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I can't keep my mind from bouncing from one idea, or something I want to try, to the next. I need to make like Michael Keaton in Multiplicity and churn out a couple of clones. Here's most of what I have one my mind:

New photos
I tried to take a few photos of my handsome mug several weeks ago, but I think they make cameras for children that give you better quality than the digital camera I have. The Mrs. has a better one, so I'd like to try that. After that, they're going to need some additional Photoshop magic.

Comic
Yep, still tossing this thought around. I have an idea or two, but I still don't have any time to commit to a one. Hence the need for some reliable clones.

More and more Storybird art
I've been on this hot streak of cranking out illos for Storybird, and having a blast. I'd like to keep going, I have tons of ideas for illos.

My illo for the SCBWI conference
I got my notes back on my sketch from the visiting AD, and I've incorporated them into a new, final sketch. Now, I just need to do the final illo.

Learn new software
Mostly, I want to learn more about Photoshop CS5 and all those fancy-pants new brushes. If it turns out to still not be as good as Corel Painter, I'd like to learn how to work that. Plus, every time I manage to catch a how-to video I always learn something new, some little trick or short-cut.

Travel
I wanna make it over to the home country some time soon. Iceland, too. I am in love with that place.

I need a new man-cave
Since my second kid was born, I don't have a single spot in the entire house I can call my own. Thinking about converting half of our garage into a room.

Ingvard t-shirts
Again, I've got some ideas, I just need to spit 'em out.

Need to do a new postcard mailer
Self-explanatory, I think.

They Draw and Cook fig illo
They Draw and Cook has another contest going on, this time revolving around recipes with figs. Those are fun to do, too, plus, you know, prize money.

Plus a bunch of other stuff I can't even remember at the moment, cause I just don't have a whole lot of room up there in my head.

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So I have a book confession to make.  As I acquire more and more books on my bookshelf I find myself also collecting more and more picture books.  Nicer copies of books I loved as a kid, books I've been asked to review and loved, random books I come across while shopping at thrift stores, etc. 

So at which point do you become too old for picture books?  I keep telling myself that I'm saving them for when I have kids of my own.  Although right now at (almost) 24 kids are a while off still I think.  Planning for the future?  Maybe.  But as my collection grows I wonder if a have a picture book obsession. 

I'll admit it, I'm an illustration junkie.  I think it's the same reason why I gush about book covers so much. I will acquire/keep a book based purely on illustrations alone.  My mom was the same way when she was buying us books growing up.  If she liked the illustrations, she bought the book, completely ignoring what the book was about.  Although now that i think back to it, my mom and I must have different tastes in art, because although I enjoyed the stories of most of the books she brought back, some of the illustrations were, in my opinion, weird. 

My last semester of college I took a children's lit class.  It wasn't required for credit, but I had taken a young adult course the previous semester and really enjoyed it and I was curious what a class focused on younger readers might have to offer.   There was a novel assigned to each unit, but one class period in each unit was spent exploring picture books our teacher would bring in for us to look at.  Those were by far my favorite days, reading and swapping picture books with other students. 

The next class period we were always assigned to bring in our own books about the unit's topic.  As a senior college student (I had 18 credits that semester) I usually brought a picture book to class since I didn't have a lot of extra time to be reading lots of extra books.  Pawing through the (limited) collection of books my university library had looking for the perfect title for each unit was so much fun.  I literally spent hours in that section of the library, reading and flipping through countless books.  Of course, that earning me a lot of funny looks from the college kids were passing through, but I didn't worry about it really.  I was having too much fun. 

So maybe I'm weird, or maybe not.  But judging by the growing pile of picture books on my bookshelf, I think I need to find a Picture Books for Young Adults Anonymous group. 

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One of my regular readers sent me a link to a very interesting post about the fate of electronic books.

I have to say I wholeheartedly agree with what he says. I'm one of those people who I think will never go completely over to electronic books, no matter how popular they get. I like the feel of a book in my hands, the ability to flip to favorite passages to re-read them, and the look of my books sitting on a bookshelf too much. Plus, there will always be books that don't translate well to ebook format, such as graphic novels or some picture books.

Actually, since I'm kind of an illustration junkie, I don't think I'll ever to the e-picture book thing. It's kind of like my college film teacher told us: Yes, you can watch movies on your tiny iPods and phones now, but really how much can you enjoy the artistry by watching a tiny picture? Big screens are the only way to watch movies. That's pretty much how I feel about some of my favorite picture books. Yes, you can view them on your computer, but is it the same as seeing the full-size illustrations in all their glory? Definitely not.

And yet, I still want a Kindle. And yes, I want a Kindle, not any ereader. I'm picky like that. :) Mostly because I do have some ebooks and I just don't do well with reading them on a computer screen. And I like the idea of loading up on device with lots of book to take on trips, especially with the weight limits airlines have these days.

Still, regular books are the bomb. And in my opinion, nothing's ever going to change that.

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Every year since childhood, my famly and I have come up with slogans to fit the new year. For example, the year I turned 12, our slogan was "Getting It Straight in '88." The year I turned 23, our slogan was "In God's Time in '99."

This year, though, we didn't come up with one. Whether it's because we couldn't think of one or because we've outgrown it, I'm not sure. I think maybe all five of us - my parents, brother, sister, and I - are at different points in our lives and God is speaking to each of us separately. Maybe He's giving each of us our own slogan/theme for 2011.

So, a few weeks ago, I'd been wondering what my theme would be, when God gave me one word: change. This word came about after a particular complain-fest I'd had with God. I was apartment hunting - not really wanting to move from my townhome, but knowing I had to. God just listened and waited until I was done. After I finished, God told me, as clear as day, I kid you not, "This year is going to be a year of change for you, Rae. Some change you'll like; some change you won't like. Just know that I know what I'm doing." I couldn't really say much after that. I couldn't go on complaining, that's for sure.

