variety, the "slow and steady" weight loss track.

4. Nathan scored tickets to the symphony tonight, which featured Joshua Bell, the world-renowned violinist. I almost cried more than once.

5. It is almost 12:30 and I am still awake. But it's also a three-day weekend. So lay off.

Summer in the city.

Erika doesn't fully realize just how great she is. I know this for a fact.
One small example I can tell you right off the bat is that she and Rob came down for little visit about a month and a half ago.
When they were here, they forced us all to go out to the pool, (which we had made friends with last summer, but were not really "clicking with" this summer). At the pool, Rob and Erika led us in a series of relay races with these dive toys they had, and I'll go ahead and say it. It was not only fun, it burned calories. After Erika and Rob had to go back to their city, we rekindled our relationship with the pool, and even purchased some dive toys of our very own.





Also, I would like Erika to know that we assigned point values to each of our dive toys in the order of the most dangerous, with a man being 50 and a sea horse being 10. Sharks are 40, and so on. Some might argue that sharks are more dangerous than man, but come on. Have you seen the planet lately? Also, Erika, if you're reading this, I would like to suggest a new game. You have someone throw ALL the toys at once and then dive under to get as many as you can before they hit the bottom. A variation of this game is for one person to throw the toys in 3-5 second intervals at whoever is diving. They can breathe and surface as much as they want, but can't get toys once they hit the bottom. Nathan is pretty good at this, and throws the toys back out at me, and most of the time of the time they stay in the pool area.

I have a confession to make...

which has nothing to do with the produce section at HEB.

So you know those cable channels which are specifically targeted at women, like Oxygen and Lifetime? Unfortunately, I just confirmed TWICE this weekend that I am a prime audience for these crap channels. Sad, but true.

First, I stayed up until midnight watching the Hallmark Channel's presentation of the made-for-TV movie of Love Comes Softly, the film version of the Christian book by Jeanette Oke, which is set in American pioneer days. The book, which I read in sixth grade was, at the time, the most fabulously moving thing I had read, romantic and inspiring. Let me just tell you, this movie was so heart-warming that I actually welled up with tears, although none spilled out.

Then, today, I watched four hours, I repeat, four hours, of the 2-part TV film, Sybil, starring Sally Field, which aired on WE. I was so engrossed in the story, that I neglected to work out, work on my book, get dressed, or even wash my face, and almost forgot my one errand of the day, to get to the bank before 4:00.

This film, which is a tragic, true tale of one woman's triumph over her childhood of abuse resulting in 16 different personalities, makes me want to read the book, but mostly makes me want to die of embarrassment that I am so susceptible to these shows and programming.

Oxygen, WE, Hallmark, and Lifetime, you have won. I am putty in your hands.

In true Russell/Prien fashion,

Nathan and I carried on a 45-minute conversation over iChat today without either one of us remembering that today is our 6th anniversary. Then, some time later, we both said "Um...forgot to tell you something....Happy Anniversary!"
It was pretty funny, but also a nice reminder of why we might just be perfect for each other.
So to celebrate tonight, we took a night off from cooking and a night off from our diet and ordered a fabulous Conan's pepperoni pizza which we just polished off with some ice-cold cherry Coke.
We also have some skittles (sour for me, and classic for Nathan) lined up for our double feature of crappy movies that we got on Netflix.
Last year for our anniversary, we went to a ridiculously decadent fondue restaurant. This year, it's pizza, Coke and Netflix, and I couldn't be happier.

Unfortunately, tonight's episode

of one of my favorite shows, So You Think You Can Dance, really lowered the bar by featuring the ever-so-classless Pussycat Dolls.

As I watched them, slightly revolted, but not so revolted as to stop watching, I realized that I was reminded of another group of girls from the not-too-distant past...

Fascinating resemblance, no?

More happy stories from the diet front...

Tonight, Nathan made a fabulous spicy, breaded baked chicken. The crazy part of the recipe is that you actually use yogurt instead of egg to bread the chicken, and no one would believe it's diet food, it tastes so good.

Well, Nathan's chicken inspired me to look online for dessert recipes that would be just as creative, and just as guiltless. Plus, we were watching an episode of Take Home Chef on the food network which featured a chocolate mousse for dessert. I found a very interesting dark chocolate mousse recipe that called for tofu, I repeat TOFU, instead of heavy cream. Feeling brave, I ran to the store to pick up some tofu, since we had everything else on hand. An hour later, may I just say, wow. Rich, decadent, and no guilt! Who would have thought of using tofu (even if it doesn't have a flavor) in a chocolate mousse recipe? Genius, pure genius.

Try it and see for yourself.

Good News/Bad News

Good News: Everyone I talked to this weekend (by everyone, I mean agents) asked for me to go ahead and send my proposal packages to them. Proposal packages include a query letter, synopsis, and first two/three chapters or so.

Bad News: I don't have said proposal packages....yet.

Good News: Repeat: I did make connections with very receptive and friendly potential agents.

Bad News: They all said I need to finish my book before sending them anything.

Good News: The editor that I had a consultation session with wanted me to pitch my book to her.

Bad News: I didn't know how to pitch, and could only babble and beg her to look at my first page.

Good News: She read my first page very attentively and then said, "The good news is that this is great."

Bad News: She went on to say, "The bad news is that I can't use it. The imprint of my publishing house is looking to acquire young adult fiction that is multi-cultural."

Good News: She said some other highly positive things that I will remember when I get rejection letters in the near future.

More Good News: I ran into a friend who used to work at Dobie, and she is also working on young adult fiction. We plan to hook up soon to share work.

Even More Good News: I learned so much and feel motivated to work toward my goal of finishing this summer, ideally END OF JULY. That way I can send my proposals to agents I met in a timely manner.

You may notice that in the end, I have more Good News than Bad News.
That is the good news.

OK. I am officially freaked out.

This weekend I am taking a big step forward for myself as an author. At the recommendation of a friend, I signed up for a Writer's League of Texas Agents and Editors Conference here in Austin. I have an appointment to meet with an editor on Saturday afternoon and get some feedback on my novel. There are also breakout sessions on everything from finding an agent to crafting fiction to marketing yourself.

