A car recall left me to wonder...what if we could recall our regrets? Click over to Candid Kathryn and see what I discovered!
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Easter Bunny, You're Fired!
When your kids wake up Sunday and there are no eggs, blame me. I fired the Easter Bunny. Click here and find out how.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Operation Procrastination!
Monday, March 18, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Goalies and Goggles!
Are you a hockey or swim parent? Share my pain! Click over to Candid Kathryn for some group therapy!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Friday, December 14, 2012
My Grandmother the Spy
Do you know where your creative roots stem from? I do! Click over to Candid Kathryn and check out...
Thursday, December 6, 2012
A Creepy Little Christmas
Do you have a less-than-pretty holiday decoration? In my house....it's Creepy Dead Guy!
Click over to Candid Kathryn and share your story!
Click over to Candid Kathryn and share your story!
Friday, November 16, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
Friday, October 19, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Moving Day!
I’m back!
Sort of. J
Life at Casa Babble has been littered with mayhem over the
past several months, and all things considered, the rocky path has led me to
some pretty spectacular places.
First – School: A bit ago I entered a little writing contest
that earned me a series of free classes with a wonderful group of veteran
authors and editors. The courses were intense, critical, and tougher than I
ever imagined - but the education proved invaluable.
Second – Book: From school I put what I learned into
practice, spending several weeks outlining, cutting, and editing my current MS.
(Painful, just painful. Still hurts.)
Third – Blog: The number one suggestion each instructor
shared was the need for a clean, concise blog. (Concise? Me?*giggle*) No
clutter, no gimmicks, just good writing with a memorable, personal flare. I struggled
finding my “flare”, but once I did I tackled the project with gusto
.
Don’t worry; Babble isn’t disappearing – just merging into a
fresher format. All former posts will now be available at my new blog:
Thank you!
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Change is Good!
Dear Babble Fans,
Just a quick check in to let you know Babble is going through a transformation and expected to resume on October 1st with a new address. (Shhh…don’t tell Blogger!)
Thanks for your patience!
Just a quick check in to let you know Babble is going through a transformation and expected to resume on October 1st with a new address. (Shhh…don’t tell Blogger!)
Thanks for your patience!
How I spent my summer...
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Olympic Angst
“If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all!”
NBC Olympic broadcast? Speechless.
No, I’m not going to jump on the peacock bashing bandwagon - that’s been done, and done well.
Instead I’m taking the high road, pitching five ways NBC can yank their Decathlon of Disaster out of the toilet before the six remaining viewers switch to Matlock.
1
Mute Seacrest: He’s pretty, not prolific. Ironclad contracts REQUIRE his participation, but why not strip away the microphone and get interactive: Spy Seacrest! A Where’sWaldo version of the Olympic Games – swap out the striped hat and turtleneck for a bathing cap and Speedo and pop Ryan in crowd shots for fans to find. Imagine the closing ceremonies? Bonus points for the Royal box!
2
Lauer - Costas Cage Fight: Come on – you know you want to see it? Vegas bookies have been itching for this one for years!
3
Whack-a-Daggett: Every time Tim Daggett says "crazy hard" - Schlegel clubs him with a foam mallet. The man needs a thesaurus.
4
Roker Relay: Exchange the shameless sitcom plugs with something we REALLY want to see! Al in a pair of slim-fit, kielbasa-like bike shorts puffing his way through London! You go Al!
5
Ryan Lochte: Shirtless. All Day. All Night. No exceptions. Enough said.
Monday, July 2, 2012
A Break in the Babble
First – I’m alive.
Second – A brief explanation.
The initial weeks of summer at Casa Babble burst with activity. Once school lets out the Day Job takes a three month hiatus, but the free time does not last long, replaced almost instantly by a vortex of camp, lessons and family visits. But after those initial days of insanity wind down, something magical occurs, something I call…
GOYBAW - Get Off Your Butt And Write!
GOYBAW 2012 was made possible by the unyielding bravery of my Mom and Dad – who (sinister laugh) volunteered to accompany my spawn…Err…children on a two week vacation. (I see a rest home upgrade in their future.) And at the end of that little adventure – Boy Scout Camp – yeah baby!
Wondering what GOYBAW is all about? (No? – Well I’m going to tell you anyway, so buckle up Buttercup!)
