Last day of PAD!

Topic for PAD #30, against all odds

I Write Against All Odds
 
All around, above and below
Poets abound, writers that glow.
My simple words I humbly submit
Less eloquently, I have to admit,
Than bards of the past and those in the present
With talent so fair and imagery pleasant.
But I'll ne'er give up on my writing dream
I'll keep at the craft, improving with steam!


And here is my sensational haiku wednesday, absence

Absence of color
Spots skin with patches of white
Vitiligo's curse

I feel like a freak
Ignore the glances and stares
Ever self conscious

But it could be worse
It's only aesthetic, at
Least I have my mind.

Ribbon of Dusk

I've been missing Aheila's drabble prompts, but this week it fits with my PAD #29, two for Tuesday - Daytime & Evening for a poetic ribbon drabble.

Dusk

That moment between
Light and darkness
Beautiful sight

Ribbon of pink and orange hues
Separates the day
From the night

Sun still blazes, through
Cloud hazes, evening
Fireplace ignite

Days' hours grow shorter
Nights grow colder
Cozy up tight

(source)

kick start Monday

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving (if you did it). I also wish well to those winding down the NANO writing! I am behind in revisions as expected, but am feverishly trying to catch up and finish. I have 3 days and 70 pages. No problem! (ha ha, we'll see).

Coming up...

• Friday! I have a guest post by Nicki Elson and a review of her gnarly book, 3 Daves!
• Glad the Insecure Writer's Support Group isn't until NEXT Wednesday (12/7) cause I'm totally not prepared!
• And I recently joined the Deja Vu blogfest instigated by DL Hammons on Friday, 12/16. In which we repost BC posts (before comments) Should be fun!

I needed some divine inspiration so here is my PAD #27 - a tribute

And here are a few more pics from DW 2011:

in the lobby!

birthday cupcake =)

Still Thankful!

Better late than never, Thanks Krista! for the Lovely Blogger award =)

Since I should do a meme for it, this a great opportunity to tell you what I learned in Disney World!

1. It's awesome to not know what day it is
2. I do not miss strollers
3. I missed out on having a girl - so many pretty princesses =)
4. Then again, no I didn't (they expect to be treated as princesses!)
5. Even in the happiest place, people can still be rude and pushy
6. Always have a camera (or at least a phone!) - we went to dinner at the top of the Contemporary and I didn't want to carry anything. Little did I know I would see the Magic Kingdom castle & fireworks show from the best view ever - SPECTACULAR! they even fed the music up to us, it's not just shooting the fireworks, it is definitely a production! And me no camera.



Will the real Goofy please step forward?

7. Children do not magically get along even if you are on a magical vacation...
8. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing and it all costs SOO MUCH!
9. You must be in shape to do Disney.
10. Even the maids are creative and talented!

    

    Our room was at the end of
    this long haul - I mean hall

    

And here are the Lovely Bloggers I am passing this award on to...

• Mel at Adventure Writes
• Charity's Writing Journey
• Christina Lee
• Avery at Creative Type
• Sheri at Finding Joy in the Journey
• Tyrean's Writing Spot
• Jenn at You Know...That Blog?

Hope all had a great Thanksgiving and are enjoying plentiful leftovers without Turkey hangover!

Happy T day!

I've been spreading that message in my comments...

Happy Turkey Day!

Don't stuff yourself!

Count your blessings!

(source)

he's happy dancing because he made it through today!

Hope you all have a safe & wonderful holiday!

PAD #24 - gathering

Talking Turkey

“We call this secret meeting

As time is by us fleeting

“The hour’s drawing near

We need a volunteer

“Who will be the bravest

To sacrifice and save us?

“We can’t leave this to chance!”

“Why can’t we make a stance?!”

A voice came from the crowd

“Who said that? Speak out loud!”

The masses split in two

To show Bartholomew

“If we all stick together

He won’t grab a feather!

“Let him choose a pig this year

Then we can do a jig and cheer!”

Ooos and ahhhs, a “Sure! Why not!”

“Let the pig go in the pot!”

Unanimous the turkeys gobbled

Then in their midst the farmer hobbled.

