Thursday, September 30, 2010

Sisterrrrrs....Sisterrrrrs (think Bing! and White Christmas)

I felt inspired to write a little something about sisters.  My little Caitie-bug, in particular.  Why?  Because I FREAKING LOVE HER!!!  She's my mini-me, except nice.  :)  She's also my biggest (if only) fan.  And one of the few people (I'm counting on one hand here) that reads my blog.  So, Cat-lick - this one's for you!!!

Caitlyn Colby is 11 years younger than me.  The way I see it, my mom spat out me (the oldest) and my next two younger sisters, 2 years by 2 years, and we all gave her so much trouble that 7 1/2 years later she decided to try it all over again...starting with mini-me, of course.  But, 4 girls was enough apparently.  There is no mini-Lindsay, no mini-Kelly.  And, of course - I love all my sisters, but Cait and I just seem to have a special bond.

We like a LOT of the same things.  She's the only one I could ever coax into going to the theater with me.  I miss our trips and my season tickets to the Grand Theater on State St. in SLC.  I treasure our trip to the Shakespearean Festival (I maintain, we need to start making that annual!)  Our spur-of-the-moment trip to Grand Junction - lol.  Good times, good times.  Remember - she was so much younger than me that she was single for a bit, while I was married and bored easily.  She was my go-to girl for spontaneous, spend-my-money frivolously trips.  And I know that someday we'll get back to that.  Marriage and kids - it changes a dynamic sometimes.

But, besides that "special bond" - I don't think that anyone could not like Cait. She's a genuine "sweet spirit" - a kindred spirit, really. (I sooo need to re-watch Anne of Green Gables, now...) She's creative and smart and completely modest about all her many talents. She's got the most beautiful smile. A perfect smile. I'll show it to you:



(Don't kill me for posting this one!!  It's the first one I found!!!)  Ok - so, I guess I have to now post the corresponding picture of myself:


That soooo makes us EVEN!!

I have to add an explanation here - because I don't really wear my hair or makeup like this.  No, really.  We were doing "'80's makeover night" and these are the results.  Awesome, right??  Of course, once we started taking pictures, we thought that we might look like something other than '80's flash back chicks.  Here's another picture - remind you of anything?


Yep - that's me, Madame D and my...ummm..."girls".  From left to right - Caitie-bug, Amy (cousin), Karen (cousin), Kelly (sister), and Lindsay (sister).  Aren't we beautiful?  We went to Wal-Mart shortly after this picture was taken.  It was late.  One of the (female) cashiers hit on Kelly.  It was pretty cool.  "Love Shack" at the top of our lungs on the way home with my sun-roof open.....ahhh...memories.

Anyhow - about sisters.  They're GREAT!  Even the ones that aren't related to you.  And my sister Cait - she's one in a million.  Love you, love you!!  Yours - Dog-lick



Sunday, September 26, 2010

Impatience is the Fun Killer

Ok - so I drove an hour and a half to the Sundance resort on Friday to check out the Full Moon Lift Ride, the last of the season.  I had my twelve-going-on-twenty-five year old with me...husband's out of town, so this would be a fun little mother/daughter outing, right?  It was a beautiful night, perfect weather, clear sky and a fricking A** load of people!!!!

I swear, Sundance must have been the only date destination in Utah County on Sept. 24th!!  Here I am thinking (and I don't even know why) that I'd found this off-the-beaten-path little adventure to go on and no big deal.  Well, it's a big deal, people.  The place was packed, jumping, hot, hot, hot, and all that.

We had to wait to get in the parking lot to start.  We were directed to the "upper parking lot".  A few hundred twists and turns up the mountain road, past a mish-mash of people walking down the road to where the fun actually was, and I just couldn't do it.  For one...I'm not a fan of hiking.  Downhill's ok, but then to get back from where you started you have to go...UP hill.  Ummm...no.  There was a bus taking people back and forth, which would have been cool.  Except that the bus was the size of a mini-van and the group of people waiting to get on the bus was the size of a (wow - nothing coming to mind here so "insert metaphor" and read on).

I don't like to wait.  And I'm really good at talking myself out of things.  And then justifying it later.  For example...they were selling tickets from 9pm to 11pm only and by the time I'd walked my big butt down that hill ("walk" is being generous...I likely would have tripped on a pebble and rolled downhill) it would have been past 9:30pm and I was pretty convinced I would have been turned away at the ticket window.

So...we left.  Our big adventure that night was walking around Winco.  Neither of us had been in one in Utah.  I bought some Spinach dip.  Awesome....

Monday, September 20, 2010

Things to do in Utah when you're dead. Ummm...dead bored, that is!

