Tia Silverthorne Bach's Blog, page 81
April 10, 2012
Isn't it Ironic? = I: Blogging from A to Z
It's like rain on your wedding day.It's a free ride when you've already paid.It's the good advice that you just didn't take.Who would've thought... it figures.Alanis Morissette
From WikipediaIt's like a character in the biggest sceneRefusing to do what I need.It's a plot line that comes to me
When I'm buying groceries.
Of course when I don't have... paper.
It's like replacing something you've lost
and finding it that very same day.
It's finally having time to write all I want.
And no words will come... whatever.
Or, more specific to A to Z...
It's like finding Elegance during G
and having many ideas for Z during B.
It's the perfect Muse
When we are all in the U's.
A to Z, next time won't you sing with me.
Okay, a poet (or songwriter) I am not. But I do find irony fascinating. Rarely does a day go by without it.
On a more personal note, my husband and I tried for 18 months to have our first child. We didn't worry about getting pregnant again easily. So when she turned one, guess what our gift was? A positive pregnancy test for number two. Isn't it ironic?
We also thought there was a bit of irony in the title of our book, Depression Cookies . I have a sugar addiction, so there's nothing depressing about cookies to me.
From Wikipedia: a situation is often said to be ironic if the actions taken have an effect exactly opposite from what was intended.
However, the more I looked into defining irony, the more confusing the concept became. Some people take their irony very seriously.
Wouldn't it be ironic if I wrote a whole post misusing irony?!
From WikipediaIt's like a character in the biggest sceneRefusing to do what I need.It's a plot line that comes to meWhen I'm buying groceries.
Of course when I don't have... paper.
It's like replacing something you've lost
and finding it that very same day.
It's finally having time to write all I want.
And no words will come... whatever.
Or, more specific to A to Z...
It's like finding Elegance during G
and having many ideas for Z during B.
It's the perfect Muse
When we are all in the U's.
A to Z, next time won't you sing with me.
Okay, a poet (or songwriter) I am not. But I do find irony fascinating. Rarely does a day go by without it.
On a more personal note, my husband and I tried for 18 months to have our first child. We didn't worry about getting pregnant again easily. So when she turned one, guess what our gift was? A positive pregnancy test for number two. Isn't it ironic?
We also thought there was a bit of irony in the title of our book, Depression Cookies . I have a sugar addiction, so there's nothing depressing about cookies to me.
From Wikipedia: a situation is often said to be ironic if the actions taken have an effect exactly opposite from what was intended.
However, the more I looked into defining irony, the more confusing the concept became. Some people take their irony very seriously.
Wouldn't it be ironic if I wrote a whole post misusing irony?!
April 9, 2012
Harrowing Headaches = H: Blogging from A to Z
Life contains so many harrowing headaches, but the ones I'm referring to today involve writing. I love to write, to see a string of words come together to make a story, but sometimes there's a bumpy road on the way to a book's destination.
Source
Some Writing Headaches
Beginning/Ending
Many will argue which is the bigger headache. But both are important and bring pressure. You need to grab readers quickly, but you also don't want to leave them with a bad taste in their mouths.
Characters With a Mind of Their Own
I try to bend characters to my story and my will. Every now and again, a character will have no part of it. Then you face two roads: force a showdown or see where they lead. (I try to follow most of the time.)
Genre Classification
Do you cross genres or stay true to one? I tend to avoid labels, so this one is particularly tough for me. For more of my thoughts on this, read my I am Woman Hear Me Road, for Shoes? post.
Editing
For my G post, I discussed the importance of grammar and editing. But when do you stop? I truly believe you can edit from now until the end of time. At some point you have to own it and let it go.
Summary/Blurb
I loved the premise of our novel, Depression Cookies . In fact, I could talk about it all day long and in great detail. But I found narrowing down 543 pages into a reader-catching blurb near to impossible.
Cover
Your only shot at that coveted first impression. Although I do wonder if the cover's power is slightly diminished by Amazon. It was one thing when people browsed covers in a bookstore, not so sure people browse covers online. Am I wrong?
