Ch-ch-changes

Prior to living in the southwest I always thought it would be rather sad to celebrate Christmas in a climate where it was warm. Okay, this term is definitely relative, of course. There’s tropical “if it snows here the world must be ending” warm and then there’s “I only need a jacket to go to church” warm.

Now that I’ve had the pleasure of going for a walk without a jacket…in JANUARY, people. I may well be hooked. I thought the arid climate wouldn’t agree with me. Wrong again!

I mean we went for a swim in Phoenix last weekend at an OUTDOOR pool! Seriously!

We’ll see where we eventually end up, but for now I am diggin’ it.

What’s in a word?

In order to preserve some of these memories for posterity I am going to record some of my current favorites here.

Anyone have any holiday trabble plans?  Perhaps a quick trip to Droopiter?

Fortunately and unfortunately the individual in question has a love of words (not sure WHERE she gets that from) so these incidents are isolated and becoming fewer each month.  Just thought I’d save these for future appreciation.

New Year

I know, I know. I know it’s not even Christmas yet and I’m already talking about the new year. But, I’ve decided that this year I’m going to do a few new changes (I loathe the idea of resolutions just because of their notoriety for failure. I have literally refused to set resolutions in the past because of the pressure and lack of follow thru that they seem to attract). Antidisestablishmentarian of me, I know.

Did you know that those who write their measureable, acheivable goals down (with said plans to accomplish them) are 80% more likely to be successful at them? Seems simple, right?

So, our goals need to be as specific as possible. They have to be measureable. How many units in a ‘happy’? Is that kilos? Ounces?
And there has to be an accompanying plan on how to get from here to there (said in my best Pepperidge ”Fahm” accent).

I have in the past taken part in the My One Word movement which has you choose a word that will encompass all that you wish for the coming year (as far as focus and achievement).  That was interesting, but I think I’m going a bit more concrete this year.

The main categories which usually include most all the goals are: Finance, Fitness, Relationships, Faith, Organization and Education.

Care to share any or all of your goals?  Any new categories I haven’t covered?  How do you stay on track?  If you don’t share what they are why not?

Good luck one and all and see you on the other side of 2012!

Merry Christmas!

We went to a tree lighting ceremony earlier in the week and it was nice to see the enormous ode to something only God can make (with a nod to Joyce Kilmer). However, when did a Christmas tree become a ‘holiday tree’? I mean, I’ll give you the fact that it’s clearly a holiday, but I think this is definitely a case of trying to be politically correct gone awry.

We spent another night this week at the ballet recital of our dear 4-year-old. It happened to be bookended by the community’s concert. Wonderful to hear all the terrific songs sung or played by some tremendous musicians.  Oh, and our favorite star was lovely, too! But, we’re not biased…much.

Finally, we were part of a Tour of Homes (featuring our home among them) and it was actually a lovely event (not the thing we neighbors feared)! So many of the visitors were so gracious and friendly.

The bonus of it all? Most of my Christmas deeds are done y’all! Woot! Woot!

NaNoWriMo…oh no!

It’s that time again. November 1st. Embarking on my third consecutive NaNo…and this one the least prepared yet. Yikes. Found some great advice on this site, however, and am preparing to put it to work now. Good luck fellow NaNoers. Anyone else going to join this crazy ship?!

Writing Prompt: Note to self

 

WD writing prompt:

A picture on your mantle unexpectedly falls and crashes to the floor. As you go to pick it up, you notice a note hidden behind the picture. The message is from the future—and written by you. It instructs you to do something important. What does it say?

I sit at the kitchen table rereading it. I’ve turned it over at least 50 times looking for some sort of watermark or other indication to tell me what on Earth could have made me write it. I know that I’ve written it by the penmanship. I used to get very good grades in Sister Agnes’s class for my penmanship, you know. Mentally shaking myself back to the issue at hand I try to figure out the types of scenario which could have led to this. Nothing makes sense. Has the entire universe changed in the time that has lapsed between the current present and the future one in which I found it necessary to leave myself this missive in a photo frame? What type of calamity could have befallen our nation to have made this type of terror necessary? I am speechless at the thought of it. I slowly turn the paper over again and reread…”The only chocolate left on the planet is buried in our backyard under the shed in a yellow tin. Use sparingly.”

