Hey Y'all, it's Spring Break!!! I'm so excited because the CK is home for the week and we are having a blast. We're shopping, going over my website design, and generally making mischief. She's a great girl and I cherish every minute I have with her.
And she's a big part of why I have the courage to write my stories. The CK is a brave, wonderfully talented, take it on the chin and get up again kind of girl. I guess you could say she's a Spunky Kid with a big heart. The girl is on fire and I love her energy, enthusiasm for life and the world around her.
Remember that no matter how important we think our work is that cherishing our families and our friends is far more important. At the end of my days, I hope that this is the lesson that my girl carries forward.
Who do you cherish? What crazy, fun things do you do together? If there was one person you could talk to again from your world, a family member or dear friend, who would that person be? For me it would be my Oma. I miss her. She was a Spunky Kid, too!
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Friday, September 17, 2010
Can I Borrow a Cup of Sugar?
Sometimes I wonder whatever happened to the art of entertaining? I don't mean fancy parties where people dress up and act all muckety mucky. I mean the kind of entertaining that's spontaneous and easy. Like I say, "Hey, we're grilling burgers tonight, do you want to come over for dinner?" And the reply is "Sounds great. What do you want me to bring?" Then a few weeks later, that person asks us over. Or you call someone up in the morning and say, "Hey, want to come over for tea or coffee and just chat?" And that someone says, "I'd love to." A few days later, you're out getting your mail and that someone sees you and says, "I've got a good bottle of wine open, wanna swing by for a drink?"
Remember when moms used to talk over fences to each other? Yeah, they were probably gossiping, but they were talking. Remember those days? I do. I also remember having lots of spontaneous gatherings, small and large, up until a few years ago. Now? Now I have to organize every detail and try a lot harder to make connections. People are busy. People are on the go. People go to work, drive home, park in their garages, go inside and never leave their house again. Seriously. Even in the south this happens. In fact, I think it happens more here than it did in the city I used to live in. For some reason, people are less inclined to put forth the effort to get to know their neighbors.
Why? Are they suspicious? Afraid? Are they too wrapped up in their own families, or hanging out with their lifelong friends that they don't have the inclination or desire to include someone new in their world? I see this all the time. I see it here. I see it where I used to live. I see it in the way others behave. I don't like it because I try to treat people as I wish to be treated. Therefore, when I am in a circle of friends and I see someone alone, I invite that person into the circle. I make room for that person. I welcome that person into my world.
I'm not sure too many people do that anymore.
A lot of people won't open their tightly knit circles to include new people in them unless they meet them at work, at church or at some other formal place. To go beyond those acceptable, known norms is not an easy leap for people these days. Perhaps it is because people don't know how to do it. They are afraid they'll fail at entertaining. They think it has to be restaurant quality food and will require a lot of work, time, and energy. Maybe they don't want to broaden their horizons. They prefer the known over the unknown. And that's too bad. Because whenever I include someone new in my world, I grow as a person.
The reason I am focused on this issue is not so much because I feel left out. I tend to create my own circles wherever I go. Some circles are created quickly due to circumstances. When we were in DC, we experienced 9/11. This unified my corner of the world. Neighbors in a new community were drawn together by the adversity. We bonded. In other corners of the world, it took me a little longer. But no matter what, I always end up with a circle of friends. People I can rely on. People who become important to me. People I don't want to leave behind when I move again.
I think about this a lot because as a writer I am tasked with the problem of bringing people together. Two characters must fall in love. They live in a world where they have friends, family, co-workers, neighbors. Yet much of the time that my characters are together, they aren't hanging out with their friends drinking coffee and chatting about the neighbor down the street (yup, gossiping). They're falling in love, going on dates, fighting the bad guys, saving their towns, buying up properties, saving children, making a difference.
But after they save the world, fall in love, and get their Happily Ever After, I hope they also become good friends with the neighbors across the street. I hope they have dinners with them. I want them to play cards till midnight and drink cheap red wine while they hang out with their friends. I want them to go bowling, see movies, plant gardens. I want them to hang out by the mailbox and chat with the guy across the street about football games and kids.
And I hope when they see someone new move into their corner of the world that they go over to meet that person, say hello, invite them to dinner. I hope that they broaden their circle to welcome new people into their lives.
Remember when moms used to talk over fences to each other? Yeah, they were probably gossiping, but they were talking. Remember those days? I do. I also remember having lots of spontaneous gatherings, small and large, up until a few years ago. Now? Now I have to organize every detail and try a lot harder to make connections. People are busy. People are on the go. People go to work, drive home, park in their garages, go inside and never leave their house again. Seriously. Even in the south this happens. In fact, I think it happens more here than it did in the city I used to live in. For some reason, people are less inclined to put forth the effort to get to know their neighbors.
Why? Are they suspicious? Afraid? Are they too wrapped up in their own families, or hanging out with their lifelong friends that they don't have the inclination or desire to include someone new in their world? I see this all the time. I see it here. I see it where I used to live. I see it in the way others behave. I don't like it because I try to treat people as I wish to be treated. Therefore, when I am in a circle of friends and I see someone alone, I invite that person into the circle. I make room for that person. I welcome that person into my world.
I'm not sure too many people do that anymore.
A lot of people won't open their tightly knit circles to include new people in them unless they meet them at work, at church or at some other formal place. To go beyond those acceptable, known norms is not an easy leap for people these days. Perhaps it is because people don't know how to do it. They are afraid they'll fail at entertaining. They think it has to be restaurant quality food and will require a lot of work, time, and energy. Maybe they don't want to broaden their horizons. They prefer the known over the unknown. And that's too bad. Because whenever I include someone new in my world, I grow as a person.
