Pages

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Celebrations

This past weekend I was able to fly out to help celebrate my sister and her now future hubbie to be's engagement with friends and family in Utah. And let me tell you it was a crazy long weekend of stress and joy. But then again doesn't weddings usually combine the two?

I'm so happy for my sister and her fiance. She couldn't have chosen better if you asked me. He is a hard-worker and really loves my sister. Minus the fact that he has a crazy mother, he's pretty cool and he even gets along with my sisters. Now don't get me wrong about his mother. My family is fully of crazies and have more than our fair share of our own issues, and for the most part my sister's future mother to be is a nice lady. She just has to realize that my sister is not trying to take her son away and that she has been taking care of herself since she was a child and having someone treat her like a child is a foreign thing.

Like all good relationships it takes a lot of work to make it work out, and both my sister and future brother-in-law are willing to put in the time and effort it takes to make it work. It also helps that they do have people cheering them on the side lines willing to help with the crazy stressful wedding plans. Cause if you don't think putting a wedding together on a tight budget, then you are crazy.

Weddings are crazy stressful. Especially when one family has divorced parents that aren't on good terms. We will make this wedding work and be a good memory for my sister. NO MAJOR DRAMA ALLOWED!! Everyone's issues will be checked at the door and focus on the point of the day. My sister and brother-in-law tying the knot.

Like this past weekend, when my sister was concerned that no one would come to the party. We not only had a full house of over 30 people but from long time family friends we hadn't seen in years, to extended family that drove over 100 miles, to derby friends to close friends and family. Those who couldn't make it even called to talk to the fam to express there joy and sad that they weren't able to come to the party.

Not only that but we set up an awesome lunch and decorated a room that we weren't allowed to tape anything to the walls. And everyone expressed how great the place looked and how good the food was, even for those who had dietary issues, we had something for everyone.

We were even able to get the new additions to the family to help with creating decorations (so many puffy decorative balls out of tissue paper) and even decorated the mass quantities of cookies, so that we could all bond. And for the most part we all got along great. There were jokes, there was teasing, and overall some pretty good conversations.

To add to the three day crazy preparations for the party, I wasn't only sick, but we were able to pick out the bridesmaids dresses and get our hair done! Talk about a whirlwind of a weekend.

I wish I could have stayed up there longer to have a bit of a more relaxed visit with the siblings, but work called me back to the Bay Area. Another trip will needed for a good catch up visit with my sister. Though I have a feeling that until the wedding happens towards the end of the year, every visit will be busy with helping with making wedding decorations and doing anything possible to help destress the bride. And you know what? I'm totally okay with that. This being the first sister in my family to get married, we are all trying to figure out what needs to be done and how we can do it with out spending an arm and a leg.

DIY crafts you will be done! And it will look fantastic. That is if I don't end up bleeding all over them. I tend to be klutzy when it comes to doing crafts as I've learned this weekend. I just happened to take a chunk out of my knuckle with scissors while making the puff balls and stabbed myself with ice while using an ice pick to try to break up a big block (don't worry it was only the ice that stabbed my hand. Not actual stitches were needed. Only a little bandaide and told I'm no longer allowed to touch sharp objects.) FYI all the wounds were totally worth it in the end. Cause the party looked great!

Can't wait for the day to be a bridesmaid for the first time and see my sister in her big day as she officially starts a family with Michael. I will with no doubt be crying like a baby with tears of joy.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

High School Drama Tendancy

This has been a long week in the world of my day job. One of my accountants I assist not only had to deal with his baby girl being sick last week but with getting so sick that it kicked in his asthma so bad he had to stay home extra days trying to breathe. As I've been lucky with asthma I've never had major issues like had but damn do I feel his paid when he was wheezing the days he was able to make it into the office.

