A few weeks ago I was in a very different state of mind. I was depressed, and I wasn't happy with much of anything. Life had just kept throwing those curve balls at me. One after another. I was looking for something, anything at all, to bring me back out of the funk I was in. Then I found it. I rediscovered the one thing I had always been able to count on. My writing. My writing had been taking hit after hit the past year. I wasn't even happy with anything I had been writing in months. I could always count on it before, but that wasn't even there to help me pull through.
That is until recently. I'm finally happy writing again. I've found someone to write with that is like me, and we just bounce back and forth together so well. I know some might not understand role play and all it involves, but it can certainly get the creativity going when you have had next to nil in the creativity department. That is where I've been for months. If I can't sit there and enjoy writing with someone else, then there is a problem. My muses are starting to wake up again.
Life is still a bit crazy, but things are starting to look up again. My modem died the other day, and I had to go out and pay eighty bucks for a new one. That sucked. They are still working on my roof. That sucks too. I'm able to handle it a bit better though because at the end of the day I have something that makes me smile again.
What a difference.
Wanting to get away
Ever just want and need to get away? For the past four days, they have been working on the roof of my building right over my head. Hammering and pounding and walking around with heavy shoes. It has been getting on my nerves, and today it is giving me the worst headache. Thankfully, I think they are finishing the work on the roof today. It has made me want to get away though. Just jumping on a plane and going somewhere exotic. I thought back to this one trip I took years ago on one of my Spring Breaks to Hawaii. I went to Maui for the week, and it was just an amazing trip. Amazingly I was able to find a way for two people to have a good time in Maui on a college student budget. You learn how to work around things. You figure out where you want to put your focus and then plan accordingly. Our hotel and flight were paid already, so it was just a matter of the week there. The hotel we rented was a problem at first because the first room we were given was not as promised. I know we could have handled that differently if we had somehow rented a home or condo of some sort like you can through places like Hawaiian Beach Rentals. The hotel was able to get us fixed up, but still it was a bit of hassle. I've always wanted to go back to Maui. It is just one of the best places in the world. I'd love to see some of the other islands as well, but first I need to get there. It'll happen eventually.
New to me
I love finding new music. Artists or groups that I'd never heard of before. A few weeks ago I was listening to my play list on random and a song from The Spill Canvas came on. Someone must have sent it to me, and I never listened. I fell in love. I picked up their two past CD's, and their new CD that just came out. I am so in love with their new CD it is so hard for me to pick just one song I love off of it. I've been stuck on Hush Hush for days. I finally listened to the rest of the CD this morning, and Reckless Abandonment is working its way into my head. They are alternative rock if that is your thing. I really love listening to them.
Something else new to me. Bionic Woman. I finally watched the first two episodes, and the show grabbed me from the first ten minutes. I need to watch the episode from last night still. Private Practice didn't click with me at all. They are ruining Addison I think. Bring her back to Grey's! More soon.
New York, New York.
One of the cities I've always wanted to visit is the city of New York. Being from Los Angeles, everyone always talks about New York. It is the other big city in this country, and growing up I was fascinated hearing about it. Central Park. Times Square. You read books, and a good many are set in NYC. One of my favorite television series, Sex & The City, was set in New York City. Who else wouldn't want to be Carrie Bradshaw? What about the Statue of Liberty? The Empire State Building? It is one of those cities that I've heard never really truly sleeps. One of these days I really want to go there. Just a take a tour and see all the sights you would want to see there. Ride on a subway train. I know that probably sounds silly, but it is just something I'd love to do.
I was looking around online, and I found this great site offering New York Tours. They have a bus tour that sounds really good, and a tour of Harlem music. For the television nut in me, they even have a tour of the sites from the television series The Sopranos. One of these days, I really want to make it there. Trusted tours also has Boston
Tours. That is another place I want to visit someday. It might not happen this year, but I want to go there someday. I'm adding it onto my list. 
Some quick TV thoughts
Yesterday, I watched the first two episodes of Cane, which is on CBS on Tuesday nights following The Unit. I kept meaning to watch it, but I think watching two episodes at once gives you the better feel of a new series to see if I want to put the effort into more. Cane stood up to my test, and I'll be watching more. It is about a Cuban family that runs a business, in what appears to be Miami. We have brothers and sisters and children all mixing about. It sort of has the upper class feel of Brothers & Sisters, and a similar story line to that series with one of the sons going off to Iraq, but other than those small plot points I found myself enjoyng the series. I hadn't had a good Hispanic series on television for awhile. I'm thinking back to Resurrection Blvd on Showtime for anyone that remembers that. Ugly Betty seems to poke fun at the culture. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Cane. Next up for me to watch, Private Practice. I'm off to do that now.
Everybody Hurts
I've returned here once again. I keep meaning to, but life just seems to hate me this year. The past few months have been especially difficult. I've reached burnt out phase. I started this blog two and a half years ago, and in that time I've met a lot of people. I've lost some people. I've met some I wished I hadn't. The week I started this blog, I had a brand new kitten. An adorable little guy I named JJ. He was the sweetest most adorable animal I had ever seen.
Yes, I said was. JJ died a couple of weeks ago. He got sick and two days later he left us. I sat by his side with my brother and my younger cat and we watched him go. We took him to be looked at, and they said he had a bad heart and he had an artery burst. There was nothing no one could have done to save him that wouldn't lessen his quality of life considerably.
I've watched death before. It is something I don't like to see. I watched my mom die twelve years ago. JJ was a sweet little guy. He had never done anyone any wrong. I know he is in a better place now, but I miss him. JJ had become my best friend after my other cat ran off a year and a half ago. He would spend his days with me. The first night after he passed the house was so quiet. He was one of those talkers. He'd walk around meowing all the time. I miss that.
Mikey is taking it well, but we can tell he is still wondering where his buddy went. We might get another kitten, but we're waiting another month or two yet. Losing JJ was probably the most difficult event of the last couple of months. Finances and car troubles are piling up on us here too. Life just needs to stop being so difficult. I know it isn't supposed to be easy, but where does it say it needs to be this hard? The irony of this situation right now? Everybody Hurts by R.E.M. just came on my playlist. Now how is that for irony?
Back To Basics
Those are the words that keep flashing through my head the last couple of days. I had changed in the past eight months. I made new friends. Changed my style of living here on the Internet, but in the end here I am just as I started before that time - on my own and happy. I tried to lean on others for my happiness, but all I really need to be happy is myself, my writing and those few here, online and off, that I call family. It always seems to come down to those same few people. As of now, I'm going back to basics. I'm going back to writing for me, and not for anyone else. I let myself get distracted. Never again.
Saturday Check-in
Been feeling under the weather the last few days, so I've been missing in action. I'm not disappearing again. Just had some things that came up. First, being sick, and the second dealing with some issue on line. It's kind of weird how you meet people here on the Internet. Sometimes you meet some really odd people. Sometimes even on the bit unstable side. I've had one such instance this past week, and it was a bit draining. I'm hoping it is settled now. I have my fingers crossed anyway.
Last night, I had my computer give me some problems. My monitor actually. It wouldn't turn on. then out of nowhere five minutes later it would turn on by itself. Then unplugged the power strip from the wall, plugged it back and now its fine. I went out and bought a brand new power strip today, and even picked up a new set of speakers. I'm keeping an eye on the monitor though in case it is breaking down. I still have a warranty through December, so it would be a matter of taking it in and having Best Buy replace it.
When it comes to computer, you don't realize how much you depend on them until they break down. A monitor is easy to fix, but what if your hard drive goes out? Even worse, what if you need to wipe your hard drive? There is a chance you'd lose all the information stored on your drive. I've had it happen to me before, more than once actually. It isn't a fun thing to have happen. Luckily, there are many ways to back-up your data. There is both sources online and offline these days. I found one such site online to help back up your computer data just a few days ago, Online data backup, secure and reliable. You really never know when the worst might happen. I'm glad it is only my monitor giving me a bit of a headache at the moment.
