Wednesday Writings

Again, with the 'stuff' - don't I just love that descriptive word! - going on I nearly went a whole month without a Wednesday Writing.

So better correct that right now ...... and today's post is all about the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

Copied from the blog link above ..... The brainchild of Arlee Bird at Tossing it Out, the A - Z Challenge is posting every day in April except Sundays (we get those off for good behaviour). And since there are 26 days that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, blog about something that begins with the letter 'A'. April 2 is 'B'. April 3 is 'C' and so on. You can use a theme for the month or go random - just as long as it matches the letter of the alphabet for the day. We recommend short posts, turn off Word Verification, and visit five blogs (or more) a day beginning with the one after yours on the list.

I joined last year about 2 days before it started - now that was manic! Trying to think of a theme, create the posts and visit others. I managed it - not sure how mind! This year I'm more organised, already have my theme, have the 26 posts scheduled, and have written some of them. With April the month before the 'do' I knew I either had to be organised or give it a miss. And I didn't want to do that, found some lovely bloggers last year that I still follow (well, apart from being neglectful atm, but as they say 'this too will pass'). Plus this year I volunteered to be a minion - sorry, volunteer administrative assistant - yeah, I know, definitely a minion! Anyhow the lovely MJ Joachin decided to take a chance on me and hopefully I won't let her down :) And I get to show off my badge ...

So, go read the link and sign up - it's fun and you will hopefully find some like-minded bloggers in the process :)

Monday makes :)

So busy at the moment with job applications, physio and planning for the 'do' but realised I couldn't go a whole month without a Monday Makes! So here is a sneak peek at something I've been making for the 'do'.....

Are they, or are they not, awesome!? Because of my stoopid foot I couldn't find anything to fit that was pretty. So I made the pair for me and posted about them here. To recap, I managed to get a pair of Italian leather Carvela shoes for one pound - I don't have a problem with second hand shoes as long as they are immaculate and I'll be wearing socks/tights etc. However, once I decorated mine, I thought how fab it would be for the 3 oldsmaids to have shoes that complemented mine. I bought them the same style shoe from Everything for Five Pound - or something like that LOL! They started off as tan suede shoes. They really needed to be court shoes and to match for the finished effect. The heels are they same gunmetal silver glitter as the main body on my shoes and then the shoes were firstly glittered the three colours - pink, lilac and blue - and then I added matching gems at the front, the same pattern as mine :) Not bad hey?

Do you Belong to the Blog Blitz Brigade?

And if not, why not?!

Seriously, you can read all about it here (and sign up!) but in a nutshell it's a fab idea that does 'exactly what it says on the tin' .....

...... Not sure if that's just an English advert? So sorry if it went whoosh over your head and you're wondering what on earth I'm wittering on about! Wow, lot's of w's in that sentence, try saying that fast along with the post heading. Is there a word to describe that? Oh yeah, tongue twisters....

And you can find lots more here if you're so inclined :)

www.thepinksweetshop.co.uk 

I digress. Blitzing is simply getting an email on average once a week. Popping onto the blog named in the email and leaving a post. Simples! (Another UK ad!)

The individual gets unexpectedly bombarded with lots and lots of lovely comments and gets a warm fuzzy feeling all over - hopefully :) It's taken just 5 minutes out of your life to make someone feel good - and as a bonus you may find a blogger who you instantly connect with and want to follow :)

No reason not to Belong to the Blog Blitz Brigade is there really?

The mastermind behind the idea is DL Hammons and if you missed it in the first paragraph, here's the link again :) Go on, click on the linky-link, sign up and join in - you know you want to :)

Moonless Book Release

This blogfest is to celebrate the release of Crystal Collier's book Moonless, which sounds like my ideal book! As a little incentive here's a $2.00 coupon you can use on the purchase of a copy. You'll need to use this little code before Feb 14th ... LOJM3F84... and better give you the link...https://www.createspace.com/4550104

FROM CRYSTAL ......
"My very first blogfest! Meet my AMAZING co-hosts: Pk Hrezo, Tammy Theriault, and Michael Di Gesu Is this a party, or what?
Now the fun bit!
"In the English society of 1768 where women are bred to marry, unattractive Alexia, just sixteen, believes she will end up alone. But on the county doorstep of a neighbor’s estate, she meets a man straight out of her nightmares, one whose blue eyes threaten to consume her whole world—especially later when she discovers him standing over her murdered host in the middle of the night.

