The Joy of Climaxing: A Virgin's Rendition of Finally 'Getting There'....

If you look up the definition of Climaxing on the web, Wikipedia skips all the bases and goes right for the spot:

"An orgasm (sexual climax) is the conclusion of the plateau phase of sexual response cycle, and may be experienced by both males and females. Orgasm is characterized by intense physical pleasure, controlled by the involuntary, or autonomic, nervous system.^[1] It is accompanied by quick cycles of muscle contraction in the lower pelvic muscles, which surround the primary sexual organs and the anus. Orgasms are often associated with other involuntary actions, including muscular spasms in other areas of the body, a general euphoric sensation and, frequently, vocalizations."

Although one generally tends not to argue with Wikipedia (ha, ha, yeah right...), I have to agree more with Robert Genn when he says:

"Symphonies, movies, plays, novels, songs--all tend to have a climax. Life and love have climaxes. Climax is one of the essential life experiences. Without climax, nothing seems to get anywhere. Climax represents the successful completion of the story, the denouement of the plot, the reason for all the effort, the snapshot at the height of the action. "

Truth be told, until tonight, I was a total climax virgin. I have never reached the point where the beginning bridged the gap with the end. However, late in the night, way after the kids were put to sleep...I got there - I found the climax. And although there is nothing going on with my anus (as Wikipedia would have you believe), I would have to characterize my virginal ecstasy of reaching that point of no return with absolute euphoria.

485 pages into my first draft, I finally hit that note.

Granted, by the time I edit, edit some more, and re-edit, I'll have chopped out about 200 said pages and replace them with additional ones, but, for the time being, I'm going to bask in my glory and spread the good news. I've written before, by and large, for the better half of my life. However, sad as it may sound, I've never before, you know...But now, wow! I can see what I've been missing all my writing life.

Days ago, I didn't sound so sure of my self or my writing capabilities. Instead of skipping through the halls, my USB Flash Drive securely dangling from my neck, I was toting a totally different message: I suck. I had hit the ledge, just underneath of that plateau where my own nirvana awaited me. Only, I was stuck. I couldn't find a foothold to hoist myself up and over. So, instead of sitting back and letting the creative juices do their thing, I was ready to bail.

Thankfully, after three days of self-loathing (comes with the territory of being a writer) I found purchase and, armed with the only protection that one's mind can give, I put my self-censor into a head lock, jammed my fist into the only crack I saw, and found the leverage I needed to reach that climax.
Climax: a juncture in your story line where all the build up reaches a point of no return...aka, the end is in sight! (that's my own definition, anyway)

So, if you're a writer, still a virgin, and have yet to taste the honey or scream out your own vocalizations, because you've never seen the vistas from up here...keep writing! Put down the gun, lock yourself in a room with no distractions other than your own thoughts, and write! You might even end up with a cocky attitude to accompany your ear-to-ear smile...but more on that note later...

The point here that I'm trying to make is: You can't finish unless get there. So....

Keep Writing!
Lia Mack

10 Green Tips for a Eco-Friendly Holiday Season

by Lia Mack

We are all doing our part to be green: installing programmable thermostats, buying organic, recycling and composting rather than trashing and wasting...however, when it comes to a holiday as hair-raisingly disastrous as those spanning the late November to early January time frame, even the most dedicated greenies out there can go bankrupt with recalling what best to do in terms of staying green AND having a wonderful holiday.

So, what's a greenie to do in the face of the conceivable mess to come? Hide away our wallets? Stay indoors with the lights out? Un-enjoy the season? Although that's one way to spend the holidays, why not do it up green style...

"Keep in mind the seven generations to come..." says the Iroquois Nation.

"Be the change you wish to see..." says the Dalai Lama.

Of course, I'm paraphrasing here...but you get the point.

These are the things that we keep in mind year round so that when we do consume, we do so consciously. Now, in the face of temptation and commercialism at it's very best, we need to stay focused and remember to use our dollar power in support of the greener good. And yes! We can do it green and still get that perfect gift, twinkle our holiday lights, and so on...

So, here's to walking the walk this holiday season with my:

Top 10 Tips for a Greener Holiday Season :)

1. Say it Green!
   Holiday cards filled with cute family pictures and page long year-in-review stories are one of my personal favorites of the season. However, when using bleached paper made from old growth forests, and it soon tarnishes even the most beautiful well wishes.
   