Dreaded Writer's Block
Or what I like to call... Life. Sometimes, no matter how great the idea or the passion, the words will not come.
At least these headaches lead to a better product in most cases, so maybe the post should have been called Helpful Headaches. Of course, the only way to ease the headache is to face it head on, no pun intended.
What headaches do you find in the writing process?
*****
I hope you'll be back for some more Blogging from A to Z fun. Tomorrow is Isn't It Ironic? = I.
SourceSome Writing Headaches
Beginning/Ending
Many will argue which is the bigger headache. But both are important and bring pressure. You need to grab readers quickly, but you also don't want to leave them with a bad taste in their mouths.
Characters With a Mind of Their Own
I try to bend characters to my story and my will. Every now and again, a character will have no part of it. Then you face two roads: force a showdown or see where they lead. (I try to follow most of the time.)
Genre Classification
Do you cross genres or stay true to one? I tend to avoid labels, so this one is particularly tough for me. For more of my thoughts on this, read my I am Woman Hear Me Road, for Shoes? post.
Editing
For my G post, I discussed the importance of grammar and editing. But when do you stop? I truly believe you can edit from now until the end of time. At some point you have to own it and let it go.
Summary/Blurb
I loved the premise of our novel, Depression Cookies . In fact, I could talk about it all day long and in great detail. But I found narrowing down 543 pages into a reader-catching blurb near to impossible.
Cover
Your only shot at that coveted first impression. Although I do wonder if the cover's power is slightly diminished by Amazon. It was one thing when people browsed covers in a bookstore, not so sure people browse covers online. Am I wrong?
Dreaded Writer's Block
Or what I like to call... Life. Sometimes, no matter how great the idea or the passion, the words will not come.
At least these headaches lead to a better product in most cases, so maybe the post should have been called Helpful Headaches. Of course, the only way to ease the headache is to face it head on, no pun intended.
What headaches do you find in the writing process?
*****
I hope you'll be back for some more Blogging from A to Z fun. Tomorrow is Isn't It Ironic? = I.
April 8, 2012
Family & Writing Time: ROW80 Check In
Happy Easter! I've enjoyed several days of family time, and I'm ready to focus on writing and other projects. (I shouldn't get too amped up, though, since my girls are home tomorrow.)
This past week was spring break, and we were in Arizona with my mom and dad until late Thursday night.
Bachs and Mom & Dad in Sedona, ArizonaMy 11-year-old (12 next month!) daughter read my book,
Depression Cookies
, over break. She also read Melissa Luznicky Garrett's
The Spirit Keeper
. She asked if she could review both, to be like her Mom. I was touched and had such a great time helping her with her review of The Spirit Keeper here. Next up is my book. She's already told me she liked it, so I'm not too nervous.
I hope everyone was surrounded by loved ones this Easter!
My ROW80 Update
Writing: I'm shocked. I thought I'd have nothing to report with kids, vacations, holiday preparations, etc, but I did manage two hours of writing Friday and Saturday. I'm almost at two hours today as well. Some of that was blog writing, but I also worked on my WIP. *fist pump*
Editing: Back to editing tomorrow. I was on an editing vacation, although I did work on a piece that was "in production" and couldn't wait. Tomorrow I'm back to the nonfiction book I've come to love. Should be the final edit. I can't wait to see it in book form!
Blogging: Blogging from A to Z has been a fun challenge. It's my first time. In the last few days I've written my Eulogy, talked about Fantasy & Flights of Fancy, and highlighted Grammar. Tomorrow I'm tackling the Harrowing Headaches of Writing. Fun!
Social Media: SCORE! I was under two hours a day. Flip Side: I'm SO far behind on visiting ROW80 and A to Z blogs. I'll be catching up this week, gradually.
Reading: I'm reading Sara Gruen's Ape House for my book club, and I'm about 50 pages from finishing. A great read so far. I also finished Lamott's Bird by Bird.