Tho they had such high ambitions

The turkeys scattered, forgot their mission

Big fat Tom had met his end

The rest bowed heads for their dear friend.

Maybe next year…

Thanksgiving Eve

I'm so behind!
Here are some poems & pictures...

For Sensational Haiku Wednesday, ponder (I was feeling alliterate)

Pesky Predators

Pondering plunder

Pirates pass parlay pleadings

And push off the plank

(Capn Jack @ Disney)

And the PAD #23 topic is travel, so in keeping with my sea faring theme and the approaching holiday...

Thankful for the Pilgrimage

Hardships of voyage

Sickness, hunger, filth, and death

Pilgrims grinned and bore

Thankful

Sailing through the life

Hoping choices bring blessings

Thankful for each one

More pics later =)

kick start TUESDAY! - so much 2 say!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL MY BIRTDAY WISHES!!!

And I loved the Slumber party memories!

I had a very nice birthday - I love the birthday pin in Disney!

I got special attention, birthday greetings, a cupcake, a glass of champagne, and a song!

But we did not do Fantasmic, again - we were pooped!

I watched a movie by the beach instead - peaceful, easy ending to the day =)

Trip to DW was wonderful! Weather = beautiful, crowds = minimal, got to ride rides and buy fun, unnecessary expensive stuff, and stuffed ourselves! (Pictures coming this week, I love my new t shirt & new fave purse =) and diet starts day after Thanksgiving...

So Thanksgiving is Thursday. Already?! Are you taking a break from nano? Are you cooking? Traveling? Or both? I took my break from writing/editing and will be working like mad this week!

And I will probably be dragged out shopping by my sister in law for Black Friday...Anyone else joining that madness? Either way, you should join my friend, Heather Henry, talented artist, in her Black Friday give away! The prizes are these adorable pictures to be sent to the winner!

I did keep up with the PAD challenge. Here is PAD 21, Whenever (blank)

Whenever New Life Began, We Moved

Love blossomed

Life was a peach

Just us two

The world within reach

New life sprang up

New job as well

Adverture awaited

We just sat a spell

We weren't meant to stay

Life surprised us again

Time to move on

We were multiplyin'

Settled up north

And thought it would last

But nature blessed us

With one final blast

Happy we're here

With no hope to wander

Roots have been planted

The future we ponder

No Regrets

Happy Birthday to Me!

I'm celebrating all weekend!

In Disney World!

Here is my birthday schedule for Sunday:

Breakfast at Chef Mickey's

Rides at Hollywood Studios

Lunch at Mama Melrose's

Fantasmic Lazer Light Show

Dinner and Fireworks at the Crystal Palace

then more rides

in the Magic Kingdom!

Okay, I'll stop rubbing it in. But the best part is that I can still share a slumber party with all my friends! I hope you have a story for me - that's my favorite present! Here is my most memorable slumber party:

No Regrets

We took our final bows and the curtain came down. We jumped and clapped and ran off stage. The final night of our junior high musical had been a great success!

While we changed, the energy in the dressing room exploded as we chattered about the big cast party at Cara's.

Pizza, pop, boys, music! We had such an awesome time! And when the party was over, I got to spend the night. Tara, Cara, and Cara - the three musketeers!

We gossiped and did each other's hair. (my first french braid!) We snuck into Cara's older brother's room to snoop around. (my first time in a non-relative boy's room!) We played truth or dare and told our secrets and snacked and made prank calls and stayed up all night (or tried to).

In the morning I tasted my first breakfast of cold pizza - who knew!? Best invention ever!

Looking back, you know what we didn't need? cell phones! internet! We only needed each other. We bonded and grew. A taste of independence without losing any innocence. (and no one got filmed to be embarrassed on you tube!)

I'll be around, looking for yours =)

PS - Here's a treat for you. I know Starbucks wanted to celebrate my birthday. They are doing a BUY ONE HOLIDAY DRINK, GET ONE FREE - NOV 17th - 20th! So have a BOGO on me! hee hee

a quick reveal

pooolside poetry =)

PAD #17, reveal

Whodunnit!