   
   • Buy holiday cards or use blank card stock made from recycled paper, sustainable hemp, or make your own paper from recycled materials around the house.
   • Kept some cute cards from last year? Cut out details and use them as embellishments for this year's cards or, for you frugal greenies out there, send out the unused portion as your new cards this year.
   • If you want to alleviate some of the guilt, plant a tree or two to off-set your paper consumption this holiday season.
   • Print eco-friendly holiday photos, using photo paper made from recycled paper.
     
   • As for the holiday photos, print your own using vegetable dye printer cartrages rather than polluting chemical colors.
     
   
   
2. Be Evergreen with Your Decorations
   
   
   • When decorating this holiday season, don't forget your winged and four legged friends outdoors! If you are blessed with trees in your yard, make cranberry and popcorn garland to wrap around them, complete with birdseed covered pine cones. The animals will love them and they will contribute to your beautiful daylight decorations, naturally.
     
     
   • One could definitely argue that chopping down trees for any occasion is not exactly eco-friendly. However, when purchasing your holiday tree from a locally owned organic tree farm, you're not only helping out the local economy. You're also keeping artificial trees out of the landfill, supporting organic farming practices (some tree growers use over 40 harmful pesticides, which you then bring into your home!), and, for every tree cut down this year, that's at least one more tree planted for next season, if not more.
     
   
   
   • Go for all the sparkle you want this season, using LED holiday lights. Decorating your tree and home with energy-efficient LED lights will help reduce your energy bills and, since they burn cooler, they are also safer to use indoors. For outdoor lights, there are some awesome solar powered lights that you can decorate the outdoors without all the wires tracking back to the house, draining your pocket book! Plus they can go anywhere, allowing you to light up even hard to reach areas of your yard.
     
   
   
   • When it comes time to take the tree down, before you toss it out with the trash, visit eco911.org for local recycling services and pick up dates. Most cities have recycling programs that turn used trees into mulch and other materials. Or, if you are an avid gardener, you can put your tree out back to be self mulched for garden paths. Doing this not only keeps the tree in the cycle of life, birds and other wildlife will enjoy the additional spot to hide and rest in your backyard during the upcoming winter.
     
     
3. Wrap it up eco-style!
   Shinny metal details on even the cutest wrapping paper is toxic. From of the runoff at production to time to Grandpa tossing it into the fire emitting toxic gasses into the air or it decomposing over the next millennium, holiday wrapping can be quite ecologically expensive. There are endless eco-friendly ways to wrap your gifts this holiday season. All it ever takes is a little ingenuity and creativity. Consider these eco savvy alternatives:
   
   
   • Reuse gift bags, boxes, tissue paper, and ribbons from presents past (and save all that you can this year too!)
     
   • Once a friend gave me a gift inside of a old wine box that she got from a local wine store for free. Often tossed out, the wooden boxes are great for decorating gifts and reusable.
     
   • Using a yard of fabric, wrapped with a satin bow is not only special, it's also reusable!
     
   • Wrap it in a T-shirt, scarf, basket, quilt, duffel bag, reusable shopping tote (I love these bags!).
     
   • Find festive wrapping paper made from recycled paper, hemp, bamboo, and other sustainable resources.
     
   • Have the kids add their artistic flair to some plain unbleached recycled white paper and use the beautiful artwork as wrapping paper.
     
   • Old maps! I saw this idea at a party recently and I fell in love with it! Maps get outdated so quickly, why not use them as wrapping? Brilliant!
     
   
   Obviously, folks, the possibilities are endless. Just think, is it reusable? Can it be recycled? Is it made from a sustainable eco-friendly resource, reuses post-consumer waste?
   
   
4. Feast Green!
   Dine 'till your heart is content by supporting local farm families who practice organic and sustainable farming practices. "The best organic food is what's grown closest to you." Search at Local Harvest for local farmer's markets, CSA's, Natural Food Markets, and other locations where you can find great tasting foods to add to your localvore. And, instead of throwing away leftovers after your big party, compost all non-meat food and kitchen scraps into your backyard compost bin.
   
