Kate Jarvik Birch's Blog, page 8

The Time Muncher

Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, gather round while the world famous Time Muncher demonstrates feats of daring like none you've ever seen before. Not only can she avoid doing the laundry and dishes (or all manner of household chores for that matter) she can avoid doing any sort of work entirely. Don't cover your eyes. Don't look away, or you might miss as she wastes even more time. There. Did you see it happen? Another perfectly good hour gone in the blink of an eye.

Help, I've been possessed by the Time Muncher. I looked deep into her Candy Crush eyes and weeks have vanished from my life. I've definitely fallen prey to my time wasting ways. How do you avoid getting sucked into the vortex?

Introducing the Treadmill Desk

My New Office

A lot like Homer Simpson, I've got a butt-shaped indentation in my couch that I've spent endless hours perfecting. I've always been one to write with my feet up on the ottoman and my computer propped up on my lap, but lately my back (and my waistline) haven't been too happy with this arrangement. 
Over the past year I've been jealously watching as other writers made the leap to the treadmill desk. On twitter I listened as authors like John Green talked about the thousands of steps they took each day while simultaneously cranking out thousands of words. 
Of course as my birthday inched closer I dropped hint after hint (well, maybe they weren't hints so much as outright pleading) for a treadmill desk. But with the big price tag that comes with one, I assumed it was out of the question.
On my birthday-- after a lovely lunch date-- my husband told me he just had to run a quick errand for work on our way home. I must be pretty easy to deceive because I didn't even question the fact that my mom wanted to come along. 
You can imagine my surprise when we pulled into the LifeSpan parking lot and my mom and husband told me what they were giving me for my birthday. It was even better than a PONY. 
I'd done a lot of research about what sort of desk I wanted and a LifeSpan was at the very top of my list, but I hadn't realized that the company was actually based out of Salt Lake. Not only did I not have to wait to have my treadmill desk delivered, but we also saved $200 by picking it up ourselves.
I've only had my desk for a few days, but I'm a total convert. It's amazing how easy is to walk and type at the same time. After a couple minutes I forget that my legs are even moving. Today I walked over three miles while I was editing. THREE MILES. 
I have to warn you now, if you run into me, I might start proselytizing about how great treadmill desks are. Hopefully I can convert you all!

Banner Winner!

Yesterday I was spoiled rotten on my birthday with a fancy lunch date, a tasty homemade dinner (made by my daughter), two trips to the park with our sweet dog and the coolest gift of all... a treadmill desk. (Don't worry, there will be a whole post on the awesomeness of my new desk.)

But enough taking. It's time to give back a little. I'm excited to announce the winner of the Banner Contest. I can't wait to get started making some original artwork for...

DANA ALISON LEVY

Congratulations Dana. Start brainstorming about your new banner and then shoot me an email and I'll get started designing it.

It's Official

Yep, it's official, I can finally announce my exciting news. I signed my very first book deal (well two-book deal to be more precise). I'm thrilled to get to work with Heather Howland from Entangled on my series, PET. 

Here's the Publisher's Marketplace listing:

Kate Birch's debut PET, set in a world where the government has passed legislation allowing people to be genetically engineered and raised as pets so the rich and powerful can own beautiful girls like sixteen-year-old Gigi as their new companions, to Heather Howland at Entangled digiTeen in a two-book deal, by Kerry Sparks at Levine Greenberg Literary Agency (World).

Of course, to celebrate, the first thing I did was treat myself to a new book from The King's English. 

Win a Banner

In celebration of Kristin Lippert-Martin's gorgeous new website (which you can visit here) I decided it was time for another contest. I had so much fun designing her banner-- which she happened to win during my last banner design contest-- that I decided it was time to duplicate all that cheer.

You too can win a new banner for your blog, website, facebook page... whatever you want. Heck, maybe you just want a banner to wear around your neck when you go grocery shopping. I won't judge. It's up to you. The sky's the limit.

How to enter: 
1. Make sure to follow my blog (unless of course you already do).
2. Leave me a message telling me what fun banner you want me to design for you.
3. Spread the word... Tell your friends on twitter or Facebook, post it on your blog or knock on your neighbor's door, whatever works for you :)

That's it! 

The contest will run until midnight on my birthday, June 6th. I'll announce the winner on June 7th.

One Lucky Mama

This is the amazing list that my daughter made me for Mother's Day.

