Battle of the Books

Just saw this and loved it so I thought I'd share. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB-dQYmCQdQ

Enjoy!

Theater Talk

Ooooh, I want to see Beyonce’s new movie, Obsessed. I really like her. Not only because she’s talented and her music gets my butt moving on the treadmill but because she seems to like pizza. She’s been spotted a couple of times in a pizza place near where I used to live. You know how much I like--- love--- pizza. If I weren’t already married and pizza was a person, I’d marry it. I mean me and pizza, we go way back … oh heck. This isn’t a pizza post! It’s a post about Beyonce’s movie.

Now, as I was saying, I want to see Obsessed but I know I’m going to be the annoying person yelling back at the screen between mouthfuls of popcorn and chocolate covered raisins from Costco. And, it most likely won’t always be between which will be UG-ly.

Me and suspense just don’t get along. You can ask the people I shared the theater with when we went to see, I am Legend starring my man Will Smith. Or, you can ask my husband. He knows. Poor guy.

I Love This Part Right Here ...

Finished my wip! Whoo-hoo. Now it's time to read and revise a hundred times and also for wearing out my hubby's ears!

This is one of the parts I love. The last sentence is resting comfortably on the page, it's all printed out, it's nice and clean and crisp. A sharpened pencil and I happily get to work.

I have an idea for my next book and it involves some research, which I really enjoy. I also have two older MG's I want to go over and tweak 'till there's no tweak left in me.

Joy!

Playing it Cool

We were in Manhattan yesterday and the girls went into Pinkberry for some yummy frozen yogurt. My oldest came out saying, “Guess what? Guess what?” and I knew she’d seen someone famous. I thought it would be a member of a band she likes, but it wasn’t. She held the door open for Naomi Watts and her baby. My daughter’s played it cool which was, um, cool.

Sigh ...

This is one of the pools at the hotel we stayed at in Puerto Rico. I've been clicking my heels all day but it's not working!

Puerto Rico's rain forest! This skinny path goes all the way to the top of a mountain. It took a half hour each way for this route. There's another route which takes an hour and 45 min. Yeah, right ... don't make me laugh. It didn't rain while we were there though, go figure.

I have a couple of other pictures I wanted to post but they're taking forever to load and I'm thinking maybe that's a good thing. I don't want to bore you to tears!

I'll leave you with my most favorite part of the trip-- the water. How awesome looking is this? It's a long, long, longggg cry from the waters off NYC.

Medium or well?

I'm back. and I'm burnt thanks to Carrie Ryan's great book, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, I didn't notice the beautiful breeze on the Puerto Rico beach I was lounging on was actually masking the sun's strength! Yes, I'm well done. Ouch!

Food was awesome and I will miss it. Our hotel, El conquistador, is a gorgeous place. Room was very clean and really comfy. No Puerto Rican food there though, big disappointment. We did find two restaurants five minutes from the hotel that were beyond excellent. Service was excellent as well. If you don't rent a car, which we didn't, you have to get a cab, more like car service. Our driver for most of the time we were there was Carlos Rosa. He was very friendly and very funny. He also plays guitar and sings beautifully. Since I'm Puerto Rican but cannot speak it and have never visited before this trip, he called me a Newyorkrican.

Carlos really helped us enjoy this trip. Not only did he call his kids on his cell phone to pick fresh mangoes off the trees in his backyard for us, he's full of PR's history and can point out all sorts of things including teeny tiny ferns that close up when they're touched and how when you gently tap the seed pods of the Impatient flower it will pop sending small seeds flying. When he placed one into my hand and told me to gently touch it, I had no idea what it was. When it popped, I thought it was a bug and I kinda punched him in the arm. It was a light punch, I swear!

Oh, I embarrassed my kids on the plane ride there. You know how the airlines give you a snack then come around holding garbage bags open for you to toss your stuff into? Well, when they came to us, I had nothing to drop into the bag so I said, "No Trick or Treat." What? I thought it was funny. I don't think the steward (is that what they're called?) got it. He kind of just looked at me with that fake half-a-grin you give someone when you have no idea what they said but you know it was supposed to be something funny. My kids are still talking about it.

I'll post some pictures soon. Now it's pizza time and bed!

Up, Up and Away

We've managed to squeak out a mini spring vacation! I'll see you on Sunday.

Vigilante ... Out!

Tree Love

This is my favorite tree. It’s a Weeping Cherry and it was given to me about eight years ago by my hubby and girls on Mother’s Day.

