* GIVE-AWAY ENDS TUESDAY *

Just a reminder that my giveaway on Goodreads ends on March 4th...that's this Tuesday!

Click giveaway details to enter. Four print copies will be given away and as I type this, there are 265 people entered.

* Giveaway ended & I have the names and addresses of the four winners. A total of 616 people entered which is a fantastic number! *

~~~

 

 

Oh, the weather outside is crappy

 

 So, I'll just take a nappy.

 

The snow will cover the pot holes

 

And the sleet will ping the windows

 

But I'll be napping happily

 

Until it's time for some Bordeaux!

© Becky Povich

 

 

 

 

What can I say?! I'm the one who has this on my side bar:

 

 

"There's a poet within me, seeking words that rhyme with crap!"



Hello and Welcome to 2013

No, I didn't welcome 2013 with an alcoholic drink, 

but I'm taking on Maxine's attitude for the year

because this is the year for 60th Birthdays

for myself and most of my school-age friends.

I just happen to be the one born the earliest in 1953,

and I'm happy to lead the way in Celebrating our Sixties!

The following song lyrics just popped into my head and I think they'll be my 2013 Theme Song because no matter what I do this year, especially pertaining to my writing or publishing, "I got to keep on moving"!

Ain't nothin' gonna break my stride
Nobody's gonna slow me down, oh-no 
I got to keep on moving
Ain't nothin' gonna break my stride
I'm running and I won't touch ground 
Oh-no, I got to keep on moving

~~

Matthew Wilder

Please don't forget my Kickstarter Project ends on my birthday, January 6th. If you can help in any way, I'm very grateful. 

It's October 1st, So Where's Becky?

Be back soon...gotta get back to writing as many hours a day as I can!

Thanks for stopping by here and over at Jen's blog. 

I'm guest blogging today at Jennifer Daiker's fabulous blog:Unedited

Grab your coffee or tea, stop on by and say hello, okay?

photo taken by Becky: one of my Maxine sticky-notes!

"It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else." -- Erma Bombeck

A Winner, Some Writing Info, and Another Blog Break

I'm happy to announce the winner of my book(s) give away posted on July 18. 
The winner is......by random drawing......Kathy of "Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy!" Congratulations, Kathy! As soon as Kathy lets me know which two books she wants, they will be on their way to her. Thanks to those of you who participated!


Please don't forget about writing contests and/or calls for submissions that I've recently mentioned. Also, please remember Publishing Syndicate is looking for stories for several anthologies. All you writers -- start submitting! As the lottery slogan says, "You can't win if you don't play."

(photo of one of my favorite coffee mugs)

It's time for me to take another BBB. (Brief Blog Break!) I'll be drinking lots of coffee, out of various favorite mugs. The one above says Sister Mary Morning Blend. That just cracks me up!

google image

As much as I enjoy writing blog posts and trying to read a few friends' blogs, I just can't do it and still have enough time to be committed to my memoir. So, until further notice, I'll be pounding the old keyboard with scathingly brilliant pages (uh, I certainly hope I do) to complete my memoir. Please keep me in your thoughts, as I will keep you in mine.

    And you know who else cracks me up.......Maxine!

I Got My Mojo Back!

(picture I took of one of my Maxine cartoons) 

For the past two weeks, Vern and I haven't been able to go on our walks because it's just been too darn HOT!  My part of the world has been experiencing 100+ degrees (Fahrenheit) for about 10 days in a row. Although it's been much less humid than normal, it's still uncomfortable. 


Last night it finally occurred to me that Vern and I could walk really early in the morning before the oppressive heat arrives. I wake up early anyway....so duh! We walked at 6:45am and it was bearable. Thank goodness, because I really needed that, both physically and mentally. 


I've been blaming the heat for my lack of creative thoughts because I couldn't seem to write anything for my memoir, or e-mails or snail-mail.


But, guess what? After our walk this morning, I got my Mojo back! 

(credit: moviecarpet.com)

Yeah, Baby!

Neither heat, or humidity, or anything else, is going to interfere with my writing. If you've lost your Mojo, I hope you get it back soon!

"If you saw a heat wave, would you wave back?" -- Stephen Wright

"Barometer, n.: An ingenious instrument which indicates what kind of weather we are having." -- Ambrose Bierce

* To Do Lists *

What kind of things are on your To Do List? Mine just seems to keep getting more added to it, and hardly any crossed off. Go to post office and mail packages. Pick up photographs from art contest. Type up those notes from that meeting a month ago, that I've promised to different people. Do a blog post about different anthologies and contests I want to mention. Read those three library books I borrowed and already had to renew. Contact so-and-so about a guest blog post and book give-away. Write. Write. Write. Calls for Submissions, Contests, and my memoir. Add a zillion more things I need and/or want to accomplish. There's 24 Hours every day, yet even when I'm very careful about not wasting time, I feel like I don't have much to show for it when midnight rolls around. (Notice I haven't even mentioned house cleaning or laundry!)