I found it kind of ironic that when he had called my boss to let us know how he was doing he had mentioned just how much he felt like he was 12 years old again. The big kid with glasses, not able to run a mile, can't breathe properly and a total nerd. This had me not only cracking up but it seemed to fit the weeks unofficial theme of acting like we are all back in high school. And for me personally high school is not a time that I want to go back and revisit or relive. Okay, if I had to redo it I'd 100% do it differently. I'd ignore all the family drama and focus on myself and dancing more.

Where am I going with this high school tangent you ask? Well, working in an office can be exactly like being back at high school sometimes. People wont communicate why they are upset, there are clicks, and there are more gossip than there needs to be.

Let me just put it this way, every type of high school drama. From silent treatment. To gossip. To cutting someone off from a group. To tattling. To backstabbing and denying it. To snooping. All happened within a span of 5 days. Don't get me wrong, one or a few always happen but all at once? What the hell? Was something in the air? Maybe in the water? Whatever it is I sure hope that it will be done and gone by the time Monday rolls around and all the big bosses roll back into the office.

Office drama, I know it happens everywhere. But one of the things I've loved about my department since I've started working with this company is that we have all become a little family and get along great. We may have a few frustrating moments with the other, that's normal, but we talk it through and get on with getting our lives. Then again I work with two awesome guys and a female insurance coordinator that is so laid back. These are people I love working with. Even with drama in our work lives we are able to help the others get through it and make them laugh.

Who knew that almost ten years after high school I'd still get pulled into drama by women in there 40s going on 13. Yesh. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger right? Well, I'm now working on how to hone my business skills and keep work getting done without letting drama effect our efficiency. With 2 accountants and me as a helper bee to get three offices worth of accounting done, there is no time to dwell on the negative and keep moving forward. 

Thus ends my little rant about high school drama. No matter what it's always around. Best thing you can do is just keep going and not let it effect you like others want it to.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Super Bowl Sunday

Personally I'm not a big football fan. If I had a choice I'd rather watch rugby. Then again that is only because I know the rules since I played it while I was in college. Football to me is rather slow with very little action. I know, I know, please don't hate. I get a lot of grief from my co-workers who are big football fans that I can be into rugby but not football. But hey, I'll take nonstop hits in two 40 minute halves with the only equipment required are cleats and a mouth guard, no forward passes, and non stop movement on the pitch with players having to play both offense and defense, with no subbing back and forth unless blood is on the pitch. Yup, now that is a game. Not to mention that during the average game a player will run at least 5 miles. Talk about endurance.

Now, that I have my little rant out of the way about rugby vs football out of the way, today is the big day for all football fans. That's right it's Super Bowl Sunday and my city's team is in it. Not only has the San Francisco Giants won the World Series, but out 49rs are in the Super Bowl. Needless to say that the city will go just as crazy or worse if we win the Super Bowl on top of winning the World Series...and I'll never hear the end of it from my co-workers. The second could be a lot worse. But this last year people were rather stupid and decided to destroy public property and if I remember correctly light a bus on fire. Luckily no one was on the bus, but I mean come on people let's not destroy the city that you say you love so much.

So, what am I doing on Super Bowl Sunday? I'm writing. Plotting out new books, writing works in progress, sending out a query letter to a dream agent of mine, doing a load of laundry (you're welcome co-workers, I like you enough to make sure I don't smell or come in wearing my pajamas), oh and I did bet on the Super Bowl (it's actually 4 squares, and I left out the breakdown of which are my numbers at work, so I wont know if I actually win money unless I get a text from my boss or till I get to work tomorrow. Opps my bad), oh and I can't forget about updating my wonderful blogs here and Novelous Ladies. I know it all sounds like a blast. And guess what...that's my usual weekend since I dedicate them to focus on writing, while weekdays are reading for Novelous Ladies.

Why do you as? Well, one of the best advice I've gotten is that if you don't have time to read what is out there in your genre then you don't have time to write. And well what better than being inspired by those who have gone through the same struggles of writing a book and succeeded. You know what? I think that it does help me. It pushes me to keep writing. To keep improving to one day be able to say that I have a published novel. That I know the market well enough that what is out there and what isn't. To know what makes a good story and then tell it in my own way that will make people want to read it.

