tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79924054160452147232024-02-06T22:51:09.490-05:00The AbyssJennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-81745622325739304182010-02-27T22:33:00.023-05:002010-03-08T20:39:45.072-05:00101 Things to Do in a Blizzard Part 4 of 4Finally the long anticipated conclusion. :)<br /><br />76. Go groundhog hunting. Teach him for giving you 6 more weeks of winter.<br /><br />77. Use the gianormous ice cicles that have formed on your eaves for javlin throwing.<br /><br />78. Learn ice shuffleboard. I mean curling.<br /><br />79. Pile the snow up to your roof and get some sled action in. (Hell it's only a few feet from your roof anyway)<br /><br />80. Have the kids set up a hot chocolate stand.<br /><br />81. Take up ice fishing in your neighbor's koi pond.<br /><br />82. Make snow angels.<br /><br />83. Tear down the drapes and go Gone with the Wind style.<br /><br />84. Call all the local retail businesses to see which ones are open. Ask for the boss and tell that greedy bastard that he's an idiot if he thinks anyone will patron him in this mess. And demand that he sends his employees home immediately. Well at least you'll feel better.<br /><br />85. Organize your photos.<br /><br />86. Practice Origami.<br /><br />87. Create a new source of energy.<br /><br />88. Play Hide and Seek with the kids. They hide first and then forget to go find them. *Remembering that all kids are brain damaged, make sure they've choosen a hiding spot inside the house.<br /><br />89. Re-route the "Snow Emergency Route" down your street for quicker plow service. *Disclaimer: there may be some fines and even jail time involved with this one so precede with caution.<br /><br />90. Write the "How to Shovel Snow for Dummies", it will be a bigger volume than you think.<br /><br />91. Splatter different shades of white paint on a canvas, title it the "Blizzard". Then submit your masterpiece to every contest there is and let the cash awards and accolades wash over you.<br /><br />92. Discover 10 new Blizzard desserts. Submit them to Dairy Queen. You might want to leave out the hot dog blizzard idea.<br /><br />93. Set up your camera and computer to motion capture the storm fronts.<br /><br />94. Join the search for UFOs and extraterrestial life.<br /><br />95. Do your taxes. :P<br /><br />96. Construct a crossword puzzle using snow and winter words.<br /><br />97. Earn a Polar Sport certification.<br /><br />98. Take a shower that empties your hot water tank. Oh wait, that is an every day thing.<br /><br />99. Solve the ultimate question of "How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?" The answer is at the bottom of this post just incase you're compelled to bite after the third lick.<br /><br />100. Commit several senseless acts of kindness.<br /><br />101. Write 101 Things to Do in a Blizzard.<br /><br />I'm sure you noticed that sex was not one of the 101 things because frankly it is a given and mark my words there will be a baby boom in the Baltimore/Washington DC area come Thanksgiving. ;)<br /><br />Now I feel I can put the snow behind me and look forward to spring. Pleeeease!!!<br /><p>(The answer to #99. is 42 of course. It's the ultimate answer to the great question of life, the universe, and everything.) </p>Jennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-25836816155004563932010-02-24T08:16:00.009-05:002010-02-25T22:30:58.861-05:00101 Things to Do in a Blizzard Part 3 of 4As the wind is howling out there, find a few things to do in here.<br /><br />51. Count the snowflakes<br /><br />52. Sell your kids' shoveling services to the neighborhood. It will teach them good work ethic and pay your electric bill. It's a win, win situation.<br /><br />53. Create a snowman army in your front yard.<br /><br />54. Challenge your husband to a card game and beat him out of his next paycheck. You'll never see the money but you'll have bragging rights forever.<br /><br />55. Try on every article of clothing that you own and actually get rid of what doesn't fit you. (Don't bother with the favorite pair of jeans from high school. Trust me, they don't fit.)<br /><br />56. Write your X-mas cards for next year. (This way they may actually get out on time.)<br /><br />57. Dress your dog like a TanTan.<br /><br />58. Pull out the Ham Radio and search for survivors.