   
5. Give Freely...so long as it's People & Planet Friendly.
   Honestly, if you have the money to spend and want to spend it, go for it! There are plenty of green choices out there.. By shopping online, not only can you find what you are looking for faster (saving you stress), you'll cut on your own fuel consumption. Online stores usually ship straight from the factory to you (even more fuel savings), and most online stores sell the same item for less via their virtual stores than at their brick-n-mortar locations. Or, if you can't find that perfect gift, there are always gift cards, and many businesses are offering bioplastic gift cards - an earth friendly alternative for those 'hard to shop for' loved ones. Above all, when purchasing a gift this season, remember to be conscious of it's effects on people and planet, from production to packaging to enjoying...or, in the worst case scenario and they don't like it, to purging. You don't want to spend all of your precious resources getting that perfect gift, only to find that you later contributed to a landfill or miles driven around town returning. Talk about holiday nightmare!
   
   
6. Ge Green...and Guilt Free!
   What's a better green gift than giving something that doesn't come in a box, bag, or wrapping! No waste = no guilt, right?! Get creative, think of places that your loved ones would enjoy going to like a concert, theater production, a movie. You could also help out the local economy by getting them a family pass to a local museum, aquarium, or science center. Think, "No wrapping".
   
   
7. Buying Local doesn't mean the local mall
   Shop local for real! Look online, ask around. Chances are there is a nice handful of locally owned business run by families trying to help make ends meet. You can do a huge chunk, if not all, of your holiday shopping around your hometown. Instead of helping the big box stores stay in business, help local families out by frequenting their stores, using their services, purchasing their products. Some may be online like LiveGreen, where you can do all of your holiday shopping by putting together some 'go green' packages for all your friends and family to help them get into gear: green reusable shopping bags, reusable produce bags, organic clothing, locally made organic candles, etc. What better thing to walk in with at your next dinner party than a reusable green wine tote filled by a bottle from a local organic winery. Other local businesses might sell books, make handpainted holiday cards, or can sew up a storm if you want to hand out some unique items this year.
   
   
8. Remember the 4 R's:
   Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Regift!
   We are all well acquainted with the first three. However, as with any gift giving season, whether it be of the Birthday or Holiday variety, there comes the question of, if I end up with something that I don't need or want, what am I going to do with it? Instead of adding to all the post-holiday pollution by driving from mall to mall returning unwanted items, why not save them for regifting purposes? Of course, you're not going to regift it back to the same person, however I'm sure there will be some occasion in the not so distant future where you could give it to someone who will apprcieate it.
   
   A way to keep from ending up with piles of odd ball gifts, why not have all family members submit two to three items to a master wish list. Especially with children, there are so many things that they could actually use or need that would be great to purchase for them rather than the newest piece of plastic that'll fall apart in a matter of minutes.
   
   
9. Help Others...Go Green!
   If you know someone who has been thinking about going green however hasn't quite made it, why not help them out this holiday gift giving season. There are endless possibilities of gift ideas. How about:
   
   
   • 10 reusable shopping totes and produce bags holding fresh local fare. Yummm...
     
   • A rechargeable battery pack complete with the charger
   • Reusable wine totes carrying a bottle of local organic wine or beer
   • Oorganic fair-trade chocolate or coffee...whatever their choice of stimulant ;)
     
   • eco-friendly clothing
   • handcrafted toys made from sustainable toxin free wood.
   • Got more ideas?
     
     
   Or, rather than adding to the mountain of stuff that everyone already has, how about helping others less fortunate by purchasing a necessity item in the name of a family member or friend. How about donating a:
   
   
   • Cooking stove to help empower displaced women
   • Bicycle, a sturdy, inexpensive, nonpolluting form of transportation
     
   • Plant 100 trees in someone's name
     
     
   THOSE, in my opinion, are the best giving gifts. And, isn't giving the reason for the season? Or is it the tilt of the Earth?
   
   
   
10. Watch Your Language!
    Instead of waiting for Aunt May to say, "Hey, someone grab a bag for all the trash," when your crew is about to dive into the presents, pipe in with a cheerful, "Hey! Let me go grab a bag for all the recyclables," and then dart off with a gleeful skip in your step. Remember, we're more worried about educating and impressing upon the next generation than changing the minds of the old farts.
    
    What we say over and over again ingrains into our memory. If we change the way we talk about even the most mundane, we will be just like those evil commercials that we are obsessively avoiding, secretly carving our way into the minds of the unwilling, subconsciously changing their thought patterns. Who knows? Keep it up and you'll find yourself surprised next year when someone recites your very exact words at the next cleaning up venue or asks, "Hey, where do you want us to put this recycle stuff?"
    
    

This is by no means an exhaustive list of tips and ideas. If you have any great green ideas, please, feel free to comment below!

