tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79165609800286245312024-02-19T10:01:32.162-06:00HoodieThinking. Writing.Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-80128259122638573402011-10-05T12:48:00.003-05:002011-10-05T12:50:48.498-05:00Shut DownHello Writing Friends-<div><br /></div><div>I've come unveiled, so to speak. I will now do all of my blogging, writing and otherwise, at my home blog, www.readmethink.blogspot.com. Be aware that this blog encompasses all aspects of my life, including journaling, personal and family current events, rants, and the sharing of all my creative ventures. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for all the support!</div><div><br /></div><div>Hoodie / Joni</div>Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-30180562095111162642010-05-07T22:27:00.002-05:002010-05-07T22:57:22.749-05:00Well, Hello StrangerI recently got a comment on my last post from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Szelsofa</span> wishing me happiness wherever I was.<br /><br />So I decided to tell you where I am. Thank you, Szelsofa. You can take credit for bringing the blog back to life.<br /><br />I don't know who'll even see this, but I just might show my face, so to speak, around the old stomping grounds. I've peeked in on you more than you may realize.<br /><br />It's been 8 months since I posted. I think I stopped posting because after my pregnancy-induced hiatus I came back to blogging looking for the same community I'd known and it had kind of moved on. I think I was disappointed. I also think (make that know) that I was in a place in my life where I was overwhelmed and confused. Was writing even for me? It seemed I had misplaced my M<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">ojo</span>.<br /><br />Fast forward to the present. My kids are currently 7, almost 5 and 16 months. We've got the routine nailed, I'm sleeping at night and this time it is I who have moved on. To great things.<br /><br />My biggest news is that I am returning to college. When I got pregnant with my oldest I was just beginning my senior year at a state university as a Literary Studies major. Pregnancy was not what I anticipated and I found myself reluctantly dropping my classes after the first week due to such severe illness that I was missing too many lectures. After that, life just took me for a ride, one that didn't involve me going back to school. We moved 1500 miles away so my husband could attend grad school and by the time we made it back to my home state I had three kids.<br /><br />The stars have re-aligned for me, however. If I take two classes at a time I will be able to graduate in spring of 2012.<br /><br />My first class begins on Monday. I'm completely excited and nervous. Mostly nervous about how my being a student will throw off the routine we've nailed. But I feel confident in my path. It is my time.<br /><br />Another tremendous landmark for me has been my joining of a wonderful organization called <a href="http://www.bloomsburyfoundation.org/">Bloomsbury</a>. A non-profit organization patterned after the group of the same name that Virginia Woolf and her contemporaries started, it focuses on bringing like-minded women together to discuss, teach and learn. It's not quite a book club, not quite a writing club. More like a learning club. A <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">renaissance</span> club. I was actually approached by one of the founders to be a member of the original chapter. The coolest part is that she and I had never actually met before. She had only read my blog.<br /><br />One example of how writing can really bring people together.<br /><br />On a final note, I am anxiously looking forward to attending a two day writing class taught by Orson Scott Card in June. I've long admired his work. I hope that it will jump start some confidence in my writing.<br /><br />And perhaps you will see more of me. Whoever you happen to be these days.Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-92086824798243580612009-08-04T22:36:00.003-05:002009-08-07T11:31:13.591-05:00The World Keeps On SpinningI was just doing a bit of blog-surfing (a habit that has slipped significantly), just checking up on people, sniffing around.<br /><br />I got on Jaye's blog and watched the first half hour of her little interview thingy. 1. I feel cool just knowing her. 2. She seems like the kind of person you want to chat into the AM hours with. 3. I realized just how little I know about the process of getting published.<br /><br />Then I went to Jamie's blog where he talked about the Squaw Valley conference and how he's come full circle in three short years. 1. I feel cool just knowing him. 2. He just might be the best thing that's ever come out of Montana? 3. I realized that he's right, the world does keep on spinning. Whether you've become a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">NYT</span></span> Best-selling author or if you've stumbled back however many baby steps you may have taken into the writing world.<br /><br />I entered Jason's contest last month. Writing that piece was stiff and uncomfortable for me, but I entered it anyway because I had encouraged my sister-in-law to enter and didn't want to be a hypocrite. I didn't score tremendously well, but wasn't bothered by it. In the end I was pleased with the concept even if my execution was lacking.<br /><br />I think I'm rambling, but I'm also unconcerned about that because I think I'm only getting readers by accident these days anyway.<br /><br />I have always wanted to be a writer. I have always wanted to be published, not because I want to be famous or have money. I'm not that delusional.<br /><br />I want to be a writer because I love books. I can imagine nothing more thrilling than looking at the spine of a book, fresh and smelling of the press, and seeing my name on it. Because that means a part of me, my ideas, my words, will be seen, be read, be hated or loved, but most of all, be known.<br /><br />I've been trying to take a realistic look at my writing. I'm not doing a lot these days. This makes me sad. I could take the easy way out and say that having three small children has got me so bogged down I just don't have time. That would be convenient, but untrue.