Senior Year Photo - OMG - Now that's Scary!!!

It's truth or dare, "blog dare".

Fellow bloggers are daring us cyber-buddies to bare it all - well in regards to the past and present and how we've aged over the years. I picked up this post-dare from Kelly Polark but she's much younger than me - obviously. So how scary is it when it's only been about 10 years since you graduated, or I'll even give you 20???

ANSWER: Not nearly as scary as 30!!!

It has been 30 years since I was in high school - almost. I graduated in the spring of 1979 - so maybe a couple months shy of 30. But the point is still the same - it's been a heck of a long time since feathered hair was in style. Just look how much the photo has faded - kind of like my hair ;-)

I went to UofO that fall. I was only 17. That's where I met my wonderful husband and we've been together ever since.

Now, the scary part - this is my Halloween link - like I said, it's been 30'ish years - so don't look too close:

Lines, touch-ups and I'm not going bare - oh my!!!

And wait, I must have forgotten how to play because I did the truth and the dare :(

Oh and I just popped over to Brenda's page and found her senior photo :) too. And Rena's. Bloggers are a bunch of good sports.

LAMENT by Maggie Stiefvater

LAMENT
By Maggie Stiefvater
Published by: Flux Books

Okay, to be honest, when I first read it was a story of homicidal faeries, I wondered . . . how scary can little leprechaun-like lads and lassies really be?

But don’t let my foolish folly ruin this story for you, because I was way off course. This isn’t your typical kid’s fairytale that takes you on a journey to another world. Lament takes place in our world with modern-day settings. And, this story is filled with romance, suspense, and mystery, with just a slight touch of magic. And, if that’s not enough reason to read Maggie Stiefvater’s debut novel, let me give you three more reasons:

1) She’s an amazing storyteller;
2) The book is full of music and mayhem; and best of all
3) Did I mention the romance???

I like stories that are dark and sinister but realistic too. It has to seem possible and believable no matter what the characters may be. I grew up reading Poe and King and, as far as I’m concerned, Maggie is following in these giant’s footsteps. She makes the impossible . . . possible and the Celtic folklore read like legacies more than legends.

I loved the Twilight series and Maggie has managed to commingle her story and love-triangle in much the same way as Stephanie Meyer wrote of Bella, Jacob and Edward.

Maggie has taken Deirdre, Luke and James and woven the same type of wicked web we readers are looking (and hoping) to get snared into.

And I hadn’t even thought about it until now but my sons are Jacob and Luke – but that is only a little bit of the reason I liked these two characters so much. In Twilight, Jacob was the good guy. In Lament, you’ll have to read the story to figure out whether Luke is the good guy or . . . not.

You will have to decide if you are Team Luke or Team James, this time. And, I can assure you, it won’t be any easier.

Deirdre starts the story with kategelophobia, yeah. . . you’ll have to look that one up . . . or read the story to figure it out. But in the end, . . . or wait you’re going to have to read the story. I don’t want to give any spoilers but let me tell you, if you’ve been watching True Blood on HBO, or recently finished the Twilight series, Lament should be the next thing on your list.

TWILIGHT the movie - new trailer - courtesy of Fandango

Check it out here. You have to listen to a short (10 second'ish) ad first - but it's worth the wait.

Okay, and now for the younger kids, here's another fun EZ Halloween project to do:

You will need:

1) Cheesecloth (found in paint sections of stores)
2) Liquid fabric stiffener (most fabric/craft stores)
3) Wiggly eyes (found in craft/fabric stores)
4) Elmer's glue or some tacky glue
5) A tennis ball container or spray paint can

Steps to make ghosts:

1) Dip the cheesecloth in the fabric stiffener
(put a cookie sheet or cutting board underneath the tennis ball container or spray paint can for EZ clean-up)
2) Drape wet cheesecloth over tennis ball container or spray paint can
3) Let dry
4) Glue on wiggly eyes and hang up around the house

Personality Test - Try It - You Might Like It

I took the Harry Potter Personality Test, which I found on Ello's site. I guess I'm a Dumbledore.