As always, with a little creativity, ingenuity, and forethought, we can enjoy our holiday traditions without trashing the planet. Always keep in mind that we are all related, connected. We all breath the same air, drink the same water, eat the same food. Keep it clean, safe, and enjoy!

Good luck! And happy holidays :)

PS...if you wish to reprint any or all of this blog,
PLEASE let me know so I can give reprint permission ;)
Thanks!
liamack {at} yahoo (dot) com

One of My Favorite Poems

Trees

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

-- Joyce Kilmer

UPLIFT'ing those with breast cancer

Finding out someone you love has breast cancer can leave you feeling helpless, not knowing how best to comfort them in their times of need. And there are many times: finding out, surgeries, follow up surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, healing...

However, no matter how lost you may feel for words, that's no reason to pass up an opportunity to show them your support and love.

Recently a relative of mine found out that she too is joining the ranks: she has breast cancer. Fortunately, my favorite author, Barbara Delinsky, wrote a fabulous book for breast cancer survivors called: UPLIFT - Secrets from the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors.

From the back cover:
"UPLIFT is a handbook of practical tips and upbeat anecdotes for those with breast cancer. It contains useful woman-to-woman hints—things the doctor doesn't say—practical advice on topics ranging from what deodorant to use during radiation, to what minimizes nausea during chemo, to how to feel feminine and upbeat. This advice comes first-hand, in the words of 350+ breast cancer survivors, their sisters, children, parents, lovers, and friends."

Barbara put this fantastic book together "...because, as a survivor, [she] saw the need for a book that treated breast cancer as a do-able experience." That's exactly why I purchased a copy for my family member. It is an invaluable positive tool for cancer survivors, especially those new to the game. It can provide hope, humor and support during times where little may be available.

You can write a word or two in the front cover or leave it blank. Either way, your love and support will be felt and, even if you don't get a cookie, is very appreciated.

And, as always, if your near by, bring something easy to heat up for dinner after surgeries or while your loved one is having chemo or radiation. Or help out around the house. She needs to focus her energies on healing, not cooking dinner or keeping the house and laundry clean. And IF your help meets resistance (hint hint to my MIL) tell her that yes, she can do it all herself. That she's not an invalid...but does that mean that she should do it? Help out anyway you can. Be an ear to hear, a shoulder to cry on, or a mop in hand. It's all good.

I'm Not Voting! Are You?

I'll make this short since I'm not heavy into politics nor wish to be. There is too much bull shit and I can't stand the fumes. At least when you compost bull shit you get black gold. Something good for the Earth. Good for gardening. Good for everyone! But this, this Politics thing? No good comes from Politics.

My argument for not voting? Out of a country of how many people, we have a choice of 2 people to choose from. Two! To me, that doesn't really seem like a choice by any stretch of the imagination. There are in fact 6 presidential candidates running on the ballot, however non of them were on the debates, had commercials, or are even known to anyone who doesn't purposely seek them out online. Did you know that there is an African-American Woman running for president? Where are her headlines? Doesn't she, along with all of the hopefuls, deserve the front row spot lights of the media?

I feel as if my choice has already been made for me. The powers that be don't really care who wins tomorrow. Obama. McCain. They are both the same. They are, trust me. They have the same type of people behind them. How else would they be able to afford the spot light? They are both politicians with people in their pockets...and they in someone else's pocket.

And history will repeat itself. Whomever wins will offer such dreams and possibilities to the American people only to cause more economic woes, national debt sufferings, and war casualties. We've all been fooled before. The only question is, who will be fooling us this time?

So, as of today, I am not voting.

I'm not voting for Obama.
I'm not voting for McCain.

Therefore, according to the powers that be, I'm not voting. But I will VOTE.

I am going to cast my vote tomorrow. However, since I'm not voting for the two hopefuls, the two leaders, my vote will actually not count towards anything other than making one of the candidates loose. You can take your pick as to which one I'm helping with my non-vote. I don't intend my non-vote to help either one. Burned by politics, I don't believe that either candidate will keep his word. They are both owned by big business and big money. It doesn't matter what kind of biz or $, it's all the same. Power. Money. Greed. That is the way of the United States government. And that's why I'm not voting for their pick tomorrow.

Go Trash Free!

I have a very hard time tossing anything, since it's final destination is a landfill that in turn will inevitably pollute my water, air, and land. I breath the air. I drink the water. I grow food in the land. Why on Earth would I want to pollute it?!??! So I've done something about it, or at least have been moving in that direction. I'm going trash free. Yep, that's right! Totally and utterly trash free.

