Randomness

I'm having difficulty with the idea that I'm not going to have thirty-six straight months of publication. I've got stories lined up for October, November and December. Damn September! My ego is like WHAT????? But it's my own fault. I had, what 25+ stories, that I could have finished and submitted at any time.

I just hate taking responsibility, hate it when things don't work out the way I wanted them to, esp. when it was in my hands to have it otherwise.


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Leslie is sexy in that Kojak kind of way. He gave me a ride home yesterday; jazz was playing in his stereo. At some point, he showed me a disc box and asked if I knew who the musician was. I didn't and said so.

Leslie was surprised. (He's impressed with some of the things I know, but really I don't know all that much.)

I told him that too. "Maybe you'll have to teach me about things," I teased.

Leslie grinned. He said he was sure there were things the two of us could teach each other. And then again he let me know what he wanted — me.

I grinned, basking in his desire, which mirrored the woman I'm becoming. I felt, in that moment, that he had damn good reason to feel the way he does.

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I'm gonna enter the Iowa short fiction contest. I've got enough stories and all it'll cost me is postage.

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Now, it's time to get to work on some stories. Adios.

Yes, I'm working

Have a story I want to enter in a contest. If I behave and work on it all this week, then it'll be ready by the deadline. Fingers crossed!

**

Shout out to Jeremy who just became a dad! Beautiful litle girl. Congrats, congrats! I work with Jeremy and he's a cool kid. He messes with me a lot and then he'll ask "You hate me, don't you?"

Nah, Jeremy. Far from it, my friend.

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I need to call Carrie, Cecilia and Kathy Fish. I miss them.

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I love Office Max. They keep putting their bookshelves on sale. I own close to 3000 books and finally I'm able to put them in bookcases that match!

Progress

I've got two works out today. Cross them off my list! Yay! Yay! Hope my determination doesn't peter out 'til the other 18/19 works are submitted.

Gonna go celebrate!

Stuff

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I love doing laundry. I don’t check pockets though.

I remind my children of this; still my son’s wallet has gone through a few spin cycles and my daughters have the cleanest lip gloss tubes in town.

Any money I find, I keep. This past week, I banked $1.65.


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My writing goal for the last days of September and the month of October is to clear out the 20+ stories I’ve been ignoring.

THE PLAN

Complete a 1st draft of:

The First Time and The Very Last Time
A Baptist In Texas
Buzzard’s Roost
Lily, In Bloom
Jack’s Old Place
Flyway
Gangsta Luv
One Shot, One Kill
Winner Take All
Soldier Boy

Revise and submit:

Eagle Soar
All God’s Children
Andre’s Rap
Children On A Leash
Acts
Beds
Where I’ll Be If I’m Not There

Tweak and submit:

The Cleaning Lady
Ernestine Watson’s Girl
Cedar Rain
Tatters ~ A Monologue
What I’m Payin’ You For
The Father Of the Bride


* * * *

The Whole Enchildada Fiesta ends today.

It used to be that my children and I would attend the circus and the fiesta most Septembers.

At the circus, we’d sneak canned sodas in and we’d share dishes of nachos ‘cause that was the cheapest food sold. Sometimes we were able to buy a lighted sword or the flashlight and join in the festivities when the lights were turned off.

At the fiesta, my kids were allowed to buy one thing at any given booth and to get on one maybe two rides. We played the games that charged a quarter and walked away with all the trinkets we could get.

We didn’t have money, but we had memories.

This year, my children had no interest in the circus.

They went with their friends to the fiesta.

I was able to give them enough money to have a really nice time.

Though I was glad that I could provide that for them, it still felt sad. Like when I had to get rid of the bathtub toys, I knew that life had brought another change and that it was time to cry.


* * * *

Today I took some time

to just be still.

It was nice to feel at peace with my world, despite the many happenings now occurring.

Something I picked up along the way

Don't know who said it, but it's proven a wonderful guide as I navigate my way through the world.

"Wisdom comes after a journey that no one else can take for, or spare, you."

Titles I love

I'm getting organized so I can be a bit more productive.

I jot ideas and stuff on whatever available at the time inspiration hits. On scraps of paper and a napkin, I found these titles I hope to write stories, very worthy stories, for:

"A Bitter Heart Is A Lonely Heart, Indeed"

"Learning To Fly With Broken Wings"

"This I Now Know"

and this, taken from a note left mistakenly in my front door, "If This The Wrong House."

Hmmmmmm

My children are redoing their rooms and last night my son said he wanted a hammock instead of the semi-cute but still masculine bedroom set I wanted for him.

He slept in a tent on the back porch several nights in the summer.

He is the only male in a house of females.

This is a guy thing, huh?

Okay, I'll say something

I thought when Didi sent me an invitation to be a blogger, that it would be easy. I'm a writer! I've got lots to say. Hmmmmm, how the months have passed and I've not uttered a word.

But I'm gonna try. Really hard to say something.
Maybe it will be profound.

We'll see-- tomorrow.