See You In September

Crappy picture but isn't he the cutest little thing? It's a sand piper. I am off to the shore until some time after Labor Day.

Silly season starts early

The first week in September usually kicks off election season madness. This year it is starting early.

For the past few years I have managed not to be involved at all. To be perfectly honest I hate election season. I can not stand all the bull shit that goes with the campaigns. I can not stand how the politicians think you have no idea they are lying and posturing. It is tempting to call them on it. But of course I never do.

Tuesday I was FLOORED to see it has begun. In what is usually one of the slowest news months the politicians are going mad. Already I am getting -- "You'll make me look good right?" "You'll clean my speech up when you quote me right?" Of course I clean up their quotes, I would never put my by-line on something with such poor grammar!

All this over being mayor of a podunk North Jersey town. I am told there has not been a mayor's race in this town since 1982.

The peacocks are preening.

It is going to be a long season.

Interesting concept

One Million Love Messages

This blogger is trying to get one million love messages from around the world posted on her blog. Interesting idea. Although I am much more curious about her One million love pictures!

Back From The Beach

Back from a long weekend down the shore with my cousin and her dh. We had a great time, spent mostly relaxing. Laura Ann and I spent what I am sure is too many hours to be healthy just laying on the dock and catching up.

We celebrated my birthday even though it is not until Labor Day weekend. It is one of "those" numbers this year so we are using that as an excuse to celebrate longer then ever. My parents started the tradition of celebrating my birthday for all of Labor Day weekend when I was quite young. This year the celebration is turning into six weeks! LOL My dad says I should be about 416 with all the celebrations I have had in my life.

TBH I am not upset about the number but I am sad the date means summer is ending. September is such a bittersweet month here in NJ.

Caution: Contents Hot

There I am in the middle of my daily grind -- a cup of coffee in one hand, my camera in the other. Standing outside under a tree, enjoying a beautiful end of summer day.

On this coffee break there is literally not a thought in my head. For those of you who know me IRL that may be hard to believe as I am such a go-go person -- the type that doesn't even like to sleep as it is a waste of time.

But truly not a thought. I am standing there blank, enjoying the moment. Suddenly I am jostled and coffee splashes everywhere. Despite having made fun of the warning label for years I now know why there is one. I finally get it! My left hand looks like I got a bad sunburn. I am amazed. Good news - not a drop on my camera!

I met KimC!

I met KimC. She is one of the woman I passed on my regular ITA ticket to.

She is going alone so I hope she can hang out with Laura BZ and me. We will have such a blast. I am so excited about the Joe's Pub gig I can hardly stand it! Since she was at work though I had to act like the calm mature adult I pretend to be instead of the whack job I have been since last Friday. There is not a person I have come in contact with that does not now know of Rachel Fuller!! I had the guy at the ticket place wanting a ticket. LOL

Kim did ask me again how I got both the regular tickets and the Golden tickets. I have no idea. Luck I guess.

I am still so stressed about what to wear! What does one wear to Meet & Greet with Rachel? So far I only have the jewelry!

Lucky Day!

I am so excited - okay not as excited as when I got the ITA tickets but close.

Our local library runs a summer contest every year based on the number of hours you read. (Luckily reading blogs and email counts!) I won six books including an autographed copy of the latest Joyce Carol Oates novel. One of the other books is also autographed. It is a Meg Cabot novel, also the latest. Both books have yet to be released. (or maybe are just released? I was unclear on that part)

I also got lucky this morning sorting for the book sale. I not only got some great books, but a Lifehouse CD! All week I have been obsessed with Lifehouse. I can not stop listening to them. I did buy a bunch of their stuff off of itunes but I really like having hard copies in my hands. There are so few places to buy CDs around here any more.

Sadly though I have no time to read today as I have a bunch of interviews and stories to wrap up.

PAILRD Newsletter

This is far from an example of my best work but it is the work I do that is the most meaningful to others.

Every issue I get a flood of email thanking me for my work. Although in this issue I pretty much only edited the True Stories. Robyn Bear did the bulk of it.

I do feel the need for a warning: the Amy Wilson story is tough. All the mother's stories get to me but this one -- I had to stop editing when I realized the reason the monitor was so blurry was because I was sobbing. It is a tough one.

The Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day Newsletter:

http://www.october15th.com/august2006.htm

Stand 'em up and shoot 'em

Most of the photos I am asked to submit with my stories are of people in specific poses. Highly boring IMO but sometimes the view isn't half bad! LOL

Ego trip

I volunteered to sort books for the library book sale again today. I think I am getting much more out of it then they are.

The amount of books donated is incredible. Talk about pushing the river! I never saw so many John Grisham or Nora Roberts books in one place in my life.