What does that mean, you say? Well, that means you leave nothing out for the trash man on Monday or any other day. You compost everything you can, reuse, recycle, or just don't buy it (reduce consumption). It's pretty simple on the surface. However, when you take on the challenge, it gets a bit more complicated.

You see, we've been born and raised in this not so Earth-friendly environment. You go out to eat. You take home your food - in Styrofoam. You are religious with the 3 R's in your kitchen, but you forgot about the waste basket in the bathrooms, laundry room, garage. You have guests over and they don't take heed to your cute little signs above your recycle and trash containers and toss out everything. Ok, so you see where I'm going with this. If you want to take on this challenge, it's a full-time commitment. You can't just use the "I'll do it next time" routine. You have to commit mind, body, pocket book, and spirit to the cause.

So, are you ready! Are you stoked! Here are some ways to help you stay on your game. And remember, no trash means nothing to the landfill. You can recycle till your heart turns, well, green. But no trash. No toss. No more ;)

1) Vow to never use Styrofoam again.
Whether you are buying meat at the store, taking leftovers home from the restaurant, or picking out a nice pair of new pumps, remember: Styrofoam cannot be recycled. If you can't recycle it, can't reuse it, reduce it. Just don't use it. Instead, bring your own containers for food leftovers. You'll be out to eat with other greenies, so you won't have to worry about looking like the crunchy hippie you are...you'll fit right in ;)

2) Compost everything!
I have a nifty-difty little sign above my, now empty, garbage can in my kitchen. It reads "No veggie scraps. No egg shells. No fruit peels. These go in the compost bin! Thanks, Management :)" Don't toss out that soon-to-be black gold for your garden. Make sure everyone in your home is on board with this one. And if that means being a compost police for a while 'till they get the hang of it, so be it. Why would you want to put that in a plastic bag to stink up the house anyway? Get a kitchen counter top compost bin, fill it up with all your kitchen scraps (minus the meat, bones, and milk products) and toss it on your compost heap every few days.

3) Remember the 3 R's.
When you are out shopping, before adding something to your cart, ask yourself, "Can this be recycled? Can it be reused? Do I have something already like it?" The bottom line for all purchases should be that if it doesn't fit in the 3 R's, you really need to rethink the item. Chances are, yes, with a little ingenuity and creativity you can find another way to satisfy your need...or want...craving...just gatta have it!!! Yes, we were born into this compulsive consumpting society, but if you are going to be trash free, you have to "be the change you wish to see in the world". Go Gandhi!

Now, having said all this, there are some things that I have yet to figure out how to fit into the 3 R's, compost, and not buy. I eat meat, so there are the bones from food that can't go in the compost and can't be fed to the dogs (mine are rather small dogs). So what about those? There are a few items that people will struggle with finding alternative ways, so let's open up a forum to find some solutions. What about Styrofoam?!??! What do we do with this stuff? How can we reuse it? What if it was bought with meat from the grocery store? Oops. What then? Can you really reuse it?

Here is the question to ask yourself, if you want to enter this challenge...Are there really certain things that just HAVE to be tossed? I think we can find alternatives to all of these items that we've been sold on having to toss out. That's where the NO TRASH challenge comes into play.

So, let's jump in and start the challenge!!

Start with a week. One week. Go trash free. Then add another week. Once you get the hang of it, be daring. Go for a whole month. Let me know how long you can make it and what made you break. What are some of the great alternatives you have come up with? Did you find the secret? Can you share it with the rest of us?!

I think this is a great thing for us to do. Why do we need to add to the landfill. Our ancestors (yep, I'm pulling out the oldies) made it just fine without trashing our Mother Earth. Now we're destroying it for our children and our children's children.

Make the commitment. Test yourself. See how far YOU can make it. Be green! Be trash free :)

And All That Jazz...!

There's nothing like a good movie to remind you of past dreams - ok, current dreams - however, dreams that probably will never materialize. I say probably with emphasis here because, and I quote myself, if I really want something, have the passion for it, I can make anything happen.

That is, anything within reason.

So what's my dream, you ask? To dance on Broadway. Oh, yeah. No small ticket here. I started dancing when I was 5 and haven't stopped yet. You should ask my kids. They endure mom stepping it up and singing at the top of her lungs every chance she gets. Why? I love to sing and dance. LOVE IT. I don't use that word often when it comes to "things" (other than good food, but that's questionable whether food is a "thing"...it's more like a necessity, and therefore...oh, never mind).