<br /><br />I think I've stopped believing in myself. Or something. I'm trying to be honest with myself, but honestly assessing ones own skills and abilities is tricky business. We are all our own worst critics. But I would hate to be the writing <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">equivalent</span> of those poor souls on American Idol who really actually think they can sing and it's clear to everyone with ears that they can't.<br /><br />I think I've discovered something about myself. With a lot of practice and lot of focus I think I can be a good writer. Good enough to get published? Who knows. That's always a gamble.<br /><br />But.<br /><br />I don't know if I'm a very good story-teller. I've had this one book idea circling my head like a vulture for two years and I've been waiting for the plot to pounce. I have the world in my mind. The characters. The basic story arc. It's the details I lack. What should happen in each scene. How the conflict plays out. I'm at a point where I think if I haven't been able to figure it out yet then how can I honestly expect to make it in the writing world?<br /><br />I'm not writing here for encouragement. I'm just writing what I'm feeling.<br /><br />At least it feels good to watch my fingers on the keyboard. To hear the click of the keys. If nothing else, I can keep writing for that.Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-4116355183031906912009-06-04T15:41:00.005-05:002009-06-06T19:52:41.185-05:00Failure To ThriveI remember once when I was just on the cusp of teen-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">dom</span> I got invited to a party. It was a party of all girls, but it was the first time I had been included with a particular group of what I deemed popular girls and I was very excited. I felt like I had climbed a rung on the social ladder.<br /><br />This time in my life coincided with a blossoming awareness of my appearance. I had been fairly unconcerned with it up to this point, but I was coming to realize that a little lip gloss, a pair of earrings and some curl to my blunt-edged hair made a difference to how I was perceived.<br /><br />So this was the night, a culmination of my sudden recent spurts of "growing up." I got all dolled up and remember curling my hair with marked excitement. Doors were opening, oh yes. I even put on mascara.<br /><br />My mom had told me I could use the curling iron on the condition that I turned it off when I was done. Sure, Mom. Whatever you say.<br /><br />I walked to the party, about 6 blocks away. Sure enough, there were all the popular girls and, to my smug delight, they didn't seem surprised that I would be there and I was quickly accepted into the heart of the conversation.<br /><br />We did <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">tweeny</span> things. Talked about boys. A lot. Ate <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Twizzlers</span> and Doritos. Gushed about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">each others</span> clothes. It was pure heaven, with a strong current of laughter throughout.<br /><br />Then my mom called. I had left the curling iron on. She wanted me to come home and turn it off. "Mom!" I protested. "Can't you just do it?"<br /><br />I was informed we had made a deal. Apparently I had a lesson to learn. I could come home and turn off the iron and then return to the party or she was going to take me home to stay. Something about being reliable.<br /><br />Feeling extremely mistreated I scuttled home, my curls bouncing all the way. I didn't even speak to my mother as I made a great show of flipping the tiny switch on the curling iron and heading back out the door.<br /><br />By the time I returned to the party my curls were falling pretty flat. So was the party. A couple of girls had gone home. Everyone else was watching a movie that I had missed the first several minutes of and my return was barely acknowledged.<br /><br />It just wasn't the same after I got back.<br /><br />(sigh)<br /><br />This time it wasn't a curling iron. It was a plain miserable cross-country move and then an even more miserable pregnancy.<br /><br />Have I changed? Or did everybody else just shift without me?<br /><br />I came back to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Hoodie</span> land and the party just wasn't here anymore. I know my efforts at reconnecting have been feeble, but having a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Kindergartner</span>, a three-year old Energizer Bunny and brand new baby have left me feeling less enthusiastic about anything but my shower and a pillow.<br /><br />I guess I have changed a little.<br /><br />So. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Umm</span>. I'm not really throwing in the towel. I'll still check in on y'all now and then, but I'm not going to feel guilty about not posting anymore. Sorry to the people who check in now and then. Both of you.<br /><br />Keep on living the dream, my friends. Sorry I had to leave the party.Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-24208198744497634812009-05-07T11:33:00.002-05:002009-05-07T11:42:48.726-05:00Artistic OverlapI consider myself a tad over mediocre in the creativity department, but drawing and painting have never been my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">strong</span> suits.<br /><br />My dad put me in charge of designing T-shirts for our huge extended family reunion this summer. I tried to enlist a couple of artist friends who politely declined. My family is notorious for groan-inducing cheesy slogans/pictures at family reunions and I wanted to shy away from that. It would seem from past reunions that only puns and rhymes were at our disposal.<br /><br />So I decided to try my hand and see if I could possibly come up with something myself that didn't completely suck.<br /><br />As I thought about the location where the reunion will be held I remembered that the last time we had a reunion there, about a decade ago, the big memorable event was when a large moose wandered through our camp. I decided to make the moose our mascot. After using a few pictures online as references, this is the picture I drew to go on the shirts.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfElQd0GLRZhUYE7YFT-ZqYnhxXVRygMu8dP4XceGOjxuAqt8e7-hnYHCZwZkFmzIpIU-dGCDzqZXRX3_kbbvZp3Bn5DEKIi_Fj9HFz5B5k6CPJLBwI0umeg9NHTJgJjR2dspWuW8C-qB/s1600-h/Copy+of+reunionmoose.