A Quote Today

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
           -Albert Einstein

Easy for him to say - he was a genius after all!

365 Thank Yous

A recent read by John Kralik, an attorney from California, was an inspiring tale to appreciate the small things in life.  It shows that when you do appreciate the small things, good will come your way.  Much like karma, or the power of three.  "365 Thank Yous" will make you want to do better, even if it is just writing a thank you note when you receive a gift, or some sort of gratitude from the most inconspicuous places, like your local barista or sandwich shop.  For me, it will be the staff at the downtown Graziano's, they are always cheerful and polite (having the best pizza helps as well!).

On a separate note, the pregnancy is going very well, as are my ideas to stay fashionable with a big ole' belly!  The joy of knowing our child is already kicking and will begin to grow even more rapidly than it already has!  10 more weeks until we find out the sex and can really begin to plan the nursery, among a million other things (like safety).  Of course, we have a cruise the following week that we have to plan for, nothing can really overshadow this pregnancy and the love we share enjoying it.

Quote

A few quotes that I like quite well:

"Obsession gives you something to do besides having your heart shattered by disappointment, conflict, loss."
     -Geneen Roth

"Your life is nota  dress rehearsal - this is it!  It's show time!"
     - Denise Austin

You never know when you need a quote to get you through the day!

Yumminess!

The past few months have flown by from all the business!  The holidays are always fun but the relaxation that follows is what I love the most.  Besides cooking and keeping up with current events, my husband and I visited the emergency room during the wee hours of the morning on Christmas Eve.  All in all, we're expecting a little one in late August/early September!

It came as quite a surprise considering we had a "ten-year plan!"  Life never leaves room for much planning on our parts, just gotta take it as it comes!  Becoming pregnant puts a new spin on life, you take more time doing things, appreciate the feel-good moments, and you begin watching your food in-take slightly more.  This has sprung to life my vow to swear off chemicals, whether it is in the food I eat, or the soap and lotion that go on my skin.  Before this I never realized that your skin soaks up 60% of the crap you put on your skin.  In summation, if the ingredient is not something I would use while I cook, then it doesn't need to be in my skin care regime, packaged or fresh foods, lotions, soaps, make-up, or even baby wipes or clothing!  The list is outrageous but everyone can take small steps to a better, more fresh routine.

One of my first steps was to read a few books, cook up my own lotion and soap, take care at the grocery store to put things back on the shelf that has a funky ingredient list.  USA Today reported earlier this month that many chemicals and toxins were found in more than 200 women!  Now think what those carcinogens are doing to an unborn fetus!  If it isn't good for your baby, it more than likely is not good for you either.

Right now I am enjoying a lovely homemade smoothie!  I used frozen strawberries, peaches, and mangoes with fresh strawberries and organic pineapple juice.  Blend until smooth and I have this yummy sweet yet tart smoothie that will help baby and I!  Maybe next time I will use fresh kiwi and blueberries...

searching for the perfect reading spot

     It isn't always easy finding just the right spot to plop down and open a book.  Sometimes we have to rework a place we've used for quite a long while.  Rather that is adding a blanket during the winter, or a pillow in the evenings, a little adjustment can make all the difference. 

     For me, right now, it is a comfy quilt and a spot in front of our furnace vent.  Every now and again I get a burst of hot air that I can capture under my quilt.  All the while taking in Stephen King's Hearts in Atlantis or Jerry Oppenheimer's Front Row.

     Many people that know me well know that I spend many of my workday lunches at the library.  It is a place I have known since I was a child and each time I am there it brings a sense of tranquility to my soul.  The smell of the stairwell, the second floor nooks to review books, the oversize section on the balcony, areas I like to hide as if I have stepped back to my childhood.

     I actually wish that I had taken the time to go to the library today (but I do have plenty to read already).  I hope everyone is enjoying their Thanksgiving break and taking some time to relax and reminisce. 

Stephen King "On Writing"

     Until On Writing, I have never read a Stephen King book.  I know it is nearly impossible to believe, maybe not to some, but I have gone more than twenty-five and a half years reading hundreds upon hundreds of books, not one has been Mr. King's. 

     Now - I am addicted.  He is a fabulous writer.  His imagination is wild and On Writing showcases how his stories materialize onto paper.  He is honest, direct, and above all, he is extremely smart.  After I closed this book for the last time, I came to the conclusion, and I am being bold here, that Stephen King is the epitome of all writers, past, present, and beyond. 

