Reading, Writing, and Blogging

  Dear Reader,          Most of you, who already really know me, acknowledge my obsession with the Titanic. Over the years, I have collected several items related to the Titanic. I could not actually believe how many books I own, movies that I have collected, memorabilia, shows at the local museum, and much more. It occurred to me the other day, while I was watching season three of "And Just Like That," a spin-off of  HBO's Sex and the City, which, to be perfectly honest, I am thankful that was the last season they produced of that (I had expected more out of the show, tbh). It occurred to me that sometimes writing isn't always about writing what you know, but writing about your passion.           So, let me give you some context. Nothing is making sense at this point. In the third season, Carrie is waiting for her love to return to her (Aidan), which, let me tell you, he is so not the same guy. I was surprised that t...

 Dear Reader,          I have found the best show ever on Netflix. I just finished the series Younger  and have never felt so inspired as I do now. Most of my life, I have felt like I have been chasing a dream, a dream of being a prominent shot business owner. I have dreamed of living in a downtown apartment in Holland, having a loft, with my large, male German Shepherd, and just doing something I love.           The funny thing about being a writer is that you are never just a writer... You work in advertising and promoting your own novels; there is a significant financial component, including making sure you stay within your budget while breaking even or paying your bills with what you write. While writing, you find that you are your own worst enemy in doing your own edits and publishing. In the end, it is your own business, and you get to run it the way you see fit. If you are an indie author, you get to ...

 Dragonfly  Every year we go out on the boat, and I always have a dragonfly land on me. I have begun to believe that the dragonfly is my personal spirit animal.  They seem to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Dragonflies are meant to resemble living life to the fullest and obtaining your own personal potential. Another meaning behind them is ensuring that we fulfill every moment and live in the now. Dragonflies do not have a long lifespan.  Once they reach adulthood, they tend to pass on. I wonder then, at what length of time do they live before they reach adulthood, 6 months, 5 days, 10 years? According to our dear friend Google,  dragonflies only live 7 days to 56 days, but sometimes can last 6-8 weeks. I could not imagine only having that sort of a lifespan. The idea of "making it count," as Jack Dawson says on Titanic, truly does come into play. Each day, would need to make it count because we would never know if tomorrow would be our last.  T...

Write about a time you got dirty.       Growing up, I was that girl who never liked to get dirty. I never would swim in a lake or pond, did not ever play in the dirt, would never go camping, and took showers almost twice a day. I was the girlie girl and took advantage of it.      Now... that is a different story. I go for swims in lakes, ponds, etc. I play in the dirt and mud puddles (especially in my Jeep), I go camping, but I still shower at least once a day. The last major time I got really dirty was when I was working on my Jeep. It has a complete off-frame restoration and was done in three months. Although I could have taken more time to complete it, Man... when you get a jeep that you have been dreaming of... It is so worth the rush of getting things done. This was during the summer time when it was almost 100* out and even hotter with the humidity. On top of sweating like crazy, I had oil, grease, dirt, etc., all over me. This took place several...

  Close your eyes and travel back to a memory you’ve forgotten, a moment when you felt a simple joy. What can you thank your past self for in that moment? A moment in time that I can remember is a family trip to SeaWorld in Florida. It was my parents' usual way of spending time with their children after being left with a family member for long periods of time. It was their way of trying to make up time with us. My biggest want out of this trip included seeing a Killer Whale. I had been obsessed with them as a child, and still am.    I remember when we got in line to see the Killer Whale show at SeaWorld. I was so excited to the point of almost being in tears. I had no idea what to expect, but I was happy to be there. I remember when the whale made his first appearance from inside his enclosure. I had felt so bad because I knew that being inside that tank was doing him more harm than good. I remember during the movie Free Willy, the slumped-over dorsal fin meant something ...

 Edgar Allen Poe: Create a list of questions you would ask them in an interview.     I have always thought Edgar Allen Poe was an interesting writer. His life and career were cut too short for the many successes he could have had as time went on. I often wonder what life choices he would have made that took him down the path he was on. Here are the questions I would ask him if I ever had the chance to interview him: 1) What made you decide to write? What prompted your decision to write such dark writing?  2) What do you feel was your greatest piece of writing? 3) I have always loved AnnaBelle Lee. Had you ever written anything like that prior? 4) If you could rewrite your history, what would you have wanted to change? 5) Some of your short stories were very realistic. Did you witness any of these events? 6) What was it like living in the 1800s? 7) It has been said that you can dig deep into the darker side of the human psyche. Would you agree with that? Or,...