<br /><br />59. Shovel until you look like a zombie. The zombie look is quite fashionable right now. *Note: You risk losing fingers or toes with this one but what the hell you've got ten of them, you could stand to lose a few.<br /><br />60. Tie those old tennis rackets on your feet and attempt snowshoeing.<br /><br />61. Make your kids walk to school up hill both ways in the snow. It's how we used to do it and we were glad to have the opportunity to go to school, even when it was closed. (Well that's my story anyway and I'm sticking to it.)<br /><br />62. Send your husband out in the blizzard to buy diapers and formula. *Disclaimer - He may return. Then you'll have to endure the war stories of how he survived.<br /><br />63. Build a dirigible. It will be the only way you'll make it into work when your boss doesn't close down the business. And you know he won't because he has a cot, a mini fridge and hotplate there. What's your excuse?<br /><br />64. Fire up the generator.<br /><br />65. Break out the life jackets and life boat just in case your house is set adrift and hits an iceberg. What? It could happen.<br /><br />66. Dig up the record player to play your vinyl collection and tear up the rug. Then play them backwards to see if they have any hidden messages.<br /><br />67. Experiment with the breadmaker. The instructions should still be with it since you have never used it since you've purchased it.<br /><br />68. Watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The extended version.<br /><br />69. Dust off your board games and talk your family into playing them with you. *Tip: Monolpoly has the longest play time.<br /><br />70. Plaster your arm with temporary tatoos. Hell if you have enough, do both arms.<br /><br />71. Clip the dog's nails.<br /><br />72. Catch up on your sleep.<br /><br />73. Write the great American novel.<br /><br />74. Search the house for loose change and roll it.<br /><br />75. Learn a new language. (You might want to start with the one you created.) ;)<br /><br />Until the next installment.....Jennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-19084178901030490042010-02-17T21:39:00.007-05:002010-02-18T21:51:58.442-05:00101 Things to Do in a Blizzard Part 2 of 4Okay it's that time again. A little diversion from the white stuff falling from the sky.<br /><br />26. Create an igloo in the back yard. Have your kids camp out in it to experience antarctic life. For educational purposes of course.<br /><br />27. Turn the igloo into an ice hotel and charge admission.<br /><br />28. Re-engineer the shop vac to act as a snow blower.<br /><br />29. Pile up all the furniture to the ceiling, throughout the house to support the roof from caving in.<br /><br />30. Grow facial hair.<br /><br />31. Renew your NRA membership, clean your guns you may need to protect your home at night from crazy looters (or vampires) when the power goes out. Just saying.<br /><br />32. Carve a maze and throw your dog out into it. It may just go to the bathroom while trying to find its way back.<br /><br />33. Pay your kids to give you a massage.<br /><br />34. Complete a month's worth of homework for your online class. If you're that bored.<br /><br />35. Pull out the old analog CRT TV and rabbit ears that you have stashed in the attic. Because the snow has covered the Dish.<br /><br />36. Run a marathon on the treadmill.<br /><br />37. Create an skating rink out of your driveway. Put the the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">bread bags</span> on your feet and skate away.<br /><br />38. Crochet yourself a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Snuggie</span> with matching booties.<br /><br />39. Paint scary faces on the inside of your light shades. Because a young mind is a terrible thing not to screw with.<br /><br />40. Plot your garden on paper and dream of spring.<br /><br />41. Stare at the florescent light in the kitchen, for an hour a day, to beat Seasonal Affective Disorder.<br /><br />42. Invent your own language.<br /><br />43. Defrost your freezer while you put your food out in the snow.<br /><br />44. Raid the freezer for those thin mints you bought last year. They should still be good. *Disclaimer make sure you don't grab the 20yr. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">piece</span> of wedding cake you forgot to eat on your first anniversary. :)<br /><br />45. Check your house for paranormal activity. I'm sure you'll find some cold spots. And possibly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">EVPs</span> (if the cat is in heat).