October 30th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina – 

What day is it??? Oh that’s right, there’s been a giraffe invasion, not a camel invasion. If you have a Facebook account, you know what I’m talking about. If you don’t, then it’s too silly to bother you further.

My daughter and one of her friends decided they were going to be cowgirls for Halloween tomorrow. Nice easy costume. We have all the pieces. So I was getting off easy this year, right? Wrong. Yes we have all the pieces, but not in our possession. My daughter was borrowing my son’s cowboy hat, which his girlfriend was supposed to bring over on Monday, but then couldn’t because of his mishap. Then she was supposed to bring it over yesterday, but instead she drove my son to class last night so he wouldn’t have to drive in the dark with his injured eye. I’M NOT COMPLAINING about her doing these things. It was very sweet of her to rearrange just about everything in her schedule to be able to be there for him, but this does mean I have to drive down to my son’s house today to go get the hat.

The next piece of the puzzle that’s missing is the shirt my daughter wanted to wear, a purple plaid number. She tore apart her room and all the laundry she put in the basement looking for the thing. Then, out of frustration, she asked if I thought her sister took the shirt with her to college. Since I can’t keep track of my own things, I had no idea. I shrugged and sent a text to my other daughter. Yup, you guessed it. The shirt is in Vermont. Now other than my forty minute ride to my son’s house today, I have a trip to Kohl’s on my “to do” list. Well, at least I know where my cowboy boots are…

So, I am going to have my second cup of coffee, take a quick shower and get my day rolling. I hope you have a fantastic day and happy writing!

 

Your Last Challenge was (this is the challenge I offered as homework while I was covering the class for Keith, but the group mutinied and would not do it):

 

Write you own obituary 

 

Christina, just like she always said she would do, left this Earth on the anniversary of her birth. She would say, “This way I’m not messing up anyone’s day but my own.” In life Christina wore many hats. She was a mom, a wife, a coach, a writer and a friend. Although she never conquered her stage freight, she sang in her church choir on Sundays. She enjoyed music, baking, cooking, reading, writing, painting, and playing silly games on her computer, but most of all, she enjoyed spending time with her family. She left this world with a messy house, dishes in the sink and laundry to be done, but a freezer stocked with meals to get her family through the next millennium and her final story completed and submitted to her publisher.

There will be no wake or funeral for Christina, however, on June 23^rd, all who knew her, are asked to participate in a celebration of her life. She wanted a “good old fashioned Irish funeral”. We ask that you bring photos and stories to share; the good, the bad, and undoubtedly the irreverent. Christina has asked for her ashes to be scattered in the places she loved and the ones she never had a chance to visit while she was alive. Please take whatever money you would have used for flowers and spend it on doing something fun with your family.

 

Okay, I really don’t see what the big deal was about writing your own obituary. This has been used as a creative writing assignment in colleges forEVER. I remember doing it when I was in college, and that was over twenty-five years ago. It didn’t kill me then, and I seriously doubt it is going to kill me now, and if it does, I have until April 1^st anyway. I don’t see it as a negative thing; I see it as a reflection of how we see ourselves and how we hope to be remembered. If there is a disparity from how we are to how we want to be, we recognize it and can work to fix it before it is too late. Think Scrooge, not Grim Reaper. Whatever, to each their own. I hope some of you took up my challenge.

Your Next Challenge is:

 

Start your story with: It’s Mischief Night and you’ll never believe what my friends have planned.

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 22nd Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

I get up at an ungodly hour so I can have at least three hours of peace and quiet to write, with only one small interruption when my husband leaves for work. The plan usually works well, but today may prove to be a challenge. My oldest daughter had a friend sleep over last night, and her friend’s phone was buzzing already at quarter to seven. UGH, really? I am behind on my writing…I don’t have time for this! I really don’t want to have to start waking up at four in the morning so I can write, but I will if I have to.

There are a bunch of things we need to get done around here before my daughter leaves for college. When the girls split into two rooms, they cleaned their old room by bringing every stitch of fabric (clothes, linens, etc.) down to the basement. This week, I want to get EVERYTHING washed, sorted (what is being kept, handed down, donated), and put away.