Saturday Ramblings
Posting three days in a row. I'm really trying to get back into this thing. I normally take Sundays off, so I might do that tomorrow. I've been following the news lately about the pet food recall. As a pet owner, it has concerned me. I don't feed my cats wet food, but I know of a few friends with cats that have fallen ill. When it came out yesterday that it was rat poison, I was angered by it. How could someone intentionally hurt animals like that? There really are some sick people in this world. It's sad and scary all at the same time. Really it is. Thing is there is no way to know about it happening until it happens. There was no way to know that the food was poisoned.
The other day I bought a poster on E bay. I've been to a few poster sites on line cause I like posters. I put new ones up regularly. I know one time I checked out this one site, and I found a coupon for a nice chunk off. I checked out a newly relaunched coupon site just yesterday to see if they had anything for the seller on e-bay, but no such luck this time. Maybe next time. It's still a great site to check out though. I'm always looking for a good deal.
Yesterday and this morning I took another look at the submission calls over at ERWA. My muses are tingling, but nothing yet. I lost one of my creative writing outlets I've had for the last eight months when I lost my writing partner. It was a sad day for me. Life just had other plans though. Maybe I can put that creative energy into something else. Have a great day everyone.
453. Silence
I don't feel like I'm really writing anymore. The writing I am doing right now isn't the writing I've always loved doing, and the writing I've wanted to make my life's work. I'm still writing though, and that should at least be something. It's a good thing anyway. I'm enjoying what I'm doing. I'm having fun, but it still isn't the same. I was looking at submission calls yesterday over on the ERWA site, and a few caught my eye, but deadlines are so soon. My muses are not cooperative when it comes to sitting down and writing something creative. I don't even write in here anymore, and I'm really going to work on changing that. Even if it a short entry.
Shocking as it may sound I don't even watch as much television as I used to. Shows build up on my DVR to watch later, and some series I've stopped watching altogether. I tell myself I'll download the episodes and watch them over summer, and I'll probably do that with one or two shows. The end of The O.C. got to me, even though I didn't watch the last six or so episodes. I did watch the last one, and I really liked how they did the ending. We know what happened to everyone in the end, and it left you wondering might happen next. They even left it open ended for some kind of spin off, but I doubt that would happen. Anything is possible.
I still watch my regular shows. Grey's Anatomy and Lost still have me hooked. I'm already tuning in to this season of Dancing With The Stars, and I'm firmly supporting Ian Ziering and Joey Fatone. Both did well this week, but it is way early to tell what will happen. I'm not tuning in this year to American Idol though. I just had no interest. Brothers and Sisters and Ugly Betty hooked me this season from early on in their seasons. Both are great shows, and I'm glad to see all of the above mentioned shows picked up already for next season by ABC.
There are some movies I'm really anxiously awaiting their releases too. Some coming out this summer including Lucky You, Fantastic Four 2, and Transformers. I've been waiting on those three for awhile now. I want to catch Music & Lyrics too, but we'll have to see about that. I really want to get back into my writing though. My muses are just silent.
452. Don't call this a comeback
It's been awhile. A long while. I won't make excuses for my long silence, and I doubt anyone that usually read this blog is still out there reading. If you are, give a shout out. I haven't updated since the day after Christmas. The last few months haven't been all that easy, and there were times I felt like I was drowning. The first few months of the years are always rough for me, and this year just hit me harder than most. The fact is it just kept hitting, and every time I picked myself up and dusted myself off I felt like something else was kicking me down. The last few days I finally feel that I've found my way to the end of a deep dark tunnel and there is some light at the end of it. For a bit there, I didn't think I would.
Things were just quite insane. I felt a bit insane. I turned thirty-one back in January, but I don't feel like I'm thirty-one. There are times I feel like I'm five. Times where I feel like I'm eighteen again, and then there are times when I feel like I'm eighty. I'm sure we have all had those moments where we feel like that. The other night I received an email from someone wanting to buy this blog from me because it had a history to it. I'm not sure if it was some joke or if the person was serious, but for the past two years this blog has been my life. I've poured so much of my heart, my time, my words and my experiences into it. This blog is me, and I could never sell it. Why would I want to?
It made me miss this blog though. I've come back here so many times over the last couple of months, and I had no idea what to even say. Words escaped me. For someone like myself that loves words, that was a bit hard to take. My words have even been slower to come the last couple of months, and there have been times I've considered giving up writing. Not altogether, but pretty close. My fiction is non-existent. I'm out of work again freelance wise. I've had some kicks in the writing department the last month or two that really set me into a tailspin.
I'm not saying right now this blog is entirely back, but I'm going to try. I miss it. I miss sharing things with all of you. I just didn't have much to share, and the things I did have to share weren't really all that positive. I hope you're all well out there.
451. Seconds chances and friendship
Wow. Been awhile since my last update in here. The holidays truly got the best of me. I'll get back into gear with things here in 2007, which isn't that far off now is it? This year seems to have gone by so fast. So much has changed in my life. Good changes that I didn't think were so good at the time. I lost friends, and I gained new ones. It's kind of weird how you meet people. They can come into your life at the strangest times, and then they just seem to stick. I'm not the best person at making friendships. I'm quiet. I stay to myself. I'm the kind of girl that likes to lurk among the shadows and just live my days to myself. Perhaps it is the writer in me that is that way. I see changes in my own friendships. I've walked away from some, and others have walked away from me. Sometimes it hurts, but more often than not it is supposed to end up that way. It is better in the long run for both parties.
I've seen friendships around me end and start. I've seen second chances once too many. Sometimes friendships are supposed to end. Sometimes there is just too much. Yet, the last thing you want to do is deny someone friendship, but I sometimes don't get how people can keep giving someone chance after chance. Sometimes things aren't meant to work out. You live your life, but sometimes I just want to take those around me and shake them a little. Maybe it is because I just don't want to see them hurt. I'm protective of those around me. I'd do just about anything for my friends if I'm able to do it. All they have to do is ask, and sometimes they don't even have to ask because I'll just end up knowing something isn't right. I have a good sixth sense like that. No matter what my friends do with their own lives I will support them. I won't control what they do.
I'll still be there, even if I'm sitting here wanting to pull them back and lock them in a room until they get whatever crazy idea they have in their heads out of it. It's like some people might actually like having people around them that have proven themselves untrustworthy. You just have to cross your fingers and hope it doesn't happen again. That's all you can do because the last thing you want to see is someone you care about hurt. I'm not all that good at letting people in again and again. Some say I walk away too easily and I just shut the person out. I move on so quickly sometimes because sitting here and thinking about over and over just makes me upset. I've been told I can be one of the coldest people at times, and at others I've been called one of the sweetness and nicest. I guess it depends on the person and the friendship involved. When I walk away, I usually stay gone. Their have been exceptions, but those have been few. I have had the same real life friends since I was in 1st and 7th grade. We don't talk much now, but I still care about them. My best friend since junior high just called a week or two ago to tell me she gave birth to her first son as I mentioned here the night she called.
You can also have the opposite which can happen. Two people that have no real rhyme or reason to why their friendships ended. Things just drifted apart. There was no argument. No fight to put some big end. At one time the two were so close that you thought the friendship would never end. It did though, and both are left to wonder why. They each think the other hates him, and it couldn't be further from the truth. I saw this happen just recently. I'm calling it my own Christmas miracle. Two friends. Both my best friends. I met one through the other, and they hadn't spoken in what could be close to two years now. Maybe longer. I'm not sure. I played matchmaker and brought the two of them back together on Christmas Eve. I usually don't do that because it could sometimes end up badly, but this time I have a good feeling these two will be okay. They were too close at one point to not be okay. Just seeing them talking again made me happy. Sometimes it is the little things like that happening that make things good in life, even if only in that moment.
