Gratitude 11/26/13 What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all we have in our lives for which we are grateful.  I have so much, and I often reflect on my largess in my Blog.  

Thanks John Archibald for asking us what we’re grateful for yesterday on a FaceBook post.  His question gave me the idea for posting a gratitude theme on FaceBook and Twitter for the rest of the week. 

So although this Blogpost is fresh (I promised 1 new Blogpost a day throughout November), I’ll be reposting some past Blogs of mine and others along with some and famous quotes, as my personal Homage to Thanksgiving.  I hope you do the same.

Today, I am grateful that I’m walking 5 miles again on a daily basis – yay.  It was a cold wet walk this morning, but I did it.  Hindsight is 20/20.  I wonder if I should have put up with the occasional swollen and achy knee, but no I had meniscus repair surgery and it’s been a long slow heal; however, 

I am Grateful that I had:

• A health insurance policy that covered the entire surgery.
• An excellent surgeon referred to me by a friend.
• An employer that offered sick leave.
• A friend to take me to Brookwood Hospital and drive me home.
• A sturdy constitution that required no drug more potent than aspirin for pain.

I missed my morning ‘constitutional’.  There is nothing like walking at the break of day, before the cars’ traffic noise and pollution steal the freshness from the air.  I’m back and I am beyond grateful.

Mañana y’all.

Day 22 Just 2500 words today & 1 Blog Today NaNo / NaBlo

Day 22 of NaNoWriMo Wordcount 44,277/ NaBloPoMo (22 for 22) 

Writing on Novel was a little slow this morning in part due to the bottomless champagne glass at the McMinn Clinic last night, but meeting a friend for a dos Equis at Jim ‘n’ Nicks and perhaps the glass of Cabernet I poured when I got home have something to do with it. 

Anywho, I got up poured a cup of coffee, put a Stauffer’s Spinach soufflé on the counter to thaw, grabbed the tiny tablet-sized TV from its kitchen corner and climbed back into my warm bed.  Sipping coffee, I alternately watched the Today Show and along with Jazmine watched the crazy squirrels bouncing on unsteady tree branches just outside the windows.

I can only stay in bed so long, but although brief it was a nice idyll and out of my normal routine.  I turned the oven on to 375, preheated my smallest iron skillet which I’d smeared with bacon drippings.  There’s nothing like the aroma of bacon.  You can use butter or any oil you choose, but I happen to love bacon fat for certain things like cornbread or cooking breakfast.  Everytime I cook bacon, I transfer the drippings to a small mason jar in the fridge.

The soufflé was thawed enough to cut up and fit in the skillet.  I don’t and won’t own a microwave.  I don’t and won’t cook in those plastic containers that frozen box food comes in.  I’ve turned down the only coffee in sight if it was served in Styrofoam, never used Teflon or other coated cookware.  I’ve always been this way which made many of my friends laugh at what they thought were my peculiar obsessions back in the day.  Now with all the stories circulating about dangers of microwave cooking and plastic containers and all the other toxins we consume daily, many of them have jumped on my bandwagon.

Excerpt from Murder is a Primary Color:Virtual Search (cont’d)

 Hurley turned to Janet and smiled, "Some hunky guide - Don't suppose we can have a Stephanie next time?  Let's eat, I'm starved."

Janet laughed, stuck the flashdrive into her Levi’s watch pocket, texted the cab service, and they left arm in arm to find a pizza and discuss their findings.  They rode in silence down the lift to the tram-stair to the ground and the waiting servocab.  "I better call Jade" remarked Janet as the car seat formed around her like a glove and secured her gently in place.  She spoke to the phone in her lap "phone Jade face to face"  the panel in front of her lit and a disembodied voice said "Accessing".

Jade's face appeared.  "Hello Janet, what did you find?"

"Lot's, whatever you do, don't let Kane out of your sight.  Jade, there's lots but here's the nut:  One, all victims are women; two, all had husbands, estranged or divorced or just out of town at the time.  And Jade three.  Three, all the men came out of nowhere just nowhere and they're all gone with no trace - nor forward except your Mr. Kane.  If he gets away, you'll never find him.  We're going to follow a few loose ends, but that's the nut."

