Who Is Ready For Christmas?

As 2011 comes to a close, I have been trying to tie up some loose ends as far as finances and first drafts go.

Yes! I wrote a 50,000 word novel in November for the infamous NaNoWriMo. I met many cool people and learned a few things about what a lot of writers do when rushed for wordage and have no idea what to write.

DREAM SEQUENCE!!

It's funny to me because I happened to hit my 50,000 word count without a dream sequence, but I want to throw one in there just for the sheer hell of it. I see alot of dreams in movies, and I read them in a lot of books.

At first I had a hard time trying to stay on track because I have a mild undiagnosed version of A.D.D. which gets me acting like a kitty cat and a pen light.

What was that??

Anyway.. I did manage to get a plot idea and ran with it.. I threw my draft in a drawer until January 1, 2012 (which thankfully is a Sunday). I will then go through it with a highlighter and a red pen. I am actually looking forward to going through it because I once read that anyone can write. The real work is in the editing. I have quite a bit of faith that I can pull it off.

Right now I am outlining a memoir type book.

Christmas!! Got almost all the presents I need for my loved ones and co-workers. We got a tree this year. We put the little stuffed penguin under it, we went to the store and got ornaments and pretty lights. And yes, if you look closely at the top of the tree that is Jim Morrison. My daughter made a Jim Morrison tree star!

I didn't even notice it until she said something and I cracked up. Only my sixteen year old daughter would think of putting Jim Morrison on the top of a Christmas Tree! I still am a littel floored that my teenage daughter is so in love with many of the bands from the early 70's. I mean, I was at her age as well (I grew up in the 80's). I loved Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Hendrix... I loved them all. My parents listened to all of that stuff so I by default did as well. I guess the default carries from generation to generation.

So Happy Holidays to everyone. I hope you get everything you ask for! May you and your family be blessed in the coming year.

Whatcha Gonna Do?

Tomorrow is my last vacation day of the year. I always take my last day in October. There is something about the early stages of fall that I am in love with.

I will have the house to myself from approximately 7:30 am until 3:00 pm.

In this time I plan on doing much writing. I am also going to put together a reasonable writing schedule. I always wind up making a schedule I cannot stick to and then feel deflated when I don't meet my goals.

I will keep my goals small and attainable. If I surpass them... yay me.

This week we bought a really nice camera off Amazon.com. I am excited about this! I love photography and prefer adding my own pictures to my blogs as opposed to pictures I find off the web. I always feel so dirty about adding web pictures. I mean, I am using someone's hard work for my own gain. The photographers are impossible to contact and when I manage to contact someone, they take a long time to get back to me... if they ever get back to me at all.

I like taking pictures of architecture and nature. I am not big into photographing people. This picture is from a church in Pennsylvania. We call it the "Pyramid Church" because of all the buildings that look like this. My friend Joe went to one of the sermons there a while back. All he could say was that it was "interesting." Now, the sermon does not take place in one of these actual pyramids. How cramped would that be?

I mostly like old dilapidated buildings. People ask me why. I don't have an answer. Who really has an answer for the odd things we like.

The other night I was sitting on the step, smoking a cigarette when I heard this loud fluttering. Suddenly, something was sitting on my chest with prickly feet. I looked down to see a huge Praying Mantis. They are supposed to be good luck or something.

That would be nice.

The ABC's of Me

A - Always on time.
B - Battle. As in I battle anything and anyone when I am sure I am right.
C - Cats. I love them. I have two and when I hit the lottery will be a rescue kitty woman.
D - Darlene. My name that I hated until I turned 28.
E - Eggs. Love them. My favorite go to protein food.
F - Freak. I get called this a lot for a lot of reasons.
G - Goofy. As in - Darlene you are so goofy! And I am. Really.
H - Highways. I looove to drive and ride. On the road = Happy. Another H!
I - Ice Cream. Not a big fan.
J - James. Half the men in my family have this name.
K - Kickoff. Football. Fall.
L - Long walks. In the park. I'm serious.
M - Momentary Lapse of Reason = awesome Pink Floyd song.
N - Nerd. That's me! Deep down inside and slightly on the surface.
O - Overreact. I do this a lot; have a few books on how not to do this.. but I do it anyway.
P - Pickles! My cat's alter ego.
Q - Quintessential.. a word I use often.
R - Rabid Wolf Spider. Love spiders. The Rabid Wolf Spider is neither rabid nor wolf like.
S - Sleep. I do not do it enough.
T - Take It To The Limit. A song by the Eagles that makes me smile. Every time.
U - Under achiever. A curse that I am still trying to break.
V - Violin. I played for four years while in grade school.
W - Writer. I finally tell people I am a .. gulp.. writer.
X - Xylophone - I played the xylophone in the 5th grade Christmas concert.
Y - Yak - I had a stuffed one with green fur when I was 8.
Z - Zippo. My other cats name. He is named after the song by Corrosion of Conformity... not the lighter.