Harry Potter Personality Quiz If you want to take the test, click on the Albus Dumbledore square or the underlined words of Harry Potter Personality quiz.

My husband took the test and he came out a Molly:

EARTH FRIENDLY FRIDAY - and Answer to Thought for Thursday

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: Daniel Boone, Paul Revere and Betsy Ross were issued in a Pez U.S. Bicentennial series. This was the only time Pez broke their rule against modeling their dispensers after real people . . . until June of 2007.

Then on June 25th, 2007 Pez released Elvis dispensers and not one but three styles have been made of the King. And then they made a 3-piece set out of the gang at Orange County Choppers. So Pez has not only issued dispensers modeled after three people, but 7, (with Elvis having three styles all to himself). So a total of 9 dispensers have been modeled after real people, as of today's date.

Sorry, my source was out of date - it was printed before 6/25/07. So, I learned something today too.

______________

Now for EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY


I remember waiting to turn 15 to get my driver's permit and being soooo excited when my sweet sixteen came, 'cause I could get my driver's license and finally be free!!!

But, today, the coolest thing (and cheapest, with the price of gas what it is) is being the person with an undriver's license. Have you ever heard of undriving? This is one way to go totally green and unpollute.

Captain Planet used to say, "By YOUR powers combined, I am Captain Planet."

He'd encourage kids not to pollute but back then I don't think he'd coined the phrase , "unpollute". You've gotta love it and I say, "GO PLANET!"

If you're interested, read more about an undriver's license and undriving here.

THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY

It's almost Halloween, so I thought I'd stick with a candy theme:

QUESTION: Who were the only three real people (before June 2007 - sorry, source was out of date)to have their likenesses featured on Pez candy dispensers?

__________________________________



My office likes to promote teamwork and fun. Here's one idea they use to spread some Halloween Cheer: Print out this text and use it to start a new tradition in your office:

YOU’VE BEEN GHOSTED

Who did it?. . .a friend. . .a goblin. . .a neighbor?

Here is a small way to spread some Halloween fun throughout the office. The goal is to Ghost as many people as possible before Halloween!

Please Ghost two friends or neighbors. Keep the ghost on your name plate so that everyone knows who’s been Ghosted – be a sport – let’s Ghost everyone!

1) Keep this treat and enjoy;

2) Make 2 copies of this letter and 2 copies of the ghost squares;

3) Leave a new special treat with a copy of this letter and a copy of the ghost squares on two people’s desks or chairs;

4) Tape a ghost square on the name plate of each person you are Ghosting so everyone knows who’s been Ghosted!

5) Shhh. . . it’s a secret!


If you don’t want to participate, pass the treat, letter and ghosts to someone else.








Cut and tape one ghost on the name plate of each person you Ghost.

CREEPY CRAWLIES-Another SHOCKTOBER post

CREEPY CRAWLIES


Dogs and cats
even spiders and rats
kids love ‘em.

Horses and mice
Okay, maybe not lice
Kids love ‘em.

Creepy and Crawly
Big and small
Kids love ‘em all!



Another Shocktober Project to do with the kids.

One bag of Oreos,
licorice whips (Twizzlers, red or black),
small marshmallows,
chocolate chips,
red hot candies.

Cut the licorice whips down to spider leg size, stick in the sides of Oreos with a toothpick, put marshmallows as eyes with chocolate chips or red hots for pupils.

Creepy-crawlies that are soooo yummy - especially with a tall glass of milk.

Apple Festival, Pumpkin Patch, Caramel Apples

It was another fun-filled weekend. First Luke and MacKenzie came home and we celebrated Luke's 21st Birthday!!!

Then Sunday we went to the Portland Nursery Apple Festival. You can find the festival because of the giant apple in the sky:


Then there's the variety of apples to taste:


The festival also offers face painting, balloon art, music and more.