I've always had a sense that my 30s would be the time God took me out of my comfort zone. Since I'm almost 5yrs into my 30s (I turn 35 in September), and I haven't had to go too far out of that zone, I figured, maybe I was wrong. Maybe I don't have to venture out. Well, I'm getting the feeling that 35 will start the "Journey Out of the Zone" for me. While that excites me, it terrifies me a little. I like my zone. I'm comfortable here. All's well in my little world. Now, I gotta venture out into the unknown?

The best way I can put it is like this: I'm going through my very own butterfly metamorphosis. Right now, I'm in the pupa stage. I'm in my nice, comfortable chrysalis, but God is telling me it's time...time to leave my safe chrysalis and venture out. I'm scared, but when I really think about it, I'm excited. The caterpillar is no longer a caterpillar when it leaves the chrysalis. It's a butterfly...a beautiful butterfly. And that's what God is saying. It's time for me to become the beautiful butterfly He's called me to be.

Treasure Davis, the main character in my novel #2, Hidden Treasure, ventures out of her zone to truly experience life. The differences between our journeys are (a) she's 18 and I'm 35, and (b) my venturing out has to do with God; hers is cos she learns that life is too short (her aunt has an aggressive form of cancer). It's funny that the whole story comes about during a time I myself am experiencing change. Guess that's why I totally enjoy writing this book.

One of my favorite scriptures says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV). I also like the way The Message puts it: "I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." So yeah, God may lead me to the land of the unknown, but I trust Him. I believe He knows what He's doing. His plan isn't to hurt me, but to prosper me - which doesn't always mean financially, btw - and to give me a hopeful future. I'm excited about what God's gonna do. This is gonna be the best year yet and I'm gonna blog all about it, whether it's changes I like or changes I don't like. Stay tuned...

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You ever feel like the books on your bookshelf are talking to you?



Pick me, says that little paperback in the corner. Read me!

I can't, you say. I'm reading something else right now.

But remember when you first got me? it replies. That day I came in the mail and you opened me up and there I was sitting for you, all shiny and waiting. Remember how excited you were to read me?

Yes, I remember, you admit. You reluctantly put down the book you're reading and grab the little paperback, once more reading the description on the back cover. I forgot how excited I was about reading you.

But no, you can't. You quickly put down the paperback back on the shelf.

I'm sorry, you explain to the little book. But I already have a big stack of books that I need to read and review. See there, the pile by the bed? There's at least six books there! And the review deadlines are in two weeks. I can't possible afford to be distracted at the moment.

But it will be all right, the paperback counters. I'm just a little guy. Won't take you more than a day. If that.

Yes, you agree. But one day distractions lead to more distractions and then two weeks are over and I still don't have these other books even started. I really, really can't right now.

Determined in your resolve, you turn away from the paperback and pick up the gigantic 500 page novel you've spent 2 weeks already trying to wade through. It feels almost heavier in your hands as you try to thumb through the pages looking for your bookmark.

Please? you hear the paperback plead behind you. Pretty please?

Against your better judgement you turn around to look at the book a final time... and your fate is sealed. Sighing, you pick the little paperback up once more.

I never could resist the puppy dog look.

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It seems the theme of my life lately is waiting. I've finally began the submission process again. I have one agent I really, really like, and two others that have shown interest in my writing. I submitted to the first one a couple of weeks ago, but decided today that it was best not to put my eggs all in one basket. Of the other two agents, one only accepts electronic submissions, the other, only snail mail. So the electronic submission went out today. The snail mail should go out Monday. Then...I wait. 

In the beginning of August, I also put in an application to teach at a virtual school. In November I was asked to scan and upload my last two evaluations and complete a teacher profile survey. I suppose that means I've made the first cut. My application is still being reviewed. I know this process is a long one...so I wait.

We moved to our current property in '98. Fifteen glorious acres. We purchased a used doublewide thinking we'd be able to build in, oh, say 5 years? So...we've finally started the process. Agreed on a house plan. And given it to a builder to give us a cost estimate to build. I have no idea if it's within our budget or not. So...we wait.

So, while waiting, I have to do something to take my mind off of those tiny grains of sand slipping through the hourglass. I'm walking. A lot. I've lost nearly 15 pounds. (Yay!)

I'm trying new things at school, teaching from the online text, mixing in my notes, trying to teach the students to use their books, to think. I'm looking forward to using the new classroom set of MacBooks. I'm enjoying my students, and trying to let the irritations slide.

I'm thinking of a new book idea. Brain writing, I call it. Trying to figure out how to make it work. Trying to gather the various threads and images together to bring my protagonist into better focus, as well as some secondary characters. Trying to figure out what to DO with the idea. The action. The plot. 

And I'm reading. Still one of the best ways to pass the time. Waiting. It's all part of the game. But I can't help it. Sometimes I sure wish I could figure out how to fast forward. Okay....time to go walk some more.

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Alright, let's get this over with. Time to talk about goals.

This time of year, everybody has to review the previous 12 months, and then speculate about the next 12. It gets to be cliché after a point, and as much as I hate following the crowd, I do see some value in it. I'll try and keep it short and sweet.

So here's my 2010 in a nutshell:

♦ I spent a lot of time helping my family as my wife recovered from 3, count 'em 3, different operations (C-section, hernia and tonsillectomy, the last one being a lot tougher to recover from than one would think). I actually used up all of my time off from work doing that, and luckily never got sick enough to miss work myself.

