Rita Arens's Blog, page 33
April 18, 2013
April 16, 2013
The Right Focus
Though there are many times since I started working for BlogHer I've wished I could look away from Twitter and the news, paying attention to the world is an occupational hazard for me. And I have anxiety disorder and many times intrusive thoughts, which means I find it difficult to stop thinking about the horrible thing that has happened and worrying it will happen again, and then about the people to whom it happened, worrying, worrying into a spiral that leaves me with racing heart and seizi...
April 15, 2013
She's Going to Be an Awesome Teenager
Scene: Elementary school PTA fundraiser
I shifted from foot to foot. I'd been volunteering for an hour more than my expected 5-6:15 shift. I was hot, and tired, and hungry, and surrounded by children who I did not birth who wanted the soda I was selling but didn't have any money. And they were dressed as their favorite celebrities.
I smiled brightly as much as I could, not wanting to scare them with my inner monologue.
Then she walked past. Probably a sixth grader, dressed as I assume Taylor...
April 11, 2013
I Spent Two Hours Making This Slideshow
April 10, 2013
The Minimalist Compromise
We're doing some stuff to the kitchen in Chateau Travolta. I know, we've been doing stuff to it for the past five years, but this time, it's personal. As such, I have over half of the stuff that was in our cupboards sitting in tubs in my office, where I work. This is a little like working in the back storage area of Goodwill. As someone who gets anxious with too much clutter, I've found it's important to not look backwards, much as a mountain climber should not look down.
As I was taking the...
April 9, 2013
The Truth About Aslan
THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE is one of my favorite childhood books. I love it so. I remember when I got the Chronicles of Narnia boxed set. I remember what the shelves of the book warehouse (back before those were common) looked like. It was with great excitement I started reading TLTW&TW to the little angel.
She was bored until Aslan made the scene. Of course, once Aslan shows up, everything gets good. Always.
Then we got to the scene with the Stone Table, and as I was reading, she...
April 8, 2013
New Teen Writing Workshop This Summer in Kansas City
I'm really excited to share this news. I'm on the board at The Writers Place and will talking about prose and THE OBVIOUS GAME on one of the workshop days.
Now Enrolling for Writers' Block Summer Youth Workshops
The Writers Place is currently enrolling students ages 12 - 18in its
summer writing workshops. Featuring published, experienced
writers/instructors and renowned guest speakers the workshops be
interactive andexciting. To enroll click here.
Writers Place members may enroll for both...
April 5, 2013
Help the Whooshers?
My sister has pulsatile tinnitus. You can read more about it here. She's had it for years and has spent thousands of dollars trying to not hear her heart in her ear every single day of her life. Imagine the Tell-Tale Heart. That's her. And there are other whooshers, but because there's no diagnostic code for it, pulsatile tinnitus gets lumped in with regular tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and thus is harder to get treated.
Sign this petition to get it a new diagnostic code? They need 1,500 s...
April 3, 2013
My Motivational Wolf Is a Cow
This morning while waiting for the bus, my daughter and I were looking at the llama picture I have saved to my desktop. I got it somewhere from StumbleUpon and I don't remember where. It doesn't matter, any llama picture will do. I have the llama on the desktop because the llama makes me happy. How can you look at a llama and not smile?
We started talking about things that make us laugh when we are stressed out. I told her about the motivational wolf my sister sent me years ago. I guess the...
April 2, 2013
She Got Me
Setting: Waiting for school bus
Her: Your breath smells like coffee.
Me: Your hair smells like hair.
Her: Your coat smells like cold.
Me: Good one.