All winter long, I look at the naked branches thinking, soon, soon. As winter winds down, I search for baby buds. When winter is finally done, it seems the blooms pop overnight.

Many things make me happy but my tree is near the top of the list.

Back it Up Lady

Something strange has been happening to me while I’m out shopping lately.

Me: “Oh, that’s nice.” Picks it up. Checks it out.
Elderly person standing next to me: Checking out same piece of clothing.
Me: Throws item down and moves on.

Me: “I like these shoes, they look comfy.”
Elderly person standing next to me: Checking out same darn shoes or, wearing said darn shoes.
Me: Throws shoe down like it has burned my hand.

Me: Either I’m getting older or –
Elderly person: “Uh-huh …”
Me: “Oh be quiet! And, why are you following me?”

Home is Where You Make It

I have a new favorite television channel, HGTV. One of my favorite shows is House Hunters and House Hunters International. This show features people who are looking to move either out of the country or around the corner.

The people involved are taken around to different areas and shown houses that fit their criteria. Then they choose one of the houses shown. It is so interesting to see what other parts of the country/world look like and how the people there live. For instance, tonight there was a woman who came from New York City (I believe it was Brooklyn) who wanted to move to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. She was tired of the cold (me too!), the chaos (me too!), and the crowds (you said it, sister!). I was so jealous! She bought a condo on the beach for $125,000. The place was beautiful.

Last week, a couple had been renting a place in Santa Monica California and now wanted to buy there. They had a million dollar budget. Did you know that a million bucks in Santa Monica does not buy much? The places were ridiculous. One “yard” was an L shaped path and that was it. Can you imagine?

Another of my favorites is a show that “stages” your home in order to sell it quickly. People come in, point out all the negatives then help you fix them. I love this show because you really learn a lot about design. I have to admit though, I now walk around my house making note of all the negatives and wonder what the stagers would think of it …

Chicken Soup for the Soul Man

This past Saturday I attended a Jack Canfield seminar. If you don’t know who he is, he’s co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. By the way, the first Chicken Soup was rejected over one hundred times. Well, helloooo, persistence.

I read Canfield’s, The Success Principles a couple of years ago and got a lot out of it. If you get the chance check it out.

Back to the seminar. I’ll admit, some of the people I went with were afraid they’d be offered, The Kool-Aid (did you know Kool-Aid was originally called Fruit Smack? Now you do). I figured the only thing I was going to drink was water and as for everything else, I’d take what I wanted and leave the rest as I do in all things.

Here are some of the things Canfield teaches:

Take responsibility for your life and your results. You have to give up blaming others, circumstances, etc., Hold yourself accountable.

Be clear about why you are here- Clarify your purpose.

Focus on what you want, not what you don’t want.

Believe in yourself.

On paper, create effective affirmations. Start with, I am. Use present tense. State it in the positive. Keep it brief. Include an action word ending with, -ing. “I am enjoying my time on Oprah.” (Hee-Hee)

Use the power of visualization.

My favorite- and the first thing I learned from reading Jack Canfield stuff years ago- ASK. Nothing happens until a request is made, an offer is made or an action occurs.

Reject rejection. This should be a every writer’s favorite. When someone says, “No!” you say, “Next!” Say it with me now …

Here are some things I jotted down while listening:

· Act as if.
· Hate weakens you. Negative thoughts about yourself weakens you.
· Don’t concentrate on failures. Learn and MOVE ON. Helloooo, writers …
· Thoughts travel.
· Look for opportunity.
· Success leaves clues.
· Visualize yourself being successful at the thing that makes you uncomfortable.
· Trust when inspiration comes.


I’ll leave you with this quote from General Wesley Clark, Former Head of NATO:

“It doesn’t take any more effort to dream a big dream than it takes to dream a small dream.”

Now, that’s what I’m talkin’ about.

Mmm, Mmm, Good!

Went to my new favorite pizza place tonight, Sal’s of SoHo. The pizza is thin and crusty and made in a coal oven. It is the best pizza I’ve ever had, and I know pizza people. I could seriously eat four slices at Sal’s without a problem (but then I remember how long it takes on the treadmill just to kill 200 ugly calories and I back off).

I wonder if I could make money being a Pizza Tester … Yes, I’m the new PT in town and I’m here to do my job, now give me the goods before I write you a summons or something.

I’m a little less than half-way through my wip and I find myself standing back looking at it, thinking and circling. The whole time I’m wondering if I can do this again. Will the magic come this time?

I know in my heart it’ll be there, tapping its foot and pointing to its watch.

It always is.