Breathing Room, Final Days

I know I've already posted this several times.  I won't apologize for being repetitive because the cause is such a good one and it is still short of reaching the goal.

Lance has promised anyone who contributes $10 or more and signed copy of his first book, the instant it becomes available.  Donations less than that will receive a personal poem penned by the man himself.  Do you know what collectors items these will one day be?  I suspect you don't.  This man is brilliant.  I have no doubt that he will eventually be known as THE writer of this generation.  And you could have something of his from the very beginning.  Imagine what a treasure that will be!

So please, find it in your heart to take a moment and read about this.  And then click here to go contribute. You have until Wednesday, October 2nd so don't delay. There is no one more deserving.  Every little bit will help and little bits add up into a lot!  Thank you for helping Lance get back to following his dream.

From Breathing Room:


If you have a minute, I’d like to tell you a little story.  A true story.
My very dear friend and one of the best men you’ll ever encounter is in need of some assistance.  His name is Lance Cheuvront and he is a writer.  But he is no ordinary writer. He is a modern-day storyteller who weaves magic into written poetry and prose. It is obvious to those who read his work that he will one day be known as THE writer of this generation.
Lance has an inexplicable knack of being able to write anything he sets his mind to; novels, short stories, poetry, essays. He addresses both fiction and non-fiction with the same reverence and finesse. His words evoke emotion and make people feel, think, and see the world in new ways.

In February of 2011, Lance was admitted to the hospital for the first of nine stays that eventually totaled thirteen months. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and lung issues for which an immediate cause was not clear. Since March of this year, his health has greatly improved, but his lungs are still delicate and must be monitored carefully in order to avoid a relapse.  Given time and a positive environment, he is expected to make a full recovery, but returning to tiptop shape could take years.
Because of this he is unable to hold down a “normal” job. Therefore, here, at the beginning of his writing career, he is eeking by on extremely limited funds
A few months ago, his computer started giving him problems, crashing now and again. But now it is dead. In today's world, it is impossible for a writer to make it if he or she is without the technology publishers expect them to have as a given. This makes it damn near impossible for him to pursue his dream.
Please help my friend get reconnected.  If you can find it in your heart to donate to his cause and get him on the road to writing, please provide an address, e-mail or physical, so that he can write and thank you personally for your beautiful show of generosity.

I thank you so much for any help you can provide. I am confident that if we work together, we can work a miracle!

Oh the Weather Outside

Is frightful.  Hahaha!  Got that song stuck in your head now, don't you?

Actually the weather is still fine, just beginning to become fall.  However soon enough it will be brrish.  And once it does you'll be looking for new and wonderful, warm and cozy ways to keep your pinkies warm.

Pop on over the Pandora's Green and get yourself a pair of hand knit hand warmers.  If you don't see the color you want shoot me an email.  I have more that aren't posted and plenty of yarn, flat and fuzzy, so I'm sure I can come up with something you'd like.

Click here to see what I'm talking about.

I Admit It!

I am a klutz!

I’d been at my desk all morning so I decided to take a walk at lunch.  It was a beautiful day and I didn’t want to miss out on all of it.  Off I went, stepping lively, enjoying the fresh air.  The plan was to go three blocks up the hill, two blocks to the right, back down the hill and to the right again, taking me past the fresh baked cookie store with enough time to spare to stop in and snag one. 

All was well until I made the corner and started downhill. There was construction on the building in the first block and scaffolding I had to walk under.  Being me, I was

curious, looking around instead of paying attention to where I was going.

I know better.  I know how bad and uneven the sidewalks in Reading are.  I really do.  But I was being nosy and the universe noticed.  I tripped over an unexpected ledge.  Down I went, flat on my face.  As soon as I felt my foot hit the ridge I knew I was falling.  Not a damn thing I could do to prevent it either.

