without running out of time!

Deadlines!  We have all had them in some fashion or another.

Spelling, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Reading homework assignments with next day deadlines--pretty much everyone had them in grade school.  As we got older, the course names may have changed but we still had deadlines.

Then off to the real world... there isn't a job around that doesn't have some sort of deadline for each and every work tasks.

As a writer, "looming deadlines," is similar to a character making it through the "darkest moment" of a storyline.  If you succeed, there is a happy ending.  If you don't, then you have to deal with trying to make sure you and your editor/publisher/agent have a happy ending by the revised deadline.

My deadline for writing my blog entries is midnight daily.  Some days I make it, others... I don't.  Today, because I'm doing laundry...  Yeah everyone wore their last pair of underwear, socks and pants!   Of course, they waited until 930pm to tell me.  ...I have time to write my blog.

I think it was a conspiracy to make sure I sat down to write my blog.  What do you think?

Without realizing it's the Witching Hour!

I had a whole different entry I was going to type up tonight and then I visited my kid's high school website. I was overwhelmed with the content on the home page. There is content in so many different colors, size and styles it makes me dizzy. I'm not sure who is behind it, but they need to invest in an editor with a spell checker.

So I decided to give them feedback... there was a button, I clicked it, filled in the form. Submitted it by selecting the submit button. A nice window popped up saying "Thank you for your feedback" with a close button. So I clicked the closed button oh half dozen times, then a dozen more... NOTHING HAPPENED! Java script doesn't appear to be working tonight either. Am I surprised? NOPE!

As George use to say, "Say good night Gracie."
And Gracie would say, "Good Night Gracie."

Without Snow!

Our area was forecasted to receive 1" to 2" of snow last night. Nothing major. But as luck would have it, I needed a few items from the grocery store.

Thankfully, the weathermen hadn't spread panic through our local community and the store only had the usual crowd. But as I was leaving I heard someone exclaim, "It's snowing!"

Then I noticed the customer who exited just prior to myself. She started to trot as quickly as parking lot traffic and her high heels would permit her. She didn't slow down either once she approached her vehicle. She flung her car door open and proceeded to throw her recent purchases as fast as she could.

I was amazed. Why would anyone want to act in this manner? Oh, right it was snowing.

I took my sweet time strolling to my truck. Watching as the snowflakes fell from the sky with the wonder of a small child who was witnessing their first snow fall. It was glorious. I know I'm probably in the minority. But it's been so long since we had snow, even the small measly amount we received brought joy to my children. Too bad it will all be melted before they are dismissed from school.

If winter isn't your favorite season, what is?

time slipping through my fingers

Ok, so the room transformation wasn't completed.
I didn't fail though. Nor did I quit.
Time ran out the door and didn't give me a second glance.
I spent two days slaving away and I did make progress.
What I put on the curb on trash day is evident of that.

Additionally, I tackled another task and managed to find
many items while ripping down the prickly ivy
that encompassed a section of our back yard.
Three frisbees! Parts of the old swing set.
The peddle-go-cart my youngest child thought he'd
take apart and build his own "new" go-gart design with.
And lot of half-dollar-size spiders and ones larger! (UGH! EEK!)
In the end, though, I felt invigorated because I succeeded!

This week, I hope to make more.
But the return of school, sports, and scouting has me
wondering when I'll truly get to eek out time
to complete this project.

The other is revamping my website.
I've been reading, yes, Virginia writers read--
that's how they become better writers.
Years ago I had a degree in computer programming.
I loved being able to tell a computer to do something,
and it would do as I instructed.
Now with website design the sky isn't even a limit!

So perhaps, in a few weeks from now,
my office will be dining room.
Nor will my website won't look like a generic template
from a nameless-corporate-software-company.
And both will reflect my preference for colors
this time of year as does my blog...
hues of reds, oranges and yellows.