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Ten Nine Things I Find Irresistible  

Jody Mace recently posted about things she finds irresistible on her great blog (http://www.jodymace.com/news/).  She put out a call to bloggers to do the same. Because I’m drawing a blank on blog material I took her up on it.

1. Coffee in the morning. I’m a coffee freak–and the day isn’t started without the smell of coffee. When I am curled up on the couch, laptop warming my lap, and my hands curled around a hot, steaming cup of brew–that is how mornings are supposed to start. My children are trained to make and retrieve coffee. They learned the skill of getting coffee just after potty training.

2. Being barefoot: I kick off my shoes the minute I walk in the door.  I hate wearing shoes.  I love the free, breezy feeling of my feet unencumbered. My husband has no sympathy when I stub my toes–he is an obsessive shoe wearer and hates being barefoot.

3. Buying shoes.  Seems counterproductive considering my previous entry, but just because I hate wearing them doesn’t mean I hate buying them.  I love buying shoes, especially boots.  Boots are the bomb!

4. Interpreting the thoughts of our animals.  This is actually a family obsession.  We all talk for our animals–a lot.  Each of our animals has a distinctive voice.  Our cat believes he is the king of the whole world.  He talks in a deep, rich, royal voice and commands us to do his “bidding”.  Our Jack Russell Terrier talks in a higher pitched voice and she calls everybody, “sucker”.  (I don’t know why she’s allowed.  My kids would actually get in trouble if they used the same word about others).  Anyway, every animal has a voice and personality and we sort of, kind of, channel their spirits. :)  (The one common thread is that our animals all call us “humans”).

5. Watching UFC.  It’s true, I’m an ultimate fighting fan.  I buy every UFC pay-per-view and we all go so nuts watching the fights that our dog starts barking at us.  Uh-huh.  In my defense I actually train at mixed martial arts, and that’s why I’m so interested in this sport. 

6. Running google searches on myself.  I like to know what’s going on with my books and this is the best to find news.  I’m really not a narcissist.  (I don’t think….am I? Narcissists usually don’t recognize the trait do they?)

7.  Charity bells.  I can’t resist them.  If somebody is ringing the bell and I don’t put money in the bucket I feel like a dirt bag.  I actually get mad if I don’t have cash to put in–and I’ll get some as I checkout at the store to put in on the way out.  My dog would say I’m a sucker…but it’s an easy way to help others.

8. Procrastinating.  I can’t resist putting off everything until the last possible moment.  No amount of organization self help books/articles help me. I tried fly-lady and procrastinated every single schedule she had me on (and resented her making me wear shoes).  I even procrastinated signing off her list and had fly lady emails piling up in my email for months after I had totally ditched the whole routine! I don’t know why I’m like this.  It’s a serious character flaw–especially for an author! (I don’t miss deadlines though).

9. Going to bed with a clean kitchen–I hate getting up to a dirty kitchen. I’m not a tidy or organized person.  This is the one cleaning routine I’m a little OCD about.

And just for Jody I’m ending my list right there.

The next giveaway is on Friday, Dec. 7th!  Two more giveaways with movies and books!

Karma

Right on Hank! Less stuff more love. No packaging or waste. No pollution.
Okay, I do have a wish list of books at Amazon though.

So let me just clarify that I am not down,  or blue, or sad. No, it is a "Down Day" because I have no deadlines or places to rush to. Today my parents are coming to visit. That means that I should be cleaning house.  But since they are my parents, they will understand when they arrive and have to wade through the dog hair puppies. Therefore I am coming to post on my blog, check in with the numerous wonderful friends I have on LJ, catch up on Brotherhood 2.0, and order new illustration promotional postcards for the Fall Folio Feast and my fall mailing. I am in the waiting room on so many things but I'll try to list them here:
Illustrated Activity to Highlights High Five
Written story to Highlights High Five
Non-fiction query and board book to agent
Numerous picture book manuscripts to various publishers.
Illustration samples to Boyd's Mills and an Educational publisher with local author.
Conference work:
8 spaces left for the Fall Folio Feast- sign up now!
Reviewing over 65 (WOW 65!) workshop proposals for NESCBWI meeting next Friday. (Hmmm... maybe that's what I should be doing instead of cleaning my house. Isn't that conveeeenient.)
Here is the postcard. You get it first!

If you want to know more about me...then head on over to 7-Imp. Jules and Eisha interviewed me and thought my interview was interesting enough to post. I still feel like I won the lottery -- I mean, they featured me in their incredible blog! And I'll tell you a secret...I'd date and marry their blog in a second. It's that awesome. Thank you, Jules and Eisha!

