Quote of the Week and a Hiatus

"I'm leaving on a jet plane . . ."

John Denver

I'll be on blogging hiatus for the next week or so (maybe more, maybe less ... sorry for the vagueness). Last week's non-blogginess was an effect of crazy prepping for a major conference at the day job. This week I'm in New York at the conference it took most of last week to prep for, so I'm not expecting much opportunity to be part of the blog-o-sphere. Don't have too much fun without me!

Quote of the Week

"He lives the poetry that he cannot write. The others write the poetry that they dare not realize."

- Oscar Wilde

Random Stuff Friday

It's Thursday night as I write this and I'm recovering from a flight home, my 2nd time on a plane since surgery, so forgive me if this post seems mildly disconnected. My head feels like it is no longer attached to my body. Good thing this is the random stuff post.

1) As I said, I was on a flight home Thursday afternoon, after spending most of the work week in San Jose, CA. In case anyone was wondering, California is still there and is still broke. It was a hot topic all over the news given upcoming elections. But that's not what I was going to tell you about. I was actually going to tell you about how I got upgraded to 1st class on the trip out there and how Delta serves their in-flight drinks in some very nice glasses. I want a set for my house. They're heavy and all nice and round and you can tell they're pretty decent quality. I should've taken a picture. See this is the sort of things I notice when I travel. Pretty exciting stuff, huh?

2) I didn't read on my trip. Like, at all. Unless you count street signs and workish stuff during the day. Could've had something to do with the fact that the flights made me sicker than all get out and I couldn't see straight. Plus after each day I was so exhausted I didn't even have it in me to read. So Captain Nook stayed in the bag for the entire trip.

3) I love Indian food.

4) I realize that most of what I'm telling you now I've already tweeted. So if you would rather get up to the minute details of my oh-so-exciting (not really) travels, you should go follow me (@windyaphayrath) just saying.

5) I seriously just typed 6, even though I only do 5 random things each week. I think that's a sign I'm done for the night.

All right. Peace out. Have a great weekend all.

WiP Wednesday

It's been a while since I wrote a WiP Wednesday post. Well, it's been a long time since I've blogged very consistently, and my apologies for that. My Halloween resolution shall be to improve this.

Anyway, the day job has been killing me recently. We've just closed out our fiscal year, so yeah. There has not been nearly enough writerly time of late. Now into a new year, I get to hit the road some. As you read this, I'm sitting in a conference room in San Jose facilitating a discussion about some stuff and working out how to do some things and figuring out what the important bits of it all is.

I doubt that's what you really wanted to read about though. On the writerly side, I'm swimming in a rewrite of my new contemporary YA affectionately known to Husband as "The Carnival Book." I got to about 65K in it and then something just slammed into me and I was lost, completely uncertain what direction I was to go and there was NO new words coming because of this wall. But since then I've had some time to reflect and I know I need to rewrite this. Wish me luck.

The only thing that doesn't help my ADD is the fact that during this reflection time, I've ended up with thoughts leading to new project ideas in addition to some pivotal points around other wips I've got lying on the back burner.

So yeah, rewriting and oodles of noodley ideas. What have you guys got going? I know I cannot be alone in having tons of new ideas hit when you have zero time to work on them!

And Without Further Ado

As you'll remember, I told you all about H.o.W. I Stay Calm. After many deep breaths, several Jedi Squirrel battles and a series of cinnamon roll breakfasts, the Utah Chapter of RWA announced the results of the Hearts of the West Writing Contest.

And I took 2nd Place!!

The winners were announced at the Utah Chapter RWA Conference that was held over this past weekend. Though I wasn't able to attend, I was notified very soon after the results were announced and also received some great feedback from the judges of the contest.

Thanks to everyone for all the crossed fingers and toes and eyes and so forth! All your moral support was (and always is) superly appreciated!

Quote of the Week

"Remember, happiness doesn't depend

upon who you are or what you have;

it depends solely upon what you think."

