Tag Archives: friends

speed trapped!

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My friend Dana sent me a link to this article and told me it was my next blog topic. I guess I agreed with her, because here we are…

DETROIT – So you think junior is a little too lead-footed when he drives the family car? Starting next year, Ford Motor Co. will give you the power to do something about it.

The company will roll out a new feature on many 2010 models that can limit teen drivers to 80 mph, using a computer chip in the key.

Parents also have the option of programming the teen’s key to limit the audio system’s volume, and to sound continuous alerts if the driver doesn’t wear a seat belt.

I think this is brilliant. However, there is one tiny little flaw in this plan: What middle class person wants to buy their 16 year old kid a brand new car? And what upper class person is going to buy their kid a brand new FORD? LOL

Okay, wait a second, there’s another flaw…they’re limiting the speed to 80 mph because they felt that “lopping it off at exactly 70 mph was felt to be too limiting.” Yeah. We’d hate to limit those pesky teens to the speed limit, wouldn’t we?

Overall, I think it’s a good option to have. I had planned to give my kid my old ass Honda Civic when he turns 16. It will be 14 years old by then. It probably won’t be able to go past 70 by age default. Plus he’ll have to learn how to drive a 5 speed which I think all kids should learn.

What do you guys think? Is this the wave of the future? Is it a good idea or are we just making our kids be responsible without teaching them responsibilities?

the fried extravaganza

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The Fried Twinkie tasted like a cream-filled funnel cake. I’d eat it again.
The ‘Pig Lickers’? (Chocolate covered bacon)
I took one bite and nearly threw up.
Rader and Fishdog had a different opinion. They liked it.

I couldn’t make myself try the Fried Dr. Pepper. But the beverages I did have, were fantastic.

and so was the company!

some of my favorite things

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My bulletin board above my desk. You’ll see my Scotland mementos that my wee lad Grant sent me a couple of years ago. (He’s living in the states full time now…in Cincinnati and he’s loving it.)
This is a necklace that I made. I love it. I wear it a lot.


This is the Tshirt my college girlfriends/bridesmaids made for me to wear at my Bachelorette party 15.5 years ago.
Here’s a close-up. Yes, those are all pictures of me. No I’m not going to tell you what the ‘thought bubble’ says.
Every Thursday my girlfriends and I get together at Cheers and we’re waited on by Adolfo and we giggle and laugh. I love the laughing. Lately, I’ve needed a lot of laughter.
Ruby. Seriously, how could you not love that face?
This was my wedding present from Fishdog.

This was one of the first things Nemo made for me when he was taking pottery. I love my crocodile.
My Crackberry. If you don’t understand the love of the Crackberry…you don’t have one.

Rader’s laughter. Look familiar?


We’re sassy!

John Cleese:

round up

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YA Author John Green has written a blog about Faith and Science as they pertain to the election. It’s a well thought out article that gives readers something to think about. Check it out today.

A follow up to yesterday’s blog: The Obama HQ and the local campaign sign store were both out of signs. I did get my bumper stickers though. I should be able to get yard signs next week, so the plan is still on to get 10 signs and give the jerk who messed with my freedom of speech the proverbial finger.

Kitteh is blogging over at Fictionistas today about sparkly things. Check it out.

I’m headed back to Oxford this weekend. The 1st Presidential Debate of the season will be held there Friday night and I can’t wait. Of course, it bothers me to no end that basically only the media will be allowed to attend the actual debate. The citizens will be watching it via jumbotrons on the square.

How does that make sense? Aren’t debates for the PEOPLE? I think it would be amazing if the media was banished to the jumbotron viewing and the actual citizens were allowed to witness this historic event in person.

I was surprised that Ole Miss was chosen. The historic meaning is monumental since it was just a little over 45 years ago that the University was forced to accept its first African American student. (James Meredith) And now, forty-six years later, we have our first African American Presidential candidate–debating in the same town where US soldiers were deployed to stop the racist rioting.