Last summer I completed my first full length manuscript. I liken the experience to the first pancake out of the batch – edible, but not pretty. And after multiple rounds of polishing, the MS grabbed the attention of a few respected literary agents, each gracious enough to offer personalized feedback. For those non-writers out there, let me explain the magnitude of this step on a publication journey, receiving one-to-one feedback from an agent is like the Pope offering to baptize your baby – RARE and a BIG deal for my little MS – to say I was grateful is a gross understatement.
After all the feedback, revisions, resubmissions and multiple rejections, I learned two vital things.
One – Depression cannot be offset by consuming your body weight in cheese.
Two – KEEP WRITING!
Now here’s where GOYBAW comes in.
While MS #1 waits patiently in the the inboxes of the Publishing Gods, I’ve been hard at work on her sister, MS #2 – and aside from the dreadful #2 connotation, she’s a decidedly more attractive first draft than her predecessor.
GOYBAW allows me the freedom to outline (GASP!) the storyline without distraction, a technique MS #1 (a seat-of-my-pants story), never received.
My Beta Buddies (fellow writers’ who read my work, critique, and send chocolate when necessary) have commented on my sunny disposition during GOYBAW. In fact, I’ve recently been described as “less of a deadline phobic Howler Monkey.” Such love.
Second – A brief explanation.
The initial weeks of summer at Casa Babble burst with activity. Once school lets out the Day Job takes a three month hiatus, but the free time does not last long, replaced almost instantly by a vortex of camp, lessons and family visits. But after those initial days of insanity wind down, something magical occurs, something I call…
GOYBAW - Get Off Your Butt And Write!
GOYBAW 2012 was made possible by the unyielding bravery of my Mom and Dad – who (sinister laugh) volunteered to accompany my spawn…Err…children on a two week vacation. (I see a rest home upgrade in their future.) And at the end of that little adventure – Boy Scout Camp – yeah baby!
Wondering what GOYBAW is all about? (No? – Well I’m going to tell you anyway, so buckle up Buttercup!)
Last summer I completed my first full length manuscript. I liken the experience to the first pancake out of the batch – edible, but not pretty. And after multiple rounds of polishing, the MS grabbed the attention of a few respected literary agents, each gracious enough to offer personalized feedback. For those non-writers out there, let me explain the magnitude of this step on a publication journey, receiving one-to-one feedback from an agent is like the Pope offering to baptize your baby – RARE and a BIG deal for my little MS – to say I was grateful is a gross understatement.
After all the feedback, revisions, resubmissions and multiple rejections, I learned two vital things.
One – Depression cannot be offset by consuming your body weight in cheese.
Two – KEEP WRITING!
Now here’s where GOYBAW comes in.
While MS #1 waits patiently in the the inboxes of the Publishing Gods, I’ve been hard at work on her sister, MS #2 – and aside from the dreadful #2 connotation, she’s a decidedly more attractive first draft than her predecessor.
GOYBAW allows me the freedom to outline (GASP!) the storyline without distraction, a technique MS #1 (a seat-of-my-pants story), never received.
My Beta Buddies (fellow writers’ who read my work, critique, and send chocolate when necessary) have commented on my sunny disposition during GOYBAW. In fact, I’ve recently been described as “less of a deadline phobic Howler Monkey.” Such love.
Bottom line – the next month is all about the writing –
blog posts, freelance gigs, mind-sucking social media and all other
distractions (with the exception of basic hygiene and cheese) will have to
wait. I’ll be stopping by my favorite blog buddies for a quick check in – but until
then – Babble is going dark – see you all in August!
Happy Summer!
Going to miss me too much? Check out my blog roll on the
left side of the page – some fabulous people to follow!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Out On A Limb
My youngest son holds a black belt in opportunity seizure. I’m
not sure how, but Master Carpe Diem possesses the uncanny knack of knowing the exact
moment my common sense weakens, and before I can blink…KABLAM…we’re building a
treehouse.
Plans for the Dutch Elm Alamo have been in the works for several years, but I prayed the phase would pass with the approaching teen years; yeah - no such luck. In fact, the blueprints morphed from a few, random size 2X4’s and a box of nails into Swiss Family Elliott around the time of the last report card.
“Look, all A’s! Doesn’t that deserve a reward?” (I see a political future.)
But what put me over the edge? What drove me to the brink of backyard insanity?
Three little words; life is short.
We’ve all said it, but did you ever really think about it?
Unfortunately, I have. I can’t put my finger on the exact moment, but somewhere between losing my first friend to cancer and watching a fifth start chemo, my perspective shifted from someday to right away.
Thus – treehouse!