I hope all you had a wonderful Christmas for those that celebrate it. If I'm not back before the end of the year, Happy New Year as well.
450. Circle of life
I was talking to a friend the other night, and he was telling me how the father of his friend had passed away suddenly back on Friday night. Not even an hour later, my best friend since junior high called me to tell me she had given birth to her first child, a boy. He was a bit early, and there was a few complications. He will be okay though, and he should be out of the NICU in a week or so. He was also born on Friday night around the same time. It made me think of the circle of life. People die and babies are born every day. Souls are brought into this world just as soon as they leave it. It is never ending. You never know which breath will be your last, but you aren't supposed to know really. You're just supposed to live each day like it may be your very last. Laugh as much as you can, cry when you have to and just breathe life in.
A friend of mine had surgery yesterday. Its minor surgery in the grand scheme of things, but even something could happen with the most minor of surgeries. I'm waiting on word from her, and it is made more difficult because this is mostly an online contact. We speak on the phone every day, but she wouldn't have her phone with her. So I'm worried. I know she'll be okay, but it is making me worry nonetheless. It's kind of funny though how one person can sort of help push aside differences when it really matters. Plus, it is the holiday season, and that has a tendency to bring people together as will.
Life is just crazy sometimes. The world keeps spinning. People keep dying. Babies keep getting born into this world. You live your life day to day because you have no other choice. It is your life, and only you can live it. I'm not much into the holiday spirit this year, but I'm not much of a holiday person. I try though because trying is all one really can do. I'm happy for the new life entering this world, sad for the one that left it, and worried for the friend I thought I had lost but I've only begun to know again after two years apart. So many emotions. They are all mixed together to make one big mess called my life.
448. And its December!
It seems every month or so, I take a break from blogging. I don't even mean to. It just ends up happening. I am thinking it happens either when I have nothing I have to say, I have something to say but I don't know how to say it, or I'm just too busy with other aspects of my life to give it the real attention it deserves. I think this recent break is due to a combination of the last two. This time of year always seems to get to me. I haven't been much of a holiday person since my late teens. It is just harder for me to get into the spirit of things, but I do make an attempt to. No matter how small that attempt may end up being, I do try.
This passed weekend was my father's eighty-first birthday. It was a low key kind of day. We really didn't do much of anything, but we really didn't need to. We spent the day with him. My brother and I live with him, so that's what we did. He has other children that live off in California, and only one sent him a birthday card. No calls. No other cards. He's eighty-one, and since we've all lost our mother you think we would know just how quickly he could be gone from us. It bothered me a little. I know relationships aren't exactly the best, but he's dad. He won't be around us forever. It would have been nice for them to show at least a small amount of effort. The one card that was sent didn't even arrive on time. I know I'm not the best daughter, but I'm here when it counts, and I'm the one staying with him to make sure he is okay in whatever amount of years he even has left.
The past couple of weeks have been spent throwing myself into writing in one form or another. I had a bit of an idea bite me for a story, but I got a paragraph in, and the words faded away. I always called myself a fiction writer, but I'm wondering if that is changing. I saw my writing horoscope a few days ago, and it mentioned something about a shift in focus in my writing, and I guess I really have shifted. Any storytelling I am doing is now in my interactive fiction with a few partners I've discovered around. I know I've seen an improvement in my fictional writing in those endeavors, so I'm thinking I stick to it, and I allow my fiction to return if it is going to. I've seen to found some small success with my non-fiction efforts. I'm just having a problem finding one steady position that will allow me the ability to make a living or contribute to that in any case. One never becomes a writer to make a steady income anyway.
I'll be back soon with some thoughts on television lately. December television hiatus is just about on us. I'm saving some shows on my DVR to watch in the weeks ahead, so I'm not bored silly!
Writer Blogs
Absolute Write Blogs
Daily Reads
Romance Diva Blogs
Alan Morgan
Annalee Blysse
Angeleque
Angelle Trieste
Anya Bast
Babe
Bebe Thomas
Bella Tyler
Bernadette Gardner
Bonnie Ferguson
Briana Duinn
Camy Tang
Canice Brown-Porter
C. C. Ellis
Chrissy Olinger
Ciar Cullen
Cora Zane
Crystal Jordan
Cynthia Justlin
Dana Belfry
Dayna Hart
Debora Dennis-Mills
Deborah
Dee Tenorio
Eden Bradley
Eliza Parker
Elle Fredrix
Ember Case
Emma Sanders
Erin Richards
Gina Welborn
Haven Rich
Heather
Heather Fowler
Imogen Howson
Jana J. Hanson
Jax
Jenna Bayley-Burke
Jennifer Bianco
Jennifer Leeland
Jennifer Shirk
Jodi
Jorrie Spencer
Kate Willoughby
Keziah Hill
Kissa Starling
Kristen Painter
Lara Rose
Laura Bacchi
Laura Middleton
Lauren Dane
Leesie
Liddy Midnight
Lori B. Grant
Loribelle Hunt
Lynn Daniels
L.K. Campbell
Maggie Jaimeson
Marty Kindall
M Barnette
Melissa Francis
MG Braden
Monica Jackson
Nalini Singh
Naomi
Paige Tyler
Pamela K Kinney
Pamela Tyner
Paranormality Universe
Richelle Mead
Racy Li
Rhonda Stapleton
Robin L. Rotham
Rose Middleton
Sabrina Brayden
Sally Painter
Sapphire Phelan
Sara Dennis
Sara Thacker
Sasha White
Sela Carsen
Selah March
Shari Straight
Shawn Monique
Shelley Munro
Shelli Stevens
Stacy Dawn
Stella & Audra
Stephanie Secrest
Strictly Sirens
Sylvia Day
Tawny Taylor
Teresa's Blog
Vanessa Jaye
Wendy Wootton/Portia Da Costa
Zeek's Page
447. Tunes Monday
This week's Tune of the Week is the solo debut of Chris Daughtry simply titled Daughtry. American Idol fans will recognize him from this past season's American Idol competition. He came in fourth place, and I still think he should have won the competition.
This CD just completely and totally rocks from track one through track twelve. I was a fan of Chris' voice on American Idol, and he was just singing covers of Fuel and Bon Jovi. Hearing his own music is completely different. He has a similar style to that of Nickelback if you want an idea of what you're in for if you take a listen.
If you like rock though, this CD is going on my must have list. There are so many songs I love on this CD, but some favorites are Used To, It's Not Over, All These Lives and What about now?. You can check them out on iTunes or if that isn't your deal you can check out the CD on Amazon for Daughtry
446. Keeping boredom at bay
Well I hope all of you are having a wonderful turkey day out there. My bird is in the oven, the potatoes are boiling, and I'm about to get started on the stuffing here in a moment. The stuffing is my responsibility each and every year. I do a pretty good job on it, if I do say so myself and I do!
Other than the usual dinner festivities, things are pretty quiet, and I'm looking for things to do. My friend and I play a lot of online games together, and this is a gaming site I just stumbled upon on not too long ago. You can play some of you favorite free games online. This site focuses mostly on the old games you could play on your Nintendo Entertainment Systems.
I had one of those myself back in the day, and I loved it. I haven't jumped onto the bandwagon with X-box or Playstation because I don't play as many games as I used to. Give me a good board game or some classic play like this, and I am good to go. I just played a round of Ms. Pac Man, and I had fun. Better than sitting around being bored!