She
She talks to herself while washing the dishes.
     And thinks we don't hear her.
She laughs at my jokes.
She talks loudly in church.
     Even when she means to whisper.
She likes to gossip.
     And gets all the good dirt.
She take time to write notes.
     And puts newspaper clippings inside.
She forgets what she's saying mid-sentence.
     And she laughs at herself.
She gives the greatest hugs.
She used to be tall.
     But now she's shrinking.
She came to see me defend my dissertation.
     And smiled through it all.
She bakes the best Christmas cookies.
     And sends them in a care package every year.
She tells the greatest stories.
She keeps a photo of her mother and me on her dresser.
She secretly sends money.
     And tells me to spend it on myself.
She is fond of odd phrases and sayings.
If she read this she'd say
     "Who is She? The cat's mother?"
She is my mom.

1. The Adirondacks were beautiful. So many lakes and mountains and we had great weather. Favorite places. The Wild Center in Tupper Lake, (don't miss the otters) as well as the Blue Jay camp ground there. My kids are just starting to be independent and campgrounds are a great place for that.
2. Lake George was over-developed, commercial, and quite tacky. That was a little disappointing, but if you're looking for temporary tattoos or Simpson's t-shirts, you've come to the right place.
3. Favorite moment, taking the kids white water rafting. E was scared through the first rapid and then laughed out loud on the next ones.  I love watching them grow and experience new things.
4. New York State campgrounds were all clean and beautiful. The Sacandega River Campground was my favorite.
5. Family reunions mean family. Lot's of it. Also, reunions mean lot's of food. I'm sure I've gained weight. I have to teach aerobics tomorrow and wonder if I'm going to be able to get through the hour.
6.  I'm really glad that my children are out of diapers and sleep through the night.
7. Let sleeping children sleep, let playing children play. It is so easy to overschedule a vacation. Relax and do nothing sometimes.
8. We visited the Wyoming County Fair in Pike, NY. The same agricultural fair that my husband showed cows at during his youth. Nothing has changed. I could tell he really enjoyed sharing that bit of his childhood with the kids.
9. Driving 12 hours in one day stinks.
10. Disappointing your child by not stopping in hotel when your hubby wants to drive all the way stinks too. Especially when they cry.
11. If you are a kiddo, ending up at Grandpa's where there is a heated pool makes the long drive and no hotel a moot point. But not until you've had some sleep.
12. Having Grandpa tape the season finale of So You Think You Can Dance, made the drive okay for me.
13. Coming home to 140 emails, a pile of laundry, and fuzzy stuff in your frig is just part of the trip.

1. Entering the world of grown-up responsibilities by buying a house and taking on a mortgage.
2. Playing second base and batting first on an awesome coed softball team.
3. Learning HTML and embarking on the world of WebQuest construction with my preservice teachers.
4. Repairing my own computer (a Mac, of course)
5. Working with our chemistry department on the use of technology to improve students’ abilities to visualize and understand chemistry concepts.
   

1. Chips, Chips, Chips (Lots of salt, no flavors)
2. Cashews
3. Dried apricots
4. Olives
5. Cheese and crackers

1. Somewhere Over the Rainbow
2. The Coast Guard Hymn
   
3. 50 Nifty United States (Yes, I've been able to sing the states in alphabetical order since 5th grade!)
4. Embraceable You
   
5. Goodnight Saigon
   

1. Fly to see my family as often as I want or am needed.
2. Send all my nieces and nephews to college without student loans.
3. Start my own school, a lot like this one, right here at UR. (However, I would be a teacher, not an administrator.)
   
4. Travel extensively with William so he can learn about the world through more than just books.
   
5. Keep working, because I love what I do.

1. Drinking milk from the gallon when no one is looking.
2. Procrastinating (duh!).
3. Loud music--in the car, the kitchen, my headphones, you name it.

1. Teach
2. Cook
3. Read
4. Play games (Chess, Go, Risk, Cribbage, Pente, etc.)
   
5. Listen to music
   

1. Braces, a retainer and headgear
2. A poncho
3. A uniform
   
4. Clogs
5. A bikini
   

1. iPod
2. MacBook Pro
3. Six burner gas cooktop and two ovens, baby! (In stainless, of course)
4. Lewis chess set
5. BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS! (Can books be toys?)

1. I HATE having my picture taken. Case in point, my China pictures. Unless required to pose, you will not find many pictures of me. I'd rather be behind the camera.
   