Thanks to Little Miss Nerd Girl for this idea. Click the link and check out her ABC's.

Perspective and Story Ideas

Ha.. ok, bad title. But hey..
So this week was interesting. I do not have the Ninja 1000 much longer.. maybe 3 weeks? My daughter's 16th birthday approaches.. must make plans for that.

Today Andy and I put the bicycles on the car and headed down to Kelly Drive/West River Drive/Art Museum area in Philadelphia. It was a great day to be outside and we took full advantage.

We did an 8 mile loop and I was sad that I do not have a camera at the moment. There were so many great shots!

There was a line of people to get a picture with the Rocky Statue. I thought that was interesting.

I also made a comment to Andy about an interesting story idea I got when we rode down Kelly Drive and off to the right was a bathroom and a trail that led back into the woods.
Andy told me I was demented, to which I replied "I guess all writers are then."

My novel is coming along nicely. I was glad to be in and driving through Philadelphia today. I got a lot of points of interest for my book and came up with a potential subplot.

My goal for this week is to write a total of 5000 words. Which days that gets done is of minor importance. I'll do a little more mapped of a schedule tomorrow.

In very sad news, my co-worker Nancy, who has Stage Four Colon Cancer, is back in the hospital. She is so sweet to everyone and does so much for so many. I am saddest for her daughters who are 19 and 16. I was talking to my youngest, who will be 16 this month. She told me how devastated she would be if I got sick and then eventually died.

I didn't know what to say. Knowing someone who has their life put in an unimaginable perspective puts a spin on things. I often get wrapped up in the day to day mindless crap. But then, I see Nancy at work. She looks like she'd blow away if a strong breeze came along. She looks so tired.

And I think.. "what the hell am I bitching about?"

Have a great week everyone.. stick to your guns and never give up.

Getting The Mojo Back

This week has been pretty ho hum. I made a lot of progress on my WIP. I did some chapter outlines and posted the very rough draft of the first chapter to Writer's Digest Critique Corner and got a few feedback comments. I amvery excited with the path I want to take the story in.

In motorcycle news... I did go out on the Ninja 1000 yesterday. I rode with Andy and Chris. We decided to just do a loop through Doylestown and stopped off at Five Guys Burgers And Fries out there. I didn't wear a jacket or gloves... I know, I know.. I am very bad. But the frame on the bike gets so damn hot I literally feel like I am going to pass out from heat exhaustion if I wear gear. A very big drawback to the otherwise excellently put together 2011 Kawasaki Ninja 1000.

Book I am reading: Nikki Sixx - The Heroin Diaries. Gripping, sad and eye opening. Nikki Sixx of the famed Motley Crue and Sixx A.M. published his diary. I guess I am kind of living in a cave or something because apparently my sister read it two years ago.

My goals for the week are quite simple.
Continue writing. Continue blog commenting.

It's Getting Better... All The Time!

Alright... wow. This week was a blur in a way. I drove my daughter to Warp Tour on Thursday, she had a blast. The heat was insane, it hit like 100 that day. I had my concerns, but she and her friend each took a big bottle of water and the concert venue had a free refilling station.

I got "The Heroin Diaries - A Year In The Life of a Shattered Rock Star" by Nikki Sixx in the mail last week. I am having a hard time putting it down. It is sad, funny, troubling and surreal to sum it up. As a recovering addict/alcoholic myself, I can relate to a lot of things he writes about. So far I have only cried twice.

I have a book idea! Yay me! I pulled out my BIAM spiral book that has been collecting dust for the last six months and finally started using it. I did start writing a part of my life about the worst ten years of my life, but it is pretty painful to go through. I might not be ready for that. The book idea I have a ran across Andy and he said it sounded pretty interesting, so I am stoked as I do my outline.

I never really did an outline before. I would just write and then lose interest. I think the losing interest was due to having no direction.

I rode Thor a couple times this week. Honestly, it has just been too hot. The temperature has gotten to well above 100 degrees a few times this week. The heat is sickening. Since I was about 32 years old, my body just cannot handle the heat like it used to. I get real sick with a wicked headache. Heat stroke? Not sure.

Well, time for me to go wake Andy up from his morning nap. We are going to his mother's today.

Peace!

Motley Crue and Motorcycles!

Does it ever end? This last week was nuts. Driving my daughter back and forth to her friends, trying to write in between working, blogging, riding my motorcycle, and walking. *sigh* exhaling now.

We went on a few motorcycle rides this week and even went on a short one today!

