Weekend Writing Tips

Here are a few word usages that I got from John Potter. He's a word-whiz.

lead/led: As a noun, lead is a kind of metal. As a verb, lead means "to conduct." A guide will lead a tour of the ruins. Led is the past tense of the verb "to lead"; He led the company for twenty years.

loose/lose: Lose is a verb whose past tense is lost: Did you lose your elevator card, again? Loose is generally an adjective for "not tight"; I have a few loose screws.

maybe/may be: Maybe is an adverb: Maybe the negotiators will succeed this time. May and be are verbs: The rumor may be true.

Hope these little tips come in handy. :)

Earth-Friendly Friday

Mom raised nine kids when her budget could only feed a family of four. How’d she do it? She was a super-sustainer; I just wish I would have known that she wasn’t being cheap and mean – she was just progressive and being green.

Here are some simple, money-saving, tricks and sustainable hints Moms can use to help save money and protect the planet at the same time:

• Soak a washcloth in water, place it in a baggie and put it in the freezer, when it’s slightly frozen, it will be a crunchy, soothing teething toy for baby to munch on without any worries about worn-out teething rings.

• Instead of using baby powder, which is talcum powder, use cornstarch. It’s cheaper, earth-friendly and totally organic.

• Extend the life of disposable diapers—at least at night—by using a cloth diaper, folded length wise and placed in the center from belly to butt. This will double the absorbency of the diaper, help you get a better night’s rest and cut down on waste in the landfills.

• Hang cloth diapers outside in the sun, at least in the summer. Saving energy one-third of the year is better than not at all and you’ll be letting the sunshine bleach your diapers rather than harsh chemicals.

• Mash up fruit and veggies for baby, rather than buying jars of food. If the mixture is too thick, add a little water. It’s cheap, organic and great for baby.

• Wash baby blankets, diapers and clothing in vinegar and baking soda rather than harsh chemicals. Use ¼ cup white distilled vinegar and ¼ cup baking soda.

• If baby is congested, put 1 tablespoon Baby Vick’s Vaporub in a humidifier and let it run in the baby’s room overnight. The adult Vick’s has Camphor which you don’t want to use for baby.

• Instead of buying specialty toast for baby to chew on, make your own toast and let it sit out for an hour or two, until it stiffens. Cut it into fourths and let baby chew on homemade toast.

• Always use rechargeable batteries rather than the one-use variety.

• Take digital pictures rather than one-use cameras, even on vacations. They don’t take up that much space and it’s so easy to email photos to family and friends.

Answer to Thought for Thursday

Answer: They can store fat in their tails - kinda like people and storing fat in our derriere

Not so many differences in the animal world ;)

Thought for Thursday

This is one of those questions that makes you say, Hum.

QUESTION/THOUGHT: How can crocodiles go without food for such long periods of time?

Play along with me
then come back about 3:00
to see

If you guessed right,
You're probably super bright

(put your guess in the "comments" so I know you were willing to play along - thanks)

Answer to Word for Wednesday

Word: "Extant" means in existence, still existing. If you want to read more, check it out here.

Word for Wednesday

Word for Wednesday: Extant

Take a guess what does it mean? Put your answer in comments and then come back and see around 3:00.

TERRIFYING TUESDAY - UNDEAD Series

Okay, if you’ve looked over at my sidebar under “Books I’ve Read in 2009” you know I have a thing for Vampire stories. Can’t help it. Always have.

Stephen King introduced me to Salem’s Lot and I’ve been hooked ever since. Shame on Stephen.

I read the Twilight series in no time, followed it with the Sookie Stackhouse True Blood novels, so much fun!

Now, I’m onto the UNDEAD series by Mary Janice Davidson and, believe me, she is a hoot. Anyone who can mix death with romance and make me laugh along the way is a horrifically talented author. I just love some of her phrases in the books. In fact, I had to read a couple of them OUT-LOUD to my husband because I thought they were so funny.

He is definitely not a FANpire like me, but even he smiled.

SPOILER ALERT: Don’t read on, if you are going to pick up the books and read them yourself. Oh…these aren’t big spoilers so you could still pick up the books and read them—and you won’t be disappointed. REALLY.

I love that the Spawn of Satan is a goody-good ‘cuz she wants to rebel against her parent. How funny is that? Pretty funny, if you ask me or if you're the parent of a teenager.

I love that “Elizabeth Taylor” is the Queen of the vampires – no relation to the movie star. ;)

I love that she (ET - no connection with the alien) gives us makeup advice – and she’s an undead woman. You'd think she'd have other things on her mind, I mean who cares that “you shouldn’t wear true black mascara because it makes your eyes look small and squinty.”

Maybe most women--that's all. And, now we know, even the undead care about makeup.

Or the fact that she talks about “…the holy grail of footgear.”

She even considers selling her soul for a pair.

She says, “Would I sell my soul for shoes? Of course not. The very idea was absurd. And the gleam of the garnets didn’t call to me, the very idea of selling my teeny little soul wasn’t a bargain at any . . . no!”

Now, I’ve never been a girl who was ever interested in clothing, handbags or footwear (maybe I was meant to be a boy—who knows, I mean give me a fast wakeboarding boat or…but I digress from the story) so I have to use my imagination a little—okay, maybe a lot, but I thought the idea of selling your soul for a pair of shoes, even if they were garnet heeled shoes, was hilarious.

Okay, I’m a little sick, I know. But, I thought this line was so funny:

“And a real”—the corners of his mouth turned down, as if he was contemplating a fresh dog turd instead of getting married—“wedding…would help you feel it?”

Maybe I thought that was so funny because when my husband asked me to get married—I got a little sick to my stomach. I had to lie down. Right there. On the floor. He was so excited. He wanted to call everyone and tell them. I said, “Hold on. I think I’m going to throw up.”

Okay, we’ve been VERY happily married for well over 26 years—so don’t make any assumptions here. I’m just saying it made me sick. The idea of getting married. It was just the commitment—I think. It Freaked me out—with a capital “F”.

I also loved the line:

“But I—I—” I managed to wrench it out. God, this was hard! “I love you.”

“Of course you do,” he said, totally unsurprised.

“What? I finally tell you my deepest, most personal feelings and you’re all, “Yeah, I already got that memo’? This, this is why you drive me nuts! This is why it’s hard to tell you things! I take it back.”

“You can’t take it back,” he said smugly.

“I do, too, take it back! And don’t you dare kiss me again!” I cried when he leaned forward. “Why do you have to be so annoying and smug all the time?”

“Because with you by my side, I can do anything.”

(I think these books are so funny—well apart from the vampire killings, those aren’t the funny parts)

But you should read them. They are page-turners for sure.

Here's a list of the one's I've already read:

Undead and Unwed

Undead and Unemployed

Undead and Unappreciated


So many books :) so little time :(