Wednesday Reviews

My husband decided to sign us up for Netflix and apparently I have decided that I will watch every single appropriate movie available for instant play in under a week because I CAN'T STOP. Somebody help me stop watching movies. They're taking over. :) But, in my new found obsession, I have discovered this gem--North & South. If you like Austen type movies, you will love this. And it doesn't hurt that Richard Armitage is in it (I didn't know he existed before this movie, but I'm sold). It is a BBC, which means it's about 4-5 hours long (divided between 4 episodes) but it was worth it. The story is set in the late eighteen hundreds and is about a girl who is moved from Southern England, with all its beauty, to the industrial North, with all its Richard Armitage beauty. Hmm, all this talk, I think I need to go watch the last episode of this series again. (Can't...stop...watching...movies...)

I Heart My Readers

Yes, I know I've said it before, but I'm feeling a lot of love for my readers right now. Not the I-want-to-make-out-with-every-last-one-of-them kind of love (even though I do) but the oh-my-goodness-I-forgot-how-important-readers-are-to-this-whole-writing-a-book-thing-and-I-appreciate-them-so-much kind of love.

They can see things I don't, they encourage me, they are the best. So, Candice, Natalie, Jenn, Linda, Tricia, Renee, Julie, Stephanie, Nicki, I love you guys. (Wow, I have a lot of readers--I obviously need lots of help) And don't worry, I won't try to make out with you (at least not today).

Feel free to gush about your readers in my comment section.

Maddeningly Unhelpful Advice-How to Give Yourself a Mid-Summer Charge

We were at my mom's house last night for Sunday dinner and my 2 year old niece was playing with the light switch. My mom is getting some work done on her kitchen and this particular light switch is without a plate. So my niece is turning the switch on and off, on and off, when she starts crying and grabbing her finger.

"What happened?" my sister asked.

"I'm pretty sure she just scratched herself on the metal. I mean there's no way she shocked herself or anything. See..." I then proceeded to stick my finger INSIDE (like an idiot). Buzzing sensations radiated up my finger into my hand and arm. (It was rather unpleasant) "Yeah, never mind. She shocked herself."

Cue obnoxious laughter from entire family. I guess when people tell you not to stick your finger in a light socket, there is a reason. Fun times.

Also, if you want a good laugh, you must watch the double rainbow guy. He will give you a real charge for the week (if laughing until your stomach hurts constitutes a charge).

Editing is fun (insert sarcasm here)

So I just finished editing the first draft of a book I recently completed. I still like it, which means I have at least four or five edits to go. When I feel like I never want to see its ugly face again then I'll know it's ready.

I'm sore now. Okay, that has nothing to do with editing. I started working out again after taking a ..... let's just say "a long" break. I started off doing half as much as I was before and my body is mad at me. I had a dream that I got in a car crash and kept asking people for pain medication. So even my sleeping body was sore.

In more uplifting news, Candy over at The Misadventures In Candyland is doing an awesome fundraiser/contest/really-cool-prizes-that-you'll-totally-want for a great cause. So go check it out.

I'm Feeling Lucky

So last month (before all my crazy busyness) I won two contests. It may seem like I'm bragging.....and I guess I am. :) The first one was Elizabeth Mueller's where I won the most amazing Avatar package ever. There was candy and the movie and this:



Do I make a cute Avatar or what? (Elizabeth, you're awesome) I'm pretty much already tall enough to be an Avatar so now I just need to work on that blue skin and perhaps my muscles. Then I need one of those cool braid things so I can talk to Crazy Horse for real, and I'll be set.

Next I won Guinevere's contest and a set of three YA books, which I'm so very happy about. Thanks, Guinevere. I'm feeling lucky. I better go enter some more contests.

Maddeningly Unhelpful Advice-How to Frustrate Yourself

First of all, before I get into the advice I know you all came here for, I want to say: I'm back!! Yay. It's been so long. I've missed you. I started off with jury duty where I was selected to serve on a federal case: The United States Government was prosecuting a prison guard for beating an inmate. I now want to be a lawyer or write a book about lawyers. It was so interesting. We found him not guilty based on reasonable doubt. Also, side note, when being selected for a jury, do not smile at any time during the selection process or the defense attorney might ask you why you are smiling and when you say, "no reason," he might then say, "no, really, why are you smiling, what's going through your mind?" at which point you will become embarrassed and the answer, "I smile a lot, okay?" won't exactly work.

After that, I went to Utah for the fourth where I saw my awesome in-laws (and I totally mean that, I love my in-laws). We ate and ate and then ate some more. I wasn't there very long, but I also got to sneak in a visit with Natalie Whipple--I lost a bet and owed her lunch. If losing bets means I'm forced to eat amazing Chinese food with a great friend, I think I'll start losing more bets.

Next, I went to girls camp where I tested the theory that mosquito repellent doesn't actually work and proved this theory right by coming home with half a dozen mosquito bites. They still itch.

And now, onto your advice for the day: Frustration, a good way to achieve it. Because of our recent move, I've had to re-register my girls for school. As part of this, I have to supply the school with the usual: Social Security card, address verification, birth certificate, immunization records, a lock of hair, a vile of blood, my first born. You know, the usual. So of course, I can't find any of this stuff. File cabinet stuff is the last to be unpacked. It's not like any of these papers are important, right? But apparently every rejection letter I've ever received is VERY important, because those are perfectly in place. AHHHH!!! Yes, I'm frustrated. So if you want to be frustrated, too, make sure important papers are not organized correctly and nowhere to be found, but you have a place of honor for your rejection letters. Something's wrong here.