Blog Tagged!

I was blog tagged by Harlequin Superromance author Jeannie Watt . One of the reasons I love her is....she writes cowboy!! Her blog is even appropriately named Cowboy Country. When you get time please check out her site. Her latest book The Horseman's Secret is a wonderful, heart-warming story about a single father learning to let go and love again.

The Horseman's Secret, September 2007
Single Father - Cowboy Country by Jeannie Watt
Harlequin Superromance #1444288 pages ISBN: 0373714440Paperback$5.50

Life was supposed to be less complicated here…

But it’s not working out that way for Regan Flynn. Her new job at the high school came with a difficult boss and an even more difficult twelve-year-old student. And then there’s the girl’s charming cowboy father, the local horsetrainer with More...

Okay ~ Here's the deal:

Players offer eight random habits/facts about themselves. If you’re tagged, you need to write your own blog about your eight things and post those rules. At the end of you blog post, you need to choose someone to tag (supposed to be eight but I don't know that many) - and list their names.

If I tag you...you don't need to feel obligated to tag out to others or if you choose not to participate...you're not going to hurt my feelings. So many of us have a hard time finding time to blog, much less being tagged by bunches of friends. If you participate, don't forget to leave your people a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

And now, eight random things about me:

1....I have a dream ~ I want to grow grapes. Yep...I want to own a vineyard. I love wine but only sweet whites. I HATE reds and think most of them taste like tire. Not that I know what a rubber tire tastes like...

2....Jeannie collects Mr. Potato Heads....Have you seen the ones that look like Pirates? They've even got one that looks like a Transformer. I collect Angel figurines.

3....I love to cook. I love to watch Food Network and try out recipes on my family. And I guess I do ok cause they don't complain...much.

4.... I have to agree with Jeannie on this one ~ I love good coffee. Especially in the Fall and Winter!

5....When we lived out in the country we had eight dogs. Yes, we went broke feeding the huge beasts. Why is it when idjit people drop off dogs in the country they all weigh 100 lbs or more? Only two of the eight were ours that we actually got ourselves. Hubby had a Blue Heeler and my bro gave us his black Lab when he moved into an apartment. The hard part was finding good homes for the remaining ones when we moved back to town.

6....I ran over my wedding present. We had a teacup Chihuahua (my lapdog) but she loved being outside, running with the big dogs. And she ran right under the truck one day.

6....I used to sleepwalk. Ok, that's kinda boring but there it is.

7....My fourth great-grandfather was the last Chickasaw Chief before they were forced to move to Indian Territory (Oklahoma). But with blonde hair and blue eyes...I guess the Scottish side prevailed.

8....I dream of writing historicals and mystery novels when I grow up. I am totally focused on Harlequin right now...but one of these days...

Your turn ~ Jennifer, Erin, Tammy, Patricia

Happy writing!!

Responsibility of Journalism

Ok, fair warning is given. I am going to rant. I am pretty pissed. I am a mom.

A local state college, Oklahoma State University in Stillwater has had a major controversy brewing with a major newspaper based in Oklahoma City. I have never cared much about learning their distribution range...until now. A female sports writer has opened a BIG can of worms and as a parent I am outraged at the article she recently printed which is at the center of debate. And I'm not a fan of the college either, but...

Do any of you have children that play sports or have ever participated? What about college sports or amateur level? How would you as a player, parent, sibling or...human with feelings...deal with a sports writer...male or female...or respond when someone writes an article in a MAJOR sports column and basically calls you a wuss. Ya know...wimp...wienie...yellow...what about chicken?

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy is being called out as having acted unprofessionally and inappropriately...my opinion is he set out to repair an undeserved ridicule by overshadowing the damage created by someones printed "observations". The coach not only showed his support for his player but inspired others by standing up for a player that was mercilessly attacked.

Long story made short - kinda - reporter has the freedom to write a story based on her "observations" and claims an anonymous source backs her "facts" about a young college athlete she claims is being replaced as quarterback because of his attitude...not ability. She claims he got "nicked" a couple of times and was scared to finish out the game. She said he was sitting it out instead of gutting it out.

This reporter belittled an amateur athlete who is playing a GAME. Not every player has NFL aspirations and deserves to be rated by her in terms of ability. She says she has the right to state her opinion. Yes she does. God bless America. But, has she ever played football? Has she ever been tackled by a 300 lb. 6'5" defensive tackle? Was she sitting next to this kid asking him what was going through his mind? Was she present when she claims his mother fed him "chicken" after the game? Her column was fiction and opinion...as for ethical...she didn't supposedly state anything in the article that could be legally contested.

