You've played the game, right? I have the enviable ability to play it all by myself or with my kids. It's a great writing warm-up exercise. It's actually just good fun if, in fact, you have any slight tendencies to enjoy being silly. You can really make the whole game as kooky as you want. It's all up to you. Last Friday morning, as I was playing the game all by my lonesome (I know, pathetic), when I began wondering this....
I started out wondering what if marshmallows had crumbs which was quickly followed by if they did would it be possible to squish/piece a bunch of crumbs all back together to make a new marshmallow? You might guess I began wondering what if I ate them at that point.
But you'd be wrong. Sort of. As strange as it may seem, I began wondering something I'd not wondered about before....
What if, just what if, I was a competitive eater? Weird huh? I mean, I'm guessing, like writing or other passion, you gotta practice to further yourself. So I'm guessing a competitive eaters mantra might go something like "eat, eat, eat!" as opposed to "read, read, read!" Wow. The world of competitive eating is soooo fascinating to me. Really. Go ahead. You may now begin chuckling.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Psst....
It's hot. I mean REEEEALLY hot here. Hot and REEEEALLY dry. It's great weather if you're a writer - or a camel. But the McAllister Park Little League Team hasn't let the weather stop them from getting all the way to the Little League World Series. They play again tonight (ESPN). Now I'm not a baseball fan, but I do know that no team from San Antonio has ever, ever, EVER made it that far. And that's cool. I'm glad someone is cool. It ain't me.
http://www.mcallisterlittleleague.org
http://www.mcallisterlittleleague.org
Friday, August 21, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
When did you realize you were a grown-up?
Nothing beats writing for kids but this is awfully cool....
http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies/inspiration-motivation/second-annual-life-lessons-essay-contest-00000000013682/
The Second-Annual Life Lessons Contest
Enter your essay in Real Simple’s yearly contest.
When did you realize that you had become a grown-up? Perhaps it was when you first paid taxes or met your son’s first girlfriend. Whether the experience was difficult, funny, easy, or bittersweet, share your lesson and you could win. Enter Real Simple’s second-annual Life Lessons essay contest and you could have your essay published in Real Simple; win round-trip tickets for two to New York City, hotel accommodations for two nights, tickets to a Broadway play, and a lunch with Real Simple editors; and receive a prize of $3,000.
Read last year’s winning essay: A Witness To Grace
1. HOW TO ENTER: This contest begins at 12:01 A.M. eastern time (ET) on May 1, 2009, and ends at 11:59 P.M. ET on September 7, 2009. To enter online, send your typed, double-spaced submission (1,500 words maximum, preferably in a MS Word attachment) to lifelessons@realsimple.com. To enter via postal mail, submit your essay by mailing your entry to Essay Contest, Real Simple, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, 9th floor, New York, NY 10020. Entries must be postmarked no later than September 7, 2009, and received no later than September 14, 2009. Limit one entry per person or e-mail account. Essays should be submitted in English at a maximum of 1,500 words and typed and double-spaced on 8½-by-11-inch paper. Essays exceeding this length or handwritten may not be considered. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, illegible, or incomplete entries; postage-due mail; or entries not received for any reason. Entries become sole property of Sponsor, and none will be acknowledged or returned. By entering, Entrant warrants that his or her entry (1) is original and does not infringe the intellectual-property rights of any third party, (2) has not been published in any medium, and (3) has not won an award.
http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies/inspiration-motivation/second-annual-life-lessons-essay-contest-00000000013682/
The Second-Annual Life Lessons Contest
Enter your essay in Real Simple’s yearly contest.
When did you realize that you had become a grown-up? Perhaps it was when you first paid taxes or met your son’s first girlfriend. Whether the experience was difficult, funny, easy, or bittersweet, share your lesson and you could win. Enter Real Simple’s second-annual Life Lessons essay contest and you could have your essay published in Real Simple; win round-trip tickets for two to New York City, hotel accommodations for two nights, tickets to a Broadway play, and a lunch with Real Simple editors; and receive a prize of $3,000.
Read last year’s winning essay: A Witness To Grace
1. HOW TO ENTER: This contest begins at 12:01 A.M. eastern time (ET) on May 1, 2009, and ends at 11:59 P.M. ET on September 7, 2009. To enter online, send your typed, double-spaced submission (1,500 words maximum, preferably in a MS Word attachment) to lifelessons@realsimple.com. To enter via postal mail, submit your essay by mailing your entry to Essay Contest, Real Simple, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, 9th floor, New York, NY 10020. Entries must be postmarked no later than September 7, 2009, and received no later than September 14, 2009. Limit one entry per person or e-mail account. Essays should be submitted in English at a maximum of 1,500 words and typed and double-spaced on 8½-by-11-inch paper. Essays exceeding this length or handwritten may not be considered. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, illegible, or incomplete entries; postage-due mail; or entries not received for any reason. Entries become sole property of Sponsor, and none will be acknowledged or returned. By entering, Entrant warrants that his or her entry (1) is original and does not infringe the intellectual-property rights of any third party, (2) has not been published in any medium, and (3) has not won an award.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Can do....