♦ Our home went from a 1 child home to a 2 child home. I've always thought that once you've had a baby, you're admitted into a sort of "parenthood" club, something exclusive, something that bonds you instantly with anyone else on earth who's ever raised a child. But it turns out there's actually two tiers: the 1 child club and the multi-child club. Because, while dealing with one kid is tough, the people who have to wrangle several are a special kind of war hero.

♦ I stopped in the middle of my current middle-grade novel when my daughter was born back in February, and for some deep-seated psychological reason, I haven't gotten around to writing since then.

♦ I decided to focus more on the whole illustration thing. I've made a lot of illustrator friends through social media, which has been great, and did more mailing than I had previously. I developed some new techniques and tried some new things.

♦ My dad passed away.

There. As you may have guessed, it's been a tumultuous one. Some good, some not so good.

So, what do I expect or even hope for in 2011?

♦ I'm hoping for a healthier year. It would mean a lot less stress, and would certainly be a heckuva lot cheaper. Plus, I might actually get to take a day off for something fun.

♦ While I hope to keep ramping up my illustration presence, I also want to get back to writing. I'm not sure at this point what I'll do with my WIP. I like it in general, but I suspect it may have gotten away from me. I'm not sure if I should start over with a more rigorous outline to guide me, or finish it and trim afterwords (which could be a lot). Or, I may start something totally new. I keep getting into these longer, older middle-grade type of books and I've always wanted to do something shorter, like less than 25,000 words. If only I weren't so dreadfully verbose....

♦ I'd like to keep losing weight. I got off to a decent start this year, but have lapsed over the holiday season (natch). I would love to be able to find time to run again, but I'm pretty maxed out for time as it is.

♦ I'd like to see more movies. This is probably a long shot (I just haven't seen much since my kids were born), but I think there's a lot to be learned about story telling from a good movie. They only have an hour and a half, two hours tops, to tell a complete story. That's tough, especially doing it well. And while I'd like to see many of the "popcorn" flicks that the general public goes to the cineplex to see, I find the typical big budget "Hollywood" movie is far too formulaic. Foreign and independent films, in my experience, have most often provided the freshest and satisfying journeys.

♦ I'd like to put together a picture book dummy or two. The problem is, while I'd love to illustrate a picture book, I'm not fond of writing them. Like I said,

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This school year has had it's ups and downs. Like everyone these days, jobs are becoming more and more stressful. And yes, I'm thankful I have a job. And one that I enjoy. Mostly. I love being in the classroom, working with my students. Figuring out what makes them tick, what trick will help them understand that great abyss of knowledge, otherwise known as math...yeah, that's fun.

But I'm struggling more this year juggling everything. Job...two teens...well, that's enough in itself. LOL. But I'm also working on the great breakout novel. It's been tough to get myself into that place where I can relax, and think, and revise, and create, and, well, all that stuff. But I'm closer than ever to finally submitting it. I won't quit. I won't. Ever.

Meanwhile, I must learn to handle the stress. Hmmm...lose weight. Exercise. Two biggies. Really. I can't change the other genetic stress factors. But I also have to figure out how not to do everything....perfectly. Yeah, you know the type. Drive everyone else crazy because we have to do what we're told. Do the right thing. If it's worth doing, well it's worth doing right, the very best you can. I'm finding it's not healthy. I've committed to making a change. After all, it is just a job, right? I'll have to be willing to do what's best for my students, and, hard to even type....let the rest slide. I want to enjoy my hubby, my kids, my writing...life, for a very long time to come. And you know what, I might even figure out how to work in the time to visit with my online writer buddies every once in a while. :)

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Today is my 34th birthday. No, I didn't celebrate it in a big way...although my sis did through a surprise party for me Sunday. I know. Awesome little sis, right? I'm just happy that God has allowed me another year. This just means He's not done with me yet. I still got work to do for His kingdom!

Now, 35...that's another story. If God allows me to see my 35th, I'm doing it big. I'm going to start planning early. The way I look at it, when I turn 35 next year, I can either stay at home, lamenting over the fact that I'm only 5 years away from 40, OR I can celebrate the fact that I'm alive. I choose option b. I'm okay with aging. I think I'm getting better in everything with age. I like where I'm at in life. I mean, there are some things I'd change, but overall, my 30s have been pretty awesome. So, I won't complain about being another year older. I'm just gonna live it up!

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Speak Loudly. Last Saturday, a man by the name of Dr. Scroggins, wrote an editorial about how parents need to speak out about what their children are learning in schools. I'd agree with him if his comments were so off-based.

• Sex Education. I'm not sure how they do it where in Republic, Missouri, but in the district I work in, kids are taught about reproduction and the body in about 4th or 5th grade. This is no cause for alarm, though, because letters and permission slips are sent home before, letting parents know. If parents aren't comfortable with their child learning about reproduction from the school, they can choose "I do not allow my child to participate" option. It's not forced on the children. Now, in my opinion, if parents don't want their children learning about reproduction, the body, or sex in school, they had better be teaching it at home. Why? They're gonna learn it from somewhere. What better place to learn it than home? If parents keep their heads buried in the sand and refuse to talk to their children, they'd have no right to be upset if the child ended up a mother or father-to-be. If you're not telling your kids about the right and wrong way to touch, how will they know if a family member, friend, or even stranger, is touching them inappropriately? And kids are learning things earlier and earlier. I've heard kids in 2nd grade talk about what they plan to do with their boyfriend/girlfriend after school. I'm sure some are talking about it earlier than that. Sad? Yes. It's very sad. Some of these parents need to take off the blinders and stop saying, "Not my child." I'm all for parents choosing whether or not their kids have sex ed at school, only if the parent is giving them sex ed at home.