I am weirdly optimistic, but more than anything freaked out. I know that I'll come away learning some valuable things, but I think the reason I'm nervous is because I found out about this conference at the very last second and decided to go at the very last second and revised my first chapter at the very last second and then went and made copies at the very last second.

I always was under the impression that I had to be done with my book completely before pursuing publishing, but that's really not the case. In fact, on avaerage, it takes so long to get a book accepted for publication, that it would be smart of me to go ahead and begin the process. It also motivates me to work toward finishing it.

Wish me luck!

In the '80s we made mix tapes.

Now we burn CDs from our playlists using itunes.

In honor of summer, (and my boredom,) I have created two new fun and exciting playlists. On the first one, I tried to pick songs that you would want to sing at the top of your lungs driving down the road while you blast the AC, or with the window down if you don't live in Texas. The second playlist is more like what you would play while you sit on your patio/porch in the evening. I would love to burn CDs for everyone, so if you are in need of a new mix CD, let me know or drop me a comment and I will send them to you. Seriously, this is my idea of fun.

Here is the lineup, just to whet your appetite.

Side A: Songs to play on a Summer Day
1. I Can't Get Next to You - Al Green
2. Come Together - The Beatles
3. Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel
4. The Woman in You - Ben Harper
5. Down to the River to Pray - Alison Krauss
6. The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
7. We Didn't Start the Fire - Billy Joel
8. Eternal Flame (live) - Susana Hoffs
9. Sweetness Follows - REM
10. Tiny Dancer - Elton John
11. Spring Provides - Matt Pond PA
12. Love is a Battlefield - Pat Benetar
13. Just What I Needed - The Cars
14. Wake Up - The Arcade Fire
15. Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen

Side B: Songs to play on a Summer Night
1. By Your Side - Sade
2. Every Breath You Take - The Police
3. Universal Traveler - Air
4. How Sweet It Is - Joan Osborne
5. The Moon Softly Weeps a Lullaby - The Autumns
6. A Case of You (live) - Diana Krall
7. Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
8. Hide and Seek - Imogen Heap
9. Cannonball - Damien Rice
10. Way Over Yonder - Carole King
11. Unchained Melody - Cyndi Lauper
12. Songs We Used to Sing - Edie Brickell
13. Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me - Elton John
14. What a Difference a Day Made - Dinah Washington

Updates...

1. I agreed to help out Amy Chapman w/ watering all her gorgeous plants while she and Derek are in Europe until August. I've enjoyed the work so far, and am happy to help them out.

2. I am on Day 11 of a 30 Day workout plan. I have been working out every single day (with the exception of one day a week), and I am drinking a ridiculous amount of water (easy) and TRYING to cut back on drinks with empty calories like soda, wine/mojitos, and coffee with sugar and cream (not so easy). I've been doing all different kinds of workout routines like yoga with weights, hiphop, ballet strength training, kickboxing, tai chi, you name it. I have reached the wonderful place where your muscles aren't in pain anymore, but are humming with energy. At the end of the 30 days, I may go another 30, we'll see. I will definitely be more motivated if I see some results. In the meantime, getting older sucks.

3. I have been avoiding working on my book for no good reason. I wrote today, and ideally, I'll work on it a little every day so that I really will be close to finished when summer is over.

4. If you haven't watched So You Think You Can Dance, you need to. I mean it.

It's that time of year again...

Time for the return of quality television.
Time for anticipating prime time more than ever.
Time for exciting, creative, performance art on both Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Time for...

5 reasons to work out/eat right/attempt to lose weight

1. It's already swimsuit season.
2. My fat jeans from several years ago have become my current skinny jeans.
3. All the hip-hop workout routines on the Fit Network.
4. I can't afford a new wardrobe. And besides, I really like the one in my closet.
5. Our new panini maker that will be used for good, not evil.

I wish everyone had summer off...

Really, it's a fabulous idea. They do that in Europe, you know. Maybe not the entire summer, but at the very least a couple weeks off for a holiday to the seashore. I wish it was built into our culture. Wouldn't that make the unbearably hot summer months bearable? I know that when the weather gets hot, somehow pychologically I get excited, just anticipating summer vacation.

But even if we can't all have summer off, at least we have more ways to stay cool this summer, including the quiet apt. pool on Saturday and Sunday mornings while all the annoying college kids sleep off their bad choices from the night before, AND now Jess and Jason's snow cone stand. Currently, my favorite flavor being blackberry and cream, which you should try immediately.

2 days to go...

until summer. That's right. Be jealous, be very jealous.

I can fully indulge in my vacation knowing that I worked every day with ADD 11-year-olds, and have earned it. I sort-of have this philosophy that teachers (at least the good ones) work overtime for 10 months, and then it all evens out when they get those 2 months off.

This summer, I ambitiously plan to work on my book and hopefully finish a first draft by the end of summer so I can revise and pursue publishing during the next school year. I'm at 75 pages, so I'm actually about half done... most juvenile fiction is around 150 pages in length, so that's what I'm roughly aiming for. But to be honest, I don't plan the story ahead of time, so I have no idea when the last page will pop up. Although, I have a feeling I'll know when I get there.

I used to hate the taste of licorice.

I remember every Easter I would relinquish all the black jelly beans to my dad because I just couldn't stand the taste. Well, not too long ago, I tried licorice again for the first time in years, and it's so spicy and good. It's interesting that over the years our tastes can change and develop. So if there's a flavor out there that you don't care for, try it again. You never know.

We saw Mission Impossible 3 last night,

and in honor of how great Philip Seymour Hoffman was, I wanted to create a personality quiz for some of the interesting roles he's played over the years. The good news is that you can take this quiz. The bad news is that every quiz-creating website I found wouldn't work for this type of quiz, so it's not electronic. But I will not be defeated! You can either use your memory, or you might have to take it the old-fashioned way and write your results on paper. I know.... but here it is!

Which Philip Seymour Hoffman character are you?

1. Describe yourself in one word:
A: helpful
B: discerning
C: observant
D: strong
E: authoritative
F: offbeat

2. At a party, you would be:
A: alone at the food table
B: running the music
C: telling a great story
D: sealing a deal
E: circulating/shmoozing
F: cracking jokes

3. Which place do you like the best?
A: San Fernando Valley
B: San Diego
C: New York
D: any city in the world
E: Vermont
F: Oklahoma

4. The only down-side to your job is:
A: boring and distasteful routine
B: no one appreciates your genius
C: the troubling psychosis
D: no down-time
E: you're broke
F: paying for gas money

5. Your favorite film genre is:
A: ensemble drama
B: coming-of-age comedy
C: documentary
D: action
E: dark humor
F: adventure


You mostly answered:

A: You are Phil Parma, male nurse in the film Magnolia. You take care of others, and are somewhat shy. Take a chance and say what YOU really want. Try it the next time you call in an order for delivery.