Every day for the past week, I've told myself that TODAY is the day I'll reply to comments. I'll answer e-mails. I'll get to many of the blogs I want to stop at, read, and comment on. And another day goes by, and it's 12:30am and I have to get some sleep.

Well, at least I did work a lot on a chapter for my memoir the past two days, and I'm very pleased with myself for that. As The Ronald always says, "I've got that going for me!"

"How long a minute is, depends on which side of the bathroom door you're on." ~ Zall's Second Law

Maxine and More

Gotta love Maxine!

She tells it like it is!

I think I need to learn how to have a martini every now and then!



In September of 2010, my blog friend TK Richardson and I got together and started "Comment Like Crazy," a weekly blog feature. We had the best of intentions but I don't think either one of us got very far with it. I know I didn't! (You can read all about it HERE)

I'm not announcing any new attempt at this, just the fact that this weekend, February 18 and 19, I will spend LOTS of time reading and commenting on as many blogs as I can. We all have important and/or entertaining things to say, and pictures to post, and they deserve as much attention as they can get! I can't promise a long and drawn out comment, but I'll do my best!☺  

** Speaking of comments, I'm sure you've all noticed by now the horrendous new verification baloney that Blogger has us doing! Ridiculous! They don't even give anyone a choice..Therefore, I have elected to do away with my verification feature. I have my Comment Setting scheduled for me to check on, and give the okay to, any comments on posts that are older than seven days. That way I will most likely see any spam or inappropriate comments before they are displayed.**

* I'll also be back on Sunday, with my Nostalgic Sunday post. *

"Isn't it a little embarrassing to live in a country started by people who buckled their hats?" - Maxine

"Those one-shoulder tops are great if you're too lazy to shave both armpits." - Maxine

* Nostalgic Sundays *

Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

Memories and ideas (for my book) pop into my head quite often. And just as quickly as my mind attempts to grasp those thoughts and hang onto them, all too often they pop right out again, not even leaving a wisp of a reminiscence.

Because of those short-lived reflections, I try to have paper and pen everywhere. Two of the most recent scribbled notes have these words on them: Ball and Jacks, (and) Pop Beads. Oh my gosh, how I loved playing the game of Jacks, and creating jewelry with my Pop Beads!

Over the past couple of years I've thought about buying some Jacks, but the only ones I ever saw in stores were the huge, plastic ones.

Google/Ebay image

Nope. Don't like 'em. Gotta be more like I remember. So, eventually the Old Light-Bulb came on, I looked on Google and bought some from Amazon. And an extra benefit: I read many comments on the Amazon page from women of my generation who said they were great for hand eye coordination and improving motor skills.

Here's five of the jacks, the ball, and my palm. I actually got through Onesis last night! ☺

How many of you played Jacks when you were little? And would you like to do it again?

* I know many of us are still having "issues" with trying to leave and respond to comments. It is quite annoying, but I decided I'm not going to make any changes on my blog, unless I absolutely HAVE to.

It seems that Maxine feels the same......

"Change is good as long as I don't have to do anything different." -- Maxine



* Nostalgic Sundays *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday....Already??

Today I had a difficult time coming up with something for Nostalgic Sunday. Actually, that's not quite true. I had an idea, but after rummaging around four or five boxes of photos, and still not finding THE ONE photo I was looking for, it was time for Plan B.

This is what The Ronald gave me for my birthday this year. He's been down and out with some kind of cold or flu, but still managed to go to a store and bought the lovely basket of fresh flowers. (Carnations are one of my favorites because they last so long.) 

And then, his sense of humor shines brightly with the cake mix box (He didn't feel well enough to  make it...don't know why he didn't just buy one while he was out!) And of course, the numbered candles on top really made me laugh, because that's not how old I am this year, which he knew...but he said we didn't have a "9" in the cabinets! (another thought of why not buy one?!)  ☺But, I was thrilled with his thoughtfulness!

Flash Back quite a few birthdays. This was during my contact lenses and perms phase. That is my baby boy, Mark, and myself on my 35th Birthday! Awwww... Very happy times!

Back to the year 2012 and reality! Oh, how I used to love to tease my mom about her flabby under-arms. Shame on me, but how was I to know I would have the same affliction someday?!

Welcome to my newest follower, Denise Covey. I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see. Thank you!

"Life is a handful of short stories, pretending to be a novel." -- Anonymous

WOMEN'S WISDOM

I just can't pass up words of wisdom, especially those spoken by women.....

MAXINE