Plans for the Dutch Elm Alamo have been in the works for several years, but I prayed the phase would pass with the approaching teen years; yeah - no such luck. In fact, the blueprints morphed from a few, random size 2X4’s and a box of nails into Swiss Family Elliott around the time of the last report card.
“Look, all A’s! Doesn’t that deserve a reward?” (I see a political future.)
But what put me over the edge? What drove me to the brink of backyard insanity?
Three little words; life is short.
We’ve all said it, but did you ever really think about it?
Unfortunately, I have. I can’t put my finger on the exact moment, but somewhere between losing my first friend to cancer and watching a fifth start chemo, my perspective shifted from someday to right away.
Thus – treehouse!
Now, for those of you who follow Babble regularly, you know
Hubby and I are not – in any way, shape or form – construction savvy; our
toolbox is duct tape, a glue gun and bandages – lots of bandages.
So, we called in the cavalry! And thanks to the phenomenal talents
of our friend Rick – an extraordinary carpenter and very, very patient man – we
now have a Fortress of Solitude for Master Carpe Diem and his Nerf Weapons of
Doom. Rick, God love him, did let Hubby
take a shot with the nail gun – but after a near stigmata incident – Hubs was
relegated back to wood hauling and refreshment refills.
Lesson today – life is short! Go out on a limb!
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Soapbox Sunday
Last night, after the kiddos were asleep, I opened my
unified inbox. For those unfamiliar – a unified inbox is an electronic version
of your grandmother’s purse; equal parts vital necessities (emails, FB,
Twitter) and junk (coupons, singles ads, SPAM-canned or virtual).
At first click I anticipated posts galore regarding the recent vote in North Carolina. I did not, however, expect 73 messages asking if I planned on writing about the outcome here; or in an editorial for the Day Job. Believe it or not – my managing editor made that last suggestion, but we quickly agreed my, um…healthy opinions would impede objectivity.
Like many, I was disappointed in the outcome in NC. I support same sex marriage, openly and without hesitation. I’m also a Christian, and the vote tally did not anger me nearly as much as those individuals claiming it were a “victory for God.”
Ignorance at its worst.
A little backstory: I was raised in a loving and supportive Roman Catholic family. My parents, RC to the bone, blessed me with values, compassion and a deep respect for the faith. They scrimped and saved so I could attend 16 years of exemplary parochial school, and to this day - I count the friends from those plaid and knee sock wearing years among the greatest gifts in my life.
But, (you saw this coming, right?) as I aged, my inner liberal emerged. (THUMP = Grandfather rolling in grave). Actually, I call myself LL – Liberal Light; a feminist with a Christian base and pinch of capitalist. I wrestled with a host (pun intended) of the RC practices – the largest being the church’s stance on homosexuality.
I use this example: Once, I had a pair of comfy, old size 4 Levis (Catholicism) – a good, familiar fit. But somewhere along the road I blossomed into a size 10 (OK, 12), and the woman I became could no longer squeeze her values into the old pair without a certain level of discomfort.
Hubby, also raised RC, shared my dilemma, and unlike many of our friends we refused to abandon church altogether. We have kids - kids with…adventurous spirits…they need God (and a good HMO), so over the course of a year we “auditioned” religions – landing in a welcoming faith community, similar to our RC roots, but on par with our progressive lifestyle. (And in the words of my 11 year old, – “The coffee hour donuts rock!”) I say this with a humor, but the decision to leave the RC church was extremely difficult; we struggled.
Where am I going with all this?
My family had a choice – and we chose to align our religious beliefs with our lifestyle – Freedom of Religion .
Equally, NC residents voting in accordance with their faith have every right to do so.
Citizens of the US, (Straight, Gay, Christian, Atheist, Democrat, Republican, Vegan, Carnivore) will NEVER agree on the “big issues” - we are so multi-faceted the Hope Diamond looks like a chunk of glass, and that’s OK! (See US Constitution) We have the right to disagree, but my hope, as Pollyanna as it sounds, is that somewhere along the way we lose the ignorance, extinguish the hatred and somehow, somewhere realize equality is more than a word - it’s a right.
At first click I anticipated posts galore regarding the recent vote in North Carolina. I did not, however, expect 73 messages asking if I planned on writing about the outcome here; or in an editorial for the Day Job. Believe it or not – my managing editor made that last suggestion, but we quickly agreed my, um…healthy opinions would impede objectivity.