Mañana y’all.

Day 19 Another 3500+ words writ & 1 Blog Today NaNo / NaBlo

Day 19 of NaNoWriMo Wordcount 34,710/ NaBloPoMo (19 for 19) 

Tuesday and the writing is going smoothly.  At this pace, I will cross the 50,000 word finish line before this time next week.  I sit and write every morning before I let the household chores that literally shout to be done get through to me. 

No company coming until next week, so I’m letting some things go.  I really should have bought more box food (lean cuisine is my fav).  Cooking from scratch, which is my usual modus operandi, is a messy business and the kitchen currently is messier than my messy brother or dead ex’s ever was.  Sigh.  I’ll have to tune in the Doctor’s at 2 in the kitchen to entertain me as I plow thru the dirty dishes, as it will probably take an hour to restore order. 

Tonight, it’ll be Stouffer’s Spinach soufflé and a glass of red wine.  That’ll be just one baking dish, fork and glass.  I only cook in glass and in a real oven, so I remove the food from it’s supposedly safe plastic container into my covered glass dish and put it in my oven at 350. 

While the soufflé cooks for about an hour, I’ll sip my first glass of cabernet and print out my day’s scribbling.  It helps me to know where I left off and get a feel for my story’s trajectory, and I might even start writing longhand toward tomorrows wordcount.

Excerpt from Murder is a Primary Color:Playing 'just a stray' 

Brie mewed at the back door and was answered by the cook. "Oh, and what have we here?  Well aren't you the pretty one? Jenna, look-it this pretty white puff ball.  Purr, is it?  I bet you want a bite don't you love?"

Brie preened and postured and walked right up to the cook and looked up into kind the brown eyes and then turned to the maid and looked and meowed again.  Hmmm she thought - open as open could be, and they like cats too, she mused as she looked at the generous plate the cook set before her.  A coldness entered the far door in the form of a male human just as she was inspecting the cook's offerings.

"What is this?"  He scowled in Brie's direction.  She felt the cold icy closedness of his essence, and resisted the urge to look him in the eye.  He must not know she is more than just a stray cat.  She blithely ignored him and gave full attention to the plate before her, eating with well-feigned relish as she thought a hungry stray would.

"Oh sir, just a stray kit come to the back door.  We're just givin' her a few scraps."

"Hmph", he continued to stare at Brie, "She doesn't look like much of a stray to me."

Brie purred at him and then risked it all.  She purred loudly and turned her sliver green eyes to look into the black heavy hooded slits that stared at her with such dislike.  Brie maintained her blank cat, just a cat facade of mind.  The human relaxed a little, but his thought reached her, as he turned to talk to the cook, she could momentarily see the mind behind the eyes.  It was black and swirling and murky.  Brie shivered inwardly, she dare not let her findings register.  This was unlike anything she had ever met. 

As the cook examined the menu he had handed her for tonight's dinner, Brie swiftly exited and was gone before they turned. 

"Curious," the cook mumbled, as she closed the door carefully leaving the food outside, "I'll just leave it in case the kit comes back."

Brie took to the large old Magnolia outside and climbed to where she knew Jadeah waited.  She leaped onto the sill and through the window and landed silently, a puff of star-white fur on a stark white carpet.

James started and looked at Jade, but she was deep in meditation as she gazed at the box before her.  Jade was aware of Brie and waited as the cat gracefully leaped again onto the chair opposite her, circled once then sat sphinx-like, paws forward, eyes alert and ready to protect.  "Hello, old woman,"  Jade smiled and eyes met eyes that blinked once in acknowledgement.

I am safe now, Jade thought.  Well Brie, here we go.

Mañana y’all.

Day 13 Wrote no words today except this Blog NaNo/ NaBlo

Day 13 of NaNoWriMo Wordcount still 15600/ NaBloPoMo (13 for 13) 

Today is my weekly day out with my mom, and that is more important to me than any wordcount.  I’ll catch up in the next few days, but today belongs to us.  