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333121175846491826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 355px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfElQd0GLRZhUYE7YFT-ZqYnhxXVRygMu8dP4XceGOjxuAqt8e7-hnYHCZwZkFmzIpIU-dGCDzqZXRX3_kbbvZp3Bn5DEKIi_Fj9HFz5B5k6CPJLBwI0umeg9NHTJgJjR2dspWuW8C-qB/s400/Copy+of+reunionmoose.jpg" border="0" /></a> Remember, I don't normally draw particularly well. I sketched this in pencil and utilized my eraser A LOT. It took me about 3 hours, including the family name which I cropped out of the picture. I can tell you, I haven't felt this proud about creating something in long long time. <br /><br />You are now free to tell me how awesome I am.<br /><div></div>Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-10963612549116879692009-04-20T10:16:00.004-05:002009-04-20T10:22:05.798-05:00"Yeah, Right!"My husband considers himself a lucky guy when he sends me to RedBox to pick out a movie and I come home with Hellboy II. I don't tell him it's because it's 7 PM on a Saturday night and the good stuff was taken and everything else was either college raunch or kiddie cheese. Besides, as with most fiction, I can usually always find something redemptive in a fantasy film. I'm dorky like that.<br /><br />So we're watching the movie and there's a part where Hellboy is standing next to a row of lockers and the magic-smoke-guy is making all the lockers open and smack him all over. He then precedes to gradually fall down from the battery of locker doors, to which I emphatically replied, "Yeah, Right!"<br /><br />My husband started laughing. "After all the stuff that has happened <em>this</em> seems incredible to you?"<br /><br />"Yes," I said, "because two scenes ago he was fighting with a virtually indestructible troll-thing for a full two minutes and even though he was continuously pummeled and even lost a tooth he never once withered like he did just now from a couple of aluminum doors."<br /><br />See, the problem wasn't that I found a magic-smoke-guy pushing locker doors open unbelievable. It was the fact that they didn't <em>follow their own rules</em>. This is such a basic concept in speculative fiction that I'm amazed how often, particularly in film, the rule gets broken. You can make anything happen in fiction. ANYTHING. But if you establish that your protagonist is strong enough to withstand blows that would kill any other mortal, without so much as a shake of the head, then you can't break that rule and have him wilt later at a series of much lesser blows. When you create a world you have to create its rules. It's the keeping of <em>those</em> rules that makes an audience able to suspend their disbelief.<br /><br />Hellboy II is RedBox worthy, but don't pay more than a dollar to see it. The fantasy characters were intriguing (though I'm still wondering why the elves looked like vampires) but the action fell flat.Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-86719993965057017562009-04-13T22:55:00.004-05:002009-04-13T23:18:05.674-05:00Language Killed the StoryWhen it comes to fiction I'm generally a cup-half-full kind of gal. Even when a story might not be right up my alley I'm usually able to find a measure of enjoyment in it and appreciate that it is probably right up someone <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">else's</span>. (Why does that sound vulgar?) I usually find something to applaud no matter what the content or style and very rarely have a beef with the author's choices. Even if it's not my favorite, I can concede that it might be someone <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">else's</span>.<br /><br />I recently finished reading <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Prospero's</span> Children by Jan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Siegel</span>. I found the story to be fascinating and I was very impressed with her grasp of language.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324390997781971218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 98px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 140px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBJDwy7hYRVxPJ47vtiKdgywUHM3Bwe145gCjlI4hxHTbIrdrh2FDiyZZ4AMnvR37Sxut6BglPd4Uc-hj-NYqrMUqOgxnjQi8ytHGhwZgTfApNi8MOTetwpqAa1X6U_zAuaWvCsOWhJ6e/s400/siegel_prospero.gif" border="0" /><br /><br />Until that grasp became so strong it was like a choke hold. My beef with this book was that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Seigel</span> clearly has the ability to write an enthralling book, but used so much muscle in the vocab department that it tipped the scale from impressive to irritating. The language and sentence composition became so ornate that I found myself wallowing through the text instead of gliding though it. Her lovely story was overshadowed by the flower in her words. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Seigel</span> is plainly talented and without doubt highly intelligent.<br /><br />But, in some cases, just because you can doesn't mean you should.Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-56888249170577073412009-04-08T23:25:00.003-05:002009-04-08T23:27:22.968-05:00NevermindOverly ambitious? I guess. <br /><br />Contest is cancelled. Sorry to anyone who might have considered entering at the last minute. How do you pick a winner from one or two entries?Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-33045821072825818072009-04-06T11:40:00.003-05:002009-04-06T11:42:08.511-05:00Aw, now you're just hurting my feelings.<br /><br />It's only 250 words, friends.<br /><br />I retract my minimum of 15 entries. I'll settle for one or two. Your chances of winning are really high. :)Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-31113915693767010562009-04-01T17:28:00.006-05:002009-04-02T14:41:20.521-05:00I'm Back, Baby! (WRITING CONTEST)The hiatus is over and I'm ready to party! In honor of my re-immersion into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">bloggerdom</span> I'm hosting my first ever writing contest. Tantalized? Read on, my friend.<br /><br />The welcoming of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">hoodlet</span> number 3 into my life has made me feel somewhat introspective and I find all my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">writey</span>-thoughts simmering in the non-fiction area of my brain.<br /><br />In general I'm not drawn to books biographical in nature. I think that's mainly due to the fact that so many of them read like textbooks. I'm not <em>engaged</em>.