Exercise: Lots of walking and even squeezed in a five mile run yesterday! I'm going to leave it at that (notice I didn't mention food. Come on, it was Easter!).
For more information on ROW80, please visit A Round of Words in 80 Days.
This past week was spring break, and we were in Arizona with my mom and dad until late Thursday night.
Bachs and Mom & Dad in Sedona, ArizonaMy 11-year-old (12 next month!) daughter read my book,
Depression Cookies
, over break. She also read Melissa Luznicky Garrett's
The Spirit Keeper
. She asked if she could review both, to be like her Mom. I was touched and had such a great time helping her with her review of The Spirit Keeper here. Next up is my book. She's already told me she liked it, so I'm not too nervous.I hope everyone was surrounded by loved ones this Easter!
My ROW80 Update
Writing: I'm shocked. I thought I'd have nothing to report with kids, vacations, holiday preparations, etc, but I did manage two hours of writing Friday and Saturday. I'm almost at two hours today as well. Some of that was blog writing, but I also worked on my WIP. *fist pump*
Editing: Back to editing tomorrow. I was on an editing vacation, although I did work on a piece that was "in production" and couldn't wait. Tomorrow I'm back to the nonfiction book I've come to love. Should be the final edit. I can't wait to see it in book form!
Blogging: Blogging from A to Z has been a fun challenge. It's my first time. In the last few days I've written my Eulogy, talked about Fantasy & Flights of Fancy, and highlighted Grammar. Tomorrow I'm tackling the Harrowing Headaches of Writing. Fun!
Social Media: SCORE! I was under two hours a day. Flip Side: I'm SO far behind on visiting ROW80 and A to Z blogs. I'll be catching up this week, gradually.
Reading: I'm reading Sara Gruen's Ape House for my book club, and I'm about 50 pages from finishing. A great read so far. I also finished Lamott's Bird by Bird.
Exercise: Lots of walking and even squeezed in a five mile run yesterday! I'm going to leave it at that (notice I didn't mention food. Come on, it was Easter!).
For more information on ROW80, please visit A Round of Words in 80 Days.
April 7, 2012
Grammar = G: Blogging from A to Z
I'm in editing mode lately. I like rules, love them in fact. Creating stories brings me a lot of joy, but I like to do it by honoring words and rules. Funny thing about grammar rules... they often change or become obsolete.
Sadly, this can happen just from repeated misuse. I noticed irregardless was defined in several online dictionaries. Irregardless. Is. Not. A. Proper. Word. (And yes, this sentence is an example of style over rule.)
I'm a strange breed. My favorite subjects in school were English and Math. I read everything I could get my hands on, but I loved systematically solving a difficult math problem. I found the perfect combination of interests in college when I took an internship at IBM to work in their finance department and write their corporate newsletter. Words and structure together... heaven.
I respect authors who own styles, who play fast and loose with the rules (as long as they are consistent). But the story has to be amazing to convince me to turn away from "the rules." Cormac McCarthy's The Road is such an example. The first fifty pages made me crazy, but the story won me over in the end. Note: there is no style that will make me accept misspelled words or using the following incorrectly: lose/loose, then/than, they're/their/there, its/it's, accept/except, and your/you're. Consider this a top six list.
As an editor, I respect the author's final wishes. One rule I think should never be played with is consistency. I'd rather see the same mistake repeated consistently throughout, to know the author owned it, than see it change throughout the book.
But I'm a grammar snob. Are you?
Note: Just because I'm a grammar snob does not mean I have superhuman skills. I constantly find errors in my work, even after several edits. I can absolutely look past a few errors in several hundred pages of material. It only starts distracting me when I can spot errors every few pages.
The first edition of our novel, Depression Cookies , had 32 errors in 543 pages. This after several rounds of edits, including a college English professor and a professional editor. Mom and I reissued a corrected edition. We couldn't sleep at night.
