My focus for the rest of November and December is to finish my shit! Chuck says it the best.
Why It’s Important To Finish Your Shit « terribleminds: chuck wendig.
Remembering Aaliyah Thanks to that Lifetime Movie
This past weekend Lifetime premiered their Aaliyah movie to the pleasure of almost no one. I tried to watch it twice but couldn’t make it through either time. Alot of articles have been written roasting the movie so I won’t go into that. (My favorite article was a Grantland blog post by Shea Serrano. Click here to check it out.)
My main issue with the movie was the lack of music. I was an Aaliyah fan from the moment I heard her debut album “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number”. I was 10 years older than Aaliyah but I admired the woman’s style. She had an allure of confidence and mystery about her that drew you in. The talent was undeniable and she had unlimited potential. When she died, I cried like I had lost a sister.
Fortunately, the music lives on. Here are my favorite Aaliyah’s songs. Enjoy!
One in a Million
Try Again
Are You That Somebody
More Than a Woman
Peace
Relaxing weekend getaway
Shut Up And Write Or: “I Really Want To Be A Writer, But…” « terribleminds: chuck wendig
I Dream in Books
I had a weird dream that I was trapped in a library. I wasn’t trying to escape though.
Maybe I should go to bed earlier instead of staying up late reading.
A Mountain Getaway
The Hubby continues to amaze me with his love for new adventures. This past weekend we went on a mountain getaway. We stayed at the Andon-Reid Bed & Breakfast Inn in Waynesville, NC. This place is a little piece of heaven. Check out the mountain view below:
The innkeeper, Mark and Kari, are gracious hosts. We were greeted like family home for a weekend visit. We were given a tour of the renovated home, which mixes modern conveniences like walk in showers with various antiques. Kari made sure we knew about local restaurants for dinner and made a reservation for us. We told them that we planned to ride the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad the next morning and Kari provided the best directions to get there (about 20-30 minutes away) and gave us an interesting history lesson as well. Breakfast was delicious and everything was made from scratch.
We had a wonderful weekend. The town of Waynesville is a quaint little country town and everyone we interacted with was friendly. The mountain air made for some relaxing sleep and Mark and Kari helped make the weekend memorable. We met some interesting couples at the inn. We even got an astrology lesson from one of the other guest as we sat around the fire pit one evening.
Hubby really outdid himself this time. I loved our weekend in the mountains. I hope to go back again.
If you are planning a trip to the mountains, take my advice and stay at the Andon-Reid Bed and Breakfast. You will be glad you did.
A Place Just for Me
I am writing this blog post from the spot pictured above. My very own writing room. Nice, right? I’m wondering why I didn’t think of this sooner.
I have a three bedroom house and I’ve written in every room trying to find a spot to call my own. I used the family computer room for a while until I got complaints about hogging the computer. I used the dining room table with my laptop but it’s an open space and the distractions were constant. I’ve written on the couch, in the bed and even the bathroom. None of them were ideal.
Then 4th of July weekend I had an epiphany. Why not use the FROG? The furnished room over the garage used to be the kid’s playroom. They are teenagers now and the toys have been replaced with some exercise equipment, a television and a futon. No one goes up there.
A quick trip was made to the local Wal-Mart to buy a desk and bookcase. An overnight assembly was required and the next morning I moved all my things upstairs. Yes! It is beautiful! Finally. A place to call my own.
What do you think? What does your writing space look like?
How “Orange is the New Black” Can Teach a Teen
I just found out that Diva, my 16-year-old daughter (not her real name), watches “Orange is the New Black”. I’m sure you have heard of this superb Netflix drama. The basic premise of the show is life in a woman’s prison. The main character is taken from a middle/upper class environment and thrown in prison for a crime she committed several years ago. The writing is excellent and the acting is great. You get to know all of these women and their back stories make for interesting watching. “Orange” gives you everything from drama to comedy to tragedy. I binged watched the entire first season over three days. I was hyped about watching the second season.
And then Diva dropped an OITNB reference and I froze. My first thought was to cancel the Netflix subscription. This show has language, violence and nudity. And sex. It is not suitable for children. Is it appropriate for a teenager? No. I was going to cancel Netflix. (Right after I watched Season 2, of course. Priorities, people.)
Then I decided to do something revolutionary. I talked to my daughter to see what it was she was getting from the show. She was getting an in your face manual of what happens when you make wrong decisions and follow the wrong people. She was getting an illustration of every lesson I have been preaching/teaching. OITNB was acting as a teaching tool for some serious decisions.
Netflix stays. My season 2 viewing is saved. And I have a better understanding of the way my daughter thinks about life. Thanks to OITNB. Or I could be a really bad parent. Who knows. Diva just wants me to catch up on the season so we can discuss.
Graduation Day
An Open Letter to Mother Maya
I share these are my thoughts and feelings.