<br /><br />46. Read War and Peace out loud.<br /><br />47. Open all the undesirable can goods in the back of your pantry and throw them in a pot to make goulash. (Don't be too dishearten if no one eats it. There was a reason you never open the cans in the first place, but at least you tried.)<br /><br />48. Brush the cat's teeth.<br /><br />49. Use a blow torch to the melt the snow on your roof.<br /><br />50. Create a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Bomb fire</span>. *Result from doing #49<br /><br />Enjoy. :)Jennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-77282084052629317182010-02-15T15:01:00.002-05:002010-02-15T15:11:03.010-05:00101 Things to Do in a Blizzard – Part 1 of 4What I did during Snowmeggedon 2010(or would have done, had I thought of it at the time):<br /><br />Please take into account that I was holed up in my house for a week straight due to a blizzard (two of them actually, back to back), with hubby, 4 year old daughter and infant son.<br /><br />1. Dye your hair a fun color, one you’ve never tried before. (I dyed mine burgundy. My husband might tell you its purple, but it’s burgundy.)<br />2. Make your own slurpees or sno cones out of the new fallen snow. No lemon flavor please.<br />3. Take an axe to that ugly chair of your husband’s from his college days and throw it on top of the fire wood pile. “Sorry babe, we’ve got to keep the family warm.”<br />4. Drain your wine collection, one glass at a time.<br />5. Finger paint the kids bathroom walls. (you’ll have better results if you do this after #4).<br />6. Blog<br />7. Update your website<br />8. Write a murder mystery using an icicle as the murder weapon (it’s the perfect weapon as it melts to ice). Also casting every member of your family can be a very cathartic resolution to the cabin fever blues. NOT TO BE REINACTED, STORY FODDER ONLY. :)<br />9. Watch Seasons 1 and 3 of Roswell. Skip Season 2, it sucked<br />10. Watch past seasons of LOST. And still not get it.<br />11. Challenge your neighbor to a peeing contest in the 55 mph winds. (I swear my husband is a neanderthal) *Disclaimer on this one. Make sure your peeing with the wind not against it.<br />12. Alphabetize your refrigerator magnets.<br />13. Annoy all of your facebook friends with blow by blow updates of the snow. “Yep, it’s still white guys.”<br />14. During the second blizzard watch “The Shining” and reminse about the first blizzard.<br />15. Paint the toy poodle’s nails a nice shade of red. (Why? Because I can.)<br />16. Make a SciFi home video.<br />17. Drag the kiddie pool up from the basement and hold a luau in your dining room.<br />18. Set up camp in your living room. Roast marshmellows in the fireplace for smores and tell ghost stories.<br />19. Set up a podcast.<br />20. Write an iphone application.(A few bones for us geek types)<br />21. Set up another Twitter account so that you can have a legitimate conversation with yourself.<br />22. Refine your Bucket List. Because if you make it out of this blizzard alive, you’re going to want to get started on that list right away.<br />23. Write letters to your children in case you get lost in the 8 foot snowdrifts while shoveling.<br />24. Play all 13 levels of the Disney Princess game for the Wii with the four year old. Not once but four times. That’s 54 levels of a kiddie game. 54.<br />25. Take up ice carving using Instructional videos on You Tube.<br /><br />Tell me what you did? Also, let me know if you got any suggestions to add to the list.<br /><br />More snow is on its way so be prepared and I’ll be sure not to delay on further ideas.Jennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-86979792692796217412010-02-12T22:18:00.003-05:002010-02-12T22:40:35.040-05:00The Cluttered HouseI’ve always professed to be domestically challenged but the truth is that I could be domestically proficient if I so chose. I use choice in a loose manner here because if you are an artist, in whatever form that takes, your need to express it takes on more of a necessity (like breathing) rather than something you just like to do.<br /><br />The problem is that no matter how you slice the pie there is only 24 hours in a day.