<br /><br />My favorite non-fiction book, however, is just as enjoyable to read as good fiction. It is a memoir by Haven <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Kimmel</span> called <em>A Girl Named Zippy.</em> It's always one of the first books I recommend to someone looking for something to read. The way Miss <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Kimmel</span> writes about her childhood in rural Indiana is so sly, witty and poignant. Perky.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319858895332307330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 113px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 175px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigYe_pH3G7bI2JFC3HH6qqBd27MX08_umFhC25pH_XFA5NI0GHlSXE-H6Wa8qpvTOIQNWArVv2XJ0DBeQp32LFhId3hX2z2CcrnLn4GsmDNX5RDQa84Mzrs0s5cLGfch57hNgiSO-Z2rFE/s400/Zippy.jpg" border="0" /><br />SO - In order to generate some excitement here in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Hoodie</span>-land, clear away some cobwebs and string up some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">cyber</span>-crepe paper the contest rules are as follows-<br /><br />Write a flash memoir of 250 words or less. Submit your entry to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">hoodiewriter</span>(at)yahoo(dot)com by midnight Thursday April 9. The content can be anything as long as you are writing from personal experience and judging will be based simply on how engaging I find it. Basically if I like it a lot, you win. Pretty scientific, huh? Entries will be posted on this blog and comments are encouraged. And since I'm all about expanding the personal library, the winner will receive a new copy of Haven <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Kimmel's</span> <em>A Girl Named Zippy. </em>I'll also choose 2 Honorable Mentions who, sadly, won't receive a prize, but will have that warm, honorable feeling about being mentioned.<br /><br />There is a catch, however - There must be at least 15 entries for there to be a winner. Also, for every additional 10 entries above the minimum I will choose an additional winner. So, 25 entries or more equals 2 winners, 35 or more will produce 3, etc. So you see, it is in your best interest to get the word out.<br /><br />Oh yeah, and in honor of my sweet, new, little thing, your entry must contain in it, somewhere, the word "baby."<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319858894623364722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 336px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 342px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdo9ef9DRystSB4rMQOWjN4QnhmDw8X9bFQETkqDHMzoKwm2KL0bi1bjSu0gdl-j7nxkeQVozaKnVLPWQKx_ZbPtNJLvcdxIz6KY3sFr4Muy4zyGw9IPGEQ8_r_Do2NYcxYzjwTUkpdtAq/s400/Copy+of+spring+09+036.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />Contest starts NOW!Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-11744282011555752082009-03-14T22:32:00.003-05:002009-03-14T22:36:48.260-05:00On Your Mark... Get Set..Okay my dear friends. I've been away too long.<br /><br />The hoodlet is nearly 8 weeks old and I'm itching for some interaction and some brain-exercise. So as I sit on the cusp of a full return I'm making plans for the blog. I hope to regenerate some activity and perhaps even expand my circle of associates. <br /><br />Consider yourself warned.<br /><br />I'll be back very soon.Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-55175960855726549032009-02-13T16:56:00.004-06:002009-02-13T17:31:01.852-06:00Romance - The Dying ArtAt least it's dead in my sphere. Not that I think it can't be revived, mind you, but, in general, as a relationship's teeth get longer the wick of the flame seems to get shorter.<br /><br />Probably anyone who reads this will do so after Valentine's Day, but keeping in the spirit of romance I thought I'd share what I consider my most romantic experience. Alas, this didn't happen with my husband. He falls more on the side of sweet and considerate than the traditional romantic, which is okay by me. Though romantic isn't necessarily the first word I use to describe him getting up with the baby in the night, I'll take it over flowers and chocolate any day. I usually find most romantic overtures cheesy, but everyone needs at least one good romantic memory.<br /><br />Anyway, when I was nearly 17 I had a big crush on a very good-looking boy. We seemed to have developed a nice friendship, but I wasn't really catching any signals that he wanted it to go any further than that. One evening he showed up at my house unannounced. He asked if I would go for a drive with him. This seemed an odd request seeing as how it was snowing very hard and the roads looked covered with a thick layer of white frosting. Of course any potential danger was completely outweighed by the fact that cute guy wanted me to hang out with him. I grabbed my coat.<br /><br />As it turns out we didn't drive far. He took me to a middle school parking lot and asked me to get out. Umm, okay. The snow was sifting through a purple sky in giant puffy flakes. I remember being amazed at that silent purple sky. It felt like a magical place. Cute boy opened the trunk of his car to reveal a giant speaker, then he turned on a tape he'd made for the occasion, walked up to me hand outstretched and asked me to dance. I felt breathless as he put his arms around me, the cold air urging us closer. We didn't speak. We danced, his warm breath on my neck. After two songs we got back in the car. He held my hand for a moment but didn't say anything. He just looked at me. He just looked at me. And then he took me home.<br /><br />I thought something would happen between us after that. When I hinted to him about that being a turning point in our relationship he gave me a very cryptic answer that hinted towards his real feelings for me but told me that, for now, friendship was all I was getting. And that's all I ever did get.<br /><br />But I will never be able to hear <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYwNrd9293k">this song</a> or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU6KhFWvKPM">this song </a>without seeing that beautiful purple sky.<br /><br />What was your most romantic moment?Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-34540247050954096312009-02-03T11:44:00.002-06:002009-02-03T12:00:48.779-06:00Woot!About three years ago I decided I was ready to take a big step. I wanted to more fully pursue writing, learn more, try harder and, for the first time, share with others.<br /><br />Before that time I had kept everything I'd ever written pretty close.<br /><br />I wasn't quite sure where to start, but I figured I'd go online and search around a bit. I found a forum for writers that seemed pretty friendly and supportive. Unfortunately it was also pretty dead. Not a lot of action.<br /><br />There was one guy on there, however, who noticed my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">newbieness</span>, welcomed me and let me know about an online writing contest that was happening that week.<br /><br />It was at this site called "Clarity of Night." I looked at it and found that the deadline to the contest was that evening. With shaky nerves I typed up an entry and sent it within the hour. I was nervous to know I might receive feedback from other writers, but eager for it. It was a giant step for me. I knew I was a novice writer, but I was ready to put myself out there. I wasn't growing keeping everything to myself.<br /><br />I was astounded and shocked when I was awarded fourth place in that contest. I can still remember the euphoria and validation. Because of this I was confident enough to begin interacting with some of the other writers, so many of whom just floored me with their talent. I watched for an entry from the kind soul who had notified me about the contest, but he never entered.<br /><br />He had, however, won the previous contest.<br /><br />I followed his sinfully clever blog, commenting now and then. It was thrilling to follow his writing process as he worked on his first novel and then became published.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0n9Qj5D2Jk5b2fFK8HpDX6kTafFa_BqImWu9N4PIhKo4OsHzD630f0G-RlfCFgcB-Cm4tFbvugj7Tc26P-pOXvsyIjpseaeVAISGFMl2loATlET6ZdhZ0DHFb-coVA2Grsw-CIiVx4eOG/s1600-h/Eden+Birthday+069.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298628587675099394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 331px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0n9Qj5D2Jk5b2fFK8HpDX6kTafFa_BqImWu9N4PIhKo4OsHzD630f0G-RlfCFgcB-Cm4tFbvugj7Tc26P-pOXvsyIjpseaeVAISGFMl2loATlET6ZdhZ0DHFb-coVA2Grsw-CIiVx4eOG/s400/Eden+Birthday+069.jpg" border="0" /></a> I'm sure you're all familiar with <a href="http://www.jamieford.com/bittersweet-blog/">Jami</a>e. He's a wrecking ball force in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">blogosphere</span> community of writers I like to think I'm a part of now. This is a big congrats to him and a "thank you" for introducing me to Jason and, subsequently, pretty much all the other writers I blog with. I finished the book yesterday and give it my most high praise. It is simply beautiful. <br /><div> </div><div>To those of you who have yet to read it, go to the bookstore right now. You won't regret it.</div>Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-53402381264103638252009-01-23T13:00:00.002-06:002009-01-23T13:07:59.616-06:00Hoodlet<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibp2wxEwI4ex1Tw8q0eagWY14CsgtAMyiVx7pN94EjKNl9rxrt47HLAsAoEzabAw5T7T9nuujvhc-3NXOs0niUTH24jGJ1NEsLddsPAejM_claxHhxlJfHJk12QRJc11xG0VV_0SleJY-D/s1600-h/Copy+of+Eden+Birthday+022.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294566183391908514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 329px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibp2wxEwI4ex1Tw8q0eagWY14CsgtAMyiVx7pN94EjKNl9rxrt47HLAsAoEzabAw5T7T9nuujvhc-3NXOs0niUTH24jGJ1NEsLddsPAejM_claxHhxlJfHJk12QRJc11xG0VV_0SleJY-D/s400/Copy+of+Eden+Birthday+022.jpg" border="0" /></a> I FINALLY had my baby on Monday. What a long road. She definitely made me work for it. I delivered at 39 weeks on the dot and she weighed 9lbs, 6 oz, measuring a whopping 23.5 inches. She's adorable and healthy and sleeps better than my other babies did. Now I'm just trying to regain my balance before I step back into regular life. All is well. I'm discovering that the hardest part about number 3 is trying to figure out what to do with numbers 1 and 2.<br /><br />I feel terribly that I missed Jason's contest. I wanted so badly to enter, but I was coming up with nothing. At that point the only thing on my mind was the fact that I couldn't sleep, I couldn't breathe, I could barely walk and PUPPP is the one of the suckiest ailments ever. For those of you uniformed that's a rash common in pregnancy that itches like crazy. Still waiting for that one to go away.<br /><br />For those of you who entered, way to go. I'm sure I'll get around to reading your entries eventually. <br /><br />Until later...Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-16267491575613391982008-12-02T11:08:00.003-06:002008-12-02T11:23:15.262-06:00Turn, Turn, Turn...<div>Yes, to everything there is a season. A time to laugh, a time to cry-</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>A time to write, a time to be so thoroughly exhausted by the nothingness of everyday that all you can think about is sitting down and closing your eyes for a moment and maybe if you stop breathing through your nose the poopy diaper that needs to be changed will just go away.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>NaNoWriMo came to an abrupt stop for me when my husband left the country for the last half of the month of November. We shifted into pure survival mode (and when I say survival mode I mean eating and drinking enough to stay alive. Everything else fell away). I got to about 12,000 words, which is painfully shy of where I thought I'd end up, but 4,000 more words than I got to last year. And the idea developed much more this time. It is a project I will revisit.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Anyway, I've got about as much creativity in my brain as.... see, I can't even think of a good analogy. No creativity.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So I'm not going to pretend anymore. Instead of leaving all 2 of my faithful readers with the impression that I just might update the blog, I will officially go on hiatus until after this baby is born and I'm sleeping more than 3 hours a night. I will be sure to post when the blessed event occurs, just to keep y'all in my loop. Expect that in January.