2. On a good day I can put Monk to shame. I have been known to get up from reading a book to adjust a pillow that is not "sitting right," straighten a stack of magazines, or fix anything else that is slightly askew. My brother's favorite form of torture when we were kids was to come in my room and move things slightly. Yes, I noticed the minute I walked in!
   


3. I love flowers, especially daisies, tulips and wildflowers. However, in the 17 years I've known my husband, I've received flowers only once--the day I defended my dissertation--and I happen to know his mother bought them! For years I dropped hints about wanting them every so often, but I finally gave up. Now, whenever I see flowers that are too lovely to pass up, I buy them for myself. No more standing on ceremony for me. Life's too short.
   


4. When I was in college I sang the National Anthem for the Hartford Whalers. Sadly, they no longer exist, and neither does that 20-something voice. (In any case, it's really a horrible song to sing.)
   


5. Chips or chocolate? It's a toss up for me. I suppose this is why I like chocolate covered pretzels, with both the salty and sweet thing going on.
   


6. I am a great cook and I love to try new recipes. However, I have a husband who eats NO VEGETABLES. Since I love to cook Moroccan, Lebanese, Greek and Italian, this is a huge problem. I have taken to calling my best friend and reading her the recipes I want to try, but know I won't be able to make! To satisfy my need to make great food, I often make two or three separate meals several days a week.
   


7. I was born in Rochester, NY in 1965 to a young woman (teenager) who had been sent by her family to a home for "wayward" girls. I know nothing about her other than that she was from New England. I was adopted one week later by my absolutely amazing parents.
   


8. Before my son was born, I went skydiving (more than 20 jumps), bungee jumping, whitewater rafting, rappelling and more. I got my motorcycle license on a Ninja 900. Since William came along, life is much more tame. I did, however, get a tattoo while in China. (Hey, I'd had a hep A shot, so why not?) The Chinese characters for faith, hope and love now adorn my backside. Ask me nicely and I may let you see it.
   

1. Spend quality time with William, doing all sorts of fun things.
2. Send at least three articles out for journal review.
3. Read, read, read! Anything and everything. Including Book 7.
   
4. Start taking yoga lessons.
5. Spend time alone with my Mom and Dad when I go to visit.
6. See my best friend from high school while in NY.
7. Join/start a writing group. (Been looking, can't find one!)
8. Finish the poetry book I've been working on.
9. Complete the self-study we've been working on for national accreditation.
10. Get to the Green Valley Book Fair before school starts.
11. Develop a new syllabus for the secondary curriculum methods class I will teach this fall.
12. Visit my sister in NJ and head into NYC for a day.
    
13. Get to the eastern shore or Assateague and walk on the beach.
14. Go for a motorcycle ride with my brother.
15. Try to be happy every day.
    

I was tagged this week by Donna  Farrell...
Here are the rules:
Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. It took me a while to say that I am a children’s author and illustrator but now that I own it I am ready (read: salivating) for the elusive book contract.
2. There are plenty of days that I want to run away from being a mother but then I see my beautiful children smiling when they are truly having fun, or all lit up from learning and discovery, or radiating this amazing glow of peaceful innocence when they sleep and I know I’m in it for the long haul.
3.  I used to think I was a country girl but recently I’ve been longing for public transportation, local grocery stores, and neighbors. This causes disequilibrium with my wonderful farmer-at-heart husband but we’ve made it 14 years and there’s at least another 40 to go. Maybe a year or two in Boston or New York or even Madison, or St. Paul would allay this urge.
4. More than anything, I want to go to art school. (Some paying illustration jobs would be a close second.)Why? I achieve at a higher level when I am completing assignments and surrounded by honest critique. I am also longing for a period of time when I can be totally selfish and being a student is deliciously selfish. I wish I knew in college what I know now about myself.
5. I am trying to decide if I need an MFA, in art? in writing for children? or is it just another stupid piece of paper that doesn’t mean anything?
6.  I need to get a day job for financial reasons. While I am an educator at heart and experience, I get leaping frogs of doom in my stomach when I imagine going back to teach in a public school situation. Thinking of staff meetings where no one wants to try anything new, no child left behind testing and paperwork, and huge numbers of students to manage and assess, makes me want to cry.
7. I’m a piler not a filer and I hate housework. My mother gave me the I-can’t-get-rid-of-paper-gene. Thanks, Mom.
8. I’m afraid that I won’t be able to find 8 blogging friends who haven’t already tried this so I'll go with four.

Let's try... Tami, Mona, Val, and Kristen W.