<br /><br />The breakdown for this working mom with small children who is finds art essential to their survival:<br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437566201072615602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 158px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzj9fUHn0n2Msydre5R_LfOgHgJL9JyZDBuBSpaaKiz9dHbdqprJBL2aCvKFryvKBvUu-_5R5suwJAEDtmdnVCXZFi4N7ySR6tZcrmQLrPp6nCgcX2SdN-IWh_2cF9zXPfcbTGjryEQ0s/s320/Working+Mom+Artist+Graph.bmp" border="0" /><br />For this working mom the largest slice goes to work. This includes getting ready for work, getting the kids ready and off to daycare, the commute and work itself. Then the second shift starts, feeding and bathing the kids trying to spend a little play time with them before putting them to bed. After which are the dishes, the animals and the minimal house work to keep you out of complete filth. Finally, it’s time that you may have all to yourself. Which which I try to keep to an hour but always ends up being longer. That leaves about 4 ½ hours for sleep with the caveat that with an infant you are lucky if you able to get that much.<br /></p><p>The weekend dynamic changes but with small children a majority of the work hours shift into the family obligations and a few more get shifted into the house (like laundry), but personal time pretty much remains the same.<br /></p><p>At first spending all my free time on the house made me depressed and resentful of my family. But then when I stole a little time for myself the shame set in, embarrassed when anyone showed up unexpectedly. It was a horrible catch twenty two.<br /></p><p>What about family help? Well as most know keeping after them to help ate up just as must time, if not more, as doing it yourself. Not really a trade off and more of a time suck than a time save and the added stress didn’t solve anything.<br /></p><p>Miserable I had to have a talk with myself and I came to the conclusion that I only opinion that mattered was my own and my family’s.<br /></p><p>So the next time you walk into a cluttered house where the coats aren't hung up, the table is loaded with mail and school papers and there is an obstacle course of toys, be kind. An artist guised as a working mother probably lives there. </p>Jennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-13344991681440233542009-07-31T19:43:00.001-04:002009-07-31T19:43:50.728-04:00Da Count - My Sister Rocks!<div><a href="http://sinun.blogspot.com/2006/08/i-received-email-yesterday.html" target="_blank"><img height="86" alt="dacount" src="http://daplaysdathing.com/images/dacount.gif" width="150" /></a>There couldn't be two people who are more different yet the same. Two peas in a pod and my soulmate throughout time. The first person I call and the person who just gets me. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364772721063705474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 248px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 220px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNRjakd85tACn4ntheGkgjuIaVkLhJxyrjw3uEhU_fzwejue9mlGk-7o7iMAl73BUQRuN87OIL1XAiTRbrPVDPTLyZbhrSvqv77XiXvSirOCcaSXzOcEiQ8hS4VJvVndqO_kpAJ6fS7OR/s320/untitled.JPG" border="0" /><br />She has always been my cheerleader even for some of my lamest ideas (And believe me I've had some real hum dingers). Most recently she was been taking my toddler for weekends so that I could write, which is only one of the thousands of reasons I appreciate her. Believe me when I say there are way too many to possibly list them all. </div><br /><div>The bottom line is that she has always given me more then she has ever received from me, which humbles this big sis. Therefore she is very overdue for a Da Count nod.</div><br /><br /><div></div>Jennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-23320374887477894632009-07-06T22:38:00.010-04:002009-12-04T16:10:47.733-05:00People Watch - Happy Guy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWA89dWV5LWJlKGHRuFjaLRPiVC4HAiEBrohfC9YFRhPLwBQvJjCCFVFqAzUPL1OT_4Lwfoa9VhBTxvK7YwledLUvp7hACfo0eINlBw2qdxTWtOlyGrtJdT5wKAQPMhZuR3UBRk6hlkgBH/s1600-h/445.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355543168878464418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 79px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 64px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWA89dWV5LWJlKGHRuFjaLRPiVC4HAiEBrohfC9YFRhPLwBQvJjCCFVFqAzUPL1OT_4Lwfoa9VhBTxvK7YwledLUvp7hACfo0eINlBw2qdxTWtOlyGrtJdT5wKAQPMhZuR3UBRk6hlkgBH/s200/445.