July 30th

Hi it’s Christina –

Good Morning! Since it was the fifth Tuesday of the month, my normal writing group did not meet at Princeton Public Library. I had forgotten this was the fifth Tuesday, and on my way to Princeton, I called my buddy Keith to see if he was coming. He laughed, said no, and told me I couldn’t count. Then he told me about another writing group which was meeting at Panera. So I swung a Uie and headed north instead of south.

I figured I was already planning on being out for the evening, so why not. I should have known better. I have enough problems writing in the relatively quiet library, there was no way in you-know-where I was going to be able to write in a public restaurant. Out of desperation, I went next door to Harmon and bought earplugs. It was still too noisy, even with them in.

Bill's working on a cool story

I feel bad because the guy running it, Bill, was really nice, but I don’t think I will be attending in the future. It makes no sense for me to go when I cannot concentrate enough to get anything accomplished. I envy my friend Keith. He popped in his headphones, and away he went. I can’t even have music on while I’m writing.

I gave up and shut my computer down at around 8:30. I guess Bill was not in writing mode either, because the two of us began to chat. We said goodnight to Keith when he packed up and left, and we continued to chat. We chatted until 9:45 when I noticed the time and had to run out to go pick up my youngest from a friend’s house by 10:00. (I was a few minutes late.)

I am SO annoyed with the folks running the place where my daughter works. Last week, a friend of hers was fired for something he did not do. This guy was LOVED by all the kids, so they were extremely upset, some inconsolable, when they found out on Monday. When they asked my daughter why, she told them the truth, and tried to comfort them the best she could.

Today the director confronted her about what she was saying to the kids, and my daughter said, “the truth”. There was no official announcement and certainly no gag order issued, so when the kids asked, she told them what happened. The director said he understood, and he was fine with it, but if any other kids ask, she should send them his way. My daughter apologized and told him she meant no disrespect.

A short time later, my daughter’s supervisor all of a sudden had issues with how my daughter was conducting herself, and that if she couldn’t give 100%, she’d be better off not coming in anymore. My daughter explained to her that she’d been feeling sick for the past several days, even went to the doctor’s Monday night because of it. The doctor said she was dehydrated, gave her medication to fight off her nausea, and told her if it wasn’t better soon, she needed to go to the ER and get on IV fluids. She feels like crap, but she still drags herself to work, every day, because she doesn’t want to disappoint the kids.

That, combined with the fact that the “complaint” wasn’t supposed to be about my daughter, it was her co-counselor who caused the infraction, has me CHOMPING at the bit to call over there and give them a royal set down. My daughter showed me a selfie the co-counselor took of herself, while at the camp, a contractual infraction, and I asked my daughter if it was her in the photo. No, it was the co-counselor. That is how much these two girls look alike, if her own mother was not sure who was in the photo. The kids, as well as the employees constantly mix them up.

My daughter is such a mush. She doesn’t want to throw the other girl under the bus to defend herself. Meanwhile, I have crescent marks on my palms, and my jaw is aching from clenching it. It is so hard to sit back and do nothing while your child is being unjustly attacked. I tried to explain it was political, and they were only lashing out at her because she is friends with the guy who got fired, but it doesn’t make her feel any better.

The guy who got fired is a mush too, because he has a fairly airtight case of wrongful termination as well as defamation of character if he would pursue it, but he doesn’t want to. It could cause huge trouble for the camp if he did, and I think the directors know it. What blows my mind is instead of them taking the whole kumbaya approach and making like everything is wonderful in their little world, they are digging themselves in a bigger hole by the bullying tactics they have decided to go with.

They need to tread lightly. My daughter may have signed a contract to work there, but I sure as heck didn’t; and if they do not back off, the whole world is going to know about all the BS, and I mean ALL the dirty BS, going on over there. Mama bear’s ears are twitching.

Okay, enough. Venting has calmed me down … a tiny bit. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to do so. You may or may not hear more about this little episode, depending on how things go over the next few days.