Macy’s came to pick up the chair and ottoman she bought barely a week ago.  They don’t make things like they used to. Macy’s, to their credit, didn’t argue.  They picked up the defective furniture and credited her account.

From there we headed out to the Salvation Army Store on Green Springs. Wednesday everything in the store is 25% off and all clothes with a white tag is a further 50% off. 

From there we headed to Acapulco Mexican restaurant, that that not only has good food, but on Wednesday has two for one on menu items A thru L all day long. We both enjoyed ice cold dos Equis and such ample portions of food that we both took home enough food for lunch tomorrow.

From there we hit Aldi’s, Academy Sports, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Big Lots, happy hour at Bone Fish Grill for margaritas and Bang Bang Shrimp, etc., etc., and finally stopped off at Publix on the way home to pick up a few essentials including beer an wine and got back to mom’s around 7.  I got to my abode a bit ago with a leftover shrimp for Jazmine – her due for my being out all day. 

Now I’ve put the new heated throw I got at Walmart on the couch and Jazmine and I are going to enjoy the warmth while she does her ablutions followed by belly up snores and I read a few more chapters of Hild.

I’ll resume my writing on my NaNo novel tomorrow after a long chilly walk in the park.

Manana y'all.

Day 9 – Dumping Current Novel – NaNo/NaBlo

Day 9 of NaNoWriMo  - Dumping current project and starting a new one (sigh)/ NaBloPoMo (9 for  9).

Met with Alabama Writers group for NaNo write-in at Panera's Main Street @ 10 this morning for a write in and we got no writing in.  It turned into a kibitzing session.  

That was fine. I've pretty much lost steam on this project and seriously considering a sequel/spinoff of a previous NaNo Novel.  I'll have to double up to catch up, but those characters live for me and I can rethink the Wadenhoe project for later in 2014.

I'll be updating title, etc., on Nanowrimo tomorrow, and start doing some furious writing most of tomorrow on new project to make up for lost time.  Tentative Title 'Murder is a Primary Color'.

Met two interesting young women this morning whose Indie Publishing Company is worth a look.  Check them out at Matter Deep Publishing. 

p.s. My own indiepub e-book (How to Journal and How to Publish from your Journal) will be going on sale as an Amazon selection on December 2 @ $2.99.  I'm hoping it will kick up sales.

Day 6 To Do List NaNo/NaBlo

Day 6 of NaNoWriMo Wordcount 10,050/ NaBloPoMo (6 for 6).

The ToDo! List is working – sort of.  I am now at 6 days of accomplishing numbers 1 – 4 on the list consistently, so there's hope for the rest of it.

1. Walk 5 miles from 5-6:30 a.m. Do stretches, yoga and/or wgts 6:30-7.
2. Coffee on, BF in oven then quick shower, be at desk by 8. (I did it when I had a ‘real’ job’, no reason I can’t do it now.)
3. Write Blog and schedule for posting at 7pm daily  (note: I’m writing as many as I can in advance and programming them to post in a timely manner)
4. Write 1668 words a day or more on my NaNoWriMo Novel.
5. Finish Drawings for children’s book that is already written.
6. Peruse markets for essays.
7. Query w/Food Tips – various magazine. (I’m a serious cook; I have a jillion tips, but I’ve only sent out 1 to Cuisineathome.com although the list is extensive.)
8. Finish Website – It still sits as the starter page.
9. Bank 30 days’ worth of tweets.

There are more I haven’t done, but I won’t bore you nor flagellate myself anymore than I already have.  You get the point. Procrastination, is my middle name.

Oh, yeh Scarlett had nothing on me. “…I’ll think about it tomorrow… I’ve squandered too many today’s with that line.

I’’ve been spending time like so much loose change, and I’m trying to stop.

Day 5 NaNoWriMo & NaBloPoMo

Day 5 of NaNoWriMo/ NaBloPoMo and I was behind by 1000 words yesterday but made it up today plus a few (wordcount 8664), on track for Blog Posts (5 for 5).