Inspiration

Yesterday I let you guys peek through a little window into our chaotic life happenings. I guess what I was doing was making excuses for not being motivated to write. I love to hear success stories and often search out writer's tips on websites I'm directed to by other writers. But something I read today made me feel ashamed of my weak excuses. BooHoo. I have healthy, active children and a busy schedule. I know PLENTY of others in my same predicament.

What about persevering against adversity to follow a dream? What if a disability threatened to interfere? I'd like to think I'm a strong person...but you never know how you'll deal with life when it slaps you in the face. I felt bad awhile back about losing touch with a high school BFF. When I decided to contact her, she spilled about her life since our last contact. Her marriage had gone downhill and her dream for another child had been denied when she was diagnosed with MS. But what really stuck in my mind after we hung up was her negative perspective. Was it her disappointment and anger in how cruel life could be? How would I go through my daily life in her shoes? I've often said if you're unhappy with your life...talk to someone else. One of my beautiful crit partners is dealing with this disease as well and we're often worried when her symptoms flare. But she's strong. She has to be because she's a single mom.

I came across another inspiring story I want to share with others facing blocks like I am. Linda Broday is a member of RWA and got "the call" in 2002, after her MS diagnosis in 1999. Please...if you're needing inspiration or a kick in the butt. Read her story.

Writing With A Disability

I double dog dare you to complain after that. Get off your (in my case anyways) cushy tushy and put it on paper. I don't care if it's a paragraph. But try for a page at least.

Motivation

I've been a really baaaad girl. Or should I say...bad writer. I've had so many things going on lately that when I opened my file to work on a chapter, I shut down. Literally. One time, I kept nodding off. It was as if my characters were talking in a monotonous monologue. Just droning on in the same low key without changing pitch. Another time it was like my Hero was pouting and refused to speak to me. Ugh!

I know we've had alot going on...the Suburban broke. So we compromised and got a new one. LOL. Easy enough. Then my 4 yo had an accident and I've been super paranoid with watching over him. The little Boston Terrier we have ran full force into his legs from behind and knocked him flat on his back. He had the breath knocked out of him but he kept holding his back. I ran to his side because I didn't see what happened so of course I was freaking out trying to get him calm and breathing again...but his eyes rolled back and he fell face first onto the concrete floor. When I tried to pick him up, while screaming at the top of my lungs for my mom, he stood and when I tried to pick him up and he straightened, jerking as if having a seizure. The only way for me to reach my hubby was by the Red Cross. But the baby calmed down and started breathing and was able to look at me without confusion. We thought it was either a concussion or seizure but the Dr. is sure it was just that the baby got scared when he had the breath knocked out of him. Anyway...no bumps, bruises or dents. No spinal cord trauma or concussion. He's back to his cute little sneaky self.

Ok, focus. What motivation? Well...I got my RWR magazine in the mail from RWA today and my eyes immediately found an article meant just for me. Actually it was a feature by six New York Times best-selling authors. It was titled...Surviving Your Career. Very interesting but the section I'm reminded about for today's blog was by Lisa Kleypas ~ How to Stay Motivated by More than Dollars. One of the key points she talks about is our roles as women. Regardless of what our responsibilities are, she emphasizes how we push ourselves a little too far at times. As writers we need motivation...a muse...whatever. As women we need nourishment. Not necessarily from good or healthy food. LOL, both if you like healthy food, I guess it can be good, too. But we need to take a time out for ourselves. Our sanity. A bubble bath with candles...can't say a quiet one because I tend to hear screaming kids behind the door. Or sneaking away for a movie. Finding quiet time to read a good book. But what I came away with was she talks about feeding our inspiration.

Sometimes it can get pretty difficult...I can attest to that. But I think we can be better writers if we can sneak away every once in awhile. Doesn't have to be necessarily running away from home...but maybe after the family is in bed. Or before the household wakes to our chaotic reality. But try to feed your inspiration. Even if it's a good read in between errands or activities.

I will conquer my chapter. I can do it. I am woman, hear me roar. (Even if it's a really loud burp from the greasy taco I had at lunch.) I guess it's time for my Hero to get a little nookie so he'll quit pouting.

MySpace Warning

Hey everyone...sorry I've been absent lately. Our Suburban broke down and I've been a little busy. Got the U-Joints fixed and it was still making a nasty noise. Had two different people convinced the transmission and/or rear end was going out. So we compromised and bought a new truck. LOL! Anyhoo...A friend emailed me something I had heard before but it was a strong enough message I wanted to pass on:


EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ ALL OF THIS and HAVE CHILDREN READ IT TOO!

After tossing her books on the sofa, she decided to grab a snack and get on-line. She logged on under her screen name ByAngel213. She checked her Buddy List and saw GoTo123 was on. She sent him an instant message:

ByAngel213: Hi. I'm glad you are on! I thought someone was following me home today. It was really weird!

