NaNoWriMo, Day 3

Word Count:

 10,305

Satisfied?

Yes! I wasn't expecting to get more than a few hundred words today, because I only had an hour or so to write.

Mood:

Content

Hours of Sleep:

7

Cups of coffee:

Just one. I was tempted to get another, but resisted. Aren't you proud??

Today's Snippet:

(Robbie's family is gardening...it's early spring. They see Kara walking and call her over.)

“Come on and help us,” Robbie called.

She shook her head. “It’s too cold for that.”

“Aw, come on. Don’t be a spoil sport. Think of how much you will love having a tomato plant that has your name on it!”

She shook her head again. “I don’t much care if a tomato plant is named Susie Mcgee on a day as cold as today is.”

“Where are you from, that you think this is cold? It’s decent today!”

“You have a very strange definition of decent when it comes to the weather.” 

NaNoWriMo, Day 2

Word Count:

7,492

Satisfied?

I am! I was aiming for 7K, and I still have time to write before it's family time.

Mood:

Joyful

Hours of Sleep:

Six...

Cups of coffee:

Almost a full, LARGE coffee. Yummy.

Today's Snippet:

(I just had to bring this word into it!) 

“Honey, did you say ‘thilly’?” 

“Yes, darling, I did.” 

“Why? Why not just say ‘silly’?” 

“Because I didn’t mean silly. I meant thilly.” 

Robbie shook his head. “Thilly is just silly with a lisp, Dad.” 

Joe put a hand over his mouth. “I can’t believe you would say such a thing.” 

He crossed his arms. “Is it not?” 

“Of course not! Thilly is sillier than silly. It is a completely separate word.”

“That’s not a thing, Dad.” 

“It will be—when people start using it more.” 

Ella shook her head. “Stop trying to be Shakespeare by making up your own words. He’s not an ideal role model. Especially with all those accusations of plagiarism and such. That isn’t something to portray as edifying in front of your children.” 

“Yeah, Mom. Davey and I are still young, impressionable children, and now we’re going to think plagiarism is okay, because Shakespeare did it, and Dad wants to be Shakespeare because he made up one dumb word. That’s definitely going to happen.” 

“Now, see, Ella? That’s an example of something thilly.”

NaNoWriMo, Day 1

Word Count:

3,661

Satisfied?

I was aiming for 5K...but I'll take it. Maybe I'll get to 5K before sleep tonight!

Mood:

Happy/Excited

Cups of coffee:

Just one!

Today's Snippet:

(Ella, Joe, Kara, and Robbie are weeding.)

She looked over at Kara. “Yes—that’s perfect. See, Joe? She pulled it right from the bottom, and got the whole thing. That’s what you should be doing.”

Joe’s mouth opened in pain. “You…you killed it. Kara, how could you kill it?”

“You’re kind of tree huggers, aren’t you?”

“Dandelion huggers. And sometimes chickens. Chickens get squirmy when you try to hug them. Trees, though? Not really.”

Ella giggled. “Joe is just silly about dandelions.”

“And Ella is just silly about chickens.”

Young Love?

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a large fortune must be in want of a wife."

- Pride & Prejudice, chapt. I

Recently I heard, repeatedly, that the marriage age is rising. People are waiting for their careers to take off before saying "I do."

That, at least, is what the statistics say. I find it hard to believe. Most of the people I was friends with in college are married now. And most of them either just graduated or are still in college. Some married at 18. All are well below the 25+ age the statistics cite.

I've grown up believing that waiting was the mature thing to do. Wait until I graduate, then wait until I have a job, then wait until I'm independent, and living on my own. And then, and only then, I can think about marriage. To marry or even date before that point would be irresponsible.

That's what my parents instilled in me, and why I am so resistant to the thought of marrying young. Is it mature and responsible to wait...or selfish? Am I waiting, as I've said, because relationships take energy that with my growing business I would be unable to give? Or am I waiting because being single is easier? I have only to think of myself, and not of the happiness of another, after all...

I doubt I'll change my stance. I don't feel ready, and I've always trusted that when the time was right, Papa would let me know. Still, it's something to think about.

Things That Make Me . . . Passionate

Today marks the first of my "Things that make me..." blog series. I'll post these lists periodically...just for fun. Let me know if you have ideas for the next one!

Things that make me passionate:

• Seeing others in action
• Undeserved Pain
• Brokenness
• Our Papa
• Blessings...and a lack thereof
• Poor grammar (especially spoken)
• Hatred
• Love
• Those unaware of Love
• Unacknowledged beauty

For those who are curious . . . here is what I am most passionate about:

• Our dear Papa
• Ending human trafficking
• Adoption (especially older children or those with special blessings)
• Love
• Finding a cure for ALS
• Ending abortion
• Grammar (sometimes)

Thank you to my beautiful Istiepants for today's list suggestion!

Fairy Tale Examinations #1

The Princess and the Pea

Now, I love these stories--really. Still, I think it's time to face it: Fairy tales are thilly. For those who don't already know, thilly means "Sillier than silly." I can't think of a better description than that for The Princess and the Pea.

Enter our prince. Let's call him Fred. Many young ladies wish they could marry Fred.

Why? Well, he's a prince. Apparently, they don't need another reason.

He doesn't want to marry these ladies, because they aren't princesses.

This seems to be his only requirement in a future spouse.

This is well-known, so many young ladies pretend to be royalty, in hopes of winning his hand.

Is everyone in the fairy tale world desperate?

He doesn't want to deal with fake princesses anymore. One final princess (let's call her Sally) didn't get that memo, so she shows up. They offer her a room, with a bed piled high with mattresses.

40 of them, by my count. Imagine it. 40 mattresses wouldn't fit in my entire room.

She says nothing about this. 

Is she used to sleeping in places where rolling over could result in serious injury or death? Perhaps princesses are only allowed in towers.

Unbeknownst to Sally, Fred's mother has placed a pea under her bed. Under all 40+ mattresses.

Was this a common experiment? Also, Fred's mother seems to have an unhealthy involvement in his choice of a spouse...

In the morning, Sally complains that she couldn't sleep at all.

Here she is, accepting a room from strangers gracious enough to offer it, and she complains.

Fred realizes that only a princess could be that sensitive, and decides to marry her.

Hold on. She's worth marrying because she's whiny and sensitive? Oh boy, Fred...you got yourself a keeper here.

Let's not even get into the fact that they've known each other...what? Not even 24 hours? Even ignoring that completely, this is ridiculous.

They are married, and live happily ever after.

I sense sarcasm in this ending. At least, it would be there if I were the author!

I'm curious; what fairy tales leave you scratching your head?

Thilly Little Blessings

My philosophy is that there are little blessings everywhere, if only we will look. I consider them things to celebrate.

I'd be lying if I said this last week was easy for me, but it was filled with blessings.

My friends have been wonderful; proving, yet again, how much they care about me. I have been given more hugs and kind words than I either expected or deserved.

Papa (my term of endearment for God) has shown kindness, by keeping cramps and (most of my) crankiness away, in spite of it being "that time." Cramps have been getting worse each month--or at least seem to be--so this is a major blessing.

Rivershore Books, my publishing and editing business, has been going well, and keeping me busy.

Finally, a huge thank you to Shabby Blogs for my new blog layout. If any of you find yourself in need of a new background or header, be sure to check them out! The pictures are all adorable, and all available out of the goodness of their hearts.

What are you celebrating today?