B: You are the self-proclaimed "uncool" yet ultra-cool radio personality, rock critic Lester Bangs in Almost Famous. You are smart, funny, slightly neurotic, and couldn't live without music. You have helpful advice to share with a young friend.

C: You are the quiet, insightful author, Truman Capote. You are tender and compassionate of those who are troubled, yet sometimes get too involved emotionally.

D: You are Owen Davian, international weapons dealer in Mission Impossible 3. You crave action and violence, and even though you don't have a conscience, you are officially bad-ass.

E: You are Joseph Turner White, director of "The Old Mill" in State and Main. You're creative and confident, but be careful--don't let the people with the money for your project push you around.

F: You are Dustin Davis, maniacal, but lovable storm-chaser in the film Twister. While some may not get you, you are the life of a party, and definitely one-of-a-kind.

My Top Ten '80s Boy Crushes....

In no particular order...

1. Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly. Really, is there anything cuter than Michael J. Fox hanging onto the back of a truck riding his skateboard in Back to the Future? If that didn't win you over, there's always his famous lipsync rendition of "Johnny Be Good" later on in the movie.


2. Richard Dean Anderson as Macgyver. Yes, he had a mullet. But he could also make a bomb out of a stick of gum and a ballpoint pen.


3. Harrison Ford as Han Solo. There are two kinds of girls, the Luke Skywalker Girls, and the Han Solo Girls. I know what side I'm on.


4. Kirk Cameron in Growing Pains. The curly mop-top. The devilish grin. Who would have thought all that promise would turn out as the lead of the Left Behind movie adaptation?


5. Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Theo Huxtable. You sure were cute while getting into those friendly little misadventures.


6. Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. I've heard there's some sort-of new Young Indiana Jones. Honestly, why did they even try?


7. Ralph Macchio as "Daniel-son" in the Karate Kid. Even today, people everywhere reinact that odd-looking signature kick in the final scene. And what a final scene it was.


8. Matthew Broderick in Ferris Beuller's Day Out. And even before there was Ferris Beuller, there were WarGames.


9. Harrison Ford as himself.




and finally...

10. Johnny Depp. The number one reason to run home after school and watch 21 Jump Street. I can still hear the theme music.

Worst job ever

We got to talking the other day about what would REALLY be the worst possible job. Here are the results of our discussion:

Me: anybody working for the IRS
Nathan: the guy who collects the used grease from fast-food places
Lora: still thinking...
Stacy: a deodorant tester
Jenny: the port-a-potty guy

Chapter 13, Page 72

But just how much is that?
17,694 words
799 paragraphs
2,042 lines

A new record. For me and Violet, at least.

Tonight I started thinking about female superheroes,

and while I am not a comic expert by any means, I couldn't think of a single red-headed female superhero.

Don't worry, an extensive google search alleviated my concern for the lack of flaming-haired superpowered vixens.
Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Firestar. This one Nathan knew right off the top of his head! Formerly Angelica Jones, she is a mutant superhero originally created for the animated series Spiderman and his Amazing Friends.


2. Ginger Powerpuff. No, not a superhero per se, but a redhead who fights evil nonetheless.


3. Goblin Queen. A.K.A. Madelyne Pryor-Summers, an evil clone of Jean Grey.


4. Vindicator. A.K.A. Heather Hudson, the leader of the Canadian team Alpha Flight.


5. Nathan says Rogue has reddish-colored hair in certain lights.


6. Josie, of Josie and the Pussycats.


7. Barbara “Babs” Gordon. Oracle, formerly Batgirl.


8. Princess Python. A.K.A. Zelda DuBois.


9. Phoenix, formerly Jean Grey.


10. Hellcat. I can’t tell if she’s good or bad, sounds bad, right?

Interestingly enough, Hellcat was formerly Patsy Walker, of the teen romantic-comedy comics “Patsy and her Pals."

One of the things I love about Nathan

is that no matter what, he never judges me.

Not even when I say that what I really want for dinner is a chili cheese dog from Dog Almighty.

Would I sound absolutely insane

if I said that I am right now watching the remake of the Parent Trap with Linsay Lohan and it's actually winning me over with its cuteness?

Well, I am, and it is.

I can't believe that this spunky little red-head has joined the ranks of the trashy, post-adolescent Hollywood actresses who make B-List movies and even worse radio smut. How is it that this adorable, promising little starlet grew up to be friends with the likes of Paris Hilton?

Lindsay, if you're listening, I believe you can redeem yourself. It's not too late for you.

Family night is always

a highlight of my week.
You'd think we all would see each other all the time, (which is sometimes true, but most often not the case), so it's great to have a set-aside time just to see each other, eat a yummy meal, and watch Desperate Housewives, when it's new, that is.

Last night was not a let down in the slightest.
The show was new.
The meal was smoky maccaroni and cheese with apples (by request), and then, during coffee, we all got to talking about our weekends....

I was proud to announce that during my free time on Saturday, I diligently learned two dance routines from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The second disc in the deluxe edition (Thank you again to my fabulous little sister, the first Amy Russell) has a feature where you can learn the Agustus Gloop dance AND the Violet Beauregarde dance which are performed by the Oompa Loompas. Oh yes. I learned not one, but both dance routines. Why, you ask? Because I thought it would make me feel good. And it did.

What I didn't really expect (but should have seen coming) was that everyone would want me to perform the dance routines, right there on the spot. Well, I have no shame, and I really must say that I put heart into the choreography.

At least it made everyone laugh.
Even if it does confirm that I'm a total dork.

Yesterday we celebrated my birthday, which is technically today.

It turns out that birthdays are perfect for convincing your friends to all go out and see a movie that you might otherwise have to see alone. Case in point, The Family Stone, with my imaginary best friend, Sarah Jessica Parker.
Yes, there were one or two groan-y moments, but overall, funny and cute.