Procrapstination

What a joke. I have been working on editing a mystery I wrote during NaNoWriMo two years ago for a while now. But, in the interest of ‘research’ I keep reading books on how to write and how to revise first drafts and watching TV so that…well, that doesn’t really relate except that it, too, is getting in the way. I read a quote in Writer’s Digest (a few issues back…catching up is important, you know) tonite that stated that Harper Lee was given a Christmas gift by friends in 1956 which told her to write what she liked and take the year off (thanks to the year’s worth of wages that was the aforementioned gift). I immediately thought to myself…that must be nice. But, then I thought, hey…wait a minute. I don’t have to punch a clock (well, not really). I mean our lovely little tax deduction does get up in the same relative window of time daily and expects to be fed (among other things), but I don’t have to wear heels (thank God) or go to a meeting with people with coffee breath. So, I sort of have the same luxury she did in that there’re the proverbial roof and food in place.

So, I picked up one of the how-to books I recently purchased to get some insight. It’s good. I look forward to learning more from Nora Ephron’s sister. But, I still need to…wait for it…WRITE. There, my friends, is the rug…freudian slip as I procrapstinated by trying to figure out how to hang an oriental rug (for way longer than I should have truth be told)…Let me try that again.  There is the rub. Okay, okay…off to write now. Get it, right now. Alright, I’m going.

P.S. I know all the links in this post are also a form of procrastinating.

Writing Prompt

Decided to use one of the writing prompts that I found here.  Which I had found when I reread this post.

Okay, so the prompt at hand is found here.

‘And they lived happily ever after’ becomes…

They were both alive after they escaped the clutches of the bear in Yellowstone.  Who knew that you weren’t supposed to leave breadcrumbs in a trail to find your way back to camp?  They really should put that stuff in the manual warning people of such possibilities.  I mean, next they’ll be telling people not to smoke underneath those funny little fans in the plane lavatories.  Sheesh!

I know this isn’t technically what the assigment was, but I had fun writing it nonetheless.  I also enjoyed reading some of the others’ comments!  There are some clever people out there.

Now, how would YOU have rewritten it, Smarty Pants?!

Super Couponing

I was searching for a writing prompt while watching the TLC show “Extreme Couponing“. I know, I know. Not terribly productive for writing, but I’m going to use it as a writing prompt.

I understand wanting to get as much as possible for as little as possible. I even stumbled onto a website that has lots of great information (some pertinent to the military and commissary shoppers). Two other sites are here and here.

What I don’t understand are a few things. 1) Why, if you do this on a regular basis, would you NOT take recyclable bags with you?
2) Does any ONE family need 32 bottles of BBQ sauce? I mean, seriously?!
3) How much time is reasonable for a sane person to spend preparing for the shopping trip to the grocery store?

I keep surfing the aforementioned sites and trying to pick people’s brains about how and how often they use coupons. But, I have yet to get enough/the right ones/be patient enough to hold onto coupons until just-the-right-deal comes along. I feel as though any coupon I find is useful and better than not using one. What I’m neglecting to remember are the doubling bits and all that sort of thing that the local stores love to do.

Another question…do I really need a binder for my coupons?! That scares me. But, maybe if I get one I can console myself with an iPad2 purchased with the money saved on iceberg lettuce?! Or drown my sorrows in some Atlantic Salmon and pomegranites??

Do you coupon? How do you go about your prep work? How much do you typically save? How often do you shop? Can you save on perishable items like veggies and fruits?

I look forward to your comments and will keep you posted on what I learn/try/experience further on this subject. Thanks for visiting!

Nine Eleven

I have the luxury of being able to contemplate this day without having to try to remember the face of a loved one which is fading with each passing day. I haven’t lost a loved one in the aftermath of that day on a desert battlefield. I have the luxury of wondering what the best way to commemorate is.

I, like so many of us, have the memory of that day, and where I was on that clear September morning.

Watching those news reports, reading the stories of those lost.  Many of us have done this year after year in the decade since.

This was the first year that I was able to find some comfort in the stories of those people who exemplified heroism and were the picture of an American.  The stores of those who outshine the ugliness and hatred that was trying to win out extinguishes just a bit of the negativity and that is a victory.  The loyalty and love that people feel for our military members is heartwarming.

I most admire those people who can look at a horrendous experience and glean some nugget from it that is hope filled or at least not the ugliest possible view.  As my initial disclaimer announced…I have that luxury.  I’m not saying everyone can do that.  I’m just sharing what I have found in the years since the  day that changed our nation.

Grace under pressure is the phrase that comes to my mind in the time following the events on September 11th and the search for stories of winners since is what I seek out.

What are your thoughts on the media coverage and the ways people have chosen to remember and honor any and all affected by the events of that day?