On Walkabout

Hello Blog. You are looking well. You look almost the same as when we last met more than three years ago. It's comforting that you have held up so well. 

Yes, it has been a long time. Much has happened. Birthdays, anniversaries, new friends, new jobs, new pastimes, new photos. So many photos... 

I feel a little bad that I've let you languish for so long, abandoned through no fault of your own. It feels good to be here now, writing. I haven't done that in a long time. 

I've missed it, and I haven't. Have you missed me? Nevermind, don't answer. I'd rather not know the truth.

I know I only just arrived, but I need to move along now. I'll come back again. 

Hopefully sooner than this time. 

No promises though. 

It's NaNoWriMo Time Again

We have, yet again, come 'round to the Month of November.

For some this means more facial hair (or the unsuccessful attempt at more) in their lives, whether it's on their own face or their partner's. The photos and status updates have been... interesting, thus far.

For others it means Thanksgiving is fast approaching and so is all the excitement/joy/family togetherness/stress/anxiety/depression that goes along with it. My Facebook feed is filling up with posts about what people are thankful for, and what they plan to make for their big family gettogether.

Then there's the group who realize it's go time. That novel they planned to write "someday" isn't going to write itself. Those are the NaNoWriMo-ers. Those are the people who ignore everything but their notebooks or computers and the voices in their heads telling them to "WRITE, WRITE, WRITE!"

I am in my fifth year of NaNo, and while I'm struggling to get my word count (the goal is 50k in 30 days) I know I still have time to catch up. It's only the 6th after all. I'm letting my novel lead this time, and already in the first 1200 words, I've had two major surprises. I'm starting to like my novel. It's taking longer than usual, but it is happening, and for that I am thankful.

More Than Just A Photo

Photos have taken over this blog.

I have several posts sitting in the draft folder. Some just need a final polish, others are barely more than a rough thought, a vague idea of what I want to write about.

Someday, I will finish those posts.

Someday, they will see the light of day.

Until then, though, I will continue to share a photo every Sunday.

Keep Britain Breastfeeding

This month I am excited and proud to say that I am participating in an international blogging event to help promote breastfeeding in Britain (and the rest of the UK as well, I think). This huge event was pulled together by a fab lady by the name of Karen McCully. She is passionate about improving the breastfeeding rates in her country, and I'm super excited to have a small hand in her endeavor. 


She has set up a blog called Breastfeeding in England and is running a fun scavenger hunt contest all month. There are several bloggers and companies participating in the hunt, and there will be information and prizes galore! 


Each week there is a different theme that we bloggers will write about. I look forward to sharing any information and experiences I can with all the other mamas and mamas-to-be out there. 


"But you're in America, and all this is happening in England. How can that possibly work?" I admit, when I first saw Karen's tweet I wasn't sure if I would be able to participate because I wasn't "local", but as Karen so wisely replied, "The internet has no borders. It would be good to see different perspectives." So here I am. 


Good luck to you all, and HAPPY NURSING!!

An Open Letter To Rick Santorum

The following is an open letter to Rick Santorum:

Photo Credit:

www.businessinsider.com

For the past week, you have been staying at the HGI in Urbandale, IA. My husband is the chef there, and he has been cooking you breakfast every day. Breakfast that you have been stealing.

Yeah, that's right, you've been STEALING it. Breakfast at the HGI is not free, Mr. Santorum. Your refusal to pay is the same as dining and dashing, and it also has a direct impact on the economy of Iowa. How's that you ask? Please allow me to break it down for you.

You, Mr. Santorum, don't pay for your meal >> the cost of that stolen food raises my husband's food cost percentage >> as his food cost percentage rises, his bonus amount falls >> as his bonus shrinks, our ability to pay bills or return money to the local economy suffers >> restricted cash flow to the local economy causes loss of jobs and skyrocketing unemployment rates. All because you couldn't slap down a few bucks.

Way to help protect jobs and lower the unemployment rate.