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>There is a stretch of road where, everyday, I see this runner on my commute home. He's a sixty-ish year old whose skin is shrunk wrapped to his bones and runs with his arms flailing and generally in a Speedo.<br /></div><div>I can say one thing for him, he's got dedication (or he's insane, the jury is still out on that) being that he is out running rain or shine. But what gets me the most is the look of sheer agony on his face, which led me to nickname him, "Happy Guy". </div><br /><div>Go Happy Guy.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>Description:</div><div>Type: </div><div>Quirk, Flaw or Imagined Secret:</div>Jennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-6908871966362208422009-05-01T23:42:00.011-04:002009-05-02T20:13:52.022-04:00Da Count - My 2 Feet<a href="http://sinun.blogspot.com/2006/08/i-received-email-yesterday.html" target="_blank"><img height="86" alt="dacount" src="http://daplaysdathing.com/images/dacount.gif" width="150" /></a><br /><br />I'm standing on my own two feet (which is a good thing because if I were standing on your feet that might hurt).<br /><br />I've realized lately that my feet are probably the most unappreciated part of my body. They are down there at the end of my legs. They get me around. They've been shoved in all kinds of shoes, blistered, swollen and gotten cold. So this week I'm putting a shout out for the feet, I want them to feel a little more appreciated.<br /><br />Not that I won't ever shove them into a pair of back breaking heels again out of vanity, but I'm giving them a little more TLC these days. I'm putting them up more often. Slipping them into sinfully soft slippers whenever I can. Had a pedicure which goes without saying, with summer sandal season coming and all. And I opt to wear my beloved gray laceless Converse sneakers, all the time now. (Which probably are deserving of their own count. I love these shoes.) Ah, comfort.<br /><br />Hmm.....might start a movement.<br /><br /><a href="http://cooltext.com/"><img height="57" alt="Save the piggies" src="http://images.cooltext.com/704752.jpg" width="286" /></a><br /><br />LOL. Enjoy your week and love the feet you're in.Jennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-15350666134678205372009-05-01T14:21:00.003-04:002009-05-01T14:46:12.678-04:00Character Creation on #writechat<p>#writechat is a forum on Twitter that occurs every Sunday from 3-6pm EST, where writers get together to chat about the processes of writing. A question is posed to start the discussions but the chat can go anywhere.<br />April 26, 2009 I actually stopped by because I saw that the topic was character creation. My favorite.<br /><br />WritingSpirit Today's opening question for #writechat comes from @LiberalViewer1: Character creation? How to do it? Techniques, etc?</p><p>My top 5 favorite tweets on the topic were:<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:+0;"><br /></span></span><br />1. Lgraysewell@WritingSpirit I usually make up backgrounds for people on public transportation then develop into characters #writechat<br /><br />2. Lgraysewell #writechat. Also make up characters based on contents of a person's grocery cart. Very fun and a good imagination prompt.<br /><br />3. PennyAsh #writechat Another thing, give your character a flaw. Or two. Perfect people are boring.<br /><br />4. marynelson1 Character creation starter = what does s/he need/want more than anything? Then how s/he gets it (his/her way). #writechat<br /><br />5. marynelson1I used the "Snowflake Method" one year during NaNoWriMo. Very helpful. <a href="http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/snowflake.php">http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/snowflake.php</a> #writechat<br /><br /><br />If you are on Twitter and want to attend this forum or search past entries, go to <a href="http://search.twitter.com/">search.twitter.com</a> and put #writechat in the search box. </p>Jennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-87275554830618305052009-04-17T11:00:00.007-04:002009-04-24T23:57:01.916-04:00Da Count - MoneyThat’s right today is pay day. Money is good. It means I am still able to pay for the heating when it’s cold, the air conditioning when hot, food, daycare, the mortgage.... <br /><br />Oh screw the bills! Going