Ok - so I started this puppy in 2007 and I only have 21 posts.  You did see the "procrastination" title, didn't you?  Lucky for me nobody follows this thing, anyhow.  Or is it...?  So - I posted a link to my so-called "blog" on my FB account.  I guess I'll see shortly if anyone pays attention.  I did have an inkling to look through my posts to make sure I haven't written anything that I don't want other people to see.  I guess that's the positive thing about having a blog than nobody reads.  I can write whatever I want and get away with it.  Well, NO MORE!!  :)

Btw - I decided to leave everything as is...so if you do happen to peruse past posts...I apologize in advance.

But - I'm going to try to get better at posting things on a regular basis.  I'm going to try even harder to make it interesting.  Because, let's face it.  My life is one slow ride on the lame train.  Hmm..."One Slow Ride on the Lame Train."  That could be an interesting title for a book....   I digress.

Oh!  Also - I'm going to (at some point) integrate pictures into my post.  That makes it more interesting, right?  Pictures?  And if I'm really in a crazy mood some night - I might even mess around with the design!!!

But, for now - I'll just blog about tonight's title.  Because - even if I procrastinate doing any of things - there's still fun to be had for people who actually pre-plan and get their butts out of the house on the weekends.

Ok - so here's my FUN thing for today:  Full Moon Tram Rides at Sundance Resort!!!!  Totally awesome, right??  Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks that would just be the coolest thing ever??!  The last one they are doing for the summer is actually this weekend - 9/23 thru 9/25.  The lift goes up at 9pm.  Here's a link to more information:  http://www.sundanceresort.com/explore/sum_lift_rides_fm.html

I don't know about you, but I have this little secret love affair with the moon.  I know popular mythology deems the moon female, but I've always thought it was a "he".  I don't know why.  But - for a chance to get up close and personal.  Plus...umm...BEAUTIFUL!!!  This one I actually am going to do - so if anyone would like to come along - I'm thinking Friday or Saturday night might be good.

I do have 1 or 2 or 3 more suggestions for fun this weekend:

1 - Don't pass up the opportunity to hit a Farmer's Market before they end!  The one in Ogden on 25th Street is always good.

2 - Oktoberfest at Snowbird!!!  This is another one I've been wanting to go to.  End on Oct. 5th.  Here's a link to more info on this one: www.snowbird.com/events/concertsnfestivals/oktoberfest.html

3 - Do you like crafts?  I somehow stumbled across this event last year - the Simple Treasures Craft Boutique at the Davis County Fairgrounds Legacy Center.  This sucker was massive!!!  So many crafts, it made my head spin!  But, very cool.  It starts this Wednesday, 9/22 thru Saturday.  Here's a link for info and time:  http://www.daviscountyutah.gov/calendar_item.cfm?calendar_item_id=5085

4 - And then of course there is Witchapalooza and Witches Night out at Gardner Village.  SOOOO much fun.  The Witchapalooza dinner theater is totally worth the $$$  You sing, you dance, you eat, you dress up, you LAUGH!  This is a must.  Seriously.  Check it out.  And Witches Night Out?  Awesome!  Linky link: http://www.gardnervillage.com/

5 - Let's see, let's see....ahh, yes.  "Thriller"  I'm going to see it at Tuacahn this year.  I'll have to post pics.  Soooo excited!!!

I'm sure there's something I'm missing, but this is a good start, right?  Of course - there's always the haunted houses to go to.  A fun GNO!!

But - I'm sleepy and I have to work in the morning, so I'd better sign off.  So - plan fun things and I'll check in later!  Sweet dreams - :)

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Spewing...Good Day, Bad Day? You decide...

Ok - so, I think I just have to keep true to myself.  I really am the Queen of Procrastination.  I think I'm going to have to ditch the whole spontaneous daily writing project, because - as you can see - the last "daily" was 3 months ago.  Basically, I suck.  So - that's out the window.  Oh well.  I move on.  Not necessarily forward, but...on.

And if you're not in the mood for a serious bitchfest - I'd pass on reading the rest of this right now.  It's basically a sad, pathetic, lonely, midnight spewing.  Self-deprecating blah, blah, blahs.  A demonstration of complete and utter idiocy.  You know, that sort of thing.

Ok - so, here goes.  I decided a few months ago that it's high time I actually got really, really serious about my writing and trying to get published.  So, I joined back up with the League of UT Writers (LUW).  I'd joined a year or so ago, but the few times I tried to find the "group" session on the designated night in the designated area...no one was ever there.  I was supposed to be getting a newsletter, which I never received (found out later they had my e-mail add wrong...)  so, when it came time to renew my membership, I passed.  Well, I decided to give it another try.  So, I looked up the website - realized I was right in time for the annual Fall Roundup workshops, so I signed up for that.  I renewed/restarted my membership.  I picked a new chapter of the league from the one I previously tried to go to and could never find.  I was drawn to this chapter by their info page.  They seemed really involved and organized and stuff.  And it really seems that they are.  I've only been to one session so far - but, there were lots of (what seemed) dedicated writers there.  The problem is this...they seemed really close knit.  Every one there knew every one else, except for me, of course. 