Sadly, this can happen just from repeated misuse. I noticed irregardless was defined in several online dictionaries. Irregardless. Is. Not. A. Proper. Word. (And yes, this sentence is an example of style over rule.)
I'm a strange breed. My favorite subjects in school were English and Math. I read everything I could get my hands on, but I loved systematically solving a difficult math problem. I found the perfect combination of interests in college when I took an internship at IBM to work in their finance department and write their corporate newsletter. Words and structure together... heaven.
I respect authors who own styles, who play fast and loose with the rules (as long as they are consistent). But the story has to be amazing to convince me to turn away from "the rules." Cormac McCarthy's The Road is such an example. The first fifty pages made me crazy, but the story won me over in the end. Note: there is no style that will make me accept misspelled words or using the following incorrectly: lose/loose, then/than, they're/their/there, its/it's, accept/except, and your/you're. Consider this a top six list.
As an editor, I respect the author's final wishes. One rule I think should never be played with is consistency. I'd rather see the same mistake repeated consistently throughout, to know the author owned it, than see it change throughout the book.
But I'm a grammar snob. Are you?
Note: Just because I'm a grammar snob does not mean I have superhuman skills. I constantly find errors in my work, even after several edits. I can absolutely look past a few errors in several hundred pages of material. It only starts distracting me when I can spot errors every few pages.
The first edition of our novel, Depression Cookies , had 32 errors in 543 pages. This after several rounds of edits, including a college English professor and a professional editor. Mom and I reissued a corrected edition. We couldn't sleep at night.
April 6, 2012
Fantasy & Flights of Fancy = F: Blogging from A to Z
According to Wiktionary, flight of fancy: an idea, narrative, suggestions, etc. which is extremely imaginative and which appears to be entirely unrealistic, untrue, or impractical; thinking which is very speculative (synonym = daydream). Fantasy: that which comes from one's imagination & the literary genre generally dealing with themes of magic and fictive medieval technology.
Ever wonder why paranormal and fantasy books are all the rage, particularly among teenagers and young adults?
I think it's simple... we want to imagine past our realities. Some of us only need to stretch a bit, daydreaming about better bodies and well-behaved children (or maybe that's just me). My life is quite full, yet I still yearn for a story that takes me away and builds a world I can live in, even if it's just for a few minutes a day.
It's hard to step outside ourselves when a book too closely mirrors our own lives, so adding a vampire or witch makes the transition easier. But, it's not always necessary. We just need a story that so enraptures us that we buy the author's world and characters without the need for proof or plausibility.
Plus, one generation's flight of fancy can be another generation's reality. If we believe in something long enough, we search for the practical knowledge to make some form of it true. It wasn't that long ago that the idea of traveling into space was pure fantasy. Or traveling deep into the sea.
Young people more readily believe in flights of fancy, their daydreams become part of who they want to be. As we get older, we let logical and practicality drive us. We forget to dream big.
So embrace the flights of fancy and fantasy in your life. Find ways to bring the magical to your everyday. Take the time to daydream.
"The gift of fantasyhas meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge." Albert Einstein
As a child, what did you daydream about? Do you still daydream?
Ever wonder why paranormal and fantasy books are all the rage, particularly among teenagers and young adults?
I think it's simple... we want to imagine past our realities. Some of us only need to stretch a bit, daydreaming about better bodies and well-behaved children (or maybe that's just me). My life is quite full, yet I still yearn for a story that takes me away and builds a world I can live in, even if it's just for a few minutes a day.
It's hard to step outside ourselves when a book too closely mirrors our own lives, so adding a vampire or witch makes the transition easier. But, it's not always necessary. We just need a story that so enraptures us that we buy the author's world and characters without the need for proof or plausibility.
Plus, one generation's flight of fancy can be another generation's reality. If we believe in something long enough, we search for the practical knowledge to make some form of it true. It wasn't that long ago that the idea of traveling into space was pure fantasy. Or traveling deep into the sea.