-Dale Carnegie

Random Stuff Friday

I really need to work on my blogging consistency. I am so sorry, dear friends. I've been a little frazzled lately with far too much on my plate and not near enough of me to deal with it all. *sigh* Such is life for many of us, right? Right. Anyway, welcome to another installment of Random Stuff. Because, well, if it isn't in context, isn't it all random?

1) I LOVE to buy presents for people. I hate giving gift cards or money, it feels so impersonal. We had a close friend's birthday come up and said friend is one of those people who is SO hard to shop for. He's just the sort of guy who - if he really wants something, he'll just buy it himself. So

what do you get a guy who has everything he wants already? Apparently, according to Husband, if that guy is a fisherman, you get him a fishing pole. You can never have too many, I guess.

2) There are, surprisingly, quite a few good sushi places in the Salt Lake Valley (that's Salt Lake City and all the nearby suburbs for non-Utahns). Funny how that is considering Utah's a desert.

3) I have a work trip to San Jose next week. I have another work trip to a very New Jersey part of New York at the end of the month. My first 2 plane rides since the infamous one that helped us discover all the health stuff I've got going on. Needless to say, I'm feeling very anxious.

4) The other day at work I was, yanno, working and suddenly my laptop shut down and

restarted itself. Then it said "Error Loading Operation System." I just got this new work laptop in March. I am not happy about this. Called IT. Problem solved. 2 hours later, laptop shut down, flashed a bright Blue Screen O'Death, then went to restart itself and gave me the same error. You'll all remember what happened to Little Greenie a few weeks back. I am apparently jinxed. Sounds like I need to convert to Apple. If only the budget would allow it. *longingly sigh*

5) Look at this cool thing someone shared with me - a reminder that we always have the weekends to look forward to!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Quote of the Week

" Well done is better than well said."

Benjamin Franklin

... that Mr. Franklin. He sure was one smart cookie ...

Random Stuff Friday

Sorry I've been so MIA this week. I've been slammed with day job stuff as well as revisions on a project topped off with a migraine at the beginning of the week, and, well, there you have it. Moving on ... HAPPY OCTOBER!!

1) OK, how much do I love Britney Spears? And then Britney on Glee? Kick ass, if I do say so myself. My parents were pretty strict when I was growing up, so music was definitely an escape for me. And it wasn't until I was old enough - seriously, I was like, 18, that I saw my first concert. And that concert? Britney Spears. Yep. It was on her very first tour at the Utah State Fair and even back then pre-crazy head shaving, the girl can put on a show! Yeah, that concert was followed up with a more elaborate (and way more expensive) Backstreet Boys concert, but we'll save my love of bubblegum pop for another post.

2) In my experience, the migraine hangover is by far worse than any alcohol-induced hangover. Just saying.

3) My nails are still painted tangerine. It's very summery. I'm clinging to the last bits of summer because the awesome sunshine and 90* weather we've been having is NOT going to last. I'm wondering what are good and fun autumn nail polishes, because all the colors I have are summer colors. Suggestions welcome!

4) Here's readerly pet peeve: books that are in the middle of series/trilogies/sagas that don't end. When there is no closure. I get that it is part of a bigger story, but I'm of the firm belief that each book should tie up its own loose ends while providing more insight and moving us along on the bigger story arc. Otherwise, you end up like me, up until 2 a.m. reading a book because I was so into it and then I get to the end and basically ended up yelling at the book to the point that Husband asked if he needed to throw it out the window for me. Yeah. I'm peeved. So much that I don't know if I even want to read the 3rd book. *steps off soapbox*

5) Behind our house is a bakery. They have a little wholesale store that's open to the public where you can buy a variety of freshly baked yummies for way discount from how much you'd pay for their products at the store or gas station. But that's not the best part. The best part is that almost every morning I get to walk outside to the smell of fresh donuts or bread or cookies. Yum for the nose!

Have a great weekend everyone!