So, just to recap: Rick Santorum doesn't want to shell out $8 for breakfast which leads to massive unemployment, poverty,general despair, and (eventually) anarchy for Iowa and it's residents.

Thanks Rick. Hope you remember that next time you climb on to that multi-million dollar mansion on wheels you've been riding around in.

I love that he parks his rolling mansion right out front taking up six spots for the bus and a seventh for the white van that's also part of his circus. Makes it hard for other hotel guests to get a decent spot when you do that Rick.

And just a little tip for future reference, a signed 8x10 glossy is not an acceptable tip for the Hispanic immigrant waitress who kept your coffee cup full while you shoveled pilfered eggs and hash browns into your gullet you pompous, arrogant fuck. She had no idea who you were, and that picture isn't going to feed her kids or pay her rent.

He is, however, a clown.

Photo Credit:

leftwingnutjob.net

***DISCLAIMER***
Rick Santorum may not actually be the anti-Christ, nor is it likely that he will single-handedly bring about full on anarchy (though I have heard he's lobbying hard for the Apocalypse.)


Also, this is my own humble personal opinion, and in no way reflects the opinions of my husband, the HGI Johnston, or any of it's employees.

It's Almost NaNoWriMo Time

The past two years I have been able to donate to the OLL, and have felt good about my helping bring the joy of creative expression through the written word to 100's of 1000's of people. This year, I am unable to find the money to donate to such a worthy cause. Our budget just doesn't have the room. That's where you come in. You can donate to the OLL for me. And, as an added bonus, you can encourage, harass, and poke me with a stick if I start to fall behind, since you are sponsoring me and my novel. Now doesn't that sound like fun?

Review of My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software and Giveaway

Hello!

This week I have been test driving the My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software. I have posted a few "sneak peeks" of what the software can do throughout the week, and as promised, here is the review. Stay tuned because there is also a giveaway!

The primary function of the My Memories Digital Scrapbooking Software seems to be creating digital scrapbook pages, as the name would imply. However, the software has more to offer. You can add video to your pages. Have music playing in the background, thus creating a slideshow movie, and you can also have your pages professionally bound into a book or made into a calendar. You can also export your pages direct to DVD, to an iPod, as an interactive album, or make it into a movie. One thing to note, when you burn direct to DVD, any hot spot video or sound that you have added will be disabled.

I found working from the templates easier than trying to build completely from scratch. Unlike with traditional scrapbooking, I found it hard to get all the elements to line up and fit the way I wanted them to, so after a frustrating hour and having only one page to show for it, I went back to the ready-for-photos templates to create this last post.

I've chosen the movie option to share this album with you.

This is the video uploaded straight from my computer. Since not everyone has a blog, I also posted it to YouTube, so you could see just how easy it is to share your video album. You can go here to see what it looks like on YouTube. 

In this format, the video I added is still enabled, but I would recommend increasing the amount of time on each page from the default 5 seconds. This video was created using the computer quality option. It is kind of gritty and pixelated, and it's hard to see the images. There is also a web option, but that option states that it would be a medium quality (lower than this setting) smaller image playback.

I also created a second copy of the album still using the movie option, but I went with the DVD quality instead of the computer quality, and I increased the page view time to 10 seconds (the max. allowable time) to see if it made a difference when loading it to YouTube. You can see that version  here, or just watch it below.

The upload time was significantly longer for the DVD quality video as compared to the computer version, but well worth the wait.

To see the other album pages I created with the software, click here and here.

How do I see the My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software being used by the average person? Well, you can see how My Memories envisions it being used by watching their YouTube video here. It would be very handy for new moms wanting to show off the baby, family of service men and women who are stationed overseas, someone wanting to create a very personalized baby book, and anyone who has too many photos and not enough time or space to put them in a traditional scrapbook. The FastFill option would be especially helpful there. When you purchase the Digital Scrapbooking Software, it comes with a few templates already, but if you don't find what you're looking for in there don't worry. There are hundreds more available at the My Memories site, more than 65 are FREE and even more (over 200!) are less than one dollar.

