Tag: random

Be silly

Wisdom from this book:

I do feel better on days that I try to do at least one thing that serious people would regard as silly. What’s the point of being serious all the time?

Does any one remember a silly 1970s-era commercial for Carefree Sugarless Gum with actors playing (debunked!) baseball inventor Abner Doubleday and his wife that went like this:

“Oh, Abner,” his wife scolded. “Don’t take the world serious.”
“That’s IT!” Abner said. “THE WORLD SERIOUS!”

Ever since, I’ve usually called it the World Serious, though I don’t keep up with baseball. Still, I’m excited that the Braves and the Astros will meet in the World Series. I grew up with the Braves as the closest thing to a home team (we lived about an hour and a half from Atlanta), and I will always love the Astros (Houston) for winning the championship in 2017 (a HUGE morale booster for Houston after the Harvey flood).

They are the only two baseball teams I’ve ever seen play in person in their home stadiums. What makes it more exciting is my friends, who are definitely in rival camps on this matchup. FUN!

Just one more try

I keep trying to find ways to make myself fall asleep and STAY asleep for a decent amount of time. I’m not sure why I wake up two or three times a night. I can’t even blame the pandemic, because I didn’t do this last year.

Today I finished a chapter, and instead of moving to the next one, I decided to let my brain rest by coloring. I pulled three books to search for a picture.

I picked the Steampunk book and colored this.

I kept making mistakes. Also, instead of just chilling or even thinking of what I want to write in my next chapter, I started writing a story in my head for these two. Then for some reason, I started thinking of “Gilmore Girls.” I think it’s because I was remembering an episode with a steampunk look. It’s been a few years; who knows.

I finished the picture and was browsing my Instagram friends’ photos, and got in the mood to watch a movie one of them was watching. That’s when I found out I no longer own it. I probably had it on VHS, which is a good indicator of how long it’s been since I watched it.

Instead of writing or coloring or watching anything, I’m going to take a warm shower, crank up the diffuser, put a great sleep blend I got from Body Mind and Soul on my pulse points, and see if tonight is the night I get a full night’s rest.

1 Page at a Time

I got this book some time back, but maybe I’ve only referred to it on Instagram, where I follow the author, Adam J. Kurtz (that’s the link to his website). He has another book coming out soon, You Are Here For Now which I plan to look for in a local bookstore and if they don’t have it, ask them to order it. Check out his site if you’re interested.

That’s a page from 1 Page AT A TIME that I chose to do today because sometimes, simple decisions are the only ones I have the energy to make. Even then, I ran a dialogue in my head (I like mustard just fine, but I probably eat ketchup on more things, but while I’d put a dash of mustard in potato salad, I would never put a dash of ketchup/ I love red and like wearing it but I live in the subtropics and blue is cooler/ I like my fries hot but my beverages cold/ why am I thinking of these in terms of food and beverages, is it because I forgot to eat lunch blah blah blah).

My choices:

Note that I took the footnote seriously and TOOK CONTROL when I couldn’t choose between two things.

Mood: Monday

I’m hoping to GET SHIT DONE today. I got up and let the dogs out while I mopped the library. Half the library, anyway. I did today’s Lord Cuttlebone post on Instagram. I’ve also paid bills and…

This is embarrassing, but I’ll share it anyway.

The last TJB novel was published in 2007. There was a TJB email account where readers could contact us. When you’re not publishing, those emails dwindle to nothing. In 2013, Timothy and I became involved with an animal rescue organization that kept us busy, and from that time forward, the TJB email didn’t get checked. This morning, I logged into it for the first time in… well, eight years. There were almost 700 emails, most of which could be deleted, some of which were business-related and needed to be filed, and then there was, yes, reader email that spanned five years.

I answered those without knowing if any of those people still have those email addresses. Or if they remember TJB or those novels. Or if they care. Or if they’re even alive (I HOPE THAT THEY ARE ALL ALIVE AND THRIVING!).

I then did the same for a pseudonymous account under which I’ve written short fiction. It had about half as many emails, only business and junk, no reader emails. So at least THAT author behaved better.