444. Confessions
I just finished watching the Madonna Confessions concert on NBC, and it was amazing. It really made me wish I had gone to the show in person over the summer.
I've been a fan of Madonna's since her first album came out back in 1984, and I still love her just as much today. She's a woman that constantly reinvents herself, and she knows how to put on a good show.
I was glad to see some of my favorites performed including Live to Tell and La Isla Bonita. The concert also introduced me to some of the songs on her new CD, which I have, but hadn't heard much of. Hearing a song performed live, even if it is via television, just gives you a completely different feeling to the music. Some of my new favorites are Let It Will Be and Like It Or Not. I hadn't planned to watch tonight, but I'm really glad I did.
In other news, I have a whole new Blog of the Week today, just in time for the holiday tomorrow. This week we have Doctor Mom from You've Got 2 B Kidding. A great funny blog that is definitely worth checking out!
443. Tunes Monday!
Back with Tunes Monday! This week's tune of the week that has me dancing around my house is the latest release from country act, Sugarland. Enjoy the Ride is their sophomore release that came out on November 7th. I first learned of this group when they performed on CMT's Crossroads series with Bon Jovi last September. Sugarland's lead singer, Jennifer Nettles, even performed on a release of Bon Jovi's, Who Says You Can't Go Home, that has done quite well on the country charts.
For this second CD for the group, some changes have been made. One of the singers and songwriters has left the group. Such a major change might actually hurt a group, especially one that is only a couple of years old such as this one, but this CD shows no signs of that change. It is definitely a country feeling album, but it is close enough pop wise for those fans to enjoy it as well. The first single off the CD is Want To, and I enjoyed the song immediately upon first hearing it. The video for it works well too.
There are really so many great songs on the CD though. I've had it in my CD player almost non-stop since I picked it up on the 7th. It is great music that just makes you want to get up, dance and sing right along. Jennifer Nettles has a strong voice that is just amazing to listen to. Sugarland is quickly becoming one of my favorites, and I definitely thank Bon Jovi, who we all know from reading this blog, is one of my favorite groups to listen to. Some other song recommendations from the album include: These Are The Days and Everyday America.
442. Daybreak Thoughts
Last night, I began to watch the newest ABC series, Daybreak. I didn't finish the two hour episode last night, and that might give you an idea of what I think of the new show. For some reason, it just didn't hold my complete interest. It had its moments, but they didn't make for an enjoyable experience over all. For those that missed the series, it is the story of Brett Hopper as he lives the same day over and over again. Some events are the same, but once he realizes what is happening to him, he begins to try and change those events from ever happening. The day begins with him being framed for the murder of an Assistant District Attorney. His girlfriend is also killed, and preventing this becomes a focus for Hopper. All this while he tries to live on to the next day. The premise of the series is different and it had promise for me. I'm just not sure this series will be able to keep things exciting over the long haul, which is eleven weeks. ABC has made it clear this series will only last thirteen episodes. The premiere was two episodes, so we have eleven left to go. Once this series is done, Lost makes its return. Now that is something I will be waiting for! All in all, I'll watch Daybreak again next week, but we'll have to see what happens passed that.
440. Getting noticed
In the past I've discussed a lot about getting your website or blog seen. That is what we all want when we create a website or blog. There are many ways to get your site noticed once it is out there. The important thing is to get it seen. The more traffic that comes to your blog or site, the more likely it will be seen. Google plays a large part in getting your site too. Link popularity and page rank are important, but their importance is changing these days too. An established blog will get higher ranked than one that is newer. With more and more blogs and websites out there, the chances of getting your site seen only increase. This is something I wonder about sometimes because when I started this blog, I wanted to share my thoughts with others. I never thought it would lost, but I am passed the four hundred entry mark with no sign of stopping. That really amazes me. I know I may sometimes go days at a time without writing in here, but those times don't happen as much. Sometimes I just don't know what to say, but I know when I do have something to say this blog is here waiting.
439. Taking the leap
Well a little over an hour ago I took the leap from just plain blogger to the blogger beta. I'm not sure I like the new template/layout situation, but mine seems to have transferred over. I'm not looking to change it, so I should be okay for now. I'll poke around and see what else there is to this beta. I've been using it over on You Tube Reviews the last couple of weeks, so at least I am familiar with it. I'm just happy the move went well. I've heard the worst horror stories.
438. Bound to happen
I've been so busy this week with writing and work, my brain finally cried out no more! Stop! It happened right around eleven p.m.last night, and my brain is still kind of dead right now. It has been a really great week though. I've been giving my brain a real work out, and I don't think it is worked this hard in a long time. I see it as a good thing. Not that I feel totally brain dead, but the reason for it. It feels good to be busy again. It feels good to be working and writing as much as I am right now. I like being active. I don't just like it. I love it. I've always said writing is my favorite thing in the world to do, and this week I just kept writing it was good. I just need to give my brain a bit of a rest now. I'm ready to pick an all-new Blog of the Week to take up the spot on my sidebar. You know what to do people!
437. Wanting to get out
The weather is just really great right now here in Arizona. It is the type of weather that makes you want to get out and about. During the hot summer months when you have temps above 110 all you want to do is stay in. When it goes back down to around 80, you want to go and do something. Just on a whim I decided to check out if I could find tickets to any events in my area coming up this weekend. The Cardinals play the Cowboys here this weekend. Yes, even though they keep losing, I still support them. Someone smack me! If I want to go and have any chance of really seeing the game on the field, I'd have to spend over $300. Too rich for me right now, but I'm going to poke around and see if I can find something else. Last month, I wanted to go to the Evanescence concert here in town, but by the time I heard about it, the concert was sold out. I'll have to catch them next time they are in town.
435. Life is good!
Have you ever had the feeling that everything in your life just seems to be falling into place? Sure, you might have just got out of a rough patch not too long ago, but you find yourself smiling more than you ever did before. Life just seems to be really good, and you're enjoying life. It was kind of funny because last week I was telling myself I really need some more work to do. Then that night I got the job that I got, and my writing is doing well.
Life just seems to be really good right now. I find myself dancing around my room singing at the top of my lungs along with my favorite songs, even if I know I can't really sing. I don't care. Today was one of the busiest, most hectic days I've had in awhile, and it didn't bother me one bit. I just took things as they came along. I didn't stress myself out. I actually enjoyed it. Now though I'm exhausted, so I'm off to bed! Have a great night out there blogland.
434. Another way to make money online
In the past I've discussed about ways to make money online. I've discussed various ways to do this, but not all of them have worked. Since the summer, my focus has been on paid to blog type sites where advertisers can use bloggers to promote their producters and services. I've found some success using one such site, and there are more such sites that keep popping up since that's site success. The latest site that has popped up is called Blogitive which you can read more about how to make money online with Blogitive by clicking that link. Now I haven't made any money using that site yet. I just joined in the last week or so, and not many of the opportunities they have offered have fit this blog. I won't take an offer just to get the money. The topic or product has to be something I would want to talk about or actually use. Blogitive looks promising though. In the near future, Blogitive is launching even more ways for bloggers to make money using their blog, including a program called Newsnerve. I'm definitely going to keep an eye on this new site and see what I can do with it. I'll have to see if there are any topics that I will be willing to discuss on this blog.
433. Tunes Monday
I grabbed the CD anyway, and I am so glad that I did. It is just classic Meatloaf. There is just something about the lyrics with him that always seem to get to me in someway. He's a bit theatrical and dramatic, but he makes it work. It is just how he is. One of my favorite songs on the CD is Blind as a Bat. Perhaps I love it so much because I can so relate to the lyrics to the song. Meatloaf also has a cover of It's all coming back to me now on the CD. This is the song he performed on American Idol, and the CD version is world's away from the live performance. No, Katharine doesn't join him on the track. I loved the song when Celine Dion did it years ago, and this version is nice too.
