My Boys and Lord Stanley's Cup

Getting My Groove Back...

Can the Quoibler get her groove back? We'll see... After a lengthy and unintentional hiatus, I'd really like to try.

In the meantime, here's all the dull news:

- I am tweeting. Yep. www.twitter.com/writerangelique. DM me.

- I am Facebooking. Not sure about that yet, though. On the fence.

- I am writing and teaching would-be actors and models. Nothing new there, but just thought I'd add it!

- I am hoping to enter Jason's new contest at Clarity of Night. I just need my muse to pop over. Maybe I could tempt her with gummy worms?

- I want to run another half-marathon. It's been years (eight to be exact) and I'd like to do it before my next birthday (December 14 for those of you who want to buy me incredibly unique gifts early... ha!)

What's been going on with you?

How true, how true

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

The Economy Isn't All That Bad

I have proof that the economy is not as bad as it seems.

Last week, I invited two women who like to clean/organize "on the side" to my hovel. See, I need help. I didn't get the "cleaning gene". Not even close. I'm a clutterbug to the nth degree.

So we had a lovely chat. They had plenty of ideas. They said they'd enjoy tackling my home. I told them I'd buy whatever they needed -- shelving, bins, products, et cetera. And I was dead serious. I also told them I would be happy to $pay$ for their knowledge and services.

They left on a warm note. Handshakes. They'd check their calendars and get right back to me.

-silence-

-more silence-

-still more silence-

Basically, what this tells me is that my house is worse off than the economy right now. These women could have made more than a little pocket change, but they've apparently decided it's not worth it.

In a way, it's funny. Sorta. Now I have to try to lure some other unsuspecting neatniks into my cluttershack.

April Fool's Day

I'd really like to play a fun joke on my five-and-a-half year old, but I'm stumped! I was thinking it would be silly to put something goofy in his snack bag for school... but that's about as far as I got.

Any thoughts? Have you ever played joke that was particularly noteworthy on anyone ?

Found a great word in the Wall Street Journal

"Fusty"

Old-fashioned, musty... wonderful, wonderful word!

In need of new words...

After my last post, I realized that I was craving some new words to use in my writing.

If you have any faves, feel free to list them here. I'm always looking to expand my repertoire!

New words

Yesterday, I was speaking on the phone with a colleague. During the conversation, my pal used a term that I hear very little: "vexed". Loved it. So I've decided to incorporate the word "vexed" into something I write over the next week, if applicable.

Do you do that, too? Do you hear words that you haven't used in a while and then use them simply because they are new and fresh? Personally, I think that makes copy much more interesting.

Now if I could only find a way to use "mollycoddle"... hmmm...

Public speaking 102

As many of you know, I love speaking in public.

I think that's a little weird.

After all, most people would rather die in a fiery airplane crash or endure hours of torturous dental surgery than address a crowd. And I understand the fear; I just don't have enough of it to keep me from giving speeches.

I wonder what it is that makes people so terrified? My guess is it's the worry that they'll appear stupid or say something idiotic. (Take heart if that's you -- I've done both and I'm still here to blog about it.)

I'm curious as to whether my son has inherited his mother's strange gene. Though he's definitely a "ham" in smaller venues, he's not as apt to get up in front of large audiences. So perhaps he's going to be one of the majority of folks who would rather see Death coming towards them than a microphone?

A matter of discretion

The other day, someone I know only in passing was telling me he had been sick. During the discussion, he casually mentioned that he'd had terrible diarrhea during his illness.

Hm.

Now, I must say that I'm glad he's feeling better and that his bowels are moving properly. But did I really need to know all that information?

New Look, Same Zaniness

So... I'm not certain I love having a pic of me looming over my words, but I'll take it for now.

I've been so crazily busy that I've (*sob*) neglected my blog. I think I need to get back.

In any case, here's what's going through my mind:

1. Do I enter the world of Twitter? I find it annoying, but it seems to be the future of quick communication.

2. How about LinkedIn? I'm already there and have begun to amass a network, but I haven't decided how to make the most of it yet. Any thoughts? Suggestions?

3. And finally: Facebook. I hate the idea that schoolmates could "find" me if I don't really want to be found. Do you have any experience with this whole realm?

4. Why does every kid's lunchbox eventually wind up smelling like bananas EVEN if the kid never took a banana to school?

Ode to Orville Redenbacher

Why do semi-popped, burnt kernels taste so much better than all the rest?

Here's wishing everyone some salty goodness today!

In honor of my son's first-ever day off school because of weather

Waking late
Baking date

Happy faces
Relaxed paces

Rosy cheeks
Happy shrieks

Sloppy clothes
Drippy nose

Jump and play
Snowy day.

All the world's a page... er, a stage...

My newest dream? To write a play.

Don't get me wrong--I've thought about this for quite a while... most of my life, really. And I've written a few script attempts (which are probably laughable and I'd print 'em here if I could find 'em!) But never a full-fledged play.

Why is this suddenly hitting me now? Is it because I'm finally pressing down on my forties and can feel the Grim Reaper's stinky (hopefully distant) breath starting to condense on my neck? Is it a "midlife" crisis? (God, is 37 midlife? And if it is, that means I'll die at 74. That sounds so young!)

I think perhaps it's just that I really love the theatre and although I currently teach acting classes, I don't get to act. Sure, I have opportunities to show young thespians how to perform, but I almost never get on a stage. So writing a play seems like the next-best-thing!

Of course, there are a few questions I must ask myself, including:

1. When the hell do I have time to write a play?
2. What the hell should the play's topic be?
3. Why the hell do I keep inserting "hell" in every sentence?

Hrumph.

As someone who has a background in sales, I love this image...

more animals

Shock of shocks!

I was so surprised when I checked this morning... and found out I placed in Jason's writing contest over at Clarity of Night! Thanks to everyone who supported the piece. I really appreciated the votes!

It's so much fun to be able to just write to fulfill a creative desire rather than to make a paycheck. Kudos to Jason for providing professional freelancers with a different literary outlet.

(Oh, and Beth... I laughed at your comment. No way would I write a fiction book. Maybe a non-fiction one, though... but it's just not the same!)

Stories!

Jason at Clarity of Night is having another one of his uber-exciting short story contests.

If you'd like to read the one yours truly penned, it's right here. (But make sure to read the others, too!)