• Book Ban. Ok, I get it. There are some books that some people feel isn't appropriate for kids to read. I agree parents need to be more aware of what they're kids are reading in school. What I don't agree with is comparing the books he listed to soft porn. I mean, really? I've read both Sarah Ockler's, Twenty Boy Summer and Laurie Halse Anderson's, Speak. Twenty Boy Summer is basically about a girl dealing with the death of a loved one. Speak is about a girl dealing with rape. How he compares it to soft porn is beyond me. And thing is, he has disputed comparing the books in that manner. Some of the comments I've read is saying he didn't compare them that way. He said, and I quote, "In high school English classes, children are required to read and view material that should be classified as soft pornography. One such book is called "Speak."" Those were his exact words. Sounds like comparing to soft porn to me. And really, there's something seriously wrong with people who'd think rape scenes are like soft porn. And I'm sure both books have helped teens across this country...maybe even the world...through some very difficult times. Through Speak, victims of rape have a voice, which is normally silenced. So parents, yeah, be aware of what your kids are reading. Speaking as an educator, we need parents to become involved in their child's education. Instead of banning the books, read them with your kids. Discuss the book. Talk to your kids.

In the name of Christianity. I am a Christian. I'm in love with God, believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and believe that He'll be coming back again. I believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven. I read my Bible daily (seriously, I do) and I am very active in my church. With that being said, I am so sick of people doing and saying things in the name of Christianity. I don't know about the god some of these people serve, but the God I serve wouldn't be happy with some of these goings-on. I do not profess to knowing what goes t

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I am a HUGE fan of Beverly Clearly. Apart from not reading Dear Mr. Henshaw, I've read nearly every book of hers out there (including her "teen" books - Fifteen, Sister of the Bride, etc.)

Some of my most vivid childhood memories involve her books . . . Like when I lost my 9th birthday party (don't ask why) but I still got a couple of presents and one of them was Ramona and her Mother. And then there was the time I cured myself of reading in the bathtub when I accidentally dropped my beloved copy of Ramona the Pest and made it 3 times its normal size.

I do have my favorites: Ramona the Pest, Socks, Fifteen, Emily's Runaway Imagination, Mitch and Amy, and my all time favorite . . . Ellen Tebbits.

Last week, during quiet reading time at school, I pulled out a copy of Ellen Tebbits from our class library and suddenly I was 9 years old again. And I realized that of all the Beverly Cleary books I have read, Ellen Tebbits is the only one I could probably recite, part and parcel, the entire story from beginning to end.

And that made me wonder . . . why is that?

After mulling this question over and over in my brain this past weekend, I figured out it probably has to do with how much I identify with Ellen. Then as much as now.

Ellen tries her best to be perfect . . . to do her best at everything. Obey her mother, desperately wants her teacher's approval and is devastated when things don't work out the way she plans.

For better or for worse, that was me as a kid. And to a certain extent, that's me now. The great thing about Ellen is that she does learn from her mistakes.

And just like Ellen, I like to think that I do too. :)

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Earlier this year, God gave me a few assignments and, sadly, I haven't completed the assignments. I don't want this year to end with my being disobedient, so I have to re-prioritize and get things in order. After prayer and deliberation, I've decided to give up the 4 things that keeps me from focusing on those assignments: Facebook, Twitter, blogging, and Pepsi.

All 4 will be a challenge. I can't say which will be more of a challenge cos they're all things I'm addicted to. BUT, I need to refocus, and the only way to do that is to fast from the things that take my focus away. I'm praying that, by the time I'm done, I'll have my priorities straight. It's funny: now that my followers list is (slowly, but surely) growing, I have to take a blogging break. This break is important, tho, so I'm not worried.

God bless y'all and see you in 2 weeks!

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Something's been nagging at me in the back of my brain, ever since I did those 5 cards for the Ripple blog, You see, the vast majority of my work (if not all, really) is done in a sort of kid-friendly style, almost cartoony. Which is the I've always drawn, ever since I was a kid (I wanted to do comic strips for a living then), and I love it. But for some reason, when it came time to do those cards, I knew instantly what I was going to do and what it would look like, and that included more realistic looking animals.

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I had a sort of eye-opening experience the other day. I jumped in on the tail end of a Twitter chat relating to children's literature, but since I was only catching the remaining minutes of it, decided to just read and not bother chiming in. That turned out to be more difficult that I thought, and couldn't resist posting a couple of comments.

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So about 2 years ago, I came up with a list of things I wanted to do before I turned 35 (Rae's List). Clearly, I'll be 35 next year (Yikes!!!) and haven't really crossed much off the list. Sooo, I'm updating my list and making it a list of things to do before I turn 40...which - not that I really wanna think about turning 40 - but will happen in 6 years (Yikes!!!). This gives me 6 years to concentrate on crossing things off my list. I think the fun comes with trying to do each thing. Of course, I'd love to get married and have a child before I'm 40, but that's not my call. That's all on God. BUT, I'm putting it on my list. I'll update every few months and blog about my progress. For most of the things on my list, it's not that I'm afraid to do it or don't have the time. It's that I don't have the funds to do it. I'm not worried though. Let's see how much I can cross off in 6 years, 6 months, and 24 days. Ready? Set? GO!