Like many, I was disappointed in the outcome in NC. I support same sex marriage, openly and without hesitation. I’m also a Christian, and the vote tally did not anger me nearly as much as those individuals claiming it were a “victory for God.”
Ignorance at its worst.
A little backstory: I was raised in a loving and supportive Roman Catholic family. My parents, RC to the bone, blessed me with values, compassion and a deep respect for the faith. They scrimped and saved so I could attend 16 years of exemplary parochial school, and to this day - I count the friends from those plaid and knee sock wearing years among the greatest gifts in my life.
But, (you saw this coming, right?) as I aged, my inner liberal emerged. (THUMP = Grandfather rolling in grave). Actually, I call myself LL – Liberal Light; a feminist with a Christian base and pinch of capitalist. I wrestled with a host (pun intended) of the RC practices – the largest being the church’s stance on homosexuality.
I use this example: Once, I had a pair of comfy, old size 4 Levis (Catholicism) – a good, familiar fit. But somewhere along the road I blossomed into a size 10 (OK, 12), and the woman I became could no longer squeeze her values into the old pair without a certain level of discomfort.
Hubby, also raised RC, shared my dilemma, and unlike many of our friends we refused to abandon church altogether. We have kids - kids with…adventurous spirits…they need God (and a good HMO), so over the course of a year we “auditioned” religions – landing in a welcoming faith community, similar to our RC roots, but on par with our progressive lifestyle. (And in the words of my 11 year old, – “The coffee hour donuts rock!”) I say this with a humor, but the decision to leave the RC church was extremely difficult; we struggled.
Where am I going with all this?
My family had a choice – and we chose to align our religious beliefs with our lifestyle – Freedom of Religion .
Equally, NC residents voting in accordance with their faith have every right to do so.
Citizens of the US, (Straight, Gay, Christian, Atheist, Democrat, Republican, Vegan, Carnivore) will NEVER agree on the “big issues” - we are so multi-faceted the Hope Diamond looks like a chunk of glass, and that’s OK! (See US Constitution) We have the right to disagree, but my hope, as Pollyanna as it sounds, is that somewhere along the way we lose the ignorance, extinguish the hatred and somehow, somewhere realize equality is more than a word - it’s a right.
And…I’m off the soapbox! Happy Mother’s Day!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Unblocking a Gem
In my freshmen year of college I took a creative writing
course. The professor, a woman I would describe as Woodstock Affected, opened
the class with this phrase: “Creativity cannot be taught.”
My first thought: "There’s
a credit down the crapper."
My second thought: "Should
I really listen to a woman wearing Birkies and tube socks?"
Fashion calamity aside, Professor X knew her stuff. Her
method was a tad unorthodox, and I shudder at the memory of the pop-writing
prompts: “You are Joan of Arc, fire
engulfs your flesh, describe the smell?" (My “bacon with a hint of released
bowels” received a C.)
From Professor X I took away two valuable lessons. First,
creative is a highly subjective term - one person’s storytelling skill is
another’s cry for psychiatric help. Second, no matter where your writing path
meanders, a sure way to spark creative juices is through a side trip outside
your comfort zone.
Huh? Here’s what I mean.
I’m blocked, (not in a needs more fiber way), every writer’s
worst nightmare, right? I’ve researched, re-written, revised, revamped and reconsidered
careers – and still, nuthin’ - but last
week something sparked a memory of Professor X and her suggestion to channel
creative juices AWAY from writing during a block to rejuvenate the
muse.
After a few days of puttering around the house, re-arranging
furniture, planting a few flowers, attempting (and failing) recipes – still –
the juices - NOT flowing. I was maple syrup in the Arctic. Desperate, I decided
to go for a hike (I’m not a hiker – I’m directionally inept and hate bugs.) So,
I dig under my bed for the hiking boots I bought years back in a “really, I’ll
do this” moment and stumbled upon a long forgotten box of costume jewelry from
my Great Aunt Ruth.
Ruth was…hmmm, what’s the term….lovingly eccentric. I adore
all the eclectic scarves, jewelry and utterly outrageous knickknacks I inherited
after her passing. A few seconds into the box of treasures…
BAM! (Was that too Emeril?) Creativity hit!
Rummaging through the countless odd beads and bangles – I began
stringing together strand after strand of re-purposed jewels; both physical and mental. With each new bauble - a plot twist surfaced. With each new design - character motive went from murky to perky. (OK – that’s silly – but it’s all
I got!)
Moral of the story – find your hidden gem and the muse will
find you.
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