Then we all came back and lit a fire and had chocolate soup with mascarpone brioche sandwiches that Nathan made by request.

This morning, I have repeated last night's activities, including the chocolate soup, sandwich, and fire, only now I am watching movies and cuddling with the dog, who will probably hate me in two day's time when we make her fly on an airplane.

Christmas, christmas time is here.

And things are really wonderful.

Tonight we are watching "A Christmas Story" and having a lovely dinner.

There are only four days of school until vacation.

My little brother is getting married on Saturday.

And almost, yes almost, all my Christmas shopping is done.

using the magic 8-ball on my dashboard....

Is Abigail the cutest dog in the world?
"You may rely on it."
Should I eat a salad for dinner?
"As I see it, yes."
What about chicken salad?
"Yes."
Yes, what?
"Ask again later."
Have I reached a new level of boredom?
"Yes."
Wow. Do you really work?
"You may rely on it."
Didn't you just say that?
"It is decidedly so."
Am I a nerd?
"Most likely."
Are you a nerd?
"Concentrate and ask again."
Arrreee yooooouuuu a nerrrrrdd?
"It is certain."

Since I apparently don't have time to blog,

here are some updates with me...

1. I was recently made Lead Mentor at Dobie, and I have to now keep tabs on the teachers who are mentoring newbies. This is quite a big responsibility, and this week, I successfully hurdled my first problem. In the words of Kip, "Yessss."

2. Perhaps a larger shock than going back to meat-eating, I'm off coffee and on tea. It's true. It happened about a month ago when I was on the verge of a cold, and green tea was the only thing that sounded good to me. Other than the rare weekend cup, I haven't switched back, and in the meantime, have lost 5 pounds (see below).

3. I have left the Abs Diet in the dust and am three weeks into the best diet of my life, which incredibly, isn't a diet at all. I just read the book--don't laugh--"French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure." I feel wonderful and thin and not guilty or deprived. Why didn't someone tell me about this book before? The tenets are incredibly easy: drink lots of water, control portions, compensate after you splurge, walk whenever you can, and the most ironic: eat what you really love in smaller amounts, more slowly, and suddenly, you're enjoying it more than if you gorge! Ta da! I'm not counting calories, crossing-off food groups, or obsessed with weighing myself twelve times a day. Beautiful freedom.

4. I've begun adventures in sewing, something I've wanted to do for years. I basically have one really simple, yet fabulous, circle skirt pattern down, but I plan to branch out soon. As soon as Jenny can give me another lesson, that is.

Should I be worried

that I welled up with tears last night when Ryan was voted off "So You Think You Can Dance"?
For anyone who doesn't know or hasn't yet been hooked on the show, he was this super-cute, spikey-haired breakdancer. He wowed everyone with his Mambo and Salsa, but just couldn't bring it with his hip-hop, fox-trot or lyrical routine. Sniffle. Good-bye little Ryan. America loved you. And I loved you.
The question is, do I love you more than I love Artem? Or Jamille?

And for all you high-and-mighty, I'm-too-good-to-watch-reality-television people (or, for that matter, any of the three people who read my blog) do not judge me lest you be judged by any of the crappy judges on the show itself.

Can I just say

how fabulous all three Lord of the Rings films are? (Or, you may consider them one very looooong film, which is also fine.)
This weekend I didn't grade a single paper.
I didn't go up to my classroom to organize, clean or file.
I slept in late.
And I watched all three extended cuts of the LOTR trilogy.
I hope I'm not turning into some kind of a nerd?

Second week of school

and things are going swimmingly. My classes are finally down to one desk for every kid, (up until now I've had students sitting at the computer tables and around the perimeter of my room). And even though I issued my first discipline referral, I feel like the year is off to a fantastic start.

I'm taking on a few new things this year: mentoring two teachers who are new to Dobie, and teaching a jewelry-making class after school, and a knitting club (called Knit Wits) for our club days on Fridays. My students from last year and the year before are all a foot taller, cuter than ever, and love me more than they ever did when I was in charge of them. Which I guess, is the way it works, right?

the power of believing

Just watched Finding Neverland last night with Nathan, my second time seeing it. It really is such a beautiful story (based on true events) about all different people making their own family, and needing each other, recovering from pain and loss. It also is about believing and the power of the imagination.

In a world of pain and lost hope, I found it beautiful and moving.

J.M. Barie, from the film:
"Just. What a horrible, candle-snuffing word. That's like saying, 'He can't climb that mountain. He's just a man. Or, that's not a diamond. It's just a rock.'"

Go to www.one.org

to see what you can do to help influence the decisions to be made at the G8 Summit July 6-8.

"Poverty is not natural. It is man-made, and it can be overcome by the action of human beings."
-Nelson Mandela

I sat down this afternoon to work on my book.

Then I spent about 20 minutes writing, an hour finding songs that would go on the soundtrack if my book were to ever become a movie (not so much egotistical as a fun distraction) and then another 45 minutes downloading cool widgets for my dashboard.

Diet is such a four-letter word.

At least the "diet" we're regulating ourselves to right now is not really a set of restrictions so much as guidelines for what kinds of food burn fat efficiently so that you basically lose weight without much effort. Then, if you exercise on top of that, you can lose up to 15 to 20 pounds in 6 weeks. (I'd be overjoyed if I lost 10.) For men, you can burn off even more, because men carry less fat around than women. (Discrimination, if you ask me.) After the initial 6 weeks, you transition to a maintenance plan.

This diet, which isn't really a diet in the American tradition, is called the Abs Diet, and it's by the editor of Mens Health magazine, and you may have heard of it.

We're so dedicated to this new diet that we have decided to go back to meat-eating, after 8 years of vegetarianism! In the last two days of healthful eating and adding just a little bit of white meat (chicken Friday, turkey yesterday) I feel fantastic. I don't feel hungry, but I don't feel sluggish from overeating, either. I acutally have energy, and feel great. The days of saying no to meat but yes to cream pasta are now behind us.

Six weeks to go...

Today was the second and last day

for a 6th Grade Transition Camp that I helped out with. Helped out with. My college English professors would each experience a mild stroke at that sentence. I don't care about grammar because it's SUMMER!