Young people more readily believe in flights of fancy, their daydreams become part of who they want to be. As we get older, we let logical and practicality drive us. We forget to dream big.
So embrace the flights of fancy and fantasy in your life. Find ways to bring the magical to your everyday. Take the time to daydream.
"The gift of fantasyhas meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge." Albert Einstein
As a child, what did you daydream about? Do you still daydream?
April 5, 2012
Entertaining Eulogy = E: Blogging A to Z
An entertaining eulogy is exactly what I want when death beckons me. Eulogy is Greek for "good words." That's all I ask. I know losing someone is wrapped in sadness, but the eulogy should show all the good the person brought to the world.
Since sadness tends to take over, I thought it might benefit my husband and children if I gave them some ideas for my eulogy now. God willing, this won't be used for a long time, so we'll call it a "shitty first draft" as inspired by Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird.
(I'm sure a special bullet will be added when I survive all three of my daughters' teenage years!)
Eulogy Edition One
Humor: She found the humor no matter the situation. Sometimes her laughter came at inappropriate times, but she laughed nonetheless.
Dance: She loved to dance, although she was plagued with two left feet. She preferred not to do so in public, unless her daughters asked her not to. Some of her best dancing occurred in the aisles of Target with three screaming and embarrassed children.
Giving: She'd give you the shirt off her back, whether you wanted it or not. Quite modest, she would delicately hand the shirt to you while she hid behind a door.
Open: Her goal was to be kind to everyone, to base her opinions on people's actions. Unkindness was her biggest pet peeve.
Food: We hope the heavens above are dripping with sugar, since it was her favorite. No longer will we make fun of and judge her favorite sandwich: peanut butter, bananas, and mayo. Nor shall we eat it. It seems best to retire it in her honor.
The focus would be light, entertaining and positive. There should be a lot of upbeat music, none of that somber, make-you-want-to-cry stuff. Funky Town pops to mind.
My mistakes and failings should be put aside. The lives I touched should be eating (yes, you guessed it--tons of sugar), dancing, and remembering the things I did right.
What would you want said at your eulogy?
*****
I hope you enjoyed E-day in my Blogging from A to Z journey. Please stop back by and see what I come up with for F to Z, and check out my fellow participants here.
Since sadness tends to take over, I thought it might benefit my husband and children if I gave them some ideas for my eulogy now. God willing, this won't be used for a long time, so we'll call it a "shitty first draft" as inspired by Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird.
(I'm sure a special bullet will be added when I survive all three of my daughters' teenage years!)
Eulogy Edition One
Humor: She found the humor no matter the situation. Sometimes her laughter came at inappropriate times, but she laughed nonetheless.
Dance: She loved to dance, although she was plagued with two left feet. She preferred not to do so in public, unless her daughters asked her not to. Some of her best dancing occurred in the aisles of Target with three screaming and embarrassed children.
Giving: She'd give you the shirt off her back, whether you wanted it or not. Quite modest, she would delicately hand the shirt to you while she hid behind a door.
Open: Her goal was to be kind to everyone, to base her opinions on people's actions. Unkindness was her biggest pet peeve.
Food: We hope the heavens above are dripping with sugar, since it was her favorite. No longer will we make fun of and judge her favorite sandwich: peanut butter, bananas, and mayo. Nor shall we eat it. It seems best to retire it in her honor.
The focus would be light, entertaining and positive. There should be a lot of upbeat music, none of that somber, make-you-want-to-cry stuff. Funky Town pops to mind.
My mistakes and failings should be put aside. The lives I touched should be eating (yes, you guessed it--tons of sugar), dancing, and remembering the things I did right.
What would you want said at your eulogy?
*****
I hope you enjoyed E-day in my Blogging from A to Z journey. Please stop back by and see what I come up with for F to Z, and check out my fellow participants here.
April 4, 2012
Details about Depression Cookies = D: Blogging from A to Z
It's D-day of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to highlight
Depression Cookies
, the novel I co-wrote with my mother, Angela Silverthorne.
