Life Lately

A lot's been happening lately and I haven't really been in the mood to address any of it.  Mostly because I don't want to spend my days, dwelling in despair and sadness.  Plus it takes a lot to talk about ones life, especially when said personal doesn't really like to share with anyone about their feelings (I'm talking about myself, in case you didn't catch that.)

My grandpa passed away over the weekend.  I was told Saturday morning.  He died in his sleep.  The man was 89 years old and he hadn't been doing well.  What I mean to say, is that it wasn't a total shock for our family.  My dad had told me back in the Summer when he was out visiting him that  he wasn't going to live to Christmas.

I did get to say hello to him at Thanksgiving, though I wish that I would have taken more time to call him up and just say hi.  It's too late for should haves, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.  I wonder if my grandpa knew I loved him.  I really hope that he did.

Unfortunately I was unable to make it out to Georgia for his funeral, but I really wish I could have gone.  Be given a chance to say goodbye.  To tell him, one last time that I love him.  Instead I'm writing it in a blog, hoping that somehow, he'll get the message.

My Dad, did manage to record the service and post it to FB.  So I was able to watch it and if you would like to watch, I posted it below.

Wearing pants to church on Sunday

I needed a topic to pick me up today.  This one helps a bit to not focus on the otherwise sad news that I'm sure the entire world is aware of today.  So, instead of depressing everyone further, I'm talking about another topic.

Pants at church on Sunday.  Men, I really hope you keep wearing them.  I'm actually begging here.  I don't want to see you cross dressing in your wife's skirt or christmas dress.  It's not a statement, it's a fashion faux pas.  And maybe I'm behind the times and cross dressing is cool now, which I really hope it isn't, but you really should just keep wearing your best clothes to church.  Please let it be pants.

When you hear about women wearing pants to church on facebook, you know it's official.  Being an LDS housewife, I read the whole thing and it speaks to me more like a protest.  For what?  Don't ask me.  I know women who wear nice dress pants to church and hey if that's how she wants to worship the Lord, cool.  But to make it a world wide event?  Sounds like a protest.  But what are they demanding?  I really don't know.

That said, I think you should dress for church, the way you would dress if you were entering the temple.  Why?  Because when you get up on Sunday morning and open your closet door to get ready for church, your instinct should not be what do I feel like wearing?  Or if you're single, what will that cute guy think of me in this?  Here is what you should be asking yourself:  If the savior stood beside me, would I want him to see me worshiping him in this?

You see, when we go to church, we don't go for ourselves or the people we go to church with (ward, for the LDS reader).  We go to church for the Lord.  He commanded us to do it.  So we should dress for him, right?  So instead of thinking of your statement and protest or whatever it is you want to call it.  Please, think of the Lord.  He's the one who actually counts and there isn't a man who respects women and children more than He does.

If this post upsets you in any way shape or form, you're just too sensitive.

UPDATE:
If you're female and you think your pants are your best outfit, then wear them.  I'm just saying, dress your best.  It's the Lord's house, not your own or your neighbors.

Cover Reveal for my friend Marilyn Almodóvar

So amazing news!  My friend wrote a book!  Some how I think I should have built up this moment a lot more, but that's the best you'll get from me.  I can say, I read the original draft, before it was all edited and perfected and made only more awesome.  And it was good then, which means it's so much better now!  I for one am excited to purchase it on my kindle when it comes out!  Congrats Lyn!  It's the dream!!!!!

COVER REVEAL!

Interred (Chronicles of the Interred #1)

by

Marilyn Almodóvar

The cover was created by the amazing Devan Edwards of Nimbi Designs.

Blurb

Time has never been an issue for Baxter Jacobs, but then she never knew she had the ability to Bend it.

As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Baxter inherits a pendant that will change her life. Connected to the pendant is a dark and mysterious young man named Declan Ashdown. Trapped in a Time loop for the past 122 years, Declan needs Baxter’s help to escape. The only problem is, she has no idea how to do it.

To acquire the power she needs to free him, she’ll become one of the Interred, those whose Magical abilities emerge as they come of age. When she does, she’ll discover that Declan isn’t the only one interested in the fact that she’s a Time Bender.