The blood on the rug
The broken mirror
The door left ajar
Evidence comes clearer

Gather the suspects
There’s a killer among us
What’s your alibi?
You sure look suspicious

Where were you last night
Between 2 and 4?
I know you weren’t sleeping
We didn’t hear your snore

You wanted him dead
Go ahead and confess
Mrs. White in the lounge
With the wrench is my guess

quick movie preview! & a haiku

My Entertainment Weekly is full of entertaining info and this week I thought I'd share some of the movies I'd like to see coming out for the holiday season! It also gives me one sentence sum up practice! (Here is my rating system: SoX! - so excited!, GoC - go see, WFI - wait for it to come out on video)

11/16
THE DESCENDANTS - In Hawaii, George Clooney finds out his comatose wife cheated on him! (GoC)

11/18
ANOTHER HAPPY DAY - Demi Moore is the obnoxious other woman, fitting (WFI)

11/23
ARTHUR CHRISTMAS - British Christmas animation for a change! (SoX!)

THE MUPPETS - awww, I love the muppets (WFI)

12/2
CORIOLANUS - ex king, Ralph Fiennes and arch enemy, Gerard Butler team up and do Shakespeare (GoC)

12/9
NEW YEAR'S EVE - all star cast gets together, like VALENTINE'S DAY last year...(WFI)

12/16
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE-GHOST PROTOCOL - How old is Tom now? My age? Curiosity (GoC/WFI)

(source)

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS - I love these guys! (SoX!)

12/21
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO - hype, hype and nasty, scary scenes, that's all I know (WFI)

12/30
THE IRON LADY - Meryl Streep immortalizes Margaret Thatcher (WFI)

That's good. NO WAIT!

1/27
ONE FOR THE MONEY - The "ONE" that started it all by Janet Evanovich (SoX!)


Now on to Sensational Haiku Wednesday! (meditate) And PAD #16 (Once upon a *blank*)

Dazey Haze

Once upon a daze
Lost in my meditation
Possibilities

Much to accomplish
Prioritize, organize
Order in my head

Staring into space
Ignoring world for a while
Child calls and I’m back


This will be my last big post (besides my scheduled bday slumber party weekend!) So enjoy the rest of the week! I will still verse for PAD and visit other blogs in the down time =)

What Disney ride would you like me to experience for you? (My son will do the big scary rollercoasters)

another book review

I finished this over the weekend and couldn't wait to tell you about it! I have another review to share, but it's a surprise and I have a guest post by the author to go with it (coming Dec 2)!

A NIGHT OF BLACKER DARKNESS by Dan Wells

One Word: Brilliant!

Dan Wells is HIL-AR-I-US! (please emphasize all 4 syllables!) This Monty Python meets Shakespearean tragic comedy is full of insane antics, mistaken identity, plots, and deception. Silly vampires, poets, and dead bodies run amok! Wells is a master at double talk and innuendo. I was laughing out loud throughout, drawing funny looks from my family. I can soooo see this going to the stage. It reminded me of the play, Arsenic and Old Lace. But with vampires! (I can't remember who recommended this, but thank you!)

Quite a pleasant diversion! Read it!
(ps - some of you may have heard of his brother, Robinson Wells who wrote VARIANT, amazingness runs in the family!)

And today's PAD #15, love/anti love

Bi Polar

From the high
the giddy, silly joking

To the low
the stomping, raging, moping

I never know
who will appear
in the morning
off the bus
at the store
my tenderheart

Extremely smart
Extremely funny
Extremely hurt
Extremely touchy

He is mine
I love him
No matter what

Kick. Start. Monday. The Jinx

So much time and so little to do! - Strike that. Reverse it. (movie?)

