So I Say I Want to be a Writer

All my life I've wanted to be a writer. My first story got published in the local paper when I was in kindergarten. I kept a diary all through middle school, high school, and college (though they have since been burned in the fire). I majored in Creative Writing as an undergrad. And yet, I don't do the one thing I have to do to be what I say I want to be! The only requirement for being a writer is . . . . WRITE! And so, now, 16 days before my 36th birthday, I am going to become what I've always wanted to be. To that end, I am making myself the goal of writing at least 1 page a day. Honestly, I'd like to write more (like 1000 words a day), but with a full-time job and 5 kids, I think a page a day is a more realistic goal. Especially since I have the feeling many of my first writings will be ramblings. According to my LinkedIn profile, I am currently writing a picture book about figures of speech and a novel for young adults about facing persecution as one of Jehovah's witnesses. Truth be told, neither of those projects have gone beyond the brain-storming and note-taking stages, but I think I might use this blog space to get those up and writing.

Figures of Speech
We use so many metaphors, similes, idioms, and other figures of speech in the English language, that I'd like to create a kids' picture book that illustrates some of those expressions. For example, one page would say, "When it's raining cats and dogs, be careful not to step in poodles!" My illustration would be a collage of a little kid with an umbrella splashing in puddles while cats and dogs fall from the clouds. The title of my book might be Going Bananas! or Cat Got Your Tongue? An Illustrated Guide to Silly Sayings. I could possibly arrange the book into sections about colors, animals, foods, body parts, etc. Here are some of the expressions I'd like to put in pictures (I'm sure I can find a more complete list of figures of speech on the internet): caught red-handed, seeing red, feeling blue, the green-eyed monster, yellow-bellied, horsing around, monkey business, frog in your throat, pigging out, going bananas, all thumbs. And as I'm writing this my four-year-old is over here crying his eyes out - guess I could use that one too.

Persecution
Jehovah's Witnesses face difficulties every day. We are trying to live in the world while staying separate from it, and that is not an easy task. I think it must be especially difficult for kids who face pressure from not only their peers, but also from their teachers, coaches, counselors, and other adults everyday. Some of the constant pressures those kids face are: the pledge to the flag, student government, patriotic and holiday songs in music class or chorus, holiday activities, bad language, dating, over-involvement in extracurricular activities, pressure to go to college, drugs, invitations to birthday parties, inappropriate entertainment, etc.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I love gardening, but I am by no means a pro. In fact, I know I've got a lot to learn, and much like my previous furniture post, from what I've attempted so far, I've learned that being lazy just means I'm going to have to do it again.

When we moved into the house we're renting, the backyard needed some serious TLC. I bagged about a dozen contractor's bags of dead grass, raked the gardens, planted, mulched, and put down stone, but then my pregnant belly got too big, and the backyard was once again neglected. All my hard work and my husband's hard-earned money, went down the drain (or in this case, got swallowed by weeds.) Lesson learned? Don't be lazy like I was - put down some weed-block.

In any case, the backyard is still pretty much unusable. There's a giant rock waterfall and pond structure right in the middle that takes up any playing space. On one side of the pond there's a pomegranate tree and a baby avocado tree. On the other side, there's a fig tree. What grass area there is is overgrown with weeds or brown. I love the fruit trees, but after filling the pond and running it for the past 6 months, we've decided it really ought to go. I'd rather have that area for the kids to play - maybe we could build a little clubhouse.

I'm going to attempt to add some pictures once again, but the upload has not been working today. Still not working. . . . . . . . . . .

Furniture Makeovers

So, clearly I have not been keeping up with my resolution to write everyday, but in all fairness to myself I've been a little busy with the newest baby and my other 4 kids, not to mention the puppy.