 77 Things I Love About You...


You and I are always on the same brain waveYou let us make fun of youYou make fun of usYour imagination is endlessYou can't cook to save your lifeYou dance like nobody is watchingYou're easily amusedYou are a horrible driverYou turn every bad situation into a fun oneYou pick me up from school when I just don't want to goYou can make fun of strangers and only feel a little bad about itYou can't follow directionsYou call us by the wrong nameYou let us do art projects even when we are still in the middle of our last oneYou get scared during moviesI can hear you laughing at the TV when I'm going to sleepYou aren't afraid of talking to strangersYou like to give things awayYou can't keep a secret for more than a few hoursYou aren't afraid to take chancesYou can make a bag of candy disappear almost instantlyYou get addicted to video games (i.e. Candy Crush)You aren't afraid to stick up for yourself and your kidsYou're crazyYour handwriting should be a fontYou have the cutest sneezesYou laugh at my jokes even when they aren't funnyYou make me laughYou love Dad and you say so a lotYou let Dad go camping/fishing/snowboarding/golfing even when you don't want him toYou don't pay attention to the outside world when you are readingYou sing at the top of your lungs even though you can't hit the notesYour laugh is infectiousYou're a worry wartWe would own a zoo if you had the choiceYou have great styleYou know when something is bothering meYou understand what I'm talking about even when I don'tYou try to be a handyman even if you failYou are genuineYou drive me places at a moment's noticeYou have good taste in musicYou take every opportunity to learn about somethingYou read every book you can get your hands onYou can finish a word search in three minutes flatYou never get angry at meYou always have the most interesting things to sayYou have baby-child handsYou can stop biting your nails for a few months and know right when you will start againYou get so excited about little thingsYou spend every penny you earn on your kidsYou don't let the big things worry youYou always worry about the little thingsYou let me rant on about what I see on PinterestYou have a never ending supply of book ideasYou are a dorkYou see the beauty in everythingYou are opinionatedYou know just what to say to make me feel betterYou make everyone around you happyYou put up with my crazy sleep talking and remember them well enough to tell me about them the next dayYou are just the right amount of awkwardWe always have something to talk aboutYou get so worked up about politicsYou would make a great presidentYou are always willing to help me with homeworkYou are just a slightly older version of meYou are so organized, yet such a mess all the timeYou are willing to do anything to help meIf a mini pony wandered into our yard, you would already have a name picked out and a stable builtYou're always on the hunt for a new farm to move toYou always speak your mindYou are so passionate about everything you doYou think you're the coolest person on Earth, and you're rightYou love us so much and would go to the moon and back to show usYou're my mommyIt feels good to be known inside and out! 

Music Time Machine

Okay, so maybe I haven't really invented a time machine, but every once in a while I'll stumble upon a song that comes pretty close to transporting me back in time. I'm sure that there are times in our lives when our souls our more raw, easier to imprint on, when a song or a smell can suddenly become the conduit for all sorts of emotions. 

Yesterday I saw a link to the top 100 songs of 1993 and was amazed at how viscerally my body reacted to just reading the titles. There were so many of them that filled me with the most strange mix of longing and a magical hope for the future. If I could bottle what it felt like to be a teenage girl, that would be it...

What songs take you back in time?

Habits

It's a relief to be done with the A to Z Challenge, but I must admit, that I was also a little sad to see it come to an end. Not only did I enjoy meeting so many other wonderful bloggers, but I loved being accountable for a post each day. No, I don't really want to keep up with such a rigorous schedule, but I would like to keep up the good habit of posting regularly.

I've always heard that it only takes thirty days to make a habit. There are some habits that I haven't broken in twenty years (like making my bed every day) and there are others that I break every year (like biting my nails- although at the moment I'm still going strong since January). But one of the most important habits I'd like to keep is writing first thing in the morning every day. I'm one of those people that gets obsessed with a book and cranks out a first draft in a month, but then I'll let weeks go by without keeping a regular schedule. 

But this is all about to change. Starting this beautiful first day of May, I'm going to make it a habit to write every morning. Thirty days from now it'll be habit. Or at least the beginning of one...

Do you have a habit that you're proud of? How about one you'd like to work on?

Z is for Zero

Zero, Zip, Zilch. I have nothing to complain about, nothing to ask for today. My kids are happy, safe and fed, sitting in their classrooms down the street holding bright yellow pencils in their hands. The sun has peeked over the horizon, promising me another lovely day while I sit on a soft couch in a room with a view of an apricot tree, just sprouting its soft new leaves. I have the taste of lightly roasted cashews in my mouth and the prospect of a hot shower in my future. My husband's music plays softly over the speakers while the keys tap beneath my fingers. What more could I ask for? There's nothing more that I need.

Y is for Yearn

It isn't all about chocolate.
Sometimes I yearn for the
Scratch of salt across my lips 
Or the pucker of lemon
As bright as the sun
Against my tongue.

At night, I yearn for the 
The brush of your skin,
Barely touching the tips of my
fingers to the side of your arm
As I drift into sleep.

I yearn for the warm, dewy
Air of summer evenings,
For the drone of the mower
and the lazy hum of bees by
the red geraniums.

I yearn for turquoise twilight
And the squeal of childrens'
Laughter from the yard
Coming and going,
Drifting through the windows
As we smile at one another.