Oh... the best thing? I went to the Motley Crue/Poison concert Saturday night! It was a blast. My friend Katie took my picture and there was a message to send in fan photos. Katie sent it in and when Motley Crue did Home Sweet Home they put up all the fan photos one by one as they played and mine was one of them!

Katie, her sister Amy and I started screaming and pointing like school girls. It was awesome.
Shortly after that, Tommy Lee did a drum solo on his drum kit while the drum kit was spinning around! Very cool.
But it got better. Vince Neil, the lead singer, called this guy named Tony up on the stage and he got to go on the drum kit with Tommy Lee!

Sunday a bunch of us hopped on the motorcycles and rode over to Princeton, NJ for smoothies and a light lunch. The weather was a little warm but it felt so good to get back out and ride.

This week I am going to give you the link to Sonia G. Medeiros. She is very talented and super funny. I met her through an online class hosted by Kristen Lamb, who I will be profiling soon. I love Sonia's blog. She keeps it real and always has very interesting information. Keep up the good work, Sonia!

Until next week my little tiddlywinks.. be merry, take chances and make those dreams a reality!

Getting Jiggy With It

Ha!! Getting jiggy with life. This week was great. Work was kind of awful in a few spots, but my writing is flowing very well. My Great 80's blog is coming along nicely. I have a few posts up. My friend Rich Concannon (who is obsessed with the 80's like me) will be doing a guest post shortly on a great 80's mash up band called Rock Sugar. You'll want to check that out!

In Ninja News, I haven't rode Thor, The Ninja 1000, yet because the registration is expired and I am waiting on it to come in the mail from Cycle World. So today I took my green machine out for a nice 150 mile ride through Pennsylvania. We stopped off at Gabriel's II Pizza for a late lunch.

Each Sunday I will be putting up one of my blog followers for you to check out. Today's blog to check out and follow is LJ at LJ Writes. Her blog is entertaining and informative. You owe it to yourself to drop by. She has a great style and makes me laugh. Thanks, LJ!

Saturday I will be going to the Poison/Motley Crue concert with my friends Katie and Amy. I will be doing a write up about the show on my 80's blog. If you love hair metal... go on over and sign up for updates.

Until next Sunday.. keep it real and stay true to yourself.

Ending On A High Note

I gotta tell ya.. I can be lazy. I lack serious self-motivation quite often. But when I do a job, I do it to the best of my ability. I cried in work this past week because my boss decided to scream at me in front of two co-workers. Yeah, not fun. I refused to cry in front of him, took the berating and walked away with my head held high. I stormed down the hallway, to the bathroom, shut the door sat on the toilet (with the lid down) and cried. It is moments like these that I ask myself, "what are you waiting for, Darlene?"

Seriously. What am I waiting for? There is no magical fairyland of publishers, no winning lottery ticket in my midst. There is no fairy godmother that is going to tickle my nose with fairy dust in my sleep and take me way to the life of my dreams. I have to earn it. I have to own it.

I have been writing... a lot. I have noticed in my writing that I am developing my voice and I kind of like it. I'm a little bit of a smart ass and I am okay with that.

This week is finally over. *stars, whistles, a cheering crowd*

We rode up to New Hope Friday night via the motorcycles to drink iced coffee and watch fire works. The weather was perfect and the company great, too. Andy (my boyfriend) and Joe rode along on their own bikes with me. I was able to relax and really reflect as I rode - well, in between slowing down for the umpteen deer that stood on either side of the road.

I believe in animal totems. I believe that every animal I see on a given day is trying to tell me something. You can call me crazy or childish. But that is what I believe. I listen to these animals.

The deer totem signifies the gentle lure of new adventures.

Sounds great to me!

Blog Lovin'

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Just testing to see if this thing really works! I am super tired, was sick all day.. yeah yeah, boo hoo. preachin' to the choir I am!

In between being sic and trying to rest I managed a few words on my novel. Okay, more than a few. I have a 500 minimum word count limit a day.

Peace homies!

Moving Right Along

Well, this week hasn't exactly been the most exciting week ever, but it has been a productive one. I took the bike into Bucks County Kawasaki for it's 600 mile service. I am plugging along at the rough draft of a novel I am creating. I did an outline which is pretty meaty. Now I have to pick that apart. So far I am at Chapter 3.

I started a new blog. It is all about the 80's. So far it has been loads of fun reliving the past. Sometimes I miss the 80's until I look at a picture of 80's clothes. *shudders*. Certainly do not miss that part. So far it is a very fun blog to write and I am enjoying it much. The Great 80's is the name of it. Stop on by and check it out! It will be chock full of 80's culture, fashion, history and most of all ...music!

