The World Would Be a Better Place If...

Follow the golden rule.

My Earliest Memory

What an Evil Little Doll

Raggedy Ann and Pooh

When I was four years-old I got a Patty Play Pal for Christmas. I loved her immediately; she was my height and if I walked with her next to me and held her arm back and forth she could walk with me. She was my friend!



That first night, I slept with her. We lived in a one bedroom apartment in Silverlake so my bed was in the same room with my parents. My Raggedy Ann doll was set aside. In the middle of the night I woke up (or so I thought) to see my Raggedy Ann dragging Patty Play Pal by the hair, cackling an evil laugh. I sat up and screamed, "Raggedy Ann, you bring my Patty Play Pal back here!"



My parents jumped out of bed and that evil Raggedy Ann was forever banished to the toy box the next morning.

My Dream Novel's Plot

208/365 I is for Idiot

A website asks people to put their original ideas for a novel on a public website and then one of the people who reads the post steals the idea, makes millions in book sales, sells the movie rights and makes millions more. everyone laughs at the putz who put their original idea out with no copyright protection. the end.

What I'd Say to My 16-Year-Old Self

you are awesome

Wow- what would I tell my 16 year-old self? Where do I start?



First - honey, you know nothing! You think you know it all but you don't. Your parents may not be up on everything that's new, but they actually know about the important stuff. Like, yes, you may be skinny now, but without exercise and good eating habits, it won't last.



Keep writing. You're good at it and if you keep doing it you will get better. Honest. Don't be so afraid to try harder and put yourself out there to be seen. What are you afraid of?



Yes, your mom was right - those 'popular' girls are not as pretty or as smart as you are. In a couple of years, you won't even remember their names. Some will get fat, some will marry and divorce many times, few will even go to college, let alone law school. And later in life when Facebook is created, some of them will want to be "friends" with you even though they don't give you the time of day now. How hilarious is that?!



And sex, well you won't know what good sex is until you know what you're doing and HE knows what he's doing, so don't rush into anything. Trust me, the boys you know DON'T know what they're doing! Don't waste your time..



On the other hand, you had really good taste in music and clothes. You established a style that suited you and you knew who you were. Good job!

I Loved This Book's Setting

I go there in my mind from time to time

Gabriel Garcia Marquez created the magical village of Macondo - "a village of twenty adobe houses, built on the bank of a river of clear water that ran along a bed of polished stones, which were white and enormous, like prehistoric eggs." Reading the enthralling saga of the Buendia family seeped into my soul and I wanted to go there. The truth is, a wondrous village like Macondo would never have survived the real world, so I go there in my mind from time to time. I am happy that this place only exists in the world or magical realism.

What's More Important - What I Do or Where I Live?

Create
Let me walk through two scenarios before deciding how to answer this question.....

I imagine myself waking up in the morning in, let's say a quaint cottage along the beach. I can hear the tide rise and fall as I hit the snooze button. I get out of bed, throw open the shutters and look out at the seabirds scampering along the waterline. I open the window and let in the fresh, sea air as I get dressed and drink my morning coffee. And then it hits me - I have to drive an hour in traffic to a concrete building, with no windows, sitting in a cubicle answering the phone to deal with complaints from strangers who blame me for all their problems. "Don't make me go," I wimper. I spend 9 hours there, plus another hour in traffic coming home. It's dark when I get home, and I get up tomorrow and do it all again. Saturday comes and I can enjoy my home, Sunday flies by far too fast, and next thing I know it's Monday and I'm heading back to the concrete cage.

I imagine myself living in a little apartment above a fish market. I can't open my windows that face the alley because of the smell. My apartment is full of things I've brought home from vacations. My things are nice, but nothing fancy. I wake up to the sounds of the city: horns honking, big trucks lumbering through pot holes. I make my coffee and dash down the dark stairway to my car and walk 5 minutes to the downtown art gallery where I work. I am greeted by colors and creativity. The phone rings and it's a famous artist, coming to show her work. Tourists wander in and share their love of art. I speak with interesting, creative people all day. I am surrounded by beautiful things all day, every day. At night, I stop for dinner with friends, or pick up take-out Thai and scurry up to my apartment, close the drapes and curl up with a good book in a big, soft chair.

I thik I'd rather have a job I love and I think I knew that when I started this answer!

How I Feel About Swear Words, Goshdarnit

106/365 Stop Whispering, Start Shouting

A well-chosen, well-placed swear word is golden. As in all communication and use of language, perfect word choice separates the articulate from the babbling idiot. Every word has its proper place and time; random smatterings of swear words is just f@*#ing lazy!

My Favorite Quote of All Time

Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans...John Lennon.



I love this quote because it reminds me to be present and even in the most mundane of days, to enjoy the ride.

If I Could Be a Character From a Book, I'd Be...

No doubt about it- I'd be Pippi! She was independent, silly and free.

Inspired by My Favorite Book

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a mother in possession of a few hours alone, must be in want of a spa. However little known the feelings, as she must surely be lost in such rare and inexplicable moments, this truth must be assisted by this mother's dear aquaintences in haste, so as not to languish and miss such grand opportunities.



"My dear Mrs. Parker," Mrs. Pope cried out, "have you heard of the grand opening of Serenity Now Spa?"



Mrs. Parker, incredulous, replied that she had not.



"Well then, we must go there immediately," said Mrs. Pope, "before the children unlock the chains."

My Neighbor - Mania

RCA Dome Rubble - Indianapolis, Indiana

Spray can in hand

The car becomes her canvas

Flat, black, blue, or red

Everyday something new.



3 a. m. is the busy hour

Dogs howling

Interior walls coming down



Waiting for it all to cave in on her

With fascination and sadness



Mania in living color

The human heart is boundless

Mother and Child
For the past month my family has hosted a French exchange student. He was a 15 year old boy. He bonded with my children immediately and became an instant part of our family. In only 4 weeks, I learned to love this child as if he were my own. I cried when he left, I cried for another day, I miss him and can't wait to see him again.



I learned that the human heart has an infinite capacity for love and caring. I learned that being a mother to a child is not restricted to biology.

What Keeps Me Up at Night

anything and everything

Random Words

My overactive brain cannot seem to settle down at night. anything and everything pops in randomly, keeping me tossing and turning for at least an hour. my broken collarbone is aching so i can't sleep on this side - turn over to the other side. my arm isn't comfortable. will i ever sleep well again? what do my kids need in the mornig? am i working tomorrow? if so, where? is my husband working tomorrow? do i have to cook dinner or can we go out? if i have to cook, is there anything i can take out of the freezer? will the kids even want to eat what i cook?

This Poem Is Brought to You By the Letter S

sick

sitting still

stuffy, snotty, sour

saturday, sunday shot

sapped, sleepy

surrender

Don't do me any favors!

Appetizers

I hate it when someone brings something to a party i am hosting, say an appetizer or dessert, and then expects me to provide the dish, etc to serve it. I want everything ready before the party starts so I can enjoy my guests. Don't make me start over with the dishes, etc. Either bring it ready to serve or not at all!

My Superhero's Special Power

Power in the skies.

I'd fly. I like to travel, so I could go anywhere whithout having to pay to get thee. I am lazy so I wouldn't have to walk, run or ride a bike to get where I want to go. I hate traffic so I wouldn't have to drive anymore.