I think any email for the Cochrane Lambert novels (2004 and 2005) went through our gmail. accounts, which are still active. Maybe. I can’t remember. They’re from so long ago that I doubt any reader has tried to reach us.

I’m going to take a shower and then spend the day writing novels that will likely have few readers, hopefully NEVER neglected ones.

Eep!

Twenty things

Once again, I’ve gone through my phone to delete things I’ve saved that struck me for one reason or another at the time. I still like to keep them, thus I’m going to drop them here, and put around half of them behind a cut. You might also need some humor, beauty, or wisdom and find a few of these interesting.


This took my breath away, as it would one of my characters. Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly backstage at the 1956 Academy Awards.


Could NOT stop laughing at this. Parenthood.


A business clearly intent on getting money from me. Possibly founded by one of my characters.


THIS. This is what I want my love stories to convey.

I can’t believe October 6 marked a year since we lost Eddie Van Halen. I remember vividly where I was when I found out and the things I did afterward.

Continue reading “Twenty things”

Destiny

Do you believe that people can be destined to meet or come into one another’s lives? Not only lovers, but others?

Fate? Kismet? Karma? Past lives? Soul mates? How do you think of such meetings? Can there be multiple people in one’s life who are meant to be?

Are they always good for us? Are they meant to teach us lessons? To heal us? To right a past wrong or fulfill a promise? Or are we meant to do those things for them?

Do we sometimes have them only for a time and then let them go? Does not letting them go (whether physically or emotionally) cause more suffering than their absence would bring us?

These questions have always intrigued me.

Awareness

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. September 5 through September 11 is Suicide Prevention Week. World Suicide Prevention Day is today, September 10.

Here are some numbers if you are having thoughts of suicide or you are in crisis or you are concerned about someone who is. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE IN CRISIS TO REACH OUT FOR HELP. If you are experiencing depression, sadness, stress, or anxiety, or you are worried about a friend or family member who is, you can call these numbers and get assistance in finding the right resource for your needs.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text Hello to 741741

YouthLine: Text teen2teen to 839863, or call 1-877-968-8491

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: call or text 1-800-422-4453

National Domestic Violence Hotline: Text “START” to 88788 or call 1-800-799-7233

National Deaf Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-855-812-1001

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN): 1-800-656-4673

The Trevor Project for LGBTQIA+ kids and teens: 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678678

Trans Lifeline for transgender and questioning callers: 1-877-565-8860 [available between 7 a.m. and 1 a.m. PST (9 a.m. to 3 a.m. CST or 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. EST), but operators are often available during off-hours, so no matter when you need to call, you should.]

A few other LGBTQIA helplines that offer support, but not necessarily crisis intervention:

LGBT National Hotline: 1-888-843-4564
LGBT National Youth Talkline: 1-800-246-7743
LGBT Senior Hotline: 1-888-234-7243

For any kind of emergency situation related to drug or alcohol use, you should call 911 or your local emergency line.

SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357: If you are struggling with addiction or are concerned about a loved one’s alcohol or drug abuse, you can contact the hotline for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This US government agency offers support and information about treatment and recovery.call 911 or your local emergency line.


This information was compiled from a C|Net Health and Wellness webpage.

Mood: Monday

I have not had enough sleep and I am in a mood. Saw the below list from a Twitter account I follow and decided to remind myself I’ve done a few things. The purple checks are because I have walked in the surf though I didn’t swim in the Pacific, and I went on a gambling cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico overnight so… cruise?

I learned to drive on a stick and can drive both a stick on the floor and the steering column.

Not on the list, but I’ve had nine novels and several short stories published.

My characters have been in Italy, Ireland, Australia, France, Canada, England, and probably lots of other places I don’t know about. Okay, I know that doesn’t count. =)

Tense

I got upsetting news today, and it’s taken the wind right out of my sails. I’m sure I won’t be stranded here for long. It’s not my nature. But I don’t have the emotional stamina to come up with a blog post.

I did have a breakthrough in a chapter today. That’s something positive. So here’s a writer/English teacher joke.