"Do one thing every day that scares you." - Eleanor Roosevelt
Them are some mighty powerful words.
Can do.
My children will rise and shine early tomorrow to begin a brand new school year.
Scary.
I'm going to say my see-ya-laters and remain completely composed for an entire morning. Frightening.
I'll work at revising, reviewing, rereading.
Holding breath.
Make lunch.
Alarming.
Refrain from pestering children and husband to death about the doings of their days.
Terrifying.
Then I'll dream of doing it all over again. Or could be the reoccurring dream of fame and fortune.
50/50 chance I'll wet the bed.
My sincerest thanks to you Eleanor Roosevelt.
Them are some mighty powerful words.
Can do.
My children will rise and shine early tomorrow to begin a brand new school year.
Scary.
I'm going to say my see-ya-laters and remain completely composed for an entire morning. Frightening.
I'll work at revising, reviewing, rereading.
Holding breath.
Make lunch.
Alarming.
Refrain from pestering children and husband to death about the doings of their days.
Terrifying.
Then I'll dream of doing it all over again. Or could be the reoccurring dream of fame and fortune.
50/50 chance I'll wet the bed.
My sincerest thanks to you Eleanor Roosevelt.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Work-In-Progress
Do I have vision or what? This is my work-in-progress for my works-in-progress.
A retreat of sorts. Even in its present state believe it or not. Finding it for sale for pennies on the side of the road was the equivalent of finding my ancient copy of How the World Began. It had an extended stay at my father-in-law's home until my husband and I were able to bring it home in the depths of darkness (homeowners associations are soooo particular). In my grandest of dreams, this baby is an invaluable tool in a program called something like "Feed and Read". Dream with me here....me, traveling to neighborhoods cross country developing and feeding kids need to read. A never-ending story time with my very own stuff. That's my Friday favorite.
A retreat of sorts. Even in its present state believe it or not. Finding it for sale for pennies on the side of the road was the equivalent of finding my ancient copy of How the World Began. It had an extended stay at my father-in-law's home until my husband and I were able to bring it home in the depths of darkness (homeowners associations are soooo particular). In my grandest of dreams, this baby is an invaluable tool in a program called something like "Feed and Read". Dream with me here....me, traveling to neighborhoods cross country developing and feeding kids need to read. A never-ending story time with my very own stuff. That's my Friday favorite. Friday, August 7, 2009
Five One-Word-S Friday Favorites
I won't keep you long....
1. seeds
2. stillness
3. sharing
4. straws
5. stories
Give it some thought....
1. seeds
2. stillness
3. sharing
4. straws
5. stories
Give it some thought....
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Duh!
Well, it wasn't a transatlantic journey or anything like that but I did it. I found Daniel Pinkwater. You remember Mr. Pinkwater right? The man who wrote The Big Orange Splot? (See first post)
Truth be told, I wasn't even actually looking for him at the moment I found him. He kinda found me instead. I think it was the eyes. I was heading out of the children's section of a favorite local bookstore when our eyes met. I must admit after reading the back cover of the book and realizing he's the author of MORE THAN 90 CHILDREN'S BOOKS, I felt a little *sigh* less like an aspiring picture book writer and a little more like a giant loser. How I missed him, I couldn't dwell upon for long though. Just passin' through "Loserville". I couldn't stay for long because Mr. Pinkwater was watching. And I'm listened to him. Both literally and figuratively. You see, I bought the book and it included a CD. The book Polka-Bats and Octopus Slacks is by Calef Brown. I'm a huge fan of his illustrations but he authors this book as well so, all in all, it's a triple bonus. Mr. Pinkwater reads Mr. Brown's stories and I get to read long as I listen over and over and over.....
Truth be told, I wasn't even actually looking for him at the moment I found him. He kinda found me instead. I think it was the eyes. I was heading out of the children's section of a favorite local bookstore when our eyes met. I must admit after reading the back cover of the book and realizing he's the author of MORE THAN 90 CHILDREN'S BOOKS, I felt a little *sigh* less like an aspiring picture book writer and a little more like a giant loser. How I missed him, I couldn't dwell upon for long though. Just passin' through "Loserville". I couldn't stay for long because Mr. Pinkwater was watching. And I'm listened to him. Both literally and figuratively. You see, I bought the book and it included a CD. The book Polka-Bats and Octopus Slacks is by Calef Brown. I'm a huge fan of his illustrations but he authors this book as well so, all in all, it's a triple bonus. Mr. Pinkwater reads Mr. Brown's stories and I get to read long as I listen over and over and over.....
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