In other news, over the weekend I caught Roseanne's latest comedy show on HBO. I loved the Roseanne show so much, and she was funny here as well. The show was extremely heavy on the political humor, but the end of the show when she strips down to a leotard and started dancing around just made me applaud her. She's really a strong woman. You know she isn't small by any means, and some might say she should have kept the robe on, but she's a big woman that isn't ashamed of it. I'm not small by any means, so it is nice to see someone else saying "I'm me. I'm here. I'm happy. Deal with it."
In other celebrity news, Doogie Howser is gay. Well, Neil Patrick Harris is anyway. This is the second television actor to come out in the last month or so. T.R. Knight, George on Grey's Anatomy, came out in October following the on-set scuffle between Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey when T.R. was five minutes late to the set. I think it is great to see some celebrity faces coming out. I know it doesn't change the way I see them. They are just people like everyone else. Who they choose to love doesn't affect my opinion of them any.
431. Eroticisms Update
Just posted a short little ficlet over on my fiction blog. Fans of the series Supernatural on The CW might be mostly interested, but others might enjoy it as well. Take a look here.
430. Thursday Night Viewing
Thursday night is my favorite night on television. I seem to wait all week for it to happen. Last week, the World Series through a monkey wrench into my favorite night, but the shows were all back last night. I got my weekly fixes of Grey's Anatomy and ER, and this made me happy. I was watching last night, and I had a thought come to me. The medical people on these shows all tend to wear the same boring scrubs. You see the light blue and the dark blue. I think at one point Meredith on Grey's Anatomy wore maroon. You would think on television they would spice up things a bit. Scrubs are so easy to buy. At my local mall just a few miles away, they even have a shop that only sells scrubs. I took a peek one day, and there is such a selection to choose from.
Just now, I did a quick search online, and I found this site that sells medical scrubs. Some of the tops don't even really look like medical scrubs. This top for example. Looks perfect for a day out to the movies or to lunch. I think I could see Grey's Anatomy Izzie wearing something like that actually. What about Abby on ER? I could totally see her wearing a top like this one. I've heard scrubs are so comfortable too. Maybe I'll pick myself up a top at least some time. I'm all about comfort as I lounge about the house.
Back to last night's shows though. Sweeps are underway, so that means the shows are throwing out their best at us. Salma Hayek popped up topless on last night's Ugly Betty, and last night's Supernatural was probably the best all season. Yes, I still love my television. I have no idea what I'm going to do when I lose Lost until February! I'm not liking this new season being broken up so much. Now, I'm waiting for Fox to put next week's OC online. I mentioned I saw that earlier this week. Good stuff. We'll have to see where they take things next.
428. Jumping the Shark
For the past couple of weeks, Guiding Light, the soap opera has been hyping up a superhero storyline set to hit the series this week. One of the series major characters will be struck with lightning, and the result will be her getting super powers. The soaps the last couple of months have had some out there story lines, and they have me shaking my head. This is the latest. I watched the episode today as 'The Guiding Light' took the scene, and I had to admit it was kind of funny, but I still expect so much more from this series.
Over on As The World Turns, they had a slasher killing teens that reminded me of Friday the 13th, and then out of nowhere a freak blizzard comes out of nowhere and causes havoc in the city of Oakdale. In prime time shows, these kinds of story lines would make you think the series was jumping the shark. I'm actually reminded of another story line years ago from Days of Our Lives when Marlena was possessed by the devil. This is the stuff of movies and not for television daytime. If you watch soaps or other shows, what plot lines have you thought came close to jumping the shark?
In other news, I'm waiting to see who goes home tonight on Dancing With The Stars. As much as I would hate to see an all-male competition, the men left in the competition are the best. I think we should see Monique go home tonight. I have a couple of hours to find out.
427. Happy November
It is the start of a new month. November means NaNoWriMo, Thanksgiving, Veteran's Day and ... I think that's it. I just woke up about fifteen minutes ago, so my brain is still kicking into gear at the moment. I'm pondering NaNo, and I did sign up, but no ideas are jumping out at me at the moment. I am considering doing a lite version through Evolution, which would mean a fifteen word story completed this month. It's doable, but I need the right idea first. I'd even take an amazing fan fiction idea if it came to me right me, but nothing is. So I'll keep thinking about it today, and I'll see what happens. The thing is I have the ideas. I just don't know if they would be that length. I'm a short writer. It's what I do. My longest story came in just around 12,000 words a few years ago.
I tried to stay up and watch all of Ghost Hunters Live last night, but the show began airing here at midnight, and I was out by two. They were at the infamous Stanley Hotel. The location that Stephen King used for his novel, The Shining. I did let my DVR tape it, so I can still watch. Tonight Bones returns, but I still haven't seen the last episode of that either. I did catch the premiere of The OC last night online, and I loved it. It was a darker episode, but that was to be expected with Marissa's death. I won't spoil it for anyone that hasn't seen it yet, but it was really good.
In other news, I woke up to a site that I never thought I'd see this morning, and I'm not sure how long until I see again. I'm a heavy battler over at Battle of the Blogs, and when I woke up just now, I saw my blog on top of the top 50 for the month of November. Of course, the month has just begun, but it was still nice to see I guess. I ended up in eighth place for October. Anyway, I need my coffee, a shower, and then I have something to write up real quick and I need to jump onto YouTube for the day. II'll probably be back later.
426. Happy Halloween
Growing up Halloween used to be one of my favorite times of year. I would get dressed up and go out door to door, probably way past the age I probably should have. I've always been young at heart. Back when I was a child, my apartment building was just weird. Some said a few of the apartments were haunted because deaths took place in them. Some strange things even happened in the apartment I lived in. No joke. No lie just to post something scary on Halloween. My mom just had this way about her that attracted the supernatural to her. Spirits made themselves known. I never physically saw one, but I feel presences around me at times.
One night in particular jumps to my mind. I was staying the night with my mother in my parent's bedroom. We were both up late talking. We lived on the first floor, and there was a small alleyway between our building and the house next door. We were sitting there talking when suddenly we heard the sound of footsteps. We thought it was just someone walking through, even with the lateness of the hour. However, the sound of the footsteps stopped right outside our bedroom window. At least that is what it sounded like. We stopped talking, waiting for the person to continue on their way, but they never did. My mother finally got up to look, but she saw nothing there. We had been laying there the whole time, and we never heard the person leave. it gave us just a bit of a fright, and it was no where near Halloween.
I've also experienced a spirit in another way. Some say you can smell them when their near. If it is an evil spirit, you will smell something horrible, almost rotting. If it is a good spirit that means no harm, you will smell something sweet. Sometimes something flowery. I've experienced this myself more than once living in my old apartment. In recent years, since my mother's death, I have sometimes seem a form flash by, either in front of my bedroom doorway or going from the kitchen into the hallway towards our bedrooms here in our apartment. My older cat, who is no longer with us, also would sometimes act strangely when I would see such things. I've chalked it up to my mother checking in.
Do you believe in spirits or the supernatural? I always have. They just fascinate me. I think I'm planning to check into Most Haunted Live tonight. Seems to be the perfect night to watch about ghosts. Don't forget to check out Ghost Stories for some spooky Halloween fun as well! Earlier today, I posted some fun Halloween videos from YouTube over on YouTube Reviews. I plan to post a few more before the night is up. I'm just being picky!
424. Quick post with good news
A few weeks ago, I posted about my new found addiction with videos on Youtube.com. Little did I know that a couple of weeks later, I would be reviewing videos on that site and getting paid to do it. I'm now the entertainment reviewer for Youtube Reviews. I'll be searching through Youtube's entertainment category daily to bring my readers the best videos in that category!