Today Andy and I took an 80 mile ride on the motorcycles. It was great getting back out on the road. We are planning to ride up to Hawks Nest, NY soon.

Off any kind of topic.. if you haven't tried the new Klondike Caramel Pretzel Ice Cream bars... I suggest you do. They are very very yummy!

What Am I Supposed To Say

Did you ever just have a moment where your brain just flat out turned into that fuzz that used to come on the television after the Late, Late Show back in the early eighties? You'd be watching some cheeseball movie you never had an inkling to watch before and fell asleep during, only to be awoken by the loud CHHHSHHH of a live ant race.

I am there at this moment. I sit here and realize as I am about to enter my weekly Sunday rambling that no one really gives a shit. No one cares what I had for breakfast this morning, or that I went on a 150 mile motorcycle excursion today and loved it. No one cares that last month I celebrated five years sober. No one cares that my daughter, who is now 15, finally came home to live with me after those five years.

But that's okay. I am very grateful for the people who do follow my blog. I know that there is no overnight success in my writing cards and I am okay with that.

I have wanted to chronicle my life for a while now. It is more interesting than a lot of movies I have seen. The thing is, I didn't want to write my whole life story for a few reasons:

1) I am only 38 years old. Yes, only.
2) My life has only been exciting in a couple blocks.
3) I am not famous so no one cares about my life story.

So instead of writing about the whole thing, I picked the part that was brutal and that, if people read it, could actually learn a thing or two on how to pinpoint unmanageability in their own lives. Maybe since I like to help people, God gave me these hurdles to jump and help others.

I did an outline last night and I gotta say... wow. I really got lucky in a lot of spots.

I Need The Legion Of Doom!

I love when it rains... between 12 midnight and 6 am. Since I have not obtained the blueprints from the Legion Of Doom for the weather machine to change the rain that has been falling off and on for the last week I cannot alter the drops into bursting sunshine beams. Damn.

Lots of rain equals little riding. I did get to ride to work last week a couple times which was nice. There is going to be better weather this coming week. More motorcycle riding... yes! I really have to get the bike to 600 miles to get it in for the service. I'll probably get to that at the end of the week. I feel slightly embarrassed that I have not even gotten to the 600 mile mark, but I can only do what I can do. Two jobs, writing, preparing for my daughter to come home and wicked thundershowers are impeding on my ride time...

Speaking of writing, I am totally slacking. I have all these ideas and they just melt away... :( I get them down and I just can't get them to meld. To be blunt, it sucks.

Tonight after my nap, I am sitting down for an hour to do some free writing.

Lynn-Ann comes home Friday. We are very excited. The cats are exited too. Andy's mom has a great little bookshelf for her room. We are totally snagging it next weekend!

Thor: The Wicked Ninja From The West

Now, when I say wicked, I don't mean an evil, manipulative wench that wants the world it's way. Wicked in this sense means fast, mean and downright bad ass. I am riding Thor courtesy of Cycle World Magazine which is on the West Coast. Hence, the reference.

Thor and I are getting very well acquainted as we wrap up our first whole week together. We didn't get much riding in due to work and some weather issues, but we have plenty of time for that.

Andy and I rode out to Wharton State Park in New Jersey on Saturday.

I am 100% comfy on ol' Thor baby at this point. I thought it would take longer. I am documenting my time well spent with Thor at Thor & Darlene if you are at all interested.

In other news, I got my Lamb Of God decal and t-shirt in the mail. I think the shirt is a little tight, but that gives me incentive to work out a little harder. Right now, I am working out at a 0% capacity.

Yeah, I've been a lazy duck these past couple months. I'll be posting some video soon!

Digging the 2011 Kawasaki Ninja

What a great bike! The seat is a little uncomfortable... but other than that, it is a well put together machine. It handles beautifully. So far I have put 160 miles on it. My boyfriend, who has a Suzuki Bandit 1250, and I rode up to Furlong, PA Friday night. I was able to show the bike off to a couple fellow rider friends of ours, Chris & Joe. They love the bike.... How could someone not?

Today Andy and I rode up through New Hope. That is where we met this young chickie who sounded great as she sang and played the guitar. Her name is Corey Hite.. keep your eyes out for her! She was very good.

That is me on the bike the day I picked it up. I had a lot of fun that afternoon with the guys from Bucks County Kawasaki. They were so friendly and helpful.




I was mailed a Contour GPS Video Camera that I am having some problems with... but I am sure I will work out the bugs.

I will probably ride this beautiful machine, who I have taken the liberty of naming "Thor" a half dozen or so times to work. The more I ride it the more I like it... and wow, does it ever sound mean.

I'll be tweeting about my experience as well as blogging and updating my Facebook status.

Stay tuned for more action!

