December Challenge: Day 6 - Frazzled But Full of Cheer

Sorry this is coming out so late. A tangle with my printer lasted several rounds and the printer won. 😝 

That said, first up...did you figure out the anagram greeting? Wishing everyone a holiday of happiness and plenty of family memories. Maybe you'll try creating a few of your own. Or rise to the challenge of going "Bach" and compose a music cryptogram! Enjoy 🙄.

Speaking of frustrated and frenzied, this time of year lays it on heavy. And that's when despite the holiday challenges your life is doing it's usual thing, normal routines. But life's not fair and most people have some kind of trouble or baggage they carry around. Remember that. When someone at the store snaps at you, think about why, what kind of baggage that person carries. We all get so wrapped up and focused on our own lives, we forget or ignore what's around us. A kind word, a smile, a selfless gesture, it's a gift that costs nothing but a little effort. Fill Christmas cheer with those gifts.

People I hold dear are suffering. Old and frail, scared of the changes in their lives, trying to hold onto what's familiar, and all while keeping their dignity. We make every effort to help and guide them. It's hard to remain constant and strong, but we do it out of respect and love. 

The smallest kind gesture you give to others lifts them little by little. It's the decency in all of us that should come out, not just at Christmas, but everyday and in every opportunity. Remember that, too.

God bless, and have a wonderful evening.

December Challenge: Day 5 - Mixed Messages That Turn Out Fine

I love writing exercises, especially super challenging ones. Now, before you decide this will be blah, boring stuff, hold up! It's gonna be interactive and fun. Why? Well, what if an exercise turns out to be cipher and its meaning reveals something awesome? Like hidden treasure or a plan for a covert mission. Think Three Days of the Condor. (Don't know the movie? You should watch it. Seriously should.)

I used coding in one of my novels. Interesting fact: classical musicians often hid their names in music compositions with note placement on the staff representing corresponding letters. Kind of neat, right? One of the most popular music cryptograms was created by Bach, aptly named B-A-C-H motif. 

But I'm not going to draw a staff and play with notes. Sorry. How about anagrams? You know, taking a word and rearranging the letters to form a new word or phrase, but only using each letter once. For instance the word anagram could become nag a ram. Crazy and total nonsense, but a neat way to disguise what you're meaning. 

So. Let's try this. See if you can figure out my message. And good luck! (Give me a moment... *flexing fingers and brain muscle*. I'll make it easier with one word of the original message on each line. 

Whigs in
yon reeve
a
daily oh
of
shape pins
and
ply ten
of
fly aim
rose mime.

Too hard? Here's a secret... use this link to decipher anagrams: Anagram Solver

Then try this one to make your own! Anagram Creator

*Check back tomorrow for the answer 😊

Enjoy your evening and here's to mixed messages!

December Challenge: Day 4 - Taking Inventory is Crazy Stuff

Closer to the end of the year is when folks tend to reflect and take inventory of what they've done and have accomplished these past twelve months so they can figure out New Year's resolutions --which are way too hard to keep!. My idea will get a bit quirky at times, absolutely not your average assessment, because I throw all sorts of items into the mix and see what comes out! I have no shame or apologies to give for the following ... 😁

In this past year...

• I've written two manuscripts, both mysteries, with a total of 130k plus words. Phew!
• I've written a dozen blog posts--definitely catching up this month with my December challenge.
• I've participated in one blog tour to promote my final book in the Lilly M Series -- A Bride, a Groom, and Happily Never After.
• I've queried my Con Series manuscript,  Don't Judge a Con by Her Cover to --dare I say it?-- almost 100 agents. Confession: I've sent them in a frenzied flurry rather than pacing them. *sigh*

• I've submitted my manuscript Grave Maker Blues to several small, independent publishers (I'd estimate a dozen.)

• I've submitted my contemporary romance manuscript to a few publishers. (I'd say 5.) 
• I've attended brainstorm days with my local author's group once a month, minus a couple when I had to, HAD TO miss for personal reasons. Much fun, very productive. 

• I've attended ZERO local Sisters in Crime meetings this year! Gotta work on that. 

• Attended a really fun and informative workshop/conference for authors on editing sponsered by RWA. Those ladies know how to rock!

• I've spent an average of three hours a day on social media, which adds up to *GASP!* 1,095 hours for the year!!! Definitely need to work on that!

(Here comes the quirky and not at all useful but possibly interesting to some! 🤣🤣🤣 )

• I've eaten pizza, lots of pizza! We'll say once a week which means 52 times. Yum!

• Coffee? Probably 730+ cups total, which means using 50 small cartons of creamer. Yes, I cannot, can not drink it black.