We are currently working on the follow-up, which we hope to release later this year.
Two distinct voices, two storiesinterwoven within the walls of family and love.
2011 Readers Favorite BookAwards, Silver for Realistic Fiction & Finalist Chick Lit2011 Next Generation IndieBook Awards, Finalist Chick Lit
Depression Cookies is acoming of age story woven around the heart of family triumph. It is told fromtwo distinct vantage points, middle-aged mother, Abby, and her teenagedaughter, Krista.
Abby is buckling under the weight of a husband who is climbing the corporate ladder, threedaughters each with their own unique needs, a mother who is going off the deepend and family health issues. As she is meeting everyone else's needs, her ownkeep surfacing. She feels she is losing parts of herself daily and doesn't knowhow to handle the stress and conflict. All she truly wants is a little magic inher life.
Krista is thirteen,battling acne and low self-esteem, when her father waltzes in and announces thefamily is moving again. Instead of letting fear and anxiety rule herlife, she is determined to survive the trenches of teenage cruelty and familyissues without completely losing herself in the process.
What neither expectsto find is the true essence of magic in the strength, friendship, power and energyof the female spirit.
*****
A great pick for Mother's Day! Share it with your mom, daughter, sister, best friend.
Will be available on Smashwords soon... details on a special Mother's Day promotion also coming soon.
Buy Depression Cookies at Amazon
We are currently working on the follow-up, which we hope to release later this year.
Two distinct voices, two storiesinterwoven within the walls of family and love.
2011 Readers Favorite BookAwards, Silver for Realistic Fiction & Finalist Chick Lit2011 Next Generation IndieBook Awards, Finalist Chick Lit
Depression Cookies is acoming of age story woven around the heart of family triumph. It is told fromtwo distinct vantage points, middle-aged mother, Abby, and her teenagedaughter, Krista.
Abby is buckling under the weight of a husband who is climbing the corporate ladder, threedaughters each with their own unique needs, a mother who is going off the deepend and family health issues. As she is meeting everyone else's needs, her ownkeep surfacing. She feels she is losing parts of herself daily and doesn't knowhow to handle the stress and conflict. All she truly wants is a little magic inher life.
Krista is thirteen,battling acne and low self-esteem, when her father waltzes in and announces thefamily is moving again. Instead of letting fear and anxiety rule herlife, she is determined to survive the trenches of teenage cruelty and familyissues without completely losing herself in the process.
What neither expectsto find is the true essence of magic in the strength, friendship, power and energyof the female spirit.
*****
A great pick for Mother's Day! Share it with your mom, daughter, sister, best friend.
Will be available on Smashwords soon... details on a special Mother's Day promotion also coming soon.
Buy Depression Cookies at Amazon
April 3, 2012
Corner of Crazy and Creative = C: Blogging from A to Z
Welcome to the Corner of Crazy and Creative.
Day to day I straddle the blurry lines between crazy and creative. Does crazy help creative to be? Or is creativity what keeps me from falling fully into the crazy abyss?
I embrace creativity, not just in my love for reading and writing, but in raising my children and juggling my overtaxed mind and schedule. The days of logical planning and structure slowly slipped away with each of my lovely children.
Crazy and creative must be souls forever intertwined. The days crazy takes over—sick children, husband travelling, car breaks down, tween issues—the more creativity beckons me. Story ideas and plot developments start bombarding my brain. It doesn't make any sense, but insanity rarely does.
Too often my muse disappears on the days I clear my schedule, pull out my laptop, and sit down to write.
That being said, it's about time I accept crazy as my muse. Crazy is my new normal thanks to these three little muses.
My girls (Halloween 2011)Do you find the line between crazy and creative very fine?
*****
Welcome to Day C in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. My blog posts this month are themed according to the letters of the alphabet. Please keep stopping by to see what creative craziness I can come up with, now from D to Z.
And check out other A to Z bloggers here.