The reason I am focused on this issue is not so much because I feel left out. I tend to create my own circles wherever I go. Some circles are created quickly due to circumstances. When we were in DC, we experienced 9/11. This unified my corner of the world. Neighbors in a new community were drawn together by the adversity. We bonded. In other corners of the world, it took me a little longer. But no matter what, I always end up with a circle of friends. People I can rely on. People who become important to me. People I don't want to leave behind when I move again.
I think about this a lot because as a writer I am tasked with the problem of bringing people together. Two characters must fall in love. They live in a world where they have friends, family, co-workers, neighbors. Yet much of the time that my characters are together, they aren't hanging out with their friends drinking coffee and chatting about the neighbor down the street (yup, gossiping). They're falling in love, going on dates, fighting the bad guys, saving their towns, buying up properties, saving children, making a difference.
But after they save the world, fall in love, and get their Happily Ever After, I hope they also become good friends with the neighbors across the street. I hope they have dinners with them. I want them to play cards till midnight and drink cheap red wine while they hang out with their friends. I want them to go bowling, see movies, plant gardens. I want them to hang out by the mailbox and chat with the guy across the street about football games and kids.
And I hope when they see someone new move into their corner of the world that they go over to meet that person, say hello, invite them to dinner. I hope that they broaden their circle to welcome new people into their lives.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
She Swings and Hits--Thanks My Pitching Friend
I pitched my two stories to a writing buddy today and got the thumbs up! Yah! Thanks Mary! I am feeling a little better about the entire session.
Now, I am a bit overwhelmed as I have had an emotional chat with my dearest, oldest friend (no we aren't old, but it sure as heck feels that way after 34 plus years). I believe we are doing fine... back to the old status quo' as you will.
Now back to reality for me: friend coming tomorrow, tons to prep for the conference, and I am itching to see my DD again. Truly the light of my life! Friday is but a few sleeps away!
I am ever so grateful to my DH, DD and my writing buddies for all their support... I hope le pitch impresses the editor/agent as much as it did my friends!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Friends Bring Memories
I am on hiatus. Today I ran errands, went to the grocery store, and readied the house for my friends to arrive for a visit.
Yay!
Best of all, when they did, the house filled with a buzzing warmth and activity. We have two adorable young girls, their mom, and their aunt here for a few days. Out come the Littlest Pet Shop bins filled with all my darling daughter's collection. Out come the kid snacks, the mayhem, the crazy clutter of fun.
Out comes the chatter. The chatter of young sisters playing, fussing, ordering, and repeating all the above. The chatter of friends sharing goals and memories, making a meal together, and visiting on the veranda.
Out comes the happiness. The joy of seeing dear friends, their children, sharing hopes and dreams, visions and lives. Out comes my mini moment of oh, can I bottle this time? Can I keep it please? But I can't.
After a few days, this wonderful hurricane of happy life and energy will whirl out of my house and head north to Virginia. And my new house will become silent. Empty. Ghosts of fun tripping in my halls bringing wistful moments.
Moments where I wonder why we moved, moments of loneliness and isolation as I miss the ease of being in their company, and moments of optimism in nurturing new relationships to their full bloom.
For having accomplished this amazing sense of connection time and time again, I know it is possible.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
A Cat on My Lap and A Day to Refocus
Well I think I've discovered that the weather really distracts me from writing. It's rainy and cold out there and all I want to do is hunker neath the covers and read a book. Writing? Bah humbug. And I have a ton of goodies still to make... by myself because my daughter is swamped with school work and finals and recitals and the list goes on.
How will I ever do even one hour today? But I will. This blog is the first step into the writing forest. At some point I will write for one hour this morning.
The only thing suffering is my exercise routine. I joined a gym to go workout there on crappy days like this--group fitness starts at 8:30am. But I haven't gone since the week before Thanksgiving because the day just sucks if I break up my morning. And the main reason I joined was to make new friends. Ha. That hasn't happened. Nobody really talks there. Well one person did approach me, but it was to give me a pointer on how to stomp more quietly on my step ... so much for making new friends. She didn't even give me her name first!
Maybe that is why I am not going to that gym.
Or maybe I am just a lazy von lazerson type person because I am tired, I have a sinus infection, and all I want to do is sleep on cold, nasty rainy days. The fact that I write at all at this point is already a minor miracle.
So, grumpy and tired, and lazy to boot. But I will write my hour today. I will!
How will I ever do even one hour today? But I will. This blog is the first step into the writing forest. At some point I will write for one hour this morning.
The only thing suffering is my exercise routine. I joined a gym to go workout there on crappy days like this--group fitness starts at 8:30am. But I haven't gone since the week before Thanksgiving because the day just sucks if I break up my morning. And the main reason I joined was to make new friends. Ha. That hasn't happened. Nobody really talks there. Well one person did approach me, but it was to give me a pointer on how to stomp more quietly on my step ... so much for making new friends. She didn't even give me her name first!
Maybe that is why I am not going to that gym.
Or maybe I am just a lazy von lazerson type person because I am tired, I have a sinus infection, and all I want to do is sleep on cold, nasty rainy days. The fact that I write at all at this point is already a minor miracle.
So, grumpy and tired, and lazy to boot. But I will write my hour today. I will!
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