Now that all the fireworks have been dispersed and barbecue has been eaten, it is time to get back into the swing of things. No better way than with a little music. I came across this song courtesy of Pandora and fell in love with it. Immediately I took to YouTube to find the video, but I was looking on my phone and the video was not available to me on the mobile. The story behind the making of the video is pretty cool. As if there weren’t many reasons for my liking The Killers and this video is just another reason to add to the pile. Hope you enjoy!
I just found out that a friend of mine has passed. Memories are powerful things though. I still see her sitting at the desk beside me, smiling and joking as we took reservation calls. I remember the sound of her voice when she told me she was engaged, and the pure joy when she said she was pregnant. Then life ran away with both of us and we lost touch.
Everyone leaves a mark on your life when they pass through it. Some more than others. Unfortunately, we don’t always realize the depth of the impact they had until they are truly gone. That is how I feel about my friend, her impact was not truly felt until I got the call from my mother telling me she was gone. She was a strong woman in so many ways, and like so many of us, just trying to leave her mark on the world. Whether she realized it or not, she did.
So today, my challenge to you is to remember someone you’ve lost, think of the memories, and the marks they have left on your life. Maybe they inspired your pursuit of unrealized dreams, perhaps their strength made you strive to be a stronger person, or their inner beauty made you realize the true depth of the word. Share if you wish, it helps to keep them among us. It is my belief anyhow.
Hi ladies, I am here yet again with another Humpday Hottie for you. I’ve always found Jake to be a McCutie… but in Prince of Persia, cutie has left the building and hot hunkiness has taken it’s place. What do ya think?
That’s right folks… the time has arrived. This is my favorite sport. Season openers were on Monday for most teams… however there was a great season opener on Sunday for the Red Sox and Yankees. That was a good game. Go BoSox! They met again on Tuesday which I didn’t see but cursed my phone when the display showed the Yankees win, and then Wednesday, I had high hopes, but they blew it in the tenth inning. Such is the way of baseball.
Other teams I like to keep tabs on? Dodgers (who won their first game finally), Angels, and Cubs (All for you Riss). However, it is baseball people…. if there is a game, its all good in my book.
P.S. Things are starting to flow again in the realm of Devlin & Kiara… so the paranormal is slowly getting back on track. I just love when the muse is in my dugout.
We are nearing my favorite time of year. Which is what you ask? Spring/Summer. I can’t choose between them because that would be like asking me to pick one kid over the other. So not happening. Besides, this is Vegas and sping does blend so seamlessly into summer that it is difficult to tell when one ends and the next begins. The true heart of the matter is that I have many reasons for loving spring/summer. My tops being these:
1. Baseball season is about to kick off….Go Red Sox! Yes, in a family full of football fans, I am the odd man out. It’s all good though.
2. Weather is warming up which means barbeque season is ready to hit full swing.
3. Lazy days by the pool (because honestly, in Vegas heat you don’t really want to be too far from a pool and margarita).
4. No more freezing our arses off.
5. Did I mention margaritas? Oh yes. Please accept my apologies for the short term memory loss. Beer’s good too. I will take a Blue Moon served in a nice frosty Pilsner with a slice of orange please. Preferably brought to me by a shirtless and well tanned piece of eye candy.
Yes you’ll do Mr. Inspiration for Levi hottie. You may bring me my beer now. Drool… oh sorry I lost my train of thought. Where was I? Right. Spring/Summer. Got it. As with all good things there are some down sides. Hundred and fifteen degree heat people? And don’t give me that “It’s a dry heat” bullshit. Hot is hot any way you slice it. Other downside? It does eventually come to an end. Such is the way of things. Time for me to get back to work. Daydreaming of Paul Walker, Blue Moon and warm weather has almost lured me away from the real task at hand. ‘Wolf-fairy’ must be finished. (Doesn’t that name just kill you? I have yet to cement a title and my friend refers to it as that or The Fairy God Wolf. They both suck, but its entertaining to hear them. LOL) Yes, yes, I am going now.
Over the past two years I have had a lot of things happen in my life. I finished and subbed my first story, had it published, struggled to learn the world of online self promotion (and still learning), had some major life altering events happen which has eaten up a lot of my time, and most recently, had Buckling Down released in its print format two weeks ago.
