Just a quick one before working on the novel in between rushing kids everywhere. I'm hoping to have at least enough to show an agent by the end of the year.
Today is another parenting day for me, as Rachel heads into work. So, parenting, cleaning and writing all should keep me plenty busy.
So far, it's meant an unexpected Burger King run because, I'm told, "There's nothing good to eat in this house," a war of wills over cleaning rooms, and a screaming-bloody-murder accident involving an injured toe. Parenthood, it's just so much fun!
Here's hoping for a little more restfulness and focus so I can at least concentrate on the novel for a little while. I feel that deadline looming harder every day. Hopefully, I'll have some of it to share here within the next week.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Black Friday Blech
I come to this today not really knowing quite what to write. This weekend is to be dedicated to work on the novel, for me.
For Rachel, it was Black Friday. She had the fun of getting up at 2:30 a.m. to go off to work on Black Friday. What fun! It's something I confess I don't understand, this urge to go shopping at 4 in the morning. To me, it sucks the joy out of the holidays.
It's good that the shoppers were out in force, I suppose. I'm all for consumers getting the economy going again. Of course, I do wonder why folks are so eager to get to the mall with so many people out of work. Still, it's good.
But whatever floats your boat, I guess. If you like camping in a parking lot overnight to get that must-have plasma TV, more power to you. I myself will stick to online shopping and last-minute sales, or maybe I'll do some shopping in New York when I'm there.
I do have to say that the older I get, the less of a charge I get out of Christmas shopping, and Christmas presents. The more I look forward to the contemplative moments of Christmas Eve, the singing of Christmas carols by imperfect voices, and the gathering of the family Christmas day.
Those are the presents I care about.
For Rachel, it was Black Friday. She had the fun of getting up at 2:30 a.m. to go off to work on Black Friday. What fun! It's something I confess I don't understand, this urge to go shopping at 4 in the morning. To me, it sucks the joy out of the holidays.
It's good that the shoppers were out in force, I suppose. I'm all for consumers getting the economy going again. Of course, I do wonder why folks are so eager to get to the mall with so many people out of work. Still, it's good.
But whatever floats your boat, I guess. If you like camping in a parking lot overnight to get that must-have plasma TV, more power to you. I myself will stick to online shopping and last-minute sales, or maybe I'll do some shopping in New York when I'm there.
I do have to say that the older I get, the less of a charge I get out of Christmas shopping, and Christmas presents. The more I look forward to the contemplative moments of Christmas Eve, the singing of Christmas carols by imperfect voices, and the gathering of the family Christmas day.
Those are the presents I care about.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thoughts of Thanks
Once again, I've fallen down on the job. It's been too long since I posted, and I'll try to rectify that in the coming months. My only excuse is that I've been very busy.
Today is Thanksgiving, and the list of things for which I'm grateful is very, very long.
I'm grateful first for my beautiful wife, Rachel, who has lived with my ups and downs for more than 20 years, has weathered my storms, reared three fantastic children, and kept our family going. I'm grateful for her love, her strength, and her support. I lucked out as a very young man into making the best decision of my life.
I'm grateful for my parents, my children, my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Today we'll have four generations at our Thanksgiving table, and for that I'm profoundly grateful. I'm especially grateful that in the week before Thanksgiving, I was able to spend time with my cousin Sherry. It's been too long since I've seen her and all my other cousins. My love goes out to all of you.
The other day, my friend Mike Soraghan came down to see me and we were able to spend a few hours together, just chatting and eating barbecue. I'm grateful for Mike, and for all my friends. I have been blessed with very good friends in my life, and I can only hope that I'm deserving of that friendship.
I'm grateful that my job took me in the past week to spend time with 30 amazing young people from around the world who are going to do great good in the future through their entrepreneurial endeavors. And I'm grateful to Kevin Langley of the Entrepreneurs Organization for asking me to act as a judge in the Global Student Entrepreneurs Award finals. These young entrepreneurs' energy was a renewal for me, and I look forward to the great things they'll do in the future. You can check out the video here to see a little bit about the program. I'm grateful that I have a job in this economy, and that I not only have a job, but one in which I get to tell stories of people who are changing the world, hopefully for the better. For a few of those stories, click here.
The other morning, whisps of mist hugged the ground, low on the fields near my house, and deer stood at the edge of a field of corn stubble, near the bare branches of a wood stand. I'm grateful that sights like that are common in my corner of the world. And I'm grateful for the smell of fallen leaves, and the multi-colored carpet of leaves that cover my yard, though I know this weekend will mean raking. Then, I'll be grateful that at least my youngest son is still young enough to dive into leaf piles.
Finally, I'm grateful that I live in the United States, a nation that despite its many problems and challenges of the moment, and its many inequities, is still a place where opportunity abounds, and where I am able to practice my craft in freedom.
Today is Thanksgiving, and the list of things for which I'm grateful is very, very long.
I'm grateful first for my beautiful wife, Rachel, who has lived with my ups and downs for more than 20 years, has weathered my storms, reared three fantastic children, and kept our family going. I'm grateful for her love, her strength, and her support. I lucked out as a very young man into making the best decision of my life.
I'm grateful for my parents, my children, my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Today we'll have four generations at our Thanksgiving table, and for that I'm profoundly grateful. I'm especially grateful that in the week before Thanksgiving, I was able to spend time with my cousin Sherry. It's been too long since I've seen her and all my other cousins. My love goes out to all of you.
The other day, my friend Mike Soraghan came down to see me and we were able to spend a few hours together, just chatting and eating barbecue. I'm grateful for Mike, and for all my friends. I have been blessed with very good friends in my life, and I can only hope that I'm deserving of that friendship.
I'm grateful that my job took me in the past week to spend time with 30 amazing young people from around the world who are going to do great good in the future through their entrepreneurial endeavors. And I'm grateful to Kevin Langley of the Entrepreneurs Organization for asking me to act as a judge in the Global Student Entrepreneurs Award finals. These young entrepreneurs' energy was a renewal for me, and I look forward to the great things they'll do in the future. You can check out the video here to see a little bit about the program. I'm grateful that I have a job in this economy, and that I not only have a job, but one in which I get to tell stories of people who are changing the world, hopefully for the better. For a few of those stories, click here.
The other morning, whisps of mist hugged the ground, low on the fields near my house, and deer stood at the edge of a field of corn stubble, near the bare branches of a wood stand. I'm grateful that sights like that are common in my corner of the world. And I'm grateful for the smell of fallen leaves, and the multi-colored carpet of leaves that cover my yard, though I know this weekend will mean raking. Then, I'll be grateful that at least my youngest son is still young enough to dive into leaf piles.
Finally, I'm grateful that I live in the United States, a nation that despite its many problems and challenges of the moment, and its many inequities, is still a place where opportunity abounds, and where I am able to practice my craft in freedom.
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