NaBloPoMo Day 30: To the victor…

…belong the spoils.

All 30 of them.

I cannot believe I actually survived NaBloPoMo: 30 days. 30 blogs. I think that’s pretty damn skippy for someone who’s averaged 4-5 blogs a year for the last 3 years.

Now I just need to focus on content.

It’s been a really provocative challenge. I almost quit about 28 times.

There were nights I verbally “barfed” on the keyboard and hit “post” at 11:59 p.m. and went back after 12:00 a.m. and edited. There were times I should have gone back after 12:00 a.m. and edited but fell asleep instead.

Ouch.

I’ve learned the value of a quick and dirty “weekly photo challenge,” when words have failed me. Daily prompts have become my blogging BFF.

Most importantly, I’m developing the habit of writing. I’m finding that if I start throwing the words out there, no matter how random or vague, I can push through the “block” that so frequently cripples me. Once I get a sentence down, the Edit Monster can take over and make something of the garbage: fine tune it, focus it, even take it a different, better direction.

I think the most important aspect of this challenge has been finding some really talented writers to follow and learn from. I’ve been blown away at the kindness of total strangers who have stopped by my blog to encourage and support me.

I’ve even come out of my shell enough to make tentative comments on a few blogs I really enjoy. It’s hard for me to do – I feel my opinion doesn’t matter much to someone who doesn’t know me from Jack, but I’ve been seeing (and have experienced myself) how appreciated comments can be, even as innocuous as the ones I’ve hesitantly left. Again, I’m learning.

And one more major piece of wisdom gleaned:

When completely barren of ideas or inspiration,

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toss out some ragingly fabulous nature.

NaBloPoMo Day 29: Let there be light

This week’s photo challenge on WordPress: in a new post created for this challenge, share a photo that captures a light source.

We’re enjoying a relaxing and lovely family vacation up in the North Georgia mountains.

It’s been amazing sleeping in with no agenda or schedule, reading a book curled up before a roaring fire or just sitting in front of the huge picture windows: drinking in the rich blue heavens, sunlight sparkling on the lakes below us, color saturating sunrises and sunsets in bands of jewel-toned strata.

Such a blessing to spend time with our parents; cooking, eating and drinking, catching up and swapping stories and watching old movies late into the night.

It’s so hard to break away to write, so I’ll accept the photo challenge and share instead a glimpse into our light-dazzled mountain views.

sunset

NoBloPoMo Day 28: I am Thankful for a Daily Prompt

Blogher’s prompt today asked you to tell about your very first blog post. I can do one better. I can show you.

This was published way, way back – April of 2010.

Back then I had little idea of all the wonderful changes ahead for me. I would buy my fabulous loft that October, meet my amazing husband in December, get married to him (twice!) the next January (and then again in December), leave my job of six years and totally change my career.

I wrote this very first blog the day after my birthday.

I had made the decision the night before that I was getting older without getting any closer to my dream of being a writer and I had to do something, anything to change that. I had been investigating free blogging websites, stumbled across WordPress and set up an account for “Kimicalreaction.”

That morning, I made my first post and my first start down the path of published writing.

Birthdays…
April 17, 2010
It’s two days after my actual birthday, but it’s Saturday morning and thus still a vital part of the “Natal Month Festivities.”

I don’t have to work today–therefore, I should be lying on the couch or buried under a mound of pillows in my bed, nursing a hangover and planning the next phase of the celebration.

Instead, I was up at 9, scrubbing my stove top for no apparent reason other than it seriously needed it.

I can’t blame demonic possession, there has been no mezcal.

What has happened to me? Does growing up have to make you boring?

And…and…tidy?

::shudders::

NaBloPoMo Day 27: Vacation Nirvana

I am on vacation.

Fur realz.

It’s just like Valhalla, except without the nine, white-armed virgins.

I’m so overwhelmed with joy just to be away from work/obligations/weekday stress. We are in the most amazing house I’ve ever been in, which happens to be in located in the North Georgia mountains, but could more aptly be described as Real World, Jasper (GA).

So instead of writing, may I let my frenzied brain relax and treat you to gorgeous vistas viewed from a saturation of relaxation and happiness (and wonderful food and wine)? I’ll be back tomorrow to be Thankful, as this is a massively abundant Thanksgiving and I want to express how grateful I am for all the blessings in my life.

For now, I would like to leave you with wishes for sweet dreams, the most amazing Thanksgiving ever and all the love and joy and turkey you can hold.