Have you ever done that?  Time shifts and everything in the next few seconds occurs in slow motion.  Falling was not good.  It hurts, landing in a thud like that.  Bad enough doing something so klutzy on my own but today there was a woman coming toward me.  She was close enough that we’d already made eye contact and smiled the second before I went down.  You should have seen the look on her face.  Priceless.  Funny how time slowed while my mind sped up.  I cursed because I was falling, realized there was no way to prevent it and watched her watching me, attempting to catch me even though she was still too far away all in the half a second it took me to land.

The woman was very kind, picking me up off the ground, dusting me off, making sure I was okay and didn’t need an ambulance.  Other than being embarrassed and bruised I’m fine though I suspect I will be very sore tomorrow.  Honestly I think she was much more flustered by it than I was.

I did stop at the cookie store where the always extremely nice woman noticed me checking to ensure my hand wasn’t broken.  Do you know how much it hurts to land with all your weight on the side of one little hand?  I told her what had happened.  Yes, I am capable of making fun of myself when I do something dumb.  She was so sweet!  She gave me a bag of ice for my hand and a pack of Red Hots to make me feel better.

So yes, I am a klutz.  But being a klutz today showed me that there are still nice people around who are willing to go out of their way to help a stranger and that is a very good thing.

Note to self:  Watch where you’re going at all times!

Oh My!

Apparently the local haunted house has decided it's a grand idea to take scary to a whole new level.

Shocktoberfest, located at 94 Park Avenue, Sinking Spring, PA introduced haunting with a twist.  For an extra fee you can strip down and run through the house buck naked.  The tour is after regular business hours so no minors will be exposed to your, uh, exposing.  Or you can be what they deem a "prude" and keep your undies on. 

They advertise that the disrobing and dressing areas are semi-private.  As in the staff and other "Naked and Scared" participants will see you on display.  Can you imagine?  Oh, stop it! Get your mind out of the gutter!  The idea was inspired by the show "Naked and Afraid" and has absolutely nothing to do with sex.  In fact, there are strict rules prohibiting that.

Now who's with me?

For more info, click here.

Happy Autumn!

With the changing of seasons comes strange and magical things. Today is a day for the impossible to happen.

Too Weird

Even for me. 

There was a man in Sweden who was acquitted of sex assault charges after being caught masturbating on the beach.  Apparently his actions weren’t directed at anyone else so it wasn’t a crime.  It may still be a misdemeanor but the report I read was still researching that.

At the end of the article it was mentioned how odd it seems, public masturbation not being a crime in Sweden, especially with such stringent child sex abuse laws, when there is a group attempting to make it illegal for men to stand while urinating in office restroom.  Much more hygienic to sit, no splashing, no puddles and all that. But it was argued that it is the shaking off afterwards that causes the problem, not the actual act of urinating so sitting is pointless.  No mention on how the party attempting to create this law intended on enforcing it.

Yes, I’m still searching for a part time job but no, I don’t think men’s restroom monitor is one I’ll be in any particular hurry to apply for.  On the other hand, it might provide with more entertaining conversation than working fast food.  Hmm.  Have to ponder that one.

Btw, there's still plenty of time to donate to Breathing Room.  Please do if you haven't already.  Every little bit helps!

Happy weekend all!

I Did It!

A year ago some friends issued a 365 day picture challenge.  The objective was to take one pic of ourselves with our cell phones, every day for a year.  Face shots were not always necessary.  As long as we were in the picture somehow it was fine.  Pictures could be edited and processed before posting in any way we desired.

Doesn’t sound awful, right?  Well, for someone who was not overly fond of appearing in photos, the beginning of the challenge was just that, a challenge.  At the beginning I posted many pictures of me pointing at something or of my fuzzy slippers and new shoes.  As time went on however, I became less intimidated.  Sure, I still process most of my pics in some way before sharing but not nearly as much as I did when this first began unless I’m playing with special effects and attempting to achieve a certain look.

Here is my photo for today, the final shot of the challenge.  I never expected to say this but it’s been fun.  You should try it sometime.  Not necessarily to share with the world but for yourself.  Not only does it give you a chance to let your creativity run wild for at least a few minutes a day but it can also be a learning experience about yourself.

Sleep My Pretties

I went digging this morning.  The first sweatshirt day of the season.  I was amazed at the changes in one short week.

