Jessica Scott's Blog, page 19
February 21, 2013
Junk Mail
Lately I’ve become obsessed with my junk mail account. See, many moons ago, back in the 90s when email wasn’t prolific and you were really ahead of the game if you had an account, I opened my first hotmail account.
This was back in the day when AOL was still relevant and hotmail was free. Then I discovered online shopping. Yes, I have been an Amazon customer since something like 1997 when I discovered they, along with Victorias Secret, would ship to my first duty assignment in Germany.
Fast forward a few years and the spam became unbearable. I kept my hotmail account but now only use it for online shopping. I’ve got it set it exclusive so anything not routed as approved goes automatically to junk mail.
So why now, years after I’ve abandoned that account for all but online shopping am I checking the junk mail folder like a crack addict? Daily, multiple times a day, I’m checking. Looking for coupons, looking for my Nigerian prince.
I can’t explain it. It just kind of happened. And yet, there it is. Me checking my spam folder for emails that have been routed to the wrong folder. It’s a sickness, it really is.
February 19, 2013
My Commander’s Reading List
So I’ve left command in the rear view mirror. I’m signed out of Fort Hood and on to a future that no longer involves direct leadership at the tactical level. There will probably be a series of posts on my life in command, now that I’m free to talk about different things.
Every officer has heard of the Chief of Staff of the Army reading list or some other professional reading list where big daddy GOs sit young officers down and say read this. This book has something to teach you. Which is awesome because well, I’m a book worm and I enjoy this kind of thing.
So what are my books that I’d recommend for an incoming company commander? Well, here’s the thing. Company command is unlike any other job in the world. There is no other position where you’ll be responsible for a soldier’s training, his wife and kids, the condition of his house, why that female is pregnant or what you’re doing to reduce STDs in your formation. I’m joking but only half.
What books mattered to me as a company commander? Well, let’s start with JUSTICE by Michael Sandel. The byline on the book is What’s the right thing to do? Every commander needs to sit back and consider what is right and wrong. What kind of commander are they going to be? What are those things that are important to them? Because you will be challenged as a commander, more than you know.
The Long Road Home by Martha Raddatz. For my fellow signaleers, it’s a hard look at what goeswrong when the coms plan fail but it’s also a look at what happens when things go really badly during war, a lesson that our future commanders must not forget. Commanders need to take a good hard look at those worst case scenarios because you don’t plan for the best and hope the worst never happens. You plan for the worst and hope for the best.
The Definitive Book of Body Language by Allan & Barbar Pease. Because everything you do as a commander is about people and being able to read them a little better makes your life as a decision maker a little easier.
Lastly, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C Maxwell. 
Love it or hate it, it’s a hard look at how to get people on board with your message and get the entire organization going in the direction you want to take it.
Command is by far the best job I’ve had in the Army. Maybe this will help someone else out along the way.
February 16, 2013
Productive in PJs
It’s almost bedtime. I may not have made it out of pajamas/work out clothes today but I had one hella productive day:
Taxes
Finances
Worked out
Cleaned out garage
cleaned out office
downloaded songs for oldest as payment for demining the backyard (this was a bigger accomplishment than you know)
I still need to shower and pick up the rest of the house. You know. Big goals.
Over the course of this cleaning adventure, I have found my note cards of required knowledge from OCS (5 years old), my dog tags with my maiden name on them (13 years old) and multiple pictures of my kids, nieces and nephews scattered through various and sundry drawers.
I am also the proud owner of a billion and one staples and zero paperclips.
I’ve got a huge pile of stuff that’s going to the goodwill at some point this week.
I also discovered my kids’ ID cards expired 3 years ago. Because I’m an awesome parent. Sheesh.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve found when mucking out your stuff?
February 12, 2013
Glasses Frustration
I’m a space cadet. I’m convinced the only reason I’m even moderately successful in life is because I joined the army and it taught me discipline.
When my kids were little, every day would be an exercise of trying to find the missing thing. Either a missing diaper bag, a missing box for wipes, a missing tube of stuff or my car keys.
After one particularly irritating episode where I ended up late for work, I made the decision that my keys were going by the door, period. And that’s where they went. When I was in Iraq, my keys went in one pocket, my wallet in another. I always knew where things went because they never went somewhere else.
Fast forward a few years and my oldest has glasses…that we can never find. In the course of the last year, we’ve gone through 3 pairs now. I just got back from the Eye Mart where I told them to show me the cheapest glasses she had. Two pairs later, we’re up to pairs four and five.
We’ve tried rules of the glasses only go here. Doesn’t work (obviously). I’ve tried to remember where they are, that doesn’t work either. I’m at a loss. And I can’t just send her to school without them because she fricking blind and can’t read without them.
So here’s what we’re going to try. After this, if my daughter loses them, she’s going to have to give up her iPod for a week and give me the money to replace them. I’m too fed up with this being a daily occurrence.
Help me put folks. What tricks have you used to make your kids have homes for things?
February 7, 2013
Tackling my To Do List – Backwards
Many things to do today. Not nearly as many as when I was in command. Days like this make me really reconsider how I managed to get anything done at all over the last three years.