This is the week:

• It's my week at Unicorn Bell - feeling emotional? Stop by =)

• We are going to Disney World on Wednesday! But it doesn't seem real. I haven't had any time to get excited about it! Work, revising, cleaning, sickness - and I'm so worried about someone getting sick on the trip. This is a valid worry because we know too well where the best urgent cares are in the Kissimmee area. Ugh! We will have a great time, I know. As soon as I get off the plane I'll be fine.
• And when we get back we'll turn around and head up North for Thanksgiving. That's two weeks of travel, people! What was I thinking?!
• NaNoWriMo & NaNoRevMo are at half time, getting psyched up to finish the game. I hope all your goals are within reach! If not, kick it into gear! I'm pretty much on schedule. But I don't know what all this travel is going to do to my revising time.
• Tomorrow is the last day to offer pen names to Abby Fowers, children's book writer.
• Tomorrow is also the day to submit Holiday stories to Jenny's Imaginary World, Holiday Blog Hop - isn't it cute? Wish I had time to do it!
• Busy, busy, busy!
• And I almost forgot! Please stop by this weekend and share a Slumber Party Story for my birthday =) THANKS!

Now for my favorite part of the morning...finding out the poetry topic of the day!
PAD #14, deadly and/or dangerous

The Jinx

I've created a masterpiece
Heart swells with pride
I'm such a genius!
To myself I confide

I try to upload it
With just a quick click
The screen fades to black
Yeah, that did the trick.

Why does this e'er happen?
What do I do now?
I have to seek help
I thought I knew how

He gives me the look
I hate causing a fuss
I know just enough
to be dangerous.

Poetic Rant

Hope everyone is doing well with NANOWRIMO and NANOREVMO! I'm surviving my revisions, getting frustrated going over the same section a bunch of times. But at least I'm doing it. The support groups are soooo helpful! Join one if you haven't =)

I leave you with today's PAD #12, excess. Have a great weekend!

What’s the Point?

Technology Masters

Have too much time

On their geeky

Little

Hands

Obsoleting

My recent purchase

Making me buy

New to replace

No time to wear out

No time to figure out

Just when I grasp

A new version comes out

Too much

Too fast

Let us enjoy

Go relax!

Focus on

More useful things

Like time travel

and worm holes

and clearing garbage dumps

and less embarrassing airport security!

eleven, eleven, eleven

Happy, honored Veteran's Day! Pray for our soldiers or do something more if you can!

(source)

Yesterday I was an English teacher...always some inspiration on the walls...

Quotes from an English classroom 2

“Good writing is like jewelry. It must be carefully tooled to be beautiful. Anything less you could buy off a street vendor.” Britton Stockstill (student)

“Change only the name and this story is also about you.” Horace

“Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Unknown

“There is no right way of thinking, only your way.” Milton Lomask


And here is my PAD #11, MATH poetry! woo hoo!

Can You See the Numbers?

You never know who's watching

Be on your best behavior and you won't have to worry about it...

PAD #10, a different perspective (perfect for twisty me!)

The Fly on the Wall
 
I hear the plots,
The plans, the schemes.
 
I see the thoughts
Acted out, the dreams
Carried out, the masks
Fought about, the tasks
Forgot about.
 
I see the tears,
The sadness, the woe.
 
I smell the fears
Of failing to go
On sailing ahead,
And wailing of dread,
Arms flailing
 
The best thing I smell
Is happiness baking
 
Sweet good news to tell
Hear joyous noise-making
And boistrous hee haws
Midst anxious guffaws
Such curious 

Creatures

Cleaning is a waste

It's Sensational Haiku Wednesday again! This week's prompt is fleeting. And PAD #9 is (blank) or (blank).

Cleaning is a Waste

My day is so short
I have a big choice to make
Vacuum or laundry

But seriously,

Life is a Series of Choices

My life has flown by
How did I get to this point?
Choosing this or that

Future up to me
Must make the most of what's left
Whether smile or frown

Paranormal & Normal

I love watching classic movies with my kids. We watched "Back to the Future" over the weekend and they sat through the whole thing. I love that movie! So 80s! (and did you realize that Back to the Future 2, 30 years from 1985 is coming up in only 4 years? AH!)

Well, the PAD #8 challenges (2 for Tuesday) are Paranormal and Normal. It made me think of Michael J. Fox roles, like "Teen Wolf" vs "Back to the Future" or just Alex P. Keaton, remember Family Ties? Ah, the innocent 80s, right? Ha ha! Anyway, here is my little poetic saga...

