M.J. Fredrick's Blog, page 84

Getting Back in the Swing

It's so strange that I was only gone a little more than four days and I felt so disoriented when I got home I couldn't do more than sit on the couch. I was in bed by nine, only watched one of my Tivoed shows, just read blogs all evening, after dinner with my guys.

Today I need to update my schedule for writing and cleaning. I need to exercise. I did some up in MN, but not the past two days. And I want to write and get a good nap and…get back in my routine.

Organization

I'm sitting on my dad's sun porch, and we'll be leaving for his work in about an hour, then from there head to the airport. It's been fun this weekend, and I've definitely done things I don't do, like drive a paddle boat and fly by myself, but I miss my guys and my kitties.

I had paperwork to do while I was up here, for my contracted books and I realized that if I'm going to be writing these short stories, I need to make a spreadsheet or something to keep track of names, hair color, eye...

Goals for the Week I'm Back

I'm glad I went on vacation, but will be glad to get back to my routine, though not much about this week will be routine.

1)      Paperwork for Lyrical

2)      7000 words on MS

3)      Finish short story

4)      Trip to Del Rio

5)      Lunch with teachers

6)      Post office

7)      Library

8)      House

9)      Exercise (I've been able to keep up with this on vacation, thank goodness!)

Overdrive.com

I bought a Nook last week and after a BIG learning curve, I'm enjoying it. One of the reasons I convinced the dh I needed one is because I can check out e-books from the library. It's actually really cool, and I tried it with success the first night.

Here's what you do. Go to overdrive.com, type in your ZIP, and they send you to your library. You sign in with your library card number, then you can search for particular authors or titles (this is not exact. Searching for Robyn Carr, for...

Bad Boys

Trish and I are at it again. We were discussing Hunger Games and I'm drawn to dark, angry Gale, while she likes easy-going, gentle Peeta. Always we find ourselves on opposite sides. Always I love the bad boy, the one on the fringes.

Sawyer

Charles Brandon

Duke from Haven

Alex from Grey's Anatomy–also McSteamy.

Sam from Supernatural only got interesting to me when he stopped being so goody-goody.

Which bad boy heroes do you like?

Summer TV

Despite my vow not to, I've added TV shows to my season passes.

I added Good Guys, but didn't like it that much and removed it. I added Memphis Beat, didn't like the first episode, but watched the second episode and liked it better-less jumping to conclusions.

I added The Gates. Very shiny, but I'm enjoying it.

I added Haven and absolutely LOVE the heroine. Snappy dialogue for the win. Also gorgeous scenery.

I added The Glades because the hero reminded me of someone, kind of a combination of...

19 years ago today…

…my boy was born. Where did the time go? He makes me proud most of the time, though other days, well, he embodies some of my worse qualities. He was happy with the voice recorder we gave him for his reporting class, and the typewriter (yes, typewriter) ribbon we gave him for his 45 year old typewriter. He got his BBQ pizza and red velvet cake–we have enough for another party tonight!

Goals for the Week of my Getaway

Yesterday was the best day—the dh did my errands, cooked and mowed the front yard while I did paperwork, guest blogs, contest entries and revisions. I panic when I get behind in my goals!

Tomorrow is the boy's 19th birthday so we're having the family over tonight, then taking him out to eat tomorrow. Today I'll be making pizza dough for bbq pizza and cleaning house—the kitchen, floor and couches.

1)    Celebrate the boy's birthday

2)    Grocery store

3)    pack

4)    make new purse

5)    finish...

CRAZY Day

Yesterday we FINALLY went to paint my MIL's house. We bought 2 gallons of inexpensive paint (MISTAKE) and didn't take our own ladder (mistake!) and only got 2 rooms done. Tomorrow, we go again. Dude, I'm tired.

While I was there, I checked my email during an oh-my-God-please-let-me-sit-by-the-AC break and saw an invitation to the Harlequin party at National. Y'all. Ever since I knew there was a Harlequin party, I wanted to go, and now I have an invitation. I'm not going to National, but...

Books Books Books

I currently have three tabs open on my browser, with three wish lists for ebooks, comparing prices. I read a review of Zombie Moon today, a new Nocturne, and I must have. Fictionwise has the best price, but has a surcharge if you spend less than $5. So I'm looking at Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery, but I haven't read the first book in the series. Then there's the new Robyn Carr but I haven't finished the Virgin River series. And they don't have the new Meg Benjamin (only Books on Board...