Then, we headed out to Sauvie's Island Pumpkin Patch. We went on a hay ride,

We used to do these things every year while the kids were growing up. It was fun stepping back in time and appreciating all these activities with my kids, now that they are grown up.


We wandered the fields to find the perfect pumpkin.



We ran into my nephew, his girlfriend and a couple other people we knew:



We saw a little moo train, which was for the kids to ride if they didn't want to ride the hay ride.

And then we went home to make homemade caramel apples - Yum...



Easy microwavable Caramel Apple recipe (I love EZ recipes that take little to no time) but I still want the food to taste good.

Caramel Apple Recipe

One package (14 oz) of traditional caramels
3 tablespoons of water
Microwave on high for about 2-3 minutes or until caramel is soft
Stir water and caramels to mix

Shove sticks in center of apples and Dip apples in caramel.

Set caramel apples on cookie sheet, covered with wax paper and/or buttered to let caramel stiffen. Eat and enjoy – yum!!!

Luke's 21st Birthday Party - at Home

Monday was Luke’s 21st birthday. Jake drove down to Eugene after working all day to take his ‘lil brother out for a drink . . . or two. They had a good time but Lars and I missed out on the fun. So Luke and his gfriend, MacKenzie, drove to Portland Saturday morning so we could have a family celebration. We had the family over for lasagna and then ate cake and ice cream and tried to sing Happy Birthday to Luke - you can listen and see for yourself how we fared.





Here’s a short clip and some pictures to share the fun.

Nondenominational Women's Conference

I spent last Friday night and Saturday at the Women of Faith conference here in Portland, Oregon at the Rose Quarter Arena. The voices of American Idol's Mandisa, Sandi Patty, Nicole Mullen and Sheila Walsh were unbelievable.

Friday night Denise and I went together and Saturday Janice and I went. I took a couple of photos with my phone.

THE SHACK By William P. Young

My husband and I went to listen to William P. Young give a lecture at Warner Pacific College, here in Portland, Oregon Monday night.

I raised my hand and told the author that I felt the book was really two stories rolled up into one book and I asked him if he wrote it that way intentionally or if he wrote it in bits and pieces. He said, he started the book because his wife, Kim, wanted him to write something down that he could give to his children. He intended the story to be that gift to his kids for Christmas. And originally he went to Office Depot and printed out fifteen copies for his family and friends, never intending it to go any further than that. Today, The Shack has sold over 4 million copies.

He answered my question by saying that he started out by writing the conversations, as questions he wanted to ask as a child but was never allowed to ask.

He was warm and funny but even more. He was Real. He spoke from his heart about difficult subjects and he had the audience on the edge of their seat for the nearly two hours he shared his story with us.

Here is a short clip of him talking about growing up in Boring, Oregon. Yes, there is a place in Oregon that is truly Boring.

EARTH FRIENDLY FRIDAY - AND ANSWER to Thought for Thursday

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: Sir Walter Scott Marmion, Canto VI, Stanza 17. There was some controversy about Shakespeare but the general consensus is Sir Walter Scott

Turning TRASH TO TREASURE, we’ve all heard the phrase. But how’s a person to do it?

I’d be lost without my husband around but, with him leading the way, it’s easy. He’s a wanna be carpenter – some of the time.

Both his brothers work with wood all day, while my husband sits in an office pushing paper to support his family. But at home, he manages to express himself with scraps of wood he finds at recycling centers. Here's just one example of what he's made with his scraps of wood.

Here's a story I wrote about Recycling Your Way to Romance, which was published by Romantic Homes magazine.

If you want to read the entire story of how to turn trash to treasure, read it here.

And the next time you think about throwing something away, think again.

THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY - Lit ?

Okay, it's only fun if you don't google it, until after you answer it.

Who wrote, "Oh What a Tangled Web We Weave, When First We Practice to Deceive."

It kinda goes along with my Mark Twain Quote of the Week.

My theory is, if you don't lie, you never have to be careful what you say. Okay, I know there are other reasons to be careful: you might hurt someone's feelings, offend someone, journey into the toxic topics of politics and/or religion, without even thinking about it but at least people won't have to guess where you stand on the subjects.

