Thursday, January 24, 2002

 

I've been watching Fox News. I really enjoy watching the Fox Report. But I was very displeased to see "Rat Returns" referring to Johnny Walker Lindh returning to America. I understand that he is a traitor, and he should be held accountable for his crimes. I agree that he is a traitor. But the news is supposed to simply report the facts. "Just the facts, Ma'am." When I saw "Rat Returns" at the bottom of the screen, I was a bit irritated.

I also watch "Fox and Friends" at 6 AM. That is a show that is designed to be opinionated. It is an editorial show and that is where they can freely express their opinions. I don't think they should be expressing their opinions when they report the news.

I do admit though, that I could be wrong and they could have put the "Rat Returns" up during the "Fox and Friends" show. I'm so bleary eyed in the morning that I tend to confuse things sometimes.

Anyway, I'm getting back to walking more and eating right again. I'm feeling good and I'm not going to step on the scale tomorrow. I usually weigh in every Friday, but I'm feeling so good about what I'm doing, I don't want the cycle taking the downward turn again. It always happens: I feel good, I step on the scale, hadn't lost any (or sometimes gain) and then I give up again. So, I won't do it. Maybe weighing once a month would be good.

Xander slept through the night last night! Usually we have to get up and put his pacifier back in his mouth at 3, 4 or 5. But he was still soundly asleep when I got him up at 6 AM for his first feeding of the day. He was fighting sleep so badly yesterday. He kept wanting to be up, looking around. Even when he did sleep it seemed like he'd force himself awake again to watch the world around him.

Wierd dreams kept me from sleeping well last night. But I do feel more rested today, now that I'm up, than I have in weeks.

Dawn posted this at 1:23 PM.

Saturday, January 19, 2002

 

Grr! This thing lost an entire post! Let me see if I can remember what all I typed. ::sigh::

I wrote a children's book today. It was an idea that I got while playing with Xander. I'm not finished with it yet. This is the third one I've written. The first was in college for Children's Lit class. We had to write, illustrate and make our own book. The teacher said she thought mine was so good that she considered sending it to a publisher. My only regret is that she kept it. I keep thinking I'll ask for it back one of these days.

The second was a poorly made, thrown together one for summer school I taught two summers ago.

I doubt that I'll illustrate this recent one. I'm not the greatest artist. That first one that I made involved stick figures. Not something that would win a Caldecott medal.

Well, Xander's up crying as usual. Like clockwork, an hour and 5 minutes after laying down for a nap.

Dawn posted this at 9:01 PM.

Friday, January 18, 2002

 

Waaahh! I heard that after it's 201st episode, X-files is getting the ax! I know the show hasn't been it's greatest since David Dachovney left, but I remained a faithful viewer.

Speaking of Waaahhh! Xander is awake and crying.

Dawn posted this at 10:32 PM.

Thursday, January 17, 2002

 

Whew! Just got back from an envigorating walk a while ago. The weather was great and it was nice to be out.

I was planning to make this entry and then do some writing, but mom called and we ended up talking for 30 mins. So, now there's not enough time to do much. I'll work on it later. I've got to get some hours in at the library. I'm so behind! Still trying to catch up hours from my time off after Xander was born.

I've decided to write when ever I feel the urge. I need to lear to love it. I'd grown to hate the whole writing process. Too much going on in my head while I'm working on a story. 'Who can I sell it to?' 'Will it be good enough to sell?' 'How long will it be?' 'Is it going to fit this market or that market?' 'Am I writing this scene well enough?' 'Is my grammar proper here?' 'Am I being redundant?' They are all good questions to think about, but at this point I don't think I should dwell too much on those negatives. I need to focus on writing for the love of telling the story. I need to write because I *want* to, not because I force myself. I shouldn't be concerned with word counts or selling it, but getting the story out of my head.

Well, anyway, you get the picture. I'll keep ya posted.

Dawn posted this at 2:50 PM.

Wednesday, January 16, 2002

 

Here's my first post to my new blogger. I thought this would make it easier to make posts to my journal. And believe me, I need quick and easy right now. Thanks to Lazette. It was her spiffy new blogger that gave me the idea.

Yesterday I took time to read everyone's journals, even the 'on hiatus' ones. It's good to be back reading and posting again. I plan to post more again.

Ron Collins' Jan. 14th entry was very encouraging.

I've been thinking about my writing again. I read a story I wrote a while back and I couldn't believe how horrible! I realized that writing is something I think I'd like to do, but don't really want to put forth the *work* that needs to be done to do it.

Also, after much introspection, I realized that my characters are flat. I recently read "Bag of Bones" by Stephen King (a record 7 days to finish it). He mentions in there that the most brilliantly written character in a story is still only a bag of bones. Well, then, mine characters only amount to the tiny toe bones. My characters are reflections of me and I'm a person who is not interested in much of anything. I'm not an art fanatic, a history buff, or a have any interest in politics. Nor am I a highly intelligent person. Therefore my characters come out very boring, much like me.

So, what am I saying? Am I saying that I'm going to give up and quit writing? No! This means I'm going to have to open up and broaden my horizons a little. I'm going to start reading more, learning more, doing more. This in the past has been difficult for me. I've had the desire to read things and learn more, but once I actually do it, my brain shuts down and says: "Sorry, not interested." I'm just going to have to put my head in gear and get to work.

Another problem with my stories is that they stall out. I get a great beginning, or a middle, but the ends are totally and completely lost to me. I make up endings that seem cliche or ones that make you say, "I saw that coming a mile away." I'm hoping that once I stretch my mind a little and learn more about the world around me that this will fall into place. Also, I need to let the guys in the basement loose a bit, maybe even up their pay. (If you don't get it, read "Bag of Bones".)

"Bag of Bones" was a good story. Although, I was talking to my husband about it and he said, "I don't like Stephen King, he wanders too much." I replied, "Yes, but he does make the wandering interesting." "B of B" is the 3rd King book I've read. "In the Eyes of the Dragon" was first, then "The Green Mile". I plan to read "Hearts of Atlantis" next.

Xander is doing fine. We've definately traded the colic for teething though. "Teething already?" I hear you say. Yup! Teething at 2 months old, I can't believe it either. But, he has all the classic signs: drooling, chewing on fingers, waking up from naps, diarrea, and waking up from naps early (when he wakes up he frantically tries to chew on something). We've tried encouraging him to use his pacifier or teething toys instead of his fingers. It's a battle.

James has been sick with fever and achiness. I'm trying to keep Xander from getting it, so I've been taking 'night shifts'. Xander has difficulty sleeping for more than an hour at a time. If we're lucky he'll sleep from midnight to 3. Before James got sick we were taking turns staying up with him. But now, I'm the one who's been up for several nights in a row now. Most of the time Xander and I share the guest bed where he can lay next to me and I can just put the pacifier in and go back to sleep. Some nights it seems like he's fussy every ten minutes or so.

But, ya gotta love the cute little guy! We've started this little game. He smiles a lot when I'm changing his diaper (and for good reason). But sometimes he'll look me right in the eye and stick his lip out in a pout. I'll say, "Awww, what's wrong?" and he'll grin really big back at me. Sometimes, when he's not smiling, I'll pout at him. If I can get his attention to look at me right in my face, he'll smile back at me. :) He's so precious!

Dawn posted this at 5:13 PM.