I was hoping to bring the family with me this time. We have no soccer this weekend and I really feel like this is a great chance for the kids to witness history. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Nemo has a cross country meet on Saturday morning. There’s no way we can get him to Oxford for Friday night and back to Little Rock first thing Saturday morning.

Maybe I’ll take Rader with me…

the countdown begins

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This time next week, I’ll be packing for my trip to Tallahassee. Maria, Louisa, and I are getting together for our yearly critique partner gathering. We’re picking Louisa up in Pensacola and heading to Destin for a few days, then on to another fabulous destination where we’ll be able to soak up lots of sun, sand, and surf.

a pic from last year’s trip

I can’t wait.

I’ll try blogging next week, but I’m afraid I’ll be having too much fun. We’ll be plotting out our next books, writing, and generally having a really good time. This will be especially awesome since Maria and I missed RWA this year.

I’m head down in my revisions right now. Trying to perfect this story and send it off by the weekend. I need this vacation. I’m sad that Fishdog and I didn’t get to do our San Francisco/Sonoma trip like we had planned. But we’ll get a vacay together. Maybe in October.

In other news…my interim website is almost complete…so stay tuned for a really cool change very soon. Thanks to the lovely Chrissy Olinger at Websong Designs for all her hard work. She designed a gorgeous template (that of course, my webby hubby had to tweak, cuz God love him, that’s in his nature). I can’t wait to unveil the new site. I think you’ll love it.

Okay, done for now. I’ll leave you with the final picture from last year’s beach extravaganza…

tried to keep it a secret

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But damn these digital cameras…

I guess I can’t keep it a secret any longer…I have a super power.

That’s right. I can teleport.

Yesterday afternoon, after my awful run in with Mr. (lack of) Enunciation at the DMV…I teleported to the RWA Conference in San Francisco and hung out with some of my favorite peeps.

Picture 1: This is me with Barbara Vey (who is the loveliest person on earth) and Kristen Painter…who is lovely to me in a “I want to wear her skin” way. Yes. It’s a girl crush. I’ll admit it.

Picture 2: Like OMG! Here I am with Jo Marie Landis and Lara Santiago! Like seriously! Holy cow! I’m not sure how I stopped myself from going all ‘fan-girl’ on them. I think maybe the only thing that stopped me was the fact that I wasn’t quite used to wearing Kristen’s skin.
Pic 3: Me and Nic Montreuil…one of my favorite people in the world. I was a little disappointed she didn’t ‘my pretty pony’ it this year with blue hair, but I kissed her with tongue anyway. I love her THAT much.

Pic 4: the moment I was done for the night. These women plied me with so much wine, I almost couldn’t teleport home. This is Louisa (my CP) and Jen (my hot little muffin of love). I am so glad I got to see them, because I have missed them both terribly. And by the way, they really liked me wearing Kristen’s skin. Not sure what that was all about.

So there you have it. I can teleport. I know you’re freaking out a little over my super power, and I don’t blame you. It took me a while to adjust to it myself.

text messages and voice votes

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I love my friends. Even though they are in San Francisco having a great time, they still missed me enough to send me text messages, voice notes and emails last night. Sigh.

Marley Gibson said the Chick-Lit Party was a huge success. She and Kwana chatted me up and wished me there. I wished me there, too.

Louisa reported the RWA Online party was very similar to last year’s. Nic and Jen emceed and a good time was had by most. LOL Lots of book giveaways and other prizes. I can’t wait for pictures!

The Literacy Signing seemed to be a huge success. Angela James has been Twittering pics, so I got to see Deidre Knight (my loverly agent), and my BFFs Jill Monroe and Gena Showalter. (really, we’re BFFs. It’s not just in my head.)

The highlight of my day? When Kristen Painter text messaged me via Louisa’s phone. Aw. She doesn’t do texting, so that means she really loves me.