Sending you sunsets and vistas and wide open spaces….
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NaBloPoMo Day 26: Liar, Liar

Yesterday, I posted a blog with 5 truths and 1 lie. As promised, here are the facts vs. fiction.

(It was surprisingly difficult to come up with the lie. I’d like to think it’s because I’m a bad liar but most likely, I’m just sleep deficit.)

1. I once swam with dolphins.

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This is true. When I was a senior in high school, I was enrolled in a program that allowed us to pick a year-long study project. I picked “Cetacean Learning and Behavioral Patterns,” which sounds pretty grandiose coming from a 17-year old, especially one with little proclivity towards the sciences. My teacher, Mrs. Collins, was awesome and arranged for me to visit a theme park and work with the dolphin trainers for a few days. It was the highlight of my entire teenage experience and was for many years, a very unique story, until all the Florida and Caribbean resorts added a “Swim with the Dolphins” feature and people ceased to be so impressed.

2. I was born and grew up in Mobile, Alabama where I attended an all-girls high school.

Here, as Rarasaur says, “therein, lies the lie.” I actually was born in Birmingham, Alabama; although I did grow up in Mobile and I did attend the Julius T. Wright College Preparatory School for Young Ladies, which failed in almost every way to make me a lady, young or otherwise.

As I’m reading this, I realize that this was the absolute lamest of lies. Really? Oooh, I lied about the actual city in Alabama where I was born. It’s Alabama, does it matter? Mata Hari, you appear safe from me. My pathetic excuse is that I’m having a rough week at work and my brain was refusing to function creatively.

3. I interviewed Joe Satriani for an on-line magazine.

Again, truth. Years ago, I was briefly the content editor for an on-line magazine called HipCity.net, which sounds pretty grandiose, especially for a publication with a subscriber base of about 17 people. Our music reporter was scheduled to interview Joe, but she ate a bad sandwich and was tossing cookies so severely she had to cancel. They sent me instead, which totally ticked her off, as she felt I was musically “illiterate.” She also didn’t like my hair (but that was a separate issue.) I had to do some last-minute scrambling to research pertinent questions (I was pretty musically illiterate at the time – however, my hair was quite stylish.) Joe was incredibly kind and patient and we ended up having a wonderful chat about how much we both loved Star Trek.

4. I am seriously allergic to Jumping Jack Cheese Doritos.

Truth! Linda guessed it! The first time I ever ate them was at a Christmas party while I was in college. I woke up the next morning with my eyes swollen shut and my whole body covered in angry red hives. It was also the first time I’d ever even seen an allergic reaction, much less had one. I remember calling my mom, sobbing hysterically, because I had no idea what was wrong with me and I thought I was dying. The dermatologist misdiagnosed it as a reaction to a new perfume, so about a month later; while on a road trip to D.C. I ate another bag of JJC Doritos (Damn them! They are tasty evil!) and promptly welted up all over again. They were never able to figure out which magical ingredient was the culprit, since unofficial tests revealed I’m fine with Sour Cream Ranch Doritos and even Cheetos. I tend to avoid crispy snack foods as a rule now, not to tempt fate.

5. mtvI was an intern for MTV during college.

‘Tis true. I was the University of Georgia college campus representative for MTV my junior year. It was a pretty cool experience – I worked with their marketing department to produce events on campus, like a dance-off and a Remote Control audition, and got to fly up to New York and hang with Kurt Loder and Colin Quinn. They actually offered me a job, but I still had some classes to finish up to graduate and the starting salary was too dismal to really be tempting.

6. The first concert I ever went to was Cher.

I’ll give props to Priceless Joy. I was with my parents. I was so itty-bitty so I have no memory of the experience and it was so long ago, Cher actually may have still been Mrs. Bono.

So there’s my truths and lies. Thank you for playing along! I’d look forward to reading your stories.

NaBloPoMo Day 25: Truth, Lies and the Blogosphere

doritos-jumpinjack-bagToday’s inspiration came from a fun post by Jen at Sips of Jen and Tonic (by way of Rarasaur). Basically, you share 5 truths and 1 lie and ask your readers to tell the difference.

So here are my five facts (and one fib!)

1. I once swam with dolphins.
2. I was born and grew up in Mobile, Alabama where I attended an all-girls high school.
3. I interviewed Joe Satriani for an on-line magazine.
4. I am seriously allergic to Jumping Jack Cheese Doritos.
5. I was an intern for MTV during college.
6. The first concert I ever went to was Cher.