Hexia                                  &                                 Harold

Born in her tree                                                     Teased all his life

Bonded for life                                                  For being so smart

Carefree until                                              He escaped in his books

Construction brought strife                                 There was his heart

Around her arose                                      He role played online

A house made for children                         with friends just like him

To learn and to play                                       Defeating them all

While she must stay hidden                          He knew how to win

When she was of age                               As high school wore on

She entered the school                               He dreaded each morn

Enrolled as a student                             To face the cruel mockers

And followed each rule                    He wished they weren’t born

Oh to be human                              Oh for a door

And then graduate                          To a fantasy realm

To travel and mingle                 A world would be better

And find a soul mate                     With him at the helm

The sun rose that day

But somehow seemed brighter

Hexia’s hue

Glowed green just to spite her

Teasing ensued

She started to cry

Sir Harold stepped in

What a nice guy!

When the bell rang,

The crowd went inside

And Hexia invited

Her savior abide.

Have a fantastical day!

Kick start Monday - My month!

Stole this from Heather, who got it fom facebook which I am avoiding because it's infected and lost its appeal for me. But, I love the toon!

It's my month! I get to celebrate another year of life =) So...

Let's have a slumber party!

(virtual bloggy style)

Come back on or near my bday (11/20) and tell me your best Slumber Party Story - real or fictional and I'll tell you mine and we'll all have a good giggle!

November is the 2nd busiest month of the year. (October was 3rd) And I'll tell you why...

• this month we are taking our vacation to Disney
• then we are going to visit relatives for Thanksgiving - one thing I'm thankful for is other relatives willing to host and make the huge meal who are fabulous cooks and hosts.
• there is also my bday (NOVEMBER 20 =)
• and I still have to make my kids finish their gift lists (which should have been done last month) and start shopping myself (one gift bought so far)
• December is #1 with the holidays and parties and basketball games and decorations and xmas cards and wrapping and on and on...

I'm getting a headache just thinking about it all!

I have to mention that I won a cute wristband from Susan Kaye Quinn to kickoff her book, OPEN MINDS. Here is Mary's post where I left my winning comment. Woot!

And here is my poem for PAD #7, What won't wait. (I dropped #6 at Poetic Asides and #5 below, got honorable mention in Janet Reid's contest, yay!)

No time to say Hello, Good-
 
Always in a hurry
Rush, rush, rush
Speed up gait
Let em wait
I know I’m late.
Hush!
 
Alarm set earlier
Then I hit the snooze
Almost break it
I can make it
Or I’ll fake it
Cruise!
 
Time doesn’t care
Leaves me in the dust
Maximize
Economize
Use it wise
Must!

PAD #5 - broken

PAD #5 - broken (also using for Janet Reid's contest with five highlighted words, I can't resist!)

Raising the Argo

Discovery of a broken ship

          Grasping fringe of treasure

                   Hope.

Couple parts as one dives deep,

          Trucks down fathoms, snags on

                   Slope.

Countdown ends above, she worries

          For his breath. Can he

                   Cope?

Eyes are faint, searching upward.

          Is this the end?

                   Nope.

Truth of Ren proves its worth. She

                    Appears. He’s not a-

Lone.

pic source

Just a Poem!

I have other things to post, but I am dedicating today to just a poem.

PAD, Day 4 - Something unexpected.

The Auditorium

Students file in

For morning chapel

Chit chat thunders

With gossip idle

Blather and dross

Laughter and joking

Finding seats

Squeals from poking

Late bell rings

Ears are numb

As keynote speaker

Takes podium

He waits to see

If talking stops

When it does not

A book he drops

It echoes through

The microphone

All are silent

On him they hone

"Awkward!"

PAD #3 and Stylish Versatility

I apologize for being slow. I am finally acknowledging these sweet awards from these wonderful people...

Thanks to Cassie Mae & Lacey                    Thank you, Angela OP!

And just found out today...Thank you, Julie!

So I will oblige you with seven fun facts again. Hmmm. Seven cities I have lived...