I’m missing my ‘posse’ something terrible, but this has been a very productive week. I’ve written loads and my (interim) website is almost finished. Plus, my peeps on Twitter have kept me very entertained.

a walk down mammary lane–I mean, memory lane.

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RWA National Conference is this week. I swore I wasn’t going to be sad about not going–and part of me isn’t. I mean, I really have no legitimate business reason to be there this year. The workshops looked blah, the speakers didn’t seem inspiring (NO MICHAEL HAUGE!) and my book isn’t out until next year. Honestly, it would’ve just been one expensive party.

I love parties. I wanna be in SAN FRANCISCO!

So I chose my annual trip to the beach in August over National Conference this year. It wasn’t an easy choice, but being grown up isn’t very easy, now is it?

But here I am on the eve of my original reservation, crying in my caramel coffee.

2000 writers in one hotel brings such an amazing energy, that you can’t help leave inspired. I am going to miss that. I am going to miss my friends. Louisa and Kristen are already there. Marley is on her way. My agent, Deidre, flies out tomorrow…

Oh well, there’s no sense in wallowing in my sorrow. I’m really not a very good wallower anyway. I think I’ll look at the blogs I posted from last year, enjoy the memories and the tatas, and remember that next year in DC, it will be 100x better because Maria’s book BUNCO BABES TELL ALL, my book, BITE ME!, Louisa’s book CAN’T STAND THE HEAT and Marley’s book GHOST HUNTRESS: THE AWAKENING all debut next year…and it is going to be Rock Lobster AWESOME.

To enjoy memories and piccies from last year, please go here:

  1. Day the 1st: a shuttle ride with Eloisa James!
  2. Day the 2nd: in which a girl gets her nose pierced.
  3. Day the 3rd: wine with the lovely Barbara Samuel.
  4. Night the 3rd: who’s tits are these
  5. Day the 4th: drag queen karaoke and hangovers
  6. Conference wrap up

sheer restraint. the girl is a will-powerhouse!

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I managed to deny myself the tantalizing, corny, chili-cheesy goodness of another bag. That’s right, hat-trick DENIED. I’m the best damn keeper in the Frito wars this world has ever known. The force is strong in this one…

So guess what I’m doing tomorrow?

Do you give up?

I can give you a hint…I will NOT be eating 2 or 3 bags of Chili-Cheese Fritos.

I will, however, be flying to Pittsburgh, PA, catching a ride to Steubenville, OH, and picking up a car that I will then spend the next 2 days driving home to Little Rock. The bossman needed someone to handle this task and I volunteered. Yes, I would rather spend a day in the airport and 13 hours in the car than sit at the front desk. I get paid…so really, it’s all good. I have loaded some awesome books on my iPod, will carry my laptop for travel blogging and writing, and will enjoy my alone time.

Also, the countdown to my vacation has begun. In exactly 1 month, I will be flying to Tallahassee to have a CP weekend at the beach with Louisa and Maria. I can not wait. I am so ready for that trip now, especially since next week is the RWA Conference atnd this will be the first one I can’t attend in five years.

I haz a sad.

happy nose-pierce-iversary!

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That’s right, 1 year ago today, I had my nose pierced.
And I can’t imagine my life without that little gem. Seriously, it’s like I’ve always had it.

So happy nose-pierce-iversary to me!

I got my navel pierced for my 35th birthday. My nose done to celebrate my first book sale…and this year’s milestone…a tattoo.

I was supposed to get my first one in SF this year at the RWA Conference with the same group of Divas who kidnapped me and took me to get my nose done last year. But that wasn’t meant to be. First of all, I had to cancel my trip. Too expensive under the circumstances. If my book was going to hit the shelves this year, I would’ve figured out a way to afford the trip, but it’s not, and there really is no reason for me to go. Secondly, Fishdog has designed my tattoo but it needs a little tweaking. The tattoo isn’t going to happen until the design is ready.

But it will happen sometime before March. It’s my turning 40 celebration.

Do you do anything special to celebrate your milestones?