Day to day I straddle the blurry lines between crazy and creative. Does crazy help creative to be? Or is creativity what keeps me from falling fully into the crazy abyss?
I embrace creativity, not just in my love for reading and writing, but in raising my children and juggling my overtaxed mind and schedule. The days of logical planning and structure slowly slipped away with each of my lovely children.
Crazy and creative must be souls forever intertwined. The days crazy takes over—sick children, husband travelling, car breaks down, tween issues—the more creativity beckons me. Story ideas and plot developments start bombarding my brain. It doesn't make any sense, but insanity rarely does.
Too often my muse disappears on the days I clear my schedule, pull out my laptop, and sit down to write.
That being said, it's about time I accept crazy as my muse. Crazy is my new normal thanks to these three little muses.
My girls (Halloween 2011)Do you find the line between crazy and creative very fine?*****
Welcome to Day C in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. My blog posts this month are themed according to the letters of the alphabet. Please keep stopping by to see what creative craziness I can come up with, now from D to Z.
And check out other A to Z bloggers here.
April 2, 2012
Psyched for Round 2: ROW80 Goals
I'm knee-deep in letters thanks to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, but I wanted to add an additional post today to announce my A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) goals.
For those who don't know, ROW80 is the writing challenge that knows you have a life. Since I started participating, I have become a more confident and productive writer thanks to all my wonderful ROW80 friends and our fearless leader, Kait Nolan.
My Round 2 Goals
Writing: Since I believe in writing consistently, I will write 2 hours a day for a minimum of 5 days a week. I'm hoping for seven, but I'm committing to five. I'm hoping if I give Life some room to maneuver that I'll be more successful.
Editing: I will work on clients' editing projects for a minimum of 2 hours a day, six days a week.
Blogging: April is the A to Z Challenge, and May is Blogathon time (so excited!!). I'm also shooting for 3-4 posts on my Mom in Love with Fiction blog per week.
Social Media: My goal is to limit it to 2 hours total a day, but to spread that out into manageable chunks.
Reading: Continue to read a minimum of one book for week and write one review per week for Mom in Love with Fiction. In addition, I'll read at least one craft book this round.
Exercise: I like having an exercise component in my goals. I'm shooting for exercising a minimum of 4 days a week. Still battling sugar, too, and I want to limit myself to 2 Diet Cokes per day.
Note: I will not start this until Friday since I'm spending Spring Break in Arizona with my family this week. My first check in post will be Easter Sunday.
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's Round 2 goals. Let's get ready to rumble...
For those who don't know, ROW80 is the writing challenge that knows you have a life. Since I started participating, I have become a more confident and productive writer thanks to all my wonderful ROW80 friends and our fearless leader, Kait Nolan.My Round 2 Goals
Writing: Since I believe in writing consistently, I will write 2 hours a day for a minimum of 5 days a week. I'm hoping for seven, but I'm committing to five. I'm hoping if I give Life some room to maneuver that I'll be more successful.
Editing: I will work on clients' editing projects for a minimum of 2 hours a day, six days a week.
Blogging: April is the A to Z Challenge, and May is Blogathon time (so excited!!). I'm also shooting for 3-4 posts on my Mom in Love with Fiction blog per week.
Social Media: My goal is to limit it to 2 hours total a day, but to spread that out into manageable chunks.
Reading: Continue to read a minimum of one book for week and write one review per week for Mom in Love with Fiction. In addition, I'll read at least one craft book this round.
Exercise: I like having an exercise component in my goals. I'm shooting for exercising a minimum of 4 days a week. Still battling sugar, too, and I want to limit myself to 2 Diet Cokes per day.
Note: I will not start this until Friday since I'm spending Spring Break in Arizona with my family this week. My first check in post will be Easter Sunday.
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's Round 2 goals. Let's get ready to rumble...
Belly Button Bulging Banner = B: Blogging from A to Z
Although this post originally ran on our blog on January 19, 2012, I couldn't help but rerun it for B-day of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.