As the Interment arrives, Baxter knows this will be no Sweet Sixteen. A vengeful relative and the ruthless Council are determined to control her. Declan’s powerful and charming descendant, Jack Ashdown, claims he can save her. She’ll soon have to decide who she can trust, and how to master her new abilities before Time runs out.

Coming January 22, 2013

Add it to your to-read list on Goodreads *

Brief author bio:

picture made by me (owner of this blog)

Marilyn Almodóvar is an American YA Author born in Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. A lover of words with a penchant for Victorian novels as well as the books of Stephen King, Lyn's favorite past-times have always been reading and writing.

It was this love that propelled her to choose Theater and French as majors in University, with a minor in English Victorian Literature. Lyn lived for almost a decade in England followed by three years in France before returning home to the U.S.

A self-confessed citizen of the world, Lyn is fluent in English, French and Spanish, with basic knowledge of the Italian language. Lyn currently lives in Central Florida with her French husband, English-born eldest son, and French-born youngest son. Her debut YA Novel, Interred, will be published by Iambe books on 01/22/2013.

Ways readers can connect with Lyn:

Twitter (https://twitter.com/LynAlmodovar)*
Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/Marilyn-Almodóvar/142589622496531)*
Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/MarilynAlmodovar)*
Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/lynalmodovar/)*
Blog (http://marilynalmodovar.blogspot.com/)*

*Note:  I could not make links clickable, yes I did try, so I am not to be blamed.  Merry Christmas!

The parasite no one wants to talk about... not even me!

So, it's been a rough few days.  After having an awesomely fun trip at the apple orchard.  My six year old daughter came down with a high fever, which means saturday night and sunday weren't so much fun.  Then Monday came.  And as I'm brushing her hair I find LICE!

I KNOW!  We all remember how when we were kids it was like the worst thing that could happen.  Imagine my surprise to find my daughter got it!  I was so embarrassed!  But quite honestly, it happens.  No matter how clean you are.  And there is nothing to be ashamed of, just make sure your child doesn't tell the whole school, because it's no fun to get made fun of something that you got from someone else.

So I've been doing laundry all day every day since Monday and I'm still doing it.  When you find out your child has lice, you need to wash everything they could have possibly come in contact with in warm water.  Toys, stuffed animals, bedding, clothes, etc.  Vacuum everything!  Get the anti-lice spray (open your windows) and spray the crap out of your furniture.  Also buy the pesticide with the metal comb and make sure you get every louse and nit.  Because if you miss one, it starts all over again!  If you can't wash the toy stick it in a plastic bag and wait 3-4 weeks for the louse bugs to die off.  Throw away your hair brushes, it's worth buying a new one.  Unless you have a sanitize button on your dishwasher.  Then run it through that... nothing will survive that.

It totally sucks, believe me.  I'm so sick of doing laundry and vacuuming.  I'm just glad I noticed before we went on vacation.  Can you imagine coming home to a bug infestation????  GROSS!

Also if you do have a kid that gets this.  Grow a pair and tell the school!  Because if you don't, it could come back to your kid again!  I notified the school and the teacher.  They did a lice check and thankfully everyone was in the clear!  Which makes me think she got it from her hair cut or the parent took care of it without telling anyone.  SEE WHAT I MEAN???  If you want to prevent lice from spreading, then suck up your pride and tell someone.  Because that's all you can really do!

I hope you found this helpful!

Veteran's day... which I do know was Sunday

The comment below was made by my brother Matt, who I tend to watch tv show's over the speaker phone with.  We always have a good time and I love him.  He served in the military and is in the national guard currently and is working on something else for the Air Force.  He's a terrific guy and one of the many people in my family who have served this country.

My dad is also a veteran.  He served the military for twenty years and retired as a Lt. Col.    He was military intelligence and hunted terrorists for a living working in the anti-terrorism branch.  He now works for the F.B.I.

My brother David who serves in the Air Force.  I remember always wanting to be just like David.  I look up to him and love him.

Shaylee, my sister in law.  She is so sweet and I am so glad she married my younger brother, whom I also love and always have fun with when I see him!

