Banned Books - The Controversy Continues

A very important blog post if you care about books. Please read and comment. The controversy continues...

All Decked Out

The deck is now officially open! Many thanks to Ted of Ted O'Brien Construction for all his hard labor, attention to detail and incredible craftsmanship.

There's a place to sit and write (or eat), a spot near the chiminea to warm up at...

and lots of extra open space for seating and kicking back with friends and family. But most of all...

...the dogs like it, too!

Who Am I Meant to Be?

It isn't often that I take on-line quizzes, but this one, "Who Are You Meant to Be?" happened to pop-up in my "Daily Oprah" inbox at an ungodly, restless hour, so I took it for fun and was pretty amazed at the results. Try it yourself here.

My Results:

You are a stabilizer: You are the rock in a storm, the one others lean on. Loyal and committed in your relationships, you maintain a support system of like-minded people whom you look out for. (So what if you do it behind the scenes and don't get credit?) You're careful with money, cherish the familiar, and defend the traditions you care about.

You are a nurturer: You are caring and supportive in your personal relationships as well as in your job. Unselfish and altruistic by nature, you often anticipate the needs of those around you before they are aware of them. If there is one thing that brings you satisfaction, it's tending to others.

You are an artist: You came out of the womb with a paintbrush in your hand. Or maybe it was a flute or a castanet or a fountain pen to go with your poet's imagination. The point is, you're an original, and you know it. Even if you don't have a singular gift, you're drawn to the arts—anything creative, for that matter—and you have a unique way of looking at the world. Your need for depth and authenticity in relationships can lead to both great joy and profound sorrow, depending on whether others reciprocate. You don't care so much about adapting to group or societal expectations; your independence and sharp intuition propel you on your own path.

Okay, that's kind of scary - Stabilizer, Nurturer, Artist - I guess that pretty much sums it up! I love the "come out of the womb with a paintbrush in your hand." Well, not so much a paintbrush because I never got beyond stick figures, but I'll embrace the fountain pen for sure. As for the "rock in a storm," I give all my wonderful friends and family credit for that though I think "loyal and committed" is pretty accurate.

Try it yourself and see.

Renovations!

It has been a hot and sticky summer at best, and while others are lying low to try and beat the heat, nothing is quiet around here. The summer has been filled with the noise and busy activity of house renovations. Big renovations.

My apologies to my co-workers that I grew so accustomed to the noise of power hammers and saws that I forgot to mute my phone during conference calls!

First and foremost, I have a new roof over my head!

Thanks to Mike of MWS Construction and his crew, Justin and Ken, for all the "extras" you did for me including hauling twenty-five years worth of stuff out of my cellar and into the dumpster. I kept the guys well-hydrated with watermelon and drinks while they kept clearing things out for me.

Here's my good buddy, "Big Jim" Irish of Loon Ledge Landscaping after he excavated down seven feet to the foundation footing to lay a brand new perimeter drain to alleviate water pressure around the foundation. I can now say I've been "tarred" but not "feathered."  Jim, you're like a surgeon on that excavator.

In the midst of all this, the house got a fresh coat of paint in a brand new color, new carpets installed throughout and oh, how I love my brand new garage doors! I never thought I'd be so excited about a door, but after years of wrestling to try and get them to either stay up or down, I'm thrilled! Many thanks to Chris of Fimbel Garage Doors for all his hard work. When you didn't charge me to install the garage door opener "because I'm such a nice lady," I could have hugged you! Pay it forward, I say. You were awesome.

It's been a month of big trucks...

 

 

 

 

 

...and even bigger piles of dirt. Now that I think about it, perhaps I should have scheduled the new carpeting for after all the outside work was done. Oh well!

 

 

If anyone knows how to make a generator case look pretty, I'm listening. But we'll be powered up, finally, when Mother Nature strikes. I just need to find a way to "hide" the big green box. I won't mind it as much when everything is up and running in the middle of an outage - lights, fridge, furnace, computers, cable, phone, TV (oh yes - can't miss HGTV), running water, etc.

But of all the projects that are happening, have been done, or are still to come, I have to confess that the one I'm most excited about is...my brand new deck (being carefully constructed by Ted O'Brien). If you're looking for me after this week, just walk around back where I'll be happily ensconced on my gorgeous new composite deck, lounging away with friends (or writing away), glass in hand looking out over the woods, dogs by my side.

At one point I had so many construction signs posted on my front lawn, you would have thought I was running for office. I got to use my first nail gun ever - dangerous because it was so much fun. I still have some excavating equipment in my yard. Hmm...I think I might like another garden over there. (Just kidding, Jim!)

There are many more projects to come working from the outside in. The experience has been hectic to say the least, but I have been so impressed with not only the quality of work everyone has done, but the care and kindness each and every contractor has shown. In this day and age of shoddy workmanship and questionable practices, it is refreshing to know that there are many craftspeople still out there who care about the work they do. Thanks, Guys, from the bottom of my heart, for all your great work and care.

Now who will be the first to join me out on the deck?

100 Pages!

Today, I hit the 100-page mark on my latest project.

As I've said before, these milestones are significant to writers because they mark the hours of labor it takes to craft a story.

So what do I have to show for my 100 pages? A story that will likely be reorganized several times, have several plot details added (though I know some of them and am keeping a list), a lot more writing to come and some tough editing by my editor-agent when all is said and done.

But it's a significant place to be because I'm nearly half-way there. It's not just an idea anymore, but an unfinished novel whose story will be told. It's not just a seed anymore, it has roots and a stem and leaves starting to appear.

50 Pages!

When I had a regular running route, I marked my distance by familiar landmarks - the farm where the cows never came near the road, the house where the deer would often congregate along the edge of the woods, the pothole that I somehow managed to thankfully avoid.

Writers don't have concrete landmarks. We mark our pace when writing by our own sets of rules - the first chapter and perhaps if you write like me - the last chapter at nearly the same time, writing "The End" even when it isn't...

Today I hit the 50-page mark on my latest project. Like the hopeful millionaire watching the balls spin in the mesh tube, I watched the page count roll over to the "50" mark and sat back with relief. It doesn't seem like much, but to me it's a milestone - a landmark that says "I'm well on my way."

Facebook to Simplify Privacy Settings on Wednesday

Do you know who Facebook is sharing your information with?   

Facebook Launches New Security Feature

The Black Widows know about this new security feature on Facebook. Do you?

The New Sheriffs of Wall Street

Well, it's about time. Seriously, who better to watch the bottom line, ensure integrity and stability in the markets, and keep our investments safe and sound?

"Did I just hit a 'B' instead of an 'M'? Whoops!"