My mom and I co-wrote Depression Cookies together, and she frequently writes here. She was helping me come up with letter-themed posts, and we just knew this was our perfect B.
Enjoy, and please come back to see what we come up with C-Z!
*****
Belly Button Bulging Banner
On a recent visit to see Tia, Icommented on a pregnant lady whose belly button bulged like a balloon. I said,"I can remember being so embarrassed of my bulging belly button I put duck tapeover it and wore two pair of panties." Tia chuckled and said, "Mom, you need towrite about it."
Well, honestly what's there to writeabout? It must be the new fashion to showcase the button. But I wonder? Are thesame women who wouldn't show their non-pregnant abdomen in the dark to theirhusband now getting rather bold? There's no doubt I was excited and happyabout my pregnancies; I wanted to tell everyone. I would have consideredwearing a banner on my forehead. I might have considered a shirt slogan. Butbelly button exposure?
I'm the one who grew up with the I Love Lucy show. When Lucy was pregnant,she wore a tent. Her attentive husbanddidn't see her bulging belly button; he couldn't. And her demure nature causedhim to be so gracious. He wouldn't even allow Lucy the uncomfortableness ofhaving to sit or disgrace herself by having him take her bag to the hospital,giving the impression she might be an invalid. Character was on the line.Protocol was sacred.
Have weturned an era curve? Something like the 1960s? Those brazen hussies hadlove-ins, sit-ins and sex anywhere. Skirts rose up to heights of noimagination. Bras were burned. Is this the new feminine badge of honor, thebelly button bulging banner? I've noticeda few proud women sporting the ultimate banner, displaying a stripe of brownpigment drawn straight down to the exit sign which could serve as further proofof brashness or braveness. Now the idea is taking on a new meaning.
Maybe it'sa new form of freedom? Bare bellies are shining proudly in Zumba classes,beaches, and on the red carpet by some of our favorite stars. All of this makesme wonder... if I were young today, would I? Could I?
What'snext? Bare Breasts Bouncing Bodaciously?
My mom and I co-wrote Depression Cookies together, and she frequently writes here. She was helping me come up with letter-themed posts, and we just knew this was our perfect B.
Enjoy, and please come back to see what we come up with C-Z!
*****
Belly Button Bulging Banner
On a recent visit to see Tia, Icommented on a pregnant lady whose belly button bulged like a balloon. I said,"I can remember being so embarrassed of my bulging belly button I put duck tapeover it and wore two pair of panties." Tia chuckled and said, "Mom, you need towrite about it."
Well, honestly what's there to writeabout? It must be the new fashion to showcase the button. But I wonder? Are thesame women who wouldn't show their non-pregnant abdomen in the dark to theirhusband now getting rather bold? There's no doubt I was excited and happyabout my pregnancies; I wanted to tell everyone. I would have consideredwearing a banner on my forehead. I might have considered a shirt slogan. Butbelly button exposure?
I'm the one who grew up with the I Love Lucy show. When Lucy was pregnant,she wore a tent. Her attentive husbanddidn't see her bulging belly button; he couldn't. And her demure nature causedhim to be so gracious. He wouldn't even allow Lucy the uncomfortableness ofhaving to sit or disgrace herself by having him take her bag to the hospital,giving the impression she might be an invalid. Character was on the line.Protocol was sacred.
Have weturned an era curve? Something like the 1960s? Those brazen hussies hadlove-ins, sit-ins and sex anywhere. Skirts rose up to heights of noimagination. Bras were burned. Is this the new feminine badge of honor, thebelly button bulging banner? I've noticeda few proud women sporting the ultimate banner, displaying a stripe of brownpigment drawn straight down to the exit sign which could serve as further proofof brashness or braveness. Now the idea is taking on a new meaning. Maybe it'sa new form of freedom? Bare bellies are shining proudly in Zumba classes,beaches, and on the red carpet by some of our favorite stars. All of this makesme wonder... if I were young today, would I? Could I?
What'snext? Bare Breasts Bouncing Bodaciously?