Although I’m on track as of yesterday through day today (day 5), I need to keep banking extra words for those days during the coming holiday parties when I won’t be able to manage many words at all.

It was a long time ago and perhaps the life of a Brat took me so many places that while some memories burn bright, others are so dim as to be non-existent, less than the mists that shrouded the woods at the edge of the Wadenhoe estate many days and made of it a titillating place for me to explore.  Perusing the pictures stirs the memory but my NaNo Novel is based part in truth as seen by my 6-year-old self, stories of recollection from my mom and dad and my own imaginings - hence Novel not Memoir.

I still don’t have a good feel for my POV, but I’m letting the story take me where it will for now.  Write in haste, edit at leisure, and even the title doesn't quite feel right.

Excerpt – Chapter One

We arrived after dark. I felt like we were in a scary movie. This huge castle loomed in the night and the fog rolled along the ground all around us as we got out of the cab. Daddy, ever the practical joker, pointed at the head carved above the entrance and said, “That is the ghost of Wadenhoe.” Mother told him to cut it out - I had to pee too bad to be scared.

A maid opened the door and showed us up the stairs to our flat (English for apartment); told us what time breakfast was served in the kitchen and left. 

There were some white bread sandwiches on the coffee table. They were butter with cucumber and butter with ham; cut into fours with the crusts neatly trimmed away; and neatly stacked on a beautiful old plate. 

We devoured them all, and Mom put us too bed. I could hardly sleep, and when she left the room, I crept to the window to look out. As I look back on that night, I know now why I liked that shot in the first Harry Potter film so much - the one where he sits looking out the frosted window of his new home high in the castle.

The next morning I was ready to go before anyone and waiting impatiently at the door. We went down the rickety stairs to the better stairs and found our way to the kitchen, where the maids were scurrying around the long table delivering breakfast to our house mates.

At that time Wadenhoe House was managed by Mrs. Boothroyd (Mrs. B) and with two exceptions, all the rooms and suites were let out to Air Force families. The exceptions were a two men, one from Scotland, one from Poland. They were always referred to as the Scot and the Pole – I never knew their names. The Scot, when in his cups, would change into kilts and march down the main staircase serenading the whole house with his bagpipes whether they liked it or not. The Pole was quiet, but with a ready smile, and always had a book in his hand.

Mrs. B introduced us around the breakfast table, and asked how we liked our eggs. I watched as the cook cracked these huge eggs into a bowl, added milk and beat them with a fork. She put them into the large iron pan on the old wood burning stove that occupied half the wall at the end of the kitchen. 

Later when Mom found out they were goose eggs, she never ate them again.

Day 4 NaNoWriMo & NaBloPoMo

Day 4 of NaNoWriMo/ NaBloPoMo and I was behind by 1000 words yesterday but made it up today plus a few (county 8664), on track for Blog Posts (4 for 4).

I spent part of my morning transcribing about 1000 words from my spiral notebook, but I'm falling behind, so have to get cranking to stay on track. 

As I've said before, I'm most comfortable and even more creative when I write with a pen on a pad.  My

favorite size is approximately 5x8, as it fits in my smallest Coach purse. 

 I journal daily, but this time of year I carry a second notebook that is dedicated to my NaNo Novel.  I did the math and @ approximately 7 words a line, 25 lines and 80 pages front and back, I can get 28000 words in one notebook, which is a little more than half the objective wordcount for NaNo. I'll blow through 2 notebooks

They're available at the big supply stores. And although I prefer the classy Mead Cambridge below, Walmart has some smaller cheaper brightly covered ones that I use for my daily ToDo List that stays on my desk and other small projects.

If you're an internet shopper, you can order from Amazon. 

Day 3 NaNoWriMo & NaBloPoMo

…Sunday. That’s my fun day.  My I don’t have to run day…

I love Sundays.  I rise at my leisure and my leisure is usually 6 or 7 on Sunday instead of 5.  The kitchen is my first destination and second to putting on the coffee is to give Jazmine her once weekly Fancy Feast – the rest of the week she eats kibble.  How she knows it’s Sunday, I have no idea, but know she does.