I love my entire family!  But the one who has the most amazing story is my Grandpa.  Roddey Smith.  He is proof that the Lord looks out for us when we show compassion and Charity at the worst of times.  Had it not been for his compassion and the work of God, I would not be here.  My Grandpa is a great man and I love him so much.  Here is the story written by Matt :

"I especially want to thank with the most sincere gratitude and adoration to my dear Grandpa Roddy Smith. He is 90 years old and still going strong. A man captured in WWII after taking out a panzer division commander and his driver while at his post. Then saving that same commander's life the next day while taking his morning "relief break." He found the wounded Nazi hiding and took him prisoner, fed him, dressed his wounds, but did not beat him. He was later thanked for his heroics by being sold out by a French woman as to his position. Grandpa Smith was then captured himself and almost murdered by the SS, if it wasn't for his compassion on the battlefield for the wounded Nazi commander.
He was taken to a concentration camp, while on the way was almost killed accidentally by allied planes bombing the trains unknowingly filled with POWs. (He has testified of knowing the Lord's hand in his protection).
Once there he was under fed and under clothed, but by the grace of God he woke up one morning and his Nazi guards were gone. He made a run for it with a group of others and found sanctuary in a barn. When discovered hiding the owner greeted them with wine, cheese, and bread. He finally linked back with the 100th ID and came back to the US to marry his childhood sweetheart, my grandmother.
His heroic story doesn't end there. He became an officer and fought valiantly in Korea. He was shot twice while following orders to take a hill and saved many of his soldiers lives; which earned him at least one silver star. We almost lost him, but was pulled off the hill by another hero, after he went above and beyond the call of duty.
Then came Vietnam, where he volunteered for two tours for our country and that of Vietnam. He trained officers in the Vietnamese army to fight and lead for their freedom. It might not have been a popular war in the eyes of history, but he served with honor and dignity.
Grandpa Smith then fought in a secret war in Laos to help keep communists out. He was the principal advisor to the Prince of Laos and commander of the First Laosian Army. He was knighted for his service to help the people of Laos from being overrun by communist forces. The US eventually pulled out of Laos and the communists overran the country; and murdered nearly all of the royal family. Grandpa Smith did everything he could, allowed by this country, to prepare and save the free people of Laos. Again he served with the utmost courage, leadership, loyalty, duty, selfless service, honor, and integrity.
Roddy Smith is someone every soldier and American should aspire to be. He is my personal hero, and many others literal hero.
Grandpa Smith has said that he believes that old soldiers fade away.
Roddy Smith's memory will never fade; and when he is called home to reunite with his sweetheart, Ruth, he will be memorialized as long as there is a Smith alive on this earth.
Grandpa, we will never forget, you will always be my and many others hero because you are the definition of hero, soldier, and greatness. May your memory never fade, but only grow stronger.
I love you grandpa!"

I love you too Grandpa.  Thank you for serving with compassion and love.  You are the best example to all soldiers out there! And a hero to me!  :)

Voting!... and mice

Today is a major election.  Everyone has a right to vote.  Even if I don't like who they choose to vote for.  Those who know me well, will know I'm an ultra conservative in support of today's version of the "Tea Party".  And I don't dislike liberals, because well if they want to hug trees and love the mice that infest the walls of my dinky little townhouse, whatever!  That's fine by me.  Just don't expect me to love them.  And don't call me cruel for sticking poison behind my refrigerator!  O:-)

The mice are another story which I might get to later... hehe.  The election is a more important topic.

So I am not what Liberals would call a feminist.  I don't have a 'real' job.  My 'unreal' job consists of caring for my two daughters and cleaning my house.  I could have a paid job managing a medical office which my husband will be taking over eventually.  (My husband tries to stay a-political because he has liberal patients.  So I can't say more than that.) It's a really hard decision, because working at the office will get us into our own house sooner(AND away from those pesky mice).  But I've decided that I don't want to miss out on moments with my insane children.  And who else is going to teach them to be ultra conservatives?

Anyway back to not being a feminist.  I must say I am so grateful that I do have a right to vote and I wouldn't be able to if it weren't for women who wanted to have a voice as well.  (see I'm more feminist than liberals think)  Had it not been for those AMAZING women, I wouldn't have the options that I have now.  I wouldn't be able to choose to stay with my beautifully insane daughters.