Updated List:

• Become Dr. Rae Weakly, EdD
• Get counseling license
• Sky dive
• Para sail
• Jet ski
• Swim w/dolphins
• Bungee jump
• Cliff dive
• Stay in a hotel (or beach house) on the beach
• Stay in a resort
• Stay in an expensive hotel for at least one night without worrying about price
• Learn Spanish - be able to hold conversation with native speakers & my sister
• Learn a 3rd language (Portuguese, Italian, French, or Japanese)
• Learn to play acoustic guitar
• Shake hands w/a celebrity
• Become a published author
• Fall in love
• Get married
• Have a child
• Travel to other countries/cities/states - Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Brazil, Holy Land, St. Thomas Virgin Islands, Italy, Spain, Japan, Cuba, Columbia, Tahiti, Philippines, Virginia, Washington D.C., Las Vegas, Phoenix, Jamaica
• Become owner of THRIVING business, AYM Enrichment Center
• Learn to belly dance
• Learn to Salsa
• Take Hip Hop class
• Get a professional makeover
• Go to a spa
• Get 3rd tattoo
• Ride a motorcycle
• Take kickboxing class
• Fly first class
• Have at least one of my novels optioned for film
• Wear shorts in public *NOTE* When I wrote this 2 years ago, I hadn't worn shorts in 12 years cos I was self-conscious about my legs. Still kinda self conscious, but I have worn shorts since I added this to the list. Yay me!
• Wear a daring (yet tasteful) dress
• Start research on what makes other countries' educational system work & what America can do to catch up
• Comfortably wear a swimsuit without cover (no shirt over it...no beach pants to cover my legs, etc)
• Participate in a walkathon
• Run a mile
• Go white-water rafting
• Learn how to ski
• Try a fruity alcoholic drink: Had a margarita...pretty good!
• Sing at a karaoke bar
• Learn sign language
• Become debt free
• Buy first house
• Buy my Escalade EXT
• Approach an attractive guy (if only for conversation. Even @ 33, I clam up around cute guys)
• Attend a Superbowl game
• Go to an awards show
• Get nose pierced
• Climb the Statue of Liberty
• Eat @ an expensive restaurant: Did this for my birthday, thanks to my friend!
• Set up a foundation for kids
• Become a motivational speak/mentor for young girls/teen girls
• Play basketball without dying
• Buy my parents their dream house
• Spend a whole day doing absolutely nothing (take a me-day): Had my 1st "me-day" early last year...have had several since then.
• Donate a substantial amount of $ for a worthy cause
• Learn how to play piano
• Plan a camp for girls and/or creative kids
• Experience Las Vegas (or Atlantic City) gambling once
• Research bo
  0 Comments on Random Thoughts Thursday as of 3/4/2010 6:54:00 PM
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Mayor Goodman/Obama. Ok, so am I the only one who is perturbed at Las Vegas' Mayor Goodman's reaction? I mean, come on! Obama's statement: "You don't blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you're trying to save for college. You prioritize. You make tough choices. It's time your government did the same." I'm sorry, but I don't see anything wrong with that statement. Is it just me?? I don't see him saying anything negative about Vegas. I can sum up his statement in one word: budget. If I'm trying to save $ for college, will going to Vegas and blowing it really be a smart thing to do? Doesn't Mayor Goodman know that people come to Vegas from all parts of the country - the world - so they can experience the casinos and flashing lights? Does he not know that people do, in fact, go to Vegas to blow a bunch of cash? I can't see people going to Vegas and not spending a dime...not experiencing the casinos. If you have, well, good for you. But I'll probably be right in saying most people don't. They go and they spend. They gamble and they spend some more. So why in the h*ll is Obama's statement so bad? Why did it warrant Mayor Goodman's statement that Obama's a "slow learner"? Looks to me like Goodman's the slow learner here. smh

Blog Awards.
I've received my very first blog award: a Silver Lining Blog Award (for blogs that always help others in some way or focus on the good things in life and uplift others), thanks to my friend, Karen Strong over at Musings of a Novelista. I kinda feel like Betty did last night on Ugly Betty when she won a Blobby award for her blog, lol! So, according to the rules, after thanking Karen (thanks SO much), I can answer the following quiz (no more than two words) and pass the award on to 5 blogs I feel deserve the Silver Lining Award.

Where is your cell phone? Desk

Your hair? Medium

Your mother? Beautiful

Your father? Strong

Your favorite food? Mexican

Your dream last night? None

Your favorite drink? PEPSI!!!

Your dream/goal? Become virtuous

What room are you in? Parents' office

Your hobby? Reading

Your fear? Cockroaches

Where do you want to be in 6 years? Bestselling author

Where were you last night? Home (duh)

Something that you aren’t? Talkative

Muffins? Chocolate chip

Wish list item? Books

Where did you grow up? Alief, TX

Last thing you did? Wrote

What are you wearing? Jeans/Sweatshirt

Your TV? Off

Your pets? Not yet

Friends? Awesome

Your life? Blessed

Your mood? Happy

Missing someone? Deceases grandparents

Vehicle? Ford Mustang

Something you’re not wearing? Shoes

Your favorite store? Barnes & Nobles

Your favorite color? Pink

When was the last time you laughed? Earlier

Last time you cried? Can’t remember

Your best friend? Awesome

One place that I go to over and over? Parents' home

One person who emails me regularly? My family

Favorite place to eat? Applebee's

Now for the 5 blogs that always help others in some way or focus on the good things in life and uplift others: hmm...

• Living Proof Blog at http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/
• Books, Boys, Buzz at http://yawriters.blogspot.com/
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First of all, I want to say that if you've been following the situation about the cover of Magic Under Glass, you'll probably be familiar with all of this already. But this is my own (scattered) thoughts on the topic, now that the whole thing is over.

First of all, if you haven't already, I strongly suggest you read this post by MotherReader on the topic. Her argument is pretty much identical to mine on the subject. While I applaud the efforts of the blogging community in getting the cover changed, there are several things that really sadden me about the whole way it was handled this time around (as opposed to Liar's cover) and you'll find out what if you read that post.