Darlene Steelman 0527

Darlene Steelman 0527

Wordle

This is my first attempt at a Wordle. I like this concept. This one I did in a couple minutes, only because I am on the tail end of my lunch here at the office. No playing on company time! he he....

I plan on doing a much more indepth one later on in the week with much more color.

Happy Wednesday!

Ride To New Hope Equals Trains and a Parking Ticket

Andy, Chris, Brittany (Chris's daughter) and myself decided to get breakfast at Back To The 50's diner in Furlong, PA. A small place plastered with pink, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe, they have great food. I recommend it to anyone traveling through the Bucks County area.

We then rode up to New Hope. We parked our bikes outside the old Lulu's (we used to get breakfast there - but it is no longer Lulu's), put a few quarters in the parking meters and hiked up the road for coffee.

After going to Starbucks and waiting in a ridiculous line for over priced coffee we decided to ditch the old SB and head across the way to Dunkin' Donuts. Good call.

There was this little street by an old vintage store on the corner there and we walked up and made a right to go past the train station and back by the old rail cars.

I love old stuff. I am not sure why... but it stirs me. Old houses, old cemeteries, old rail cars. There was even a gentleman dressed as a conductor from the 30's or 40's. He didn't want me to take his picture.

Where this train is, we were able to walk all the way back into an old rail yard. There was a tow path back there and some really neat looking old trains.

After all the train hullabaloo, we went back to New Hope to hop on our gas-filled steeds and head home. As we approached, we noticed all of the motorcycles - roughly fifteen including our three - had little yellow papers on them. At fist I thought it might be some sort of flyer for a new fangled clothing boutique in New Hope.

Unfortunately, it was a parking ticket for an expired meter! Now, the way the parking for motorcycles is in New Hope, about four cycles can fit in a spot. And it is customary for each biker to put at least one quarter in the meter. We all put a quarter in, but I guess none of the other bikers did.

Oh well, we all got a $20 ticket. At 15 bikers, That is $300!

It was still a great day. I had a blast. I have chalked the parking ticket up as parking in an overpriced parking garage. Next time I'll make sure I have way more quarters!

Stay tuned for an update on the Cycle World Ninja 1000 Experience. I should be getting the bike any day now... :)

Slim Jims and No Water

Okay.......... stop me if you've heard this one before: The world is going to end. The good will be saved and the evil will go through hell. You have heard it? Ahhh.. so I'm not crazy.

Me thinks all the peeps in on this Rapture thing and the Myan Calendar and all this stuff need to get on the same page. Right now I am watching CNBC and the show is talking about the Myan Calendar and how it depicts the end of the world. Apparently a guy named Michael tied some books together and the calendar.

Oh, and let's not forget the guy who says we're living in a computer program. This guy is going to jump off a rock at 11:11 AM into a hole on 122112. I guess if he is right he is a genius. If he is wrong, well, he's dead.

I'm really hoping that I do not have to hole up in my abode because I am totally unprepared. I have no bottled water. I do, however, have Slim Jims. How long can a human being live with a stockpile of Slim Jims sans water?

As I sit here and am pretty sure that the whole "Rapture" day will come and go without a hitch (mainly because I am not living my dream yet). Yes. Didn't you know that everything is all about me?

So here is what I have so far for the Rapture:

*half assed batteries in size AAA.. AAA batteries are useless. Strike one.

*Sprite, a half gallon of 1/2 & 1/2, cheesesticks... and yes, Slim Jims.

* more windows than we really need. If Zombies are part of this Rapture, we are in a deep load of something that doesn't smell pleasant.

*I do have knives. And no, I don't mean kitchen ones.

Are you prepared for the Rapture aka Zombie apocalypse? Is this another load of dookie?

Feel free to chime in and give me your thoughts. I'd love to hear from you.

First Things First

We all have people in our lives that we care for or answer to. We go to work, get our kids off to school and do a whole lot of other stuff for other people. Now, I know our children depend on us to take care of them.

There comes a point when we just need to stop.

I work with a woman who for some reason thinks she would be a terrible mother if she let her kids (14 and 18) get their own dinner, wash their own clothes or clean their own rooms.

I work two jobs and my fifteen year old daughter will soon be coming to live with me permanently. Andy and I are very excited about this. My daughter will be washing a lot of her own clothes and will probably have to cook a meal or two for herself. This is okay with the both of us. This does not make me a terrible mother. I like to think of it as making me practical.

We have to put our own well being ahead of others more often than we realize. If we don't take care of us, how will we take care of everyone else?

We must learn how to say, "I need some me time!" And yes. I need it right now.

If you are one of those people who feels that the weight of the world is on your shoulders, and you have to do everything for everyone, I suggest rethinking your logic.