For example, last night while reading a book about rabbits.  My daughter read, "The female is a doe.  The male is a drunk."  If someone else was taking care of her and reading with her instead of me I would have missed that truly hilarious moment!  I cherish the time I get to spend with my daughters and I am so grateful that my husband is able to work and provide for us so that I can stay at home with them and care for them.

So women!  VOTE!  It's our right to do so!  Don't let it go to waste!  It doesn't matter if we agree on candidates or not.  Voting is important!

That said, onto the mice!  My husband and I were discussing last night about those little critters and he made the comment, "I hope they don't suffer."  (See republicans can be tree huggers too)  I just laughed, called him a tree hugger, asked if he was going to join P.E.T.A. now (he's a big meat eater!) and then proceeded to tell him, "I don't.  I want them to suffer.  I spent all morning making those blasted cookies and ended up having to throw out half of those cookies because of the mice."  I don't care if you think I'm evil now because I want to get rid of my mice infestation.  Or more likely you probably think I'm horrible for wanting them to suffer.  I do not think that of humanity.  I think too often we care more for the animals than we do for our own species.

We need to remember that the preservation of humanity is what is important.  We are all Sons and Daughters of God.  So we should treat each other with love and respect.

Hope you all have a lovely day!  Don't forget to Vote!

UPDATE

Nope, sorry to inform you readers, I have not fallen off the face of the earth.  No accidents... harmful ones anyway... okay non-life threatening accidents though!  And most of them weren't even caused by me!  (see 21 month old, she is the one who keeps breaking things.)

Remember my post about being the worst blogger...?  Yep that about sums it all up.  But really it's just life.  I had planned to publish my book over the summer, but for many reasons-only one really-I have had to put it on hold.  Yup family comes first!  Always and forever.

I never really wanted anything more than being a mother and a housewife.  Picking up writing was just something I thought I would try for fun.  Turns out it's like having a full time job.  And I already have one of those!  Since this is more of a fun-for-me-hobby type thing it will continue to be a slow process.  So if you were looking forward to reading, sorry it'll be a bit longer.  If you didn't care, well then it doesn't make a difference and if you are just a hater... keep on hatin'?

Life just gets busy sometimes, though I have thought of other story lines and have thought of ways to improve "Burning Roanoke".  Plus I did a lot of crafts including making a bonnet, which is currently hiding amongst my daughters' play clothes.  I always feel accomplished when I finally finish a project months after starting it.

Hopefully I will find the time to get back to it soon.  But between church, swim practice, cooking, cleaning, completing homework with my 1st grader, and hopefully volunteering in her class... it might actually be longer than I would like.  And by the time the kids go to bed, that is where I want to be as well.

Long story short.  I'm not dead.  Alive and well, and having a blast with my family.  Below are the things we've been up to...

 Kindergarten Program

 Cousins

 Me and my baby

 Flirting with the camera man

 more flirting

 The airshow

 "My baby"  My little baby hogger!

 Grandma with my little June Bug

 More Cousins watching Shamu

What terrifies me about writing

I've decided that I'm writing books, not to share with the world but because I want to read more books.  You see I'm not super social and it terrifies me to have to do blog tours and actually tell people about my book.  And I have no idea how well it will sell, considering it's my first book and I'm planning on self publishing on Amazon.

Then there's the whole, I have no idea how many people actually read my blog.  But my friend Lyn Jeulin actually told me I need to join the world of Twitter.  (which I see as Facebook on crack)  I barely have 130 friend on FB (facebook for future reference) see what I mean by not super social.  Back to joining twitter.  So yes she's suggested a million times to join twitter.  I've managed to evade for a year.  But if I actually want to publish, I know I must.

See I started this blog, solely to do the whole book stuff.  I'm not good at blogging.  I don't want to bore people to death with my personal life.

Then I told my friend, love the woman to death by the way, that maybe just MAYBE I would make a bonnet to take a picture of and photoshop it to make it actually look good, because if you saw my sewing skills you would probably say, LINDSAY DO NOT MAKE A BONNET.  So she says to me, you should do a GIVE AWAY!  My response.  You are joking!  I'm not giving away something I would see as a piece of crap!  Besides, I doubt anyone would be crazy enough to want a craptastic project that I made.  Apparently that's not true.