So, now it's time for me to get back to work in keeping making steps to the big goal of writing novels for a living. It will happen. It's just going to take time and a lot of hard work.

Now, go enjoy the Super Bowl day and for those in the City, stay safe and go San Francisco!

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Resolution Checked Off The List

This week I've joined a wonderful group of people as a member of the Romance Writers Of America. I'm super excited so that I've joined this group of people who love romance. I know that there will be some great opportunities to help me not only network, but to become a better writer from learning from all the people who has the experience that I hope to have one day.

I've just taken one step closer into being a published author! Ok, I guess it doesn't really matter if I'm really apart of the RWA, but I do think that it will help. Now the real hard part....continue writing new work, while touching up older manuscripts to get it out there.

Along with now becoming apart of RWA, I'm planning on attending Romance Times Booklovers convention in Kansas City MO for there 30th anniversary. Being around people who love books is always such an amazing thing. There are some great workshops, that I know I will learn a lot from, and will hopefully will make some great new writing friends.

Anyways, I've checked of joining RWA from my list of resolutions from the new year and I can't wait to keep moving forward in my future career in writing.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Making progress

In the progress of keeping moving forward in pursing my writing career. And with that I've sent in my application to join the Romance Writers of America, which will then lead to me some great networking opportunities with some amazing women in the Romance industry. Once I get the official word that I'm a member of the RWA I'll be heading to also join the Bay Area chapter so expand my knowledge from those that have the experience that I wish to have one day.

Along with having finally sent in my application to join the RWA, I've registered to go to the Romance Time Book lovers Convention. I heard about it last year from all the talk on Twitter by all the authors that went, and it sounded like a blast. So I've got my ticket and I'm going to Kansas City in May!

When I found out that they are having a pre-con boot camp on writing for publishing, I knew I had to go. The best way to get into an industry is by going into it as knowledgeable as possible. With having a degree in Film Production, working in accounting for construction, it means that I have some learning to when it comes to getting into the publishing world. And to do that without having to go back to school means that I got a good amount of research to do. The research that I choose to do is by reading blogs from the experts that are working in the industry (how do I find that out? go to the publishers websites to see who the editors are). You'd be amazed just how great these people are. They post recommendations, advice, and so much more. Why some people don't take advantage of this I will never know.

Other than finishing your work, never give up, keep writing, and don't let your ego get too big cause no one will want to work with you then no matter how good you might be in reality.

I'm not quite sure if I'll make it to RWA National Conference this year since it might end up conflicting with my sisters wedding. OMG, I don't think I've said anything about that yet. My sister is getting married this year to a great guy. She's the first in of my sisters to tie the knot. I might be in a different state than she is but I'm doing my damnedest to be there for all the big events for her. That means that I might not be going to Atlanta this year. And I'm totally okay with that. Conferances happen every year, my sister getting married doesn't.

Okay in hopes to keep my girly side in check I'll stop talking about my sister getting married and get back to work on writing and reading for the Novelous Ladies blog.

Whoo this year will be a good year, I can feel it. RWA member (soon to be), finishing another novel, and getting more of my work out there to find the right agent for me and my work.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Reading

With the start of the Novelous Ladies blog I started with a few friends, I had set a goal of trying to read a book a week to review for the site. To be able to do this I would have to spend the week when I'm not at my day job reading, and spend the weekend writing for both my novels and blogs that I keep. And while I haven't been able to keep up with this fully, though I've been doing a pretty good job of keeping pretty darn close to this goal with having everyday life interfering, I've figured a few things out.