I tune the small TV in the corner to the today Show to be followed by CBS Sunday Morning, and sit to sort my Sunday Paper which I usually buy Saturday on the way home from wherever I am. The coupons and ads are on top, followed by the funnies, Parade and lifestyle. Sports, real estate and classifieds are discarded to the recycle box immediately.

Coffee, hot and black, frittata in the oven, toast slithered in butter and paces hot sauce my only condiment.

I’ve only written about 1000 to 1200 words by hand in my notebook today on my NaNo novel.  Tomorrow is Monday, a fast day.  I’ll walk to Starbucks and put in some real time then come back home and transcribe it all.  I’ll be back on track by day’s end.

Day 2 NaNoWriMo & NaBloPoMo

No words today on NaNo, so I'll have to double up tomorrow.  The Blog however is an easier write as it's just a conversation to whoever out there cares to listen.

Once a week I take Mom anywhere and everywhere she wants to go, hence no time to write. Today we started off with the Von Maur grand opening at Riverchase Galleria.  Gorgeous store - think Parisian's squared and then some.  

The president of Von Maur stores, while doing the ribbon cutting thought to endear himself to the Alabama crowd and ended his remarks with 'Roll Tide', to which several folks in the waiting crowd hollered out 'War Eagle'. He looked confused but said 'yeah that too' but turning to one of his assistants soto voce said, 'I have no idea what that means'.  Bless his heart. 

While Mom was in shoes, I stopped by to thank him for the roses, chocolates, etc. and to let him know that if he wanted to impress the crowd he had to give equal time to Auburn and Alabama.

We spent a good  2 hours in the store, then to Ruby Tuesdays for the appetizer platter and beer or two.  Several more stores followed, ending at Mom's by 6ish and I'm now home.  Beyond posting this Blog which I promised myself I would do every day in November, I am going to curl up on the couch with Jazmine (cat) , a glass of wine and a book, and maybe PBS in the background - the young inspector Morse is on and I've only missed 30 minutes.

Manana y'all. 

Day 1 NaNoWriMo & NaBloPoMo

As I do every year, I'm doing NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), but I'm also going to attempt Blogher.com's NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) which they're running in tandem

with NaNoWriMo.  

Yep, I'm a glutton for punishment.  I should have scheduled last night's Blog to post today then I'd be ahead of this by one day. Sigh. What is it with the month of November, that everyone throws down these writing gauntlets at one of the busiest times of the year?

Looking at my calendar tells me I'm going to have to really punch it to reach 50,000 words and attend all the things I have scheduled.

I have a late Halloween party tonight at Daniel Day and Melody Musik's Gallery. Saturday, I have lunch and shopping with Mom  (it's a weekly all day and into evening thing that she @80 and I @64 both enjoy), so we will probably drop by the 11th Annual Dia de los Muertos Alabama later that day.  
I really want to go in remembrance of a few dead friends.  

The 7th, lunch with mom and later that evening the city of Homewood's holiday open house.  The 14th PepperPlace has it's holiday open house.  I so hope that Magic City Face Art is there again. Getting my face painted is a rare and childish pleasure I look forward to. I was so dissapointed when they were not there last year.

There's more, but the biggest is Thanksgiving of course, when the whole clan gathers at Mom's for 4 days of cooking, eating, catching up. We seat 13 to 14.

Well the manuscript beckons, but it has to be 5 o'clock somewhere, and I'm going to make a beer and/or wine and possibly Vodka  run. Maybe pick up some box food in case I forego the party tonight and decide to eat lean cuisine and get some more words on the page. 

Mañana

Whew! Ever bite off more than you can chew?

I just realized I haven't posted since May.  Appears I've bit off more than I can chew.  E-book, painting, queries challenge (Victoria still dragging out decision), blogging, etc.  And to be honest, I'm having too much fun being 'retired'.  There's lots to do in Birmingham and many are free (see below for my list)*, and I'm meeting a whole other group of friends.

The book is in final draft and may yet slide from the July 15 date to August pub date.