So back to Broadway. I did get close. Oh, yeah, I did. I had my one chance that my simple teenage mind could scheme up and I went for it. Trouble is, the New York Rockets have a height requirement: You must be 5'6". I'm 5'3"...5'4" on a good day. So needless to say, I fell short on that score.

I went on to dance in the All County Dance Ensemble and in college, both big and small...however, the more life and all it's charm entered into the picture, the more and more dancing took a backseat.

However, I've never given up on the dream. I choreograph constantly when I hear music, feel a big number comin' on, and periodically chance to dream again. Will I ever get another opportunity to audition? To dance and sing in the spot light? Maybe. There are plenty of local community based spots around here and one of these days I'll get my chance.

Until then, I'll just keep my tap routines to the kitchen, the big dances to the living room, and my critics safely tucked into bed. Nighty, night. Sweet dreams.

Reaching that goal: the first 100 pages

I have to brag here and I think it's very healthy for writers, especially closet writers, to brag. I've written my first 100 pages!

I've never gotten this far before. Life has ALWAYS gotten in the way...it's just the way it goes. Life is life, and it will not slow down ever, even if you want to write a novel. It's relentless. However, if you want to write a novel, you have to write in spite of life.

So, when you finally do get that idea that won't leave you alone, those characters who keep asking you, "when are we going to get together?", and the subsequent other ideas that are starting to back up behind the novel idea that you've been putting on hold...and you actually SIT DOWN and begin to WRITE, that first one hundred page hurdle seems so far away. Write and write as you may, it's totally nerve raking and seems unattainable.

However, once you get there, once you have your first 100 pages written, it's like taking in the view after climbing a mountain. 100 pages!?!? I wrote 100 page!??!? You email all your writing buddies to tell them about it. You just can't hold in your own astonishment and joy. You tell your hubby who, understandably, is equally astonished as well. "So you are writting down there. I thought you were just surfing the web."

So few people actually do what they set out to do because of that pesky life, however we can all reach our dreams. I think what holds most of us back is that first step. That first goal: those first 100 pages. How brilliant would it be if you were among those few to acutally preserver and go beyond your comfort zone and just do what needs to be done?

There are a multitude of books out there that contain thousands of pages helping us would be novelists reach our goals. However, after reading many, many, I've found that there is no real check list or magical concoction out there that will do the trick. You really have to do the work all on your own.

The best 'how to' book on novel writting that I've come across is Walter Mosley's This Year You Write Your Novel. It's the shortest book that I've ever read on the topic, yet the most powerfully helpful. It's how I got to my own first 100 pages!

So, if you're having trouble getting there, get the book! Check it out at the library, order it online, whatever. You can read it in an afternoon and actually, while reading it, you'll even wonder at times, "Is this really all that helpful?" It's just so short and sweet and with really big font, that it seems silly in comparison. But then, towards the end, you just get it! And it's an amazing feeling, like magic. You get that confidence that you need to push yourself to find the time, sit down, and write.

So, taking a lead from Mr. Mosley, here are 4 quick easy writing rules to help you conquer that first 100 page hurdle:

1. All 1st drafts suck!
   Point blank and simple. No one else is going to read it but you, so just write it already!
   
   
2. Don't look back!
   When you sit down to write, very breifly read over a tiny bit of what you last wrote and then MOVE ON. Keep going! Don't reread everything everytime you sit down. That will only cause you to start editing, and editing, and editing. You can edit until you die! So don't do it! Just keep going. How else are you going to get to the end? By keep going over the beginning?
   
   
3. Always Remember Rule #1
   When you sit back and think over what you have written, just remember rule #1. Your first draft WILL suck! Yes...it sucks! We all know it sucks. Fight every possible urge to go back over it and edit it to death. You will get plenty of opportunities to edit once you have finished.
   
   
4. Write
   Duh! But no, really. Write! If you don't write, you'll never get that first 100 pages done. Write whenever you can. And do it everyday, if you can. The closer to everyday that you can get, the better. Don't just do this on the weekends, or worse, once a month, once a year...once a day is the only way (ooh, I was a poet and didn't know it). Now, don't get upset with me here. Writing, everyday = thinking, writing, day dreaming, and/OR editing. You don't actually have to write to write. KWIM? If you spend time everyday even just thinking about your plot, the characters, what you want to write next time you have a chance...guess what? You are writing! Isn't that way of thinking just so freeing!
   