423. Splitsville
Yep, just heard that Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon have separated after seven years of marriage. I thought they would be one of the ones to make it. They just looked so in love. I guess in Hollywood nothing lasts forever. There had been rumors of a possible break up for months, but I never thought it would actually happen.
422. Tunes Monday
So what am I listening to this week? I've been on a Shakira kick on and off for the last month. I've always been a fan of her music. I heard Hips Don't Lie about six weeks ago, and I became obsessed with it. It wasn't the first time I'd heard it, but it hadn't stuck with me before. There were some days I had the song on repeat for hours. There is just something about her music. You just can't help getting up and dancing to it. This weekend, I've had her first English language CD, Laundry Service on repeat. Most specifically her song Que Me Quedes Tu. I love her Spanish stuff as much as her English songs, even if my Spanish isn't all that great and I'm looking up lyrics.
So tell me what are you listening to this week?
421. Well, now I've done it ...
I found myself sucked into reading fiction in another fandom. You read one story, and it is written so well and there it happens. You're sucked in. I'm a huge fan of Supernatural. I have been since the show premiered. So last night, I read my first story in the fandom, and it was so good I had to read another. That one was so good, I read another and another and so on and so forth. What I've found so far in the fandom is that the stories are very well written. I stay away from the Wincest because I'm sorry reading about two brothers getting it on is just not me. I've found some good straight fics though. One with Sam and Jess set in the era before the show started, and another with Sam and Jo set in this season. Reading great fiction makes me want to write something in that fandom.
I'm trying to get my brain into writing more, and in the past I've always written more when I read more fiction. Not only books, but everything. I love television shows and movies, so if I can find well written fiction based on those things I love to watch, it is even better. I've been in such a gay fiction frame of mind the last few years though, it is hard to switch into writing straight het fic. Another problem with writing straight fiction for me comes with writing sex. I could write gay sex without one problem. Once I started writing it that is. It just got really easy for me to write. I'm not a gay men in the least, but the words just seemed to flow.
When it comes to straight sex, normal every day man and woman getting freaky, I always have a problem. I didn't used to. I just think the years of writing gay sex took over my brain. I get all flustered when I have to write straight sex, even though I've been told I write it well. It just takes more for me to write it then it does gay sex. I'm trying to get over that because I have no problems whatsoever reading it. I'll read anything! So I'm thinking this means I need to read a lot more straight fiction and a lot more sex. That sounds funny, but it might be the only way to break through this mental block I seem to have. The things us writers do for our craft.
419. New Story!
It didn't take as long as I thought to go through the story and get it posted. It is up on my fiction blog, Eroticisms, now. Fan of Dark Angel will enjoy, but hop on over and take a look anyway if you haven't watched the show!
418. Blogger problems
Well, since sometime last night I have been unable to publish to my blog. I had a short entry that I planned to post before bed, but blogger seemed to be having some issues. Those issues seemed to just have resolved themselves. Whenever, Blogger goes down like it has been doing this week - a lot - it makes you think of switching to another blogging service. I've thought about it myself. I hate moving things though. I stick with companies until they frustrate me so much that the only thing I can do is quit the service and go elsewhere.
The last time I had to call and drop someone was AOL. It was a necessary switch because I had jumped onto high speed internet by then. AOL is one of the hardest people to get away from though. They will try to keep you anyway they can. When a company loses customers, they generally don't want to. They want to keep you any way they can. In the past when I called into AOL and threaten to switch, they would offer me free months of service. Since jumping onto high speed though, I've had some headaches there as well. I've documented my problems with the COX high speed service in my area a number of times on this blog. I've called in threatening to switch, and I've gotten discounts on my service. The problems still continue though, and the even bigger problem here is that COX is the only high speed provider in my part of town. This makes it very hard to switch, and there is no way in hell I'm going back to dial-up.
If only I could call Blogger and express my dissatisfaction with the service in recent weeks. They don't even answer emails, unless it is some generic automated response. You get what you pay for though. Companies even pay other companies to find out why people leave. You know there is even a term for it. It is called a company's churn rate. Some companies seem to have higher rates of people leaving. I'm wondering how many people will leave Blogger with its latest troubles. I think I'll stick around. I'll make the switch eventually.
In other news, I finished the fan fiction story I mentioned working on yesterday on my blog last night. I plan to give it a once over later on today, and I'll let you know when it goes up on my fiction blog!
416. Connections
Yesterday, I had a bit of free time on my hands, so I dived into some fan fiction reading. Fan fiction is really a crap shoot. Some is well written, and some makes you want to gouge your eyes out with the nearest blunt object. When you find the good, then you read, and it makes you want to read more. I have my favorite shows and movies, and over the years I've found some good fan fiction. There are some amazing writer's in the Queer as Folk fandom, which I dabbled in a bit writing wise myself. I've also found some good writing in the X-men fandom, and now I'm looking into the Dark Angel fandom some after reading a good story yesterday. I've also read a small amount in other fandoms including Lost, Grey's Anatomy and Fastlane.
Yesterday, while I was looking for fiction to read, I found people doing crossovers between series and fandoms. These can also be good if done well. If not done well, they can be a disaster. I found one that crossed over Supernatural and Grey's Anatomy with John Winchester showing up at the Seattle Grace Hospital emergency room. Jeffrey Dean Morgan played characters on both series last season, so a crossover just worked naturally. I thought the story was really well done too. Izzie meeting John was a touching moment because she has just lost Denny. I don't know why I had never seen the natural crossover until I read the story yesterday, but I can definitely see it now.
Yesterday, I also saw people crossing over X-men with Heroes. Most specifically people are making the connection that Logan aka Wolverine is Claire's father. Claire is the invincible cheerleader on the show that can heal herself and even come back from the dead. Wolverine shares the same powers, so again it makes sense that people are making the connection. I didn't see a fan fiction with the pairing, but I did see a few nicely done banners with it. In my head, I've been playing around with my own crossover idea using Wolverine and Max Guevara from Dark Angel. Wolverine would be placed in Seattle's future in the Dark Angel universe, so it would be some time after X3 in the movie verse. I could see him fitting though.
I even had an idea for a story, but I've never put it down on paper. I did start something last night though. While reading last night, I saw a fan fiction contest for something in the Dark Angel universe. An idea immediately popped into my head, so I'm giving those fiction muses a little bit of a workout. They are a bit on the rusty side, but they still work. I have until Tuesday to get something together, so we'll see what I can come up with. If I complete something, I'll put it up over on my fiction blog, Eroticisms.
In other news, Vanished returns to Fox tonight, and the fate of the show seems almost certain. The lead investigator played by Queer as Folk's Gale Harold is now off the show. Apparently, people didn't like his character too much, so he has been kicked off the series. They are bringing in someone new to lead the investigation, but Fox has told those involved with the series to wrap up the Sara Collins kidnapping story line in thirteen episodes. So this tells me the show will not be returning.
Last but not least, I have selected an all new blog to be my Blog of the Week! Thanks to the twenty-six of you that bid for this week's spot. Some bids expired before I got to them this morning, but all of you please bid again in the future. This week I have Ghost Stories moving onto my sidebar. I thought it was the perfect time for it to be here because Halloween is just days away. Check out all the spooky happenings over there!
NOTE: Vanished will return next week. It was pre-empted for the World Series.