On that subject, I did want to point out one quote in particular from her post, which I think is the thing that makes me most unhappy about this whole thing:

"I don’t feel good that book bloggers were tossed in the mix of blame for not noticing or reporting on the cover earlier. That argument assumes that (a) lots of bloggers get early copies, (b) the bloggers actually read that book of all the books they get, (c) in reading that book they notice the cover, and (d) they feel like reviewing the book. Book bloggers — we’re all on the same team here."[Emphasis mine]

I think I'd like to add one more thing to that argument. First of all, while we continue to strive for greater diversity in the blogosphere and publishing industry, remember that there is another kind of diversity in play here. That is diversity of opinion. Everyone is entitled to have their own opinion on any subject (including book bloggers), and there are always two sides (at least) to every situation. If everyone thought and acted the same, this world would be very, very boring. So attacking someone because they didn't bring up the cover earlier (assuming they even noticed)? That's not cool.

And here's another idea I have had on the subject. While there's been overwhelming support for the author in all this, she's also gotten a lot of criticism over the whole thing. Again, my opinion in this is pretty much summed up by MotherReader's post. However one prominent blogger (who shall remain anonymous) pointed out that the author is a grown woman and she should be able to handle the pressure. That's true, but I also want to point out that this author had the guts to feature a person of color as her main character in her very first book. Shouldn't that be something we should be celebrating?

And lastly, I'd like to respond to the Bloomsbury side of this, since they really are at fault for this whole thing. I don't know to what extent the marketing department reads the book before creating a cover, but they create what sells. You can have the best book in the whole world, that's been edited by the best editor, with story and characters greater than Harry Potter and Twilight combined, but if you can't convince the marketing department it will sell, it will never get published. And yes, it is sad that this cover got whitewashed because the publisher thought that would sell better, especially with what happened over Liar. But in my opinion, the way to change that is to encourage diversity of reading. When publishers see that that's what people will read (and hence buy) then they'll respond. Because money talks.

Which brings me to my last point, which is the boycott of Bloomsbury that has been suggested by some individuals. Now while I recognize that boycotts work, I don't think that would get the desired effect in this case. Thing about boycotting books is it's going to take a looooooong time to be effective, especially with a newly released book. So many people pre-ordered Magic Under Glass that I'm sure it's earnings didn't see that much of fluctuation.

A much more effective course of action wa

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In response to my plea to bloggers about stolen content, the comment came up that someone didn't really care if their work was stolen. I respect that perspective, but I do want to respond to this in a new post, hence today's addition. I've found out a lot of things as I've researched this topic, and I want to share what I've learned/think with everyone else

I also want to take a quick moment and point out that I am specifically talking about posting someone's entire post (or a great part of it) word for word without giving credit or getting permission from the author. Quoting a small bit of a post and then linking back to the owner is not stealing, and it doesn't apply in this situation.

So your blog content has been stolen. Does it really matter? That's a compliment right? That someone likes your work enough to steal it?

Wrong. Most of these sites (usually called "spam blogs" or "splogs" for short) are completely run by automated software. It's not a compliment to your hard work at all. Your blog just happened to be the one picked out of literally millions of other websites to be slurped from. In the event that the site isn't automated, the blog owner happened to find the right combination of keywords to get his/her blog higher in your post, and that's why you were chosen. It's not a compliment, it's just bad luck.

Why would someone be looking for certain keywords?

The name of the game is money. Many of these blogs use things like Google AdSense to make money. By using certain types of keywords, these sites can appear higher in search engine ratings (this is called search engine optimization, or SEO). Higher SEO = more traffic, and more traffic = more money.

So why should I care about that?

Well, maybe it's just me, but how do you feel about someone making money off of something you created instead of you? If that doesn't bother you, then I guess it's kind of a moot point. Personally, if someone's going to be making money off my writing, I want to be the person making that money. Also, the splog in question may be beating your blog in the search engine results, meaning you're getting cheated out of blog traffic you worked to create.

The money doesn't bother me, so it doesn't matter. After all, you take a risk when you post stuff on the Internet.

That is true, you do take a risk when you post stuff to the internet. You may think lightly about someone stealing your content, and that's fine. But that doesn't change the fact that it's just plain WRONG. Would you feel the same way if someone broke into your house and stole your computer/TV/iPod/etc.? So maybe that's comparing apples and oranges a little bit, but it's the idea behind the act that counts.

I once heard a quote (can't remember who from) that said "the only thing needed for evil to triumph is for good people to stand by and do nothing". It's the same way for this. If we want it to stop someday then we need to stand up for our rights. And it is a right. The content your write for your blog is automatically protected under copyright laws. You ARE the owner of that content. It's against the law to steal your content. But if we don't stand up for our rights as protected under that law, does it matter if the law was broken? And if no one stands up for a law, then is it effective? A law that no one follows isn't a law anymore.

Let's face it. Most of us would feel awful is something like this happened to our own blog. But there are (and always will be) some who it just doesn't matter to. So if after reading this you still don't care if your content is stolen, that's fine. Everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion, and I respect that. But I feel that I would be standing by and doing nothing if I didn't point out the reasons why I care. I am willing to fight for my rig

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It saddens me that I have to write a post like this, but unfortunately I feel I must. Today I happened to find a blog that was stealing content from other blogs, two of which I am familiar with. I'm not going to link to the blog because they don't deserve to get a hike in their numbers, but I feel I do need to speak out.

I happened to come across this because of a Google Alert I have set up with my blog name. One of the stolen blogs had written a post mentioning my blog name and so it showed up in the same Google alert as under a different website. It was obvious as soon as clicking over that this blog DID NOT write the post in question (as well as every other post there) and did not give credit to the people who had written the content.

Please, please, please if you ever notice a blog where posts appear to be stolen, contact the owner of the original blog right away. It may turn out they were reposted with permission, but it's better to play it safe than sorry.