Things to do this summer:
1. Finish my book. OK, OK--at least a rough draft.
2. Sleep in any time I feel like it.
3. Watch the BBC's version of Pride and Prejudice via Netflix.
4. Take care of my modest patio garden.
5. Get myself to the gym so that we don't just keep donating every month.

Page 60

Up until now I've been working on my little book without really trusting in my own ability to finish a large piece of writing. And yes, I'm probably only one-third through. But still, I feel like the pieces are coming together. Every time I add new material, or tighten up the previous chapters, it just feels like something I might be really proud of one day.

I'm going to start meeting with a good friend of mine from school who is also writing with the intent to publish in the same genre (young adult fiction/juvenile fiction). We're going to read each other's work and give feedback, etc. This is the first colleague that I've showed my writing to, since being in a small writing group in college five or six years ago. I'm excited and a little nervous.

I hope that at the end of summer I will also be at the end of my book. Here's hoping!

Tonight I got to thinking about the end of the world

and I was momentarily paralyzed with fear at the thought that when Jesus comes back, there's a good chance I'll be watching American Idol.

Jack Bauer vs. Jack Bristow

Who would win? From a covert op to arm wrestling...it's really a tough call.
MY vote right now is for Bristow.

I was just lollygagging around on the IMDB

and ran across a cartoon series from the '80s that I used to love.... The Wuzzles, animals that were half one animal, and half another, such as Eleroo and Bumblelion.

This, of course, made me remember tons of other fantastically crappy, low-budget, ridiculously-plotted, fabulous cartoons from the '80s. Remember any of these?
Just a few of the ones I used to love:
The Get-along Gang
The Snorks
The Bisketts
The Shirtales
Pound Puppies
Muppet Babies
Jem
Poochie
The Littles
The Popples
My Little Pony

I also watched these shows, thanks to my brother:
MASK
Transformers

I'm sure there were more. Just thinking of these really takes me back.

I know I usually blog about

silly little things like Thin Mint cookies and crappy '80s dance musicals, but I have something SERIOUS I want to say.

I'm sick and tired of the media using fear tactics to make a quick buck or reel in a potential viewer. I especially hate the way the media targets the fears in women!

In the last few years, I can't open a magazine without seeing an article about how to avoid being a target for rape, abuse, or inadequate daycare for your children. And honestly, I am the first person to support the education of women, but all of this is getting out of hand. I'll never forget an article I read about three years ago that cautioned women against ever wearing overalls because one convicted rapist confessed that he would specifically target women wearing overalls. Another article urged women to be especially cautious when leaving the gym, because rapists lurk in gym parking lots waiting for exhausted women to come out of spinning classes. I'm not trying to be funny. This stuff may be useful information to tuck away in your mind, but why should women be terrified as they go about day-to-day activities? Yes, women should be smart when making decisions, but fearfulness should not be a way of life.

Now it seems like the big issue is infidelity. Just a few nights ago, a news segment featured a private investigator as he tailed a cheating husband. The segment posed the question, "What are tell-tale signs that your significant other is cheating?" but the underlying message felt like, "When will your husband cheat on you, you naive female?" Add this to the countless articles and books on the subject, and they all seem to say, "Look, face it. Men cheat. They're just made that way. You might as well be ready so you won't be the fool."
I'm sorry, but I just DON'T accept that. While yes, many men, and WOMEN I might add, are unfaithful, I don't believe that all men are designed that way!

So why should the media program women to distrust and doubt based on fear?
It's sick and wrong. And I'm tired of it.

Reasons I'm feeling very happy right now...

1. Spring Break is only one week away.
2. Even though we have temporarily lost our blog pics (see left) I have not, I repeat HAVE NOT lost my book that I was storing on the idisk. Which I am no longer storing on the idisk.
3. Just picked up a sound machine from the Sharper Image to play nice noise to fall asleep to.... Ahhh. Our favorite right now is fireside, which makes a wonderfully crackly sound.
4. I'm watching a bunch of the behind-the-scenes footage of the Lord of the Rings. Fantastic.
5. I just found a half-full box of Thin Mints in the back of the pantry.
6. I am right now eating the Thin Mints with a glass of cold milk.

This morning, I woke up thinking,

"Today is the day. Today I WILL go back to the gym and get back on the diet/excercise/self-loathing horse. It's time."

My motivation felt so strong, I could have talked Anna Nicole Smith onto a stairmaster.

Now, at 4:30, after a long day full of sugar-coated, chocolate-saturated, endorphine-spiked good feelings from a knee-high pile of kid Valentines and candy, I am happily sedated from that early morning ambition. I don't feel motivated to step out of the house, much less enter a gym that would ask me to sacrifice physically. I think, just a nice afternoon nap....

I am sure that tomorrow WILL be the day.

If not, most definitely the following.

Do you think this started as just two guys in a garage somewhere in Cleveland?

I'm taking a rare, quiet moment

at work to blog. I hardly ever do this because I always have so many things on my mental "TO DO" list. But for some strange reason, everything is done. Crazy.

This morning I stopped to get a quick cup of coffee at the Tigermarket (or is it Tigermart?) one minute away from school. I usually stop in there when I haven't made my coffee at home, or when the line at Starbucks is out to the parking lot.

As I walked in, the man at the counter said to another cashier, "And here is our little schoolteacher who comes in every morning for coffee." I couldn't help but smile, even though technically, I only get coffee there about once a week. And since we've never discussed my profession, he must think that I LOOK like a teacher. Why do I like that?

I decided that I want to stop there and get coffee more often. They do have different blends of coffee, one cup costs one-fourth that of a Starbucks latte, and the cashier not only remembers me, he knows something about me. Next time I go in there, I'll have to find out his name.

Being friendly feels nice. Wouldn't our country be such a different place if people were just friendly with each other?

If I told you

that I chose to stay home from Nathan's coworkers' game night so that I could watch terrible dance-musicals (i.e. Girls Just Want to Have Fun, From Justin to Kelly, etc.), give myself a facial, and drink a rum and Coke, would you classify it as funny or a cry for help?

To help aid you in your decision, you may need to know that I'm actually watching the director's commentary on From Justin to Kelly, and it's not real Coke, it's C2.

I feel like I should blog,

if for no other reason than that my last entry was one month ago.
Jeez. I'm sorry to anyone who still reads this.

Updates with me:
1. School is more than half over for the year.