Her nightmares become reality: a dead baron, red-eyed wraiths, and forbidden love with a man hunted by these creatures. After an attack close to home, Alexia realizes she cannot keep one foot in her old life and one in this new world. To protect her family she must either be sold into a loveless marriage, or escape with her beloved and risk becoming one of the Soulless."

So here's where you come in: If you lived in a society where arranged marriages were a la mode, who would you beg your parents to set you up with? (Literary characters and celebrities welcomed.) Who and why?"

What a poser hey?  I sat on this one for ages as I just couldn't decide who and why. I mean I immediately thought of Jesus - would love to ask him "why did you choose such a backward time and such a strange land?" 

Then I did a Google search and found a list of names, loads of which jumped out at me, including Dr Seuss, St Francis of Assisi, James Stewart, John Lennon and Socrates. Okay, so I would love to meet all those, and a whole lot more, but not sure about marrying them.

All images found on Google images

Then I looked at fakes - Ironman, Martin Riggs (not the real life Mel Gibson!), Mulder, Spike, Snake Plissken, Withnail, John McClane, Captain Jack Sparrow and Legolas. Bit of a bad boy theme going on do you think ;) And even if they were husband material - which I have to admit I think I choose badly - my Italian Catholic father would have marched me straight off to a convent!

All images found on Google images

Finally one name jumped out, George Bailey- It's a Wonderful Life - and I think to be married to someone who always made the right choice no matter what cr*p life threw at him, and whom everybody loved, wouldn't be so bad. The fact that IAWL is my favourite film of all time had, *ahem* absolutely nothing to do with my decision; and the fact that I've been with my own George (well Jeff), for nearly 25 years, who has also coped with regular cr*p in much the same way George did likewise have nothing to do with my choice ;) Oh dear, it's been confirmed, at heart I'm a soppy romantic! LOL

IWSG

Not quite sure where January went, but here we are again already! And what a difference one month can make.

IWSG - it's purpose is "To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!" Find the website here.

During January I polished my novella, and this month plan to send it out so anxiety levels are increasing. I'm fully expecting lots of rejects, but that doesn't mean that I won't feel pretty useless and unwanted each time it happens. By next month I will probably be a quivering mess!

February Goals

Did okay with January's goals, had to bring a few forward to February - will try very hard to make sure they're not carried forward to March though!

January Round up

Well that was a busy month!
Gym - after the initial hassle over my BP I managed 12 visits to the gym instead of 9 :)
Swimming - Only did 10 swims instead of the target of 12. But I don't look as it as a fail, but 5 miles - yes MILES! - that I did swim :)
ETSY and PPI were a complete fail - better put them on February's goals!
Rewrote what I need to get done before the do in May - and started wading through the list! Eeek, it's a long list!
Have created a second edition of Legacy Stirs and taking it down from Amazon for a while whilst I decide what to do with it!
Went to see Wind in the Willows at the Quince Players, and raised money for Martha in the process.
Caught up with more than 2 friends. Went to see Mandela with Dawn. Lou and Mark popped in for lunch. Went to Frankie & Benny's with Ariane. And Jeanette came round for a couple of hours and helped me stress about all the stuff I've got to get done for May!
Booked trip to Windsor Theatre to see Cats - never seen it!
Nearly finished website....
And haven't lost so much as one sodding pound! Was quite despondent as I have been so active and eating healthily. And, FYI, if you ever have a friend in a similar situation, telling them that muscle weighs more than fat does not help!!

Also ...... Jeff was quite rough - had his first sick days in 13 years! So must have been feeling really bad!
Visited Joe :)
Small front room is filling up with stuff for May - exciting but messy!
Got to see Joshua play only one match this month - yep, rain has halted play .... a lot!

Phew! February's targets up tomorrow :) Laterz xx