Fun memories for me – I hope you enjoyed! Let me know if you can tell the one fable from the other facts! I’ll be back tomorrow with all the deets. Thank you for reading and playing along!

NaBloPoMo Day 24: Just Another Manic Sunday…

Wow. Twenty-four days already. I can’t believe there’s less than a week left in NaBloPoMo.

I can’t say that it hasn’t been a hectic 3 weeks to try to cram writing into. I may have started this month’s blogging with a Lazy Sunday, but it’s certainly not ending on one, which kinda sucks. Lazy Sundays are brilliant and amazing and very far between.

This is a Manic Sunday, painfully truer to norm. And this one’s actually extra crazed due to the holiday next week. We’re spending Thanksgiving at the mountain house with my parents and David’s mom so there’s tons of stuff to do: groceries to buy, house and yard work to catch up on before we leave, a week’s full of errands and chores crammed into a day and a half.

First stops: Costco, Kroger and Publix to stock up on trip food and turkey-day goodies. We are not the only ones, apparently, with the same goal. Weaving in and out of the parking lot mayhem, battened by honking horns and snarling drivers we coin a new phrase: “Dial back the douchbaggery!” (or “Buddy, dial down the douche!” for short.)

Looks like everyonetting their Pilgrim on.

Everyone’s is getting their Pilgrim on.

The grocery stores, of course, are covered floor-to-ceiling with holiday food displays and mobbed wall-to-wall with people dragging small children, heaping carts full of cans, boxes, bags and bottles and dashing in and about the fray.

This is kinda scary.  It looks like a very angry butternut squash.

This is kinda scary. It looks like a very angry butternut squash that somehow barfed on itself. Which might be why it’s angry.

But also scary: the mile of frozen Butterballs.

Somehow equally scary: the mile of frozen Butterballs.

After a near miss with a careening buggy and some busted toes from an amok child, I withdrew from the chaos and busied myself window shopping in the wine aisle while David dervished his way through the deli and check out.

Meat Counter Madness

Meat Counter Madness

Finally! Groceries home and unloaded and David on to his next list, I was off to the loft and my own agenda. Fur kid comestibles from Petsmart, petrol for the car, some black tights for the work week. ::sigh:: Lots of stuff, little time.

However…my nail salon was just around the bend, so after filling up the car, I struck off on an impulsive mani-mission.

Got the claws trimmed! Wonderful iron grey polish with iridescent sparkles.  Probably not "brand" at work, but I'll keep a low profile and wear gloves coming in and out of the lobby.

Got the claws trimmed! Wonderful iron grey polish with iridescent sparkles.

Paws prettily polished, my heart was somewhat lightened. I jaunted back across town, singing along with the radio, hoping to find a little relaxation with the hubs while there was daylight left.

Finally a moment to enjoy the beautiful fall day.

Finally a moment to enjoy the beautiful fall day.

We’d been running since morning, with no time for breakfast and lunch, so trying to at least capture a fleeting feel of lazy Sunday, I surprised David with an early “Breakfast for Dinner,” with bacon, stone ground grits, scrambled eggs and mimosas to reward him for his afternoon victory in the on-going war against the leaves.

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Yum. Manic to start, but at least it’s meandering down to something more relaxing. Now for a little blogging to wrap up my week, maybe a movie and a cozy fire in the fireplace.

Here’s to a lovely Sunday to all of you.

Cheers!

Cheers!

NaBloPoMo Day 22: Pick Your Power

Today’s WordPress Daily Prompt: You get to choose one superpower. Pick one of these, and explain your choice:
•the ability to speak and understand any language
•the ability to travel through time
•the ability to make any two people agree with each other

I pick the ability to travel through time.

Last week, fellow blogger Priceless Joy sent a lovely letter back through time to her 8-year old self and challenged the rest of us to do the same.

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  • Had I the power, I think I would choose to go back in time and visit my 4-year old self, this sweet little girl you see here.

    She’s still unscarred from her parent’s divorce and all the meanness life throws at you as you grow up. She fully believes that everyone around her loves her because she’s lovable. I wish I could get to her before she ever lost that.

    I would tell her to be strong and stay strong. That everything’s going to be alright.

    I would let her know that she will grow into her feet.

    I would tell her not to worry so much about trying to please everyone. Bless her heart, she tied herself in knots trying to be everything for everyone for so many years. I would hug her and let her know that it’s most important that she’s happy with herself.