We are in the last two days of Camp NaNo, and there is absolutely no way I am going to hit the 50K mark. I’m glad I only put a goal of 35K this time around. Friday I will let you know what my final number ended up being.

I’m at the point where a sense of urgency is starting to build in Fairy Tale Queen. As Kieren and Logan piece together more clues, the treat to them becomes greater. I can’t wait to see what new information they will uncover, how our heroes will foil the next Bagairt attack.

I’m off to do battle. As my favorite Disney character would say … TTFN! I hope you have a Tiggriffic day, and happy writing!

August 6th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Mornin’ y’all. I had a wonderful time at the beach yesterday, but today it’s time to buckle down and get the nine zillion things done that need to be done before vacation. But first a few shameless plugs… Look what I got:

 

 

And…

 

See, wasn’t it worth pulling my hair out to reach 50K words. :P  Just kidding, I really did enjoy the writing camp and I will try to participate in future ones. I usually do well when facing deadlines.

 

So, did yesterday’s challenge bring back any memories for you? I know it did for me. Sorry, short and sweet today, but lots to do. Have a wonderful day and happy writing!

 

Your Last Challenge was:

This may look innocuous to you, a simple childhood toy, but for me, it was monumental. It was my first taste of freedom. On this “toy” I became Mario Andretti winning the Indy 500, Evil Knievel jumping the Grand Canyon, and a fighter pilot breaking the sound barrier. I was the crazy lunatic kid flying down the sidewalk at mach speed putting the lives of anyone who crossed my path in peril.

The first things to disappear were the flowing tassels, then the seat and pedals cracked, and finally the plastic tires simply disintegrated. It was a sad day when my Big Wheel was brought out to the curb for trash pick-up. A part of my childhood was over, because there was no money to buy a replacement, but the memories of two magical summers will remain with me for a lifetime.

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

I wish I knew what he/she was thinking…

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

July 26th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Call me a wimp, but I PGed the scene and kept writing. It works. For some reason, hot and steamy didn’t fit, but who knows, it may change during rewrites. Still have 8,500 words to go in the next five days. Then the polishing, editing and rewriting begins, but I think I’ll give it a rest for a week before I start the process. I still have to finish editing the other book and get it back to its author.

Today may end up being a wash though, because again, I have a house full of kids, sleeping on every available surface. Pretty soon they are going to be waking up, making noise, wanting food, etc. My one saving grace is going to be, my daughter has a date with her grandmother at eleven, which means all these kids will be gone then.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to write then. I’m having difficulty now writing this blog. I guess it may have to do with this crazy weather change, but I’m in a lot of pain right now, and having trouble focusing. My hip feels like it’s been pulled out of its socket. Now I’m just waiting for the Motrin to kick in and take the edge off. This whole getting old thing is for the birds!

Your Last Challenge was:

 

I hadn’t planned on running for President

 

I hadn’t planned on running for President, but here I am. It started out innocently enough, just a rant on my blog, over the idiocy of our local school board. I could not believe how folks with no common sense what-so-ever could become elected officials. I received more comments to my blog than any of my other posts had done in the past. One reader wrote, well if you could change things what would you do, and I responded. This continued for several weeks, more questions, more responses. My audience grew from a humble 335 to over 335,000. The questions kept flooding in and I answered as many as I could with complete unfiltered honesty. The next thing I knew, there was a reporter at my door asking me questions about the upcoming election. When I told him I had no idea what he was talking about, he generously explained, I was a write in on the ballot.

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

July 25th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

First, Happy 68^th Birthday to my Dad! Hope you have a great day!

So, have you all seen the Geico commercial with the camel? Well, my daughters think it’s the funniest thing, and kept asking me all day yesterday, “What day is it?” I’m telling you, I’m raising a couple of nutz!