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>When I do return, hoodie donned and rarin' to go, you can expect me to become an active part of the community again, like the good old days.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Until then, my friends, this is not goodbye. Just "until we meet again."</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>And for those of you morbid enough to care, I leave you with a photo of my current state-</div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275243882408841554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 263px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 235px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQgLgsKKwe-IG29rqqyXqpXFtWtkv2RdnFXs7AdjuBcUn-ywE-J_vIwv_Si6ykzIgvlnSuG37lNRdIzM5gNqmLCOuwNIHL7nNAKQCDfm0f-hqoCoFDun4x178kDcBPTnBCiOOdgYCNUcPz/s400/Copy+of+End+of+Year+2008+018.jpg" border="0" /></div>Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-41829408659410075672008-11-13T09:14:00.003-06:002008-11-13T09:25:42.696-06:00Slow and steady.... what does it do again?Well, here we are almost two weeks into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">NaNoWriMo</span>. The bad news is that I'm almost hopelessly behind at just over 10k words. The good news, I'm sticking to it and making whatever progress I can. And, amazingly, I haven't given up that I can still make the final word count. I'll just have to write like a crazy person a few days to get caught up. We'll see.<br /><br />In the comment section of my last post Beth said she can't imagine anything I write sucking. While I find that a thrilling compliment, I can assure you that not only <em>can</em> I write stuff that sucks, I'm quite adept at it. I'm not kidding. There was one point where I honestly wasn't sure what the main character should do next and I was exhausted. So the MC watched Oprah, ate cold cereal and took a nap. BORING. But it got me to the word count I wanted that day.<br /><br />However, I've written at least one scene that gets me excited, so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">WOOT</span> for that.<br /><br />A famous author once wrote that you have at least a million words of garbage to write before anything truly wonderful comes out. I don't know if that's entirely true, but I get what he's saying. 990,000 to go! :)Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-67159296686645187162008-11-03T12:55:00.002-06:002008-11-03T13:05:36.973-06:00Kickin' It at the Kick OffOne of my children's favorite DVDs is about a boy who is saving all of his money for weeks to buy new computer chips for his fighter robot. The more chips, the more power. He goes to the store to stare longingly at the display window, dragging his best friend along. His friend protests the pointless trips as he is not nearly so enamored with the robot games. The boy wanting the new chips pleads with his friend in a Vader-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ish</span> voice, "Come now, give in to the dork side."<br /><br />This is kind of how I felt this past weekend. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">NaNoWriMo</span> kick off party in my area was so close to my house I felt guilty about the thought of not attending. Plus there was going to be pizza. When I pictured the types of people who might be there I wasn't really envisioning other people "like me." I let my mental picture be completely stereotypical. I won't tell you what I was picturing, but I will tell you that I went and found that my stereotype was almost completely correct. But you know what? I just went along with it and gave into my own dork side. I had a pretty good time. I didn't meet any lifelong friends, but it was fun to feel a part of something. And I won a door prize. Probably the best thing I took from it was how everyone really really had low expectations of what they could churn out in a month and it was OKAY. That was what stopped me cold last year. I couldn't believe how crappy it was. But this year I'm wading through the crap and just enjoying myself. Low and behold, I'm almost 5k into it on the third day.<br /><br />I just might do it!Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-78404805848973841002008-10-30T10:45:00.002-05:002008-10-30T10:49:12.382-05:00Happy Halloween Everyone!We generally don't get into Halloween all that much, but since the kids are getting older we're trying to make sure we have some fun traditions at this holiday time. We try to accentuate the fun and the silly rather than the scary. We don't really like scary at our house.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ge-7w53dCk7DYYsvM6DCqAaHvom0_hUSy8nkUpd-LthYrLZwBefRSALWmRdJRLZibP5FQqnXBMEnRKFgV5NinSbKK88y39EFCbbbNBwwxEaAOqKHeAR1xRok6lYEpvY79hR-5Yq9obS8/s1600-h/Copy+of+Fall08+025.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262973845872343762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 232px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ge-7w53dCk7DYYsvM6DCqAaHvom0_hUSy8nkUpd-LthYrLZwBefRSALWmRdJRLZibP5FQqnXBMEnRKFgV5NinSbKK88y39EFCbbbNBwwxEaAOqKHeAR1xRok6lYEpvY79hR-5Yq9obS8/s400/Copy+of+Fall08+025.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262973852781320466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 264px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRCrtzUH6gMR8IEXpffVe3XeCigZnPLY-n0RGM3Yj4_n1f8rBEbFpSX7L5EZ7g7BYBAwQ9aw1lgC5mT10DY1YLKwomzmfXquctz9hAXw_yQpvERDCB-0f9-v7jM2peeKdrePoMwzVbYrAJ/s400/Fall08+031.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>And of course, any excuse to have candy is okay by me. Do any of you have any fun Halloween traditions besides the standard pumpkin carving and Trick-or-Treating?</div>Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-86979055425889637292008-10-28T14:00:00.003-05:002008-10-28T14:04:54.062-05:00I must be insaneI'm sorry. I don't write. When I don't write I don't blog. Right now, I grow. And growing seems to be enough.<br /><br />But I'm changing all that. My husband is leaving the country for half of November and I'm terrified. As it is I'm barely keeping daily life flowing. So, heck, why not add NaNoWriMo to the To Do list while I'm solely responsible for 2.5 kids and a home?<br /><br />At least I'm excited about something.<br /><br />If I write anything that isn't crap, I'll share.<br /><br />Good luck, fellow WriMos.Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-62329015472693017862008-09-29T15:37:00.002-05:002008-09-29T15:44:08.898-05:00Corner Rounder<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhT2ftHSPJO769FuJCF7gNefjUiCB9EHSIDCCT9YDwL2vTU9AXc9qsjYhr7Vljfr-38KLtVLByOg8yTCzfW56aNKF_Nw-etINHK-EgQzxsOH5Jm0Axboei2tRd5yxxq0SCISxklxkT8TEw/s1600-h/cornerrounder.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251546092283832370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhT2ftHSPJO769FuJCF7gNefjUiCB9EHSIDCCT9YDwL2vTU9AXc9qsjYhr7Vljfr-38KLtVLByOg8yTCzfW56aNKF_Nw-etINHK-EgQzxsOH5Jm0Axboei2tRd5yxxq0SCISxklxkT8TEw/s400/cornerrounder.jpg" border="0" /></a> I've got myself a tool</div><div align="center">In my little box for crafts</div><div align="center">It takes the ugly points</div><div align="center">Off paperscraps and photographs</div><div align="center">For on the page and in your art</div><div align="center">It's <em>roundness</em> that you want</div><div align="center">With polka dots and curlyQs</div><div align="center">And softly scripted font</div><div align="center">The curves and waves and rounded lace</div><div align="center">Are beautiful to see</div><div align="center">So why do I feel so ugly</div><div align="center">Now someone's corner rounded me!<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlKdozFid_B4nQs6lNZhuazpGWbqVk3NCxYsxvaHcFHUuQJNKEsJmL-HuHVHncYL8CNu8ibLAHBZfuwN1_OkKIoPMgJz6wdZTkrVVdjxBy01zko8m6Xhyphenhyphenj76d1LrNjryU7J4YOLabSMppc/s1600-h/Copy_of_Fall_2008_007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251546096472309858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlKdozFid_B4nQs6lNZhuazpGWbqVk3NCxYsxvaHcFHUuQJNKEsJmL-HuHVHncYL8CNu8ibLAHBZfuwN1_OkKIoPMgJz6wdZTkrVVdjxBy01zko8m6Xhyphenhyphenj76d1LrNjryU7J4YOLabSMppc/s400/Copy_of_Fall_2008_007.jpg" border="0" /></a>Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-85061746504592696492008-09-22T14:25:00.003-05:002008-09-22T14:46:40.701-05:0013 yearsToday is the Anniversary. The one that slaps me in the face with memories. She was my friend, she was my niece, but she could have been my sister. She was almost 15. I was 16. It was my first experience with death.<br /><br />I'd watched the cancer suck her away bit by bit for four years. First her hand, then her breasts, small and budding as they were, then, finally, her lungs. She was always so delicate to begin with, but with that coy smile and the thick chestnut hair she'd never cut in her life until the chemo started. The cancer made her more fragile, like a pristine doll, her long fingernails her one grasp on beauty.<br /><br />As children she laughed shyly at my jokes and giggled at our dress up play. We meticulously taught each other how to recreate our most prized artistic creations. We always slept in the same bed during visits.<br /><br />While she was sick, my parents planned our hospital visits around when I would be sure to come, though I didn't know that at the time. She languished in her strange bed, but she listened and watched me and I tried to laugh. I began to mourn long before she passed.<br /><br />I always believed she would live. She endured so much during the four years of her fight that I was sure she'd always come out on top. She was doing well, even dancing again and attending school, when we got the call to make the five hour drive as quickly as possible.<br /><br />I didn't realize how close death was hovering. Her lips were dark beneath her oxygen mask, her eyes rolling in her head. I held her hand, waiting for her to notice I was there. I was alone with her for about 15 minutes, stroking those long nails and listening to her staggered breath. My pain was present, but isolated somewhere beyond me. I waited for her to show some comprehension before I told her I loved her, that she was my friend.<br /><br />She began to struggle and I left the room in fear, calling for my sister. I went outside. My dad was showing my nephew how to shoot a BB gun. 5 minutes. When I went back inside everyone was crying, saying "At least she's not in pain anymore." My pain still lingered outside myself. I knew it was there, but I couldn't touch it. I'd been the last one before her mother to be with her before she passed.<br /><br />I went in to see her. There she was, just where I'd left her, but she wasn't there anymore. That was clear. I expected her to look peaceful. She just looked dead. It took a while to cry. When the pain finally came gushing in, I thought it would never go away.<br /><br />She taught me about death. She made me realize that I really do believe that I'll see her again. I don't mourn for her, but for those she left. I mourn for my sister, who might have had grandbabies by now.<br /><br />She would be nearing her 28th birthday today. With every year the woman I am and the girl she was grow further apart, but I truly know in my heart that she is accomplishing something great just beyond my sight. She is a beautiful soul. She is my Moriah.Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-52095434412688751362008-09-09T18:35:00.002-05:002008-09-09T18:41:37.717-05:00Girl PowerToday I fell in love. It was the strangest thing. What was before such a huge burden finally feels like a blessing.<br /><br />I saw my baby on ultrasound today, which is also my pregnancy hump day (fitting name). I saw my little girl. Her femur, her spine and all four chambers of her little heart were absolutely beautiful. Today the pregnancy stopped being about me and started being about her. I am finally excited.<br /><br />I'm having a baby girl!<br /><br />I feel exhilarated. And on the writing side, I've made it a goal to write every day again. I'd left all my passions alone for awhile. Something inside me is waking up.Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-77736500572856608212008-08-08T11:13:00.002-05:002008-08-08T11:30:45.973-05:00I'm trying to be backHave you given up on me yet? I don't blame you. I've almost given up on myself. Heaven help me, this summer has been a difficult one. I'm still in the nausea zone, but definitely functioning at a higher level. I'm almost 16 weeks along in my pregnancy, which is generally the cutoff point, so I'm crossing my fingers that by this time next week I'll be in the clear.<br /><br />So I haven't been doing much. Not even writing because I'm just not feeling it. But I have been reading... a lot. I had the opportunity of reading a book by a relative of my husbands. It's her first published novel and it was cool to see her last name on the spine (since it is also my last name). She has been a High School English teacher for many years.