Regardless.
So today, I need to write 4000 words to make myself happy, go grocery shopping, work out and pick up the kids. Not much, in the scheme of things.
A normal day would involve working out first, then grocery shopping then writing after all was said and done. I think I’m going to do it backwards today. I think I’m going to take a shower and do my hair (a major lifestyle change, let me tell you), then go write. I’ll hit the grocery store before I get the kids and work put tonight.
Life, in reverse. Or, putting first thing first. Because who really needs milk & eggs?
February 6, 2013
Hamster Prom Queen
Ok this is getting ridiculous. The last two times I’ve sent out my newsletter, I’ve included updates from the world of Fluffy. Fluffy, as many of you know, passed away over Christmas and Squeak promptly moved in and took over.
Which is fine. People liked Fluffy’s updates and Squeak continues to be entertaining.
But really, does the hamster have to get more clicks than me? I mean here I am, a starving artist, honing her craft, typing unit her wrists are cramped and my fingers are bloody and you all like the hamster more than me?
It’s like being picked last at sports, which you might think was only a distant school trauma but in reality happened at envy episode of officer PT. All the horrible memories dredged up to the surface, old scars picked until they’re raw and bleeding.
Fine. You all like the hamster more than me. I get it. They’re cute and furry. They’re …
//break break//
All right enough whining human. Squeak here. I’ve tied the whining human up and taken over her blog. Deal with it. I’m cute. I’m cuddly. And that’s why you’ll never see me coming. So get your butt over to Facebook and like my page.
Ignore that sound.
February 4, 2013
ANYTHING FOR YOU BLOG TOUR
So once again, I went all in and schedule an insane blog tour. Below are all the dates scheduled for ANYTHING FOR YOU. It’s all new material (because hey, if someone is nice enough to host me, the least I can do is offer up fresh stuff!) and each stop will have a giveaway of BECAUSE OF YOU and ANYTHING FOR YOU.
And if you can’t wait to try and win a copy, you can pick it up at:
Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble
The other ebooks store links should be live soon.
FEB 4
Smexy Books
FEB 5
Intoxicated by Books
FEB 6
Belles Book Bag
FEB 7
Totally Booked
The Jeep Diva
FEB 8
Veronica Scott
FEB 9
Arianne Cruz
From the TBR Pile
Bitch Can Write a Book
FEB 11
Book Binge
The Book Pushers
FEB 12
Silly Melody
FEB 13
Tracy’s Place
FEB 14
Book Lovers Inc
FEB 15
The Book Tart
FEB 16
Fiction Vixen
FEB 18
Stella Ex Libris
FEB 19
Read Your Writes
FEB 21
Enchantress of Books
FEB 22
Literati Literature Lovers
Ms Romantic Reads
Sugarbeats
Cover Reveal & Release Day – ANYTHING FOR YOU
I’m so excited that ANYTHING FOR YOU is finally here! Check out this awesome cover!! I really think it captures Shane & Jen beautifully.
Here’s the blurb:
From the author of Because of You comes an all new Coming Home short story.
Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison has spent a year recovering from his combat injuries. A year spent in the arms of the woman of his dreams. But loving Jen comes with a price: every time he touches her, he faces the uncertain fear that loving her might mean losing her forever.
Jen is a breast cancer survivor and with Shane, she’s found a man who loves her despite her scars. But her scars may be too much for their love to survive.
As their love grows, so does the risk to Jen’s life. And Shane must make the toughest decision any man can make to save the woman he loves.
I hope you’ll enjoy revisiting Shane & Jen as much as I enjoyed writing them! You can buy their story at these fine ebook stores:
January 23, 2013
Crowd Sourcing a Blog Tour
Okay so I went all in and now have an insane blog tour scheduled for oh, the entire month of February.
To the bloggers (who I shall name later once I format the tour page) who stepped up to help support ANYTHING FOR YOU I cannot thank you enough! Y’all rock!
So, back to business: I’ve got to write about 15 guest posts. I need ideas. So what on earth do y’all want to know about, listen to me ramble on about, or just plain chat about?
I’m up for funny, sarcastic, serious, (I’ll try to be ) smart. Whatever.
Help me out?
Oh and remember to sign up for an ARC of ANYTHING FOR YOU!
January 11, 2013
News: ANYTHING FOR YOU
All right so I’m really excited to announce that Shane & Jen from Because of You will have a special short story just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Stay tuned for more information about Anything For You!
Here’s the blurb!
From the author of Because of You comes an all new Coming Home short story.
Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison has spent a year recovering from his combat injuries. A year spent in the arms of the woman of his dreams. But loving Jen comes with a price: every time he touches her, he faces the uncertain fear that he might kill her.
Jen is a survivor and with Shane, she’s found a man who loves her despite her scars. But her scars may be too much for their love to survive.
As their love grows, so does the risk to Jen’s life. And Shane must make the toughest decision any man can make to save the woman he loves.
And if you’d like to receive an ARC, sign up here:
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