How's your portfolio looking?

Yes, it's that time of year again when I try to resolve my daddy-issues of wanting to set goals for next year. I'm cutting back drastically on my to do's and setting goals of keeping it simple. Like cutting back the kids' extras so they have time to play with friends. This has been very troubling to Lauren who feels she isn't getting enough friend time. What T TH isn't enough? Noted.

Another goal is just to focus. I like to throw everything into the air and then catch what I can. This year, I'm going to throw one ball at a time and see where that gets me. Probably the same amount of goals reached, but more managable and less stressful.

I need to trim the fat in a lot of ways. For example, I buy things that are useful but not necessary. I have a goal to cut out the unnecessary (this is going to be a tough one for me.) I'm already eyeing a second christmas tree. And that's my problem. A kid's tree is fine. I don't need a fake tree...at least not until after christmas when they're 50% off.

Anyway, these are just early thoughts. I'm going to make a smokin' hot checkbox list later.

thanks madden

"Well you see, he knows when you are sleeping. And, Mom, he knows when you're awake."

denver sidebar: it is a freezing 5 degrees today and snowing...and somehow they didn't call a snowday. The school was a mess this morning. Who was the genius that thought we should keep the schools open today? I plan on hunkering down with the kids and folding laundry.

mu-nu-mu-nu

"Mom, I want a morange for munch."

"Got it Morgan."

Later in the car, I hear coughing from the backseat.

"Ava, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm super okay."


Aaron sidebar: rest at ease, Aaron does not read my blog. And if he did? (Which would be shocking because he's shown no interest for blogs.) We already discussed the TV, so it isn't a big surprise...but I do have something that is. wink, wink, nudge, nudge, you know what I mean.

Thank you sir, may I have another?

I was flogged today. If you want to read the first page of my battered middle grade novel, go here. Ray gave me tons of good feedback and I need to watch my overwriting.
cheers.

Would you turn the page?

The PA crackles and I wake from my stupor. I nudge my friends sitting next to me on the bench and we exchange amused glances. This is a first. I wonder what could be so impor— “Attention, attention,” a polite woman’s voice echoes through the tunnel platform, “there is a credible bomb threat to this station. The trains will not be stopping; please exit immediately.”

That’s never good. I hop up and pull my backpack over both shoulders. Stepping around other people, my friends and I weave down a corridor to the elevator. Others are talking around me. I don’t say a word. (That’s not like me.) I listen.

“Do you think it’s real?”

“That bus blew up last week, so yeah I think it’s real.”

“But no one was hurt on the bus; they gave the people enough warning to get off.”

“Yeah, but we’re in the pit of this station. Who’s to say how much time we have? They didn’t exactly tell us.”

I push the button to the lift. No light. I push it again. Nothing. A crowd presses behind us.

“Back up everyone,” my friend bellows, “the lifts aren’t working; we need to find the stairs.” Groans ripple around the crowd of commuters. We double-back and round the empty platform; there’s another corridor about thirty feet away. Dimly lit and stale, the new corridor reveals a maze of empty hallways. There isn’t an exit sign anywhere. Nothing is familiar. So which way?

[Would you turn the page of my personal essay for Segullah and want to read more? If not, what do I need to work on? Setting? Tone? Character? I need to turn in my entry by the end of the month. Any and all feedback is welcome.]

Natalie sidebar: do you remember this?

And I said, "No salt. No salt."

Today is one of those days where I got a lot done, have a little to show for it, and yet I'm still not looking forward to tomorrow.

Thursdays are killer marathon days. I'm packing in way too much stuff. My mantra for 2010: simplify, simplify, simplify.

And then I volunteered to make soup for RS tomorrow but I'm dreading it. So much so that I looked for premade soup at the store. I chickened out and I'm making the butternut soup...but I'm not happy about it and that might sour the flavor.

Danielson, show me paint the house

Show!

I'm painting the dining room tonight to surprise Aaron when he gets home. I have a two minute break right now between trim and rollers.

The color: Terra Cotta Tile (fancy jumble of words for orangeish-reddish)

[the color is not a shock to Aaron. We agreed on it weeks ago, I just found the time to do it...or more accurately, I made time.]

ut, ut, uh. Always look eye.