We finally made it to the Laundromat yesterday, and I managed to really piss off a biker chick. Remember I told you there was a lot of laundry? There were twelve large capacity washers worth. We got to the Laundromat about fifteen minutes before the biker chick and had taken up all the big washers in the place. Then, with us being fifteen minutes ahead of her, we got to the dryers first. Our wash loads were large capacity, which meant I split each wash load between two dryers. Between the dryers I took, the couple of others which were being used and the ones not working, every dryer in the place was occupied. The biker chick was not happy when she had to wait, and she sat there and glared at me the whole time. I smiled and apologized, but she continued to glare. Did I mention she was about five inches taller than me and solid muscle? YIKES!

She never said a word, and the girls and I got out of there without incident, but I will admit, she was intimidating. I did tell the girls they were no longer allowed to let laundry pile up, and I will be following the same rule myself!

I did get to chat with one of the other customers. She was a sweet older woman who I’m pretty sure originally came from Jamaica. She was there washing a large quilt, and she was really touched when my daughter offered to help when she saw the woman struggling to try and fold the quilt. There were also two ladies there who worked at the Laundromat, and they were really nice too. Any day when I get to meet nice people, I consider a good day.

Later today, we’ll be on a folding and putting away marathon. When all is said and done, we will probably have at least four good sized bags for the Vietnam Veterans to pick up as a donation, plus all of the closets and drawers will be full. If I hear, ‘I’ve got nothing to wear’ from anyone, I may just blow a gasket!

Yesterday was not a very productive writing day for me. I was allowing myself to get distracted by every shiny object. I know I was doing this because I had come to the point in my story where the main characters were spending their first night together, and I REALLY hate writing love scenes. I feel like a Peeping Tom.

I need to just get over it and write or I will not hit my goal, and that will be a real shame since I am so close and it is obtainable. So on to the challenges, then off to camp. Hope you all have a great day! Happy Writing!

Your Last Challenge was:

 

I can’t believe I did it, packed my bag and left. Everyone in this town used to laugh when I told them I wanted to be a famous singer. They told me to just be happy singing in the choir on Sundays, and just get married and have kids like a good girl. But in my heart, I knew I could be so much more. Now here I am, walking the tracks to a train headed south, a train to Nashville.

For years I’ve been saving every penny so I could make this trip, and now I have enough to get by for at least a year. That was the deal I made with Daddy, one year, and if things were not looking hopeful at the end of one year, I was to come home. But, I knew I will not keep that promise. I won’t go home until I’ve made it. That’s what made saying goodbye to Mamma so hard. She was my biggest supporter, my rock. Oh how I will miss them both, but I know I will make them proud. One day I will be singing at the Grand Ole Opry and they will be there, right in the front row to watch. Mamma will be crying and Daddy will be sitting there puffed up like a peacock. When I’m done with my song, I will blow them a kiss, and everyone will know they are my folks and I’m as proud of them as they are of me.

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

I hadn’t planned on running for President...

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

July 13th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

It’s Saturday again. Boy that week went fast! We’ve had quite a long string of hot (in the 90s), sunny days with only a passing thunderstorm in the late afternoon, which are to be expected.  Today it is cool and rainy, and my sister-in-law is probably having an absolute fit. In about six hours, she is to have a house full of people, who very well may end up IN the house as opposed to in the back yard as planned. UGH! Say a little prayer that the rain lets up.

Yesterday I did hit the half way mark at camp, so Corporate Blues is shaping up. Still haven’t heard back from the email I sent the FBI about a procedural question, but they’ll respond eventually; it’s not like research for a novel would be any kind of priority. In the meantime, I have a sign in the middle of the chapter that reads {{INSERT INFORMATION FROM THE FBI HERE}}. The same sign will probably appear again several chapters down the road if they don’t get back to me in the next week, but at least I’m not letting myself get hung up over missing information. If the info they give me contradicts something I’ve written, I can always fix it, but I will worry about that during the first editing phase.

