I just learned about this...has anyone else heard about it??

I found this link/story www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1897924,00.html over on Barbara DeMarco-Barrett's site a few days ago and thought I'd share the link here. I had no idea. Isn't it interesting how quietly the apology was made when the original lambasting was heard 'round the world?? Perhaps Ms. Winfrey mentioned her apology to her show's audience. I wouldn't know because I'm no longer a loyal follower. I used to be, until this ugliness occurred.

I wish she'd made this apology as loudly as she'd made her original objections known. She might have won me back.

Things I Like

In following some other folks in the blogosphere, and because I'd like to have two blog posts in one week instead of two in a month (as recent activity suggests) I am going to post a list of things I like. I appreciate lists such as this one. It offers insight into the inner workings of my mind for anyone who might care. Ok, the only person who's going to care is my mother, who says she's learned so much more about me since I started blogging. Hmm. The rest of you are welcome to read along and post your own list of likes on your blogs. I will come read them, I promise! Also, a caveat: I am not listing anything related to my children and husband, because as their biggest fan I could go on and on and make everyone sick. Here goes:

1. The 2009 National League Champions, the Philadelphia Phillies

2. down-filled comforters

3. email

4. autumn

5. the beach/ocean (Atlantic, especially)

6. ice cream (most any kind, but esp. Haagen Dazs Vanilla Swiss Almond)

7. NYC

8. dogs

9. sharpened pencils (black Ticonderogas)

10. early American antiques

11. '80's music (no hair bands!)

12. yoga

13. golf

14. satellite radio

15. telescopes

16. Fleetwood Mac

17. Stevie Nicks

18. Advair

19. traveling

20. Adirondack chairs

21. Cosmos

22. Smartfood popcorn

23. the Denver Broncos

24. San Francisco

25. French impressionism

26. Red Rocks ampitheatre

27. Mexican food

28. scrapbooking

29. Mad Men

30. the Cleveland Cavs

31. sleeping in

32. thunderstorms

33. fire pits

34. hammocks

35. Harrison Fisher prints (artist from early 1900's)

36. non-pareils

37. Jean Paul Gaultier perfume bottles (and the perfume itself)

38. Ghostbusters

39. Starbucks

40. sound of the garage door going up (means my husband is home! Ok, I let this one slip in)

41. some reality TV (Amazing Race, Project Runway)

42. NY style pizza

43. heated car seats

44. my faith (Episcopalian)

45. reminiscing

Spanking is a Good Thing...

But only when it's the Phillies doing the spanking and the Dodgers, (or whichever opponent is unlucky enough to face them) getting punished! What a fabulous time I had last night watching the Phils trounce the Dodgers (Boo! Hiss!). Please God, let the Phillies show up to play again tonight. Go Phillies!!!!

Haven't posted in a while because I've been caring for sick kids, helping in my daughter's classroom and getting ready for the Scholastic book fair, and getting away for the weekend to Niagara Falls, ON with my family. Here are some pictures from our trip:

We had a great time even though our youngest wasn't feeling 100%.

Our dog, Divot, really missed us while we were gone. Here he is letting us have it for leaving him alone all weekend  welcoming us home--loudly!

The fall colors are gorgeous here in northeast Ohio. It's a great place to be at the moment. Just don't talk to me in two months.  ;o)

Receiving rejections every day on the short I've been sending out all year. Might be time to throw in the towel and move on. Continue to struggle with writing motivation. When I don't get any words down I feel it's a day wasted, and who wants to do that? Wasting time like that feels irresponsible to me. All right. Enough moaning. I'll be here at my desk, writing, for the rest of the afternoon.

What's on Your Bedside Table?

Here's a snapshot of what I'm currently reading. Notice where The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is....way at the bottom. And notice the bookmark--in the middle somewhere. I've been trying to get through this one for the better part of a month. Someone enlighten me here, please! I've already given this book way too much of my valuable time, but a friend me some words of encouragement. "Once you hit the middle, it really takes off." Wow. I have to wait more than 250 pages for the book to take off. You know this irks me because I'm pretty sure the agents I'm querying wouldn't be as patient with me, waiting for MY story to "take off" at page 250. And yes, that is Kathy Griffin's memoir, Official Book Club Selection. I can't help it. I love KG and I'm speeding through this fun read. No waiting around for 200+ pages for her story to take flight. It takes off like a shot, but I'm a fan and I need a light read every now and then. I picked up Time of My Life thanks to another blogger's suggestion. I'm only 20 pages in, but liking it so far. I have to say though, I've already seen this movie twice--once as The Family Man, with Nicholas Cage, and the other, 13 Going on 30, just reversed. I haven't started Home yet, but look forward to reading it as Marilynne Robinson is a wonderful writer. And this isn't unusual, me having three or four books piled high on my nightstand. What about you? Only one book at a time, or several? And what's on your bedside table?

So Long, Summer

Fall is creeping into northeast Ohio. I love fall. It's my favorite season and one that flies by too quickly, I think. Before I know it we'll be hip deep in snow and scraping ice from our windshields. So...I thought I'd share our lovely flower border that we enjoyed all summer. These flowers lined the entire walkway across our house, and caused some people to almost have accidents, so mesmerized were they by the sea of pink and white. (People told me this--I didn't actually see any near fender-benders, or hear any screeching brakes).