A few things to keep in mind:
1.) When you download the Digital Scrapbooking Software, a dialogue box pops up and tells you to turn off sleep mode. I have no idea how to do this, so I just ignored the advice and moved on. I would not recommend that you do the same. I had planned to stay by my computer and make sure it didn't switch to sleep, but things didn't work out as planned. The download stopped at 73% and I had to start over.
2.) The download takes a while. we are using 1.5MB DSL and it took about an hour for it to download completely. Once it's downloaded, it installs really quickly, though.
3.) I had some issues with the text editor. Ok, I had a lot of issues with the text editor. Maybe it was just me, but I found it very frustrating. Mostly I had problems with the formatting portion of the text editor when trying to change the font or size of text, and it seemed that the more I used the "undo" feature, the worse it got. This might be because I'm using Windows 7, and it doesn't always like to play nice.

Now for the fun part!

My Memories is allowing me to give away a copy of their Digital Scrapbooking Software FREE!!

Here's how to enter:

Mandatory Entries:
First, you need to subscribe to my blog. It's real easy. Over on the right there are a few options (follow by e-mail, follow on Google Friend Connect, or subscribe to posts) chose one and leave me a comment telling me how you are following. Be sure to leave your e-mail so I can let you know if you win.

Second, go to the My Memories site and check out their neat kits. Leave me a comment telling me what your favorite kit/paper pack/template is, and you'll be entered again. Be sure to leave your e-mail address in your comment so I can contact you if you win.

Want more chances to win? Of course you do! For each of the following items, you get another entry into the drawing:

1.) Go to My Memories blog and subscribe or follow them. Leave me a comment letting me know how you are following.

2.) Like My Memories on Facebook. Leave me a comment with your Facebook name so I can find you.

3.) Follow My Memories on Twitter. Leave me a comment with your Twitter handle so I can find you.

4.) Follow me on Twitter. Leave me a comment with your Twitter handle so I know you're a real person and not a spambot.

So there you have it. Six possible tickets in the drawing if you take advantage of all the options.

Since this is my first giveaway, I'm not sure how long I should leave the entry window open for. How about a week? I'll allow entries until 9 am CST on Sunday, September 11, 2011. I'll draw a random winner from all eligible entries on Sunday, and post the winner's name on my blog as well as contacting them by e-mail.

Contest Extended!!

Drawing will be held on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011.

BONUS!

If you aren't patient enough to wait for the drawing to end, and you want to purchase the My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software now, you can save $10.00 when you use this coupon code:  STMMMS11009. Just copy and paste it into your cart at check-out.

Also, when you purchase the My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software, you get a coupon code in your receipt e-mail for $10.00 off anything on the My Memories site.

GOOD LUCK!!

A Foray Into Reviewing

Recently I was contacted by My Memories to test out their software and write a review on here. I was shocked to say the least. Someone out there is actually looking at my blog! So after thinking about it for a few days, I decided to give it a try.

I will be playing with and reviewing photo editing software made by My Memories. The program can do so much more though. According to the site I can make videos and scrapbook pages too.

As a bonus for my readers, My Memories is also allowing me to give one copy away to a lucky reader and they are also offering a coupon for $10 off a purchase of the software at their online store. Simply copy and paste this code: STMMMS11009 into your cart at check-out.

I've downloaded the software and will take it for a test drive this week, then I'll post my review on Saturday so you can see how hard I was working all week.

In the meantime, go check out My Memories (www.mymemories.com) and take a look at all they have to offer.

Back In The Swing Of Things

I have to admit, I’m really enjoying the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that goes along with completing a writing project. I haven’t felt that in ages, not since I was writing for KCCI’s Local Voices. Now that I’ve put up a few new posts on my personal blog, I want more.