Stealing someone's posts is WRONG. It doesn't matter if it's on the internet, that post still belongs to the person who wrote it and is protected under copyright law. The thing that really gets me mad about this blog is one of the feeds they are stealing from has a copyright notice written into each and every post to prevent this from happening. And although they didn't remove it, they did twist it around so it meant something completely different. Quoting someone and linking back to their post is fine (and I think should be encouraged) but do so with the permission of the person who wrote it. We bloggers are a pretty friendly lot (generally speaking), and a quick email just to check will suffice.

Now, if this has happened to any of you reading this, what did you do to respond? I've been looking for things all day, but I have yet to find a good, definitive source on how to take care of this sort of thing. If anyone has any links/suggestions/etc. please leave them in the comments.

We're all in this together. Let's help support our fellow bloggers and keep our eyes open for stolen content.

Okay, plea over. We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog.

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So after typing that title I just realized that could be taken the wrong way. So let me explain myself.

I was doing some thinking today and was wondering what the "official" end of Christmas is. In my house, we never rush around taking the Christmas stuff down on December 26th, although I know some people do. In fact, I'm still reading a few Christmas books I didn't have time to get to before the holidays right now. I'm still listening to Christmas music. Our tree is still up and we still turn on the lights. We sang Christmas hymns in church today.

For me, I guess we really end Christmas on New Year's Eve. My family's not really into the whole partying on New Years thing, but we usually take down the tree on December 31st or January 1st. And that's about the time I put away most of my other Christmas things for the year. I guess that I spend so many days thinking about Christmas that the excitement just seems too big to be contained in the single December 25th day.

So how about you? When does your Christmas end?

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Fall TV Season. In less than one week, the season premieres of most of my fave shows will come on. I'm SO excited (yeah, I have no life...so what). CSI Miami, Heroes, Ugly Betty, CSI New York, Criminal Minds, and Law & Order SVU. Add Glee to that and you've got a happy Rae. There are slight changes that can mess me up, though. Law & Order has been moved to Wednesdays. Why is that a problem, you may ask? IT COMES ON AT THE SAME TIME AS BOTH CRIMINAL MINDS AND GLEE!!! Why, oh why, did they move it to Wednesdays? I was perfectly fine with it being on Tuesdays. See, last year, I had Mon-Thurs set. Mon = Heroes & CSI Miami; Tues = Law & Order SVU (& occasionally, NCIS); Wed = Criminal Minds & CSI New York; and Thurs = Ugly Betty. Now, Mon stays the same, Tues = ?...maybe NCIS & NCIS Los Angeles; Wednesday = Glee, Criminal Minds, Law & Order SVU then CSI New York; Thur = ?; Fri = Ugly Betty. Now, I have to decide what to do about 8 pm on Wednesday nights. *sigh* Tragedy, I tell you...Tragedy!

Adam Rodriguez. So, about 2 months ago, I heard that Tyler Perry had a new movie coming out. Now, I love TP's work, so I knew I wanted to see it, but when I heard that Adam Rodriguez was going to be in it, I knew I had to see it. I've had a 'grown up' crush on AR since watching CSI Miami for the first time years ago. In fact, he was the reason I first got hooked on CSI Miami. I needed my weekly dose of Eric Delko. Now, of course, it's not about Eric, I actually like the show. So yeah, I had to go see I Can Do Bad All By Myself. I'm so glad I did. To me, it was one of TP's best movies. And Taraji Henson is such a talented actress.

Okay, back to AR. I've found out that, after this season, my beloved Delko, will be no more. *sigh* I knew it, when I saw the season finale. It's a good thing I actually like CSI Miami, cos clearly if I didn't, I'd stop watching it (but I do, so no worries). On an awesome note, AR will be on 5 episodes of Ugly Betty with the possibility of staying longer. Ugly Betty is, of course, another one of my must-see shows, so I'm good. He moved from one fave show to another.

Mission Statements. So, I'm reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.

I'm on Habit #2: Begin With the End in Mind. One of the things we're supposed to do is come up with a mission statement. I've finally come up with mine (after about 2 weeks). I wanted to add scriptures to my statement to know where I got the idea from. Like me, this state is a work in progress.

My mission in life is...

• To serve God, glorify Him in all I do, and love Him with all my heart, soul, and mind (Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 6:13; Romans 15:6)
• To let God, my family, my friends, and the kids I work with know I love them through, not only my words, but also my actions (1 John 3:18)
• To use every gift, talent, and ability God has given me to fulfill His purpose for me (1 Peter 4:10)
• To educate, enrich, and inspire youth and help them realize their full potential in God (Mark 9:37; Mark 10:14)
• To live a bold and abundant life through Christ (John 10:10; 2 Corinthians 3:12)
• To take good care of my temporary home, Earth, just as God has commanded us (Genesis 1:28)
• To use my words and actions to build people up instead of tear them down (Proverbs 20:11; Romans 12:18)
• To let my 'Jesus' light shine for the world to see (Proverbs 13:9; Matthew 5:16)

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School. If you've visited my blog a few times, you'd probably notice that I am in school for my Doctor of Education (EdD). I was hoping to become Dr. Weakly by next year. Unfortunately, because of financial issues, I'm having to withdraw from school. The bad news is, this will delay me in getting my doctorate degree. I SO want this to be done and over with. The good news is, if I can come back within a year, I won't have to start all over. I can start where I left off. This is AWESOME news to me because, if I had to start over, I don't think I'd be able to do it. I mean, 3-4 more years of school? No thanks!

