I'm Having a Brown-Streak One-of-Those-Days

I didn't have a great nights sleep last night.

1:10 am (via text message)...

Me: It's after 1 am.  What's all the noise about down there in your room? (Our teenage boys' rooms are in the basement)

13-year old stepson: Sorry.  Opening the window.  It's really warm in my room.

Me: I'm not comfortable with you opening your window on the ground floor.  It may not be safe.

Stepson: It's okay; I only opened it a little bit.

I actually could not sleep after that.  I spent precious hours trying to wrap my head around the logic of this teenager.

THEN...

Today, the weather is warming up a little so I decided to let our two cabin-fevered cats out in the yard for a few minutes.

SmellyCat, the long-haired Maine Coon scratches at the door when he wants in, so I answered it with a tone of excitement in my voice as they entered the kitchen..."Hey, guys.  How was that?  Did you like that?  Oh, I bet you did...all that lovely fresh air."

As SmellyCat entered my carpeted living room, he displayed a behavior I've only seen in dogs...

"SmellyCat...NOOOooo!!

Rosie, our short-haired Silver Tabby jumped about four feet and rocketed down the stairs in response to my five-alarm scream.  But not SmellyCat...oh, no.  He just continued dragging his feces covered hairy ass across my carpet.  I've so far scrubbed six brown streaks from my light tan carpet.  Oh...one minute.  Late breaking news from my oldest son...

"Mom, there's a fur ball coughed up downstairs and there're brown streaks all over the carpet."

I gotta go now...

So, how's your day going so far?

Kelly

I'm back from erasing the bad day from my rugs, and I was thrilled to learn that one of my followers (she's also a blog I follow) has awarded me my first Blog Award.  I will be sure to pay it forward when I get a chance, but thank you Misha at "My First Book" for the lovely honor.  If you would like to visit her, just click on my award below...

The A to Z Challenge.

Okay, folks.  This is going to be a short but IMPORTANT post.  I just learned about this very popular blog contest by reading one of the blogs I follow.  For the month of April, if you choose to accept this challenge, you will post something everyday with the exception of Sundays.  That makes 26 posts.  There are 26 letters in the alphabet so your challenge is to write a post based on the corresponding letter to that day.  The topic is limited only by your imagination.  I'm excited about this, and you should be too.  It's a great opportunity to get to know other bloggers and for them to get to know you.  And what does every blogger want?  Exposure, of course.  There are well over 500 people signed up already.

For more information, click here to visit Arlee Bird's blog "Tossing it Out", and sign up if you're interested in participating.  Share the contest with your followers, and who knows, we could hit 1000 participants by the end of the month.

I'm looking forward to reading your blog posts in April, although I enjoy them any time of year.

I've Been Re-decorating.

I've been noticing that a few of the blogs I have been following have changed their look.  It must be due to Spring being around the corner and with that comes the need to clean house...or in some cases, totally re-decorate.  So, I thought my place could use some spiffin' up.  I painted a lovely darker color and put up some funky wall-paper.  You can see all the friends who come to visit me, and some of their recent posts on the left.  I hung up lots of pretty pictures for your use and enjoyment - all kinds of Blog Awards you can copy and give to a deserving blogger.

I get bored so easily; I hate monotony.  I guess that could be the reason I've been letting poker distract me from writing the past couple of months.  I'm at the monotonous task of researching and taking notes. BUT, I have been successful the past week of setting aside hours strictly dedicated to getting through this task.  I can't wait until my first draft is recorded somewhere - either on paper or disc - because then I can tell you all about the novel.  I'm afraid of someone stealing my idea. Okay, guys...please stop laughing.  I can't help it; I'm a little paranoid about copyright stuff, and...(clearing my throat) yes, I do think it's that good.  Please don't hate me.  I think you'll love it too.  :-)

I hope you'll stay awhile and mingle with the others.

There's lots of wine and cheese.  Enjoy yourself and let me know what you think.

Talk to you later,

Kelly

P.S. The images used are public domain. (See, that copyright thing again.)

Confessions of a Lazy Writer

Yes, I know that you're surprised to see a post from me...Before I continue, I have to say this...forgive me followers, for it's been almost two months since my last post.  To any Catholics reading this, I by no means intend to trivialize the ritual of Confession.

See, one thing I didn't reveal in my last post was that I discovered, and thoroughly enjoyed, Texas Hold'em Poker while I was home in Newfoundland in January. Since then, every time I pick up the laptop to work on my novel, my fingers are drawn by a cruel, powerful force to the PokerStars icon on my desktop. I'm currently at a difficult place in my novel...and instead of doing the research I need to do, and the untangling of the complicated plot, well...I've been letting poker distract me and consume my time.  Bottom line...I'm being a lazy writer, and letting dreams of becoming the next Loose Cannon on "PokerStars.net: The Big Game" TV show fill my head. I even deleted the program from my computer last week, but that taunting, miserable force got the best of me again and I, well...loaded it once again. [she huffs, and hangs her head in exasperation.]

Right now, today, I feel I am at a crossroads.  I have a decision to make.  Poker player or novelist. Don't tell me to weigh the pros and cons, because anyone who is a serious writer knows that there are innumerable cons to writing: excessive amount of time spent outlining, researching, writing, editing, re-writing, blogging, following other's blogs, writing groups, critiquing, reading, editing again, re-writing again - and all of this is done at the expense of family and friends. AND, there are no guarantees that my dream of becoming a published author will happen; I'd have to get damn lucky.

Poker, on the other hand, I believe has more pros than cons: you can socialize with friends and family while playing poker with them (a big pro): there is no monetary cost to me to have a shot at becoming a pro - I can earn a spot at pro tournaments by winning "freeroll" tournaments online where my expenses and buy-ins are included; poker pros earn and are worth millions of dollars; it's really fun: and if I ever do become lucky enough to make it big, I decide when and where I want to play.  No deadlines or pushy agents and publishers.

But, we all know what I'm going to decide, don't we, because you are writers, too?  Writing is my first love.  I've married and divorced this love many times, and no matter now many times I neglect the relationship, I am always welcome back.  It makes me high when people say they love my work (yes, I'm a little bit of a narcissist). And even though I won't be worth millions if and when it's is published, my work is priceless to me. I guard and protect it an fierce maternal manner. You know what I mean.  So, here we go again.  I'm going to say it once more...I'm back.