While you have listened to me whine, give excuses and delay my blog postings…. I will not do this anymore. Tomorrow is the first day where I will revel in my writing and all that it has done for me. To celebrate, I will announce a contest to give away print copy of the Wild Ride Anthology where my novella, Buckling Down, debuts in print, signed by yours truly. (You’ll want to hang on to it…. I’m gonna be famous someday. My mommy said so. )
Seriously? I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off these last few weeks. Getting ready to sign a lease and move and at the very same time that my book comes out in print. Speaking of which… it feels really official now that the print version is posted on the publisher’s site. Check it out…
There you have it ladies and gents! So once my life seems to mellow out, I will hopefully get back into my groove. I lost it somewhere over the course of the past year… but I am damn determined to find it. If not I have several friends who have issued threats if I don’t get my act together. I am getting by with a little help from my friends I guess. Talk to you all soon!
Sorry, my mother shared this video with me and I found it quite entertaining. I needed a piece of mind moment and this kind of gave me just what I was looking for… a smile. This is a great animated short by Lucas Martell, a man who will undoubtedly have more in store for us in the future! Just click on his name to go to his site!
I remember certain things about the holidays from growing up. Sure there were toys that were memorable… though more often than not there were particular circumstances around the presents that left more of a mark (and not in a good way).
Truly the things I remember were the little things. When we were younger, we lived out of the country, but my parents still tried to keep family traditions the centerpiece of our holidays. Christmas Eve we were allowed one gift to open and it was always a pair of Christmas pajamas. Baking and home made chocolate covered cherries…well need I say more? Family and friends were also another major cornerstone in our holidays.
Later, when we came back to the states, we carried on a tradition that was something from my father’s side of the family. Christmas Eve was the night where the family did an open house. Friends, neighbors, and family stop by at the leisure and enjoy some time visiting. That has always been the one constant. Family and friends. Now I look at my kids. Granted they are only six, and to a child Christmas is about the gifts. I am sure it was for myself and my sister as well at that age. That being said, it is a bit disheartening, especially at a time when the economy is in the toilet, to see parents running around frantically trying to figure out how to buy their kids the hottest new toy, video game, etc.
I walked through the store and thought my kids don’t need any of this. They won’t appreciate it and its hard earned money that is getting dumped into things that will be broken in two weeks. Yes, I can hear people muttering under their breath about how it is about the children. Buy the damn toys and quit my whining. I get it and will be getting off the soap box shortly.
First though, I just have to say my peace. I think that this year has made me realize how over done things are and how far from the important things we’ve managed to stray. Traditions, family, and friends old and new are what make the holidays memorable. Twenty years from now the kids may remember the My Little Pony that was in their stocking or (dating myself here) the excitement of finding their first Cabbage Patch doll under the tree before Christmas morning and the hurt and disappointment that little re-wrapping fiasco brought on their parents, but more often than not the toys aren’t memorable. They aren’t what matters. We need to get back to what matters.
Okay I am done… my bah humbug moment has passed and I am off to re-discover the meaning of Christmas, because for my grandmother who’s absence is felt more and more every year, this was her time of year. She lived for this. She was good at it. She glowed, sparkled,and lit up a room simply by being in it. One very important lady who helped teach us that laughter is an antidote to almost all of life’s ills. That as long as you had family and friends around you, well you were richer than Trump. I want to capture that. To be that woman. So grandma… I will try to make you proud.
I have complained many times about my lack of progress over the last few months. Honestly, finding my groove again has been a bit difficult. The paranormal story that has been the very thorn in my side for the last year maybe two was shoved to the back of my mind. I felt I had altered the story so much that there was no way I could make the beginning mesh with the ending any longer and I was frustrated as hell.
My sister has become quite the paranormal reader. Since she had recently devoured such books as SheWolf and Tigress By the Tail by my loverly Teresa D’Amario, Kiss of Midnight by Laurell K Hamilton (another huge love of mine), and the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, I figured it was time. I printed out the first ninety eight pages of my book and let her read it. All I can say is this.
There are many opinions out there that I value and you all know who you are, but there is just something about hearing the barrage of curse words streaming from my little sister’s mouth when she gets to page ninety eight and now has to wait for me to make up my mind to continue the story. Well how could I let my little sis down?
So, here we are and I finally broke the 60k mark. My characters took me on an unexpected turn and so far I am loving the direction. Hopefully, when all is said and done, I will soon type the last words with a sense of great satisfaction. That is what I am striving for… on top of attempting to blog more (you’ve heard that before), brainstorm my young adult story, and zombie story plotting. Full plate? Perhaps…
Such is the way of baseball.
)