Also, for anyone who's interested, my handy husband is hard at work on the other side of my office. He's framed in the fireplace and the guy came last week to run the gas line. Here's what it looks like so far. I'm eager for him to complete the work, but I'm a little concerned about how warm the room will be once I turn on the fireplace. I may have to open a window in the dead of winter--and remember, I live just outside of Cleveland!

As for writing, I'm busy sending out a short story that, thanks to my writer's group, is getting a second chance. Seems I didn't have enough faith and give it a real shot during the first round of submissions. It's going everywhere. I hope it finds a home!!
Also went to see Julie & Julia--with my husband, this time--and really enjoyed the movie. The first time I tried to see it I was too stressed out, worrying about what was coming around the bend to assault my daughters' eyes and ears. The movie is definitely light fare, but what cracked us up was when Julie receives 65 phone messages--all from agents and publishers--wanting to talk to her about her blog and possible book deal. I found it funny that my husband laughed so hard at that one. I turned to him and said, "Yeah...we're livin' that dream aren't we, honey?"

Just a Couple of Suggestions

A short post today, but want to share two things--one a book, the other a blog--I now count as a few of my favorite things in life.
First, the book. I just finished reading Elizabeth Strout's Pulitzer Prize winning book, Olive Kitteridge. Loved it. Olive is the main character of the novel but sometimes only appears as someone passing through a room in this set of linked stories. I also appreciate the format--a whole book of linked stories about the people in Crosby, Maine. I highly recommend this read and we writers can definitely learn from Ms. Strout's storytelling ability. Her book, Amy and Isabelle, is another favorite of mine from a few years back.
Second, the blog. I just happened upon this one that focuses on rejection--sharing of rejection letters, etc.--handled with (what I think is) a great sense of humor. Laughing along with other writers as we experience opening the dreaded SASE we mailed out with our ms just makes me feel better. Go check it out at: http://www.literaryrejectionsondisplay.blogspot.com/ and have a great Labor Day!!

I Admit it, I Screwed Up

Sorry I haven't been around much these past few weeks. We've been busy gearing up for school. So now that my girlies are back in the classroom, I should have more time to devote to blogging--to my own as well as trolling others' blogs. I'm also excited to have more time to write. I'm working on another short story, as well as preparing to rewrite my novel (4th go-round) and possibly rework its beginning. Now on to "real life" stuff.
No one out in the blogosphere really knows me, so I have to tell you up front: I'm usually one of the strictest, most likely to say "no" moms around. So why I decided to take both of my daughters (ages 11 and 8) to see Julie & Julia last night is beyond me. Brain cramp? Invasion of the body snatchers?? Temporary loss of consciousness??? I read the reviews prior to going, and the movie web site I checked said the PG-13 rating was due to, "One F-word, some strong and brief crude language, sexual references and non-explicit situations." In the past, before we've allowed them to see a PG-13 movie, (there have been 2 others) they get the "big speech" which goes something like this: "Remember, we don't use this language at home, the filmmakers use these words for emphasis, this isn't the real world..." you get the idea.
When we first sat down, I looked around and noticed my girls were the only two kids in the entire place. That was the first knot I felt form in my stomach. Then the movie started and the older couple sitting behind us said, (loudly) "Kids should not be here." Second knot. I felt okay for the first 45 minutes. There were moments the couples in the movie were shown kissing in bed (I shielded my 8-year old's eyes) and some language that made me cringe, but I know much of this went over their heads. But at the one-hour mark I couldn't take it anymore. Nothing in the movie was too over the top or gratuitous. It just didn't feel right sitting there with my two young girls. I could hardly enjoy the movie I was so caught up in my own angst. And who really knows what's sinking in and what isn't? I think things fly over their heads, but how can I be sure? I don't know what I was thinking. that the movie would focus mostly on the cooking?? Anyway...we left. I hope the older couple who sat behind us approved of that decision. ;o) Now, if I could just find that nomination form...the one for Mother of the Year...
On a happier note...to counteract that poor decision, I was rewarded this past week with my daughter announcing her decision to abandon the Twilight series. I posted a few months ago about finally allowing her to read Twilight (all of her friends had read the entire series at the beginning of 5th grade--a point in time I'd said, emphatically, NO! to my daughter's request to read it). She just finished the third book in the series, Eclipse, and came to me and said she'd had enough--enough of the teen romance/girl giving up her life for the guy nonsense. She likes the fantasy/vampire thing but was turned off by the romance between Edward and Bella. She'd heard from friends that the characters consummate their relationship in Book 4 and she said, "I'm afraid to read that. I think I'm done." She handed me Breaking Dawn and told me to "put it away somewhere." Thank you, God!! I think a lot of the themes in the books are too heavy for many of these young girls. I'm glad "dawn broke" for my daughter. Thankfully good sense prevailed and my daughter realized her limitations.
I guess I haven't totally screwed up...yet.