So, there you have it! I wish you the BEST of luck in your writing. And know, that once you move past that first 100 page hurdle, the next 100 pages just all of a sudden happens! It did for me. I'm at 276 pages right now and seeing how simple it was once I past that first huge hurdle, I can't wait to write to the end. I hope to have my crappy first draft done in time to bring in the new year! Then, the all encompassing event of editing.

Have FUN writing,
Lia

Drink some Magic Tea!

Magic Tea - Slowly sip this Magic Tea and feel it's healing powers! :)

At the slightest provocation of a cold, sore throat, ear ache, or sinus problems of anyone that crosses my threshold, I jump to the kitchen and brew up some magic. It doesn't matter how young or old you are, Magic Tea will either cure what ails you or, at the very least, help sooth the symptoms. It's easy, cheap, and you can't have too much (won't turn on you like medications if you 'over dose').

Ingredients:

• Hot water
• tea bag - your favorite
• a tiny sliver of a smooshed clove garlic (the braver the patient, the bigger the clove!)
• honey (as much as you like)
• apple cider vinegar (1 teaspoon)
• 1-2 ice cubes
  
  

Directions:

• brew your favorite tea and add honey
  (however much honey you want, but you'll need some and it's great for sore throats)
• add apple cider vinegar
• before adding garlic, add ice cubes to bring down the temp.
  (If you cook the garlic, you'll loose all the magic!)
• once tea is cool enough BUT still warm, add the smashed garlic
• stir, and sip slowly

Drink this 1-3 times a day as soon as you feel the symptoms of a cold/flu/ear ache/sinus trouble. It's magic!

The magic is the combination of vinegar, garlic, honey, and warmth

• Apple Cider Vinegar: helps 'open' you up and is high in Vitamin C
  
  
• Garlic: when you smash it (to the point it's almost liquid) you release allicin, Garlic's antibiotic mother load! however, if you cook it, you kill all the power (aka, all the good guys that will destroy the bacteria)
  
  
• Honey: Nature's elixer, very good to sooth a sore throat, and is anti-bacterial
  
  
• Warmth: the hot water opens your sinuses and helps all the magic above seep into the right spots ;)
  

Tip: If you need more honey to 'mask' the garlic, go for it. You can't have too much (so long as your not allergic)

Hope everyone has good luck this upcoming cold season. Take it easy, take care of yourself, and DO NOT hang out with any sickos!!! It's just not worth it. You can always see them in the Spring ;)

What's for dinner?

Ever fill out one of those emails that your family and friends spam you with that asks you a million questions to 'learn a bit about each other'? Well, I know I have and I find them fun. However, year after year, always the same questions... I also find them boring!

While cooking everyday, chopping away, I think about all my cookin' family and friends and wonder what THEY are cooking and chopping away at. Add that curiosity with the experience of filling out questionnaire after questionnaire and... presto!
So now, without further ado, here's my "What's for dinner? Get to know your cookin' family and friends" questionnaire!

Feel free to copy, paste and spam! :)

.......................................................................
So...what's for dinner?!
Get to know your family and friends by finding out how they cook, what they like and all that jazz!
20 questions
Bon apitite! ;)


1. What's for dinner tonight?

2. Do you do all or most of the cooking?

3. What is your signature/favorite food to make? What are you known for?

4. Favorite food to chop?

5. Least favorite food to prepare that you have to cook?

6. What was the last thing you made/cooked?

7. What was the last thing someone made for you?

8. How often do you burn your food? What are you known to burn?

9. What's your signature/favorite breakfast?

10. What's your signature/favorite lunch?

11. Desert? What do you have to have that you make yourself?

12. Favorite veggie to prepare? How?

13. Most interesting item you've ever eaten and/or cooked?

14. Favorite kitchen gadget(s)?

15. Ever caught the kitchen on fire?

16. Are you the grill master? What are you best at grilling?

17. What would your dream kitchen include?

18. If asked, what do you make/cook to bring to a party to share?

19. What did you have for dinner last night?

20. And, most importantly...are you hungry now?!
.......................................................................

Why I can't STAND Oprah...(well, one of the reasons anyway)

Not only is circumcision a cosmetic surgery forcibly performed on some new born baby boys, it's also now being used to help aging adults look younger. Even Oprah is singing it's praises. She smears on baby foreskin before bed...

Oprah Winfrey's Foreskin Facecream

Whatis in YOUR face cream?