~~~~~~~~

"I've had heartaches, headaches, toothaches, earaches, and I've had a few pains in the ass; but I've survived to tell about it." -- Dolly Parton

~~~~~~~

"Old age is when the liver spots show through your gloves." -- Phyllis Diller

~~~~~~

"The heyday of a woman's life is the shady side of fifty." -- Elizabeth Cady Stanton

~~~~~~

And finally, another MAXINE!

Have a beautiful, blissful weekend!



* Are You Kidding Me? *

OMG! Only this minute did I see that in my Profile Photo, I look just like Maxine! (see post below) Hand on face, open mouth, and I guess she's wearing glasses??!!

Only difference is.....I'm happy 99% of the time.....and Maxine is crabby 100% of the time! 
Oh, and I need to be holding a cup of coffee!  ☺

"Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day." -- Unknown

* A Waggish Wednesday *

I'm in a silly mood tonight which is usually quite common for me. It made me think of the word "waggish" which I discovered a year or so ago. I looked back through my old posts just now and noticed that not only was it one year ago, it was in the month of September! I used it for two post titles. One on the 15th of September 2010, and one on the 30th.


If you've known me for very long, you know I love it when these ♪♫ Twilight Zoney ♪♫ things happen to me. These Cosmic Sensations. These Serendipitous Happenings. You get the idea.

So, what is my waggish post for tonight. (By the way, "waggish" mean roguish in merriment and good humor, mischievous, merry, droll, comical, and funny.....Pretty much describes me!)

Uh...maybe THIS is why I'm feeling so kooky tonight!

I'm feeling good because I'm writing. Last night I submitted a short-short fictional story for a contest.

AND I'm writing a story for "Chicken Soup for the Soul; I Can't Believe My Dog Did That!" I'm working on a humorous story I began some time ago. It's about our first dog, Rocky. I don't have any digital photos of him, but he looked very similar to Tiger Gal. I would be thrilled, obviously, if the story was accepted for publication!

Welcome to my newest follower, Kelley. I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see! Thank you!


"Right now I'm having amnesia and deja-vu at the same time. I think I've forgotten this before." Steven Wright

* SOMETIMES A LITTLE BIT OF MAXINE HELPS *

Wow! It's amazing how much I can accomplish when I wake up and I mean Wide Awake, at 5:00 am. After just a few minutes, I realized I wasn't going back to sleep, so I got up and began my day. I glanced at the time I began writing this and was shocked to see it wasn't even noon yet. Woo-hoo...I'm going to make real progress on numerous tasks today. AND, all you writers will be pleased to know I wrote quite a bit in my memoir this morning. I'll be writing much more, too, before the night is over.

Those who've been stopping by for a few months or more, also know that every now and then I get in a mood about choosing a title for my memoir. I make myself crazy for a few days, thinking I can't possibly write another word until THE TITLE is chosen. I've even listed chapter names and asked who thought any of them would make a good title. But that's a bit difficult, since none of you have read any of it yet...well, except for a few people in my critique group!

Part of my predicament is the fact that *I DID have a title. For YEARS. I just KNEW* it was a fabulous, eye-catching title. But...a couple of things have made me question it over the past few months...so I'm kind of back to square one.

Addem: 6:50pm CDT: As some of you know, the title I've been carrying around in my mind, FOR YEARS, is "That Crowbar Changed Everything".  A pretty important person doesn't like it, but everyone else who's ever heard it, loves it and wants to know...."HUH?" What's the story? And as I type this, I'm leaning back toward it again... ☺

What about you? If you're a writer, what makes you crazy from time to time?
And if you're not a writer, I'd like to know what makes you crazy, too!

Also welcome to my newest followers: Mommies Frugal Finds, Sandi, and Linda Medrano. I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see! Thank you!

"Yelling really loud can sometimes ease tension…and sometimes it makes everyone else in the library jump out of their skin." -- Maxine