<br /><br />While I generally enjoyed the book, she committed what, to me, has always been a fiction writing faux pas. I was surprised when she skipped from one point of view to another willy nilly. I was always taught that if you are going to change point of view there needs to be, at the very least, a break in the text and works most effectively at chapter breaks. I'll give you an example. This is just me making something up, but it represents the kind of things I read in her book.<br /><br />"Susan watched Bob from afar as he blew the hair from his eyes with a crooked smile. She knew he couldn't possibly be interested in her, but hadn't he been making eye contact with her all evening? His gaze met hers once more and she immediately looked away, feeling her cheeks flush. Her hands flew to her mouth, then retracted as she consciously kept herself from chewing her nails. He was definitely looking at her. She knew his reputation, but couldn't help the fact that his blue eyes made her heart race. Why would he possibly be paying any attention to her? Bob knew that he was making this girl flustered and he enjoyed it. He'd been eyeing her secretly for weeks. His friends would never let him live it down if they knew how much he dug her. What they couldn't know was that he had more in mind than just romance."<br /><br />That was just some nonsense I just spewed, but it illustrates what I'm talking about.<br /><br />So, what do you think? Are there hard set rules that really should never be broken in fiction, or does artistic license trump all?Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-29105064031738522152008-07-29T13:31:00.004-05:002008-07-29T13:58:36.669-05:00Public Enema No.1<div align="center">***Yes, this is actually a post about my first experience with an enema***</div><div align="center">***Gentle Reader, proceed at your own risk***</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">I took a completely unintentional hiatus there, but assure you that I'm alive and kicking (well, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">something's</span> kicking). The fog of first trimester nausea, while not gone, has begun to lift so that I may once again view the world around me. I will tell you - It has sucked. I also regret having missed one of Jason's contests. Next time. Next time.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">I had a milestone experience over the weekend. We were visiting family and I was so excited to be somewhere other than my couch for the first time in months. But while the social outlet was finally flowing, something else was not. Without my realizing it, four factors had come into play at once-</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">1. I'm pregnant, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ere go</span>, I'm constipated.</div><div align="left">2. The anti-nausea medication I take also makes me constipated.</div><div align="left">3. I had run out of the fiber pills I'd been taking daily, not realizing just how much good they must have doing me.</div><div align="left">4. I had resumed taking prenatal vitamins since the waning nausea helped me keep them down. I'd forgotten they're packed full of iron, which, unfortunately, can cause constipation.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Since being a little backed up has been been a fact of life for the past few months, I did have some suppositories on hand for times of extreme <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">cloggedness</span>. But they were at my house over the weekend. 100 miles away.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Saturday I started counting-1..2.. hey it's been at least four days since I've had any BM action. No wonder I don't feel so good down there. So I decided to just try. And try I did. For a very long time. After 30 minutes all I had succeeded in producing was red toilet paper. But now I was feeling very dire. I'd got the thing to the door and it was staying there. I needed help. Right away. I sent DH to the grocery store. "No laxatives, no suppositories. I need an enema."</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Minutes later, product in hand, I headed to the bathroom. I wasn't scared until I read the directions. The illustrations alone were enough to keep a 12 year old boy cackling for days. But I diligently followed the guidelines and waited until "the urge to evacuate was strong." This did not take long. Less than a minute.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">What happened next, well, it was excruciating. I was already sore from previous attempts, but this was no joke. I was in it. Gut wrenching spasms had me panting and clenching. And then, Augustus <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Gloop</span> was stuck in the chamber, the pressure building, building, building behind him. It was so painful. And then he was set free. Voila. I'd given birth to a soup can.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">I can say that the only thing more traumatic that has ever happened to my nether regions was actual childbirth. My poor muscles hurt for hours. It was awful. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Lesson learned. Take the fiber. Take the fiber. Take the fiber.</div>Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7916560980028624531.post-33428572751722398702008-06-17T11:52:00.005-05:002008-06-18T13:04:06.277-05:00Viper<div align="center"></div><div align="center">Insidious</div><div align="center">The viper coils low in my stomach</div><div align="center">Releasing its poison</div><div align="center">In a slow-burn</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Growing, Consuming</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Succumbing, I grovel and bow</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Strike</div><div align="center">Strike</div><div align="center">Strike</div><div align="center">Strike</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Moist skin against cold tile</div><div align="center">The serpent sleeps</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">But the poison burns</div><div align="center">The poison burns</div>Hoodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17616427797201977083noreply@blogger.com10