My fellow Americans, as we approach the historic date of the celebration of our Independence, I have an announcement to make. Yes, I am running for president of the U.S. of A. See this news report for details! Thanks for your support. 🙂
A couple of months ago, Hubby bought me something I said I didn't need. A 32GB iPod Touch. I was happy with my Nano (the generation before this one that plays video) and really, 4GB was enough. But he insisted. He said I'd need it at the RWA National Conference this summer.
Yeah, right. He's never been to conference. He has no idea that you're lucky to snatch 4 hours of sleep a night, much less have time to listen to music.
But, oh my, I've fallen in love with this thing. I have videos on it. Music. Audiobooks. I can email. Watch You Tube. I can rent movies from iTunes to watch while traveling. Am I sorry I have this toy? No.
The other day, I had a doctor's appt. And they stuck me in the room to wait for the 30 minutes it takes the doctor to arrive. I read a book for a while. And then I watched videos. Awe-SOME.
Yes, this baby is going to San Francisco with me. How did I ever live without it?
Any toys you can't do without? Electronic gadgets that enhance your writing or make it easier for you to be organized? Do you even have an iPod? I can remember when I scoffed and didn't want the Nano. WHAT was I thinking? 🙂 If you do have an iPod, do you have your content organized? I admit to being too lazy to make playlists….
Can you believe this is the last week of Idol? Tonight, the Davids face off. I already know which David I want to win. I've bought every last one of his Idol songs, and I love to listen to them. David Cook is the one for me. But, David Archuleta is likely to win because of the pre-teen/teen texting fan base who are in love with High School Musical and think he's tres cute. *sigh* So popularity and some talent will probably beat the mega-talent. Not that I'm all that worried for David Cook. He'll do fine, and I'll buy his first post-Idol CD when it comes out. I will not buy Archie's, however.
In other most rotten news, CBS canceled Moonlight. What the hell are they thinking??? Paranormal romance is one of the hottest genres going, and Moonlight was drawing respectable numbers, especially as the plot thickened. The first few episodes were cliche, true, but they seem to have found their stride now. And the writers' strike couldn't have helped. Viewers faded away in disgust. They'd have probably been back next season.
My favorite show, Life, will be back on NBC this fall. This is a cop drama I loved. The dialogue is good, and the guy who plays Charlie is fun to watch in action. This is a revenge/justice show with money, Zen sayings, and a lot of fruit. Great stuff.
My other show is ABC's Pushing Daisies. It'll be back too, thankfully. I don't know how far they can take this one, but I'm in it to see. Cracks me up every week.
In case you've been on, oh Mars or something, the last few months, here's one of David Cook's best live performances. He's amazing. Wait for the high note….
What shows are you looking forward to? Did they cancel any of your favs? What about Idol? Who do you want to win?
OMG, it was so fun! This was my first Heart of Dixie luncheon, though it was actually the 11th annual occurrence of it. Our guest speaker was the fabulous and dynamic (and truly one of my favorite authors) Roxanne St. Claire. Not only is she gorgeous, but she's nice, funny, and just a great person to be around. After two dinners, two parties, and lots of chatting with Rocki, I know she's the kind of person I really admire and enjoy hanging out with.
But she wasn't the only fabulous person at the HOD luncheon! In fact, I couldn't name them all without having a post a mile long, but I sat with the amazing Debra Webb during lunch. Deb's table was full of readers and we had a great time talking about romance. I learned so much from these ladies this weekend, and came away inspired to write my tail off (oh, if only it were that easy — talk about killing two birds with one stone!).
The one funny thing that happened to me this weekend, however, was on Friday when I hauled my luggage up to the 9th floor and to the opposite end of the hotel from the elevators to join my roomies. I knocked. No one answered. I knocked again. The girl next door (and I do mean girl) answered her door. I called one of my roomies (who, it turns out, left her phone in her car). I didn't have everyone's cell numbers, so I called the only other person whose number I had — she was at the restaurant with Rocki, waiting for the rest of us to arrive. Somehow, I managed to make it to the room of yet another person I knew (on the 4th floor) who hadn't left yet and who let me stow my luggage. Whew! Then it was off to dinner, and back for the party.
I didn't get home until midnight Saturday. Yes, midnight. And then I couldn't sleep right away, so had to check email and flip through a magazine. At 1:30, I woke up my sick and therefore grouchy husband for his NyQuil dose, then went to bed and ended up sleeping until 9:30 Sunday. Ahhhh.
How was your weekend? Any writing inspiration? Any fun or embarrassing hotel stories in your past? (At least I didn't get locked out in my underwear…)
I am an introvert, as many writers tend to be (not all, it's true), though I'm pretty good at putting on the public face and socializing. I'm not shy, I don't get tongue-tied (much), and I can meet and greet like a professional. Not sure where I acquired these abilities, though I think it comes from being married to an extrovert and watching him in action. It's also a function of age — realizing that it doesn't matter what someone thinks, I'm me and that's that. 🙂
But, I always DREAD the start of these socializing events. Today is the start of a busy two days for me. The Heart of Dixie Readers' Luncheon is tomorrow. Today, there are preparations to make — bags to be stuffed, dinners to attend, and a party for a friend who sold to Mills & Boon a couple of weeks ago.
And yet, I always always dread it, even when I want to see everyone and have fun. (I feel this way about conference too, even when this year I have a lot to look forward to.) I hate the preparation — the thinking, planning, packing (it's one overnight in a hotel 15 miles from home and yet I stress), the schlepping, getting situated, etc. I know I'll have fun when it starts, but it's the getting to the start I hate.
Some people are naturals at this kind of thing. I am not. At conference last year in Dallas, I got so overwhelmed at one point I went back to the room and was grateful my wonderful roomies were still out. I sat, drinking wine by myself (uh-oh, look out Hemingway), and tapped out the beginning of a new story on my AlphaSmart. I seriously needed that decompression time. If I could afford it, I'd spend the entire conference in a room to myself. But at $225 a night, that ain't happening. 🙂
OTOH, like I say, once I get there this afternoon and start chatting and celebrating and talking writing with people who GET IT because they are writers too, I'll be as happy as a pig in mud. If I could just figure out how to stop the stressing stuff beforehand, I'd be all set.
Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Have trouble with socializing? Any tricks you use to prepare yourself? I don't have any, but like I say, once I get started, I'm fine. It's the getting there and getting into that frame of mind — and for longer events, like Nationals, some alone time.
I occasionally look at my horoscope because it can be fun. This one blew me away. How did he know?
My songwriter friend Darius has created some fine music, but he periodically goes through phases when everything he produces sounds contrived. It's not writer's block he suffers from. During his bouts with bad composing, he's often teeming with ideas. The problem is that he gets caught up in a vortex of too much thinking. He can't stop his mind from tinkering endlessly with every raw impulse that wells up. Recently he joined the Immersion Composition Society, an organization that helps “talented basket cases” and “tortured geniuses” cut through their tendency to over-analyze and thereby reconnect to their pure inspiration. One technique: Musicians agree to take on firm deadlines that compel them to create songs wicked fast. I hope you find the equivalent assistance for your own field of expression, Virgo. The time is ripe for you to dissect less and build more. [emphasis mine]
Dissect less and build more. OMG. This is so me. I get caught up in a whirlwind of ideas and can't seem to distill them. And then I practice avoidance while I figure it out. But, apparently I need to give in and write in a flurry — I can always fix the bad stuff, but at least I'll get a true narrative unencumbered by too much thinking.
If you like this kind of thing, check out this site.
Have you ever gotten a horoscope (or another prescient piece of advice) that was so right on the money you were amazed and grateful for it? Please share!