to go party, it’s my birthday. Whew! Almost had my priorities messed up there.Jennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-28601073827898860332009-04-10T10:22:00.004-04:002009-04-10T11:09:59.573-04:00Da Count - Life's little rituals<a href="http://sinun.blogspot.com/2006/08/i-received-email-yesterday.html" target="_blank"><img height="86" alt="dacount" src="http://daplaysdathing.com/images/dacount.gif" width="150" /></a>Without any conscious thought, I have set up these little rituals that get me through a day or a week. Like getting through a day to see my favorite show that night. <br />Today is, as is every Friday, a Starbucks morning, where my family always starts our commute by going through the Starbucks drive thru for our mochas and a hot chocolate for my daughter. It's a treat we start looking forward to on Thursday nights. <br />Now I'm not one for furnishing ruts or anything. I quite like flying by the seat of my pants, thank-you. But I think having something to look forward to, no matter how small, can help you face an otherwise very deary, business as usual, day. Or at the very least help you drag your butt through it.Jennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-19926041254743152462009-04-03T16:23:00.005-04:002009-04-03T22:19:12.219-04:00Da Count - Those little bits of fire<a href="http://sinun.blogspot.com/2006/08/i-received-email-yesterday.html" target="_blank"><img height="86" alt="dacount" src="http://daplaysdathing.com/images/dacount.gif" width="150" /></a>I love those ah ha moments I get, usually right about the time I’ve had it or I’ve lost that lovin’ feeling for my endeavor. This time around my best head clearing or unblocking methods have not been doing the trick.<br />I kept finding myself crawling into bed usually only a few hours before it would be time to get up and once again get my daughter ready for daycare and head off to work to do it all over again. <br />The whole time I’m thinking, “Am I insane or just stupid to think that I could do this? I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.” <br />Thank god I don’t listen to myself and just do things anyway. <br />So struggling with the big picture but not giving up, I took a webinar this week. And bam! Boy do I love second winds.<br />It is always good to find out that a) I’m putting the right puzzle together and b) to find the missing pieces that will get it finished. <br />So this week I’m “counting” those epiphanies, those little bits of fire that get it all going again. I’m behind the wheel again just following the road signs and zipping through the traffic.<br />I also have to say that the people at Writer’s Digest are awesome. Besides being very informative they are also accessible and helpful in answering questions. Writer’s Digest hosted the webinar I took this week of which they have many great ones.<br /><a href="http://WritersOnlineWorkshops.com/">WritersOnlineWorkshops.com</a><br /><br />"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it." -Pablo PicassoJennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-10407276538264722052009-03-27T14:38:00.009-04:002009-04-03T16:27:11.581-04:00Da Count - Night Owl<a href="http://sinun.blogspot.com/2006/08/i-received-email-yesterday.html" target="_blank"><img height="86" alt="dacount" src="http://daplaysdathing.com/images/dacount.gif" width="150" /></a>I've always been a night owl. My most productive time, when I'm the most alert is during the nocturnal hours. However, life and schedules have made it difficult for me to stay up all night and sleep all day, so that now I only manage to get enough sleep to stave off pyschotic episodes (most of the time). <br />But the few hours I get between the time my daughter goes to bed and whenever I decide to head off to dreamland, are the sweetest. I'm sure I could use this time to do something constructive (or is that destructive) like doing my chores so I won't have so many to do on the weekend. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDNoCKASQ0KwnPRIMGqmTti4jD39L0mLkYBTAW4lY-73TyGsuj9i8gQ9sJdjIM28r2ZI6kyaj3XZRjjaz8d_iVDNQhokXmP1llE4bAIR9hnzADWhydqXAFAOofWJpgUCSd1SIOmF1tcUO/s1600-h/computer+photo.