2. I've been watching a lot of prime time television.

3. I've been to two (required) workshops in the last three days, and substitute teachers, God love them, can't seem to manage my students. My students, God love them, can't seem to behave for a sub. I wish they both would, and make my life easier.

4. Abigail escaped from under the patio fence the other night, forcing us to board up the space and to wonder if she really is unhappy at home.

5. I have misplaced the book I'm halfway through reading, but I refuse to buy it again and I refuse to pay my library fines.

6. Why is Proactive Solution so expensive?

7. Our Christmas tree is still up.

8. I really should pay my library fines.

9. One of my goals is to blog more than once a month. Here's hoping.

What a beautiful day

to find the perfect pink coat, work on my writing, and make Nathan take me to the ballet. It may just be the best birthday I could have imagined!

a few things I learned this afternoon:

1. Unless you work there, you'll probably be snubbed in an upscale boutique.

2. Buying something on sale will not increase your need or love for it, if you don't need or love it in the first place.

3. Beware of cutesy book covers. Sneaky, aren't they?

4. Trying on a string of pearls with no intention of buying them will still give you butterflies in your stomach.

5. There is no peace on Earth, goodwill towards men in the Central Market parking lot.

I love this time of year.

We get to see family and friends, take some much-deserved time off from work, travel if we are lucky, and ski if we are very, very lucky. This year we have been very, very lucky indeed.

Yesterday was our second day of beautifully-cold, snowing ski days. The day before that I took a private ski lesson with Amy (Sister amy) and improved quite a bit, if I do say so myself. Yesterday morning, we went down some steeper slopes, and for the first part of the day I chickened out a little, went back to my lovely green-blue-green-blue slopes, but then toughened up in the afternoon and faced the music (not to mention the fact that the slopes usually look much harder than they are).

Seeing our Utah parents has been wonderful! Also, visiting Amy is always fun. Thanksgiving is most definitely one of my favorite holidays.

Before we left Austin, we put up our Christmas tree and had our annual decorating the tree celebration, complete with holiday music, chocolate truffles, and champagne, I firmly believe that our Christmas tree is the most beautiful tree of all the Christmas trees in existance. How could it not be, with classic white lights, wooden cranberry garland, and all the ornaments from our childhood, including ones we made ourselves, up to the ones that have been given to us from dear friends and family?

The Curious Incident at Starbucks

On my way to Saturday school yesterday morning, I stopped in at Starbucks for an overly-priced, yet delicious hazelnut soy latte. (I'm one of those annoying people who orders the frou frou coffee. And I LIKE IT.)

In line in front of me, a man in a thread-bare coat was counting out change in nickels and pennies for his coffee. I noticed his old, ragged shoes and 3-day grown-in beard. This wasn't the first time I'd seen a poor person at Starbucks. Hey, if I were homeless, I'd spend those hand-outs on good coffee, too.

I thought for a second about saying, "Sir, may I buy your coffee this morning?" but it seemed a little too stuffy and indiscreet. The register next to him opened and I walked up to it, so that I was standing next to the man. I ordered my coffee and opened my wallet to get out my credit card. Usually I don't have any cash on hand, but for some reason I had a spare dollar bill. I reached in and took out the dollar bill, smiling and handing it casually to the poor man. He gave me a puzzled look, but took the money and put it in his pocket. I paid for my coffee, and ran in to use the restroom since I had a spare minute.
I was feeling good. Maybe it was a strange place to give to the poor, but the point is, I did it. Face it, plenty of people think about giving, but they don't act on it.

On my way out, I grabbed my coffee, and as I walked out the door, I saw the man walking out in front of me. He walked over to his Chevy SUV, got in, and started the engine. I slinked over to my car, got in, and hoped that I might never have to meet the man who wasn't homeless again face to face.

In case I didn't already know I was old,

it was confirmed to me past week, when in Kerrville I woke up with a neck ache because I didn't bring my own pillow, and the pillows at Inn of the Hills are apparently designed for professional football players. Add to that the two nights this week I went to bed before 10 p.m. and things are getting pretty geriatric.
Good thing we are going to the apple store this weekend to get my new miniIPOD. Maybe it will make me feel young and hip again. I ask you, if I feel like this at 26, what will 50 be like?

Leave it to a writer to find a way to fit in the totally unrelated announcement that she really, REALLY wants to make.

I think my body knows when I'm about to have some time off

because it usually happens that I suddenly get sick whenever I have the time to do it. Like maybe right up until the moment that it's physically possible, I just keep on going because I have to. Mind over matter. I'm not kidding.

So like clockwork, every Christmas break, or maybe Spring break, or whatever, I get sick. This year it was Columbus Day weekend. And I was sneezing, sniffling, coughing, and all those other things that it says in the Niquil commercial.

Luckily, by the end of Monday, I was feeling much better. I still have to keep my Ricolas within arm distance and I'm afraid a few of my students may have caught the bug because they have the nagging, hacking cough. I do share my Ricolas, even if it is partically out of guilt.

The good news is that I'm on my way back to being my normal, healthy self. And in the meantime, Nathan is coming home tonight and he's contracted it as well. I knew we would be sharing a lot when we got married like our CD collection (which Nathan claims he can tell ANY disc that used to be mine just because of the beaten-up condition it's in...oh, yeah?...well, whose socks have fewer holes? Hmmm?)

But sharing germs, especially BAD germs, is not a great kind of sharing. Oh, no. More guilt.

It was payday yesterday.

And I do mean PAY DAY.

Not the candy bar.

Not the movie.

What I am referring to is that for the first time in my five years of tireless, 10-to-12-hour-a-day, going-in-on-Saturdays, love-those-disfunctional-ADD-preteens, bending-over-backwards, biweekly-tutoring-and-Park-Project-muraling, learning-to-speak-other-languages-and-dialects phone calls home to parents whose numbers may or may not have been disconnected, I have been rewarded.

With not one, but two raises. One that I had coming to me as a yearly salary increase. (Or it may just be bribery to keep teachers in the classroom so they don't have to be replaced by starry-eyed, post-college meat who won't last until November.)

The second raise came as a city-wide pay increase for teachers in AISD.

Both of them feel so, SO good. Like a validation. Like something I should be proud of. Like maybe I wouldn't be embarrassed for people to know how much I make, and that I might be able to pick up a nice little something for myself not related to school.