415. Time for things to get scary ...
Ever since I was a young child, I've been fascinated with all things supernatural. Ghosts, monsters and all things of that nature just pull me in, but then at the same time they scare me senseless. Last night, I DVR'ed Ghost Hunters on the Sci-fi channel, and I watched it before going to bed. I kept jumping at every little thing afterward. I needed to watch the end of a perfectly cheesy movie, Hearts & Souls, just to go to bed. Yes, I know that movie is about ghosts too, but it is nice and safe. They aren't hopping out of all places trying to scare you. With Halloween coming up soon, there are so many horror flicks coming on air. Growing up, I used to watch them all. Freddie, Jason, and Michael Myers didn't scare me. Well, they did, but it was all in good fun.
These days, I just can't sit through a horror flick and watch every little thing. Although, The Grudge made me laugh more than scared me. The first Ring movie freaked me out, but the second not so much. I was looking up some random Halloween facts, and I came across this trivia site. They had a couple of recent posts about monsters and jack-o-lanterns, but they had a lot of other random bits of information. It would definitely be a good site for anyone that likes a lot of information, especially those in the Trivia Pursuit set. I haven't played that game in years, but when I used to I was the one that used to know everything.
I'm not sure what I'm doing for Halloween yet. Things are really quiet around our building. Hardly anyone stops by for trick or treat, and it almost feels like just another night. Guess I'll have to see what happens on Tuesday. In other news, Jose from Joe's Cool Blog has left the building! Well, the blog actually. Who is going to be my Blog of the Week this week? I'm taking applications now. Cheap rent. You know what to do!
414. For Fans of The O.C.
Apparently, FOX is going to let fans of the hit Fox drama see the show before its premiere on November 2nd! Fans with high speed connections can either access the series via MySpace or one of twenty-four local area MyFox network websites starting tomorrow. The O.C. has not been picked up yet for a full season by the network, and it is going up against Grey's Anatomy, CSI and Supernatural. I was wondering how I would watch the series, but now with it looking to be put online by Fox I'll be able to catch it every week still.
412. Heroes & Vanished
The other night I talked about Brothers & Sisters. Well, tonight I'm going to talk about Heroes. This series airs Monday nights at 9/8c on NBC, and I finally caught up with the series. I had the last two week's worth of episodes saved on my DVR, and I decided to watch one tonight. It hooked me in, so I watched the next, and then I watched the new episode tonight. The first couple of episodes were a bit slow and odd to me, but now we're really starting to get somewhere with the story. I'm really curious to see what happens next.
The series follows a group of totally separate people that are all somehow connected by the special powers they possess. One young woman is invincible, a Japanese man has the power to bend time and space and teleport himself, another can fly, and yet another can take on the powers of the others in their presence. I'm really enjoying the series now, and it isn't the normal series on air right now. Ratings aren't the best, but I'm really hoping that changes soon. This series deserves a chance. You can download the series off iTunes by clicking the banner on my sidebar for it!
As for another new series, Vanished, it appears FOX is going to keep its season short. It will have thirteen episodes and out. They are moving it to Friday nights this Friday, and Friday night is usually the death toll for most shows. Every show I have seen moved to Friday nights usually ended up cancelled. CBS seems to hold its own though. We'll see how Vanished does. If it holds its own against the other programming of the night, Fox might bring it back next year.
411. TV really shouldn't make you cry!
Just last night, I wrote about how I found myself crying at the end of a few episodes of ABC's new hit show, Brothers & Sisters. Well, today my soap opera, As The World Turns, had me turning on the waterworks. Back in July, one of the actors that has been on the show since I began watching the show over twenty years ago passed away. His last appearance on the show was on July 12th, and following that appearance the character had been away on a business trip. I wondered how the series would handle his death. They had brought in other actors to cover the role before when the actor went on vacation or something of that nature, but he was Hal Munsen. It just wouldn't seem right to bring someone new in.
Well, today we learned of the character's fate. The character himself died in the process of trying to stop a robbery. Hal was a cop, so he died while doing something he loved. Today, the main characters that shared this man's life on the show paid tribute to him by remembering special moments they had together, and it was these moments shown in the form of old clips that hit me the hardest. I think this was the best decision the show could have made. Benjamin Hendrickson was such an integral part of the cast for so long, he was just irreplaceable. May he rest in peace.
Looks like As The World Turns isn't the only long term soap opera losing a major character soon. Guilding Light looks to be getting ready to wrap up the Reva cancer story line too. They have me scratching my head though with the entrance of a comic book and a super hero set for November 1st. Please don't tell me Reva survives cancer by turning into the next big superhero! Hah!
409. Brother & Sisters
One of my favorites of the new batch of shows hitting networks this season is Brothers & Sisters. It airs Sunday nights at 10/9c, and I had been looking forward to seeing it since it was first mentioned back in March. I'm a huge fan of Calista Flockhart from Ally McBeal, so she sold me on at least giving the series a try. Well, the series won me over by the end of the first episode. I have found myself in tears or near it at the end of at least three episodes of this series. The first episode and tonight's episode really got to me. At the end of the first episode, the father of the family dies, and at the end of tonight's episode we see Kitty share a tender moment with her mother. They don't have the best of relationships, but it is slowly rebuilding. The scene just touched me, and it made me miss my own mother for a few moments. Maybe I'm just a big sap that cries over television shows. Well, okay I know I'm a big sap that cries over television shows. I really do think Brothers & Sisters is one of the best new shows this season though. I'm looking forward to what is in store for us in future episodes.
408. Is It in the stars?
In the past, I've mentioned how much I am into horoscopes. Every day, I receive my horoscope for the day from three different sites. Somehow they are all different, but they can always be connected somehow. I also get a weekly outlook for another site. There are some days that I don't find any relation to the horoscope of the day to me or someone around me. Then there are other days that I read my horoscope, and it makes me think for a second that it really does end relating. One of those instances came today. I was talking to a friend of mine last night before going to bed, and when I checked my horoscope this morning my horoscope related to him and his situation perfectly. He is also a capricorn, so it makes sense that the horoscope could apply to him as well. I always wonder about horoscopes when somehow something can relate.
Another part of astrology that interests me is numerology, which is using numbers, specifically of ones date of birth to see how that influences the events in one's life. I used to get my daily numerology reading every day, but I haven't done so in quite some time. Today, I decided to do a numerology reading overall, and I found some interesting information. These things are always a kick. My reading goes from the present until many years in the future. I'll need to take the time to read it more in depth, but I do plan on doing that.
Horoscopes and astrology has always interested me. I think I got it from my mother. She used to pick up those little horoscope monthly scrolls you can find at the grocery store checkout counter every month. I never understood the appeal until I began to read them. Then she started buying the one for my birth sign, and something clicked. Some might say astrology is a bunch of rubbish, but I've noticed at least half the time my horoscopes are right on the money.
In other news, the Cardinals keep breaking my heart. They are about to lose again to a team that hasn't won once this season and have only scored on average ten points a game. This is getting ridiculous. I'm sure Jose over at Joe's Cool Blog is just as upset about this as I am. He is still my blog of the week. Have you hopped on over and checked him out yet?
407. Saturday Night Ramblings
Well, I'm still dealing with a killer toothache, but it isn't as bad it was yesterday. It was just about unbearable yesterday. The only thing that helped was ice and popping ibuprophen whenever the pain flared up too much. I'm still doing that, and it is finally bringing the swelling down some. I did spend most of today and yesterday in bed.
I did venture out today though. My brother coaches a girls high school basketball team, and he forgot one of his bags in his office, so I went back to get it with him. It is weird being in an high school environment after being out of high school for so long. The gym was newly done over the summer, and it looked amazing. I can't wait for his season to start. I plan to go to a few games.
Today, I finally finished reading The Beast Within by Suzanne McMinn
Have a great rest of the weekend everyone!