I have 8 small paintings in various stages of completion.

It is appears that Blogging was the first to go and I didn't even notice.  After posting every day last year on a dare, I've lost my momentum.

Today, I had to stop and address my poor blog.and decide on posts for the next month or so.  All the advice out there says find a niche, but I've decided that I'm not a niche writer.  I go on sprees such as the crazy haiku binge last year and early this.  I'll probably still add poems to my posts, as I met so many great poets out through for my simul-posts on my Wordpress Blog.

It started as an experiment.  Blogger allows me to advertise on its free service.  WordPress does not.  However, I garnered far more followers on WordPress and don't know why.  So, I cannot neglect either. I probably won't post everyday, but try to settle into a schedule of sorts.  Suggestions welcome.

Thanks.
Perle

7/11  Gallery 1930
7/12  Edge of Chaos Art Show
7/13 PepperPlace Farmers Market
7/18 See Jane Write Magazine Launch
7/22 Green Feng Shui with Katie Rogers

and so much more, but gotta run.  Later.

Forks in the Road

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose" - Dr. Suess

ah yes, but which way
even the yellow brick road
has forks and oh my
I have trouble with
opinions’ many voices
forks many choices

Notes:
I still have a day job, so I’ve no choices to make today. I’ll go to work. But 2013 is just around the corner and I’m going to retire from that ‘day job’ and oh the choices then.

I just have to remember I can’t go in all directions at one time. I need a plan and at the moment I don’t have one other than the list. More on that later.

Recalling ‘dolce far niente’

monday and I have
no special place to be
such a free feeling
I want more like days
where the only one I must
consider is me

Notes:
Selfish?  Yes, but I’ve worked all my life since I was 17.  I raised an exceptional child til I could not, a husband with cancer, a failed business with a friend – no longer friend, and the list goes on.

Laid off in 2007 when Saks corporate went back to NYC, gave me a 2 year taste of ‘dolce far niente’ (how sweet to do nothing).

I didn’t do 100% nothing.  I did what I wanted, when I wanted:  Walked the neighborhood every day; wrote and published stories, essays, book reviews; painted and hung 3 art exhibits; etc., etc., etc…

I will be revisiting those days by retiring one way or another  in 2013 by or before March 20, 2013. Spring equinox, the first day of Spring – Rebirth of earth and rebirth of me.

Does a writer really need a niche?

I’ve been hearing the same refrain from many writing quarters out there. Find a niche; find a niche. Arrrrg! If I hear that one more time, I’ll scream.  I’m a generalist therefore I’m nicheless. I have a way with words and always have.  The proponents of finding your niche, say write down what you know best, what you love, what you do then pick one and make that your niche.

I did, but the list is way too long, and I don’t want to write exclusively about any one thing.  I’m a jack-of-all and with serious research and a little help from Google, master of many.

Being a generalist stands me in good stead, as I work for various organizations in diverse industries with different needs.  With each company, I assume a company hat and You and Me becomes We.  At the table, I pose the following questions:

1. Who are we, and what is our mission?
   Most large companies understand the necessity of a mission statement. Some do not.  If you don’t know who you are and what your mission is, how can you tell others?
2. How do we want to be perceived and by whom?
   Are you a team player or a specialist, active in the community, a buyer or a seller, warm and fuzzy or strictly business?
3. What tools do we need to convey all of the above?
1. Newsletter for your clients/prospects: Print or Electronic, a Blog, Social Media page (Facebook, Twitter)
2. Newsletter for your employees: Electronic is fine, but print travels home to the family.
3. Public Relations: The art of getting stories placed in print through press releases.  Stories in a paper are more apt to be read and remembered than the usual business section quick press clips and paid ads. (Link)
4. Marketing: Materials for the sales team to carry and leave behind with customers, direct mail, print ads and more.

Nothing against writers that believe they need a niche to succeed, but I think that a narrow view is limiting.  There is so much variety out there to know, learn and convey to others, I can’t imagine limiting myself to any one thing. 

If I can help you convey a message for your company, let me know.  I’d love to learn all about you.