F³A: Little Disasters

I went to the Red Cross Real Heroes Breakfast a couple days ago. If you haven't heard of it, I'll lay it out for you. You know the Red Cross helps people all over the world with major disasters every day. Well, there are people in your community that help people with their own personal disasters too.

For instance, they honored a ranger just back from Afghanistan who broke into a 2nd story sliding glass door to save a couple trapped in a fire. Five teenagers that stayed behind, while others left, to do CPR on a man who had seized after having a heart attack in a church gym. A husband and wife, who did not hesitate to come to the rescue of a couple and their two babies when they smashed their car into a telephone pole...and others. You can actually read all the stories here.

The stories are inspiring and make you want to be a better person. I feel like I'm one of those people who don't pass by when I see people in need. I think I'm that person who would run into a burning building, or initiate CPR. Even little things...

Driving into the gas station the other day and I notice this kid at the air pump. His bike is leaning up against the pump and he's fishing through his pocket in obvious need of change. For some reason, air isn't free any more. There are four or five other cars at the gas station, just ignoring him. And this kid was obviously not a derelict, meth head or crook.

How hard is it to dig into your purse, car or pocket for some loose change?

By the time I parked my car and dug for my change, the kid had almost given up.

I found some quarters, "Do you need some change?"

"I just need a quarter."

I hold my hand out and he comes to get it and thanks me.

Little disasters. A little helping hand.

It literally hurts my heart (yes literally, my chest is in pain as I write this) how apathetic we are as a society any more. Yes, it's easy not to volunteer our time, we are busy, I get that. But when you see a kid who just needs to pump his tire up...can't you at least give him some change?

I think that's why as a writer I try to visit schools and so far I've done it for free. (I think I've been paid twice, and I think those were both libraries, but I could be wrong). I am busy, my life is chaotic, hence the name of my blog, but I would like to do a better job with my volunteerism. I've already offered my services to my college alumni association and a new non-profit dedicated to at risk youth. I would also like to volunteer at my local children's hospital, but so far, only seem to have found the time to open my check book for them.

And I do hope that I am one of those people, like the ones I saw honored the other day, that can dive into a black lake to find a drowning child, or stand strong so that someone fighting for their life can find their way back.

I do not want to be one of the apathetic. I do not want to ignore those that need my help...

Okay, Friday Scribbles...

Pandora queue song: Monster by Imagine Dragons

Book of the Week: I bought Insurgent. I haven't started it yet, but I'm excited to.

Netflix of the Week: I've watched nothing this week, so, you pick!

Quote of the Week: There were actually a couple I liked...

"A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

In the heat of battle, heroes emerge, sometimes from the most unlikely of sources.

BRIAN HERBERT & KEVIN J. ANDERSON, The Butlerian Jihad

Read more at http://www.notable-quotes.com/h/heroes_quotes.html#f9VKR1lpSb0MBtI4.99

"I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people." ~ Maya Angelou

"In the heat of battle heroes emerge, sometimes from unlikely sources." ~ Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson

Don't you hate it when...

...you're in the middle of writing a novel you think is different and new and the best thing since white chocolate, and no one will have ever thought up the idea, and then you come across a book (or a movie, or TV show) with the same general premise?

I do. I hate that.

After I wrote the superhero book, out came The Incredibles, Sky High,  and Heroes.

Last year a book came out with the same subject matter  as a book I wrote a few years back.

Then last week I found out there was a middle grade book with the same fantasy theme as one I just started writing!!!

The thing is, even though it's kind of annoying, it doesn't matter. Give two people or five or ten for that matter the same character, same setting, same plot line even and you're still going to get ten different manuscripts. No one will write the same story.

So next time you have that great next big idea, then find out someone's already writing it, don't get discouraged, don't stop, keep going. That other person and you can never write the exact same book. And hey, yours may be better. :)

The four songs that define the last four decades for me.

# 1 2000's

Sorry, I'm going to be showing my politics here, and I apologize for that, especially if you disagree, but this song just seemed to define the 2000's for me. We're in a recession, a war, the US dollar is taking a serious dive.

I'm wearing a black knit cap, skinny jeans, mini skirts, knee socks, and high tops.

I no longer wear a watch.

My kids are getting taller than me.

I've become a soccer mom.

I watch Survivor, Hell's Kitchen, Heroes, and the Office.

I loved the Batman movies, the Bourne movies, Shaun of the Dead, Sideways, and anything with Christian Bale, Edward Norton, Ewan McGregor, or Tobey McGuire.

I read Dennis Lehane, Dan Brown, Harlan Coben, The Harry Potter series, the Twilight series, and lots of other YA lit.

I began writing again.

I listened to hip-hop, rock, pop, indie, and alternative music. My daughter started liking Green Day when she was about eight. This song for me epitomized the 2000 decade. It's Holiday.




I turned 40 in 2009.

Thanks for reading
Kisses :*
Megan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrQDXqAVm88

"Holiday"

Say, hey!

Hear the sound of the falling rain
Coming down like an Armageddon flame (Hey!)
The shame
The ones who died without a name

Hear the dogs howling out of key
To a hymn called "Faith and Misery" (Hey!)
And bleed, the company lost the war today

I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies
This is the dawning of the rest of our lives
On holiday

Hear the drum pounding out of time
Another protester has crossed the line (Hey!)
To find, the money's on the other side

Can I get another Amen? (Amen!)
There's a flag wrapped around a score of men (Hey!)
A gag, a plastic bag on a monument

I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies
This is the dawning of the rest of our lives
On holiday

(Hey!)
(Say, hey!)

(3,4)

"The representative from California has the floor"

Sieg Heil to the president Gasman
Bombs away is your punishment
Pulverize the Eiffel towers
Who criticize your government
Bang bang goes the broken glass and
Kill all the fags that don't agree
Trials by fire, setting fire
Is not a way that's meant for me
Just cause, just cause, because we're outlaws yeah!

I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies
This is the dawning of the rest of our lives
I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies
This is the dawning of the rest of our lives

This is our lives on holiday