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDNoCKASQ0KwnPRIMGqmTti4jD39L0mLkYBTAW4lY-73TyGsuj9i8gQ9sJdjIM28r2ZI6kyaj3XZRjjaz8d_iVDNQhokXmP1llE4bAIR9hnzADWhydqXAFAOofWJpgUCSd1SIOmF1tcUO/s200/computer+photo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317942151505977442" /></a><br />But I've been using this time to escape into my own little world and write. I really enjoy spending this time with my characters. I fall in love with them and cry with them, discover and overcome things as they do. <br />And the thrill of this follows me through the rest of my otherwise "very routine" day.Jennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-59295984307988971582009-03-20T13:50:00.009-04:002009-03-20T14:54:10.025-04:00Da Count - Unsolicited Kisses<a href="http://sinun.blogspot.com/2006/08/i-received-email-yesterday.html" target="_blank"><img height="86" alt="dacount" src="http://daplaysdathing.com/images/dacount.gif" width="150" /></a>First thing this morning I stood at the kitchen counter prepping the coffee pot with one eye open. I have no illusions about my morning appearance. I am not a vision of beauty when I first wake up. Before jumping in the shower, my hair is off in every direction, no make up on and the breath of a thousand dragons. Well just look at yourself in the mirror first thing tomorrow morning and you’ll get the picture. (Sorry, I just thought that you shouldn’t have any illusions either). <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIwIhvb1sU1jTUuCVFMS08_9KZo0khnyZjOnFswI6jRILsXhR4i9B0-oal3SVgSfMYzF4AGzpim2WztnYog1qgTdn27Oy9Wx9D2o_DcfTEx3A4kqj5VBvZ4i6aeyd_CHEdr8Yz78fuaIo/s1600-h/photo3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315339202232649650" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 260px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIwIhvb1sU1jTUuCVFMS08_9KZo0khnyZjOnFswI6jRILsXhR4i9B0-oal3SVgSfMYzF4AGzpim2WztnYog1qgTdn27Oy9Wx9D2o_DcfTEx3A4kqj5VBvZ4i6aeyd_CHEdr8Yz78fuaIo/s320/photo3.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />My three year old daughter, on the other hand, wakes up fresh as a daisy and even though she may only be up a few minutes it’s like she’s been up for hours. The grace of youth I guess.<br />Well this morning she was up standing next to me on a step stool, which is not unusual as it puts her high enough to investigate everything I’m doing and enables her offer her assistance when she deems necessary.<br />When she turns to me and says, “Mom.”<br />“Yes, babe.” I replied but she didn’t answer so I looked down at her.<br />She then lifted her hands to place them on my cheeks, looked me in the eye and said “You are so bootyful, Mom.” Then she pulled my face down to her to plant a sloppy kiss right on my lips.<br />Now granted I do have a full booty. But even with all that junk in the trunk and the myriad of other flaws that I lay claim to, how can I not feel loved?<br />☼Happy Spring☼Jennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-73763085730266250032009-03-13T10:31:00.004-04:002009-03-20T14:58:21.422-04:00Da Count - Comfort Food<a href="http://sinun.blogspot.com/2006/08/i-received-email-yesterday.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://daplaysdathing.com/images/dacount.gif" width="150" height="86" alt="dacount" /></a> For everything from a bad day to a cold day (both things that make me want to pull the covers over my head and not leave the cave), a bowl of grits and a cup of coffee just seems to be the ticket. It automatically slows me down so that I can enjoy it. Maybe it is the slowing down and reassessing the problem or just the extra minute you get before facing the inevitable that is the magic of it.<br />Plus who could go wrong with the progeny of such a great saying like "Kiss my Grits". There's also "She's got grit" or "Just grit your teeth and bear it". Okay maybe those are a bit of a stretch.<br />All of the sudden, I feeling like I'm going down a dark and winding road that I may not find my way back from so I'll just close with GRITS are a GOOD THING.Jennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992405416045214723.post-35584326441910397692009-03-12T21:59:00.003-04:002009-03-12T22:16:11.560-04:00Inspire<strong>Inspire:</strong> To breathe. To breathe life into. To exalt. To arouse creativity or action. To affect, guide, or fill with noble emotion. To bring into reverence.<br /><br />"Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others can not keep it from themselves." - James BarrieJennifer Lathrophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789239708365436801noreply@blogger.com0