1. I read slower on an e-reader, ipad, then I do with a hard or paper back book
2. I will never hate having a physical book in my hands, with the smell and feel of the paper in my hands
3. As much as I wish I could carry all the different books with me at all times, traveling with an e-reader does help keep my purse and luggage lighter, having to turn off your reader for certain times of the fights and running out of batter sucks.
4. I love the fact that I have the options of both e-books and books

I've realized that the last several months with the holidays and traveling that I've been doing all my reading on my ipad and I've missed the feel of a good book in my hands. The smell of the paper, curled up in bed or on my favorite chair in my living room with my fuzzy blanket just isn't quite the same as with my ipad. Personally I'm a easily distracted, I've most likely have detoured to other webpages at least 9 times in the process of writing this blog, and having access to the internet and games with the ipad sometimes gets in my way of reading. Even if I love the book I still seem to get pulled away at times. Not sure if that is just me or an everybody things, but it's different with a physical book. Yes, I'll still admit that I get distracted with them as well, but I find that I've falling more into there stories easier than I do the e-reader.

Will I keep reading with an e-reader? Hells to the yes. I got at least 20 books on there ready and waiting for me to read to at any one time. Will I continue reading paperback and hardcover books? Hell to the yes. Some times convenience of having a e-reader just needs to be put aside. I love the fact that I have a bookcase that is dedicated to books that I have yet to read and will it will continue to see books come and go from it, as I add and move the rest to my have read bookshelves. What can I say? I love books and one day when I get my own house/apartment will have a office that I can dedicated to having nothing but walls covered in books. Guess that would fall into having a library. You get the point.

Anyways, it's time for me to take a little break from my e-reader for now as I've just enjoyed reading a novel by Robyn Carr and will begin a novel by Molly O'Keefe that I will later be reviewing on Novelous Ladies.

But, I'm curious, what do others think about e-readers? Do you read more on your e-reader now then you ever did before? Or do you rather stick with the classic paper and hardcover books? Or are you like me and like both?

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Chasing your dreams

Today I had lunch with one of my roommate and had talked a bit about chasing your dreams. For the most part my roommates/friends understand my dream of wanting to be a writer yet they still don't seem to understand the reasoning why I've completely changed my priorities. I appreciate the fact that my close friends are supportive, yet it's frustrating that they just don't get it. After today's lunch I'm starting to understand a little bit more about why from how they talk about chasing ones dreams.

Part of not having your dream yet is about putting in the time and hard work to be able to achieve that, even if that means you have to use your own personal time outside of your day job. My roommate had made a point that it's important to keep your day job in order to pay your bills, as well as to keep progressing in that job instead of having to start over from the beginning somewhere else.

Here's the thing that got me....where does anywhere in that statement mean that you still can't put in the time to get that dream job eventually. Yes, it might mean that you might eventually have to take a pay cut, yet does that mean that you should give up your happiness in a job you hate to stay financially stable. To me that doesn't mean that you will forever be struggling with money. It's just a matter of time.

If you don't try then how are you ever going to achieve your dream and you're going to stay miserable in a job and stay in a rut. That is no way to live. You can always take steps to reach your dreams while still keeping a full-time job to keep up paying your bills. It is just about changing your priorities to meet them, let that be going to school part-time or stop partying to volunteering wherever it is to get you where you want to get going.

Apart of beaching able to chase your dreams is surrounding yourself with people who are there to encourage and support you along the way. Those who are negative and drag you down need should be cut out of your life. I've seen not only with my self but with a roommate people who say that they are your friends but are negative and make fun of you the whole time. It is then that you really need to make a decission. Is it worth saying unhappy in a job surrounded by people that make themselves feel better by treating you like crap? Or is it worth burning the candle at both ends to put in the extra work to be able to say at the end of the day, I reached my goal and have all these amazing people around me that helped me do it.

Personally I'd rather keep all the positive people around me, cut out the negativity and put in the extra work while still continuing to succeed in your day job. It's possible. The only thing that is stopping you from succeeding is yourself. And true failure is when you don't even try.

For those of you out there that are chasing your dream, whatever it may be, and know that there are those who are in the same place as you, struggling with you, and are cheering you along the way. Don't give up. I know I'm not. It's just a matter of time till you get there.