August 7th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Happy hump day! Perhaps if I don’t remind the girls it’s Wednesday, they won’t keep asking me what day it is – dang camel! I guess the Geico marketing team hit a homerun on that one. Yet, there are still commercials out there where I can’t help but ask, what were they thinking?

Example; a few years ago, there was a commercial out there, I can’t even remember what product it was, where the man was distracted. There was a faucet left running in one shot and various other things left unattended in other shots. During the first few runs of the commercial, one of those other shots was a baby playing with a roll of tape. The child was completely covered in the tape he had pulled off of the roll. The commercial drove me crazy. Who the heck would be so distracted, they would leave their under one year old baby unattended? What were they thinking airing a commercial like that? Within a few weeks, the unattended baby was cut out of the commercial. I guess I wasn’t the only one who thought they were insane.

 

Now there are commercials peddling a system where you can access items in your house from a remote location; turn on lights, arm your alarm system, adjust your heat, etc. In one of the commercials there is a woman in the grocery store with a young child. She gets a notice on her phone and she pulls up the camera inside her home because her front door opened at 4:15 in the afternoon. If you take notice, you will see there is another young child, probably coming home from school, walking in the door. Again, what were they thinking? Obviously there is no one home or the lady wouldn’t be checking the home remotely, and the child coming into the empty house is perhaps seven or eight years old. HELLO! Why didn’t these advertising folks make the kid coming home at least fifteen or sixteen? Have they all lost their minds? I wonder if it is the same advertising agency that made the first commercial with the unattended baby.

The cannibalistic cereal commercials drive me crazy too, but that is a whole other issue and I won’t drive you crazy with it.

 

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I wish I knew what he/she was thinking…

 

How many times have you looked at your beloved pet and wished you knew what she was thinking? Your cat is staring at the wall, twitching his tail and making that funny chirping noise. You look at the wall and everywhere around, but you see nothing. Your dog comes running over, plops down in front of you and cocks her head, practically asking you a question. Wouldn’t you just love to know what she was thinking?

Well, my family has figured out a way to remedy this situation. We all do it, and to unsuspecting onlookers it is either quite comical or they think we have all gone insane. We all talk for our pets. Each pet has his or her own unique and distinct voice and as one member of the household is interacting with a pet, another member of the household becomes the voice of said pet. We are not quite sure when this started or how this evolved, but it has come to the point of a well-choreographed performance.  As I said, some folks think we are insane, but it sure beats saying “I wish I knew what he/she was thinking” all the time.

 

Yup, I just gave you another glimpse into my bizarre personal life. We currently have three cats and one dog, and they each have their own voice and personality. The funny thing is, we have all gotten so good at this, you really begin to think what the “animal” is saying is plausible. I will be annoyed with the dog because he’d be begging shamelessly and one of the kids would chime in with, “But Mommy, I just want a little taste.” Or “But Mommy, I just loves bananas. Fruits are good for me.”

So you don’t call out the men in white coats and butterfly nets, these “conversations” do not go on constantly in our home, but when the improv situation arises, someone is there to supply a voice. I find it hysterical that we even have my husband doing it now.

 

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.