     I love how King enjoys writing about his three children and his wife.  He holds Tabitha, his wife, to a high degree and sees her, and only her, as his audience.  He loves being married and he loves being a father.  His gratitude for them is loving and makes you appreciate his work even more. 

Here are a few of my fav snippets (it isn't easy to keep it short, it may need a second post):

• "Fiction writers, present company included, don’t understand very much abotu what they do - not why it works when it’s good, not why it doesn’t when it’s bad.  I figured the shorter the book, the less the bullshit."
• "...my attempt to show how one writer was formed.  Not how one writer was made; I don’t believe writers can be made, either by circumstances or by self-will...The equipment comes with the original package."
• "...good story ideas seem to come quite literally from nowhere, sailing at you right out of the empty sky: two previously unrelated ideas come together and make something new under the sun.  Your job isn’t to find these ideas but to recognize them when they show up."
• "It’s worked.  Our marriage has outlasted all of the world’s leaders except for Castro, and if we keep talking, arguing, making love, and dancing to the Ramones, it’ll probably keep working."
• "And whenever I see a first novel dedicated to a wife (or husband), I smile and think, There’s someone who knows.  Writing is a lonely job.  Having someone who believes in you makes a lot of difference.  They don’t have to make speeches.  Just believing is usually enough."
• "Remember that the basic rule of vocabulary is use the first word that comes to your mind, if it is appropriate and colorful.  If you hesitate and cogitate, you will come up with another word - but it probably won’t be as good as your first one, or as close to what you really mean."
• "...sometimes even a monster is no monster.  Sometimes it’s beautiful and we fall in love with all that story, more than any film or TV program could ever hope to provide.  Even after a thousand pages we don’t want to leave the world the writer has made for us, or the make-believe people who live there.  You wouldn’t leave after two thousand pages, if there were two thousand."
• "In both writing and sleeping, we learn to be physically still at the same time.  We are encouraging our minds to unlock form the the humdrum rational thinking of our daytime lives."
• "You learn best by reading a lot and writing a lot.  The most valuable lessons of all are the ones you teach yourself."
• "Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative one.  The water is free. So drink.
      Drink and be filled up."

     The last quote was a realization for me.  I have been waiting to create some sort of television-inspired magic for years.  All this time it's right at my fingertips, leading up to my brain, where you walk up, down, and all around a million stairs until you reach imagination.  No, Figment is not there, but lots of other things are hanging around.  Ones screaming to be released. 

     That is right now, and later.  Tomorrow I will arrive at the library for one of King's earlier novels, maybe the one about gunslinger, or something from that collection.  Or I could finish one of the other thirty books I already have from the library...

Thanksgiving

     This is a time of year everyone loves.  There isn't one reason not to love the rich foods and family conversations.  Reviewing the year and enjoying those we often do not see.  That is, if your family isn't complicated.  Mine happens to be.  I usually try to find a way out of Thanksgiving considering Christmas is just around the corner.  It did not work!  This year is especially busy with my family at 2 pm, my husband's family at 7 pm, then Saturday another gathering in Monroe county, which is a bit further than Greenbrier county, but just as luscious with landscapes.

     Fortunately, we have a wonderful excuse: Socrates.  He must not be left alone for a very long time, it is never good for a dog to be in his cage for extended periods. 

     This year there are many reasons to give thanks:  new baby in the family, another pregnancy, our newlywed status, A is in town, extra days off work (lots of time to read)! 

     Of course, there are those that enjoy the early morning of Black Friday.  Not me.  I like staying in bed until real late, avoiding holiday shoppers, and staying away from crowds.  Especially when the air is tense and people can be crabby from hunger and disappointment.  Screw that!  I will get my rest and finish a book (or two).

My favorite memories from this year.

Spending time at the camp (it is were Bri proposed!).

Greenbrier River

The camp

Marrying my best friend:

He is so lovely as he sleeps

Our bands

Then there is always one wonderful little girl we never get enough of!  This is one of my favorite pictures from my bridal shower.  Mom spent most of her time taking photos of people eating - not appealing at all.

The best thing (besides getting married). Brian's birthday cake.  His face said it all.

Pizza cookie cake!

It has been a fabulous year!