And if you know anything about me....well, I get mistaken for stuck-up and intimidating and crap like that all the time.  The truth is - I'm deathly shy.  I'm not embellishing here.  Put in the wrong type of social situation, I'm convinced I could seriously have a heart attack and die.  I've been this way since childhood, for as long as I can remember.  I mean, I'm so frickin' scared of strangers that I'd rather do really stupid things, like walk home on a busy road in the dark, not knowing if I'm going the wrong way or not, miles and miles away from home when I'm dropped off for a class I later find is cancelled, because I'm too terrified to ask a stranger if I can use the phone to call my parents up.  I was younger, of course.  This was pre-cell phone era.  But, what I'm saying here is that my social anxiety has been a constant.  I'm side-tracking...ok, so new group - no one really pays attention to me.  That's that.

I go to the roundup a month later by myself.  I guess I should be "net-working" and I was nice and I did try to talk to people.  But, they generally politely answer me back and then go their separate ways.  But, anyhow - I decide to just focus on the classes I want to go to.  I sit by myself.  I take it all in.  I make mental notes about what I'm learning to help me with a one-on-one I have towards the end of the workshop sessions. 

I think I'm pretty prepared for the one-on-one pitch.  Until I go to a panel with the agents and some others earlier in the day.  They mention that part of them accepting a book is also accepting the person who wrote it - in terms of marketing.  Basically, I have to be marketable.  Ok - shit!  Cue panic!  I can't even sell myself to myself!  But, I try to stay calm.  Rub the lucky ring on my finger.  Go over my thoughts and preparations in my head.  I'm good, I tell myself.  I'm calm.  I'll do just fine.  I'll make a joke.  Yeah - it's all good.

My one-on-one with the agent was a holy freaking nightmare.  I was a complete spaz.  I walked in prepared to give my one-liner "hook", to intro myself really well, to mention I'd read a few on-line interviews she'd given, to explain my book really well, but not give too much away, to be cool, calm, collected - tell my prepared joke.  Well, folks - I can tell you that NONE of that came out of my big, fat mouth.  NONE of it.  Not one SINGLE thing I had planned.  We spent the majority of the time with me trying again and again to explain what my book was about.  She was completely confused (all my fault).  I didn't even tell her the title of the damn thing up front!!  I gave EVERYTHING away - no mystery.  No cliffhangers.  No wittiness.   No jokes.  No mention of my (small) writing credentials.  No evidence at all that I'd done some research about her (which I had).  Nothing, nada, zilch, zero, done.  Basically, I was a freak.  She even told me how to submit (I think this was a courtesy to everyone who'd paid to meet with her, because - what does she care.  She gets thousands of unsolicited queries all the time and all she has to do is tell an assistant to watch for Donea's dumb-ass query and "No, no, no!!") and I questioned the process.  I know it was just a courtesy anyways because at no time did she say that "Oh, I really like your idea."  "Oh, this is perfect for me!"  After the initial confusion, her words were general and vague and could apply to any old writer off the street.  I blew it.  Big time.  I left right after it was over and cried all the way home.

AND this meeting interrupted one of the few workshops I went to that I really enjoyed and would have been really beneficial and was presented by an up and coming author and established blogger (Elana Johnson) who I immediately identified with and thought was totally hilarious and really knew what she was talking about and thought that maybe she was someone I could approach and talk to.  I never got the chance.

I don't know.  I learned some really helpful things.  But, at the same time I also learned some hard truths about today's market and marketability of the author and if it comes down to trying to sell me along with my writing than I'm pretty convinced that I will never, ever be published.  Unless, of course, I self-publish.  Which, I suppose, is an option.  But, the dream was to do it the traditional way.  But "me-in-person" is going to screw that up every time.  I know it.  I've never been good with strangers, public speaking, blah.  It doesn't matter how prepared I am...I get in front of someone I don't know and my heart races, my mouth drys out, my voice shakes, my hands shake, my eyes go wide, and my mind goes completely blank.  Or incoherent.  It happens this way every single time.  I don't know...maybe I need medication for this or something.  I think if people gave me a chance - were patient with me and really got to know me - they'd like me, and I wouldn't come off as such an idiotic psycho.  Sadly, in today's world...and in the writing world - if you don't "hook" right away - you're left in the slush....

(*later comment...but, will I do it all over again?  You bet!  Glutton for punishment?  Maybe.  But - truly sad is the person who gives up on their dream completely, so... humiliations galore?  Bring it on!)