Happy Thinking. . . and try not to get tangled up by your tongue.

The Orphanage - SHOCKTOBER post

The Jacketflap of the movie said “terrifying horror thriller” well worth seeing. It was worth seeing but, IMHO, it wasn’t terrifying or horrifying - not in the least.

It was more like "a little creepy". Along the lines of Nicole Kidman’s "The Others".

My husband and I watched it together. He kept saying, “Where’s Carlos?” whenever anything was wrong. And it’s true. Where was the husband all the time? [A bit of a spoiler here] No wonder he wasn’t in her thoughts at the end.

Another quiet song I love

Another one of my favorite songs:

TEN LITTLE WITCHES

My niece helped me decorate.



It's that Black Cat/Bat time of year again.

HALLOWEEN DREAM

Ten little witches
wait impatiently for Halloween night,
Finally one says,
“I’m ready to go out and cause a fright.”

The second one cackled
and held up her sturdy broom
The third one giggled,
as she flew across the room.

The fourth one said,
“Let’s create a little fear.”
The fifth one laughed,
“I’ll make sure the coast is clear.”

The sixth one zoomed high into the sky.
The seventh one said, “I’m ready now to fly.”
The eighth witch brought along her little black cat.
The ninth witch cried, “I forgot my favorite hat!”

Johnny woke up and thought,
“That must have been a dream.”

But the tenth little witch yelled,
“Happy Halloween!”

And Happy Birthday Luke!!!

Myrna McDaniel – THE DOLL DOCTOR

Myrna McDaniel has a job most girls might envy. She gets to “play” with dolls all day long.

She’s been restoring these little ladies since 1995. The dolls range in age, from the mid 1800's up to modern dolls of today. She also takes care of teddy bears and other stuffed animals.

“It's so satisfying to hand a childhood treasure, which has been restored to its original state, back to its owner. Tears of joy often flow!”

She takes in a lot of very ill patients and her clients are amazed at what can be done to bring their little loved ones back to life.

Today's dolls are not like the dolls of the 1960's and earlier. While they may be well made, the just don't have the same feel as a great old Mama doll that cries and can be cuddled. It's also very hard to repair most of the new dolls, as the bodies can't be taken apart to "get in there" and mend their maladies.

All in all, it is a very fulfilling job to be able to restore these "friends" back to health. However, creating the “cure” is not an easy process!!

If anyone has any questions, or sick dolls in need of repair, you can contact Myrna here: cmcdan2347@sbcglobal.net

Readergirlz Does It Again

Night Bites begins October 13th - read more about it on their website.



And Teen Read Week begins on 10/12, read more about it on the Yalsa Website

Earth-Friendly Friday: Oregon E-cycles

Okay, this post isn't about bicycling to work. I can't go there because my dog ate my bicycle seat and I haven't had a chance to go buy a new one - yet. We have to forgive her though, she's a puppy.

This is a bigger step into the ever-increasing green world that is Oregon.

Read about the innovative steps Oregonians are taking to keep the earth a friendlier place, especially in our little corner of the world. Just click here.

ANSWER to Thought for Thursday

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY:

The liger is the largest cat in the world.

It is a hybrid cross between a male lion and a female tiger. There is a hormonal hypothesis about this specific genetic combination which speculates that the limiting growth hormone is missing thus creating an accelerated growth phase.

Interesting animal.

THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY

We might all know that the fastest cat in the world is the Cheetah, clocking in at more than 70 mph.

The largest mammal in the world is the blue or sulphur-bottom whale



The tallest animal is the world is the giraffe, which can grow up to 19 feet all.



But do any of you know what the largest cat in the world is?

A Classic - Rebecca

A book club was just formed at my office. We're planning to read a variety of genres. But, we decided to begin with a classic so it would be easy for everyone to get a copy at the library, Powells, or another bookstore. We are beginning with a novel by British author Daphne du Maurier. Rebecca.