I got a bag of books for $2. They wanted to give it to me for free but hey this is a fundraiser so I paid. I got authors of my choosing -- Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Willa Cather, (I **heart** Southern Lit can you tell?) and Gertrude Stein.

I got to say working with people who not only appreciate my master's in English lit but are impressed by it is great for one's ego! I think I'll go back tomorrow. LOL

Off to bang out the five stories I should have been working on instead of sorting books.

I don't normally do these but . . .

I am bored! LOL

You Are a Purple Flower

A purple flower tends to represent success, grace, and elegance.At times, you are faithful like a violet.And other times, you represent luxury, like a wisteria.And more than you wish, you find yourself heartbroken like a lilac.

What Color Flower Are You?

Just boggles!

Car guy tries shutting off my radio. "Hmmm this radio really doesn't work!!"

I don't answer because I can not think of one nice thing to say.

"Well we are going to have to do something about this."

Now he has got my attention. "What?"

"Hmmm I am not sure yet. We'll have to get back to you."

In the interest of peace I just nod my head. Why I feel I have to be all nice to him I have no idea. He certainly hasn't been all sweetness and light with me.

In the meantime I have dug out the warranty.

Two Rachel Fuller ITA tickets

Hi all -- I got the golden tickets so now I would like to sell my $75 tickets. I have two. They are first come first serve. I prefer paypal. The total cost for both is $156.60. Post here if you want them.

Putting out fires

That has been the theme of the day! So lets move on . . .

This morning I helped sort books for our library's upcoming annual book sale. Totally selfish on my part because you get to buy books as you sort! I can not get enough of books TBH. I am sure that is true of most journalists as we want to know everything about everything. Which is both good and bad.

Can you believe they wanted to throw out Nietzsche's Birth of Tragedy! Oh the horrors. I saved it from the dumpster. It is in good shape despite being as old as -- ummm me!

A request!

How funny today I got a call from a woman wanting to subscribe to my (now defunct) magazine!

I have been getting inquiries on a regular basis for the past couple of months. Mostly people looking for work. I have been toying with the idea of starting up again but I do not think this is the right time in my life.

In any case she bought a bunch of back issues of both MIM and The Doula. I still have a garage full though!! LOL

Nine Lives

I beyond loved this movie. I loved everything about it -- every second of it.

Refuse to be cranky!

Yesterday I was too cranky.

Today I refuse to be cranky. Therefore I will not update re: my car radio or my editing jobs!

Let's focus on a light topic. "What I am listening to on my ipod." Good topic as any to ramble about. Today's 10 top songs in no particular order:

Snow Patrol - Crashing Cars
Snow Patrol - You are All I have
Shakira -- Hey You
Shakira- Your Embrace
Rachel Fuller - Shine
Rachel Fuller -- Angel
Bon Jovi -- Bed of Roses
Bon Jovi - Damned
Bon Jovi - Last Cigarette
Bob Dylan - Sweetheart Like You

It just boggles

I am the editor of a couple of smaller publications that have very specific audiences. For each I get a lot of stuff submitted by readers, etc. and my job of course is to make it look good.

The photos and articles I have received today are making me question why I ever gave up my full time job to do this freelance stuff. Although I got a lot of crap submitted there too. I know I am a Virgo and I expect a lot from stuff submitted but still . . . .

"I will not criticize I will just fix it and move on. I will not criticize I will just fix it and move on, I will not criticize I will just fix it and . . "

Definitely makes you appreciate the good stuff all the more!

Just because I am a woman

I am not stupid!

Two weeks ago or so I got a new car. When I bought the car I told the salesman one of the most important things was the stereo being mp3 compatible. I joked how I had to have my priorities in order. He said he totally understood. Set me up with the service manager. Seems easy right?
Of course it isn't.

What has me most frustrated isn't the way they are now setting the car up to be mp3 compatible (although that in itself is annoying as all get out because I did NOT want to have to use a cassette player and of course now I have too). What is infuriating is they told me I do not know how to work the radio!!!

Shockingly I did not lose my temper at the moron who sat there explaining to me how to work the radio. I know how to push buttons, I swear I do but you know what the radio doesn't work properly. It doesn't always respond when you push the buttons on the panel or the steering wheel. Sometimes it turns on all by itself. An interesting feature but not one I need, esp if it starts turning off by itself.

All I can say is I am picking it up at 5:30 p.m. and it better work.

On a lighter note I am uploading Pink Floyd (The Wall) and Billy Falcon (Pretty Blue World) to itunes. I noticed I never filled in the favorite music section of my profile. It is just too varied and changes like the wind!