405. In pain
For the past few months, I've had some problems with my teeth. I wasn't sure why, but I know it hurt. Well, my lower left side began to hurt back on Wednesday night. Yesterday, it got progressively worse, and when I checked it I felt what I thought was a tooth coming. Then it hit me. At the age of 30, I have my wisdom teeth coming in. The upper right side has been bugging me for months, and now it appears to be the lower left sides turn. Thing is the left hurts more than the right ever did. I'm in pain. I see a lot of bed time in my future.
403. New Blog of The Week
This week we have Jose from over at Joe's Cool Blog moving onto my sidebar. He's a fellow Arizona person, and I've been following his blog through Blogexplosion for awhile now. We've begun commenting each other the last few days, so I figured now was the perfect time to let him visit! We were both heartbroken over our football team's loss this week too. Thank you to everyone that bid this week. There were sixteen of you. Please try again in the future.
On a sidenote, I fixed up the sidebar a little. I noticed that I forgot to add the javascript that makes my pull down menus work. That is now fixed, and I also added the television related sites I had added over at my former review blog One Couch Critic.
402. Mikey says hi
Mikey decided he wanted to pose for the camera today. He is quite a bit bigger than when I got him in March, but he plopped himself down on my desk for a quick catnap, and that is how I was able to snap these with my webcam. I remember when we first brought him home from the animal shelter all those months ago. He was so tiny, and if you remember correctly he wasn't in the best of health. He has outgrown most of the sneezing and other problems he had when he was a kitten. He's just about ten months old now. How time flies.
Having had three cats over the last eleven years, I'm always looking up stuff online to help me take care of my cats to the best of my ability. Books can become outdated the minute they hit the shelves. The other day I found a new site that had a few articles about pet care. I found one on how to build your own cattery for your cats on your apartment balcony. JJ and Mikey spend a good part of their days on our apartment balcony. Over the summer they stood inside mostly, but once the temperatures started to cool in the last couple of weeks we began letting them out again. The site is relatively new, but I like the layout, and I'll be checking back.
In other news, I just received the email letting me know that The Sophisticated Writer has left the building. Who will move onto my sidebar this week?
401. Banking Troubles
For the past eleven years, I've been with the same bank. Never had many problems with them. Well in the past year they have merged and become an entirely new banking operation. Haven't had any problems until this month. With my old bank, my checking account was of the type where all fees were waived as long as I kept a certain balance between all my accounts with the bank. This included any fees from overdraft protection.
Last month, there was an overdraft. Thought nothing of it because any fees would be covered and waived. This is no longer the case. I just spent about fifteen minutes on the phone with someone at the bank and they told me that with the account I had with my old bank fees were never waived. I must be mistaken.
As I said I've been with the bank for almost eleven years, and I know what the account I had consisted of. The teller was adamant that I was mistaken, but did put in a request to waive the fee this time only. At least now I know. It makes you wish you knew before when they are going to totally change things on you. I did say that I would consider banking elsewhere, but that would be such a hassle.
399. Another Week Begins
Well, its Monday, and if this was a couple of months ago that meant the start of another busy week for me. Amazing how things change in a couple of months. Over the weekend, I heard back on something I submitted I think a year and a half ago. A short story. Well, the rejection finally came, but only because the editor didn't think my story would fit with the others she had picked, and not because of the writing. She said to check out what else she is looking for and try her again sometime. I did look up any other submission calls she might have out at the moment, and there is one. The deadline is in a couple of weeks, and she is looking for something between 2000 - 4000 with a BDSM tone. I'm pondering it, but its been awhile since I wrote that type of story. I have though, so we'll see if I can come up with an idea that I can pound out in a couple of weeks.
NaNoWriMo is next month, and I signed up on the site. I've never once written fifty thousand words in one month. Well, in one project that is. I've written that amount in one month across my various projects. When it comes to my fiction, the most I've written in one month has been 10,000 words. I'm not much of a novel writer either. I'm more of a short story/novella person myself. I'm pondering things though. I saw over at the Evolution board they have NanoWriMo Lite with one of two goals - either a 15,000 word story or a 30,000 word story completed. I might shoot for the 15,000 attempt, but I'm not even sure any of my current ideas could reach that length. If they don't and are still complete then I'll deal with it then. Complete is complete right?
Right now, I'm just trying to get back into the flow of things fiction wise, and it just isn't happening. My allergies are kicking up something fierce today, and I have an idea. I think what would make a great story, but I'm stuck on the male characters name. I have the female in my head, but until I am set on his name I'm stuck. Names are so important when it comes right down to it. At least they are in my opinion. This weekend was just a weird one I think. Quiet, but at the same time kind of rocked in turmoil. Oh well. Life happens. Tonight, I'm looking forward to catching my football team play on Monday night, which is something that doesn't happen all too often according to my brother.
I hope you're all well. Don't forget to check out my Blog of the Week. They have less than two days living on my sidebar. Don't miss out! Apparently they are taking part in NaNo next month as well!
398. Saturday Night Thoughts
Thought #1: Do you ever get the feeling like you're still in high school when it comes to friendships? Sometimes I do. It really kind of sucks, but what can you do?
Thought #2: A couple of entries back I wrote about walking away from a friendship. Sometimes you wonder if you actually made the right choice. Well, tonight I was proved that hell yes I made the best decision ever possible. So thank you for removing all doubt from my mind. Now everything is done. No regrets.
396. Another Dancing With The Stars Upset
I've been watching Dancing With The Stars each and every week, and I think for this third season we've had some of the best set of celebrities. We have some really good dancers this time around. However, I'm not sure what America was thinking with sending Willa and Max home. They were wonderful each and every week. Next to Jerry Springer, Willa should have stayed on another week. Does anyone else agree?
394. New Blog Of The Week
It's been a few weeks since I have had someone fill that lovely spot on my sidebar, but I'm back this week with an all new addition to share with you. This week's Blog of the Week is The Sophisticated Writer. A romance writer like myself, and her blog follows her life. She just put up a snazzy looking new template since she bid yesterday. Go check her out and send her some well wishes while you're at it.
392. Back to it
I know its been awhile since my last post. Life just seemed to get crazed for a bit, so I needed a break. I've been sick on and off for the last week too. The cold I had seems to have settled in my chest, but I'm feeling a lot better than I did last week. A lot has changed in my life since August rolled around. Things have changed. People in my life has once again changed. I've never said I'm the best of people to be friends with. I think as a writer I do better living in the worlds in my head than in the real world. I can get so wrapped up in the stories and characters that I write about. Perhaps that is why I am so good at writing when I just allow myself to let everything go and write. I lose myself in the story.
I've made some decisions in the last couple of weeks. Decisions I now know we're the right ones. I wasn't sure of that at the time I made them, but with a little bit of time and distance I know I made the right ones. I let someone go that I had been friends with for years. Things had just completely and totally changed between us in the last few months. The same connection that was always there between us just wasn't. It had disappeared, and I could just tell the two of us were walking along separate paths now.
Those paths seemed to only be taking us further and further apart. Not many really understood why I ended up walking away, but it really wasn't for anyone to understand. I just knew something wasn't right anymore, and it was best to walk away where things were still a bit good than wait. However, it didn't work out that way. The other party didn't see any change in our friendship even though we barely talk now. Although once we began talking that tune changed some. It just turned ugly on their part when it didn't need to be.
The strange thing is when I walked away from one, someone else walked through the door. An old friend. We didn't end on the best of terms, but we began talking, and things seem to be going well. It always felt so natural with this person, but we seem to be the type to bounce back and forth with each other. We either love or hate each other. They said in order to hate each other, we had to love each other at one point. I think that is very true. We have this weird relationship that seems to only work if we have both parts to it. I'm feeling good about it this time though. Maybe it'll be different, and we won't end up clashing as much. I have my fingers crossed and I'm holding on a bit better this time. I don't have as many people in my life now, and I kind of like it that way.