Several of the plants went from bright summer loveliness to fall fading in mere days.  It was a wonderful season for the flowers I tended and I’ve been very pleased with the appearance of the gardens.

But now it’s time to slowly say goodbye for the year.  I cut back the coreopsis which just last week were still putting out new blooms.  The sunflowers are drying. The cannas are wanting to be lifted.  And the purple-leafed plants are going to seed.  All signs of the approaching fall.

I alternated between melancholy and joy today.  I will miss my pretties while they sleep, building strength for next year.  But I know they will be back, lovely as ever.

Interesting

I learned something today.  I am capable of disengaging Howie’s invisibility shield.  All I have to do is slam on the brakes so hard the tires squeal while laying on the horn and ending up within half an inch of the person beside me who suddenly decided to turn right from the left lane.  I’m not sure if it was the combination of all three or what but I sure am glad it worked.  At least I think it did.  Howie may have switched it off himself at that precise moment.  That’s more likely since he controls it the rest of the time.  It was a bit surprising when he first found me but I’ve gotten almost used to fading in and out of people’s perception while being escorted by Howie.

I had the need to wander downtown for work purposes this afternoon.  I decided to be nice on the way back and stopped in at a local café that I passed in order to obtain cookies for me and my coworkers.  Yes, it was a cookie-needing kind of day.  It was after 2:00 when I got there, well past lunchtime.  I went in for four cookies.  And left with double that and a tub of cream of asparagus soup.  All for the price of the original four cookies.   Apparently I was radiating our need for cookies.  I’m not sure how the soup came about but it was nummy so I’m not going to question it.

Before I left the office on my errand a coworker instructed me to bring back the million dollars she was sure someone would offer me along the way.  She went on to suggest I stop in some of the shops I passed and request it, in case they weren’t sure who it give it to.  Well, I only stopped at the café.  That doesn’t mean, however, that I didn’t speak with everyone who crossed my path.  I did, though not by initiating the exchanges myself.  I seem to be a magnet for hmm, unusual people?  Yes, that’s a good term for them.  Unusual.  Had I not needed to get right back to work, since it was the middle of the afternoon, I suspect I would have been able to collect quite a few new stories today.

The white packet under Harry is the book I meant to be working on tonight.  Guess that's out.  He's too comfy to disturb.  Perhaps I will start something new.  Too bad I didn't have more time earlier.  Based on the few words I shared with those I passed I'm sure it would have been as unusual as the people were.

Happy weekend all!  Please go add to yesterday’s contributions to Breathing Room.  We’re just shy of half way!

Time is a Ticking

The campaign to assist my dear friend, Lance Cheuvront is half over.  To any of you who have already contributed, a huge thank you!  To those of you who haven't, what are you waiting for?  Even just a little bit can make all the difference so please help if you can.  Go here for Breathing Room on Indiegogo.

Samples of Lance's talent can be found on his Facebook page. Go become his friend and read his notes to see why his voice needs to be heard.

Woohoo! Writer News!

Do you remember a while back when I posted this snippet and asked if you’d continue reading if there was more?

““Mmm,” the pretty young blond moaned. “Fuck, yeah.” He pressed his groin against the taller, huskier man who had him pinned to the wall, his wrists held captive above his head by one large hand. His eyes drifted closed as an expression of pure bliss settled on his soft features. The barely-older-than-a-boy tilted his head, allowing the one feasting complete access to his delicate neck without seeming to realize what was going on.”

Guess what!?!  There is more!  And it was just contracted by Ellora’s Cave!

This bit and the rest that follows has been titled Bitten & Defiant.  The contract is so brand new that I don’t have any additional details but I will post them as soon as I do.

In the meantime go read some of the other little yummies I’ve written.

Enjoy!

Today's Chuckle

I was playing and came across a site with weird laws.  Thought I’d share some with you.

Pennsylvania –

It is illegal to sleep on top of a refrigerator outdoors.

A person is not eligible to become Governor if he/she has participated in a duel.