SO, I'm making a new cover, and it's going to have a bonnet on it.  BUT, I plan on using a hat that I actually wear and making it LOOK like a bonnet, because using safety pins is much easier than using a sewing machine.  I promise though, that when I'm done with my safety pins the finished result will look just like a bonnet.

Okay I think I've gone off track again.  So let me finish off with the last thing that terrifies me.  Blog tours!  What is a blog tour?  Why do I have to "tour" anything?  Can't I just hide in my shell, let people who read my book tell their friends it's fabulous (even if it turns out not to be).  Sounds so much nicer than having to do all this crazy stuff that gets me to talk to strangers!

So yes, while I love the picture below of a tide pool at Laguna Beach.  (that was a fun day with my oldest daughter)  I have decided I should do something that goes more with the title of my book.  "Burning Roanoke".  Though maybe I'll change it to "Roanoke Burning".  One of these days I'll come to a final decision.

All I can say for sure is that Summer is so busy I do not think I'll be publishing until the fall.  We shall see.  Thanks for reading!

Being a housewife

Words cannot express how angry I am about Hilary Rosen's comment towards Ann Romney.  "She has never worked a day in her life."  Talk about under appreciating mothers!  When did feminism turn from women's rights to women must work to have rights.  This is beginning to feel like our country is digressing.

According to Hilary Rosen, as a house wife I know nothing about the economy because I've "never worked a day in [my] life".  Well Hilary, I hate to be the barer of awesome news, but I work my rear end off.  And I don't get money for it.

I buy groceries, so I get to see first hand the effect our economy has on our food.  Prices have shot up on food since Obama became president.  I pay for the gas on my car.  I buy clothing for my family.  Pay bills!  What more do I need to know about the economy?  Obviously you don't know much about it, Hilary, or you and the Obama administration would have fixed it by now.

As a stay at home mother I don't get a lunch break, or a coffee break (even though I don't drink coffee), I don't get to take the day off when I'm sick or tired or hungry.  The meals I miss are because I'm busy getting snacks or cleaning up yet another spilled mess.  Then when it's bed time, I'm not actually done working.  There's still washing dishes and vacuuming and picking up toys that were left out.  When I do get to go to bed, I'm on call.  I get woken up in the middle of the night by either crying (someone lost their pacifier or had a nightmare) or my five year old daughter has decided she needs to announce to me that she has to use the potty.  And when they're sick, then I'm usually up with them until they fall asleep.  Checking on them every so often when they catch croup.  Nights spent worrying on how they'll do.

And then there are the skill requirements needed for the job.  Math, spelling, reading, writing, use of a computer, how to tie shoe laces, cooking, cleaning, home decorating.  There are more requirements in being a housewife than any other job out there.

That doesn't include the volunteer work I do at my church, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints".  I'm the Young Women President.  I plan activities, teach sunday school lessons, practice crafts at home to make sure they'll work out on our wednesday night activities.  Hold meetings with the rest of my presidency to make sure we are doing all we can for our girls.

Do I get paid?  Yes.  Maybe I don't get paid with money, but seeing my children happy and my husband arriving home in a good mood is all the payment I need.  The fact that they help me around the house when I have too much to do, is my bonus at the end of the day.  And when I do my church duties, I am rewarded with the excitement they feel and when they all return the following week and show up on Sunday.

So Hilary Rosen.  YES WE DO WORK!  We aren't rich with money, but we are rich with the craziness of our children.  And you do NOT have to have money to be a housewife!  I say all this because someone has to be a voice to women everywhere and housewives everywhere.  I am both of those and I am proud of it!

Been a while

I went to Utah to visit my family on vacation.  Had a blast.  My youngest was sick so she did not get to enjoy it as much, but my oldest child enjoyed her time there.  Especially because it snowed, and we don't get snow in Sunny Cali, not unless we go up to the nearby mountains, which we only do on occasion.  Fine by me, just means I don't have to shovel the driveway or the sidewalk.  Also no brushing it off the cars, another big bonus, yay!  The part of snow I actually hate.

