thinking

I've been doing a lot of thinking about revamping this blog. I started this thing about a year ago, and look! I have only a handful of posts.

What was I thinking?

Well, I guess I was thinking it would be a sidebar (you probably already figured that out by the blog name) to my "real" writing--writing I deliriously still would love to get published. You know, I'd write about my writing.

But lately I've been thinking about making it more introspective.

Like I'm sitting along the SIDE of the road, watching life and making observations about it. I've even thought about adding a little explanatory phrase after the name... Observations on life and faith.

Alas...I think I have more thoughts about that subject than my writing.

So what do you think?

delete...delete...delete

The delete key on my laptop keeps breaking. I semi-pop it back into place and bingo! it pops off again. Guess you can figure out why that happens. Yep, it's got a case of overuse.

Lately my life seems to be one big delete. I've pretty much deleted doing any kind of writing from my life--unless you count e-mails and facebook entries. And stuff...I've deleted tons of stuff from my life and will be doing more of the same soon. That's because we're in the middle of another move. At least this one is not overseas. It's from KS to PA--and we're "down-sizing."

But when it comes to friends...those will never be deleted. (Hence the e-mails and FB entries.) I just plan on INSERTING new ones into my life.

Reading Good Books

Today I did a no no. I finished one of the best young adult books I've ever read while waiting for my daughter to see the doctor. She walked in. I dabbed at my eyes and shrugged. "Warning. Don't finish a really wonderful but sad book while in the doctor's office--or any other public place, for that matter."

She laughed. I dabbed at my eyes some more.

The Great Wide Sea by W. H. Herlong is the book. He's a debut author with a great, really great first book. I want to be him!

But in the meantime, I'll get back to writing MY book tomorrow. And only hope I can crank out at least one great sentence.

Maybe two.

Hello Again

Today at church, I was talking to a young mom who has a 4-year-old I used to teach in Sunday School. This mom is also a friend my oldest daughter knew in high school days. Somehow in the course of the conversation, she told me she has read my blog--but quickly added, "You don't write too often."

Oops.

Actually, I was shocked she would even read my blog. I type these words on the screen. I post them. And I expect maybe my children will read them.

This blog is really supposed to be about my writing. Okay, so I'm obviously not writing on my blog, bit I AM still working on that novel I promised to complete.

That should trump blog writing any day...right?

A Long Time Relationship

So while in Colorado surrounded by a fabulous mountain vista out panoramic windows in our friends' home, I reintroduced myself to the characters in the middle grade novel I'd started, well, almost 2 years ago. "It's me again," I said. "And this time I'm back till I finish your story..I promise!"

So like any relationship, I started out slowly...trying to get to know the characters again, reviewing our history, and thinking about how we can "move to the next level." This is going to be a long-time relationship, I hope, so I want to get it right!

And now I'm back home. Appointments, school runs, laundry, treadmill time, dinner planning, etc., etc. etc.

And no mountain view.

But a PROMISE I made to myself and those characters.

Sigh...

Back in the blogger saddle

It's embarrassing to see that the last time I posted was at the end of August. Where have I been?

Honestly, I really don't know.

But since there's no use looking over my shoulder, I'll now focus my attention on looking forward and trying to post more often. (Uh oh...that sounds a whole lot like a resolution.)

My daughter, Stephanie, gave me a very unique Christmas gift...my very own website designed in collaboration with an artist in her office. I'm still trying to get my head around having this--mainly because it signals to me that I really...REALLY must get back to writing on a daily (or mostly daily) basis to merit having this thing.

Most writers talk about going off somewhere...usually somewhere inspiring like the mountains or beach...to check back in with their creative muse. And since our family has been invited to visit friends who have a vacation home in Steamboat, CO this winter, I guess that means my muse is calling my name.

So I'll lug my laptop on the plane and listen.

I promise!

Blog block

So my daughter, Stephanie (aka: Queen of Quirky...see HER blog!) came over yesterday to help me set up a potential blog for our writing critique group.

She knew what she was doing. I did not.

She worked. I watched.

She tried to teach me things. I wasn't a very good student...although I tried.

She left. I tried to write to the other group members to report what "we'd" done. And alas, I had to call her to help me explain an issue with our domain name...still yet to be determined.

Ahhh...blogger block is not fun.