Baby #5 arrived right on her due date, February 5th, so she is now just over 3 months old. I've decided not to go back to doing daycare for the time being, instead I am going to give my first love - writing - a shot at being a money-generating enterprise. Not because that's what I spent 6 years and $60,000 dollars in college for, not because my husband has been telling me to be a writer for the past 10 years, not because it's something I love doing. No, not for any of those perfectly sensible reasons. What's prompted me to give this writer career thing a shot is some dumb quiz on Facebook that I attempted to skew by answering questions so as not to be told to be a writer, but which nevertheless told me I should be a writer! Go figure. But, I digress. This post is supposed to be about furniture makeovers, and so, I will now show you the results of my 2 attempted transformations.


Dresser Found in Alley Turned Coffee and Wine Bar

 

For the coffee and wine bar I was lazy and skipped the primer. Don't make that mistake! By the 2nd day it already had scrapes and scratches. For the baby's nightstand, I learned my lesson, and started with a coat of primer. In the words of Robert Frost (though totally out of context), "That has made all the difference."

 



TV/Microwave Cart Turned Baby Nightstand

 

 

 



 



Yesterday's post didn't save!

So I spent at least an hour yesterday writing about why I haven't been writing, and listing approximately 38 New Year's resolutions.  Unfortunately,  it didn't save. Go figure. Let's see if I can list them again. I already put some into practice today.
1. Drink more water.
2. Eat the rainbow.
3. Exercise.
4. Spend less time with t.v.,  video games,  and social media.
5. Spend 15 minutes making myself beautiful in the morning.
6. Go to the salon more often.
7. Give myself a weekly facial.
8. Shower and shave.
9. Paint my nails (at least my toes).
10. Spend more time with my hubby.
11. Talk to my husband like he's my best friend.
12. Schedule a regular date night.
13. Spend time in person with the people I talk to on Facebook.
14. Have people over at least once a month.
15. Schedule a regular girls' night.
16. Spend more individual time with the kids.
17. Give them weekly chores and allowance.
18. Make it to more meetings at the kingdom hall.
19. Spend 10+ hours in service each month.
20. Finish reading the bible by reading it every day.
21. Start a weekly personal bible study with each kid.
22. Have our family worship time every week.
23. Make enough money to pay my student loans.
24. Start saving money in our savings account.
25. Eat out less often.
26. Cook more.
27. Keep better financial records.
28. Write every day.
29. Tend to my gardens.
30. Do more artsy crafty projects.
31. Try a new recipe every week.
32. Finish unpacking from our move.
33. Take more picture.
34. Go explore some place new each month.
35. Go to the dentist.
36. Kids too.
37. Get rid of my varicose veins.
38. Ensure baby #5 is the last.

Greek-Style Eggy Scramble

Ingredients:
3 eggs
garlic stuffed olives
sundried tomatoes
red, yellow, and green bell pepper
artichoke hearts
feta cheese
olive oil

How To:
1. Heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a skillet.
2. Add chopped bell peppers, chopped olives, chopped artichoke hearts, and sundried tomatoes. Sizzle'em up.
3. Crack in eggs and scramble. Cook to your desired doneness, then sprinkle with feta cheese.
4. Serve with a whole wheat flour tortilla. (Some avocado would be great, too).

Water Play

I know summer is here when we bring out the swimsuits and find fun ways to get wet in our backyard. So far this year, we've splashed in our little inflatable pool, squirted each other with the hose, and run through the sprinklers (ours and all the neighbors'). Can't wait to break out the water guns and engage in a water battle complete with table fortresses and ammo reload stations.

Discovering the sprinkler.

Hose vs. bucket - who will cry first?



Wetting his little brother.

 
 

 

 

 

Nacho Burger

Maybe it's just because I'm pregnant, but the odd nacho burger I made myself for lunch today was totally delicious.

Ingredients:
sour dough English muffin toasted, with mayo
angus beef patty with poblano and jalapeno peppers (from Fresh n Easy)
extra sharp cheddar cheese melted on the burger
chili
nacho style jalapeno slices
sundried tomatoes
salsa
tortilla chips (on the burger and/or on the side)