Sunday is my day... I need at least one day for me to get in most of my writing and one good nap. So get a day, a night or even an hour. And make sure it is uninterrupted!

First Things First!

To Do List For The Day:

Blog
Food Shopping
Nap
Fold Clothes
More Napping
Write
Snacks!

Believing In Myself.... Changing My Life

I have never been very full of confidence. I exude it at times,however there is always that little voice in the back of my head that sounds like a seven year old once in a while that tries desperately to put me back in my place. It's the voice that tells me "not to bother" or "someone else did it better" or "just not good enough."

I ignored that voice a few weeks ago when I decided to enter a contest for the Cycle World Kawasaki Ninja 1000 Experience. I wrote a quirky little entry, submitted all of my Facebook, Twitter and blog information, and forgot about it.

I was going through my email this past week and I saw a message with the title CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED! RE: The Ninja 1000 Experience. I was blown away. I am not sure how many entrants there were, but ten people were chosen. I am one of those ten. Maybe it was the fact that my blog address is ninjjagal or the fact that my email is ninjagal... Maybe it really was the silly entry I wrote (I did crack myself up in a few spots).

In a nutshell, I get to test-ride the 2011 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 for ninety days. Cycle World is having the bike dropped off at Bucks County Kawasaki in Bristol. I also get a Flip Camera and a $50. gas card. The catch is that for the 90 days I have the bike, I am to tweet, blog, update my status and take videos and upload them. No problem! I already tweet and blog like a maniac anyway. Now I will be bombarding the screen with all kinds of fun goodies... :)

So stay tuned my fine feathered friends!! And those of you without feathers as well. It is going to be a fun ride!

In A Nutshell

Here is a link to my latest article. SHINEDOWN. It has been epic so far as me writing goes... Getting noticed? Well, that is proving to be difficult.

I have a Book In A Month book... I finally came up with a pretty wicked novel idea. Now I have to write down the basics and formulate an outline.
It's gonna be great.

In other news... I am coming up on five years sober. I cannot believe how much I have changed in these last five years. I mean, I am actually a thoughtful human being who puts the needs of others ahead of her own a lot more than I used to. Now, sometimes we all need to be selfish. But hurting someone to get what we need is a different aspect of the game and I play that role no longer. I am currently working on my eighth and ninth steps.. This is the hardest so far.

The weather is breaking...finally. I can get outside and get some much needed sunshine and fresh air.

My daughter is down again this weekend. I really enjoy having her over. I feel so much more like a mother in the past three years then I have ever felt.

I made a commitment to write at least 1,500 words a week regarding my novel. I can't say "a day" because I work two jobs and some days it will be literally impossible to stick to such a goal. This time I am being realistic.

Until net week, my furry friends.... Stay true to yourself and always believe!!

Hippity Hoppity

Well, hey there! Tax season is finally over.. yay! I got my bonus which was very sweet. I was able to get my car fixed for the most part. I am taking it in next Saturday to get my passenger window fixed. And then it will be all done.
I had a good week. Was off Thursday and Friday. I have my daughter until Tuesday. She is supposed to come live with my boyfriend and I after school is over but now she is thinking of staying through the summer where she is now. Then she will have her friends and her job at least. She makes a good point there.. So it will probably go that way.
Today is Easter Sunday. I did not go to church. I haven't been to church since last summer. I do pray, but I ma no much of a church goer.
I got the girls Easter baskets and gave them candy and a few plastic eggs filled with money.. $. Sarah didn't get hers yet.
I haven't written all week. I have been sick since Thursday night and I really just needed to unwind from three plus months of overtime and clients. Plus I am still working at the Wawa.
My Lynn-Ann seems so sad and I am worried about her. She is 15, and I remember how tough 15 was. I guess all I can do is be there for her when she needs me.
I bought a couple new books for my Kindle. I got Gerald's Game by Stephen King. Yes! Love that book. I read it when it first came out. Great story. I highly recommend it.
Well, time for me to sign off. We had a great day here in Bucks County weather wise. It is now raining.
Peace....

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Slowly Coming Together

My daughter is coming to stay with my boyfriend and I for five days. We are excited! :) We finally got on the ball of getting her room together. This is a prelude to the grand finale. She is coming to live with us when the school year is over. Yay!

In writing news, I am plugging away. I am writing for three websites at the moment. technorati.com, blogcritics.com and suite101.com. There is no money in it for me and that is okay for now. This is the baby step that will lead to the toddler step.

Writing can be difficult at times.... I once was in the pursuit of a fiction career. Now it seems I am in the pursuit of a non-fiction career. I am not sure where this transition lies. Nor do I know where it will take me.