GoTo123: LOL You watch too much TV. Why would someone be following you? Don' t you live in a safe neighborhood?

ByAngel213: Of course I do. LOL I guess it was my imagination cuz' I didn't see anybody when I looked out.

GoTo123: Unless you gave your name out on-line. You haven't done that have you?

ByAngel213: Of course not. I'm not stupid you know.

GoTo123: Did you have a softball game after school today?

ByAngel213: Yes and we won!!

GoTo123: That's great! Who did you play?

ByAngel213: We played the Hornets. LOL. Their uniforms are so gross! They look like bees. LOL

GoTo123: What is your team called?

ByAngel213: We are the Canton Cats. We have tiger paws on our uniforms. They are really cool.

GoTo123: Did you pitch?

ByAngel213: No I play second base. I got to go. My homework has to be done before my parents get home. I don't want them mad at me. Bye!

GoTo123: Catch you later. Bye

Meanwhile......GoTo123 went to the member menu and began to search for her profile. When it came up, he highlighted it and printed it out. He took out a pen and began to write down what he knew about Angel so far.

Her name: Shannon
Birthday: Jan. 3, 1985
Age: 13
State where she lived: North Carolina
Hobbies: softball, chorus, skating and going to the mall.

Besides this information, he knew she lived in Canton because she had just told him. He knew she stayed by herself until 6:30 p.m. every afternoon until her parents came home from work. He knew she played softball on Thursday afternoons on the school team, and the team was named the Canton Cats. Her favorite number 7 was printed on her jersey. He knew she was in the eighth grade at the Canton Junior High School. She had told him all this in the conversations they had on- line. He had enough information to find her now.

Shannon didn't tell her parents about the incident on the way home from the ballpark that day. She didn't want them to make a scene and stop her from walking home from the softball games. Parents were always overreacting and hers were the worst. It made her wish she was not an only child. Maybe if she had brothers and sisters, her parents wouldn't be so overprotective.

By Thursday, Shannon had forgotten about the footsteps following her. Her game was in full swing when suddenly she felt someone staring at her. It was then that the memory came back. She glanced up from her second base position to see a man watching her closely. He was leaning against the fence behind first base and he smiled when she looked at him. He didn't look scary and she quickly dismissed the sudden fear she had felt. After the game, he sat on a bleacher while she talked to the coach. She noticed his smile once again as she walked past him. He nodded and she smiled back. He noticed her name on the back of her shirt. He knew he had found her. Quietly, he walked a safe distance behind her. It was only a few blocks to Shannon's home, and once he saw where she lived he quickly returned to the park to get his car. Now he had to wait. He decided to get a bite to eat until the time came to go to Shannon's house. He drove to a fast food restaurant and sat there until time to make his move.

Shannon was in her room later that evening when she heard voices in the living room. "Shannon, come here," her father called. He sounded upset and she couldn't imagine why. She went into the room to see the man from the ballpark sitting on the sofa. "Sit down," her father began, "this man has just told us a most interesting story about you."

Shannon sat back. How could he tell her parents anything? She had never seen him before today!

"Do you know who I am, Shannon?" the man asked.

"No," Shannon answered.

"I am a police officer and your online friend, GoTo123."

Shannon was stunned. "That's impossible! GoTo is a kid my age! He's 14. And he lives in Michigan!"

The man smiled. "I know I told you all that, but it wasn't true. You see, Shannon , there are people on-line who pretend to be kids; I was one of them. But while others do it to injure kids and hurt them, I belong to a group of parents who do it to protect kids from predators. I came here to find you to teach you how dangerous it is to talk to people on-line. You told me enough about yourself to make it easy for me to find you. You named the school you went to, the name of your ball team and the position you played. The number and name on your jersey just made finding you a breeze."

Shannon was stunned. "You mean you don't live in Michigan?"

He laughed. "No, I live in Raleigh. It made you feel safe to think I was so far away, didn't it?" She nodded. "I had a friend whose daughter was like you. Only she wasn't as lucky. The guy found her and murdered her while she was home alone. Kids are taught not to tell anyone when they are alone, yet they do it all the time on-line. The wrong people trick you into giving out information a little here and there on-line. Before you know it, you have told them enough for them to find you without even realizing you have done it. I hope you've learned a lesson from this and won't do it again. Tell others about this so they will be safe too?''

"It's a promise!"

That night Shannon and her Dad and Mom all knelt down together and thanked God for protecting Shannon from what could have been a tragic situation.

*****NOW****

FORWARD THIS TO PEOPLE WITH OR WITHOUT KIDS SO THEY CAN SEND IT TO FRIENDS THAT HAVE CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN.

Just for you Honey!!

Smooth Ride to Lubbock Baby!!!!