1. Born in Plymouth, MA - going next summer to visit, haven't been up there in 30 years - WOW!
2. Teen years in West Palm Beach, FL - great place to be a teen, glad I don't live there now, too many bugs! and tourists! Maybe when I retire I'll become a snowbird =)
3. College at Harding University in Searcy, AR - yep, up with them thar hillbillies! A right nice group o' folks!
4. Swinging singles in Atlanta, GA - no place I'da rather been! It was the best of times, it was the worst of times (I've heard that somewhere...) and now it's all high rises and garages. Perfect timing.
5. Married and moved to Spartanburg, SC - had first baby. I did not fit into their society. Glad we were not there long.
6. Had next child in Detroit, MI - near husband's relatives, too much snow and cold
7. Had last child in Cincinnati, OH - current residence, nice, safe, boring - perfect atmosphere to raise a family!

And now the bestowing...

The Stylish Award goes to
J.A. Bennet from A Book, A Girl, A Journey
Angela Brown
Cherie Colyer
Cortney Pearson (who is doing query critiques for a limited time!)

The Versatile Award goes to
Jessie at B-Word
Brooke at Paper Mountain
Mish at Writer in Transit

And the Lovely Award goes to
Angela Orlowski-Peart
Deana Barnhart
Laura at Writing Unleashed

And finally, my PAD entry for Day 3. Start with "Sort of..."

Sort of Awesome

First a glance
Then a smile
Give a hint
To a friend
Send a text
Make a date
Catch a flick
Speak a word
Feel a breath
Hold a hand
Get a chill
Make a wish
Share a kiss
Be in love

IWSG and PAD Day 2

(source)

Lots of abbreviations today.
I am the white rabbit! Get off my tail!

Dear Sensai Alex & the Army of Ninja Writers,

         I feel so far behind! And I don't mean with my chores or even my editing. I mean how late I started writing, IN LIFE! I'm *hush the crowd* MIDDLE AGED! So many of you knew the instant you chewed on your first book of the great Dr (Suess). I am still a 2 year old writer! I have so much to learn And it shows. And being in the midst of a family w/so many other life responsibilities, I have hardly any time to dedicate to my writing. Woe is me. I just hope I get published before I die! Seriously! You never know!

                                                              Sincerely,
                                                              Ain't Gettin Any Younger

AND I am combining Sensational Haiku Wednesday (excel) with my PAD for today (epigraph) I love this! For an epigraph you add a quote to intro your poem. PERFECT!

Excel in Spite

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other."

Abraham Lincoln

How do we succeed?

Listen to the nay sayers

And feed them their words.

More motivational quotes...just cause!

"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him." David Brinkley

"Action is the foundational key to all success." Pablo Picasso

"Belief in oneself is one of the most important bricks in building any successful venture." Lydia M. Child

"Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally." David Frost

"Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune." Jim Rohn

"I couldn't wait for success, so I went ahead without it." Jonathan Winters

A Name and a Poem

Happy November!
Best month of the year!

First, I am offering some names to Abby Fowers - she is hosting a contest, looking for a pen name for her children's books. Personally I like her name as is. But here are my suggestions:

Abigail Fletcher

Aravia French

Sinclair Price

Madison Ayers

The first two came to me right away as I thought of her initials, but she oesn't like her initials so I came up with a couple that were different =) Good luck, Abby!

And today is the first day of the PAD challenge by WD's Robert Lee Brewer. A winning poet will have an anthology of poems published! woo hoo! (Great, I forgot he likes to do "Two for Tuesday")

Here are my 2 for Tuesday, Procrastination & Proactive

It will take care of Itself

I am neglected

Attention I need

Don’t put me off

Please take heed

You passed my number

Ignore me no longer

If you don’t get to me soon

I’ll transform to a monster

I’ll come alive

Wake you from dreams

Clog your senses

So you can’t breathe

I’m so tired

I must sleep

that pile of laundry

will have to keep

NOOOOO!

Hyperspeed

Good morning, world!

Time to face

Another day!

Prioritize necessities!

Estimate and calculate

The time to take and synchronize

Hurry up! Don’t be late!

It’s now or never!

Or tomorrow…