F³A: Seclusion

Okay, first off, who likes the new blogger look?  I'm trying to use it, but I think I prefer the old.  Why does everything have to change?  I fear change.

Okay, I'm in seclusion.  I have tons of work to do.  Put swag packs together, write 5 million postcards, send arcs, work on a discussion guide, make lists, and hopefully, some revisions.

I have three days. (I did a little last night, but I also made a video and had a 2k12 twitter chat last night, plus I was pooped)  I'm thinking with very little distraction (I am going to move away from the computer soon). I should be able to get most if not everything done.  Oh yeah, and I'm going to visit a couple bookstores and the library here and drop off some book marks.

That's it.  I have too much to do today.

Friday Nibbles. (I don't like the name nibbles, anyone got any other ideas?)

Random Pandora Song: Shattered by O.A.R.

Book of the Week: OyMG by Amy Dominy, yes I haven't finished yet, I've not had a spare moment to read.  I think I'll try to read this weekend to.

Netflix of the Week: Monk.  Still enjoying phobic, OCD Adrian Monk.  I have five seasons left.

Quote of the Week: "I have found that some people are meant to stay in your life while others you have to let walk away." ~ Cari of Cari's Book Blogs

I have been thinking about this myself this week, so when she posted it today, I had to share.

Have a great Labor Day weekend everyone!!

F³A: Videos, the weather, and awesome reviews

Looks like fall is back in the Pacific Northwest.  It's nice and foggy out. sigh.  Glad I got some yard work done yesterday (not really by choice).

Be prepared for more ranting coming your way from yours truly now that the sky is turning gray. (what's the difference between gray and grey?  I'll have to look that up)

I want to share a review I received yesterday that pretty much made me cry.  In a good way.  Read it here.

So, I made a new trailer for Never Eighteen.  I want your opinion.  I did a voice over rather than titles this time.  I want to know if you like the old version better, or the new.  You can find the old version on my youtube page.

Here is the new.

I also started a new vlog series.  Middle Aged Angst.  You can find it here.  The video quality isn't the best, I used a new program.  Will have to go back to the old software for the next one.

That's all for the cold gray Friday.  Leaving you with my nibbles:

Random iPod Shuffle Song: The Sun by Joe Purdy. He was letting you download songs for free on his website.  Not sure if you can do that anymore.

Netflix of the Week: I'm going with, My Girlfriend's Boyfriend with Alyssa Milano.  I've been watching a lot of indie movies lately.  This one looked okay.  I wasn't expecting much.  However, what seemed to be the run of the mill romantic comedy had a crazy twist toward the end.  I liked it.

Book of the Week: Still, OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy.  I started it, it's awesome, just have NOT had time to read.

Quote of the Week: I found two I like this week.  "Almost all my middle-aged and elderly acquaintances, including me, feel about 25, unless we haven't had our coffee, in which case we feel 107. " ~  Martha Beck

"Boys will be boys, and so will a lot of middle-aged men. " ~ Kin Hubbard

F³A: Change

It's been a strange ride, this last few years.  From the most horrible things to the most wonderful things: depression, nervous break down, book deal, divorce, dating, winning friends, losing others, and amazing trips to Disneyland, Sundance, Arizona, New York.  Seriously, a tangible rollercoaster ride of life.

It's strange how our experiences in life can change us so dramatically.  They can change our feelings and emotions, our mental capacity.  They can change us physically (my changes added 25 pounds to me, which I need to get rid of STAT!)  Our experiences mold us into who we become.

I was once a submissive housewife.  Raising kids, cleaning, doing laundry, grocery shopping.  I was the ultimate soccer mom, a title I don't think I deserve anymore.  Life has changed me.  I'm stronger mentally and emotionally.  I still do the household stuff, I have to because now it's just me and Thing One and Thing Two.  I only have my kids half time. I miss them terribly when they're not with me.  I have yard work.  Lots of it, which of course can only be done when the weather permits, which is sporadic at best here in the PNW. I'm still a soccer mom, only the ultimate has changed.  I no longer help at practice, I basically run the money and buy the uniforms.  That part of it saddens me.

I used to screw around on Facebook all the time, and writer forums.  Now since I've divorced and had to get a day job, there's really no time for that.  I sometimes feel I'm losing those connections I made through my writing.  That I'm not there as much and I'll be forgotten.  I miss many of those people who I daily emailed, who made me laugh all the time.  Those who I flirted with.  But like I said, life and experience changes people.

Now I'm a marketing coordinator. That's my title at my day job.  And I'm damn good at it.  I've saved the law firm thousands of dollars a year already.

And I'm a writer.  But along with that comes even more, and I don't think people know how much.  We have to sacrifice our time.  Because along with the writing comes making connections, and hours of editing, marketing, and promotion.  Sometimes the latter takes so much time I don't have time to write.  In fact, I haven't written a new word in weeks. 

Yep, a rollercoaster.  Do I have regrets?  Of course, who doesn't.  But this is the life I chose.  My experiences have taken me down this path, and it's a path I want.

This is me.  Writer, Marketer, Promoter, Editor, Mom, Maid, Cook, Assistant to myself.

Sorry for the lengthy discourse.  It happens when I think too much.

I'll leave you with the Friday Nibbles.

Random iPod shuffle song (Thing Two finally found her iPod, well actually, her dad did): Nicki Minaj, Right Through Me.

Book of the Week: OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy.  Starting it today.  I've heard it's wonderful.  Amy is wonderful in her own right.  She is a member of the Class of 2k11.

Netflix of the Week: I'm sticking with Arrested Development.  I just finished the entire series. A show that ended before it's time should have been up.  It's hysterical

Quote of the Week: "If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies."  ~Author Unknown