When that is done, we are going to paint my youngest daughter’s room. She wants to do one wall in the chalkboard paint. I was resisting, but then I asked myself why? It’s only paint. It can be changed. For the first time ever, she has her very own room, and she should make it hers. My older daughter is a little miffed because I won’t let her paint her new room, but it was painted a few years ago, and it’s the color I want as my office, which is what the room is going to be when she moves out in a few years. I can’t see going crazy trying to cover the navy paint with a pastel color only to make it navy again. She’s only going to be in the room for three months out of the year, she can deal, but I do feel a little bad, because this is the kid who rarely asks for anything.

We also have another beach day scheduled as well as a get together with friends so they can say goodbye to my daughter before she leaves, and this all needs to be done by August 9^th, because we leave for OBX on the 10^th. Oh yeah, I also only have nine days left to finish my Camp NaNo writing and finish editing the book for the other author.

Anybody got a pair of roller skates I can borrow? LOL.

Well, it sounds like the girls fell asleep again, so maybe, just maybe, I can get some writing in this morning. So, on to the challenges then off to camp.

What did you wish for? I really wish you guys would post your responses instead of just telling me you are doing them. I’d love to read what you have written!!

 

Your Last Challenge was:

If I had three wishes… 

 

If I had three wishes, what would they be?

Would I wish for peace and harmony?

Would my wish be selfish or for another?

Would I wish everyone was treated like a brother?

Would I wish no mom would cry?

Would I wish no parent would see their baby die?

Would my wish be serious: end all disease?

Would my wish be frivolous: rid the world of fleas?

Would I wish to end famine, genocide and war?

Oh what would I use my wishes for?

Well, it doesn’t look like anyone is granting wishes today…

So I think I will do the next best thing and pray.

 

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 23rd Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

 

Good morning all. Hope everyone had a great Monday. The girls and I were quite productive yesterday, but we realized there was no way we were going to get through all the laundry any time soon with only one washer and dryer, so today we are going to bag it up and head to the laundry mat. Three hours and it will all be done!

 

A majority of the things being washed are things they will no longer wear and are going to be donated, so I didn’t want to waste any extra time on them, when their time could be spent organizing, or in my older daughter’s case, packing. There are still a ton of things down there from when my son lost all his weight, and although my husband is not opposed to hand-me-ups, some of the stuff is just too young for him to wear.

 

I just realized, many of you don’t know about my son’s amazing weight loss. In a little over a year, he dropped 173 lbs! To put that into perspective, that is the equivalent of losing a full grown man! He cut out all soda and sports drinks, almost all carbs, and started going to the gym. He was determined and focused. We are all so proud of him! I made him take one of those cheesy pictures you see in ads that no one ever believes are true.

 

 

 

YES, those really are a pair of his old pants. He went from a 46 to a 32. I’d be happy to drop 20lbs and can’t manage to do it. I am in awe of my child.

 

Your Last Challenge was:

 

 

Phew, the last three bails. Dang my back hurts, but I can’t stop. Not with that storm rollin’ in. Not that I’ complainin’ Lord, we sure could use the rain. These last few weeks have been mostly dry, but if today’s a good soaker, the crops will be just fine. From the feel of my back and shoulder, it’s going to be a good soaker.

Ok, hay done. Next mend the fence, then back to get the horse so I can find where that dang cow’s got to. I swear this is the third time she has wandered off right when she was about to deliver. I don’t get it. Is some rocky ravine more appealing to give birth? Ah, no use complainin’, ain’t gunna change the situation none. I just gotta go get her.

Wonder if Mike’s around? Sure could use the help if she’s actually gone into labor. Best pack some food, just in case we’re out there a while. Lord only knows how it will take to find the fool creature.

There. Done. That wasn’t too bad. Thank God for small favors. Alright, back to the house.

 

A cowboy’s thought’s while he’s working???

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

Write a story containing the following three items: Beach Ball, Ice Cream, Life Guard

  

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.