Thankfully, more and more parents of baby boys are wising up and realizing that circumcision is NOT medically necessary.

Father's that opt for the procedure say they want their sons to 'match' their father. I'm sorry, are men walking around without pants, parading matching penises with their sons?? Who is going to know if you match? And what's more, WHO CARES!!!

It is in fact unhealthy to remove the all important foreskin. The smegma created between the foreskin and the head contains, just like the vagina, beneficial bacteria to stave off infection. It keeps the penis clean and healthy, unlike a newly circumcised boy who has on going infections and aditional procedures to 'fix' the first one. Mothers Against Circumsicion

Many, and I mean many, newborn boys have to undergo repeated procedures to correct the first circumcision that did not 'get it all' or 'got too much'. Have you ever seen a circumcision done? It is pure hell for this new child. Parents are told that they will be fine, which is a lie. If you really and truly want your son to undergo this procedure, go with him. Watch them strap his arms and legs down, clamp down on his penis. He is only hours old, sometimes less. I'm sure this is a wonderful way to welcome in the next generation of men. Circumsicion is Painful...and done with no to little anesthesia

Not only that, both women and men suffer from decreased sexual pleasure in adulthood due to the removal of the foreskin. Great Sex the Way Nature Intended

Some people are persistent that, later in life, the boy will want to chop off the tip of their penis to match all the other boys in the locker room and that going through the procedure later in life is much worse than getting it done and over with as a baby. Which is Worse -- Adult or Infant Circumcision?

It's so much easier to take care of when your baby boy is intact. Most baby boys are leaving the hospitals intact nowadays since more and more parents are educating themselves prior to the question pops up while mom is in labor. "Chop or not to Chop?" Talk about 'informed consent'... another blog, another time.

Name a charachter in my novel * Contest *

I'm diligently working on my upcoming novel and... well... I have one problem. My main male character WILL NOT tell me his name!!! He did finally tell me what he does for a living, but his name...the man is not giving up. I've been trying to get him to tell me his name for some 4+years!

So, this is where you come in. I'm starting a contest to see who can come up with his name. Wouldn't it be fun to name a character in a novel!

He is a chef, runs, and has two adorable kids. And when my female main character first sees him, she can't help bu think, "thank God for the male physique!" Yep, he's a heart-throb ;)

Ok, so you have your assignment. Can you do it? Can you get this guy to talk!?!? You can boast to your family and friends that YOU got to name a character in a novel...sweet! :)

Thank you so much for being a part of my contest. Have fun!

The book I HAVE to write first

Have you ever felt compelled to do something? Like something was pulling you in a direction that you may have only day-dreamed about? It's bigger than you. Maybe a calling, if you will. That's how I feel about this book. The book I'm writing right now.

It all started over 4 years ago with a trip to California. I started making notes and yes, hearing the conversations between my characters start in my head. With my first son only 9 months old at the time and being a stay at home mom, I was excited to have time to write and a great idea to start with. Only trouble is, a 9 month old doesn't afford you much time to write! Or be alone to think about plot, timelines, character development. But I'm not blaming the baby here ;) No, it really wasn't time yet to write this book.

The conversations continued over the next 4 years. The plot thickened, changed, took different directions. New characters emerged. It was getting pretty crowded up there! And then it happened. I almost died.

What? Died? Yes. From what, we may never know, since all my test results show that I'm in perfect health (which is great news for me!) However, being rushed off in an ambulance and feeling half dead in the ER at 30 years old, along with other half dead people in their 80's and 90's I realized something. Those people had lived a long and wonderful life, and probably got to do the things they wanted to do...Me, on the other hand, was about to die and had YET to do anything that I really wanted to do. Mainly, write.

It's been a passion, albeit a secretive one, since I was young. Now, with death possibly looking at me, I was determined that if I got out of there I wouldn't let life get in the way of my DOING the things I wanted to do. Namely, write!

So that brings us to THIS story. Why did this story have to be the first book I write? I have plenty of other stories looming and wandering around in my head. However, before I write any of those I know I HAVE to write this one first. Therefore I am. I already have a really good idea coming up fast right behind it, so I better get a move on!

But let me be serious for a moment. This story. THIS story is my story. Although it's women's fiction and most of it IS fiction, the main ingredient is MY TRUE story. It won't NOT let me write about it. It's totally cathartic and necessary.

So, with that said, let me get back to it! I'd love to sit and chat some more, and probably will from time to time :). However, write I must and loving it I am!