Unfortunately for me, while I want to be young and still play, my body has decided it's too old for that.  Giving me all sorts of muscle pains, it's been awesome!  (no not really)  Playing in the snow, I'm worn out after 30 minutes.  But I endure out of love and seeing the huge smile on my daughters face is completely worth it.

So I finally finished editing Burning Roanoke.  So now I just need to get a few people to read it for me and give me their thoughts and then of course edit again.  YAY... writing is such a long process and I lack patience.  Once that's all done, I think I might try to look for an agent to get it published.  Which I know is not going to be a fun thing to go through.  I hear it's a real nightmare.  But if that fails I have no shame in self publishing.  Sometimes that's how you have to get noticed.  I'm cool with that.  As long as I get rid of the mistakes so people don't make those comments (spelling sucks, grammar is horrible).  I will definitely have to go through with a fine tooth comb before anything happens.

Honestly I'm just glad that I completed it.  I feel like I've actually done something.  So YAY ME!  Now off to complete all the other many projects I've started....  :D  Have fun everyone!

And the Title is....

I finally decided on a title and even created a craptastic cover, because the more I think about it, the more I realize that I'm going to self publish.  Thank you amazon for making that possible!

I still have editing to do on the book, but it's coming along quite nicely.  I'm super excited about it.

The book is called 'Burning Roanoke'.  I intend to have it out by Summer of 2012.

Here is what I've been doing to procrastinate editing:  :D

This photograph was taken by me and edited by me using Photoshop elements.  Please do not use this image for distribution without asking me first.  This image is not for sale, it is mine, amongst my family photos, for my day at the beach.  Thank you!  :)

Work, Work, Work...

I finally finished writing my book.  It's a bit weird actually finishing it.  I never would have thought I could ever get to this point.  I have appointed myself the Queen of not being able to finish anything.  Though, of course, I still have lots of work to do on it.

For one, I have to get my confidence in myself boosted enough to actually be able to either publish it myself or find an agent.  Getting myself out there is not an easy thing for me to do.  I like to keep to myself, I feel more comfortable that way.

Another thing I need to do is go through the entire manuscript and edit it.  There are so many details that have to be fixed so the story makes sense and flows together.

In many ways I am super excited, but at the same time, this whole process scares me.  I keep wondering, what if everyone hates it?  What if I built it up so much and then completely ruined the ending?  I tell you, I am seriously my own worst enemy.

Only time will tell how interesting others find it.  That is if they choose to read it.  It's about getting it out there so people hear about it.

Which brings me to my last thing I need to do, which is actually HUGE.  I need to figure out what I'm going to call it.  Maybe that way I can actually post the name of it up here and then give a little excerpt.  Once it's edited of course.  ;)

Happy Valentines Day!

Yup, it's amazing.  I am actually making another post.  And this time... I'm going to tell you about what I am currently working on.  I'm super nervous about sharing this with the world and I in no way want to build it up and end up disappointing many people.  Though it's not like I really expect people to actually read this.

So while I will not tell you a title (I am still working on it.).  I can give you a bit on what it's about.  It's basically a historical fiction book.  But with my own twist.  It's not contemporary and I am sure some will dislike it (I've learned you can't please everybody) though hopefully more people will like it.  Since I have not searched for an agent yet, I have no deadline to finish.  Good for me, because I could not do a deadline.  I have two children and one still wears diapers and has me chasing her around a good deal of the day.

Back to the book, because I am going off track.  My Protagonists name is Eloise Bradley.  She's eighteen years old.  The year is the late 1580's.  About 1585-1586.  It's right before the witch trials really hit it off and before there was an official colony established in the America's.  If you see where I am going with this, great!  If not, you will have to wait to read.  :)  I will reveal more at a later time and even put a small excerpt from my book.

But for now, understand why I am not doing too much sharing.  It's not easy for me to keep it to myself.  I would love to tell you all about it, but I want you to read it when I finish it and it gets published (either by myself or a publisher, I am not ashamed to publish my own book.  Sometimes that's how you have to get noticed).  I call my sister in law and tell her all about it, sending her what I've written.  Surprises are not my strong suit.  I even tell my friend Lyn everything before she's had a chance to read it.