Seasons

I'm about to have a heart attack...a sure sign of the season.

I love my boys...but school has begun. I actually have time for myself in the evenings when they go to bed and mornings while #2 is in pre-k. With the start of school...comes the weather change. But with the school year...COLLEGE FOOTBALL!!!

Yes...I'm one of those. It's the only sport I like. My OU Sooners have a young team and are doing well. They are playing an old rival this week and making up for past wrongs as we speak. The only thing that could make my day better is for hubby to be home watching and cheering beside me...and working the grill at half-time. It is our favorite time of year and it only gets better.

Fall. I LOVE cool weather and the upcoming holiday season. But the start of school is what triggers all of my favorites! What is your favorite time of year or holiday...why?

Cowboys, cowboys and cowboys...oh my!

They are having a great conversation over at Love is an Exploding Cigar about my FAVORITE subject of all time...cowboys.

Check it out but in the meantime...here are pics of my favorite cowboys. One is my gorgeous hubby but guess who the other is.

Ahhh...to be young and skinny again!!!

Write What You Know

Okay...several things come to mind when I hear this phrase. It's a saying I've heard repeatedly within the publishing industry. I read a blog recently that really struck home in relation to what I think about when I hear it. I live in a small, rural community and I have young children...I also have a husband working in a war zone so our family can have a better future. My hero. Does that mean I should write a story about our life and top it off with a happily-ever-after. I could. Very easily. But we all know...excuse me...shit happens.

Six years ago...two months before I married a man I absolutely adored and wanted to spend the rest of my life with...he was told he had cancer. The DR. said that because his "belly" was tender that it had probably spread throughout his body. We were frantic. He had just switched jobs and didn't have insurance...he was a big, strapping country-fed cowboy ~ what did he need insurance for? I'm sure I could weave several stories out of what happened next. Short story...it wasn't cancer and we had quite a few outrageous medical bills, all because the DR. was retiring and needed a nice little nest egg.

But would it sell? It happens to a lot of people. Life tends to do that. What about if I wanted to write about a bull-rider? I could. I can write about anything I want to. Nana nana boo-boo. Whatever.

It's called research. So why should I write what I know...maybe emotional aspect? How do these great authors write about subjects they've only researched and put an emotional spin into the story and still sound believable? Cause they're good. So when they say write what you know...what does it mean to you?

Where do I belong?

I love the little blog cool thing website with the little quizzes. Hey...I need a little down time every now and then, too. A giggle goes a long way! Where do you belong?

You Belong in 1994

With you anything goes! You're grunge one day, ghetto fabulous the next. It's all good!

What Year Do You Belong In?

Or you could walk on the wild side a little...........

You Are a Log Ride

You prefer to live a fairly calm, relaxed life... with a few surprises thrown in. You don't tend to get yourself worked up easily. You can roll with what life throws at you. In relationships, you are steady and solid. You maintain a pretty broad perspective on what's going on. That's not to say you can't get swept away. You're emotions run as deep as anyone else's. Your life seems like it has been remarkably easy so far. But that's due to how you manage it. You never stretch yourself too thinly, and you think out your decisions carefully. Taking the time to enjoy each day is important to you, and you don't let your emotions rule you. You stay the course and do what's right... knowing it will all work out in the end. At your best, you are tolerant and understanding of other people's quirks. You take "go with the flow" to the extreme. Even if you don't like where you're going. At your worst, you repress your feelings and end up being a little tightly wound. You definitely have some explosive emotions that occasionally come to the surface!

What Carnival Ride Are You?

Just for you honey!

Sorry guys...bear with me while I show hubby pictures of a manufactured house I looked at over the weekend. We're looking at all of our options besides taking a year to build. They are making these houses so much stronger now and pretty nice detail work on the inside.

2280 sq. feet 25 yr warranty on roof and I think 10 yr warranty on the siding.

Master Bed Closet is huge!

Game Room looking into Kitchen ~ Laundry Room has room for the freezer.

Master Bath ~ Shower & Garden Tub W/rock (& MOM :)

One side of tub has linen closet and toilet is on the other side with door.

Game room ~ Front Door ~ Master Bedroom door

Other 3 bedrooms at the other end of house.

Kitchen w/big pantry (Mom) and Breakfast Bar

Dining Room w/ sliding glass door

Living room w/ fireplace looking at kitchen breakfast bar

(Ignore the wooden supports. They hadn't put the seams together yet.)

Kitchen Breakfast Bar (window seats in kitchen)

Fireplace w/ mantel ~ Door leading to middle bedroom.

The boy's rooms would have a bathroom connecting them together.

The 3rd bathroom is between the 4th bedroom and laundry room. But it can also be used as a guest bathroom cause it's right off of the living room w/ fireplace.