It is illegal to have over 16 women live in a house together because that constitutes a brothel.

Florida –

The state constitution allows for freedom of speech, a trial by jury, and pregnant pigs to not be confined in cages.

Men may not be seen publicly in any kind of strapless gown.

A special law prohibits unmarried women from parachuting on Sunday or she shall risk arrest, fine, and/or jailing.

Minnesota –

Citizens may not enter Wisconsin with a chicken on their head.

All bathtubs must have feet.

A person may not cross state lines with a duck atop his head.

Georgia –

Donkeys may not be kept in bathtubs.

No one may carry an ice cream cone in their back pocket if it is Sunday.

It is illegal to use profanity in front of a dead body which lies in a funeral home or in a coroners office.

Washington –

The harassing of Bigfoot, Sasquatch or other undiscovered subspecies is a felony punishable by a fine and/or imprisonment.

It is illegal to pretend that one’s parents are rich.

A law to reduce crime states: “It is mandatory for a motorist with criminal intentions to stop at the city limits and telephone the chief of police as he is entering the town.

Yep, I’ll be doing this one again when we need a laugh.  There are many, many more.  In the meantime, what is it with wearing poultry in Minnesota?

Only a few weeks left.  Please contribute to Breathing Room if you haven't already.  Thank you!

Go Out and Shine!

I was hunting through my old, old blogs last night, searching for something specific and came across one that I think bears reposting.  Happy weekend all!

From July, 2009

Yesterday someone who knows me well shared something incredibly powerful and thought provoking with me. Something so fitting for him as well as me that I feel I have to share it with you too. Please, pass it on. It just might make difference in an age that could sorely use it.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~Marianne Williamson

Go back and read it again please. It’s okay. I’ll wait.

Now think about all the times in your life you may have reigned yourself in for whatever reason, all the times you held a brilliant part of yourself back, all the times you were less than your most amazing self. As I see it, this throws everything into a different perspective. What if we’d let ourselves shine instead? Yeah, I can see you all nodding along with me. Hell of a thought, isn’t it?

People feed off of each other’s misery all the time. What say you we gorge ourselves on one another’s greatness for a change? Can you imagine how spectacular we could all become? I can, and as of now, I’m doing just that. I’m going to strive to be my best and most wonderful me at all times. No more hiding. Don’t be afraid. Join me, please and let’s see just how far we can all go.

The Evils of Ebay

I don't shop much.  Hate it!  I avoid it as long as possible.

But there's just something about surfing shoes on ebay that I find relaxing.  Truly odd since I'm not really much of a shoe person.  I like my feet to be comfy.  Other than that I'm not overly interested.

But again, there's something about footwear on ebay.  I don't necessarily search for me all the time.  I have a select few friends I surf shoes for too.  Yeah, good thing they already know I'm insane.  Otherwise they might wonder when they get a link in their inbox to a nifty pair of shoes I've come across for them.

Here's my latest find.  Lime green Nike high tops.  Just about the last thing I need but they were brand new!  An unworn display pair for next to nothing.  Can you believe mine was the only bid?  Wonderful for me but I worry about what that say about the state of the universe when people aren't fighting over bright green and silver sneakers.

Long Weekend

I did a whole bunch of things.

Chores, of course.  Blech but necessary.

I read some.  Lady of the Reeds.  Wonderful book!  I’m taking my time, reading it slowly, savoring it.

I wrote some.  Revised a few chapters of Jesse’s story.  Tidied up some short stories, started some new ones.

Chatted with friends.  I adore them so!

Worried over my friend, Lance’s fundraiser.  Yes, I know.  Not even halfway through the time yet but that’s me.  I like when my friends are happy and have what they need to keep them following their dreams.

I was kitty sitting so I got to enjoy extra kitty love.  Such a sweet bunch.

Treated myself to nummy lunch and then soup for dinner since I’d missed it on the menu at lunchtime.  It’s both good and bad living next door to a place that serves tremendous food at reasonable prices.

Did some digging which is perfect for reflecting.  Yeah, lots of reflecting.  Been doing that lately.

How about you?