I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day!  And as an added treat below are a lists of some of my Characters:

Eloise Bradley
Seth Hastings
Ezra Mayes
Olivia Bradley
Frank Doyle

Why I'm currently not writing (or why I hate technology)

So first before we get to the topic I would like to say and point out.  DAY TWO and I'm writing a post.  Miraculous.  I never gave my personal blog this much attention.  It's feeling neglected, I tried deleting it, but it's still there.  Staring at me and making me feel guilty that I still haven't dropped by to say hello.  Does that mean I'm going to?  Probably not.  One blog to post in is enough.

Okay now onto why I'm blogging. Normally I would tell myself that no one really cares about my troubles.  But I've decided that I'm sharing this because well I want to know that I'm not alone.  So why am I not writing?  Well I'll tell you.  Because I'm a enormous blonde and I'm furious with myself.

I've written 11 chapters 30,000 words and they were all saved.  To my laptop.  The last time I logged into it was Saturday night, after the kids were all tucked into bed.  Everything was perfectly fine.  Then Monday morning, the screen wouldn't pop up.  I panicked.  If I could draw, I'd draw you a picture of how it went, but the artistic skills in my family skipped me and hit all three of my brothers instead.

I turned on the desktop and thought I'll outsmart you laptop!  You cannot beat me!  So I went through the network and nothing!  I couldn't find it anywhere.  I went through the husbands files, my files, the public files.  NADA!  Then I called the husband at work.

Now so you know.  The husband is in surgery half the time when I call.  Generally I text him to let him know the dramas I tend to get myself into.  Like the time that I accidentally downloaded a virus to the desk top, because a link popped up begging me to click on it, though unbeknownst to me at the time the internet had tricked me into believing my computer was unprotected from viruses and I needed an anti virus.  Warning: DO NOT BELIEVE THAT LINK!  Basically I killed the desktop that day.  Good thing the husband knows me well enough to put all the important information, like all our pictures, onto a back up hard drive.  It's pointless to say it's not the first time I've given the desk top a virus.  Hopefully it will be the last.  :D

Back on track.  So I call him at work and before he can ask me what I did this time, I make sure he knows that I am in no way at fault, because it was working perfectly fine on Saturday night.  The husband kindly informs me he'll have a look at it and see if he can fix it when he gets home.  Later that night when he gets home that night and it turns out the video card died.  So I'm laptopless and storyless.  I have the seven chapters I sent to my sister-in-law, but I really don't want to rewrite four chapters.

The solution to this is that the husband has bought a case for the laptop hard drive and hopefully it will be here tomorrow so I can get everything off.  If not, I'll be rewriting that.  In the meantime, I'll have to occupy my time in some other way*.

I'm terribly sorry that you have actually read all that.  So because I feel bad that you've had to listen to me and my horrible blondeness here is a youtube video I thought rocked! 

*You can see that I've spent that time looking at youtube

Sadly I'm not a first time blogger...

This is my attempt to bring myself out into the world. I'm a friendly person, but introverted (don't ask my friends and family, they'll call me a liar). When I say introverted, I mean that when I don't know someone I get a sort of stage fright. I get nervous and end up sounding like a complete idiot, which once you know me well, you realize that I am a complete idiot. So where I read your blogs and I attempt many times to think of a clever comment, the post button rarely gets clicked. Just ask facebook, he's read many of my unsent messages.

I have blogged before, but be ye warned, I am the worst blogger in the universe. Actually I really don't like writing about myself in general, you can ask my many many blank journals and diaries that I have collected and trashed over the years. But I started a blog when my parents demanded pictures and I was too lazy to try and fight with e-mail to send them. Then I got too tired to fight with blogger on uploading them, so I found an alternative and stopped with the blogs. I doubt anyone looked at it anyway, so it was no major loss to the internet.

I do love writing though. For me it's a ton of fun to enter into a world where there are no laws of physics. Anything can happen. When I feel down, I like to enter into my perfect world. Now when I say perfect, I just mean that I control the results.

So with my first post, I will say, one day I will figure out how to improve the way my page looks. For now, revel in the fact that I'm actually blogging. Let's see how well I can keep it up.