Since I only have until nine-thirty to write, I’m going to sign off for the day. I hope you have a great Saturday!

 

Your Last Challenge was:

 

So much sorrow, so much pain

Play over this blood soaked ground like a somber refrain

Daily I wander, rail and cry

For all the young souls who had to die

 

Can you hear me?

Most didn’t understand what they were fighting for

But now they know there can be no winner in a war

Broken promises, hopes and dreams

Torment and heartache to extreme

Can you feel me?

 

I search these woods from dusk ‘til dawn

For a love who’s now long gone

Someday we’ll find each other again

And be able to walk away hand in hand

 

Can you see me?

 

ICK – I gave myself the chills. Poems still surprise me when they come out, and I found it really strange that a picture challenge prompted one. I can’t recall if that has happened before…

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

For me, THIS is the happiest place on Earth

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

July 6th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Crazy short today folks, because I have to get some writing done before we leave for Connecticut. I’m bringing the girls to see a Hunter Hayes (country singer) concert. We are leaving around 11, so I wanted to get a few hours of writing done before I had to leave. That’s why it’s before 5:00 am and I’m blogging.

Off to camp, even before the sun rises…

 

Your Last Challenge was:

They could be twins…

 

So there I am, walking down the street of a local town, I pull up short and so does the person directly in front of me. We stop and stare at each other, both of us stunned and temporarily speechless. Same height, same weight and body structure, same eye color, not the same hair color but that was caused by a bottle not nature; it was like looking into a mirror.

 

When we actually started to talk, things got even more strange; Christine vs. Christina, April 1^st vs October 1^st - which was a HUGE relief, next town north vs next town south. We spent about ten minutes talking and were both pretty freaked out. That was the first and last time we ever spoke.

 

They do say, everyone has a twin.

 

(True story – out last names were even similar, hers spelled the English way, mine spelled the German way, but pronounced the same.)

 

Today’s challenge is going to be a photo. Look closely. What do you really see?

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

July 4th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Happy July 4^th to everyone! Today is an extra special day for our family because not only is it Independence Day, our nation’s Birthday, it is also my son’s Birthday. He is twenty-three today, not a “big” birthday, so the celebration will be relatively small, under twenty.

 

My daughter baked his cake yesterday and will probably be spending a good chunk of today decorating it. She is definitely loving making the elaborate cakes. I wonder if I can get Cake Boss blocked on my TV? LOL. I’m sure I’ll have a picture or two to post for tomorrow.

My word count on Corporate Blues is now over 8,500, so it is coming along. I won’t have as much time today to write, but at least I will add to my numbers. I had planned on spending extra time yesterday writing because I knew today would be a challenge, but my time was abbreviated because we had to get the house straightened up for a surprise party my youngest was throwing for a friend.

OK, on to the challenges so I can get to camp.

 

Your Last Challenge was:

 

This, this is what I’ve been dreaming about. Alleys like this, with uneven stone streets, shuttered windows and brightly painted doors. Little undiscovered nooks like this, within the city, where you can close your eyes and imagine a thousand years of history. Yes, Rome is amazing, Florence breathtaking, and Venice almost indescribable, but all so over populated with tourists. It is places like this where I feel I get a true sense of Italy; a sense of the past pulling me in, and wanting to share its stories with me.

I know if I walk down this alley, behind the doors and shutters I’ll hear talking and laughter. I’ll hear pots and dishes clanking as someone prepares dinner, and heavenly aromas will fill the air as I pass. I’ll see an old woman leaning out her window chatting with another old woman across the alley leaning out of her window, and somehow I’ll know they had done the very same thing, nearly every day, for as long as anyone can remember. There will be kids playing ball and dogs barking happily and trying to cut in on the game. People will smile, wave and say “Ciao” or “Buon giorno” as I pass. Yes, this tiny little alley, is why I came to Italy.

Your Next Challenge is:

But it started out so small…

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.