I reviewed Kristin Lamb's book "We Are Not Alone: The Writers Guide To Social Media" and she commented on my review! I couldn't believe it! I am pretty stoked about that. I was joking with my boyfriend and said, "I wonder if Kristin Lamb will see my review?" haha! Manifestation achieved...

In other news, tax season is finally over tomorrow. My full time job is at an accounting firm, I probably need say no more.

Stay tuned for next Sunday's update of pointless rambling from yours truly.

Meditate The Pain Away

Meditate The Pain Away What do you have to lose?

Working On My First Writing Application

Yep. I am going to apply at www.about.com as a guide. I have a bit of experience in a few different genres that they are looking for writers in. It is a paying gig, so I am a littler nervous.

But the worst that could happen is that I get rejected and in getting rejected comes polishing my craft. I could always use polishing. Every writer can always use a little extra shine... :)

I can be impatient. But.. I am also tenacious... not sure if these are good or bad traits, but either way.. I am what I am and that's all that I am .. to quote Popeye.

I got a laptop today. This is going to make it much easier to get writing done. I do a lot of scribbling in a notebook, which I actually like for an absolute first draft. I am not sure if many writers still do that. I just find it easier to concentrate on my thought process when I am scribbling on paper. Once I get that rough draft down, I type it on the screen and that is where all the editing is done.
Right now I am writing for Suite101 and Technorati. These sites are great to write for. Technorati gets on my nerves a little with how we have to choose topics and there are times when the members of the group are not very forthcoming with the communication. But I have to let that go. you live... you learn.

I am reading a great book by Kristin Lamb called "We Are Not Alone - The Writers Guide To Social Media".. she writes in an amusing way. The book so far is packed with information on how to network. I am shy, so networking has never been my strongest suit. I am hoping this book will help so I do not have to go in search of some weird powder to sprinkle on my computer. Yea... I am not sure where I was going with that myself.

If there is anything you'd like me to cover on my Triumph Over Adversity site, let me know... I'd be happy to...

Until then... Have a great week and be nice to people!

Smoking Is Not Cool

Smoking Is Not Cool

Smoking Is Not Cool

Smoking Is Not Cool

Why My Amazon Kindle Rules

I've been reading books for a very long time. Some people read because they have to. I, like some others, read because I enjoy getting lost in a good story. The first book I remember reading in it's entirety was Charlotte's Web. I was in third grade. Library day was a Tuesday. The class went down to the "IMC" as it was called. Still not sure what that actually meant.. if anyone wants to help me out with that, I'd be most honored. Since then I have read classics like Black Beauty, The Tell-Tale Heart by one of my favorite authors, Edgar Allan Poe and a host of Stephen King novels.
My paper and hardback novel and book collection has grown immensely. I at one time had a pile of books in the back of my car and on the side of my bed. This became cluttered and down right annoying.
Then I discovered the Amazon Kindle. I had read about the Kindle. But, I, like most thought, "how ridiculous! Reading on a screen takes the fun out of turning those flimsy book pages."
Boy, was I ever misguided.
My Amazon Kindle rules. I have about forty books on it so far. I buy a lot of reference books and need to go back and forth between them to find information I need.
The Kindle allows me to do that with ease.
The other awesome feature of the Kindle is that the screen is not lit. Well, then how do I see the words? There is a nifty little light that pulls out of the top of the device. Instead of the screen being back-lit and killing my eyeballs, it stays a grayish white color with black typeface. Extremely easy on the eyes.
There is a bookmark feature. Just push the "menu" button and bookmark the page. That way when I open the book back up, "presto!, I'm right where I left off.
The best thing about the Kindle? There is a feature for highlighting passages and marking text I deem important. I LOVE THAT. I used to write things down in a separate notebook or highlight the passage.
Now I can take all of the books I am reading with me together. Only I don't need a giant knapsack to tote them around.
Yes, I still buy books in print. Usually books with places to write in. Like workbooks, self-help books and game books. Somehow I don't think those would work too well on the Kindle. It doesn't have a dry erase board feature. Yet.

How to Help an Alcoholic Addict

How to Help an Alcoholic Addict

Bullying: Then and Now

Bullying: Then and Now

Discipline Vs. Punishment

Discipline Vs. Punishment

Week Of Wowzah!

Eeeek!! This week went by faster than a roller coaster without brakes. I am writing my tush off and loving every minute of it. I posted three more articles this week. One on Technorati and two on Suite 101. I am so stoked as I travel this writing road. I am tired right now but it is a different type of tired.

My Sunday's are crammed with chores. Laundry, food shopping, cleaning, naps (can't forget the naps!) and the list goes on.

I have written a couple articles involving children/teens in the last week. I have to say, that I really enjoy touching on topics that are of interest and/or concern to families everywhere. Being the mother of a teenager, I am happy to write about such topics. The research I do for my articles helps me out when dealing with issues that may come up between my daughter and me.