There's nothing like a fresh cup of coffee and a fresh page

I want to work on my 2009 NaNoWriMo novel, and get it finished (this is especially important now that I have joined a critique group, and have handed out my first chapter to several near strangers asking them for their input.) I just hope I can keep the momentum going. I’d really like to write “The End” on my first novel.


That will have to wait until tomorrow though, because it is nearly 2 am, and I am falling asleep at my keyboard.

Why I love Fall (Orig Post Date 10/19/10)

As the sticky heat of summer surrenders to the refreshing cool of fall, my favorite season begins.

 From spring to summer, the only real change is more heat and less rain. But the slide of summer into fall means crisp nights that are perfect for sweatshirts and hot cocoa; beautiful fiery leaves clinging to trees lining the roads and peeking out from behind houses; and frost sparkling in the bright morning sun.


Fall is also when some of my favorite activities happen. Back to school, National Novel Writing Month, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and my birthday all happen in the fall (though back to school seems to be creeping farther and farther into the summer). Then there’s apple picking, pumpkin hunting and carving, and hay rack rides with hot apple cider.

The view from by grandma's back porch in Penn.

I look forward to fall every year, but this year I have a few new reasons. With the baby due soon, I’ll have another birthday to celebrate as the days grow short and the nights get chilly. I love birthdays and having parties just to celebrate another year of life. I also love to make birthday cakes. My daughter has had at least one every year, everything from butterflies to mermaids and horses. Invariably, my daughter will walk into the kitchen when her cake is half done and tell me: “It doesn’t look very good” or “I don’t think that’s going to work” or (my personal favorite) “That’s not what I wanted at all,” but once I pipe that last flower, sea urchin, or rosette she is able to see the grand plan, and suddenly I’m the hero of the day. (If only I could get her to remember that from year to year.)


This year, the best part of moving from summer to fall has been the return of my ankles. With my daughter, I was at my most pregnant in early July, so it was hot, but not the infamous “State Fair Hot” that all Iowans are familiar with. My feet would swell daily and I lived in flip-flops, but thankfully it was only for the last few weeks. This time, things were a little different. There was a stretch of about six to eight weeks where my poor feet were unrecognizable as feet. If I slept with them elevated, they looked a little better for a few hours in the morning, but it rarely lasted past 10 am.


Then the weather started to cool and the humidity dropped off, and suddenly I had my feet back. I could wear shoes again! Putting socks on and getting the shoes tied is still quite a production, but I’m managing.


So, while the highlight of the seasonal shift this year is the return of my feet and ankles, I know that that is only temporary, and soon will be eclipsed by the joy I’ll feel as I hold this perfect new person for the first time. I’m already looking forward to Thanksgiving (mere days after the baby should arrive) when I’ll have one more thing to be thankful for, and I’m even looking on to next year when I’ll have another life to celebrate, another cake to bake. I can’t wait to find out if it will be a flower or a fire truck.

Ages

It has been so long since I last posted on either of my blogs, that I feel compelled to do a simultaneous post to let you all know that I have not forgotten about you. My life has taken a few turns since August, and I have been preoccupied with my immediate surroundings, and have neglected to make the time for my loyal followers (all three of you) out in the cyber world.

Makaya has started school (more on her first day of school in another post), and with that comes more work and responsibility than I had first imagined. I am still unemployed, but have taken advantage of that to work more on my writing, and after some very favorable feedback on one of my children’s stories, feel I am ready to tackle that query letter and really put myself out there. I have joined a new writers group that meets twice a month, which helps keep my motivation and courage up since I don’t have to go so long between meetings. Through this group, I have met several wonderful people who are excellent writers, and I'm hoping some of their talent will rub off on me. I haven’t been to the gym as often as I would like, and have to find the time and motivation to get back in there and make my goal of a slimmer, healthier me a reality.

That is all I have time for at this moment, but I will hopefully have more very soon.Until next time...
C'est la vie...