    I would let her know that one day she will meet the love of her life. That it’s going to take a really, really long time, and it’s going to be very lonely for a lot of that time, but not to give up because she will, finally, find her prince.

    I would advise her to spend every moment she could with her grandmother. Not to get angry or impatient when her Granny brushed her bangs out of her eyes, “so she could see her pretty face.” To ask more questions and listen to all the stories and to learn how to make fried summer squash and pot roast the same way her Granny did. To know how irreplacable her grandmother’s unquestioning love and support was and to value every single second she was with her.

    I would encourage her to dream huge. To go after her dreams with all her heart and let nothing or no one stop her. And that’s it’s okay to make mistakes – mistakes are how you learn. The important thing is to never quit.

    And I would hope that she liked me, this person she turned out to be.

    But maybe through this visit, she’d turn out a little better,
    and get there a little easier,
    and never for one single second, lose the belief that she deserves to be loved.

  • NaBloPoMo Day 21: Labeled

    I’m too fried to even write.

    I’ve been working ’til 8 or 9 every night this week. My brain is crispy around the edges from churning out so many proposals and contracts for holiday parties. I’m worried about my Mom – I just found out she’s going in for unplanned heart surgery tomorrow. I miss my husband and I’m anxious and fretting; harried and harassed about a thousand other things.

    I’m trying to focus on the good.

    I just found out that today in the blogosphere, it’s International Label Day.

    According to the Urban Dictionary, International Label Day celebrates the beauty of the words we choose to let shape us, the subcultures that we are proud to be part of, and the surprising meaning of the labels we all choose for ourselves.

    There are so many words to describe me, so many labels that shape me.

    Today, however, I just want to stop for a minute and be this – THANKFUL.

    For so, so many things, most importantly…
    my wonderful family. Mom, Dad, mother-in-law, sister, nieces and nephews, cousins…all of them. The whole kit and kaboodle.

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    My funny, sweet, loving fur kids who fill my life with consistent joy.

    Keegan

    Keegan


    and Brodie.

    and Brodie.

    and my husband, who has brought so much love and meaning to my life.
    Kavid

    Stamp me grateful.

    NaBloPoMo Day 20: Of Note…

    The inspiration for this blog came from very charming posts this week by Thisblogisepic, and Rarasaur, who both wrote about a current Facebook quiz where you share little know facts about yourself to your friend list.

    It was so much fun reading their stories, that I thought I would share mine. So this is for my friend Laura, who originally tagged me on Facebook, and any of you out there who appreciate a little randomness!

    1. My parents originally planned to name me Kelly. I ended up a Kimberly, but according to my mother; when filling out my birth certificate, my father misspelled my middle name, which should not have had an “e.”

    2. About seven years ago, while vacationing in L.A., I sang karaoke at a bar in the Valley with some of the guys from Alice In Chains. We weren’t on the stage at the same time, but my friends and I hung out Sean and Jerry and went to a party with them afterwards.
    That, ladies and gentlemen, is my rock star story.

    3. One of my cousins, I think third or fourth removed? was the governor of Alabama. Twice.
    That is my famous relative story…

    well…

    4. My great, great, great (?) grandfather was Frank James, brother of Jesse James. Generally, I feel the outlaw gene has skipped a few generations.
    And then there’s rush hour.

    image from dreadcentral.com

    image from dreadcentral.com


    5. I was an extra (the math teacher) in the made-for-MTV Movie, My Super Psycho Sweet Sixteen: Part Two. I hung out most of the day eating Cheetos from craft services in exchange for $77 after taxes and about 3 seconds of air time, in a background shot while the main character gave a speech.

    6. I’ve had the same cell phone number since 1994.

    7. About three years ago, I pitched a TV show to the Food Network (they ultimately turned it down. Boo!) I will try again.

    8. Before our family wedding in Augusta last December, David and I were secretly married on a helicopter while flying over downtown Atlanta.
    It was fun and romantic and awesome, just like my husband.

    Aerial nuptials!

    Aerial nuptials!

    9. I was a bartender (in some form or fashion) for over 20 years. I credit it for my ability to find a way to talk to anyone at anytime.
    I make a mean cocktail, as well. Perhaps a more valuable skill.

    10. The first interview I ever did as a journalist was with the Amazing Kreskin. I was a freshman in college at the University of South Alabama, writing for the Vanguard. I remember that during the show, he hypnotized a guy to think he was a chicken.
    I want that power…

    especially during rush hour.