• Washed an average of 2000 dishes by hand, (using my dishwasher maybe once/week cuts down the number. AND this doesn't count utensils, pans, etc.)

• Cooking meals? Yeah, I'm not a fan. I try to cook enough of each dish so there are leftovers, and hubby often fixes meals on the weekends. So, let's say, hmm, between 150 and 200 dinners. Not bad.

• Eating out? Huh? What's that?!! 😜 Seriously, I'd say maybe a grand total of 10 times with hubby this year. Then I do meet with a book club once a month, of course at a restaurant! Add another dozen. So, total of 22 this year. 

• TV watching? Oh, boy. I'm about to reach the tsunami of numbers! Let's see... have to add up the programs on network television, others on Netflix and Amazon Prime. Ah... okay, for real? A grand total of 1352 hours. Geesh. Oh, yeah. Better add in one to two hours in the morning of news five days a week = 500+ hours. Total = 1852 hours

• Books read? I'll say 20 maybe. Blame it on the TV programs for it not being more! 😍

• Sleep? 2920 hours... approximately. This includes naps, oh yes, gotta have those! And with only 7 hours of sleep at night, which I can't swear are quality hours!

• Trips to the grocery store = I'll say 70? Once a week plus several one-item trips. 

• Times I swear?  No way could I say for certain. I'll guess ... maybe 120? Yeah, I'm a saintly soul. HAHA!

• Trips outside of Ohio? Only once this year, though it's usually three. Lots of family stuff kept us home. 👶💘

• Trips to the doctor? Twice.  To the dentist? Twice. 

• Exercising? Ahhhhh. Okay, I walk the dog most days when weather permits. That's about a quarter mile. Let's say I go maybe 4 days a week, (being generous) that comes to 52 miles for the year. Sounds so much better totaled up that way! 

• Housework? Pa-leese. *snort*

• Online shopping for Christmas gifts? Waaay too much time, but oh so satisfying on Christmas day! Especially since we have our first grandbaby to join us this year! Love you, Henry! 💕

• Time spent writing this post? 44 minutes. 😤 Guess I'm out of here. Got more TV to watch and shopping to do!

Enjoy your evening! And happy holidays! 

December Challenge: Day 3 - Keeping the Rhythm

Christmas shopping for my grandbaby, Henry, has me remembering all the children's books I enjoyed reading to my kids. Then I started thinking about all those stories with clever rhymes. One of my favorite authors is Dr. Seuss. The wonderful Cat in the Hat! And that got me thinking about what I learned a long time ago, how the rhythm of words is a part of one's style.

Of course, it goes way beyond the written word. In fact, when you think about it, rhythm is everywhere. It's the slow beat of waiting anxiously. Building faster when time flies or you're bursting with excitement. It's syncopation, the melding of emotions like sad to happy to angry and back to happy. I like that. Who wants to be the redundant hum drum, the same, lame dame? And I feel that way about writing, too. Guess that's why I'm in the mood for some crazy rhythm and rhyme, slow, fast, whatever I can make it. Hmm, now, let's see ...

Snow blankets, chilly days
Give me time
To write this rhyme,
Line after line.
Isn't it fine?
I hear the sounds of each syllable,
The beat,
So neat.
It's a real treat
To share the moment
I want you to--Say!
Did you hear it?
Did you tap to the rhythm and rhyme?
Keep time?
Each line?

I'd give you more,
More beats and rhyme,
If you ask, to
Complete the task.
But there's much to be done.
I have to run.
I'm busy,
So busy,
It's made me dizzy
How busy I am!

I'll end this
In total bliss
To say season's greetings.
I enjoy such meetings
With you
I truly do.
But join me again,
Another day
I'll have more to say.
So for now...
No more time to rhyme.
Good day!

Enjoy your Sunday! Until tomorrow...

December Challenge: Day 2 - A Day in the Life

You might call this entry a cheater. Way too easy! But it proves one thing...I need to time-manage my life better to accomplish more!

7:30 am: Rise and shine! Get dressed and drive to daughter's to feed and let the dog out. (They're on vacation.)

7:50 am: Stop at McDonald's for two coffees to go.

8:00 am: Home, eat breakfast, watch the news (heartbreaking stuff... Tax bill passed, which is the biggie. Mike Flynn, shame on you. Wonder who goes next?); drink second cup of coffee, turn tv off (disgusting, depressing, don't need it)

8:45 am: Take Max for a walk. Nice sunny day, a bit chilly but tolerable.

9:15 am: Shoot off email to Senior Living coordinator, asking more questions. Time is getting closer for in-laws.

