Thursday, March 25, 2010

Dueling Banjos

I have dueling banjos going on in my head.  In case you don't know about dueling banjos check this out:



I have been making good progress on my work-in-progress -  Caley.  I'm enjoying writing it and I hope someone (besides Ryan) enjoys reading it some day.

On Monday, I left work with a terrible headache and stomach ache.  I wouldn't really get into it but I felt run over with a Mac truck.  

So, I was laying in bed Monday trying not to die and watching DVR'ed Saturday Night Lives.  I LOVE SNL but I usually fast forward through the music guests.  But since I was sick, I just let it roll.  Enter the Ting Tings.



Since I'm a musical loser, I had never heard of the Ting Tings.  They seem to me to be a throw back to 80's punk.  And Ms. Ting Ting (of course I don't know her name, it's not important) was wearing this TOTALLY 80's get up.  It cracked me up.  And I thought, "What if she had a middle school kid?  Would that kid be excited or embarrassed right now?"

I decided the kid would be embarrassed and Todd was born.  Todd has a back story.  Todd has an opening scene.  But Todd does not have the conflict necessary to sustain a decent plot.  Bummer, Todd!

But the bugger keeps pestering me.  "Maybe I can have adventures with my mom.  Maybe I can be a series.  Come on, come on listen to me. All the cool kids are doing it."

Hence the dueling bangos.  Caley and Todd are duking it out.  So far, Caley's winning.  She has a plot - she wins.   But Todd's developing.  Now I just gotta go get a "Rock Star" spiral notebook for Todd.  (Caley already has a flowery girl spiral notebook. I'm old school that way.)  I'll keep writing down the bits that come to me and work Todd when Caley's all out.

What do you do when you're in the middle of a project and you hear the music?

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Spring Break

Last week the big boys and I were out of school for Spring Break.  I had a list of things to accomplish during the week.  Hardly any it got done.  By Thursday I was pretty down on myself and what I had not accomplished.  At dinner I was lamenting about the summer.  How I would really need to get on a schedule this summer if I hoped to get my book finished. 

Usually, Ryan glazes over during these type speeches.  He nods and smiles, "Whatever you need to do."  See why I love him so?  But that's not how it went down this time.  This time he got all up in my business.  Short version: you go ninety to nothing all the time.  You need rest.  Don't feel bad if things didn't get done.  The boys seem happy and healthy.  Isn't that enough?

So, here's what I did do this Spring Break:
  • laughed
  • watched Sam's team win their 1st tournament of the year (in the longest game EVER, seriously 3 hours - he's 9)
  • napped - ALOT
  • ran in my 2nd 5k
  • left the computer almost every time Brennan came to pull me out
  • attempted to get Brennan a hair cut
  • laughed every time Brennan called me Daaadeee (Ryan is Da-Da)
  • worried about Sam and Zac on their Abiliene adventure
  • laughed at their Abiliene pictures
  • inspired a former student
  • finished an awesome book
  • wrote an awesome book review
  • got a pedicure and sparkly blue toenails - ya know to match the baseball team ;) sports momma
  • laughed every time anyone tried to get Brennan to say Momma
  • went to see Diary of a Wimpy Kid with Sam and Zac
  • got total momma points because I pre-purchased Wimpy Kid tickets - the show was sold out
  • had to be a front row joe at Wimpy Kid - was totally worth it
  • laughed more
  • saw my very best friend in the whole wide world
  • was sad to leave vbfitwww
  • made chocolate chip pancakes
  • played in the snow
But thank you sweet LORD, there was one thing I didn't do this Spring Break - take Brennan to the doctor.  And if you know us or have been reading this blog any length of time, you know that's a big deal.  If you don't you can read about sweet Brenno here.

Here are my two favorite pictures from Spring Break.  The first is Brennan eating ice cream after the failed hair cut.  The serious look on his face is due to the fact that I removed the ice cream to take the picture. 


Up next, the big boys (Sam and Zac) and I outside on Sunday in our 2 inches of unexpected snow.  We had just had a snowball fight. 


Friday, March 5, 2010

Biz2Bloggers = greatness

A few weeks ago, I signed up for a new service called Business 2 Blogger.  The idea is this: you get emails for B2B with 'campaigns'.  Campaign is marketing speak for something a marketer needs done.  So and so needs you to use their product then blog about it.  So and so will give you this, this and this.  You will do this, this and this.  You get it, right?

Personally, I did not expect a lot out of B2B.  Let me say that another way...I did not expect to get a lot of reviewing gigs from B2B.  I'm a new and small blog. I've never done product reviews.   I'm kinda all over the map.  Some days I'm about my journey to become a published author.  Some days I'm about becoming a runner.  All days I'm about being outnumbered by all the boys in my life.

I have enjoyed seeing the emails and applying for the campaigns.  It's neat to see what people are trying to sell and services they are hoping to provide.  (and yes, I know how geeky the word neat is but I love it.  get over it.)  I've applied for several campaigns.  Many times, I get the message "this campaign is full".  Earlier this week I received an email asking if I'd like to review a book.  I do have a book review blog but the proposed book didn't match so I politely declined.

I'm sad that some people are bagging on B2B.  They creators/owners are getting emails complaining about everything from the time the emails are delivered to not been chosen for a campaign.  People are blogging to renounce B2B.  I feel for them.  I really do.  Two years ago I was on a team that launched an internet based multi-level marketing company.  We worked hard to make sure we had all our ducks in a row.  We felt like we had a great product.  But every time we put it out there, people had issues.  Some issues were constructive criticism.  Some were just flat out bitching.

So, keep up the good work Holly, Jay and Shauna.  It's hard to start a business that depends so greatly on others.  And just remember, you can't make everyone happy all of the time.  Just yourself.  Keep up the good work.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Moose

This weekend we welcomed a new member to our family.  Meet Moose
 
Moose is a 6 week old Chihuahua mix.  His momma is a Chihuahua and his daddy is a Pomperian.  But he looks all Chihuahua to me.

I was not prepared for him to come home Friday.  Ryan called me at work Friday afternoon and we met his momma's owner Friday night.  We called on the way to pick him up to find what kind of food he needed.  Then stopped at the Dollar Store to get food and a bowl.
 
And OHMYGOODNESS I was not prepared for how small he is.  We got Chuy when he was about a year old so he was much bigger.  And he was already paper trained.  

We didn't have a name picked out either.  Originally, I thought I was getting a girl and I had named her Sweets.  Ryan and I went back and forth the entire ride home about what to name him.  I decided he need a big name since he is so small.  But all I could think of was Bruiser and I didn't want to rip off Legally Blonde (as much as I love that movie and musical).  As we pulled into the garage, Moose hit me.  It's perfect.  It's big.  Brennan loves Moose A. Moose from Nick Jr. and I love Moose from the Al Capone books.  

Having Moose is like having a new baby.  He cries in the night.  He sleeps a lot.  And, unlike a baby, we lose him.  Usually he's under the couch.

Chuy's not sure about Moose yet.    Mostly Chuy has hidden out in my closet.  But, he hasn't snapped at Moose.  So, we're hopeful.  

The really fun part of adding Moose is Ryan.  He's eaten up.  He gets up in the middle of the night with him.  He sends me pictures.  He's over the moon.  He's so cute.

Here's a picture of Chuy for good measure.  This one of my favorites.  I still don't know how he got this mask on...