It may be time to blog about Mean Kitty.

Yes, you read that correctly. Mean Kitty is a particularly ferocious feline who lives here in our complex. Abigail and I first encountered Mean Kitty (who I will now refer to as MK) one night as we walked along outside for a late night pee (Abigail, not me). As we rounded a corner of the building, we ran into MK head-on. Abigail let out a growl/yelp and MK let out a snarl/hiss. Normally in situations where the a cat doesn't want to make friends with Abigail, she will chase it (esp. if it runs), but clearly, she will be the animal in charge. Not so with MK.

As soon as we backed away from the surprise meeting, MK did not run away or hiss from a safe distance, oh no. MK crouched down and then pounced on Abigail as if they were going to fight. Abigail was stunned, and being on a leash, had a clear disadvantage. I was not happy at all with MK, and (while I would never normally hurt a cat) yelled at it, and fake-stomped near it to scare it. As we were walking back inside, MK was slinking along the side of the house for a second, rear attack.

We have seen MK around the complex at least three times since then, and the only way we can get MK to go away and not attempt to pounce on Abigail and tear her to shreads in to run at a full-speed toward her without slowing down. That buys us about 30-45 seconds of uninterrupted pee time. MK has a collar and tags, so this animal is cared for and might have a very loving home-life, even though it does display a rough exterior. I'm not sure what to do about MK, but would appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. Suffice it to say that even if MK did NOT have tags and was a stray, he/she would not make a suitable classroom pet.

I could bore you

with all the minute details of the two and a half weeks of school so far (every single day great with only one exception), giving you detail upon detail about my new room set-up, parent/teacher conferences, and back-to-school night turn-outs, but I won't.

I love my job. I don't know how long I'll teach or how long we'll be here in Austin, or whatever. But for now things are great, and I'm happy.

The biggest dilemma I have right now is...brace yourself...wondering if I should venture into the world of a CLASSROOM PET.

So far the only animals I've even considered are fish and maybe, just maybe a turtle. Even then, you have to deal with the potential that the animal will get sick, or die, not to mention the weekend trips home with different kids in an effort to teach them responsibility while the poor animal is terrorized by curious cats and/or mauled by jealous pitbulls. Not to mention salmonella.

On second thought, fish may be the perfect classroom pets.

Throwing things away

used to be so... wasteful. Ignorant. Wrong. I think maybe I was wrong. But let me get there...

The big move-out was quite an Experience. As I'm sure you've read on other blogs, we voluntarily moved 6 people during the staggering heat of the hottest month in Texas, got trapped INSIDE a locked-gated storage facility, and in the end, had to pay people through the nose to clean our house because apparently, they have to clean all the blinds BY HAND. (Nathan and I have been curious about those modern, blind-cleaning robots.)

Through all those fun times, I came back to the simple, profound truth: No matter how bad it might be for the environment and the ever-growing landfills, it feels good to throw things away.

I know what that sounds like. Admit it. You gasped in shock. But I'm serious. Normally, you would package up all those perfectly good but unwanted items and drop them off dutifully at your local Goodwill. So would I. And I normally do. Believe me, I worked at Goodwill for two years in college. But not during a move. Oh no.

You're spent financially, emotionally and physically, and the last thing you want to think about is where in the world you'll store that super-cute votive candle holder you got four years ago on clearance. In the trash. But that's not all.

I threw away: outdated magazines, past-their-prime flip-flops, half-used toiletries, perfectly good bubble wrap. (Before you object: we have in our possession a trash bag full of bubble wrap, so there.) I think at one point in my trash frenzy I threw away actual trash bags inside a trash bag. I threw away my old areobic step that I saved up for and bought with my own money in 7th grade, because let's face it, I think I've used it once in the last two years, and what would be the point of my gym membership where they have real-life step classes you can take where they provide you with a step, and it doesn't have to take up space under your bed? I think I even threw away a few mismatched, unclaimed dishes. Dishes. I was NOT raised this way. In the Prien family, you put away things that might be valuable or useful to you one day, even if they don't seem useful at the moment.

My mother would kill me. I'm sure environmentalists worldwide would protest. And many of my own dear friends are frowning upon this. But you know what? I don't go home to those people. I go home to Nathan, and I have to do what is best for us. And our new, clean, small apartment.

I just didn't expect it to feel so good.

Moving Out...

and I'm not talking about the new hit broadway musical with all the songs by Billy Joel.

One day down. One day to go. Too tired to blog. Must go. To bed. Now.

Erika came into town

this weekend to pack up her stuff and see us. It was a great time of catching up, singing old-school Christian songs (mainly by Smitty and Amy Grant, but Ray Boltz and Sandy Patty did make an appearance), buying fun housey stuff, and getting our hair cut. I, for one, am sporting a new, sassy, very-short messy, shaggy bob. That's my best definition.

It was good to see E. As a tribute to Erika, I am creating a link for some photos that were taken of her when we were still in the old apartment.
Experience the Faces of E.

I used to watch Jeopardy

to see if I knew any of the answers. Now I watch it to see if Ken Jennings is still winning. Have you seen this? It's like a freak show every time he's on. Literally by Final Jeopardy, he either has more than three or four times the amount of the other contestants, or they can't even play because they're in negative numbers. It's insane. But the craziest thing is how nice he seems. He just seems like a really NICE, normal guy. Today he made it to almost $1,200,000.

Nathan says he hopes Ken makes it to 2 million. Stacy says she hopes he loses because it's time for him to lose. I just feel sorry for the other contestants who come week after week to face him.

On this day four years ago

Nathan married me and I married him. We celebrated this morning with delicious eggs florentine with Hollandaise sauce (100% fat free, of course) and frozen mimosas. What a perfect way to begin a lovely day.

Happy Marriage to us!

Updates in brief

seem to be everywhere, on many people's blogs, and I like the idea of this and think it's OK. So here is my abbreviated news:

1. Go see Napoleon Dynamite, as it may be the best movie I've seen all year. Definitely all summer. OK, if you're going to be pigheaded about it, at least watch the trailer on the left, for which I have made a link to make it easy on you.