9:15 am: Check my emails and surf the net -- no news from the agent or publishing world. *sigh* Not that I was expecting it. Holidays are for everyone to take a break. 😊

10:00 am: More coffee and time for edits and revisions on my current masterpiece, or what could be, after all those revisions.

Noonish: I'm cross-eyed and irritated and maybe a bit edgy (Put down the coffee, woman!) Open packages delivered...lots of Christmas gifts = $$$ Oh, my charge account is ready to explode!)

1:00 pm: More edits...that won't last long. I'm frazzled and fried in no more than 30 minutes!

1:30 pm: Max is whining. Time for another walk.

2:00 pm: Oh joy. Another delivery. The Roku equipment. Must hook up for hubby. Drat! I have to enter user names and passwords for every app again?! Amazon. Netflix. Spectrum. Grrrrr.

2:30 pm: Tada! Mission accomplished, but my hands are shaking and eyes crossed again from punching in all those letters and numbers...up, down, across, repeat. Time for a quick snooze.

4:00 pm: (Nooooo. The snooze didn't last THAT long. I just can't remember what I did from...um... was it 3 to 4?) Time to order pizza. Go get pizza. Eat pizza. Watch TV while eating pizza.

5:00 pm: Read a bit... literary women's fiction titled HALSEY STREET. I must say it's not bad. I may finish this one.

5:30 pm: Stare defiantly at my WIP. Nope. No more edits. Not today. Promise. Check email. Answer from Senior Living Coordinator gives me hope this plan may actually work!

6:00 pm: Last walk of the day, Max. I mean it! He agrees. Makes it short and conks out when we get home. Haha.

6:30 pm: Time to drive to daughter's and let out the dog. And feed her. (They won't be home until tomorrow.)

7:00 pm: Stop for gas. Go home. Stay home. Pleeeease. Watch a holiday movie or two, maybe a glass of Christmas ale to go along with the festive mood. Ooo! ELF is playing! One of my favorites! "Santa's coming! I know him!"

Yeah, it's a rough life. Lol. 😁

Have a great weekend, everyone!

December Challenge: Day 1 - Ghost of Christmas Past

It's common during the holidays to recall memories of the past. Both happy ones and sad. It's true.  But we try to keep the happy ones close, the ones that give us pleasure and hopes for Christmases to come. We may dig through photos, watch family videos, or share stories during family gatherings. So, today I'm sharing one of those.

It was 1955 or maybe '56. I have a photo. A young girl of four or five leaning forward, hugging her rocking horse with eyes closed. She'd fallen asleep, refusing to end the magic of Christmas Eve and this special ride, even though her parents had tried to coax her to bed. The horse would be here in the morning, waiting for her, they reasoned. The girl, her eyes wide and wet with tears, cried. So, they left her to rock on that horse until she fell asleep, then carried her off to bed.

This was such a long time ago, and my memory has faded like many have. Yet I wonder what had been in that young girl's mind. Was it just the ride that gave her joy? Or was there more? The magic of Christmas still lived in her heart. Santa on his sleigh, delivering presents to girls and boys; a plate of cookies and milk left to say thank you, which she found empty next morning; the tree smelling of pine with its twinkling lights and sparkling with tinsel sitting near the window; the joyful sound of caroles; warm cookies out of the oven lathered with icing and covered with green and red sprinkles; smiles and laughter of family and friends gathering to celebrate... All those and more. Did she think of those things while she rocked on her horse? Was it part of the magic? I'd like to believe she thought this. I'd like to believe magic lives inside all children. And maybe, just maybe it can live inside everyone, young and old.

Here's to the joy! Until tomorrow...

December Challenge

Hi to all, and wishing you the happiest of holidays! 

Taking the advice of a super agent lady, I'm rising to the challenge. Write each day in the month of December. A few words or hundreds, it doesn't matter. Those words don't even need to connect day to day. Just write. 

My challenge will be a pot pouri of various thoughts. Some personal, others may be creative. 

Today I'll start with a poem about the upcoming holiday. Not sure how this will come off, but here goes... (And yes, I'm getting a head start. We'll call it a test drive. 😊)

The holidays are seldom empty or easy.
They go by in a blur, in a tumble of tasks,
To shop, to decorate, to bake can be pleasing.
To have time for them all is what I ask.
It's stressful and comforting, a paradox of sorts.
A love-hate relationship I'll never abort.
So, what do I hope for, one wish I'd send?
To bless me and my loved ones, both family and friends,
With a holiday of peace and good will that never ends.

Until tomorrow!