As I've said before, I've been in school since I was 2 years old (got in preschool early cos I knew how to count, say my abc's, was potty trained, etc). I took a 2 year break between Bachelors & Masters and another 2 year break between Masters & Doctorate. This means I've been in school for 27 years! When I tell you I'm just about sick of school... But, I get to take a short break then come back to finish this thing. Of course, I'd rather be done in 2010, but, it can't be helped...unless God performs a miracle (which I know He can). So, instead of becoming Dr. Weakly in 2010, I'll be Dr. Weakly in 2011, God-willing. I'm ok with this.

ABDC. Finally, I agree with the judges decision! I'm glad Rhythm City didn't go home. They're one of the best groups. I'm still waiting on the groups to bring it, though. This season is missing the...umph, that other seasons had. My favorite groups? Rhythm City and We Are Heroes.

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America's Best Dance Crew. Yay! Another dance reality show that I'm addicted to! Although this season hasn't proven to be as good as the previous seasons, I'm determined to see it through. Now, it's only been on for two weeks, so, maybe it's too early to judge. A salsa/hip hop group, a group of gay men & a transgender, groups with "thick" women, group of country hip hoppers...this season definitely has the diversity it was looking for.

I don't agree with who went home, though. The first week, Fr3sh ended up going home, but they were better than the other 2 groups who did battle with them (Beat Ya Feet Kings and Southern Movement). The ONLY reason why they went home, IMO, is because they didn't break it during the battle. Last Sunday, the groups did dances from Beyonce songs. The group that went home was Artistry in Motion. I think they had one of the harder tasks, but they did well with what they were given. All the members had to hold on to the chain throughout most of the routine...and they did it, while still dancing well. The group they did battle with, Afroborike, the salsa/hip hop group, had an easier task. They performed to Beyonce & Shakira's Beautiful Liar. Their task? The belly dance routine in the video. Come on! While I love salsa, I think they should've went home. Which group(s) do I like? I think I'd choose Rhythm City or We Are Heroes. Guess we'll see...

Dancing With The Stars. Seriously? Tom Delay? Shouldn't he like, be in jail or something? And where is the eye candy for women?

Michelle Obama's Shorts. So, I've heard little rumblings about our First Lady wearing shorts to a family trip to the Grand Canyon. WTH! Do we have nothing else newsworthy that we have to report (and whine) about the fact that she's showing her (awesome) legs? I swear, this country (that I LOVE so much)...My reaction to her wearing shorts? SO WHAT?!! So she's showing a little leg. Arizona is probably hot as hell right now. What do you expect her to wear, pants? This is just another reason why I love and admire Michelle Obama. She's not worried about y'all and your reaction to what she's wearing. She's fist-pounded her hubby, worn sleeveless dresses, and, now, she's wearing shorts. From the looks of it, what she has on is still tasteful. To anyone whining about what she's wearing (Oh, the scandal! She's showing skin!) I say: IT'S THE SUMMER PEOPLE! GET A LIFE! Now, if this 'outrage' is fake and just journalists attempt to report news, I say to those journalists: GET A LIFE!

Jordin Sparks' Nose Ring. It's amazing what you notice when you're really paying attention to a video. I'd always admired Jordin Sparks' nose ring. I thought it was cute and small...the kind of ring I'd want. Well, last year, while watching Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown's No Air my sister noticed that, on some of the scenes, Jordin's nose ring was on while it was gone in other scenes. Oh the horror! Her nose ring - the one I'd previously been admiring - was fake. *sigh* Oh well, it's still cute.

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First of all I want to mention that this post is in reaction to the many blog feeds I am catching up on (I had over 400 posted during my vacation) so this may be a moot point for some of you already.

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Success! Two weeks ago, I mentioned the controversy surrounding Justine Larbalestier's book, Liar. The controversy stemmed from the fact that, Micah,the main character in Liar, is an African American teen with short hair. The cover model was not. People complained. Publishers listened. They changed the book's cover.

See what can happen when people join together against something that's not right?

Boohoo! So, if you've read my blog for a while (is anyone really paying attention to me?) you know that I've wanted to go to Puerto Rico since high school. My sis and I'd planned on going this past Spring Break, but money - or the lack thereof - kept us from going. We shook it off and planned on going in December over the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately, the lack of funds is winning out once again. *sigh* I SO wanted to go. So, I'm thinking, I keep having to put my trip to PR off, which means, when I do get a chance to go...oh, you betta believe I'll have the time of my life. It'll only make my trip that much sweeter.

All's not lost, though. In December, we'll go to South Padre Island, a beautiful island (so we've heard) near Corpus Christi, Texas. Since SPI is about 6 hours away, we can drive, cutting out the high cost of airfare. So, here's a pic of SPI. Not bad, huh?

Spring break 2010, we're hoping to be in Hawaii. All we have to worry about is the flight there (have 4-days/3-nights free) , which helps us BIG TIME. Summer 2010 will see us worldly travelers...at least on this side of the world. Our fam (immediate + extended) is taking a cruise with ports in Grand Cayman and Cozumel. My sis and I are working on plans to travel quite a bit during that time (first the cruise, then Miami & eventually PR). We're still working on it, so more to come later. I'm actually excited about next summer. One thing I know, I won't be working. I'm determined to save, save, save. Looking forward to it!

Research. In novel #2, Who's Got Tha Moves, the dance reality show that Treasure is participating in is filmed in Miami. Since I don't actually live in Miami, and I've only been there once, shouldn't I research it some more? Sure I do. So, what does that mean? FIELD TRIP! That is the reason we're going to Miami next summer...well, you know, besides the beautiful beaches, awesome scenery, and muy caliente men. I'm absolutely positive I'll be finished with draft #1 (and maybe @ least #2) by that time, but I can still research the city. It's quite possible I can be on final draft by then. So, yeah. I'm looking forward to "researching" Miami next summer.

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