I finally used my FYE gift card. I went to the mall and got "Lamb Of God: Hourglass." It is pretty much every kick ass song Lamb Of God has ever done. It gets me pumped up and ready to tackle anything that comes down the road.

Writing tip of the day: It is so important to step away from a project and let it simmer for a while. After it simmers, come back to it and get a whole new perspective on it. That has been working out for me nicely.

It is time to go finally relax for a little bit before bed. Criminal Minds is on. One of the best written shows that have graced the television in a long time.

Until next week.... Be true to yourself.

Digging Through The Family

Well, it has been a pretty hum drum week. Nothing spectacular in the way of work or day to day life. I did get accepted to Suite101.com as a writer.. I am very happy about that.

The apartment is coming together nicely as Andy and I prep for Lynn-Ann coming home. We are both very excited. My past led me down a dark path and I had to put her in Bucks County Youth Services. It has been almost five years now, but she is coming back. We are both very excited.

When I was little my mother used to take my sister and me to her Uncle Tommy's house. I guess he was my uncle too in a sense. He was a mean man. Bitter and vindictive he would always look for a way to get over on you and if he did you a favor, you owed him for life.
Uncle Tommy was nuts. I mean, anyone who names both of their sons Tommy has issues. All the Tommy's are dead now. Uncle Tommy died from lung cancer in the early eighties. My mother would take us to the house he lived in and she would clean the house while he lied in his hospital bed located in the dining room, barking orders through an oxygen tube as he puffed on a cigarette.
I'm not sure what fate befell the older Tommy, but I heard he died not long ago. The younger Tommy was a mean soul. He wound up leaving Pennsylvania to go to New York. He was a factory worker who headed a nasty biker gang called The Road Vultures based in Buffalo. Tommy was murdered by a rival gang member in front of his girlfriend and two year old son. He was twenty-four years old.
I emailed my mother about cousin Tommy. She told me he wasn't a nice person. I had read an article posted on a message board about him. He had pummeled a man's face in with his bare fists.
Mom was right. Tommy wasn't a nice person at all.
I am thankful I did not get a lot of that nasty gene. I do have a temper (I'm told it is the Italian in me), but I do my best to keep it in check.
I am very excited to find out these interesting tidbits about my family. Not something to be proud of, but still exciting.
Have a great week everyone.

Get Down

I posted an article on Technorati about the horrific tsunami in Japan. It made the front page. Those poor people. Apparently, if not for their tsunami preparedness, things would have been a lot worse. I can't imagine how much worse it gets. Now the nuclear reactor is acting up and it looks like more trouble.

Tragic.

Today was a productive day in my non-writing world. I did some chores, some shopping and bought chairs for outside. Now I can sit in an actual chair and smoke my morning cigarette with my morning coffee. Yep. I still smoke.

Stupid.

I bought a dry erase board last night. I am going to use it to jot down some blog and article ideas. I wind up jotting thoughts down on random pieces of paper and then when it comes time to use them, pht! They're gone. Now the only way they will disappear is if I erase them.

Smart.

It is utterly amazing how awesome life can be when one is organized.

Peace, homies.

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Taking It To The Next Level

I give great advice. I don't take my own advice. I should start. I have all these great ideas and thoughts on life management, time management.. all types of management. Then I sit back as the wheels continue to spin in the mud.

I hung out with my sponsor and her friend last night. We didn't do step work. We only talked. We discussed happy and sad times. We shared memories and aha moments.

I told her how I started writing again. I have finally built up the nerve to follow my passion and my dreams.

My sponsor told me that I should write a passage about my journey. We have known each other for less than nine months and she has seen a change in me.

I feel the change in me. It feels good.

The Writing Life

... is a difficult one. I am writing almost every day. I am reading every day. I am having no luck generating traffic to either of my blogs. http://thedailywoman.wordpress.com/ and http://hubpages.com/profile/DSteelman

I am sure working as much as I have been and starting the process of my fifteen year old daughter to come back to live with me is a slight interference. My daughter is a priority. And hey, I have to pay the bills.

I always wanted to be a fiction writer. I love crime novels (especially ones about serial killers - John Sanford comes to mind). I love Stephen King and Edgar Allen Poe. Their writing inspired me for years. However, I am finding that I love to write articles even more. My problem is patience. I have none.

I have a writer friend that says I have great ideas. But that I am writing my stream of consciousness. The real writing begins when I step away from the article and then come back to it. Apparently, writing is in the editing. Imagine that.

Tomorrow I will be patient. I am learning it is better to churn out one good article a week then five terrible ones. Quality, not quantity.

Goodnight.