2. I thought it might be funny to start watching a soap opera this summer because I seem to be home around lunch time every day, what with my summer free. I have decided the grand-prize winner is the Bold and the Beautiful because it is only 30 minutes, and they don't have as many storylines running at once. But All My Children was a close second. Also Susan Luchi (sp?) is still on from when my parents watched it in 1984.

3. I've picked up a few of the most recent winners of the Newbery Award for juvenile fiction, just to see what they're looking for these days. To my surprise and delight, I've found that the quality of writing is equal to (and not leaps and bounds better than) what I am currently writing. At the risk of sounding incredibly egotistical, I feel like I've seen (and written) enough to know the difference between crap and non-crap. Hallelujah, Amen! I am writing non-crap. At this time next year I hope to be seeking publication.

4. I am really not that good at updates in brief, because none of them turns out to be brief.

Barbie's on the rebound

with a new Aussie surfer named Blaine. Supposedly she and Ken are still friends, but I find that hard to believe after 43 years.

After five chapters and thirty pages,

I finally broke the block. Welcome to chapter six and page 31.

THIS JUST IN: New Apt. Bulletin:

1. Apt. found! It's a great location. Exactly 3.4 mi. from Nathan's work, and would you believe 3.4 mi. from mine as well?
2. Has a washer/dryer connection. Which means: we won't have that tearful reunion with the washateria.
3. At Nathan's request: 1st floor so as not to inflame back from lugging heavy musical devices.
4. At Amy's request: Has a deck so as to continue her container gardening ventures.
5. At Nathan's request: Has a kitchen that is actually larger than a closet.
6. At Amy's request: Two bathrooms so she gets her own.
7. Other good things: Complex has 2 pools plus a hot tub! Small storage room off deck so we can get what we have OUT of storage unit and stop paying to own STUFF. Large walk-in closet, which will feel like its own room after what we have now.
8. And last but not least...after looking at the actual unit we'll be in, I saw a small tree on the deck and thought, Oh the current tenet must still be there, because he/she/they have a tree. Turns out, it's growing out of the ground, so we actually have a small tree ON our deck. Add twinkle lights and some nice wine. Ahhhh.

Now I can really relax and enjoy my summer....

Or start packing.

Oh beautiful, for spacious skies

makes me think of POLLYANNA. What a great childhood favorite of mine, except I think it might have been just as beautiful of a story if she had never fallen out of the tree and been paralyzed trying to sneak out with Jimmy Bean to the bazaar....
My personal favorite scene has always been the shopping in town scene. All those clothes, the shoes with all the buttons, the hats, the stockings, ahhh. And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.

Back in Austin. It was nice to be gone for awhile. Nice, in a strange way, to miss everyone. Now on to the task at hand...where to live in a month's time?

I just returned home

(to my parents' house) with mom after a much-needed trip to see my Illinois family.

At the train station, I ran across an article about a grad. student from Univ. of Illinois who is living in Chicago and making art, and one interesting thing about him is this: since 2001, he has been making different T-shirts with all kinds of phrases on them and wearing a different shirt EVERY DAY.

We rode the train to Illinois

and it is so lovely and cold here! Last night it got down to 49 and today it's in the low 70s. (It was actually warmer in Alaska yesterday than it was here.) My mom and I picked the perfect time to come visit my grandma...

Yesterday we went to Galesburg, the birthplace of Carl Sandburg, one of my favorite poets. We went to a little museum, and saw his childhood home. I picked up a book of poems for children that I may use next year with my students.
Tomorrow we'll see some more family: aunt, uncle, cousins, and I'm hoping to put my newly found recipes on grilling to work.

I'm having a restful vacation, and feeling a little guilty that Nathan still has to work and doesn't get any time off. But maybe next year we can both get away. In the meantime, I'm relaxing for both of us.

My parents' house

will always be a wonderful, warm place to come home to. I hope they never move. They live in this huge old farm house that was built in 1905 in a little town in East Texas, where the trees are so tall think you must be in another state. The house and land are so alive with the history of people who lived there before that even though my mom complains about the wall paper in the kitchen, it kind-of belongs with the rest of the house.

I've been here since Friday night and so far, I've gotten to surprise my little sister when we went to pick her up from camp, see my brother play an incredible soccer game in town, go to my parents' church where the special music was "Father's Eyes," and watch two movies with my family--The Terminal, not bad at all, and Trekkies, one of the funniest, most brilliant documentaries to date if you ask me.

I like being here.

Today we are viewing the house

I was dreaming about yesterday. It may be important to say that the real estate guy quoted the rent they were asking, I got him to say that they'd take a bit less, and then yesterday he called back and said they would be willing to take a lot less. AMAZING. Now to get my head out of the clouds just in case it doesn't work out.

One of the drawbacks is that it's not as central as where we are now. And Lora made a point that I agree with her, which is that it's pretty cookie-cutter. Then again, there is an amazing front porch AND smaller but cute back porch--both covered. We do love our porch.

Stay posted for more details at six.

UPDATE: the house is a no-go. But, as always, something else is just around the corner...

The only kind of hunting I like

is house-hunting. Well, actually I like it the same as watching a Ewan McGregor film. It's gorgeous, dynamic and enticing, and then, it's OVER. End credits. No real Ewan in real life to drink coffee with and/or gaze lovingly at.

Lora and I took a tour of this absolutely BEAUTIFUL NEW HOUSE that is a 2-story, 5 bedroom - 3 1/2 bath, with a study, fenced-in yard, 2-car garage, w/d hook-up, huge kitchen, and great location. Not to mention the master bathroom with the sunken tub, not to mention the huge closet space, carpeted upstairs, tiled downstairs and study with hard-wood. I wish, I wish, I wish.

OK. That felt good. I'm done wishing.

Contrary to what most people think

I love summer. I LOVE it. And honestly, if you were in my place, you'd love it too.
It's a shame that everyone doesn't get a three-month hiatus from work.

The entire household is playing the lottery tonight to try to win the hundred-million dollar jackpot. I don't think Nathan would mind, if we win, inviting everyone to take a much-deserved three month vacation in our yacht off the coast of Italy. Let me know ASAP if you're in. (The caterer will need to know a head-count.)

still here

i have decided not to give up on blogger and through the generous offer of my husband and his ever-growing knowledge of html, hope to have a working blog soon that is just as nice looking as it once was. basically it needs html botox. Hopefully all will end well. cross your fingers.