"Rebecca" is a classic and is a combo mystery / thriller that was made into a movie by Alfred Hitchcock.

I'll let you know what I think when I'm done.

50 Year Wedding Anniversary - Kay and Dennis

Why do some couples stay together and others . . . don't?

Sunday was Kay and Dennis Russum's 50th Wedding Anniversary so I asked Kay for a few words of wisdom when it comes to making a wedding a lifelong commitment. Here's her answer and a few photos from the celebration.



Kay and Dennis










My sister, Tammy














My niece Serena, me and my daughter, Kara.










Me and my lil sis.

Live Chat with Agent Joshua Bilmes of JABberwocky Literary Agency

This info from AgentQuery.com

"Literary agent, Joshua Bilmes of JABberwocky Literary Agency
will be stopping by on Tuesday, October 7 at 10PM Eastern to chat it up with the Agent Query Connect community."

He specializes in representing genre fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, horror, romance, mystery) and for nonfiction: History | Politics | Medical | Science.

"To participate in the live online chat, simply login and click on the VIEW CHAT ROOMS on the left-hand navigator or click here: http://agentquery.leveragesoftware.com/chat_list.aspx

Then JOIN the chat room for literary agent, Joshua Bilmes. You will be allowed to join the chat room 15 minutes early, and the live chat will begin promply at 10PM EST.

To learn more about Joshua Bilmes and the types of projects that he's actively seeking, be sure to check out his AQ agent profile:
http://agentquery.com/agent.aspx?agentid=356

Or read his AQC questionnaire:
http://agentquery.leveragesoftware.com/group_discussion.aspx?DiscussionID=73fdd8f7320e462cb16da58f91b2f018

A few notes about our live agent chats:

Agent chats offer AQC members exclusive live access to our literary agent guest. Chats are intended as Q&A sessions to help our members learn about the submission process, the business of publishing, and what agents are truly seeking from new clients.

Please note that our agent chats are NOT an opportunity to "pitch" yourself or your work to an agent during the chat. Also, our agent chats are crazy popular events with 40+ participants or more. For this reason, all chat participants must follow the lead of our fearless AQ chat moderator, Jean Oram.

As the official AQC chat moderator, Jean Oram will be forming a question "?" queue and serving as gatekeeper to Joshua Bilmes. She is in-charge of keeping the live chats friendly, informative, and a maximum of one hour. So pay attention, be professional, and be prepared to wait your turn in the question "?" queue.

One more tip: It's Joshua, not "Josh".

"O Captain! My Captain!" is also acceptable."

Surf the Net - With these Web Tips

For all you computer clunkers who want to be wizards on the web, check out this techy tip blog. These are some helpful hints, if you don't already know them.

Seize the Day by Carolyn Arends

One of my favorite songs from long ago. And my favorite line: "Everyone's got a dream he can follow or squander."

Call for Submission - Stories for Children

I received this Call for Submissions from Stories for Children and thought I'd pass it along to all my writing cyber-buddies:

Stories for Children is currently in need of Nonfiction for all age groups for December and January issues.

Please check out the Holiday and Event Calendar for ideas. But keep in mind that submissions not related to the Calendar are also welcome. It gives us the opportunity to place them in other issues should December and January fill up quickly!

Check the website for submission guidelines as they are updated on a regular basis.

Everyone here at Stories for Children appreciates your continued support of our magazine.

Warmly,

Wendy Dickson

Nonfiction Editor - Stories for Children Magazine

Submissions Editor for: Nonfiction, Recipes, Puzzles, Games and Crafts

Website: www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.org

Good Books with Helpful Info for Writers

Good books with helpful information for writers:

1) Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King;

2) Stein on Writing by Sol Stein; and, (if you check out their Appendix 2 (p. 264), you may see others you like as well.)

3) A Writer's Guide to Crafting Stories for Children by Nancy Lamb.

I have been reading On Writing by Stephen King but please note that Stephen King's book on writing as well as Annie Lamott's are listed under Books on Inspiration.